"Poor Relations"
version 0.3.6
Part 1 of 2
Star Trek fan fiction
by CorporalCaptain, TrekBBS
June 7, 2024 (some punctuation corrected June 12, 2024)
Captain's log, stardate 48137.5. The Enterprise is on final approach to the planet Oceania, where two members of the crew will leave Starfleet to study the ruins of an extinct civilization. I regret their loss, but I also feel envy, because I am unable to join them.
Picard was brooding in his command chair. He knew that Troi could empathically sense his emotions, so he turned to her in surrender, ready to accept whatever counsel she had to offer.
Troi was already smiling at him from the second officer's chair. "You know," she said pleasantly, "it occurs to me that we've never taken shore leave on an ocean planet."
Troi makes it hard to stay upset, thought Picard. He smiled slightly and turned to his first officer. "Your opinion, Will?" he asked.
"I think the crew is due for a little downtime," Riker responded. He gestured to his monitor. "The weather is clear on New Maui. Because the Yand have made peace with each other without our involvement, we're two days ahead of schedule for our rendezvous with the Charleston. This is as slow as it's likely to get for some time!"
Picard nodded. "I agree, this exotic planet does look inviting, and we do have the time. Very well, see to it. In three shifts over the next 24 hours. Families and all passengers may go ashore at their leisure."
"Yes, sir." It took Riker a moment to manipulate his controls to convert the transcript of their conversation into a formal request to the planetary cyberocracy. It was processed in only a few moments more. "Shore leave approved!" he reported, smiling at an attractive ensign who was walking past to an aft station.
Mister Data called Picard's attention back to the mission. "Captain, we have entered our assigned orbit. The current window for transport to the Theseus will last fifteen minutes."
"Thank you, Mister Data," said Picard. "Mister Worf, hail Captain Harris."
"On main viewer, sir," said Worf at tactical.
A balding, gray-haired man appeared on the holographic display, seated in shade. He wore the Federation General Service uniform. It was similar to the Starfleet uniform, but where the Starfleet uniform was black, the General Service uniform was white. Like Picard's uniform, Harris's displayed command division red and the rank of captain. Behind him was bright azure sky and the planetary rings dividing it. What little hair Harris had left was fluttering in wind. By his dossier, which Picard had reviewed while considering the requests for transfer, Harris had been in service some three years longer than Picard. Picard may command the informal 'flagship' of the Federation, as the Enterprise-D was often called, but officially Harris was the senior captain.
"Captain Picard," he said, "welcome to Oceania! We are ready to receive Lieutenants Desoto and Lambda/Six/Red. I've just read that your crew will be taking an impromptu shore leave. Would you care to come aboard Theseus? It would be my pleasure to offer you a tour of the excavation during the day you're laying over."
Picard was delighted. "Captain Harris, greetings. Since I've known about our extra time, I've been hoping you'd make the offer! May I bring along two senior officers? I'm sure we'd all like to learn why we're losing two valued crew members."
"We look forward to your arrival." Harris briefly glanced down at his monitor. "Shall we say, in ten minutes?"
"Thank you, Captain. Picard out. Mister Data, you and Mister La Forge will accompany me and the two transfers. Make all preparations."
"Aye," replied Data, entering commands as he spoke, "we depart from transporter room two." He transferred the ops station to his relief and joined Picard at the forward turbolift.
"I'll see you in 24 hours, Number One," said Picard. "You have the conn."
"Bon voyage!" replied Riker.
Picard and Data left the bridge, and Riker assumed the captain's chair.
The captain seems genuinely excited and pleased now, thought Troi, but I wonder what was bothering him before?
The five officers and two personal bags materialized in the transport area on the main upper deck of the Theseus. Captain Harris and an ensign were standing by. The area and the rest of the deck were open to the sky. The day was as bright and sunny as it had appeared on the bridge main viewer. It was warm and humid, but there was a breeze. The air was salty.
"Permission to come aboard, Captain?" requested Picard, following the centuries-old protocol.
"Granted!" replied Harris. He shook Picard's hand.
Picard began the introductions. "These are your new officers, Lieutenant Antonio Desoto, engineer, and Lieutenant Lambda/Six/Red, exobiologist."
They exchanged greetings. Harris shook Desoto's hand and the three of Lambda/Six/Red's pincers that she offered.
"If the lieutenants would accompany Ensign Bennet," said Harris, "he'll see you aboard. Please join us in the forward hangar after you've stowed your belongings."
After they left, he continued, "They'll have a good going-over by the doctor. This way." Picard introduced his senior officers to Harris, as Harris led the three to the rail at the forward end of the deck.
