From: neale@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Neale Davidson)
Subject: STMOW 16-20/20 Repost
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 01:46:09 GMT

 
  - STAR TREK     ----------------------------------------------------
  - MORALS OF WAR ----------------------------------------------------
 
  Part Sixteen through Twenty of Twenty
 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
  CHAPTER SIXTEEN
 
        "You want me to do what, Captain?" Grissom demanded as
  she and Matthews entered the bridge. "These orders are
  ludicrous!"
        "These orders, Lieutenant Grissom, stand," Riley
  commanded in a tone went vaporized Grissom's ego. "You are to
  commence beaming as soon as your ready. I'll try to keep the
  ship in one piece until you are."
        The IRON CLAW II moved in, her torpedo lauch bay alit to
  fire. "Incoming," Tiber announced, bracing for the impact.
  Riley and crew braced as best as they could as the torpedo
  slammed into the ENTERPRISE's shields. "Sheilds are holding,
  sir. But we can't hold out very much longer."
        "Lay some cover fire against our opponent, and keep some
  distance to buy us some time," Riley commanded as the IRON CLAW
  II turned away for another attack run.
        The ENTERPRISE launched another volley, her torpedoes
  punching through the shields of their opponent. The circular
  outer hull of the IRON CLAW II was again penetrated, but still
  showed no signs of weakening.
        ~Considerable damage to hull,~ Yto announced with
  displeasure as damage reports came flooding in. ~Our primary
  systems are still on line, but most of our crew's living
  quarters have left the ship.~
        Konok grimaced. ~The torpedoes are quite damaging,~ he
  observed even as the ENTERPRISE fired again. ~But they are
  exhausting their supply, and their phasers are obviously no
  match for our shields.~
        ~ENTERPRISE is veering away from us again, likely
  giving themselves time to recharge their shields,~ Yto
  announced at his new reading. ~She is also charging for another
  torpedo barrage.~
        ~Launch torpedo and follow the ENTERPRISE,~ Konok
  commanded as the image of the Federation warship shrank in his
  viewscreen.
        The IRON CLAW II spat forth another ball of green plasma
  at her self-appointed enemy. The ENTERPRISE would not, however,
  allow another shot to impact and launched phaser-fire to
  disperse the massive fireball.
        "Plasma torpedo dispersed, Captain," Tiber proudly
  announced. It was a mild accomplishment, but it was the first
  time the young Andorian had succeeded in attempting such a
  feat. "Enemy vessel is closing and recharging her torpedo
  battery."
        "Now, Grissom," Riley stated with a bit less patience.
  "Are you capable of obeying orders?" His eyes bored through
  her, demanding deeds, and expecting them.
        "Tom, give her a break, she's not recovered yet,"
  Matthews finally protested. "She needs more time in sick bay,"
  he continued before Riley cut him off.
        "I want an answer, Lieutenant," Riley warned, "before
  we're all killed."
        The ENTEPRISE withheld fire, even though the IRON CLAW II
  was quite well within range. The Romulan ship had finally
  started showing signs of power loss, and her torpedo recharging
  was taking considerably longer.
        Konok regarded his opponent with curiosity. ~Why don't
  they strike now? Their weapons are still functional, are they
  not?~ Konok asked Yto.
        Yto looked up with a bit of confusion, and
  disappointment. ~So far as I can tell, the ship has suffered
  little internal damage. Their shields are keeping the brunt of
  the attack.~
        ~Are they?~ Konok pondered, knowing the massive damage
  his ship had already taken. ~Ah, but they've nearly exhausted
  themselves. We have not.~ Konok sat back in his chair, a bit
  more confident of himself. ~Ready phaser batteries, Yto, and
  bring us in closer. Bring us in closer than their torpedo-fire
  will allow.~
        Yto began complying, maneuvering the IRON CLAW II's
  tattered yet still massive form still closer to her enemy's.
  The ENTERPRISE fired a torpedo burst again. But this time, all
  of the attacks were absorbed by the Romulan's shielding.
        "Yes, sir," Grissom finally replied. "I'll comply with
  your orders." Riley nodded, acknowledging the first small
  victory he's had so far in his command. "Grissom to
  engineering, ready transporter room one for immediate
  transport," she commanded to the air.
        Riley straightened his back. "She's moving closer?" he
  asked as he noted the growing image of the Romulan battleship.
  "Trying to cut the range below our torpedo fire," he mused.
  "Well then, have a little surprise," he decided. "Mister
  O'Neil, warp three."
        O'Niel's eyes widened at the order. He had not expected
  to be recieving many commands unless something happened to
  Tiber. Warping into space certainly wasn't what he had
  expected. "Aye, sir, warp three."
        The ENTERPRISE launched herself into warp space for only
  a few seconds. Her ribbon trail lept up and above the
  approaching IRON CLAW II, stretching beyond her for a small
  distance. The ENTERPRISE emerged from warp space behind her
  attacker, already launching torpedoes from her aft section.
        ~Damn that human,~ Konok cried even as his fist slammed
  on the aft torpedo control. ~Bring the ship about before they
  get a chance to fire again.~
        As Yto started executing the order, the torpedoes from
  the ENTERPRISE slammed into IRON CLAW II's shielding. This
  time, the shield side was left minimal, as Konok had expected a
  frontal attack. Bridge panels exploded, knocking Konok from his
  seat once again.
        ~Yto, get us around,~ he demanded. But Yto made no effort
  to answer. His form was limp over his console. The scorch marks
