Paramount Pictures who owns all rights to the Star Trek universe, its characters and background. The story is not to be reprinted or reproduced without permission of the author or published for profit.
Prey Stalking
by Zlanna@AOL.com
Commander William T. Riker walked into ten-forward surveying the dance in progress. Tonight he was on the prowl, sure of his strategy, well prepared having spent the past few days laying the trap, determined to claim his prize.
The social center of the Enterprise-D had been transformed into a jungle motif complete with the ancient tribal musical drum rhythms of Solaris V, which provided a backdrop for the periodic howl of tigers, punctuated with various jungle bird calls. The scents of heavily spiced meat enticed the crowd toward a buffet laded with exotic foods. Milling about, the latest crop of newly minted academy recruits gathered in small groups, unsure of themselves, anxious to make a good impression, scared to be recognized, caught in the limbo of mourning friends they had left behind, not yet sure who to call friend among the new people that surrounded them. Riker remembered the feeling well from his first days aboard the Hood, then later the Pegasus where he had mourned a friend he had left behind himself. Now however, he had no such insecurities. As Second in Command on the Enterprise he was totally in control. He surveyed his territory and spotted Deanna Troi seated at a table with Lieutenant Williams, a new recruit who had arrived on board the ship two days ago. Will recognized the Science Officer and took a seat at an empty table, observing silently, biding his time.
Nurse MacMillan entered the dance and immediately noticed Commander Riker sitting by himself. He had caught her attention during his welcoming speech to the new officers and her gaze had been fixed on him throughout the orientation session. Rumor among the nurses was that Riker spent a great deal of time in sick bay and was particularly fond of the nursing staff that reported directly to the Chief Medical Officer rather than to Riker himself. Gathering her courage she held her head high, put on her best smile and walked over to his table, "Hello Commander. How are you tonight?"
Cocking his eyebrow, Will smiled broadly and nodded to the empty seat. This turn of events would suit his purposes nicely, "I'm well, Nurse, um, MacMillan, right?"
"Yes, Kate MacMillan." The young nurse suddenly felt her courage fleeing as she met his gaze, then looked away. It was one thing to daydream about him while seated safe in the classroom, but confronted by the nearness of him, being the soul object of his attention, she lost her nerve. What in the world she was thinking approaching him like this? She was not normally this brazen and now that those blue eyes she had fantasized about so often the past two days were focused on her, she wished she could run and hide. She looked up and realized he was waiting as if she should respond somehow. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said." Dumb, she thought, really dumb.
"I said you were on the Excaliber before, correct?" His eyes were still riveted on hers. His smile spoke volumes in a language that MacMillan recognized. His voice was soft and gentle but filled with a suppressed power that she realized in a moment could bark the orders that would save or doom this ship and its crew. That authority had attracted her from a distance, but now, seated across from him, it overpowered her, frightening her so that her pulse was racing and her stomach ached from the adrenaline that was flooding her system.
Nervously she looked down, answering, "Hedra. I, I grew up on Hedra." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized she had answered the wrong question. The music had changed. A lively, light dance tune now filled the hall, its bright tune in sharp contrast to the terror that gripped MacMillan's heart. Couples began to rise, moving toward the dance floor hand in hand.
"Hedra. Good." Riker ran his fingers through his beard as if in deep thought, " Very good, Nurse MacMillan," Riker's demonic grin caused MacMillan to sink back against the chair, her body language amusing the Commander. Riker could tell the young woman was regretting her earlier flirting, "Kate, Come with me." Rising suddenly took her hand, leading her in the direction of the dance floor.
