Chapter 4
The Chancellor's embrace was not nearly as awkward as Picard had anticipated. As Riker had warned, it lasted at least five minutes, but he found that keeping the pain of his headache at bay now took precedence over other minor discomforts. He realized that the analgesic Beverly had given him probably helped him relax, which in addition to his successful efforts to keep from looking too closely at the Chancellor, made the remainder of the ceremony end smoothly.
At Beverly's insistence he beamed directly to sick bay and she immediately began running several kinds of brain scans. He lay uncomfortably on a bio bed as Beverly and a few of her staff surrounded him. The whispering had stopped, but the pain had not. He closed his eyes and listened to their voices talking around him, talking about him and his horrible headache. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and unconsciously moved his hand underneath his dress uniform finding the artifact in the secret pocket. His muscles instantly relaxed and he breathed more slowly.
"Why is his heart-rate slowing down?" demanded Beverly's voice.
"I don't know, doctor," he heard a nurse say.
She came to his side and touched his arm. He opened one eye. Why was it so bright in the medical bay?
"Lights, fifty percent," she called out, seeming to realize his discomfort. She squeezed his forearm. "Are you alright? I mean, besides your obvious headache. Your heart rate just dropped." She watched him searchingly. "If I didn't know better, Captain I would say you are relaxed. Not a side of you I am used to seeing."
He shrugged. "I am feeling a bit better," he admitted.
"Good," she said, "Now hold still, we're almost finished with the scan." She moved away from him to study his vitals on the wall. "Nurse," she called out. "What the…will you take a look at this? There is some kind of low grade energy field….it's interfering with the scan."
She glanced back at Picard. His eyes were closed again, there was an odd look on his face, and his hand was underneath his uniform. She flushed slightly, glancing at the nurse. What on earth was he doing?
She walked back over to him. "Jean-Luc," she said in a low voice. "What are you doing?" She glanced at the screen again, and saw the field was emanating from a point near his waistline.
His eyes opened slowly and for a moment it was as if he didn't recognize her. Then his eyes seemed to clear. "Nothing," he said quietly, averting his eyes.
She leaned over him, trying to block him from the view of her nurses, who were waiting patiently for her direction. She pursed her lips, and looked at his waistline. She cleared her throat. "Jean-Luc, the sensors are showing an energy field projecting from…from underneath your uniform."
He looked at her. "Oh?"
What kind of game was he playing? "What are you holding?" she asked, her tone a little sharper. She took a deep breath. "Show me," she said.
"It's nothing, Beverly. If there's an energy field, it has nothing to do with me," he mumbled and closed his eyes again.
"Like hell," she said. His eyes shot open as she pushed her hand underneath his uniform to grab his hand. It was clenched tightly around an object.
The heat from his body underneath his hand made her heart begin to race a little bit. Annoyed at her own body's involuntary reaction, she gripped his hand, but he held the object fast, refusing to look at her.
She let out a small, embarrassed laugh. "Jean-Luc, will you let go?" she said through gritted teeth.
"I don't want to," he said stubbornly.
As she gripped his hand, the irrational fear from before took hold of him again. Unconsciously he tightened his grip on the stone. Why was she trying to take it from him?
Beverly's nervous smile wavered and then faded completely. She watched as a shadow passed over his features and his eyes grew unfocused. Then as soon as his strange expression came, it departed. He blinked.
His hand loosened and he let go of the object. She felt it fall into her palm and she pulled it from under his clothing, raising it into view. She frowned and then looked at him again. It was that artifact from Risa. He looked completely mortified.
What had gotten into him? She shook her head and tightened her lips. "Thank you," she said in a low puzzled voice before taking the artifact with her as she departed to finish her scans.
Something blasted from his subconscious and he wanted to scream "no!" in protest. But instead he remained still watching her as she conferred with her staff.
The rest of the brain scan went smoothly, if not quickly. Still lying flat, Picard glanced across the room at Crusher. As she studied the results intently, she looked frustrated. She walked over to him. "I'm going to study these and get a report together. I suppose I will see you later." Her tone was downright chilly, when she handed him back the artifact. "Here," she said simply and turned to walk away.
Picard sat up, wincing at the dull pain in his forehead. "Beverly," he called after her. Obviously he had hurt her feelings, and he wanted to make amends.
