Forwarded by the ASC-VSO 
Posted: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 15:40:16 GMT  
In: alt.startrek.creative 
From: "Heather Smyth"  
 

Title: Alone Inside
Author: Heather Smyth
Series: TNG
Part: 3/?
Rating: R
Code: P/C
Disclaimer: Paramount owns all Startrek and I derive no financial gain from
this story...just a little fun.
Summary: See part one.
           Jean-Luc made a fist with his left hand. Lifting his head, he
screwed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw hard, grinding his teeth.
"Not the Borg.not the Borg."
The door annunciator broke into his mantra.
"Yes! Who is it?", he barked.
Will stepped hesitantly into the room.
"It's just me Sir. Captain.is there anything I can do.would you like me to."
"What I would like, Commander, is to be left alone! Return to the Bridge. I'
ll expect a report from you at the end of the shift."
Will straightened and lifted his chin.
"Aye Sir."
He left and sought out Selar. He found her reading the Captain's medical
file.
She looked up when Will entered and straddled a seat in the office.
"Have you found anything Doctor?"
"Captain Picard has an extensive file. It will take some time to fully scan
it, but I have noticed several files that are closed to general viewing.
They are coded for Doctor Crusher's purview only."
"But that doesn't make any sense. Surely it would be detrimental to the
Captain in the event that she wasn't here to care for him?"
"I agree Commander. It may well be that the information we seek is contained
in those files. I will continue to scan the available information and hope
that I can glean some answers."
Will nodded thoughtfully and rose from the chair.
"Keep me posted will you? I'm ordered to return to the Bridge. I'll be back
at shift's end."
"Very well Commander."
Will left and Selar continued her search of the records. She was interrupted
a short time later by a call from the Captain.
"Yes Sir?"
He was standing beside his bed.
"I want some clothing and a computer terminal."
"I'm sorry Captain but as long as you are under my care, you will stay in
Sick Bay attire and rest. I have already outlined your schedule."
Unreasonable anger sparked within Jean-Luc and he stepped closer to the
Vulcan physician.
"Dammit woman do you expect me to just lie here staring at the ceiling? I
have a ship to run."
"Not at the moment you don't Sir. Until further notice, you are relieved of
duty. If you fail to comply with my orders, I will have you sedated and
confined to Sick Bay for the duration of your recovery."
Said with calm determination, Jean-Luc's anger rose another notch.
"How dare you speak to me in such a manner. You can't threaten me! I order
you to release me!"
"I'm sorry Sir, I cannot. Please return to you bed and try to rest. This
amount of stress is detrimental to your health."
Jean-Luc stood his ground and glared at the Doctor, daring her to make good
her threat.
"Sir I will sedate you."
The Captain spun on his heel and swept a tray of instruments from the
tabletop. He stood, his back to Selar, shaking with suppressed rage. She
moved quietly behind him and gathered up the fallen articles.
"Get into the bed please Captain."
Angrily, his movements stiff with indignation, he regained the bed and lay
rigidly, ignoring the Doctor's presence.
"Thank you Captain. Now if you would just."
"You're dismissed."
Hesitating just a moment, Selar bowed her head and acquiesced.
"Very well Captain. I will come in later to see if you require anything."
He did not acknowledge her.





          Amy sat on her bunk, still shaking with fear from the captain's
outburst.
When she'd been posted to the Enterprise, it had been the happiest time of
her short life. She had worked exceptionally hard at the Academy and the
Enterprise had been her goal. She decided early on that she would strive to
excel, earning the recognition she hoped would lead to rapid promotion. She
knew she was serving under the finest Captain and crew.the Enterprise was
after all, the Flag Ship of the fleet.
 So what had she done? Completely ignored standing regulations about loading
the antigrav and damn near killed her Captain in the process.
"Oh God", she groaned. "I've had it now."
Tears welled up and she lay on her bunk, burying her head under the pillow.






