Standard Disclaimer: All characters and situations related to Star Trek are wholly owned by Paramount Pictures. All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" TV series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
With the arrival of the Enterprise, the Venture and the Klingon ship called C'boath, the battle was more or less over. The Dominion, taking the arrival of the reinforcements as a sign of things to come, chose to depart while they still could. The six Jem Haddar ships departed while the three Cardassian vessels limped along behind them, tail tucked neatly between their legs because no of them were prepared to face the Federation's flagship in battle. After the spectacular defense put up by the Maverick, the Dominion was not about to risk further humiliation by attempting to take on the legendary USS Enterprise. Especially when it was supported by the Venture captained by Raphael Castille one of the more wolverine commanders on the current front lines and a then there was the Klingon, upon which no comment was truly required.
For the first few hours of the reinforcement arrival, the communications between the captains were mostly done via hailing frequencies. The Maverick had taken heavy damage and the Enterprise had elected to assist with the repairs it would require for the galaxy class starship to make it to the nearest starbase for repairs. Crew transfers from ship to ship at this point was restricted mostly to Engineering staff and medical personnel. There were many injured on board and there were still Jem Haddar prisoners remaining, having been contained by Ezra's security team and left behind by the ships when the Dominion had retreated.
Still the fact that Dominion had gone did not change the situation as it stood; the Maverick was still unable to defend itself properly after the substantial beating it had taken from those ten ships. Thus the Venture and the C'boath kept a vigil over the surrounding space as they repairs were conducted. Several hours after he had almost destroyed his ship instead of allowing her to fall into enemy hands, Chris Larabee found himself pacing nervously at the only undamaged transporter pad, awaiting for his contemporaries to arrive. Despite the fact that he was a starship captain and had no reason to be such, Chris was extremely nervous.
"Captain," Alex sighed and she waited with him. "Try to show a little dignity would you?" She teased.
Chris stopped pacing and gave her a dark look and then noted that the Transporter Chief Rain was attempting not to snigger. "Very funny." He retorted and returned to a more casual position next to her.
He knew he was being nervous for no reason. After all he knew Raphael from his Academy days and the Klingon commander was like any other he had come across in his time, brutally honest and coarse as the day was long with a hair trigger temper. However, among their number was also the captain of the Enterprise. Jean Luc Picard was coming aboard his ship and Chris was not so jaded that he could not feel anxiety at that meeting. This was Picard, the first man to make contact with the Borg, who secured the treaties between the Federation and the Gorn, this man had literally saved the Federation a dozen times over and Chris could not deny that he was struck with a little case of hero worship.
"Captain, " Transporter Chief Rain spoke up. The tall, exotic looking woman who also happened to be a Trill with a tendency to look upon her crewmates with bemusement as she was doing so to him now announced that Captain Castille of the Venture was awaiting transport.
"Bring him aboard." Chris responded.
His order prompted the low hum of the transporter's activation and the next thing he knew, a shimmer of color appeared on the pad long enough to coalesce into the definitive shape of a man. It took a few second until the form of Raphael Castille fully materialized before them and like the frame of a picture that had been frozen and then set in motion, the process was soon completed and he was staring in their direction.
"Chris Larabee," Raphael broke into a wide grin. "How long has it been compadre?"
"I don't know," Chris returned his smile with a warm handshake, knowing that between old friends like this, the usual aloof gestures would not be enough. "How long has it been since I had to peel you off the floor of that bar in San Francisco?"
"About as long as it took for me to talk you out of going out on date set by Buck Wilmington. Where is that skirt chaser anyway?" Raphael looked around the room and noted that the Maverick's first officer was absent.
"He's been hurt." Chris said somberly. "When our bridge went up, he took the worst of it."
Raphael's mood shrunk into a frown. "Is he going to be alright?"
"He's going to be fine," Chris answered, having recalled the conversation with Nathan a short time ago before their arrival in this room. "Raphael, this is my Science Officer and temporary exec while Buck is recovering, Lieutenant Commander Styles."
"Please to meet you Sir." Alex said with a smile as Raphael looked in her direction briefly and managed, in those few seconds, to convey to the science officer that he had something discreet to discuss with her captain. Alex immediately excused herself and went to assist Rain.
"Chris," Raphael said quietly. "I was sorry to hear about Sarah and Adam. I was on a deep space mission when I heard the news. I wished I could have been there for you."
