Avoidance FIC: ST:TNG/DS9 Xover. Picard/Jadzia Dax, eventual FMAO. Part 1/?
A friend of mine whose house closing was held up due to stupid bad things done by the previous owners requested a Star Trek fic including high tech and sex. I'm not sure I'm going to get the high tech in there, but here goes.
Yes, I've got that horrible to do list, but I'm doing my laundry while I work on this. And it's warming my muse up again. Swear.
Untitled
Set after ST:TNG "Chain of Command" and ST:DS9 "Dax."
Ordered to Risa to recouperate after stressful personal situations, Jean-Luc Picard and Jadzia Dax meet and explore an archeological site together. Boy does that sound boring. Give it a shot!
U.S.S. Enterprise-D, Office of Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Deanna Troi drew herself to her full height and clutched the PADD holding her recommendation in a determined fashion. "Captain," she said firmly, "I cannot deny you've made considerable progress. In fact, you've done so well, you can take the final steps yourself - but it's simply impossible with the demands of the ship pressing on you. We'll be passing by Risa on our way to a routine maintenance check up. You should spend a few days there."
"I hate vacations. Waste of time."
"Dr. Crusher and I could make it an order." She tilted her chin up and gave him as much of a death-glare as her kind face could muster. "Your body has healed. And your mind has mostly healed. You may have lingering effects, but the more you take care of yourself - now - the better off you'll be. I am recommending that you take the opportunity to relax and let the process complete itself. Without. Delay."
He glowered back at her, "I've been recuperating from torture, and here you are sending me into just another form of it! I would be much better completing the process by attending to my duties!" The air seemed to shimmer into silence when he'd finished. He hadn't quite meant to bellow at her.
Picard's show of temper only made Troi soften her stance and give him a small conspiratorial grin. "You, my dear Captain, are just nervous about actually having fun." She raised her eyebrows slightly and tilted her head, as if listening. "And perhaps something about having fun on Risa. I'm sure you'll remember how." Deanna plunked her PADD on his desk. "Seven days, starting tomorrow. Or I'll have Beverly to make it official. If it helps, we could order you to have fun."
Picard knew when he was boxed in. "Please feed my fish?" he grumbled.
"Certainly, sir."
~~~
U.S.S. Enterprise -D. Transporter Room Three, the following day.
Will Riker held up his hand to stop the cascade of instructions flowing out of his captain's mouth. "Sir? We'll be fine. I'll bring her back to you, no scratches and I promise if we have a wild party, we'll clean up afterwards."
Picard harrumphed.
"He's just teasing, Captain," Troi felt compelled to say, elbowing Riker in the ribs.
Picard harrumphed again and stumped over to the transporter pad.
"Energize," he barked the transporter chief.
"Oh, and sir? While you're there, could you pick up a little statue for me? About yea big?" Riker held his hands about a foot apart. " The transporter chief sent the captain out mid-roar.
Riker raised his eyebrows. "I guess that was a no."
Troi rolled her eyes. "What did I ever see in you?"
He grinned at her wolfishly. "I could remind you…"
~~~
Risan Resort, Guest Lobby
Through a supreme effort of will, Jean-Luc suppressed the "NO!" he was about to yell at his first officer - mostly because his first officer was no longer there. Paradise lay before him and it made him simply exhausted to contemplate.
"Welcome, friend, to Risa!"
Valiantly suppressing a sigh, he nodded in acknowledgement of the greeting. It was more than he could actually do to muster up a smile. The sooner he could get this vacation over with, the better.
Contenting himself with thoughts of somehow sabotaging Counselor Troi's chocolate supply, or perhaps even better, assigning Riker and Troi some really onerous personnel study, he trudged after the hostess to the obligatory sumptuous suite.
He was totally unaware of a young woman watching his reluctant progress with a decidedly interested smile.
~~~
Fifty-two hours earlier: Office of Commander Benjamin Sisko, Deep Space 9.
"Old man, I'm going to insist."
"Benjamin," Jadzia nearly whined.
"You've been jumpy and irritable since the trial. Take a few days off and get some perspective. "
"I'd be much better off at work."
