Imzadi: My Version

Chapter One

This story begins around chapter 15 of the book "Imzadi". After the wedding. Parts are similar due to jump off points to add to what Peter David left out or to change it to how I thought it should be.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all the characters here in and the Universe of Trek. It's such a big Universe. I wouldn't want the responsibility for it, so I'll just borrow a planet from it. Peter David has alrights to the book Imzadi, this is just my idea of how it should have been. Sorry girls, there's no Wendy Roper to distract him in my version. No I have something else in mind before it's over. :)

-----------------------------------------The Begining----------------------------------------------------

"I remember you!"

She stopped suddenly. She could not place the voice, but the sense of him was very familiar. She smiled to herself. "I should have expect this." she said to herself. She was very happy that he ran into her again, but was not about to let him know this.

"You were at the wedding yesterday, weren't you?"

She nodded, but she was not about to let on that she was interested in him. No, she wanted to play hard to get for as long as she could. However, his blue eyes were so intreguing and his babyboy face was so cute. "He's almost irresitable." she thought.

"The name is Lieutenant William T. Riker."

"What does the T. stand for?" she asked.

"Terriffic." he said, wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

"Are you trying to impress me? Because if you are it's not working." she said. "Now what does the T. really stand for."

"What's wrong? You can't take a joke?" he asked.

"No, it's not that." she responded. "I just don't go for those games."

"Games?" he stated. "You know, I get the feeling I'm not the one playing a game here. You haven't told me your name."

"Why should I? You already know my name, apparently." she said and walked off.

Something told him not to give up, but he could not put his finger on it. Something made him want to persue her, "But why was she playing so damn hard to get?" he thought to himself. Then he rushed after her.

"Let's try this again." he stated with a smile. "I'm Lieutenant William T. Riker."

"We've been through this already, haven't we?" she asked rolling her eyes.

He just looked at her with a smile. "God, she's beautiful." he thought to himself. "So exotic."

"Oh, alright." she said. "Deanna Troi and the answer is no."

"I haven't even asked a question." he said shocked.

"No, but you were going to."

"How can I ask anything if everyone reads my mind before I even get a chance to know what it is I want to ask?" he asked.

"I assure I didn't read your mind just now, I know what was going on in your mind yesterday at the wedding and while I'm flattered, I'm just not interested in someone who is only interested in just outward appearances."

"Miss Troi, for one, we're not on equal footing, because I don't know what was going on in your mind. And two, I assure you my interest in you is more than just outward, although it helps."

"Look I'm flattered by your attention and all, but I just don't believe in getting involved with someone who's main goal is to have an affair due to an outward attraction and make no attempt of having a relationship on a deeper level."

"Is that what you think?" he asked.

"Yes, it is. You thrive on not having any comments, because getting invovled with someone is to much for you. I just don't go for those types of relationships and prefer to know someone on a much deeper level."

"I would like to get to know you on a deeper level."

"The level you mean and I mean are two different subjects. I have no intentions of being a one night stand for anyone or even with an officer who is only going to be station here for a few months." she responded. "Good day, Lieutenant." She then walked off leaving a very perplexed Riker.

"Some how that did not go very well." he said to himself. "I just don't see how she read all of that in my mind, because that was not at all what I was thinking."

"I hope I didn't over do it." she thought. "But yet at the same time I don't want to be just another woman for him either. He is very attractive, but yet he's the kind who likes to play the field." she sighed inwardly. "Oh, if Mother knew she would throw a royal fit."



Later that evening as fate would have it, Deanna was at the Embassy and so was Riker. Riker was getting the scoop on Deanna from Mark Roper.

"Mark, you seem to have a grasp on these people. Can you tell me about their social style?"

"What do you mean?" Mark Roper asked.

"Well, are they all so damn unfriendly?"

"No." he answered. Then it came to him. "Will, are you interested in someone in particular?"

"Well, yes. A Miss Deanna Troi. She wasn't too friendly when I ran into her earlier today on campus."

"Well, you surely weren't out of line?" Mark asked.

"No I was fine. I was just uncomfortable with the knowledge she could read my mind."

Mark laughed. "What's so funny?" Will asked.

"Deanna can't read minds. Just emotions. Her father was human and so she's an empath. Not a telepath like her mother." Mark stated. "She senses moods, emotions and feelings. She's very adept at sensing sexual desire, but only in a general sense."

