From katfab@flash.net Mon Nov 16 14:12:00 1998 Path: news13.ispnews.com!hub1.ispnews.com!dca1-hub1.news.digex.net!digex!nntp.flash.net!excalibur.flash.net!not-for-mail From: "zoinky" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW: TNG "What He Wished For" 1/2 G (P/C, Q, kids) Date: 16 Nov 1998 22:12:00 GMT Organization: Flashnet Communications, http://www.flash.net Lines: 382 Message-ID: <01be11ab$0a2aa7c0$LocalHost@default> NNTP-Posting-Host: p106.amax2.dialup.lit1.flash.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1162 Xref: hub1.ispnews.com alt.startrek.creative:31145 TITLE: "What He Wished For" AUTHOR: zoinky SERIES: TNG PART 1/2 RATING: G CODES: P/C kids Summary: Q gives Picard the chance to experience fatherhood. Paramount owns the Star Trek Universe and all the characters except for the ones I create. I wrote this for my own enjoyment and don't get a cent off of it. Jean-Luc had returned to his quarters immediately after coming off duty. He had prepared himself a light dinner and then changed into some comfortable clothes in anticipation of the quiet evening he had planned. Deanna had finally shamed him into taking care of the Picard family album. Although the book had survived the crash of the Enterprise-D, it had taken a beating. He knew that many pages in the album needed to be repaired and in some cases replaced. And while most of the family history didn't bother him, the parts involving his father, brother and nephew still tugged at his heart strings. Rather than dealing with the pain, he had simply postponed it by ignoring the book. Even though he had agreed it needed to be done, he saw little purpose in it. After all these generations, the Picard line was finally going to die out with him. The Captain had managed to work his way through the early years of the family, where most of the surviving information had been in the form written text and letters, and move into the period when the vineyard had actually been founded. He was restoring a damaged example of one of the early wine labels when he was blinded by a flash of light, and heard the words he had grown to detest, "Good evening, Mon Capitaine." "Q" "In the flesh! Or should I say in the spirit? I never can keep those two straight, well never mind. I bet you are wondering why I am here." "No, I'm wondering when you will leave." Picard answered derisively. "Don't get snippish Jean-Luc, it doesn't suit you, and besides I bring you good tidings of great joy. Well good tidings of my great joy at least. Jean-Luc, I would like to introduce you to my son Q." A child that looked to be about 3 earth years old suddenly appeared. Like his father he was dressed in a Star Fleet uniform, but unlike his father who had settled on the rank of Captain, the child bore the markings of an Admiral. "What do you think of that Jean-Luc, so young and already he out ranks his old man. Well nothing is too good for my kid, but you know how that is." The child left his father's side and immediately headed for the Picard family album that was still spread out on the table. Picard managed to get to it first, shutting it and shoving it out of the child's reach, or so he hoped. "But then again, perhaps you don't. I tell you what Jean-Luc, it really grieves me that you have never shared in the experience of fatherhood. I think it would make a much better man of you, if a much better man can truly exist. I am going to give you an opportunity very few people ever have." "Q, what ever you are up to, don't do it." "Oh but Mon Capitaine I must. This is something you have wished for. Something that is so strong inside of you that it became your nexus fantasy. Jean-Luc, I'm going to give you the opportunity to pick your family. Observe." With the snap of his fingers and a flash of light a boy in his very early teens appeared. He was slouching instead of standing, his hands buried in his pockets. Dirty hair with just the faintest touch of red hung in his eyes, and his face was losing the battle with teenage acne. His entire attitude told Picard at once he would prefer to be anywhere but here. Q looked at the child with disgust. "He's a fine specimen don't you think? The result of a liason between you and wife number one." "I don't have a wife Q, and I have never had one." "Not in this particular time line perhaps, but other universes have Jean-Luc's that are men of action. Men that realize what they want and go for it. Men that aren't afraid to make the tough decisions. To procreate or not to procreate, that is the question." "Enough Q!" "Very well, I was simply trying to explain. You know this decision wouldn't be very difficult if you only had one choice now would it, and I do so love a good challenge so...here is the result of a fling with wife number two." Q snapped his fingers once again and with the accustomed flash of light another child appeared. This time a little girl around ten or eleven. This child at least was suitably clothed and her long Auburn hair was clean. She looked over at Picard as if she recognized him and immediately started whining. "What am I doing here? I'm supposed to be at a party