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Guest Poster: Ro Laren
As I pour out all my troubles to Deanna Troi, about me having a secret Cardassian boyfriend and being blaclmailed, I can see her looking longingly at the chocolate sundae, which I've obviously stopped her eating by coming into her office.
Deanna notices I'm watching, so gets her mind back on track.
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"You're being blackmailed?" she states, "Whoever is doing that?"
"It's a Cardassian woman named Malana." Ro blubbers, and I give her the tissue that I keep for these occasions. Believe me, they happen a lot with my patients.
"Go on." I urge her. I want to hear more of this saga.
"Well some time ago." Ro sniffles, "Malana helped me out of a tight spot when the Captain nearly caught me in a restaurant with Vorak. He and Beverly Crusher happened to be there at the same time. She said to me that sooner or later she would return to collect on her knowledge. That time has come."
I give her a few more tissues and ask Ro what Malana wanted.
"She said that I need to beam down to Realta IV, where the Enterprise is going next and hand her twenty bars of latinum, or she was going to spill the beans to the Cardassians, Bajorans and Federation."
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"Latinum can't be replicated." I say, "We don't have that many on the ship."
"I know." Ro wails, "What am I gonna do?"
"Don't worry, Ro." I tell her, "We'll sort it out, and without the Cappy knowing as well."
To be continued after the TWQ...