Course Correction Studio

Category: Homecoming

  • Homecoming – Chapter 7

    Deanna Troi, the Enterprise’s resident counselor, sat in a chair in the temporary office provided to her by Starfleet. “I must say, I was thoroughly surprised when I saw your name in my appointment log,” she said. “You know you don’t need an appointment to talk to me.”

    Will Riker sat on the sofa across from the counselor. “I know,” he said. “I just…” his voice trailed. As Deanna observed him, she saw that he was fidgeting, rubbing his hands together and such. Deanna also noticed how he was leaning forward, sitting on the edge of the sofa.

    “Well, what seems to be bothering you, Will?” Deanna asked.

    “I..I think I’m in love, Deanna,” Will said.

    Deanna’s face lit up. “Will – that’s wonderful!”

    “Is it?” Will asked cynically.

    “Of course it is. Who’s the lucky woman?”

    Will looked Deanna squarely in the eye. “It’s Dani.”

    Deanna’s smile didn’t exactly fall, but no one would say that she was beaming exactly. “Dani? Dani Janeway?”

    Will nodded. “Yeah.”

    “Will, I get the feeling that you don’t think that’s a good thing.”

    “Well, yes and no.” Will stood and began to pace the area beside the sofa.

    “What do you mean, ‘yes and no’?”

    “I don’t know what I mean. I don’t know what any of this means. I just know what I’ve been feeling since Voyager returned from the Delta Quadrant.”

    “And what’s that?”

    Will reclaimed his seat on the couch. “I don’t know how to explain it. I guess part of it was seeing her after so long. And I definitely did not expect her to look the way she does. Another part of it is that my hormones kicked in. But that wasn’t all. I don’t know. I’ve always felt that she was special. But I always felt more like a friend or a close uncle, maybe. Then she came back, and everything was different.”

    “You saw her as a woman, and you were attracted to her,” Deanna surmised.

    “Yes. That’s it. That’s it exactly. But I think it might be more than just attraction. That’s why it scares me.”

    “Why would it scare you?”

    “Because it seems wrong somehow.”

    “How? Tell me why it would be wrong for you to be in love with Dani.”

    “It’s just that she’s so young, and-“

    “And? You’re telling me that something so insignificant as an age difference is a good reason not to pursue a relationship?”

    “It could be.” Will knew that wasn’t true. “It wouldn’t be right.”

    “Why?” Will didn’t have an answer for Deanna. “It sounds to me as if you’re trying to convince yourself that any kind of romantic relationship with Dani would be wrong,” Deanna said. “I don’t think you’re buying it.”

    “You’re right; I’m not.”

    “Why are you fighting this?”

    “I don’t know,” Will said with a sigh.

    “How do you feel?”

    “What?”

    “When you look at Dani, when you spend time with her, how do you feel?”

    Will sat back for the first time in his meeting with Deanna. “I love being with her. When I’m with Dani, I feel like I don’t ever want our time together to end.”

    “That’s a very strong sentiment,” Deanna said. “How does she feel?”

    “I don’t know,” Will admitted. “That’s a problem, as well. I kissed her the other night at the party.”

    “You mean on the cheek.”

    “No. I mean on the lips. The funny thing is I didn’t even plan it. It just happened.”

    “What was her reaction?”

    “I don’t know. We were both kind of shocked. And before either one of us could say anything, Tom Paris called her back into the party.”

    “Unless she makes it absolutely clear that she doesn’t want a relationship with you-“

    “Like you did when we first met?” Will asked, smiling for the first time that afternoon.

    “Like I did when we first met,” Deanna agreed, remembering when she’d first met the young lieutenant named Will Riker on Betazed all those years ago.

    “We couldn’t have been very much older than Dani is now,” Will reminisced.

    An idea suddenly presented itself as a possible reason for Will’s reluctance to enter into a relationship with Dani. “Will, your reasons for not becoming involved with Dani wouldn’t happen to stem from the fact that we’re Imzadi, would they?”

    “I won’t lie to you, I have thought about it. I’m not going to say that us being Imzadi would ever keep me from pursuing a serious relationship, but I don’t think I’ll ever enter into a relationship without thinking about what we had.”

    “That’s true for me also. We’re Imzadi, Will. We’ll always share a special connection. What I’ve come to learn over the years is that I’m capable of loving people besides you. Do you believe that you are? That’s the question you’ve got to answer before you enter into this relationship or any other.”

    xxx

    Dani sat in her bedroom working her way through the last of her missed magazines. It had been nearly a week since she finished her final entrance exam and interview, and she needed something to take her mind off the Academy exams she’d just completed. ‘And also off of Will Riker,’ she thought.

