Star Trek: Elizabeth
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From: an67777@anon.penet.fi
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Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 05:22:05 UTC
Subject: Elizabeth (1 of 1)
Lines: 378
This story is a somewhat different, though not particularly
serious, interpretation of Beverly. It has held up, more or less,
through six and a half seasons, but I'm afraid that Sub Rosa will
blow it out of the water. (I haven't seen it yet.) I would
welcome any criticisms or comments that anyone might have.
This story is dedicated to my best friend.
Elizabeth
by Bridget Olson
Dr. Beverly Crusher was in the process of teaching the chief
medical officer of the Bozeman some of the techniques that had
been developed since his ship had been caught in the time warp,
when she learned she was receiving a subspace transmission from
Earth. Beverly turned him over to Nurse Ogawa and headed to her
office. She was in a good mood. The Enterprise and its crew had
just successfully escaped a time loop and now they were going
home for a week. Beverly sat down and turned on her transmitter
and smiled when she saw a picture of an unfamiliar room with no-
one in it. For safety's sake, she held back her greeting until he
spoke.
As she had expected, it was Itzhak, but much to her surprise
it was a rather distraught Itzhak. "What has been going on?" he
cried out invisibly.
"What do you mean?" Beverly asked, caught off guard.
"Over the past two weeks, I've felt you die, I don't know
how many times. I lost track after a while. You'd die and then
you'd come back and then you'd die again, over and over. It was
awful, and I couldn't reach you to find out what was going on.
What has been happening?" Itzhak sounded as if he were crying.
Beverly went white. "Oh, Itzhak, I'm so sorry. It didn't
occur to me what it would mean to you. I know I died, but I don't
remember dying. We were caught in a time loop and I only remember
working to escape the last time when we succeeded. The loop must
have been blocking communications."
"So you are out of the time loop now and you're not going
to die again."
"Yes, we are out and I am not going to die again."
"Thank God. I am so relieved, but I really wish you were
here so I could see you in person."
"Well, actually, I was going to ring you up later today,"
Beverly said, rather outdatedly, a slip she would never have made
in front of her crewmates. "We're headed to Earth right now.
Jean-Luc is giving a speech at the Academy's graduation
ceremonies. We'll be there in forty hours. Why don't you meet me
in San Francisco."
"I'll do that. I miss you and I love you, Elizabeth."
"I love you, too, Itzhak." Beverly said, wishing it was
enough.
The one thing that Picard hated about being captain was
always having to be the bearer of bad news. Especially when it
regarded a friend. He went into Dr. Crusher's office and gently
told her that Wesley had been in an accident but was fine. She
seemed to have difficulty accepting that a person could be
declared fine so soon after breaking a collarbone, but it didn't
bother him. She was no doubt thinking about Jack, and perhaps her
grandmother's stories of treating colonists without proper
medicines. On Alveda III, during the disaster, a minor injury
could easily become fatal and the stories had no doubt affected
her.
If you want to know what happened with Wesley's trial, watch
the episode First Duty. Suffice it to say that Beverly spent
almost all the time she didn't spend with Wesley, with Itzhak. By
the end of her visit, Itzhak was pretty much recovered from his
experience. It was a very stressful time for Beverly, being
worried about both Wesley and Itzhak.
The ceremony was over. The class was successfully graduated.
The captain's speech had been a success. The Enterprise was
scheduled to leave in a few hours. Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge
was talking to the captain about some work that had been done on
the turbolifts as they walked through the Academy gardens, when
he saw something rather astonishing. Dr. Crusher was holding and
kissing thin air. La Forge was flabbergasted. Then he became
aware that the captain was merely looking displeased and that Dr.
Crusher looked, not exactly guilty, but like she knew she had a
lot of explaining to do. And from the thin air beside her, in a
tone that matched her expression, there came a man's voice
saying, "Oh, shit."
Beverly recovered first. In the most matter of fact voice
she could muster she suggested they all go back to the quarters
she and Itzhak had been sharing and discuss things. The others
nodded.
They walked in pairs, silently. Beverly and Itzhak walked
ahead, holding hands and agreeing through inconspicuous hand
signals to tell everything. Jean-Luc and Geordi were too caught
up in their private thoughts to talk. Beverly thought to herself
how unfair it was that after everything else that had happened in
the past week that this had to happen now.
After they arrived, Beverly said, "I think, Jean-Luc, that
we should start by showing you what Geordi is seeing. These are
the rooms we always get in San Francisco. As you can see there
are no mirrors on the walls. We do, however, keep one in here
that I use sometimes." She pulled out a small mirror from a
compartment under the sink and handed it to Jean-Luc.
