The Near Past....

Jack Crusher felt a rush of relief as he finally found Beverly. He had been such a fool, he thought, to presume that she would be as overjoyed by the news as he was. After all, his career wasn't about to undergo a nine-month disruption. He saw her, calmly sitting and talking with a fetching older woman wearing traditional African robes. His heart almost gave out when he realized just who Beverly was chatting with. Again, his mouth went dry, and he sought a hydrospenser. He would let them talk another few minutes.

"Oh, thank you for letting me babble."

"Babble? You? Kiddo, I've listened to so-called 'Gods' rant on about their divinity. People thought my boss had an ego? Well, lets just say that, if he didn't, he wouldn't have survived the self-important beings that populate this universe. It was just a way of getting by. So, a young married like yourself, upset at a positive test, isn't even going to challenge the lower limits of my patience."

Beverly Howard-Crusher had no idea who she was talking to. She was just grateful for a kind ear, and this was one of the very kindest. The StarFleet Commons was relatively empty right now, anyway. "I suppose I was wrong to get upset with Jack for getting me pregnant."

The woman couldn't help but chuckle.

"Getting you pregnant? Oh, did he have the sperm beamed in? Take you while you were asleep? Sub placebos for the counteragents? Or did he perform a ritual that went too far? Getting you...what an absolutely 20th Century statement, and Beverly, I'm being kind when I say that."

Beverly actually smiled at that, the first one in days.

"Another piece of Two-Zero wisdom : It takes two to tango, and Jack was tired that night. I--tend to be a trifle insistent."

"One, that only makes you human. Two, my point is you were both there, and very soon 2AM will become a curse word for you two. Three, I see someone has come looking for you."

Beverly turned and saw a hesitant Jack waiting in the background. Some of her resentment came back up.

"Where's the Gallic tagalong?"

"Er, Bordeaux. Something about his brother disowning him or somesuch. Bev, I am so sorry. The way I reacted, the plans I suddenly made for us, I just got caught up in the news. I mean, it is good news, isn't it?"

Beverly smiled a forgiven/forgive me smile that always took Jack by surprise.

"Its the very best news, Jack. It just took me time-and the words of my new friend, here, to see that clearly."

Jack nodded, and even slightly bowed to the older of the two ladies.

"Thank You, Admiral. You and the crews of the first 3 Enterprises have always been my heroes, particularly him. This is a real honor."

"Thank You, Mister Crusher. Beverly, I run a series of non-physical classes for those cadets and new officers who find themselves expecting. They're not easy, and I am a harsh schoolmarm, but they'll even more fully prepare you for what's out there, and how to deal with it, while not putting a year's stop to your career track. Are you up for that?"

Beverly stared at her new friend, feeling as if she should know her.

"That--sounds fantastic. I just realized, though. Carrying on as I did, I never asked you your name, Admiral."

The woman smiled a very knowing smile, and then said one word.

"Uhura."

Beverly stopped, and stared, and felt as though her heart was in her throat. Uhura grabbed both of her hands.

"Breathe, Beverly. Breathe. Otherwise, your kid will be weird."

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The Near Present.....

Having escorted his mother to Admiral Uhura's office, Wesley nodded to the Admiral, and left using his time/space abilities. Uhura stared at the empty air, and then at Beverly.

"I thought I told you to breathe. That kid is weird."

"How are you, Nyota?"

"Well, I'm circa 125 years old, but I wasn't just rescued from a goddamn Dominion Prison Camp...did I just say goddamn? Sorry, I had dinner last week with Len McCoy and Scotty. Blue language will tell. Anyway, I presume you are not headed back to Enterprise."

Beverly put her head down.

"Nyota, I'm resigning my Commission. I can no longer be an asset to StarFleet. I'm taking over my grandmother's home, and retiring from anything non-medical."

Uhura made a mental note to keep Beverly's file active. But for now, there would be no point in trying to talk her out of it here and now.

"I'm sorry, Bev. I won't try and change your mind. But I think I'm owed an explanation as to the basis of your decision. So give."

