The BLTS Archive - Eyewitness tenth in the Riding The Tick series by R.Schultz (cousindream@aol.com) --- Disclaimer: Star Trek belongs to Paramount and ViaBorgCom. I am not making money, so please don't sue. Thanks to common-law copyright I own this story. Feb. 2001, 2050 words. FORWARD!!! For those not familiar with the episode.... During the ST:TNG episode "Hide and Q", the bridge crew of the ENTERPRISE is subjected to threats and mind games in a series of torments 'Q' subjects everyone to. During the games Q gives Wil Riker the abilities of a Q. To do things in the wink of an eye. Destroy solar systems. Stop a bird in flight. Anything. A re-telling of Satan taking Jesus to the top of the mountain and offering him the world. At one point in time Riker is giving his friends and comrades what it is they really want. He gives Wesley adulthood. He gives Worf a Klingon woman, fierce and passionate, worthy of him. Geordi is given sight. Those three are the only ones we see "blessed" by the omnipotent Riker/Q. But many things MIGHT have occurred. --- Should I call my superior officer Commander Q now? Or even continue to accept him as my senior officer any longer? William Riker...what sort of a threat was he to ENTERPRISE security? The same as Q himself, I guess. Terminal and unstoppable. Could I make myself kill Riker? If I had to. If I could. I couldn't keep my eyes on Riker or Q all the time. I HAD to look at Wes. Grown, adult Wesley Crusher. He'd changed his hair to a lighter tone, and he was ssooooo broad-shouldered. He was a man now, and desirable, admirable, perfect. Even I caught my breath at the sight of him. His mother was standing to one side and slightly behind him. Highly stressed and unhappy about the change. I'd never taken to heart before just how much she still thought of Wes as HER little child. Her little one. Even now. She could grow to accept it, but she thought herself cheated. She would accept the change in time, women are good at accepting things. Well, better than most men. But she was mad as a hornet right now. Then Will Riker/Q looked me in the eyes. "And what in the universe would you want, lovely Natasha Yar?" --- Her bottom was clean now, the cloth going into our bedroom replicator disposal. By the time I had to put her back into her big diaper, it was clean and new. Then all I had to do was fit my little Ishy into a pair of clean pants and she was all ready. "Mommy..." she began, but I held her and said it was okay. "Everyone has an accident now and then. That's why you're still wearing those diapers. You did four whole days without making a mistake in your pants, and wasn't that nice? You're growing up into such a BIG girl now. And so FAST! Next week you may last the whole entire week without a boo-boo. Won't you be so proud? I know both of your Mommies are very proud of you. Being such a big girl." Idea. "What say we walk on down to Sickbay, and visit. If your Mommy Beverly is busy, we can still probably see her. Your Mommy Beverly is such an important person, she doesn't always have time to say more than hello to her little girl, but you know she loves you, don't you?" No response, but she had a smile on and trying to hide it. A frown crossed her face. "If I get tired, Mommy, will you carry me?" "Only if you're tired," I replied. Knowing damned well she was going to get tired and need to be carried. Oh well. Maybe not. If she wasn't tired, maybe she'd like to drop by the arboretum again, and wallow in the grass. Or engineering. Geordi and the rest of his crew loved my little treasure. Ishy would enjoy the attention, and Geordi would enjoy the visit. Short of a catastrophe he always made time for his goddaughter. I was practiced at this by now, so I straightened my legs as I threw my body upright. Listening to the bones crack. I always heard the second pregnancy was supposed to be not only slightly shorter, but less of a bother. So much for legend. I stood for a moment, mentally checking out the biosystem, then decided to take a short stop in the dumper. With any luck I'll make it from dumper to dumper today without ME having any accidents. Ishy thought all Mommies wore diapers, just like hers did. She's going to remember this in years to come and tease me about it. Sigh. Ishy toddled over to put her hand in mine as we stood by my door, while I checked my condition and appearance again. Then the three of us waddled out onto the corridors of the ENTERPRISE. Me, little Ishara and her brother Sean. Who was crawling around inside me like a mountain climber again. Energetic baby, the little typical male. Probably going to break both his Mother's hearts when he grows up. Of course Ishara was on my hip when we made Sick Bay, but she got down to see who'd pick her up today. Selar took one look at the both of us and whipped into motion like she was a fresh android. "Quick," she told Ogawa, "Nurse, give me my instruments. We have a crewman here who needs to be looked after!" In two and a quarter seconds Ishy was on a BioBed and giggling and softly chuckling as she became the center of attention. I used the diversion to slip into the office. Inside I hit the privacy shield, and started taking my fat woman's blouse off, then the memory-cloth bra. Jehowa knows what my body would feel like right now if I had to wear one of those rubbery cloth and metal bra's I grew up with. Beverly looked up, grinning, as she saw me stripping. "Fuel gauge reading full again? Where's Ishy? Out in the sick bay?" I nodded yes, adding: "We only have a limited time, and DAMNED HELL they hurt when they're full like this." Getting a smile, and a leer. "It's half your fault he's inside me, and the least you can do is relieve some of the pressure. "Please? Pretty please?" Bev liked my pouts. Sometimes. The relief coursed through me as dear sweet Beverly suckled on first one heavy nipple, then