Chapter 14

"Where is your brother?" Tira asked, the scar still evident on her cheek.

"I am so sorry Tira," Stirba sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

"Where is he?" she screamed. "What did you do to him?"

"It was one of the hostages. They tried to escape." She turned and covered her mouth with her hand as they reached the top of the long stone palace steps with a litter covered with a fine cloth bearing the Caj emblem.

Tira pulled back the cloth. "NO!" Tira wailed plaintively and threw herself over her son's body, sobbing, clutching at his clothing, horror on her face as she realised he was lying on his front looking over his shoulder, his neck twisted. "Tell me which one? I do not need them all to bring your father to us."

"The tallest man." Stirba stated, indicating the officers at the bottom of the steps.

"Seize him!" Tira screamed, pointing a claw nailed finger at Reg and two guards stepped forward and grabbed him. He struggled as they forced him to his knees and bound his hands behind his back. "Behead him!" Another guard stepped forwards with a ceremonial axe. Data held Geordi back, preventing him from trying to intervene against the insurmountable odds of the palace guard.

"Wait!" Stirba shouted as the axe was raised. "I want to see the face of my brother's murderer as his head leaves his body." she told her mother and began to walk down the steps carefully, holding her robe.

Tira smiled proudly and followed her down. Stirba stopped and looked back at her mother. The Tahedri's eyes widened as her robe snaked around her ankle and she fell, slamming into the steps and bouncing down them, the sound of smashed bone and torn muscle echoed around the courtyard long after the shriek died in her throat.

Stirba knelt beside her mother's broken body and held her head between her hands, blood trickled from her nose, mouth and ears and over her fingers. "Stirba, you are the Tahedri." she whispered into her mother's face, one so like her own. "My chosen heir, do not let your mother convince you otherwise." She tilted her head as she gazed into her ice blue eyes. "I swore I'd never draw blood till Edara was avenged that night. The night you killed my family." She held up her hand with her mother's blood on it and rubbed it between her fingers as she smiled sweetly. She sat back and the blood began to gush from Tira's nose and ears as Stirba squeezed her shattered skull with her mind. She watched unblinking as her mother choked, gagged and convulsed until she lay still. She looked up at the guard poised to behead Barclay, her face wet with crocodile tears. "Let him go. There's been enough death today."

"Yes Tahedri." the guards chanted and pulled him to his feet and untied him.

"Prepare the bodies for burial." Stirba ordered, "Remove the cover stone from my grandmother's tomb. Shatter it. It is to be buried with my mother." she told an adviser who was loitering nearby.

"Tahedri?"

"Edara's title is to be restored. She is Edara the Wise once more and her tomb is to be marked as such. She was never the Slaughterer, Slayer of Innocents. That title is to be bestowed upon Tira along with the title… Usurper. Advise the stonemasons."

"And your brother?"

"One word is to be carved into his tomb. Puppeteer…. No name, no title. He is to be interred in the garden that was the old slave market. Not the Barin Crypt. He must not lie in the same place as Edara."

"But Tahedri, he will not be remembered by future generations…"

"He will be remembered for what he was, the bloodthirsty monstrosity who stalked the slave markets."

Reg approached her, rubbing his wrists. "For a moment there I thought you were going to throw me to the wolves." he whispered.

"For a moment I almost did." she replied softly, wiping her hands on her mother's robes.

"Probably not the best idea leaving me alive knowing you tripped her down the stairs." he reasoned as she stood.

"Revenge is part of our culture and I am the Tahedri now. My word is law." she stated. "I am told hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, perhaps that is why I would wish you dead?"

"I would never scorn you." he gazed at her earnestly. "I wouldn't dare. You love me don't you? Admit it?" he nudged her with his shoulder playfully.

"What does it matter? You're leaving." she replied coldly. "I can always kill you later."

"I've been thinking about that." he said. "The leaving part, not you killing me…" he added. "Your guards are sloppy. You have a gap in cover from your perimeter patrols you could fly a starship through and every watchtower I've seen has a blind spot. If you're going to have my baby I should at least make sure you're both safe. I should probably stick around to find out if you're actually pregnant for that matter and you'll need someone to keep you from going on a killing spree at the slightest provocation. You're a serial killer."

"And you're an assassin. You should probably think about retiring before you get caught by your target and sold as a slave again." she told him icily and began to walk away. "Perhaps you're getting a little long in the fang for that line of work?"

"I'm a Wetwork Specialist, it's long in the tooth and that wasn't my fault." he argued and followed her, "How was I to know he had some freaky alien energy armour?"

"He's Kolari, he stole it from some 'freaky alien'. It's what we do…" she told him over her shoulder.

"Y'know, I can always kill you later too." he replied.

"I could have you put to death for threatening me." she pointed out angrily as she turned to face him.

"If you did that you wouldn't have the fun of killing me yourself, you crazy bitch."

"A fine thing to call the mother of your child." she chided with her hands on her hips.

"I hope to God I'm firing blanks. You'd have to be certifiable to reproduce with you, you lunatic!" he shouted and stepped towards her angrily to find an ornate pike barring his way. "See what I mean? Sloppy. I stand here ranting at the Tahedri, threatening her life and only this guy acts out of twenty guards?" He shook his head. "What's your name pal?" The guard looked to Stirba for permission to speak.