    The door chimed. “Just a minute,” Dani called. She left her desk and walked into the living room to answer the door. When it slid open, Will was standing in the hallway. “Hi,” he said.

    “Hey,” Dani said. The atmosphere was somehow tempted to become awkward, but Dani wouldn’t let it. “Come in.”

    Will stepped into the apartment, and the doors closed behind him. “I think we’re overdue for a talk,” he said.

    “Me, too,” Dani agreed. She walked into her room, and Will followed. “We’ve…got to talk.” She reclaimed her seat at her desk.

    “Yes.” Will remained standing. “We would’ve talked sooner, but I knew that you had the exam, and I didn’t want you to be distracted. But that’s over, so now we have to talk about what happened that night at your party.”

    “I know,” Dani said. Will may not have wanted to distract her before the Academy exam, but that’s sure what happened. During the actual testing, she was able to concentrate on the material, but during the lunch break, Dani’s mind had drifted to thoughts of Will. “It’s been on my mind quite a bit.” Will was standing in front of Dani. “What were you thinking?” It sounded more like an admonishment than a genuine question. Will wasn’t expecting that kind of reaction from her. He sat down on the nearest thing that would have him, which happened to be Dani’s bed.

    Dani stood. “I mean, you said you didn’t want to distract me before the test. Well what the hell did you think kissing me would accomplish?”

    “I don’t know,” Will replied. He felt like a little like a child being scolded by his mother. “It was just a spontaneous thing.”

    “So, what did it mean?” Dani asked.

    “I don’t know.”

    Dani sat down beside Will on the bed. “Will, what is going on?”

    Will looked into Dani’s big brown eyes. “I’m falling in love with you,” he said quietly.

    Dani just stared at Will blankly. She wasn’t sure if she’d heard him correctly. When she didn’t respond for a few moments, Will became concerned. “Dani?”

    “I’m sorry,” Dani apologized. “It sounded like you said you were falling in love with me. Did you?”

    “Yes.”

    Dani nodded. “Oh. I see.”

    “How do you feel?” Will asked.

    “It’s funny you ask that,” Dani said. She told him earnestly, “I don’t even know. I’ve been trying to sort out my feelings for you since before we arrived on Earth. And I still don’t know.”

    “I understand,” Will began. “I don’t-” He was interrupted by the soft lips that were suddenly brushing against his.

    Neither Will nor Dani heard the apartment doors slide open, nor did they hear Chakotay as he called out for Dani. They didn’t even hear when Dani’s bedroom door opened, and Chakotay entered.

    “What the hell?” Chakotay exclaimed. That got Dani and Will’s attention. They immediately parted and stood. “Dani – what is going on here?”

    Dani honestly didn’t know what to say because she honestly didn’t know what was going on. Will had come over to talk, and Dani had ended up kissing him – on her bed. She looked at Will. “We’ll finish our talk later, Will,” she told him.

    Will nodded to her. He and Chakotay stared each other down as Will made his way to the door.

    After Will was gone, Dani braced herself. She knew one rough discussion with her father was in store.

    xxx

    “Kathryn, she was kissing him –

    on her bed!” Chakotay exclaimed. He and Kathryn were in their bedroom discussing what had taken place that day in their daughter’s bedroom. Kathryn was sitting on the bed, and Chakotay was pacing heatedly in front of her.

    “She’s an adult, Chakotay,” Kathryn said. “She has the right to kiss whomever she wants, sleep with whomever she wants, date, marry, whatever. She can do it.”

    At the utterance of the word ‘sleep’, Chakotay had stared at Kathryn in disbelief. “Not in my house,” he said.

    “Pardon, but this isn’t even your house,” Kathryn reminded him. “As far as Starfleet is concerned, this apartment belongs to them.”

    “Well, not in my house in Indiana, at least,” Chakotay said.

    “May I also remind you that we co-own that house,” Kathryn said.

    “You know what I mean,” Chakotay shot.

    Kathryn stood. “Chakotay, she’s just exploring her options.”

    Meanwhile, Dani, who’d been listening to her parents discuss the issue at hand, had been trying, unsuccessfully, to raise Will via the comm system. When she got the automated message that relayed for the third time in an hour that Will wasn’t home, decided that a trip over to his place might be in order.

    xxx

    Dani pressed Will’s door chime. A few moments later, the apartment doors slid open, and Will appeared in the doorway. Dani’s presence had obviously taken Will by surprise.

    “Dani?” he said. It came out as a question.

    “Hi,” Dani said. “Can I come in?”

    “Sure,” Will said. He stood to the side, allowing Dani access to the apartment. Dani stepped in, and the doors slid shut behind her. “What are you doing here? Your father-“

    “I don’t care what my father wants,” Dani said. “I know he thinks that this is a really bad idea. He’s all but forbidden me from seeing you anymore.”

