Once they landed on the planet, Naseema led him to a large open room divided into separate areas for astrometrics, communications, defense, and systems monitoring. Seated at one of the stations was another Feeonix. He turned his head towards them as he heard them enter and quickly got to his feet.
"Hey, girl! Long time no see," he said brightly, coming over to hug her.
"Hi, Simon," she said with a grin, opening her arms to accept his welcome. He must have failed to notice the young Romulan with her at first because as he opened his eyes, he took a step back in shock. Elnor smiled at him but stayed quiet.
"You didn't mention you were bringing a visitor," the Feeonix said warily.
"It was not planned," Naseema replied. "I could not leave him where he was and I did not have time to return him to Vashti."
"Vashti!?" Simon said with surprise before looking at Elnor. "Is that where you're from?" Elnor nodded but still didn't say anything. "Bummer," the Feeonix added before turning back to Naseema. "The others are going to freak out when they see him, you know that right?"
"The others need to relax, Simon," she replied. "He is not what he appears to be."
"So he's not a Romulan?" was the sarcastic reply, and Naseema folded her arms across her chest in annoyance. She didn't get another chance to defend Elnor, who was becoming more uncomfortable by the second before two other Feeonix entered the room through the far door. The first one, a female, stopped dead in her tracks, letting the cup she was carrying slide right out of her hand when she laid eyes on Elnor. It hit the floor, splattering its contents everywhere. The second Feeonix, also female, came up behind her and reacted to the mess.
"Oh, nice job Juliet," she remarked. "Honestly, what is the matter with-" she cut herself off once she also noticed the young monk, and let her widening eyes travel up and down his entire person. "Well, isn't he a tall drink of water," she said to Naseema. "Where'd you find him?"
Elnor leaned towards Naseema and quietly asked, "What does a tall drink of water mean?
She rolled her eyes and let out an irritated sigh. "She finds you attractive," she replied and then directed a warning towards the second female Feeonix, "keep your hands to yourself, Salome."
"Hey, whatever you say, boss lady," Salome said, holding her palms up in mock surrender. She leaned against a console and continued to eye the young Romulan with interest. Elnor squirmed a little under her unyielding gaze and edged closer to Naseema.
The next Feeonix through the door was a very tall, very handsome male. He entered with an enormous grin that dropped off his face like Juliet's cup when he saw who stood behind Naseema.
"What the fuck," he said, mostly to himself, his feathers rising like hackles. He stared at Elnor for what seemed like forever before finally turning to Naseema. "Can I have a word with you?" he asked although it sounded more like an order than a request. She let out another low sigh but nodded and followed him out of the room, leaving Elnor alone with Simon, Juliet, and Salome.
"What the hell is the matter with you!?" Jagger demanded once they were away from the others. "Bringing a Romulan here, HERE?"
"Calm down please," Naseema replied. "It is not what you think."
"Well, what the fuck is it then?"
"I found him on the Artifact," she said calmly.
"You mean the one crawling with Tal Shiar," he snapped back. "The one Bruce sent Soji to, to find evidence that the Romulans tried to exterminate us? That they orchestrated the Mars attack? That every single person on this planet is being hunted like an animal?" He threw his hands up in frustration as he continued. "You were supposed to get Soji back, not pick up some random stray and bring it home with you! Especially, not an enemy stray!"
"He is not our enemy. He was a prisoner of the Tal Shiar when I found him," she explained. "They would have tortured and killed him. I could not leave him there."
"Did it ever occur to you that it was a setup and he might be a spy, Naseema?" he asked, his initial anger was cooling but he was still obviously unhappy.
"It did," she replied, "But it would be very unusual for the Romulans to employ a spy so young and I could see how frightened he was. His captors were demanding to know where Picard was and they meant Jean-Luc. He knew who I was, Jag. He knew my name...and he knew Soji's too."
"Are you serious?" Jagger asked, incredulous. "Is that all it takes to gain your trust nowadays? Name drop the great Jean-Luc Picard? Has it gotten that bad?"
"I have technically been dead for twenty years, Jag. He is not old enough to know about our history. The only way he would know who I was is if Jean-Luc told him."
"Unless the Romulans figured out you're still alive and he's lying. Imagine that, a Romulan who lies."
"The Romulans know nothing of our involvement. If they did, they would have been prepared for me when I arrived on the Artifact but they were not. Elnor is Qowat Milat," she told him. "He was there acting as Jean-Luc's qalankhkai and after he aided his and Soji's escape, he tried to help Hugh take control of the Artifact away from the Romulans. A Zhat Vash assassin murdered Hugh right in front of him and the Tal Shiar hunted him down. When I found him, he was outnumbered and overrun."
"Hugh's dead?" Jagger asked. "GODDAMN IT! How can you be sure your little friend out there wasn't the one who killed Hugh? He was our best ally in the Beta Quadrant! Losing him is going to hurt us."
"I spent more than a day with him on that tiny ship, Jagger. He is not lying. Do you no longer trust my judgment?"
"Naseema, the Qowat Milat is an order of nuns. Ladies only?" he replied. "Maybe the hair is throwing you off but we both saw how Salome reacted to him. Your little friend is definitely not a woman."
