1. I don't own Star Trek or any of the characters

2. Instead of making up new characters I used some that already existed in ST universe and gave them new positions and personalities

3. I don't have a beta so excuse the mistakes, I'm re-reading each chapter before posting it but sometimes they just pull through

Jocelyn couldn't believe her luck. It seemed the universe was on her side. Yes, it was a pity that all those people are in danger but she can't do anything about it. Except taking advantage of the situation.

In an unconscious movement she moved a strand of her golden-blond hair behind the ear. It was one of those little things she did to make sure her appearance was perfect. And right now she needed to look her best. She threw on her best and most seductive smile and went to the comm. to make a very important call.

On the way there she glanced at the grand table in the corner of the room that was overflowing with lists, business cards, samples, and other stuff she was collecting for the past few weeks. Luckily she still had seven weeks till the big day to decide on all the small but very important details.

Going through her digital phone book Jocelyn made several memos on who else she would have to call but for now there was only one person she needed to talk to. She found the number and pressed call. And then once more fixed her hair. She was Jocelyn Darnell, she needed to look perfect at all times.

"Jocelyn, what a pleasant surprise!" the charming man on the other side said. He was a long time friend of the Darnell family and he helped them many times.

"Roger, how are you? It's been a while I know but I need a favor."

At the word 'favor' she got his complete attention "I'm listening."

"I don't know if you watched the news just now but there is a plague on Tarsus IV, something about a fungus destroying crops and whatever… The Federation is organizing help, aid in food and water and medicine, I wasn't really paying attention. Anyway, it's the Enterprise that is supposed to deliver the help and it will take them three days to reach that God forsaken planet. So… I need you to set up a hearing in the next five or six days."

Roger snorted, a sound not so fitting for someone like him "It can't just happen cause you want it. My calendar is filled. It would be rude and unprofessional to move any of the cases to a later date for no good reason."

Jocelyn rolled her eyes and huffed like a bratty teenage girl that was just told she can't have something that all her friends have " Exactly how many reasons do you need?"

"Twice as many as last time." the answer came out faster then Jocelyn expected but it didn't surprise her as much as it might before. After all everything had a price.

She smiled sweetly "Not a problem. Leonard left me more then enough money. Thanks to you, of course."

Roger smiled back "It was a pleasure. I never liked McCoy."

"No one liked him." Jocelyn muttered like she was disgusted that she was once married to the man she was not talking against "And speaking of my ex… do I have to tell him about the hearing?"

"The law requires that he is informed. Can't get around that one."

It was not something she wanted to hear. But she knew how Roger operated "Do you have a loophole for me?"

The silence lasted several seconds before she got the answer she wanted "I can find you one but it will cost you extra."

"All good things in life cost extra. When will you have a date for me?"

Roger laughed "Impatient, are we? An hour. Maybe more since you need that loophole."

Jocelyn knew exactly how to negotiate "I'll pay you three times as much as last time if you get me everything under an hour. Don't want Joanna coming home from school and hear me discussing her precious daddy."

"It's good to have a goal in life. I'll comm you under an hour Jocelyn."

"I'm looking forward to hear from you Roger." She smiled one last time before cutting off the connection.

Squealing like a little girl Jocelyn turned away from the comm. and just barely stopped herself from skipping to the table. She had some time to spend on planning the grandest wedding Atlanta has ever seen. She'll send Leonard a thank you note eventually, thanking him for funding it all. Maybe… she could send him an invitation for the wedding. Now that would be amusing.

She was halfway through the guest list, trying to decide how to place everyone which wasn't easy cause half of her family couldn't stand the other half when the comm. chimed. Looking at the chronometer she had to smile; it was just over forty minutes since she talked to Roger. He really did earn every single credit she would be paying him once this whole mess was behind her.

"What do you have for me?" she asked without greeting him. Not that Roger minded, he understood her impatience.

"The hearing is in five days. Nine in the morning. Good for you?"

"Perfect." Jocelyn smiled "And the other thing."

"According to the law you are required to call Leonard, there is no way around that part. But it doesn't specify that you have to look for his new comm. number now that he changed address, so to speak. You can simply comm. him on his last number. It should be in your comm. memory since you talked to him."