Jean-Luc had a little more warning than Geordi but was still
visibly disturbed by the fact that he could not see Itzhak in the
mirror. He could see everyone and everything else reflected, but
no matter how he manipulated the mirror, or had Itzhak move, he
could not catch Itzhak's reflection.
"What the hell is going on, Beverly?" Jean-Luc demanded.
"I will explain everything in due time, but there is more,"
Beverly said with a stressed smile. "You now know there is
something odd about Itzhak, but it's only fair that you know
there is something odd about me as well. If we are to suffer for
the truth, we will both suffer. Now take a seat and I'll be with
you in a moment."
Itzhak sat the two officers in chairs and appropriated the
couch for himself and Beverly. He knew they both needed to be
near each other. Beverly returned from the bedroom carrying an
old fashioned photo album and handed it to Geordi, so that he and
Jean-Luc could look at it together. Inside were dozens of photos
dating from the nineteenth century, along with photos of
portraits dating from even earlier. Beverly was in perhaps half
of them. "You're free to test them any way you like and you'll
find them to be completely authentic. Just, please, don't damage
them. They're the only mementos I have left of a number of people
I love."
"Are you some sort of time traveller, Beverly?" Picard
asked.
"No, though I used that as an excuse once when I ran into an
old acquaintance at a conference a few decades ago." She smiled
briefly at the memory, but then grew serious again. "No, I'm not
a time traveller, nor am I an extraterrestrial. To be honest, I
don't know exactly what I am. I was born in Kent in 1486 with an
identical twin sister named Margaret. I was named Elizabeth. For
reasons I have never figured out, Margaret died of natural causes
at age 73 and I didn't. I've run all sorts of tests on myself and
I've found that I'm completely normal. The only thing that's
unusual is that nothing's unusual. I'm not abnormally strong, I
can't walk through walls, turn myself invisible or anything else
that humans can't do. I just don't age and I have a remarkable
immune system.
"Anyway, I spent five centuries watching everyone I knew
die. None of my children have been unusually long lived, though
that hasn't kept me from watching Wesley for signs that he'll be
the exception. I'd given up all hope of ever finding another
immortal when 2012 happened. I met Itzhak and we fell in love. I
was so happy when I found out he wasn't going to die."
"But Beverly, you said and the records say you were raised
on Alveda III." Jean-Luc said, a bit dazedly.
"I lied. I'm a doctor and I know how to fake a birth
certificate. Jean-Luc, the herbalist grandmother I told you about
was me. I applied my knowledge of herbalism to the planet's
flora. The colonial council was grateful to me so they were happy
to help me out when I told them what I was, especially since they
realized I wouldn't have had the knowledge and ability to help
them as effectively if it wasn't for my age."
"Itzhak is a vampire!" Geordi suddenly exclaimed as
realization dawned.
"Yes, Itzhak is a vampire, but you must believe me when I
say that he has never hurt or killed anyone," Beverly said
earnestly. "He needs very little blood to survive. When I am
around he uses mine. The stories about vampires are extremely
exaggerated. Do you believe what I've told you about us?"
The captain answered, "I shall have the pictures tested of
course. Assuming that they prove to be authentic it sounds as
likely an explanation as any I can think of. I don't see any
reason for you to lie. In all the years I've known you, Beverly,
I've never seen or heard of you hurting anyone without good cause
and I am inclined to trust your judgement of Itzhak." Geordi
nodded his head in agreement. "What I don't understand is your
secrecy about it. You should have at least told me. I'm your
captain and I should know your abilities. I realize there were
witch-hunts in the past, so it would have been dangerous for you
then, but we're beyond that now."
"Are you sure, Captain? Yes, I wouldn't get burned at the
stake, but look at what happened to Data. He nearly lost the
fight to prove his sentience and he probably would have lost
custody of his daughter, just so that Starfleet could make a few
more androids. I could potentially give humanity immortality. I
believe that if I were to come out, first the historians would
pick my brains until I couldn't stand it anymore and then the
doctors would dissect me and I don't think it would tell them
anything either. If you think there aren't doctors who would
dissect me in the name of science you haven't met as many doctors
as I have."
"You have a point," Jean-Luc admitted.
"Captain, the reason I didn't tell you is because as captain
it's your duty to inform Starfleet of any potential dangers. I
would have told you eventually, but I needed to be sure you
trusted me. Please, will you two please keep quiet about this.
Please don't tell anyone."
"You've got my word," Geordi said. "You're right about Data.
The way I see it you haven't done anything wrong and shouldn't
have to suffer for the way you were born."
"Thank you, Geordi," Beverly said, gratefully. "And you,
Captain?"
"I won't say anything to Starfleet for now, but I do need to
think the matter through. I have a lot of questions and I'd like
to order my thoughts. However, I don't want things to look out of
the ordinary to the rest of the crew. I do know you really are a
doctor, so, for the time being, you may return to the Enterprise,
and your duties in Sickbay, if you want. So, do you want to
return to the Enterprise with us?"
"Yes. I realize both of you must have questions. I'm willing
to talk to either of you at any time. By the way, one thing that
might interest you is that, I've been a doctor for centuries. I
find going back to medical school, from time to time, is a good
way to keep myself up to date."
If anyone on the ship noticed a tension about Picard or
Crusher, no-one mentioned it. Both had a lot of experience hiding
their emotions. However, neither slept very well. Crusher was
very aware of the fact that she was on probation. She had really
put herself in danger by coming back to the Enterprise, but she
really loved being in space. And so it was with some relief that
she received Picard's invitation to tea two days later. She was
apprehensive, but at least it would be over soon.
"Hello, you're early." Picard sat with an indecipherable
expression and a book.
"I know, but I couldn't stand waiting any longer. Have you
made up your mind about me?"
"Yes. I've decided you were right. If Starfleet got hold of
you, you wouldn't survive. I've done some research, and that
included speaking to Wesley, by the way, and I haven't found any
sign that you or Itzhak have ever done anything wrong, so I'm not
going to turn you in. Also, you're an excellent doctor and I'd
hate to lose you in Sickbay, so I'm not going to ask you to
resign or transfer. However, I do have some questions, Beverly...
Elizabeth."
"Please call me Beverly. We can't have you slipping and
calling me Elizabeth at an inconvenient time." She smiled, but
she knew that their friendship was still on trial. She was elated
that she was staying on the Enterprise, but Jean-Luc had been a
good friend and she hated the idea of losing him.
"Alright, Beverly. Why don't I get us some tea."
As he headed for the replicator, Beverly picked his book up
off the table. "What have you been reading? Ah, Measure for
Measure. It's a good play as I recall, but I've never read it and
I haven't seen it since it first played at the Globe. I liked it,
but I never got around to seeing it again."
Picard stopped and turned around at the replicator. "You saw
first run Shakespeare," he said enviously.
"Oh, yes. I lived in London for about twenty years around
1600. I became quite a theatre buff. I was in Europe for the
early part of Shakespeare's career and I left for America before
it ended, but I saw most of his plays in between."
"You must tell me about them some time." Picard started to
smile, then stopped, remembering the situation.
"I'd like to," she said quietly.
Picard turned back to the replicator and, of course, ordered
Earl Grey. "What would you like?"
Crusher thought and then smiled mischievously. "Hot
chocolate, a la Alma Diaz."
"Who's Alma Diaz?" Picard asked, handing her the drink.
"A good friend I had when I lived in Spain during the
1570's. She introduced me to this. The spices are very different
from modern hot chocolate. It has a lot of pepper and no milk. I
can't imagine Troi drinking it."
Picard made a face. "How's Geordi dealing with all this?"
"He seems to be fine. He came by with the pictures yesterday
and we chatted a bit. He made a point of inviting me to the next
poker game. Of course, the friendship I've had with him has
never been as close as yours and mine, so he hasn't taken my
lying personally. Shall we get on with your questions?"
"Alright, first I want to know why you married Jack when you
so obviously love Itzhak. You always told me he was your cousin
and I never suspected you were lying. You always acted so
platonically."
"I married Jack because I loved him. And I do still love
him. Before we married, I told him about me and Itzhak and what
we are. He didn't mind, as long as I was faithful to him while he
was alive. He didn't want to become a vampire, because he loved
space more than life. Vampires die instantly in space."
There were probably as many theories as to why this was so
as there were vampires. This was proven to be true when Elizabeth
accompanied a suicidal vampire, who wanted his death to be
useful, into space. He died within seconds of leaving the Earth's
atmosphere. No number of attempts on Elizabeth's part were
successful in reviving him.
