Maya had met Data by prior arrangement to pose for some sketches that he wanted to make of her. He had become interested in portraits and thought it might help his interpretation of humanoid facial expressions.
She was mildly apprehensive that she would find herself represented as a series of geometric shapes, but when Data was satisfied with his preliminary work he showed her two straightforward drawings of her head and shoulders.
"I will work these into a more detailed portrait in oils," he said. "I wished to take these preliminary sketches to allow me to do so at leisure."
"But surely, Data, you have a photographic memory. Can't you just call up a mental image of me any time you want, and paint from that?"
"Yes - but I would not capture the particular impression of your personality without your physical presence, and this is what I hope to convey in the finished portrait. By making some attempt to express it in these, I may succeed. It is not so easy for me as it probably is for you to remember the essence of a person, as I have only a rudimentary grasp of the emotional processes that result in these nuances."
"Well, I'll sit for you as long as you want, as long as you keep talking to me, otherwise I'll get bored. Oh, and as long as I'm allowed to laugh."
"That will not be possible," said Data, taking back the sketches and putting them into a folder. "The Enterprise is scheduled to arrive at the last estimated position of Moonbase Alpha at 0300 hours tomorrow."
"So soon!"
"You did not know?"
"I thought the day after tomorrow... so you mean tonight?"
"Yes. One of the reasons I wish to succeed with this portrait is to provide me with a means of remembering you accurately, when you have left with them."
"Oh, Data. You're so sweet."
Maya's communication badge sounded and said, "Riker to Maya."
"Yes, Will, I'm here."
"Are you busy at the moment?"
"Data's been drawing me, but I think he's finished."
"Good. Could you meet me in my quarters in ten minutes?"
"Of course," she said.
She left Data's quarters and made for Riker's feeling uneasy. He had sounded abrupt, almost formal, and it was still half an hour before she was supposed to be meeting him for lunch in Ten-Forward.
Her sense of foreboding sharpened as he greeted her with a grave expression, and invited her to sit down.
"Will, what is it?" she asked, remaining standing. "There's something wrong. Why are you here - aren't you on duty until twelve?"
"Yes, I am. I wanted to speak to you, in private."
"It's Alpha," she said, everything inside her taking a sickening dive. "Something's gone wrong."
"No - don't worry, it isn't Alpha."
Relieved, and sure she could face anything else, Maya let herself be sat down.
"I got a report back just half an hour ago," he said. "Something I've had a researcher in demographics working on full time for the past four days. I wanted to be able to give you good news, but I can't. I've got to say that now, before I tell you what I asked him to do."
"What did you ask him to do?" The solemnity of his manner was frightening her.
"I was sure, from what you told me about the way your people left Psychon, that there would be some trace of what happened to them somewhere in the Federation's databanks. So I had someone who's a expert in computer searching look through the records for any reports of people like you, anywhere."
"He found nothing."
"He found one reference. There's an independent group of plants called the Croton System - "
"Dorzak," said Maya. "I know."
"You know?"
"The ship taking him to exile landed on Alpha."
"Well... according to what the researched discovered, one of the Psychon ships made it to the Croton System, but there was some kind of clash of cultures and they were all killed expect one - Dorzak, as you say."
"He was an immensely charismatic man," said Maya, watching her own fingernails cut into her palms. "I think he had the other Psychons on that ship in his thrall, and made them behave badly towards the Crotons. Maybe, too, there was what you said - a clash of cultures. I don't know."
"He's still alive," said Riker. "He's on exile on their prison planet. If you like, I'll take you there."
"No. I don't want to see him again. He - turned on me, he tried to use the Alphans in the same way he used his fellow Psychons. He would have sent me to that prison planet in his place."
"Why?"
"I don't know. He must have had some kind of breakdown. I knew him on Psychon, he was a colleague of my father's. But what happened to our planet did terrible things to so many people."
"I'm sure," said Riker gently, "that for every one of your people who broke, hundreds were brave, like you are."
"I'm not brave!" she said.
He took her hands and pressed them. "I think you are."
Made self-conscious by the physical contact, but not liking to pull back, Maya looked at her feet and said, "That was all your researcher found?"
"That was all. I'm sorry. But it doesn't mean that they aren't out there somewhere. It's a big galaxy. I've put in standing instructions at all starbases and stellar demographic institutes for the Enterprise to be informed immediately if news of a Psychon-like race ever reaches them. Then, wherever you are, however many years from now, I'll get in touch with you and let you know. That's a promise."
"You don't do things by halves, do you, Will?"
"Never," he said, lightening the moon with a grin. "Now I've got two surprises for you."
"I've learned to be wary of your surprises."
"No more beer. Both these things I've been working on all week. One - how would you like to accompany me to an opera this evening - Otello?"
"On the holodeck?"
"No, a live concert performance by the Enterprise Opera Group."
"What, really?"
"Well, they did a fully-staged production a few months ago, and I figured they could probably remember enough of it to put together a concert version in a week. I called in a few favours, and they've obliged."
