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.

Within the Bonds

by Zlanna@AOL.com

*****************

Jarendo and Riker were sharing a meal in Riker's quarters, the soft Jazz music Jarendo had chosen was playing in the background. "This is the only place I that ever felt like home to me." Jarendo commented surveying the room with great affection.

"I take it you identify quite closely with the personality of whatever form you take on." Will replied, watching his guest carefully. He was taking a risk having the changeling in his room. It was against policy and potentially a serious security risk since the changeling could take Riker's form at any time. That is why two security guards were joining in the meal even though they were keeping a respectful distance on the other side of the small room.

"No, not really, not usually. My parents were genetically engineered by the Ferengi, after their parents had been captured as slaves. Changelings have a high mortality rate in captivity, so the Ferengi often breed changeling slaves by artificial insemination and by growing fertile eggs in the lab. Actually, I'm not sure I even had real parents, although there was a changeling woman who insisted she was my mother. She also claimed that she knew who my father was and that I had been conceived by the two of them. I never talked to her of course, she died when I was quite young, but the other women told me the story." Jarendo had a far off look on his face.

"How young?" asked Will, wondering if the story the changeling was telling was the truth or not. Changelings had a reputation of altering the truth as easily as their physical forms.

"Hmmm?" Jarendo, looked back at Riker as if returning from a distant place. "When she died? I don't even know. Too young to really remember, I guess. It always gave me status to have had a mother though." he laughed, "even if I never knew her, most changelings on our freighter were tube babies." Jarendo ate in silence for a while. "I, and Leeaoni as well, are both highly advanced changelings." Riker noted the pride in Jarendo's voice as he spoke. "I could be put to death for telling you this, but since you will be my son's father, he will have questions. I did." Jarendo looked hard at Riker. "You did too." he challenged.

Riker's expression remained blank, providing no encouragement, refusing to confirm Jarendo's statement.

Jarendo stared at his plate for several minutes. Eventually he resumed talking, "Leeaoni and I are not like most changelings. We not only appear like another beings form, we actually replicate down to the DNA level our mar..." Jarendo smiled slightly as he caught his almost slip,"our ... others." He waited for a reaction from Riker, but getting none, he continued. "I suppose that is how we created the child. Normally, a changeling would never produce a child while in an altered form, but Leeaoni and I actually become the people we are replacing, so, your genes and those of Deanna Troi's actually did create the child. You will, no doubt see much of yourself in him." Jarendo sighed deeply, falling silent for several minutes. "Will you tell him of us?"

Riker hung his head low, running his hand through his head, then let out a slow sigh. "Truthfully? I don't know. I'm afraid I hadn't thought that far Jarendo, but out of curiosity, what would you want me to do?"

Jarendo grinned. "I never expected to have much say in the matter. I, I don't really know. I suppose whatever you think best for the boy."

Riker nodded. "Well, Deanna is the expert in these things. We'll see what she thinks is best then. What do you think of the name Luke?"

"After Jean-Luc?" Jarendo's eyes twinkled. "Yes, I remember that was the name you hoped one day to give to your son. I like it Commander. It is a nice strong name."

"It is a Christian name." Will replied.

"Ah, yes, your mother would be pleased."

Will nodded, smiling slightly. "Yes, I think she would. Well, I've never mentioned the name to Deanna"

"She knows though." Jarendo said. "Her mother told her once. Leeaoni told me."

Riker sat back and listened to Jarendo give him a very detailed breakdown on the status of operations on the Enterprise during Riker's absence. By the end of the evening Riker had decided how he was going to save Jarendo and Leeaoni, he only hoped he could pull it off without getting Jean-Luc Picard in trouble.