    “I can’t say I blame him,” Will said. “I probably wouldn’t want my daughter seeing me, either. How’d you get away?”

    “He and my mother were in their bedroom talking.”

    “About us, no doubt,” Will surmised.

    Dani nodded. “They probably don’t even know I’m gone, yet. I just walked out.” Will nodded. Dani continued. “Will, I think we should try this. I mean, I really, really like you; and I think I’d regret it if I passed this up.”

    “Dani, I don’t want to create a rift between you and your parents. I grew up without a mother and without a father, in essence. We weren’t very close. Are you sure this is really what you want to do?”

    “My parents love me, and if they respect me, then they’ll respect my first real decision as an adult.”

    “It doesn’t always work out that way, Dani.”

    “I can’t let them dictate my life.”

    Will looked down at Dani and realized that she was right. She’d never get anything out of life if she lived only to fulfill her parents’ wishes.

    xxx

    When Dani and Will entered the Janeways’ apartment, they found that Kathryn and Chakotay had abandoned their bedroom for the living room. They stood immediately when Dani and Will entered.

    “What the hell is he going here?” Chakotay asked. He looked at Will.

    “I brought him here so we could all talk,” Dani said.

    “There’s nothing to talk about,” Chakotay insisted.

    “There’s plenty,” Kathryn said. Chakotay looked at her.

    “Thanks, Mom,” Dani said. “Now, everyone, please have a seat.” She looked at Will, indicating that he should sit, as well. He walked over and took the chair beside the couch that Kathryn and Chakotay were occupying. Dani remained standing in front of the three of them. “Now,” she began. “There seems to be some kind of question as to my decision-making capacity around here.”

    “Dani – why would you think that?” Chakotay asked.

    “It seems that way to me,” Dani replied. “Every decision that I make about my future is questioned by everyone. It’s like you don’t think I know what I’m doing.”

    “Dani-” Chakotay began, but didn’t finish.

    “-I’m not finished, yet,” Dani said, demanding the attention of the others in the room. “I know that you all are trying to look out for my best interests, but, damn it, I’ve got to live my own life. If that means I want to go to the Academy -” She looked at Kathryn before continuing. “-or that I want to date Will -” She looked at Chakotay, “-then so be it. You guys don’t want me to make any mistakes, but I will, no matter what you do or what you say. Just let me make them and learn from them. Like you did.”

    Will, Chakotay, and Kathryn all looked at each other, as what Dani was saying finally sunk in. Dani’s birthday had been days ago, but it was tonight that these individuals, especially Chakotay, were seeing just how much Dani had grown. He felt like an idiot for not having more faith in his daughter. He looked up at his daughter, 20 years old, standing there, all grown up. He looked at her for the first time, not as the little girl she had once been, but as the adult she had become.

  • Homecoming – Chapter 6

    May 26th – Dani Janeway’s 20th birthday. She, Kathryn, and Chakotay had decided that a small gathering at the apartment would suffice, and the whole affair had worked out wonderfully. Many Voyager crewmembers attended, as did other friends, such as Will, and family. They’d all come bearing gifts and goodwill.

    “I didn’t expect this to turn out so well,” Chakotay whispered to Kathryn, as he surveyed the filled apartment.

    “Me either,” Kathryn whispered back. “I expected many people to be too busy to attend.” She watched Dani, who was standing across the room in the center of a group that consisted mostly of Voyager alumni. “I’m glad they didn’t have anything better to do.”

    “I hear you’ve got the Academy test in a few days,” Tom Paris said. He belonged to the group that hovered around Dani.

    “Yes, the day after tomorrow,” Dani replied.

    “You aren’t nervous, are you?” Harry Kim asked. He’d been the Ops officer on Voyager, and after spending seven years as an ensign, had finally been promoted to lieutenant.

    “No. It won’t be any different from the stuff I’ve been doing for the past seven years. What I’m worried about is the interview.”

    “Ah, don’t worry about it,” Harry said. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Just go in there and be yourself. Don’t go in there praising the ‘Fleet’. That’s not what they want to hear. Trust me.”

    “Dani, why would the interview concern you more than the written exam?” Icheb asked.

    “I don’t know,” Dani said. “I guess it’s because when you take the written exam, it’s just you…and the computer. With the interview, it’s you and a few Starfleet brass.”

    “Dani, you’ve probably spent more time with the brass than all of us put together,” Tom said.

    “Not like this.”

    “Nonsense,” Tom insisted. “You’re on a first-name basis with the entire admirality.”

    Everyone in the little group, except Icheb, broke into laughter. Dani glanced across the room and caught Will’s gaze. He was standing in a group with Voyager’s Chief Engineer, B’Elanna Torres, and holographic doctor.

    “It’s about that time,” Tom said.

    “What time?” Dani asked.

    “Time for you, the guest of honor, to make her speech,” Tom revealed.

    Dani started to protest. “No, no-” But Tom had already started to process of gaining the other guest’s attention. He picked up a spoon from a nearby table and started to lightly tap it against his punch glass.

    “Attention, everybody!” Tom announced. “Attention!” Everyone turned to Tom. “The birthday girl-” Harry coughed quite noticeably. Tom looked at him and was silently reminded of something. “Oh, excuse me,” Tom said. “The birthday woman has an announcement to make.” He looked at Dani, who was blushing. “Ms. Janeway?”

    Will immediately noticed how beautiful Dani looked. He’d initially noticed when he’d first seen her after Voyager’s return, and he’d noticed it a few moments ago when his eyes had met hers from across the room, but to him, it seemed that she grew even more beautiful each time he looked at her. ‘I’m glad no one here is a telepath,’ Will thought. ‘At least, Ihope no one here is.’

    Dani smiled, somewhat embarrassed by all the attention. “Thank you, everyone,” she said. “I know this wasn’t a surprise party, but I’m still astounded by the number of people who actually showed up. I didn’t expect so many. No offense or anything, but don’t you people have lives?” There was a wave of light chuckles. “No, really, thanks for coming. I really do appreciate it. Um…this is one of the best birthdays I’ve had in a long while. Not only because I’m finally 20, but also because I get to spend it here, on Earth, with all of you. Thank you.”

    Everyone clapped. As everyone once again broke off into groups, Dani abandoned the party for the balcony. She walked over to the railing, drink in hand, and stared out at the city. The Golden Gate Bridge at night. ‘So beautiful,’ she thought. There was a time, about one year ago today, actually, when she thought she’d never see that sight again.

    Will stopped at the balcony doors. He’d expected to find Dani out there, but she looked so engrossed in her thoughts that he didn’t want to disturb her. But she must’ve realized that someone was standing in the doorway because she turned her head. When Will realized that he’d been spotted, he decided that he might as well join her. He stepped out onto the balcony, closed the door behind him, and joined Dani at the rail.

    “Will,” Dani said.

    “Hey,” Will said, stepping to her side. “I just wanted to tell you again, happy birthday.”

    “Thanks – again.”

    “Also, I want you to know that I’m proud of you.”

    “You? Proud of me? What for?”

    “I know you don’t like people saying this, but we all know it’s true even if you don’t think so.”

    Dani let out a frustrated sigh. “If this is about the Academy-“

    “It isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, we’re all proud of you for that, too, but that’s not what I was going to talk about. We’re especially proud of you for what you’ve been through and how you went through it.”

    “I did what anyone else would have done.”

    “Maybe, but it’s the way you did it. Your attitude. From what I hear, you gave so many people so much hope. They looked at you, and they didn’t see you, the person who probably had the most cause to complain, complaining. So, they felt like they didn’t have the right to complain. And if you don’t complain, that means you hope.”

    “Oh, I complained. I just didn’t do it in public.”

    “And it’s just that kind of thinking that makes a good command officer.”

    Dani smiled, waiving the usual ‘I haven’t taken the test, yet’ speech. “Command?”

    “Yeah,” Will said.

    “I never really considered going to command school,” Dani said. “I’ve been pretty focused on Starfleet Medical.”

    “You should think about it. I think you’d make a good command officer. How could you not? It is in your blood, after all.”

    Dani nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

    “Congratulations, Dani,” Will said. “On the birthday.” He bent down and kissed Dani on the cheek.

    As Kathryn passed by the balcony door, he saw Will bend over and kiss Dani on the cheek. Any other person kissing Dani, and she would have immediately dismissed it, but since it was Will, for some reason, she couldn’t let it go as harmless, as she walked away from the door.

    ‘If only that had been a few inches to the right,’ Dani thought, of Will’s kiss.

    ‘If only that could have been a few inches to the left,’ Will thought, as his lips were leaving Dani’s face. The thought caught him by surprise. ‘Where did that come from?’ he asked himself. It was an empty question. He knew where it had come from. It had come from the same place that prompted him to do what he was about to do next. Quite unexpectedly, Will bent down and kissed Dani again, this time squarely on the lips.

    When they parted, they were both shocked. Neither of them had expected that. As a result, neither of them really knew what to say. That’s when Tom Paris unknowingly saved the day (or the night, rather).

    Standing in the doorway, Tom said, “Hey, Dani – get back in here. You’re missing your own party.”

    Dani wandered away from the rail and walked back into the apartment and the party.

