Work Text:
(One-Shot)
(for the 'Lost & Found' fanfiction collections)
In remembrance of Majel Barret Roddenberry & Ricardo Montalbán
Deanna sat on the lounge in her quarters, sipping a cup of tea. She was thinking over the last year; how rough it had been. It was supposed to be a good year, probably the best for her & Wil Riker. They had just gotten married. Riker was promoted to captain & given command of the USS Titan. Where had it gone so wrong so fast?
It had started with a hard shock. A loss of a very dear friend whom she had served with for around fifteen years on the Enterprise, both the D & E. It was either Data or Picard that had to stay behind. Why couldn't the transporter work just once more to save the other at the last possible second? The Enterprise without Data was forever incomplete & Deanna could never allow herself to trust the B4 android, just in case he turned out to be Lore, or something like him.
Things seemed to go downhill from there. Titan had been sent to help clean up the mess Shinzon had made. It almost cost them all their lives on more than one occasion. It was a hard process & she was grateful when it was over.
Deanna paused for a moment to check the time. It was just after seven in the morning. "Great," She muttered to herself as she got up. She had to be on the bridge in only a few minutes. "I wonder if anything else can happen?"
"Incoming message from Betazed," the computer suddenly informed her.
"Oh mother," Deanna half-smiled to herself. "Just what I need to cheer up." She switched on the monitor only to find a written message. It wasn't from Lwaxana, but it was about her.
To Deanna Troi-Riker, Commanding Officer of the USS Titan; daughter of Lwaxana Troi:
The Betazed High Council requires your presence on Betazed as soon as possible.
We regret to inform you that Lwaxana Troi: Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed & Ambassador of the Betazed government, also your mother, has been killed in the Loneel Mountains while helping on a rescue mission when one of the volcanoes unexpectedly erupted, causing two massive landslides that claimed several lives.
There was more, describing how Lwaxana had saved a few lives before the second slide struck, but Deanna could read no more right now. "Oh...oh no! Oh my God!" She sank to the floor.
"Ah! Ow!"
Everyone on the bridge turned around quickly to see their captain out of his chair & bent over holding his head.
"Sir? What's wrong?" asked Commander Vale.
Riker only answered with, "Computer: locate Deanna Troi-Riker!"
"Commander Deanna Troi-Riker is in her quarters."
"Vale, you have the bridge!" Riker left without another word. He hurried down to their quarters & found Deanna curled up on the floor, shivering. "Deanna, what happened? I felt that all the way on the bridge."
"I have to go to Betazed, right now."
"What? Deanna, we can't right now," Riker softly laughed. "You know we're on our way to the Seredia System to help stop their squabbling before it affects the Federation."
"I have to go to Betazed, right now." Deanna repeated.
"But...why now?" Riker pressed. "Deanna...Imzhadi..."
"Mother needs help, I have to go now."
"Y-Your mother!" Riker tried not to roll his eyes. "What has she gotten into this time?"
Deanna said nothing. Riker looked around for something, anything, that might tell him what was going on. He found the monitor, still turned on, sitting on the desk & started reading the message. He soon found himself sitting on the floor, holding Deanna. "We'll get you home."
That task seemed impossible. The USS Titan couldn't turn around now. It was on urgent business to stop a possible war that could involve the Federation. It seemed that was what this ship did a lot lately. He couldn't send Deanna away by shuttle craft either; too dangerous, too long & besides, he wanted to go with her.
But that damned duty always called.
Duty to Starfleet ... but also duty to his wife.
There seemed no way out.
Riker put Deanna to bed & after a short "I'll figure it out ..." whispered to her, he returned to the bridge.
Right, Titan can't turn around. Deanna & I can't stay. ...Titan can't turn around. ... This is going to be hard. Riker continued to mentally bash himself all the way to the bridge. Lwaxana dead? How can that happen? Happen now? At this time?
Riker sat in his chair, staring straight ahead into nothingness for several minutes.
"SIR!"
A loud call finally brought him back to reality. Riker looked up to see several officers staring at him. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I said," Vale repeated, again. "There is a ship on sensor range."
"Oh," Riker said dumbly.
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"The ship?" Vale repeated. "Do you want me to see who they are?"
"Yes."
Vale gave her captain an odd look as she opened the sensor logs. "Oh, it is the Starship Cordoba. They are hailing us."
"On screen."
"Hello, I'm Captain Montalban," said the older captain on the screen. "We're on our way to Starbase 19 for some repairs & then we are to rendezvous with you in the Seredia System in two days."