"I think what attracted me to Jack was that he loved space
as much as I do. And that's why I married him. I'm not saying I
would have stopped loving him if he had chosen to become a
vampire. And I certainly wish he hadn't died so young. I really
do miss him. I was expecting to get a few decades with him, not
just a few years. What I mean is that I would never marry an
immortal. Can you imagine spending eternity tied to one person? I
can't. I spent three hundred years being monogamous with Itzhak
and it was wonderful, but then we both needed a change for a
while. If we were married, I'd feel obligated to stay on Earth
with him and I'd hate him by now. But he's let me go and follow
my own destiny and I love him for it. He encourages me even now
after what happened with the time warp."
"What was so special about the time warp? You've been in
danger before." Jean-Luc sounded warmer.
"Yes, but I've never died before. Jean-Luc, at the end of
each loop, we all died. Including me, which I find a comfort
really. I'd hate to think I could survive being atomized. Anyway,
the bond between a vampire and his lover is very special. Every
time I died, he felt it. He felt me die over and over again. He
was a wreck when we got back to Earth. Between him and Wesley, it
was not a fun visit for me. So I kissed him goodbye in the
garden, because we both needed it. Unfortunately, we lost track
of time. He was meant to be well gone before the ceremony ended."
"I see. And what about Odan? You loved him and yet you
rejected him, or should I say her? I would think someone as long
lived as Odan would be appealing. Or was it because of Itzhak?"
He now sounded more curious than concerned. He'd never really
gotten to know Odan very well.
"Oh, how do I explain. I didn't leave him out of loyalty to
Itzhak, if that's what you mean. I left him because I have Itzhak
and Data and other people who are less mortal than humans in my
life. I spent five hundred years searching for a friend who
wouldn't die. In Itzhak, I found both a friend and a lover. If I
could somehow have met Odan before I met Itzhak and before
interstellar travel, I would have stayed with him, no matter what
he turned into, though it would have been incredibly difficult
for both of us. I love him, but I can't deal with his changes.
It was enough of a stretch learning to love an alien. If that
sounds awful to you, consider that in my youth, it was considered
shocking to sleep with someone who was not the same skin color or
religion. Anyways, I can't be Odan's lover and being lovers was
an integral part of our relationship, so we can't just be
friends. Maybe someday, maybe in a few centuries, I'll learn to
deal with it and I'll go see if he's still alive and still in
love with me. And then I'll have to deal with two long lived
lovers, which should prove interesting. Actually, if you think
about it, it makes more sense for me to reject him as an
immortal, than as a mortal. As a mortal widow, I might really
like the idea of someone who would be more likely to be there in
my old age. As it is, I'm not expecting old age, so that isn't a
factor."
They sat in silence for a while, absorbed in their thoughts
and sipping their drinks. After a while, Picard spoke
reflectively.
"I guess what I've been afraid of is that you might no
longer be human. That you might be like Q and see us as nothing
but a game to keep you amused through the centuries. But you do
seem to honestly have feelings for us. Now I just wonder how you
have managed to survive and still remain human."
"I don't really know how I do it. I just do it. It's
extremely hard sometimes, but I have to survive and I couldn't
live with myself if I didn't stay human. Being only human, I do
spend some time thinking about the past and speculating on the
future, but I work at concentrating on the good things the
present has. Yes, I miss Jack, but now I have you and Wesley
and, yes, you will die, but you're alive now. And I miss the life
I had with the Shawnee after I left Jamestown, but now I'm in
space and I love it here. If I'd died then, I wouldn't be here
now. I don't know if that answers your question at all."
"Somewhat. It will do."
"Do you have any other questions?"
"For now, I just have one," Jean-Luc hesitated. He wasn't
sure if he was asking too much, but he very much wanted the
answer to be yes. "Feel free to say no. I don't want to sound
like one of the Starfleet historians you're so afraid of, and I
don't want to force you into reliving the past. But would you
mind, as a friend, telling me about your life, at least the high
points? It must be fascinating."
"It will take a long time," Beverly warned with a smile. She
felt truly happy for the first time in days.
"I don't mind. We've got many teas ahead of us."
"Should I start at the beginning?" Seeing her friend's nod,
she began, "I was born in 1486 with a twin sister. The War of the
Roses had ended the year before and King Henry VII had just
sealed his victory by marrying Elizabeth of York who was the heir
of the rival family. My father had a minor position in the new
king's court and being an ambitious man, he wished to move up.
Accordingly, he named us after the new royal family in an effort
to please them. I, of course, was named for Elizabeth of York.
I'm sure that if the name had existed he would have named my
sister Henrietta after the king, but it didn't exist yet and he
wasn't imaginative enough to make something up so he named her
Margaret after the king's mother. We were raised..."