"He was orphaned as a child and evacuated to Vashti during the relocation. He was raised by the sisters there," she said. "I can see you are having a hard time with this but I believe him and if you spend a little time with him, you will believe him too. He is remarkably open especially, for a Romulan."
"Naseema, I-" Jagger started to say but she cut him off.
"Jean-Luc practically lived on Vashti during the relocation and he worked closely with the Qowat Milat there. Elnor knew him as a child. That is how he knew of me. Jean-Luc still believes I am dead but he told Elnor stories about me, about Data, about us."
Jagger shook his head sadly. "Please tell me the truth here," he said. "Did you bring that boy here because of who he reminds you of? Did you bond yourself to him after only a few hours because you're trying to replace Data?"
"What are you talking about?" she asked, insulted by his assumption. "I did not bond with-"
The realization struck her like a plasma bolt. Jagger was right, she had bonded herself to Elnor. She wasn't cognizant of it at the time but now that Jagger had pointed it out, she went back over her interactions with the young Romulan. 'You seemed unaware of what you were doing.' Those were Elnor's words. He told her he could feel her energy inside him but she'd been so preoccupied with his initial reaction, and apparent immunity to her, she failed to hear what he was telling her. There were so many faraway memories he breathed new life into that she had just done it without conscious intent. Fuck.
"Oh my god..." she whispered. She dropped her eyes away from Jagger's and all but confirmed his suspicions.
"Jesus Christ, Naseema."
"He reminds me of Nasir," she admitted. "And there is so much of Nasir in him that I can see him when I look in his eyes. I did not attempt to bond with him, it just happened. Oh Jag, I have completely lost my mind."
Jagger's face fell as she validated his fears. "Fuck," he whispered.
"I am sorry," she said. "I know you are upset but it is too late now and I am certain this is salvageable. Our meeting is serendipitous and there is useful information to be gleaned from it. If Jean-Luc found Bruce, and Soji, he may know things that we do not."
"Goddammit, you'd better not be losing your mind," he sighed. "I know I've been pushing you to move on but I hope this isn't some blind attempt to ease your broken heart. I mean, come on, a Romulan?"
"I wish I could promise you that but I cannot," she said. "However, Elnor has brought Jean-Luc Picard back into our lives and he is as powerful an ally as we will ever have. With his help, we might finally be able to expose the Zhat Vash and what they have done, and we will no longer have to live like prey." Jagger sighed with frustration and misgiving again but he pulled Naseema into him and hugged her tightly.
Back in the main control center, the three Feeonix and the very nervous Romulan all continued to size each other up. Elnor shifted uncomfortably and kept his hand grasped on the strap of his scabbard.
He wondered if these Feeonix were able to fight as Naseema could. He silently assessed the size and layout of the room, keeping the exit in his peripheral vision. Even if these three were only half as fast and strong as Naseema, he knew he wouldn't be able to take all of them at once. Escape would be his best strategy if the situation came to that. He should have stayed on the ship and waited for Naseema to smooth things over with her family. He hadn't anticipated their hostile reaction to him but he understood why. He wasn't Zhat Vash or Tal Shiar but he was Romulan, and others of his kind were responsible for what had befallen the Feeonix. They had been attacked and their home destroyed. Now he had invaded their new home and they were understandably on edge. He hoped Naseema would return soon and convince them he was not a threat. That he was there to help them. Hopefully, that would happen before they decided on a different course of action.
Salome continued to eyeball him while Simon tried to ease his discomfort by making defensive chit-chat.
"So," he started, trying too hard to sound casual, "what's with the getup?" He motioned to Elnor's clothes with his chin.
Elnor blinked, confused, and looked down at himself, running his hand self-consciously along the strap across his chest. "What's wrong with my getup?" he asked.
"Other than the fact that you look like you're ready to battle some Huns, nothing," Simon replied derisively.
Salome left her spot against the console and approached the young Romulan with a sultry swagger. "There's nothing wrong with your clothes, baby boy," she told him, her voice dripping with innuendo. "Except that you're still wearing them." A seductive smile spread across her face and as she got closer, Elnor tried to back away but bumped into the wall behind him, and then he was trapped. She sidled up against him, placed her hand on his chest, and caressed it slowly downwards. He met her penetrating gaze with wide fearful eyes and held his breath.
He could feel the energy coming from her and it was far more aggressive than Naseema's. He felt his heart pounding harder and faster, and his blood seemed to be on fire, rocketing through his veins, making every inch of him tingle. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he prayed for Naseema to return. This Feeonix wasn't like her at all. This one did scare him and he was positive he didn't want her to touch him.
Salome held her eyes on his and as she slid her hand inside his tunic he saw the orange ring around her irises flare outwards.
He started to feel lightheaded and very, very warm inside. He tried to take a breath but his body didn't want to listen to him. He felt weak like he was going to pass out. He tried to fight back against her but Salome was stronger and he felt himself slipping under her control.
Still keeping eye contact, Salome leaned closer, tilted her head, and parted her lips slightly. Elnor relaxed his facial muscles and closed his eyes, ready to accept her overture.
"SALOME!" Naseema's voice suddenly boomed from behind. The Feeonix abruptly released her quarry and spun around, grasping Elnor's hand behind her back. "I told you to keep your hands to yourself," Naseema hissed and glared at her.
Salome tried to look as innocent as possible. "I was just having a little fun," she protested. "I wasn't going to hurt him."
"I saw what you were doing," Naseema snapped. "And you," she continued, turning her attention to Simon. "Were you just going to allow her to have her way with him right here in front of you?"
Simon looked at her with obvious indignation. "What did you think would happen?" he retorted. "You brought a fucking Romulan here, completely unannounced, and without explanation. Did you honestly expect us to just smile and nod, and give you two thumbs up?"
"No, Simon, I didn't expect that but I did expect you to wait longer than five minutes before you pounced on the poor thing as if he were a shiny, new toy," she shot back.
"I didn't pounce on anybody," he clipped, "and I'm not Salome's babysitter."
"How about we all just take a breath," Jagger interjected. "Naseema's never failed us before, Simon, and once you hear what she just told me, I think you'll agree that she did the best she could under the circumstances."
Simon folded his arms across his chest and looked at Jagger skeptically. "Fine, convince me that this isn't a total disaster."
"Salome, let him go!" Naseema barked at her counterpart who was still clutching Elnor's hand. She rolled her eyes but didn't argue and released him. She moved to stand next to Simon and imitated his stance, and expression. Elnor blinked several times and took in a few shaky breaths to clear his head. Naseema went over to him. "Are you alright?" she asked as she examined his eyes with concern.
"Yes, I think so," he replied, his voice quiet and unsure. "Please don't let her do that to me again."
"I won't, you have my word," she said.
Up until now, Juliet had quietly been cleaning up the mess she'd made. As she wiped up the last of the coffee she stood up and asked, "What's your name, honey?"
"Elnor," he replied.
"Well, Elnor, it's a pleasure to meet you," she said with a smile. Simon and Salome both let out simultaneous snorts.
"Are you going to let us in on your big secret here or what?" Simon said returning his eyes to Jagger. "I'm still waiting to find out why there's a Romulan in my office."
"Naseema found him on the Artifact when she went to get Soji," Jagger explained.
"So?" Simon countered. "It's in Romulan space, under Romulan control. Why wouldn't there be Romulans aboard? I think we should let Salome interrogate him." In response to Simon's suggestion, Salome cracked her knuckles and took a step towards Elnor.
"No," Naseema said and threw a warning look at Salome.
"I don't think that's necessary. Elnor was there with Picard," Jagger said. "As his qalankhkai." Simon's eyebrow went up as Jagger elaborated. "He's Qowat Milat."
"No kidding?" Simon replied as he looked at Elnor and sized him up again. "As in the feared enemy of the Tal Shiar?"
"Yes!" Elnor exclaimed. "You know the Qowat Milat?"
"I've known a few over my life," Simon replied. "And I guess that explains your outfit. No offence, hombre, but they're usually women."
"I take no offence," Elnor said. "I was orphaned as a child. They took me in."
"Alright," Simon said and dropped his defensive posture. "Come over here." Elnor hesitated and glanced at Salome. "Oh for crying out loud," Simon muttered and rolled his eyes. He looked at Salome as he went by her. "Do you see what you did?" he asked and then added, "He's never going to come near you again." He strolled up to Elnor, pressed his hands together, and held them up in front of his chest. "Jolan Tru, Qowat Milat," he said.
Elnor immediately recognized what he was doing and did the same. "Jolan tru," he replied. Then they both opened their hands to each other.
Simon smiled and gave the young Romulan a nod. "Okay, you've got my attention," he said and turned to Jagger.
"Naseema thinks Picard has vital information. He didn't end up on the Artifact by accident and if he's figured out what happened on Mars, he may be able to help us prove it was the Romulans," Jagger told them.
"If it's worth anything, he already seems pretty innocent to me," Salome chimed in. "But I bet I can get more out of him."
"Just cool your jets, Salome," Jagger replied with an irritated look. "If he becomes a problem maybe you can question him later...under supervision."
Salome looked at Elnor and cocked her eyebrows. He then turned nervously to Naseema and she emphatically shook her head at him while making a face that said not a chance.
"Anyway, as I was saying-" Jagger continued but he was cut off by another Feeonix who popped into the room.
"Hey, Javier and Aronnox are back with the Starfleet guy, and Soji," he said and then he noticed Elnor. "Holy shit is that a Romulan?!"
"Manny, this is Elnor," Naseema told the newest Feeonix.
"He's a monk," Salome added giving Elnor another libidinous once over.
"Alrighty then," Manny replied giving Elnor a quick nod of interest. "Hey, you guys know there's a Borg cube out there?"
"Really?" Simon asked surprised. He moved over to one of the consoles and pressed a couple of buttons. "I was wondering what that was."
"I'm guessing the orchids took it down?" Jagger asked.
"They sure did," Manny replied. "But not softly. It's a bit of a mess."
"I love salvage," Simon said eagerly rubbing his hands together.
"While this is all very fascinating, we have bigger things to worry about right now," Naseema interjected. "Where are the humans?"
"Right," Manny said. "Javier is taking them to the gathering room."
"Shall we?" she asked, looking at Jagger and he replied with an affirming nod. Then she turned to Elnor. "I am sure you are eager to reunite with Jean-Luc," she surmised and extended her arm out in invitation.
"See you later," Salome purred at his back.
He cringed as he followed Naseema and Jagger out of the room. They moved into a larger room with a long table against one wall and multiple small seating areas. As soon as he laid eyes on Picard, an enormous smile overtook his face. He ran over and threw his arms around the old man.
"It fills me with joy to see you alive!" he exclaimed.
"He's an affectionate little thing, isn't he?" Jagger teased as he and Naseema hung back from the new arrivals.
"Please do not be a dick," she replied.
"No promises."
"Elnor, I'm so glad you're alright," Picard told him and accepted the hug with vigor. Then Soji, who was next to him, spoke.
"I know you," she said as she looked past Elnor at Naseema. Picard followed Soji's eyes and he had to catch his breath when he saw who she was looking at.
"Naseema," he whispered.
"Yes!" declared Soji, "Do you know each other?"
"I thought you were dead," Picard said and moved around Elnor to approach her. "Why didn't you come to me after..." he trailed off but they both knew what he was thinking. They stood facing each other for what seemed like hours before the old man finally smiled and embraced his friend.
"I am sorry I have allowed you to believe I was dead for so long," she whispered in his ear as her voice broke.
"You don't have to explain," he told her. He stepped back but kept his hands on her shoulders. "I'm just glad to see you alive and well."
Raffi and Rios had been standing close together and quietly observing up to this point. Raffi finally leaned towards the La Sirena captain and asked, "Is that who I think it is?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "Who do you think it is?"
"The Feeonix who supposedly died aboard the Scimitar," Raffi explained. "She had a thing with the android, Data. Like they were married or something."
"Really?" Rios said with a nod. "Okay, I think I know who you're talking about. I thought she was dead?"
Raffi looked at him in disbelief. "Have you been paying attention to anything that's going on right now?"
"Sorry," Rios replied. "I'm just—my head's kinda funny all of a sudden."
"Are you okay," Raffi asked.
"Yeah, I'm just...distracted...or something," Rios said, barely stringing his sentence together. "She's really...it's like there's something in the air that's making me..."
Elnor watched Rios' reaction and noticed the man couldn't move his eyes off Naseema. He leaned toward him and very quietly asked, "Do you want to make love to her?"
Raffi turned her stare onto Elnor. "What the hell kind of question is that?" she whispered.
Rios finally tore his gaze away from the Feeonix and focused on Elnor. "Yes," he replied with disbelief.
Raffi's eyes suddenly grew wide. "Oh my god, it's true," she gasped. "I always thought that story was bullshit."
"What's bullshit?" Agnes asked, no longer able to quell her curiosity about the huddling trio's conversation.
"I've heard these stories about the Feeonix. That the females put out this energy that makes men want them," Raffi explained. "I always thought it was stupid but apparently Cris is feeling it right now."
"Really?" Agnes asked and Rios nodded again.
"As soon as she walked in the room I felt something," he said. "It's weird and hard to describe but the kid's right, I'm attracted to her."
"Are you feeling that too?" Agnes asked Elnor.
"No," he replied as he shook his head.
"Huh," Raffi said, "Maybe it only works on humans."
"No, she told me it was just me and one other man in 1191," Elnor corrected.
"The year 1191?" Raffi asked.
"Yes," Elnor confirmed.
"Wait, that can't be right?" Agnes cut in. "How is that even possible?"
"She's fifteen hundred years old," Elnor replied.
"Wow," Rios said and looked at the Feeonix again.
"I'll say," Agnes agreed. "She doesn't look any older than you, Elnor."
"Hold on," Raffi argued. "How do you know that? How did you get here?"
"She picked me up on the Borg cube and brought me here," he replied.
"How long have you been with her?" Rios asked.
"I don't know exactly, a day or two?"
"A day or two and what, you just talked?" Rios persisted.
He struggled to believe the kid had been that close to her for hours upon hours and hadn't felt anything like what he was currently feeling.
"She treated my injuries," Elnor readily admitted. "Then I got drunk and threw up."
"Well, that explains why you smell like a distillery," Raffi said. "Seriously, kid, you need a shower,"
"Wait, she touched you?" Rios asked amazed and when Elnor nodded he replied, "Wow."
Naseema and Picard were still amid their reunion, oblivious to the other conversation. With her eyes still glistening, she motioned towards the open door near them. "We should talk," she said. Picard nodded and went with her into the smaller room.
At that moment, Jagger came over to the crew of the La Sirena. "Those two are probably going to be awhile," he said. "Is there anything I can get for any of you in the meantime?"
"Can I have a shower?" Elnor immediately asked and Raffi nodded in agreement.
"Please, he's making my eyes water."
Jagger gave the young Romulan an amused look. "Yeah kid, of course." Then he called for Simon to come and show him where he could get cleaned up. Salome, right on Simon's heels, offered to do it instead, and Elnor's eyes filled up with horror. Jagger caught her with an arm around the shoulders and directed her back the way she'd come. "Thanks anyway but you're going to stay with me until the kid comes back," he told her as he ushered her out of the room.
"You can follow me this way," Simon said as he approached Elnor. "Don't worry, Jagger will hold her. He knows what he's doing." Elnor went with Simon but not before he gave a wary glance behind him.
"I wonder what that was about?" Agnes pondered aloud.
"Who knows," Raffi said. "Oh man, where did JL go?" she asked once she realized he and Naseema were gone.
"They went into that room a few minutes ago," Agnes replied and motioned to a closed door.
"Damn it," Raffi muttered and moved to sit on a sofa next to the door. Rios quickly followed her.
"Are you eavesdropping?" Agnes asked as she approached the sofa.
"Well, I can't hear anything if you keep talking," Raffi replied and Rios shot her a look.
"Easy, Raff."
"I'm gonna go see if I can find something to eat," Agnes said. "Will you tell me if you hear anything interesting?"
"Yeah, of course," Raffi replied. "Grab me something too, will ya?"
In the privacy of the little room, Picard and Naseema sat opposite each other. "I must ask, Jean-Luc," she began. "How is it you found yourself arriving here?"
"I met a young woman," he told her. "Her name was Dahj and when she came to me, she was terrified. She believed someone was after her and she was right but I was unable to protect her, and she was murdered right in front of me by Romulan assassins."
"The Tal Shiar," Naseema sadly verified and fought back more tears at the confirmation of Dahj's fate. "We tried to convince Bruce that he was getting in over his head but he would not listen. After we failed to track him we decided that we needed to recover the girls ourselves but I was unable to risk returning to Earth to look for Dahj. It seems that I would have been too late to do so anyway."
"After I met Dahj," he continued. "I began to realize who she was and I met with Dr. Jurati. She helped me confirm that Dahj was who I believed she was and that she had a sister, Soji. It wasn't difficult to predict that Soji would also be in danger and to make the decision to do everything in my power to help her."
"Who is it you believe them to be?" Naseema asked. She already anticipated his reply but wanted to hear it directly from his lips.
"They were, they are, Data's daughters. Cloned from a single neuron," Picard firmly asserted. "They're yours as well, aren't they?"
Naseema hadn't expected his last pronouncement and she looked away from him for a second to draw in a steadying breath. "In a manner of speaking," she replied as her eyes finally filled up with tears.
"Soji is infused with your energy, Naseema," he said. "I can feel it. You helped Bruce Maddox bring them to life in very much the same way you encouraged Data's positronic brain to begin its organic evolution. I may be a doddering old fool but I'm still with it enough to put two and two together. You, along with all the Feeonix, are capable of stabilizing a positronic matrix. So, you've all made a home here with the rest of Soji's family. You help them flourish and you help create more of them, and you protect them."
"I barely know them," she said. "After I helped Bruce create the girls-he was so paranoid, Jean-Luc. He was determined to find out the truth about the Mars synthetics and he left with them shortly afterward. He disappeared in the middle of the night and we could not find him or the girls. The only reason we found Soji was because of Hugh. I do not believe she has any idea of my part in her creation."
"Naseema, that is beautiful," he told her. "Data would be proud of you."
Hearing Picard say that name pushed her over the edge. Her tears finally spilled out and ran down her face. "I miss him so much," she said softly.
Picard leaned forward and took hold of her hands."I know," he said. "I miss him too and I've missed you as well. I can't imagine what the last twenty years have been like for you. I don't blame you for wanting to disappear."
"I should not have abandoned you," she lamented. "For the first several years my grief was all I could focus on and I just drifted through the galaxy avoiding everything, and everyone I once cared for. Then, I found this planet and its inhabitants. They reminded me of him and of all the things that made him special. Juliet was already living here. She helped me try to process my grief and brought me back to someone I finally recognized. Then, the attack on Mars happened and Juliet and I were suddenly members of an endangered species. So, with the encouragement of the synthetics, I clandestinely sought out the survivors and brought them here. We have lived here since, trying to protect this planet from those who threaten it."
"You have no idea of the respect and admiration I have for you," Picard said. "Even in the face of overwhelming tragedy you held it together and you did anything and everything you could to save as many as possible. I wish I could say I did the same."
"I heard what happened with the Romulan relocation after Mars and of the ban on synthetic life," she said, sympathetically. "Perhaps if I had been stronger, and had not run away from my old life, things would have turned out differently."
"You cannot blame yourself for my mistakes," he argued. "I let my anger and frustration dictate my actions. I could have kept trying. I should have kept trying. I should have done anything other than give up. I couldn't save everyone so I chose to save no one, including Elnor." He echoed Zani's words to him with his last statement.
"He appears to have turned out alright," Naseema said. She was still crying but she managed to give him a small smile.
"Thank you for reuniting us," Picard said and gave her hands a gentle squeeze before releasing them.
"Perhaps it was fate that I happened to find him," she replied.
"How did you find him?" he asked.
"I went to the Artifact to find Soji and bring her home," Naseema explained. "I found Elnor instead. The Tal Shiar had captured him."
All the colour drained out of Picard's face. "Thank god you found him," he said, rubbing his cheek in a gesture of relief.
"Yes, I prefer not to contemplate what they would have done to him had I not appeared when I did," she agreed and Picard shuddered at the thought. "You told him stories about me when he was a child, correct?"
