Path: newsspool1.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!elnk-pas-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!news-out.visi.com!petbe.visi.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!newsread.com!newsstand.newsread.com!POSTED.monger.newsread.com!not-for-mail Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated Approved: ascem@earthlink.net Organization: Better Living Thru TrekSmut Sender: ascem@earthlink.net Message-ID: From: "Ida Vega-Landow" MIME-Version: 1.0 Mailing-List: list ASCEML@yahoogroups.com; contact ASCEML-owner@yahoogroups.com Subject: "A Small Circle of Friends", 2 of 3 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Lines: 1048 Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 12:55:06 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.198.142.218 X-Complaints-To: Abuse Role , We Care X-Trace: monger.newsread.com 1097844906 209.198.142.218 (Fri, 15 Oct 2004 08:55:06 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 08:55:06 EDT Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated:85094 X-Received-Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 05:55:09 PDT (newsspool1.news.atl.earthlink.net) "A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS"=20=20 "And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody, outside of a small=20 circle of friends." Phil Ochs, "Outside of A Small Circle of Friends" PART 2 OF 3 After his morning shower, Picard decided to go running along the=20 beach before breakfast. He felt unusually restless this morning;=20 perhaps the erotic dream he had last night had something to do with=20 it.=20=20 // Never in a million years could I have imagined myself having an=20 erotic dream about Q! // Picard thought as he ran along the shore of=20 the Risan beach, keeping to the damp part of the golden sand that=20 had been left after high tide last night, which provided much better=20 footing for jogging. // I didn't think it was possible for me to be=20 attracted to someone who's been such a great source of irritation.=20=20 Then again, I once felt the same way about Vash=85 // He let his=20 thoughts run as freely as his strong legs, pumping tirelessly up and=20 down, his sockless feet clad in low-top, pull-on running shoes, blue=20 with a yellow racing stripe, just like his shorts. His comm badge=20 gleamed from the left side of his short-sleeved tee shirt, which was=20 grey, with a picture of the Picard family winery on the front,=20 replicated from the label on their wine bottles, last year's=20 Christmas present from his sister-in-law, along with a case of=20 Chateau Picard.=20=20 As Picard ran along the seashore, waves of sky-blue water on his=20 right came rushing in and out over the golden sand, while an equally=20 golden sun shone overhead in a cloudless sky, and big, orange- colored birds with spoon-shaped bills flew low over the waves to=20 scoop up the tiny colored fish that always rose to the surface early=20 in the morning. He saw another jogger in the distance, running=20 toward him. At first the jogger was only a blue and white speck in=20 the distance; then it became a black-skinned human male in a blue=20 and white jogging suit. When he got a little closer, Picard=20 recognized his chief engineer, Geordi La Forge, who waved a greeting=20 to him. "Hey, Captain!" La Forge called to him over the sound of splashing=20 waves and spoonbills' cries.=20=20=20 "Good morning, Geordi!" Picard called back cheerfully, already=20 slowing his pace so that he could stop when La Forge did. He'd=20 noticed the younger man slowing his pace the moment he spotted him,=20 so he assumed that he wanted to talk. The two joggers came to a halt on the same spot, both running in=20 place a few moments to finish cooling down. La Forge got his wind=20 back first and said, "I ran into Riker and Troi on their way to the=20 pool this morning. He told me that you had seen Q last night, at=20 the engagement party."=20 "Yes, I did. Have you seen him too?"=20=20 "Nope." La Forge shook his head, his blue-tinted ocular implants=20 looking incongruous in his dark-skinned face; unfortunately, his=20 eyes had reverted to their natural blindness shortly after their=20 departure from the Ba'ku planet. "Why would Q decide to interrupt=20 our shore leave, sir?"=20=20 "Riker didn't tell you?"=20=20 "No, he just told me to keep an eye out for him and warn the=20 others. Did Q tell you why he was here?"=20=20 "Yes, he did." Picard heaved a sigh composed of equal parts of=20 amusement and exasperation. "It seems that Q is on vacation too and=20 wants to know what life is like as a human. To be more specific, he=20 wants to experience human sexuality, and thinks that I would be the=20 perfect subject to experiment on." "What?" La Forge's artificial eyes nearly popped out of his=20 head. "Are you saying that Q wants to sleep with you, sir?"=20=20 "Yes, Geordi, that is exactly what I am saying. Try not to look so=20 shocked, will you?" Picard smiled at his bug-eyed, open-mouthed=20 expression. "I know that I'm no spring chicken, but I do still=20 possess a certain charm, which until last night I thought was=20 limited to the ladies. Besides, compared to Q, I'm practically a=20 babe in arms."=20=20=20=20=20 "Oh, yeah, he does have quite a few years on you, doesn't he?" La=20 Forge grinned, good humor restored. "A whole millennium, if I'm not=20 mistaken." "Several millennium, in fact. But despite my relative lack of=20 maturity, I wasn't born yesterday. I have no intention of=20 satisfying Q's prurient curiosity. And if he approaches you with=20 similar intentions, do have the sense to run the other way."=20=20 La Forge laughed. "He won't see me for the dust, Captain! But I=20 don't think Q will be bothering me or any of the others. He always=20 seemed to be more fascinated with you."=20=20 "Therein lies the problem. Be a good fellow and try to keep this to=20 yourself, Geordi. With the exception of our fellow crewmembers, I=20 don't want anyone else to know that I've become the object of Q's=20 erratic affections."=20=20 "You can count on me, sir. If you need help, I'm just a hailing=20 signal away." La Forge pointed to the comm badge pinned to his=20 jacket. "And of course, Data is still on the bridge of the=20 ENTERPRISE. We can use him as a backup plan, in case Q manages to=20 get by the rest of us."=20=20 "Thank you, Geordi. It's good to know I can rely on my crew, even=20 on vacation. Of course, I know that a beautiful resort such as this=20 is full of temptations, which can be very distracting." Picard=20 looked around him at the golden beach, now bathed in morning=20 sunlight, its' sky-blue waves rushing swiftly toward the shore only=20 to run short of his and Geordi's sneakered feet.