"We'll be there in roughly two days," said Riker slowly. "That particular Starbase is near Betazed, isn't it?"
"Yes it is," said the other captain. "We'll be spending about 24 hours there & then return here. We've had an unfortunate incident that forced this detour on us."
"Yes, you're lucky your ship is faster than mine," Riker said. "Could you hold on for one moment please?"
"Sure," said Captain Montalban. "Is something wrong?"
"No, I think something might be just right," Riker said with a smile. After leaving Montalban on standby, Riker brought Commander Vale into his Captain's room. "Can you take command of the Titan for the next two days? All you have to do is get her to the Seredia System. I'll be back by then."
"Captain," Vale asked in surprise. "Why?"
"I have a matter to attend to, oddly enough, on Betazed," said Riker. "I can go & return with the Starship Cordoba. I'll be back in time to start discussions with the Seredians."
"Alright, Captain."
Riker soon made preparations with Montalban to transfer himself & Deanna to the Cordoba. In no time, they were warping quickly back to Betazed. Deanna was quiet most of the time & stayed in the quarters provided for them. Riker helped out with some of the minor repairs. The Cordoba had been in an unexpected fight with four Klingon warbirds. They had hit hard & fast & all at the same time, jumping out at the Cordoba from behind an asteroid & uncloaking only at the last minute. Then the Cordoba was told that it was a mistake: the Klingons claimed they had been expecting Romulan warbirds to pass them by. To say Captain Montalban was more than annoyed was an understatement. He didn't even have time to see who or what was attacking or to raise shields. It had happened too fast.
Miraculously, his warp drive received minor damage & was back to running full power in no time. But the rest of poor Cordoba: most of her hull had holes blasted through it; particularly, along the starboard side & force fields stood where gaps in the walls now left new views into outer space. Needless to say, it was a sorry sight when Starbase 19 received the battered ship & set about fixing her up immediately.
Riker & Deanna set off straight for Betazed & soon found themselves in the capital city, Rixx. The Betazed Governor greeted them, or rather, greeted Deanna. Riker was only mildly in tune to Deanna's thoughts, but he could not hear whatever greeting the Governor exchanged with her before speaking aloud to both of them.
"I am Sondi, Governor of Betazed," he began. "The ceremony will begin in one hour at the edges of the Valley Of Song. In the meantime; Deanna, perhaps you would like to go to her house? We already have everything left to you prepared & waiting there for you."
"Yes, I'd like that very much," said Deanna. "Oh, where is Barin?"
"He is at home with me," said Sondi. "I will bring him to the ceremony for you."
"Thank-you," said Deanna. "It'll be nice to see him after everything that's happened."
Riker followed Deanna down the road, through the city & soon found himself at the door of the home of Lwaxana Troi, now passed to Deanna. Inside, several boxes already packed were waiting on the living room floor. There were also two chests, one gold and the other a smaller, silver one. The gold chest held the Sacred Chalice of Rixx & the smaller one contained the Holy Rings of Betazed.
The hour didn't seem long enough & almost before she knew it, Deanna found herself on the northern cliffs in the Valley of Song, standing next to her husband & holding a crystal urn of her mother's ashes. Her little half-brother, Barin, stood next to them. The valley below was well-named. The constant air-currents wavering to & fro sent out a musical sound; sometimes discordant vibes, sometimes short tunes which only the valley seemed to know. It was constant, yet changing at the same time.
"This is a tragic day," Governor Sondi began. "Betazed has lost one of its greatest ambassadors. Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, former holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx & former heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed has left us, suddenly & unexpectedly. We release her now into the Valley of Song. Gone but not forgotten."
Sondi stopped for a moment as Deanna stepped closer to the edge of the cliff. She opened the urn & let loose the ashes. They fluttered down & away into the never-ending musical currents below. The urn was then dropped down below as well, shattering as it hit the rock face, the sun catching several sparks & throwing them back in almost blinding bits of colored light.
Then Sondi continued. "All possessions, jewels of Betazed the Ambassador owned, the Sacred Chalice of Rixx & the Holy Rings of Betazed are now in new hands. Deanna Trio-Riker will take over."
Afterwards, Deanna, Wil & Barin were in the Governor's home. Barin was out in the garden playing with a Trestial, which simply put, was a Betazed house-cat, just a bit larger than an Earth house-cat. Deanna, Wil & Sondi were discussing Barin's future.
"I want him with us," said Deanna. "But also I don't. The way things are going, all the dangerous places Titan is sent, I just don't want anything else to happen to my little brother."
"It would be nice to have a child for you to take care of again, Deanna," said Riker, with an underlying hint. Deanna heard his thoughts well. He was thinking of Ian, her spirit child that had once visited the Enterprise D. He was right. It would be nice to have a child around again.
"We were hoping you'd want to take him with you," Sondi said. "I know it is dangerous but here is no different. Your mother did a fine job keeping him safe during the war with the Dominion. I am confident you can do the same."
The discussions went on for another half hour, not only of Barin but also of other things as well. In the end, Deanna would keep her mother's house as a place for her to return to in the future. She would also keep the Chalice & the Holy Rings there as well. She had a few things of her mother's that she would take with her. She was also taking Barin. Deanna went out into the garden to find him.
"Hello."
Deanna turned around & saw Barin hiding under a bush. /Well hello, Barin./ she started, telepathically. /Do you know who I am?/
/You're Deanna. My big sister right?/
/Yes, that's right./
/Are we going home now?/
Deanna sat down on the grass in front of him. /That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you like stars?/
/Yes, very much! Someday I wanna be an officer like you!/
/It's not all it's cracked up to be, trust me./ Deanna laughed. /How would you like to come with me to my new ship?/
/The Enterprise?/
/Well, we could visit her anytime,/ Deanna went on inwardly. /I was planning to soon enough, actually. But I'm on my own ship right now. It's called the Titan./
/Is that still Starfleet?/
/Yes, it is. I was wondering if you'd like to come & stay aboard with me. Start travelling the stars now./
"Hmm," Barin said aloud. "Well only if Keval can come as well."
"Who's Keval?" Deanna was answered with a cat held up in her face. "Um, isn't this Governor Sondi's cat?"
Barin shook his head. "She's mine."
Deanna stood up & stretched a little before picking up the cat. Its ears looked like the wings of butterflies, which was an Earth bug, & it's smoke-blue fur was soft like velvet. Two purple eyes lazily looked into hers before the creature yawned widely, its incisors unfolding & pointing out their full length before retracting again as the cat regained its composure. Trestials never showed their fangs until they were ready to use them ... or until they stretched out lazily.
"Aren't these things poisonous?" Deanna asked.
"Just a little," Barin shrugged. "but not dangerous & the venom sacs can be removed if they become a problem."
"Alright, you can take Keval," Deanna gave in. "But only if you take care of her."
"Oh I will!" Barin scooped the cat up into his own arms after Deanna put her down. The two of them headed back through the garden & down the road to meet with Riker who was waiting for them at the shipyard landing, to leave.
/So how old are you now, Barin?/
/Seven. My birthday was a few months ago. I'll soon be eight. I was born in the end of 2372./
/I'm glad your telepathic abilities seem to work fine. Mother has taught you well./
/It was kind of hard at first; I'm half-Tavnian, but Mom said you were only half as well but were still able to do it./
/Yes it was quite hard for me as well. There's Wil over there./
The three of them soon found themselves on their way to Starbase 19. Keval stayed curled up in Barin's lap, hissing only at a few strangers that passed too close & Deanna was soon glad she let the cat come along. Trestials would often guard whoever was their master. Barin needed all the protection he could get.
Almost as soon as they had entered on Starbase 19, the main computer said: "The Starship Cordoba NCC-1975 will be disembarking in one half hour."
"Made it just in time," said Riker. "Look at her now. It's like looking at a whole new ship."
Cordoba could be seen easily through the large bay window. It was as if she had never been wounded. Her nacelles shone bright blue over her silver exterior. The elongated saucer-section stretched onward & disappeared behind another ship; a strangely familiar looking ship. For one moment, Deanna thought she was either back in time or in another timeline but she soon remembered which ship it was, over-shadowing the Cordoba. It was the NX Galaxy 1700, sister ship to the destroyed Enterprise D, among other starships of that class. In fact, it was the first Galaxy-class starship ever made, hence the name. But still, the sight of a Galaxy-type ship flooded her with quite a few memories.
They turned away from the window & headed for the port leading to Cordoba. Soon, they were heading back the way USS Titan was sent & rejoined her not long afterwards.
Deanna sighed. She had just put Barin to bed & was now sitting on her lounge. Keval was curled up on the opposite end, purring softly, the only sound in the room. This new year felt like it would be better despite how it started. She had Barin with her & a pet to annoy her. Yes, things were definitely going to get better from here on.
