Resistance is Futile - pt 17

On the other side of Ten-Forward, Lwaxana Troi stood near the drink table. Her drink dangled in her hand forgotten as her gaze drifted between two couples, her daughter and new son-in-law and Picard and Hamilton.

Lwaxana was happy, though she was careful not to let on. Her daughter was in love and nestled in the arms of her new husband. The Betazoid woman didn’t doubt for a minute that the two faced a difficult future. Honestly, what marriage didn’t have its difficulties? And as for Picard…while it was true that she’d once been attracted to him, they had since become friends…even if she did irritate the man, which he never seemed to realize she did on purpose! While Lwaxana had never cared for Gandraleayians, finding them to be an uppity and prideful race, she did happen to have a soft spot for this particular half-breed.

The admiral had a habit of coming to Betazed at least once a year, and the two of them had talked on several occasions. Only tonight though, was Lwaxana able to see…or rather ‘hear’…beyond the alien woman’s shields. Virginia Hamilton was everything she appeared to be, and several things that she didn’t. And all that was from things Lwaxana could hear freely broadcast by the other woman. Virginia was very smitten with the man she was dancing with. Whether Picard would move beyond being smitten with her in return, was something yet to be seen.

Beside Ambassador Troi stood Beverly Crusher…a woman whose thoughts were an angry rumble.

“Damn,” the doctor muttered out loud.

“Problem, dear?” Lwaxana asked unnecessarily as she spared the angry redhead a glance.

“She’s…No, Lwaxana, nothing’s wrong.”

“You’re lying, but I’ll let you.”

The Klingon matriarch Sirella approached just then. “I just want you to know,” the woman said to Lwaxana with grated teeth. “That I do not approve of this marriage or your daughter.”

“It matters very little whether we approve, Sirella, because it’s over and done with. They really don’t care.” Lwaxana pulled herself up to her full height and managed to look down her nose at the Klingon woman. “And I’ll have you know that my daughter is a Daughter of the 5th House of Betazed, holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, and heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed…AND she’s recently accepted a highly dangerous mission against the Borg which is why they hurried the wedding.”

There was a moment of silence between the women as the dance music played.

“Are you serious?” Beverly demanded.

“You didn’t know?”

“Excuse me.” Beverly left the two and strode out onto the dance floor toward Deanna.

Considerate mother that she was, Lwaxana telepathically warned her daughter of the approaching situation.

Deanna turned from dancing with her new husband as Beverly reached her.

“Is it true?” the doctor demanded in a harsh hiss. “You’re going on a mission against the Borg?”

“This is not the place to discuss it,” replied Deanna. “But yes.”

“Is this the reason why Admiral Hamilton is here?”

Deanna opened her mouth to reply, but her friend had already rashly turned away and was striding angrily across the dance floor toward the admiral, whom the counselor was pleased to see in Captain Picard’s arms. “Damn.” Deanna turned her gaze to her mother, who was already talking to her telepathically.

I’ve already told Jean-Luc, echoed Lwaxana’s voice in her head.

Deanna turned back to watch, even as her husband tapped his comm badge and began to talk to the security officers around the room. She watched as the captain looked up, startled, and began to inconspicuously move the admiral away.

He wasn’t fast enough.

Beverly literally pulled the other woman out of Picard’s arms and punched her solidly in the jaw…and chaos erupted.

Admiral Hamilton staggered backwards into the captain. The surrounding couples moved away quickly, even as security officers moved in. Beverly had landed another blow before Picard was able to place himself between the two women and security could lay hold of her.

Normally, Virginia could take a beating and keep on standing, largely due to her alien heritage. However, this night she had foolishly downed a tall glass of Romulan Ale and was unconscious after the first blow.

Picard lowered Virginia to the floor and tapped his comm badge. “Medical team to Ten Forward.”

Data, the ever-present security chief, appeared and asked, “Shall I confine Doctor Crusher to her quarters?” She was, after all, a ranking officer.

“Yes, fine. Just get her out of here.” Picard didn’t even look at Beverly. He had never seen the doctor in such a state before and to be honest…it was more than a bit disconcerting.

With unprecedented speed, the medical team had arrived even as security was escorting the CMO out of the room. The medical team didn’t even hesitate at the odd site, although Doctor Selar raised her elegant Vulcan eyebrow at it.

“What happened?” asked Selar as she knelt across the prostrate woman from her captain, already aiming a tricoder at her.

“Doctor Crusher belted her in the jaw, twice.”

As the Vulcan doctor took her readings, Picard was struck be the unconscious woman’s look of helplessness. What an irony…the powerful alien woman, defenseless in the arms of the human captain.

“She is also drunk,” Selar stated. “There is no serious injury. She might have some bruising and tenderness until the alcohol is out of her system and she can heal herself.”

“You can’t…”

“Regulations. Her injury is not life threatening. The most we can do is move her to her quarters and let her sleep it off.”

Regulations again. Picard did well at hiding his disgust at the word. “Very well.”

As the attendants to Selar situated the unconscious admiral on a stretcher, Picard went to speak to the bride and groom.

“Captain,” began Deanna, standing with Worf at the refreshment table, with Guinan nearby. “Is she all right?”

“Yes. She’ll be fine. I’d like to apologize…”

“Nonsense Jean-Luc!” exclaimed Lwaxana, joining them, a glass of wine in her hand. “It was hardly your fault.”

“Still…”

“Captain…it’s all right,” said Deanna.

Picard sighed in relief. He wondered if his absence would be noticed if he were to leave with the admiral. Even as her thought that, he remembered that he was in the same room as a telepath and shot Lwaxana a guarded look.

“Now,” Deanna continued, “Don’t you think you ought to go see to the admiral?”

“Yes, thank you,” replied Picard with a smile. He nodded to the group, “Ladies, Worf, good evening.” With a smooth motion, the captain turned and briskly left Ten Forward.

“That went well,” Guinan said dryly.

“The admiral has always had a habit of livening up parties,” cpmmented Worf. “We should be glad there was no fire.”