"Yes, I did," he nodded. "I told him about you and Data, and also about Dahj and Soji. It took some convincing before he agreed to bind his sword to me as my qalankhkai."
"Your stories helped save his life, Jean-Luc," she said. "He knew who I was and once he said my name I knew I could not leave him there. He is a remarkably intuitive young man and so very brave."
"Yes, he is," Picard replied with another concurring nod.
"However," Naseema quickly added. "While I can certainly understand your desire to correct the mistakes of the past, as well as your need for his skills, he is an exceptionally gifted swordsman, I cannot help but harbor concerns that you have gotten him in over his head."
"I must confess," he said. "My reasons for going back to Vashti after all this time were not entirely focused on Elnor. I needed the services of a Qowat Milat but I always hoped the sisters had been able to find a more suitable home for him. I did not expect to find him still living with them. Their leader, Zani, encouraged me to plead my case to him and I admit that I was somewhat motivated by my desire to alleviate my guilt but I believe I did make the right decision. Elnor is quite capable and eager to learn."
Naseema got out of her seat and paced back, and forth across the stone hearth near them as she wrung her hands together. "He is very capable and very eager as well," she agreed but Picard still knew her well enough to know when he was about to get an unadulterated piece of her mind, and readied himself. "He is also terrified, Jean-Luc. I do not believe you appreciate how sheltered he has been."
"Naseema, you must understand-" he tried to interject but she held up her index finger and he sighed. He knew there was no escaping the impending tirade.
Her notorious temper was still there even after all this time.
"I understand that Vashti is nothing close to an idyllic paradise but his convent was small and insulated," she continued. "Elnor is not prepared to be a ronin. He is lonely and experiencing culture shock." Her voice started to rise and Picard braced himself for the coming ire. "You left him on a Borg cube. A fucking Tal Shiar controlled nightmare factory! BY HIMSELF!" She was yelling now and swung her hand out angrily and deliberately, and cleared the table next to her of its contents. "You of all people should have anticipated how the other Romulans would react once you were gone! What were you thinking!?"
He watched the objects on the table hit the floor and had to stop himself from reacting. She really did go off the deep end when she was angry but smashing things wasn't like her. He had only ever seen her do something like that once before. In the years they'd spent working together, he had learned to patiently listen and wait for her to calm down enough so he could explain. Her stormy temper was not un-weatherable, and he had to admit that it felt a little like old times. All those hours they spent cooped up in his ready room, getting on each other's nerves until one of them finally snapped. Then they would have a spectacular argument to release the tension and share a bottle of wine.
"Naseema," he calmly said and held up his hands. "If you'll let me, I would like to explain."
She stopped pacing and looked at him, and for a second he thought he might be able to get a word in but even though her tone softened she still wasn't finished. "Please do not tell me how bad the situation on Vashti is," she said. "It did not prepare him for the kind of violence he witnessed on that cube."
"Firstly, I instructed him to remain on the ship and he disobeyed that order BUT I am grateful he did because I'm not certain we would have escaped without his help. Secondly, I did not leave him there alone," Picard insisted trying to keep his voice low.
It figured the first time they saw each other after so long they would end up in an argument. He knew if he let himself get dragged too far into their quarrel he would lose his temper too and they'd just wind up shouting over each other while accomplishing nothing.
"Hugh is the director of the reclamation project on the Artifact and I left them together. I was confident they were not in imminent danger and our ship was still there as well. Elnor made the decision not to leave with Mr. Rios and to remain with Hugh, on his own. I know he is young but he isn't a child."
"Jean-Luc," she replied as her eyes teared up again. "Hugh is dead. Once you were gone, the Tal Shiar initiated a genocide against the ex-Borg when they discovered Hugh had aided you, and when he tried to stop them, he was murdered in front of Elnor. He died in his arms."
"My God," Picard said, the look in his eyes reflecting the horror of her words. "Hugh was a Federation citizen! He was protected by the treaty!"
"What has happened to you?" she asked, desperate to understand why her friend had made the choices he did. "What made you believe the Tal Shiar would play by your rules? It is as if you have forgotten what they are, Jean-Luc," she continued as fresh trails of tears made their way down her cheeks. "They do not care about treaties. They have no deference for codes of combat. They do not respect any life that is not Romulan and even then." She pulled in a shaky breath and rolled her eyes towards the ceiling, dangerously close to losing herself to her rage. "That sweet boy was there all alone for days with no food and no water while being hunted down like an animal. If I had not arrived when I did-" She hesitated for a second and let the images in her mind overwhelm her. "Their cruelty knows no limits."
"Naseema, I'm sorry," Picard said.
He could understand now why she was so upset. The situation he'd left Elnor and Hugh in had been more serious than he realized at the time. He didn't regret rescuing Soji but the plan had fallen apart so quickly and decisions were made on the fly.
"By the time I found Soji, she had been activated. We were being pursued and at the time my sole focus was getting her off that cube," he told her. "I didn't know Hugh's decision to help me was going to cost him his life and I didn't know Elnor would choose to stay behind to help save the ex-bs."
Naseema hung her head. "I know it was not your fault," she said quietly. "I have been surrounded by nothing but death for too long and I have also made a great number of poor choices as of late. I should not be taking that out on you. It is just-he is an innocent in this and when I think of what they would have done to him, I-" her throat closed up and she couldn't continue.