A frown appeared on Jocelyn's face "He contacted me from the Enterprise, Roger. So that's not the solution I need. I don't want to take a slightest risk of him getting some kind of transport back to Earth in time for the hearing."

"You worry too much. Even if he did showed up you know that wouldn't change anything. But just to assure you… Did you speak to him in the period since he went to that ship? Did you ever answer when he called?"

"No. I've been screening the calls in the past two years. I don't want him to have any contact to Joanna and her hearing his voice by accident wasn't something I was willing to risk. She is too much like him; she wouldn't give up till I caved. It's easier to tell her he hasn't been calling."

"So basically that last time you talked to him was when he was still in the Academy?" Roger asked.

"Yes. Why?" Jocelyn didn't understand what he was aiming at.

"Like I said, by law you need to call him on his last number you have and that one is stored in the comm. memory even if it isn't in your phone book. When you don't accept a call the number gets stored in a temporary memory but is deleted automatically after a week."

"Oh, so because I haven't talked to him the comm. number from the Enterprise doesn't count?" she asked hopefully.

"No."

Jocelyn laughed happily "Oh, I wish I could see his face when he finds out. Maybe I'll comm. him after the hearing. But unfortunately I can't cause I don't have the number! Thank you Roger!"

"It's been a pleasure. I will see you in five days."

"I can hardly wait!"

It was moments after the comm. screen became inactive that the front door opened and a little girl ran inside. Her brown hair flowed half way down her back and was currently plaited into a single plait tied with a red bow that matched her fancy dress and shoes.

"Momma, momma… did he called today?"

Jocelyn frowned. Not only did her daughter ran in the house, something she specifically forbid her to do, but she was also more interested in talking to someone who was light-years away then to her own mother.

"No sweetie, no one called."

"But he said he would call every month. He promised he would." Joanna's voice showed how hurt she was. But instead of showing some sympathy to her daughter's pain Jocelyn only added fuel to the fire.

"I guess he is far too busy, dearest, and has more important things to do then call you every month. Like he promised he would."

Joanna nodded sadly and turned away "I'm going to my room. I have homework."

"Yes, you should write it right away. I'll make you something to eat when you are done. And don't forget to change, the dress wasn't exactly cheap. I don't want you ruin it." She called after Joanna as the little girl was climbing up the stairs.

"I will momma."

Jocelyn smiled smugly and finally noticed the other person that came in the house the same time Joanna did "Mother, what brings you here?"

"Judge Korby called me an hour ago and gave me a summary of your plans. I have to say the timing is excellent. This way Clay can adopt Joanna right after the ceremony. I'll have Andrea prepare the documents."

Unknown to both women Joanna was standing on the top of the stairs listening to their conversation before she slowly went to her room. Tears were already forming in her eyes and she didn't know how to stop them from falling. After getting in and quietly closing the door, momma told her all the time she shouldn't slam them cause ladies don't do that, Joanna walked to her bed and sat down. On the pillow was an old purple stuffed animal. She claimed it was a dog even though her daddy told her it was a bear. She wanted a dog so- it was a dog.

"Do you think he has more important things to do then to call me, huh Plum? No? I don't think so either." Joanna whispered to her hairy friend "But momma says he is. She wouldn't lie to me, would she? But how does she know he has more important things to do if he doesn't call?"

The nine-year-old girl continued to sit on her bed, in silence, waiting for answers she didn't get.

A cadet exited the bathroom and noticed his roommate finally got back from class. But for some reason he seemed distracted. It didn't take long for his friend to remember why and laugh.

"Let me guess Picard! You got blown up on the simulation!" he couldn't stop showing how amused he was with his friends bad mood "You may be a great starship captain some day but you are no James Kirk."

His friend sent him a glare "First of all, he cheated by adding a subprogram…"

"Which was something no one else thought of doing."

"You don't know that. Someone might have considered it but didn't do it cause it's cheating." Picard pointed out and then frowned "Why are we even talking about captain Kirk?"

"Because you were staring at nothing trying to figure out what went wrong with the Kobayashi Maru." his friends said it like it was so obvious.

"I was… but not cause of the test I knew I would fail at."

"Then why-"

"I talked to some woman on the comm. while you were in the bathroom. She said that the hearing is in five days at o-nine-hundred in Atlanta Court and that after someone named Clay will adopt Jenny or Jerry or something like that. It's with a 'J', that much I understood in my shocked state. Then she mumbled something about a doing what the law required and cut the connection."

His friend looked at him for few minutes before admitting he was confused "Wrong number?"

"If it was she would have said so right away. She could see me on the screen, she could see I wasn't the person she supposed to call."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm serious Crusher! The woman is obviously up to something!" Picard said seriously. His friend was a great guy but sometimes behaved immaturely. Hopefully Beverly will manage to get him in line with time.

"Okay, so it wasn't you she was looking for and it wasn't a wrong number by accident. She could have intentionally call a wrong number." Cadet Crusher pointed out and then gaped at his friend "Or she called the right number. Maybe she was looking for a cadet that used to live here. But I still don't get it why she talked to you. It doesn't make sense."

"For her it might." Picard said seriously "I'll talk to the quartermaster tomorrow. See if he could tell me who was in this room before."

"Any luck?" a shout made Picard stop on his way across the yard towards the main office building. He turned around and saw a group of cadets in red coming down the stairs. And his roommate was among them. Crusher waved to his classmates and while they went in one direction he walked toward his friend. As he walked closer he asked again "Well, did you had any luck? You know, the talk with the quartermaster. Did you even talk to him?"

"I tried. He blew me off." Picard muttered unhappily "Something about confidence. Ridiculous! I didn't ask for someone's medical records, I just wanted to know who was in the room before us."

Crusher snorted "If you ask me he was just being lazy. So… what are you going to do now?"

"I was just on my way to the main office building. I managed to get an appointment with admiral Pike. See if he can help me."

"Need company?" his friend asked.

Picard looked behind his friend and noticed something, or rather someone, Crusher obviously missed "You should turn around and then think if again if you still wasn't to come with me."

"Beverly?" he asked and turned around only to see a lovely cadet walking their way "Okay, I changed my mind. You're are taking command course, you should know how to talk to people by yourself."

Picard laughed and waved to his friend's girlfriend before continuing to his destination. Looking at his chronometer he was glad he left the room with plenty of time till the appointment. Cause right now he only had ten more minutes to get to the office on time and it was no short stroll to the tall glass building.

A green-skinned Orion was sitting behind the desk when he entered the office. She smiled to him before returning her attention to the disassembled device in front of her. There was no way of knowing what it used to be before and it made Picard wonder if the woman knew what she was doing.

"Admiral Pike is having a conference transmission. It should be finished in few minutes. He will receive you then." She said not looking at him but at the strange parts on the desk "You should sit, in case it lasts longer then expected."

"Thank you." He said and did as she suggested. The black leather chairs were soft and comfortable an after few minutes, when the Orion told him the admiral will see him now, he didn't feel like getting up.

"I'm Gaila, admiral Pike's secretary. I'm afraid you only have fifteen minutes before the admiral has another appointment, cadet Picard."

"That's more then I need, I hope."

Admiral Pike was typing something on a padd when Picard entered the office but instantly placed it down and focused on the newcomer. He didn't know much about why the cadet requested to see him. Gaila said he mentioned a comm. he received instead of a cadet that used to be in the room before him.

To him it didn't make much sense but he hoped he would be explained why it is so important.

And once he heard the story, once he found out about the foreign woman calling and mentioning hearing and adoption he did what the quartermaster refused. He accessed the data from the previous years to see the potential candidates for the comm. that will inform that person of still confusing message the woman gave to a wrong cadet. He was certain it was for someone who survived the Narada disaster otherwise there wouldn't be a need for the hearing. And although that limited the search there were still plenty of candidates.

Picard saw the admiral frowning before looking from the screen "What name did you say she mentioned?"

"Jenny or something similar. Maybe Jerry." He answered but he wasn't really certain.

"Joanna." The admiral offered a name.

"Yes, it's possible." He admitted "Do you know who the comm. was meant to?"

"Yes. I do." Admiral Pike said and pressed a button to hail his secretary.

"Sir?" she asked entering the office.

"Move my next appointment for later. And then set me a communication channel with the Enterprise. Doctor McCoy needs to know something regarding his daughter."