"Old man," Ben said affectionately and was startled to see Jadzia stiffen almost imperceptibly. He realized with a guilty start what was bothering her. Curzon. Curzon's indiscretions. He made a mental note to try to call her by her host name as often as possible.
"Jadzia," he said seriously, letting his expression show his concern. "I need you here. And right now, you are not in the game. There's some stuff going between you two -" He pointed a finger at her head and then at her symbiont. " That needs resolving. I want you off this station in 26 hours, and if not, I'm sending you to that Exo-archeology conference on Saltrizon IV."
"It's sub-zero temperatures there! You know how much I hate the cold!"
Ben grinned his most evil grin. "I know," he rumbled, tossing and catching his baseball happily.
Jadzia put both hands on her hips and muffled a few choice words before grinding out, "I'm going somewhere warm, then, dammit. Sir. Risa. Sir."
"Excellent choice," Sisko drawled. "I'll book passage for you on the next transport so you can pack," he added sweetly. "I'll let you know the details."
Muttering under her breath, Jadzia stalked out of his office while he chucked in triumph. Sisko's laugh dried up as soon as the doors slid shut. On trial for her life for an alledged crime a previous host had committed. Curzon was innocent, but Jadzia or Dax - was willing to take the fall for a man already dead. She wasn't as nearly okay about the whole mess as she made it seem, he was sure of it. He wished they had someone qualified to talk to her here, and he didn't dare tell the Symbiosis Commission that she was having trouble. From what little he did know about Trill psychology, Ben knew that she had to hash it out with her other memories. He hoped she'd take him up on the opportunity.
~~~
Picard's first morning on Risa; Jadzia's third.
Morning found Jean-Luc fretfully shifting about on his lounge. He was relatively sure that he was not advertising his availability, in fact, no statues requesting sexual liasons were within 50 meters of him. And he was most certainly not casting occasional assessing glances about the pool area to make sure he was left alone. He was not. He was however, brushing up on Risan archeology, since he'd requested to view them this afternoon. Very lucky indeed to have been granted permission, even after he prevented Vash from making off the Tox Ulthat last time. The two of them and the Vorgons had caused a little too much of the wrong kind of excitement. Another guest interested in archeology was going along, which was a bit of a bother, but, at least he could view the ruins without having to skulk under the cover of night. If he was lucky, the other guest might be intelligent.
A shadow fell across his legs and he braced internally to fend off yet another nubile Risian hostess. He began to consider getting some sort of sign. Surely there was an opposite to that little sculpture…..
"Do you always growl when you read?" an amused female voice asked.
"Only when someone blocks my light," Picard replied tersely, eyes fixed firmly on his PADD.
She shifted, but remained next to his lounge. "You're very rude," she observed conversationally, still amused.
"Really madam, I'm terribly sorry, but I'm not interested," he replied crisply.
"Funny, I don't recall offering anything." she mused, and Picard finally looked up. And up.
Tall. Spots. Trill. Legs. Gorgeous. His mind whispered frantically, trying to get his attention.
She smiled, deepening her dimples, and without another word, pivoted gracefully and strolled away, her gait confidant but decidedly feminine.
He really was not interested. Even if the lovely line of spots seemed to disappear enticingly underneath her bathing costume. He wondered - idly - where they stopped before snapping himself back to his reading.
He didn't think about the few minutes it took to wrestle his mind away from how the young Trill's markings seemed to highlight the creamy quality of her skin. The way her long brown hair shone in the sunlight. Or her rather spectacular figure.
He hated Risa, really.
~~~
Risan Guest Lobby, later that same day; 1600 hours.
Jadzia Dax suppressed a smile of anticipation as she watched Jean-Luc Picard stride across the lobby. Just as she predicted, the moment he met her gaze and realized that she was standing in pre-arranged meeting spot for the afternoon's adventure, he seemed to sink in on himself slightly and his confidant stride faltered - just a touch. He squared his shoulders slightly and continued forward.
"Hello again," she said pleasantly.
"Going to view the ruins?" he asked with the air of a man who hoped she'd say no.
"Yes, and I'm looking forward to viewing them with a fellow scholar."