He rose from his chair and went over to her. He pulled her towards him in an uncharacteristic embrace. "Thank you for saving his life."
"I am sorry for shouting," she said in a choked whisper. "And I am sorry my temper is still my worst enemy." She let out a ragged sob. "I have missed you, Jean-Luc and I am so happy to see you again."
"It's quite possible the shouting is what I've missed the most about you," he chuckled. "You were never hesitant to give me a piece of your mind twenty years ago and I'm not surprised that hasn't changed."
"Would you like some wine?" she asked and pulled back to look at him as she wiped her tears with her fingertips. "Like old times?"
"Yes," he replied. "Yes, I absolutely would." She went over to the replicator and returned with a glass of red for each of them. Instead of returning to the chairs in front of the fireplace, they instead relocated to a small sofa and sat next to each other as they used to in the Enterprise ready room.
"May I ask you something?" he ventured tentatively and she nodded.
"Of course."
"I'm assuming you've spent some time with Elnor and talked with him?"
"Yes."
"Does he hate me?" he asked. The sadness both in his voice and in his eyes caught her off guard.
"What?! No, quite the opposite, Jean-Luc," she replied with surprise. "He adores you. Did his reaction at seeing you again seem insincere? I honestly do not think he is capable of any level of deceit."
"No, of course not," Picard replied but her assurance didn't seem to have the effect she expected. "Do you believe that I have done him harm by taking him away from the only home he's ever really known?"
She leaned back in her seat and studied the expression on her friend's face. "No, it was not my intention to make you feel that way and I am sorry I let my temper get the better of me...again. I only wish for you to remember that while he is no longer the little boy you knew, he is still young and inexperienced in a lot of ways. That makes him vulnerable. Perhaps more so than you appreciate. He blames himself for Hugh's death and has been traumatized by the things that happened on the Artifact. Admittedly, I am partly to blame for that. He saw me set a man on fire."
Picard took a sharp breath and straightened up. "Oh dear," he said and took a drink.
"It was terrible, Jean-Luc," she confessed. "He was very big and very well trained. I was losing consciousness and I had to do something but it was noisy, and it did not happen quickly."
Picard winced at the mental image. "If Elnor's reaction was anything similar to mine, he must have been terrified. It is a terrifying thing to witness," he said soberly.
"Yes, I know," she sadly agreed. "He went into shock but fortunately he seems to have a very forgiving nature."
"I know that is something you never would have done unless the situation was dire," Picard replied.
"It was pretty dire," she nodded. "But I still deeply regret that he had to watch me take such appalling action. I hope it does not cause him to have nightmares."
"I'm sure he will come to understand that you don't use your abilities arbitrarily," he said confidently. "I'm also pretty sure that I'm still winning," he added and looked at her slyly.
"Winning?" she asked, confused. "What is it you are win—ah, of course," she realized as he raised an eyebrow at her. "Which one of us is fucking him up more."
"Exactly," he affirmed.
"That is certainly not a contest I hoped to participate in and I am not ready to agree that you are winning, per se, but...are you sure you are up for this?" she asked him. "He still needs guidance, Jean-Luc. He needs acceptance, attention, and affection."
"And you're worried I'm not up to the challenge," Picard said.
"A little, yes," she replied. "You are a very wise man and there is a great deal he can learn from you but young people have never been your strong suit, and I am concerned that perhaps you see him as what he could be rather than what he is. I understand that he serves as your protector but he still needs protecting himself and from my understanding, Earth has not exactly welcomed its Romulan refugees with open arms."
He already suspected it but she finally confirmed his suspicions. She had bonded herself to Elnor. The way she was speaking about the young Romulan hadn't escaped him and as fiery a being as she was, he'd never known her to become upset enough to destroy objects unless her passions were completely inflamed. It took something special for that to happen and while she was always very protective of those she cared about, he noticed she seemed particularly vigilant regarding Elnor. It reminded him of how ferociously she did the same for Data.
"Is that why you bonded yourself to him?" he finally asked and she looked at him with wide, surprised eyes.
"I did not do it on purpose, Jean-Luc. It just happened," she admitted with a sigh.
"Does he know?"
"No."
"He reminds you of Data, doesn't he?" Picard continued. "If I'm remembering correctly your bond with him was also unintentional."
"It is not the same," she said. "I was in love with him. I do not have romantic feelings for Elnor and he does not have any for me. There have been no glowing hearts. I am not entirely sure why it happened."
"Are you sure about that?" Picard asked and raised a skeptical eyebrow.
Naseema sighed again. "I am going to tell you something that only Jagger is currently privy to. Elnor awakens very intense memories for me of someone from my past but it is not Data. It is a man I knew centuries ago. A man named Nasir and we were very close," she confessed. There was a flicker in Picard's eyes as she said Nasir's name and he nodded knowingly.
"Yes, I can see how he does," he replied with an acumen she had not expected.
"Have I spoken of Nasir before?" she asked, a little bewildered.
"Once or twice," he said. "Naseema, I need to tell you something."
She frowned but nodded. "Alright, I am listening."