"You may answer him." she stated. "He is my…High Protector. He has my complete trust." The guard stood to attention and moved his weapon away from Barclay's chest.

"High Protector?" Reg scowled. "Makes me sound like a type of condom." he moaned and shook his head, his hand on his hip. "Can I promote people?" he asked earnestly. She nodded her assent. "Congratulations, you're the Captain of the Guard." he told the guardsman. "Captain…?"

"Dgrwtcbe-Txl, Lord High Protector." the man replied.

"That'll take me a while to remember, for now I'll call you Butch." He looked up at the towering Orion. "Your first order is to never step between me and my woman again or I'll rip your balls out through your nose." he told him sternly.

"Yes my Lord."

"Your second order is to have the old Captain arrested. The High Protector will break his neck for me and throw him at my feet. He needs further practice." The Tahedri smiled. "I suspect he was fucking my mother." she added by way of an explanation. "Her way to keep him loyal."

"Okay, but I'm wearing clothes this time." Reg smiled at her and offered his arm to escort her up the steps. "I may or may not have a hard-on, that depends on you my Tahedri." She took his arm and smiled up at him warmly. "You know, I killed three slavers, gave one a permanent limp, ripped an eyeball out of another and probably cost one a testicle while I was held captive." She gave him a look of impressed surprise. "Why do you think they flogged me and kept me in the cooler so long?" he told her as they walked away. "So what exactly does being a High Protector entail?"

"I don't know, I just made it up." she replied.

"If I'm giving up my commission I want a job description and a contract at least. Do you have a union here?" Reg joked. "What are the regulations regarding sexual harassment?"

"In your case it's positively encouraged." she advised him as they strolled up the steps together. "But only with me."

Geordi turned to Data. "I didn't follow all of that, but did she say he was an assassin?"

"Yes. And he said she just murdered her mother in front of us and they implied he was the one who broke Aedax' neck." Data replied.

"You know you said that wasn't our Taryn? I don't think that was our Reg." Geordi commented.

"That's the man you get if his mother gets custody from birth." Andrews stated. "A trained killer with no conscience working for Section 31."

"But he's still all…nerdy." Geordi stated. "Incidentally, where the hell have you been?" Geordi shouted.

"Busy." Andrews replied coldly. "That's what makes him the best at what he does. No one suspects him. They let their guard down." Andrews explained. "If we had time I'd show you their kids. The one she's expecting now and nine more once they work out they can stimulate pon farr with a microbe to help her conceive. Astonishingly for a pair of high functioning sociopaths they don't fuck them up too badly. They fill this palace with the laughter of children and their bloodline flows into every Caj in future generations and not one of their offspring's marriages is coerced. They never marry, they never admit they love each other either, they just say 'I'll kill you later'. It's their 'I'll find you' I suppose." he mused. "Pity the Federation falls but compared to some of the possible timelines this one's a peach."

"I know Tira is certifiable and Emlyn is scarily powerful. We saw that at Waterloo but how did he end up so twisted?" Geordi asked.

"Multitude?" Data suggested.

"Yep, took over the poor kid while he was still in the womb. Fortunately this Barclay is an efficient killer and the host died before he hit the floor and before he could move on to someone else. Multitude is trapped in a rotting corpse and will soon be encased in granite. It'll keep it quiet for a few hundred years. It's impossible to destroy." Andrews explained. "In the timelines where it picks the female twin it's far worse."

"Well, now we know they live happily ever after what happens to us?" Geordi asks tersely.

"Relax Bra." Andrews said dismissively. "You and Data go back to the Enterprise, you'll be fine. For a while anyhow."

"We need to go back to 1891." Data stated. "Repair the timeline at the source."

"I told you that's not going to happen. We can't have multiple versions of you running around killing Jem'Hadar in 19th Century London. The consequences could be worse than the mess we're in now." Andrews insisted.

"The Federation is going to fall. How much worse can it be?" Geordi argued.

"Believe me. It could get a lot worse." Andrews said earnestly. "But you did your best and we're grateful for that." he sighed.

"It wouldn't be so bad if we could've asked for help. We just got thrown in at the deep end and had to wing it."

"Those are the rules of the game La Forge." Andrews stated flatly.

"This is not a game." Data replied earnestly. "Lives are at stake."

"Y'know, to hell with this. I've got better things to do than listen to you two bitch. I'm stuck too y'know? My future doesn't exist either you selfish bastards.I only have the Agency now!" Before he could press a button on the device on his wrist Data grasped his hand and turned so Andrews was behind him with his arm trapped under his. "Let go, you son of a…. calculator!" the agent struggled in his grasp.

"Do you know how it works Data?" Geordi asked looking at the device.

"It's operation appears to be quite simple. I believe this is the temporal control, and this is the setting for the spatial co-ordinates." Data stated.

"You won't get away with this Data. Besides, everywhere you've been has been timelocked. You can't go back and risk a paradox. The Agency won't allow it." Andrews shouted angrily.

"In that case we will need the locations of the other attacks. Geordi, check his pockets, he should have an elliptical shaped device about the size of a tricorder."

"No, he doesn't have it." Geordi stated.