  • Homecoming – Chapter 5

    “Damn!” Kathryn said. She stared in dismay at the burnt pot roast. Before, she could blame it on Voyager’s replicators. Now, there was no excuse. She just couldn’t cook.

    “What’s the matter?” Dani inquired, joining her mother at the replicator. Her question was answered when she saw the smoking pot of meat. “Oh. Well, we didn’t really need the pot roast, anyway. We’ve got plenty.”

    The door chimed. Chakotay, who was setting the table, looked at the door and then at Dani and Kathryn.

    “That’s Will,” Dani said. She looked at the pot roast. “Put that in the recycler.” She walked over to the door and pressed the button that would open it. The doors slid open to reveal Will Riker.

    “Hi,” Dani said.

    “Good evening,” Will said.

    “Come in,” Dani said stepping to the side.

    Will stepped into the apartment. The doors slid shut behind him. When he saw that Chakotay was still setting the table, he thought that he might’ve gotten the time wrong. “Am I early?” he asked.

    “No,” Dani said. “Everything’s ready. Dad’s just finishing up the table. No, you’re right on time.” She spied the bottle in Will’s hands. “What’s this?”

    “Well, I felt the need to bring something,” Will said. He handed the bottle to Dani. She studied the bottle and looked up at him. “Champagne?”

    “Syntheholic champagne,” Will said. “Wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out.”

    “Thanks for your consideration. I’ll go put it on some ice. Have a seat.”

    Dani left for the kitchen. Will sat on the couch. Once Chakotay had finished setting the last of the silverware out, he decided to join Will in the living room.

    “Hello,” Chakotay said, sinking into a nearby chair.

    “Goodevening, Commander,” Will said. “Everything going okay?”

    “All this formality isn’t called for,” Chakotay insisted. “We’re not on a starship, and we’re both the same rank. Call me Chakotay.”

    “All right, Chakotay. You can call me Will.”

    “So, Will,” Chakotay began, “How has everything been going for you?”

    “Pretty well, actually,” was Will’s reply. “After this shore leave, I’m gong back to the Enterprise, and who knows from there.”

    Chakotay nodded. “I must say, I was surprised after we returned to Earth and found that you didn’t have your own command.”

    “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: As long as Jean-Luc Picard is in the captain’s chair, I intend to serve as his first officer.”

    Dani, from the kitchen, watched Will and her father interact. “I thought you said that Dad didn’t like Will?” she said to her mother, being sure to keep her voice low to prevent it from carrying into the living room.

    “No, he likes Will just fine,” Kathryn said. “He respects him as a person and as an officer. He just doesn’t like the idea of you and Will.”

    “Me and Will?” Dani looked at Kathryn. “What does he mean by that?”

    “You tell me? Is there any meaning to it?”

    “No, not yet-” Dani caught herself.

    “But there will be, I assume,” Kathryn surmised from her daughter’s unfinished statement.

    Dani sighed. “I don’t know. I like him, and you know I’ve always had a little bit of a crush on him.”

    “There’s a big difference between a crush and a relationship,” Kathryn pointed out.

    “I know. You know what – right now, we’re just friends, and to tell you the truth, I’d be really surprised if anything other than that developed.”

    “Well, you have no need to worry about any of that,” Kathryn said, smoothing her daughter’s hair. “Once you get to the Academy-“

    “Mom, you’re going to jinx me. I haven’t even taken the first exam, yet.”

    xxx

    Ten minutes later, Dani, Will, Kathryn, and Chakotay were around the dining room table enjoying a dinner that featured a baked fish entree.

    “You know who else we should’ve invited tonight?” Dani asked. Everyone shook his head.

    “No,” Chakotay answered for everyone. He and Kathryn occupied the seats at the ends of the table, and Will and Dani sat across from each other. “Who?”

    “Icheb.”

    “Oh, yes,” Kathryn agreed. “And Seven.”

    Will seemed a bit confused for a moment, but then his memory caught up with him. “Oh, you mean the liberated Borg,” he said.

    “Yes,” Kathryn said.

    “I still can’t grasp the concept of having a former Borg as a crewmember,” Will said. “I mean, just a few years ago, we were fighting them for our right to exist.”

    “At Wolf 359,” Chakotay said. “Yes, I know.”

    Actually, Will had been speaking of the First Contact incident, but he didn’t make any attempt to correct Chakotay. That mission was extremely classified because of its sensitive temporal nature.

    “Just another one of those reminders of just how unpredictable life can be,” Chakotay continued.

    “Most definitely,” Will agreed. “Especially if the life you lead is in Starfleet. But I guess you all should be the ones giving the lectures on this subject matter.”