at my best friends house. You never let me have any fun." "Q," Picard warned, "I'm rapidly losing my sense of humor." "Trust me Jean-Luc, you never really had one in the first place. Let me show you the last two candidates in this little contest. In a flash a little girl of five appeared. Holding her hand was a little boy that looked to be about two. As soon as the boy overcame the shock of the transport he started to cry. Not quietly, but long, loud, piercing screams that tugged at Picards last nerve. From across the room came a voice that started out as a baritone and ended up in a soprano squeak, "Damn Dad, can't you do something with the screaming kid? Put a phaser in his mouth or something." "Father, you promised I could go to the party. I got a secret I want to tell Jenny, she thinks that Bobby likes me, but I know that Bobby really likes.... The little girl walked up to the Captain and started to pull on his pants leg, "Excuse me sir, but I need to go to the bathroom and I think Robbie already has." "Q!" "Ah, the joys of parenthood. Enjoy them Jean-Luc. They are yours until you guess who their mothers are, or for one week, which ever comes first." With a final flash of light Q and his son Q returned to the continuum. All the children crowded around Picard. "Dad, can I go to the holodeck, I promised a bunch of the guys I would meet them there." "Father when am I going to get that party dress that you promised me. It is just beautiful, it's pink and has lace around the neck and it will just go perfectly with the shoes I already have." "Sir, I still have to go to the bathroom and can I take Robbie back to our quarters and get him something to eat. I think that is why he is crying." A little overwhelmed, Picard jumped at the first solution that was actually offered him. Turning to the child that was tugging at him, he responded a little harsher than was necessary. "Yes of course, take him at once, anything to stop that noise." With the departure of the two youngest children the decibal level dropped dramatically. Picard was finally able to think. Pushing the two older children toward the couch he started to take control of the situation. "The party will have to wait, as will the trip to the holodeck..." "Ah Dad, that's a crock!" "We are going to sit down and discuss things." "What kind of things Father? The secret I have to tell Jenny is really, really, really important." Pushing both of the children onto the couch the Captain continued, "Important things, like what is your name and who is your mother." Felicia Picard confidently led her brother down the corridor. She had taken this path several times before and knew where their quarters were located. She didn't have the age or experience necessary to realize that this wasn't the Enterprise she was used to. Arriving at the correct door, she was surprised when it didn't open for her. "Computer, open the door." The impersonal voice of the computer responded, "Unable to comply, subject does not have correct authorization." Standing next to her, Robbie, who had stopped crying during their walk home, started to wimper once again. Vexed, the little girl tried once again. "Computer, authorization Felicia Picard, open the door." The computer still unable to comply did the next best thing. It rang the door chime on the inside of the quarters. Beverly was sitting on the couch reviewing a medical journal when the door chimed. Without looking up she called out "Come in." The door opened and closed. For several seconds there was nothing. She didn't even put down the journal until she heard a gentle whimper and a small voice call out "Mama?". The little girl broke away from her companion and ran sobbing into Beverly's arms. "I tried Mama, I really did. I picked up Robbie just like you asked me to, and we were coming straight home, I promise, but the alphabet man took us and suddenly we were in the Captain's quarters with these big kids. The Captain was mad at the alphabet man, and Robbie was scared and he was crying. And then the alphabet man disappeared, and I asked the Captain if I could come home, and he let me, but when I got here the door didn't work." By this time, Robbie had joined his big sister, climbing up into Beverly's lab. His fragrant smell adding to Beverly's confusion. Crusher realized that the little girl was slightly traumatized and she wasn't going to get a more coherent story until she calmed down some. Putting her arm around the child, she drew her close. "Shhh, shhhh, shhhh," she crooned, rocking the three of them slightly. "You did just fine. You're both here safe and sound now." When the child's sobs abated some, Beverly asked her "Who is this alphabet man?" The child answered with a hiccup, "I don't know. I've never seen him before, so I don't think he belongs on this ship. The Captain didn't want him here though. He kept calling him by a letter of the alphabet." "Was it Q?" "Yes. And he really made the Captain mad. And so did Robbie, because he was scared and crying so loud. I tried to make him stop Mama, but he wouldn't. Captain Picard got mad at us, and yelled. So I got out of there as