Author's Note: The muse likes this work. My readers, not so much, at least compared to my other stories. The muse rarely bends to the whims of the public, though she does respond to feedback in reviews. Still this is the priority among my Star Trek works, probably due to recency, something that it maintains this month. I should note that Defiance, Endeavor's Insecurity, and Remember the Maine, all got some work last month, so it is possible that you'll see one of them soon. That being said, my Harry Potter works are still much more popular and I do have a lot of ideas.

This particular chapter has been in production for a very long time, and just needed a bit of inspiration and additions to complete. I'd like to thank my Trek Betas for assistance on this work, in particular Young Marrissa A and Average Golfer.


Chapter Three


"I'm sorry ma'am, but you are specifically prohibited from visiting Oklahoma."

Doctor Krishnala Osanna was not accustomed to being denied. She stood at the entry port to the docked USS Oklahoma staring at the Ensign standing guard who had just denied her entry. As the head of the Seventh House of Betazed, her matriarchal linage gave her quite a bit of social power. There were only a couple on her planet that had more, as the First, Second, and Third Houses had died out, the Fourth was a patriarchal family, and old Danno was too busy in government. Laxwanna in the Fifth House, didn't claim the matriarchal title, preferring instead as being styled as Daughter of the Fifth House. Of course now Ambassador Troi had managed to turn that styling to be quite profitable. As for the Sixth House, back when Krishnala had inherited the title of Matriarch, old Rillamina had been a power. It was said back in the day that Rillamina could say a two words and a person might find themselves attending a wedding on the pole. Rillamina, however, had slipped into the dementia which tended to hit betazoids who had passed their hundred and fortieth year. Krishnala could only hope to live that long.

Still you just didn't deny a matriarch of Betazed. They knew too many people and people listened to the Nine Houses. It had been centuries since the Emperor, or more often Empress of a United Betazed had been traded among the Nine Houses, and even now, it was more common than not that the remaining six Houses had one of their scions, or as now, the head, as the Minister of Betazed, popularly elected, of course.

Oh, she knew that she shouldn't expect to go into the purely military precincts of the Starbase. Krishnala wouldn't even try that. However, being denied entry to her own daughter's ship, that was ... Krishnala couldn't even find a word to describe her frustration, anger, and ... oh for the days when she could just put that daughter of hers across her knees for a spanking.

For she was sure that the order putting her on the persona non grata list for the Oklahoma had to come from there. If she'd for a moment thought that someone else had done so, she would have attempted to guilt trip her daughter. After all, she'd never seen her daughter's new adopted daughters and their new babies, and it was only right for a grandmother to want to see them, even if they were not proper betazoids.

"Very well, Ensign," Krishnala said. "If you'd be so kind, I have two messages to pass on. First, to your Lieutenant Sasscrath, please let him know that I was unable to come aboard to examine his near-roses with my most sincere apologies. Then to your Captain, tell her that her mother would like to speak to her soon."

"I will let the officers in question know, ma'am," the Ensign replied, before the Doctor of Botany turned and strode away.


Doctor T'Hanna knew something was up before the door to the family quarters slid open at her approach. The tone of amusement from her bondmate could not be hid, and Tivan no longer tried to do so. As Tivan was quite unlikely to be the source, that left just one possiblity.

There were times when T'Hanna had second thoughts about raising three children. Most of the time that was due to her oldest, the twins who could now only be mentioned in her thoughts. However, Talen could on occasion make her wonder why she'd decided that a third child would be a good idea. They were fleeting moments though. T'Hanna and Tivan had discussed if they were going to attempt to have another child at their next pon farr. It was likely.

The door slid open, revealing the softly lit quarters. Her son was standing next to the window, his hand on the nearby support. In his hand he had an orange vegetable, long and pointed, apparently prepared for eating, save the green leaves at the end. He'd apparently put a head dress on with two long ears, and was dressed in a gray jumpsuit with a white belly.

"Eh, What's Up Doc?"


Chantilly nervously entered the Counselor's office. It wasn't her regular appointment time, but she was sure that if she didn't ask now, she wouldn't do it. Counselor Tivan was sitting at his desk, and turned away from it to face her as she entered. "Chantilly, what brings you by? Your next appointment isn't for two days."

"Well, Counselor, you know, I was talking to Habiba, and she said I really should." Chantilly found her hand suddenly playing with a lock of her dark hair, as her gaze dropped to the floor. "I really don't have much time, you know, but Habiba says I've been just doing work and school stuff, and that makes me dull. Anyway, your suggestion might help, even though I don't think I'm really ready for one of those hormone driven boys like Habiba likes. So perhaps, could you, maybe set up at least some time with a boy for me? Someone you know won't push me, who knows my problems enough so they won't go too far?"

"Chantilly, I think I can find someone for a casual date for you." Tivan said, standing up, and moving to stand in front of her. He gently put his hand on her chin and moved her gaze up to meet his. "I don't think you want a formal one, and going as a couple alone probably wouldn't be the best. Would you mind double dating with your sister?"

"Well, she does lots of kissing," Chantilly began, "would I have to do the same double dating with her? I mean, I'm not ready for it, I don't think. I don't think I ever will be."

"No, you won't," Tivan said, gently directing Chantilly over to the couch. "I'm sure that your date won't push you."

"Maybe, but then Habiba might complain because her date would be just like mine, if you're setting up both of us." Chantilly sat down on the couch, and Tivan took up his usual seat. "I mean, she always says that the boys push each other further, and I don't know how to control things like Habiba says she can."

"I think I can find a pair of boys that would work well for you both," Tivan said. "In fact, part of the reason I suggested the double dating, is that my son informs me that his best friend Samuel is planning on asking Habiba to accompany him to a social hall on the Starbase known as Slice and Dice. I understand it is a pizza and holo-gaming place. Talen believes that his mother would never let him go, but I think I can prevail upon her for the good cause of giving you an evening away from your concerns."

"Talen?" Chantilly went silent for a few minutes. In her mind, the last time she'd seen the Vulcan boy began to run. He'd always been so reasonable. She remembered one day a few weeks after she'd escaped her father, when she'd had a panic attack in class. He'd been the one to get through to her, to ease her back to reality. Since then she'd sat near him in class, the only boy she'd sit near, and even then, it wasn't that close. She trusted him.

"Okay," she finally said, her face breaking into a smile, "but he has to ask. Habiba says I shouldn't miss that. You can tell him I won't say no."


Captain Ossana did not yet know what the Oklahoma's next mission would be, but she didn't expect that she would for a few more days. Today, however, was the last real duty from that prior patrol mission, the debrief of her fellow captains in the patrol area on conditions found. She arrived early, like most did, for a little informal socializing. It was traditional for any captains not currently patrolling to attend. That meant that the North Carolina, Georgia, and Alaska, the three other Ambassador Class starships assigned to the patrol hadn't sent their captains for the debrief. A trusted Lieutenant had been dispatched for each, usually the same Lieutenant that would have accompanied them otherwise. The actual captain list was a bit more senior than Ossana expected.

She'd expected Captain Dathon of the Trafalgar, the Tellerite's old Miranda class ship was the work horse of the star base. Captain Suvan of the Le-matya was also to be expected. The captains of the Brodnax, Iron Gate, Ridgeway, Front Royal, and Rocky Mount, were also expected. She didn't expect to walk in the door and see the bald vestige of Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise.

She was pretty sure that the Enterprise wasn't exactly in sector. Last she'd heard the Enterprise had been closer to Gorn space than the Romulan Neutral Zone. It looked like Captain Picard hadn't been there that long, as he was still introducing his pair of Lieutenants to the other Captains. On a ship like the Enterprise, it was expected that there would be a number of captaincy candidates, so it wasn't surprising that he'd doubled up. Both of them looked to be human, though that could be deceptive, you couldn't tell the difference between a human and a Betazed by outside appearance alone, for instance. The one on the Captain's right was the older of the two, with dark skin and black shoulder length hair. The one on the left was much younger, fair skinned, and sported a blond ponytail. If Shawneela was any judge, that Lieutenant wasn't much older than her two adopted daughters, if that.

As Ossana approached the group, Captain Suvan and his Lieutenant moved off. "Captain Ossana," Captain Picard said. "I hope you don't mind my stopping by your briefing, despite extended distance between patrols. I have a couple Lieutenants who Commander Riker judged needed the exposure, especially in your command area at the moment."

Ossana smiled. She could tell that Captain Picard was trying to put her at ease by making her focus be the Lieutenants in the Enterprise party not the Captain of the Federation flagship. "You're welcome to attend my briefings at any time, Captain," she said, turning slightly to introduce the lieutenant she had chosen. "May I introduce my lieutenant?" Picard nodded slightly. "This is Lieutenant Greg Gostillna, my Chief of Security. If either of your lieutenants are looking towards security, or boarding party experience, I'm sure he'll be able to find some time to talk to them on the subject."

"This is Lieutenant Carol Freeman, a regular duty officer on the Enterprise," Picard said, indicating the one on the right. Then he turned slightly to indicate the one on the left. "And this is Lieutenant Marrissa Picard, my Chief of Security. I understand you used her precedent a few months ago."

"It turned out to be quite useful in the particular circumstances," Ossana replied.

"Quite," Picard said. "Marrissa, I suspect you and Lieutenant Gostillna will want to talk shop." Marrissa nodded and the two stepped away. "Never let your daughter be promoted while she's on your ship, and never take them on as a member of your command crew. It is asking for trouble."

"How so?" Ossana asked.

"Last week she accidentally rescued a ship from an alternate time line, commanded by an alternate version of herself, had a fight with a Klingon general, and got drunk on Romulan whiskey."

"And I'm sorry that my daughter provided the whiskey," Lieutenant Freeman interrupted.

"Beckett told you that?" Picard asked. "Don't believe her. I am reliably informed that Commander Riker believed it was good training for the two young officers."

"One more semester at the Academy, one more semester," Freeman mumbled, her hand going to her temples.

"At least yours went to the Academy, if a bit early," Picard remarked. "Should you need advice on dealing with a young daughter who is under your command, comm me. I think it's time for your briefing to begin."