"The Next Generation of seaQuest," part two
"That's fascinating. It's so simple I can't believe no one's come up with it yet," Katie Hitchcock said, staring at the Enterprise's reactor.
"The logical reason for the lack of this technology at the current date," Data replied from behind her, "is that many of the materials needed for it to run safely have not been discovered yet."
"So if the materials haven't been discovered, how can we fix this thing?" Ben Krieg asked. All this science was beginning to make him wonder if he'd gotten himself in over his head with this latest assignment. Science had never been his forte in school, and was even less so now.
"Good question," Lucas said.
"The problem is not necessarily about finding replacement parts, Lieutenant, but being able to repair the ones already in place," Geordi LaForge replied.
"But how do we contain the matter and antimatter while we're fixing the chamber?" Katie said rhetorically, not expecting an answer. Around her, heads shook.
* * *
"How do you manage to keep up with both the science experiments and the medical emergencies on a boat the size of seaQuest? I find myself getting back logged and I only have to deal with medicine," Beverly said leading Kristin into her office.
"I don't usually," Kristin replied with a laugh. "I've had to come to the realization that I'm not Wonder Woman and I can't handle everything all of the time. Major things do get shoved in my direction, though."
"I'd go crazy, heck, I go crazy just with this much," Beverly chuckled. "Would you like something to drink?"
"A cup of tea would be wonderful if you have some," Kristin replied, seating herself in the chair by the desk.
"Any special kind?"
"Earl Grey?"
"Just like Jean-Luc," Beverly said shaking her head. "Computer, Earl Grey tea, hot, and coffee." Two cups appeared in the replicator and Beverly handed the one with the lighter liquid to Kristin, keeping the darker one for herself.
"You have more than just a professional relationship with Captain Picard, don't you?" Kristin observed, taking a sip of her tea.
Beverly swallowed a sip of coffee, sitting back in her chair. "I didn't know it was that obvious."
"Most of the time it isn't. It's only when you're alone with him that it shows." Kristin smiled, "And you're not the only Chief Medical Officer with feelings for her Captain."
Beverly looked only mildly surprised by this. She'd noticed the interaction between Kristin and Bridger earlier. "Are those feeling reciprocated?"
Kristin sighed, settling her tea cup on her knee and looking down at the warm liquid. "I think deep down, yes," she said finally. "But Nathan is still tangling with the loss of his wife a few years ago. I've tried to let him have time and space to cope."
Beverly almost laughed out loud. "Jean-Luc's been giving me time and space for twenty-five years now." At Kristin's puzzled look, she explained. "I was married to Jean-Luc's best friend, Jack Crusher." Even after so many years her eyes still grew misty thinking of Jack, and she had to blink several times to clear away the tears that were threatening to fall. "We met through Jack and it was Jean-Luc who brought back his body after he died. Jean-Luc has been there for me as a friend through the good times and the bad for over twenty-five years now. I've come to count on his support and friendship, not realizing that he loved me through it all."
"And do you love him?"
She closed her eyes and slowly nodded, "But I don't want to ruin our friendship. It means more to me than almost anything in the universe. Sometimes I wonder if he's frustrated, knowing I love him but too scared to do anything about it."
"Well if he has waited twenty-five years than a little while longer won't make much difference," Kristin said, trying to cheer up her suddenly quiet friend. "Beverly, by taking your relationship one step further your friendship will either suffer totally, or it will strengthen even more."
"That's why I'm afraid," Beverly replied. "I don't want to lose what we already have. That's twenty-five years in the making."
"Friendship is the greatest precursor to love that I know. I made the mistake of marrying without a strong foundation of friendship, and I found myself back where I started -- alone." Kristin paused, and then continued on. "But, ... in the end, it's a decision that only you and Jean-Luc can make."
"I know ..." Beverly trailed off. He lips curved up into a smile. "So tell me about this Captain of yours."
Kristin laughed as her new friend changed the subject.
* * *
"Is there some way we could construct a temporary chamber around the old one, or maybe just part, like a patch?" Lucas suggested.
LaForge shook his head. "The technology and materials are too advanced for this time."
"Is the chamber actually made of dilithium, as in two lithium atoms together?" Hitchcock asked. She was still trying to figure out the physics behind such a device.
"The original chambers were made of dilithium, but later models such as this one are made of a composite of a hardened version of carbon and C6H12O6," Data answered.
Lucas looked up in surprise. "Woah, carbon and glucose?" he said.
"Yes," Data said, "but the process for combining the two --"
"Might be possible," Geordi said excitedly, cutting Data off, "if we can find the products and enough heat and pressure."
"How much do you need?" Krieg said excitedly, already halfway to the door.
"I don't know that we could provide that much heat in so short a time," Hitchcock said skeptically. "And besides, diamond isn't exactly an abundant product."
"Do you have a better idea, Commander?" Lucas asked, his mind running at near warp speed as he tried to figure out a way to make the idea work.
"No, but I think we shouldn't pin all of our hopes on a plan that may not work," she replied.
"The Commander has a valid point. We have only a forty-two point three nine eight percent chance of being successful," Data provided.
"Thank you, Data," Geordi said trying not to let his frustration show, "but we might as well get this one underway and at the same time keep looking at other options." Heads nodded around the room and Krieg left to call some people.
* * *
"Captain Bridger," Deanna Troi said entering Ten Forward, "I see you've met Guinan."
Bridger was standing be the large window and had just been joined by Guinan when Deanna entered. "Actually, I had just come over to see if the Captain would like something to drink," the bartender smiled serenely.
"Oh, well, Captain, this is our bartender, Guinan," Deanna said. "Guinan, Captain Bridger of the seaQuest."
"Guinan," Bridger nodded.
"Captain," she smiled in return. "Can I get you something to drink?"
He shook his head. "No, I'm fine."
"Counselor?"
"No, thank you, Guinan, I'm fine," Deanna smiled at her with a slight shake of the head. Guinan nodded and returned to the bar. "Exploring the ship?" Deanna said, turning back to Bridger.
He nodded. "Some of the advances are fascinating, even to someone who generally dislikes space exploration."
"And why is that?" she asked.
"Why do I dislike space?" Deanna nodded. "Well, I suppose it's jealousy mostly. It's always been my stiffest competition for funding. And the rewards it brings are so small compared to the cost." He glanced over at his companion. "What brings you down here, Counselor?"
"I was looking for Kristin and Beverly," she said. "Have you seen them?"
Deanna noticed his eyes light up briefly at the mention of Kristin. "No, not lately."
She couldn't help herself from asking her next question. "You're very close to Kristin, aren't you?"
"Why do you say that?"
"The way you act when she's around. Like right now when I said her name, your eyes lit up. It's not hard to see." He smiled not knowing what to say. "Your crew can see it too," she observed.
Bridger grimaced, "Great, just what I need, a ship full of rumors about the Captain's private life."
She laughed. "Your boat's not the only one with rumors, Captain, all boats have them."
"And what are some of the rumors on the Enterprise?" he asked, partly out of curiosity, and partly just to make conversation.
"Oh, I wouldn't want to spread gossip and rumors that might not be true," she replied quickly, and his eyebrows went up is doubt. She smiled, sensing his doubt. "But I will say that we have our fair share of ideas about Captain Picard's private life."
"I'm sure he enjoys that," Bridger said sarcastically.
"Well, the captain is an extremely private man, which tends to add fuel to the fire. But, like I said, nothing has been proven, and as far as I know, Captain Picard is still a confirmed bachelor."
"Ah. Funny how our two ships parallel each other in so many ways," Bridger observed.
"How do you mean, Captain?"
He shrugged. "Well, both are the flagships of their respective communities, and both have the top crews of the times, for a start."
"Somehow I get the feeling the similarities run even deeper that you imagine, Captain," Deanna said.
Bridger looked over at her and frowned. "Please don't take this the wrong way, Counselor, but I get a very odd feeling when you're around. This is going to seem strange, but are you psychic?"
"Actually, I'm an empath, I sense feelings rather than thoughts," she replied, a bit surprised that he'd picked up on her empathic abilities. "Can I ask how you knew, Captain?"
"I don't really know, Counselor," he said, "just a feeling I had." He paused, studying her. "I take it you know the crew quite well."
She nodded. "Yes, some better than others. Why?"
He shrugged again. "I tend to like to know who it is I'm dealing with, what makes them tick. What is Doctor Crusher like?"
"Interesting you should start with her," Deanna said.
"Why?"
She shrugged noncommittally. "Beverly is an excellent doctor, she even spent a year as head of Starfleet Medical. Beverly worked her way through the ranks despite much personal loss and grief. Her husband died almost fifteen years ago, leaving her with a young son. Beverly has had a few relationships since, but nothing permanent. She is a strong woman, however, and has managed to get by with the support of friends, especially Captain Picard."
"So they're quite close."
"I think Beverly would consider the Captain her best friend," Deanna replied.
Bridger chuckled. "And I would guess that has caused more than one rumor through the years."
"Like I said, Captain, the similarities go much deeper than you imagine."
* * *
Kristin Westphalen was busy studying the tricorder sitting on the desk in front of her she heard a gentle knock on the door. She looked up to see Picard standing in the doorway. "Oh, Captain Picard. I was just trying to wind my head around this technology and figure out how to use this ... tricorder, is it?"
"Tricorder, yes," he nodded, looking around the small office. "Where is Doctor Crusher?"
"She went to check on a patient," Kristin replied with a smile. "She should be back in a few minutes if you'd like to wait. I promise I won't bite."
Picard grinned and considered the offer for a moment, deciding a few minutes with the doctor could prove to be quite interesting. "All right, I think I can spare a few minutes." He walked over to the replicator. "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." Kristin had to hide a smile as she now understood Beverly's earlier comment. "So, Doctor, how are you finding medicine in the twenty-fourth century?" he asked, turning back around to face her, tea cup in hand.
"It's fascinating, both as a medical doctor and a scientist," she said. "I had no idea such things were possible."
"There are probably quite a few things that might surprise you, Doctor."
Outside, Beverly Crusher entered the main room of Sickbay and stopped just inside the door. Standing there, she silently watched the two people in her office talking. One, an old friend; the other, a new friend.
"Do you commonly block the doorway, Doctor?"
Beverly spun around to find Nathan Bridger standing behind her, grinning mischievously. "Captain, I'm sorry, I was distracted for a moment," she apologized, blushing slightly. She stepped aside to let him enter.
"That something wouldn't happen to be the conversation over there?" he nodded his head toward her office where both Kristin and Picard were visible through the window.
She laughed. "Am I that transparent?"
"Only because there's very little else to grab one's attention in here," he chuckled. "Any special reason for the interest in Captain Picard and Doctor Westphalen?"
Beverly paused for a moment, thinking. "No," she said finally, shaking her head. "And why is Sickbay being graced by your presence, Captain?"
"I was looking for Doctor Westphalen," he said. "And it looks as though I found her."
"It seems so," Beverly nodded. "I don't know if you're aware of it, but Kristin cares for you very much."
"She's the CMO," Bridger responded. "She cares for the entire boat. Surely you can understand that, Doctor."
"No," she shook her head. "I don't mean in that way. I mean something deeper, more ... personal." She paused for a moment. "I don't mean to pry, Captain, but you're a widower, right?"
"Yes, how ...?"
"Kristin mentioned it," she replied. "Captain, I did much the same thing when Jack died. For years I stayed true to Jack and his memory. I'm still not sure I can really forget him and everything he meant to me. And then sometimes I have to wonder if maybe I might be missing something very special by clinging to his memory like that."
"Captain Picard," he said.
She paused and then nodded. "Just give the matter a little thought." Beverly turned and headed for her office. "Well, you two seem to be getting along quite well. I don't suppose you've managed to get him to come in for his overdue physical, have you?"
Kristin laughed. "No, but if you figure out how, let me know. I happen to know another stubborn Captain."
"I'm not avoiding it, I've just been too busy," Bridger said entering the room.
"Could have fooled me," Kristin quipped.
"LaForge to Captain Picard."
Picard sighed and tapped his comm badge, "Go ahead Mr. LaForge."
"Captain, in order to fix the engine I'm going to have to shut off everything except the essentials."
"For how long, Mr. LaForge?"
"At least three to four hours, sir," the engineer replied.
"Is that our only choice?" Picard asked.
"In order to safely repair the chamber, I'm afraid so," LaForge said. "It's the only way we've come up with so far."
"Fine, make it so, but do it quickly."
"Aye, sir."
* * *
"All right people, let's get this done with and get the power back on line," LaForge yelled across engineering.
"I certainly hope this works," Hitchcock mumbled.
"It's our only choice, Commander," Lucas replied.
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