"Look there's something I probably should have told you guys…"

"Try the pockets on his legs." Data suggested.

"They're empty." Geordi stated.

"Oh fuck. Let me go?" he pleaded. "I'll send you wherever you want but I lost my observatory. I need your help. If that thing falls into the wrong hands…I'm in deep shit. We all are." the temporal agent admitted guiltily.

Data let him go and Andrews began to pace. "You have lost your temporal observatory?" Data asked with mock surprise.

"That's were I've been, requisitioning a new one. You wouldn't believe the red tape." Andrews complained. "I had to look up where and when we are on the Agency system."

Geordi let out a low chuckle. He was right, Haydn had picked his pockets. "Do you know the locations of the other attacks?"

"I can remember one, but I'm not sure of the co-ordinates. It's Trafalgar Square, it's gonna be bad there." Andrews stated. "You'll have to help me find the observatory, please?"

"That will be difficult with our previous locations and Bastion barred to us." Data stated.

"I can't break the timelock, it's…I just wouldn't know where to start but if you calculate the co-ordinates I'll take you back to Trafalgar Square 1891."

"I believe we have a deal." Data replied. "Give me a moment to see if the High Protector will give us some weapons."

Data applied a 'don't ask, don't tell' approach to the Starfleet phase rifles he found in the Tahedri's armoury, but he did confiscate two and with the permission of the High Protector destroyed the rest.

Trafalgar Square was busy when they appeared standing at the base of Nelson's Column, their sudden materialisation causing shrieks and panic from those who saw it. Two Jem'Hadar were stood on the empty plinth and unshrouded, one taking aim at a carriage with a rifle. Data despatched them quickly while Geordi blasted another with his phase rifle as he drew a blade and moved to throw it. Behind them, balanced on one of the Lions a lizard-like being unshrouded and moved on Geordi. He snatched the blind man's rifle and hit him in the face with the butt before smashing it over his knee and drawing a pistol, levelling it at his face. Data was faster and phased the warrior then threw his rifle to his friend as he clambered to his feet. Data turned and ran towards one of the fountains and grasped the wrist of a Dominion warrior who had grabbed a small child. Twisting his hand from the boy's jacket he seized the alien by the throat with the other hand.

"Run!" Data shouted to the child who was rooted to the spot with fear, his blue eyes like saucers and the boy fled as Data crushed the assailant's windpipe easily and let him fall, splashing frantically in the pool as he desperately clutched at his throat. Geordi took out a number of beings who unshrouded and took aim at the boy as he ran.

Data felt a blow between his shoulder blades and reached behind him. He grasped the hilt of a knife embedded in his spinal support and yanked it free before tossing it to catch it by the blade and throwing it at a Jem'Hadar that was pulling a woman from the carriage that had been their initial target and wrestling with a man sat beside her. It struck the being in the back of the neck and he dropped instantly, his spine severed. Another blade sliced Data's face as he was attacked by a roaring, horned soldier intent on fighting hand to hand. Grabbing the attacker's wrist, the android drew the blade across the man's own throat and he tumbled into the fountain beside his now still comrade, staining the water with his blood as Geordi despatched the remaining warriors with his rifle.

"You okay Data?" Geordi asked as he approached his friend.

Data nodded. "You?" he asked as Police whistles sounded nearby.

"I'm okay." Geordi said rubbing his jaw as Andrews appeared.

"Actually this looks better than I expected." Andrews said as he looked around at all the bodies and blood. "Certainly less mess than the Jem'Hadar made on their own."

"You're kidding?" Geordi said incredulously.

"The people weren't the only casualties. One of the lion's got a haircut. George the Fourth's horse lost a leg and they knocked Nelson off his perch. They ran amok after they killed the targets. The clean-up was a nightmare." Andrews explained. "Ready?" he asked then activated his wrist mounted device before they could respond.

"In at the deep end again. Why aren't I surprised?" Geordi stated as he looked around the Captain's Ready Room and found he and Data were alone. Again their injuries had disappeared. "Congratulations, you got promoted." he said as he noticed Data's collar. "Captain."

Data felt the pips on his collar with his hand. "Computer. List the command structure of this ship?"

"Captain, Captain Data; First Officer, Commander Worf; Second Officer and Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge; Chief Medical Officer, Commander Reginald E Barclay III…"

"What the fuck?!" Geordi exclaimed. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Please restate the question without profanity." the computer replied.

"Barclay is a doctor and he outranks me?" Geordi asked incredulously. "And the computer can go screw itself…"

"Geordi." Data warned. "Computer is there a Taryn Prior on board?"

"Taryn Prior is in Medlab 1."

"What rank and position does she hold?" Data asked.

"Taryn Prior is the Head of Child Development and the Ships Education Program. Her rank is Civilian."

"Well, it looks like Reg finally landed a real teacher." Geordi grinned and looked out of the window. "We're docked. This is the San Francisco Fleet Yard."

"Geordi, how are we to ensure Mr Barclay teaches at Starfleet Academy when he has a different area of expertise? I do not see how we can succeed." Data stated.

"Perhaps we should play things by ear and look for a way back to the 19th century? It's not like we're going anywhere." Geordi suggested. "I'm gonna track down Barclay on the way to Engineering. See how the land lies."