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Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
From: an67777@anon.penet.fi
X-Anonymously-To: alt.startrek.creative
Organization: Anonymous contact service
Reply-To: an67777@anon.penet.fi
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 05:22:05 UTC
Subject: Elizabeth (1 of 1)
Lines: 378
This story is a somewhat different, though not particularly
serious, interpretation of Beverly. It has held up, more or less,
through six and a half seasons, but I'm afraid that Sub Rosa will
blow it out of the water. (I haven't seen it yet.) I would
welcome any criticisms or comments that anyone might have.
This story is dedicated to my best friend.
Elizabeth
by Bridget Olson
Dr. Beverly Crusher was in the process of teaching the chief
medical officer of the Bozeman some of the techniques that had
been developed since his ship had been caught in the time warp,
when she learned she was receiving a subspace transmission from
Earth. Beverly turned him over to Nurse Ogawa and headed to her
office. She was in a good mood. The Enterprise and its crew had
just successfully escaped a time loop and now they were going
home for a week. Beverly sat down and turned on her transmitter
and smiled when she saw a picture of an unfamiliar room with no-
one in it. For safety's sake, she held back her greeting until he
spoke.
As she had expected, it was Itzhak, but much to her surprise
it was a rather distraught Itzhak. "What has been going on?" he
cried out invisibly.
"What do you mean?" Beverly asked, caught off guard.
"Over the past two weeks, I've felt you die, I don't know
how many times. I lost track after a while. You'd die and then
you'd come back and then you'd die again, over and over. It was
awful, and I couldn't reach you to find out what was going on.
What has been happening?" Itzhak sounded as if he were crying.
Beverly went white. "Oh, Itzhak, I'm so sorry. It didn't
occur to me what it would mean to you. I know I died, but I don't
remember dying. We were caught in a time loop and I only remember
working to escape the last time when we succeeded. The loop must
have been blocking communications."
"So you are out of the time loop now and you're not going
to die again."
"Yes, we are out and I am not going to die again."
"Thank God. I am so relieved, but I really wish you were
here so I could see you in person."
"Well, actually, I was going to ring you up later today,"
Beverly said, rather outdatedly, a slip she would never have made
in front of her crewmates. "We're headed to Earth right now.
Jean-Luc is giving a speech at the Academy's graduation
ceremonies. We'll be there in forty hours. Why don't you meet me
in San Francisco."
"I'll do that. I miss you and I love you, Elizabeth."
"I love you, too, Itzhak." Beverly said, wishing it was
enough.
The one thing that Picard hated about being captain was
always having to be the bearer of bad news. Especially when it
regarded a friend. He went into Dr. Crusher's office and gently
told her that Wesley had been in an accident but was fine. She
seemed to have difficulty accepting that a person could be
declared fine so soon after breaking a collarbone, but it didn't
bother him. She was no doubt thinking about Jack, and perhaps her
grandmother's stories of treating colonists without proper
medicines. On Alveda III, during the disaster, a minor injury
could easily become fatal and the stories had no doubt affected
her.
If you want to know what happened with Wesley's trial, watch
the episode First Duty. Suffice it to say that Beverly spent
almost all the time she didn't spend with Wesley, with Itzhak. By
the end of her visit, Itzhak was pretty much recovered from his
experience. It was a very stressful time for Beverly, being
worried about both Wesley and Itzhak.
The ceremony was over. The class was successfully graduated.
The captain's speech had been a success. The Enterprise was
scheduled to leave in a few hours. Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge
was talking to the captain about some work that had been done on
the turbolifts as they walked through the Academy gardens, when
he saw something rather astonishing. Dr. Crusher was holding and
kissing thin air. La Forge was flabbergasted. Then he became
aware that the captain was merely looking displeased and that Dr.
Crusher looked, not exactly guilty, but like she knew she had a
lot of explaining to do. And from the thin air beside her, in a
tone that matched her expression, there came a man's voice
saying, "Oh, shit."
Beverly recovered first. In the most matter of fact voice
she could muster she suggested they all go back to the quarters
she and Itzhak had been sharing and discuss things. The others
nodded.
They walked in pairs, silently. Beverly and Itzhak walked
ahead, holding hands and agreeing through inconspicuous hand
signals to tell everything. Jean-Luc and Geordi were too caught
up in their private thoughts to talk. Beverly thought to herself
how unfair it was that after everything else that had happened in
the past week that this had to happen now.