  around his head made it all too clear his fate.
        ~Engage emergency power, set ramming course,~ Konok fumed
  at the sight of his dead comrade. ~Rid all space of that
  Federation dog, ENTERPRISE.~
        The IRON CLAW II slowly spun around to face the
  ENTERPRISE, who has turning her own impressive form to counter.
  The two ships again squared off, but the IRON CLAW II was
  slowly building up speed and power.
        "Sir, we've got problems," Tiber frowned.
        Riley, however, saw the picture all to clearly. "Evasive
  starboard," he demanded, sending the ENTERPRISE farther into
  her turn than had been expected.
        The IRON CLAW II slipped past, spewing phaser-fire at her
  enemy will intense force. The ENTERPRISE returned the fire,
  sending her own beams of hot-death into the frey. Both sets of
  shields began to rupture, allowing energy to scorch the ships'
  hulls. ENTERPRISE, however, fared somewhat better, having not
  needed to recharge from an attack.
        The IRON CLAW II took blasts on her port naccell,
  shattering it. Slowly, the Romulan ship pulled away, and the
  ENTERPRISE mirrored her counterpart's action.
        "IRON CLAW II's sheilds are coming back up," Tiber
  grimaced. "Even with that damage, we didn't knock out her
  shield generators."
        "She won't be leaving Federation space," Riley replied
  with a bit of consolation. "She won't be getting away from us.
  That's good enough for the moment," he continued. "Grissom, are
  you ready yet? We're dangerously low on torpedoes and I need my
  package delivered."
        Grissom called from her post in engineering, a bit
  distressed at how demanding her captain was. Of course, it was
  a combat situation, she considered. "Engineering is loading the
  anti-matter into the canister now, sir. It will be another
  minute or so."
        "We're running out of minutes, Grissom," Riley warned.
  "Tiber, get our last torpedoes on line for a tight succession.
  After firing, head away from the CLAW at full impulse,
  understood?"
        Tiber nodded, knowing that the Captain intended to bait
  the Romulan commander for some reason. "Ready for firing
  Captain," he responded after entering his orders.
        The retreating ENTERPRISE fired again. Over a dozen
  torpedoes came forth in tight order, pummeling the IRON CLAW II
  with their rain of fire. The Romulan battleship fired her
  phasers, successfully eliminating a few of the torpedoes as
  they came close, but the majority of them still hit her hull,
  ripping the top half of the circular connections into
  nothingness.
        The IRON CLAW II launched her own fireball in reprise,
  knowing now that she had been damaged beyond hope of seeing
  home. The giant torpedo crashed into the ENTERPRISE's sheilds,
  reducing them to nothingness. But instead of persisting in
  her attack, the ENTERPRISE instead backed and turned away,
  fleeing out of the sector.
        ~What's she doing?~ Konok muttered as he stood on his
  bridge, his chair now useless. ~Ah, she's spent herself at
  last. Follow and finish her off,~ he commanded. Soon now, he
  decided to himself, it would be over for them.
        "Sheilds are gone, Captain," Tiber mournfully announced
  as the IRON CLAW II's torpedo bay once again became alit. "We
  are also out of torpedoes."
        "Grissom, now would be a good time," Riley stated with a
  serious concern. "Are you ready or not?"
        "Engineering is ready, sir," Grissom announced, though a
  bit nervously. "Commence beaming?" she asked.
        "Yes,"  Riley answered as if he had been asked the most
  absured question he could. "Energize."
        "Beaming anti-matter container through shields, sir."
  Grissom reported as she hit the commands.
        A second later, the center of the IRON CLAW II ruptured
  under an immense explosion. The forward hull of the ship span
  uncontrollably away from the ship and beneath the ENTERPRISE's
  somewhat worn hull.
        Konok pulled himself together, mentally and physically,
  from having been thrown across the bridge. ~Why has the
  emergency boom been ejected?~ he demanded through the blood
  dripping from his mouth. ~What happened?~
        The last other remaning officer on the bridge stood up to
  review his instruments. ~By the stars,~ he commented in
  disbelief. ~The ENTERPRISE beamed over a container of
  anti-matter to our engine room.~ His expression gave away the
  fact that he was mind-boggled.
        ~They can't use transporters through our sheilds,~ Konok
  grimly observed. ~What happened?~
        ~The transport pattern was distorted by our shields,~
  the officer reported, wiping the blood from his face. ~It
  ruptured the containment unit, allowing the anti-matter to
  spill into a matter-filled environment.~
        Konok gave a look of suprise and fear at one moment. His
  vessel had been destroyed because a Star Fleet Captain had
  violated some rules.  His defeat was too much to handle.
        ~The main hull of the IRON CLAW II was incinerated,~ the
  officer explained. ~We were lucky that the computer had enough
  time to jettison us from the rest of the ship.~
        ~We weren't lucky, Secundam,~ Konok muttered, punching up
  the computer's display screen. ~We are helpless against a
  powerful foe. The ENTERPRISE is more than a match for this
  wreck, and there is little we can do to stop them from
  destroying us.~
        The other officer looked through the instrumentations,
  ignoring the damaged or destoryed ones. ~Message from
  ENTERPRISE, Commander Konok.~
        Konok quickly noted that the main screen had been
  destroyed as well. ~On speakers, Secundam,~ he commanded with
  a weary and beaten voice.
        "This is the ENTERPRISE, surrender and prepare to be
  boarded," the voice came from over the computer. "Repeat, this
  is the starship ENTERPRISE, surrender and prepare to be
  boarded."
 