"Will, that was very - it was a lovely thing to do."
"The second surprise, I hope you'll like as much. Would you rather go on a picnic than have lunch in Ten Forward?"
"This time it must be on the holodeck."
"This time you're right, but I've had some software engineers working on a new programme. Let's go."
Intrigued, Maya followed him to the holodeck level. He kept up a mysterious, satisfied silence until they got to the entrance to holodeck four.
"Computer," he said, "run programme Riker 6. Okay, Maya, close your eyes."
She did so, and she felt the warmth of his hand as he led her into the simulation. The door closed with its distinctive whirr, and the subliminal hum of the ship's systems vanished. She could hear distant birdsong, water lapping, and feel a slight breeze on her face.
"You can look now."
She opened her eyes, and stared in wonder.
She was on a bank by the lake at Tamyara, at the far side from the city. Across the shimmering water, the buildings of the old town tumbled down the hill amidst the trees, their flat roofs glowing golden in the sun. She could even see the newer buildings of steel and glass rising behind them. On the opposite bank was the Forest of Daznor, where she and her brother had played all day in the summer months. Behind her - she whirled round, stunned by the reality of the illusion - was the plain that rolled to the distant Elzak mountains.
"It's Tamyara!" she said, her voice sounding different and softer in the open air. "This is where I grew up, this is where I spent most of my life on Psychon! How did you know?"
"You told me," he said simply.
Yes, she probably had. He was incredibly observant and attentive. "But how did you - do this?"
"The first thing the researcher found was some detailed geographical data on Psychon, buried in an old galactic exploration file. I got the computer to extrapolate. Is it as you remember it?"
"Oh yes! It's so realistic."
"It was a beautiful place."
"It was beautiful. Tamyara was a centre of learning, but it was also designated as an area of unspoiled natural beauty. We lived in a four hundred year old house, near the edge of the lake. We were lucky - " She broke off, overwhelmed. "I never thought I'd ever see it again. I know it's only an illusion, but - " She turned to him. "Thank you."
He held her with his eyes, and then took her arms and kissed her lightly.
She had sensed it coming and done nothing to stop him. She had an odd detached feeling of inevitability. Meeting no resistance to this first approach he drew her up against him and kissed her again, with deliberate passion.
It was an extraordinary sensation; the unfamiliar smell of his skin, the bristling of his beard, the sheer strength she could feel in his body. And her own, immediate response, an instant flush of physical excitement. One calm voice in her head said, 'Well, this is very nice.'
A moment later another, a thought that also came complete like a line of dialogue, said, 'I really shouldn't be doing this'.
Feeling almost as though she were acting a part, Maya pulled away.
Still holding her arms, he said, "What's wrong?"
Her calmness was disintegrating, and she began to feel horribly conscious. She felt her face grow hot.
"Maya - is there someone already?"
She nodded, still looking at the ground.
He lifted his hands clear of her, held them in the air, and smiled. "How could there not be? I was a fool to hope otherwise."
"I should have told you."
"Now why should you?"
"But I wasn't sure - what your intentions were - " And, she thought, because she had been enjoying Will's attentiveness and she hadn't wanted to put an end to it.
"Maya. Don't worry about it. You know that I think you're beautiful, and very special, and I'm extremely attracted to you. Because you hadn't mentioned anyone I was beginning to think you might not be attached, so you can't blame me for trying my luck."
"Oh, I should have told you!"
"But it doesn't matter. Really. Men and women can have relationships that put all that aside."
"I'm sure they can," she muttered.
"Deanna, more than anyone, taught me that. Look, since we've got into the swing of personal confessions, you might be interested to know that Deanna and I were almost married once."
"Really?"
"Many years ago, before either of us served on the Enterprise. We split up, but we work together now as colleagues and good friends. We don't have to deny the physical bond, but we've gone beyond that. I don't think there's another human being I'm closer to, and yet we don't have that kind of relationship any more. If she married someone else tomorrow, I'd be very happy for her."
Her embarrassment was easing and she began to feel more comfortable. He broke the mood by opening the picnic box and sitting down on the grass. Although her first desire had been to get out of the holodeck as soon as she could, Maya felt that she had to accept the proffered sandwich and cake and, as she ate, she regained her internal balance. It helped that Riker was clearly unconcerned.
"So," he said, "tell me all about the mystery man."
"He isn't a mystery! There's nothing to tell."
"Name, rank and number, at the very least."
"His name is Tony Verdeschi," said Maya, feeling desperately exposed. "He's chief of security, and second in command of the base."
"I've got it - I bet he's the one who makes beer? And the friend who introduced you to Italian opera? Am I right?"
"Yes."
"Then you have told me about him. I just didn't listen. Maya - come on now, you've gone cold on me again."
"I prefer not to discuss this sort of thing, that's all. It's private."
"I understand. Do you still want to come with me to the opera tonight?"
"Of course I do."
"Good," he said. "Then nothing's changed."