Data nodded. "I will investigate our options."

"Computer, where is Reginald Barclay?" Geordi asked.

"Dr Barclay is in Medlab 1."

"At least they're together. That's got to be a good sign." Geordi stated. "I just hope I don't walk in on them doing it."

…

"Well?" Taryn asked with her hands on her hips as soon as she entered Medlab 1.

"Well what?" Reg asked innocently as he turned to face her.

"You know what." she scowled. "You've been sitting on them for weeks."

"I just haven't gotten around to it." he argued.

"It's got around to it, you…American! You asked for this divorce. You wanted shot of me..."

"I never said that…" he protested.

"No, you told me a load of bullshit about it being for my own good…"

"You know my reasons…" he defended. "I can't give you what you want." he added sadly.

"You were all I wanted." she told him earnestly and he blanched at her words. "There were other options but you found it easier to walk away." She leaned in close. "You said you wanted to set me free so sign the fucking papers." she hissed and stalked away.

"Why the rush all of a sudden?" he asked softly. "Is this about him?"

"Don't you fucking dare." she warned as she turned on her heel.

"You didn't waste any time finding someone else, but then, why should I be surprised considering your complexion. Maybe everyone was right all along. You are all whores."

…

"God, Reg…" Geordi ran towards the stricken officer on his knees gripping the edge of the console. He dodged Taryn as she stormed headlong towards the door with a scowl on her face. "Are you okay?" He tapped his communicator. "Medic…"

"Belay that." Reg wheezed, looking flushed and pained. "I'm…I'll be okay." he gasped.

"What happened?" he asked helping him up to his seat.

"My…soon to be ex-wife kneed me in the nuts." He admitted reluctantly, adjusting his groin.

Geordi was stunned. He couldn't imagine Reg and Taryn arguing let alone assaulting each other and getting divorced in any possible universe. "Why?"

"I acted like a bastard and it's not like they're any use to anyone. Besides, she was just making a point. If she meant business they'd be in the roof of my mouth and since when do you call me Reg? No one calls me Reg, not even my Dad."

"What the hell went wrong with you two?" Geordi asked, now with no idea of what to call his friend.

"You know what went wrong. I can't give her a baby." Reg replied. "She's got a ten percent better chance of conceiving with someone else so I let her go."

"Are you out of your mind?" Geordi asked incredulously. "You two love each other."

"That's not enough." he replied. "She wants children, how can I deprive her of them?"

"It's not like you're infertile, and even so…" Geordi reasoned.

"I might as well be. Three percent. We have a three percent chance of a natural conception. That's on a par with a twentieth century couple on birth control."

"I've known a couple with the same odds and they had twins." Geordi reasoned.

"With fertility treatment." Reg assumed as he walked over to a cage and lifted out a furry purple creature. He made a clicking noise and petted it, holding it in his arms and snuffling it with his face. "I know, sorry pal." he whispered as it emitted a squeak.

"No, they beat the odds and they were beautiful. They adopted a little girl too and they love her like she was their own."

Reg paused and considered his words. "Maybe some people can do that, it doesn't mean it would work for us. She deserves her own child, besides she's already moved on." He clenched his jaw. In the corner a plant rustled in a disgruntled manner. "It's not dinner time yet Burt. Jeez, will you stop nagging?" Reg shouted over his shoulder.

"She's what?" Geordi stated with disbelief and followed Reg over to the exam table.

"She's dating that nerd in charge of the Med Centre at the Academy." Reg said darkly. "The short asshole with the high forehead. Don't make me come over there Burt!" he shouted as the plant rustled belligerently. "I'm not in the mood for your bullshit today. Two words pal, pruning shears." he threatened.

"Have you talked all this through with her, or did you just make a unilateral decision?" Geordi asked.

"I did what had to be done. In twenty years when she finds herself childless and married to an old man she'd only resent me anyway. Why prolong the agony?" he argued. "At least this way she has a chance to be happy. Could you hold him for me? It's okay, he doesn't bite, he hasn't got teeth."

"She'll be happy with some nerd with a receding hairline?" Geordi asked incredulously, although he recognised the irony given who he was talking to. He held the creature on the table while Reg fetched an instrument. Never mind teeth, the animal didn't appear to have a face. "And you're okay with that?"

"Of course I'm not okay with that. I hate it, but it's done and I can't undo it. She can't stand to be in the same room with me now." Reg explained as he shoved the probe into the creature's fur and waited until it beeped. Then pulled it out and looked at the reading shaking his head. Geordi didn't want to even ask what orifice the probe entered. "Bad news Sparky. Sorry about that pal. You're okay for surgery." he stroked the large pile of fur.

"You have to talk to her and put this right. Tell her you'll look into fertility treatment at least, discuss adoption." Geordi argued. "She's the best thing that ever happened to you. How can you just let her go?"

"It's too late, and if you don't mind I have work to do Commander." He turned his dark eyes to his patient. "Sparky here has three testicles I need to remove. Then you can go home with your Mommy and not knock her up again. Can't you boy, you incestuous little pervert?" he said to the fluffy creature in a cooing tone of voice.