    “Perhaps,” Chakotay said. “Perhaps not. Everyone experiences changes in his or her life. Some are just more extraordinary than others. Take Icheb and Seven, for example. Two Borg who were liberated from the collective. Once that notion was thought totally impossible. It’d only been tried on two previous occasions: after Captain Picard was assimiliated and when a drone named Hugh was liberated. So, when we considered performing the procedure on Seven, we knew it could be done.”

    “Dad, you have to admit that Seven’s case was somewhat different from Captain Picard’s,” Dani said joining the conversation. She’d been young when Captain Picard had been assimilated, but she was avid at keeping up with history. “I would’ve thought Seven’s process more difficult because she’d been a drone for almost her entire life. The Captain was only a drone for, what?” She looked at Will for confirmation, “A few days, a week maybe?”

    Will nodded.

    “I knew it was something like that,” Dani said. “The same goes for Icheb; he was part of the collective for a little while before he was liberated.”

    “How old is Icheb?” Will asked.

    “He’s around my age,” Dani replied. “Maybe a few years older.”

    “Any plans for the Academy?”

    “Oh, yes,” Kathryn said. “He’s already completed a few courses via subspace transmissions. So he’s already got a bit of a head start.”

    “He hasn’t been interviewed, yet,” Chakotay said, “but he passed the written exam with flying colors, and I’m sure he’ll have no trouble talking with a few Academy officials.”

    “The first Borg in Starfleet,” Will chimed. “That’ll be something. I’d like to meet him.”

    “That can be arranged,” Dani said. “He’s sharing an apartment with Seven, isn’t he?”

    “Yes,” said Kathryn. “Until he goes away to the Academy.”

    “I wouldn’t mind seeing everyone again before we went back to Indiana,” Chakotay said after taking a sip of his tea.

    “Me either,” Kathryn said. She put her fork down. “We’ve got to have a dinner or a party or something.”

    “I have an idea,” Will said. Everyone looked in his direction. “Dani’s birthday is in a few weeks. Why don’t you have some kind of function for that, and invite everyone to attend?”

    Dani, Chakotay, and Kathryn all looked at one another.

    “That sounds good to me,” Kathryn said. Chakotay nodded. Kathryn looked at the soon-to-be guest of honor. “Dani?”

    “Yeah,” she said, beaming. “That’d be great.”

    xxx

    “So, this Icheb fellow,” Will began, “your parents seem very fond of him.” He and Dani were taking an evening stroll through San Francisco. They had offered to help Kathryn and Chakotay clear away the dishes, but the captain and commander had insisted that they could take care of it themselves.

    “They are,” Dani said in reply to Will’s observation. “And rightly so. Icheb’s a good guy. He’s a real friend.”

    “Really?” Will asked. There was something implied behind that ‘really.’

    “Yes.”

    “And were you and Icheb ever more than just friends?”

    A mock gasp of shock escaped Dani’s lips. “Commander – that is a question of an extremely personal nature.”

    “Since when? You always pried into my love life. I’m just returning the favor,” Will defended. “It’s supposed to be a sign that I care.”

    “We dated for a few weeks but decided that our relationship would best be served by simply being friends.”

    “Ah. And how long ago was this?”

    “What is this? Why the sudden interest in all the gritty details of my short love life?”

    “I can’t care?”

    Dani relented and decided to tell Will what he wanted. Maybe he’d leave the topic alone after this. “This was…let’s see…about three or four years ago.”

    “Oh.” Will nodded, and Dani thought that was the end of it. “First boyfriend?” She’d thought wrong.

    “Yes,” Dani replied with annoyance. ‘Maybe that was the last one,’ Dani thought hopefully.

    “First kiss?” Will asked.

    Dani sighed, displaying her annoyance with the current subject as if it weren’t already apparent by the tone of her voice. “Yes,” she said. ‘That has to be it,’ Dani thought. Will wouldn’t dare go any farther. He was a gentleman.

    “Imzadi?” Will asked.

    ‘Or so I thought,’ Dani thought as she and Will stopped walking. Actually, she’d been hoping that Will wouldn’t ask her about sex, which he didn’t (not that there’d be anything to tell, anyway…). But what he had asked was just as personal. She didn’t mind telling him, though. They’d always been open with each other.

    “No,” said Dani, replying to Will’s inquiry. She started walking again. Will joined her. “I haven’t found my Imzadi, yet,” Dani added.

    “Maybe you have, and you just don’t know it,” Will suggested.

    “I think I would know if Icheb was my Imzadi.”

    “Who said I was talking about Icheb?”

    Dani stopped dead in her tracks again and looked up at Will. Who was he talking about?

    “I haven’t been involved with anyone else,” Dani said.

    “Maybe it’s someone you haven’t been involved with – yet,” Will suggested again.