=20=20=20 "Trust me, sir, nothing is going to distract any of us long enough=20 to put you in any danger. Even if a hurricane springs up, the first=20 thing we'll be thinking of is you and=97-Whoa! Get a load of that=20 bikini babe who just came out of the water behind you!" Picard=20 responded to La Forge's statement and wide-eyed gaze by looking over=20 his shoulder, but he saw only his footprints in the damp sand he had=20 just run down.=20 "Made you look!" La Forge said as he laughed. "Really, Geordi!" Picard said with feigned indignation. "Aren't=20 you a mite too old for such childish pranks?" Then he had to laugh=20 too. "Run along, you young rascal, and find yourself some real=20 babes! I know you're still full of vim and vigor from the Ba'ku=20 planet."=20=20 "Thanks, Captain. Take care." La Forge took off in one direction,=20 Picard in another, to finish their morning runs.=20=20 **************** It was midday by the time Picard stopped jogging. When he checked=20 the odo/chronometer on his left wrist, he was surprised to find how=20 far he'd run. His growling stomach reminded him that he hadn't had=20 breakfast yet and it was almost time for lunch. To make matters=20 worse, he was on an unfamiliar part of the beach, with no one else=20 in sight. Not so much as a single sunbather could be seen on the=20 miles and miles of golden beach he had yet to run down. Nor were=20 there any restaurants, cafes, or anyplace else where he could get a=20 bite to eat. Even the local bojio huts, made from wood and thatched=20 with fronds by the native Risans, were nowhere to be seen.=20=20=20 "I should have carried a horga'hn," Picard muttered, remembering how=20 he had been inundated with unwanted attention by lovely Risan=20 attendants on his last visit here. Now, when he needed someone to=20 direct him to the nearest place of public accommodation where he=20 could rest and eat, there was no one in sight. He stood on the=20 beach with his head held high and his hands on his hips, looking in=20 every direction for someplace he could have brunch.=20=20 A cool summer breeze blew against his bare head and neck, drying off=20 the sweat beaded there during his run. The same breeze carried a=20 familiar voice, calling his name. "Jean-Luc! Jean-Luc!"=20=20 He looked inland, to his left, and saw Q waving to him from a grassy=20 knoll overlooking the beach. "Not again!" Picard groaned.=20=20 "Are you hungry yet?" Q called to him. "I have some food here.=20=20 I'll be happy to share it with you."=20=20 "I'll bet you would!" Picard grumbled. His stomach growled again,=20 throwing in a sharp hunger pang for good measure. His hand hovered=20 over the comm badge on his chest, then fell as he decided to bow to=20 his physical needs. Picard headed toward the grassy knoll to see=20 what sort of elaborate meal Q had come up with to impress him.=20=20 Knowing Q, it was sure to be something lavish, extravagant and=20 completely inappropriate to their sylvan surroundings, like roasted=20 quails and pomegranate juice. But when he got to the knoll, all he saw was Q, wearing the same=20 clothes as yesterday, standing next to a red-and-white checkered=20 picnic blanket with an old-fashioned picnic basket in the=20 middle. "Come sit down," Q told him, waving him toward the=20 blanket. "You've come a long way since you left your cottage this=20 morning. Were you going for a personal best?"=20=20 "No, I just lost track of time." Picard sank down gratefully on the=20 blanket, tucking his legs under him tailor-fashion.=20=20=20 "Well, it is now 10:14 a.m., local time," Q announced as he sat down=20 on the opposite side of the picnic basket. "It's too late for=20 breakfast and too early for lunch, so I believe that brunch is in=20 order. I asked the hotel kitchen to prepare a picnic basket for me=20 and a friend so I could invite you to lunch." He paused with one=20 hand on the lid, looking at Picard expectantly. "Frankly, I wasn't=20 expecting to run into you this early. After allowing myself to lie=20 in bed until eight o' clock this morning, I wasn't sure I'd be able=20 to find you among that throng on the beach. Miles and miles of pink=20 flesh, not all of it human, not all of it pink either. But then I=20 realized you'd probably prefer an isolated part of the resort to do=20 your jogging in. So I asked the front desk and they directed me to=20 three likely sites. This is the third one I've been to. On my own=20 two feet, might I add?"=20 "You walked to this place instead of just snapping your fingers and=20 popping here?" Picard regarded him skeptically.=20=20=20 "Yes, I did." Q neglected to mention that he had first followed him=20 invisibly, trailing him to the first two sites only to see him past=20 them both by. By the third one, Jean-Luc had begun to slow down, so=20 Q guessed that he would most likely be stopping here. So he had=20 simply popped up a mile ahead of him and walked the rest of the way=20 to the grassy portion of the shore overlooking the beach, until he=20 had found the perfect place to spread the blanket and sit down and=20 wait for Jean-Luc to show up. "I told you I wanted to experience=20 life as a human. You're human and I want to be with you, so I=20 figured it would be easier to win you over if I behaved like a=20 human." "Does that mean you won't be using your Q powers?"=20=20 "As little as possible. Mind you, I can't promise to `go native'=20 all the time. But for you, I'm willing to act human as long as I'm=20 with you in public. Will that satisfy you, Jean-Luc?" Q regarded=20 him anxiously, eager for his approval.=20=20 Despite his natural skepticism, Picard was touched by Q's efforts to=20 court him like a regular human male. After last night's dream, he=20 was certain he'd have no difficulty responding to him sexually,=20 despite his relative inexperience with men. Now if he could just=20 try not to think about him as an omnipotent entity with godlike=20 powers, masquerading as a human=85 "I'm willing to give it a try. Would you happen to have any Earl=20 Gray tea in that basket?"=20=20 "As a matter of fact, I do." Q lifted up the latched lid on the=20 side closest to him, reached in and pulled out a thermos, which he=20 offered to Picard. "I specifically asked the hotel kitchen for hot=20 Earl Gray tea."=20=20 Picard thanked him and poured himself a cup while Q got out napkins,=20 two sandwiches wrapped in waxed paper and a biodegradable cardboard=20 container of freshly baked teacakes. He divided this bounty equally=20 between them, settled back with his own sandwich and took careful=20 bites, eating slowly to accustom himself to the taste and texture of=20 solid food. Seeing Picard use his tea to help wash his food down=20 between bites, he copied him, alternating sips of tea with bites of=20 his chicken salad sandwich. Picard had the deviled ham, which he=20 enjoyed so much he asked for another. Q reached into the picnic=20 basket and grabbed a sandwich. It was chicken salad and he knew it,=20 but by the time it was in Picard's hands it had become deviled ham.=20=20 So it went for the rest of the meal. Whenever Picard asked for=20 something he liked, Q made sure he got it, even if it hadn't been=20 packed originally. The teacakes were lemon and orange-spice; Picard=20 sampled them both and asked if there were any more lemon cakes. So=20 Q made them all lemon cakes and assured him there was plenty. There=20 was also plenty of Earl Gray tea to wash them down, even after the=20 thermos ran dry. Q simply put it back into the hamper and pretended=20 to pull out another one. It was the same thermos, but Q made sure=20 that it never ran dry. As for the fruit, Picard happily ate red and=20 green grapes as well as crisp golden-red Kafferian apples, never=20 knowing that several of the apples had originally been oranges and=20 Vulcan custard fruit.=20=20=20 When they were through eating, they lay on the blanket together,=20 side by side, dozing in the sun. Q decided that he liked the=20 feeling of being full of food; not as much as he liked lying next to=20 Jean-Luc, of course. The object of his affections was feeling full=20 and relaxed, his feelings of trust for Q at an all time high, his=20 defenses low. // Now might be a good time to steal a kiss, // Q=20 thought. He rolled onto his left side and leaned on his elbow=20 casually as he waited for the right moment. When Picard began=20 breathing evenly in sleep rhythm, Q slowly lowered his head and=20 planted a kiss on his lips.=20=20 Picard felt the kiss in his sleep and thought he was dreaming=20 again. But when he opened his eyes and saw it was real, he closed=20 them again and let himself enjoy it. The kiss was as gentle and=20 loving as the one Q had given him last night on the terrace, as well=20 as in his dream. The dream kiss had led to an erotic fantasy which=20 he found surprisingly enjoyable. Would the reality be just as=20 pleasant? There was no way of knowing unless Q took the=20 initiative. Or unless he did. Daring thought. But did he have the=20 nerve to act on it? He tested himself by responding to the kiss=20 tentatively, letting Q know that he liked it. Q responded to this=20 by rolling over on him and covering him, increasing the pressure on=20 his lips while holding him in his arms.=20=20 Feeling like he was back in school again, experimenting with one of=20 the older boys after lights out, Picard put his arms around him and=20 hugged him. Q began touching him, stroking his chest through the=20 thin tee shirt. He kept rubbing Picard's nipples until they peaked=20 through the material, then he set his lips to each one in turn and=20 kissed them gently. This not only gave Picard a strong feeling of=20 deja vue, but aroused him to the point where he let out a groan. Q=20 found this encouraging and began to fondle him more intimately,=20 letting one hand roam to Picard's crotch and stroking the outline of=20 his rapidly hardening cock through his shorts.=20=20 Picard decided that he had had enough. "Stop!" he said urgently,=20 pushing hard at Q's shoulders. "Stop it, please!"=20=20 Q felt a momentary flare of anger, then decided not to press his=20 luck. He rolled off of him and lay on his back, panting, surprised=20 by how aroused he'd become at this small amount of contact. "What's=20 wrong?" he asked breathlessly. "Wasn't I doing it right?"=20=20 "Yes, you were. That's what frightened me," Picard admitted.=20=20 Q looked at him in surprise. "You, frightened? I thought you=20 weren't afraid of me."=20=20 "I'm not afraid of you. I'm afraid of what you are," Picard=20 explained. "I know what you want from me and I'd like to give it to=20 you. But I keep remembering that you're not what you seem-=97a=20 handsome man who wants to make love to me-=97and it rather spoils it=20 for me, knowing what you really are and what you're capable of. I=20 can't help worrying about what you might do if you decide to just=20 take me, whether I'm willing or not."=20=20 Hearing Picard admit that he wanted him and calling him handsome as=20 well soothed Q's ego. Knowing that Picard still didn't trust him=20 enough to let himself be loved by him gave him a pang. "I promise=20 you that I have no intention of forcing you to do anything you don't=20 want to do," Q assured him. "With or without my powers."=20=20 "I wish I could believe you," Picard sighed. "But I just can't=20 bring myself to trust you yet." "I don't blame you. If I were in your position, I would hesitate to=20 trust someone as powerful as I am too. In fact, after all I've put=20 you through you'd be a fool to trust me." He rolled over on his=20 side again and touched Picard's cheek tenderly. "And one thing you=20 have never been, Jean-Luc, is a fool."=20=20 Hazel eyes studied him intently for a few moments before Picard=20 closed them and sighed again. "So what do we do now?"=20=20 "We take it slow. I show you how good I am at being human and you=20 decide if it's worth the risk of letting me show you how good I am=20 at other things." Q stroked the cheekbone under his fingertips,=20 smiling as he remembered laying a trail of kisses along it last=20 night while Jean-Luc slept.=20=20 "Oh, I'm sure you'd be quite good at it," Picard said=20 wryly. "You've obviously had some experience at this, haven't=20 you?"=20=20 "Yes, I have. Though I must admit, it's been a long time since=20 I've loved a man."=20 "Well, aside from a few schoolboy crushes that didn't go beyond=20 heavy petting, I have no practical experience with men," Picard=20 admitted.=20=20 "Are you sure it was only schoolboys, Jean-Luc?" Q teased him. "I=20 get the distinct impression that you've had some contact with adult=20 males as well."=20=20 Picard opened his eyes and scowled. "Stop reading my mind! The men=20 in question were fellow students at Starfleet Academy. I can assure=20 you that I never let either of them do more than what you just tried=20 to do to me."=20=20 "I'm sure you didn't." Q soothed his ruffled feathers, remembering=20 how modest he was. Now was not the time to tell him about his=20 nocturnal visit, either. He was sure that once he got Jean-Luc into=20 bed, he'd be more passionate than prudish. The problem was getting=20 him there without making him feel threatened or coerced. He'd just=20 have to take it slow, keep his powers hidden and hope Jean-Luc would=20 learn to trust him soon. Otherwise he'd have to follow him onto the=20 ENTERPRISE and do his wooing there. He wasn't looking forward to=20 interacting with Jean-Luc's crew, but if it was necessary to win=20 them over in order to win their captain, then he'd force himself to=20 be nice to them all, even that brutish Klingon who made Neanderthals=20 look civilized.=20=20 Just then a cool breeze began blowing, which made Jean-Luc shiver.=20=20 Q responded by wrapping his arms around him. "Are you cold? Let me=20 warm you up." "It's not that cold," the human protested, but he made no effort to=20 get away. After a few moments he even relaxed into Q's embrace,=20 letting himself be held closely. The weather cooperated, without=20 Q's contrivance, by continuing to send cool breezes sweeping across=20 their isolated section of the beach. Picard continued to snuggle=20 with Q, whose warm body felt comforting.=20 // At least he isn't trying to touch me more intimately, // Picard=20 thought, // even though I wouldn't object to it. // After a while he=20 dozed off in Q's arms, lulled by the warmth of his body and the=20 gentleness of his embrace. Q continued to hold him close as the cool breezes blew. He was=20 starting to feel a bit chilled himself. After making sure that Jean- Luc was fast asleep, he made a thin, blue summer blanket appear to=20 cover them both. As long as Jean-Luc didn't know he was using his=20 powers, he saw no reason not to take advantage of them. // It's=20 really not cheating,// he rationalized it to himself, // as long as=20 it's something we both enjoy, like the picnic lunch. // There's an old saying on Risa, "If you don't like the weather, wait=20 a few minutes and it will change." It was true before the natives=20 developed the technology for weather control, when the whole planet=20 was covered with rainforests and constantly inundated with=20 thunderstorms, and it was true now, when the carefully controlled=20 weather was varied to keep it from becoming monotonous. Thus sunny=20 days were balanced by cloudy days, though never completely overcast,=20 and the hot, dry atmosphere was made more pleasant by a touch of=20 humidity and refreshing cool breezes. Soon the cloudy, breezy=20 weather cleared up and became much hotter and brighter. Q, who had=20 never really fallen asleep to begin with, became more alert when he=20 felt Jean-Luc stirring in his arms. He quickly made the blanket=20 disappear and smiled brightly at Jean-Luc when he opened his eyes.=20=20 "Did you have a nice nap, mon Capitan?" Q asked him affectionately. "Yes, thank you, I did." Picard let out a yawn, sat up and=20 stretched, the tee shirt clinging to his chest and biceps in an=20 interesting way. "I'm terribly thirsty. Is there any tea left?"=20=20 "I'll check." Q sat up and reached into the basket for the=20 thermos. Of course there was plenty of tea left. He poured a=20 cupful for Jean-Luc and watched him enjoy it.=20 When he was done, Picard gave him back the thermos cup and said, "I=20 must be heading back. It's rather a long walk back to my cottage.=20=20 Would you care to join me?"=20=20 "I might as well," said Q, as casually as possible to hide his=20 excitement. "It'll give me a chance to return this basket to the=20 hotel kitchen along the way." Q packed up the remains of their=20 picnic while Picard got up and stretched his legs. He helped Q fold=20 up the red-and-white checkered blanket, which he tucked under one=20 arm while Q carried the basket. Then they set off down the beach=20 together, back the way Picard had come, in friendly silence for the=20 most part. **************** The sun was a bit lower in the sky by the time they came in sight of=20 the Risa Hilton, but Picard could feel inside himself that it was=20 time for tea. He thought of inviting Q to join him in the hotel's=20 restaurant, but thought they were both dressed a bit too casually.=20=20 Besides, after spending most of the day outdoors, he felt like=20 having a meal sitting at a table. So he suggested to Q, "Why don't=20 you come back to my cottage with me so we can have tea? We can buy=20 some seafood along the way."=20=20 "I'd like that." Q was careful to hide the elation he felt at the=20 thought of being alone with him once more, this time with a bed=20 within reach. "Let's just make a brief stop at the kitchen and drop=20 off this stuff." He and Picard went around to the rear of the=20 hotel, where they found a staff member willing to take the picnic=20 basket and blanket from them. Then they followed the trail of=20 flowering bushes toward the beachfront cottages scattered along the=20 shore, each one painted in brilliant Caribbean colors, reflecting=20 the heritage of the humans who originally colonized this planet,=20 intermarrying with the natives to the point where the Risan dialect=20 took on the rhythm of Jamaican, Hawaiian and Puerto Rican speech, as=20 well as many of its' words.=20 On their way to Picard's cottage, they noticed a small crowd=20 gathering at a dock on the beach, where a few pleasure boats were=20 moored, along with local fishing boats. One of these boats was just=20 sailing into port; it was The Movable Feast, a floating fish store=20 cum restaurant, where both the locals and the guests could buy fresh=20 fish as well as homemade fish dishes. Picard made a beeline for the=20 dock, Q following. While the owner of The Movable Feast was still=20 mooring his vessel, they were lucky enough to get on line while it=20 was still a small line. By the time The Movable Feast was open for=20 business, the line was quite long. Visitors in swimsuits and=20 colorful vacation wear rubbed shoulders with native Risans wearing=20 what appeared to be brightly colored, strategically placed scarves,=20 woven from the local hemp and cotton, just a few of the cash crops=20 that grew so well here after being introduced by the Terran=20 settlers. The Risan women were all beautiful and curvaceous, even=20 the matrons surrounded by small children, while the men were all=20 handsome and well-built, even the older ones with grey hair. Their=20 dark skins, limpid black eyes and thick, black hair set them apart=20 from the visitors.=20=20=20 The Movable Feast was owned and operated by a native Risan, Henri=20 Morgan. He was a strapping fellow with caf=E9 latte-colored skin,=20 green eyes and brilliant white teeth, said to be descended from one=20 of the original Terran settlers. His cocoa-colored wife and their=20 two tawny adolescent daughters, all pretty enough to win any beauty=20 contest with a swimsuit competition, helped him catch the fish,=20 clean it, weigh it and wrap it for sale, as well as cook it in=20 dozens of tasty ways, which varied with the days of the week as well=20 as the quality of the day's catch. Today's catch had been one=20 baruca, the Risan version of a shark, as well as many of the little=20 rainbow-colored fish which swam close to the surface, and a generous=20 amount of the local shrimp and creolas, a Risan crustacean which=20 looked like a cross between a crab and a crawfish. As Morgan leaned=20 over the counter greeting his regular customers, his wife and=20 daughters could be seen bustling around stirring pots, dipping fish=20 into bread coating, cutting steaks off the baruca and putting live=20 creolas into net bags to make them easier for the customers to carry=20 home.=20=20 "Bonjour, mon Capitan!" Morgan greeted Picard when he and Q got up=20 to the counter. "What will it be tonight, hey?" He spoke in a=20 version of the local dialect which was similar to French.=20=20 "Bonjour, Henri," Picard addressed him in French, which he=20 understood well enough to follow along. "My friend here is coming=20 over for tea, so you had better give me a pot of your fish stew and=20 an eel pie."