The Battle of Betazed - Charlotte Douglas [10]
Once again in the privacy of her quarters, he placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “What are you going to do?”
She tilted her head with a defiant thrust of her chin and glared up at him. “What do you think I should do?”
He released her and shook his head. “You know I can’t make this choice for you. The risks are astronomical at every level. But in the short term, you’ll be behind enemy lines on a planet under Jem’Hadar control, trying to get off it with a dangerous prisoner who may not even want to cooperate.”
“I’ve been in danger plenty of times before.” She studied him with an intensity that made him struggle to keep from squirming. “The danger’s not really what’s bothering you, is it?”
“Damn it, Deanna, don’t you dare turn counselor on me. This isn’t a therapy session. I do worry about you—”
The smile he’d come to love played across her face, and she placed her hand on his sleeve. “I’m sorry, Will. I appreciate your concern. But we both know what the real issue is here.”
Given the opening, Riker took the plunge. “What’ll happen to Betazed if Vaughn’s plan is successful?”
She folded her arms across her chest. “My homeworld will be free.”
“Free, yes,” Riker agreed. “But adopting a serial murderer’s abilities—”
Her temper flared and she held up her hands. “Stop it, Will. Please,” she nearly shouted. “I understand that you want to make sure I’ve looked at it from every angle, but this isn’t helping. I know the risks, and I know the stakes. I also know that ultimately, this is about more than just Betazed. The fate of the Federation could hang on whether or not we can force the Dominion out. And we both know that Betazed— my Betazed, the world I know and love—may need to pay the price for a Federation victory. I hate that, Will! I hate the fact that Starfleet can’t do its job for Betazed! I hate that my own people are willing to risk the very things that define them! And most of all, I hate feeling like I have to make a deal with the devil to have any kind of hope at all! Because I’m just not sure which is worse—what the Dominion’s done to Betazed, or what Tevren might do to it.”
They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment, and Riker knew with certainty that her decision was made. “You’re going,” he whispered, and he found his throat constricting around the words as he said them.
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?” Troi said bitterly. She gazed up at him, dark eyes flashing. “If it’s this or nothing, I can’t afford the luxury of worrying about what could go wrong. All I really know is that for the first time since the invasion, I have a chance to make a difference. That has to be better than doing nothing.”
“I hope to God you’re right, Deanna,” Riker said quietly, “because no matter how this mission turns out for Betazed, or even the Federation, I’m most worried about how it’ll turn out for you.”
“Come.”
It was later that day at Picard’s invitation that Deanna stepped into the captain’s ready room. “You wanted to see me, sir?”
Picard rose from behind his desk and waved her toward a sofa on the far wall. “Have a seat, Counselor.”
She settled onto the sofa. The captain had had little to say during Vaughn’s briefing, but she’d sensed his reservations about the commander’s mission to Darona and the request of the Betazed resistance.
Picard moved to the replicator. “Cocoa, hot.” He removed the fragrant cup and handed it to her. “Comfort food,” he explained with a sympathetic expression that helped put her at ease.
She wrapped her fingers around the mug, grateful for its warmth. She’d felt chilled ever since Vaughn’s first mention of Tevren and wondered if the resistance had any idea of the monster they planned to unleash.
The captain ordered tea for himself and joined her on the sofa. “You know why I’ve called you here.”
“To discuss Commander Vaughn’s mission.”
Picard had never been a man to flaunt his emotions, but the tight smile he gave her now was filled with compassion. “Actually, I called you for another reason altogether.”
Deanna sipped her