Geordi on the shoulder, and strode out of Ten-Forward. As he exited, Commander William Riker entered.
Riker nodded briefly in acknowledgment, and Cohen tossed off a jaunty salute. This surprised the hell out of Riker since salutes were hardly required, or even expected. Cohen walked away, arms swinging, whistling softly.
Riker glanced at the table where he and Geordi customarily sat, but he didn't see the chief engineer. Then he spotted him on the other side of Ten-Forward. Geordi was staring out a viewport when Riker walked up and dropped into the chair across from him, straddling it. "Geordi?
Something wrong?" Geordi looked at him. "I'm so depressed," he said.
"You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking?" "Well, no," admitted Riker. "You want to tell me about it?" "I don't think that would be--" Riker's communicator suddenly beeped.
Riker tapped it and said briskly, "Riker here." "Commander," came the clipped tone of Captain Picard, "to the bridge, please." "Right away, sir." "Bring Mr. La Forge with you." "Yes, sir." Riker didn't question how Picard knew that Geordi La Forge was with him.
Somehow, his being the captain was sufficient reason.
He stood and said to Geordi, "You heard the man." "Yeah, I know," said La Forge, getting to his feet.
"You'll tell me about it on the way to the bridge," said Riker. "Whatever's bothering you, I'm sure we can shake it." "If you say so, sir."
Jean-Luc Picard rose from his command chair the moment that Riker and La Forge entered the bridge.
With a curt gesture of his head he indicated that they should retire to the conference lounge. Worf was already heading there and Riker stopped just short of the door, protocol clearly dictating that the captain enter first.
Picard glanced at his first officer and chief engineer, some instinct that was attuned to the moods of his command crew immediately tipping him that something was wrong. Geordi seemed in a chipper enough mood.
Indeed, perhaps even excessively jovial, with a large smile and cheerful demeanor.
Riker, on the other hand.
Picard gestured that Geordi and Worf should precede him, and they did so. Picard then took a step closer to Riker and said softly, "Number One, are you quite all right?" "I'm fine," said Riker, unconvincingly.
"You seem a bit... put off." "Just a little depressed, Captain. It'll pass." At that moment Deanna Troi entered. "I'm sorry for the delay, Captain," she said. "My duties elsewhere..." "You don't wish to run out in the middle of a counseling session if it can be avoided," Picard said.
She nodded gratefully. "I'm glad you understand, Captain." "The body of a ship runs on the hearts and minds of her crew," said Picard.
"If I may say, sir, you seem unusually cheerful today," said Troi. One hardly needed empathic ability to perceive it. Picard was smiling, virtually ear to ear.
"You'll understand why shortly, Counselor." He entered, and Riker was about to follow, when Deanna placed a hand on his forearm. "Are you all right, Commander?" "I don't want to discuss it," he said with such firmness that she took a step back.
"You just seem a little depressed..." "I'm not depressed," said Riker in no uncertain terms and stalked into the conference lounge.
Troi sighed inwardly. This had the makings of a long day.
Geordi passed a cup of coffee over to Riker and took one for himself. He made sure to sit several seats away from the first officer, who gave him a glance that seemed to say, I was having a good day today until I talked to you.
At least, that's how Geordi was interpreting it.
He would have felt guilty about it if he weren't already feeling so darn good about his life.
"Gentlemen and ladies," said Picard, for Dr. Crusher had shown up as well to join Troi, Riker, La Forge, Data, and Worf in the conference lounge. "We are going to
Riker nodded briefly in acknowledgment, and Cohen tossed off a jaunty salute. This surprised the hell out of Riker since salutes were hardly required, or even expected. Cohen walked away, arms swinging, whistling softly.
Riker glanced at the table where he and Geordi customarily sat, but he didn't see the chief engineer. Then he spotted him on the other side of Ten-Forward. Geordi was staring out a viewport when Riker walked up and dropped into the chair across from him, straddling it. "Geordi?
Something wrong?" Geordi looked at him. "I'm so depressed," he said.
"You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking?" "Well, no," admitted Riker. "You want to tell me about it?" "I don't think that would be--" Riker's communicator suddenly beeped.
Riker tapped it and said briskly, "Riker here." "Commander," came the clipped tone of Captain Picard, "to the bridge, please." "Right away, sir." "Bring Mr. La Forge with you." "Yes, sir." Riker didn't question how Picard knew that Geordi La Forge was with him.
Somehow, his being the captain was sufficient reason.
He stood and said to Geordi, "You heard the man." "Yeah, I know," said La Forge, getting to his feet.
"You'll tell me about it on the way to the bridge," said Riker. "Whatever's bothering you, I'm sure we can shake it." "If you say so, sir."
Jean-Luc Picard rose from his command chair the moment that Riker and La Forge entered the bridge.
With a curt gesture of his head he indicated that they should retire to the conference lounge. Worf was already heading there and Riker stopped just short of the door, protocol clearly dictating that the captain enter first.
Picard glanced at his first officer and chief engineer, some instinct that was attuned to the moods of his command crew immediately tipping him that something was wrong. Geordi seemed in a chipper enough mood.
Indeed, perhaps even excessively jovial, with a large smile and cheerful demeanor.
Riker, on the other hand.
Picard gestured that Geordi and Worf should precede him, and they did so. Picard then took a step closer to Riker and said softly, "Number One, are you quite all right?" "I'm fine," said Riker, unconvincingly.
"You seem a bit... put off." "Just a little depressed, Captain. It'll pass." At that moment Deanna Troi entered. "I'm sorry for the delay, Captain," she said. "My duties elsewhere..." "You don't wish to run out in the middle of a counseling session if it can be avoided," Picard said.
She nodded gratefully. "I'm glad you understand, Captain." "The body of a ship runs on the hearts and minds of her crew," said Picard.
"If I may say, sir, you seem unusually cheerful today," said Troi. One hardly needed empathic ability to perceive it. Picard was smiling, virtually ear to ear.
"You'll understand why shortly, Counselor." He entered, and Riker was about to follow, when Deanna placed a hand on his forearm. "Are you all right, Commander?" "I don't want to discuss it," he said with such firmness that she took a step back.
"You just seem a little depressed..." "I'm not depressed," said Riker in no uncertain terms and stalked into the conference lounge.
Troi sighed inwardly. This had the makings of a long day.
Geordi passed a cup of coffee over to Riker and took one for himself. He made sure to sit several seats away from the first officer, who gave him a glance that seemed to say, I was having a good day today until I talked to you.
At least, that's how Geordi was interpreting it.
He would have felt guilty about it if he weren't already feeling so darn good about his life.
"Gentlemen and ladies," said Picard, for Dr. Crusher had shown up as well to join Troi, Riker, La Forge, Data, and Worf in the conference lounge. "We are going to
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