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Hank Perkins says: You saw it on KP, it belongs to Disney. You saw it on TNG, it belongs to Paramount.
I.
Kim was pulling out her dress uniform when the door chimed. She knew it wasn't Ron; he was already in the galley preparing the meal for the ambassador's dinner. She wished they'd had a chance to talk after his visit with Bonnie, but she had returned to her station on the bridge and when she came off duty, Ron was at work. Since this was his first official function as ship's chef she didn't want to disturb him.
"Come in," she said.
The door opened, and there stood a heavily muscled three-and-a-half-foot-tall naked mole rat.
"Ensign Possible," he said.
"Yes?" Kim said, surprised by how much her visitor sounded like Worf.
"My name is Rufus …"
Kim offered a hand in greeting to her visitor. She realized that Rufus was the first naked mole rat she'd seen aboard ship during her year on Enterprise, which, upon further reflection, surprised her. Naked mole rats were known for their great affinity for adventure and space travel. They were considered one of the galaxy's evolutionary marvels; just 400 years earlier, they were all the size of hamsters and couldn't talk. Now they were a race of sentient mammals, fierce fighters and extremely competent engineers. They had left Earth long ago to set up their own society, a place where they could eat cheese, sleep, and run through kilometers-long plastic tubes for fun and recreation. They also liked to rap.
"… I was asked by a mutual friend to deliver this to you."
He extended his other paw and presented Kim with what looked like a padd, but clearly wasn't. The device was blue, had a cluster of buttons beneath a small viewscreen, and had a number of ports, slots, and doors on its sides and top.
"And this is …?" she asked. Kim was curious, yet wary, wondering if she should bring the device to engineering for a scan. She didn't need a year in security to be wary of strangers bringing unknown devices during the middle of an investigation.
Rufus smiled. "Boothby told me you would be a cautious one."
"You know Boothby?" Kim asked, rather surprised. Rufus was wearing a warrant officer's uniform, with insignia similar to Chief O'Brien's; so the mole rat would not have attended the Academy. She wondered how they had met.
"Yes, we share a passion for cheese. We used to meet regularly at La Fromagerie in Pacific Heights."
"O-kaaay," Kim said, feeling that this was getting weird very quickly. "You still haven't told me what this is."
"Wade Load …"
Kim's curiosity was now fully engaged.
"Whoa. You know Wade, too?"
"Yes, on-line virtual gaming. He is very proficient at Everlot, though he has yet to become a Tunnel Lord," Rufus said in a way that made clear to Kim he was a Tunnel Lord, whatever that was. "Wade thought you might like a means of communicating with him that was convenient and … truly secure."
"I see," she said, looking at the device. It could prove very useful. She looked at Rufus. "How does it work?"
"Press that red button …"
Kim did as instructed and Wade's image appeared.
"Hey, what up guys?" he asked. "So, Kim, you like the Kimmunicator?"
"This rocks, Wade," she said, mildly embarrassed that she had doubted Rufus and was now holding a piece of technology that had been named after her.
"Yeah, well I thought it might come in handy. This is completely off-net and totally, and I mean totally, secure. Rufus can show you how to use all of its features. And if you want, I can get one for your boyfriend."
Kim grinned. "Spankin'! Ron would think …" she said before her grin turned to a scowl. "Wade, how do you know about Ron? Ron and I hadn't started dating when we last talked …" she quickly considered the possibility that someone else had told Wade, but realized how he knew … "You've been reading my on-line diary!"
"Uh, hey, had to make sure you're on the up-and-up, before I gave you sensitive technology like this …"
"So not cool, Wade," she said, glowering.
Wade could tell that he'd crossed a line.
"Okay, okay, I won't do it again," he said sheepishly.
"Good," she said sternly before allowing her scowl to soften a little bit. "And thanks for the Kimmunicator, Wade."
Kim ended the call. She was still somewhat miffed.
"Wade does not have much of a social life," Rufus explained, seeing Kim's expression. "He becomes lonely. For what it is worth, if he sent you this device and offered one to Ron, he considers you both to be friends."
Kim pulled a face.
"And that makes this right how?" she asked, a note of skepticism in her voice.
"It does not make it right at all. I just tell you this so you know that he meant no harm. And that you might consider adopting more traditional diary entry techniques that involve the use of pen and paper."
Kim arched an eyebrow.
"It would be … prudent," he noted.
Kim snorted, thanked Rufus for the delivery, asked if they could meet in the morning since she was pressed for time, and watched her visitor leave. She had been tempted to tell both Rufus and Wade where to get off. But Rufus had been polite – he not only sounded like Worf but comported himself like the Klingon, too – and Wade had been helpful. Plus, Boothby had vouched for the young tech guru. In her gut, she knew that what the naked mole rat said was true. Wade meant no harm. She just hoped he hadn't read everything in her diary. Especially about that thing Ron could do that made her very, very happy …
II.
Kim was still thinking about her strange visit when the door chime rang again. She sighed. She really did need to get ready for the reception.
"Come," she said.
"K," her visitor replied.
"Bonnie," she replied icily. "To what do I owe the pleasure? And for your sake I hope you weren't rude to Ron."
"Nice to see you, too, Kim," Bonnie said haughtily, as she looked around the small, shared quarters. "Like, how do you live in here? This is a closet!"
"Bonnie, I'm kind of busy and so don't have time for this," Kim snapped.
"Yes, I know. Captain Picard's little helper," Bonnie retorted. "Look, I, um, well ..."
Kim was surprised by her erstwhile classmate's sudden change of demeanor. Bonnie actually seemed to be squirming.
"Okay, I met with Stoppable earlier. He said we should talk."
Kim felt like she'd been tackled by a crazed Klingon.
"Come again?" she asked.
"Don't be dense, Possible. You heard me. I talked with your boy toy. Yes, I know all about the two of you. It sure took you long enough to get together," she snorted.
"So, you're here why?" Kim asked, quite confused.
"I need your … advice."
It's Q, Kim thought. Q masquerading as Bonnie. That has to be what's going on …
"About, um, Tom Carter."
Kim sneered. "He's a jerk."
"I know that," Bonnie said.
"O-kaaay," Kim replied, not expecting that reply,
"But I still kind of like him. He is sooo good in bed …"
Why am I not surprised that Bonnie knows that already?" Kim asked herself.
"… and, here's the weird thing. I like talking to him."
"So, what do you want to know, Bonnie?" Kim asked. "You already know things about him that I don't."
"Would you have broken up with him if Stoppable hadn't told you how he felt?" the brunette asked.
Kim sighed. "I don't know, Bonnie. But I'm glad I did. And not just because I'm with Ron," she said with a dreamy smile that made Bonnie smirk. "Tom didn't seem to want an equal. He wanted someone to look up to him. I lost a bit of myself during our time together; I just didn't know it until Ron came. Tom will try to mold you. If you're going to be with him, you need to be on guard for that," she warned, recalling just how much her relationship with Tom had affected her; in retrospect, it was rather frightening. Kim was glad she had Ron, who only seemed to want to build her up, though she knew when it was appropriate he'd zing her – just as she would him. She realized she was ignoring Bonnie. Kim looked at her guest and arched an eyebrow. "Of course, I can't recall a time when you had any trouble keeping a guy in line," she added with a wry grin.
"Benefit to being the Queen Bee, K," Bonnie added with a smile that for the first time Kim could ever remember carried a bit of genuine warmth. "Well, thanks for talking, Kim. I appreciate it."
"Uh, sure," Kim answered, still pleasantly surprised by the way the conversation had unfolded. "I assume I'll see you at the reception tonight?"
"Oh yes," she replied. Then, with a wicked grin Bonnie added, "Good thing you have to wear a uniform. I don't even want to imagine what kind of fashion horror you'd put on if left to your own devices …"
Kim instinctively clenched her fists.
Then Bonnie winked. "You are still so easy to play, Possible. See you later!" she said as she left a slack-jawed Kim to get dressed.
III.
"Now, look, here's the deal. Drakken's kind of …" Shego said.
"Weird?" Lore interjected.
Weird. Strange. Goofy. Brilliant. Incompetent. Whack. Shego thought. "Yeah, weird's a good place to start. Anyway, he sort of sees me and him as an evil family."
"How touching," the android said with a mock-moved face.
"Will you be serious!" Shego snapped.
"That's not what you said when we …"
Shego actually blushed. "Yeah, well that was different. Different and very, very good, I'll confess." She was now smiling. "Multiple techniques indeed. Mad props to the guy that wrote your code!"
Lore grinned. He'd been quite impressed by his new partner's … athleticism. The trip from the installation where they'd found the Vortex Inducer to Drakken's World had given him a chance to get to better know Shego. The android was intrigued by the odd-hued woman. She was so unlike the other humans he'd known over the years. So refreshingly … evil.
"Look, we're going to have to blow this party and relocate; Princess and her Starfleet buddies are going to be looking for us when they realize the PDVI is missing," Shego said. "Drakken's not going to like having to abandon his planet."
"We could always let him stay," Lore offered helpfully. "He could take the fall."
Shego, much to her own surprise, considered that option. Lore was so much more appropriate for her as a business partner than Drakken. Yet Lipsky was, in a strange way, her friend, her … family. She couldn't just toss him to the sharks. Not yet. Besides, he was the one who'd designed the wormhole generator. They still needed him to make it operational. "No," she finally said. "Dr. D is part of the team."
"You mean the family," Lore said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Shego looked at Lore. "You got a problem I need to know about, Golden Boy?"
"No," he said, suddenly cool. "Just some family issues of my own. But those are in the past." Lore then grinned. "Who knows, maybe what I've needed all along is a new family. An evil family of my own. Okay, I'm ready!" he enthused, clasping his hands together. "Let's go meet the old man!"
Shego arched an eyebrow. This is either going to go really well. Or really, really bad, she thought as she continued piloting her ship to the lair.
IV.
Kim walked into the galley, which was a beehive of activity. Thoughts of that special thing Ron could do outweighed her desire to leave him alone to his work. She wanted to spend a few minutes with him before the evening's activities began.
Kim grinned as she saw Ron was wearing traditional civilian chef's gear: a white tunic and hound's-tooth checked pants. His two assistants, even though Starfleet personnel, were similarly dressed. She marveled at how quickly Ron had begun to put his stamp on the galley; she could tell just by looking at the kitchen equipment; none of it appeared to be Starfleet issue. She was impressed by just how hard a bargain he must have driven when he agreed to stay on board.
"Hey, KP!" he said when he noticed her.
She smiled when she saw him not-so-discretely appreciate her dress uniform.
"I like the hair up," he added enthusiastically.
Kim suspected that was so because it gave him easier access to her neck, which she was happy to provide. She blushed a bit as she realized what she was thinking. Having these thoughts about Ron, and knowing he had similar thoughts about her, was still so new and, she mused, quite nice.
"Thanks," she replied. "I just wanted to wish you good luck with the dinner."
"Thanks," he said. "But this bon-diggity kitchen crew doesn't need luck. We've got mad fu cooking skills."
"Getting big-heady, are we?"
"Er, well, um …" Ron said, blushing.
Kim laughed. "Okay, boys, now you know: your boss is easily played!"
The two assistants both grinned. They both felt bad that Mr. Pang had died, but from a professional standpoint, they knew they'd lucked out with Ron's appointment. They were amused to learn that free entertainment would be part of the new arrangement, too.
Ron looked at the two young crew members. "Aww, man. No loyalty! That's it. You guys get to test the gagh tomorrow!"
The grins turned to looks of horror. Kim was smiling. She was sad she'd have to leave; she was having fun.
"Hey, you too, Ensign Possible," Ron said in a surprisingly businesslike tone. "You are the Captain's ADC. Gotta make sure that what we serve to our important guest tomorrow is up to snuff …"
"You are so not serious," she said.
"Oh, yeah. I'm serious. Way serious."
"Well," she said with a gulp. "Then I'll just have to try it…" she conceded.
"Gotcha!" he said.
Kim pulled a face.
"Oh yeah! The Ronman scores! Booyah!"
Kim came over to Ron and whispered in his ear.
Ron's smile disappeared.
"Okay, Booyah denied …"
Kim left with a smirk on her face.
Ron didn't feel a need to tell his assistants about the privileges Kim had threatened to suspend if he really made her sample gagh.
V.
Bonnie entered Ten Forward with Tom Carter. She had had a little chat with him before they left his quarters. Bonnie made it clear that she was no Kim Possible, that she wouldn't be led around and that if Tom Carter had any interest in pursuing anything with her, he would remember that. And that if he had anything else he'd failed to tell her, he would do so right then and there.
Tom had been stunned both by Bonnie's raw assertiveness and at his realization that Bonnie must have spoken with Kim. He wondered what had precipitated that conversation. He told Bonnie that she now knew everything there was to know about his relationship with Kim, though he couldn't help but suggest rather defensively that his ex-girlfriend was out of control when she kneed him.
Then Tom realized there was one other thing he needed to share with Bonnie: he had followed up on her suggestion of earlier that morning and filed the complaint against Kim. He hadn't been sure whether he should, but after he'd been covered with paint as a result of Kim's flying, he was angry.
Bonnie groaned. As she had gotten a better handle on the crew dynamics and had heard of Kim's piloting triumph, she knew her one-time rival was almost untouchable at the moment. She half expected Nechayev to restore Kim's rank; the admiral had confessed admiration for Kim's skills at the helm. Further, Bonnie realized that Ron Stoppable was right: It was time to leave her feud with Kim behind. She couldn't ever see herself actually liking Kim Possible – Kim was too holier-than-thou, too straight-laced for Bonnie – but that didn't mean she needed to be at loggerheads with her. Teen-aged rivalries were best left in the past and as their careers advanced, Kim could always be useful to Bonnie. "Ugh. I wish I'd never suggested you file that complaint, Tom," she said. "Maybe you can withdraw it before anyone sees it …" Bonnie was at heart an operator and she now suspected that the only person who was going to suffer as a result of Tom's report was Tom.
"That's a good idea, Bonnie. I'll do it right after the reception."
VI.
"So, Ensign," Will Riker said as he approached Kim, who was talking with Data. "You think you and Ron would like to join us for a few hands of poker later on?"
Kim was flabbergasted. To be invited to The Poker Game was something junior officers dreamt of. "Wow. That would be spankin'!" she said before blushing. "I mean, yes sir, we'd love to."
Will and Deanna laughed while Data looked on, nonplussed.
"Ensign," Data said, "I must clarify what must be a misconception. There will be no spanking at the poker game. Though I understand that some couples find that activity to be quite enjoyable. Might I infer that you and Ron are among them?"
Kim had turned as red as her uniform while Will and Deanna clutched their stomachs, unable to control their laughter.
"Did I say something amusing?" Data asked.
VII.
Tom was scowling.
"Loosen up, Tom. So K's having a good day. Besides, she was always a teacher's pet."
"But look at her! Palling around with the senior officers." That should be me, he thought. I'm the one they should be admitting to the inner circle!
Bonnie was the first to notice the first officer break away from the group. He was heading towards them.
"Look, Tom. Commander Riker's coming over. Smile."
Tom stood up a little straighter and smoothed out his dress tunic.
"Sir," he said as Riker approached.
"Lieutenant, Ms. Rockwaller," he replied in a friendly enough tone.
"Hello, Commander Riker," Bonnie said sweetly. "Quite the party, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is. What do you think of the hors d'ouevres?"
"They're excellent," she said.
"Prepared by our new chef. I understand you went to school with him?"
"Yes. Kim, Ron, and I go way back. I remember when Ron was our high school mascot. He ran around in this bulldog's head he made. It was so strange," she said conspiratorially. "But the crowds ate it up!" she added with a laugh.
Riker was grinning. Tom, much to his annoyance, sensed that the first officer had taken a liking to Ron Stoppable.
"Well, maybe when Ron's done dazzling us with his culinary talents, I can convince him to be our ship's mascot," Riker suggested with a chuckle.
"Just be prepared for a lot of whipped cream on the bridge," Bonnie said, surprising herself with how much she was enjoying recalling her days on the New Middleton Cheer Squad.
"Ms. Rockwaller, I'm not even going to ask," Will said, a twinkle in his eye. "Now, would you mind if I stole your escort for a few minutes?" he asked, slapping a hand onto Tom's shoulder, before leading the young officer away.
"Sir?" Tom asked.
"I saw the complaint you filed about Ensign Possible. Those are serious allegations and could have serious repercussions for her career," Riker said, the warmth gone from his voice.
Tom wasn't sure how to respond. Right now, damaging Kim's career didn't seem like a bad thing.