He actually looked around for another individual before starting slightly, and blushing. "Oh, um. You seem to have me at a disadvantage. Jean-Luc Picard." He thrust out a hand in greeting.
"Yes, I do," Jadzia tried not to smirk as she extended her hand to meet his. "Jadzia Dax. I read your recent Daystrom Institute Article."
"Pleasure to make your….wait. Dax? Any connection to the former Klingon Ambassador?"
She stiffened slightly, withdrawing her hand. "My former host." Great. Competing with the great Curzon again.
His eyes flickered slightly, catching himself gazing at the flattened line of her lips, wondering where he'd mis-stepped. "Ah. Met him once. Splendid fellow."
"Thank you."
Picard wondered at the frost that hung from her words until all the pieces suddenly began falling in place. "Didn't I see your name on the crew compliment for Deep Space Nine?"
"Yes. Science Officer," her voice still pleasant, but with a slight edge. She gave him an appraising look, and he suddenly remembered the notation in Benjamin Sisko's file that linked him to Curzon Dax.
Might as well face it head on."Your commanding officer doesn't like me very much. "
She widened her eyes comically. "No, he really doesn't." Jadzia watched as he did that shrinking-in-on-himself thing again and guiltily swatted down her glee at his discomfort.
Picard cringed internally. She knew about all of it. Locutus. Wolf 359. All those people, dead… "Again, madam, you have the advantage over me."
Jadzia touched his arm lightly, "Don't worry Jean-Luc. I prefer to hold my own grudges." She threw those dimples at him again and turned toward their arriving hovercraft. She turned back, her smile mischevious, "And please call me Jadzia. 'Madam,' makes me feel old and married, and possibly white haired. None of which is currently true."
Jean-Luc blinked. "Well, except for your symbiont." He blinked again as he found himself staring as her lovely mouth thinned again before returning to a smile.
"Strictly speaking, my symbiont is bald," she replied, her smile sliding into a grin. Her eyes slid appraisingly over his face and past his former hairline.
"I was referring -"
"Do you always take such a literal approach to flirting?" She smiled once more, bent to pick up her bag and strode to their transportation.
Jean-Luc followed, his hand stealing up to smooth over his pate briefly, a tight, rueful smile on his face.
So, Star Trek fans, how'm I doin'? Do the voices sound right?
Yes, I've got that horrible to do list, but I'm doing my laundry while I work on this. And it's warming my muse up again. Swear.
Untitled
Set after ST:TNG "Chain of Command" and ST:DS9 "Dax."
Ordered to Risa to recouperate after stressful personal situations, Jean-Luc Picard and Jadzia Dax meet and explore an archeological site together. Boy does that sound boring. Give it a shot!
U.S.S. Enterprise-D, Office of Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Deanna Troi drew herself to her full height and clutched the PADD holding her recommendation in a determined fashion. "Captain," she said firmly, "I cannot deny you've made considerable progress. In fact, you've done so well, you can take the final steps yourself - but it's simply impossible with the demands of the ship pressing on you. We'll be passing by Risa on our way to a routine maintenance check up. You should spend a few days there."
"I hate vacations. Waste of time."
"Dr. Crusher and I could make it an order." She tilted her chin up and gave him as much of a death-glare as her kind face could muster. "Your body has healed. And your mind has mostly healed. You may have lingering effects, but the more you take care of yourself - now - the better off you'll be. I am recommending that you take the opportunity to relax and let the process complete itself. Without. Delay."
He glowered back at her, "I've been recuperating from torture, and here you are sending me into just another form of it! I would be much better completing the process by attending to my duties!" The air seemed to shimmer into silence when he'd finished. He hadn't quite meant to bellow at her.
Picard's show of temper only made Troi soften her stance and give him a small conspiratorial grin. "You, my dear Captain, are just nervous about actually having fun." She raised her eyebrows slightly and tilted her head, as if listening. "And perhaps something about having fun on Risa. I'm sure you'll remember how." Deanna plunked her PADD on his desk. "Seven days, starting tomorrow. Or I'll have Beverly to make it official. If it helps, we could order you to have fun."
Picard knew when he was boxed in. "Please feed my fish?" he grumbled.
"Certainly, sir."
