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Blind Chess	By : madradena Category: Star Trek > The Next Generation Views: 1334 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own ST:TNG, nor the characters. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Beverly and the Captain have been strolling the city for three hours already, and had reported to the Admiral twice - now a third time, standing on one of the delightfully lit and at the same time, strangely deserted bridges.
"No, Admiral, we haven't found any trace of her yet."
"The Premiere suggests a club in the western district called Providence. It's not a safe surroundings, but it might be worth a try. According to the Premiere, Ms. Jones was a regular visitor at the facility a few years back." the disgust in the Admiral's raspy voice was palpable even through the comlink.
"We'll check it out and let you know if we've found something, Sir. Picard out." the Captain cut the conversation short - less talk, less lying he thought.
"Have you any idea about where to find this 'western district'?" Beverly asked resting her elbows on the railing behind her. The dark water flowed swirling underneath.
Picard glanced around then pointed to a direction in his usual utterly confident manner "That way."
Beverly chuckled remembering a similar situation where she knew, he actually had no idea which direction to start "Is that a hunch? Or you DO know."
"A logical conclusion, Doctor. Based on the location of the moons in the sky, east is that way," he pointed behind them "and west is in the opposite direction. I sincerely hope that the naming convention of their districts is not entirely random." Picard explained as if he was actually explaining a scientific equation.
"Oh..." Beverly acknowledged with a small smile, and they started out.
She also acknowledged something else a bit wryly. Picard was not willing to chit-chat apart from what was absolutely necessary, AND he was not willing to call her on her first name either, now that they remained alone. Now that they remained alone, he seemed to tense up and started to act more professionally - even almost coldly - than ever before around her. It was a saddening realization.
"Do you really want to go there?" she asked after ten minutes of silent walking next to each other. At Picard's surprised frown, she explained "I mean, we do know where Emma is, we just have to pretend to look for her." They've been out for hours roaming the city, she started to get tired.
"If the Admiral has our locations checked by the Enterprise, our cover is blown. It was a good idea from Mr. Data to swap badges with me. With Geordi's modifications in place, mine's not as easy to track as any other badge normally would be, and they do need the disguise it provides."
"We still have only two badges, and nominally, we are three Starfleet officers." Beverly pointed out and felt a little out of breath - the Captain seemed to be in an awful hurry, he was pacing so rapidly as if they were in fact late.
He shrugged without looking at her "We can always say that we lost one. But how can you explain to report from a place you fail to show up at?" he answered grumpily, and she could swear that he was not in a good mood, even compared to himself...
"If the Enterprise is asked to look for us, our cover is blown anyways! They just would have to look for the component elements of Data. Those materials are unique enough, especially on this planet to let anybody find him whoever knows what to be looking for."
"I think the chances at such a move on the part of the Admiral are remote." he answered on a dismissive tone - end of conversation.
Beverly let it go. She felt her spirits were down in the dumps too. She hated how distant and cold he suddenly became - and she hated the idea of going to the western district. Emma told her about it, it was also called 'Chicago' because of the thugs and mobs there, and not even one bit of her wished to go there without almost no means of defence or any knowledge of the place.
After another few minutes of hurrying, Beverly decided to give up on trying to be friendly or nice "Jean-Luc!" she called "Are you planning to take the Starfleet marathon, and we're training for it, or might we slow down at least a little." it meant to be a question, but it came out as a statement, and she frowned at him now really annoyed.
The Captain raised his head as if waken from a dream "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't even notice." he slowed to a comfortable pace.
Beverly watched his face for a moment longer, and somehow her anger was gone. A gentle smile appeared on her features "I could see that." she told him on a soft voice "You seem to be so deep in thought ever since we've left the Resistance that I was afraid that I'd have to develop telepathic skills to reach you."
He looked at her with raised eyebrows "I believe we had quite enough of that a few years ago, if I remember correctly. I don't suppose either of us wants to see AS deeply AS THAT into the other's thoughts ever again." he grumbled and turning his head ahead he added on a low voice "Especially, not now..."
