Read Online Star Trek: The Next Generation - 020 - Q-In-Law by Peter David - Free Book Online
Authors: Peter David
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only a quick maneuver by Picard prevented the captain from spilling his own drink.
"Sorry, Picard!" boomed Graziunas.
He was shouting to be heard above the music, but it wasn't very difficult for him. His normal speaking voice was practically a bellow.
"Crowded here!" "Yes, I know," Picard replied.
"What?!" "I said, Yes, I know," Picard shouted, disliking having to shout but not seeing any other way out of it. "Perhaps we should have had this celebration in a larger area." "Oh, no!" protested Graziunas. "No, this is perfect! This is ideal!" He laughed and pointed. "Look at them, Picard!" Picard turned and followed where Graziunas was indicating. There were Kerin and Sehra, seated opposite each other at a table, holding hands and gazing dreamily at each other.
"Amazing," said Graziunas. "For all they're aware of the rest of the world, this room could be empty! The joyful blindness of youth, eh, Picard? Remember it?" "I was never young," said Picard with a hint of a smile. "I was always as you see me now." Graziunas laughed boisterously at that and clapped Picard on the back. The captain staggered slightly and hoped that the bear of a man hadn't dislocated his shoulder.
"Monopolizing the father of the bride? Shame, shame, Jean-Luc." Picard glanced around to see Lwaxana Troi standing uncomfortably close to him. She had every reason to, of course. The music was sufficiently loud that no one could hear anything if they were more than a foot apart. What made Picard edgy was what else might be motivating her. Nevertheless, he smiled and said, "My pardon, Mrs. Troi. Graziunas," he said quickly, "do you know--?" Graziunas took her hands and smiled broadly. "Who could forget the holder of the Sacred Chalice of Betazed! Lwaxana, how are you, my dear?" He graciously took her hand and raised her knuckles up to tap them lightly against his forehead. "You are never far from my thoughts." "Graziunas, you old flirt, you," replied Lwaxana, allowing him to retain her hand.
"You'll make Jean-Luc jealous." Graziunas looked from one to the other.
"Captain! Are you and the exquisite Lwaxana--?" "Oh, just friends," said Picard quickly. "Just friends." "Close friends," said Lwaxana Troi, "with a certain... understanding. Isn't that a fair assessment, Jean-Luc?" Picard, trying to find some gracious way out of the situation, was abruptly given a reprieve.
The lights throughout the Ten-Forward lounge flickered, and there was an odd sound, as if there had been a temporary power drain. Everyone looked around in a vague, but not terribly alarmed, manner. They were all too much the space veterans to become especially upset over a power surge. The Federation Horns, in fact, did not miss a note.
Nevertheless, Picard seized the opportunity, especially when Lwaxana said in confusion, "Now, what caused that, I wonder?" The lights went back to normal, but Picard wasn't about to let that be an excuse. "I will definitely find out," he said. "In fact, I see my chief engineer over there. Yes, I must check into this. You'll excuse me. Duty calls." "But, Captain," began Mrs. Troi.
He put up a hand. "I'm sorry. I cannot stand about and enjoy myself when there's the slightest hint of a problem." He turned quickly and started to make his way towards La Forge, who had sought safe haven near one of the viewing ports.
"Now, there is one dedicated man," said Graziunas approvingly.
Lwaxana frowned. "Yes," she said, not entirely able to hide the sourness in her voice.
"He's dedicated enough to be three dedicated men."
Behind the bar, Guinan's eyes went wide. The lights had just gone back to normal--it had been so minor a flickering that under ordinary circumstances, it wasn't cause for the slightest concern.
But Guinan knew, knew immediately. She looked around quickly, trying to pick him out in the crowd. Damn him. Where was he? Maybe he hadn't even
"Sorry, Picard!" boomed Graziunas.
He was shouting to be heard above the music, but it wasn't very difficult for him. His normal speaking voice was practically a bellow.
"Crowded here!" "Yes, I know," Picard replied.
"What?!" "I said, Yes, I know," Picard shouted, disliking having to shout but not seeing any other way out of it. "Perhaps we should have had this celebration in a larger area." "Oh, no!" protested Graziunas. "No, this is perfect! This is ideal!" He laughed and pointed. "Look at them, Picard!" Picard turned and followed where Graziunas was indicating. There were Kerin and Sehra, seated opposite each other at a table, holding hands and gazing dreamily at each other.
"Amazing," said Graziunas. "For all they're aware of the rest of the world, this room could be empty! The joyful blindness of youth, eh, Picard? Remember it?" "I was never young," said Picard with a hint of a smile. "I was always as you see me now." Graziunas laughed boisterously at that and clapped Picard on the back. The captain staggered slightly and hoped that the bear of a man hadn't dislocated his shoulder.
"Monopolizing the father of the bride? Shame, shame, Jean-Luc." Picard glanced around to see Lwaxana Troi standing uncomfortably close to him. She had every reason to, of course. The music was sufficiently loud that no one could hear anything if they were more than a foot apart. What made Picard edgy was what else might be motivating her. Nevertheless, he smiled and said, "My pardon, Mrs. Troi. Graziunas," he said quickly, "do you know--?" Graziunas took her hands and smiled broadly. "Who could forget the holder of the Sacred Chalice of Betazed! Lwaxana, how are you, my dear?" He graciously took her hand and raised her knuckles up to tap them lightly against his forehead. "You are never far from my thoughts." "Graziunas, you old flirt, you," replied Lwaxana, allowing him to retain her hand.
"You'll make Jean-Luc jealous." Graziunas looked from one to the other.
"Captain! Are you and the exquisite Lwaxana--?" "Oh, just friends," said Picard quickly. "Just friends." "Close friends," said Lwaxana Troi, "with a certain... understanding. Isn't that a fair assessment, Jean-Luc?" Picard, trying to find some gracious way out of the situation, was abruptly given a reprieve.
The lights throughout the Ten-Forward lounge flickered, and there was an odd sound, as if there had been a temporary power drain. Everyone looked around in a vague, but not terribly alarmed, manner. They were all too much the space veterans to become especially upset over a power surge. The Federation Horns, in fact, did not miss a note.
Nevertheless, Picard seized the opportunity, especially when Lwaxana said in confusion, "Now, what caused that, I wonder?" The lights went back to normal, but Picard wasn't about to let that be an excuse. "I will definitely find out," he said. "In fact, I see my chief engineer over there. Yes, I must check into this. You'll excuse me. Duty calls." "But, Captain," began Mrs. Troi.
He put up a hand. "I'm sorry. I cannot stand about and enjoy myself when there's the slightest hint of a problem." He turned quickly and started to make his way towards La Forge, who had sought safe haven near one of the viewing ports.
"Now, there is one dedicated man," said Graziunas approvingly.
Lwaxana frowned. "Yes," she said, not entirely able to hide the sourness in her voice.
"He's dedicated enough to be three dedicated men."
Behind the bar, Guinan's eyes went wide. The lights had just gone back to normal--it had been so minor a flickering that under ordinary circumstances, it wasn't cause for the slightest concern.
But Guinan knew, knew immediately. She looked around quickly, trying to pick him out in the crowd. Damn him. Where was he? Maybe he hadn't even
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