They finished the picnic without further personal conversation, and Maya tried to relax and enjoy herself again. She could not. Inside, she was still shaking, and her mind was in a distracted daze. Whatever Will said, something had changed; and since he had clearly forgotten about it already, it had to be her.
It was nearly midnight and only the late watch was in Command Centre when John made one final check before going to bed. Three hours before, Eagle Four had returned from reconnaissance of the third quadrant with a negative report. Eagle One, with Alan Carter and Erica Chang aboard, was still out there in the fourth quadrant and was due to come back into communications range sometime in the night.
Tony was still at his station, swivelling the chair slightly from side to side, gazing at the monitoring screen.
"Any word from Eagle One?" John asked him.
"Not yet."
John leaned over the instrument bank and said in a low voice, "You should've gone off duty hours ago. You're not on the late shift."
Tony shrugged.
He wanted to remonstrate, but he recognised that it would probably be useless. "Okay... let me know if there are any developments."
There was a peculiar, tense atmosphere on the base which was detectable even at this time of night, when most people were in their quarters preparing to sleep. If the Captain of the Enterprise had been telling the truth, the ten days were nearly over and the ship was due to appear some time within the next twenty-four hours. John was gratified by the way every member of the team was carrying on with their duties, punctually and thoroughly. Apparently staff in the various research departments had even been working overtime, anxious to get projects finished before the deadline that was hanging over all of them.
If the next twenty-four hours came and went without the ship arriving, nothing would change on the base. He was sure of that now. He had the definite idea that many people would be quietly relieved. Everyone was inclined to fear change, and after six years, this life on Alpha had become their only life.
When he got back to his quarters, Helena was already there and fast asleep. She stirred only slightly as he undressed quickly and slipped in beside her. She felt very warm and peaceful, and he nuzzled up against her neck thinking that nothing mattered much except this.
"Is there any news?" she muttered.
"No, nothing. They'll let us know if there is." He wanted to talk to her about his concern over Tony, but he didn't want to wake her.
She clasped his hands round her body, and he felt the grip relax away as she fell asleep again.
He could not. Thoughts and worries chased monotonously round in his head, until they became broken and spiky. When a sudden random memory jolted him, he felt as though he had been lying there going over the same things for hours. But it was twenty past three, so he had probably dozed off.
He got quietly out of bed and went to the communicator at the far side of the room. Tony's face came up on the screen. "Command Centre."
"What the hell are you still doing there?" said John.
Tony said nothing.
"Any news from Alan?"
"Yes, he reported in about quarter of an hour ago. Nothing. He's on his way back."
"Okay," said John, not surprised but dismayed anyway. "Then there's nothing for you to stay up for. Go to bed."
"There's nothing for me to go to bed for either, is there?"
"That's an order!" he snapped. "I've had enough of this, Tony, just pull yourself together."
Tony looked momentarily taken aback, said, "Yes, sir," with an inflection of sarcasm, and turned off the screen.
When John turned back towards the bed, Helena was sitting up with her knees tucked under her arms, watching him with a measured expression.
Knowing that he was under accusation, he said, "I meant to talk to you about Tony."
"But instead you thought you'd bite his head off?"
"Helena - I can't afford to walk on eggshells, I need someone I can rely on. I haven't got a second-in-command any more, I've got some kind of sullen automaton."
"He's depressed, John!"
"Fine. Then declare him unfit for duty, and let Alan take over."
She leaned forward earnestly. "John - this is Tony you're talking about, Tony who has saved your life and mine more than once, and not just by being in the right place at the right time - because he's got the courage and initiative to put himself on the line. That's why you chose him to replace Paul, when there were a dozen others who were as well qualified, and most of them more experienced. As far as I'm concerned, he's proven his worth. I trust him. You can't throw him aside just because he's under a lot of stress right now."
"And if the ship doesn't turn up, if we don't get Maya back, what then?"
"We'll have to deal with that situation if it arises. But telling him to pull himself together is not a useful strategy."
"Okay, okay." He got back into bed and tried to relax, attempting to put off thinking about anything else at all until the morning. And that was all too few hours away.
But Helena was still sitting up, her chin on her knees. She had the ability to fall asleep and wake up at will; a skill developed, he was sure, in the course of her medical training. She thought nothing of holding major discussions in the middle of the night. "Of course," she said, in a more reflective tone, "if the ship does appear, it won't matter anyway. Moonbase Alpha will no longer be operational. You won't be commander, you won't need a second in command. Have you thought about that?"
"Of course I have. But how can I stop thinking in those terms?"
"That could be a problem, for a lot of people." She sighed, and snuggled back down under the covers, curling up to him.
He stroked her hair, desire stirring inconveniently. It really was very late and he was tired and tense. He gave her one goodnight kiss and then another, and had only just abandoned the idea of going back to sleep immediately when the communicator sounded.
He used the comlock he kept by his bed to respond. "Koenig here."
"John." It was Tony. "You'd better get down here fast."