=20=20 "No eels today, m'sur, very sorry. But we have plenty nice creola=20 cakes, if you don't want fresh creola steamed and sauced."=20=20 "Fine, I'll take a batch of the creola cakes with the fish stew,=20 then." Picard waited patiently while Morgan ladled the hearty fish=20 stew into a large tin pot with a tight-fitting lid. As soon as the=20 stew was sealed tight, he added a fresh-baked loaf of crusty round=20 bread, wrapped in brown paper, which fit perfectly inside the sunken=20 lid of the pot. The Risan fisherman then filled a small, woven=20 basket lined with a clean, white napkin with a dozen crisp-fried=20 creola cakes from the batch his wife had just set out to cool.=20=20 Picard paid him in the local script, which he had gotten at the=20 hotel exchange desk by presenting his Starfleet ID and credit card,=20 exchanging a month's worth of wages for three thousand Risan fichas,=20 which was just enough to last him for the entire week he was on=20 leave here.=20=20 Picard started to lift both items, until Q relieved him of the stew=20 pot, carrying it carefully by the handle as he followed Picard from=20 the dock. Morgan called a cheerful "Au revoir, mon Capitan y sus=20 ami!" after them before turning his attention to the next customer.=20=20 The stew pot felt heavy, its contents smelled savory. The basket of=20 creola cakes Picard carried in both hands also had an appetizing=20 aroma. Even Q, who didn't need to eat, found himself looking=20 forward to sampling both. "Does he always give you a loaf of bread=20 with the stew?" he asked Picard. "Yes, it's one of his little extras, along with sweet and hot=20 dipping sauces for the shrimp and creolas." Picard nodded at the=20 little paper cups of sauce on top of the napkin which was folded=20 over the cakes.=20=20=20 "What shall we do with the pot and the basket when we're finished?"=20=20 "Wash them and return them the next time we buy food from him. I=20 still have a basket from my last order which I need to return as=20 well. He makes them himself from the local reeds. The pots are=20 cheap too, since there's a tin mine in the area where the locals who=20 don't work at the resort earn a living, digging and smelting the tin=20 as well as making it into pots, pans and utensils." "I must say it's very convenient having a floating fish market stop=20 by your cottage." "Yes, isn't it?" Picard led the way to his cottage, which looked=20 considerably more homey now than it did last night, when Riker and=20 Troi had escorted him home for fear of this same man walking beside=20 him. // Person, not man, // he reminded himself. // He may look=20 human, but he's still a Q. I'm starting to trust him more than I=20 used to, but I still have to be careful. There's no telling when=20 that capricious nature of his may show itself. //=20=20=20 Once they were inside the cottage, Picard put on the kettle for tea=20 while Q set the table. As they went back and forth inside the small=20 kitchen, fetching plates and utensils, along with cups and saucers,=20 Q kept "accidentally" bumping into him, giving him an excuse to=20 gently pat his arm or shoulder while murmuring "Excuse me". At one=20 point Picard excused himself to change his clothes, leaving Q=20 outside longing to peek into his bedroom, reminding himself that he=20 mustn't do so even as Picard kept glancing at the closed door, both=20 dreading and longing for it to open. When he re-emerged, freshly=20 washed and wearing blue jeans with a sleeveless white shirt, cut=20 rather low in front, he noticed the way that Q kept staring at his=20 chest and biceps. When the tea was ready, they had the creola cakes first as an=20 appetizer. Eating slowly allowed Q to enjoy the flavor of the=20 mortal food as much as the sight of the man sitting across from=20 him. Picard pretended not to notice how intently Q was looking at=20 him, even though it made him feel warm inside. They managed to have=20 a normal conversation while they ate, concerning Risa and its'=20 customs, many of which were Terran-based. When they finally got=20 around to the fish stew, it tasted just as delicious as it smelled.=20=20 So did the bread, which was used to mop up the leavings from the=20 bowls. After each of them had eaten a bowl apiece, there was still=20 plenty left over for supper later. So they put it aside, along with=20 the leftover bread, and went into the living room to talk.=20=20 Both of them sat on the couch, holding fresh cups of Earl Gray tea,=20 as they discussed what was on both their minds; the possibility of a=20 relationship between them. "I've told you about my misgivings at=20 having a relationship with someone more powerful than myself,"=20 Picard told him gravely, "but how do you feel about getting involved=20 with someone who's=97-well, less powerful than you?"=20=20 "I don't think less of you for being human and mortal. As for being=20 powerful, you're considered as powerful among your species as I am=20 among mine." Q took a tentative sip of his tea. "I told you that I=20 wanted to be human while I was with you. I haven't always been in=20 human form when I've visited this dimension. This form I'm wearing=20 now just happens to be the one I prefer to wear when I'm here. But=20 if you would rather see me as a woman, I can be that for you, if=20 that's the only way you can love me."=20=20 Picard was surprised, until he remembered the Robin Hood incident=20 aboard his ship, when Q had mentioned in passing that he should have=20 been a woman. Seeing him looking so earnestly at him now, with no=20 trace of mockery in his face, he knew that he meant what he=20 said. "Wouldn't it make you uncomfortable being a woman, after=20 being a man for so long?" "It would feel strange, at first, but I'd get used to it." "I wouldn't want to confuse your gender identity. Or do you even=20 have a gender, in your own dimension? Are you male by birth or by=20 choice?"=20=20 "I was never born, in the conventional sense," Q said slowly,=20 choosing his words carefully so his mortal companion would=20 understand. "The Q came into being before or after the beginning of=20 linear time, I'm not sure which. In our true forms we resemble=20 prisms, multicolored beams of light, similar to the ones you use in=20 your holographic chambers to create images. But we're more closely=20 related to the Shapeshifters in the Gamma Quadrant, those=20 impertinent beings who call themselves the Founders, as if they were=20 the first sentient beings in this galaxy! Of course we're way above=20 them on the evolutionary scale, since they're still semi-solid in=20 their natural forms. Like them, we're asexual, choosing a male or=20 female form at maturity, after we have practiced being both. So=20 you could say that my gender is a matter of choice." Picard looked at him closely, trying to imagine him as a woman. The=20 image was not appealing; he found that he preferred Q as a=20 man. "Well, since you have expressed a preference for your current=20 form, and I've grown accustomed to it as well, I'd like you to stay=20 just as you are. Don't change yourself just to please me."