the other. Oh, so heavenly, so wonderful, so nice. Oh, the splendor of losing my milk this way. Giving it to my lovely incredible wife. A token of love, and more. It was a habit we'd started when I was carrying Ishara, and I thought it was so loving of Beverly to do this again for me. I hadn't expected the need to be worse this time than the first. Maybe it was all the vitamins her mother kept shooting in me. It hurt, Beverly suckled so hard, but we WERE under a deadline here. I called it quits once the pressure was gone, and stood, letting Bev help me re-dress. Before we popped the privacy screen, she gave me a kiss. Giving me the taste of my own milk in her gentle mouth. Hit the privacy button and gave me another kiss. Then she strode out to hold her Ishara, letting me follow in my ninth-month waddle. So light blond Ishara was, but still probably going to have my darker shade of blond when she grows up. She should also have the cute pointy Howard nose, my height, or a centimeter or two taller. Sean was the one going to be tall. Should be something, with his red hair and green eyes, and the love he'll get from both of us. A perfect life. I turned to Will/Q Riker. "Take it back. I can't have this." The Bridge was back, I was standing at my Ops station, glaring first at Will, then at Q in his ridiculous penitents roughcloth robe. Beverly, my dearest love gaped up at me. I understood in that instant that she, they all had experienced my dream. Especially my lover, standing confused in her Doctor's uniform. "I want this on my OWN, damn you, Will Riker! If Beverly doesn't get the nerve to ask me to marry her this isn't going to happen. I WILL NOT HAVE HER FORCED!!! "She has to love me enough to come to me by her own free will .... do you understand? I want these children. "BUT IT HAS TO BE ON MY TERMS! Softer. "If Beverly does not ask me, we will not have these children. And I can't ask for what she will not freely give of her own free will. Please .... do you understand? "Please. Old Friend. Take it all away. Including the memories, my memories especially. I could not live having seen this heaven and knowing I had thrown it away. "Please?" --- I stood to the side of the Bridge. Worf stood at my post at Ops, and dark Etienne stood at the assistant Ops station next to Worf. Beverly and I held hands, painfully tight and twisting, afraid for our babies, for ourselves. Both in our eighth month, me with the boy, Beverly carrying our girl. Bev turned with as much dignity as she could manage, her advanced pregnancy making her careful of quick moves. Even with my big belly, we managed to kiss. "You have to take it all back, Will. Please. For me. "If I can't get up the nerve to ask Tasha to be my wife, these two babies in our bellies will not happen. "BUT I HAVE TO DO IT MYSELF! "I want to get there on my own....it is the only way I can stand being married to her, and us carrying the other's child. Do you see, Will?" Tears streamed down both our cheeks. "Take our memories, too. Please, William Q Riker. I could not live knowing I'd lost both our child's. DAMN IT! Do it NOW! ".......before I change my mind........" --- No sooner had Riker/Q reached an impasse in his argument with the Captain, than he turned and looked to Geordi. Sitting quietly next to the Captain, Riker turned to him. "And you, my friend. I KNOW what you want." Oh, Riker was pleased with himself with this one, whatever it was. Geordi? His EYES! Geordi rose, eyesight given to him, visor in Riker's hands. Even from behind I could sense the love and awe and glory in Geordi's mind. For the first time he was seeing the grand spectacle of space with working human eyes. Ah, if only he was outside, or in Ten-Forward, if only he had a telescope to look through. The Wondrous Fantastic Glory of really seeing the Universe! Then Geordi turned .... to me. I do not recall ever seeing such devotion and love and desire in one man's eyes, mixed with utter and total regret and hope. If ever I had doubted his love, and I don't think I had, that love shone out his face like a supernova in that instant. "You're as beautiful as I imagined," he slowly said. My heart was close to bursting to feel that flame of love. So pure, so innocent. So complete, at least in that instant. "And more." The pain there was in his voice. Oh Geordi, I am so sorry, but I do not love you back. Not now. Our love was long ago, it's over. I was struck dumb with the wash of his unrequited love. "Then we can throw away the visor," Riker continued. "I don't think so, Sir. The price is a little too high. And I don't like who I have to thank." He looked sideways at Q in his coarse brown robe. "Make me the way I was," Geordi said. "---Please...." After that, Riker tempted Worf and was again rejected. The tempting of the innocents was over, and Riker lost, and Riker won. His powers were thrown away, and Q was taken back to the 'Q' continuum. Riker was shame-facedly left to twist under all our stares and glances. The Captain went into his ready room, followed by a pale-faced Riker knowing he was about to get a dressing down. Data sat in the Captain's chair and I requested a moment to leave my station. While Worf wondered silently, I went forward to the helmsman's chair. Geordi sat there, watching me approach. I leaned over him after a glance to see Beverly watching our little tableaux. "Don't get any ideas, Geordi," I whispered directly in his ear. "I love Beverly. This is just a thank-you." I tilted his head up with a finger and kissed him. On my way back I gave my Doctor Crusher a better kiss, then once more assumed my position at Ops. The stars were in their courses. How bright they looked. I wondered what Riker would have given me if he'd turned his 'Q' powers on me? Or Beverly? I'll never know. --- continued in the eleventh story in the Riding The Tick series 'Reeperbahn'