The bow of the ship was ten decks below and almost half a kilometer forward. Ocean waves crested and engulfed it completely. Compared to the few clouds in the sky and the planetary rings, the ship appeared to be standing still while the ocean moved around her. Picard had once skimmed schematics of Theseus. He recalled that the vessel was about one kilometer in length and had more laboratories than a Galaxy-class starship. He turned to look astern. The wide, flat conning tower obscured the aft section. Various antennae went up to about 100 meters above the tower.
"Captain Harris," said Data, "we appear to be completely stationary. My gyroscopic sensors can detect no pitch, yaw, or roll motion of any kind. Can I assume then that the third-generation inertial foils are now fully functional?"
"Yes, Mister Data. The latest inertial foils are now indeed 'fully functional.' You can see a submersible, pod number three, being tractored in now and drawn into the force field."
The captain pointed forward over the rail and down to port. The gray ellipsoidal pod was itself about 50 meters in diameter, and it was approaching slowly enough that it almost seemed stationary. When the waves crested, the pod was completely submerged; at the troughs, the submersible was completely airborne. Picard could hear distant, high gusts of wind whenever the troughs came. He surmised that it was because the whole bow of Theseus was completely out of the water at those times.
Harris gestured to a console at the rail. "Mister Data, I think you'll find that we are following the mean tide level and are presently descending at about three millimeters per minute. Our torque is indeed negligible, and the inertial field is presently set to anchor us, fixing our longitude and latitude." Harris allowed La Forge and Data to study the console.
After a few moments, Harris led the three into a nearby turbolift that took them belowdecks, to a corridor that ran along the port side. Through the transparent hull alternated a view of the turbulent waves from above the waterline and a view of the ever darkening depths below it. Since they were now enclosed instead of on the open deck, Picard felt more at ease, more like being on a starship.
At its end, the corridor gave way to the forward hangar. They continued along the transparent walkway that went around its periphery. Picard counted nine bays around the hangar and below them, for the submersible pods. At the opening of the first bay they passed over, Picard noted both force field generators and tracks for physical doors. All nine bays appeared similar, and he expected that there would be redundant systems for the outer doors also. One propeller! The thought teased him, but he did not clearly apprehend its relevance at the moment.
An Andorian ensign called Harris aside to a workstation. While the two spoke quietly, Picard studied the tunnel running aft.
"Gentlemen," said Harris, rejoining them, "I've been informed that there has been a seismic event in the seafloor. At the depths we go, there's always a risk, but now the risk level is elevated. You are all still welcome to join us and see the ruins, but per regulations I am required to disclose to you that it could be unsafe."
La Forge and Data indicated that they would agree with Picard's decision.
"Thank you, Captain," said Picard, "we are undeterred. Please note for the record that we understand your warning, and we are willing to proceed."
Data and La Forge said, "Aye."
The Theseus computer would transcribe their statements of consent into the official mission record.
Harris nodded. "We will descend in pod number one, the Argo. Ensign Thorvin will escort you. We launch in thirty minutes."
When they boarded Argo, Ensign Thorvin assigned them a triple bunk and showed them the head and mess. "Captain Harris requests that Lieutenant Commander La Forge report to engineering and that Captain Picard and Lieutenant Commander Data report to the bridge," she said, her blue antennae parting to indicate deference. "The bridge is forward, sirs. Lieutenant Commander La Forge, if you could follow me to engineering?" The Andorian smiled and led La Forge aft.
Picard understood the situation. Where they were to go was not exactly a suggestion; they were not simply sightseers. In an emergency, they might be expected to lend a hand.
The bridge had the standard configuration of an escort starship. The captain's chair was in the center, helm was to forward, and the other stations were around the perimeters, fore and aft. A Bolian rose from one of the forward stations to greet them.
"I am Commander Miji, executive officer of Argo," she said. "Please take the aft stations. You have standard privileges and full read-only access."
"Thank you, Commander," said Picard. Data and Picard seated themselves randomly, and the stations logged them in from their biometric signatures. Both immediately began familiarizing themselves and monitoring operations.
"La Forge to Captain Picard," said Geordi over comm, "I think you'd better come aft to engineering."
"Captain, they are using banned weapons," said Geordi to Picard. The two were in the phaser control room with Data, Harris, and the chief engineer of Argo. Desoto and several other officers were gathered outside the open compartment to listen.
Geordi continued, "This type of phaser bank was the norm for starships of the mid-23rd century. They generate toxic waste that is impractical to destroy. They're considerably less efficient than what we use, and they require greater shielding to protect the crew."
Picard was disturbed. He addressed Captain Harris. "Why would you install weapons that waste energy and endanger your crew? This is difficult to understand."
More crew members were outside to listen, now. Harris answered clearly so that everyone could hear.
"There's one other reason why these phasers were banned, that your chief engineer did not yet mention," said Harris. "These phasers have a maximum setting that will completely dematerialize any target and convert it entirely into energy. Standard phasers can destroy any target as well, but they will leave material residue with identifiable trace elements."
"Quite so," replied Picard. "The phasers you seem to prefer were banned after they became the favorite weapons of criminals and despots. Untold millions vanished without a trace, and their murderers left no evidence of any crime—"
Harris raised a hand and cut Picard off.
"Mind your place, Captain," said Harris. "You will respect your superior officer."
Picard was momentarily shocked, but he stood silent.
Harris continued, "These phasers are authorized for us to use by the Federation Council. To us, they are not weapons. They are tools. This is not an offensive armament. Ours are not military vessels. We have standing orders not to use either lethal or phase-changing settings against any lifeform, no matter how hostile. These tools are for navigation and drilling emergencies only. When we need to evacuate matter, we cannot afford the presence of any residue, especially plasma, which could negatively impact navigation or structural integrity. There is no margin for error at the depths we are going. Our experience is that the total dematerialization of any matter that we must evacuate is the most survivable option. Is that understood?"
"Yes. I see," responded Picard.
Harris relaxed some and continued. "I understand your disgust with the thought of what these devices are capable of." He spoke louder still, so that everyone now present could hear. "And what they've done. You were right to question their presence. In fact, making certain that these phasers are not being used illegally is one of your duties, is it not?"
"Indeed it is," Picard agreed.
"Captain," said Data to Picard. "I have examined the security certificates, and they are authentic. The use of these phasers on Theseus and on all craft deploying from her is fully authorized. I have further determined that the security protocols protecting them against unauthorized use exceed mandated Federation standards."
"Captain Harris," said Picard, and now he spoke so all present could hear, "it appears we no longer have concerns about your... tools." Picard smiled, but he did not seem happy.
"Thank you, Captain," replied Harris, "Time is running out. Let us proceed with our mission."
There was no sensation of launch or of impact with the ocean, but entry was made audible over comm.
"All hands, this is the captain," said Harris on ship-wide address. "We are descending over 24 kilometers to the seafloor. The situation there is unstable. Collapse of the seabed is possible, and leviathans are expected. Our mission is mapping and sample collection from the ancient ruins at site Thonis. We are on yellow alert. Our fleet is six pods descending, to join with the three pods already on station."
Picard had a few minutes to spend until they reached the seafloor. He decided to use his access to better understand the need for the extreme... tools. He began with the structural integrity system. One of its primary functions was to keep interior pressure constant. The computer indicated that, at the seafloor, the pressure from the outside would be almost three tons of force per square centimeter. That's more than most types of starships can withstand, thought Picard. He wondered whether the crew would be killed, if the force fields were to fail. It appeared that the answer was, 'Not necessarily.' The projected field was supersaturated, and the hull would hold a field charge until it randomly decayed. At maximum depth that would take—it took a moment for Picard to configure the query—only 13 seconds, give or take. So, what could the crew do, not to perish after that time? Picard continued to search. There it is, the emergency ascension procedure. The procedure was to continually dematerialize as much of the water column over the vessel as possible, using full phasers. The unbalanced pressure from below would force the pod upwards. Let's hope we don't have to try this, thought Picard, even if the structural integrity field hasn't failed!
Data was rapidly reading, and Picard let him work. Satisfied with his questions about the phasers, Picard rose and went forward to Lambda/Six/Red's station.
"What do you think, Lieutenant?" he asked her. Picard had intended his question to mean how she regarded her new assignment or perhaps whether she was taking to her new shipmates.
"Captain Picard," she said, in a formal tone. "I am studying leviathan behavioral patterns. As you know, they represent one of the dangers we will face. No attempts at communication have been successful, and they appear to be non-sapient animals. They interfere with submersible activity, even when we are many kilometers from their nesting grounds, which are near the hydrothermal vents."
'We,' Picard noted. She already felt she was a part of the Theseus crew, and no longer part of his.
"We do not interfere with their food, which is also associated with the hydrothermal vents, and yet they still attack."
"What is being done?" Picard asked.
"The only practical and known way of controlling them is using phasers on modified stun settings. It does the creatures no harm, as far as we can tell, but we intend it to inflict pain by neurological stimulation, and we believe it does. They can endure pain, but increasing stimulation to simulate lethal damage drives them off. This is our theory."
"Like cattle prods," summarized Picard.
"Yes, sir. But medically harmless, we think. Bioscience is concerned that behavioral adaptations could render this crude method ineffective. The method forms the basis for no common goal. A more sustainable solution than one using 'cattle prods' must be found. I am evaluating options, sir, and I am attempting to devise methods that could gather needed data."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," said Picard. How I wish she hadn't decided to leave Enterprise! thought Picard.
"We have arrived at Thonis," said the helmsman.
"Activate main viewer," said Harris.
In the artificially enhanced light, the sunken city was unexpectedly evident. There were no standing buildings, but the arrangement of rubble in the sediment over a wide, flat area clearly suggested the maps of cities that Picard had seen on hundreds of planets, including Earth. In the negative spaces between what resembled city blocks, there were indications of roads and parks. Many areas appeared to have caved in. It was remarkably still. The three pods already present near the remains of a building were highlighted in the viewer by indicator boxes.
Picard asked, "Captain, could you give us an overlay showing scale downrange?"
Harris touched a few controls, and a square was drawn on the seafloor, more precisely establishing perspective. "This is one kilometer squared," he said. The square covered what appeared to have been only the central metropolitan area. The ruins stretched back for several kilometers more up to what Picard believed to be the bases of seamounts.
"Narwhal, what is your situation?" inquired Harris.
"Commander Wu here," replied the Narwhal's captain over comm. "Status yellow. Beta and Gamma-class samples located. Excavation in progress. We estimate nominal recovery of all samples in less than five hours. Next station plotted within 200 meters."
"Argo to fleet," said Harris. "Argo will open the next station with Tigerfish and Jennie. Dragonfish will command reserve guard."
"Fleet has acknowledged," reported the computer.
Picard returned to his station aft and checked the tactical display. The three pods in reserve were forming a triangle encircling the two excavation stations at a distance of roughly one kilometer out and one kilometer up.
Data informed Picard of some of what he had learned from the Argo computer. "Attrition of scout drones has been a problem worldwide for the expedition, Captain. The leviathans tend to destroy them, if they attempt to remain at any one position."
"Do they indeed?" asked Picard.
"Energy limitations are also a problem." Data continued. "For environmental reasons, antimatter reactors are not allowed on any submersible. I believe it is in case the vessels implode, Captain." Data paused.
Data may be an android without feelings, thought Picard, but I am certain the thought of crews in danger bothers him nonetheless.
Data had more to report. "Interference in key frequencies limits the use of conventional sensors, and seismic surveys are ineffective at providing high-resolution real-time data. At present, there is no standing perimeter to detect approaching leviathans."
These are all serious issues that compromise the archeologists' safety, thought Picard.
Unexpectedly, Commander Riker called on Picard's communicator. "Riker to Captain Picard."
"Picard here, Number One."
"Captain," continued Riker, "we've received a distress signal from a supply convoy under attack near Yand space."
"Merde," replied Picard. "The truce has fallen through?"
"We're uncertain. We only know that there are civilians under attack. With your permission, emergency saucer separation is underway. The stardrive can warp to render aid in about 15 seconds. We could not recall all ashore parties for a quicker departure, and we're not allowed to leave them unattended."
Captain Harris was now astern at Picard's station.
"Captain Picard," he said. "Beaming through the structural integrity field is not recommended. I'm sorry, but, if they wish to launch as soon as possible, we cannot surface in time for you to command the stardrive."
"Did you hear that, Number One?"
"Yes, sir."
"Proceed to render assistance," ordered Picard. He heard the audio artifacts indicating that the other end of the communication channel was transitioning into subspace.
"We are at warp," said Riker, communications now noticeably distorted.
"Godspeed. Picard out. Picard to saucer section."
"Commander Troi in command, Captain."
"What's your status, Commander?"
At first, Troi sounded slightly perturbed. "Uh, well, one minute we were almost on vacation, and the next we were at red alert. Will handled the situation expertly. We're still a bit shaken up by the rapid shuffling of some personnel, but saucer status is back to green. The families of those on the stardrive are worried, of course."
Picard understood that she meant that, with her empathic abilities, she could physically sense their distress. And no doubt she's worried about Will.
"Is everything alright down there?" she inquired.
"Yes, it is." Picard realized that he had not yet acknowledged her status report.
"The archeologist's dream? I can only imagine! Stardrive crew excepted, shore leave is still on. Starfleet has redirected additional support to this sector. We are standing by in orbit, should you need anything."
Yes, I have been feeling somewhat in need during this mission, thought Picard. Something has been eating at me. But I've no time for self-indulgence. At least both parts of the Enterprise are in good hands. "Good work, Commander! Picard out."
"Captain," said Data. "I am certain Commander Riker will do everything possible to render assistance."
Even with no feelings of his own, Data repeatedly demonstrates concern for mine. "Thank you, Data. I'm sure he will." Picard turned to Harris. "I trust my crew. My focus is here."
"Very good," replied the senior captain. "Let's head back to the moon pool."
End of Part 1.
