Star Trek: The Next Generation - 020 - Q-In-Law by Peter David Read Free Book Online Page A

us too." Data obediently got to his feet as Picard said, "Pilot--might I ask for whom she was in mourning?" And Deanna Troi came to a halt as the pilot's voice came over the speaker.
     
     
"Yeah," said the pilot. "She's in mourning for her daughter."
     
     
Chapter Five
     
     
"Son?" Kerin jumped a couple of feet in the air when he heard his father's voice. He had been leaning against a corridor wall on board the Nistral ship, totally lost in thought. "Yes, father!" he said quickly.
     
     
Nistral looked down at his son. "Something on your mind, Kerin?" "No, sir." "How's Sehra?" For a moment a dreamy expression passed over his face and he said, "Great." Then he quickly composed himself and cleared his throat. "She's.
     
     
uhm, she's fine, father. She was here earlier. But she's gone now. She went back to the ship of Graziunas." The head of the house of Nistral started to walk down the corridor, his son obediently falling into step alongside him. Nistral studied his son thoughtfully. "And what," he asked slowly, "did you do together while she was here?" He wanted to boast. He wanted to shout. He wanted to.
     
     
"Nothing, father. Just... talked," said Kerin.
     
     
Nistral raised an eyebrow. "Indeed." "Yes, father. Just... talked." "Your mother and I... we also just talked, shortly before our wedding." "I'm sure you did, father." "We had some very... intimate conversations," his father said.
     
     
He said it with enough significance and meaning that it managed to penetrate even the romantic haze that had covered Kerin's brain. He looked up at his father--really looked--for the first time since the conversation had started.
     
     
"How intimate?" asked Kerin.
     
     
Nistral stopped in front of his chambers. The doors hissed open as he said, "Where do you think you came from, Kerin?" Kerin's mouth moved but no sound came out.
     
     
"I certainly hope you were more cautious," his father said dryly and disappeared into his room.
     
     
Kerin leaned against a wall. "Me too," he said.
     
     
Picard, Troi, Data, and Riker hurried toward the transporter room where Lwaxana Troi awaited in all her opulence. It was clear from Deanna's expression that her mind was whirling, trying to sort out what the Rigellian pilot had told them.
     
     
Picard empathized with her. There was something about the presence of one's parents--the ones who nursed you through sickness, who wiped your nose and your bottom--that caused all the childhood traumas and insecurities to come racing back to you, no matter how accomplished and secure you were.
     
     
Probably, he reasoned, because parents know where all the skeletons are buried, and one never knew when a parent would unearth that skeleton for the purpose of taking one down a peg.
     
     
Suddenly an image of Lwaxana Troi endeavoring to change diapers flashed into his mind.
     
     
Not likely.
     
     
He did not ask Deanna any further about the mourning reference on the assumption that if she knew, she would tell him.
     
     
Riker, on the other hand, didn't hesitate.
     
     
"Deanna, you don't have a sister, do you?" he was asking in confusion. Troi had the shortest stride of any of them, and yet she was a good four paces ahead of them.
     
     
"Not that I know of," she was saying. "I don't understand. In mourning, for her daughter. Could she think I'm dead? What could have happened? How could she--?" Then her voice trailed off and she slowed down. In an instant the hurrying officers had gone right past her. They stopped, looking at her in confusion.
     
     
"Counselor--?" Picard prompted.
     
     
"I think I know what it is," said Deanna.
     
     
"I'll tell you, but..." "But what?" said Riker, concern etched on his face.
     
     
She looked up at him with those luminous eyes.
     
     
The road not taken.
     
     
"You have to promise," she said, "not to laugh."
     
     
O'Brien's fingers strayed over the transporter controls. He was running the possibilities through his mind. Could the