    “What are you talking about?”

    “No,” Will said, shaking his head. “Nothing. Just something to think about.”

    Dani nodded slowly. She let the matter slip from her mind, but not completely. Just for the night, as she and Will continued their walk through the city.

  • Homecoming – Chapter 4

    Dani entered the security code to the apartment. The doors slid open. “Come on in,” she said, stepping inside.

    “Are you sure your parents won’t mind?” Will asked.

    “They won’t,” Dani replied. “How can they when they’re not here?” Will gave her a wary look. “They’re at Headquarters,” she assured him.

    Will was still standing right outside the door. “Come in,” Dani urged. Will cautiously stepped into the living room. The apartment doors slid shut behind him. “Have a seat.”

    Will sat on the sofa as Dani walked into the kitchen. It was a bright, pleasant Saturday afternoon. Dani had just finished beating Will in an invigorating 3-set match at the Academy courts that morning. They were now at the apartment Dani and her family had been provided with for the duration of Starfleet’s briefings of Voyager’s mission. It was anyone’s guess how long the entire ordeal would take.

    “This is a nice place,” Will said.

    “Thanks,” Dani said walking into the kitchen. “It’s not exactly home, but I guess I can’t complain. It’s not a starship in the Delta Quadrant, either. Would you like something to drink?”

    “No, thanks,” Will replied.

    “I’m surprised,” Dani said. She ordered a glass of ice water from the replicator and watched the clear beverage materialize. Once it had, she picked it up and joined Will in the living room. “With the way I had you running all over that court, I would have thought that you’d be dying of thirst.”

    Will smiled. “Yes, I’ve got to give it to you – you were better than I anticipated. Let’s just say I softened my game a bit.”

    “Softened your game?”

    “I had to. It was an unfair match. You against me? I have a physical advantage over you,” Will explained.

    “Is that so?”

    Will nodded.

    “So, I guess that’s an invite for a rematch?”

    “If you say so.”

    Dani sipped her water. “We’ll see,” she said.

    The apartment doors slid open, and Kathryn and Chakotay entered. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Will Riker sitting in the living room.

    “Well, hello,” Kathryn said. Dani and Will both looked at the new arrivals.

    Will stood. So did Dani. “Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay,” he said. “Your daughter just finished beating me two sets to one in tennis.”

    “Will insists that he let up on me because he has an unfair physical advantage,” Dani said. She was on her way to the kitchen to dispose of her empty glass. “I think that’s just a bunch of hogwash. I’ve played against guys your size and larger.”

    “Mere holodeck creations,” Will said.

    “Images of tennis greats,” Dani said returning to the living room.

    “Images that you can alter to your own specifications,” Will argued playfully.

    “But didn’t,” Dani countered.

    Will turned to Dani’s parents. “Can you vouch for this?”

    “She beats me every time,” Kathryn said. “That’s not saying much, though.”

    “We’ll see,” Will said. “I trust the briefings are going well.”

    “You could say that. I’d really like to be done with this whole mess.”

    “I know what you mean. After the Enterprise-D crashed, I didn’t think the briefings would ever end.”

    “Well, I get the feeling that the board won’t need us for very much longer. At least I hope.”

    Will noticed that Chakotay was being awfully quiet. He didn’t look particularly mad. To tell the truth, he didn’t look particularly anything. He didn’t have any distinct expression. ‘Maybe that’s a good thing,’ Will thought. “It’ll be over with before you know it,” he said. “I hate to run, but I’m supposed to meet Captain Picard for lunch.”

    “Oh, yes,” Kathryn said. “I know how Jean-Luc hates to be kept waiting.”

    “We’ll see about that tennis rematch,” Will said to Dani as he walked to the door.

    “All I know is that you’d better not let up on me when we play again,” Dani said. “If you give it your all next time, you might not lose so horribly.”

    Will smiled at Dani. He looked at Janeway and Chakotay. “Captain, Commander.”

    “Goodbye, Commander,” Kathryn said, as Will left the apartment. As soon as the doors shut behind Will, Dani found two pairs of eyes on her.

    “What?” Dani asked.

    “You’ve been spending a lot of time with the commander,” said Chakotay, speaking up for the first time.

    “We’re just catching up,” Dani said. “We’ve missed seven years’ worth of joking around.

    “Dani, Commander Riker is a very busy man,” Chakotay continued.

    “Maybe, but he’s the one who invited me to go play tennis,” Dani said. “And he’s the one who invited me to have dinner with him tomorrow night.”

    “Dinner?” Kathryn and Chakotay exclaimed, moreso than asked, in unison.

    “Yeah,” Dani said slowly. “You know – it’s the meal you usually eat at night.”