~~~
U.S.S. Enterprise -D. Transporter Room Three, the following day.
Will Riker held up his hand to stop the cascade of instructions flowing out of his captain's mouth. "Sir? We'll be fine. I'll bring her back to you, no scratches and I promise if we have a wild party, we'll clean up afterwards."
Picard harrumphed.
"He's just teasing, Captain," Troi felt compelled to say, elbowing Riker in the ribs.
Picard harrumphed again and stumped over to the transporter pad.
"Energize," he barked the transporter chief.
"Oh, and sir? While you're there, could you pick up a little statue for me? About yea big?" Riker held his hands about a foot apart. " The transporter chief sent the captain out mid-roar.
Riker raised his eyebrows. "I guess that was a no."
Troi rolled her eyes. "What did I ever see in you?"
He grinned at her wolfishly. "I could remind you…"
~~~
Risan Resort, Guest Lobby
Through a supreme effort of will, Jean-Luc suppressed the "NO!" he was about to yell at his first officer - mostly because his first officer was no longer there. Paradise lay before him and it made him simply exhausted to contemplate.
"Welcome, friend, to Risa!"
Valiantly suppressing a sigh, he nodded in acknowledgement of the greeting. It was more than he could actually do to muster up a smile. The sooner he could get this vacation over with, the better.
Contenting himself with thoughts of somehow sabotaging Counselor Troi's chocolate supply, or perhaps even better, assigning Riker and Troi some really onerous personnel study, he trudged after the hostess to the obligatory sumptuous suite.
He was totally unaware of a young woman watching his reluctant progress with a decidedly interested smile.
~~~
Fifty-two hours earlier: Office of Commander Benjamin Sisko, Deep Space 9.
"Old man, I'm going to insist."
"Benjamin," Jadzia nearly whined.
"You've been jumpy and irritable since the trial. Take a few days off and get some perspective. "
"I'd be much better off at work."
"Old man," Ben said affectionately and was startled to see Jadzia stiffen almost imperceptibly. He realized with a guilty start what was bothering her. Curzon. Curzon's indiscretions. He made a mental note to try to call her by her host name as often as possible.
"Jadzia," he said seriously, letting his expression show his concern. "I need you here. And right now, you are not in the game. There's some stuff going between you two -" He pointed a finger at her head and then at her symbiont. " That needs resolving. I want you off this station in 26 hours, and if not, I'm sending you to that Exo-archeology conference on Saltrizon IV."
"It's sub-zero temperatures there! You know how much I hate the cold!"
Ben grinned his most evil grin. "I know," he rumbled, tossing and catching his baseball happily.
Jadzia put both hands on her hips and muffled a few choice words before grinding out, "I'm going somewhere warm, then, dammit. Sir. Risa. Sir."
"Excellent choice," Sisko drawled. "I'll book passage for you on the next transport so you can pack," he added sweetly. "I'll let you know the details."
Muttering under her breath, Jadzia stalked out of his office while he chucked in triumph. Sisko's laugh dried up as soon as the doors slid shut. On trial for her life for an alledged crime a previous host had committed. Curzon was innocent, but Jadzia or Dax - was willing to take the fall for a man already dead. She wasn't as nearly okay about the whole mess as she made it seem, he was sure of it. He wished they had someone qualified to talk to her here, and he didn't dare tell the Symbiosis Commission that she was having trouble. From what little he did know about Trill psychology, Ben knew that she had to hash it out with her other memories. He hoped she'd take him up on the opportunity.
~~~
Picard's first morning on Risa; Jadzia's third.
Morning found Jean-Luc fretfully shifting about on his lounge. He was relatively sure that he was not advertising his availability, in fact, no statues requesting sexual liasons were within 50 meters of him. And he was most certainly not casting occasional assessing glances about the pool area to make sure he was left alone. He was not. He was however, brushing up on Risan archeology, since he'd requested to view them this afternoon. Very lucky indeed to have been granted permission, even after he prevented Vash from making off the Tox Ulthat last time. The two of them and the Vorgons had caused a little too much of the wrong kind of excitement. Another guest interested in archeology was going along, which was a bit of a bother, but, at least he could view the ruins without having to skulk under the cover of night. If he was lucky, the other guest might be intelligent.
