Chapter 6

Coruscant, Federation Consulate, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard's Office

Picard sat at his desk finishing his summary on the advisability of allowing a Ferengi Delegation to meet with the various Commerce Guilds in the New Republic. Even with a new, to him, Grand Negis, overseeing the restructuring of the Ferengi society, he was still a little mistrustful of them as a whole though he was trying to maintain an open mind and let Grand Negis Rom establish his policies.

The familiar tone of an incoming communication sounded just as Picard was signing his name to the summary and preparing it to be sent out with the next diplomatic packet over the Holonet that would eventually see its delivery to the Federation Council back on Earth. Picard's Chief of Staff, Koni Komax, came onscreen and said, "Pardon the interruption Admiral, but you have an incoming communication from the U.S.S. Titan, newly entered into Coruscant orbit. A Captain Riker-Troi is asking to speak with you. Shall I inform him you are busy?"

Picard couldn't stop the grin that suffused his face as he said, "Absolutely not Koni. In fact, all future communications from Captain Riker-Troi are to be sent to me without hesitation save when I am in conference with a visiting delegation or someone on the President's Staff. Understood?"

Koni said, "Understood Admiral. I'll connect him now", and his image faded from the screen to be replaced with Will Riker's a moment later.

Picard spoke first, "Will! Bloody good to see you again! In orbit now are you?"

Riker's face was smiling just as largely as Picard's, "Good to see you too Admiral Picard. Yes, the Titan just entered orbit about ten minutes ago. I'm preparing to go down to the surface and see Deanna so I thought I would call and see if you and Beverly would like to join us for dinner aboard the Titan tomorrow night at about 1830 hours?"

Picard said, "I'll check with Beverly. I know that while I don't have anything pressing for that timeframe; I won't presume to speak for her and commit her to anything, but I don't think it will be a problem at all."

Riker said, "Outstanding sir. Also, I brought two cases of Picard label wine and a proper rack for you to put them on. They'll be loaded onto your shuttle while we're at dinner."

"Two cases! You spoil me Will, but I do appreciate it very much. Anything else that I should know about right now?" Picard asked.

Riker answered, "Only that my Mother-in-Law is here as well. She's here to see Deanna of course but she may have diplomatic matters to discuss with you in your capacity as Ambassador-at-Large. I'm not sure on that count."

Picard felt his smile slip a little and then remembered that he had nothing to fear from Lwaxanna Troi any longer. His status as Ambassador-at-Large superseded her status by a fair margin but even if it didn't, his marriage to Beverly had effectively ended any propositions, real or imagined from Lwaxanna forevermore. Recovering his poise quickly, he said, "I'll have Koni Komax, my Chief of Staff meet with her sometime tomorrow afternoon then. Until dinner, tomorrow night; Ambassador Troi is welcome to attend if she so wishes Captain Riker-Troi; Picard, out."

Riker said, "Until then Admiral; Riker out."

The image was barely faded when Picard placed a call to Koni, "Koni, make yourself available to Ambassador Lwaxanna Troi tomorrow afternoon please. Find out if she has any official business to conduct, make a summary and present it to me first thing the next morning, and please place a call for me to my wife and route it to me as soon as you make contact please."

Koni Komax said, "Right away Admiral."

Sending his summary into the Outgoing Communications queue, Picard swiveled in his chair and looked out his transparasteel window at the Coruscant cityscape in all it's hectic beauty. When he first occupied the office, he thought the never-ending ebb and flow of traffic completely chaotic until he started to notice the actual patterns in the traffic. A lane here, merging with that lane over there, this lane exiting the flow over by that tower in the middle distance, the private traffic leaving another structure here headed to a Spaceport. Almost like the flow of blood in his own veins . . . in fact, in a way, it was blood, the very lifeblood of the entire planet he was witnessing, and very beautiful, in an offbeat way. Beverly's face came onscreen just then and he swiveled in his seat again to see her beautiful features light up his screen. "Good news Beverly, the Titan has just entered orbit and Will has invited us to dinner aboard her tomorrow night if you're free. Deanna will be with him I imagine and if she's willing, Lwaxanna Troi also."

Beverly smiled and said, "That's wonderful news Jean-Luc. It will be so good to see Deanna again. She's been so busy at the Temple or offworld with her Jedi Master Cilghal that I haven't seen her since the wedding anniversary for Han and Leia two years ago or so. While she has managed to send the odd note now and again about how much she's learning and how much she enjoys her training as hard as it is at times, but I haven't seen her. I'll definitely clear my schedule for this. Thanks for the call, but I have to get back to the Birthing Area, I've been asked to observe a Duros birthing. Should be fascinating; I love you", and signed off.

Picard said, "And I love you too Dear Heart", and signed off as well, then returned to his few remaining items for the day.

Unknown to Picard, less than a kilometer away, two people with macrobinoculars were planning something unpleasant. If anyone were around to hear them, they might or might not identify the language being spoken as Rodian, "Can I kill that . . . that pink skin? Can I huh, huh, can I? I've got the perfect shot lined up on that wrinkly head of his. Can I see his brain matter go sploosh? Can I?"

The other voice would have been heard to say, in Rodian, though the speaker wasn't Rodian, "Calm down Veeldo. Not yet; soon though, very soon now. Though it would be better for the overall Plan to just maim him some, we do have leeway to do more than that if the opportunity presents itself, and I think the opportunity is about to make itself available to us. I can see now that the effort it took to plant that sonic conduction listening device on the corner of his office window was time well spent. For now, let's return to base. I want you and your team to get into place along Picard's usual route, service and clean your weapons tonight. Tomorrow, they'll get to fulfill their intended purpose and your clan will go down in history as having taken the first step in our plan to displace all of the human germs."

Jedi Temple, Landing Platform 2

Deanna Troi stood on the platform clad in a simpler version of the robe and all weather cloak combination that proved so popular with her fellow Padawans and other Jedi; Masters and Knights alike. On her belt was the slight weight of her lightsaber, the one she had made with her own hands using whatever parts were to be found at hand, and performed a simple breathing exercise to calm down. She was a little nervous over the impending visit with her Mother. She always would be she thought silently to herself. She then reminded herself that things were greatly changed now. Now she was a Padawan Learner and by all accounts, a powerful one. Already even though the Titan was in high orbit of the planet, she could feel the actual life signature of her husband, her Imzadi, as well as that of her Mother. She couldn't help but notice that now, even though she was still an apprentice, her mental powers were almost triple that of her Mother's.

Embracing the calm serenity of the Force slowed her pulse and respiration. She felt the first tentative tendrils of mental energy her Mother was sending to her just as the shuttle came into view and landed moments later. She allowed a small window into her psyche as Lwaxanna sent out, "Little one? Deanna? Can you hear me?"

Deanna smiled tightly at the term of endearment her Mother used. Privately, she had always despised that term but she couldn't bring herself to tell her Mother. She sent back, "I'm here Mother, though I'm not so little anymore. Welcome to Coruscant and the Jedi Temple."

The hatch opened and her husband got out first only to turn away for a moment and extend a gentlemanly hand up to the next passenger to disembark, her Mother, Lwaxanna Troi.

Riker stood back a moment and watched the mother-daughter reunion. He thought to himself, 'Deanna is more beautiful than ever. Life here at the Temple is agreeing with her I see.'

Lwaxanna started sending questions in such a rush that Deanna overrode her and sent, "With words Mother," and abruptly closed the window in her psyche that she had opened in the first place. The elder Troi straightened as if she had been slapped and said, "That was rude Deanna, and I don't appreciate it, though I do approve of the strength of your mental shielding now. You are a blank spot to me empathically speaking."

"That is to be expected Mother. When I first scanned the Jedi Knight Armis Rau at the time of our first meeting aboard the Enterprise D, he too was a blank spot to me. After I began learning of the Force, the shielding you just complimented was the first thing I learned. I can already tell by the look in your eyes that Coruscant is about ready to overwhelm you. Why didn't you talk to the doctor aboard the Titan about giving something to you?" Deanna asked.

"Oh pish-posh Deanna; I don't need a tribal remedy by some Starfleet sawbones to suppress my abilities. I'll be fine in a little while, so don't concern yourself overly much," Lwaxanna fired back.

Riker stepped up and said, "I already made the offer to her before we even crossed the Rift but she refused then too."

Deanna shook her head in amused resignation, "So stubborn."

Husband and wife embraced tightly and exchanged the traditional Betazoid kisses of reunion for spouses after a lengthy separation. Holding hands still, Deanna and Will walked towards the doorway leading into the Temple itself with Lwananna walking next to her daughter. After the door closed behind them, the noise of all the other air traffic ceased. Someone was waiting.

Deanna and Will both made a short bow to the Jedi Master Cilghal. Deanna said, "Master Cilghal, you remember my husband William Riker. With me today is my Mother. Mother, allow me to introduce to you my Jedi Master, Cilghal of Mon Calamari. Master, this is my Mother, Lwaxanna Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed and Ambassador to the Federation from our homeworld of Betazed."

In her gravelly yet still feminine voice Cilghal said, "It is a great pleasure to meet you Lwaxanna Troi. Would you prefer to be addressed as Ambassador Troi or Lady Troi?" Extending her flipper-like hand, Cilghal continued, "If memory serves and from what my Padawan Learner, your daughter Deanna has told me, is this a proper greeting where you come from?"

Lwaxanna put forth her First Contact face and said as she lightly gripped the extended appendage, "It is indeed, Master Cilghal. I am honored to meet you as well. My daughter speaks highly of you and the wonderful teacher you are. Ambassador is the preferred mode of address. Even though my homeworld is a matriarchal one, no one is addressed as 'Lady' anymore."

Cilghal said, "I can sense in the Force that your mental shielding is being strained to near-breaking. Will you please allow me to help you by lending you some of my strength until your shields adapt?" The concern in her voice was audible.

Lwaxanna was about to politely refuse again when her final barrier started to crack. Deanna and Cilghal both felt the shift. Riker, no longer willing to indulge his mother-in-law's innate stubbornness, took the hypospray he had Doctor Cruz prepare, from the pouch on his civilian belt and lightly pressed it to her neck. The hissing as the hypo struck was loud in the concerned silence that followed. Holding to her daughter's shoulder she mumbled, "Perhaps I will take that hypo now . . ." and passed out.

Riker caught her quickly and handed the hypo to Deanna and said, "Master Cilghal, can we take her to your hospital wing please? The shuttle trip back to the Titan may be too long in the present circumstance and Transporter locks are devilishly hard to get on Coruscant."

Cilghal led the way quickly and calmly and after Lwaxanna was placed on a bed, she said, "I will stay with her and rebuild her shields until she wakes. Do not worry." When Deanna made ready to object, Cilghal focused one eye on her Padawan and the other on her patient and said in a tone that brooked no debate, "You will only be in the way, my Padawan. Go. I will stay with your mother and contact you when she wakes." Turning back to her patient in a clear dismissal of her Padawan, Cilghal began to focus the Force and rebuild the mental shield wall within Lwaxanna Troi's mind.

"Yes Master Cilghal. It will be as you say," Deanna said.

Turning away, she left the hospital wing after first reclaiming her husband's hand with hers.

Going to an unoccupied observation deck, Deanna let go of Will's hand and leaned on the railing, looking out towards the setting sun. Riker put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him and said, "Why does my Mother have to be so stubborn? Why can't she accept a helping hand before her life hangs in the balance?"

Riker was silent a moment and said, "At the risk of sounding condescending, and I'm not trying to, I think it would be something akin to asking matter and anti-matter not to explode upon contact with each other. Your mother is in good flippers . . . er I mean hands."

Deanna couldn't help but to chuckle explosively, "You're right Will, you're right. Until my mother wakes up, what should we do?"

Riker smiled slyly and said, "Come with me back to the Titan, I have something I want to show you in our quarters. Something you can use after you training is complete and you resume your duties aboard."

Captain's Cabin, U.S.S. Titan

The shuttle trip back to the Titan had been uneventful, short as it was. Upon entering their quarters, Riker was guiding Deanna by the shoulders while she covered her eyes with her hands. He lead her to an alcove that he'd had put in during the same space-dock layover that saw the hyperdrive engines installed.

Uncovering her eyes, Deanna saw what appeared at first glance to be nothing more than a raised and padded, circular bench. Sensing in the Force though that her husband had something else in mind with it, she asked, "Beyond the obvious, what is it? I can tell there's something about it that you're hiding Imzadi but what, I can't be sure."

He smiled even wider and said, "Sit on it as if you were going to meditate."

When she did, a holo-curtain fell over her and for a moment, she thought she was literally in space. A sense of peace unlike anything she had felt descended on her. Riker's voice came to her and said, "In doing some research on how to enable you to better commune with the Force after your training is done, I came across some schematics for a special medical/meditation chamber used by Darth Vader. Using that as the basis, I had a padded bench like those I've seen in the Temple crossed with the Stellar Cartography lab. Using this, you can bring up any constellation, any solar system or any star chart in our memory banks and use that to help you expand your senses. Also, at your direction, you can have total soundproofing except for Red Alert. Although, if I understand everything you've told me about the occasional precognitive vision that the Force can give you, I figure that you'll be the one to tell us if a Red Alert is coming or not."

Stretching out her legs caused the holo-curtain to deactivate. She stood up saying, "The Force isn't always that communicative but I understand what you're saying. Thank you Imzadi; thank you for this wonderful gift, I'll be sure to make use of it. Right now though, you and I have an appointment and I don't intend for us to miss it."

Riker raised an eyebrow, "An appointment you say?"

The look in his wife's dark eyes quickly told him just what kind of appointment as he picked her up in his arms and took her to their bed.