And now came the hard part. At least Fatima had the benefit of her height, both natural and from wearing heels. She positioned herself behind Prim, so that Beverly could see her face, but Prim couldn't. It was still difficult to convey her feelings of concern. But at least she wouldn't get caught in the act.

"I wanted you to meet my friend Prim," she said to Beverly, putting her hands on Prim's shoulders gently. "She helped me get my footing when I got whooshed here. Prim, this is Beverly Crusher. She's a very, very important person."

And a doctor. Someone who could help, she hoped. Surely, Beverly could see how frail the girl was.