A Different Path Part 3 A simple change in one persons life can quite often effect others. Often quite unexpectedly. If it hadn't been for Marrissa's move in with her step-brother Wesley, Jay Gordon would have most likely remained on the Independence. But when he saw the results of that move when the Independence and the Enterprise were docked at Starbase 73, his course in life changed. It had been nine months since Jay Gordon had seen his friend Marrissa. So, they were going to meet in the station's shopping mall, along with her brother Wesley and Clara. Jay heard them before he saw them. "I don't care what you say, Wes," Marrissa said. "I am going participate in the Security Team competition." "I can just see you trying," Wesley said. "Face it, Marrissa you can't go running though the halls anymore. Finally, they came into view, the tall Science Officer, and the short Security Chief. Jay had to check again. Last time he had seen Marrissa, she was thin and petite. Now he found her belly bulging under her black baby doll style dress. He couldn't recall the last time he'd seen her wear a dress, and as for her bulging belly . . . "What happened to you?" Jay exclaimed. From behind him, Clara replied, "She's having Wesley's baby." To Jay's unspoken question, Marrissa said, "When I moved in with Wesley, some wahoo replaced the beds with just one bed. Things went from there." "So your sleeping au natural finally came back to haunt you," Jay said, as he took in the changes in his long time friend. He was pretty sure she wasn't wearing a bra, and instead of her hair being pulled up in a pony tail, like it had been as long as he could remember, a burette held it back off her face. Otherwise, it followed free, down her back, much longer than before. "Yeah," Marrissa replied, beginning to waddle though the mall. "It wasn't so bad until I started getting fat, though." "I don't think that's why you're complaining," Wesley said, leading everyone to a seating area. "Doctor Picard is restricting her duties, isn't she?" Jay asked, knowing Marrissa well. "How did you guess," Marrissa groaned, taking a seat on a padded bench. "I'm barely allowed to work a full shift now, and I've still got forty-two days to go." "And she just lost her second in Security," Clara said, sitting opposite Marrissa and Wesley. "What happened to him?" Jay asked, perching on the wall next to Marrissa's right side. "He fell off a balcony while on an away mission and died on impact," Wesley said, putting his hand on Marrissa's belly. "I spent four months training him to take my place, and he ruins it in just a few minutes, doing a damn foolish stunt," Marrissa said. "Ohhh! she's kicking again." "I feel it," Wesley said. "May I?" Jay asked, before placing his hand on Marrissa's belly. "Active little girl, isn't she?" "Marrissa is going to have her hands full soon," Clara replied. "I am not ready for this," Marrissa said, looking up towards the ceiling. "Too late now," Jay said. "I think the point of no return was some months ago. So, you're still looking for an Assistant Security Chief." "Yes, and they need to start immediately," Marrissa said. "I don't have time to do much training anymore." "I might just apply then," Jay said. "I just finished my turn in Security on the Independence. Dad wants me to take up the open Operations Chief post, but I don't want to be his successor." "I heard he got promoted to First Officer," Marrissa said, sliding her feet out of her sandals. "Too bad about Commander Quinteros. He was a good officer." "Yeah, he was my mentor on the Independence," Jay said. "He ran that bridge like clockwork for the Captain. It's strange being there without him." "So, do you really want to transfer to the Enterprise?" Clara asked. "I just want to get out of my parents' quarters," Jay said. "My little sisters are driving me nuts." "I left my parent's quarters because of the noise, and look what happened to me," Marrissa said, gesturing to her swollen tummy. "I don't think I need to worry about that," Jay said. "Now Clara, on the other hand, might. You are still living with your father, aren't you, Clara?" "Yes, but it's beginning to get a little troublesome since I got my Lieutenancy before he did," Clara said. "Trust me, out ranking your parent is not any easy position to be in." "I'm glad I'm not likely to do that," Marrissa said, sliding her shoes back on. "All I want is a Captaincy someday. Since Dad made Rear Admiral, I don't have to worry. Let's go get something to eat, I'm hungry." "Of course you are," Wesley said, helping her up. "Don't even think of it," Marrissa said. "How does pizza sound?" "I'm in," Clara said, standing up. "Me too," Jay said, sliding off the wall. After they ate, Jay offered to walk Clara back to the Enterprise. As soon as they were out of range of Wesley and Marrissa's hearing, Clara spoke up. "So Jay, what's on your mind?" "How the heck could something like this happen?" Jay exclaimed, as they walked. "Marrissa suddenly pregnant, and apparently if not in love, then deeply caring for her stepbrother. She's acting demure, and submissive. Whatever happened to Miss Independent, who did everything the way she wanted?" "Being pregnant has