A shadow fell across his legs and he braced internally to fend off yet another nubile Risian hostess. He began to consider getting some sort of sign. Surely there was an opposite to that little sculpture…..
"Do you always growl when you read?" an amused female voice asked.
"Only when someone blocks my light," Picard replied tersely, eyes fixed firmly on his PADD.
She shifted, but remained next to his lounge. "You're very rude," she observed conversationally, still amused.
"Really madam, I'm terribly sorry, but I'm not interested," he replied crisply.
"Funny, I don't recall offering anything." she mused, and Picard finally looked up. And up.
Tall. Spots. Trill. Legs. Gorgeous. His mind whispered frantically, trying to get his attention.
She smiled, deepening her dimples, and without another word, pivoted gracefully and strolled away, her gait confidant but decidedly feminine.
He really was not interested. Even if the lovely line of spots seemed to disappear enticingly underneath her bathing costume. He wondered - idly - where they stopped before snapping himself back to his reading.
He didn't think about the few minutes it took to wrestle his mind away from how the young Trill's markings seemed to highlight the creamy quality of her skin. The way her long brown hair shone in the sunlight. Or her rather spectacular figure.
He hated Risa, really.
~~~
Risan Guest Lobby, later that same day; 1600 hours.
Jadzia Dax suppressed a smile of anticipation as she watched Jean-Luc Picard stride across the lobby. Just as she predicted, the moment he met her gaze and realized that she was standing in pre-arranged meeting spot for the afternoon's adventure, he seemed to sink in on himself slightly and his confidant stride faltered - just a touch. He squared his shoulders slightly and continued forward.
"Hello again," she said pleasantly.
"Going to view the ruins?" he asked with the air of a man who hoped she'd say no.
"Yes, and I'm looking forward to viewing them with a fellow scholar."
He actually looked around for another individual before starting slightly, and blushing. "Oh, um. You seem to have me at a disadvantage. Jean-Luc Picard." He thrust out a hand in greeting.
"Yes, I do," Jadzia tried not to smirk as she extended her hand to meet his. "Jadzia Dax. I read your recent Daystrom Institute Article."
"Pleasure to make your….wait. Dax? Any connection to the former Klingon Ambassador?"
She stiffened slightly, withdrawing her hand. "My former host." Great. Competing with the great Curzon again.
His eyes flickered slightly, catching himself gazing at the flattened line of her lips, wondering where he'd mis-stepped. "Ah. Met him once. Splendid fellow."
"Thank you."
Picard wondered at the frost that hung from her words until all the pieces suddenly began falling in place. "Didn't I see your name on the crew compliment for Deep Space Nine?"
"Yes. Science Officer," her voice still pleasant, but with a slight edge. She gave him an appraising look, and he suddenly remembered the notation in Benjamin Sisko's file that linked him to Curzon Dax.
Might as well face it head on."Your commanding officer doesn't like me very much. "
She widened her eyes comically. "No, he really doesn't." Jadzia watched as he did that shrinking-in-on-himself thing again and guiltily swatted down her glee at his discomfort.
Picard cringed internally. She knew about all of it. Locutus. Wolf 359. All those people, dead… "Again, madam, you have the advantage over me."
Jadzia touched his arm lightly, "Don't worry Jean-Luc. I prefer to hold my own grudges." She threw those dimples at him again and turned toward their arriving hovercraft. She turned back, her smile mischevious, "And please call me Jadzia. 'Madam,' makes me feel old and married, and possibly white haired. None of which is currently true."
Jean-Luc blinked. "Well, except for your symbiont." He blinked again as he found himself staring as her lovely mouth thinned again before returning to a smile.
"Strictly speaking, my symbiont is bald," she replied, her smile sliding into a grin. Her eyes slid appraisingly over his face and past his former hairline.
"I was referring -"
"Do you always take such a literal approach to flirting?" She smiled once more, bent to pick up her bag and strode to their transportation.
Jean-Luc followed, his hand stealing up to smooth over his pate briefly, a tight, rueful smile on his face.
So, Star Trek fans, how'm I doin'? Do the voices sound right?