Lieutenant Commander Data watched as his crewmembers rematerialized. As
soon as they were sure of their surroundings, Riker set Counselor Troi down
on her own feet. Data knew better than to make an inquiry. He looked at the
others. Doctor Crusher staggered a bit, and the Captain put a hand on her
arm to steady her.
"Well, that was fun." Riker grinned, in an attempt to lighten the
mood. Everyone except Data grinned.
"Captain, Doctor, It is ...nice, to have you back. I suggest you both
stop by sickbay, to make sure you have sustained no injuries while on
the planet." Data stated.
Picard grinned, "You took the words right out of my mouth, Mr. Data."
The Doctor gave him a warning look, but said nothing. He helped her down
from the transporter pad, and surprisingly enough, to everyone else, she
let him.
As the doors closed, Geordi grinned at Will and Deanna.
"Well, what do you know?" Riker said in astonishment.
"I am afraid I have missed something." Data replied, confused. Even
more puzzling was the fact that the only answer he got was a laugh.
***
Later that evening, Beverly and Jean-Luc sat in his quarters. They had finished eating, and the doctor reclined on the couch as he finished recycling the tableware. "So. How do you think Starfleet will react to this report." Beverly asked playfully. Jean-Luc smiled. "I don't doubt they'll have a good laugh at our expense," he joked in return. The doctor smiled. "What do you think they'll say?" he asked. "I don't know." she mused. "We seem to have the worst luck on away missions." The Captain rolled his eyes as he sat in the armchair across from her. She grinned flirtatiously, "Maybe you should stop going on them." "Maybe you and I should go on more." he joked. "Oh? you like getting kidnapped in strange places?" she replied. "It depends on the company I'm in." Beverly looked away, and caught sight of something small and shiny on the floor. She leaned over and picked it up. It looked like one of the Captain's pips. How it had fallen on the floor, Beverly didn't know. Even though she was in civilian dress, the Captain had just removed his jacket, and rolled up the sleeves of the red shirt underneath. She checked his collar, sure enough, one was missing. "What's that?" he asked. "it looks like a rank pip to me, Commander Picard." she replied, mischievously. "Commander...?" he asked, puzzled, reaching up to feel his collar. He noticed the fourth one missing. "Where did you get that?" he asked, in mock anger. "I found it on the floor." "Thank you. I wouldn't want to accidentally leave my quarters without it." "Who says it's yours?" she asked. "I don't know that. It could be anyone's." "In my quarters?" "Who knows?" "Give it back, Beverly," he warned her, his face was as severe as he could make it, but his eyes were dancing. "I don't know. I rather like it." she grinned, standing up. "I think I'll see you tomorrow Jean-Luc." she walked towards the door as if to leave. "Computer, lock door." he ordered. "You're not going anywhere until you give that back." "Are you sure it's yours?" she smiled, coyly, stepping away from him, slowly. "Completely." he said, rising. "Maybe I should ask the computer just to be sure." "It will tell you that it's mine." "All right then, take it if you want it." she grinned, "If you can." just as he got within a few steps of her, she dodged behind him. He whirled around, and caught his foot on a chair, just as he lunged, toppling both of them onto the couch. "What do you say, Doctor?" he grinned. "I think... this belongs to you." she replied, pinning it onto his collar. "I think, we should let Commander Riker write the report to Starfleet."
--/\--**(*)**--/\--
***
Later that evening, Beverly and Jean-Luc sat in his quarters. They had finished eating, and the doctor reclined on the couch as he finished recycling the tableware. "So. How do you think Starfleet will react to this report." Beverly asked playfully. Jean-Luc smiled. "I don't doubt they'll have a good laugh at our expense," he joked in return. The doctor smiled. "What do you think they'll say?" he asked. "I don't know." she mused. "We seem to have the worst luck on away missions." The Captain rolled his eyes as he sat in the armchair across from her. She grinned flirtatiously, "Maybe you should stop going on them." "Maybe you and I should go on more." he joked. "Oh? you like getting kidnapped in strange places?" she replied. "It depends on the company I'm in." Beverly looked away, and caught sight of something small and shiny on the floor. She leaned over and picked it up. It looked like one of the Captain's pips. How it had fallen on the floor, Beverly didn't know. Even though she was in civilian dress, the Captain had just removed his jacket, and rolled up the sleeves of the red shirt underneath. She checked his collar, sure enough, one was missing. "What's that?" he asked. "it looks like a rank pip to me, Commander Picard." she replied, mischievously. "Commander...?" he asked, puzzled, reaching up to feel his collar. He noticed the fourth one missing. "Where did you get that?" he asked, in mock anger. "I found it on the floor." "Thank you. I wouldn't want to accidentally leave my quarters without it." "Who says it's yours?" she asked. "I don't know that. It could be anyone's." "In my quarters?" "Who knows?" "Give it back, Beverly," he warned her, his face was as severe as he could make it, but his eyes were dancing. "I don't know. I rather like it." she grinned, standing up. "I think I'll see you tomorrow Jean-Luc." she walked towards the door as if to leave. "Computer, lock door." he ordered. "You're not going anywhere until you give that back." "Are you sure it's yours?" she smiled, coyly, stepping away from him, slowly. "Completely." he said, rising. "Maybe I should ask the computer just to be sure." "It will tell you that it's mine." "All right then, take it if you want it." she grinned, "If you can." just as he got within a few steps of her, she dodged behind him. He whirled around, and caught his foot on a chair, just as he lunged, toppling both of them onto the couch. "What do you say, Doctor?" he grinned. "I think... this belongs to you." she replied, pinning it onto his collar. "I think, we should let Commander Riker write the report to Starfleet."
--/\--**(*)**--/\--