tempered Marrissa," Clara said. "A baby in her belly reminds her to take more caution. I think it was about time." "Yeah, but Marrissa, having sex?" Jay said, as they let the mall. "I was sure she'd have to get married before she did that." "I blame that on Lieutenant Calgary," Clara said. "He changed the beds in Marrissa's quarters. If it wasn't for him, Marrissa and Wesley would have slept in separate beds." "What did Marrissa do to him when she found out he was behind it?" Jay asked, impulsively putting his arm around Clara's shoulders. "I don't think she knows," Clara replied, responding with an arm around Jay's waist. "I will say one thing about her having sex though, it loosened her up. Since she and Wesley started doing it, she hasn't been quite so much of a strict commander, and she cut back on those special double shifts to once a week before she even discovered that she was pregnant." "She cut back on the special double shifts?" Jay said, as they reached the Enterprise's dock. "They were practically her trademark. The full Alpha, and then the third Beta, third Gamma, and third Delta were the model of how a Department Chief should keep up with their command. It's right out of the text book. Though the text book says once a week, not ever day like Marrissa did." "Yes, and she's relaxed for once," Clara said. "Could you have seen her giggling at a dinner with her friends before?" "Not since the Captain adopted her," Jay said, as they reached the actual ramp to board the Enterprise. "Can I come aboard the Enterprise with you? I need to talk to the Captain about a possible transfer." "I've got to report to him anyway," Clara said. "Geordi is talking a week off and left me in change of Engineering while he's gone. The weekly ship's stats are due." "Moving up in the world, I see," Jay said. "Not really. Most of the Engineering Senior Staff are attending the Warp Engine Design Conference this week," Clara said. "I'm only attending one day of it and I'd like not to be attending that day. So I get to handle the day to day stuff since I'm the junior most member, and least involved in outside the ship stuff." "Why don't you want to attend it?" Jay asked. "Because that only reason I'm attending that day is that I get to present and defend my paper on Warp Field Dynamics for High Warp Speed, then," Clara said. "Would that be the second paper you've gotten published in the Cochrane Journal of Engineering?" Jay asked, as they entered the Enterprise. "Yes. And I wish they'd stop submitting my homework for me," Clara said, exasperated. "I didn't even know it had been submitted until they sprang that surprise publication party on me. And it hasn't helped my relationship with my Dad. First they promote me a week before him, and then they add insult to injury with that party." "So things are still bad in the Sutter Quarters?" Jay asked, as they turned towards Engineering. "I don't know where to start," Clara said, as they entered Engineering. "Raworrl, any last minute updates to the Status, Performance, and Engineering Report? I'm heading to the Captain now." "Just one, sir," Raworrl, a tall feline engineer replied. "The Impulse Performance Index went up point six when we factored in its use during docking." "Very well," Clara said, picking up the PADD. "I'll be on my way to the see the Captain if anyone needs me. I'll be back around 1900." "Oh, and Admiral Howser has moved your presentation to the Scott Auditorium," Raworrl said. "There wasn't enough room for everyone who wanted to attend in the Nelson Room." Once they were out of Engineering, Clara let out a deep breath. "God, can this get any worse," she asked. "Don't ask that, Clara," Jay said. "God will take it as a challenge, or that's what Marrissa's mom used to say." "The Scott Auditorium is the largest room in the Starbase," Clara said. "It fits over seventeen thousand people. I've never given a speech before seventeen people, let alone seventeen thousand people." "Don't worry about it, Clara," Jay said, as they entered the turbolift. "Deck 8. You'll be fine. It can't be any worse than when you had to explain to the Captain why his ship wouldn't go because you'd accidentally adjusted the injector firing controls to the wrong time unit and they'd gummed up." "Oh, I thought I'd never live that one down," Clara said. "But you lived to tell the tale," Jay said as the doors opened. "I nearly peed my pants," Clara said. "Remember Marrissa's words of wisdom for encountering higher authority," Jay smiled. "Go before you meet them!" they chorused. "You know, she had the hardest time explaining that," Clara said. "Well, considering that Shayna was deliberately not understanding it, yeah," Jay replied. "I heard that Shayna's back on board the Enterprise now." "Oh yes, Miss Practical Joke has been inflicting Engineering for the past week," Clara said. "She and her family transferred from the Venture. Her older brother is working as an assistant in Stellar Cartography. Her parents are both in Operations. Data requested them." "Data requested officers?" Jay said. "That's highly unusual." "Even Data has a limit with repeated incompetence," Clara said. "He had to replace nine officers in a row for