  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
 
        "This is ENTERPRISE to IRON CLAW II command," R'ress
  spoke up, "surrender and prepare to be boarded. Repeat, this
  is ENTERPRISE, surrender and prepare to be boarded."
        Riley paced through his bridge. "No reply, Lieutenant?"
  he asked when his patience began to disappear.
        "No sir," R'ress offered, "but their communications
  systems have been severly damaged. They may not be able to
  respond to us."
        "It is a well known fact," Saavik chimed in, "that
  Romulans prefer suicide to capture. It could be that no one is
  left alive to bring aboard."
        Riley nodded for a moment in agreement. "True, but I
  think that they would have destroyed the ship first." He turned
  again to the image of the escape boom limping away from them.
  "Mister Tiber, are there life forms aboard?"
        "Yes, sir, a few," Tiber replied as he studied over his
  instrument readings. "Twenty-seven Romulans are still alive.
  Only two of which are in the bridge. Frankly, sir, with the
  damage that they've taken I don't think that they can reply to
  us. Sensors also indicate that they don't have the power
  neccessary to destroy the remains of their ship."
        Riley studied over the IRON CLAW II's broken image. "I
  doubt that," he replied, "I doubt that very much." Riley moved
  back to his chair and sat down in it. "Transporter room one,
  beam the IRON CLAW II's survivors straight to the brigs."
        "Aye, sir," someone's voice replied.
 