There was a pause and then Mark brighten with the realization Will was very interested in Deanna. "Will, you're really interested in Deanna Troi aren't you?"

"Well, yeah, kind of. But with a greeting like she gave me, she makes it very difficult."

"I think you two had a bit of a misunderstanding, given the fact you thought she was reading your mind." Mark said."She's right over there. Why don't you go and try talking to her again and tell her you may have misunderstood her?"

"She's not all that friendly."

"Will, give it another go, especially if you are really interested in getting to know Deanna." he said. "She really is a very nice person. And who knows you may get luckly." Mark smiled a mischeivious smile.

Mark was distracted by someone else who wanted his attention before Will could respond with his shock at Mark's statement, so he took this chance to make his way over to Deanna. He reached where she was and just stood there.

"Lieutenant Riker, why are you hovering over me?" she asked as she turned around.

"How did you know?"

"You WERE breathing down my neck!" she stated.

"No, not that." he replied. "How did you know I was going to be stationed here only a few months?"

There was no response from Deanna. She stood there just staring at him. "His blue eyes are so hypnotizing." she said to herself.

"I'm waiting." he demanded.

"I'm sorry. What was the question?" as she came out of her thoughts.

"How did you know I was going to be here for only a few months?" he restated. "An empath could not have read that from my mind."

"I... a... I asked around." she finally answered.

"Now why would you do that?" he taunted. "Could it be you are just as interested in knowing me as I am you?"

"I didn't say that." she replied.

"No, but you just insinuated that." he returned.

They bantered back and forth for a bit, while Deanna stabbed him with replies of supposed disinterest. "Lieutenant, what would it take to get through to you that I am not interested in you?"

"Go out with me."

"Go out with you?" she repeated. "That's suppose to show you I am not interested in you?"

"On the contrary, Miss Troi." he replied. "I think you are and going out with me would give you the opportunity to get to know me better, before you make a final decision about me."

"Oh, really?" she asked.

"Yes."

She did not say much, nor did she say she would go out with him. Instead, she continued to act disinterested and Will finally said, "Fine. Have it your way." Then starts to walk off.

Afraid that this could be the last chance she would get to see him or for him to even ask to go out with her she grabs him by the shoulder and says, "The day after tomorrow pick me up around midday and we can have a picnic lunch together."

"Oh, don't go to any trouble on my account." he replied.

"It's no trouble." she replied trying to hold back her enthusiasm.

"Well, then, I'll pick you up around noon." he flashed his famous Riker smile at her and turned to leave.

"Geeze! Deanna!" she kicked herself. "How could you? You almost over did the not interested act and almost lost any chance of going out with him." she berated herself for a bit and then smiled finally. "But you didn't entirely blow it. He is going to have a picnic with you the day after tomorrow."

While Will walked away with a big grin on his face, he thought to himself, "I finally convenced her to go out with me! The most beautiful woman on the planet Betazed!"

Chapter two

Will just could not believe Mrs. Troi. "The things she said were unbelievable and to go as far as reading what my favourite position was!" Will said to himself. "I can't believe she did that!"

"I hope she wasn't too hard on you." Deanna said.

They were walking to their destination where they would be having the picnic. Deanna drew Will out of his thoughts even with the beautiful scenery.

"Oh, it's nothing I couldn't handle." he responded.

"Are you sure? My mother can be a little intimidating sometimes."

"Oh, don't worry about it."

"Oh, Lieutenant, I have to show you something." Deanna said while walking in the direction of a beautifully coloured flower.

Will followed her. She bent over to touch the stem of the flower and she gently shook it. It made a very wonderful sound.

"It's beautiful and even sounds wonderful." Will commented. "What is it called?"

"We call it Muktok." Deanna said. "It's one of my favourite plants.

"I'll have to remember that." Will said enjoying her enthusiasm for the plant.

"They say this plant will live for a hundred years." she informed him.

"Then maybe we should come back in a hundred years to see if it's still here." he said.

She giggled and said. "I don't know if we will be here in a hundred years."

Will smiled.

They walked a little farther to a beautiful glade. Riker was enjoying the beauty of Betazed and Deanna's beauty. She wore her hair down today and she looked even prettier than she did the other day with it pulled up.

"I never knew a planet could have so much beauty." Will commented and added silently "and you also."