failure to know their jobs. So he asked for people he knew could do the job, after Marrissa noticed it." "Marrissa would notice something like that," Jay said. As they reached the Captain's Quarters, Clara pressed the announcer. "Come," Captain Picard's voice said from inside. They entered the room. The Captain was seated on his couch, beside his baby daughter's bassinet. "Lieutenant Clarrissa Sutter with this week's SP&E Report, sir," Clara said. "Very good, Clara," Picard said, as Clara handed him the report. "I see we have an across the board improvement. Convey my compliments to Engineering. And what brings you here, Jay?" "I'd like to discuss the possibility of a transfer to the Enterprise, sir," Jay replied, standing at attention. "At ease, Jay. And have a seat. I don't expect such formality from any of my daughter's friends, and you know it," the Captain said. "You too, Clara." "Sorry, Captain," Clara said, as both her and Jay took up seats opposite Picard. "Now Jay, what brings you to request a transfer to the Enterprise?" Picard asked. "Your father is Number One on the Independence, now, isn't he?" "Yeah, but I don't want to keep following right in his footsteps," Jay said. "I've never had a post that my Dad hadn't. He wants me to take up his old post of Chief of Operations." "And?" Picard prompted. "I have nothing against Operations, sir, but for me it's just too much routine, and it's too much like a desk job. I want something that I can do more than just press buttons at. I just finished my turn in Security as a Captaincy Candidate, sir, and I liked it." "So you want to leave the Independence and come serve as under Marrissa," Picard said. "Have you talked to your parents about this?" "No, sir. I just found out about the opening a few minutes ago, and I wanted to find out if I had a chance before I brought it up with Mom and Dad." "Jay, I won't lie to you. Getting this post isn't going to be easy," Picard said. "You'll have to satisfy not just me, but Commander Riker and Marrissa that you really want and can do the post. After all, whoever becomes the Enterprise's Assistant Chief of Security is likely to be Acting Chief very soon for several months." "Knowing Marrissa, I'd say two months, max," Jay said. "Knowing Marrissa is perhaps the biggest reason why you'd be a leading candidate if you submitted your name," Picard said. "You and Marrissa make a great team. If she doesn't know and trust who is in charge of her department while she is off duty, she'll try to come back sooner. Talk to your parents. If they will let you, apply. You'll be at the top of the list, I'm sure." "Thank you sir," Jay said, standing up. "I'll talk to my parents then. Come on Clara." Clara stood up, and they began to leave. "Oh, and Clara, I look forward to your presentation," Picard said. "Thank you, Captain." Clara said as they left. The first thing Marrissa did when she arrived at her father's quarters was find a seat. Standing at attention was not something she wanted to do at the moment. It hurt her back. She took a seat in what had become her favorite chair in the room. It was only once she had gotten as comfortable as possible that she spoke to her father. "You said you had news for me?" "Yes, Marrissa," Captain Picard said, standing behind his daughter's chair and beginning to massage her shoulders like Beverly had taught him to do during her pregnancy. "Commander Riker and I have found you a new Assistant Chief." "You are at least going to let me meet them before you foster them off on me?" Marrissa said. "I want to be able to trust whoever I get there. And you know how bad some of the choices I've tried have been." "I've seen them, but I don't think you'll have any problems with this one," Picard said. "He comes very highly recommended from the Captain of the Independence." "So did Lieutenant Dawg, from the Captain of the Hood," Marrissa said. "He lasted all of a day." "Well, I think this one is much better than Mister Dawg," Picard replied. "He certainly won't urinate in the corridor. In any case, you already have given Lieutenant Gordon a favorable review in the past. I doubt that two years under Captain Morris is likely to have changed him that much." "Gordon, as in Jay Gordon?" Marrissa asked. Picard nodded. "How did you get him to transfer to the Enterprise? I thought it would be years before I served with him again." "He heard about the opening and asked," Picard said, as Jackie started crying in the next room. "His parents were a little hesitant about his transfer, but I was able to allay their concerns. I take that you're in favor of the move." "Yes!" Marrissa said, as her father moved towards Jackie's crib. "Good, you can tell him that he got the job," Picard said, picking up his baby girl. "Unless you'd rather change Jackie's diapers." "No thanks, Dad," Marrissa said, struggling to get up. "I'll be changing enough of them in forty days. Computer, is Lieutenant Jay Gordon aboard?" "Lieutenant Jay Gordon is currently in Lieutenants Daniel and Clarrissa Sutter's Quarters." "Later Dad," Marrissa said, waddling out of the room. Lieutenant junior grade Daniel Sutter met Marrissa at the door with a look of scorn. Marrissa was getting used to it. Ever since she started showing, Clara's father had been hostile towards her. Normally she avoided him, but sometimes it couldn't be helped, and today she'd entirely forgotten about it in her haste to catch Jay. "What brings you here, Lieutenant?" Mister Sutter said, his dislike shown in the low tone of his voice. "The computer tells me that Lieutenant Jay Gordon is here, and I have Ship's business to discuss with him, Mister Sutter," Marrissa said, keeping her tone as business like as possible. "He's in Clara's room," Mister Sutter said, as he stepped aside to let Marrissa enter. "I believe you know the way." Marrissa took a quick right, walked past the bathroom to the little room that Clara called home on the Enterprise-E. The door was open. The room was smaller than Clara's on the Enterprise-D had been. A simple bed against one wall, a desk against the other, with a built in light above it. The walls were the Enterprise's default cream color, unlike the buttercup yellow that she'd had before. Jay was seated at the desk, while Clara sat on her bed. "... so I told him that regulations forbid some actions," Jays said. "Hi Marrissa. And it's true, just not what he assumed it forbid." "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Marrissa said. "Of course not," Clara said. "Have a seat. Jay was just telling me how he got out of sparring with the Sovereign of Varlos." "I've met him," Marrissa said, trying to seat herself on the bed. "I had a medical excuse, myself." "He's a hulk of a man," Jay said. "There was no way I was going to get into physical sparring with him. So what brings you to brave Mister Sutter's wrath?" "I forgot that he doesn't go on duty for another hour," Marrissa admitted. "But I had good news. Jay, I'm offering you the post of Assistant Chief of Security on the Enterprise." "All right!" Jay said, jumping out of his seat. "I'll take it." "How soon can you start?" Marrissa asked. "The Enterprise leaves for Vulcan in two days." "I should be moved in and ready by then," Jay said, settling back down. "The question is, are you ready?" "Jay, I stand on the bridge for up to six hours a day, with an aching back and feet that are usually so swollen that I've given up on wearing my uniform boots," Marrissa said. "To make matters worse, I haven't had an able second for the last two weeks, and you'll be the only other Lieutenant in my department because of bad decisions made by your predecessor." "You should have seen Marrissa a couple weeks ago," Clara said. "She disregarded the Doctor's orders, rushed in, and rescued the three surviving members of the Away Team, with her panties around one leg." "Okay, okay, so I didn't have time to pull on my panties," Marrissa said. "It's not easy to do with a big belly, and they needed rescuing immediately. I barely made it." "I can't believe it, even a pregnancy doesn't stop you," Jay said. "And you still don't have any modesty." "Modesty? I lost that when someone started telling everyone that I wore pink panties after that gravity failure in the ship's gym," Marrissa said. "So? You refused to wear any panties until I apologized," Jay said. "You only made things worse with that declaration." "I was naive at the time," Marrissa said. "Of course, so were you. Did you really think no one would catch you on your back path to the ship's mess and the cookies via the Jefferies Tubes?" "Hey, the smell of those lemon cream cookies was irresistible," Jay said. "Yeah, right," Clara said. "Have you and Wesley settled on a name?" "Finally," Marrissa said. "Ariana Aileen. I like the way it rolls off the tongue." "Which last name will she use?" Jay asked. "Picard," Marrissa replied. "Wesley refuses to let his child suffer through all the teasing that he got with Crusher." "I don't see much difference," Jay said. "After all, pick a card, any card." "I'd get up to slap you, but it's too much trouble," Marrissa said, from her seat on the bed. "As log as you're still a Picard, you've still got the M.A.P.," Clara said, before dodging Marrissa's playful swat. "Woe is me," Marrissa said, with a smile. "All my friends are against me." "What should we do with her, Jay?" Clara asked. "Coming in here and ruining all our fun?" "Well, the last time we threw her in the ship's pool," Jay said, standing up. "But, I'm not sure we could carry her, all that way this time. She seems to have gained quite a bit of weight." "Be careful, Jay, I'm making a list of babysitters and you and Clara are on the top of that list," Marrissa threatened. "I'll be doing your job, so I won't have time," Jay replied. "Does tickle torture still work?" "Only if we can get her feet," Clara said. "Oh no," Marrissa said, as Clara and Jay looked down at her bare feet. "I have enough trouble with my bladder without you trying to make me laugh so hard I pee my pants." Jay stood up from the chair and approached. "I doubt you could, Marrissa," he said. "After all, I'd take wagers that you're not even wearing panties under that dress of yours." "Jay. Alan. Gordon," Marrissa began, struggling to stand up. "You better run." Five minutes later, Data was run over by two laughing teenagers running backwards from a smiling Marrissa.