        ~We have to scuttle the ship before they take us,~ the
  officer with Konok protested. ~Surely you wouldn't let the
  Empire's secrets fall into their hands.~
        Konok opened the weapons locker, which had, thankfully,
  avoided any major damage. ~We can't detonate the ship,~ he
  mournfully replied, ~not with the detonation packs, at any
  rate. We'll overload our hand disruptors, and wait for death to
  claim us.~
        ~What about the rest of the ship?~ the officer demanded.
  ~With our communications down and the turbolift destroyed, how
  do we tell the others to do likewise?~
        Konok smiled grotesquely, his green blood dripping
  from his mouth and nose. He didn't have much time left to
  him. ~You must have faith that our crew will do their duty just
  as we will ours.~
        Konok threw one of the disruptors to his officer, then
  grabbed one for himself. He activated the charging center, and
  waited. ~Let the Empire remember us for the heroes we were,~ he
  proclaimed proudly.
        For several seconds the power built up in the disruptor,
  readying itself to unleash a torrent of energy to rip the
  bridge to pieces. Konok's act would be denied. He reality began
  to sparkle out of existance around him, he was being taken
  prisoner. ~No, don't do me this disgrace,~ he managed to
  protest before being reduced to energy.
 
        Konok materialized alone in a tiny cell aboard the
  ENTERPRISE. His weapon had been rendered inert. Standing before
  him was a large, black-haired human wearing the Captain's
  buttons on his sleeve. The game was over, and Konok had lost.
        ~My opponent, I assume?~ Konok managed through his
  injuries. ~Is it to be torture now? Am I to be beaten for my
  acts against your Federation?~
        ~You deserve it,~ Riley coldly stated in perfect Romulan.
  The fact that this human had understood him, much less
  responded to him took Konok aback. ~I know you've destroyed the
  COLUMBIA, and you've killed sixteen of my men.~
        ~A pittance compared to the damage you've done to me,~
  Konok dared. ~My ship is gone, and my crew are your prisoners.
  Death would have been preferable.~
        ~That's still quite possible,~ Riley retorted as Saavik
  and a security contigent walked in. ~But I've got orders to
  take you to starbase to stand trial. Your government says that
  you acted alone, I just wanted to hear it from you.~
        ~Yes,~ Konok fumed, ~the Empire said that I'd be acting
  alone when they gave me my orders.~ He laughed a bit, noting
  that the ship's doctor was entering the brig area as well. ~It
  doesn't matter, my superiors will deny their involvement, and
  your Federation will do all she can to ensure continued peace.
  It's been that way for thirty years, Captain. It seems that it
  will always be that way.~
        "Saavik, feel free to interrogate the prisoner," Riley
  ordered. "When you're done, order the recover teams to begin
  their search of the IRON CLAW's boom section. I'll be in my
  quarters," Riley finished, starting to leave for the door.
        ~Congradulations on your victory, Captain,~ Konok
  laughed. ~A pity that my most capable adversary would turn out
  to be you,~ he finished with special emphasis on "you". Saavik
  raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing.
        Riley headed out of the room, ignoring Konok's comment.
  The battle was over and had been won. It was now time to lick
  the wounds he had recieved and caused.
 
 
  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
 
     Captain's Log : Stardate 10152.9
     Captain Thomas William Riley
     USS Enterprise, NCC 1701-B
 
     The IRON CLAW II has been destroyed and some of her command
     crew has been captured and await transport to Star Base
     Three four interrogation. The ship has sustained a fair
     amount of damage, but thankfully few casualties. Grissom
     estimates only one week before we can again be underway.
 
     I can mark this event as my first command success,
     tactically. But I have made some critical mistakes on a far
     more personal level.
 