"Before you proceed, Lieutenant," Riker continued, "I have to ask you some questions, which you need not answer, not yet anyway. When we convene a hearing and Ensign Possible is deposed, will she tell us things you perhaps forgot to include in your complaint? Even tell a different version of the incident? That wouldn't reflect well on you, Mr. Carter."
Tom Carter stared into the eyes of his superior officer. He was ultimately in this situation because he wanted to be with Kim. And now, from the way Riker was talking, Kim was going to be his ruin.
"Let me give you a piece of advice, Lieutenant," Riker said sternly. "Never, ever let your personal feelings interfere with an operational decision. I'm not saying you did, but if you did, don't do it again. If you decided to withdraw the complaint, I'd be willing to proceed as if none of this ever happened."
"Thank you, sir. That seems to be the best course of action," Tom answered, knowing he was being told what the wise choice would be. "I, uh, appreciate that."
"Good. Enjoy the rest of the evening, Lieutenant," Riker said coolly as he walked away.
Tom watched as the first officer made his way over to Commander LaForge. Moments earlier he had hoped he'd be exchanging pleasantries with the XO; instead he felt like he'd just been keelhauled. He suddenly found himself thinking about Kim. But unlike previous times, he wasn't thinking longingly of her. He now found himself resenting her, feeling angry as if what had happened was her fault. Things would have been fine had she not shown such poor judgment and taken up with Stoppable. Yes, this situation is definitely Kim's fault. She makes a mess of my life and I'm left to clean up, he thought as he looked at her from across the room. That's just not fair …
"So, you get some good face time in with Commander Riker?" Bonnie asked as she slid up beside Tom.
"Oh yeah. Great," he replied, ruminating on the wrong turn his career suddenly seemed to have taken. Being on Riker's bad side was not the path to promotion or success. And since Kim was apparently now one of Riker's favorites, Tom didn't see himself making up much lost ground there. He wondered if Kim would bad-mouth him. The thought that she might made him scowl.
"Are you okay, Tom?" Bonnie asked.
He was shaken from his reverie. "Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Just, uh, thinking about something I have to do tomorrow," he said. Noticing Bonnie's penetrating and unconvinced stare, he grinned weakly. "You really are different from Kim. I really can't get anything by you, can I?"
Bonnie arched an eyebrow. "You want anymore Rockwaller goodness, you won't even think of it. Now tell all."
Tom did as ordered.
Bonnie listened thoughtfully, wondering what she could do to help Tom. She also wondered if it was even worth bothering. It wasn't as if she was going to be staying on Enterprise forever, just until the end of the conference with the Orionisi delegation. Still, even if he is a bit of a moron, Bonnie thought, he has potential. And great hair. And he was good in bed. Maybe all he needs is someone to mold him. Show him a firm hand and he could be okay.
VIII.
Kim watched as the doors to Ten Forward slid open and Picard ushered in Nechayev and Fiske. She had at first been mildly surprised when the captain told her to go ahead to the reception alone, thinking it was the job of an ADC to be by the commanding officer's side; Picard explained that while that was usually the case, in this instance he suspected the admiral might want to have some private words with the ambassador and him.
As Kim talked with Data, she kept an open eye in case the captain required her presence.
"Lord Fiske has had a most interesting career, has he not, Ensign?"
"Yes, he has, sir. Not many diplomats are also archaeologists and martial arts experts."
"And it is most fortuitous that he will be present for the visit by Chancellor Gowron. His insights into Klingon culture may prove valuable."
"Sir?"
"The ambassador served as the Second Chargé d'affaires in the Federation Embassy during the late 40s."
Kim looked at Data, feeling she had been caught out.
"I would assume that in reading about Lord Fiske in preparation for his visit, you would have focused on his years as an ambassador, when his activities would be more likely to influence the politics and security of the Alpha Quadrant. You should not be embarrassed if you did not recall a minor detail from early in his career, Ensign. It is – how have I heard you put it? – no big."
Kim smiled at the android's use of one of her colloquialisms. "Thank you, sir, but it is big, since all things Klingon have suddenly taken on a huge importance in Ron's life." And therefore mine, she thought. Silently, she chided herself as she considered not only Ron's impending encounter with the leader of the Klingon Empire and the Sword of Kahless, but of Q's advice to Ron to 'Think Klingon.' Q's comments of a few days before remained inscrutable. As far as Kim was concerned, any information that could help her protect Ron was invaluable. Kim now found herself hoping she'd have a chance to talk with Fiske – if the man had served on Qo'noS and was an archaeologist, perhaps he knew about the bat'leth's history.
IX.
Yori had always dreamt of being a Starfleet officer. As a little girl, she would lie on her back outdoors and gaze at the stars. The courtyard of the Yamanuchi School had offered an excellent place from which to enjoy the night sky. She had spent almost her entire life prior to entering the Academy at the school where her grandfather was Sensei. He had gladly taken in the young girl when she was orphaned as an infant. Training at a secret ninja school held a special romance to Yori, who had come to love the history and honor of her vocation. And she made some dear friends during those years. Indeed, she had but one regret growing up, and that was never having been able to meet her parents, who had died in a mountain climbing accident.
Yori enjoyed her time at the Academy; she made new friends there, though Kim Possible was not one of them. Though they occasionally sparred in the dojo, they traveled in different circles and never took a liking to one another. It was only when they found themselves on board Enterprise sharing quarters that they discovered how much they enjoyed one another's company. In the year since they boarded the ship, they had become good friends, close enough that Yori had watched with concern as some of Kim's natural edge dissipated as her involvement with Tom Carter deepened. That was why Yori was able to quickly overcome her disappointment at Ron's rejection of her advances; she had been pleased to learn that it was Kim in whom he was interested and she was delighted they were now together. She had heard much about him over the preceding months and had often wondered why Kim was not with Ron. Now that she was, Yori was glad, in no small measure because the confident, lively person she had first become friendly with had resurfaced.