…

"There's no point talking to me about it. He's the one who filed for divorce then refuses to sign off on it and has started behaving like a jealous prick." Taryn stated. "He stopped listening to me weeks ago, he won't listen to anyone." she said as she picked up toys in the nursery.

"How did this all get so out of hand?" Geordi asked. "It seemed to come from nowhere."

She sighed deeply and clutched a soft toy to her chest, then sat dejectedly on a little child's chair. "We didn't advertise it but we tried to get pregnant for a year and all the experts kept telling us to keep trying. We knew it could take a while with my physiology so we waited another year and then they finally did some more tests and found he has an anomaly in his genetic chemistry. It cut our odds from slim to almost none. He changed the moment they told us." She looked up at Geordi. "He's gone into martyr mode and won't snap out of it. He has this ludicrous idea that because I'm making other friends and spending time socialising I'm having an affair. How can I be having an affair when he threw me out?" she asked plaintively. "He's behaving like the injured party when he created this situation all by himself."

"If I can get him to agree to couples counselling would you go?" Geordi asked.

"Of course." she agreed. "All along I've said I want to talk about this but he just refuses." She stood and walked over to put the toy away in a cabinet then sighed as she looked at the counter. "Not again." she moaned as she pulled a half-eaten cookie out of a tribbles cage emblazoned with the sign, 'Please don't feed me!' "I don't suppose you know anyone who's looking for a pet tribble? I'm about to have a lot of them going free to good homes."

Geordi shook his head with a smile. "So it's not serious with this other guy?"

"I've had dinner with him twice and we walked in the arboretum. I've made it clear I'm not looking for a relationship and he's been a perfect gentleman. Anything else is in Trip's head." she argued indignantly.

"Trip?" Geordi asked.

"Our mutual pain in the behind? My husband? Your friend?" She frowned. "Are you feeling okay Geordi? I mean, you've been here through all this. How can this be news?"

"You know me, I rarely take my head out of that warp drive long enough to keep up with gossip." He smiled, finally he knew what to call Reg in this timeline at least. "Be honest now, are you trying to make him jealous with this other guy?"

"No, I was sad and he tried to cheer me up, he's a friend. I'm not playing games and Trip has no right to accuse me of… He called me a whore, I'm not standing for that. I'm allowed to have male friends. I never objected to his friendship with Deanna and he used to hump her replicant on the holodeck! By the same measure he can't pretend to be all noble and brave and the one letting me go to a so called better life and then not actually let me go. It's time to piss or get off the pot."

…

"I don't see how getting them back together will help us resolve the timeline Data. She's a kindergarten teacher and he's a vet, but we have to do something."

"She runs the Education and Child Development program Geordi, and she was our Ops Officer until she resigned. He's a qualified medical doctor as well as a vet, and we've seen how she and Barclay inspire each other."

"Yeah, well at the moment she's inspiring him to call her a whore and he's inspiring her to kick him in the nards." Geordi argued. "She seems the more reasonable of the two but she's furious with him and he's clearly conflicted about his decision. He all but said he wanted her back but he thinks it's too late."

"Perhaps we should contact Counsellor Troi?" Data suggested.

"That might be a hot button issue with Taryn. He's convinced she's screwing some doctor from the Academy and she says they're friends and he's being an asshole about it." Geordi explained. "He's a lot more confident in a lot of ways in this timeline, but somehow he's still a holo-addict. She says considering his…adventures with The Goddess of Empathy on the holodeck and his friendship with Deanna he's on thin ice."

"She does have a valid point. However, Mr Barclay may respond better to Counsellor Troi's advice than Counsellor Fraser who has already made several attempts to intercede." Data argued. "As for his improved confidence I may have found the cause. According to his record his mother relinquished all parental rights when he was three days old and has only had infrequent contact with him since. Also he goes by the appellation 'Trip', which is short for Triple as he is..."

"The third Barclay in a row with the same name. Yeah, I worked that out Data, eventually. So his Dad raised him without Alicia's interference? Makes sense I suppose." Geordi reasoned. "God forbid Andrews should turn up and brief us."

…

"Deanna, how wonderful to see you." Trip kissed her cheek. "I had no idea the Daedalus was in the area."

"It's not, I'm here for a seminar." she replied with a smile.

"Make yourself comfortable," he told her and she sat down. "Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea? Chocolate ice cream?" he asked with a knowing smile.

"No I'm fine. I already had today's sundae ration when I stopped in to catch up with Data." She smiled guiltily. "Don't let me stop you if you were about to have something. Oh hello…" she said as a dog jumped on the couch beside her.

"J'hordak, get down. You know you aren't allowed on the furniture." Trip chided as he sat on the seat opposite. The dog obeyed him, but instead jumped on Trip's lap and licked his face.

"Interesting name?" Deanna stated. "Shadow in Orion isn't it? He's very striking." she said looking at his facial markings and bright blue eyes.

Trip nodded with a smile. "It's got another meaning too, like most Orion words. It's like a fifth wheel or a hanger on." He smirked at his exuberant behaviour. "He's a miniature husky and he has an attitude problem." He scratched him behind the ear to prove that all was forgiven and the dog settled down.

"I always thought you were a cat person." Deanna asked with a smile.