Jarendo paced the cell where he had been locked up overnight, knowing the commotion at the entrance to the brig meant the moment had come. In a few moments, Riker appeared, stopping in front of Jarendo's cell. "Lower force field" the Commander ordered, his phaser pointed directly at Jarendo's chest. Standing beside the Commander was Leeaoni, smiling, completely recovered and oblivious to the conspiracy that was in play around her. Jarendo knew he had no alternatives - captivity for changelings was not an option, so despite his fear, the moment the force field on his cell was lowered, Jarendo lunged at Riker determined to reach his goal. The growl of the changeling was fierce, filling Riker with terror as he watched Jarendo flying out of the cell at him, resembling a grizzly gone mad. Riker never hesitated, cooly he squeezed the phaser, drilling a neat hole through the Jarendo's chest where his heart had beaten only moments before. The stench of burned fur filled the small corridor between the two rows of cells and Jarendo's death yell was replaced by Leeaoni's as she shrieked in horror and watched the man she loved, fall once again, hard against the floor, repeating the earlier scene that had played out in the shuttle. With no child to protect, empty at the death of her lover, Leeaoni turned to Riker, her eyes full of tears, but the look didn't last long. Hatred, replaced grief in an instant and she too attacked the Commander. Riker leveled the phaser at her, got off a clean shot that neatly drilled a matching hole in her heart. Lowering his phaser, he turned to the security detail, ordering "Clean up this mess." Then he turned and left, leaving the security team wondering why the Commander had the phaser set on kill.

Riker found that his hand was shaking as he left the brig. It wasn't that he hadn't killed people before, but that had been in combat. This was different. This time, he actually liked the people involved. As his adrenalin level dropped, he began to breathe more slowly, trying to compose himself before visiting Deanna. He rounded a corner then entered the sick bay recovery room. Deanna was sitting propped up on a biobed, Beverly was standing next to her chatting excitedly about baby feeding schedules but stopped when she saw Riker. Deanna followed Crusher's gaze to Will. "What's wrong?" she asked, already suspecting she knew the answer.

Will Riker watched Crusher move off to a discrete distance to give them privacy to talk. "Its done." he replied, surprised to find his own voice shaky.

Deanna took his hand, "I wish there had been another way," she said holding his cold palm to her cheek.

Nodding Will stroked her hair, then bent down to kiss the top of her head, "It is what they wanted." he replied, but he wished too there had been another way.

"I do not understand Commander. Captain Picard said that we should dispose of this old fighter. Why are you loading the bodies of the changelings in it and sending it out into space?" Data was watching Riker enter coordinates into the onboard ship computer of the ancient fighter plane that the Romulans had given Jarendo. Riker was beginning to get annoyed at the android shadow he had acquired.

"Its an old custom, Data. Sort of a final resting place for those who have no home." The First Officer hit a button, then stood straight. Drawing a piece of paper from his sleeve, Riker put the folded paper next to the control console. "Okay, I guess that does it." Riker followed Data out of the fighter, falling behind the safety lines as the shuttle bay opened and the fighter was launched to drift through space.

"It does seem a bit romantic I suppose, an eternal grave." Data commented as he stood beside Riker. The craft slowly drifted away from the Enterprise. It appeared to lazily meander through space with no particular place to go. Another piece of space junk floating free, not yet caught in the orbit of any planetary body.

"Crusher to Riker." Riker hit his com badge, already suspecting why the doctor was contacting him. "Riker here doctor."

"Will, have you sent off the changelings' remains yet?"

"Afraid so. They were just disposed of. Why?"

"I think you had better come down to sickbay. Crusher out."

Riker realized he had sent the ship on its way just in time. Making his way to sickbay he found a nervous Doctor Crusher pacing the floor, visibly upset. "Will! I have some disturbing news. I was reviewing a medical log on changelings and it turns out they have a back up circulatory system!" Crusher stared impatiently at Riker's blank expression. "A backup heart, Will. They are very difficult to kill."

"Doctor, I assure you both changelings were dead."

Beverly sighed with exasperation. "I'm not so sure Will. They died because of a neatly drilled hole through their main heart, but the backup circulatory system means that their brains and major body parts were never without blood flow. In other words, their regenerative abilities could possibly revive them." Riker drew his hand threw his hair, trying to decide the best way to respond to Crusher. Glancing for support at Deanna, he found her listening carefully to the conversation.

"If you believe that the changelings might revive, then you should report that to the Captain, Beverly." Riker stood staring at Beverly while she returned the stare, beginning to understand that there was something going on. Glancing at Deanna, Beverly decided to back down. "No." she slowly declared, "I don't think there is any proof that the changelings might revive. No use in getting everyone upset over nothing."

From her bed, Deanna joined in, "I think that is wise, Bev."

***********

An alarm sounded, waking the two inhabitants of the old fighter. Jarendo stretched and waited for Leeaoni to wake up. Opening her eyes, she saw him smiling down at her. "How?" she asked.

Jarendo laughed. "Commander Riker is a very good shot!" he replied. Checking the console, Jarendo entered their destination coordinates.

"Where are we heading?" Leeaoni asked, reaching out to run her fingers through his thick fur. It felt good to be in her natural form after so long, very good.

"When Riker was on the Hood, he visited a world that had been populated by a colony of changelings several generations ago. That is our destination." Turning in his seat, he watched Leeaoni examine the paper.

"What is this number?" She held the material in her hand, amazed at how thin and delicate it was.

"That is the storage number of the box that will hold the birthday pictures of our son each year." Jarendo answered. "Computer, Drop to impulse. We can use this ship to visit the Deep Space 2 station every year. Riker promised a yearly report will be waiting for us in that box.

"Do you think they are out of danger?" Leeaoni was already replicating dinner. Jarendo answered carefully, "I think Riker is well prepared."

Leeaoni studied Jarendo but she nothing to indicate if there was a hidden meaning, still she ventured a guess. "You told him everything?"

"I told him enough." Jarendo replied.

All eyes were on the couple seated by the large observation windows as they confronted Lt. Callahan. The diminutive Lieutenant's jaw was sticking out in defiance of Will Riker, his hands were on his hips and the frown he wore showed he wasn't backing down just because he was up against the Commander of the U.S.S. Enterprise. "So, let me congratulate the proud parents!" Callahan was speaking a little too loudly,amplified by the alcohol, not synthenol he had been consuming. "No one will doubt that you two are conspiring against me now that it is obvious you are sleeping with each other."

Will Riker rose slowly until he towered over Callahan, "Lieutenant. I'm going to give you the chance to leave quietly without any of this going on your record,"the Commander paused long enough to let Callahan consider his warning, "if you leave now." Riker's voice in contrast to Callahan's was quiet, soft but much more frightening than Callahan's boasting. The jaw of the First Officer was locked as well, but no one witnessing the scene doubted that if Callahan was stupid enough to continue the confrontation, he would regret the choice.

Callahan quickly surveyed the room, only to discover that most of the occupants were ignoring him and the confrontation he had initiated. "Sure, I'll leave," Callahan said, "but I'm fighting my transfer. I want you to know that."

"Why don't you meet me in my office tomorrow morning and we'll discuss your concerns then." Deanna offered, her smile friendly and inviting despite Callahan's belligerent attitude.

Callahan laughed, "No thanks, Counselor, I have no desire to watch you puke over the Commander's bastard first thing in the morning."

Riker hadn't risen to First Officer by not learning to control his temper. Evenly he told Callahan, "You are relieved of duty and confined to quarters, Mister."

Callahan sneered at the Commander, his rage mounting, "Then I guess I don't have much to lose. Turning as if to leave, Callahan continued in a circle that ended with his fist hitting Riker's jaw with all his might.

Riker never even flinched, but his fist connected with Callahan's jaw in retaliation, wiping the smile off the Lieutenant's face as he flew backward, striking his head against a table, then falling limp to the floor.

"Will! Is he okay?" Troi sat frozen as Riker bent over Callahan. "He's passed out, that's all." Riker reported, but he hit his com badge all the same, "Riker to Sickbay."

"Sickbay here."

"Send a med unit down to ten-forward. We have a Lieutenant here who just got a free etiquette lesson, but it didn't sit too well with him."

Will cringed as he felt Deanna's displeasure at his method of shutting Callahan up. He waited for her scolding, instead, her hand gripped his arm. "I am exhausted Will. Can we head back?"

Torn by a desire to stay with her and the need to explain Callahan's prone position on the floor, Riker hesitated for an instant. Guinan came up behind him, aware of the dilemma. "It's okay,Commander. I can answer any questions that the med team might have. You aren't the first person he's insulted in here."

Two security guards were already standing at attention waiting for Riker's orders. "Accompany the Lieutenant to sickbay and then escort him to the brig." The guards nodded their understanding and Riker, holding Deanna's arm, guided her out the ten-forward door. "It will take more than a talk to straighten Lt. Callahan out." Deanna predicted, already drawing strength from Riker's presence.

Will shot a parting glance back at Guinan who was helping Callahan up. Jarendo's warning rang out in the back of his head, "There is still a changeling on board the Enterprise, our leader, but we hadn't made contact yet, so I can't tell you who they are." Callahan was Riker's prime candidate.