"I like it." Deanna stated.

"It's as beautiful as the woman standing before me." he said with a smile.

"Lieutenant, are you trying to flatter me again?" she smiled back at him.

"I don't know." he said. "Is it working?"

"Well," she paused, then smiled. "I must say I am begining to enjoy it."

She stops walking and turns to Riker. "Are you going to set the basket down or shall we keep walking?"

"Oh," he said, "I'm sorry, is this where you want to picnic?"

"Yes." she answered. "I guess it's habit."

"What is?" Will asked.

"I've grown up here and sometimes I forget, not everyone knows what is on my mind."

"We all have a tendency to fall back on what we're use to." Will said excusing her.

They spread the blanket out on the ground. Deanna then pulled out the food.

"I do hope you are game in trying foods from other cultures." she stated.

"Does it bite?"

She chuckled. "No, it hardly does that."

She pulled out a dish of green leafy vegetable like food, with a few other foods. Some he recognized. Some he did not. The one he recognized without a doubt, due to it's aroma and sight were brownies.

"What is this?" he asked, pointing to the green leafy food.

"It's oskoid." she stated. "It's a delicacy on our planet. Tastes wonderful. Try some."

Will was very willing to try it. He put some in his mouth and was delighted with the tasted.

"This is wonderful." he stated. "What is it again? Squiod?"

"No." Deanna chuckled. "Oskoid."

"Oskoid?"

"Yes."

Moving on Will asked, "So what are you studying at the University of Betazed?"

"Psychology."

"Intreguing subject." Will stated.

"I enjoy it." she stated. "Matters of the mind and how people feel are of interest to me."

They ate the main chorus and talked. Asking questions of each other and trying to get to know each other. Then Will commented, "I know what that is." pointing to the brownies."For we have brownies on Earth."

"Very good, Lieutenant!"

"What it this?" he asked pointing to the pie. "It looks sort of like blueberry pie."

"That my mother baked. It's Uttaberry pie."

"Now that I have never had before." Will stated. "Who baked the brownies?"

"I did." she said with a smile. Then she asked, "You're good at asking questions, but when someone asks you how you feel about something your basic response is it was something within your control. Do you ever answer with how something made you feel?"

"Once in a while. Why does it matter?"

"Well, Lieutenant,"

"Please call me Will."

"OK, I guess at this stage of the game it is more appropriate. And you may call me Deanna."

"OK, Deanna, as you were saying?"

"Not everything can be describe in terms of whether or not you can handle it. Sometimes acknowledging that you are aware of a situation can be enough."

"In my line of work that is not always enough. You have to deal with it."

"That's not true. What about the Prime Directive? Doesn't it say you can't always get involved?"

"Well, it tells us the preferred way to handle it."

"Is control very important to you, Will?"

"Not letting things get out of control is important. There is a difference."

"What's the difference?"

"The difference is when everything is within defined parameters everything is fine and you must keep them within those parameters." he stated. "When things go out of those parameters it is not in control."

"Do you always think in terms of Star Fleet?" she asked a little indignant.

"Not always."

A moment of silence passed between them. They stared into each others eyes. "God, his eyes are so beautiful!" she exclaimed to herself. "Luckily he can't hear my thoughts."

"She is so beautiful." Will thought. "How did I get so lucky to be with her today?"

Then Will had this urge to just kiss her. He leaned in, pulled her close and kissed her. Deanna melted for a moment in his arms."His kiss is so wonderful, but I can't let this continue. I have to make my point."

Suddenly, she kneed him in his stomach. Will had his breath knocked out of him for a moment. When he looked at Deanna she was completely composed as if nothing happened.

"Dessert?" she asked.

"Wh...Wh....Why did you do that?" Will asked still trying to catch his breath.

"Why do you ask the obvious?" she asked "I think the reason I stopped you is self-evident. Do you still feel in control?"

"Not particularly."

"You see? A moment ago I felt out of control so I had to reclaimed it."

"You could have said no." Will stated.

"I did."

"No you did not say no." he said. "You may have thought you said it, but you did not. If you had I would have stopped."

She looked puzzled. "I could have sworn..."

"You may have thought you said it, but you did not. Maybe you didn't want too. For a moment you seemed to have been enjoying it. And you think you know my mind so well. I don't think you know your own very well."