        Ensign Deuce laid in bed, shaking. While his condition
  wasn't serious any longer, he nonetheless remained on Riley's
  mind. Riley had, after all, assassinated his lover right in
  front of him.
        Riley pondered whether or not to wake the young Ensign
  from his shaking sleep. It was the first time the crewman had
  received any rest since the incident, and Riley was content to
  give that time to him.
        But Riley's newfound conscious was being persistant, and
  the matter simply wouldn't leave his mind. "Ensign," he calmly
  called, rousing the young man awake.
        "Captain?" Deuce replied, albeit still half-asleep. "What
  are you doing down here?"
        "I came to check up on you," Riley replied. "Doc said
  that you had taken it pretty bad. I wanted to apologize."
        Deuce gave a quick laugh at the apparant absurdity. "What
  do you have to apologize for?"
        "I fired at Ravis without thinking of how it would effect
  you, Ensign," Riley offered to Deuce's still shaking form. "I'm
  sorry for that."
        Deuce looked over at his captain. "It's not you, or even
  that you fired at him," he managed with his cracked voice.
  "It's him, what he was. I can't forgive myself for letting him
  do so much. He used me."
        Riley let a wave of guilt pass over him. "It's in the
  busniess to use people, Deuce. It doesn't mean that they enjoy
  it," Riley explained, hoping to give some semblance of
  reassurance to himself as well. "He may have even felt
  something for you."
        "It doesn't change things," Deuce muttered in disgust. "I
  was a tool for him to use, just to wreck our ship. When it came
  down to it, he only cared about the Romulans."
        Riley smiled knowingly at that remark. "When it comes
  down it, Ensign. Would you have acted for the Federation, or
  for Ravis?"
        Deuce frowned at that question, realizing the implication
  his Captain had in mind. "I understand, Captain," he replied
  after a moment of thought. "Thank you, sir."
        Riley patted Deuce's shoulder in condolance. "I wish I
  could say that I understood more. I never had someone as close
  to me as you two were to one another. But I do know that what's
  important, is that, for a little while, you had someone. Very
  few of us ever do."
        Deuce was about to respond, but Riley had already begun
  to leave. Matthews intercepted the captain at the door as he
  was leaving, "He'll be fine, Tom. He needed to hear from you."
        Riley let out a controlled sigh. "It was the least I
  could do," he explained. "I have other people to attend to,
  Doctor. One of them I'm not looking forward to."
        "I wouldn't want a mad Vulcan on my case again, either,"
  Matthews agreed knowingly. "She's in her quarters, you should
  see her there."
        Riley smiled weakly. "Nothing gets by you, does it,
  doctor?"
        "Nothing on this ship, anyway," Matthews agreed. Riley
  staggered for more words, but there were none to say. He left
  the room and headed down the hall, wondering how Saavik would
  react to him.
 
        She had begun curling her hair again, for perhaps the
  sixth time since entering her quarters. She pondered how she
  could have let herself be so used by that man, the one who now
  called himself captain.
        It was true that it wasn't his intention to hurt her,
  though it was small consolation. Without so much as a "by your
  leave" he assumed command of the ENTERPRISE, and potentially
  destroyed her carrer.
        But while she had just cause to be angry with him, she
  was perhaps still more angry with herself. She had begun
  feeling intense emotions, and had even acted on them. She
  remembered what she had done to Monroe, and realized that she
  had little jusutification for it.
        Somehow, Riley had driven the deepest emotions from her.
  His presence both comforted and infuriated her, causing her to
  hate herself for never learning to understand her feelings.
  And, despite it all, she still found herself thinking of him.
        Saavik looked up at the door, knowing who it was that
  stood on the other side, and what he would say. She gathered
  her emotions, and did her best to neatly tuck them away.
  "Come," she finally said after a few long seconds passsed.
        The door slid open, and Riley's impressive form stood
  behind it. After a bit of hesitation he carefully stepped
  inside, for the first time feeling phobic of entering a room.
  "Saavik," he called into the dimly lit room.
        She was there, but she said nothing. Riley walked further
  into the room, coming within only a few feet of Saavik before
  she gave him any notice. "Captain," she said menacingly.
        "Saavik," Riley began, finding it difficult to choose the
  words. "I needed to talk to you."
        Saavik said nothing, instead standing to face her Captain
  with a cold stare. The emotionless face drove guilt even
  more into Riley's heart.
        "I know you're upset," he began again. "Please talk to
  me." The was a distinct note of pain in his voice as he spoke.
  But Saavik ignored it, saying nothing. "Please."
        "I'm resigning my commision," she flatly stated, the
  abruptness of her words taking Riley by surprise. "I will also
  informing Star Fleet Command as to how you assumed command of
  my ship."
        Riley closed his eyes in shame. "They'll dismiss your
  complaint, under the circumstances," he muttered truthfully.
  "Star Fleet gave me the orders, after all."
        "I should have been the one to announce your Captaincy,"
  Saavik coldly stated. "It appeared to the crew that you
  literally stole command out from under me. They've lost respect
  for me."
        "You're right," Riley sadly agreed. "I didn't think of it
  at the time. I was following orders," he regretted. "Following
  orders just as blindly as I always have."
        Saavik turned, and for a moment Riley could swear that he
  saw a tear from her eyes. "It wasn't protocol, Captain. Without
  the crew's respect I cannot act as your first officer."
        "You have my respect, Saavik," Riley responded with
  difficulty. "I just don't know how to show it very well. I've
  gotten used to working alone," he truthfully offered. "I should
  have taken your feelings, and the crew's, into account when I
  assumed command," he continued. "I didn't realize how I was
  affecting people. I never had to think of it before."
        "You will have to, now," Saavik responded flatly, in a
  tone that was uncharacteristically emotional. "You've got a
  thousand people on this ship with emotions, and you'll have to
  think of every one of them from now on."
        "Look, Saavik," he tried to explain. "I'm sorry. I've
  never been placed in this situation before. I know I've hurt
  you." He walked to her, gently laying his hand on her shoulder.
  "It isn't enough to say that I was following orders, I want to
  make it up to you somehow. But I don't know how."
        Saavik turned around, moving his hand off of her, but not
  letting it go afterward. "The worst part, Thomas, is that it
  has nothing to do with you," she replied. "I'm not supposed to
  feel hurt by this. It isn't supposed to effect me at all."
        "Is that what everyone expects of you, Saavik Kahm?"
  Riley asked with a look of concern. "Or is that what you expect
  of yourself?"
        Saavik finally released the hold on his hand and turned
  away, not sure of how to answer. "What do you expect of me?"
  she finally, albeit hesitantly, asked him. "What do you want of
  me, Thomas?"
        "I want you, Saavik," Riley admitted. "Feelings, duty,
  and everything else," he continued noting Saavik's surprise.
  "The only expectation I have," he added, "is that you give your
  best to me and this ship. And that you expect the same of me."
        Saavik repressed a smile. "You still want me aboard?
  After all that's happened?" she queried with a bit of
  anticipation.
        "I need you," Riley replied in a whisper. "I don't think
  that I could command this ship without you." He moved gently
  over to her, offering his hand again, this time in a more
  formal hand-shake pose. "Stay with me," he asked.
        Saavik hesitated for a moment. "Your request isn't
  logical, Thomas. But I will," she finally replied, returning
  the hand-shake.
 