               Her roommate, Ensign Mark McKee, entered the quarters and
heard Amy's sobbing. He cautiously approached her and rested his hand on her
shaking back.
"Hey Amy.what's wrong?"
She sniffed loudly and rolled over, taking the pillow off her face.
"Oh God Mark.I nearly killed the Captain today."
"What?"
"I overloaded an antigrav and he caught me and I fell and knocked him over
and the antigrav failed and crushed his arm and these spikes impaled him
and."
"Wait.whoa.slow down. The Captain was impaled? By spikes?"
Tears started to flow again as Amy slowly nodded.
"In three places! His leg, his chest and his shoulder.and his right arm was
completely squashed under the antigrav!"
"Shit Amy! How the hell?.Why did you overload the antigrav?"
"Oh I just wanted to impress Commander Data! If I finished quickly I thought
he'd order me to the Bridge. You know how much I've wanted to sit at Ops.
Now it looks as if I'm going to be kicked off the ship. Captain Picard is
really pissed off. He yelled at me and confined me to Quarters. You're
supposed to direct all your questions to Commander Riker."
"He yelled at you? Captain Picard yelled at you?"
"Yep."
"My God.he never yells."
"Tell me about it!"
"So what else did Riker say?"
Amy sighed and stood.
"He said he'd talk to the Captain. I've had it Mark.I'm washed up."
Mark took her into his arms and rubbed her back.
"Don't give up on the Commander yet Amy. He and the Captain are friends.they
go way back. He'll sort it out. The Captain's going to be ok isn't he?"
Amy nodded into his shoulder.
"Well there you go. Once he's recovered, he just might see the funny side of
all this."
Amy raised her head and sniffed.
"There's a funny side?"
"Of course there is! I think."
"Well when you find it, tell me will you.I could do with a laugh."





            Beverly was near the end of her first submission. Her feet
shifted again as sweat ran coldly down her back. She gripped each side of
the podium until her knuckles showed white as her stomach lurched again.
Bringing the dissertation to an end, she didn't wait for the applause, but
ran straight from the stage brushing past the waiting dignitaries. She only
just made into the cubicle of the ladies room before she vomited. Holding
tightly to the handrail she retched piteously as her stomach rebelled and
emptied its contents into the bowl.
When the nausea subsided, she sat on the seat and lowered her pale head into
her hands.
"Definitely not something I ate!"
She was washing her face when Deanna came in.
"Beverly what happened? Everybody's talking about your exit.what's going
 on?"
"I had to hurry.I was going to throw up."
"Again? But."
"I know, I know.it's getting worse. Come on let's go back to our room. I've
got a medical tricorder in my case."
"You don't want to go to the infirmary?"
"No, not until I know more."
The two women left and were soon at their room. Beverly quickly found her
instrument and lost no time in scanning herself. She froze with the scanner
at her lower abdomen.
"No.it can't be."
"Beverly? What is it?"
"Hold on a minute, this must be wrong."
She scanned herself again and shook her head.
"Oh God."
"Beverly!"
"I'm pregnant."
Deanna's hands flew to her mouth, her gasp loud in the quiet room.
"What? How? What about your contraceptive implant?"
Beverly used the tricorder to scan an area on the underside of her left
forearm.
"It's inactive.must be a dud."
"A dud? But that can't happen.can it? And what about Captain Picard.he has
an implant doesn't he?"
"He can't have one because of his artificial heart. It was decided long ago
that an implant might compromise his immune system."
"Ok, but what about yours. I can't believe they manufacture.duds."
"You'd be surprised at what can affect them. Ion radiation.spatial rifts.
any one of a dozen."
"Beverly.your pregnant! What are you going to do?"
The Doctor sat on her bed and shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know Dee, I don't know."






           The 'morning' shift had started on the Enterprise and Will was on
his way to Sick Bay, His report to the Captain the previous evening had been
unpleasant as the Captain's ire was evident in everything he said. Having
made his report, he was ordered from the room. In fact he was pleased to
leave. He wasn't used to dealing with such an angry Captain.
He strode through the doors to be confronted by a shaken Alyssa Ogawa.
"Commander Riker.good morning Sir."
"Good morning Alyssa.what's wrong?"
The nurse looked around nervously, wringing her hands.
"The Captain.he."
She got no further. A sharp deep voice rang out.
"What are you doing here Commander?"
Will spun around to see his Captain approaching.
"Sir.good morning. I was just coming to see."
"Why aren't you on the Bridge?"
"Sir.I came down to see you."
"Well as you can plainly see, I'm fine."
Will looked over his shoulder at Selar.
"That's good Sir."
"Yes it is. Now stop wasting valuable time and report to the Bridge!"
"Sir?"
"Now Commander!"
"Aye Sir."
Will turned and strode out of Sick Bay, his face burning.
Jean-Luc turned to Selar. In the same angry tone he said,
"I take it you're finished with me?"
She nodded and folded her hands in front of her.
"Yes Sir, you can be discharged to your quarters. Please bear in mind that
your arm needs to stay as still as possible and you are required to rest.
Also."
"Fine. I take it you will want me to report for checkups?"
"Yes Sir, every day."
"Very well. If that is all.?"
She nodded and Jean-Luc turned on his heel and walked briskly from Sick Bay,
the staff scuttling out of his way. Selar handed control to another Doctor
and left for the Bridge.
As she arrived at the command centre of the ship, she caught Will's eye and
together they entered the Ready Room. Will rounded on the Doctor.
"What the hell's going on?"
"The Captain appears to be angry."
"I can see that! Has he been like that since he woke up?"
"He has been.adversarial all night. He did not sleep."
"Why not? Couldn't you sedate him?"
Selar placed her hands behind her back and tilted her head.
"I deemed it unnecessary. He would have been against it and I wanted to
avoid further confrontation. As long as he was left alone, he was all right.
It was only when staff approached him that he became belligerent."
Will perched on the desk and crossed his long legs. Folding his arms he
asked,
"Where is he now?"
"I discharged him to his quarters."
"Do you think he's fit to be alone?"
"Physically yes. Emotionally, I am not so confident, however it seemed
better to let him go than to provoke him further by making him stay."
"What about his arm. Did he mention it at all.make any reference to it?"
"No Sir.in fact he ignored it completely. Apart from asking about checkups
he didn't acknowledge his injuries in any way."
Will shook his head and frowned deeply.
"This doesn't make sense! Why is he so angry? Why would he ignore his
injuries? Have you been able to unlock the files?"
"No Sir, not yet."
"Well keep on it Doctor. The answer is there somewhere."







             Jean-Luc sat on his sofa, his right arm hanging rigidly at his
side. Still encased in the prosthesis, he couldn't bear to look at it. To do
so invited madness. He was drinking neat scotch, the nearly empty bottle on
the low table, the tumbler warm in his grasp. He closed his eyes and rested
his head back on the cushion. His heart hammered in his chest as he tried to
think of something calming, but his mind wouldn't let him. It kept
whispering to him.
The Borg.the Borg.
He gripped the tumbler savagely and gasped as it shattered in his hand. He
threw the remnants across the room and shouted,
"NO! It's not.it's not.Oh God no."
He sat there sobbing as his cut hand slowly dribbled blood onto the carpet.





        At lunchtime Will decided to try one more time to talk with his
Captain. Handing the Bridge to Data, he wandered through the corridors,
deliberately slowing his approach as he devoted more thought to the problem.
"Ok so he wakes up and finds his arm encased in a very Borg-like prosthesis
and gets a fright. We reassure him, but he gets angry and chooses to ignore
his arm. We make sure he knows he hasn't been re-assimilated, but he's still
angry. Why?"
Before he could formulate an answer, he found himself at the Captain's door.
With some trepidation, he pressed the door chime. The speaker above his head
startled him as it activated.
"Who the hell is it!?"
"It's me Sir.Will Riker."
"Get back to the Bridge!"
"Sir.Captain Picard please.I just want."
The door hissed open suddenly. Will felt the anger wash over him.
"You just want to what?"
Will stared at his Commanding Officer in shock. He was pale, dark shadows
accentuating his haunted eyes and he appeared to be trembling. As Will's
eyes travelled down he noticed the dripping blood.
"Sir.your hand! Let me help you."
As he stepped forward, he was halted by the venom in his Captain's words.
"Mind your own damn business!"
Jean-Luc left a bloodied handprint on Will's chest as he pushed him back out
into the corridor. The door sighed shut leaving a confused and shocked Will
staring at it in disbelief. He tapped his combadge.
"Riker to Selar."
"Selar here Commander."
"Doctor report immediately to the Captain's quarters and bring a med kit."
"Aye Sir."
When Selar arrived Will took a moment to appraise her.
"Doctor something's very wrong. The Captain has been injured but he doesn't
want to see anybody. You will have to use your medical override to go in."
"What is the nature of the injury?"
"I'm not sure. All I know is that his left hand is dripping blood."
"I see."
She addressed the computer.
"Computer open Captain Picard's door. Authorization Selar Omega three one."
The door opened obediently and the two officers entered cautiously. In the
subdued lighting, they spotted the Captain staring out at the viewports. The
approached him slowly. It was Will who spoke.
"Sir? Captain Picard? Doctor Selar is with me.she wants to see your hand."
He turned abruptly and barked,
"I thought I told you to mind your own business Commander!"
"Yes Sir, but."
"But? Are you questioning my orders?"
Before Will could answer, Selar stepped forward and stood between the two
men.
"Captain Picard if it is an order you want then I am ordering you to submit
to an examination. Commander Riker is here at my request. You will comply!"
He sneered and raised his injured hand, forming a fist, then thought better
of it. He dropped his hand to his side and muttered,
"Very well, get on with it!"
Selar went to him and raised his hand, scanning it. She frowned as she read
the results.
"These are very deep lacerations Sir. How did you acquire them?"
He closed his eyes and sighed.
"I.I cut it."
Will, who had been surreptitiously looking around, noted the scotch bottle
and the glass shards.
"Did you break the glass Captain?"
"Yes."
"Is that the scotch I gave you? You said you were going to save it. It's
nearly empty Sir."
Jean-Luc's hard eyes fell on Will.
"I am off duty. I hope you're not suggesting the Captain can't have a drink
in the privacy of his own quarters?"
"No Sir, of course not, but I would question the sense of drinking that much
real alcohol when you've just been discharged from Sick Bay. It seems to me
that."
"I don't particularly care what you think Commander! I've already told you
to mind your own."
Selar snapped the tricorder shut, silencing the heated exchange.
"Captain Picard I require you to accompany me to Sick Bay. These wounds need
more care than I can adequately give here."
He scowled at the Doctor and snarled,
"What? Surely Doctor."
"Now Captain."
 His face hardened into a fierce mask. He clenched his jaw and strode past
the two officers. They had to hurry to catch up with him.


        The Captain was seated on a biobed, his hand under a regeneration
field. Selar had sealed the wounds but the underlying nerves had been
damaged. A nurse approached him and asked hesitantly,
"Captain.would you like a cup of."
His head snapped around and he scowled.
"No I would not! Go about your business and leave me alone!"
Selar heard him from across the room and walked over to him. In a quietly
insistent voice she warned,
"Captain Picard while you are in this facility you will treat the staff with
respect. The nurse only wanted to help you."
Jean-Luc glared at the Doctor but kept his voice deadly quiet.
"I don't require any help.from anybody!"
"As you wish. Just remember where you are.Sir."
The Doctor left the fuming Captain and met with Will in the office.
"God he's no better.in fact he's worse! And what's with the drinking? I've
never known Captain Picard to resort to the bottle.ever."
"I agree Commander. Perhaps I should ask Lieutenant Emerauld to talk with
him?"
"Why Emerauld?"
"He's a qualified psychologist. It may be that he can help the Captain."
Will nodded, stroking his beard.
"Yeah maybe. God I wish Deanna and Beverly were here. They'd know what to
do."
"That may be the case Sir, but we have to deal with this ourselves. Once his
hand is healed he will want to return to his quarters."
"Are you going to let him?"
"I will wait to hear from Lieutenant Emerauld."






--
Stephen Ratliff
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