Viviana Morgante, praised creator of holographic roleplay games and old friend of Riker, arrives on the Enterprise and introduces him, Deanna and Data to her latest fantasy creation. Unfortunately, the computer apparently goes nuts, cutting off the...
[Original story formerly published in paper by the Star Trek Italian Club, which graciously granted permission to publish it digitally. Cover and drawings by Chiara Falchini.]
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Chapter XII
A few hours later, Viviana reopened her eyes; it was in the middle of the night, the suffused lights and the low vibration of the warp engines induced to sleep, thus the young woman fell asleep again.
When she opened her eyes once more, she found Beverly next to her bed.
"Well awakened, Viviana", the Doctor greeted her, "How do you feel?"
Viviana swallowed and realised her throat was dry.
"Water", she said hoarsely. Beverly went for a glass: no hypospray, no medicine in the world is more effective against thirst than a good sip of fresh water.
Glancing gratefully at the older woman, Viviana sat up with some difficulty and drank slowly, then she laid back again on the pillow.
"I feel completely dazed", she finally answered Beverly's previous question.
"It's normal, after what you've been through", the doctor stated in a reassuring tone, preparing at the same time an adequate remedy and then injecting it with the hypodermic syringe, "Better?", she asked. Viviana nodded: the feeling of dizziness had disappeared.
"How are the other ones?", she enquired.
"Perfectly well, they'll go back to duty this very day. As for you, you'll need a few days rest."
"I'd rather not", Viviana disagreed, "I don't want to stay idle, turning what happened over and over in my mind. I prefer to go back at work, I want to find out how exactly I tripped out the computer."
Beverly didn't protest: she knew perfectly how much an occupation could be helpful, in a case like this. She too, sometimes had buried herself in work, in highly dramatic moments of her life.
"Very well", she said therefore, "but only on condition that you take it with the greatest ease, okay? And if you don't, I promise I will commit you to sickbay by my authority, is that clear?"
"Absolutely clear, Doctor."
Fist thing first, Viviana went to her quarters to take a refreshing bath. She had just come out of the bathtub, when she heard the entrance buzzer ring.
"Come in", she said, and the door slid sideways revealing Riker and Deanna, both back in their uniforms.
They entered.
"We've come to see personally you're well", the Betazoid said, smiling. Viviana reciprocated her smile.
"I'm fine", she confirmed, then, realising she couldn't nor wouldn't hide anything, she added, "...or quite so."
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