soon as I could. I was polite and everything, but I don't think the Captain likes us very much." "Don't you worry about it. Sometimes when the Captain gets busy or bothered, he gets gruff and barks at people like a mean old dog, but he really isn't angry with them. Usually when things have quieted down, he will tell the people he's sorry." "Now Sweetie, if you were bringing Robbie home from the nursery, I bet the two of you haven't had dinner yet." The little girl nodded no. "Then you go in and wash your hands and I'll fix you something to eat. How about soup and cheese sandwiches?" The little girl smiled and then headed into the bathroom. As soon as the door closed Beverly called out. "Computer, can you give me the names of the children in my quarters?" "The children's names are Felicia and Robbie Picard." Beverly looked down at the little boy who was contentedly sucking his thumb. "Well Robbie, I'm going to fix some dinner for you and your sister, but first I'm going to take care of that other little problem you have." Picard looked over at the young man opposite him. There absolutely nothing to recommend him as an asset to humanity. He was sullen and surely, and Picard deperately wanted to throw him into a shower and then haul him off to a barber. "What you really mean old man, is that you've had me in that training school so long you have forgotten my name. Well it is John. Not fancy and French like yours but just plain old John." "Well John, if you are in a training school, there must be some reason as to why you got there. You want to tell me what it is?" "Yeah, Mom didn't want me around and after a few months neither did you or your crew. Your security officer told you that if you didn't do something about me, he was going to throw me into the brig and throw away the key. I knew I should have killed that Klingon when I had the chance." "Do you know your mother's name?" "Of course I do it's..." A confused expression swept across the boy's face. The information had been there, but it now was gone. "Her name is Mom". Picard turned his attention to the girl. "What can you tell me about yourself?" "My name is Anne. Right now I live with my Mother aboard the science vessel "Nemesis", but I lived with you on the Enterprise until a year ago. My favorite color is blue and I want a horse for my birthday. I'll be eleven next month." The boy looked over at her and said "Baby". "I am not. I'm more mature than you are." With that she reached out and slapped him on the arm. The boy reached out and shoved her shoulders. Picard jumped in to break up the inpending fight just as his comm badge cheeped. "Crusher to Picard" Shoving the two children to opposite ends of the couch, he hit his com badge in response. "Yes Doctor." "Captain, I've have a couple of visitors to my quarters I think we need to discuss." Visitors? Picard thought. Why would Beverly be contacting him about visitors? Oh no, the other two children must have gone to Beverly's. "I'm on my way Doctor." Looking at the two combatants on the couch, he ordered. "I will be gone for less than an hour. I want the two of you to stay here, and stay out of trouble. Do you understand?" The little girl nodded, while the boy just stared ahead, surley once again. Beverly met him at the door, with her finger to her lips, warning him to keep his voice down. "They've both just fallen asleep." Picard walked over and saw the little girl asleep in Wesley's old room. "I've put Robbie in my bed for the night. He seemed more comfortable there." Crusher volunteered. "Now do you want to tell me what is going on, since it seems I've been drawn into this mess." Picard walked over to her couch and collapsed. "Could we discuss this over some tea? I could really use a cup right now." Beverly made them both a cup and then settled next to him on the couch. "Q decided he was enjoying parenthood so much, I should have the opportunity to enjoy it as well. He has apparently taken children from other time lines fathered by Jean-Luc Picard and brought them here to me on a sort of approval. I guess I'm supposed the pick the one or ones I want to keep and then he will tell me who the mother is." "Can't the children tell you?" Beverly asked. "No, he has apparently blocked that part of their memory. Beverly I want you to run DNA tests on them tomorrow and see if we can resolve this. Perhaps if I can positively identify their parentage Q will take them back to where they belong now. I don't think I can stand an entire week of this." Beverly laughed, "Fatherhood a little harder than you expected Jean-Luc?" "You haven't met the oldest boy yet Beverly. I've never met a better candidate for a rehabilitation colony. I particularly want to know who his mother is. He is a mistake I don't care to repeat. The girl will pass muster I suppose, but she has a tendency to whine, and everything she talks about, and she talks constantly, tends to be trivial and centered around herself. I don't kow much about the two that ended up here, except that the youngest one has the strongest set of lungs I've ever seen on a child." "He was just frightened, hungry and