=20=20 "But I thought that love was all about pleasing the other person?"=20=20 Q looked at him curiously. "I've seen humans make great sacrifices,=20 giving up homes, habits, careers, possessions, even their own=20 children, in order to please their loved ones." "Yes, the emotion of love does frequently manifest itself as=20 sacrifice. Someone who is desperately in love may choose to=20 sacrifice the thing they love most, to prove that they love the=20 other person more. Not everyone appreciates such sacrifices. Nor=20 are they worthy of them." Picard thought of his last great love=20 before Anij, Lieutenant Commander Nella Daren, who chose to transfer=20 off the ENTERPRISE rather than give up her career in Starfleet or=20 make him give up his, comparing her to his late father Maurice, who=20 demanded that his son give up his dream of exploring the galaxy and=20 offered nothing in return but a dull, earthbound life, stagnating in=20 the family vineyard.=20=20 Q couldn't help seeing what he was thinking. He meditated for a=20 while on the difference between a generous, self-sacrificing lover=20 and a selfish one who demanded a sacrifice from the other person=20 while giving up nothing in return. "Yes, I think I understand," he=20 told Picard. "You don't want an extreme sacrifice, just one that we=20 can both live with. Like me not using my powers while I'm with you." "I wouldn't expect you to give up your powers completely," Picard=20 assured him. "All I ask is that you not use them to harm me, or=20 anyone that I care about, while we are together."=20=20 "You know that I would never harm you while we're together like=20 this," Q told him earnestly. "If you want me to extend that=20 protection to your friends as well, I'll do so." He took Picard's=20 free hand in his and said solemnly, looking into his hazel eyes, "I=20 promise never to use my Q powers to harm you or anyone that you care=20 about, Jean-Luc Picard." Picard clasped his hand in a firm, gentle grip and gave him back=20 promise for promise, looking into his brown eyes as he spoke. "I=20 promise that as long as you keep this promise to me, you will be=20 welcome in my life, Q."=20=20=20=20 "Does that include your bed?" Q asked eagerly.=20=20 Picard blinked in surprise. "My, you don't beat about the bush, do=20 you?" "No, I don't." Q grinned.=20=20 "Well, at least give me time to finish my tea."=20=20 Q laughed and clinked the rim of his tea mug against Picard's. "To=20 us!" he said, holding up his mug in a toast.=20=20 Picard returned the gesture and drank up. When the mugs were empty,=20 Q looked around and asked, "Where's the fireplace, so we can throw=20 these in there?"=20=20 "Oh, no you don't!" Picard removed the mug from his grasp and took=20 both drinking vessels to the kitchen. "We'll save that gesture for=20 a more celebratory occasion."=20=20 "I consider this a celebratory occasion," Q informed him as he=20 followed him into the kitchen.=20=20 After rinsing out both mugs and putting them in the dish drainer,=20 Picard turned to him and said, "Prove it."=20=20 Q reached out and drew him into his arms, then gave him a kiss.=20=20 Picard savored it for a few moments, decided that he liked it and=20 put his arms around him. Moments passed, becoming minutes; the=20 longer the kiss lasted, the more passionate it became. Q started=20 stroking him, letting his long fingers glide over the length of the=20 human's back, gradually coming to rest on his buttocks, which he=20 first petted and then held cupped in his hands as if weighing them.=20=20 Picard responded to that by pressing closer to him, letting him feel=20 his rapidly hardening cock nudging his leg. He also opened his=20 mouth and was soon demonstrating the art of French kissing to a=20 willing pupil.=20=20 Picard suddenly gasped into Q's mouth as he felt warm hands burrow=20 beneath his shirt and start feeling up his chest. His chest hair=20 was lovingly caressed until his nipples were found; they were then=20 gently pinched into hard, pink nubs. Picard emitted a sigh of=20 pleasure, which quickly became a moan as Q pulled his shirt up and=20 off and set his lips on one turgid nipple, first kissing it, then=20 sucking it. Shudders of pleasure went through the compact body in=20 Q's arms as he sucked at one nipple, then another. Just as he was=20 fumbling with the snap front of Picard's jeans, there was a loud,=20 heavy knock at the cottage door, followed by the two-toned=20 doorbell.=20=20 "Captain! Oh, Captain!" came the cheery voice of Geordi La=20 Forge. "Open up, it's us! Geordi and Worf!"=20=20 "Not now, Geordi!" Picard groaned as he sagged against Q's taller=20 form, his arms wrapped around the entity's neck as if he expected to=20 be dragged away from him. Q held on to him as if he expected the=20 same thing, glaring at the closed door over Picard's shoulder.=20=20 "Come on, Captain, we know you're in there!" La Forge called to=20 him. "We come bearing gifts! Cold beer and steamed creolas!" It=20 sounded as if La Forge had gotten a head start on the beer. A loud=20 belch in a very low register verified that Worf had been imbibing=20 freely too.=20=20=20 "You'd better let them in," Q told Picard glumly. "I know for a=20 fact that there's no reasoning with drunks. If we ignore them, that=20 Klingon is liable to break the door down with his next=20 knock."=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20 Sighing in resignation, Picard released his would-be lover,=20 retrieved his shirt and put it back on as he headed for the=20 door. "I'll get rid of them," he told Q.=20 "Good luck!" Q told him. He went back into the living room and sat=20 back down on the couch, determined not to move until the uninvited=20 guests were gone. When Picard opened the door, an inebriated La Forge stumbled in, now=20 wearing sandals, royal blue shorts and a red Hawaiian shirt covered=20 with brown coconuts. Picard caught him before he fell on his face;=20 the engineer was carrying a big basket in his hands, similar to the=20 one Picard had gotten from The Movable Feast, but taller and=20 deeper. He straightened up, gave Picard a foolish grin and shoved=20 the basket into his arms. "Creolas, sir!" he announced. "Fresh,=20 hot, steamed creolas! With sauce!"=20=20 "Thank you, Geordi, that was thoughtful of you," Picard told him.=20=20 Right behind La Forge came Worf in sandals, black shorts and a=20 sleeveless black and gold shirt that showed off his muscles, which=20 he was putting to good use by holding a twelve-pack of the local=20 beer under each arm. He walked in, more or less steadily, and asked=20 the captain in his deep voice, "Where would you like these, sir?"