Will thought about it. “That purity…it never lasts, though, does it?”

“No,” she admitted. “But it’s a good place to start from. A lot of it can be kept, cultivated, nurtured. And sometimes…even some of what’s been lost can be gotten back.”

“So are you saying you’re ready for that challenge?”

“After all I’ve done, all I’ve learned in my life, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. And who knows if it’ll last, Will? How many times have we almost lost each other? How many times before we even got around to admitting what we had? We’ve waited long enough as it is.”

She could tell the prospect excited him, moved him. But still he hesitated, and of course she knew why. “Would it even be appropriate?” he asked. “Starfleet had enough trouble with a captain and his wife serving on the same crew. How great a conflict of interest could there be if my own child were on board?”

“I don’t see any conflict. Your job as captain is to protect your ship, your crew.”

“But if I kept worrying about my baby, let it keep me from making a sacrifice I had to make…”

“How is it any different if it’s the Bolajis’ baby, or Alyssa’s son?” She held his gaze significantly. “How is it any different from being willing to sacrifice me? We’ve both proven ourselves willing to make such hard choices.”

He said nothing for a while, frowning. She offered another thought. “For the Pa’haquel, this is the way it’s always been. Their ships are their homes, their families. They constantly put their children and loved ones in harm’s way. And they accept it.”

“Because they had to. Because they led a harsh life.”

“Come look at the ruins of my mother’s house on Betazed and tell me there’s any life that doesn’t pose the same risks. What matters is to do what good you can while you have the chance. True, it could be taken from you, negated at any time. But it might not. And if you don’t even try because you’re afraid it won’t last…”

“Right. I understand.”

She studied him. “Will…you haven’t said if youwant a baby.”

“Can’t you tell?”

“Not the point. Will, do you want to have a baby? I’m not asking you to commit to trying, I just want to know what you feelabout it.”

After a moment, he softened, smiled. “Deanna Troi…nothing in this universe would make me happier or prouder than to be the father of your child. Or children.”

She snuggled up against him again, kissed him softly. “Thank you.” Then they kissed again, for a much longer time. “So is that a yes?”

He pursed his lips. “Call it an agreement in principle. There are still a lot of things we need to decide—and there are definitely people we should talk to.”

It was a long time before Christine Vale responded. “I think…I’d be okay with that.”

Riker was surprised. “It wouldn’t bother you? A captain having to deal with being a father as well?”

She studied him. “I think you’ve proven that you can balance those responsibilities. To be honest, you do it better than I could. I know that now. Yeah, there probably were some personal motives behind your decisions with the star-jellies. But you and Deanna didn’t let those motives get in the way, and they meshed pretty well with the practical objectives of the situation. And all in all, your rapport with her made you a pretty effective team. You managed to resolve an ancient conflict and bring new hope to a whole region of the galaxy. And…I’d say that the Federation’s ideals were upheld pretty damn well.” He gave her a look of gratitude.

She smirked. “Of course, being a father can be a full-time job. I wouldn’t even think of letting you do it if you didn’t have a really amazing first officer to pick up the slack.”

Riker smiled back. “I do, don’t I? In more ways than one, Christine. Thanks.”

He led her out of the ready room and back to the bridge. “Of course we aren’t going to jump into it right away. There’s still a lot to work out.”

“Sure, I understand.”

“Right now, we have a mission to get back to,” he went on, pitching his voice for the bridge at large. “We’ve still got a lot of Bubblegum to chew.” He ignored the groans that ensued. “Ensign Lavena, prepare to break orbit.”

“Aye, sir. Course?”

Vale exchanged a look with him. “You know, after this marathon run to the Vela Association, we’re a lot farther out from the Federation than we were scheduled to be by now. Should we go back, pick up charting where we left off?”

Riker thought it over as he took his seat. He traded a look with Deanna, who smiled. “No,” he said. “We go forward. Always forward.”

THE VOYAGES OF THE

STARSHIP TITAN

WILL CONTINUE

About the Author

At the age of five and a half, Christopher L. Bennett saw his first episode of Star Trek,believing it to be a show about a strange airplane that only flew at night. As he continued watching, he discovered what those points of light in the sky reallywere. This awakened a lifelong fascination with space, science, and speculative fiction. By age twelve he was making up Trek-universe stories set a century after Kirk’s adventures (an idea years ahead of its time), but soon shifted to creating his own original universe. He eventually decided this was what he wanted to do for a career. Meanwhile, Christopher made two separate passes through the University of Cincinnati, thereby putting off real life as long as possible, and earned a B.S. in physics and a B.A. with High Honors in history in the process.

Christopher’s published works include “Aggravated Vehicular Genocide” in the November 1998 Analog;“Among the Wild Cybers of Cybele” in the December 2000 Analog; Star Trek: S.C.E. #29—Aftermath;“…Loved I Not Honor More” in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Prophecy and Changeanthology; his first novel, Star Trek: Ex Machina;and “Brief Candle” in the Star Trek: Voyager—Distant Shoresanthology. More information and cat pictures can be found at http://home.fuse.net/ChristopherLBennett/.

The author is not the same Christopher Bennett whose father is Star Trekmovie producer Harve Bennett, though he is apparently a cousin of paleontologist Chris Bennett. You can see why he uses the “L.”