    Both parents ignored this jibe. Kathryn took a step towards Dani. “Dani, tomorrow, your father and I were hoping that we could have dinner as a family. We were finally going to be free of the briefings, and we figured it’d be perfect timing for meal together.”

    “Oh. Mom, if I’d known before I made the commitment…” An idea hit Dani. “I’ll tell you what – I’ll invite Will, and we can all have dinner.” She saw her parents exchange glances. “That won’t be a problem, will it?”

    “No,” Kathryn said. “Not at all.”

    Dani beamed. “Great! I’ll call Will, and let him know about the change in plans.” She left for her room.

    Chakotay looked at his wife. “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?” he asked.

    “Why would it be wrong?” Kathryn questioned.

    “It just seems as if we’re encouraging this relationship,” Chakotay replied.

    “Is there a blatant reason why we shouldn’t be?”

    Chakotay didn’t have an answer for his wife. For some reason, this developing relationship between his daughter and the Enterprise’s first officer didn’t sit well with him.

  • Homecoming – Chapter 3

    Dani sprinkled a little pepper on her chicken alfredo. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had real chicken alfredo?” She asked. She gathered some on her fork and guided it into her mouth. “Mmm,” she moaned. “Just like I remember it.”

    Dani and Will were having lunch at Luigi’s, a restaurant they used to dine at when Dani was younger. Will sat across from Dani in his uniform. Dani had finally decided on a nice yellow sundress.

    “You mean you haven’t had this in seven years?” Will asked. He gathered a helping of his own chicken alfredo and shoveled it into his mouth.

    “Well,” Dani began after she had finished chewing, “Neelix tried his hand at it once, but it didn’t quite turn out as desired. And you know replicated food never tastes as good as the real thing. So I guess I haven’t had it.”

    “I couldn’t imagine it,” Will said. “So, how did you end up on Voyager anyway?” Will asked, taking another sip of his drink. “I didn’t think Voyager was supposed to house civilians.”

    “It wasn’t. And I wasn’t supposed to be on board. I sneaked onboard.”

    Will nearly choked on his drink. “You what?”

    “I sneaked onboard. It was a stupid thing to do, I know.”

    “You’re damn right, it was stupid,” Will accosted. “Do you know how much trouble stowaways can get into?”

    “I know. I’ve already had this lecture. From both parents. My mother says they aren’t bringing charges against me.”

    Will softened a bit. “I can’t say I blame them. Seven years away from Earth against your own will…that’s punishment enough.”

    “I was just a kid. I was looking for adventure. I didn’t know what I was doing.” Dani twirled some pasta around her fork playfully. “I’m kind of glad I was onboard, though. I don’t think I could have made it through seven years without my parents. And it wasn’t all bad. We had some good times, too.” She allowed her mind to wander back to Voyager for a moment before pulling herself back from the past. She looked at Will. “You know, I still haven’t gotten used to these new uniforms, yet.”

    “Just like I haven’t gotten used to seeing you as a woman,” Will said.

    Dani could feel herself blush. “The change isn’t that dramatic, Will.”

    “You don’t see it because you’ve seen yourself everyday. I haven’t. You left a girl and came back…astonishing.”

    “So, what are you saying? I was an ugly kid?”

    “No,” said Will, laughing. “No. Not at all. You were cute as a button. But now…man, the guys are gonna get a look at you and go wild.”

    At that one statement, Dani felt like someone had just kicked her chair out from under her. He wasn’t interested in her, at least not romantically. Not if he was talking about how other guys were going to react to her.

    ‘What were you expecting?’ Dani asked herself. ‘You really thought he would be interested in you? Did you forget about Counselor Troi, dummy?’

    She didn’t hear anything else he said until Will called her back from where ever she’d been.

    “Dani?” Will said. “Dani? Are you okay?” Dani turned her attention back to Will.

    ‘Pull it together, Dani,’ she thought to herself. ‘It’s rejection; deal with it. Well, no – it’s not really rejection, if no one-‘

    “You look a little under the weather,” Will said. He looked worried.

    Dani blinked a few times. “I’m fine.”

    “Are you sure? I can take you back to your apartment, if you want,” Will offered.

    “No.” Dani pasted a smile on her face. “I’m fine, really.”

    “Right,” Will said. “Well, anyway, I was thinking that maybe Saturday, we could go play tennis at the Academy.”

    “Yeah, that’d be great,” Dani said. “But I’ve got to warn you – I’m a little out of practice. I haven’t played in a few weeks.”

    “A few weeks? I haven’t played in a few years.”

    “Well, then, we should be evenly matched. You’d probably be a lot better than me if you played as often as I did. You’re probably still loads better than I am.”

    “I guess the only way to see will be when we play on Saturday.”

    “Right.”