=20=20 "Right over there, Worf." Picard pointed to the kitchen counter.=20=20 Worf lumbered over to the counter, deposited the twelve-packs with=20 exaggerated care, took one for himself and headed for the living=20 room, opening and drinking it along the way. La Forge thought that=20 was a good idea and helped himself to one as well. Picard took two=20 of the cans and put them in the basket on top of the napkin-covered=20 creolas, then followed his drunken friends into the living room.=20=20 Worf was already seated on the divan, glaring with undisguised=20 hostility at Q, who was regarding him with distaste from the=20 opposite side of the room.=20=20 "What is he doing here?" Worf demanded, gesturing at Q with the=20 open beer can, spilling some of it on the golden-yellow shag rug.=20=20 "I was invited here, unlike some people," Q retorted. "All of my friends are welcome here," Picard said soothingly,=20 sitting beside Q and offering him a beer. "Let's not spoil our=20 holiday by fighting over things in the past."=20=20 "You're right, sir, life is too short for fighting," La Forge=20 agreed, sprawling beside Worf on the divan. "Let's just eat, drink=20 and be merry! Where are those creolas, Captain?"=20=20 "Right here, Geordi." Picard passed him the basket. La Forge dug=20 into it, pulled out a bright blue steamed creola and passed the=20 basket to Worf. The Klingon pulled out a creola and promptly bit it=20 in two with his powerful jaws. He devoured it while La Forge was=20 still picking the meat out of his with one of its claws, spitting=20 out the shell fragments into his lap and reaching for another one=20 while La Forge was trying to decide between the sweet and spicy=20 dipping sauces.=20=20=20 Picard thoughtfully fetched a wastebasket and put it next to the=20 divan so his friends would have someplace to put the shells. Q=20 looked so disgusted, he feared the entity would say something to=20 provoke Worf, so he whispered to him soothingly. "Let's just let=20 them eat and drink until they either leave or pass out. Then we'll=20 have the rest of the night to ourselves."=20=20 "I can always put them to sleep for you," Q muttered.=20=20 "No powers, Q! You promised," Picard whispered as he opened his=20 beer.=20=20 "All right! But I won't be responsible if Worf there chokes on a=20 creola." Q took a long sip of his Risan beer, the sweet, black=20 local brew made with molasses. He drank it for the taste and to=20 keep Jean-Luc company since alcoholic beverages didn't affect him,=20 which he heartily regretted as he was forced to watch Worf eat five=20 more of the crablike crustaceans and spit the shells into the=20 wastebasket, his aim becoming more unsteady with each beer he drank. La Forge was a neater eater, but he was also a talkative drunk.=20=20=20 The more he drank, the more he reminisced about leaves he had been=20 on in the past, before and after he joined the crew of the=20 ENTERPRISE. He made Picard laugh as he recalled the first time he=20 visited Risa and discovered the power of the horga'hn to attract=20 beautiful Risan women eager to serve him, even in the hot tub, where=20 the youthful La Forge nearly drowned as he kept calling for an=20 attendant to massage different parts of his body and forgetting to=20 keep his head out of the water.=20=20=20 By the third beer, night had fallen outside; Picard wasn't laughing=20 anymore and only pretending to listen as La Forge kept going on and=20 on about all the funny things that had happened to him and his=20 crewmates on past leaves. Q couldn't even put his arm around him,=20 because Worf was squatting at one end of the divan glaring at the=20 entity like a malevolent Buddha. Every time Q made a move toward=20 the captain, Worf would growl at him until he backed off. Q=20 wondered when the drunken duo would either pass out or move on, so=20 that he and Jean-Luc could take up where they left off.=20=20 //If I hadn't promised Jean-Luc, I could have gotten rid of them=20 ages ago!// Q thought glumly. He looked longingly at the man=20 sitting at his left, who was becoming increasingly restive as La=20 Forge rambled on. A frustrated Q was beginning to think of=20 conjuring up two beautiful Risan attendants to distract Worf and La=20 Forge while he and Jean-Luc retired to the bedroom, when La Forge=20 suddenly hauled himself to his feet and headed for the bathroom. "I better empty out all this beer before my bladder explodes," he=20 announced. As he tottered toward the bathroom, Q whispered=20 desperately to Picard. "At least let me lock him in the bathroom!"=20=20 "No!" Picard hissed.=20=20 At the sound of Picard's protest, Worf immediately became=20 alert. "Is there a problem, sir?" he asked, crouching on the edge=20 of the divan like a muscular black panther, ready to spring.=20=20 "No, no, Worf, everything's fine," Picard hastily assured him.=20=20 "At least it was until you two got here," Q muttered.=20=20 "What was that?" Worf demanded, scowling at Q. "I didn't quite hear=20 you."=20 "I said at least you two brought plenty of beer," Q told him with=20 his sweetest smile. "Would you like another one, Mr. Worf?"=20=20 The Klingon looked suspiciously at him and then announced, "Yes, I=20 will have another beer." He got up and walked heavily across the=20 room, creating a small earthquake that shook the pictures on the=20 walls and made knick-knacks tremble on the shelves.=20=20=20=20=20=20=20 Picard took advantage of the temporary respite to whisper, "Look,=20 they're never going to leave us alone tonight. Why don't you=20 pretend to leave and come back in an hour? They'll surely be gone=20 by then."=20=20 "Suppose they're still here in an hour?" Q whispered=20 furiously. "I'm not about to risk touching you while Worf is still=20 awake!"=20=20=20 Worf took another black beer from the dwindling supply on the=20 sideboard and lumbered back to his seat on the divan. Picard and Q=20 hastily separated, but not before Worf had seen Q's arm briefly=20 encircle the captain's waist. Picard's nervous expression didn't=20 help matters; it only convinced Worf that Q was making unwanted=20 advances toward him. Scowling at Q, Worf sat down heavily on the=20 divan and popped the top off his beer with his thumbnail, which was=20 thicker and sharper than a human thumbnail. Q could well imagine=20 him using those claw-like thumbnails to gouge his eyes out in=20 defense of his captain's honor. He stared back at Worf defiantly,=20 refusing to be intimidated.=20=20 "I'm baaack!" La Forge announced loudly as he stumbled into the=20 room. He saw Worf and Q staring at each other in a hostile manner=20 and giggled like a schoolboy.=20=20 //That'll teach Q not to mess with our captain! // La Forge=20 thought. //I'd like to see him try something; Worf will tear him=20 apart like those creolas! No way are we leaving until he leaves=20 first! // He made his way back to the divan and collapsed on the=20 opposite end, smiling reassuringly at his captain. Picard smiled=20 back nervously and shot a quick, anxious glance at Q. La Forge=20 misinterpreted the gesture to mean "Don't leave me alone with him!"