And it was because of her friendship for Kim that Yori felt such remorse as she used a special Section 31 security override device to enter Ron Stoppable's quarters.
X.
"Ensign Possible," Fiske said as he came up to Kim. "So good to see you."
"Thank you, Ambassador," she replied, pleased to have a chance to talk with the VIP. "I'm glad you're getting a chance to relax before the conference."
"Thank you. These meetings can be fascinating, but more often they are rather tedious," he observed. "So, Ensign, I understand that you have seen the Sword of Kahless."
"Yes, sir, I have," she acknowledged. Kim knew of his interest in archaeology and now that she knew he had served on the Klingon homeworld she was not surprised by his interest.
"You must be very proud," he commented. "To have participated in the discovery of such an important piece of Klingon history. Your name will be spoken of in archaeological circles for years to come."
"Actually, sir, I am proud. But I'm not the one who found the Sword. That honor would belong to my boyfriend, Ron Stoppable. He so deserves the credit, not me."
Fiske was working hard to mask his interest in Ron; he had heard the legends about the Sword and was intrigued that Gowron was actually traveling to Khitomer to investigate the wild claims that were being made about the bat'leth. It wasn't long after the incident on Ras T'klar that word of the find began to spread; Fiske had no way of knowing that the news was being disseminated by none other than Kor, who had been determined that the Sword would not once again fall into obscurity. He was ecstatic when he learned that the weapon was on board Enterprise.
"I see. And is he here with us tonight?"
"No, he's not."
"Such a shame. I do look forward to meeting him."
"Actually, Ambassador," interjected Picard, who had joined Kim and Fiske, "Mr. Stoppable is our ship's chef and is busy preparing your dinner; I believe you will find it was worth waiting to meet him."
"If this repast is any indication of what's to come, Captain, I will have to agree. These hors d'ouevres are the best I have ever had on a Federation vessel."
"I am pleased to hear that," the captain said. "I am sure that Mr. Stoppable would be delighted to at least introduce himself after our meal, Ambassador. Perhaps you would convey an invitation to my quarters for after dinner, Ensign?"
"Of course, sir," Kim replied, hiding her disappointment that Ron would not be able to come to the poker game with her, but pleased that Ron would have a chance to meet this man who was so clearly interested in Klingon culture and history. Oh well, maybe he'll still be able to join us for a hand or two … she mused.
XI.
Kim still could not believe she was sitting at the card table with Riker, Troi, Data, Worf, and Geordi. Beverly, who would normally have been present, was on duty in Sickbay. This is what it would have been like, Kim thought with excitement, to sit at the Seniors' Table in high school when I was a sophomore.
"Well, Kim," the first officer said as Data, wearing his green eyeshade, dealt the cards, "I'm sorry Ron couldn't join us. I was looking forward to playing cards with a man who could out-bargain a Ferengi."
"He's sorry, too, sir –"
"It's Will."
"Sir?"
"We checked our ranks at the door, Kim. Call us by our first names," he said, before adding with a grin, "That's an order."
"Okay, si– Will," Kim replied, trying to get used to this situation.
"You were saying?" Will prompted.
"Oh, um, Ron was really disappointed he couldn't join us."
"But I am sure that he's pleased to be meeting the ambassador," Deanna suggested.
"No, not really," Kim answered honestly. "Ron's not into that kind of thing. Which is funny. When we were in high school, we had a member of a minor royal house at our school for a while."
"And Ron was interested?" Geordi asked.
"Oh, it was so the drama!" Kim answered. "He'd been running my campaign for class president when Wally showed up, and before I knew it my campaign manager had defected to the opposition! He really was a stinker," she admitted.
"Yet you remained friends," Data observed.
"Oh yeah, Ron and I were still tight. Over the years we both did some pretty rotten things to each other, yet we always came back to the other. I'll take two, please and thank you," Kim said as she discarded. "I have to confess that while it's been a dream come true to be on Enterprise this past year, it was tough not having Ron here." She didn't feel a need to add that she now knew what Ron had meant when he'd told her years ago that his summer at Wannaweep was the worst of his life since he'd been separated from her.
Deanna looked at Kim; she could sense the depth of affection. She was pretty sure that the Wally incident had hurt Kim deeply; the Betazoid wondered if Ron ever really knew how much. Yet it was even clearer that Kim had set the hurt aside long ago and that Ron had done something to make amends for his childish betrayal – and that at the appropriate time Kim felt comfortable giving as good as she got. Deanna smiled, thinking of how nice it was to know that she wasn't the only one lucky enough to have an imzadi. And unlike her and Will, Kim and Ron were friends before they became lovers, rather than the other way around. Deanna was sure that this relationship was a keeper.
"What I want to know," Worf said, "is whether he is a good card player."
"Ah, Mr. Worf. Always sizing up the opposition," Riker joked.
"It is a wise thing to do before one goes into battle."
"Worf," Geordi said with a laugh, "it's a game!"
"I am very competitive," the Klingon explained.
Kim laughed with the others as Worf grunted.
"Actually, Ron's a badical card player —"
"I do not understand, Kim," Data began to say as she reddened and Will and Deanna began to laugh. Geordi and Worf were confused. Finally, Data spoke up again. "Ah, I see. You are using slang. You are saying that Ron is a good player."
"Yes, Data," Kim said patiently but warmly.
"I see. Badical!" Data exclaimed.
Geordi looked at his friend. Data's sudden usage of slang made the chief engineer wonder if the android's positronic net needed a check-up.
This time Kim laughed. "Yeah, badical really is the way to describe Ron as a card player. Which is kind of amusing since he wasn't always good at poker."
Will smiled. "Something tells me there's a story here."
"And I am so not going to tell it!" Kim riposted, recalling how Ron used to be a nervous bag of tics and tip-offs. Until that one fateful night that changed their friendship.
XII.
Ron would sweat, fidget, rub the back of his neck, and laugh nervously when playing poker with Kim and some of her Academy classmates. He always lost, yet he'd gamely come back for more, just so he could spend time with Kim.
They had been in San Francisco for more than two and a half years. Kim was thriving at the Academy and Ron was excelling at the Culinary Institute. Kim quickly became a student leader and was quite popular, which was familiar territory for her. Ron benefited from being an excellent cook at a cooking school and learned that college-age women liked going on dates with a guy who was on track to become a chef. For the first time in their lives, Kim wasn't the only one saying she had, uh, other plans. Still, they made lots of time for one another. Even when dating other people, Kim and Ron wanted, indeed seemed to need, their fix of each other. They continued to hang out on their own but they would also do things with others – including play poker at the Academy.
And it was poker that had opened the door to the most serious fight they ever had. It was Kim's junior year and she was crushing on a senior. Ron reluctantly joined Kim and her beau du jour and some others for a card game; he had become less enamored of seeing his long-time best friend behave like a crushing sheep around other guys. It wasn't that he liked liked her – at least he didn't think he did, since he had an eye on a girl at the Culinary Institute – but he liked seeing her strong and confident and when she got this way, her natural Kimness just seemed to disappear.
But, best friend that he was, he showed up for the game. And once again, he lost and lost badly. But something different happened this time. The senior mocked him and, much to Ron's annoyance, Kim actually joined in the cruel laughter. Ron stormed out of the dorm and off campus. He was furious that she would treat him, her friend of more than fifteen years, that way. She quickly seemed to realize what she'd done because there was a message of apology waiting for him when he got home. Unfortunately for Kim, he wasn't easily placated. He didn't return her call. When she called again, he snapped and told her to leave him alone, that she should go laugh it up with her Starfleet buddies; if and when he wanted to talk to her, he'd call. Kim for the first time in her life was worried that she might have alienated Ron. She'd never given much thought to Ron's ego; he'd always been so laid back. But his time at the Culinary Institute boosted his self-confidence, and he felt that he'd been slighted and taken for granted. Kim knew she'd hurt Ron and wished he'd give her another chance.
Finally, after more than three weeks, Ron called Kim. He said he was ready to talk. She said she'd talk anytime, anywhere. He said the next poker game would be fine. Kim assumed he was testing her, wanting to make sure that when he began to lose she'd be a better friend; she couldn't blame him and was prepared to be in his corner if anyone, even her crush, said anything mean.
What she expected and what happened were two different things. Kim was dumbfounded as she watched Ron play. He was impassive and expressionless. The only time he moved his hands was when he was handling his cards. She had always been able to read him like an open book, but not that evening, and that surprised and saddened her; it was as if Ron had drawn away from her. But that wasn't the only shock she received. Ron had clearly been practicing. By the end of the night he had a huge pile of chips in front of him. He looked directly at Kim's boyfriend and said in an even tone. "Tough luck, dude. Now, since I've cleaned you all out, I think it's time for me to go." Ron got up, placed a hand on Kim's shoulder and squeezed gently. "'Night, Kim," he said before leaving the room.
Kim was stunned, and was left wondering if Ron had just wanted to make a point before cutting her off completely. When she mentioned this to her boyfriend and he suggested that maybe it was for the best, Kim disagreed, saying how Ron was the best friend she could ever want. He responded by saying that he didn't understand why she needed a best friend if she had a boyfriend. He wanted to know if it was because her best friend was more important to her than her boyfriend. It took her all of five seconds to realize that that was indeed the case and they broke up that evening.
Kim returned to her room and spent the better part of the night staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She called Ron, but he didn't answer. Finally, as morning arrived, she dozed off and fell into a fitful sleep. It wasn't long, though, before she was awakened by the sound of knocking. She staggered from her bunk and opened her door to find a grinning Ron, who was carrying a picnic basket.
"Morning, KP," he said as he came in with the hamper. "Got some hot-out-of-the-oven muffins and fresh-squeezed juice for you."
Kim watched, confused, as Ron took out the food.
"Okay, 'splain, Ron. I so don't know what's going on," she demanded.
"Whaddya mean?" he asked innocently.
"You don't talk to me for a month – then you show up like Captain Mysterious to crush us at cards then disappear. Now you're here with breakfast. I don't get it. What's the sitch?"
"The sitch, KP," Ron said, "is that a month ago, my best friend treated me like dirt."
Kim winced. Ron had never said anything like this to her before.
"You really hurt me that night, Kim. You'd hurt me before …"
Kim looked at Ron in open-mouthed shock.
"… C'mon, KP, don't look surprised. We've known each other since pre-K. Of course you've hurt me. And I know I've hurt you. But this was different. I can take a joke like the next guy, but to be made to feel that I'm only worth having around so your boyfriend can score some cheap shots at my expense, that's not cool."
"I know, Ron," Kim said, looking chagrined. "And I tried to say I was sorry …"
"Yeah, I know, KP, but this time it wasn't enough. I needed some time to clear my head. I can't begin to tell you how tweaked I was. Anyway, I didn't want to talk because I didn't want to say something stupid. Then I realized what would make me feel better would be to just wipe that smile off Buck Rogers' face and maybe remind you that I'm not a complete buffoon …"
"Ron, I never thought that," she said defensively.
"Well, that night it felt that way," he said petulantly.