"Not exclusively." Trip smiled. "Although he's Taryn's dog really. Her new quarters are too small and her roomie is allergic…" He stopped and swallowed hard, pain evident in his face and the dog whimpered in sympathy and left his knee.

"What happened Trip?" she asked softly as J'hordak approached her and put his paw in her lap, almost as if he was asking her to help his Human. She stroked his head gently.

"There's no seminar is there? She sent for you didn't she? Well go back and tell her I'll sign today and transmit them…"

"Geordi did." she admitted. "He's worried about both of you."

"If you love someone, set them free. Isn't that what they say?" he asked.

"They don't say file for divorce after six years of marriage without any discussion and do your damndest to make the woman you love more than life hate your guts."

"Well, at least I finally succeeded at something worthwhile." he replied coldly. "If you don't mind I have a briefing to prepare for…"

"No you don't. You're relieved of duty." she informed him.

"What?" he snapped incredulously. "This has nothing to do with my work…"

"Counsellor Fraser begs to differ. You received devastating news that affects your relationship with your wife and you reacted in an extremely destructive way. How can that not affect every facet of your life?"

He grunted with frustration, and stood up angrily and J'hordak moved away in response, not out of fear, she realised. Out of respect for the mood of his pack leader. Her empathy was often unclear when it came to animals, their emotions were too feral, too wild for her to judge their motives. It was clear this dog wasn't the one with an attitude problem, Trip was. He was so finely attuned to his owner he was picking up on his distress and acting out. He literally was Trip's shadow, reflecting his emotions like a mirror. "What will relieving me of duty accomplish? She wants me to sign the papers and I will. There's nothing left to say." He began to pace.

"She's agreed to couples counselling." Deanna stated.

"She has?" He wheeled around excitedly, his eyes darting back and forth as he considered this. "I expect she wants closure." he concluded sadly. Finally she was getting past J'hordak's emotions and reading Trip's, although you didn't need to be an empath to work out he'd got himself into a quandary.

"You seem very conflicted Trip. Are you sure this divorce is what you want?"

"It's what she needs that's important." he argued, as much to convince himself as her Deanna sensed.

"Have you asked her what she needs?" Deanna intoned. "Duncan can order you to attend counselling but not a couples' session. Will you agree to the meeting?"

He nodded sadly. "Will Duncan be the referee?" he asked, curling his lip.

"I will if you prefer." Deanna stated.

He nodded again. "Is Taryn okay with that? I mean she may say…" He stopped and frowned.

"I'm aware of the issues she's likely to raise. It won't be a problem." she assured him.

"Okay, when?" he asked softly.

…

They were sat on opposite ends of the couch pouting, each with their legs crossed away from each other, their postures closed.

"I'd like to commend you both for agreeing to attend." Deanna began. "I know how difficult this is for you. Ordinarily I'd begin by asking you both to say what you hope to accomplish with these sessions but perhaps it would be more appropriate for you to consider our time here a forum to air the issues between you rather than set out specific goals."

They glanced at each other momentarily, Trip shrugged and Taryn nodded her assent.

"Perhaps you'd like to start Taryn?"

"Why? What I want is of no importance it seems." she said coldly.

"You feel excluded from the decision making process?" Deanna asked.

"I was excluded." she replied plainly. "My feelings are irrelevant to him."

"How does it make you feel to hear her say that Trip?" Deanna asked.

"I had her best interests at…heart. How I feel about it isn't what's important." he replied.

"What about how you feel about me? Does that matter?" Taryn asked.

"No." he replied reluctantly.

"How do you feel about her?" The empath asked.

"I want her to be happy." he stated.

"I was happy with you." Taryn replied softly.

"You wanted children." he replied.

"So did you. I just wish you'd cut the crap and tell the truth!" she shouted, savagely wiping the tears as they formed in her eyes. "You keep saying this is about me, so I can be happy and the fact is I'm the problem not you. I'm the hybrid freak with the warped reproductive system who can't get pregnant. I'm eighty-seven percent of the reason we can't conceive and you're the one who wants to be free of me to have kids with someone else."

"No, that's not true. I…" Trip looked surprised. "I had no idea you thought that." he looked at her forlornly and reached out to touch her arm. She pulled away and edged closer to the arm of the couch so she was pressed hard against it.

"Can you see why Taryn would feel that way Trip?" Deanna asked.

"I suppose so, but she's got it all wrong." He sighed and looked at his fidgeting hands. "I did want a baby, but I wanted one with you. I wanted to raise a child with you, even if it isn't biologically ours. It doesn't matter to me, but I thought it mattered to you. I can't imagine having a family with anyone else. Why would I want to?"

"Trying for a baby can put a strain on even the strongest of relationships…" Deanna began.

"It wasn't a strain at all." he replied. "Yes we were trying but it wasn't overwhelming us like it does with some couples. We just…revelled in each other I suppose. We were waiting for nature to take its course. We believed it would happen for us."

"And how did you feel when you were told there were further complications Trip?" Deanna asked.

"I felt…" he clenched his jaw and looked at his hands, "inadequate I suppose."

"Does that surprise you Taryn?"

"Not at all." she replied looking at him sympathetically.

"Did you encourage Trip to talk about how he felt?"