Chris shrugged, having dealt with that particular hurt a long time ago even though remembering always sent a shard of pain through him, no matter how hard he tried not to let it affect him. "Its okay Raphael," Chris answered honestly. "I wasn't really there myself, not in spirit anyway."
Both men nodded in unspoken understanding when Chris decided a change of subject is definitely in order. "I'm assuming that part of this trip so far out of your way has to do with a certain lady bartender that serves on board."
"Yeah," Raphael grinned, happy to leave the somber subject behind him as well. "If you don't mind, I'll catch up with you later. I haven't seen Inez since she signed up on the Maverick."
"You could have her posted to the Venture." Chris pointed out.
"Not a chance in hell compadre." Raphael retorted. "I don't want her on the front lines with me. I can deal with dying on a daily basis but I can't do my job is I have to worry about her too."
It was a sentiment Chris understood all too well; indeed any captain would have. "I understand. We'll meet up later. Last I heard she was in Four Corners. Ship to ship communication is still down so she may not know that you're on board."
"I get to surprise her." Raphael grinned as he started towards the door. "What could be better?"
"Captain Picard standing by to transport." Alex informed him once Raphael had gone.
Chris almost jumped out of his skin being disarmed by his reunion with Raphael long enough to remember Picard was about to come on board.
"How do I look?" Chris turned nervously to Alex as he began straightening his uniform and running his fingers through his hair. Something about being in Jean Luc Picard's presence warranted such behavior.
Alex rolled her eyes in disbelief but nonetheless found her instinctively straightening his collar anyway before responding. "The model of a starship commander, Lieutenant?" She glanced at Rain. "Initiate transport."
"Hey I wasn't ready!" He grumbled.
Alex wondered how Mary put up with his.
Anything she was about to say was cut short when the shimmering began on the transporter pad. The tall, slender form of Captain Jean Luc Picard materialised before him and it took a few seconds for Chris to get accustomed to seeing the man before he was able to force himself to react.
"Captain....Captain Picard." Why was he stammering? "Welcome on board the Enterprise... I mean the Maverick." Oh real smooth Larabee, Chris thought to himself following that impeccable delivery.
Alex rolled her eyes again.
If Picard noticed his stumbling, the man certainly did not show it. Instead, the legendary commander extended his hand towards Chris in a handshake. "Thank you Captain Larabee, it's a pleasure to be here. I admit, I would have like to have seen the Maverick under better circumstances but I must commend you did admirably under the conditions."
"Thank you Sir," Chris found himself swallowing visibly at the man. "The truth is, if you and the other ships had not arrived when you did, it could have ended very differently."
Their gazes held for a second and Picard understood completely what Chris was trying to say, not to mention that he was honest enough to admit that the help was needed and appreciated which was a rare thing with captains. Picard had come across enough men in his time who had egos the size of Class 9 gas giants to know that such modesty was rare and to be valued. "We make our careers by what we accomplish by the skin of our teeth Chris, I think you fared better than most and please call me Jean Luc."
"I wouldn't feel comfortable about that." Chris said honestly. "By all means call me Chris but to me you're always going to the captain who always managed to beat the odds and I'm still too awed by all that to be on a first name basis."
Picard was pleasantly surprised and decided that he would like this Captain Larabee very much, enough perhaps to even call him a friend. "Actually I been wanting to meet you and make some thanks myself Chris," Picard remarked.
"Why?" Chris asked automatically and suddenly had an idea what JD must go through around him and reminded himself that from now on, he was going to try and show as much consideration as Picard was doing for him.
"You were one of the commanders who chose to follow me during our last battle with the Borg even though I did not have command of the fleet. You could have been severely reprimanded if the attack had failed and Earth would have fallen to the Borg. It is quiet something to me that you and those like you chose to follow me into that battle on a faith alone."
Chris did not know what to say. Following Picard into that fight had gained him his captaincy and yet the man was here, thanking him. It was almost too much to take and yet he knew he had to answer. "You were the Captain of the Enterprise. I couldn't expect to do anything else."
"I've been told that before." He chuckled and then let his gaze move over the transporter room before remarking. "I miss the last Enterprise you know," Picard mused. "Perhaps it takes time to get used to a sovereign class Enterprise but I always liked her better when she was a galaxy class ship. She had character."
Chris could understand that all too well and he knew that no matter what ships came and went in the future, he would always have a special place in his heart for the Maverick. Suddenly, he realised he was being rude and immediately introduced Alex and Rain to Picard.
"I believe you are the reason the Klingon ship is here Commander Styles." Picard said to Alex when the introduction are being made.
"Me?" Alex stared at him blankly. "I don't understand."
"Captain, the C'boath has signaled its readiness to transport. Two to beam over." Rain broke in at that point.
"Go ahead," Chris ordered as he was listening to Picard explaining things to Alex and Rain immediately went about activating the transporter pad, filling the room with that familiar hum as they spoke.
"The Enterprise was already on its way to intercept the Maverick as per Starfleet's orders when we were told to rendezvous with the C'boath to pick up a passenger. When your distress signal reached us, the commander of the C'boath felt that it would be much more interesting assignment to lend assistance in a combat situation instead of just ferrying passengers from one destination to the other." Picard sighed as that was one of the eccentricities of Klingon behavior that needed no further explanation.
"You said it had something to do with me...." Alex asked again.
"Well apparently, their passenger was coming to see you." Picard smile gesturing to the transporter pad where the commander of the Klingon ship and another more familiar figure appeared in front of them.
Alex did not speak and she vaguely heard the Klingon commander striding forward, uttering some greeting towards her before he joined Picard and Chris. In the background, she heard Commander Kavroth telling Chris that how the crew of the C'boath envied the Maverick for the glorious battle that must have been fought before the arrival of reinforcements from the Federation and its allies.
Alex could only see the woman before her.
It had almost been three years since she had been on Kronos and seeing Kellien before her was more than enough to take Alex's breath away. She could hear Chris ushering the other captains and Rain out of the room in order to offer her some privacy but it was all a blur. Kellien stood before her, tall and matriarchal, wearing the leather coverings of a Klingon woman and looking as if she could wipe the floor with any human that made the effort. Her long auburn hair had greyed a little but it still reminded Alex of a lion's mane as it had done when she was a child, falling a sleep in that strong woman's embrace. Kellien looked like the quintessential expression of Klingon femininity.
"What are you doing here?" Alex managed to say.
"I received a communications from your ship's counselor saying that I was needed." Kellien stepped off the transporter pad. She stood the same height as Alex and watched her foster daughter closely.
Josiah. Alex thought to herself, only Josiah would have the audacity or for that matter, the insight to do that. A thousand emotions ran through her as she saw Kellien coming towards her. Suddenly the events of the last few days came crashing down on her with the appearance of the one person who had been able to instill in her the need to go on after her discharge from Starfleet Medical after what had happened to her. Lord only knew what Alex would have done had she been left to her own devices. When she had left the care of doctors and counselors, she had been so traumatized by her experience in that Cardassian prison that she would have killed herself like so many others before her. Too ashamed to go home to her father whom Alex still could not face, she had instead gone to the only other person who might be able to help her.
Kellien had done that for Alex and more.
"It is good to see you." Alex whispered softly, the emotions inside her threatening to break Alex in half.
"How have you been?" Kellien asked, aware that Alex was nearing the threshold of just how much she could take. "I worry about you."
Alex blinked, trying to stop the tears and took a step closer to the woman. "He was here, on this ship."
Kellien nodded trying to keep her stiff upper lip but starting to succumb to the moment as well. "I know."
"I wanted to kill him." She swallowed.
"You had every right to." Kellien answered. "But you placed the lives of those around you before the need for the vengeance. You acted honorably."
"I did not," Alex shook her head, not about to accept her praise, not after what she done before the Dominion fleet had left. Her hands were bloodied even if she had not done the killing herself. "I had my vengeance, they just don't know yet."
"Then honor is doubly satisfied and I do not care about that p'takh. You have been the daughter I never had, the child who so easily filled my heart from the moment you entered it. You have done nothing to be ashamed of and you have survived. I am proud of you." Kellien said softly.
Alex crossed the space between them and stood poised for a few seconds in front of Kellien before she finally placed her head on the woman's shoulder and allowed the woman to embrace her in her comforting arms. Alex had no idea what would happen tomorrow but for the moment, all she wanted to do was be held by the closest thing in the world she had to a mother.
Lemar knew something was wrong when he was summoned abruptly to the bridge of the lead Dominion ship. As it was, he had been attempting to limit his dealings with the Vorta ever since they were forced to run from the Maverick like frightened children. Who knew that one galaxy class ship could have mounted such a formidable defense when fighting off an entire of phalanx of Jem Haddar warships? Of course, it probably had most to do with the fact that the Dominion had seriously underestimated Captain Chris Larabee and how determined he would be to keep his ship. Lemar who had been in close proximity to the man had to give the captain credit where it was due.
The man's ruthlessness was almost Cardassian in its nature.
Fanaian had been in a foul mood ever since they were forced to beam off the bridge of the Tasmeem prior to its destruction, onto the nearby Cardassian ships which had been wounded in the battle. Later on, they transported to the Jem Haddar ships for reasons of safety once the battle had been lost and retreat was in order. Lemar guessed that the reason for Fanaian's mood had much to do with the fact that when they returned to Dominion territory, he would have to give his masters, the Founders, a very good reason for the failure of this mission. Lemar did not wish to be in his shoes for that particular meeting as the Founders were not known for their tolerance of mistakes, especially one on this scale.
When he arrived on the bridge however, he noted that Fanaian had taken centre seat and seemed in very good humor. This in itself was unusual considering what they had just been through but for some reason, Lemar felt a chill of something cold running down his spine upon seeing the man's mood. It was a feeling he could not quite define but it nagged at him nonetheless, remaining vaguely in the backdrop of his mind awaiting its time.
"Lemar," Fanaian said with a smile. "I am glad you are able to join us."
"You seem in good spirits today." The Cardassian said as he paused in front of the command chair where Fanaian was seated and presenting himself like a king presiding over his court. Lemar looked around and noticed two Jem Haddar guards moving to flank the door and wondered what that was all about.
"I am, I am." Fanaian replied exuberantly. "I have been in a terrible melancholy you know." He said with an exaggerated frown of dismay. "After our defeat at the hands of the Maverick, the complete failure of our mission, who could blame me?"
"Yes," Lemar nodded, unable to swallow away that nagging feeling that was pressing insistently against his spine the more Fanaian continued to exude this positive outlook. "The situation was unfortunate. However, I suppose in all things one must accept the failures along with the successes."
"How true," the Vorta nodded in agreement. "However, I must confess to feeling a little trepidation in reporting to the Founders that we had failed them. One does not tell a god that one is not equal to the task that he has set you."
Lemar had his own opiniond about the deification of the Founders but chose to keep them silent. "I take it this good mood is because you have found a way out of your problem." He asked.
"How perceptive of you," Fanaian grinned wider. "I have found my solution indeed."
"Well," Lemar leaned against the command chair. "I am agog with anticipation."
Fanaian looked at Lemar slyly and then answered. "You should be. You are the instrument of my deliverance."
Lemar blinked. "Me?"
"Yes," Fanaian gushed deliberately. "It came as a complete surprise to me as well but it was like a revelation. Apparently, before the Tasmeem was destroyed an encrypted message was sent to you from the Maverick."
"From the Maverick?" Lemar exclaimed bewildered. "Why?"
"That's what we wondered," Fanaian looked around at his Jem Haddar companions who were keeping a very sharp eye on Lemar right at this moment. "However, upon decrypting it and let me tell you whoever sent it was most determined that only you should have access to it, we understood everything."
That nagging feeling was now screaming in his ear and Lemar felt the iciness expand from his spine to encompass the rest of him. "Understood what?"
"Understand how Larabee was able to disengage the shields on three Cardassian warships. It appeared that you provided him with the shield frequency." Lemar said as casually as he might be reporting that the ships' systems were all nominal, not accusing Lemar of nothing less than treason.
"What!" Lemar cried out horrified, suddenly feeling the sands of his life starting to drain rapidly. "What possible reason would I have to aid the Federation?" He demanded
"To save the life of your lover of course." Fanaian answered smoothly.
This was getting more preposterous by the minute that Lemar was starting to feel his head swim with the disorientation from being bombarded by so many untruths. "I do not have a lover on the Maverick!"
"Of course you do," the Vorta replied looking at him hard. "Her name is Lieutenant Commander Alexandra Styles and in what she thought was her last message to you, she told you not to mourn for her and it is not your fault that you were unable to save the Maverick. At first I thought that this was ludicrous until I checked the records and discovered that she was your prisoner once wasn't she?"
"Yes..." Lemar said meekly, understanding the trap that Alexandra Styles had so neatly created for him.
"A prisoner who escaped just as you escaped from a maximum security military outpost which she managed to obliterate off the face of the planetoid it was situated upon to hide her escape and your act of treason!" Fanaian retorted, adding more and more evidence to support Alex's plan with each word he spoke.
"You cannot possibly believe any of this is true!" Lemar tried desperately to convince him.
"In truth," Fanaian looked at him and replied. "No, I don't actually."
"Then you believe me." Lemar asked, unable to imagine how his life now rested in this Vorta's hands and his belief in Lemar's innocence.
"Absolutely." The Vorta answered. "However, that does you little good."
Lemar stared at him.
"You see Gul Lemar," Fanaian rose to his feet. "What I believe is inconsequential. When I take this to the Founders and inform them that this mission failed because I had a traitor in my ranks that sold us out in order to save the life of his lover, they will believe it. They will believe it because of your previous dealings with Commander Styles and the fact that ten warships were incapable of taking one galaxy class starship without help. They will understand that I failed because of these mitigating circumstances."
"You can't do this!" Lemar roared and took a step towards the deceitful Vorta. He made no more than two steps forward before he was stopped by Jem Haddar warriors who quickly removed his weapon and had him in their unwavering grip before he even knew what was happening. Fanaian returned to his chair once again and faced the struggling Cardassian.
"I will deny it!" Lemar screamed desperately. "You'll never get away with this! When I tell the Founders..."
"You will never see the Founders to make that rebuttal." Fanaian said sharply and then looked at the Jem Haddar beside Lemar. "Space him."
"NO!!!!!!!!!" Lemar shouted in his ear.
Fanaian let out a sigh as the Cardassian was dragged away screaming and stared at the view screen before him. He could still hear Lemar's screams down the corridor and down towards the main airlock.
"Odious creature." Fanaian said with an expression of disgust to no one in particular. "The Cardassians will make anyone a Gul I suppose."
The Jem Haddar soldier at the controls of the ship said nothing in response for it was not expected or required for that matter. He maintained his gaze on the controls and the view screen before him and only wavered his attention when he noted the indicator on his console that someone had opened an airlock.
Captain's Logs Stardate 14.25.02 - The repairs on the Maverick continue swiftly aided in part by the Engineering staff from the Enterprise led by Commander Geordie La Forge. Captain Picard has been extremely generous in crew assignments to the Maverick although I am starting to suspect that this is due to the fond memories they had of Enterprise D and working on a galaxy class starship. We have also transferred all our Jem Haddar prisoners to the Enterprise as she will heading back to the front lines where prisoner of war exchanges can be negotiated. Intelligence reports from Cardassian Prime indicate that Gul Lemar never made it home with the rest of the Dominion task force sent to take the Maverick. I can only assume that he must have been blamed for their failure in this instance. In either case, I do not mourn for him and was rather surprised by how stoically the news was taken by Lieutenant Commander Styles.
She seems to be holding up well and I have to say that a contributing factor of this would be the arrival of her close friend Kellien from the C'boath. Even though the lady had remained on board for only two days, her presence added greatly to the well being of our science officer. There have been no cause for concern in regards to the commander's behavior and she spent much of Kellien's visit in the lady's company along with Vin Tanner. Commander Wilmington seems to be recovering nicely and although he has been discharged from sick bay, has been placed on sick leave for the next week, although to hear him complain, one would think that Nathan Jackson had drummed him out of the service altogether.
For myself, I am immensely proud of the way the Maverick handled itself during this crisis and while there are still things to settle in many quarters, I feel that this are just the details left over in the wake of what has happened. Whether or not there is a planet in the Frontier that has Tetracel White may now be a moot point. I have been told that there is a very good reason why Captain Castille had made this special trip to the sector was in order for him to see his fiancée. According to Picard, Benjamin Sisko is presently amassing the largest fleet in the history of the alpha quadrant to launch an all out attack against the Dominion. The battle will be decisive and will end the Dominion threat once and for all. We have been ordered to return to the nearest starbase for repairs to our damaged upper pylon in order to join the battle that will take place over the skies of Cardassia Prime."
The problem with androids is the fact that they did not blink
Humans blinked. Cardassians tended to smooth the ridges of their brow. Andorians got a nervous twitch in their antenna while Pakleds were so dumb that it did not matter what gestures they did or did not produce, it was almost routine beating them. Klingons sat stoned faced, offering no expression but still very illuminating. Romulans always bluffed but androids? Androids did not blink and what was more infuriating, is that they also had the best poker faces with the exception of Vulcans that Ezra Standish had ever seen.
"No discards Mr Data?" Ezra Standish asked as he stared across the felt covered table inside his quarters were he was presently playing an intense game of poker with some members of the Enterprise, including a very skilled though disgustingly modest third officer who just happened to be an android.
"No thank you Commander Standish." Data said politely, glancing at his cards once again even though it was a redundant gesture. What he had seen of them when they were first handed to him was imprinted in his positronic brain. There was no need to keep his eye on them because there was no chance of his forgetting. Besides, he did not wish to take too much attention away from his observations of the man Commander Riker called the best damn poker player in Starfleet. "These will do."
"God," Julia Pemberton declared from Ezra's right, her arm still in a sling as she watched the stand off between human and android. She had been played out long ago but she could not help remain behind and watch the game. Although she was technically supposed to be cheering for Ezra because of their relationship, Julia could not help wonder if Mr Data whom had been assisting her in Engineering the past few days was capable of playing Ezra. Just the possibility of their security chief being beaten by this pseudo human was too delicious to imagine. "He's even more than polite than you are."
"Is that not the proper way to behave?" Data inquired, not wishing to offend.
"Of course it is," Nathan said fascinated by this automaton who was so much like a human despite his outer covering that it was really quite uncanny. In the few days that Nathan had gotten to know the android, Nathan found him to be far more human than any of the flesh and blood specimens he had met in his life time. "It's just that you manage to sound sincere when you do it and not like you're about to move in for the kill."
"I take umbrage at that." Ezra said with a look of mock hurt on his face. "I always managed to sound sincere when I go in for the kill." He broke out into a dimpled smile.
"Face it Ezra," William Riker laughed. "These people know you too well."
"You are just annoyed Mr Riker because I have all your money." Ezra threw him a satisfied smirk.
"Commander Standish," Data's voice suddenly interrupted the two old friends. "Are you engaging Commander Riker in such banter as a ploy to avoid laying down your cards as I have called your hand?"
A ripple of laughter ran throughout the room, not to mention whistles and hoots from the gallery.
"Ezra, I do believe he is calling you out." Nathan declared, unable to keep from laughing out loud at the whole situation and partaking of the amusement shared by everyone in the room.
"Mr Data," Ezra looked at the android. "Is that what you were intending to do?"
"No Commander," Data said with that perfectly expressionless face, the one that did not blink. "I am merely attempting to prevent you from stalling for time. You have raised the stakes and I have met the challenge, I wish to see your cards."
"Never let it be said that I am unresponsive to polite requests," Ezra remarked as he laid his cards down on the table, near the considerable pile of chips in the middle.
"Very nice." Riker whistled seeing the four aces that stared up at everyone.
Ezra looked at Data and responded. "Mr Data, can you rise to that challenge?"
Data nodded shortly. "I think I can." His answer stunned Ezra somewhat and made the security chief anxious as he proceeded to lay his cards downs for the others to see. Suddenly, Ezra had a bad feeling that he was going to ......wait a minute!
"That is two pair!" Ezra declared. The game had been focussed on the two of them with stakes being risen to an obscene amount of credits for a lousy two pair! It was beyond Ezra's comprehension.
"Yes." Data answered with complete innocence. "Congratulations Commander Standish. That was well played."
"Well played?" Ezra balked. "You had two pair! Are you telling you were bluffing me?"
By now everyone in the room was reduced to hysterics as they saw the bewildered expression on Ezra's face. Nobody bluffed Ezra Standish. It was a cardinal rule. When that happened, expect weather forecasts to report in that hell freezing over.
"I could not beat you." Data replied with that same polite voice. "Commander Riker told me that before we began playing. However, he did mention that you seemed to enjoy the game more when you were engaged in a bluff. I thought you would be pleased."
Ezra gave Riker who look who was wearing the same smirk he had given the first officer of the Enterprise a minute ago. "You have no shame, Commander Riker."
"Yeah but like you said, you have all my money."
Ezra could only glare as he heard their continued laughter.
"What does she see in him?" Buck Wilmington complained as he saw Inez and Captain Castille sharing a romantic dinner at a table overlooking the window inside Four Corners.
"Well he's a captain," Mary remarked staring at the same direction that Buck was. She and JD Dunne were attempting to keep Buck company since the first office had just miserable since being taken off active duty for his injuries. After having Buck stroll onto the bridge numerous times for no good reason, Chris had ordered Mary to keep Buck distracted since the chore was already driving poor JD Dunne to distraction. Buck's need to be in the thick of things was more than a young ensign could hold back and Chris decided a more experienced hand was necessary.
