Possession - J.M. Dillard [13]
She patted his hand. “You’re a good friend, Will. Thank you for noticing. The last few days have been trying. The sadness aboard the ship, the tension of maintaining our schedule, the captain’s unhappiness with Ensign Ito’s accident, the scientists’ anxiety about their projects and displays …” She sighed wearily. “I found myself wishing I could have gone with Guinan to that relaxation seminar.”
“The bartenders’ conference?” he asked in amazement.
Deanna grinned and lowered her voice confidentially. “She told me there would be an entire day devoted to nothing but the ‘Use of Chocolate as an Entertainment Consumptive!’ “
Riker looked suitably impressed. “Look, why don’t we just skip this carnival and go relax in private. We’ll pull something nice out of the replicator, maybe watch a holo play. Some hot chocolate. A leisurely back-rub …”
To another woman, it might have sounded like a planned seduction, but Will was simply offering Deanna her favorite forms of relaxation. “I don’t dare. Not after I made the captain go through with this. I’ll be all right. But I’ll hold you to that back-rub when this is over!”
He smiled warmly. “It’s a deal.” Sensing a touch of anxiety and heightened anticipation, Troi spotted Lieutenant La Forge. Beside him stood Commander Data. She moved toward them, with Riker following. “I must compliment you both on the setup of this mini-fair,” she told them. “It’s laid out very well. It must’ve taken a lot of planning.”
Geordi merely glanced at her, smiling distractedly as he scanned the room, confirming what she’d sensed.
“Thank you, Counselor,” Data said. “The physical setup took a great deal longer than either the planning or the design. It only took me three-point-five seconds to compute the room’s layout; however, the design took a good twelve-point-three—and I am still unsure that it has the correct appeal.”
“Data’s thinking about a new career,” Geordi teased. “Convention design coordinator. But he’s torn between that and furniture mover, since he excels at both.”
Data tilted his head and gave his friend a perplexed glance; he appeared to be about to correct the engineer when Riker interrupted. “You both did a superlative job in here. I’m sure the captain will be pleased.”
“Thank you, Commander,” Data replied. “It would be nice if our endeavor aided in improving his humor. Are you sure he will attend?”
“He’ll be here,” Riker promised, just as Picard and Dr. Crusher came through Ten Forward’s doors. Spying Riker’s tall form above the rapidly growing crowd, the captain approached his first officer, as Beverly accompanied him.
“Number One,” Picard said. “Counselor. Congratulations Mr. La Forge, Mr. Data. Excellent job on short notice.” But even as the captain mouthed the pleasantries, Deanna sensed his distraction, as he coped with his own anger and grief over the lost crew member; the painful conversation with Ito’s parents still weighed on him. “Is there some reason you’re all milling about here at this closed pavilion?”
“We are awaiting the arrival of Dr. Tarmud,” Data informed the captain helpfully. “He is the inventor of Geordi’s VISOR.”
“Ahh,” Picard murmured, in partial understanding, as he raised an eyebrow in curious amusement at the others. He glanced over at the adjoining display, with its rotating eyeball hologram that continued to fascinate Worf’s son, and caught sight of the stately blond woman attending the booth.
“That must be Dr. Kyla Dannelke,” Crusher commented softly to the group, as she nodded toward the fair-haired female. “She’s one of the most foremost scientists in the field of reconstructive opthalmology. She’s currently working with a Vulcan expert on the development of personal forcefields that would be directly linked to ocular control.”
Picard seemed impressed. “Very interesting research. Could be breakthrough technology, especially useful to away teams, eh, Number One?”
Riker nodded, looking with increased interest at the display—or was it the scientist herself he found so fascinating, Deanna wondered, amused. She resisted the urge to scan his emotional