She simply turned and regarded him with an expectant, somewhat cold expression. He supposed that he deserved it, and opened his mouth to say something, when Riker arrived in a hurry.
"Captain," he said striding up to the bio bed Picard was sitting on. "Feeling any better sir?"
Picard shrugged and nodded yes.
Riker nodded. "Sir, Admiral Nechayev is hailing us; priority one transmission. I thought we could patch her in to Dr. Crusher's office. That is, if you don't mind, Doctor," Riker added carefully, turning to look at Crusher. Silently he pictured himself reversing his steps right out of sick bay. It was clear he had walked into a tense situation. He had long ago learned to read these two well enough to know when he was entering a potential trap. It was inadvisable to get involved in any of their arguments. In fact for Riker it was just another Kobayashi Maru test- a no-win scenario. And of course, now that they were seeing each other romantically it added a whole new layer of potential trouble.
Beverly closed her tricorder with a snap and moved away from the bio bed. "That's fine," she said barely glancing up at Riker. "I think we're done here," she said shortly.
Picard clenched his jaw as he watched her walk away. He couldn't blame her for being angry with him. He hadn't even trusted her to hand her the artifact. But something…something had come over him in that moment.
Riker glanced at the Captain sympathetically.
Picard shook his head. "Don't ask," he murmured, sliding off the bed and walking quickly away.
"Oh no, sir, none of my business," agreed Riker following as they stepped into Crusher's office.
Without delay Riker switched on the monitor and they stood back as Nechayev's severe features blinked into view.
"Gentlemen," she said curtly. Picard and Riker nodded respectfully.
"As you can guess I am not calling to inquire about your health," she said with her usual deadpan expression. "You have new orders. You are to proceed to the Klingon home world, Kronos immediately to attend a conference of the highest importance."
Picard frowned. Trips deep into Klingon territory were uncommon, even though relations between the Klingon Empire and the Federation had been quite good for decades now.
"What kind of conference, Admiral?"
"Captain, since the Enterprise was transported by the Q entity into system J-25 nine months ago, in which you and your crew had our first meaningful contact with the Borg, we have received intelligence from…unlikely sources that the Borg are planning an incursion sooner than we expected."
"Can you reveal these sources, sir?" Riker asked.
"Surely," said Nechayev. "The Romulans. And even more surprisingly they initiated this conference on Kronos."
"What?" Riker leaned over the desk. "The Romulans on Kronos? This is unprecedented…and crazy," he added, straightening again. Picard shot him a look.
Nechayev was unfazed. "Crazy is as good a word as any, Commander. But I want the Enterprise to serve as the Federation representative at this conference. It is imperative that we leave with intelligence about the Borg, or at least you are to ensure that we leave in as good a position in which we started. We want to know what the Romulans know, and if the Klingons know anything of import, we want to know that as well."
Picard scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Why would the Romulans, who are constantly suspicious of Starfleet, and who absolutely detest the Klingons reach out to us, let alone organize a conference?"
"Isn't it obvious? The Borg have caused the entire Alpha Quadrant to reexamine all of our old alliances and enemies alike. That is the extent of the fear they inspire."
Picard had a hard time believing that the Romulan Empire had no ulterior motive for calling together its two bitter enemies. "Anything else, Admiral?" Picard asked.
She nodded. "The only guideline I will give you is that under no circumstances are you to use weapons technology as a bargaining chip. Everything else is fair play as far as I am concerned, Captain."
Picard straightened. And why would he ever bargain with weapons technology? How odd. "Understood Admiral," he said.
As the screen blinked out, Riker turned to him, and he knew he had a similar expression on his face. "Captain…this is highly irregular. The Klingons must be desperate themselves, if they're willing to allow the Romulans within 10 parsecs of Kronos."
"Quite right, Number One. It seems that as usual, we shall have our hands full. In any case, please meet me in my ready room in forty-five minutes, and we will go over the details."
"Aye sir."
Beverly hardly allowed the door open before she had stormed inside his quarters. It was clear that she meant business.
Picard walked around his desk, glancing warily at the data pad clutched in her hand. "Somehow I have a feeling you didn't just come by to discuss test results."
Crusher tossed the pad on a nearby table. "You're damn right. In fact, my report isn't quite finished yet anyway."
"I see," said Picard. "So you've come to argue then," he said mildly.
"You've been spending more time with that rock than you have with me," she snapped. "Now, I don't intend to crowd you, Jean Luc, but I had hoped that declaring our feelings for each other meant I would get to spend more time with you—that I would get to know you better."
It's not just a rock, he thought to himself, but knew better than to pick the wrong fight with her at that moment. "I know, and I am sorry, Beverly," he offered apologetically.
She walked toward him slowly. "And now we're heading out on another mission...there will be so many more excuses for us to not spend time with each other..."
"Now Beverly, that's not fair-"
"But it's true, Jean Luc. Now I'm not completely blind to your devotion to that little thing," she said eyeing the artifact in his hand. She folded her arms over her chest. "You've got quite the grip, Jean-Luc…you're a very strong man. Is that what being in a relationship with you is going to be like?"
"Of course not," he said quietly. He really did regret not just handing her the artifact back in sick bay.
"Will I have to wrestle with you each time in order for us to eventually see eye to eye? Because I don't know how I feel about that."
"I said I was sorry about what happened in sick bay Beverly."
She made a visible effort to calm herself down. "And I accept your apology, Jean Luc, but I still don't understand it...it's just not like you to behave this way."
"What way?" he shot back indignantly.
"Like someone who is obsessed, that's what."
He laughed harshly. "Oh...please."
"You can look me in the eye and tell me that artifact hasn't dominated your attention these last few weeks?"
He sputtered. "It's a fascinating piece of history-"
"Which you haven't even confirmed is the Turellian Agate you said it was three weeks ago when you dug it up!"
"I'm ninety percent certain it is..."
"Do Turellian Agate stones generate energy fields, Captain?" They glared at one another for a few moments. Finally Beverly's expression softened somewhat. "It's not like you to be anything less than thorough, Jean Luc," she insisted more gently now.
He pulled the stone from his pocket, and as though making a point, walked over to his desk and put it down. It made a sharp clicking sound. He turned back to face her. "I'll have Data test it this afternoon. I promise," he added. He walked back over to face her.
"What if…what if that rock is the source of your headaches? If my tests, and Data's tests show that it is, will you give it up willingly?"
He forced a smile. "Of course," he said, and meant it.
Her face brightened and her posture relaxed inviting him to walk closer. Perhaps, he considered in that moment she missed him as much as he missed her. "I am truly sorry for the way I behaved" he said.
"I know." She smiled and touched his cheek then slowly traced her fingers down his jaw line. He took in a sharp breath. For some reason when she did that, it made it very difficult for him to think.
Her smile widened at his reaction. "Glad to see I still have an effect on you," she said.
He caught her hand and kissed it lightly. "Yes you do," he said.
She moved in closer and kissed him on his neck above his collar. "Prove it," she whispered.
His hand moved to her hip and he tried to look into her eyes, but she was still kissing his neck. "Right now?"
Feeling his touch she moved closer and began to unbutton the top of his uniform. "Yes," she murmured, and he felt her voice vibrate seductively into his neck.
He almost could not believe it when the words came out of his mouth. "I have a briefing with Riker in twenty minutes."
"Then what's taking you so long?"
El Auria
She was only ten years old when she first saw how heartache could nearly kill a person. Her father had told her over and over to stay away from his workshop, and she had.
Her father's young assistant Tolian was enough to keep her away anyway. There was something…off about Tolian Soran, but what really kept her at bay was her father's wrath. She hated to see him angry. Lately he had spent more time in his workshop building his device than he had at home, leaving Guinan and her Tarcassian razor beast to have many adventures together.
But one evening, her father had not been home for dinner, and the razor beast had not yet appeared. So she went looking for her father in his workshop. She knew that Soran would not be there, so maybe that gave her the courage to proceed. The first thing she heard was the moaning. She slipped through the door, and looked for her father. Wasn't that him? He sounded as though he were in distress. As she entered the main lab, she stopped short.
A large purple orb of energy floated in the center of the lab. Inside the pod was a swirling stream of purple that seemed to turn without end. She walked toward it slowly mesmerized by its beauty and power. She heard the moaning again, and looked down. Her father lay on the floor in a pool of some kind of moisture. He was curled in a ball, and he was crying. "She's gone. She's all I ever had and she's gone," he sobbed. Without needing to ask she knew he was talking about her mother.