"Do you remember the last time we saw Q?" he asked.
She sneered and rolled her eyes. "Yes, I remember."
"I suppose you also remember completely losing your temper with him?"
"He deserved it," she replied, unapologetic. "He completely belittled Data and called him a fool for wanting to marry me. He acted like a complete asshole."
"He did deserve it," Picard agreed. "But afterward, he sent me and Data back to 1191. He was trying to prove how dangerous and volatile he believed you to be. He wanted us to see how easy it was for you to use your powers to kill indiscriminately. We joined the rebellion you were involved in. We were with you for several months."
Naseema's eyes grew wide and she let out a quiet gasp. "Why do I have no memory of that?"
"I made Q promise that none of you would remember us and surprisingly he kept his word. I'm telling you this because not only did I meet Nasir, I came to know him quite well. I'm well aware of both what he meant to you and of the love you shared."
Naseema was shocked by his tale and at a loss for words. She sat very still and stared down at the glass in her hands. "Jean-Luc, I-"
"You don't have to say anything, Naseema," he assured her. "As soon as you said his name, I understood. I can see exactly how Elnor reminds you of Nasir."
"Oh, Jean-Luc, he does not just remind me," she confessed as her eyes started to glisten again. "It is as if Nasir is there in his eyes and he also does not appear to be affected by my energy field in the usual way. I did not realize it was happening and even after he asked me if I was aware of how I touched him, it did not occur to me. It was not until Jagger questioned my motives that I became fully conscious of what I had done."
"Does Elnor have any idea that anything happened?" Picard asked.
"He told me that he could feel my energy and he explained the emotions he experienced but I do not believe he realizes it happened. I do not know if I should tell him."
"He's going to find out eventually and I think he'll likely be unhappy if he knows we kept it from him," he cautioned. "I know there is nothing to be done about it now and I don't believe it's a bad thing, Naseema. The age difference may raise some eyebrows but-"
"Really Jean-Luc?" she cut in. "There is no romantic involvement to speak of and even if there were, of course, your primary concern is my age. You do realize I was more than three hundred years old when I met Nasir and that I will never look older than I appear now? I will not even mention the fact that you sound as if you are brokering an Edwardian marriage contract."
"Of course," he agreed sheepishly. "You're right, I suppose I must sound like a nineteenth-century fool."
"Just a touch," she smiled affectionately. "The larger concern is how the others will react when they find out."
"The Feeonix accepted Data with open arms," he said. "Are you anticipating a problem?"
"You must recall how Jagger reacted to Data at first," she reminded him. "True, that was an ancient and irrational prejudice, and Jagger has made strides to get over himself since then but Elnor is Romulan, and the Romulans have committed an unspeakable crime against us. They tried to exterminate our entire species as if we were a nest of spiders and they are still hunting us. The others were angry with me for even bringing him here in the first place. There will almost certainly be repercussions when they discover I have bonded myself to a Romulan. The fact that it was unintentional will not matter."
"You said that Jagger is already aware. Is there nothing he can do to help assuage the others?" Picard suggested.
"I am sure he will try and I hope that once they spend a little time around Elnor they will see how different he is but I am certain that if they find out too soon, it will be ugly," she said and he could hear the worry in her voice.
"Do you think any of them will hurt him?" he asked as his concern grew as well.
"I do not know for sure," she replied. "Jagger will be fine. He is not very happy about it at the moment but he will get over it. Simon, Aronnox, and Juliet will be fine. Javier and the others I am not so sure about, and Salome, well she is an entirely different problem altogether."
"Now you are starting to worry me," he said, giving her a look of concerned surprise. "What kind of problem is she?"
"Salome has an extremely aggressive libido," she revealed. "She finds Elnor very attractive."
Picard's eyes widened. "Has she-?" he tried to ask but couldn't bring himself to use any descriptors.
"We only arrived here just before you did but I left the room for a few minutes and she attempted to hypnotize him," she said. "I did have a word with her but she is the determined sort. I know that is disconcerting to hear but I do not believe she will hurt him...at least not seriously."
"You're right, that is disconcerting but I suppose we have bigger problems to worry about right now," he replied still sounding unsure.
"Jean-Luc, I may not have intended to do it but I am all in now. I will protect him and if that means I have to leave this planet to do so, that is what I will do," she assured him. "I promise."
"Naseema, I'm dying," he suddenly divulged and she laughed at the absurdity of his abrupt confession.
"I have been dead for twenty years and it is working out pretty well for me." She looked over at him and as soon as she saw the expression on his face she realized he wasn't trying to be funny. "My god, you are serious!" she gasped.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have just dropped it on you like that but it's the truth. I don't want any pity. I don't even want it acknowledged but-"
"You want to be sure I will look out for Elnor when you are gone," she said, finishing his thought and he nodded.
"He's so strong and bright but you're right, Naseema. He's not prepared to be a ronin."
"Fate is a fucked up thing sometimes," she said as her voice broke and her eyes filled up with tears again. "How long have you known?"
"A few weeks," he replied.
"And you just had to come all the way out here for one last hurrah, huh?"
"You know it."
"Well, at least you brought me something nice," she said as she smiled through her tears and he rewarded her with a soft chuckle.