Kim looked at her feet. "Ron, I am so sorry, believe me. Not talking with you these past few weeks has been awful."
"Yeah, I know, KP. It was the same for me, but it was for the best, really. And at least I had a distraction. I learned how to play poker, for real." Ron smiled thinking how much better he could have done in school had he applied himself the way he did to his crash course in cards.
Kim laughed. "You rocked, Ron."
"I am da man," he said cockily.
"Getting big heady?" she asked, relaxing now that she was confident the crisis had passed.
"Hey, I am what I is, KP!" he said with a shrug and a smile. "So now that I am a card-playing stud, you think your boyfriend's man enough to let me back into the game?"
"That's going to be a problem, Ron."
"Oh," he said frostily, assuming that her beau wouldn't want Ron at the card table and Kim would go along with that to placate him. "I see."
"Actually, I don't think you do," a grinning Kim replied, much to Ron's surprise. "He said some things about my best friend that I didn't like. And that so wasn't going to do. So I don't think I'll be playing cards with him anymore."
Ron just sat and looked at Kim, silently chiding himself for doubting her.
Kim's grin grew even wider. "But don't worry, Poker Boy, I'll find us another card game. Now, since I'm hungry, would you pass me one of those muffins, please and thank you? They smell wonderful."
Ron opened the basket and passed one of the baked goods to Kim.
"Mmmm. This is great, Ron," she said after taking a bite. "I wish you were in charge of food services here."
"No you don't, KP. I've seen the way you eat my cooking. You'd be huge."
"Ron! I can't believe you said that!"
"Hey, hey," he said defensively. "Best friend privileges!"
Kim smiled at Ron, then embraced him. "Best friend privileges, indeed."
The two best friends held one another, happy that their friendship had weathered the storm, yet aware that something had changed. They were growing up, and that meant seeing each other a bit differently.
XIII.
"Kim, are you in or are you going to fold?" Data asked.
"Huh?" Kim said, coming out of her memories.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you'd rather daydream about Ron than play cards, Kim! Are you in or out?" Will asked, a huge grin on his face.
Deanna also smiled, sensing from Kim the familiar feeling one had when thinking about one's imzadi.
Kim looked at her cards, thought about how Ron had played cards that night, then put her poker face back on. "Bring it, Will."
XIV.
As Ron prepared to ring the chime at the entrance to the captain's quarters, he found himself thinking that there had to be a joke to describe the scene: "There's this starship captain, an admiral, an ambassador, and a cook …" And for some reason he couldn't explain, he was convinced the punch line came at the expense of the cook.
Of course, Ron had accepted the invitation that Kim had been sent to convey. It wasn't as if he really had a choice; he knew the score. What was he going to say, "Sorry, Captain, but I'll pass on the nightcap with you and Mr. Diplomat?" Oh well, he thought as he pressed the button, at least I have the poker game to look forward to. Assuming this all ends at a decent hour.
Ron heard the familiar voice tell him to enter. The door slid open and there, in the captain's sitting area, were Picard and Fiske, with Nechayev added in just for fun. Ron noticed that they were enjoying some wine.
"Thank you for coming, Ron," the captain said. "May I pour you a glass?"
"Uh, sure, thanks," Ron said as he sat down. He smiled at the admiral and the ambassador, then asked "You like dinner?"
"It was superb," Nechayev replied candidly. "Captain Picard is lucky you are a civilian, Mr. Stoppable, or I would have you transferred off this ship and onto my staff in short order."
"I must concur with the admiral's assessment of your skills," Fiske added with a smile that Ron found disquieting. "Starfleet should consider cloning you so it could issue competent chefs throughout the fleet. You don't know how hard it is to find a good meal in space."
"Uh, about the cloning, I, uh, don't think so, 'kay?" Ron responded. The very idea made him uncomfortable. As, for some reason, the diplomat did, too.
"Don't worry, Ron. Nobody's going to be cloned. The ambassador was joking," Picard said reassuringly, before handing Ron a glass of Cabernet.
For reasons he couldn't articulate, Ron thought that given the chance, Fiske actually would clone him – or at least do incredibly unethical things if they served his purposes. Ron sampled the wine and was quite impressed. Forgetting where he was and with whom he was visiting, he asked Picard for the bottle. Ron's eyebrows shot up. "This is so wild. I've had wine from this vineyard before. What a weird coincidence. Must be kind of neat knowing there's a vineyard with the same name as yours."
"Actually, it is my vineyard, or more accurately my family's," Picard said with some pride.
"Coolio! That means Robert Picard must be your brother; he came in last year and sold us on your wines."
"Robert is indeed my brother," Picard confirmed. "I am glad you had the chance to do business."
"You certainly do seem to get around, Mr. Stoppable," Nechayev observed.
"Yes, you do," Fiske concurred. "Which is why I wanted to meet you."
"Huh?"
"Your travels have brought you the Sword of Kahless; tomorrow they will bring you the leader of the Klingon Empire."
Ron was beginning to think he needed some fresh air. He was half convinced that Fiske was going to add something like, 'who will surrender to me; then I will rule the Empire!', to be followed by a maniacal laugh. "Well, yeah I guess you could say that," Ron finally agreed.
"What is it like?"
Ron, feeling at sea, looked to Picard and Nechayev. But they were unable to offer help. Picard, the archaeologist, was fascinated by any discovery. Nechayev merely watched, only interested in collecting information that could be of use to her. Ron was glad he couldn't be transferred to the admiral's star base.
"What do you mean? It's a bat'leth," Ron said.
"Oh, come now. If the prophecies are true, and you are the Chosen One, surely you made a connection with the Sword. Did you feel anything when you wielded it in battle?"
Ron was definitely picking up a weird vibe from Fiske. "Uh, I don't mean to be rude, or anything, but you see my face? I was a little preoccupied at the time." What Ron didn't say was that he clearly recalled the slight pulse of energy that surged through his body the first time he held the weapon, or that each time he called the Sword it was as if he was beckoning a living thing.
"Oh, yes, so sorry," Fiske said in a way that combined sincerity with a complete lack of interest in Ron's condition.
His scars and missing eye, Ron guessed, only mattered to Fiske insofar as they might be related to the Sword.
"Well," the captain said, looking at his guests. "Mr. Stoppable has a full day coming up. Perhaps we should let him go."
"I'd appreciate that, sir," Ron said, quickly getting to his feet so he could make his escape. "I'll see you all tomorrow."
Once out of the captain's quarters, Ron let out a sigh of relief. The ambassador gave him the creeps.
XV.
Given the later hour, Ron headed back to his quarters; the poker game would have ended long ago. He regretted not having a chance to play cards with Kim and the others. He entered his quarters and found a surprise.
"Kim!"
She responded with an inviting smile. Ron couldn't help but grin as he noticed that his girlfriend, who was beneath the covers of his bed, was bare-shouldered.
"I've been wanting dessert all night," Kim said seductively, "And I heard the chef's great with pastries."
"Ah, it's no big," Ron replied, completely missing Kim's double-entendre.
"That's not what I remember," she said with a leer. The two best-friends-turned-lovers looked at each other hungrily, then began laughing as they realized just how clichéd some of their banter could be.
Ron cleaned up for bed, took off his clothes and climbed in next to Kim, who began to cuddle. It had been a long day and each sensed that the other would be satisfied just being held by the other.
"You know, KP, I could get used to finding a beautiful redhead in my bed at the end of each day."
"Really?" she asked. "Do you have one in mind or are you looking for variety?"
"Well, variety is the spice of life …" Ron felt Kim tense up "… but with all that's going on in my life, I think I could use some predictability. So I'll go with the same one. You know if anyone's available?"
Kim smirked. "I might. I'll get back to you," she said before kissing him on the nose. "Ron?"
"Yeah, Kim?"
"Do you think we're moving too fast?"
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, suddenly nervous. "Do you?"
Kim began to play with one of Ron's ears. "Given what's happened over the past couple of weeks, no. Realizing you love someone you may not get to see for awhile, then almost dying with him, helps clarify things."
"I know how you feel, KP," Ron said, relief flooding over him.
"I only brought it up because you've had these quarters for two nights and I've been here for both of them …"
"You afraid Yori's going to get jealous?" Ron asked playfully.
"Ron," she deadpanned. "It's just that, I don't know, I'm having these crazy thoughts about, well, moving in with you …"
Ron gaped at Kim.
"… not right now," she said nervously, "but, well, at some point in the future. But only if you'd like it."
Ron pulled his girlfriend close to him. "I have gotta be the luckiest guy in the galaxy. I love you so much, Kim."
Kim melted into Ron. "Back atcha, Chef Boy."
The night seemed to be coming to a perfect end. They lay there quietly, lost in each other's companionship. Finally, Ron asked Kim about the poker game. She gave him a full report on each of the players so he could be prepared when he got to play. "Not surprisingly, Commander Riker is the one you'll have to watch. He's good. Very, very good."
"What about Worf?"
"Too competitive for his own good. When he has a good hand he looks like he's just backed a Romulan he's been after into a corner. You'll be able to read him like an open book," Kim replied. "You know, Ron, as I think about this, I really do owe you another apology; I can't believe it never occurred to me that all of your poker training would be useful in dealing with the Ferengi. My bad."
Ron stretched his arms and put his hands behind his head. With a smug smile, he said, "No problemo, Kimila."
Kim took advantage of Ron's position to tickle his exposed stomach.
"No fair! No fair!" he squealed as he squirmed.
"Never leave yourself open to attack by a trained Starfleet security professional," Kim said with a grin.
"Actually, I think I like leaving myself open to attacks by trained Starfleet security professionals. At least one of them," he replied.
They shared another kiss.
Then she asked him how the visit with the ambassador went. Ron filled Kim in.
"I'm telling you, KP. His Lordship is 500 light-years of bad road."
"Overreacting much, Ron?" she asked, looking at him skeptically.
"No. This guy's bad news. He was asking all sorts of questions about my bat'leth …"
"Hello, Ron! He's an archeologist who served on the Klingon homeworld!"
"He's up to something. I know it," Ron said adamantly, his arms crossed.
"Ron," Kim retorted, trying not to sound exasperated, "he's one of the most accomplished and respected diplomats in the galaxy."
"All the better cover," Ron replied.
Kim rolled her eyes. "Ron, you know what your problem is? You're thinking too much!"
"Hmmph. I may not be a trained investigator like you, Kim, but I know when I'm right. I'm telling you: Two words. Bad. Road."
Kim made a face at Ron. "Just promise me you won't weird out on him while he's here, okay?"
"Don't worry, Kim," Ron said, a little coolly. "I won't embarrass you or anyone else."
"Ron …."
He rolled over onto his side, facing away from her. She sighed, then curled up behind him, molding her body to his, and wrapped her arm around his middle.
"…. Listen to me, okay? I was not saying you're going to embarrass me. But you have to admit, you can overreact sometimes."
"Says who?"
"Hmmm. Let's see. Who was it who thought Josh Mankey was an evil monkey lord simply because his last name sounded like monkey?" she said smugly.
"Well, he could have been …"
"Ron …"
"Okay," he said, flipping over to look at Kim. "You got me."
"Yes, I do …" she said with a warm smile. "And as weird as you are, I'm not going to let you go."
TBC …