tired Jean-Luc. Perhaps you should take a look at him now before you pass judgement." Picard tiptoed into the bedroom and stared at the toddler sleeping angelically in Beverly's bed. It was hard to believe this was the same child that caused all the pandemonium before. "It's curious, both of these children are blond. I haven't a clue who their mother could be in this time line. The older boy has brown hair and the girl's is red." The Captain glanced up at Beverly's hair and then embarrassed remembered the less than complementary things he had said about the older girl. "Jean-Luc, I'm certain the DNA tests will answer all of your questions tomorrow." Beverly said, motioning him to leave the room. "Beverly, I've got to find places for all these kids to sleep. Since these two have already settled in, can they remain here tonight, and I'll find other places for them tomorrow?" "Yes. But I warn you Jean-Luc, they are both too young to be left alone. You know you shouldn't have let them leave your quarters earlier without an adult with them." Picard nodded yes, "Acknowledged Doctor, I'll keep that in mind tomorrow." "Oh, perhaps I should warn you now, the youngest boy isn't completely potty trained yet. You should expect an accident every now and then." The Captain paled, "Is there anything else?" "Well I can't be certain, but I have the feeling in their time line, these children don't live with you. I'm not even certain they realize you are their father. Felicia kept calling you Captain." "Felicia? That's the little girls name?" Beverly blushed a little and nodded yes. "Don't jump to conclusions Captain, wait until the DNA tests tomorrow." The Captain's comm badge sounded. "Security to Captain Picard. Sir, we have a young man here we caught breaking into the armory. He says he's your son. We are holding him in the brig." Picard rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Acknowledged, I'm on my way." Moving toward the door he called out over his shoulder. "I'll have the other two children in Sick Bay at 0800 tomorrow morning, providing, of course, I can get John released from the brig. Meet me there with the other two." Before Beverly could say yea or nay, he was gone. ****************************************************************** Any comments, flames, improvements welcome. You can get the story in one part on my website http//www.geocities.com/Area51/Nebula/1365 From katfab@flash.net Mon Nov 16 14:12:03 1998 Path: news13.ispnews.com!hub1.ispnews.com!dca1-hub1.news.digex.net!digex!nntp.flash.net!excalibur.flash.net!not-for-mail From: "zoinky" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW: TNG "What He Wished For" 2/2 G (P/C, Q, kids) Date: 16 Nov 1998 22:12:03 GMT Organization: Flashnet Communications, http://www.flash.net Lines: 287 Message-ID: <01be11ab$9eed8a80$LocalHost@default> NNTP-Posting-Host: p106.amax2.dialup.lit1.flash.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1162 Xref: hub1.ispnews.com alt.startrek.creative:31146 Paramount owns the Star Trek Universe. I just write stories for my own amusement. Captain Picard found John locked in one of the cells in the brig. He motioned to the guard to release the barrier and allow him in. The boy continued to sit on the bed and glared at him as he approached. "I thought I told you to remain in my quarters, what were you doing trying to break into the armory?" "I wanted a phaser." "Why" "I was going to get back at that Klingon for having me sent to the training school." "John, I told you earlier, things on this Enterprise aren't the same as on the one you came from. Commander Worf is no longer on this vessel." "Yeah, I know. I just figured you were lying to me." They were interrupted by Picard's comm badge. "Anne Picard to Captain Picard." "Yes, Anne." "Father you said you would be back in an hour. It has been more than that. I'm hungry." "Then go to the replicator and have it fix you something to eat." Off to Picard's side John called out "Dummy" "I am not a dummy, you are a dummy, and besides you left the quarters and Father told you not to and I'm going to tell when he gets home. So there. What do you want me to order Father?" "Order anything you want Anne. I'll be there in just a few minutes. Picard out." The Captain severed the connection before she had a chance to say anything more. Turning his attention back to John, he continued his lecture where he left off. "John, what you did was serious, had you shot Worf there would have been nothing I could have done to protect you. You would have ended up in a rehabilitation colony." The boy shrugged his shoulders. "Big deal, maybe I would get to see Mom every once in a while." "Your mother is in a rehab colony?" "Yeah, she tried to lift some artifacts from an archeological dig and they caught her." "John, I want you to think hard on this one. Is your mother's name Vash?" "Yeah, of course her name is Vash. You ought to know that." With a flash the boy vanished from the cell. Picard called to the guard to let him out, and then spent the next twenty minutes explaining to security where their prisoner had gone. When he finally