"I don't think so, Will." Deanna replied to his unspoken thoughts.

The next day a repentant Lt. Callahan figeted in his cell as Will Riker paced before him. "Then you freely acknowledge that you were totally out of line in ten-forward?"

Yes, Sir, I'm sorry, Sir." Callahan hung his head refusing to look Riker in the eye. Will's suspicions grew as the now apologetic officer appeared to be trying to conduct damage repair on his career. Then Callahan said something that baffled the Commander.

"I think, Sir, that maybe Counselor Troi is right. Maybe the Enterprise isn't a good match for me." Callahan appeared near the breaking point and his voice cracked at his admission. "My family, my dad was so happy when I was assigned here," Callahan looked briefly at Riker, then quickly dropped his gaze again, "that I couldn't let him down." Swallowing hard, Callahan sighed slowly, "I guess it retrospect it was the worse thing that could have happened to me. I just wasn't ready for my promotion."

Riker didn't know why he had always had a soft spot for Callahan. His conduct toward Riker in the briefing with Picard earlier, and then last night in front of Deanna was unforgivable, but before those incidents, Riker had given Callahan more chances to improve than he usually handed out. Now Callahan's revelation regarding pressure from his father to succeed also touched a chord with Riker. The First Officer could identify with anyone with a domineering father. Relenting, in part because Riker decided it was safer to keep the Lieutenant under scrutiny on the Enterprise rather than turn him loose on another post with the possibility that Callahan was a changeling and in part because deep down Riker knew that inexperience and insecurity were the two biggest hurdles the young Lieutenant faced, Riker nodded. "Then Lieutenant, I'm going to have to write this incident up in your report. I'm also going to have to demote you to Ensign, but" Riker paused dramatically, "I would like to keep you on board the Enterprise if you are willing to give it another try."

Callahan's surprise was reflected in his face and as soon as the words sunk in he gratefully nodded his head. "I'd appreciate that, Sir. I promise I'll do my best."

Riker studied the young man for a moment. He knew as well as anyone what it was like to be promoted prematurely. Truth was, he wasn't ready for his first promotion either, but Starfleet was caught up at the time, with which Admiral could be the first to identify the next James T. Kirk. All Riker had heard after his success in the first round of exams at the Academy was how he was destined to beat Kirk's record. Like the foolish teenager he was, he had believed the rhetoric and it had cost him dearly. Cost him mainly with his relationship with Deanna Troi. At least that was a mistake he had finally been able to correct. "I want you to set up a regular schedule with Counselor Troi, Callahan, after you apologize to her."

Sheepishly Callahan nodded his agreement to the order.

"And Callahan, although Betazoids have a reputation for being the most peaceful race in the Federation, few species protect their young as fiercely. I wouldn't refer to the Counselor's children as "bastards" again."

"No, Sir. I apologize for that remark, Sir. It was entirely uncalled for."

"What it was, Ensign, was inaccurate and culturally biased as well. Although the insult wasn't missed by the Counselor or myself, in Betazoid society, ancient traditions dictated that a couple could not obtain permission to get married until the woman is pregnant so there is no stigma attached with a couple conceiving a child before the marriage. If you are going to have a career on the Enterprise, you had better study up on cross cultural differences, especially those of your commanding officers."

Meekly, Callahan muttered one last, pathetic, "Yes, Sir."

Riker left the brig, the chastened Ensign in tow, but Riker was more convinced than ever that Callahan had to be the changeling. Freeing him would allow Riker to discover what exactly the changeling had in mind.

Picard drummed his fingers on the table adding to the general nervousness of the senior officers gathered around the table. All except Doctor Crusher who was late. Will stole glances at Deanna, who patiently gave him a small smile, a smile that was noticed by everyone in the room. Data was staring at Deanna unabashedly, looking like a question was poised on his lips, but still he remained silent. Impatiently Picard hit his com badge again, "Picard to Crusher!"

"Crusher here. I'm sorry, Captain, please go on without me, I have a medical emergency here."

Frowning, his annoyance evident, Picard turned to Data and LaForge, "Let's start with the systems review."

To be cont.

Site design, story and programming - Copyright 1997 by Zlanna.

I only do this for the pleasure of Imzadi fans. If you enjoyed the story or if you have suggestions, please send your comments to Zlanna@AOL.com.