  CHAPTER NINETEEN
 
        Sarok entered the conference room, knowing full well that
  his ploy had worked, and that the hand dealt was his. In his
  hand were two cartridges, one was the ENTERPRISE's log, the
  other was Riley's personal message. Both were equally
  important.
        "You wanted to see me, Captain?" Nagura queried as he
  entered in through the room's wooden sliding doors. "My
  schedule was quite full, so I hope you appreciate this."
        "Be certain that I do, Admiral," Sarok unemotionally
  stated. "The ENTERPRISE report is complete, and I concluded
  that you would want to view it."
        "I will later, but I've got a meeting with the President
  in an hour," Nagura responded coldly. "However, I should
  congradulate you and Riley for succeeding in their mission,
  even if you did complain do much."
        "All the complaints were legitmate," Sarok argued cooly.
  "You should have been more receptive to his requests."
        Nagura nodded defiantly. "I've been an intelligence
  officer for nineteen years. I don't need some young captain
  telling me how I'm supposed to run my show."
        Sarok didn't show his emotions of disgust, but they were
  prevalent in the air about them. "I had a feeling you would say
  that, Admiral," he admitted.
        Sarok tossed Rliey's pesonal report to Nagura, who had a
  bit of difficulty in catching it in his tentacles.  "What is
  this?" Nagura asked regarding the computer cartridge. "Another
  set of requests on Riley's behalf?" he prodded.
        Sarok smiled for the first time Nagura could remember.
  "Hardly," he began in a menacingly proud tone. "It is a summons
  to appear before a review board. Riley is bringing up formal
  charges against you for behalf of Commander Saavik."
        Nagura's flat face puffed. "He's doing what?" he demanded
  as he threw the charges from his tentacles. "He can't do that
  to me, I'm his superior officer."
        "You were his superior officer," Sarok reminded him, "but
  we transfered him to another division. He's solid military
  property now, not ours."
        "And what are these charges, Sarok?" Nagura grunted
  nervously. "What have you conspired against me?"
        "I had very little to do with the action Captain Riley
  has undertaken," Sarok explained. "Apparantly, he did not like
  the way that you undermined Saavik's carreer for your own
  goals. He also did not appreciate the fact that Saavik herself
  was not included on the plan."
        Nagura was taken aback by the announcement. "He's
  actually pressing formal charges against me?" he repeated,
  prefering to think that this had been all some sort of cosmic
  joke. "He'll never succeed, Sarok. You know that."
        "Admiral Jameson and I disagree," Sarok retorted. "We
  have both backed Riley's story to the letter. It was easy
  enough to do, considering he merely told the truth."
        Nagura looked down, his eight tentacled arms dropped. He
  had finally been beaten.
 
 
  CHAPTER TWENTY
 
     Captain's Log : Stardate 10154.0
     Captain Thomas Riley
     USS Enterprise, NCC 1701-B
 
     The ENTERPRISE is currently under repair in the Gensis
     sector with the repair ship USS ASSISTER. We estimate repair
     completion within one week.
 
     Even though the ship has suffered damage on several systems,
     the casualties are few. Other than the Romulan plants, Ravis
     and Monroe, we've only lost one crewman, Barett. Saavik has
     already filed condolences with his family.
 
     What remains now is our original mission. The fate of the
     USS FEARLESS is still unknown, though I believe that the
     FIERY RAVEN is another Romulan starship of the IRON CLAW
     II's class. I imagine that we will continue the mission once
     we are underway.
 
        The ENTERPRISE, slightly battered and in need of repair,
  limped through the Gensis sector embraced with the USS
  ASSISTER's gentle repair tentacles. There wasn't much for the
  crew to do for this time, except for aid in repairing the
  damage done to their ship. Largely, though, the repair duty was
  long and boring.
        "Engineering reports that we'll be able to be underway
  within one week," Grissom announced as she entered the bridge.
  "The ASSISTER crew is doing a remarkable job."
        "I'm glad to hear it, Lieutenant," Riley commented as he
  reviewed the damage reports in his hand. "Have the shield
  modifications been made as ordered?"
        "Yes sir, the shields now totally disrupt transporter
  beams when commanded," she proudly announced. "We've also
  modified the shield grid for an increased fifty percent
  efficiency."
        "Excellent, that's a lot more than I expected,
  Lieutenant," Riley commended. "I'm glad something's finally
  going right."
        "Captain?" Saavik queried, "I would say that our success
  in the defeat of the IRON CLAW would be considered 'going
  right', wouldn't you?"
        Riley let out a small sigh. "I would say so, Number one,"
  Riley responded. "We made it of the fire with only a few burns.
  Not bad for a first mission," Riley observed.
        "That was my point, sir," Saavik cooly responded. "Star
  Fleet gives you, and us, their highest recommendation. You
  should be honored."
        Riley let up his eyebrows at that. "I am, Saavik," he
  began, "but I'm not in this business for the honor, prestige,
  or glory. I'm in it because I like it here," he commanded. "I
  like boldly going where no one has gone before."
        "And where will we be going now, Captain?" Saavik queried
  with a concerned look in her eye.
        "Wherever duty calls, Saavik," Riley replied with a
  smile. "We go wherever duty calls."
 
 
 

-- 

"Our crew's living quarters have left the ship."
			- Secundam Yto aboard the IRON CLAW II
Neale Davidson, another writer wanna-be. neale@mentor.cc.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative