A Peril of a Fashion
by astraplain@yahoo.com


Beverly was standing half naked among the ruins of 
her closet when the door chime sounded.  Annoyed, she 
demanded who was outside her door.  The obliging 
computer informed her it was Counselor Deanna Troi.

*Wonderful* she huffed with more than a little 
sarcasm.  Knowing Deanna would keep chiming that 
dratted bell until she got in, Beverly surrendered to 
the inevitable.  Slipping on her robe she strolled at 
a leisurely pace out to the day area, stopping to 
check her plants on the way.  Retrieving a drink from 
the replicator she finally called for Deanna to 
enter.

"That was not very nice, Beverly."  Deanna chided, 
softening the remark with a smile.  "You know you 
aren't getting out of this conversation so why bother 
playing these games?"

"Because."  Beverly replied with a cat smile, taking 
a seat on the sofa opposite her friend.  Deanna 
really was a good friend, and she was just trying to 
help;  Beverly knew that.  But she also knew that 
Deanna could be downright annoying at times, 
especially when her friendly counseling was as ill-
timed as this.  The last two days on Kes-Prytt had 
forced her to endure more than enough telepathic 
intrusion.  She didn't need Deanna tiptoeing through 
her head too.

"I have no intention of tiptoeing through your head, 
Beverly.  And don't scowl at me, you were thinking 
that so loud you might just as well be shouting."  
Deanna held up her hand to stop Beverly's rant.  "I'm 
not finished yet.  I merely came here to see if you 
wanted my help and to tell you that I will expect you 
in my office at 0930 tomorrow to be cleared for 
duty."

Beverly relaxed a little at this, happy to be able to 
put off til tomorrow what she really didn't want to 
deal with today.  She had enough on her mind.

"And," Deanna continued with a wicked smile all her 
own.  "I also came to do you a favor."

Beverly frowned again.  A betazoid giving a favor was 
a frightening thing indeed.  She weighed her words 
carefully then asked, "What favor?"

Deanna laughed, standing up and walking away towards 
the open door to Beverly's bedroom.  She gestured at 
the wreckage of the wardrobe that lay scattered 
within.

"I'm guessing you have a hot date with the captain 
tonight."

Beverly ignored the pointed remark, sweeping past 
Deanna into the bedroom and randomly picking up stray 
clothing.  Keeping her face turned down she muttered, 
"So what's this big favor?"

"The solution to your problems," Deanna replied 
moving close and speaking just above a whisper. "It 
just so happens that I have the perfect dress for 
just such an occasion." She reached down, claiming a 
stray shirt, and waved it.  "Interested?"

"I can't wear your clothes on a date, Deanna. Ummm... 
Jean-Luc will notice." Beverly blurted the first 
excuse she thought of, managing to keep a straight 
face, then thought *hard* about gangrene to keep from 
laughing.  

"But you can wear this, Beverly.  Its new.  I've 
never worn it.  He'll never know you borrowed it."  
Deanna's was encouraging, eager, almost too anxious.

Beverly should have known better.  Beverly *did* know 
better, but one last despairing look around her 
bedroom reminded her she had few other options.  
She'd already given up on the choices in ships's 
stores, and the challenge of designing and 
replicating something appropriate was too daunting a 
task to even consider.

"All right, Deanna.  I've only got half an hour.  I 
don't have time to replicate anything."

Tossing on a simple shirt and pants Beverly followed 
Deanna out into the corridor.  They talked a little 
on the way to Deanna's cabin, keeping the topic light 
and as far away from Kes-Prytt as possible.

"Tadaaaaa!"  Deanna presented the dress with a 
flourish.  Beverly looked at it, arrayed on a 
dressmakers mannequin in the center of the day area.  
Just waiting for her.  

"What do you think?"  Deanna wanted to know.

"Its... different."  Was Beverly's reply.  She 
circled the dress - actually a gown, twice.  It was 
the color of Kelborian mud with a tight top and wide 
(very wide) skirt.  It was cut very high in front 
(Jean-Luc would like that) and trailed down almost 
touching the floor in back.  In truth, Beverly 
decided, it was ghastly.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Deanna gushed, fussing with the 
skirt. (To make it look better?) Beverly decided it 
was hopeless.  But she knew a trap when she fell into 
one and this was definitely a trap.

"It's different, Deanna."  A sudden sinking feeling 
settled in the pit of Beverly's stomach. "By any 
chance did your mother give you this?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Deanna asked, batting 
her eyelashes.  Beverly bit her lip hard to keep from 
laughing out loud. Deanna had spent too many years 
flirting with men for whom grasping the obvious was a 
struggle.  Of course, expecting subtlety from the 
daughter of Lwaxanna Troi might be asking too much 
anyway.  Beverly tossed the whole absurd situation up 
to experience and turned her attention back to the 
monstrosity on the mannequin.

"Put it on, try it.  The color will look marvelous on 
you."  

There was a flurry of activity and somehow Deanna 
managed to get both the dress and her friend into the 
bedroom to change.  "Here, let me help." Deanna 
chirped, and before she could think up a graceful 
excuse to run like a sehlat, Beverly was actually 
wearing that ... garment.

"Time for the hair." Deanna announced guiding the 
bemused doctor into the vanity chair.  "I love your 
hair, Beverly, you should wear it up more often."

"Deanna, I don't think...."

"Of course you do, Beverly.  Here.  Perfect.  Just 
one more...." Now, tell me the captain will be able 
to resist this."  

Beverly studied the mirror before her not sure if she 
should laugh or cry.  It was different, all right, 
and if she had been headed off to a date with Will 
Riker, the "easy access" hemline would be perfect.  
But Jean-Luc was a man of very refined tastes. She 
just hoped he wouldn't laugh in her face.

"Deanna, I don't think this is ..."

"No need to thank me, Beverly.  This is what friends 
are for.  In fact, this dress is so perfect on you I 
insist you keep it.  No, no, don't thank me.  Here, 
now you'd better hurry.  You know the captain hates 
to be kept waiting.  Remember, my office. 0930 
Tomorrow.  You can tell me all about your date.  
Bye."

Somehow Beverly suddenly found herself in the 
corridor facing a closed door and feeling a bit like 
Alice through the looking glass.  Surrendering to the 
situation she wandered off towards Jean-Luc's cabin.  
*If he so much as cracks a smile...*

*****

Deanna Troi stood just inside the doorway of her 
cabin shamelessly eavesdropping on her friend's 
thoughts.  This was too perfect, she decided.  Years 
of planning and she finally succeeded in not only 
dumping that hideous dress her mother had given her, 
but she'd also found the perfect payback for that 
little incident with Beverly, Will and Odan.

"This calls for a celebration." She announced to the 
room at large, and with a cheshire cat smile she 
swept off towards Ten Forward, visions of Thalian 
Chocolate Mousse in her head.

:::end:::