=20 instead of "Why won't they leave us alone?"=20=20 "Are there any creolas left?" La Forge asked Worf.=20=20 Worf looked at the empty basket in the center of the divan and then=20 at the pile of shells in the wastebasket at his feet. "No, Geordi,=20 we have met the enemy and they are ours." He let out a thunderous=20 belch and patted his full belly.=20=20 La Forge laughed. "Yeah, we sure assimilated those creolas, didn't=20 we? They've all become part of our individual collectives!" "No Borg jokes, if you please, Geordi," the captain sighed. He had=20 reached the melancholy stage of drunkenness, made even more so by=20 the tantalizing nearness of the one he wanted to make his lover.=20=20 "Sorry, Captain," La Forge said quickly. "Hey, what do you say we=20 all go out and get some more creolas or shrimps? I'll bet that=20 floating fish kitchen is still out there. Let's go find it!" He=20 jumped to his feet and headed unsteadily for the door. "I doubt they're still open for business at this hour, Geordi,"=20 Picard said hastily, worried about letting him go wandering around=20 in the dark in his condition. "If you're still hungry, you're free=20 to rummage through my kitchen. There's some leftover fish stew that=20 can be heated up."=20=20 "Sounds good to me!" La Forge said cheerfully. "You got any snacks=20 to go with it, Captain? I could go for some popcorn." He tottered=20 toward the kitchen, still speaking to Picard. "Can I get you=20 anything, sir?"=20 "A few minutes of privacy," Q muttered. La Forge stopped in his tracks and craned his neck over his shoulder=20 to look at Q. "Excuse me, Q? Did you say something?" he asked=20 loudly, on the verge of drunken belligerence.=20=20 "I said in a few minutes I have to leave," Q told him.=20=20=20 "Aw, do you have to?" La Forge asked, voice dripping with sarcasm as=20 he grinned drunkenly at Q. Smugness radiated from every alcohol- drenched pore at having outlasted the entity.=20=20 Q sat staring coldly at La Forge, his hands clenching and=20 unclenching themselves in his lap. Seeing this gesture, Picard knew=20 that Q was just longing to wrap his hands around La Forge's neck and=20 squeeze his windpipe until his ocular implants popped out of his=20 head. He laid his hand on Q's left wrist and squeezed it firmly as=20 a warning as he said, "I'm sorry you have to go so soon, Q. Perhaps=20 we can resume our discussion tomorrow?" He looked straight into Q's=20 eyes as he pictured the hotel restaurant and the two of them having=20 breakfast together.=20=20 Q caught the mental image and smiled. "Yes, I'm sure we'll run into=20 each other again soon, mon Capitan. I'd better go now and leave=20 you to your friends." He rose from the couch, giving Jean-Luc a=20 kiss with his eyes. "I'll see myself out." He walked away without=20 haste, well aware of the way Worf's black eyes were burning into his=20 back and of the smirk on La Forge's face, but determined to endure=20 these insults for Jean-Luc's sake. //If these people weren't his=20 friends, I'd have thrown them both into the sea by now, preferably=20 into the path of a passing baruca.// He smiled at the thought of=20 watching La Forge and Worf swimming frantically for their lives as=20 the huge, sharp-toothed fish swam after them. "Good night, all," he=20 said as he walked out the door into the night.=20=20 As soon as he was gone, La Forge slapped his hands together in=20 satisfaction. "Good riddance!" he said with a grin. "I knew we'd=20 get rid of him if we stayed with you long enough, sir!"=20=20 Picard had to restrain himself from boxing La Forge's ears. "I=20 appreciate your concern, Geordi, but I don't believe that I was in=20 any real danger from Q. Before your arrival, we were having a=20 perfectly civil conversation."=20 L Forge stared at him in bewilderment. "What could you and Q=20 possibly have to discuss, sir?" Picard remembered the moment on the beach when he lay in Q's arms=20 after waking from his nap, feeling only warmth and tenderness, no=20 sense of danger, no fear of being forced into any sexual activity.=20=20 He remembered the long walk back to his cottage in companionable=20 silence, buying seafood together and eating it together, the moment=20 they'd sat on the couch together holding hands while they exchanged=20 their promises to each other. Then he remembered what came after=20 and how abruptly it had ended with the arrival of his friends. "A=20 great many things, Geordi," was all he said. He looked at the clock=20 on the wall above the door and remarked, "It's rather late. I think=20 I'll go to bed now. Why don't you young fellows go back to the=20 hotel and see if you can find a party?"=20=20 "Late? Ah, come on, Captain, it's barely 2200! Come back with us=20 and we can all party together!"=20=20 "No, thank you, Geordi," Picard told him firmly. "I came to Risa to=20 relax, and at my age relaxation consists of long stretches of doing=20 nothing at all, interspersed with brief bursts of activity." //And=20 if you and Worf hadn't shown up, I'd be still be engaged in one=20 particular activity!// Hiding his resentment, he headed for his=20 bedroom. "You two are free to go whenever you please. I'm going to=20 take a shower." He went into his bedroom and shut the door.=20=20 When they were alone together, La Forge and Worf looked at each=20 other. La Forge spoke first. "Do you think it's safe to leave the=20 captain alone now that Q is gone?"=20=20=20 "No, I don't," Worf growled.=20=20 "Neither do I. That sneaky SOB is likely to pop in again the minute=20 we're gone. I say we wait out the rest of the night here. We can=20 raid the captain's kitchen and watch the holovision while he's=20 sleeping in the other room."=20=20 "One of us had better look in on him at regular intervals," Worf=20 cautioned him.=20=20 "You bet! Come on, let's put the rest of those beers on ice and=20 heat up that fish stew." So the two friends settled in for the=20 night while Picard took a cold shower and got into bed with a good=20 book. But his mind kept wandering from the book to his memories of=20 what he and Q had been doing earlier. When he couldn't stand it any=20 longer, he turned off the lights and took himself in hand,=20 masturbating vigorously while he imagined the scene in the kitchen=20 coming to its natural conclusion. Between heating up the stew and=20 arguing over which holovid movie to watch, La Forge and Worf didn't=20 get around to checking up on him until after he'd reached a brief,=20 unsatisfying climax, cleaned himself up and gone to sleep.=20=20 TO BE CONTINUED... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ASCEM messages are copied to a mailing list. Most recent messages can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCEML. NewMessage: