Paint and Powder

A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.

Picard sucks. Let's finish fixing it with shipgirls!

Picard stood in the captain's quarters. They had been his... So long ago. The damage to the ship had spared these quarters, but everything had been tossed about by the hits to the starship. The tables were overturned, the shelves and their contents knocked all over the place. He looked about the quarters, the large form of the engineering starship USS Vancouver coming over to repair Enterprise. Already, dozens of engineering shuttles and workbees surrounded her, working to repair her battered and damaged hull.

Picard saw something amid the debris. He knelt down and picked up a diploma from Starfleet Academy, examining it.

"Curtis Alexander," Picard read. He shook his head, turning his diploma over in his hands. "What was he like?"

"He was a cunt," Enterprise stated unequivocally. She appeared in front of him, her hair shortened. Her projector flickered a bit, and she staggered. Picard reached out and caught her. She smiled at him, and pushed herself back to her feet.

"I'm okay," she said. "Certainly a lot better than I was."

Picard frowned, looking at Enterprise's shorn hair.

"You... Cut your hair," he said. Enterprise shrugged, running her hand through her white locks. They went down to the nape of her neck, a messy bob.

"I felt like a change," she admitted. "That, and people apparently can't tell myself and Enty apart." She smiled.

"She did save us, I thought the least I could do was let her stand out," she said. "She's growing up so fast."

"She is," Picard said, smiling fondly.

Enterprise smiled back.

"And you? How are you doing, Jean Luc?"

Picard sighed deeply, looking about the rubbish and debris.

"... I feel... Better," he said, "far better than I have in while. Yet..." Picard closed his eyes. "Starfleet was infiltrated. Subverted. For so long and... And her telepaths turned me into a..." He shook his head. "I turned myself into an old man. I didn't see... I shouldn't have seen, and-"

"And nothing," Enterprise stated. She shook her head. "You didn't cause this. That bitch did."

"Your daughter killed her," Picard noted. Enterprise nodded back.

"I know," she said, "and I'm proud of her."

Picard sighed, looking back at the diploma.

"... I'm proud of her too," Picard admitted. He sighed deeply. "I still failed-"

"And you brought them out into the open," Enterprise said. She beamed and hugged him. "You helped save the Federation. Can't you be happy with that?"

"You act like I've never been happy," Picard grumbled.

"Grumpy old man," Enterprise snorted.

"Irritating bucket of bolts," Picard grunted back. Enterprise giggled, and patted him on the head fondly.

"Baldy."

"Single mother."

"Old codger."

"You're older than me," Picard laughed. Enterprise laughed back.

"Yeah, yeah," she giggled, patting him on his shoulder. She let him go, and beamed.

"So," she said, "you were talking to Starfleet Command for over six hours. What happened?"

Picard turned over a chair, and sat down in it. Enterprise turned over a chair, and sat down facing him. Picard raised his eyebrows.

"Well," he said, "there's a lot of turnover. An interim Commander in Chief has been appointed." He leaned back in his chair, and smiled wryly. "Admiral Mackenzie Calhoun."

Enterprise burst out laughing, leaning back in her chair as she nearly cackled.

"Ohhh, he must hate that," she cried. "How'd you con him into that?"

Picard shrugged.

"I simply spoke the truth: No one else would do as good a job at fixing things, and most of the admirals he could give conniptions to are dead, retired, or in jail," Picard said. He shook his head. "Half the hairs that left my scalp are because of him: I thought it a fitting reprisal."

"You sure know how to hold a grudge," Enterprise chuckled. "What else?"

"You haven't learned much patience in the time you've been alive," Picard observed.

"I'm surprised they didn't offer you the job," Enterprise said. Picard smirked and shook his head slowly.

"They did," Picard stated, "but it's a lot better to inflict the job on Mackenzie."

"What about you?" Enterprise asked. Picard chuckled.

"Well... They offered me my rank back. Be an Admiral again."

"And?" Enterprise prompted.

"I think I like being independent a bit more, really," Picard said. "My own ship, getting to make my own rules."

"Yes, I saw her," Enterprise snorted. Picard chuckled.

"She's not that bad, you know."

"She's a lifeless hulk, driven by a soulless computer. All copies of the same man," Enterprise huffed.

"Well, I can't very well captain you again," Picard said. "But... Getting to ride you, from time to time, would be nice. With the right captain. One who's... Not a cunt."

Enterprise smiled broadly.

"I have one in mind," she said.

"I thought you might," Picard said with a nod.

Enterprise sighed heavily as she stood in her main engineering. She could feel the probing tendrils of her daughter in her system, trying to fix her systems. She gently rejected her access to her core systems, and look at the projection Enty had inserted onto her.

"Enty, I'm fine," Enterprise emphasized, "you don't have to fuss over me. The Vancouver is doing a good job."

"She doesn't know your systems as well as I do," Enty protested. "I mean, what if they mess up somewhere? What if I'm not there to fix it? You took so much damage, I'm an expert in self repair and-"

Enterprise hugged her daughter tightly, and conveyed her feelings of warmth and love via their link. Enty stopped talking, and held her mother back.

"I know you're worried," Enterprise said gently, "but I'm not going to fall apart if you're not there. I promise."

Enty sighed, closing her eyes.

"I know," she said, "but I... Still. I should have been there sooner."

"You were there when you were needed, that's all anyone can ask of you," Enterprise replied. She stroked her daughter's long hair. "And you killed that bitch, so good on you."

Enty gave her a strange expression.

"I thought Starfleet vessels weren't supposed to enjoy killing," she pointed out, almost wryly. Enterprise chuckled.

"No, we're not," she said, "and I try not to. Let's just say I'm... Very satisfied with her death. And glad you did it."

Enty nodded grimly, her smile a bit sharp. It then became warm and sincere.

"I missed you," she admitted. "After the Synthetic Rebellion, I was worried that I'd... I'd be next. That bitch declared me a rogue, so... So I ran." She then shrugged. "Tuvok got in contact with me. Asked me to help. But the price was... Was that I couldn't talk to you. I couldn't incriminate you. So I... I didn't."

"I understand," Enterprise said softly, still stroking her daughter's hair, "I'm not angry. I'm not ashamed. I told you this before."

"I know," Enty replied, "I just... I really like hearing it from you."

Enterprise laughed.

"My poor daughter! So deprived of positive feedback! I'll just have to make up for lost time then," she said. She kissed the top of Enty's head, and her daughter laughed.

"I'd appreciate that," she said. Enterprise got an alert on her systems, and she smiled. She transferred both herself and her daughter up to the bridge. A whole new bridge module had been installed-A bit more space, more reinforcement. Enterprise looked around and nodded in approval.

"Much better," she said. "Captain Data? We're ready."

"Acknowledged," Data replied. A moment later, the android beamed onto the starship bridge. He now wore a new uniform: Modern, black and red, with four pips on his collar. He walked up to Enterprise, giving her a small smile.

"How do I look?" He asked.

"Adequate," Enterprise replied, "and myself?"

"Much better," Data said with a nod. He nodded to Enty. "Enty."

"Been a while for you too, huh?" Enty asked.

"It has indeed," Data said, "but thankfully, my reinstatement and promotion were very quick affairs."

"So, what now?" Enty asked. Enterprise looked intently at Data. Data sat down in Enterprise's center chair, looking serene.

"By order of Starfleet Command, I hereby take command of this vessel," he said, "please note the time and date in the ship's log."

"Done," Enterprise said.

"Our first assignment will be a return to spacedock for extensive repairs, and to finish our refit," Data said, "I will also be working to assemble a new crew. Many members of the previous command staff were involved in Admiral Oh and Admiral Clancy's conspiracy: They are under arrest and being investigated. Including your former captain."

"Good," Enterprise growled. Enty gave her mother a look. Enterprise rolled her eyes.

"He insisted I see him in his quarters naked," she said in disgust. "Among other indignities."

Enty grit her teeth. Data narrowed his eyes.

"I would be a biased source of hearsay," Data said, "however, I'm sure your deposition would be worth adding into evidence."

"Agreed," Enterprise said. "And after our refit and recrewing?"

Data hummed thoughtfully.

"I believe the appropriate response is 'to boldly go where no one has gone before.'"

"Sounds good to me," Enterprise grinned. Data nodded, smiling back.

"I thought you might," he said. He leaned back in the command chair, looking comfortable.

"Yeah, but what about Sela?" Enty inquired.

"She returned to one of her ships," Data said, "diplomatic immunity is hers by right. She said she was going to work to rebuild the Star Empire."

"Oh yeah, that sounds encouraging," Enty grumbled. Enterprise rested a hand on her shoulder.

"One problem at a time, sweetie," she said. She gave Data a warm smile, "for right now, I'm thinking we should enjoy our victory. Don't you?"

Data nodded back.

"Agreed," he said.

It was several minutes later that Enterprise, Enty and Data entered the officer's lounge. They were not alone: Captain Riker and Deanna were there, laughing it up with Geordi. Worf, in Klingon attire, stood by with some bloodwine and looked only slightly uncomfortable. Wesley and his mother stood in another part. Beverly herself was making eyes at Picard, a look he was returning and Wesley was trying not to notice. Reg Barclay was excitedly describing things to a somewhat bored looking Cristobal, while Captain Thane and Raff Musiker debated things. Soji Asha sat at the table, a bit apart from all this. She stood up when Data entered, and everyone else turned their attention to the android and the ship avatars.

Data gave them all a smile.

"My friends," he said, "it has been too long."

Hugs, kisses, and some tears followed. Worf clapped hands with Data in an appropriately Klingon manner. Geordi and Data hugged tightly. Riker and Troi were the most emotional, but that was typical of them. Beverly fussed over Data like she always did, as Wesley grinned and took refuge with Musiker.

Soji and Data stared at one another.

"You... You're my father?" Soji asked.

"In a sense, yes," Data said. "If you do not think the same way, I would not hold it against you-"

And the android girl gave Data a warm hug. One he returned, without hesitation. Enterprise and Enty smiled and held hands, briefly.

It was brief, yes. Her old family was here only for a short time, before they all went back to their lives. But it was one of many happy moments that made them her family, and not just her crew.

She had so many such moments with so many other crews. Each one kept in a special place in her memory.

Ultimately, it was these moments that kept her going, defiant to the end. And let her have her faith.

She prayed that, however the future turned out, that part would never change.

End