Kate MacMillan knew already Riker was way out of her league. He had taken command of their encounter so quickly that she was dizzy. She dreamed about him at night, thoughts of him had filled her waking moments as she interrogated everyone she had met about him. Now that he had her hand in his she felt like she was going to faint. She had no idea had to get out of her predicament gracefully, but grace was far from her mind now. Now she just wanted to retreat and lick her wounds alone. "Be careful what you wish for," her mother had warned her, "You might just get your wish answered." MacMillan needed an excuse quickly before she ended up acting like a total fool in front of the Second in Command of her future. She could claim she didn't feel good, or that she had work to do. Work would probably be a better strategy. Her gaze darted around the room searching for Doctor Crusher. But the good doctor was laughing loudly at one of the Captain's jokes and Kate doubted an interruption would be appreciated. Kate felt her temperature rising with each step she took. She hadn't really thought about how tall the Commander was. His height hadn't seemed to a problem from the back of the classroom. Now she was practically running to keep up with him as he strode confidently across the room. He pulled on her hand as she started towards the dance floor and he headed toward one of the tables. Abruptly he let go.
Caught off-guard, the nurse realized Riker wasn't going to the dance floor at all, but was grabbing a chair at a table with Counselor Troi and Lt. Roger Williams. Nurse MacMillan recognized Lt. Williams from the orientation meeting given to the new crew members. Lieutenant Williams was not nearly as tall as the Commander, in fact he was just a few inches taller than Kate herself. He had sandy hair and dark brown eyes and a wide smile that he flashed often. He had graduated the same year as Kate from the Academy, but they had not known each other then. On the shuttle ride over to the Enterprise, Kate had been attracted to Roger Williams, but, that was before she had laid eyes on William T. Riker.
"Hi Deanna, mind if we join you?" Riker didn't wait for an answer, but grabbed a chair, flipped it around and straddled it in one motion. "Lt. Williams," Riker hesitated squinting for a moment lining the Lieutenant in his sights, "Roger, right? Have you met Kate MacMillan?"
Roger nodded yes, they had met. "Good," Will replied, "Say Roger, aren't you from Hedra?"
"Yes, I am," Roger admitted, wondering why the First Officer was interested in where he had grown up. He wished his palms weren't sweating so much. He had been warned by some of his buddies that the Commander and the Counselor were an item and that he should stay away from the beautiful Betazoid. He now wished he had followed their advice. Roger felt Riker's eyes studying him. Under the Commander's scrutiny he felt like prey that the Riker was stalking, waiting for the opportunity to pounce. A chill went up William's spine as he had a mental image of himself as the mouse that the cat considers a
toy. Looking around for an escape, Williams was desperately searching for a means of retreat when he realized that the Commander himself was pointing the way down the avenue of his deliverance.
"Kate here is from Hedra too! Isn't that a coincidence? I thought you two might like to compare notes together." Will relaxed, having provided the means of salvation for the young upstart Lieutenant, he waited patiently for the bait to be gratefully accepted.
"Perhaps during a dance?" Roger offered.
Kate looked at Will who smiled back. A smile that turned the nurse's face red, hot with confused embarrassment, "Please," Riker replied graciously, "feel free."
Deanna watched the young couple scurry off to the dance floor together, amused at their mutual relief to be fleeing with their lives intact, to say nothing of their careers. "He was only over here asking whether his personnel records had made it on board yet." she replied.
"Is that what he told you?" Riker reached over and took a grape from her plate.
"Yes."
"And what did your empathic sense tell you the real reason was that he was here?" Playfully he held the grape out for her to eat.
"It told me he was here for the same reason you are." She teased, biting the grape provocatively.
"Ah." Will asked leaning close to her, drawing in deeply her scent, allowing it to trigger memories of more intimate moments they had shared. "But who are you going to leave with?"
Deanna laughed, "The first man who has the courage to ask me to dance."
"In that case, " Will slid off the chair dropping to his knee and Deanna realized many in the room, including Beverly Crusher, had stopped their conversations, watching the couple curiously. His voice dropped. It was low and seductive, carrying overtones that triggered physical reactions that emblazed the emotional response of the young Betazoid , "Would you care to dance with me?"
Flustered Deanna whispered, "Will, do get up! Of course I'll dance with you." Conscious of the stares directed at them, she insisted, " Stand up!" She took several deep cleansing breaths in succession, simultaneously resenting and admiring Will Riker's ability to corner her emotions at will.
Still grinning at her response, Riker escorted his prey to the dance floor, feeling very much like the king of the jungle.
Fin