Paramount Global owns the Star Trek franchise. This is a piece of fan fiction based on Star Trek the Next Generation.

Decisions

Picard was watching Westerfield. He had been moved to a room much like the interrogation room. Picard could watch him, however, he couldn’t see Picard. The room was drab at best. Westerfield wasn’t moving. From the meters on the

wall, he was still alive, barely.

“I take it now that the trial is over, you will be going home? Sher questioned.

Picard continued watching is old friend. “Yes.” He sighed.

“I know you feel pity for your friend. It is understandable. You knew the only

good side he had.”

“It seems such a error in judgment. I am in no way making light of what happened to you. I cannot fathom the Charles I knew making such horrible mistakes.”

“It is difficult to see the bad things when we are close to them.”

“I know.”

“What is your estimated departure date?”

“I am looking at a week. That will give everyone enough time to get back to the Enterprise. I have crew all over your planet.”

“Take your time. We are in no hurry.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

“Thank you for your indulgence.”

“Did we have a choice?”

“You always have a choice Captain.” She walked away, leaving Picard dumbfounded.

He had called a meeting of his senior staff in the ready room. Once everyone was settled, he called the meeting to order. “I think we should be able to leave in a week. Does everyone agree?” Over a matter of minutes everyone agreed. “We have been ordered to return to Earth when this mission is officially over. In light of what had happened, I believe this mission is over. Dismissed.” Everyone left except Data. “Something wrong Mr. Data?”

“Yes sir.” He twisted his thumbs. “One week?”

“I realized this isn’t going to be an easy decision for you. You have much to leave here. I am sure you will make the right decision.” Picard left him to his thoughts.

This couldn’t be happening. One week. He had one week to say all the things he needed to say to Sher. One week to be with his grandchildren. One week was too short. He started to panic. What was he going to do?

He found Sher in her suite. She was wearing a light blue pants suit with matching heels. “What are you doing all dressed up?”

“Have you ever known me to be triggish?”

“Only when you feel poorly, even then you are well groomed.”

“Thank you.”

“You are right?” He looked around.

“About what darlin’?”

“Your suite does look like the Arboretum.” She had plants and trees everywhere.

“It is very green.”

“I am happy with it.” She walked into the next room. He followed her. “What is

on your mind?”

He hymn-hawed around before answering her. He took a deep breath, “we are departing in a week.”

“I am aware of that.”

“How did you know?”

“Picard and I had a little chat. You did say we.” He couldn’t tell by the expression on her face if she was mad or indifferent.

“I do not know what to do.”

“I am sure you will make the right decision.”

“You are not going to ask me to stay?” Data was confused.

She walked over to him caressing his face with her soft fingers. “DaTa, I don’t have to ask you to stay. You have an open invitation. It is up to you if you want to stay or not. You have family here. And you could have more family here. It all depends on what you want out of life.”

“This is going to be a hard decision.”

“No dear, it isn’t going to be a hard decision. Either you’re going to stay or you’re going to leave.”

“Do you not see the struggle here?”

“I know there will be lots of deliberations leading up to your decision. Making the decision is the difficult part, the decision itself is easy to make.”

“You really do not seem to care if I stay or if I go.”

“If you believe that, you are indeed a fool. I told you before that if you ever lost me again, it would be entirely up to you. No hidden meaning in my statement. No riddles to figure out. It is your decision.”

“I wish you would make it for me.”

“No, I will not. I will not have you resenting me if you stay, or if you leave. No matter what you decide, you need to spend some time with Lal and the kids. If you do leave, you will be the only person aboard the Enterprise that remembers being here.”

“That seems a little extreme.”

“No, precautions.”

She turned away from him, “by that action, I am to understand this conversation is over?”

“I have nothing more to say.”

Data left, furious that she wouldn’t give him more input.

“You are truly jaded my daughter.” Thor brought her around. She was crying.

He held her while she cried. “This front you put up is amazing.” He smiled. “Why were you so mean?”

“It is his decision. I want him to stay. I need him to stay.” She sobbed. “I will not beg any man to stand by my side.

“If his future stays on its present course, you know what is going to happen to him?”

“I do. I will not interfere.”

“This is poetic justice you know.”

“I know.” She continued crying.

Paramount Global owns the Star Trek franchise. This is a piece of fan fiction based on Star Trek the Next Generation.

Not permission 

“You woman think you’re being so cute. You walk around with your tight blouses on and your short skirts thinking you can tease and taunt me. Where do you get off thinking you can dress like that a not have a man want you? Isn’t that what your doing, inviting sex? When you dress like that you deserved to be raped.”