Beverly could barely catch his last sentence, but she did hear it. Her smile disappeared immediately "I guess not..." she breathed and didn't force any more conversation on the way. Did he know about her little fling? she thought dismayed. It seemed so even though she tried to be as discrete as she could. Suddenly, she found herself to be angry! For god's sake! They were not a couple! They NEVER had been! Since when did she have to explain herself to him for having an affair? She never expected him to, and he neither, so why did he, NOW? Or was it something else?
In quarter of an hour, they caught a tram - the same line Emma had taken earlier that night - and sitting next to each other, Beverly gazed out on the thousand lights of the dark city. Her shoulder brushed to the Captain's, and she tried hard to ignore the sensation. Especially that he seemed to ignore it too: he didn't try to move away. She sighed wearily.
As the tram bumped along its line, Beverly mused on on their present situation. They stopped having breakfasts together in the last month. He always found some excuse why he couldn't afford the time. He seemed to be avoiding her, and his dismissive behaviour now confirmed her growing suspicion that it didn't only SEEM that way, it was actually a fact. It had to have a reason, but no, no, it would be just too simple to blame it on the fact that she gained a 'special friend' in the last month.
"Hmm..." the Captain's growling woke Beverly from her daydreaming.
"What is it?" she asked at his bemused expression.
"Take a look at that billboard." he tilted his head toward the window as the tram was waiting in its stop.
"Let's stop the Federation together!" Beverly read out aloud "I've seen similar ones all along the way. I suppose it's just part of the propaganda Emma was talking about."
"The line underneath is even more unsettling. 'Aliens are the cause.'" he read as the tram started again with a jerk.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked raising her shoulders "The cause of what?"
Suddenly they heard a raspy male voice above them "The cause of all the misery of humanity!" They looked up startled, and the man holding on to a handrail started to explain - his breath was stinking with alcohol, and Beverly found herself having to fight her turning stomach to keep the tea they'd drunk at Earl's place down. "Ever since humans got influenced by filthy aliens, all our troubles multiplied! Just take a look around here! People can't get jobs! Because these mother-fuckers altered economy in such a way that humans can make no decent business!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. ...?" Picard looked at him expectantly.
"Bouyer, but call me simply Jolty!" the man told him, and as the tram started again with a jerk, he collapsed on the seat in front of them, turning back to them.
"With all due respect... Jolty, but how do aliens influence the economy of Epsilon Four, if we don't trade with aliens at all?" the Captain asked as innocently as the features of his stone-face would let.
But Jolty frowned at them with growing suspicion "You aren't one of those Resistance trash, are you! Those alien-lover traitors would even sell their own mothers out to aliens, if they were given the chance. Lucky, that our government doesn't give them the chance... well, at least as long as the Old Guy lived..."
"Old Guy?" Beverly asked confused.
The man's frown deepened and looked from her to Picard "Is your girl retarded, or what?" he turned back to Beverly "The Old Guy, yes, Premiere Hague!" he explained on a raised voice as if he really would be talking to someone with a lesser intellect. Beverly and Picard were both completely taken aback.
"I can assure you, we are neither retarded nor part of any kind of resistance..." Beverly started, but Jolty looked back at Picard.
"Do you always let her talk this much?" he asked - but now he had a quite disgusting grin on his face.
They looked at each other, and Beverly thought better of saying anything. She turned her head toward the window and tried to swallow her anger and hurt. So Emma didn't exaggerate: women WERE considered secondary citizens to men.
Picard fumed at the man's insolence, and his hands came up into fists. However, he could tell that they met the 'average Epsilonian' in Jolty, and his curiosity took the better of him. He let the insult go, moreover, he decided to play along. He chuckled "I even let her think sometimes!" he replied. Jolty laughed and Picard laughed with him, while Beverly looked at him as if he grew an additional head. She then went back gazing outside and just listened to the conversation.
Jolty's suspicions seemed to vaporize under the uniquely Epsilonian humour (and the amount of alcohol he had consumed earlier that night), and Picard wanted to use the opportunity "See, Jolty, we're not from around. We're from a small village called Daisy, fifty miles from Ethel. We don't know our ways into heavy politics. We're here to find ourselves jobs. You know how things are in the rural areas. It's getting harder and harder to get by."
Jolty waved "Don't tell me. I know, my brother still lives in the country. No matter how many times I tell him that he will only struggle there because aliens contaminated the lands, he doesn't listen. He keeps saying that the Old Guy wouldn't let such a thing happen. Well... maybe now that the Old Guy's gone, he will listen."
"Why? Do you think Premiere Jones will not be as efficient as Premiere Hague used to be in protecting Epsilon from aliens?"
"Ah..." Jolty waved once again in disappointment "That angel faced fellow... He does have good intentions, I'd say. But protecting humans from aliens with such little means as Epsilon Four has... you need to get your hands dirty sometimes. You need to use a whip sometimes. Jones is not that kind."
"What makes you think that?" Picard asked now getting curious.
Jolty chuckled now seemingly understandingly "You really don't know a lot about politics. Well, I'd say if a guy is mourning his mad wife, all his life, he's not the hard handed type. He can convince my five-year-old daughter, even my little wife with his big soul, but Epsilon needs a strong leader, not a saint! Especially now!"
"Now?"
"Yeah! When the Federation wants to seed alien-agents on Epsilon! You won't get anywhere with a few billboards to fight that!" the tram stopped again suddenly, and before Picard had a chance to ask any more questions, Jolty jumped up, then stumbling, he held on to the nearest handrail "Sorry, pal, this is my stop! Was nice talking to you! Good luck!"
"Thanks, good luck to you too!" Picard told him as he stepped down the stairs.
The tram started again, and Beverly let out a long breath "Gracious god..."
"I agree... but at least, we know now that Jones doesn't share the undivided support of the people, as the previous Premiere did." the Captain mused on a low voice.
Beverly grimaced with her sullen gaze still fixed on the view "Great comfort if it's not because of the fact that they detest his xenophobia, but because they consider him not xenophobic enough!"
Picard turned his palms up "On a xenophobic planet, this does not struck me as particularly surprising."
"Pff..." Beverly shook her head slightly, not at all feeling like going on with the conversation.
But after a moment, she heard Picard's voice - he seemed to be smiling! "Are you going to sulk all night because I played along?"
She snapped her head toward him at this with such a sudden irritation that she couldn't help herself "Sulking?! From the two of us, it was definitely NOT me who's been sulking all night! All month, if I want to be precise!" she was not able to hold back the bitterness she collected for the past weeks because of them growing so distant.
Picard blinked at her taken aback - he definitely didn't want to go down THIS road! Not now - not at all! "I have no idea what you're talking about." he told her on a blank voice, with such a deadpan expression, that Beverly had the impression that he had taken lessons from Data!
It fuelled her anger even more, and she didn't back off - mission forgotten. "No? Perhaps you need a reminder. When was the last time you had time to have breakfast with me?"
Picard's hard expression reflected surprise for a short moment before composing his features again "Beverly! This is surely not the time NOR the place to have this conversation!"
"Surely not!" she agreed "We should've had it weeks ago!"
He frowned now getting angry but trying hard not to burst "What I meant to say is that we're on a mission right now." he explain on a low voice.
Beverly's mouth twitched into a grimace "Fine! Just forget what I said." she told him folding her arms in front of her chest and gazed out of the window. "There's no need to hurry to get things straight with someone who's been your friend for decades. Absolutely fine!"
Picard sighed impatiently but seemed to retreat "I didn't mean that we have to forget about it for good, only that this is not the appropriate..."
"...what's going on there?" she cut in suddenly fixing her gaze on a bunch of people in the darkness.
Picard leaned closer to the window - and her - frowning as the tram rolled into its stop and came to a halt. The people Beverly spotted stood under a billboard a few meters from the tram-stop and seemed to gather around somebody. Watching them a moment longer, it became clear that the group was beating the lone person...
"It seems that person might need some assistance." the Captain declared and almost acting on an urge that was second-nature, he energetically got up from his seat and jumped off the tram.
"Jean-Luc, wait!" Beverly jumped up too, but as she was about to step down the stairs, the doors closed right in front of her, just as she tried to get off the tram. The Captain swirled back with a shocked expression realizing that he basically abandoned her! "Jean-Luc!" Beverly called once again hitting the glass from inside in vain and then held on to a handrail as the tram started again. Picard could only watch as the tram took her away.
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