"How could I? He ran out of Sickbay and just left me there. He locked himself in the holodeck and…I got served divorce papers the next morning before I even saw him." she replied sadly. "Papers he now refuses to complete."

"Do you think that was an appropriate way to act on your emotions Trip? Escaping to the holodeck." Deanna asked.

"I wasn't escaping…" he argued. "It's my hobby, you know that."

"Which program did you run?" the empath asked.

"That's beside the point…"

"Trip?" Deanna refused to let the matter drop.

"Deadwood." he admitted sullenly.

"You fucking hypocrite." Taryn shrieked and battered him with a cushion. "You have the nerve to call me a whore while you're off getting laid at Miss Langfords!"

"I didn't, I was horseback riding. I swear." he protested.

"Riding?" she asked incredulously. "You were riding alright. Bareback with photonic sluts all night. No wonder you couldn't wait to file for divorce." She stalked from the room surrounded by an iridescent glow.

"Oh God." he buried his face in his hands. "I really was horseback riding, I got a horse from the livery and took off."

"I believe you." Deanna stated. "But you have to admit you have form in that department. It's not an unreasonable conclusion for her to jump to."

"You have to make her believe me. I'd never be unfaithful to her." he pleaded, clutching the cushion to his chest. "Even since we separated I haven't..."

"I'll talk to her when she isn't quite so… luminous." Deanna agreed. "But Trip, you need to decide what you want from her. The mixed messages you're sending…"

"I want her back." he sobbed. "I thought I was doing the right thing but it's not. I miss her so much. I didn't stop to think about how she felt about us not getting pregnant. I just left her there. How could I just leave her sitting in Sickbay?"

"I'll try and get her to agree to another session, but you need to listen to her as well as explaining how you feel." Deanna told him and he nodded.

…

"How do you feel about the idea of a reconciliation Taryn?" Deanna asked.

"No." she replied plainly and turned to face him. "I thought I did but the more I think about it… I gave up my career because you couldn't handle me going on away missions after I got injured. I changed my final wishes because you couldn't handle the thought of me being scattered by transporter. You autocratically decided our marriage was over and because you were the one still commissioned I had to move out to civilian personnel quarters and now I'm room-mates with a tech who leaves greasy overalls all over the place and hogs the bathroom. It's like being back living with my family only my siblings actually spoke to me and were civil occasionally. Now you've decided you want me back and you expect me to leap back into your arms like all is forgiven?"

"I…"

"Do you have any concept of how appallingly you've behaved?" she asked incredulously. "You've been abusive both personally and racially. You've repeatedly accused me of breaking our marriage vows, which I haven't incidentally, while doing everything possible to alienate me when this separation was what you wanted. You didn't consider how I felt about the situation for a moment. You decided I wouldn't want to adopt without even discussing it with me. For our entire marriage it's always been about what you need, what you want and regardless of how I feel about you enough is enough. No, I don't want to reconcile, that boat sailed weeks ago and you missed it. I want you to finalise the divorce papers so I can move back to Earth and get on with my life."

"With him?" Trip asked angrily.

"No, just without you." she barked. "There's nothing going on with Heath."

"It's Heath now is it?"

"Trip, did you actually listen to all that Taryn said?" Deanna asked, trying to pull the session away from petty jealousy and back on track.

"I listened…" he replied defensively.

"Can you understand why she feels that way?" the counsellor asked.

"I suppose so." he replied reluctantly.

"You've been crueller and more vindictive than I ever believed you capable of. I don't know if you meant it, or were trying to drive me away but you've certainly succeeded and I've done nothing to deserve it apart from fail to give you a child. Something that hurt me every bit as much as it hurt you." Taryn stated. "You didn't even stick around to hear the rest of the test results, you just buggered off."

"What else was there to know?" Trip stated. "You have a higher chance of having a healthy child with someone else."

"That isn't even what the specialist said." Taryn replied with a scowl. "He said if we can get past conception our genomes are entirely compatible and we've every chance of producing a healthy baby. We just need help to conceive but you didn't wait to hear that part."

"Trip?" Deanna prompted him.

"I didn't realise that, I thought…" he sniffed, "I thought my problem would make an unstable hybrid or a genetically damaged baby. I thought they would be sick because of me and I couldn't bear that…"

"You aren't sick." Taryn stated. "You're a doctor for God's sake. You could have checked the results for yourself."

"I suppose I should have, but it hurt so much I just couldn't face it…" He paused and looked into her eyes. "You said 'regardless of how I feel.'" he quoted. "Do you still love me?"

"That's beside the point." she argued.

"No, no it's not. I still love you. I never stopped loving you."

She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "You've got a funny way of showing it Trip."

He grabbed her hand. "I know I deserve to lose you forever, but please give me another chance?" he begged.

"I can't behave like all this never happened and just go back to how we were, I'm sorry." she said and pulled away her hand.

"Just, give me while we're in spacedock. Let's spend some time together and if you still want to end it… I'll sign anything you want." Trip pleaded.

"I want custody of the dog." she stated.

"No problem, just…just give me a chance to win you back?"

"Stop grovelling and I'll think about it." she pouted.

"Will you move back in?" he asked.

"Don't push your luck." she scowled and folded her arms. "The creepy love letters have to stop too."

"What love letters?" he asked with a puzzled frown.

"Oh come off it Trip." she said angrily. "I don't know if your idea was to scare me back into your life or win me back but either way it won't work."

"Taryn, he really knows nothing about those letters." Deanna told her with a worried expression. "Perhaps you should speak to security."

"They're probably from your boyfriend." he said acidly.

"I don't have a boyfriend." she said tiredly.

"Could they be from one of your students?" Deanna suggested.

"I run the child development program but I teach the under fives. The letters weren't in crayon." Taryn argued. "They were in calligraphy, a bit like the poems you used to send me."

"Hand written or replicated?" Trip asked.

"Does it matter?"

"I wrote all your letters by hand." Trip argued.

"I didn't know that." Taryn whispered looking touched by the effort he'd made. "I'll take them to security."

"Screw that, take them to Worf." Trip demanded.

"He's the first Officer, not the Security Chief anymore." Taryn pointed out. "Besides, they aren't threatening, they're just a little… intense."

…

"Computer, what time is it?" Trip asked as he paced in his quarters with J'hordak following at his heels.

"2013 hours."

"She's late, she's never late." Trip muttered. "Where is she?" he asked the dog. "I know she's pissed enough to stand me up but not you." He continued to pace nervously chewing at his fingers. "Computer, Locate Taryn Barclay?"

"There is no one listed as crew or passenger with that name."

He sighed and his shoulders dropped. "Locate Taryn Prior." he shook his head, he should have known she'd be using her maiden name.

"Taryn Prior is not aboard the Enterprise."

He tapped his communicator. "Barclay to Prior." He looked up. "Prior, please respond." He frowned. She should respond even if she went down to the planet. "Computer, did she beam down? Where to?" he asked.

"Unknown."

"Did she take a shuttle?"

"Unknown."

"I should have become a computer specialist. I might get some damn answers." Trip snapped.

"Please rephrase the question?"

"Go fuck yourself!" he advised the computer and headed for the door. "Stay!" he told the dog as he followed him. "Get back in there!" He pointed and J'hordak reluctantly slunk back into his quarters. "I don't need you wandering off and getting lost too." He headed along the corridor towards Transporter Room 1.

Data looked up at Trip as he entered the Bridge. "Can I help you Dr Barclay?"

"I hope so Captain. Taryn is missing." he stated. "We were supposed to meet and she never turned up."

"Missing?" Data frowned. "Perhaps she is catching up with friends on the surface and has lost track of time?"

"I can't raise her on her combadge. The computer says she's not on board but there's no record of her leaving the ship. I've been to every transporter room, every shuttlebay and no one has seen her. I checked with the Fleet Yard and she hasn't been through the airlock."

Data stood and walked to the Ops station. His hands flashed over the console for a few seconds as he activated internal sensors. "Bridge to Main Engineering. Abort the test of the warp coils, I repeat. Abort the test." He said urgently.

"Is there a problem Captain?" Geordi asked.

"We have a biosignal in the starboard nacelle and the failsafe biosensors are offline."

"What the…? I'm heading up to the catwalk now." Geordi replied. "Do you know who it is? They aren't wearing a combadge."

"I suspect it is Taryn Barclay." Data replied as he stood. "Mr Nog, you have the Bridge." He said as he headed for the turbolift with Trip.

"What's she doing in the nacelle?" Trip asked. "And why doesn't she have her combadge with her?" as they headed for her location in rapid strides. "She always carries it in case we need her in Sickbay or Duncan needs to liaise with her about one of her kids."

"Had you arrived a few seconds later they would have transferred drive plasma to the warp coils." Data advised him earnestly.

"Dear God, she'd have been vapourised." Trip paled at the thought. "What the hell's going on?"

The medical team ran past them as they strode towards the catwalk and Trip broke into a run to follow them.

An ensign from engineering grabbed him. "Doc, you'd better let them handle this." Ashby told him. "She's alive but she's pretty messed up."

"What happened to her?" he asked plaintively.

"We don't know yet Re..Trip." Geordi corrected as he joined them and they stepped aside to let Data through. "It looks like someone beat the crap out of her and left her for dead. She's wrapped in a…a sheet, like a shroud or something."

"What?" Trip asked wide-eyed. "Who would do that to her?"

"She's…she's naked. I'm sorry." Geordi told him apologetically.

"Oh God." Trip blanched.

"They have transported her directly to Sickbay. She has severe head injuries but they believe her condition to be stable." Data told them. "I've ordered lockdown and a full security and forensic sweep of the ship. We will find whoever did this."

"Was she raped?" Trip asked angrily.

"Doctor, they are still running tests. You are aware of the procedures." Data stated.

"To hell with the procedures sir, did someone rape my wife?" Barclay yelled.

"It appears so." Data replied calmly. "In their initial assessment they found bruising to her inner thighs and wrists. There are signs that she was stunned with a phaser and she has a sedative in her bloodstream. Probably to enable an assailant to overpower her."

"I'll be in Sickbay. Tell me when you find the bastard who did this." Barclay replied coldly and stalked away.

Author's note.

As always, any and all comments are always welcome and thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read and/or review all of the stories in this series. If you are enjoying the story, or even if you aren't please don't be shy. Let me know what you think.