“Interesting point of view Westerfield but no. No and no. A short skirt is not an invitation to rape me, have sex with me, or to touch me. My short skirt is an expression of me. This is all about me. The question that begs to be asked, when I. Your not a your miserable existence have you ever saw me in a tight blouse or a short skirt?” Sher spoke. 

“I have seen pictures.”

“All it takes for you is a picture?”

“Healthy libido.” Westerfield smiled.

“Good for you.” Freya redirected his attention.

“So, let me see if I understand this correctly?” Vera started pacing. “Sher wouldn’t have anything to do with you, so you shipped her off to the farthest known point in the universe you could. Then to cover your ass you drug the Enterprise to the end of the universe with no intension of bring anyone home. When your plan went south, you decided to take matters into your own hands.” He never said a word. He just watched her paced. “Well say something!” She screamed.

“What if I said I did all of these things?”

“You really are a monster.”

“I said if.” He replied.

“Well you want to know a truth? Do you! Charlie wasn’t yours.”

“What?” He rose to his knees. “What?”

“Remember me telling you about Dave, my high school sweetheart. Well, he’s Meg’s father not you. I found out a week before he came in, that week you spent at the spaceport, that you had slept with Cindy. Oh, I didn’t sleep with Dave until I knew for sure that you had really cheated on me. I confronted Cindy about it. She told me everything. While I was talking to Cindy, three women showed up saying they had all slept with you.”

“You believed them without talking to me? Where is your trust? How could you?” He protested.

“When all four of them told me different things about your body that only someone who would have been with you could have known, I knew. You bastard. However, I will tell you this. Dave was the only one. I didn’t do like you and sleep with half of Earth’s female population. How many children do you have floating around?”

He drew a deep breath. “One.”

“Try five,” Thor reported.

“Five!” Vera screamed. “Five!” Did you have protected sex with any of these women?”

“Only the ones that insisted.” He smiled.

“Jerk! Creep! Low-life scum. How could you?”

“A wife is supposed to be at home, someone to show off to all your family and friends. A person to make people jealous and wish they were you.” “He glared for a moment, “you didn’t. You couldn’t.” He growled, “you wouldn’t.”

“I know you hid that money in Eric’s pocket on their wedding day as well. I saw you do it. You paid that hooker to tell Meg she slept with him.”

“No! No!” He shook the cage.

“Is that true?” Meg asked with surprise and desperation in her voice.

“She told me so, Charles. She showed me pictures she took on OUR boat.”

“Trash,” Westerfield screamed. “Trash! She married white trash. I wanted her to marry a doctor, a lawyer, anything but this bum.” He turned to Thor, “didn’t it make you mad when your only daughter brought a machine home?”

“No, I see Data as one of my son’s. He isn’t a machine. He is his own person. You have to be man enough to see past the reality of being to the essence of being.”

Westerfield scoffed.

“I love him.” Meg jumped to her feet.

“Love.” He snorted.

“You never loved me did you?” Vera asked. You loved my parent’s money.”

“It didn’t hurt.”

“Bastard!” She screamed. “And to think I wasted love on you.”

“Love. Do you want to know what that is? Look.” He pointed at Sher. “Look at love. Love that breathes, walks, and talks. Love that has the voice of a dream. Love that looks like a cloud. Love; in its eyes you see the stars. You know nothing of love.”

Sher leaned over and kissed Data. “That is love.” She reported. “Love is doing whatever you can for the person in your heart. Love is accepting that person with all their faults. Love understands that no one is perfect. You sir, do not know what love is.”

“He’s a machine! A machine! How can you love that?” Westerfield shook his cage more violently than the last time. “No” He sobbed. “No! I didn’t know you was with child. That was an added bonus!” He smiled.

Data jumped to his feet but Sher grabbed him, holding him back. Thor rose up out of his chair, an attendant rushed in and swept Claire out of the room. When she was clear out of the room, Sher stood up. “Well now isn’t that interesting. You are the first person to confirm that I was pregnant.” She turned toward Thor with a questioning glance. “Before I come unhinged, is this true?”

Thor lowered his head. “I am afraid it is my child.”

Data wanted to die. They could feel each other. “You had better make a decision before I do.” Sher remained calm ever though inside she was on fire.

Morpheus stepped forward, “it is the decision of this council that Westerfield would have to endure everything that Scheherezade had endured, starting with the assignment to HaBlich. Provided he will live that long.” 

Sher waved her arm in Westerfield’s direction. “Awe.” He cried, holding his hand.

She had sliced his hand the way her hand had been cut when she was first

discovered. “It started with a scratch.” She reported.