All Good Things__ - Michael Jan Friedman [45]
After all, Jack had died a decade agorawhile under Picard’s command. The last time she had seen the captain was at her husband’s funeral.
Their working together now, on the same ship, would be awkward, to say the least. She would be an uncomfortable reminder of a colleague’s death—for which he couldn’t help but blame himself, however unfairly. And he would be a symbol of what Jack might have become, if he hadn’t perished in that awful accident.
Still, she had wanted this position. After all her training, all she’d accomplished in the medical corps, it was the only real challenge left to her. And Beverly Crusher had never been one to back down from a challenge. “I’ll do what I can,” she told Commander Riker. “Unfortunately,” the first officer said, his smile fading a little, “I think we’re going to have to wait a little longer before we can put in those good words of ours. I’ve just spoken with Captain Picard, and he tells me our rendez-vous has been postponed… indefinitely.”
The doctor saw the disappointment on her son’s face. “Why?” he asked. It was a logical question.
“I wish I could say,” Riker responded. “However, the captain didn’t see fit to tell me.”
Now Crusher did hear a note of resentment in the man’s voice. Apparently, Will Riker didn’t like to be left out of things. At least, not when they pertained to his ship and his commanding officer.
Wesley plunked himself down on a nearby couch. “I knew this was too good to be true,” he sighed.
The first officer placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Whatever called the captain away,” he advised, “it’ll probably only mean another day or two. You can hold out that long, can’t you?”
Looking up, Wesley nodded. “I guess so,” he answered. Riker nodded. ‘~Good.” He turned to the doctor. “In that case, I’ll be heading over to Lieutenant La Forge’s quarters. I could tell him over station intercom,” he noted, “but I think I’ll do it in person. Lord knows, I’ve got all the time in the world.” Crusher chuckled. Wasn’t that the truth.
On the Enterprise, the captain turned again to Troi. “Is there anything else, Counselor?”
She didn’t answer right away. Clearly, something was troubling her.
“Actually,” she said, “there is, sir. I’ve been debating whether or not to mention it, but perhaps…” She became more resolute. “It’s about Commander Riker.”
Picard, of course, knew all about their relationship back on Betazed. He even knew how it would run its course in the future. But, unable to reveal anything of events to come, he played it as if this was the first he had heard of it. “What about him?” he asked.
“Well,” Troi began, “I think you should know that we… have had a prior relationship.”
The captain looked at her, feigning surprise. “I see. And do you anticipate this interfering with your du-ties?”
She shook her head fervently. “No, sir. It was many years ago—and I’m sure it’s well behind us both. I just thought you should know.”
Picard pretended to ponder the information—and then to come to a decision. “I appreciate your telling me, Counselor. However, I’m sure the two of you will find a way to… deal with the situation.”
Troi nodded… though she didn’t seem as certain as he was. Moving to the replicator in the room, the captain requested his beverage of choice. “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.”
The computer’s response was instantaneous—and a little unnerving. “That beverage has not been pro-grammed into this station. Please enter chemical com-position.”
Picard smiled. As he turned to Troi, intending to cover his surprise with a clever remark…
… he found himself standing in front of the ship’s viewscreen—and the image of the Romulan commander that filled it.
It took him a second or two to get his bearings… to establish that he was back in the “present.” And another second to realize that he recognized the Romulan.
“Tomalak,” he whispered.
He had run into the Romulan before—first at Galorndon