returned to his quarters, he found Anne in the middle of a large banana split, the few remains of a previous one sitting in a bowl in front of her. "Was that your dinner?" he asked, noticing that she was starting to turn pale. "Yes, I've never eaten two before, I wanted to see if I could do it." She picked up a big spoon full of the glop and shoved it into her mouth. It proved to be the last straw. Before Picard could stear her into the bathroom, the contents of her overloaded stomach started to spill out onto the floor and all over him. "I'm sorry Father." she called out between bouts of nausea. Ordering her to remain in the bathroom, he called for the computer to clean up his quarters, and to make up a set of night clothes for her. When he tried to walk into the bathroom while she was getting undressed, he was greeted by a shriek and the door rapidly sliding shut in his face. He realized then that he was going to have to give up his bed for the night and camp out on the couch. Grabbing a spare blanket and pillow from his bedroom closet he spread them out in the living area. Anne came into the room and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I have my own room on the other Enterprise, it is pretty and blue and I have all my dolls arranged just so on the shelves. If I had that here, you wouldn't have to sleep on the couch." "Good Night Anne, I'll take that under consideration." The next morning Anne and the Captain were in Sick Bay at exactly 0800. Beverly and her two charges were nearly twenty minutes late. "I'm sorry Captain, but you didn't leave me with anything for the children, I spent half of my time this morning replicating them clothing and personal items. Now let's get on with the tests shall we? I thought you said you had a boy and a girl Jean-Luc." "John was returned to his time line last night." "Oh really, you discovered who his mother was then?" "Yes, Vash." Beverly was just able to cover up a smile. She walked up to Anne with a small hypo in her hand. "I'm going to take a few samples from your neck. This may sting a little bit, but very little." She pressed the hypo to the girls neck and the child let out a howl. "There, I'm finished, but I know it didn't hurt that much." Anne leaned into Beverly and whispered confidentially. "I know it didn't, but Father told me if I was brave he would get me the new doll I wanted, so I made that noise to show him how brave I was and didn't cry." Beverly nodded her head and said "Oh." Then walked off before she made an editorial comment that might get them all in trouble. The Captain walked up to the two children that spent the night with Beverly. They both looked up at him with big blue eyes that held more than a little fear. "I'm afraid that we didn't get much time to chat. As soon as Dr. Crusher finishes these tests I suspect you will be returning to where you came from." The little boy started to suck his thumb, while the little girl acted as spokesman. "I told Mama that you didn't like us and you would probably send us home." "Felicia, it's not a matter of whether or not I like or don't like you. You don't belong on this ship." "I know. Mama told us that we would be living here on a trial basis, to see if we could all get along together. She told me that I needed to be polite to you and do whatever you say. She also said that I should do whatever I could to help out with Robbie. And if it didn't work then we would all go back to our house to live." "Felicia, don't your Mommie and Daddy live together?" "No sir. They are divorced. Daddy lives on the Enterprise and until last week, we lived on Caldos." At the mention of Caldos, Picard straightened up and looked over at Beverly. As if to drive the point home, Robbie chose that moment to take his thumb out of his mouth and say one of his few words. Outstretching his arms to Beverly, he called out "Mama." Beverly rushed over and picked him up before he could do any further damage. "I've finished running the tests on Anne." "What are the results?" "We were able to find a match in the Star Fleet Data Base. Her mother is Nella Darren." Picard took the PADD and walked over to the older girl. "Anne, how would you like to go back home. Maybe you can still get back in time to tell that secret before everyone knows about it." "Really Father! Yes, I just know Jen is dying to find out and then there is .... "I need you to pay close attention Anne. Is your mother Nella?" The girl looked at him surprised. "Yes Father, she is called Nella." And with a flash of light the older girl vanished. "That's all there is to it Jean-Luc? You get the child to say their mother's name and they vanish. It sounds like something out of Rumplestiltskin." "That's all there is to it." Picard looked over at the two little ones sitting on the bio bed. "I don't think we need to put those two through the testing procedure. I have a pretty good idea who their mother is already." He walked over to the pair. It was strange, he had spent less time with these two than he had the others, but he felt oddly drawn to them now. Perhaps it was because they seemed to be in need of his protection . "Felicia, I want you to pay attention to me. I'm going to send you back home to your mother." The little girl lowered her head and tears started to well up in her eyes. "I'm sorry Mama, I tried, I really did." Picard backed away from the child and looked at Beverly plaintively, "What did I say? What did I do wrong? Why is she crying?" Beverly wrapped her arms around Felicia, trying to comfort her. "Jean-Luc, in their time line, their parents are divorced, but are attempting a reconciliation. Felicia feels that she and Robbie are somehow responsible for the divorce, and if she tries real hard to be a good girl and does all the right things, then they will get to stay on the Enterprise and be a family. They don't realize that they are not on their Enterprise." "So when I said I was going to send her home, she thinks I'm sending her away." "Which you are. For her there aren't two Captain Picard's, there is only one." "Beverly, what do you want me to do. If I don't send her back now, Q will take her at the end of the week. What about her parents? You know her real mother must be worried to death. And it does no good for her to develop a relationship with me, it's her real father she needs to be with. It is her real father that needs to let her know she is loved." "Are you sure her real father loves her Jean-Luc?" Picard took only a brief moment to consider, the child in front of him was becoming more precious to him every passing second. He answered with a firm conviction in his voice. "Yes I am. He wants his children back." Moving toward the little girl once again, Jean-Luc took her hand. "Felicia, I want you to know that you are one of the best little girls I have ever met. You are pretty and brave, and when your Captain Picard gets to know you, he will never want you to go away again. Now Felicia, I need you to do me a favor. Do you know what your mother's name is? Is it Beverly?" Felicia nodded. "Yes sir, her name is...." Picard held up his hand for her to stop. "Not just yet Felicia, there are still a few things I need you to do. First, the next time you see Captain Picard, I want you to call him Papa. Second, I want you to take Robbie's hand and hold it tight. Now shut your eyes and make a wish for the thing you want most in the universe." Picard waited until the little girl had her eyes squinched shut. "Now Felicia, can you tell me your mother's name?" "Yes sir, her name is Beverly." Felicia missed the blinding flash of light. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in front of her quarters. The door slid open in recognition of her. She saw her mother and Captain Picard inside. Her mama's eyes were red as if she had been crying. The Captain just looked like he was worried. "Mama, are you alright?" Felicia asked timidly. Her mother looked up and then came running to them to draw them inside the quarters. A few minutes later after a lot of hugging and kissing and a few more tears, this time for joy, Felicia found herself sitting on Captain Picard's lap. She looked up at him with big blue eyes. "Papa, do you really think I'm pretty?" Jean-Luc looked down at this daughter he barely knew and gave her one of his rare smiles. "Oh yes princess, I think you are very pretty." Felicia snuggled down deeper into his lap and rested her head against his chest. ***************************** To Picard the busy Sick Bay seemed suddenly empty. How could a child he barely knew mean so much to him? He couldn't talk about what had just happened. Turning on his heel, he silently returned to his quarters. There on the table sat his abandoned family album. Opening it, he leafed through the pictures of Robert and Renee. His heart crying out as much for this missing part of his family as it was for the two children he had just returned. He was so absorbed with his grief, he missed the reappearance of Q. "Well Mon Capitaine, once again you surprised me. You solved that little puzzle far faster than I thought you would." "Go away Q. Leave me alone." "Does it help to know Jean-Luc, that Felicia followed your advice. She and her father became very good friends. She stayed with him until it was time for her to join the Academy. And now her children visit Grandpere every summer in LaBarre. "Dammit Q, why do I get a family only to have it taken away from me everytime?" "Jean-Luc, unless you are Q, everyone loses their family sooner or later. That isn't tragedy, that is just a fact of life, or lack of it. The real tragedy comes when you don't even give that family a shot. Those children were real. They were yours. If you want them, you have to make them happen. Think about that Picard, rather than crying about it." Q disappeared in an angry blaze of light. For several minutes Picard sat alone in the darkened room. Finally he made a decision. Tapping his comm badge, he called Beverly. "Doctor, would you join me for dinner tonight. I think there are a few things we need to discuss." ************************************************* Feedback, comments, flames, improvements welcome. You can get my story in one part on my website http//www.geocities.com/Area51/Nebula/1365