Section 31_ Rogue - Andy Mangels [19]
Data spoke up then. “I believe the two of you have a different kind of celebration coming up soon. Your second anniversary is next week, as I recall?”
Riker shot the pair a questioning look. Keru grinned under his mustache, and put his arm around the shoulders of the shorter Hawk, pulling him in just a bit. “That’s right. Two years since that fateful day on Risa.”
“I was spelunking in the crystal caves and lost my footing,” said Hawk. “I fell over the side of an outcropping, and landed wrong. Luckily, Ranul was exploring the same caves, and he rappelled down to help me.”
“He had broken his leg,” said Keru. “So, I hoisted him over my shoulder like a sack of Andorian curm’esh, and climbed up to safety and a medic.”
“He waited for me to get out of the medic lounge, took me to dinner, and we’ve been together ever since,” said Hawk. “We were even both able to arrange transfers onto the Enterprise-E before its launch.”
“And we’re all the better for it,” said Riker. He clapped a hand on top of Keru’s-which was still on Hawk’s shoulder-and nodded past them. “We have to get to a briefing. But if you’re up for it, I’ll buy you a celebratory drink next week for your anniversary.”
“Thank you, Commander. That would be nice,” said Keru.
“Good-bye, gentlemen,” said Data.
As the two men headed for the crew lounge, Riker and Data went to catch the turbolift to their meeting.
Dr. Beverly Crusher had come to the ready room to deliver the crew medical evaluation report, and minutes later Picard found himself sharing the quick turbolift ride to deck three with her and Counselor Troi.
“Have either of you met the ambassador yet?” Picard said.
“Very briefly,” Troi said. “After Commander Riker had shown him and the admiral to their quarters.”
“And what was your impression of him?”
She shook her head. “Ullian minds are opaque even to full-blooded Betazoid telepaths, so my vantage point is no better than yours, Captain. But I did sense that Admiral Batanides was trying to conceal something.”
Intelligence operatives, Picard thought. He couldn’t help but wonder what secrets she might still be withholding from him, despite the nostalgic bond between them.
“What do you suppose it is that she’s hiding?” Crusher said.
A thoughtful look crossed Troi’s countenance. “For one thing, she doesn’t seem to want anyone to discover that she and Ambassador Tabor are romantically involved.”
“What?” Picard said. He realized too late that he had spoken much more loudly than he had intended.
A sly smile blossomed across Crusher’s face. “Isn’t the admiral an old friend of yours, Jean-Luc?”
“Yes, Doctor. But that’s all we were. And that was a very, very long time ago.”
The chief medical officer spread her hands in an exaggerated gesture of peace. “Sorry, Captain.” Stage-whispering to Troi, she said, “Deanna, I think you’d better schedule a counseling session.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Picard said, trying not to smile. Troi’s face flushed with barely bridled mirth.
At least now I know why Marta calls the ambassador by his first name, Picard thought. He assumed that she never mentioned the relationship for professional reasons.
The turbolift stopped. The three entered an empty corridor and headed toward the fore part of the deck. Just before they entered the main forward observation lounge, Picard overheard Crusher tell Troi that she had figured out that the admiral and the ambassador were an item when she noticed that Will had assigned them both to the same VIP stateroom.
Inside the lounge, Picard saw that all the rest of the ship’s senior officers were already taking their seats around the conference table. Aubin Tabor looked professorial, his hands behind his back as he stood before the star-flecked observation windows. Picard was impressed that Tabor was greeting everyone by name, without even once consulting a padd.
Or is he simply plucking whatever information he needs from each person’s mind?
As soon as everyone was settled, Tabor