Forwarded by the ASC-VSO Posted: 18 Jan 2004 16:44:08 -0800 In: alt.startrek.creative From: catherine_ell69@hotmail.com (Catherine) Title: Allegiance Follow-Up Author: Catherine Ellis Series: TNG Rating: PG-13 Codes: P/C Part: 1/1 Summary: This story is a follow-up scene to the TNG season 3 episode If you can't remember the episode it is the one in which Picard is abducted and replaced by a convincing copy. This False Picard invites Beverly to supper in his quarters, says he wants to get closer and makes a pass at her while they are dancing. When she shows reluctance he suggests she should leave. When the real Picard returns to the Enterprise he hears about his copy and guesses, from Beverly's behaviour, that the False Picard must have made some sort of advance. Archives: ASC; anyone else, please ask. http://www.geocities.com/catherine_ell69/allegiance.html +++++++++++++++ "Allegiance Follow-Up" by Catherine Ellis This story is a follow-up scene to the TNG season 3 episode ‘Allegiance'. If you can't remember the episode it is the one in which Picard is abducted and replaced by a convincing copy. This False Picard invites Beverly to supper in his quarters, says he wants to get closer and makes a pass at her while they are dancing. When she shows reluctance he suggests she should leave. When the real Picard returns to the Enterprise he hears about his copy and guesses, from Beverly's behaviour, that the False Picard must have made some sort of advance. My story starts two days after these events. I've written it as a script and used the present tense. --------- After two days of worrying Picard decides he has to ask Beverly what his copy got up to. During this time Beverly has also been thinking about the False Picard and how she behaved towards him. The scene takes place in Beverly's quarters. It is late evening. Beverly is wearing casual clothes, the lights are slightly dimmed. The door chime sounds. ----------- "Come in." Picard enters looking slightly nervous. "Good evening Captain. What can I do for you?" Her playful smile only increases his fears. "I just wanted a word doctor ... if it's convenient." "I'm all yours. Shall we sit down?" "No. ...Thank you, I'd rather stand." "Very well." They stand rather awkwardly, with arms folded. Picard starts cautiously. "It's about my doppelganger - my copy ..." "Yes?" "I need to know what he did." "Didn't Will tell you? He turned the ship around ... banned all external communication ... sang drinking songs in Ten-Forward ...." Picard winces at the though and interrupts. "Yes, yes, I know all that. But what else did he do?" "How do you mean?" "Don't tease me Beverly. You know what I mean. How did he behave towards you?" "I'm not sure I should say - Nice girls don't tell - you know." "But I need to know?" "Why?" "Because ... because it's as though I got drunk and can't remember what I got up." "But it wasn't you Jean-Luc." "I know, but you thought it was me. Or at least you did at the time. He might have affected how you view me. Please?" He looks at her pleadingly. "All right." Beverly pauses considering where to begin. "Well ... first he came to Sickbay for an annual check-up." "What voluntarily? That doesn't sound like me." "True. You were full of surprises that day." "Oh yes?" He replies nervously. "Like what?" "Like inviting me to supper ... in your quarters. You said it was ... 'more intimate'." Picard's worst fear grips him. "Beverly, we didn't ... did we?" "Don't be so impatient, wait and see." Jean-Luc purses his lips but resigns himself to playing her game. "So did you accept my invitation?" "Yes and it was a marvellous meal. Do you want to know what we ate?" He's exasperated. "Beverly! What happened!" "Let me see ... you didn't talk much and when I asked what was on your mind you said 'us'." "Us?" "Yes, Us. You talked about how our positions tended to isolate us." Picard swallows. "Go on." As she speaks Beverly edges nearer. "You said you'd like to get closer." "And how did you respond?" "That I was happy the way things were." "Oh." Picard lets slip his disappointment. " ... was that all?" "Of course not." Beverly teases him. "Do you think you would give up that easily?" Jean-Luc blushes and doesn't reply. "You put some music on - Computer play music track Crusher 47." The exact same music starts to play. "Something like this." She pauses, swaying, letting him catch the mood while edging still closer. "You invited me to dance." "But I don't dance?" "You do on special occasions." Beverly lifts her arms and Picard finds himself dancing before he has time to think. Their movements are slow and easy. They continue like this for a while until Jean-Luc can't resist another question. "What happened next?" "You told me how much you missed me during my year away." He stops dancing and looks her straight in the eye. "I did, I did." This is said with such depth of feeling that Beverly is touched. "And I you." They smile self-consciously, acknowledging what they've just admitted. They start to dance again. They're very close now, faces almost touching. Eventually Beverly acts and kisses him gently on the lips. Picard responds but then pulls back. "Beverly, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you were playing games with me." "Are you sorry you came?" He's puzzled. "Is this what happened?" "Exactly." "What did you reply?" "That I wasn't sorry … Neither were you or rather 'him', from then on your personality changed. You said we should call-it-a-night and saw me to the door." Picard is appalled at his double's rudeness. "That wasn't me." "I know, you wouldn't behave like that." She pauses. "What would you have done?" "How do you mean?" "If I'd accused you of playing with me." "I wouldn't have played with you." "No, of course not." Her disappointment shows. "But I would have wanted to." "Really?" She perks up. "Wanted to do what?" Picard hesitates a moment before continuing this game. "Something like this." He draws her to him and resumes their dance. Soon his right hand begins to wander across her body and his cheek brushes hers. She can feel his hot breath and then his mouth against her neck. She moves her head to give him better access and presses herself against him - but just as she is getting aroused he stops, holds her away from him and says … "But then I shouldn't, should I? You'll only tell me off." "But that was then, this is now." "So what'll happen this time?" Beverly pauses before replying …. "You'll have a very pleasurable evening." "And what about tomorrow? Will you cast me aside?" "That depends." "On what?" "On whether ‘I' have a pleasurable evening." Picard lets a smile cross his lips. "I think I'll risk that challenge." The End Feedback is always welcome, you can contact me at catherine_ell69@hotmail.com -- Stephen Ratliff ASC Stories Only Forwarding In the Pattern Buffer at: http//trekiverse.crosswinds.net/feed/ Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCL/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:ASCL-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. From ???@??? Mon Jan 19 00:00:35 2004 Status: U Return-Path: Received: from n39.grp.scd.yahoo.com ([66.218.66.107]) by cockatoo (EarthLink SMTP Server) with SMTP id 1aIrw44CB3NZFkl0 for ; Sun, 18 Jan 2004 21:00:00 -0800 (PST) X-eGroups-Return: sentto-1977044-12948-1074488380-stephenbratliff=earthlink.net@returns.groups.yahoo.