Resistance Is Futile - Pt 13

Not a morning person, Virginia slept late, especially since she had spent another two hours talking with Guinan before going to bed. She had little work to do, but what she had to do she did from her quarters. Her office in StarFleet Headquarters called once at noon to check in, and all was well. Then, her work done, she checked the Enterprise’s daily recreation schedule and saw several for that afternoon, ranging from exercise classes to a craft class and a presentation a portion of Act 5 of “Hamlet”. Having portrayed Ophelia several times in her acting days, Virginia decided to attend.

Though she wasn’t required to wear her uniform, she did so anyway. She wasn’t technically on duty, but one thing she had learned in her 50 years as an admiral, was that a StarFleet admiral was never off-duty. She had tried over the years, once going so far as to not tell anyone where she was going on vacation. It hadn’t worked of course. There were 3 others Gandraleayians in StarFleet service, and one Gandraleayian/Vulcan/Human hybrid. Any one of them were able to locate her without so much as blinking an eye during the process. The only time they couldn’t locate her, was when she was drunk. But then, she couldn’t get drunk on vacation without getting in trouble with her superiors.

Leaving her uniform jacket hanging open, she gave her hair once last finger combing and left her quarters. She took her time getting to the rec room where the play was going to be held, just meandering through the different corridors, greeting the people. Finally she found herself seated in the middle of the rows of chairs talking with an ensign on her left, when she felt someone sit next to her on the other side.

How was it possible that she knew it was him without a telepathic bond between the two of them? That phenomenon had happened three times before in her life; once with Marcus before they were married, often with her foster father Luther, and a few times with Ian before he had become her teacher. Both Marcus and Luther had loved her unconditionally.

“You really think I should transfer to the medical field?” Ensign V’Hazna was asking her. “Oh, hello Captain!”

“Ensign,” acknowledged Picard with a nod of his head.

Virginia answered the ensign, playfully ignoring the captain. “Ensign, it doesn’t take telepathy to see that you’re unhappy in engineering.”

“But my dad, ma’am…he’s had his heart set on me being chief engineer someday.”

“Your father wanted to be an engineer himself and since he couldn’t, he’s trying to live out his dreams through you. We can’t live out our parents’ dreams, ensign. It just doesn’t work.”

“Yes ma’am. I’ll…”

“Good. When you decide, let my office know and we’ll see that the transfer goes off without a hitch.”

“You...thank you ma’am!”

The lights dimmed and conversation cut off across the room. Verbal communication cut off.

Virginia turned to face the stage and positioned her right hand conveniently so that if Jean-Luc wanted to, he could take it into his own. With the lights so dim, they were practically invisible, so it wasn’t long until his hand enveloped hers. For the rest of the play, the couple flirted with their fingers.

They regretfully let go as the applause began and the lights brightened. As the bows were given, and the audience began to break up, Virginia turned and smiled widely at the captain of the Enterprise.

“I see why I haven’t seen you yet today. You’ve been busy given advice to my crew,” said Picard gruffly.

“Just Ensign V’Hazna. I did my work from my quarters this morning, you know – the necessary checking into the office to make sure the kids aren’t partying too much while I’m gone. So, did you come all the way down here because you missed me, or was it just your love of Shakespeare?”

Picard was smiling now, his eyes alive with laughter. “I had already intended to attend the play, but when the computer told me you were here, it was an added bonus. I didn’t have to call you and ask if you could.”

“You have some excellent actors among your crew,” Virginia said to redirect the conversation. “If they had been around in the late twentieth century, they’d have given us a run for our money.”

“Oh yes, you started out as an actress didn’t you? I’d forgotten.”

“Five movies and three Broadway plays before I switched to directing. Between the competition and the critics, I found it an excellent training ground for politics.”

“Did you ever do anything of Shakespeare?”

“I was Ophelia one on Broadway. You know, I never bought that she committed suicide. I always thought that she was murdered.”

“Really? I’ve never…”

“Jean-Luc! I wasn’t sure you’d made it!” intruded a delighted female voice. Doctor Beverly Crusher sat in the row of chairs in front of the admiral and captain. “I’m sorry…am I interrupting?”