After they arrived, Beverly said, "I think, Jean-Luc, that
we should start by showing you what Geordi is seeing. These are
the rooms we always get in San Francisco. As you can see there
are no mirrors on the walls. We do, however, keep one in here
that I use sometimes." She pulled out a small mirror from a
compartment under the sink and handed it to Jean-Luc.
Jean-Luc had a little more warning than Geordi but was still
visibly disturbed by the fact that he could not see Itzhak in the
mirror. He could see everyone and everything else reflected, but
no matter how he manipulated the mirror, or had Itzhak move, he
could not catch Itzhak's reflection.
"What the hell is going on, Beverly?" Jean-Luc demanded.
"I will explain everything in due time, but there is more,"
Beverly said with a stressed smile. "You now know there is
something odd about Itzhak, but it's only fair that you know
there is something odd about me as well. If we are to suffer for
the truth, we will both suffer. Now take a seat and I'll be with
you in a moment."
Itzhak sat the two officers in chairs and appropriated the
couch for himself and Beverly. He knew they both needed to be
near each other. Beverly returned from the bedroom carrying an
old fashioned photo album and handed it to Geordi, so that he and
Jean-Luc could look at it together. Inside were dozens of photos
dating from the nineteenth century, along with photos of
portraits dating from even earlier. Beverly was in perhaps half
of them. "You're free to test them any way you like and you'll
find them to be completely authentic. Just, please, don't damage
them. They're the only mementos I have left of a number of people
I love."
"Are you some sort of time traveller, Beverly?" Picard
asked.
"No, though I used that as an excuse once when I ran into an
old acquaintance at a conference a few decades ago." She smiled
briefly at the memory, but then grew serious again. "No, I'm not
a time traveller, nor am I an extraterrestrial. To be honest, I
don't know exactly what I am. I was born in Kent in 1486 with an
identical twin sister named Margaret. I was named Elizabeth. For
reasons I have never figured out, Margaret died of natural causes
at age 73 and I didn't. I've run all sorts of tests on myself and
I've found that I'm completely normal. The only thing that's
unusual is that nothing's unusual. I'm not abnormally strong, I
can't walk through walls, turn myself invisible or anything else
that humans can't do. I just don't age and I have a remarkable
immune system.
"Anyway, I spent five centuries watching everyone I knew
die. None of my children have been unusually long lived, though
that hasn't kept me from watching Wesley for signs that he'll be
the exception. I'd given up all hope of ever finding another
immortal when 2012 happened. I met Itzhak and we fell in love. I
was so happy when I found out he wasn't going to die."
"But Beverly, you said and the records say you were raised
on Alveda III." Jean-Luc said, a bit dazedly.
"I lied. I'm a doctor and I know how to fake a birth
certificate. Jean-Luc, the herbalist grandmother I told you about
was me. I applied my knowledge of herbalism to the planet's
flora. The colonial council was grateful to me so they were happy
to help me out when I told them what I was, especially since they
realized I wouldn't have had the knowledge and ability to help
them as effectively if it wasn't for my age."
"Itzhak is a vampire!" Geordi suddenly exclaimed as
realization dawned.
"Yes, Itzhak is a vampire, but you must believe me when I
say that he has never hurt or killed anyone," Beverly said
earnestly. "He needs very little blood to survive. When I am
around he uses mine. The stories about vampires are extremely
exaggerated. Do you believe what I've told you about us?"
The captain answered, "I shall have the pictures tested of
course. Assuming that they prove to be authentic it sounds as
likely an explanation as any I can think of. I don't see any
reason for you to lie. In all the years I've known you, Beverly,
I've never seen or heard of you hurting anyone without good cause
and I am inclined to trust your judgement of Itzhak." Geordi
nodded his head in agreement. "What I don't understand is your
secrecy about it. You should have at least told me. I'm your
captain and I should know your abilities. I realize there were
witch-hunts in the past, so it would have been dangerous for you
then, but we're beyond that now."
"Are you sure, Captain? Yes, I wouldn't get burned at the
stake, but look at what happened to Data. He nearly lost the
fight to prove his sentience and he probably would have lost
custody of his daughter, just so that Starfleet could make a few
more androids. I could potentially give humanity immortality. I
believe that if I were to come out, first the historians would
pick my brains until I couldn't stand it anymore and then the
doctors would dissect me and I don't think it would tell them
anything either. If you think there aren't doctors who would
dissect me in the name of science you haven't met as many doctors
as I have."
"You have a point," Jean-Luc admitted.
"Captain, the reason I didn't tell you is because as captain
it's your duty to inform Starfleet of any potential dangers. I
would have told you eventually, but I needed to be sure you
trusted me. Please, will you two please keep quiet about this.
