From: tlb2665@usl.edu (Burleigh Thomas L)
Subject: ST:USS Cavalier, Chapter 2, "March Past"  [Getting it right... :)
Organization: University of Southwestern Louisiana
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 03:21:50 GMT


(C) Copywrite 1992 by Thomas L. Burleigh. The following are the property
of Paramount Pictures, Inc: the characters of William T. Riker, Jean-Luc
Picard, D'Tan, and Spock; the Borg, Romulan, and Vulcan races; the
StarFleet organization; and, the USS Enterprise. This story is an original
work of fiction base on Star Trek: The Next Generation, a registered
trademark of Paramount. All rights reserved.

                   Star Trek: USS Cavalier
                          Chapter 2
                         "March Past"


   "Computer, hold." Riker said, softly.
   (Now THIS is something else!) he thought to himself. (A self-
destruct that can take a solar system with you. Though, if I had
my own way, I'd just calibrate that Zero-Point whatever to blow up the
entire Borg sector and send it off to them on some old cloaked
ship...)
   His rumminations were rudely interupted by the comm-board on
his desk. Or, to be more exact, his first officer's voice from
his desk.
   "Sir," said a low, scratchy voice with a slight English accent,
"the command staff is here and ready for our briefing."
   "Yes, Number One, come in." Riker thumbed the reverse button
for the display as HIS command staff entered the ready room.
   First, as always, was his First Officer, Commander Louis
Burke Thompson, cross-commissioned in Science and Command.  As a
man, he really wasn't to much to look at: average height and build;
brown, brushed-back hair; mustached; with a regular oval face with
only a slightly long nose as its only accent. But it was his ablities
and character that got him this assignment. He inhereted a strong
aptitude for science from his father - a designer of computerized
emgrams. His command abilities came naturally during his service to
StarFleet. He was a hard, no non-nonsense, almost humorless officer.
There was almost a constant cruel and aggressive nature in everthing
he did.
   (You know,) Ricker thought (,Louis here could just might be the Klingon
spirt personified. I wonder, will he ever relax enough to REALLY make
friends with everyone here?)
   Thompson, was followed by Surgeon/Commander Amanda T'Por and
Lieutenant Commander David Jonathon Shaw; respecively the Ship's
Doctor and the Chief Engineer. The later was a taller, slighty built,
bispecaled man. His relaxed and down-to-earth character was offset
by his legendary temper. Still, he was probably the best nuts-and-
bolts engineer in all of StarFleet - he JUST got reassigned from the
research group that developed the magnetic drive and Zero-Point power
systems. Still, considering how diffent he was from Thompson, Riker
couldn't help but wonder how or WHY Shaw and Thompson were such good
friends.
   Dr. T'Por, on the other hand, was a beautiful woman that any
red-blooded man would kill or die for. A Vulcan/Human, she was well-
tanned, shapely, volmpuous, a tad bit short, with long wavey dark hair
and ears which BARELY gave away the Vulcan side of her genetics. Riker
thought her to be in the same class as Deanna Troi, as did most others.
However, she was no dim-brained beauty - as her StarFleet record showed.
She was more human than Vulcan; unlike most half-breeds, she rejected the
Vulcan way of life for the human - but not before mastering Vulcan
mysticism!
   Riker noticed Dr. T'Por and Thompson exchange almost coyish grins
as they sat down. (Surely,) Ricker thought in amazement, (she couldn't
have something for THOMPSON!  Maybe, I've underestimated him..)
   Shaw was mumbling something to Thompson about "it should work out
okay"; which Riker didn't really catch, but shook him into getting started
with the business at hand.
   "Okay, folks," Riker started, "before I brief you on our mission,
just give me a quick verbal once-over of your departments."
   "Sir," said Commander Thompson, "all personnel assigned to this ship
are present and ready for duty. The Cavalier as a whole is ready for duty
with each Bridge department at full ready status. Commanders Shaw and 
T'Por can report in detail on their departments."
   "Thanks, Thompson. Dr. T'Por, you're next."
   "Yes, sir." (She has a rather sultry voice, too) Riker added to
himself. "I just finished my review of all medical files of the personnel
on this ship, with no major issues to report. Also, I also finished
researching and formulating working theories on Borg physiology, bio-tech
functions, and operational psychology - at your somewhat puzzling request,
sir." she said with a questioning tone on the last breath.
    "Very well, you'll know why in a few minutes. Shaw, go ahead."
    "Aye, Sir." Shaw said in his rapid voice, which was cursed with a
natural, slightly sarcastic, and wholly unintended tone. "We got the
finishing touches done up on all the new systems - at a hundred percent
ready, Sir. I might add that if we didn't have to ferry those S.F.
diplomats here to Romulus and hang around for a few days in high orbit..."
    "Understood, Commander." with only a slightly hard edge in his
voice (Unintentional or not, this man will probably have to walk on egg
shells around here until he gets something done about his tone of voice.)
Riker thought before diving into his part of the meeting.
    "And I want to thank you all for your hard work so far. I hope
that you keep it up." Riker said, a bit intruigingly, as he walked to
the main screen and finger the start switch.
    "As you all know, the Federation and Romulans are in the final
stages of negotations for a Romulan role in the Federation. The Fed
has a strong interest in this since Rom space, which we cannot use as
of yet, is right between Unexplored and Federation space."
     Riker pulled up the Galaxy map on the computer screen; which
displayed the Milky Way galaxy as currently divided: Federation, Klingon,
Romulan, Fergani and other minors, Borg space (as speculated) and the
remaining Unexplored space.
     "Our mission is to make jumps around the boundries of Romulan
space and to enter Borg space. Once there, we will conduct a reconnaisance
of their limits of advance into non-Borg space. We have been cleared to
use our cloaking device, and to engage targets of opportunity - read, the
Borg - as it doesn't interfere with our recon mission...."
      The comm panel on the table spoke up with, "Bridge to Captain
Riker." It was one of the new communications officers, once of the good
number of new faces Riker recently inherited.
      "This is the Captain."
      "Sorry to interupt, Sir. A priority request from the Romulan
Medical Center to you beam down to there immediately.  Ambassador Spock is
urgently requesting you."
      "Spock?" Riker asked noone in particular. "Very well, send their
coordinates to Transporter Room 1 and have them ready to beam me when I get
there. Riker out." he finished.
      "Thompson, take charge of the ship." Then, addressing his three
officers of his command staff, "You all got access to my brief in the 
computer. I'll answer any questions when I get back."
      With that last remark, Riker turned heel and marched out the
door.

--
 _____           _                         | InterNet: tlb2665@usl.edu
   |   _  __    |_|     __  |  _  .  _  |_ | Voice: (318) 232-8298
   |  | | |||   | | | | | ' | |-' | |_| | ||"Reality is a collective
   '  '-' '''   '-' '-' '   ' '-' ' ,_| ' '|hunch." -- Lily Tomlin
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative