Elnor opened his eyes slowly, finding himself in a now empty study. Picard and Laris were gone. The cat had disappeared, too, but not without leaving behind a thin layer of black hairs on his clothing, Elnor noticed. Luckily, black cat hairs didn't show up that well on black clothing. Still, he thought he had better clean them off or else the hairs might end up in his dinner food, something he knew Laris would not appreciate.

Noticing Picard had left Twenty Years After placed neatly on his study desk with a purple ribbon marking their place, Elnor smiled. What a wonderful surprise it was to discover that the adventures had not ended!

Returning to his room, he changed clothes, indulged in a quick shower, and put his cat hair covered clothes in the cleaner. After that, his nose and keen sense of hearing guided him to the kitchen where he found Laris arranging cubes of meat and various types of vegetables on long, pointed sticks and placing them neatly on an elongated platter.

"May I help?" he asked.

Glancing around the kitchen, Laris said, "Not this time, I believe I have it all under control, but thanks for asking." She tilted her head to one side in thought, then added, "Perhaps next weekend, you could plan an entire meal, bring the ingredients, and prepare it yourself. I'll offer to help." She smiled at Elnor's look of panic.

"But. . . I don't think we can make an entire meal out of only flatbread."

"Surely the nuns taught you how to cook more than that."

Elnor considered for a moment. "We did have various types of grains. Meats, fruits, and vegetables weren't so common in more recent years." At Laris' look of surprise, he added, "But we never went hungry." Laris wondered if that were true, or if the nuns had given portions of their food to the rapidly growing boy to ensure he never went hungry even if they sometimes did. Not being a follower of the Way of Absolute Candor, she kept her thoughts to herself.

"I'm sure there are plenty of meal ideas and preparation instructions available in the computer data banks. You'll have all week to think of something. And don't you dare think about using a replicator for it!" she added, determined not to let Elnor off the hook.

Shooing him out of the kitchen, Laris said, "Now go on before I change my mind and put you to work. Go find Jean-Luc. I'm sure he's puttering around here somewhere."

Elnor found Picard once again outside on the veranda, drinking in the sights of trees, sky, and vineyards. Number One was, as usual, laying by Picard's feet. The mysterious cat was nowhere in sight.

"Awake at last," Picard smiled. "I'm sorry my reading put you to sleep."

"It wasn't your reading at all," Elnor smiled back as he settled into a chair next to Picard. "I could never get tired of listening to you read. It was the cat's purr. I've never heard anything like that before."

"Many people haven't," said Picard, "although I have listened to recordings of creatures called tribbles. Remarkable similarity in the soothing sounds they make."

"Do people not also keep tribbles as pets?" asked Elnor.

"Oh no!" replied Picard with a look of horror on his face. "In fact, they're the main reason Starfleet personnel are forbidden to acquire exotic pets on planets we visit. They will consume every food source they can get into, and they can get into anything! They're born pregnant, multiply faster than almost any species we've ever encountered, and were once used as a weapon against the Klingons when we were still on, shall I say, unfriendly terms with them." After a moment's thought, Picard added, "Perhaps we should have given the Klingons a few cats as a peace offering. I'm sure they would have made short work of the tribbles." He smiled at the thought.

Shifting in his lounge seat, Picard changed the subject. "Did Laris run you out of the kitchen? She does that to me all the time."

"As a matter of fact, she did, but not before putting me in charge of coming up with an entire meal idea and preparing it myself next weekend!"

Picard's eyes widened slightly in surprise and amusement. "Did she, now? Well, that should be interesting! Do you have anything in mind"

"Not a thing except flat bread," admitted Elnor. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Oh no," answered Picard, "I'm not going there. If I make a suggestion, Laris will know. You're on your own with this," he chuckled before adding encouragement. "I'm sure you'll come up with some wonderful ideas."

Changing the subject again, Picard asked, "Have you heard from Seven and Raffi lately?"

Elnor smiled, "Raffi manages to call me almost every week, no matter where they are or what they're doing. I think she's really enjoying serving on the Stargazer, even if Seven is the captain and she has to obey orders."

Picard laughed at the idea of Raffi obeying anyone's orders. He didn't miss the look of melancholy that crossed Elnor's face though. "Do you wish you were out there with them?" he asked.

"Not at all," Elnor replied quickly. "It's just that. . ."

"Out with it," demanded Picard. "Surely you haven't forgotten everything you learned about Absolute Candor already."

"I feel shame that I didn't return to Vashti to help Zani." At Picard's puzzled look, Elnor continued, "Zani contacted me shortly after we returned to Earth from seeing Soji safely reunited with her people. She said they needed my help on Vashti to maintain order there. I wanted to delay attending Starfleet Academy for a year so I could repay my debt to the Qowat Milat. It would have brought me great honor to do so, but Raffi. . ."

"Ah, Raffi," Picard said softly. "What did she say to you to make you stay?"

"It wasn't so much what she said," replied Elnor. "It was obvious to me that she was attempting to manipulate me. Her words alone wouldn't have kept me from returning to Zani, although her words were hurtful." He paused again for a long moment. "It was more that she needed me to be here for her." He continued before Picard could say anything. "I was torn between her need for me and Zani's need for me. In the end, I decided Raffi needed me more. That's why I stayed. Still, I feel as if I let Zani down."

Picard sighed deeply. "And now that she has Seven and no longer needs you as much, isn't even here herself?"

"I've made a commitment to Starfleet now. Besides, I'm really enjoying our time together," Elnor smiled. Melancholy wasn't a mood he slipped into often or stayed in for long.

"Do you still hear from Zani?" Picard asked.

"Yes, but only once. They were able to keep the peace on Vashti without my help. Still, I hope one day I will again have a chance to repay Zani and the Qowat Milat for all they did for me. And yes, even here I sometimes feel a little homesick for Vashti."

"Missing the only home one has ever really known is perfectly natural," said Picard. "However, I should warn you that going back is not the same as returning to what once was. You've changed a lot since leaving Vashti. It won't feel the same when you eventually return, as I'm sure you will someday."

"Also," he added, "contact is a two-way street. You needn't wait for Zani to call you."

Elnor realized as soon as Picard said it that he would, indeed, be contacting Zani soon. Belatedly, he realized he had never told her why he didn't return when she asked for his help. He also realized that he was getting out of the habit of practicing Absolute Candor as he lived longer among humans who did not appreciate it. Speaking the truth to Zani, he was sure, would be of benefit to them both.