"I allowed a tragedy to eat me alive. I showed massive disrespect to my new Captain, a legend by any measure. I took my grief over Jean-Luc's death and allowed it to make me a target for the Federation's most devious enemy to date. Until I again know the Doctor Crusher that is not preceded by 'Captain Picard and', then I will do more damage to my career by staying than going. And this is more than just romantic heartbreak. Professionally, Captain Picard and I had a rhythm. I just don't relish the thought of, well...."

Uhura completed her thought.

"Starting Over? Its not everyone's cup of tea, Bev. Some people told me to my face that putting Jim in the E-Ticket...."

"E-Ticket?"

"Another Two-Zero term, referring to the main attractions at the series of amusement parks that preceded Proxima Centauri Five, also known as Disney's World. Well, some said that giving Jim the E-Ticket was my way of saying he was superior to Jean-Luc. Uh-uh. No---way. Picard is gone, and I really wish it weren't so--not just for your sake, either. We have a talented Captain, and damn it, I'm not letting him play his avoidance game this time. He's where he belongs, and if Picard were alive, I'd find the funds to build another Sovereign-Class, and maybe even call it the 'F'. At some point, we all have to be Starting Over, even if death is waiting around the corner."

Beverly shook her head.

"More death? Who now?"

 Uhura realized she'd gotten a little off-track.

"Sorry. The term, 'Starting Over', always reminds me of the Composer, Lennon. The day after that song was released, he was shot by a psychotically zealous fan. It was the finale to the opera by Sotak, 'Imagine'. Point being, there are always risks, even in the best of times, even when we withdraw for a time."

"You're a good friend, Nyota, but you're depressing me."

"Yeah? Well, your son is STILL weird. Have him come by my chambers tonight?"

Beverly smiled, and got up to leave.

"I---don't think so. Word is, you are still quite ravenous, and I protect my boy where I can."

Uhura smiled right back.

"Can't blame a girl for trying."

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The Present - Deep Space Nine

Ben Sisko had been the one applauding the loudest when James T. Kirk boarded his station. As Kirk began talks with Gowron, leader of The Klingon High Council, aimed at stopping a planned Klingon invasion of Cardassian space, Sisko put aside what he felt about Kirk's bluster and bravado, and was the loudest voice seconding his motions.

Captain Kirk's words, though, about all he had done for the Klingon Empire in his day, were not going over well with Gowron. Now, as Gowron blustered, Sisko felt like the biggest fool on either side of the wormhole. The peace process, on life support before Kirk's arrival, was now effectively dead. Gowron continued, and was growing more strident as he did.

"Firstly, you are obviously a clone, not unlike our 'Beloved' Emperor! Secondly, even if you were the true Kirk, that does not require us to grovel at your feet, as you seem to indicate we should be. Happily, the General here has reminded me of your many crimes against the Empire, during your first heyday. With you having cheated King Death yet again, who knows how many more might follow? You, Kirk, have earned naught but the scrutiny and enmity of all true Klingons!"

Gowron ended his speech by slamming his fist on the conference table for yet a third time, and then he quickly departed the DS9 Conference Room. His aide, General Martok, gathered his records, smiled at Kirk and followed his leader out.

As James Kirk looked around, he saw not a single happy face at the conference table. Most upset was Ben Sisko. Not only had Kirk's presence riled Gowron up, but Jadzia Dax's past life as Curzon had been of no help, either. A few paragraphs of treaty that did not go in Q'Onos favor quoted by Martok at just the right moment were all that were needed to make Curzon seem the enemy of all Klingons. While Captain Sisko did not storm out, he may as well have. Jadzia smiled a sheepish smile, and then followed her angry mentor/protege to try and calm him down. Kirk sighed, and turned to his crew.

"Well, that went well, didn't it? Opinions?"

Riker was first.

"While you relied overmuch on your reputation, sir, I have to say that Gowron was rejecting what we were selling before we opened our mouths to speak."

Now Deanna.

"It was more than that, Will. Captain, Gowron wouldn't even open up and inspect our catalog, because General Martok won't let him. Martok seems genuinely worried that Sisko--or more particularly, you—will somehow repair this breach. To that end, his words and actions, even to his movements, indicate a man who has taken everything about you into account, ready to counter at any turn what you yourself say and do."