Please don't tell anyone."
"You've got my word," Geordi said. "You're right about Data.
The way I see it you haven't done anything wrong and shouldn't
have to suffer for the way you were born."
"Thank you, Geordi," Beverly said, gratefully. "And you,
Captain?"
"I won't say anything to Starfleet for now, but I do need to
think the matter through. I have a lot of questions and I'd like
to order my thoughts. However, I don't want things to look out of
the ordinary to the rest of the crew. I do know you really are a
doctor, so, for the time being, you may return to the Enterprise,
and your duties in Sickbay, if you want. So, do you want to
return to the Enterprise with us?"
"Yes. I realize both of you must have questions. I'm willing
to talk to either of you at any time. By the way, one thing that
might interest you is that, I've been a doctor for centuries. I
find going back to medical school, from time to time, is a good
way to keep myself up to date."
If anyone on the ship noticed a tension about Picard or
Crusher, no-one mentioned it. Both had a lot of experience hiding
their emotions. However, neither slept very well. Crusher was
very aware of the fact that she was on probation. She had really
put herself in danger by coming back to the Enterprise, but she
really loved being in space. And so it was with some relief that
she received Picard's invitation to tea two days later. She was
apprehensive, but at least it would be over soon.
"Hello, you're early." Picard sat with an indecipherable
expression and a book.
"I know, but I couldn't stand waiting any longer. Have you
made up your mind about me?"
"Yes. I've decided you were right. If Starfleet got hold of
you, you wouldn't survive. I've done some research, and that
included speaking to Wesley, by the way, and I haven't found any
sign that you or Itzhak have ever done anything wrong, so I'm not
going to turn you in. Also, you're an excellent doctor and I'd
hate to lose you in Sickbay, so I'm not going to ask you to
resign or transfer. However, I do have some questions, Beverly...
Elizabeth."
"Please call me Beverly. We can't have you slipping and
calling me Elizabeth at an inconvenient time." She smiled, but
she knew that their friendship was still on trial. She was elated
that she was staying on the Enterprise, but Jean-Luc had been a
good friend and she hated the idea of losing him.
"Alright, Beverly. Why don't I get us some tea."
As he headed for the replicator, Beverly picked his book up
off the table. "What have you been reading? Ah, Measure for
Measure. It's a good play as I recall, but I've never read it and
I haven't seen it since it first played at the Globe. I liked it,
but I never got around to seeing it again."
Picard stopped and turned around at the replicator. "You saw
first run Shakespeare," he said enviously.
"Oh, yes. I lived in London for about twenty years around
1600. I became quite a theatre buff. I was in Europe for the
early part of Shakespeare's career and I left for America before
it ended, but I saw most of his plays in between."
"You must tell me about them some time." Picard started to
smile, then stopped, remembering the situation.
"I'd like to," she said quietly.
Picard turned back to the replicator and, of course, ordered
Earl Grey. "What would you like?"
Crusher thought and then smiled mischievously. "Hot
chocolate, a la Alma Diaz."
"Who's Alma Diaz?" Picard asked, handing her the drink.
"A good friend I had when I lived in Spain during the
1570's. She introduced me to this. The spices are very different
from modern hot chocolate. It has a lot of pepper and no milk. I
can't imagine Troi drinking it."
Picard made a face. "How's Geordi dealing with all this?"
"He seems to be fine. He came by with the pictures yesterday
and we chatted a bit. He made a point of inviting me to the next
poker game. Of course, the friendship I've had with him has
never been as close as yours and mine, so he hasn't taken my
lying personally. Shall we get on with your questions?"
"Alright, first I want to know why you married Jack when you
so obviously love Itzhak. You always told me he was your cousin
and I never suspected you were lying. You always acted so
platonically."
"I married Jack because I loved him. And I do still love
him. Before we married, I told him about me and Itzhak and what
we are. He didn't mind, as long as I was faithful to him while he
was alive. He didn't want to become a vampire, because he loved
space more than life. Vampires die instantly in space."
There were probably as many theories as to why this was so
as there were vampires. This was proven to be true when Elizabeth
accompanied a suicidal vampire, who wanted his death to be
useful, into space. He died within seconds of leaving the Earth's
atmosphere. No number of attempts on Elizabeth's part were
successful in reviving him.
"I think what attracted me to Jack was that he loved space
as much as I do. And that's why I married him. I'm not saying I
would have stopped loving him if he had chosen to become a
vampire. And I certainly wish he hadn't died so young. I really
do miss him. I was expecting to get a few decades with him, not
just a few years. What I mean is that I would never marry an
immortal. Can you imagine spending eternity tied to one person? I
can't. I spent three hundred years being monogamous with Itzhak
and it was wonderful, but then we both needed a change for a
while. If we were married, I'd feel obligated to stay on Earth
with him and I'd hate him by now. But he's let me go and follow
my own destiny and I love him for it. He encourages me even now
after what happened with the time warp."
"What was so special about the time warp? You've been in
danger before." Jean-Luc sounded warmer.
"Yes, but I've never died before. Jean-Luc, at the end of
each loop, we all died. Including me, which I find a comfort
really. I'd hate to think I could survive being atomized. Anyway,
the bond between a vampire and his lover is very special. Every
time I died, he felt it. He felt me die over and over again. He
was a wreck when we got back to Earth. Between him and Wesley, it
was not a fun visit for me. So I kissed him goodbye in the
garden, because we both needed it. Unfortunately, we lost track
of time. He was meant to be well gone before the ceremony ended."
"I see. And what about Odan? You loved him and yet you
rejected him, or should I say her? I would think someone as long
lived as Odan would be appealing. Or was it because of Itzhak?"
He now sounded more curious than concerned. He'd never really
gotten to know Odan very well.
"Oh, how do I explain. I didn't leave him out of loyalty to
Itzhak, if that's what you mean. I left him because I have Itzhak
and Data and other people who are less mortal than humans in my
life. I spent five hundred years searching for a friend who
wouldn't die. In Itzhak, I found both a friend and a lover. If I
could somehow have met Odan before I met Itzhak and before
interstellar travel, I would have stayed with him, no matter what
he turned into, though it would have been incredibly difficult
for both of us. I love him, but I can't deal with his changes.
It was enough of a stretch learning to love an alien. If that
sounds awful to you, consider that in my youth, it was considered
shocking to sleep with someone who was not the same skin color or
religion. Anyways, I can't be Odan's lover and being lovers was
an integral part of our relationship, so we can't just be
friends. Maybe someday, maybe in a few centuries, I'll learn to
deal with it and I'll go see if he's still alive and still in
love with me. And then I'll have to deal with two long lived
lovers, which should prove interesting. Actually, if you think
about it, it makes more sense for me to reject him as an
immortal, than as a mortal. As a mortal widow, I might really
like the idea of someone who would be more likely to be there in
my old age. As it is, I'm not expecting old age, so that isn't a
factor."
They sat in silence for a while, absorbed in their thoughts
and sipping their drinks. After a while, Picard spoke
reflectively.
"I guess what I've been afraid of is that you might no
longer be human. That you might be like Q and see us as nothing
but a game to keep you amused through the centuries. But you do
seem to honestly have feelings for us. Now I just wonder how you
have managed to survive and still remain human."
"I don't really know how I do it. I just do it. It's
extremely hard sometimes, but I have to survive and I couldn't
live with myself if I didn't stay human. Being only human, I do
spend some time thinking about the past and speculating on the
future, but I work at concentrating on the good things the
present has. Yes, I miss Jack, but now I have you and Wesley
and, yes, you will die, but you're alive now. And I miss the life
I had with the Shawnee after I left Jamestown, but now I'm in
space and I love it here. If I'd died then, I wouldn't be here
now. I don't know if that answers your question at all."
"Somewhat. It will do."
"Do you have any other questions?"
"For now, I just have one," Jean-Luc hesitated. He wasn't
sure if he was asking too much, but he very much wanted the
answer to be yes. "Feel free to say no. I don't want to sound
like one of the Starfleet historians you're so afraid of, and I
don't want to force you into reliving the past. But would you
mind, as a friend, telling me about your life, at least the high
points? It must be fascinating."
"It will take a long time," Beverly warned with a smile. She
felt truly happy for the first time in days.
"I don't mind. We've got many teas ahead of us."
"Should I start at the beginning?" Seeing her friend's nod,
she began, "I was born in 1486 with a twin sister. The War of the
Roses had ended the year before and King Henry VII had just
sealed his victory by marrying Elizabeth of York who was the heir
of the rival family. My father had a minor position in the new
king's court and being an ambitious man, he wished to move up.
Accordingly, he named us after the new royal family in an effort
to please them. I, of course, was named for Elizabeth of York.
I'm sure that if the name had existed he would have named my
sister Henrietta after the king, but it didn't exist yet and he
wasn't imaginative enough to make something up so he named her
Margaret after the king's mother. We were raised..."
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