"Is that a fact?"

"Yes." he said.

"Then just tell me one thing." she requested.

"And what might that be?" he asked.

"Would you like dessert or not?"

"Oh, what the hell. Why not." he said. "My stomach has been through a lot this afternoon, why not a little more.

"Brownies or Utteberry pie?"

"Never had Utteberry pie. I'll give it a try."

Deanna looked hurt.

"What's wrong?" Will asked.

"Well, I was kind of hoping you would try my brownies."

"Well, if it's as good as the rest of the food you prepared, I'm sure they are very good." he complimented. "I've never tried Utteberry pie, though."

"Oh, OK." she said. "If you insist."

Will grabs her hand as she was serving the pie. "Tell you what. Why don't you give me a little of both."

"OK." she smiled.

As they were eating dessert Will asked, "Have you met many humans?"

"Yes, most of my father's friends."

"Formed an opinion?"

"I prefer to make a case by case diagnosis." she stated.

"Spoken like a true Psychology student." Will said. "So, what are you going to do with your degree when you get it?"

"I don't know." she stated. "I haven't decided. I'll probably do the traditional thing and follow in my mother's footsteps. I just haven't decided yet."

"I've had this conversation before with your mother and I really don't want to go there again." Will said. "Don't you have a mind of your own?"

"Excuse me?"

"You asked me if I ever said how I felt. Well now I'm asking you if you ever think for yourself?"

"I have a mind of my own!" she retorted.

"Then why do I feel like I'm listening to a tape recording of your mother?" Will asked.

"You just don't understand my people." still smarting from his earlier statement.

"Then teach me." he requested. "I am interested in other cultures."

"Alright, I will."

"And I'll teach you to go with your feelings. Since you are into everyone elses feelings, I don't think you know what your own feelings are."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes." he confirmed.

"You know I think this was a bad idea." she said starting to pack up.

"Well, that's the first thought of your own I have heard you express so far." Will exclaimed.

"Oh, really?" she asked indignant.

"Really." he confirmed again. "I have a question for you?"

"Yes? And what might that be?" she asked.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"What?" she asked with shocked.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" he repeated.

"Are you saying you are in love with me?"

"You haven't answered my question."

"You didn't answer mine."

"I'm just asking a question." he asked. "So please just answer my question and not answer with a question."

"Yes." she answerred and proceeded to explain her theory.

"Well, that makes sense." Will replied. "However, if you ever did meet your soul mate you'd probably rationalize it to death, especially since you try to be so rational."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes."

"You know we just don't think the same and we come from two different worlds." she said. "I don't know whatever gave me the idea that we could even go out in the first place. There's just no future for us."

"Well, I've challenged you to teach me about your people." he reminded her. "Here's another challenge."

"And what that may be?" she asked.

"Change me."

"What?"

"You're a psychology student and I'm offering to be your guinea pig." he stated.

"You're just hoping that if I agree to this, that it will give you an opportunity to make love to me."

"That's right and you're hoping it too." he said. "You just can't admit that you have some sort of feelings for me, but I can tell you do."

"You speak with such conviction, William Riker." She was turning red as she said this.

"I didn't read your mind." he said. "I just guessed what was on your mind and you just confirmed it."

"I did not!"

Will chuckles. "OK, if you say so. I guess your blushing meant nothing."

She did not say anything for a moment. Then she said, "OK, I'll take you up on both your requests."

"Is that a deal?"

"Yes." she agrees. "It's a deal."

"Lead me to the maze, Miss Troi."

"Are we on a formal basis again?" she asked.

"Well, if you are the teacher to teach me and psychologist that will change me, I guess we are." he said jokingly.

"Give it up, Mr. Riker." she said. "You've flattered me and everything else already. There's nothing else you can do today."

"If you say so." he smiled.

Will walks her back to her house. As they approached her home, they were laughing and giggling again. They approached the door and as they did Will speaks.

"Well, Deanna, I guess I'll see you again tomorrow."

"Yes." she confirmed. "I think you'll like the museum."

"I'm sure I will." he said. Then he turned to leave and as he steps off the last step, Deanna begins to say something.

"Will."

He turns back around. "Yes."

"I know we had our share of disagreements today, but I did have fun."

"I'm glad you did." he said with a smile. "I did too." Then he departs and Deanna walks on into her home.

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