Chief Engineer La Forge spoke now.

"That in itself is no surprise, sir. Given your experience with Chang and Kruge, any Klingon egging for war has to be wary of James T. Kirk. But, boy, is he prepared. Y'know, his body temperature never once varied? That kind of self-control is downright scary."

A Klingon perspective was next.

"General Martok is known for self-control. What I do find unusual is his manner and tone. My brother Kurn has told me that usually Martok is the type who will shout down anyone speaking as he himself did to you and Gowron, Captain. While he will not disallow an enemy's flaws, he is not known for such stridency in close quarters. Despite the second-hand nature of my knowledge, I must declare his various recitations of your history to be a search for Gowron's anger, and little more. With all respect, Captain Kirk, I must believe your continued presence is doing more harm than good. With your permission, I will remain as the Enterprise withdraws. My personal relationship with Gowron might enable me to bring him back to this table."

Kirk looked at his android officer.

"Nothing to add, Mister Data?"

Data was determinedly working on a cancel switch for his new emotion chip. Moments like this were the reason.

"You blew it, Captain Kirk, sir."

Jim looked at the people in whose hands he would be placing his life and future career. He spoke frankly.

"People, I came in here swinging. But I was arrogant, dismissive, and actually tried to shout down the leader of The Klingon Empire. Its funny, though. Gowron's talk of the Federation using his people and taking them for granted reminds me so much of David, but on occasion I'll see bare snatches of Kruge, as well, and the mix throws me off in a way I have trouble dealing with. But I have to learn, don't I? Spock would say that my emotions have been my undoing. Far worse, though, is that they may have been the undoing of the Klingon/Federation alliance."

All eyes blinked hard when Kirk was done. The Captain had a reputation for harsh self-assessment, but actually hearing him spell out his shortcomings like that meant two things. One, they could trust him to see past his own flaws, a strength he shared with the late Jean-Luc Picard. Its second meaning was voiced by a grinning Will Riker.

"You have a plan, Sir."

One person who felt he could no longer trust in Kirk's plans was Benjamin Sisko. Having been the one who asked Kirk to Deep Space Nine in the first place, he now wondered if his own feelings about Picard after Wolf 359 hadn't made him want Picard's replacement to succeed. He saw himself possibly answering that question before a board of inquiry. Despite explicit standing orders to the contrary, Jadzia Dax walked straight into his office.

"Get out, Jadzia. I'm in no mood to hear any I-told-you-so's."

"Gee, what a coincidence. Neither am I. If I were, though, I'd start by pointing out that your hero turned out to be just a man, and that you set him up to fail through unrealistic expectations. Not that either of you really had a chance with General Martok sniping away like that. Its odd, because Curzon met him as a young...."

Sisko was past his boiling point.

"I SAID GET OUT, OLD MAN! I am in a foul damned mood, and do not wish to hear about ancient heroes, even ones I knew personally. I relied on two dead men, Curzon and Kirk, instead of the living Benjamin Sisko. If War occurs, its ON ME!"

Dax's face turned to steel. She slapped Sisko hard across the face. So hard and unexpected was the blow, he calmed down and listened to her.

"First of all, CADET, Curzon is right here. Not all of him, but enough to remember what kind of trouble your anger can get you into, left unchecked. You even approach Kirk right now, and I'll have Odo throw the both of you in separate brigs and hose you down. Granted, his approach was too much bluster and not enough tact. But as you and I know full well, with Klingons, that's sometimes the best way to play it. Besides, just what in the hell is your REAL problem with Kirk?"

Captain Benjamin Sisko rarely heard anything more than a hint of his mentor in Jadzia's voice. He took a full minute to respond. He looked up at her almost plaintively.

"My problem is, despite it all, I still believe in Kirk, Old Man. Part of me wants to go back to the Conference Room and swear by him, the other part wants to drag him out to the Promenade, and in full view of everyone, swear AT him!"

Dax smiled.

"Well, then here's a thought. Do both."

After a few seconds, her words sunk in, and Sisko grinned.

"Dax, you have a plan."

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Next : All The War's a Stage in A Battle of Comic Proportions