"So what?" Buck shrugged. "There's nothing great about being captain. You just get to sit in the big chair." Then he looked at Mary and snorted. "Oh look who I'm talking to about this. You're just as bad."
"Buck!" JD said mortified that he could speak to her that way, even in jest.
Mary however, was not at all offended. In fact, she had a good return to his remark. "Well," she flashed a little smile at JD and then turned to Buck who was still staring longingly at Inez's direction and convincing everyone at the table that his feeling for Inez was not as typical as he might have them believe. "It has to do with those captain's bars."
Buck turned to her. "Really?"
"Oh yes," Mary said with an exaggerated bat of her eyes and misty pout to her full lips. "Something about those extra pips on the collar that just turn me on so much. Why how you can just settle for a first officer after that.? It would be like slumming." She ended that statement with a wicked gleam in her eye as JD started to chuckle.
"I bet you think you're real funny." Buck gave her a look. "I thought Vulcan wives weren't suppose to have a sense of humor."
"I'm not Vulcan." Mary winked at his direction when suddenly the door slid open and an extraordinarily beautiful woman with sultry features and a magnificent mane of dark hair walked into the room. She was paused and studied the place for anyone she knew before drifting towards the bar and pulling herself a seat.
"Hold the phone!" Buck exclaimed, spotting her immediately. "If Inez wants a captain that's fine with me." Buck declared, leaving no mystery as to where he was going when he go to his feet and started walking towards her. "I just sighted land in the horizon."
"Buck," Mary spoke up as he started towards her. "You know how to really get her interested?"
"You know her?" Buck glanced at the beauty who had ordered herself some chocolate ice cream and was now consuming it. Now he knew for a fact that women substituted chocolate for another other basic need which meant he was in a great deal of luck.
"Yes I do," Mary said with a completely straight face. "Just keep thinking to yourself how you want nothing but to show her a thousand and one pleasures. I guarantee you, she'll fall into your arms."
"You're kidding me," Buck retorted with obvious disbelief.
"I'm not," she insisted. "Just keep that thought in your head right up to the second you speak to her. She'll sense it and respond. Trust me, that woman likes a man who know what he wants."
"Alright." Buck grinned and decided it was worth a shot. Leaving their table, he started swaggering to the lady in question, oozing typical Buck Wilmington charm.
JD waited until he was gone and then asked. "Isn't that Counselor Deanna Troi of the Enterprise?"
"Yes." Mary taking a sip of her coffee while wearing a look of pure innocence on her face.
JD thought so and then had to ask further. "Isn't she telepathic?"
Mary grinned. "Yes."
"So if he thinks that.... oh!" JD stared at her and started to laugh. "Ma'am that's cruel."
Mary met his gaze and smiled. "Yes it is."
JD turned his eyes eager to feast in the carnage that was to be Buck's introduction to Deanna Troi and muttered to himself. "Its no wonder you go for the Captain, the first officer is just no match for you."
Josiah Sanchez and Chris Larabee had been giving each other wide berths since this entire situation with Gul Lemar had emerged, particularly with the conflict that had been created thanks to their differing opinions on how Alexandra Styles should be handled. Although things had turned out for the best, it was clear that their friendship had reached something of a crossroads. Chris knew that for them to continue serving together on board the Maverick, boundaries had to be set and lines drawn so each man understood where one's bounds began and the other ended.
Instead of waiting for Josiah to come see him, Chris decided that it was best if he made the conciliatory gesture. He knew that he had hurt Josiah's feelings when he had refused to take Alex off duty but he still believed as he had believed then, that he had made the right decision. Keeping Alex on duty had saved their lives because she had inadvertently discovered the deception that Gul Lemar had been attempting to perpetrate upon them. Had it not been for her timely alert, the Maverick would have been caught by surprise and Chris did not even want to imagine what would have happened if his ship had been taken. Not just to Alex but to all of them.
"Am I interrupting?" Chris asked politely as he peered into Josiah's office in the Counselor's suites on the same deck as the Sick Bay.
Josiah who was going over some crew fitness reports in light of their recent battle immediately looked up and found himself surprised by the Captain's sudden appearance. Then again, Chris had the ability to do that like no other man he had ever known. "Sure." He nodded and put down the data pad in his hand.
Chris walked into the room and seated himself in the chair before the Counselor's desk just as Josiah pulled himself out of it and went to the shelf where he kept his stock of Romulan ale. Extracting the bottle and two glasses from its place there, he poured them both a drink. Neither man said anything as Josiah handed Chris a glass and returned to his seat nursing his own.
"Are we the most stubborn people in the world or is this how it usually happens between Captains and their Counselors?" He broke the silence finally.
"I like to go with the second option actually." Chris said with a smile as he heard the exhale from Josiah that indicated that there was no hostility remaining between them, just unresolved issues that needed discussing. "People say I'm stubborn but I refuse to believe it."
Josiah chuckled softly and then responded. "Chris, I'm sorry I pushed so hard with Alex."
"Don't apologize," Chris said automatically. "I'm glad you did what you did Josiah. It shows me what an exceptional healer you are. You put her life before anything else and that is how it should be. I'm not holding it against you that you took an opposing view to mine, it just makes me glad to know that if I ever was in the same place, you'll be there to help me just as resolutely as you were able to help her."
"When I read that report about all those suicides," Josiah responded softly, touched by the depth of feeling Chris had just conveyed and felt once again the warm glow of friendship and paternal affection he had for the man. "I just reacted. I thought about all those lives destroyed. All those women who took their lives for something that was not even their fault and then to see Alex, so tortured inside, I just could not stand that happening to her. I was trying to protect her, not realizing that sometimes you don't protect someone by keeping them wrapped up safe, you do it by letting them face the demons and giving them the chance to fight back."
"I was where she was once Josiah," Chris confessed reluctantly. "When Sarah and Adam died, I was ready to walk of the edge of a cliff if I thought the pain would go away. It was Buck who reminded me that there were things worth fighting for and though I damn near drove him to killing me himself, he stood by me and made sure I kept remembering that. He made me put all that rage and hurt into some place where it could work for me and here I am, Captain of this ship. I had to believe I could do the same for Alex."
"Well it worked" Josiah commented, taking another sip of his glass of ale. "She actually came to see me you know."
Chris' eyes widened in surprise. "Will wonders never cease?"
"It was mostly to thank me about getting Kellien here but she stayed around long enough to say a little something about how she felt and that's a hell of an improvement for someone who used to do anything to avoid stepping in here." Josiah admitted.
"So how is she doing?" Chris asked, knowing Josiah would tell him as much as possible without breaking doctor patient confidentiality.
"Better," Josiah said with a smile of pleasure at being able to report that much to his captain. "Says she had problems sleeping but not anymore."
"Not anymore?" Chris looked at him. "What does that mean?"
Josiah could only shake his head in confusion since he had no idea himself.
Vin Tanner savored the scent of her long hair in his lungs, trying to decide if the intoxicating smell was wildflower or apple. He wondered how she managed to get her hair smelling like that before he decided it was just one of those things women seemed to manage so easily while men smelled like ordinary soap. Wildflower or apple, he continued to wonder for a few more seconds as his arms lay draped over her waist while she lay asleep on his bed. After everything that happened, Alex had asked if she could sleep with him for awhile since she was unable to do so alone without waking up screaming.
After awhile, he gave up pondering the question and chose instead to nuzzle his cheek closer against that heavenly cascade of jet black hair that spilled onto the pillow and her back. He felt a surge of pleasure feeling the silken strands against his skin and the action of taking a deep breath of her only forced a soft sigh from Alex's lips as she snuggled closer to him. She had been asleep for some time now, not at all plagued by the nightmares that blighted her sleep on so many occasions that the only way she had been able to get through the night was with heavy neural suppressors. Strangely enough, her slumber with him had been nothing but peaceful.
Vin wished he could see her face at this moment but decided that to do that he would have to let go of her and Vin never ever wanted to let go of Alex. Vin was enjoying holding her in his arms, feeling her body spooning up against him in a gesture that was terribly intimate and yet, not all sexual. Vin did not know how whether this was proper or not, sharing a bed like this but he knew that while it lasted, he was going to enjoy every second of it. Perhaps one day there would be more but for the time being, this was enough. Vin would be there for Alex for as long as she needed, until she felt safe enough to be without him, though he wished that day would never come for he would always need her.
As she lay with his arms wrapped around him, Vin could only stare at the stars outside his window and hope that wherever she was, her dreams be as beautiful as this.
The End