Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor
Book One – The Monarch
PG-13 Version
By T.M. Flavin
Table of Contents
Forward
Chapter one - On the Beach, a new offer, a new beginning?
Chapter Two - Finding a niche.
Chapter Three - Crew calls and a Ferengi?
Chapter Four - The Moon call.
Chapter Five - Introduction to a day dream.
Chapter Six - Crew call, do you speak Klingon?
Chapter Seven - Who needs who and what?
Chapter Seven - The loves of my Life; Tehk, Tash, and a Type 9B Cargo Shuttle.
Chapter Eight - Being pleased with myself.
Chapter Nine - Love, Drugs; and a history lesson?
Chapter Ten - Old friends and a false start.
Chapter Eleven - Off to the Moon
Chapter Twelve - The Monarch, a pig in a Polk?
Chapter Thirteen - How to scam a Klingon.
Chapter Fourteen - How to scam a Klingon, part two.
Chapter Fifteen - Introduction to Klingons and security.
Chapter Sixteen - What buying unseen gets you.
Chapter Seventeen - Making do with the Monarch mess.
Chapter Eighteen - Night watch on a former slave ship.
Chapter Nineteen - Dealing with pon farr, a Ferengi shuttle and our antique food re-sequencer.
Chapter Twenty - Hooray for flush toilets; and a take charge wife?
Chapter Twenty One - House keeping on the Monarch.
Chapter Twenty Two - Be’nen and Staunn’s shopping trip.
Chapter Twenty Three - Progress on the Monarch
Chapter Twenty Four - Refugees, what refugees; and why my wife smacked me good.
Chapter Twenty Five - Be’nen’s dilemma.
Chapter Twenty Six - Staunn’s story, with love and drugs.
Chapter Twenty Seven - Be’nen’s solution to her dilemma.
Chapter Twenty Eight - Be’nens’ new assignment, as my new boss!
Chapter Twenty Nine - Preparations for Be’nens’ new position.
Chapter Thirty - The Ambassadors’ goodbye’
Epilogue
Appendix 1 - SF COE Advisor Team Roster
Appendix 2 - Klingon crew roster, of the merchantman, ‘SS Monarch’.
Appendix 3 – Notes and credits

 

[Big Tom]

Star Trek Corps of Engineers Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch

PG-13 version

By T.M. Flavin

Forward as told by Michael Thomas, CWO Ret

My story is about a time of peace, at a time when peace meant recovering from the last war and preparing for the next conflict.

I never considered myself a warrior, if anyone in this day and age can be called that, I was and still am an engineer.

I had been content in my engineering career to assist in rescue operations, repairs to stranded space craft and even an occasional construction projects at various outposts throughout Federation Space.

Although I had seen the casualties of collisions, system breakdowns and pirate raids, I was not really prepared for the first big conflict that I was involved with.

That was the battle with the Borg at Wolf 359 in the year of 2367.

The battle between the United Federation of Planets and the Borg collective lasted only a few hours. 40 Starfleet starships were gathered near Wolf 359 to intercept a Borg cube ship traveling to Earth.

The Borg, having assimilated Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his knowledge of Starfleet tactics and technology into its collective consciousness, obliterated the Starfleet force, 39 ships were destroyed, with the loss of over 11,000 lives.

Following its victory, the Borg ship continues on its course to Earth, where with skill and luck, the crew of the Enterprise-D rescued Picard and stopped the cube.

Most of the Corps of Engineers in the quadrant was mobilized for rescue, salvage and cleanup.

That kind of mission can change a man. I know it changed me.

As a result of the personnel losses many of the Corps officers were transferred to Starfleet defense vessels. Some of the senior enlisted personnel like me were commissioned as warrants to command the smaller repair tenders.

My ship was a Cle Dan Class VI Repair Tender. It normally operated with a crew of twenty four experienced engineers. My ship came directly from training command with twelve engineers and twelve senior students for the Earth Engineer Training center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

The tender was supposed to have four Type 9-A, or its equivalent, shuttle craft, we had two for safety reasons, because there are no escape pods on this type of tender. In addition I had two Type M-1 Work pods, and four work bees with manipulator arms, for grappling.

Our job, after an area survey, was to bring major salvageable ship components to a Pearl Class VII Mobile Repair Facility. Two to four Cle Dans operated out of a Pearl.

Once the major components were gathered to meet a plausible repairable ship; they were tacked together within the Pearl then towed to the nearest star base for rebuilding.

Most of ours went to Earth or Mars facilities. A little over half were rebuilt; the rest of the parts and components went into fabrication of newer and smaller cruisers, to rebuild the fleet.

Our secondary mission was to recover the dead and smaller debris. Most of the smaller debris was bundled and pushed, with enough velocity, for it to reach the nearest star.

The dead and pieces of bodies were collected and sent in storage pods to the Pearl. From there they were picked up by a Starfleet cruiser that was assigned for security.

The dead were then identified, and placed in burial torpedo shells and given a funeral onboard with full military rights. The burial torpedoes were then taken to an area outside the debris field and fired into the sun for burial.

Wolf 359 has no planets in orbit.

After eighteen months we had towed, or pushed, five composite ships to the Sol system. I don’t know what their status was after the rebuild or the names they were re-commissioned to.

Many were probably lost in the subsequent battles with the Klingons, the Romulans and lastly the Dominion, where in that wars’ aftermath my story begins.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG-13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter One - On the Beach, a new offer, a new beginning?

Day One

The Cape Canaveral Legion Club was quiet, only the bartender and one patron sitting at the bar.

Both were trying to watch the video, and not paying particular attention to it, or to each other.

“So where is Mabel, has she got the night off,” I asked the bartender?

“Yeah, she said had something she had to do tonight, and asked me to fill in for her.” The bartender replied.

“Funny she didn’t tell me. I was hoping we could have dinner together.”

“Yeah, well sorry about that, but she didn’t really say what was going on, and I didn’t ask. I wasn’t doing anything tonight anyways, so here I am,”

“Yup, just the two of us,” I replied.

Damn! I thought, it sounds like the brush off to me. I kind of figured she wanted something more permanent in our relationship, much more than I am able to deliver. So much for divorcee to divorcee affaires, but damn it, she sure was really accommodating.

Gayle, my last wife, sure left her mark on me, fifteen years is a long time.

What an ass I was, I should have stayed retired like I promised.

Living through the Borg threat and its’ aftermath was enough for anybody. I know it sure left its’ mark on me. Six months at Houston Medical center putting my head back together, will certainly change your perspective.

I thought I’d had enough. Twenty five years was a long time. Retirement from the Engineers seemed like the best option to stabilize our marriage. She had put up with a lot while I was active service.

A Starfleet marriage usually doesn’t last too long. Ours lasted longer than most. Fortunately most of my missions were months long, not years long like the long range exploration missions. I loved Gayle, I loved my job and I especially loved returning to Earth to be with her.

Too much concern about my job I guess; and the Borg action at Wolf 359, the rescue operation, if you could call it that, and the vessel recoveries, broke something in me.

The almost two years of literally picking up the pieces from that Borg attack, the towing of the disabled, and sometimes demolished Starfleet ships to Moon base Alpha and Mars Sol VI stations for refit, reassemble or scrapping, took its toll.

I was glad I wasn’t with the graves and internment section. There were bodies floating everywhere as it was. What we found inside the ships and debris areas was bad enough. We only had to bag’em and tag’em.

After the cleanup mission was completed, the night mares started. I then spent six months at Huston Medical, to help clear my mind. I was glad Gayle was a nurse practitioner. Her transferring to Huston immediately had greatly supported my therapy. That was the most time I had ever spent with Gayle since we were married.

Dam it all, I wasn’t the only one there though. A lot of my fellow engineers were there. Ship and command counselors just couldn’t handle the work load.

Six months is a lot of time to think. You try to reassess your priorities. Gayle and I opted for my retirement.

Well now it’s eight years later and I’m sitting on a bar stool by myself. Mabel, my date, has probably said sayonara. Gayle, after divorcing me, is still living in Huston, and I’m living in a three room apartment that’s just big enough to keep my suit cases in.

I’m lucky I still have my shuttle pilot’s license. The United Space ways moon shuttle ops where I work now is where I catch up on my sleep, but at least I still have a job.

There is a girl friend on Alpha Base, on the moon, that I get to see once in a while, when they let me land, about once every third trip. Hip, Hip, hooray!

Harriet can be real accommodating when her husband goes on the six months tour for the in-system resupply and freight pickup, “with that Orion bitch”.

Evidently he would stay home for thirty days, between tours, ignoring his frustrated wife, and then leave on the next tour call, to fly with his female Orion co-pilot.

Must be he didn’t mind loosing half of his pay to support Harriet, because he had been doing it for years; at least as long as I knew Harriet.

He must have something going for him with the ‘Orion bitch’, because they usually don’t hang around long enough to establish a lasting relationship.

As for me, I had to listen to Harriett complain about her husband, for about two hours, then it was off to bed for two, or three days.

She would always cry her eyes out when I left and I felt like a cad for about two days. as I piloted the shuttle back to Earth. Then I would start thinking about meeting Mabel again, and forget about Harriet, that is until the next run to the Moon.

Well, sitting here on a bar stool wasn’t doing me any good, so I said to hell with it; I can do my drinking alone at my apartment.

I asked Terry the bartender to relay a message to Mable “to give me a call when she gets a chance”.

I said Good night and walked the six blocks to my Seaside Resort hotel room. It sat just a half a block from the ocean right behind a twenty story real “Seaside Resort” hotel.

When I entered my room I noticed the message blinker going at my terminal.

Damn, maybe I was being too harsh with Mable; Gayle usually only calls me during day time, while she was on duty, just to check up on me occasionally.

The message was from Commander Pete Turner. I knew him since he was an Ensign, and I was an enlisted engineer. He was one of the smart ones. He finally made it to staff at Star Fleet when I became a Warrant officer, and stayed operational in the Rescue and Recovery fleet.

He wanted me to call him about a mission that I might be interested in.

That got me thinking. The last time he called me was during the Dominion war fracas. He asked me to come out of retirement to
assist in training missions in Rescue and Recovery operations at the Missouri Training school. When I said yes, Gayle hit the ceiling and we had a huge fight. I left for Missouri, Gayle headed for Houston, and after three months of trying to get her to move to Missouri, I was served with the divorce papers.

I couldn’t say I blamed her much, but I sure missed her and her loving. Gee she was good to me.

I was the idiot. All I did was give lectures to Officer Cadets. I felt like Grandpa Moses. I ate in the mess hall instead of the Officers mess because I didn’t want to be alone. I had the social life of a monk. It seemed everyone knew about my divorce within three days, and felt “tut tut” sorry for me.

As soon as the Dominion War stopped after the fleet action off Cardasia, I quit again and moved to Florida, with nothing but my goods in storage.

I decided to sleep on Pete’s message until the next morning. There were no calls from Mabel or from Gayle either, for that matter.

In the morning, after a good long shower and a breakfast of toast and coffee, I called up Pete. Commander Turner that is.

I was routed through a few secretaries (?), and then Pete answered;

“How’s it going Chief?”

“Not too bad,” I said

“Are you very busy now days?” I knew that was a goofy question because he probably already looked up my work record before he called in the first place.

“Not so much, I still keep my hand in operating shuttle to the moon and back. Other than that, nothing special, what’s up?”

“Well you know it’s been almost a year since the Dominion war stopped.”

“You don’t need me for more instruction work do you? The Engineers should have plenty of training personnel by now, after the fleet action and the reoccupation of Deep Space Nine by Sisco”.

“No it’s an Advisor position.”

“What! You know that I’m only a Chief, not a big wig like you now. Who the hell would take advice from me?”

“I would Chief, and did. We operated well together on the old Sedan. Plus you impressed a lot of the brass with your work at the Missouri Engineer Academy. You know we were better prepared for recovery operations, both physically and mentally, after the Dominion actions. But someone else needs your help and expertise.”

“Who?”

“The Bajorians, and in some ways the Cardasians.”

“What do they want me to do and why? I’m retired now you know. I’m not Star Fleet anymore; I don’t get what you’re asking me Pete”?

“Chief”, he started off, “the Bajoran Government wants to do the recovery work on what’s left of the Cardasian Fleet that is now littering their shipping lanes. You know what damage can be made on a vessel traveling at warp speed. They want to salvage what they can and clean up the debris fields”

“The Cardasian home world is in such a bad state of devastation from the fighting there that they also can’t afford to even try it either.”

“The Bajorans also want to establish a parts recovery operation for their own fleet, which is mostly based on Cardasian technology. Seeing as they also haven’t recovered completely from the Cardasian occupation; we agreed to try to assist.”

“Well what do you want me to do about it? Like I said I’m only a retired Engineer Chief Warrant Officer, and you’re giving me a bad feeling Pete.”

“Look Chief we are in a bind. Star Fleet lost almost half of our fleet in the past ten years. We even had to raid our reserve fleet. Command even has two cadet ships pulling patrols. We want to help Bajor, but even our resources are limited. To do this mission means going to the bone yard.”

“Jesus Pete, what do you want me to do?”

“They need your expertise Mike. They will furnish the crews and laborers for the ship upon arrival at Bajor. We will furnish them a ship and try to equip it as much as possible from reserve stocks. Your first job will be to get the ship to Bajor.”

“By the way you will be listed as a civilian advisor, paid by the Bajorian government.”

“How long is this mission supposed to be for, Pete, with only one ship it’s going to take an awfully long time? Paid for by Bajorians! I can imagine that if I could get there now I could live there for about two hundred and fifty credits a year. Great!”

“We estimate it will be a three year mission, give or take a few months. Plus free Bajorian lands that will be available for settlement.”

“Great! Three years is a long time Pete. You know that most of our missions only averaged a month, except for Wolf 359. I’m not going to be stuck out in space for the whole three years am I. If I wanted to do that I could have transferred to long range exploration.”

“No. The Bajorian have a basing agreement with Cardassia, it will be some place between Deep Space Nine and Cardassia. The depot and storage facilities will be located near there too. All you have to do is make sure the recovered materials get there.”

“You mean the bits and pieces don’t you. What ship do we get; the pick of the fleet?”

“My, you are turning into a cynic Chief. You get a Grayson Class tender.”

“A Grayson!”

“Jesus Pete, they must be a hundred years old, at least an antique, and a buoy tender at that. It’ll take a year to get to Bajor let alone do a mission. Damn Pete you are asking a lot, and on Bajoran wages too.”

“Chief, she is a beacon repair tender, note I said repair tender. She was retired to the reserve fleet five years ago and was pretty much up to date when retired. She should be on station not later than three months. Of course you will have to reequip her with shuttles and such. That’s why we need your expertise.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence Pete. Those buoy tenders were the last chance for Star Fleet personnel. They served as nice long punishment tours from one to three years too. Well I really don’t have anything going on here, you already know that. But I do have a few conditions before I make my decision.”

“I see, well I guess if they’re within reason, I’ll see what I can do. What are they?”

“I’ll need about twenty crewman, Star fleet or ex-Star Fleet to get the ship up and running. I will call a few old friends. I also want myself and my crew members paid in Earth credits, not Bajoran. The crew will be strictly advisor instructors, not worker bees”.

"I also will need free access to the bone yard, in fact I want an office for a couple of months there, so I can keep an eye on things, and a name at the Bajorian Embassy that I can complain to.”

“Done, Chief! By the way I was very sorry to hear about the breakup between you and Gayle. I hope she is doing well”.

“I will make the necessary arrangements with Chuck Norstad at the Nellis bone yard. I will inform the Bajorian Embassy of your decision. They may want to meet you anyway in San Francisco, to answer any questions. By the way you might have some Bajoran passengers who will work for passage for their return home. Thanks Chief, you are going to help them a lot.”

“Well Pete you know I’ll need some help too. I want you to keep in touch. I do remember that we did have some good times together, before all these wars began. We both lost too many friends.”

“Yes we did Chief, Good luck and take care; Turner, out.”

That settled that, back to the corps as a civilian. A retired chief with a retired ship with a mission to pick up space junk probably for the rest of my life, what more could a man ask for.

I looked for my suit cases, and packed my travel pack.

I placed a call to Mabel, there was no answer, so I left a message, “I’m off to Bajor, see you when I get back”.

I dragged everything down to the front desk, checked out, and paid my bill. I then called a cab to take me to the airport for a hop to Las Vegas. While at the air port I called United Space ways Freight, and informed them that I was resigning and to forward all pay and mail to the Nellis Star Fleet Depot, Nevada.

I thanked them for the employment, but now I had a real job to do.

Its Goodbye to Florida

 

[Big Tom]

Star Trek Corps of Engineers - Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Two - Finding a niche

Day Two

Flying to Vegas was the easy part, getting out of Vegas cost me a hundred credits in the slot machines, plus a car rental.

The Nellis Starfleet Depot was one of the largest salvage and equipment storage facility in North America. It has been so for hundreds of years. Their museum alone covered hundreds of acres. Most of the material on site was dated from the Eugenic Wars.

The more modern storage facilities were for surplus aircraft, both military and civilian. There were space shuttles and runabout craft, some launch assist vehicles, plus the gigantic parts storage warehouse, where parts were stripped off of recycled craft.

Because of the recent wars the newly salvaged materials recovered, is from those battle damaged, and destroyed, star craft.

Most of the ships, and materials, that I helped recover after the battle at Wolf 359, of the Borg intrusion, was now being utilized in the fleet.

The recent Dominion War recovered ships, and materials, mostly went to Mars station Sol III. Some of the large pieces were stored with the reserve fleet, waiting to be picked over.

At the depot I met Chuck Norstad, the chief civilian in charge. We talked a little bit about old times. He had already received orders from Star Fleet Engineer Headquarters about my mission. He then showed me to my cubby hole of an office, directed me to the bachelor’s officer quarters, where I would lodge and where I would stow my bags.

In the old days I used to stay in Vegas, and commute, with a nice per diem allowance, but now I had a real job and had to pay my own way.

The first thing I did in my quarters was call and ask Fleet headquarters for a crew call, on the open net, for personnel willing to crew the old Grayson Tender.

I needed at least twenty five people qualified for recovery operations, and the manning of the ship to Bajor. They were to act as instructors, and over seers. Retired personnel were welcome.

I didn’t expect a big rush to my door, especially if they took the time to read the fine print on this deal. Three years in an old buoy tender with about as much accommodation as a moon shuttle was not a choice assignment.

I also put out a call to a couple of people who worked with me on the old Sedan, the Cle Dan Class VI repair tender that I was in command of, for the Wolf 359 recovery mission.

Ron Thornton was a great recovery operations man, and Pete Murray, along with Donald Murdoch were the best warp engine engineers that I knew, and served with. I knew they retired lately and if they weren’t pushing freight, like I was, I hoped that they could give me a call.

I then checked with Norstads’ office for the requirements of re-commissioning the Grayson, and if supplies were available on site.

I figured the Starfleet budget set for Bajor was strictly to be within the bone yard only capability.

That meant used, and or obsolete, but serviceable equipment only. Any upgrades had to come from what we could salvage on site, like replicators. The Grayson had none; it was strictly food packs, or re-sequencers, from station to station.

I also had to see if they had a serviceable shuttle craft to get my crew to the Reserve fleet site. The Grayson was supposed to carry eighteen shuttle craft, probably the old Mark 12B models.

I also needed Work bees, with grabber sleds, that were used for retrieving the beacons for repair.

With a ship’s cargo capacity of 250 space cargo units (SCUs), one half of the work bees would have to have cargo train attachments for up to eight SCUs.

So to start with, I figured I’d have to acquire two Type 9A Cargo shuttles, more if I could get them, to accommodate my crew.

They’d have fold down seats in them, to get all the crew to the reserve fleet station.

Damn! I don’t think they would like it traveling in a shuttle with only emergency ration packs. I was starting to get one of my headaches.

Next I sent my wish list to Depot headquarters. I could imagine what they were saying about the extra help they will need to get all this stuff up and running, and then get it up to a ship.

My eyes were starting to bug out from looking at computer screens so I signed off and took the base shuttle over to my quarters, at the BOQ. Then I walked down to the base club for dinner, and a drink. Man, I was starved; I had nothing but a coffee and a bagel all day.

When I got back to the BOQ, I was beat. Tomorrow was a new day, and with it a fresh outlook. I just wished I could switch off my head as simply as turning off the computer, no such luck.

Welcome to management.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Trek Corps of Engineers Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Three - Crew calls and a Ferengi?

Day Five.

It’s a new day and I was in a good mood. After haunting the Depot for two days, I was starting to see some daylight on the list of supplies and equipment I needed.

Chuck told me everything will be processed smoothly if I furnish the two hundred and fifty men to get all of the equipment serviced, loaded and ready for transport. Ha!

I had to call the Bajoran embassy again to see if they had any suggestions as to how we could get things rolling in the labor department.

So far I hadn’t gotten one application for crew assignments. I suggested to them that we list on the civilian Space Crew Employment Net, for crew assignments of people wishing to travel to Bajor, Deep Space Nine, or other unusual places within the Bajoran sector.

Vedic Tre Lan, of the Bajoran Embassy staff, said he would see what he could do.

Later in the day I got an encouraging call from Ron Thornton. He said he might be interested if he could bring his wife along. She was a former Star Fleet tech and they were both getting itchy about getting back into space.

I said “Its fine with me Ron, and if you know of any others with the same idea of bringing their spouse, it was okay with me. If they’re qualified, Ron; I’ll find a position for them, but I will need people who were willing to assist in training, and overseeing, the Bajorans for at least three years.”

Ron said “Okay, Mike, sign us up. Do we meet at the Depot, or shuttle out of San Francisco?”

I explained to Ron that he had to make out an on-line application through Star Fleet Engineers for approval.

When he was approved he, and his wife, were to come with his tools. They would both be working for me right away helping me in getting all this stuff in the Bone yard prepared.

They would have to fly into San Francisco, or Las Vegas, and shuttle to Nellis. There were no commercial flights allowed in to the Nellis Depot.

Ron explained that me they would be there in about a week. He would try to track down Don and Pete because they were talking about signing onto a freighting business themselves. He would get back to me as soon as he could.

After the call I was feeling a little more optimistic.

That went well for the morning anyway, time for lunch.

I was just about to go out the door when a rental car pulled up. I could tell it had been rented from a “Rent a Wreck” outfit because the model was almost ten years old. Out stepped three humanoids. I say humanoids because while they resembled humans, they were definitely a different species, they sure weren’t ‘Earthers’.

Two of the other worlders were shapely females, of a species I’d never seen before. They seemed to be the type you would ogle at a Vegas casino frequently these days.

These females were scantily dressed, and adorned with feathers no less. Even though I didn’t recognize the species, they were very pretty and had yelowish hue to their skin.

The dwarf they had between them, I did recognize. He was Ferengi. The first thing I did was put my hand on my wallet. He was short, overdressed by my standards and had a big toothy grin like a barracuda that wanted to sell me a used car.

The Ferengi weren’t pirates, at least that I knew of lately, but they were opportunists as some of the biggest scavengers that the Star Fleet Engineers had to deal with. Some of the Fleet’s crews spent as much time chasing and recovering what the Ferengi were pilfering from both the Borg and Dominion battle sites, as they did with recovery operations.

They were as persistent as mice after a five pound cheese, what they couldn’t carry away they nibbled at. I was wondering if I should alert depot security.

He spoke up directly and asked if he could speak to me about the possibility of traveling to Bajor and Deep Space Nine, on the re-commissioned Grayson.

Frankly I was a little put off. I felt I was getting an invitation from the fox to raid my hen house. Be that as it may, in the spirit of interstellar relations and in dire need of a crew, I invited them into my office cubby for an interview.

The Ferengi introduced himself as Mr. Og. The two lady friends, Daboe Girls he called them, Sunbeam and Tea Cup. Now that was a set of names if I ever heard of one.

The gist of Mr. Og’s request, after much bowing and scraping, with a few your Excellency’s’ thrown in, was he was in a little financial difficulty.

He desired a fast and cheap travel to the nearest destination that would improve on his present circumstances.

Bajor and Deep Space Nine weren’t his first choice, but he knew of at least some Ferengi trade colonies there and he was sure he would get a job there and pay for his passage. I got the impression the Daboe Girls were on their own.

I asked him if he had prior experience as a spacecraft crewman. The answer went something like, “I’ve owned and piloted numerous private Ferengi trading vessels, on numerous trading ventures, many very successful and profitable”.

I took that with a grain of salt and entered in his passport card into the computer just to make sure there was no criminal record.
The reading showed that he arrived on a Ferengi freighter six months ago, and the ship left Earth without him two weeks later.

All his paperwork looked legit; pilot, loadmaster, fourth officer (cargo and supplies). Over twenty years of flight experience, but what was the reason he was stranded on Earth?

I asked him that question.

“It was all a misunderstanding. They said I was incompetent dealing with Earthers. There was not enough profit, the captain said, to pay my way to are next port. It was most embarrassing, but I assure you your Excellency I will guarantee you an excellent profit on record when we reach Bajor.”

I told him it was Mr. Thomas, not your Excellency. I didn’t need an immediate profit to get to Bajor, but I needed a loadmaster and supply tech. All officer positions would be eventually filled by Bajoran Fleet Officers. So if he was interested in taking a position as a SF Civilian grade five, Supply Specialist, he could work his way to Bajor, or to Deep Space Nine, for that matter.

“But Captain I have over twenty years experience in trade and commerce, surly that must be worth much, much, more.”

“Well Mr. Og, I figure you were stranded here on Earth because you couldn’t con, cheat or steal enough to satisfy your fellow crewmembers, so they voted you off the boat. Am I right?”

Both Daboe Girls were shaking their heads yes behind his back.

“I gather you had some bad luck in Vegas trying to recoup your losses, By the way how much are you in debt to the casinos?”

“I owe about twenty thousand credits, plus hotel bills and other miscellaneous expenses.”

“Miscellaneous expenses?”

“Show Girls!” The girls said in unison.

“My, my Mr. Og. I am amazed that you lasted this long. Are you sure there is no contract out on you with some debt collectors?”

“We think there is, that’s why we are here,” the girls said. They must be twins.

“That’s an exaggeration Captain,” he butted in. “I’m sure as soon as I accept this job, everything can be worked out.”

“You said accept, right,” I confirmed.

“Yes, but that’s because you have me at a disadvantage, sir,” he said glumly. “I will do my best in whatever position you put me into.”

“Okay, Mr. Og. Just fill out this SF Civilian job application form on the computer, for Supply and Cargo tech, grade Five, and submit it to SF Engineer HQS, Attn: Commander Peter Turner, everything will be fine. You can use this terminal here,” I directed.

I expected Pete would have a heart attack when he got this application, but I knew the computer system Mr. Og would be working with would watch his checks and balances. Plus the fact the Ferengi had a business brain that thought anything within his inventory control was theirs, so I’m sure he’ll definitely keep an eye on everything.

“What are we going to do, captain?” The two Daboe Girls asked.

“Why, what do you mean, don’t you work in Las Vegas”, I asked?

“Yes sir, we do, but we must go with Mr. Og. We are his companions.”

“Companions; just what do you mean by that?”

“Well sir, we are a gift from the queen mother, and we are bound to him for life,” said Sunbeam.

“Yes sir,” added Tea Cup. “Mr. Og performed a great service for the queen mother, and our species.”

“Is this true Mr. Og.?”

“It was only a minor thing, nothing at all, surely the girl’s exaggerate.” Mr. Og seemed to squirm in his seat and try to duck under the counter.

“What was this great service, girls?”

“Mr. Og and his fellow crewmembers donated his DNA, and sperm, to help design us, as the Daboes we are today. We can all walk upright and vocalize like the humanoid races. It is so much easier for off world travel you see.”

“Walk upright?”

“Oh yes, captain. On our home planet we used to have a physical appearance of what some of your people would call insectoid, although we had mostly mammalian characteristics.”

“The Ferengi were hunting us for food as well as seeking planet minerals,” piped up Tea Cup.

“The queen mother asked her children to capture some of these Ferengi, for study and communication. The Ferengi are not susceptible to mental telepathy, so we had to find out a way to communicate with them to stop them from killing our sisters for food.”

“They only killed females?”

“Captain we are all females in a sense. Only the queen mother can create a male for breeding purposes. Sunbeam and I are pod mates; we serve the queen mother. We are all female and we are all sterile. Only the queen mother can birth the pods.”

“Mr. Og was thoroughly studied by the queen mother. It took an extensive mind probe to discover what the Ferengi physiology, and psychology was. We are almost his perfect woman. After the first pods had grown enough to communicate with Mr. OG, He was able to stop the hunting of us Daboes.”

“We now have a written language, and can now trade with the Ferengi. The Ferengi take us everywhere as helpers and companions. We have returned with so much knowledge to the queen mother, that the Ferengi can no longer cheat us.”

“Well now that is saying something. I suppose that means you know if your boss is cheating someone.”

“Yes Sir, much to our dismay. We are such a burden to Mr. Og. When he is with other Ferengi we can’t tell what is going on between them, but with non Ferengi, we seem to sense if something is a little risky.”

“Why doesn’t he fire you and send you home?”

“He cannot insult the queen mother!” They both exclaimed.

“The Grand Negus would crucify me and my whole family if I so much as slighted the queen mother, let alone insult her,” interjected Og. “Besides that she would kill these two she gifted to me.”

“Why in the hell can she do that? Can’t you protect these two girls?”

“Well if anything happens to me, like death, or if I renege on my promises to the queen mother, they would return to Dabo and the queen mother would eat their heads off.”

“What?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so your Excellency,” Og groaned. “But that is how the queen mother gains all her knowledge. It is then transferred to the next generation of pods that she lays. It’s all so biological you see.”

“I see, so I must hire these two Dabo girls or I’m sending them to their deaths. Is that correct?”

“Again I’m afraid so your Excellency, it out of my hands and I seem to be doomed to a life of poverty unless we get back into the hands of my Ferengi brethren. Plus I can’t find a mate with these two hanging around, but that’s another story. I just need to get back to Ferenganar and I’ll be rid of these two.”

The two girls giggled. “We told you, you were traveling in the wrong direction. It was away from Ferenganar, Mr. Og. Things will be better when you are rich again.”

“See what I mean Captain, the burden they put on me and so little respect. They should be tasked for the hardest and dirtiest job in your Star Fleet. It would serve them right.”

“Okay Sun Beam and Tea cup, if that is your real names I can offer you a couple of clerical jobs. Not much money, but you can keep an eye on your lord and master here.”

“Oh yes,” they both chimed. “We accept.”

“The two positions are Supply Clerk and Load Master Clerk, both SFCiv grade threes.”

I just made them up.

Get on the terminal after we have lunch. I’m starved and Mr. Og hasn’t even started his application yet. He can stay here and get it done, then go to lunch later, or whatever Ferengi do for meals.”

“Oh yes Captain! We are hungry too. We have not eaten for two days, we were so glad for him to see the opening on the employment net.”

“Okay girls, but its Mr. Thomas, not Captain. I am a retired Chief Warrant officer and you can address me as Mr. or Chief. I will answer to both.”

“Yes Cap—Mr. Thomas, chief sir. We understand perfectly, Mr. Chief Sir.” This brought on another round of giggling.

“Let’s go to the mess hall ladies, and have lunch. This time it’s on me.”

 

[Big Tom]

Star Trek Corps of Engineers Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter four - The Moon call

Day Five

When I finished having lunch with the two Dabo girls, I returned to my office to see how Mr. Og was getting along.

The lunch was a real experience in off world eating habits.

At the Officer’s Mess buffet, both girls had about eight link sausages apiece, covered with pancake syrup, about three glasses of fruit juice topped off with about three table spoons of sugar. Talk about a sweet tooth.

Og had finished his work application. He had cruised the net trying to get assistance from the Frengi ambassador, of course none was given. On top of that he was charged by the ambassador for the service call, from funds that he did not have.

Nice people.

Og’s work application was bounced back for an endorsement from me as to why a Ferengi was even allowed an application at all.

The application was resubmitted and forwarded with my approval, subject of course to the Bajoran Embassy’s approval.

I then had to inform the Bajoran Embassy of my reasoning behind hiring the Ferengi, and requested approval, because experienced help was, and is turning out to be, hard to find. Otherwise it could take months to get the recovery operation off and running.

I was sure the Bajoran Embassy would do a records check on Og, verifying his certificates, and making sure he wasn’t persona non grata on Bajor.

I sent the whole crew over to base housing with temporary orders for lodging.

I told Og; that after he had his lunch, to make peace with his creditors, or the Bajorans wouldn’t approve his application.

I really didn’t know if it would make any difference, and he wasn’t sure either.

I gave him my PADD file on the requirements for re-equipping the Grayson, from the bone yard stocks.

I wanted him to start working on them with base supply as soon as possible. He grumbled something about not being a slave, but promised to do his best.

I told him I wanted an initial report in forty eight hours.

“Yes, you’re Excellency, Good day, Sir,” was his sarcastic reply.

The Dabo girls’ chirped; “Good day, Captain, Mr. Sir.”

One down and ninety nine more tasks to do until Bajor, I thought. It was time to recheck on crew applications.

Ron Thornton called in and informed me that he had six engine room personnel that he had collared. Three more wives, besides Ron’s wife Holly, would also be hiring on board.

That showed me some progress.

I didn’t know how Ron got hooked up with Holly, but I knew she was a good impulse engine tech.

I replied that they needed to send in their applications to Fleet Headquarters for civilian tech positions on the Grayson. They should be rated as eights or nines and if there was any problem with their ratings in the applications, Ron was to give me a call.

In my office computer mail I found a flag from a Commander Hayes on Luna port.

This should be interesting, I thought. It would be a good guess on how he would suggest how I was going to get personnel from the moon, to here on Earth, on a Bajoran budget.

Contacting Commander Hayes was easy; it was on his personal comm. link.

I introduced myself, I knew him from way back when I was first made Warrant Officer.

“Hello Chief. I’m glad you called. I have a problem that I hope you can help me out with.”

“Me help you Sir? I’m the one who’s looking for the hired help. What could be your problem that’s worse than mine? You know the score on the Grayson, and her mission, don’t you?”

“Yes Chief, I know all about it and by the way have you ever worked with Klingons?”

“Klingons! I know the Federation is on peaceful terms with them now, but what the hell do you want me to do with Klingons?”

“Personally the big bastards scare the hell out of me. They smell like month old laundry and they drink like fish. We had to clean up a lot of their messes after Klingon pirates hit some of our freighters. I’m sure as hell not lovey dovey over the prospect of having to associate with them either, Sir. With that background, what’s your proposition?”

“Well they would make up a ready made crew for you Chief.”

“Commander, I’m supposed to get the Grayson to Bajor. If I let any Klingon near that ship they’ll hijack it for sure.”

“Hold on and listen to me for a second will you Chief. I think we can work out a deal with these Klingons if we play our cards right.”

“They have an old Monarch Class IX Deep Space freighter that has seen its better days. They almost flat landed here about six months ago. The ship needs a refit and they don’t have any credit. Their cargo didn’t cover much of expenses when they sold what they could. All the ship, and them, have been doing is taking up space, in orbit over my launch areas.”

“Since they off loaded their crews, they have been drinking up all their wages, and now half of their crew are in the brig for fighting, and public disturbances.”

“And you want me to take these birds off your hands, Commander?” I exclaimed.

“Now wait a minute Chief, just listen to me and let me finish. I was an Engineer myself at one time. I remember the cleanup at Wolf 359. I captained one of those recovery ships too, remember?” the Commander countered.

“After that I started looking for a nice steady base job with no bodies floating around. I read your record, and I know about the Grayson, so I have for you a plausible suggestion.”

“Yes Sir, sorry I interrupted.”

“You need something with mass to move the scrap that’s floating around out there by Cardassia”.

“You also know there were two big engagements out there in those shipping lanes. Well these Klingons have a P-type freighter. It’s a piece of crap and has only half a crew, but I think their Captain will be ready to bargain."

"It’s a clan ship as far as I can tell, and they’re probably afraid of their own raiders in its present condition.”

“Why don’t you talk to your people at staff headquarters to allow you to try and make a deal.”

“A pusher type you say,” I ruminated out loud. “It would be a great help Sir. Up till now I was planning to have to work with modified shuttles, and work bees. I’ll talk to the Bajoran Embassy and see what they would like to do. Hopefully they will agree to a leasing agreement with the Klingons.”

“Look Chief, if I have to I can refit her enough to get her to Bajor.”

“With all that crap floating around out there, you should have enough spare parts to make that old freighter last a thousand years. I just need to get someone to pay their bills and get them out of my traffic lanes. See what you can do. I’ll even bail out the bastards that are in the brig, just to get them out of here. I’d really appreciate it Chief,” Commander Hayes replied.

“Okay Sir. Ask that Klingon captain take a look at our mission,” I suggested, “its listed on the net. See if you can convince him that this is in he, and his crew’s best interest. Have him give me a call, or send me a notification on the net, that he is interested.”

“I’ll notify the Bajoran Embassy about what we are suggesting. You did give me a few ideas about the contract for their services. Thank you for your interest in our mission, sir.”

“You are welcome Chief. I wish you good luck, and I’m glad I’m not going with you. As soon as our Captain Kluge sobers up in his holding cell, I’ll explain to him his alternatives and have him notify you within twenty four hours. This is Hayes out.”

Blazes; I really had to do some smart thinking now.

I called the base lodging office where Og, and the Dabos, were staying to see if they were settled in, they were. I called their separate rooms to see if they wanted some dinner. They all said yes, but it would have to be on me because no one had any credits.

Mr. Og asked when could he start getting paid. I told them that was task number 22 of my 100 task list in the preparations for the mission to Bajor.

“As for now, he and the Daboe girls would have to meet me at the base’ main mess hall, let’s go eat”.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Five - Introduction to a day dream.

My next morning work load felt as long as last night’s run around.

After reporting to the Bajoran Embassy and asking them to contact Commander Hayes, at Luna port; I gave them my recommendations about the Klingon freighter and its crew.

I also updated them on my slow progress of recruitment for the Grayson team advisory crewmembers. It seemed that I had just gotten to sleep, when it was time to head back to my office.

After two cups of coffee, and a bagel, in my office, I was ready to start handling all the messages that were flashing on my terminal.

One was from Don Murdoch to say that he, and Pete Murray, and nine more people would be reporting in within a day or two.

They would then be able to start assisting with ground preparations for the Grayson’s refit, and stocking.

I expected a lot of the shuttles and equipment we needed has been sitting here at the depot for a couple of years. They all needed to be inspected and repaired as required.

Don reminded me that we needed more help than just the advisory crew, to do all the work that he thought needed to be done.

I mentioned that when I contact the Bajoran Embassy with my daily status report. I would inform them that they should start rounding up their returning Bajorans, and send them to the Depot for some kind of processing.

That way we could see what they could actually do besides lifting, and hauling, in assisting us in getting the Grayson’s equipment up and ready.

Another message was from Ron Thornton. He told me almost the same thing about getting additional salvage and recovery personnel. He had no additional volunteers to date.

I replied, and asked him to contact Engineer headquarters and ask Commander Turner for permission to recruit personnel from the Star Fleet separation station at San Francisco, and if need be the disciplinary barracks section, as long as they were minor offenses, such as base AWOL, and unable to cope with military discipline. Maybe even some personnel with minor physical problem, that wouldn’t allow them stay on active duty, would be eligible.

Ron later replied that he would give Commander Turner a call to try to get as many able bodies as he could and get back to me. He also suggested that someone else will have to give the new hires, a more through psyche testing, than he would be able to do.

The rest of the message mail was from personnel in the various sections at the Depot, all wanting to know who the hell Mr. Og was, and what was he doing ordering and requisitioning all sorts of things.

I replied to all queries that Mr. Og was my acting Supply Officer, and that he was only supposed to be checking his requirements list with base availability and serviceability.

They were told not to issue anything to him without a request with my signature on it, which would probably mean, not until the Grayson is in orbit. Any further questions about Mr. Og they were to give me a call.

I reasoned that if anything was issued to Og beforehand it would probably end up on the black market, because he was in debt up to his eyeballs.

I was starting to get another head ache. I was beginning to feel like a one legged man at a polka party. My agreement to be a technical advisor was turning into a large managerial problem way above my pay grade.

I was leaning back in my swivel chair pondering the wonders of my universe on the room ceiling, when someone knocked on my office door. That was strange because everybody else just barged in.

I yelled out, “Come in”.

Boy was I in for a surprise. In walked a long legged beauty, wearing a red dress and a small jacket that didn’t hide her figure one bit.

She had on a pair of sunglasses and a small brief case. At first I thought this lovely lady was a bill collector from Vegas looking for Mr. Og.

Boy was I wrong.

It was Be’nen Tash, a member of the Vulcan Embassy Public Relations staff. I’ve seen her off and on for about twenty years on the video, on the net and in magazines and in what little newsprint we had today, but I never had the pleasure of meeting her.

She was a leading spokes person on just about any subject the Vulcans cared to share with Earth and the rest of the Federation council. She had been on more video talk shows than I could really remember.

While she was at least as old as I was, Ms. Tash was in great shape. Her photos didn’t do her justice.

What I wouldn’t give to have seen her in a bikini, she was that great. Of course that would never happen with most Vulcans. All things aside, if there was a woman that got a man’s’ juices flowing it was her.

I was really impressed.

She first asked if I was Captain Thomas of the Grayson/Bajoran project.

I manage to say that I was Michael Thomas, technical advisor for the Bajoran salvage and recovery project. The Grayson’s captain would be a Bajoran, and that I wasn’t sure who that was at the moment.

“Can I help you, ma'am,” I asked?

“Yes sir. My name is Be’nen Tash, I am a member of the Vulcan Embassy Public Relations Staff, in San Francisco;” and she shook my hand as she introduced herself

“I would like to submit my application for a position on the Grayson.”

I must have goggled.

“You what; I don’t understand, could you please explain what this is all about?” To say that I was a little taken aback was to say the least. I had to sit down.

“You better have a seat Ms. Tash and tell me what this is all about?” I asked.

“There are certain times when a person needs to make changes in one’s life, Mr. Thomas. For me this is one of them. Please review my resume. I have seen that you are trying to fill positions on the Grayson tender that I am sure I am qualified for.”

She then handed me her PADD, sat down in the chair in front of my desk, crossed her legs beautifully, placed her elbow on the arm of the chair and with her hand under her chin she displayed her amused smile that she was so famous for.

She was not called the smiling Vulcan for nothing. You just could never catch a Vulcan smiling. Yet there she was looking like Mona Lisa.

I examined her PADD.

Her resume was as impressive as I expected. A Vulcan Academy graduate with degrees in Interplanetary Relations and psychology, a licensed interplanetary shuttle pilot, a Lieutenant Commander in the Vulcan Militia, member of the Vulcan representative to the United Federation of Planets public relations staff. She also studied linguistics at University of California at San Francisco.

She obviously had been a very busy Vulcan.

I took another long look at her and regretfully said, “I’m afraid I can’t help you”.

“First of all Ms. Tash this is a Bajoran mission, The Grayson is a Bajoran ship and I am only their technical advisor. All the ships regular officers will be Bajoran and I personally think they will not want to hire a Vulcan for what is essentially a trash collection mission”.

“You are probably more qualified than their mission Captain would be, Ms. Tash. It would be an obvious conflict of personality’s right from the beginning. I’m sorry but I can’t recommend that I forward your request to the Bajoran embassy. I’m positive it would be rejected.”

The smile on her face disappeared for a moment. She then cocked an eyebrow, reset her smile and said sweetly; “Are you sure you couldn’t find any place for me to serve, Captain? It would mean,” she hesitated, “such an opportunity for change for me.”

She then leaned forward over the desk and smiled sweetly to me and said; “I would appreciate any of your efforts in my behalf.”

“I’m sorry Ms. Tash. I’m only hiring engineering advisory staff that will act as a skeleton crew to get the Grayson to Bajor. The only way I could see you being allowed on board now is if you were married to one of the crew members.”

“And what does that mean Sir!” she asked.

“Well I am allowing married couples on board for the three year mission. Spouses will be given positions that they can reasonably fill, or be trained for. Jobs like service techs, med techs and yeoman duties; it’s nothing special in that, I assure you.”

“I see,” she said. “A very interesting proposition if I had ever heard one”.

“Well Captain, thank you for your time and your consideration in this matter,” she said as she stood up and came around my desk and picked up her PADD.

She then took me by surprise. She leaned against the desk and looked down at me with an intense expression on her face; then leaned down, looked me in the eyes as if to be looking for something.

She then placed her right hand against my cheek and said; “I have a question for you Mr. Michael Thomas about being “married to one of the crew”, would that include you too, sir?”

I stammered, “I guess so, but aren’t you sort of out of my league?”

The smile came back on. “Thank you Mr. Thomas, and good day to you too sir.”

She then picked up her briefcase and walked to the door. I hurried to the door behind her and expressed again how sorry I was I couldn’t help her out, and I how I hoped she would find what she was looking for.

She waved goodbye without turning back and got into her new Vulcan runabout.

Blazes, I thought, and she had a new car too and I didn’t even get an autograph.

* * * * * * * * * * *
Ms. Be’nen Tash was not only disappointed when she drove back to her hotel in Las Vegas, she was furious.

She had to make a special effort to put her emotions under control. She needed to think more clearly and being half Romulan sometimes made that extremely difficult.

She didn’t expect to be completely rejected by that human Mr. Thomas. It just never happened to her before.

Her un-Vulcan like amiability and attractiveness to humans, especially the males, had always allowed her to achieve what she required in her professional and personal life. It was a big blow to her ego. Unlike a true Vulcan her emotions were closer to the surface, well hidden but subject to explosions. She was about to have one now.

At her hotel where she stayed with her daughter, Staunn Tehk, she was in a slow boil and needed to talk.

“I can’t believe he rejected me Staunn, he said I was over qualified. An old retired Star Fleet Engineer, starting on a mission with a worn out ship, with no crew as yet and he rejectrd me. It escapes even my logic.”

“What does he look like,” her daughter asked?

He is around fifty I guess, according to the net he retired a few years ago, after twenty five years in Star Fleet. A Chief Warrant Officer no less, not even a fully commissioned officer. He was probably jealous of my out ranking him, humans are like that you know.”

“You didn’t sense he was attracted to you,” asked her daughter?

“Now that I can verify,” she answered. “He wasn’t just a little attracted; I think he pictured me naked. You know I told you how messy human males can be with their emotions”.

“Do you think he would like me too?”

“Yes, positively Staunn, but what are we going to do? He said I was to overqualified to be acceptable, and I’m not married to a crewmember that would be qualified”.

“What did you say mother? Did I hear you right, that he would take you if you were married to a qualified crew member?”

“Yes. Are you suggesting I find a qualified crew member and marry him? I don’t think we have enough time Staunn. That recall notice is back at my office in San Francisco, I know it. We can’t go back to Vulcan, Staunn; it’s not healthy for us, not now.”

“Not just any crew member mother; the boss, Mr. Thomas,” Staunn exclaimed. “We’ll seduce him, and then marry the man. He’s single isn’t he?

“Divorced for three years I gathered,” she replied.

“He’s a prime customer then mom. If you don’t want to, let me try; maybe I can try and use a little of my magic on him. Then when we get married I’ll tell him he has to take his mother-in-law, or I won’t be happy. People here on earth do it all the time.”

“Oh yea, Stauun, that settles your problem with Pon Farr, but what about me? We’re both due now and it will be a three year mission we will be on”.

“Then we’ll both plan to marry him.”

“Are you sure you want to share, he is a human you know. He may not be up to a Vulcan let alone a half Ferengi like you.”

“What does he look like mother; he’s not in his dotage is he?”

“You can see his profile on the net if you want to, for a human he looks well set up.”

They both went over to their com terminal and looked up Mr. Michael Thomas, Retired Star Fleet Chief Warrant Officer.

“He looks okay to me mom, better than most that that old fart Admiral Broderick used to assign us.”

“Come to think of it maybe we can get the old fart to pull some strings for us. I figure he owes us.”

“If we get sent back to Vulcan were done doing those little side jobs we were doing for him. What do you say mom, let’s do this. We work together, marry this guy and ship off to Bajor and live happily ever after.”

“Okay Staunn if you can live with it, I guess I can too. Just remember Dr. Tehk, our Mr. Thomas must come to no harm, I don’t want him dying from a heart attack trying to satisfy two alien females that are under the influence of Pon Farr.”

“Don’t worry mom, I know my business that’s what you paid for my medical education for isn’t it?”

“Besides that mom I’m not getting any younger, maybe you can have children until you are a hundred years old, but I can’t.”

“Maybe with a little luck we can settle on Bajor and I can have a family; I’m ready mom.”

“Yes Staunn, I know well enough, you are always ready, and that’s always been a problem since you were fifteen.”

Staunn laughed a little, but didn’t comment.

“I’ll make that call to Admiral Broderick now and see where we can go from there”.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Six - Crew call, do you speak Klingon?

Day Five

After Ms. Tash left my office, I just sulked around trying to think of what I needed to do next.

I didn’t want things to get out of hand.

Completing an assigned mission with all the required tools was one thing, but starting from scratch was another. I began to worry about getting the required crew for the Grayson.

The Bajorans were depending on me to get things done, and I was starting to feel the need for a good stiff drink, or at least to have somebody around to have a drink with.

I was really feeling sorry for myself when my console terminal started to flicker; it was a caller from Luna port.

On the monitor screen was one of the meanest and ugliest people I’d ever seen. It was, I supposed, “Captain Kluge”, the Klingon captain of the freighter stuck on the lunar base.

I introduced myself. Then;

“Are you the Batak (the universal translator could not give me a definition of what that meant) that would dare to hire a Klingon fighting vessel to move your miserable freight,” was the first words out of his mouth?

I had never met, much less talked to a Klingon before, but I knew their temperament by reputation. Especially after having to assist in rescue missions from Klingon raiders, I figured this was an opening to a contract negotiation.

“Yes, I am the miserable officer that would even consider the hiring of such a dilapidated vessel for such an important mission. What’s your problem, do you need a blood sacrifice before you can sign a contract?”

“You are impertinent; if you were here before me I would tear off your head and use it for blood wine. You are talking to a Klingon warrior of long and terrible lineage, with plenty of family to backup my actions, Batak.”

“I see. I’m glad I’m here then. I wouldn’t want you shot as a common criminal before you signed a contract with the Bajorans. Although I could order that your vessel be confiscated, and held for investigation as to its true owner’s identity.”

“Would you prefer that I do that, Captain Kluge?”

“You insult me, and seek to pressure me into a contract, that is unseemly, and unprofitable, to one of the Klingon Empire’s trading companies,” he replied.

“You think me to be so at a disadvantage to accept such a menial task. You insult me, and my family, with such trivial rewards for the pride of the Klingon fleet. We demand much more in compensation than you and the Bajoran Embassy offered.”

Commander Hayes must have given him a sample copy of a contract proposal.

“I see. What would your terms be”? I asked.

“A renewable contract every ninety days, to take any and all Klingon vessel parts as we need, no salvage work, release of all my personnel presently in confinement on this miserable base, refit at your expense, and resupply so we can get off this miserable moon. Anything less I would not consider.”

“I’m very sorry Captain Kluge, but you will have to take what Bajorans offer and like it. My guess it’s your only chance to get you, your family, and your ship back in business.”

“The way I look at it is that you are a minor family clan that is on the outs with the empire. The ship you now have is probably a prize that they left you after they confiscated your raiding vessel. It was probably a war bird class ship, indicated by the size of your freighter’s crew.”

“The Empire probably confiscated it to participate in their last fight with the Dominion, near Cardassia; so I don’t think they trusted your warrior skills, take the deal if you are smart.”

“You insult me further, how dare you, better death than the dishonor you would place me in, never, unless my conditions are met, you Batak.”

“Now that would be interesting to watch, Captain Kluge, if that is your real name.”

“You would probably lose your life in combat with the local police, very honorable for a tradesman. Your death would then leave
your family to rot on a foreign base; how unfavorable for them.”

“Where would your family honor be then, my friend,” I replied sarcastically?

“Will your name be remembered with honor or as a failure? Are you willing to face the disgrace of being unable to enter Solvocore?”

Captain Kluge was so enraged he could not even speak, so I put out the carrot.

“Look Captain I never saw myself as a warrior, but I’ve seen war and its aftermath. Personally I could care less what happens to Klingons. I’ve seen the havoc you Klingon raiders have done and as far as I’m concerned if it wasn’t for your ship, you would be toast”.

“This mission is to our own benefit, I get the use of your ship, and you get employment. You get the refit you need, plus the supplies you require, but not for free. The credits required to get you moving are on your bill. That includes getting that space debris you’re flying in up to Federation standards.”

“You’ll be getting additional crew from the Bajorans, so you won’t have to have your children standing watch. You will be far away from Klingon authorities. Later on if you haven’t reneged on your contract, you can act as an agent for Klingon ships spare parts”.
“I think I can let you have a priority on a Klingon warship, if you want to trade in your freighter. Three years can be enough time to change circumstances for you on the home world.”

“I think it is in your best interest to enter into a leasing contract with the Bajorans.”

“Captain Thomas you drive a hard bargain. Can you get my people released from the base brig?”

“When you sign the contract Captain, I will inform Commander Hayes, and I am sure he will be willing to set their parole. Besides that I’m not the Captain; I am the mission project officer. You can call me Mister or Chief, I’ll answer to both. Do we have a deal?”

“Yes sir and I ask that a copy of the contract be forwarded to Commander Hayes so he can see to my refit and to the release of my personnel.”

“It will be done immediately, welcome aboard, sir.”

“I assure you Mr. or Chief Thomas, I will not forget what was said today, my word and my honor are bound. While I still do not like it, I will abide by it.”

“Thank you Captain, and if you are thinking of skipping out, remember that the Federation and The Klingon Empire are now allies and your warp signature will be known throughout the quadrant. Good day Captain.”

He said something that sounded like “bah” and clicked off.

Well so much for that nut roll. I haven’t used language like that since I was an enlisted tech.

I immediately informed the Bajoran embassy and my contact at Starfleet headquarters, plus Commander Hayes at Moon Base Alpha, of what had just transpired. I also informed them that if they wanted to hear the record of our conversation, just to let me know, and I would send it to them.

That would sure curl their ears.

Boy was I beat; office work was never my best area of expertise. It was time to head for the officers mess. Maybe my supply officer would be there with his two assistants.

I really hated to watch the Ferengi eat though, but it would be nice to see the Dabo girls cooing and awing over almost everything we discussed.

I had to admit Og was cataloging all that we needed as if it was his own property. Seeing as I had no reports from the base security of anything be stolen, or smuggled, I considered it a good thing.

I listened to his report on his findings during dinner, and received a complete description of his activities from the two Dabo girls.

We then went to the Officer’s club for a few drinks. Og kept mooching money of me so he could play the club’s slot machines; so at about 2100HRS I called it a night and headed for my quarters.

Before I hit the rack, I sat there thinking; I was trying to sort out all the things I still had to do. It seemed like I only had about two hundred and sixty six more tasks to go ‘til we get to Bajor.

I decided then to have a confab with my crew and made a conference call.

Good grief!

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Seven - Who needs who and what?

Day Six

Returning to my office the next morning I was still a little blurry eyed from a troubled sleep.

After the dinner last night with Mr. Og, and company, I had a conference call with my crew to discuss all that was happening; like trying to get my personnel to the depot ASAP.

I told them I would like to have them all here by tomorrow, so we could get a large shuttle or runabout, serviceable and ready, to go to Luna port.

I informed them that I needed them to be prepared to make a certain Klingon freighter serviceable enough to get it into Earth orbit, so we can start loading personnel, and equipment, for the Grayson.

They all let out a howl about working with Klingons. A lot of them hated the bastards.

I told them we would all have to cooperate with Commander Hayes, of Luna port, in this matter.

He had assured me that he would make sure the Klingons cooperated with us quietly, or they would all go back to the brig.

I promised the crew that I would see if Commander Hayes could get us additional security to make sure there was no trouble. I emphasized that he wanted them off his base at the soonest possible moment and he would do what he promised.

Most of the crew was still skeptical that things would run smooth.

I told them, “Look people, you know this is a shoe string operation. That freighter will save us a lot of grief. She can act as a tug and it will be a lot safer than trying to handle all the parts and pieces with shuttle craft. She has the mass and the manpower to do the job”.

“This way we can separate the Grayson’s’ repair section, and use it as home base for our shuttle craft and collection point, while the Grayson main section helps collect the damaged ships”.

They were still grumbling, but nobody quit.

“I told them that the refit was on the Klingons credit sheet and that I wanted to keep them around a long time paying off their debts”.

“You hear that Mr. Og,” I emphasized?

“Yes sir, I hear,” was his reply.

“This is an opportunity to make our jobs a little easier people”, I continued. “It’ll be stinky, but I want us to travel to Utopia Plantia at Mars, in that heap with as much supplies and people as we can carry.”

“I also don’t want you to worry about the additional help, just leave that to me. I’ll have to start some fires around here to get what we need by the time that freighter is ready, and in Earth’s orbit.”

They were all still grumbling but said “Okay”; they also said they would be in by the close of the day tomorrow, and signed off.

Then there was another hour and a half hashing out the details with Mr. Og.

He seemed to be in Og heaven with the idea of billing the Klingons. I had to make sure he was billing, and not bilking, them. If he made them too angry, they would break his scrawny neck before I could stop them at their first opportunity.

I made sure he was to find the current Star Fleet refitting specs for a Monarch class freighter.

He also had to make sure she had adequate food packs, and crew comforts, regardless of species, on his list.

I didn’t know what the Klingons ate, but he would have to do his best with the information that Luna port had on them. I knew one thing the Klingons never stole food stuffs from their prey.

I then decided that Tea was to assist Og in his supply doings, and Sunbeam was to stay in my office to help me with the logistics coordination here at the depot; that upset everyone concerned, but I needed the help in the office.

Og informed me that he heard that there was a serviceable Type-9B Cargo shuttle available that we could use. It was a recent turn in.

He didn’t know if we would be able to keep it, but we could sign for it temporarily, and use it until the Monarch was up and running.

I told him to get right on it with depot supply, and then send some of our people over as soon as they arrived, to claim it before anyone changed their minds.

I then rejected the proposition of Sunbeams full body massage to relieve my obvious tension.

I politely escorted them all out of my office door, went to my quarters, found a drink and took time to think.

After I had reported my actions to the Bajoran embassy, and Star Fleet headquarters, my second drink was in my hand when I fell asleep at about three in the morning. So by seven o’clock when the alarm went off, I awoke and stared at the ceiling wondering when the next hammer would fall.

I didn’t have to wait too long.

Day Seven

I was sitting at my desk alone, with my feet propped up on my desk, when into my office came two interstellar beauties.

One was my previous acquaintance Be’nen Tash, and with her was a pixie type female with a large head. She couldn’t have been over five feet tall. Compared to Ms. Tash’s six foot plus in heels they made quite a pair.

Ms. Tash was dressed in what looked like a retro costume of a Star Fleet uniform from about fifty years ago. You know the type with the real short blouse/skirt that showed a lot of leg, which she seemed to have plenty of.

I must have been really ogling her, because the material for her uniform was almost transparent. Her partner was dressed up in a cute little maid type dress.

Again, in the presence of Ms. Tash I was a little dumb founded. I am no prude but I felt that somebody just delivered the biggest strawberry short cake I’ve ever seen.

“Welcome ladies, what can I do for you?”

“Won’t you please have a seat and tell me what’s on your mind. If I had known you were coming I would have swept this place up a little better.”

“Would you like some of my coffee, its fresh from the mess hall?”

Ms. Tash, and her companion, both sat down sat down. Be’nen smiled demurely, like she was preparing for a TV spot, and said;
“I have some orders for you Mr. Thomas, direct from Admiral Broderick. I am sure you have heard of him.”

I asked, “Who the hell is Admiral Broderick? Let me see those orders”.

She handed me the PADD she was holding, making sure I had a perfect view of what she was wearing.

Gee I felt like a great big sucker, but she was right, she had a Star Fleet order, assigning her to the Grayson as a Yeoman first class!

I was incredulous; “What the hell is going on here I asked? No way would you normally take an assignment like this. It has to be some kind of a joke, and who the hell is this Admiral Broderick?”

I didn’t wait for an answer. I shouted to the computer for an online profile of Star Fleet Admiral Mathew J. Broderick.

It didn’t take long for an answer, Admiral of the Fleet; Mathew J. Broderick was the chief the intelligence branch of Star Fleet Security Services, with about five pages of stats on medals awards, and service positions.

I had to think seriously about this. I asked Ms. Tash how she was acquainted with the Admiral.

She told me; “Well I did perform a few favors for him as an associate in the Vulcan embassy public relations department. He is just returning a favor to me on this.”

Favors my ass I thought, she is probably up to here eyeballs in espionage and has been compromised somehow. Not my problem.
‘What do we do now with a lady in distress,’ I asked myself? ‘Why we take advantage of it, of course!’

I put on my best smile, and said; “What is it with the young lady here, does she need an assignment too?”

“We were hoping so,” replied Tash, “This is my personnel assistant Stunn Tehk. Please Stunn give him your resume.”

She handed me her PADD with a shy smile. Then something hit me, her smile. I had seen something similar, like Og’s, a Ferengi smile, it was the teeth. They were more even than Og’s, more shark like.

I took a closer look at Miss Tehk and noticed the Vulcan type ears were a little different than Ms. Tash, along with the fairly large head and guessed she was a hybrid.

A tiny beautiful blond Vulcan-Ferengi, if it was at all possible.

Miss Tehk’s resume was almost the same as Be’nen’s, except most of her education was here on Earth. She had degrees in linguistics, psychology, public relations, plus a degree in medicine.

‘She was a Doctor! What is she doing working as a personal assistant to Be’nen Tash’, I thought, ‘except as a partner in crime.

'They were a Vulcan Intel team. Damn me’!

“Well, well, well,” I said. “Am I glad you two showed up, just what I needed; two over qualified pencil pushers?”

“I beg your pardon,” Be’nen asked, “is there something wrong with the orders, I’m sure if you call Admiral Broderick, everything will be made correct to your liking.”

“I’m sure he would Ms. Tash, but I’m not calling him. This is my bailiwick Ms. Tash. I say who gets hired for the crew, we're not a Star Fleet operation; we are Bajoran. I told you that before. If you want on my advisory team so bad, it will be on my terms, not Star Fleets’.

“If I accept these orders you would be as a member of Star Fleet, and on your next order you would be working for Admiral Broderick, under his orders. I want personnel who are committed to this mission, sorry as it is. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes Sir. What are you proposing?” She replied. “We are prepared to join your mission, and assist you in any capacity you deem fit, if you please.”

“First of all Ms. Tash I need an administrative assistant, not a Yeoman First class. I need an assistant who can speak and interpret, Klingon, Ferengi, Bajoran and maybe Cardassian, without a voice translator, maybe an assistant with diplomatic immunity.”

”I want you to apply for an Ambassadorial level Administrative Assistant position, on my team, through the Earth Federation Embassy, at San Francisco. If you need help, get Admiral Broderick to give you a hand, I’m sure he would be very willing to assist you. Do you accept those terms?

“Yes Sir,” she replied, “and what about my assistant.”

“Well, Miss Tehk,” I asked; “what position should you fill in this glorious mission?”

Miss Tehk wouldn’t take her eyes off the floor, so I rose out of my chair walked around my desk and leaned against the front. I then reached down and lifted her chin so I could look into her face and asked her again.

She seemed to be in a slight panic and I had to figure out why.

“Miss Tehk do you really want to go on this mission,” I asked? “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, you know.”

“Yes sir, I want to. I prefer to serve with Ms. Tash, if that is permitted,” she replied.

I dropped my hand from her chin, leaned back and folded my arms and looked straight at her.

“If I take you aboard Miss Tehk, you will work for me, not Ms. Tash; she won’t need a personal assistant, to be my assistant.”

That brought about a good exchange of looks between the two of them.

“You are a Medical Doctor are you not?” I asked.

“Oh, yes sir, you saw my resume.” She replied.

“Are you a licensed practitioner, Miss. Tehk,” I asked?

“No sir, I never went into private practice, I only served Ms. Tash’s needs,” was her answer.

“I see, you know you can be a very valuable asset to me if you feel up to it Miss Tehk. It will be as valuable a tasking as Ms. Tash’s. Are you interested; do you feel up to it?”

“Most definitely sir, anything you and Ms. Tash would like me to do, I can do it.”

I circled my desk and sat down and began my spiel.

“Miss Tehk, I want you to be our ships doctor, or at least the assistant to the doctor that the Bajoran assign to the Grayson.”

“Really sir, but you know I’ve never been in private practice, is that logical?”

“Hear me out Miss Tehk, then you can judge if it’s logical, or not. I can’t appoint you an officer of the Grayson, that’s up to the Bajorans. You will have to apply for the position, if and when, you become qualified to do so.”

“Yes sir.”

“What I can do is appoint you as my civilian staff medical technician. You will assume all medical duties as assigned by me until you are accepted as a physician by the Bajoran government. Are you willing to accept these hiring conditions?”

There was another quick exchange of glances between my two ladies. Ms. Tash had somehow now lost her whimsical smile, and had a genuine look of concern.

A surprising confident reply from Miss Tehk was, “Yes sir Captain I will do my best.”

“Okay then you will work with Ms. Tash to get you a license to practice; I don’t care where it’s from as long it is acceptable to Star Fleet. You will probably have to intern with a Bajoran Doctor.”

“Ms. Tash your first task is to see that Miss Tehk fills out the proper application as a medical technician, grade 5, and enter her on the rolls and see that she is to be properly paid. In fact you will have to contact the Bajoran Embassy and find out how we all are to be paid; I’m not even sure myself.”

I sat down at my desk then and looked around the room; “We will need a bigger office. In fact go check in with base lodging and get your selves into quarters commensurate with your rank. That means living separately, Ms. Tash.”

“Yes sir.”

“I have to go now, and check out a Type-9B Cargo shuttle that Mr. Og, my supply specialist, was talking about last night. Mr. Og is a Ferengi, if that matters to you Ms. Tehk, please consider yourself forewarned.”

“I want you both to be prepared to move into it as soon as I acquire it, and can get an authorized ground feed to it. We will work out of it there if possible. It’s been almost ten years since I’ve been in a ship of my own and I need to get the feel of things again.”

“Miss Tehk once you get settled into your quarters, I want you to report to the base clinic and get their assistance any way you can about getting the things you will need for an updated dispensary for a Grayson class repair tender, and also for a Monarch class freighter, that some Klingons own, that is now orbiting the moon.

“The shuttle I mentioned will probably need supplies too. Start collecting data chips for all races we will be dealing with, and don’t forget your own personal medical kit. Remember you’re the Doctor until we get to Bajor.”

“Ms. Tash I would also like you to see if you can find the last manning chart for the Grayson tender on line, so we can figure out who will go where and what their proper pay grades should be.”

“Yes Sir, is there anything else, Captain?”

I got up out of my chair, went around the desk to Ms. Tash, took another real good look at her and offered her my hand.

“Just this, Miss Tash;” I said, “Welcome aboard, to the both of you. You couldn’t have come aboard at a better time.”

I was still holding her hand as she rose from her chair, as I continued with a grin; “I really like your outfit Ms. Tash, but I don’t need half of the male population of the base following you around in it. It would just slow things down.”

“I suggest that you investigate what they wear at the Star Fleet Ambassadors Office, Something in a pinstripe suit I should imagine.”

“I don’t really want you to throw this thing away. Just keep it, so maybe one day I can see you in it privately if you like.”

“Yes sir, I will change immediately.”

I turned to Miss Tehk to shake her hand too, but she surprised me and gave me a great big hug. I wondered what that was all about.

Ms. Tash said; “She can be very affectionate at times. Are you ready Staunn?”

“Yes ma’am,” she replied and she seemed to be actually beaming, “I am ready!”
“Excuse me Captain before we leave, would you like to have dinner with us tonight, at say around seven, and we can give you our status report then,” asked Ms. Tash?

I said, “I’d be delighted to, and if you have any further questions you know where you can find me. Until then, I’ll see you later tonight.”

When they left I went to my desk, and laid my head down on it, and hoped they won’t tell Admiral Broderick what I said about this mission being mine alone. Any trouble with admirals can get you fired.

I took a short break.

When I woke up later from my cat nap I called Og, and his Dabo crew, with my absent office helper, and told him I wanted to see the warp shuttle as soon as possible. I wanted to see if it was in good enough shape to get us to Luna port before the Klingons had a change of mind about their freighter.

He came by in a ground vehicle that he had “signed for it”; God bless supply officers. We then made a quick trip to the base space landing port, and there she was.

The shuttle had only just arrived and the base maintenance crew was just completing their pre inventory inspection, it was a beauty.

The chief inspector said it was a “cherry” and I believed him.

It was a Type-9B Cargo shuttlecraft in great shape.

The inspector told us that he thought it was only turned because it was an obsolete model for active Fleet courier service, and had been used only by headquarters staff for ferrying around big time admirals, and high ranking politicos.

It was all spit and polish, and I knew if we didn’t snag it right away, it would be sold on the civilian market to be used either as a private yacht, or converted to a Type-9A model for local freight hauling.

I was almost drooling when I looked at the bridge and engineering section.

She still had the Star Fleet headquarters plaque mounted on her entrance hatch.

She was originally a troop transporter that was designed to carry up to forty troops with equipment, but was converted to something like a private yacht.

Along with her three crewman seats, she had two small sleeping areas, a tiny galley, a head, a small sonic shower, two table areas that could double as bunks, and four sleeper seats. Evidently the previous owner liked to bring along his family, or staff, on his treks.

I told Og to go to Central Supply and get right to work acquiring this craft. I then wanted him to immediately move into it, and take charge of it, to prevent anyone else putting a claim on it.

Og just gave me his toothy grin and rubbed his hands together like a pack rat with a new bauble.

“I’ll get right on it sir. I knew you’d like it sir, if you weren’t going to acquire her I was thinking of trying to buy her myself. I’ll be back sir. Come on girls, we have some work to do.”

He then made a beeline to the hanger office, and then got into his car and sped off.

I told the inspector that I was staying right here at the landing pad until they had to kick me off it, if he didn’t mind of course.

The inspector named Ralph just laughed and said, “Dream on Chief. You can make yourself at home here until five o’clock, or when I see a signed requisition, whichever comes first. But I warn you Chief, these babies don’t last long around here when they are in this good shape, I don’t care how old she is.”

Ralph then asked me; “You are licensed to fly this thing aren’t you. I heard about you and your mission; and that Mr. Og character has been bugging everybody on the base about one thing or another.”

I told him that if my license didn’t meet the bill then I’m sure there would be at least three others who would fit the bill. I’d have them all checked out when they arrived here.

While Ralph was standing there, I called Be’nen and asked her to check the validation on all the crew’s licenses, for all the craft we would be using, including the Grayson. She said she would.

Ralph just laughed, excused himself to complete his inspection, and told me to make myself comfortable, at least until five o’clock.

I used the on board computer to make report calls to the Bajoran embassy, and to Commander Turner, on what I was trying to do with the shuttle.

I explained to them it was a verified surplus turn in, and it was to our advantage of using it to get to Luna port quicker, to assist the Kilingons with getting the Monarch moving.

They both agreed that it was a needed shuttle craft, and the Grayson needed eighteen just to operate as a beacon tender, so go for it. I told them I was keeping my fingers crossed.

After the calls I read some of the ships logs and maintenance schedules, and took the grand tour. When I found the VIP quarters I sat down on the cot and thought, how could this old gal be obsolete, it was like a shiny new penny to me.

All the service craft I served in, and those moon shuttle freighters never looked like this. If it wasn’t for the Grayson, I could live in this baby.

‘Yea sure,’ I thought. ‘Like Ralph said, dream on, but I promised myself that I wouldn’t scratch the paint if we owned her’.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Eight - The loves of my life: Tehk, Tash, and a Type 9B Cargo Shuttle.

Day Seven

When Mr. Og, and crew, finally showed up with the paperwork to sign the shuttle over to the Bajoran government, I was elated.

I told Og to pack his suit cases, along with his whole entourage, and move on board the shuttle right away.

He was to then stow all their personal stuff in the cargo hatches.

He could take one of the passenger compartments, and the Dabo girls would occupy the other cabin, at least until the whole crew had joined to sort things out.

I put Og on pre launch notice because as soon as my advisor crew was on board, we were leaving for the moon.

As I wanted to carry as many spare parts for the Monarch as we could carry, according to the required refit list Commander Hayes gave us; he was also to check into an over head cargo carrier, because I thought we were going to need it.

I asked him to make sure to have a on board a dedicated supply terminal set up so we could keep in constant touch with his supply contacts at the depot here while we were parked.

I had a feeling there would be more day to day changes before we reach the Grayson.

I also informed Og that I would be setting up my office in the shuttle tomorrow.

He was to get us a ground power feed so I could use all the shuttle facilities, and communicate with the base without having to use shipboard power.

“The crew should be arriving on base tomorrow, and if I can, I want them packed on board as soon as they get here,” I directed.

If my crew has any questions, tell them you are our unit supply specialist and your just relaying my instructions. If there are any problems give me a call.

“Get you and your assistants some food packs from base supply, and be sure to keep one person on the ship at all times. Guard it well because it will probably be our new office here on the base until we get on board the Monarch, at the moon.”

They were to call me if anything came up, then I changed it to; Call my new administrative assistant, Ms. Be’nen Tash. Let her call me, if she can’t handle it.

Later as I walked out of my new office in the shuttle it was; “Good night, see you tomorrow morning bright and early Mr. Og. I’ve got a date for dinner with two lovely ladies and I don’t want to be late.”

· * * * * * * * * * * * *
When Be’nen Tash, and Staun Tehk, left Mr. Thomas’ office and reached their runabout after they were hired, Be’nen was mortified.

It was not the same with Staunn, she was almost bursting with excitement.

“We did it mother we are on our way.” announced Staunn. “Did you see the way he looked at me momma; I think he really likes me?”

“I shouldn’t have worn this dress,” answered Be’nen. “It was too presumptuous of me.”

“He looked at me like I was some cheap tart.”

“Nonsense,” replied Staunn. “He’s in love with you, momma. I’ve seen that look in too many humans male eyes to doubt it; he can’t help himself,” she laughed.

“I don’t know Staunn, he hired us as crew. You know ships officers aren’t supposed to fraternize with the crew, its’ bad business.”

“That’s just the point mother; he didn’t have to hire us.”

“I think in a way he felt sorry for us.”

“He must have sensed something was up when we appeared at his door step all dolled up, and with a letter from the Admiral.”

“I think he knows we are in a tight spot, but not for all the reasons he thinks; I am so happy momma.”

“You still want us to try and get him to marry us,” Be’nen asked?

“You might succeed, you’re a little sexpot, but me I’m too much of a Vulcan.”

“Humans may date us, some even have sex with us, but we live twice as long as they do. There would be too many problems; humans and Vulcan’s just don’t relate that well.”

“Mother quit stalling; you’ve charmed the pants off many males; that’s how we made our living when we worked for the Admiral and others.”

“You can do this momma, be the actor that I know you can be; I’ll furnish all the loving this man will need, in spades. I really like him momma.”

“I want this to do this, Momma; it’s our time to make the break.”

“Alright Staunn we’ll handle this just like we’ve done before; but I must warn you this will not be like the others,” Be’nen consented reluctantly.

“I won’t just be imprinting on our subject that he had a good time. I will be suggesting that he care enough to marry us, and if I connect mentally, and we are mated, it will change everything.”

“We may feel each others’ thoughts and emotions; then I won’t be able to lie to him, ever.”

“Don’t worry about it mother I’ll put the right amount of happy juice in his drinks tonight he’ll be ready to marry an ugly step sister. Trust me I’m a doctor you know.”

Be’nen just looked at her daughter and thought, ‘Yes, I will do this for you my beautiful daughter, and come what may I will stand by you, even if my logic failed me again.”

· * * * * * * * * * * * *
My getting to Ms. Tash’s, on post temporary residence, turned out to be an adventure in itself.

My own room was in the base bachelors’ officers’ quarters, so I assumed Ms. Tash was in the same building. When I called down to the front desk to ask for her room number, the desk clerk told me she wasn’t living there.

I had to call the post locator, and ask where my administrative assistant was.

I then found out that Ms. Tash rated very high in the residential rankings.

I had to take the post shuttle to reach her place, because I couldn’t walk clear across the base to the VIP housing to make my dinner date on time; so much for my protocol skills.

When I saw the residence she was put up in, I thought maybe I should ask for a raise in pay. She had her own house!

I knocked on the door, and Miss. Tehk answered the door with a big smile dressed in one of those cute little maid outfits.

I asked what she was doing acting as Ms.Tash’s servant again. She just kind of laughed, in a huffing kind of way, must be I set off her Ferengi sense of humor.

“I wanted very much to be here to honor your visit with us for dinner,” she said. “I hope to give you a very satisfactory report on my progress, and I will gladly assist Ms. Tash in making your dinner enjoyable.”

“This is something that I have done for many distinguished guest, Captain Thomas, as part of my duties in assisting my mother; but tonight I am enjoying myself in making sure you have an enjoyable evening as our guest.”

She just slipped up and said that Ms. Tash was her mother; that was news to me!

“By the way I do have my own quarters at the enlisted lodging,” she continued, “which I hear we may be vacating shortly.”

“Yes, I have just acquired a shuttle that will take us to Luna port, on the moon, where a Klingon freighter is orbiting. I want to
leave here as soon as possible,” I informed her.

Ms. Tosh then appeared in a blue pinstripe business style dress suit, very fashionable, and looking very attractive and efficient. I was really impressed. It made me feel a little out classed in my sport coat with no tie.

“Come in Captain and welcome, the table is already set so please come in and set down.” she announced.

“The meal is completely catered and all Staunn had to do is place the main courses so we can serve ourselves family style, if that is acceptable.”

“Yes, quite acceptable; you have really done wonders in so short a time” I remarked.

Both women smiled at my lame attempt to flatter them.

We then walked in to the dining area and sat at the table.

The meal was a little different than I was used to, it was mostly vegetarian.

There was a tossed salad, a rice dish, a tomato like soup with vegetables.

There was no meat, but there was popcorn shrimp that I ate with a cocktail sauce, and which Miss Tehk seemed to put in just about everything.

She had a side dish that she kept eating her shrimp out of. I guess for her it was a food staple, that and a plate of what looked like candied grasshoppers.

She saw me watching her eat the grasshoppers and offered me some.

I said, “Sure why not.”

I had heard that people ate them in Africa, so I gave it a try. They tasted something like candied pretzel sticks.

“Not bad,” I commented.

She then said that she; “loved them, and cooks them into all her recipes that she prepares for herself.”

Ms. Tash ate only vegetables, and drank only water. It is no wonder she had such a great figure.

The conversation at the table centered around my update on the warp shuttle status. The need to get the Klingon’s Monarch freighter refitted. The task of forming of our new crew roster list; plus getting the required licenses for them. Scheduling the shuttle’s flight plan and assigning a pilot. Included were other topics of discussion for a general crew meeting to be held before we boarded the warp shuttle, for the Moon.

I also had to ask how she got the lodgings she was in.

Ms. Tash informed me, that based on my recommendation, she was approved as an Ambassadorial Level, Administrative Assistant. It was only a few grades lower than her last posting with the Vulcan Embassy, as a Public Relations Specialist.

Of course there had to be adjustments to my own Chief Advisory position, as they didn’t want the assistant out ranking the Chief Advisor.

“You mean I could have had a house like this too?” I asked.

“Yes Sir,” she replied, “but I understand you requested a BOQ assignment when you signed in. They just gave you what you asked for. You could have had a bigger office too, if you had requested it. I am sorry sir.”

Miss Tehk then piped up and said that she will be a licensed doctor in two weeks. She was to be licensed by the Cayman Islands Medical Association. She was also very happy that Ms. Tosh had obtained results so quickly.

So was I.

She had also completed her application for the Medical technician position and she would be ready to serve with the Bajoran ships’ doctor as an intern, when we get to Bajor.

She reported that Ms Tash had also purchased a new complete personal medical kit for her; that included her own personal computer, with the latest up dates for Human, Bajoran, Cardasian, Klingon and Ferengi medical physiology.

If I was to be sick she would definitely take good care of me.

I thanked her very much and told her to be prepared to scan the crew before they board the warp shuttle.

She would also need to coordinate with Luna port medical facilities when we get there, and be prepared to assist with the physical screening of the Klingons.

I mentioned that I suspected that they were all exposed to onboard ships’ radiation, because some of the Monarchs were notorious for radiation leaks if they weren’t up to current Federation standards.

Ms. Tash mentioned to me, that both she and Miss Tehk were qualified shuttle pilots, and assured me that Mr. Og was also up to date in his licenses. Piloting for the shuttle should be no problem.

I thanked her for informing me, and complemented her on her efficiency, and especially her business like appearance. I added that really admired her taste; and that she looked great. They both did.

“Why Thank you captain,” Ms. Tash replied. “Staunn now has proper medical apparel, and in our research, we had found out that there was a sort of uniform for the crew, as Star Fleet civilians, it was a brick red coverall”.

“I informed Mr. Og, so that he could order them for issue. I’m afraid that if you want alternate authorized civilian attire, you will have to authorize it, and all have to buy their own”.

Mr. Og can also take orders for that too. There is also civilian attire for more formal occasions; shall I have him order you a few suits jackets, and slacks sir, I just need your sizes?”

“Sure why not, just remember I’m kind of a sport jacket type anyway,” I said.

“I wear a size 42 regular jacket and size 34x30 slacks, old school measurements.”

“What can we do with our old uniforms, trash them or store them?”

“Well sir, according to Admiral Broderick’s office,’ she replied, “we are a technical advisory group under the auspices’ of Star Fleet Assistance and Advisory Group (SFAAG)”.

“Our insignia will be on your comm. badge.”

“Identification cards with civilian pay status will also be worn and that’s all there is to it. It will be up to you if they can wear their old regulation Star Fleet uniforms, less active duty rank of course.” was her answer.

“Ms. Tash, you positively amaze me; please inform the crew that I authorized the wearing of their old regulation uniforms, if they want to. In fact I strongly recommend that they do so; we don’t want to further confuse our Bajoran, and Klingon friends, do we.”

“Yes sir, I will post it immediately,” she replied. “Now would you care for an after dinner drink, some wine maybe? I have some that’s an excellent vintage, it was a going away gift and I don’t want to see it go to waste.”

“I’d be happy to; can I assist you in clearing the table?”

“No, that will not be necessary; Staunn will do it for us.” She replied.

“Please captain; just be seated on our couch while I change into something less formal”.

“Staunn when you get our Captain a glass of wine, I would like to have a glass of mineral water too, please.”

“Yes ma'am,” Staunn replied, and then to me, ‘I’ll be right back Captain.”

Staunn bustled out to the kitchen while Ms. Tash went into a side room, and I went into the living room that had a giant video screen, and sat down on a couch that was almost as big as my BOQ.

I sat there patting myself on the back for acquiring the services of Ms. Tash and Dr. Tehk. They were wonderful examples of beauty, and brains.

Beauty wasn’t the right word to describe Be’nen when she came back into the room, dazzling was more like it.

She was wearing her skimpy retro uniform again, and with her little smile, she always seemed to have on; I thought she really knows how to dress informal.

She came over and sat real close to me and leaned in to say, “I think we are private enough for me to wear it now Captain, wouldn’t you agree?”

I must have still goggled when I said,” Yes.”

Then Staunn came in with the two wine glasses. She too had changed her clothes too, by taking most of them off.

She was wearing a big smile, and a nice frilly apron, and nothing else. She handed each of us our drinks and then left the room; with her shapely little buttocks on display.

I had to ask Be’nen, “Didn’t you notice that Ms. Tehk had no clothes on, except for that little apron?”

Be’nen smiled benignly; “It is not unusual for us Captain. She is like that all the while around our house, and she is Ferengi you know. If it bothers you I’ll tell her to stay in the kitchen.”

Being the gallant that I am I replied, “No, I was just a little startled that’s all, first date and all.”

I then took a big drink of the wine in front of me. Be’nen was right it was delicious, I finished it off.

It was really delicious wine and downright relaxing.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Nine - Being pleased with myself.

Day Seven - continued

I was a happy man, a very happy man.

Sitting next to me was a gorgeous woman, with a very cute little servant to bring me drinks; I just could not help but smile.

In fact I couldn’t stop smiling, and Ms Be’nen Tash seemed to glow in my presence. I was very relaxed and in love with the world.
It was the best tasting wine that I could ever remember drinking.

Ms Tash leaned over to me, twirled my hair a little and gave me a little kiss. After the kiss her usual smile seemed to fade a little.

She started to speak to me and I could not help but hang on to every word she said.

“Captain, I am pleased you find us so attractive, because we are under the influence of Pon Farr and we are in need of your assistance.” She stated.

“For you Ms. Tash I would do anything you ask.” I replied, with a grin on my face that I couldn’t stop. That got me another kiss.

Miss Tehk then entered the room, still with her little apron on, and sat down right next to me, the opposite of Ms. Tash.

She then put her arms around my neck and whispered into my ear; “I love you Captain.”

I was getting really relaxed now and really enjoying the moment; I told her that I loved her too.

Ms Tehk gave me a big hug and said to Ms Tash, “See mother I told you he loved us.”

“Yes I love you both,” I repeated. I was in such wonderful spirits.

“I wish I could love you as much as Staunn does Captain,” Be’nen purred; “but I do think that you really should marry us after we are mated.”

“Mated, married, we,” I asked, happily confused? “You mean you, and me and Staunn”?

“I think I will have to ask my mother about that, she was a little upset about my losing my last two wives”

Miss Tehk started laughing in her Ferengi; huff, huff, sounding way. She was practically in my lap hugging and kissing me.

“I think he is getting ready mother, can you see it too?” she asked.

I seemed to be engrossed in Ms Tash’s smiling face when she leaned against me with her see through retro uniform on, showing her beautiful breast.

I tried to embrace her, but the only thing that seem to react, was what Gayle used to say, “her little ‘tom tom’ was rising”.

I felt like a superman, with very strong urge to breed; I wanted them both

Both women gave me some more kisses and with Ms Tash’s verification, she said, “Yes Staunn I think he is ready; help me get him into the bed room. I don’t want him to hurt himself.”

I mentioned to her that it was very considerate of her, but I didn’t feel like sleeping right now.

Miss Tehk started huffing again, and told me that she loves me, again.

I told her the feeling was mutual, and that I’ve never been carried into a bed room by two women before in my whole life.

When I got to the bed they gently stripped off my clothes, Staunn, the daughter, was being a little frantic and Be’nen, who I had just discovered was the mother, was being quiet and methodical.

I was thinking that I must had died and gone to heaven, sex heaven or a sex romper room because I knew that I was in for a good time, and I could even start to move my hands a little.

Staunn had dropped her apron and hopped in bed beside me; she had a great little body for a doctor.

Be’nen removed her retro uniform and I could only just admire her beauty. My intense desire and need for both women kind of startled me.

Be’nen then lay down beside me and held me like a little boy.

I was surrounded with soft, warm and beautiful, flesh.

As she held me, Be’nen spoke to me; “I told you captain we were in pon farr.”

“We,” I asked?

“Yes, Captain, Staunn and I,” She continued;”we chose you because we feel you will marry us, but we need you now.”

I was confused to say the least.

“Marry, us, I don’t remember saying that. Does this include Staunn too?” I asked. “What if I don’t really love you Be’nen?”

“Oh believe me captain I know how you feel.” She seemed to purr again.

“You know that many Vulcans are telepathic, well I’m not completely Vulcan, but I can sense perfectly what you have been thinking, and I certainly know what you are thinking now.”

“Oh yea and what is that?” trying to get my wits together. (It seemed like a strange question with my penis feeling like a baseball bat).

“I sensed that you were in love with me when you told us that if we were married some one of the crew you would find a place for us to be on this mission”.

“I then asked you if the crew included you, and you said yes, remember. I am sure this is what you wanted for yourself Captain. I can tell that you do find me and my daughter very attractive.”

“Even Staunn knows you like her and she loves you for it, she can be very affectionate you know.”

“I also can be a very good wife for you, Captain I can sense your true desires.”

“Yes but what will my mother say,” I whimpered?

“When she finds out that I’m a love slave to a pair of Vulcans, especially at my age she may worry. She liked my ex-wife Gayle you know.”

Staunn started laughing, and Be’nen just smiled and told me; “You have a singular sense of humor Captain, but you cannot lie to your mother or to me for that matter.”

“We do need you to cooperate, Michael, I can call you that now can’t I?”

“I really think that you also need us now, will you kiss me now?”

“Yes Be’nen, and I do want both of you,” I sighed; “but will you both respect me in the morning, love?”

Be’nen kissed me, and then followed a night of sexual romp that changed all our lives

Be’nen did not smile while she worked our conjugal joining; she performed like a detached soul of a courtesan.

She had tremendous strength. When she started gripping my shoulders really tight I was getting a little worried.

She then she dropped down to her elbows, and put her hands on both sides of my head and kept staring into my eyes.

She started saying; “Staunn help me. Staunn help me. I am not ready yet.”

Be’nen then started to blush a light shade of green, and started to weep; I had heard that Vulcans never cry!

I was then being flooded with thoughts, and emotions, strange to me. Flashes of images seemed to explode in my head, loves, hates, longing, loneliness and fear.

Be’nen the Vulcan was losing control of her emotions, and was squeezing my head like a melon and I was stuck in the middle of a mating mind meld..

Be’nen was now sobbing and crying out; “M’aith, M’aith, oh Staunn help me, help me.”

Staun started to keen.

I was feeling their overwhelming needs under pon farr. My urge to protect, and love them, was also being intensified by the mind coupling and whatever drug they gave me.

What followed was a night of intense sexual pleasure with both women and my being zapped with a Vulcan mind meld.

I was then informed later that we were all mated. I have to admit that I felt like a superman.

I was sure my drug induced affection for both women seemed to grow with their responses.

When wrapped in their arms Staunn kept saying: “He loves me too mama, I knew it mamma, he loves me too.”

I think I was in some kind of shock; I know I felt physically spent.

Both women were clinging to me and all sorts of thoughts and emotions were running through my mind.

Somehow I didn’t feel happy. I turned to Be’nen and asked: “Are you sure we’re in love now, Be’nen?”

Be’nen reached over and placed my face to her breast, kissed my forehead and said: “Yes Michael, we are mated now Michael, I truly think now you will marry us.”

Then the lights went out.

Sometime in the middle of the night I woke up and I felt like the peanut butter in a love sandwich.

I was snuggled up tight against Be’nens’ breast and Staunn seemed to be wrapped around me like paint.

It felt real nice.

She stirred a little bit and whispered to me: “You cooperated so well, Michael, I am pleased that you find us so attractive.”

She must have known that my attitude was towards them was changing, I felt I was falling hopelessly in love with her.

As I was clinging to her she whispered in my ear: “See, Michael I can be a good mate for you, you must marry me.”

Talk about a complicated relationship.

Wither it was the drugs or just naked desire, I made love the Be’nen again

Staunn also demanded attention. I wasn’t so sure I could perform, but she was persistent, and was hard to resist, after all she was the doctor.

Making love to Staunn was like getting into a body suit. She had her arms and legs around me like an octopus.

She was so tiny I thought I would break her.

When we finished she announced; “Oh Michael you are wonderful lover for me, I do, do love you.”

Superman was feeling real fine then. I was collapsed between my two lovers when I heard Staunn saying; “See mother I told you he could love us both.”

Then it was good night again with a nerve pinch for me as the lights went out.

· * * * * * * * * * * * *
Day Eight

When I woke up the next morning I was looking into the smiling pixy faced Staunn. She was all decked out in a medical Tech uniform, comm. badge and all; even I didn’t have a badge yet.

“Wake up sleepy head,” she said, “You have to get moving. You wanted us all down to the shuttle craft this morning so let’s get started”.

“Be’nen is going to feed you breakfast and I have to get down to base dispensary to get some supplies, so I will see you later.”

She then gave me a big hug along with a huge kiss and said: “See you later lover, make sure you drink my restorative I left for you, it’ll make feel better; bye.”

I was still groaning trying to get out of bed when Be’nen came into the room dressed in a bath robe, grabbed my hand and pulled me out of bed.

“Let’s get you showered and dressed Michael,” she directed. “We don’t want to be late for the shuttle launch do we?”

I grumbled something that she ignored, and pointed me to the shower.

No worry about my clothes, because I didn’t have any on, and when she dropped her bath robe I noticed she didn’t have any on either. It was all very efficient, two showers for the price of one.

She scrubbed me all over like a bath my mother used to give me, but I made sure that she had all her important parts washed down too. I really didn’t want to miss any of her parts.

When I got a little too interested in her, she gave me a flick with her hand and told me gently; “Later Michael, be nice.”
I tried my best.

After I was dressed and sitting down at the breakfast table with toast and coffee and my ‘restorative’, I wanted to talk to Be’nen:
“About what happened last night; we have to talk.”

“Yes Michael, I explained to you that we were under the influence of Pon Farr. We needed to mate with someone; we selected you. We just seduced you last night to make sure it happened in a controlled environment.”

“Seduced me, is that what you call it? I exclaimed. “I think I was drugged to the eyeballs, and by the way how did Staunn get caught up in this”?

“I think you knew a little how I felt about you, but to get caught up into this Vulcan style mating process is going way over my head”.

“I need an explanation and I need it fast or we aren’t going anywhere together.”

“I am sorry Michael; will you please listen to our story?”

“Explain away sweets, before we get a divorce, before we even get engaged.”

“I think you know by now Michael,” Be’nen started, “Staunn is my daughter.”

“Yes I gathered that when you came in together the first time we met. You seemed to me to be too close to each other for an employer and employee relationship.”

“Very astute of you Michael; not too many people tend to notice Staunn at all.”

“I guess that explains her strong reaction to you, I think she fell in love with you the minute you offered her a mission”.

“A mission, and employment, completely separate from mine, no one has ever asked her to do anything except through me. She loves you for it.”

“I find that hard to believe that Be’nen,” I replied, “she’s a beautiful grownup woman; albeit a tiny, cute woman, but still a grown woman.”

“Yes, I think so too Captain, but some people would consider us both freaks of nature.”

“You see Captain I am not a true Vulcan, I am half Romulan. I was born of a Vulcan mother in a Romulan prison encampment; don’t ask me where, I don’t know.”

“I have no idea who my Romulan father is, and until last night; I couldn’t even remember what my mothers’ name was.”

I didn’t know what to say, I only thought, what in Hades is happening here?

She continued: “When I was about ten years old I was sold to a Ferengi trader.”

“I was kept on his ship until I was, I think, around fifteen. Most of my child hood memories are gone.”

“I was mostly just little more than a worker companion, although the master did like me to stroke his ears. Then I started showing my maturity.”

“Being Vulcan I could never respond to his sexual advances because it just didn’t relate to me. So he drugged me. The aphrodisiac we gave you last night is similar to what he gave me, only his was much stronger. High dosages make you susceptible to mental manipulation.”

“So I was being brainwashed while being seduced?” I asked.

“No Michael, we gave you only enough to enhance your libido”.

“Your true sexual desire was as wide open as a book. Your sexual desires stimulated my breeding instincts and we being together seemed to drive Staunn frantic.”

“Remember you did say you loved us; we are now attuned to each other, but I digress.”

“Staunn’s father drugged me, and sent me into an artificial Pon Farr cycle. In effect I was raped under the influence”.

“Unfortunately somehow the dosage affected me mentally, and I think genetically as well. I became pregnant with Staunn.”

“My mood changes shied him away from any further attempts to get intimate with me again”.

“He later began to fear me when I broke his arm, in the troughs of my birth pains, while delivering Staunn.”

“Jesus I’m sorry Be’nen,” I mumbled.

She continued; “I think he really decided to get rid of both of us is when he saw my beautiful Staunn. She didn’t look enough like a Ferengi to him.”

“You can see her face and ears; plus she had hair, lots of beautiful blond hair; the Ferengi are bald. I still don’t know where she got that gene from; maybe from my long lost Romulan father.”

“I sensed he was trying to get rid of us, maybe sell us. I sensed the messages were getting clearer after the time I had Staunn”.

I do not think I am fully telepathic like some Vulcans, at least I haven’t tried to be, but I am very empathic, and so is Staunn. We are in some ways connected.”

“Staunn’s father took us down to a planet to do some trading”.

“While in orbit I noticed a Vulcan trading vessel”.

“I don’t think he realized what he was doing; he must have had a big deal set up for us when we were to land, but when he wanted us to disembark, I refused.”

“I would not be sold, or have my daughter sold”.

“He then drew his hand phaser and threatened to shoot me through my daughter who was strapped to my breast”.

“Even my reactions surprised me. I swatted the phaser out of his hand, twisted his arm out of his socket and while he was screaming, I threw him bodily out of the shuttle door. He landed on his head; that was smashed like a melon, and was killed.”

“I then flew the shuttle into orbit as close to the Vulcan ship as I could get without them firing on me, and asked for asylum, in Ferengi of course”.

“The only Vulcan word I could remember was M’aith, mother”

“Believe me Be’nen”, I interrupted, “I would never do anything to hurt you, or Staunn, even after all that happened last night; I would even let you win at cards.”

“Don’t you think I know that Captain,” she replied, “besides you couldn’t beat me at cards any way, remember I can almost read your mind, but that is not the last of my story”.

“If we are to be married I want you to know all about us, and why we are all now connected.”

“When Staunn and I were rehabilitated to Vulcan, we never really fit in.”

“I was fifteen years late for Vulcan logic training, and Staunn was almost impossible to teach”.

“You’ll notice my degrees were not in the high sciences that the Vulcans excel at, but in public relations.”

“Staunn barely made it through, what on Earth is called a middle school, not because she was stupid, but because she was a social outcast”.

“We had no family, my mental block that held my childhood and my mother’s name could not be undone. Do you know what the pre marriage arrangements are for Vulcans?”

“I can’t say as I do,” I replied.

“Well neither do I,” she answered.

“No Vulcan wants to marry a clan-less, property-less, and in their minds witless woman, especially not a true Vulcan, but a half-breed Romulan. And what of my daughter, we had no future on Vulcan except struggle and pain.”

“The assignment to Earth was a godsend for us; I was accepted, and even acclaimed, by many here on Earth”.

“I could sense all your desires and pettiness. I could anticipate, and in many circumstances manipulate people, to accomplish my task as a public relations official. I was very satisfied.”

“Staunn continued her education, and excelled”.

“She was just one of many off-worlders who come here to Earth just to experience your culture, your acceptance, your blending in. Staunn for once was happy”.

“Then I went into a regular cycle of pon’farr, our connection made Staunn frantic, she went into pon farr also”.

“To her it was like nymphomania. I realized then that we were more closely linked than I thought possible”.

“She was only a teenager, when I had to take her out of school”.

“We were on suppression medicine for six months, furnished by the Vulcan embassy staff, and lived in virtual isolation”.

“It was a terrible experience for Staunn. I was Vulcan enough to control my emotions after pon’farr, but Staunn was not, it was not an easy time”.

“She is older now and understands what can happen to her, when her mother and daughter are under the influence of pon’farr.”

“I am in pon’farr now. It will last about six months. It is race mechanism to ensure pregnancy. Don’t worry Michael you will not be a father yet, we are not genetically compatible.”

“With Staunns’ maturity it would prove to be an embarrassment to the Vulcan embassy, and we would have been recalled to Vulcan; and to her misery, and my pain”.

“Acceptance on your mission would be a way to isolate us and try to control ourselves in private”.

“Things changed when I met you.”

“I chose you for two reasons”.

“Number one; you said I would be allowed to join if I was married to one of the crew. Believe me Michael many men have desired me, I know because many a time I considered it a males vulnerability in my business relations, but no man has ever asked me to marry them, only you”.

“Number two; Staunn really likes you, I guess you might say she loves you, and she agreed with the decision to mate, and marry you.”

“That’s just great Be’nen, now that we are supposedly mated, I’m supposed to marry the both of you,” I exclaimed!

“One woman is a Vulcan with the emotional level of a door knob, when she is not in pon’farr every seven years, and the other is her nymphomaniac daughter who I probably should be a father figure to,” I continued.

“Jeez Be’nen, that’s one hell of a position to put me in. I can’t seem to keep one wife happy at a time let alone two. What do you expect me to do?”

“Marry us as soon as you can. We are mated.” She said emphatically. “We are connected. Staunn loves you”.

“I am half Romulan, maybe I can learn to love you the same as Staunn; we are connected. I can be a good wife too. I am not unaware of the human male’s needs, and desires.”

“I suppose you studied the Kama Sutra too,” I replied sarcastically.

“I am aware of the Kama Sutra, Michael.” She continued. “If you feel physically fit I’m sure Staunn, and I, will be obliging.”

“You’re not being helpful in this situation Be’nen.”

“I can’t be thinking of marriage now, I have a mission to complete, a three year mission. Besides I don’t think you and Staunn are thinking right about this under the influence of pon’farr”.

“In six months it will probably just blow over and you will be back to your normal efficient thinking Vulcan, Freeing, Romulo person, whatever.”

“No captain we are joined, mated and connected now.” she lectured, “You have freed Staunn’s love and affection, and through the both of you, I no longer have the mental block that was given to me as a slave. I can remember things now. I know my mother’s name.”

Be’nen’s face started to screw up, it look as if she was going to cry.

The moment was so emotional for her that it was plain to see that she was struggling for control.

I reached over the table and grabbed her hand and pulled her over to me and sat her on my lap and held her.

Be’nen got her composure back, got her little amused grin back and asked me: “Are you going to remove us from the mission?”

“Certainly not,” I said. “We’re in too deep now sweetheart. You know how I feel about you and Staunn, but I’m not getting married now no matter what you think”.

“You are a part of this mission. I need both of your help, Be’nen, you know that too”.

“You will have to resign if you want off this project. It would probably break my heart, but that’s the way it’ll have to be.”

“About our personal relationship, you’re going to have to talk to my parents about this.”

“Your parents,” she asked?

“Yes when you are done with pon’farr. I explained. “You will just have to think of us as pre-engaged, dating you might say.”

“Dating on a star ship?” She asked; really grinning this time.

“Yes dear and you can ask me to dinner any time you feel like it. Just don’t gang up on me”.

“Once the word gets around I’ll probably be laughed out of Star Fleet anyway, for marrying two women”.

“Cripes in twenty years you would probably have to push me around in a wheel chair and pre chew my food for me.”

Her face really became a little screwed up for a second. I think she was trying not to laugh in my face, but she didn’t.

“Yes Michael, we will do as you say.” She exclaimed. “We will all be perfectly professional”.

“Staunn, and I, both know many recipes that you may need to try at dinner”.

“In six months we can talk to your parents. Staunn would like that too, to be part of a family”.

“I am pleased you are so human and agreeable.”

“Thank you my dear, now give us a kiss and let’s get moving over to the launch pad and get in to the shuttle before all the good seats are taken.”

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Ten - Old friends and a false start.

Day Eight

When Be’nen and I arrived at the depot launch area, I knew I was in trouble.

Og had the shuttle in hand, and a shuttle load of supplies sitting next to it waiting to be loaded.

I knew then that all of it would not fit into the shuttle, along with the twenty five crew personnel that showed up.

I greeted Ron, Pete and Don, and told them how glad I was to see them as I made my way up to the shuttles’ cargo ramp.

I said good morning to Mr. Og, and the two Dabo girls, and introduced Be’nen to everyone there.

“You did a good job Mr. Og, but I’m afraid we are going to need another shuttle,” I decried.

“It looks like most of my advisor group showed up for duty”.

“I need to see if you can get another Type 9 cargo shuttle for us”.

“Better make it a 9B troop transport if you can. We can always fold up the seats to get this cargo inside it, and still have seating room for some of our salvage team”.

“Yes sir,” Og replied. “Will we have to move our stuff now too? Who is going to help us load all this stuff? Who will pilot this one if I have to pilot the other one”?

“My new administrative assistant, Ms. Tash, and our new medical tech, Dr. Tehk, can pilot for me in this shuttle.”

“We can have the Recovery and Salvage teams travel with you. We will all help you load. You get started on the supply comm. looking for one, and I’ll get this party started here.”

I started welcoming, and introducing my teams, when Staunn arrived in a base taxi, with what looked like two storage lockers full of medical equipment.

I went over to help her lug them to the shuttle. I then asked her to set up shop in one of the berths at the rear of the shuttle, and get prepared for crew screening.

Back at the ramp I formally welcomed all members to the Star Fleet Advisor and Assistance Group (SFAAG) – CIV to the Bajor Provisional Government, Bajoran Ministry of Commerce, Salvage and Recovery Operations.

“I know that you have probably met each other before, but I want to introduce my team leaders and the crew roster as I see it now”.

“I also would like the team leaders to assemble their crew together as I read off the list. If there needs to be any changes, get to me when we get to Moon base”.

“This crew list will be our working roster for now”.

I read out my list, it is as follows:

Command and Operations

Michael Thomas, CWO (Ret), Chief Advisor, Civ SF 14, Chief Engineer
Be’nen Tash, Civ SF 14, Admin Asst
Staunn Tehk, MD, Civ SF 5, Med Tech
Mr. Og, Civ SF 6, Supply Tech
Sunbeam Dabo, Civ SF 3, Supply Clerk
Teacup Dabo, Civ SF 3, Supply Clerk
John Hirst, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Steward
James Mathys, CPO (Ret), Civ SF5, Steward

Flight Engineers

Peter Murray, CPO (Ret), Flight Engr, Civ SF 9, Maintenance
Donald Murdoch, CPO (Ret), Flight Engr, Civ SF 9, Maintenance
Dwane Barkley, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Engr tech,
Mona Freeman, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Engr tech
Larry Comet, LtJG (Ret), Civ SF 6, Conn Tech
Nichelle Bushong, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 6, Computer Spec
Aleshia Campbell, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Computer Tech
Mrs. Diane Murray, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Computer Tech

Recovery Team

Ronald Thornton, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 9, Salvage Tech
Mrs. Jenny Thornton, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Engr Bee Opr
Mrs. Carol Murdoch, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Engr Bee Opr
James West, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Recovery Spec
Joshua Bopp, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Recovery Spec
David. Thomas, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Demo/UXB Sp
Reed Dunn, CPO (Ret), Civ SF 5, Demo/UXB Sp
David Jeffers, CPO (Ret), Civ SF5, Armorer
Robert Good, CPO (Ret), Civ SF5, Decon Spec

I then re-introduced Ms. Be’nen Tash as my admin assistant, and Dr. Staunn Tehk, as our med tech, which got me a big hug from Staunn, and cat calls from the crowd.

I then announced that she was Be’nen’s daughter, and yes she was a real doctor and that she can only hug me, and her mother, and no other members of the crew.

That got a skeptical chuckle form the crowd.

I pointed out that Mr. Og, our supply specialist, with his two assistants, the Dabo girls, would try and find us another Type-9 shuttle to load all this extra equipment in.

I explained the reason for all the rush was that we had a Monarch class merchantman, owned by Klingons; that I really wanted to get my hands on to use in our mission, before they changed their minds.

I warned my team that they were probably ex-pirates and to be on their guard, even if they are supposed to be our allies and co-workers. If anyone had a real problem with it, now is the time to let me know now, because we are going to Luna port to assist them getting refitted enough to meet Federation safety standards, and you will be partnering with Klingons to get the job done.

There were a few grumblings from the team; Klingons weren’t popular

I also said that the recovery section would fly in the other shuttle that Mr. Og procures for us.

“Right now I want all of you to in-process with Ms. Tash and Dr. Tehk”.

“It’s to make sure you are entered properly in our team roster, and recorded in our mission computer log”.

“I do want to see my old friend Larry Comet and Com-Spec Nichelle Bushong as soon as they finish in-processing.”

I asked Be’nen to start the in-processing on her portable comp link through the shuttles computer, at one of the dining tables and

I’ll setup on the other table, in case anyone asks a question, like, where is my bunk?

We were going to be packed in like sardines until we got aboard the Monarch.

I then went, and helped Staunn reshuffle her medical equipment around in one of the sleeping berths.

The berths were set up with a sliding door for privacy and contained a berth similar to the booth with table setup in the main passenger area.

To make a bed, the table was lowered to fit between the two seats. Then the seat cushions were reshuffled to be made up as a bunk, just like and road bound RV.

I asked her if everything is going to be ‘okay’.

“No problem Michael,” she replied. “I’ve got all the prelaunch medical requirements from the Post Dispensary, they were most
helpful.”

“I will give all personnel, a baseline medical scan, including you. I have the latest medical tri-corder, scanner, and portable medical terminal, so I am all set”.

“Please don’t go anywhere, because you are my first patient. Would you please help me plug in all this stuff where it needs to go?”

She said: “Thank you,” after I crawled around the berth searching for electrical outlets.

After we got her set up, she wanted me to take all my clothes off so she could give me a “complete physical”.

I said: “No Staunn, we don’t want to scare the crew. Just scan me with the tri-corder and enter my data from my Public Health data chit, just like everyone else.”

“Anyways after last night, if I had any physical defects, you would have already pointed them out to me.”

She laughed and quipped that I, “Never let her have any fun”.

After my scan I exited fast and went to see how Be’nen was doing and to see if I could help.

Be’nen was doing okay, then she asked me where my pers-comp was.

I said it was in my luggage somewhere.

She recommended that dig it out because until we get on the Monarch, the shuttles’ on board computer may have trouble handling all the demands of the crew; especially when we may have to work with a Klingon computer that may not be fully compatible with Federation issue.

An issue we would all be working on when we got to the moon.

Shortly after that, Staunn came forward to where we were sitting and announced that all the exams were done, except for her mother, and Mr. Og and his crew.

I said, “Thank you Doctor, would you please sit in the pilots’ seat and start our pre flight checklist and file a flight plan with Base Operations. Include a second shuttle in the flight plan for Mr. Og and the Recovery Section.”

She then reached over and put her arm around my shoulder and said; “Yes sir, I’ll do it right away, sir.” Then she smiled, patted the top of my head and sashayed forward to the pilots’ seat.

That bought out more hoots from the people in the shuttle, like: “boy, are you a special patient or what!”

I looked at Be’nen and she wasn’t smiling. I guessed she didn’t get a chance to talk to Staunn yet.

“Alright you people don’t you have things to do? Get some of your gear stowed and dig out your pers-comps.”

“You need to start down loading info on that Monarch Class Merchantman.”

“She is a lot larger than the J-Class, that you all are probably familiar with; this baby is almost twice as big, and really old.”

“It’s like a super freighter that is almost as large as the Grayson tender, and you aren’t going to be on it that long before you have to start training Bajorans. So try to get up to speed on it as soon as possible.”

“The same goes for the Grayson tender.”

“Remember they have to relieve us after our temporary duty on that thing. You can just down load the material that you need to do your own job.”

About that time Og called in and Staunn put him on the speaker.

“Captain, I found you a shuttle. It has been sitting for awhile and I need a power assist module to get it running. If you have one there I’ll have to return to the landing field to get it. Also my Dabo girls say it smells funny.”

“Og, there is a power assist module in this shuttle that I do have available. Bring your car back here and pick it up.”

“When you return to the new shuttle, take the Recovery Section, or at least Mr. Thornton, with some helpers, to help you get it over here to the launch area. We’ll continue to work on it here.”

“Okay Captain, I’ll be right over," Og out.

I called Ron over and told him about the shuttle situation, and that Og was coming over to pick up this shuttle’s power assist module.”

He should go back with Og and take as many of his crew that he felt he needed to help him to get the shuttle running, and bring it back here for servicing.

Ron confirmed my request with an “okay”, and relayed the info to his team, then selected three people to assist him.

I summoned my two newly joined stewards that had showed up, Hirst and Mathys.

I wanted them to check the shuttle’s food packs, and to verify any additional dietary requirements for Ms. Tash, Dr. Tehk, Mr. Og and the Dabo girls.

I also wanted them to secure field rations for the second shuttle, when it was ready, and to check out what they could secure for liquid refreshments that were probably needed for the second shuttle.

It would be lucky if the new found shuttle had a liquid coffee dispenser.

They said they would get right on it, and both went directly to Be’nen to secure purchase orders for the base supply store, well it was a start.

I then returned to my seat in the shuttle.

When I sat down at my table Larry Comet came over and sat down with me. With him was the Computer Specialist, Nichelle Bushong.

Nichelle was a bean pole of a woman. She looked to be flat chested, strawberry blond haired, woman, with a severe banged, helmet style hair cut.

She had an expression on her face that looked like she had just sucked on a sour pickle. She also seemed to me to be wrapped up real tight, and was wearing a uniform that I didn’t recognize right off. It looked like a flight attendants uniform.

I shook hands with both of them, and welcomed them aboard.

“Long time no see Larry. The last time I saw you, was when you took a commission assignment, on a bridge crew somewhere.”

“Yea I did Mike. One of the bigger mistakes in my life, it almost got me killed.”

“How was that Larry,” I asked? “I didn’t know you were in any action.”

“I wasn’t,” Larry replied. “When I took the commission they took me off the engineer and tactical ships, and put me into transportation and supply vessels”.

“Talk about boring, I had more underlings than I knew what to do with. All it seemed I had to do was check my rosters daily to see if everyone was still alive”.

“All the work was done for me, I became a supervisor; how’s that?”

“It would seem like that would get you far enough away from any action, and not get you killed.”

“That’s all well and good under normal circumstances, Mikey, but being raided by pirates kind of changes your perspective.”

“Pirates! They weren’t Klingon were they?”

“Hell I don’t know for sure Mike. I was asleep at the time the alarm went off”.

“They blew out a bulkhead before I could get to my station and I was buried under debris, out cold as a mackerel”.

“When I came to, all the women were gone, except for Nichelle here”.

“Six men were dead, about the same badly injured, and except for my bump on the head (a mild concussion), I was okay, but the ship had a couple of holes in it big enough to drive a work bee through them, and was venting atmosphere”.

“If it wasn’t for the emergency bulk heads activating, we would have all been killed.”

“I didn’t find Nichelle for about six hours. I still don’t know how she crawled underneath her com station”.

“There is maybe just enough room for a child in there. She was really jammed in there,” Larry chucked.

“It wasn’t funny, Larry,” Nichelle spoke up, “and at least I’m still here.”

“I can only tell you Mike, that it was a Klingon ship, a Bird of Prey type. A big one too, it had to be to haul away the cargo that we were hauling”.

“If they were Klingons inside of those suits, no one left alive was going to open the cargo bay extension doors, to take a closer look. It just sawed off the tug lead, and flew it away with a tractor beam.”

The only record we had left was an outside visual.

“Nichelle had to work like a dog to get us a rescue signal together.”

“After that I quit Star Fleet, and just took commercial short hauls. I’m all alone now, and have just been coasting from one job to another, like I heard about what you were doing before this project came up.”

“I saw your name, and called Nichelle to let her know where I was going, because we kept in touch, and low and behold, here she is too.”

“This isn’t just an ash and trash job, Larry,” I explained. “We’re going to salvage what we can out there and let the Bajorans put humpty dumpty back together again”.

“Nichelle, you didn’t quit your job for this one did you?”

“No Sir, I was sort of semi retired. I too quit Star Fleet after the incident; only I took a position with the colony fleet service. I thought Star Fleet was a little screwed up try shepherding about a thousand colonists.”

“No sir I was ready to move on. Larry just planted a little seed in my head. I’ll probably regret it though, I took an awfully big pay cut to take this job;” and she was chuckling over that remark.

(?).

“Well welcome aboard anyways, to the both of you.”

“Larry you used to be the go to guy to get things done ‘special’, are you still the same?

“I don’t know Mike, try me.”

“Well Larry we got us a Klingon Monarch Merchantman for hire at Luna port. That ship normally has a crew of sixty one personnel and they almost flat landed it on the moon, with about twenty five people to run it. I think it’s a prize ship.”

“What do you want us to do?”

“When we get on board I want you to find out its history Larry, without them knowing about it. Can you do it?”

“Gee Mike why don’t you just let me call a few people I know, and we can steal the whole thing for you.”

I thought it was funny, but Nichelle just glared at him. Maybe she knew something that I didn’t know.

“No Larry, remember were back in Star Fleet now, you have to play by the rules.”

“I can get any information you need Mr. Thomas,” spoke Nichelle. “Getting it is the easy part but getting it off the ship is the hard part. An unsecured transmission would be detected.”

“Not if we had the ships command codes Nichelle,” said Larry, “or better yet if we implanted federation command codes, we could then link in, and it would be as if we were just another terminal on the Monarch. Think you can do that without anyone guessing, Nichelle?”

“Let me think on it Larry.”

She then asked me; “Do you plan to park the shuttles in the Monarchs shuttle bay?

I told her yes, and that I plan to use the converted shuttle as my command post, and onboard residence, until we reach the Grayson.

“Very good, sir,” was her reply.

“Larry, we will have to modify the auxiliary power cable; that would be the easiest way. It would be impossible to trace a transmission signal through a power coupling. Of course you would have to establish the com link Larry.”

“Yes Nichelle.”

“Don’t you worry Mikey, by the time we are thru, you will have a secondary bridge set up in this shuttle enough to fly that Monarch yourself, if you had to”.

“I learned a few tricks in my time. I think it would take a Vulcan security officer to find out what we are doing, and as I don’t think they would have one aboard, they probably will never find out what we are doing.”

I felt a couple sets of eyes staring at the back of my head, but I didn’t say anything. Instead I told Larry, and Nichelle, that we were on the same sheet of music, and thanks.

I then asked Be’nen how things were going,

She said, “Very well sir. I do have to go to base personnel to pickup our new ID badges as there are no facilities to produce them on board. I would also like to pick up a supply of civilian com badges; badges enough even for the Klingons”.

She would use Og’s car when he returned, I suggested.

“Maybe Mr. Comet would care to assist me when the time comes,” she asked?

I could take a hint, and asked Larry if he would help Be’nen; he agreed.

Staunn notified me from her pilot’s seat, that Og finally got the shuttle up and running and they were on their way back to the launch area now.

I said thanks and went out on the deck to wait for them.

When the shuttle landed the first thing you noticed was all the grime on it. It must have sat out there for years.

When Og, and Ron, came out they both looked a little grim.

“She needs a good cleaning and airing out Mike,” said Ron. “Come over here and take a closer look.”

The girls were right it did smell funny.

Inside the shuttle’ cargo bay, where the fold down passenger seats were positioned, Ron pointed to two big areas where new
repair patches were at one time sealed in, one on each side.

It had been hit clear through it, and hit hard.

“It looks like one of those salvaged shuttles from Wolf 359, after the battle with the Borg.” Ron explained.

“It must have been used as an escape vehicle when it was hit in the cross fire. I think that’s why she smells so gamey. It was probably filled with people and when it got hit like that, it probably spread everyone all over the inside of this thing like a coat of paint.”

“They rebuilt her of course, and cleaned her up, but it takes awhile to get the smell of all that disinfectant out. That’s probably why she sat out there so long, and then they forgot about it.”

“Og found it stored out behind the old Type-7 shuttles. You still want her?”

“Yeah Ron I do. Please take it over to the wash rack and clean her up, then get it serviced”.

“She’s going to be your work platform when we get to the Grayson, so take a few women along to make sure it’s fumigated enough to meet their standards.”

“You don’t need to tell them what we think happened to her. She’ll do, after all, this is salvage and recovery operation isn’t it.”

“Sure boss,” replied Ron. “I’ll get right on it. If you don’t mind I’ll take the whole crew.”

“You do that Ron”

The Dabo girls drove Og’s car up to the shuttle, and came out still holding their noses.

“Mr. Thomas we need a shower. That shuttle really stinks and we feel really icky.”

“Okay girls wait a second.”

I called out for Be’nen, and Larry, that their ride was here and asked if they would also take the girls some place to take a shower.

“Yes sir,” Be’nen answered, “I can do that, and by the way I have contacted transit housing and made overnight accommodations for everyone. It is now almost four PM and none of the crew has had any lunch, and that galley, on board this shuttle, is little more than a snack bar.”

“The people here are falling all over their selves, sir. If I may I also suggest we inform the launch terminal that we will have a twenty four hour delay, so we can get all this equipment loaded and get a fresh start tomorrow.”

“You know that second shuttle is not really ready to travel, and I think you need some place to have a group meeting in a little more favorable setting.”

“You‘re right Be’nen,” I replied, “and I apologize too. I’m in too much of a hurry. Make it so Be’nen.”

“I’ll inform Staunn, and the rest of the crew. See you when you get back.”

I returned to the command shuttle and made the announcement and it seemed like they were all cheering.

I felt like a dope.

I told Staunn to inform the terminal of the delay and told everyone that I wanted all that equipment on the deck to be loaded on shuttle number two before we quit for the day, and where were my two stewards Hirst, and Mathys?

They had disappeared looking for rations.

When I sat down at my table Staunn came over and sat next to me and asked me if I was going to have dinner with them tonight.

I said we would have to wait and ask her mother when she got back.

Staunn started put on a glum face, so I said that if there was no problem with her mother I would be glad to have dinner with all of us, in the mess hall.

Staunn just kind of looked at me and then started to laugh in her huff, huff way.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Eleven - Off to the Moon.

Day Eight

Ron and his crew took their time cleaning our shuttle number two, and getting it serviced.

It was around six PM when Ron and his crew finally showed up, somber, but satisfied with the results.

Compared to what it looked like when I first saw it, the old girl almost shined. I praised the salvage crew for their efforts; they all did a great job.

The rest of the crew came over to take a look at it, so I put them all to work stowing Mr. Ogs’ supplies and equipment, plus some of their personal gear on board it.

It took about another hour to load up the shuttle with all the supplies and personal gear of the Recovery Team, plus moving Mr. Og, and his crew. It was a little tight, but they all had a place to sit.

My two stewards also loaded on a portable food locker, and a water cooler for the lunar trip.

There was a small portable head installed with a modesty screen only, but it would have to do until we got to the Moon. Any further upgrades would have to wait. Most of them would have to come from our salvage materials at the Bajoran recovery site.

I had the shuttles secured and dismissed the crew until 10 AM the next morning. I wanted them all to get a good nights’ rest in the rooms Be’nen had already secured for them.

I also scheduled a meeting at the hanger facilities in prep for a noon launch. I wanted all personnel to note that it might take us up to twenty four hours, traveling at sub-light before we landed on Luna ports’ Alpha Base, and to pack accordingly.

“Section leaders, including Mr. Comet can prepare points of discussion on the way there; they can be discussed in flight through regular communications channels.”

“I want both shuttles to travel together, land together and meet Commander Hayes, and our Klingon friends, together at Moon Base Alpha. Have a good night.”

Be’nen, Staunn and I, along with Og and his crew, waited for the return of the base shuttle bus to take the crew over to their quarters.

We then rode over with Og in his car. It was getting late; I was glad the mess hall was open twenty four hours a day.

When I went to my quarters I was not surprised to find that Be’nen and Staunn were right next door to me.

Be’nen had vacated her VIP quarters.

I dropped off my travel kit and then invited them both to dine with me in the mess hall.

We all went down together.

I had a big veggie burgher with fries and cucumber salad with two beers.

Be’nen had her plate of vegetables and rice. Staunn had shrimp, tuna fish salad with spinach, and mashed sweet potatoes, along with some kind of Ferengi drink that Og had found.

When Ron and his crew came in they were all wearing burnt red work shirts that they had found somewhere, they looked nice.

I haled him and told him that those shirts didn’t look so bad and asked where he got them.

“I got them at the Base Exchange,” he said with a big grin. “I guess there wasn’t a big demand for them on the base, even though they were required to stock them. They had lots of them so I got a good price; and I thought that the crew deserved it after they worked so hard on number two shuttle.”

“Well they look great on you all and I think that should be your semi official work uniform from now on Ron. It will be distinctive for the recovery section to all our friends and allies, and if they have any questions about salvage and recovery, they can ask a “red shirt”.”

“Thanks Mike, I’ll tell the crew. I’m sure they will agree with you.”

He then went over to his crew tables and had his dinner.

A few waved to me and pointed to their new shirts smiling at me. They were now a proud crew, I liked that.

I told Be’nen I thought it was a great idea to have the rest of the crew dressed the same way.

“I should put out a policy memo to that effect and have Og order shirts for all, including me. That way I can allow an alternative to their present uniform status and it will save them from having to wear those maintenance coveralls all the time.”

“Yes captain it will be done,” Be’nen replied.

Staunn asked; “I have some red under wear packed somewhere, what crew does that put me in?”

I told her it would probably be in the hot house crew, on the Grayson, if they have a botanical garden.

“O goody,” she said, “then I’ll be able to wear a fig leaf for you in your room later.”

I shut up after that. Be’nen just rolled her eyes and

Staunn started her huff huffing again.

After dinner I was ready for bed. We all went straight to our quarters and we all said good night to each other; and that was it. No kissing, no nothing; just off to sleep in my own room.

I was really tired; I think I went right to sleep.

While I was in dream land something woke me up, it was Staunn, naked as a jay bird.

“What are you doing here,” I asked? (Silly question)

“It’s my turn,” she said. “Mother said we’re not supposed to gang up on you, so it’s just me this time. Besides that lover, remember we ordered the rooms, and the extra key.”

How could I resist, after all she was only wearing her cute, mischievous smile; so I pulled back the sheets and let her into bed.

She really liked making love to me. I could almost smother her, but boy, sex with Staunn was great. She was so passionate loving and sweet, as I held her in my arms. I really wanted to give her all the love she deserved.

I went to sleep hoping I wasn’t cheating on anyone.

Day Nine

When I woke up the next morning I was being cradled in someone else’s arms. Arms that were connected to two beautiful breasts, and a long leg, that was draped over me.

Be’nen was that easy to recognize. I didn’t know where Staunn had disappeared to, but if it was duty calling with Be’nen, I was ready.

“Quit playing Michael,” she said, “It’s time to get up. Come on and let’s take our shower.”

She kind of dragged me out of bed and into the shower. I tried again to make extra sure I didn’t miss any spots on her.

When she saw that I was getting too frisky, she look at me and said; “You know Michael, since we are now connected, you really radiate desire”.

“Your satisfaction in having sex with me is also having a satisfactory effect on me. I wonder if our sexual linkage will continue after my pon farr subsides”?

“It is a course that I wish to pursue with you after we are wed, but not now”

It was a good bath and an equally good brush off.

After breakfast in the mess hall with Be’nen, and a smirking Dr. Tehk, with her restorative cocktail for me, I was ready for action.

So was everyone else it seemed.

The word must have gone out about the Recovery section wearing their new red shirts and the rest were asking where was theirs.

Most of my flight crew was still garbed in standard Star Fleet engineer red tunics, with their ranks removed.

Aside from the Dabo girls, who seemed to dress in different color body suits, and Staunn’s whites, we looked like the crew of a civilian cruise liner.

This being, I figured, my last hitch in Star Fleet, as an instructor, the civilianized suit I was wearing, fit the part of a tour guide.

Be’nen passed out the ID badges and our comm. pins.

They were the civilian button type Badges, with the engineering logo with Star Fleet, Corps of Engineers around the circlet.

It kind of reminded me of a bulls’ eye. I hoped it wasn’t an omen.

We all waited for the shuttle bus and then followed Og over to the ground shuttle car pool, for him to turn in his car; and then off to the launch area, and the shuttles.

Larry, and Nichelle, came up to me and told me that they had comm. badges for the Klingons too.

Larry was smiling too; I kind of wondered what he was up to, but I kept my mouth shut.

For my ten o’clock meeting there wasn’t much of a discussion.

Don Murdoch, and Pete Murray, had a few questions about having to work with Klingons, and how to deal with them; because most of us had little or no contact with them, and most of those dealings were negative.

I told them that it was new ground for all of us, but they were now our allies and we had to keep that in mind.

“What I’d seen of their leader, they were still big, ugly, and combative, so be careful.”

“I know nothing about their women, and for that I will work through Ms. Tash, if needed.”

“As far as I know they are a family, or clan. I assume there will also be children on board. I’m also assuming that they are in flight to avoid prosecution from Klingon authorities. I could see no other reason why they are in Earth space”

“I expect we’ll find out if they were commerce raiders, or pirates, who for some reason had their raiding vessel confiscated.”

“That Monarch they are living in was probably stolen; I doubt they will have any papers at all.”

“I plan to use that information as leverage to get them to cooperate with us.”

“They want to operate as a leased vessel, but without legitimacy, their ship can be impounded and the crew confined until Klingon authorities decide what to do with them.”

“I think they will cooperate with us, so hang in there. If you have any problems let us know. Just remember Ms. Tash has been around, and so has Larry. I think we can stay ahead in this game.”

“The end results are; to get that Monarch and the Grayson to Bajor, and start to clean up their mess.”

When we exited the hangar there was about twenty or thirty people waiting for us with cameras and microphones.

They all made a bee line for Be’nen. They all seemed to be asking questions all at once.

I shouted out, “Hold it everyone what is this all about?”

One of the reporters said, “We want to know what’s going on with Be’nen Tash”.

“She seemed to have dropped out of sight about a month ago. Nobody would give us any information. We didn’t know if she was fired from the Vulcan Embassy, returned to Vulcan, or what.”

“All of her appearances were canceled, and we want to know why.”

“What is she doing here anyway? She’s a celebrity for gods’ sake. By the way who are you and who are these people with Ms. Tash?”

I looked over at Be’nen and asked her if she was alright with all this.

She said she would answer questions if it was alright with me.

She said it might be better if I gave them an outline of what the mission was first.

I turned around to the crew and asked them to hold off going to the shuttle for a second so I could introduce the crew and give these reporters a mission outline.

They sort of bunched together around me, and Be’nen and I introduced myself.

I then started telling the reporters that we were a Star Fleet Engineer Assistance and Advisory Group for Bajor and that our mission is to assist the Bajorans in clearing out their shipping lanes of debris left over from the last war with the Dominion.”

“We would be salvaging what materials we could for the benefit of the Bajoran government.”

“The principle members of my team are Ms. Tash, as my administrative assistant, Dr. Tehk, as my medical tech, Peter Murray and Donald Murdoch, my principle flight personnel, Ron Thornton, my salvage crew chief and Larry Comet, our senior Communications advisor.”

“We are on a three year mission, and today we are on our way to the moon to pick up one of our principle operating vessels.”

“Now if Ms. Tash is ready she will answer as many questions as she feels fit to answer, and believe me she was not shanghaied for this mission.”

That got only a few laughs from the crowd before the questions started flying.

“One at a time, please,” Be’nen asked. “How about you Gloria, what is your question.”

“Ms. Tash, where have you been? You are a popular celebrity and this salvage operation is so far out of character, we are all mystified as to your reasons why”

“Did the Vulcan Embassy send you on this mission for some special reason, or are you being punished?”

“No Gloria, it's no special mission. This was my decision along with my daughter.”

“Ms. Tash you have a daughter,” Gloria interrupted?

“Yes, Dr. Staunn Tehk, is my daughter.”

“Many of you knew her as my personnel assistant, but for professional and personal reasons we kept it quiet. We both felt it was a time for a change.”

“I am a Vulcan Science Academy graduate and a qualified flight officer in the Vulcan Militia, I have never served on a deep space mission. This is my opportunity to do so with my daughter.”

“Staunn has supported me faithfully here on Earth and we have really enjoyed our stay, but I have been here for twenty years, and am due for recall as an ambassador”.

“It might not have to happen, but we felt it was time for her do the job she was trained to do, being a doctor, a space medicine doctor. I am very proud of her.”

“How about you, Howard?”

“Ms. Tash,” Howard asked, “an administrative assistant?
That’s got to be quite a comedown for you isn’t it? I mean after all you had to be up there pretty high at the Vulcan Embassy, your presence in their regard seemed to be everywhere.”

“Well Howard this is only a three year mission, I hope you all don’t forget me if and when we return.”

“I’m sure Mr. Thomas will allow me to fill you in with highlights of our operations when we get to Bajor. Besides that, Bajor is supposed to be a beautiful place. I might invest in some real estate there.”

That got a few laughs, while Be’nen turned and cocked an eyebrow to me.

“Time to go to the shuttle”, I announced to everyone.

To the reporters I suggested that they could keep in contact with Ms. Tash, about our mission, through the Star Fleet Engineer Information Net.

“I am sure she would be glad to answer any and all pertinent questions, and keep in touch with you all.”

“Thank you for all your interest.”

I took Be’nen by the arm and escorted her to the
shuttles.

Staunn came up to her and said, “ M’aith” and then followed a conversation in Vulcan I guess, because I didn’t understand a word that was said.

“It’s alright Staunn,” she had said to Staunn, “everything is out in the open now. Let them think what they want, we’re on our way to the moon.”

Og and the Dabo girls, along with the recovery section got into shuttle number two, while I hustled Be’nen and Staunn on to shuttle number one first, while the rest of my flight crew followed making sure we had no further questions to be answered.

Be’nen took the pilots’ seat, Staunn the co-pilots’ and I sat in the Cargo Mates’ seat.

I then switched with Pete Murray; after all he was a Flight Engineer, and took a seat in one of the passenger recliners.

Og, along with Ron and Jenny Thornton, were piloting the other shuttle.

It took about a half an hour to finish getting all our personal gear stowed, and do a musical chairs with the seating arrangements, prior to clearing all preflight operations, before we got permission to take off.

The flight from Nellis, to Earth Space Dock, was smooth.

We only had to make two orbits around the space dock before we were cleared for moon trajectory.

With Be’nen, and Og, as pilots, it was as smooth as silk.

I sat back and tried to relax, but I kept thinking of what I was going to say to the Klingons.

That and trying to figure out what they had for crew on board, how to match up their skills with ours.

The Monarch class freighter was a big ship almost as big as the Grayson. It was more like a passenger/freight liner.

I didn’t really know how the Bajorans and Klingons would get along either.

The only information I had about Bajor was what I had gathered from news broadcast about Deep Space Nine, and that seemed to be mostly about turmoil.

‘Well smart guy’, I said to myself, ‘you volunteered for this, now you have to pay the piper’, or something to that effect.

‘Lets’ see you sweet talk the Klingons into cooperating. It will be more like horse trading and arm twisting with an arm that’s about twice your size’.

Harrumph. Next stop Moon Base Alpha.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Twelve - The Monarch; a pig in a Polk?

Day Nine

During our flight to Moon Base Alpha I had another little meeting with the crew to be prepared for our meeting with the Klingons.

I asked Dwayne Barkley and Mona Freeman to take the pilot seats so Be’nen, and Staunn could participate.

Don, Pete, Larry and the people with Mr.Og, in shuttle number two, were all included through our ships’ transceivers.

The first thing I asked was; “Does anyone speak and understand Klingon?”

Be’nen said that she could read some Klingon, and understood limited phrasing, like hello, goodbye, and certain other expressions regarding rank, and personal greetings; but she had only limited contact with Klingons, through their Federation Assembly staff.

Staunn said she also understood some of those phrases too. Her present medical information she garnered from the Nellis dispensary, of Klingon physiology, was mostly done in Earth Standard English, with Klingon translation notes on their biology. With her duties as Be’nen’s personal assistant, she had even less personal contact with Klingons than her mother.

Larry added that he had been monitoring Klingon transmissions, off and on, since his run in with the pirates that raided his supply ship. He especially monitored transmissions while he was in the commercial service. It was not his job, but he did it anyway. He thought Nichelle did too. Through paranoia, or self awareness, call it what you may, he understood enough Klingon to give a fair translation; but he has never really seen, or spoken to, a Klingon.

Og said he had dealings with the Klingons, but had only used translators, sometimes with grave consequences.

“The Klingons do not properly interpret the true meaning of Ferengi words.”

“I’ll bet,” I said.

Nobody else in the two shuttles had any clue about Klingons other than what they saw on the videos.

I asked Og to secure some hand translators, at least twelve for the principle crew, when we reach the moon.

I wanted Larry to see what he could do with our onboard computers so our com badges would work within the Klingon security protocols.

When we were granted permission, by the Klingons, to upgrade the Monarchs’ communications, he was to make sure a Federation translator was installed.

I didn’t want to have any misunderstandings, like our Mr.Og, and his Ferengi trading partners had.

Larry put a big smile on his face and said; “Don’t you worry about a thing, Mikey. Nichelle and I are way ahead of you on this. By the time we get to Bajor that computer will be spouting Klingon, Earth Standard, Bajoran and Cardasian, like a Harvard graduate.”

Staunn piped up, “Hey, I graduated from Harvard, will it sound like me?”

That got us all a small laugh.

Larry countered with; “Well I could make the food replicators sound like you, if you want, and yes, we will include a Ferengi menu too.”

We were still laughing at Staunn’s expense because of her recent expressions of exasperation at not getting satisfactory meals, or snacks, from the shuttles’ small on board food replicator.

She had a hard time getting replicated food that would meet her Ferengi taste.

When things calmed down a bit I asked Og to see if he could procure some Ferengi food replication programs from the trading stations on Luna port, or Tycho City.

That pretty much ended our intra shuttle meeting.

· * * * * * * * * * * *
Day Ten

About eighteen hours into our lunar flight, we were on lunar approach.

I asked Be’nen to request permission for us to orbit close to the Monarch so we could get a fly by inspection of the ship.

Permission was granted and we were given the coordinates of the ship’s present position.

About six hours later we got our first look at the Klingons’
Monarch freighter, it wasn’t pretty.

The outer shell was showing at least a dozen patched over areas that looked like they covered weapons hits.

Most of them were shaped to cover what looked like blast grooves in the outer hull. It was an indication that an attack came from low on the port side.

The impulse cooler fin was half gone and just a little forward of the fin at amidships, you could see another big patch job.

That hit must have disabled the engine room, and probably wiped out the whole original engineer crew.

The hit was accurate enough to miss the main engine drive components.

How these Klingons got this ship to Earth space I couldn’t guess. I have to give credit to Kluge, and his crew, I don’t think I would have tried to travel from here to Klingon space in a ship as bad as this one looked.

The looks on Don and Pete's face told the same story to them too.

This ship wasn’t stolen from any active Klingon depot, or even from a decommissioning depot on its way to a reserve fleet station.

From the looks of her, she was most likely procured when it was headed to the scrap terminal.

I directed both shuttles to make as many passes as they thought necessary to get a superficial scanning of the work that needed to be done.

There wasn’t a light showing in her. Luna port must have been the one who installed exterior marker signal lights and derelict beacons on her.

She was in bad shape and I felt like I had been sold a lemon.

When all the scanning was done we called Luna port and requested permission to land.

Permission was granted.

I then asked Be’nen to request temporary quarters for the whole crew, and a work site that we could use to park our shuttles in.

I also requested a meeting with Commander Hayes.

Be’nen then called me to her station and asked me to look at one of her scans of the Monarch.

There was a series of barely discernible numbers that she had found, and the tops of what looked like two S’s, on the one side of the liquid cargo shields.

On the opposite side were numbers that looked like 'i\iv'.

She showed me a close up of what she was looking at, pointed it out to me and the others.

I asked Be’nen what she thought it meant.

“I think Captain,” she explained, “those markings are what are left of a Federation Registry number.”

“I surmise what we are seeing now on the side of the ship is SS _______ RIV XXXX.”

“I believe that is what is left of a contract Federation merchantman number; a ship manufactured at the Rigal IV, Merimar manufacturing facility, not a Klingon manufactured vessel”

“I also speculate from the other scans; the ship is a passenger ship or troop transport, maybe even a colony support vessel. You can see here on the interior scans that the top cargo hold was reconfigured for passenger quarters; at least most of the bulkheads are there.”

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” I said.

I looked around and Don and Pete were nodding their heads yes.

Nichelle turned white as a sheet when she heard that; and Larry was livid.

“Staunn, look to Nichelle quick,” I said. “Larry, are you alright?”

Nichelle had almost fainted, she went limp. Staunn had her sit down and gave her a stimulant.

“You got something to drink Mike,” Larry asked? “I could sure use one right now.”

“Okay everyone I need a crew confab right now,” I ordered.

“Dwayne, take the pilots’ seat and get Og on the transceiver. Be’nen, Don, Pete, Larry take a seat at the tables.”

Everyone shifted seats. I asked the table two questions; “Can we save the ship, and if so is it worth fixing, or should I just abandon the project?”

“She’s in rough shape, but the Klingons got her here”, Don suggested.

“She probably has only impulse drive, now. I bet she has no dilithium crystal left for her warp drive, and that we would have to procure one back on earth.”

“We do have to go back to Earth to pick up the extra crew, and shuttles, for the Grayson”, Don continued.

“It would be a lot easier for her to carry us all and our equipment, in one trip instead of shuttling stuff between Earth and Mars.”

“If we get a waiver for the flight to Earth, I think we could fix her up. Remember we’re on a salvage and recovery mission; guess what our first project is going to be, boss.”

Pete agreed, but added the caveat; “We’re still going to need the Klingons to help. I don’t think we could do it by ourselves, and I don’t think Luna Port is going to be big on support either.”

“In my opinion if we don’t move her, they will condemn her, and then send her on a one way trip to the sun, they won’t even try to scrap her.”

Larry looked at me intensely and said; “Nichelle, and I, can fix anything in our department, on that tub, Mike.”

“As far as I’m concerned that ship is ours, for the taking. I bet the Klingons have no papers at all.”

“When I get through digging around their computer, I’ll have her complete history right down to the draftsmen who designed her. I’ll get the electrical parts to repair her if I have to get Og to steal the lights from Tycho city.”

“Just you get me back to Nellis again, boss, and we’ll fix her well enough, that you would think like she was re-fitted in a space dock.”

Larry concluded with, “I say try it out, and make it work for us.”

Be’nen was sitting stoically with her hands folded on the table in front of her. I could almost hear the gears working in her head.

Be’nen started off; “Mr. Murdoch is right, and I’ve seen worse ships in my time, when I was with the Ferengi.”

“The problem with this ship is it is almost twice as large as a J-Type merchantman, it will involve a lot of work; that means labor”.

“I think it could be wavered to travel to Earth, once we have made a thorough on-board survey.”

“I think Mr. Murray is also correct. Michael, you will have to persuade the Klingons to assist us.”

“I also agree with Mr. Comet and believe they have no papers. Without papers they are thieves and pirates; confiscation of their ship is a real possibility. I think you will have the leverage you need if it comes to that.”

“I am surprised that the Luna port officials haven’t taken any action yet. I think they just want the Klingons off their base, along with their ship."

"I think they are happy that you are getting rid of their problem. After all you did offer to lease the ship sight unseen.”

That brought on a few whoops from the crew. I got the impression that Be’nen was a little ticked off at me for a poor choice in judgment in this matter. Well se la vive.

“Okay, okay, every one let’s see what Mr. Og and the rest of his crew have to say.” I said

There wasn’t much discussion; I was just reminded that the recovery section had no work bees until we got to earth. Getting repairs done on the exterior of the ship could be a problem.

They all agreed they wanted to try and get the Monarch up and running again. Professional pride I guess; that made me feel a little better.

Mr. Og said; “The Dabo girls were upset that I might have to go out and steal things to fix such an old ship, but I told them a Ferengi doesn’t have to steal anything, if he gets his bargaining chips in order.”

I replied.” Amen to that.”

I then ordered the shuttles to start their landing procedures for Luna Port.

We were given permission to land at module number three.

That wasn’t too far from the headquarters section; it was connected to it in fact. Evidently they didn’t have much repair service, or customs work, to do, for that matter.

I now had to get my ducks in a row, first to meet Commander Hayes, to discuss the status of the Monarch and then meet the Klingons, to see if they wanted to cooperate.

One tough nut at a time.

When our shuttles were secured in the Luna port hanger module, we all took our personal overnight gear to the monorail, for transit into the headquarters module and the transit lodging area.

As to our quarters, luxury still wasn’t an option on the moon. All the rooms were 3m x 3m.

I called in to HQ and asked Commander Hayes’ office for an appointment and was told to come right over. We were expected.

I asked Be’nen, Larry, Ron, Pete, Don, and Og to join me.

It was just a short trip on the tread way, with an elevator ride to the fourth floor.

Commander Hayes met us at the door and directed us to a meeting room.

He introduced his Adjutant, Lt. Darnell, his Chief Maintenance Officer, Lt. Commander Olaf, and his Chief of Security, Marine Captain Smith.

When we were seated, he asked us what did think of the Monarch.

‘It looks like a piece of crap,’ I thought, but I started with: “She’s in ruff shape, Commander. Just by looking at it with our own scans, she looks like she’s ready for the scrap heap. What was your assessment when your own personnel boarded her?”

He replied; “Almost the same as yours. The hull has been crudely repaired, but it’s safe enough.”

“Lt. Cdr. Olaf will confirm that the electronic and internal communication systems are at best only at twenty five percent efficient.”

“There is no dilithium crystal left in the warp drive. The impulse cooler fin needs to be repaired or replaced. You probably noted that it was half shot away.”

“Yes sir, we noticed,” I answered.

“Can we get her to Earth? Will we need a waver?”

“Honestly Chief, I don’t think you need it. The Klingons got it here; so you should be able to take her to Earth. She does look like crap, but she’s solid.”

“I had Cmdr. Olaf do a thorough survey before I called you. She won’t qualify for Federation service, because of her age; but like I said before, she could meet your mission requirements, and I don’t blame you if you don’t want to take her. She’s a piece of scrap.”

I looked at my people and asked if they had any input or questions.

I asked Ron Thornton to start off.

Ron stated that we had a Type-9 Cargo shuttle to work with, but no work bees. “Is one available?”

“Also most of the material we brought was for bulkhead radiation protection upgrades, will we need it?”

“Ms. Tash thinks that the Monarch is of Federation manufacture. Can we trade for parts here on the base?”

Hayes replied; “I have available as many work bees that you need. If the parts needed are of Federation issue; then a supply turn in, and issue in kind, should be no problem. If they are non issue items, you will probably have to trade with suppliers in Tycho city.”

“I don’t think you will need the bulkhead upgrade for radiation, we didn’t find any abnormal readings.”

Be’nen brought up the question about the ships papers and the fact that the Monarch may be a former Federation company’s property. “Are not the present owners’ pirates then? Why haven’t the Luna Port authorities confiscated the ship, and put the Klingons in custody?”

Commander Hayes kind of squirmed before he answered.

“Look Chief I can’t prove a thing about piracy, and yes she doesn’t have papers.”

“If I impounded her you would have to deal with Star fleet, and the judiciary. You would never see that ship in your possession, at all.”

“Besides that it’s a family that brought it here, what do I do arrest them all, including the kids.”

“Cripes they have an infant on board. I would have to turn them eventually over to the Klingon authorities, if they figured they stole that ship from their decommission yard, is my guess.”

“You know what the Klingons do with their prisoners don’t you, death or Rorer Pinte, which is the same thing in my book.”

I nodded in agreement.

“I understand your point Commander. What exactly do you want me to do", I asked?”

“I want you to get these Klingons off my base, Chief. I’m asking for a favor in return for a ship that I know you can use.”

“I don’t want a bunch of stranded Klingons here either.”

“Who’s going to hire them? Their reputation is shot here on the moon. They need to get into space away from here, and away from the Klingon authorities.”

“If you fix their ship, they will be indebted to you, and the family will honor it.”

Be’nen interceded, “But they were raiders; how could we trust them not to try and retake the ship?”

“Ms. Tash,” Cmdr Hayes replied, “I’m sure the men of that crew were raiders. For some desperate reason they escaped from Klingon space.”

“What little I know of Klingon values they will do everything to secure the safety of their family clan. If it’s a family decision to make, they will honor it.”

“The Klingon are allies now. If this family breaks the truce, they break Klingon law, and if the Klingons prove the case for piracy; that would mean death to all.”

“I do not trust them Michael”, Be’nen remarked. “I recommend that the Klingons be taken into custody, and the ship confiscated. I am sure you could then secure the ship from Star Fleet authorities.”

“Yes Be’nen”, I commented, “and be tied up here on the moon with an even more shorthanded crew, and in a legal proceeding that could take forever. I’m running out of time, and the Bajorans will be running out of patience”.

“I’m going to try and work with the Klingons.”

“Captain Smith what is your assessment of the Klingons, in regards to temperament and cooperation,” I asked?

“Will I have to keep them under guard to have them work
for us?”

“Well for one Chief, they have a marked contempt for authority, if not superior in rank.”

“The most common reply I get from them is: “I take orders only from my Captain”. Then the Captain will say, “I will take orders only from Commander Hayes”. Then I have to disturb the Commander to make a judgment call that will make them cooperate, or start up another Donny brook.”

“What about the agreement with the Klingons for the Bajorans to buy or lease the Monarch that I sent you,” I asked Commander Hayes?

“They haven’t signed off on it yet Chief,” Commander Hayes replied.

“What! Why is that Commander, I thought this was supposed to be all completed days ago? Did you know about this Be’nen?”

“No Sir. That was supposed to be negotiated with the Bajoran embassy. I was not informed of any difficulties.”

“I think the Klingon Captain is waiting for you, Chief,” Commander Hayes remarked.

“I think he wants to meet you personally and discuss a few things that I think you said to him, when I had him call you.”

“He didn’t leave my office a happy man. I think his words were to the effect that he was going to make you eat the contract, before or after he tore off your head. I don’t think my hand translator was close enough to get a clear message.”

‘Man oh man things were turning to shit real fast. How did I get myself into this mess’?

‘If I don’t convince the Klingons not to kill me, sign the Bajoran contract to control their ship; work off their debts; then go with me to Cardassian space to pick up salvage; everyone in the Corps will think me a fool’.

‘Jesus, I think I need a good stiff drink now; and then look at Be’nen; she’s staring at the ceiling and wishing she was someplace else’.

She was not smiling now!

“Okay Commander, thanks to you, and your staff, for the briefing. If you don’t mind I have to do a little thinking before I meet Captain Kluge, and his crew.”

“We’ll do all we can to assist you Chief, just let us know how you make out after your meeting. Good Luck.”

I said, “Thanks.”

We all shook hands and then we all took a long silent walk back to our quarters.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG-13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Thirteen - How to con a Klingon.

Day Ten

When we arrived at the transit lodge lobby, I asked Be’nen to stop by my room for a second.

When I closed the door to my room Be’nen would not look at me.

She kept facing out the small window of the room, and didn’t turn around when she spoke to me.

“I will not endanger my daughter by working with Klingons, Michael. None of us signed on for this,” she started off.

“Must we all be armed? Must we take on security personnel? Where will we keep the Klingons when they aren’t working, in the ship’s brig?”

“I don’t like It Michael. I can defend myself against one Klingon, but not against twenty five or so.”

She then turned around with folded arms, glared at me and told me outright: “You must rethink this situation it’s too risky for us.”

I went over to my room desk and sat down. I didn’t know what to reply to her and needed to think all this out.

We were just glumly looking at each other when there was a knock on my door.

“Yes, who is it,” I asked?

“It’s just me and Nichelle, can we come in?” It was Staunn.

She ran over to me and gave me a big hug and a kiss, and then greeted her mother a big hug. She was definitely excited about something.

“We got a present for you, lover.”

“For me; It’s not my birthday, what’s it for?”

“We got you a nice jacket. We thought that your old sport coat was getting a little ratty looking. We thought you need something to make you look more distinguished.”

“You bought me a new jacket? Where did “we” get it?”

“We went shopping while you were at the meeting. Nichelle picked it out. Isn’t it nice?”

Nichelle was blushing.

“Well lets’ see it,” I said.

Nichelle then handed me the package and when I opened it I saw that it was a real nice navy blue double breasted blazer. It must have cost them a fortune here on the moon. The cut and material reminded me of one my old marriage tuxedos.

“How much did this cost Staunn?”

“It must have cost you both a fortune; this style of coat doesn’t come cheap on the moon.”

“We got it at a second hand store. It only cost me fifty credits,” Staunn continued.

“The clothes from the regular stores were really expensive.”

“Nichelle said that you would like it.”

I looked at Nichelle she was wearing her blue colony cruise suit; she was really blushing now. Evidently she had no real civilian clothes either.

“I see,” I said. “I thank you both very much; here let me try it on. How did you know my size Staunn?”

“Really Michael I am the doctor you know,” she said with a great big smile, “I know the size of everything on you.”

Nichell put her hand to her mouth and twittered.

It fit real nice. It even had braid and stars on the sleeves.

Just for curiosity’s sake I opened it to take a look at the label. It read Yacht Club with a Third Fleet symbol.

I looked again at the sleeves again, and a closer look at its buttons. They had a naval type logo on them.

Something jogged in my memory when I tried to remember what this jacket was used for; with three stars on the sleeve.

Then it hit me; and I immediately went over to Nichelle and gave her a big embrace and asked her: “Do you know what this jacket is Nichelle?”

“No sir, I just thought you would like it.”

“Staunn, does anyone else know about this jacket?”

“No, I don’t think so Michael, what’s got you all excited all of a sudden?”

“Because it’s a Commodore’s Blazer, from the Third Fleet Yacht club, Staunn; from Earth.”

“It’s a social club for officers of the Third Fleet, especially for captains with private shuttles on their star ships.”

“Staunn, You and Nichelle have given me a great idea for dealing with the Klingons”

“Now if I can get Commander Hayes to go along with me; I think our problem of command and control with the Klingons can be solved.”

Be’nen looked askance at me and asked; “I don’t understand what you are saying, Michael. Please explain to me what you are talking about?”

Staunn and Nichelle just kind of gapped at me.

“Look Be’nen, you heard what Commander Hayes and Captain Smith said, “The Klingon have little or no respect for people of lesser rank;” Well a Commodore out ranks a Captain, right?”

“Yes Michael, I know that, but you are no Commodore.”

“I know that, but the Klingons won’t.”

“When I go into that meeting with orders in my hand and a commission handy, they won’t know the difference; especially with me wearing this uniform jacket.”

“They know Commander Hayes would arrest me if I was impersonating an officer, but in this case a civilian can be a commodore and is entitled to a nominal command position over two or more ships and be addressed as a Commodore.”

“It’s stretching it a bit, but it may work.”

“Be’nen I want you to call your friend, Admiral Broderick and tell him about everything that is going on.”

“Tell him all about your misgivings, and then ask him if he can get me commissioned as a Commodore in the 7th Fleet Yacht club. For that, I promise I’ll buy the club a keg of beer when I get back to Earth.”

“Okay Michael, I’ll do it, but I still don’t understand. Admiral Broderick won’t think this is a fools’ errand will he; he’s a busy man?”

“Look Be’nen, just try to go along with me on this and let me know what he says.”

“Staunn, Nichelle, mum’s the word on this okay? I have to keep this quiet for awhile.”

“Your gift of this wonderful jacket has probably saved my bacon, thank you very much.”

“Sure Michael we can do that,” Staunn replied. “Are you having dinner with me tonight?”

“Why sure Staunn, you know if this was a fancy hotel I would order room service, but I guess we can all walk down together to the food court; it’s on me.”

“By the way what do you want for desert?”

Staunn started her huff huffing laugh again, and then taking her mother’s hand, we went arm and arm, with Nichelle in tow, down to the food court.

Day Eleven

The next morning when I woke up I was again the peanut butter in the love sandwich.

The variation this time was that I had my arms around Staunn, and Be’nen had her arms around both of us.

How she found her way into bed behind me without waking me, I couldn’t figure out. Especially as these Luna port room beds were little more than cots.

When we got out of bed Be’nen said she had some business to attend to and she would see us when we stopped by her room on our way to breakfast.

She put on her bath robe and went out the door.

Staunn looked at me and smiled mischievously; “It looks like it’s my time to make sure you have a good shower.”

The shower with Staunn was a lot of fun. There were a lot of laughs, giggles and play, but nothing more; not that there wasn’t a lot of teasing.

When she ran out of the shower you could have hung a towel anywhere on me.

We finally got dressed, and went to Be’nen’s room, knocked on the door and entered when she said come in.

Be’nen was dressed and holding some papers. “These are yours,” she said, “they’re from Admiral Broderick.”

There were four sheets of paper in the file folder she gave me to look at.

One was a memo from Admiral Broderick. The second was a printed order for my appointment as a Commodore. The third was a wire copy of a Commission Certificate and the forth was a certificate of ownership for two shuttle craft named, Daisy and Dandelion, NCC 2010 and NCC 2011.

The memo from the Admiral read:

For: CWO Michael Thomas, Luna Port
From: ADM M.J. Broderick

Enclosed are the documents you requested, good luck. The requirement for the club was that you must own at least one “Yacht” and have control of at least three vessels to retain the rank of Commodore. The Bajoran Embassy was helpful by transferring temporary title of the two shuttles now in your possession, to you. The third vessel you must obtain control by your own devices to retain your rank as Commodore.

P.S. the total expense of one hundred credits, reimbursable to me, was for the commissioning ceremony at the club as required by their bylaws.

He did it and didn’t ask for my recall. I immediately went over to Be’nen and gave her a great big hug and a kiss.

“Be’nen you are absolutely wonderful. How did you pull this off?”

“I don’t understand it myself,” she said. “When I briefed Admiral Broderick of our situation by subspace video, he listened intently.”

“When I explained your solution to the problems I thought he had a heart attack. He said “What did you say?”, and then he disappeared from the view screen and when he returned to the view screen he was laughing, hard. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him laugh. It looked as if he had to wipe tears from his eyes.”

“I asked him to explain to me what was so amusing, but all he said was; “Never mind Be’nen, I’ll take care of it, and I’ll make sure Mr. Thomas gets the bill.”

“What did he mean by that?”

“It’s a long story Be’nen, I’ll explain later,” I said. “After breakfast we have to go shopping again, back to the store Staunn shopped at.”

After breakfast I had Staunn take me and Be’nen to the second hand store where she had shopped at.

Second hand stores were more plentiful than your everyday retail stores on the moon, because of the shipping cost to get goods to the moon. Here people would trade in their possessions for credit, or cash, and then the store owner would resell them.

The store was filled with all sorts of odd materials; half of it didn’t look like it came from Earth at all.

I needed a shirt to match my new jacket, a white one. The only one I found looked like it was for a tuxedo, the type without a high collar for a tie, it would have to do.

I needed a pair of trousers too; and ended up buying two pair. One pair was the right Navy color that matched my jacket and a pair of Fleet Marines trousers, with their red stripe. I got the shop owner to sew a red strip on the Navy blue trousers to make them match and make me look very official.

While rooting around I found a blue saucer cap. It looked like an academy instructor’s cap, or one of the cruise line attendant caps; at least it fit.

When I put the cap on and walked around modeling it, both girls just looked mystified as to what I was doing. I took it over to the Ferengi that owned the store and asked if he could get some embroidery work done for me.

“Sure, what you want,” He said.

I drew him a diagram of the three star patterns, similar to the one that was on my jacket sleeve, and asked him to embroider the emblem on patch material; and then sew it on front the saucer cap.

I then walked around until I found a pair of Star Fleet standard earth issue black Wellington boots, all my shoes seemed to be brownish. That completed my “uniform” shopping.

I asked him what time I could pick up my goods, he said he could deliver them if I just leave my address.

I then thanked him, paid my bill, and then escorted my two doubtful looking companions back to the Luna port lodge.

Back at the Lodge I asked them both to come to my room. I wanted to do some explaining and I needed them both to understand what I was doing.

In my quarters I started off with; “Look Be’nen, I am going to try and pull off a ruse.”

“I’m going to try and get the Klingons to think they are dealing with an officer of superior rank. The papers and the fake orders that Admiral Broderick gave me, along with the jacket that Staunn and Nichelle picked up; will help me be dressed for the part.”

“I am now a Commodore, think of it as an honorarium.”

“Are you both with me with me on this, because I don’t want you to have to lie about it.”

“We have seen the orders Michael”, spoke up Be’nen skeptically, “Admiral Broderick would not lie to us.”

“I am just a little confused about the clothing,” commented Staunn. “It is an unusual uniform for any Commodore I have ever seen.”

“Well you have seen Larry and Nichelle in their uniform haven’t you? It’s the same kind of style.”

“Oh,” they both said! “You want to look like a Merchant Marine Commodore.”

“Yes, that’s it, kind of,” I said. “Now we must try and convince the Klingons that I out rank them and can be their commander, it’s a military status thing.”

“With this “promotion” in hand, it will be easier for them to accept my position, and follow my orders, at least until we get to Bajor. Now do you get what I’m trying to do; do you have any more questions?”

“No Michael,” Staunn replied slyly. “It’s very clear to us that you are trying to trick the Klingons into working with us, and signing that Bajoran contract. Isn’t that right mother?”

“Yes we understand perfectly. It’s something we are familiar with, lying and working with liars.”

“But you are a Vulcan, I thought they can never tell a lie,” I commented.

“Michael, Michael you are so predictable at times,” explained an exasperated Be’nen.

“We both understood what you were trying to do, but I must say we are both doubtful if you can make it happen”

“We will do our best to assist you; and the fact that Admiral Broderick made you a Commodore, is all we need to know; am I right Staunn?”

“Yes mother and I think he will look real nice in his new uniform.”

That thought made me feel a lot better. I knew I’d been preaching to the choir, so to say, but I felt a lot better knowing that they didn’t think I was crazy. At least I think they didn’t.”

Later when my trousers and cap were delivered I asked Be’nen to schedule an appointment with Commander Hayes in regards to having our first meeting with the Klingons.

I also asked Be’nen to wear her blue business suit, and asked Staunn if she could wear an official medical something, that she usually wears.

They both kind of rolled their eyes at me.

I then put a call out to Larry Comet and Og and asked them to come with us to headquarters to meet the Klingons.

I told Larry I wanted him to wear his old civilian service blue uniform, the one that matched Nichelles’.

I also told Og to find something in “official looking blue”, to wear to the meeting.

I would call them back as soon as I heard from Commander Hayes.

It was a short time later we got a call from headquarters that the port commander was ready to see us.

I promptly notified Larry and Og that were going to the meeting, and then called Ron, Pete and Don and told them that we had a meeting at headquarters scheduled to meet the Klingons; and if they would round up the rest of the crew and be ready for a meeting, in say about thirty minutes from now at the headquarters, I would appreciate it.

I then gathered up all my new uniform bundles and had Be’nen hold my new “promotion” papers.

We were off now to see Commander Hayes to ask him for permission to pull the biggest con he will probably ever see on the moon.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Fourteen - How to con a Klingon, part two.

Day Eleven

Be’nen, Staunn, Larry, Og and I, met in the transit lodge lobby and then made our way to the Port Commanders Office.

They were all wearing the navy blue uniform style clothing that I asked them to. That would have them match my new made up uniform.

I was the only odd man out; still in sport coat and brown shoes.

At the headquarters Commander Hayes invited us all in and asked us what was the meeting all about.

I asked him to please call in his adjutant and Captain Smith, because they needed to be in on my plans for a solution to the Klingon problem.

He said, “Well enough,” and asked both officers to come in to his office to hear my presentation.

When they both came in and were seated he asked, “Okay Chief what’s the good news?”

I asked Be’nen to give him the folder that we bought.

Commander Hayes started to read the documents, then he started to chuckle, when he finished he was trying not to laugh out loud when he gave the folder to Captain Smith.

Captain Smith’s eyes seemed to kind of bug out and he began to shake. He could hardly hand it over to Lt. Darnell when both he and Commander Hayes started laughing out loud.

Commander Hayes started slapping his desk and Captain Smith stated that he was probably going to piss his pants. Lt. Darnell was having a hard time staying seated in his chair.

We of course sat their stoically. Og and Larry were wondering what was going on.

“What the hell does this mean chief,” Hayes asked? “What the hell am I supposed to do with this…this poop sheet?”

“Well sir,” I replied with a straight face, “I want your permission to con the Klingons.”

That started them off into more laughing.

When Commander Hayes recovered enough and wiped the tears from his eye he said, “I’m sorry Chief it must be all the pressure of this job. I haven’t had a laugh like that in I don’t know in how long. You had better start at the beginning.”

I explained to him the story of how I got the idea from a jacket that I received from Dr. Tehk and my Computer Tech, Nichelle; she had a fondness for her colony ship uniform, similar to what Larry Comet, my comm. officer, is now wearing.

“I contacted Admiral Broderick and explained my problem to him, and my solution. After he had his fit of laughter, he recommended I give it a try; and now I owe him a hundred credits.”

“You see Commander” I further explained, “if you support me in making the Klingons think that I out rank them, like you do, we could get them to cooperate better. By the time they find out what is happening they’ll be in Cardassian space.”

“I don’t know Chief,” he replied. “Technically you would out rank me. I don’t think we could keep it quiet enough to make it work. The moon is just too small a place to keep a secret.”

“Let me ask you another question, Sir,” I asked.

“Okay fire away,” he replied.

“Do the Klingons have a way to get off this moon quickly,” I asked? “Do they have their own shuttle?”

“Yes, they do have a shuttle craft,” was his reply, “but I wouldn’t trust it. It’s the biggest lash up I have ever seen. It landed here, but I don’t think it can take off again. It looks like they threw it together from the same salvage yard they probably stole the Monarch from.”

“I see.” I said, “Look Sir, as soon as I get them to accept the contract and they accept me as their acting commander, we can be out of here in less than an hour.”

“We are already packet up and ready to go, all we have to do is check out of the port lodging.”

“I promise you I will work from the ship. If I need anything I’ll send my shuttle down with my crew only, or use the transporters once they are repaired.”

“You’re sure about your crew,” He asked? “We’re both taking a big risk here. I’m liable to be laughed out of my post if this blows up in our faces.”

“I see no alternative Commander,” Be’nen interjected. “I am sure that the Monarch is a pirated federation vessel.”

“If Chief Thomas does not take possession of it, you will have to impound it and arrest the Klingons.”

“If the Klingons don’t accept “Commodore” Thomas, you know they will be deported to the Klingon Empire. I think the Klingons will accept our proposal. Even if they find out later about the ruse they won’t say anything. Obeying a senior officer satisfies their sense of order, up to a point.”

“What is that point Ms. Tash,” asked Commander Hayes?

“If they decide to kill Mr. Thomas,” she replied, “and take command of the Monarch for themselves; it is a known Klingon practice.”

“What do you say to that Chief,” he asked, “do you still want to take the risk?

“I do sir,” was my answer, “they have no ship that can serve as a weapons platform, or as a raider.”

“They essentially have no place to go until they can redeem themselves in their fellow Klingon’s eyes; and Klingons don’t like failures.”

“They need us to bargain with to get them a warship, and be accepted back on their home world.”

“Okay Chief, I guess it’s your neck and my reputation; I’ll turn a blind eye, but I want you off Luna Port within twenty four hours “Commodore”; one way or another, understand?”

He then asked his staff: “Any further problems here; Captain Smith, Lt Darnell?”

“No sir,” they both replied, “mum’s the word Sir.”

“Okay Chief what do we do next, have a meeting with the Klingons?”

“No Sir,” was my answer. “We have to inform my crew of what is going on.”

“Could we have a meeting here? I also need to change into my ‘Commodore’ outfit and sir, if you would oblige, can we have a “promotion ceremony”.”

“Okay Chief, in for a penny, in for a pound,” he laughed. “Call your crew together. I just hope they don’t injure themselves rolling on the floor over this.”

I changed my clothes in the men’s room while Be’nen and Larry directed my crew into the Commander’s conference room.

When Be’nen signaled that they were all inside, I went to Commander Hayes’ office and requested his presence in the meeting room.

Commander Hayes then hailed Captain Smith and Lt Darnelle and all four of us marched out of his office and into the meeting room.

At the head of the room Commander Hayes called; “attention to orders:”

To Michael Thomas

Greetings:

KNOW YOU, that from special trust and confidence reposed in your fidelity, courage, and good conduct, our COMMANDER, in pursuance of the authority vested in him by the Constitution and By Laws of this Society, doth commission you Commodore of the third Fleet Yacht Club of THIRD STAR FLEET Engineering Division of STAR FLEET COMMAND, to rank as such from the 9th day of December 2332.

Notarized seal

In Testimony whereof, I hereunto signed my name as Club Secretary, and caused the Great Seal of the Third Fleet Yacht Club to be affixed, this 9 day of July 2332.

Henry A. Wise

There was stunned silence for about thirty seconds when Ron Thornton shouted out: “The third fleet yacht club isn’t that a beer hall?”

Then Pete Murray shouted out: “What’d that cost you a case of beer?”

By that time everyone was roaring with laughter and calling out cat calls; except for Be’nen and Staunn.

I stood still at attention and saluted everyone, then asked them to quiet down a little bit because I didn’t want them to alarm the Klingons.

“What the hell do the Klingons have to do with this, “Commodore”?” Then they started laughing all over again, and I had to wait until they all got their breath.

I turned to Commander Hayes, shook his hand and thanked him, and told him I could take it from here.

I also asked him if he could also arrange an appointment with Capt Kluge and some of his officers.

I told him: “I would be accompanied by Ms. Task, Dr. Tehk, Mr. Og, and Larry Comet and if Capt Smith could furnish a couple of
security guards, I would appreciate it.”

He said; “Can do, call me if and when you get results.” He also reminded me that He wanted me of his base with in twenty four hours; “Commodore” or not.

When he left with Captain Smith and Lt. Darnell I asked that the crew quiet down so I could explain the situation to them.

I explained that dealing with Klingons, and their contempt for what they conceive of as being lesser ranking individuals, we all have to make them believe that I out rank them to get them to cooperate better.

I asked them all to cooperate in this scam and then I asked if there were any questions or input.

The first question I was asked was: “What if we don’t pull it off?”

My answer was: “We don’t get the Monarch, and we’re out of here within twenty four hours. We then head for Mars to pick up the Grayson, if it’s there like they told us.”

“If not, it’s off to the Qualor II Surplus Depot, by shuttle.; and you know what that means, we can look forward to a long, long trip crammed together in our shuttles, more delay and probably questions as to what are we really doing out there.”

That didn’t make the crew sound to happy.

The next question was; “What do you think the Klingons will do?”

Be’nen answered that for me. “I think we will get the use of the Monarch”, she said.

“The Klingons have no good options by staying on the moon”, Be’nen continued.”They are desperate but, I don’t want to minimize the dangers of working with them.”

“They culturally respect the chain of command, but they will be over bearing, you must stand up to them and don’t let them pick a fight with you, you must out think them.”

“They are physically very strong and prideful; plus raiding ships of other cultures has been ingrained for centuries, but now we are allies.”

“If you are afraid of them don’t take this mission. If you want to stay and are fear-full, try to avoid them as much as possible; but you will be teamed up with them at least until we return to Earth and pick up the volunteer passengers and crew to Bajor.

“I do recommend that Mr. Thomas try to secure a security team to accompany us.”

That kind of put me on notice. “Are there any other questions”, I asked?

“Just a comment, Mike,” Larry interjected. “Folks, believe me when I say that the only people that will be manning that Monarch will be us, if the Klingons give us any trouble.”

“They will need the help, not us, because I can shut that Monarch down so that the only thing they will be able to do will be to is
send a rescue beacon.”

“Likewise”, a few others said.

“Okay everyone are we all agreed that I am the best “Commodore” that money can buy for a hundred credits, or not?”

“You were robbed, chief. I could have got you one of those commissions for a case of beer from the Bowery Yacht Club,” someone shouted from the back of the room.”

That set off more laughter, but I said thanks for playing along. I advised them to pack up and be ready to meet at the shuttles later this afternoon, one way or another we were out of here.

I asked Ron Thornton to see if he could furnish me one of those red work shirts that he found at Nellis supply store, and find a baseball style cap.

I wanted him to take them to the tailor and put the “Commodore’s” three star emblems on my collars and cap. I couldn’t ware this good jacket to work in, all day on the ship.

When he said he would, I dismissed the crew and sent them on their way.

Me with my negotiating crew then headed for Commander Hayes’ Office, for a meeting with the Klingons.

Commander Hayes had put out the call for Capt Kluge and his officers to report to his office conference room. He also gave me a roster of their names.

“Who are these people,” I asked?

“That’s Capt. Kluge’s real name,” he replied. “The Klingon Embassy on Earth ID’ed them about a month after they got here. Evidently they could care less about these jail birds as long as they were in our hands.”

“Thanks Commander,” I said. (Somehow I felt like a sucker) We waited cooling our heels until a security officer showed up and told us the Klingons were here.

When we went into the room the first thing that hit me was a strong odor like two month old sweat socks. It was our guest.

The first impression of Capt “Kluge”, that I had received from our video conference, was that he was big, ugly and mean looking, and now I that saw those that were with him, they were not much better looking.

When we sat down and picked up the translators that Hayes had furnish, I glanced over at Staunn and Og, both had eyes as big as saucers.

I thought maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to bring Staunn in with us, but it was too late now, both were acting officers on my ship.

Commander Hayes introduced us to the Klingons; we all just nodded our heads in recognition.

The Klingons all had big smiles on their faces, or maybe it was a grimace; or an expression on a person who was just ready to bite into a rare steak.

When Cmdr. Hayes started to introduce their Captain as “Kluge” I interrupted.

“I don’t think we need to keep up this charade Captain D’Ghor Kahlest, if I am pronouncing it correctly. Maybe you could give us all your correct names.”

Before Cmdr Hayes said anything more he took it as a cue to make his exit, saying: “Well I’ll leave you now, ladies and gents. Call me if you need anything,” and left the room.

His two security officers stayed.

Capt. Kahlest and the rest of the crew kind of lost their smirk, but only for a second.

He introduced his Executive officer Tichar K’ehleyr, his wife KaLitra Kahlest, his Interrogation Officer Paghal Hon’tihl and his Chief Engineer Keedera Koboe.

Then he put on his best intimidation face and demanded to know why they were summoned and what did I want.

“You will address me as Commodore, Captain,” I started off with. “Does this translate correctly?”

“Yes sir,” he said.

“I requested this meeting to verify if you, and your crew, would rather spend your time in the Luna Port brig, rather than join me in free association with the Bajoran recovery mission,” I started off with.

“That is outrageous’” he fumed. “What makes you think that I would ever consent to working with weakling humans and their pasty faced Vulcan collaborators and their vermin pet Ferengi who, I would in normal circumstances, pinch their heads off their necks like I would a gorch?” (Pimple)

I quickly restrained Be’nen. Staunn grabbed my arm and started hissing along with Og. I thought Larry was going to have a hemorrhage, but he restrained himself.

“I would watch what you say around Ms. Tash, with talk like that,” I said sternly, “she may kill you.”

“For your information Dr. Tehk is her daughter and she doesn’t take threats like that lightly.”

“You see she is not a true Vulcan, she is half Romulan and if she went after you, with what she knows about pressure points, you would be asleep while you died. Do I make myself clear?”

They all gave her a wary look when they all said, “Yes sir”. Evidently they had had dealings with Romulans before, and I knew there was no love lost between the two races.

“And just to clarify matters here; if anything happens to any of my crew, as senior officer on this base I will personally see that they take a long walk moon side. Also I will let you know that Ms. Tash, Dr Tehk and I are now in family negotiations for marriage and if anything happens to either one of them I will have you all summarily shot.”

“Commodore sir, we meant no harm,” spoke Mrs. Kahlest.

“I don’t care, ma’am I am through talking.”

“I came here in good faith to offer you reasonable employment for three years, to refit a ship that is fit only for scrap, to give you dignity in the face of your exile.”

“As a Commodore of the Third Fleet do you really think I don’t know what your real status is?”

“The Third Fleet that lost eighty percent of its ships defending Earth against the Breen in the return to DS9 action, an action that the Klingon fleet lost over twenty five of its ships off Cardassia, assisting Starfleet.”

“I thought at least you could assist us in recovering some parts of those ships and the retrieving of the hundreds of Klingon warriors now floating, frozen in space. Well, you think about it.”

“Be’nen, leave the contracts, we’re leaving,” I said.

“It’s their choice, exile and maybe an extended stay in the brig here on the moon, or employment with me.”

“Inform Cmdr Hayes of your decision,” I told them, “we are going to lunch. Either way we leave the moon within twenty four hours.”

“You two security guards wait outside the door and don’t leave until they make their decision,” I directed.

We all marched out, walked over to Cmdr. Hayes Office where he offered to us to come in and sit down. “Well how did it go.” He asked?

“I thought it went well,” I replied.

Be’nen leaned against the wall with her arms crossed and with a scowl on her face.

“I didn’t realize how a big liar you are Michael,” she harrumphed.

“Jesus Mike, I thought we were going to have to fight our way out of there,” Larry said as he collapsed in his chair. “I’m too old for this.”

Og wouldn’t sit down. He just paced back and forth mumbling to himself.

Staunn sat down for about two seconds and then went to me and sat on my lap with her head over my shoulder. She had been quite shaken up, so I just held her in my arms.

“So it went well did it,” Commander Hayes stated while he was shaking his head? He then just turned around at his desk and got busy on his computer.

About ten minutes later there was a knock on the door, and one of the security guards entered and dropped a folder on Commander Hayes desk and waited.

Hayes looked at all the papers and then said; “Congratulations Chief you did it. The Klingons are your problem now. What can I do now to get you all off my base?”

“Thank you sir,” I replied, “would you please release the Klingons you now have in the brig, into my custody?”

“I would also like to request a customs, or security team, to accompany us to the Monarch and stay there until we are ready to leave. Maybe some personnel ready to rotate back to Earth, or even some that would like to join us on our venture to Bajor?”

“You ask a lot Chief, but I will see what I can do,” he replied, “let me remind you that the Monarch is a piece of crap so get those transporters up and running first thing. I’ll pass the word to base supply to be ready for your resupply orders, anything else?”

“Not at the moment Sir,” I replied glibly. “I guess it’s time to go back and talk with my new Klingon associates.”

“Be’nen,” I asked, “would you please take Staunn, and the rest, to gather up their things and meet me at the shuttles.”

“We have to be off the moon as soon as I can get all the Klingons disembarked in their own shuttle. I will meet up with you there.”

“See you later.”

Nobody said a word they just left the room and I went over to the conference room with the security guard.

When I entered the room they were all were sitting at the table looking very glum, even for Klingons.

I asked the security to wait outside. I then went over to the place that I had left at the table opposite Captain Kahlest, stood before him and picked up a translator.

“I would like to say to all of you; ‘welcome aboard’.”

“Your personnel that are in confinement are to be released into my custody and I would appreciate it if you would please round up all your people and meet us by my shuttles in Luna Port module three. I understand you have a shuttle craft?”

“Yes Commodore, it is one that I had constructed and it is sufficient for all of us,” Kahlest answered.

"I see," I replied and asked, "Could you also have your shuttle sent to module three also? I would like to examine it, I’m sure it will be an asset, especially as you are familiar with its handling qualities. Do you have any further questions?”

“Yes Commodore, I do,” he asked.” What happens to our families while we are working on this mission, are they to remain here and restricted as they are now, at Luna Port?”

“I don’t understand what you mean by the question, Captain,” I asked?

“Our families Commodore,” he said emphatically? “What happens to them? You have hired my crew of Klingon men. Klingons do not have women or children as part of their crew.”

“I am sorry for the misunderstanding, Captain,” was my reply.

“This is not a combat mission and my understanding of your situation was that the Monarch, and its’ crew, was a family ship.”

“As this is a joint Federation and Bajoran mission, your family members, men, women and their children are not restricted, but welcome to participate, within reason.”

“What reasons Commodore, “asked the emphatic Kahlest?

“You must school your children, Captain,” I stated. “Your curriculum can be Klingon, but will have to meet Federation testing standards. And as crew members, they must meet minimum age requirements for operational certificates as part of your crew, otherwise there is no problem.”

That brought on many a sigh of relief, especially from Mrs. Kahlest, and brought on much discussion that my translator didn’t catch.

“Are the women paid too,” Kahlest asked?

“Yes they are captain, if they are your crew, you pay them,” was the answer. “It’s in the contract. Are you ready to go to work now?”

Kahlest looked at his party, then turned and said, “Whatever you say, Commodore.”

“Good!” I said, as I reached across the table to shake Kahlest’ hand.

“What is this,” He asked?

“On Earth, where I am from, it is a gesture of good will that is sometimes a greeting, sometimes a show of trust, especially between men to show agreement, and friendship. It can be also a mutual sign of honor and commitment, do you take my hand?”

“Yes,” he said as we shook hands with a fist that felt like he was crushing walnuts, “and we Klingons say, Klapla,” (Success).

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Fifteen - Introduction to the Klingons and security.

After making “peace” with the Klingons I changed my clothes and went directly to our shuttles to make myself as inconspicuous as possible with the Luna port staff.

Luckily Ron had found my red shirts and purchased the ball cap I wanted. So I went directly in to shuttle number one and changed my clothes, again. Be’nen and Staunn followed me in. I knew they had issues that they wanted to talk about, but I beat them to it.

“Is everyone present and accounted for, I asked?”

“Yes,” they both replied.

“Are you all packed up and ready? As soon as the Klingons get here I want to be ready to go.”

“Yes we’re all packed, but how do you want us to travel up there with only two shuttles? Are we riding with the Klingons,” asked Be’nen?

“No not necessarily. They have their own shuttle; I will travel in that, along with the security team, that Hayes promised us.”

“But that thing is not suppose to be able get off the moon on thrusters, from what we hear. You’ll get yourself killed,” Be’nen stressed.

“I’m going to have our maintenance team look at it first, don’t worry.”

Those were wasted words by the look on both of their faces.

“I want you and Staunn to stay with shuttle number one, and Og and his crew will stay with the other. We won’t be leaving until our mechanics say it’s alright. I love you both and I promise I won’t let anything happen to me, okay?”

I went to give them both a hug and kiss. Be’nen was cold and stiff, Staunn latched on to me like I was leaving forever. I kissed Staunn on her forehead and looked back at Be’nen.”

“Be’nen,” I said, “quit scaring the children.”

I saw Be’nen struggle, but I exited be for she decided to slap me.

Out on the landing pad the Klingons were starting to gather. As I passed shuttle number two I told the crew to stand by the shuttles. If I needed them I would call.

I walked over to Kahlest and greeted them, nobody but Kahlest had a translator so they were all silent until he told them all to say “hello”. Then it was one big chorus.

He then told me that his shuttle was on its way.

The Klingon shuttle, when it arrived at the module, through the atmospheric barrier, it flew in an erratic behavior.

It was acting like the pilot was on the verge of losing control. It seemed to wobble all over the place. In fact it acted as if couldn’t hover at all.

It circled the module and then skidded in for a landing like an aircraft, landing on its engine nacelles, and screeching to a stop near us, close enough to make me shiver.

‘Oh brother’, I thought.

Commander Hayes said it was a lash-up, but that didn’t do it justice.

It was the oddest thing I had ever seen. It looked like a big fat beetle with a horn sticking out of its’ head. It was about the same length as a Type 9-B shuttle, about ten and a half meters long. It was about the same height, but it looked like a flying tank.

Even the three crewmen that came out of the back hatch seemed to wobble around. I think they did all they could not to kiss the ground.

Captain Kahlest had a big grin on his face and asked me, “What do you think of it. We made it ourselves.”

“I can see,” I said.

He then proceeded to show me around, pointing out that the main part of the shuttle was a salvaged nose section from an older type Berel Class Bird of Prey.

They had cut away the lower torpedo launch section, up to the bridge armor plating. On the top bulkhead they had gouged out a section to mount a wing mount disrupter cannon. It didn’t make it any higher, but it must have been a lot of duct work and wiring rerouting to fit it in there properly.

At where the bridge neck was supposed to be, there was a federation style docking and access hatch, maybe from an old Model 12-B shuttle, or a travel pod.

The engine nacelles were from a shuttle the same size as on our 9-Bs, type unknown. You could see a lot of plasticizer was used instead of bulkhead replacement materials, yep, definitely glued together.

Kahlest asked me if I wanted to take a short trip around in it. “It was perfectly safe,” he said.

I told him not right now, but if he didn’t mind I would like one of my mechanics take a look at it.

He kind of grumped a little bit but said; “Sure look all you like.”

Without further a due, I went back to my own shuttle.

The first thing I did was, asking Be’nen to contact Captain Smith and ask him where those security people were, and tell him to get some big ones. He should make sure they are authorized to perform routine security, and customs inspections, on all ships leaving Luna port.”

I then called for Pete, and Don, and told them that the Klingon shuttle had Federation parts on it, and I wanted one of our engineer mechanics to give it an inspection.

“I don’t trust its flying abilities just yet, and I think it’s only set up for thrusters. Like it was only used for ship to ship hops, at short distances in space; like for a raiders boarding party shuttle.”

“Notice the docking hatch at its rear; I’m sure it’s Federation equipment. Real convenient for a pirate wouldn’t you say?”

After a few choice cuss words, Don called out for Dwayne Barkley.

“Dwayne, get your tool kit together and take a look at that Klingon rhinoceros over there.”

“Make sure you have a diagnostic computer with you. I have a feeling an engineering tricorder is not going to be enough. Ask a couple of the other guys to give you a hand.”

I waited for Dwayne to get his gear ready and to give him my opinion of what that “rhino’s” gear consisted of.

Dwayne was an old timer like me, and one of the few you would see that still had to wear eye glasses.

We walked together over to the shuttle and made an inspection tour around the outside, both of us pointing out things of interest.

Then we went inside.

The place was a mess. It had the twelve seats of a command bridge section, but that was about all that looked functional.

There were wires all over the place. None of the station monitors were working and they had mounted a joy stick at the pilots’ station. The thing stunk of Klingon too.

“Do you think we can save her, Dwayne,” I asked?

“Well let’s see what our tri-corder says, Commodore.” I could see he was really getting in to the act.

“He also brought in the diagnostic computer, plugged his tri-corder into it and then hooked on a tricorder probe. Then we looked around for any and all outlets to stick the probe in.

The inspection included a few "hems", "oh oh"s and "let’s see here"s; at about a half dozen or more sites. Then followed by crawling around under the ops station panels, after looking into ceiling and floor hatches, we finally finished with the interior.

We then we lugged everything outside.

Dwayne crawled underneath looking for access panels, especially around the engine nacelles. That took a few "gotchas", "that’s good" and even a "that’s lucky". Finally it was; “I guess that’s it Commodore.”

“What’s your verdict Dwayne?”

“Well sir, do you want the good news or the bad news first.” He replied.

I said,” let’s start out with the bad news first, Dwayne”

“Well sir, as far as I can see she has at least three different circuits controlling her; all independent of each other, none of them integrated worth beans.”

“She is definitely set up as a shuttle pod with thrusters only.”

“That joy stick is the only navigation control that I can find that is active; all the other stuff is just not hooked up.”

“That cannon has its own battery and trigger mechanisms. In fact the whole thing is powered on battery energizers. They must recharge them off the main power supply from the mother ship when docked, there’s not a generator on it at all.”

“No generator at all, how do you explain that, I asked?”

“Well boss as you know most shuttles are set up for either impulse or warp drive. So the different engines would be the main generators. Not on this one.”
“These nacelles came of a shuttle like our 9-B s over there. They have a combination drive and you can’t separate the different drive systems. I think when they tried to hook it up, but it didn’t work out.”

“I do think they tried to get the impulse system working, but there must have been some damage to the drive, plus they didn’t have the dilithium to make the warp section work. So they left it off and just used thrusters.”

“I imagine for what they wanted to use it for, that’s all they needed, until they had to land here on the moon. If they tried to land on the Earth with this rig, it would have made a great big splat.”

“I agree,” I remarked, “now what’s the good news.”

“She can fly! Those engine nacelles may not be at one hundred percent, but if we get power to them she’ll fly under impulse. With some jumper cables, and one of our shuttles’ power packs hooked up to her, I’m sure those engines will work.”

“Give me a couple of months to work on her to get all the circuitry integrated; I’ll have her flying, like a ruptured duck.

“Jeez Dwayne I don’t have a couple of months can you rig her to get her up to the Monarch today?”

“That’s a tall order Ch..Commodore. Let me talk it over with Pete and Don. I’m pretty sure we can get her to fly, but you will need a skilled pilot to get her to land on the Monarch.”

“What do you mean a skilled pilot we have a lot of shuttle pilots here, what’s the problem?”

“Well sir, she going to fly like a fighter; like one of those Earth Defense fighters, the one’s that need a runway. This thing has no hovering capacity as yet. I think the Klingons know it too, the way they brought it in here.”

“I see; what if we had a kill switch installed for the impulse engines, and just reverted to thrusters to land her?”

“Yea, that would work; I can get right on if you want Mike, Commodore; Sir.”

“Sure get started on it I’ll get Kahlest to give you some help. They have to start cooperating some time.”

We both walked over to Kahlest and I explained what our inspection found and wanted his permission to start a few modifications and repairs on his shuttle.

I also wanted one of his crew to assist Dwayne, so the pilot operator would know what was being done.

I recommended that it be someone who would be assigned to operate it on a steady basis; and not have it conflict with his Monarch operations officer’s duties.

Kahlest looked over at his crew and then called out for “Kadra”, to come over and talk to us.

Kadra, who was sitting by herself, was a good looking female by any humanoid standards.

She got up, leisurely walked over and postured herself in front of Kahlest. The conversation was off the translator so I didn’t quite understand what they were talking about, but she sure didn’t seem enthused.

She had her arms folded and called over her shoulder to ‘PagHal Hon’Tihl’, the Interrogation Officer, who was at our initial meeting.

What followed was a long discussion, more like an argument, with much gesturing and shouting on Hoh’Tihl’s side, and a lot of whining and pouting on her end.

In the meantime Kahlest told me her name was Kadra Unagroth, Hon’Tihl’s intended, and not a part of his immediate family.

“She is useless,” Kahlest scoffed, “I don’t know what he sees in her; but she can operate a shuttle.”

It was obvious to Dwayne what Hon’Tihl saw in Kadra. He was all smiles when he saw his new helper.

“Alright Dwayne”, I finally announced, “this is your shuttle operator you will be working with, so go over to Ogs' shuttle and get yourself a translator, and get Miss Unagaroth a comm. badge.”

“Also pass the word to Mr. Comet to pass out those comm. badges to the Klingons, and to let them know that they are tuned to our frequencies.”

“Inform Pete and Don of what you are doing, then head over to the hanger shop and get what you need.”

“If you need additional help, let Captain Kahlest know what you need, I’m sure he will gladly get someone to help.”

“Is that okay with you Captain,” I asked Kahlest?

“Um, sure Commodore, anything that we can assist you with, we will do.”

While we were talking the security team showed up. Nine people showed up, our mission must rate.

“I am Sergeant Clemmons reporting for embarkation inspection of your outgoing fleet, sir.”

“Captain Smith also said you were looking for recruits’ sir. That’s Officer Fleming, Officer Carney and Officer Flanagan, over there waiting to talk to you, sir.”

“Where would you like us to start, sir?”

“Start with our two shuttles first, then do Captain Kahlest’s rhino over there, and I hope you are prepared to embark with us; or do you have your own shuttle to take you to the Monarch freighter, we leased??

“After we inspect these shuttles we will draw our own department shuttle, sir. We would like to be the second shuttle to board the freighter, sir, if that’s convenient?”

“I have no problem Sergeant, do you Captain?”

“Err, no sir whatever you say, Commodore.” Kahlest looked a little perplexed. I don’t know if it was that he wasn’t prepared to be deferred to on decisions, or there was something on the ship that would cause us some trouble.

Sergeant Clemmons went about his business, and Kahlest and I went over to meet our new security “recruits”.

Officer Fleming was about my height, but thicker.

Officer Carney looked like his pet monkey; I don’t think he was over five foot six with his shoes on. He had the face and hands like a prize fighter and his two front teeth were missing.

Officer Flanagan was a stocky woman with huge breast, a pleasant smiling face and red hair that looked like she went to the same hair dresser as Nichelle Bushong.

“Greetings, Officer Fleming, Officer Carney,” spoke up Kahlest, with a big grin on his face. “Is there any trouble Officers?”

“Not yet Kluge, you ready to start some again,” answered Officer Fleming?

“No, No officers, I just wanted to say hello and tell you we are all now changed men. We are traders in commerce no less.”

“Well we aren’t in the market for any stock today Kluge, thanks anyway. We heard you were on a pleasure cruise and we figure we would just tag along for the ride, if that’s all right with the Commodore here.”

“In that case I will leave you in his good hands, I will see you later.” The emphasis was on the will, from Kahlest.

“I gather you know each other,” I noted. “By the way his real name is Kahlest.”

“Kahlest! Yes sir, we’ve tangle a few times, haven't we Carney.”

“Yea the bloody batherds,” Carney replied. His missing teeth didn’t help is diction either.

“I had to get a few released from the brig, was it for fighting?” I queried.

“No sir, fighting with them is just our exercise,” spoke up Officer Fleming, “the cheap bustards wouldn’t pay their bar tab, or their meal tab, or their quarters cost, you name it.”

“If they didn’t like what they were being charged they would start swinging. It usually took two or three of us to get then under control enough, so Janie here could stun ‘em.”

“Yea the bloody batherds, if you fights one, you end up fighting’ them all, the bloody batherds,” interjected Carney.

I looked to Jane Flanagan, “I suppose you didn’t have to trade blows with any of them.”

“Oh no sir, I just tagged along to see that the Klingons weren’t hurt. When I saw these two starting to wheeze or their tongues hanging out, I figured it was time to quit their exercising, so I stunned them. You know over exercising will cramp up your muscles.”

“You’re only supposed to stun the bloody Klingons not us too, ya bloody cork,” mumbled Carney.

“I only did that one time,” she replied, “and it was payback for you stunning me.”

“You mean your own partners stunned you,” I asked?

“Yes sir, these two Galahads won’t arrest an unruly female so I have to do it for them, and those Klingon women are almost as bad as the men.”

“If the men are in a donnybrook they join right in, so I get stuck wrestling with them, and dummy here (she pointed to Carney) zaps me instead of the Klingon. I was out for about fifteen minutes.”

“Well you bloody cork; I told you not to wrestling on the floor like it was a bloody love fest,” Piped Carney, “I told you it was a bloody mistake. Tell her Flem.”

“You must excuse my partners here sir, their sort of engaged,” quipped Officer Fleming.

“We are not,” they both shouted. That parlayed another argument between the two “Lovers”.

“You see Sir, this is what happens when you’re stuck in an escape pod for four days. We were Fleet Marines on the Paragon when she got destroyed during the return to DS-9.”

“I didn’t know any of those ships carried Marines.”

“Well you know they were hurting for crews, at that time, especially for the Centaur class vessels.”

“Almost half of the crew on the Paragon was marine volunteers like us. I was a cannon crewman, Barker was an armorer, and Janie was in communications. I first met them both when I dragged them to the escape pod when we had to abandon ship. We were lucky to get out alive.”

“Yeah, and that pod is only supposed to be for two people, not three. You should have thrown the little pervert out,” remarked Jane

“Cripes all mighty Danny, why didn’t you pick a gal with less T&A, at least we could have played cards. We didn’t have enough room to shuffle a deck with her with us.”

“As you can see Sir, we’re a team,” remarked Officer Fleming.

“Okay my friends, do you see that lady with the blue suit on by that shuttle?” I pointed out Be’nen.

“Report to her and stand by, I have to get back to that Klingon shuttle, and see what is going on.”

I went over to check on Dwayne, and his Klingon pilot, to check on their progress.

“Commodore, when I plugged in that power pack the whole bridge lit up like a Christmas tree,” announced Dwayne.

“Kadra helped me out an awful lot, she’s real smart.”

Kadra kind of smirked and said through her translator, “He thinks I’m smart because I can read and understand Klingon.” She was shaking her head, while Dwayne just kept grinning at her.

“Commodore, I would like your permission to download some federation specs, so I can get these Klingon computers to work more efficient with the engine nacelles,” asked Dwayne?

“I don’t think we can do that Dwayne. I’m sure it’s a violation of Star Fleet regulations to furnish federation technology to vessels other than the fleet. Let me call Mr. Comet over here to take look at what you have done, and see what he can do.”

I called over Larry on my comm. badge and asked him to bring his computer gear over and see if he could work out some of the bugs in the Klingons’ shuttle computer system.

Most people have a pers-comp about the size of an old style book. Larry’s was the size of a good sized suitcase. It was almost as big as the shuttle power pack that Dwayne had installed.

Larry plugged in his console into the power pack, then took out a standard looking engineer tri-corder, with probe, and asked Dwayne to re-probe all the sites that he tested in the command section.

After Dwayne hit all the sites Larry hooked up a jumper cable to the navigation console and started working through his display.
Larry then ordered, “Computer, download Mary Jane.”

‘Download complete.’ Exclaimed the computer’s voice.

“Computer this is Lawrence Morris Comet, identification number 17A29BZ, recognize voice print for maintenance and servicing instructions.”

‘Lawrence Morris Comet, identification number 17A29BZ, is recognized for maintenance and servicing instructions, you are cleared for processing.’

“Computer: main frame A-Z is off line, establish backup at Nav 1, Klingon.”

‘Insufficient space, information requires one quad GGB.’ The computer answered.

“Computer: transfer one quad GGB navigation schematics for other than Sol System into Comet Drive A.”

‘Working; download complete.’

“Computer: main frame A-Z is off line, establish backup at Nav1, Klingon.”

‘Backup parameters set, awaiting input.’

“Computer: recognize Eng 1, Klingon.”

‘Eng1, Klingon recognized.’

“Computer: recognize Com 1, Klingon.”

‘Com 1, Klingon recognized.’

“Computer: recognize Cmd 1, Klingon.”

‘Cmd 1, Klingon recognized.’


“Computer: recognize Env1, Klingon.”

‘Env1, Klingon recognized.’

“Computer: recognize all Def & Wep, Klingon.”

“Def, Klingon recognized; Wep, not on line.”

“Mike, you’ll have to hook up the weapons system later. For now let’s see if we can get those engines nacelle recognized.”

“Computer run Eng1, Klingon, diagnostics. Display and display errors on Comet1”

‘Working.’

Larry’s consol started displaying all the circuitry that the computer had access to.

When a connection error was displayed, Dwayne hurried over with a tester, and jumpers, to make all pertinent corrections.

Most of the error messages were of minor problems that could be corrected and finalized later.

The biggest error that couldn’t be corrected was getting the Nacelles to work at hover through the Klingon navigation console. The nacelles would need more extensive repairs on the ship or in a space dock.

The operator would still have to cut the engines and land the shuttle with thrusters only. Other than that she was ready to fly.

Larry then asked the computer to download a language recognition program and then asked that it recognize all Klingon voice recognition protocol programs, Earth standard, and Bajoran.

He then asked Kahlest to follow up with himself, and his shuttle crew, with their personal IDs, to voice print on to the shuttles computer data base.

Kahlest’s only comment about the reprogramming was about having a female computer voice, he didn’t like it.

Larry told him why he downloaded the female voice parameters to it was because his designated shuttle pilot was female, they should get along a lot better.

Besides that most Star Fleet vessels used the same voice programming, so communications and idioms would conform better.

Kahlest was still dubious, but he accepted it.

“I’m done for now here Mike, do you want to help me with this stuff I have here?”

“Sure Larry,” I replied, “but first I want you Captain, to get the shuttle ready for embarkation.”

“We also need the get the customs people in here to do their inspection.”

“When they are done, I recommend that you take Mr. Barkley and only the people you need to restart the Monarch’s systems”.

“You can bring up the rest of your crew later if you have to. Will they need suits?”

“No Commodore,” he replied, “the environmental systems were left on, but at low power. We can access the bridge through one of the top hatches.”

“Okay then I’ll get our people loaded, and call me when the customs inspectors are ready to follow you up; we will be right behind
you.”

Once away from the Klingons I asked Larry, “What was going on?”

“You know Mike those Klingon Birds of Prey are a lot smaller than our cruisers. I bet their computer core is about the same size as on the Monarch, or even a J-Class freighter.”

“Those bridge stations are really stand alone computers that net work, not like a federation vessel that has a huge computer core with slave stations. What I just did was copy and down load all the computer files to my pers-comp here.”

“How did you do that? It didn’t sound like you were doing that to me.”

“That’s the way it’s supposed to happen. While you listen to me talking to Mary Jane nobody watches my key board. It’s an old school trick, but it works. And Mary Jane talks to me any time I want her to.”

“I have to get these data chips I copied over to Ms. Tash, I think her friend the Admiral might be interested in what was in those files. It will at least be an historical file.”

Larry was chuckling now. We walked up to Be’nen, and Larry gave her the chips.

“A present for your friends Ms. Tash,” he said.

She still wasn’t ready to talk to me. I had to ask her how she made out with our three new recruits.

“They are signed in, Michael. Staunn is doing a preliminary scan now. Is that thing really going to fly? You aren’t going up in it are you, It doesn’t look like its’ safe to me.”

“No Be’nen, I will be traveling with you in my cozy Commodore shuttle”.

“The Rhino should be no problem, I’m confident of the work that Mr. Barkley and Mr. Comet did.”

“I think you should put in a general call to our people to start boarding. Then start your preflight operations with the Luna port tower. As soon as we get customs clearance we will be ready to go.”

Officer Fleming and Officer Carney elected to join Og’s shuttle.

Officer Flanagan would fly up with us. Ever sense she met Nichelle, it was like one continuous conversation going on, like they were long lost relatives, maybe it was because of their matching hair styles.

I was sitting outside on the shuttle nacelles waiting for the customs clearance, when the customs shuttle showed up.

Staunn came out side and sat with me. She didn’t say a word she just looped her arm through mine and leaned on my shoulder.

“It’ll be alright Staunn, we’ll get through this. Its’ all downhill from now on,” I told her.

Little did I know that the downhill run would be more like dropping off a cliff?

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Sixteen - What buying unseen gets you!

Day Eleven

Taking off from Luna port wasn’t too bad.

Sergeant Clemmons changed his mind and decided to ride along with Kahlest in his shuttle, along with one other inspector, to be with the first to board the Monarch.

Over half the Klingons were left at Luna port to await a returning shuttle.

Our team’s two shuttles followed the Lunar Customs shuttle.

Approaching the Monarch was still a little tricky. It had a slow roll to keep it from roasting its insides.

I could only imagine what the ship’s temperature and environment was like at minimum power, especially after six months.

Kadra did a good job piloting the Rhino.

Cutting the impulse engines and landing that shuttle with thrusters, at that top hatch of the ship, took a lot of skill. Especially after the fact that this was the first time the impulse engines were operational.

Kahlest, Kadra and Barkley had kept up a steady dialog during the docking procedures. I wondered who would really take the credit for the safe docking.

About fifteen minutes later the bridge lights came on.

I then got a call from Sergeant Clemmons to stand by. About fifteen minutes later, Sergeant Clemmons gave us another call.

“Commodore, bring your shuttle into the port side when we open the landing bay door.”

“Bring your shuttle in very slowly and as far forward as you can to allow my shuttle in behind you. Be careful there is a lot of debris in the shuttle bay.”

“The other shuttle will have to wait until we get power to the starboard bay door, before it can enter. There is also a lot of debris in that bay too, so both pilots must exercise caution.”

“I can tell you right now Commodore; we don’t plan on staying here long.”

He wasn’t kidding about debris.

In the port landing area were there should be enough room for two shuttles it seemed like there was barely enough room for one to slide in.

Be’nen took our shuttle in until it nosed up toward the front bulk head as far as she could.

The customs shuttle was behind us so close, that if our shuttle number two was there you couldn’t open the back hatch. Their shuttle just cleared the bay doors by less than a meter.

Sergeant Clemmons met me at my shuttle side door.

“Sir, I am informing you now that you are going nowhere with this ship the way she is loaded.”

“I can guess right now she is way overloaded, and with all this mass aboard it would be like a missile.”

“No one is going to give you a permit to transit Sol system until you clean up this mess.”

“You have thirty days before we will return and perform another inspection.”

“If things aren’t corrected enough to get a certificate of transit, she’s headed for the sun. I’m sorry sir, but that’s the way it is.”

“I understand Sergeant; I’ll get right on it.”

“Okay sir, would you please vacate the landing bay so we can be on our way. Good Luck sir, you really need it.”

I said, ‘thank you’, and had our crew vacate the landing bay.

Kahlest then de-pressurized the landing bay and the custom shuttle backed out and left.

He then closed the doors and re-pressurized the landing area. There were no energy protective screens at the entrances on this old dog; the doors to the shuttle bay did all the work.

We then went over to the starboard bay where Kahlest wrestled with the controls to get our other shuttle in.

The mess of debris I saw was astounding. There was everything from two or three shuttle craft skeletons, to shipping crates, to boxes, to just parts, scattered all over the place.

Of the four landing bays, only two were useable due to all the debris.

I now knew how Kahlest managed to steal his ship. The whole ship was a storage bin of scrap metal and spare parts. It came from storage depot salvage yard. Nobody probably even missed it.

When the starboard bay was re-pressurized, and my shocked crew was all together I told Kahlest: “Okay Captain let’s all take the tour and head for the bridge to start off.”

C deck cargo area packed full with materials had a freight transporter that looked like it might have been still serviceable.

Everything was filthy.

Staunn walked up to me and held on to my hand. I must have been as ill looking as I felt.

B deck cargo hold was also filled with all sorts of stuff, most if it in bins.

A deck was a passenger deck. This kind of confirmed what we thought, she was and old colony service ship, probably carrying people, and supplies, to a mining colony.

She sure wasn’t a luxury liner.

All the rooms were filled with crap. Most were stripped, and one thing I noticed they all had lock bars on the outsides of the doors.
She was also probably a onetime slaver, or prison transport ship. You could still see some of the writing on the walls, and doors, some of it in Earth Standard.

Also on A deck were two large lavatories, a bare infirmary, a combined purser and security office, an individual personnel transporter, an environmental control station and a common room.

We surmised that from some of the still legible Earth Standard labeling on the bulkhead walls.

The common room was at least free of debris, but like the rest of the ship, it was dirty.

I didn’t think the Klingons were planning to stay on the ship too long.

How and why they ended on the moon is still a mystery, and Kahlest isn’t talking.

The Main deck was more livable looking, but not much more.

Kadra, and Barkley, were there. Barkley wondering out loud as to how did we get into this mess? He wasn’t alone.

I asked every on to take a break I had something to say.

I turned to Kahlest and asked: “Well Captain it looks like your salvage mission starts right now, are you ready for this?”

Kahlest didn’t look to happy about the situation he was in either but he said: “Yes Commodore we will do our best.”

“I would like to make a few suggestions, and make a few points of interest.”

“First of all me, and my crew, are advisors, we will assist you in any way to help you succeed, but we won’t be doing all of your work for you. That’s not our job. You have the responsibility to clean up this ship and make it your home ship, for you and the Bajorans who will be working crew for you.”

“The first thing I suggest is that you appoint one of your people a Purser and another a Loadmaster.”

“I suggest you appoint your wife as Purser. You have a ship to run, and those are administrative jobs you don’t need to be doing on a day to day basis. I’m asking Be’nen to assist your wife in getting started.”

“I will give you a roster of our personnel and what their capabilities are; I suggest you try to get your people paired up with them until you get Bajorans to replace them.”

“From that roster I suggest you set up a watch list for a twenty four hour ship’s operation, get use to it. That will be three eight Earth hour shifts.”

“With your permission Captain, I would like Mr. Comet to get to work immediately on the ships computers.”

“I want an information dump from them scheduled in six hours.”

“He will coordinate with Luna port. I’m sure these computers are going to need a lot of information, and systems, updating.”

“Mr. Comet, Captain Kahlest will need the latest Engineer SOPs for recovery and salvage procedures. He will also need a list of Federation rules, and regulations, pertaining to family freight operations.”

“See if you can get the crew manifest for the Monarch, when she was last manned by Federation owners. If not get a manifest for a fifty man crewed ship, maybe like the Defiant class cruiser, so the Captain can use it as a guide in assigning his personnel to the new positions.”

“Captain Kahlest will provide you an assistant as soon as he can but, I would like you to start right after this meeting.”

“Yes, sir, right away,” Larry confirmed. “I’ll bring my tool kit right up and get started.”

“Mr. Og, did you see the freight transporter?”

“Here sir, yes I did”, he replied.

“Good, your exceptional skills as a merchant will really be needed to complete this job and get us out of here.”

“Who me sir; Just what are we talking about here?”

“Mr. Og I want you to sell, trade, recycle, and dispose of all this material not belonging in this ship, in any way you can to all the moon bases, not just Luna port.”

“You got to be kidding Commodore. There must be tons of material here and you expect me to get rid of it all?”

“Yes Mr. Og, it’s the sale of a life time. Do you know how much it cost to ship materials to the moon, extraordinary amounts, and you have a ship load of stuff.”

“Metals, spare parts, even night soil for fertilizer, if I can guess what’s in our holding tanks. And Mr. Og, they have replicators on the moon, and you know what replicators need, raw material, and we have a ship load of it.”

“Yes, Yes Captain I see, I see what you mean. We will make a fortune.”

“Just get us what we need to get this ship resupplied, and livable, Mr. Og,” I replied.

“I would like Officer Flanagan to assist you, and your Dabo crew; and Larry get as many parts catalogs as you can get loaded in to the system, so Og can maybe cross reference what we have here and make use of it.”

“I understand Mike,” Larry replied.

“Engineers, and Maintenance men, you know where the engine room is, so please go there and assist the Monarch crew; I’m sure there will be a lot of calls once we get rolling.”

“Recovery section, would you please start on cleaning out the passenger quarters. Take our stewards too”

“We may be here for a month, and I don’t think you all want to stay in a shuttle craft. Use your tricorders to record what you pick up, and take down to Og.”

“I would like you to also survey those shuttle craft too.”

“You people know the drill. Anything with serial numbers, part numbers and languages needs to be cataloged.”

“Any information disks, or isolinear chips, get them to Ms. Tash or Larry. Captain Kahlest will be assigning help as soon as he gets all of his people here.”

“I will be with Dr. Tehk helping in that excuse for an infirmary if anyone needs me.”

“I’m sure you all have questions, but for right now let’s hold off until Mr. Comet gets the computer dump finished.”

“The next meeting will be in about six hours. Let’s get to work.”

With that they all started moving to where they needed to go.

Officer Fleming and Carney came up to me and asked me what they wanted them specifically to do.

I told them I thought there was a security office connected to the pursers’ office. They were to go there and get started.

I also wanted them to start scouting around for anything that looked like weapons or weapons material, and start to an armory in some storage bin that might be available, to keep the findings locked up.

Be’nen and Staunn were waiting for me when I went over to Kahlest and suggested it would be alright now to use his shuttle to pick up the rest of his people at Luna port.

He said, “Sure, Commodore, we have a lot of work to do.”

I told him I would like Mr. Barkley to go along with Kadra to smooth over any language problems with port authorities.

“I agree,” he said, and then ordered Kadra to take the shuttle back to Luna port, with Mr. Barkley on communications.

I informed Pete, and Don on my com badge, of where Dwayne was going.

I then called Be’nen over to us.

“Be’nen when you get a chance; would you to inform the Bajoran Embassy, on Earth, of what is going on here with the Monarch.”

“See if you can recruit some help from those Bajorans who want to work their passage back to Bajor, and get them to start early. We could pick them up at space dock with the Rhino shuttle if they are willing to come.”

I then took Be’nen by the arm and Staunn by the hand and made our way back down to A deck.

The Pursers office was bare except for a computer terminal, not even a desk.

When I turned on the terminal it flashed on and off, mostly in Klingon. Larry was busy with the main computers so it would be awhile before we could send any traffic.

The Security section looked fairly well lived in. It even had extra desk and chairs, and what looked like a coffee maker (?), or whatever the Klingons drank.

Officers Fleming and Carney were there turning on buttons, checking connections and trying to tidy up the place.

I asked them if they could move one of the desks over to the Pursers office side, and give Be’nen a few chairs to sit on. They obliged her gladly.

The ship’s infirmary was as bare as the Purser’s office.

Only half of the overhead lights worked. The examination table was an original Star Fleet model that I had seen only in videos.

All the cupboards were bare except for some data file disks that were strewn about the place. The terminal lit up, but the monitor was broken.

Staunn asked me to help her bring her equipment up from the shuttle.

She then asked me if we planned to sleep in this dump. I said no, that I planned to stay in the shuttle with her and her mother, unless they preferred different.

Be’nen was still not talking to me.

We all then trudged down to the shuttle.

A deck seemed to be acquiring a cloud of dust with all the movement of materials, and trying to sweep out the cubicles with the one or two brooms that were found.

At the shuttle I grabbed a cup of coffee, and a roll from the on board replicator, while the two women changed clothing.

They had to empty out my suit case because neither one had any work clothes.

Staunn had only Medic smocks and Be’nen only her business suits. So they both had to wear one of my red “Commodore” shirts.

Be’nen found my denim trousers and put them on. Two of my civilian shirts were cut up into hair scarves.

Before we exited with Staunn’s medical kit, Be’nen cornered me and asked me if I was angry with her.

“No,” I said, “are you angry with me?” “You seemed to have lost your smile since Luna port. I supposed you ware angry at me for the way things turned out.”

“I do not get angry, I’m a Vulcan and Vulcans don’t get angry, they are logical beings,” she replied.

“Well bless your little Vulcan heart,” I said as I embraced her and gave her a kiss.

“What is that supposed to mean?” She gasped.

Just then Staunn came in and asked, “What’s going on here, are you having a fight?”

“No,” I said, “I’m trying to mind meld with you mother, she doesn’t think I love her.”

So I kissed Be’nen again, this time with my tongue.

She gasped again and said. “You are just a typical human male pervert who just wants to have sex with me.”

“Yes I do! Yes I do! Right now, let’s get it on. I want to show you how much I love you, even when you are wearing work clothes, you turn me on.”

“Get away from me you crazy human, Staunn help me I’m being molested.”

Staunn started giggling.

“Don’t help her Staunn, I’m in pon farr; help me get my pants off,” I shouted.

There was much wrestling and rolling around the floor of that little shuttle compartment. Staunn finally got my belt loosened and then Be’nen said; “I’ll fix you.”

She then pulled my pants down to my ankles, then grabbed on to Staunn and they both ran out the door, leaving me gasping for breath.

I shouted out, “Be’nen you’re just like I thought, a big tease.”

“Be quiet you, you oversexed playboy.” She shouted back.

She then slammed the shuttle side door and took off with Staunn who was laughing and screeching, “I’ll be back, Michael, I’ll be back, wait for me.”

What Be’nen then said was a little muffled by the closed door.

After I reassembled my dignity, I gathered up my pers-comp went outside and looked for a place to hook up a power slave cable, for the shuttle.

After I moved about two hundred pounds of junk I found an outlet on the bulk head wall and plugged in the cable.

When I went into the cargo area to walk to the stairway my people were looking at me with big smile on their faces. They had heard our lovers scuffle; so I waved to them and headed for B deck.

On B deck Og, and the Dabo girls, were looking for me too. They were all alone so I went over to them to see how things were going. I didn’t see any Klingons around.

I asked Og; “Has Kahlest sent you any help yet?”

“Not yet Captain, I don’t think the shuttle has arrived yet. We have been trying to scan some of the materials around here, but the computer is still not on line for trade actions.”

I put an immediate comm. badge call in for Kahlest; “Captain, have you appointed a load master yet?”

“No sir I’m having interviews with my officers now. Some are reluctant to be assigned civilian positions; they would rather have the Bajorans do the laborers tasks.”

“What! You tell them that this is not a combat ship and if they cannot accept that fact, they can go right back down to the Luna port brig on the next shuttle flight.”

“I suggest you get that Interrogation Officer down here and assist Mr. Og.”

“He won’t be interrogating anyone on this mission and you need a load master.”

“How in the hell are you going to know what is going on if someone doesn’t learn our supply system. Remember our mission.”

“I also recommend that you assign your Weapons Officer, and his crew, to take charge of the Environmental systems; I’m sure we have no water that’s potable on this ship. Get them working on filters and reclamation. Where is your transporter specialist?”

“He hasn’t arrived yet, Commodore”.

“Well when he arrives, put him to work.”

“When your wife arrives, talk to her about my recommendation she be your ships’ Purser. As a Purser she will be invaluable to you in this operation, if not, have who you select, came and talk to me, or Be’nen.”

“Yes sir, it will be done, Kahlest, out.”

Jeez, temperamental Klingons, that’s all I need.

We weren’t going to be there to help run his ship once we transfer to the Grayson.

I knew what the Klingon manning roster was for a Bird of Prey that Commander Hayes gave me.

These Klingons will have to adjust themselves to operating a civilian ship or were sunk.

I told Og that I didn’t want the girls lifting and hauling all this material, and to make sure the new load master gets his own help.
Og said he would comply, but he didn’t like being alone with the Klingons. He told me he saw the Ferengi shuttle in the landing bay.

I told him I understood, and said I would also get Officer Fleming to set up his armory down here in one of these storage rooms, and work with Officer Flanagan, in assisting him.

I also told him that as soon as Officer Fleming got here, he should send the Dabo girls up to the common room to work.

The place needed somebody to take charge of it because my stewards were tied up on the cleaning detail and as soon as the computers were straightened out, I wanted to order some food, and the place was a mess.

Besides that I thought they would make better looking waitresses than the Klingons.

Og kind of scowled, but the girls looked happier.

I then called Officer Fleming on my comm. badge, and asked him to set up his armory shop in the B deck storage area, and to assist Mr. Og as necessary.

Then I was off to see what other fires had to be put out.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Seventeen - Making do with the Monarch mess.

Day Eleven

I went back up to A deck, and set my pers-comp up on Be’nen’s desk. She was just sitting there with her hands folded with her usual amused look on her face.

“Did you get a chance to get a call out to Bajoran Embassy yet,” I asked.

“No, Sir, the computer is still not working properly yet. I’m just waiting for directions from my lord and master.”

I stuck my tongue out at her and walked over to the infirmary to see how Staunn was making out.

“Come in Michael, come in. You can lock the door behind you so we won’t be disturbed.” she yelled out. “I got the examination table all wiped up for you daily exam.”

I told her I had to check out the personnel transporter down the corridor, and ducked out of there fast.

She thought that was funny, and actually called me a coward when I scooted down the hall.

The transporter was not working because it wasn’t even turned on, so I looked around for the area lights and startup switches.

When the transporter started to warm up it started flashing warning signs, and talking in Klingon. So I spoke out; “Computer, I do not understand Klingon.”

There was a slight pause then the computer spoke in Earth Standard: “Warning, malfunction, this transporter will not function within required parameters for living personnel.”

Then it kept repeating the message.

“Computer,” I asked. “Can this transporter be used for inert materials, for example, emergency food packs, liquid containers, and tools?”

“Working; that is affirmative. This transporter is primarily for living personnel. The shipment of supplies, and cargo, should be done at the B deck freight transporter station.”

“Computer: this is Michael Thomas of Star Fleet Engineers Advisory and Assistance Group – Bajor, the lease holder of this vessel, commanded by Captain Kahlest”.

“I ask for an override of normal operations to permit transporting of food stuffs, liquid containers and tools. No personal transport override is requested at this time. Acknowledge.”

“Working: Procedure is authorized, by your authority.”

“Computer: establish coordinates for transporter operations at Luna port, General Services and Supply; Tycho City and New Berlin, central terminals on planet of the Earths’ satellite moon; in preparation to receive shipments.”

“Working, all sites coordinates registered. Recommend orbital instead of stationary rotation for prevention of transporter loss through transmission error due to age and state of repair of this transporter.”

“Acknowledged; Flag a message to Captain Kahlest recommending he request a move from stationary orbit to rotational orbit for transporter efficiency.”

“Acknowledged, flagged message sent as requested.”

I then walked over to the security section and told Carney that I wanted to take one of his monitors over to the infirmary.

Be’nen informed me that as the computer is now working, she had sent out a communications file to the Bajoran Embassy, on Earth, but it would probably take an hour to get a reply due to the obsolete subspace transceivers on the ship.

I acknowledge the information and said; “Okay, let me know what they think.”

At the infirmary I hooked up the monitor to her console and asked Staunn to sit beside me while I tried to order medical supplies for her.

Then we started off.

“Computer: state ships origin and last known federation registration number.”

“Working, ships classification is Monarch P, class IX.”

“The USS Monarch manufactured star date 2279, at Monarch Industries Sol IV assembly station, Mars, Sol system, registration number USS 3574, for the Alpha Centauri Mining Consortium, Moinmar.”

“Computer: search for human medical records.”

“Working: There are three hundred fifty six complete, and fragmentary, records available.”

“Computer: establish an historical file of all the records of human medical records.”

“Establish a new database for current on board personnel, to include Human, Klingon, Vulcan, Ferengi, Dabo and Bajoran, per initial input by Dr. Staunn Tech, acting medical Officer.”

“Working: historical file established. Input current data.”

Staunn then plugged in her per’s comp and downloaded her files.

“Computer: inter face with diagnostic examination table; give capabilities for accurate diagnosis for all races currently on file.”

“Working: Human 96%, Bajoran 90%, Ferengi 86%, Vulcan 86%, Klingon 75%, Dabo 50%”

“Computer: run class one medical equipment diagnostic, post errors and recommended modifications for repairs and service, match and compare with diagnostic table at Luna port dispensary, allow for current tables' obsoleteness. Flagg results to Chief Engineer Hon’Tihl and Comm. Tech Comet.”

“Acknowledged”

“Computer: search for last inventory of infirmary supplies and medications.”

“Working: no records available.”

“Computer: Search records of Luna port, Tyco City, and New Berlin for initial issue of medical supplies and medication for a Star Fleet vessel manned with approximately fifty personnel, example: USS Defiant class. Record and file.”

“Working: (it took about fifteen minutes to get it) Search complete and record on file.”

“Computer: request immediate order and shipment, by medical priority, of an initial issue of medical equipment, plus medication and supplies for thirty days, for human and non-humans on record, thru Luna port General Supply office, on my authority, with remarks: current account is with USS Daisy (shuttlecraft), USS Dandelion (shuttle craft), Attention: Add: USS Monarch 3574 (Leased Vessel) with shuttle craft “Rhino”. Supplies may be received at A deck transporter in containers not larger than 1m x 1m x 1m, and not more than sixty kilos each container.”

“Working: message was sent as memo as it was outside regular Star Fleet requisition procedures.”

“Would you like correct procedures and programs copied and filed for future use?”

“Affirmative; inform myself, or Dr. Tehk, when materials are ready for transporter shipping. Flagg Captain Kahlest, and the designated Purser on record, of the actions taken.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Computer; this is an emergency supply request to Luna port General Supply office, on my authority.”

“Request emergency, or field rations to include breakfast, lunch and diners for all assigned personnel for a minimum period of twenty four hours”.

“Routine orders through regular supply requisitions are to follow, for approximately thirty days, to include water and normal side beverages.”

“ATTENTION: this ship has no replicators and has no potable water on board at this time: it also has three Klingon children, including one infant on board.”

“Inform by note of this action to the Captain, and the designated Purser.”

“Acknowledged.”

By the time I finished all of my initial orders, Staunn had came over to where I was sitting at least three times to hug me and kiss my neck.

She was genuinely happy to be setting up shop in this little rat’s nest of an infirmary.

She was actually humming while she rubbed, and scraped away at, of at least twenty five years of grit, and grime.

“Well doctor,” I said to her, “I have to leave you now to go over and pester your mother for awhile”.

“I asked that the Dabo girls come up and work in the common room, so if you need any help with your supplies, they can assist you.”

“This place is pretty stinky,” she said.

“I’ll get it cleaned up. I don’t want to hang up my name plate on a dump. I was really worried about our supplies, especially having no water on board, thanks for getting things started.”

I told her to keep working with the computer for any supplies she needed, while setting up shop.

“All the supply requests from now on would have to go through the Purser, and remember that they probably won’t have a good looking doctor working there at Luna port, but an in house Med Tech; so keep it as simple as you can get.”

Once her inventory is on the record, her computer would do the hard work of reordering for her.

“Yes Michael, I almost forgot that we have another ship to set up.” With that and a hug and a kiss, I went over to see her mother.

Be’nen was talking to the two Dabo girls.

They both asked me what they were supposed to do. I asked them to see if they can start cleaning and organizing the common room as a fit place to eat, until my stewards could return to duty.

I informed them that I had ordered emergency rations and medical supplies for the ship, and that the materials would be coming in on the personnel transporter, on this deck.

They were to call me when they started coming in and Officer Carney, and I, would give them a hand with receiving the packages.

They said okay and started looking for something to clean with; rags seemed to be the only things in good supply.

I went over and sat on the edge of Be’nens’ desk. She still sat there with her hands folded with her amused grin on her face.

“Would you still marry me if I was poor, and in debt,” I asked?

“Are you expecting the Bajoran government to make you pay for all the materials you just ordered for this disaster we are flying in,” she asked?

“If they don’t, you wouldn’t let me sink in it, would you now, lover?” I replied.

“Hmm,” she thought. “No. I would hire you as a servant so you would be able to work to pay off all your debts,” she retorted.

“Ow, that is harsh, what would you have me doing; work as a hired gigolo maybe?”

She harrumphed; “I would buy this wreck and make you clean it all up all by yourself.” She replied.

“All by myself,” I said. “Aren’t you and Staunn coming with me?”

“No! I would send you into orbit so you would only come back every seven years to meet your familial requirements.”

“Well I would be very happy that you would forsake all others for me at pon farr. I am honored to be so beloved, I would miss those daily baths though, sweet heart.”

“Yes you would, because you are something of a stinker.”

“I love you too, Be’nen,” I said and I embraced her and gave her a peck on the cheek.

“You’re supposed to act professional while on duty, can’t you wait until we get back to our shuttle?”

“No, But I’ll try my best,” I replied. At that time Mrs. Kahlest arrived with her husband the Captain.

“You wish to see me Commodore?” asked Mrs. Kahlest through her translator.

“Yes Mrs. Kahlest, I would like to discuss with you, and your husband, the ongoing conversion of your present crew from a refugee vessel, to a working merchantman.”

“Your contract calls for a three year mission of salvage and recovery. I think if we work together we can set up crew manifest that will be efficient and manageable, while still retaining your family’s identity.”

“I am not sure I understand what my role is, that you are asking me to perform. I will not disrespect my husband,” she replied.

“I am only suggesting that you only assist your husband in the operation of this ship. The Captain, your husband will be responsible for running this ship.”

“The position I’m suggesting that you take is that of the ships Purser. In essence you would be the chief administrative officer, answerable only to the Captain.”

“The Purser would be responsible for administrative actions concerning the hiring of personnel, maintaining the crew roster, with the Captain; records keeping, ships financial and information operations, plus the pay and welfare of all personnel.”

“It is an important job, and it takes the mundane operations off the back of the captain, so he can run this ship and do his mission.”

“You ask a lot of my wife, Commodore,” said Kahlest.

“Captain Kahlest, my guess is that you are used to working with a twelve man crew. Like for a small B’rel class Bird of Prey, this ship is a lot different.”

“You managed to get it here to Earth space, but now you have a different mission in a family type commercial operation. You and your crew must adapt.”

“I will work with your wife, to at least find proper positioning of your family, and crew, within the ship, to support you in performing your mission.”

“You have to remember that with a projected crew of about fifty personnel for a ship this size, it will have to include Bajorans, you can’t do it all yourself.”

“Now your authority to delegate is magnified by four. You need to keep your family in the picture, to keep a handle on things.”

“D’Gor, I will do this, my husband,” interrupted Mrs. Kahlest. “Commodore, my husband must return to the bridge, he has more important thing to attend to.”

“I agree,” I replied.

Kahlest took a long look at his wife, then nodded and said something that translated as; ‘beloved’, and walked off to the bridge.

“Be careful how you speak to my husband, Commodore, he is not happy with our situation. He has been a warrior a long time. If it were not for me and the children he probably would have killed you and taken a ship and escaped.”

“I am aware of that Mrs. Kahlest. In fact I’m sure of it. That is one of the reasons I want you to be the Purser on this ship. He will learn to run this ship, and you will know the why it runs.”

“This mission is large, important and I hope profitable for all concerned. If he wants that ship I promised, you will all have to work for it, and it won’t be easy I assure you.”

“Are you challenging us Commodore,” asked Mrs. Kahlest?

“Yes,” I replied.

“Ha,” she said. “You weakling humans dare challenge a Klingon? Why, with my master at the helm, I can even make you wealthy. But remember even a Klingon woman can twist the neck of any one of you aboard, if we felt like it.”

Then she looked to Be’nen and said; “Present company aside, Madam Tash.”

Be’nen’s smile tightened a little bit as she just nodded her head.

“Well let’s get started,” I said. “We’ll need a few more chairs. I went and got two from the security room, and we all sat around the terminal.”

Before we started the two Dabo girls came over and requested assistance with two locked doors in the common room. They couldn’t get in, so I asked Carney if he could help them out. He said okay and grabbed his tools.

“At the computer terminal I asked for a copy of the last crew manifest on record. The computer only displayed the standard twelve man crew for the J class merchantman.”

I then asked for a display of a crew manifest for a Cle Dan Class Repair Tender, and to search Luna base if necessary.

That took about fifteen minutes. That tender’s crew manifest had twenty four members.

Next I asked for a display of the present Klingon crew, and family members, with possible qualifications for crew assignment, flag incompatible status.

I got about ten flags.

I then asked for a cross match on the two manifest. It was a little better only about six flags, three of them for the Klingon children.

“Computer, establish family, and extraneous crew, positions to manifest and place all underage personnel in it.” That left only three flags.

“Computer, establish four Recovery Section shuttle craft permanent crew positions, with pilot, navigator and engineer mate.”

“Computer, establish Loadmaster position.”

“Computer, establish Cargo positions with three permanent positions as handlers, plus cargo transporter operator.”

After a little tweaking I got the combined manifest down to forty five personnel.

I then asked Mrs. Kahlest to fill in the vacancies in the way she thought Kahlest would approve.

It didn’t look to bad; at least all the adults had a job.

I then got to thinking about our mission and how it was on the last recovery mission I was on at Wolf 359.

It was all the bodies we recovered, and had to deal with, that brought back some disturbing suggestions, and the battle sites between Cardassia and DS-9, was probably double that; I was starting to feel real sad.

I told Mrs. Kahlest she had better add a three person mortuary team, and maybe a Bajoran Chaplain.

“Why would we need that,” she asked? “What is a mortuary team, why would Klingons want to have a Chaplain? I don’t understand.”

“To take care of the dead KaLitra, to take care of the dead, that’s what we will do as part of this mission.” I said

Suddenly images flooded my brain, the thousands of casualties that we Engineers had to deal with. Some in the destroyed ships, some floating in space like frozen litter.

They had to be gathered in, identified, and sent into the nearest sun in torpedo shells. Now I was heading into the same situation.

I looked over at Be’nen and repeated,” To take care of the dead”.

I started to tremble. I had to get away.

“I need to take a break,” I said. I got up and headed for my shuttle. I was losing it, and I needed to get myself back together.

I heard Be’nen say, “Michael, Michael, what is wrong, where are you going?”

I scrambled as fast as I could to the Shuttle avoiding all who waved to me, or said Hi.

Inside the shuttle I paced up and down for a few times, then went in and laid down on one of the bunks.

I couldn’t believe this was happening to me after all these years, but the images wouldn’t stop. I had my head in a pillow when

Be’nen came in and sat next to me on the bed.

“Michael what is wrong,” she asked?

“I don’t know Be’nen, I guess the thought of our being caught up in a situation again, with all that death, and bringing you and Staunn into it, it just got the best of me.”

“Wolf 359 was a long time ago; I never expected it to affect me like this. Am I doing the right thing Be’nen?”

Be’nen leaned over and started stroking my hair. “Maybe you should have been born a Vulcan; those memories would be controlled better,” she said.

“Don’t ever say that Be’nen,” I said; “if I was a Vulcan I could never really love you, as I do.”

Be’nen looked seriously at me for a second, then she said; “Captain, I think you need some rest.

She then leaned down and kissed me, then the lights went out.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Be’nen looked down at her unconscious lover, the man she, and her daughter, planned to wed.

‘I can’t allow this to happen again’, she thought.

She saw some of his terrors when she first melded with him, but she assumed he held them in check.

“Not completely in check are they Mr. Thomas,” she spoke softly to him.

“I will fix this Michael, even though it is without your consent. It is the least I can do for you.”

“You will remember what you did at Wolf 359, but you will no longer feel the pain. I am taking it away from you.”

With her link firmly established upon her initial mating, she performed a mind meld with him.

“Sleep well Michael, be refreshed when you awake. I really can’t abide a troubled mind when I am in pon farr, I need you to keep your focus on me.”

‘And maybe a little on my daughter,’ she smiled at her afterthought.

* * * * * * * * * * * *
Day Twelve

When I woke up Staunn was sitting on the edge of my bed.

“Staunn, what are you doing here? What time is it?” I asked.

“I think I better get up and get back to work.”

“No, I don’t think so Michael. You will stay in bed, doctor’s orders. When was the last time you ate a meal?”

“I had breakfast with you, remember?” I replied.

“Yes I do, that was eighteen hours ago. I have your field rations for you now, so eat them and don’t worry. We are now on Earth standard time, and your watch is at midnight. So get some rest.”

“Well what time is it?”

“Its six twenty. Captain Kahlest adopted most of your crew roster, and set up the three shift watch schedule as you recommended.”

My mother helped with the pairing of your crew with the Klingons, so all will be working with human, and Klingon partners.

“You have the 2400HRS to 0800HRS shift, for now, according to the Captain.”

“I’m on the eight to four shifts, so I’m off duty now.”

“Captain Kahlest’ daughter, K’Trelan is assigned to me as a Med Tech, to work with me, she’s on duty now.”

“She’s putting some of the med supplies you ordered, away now.”

“The only sick person we have is you. And you need special treatment, from me.”

She said that with a smile.

“Thank you, my dear little pixy girl.” I said. “I am hungry, let’s eat.”

After a meal of “mystery” meat in sauce and noodles, crackers, two cookies and a Hi-energy candy bar; I felt like a new man. Just sitting and chatting with Staunn made me feel better.

Out of the blue I asked her; “Staunn do you think I’m a little weird about how I think about you in our relationship with your mother. I sometimes do feel towards you as my daughter, do you think I’m a pervert for thinking that?”

“Why what a strange idea, what brought that on?”

“Well you know how much I love your mother, but when she isn’t under the influence of pon farr, I don’t know if I will be able to live with her.”

“But you my, sweet pixy girl, I thought first of as only her beautiful little daughter. We being lovers that night, kind of caught me by surprise. Am I confusing you?”

“No Michael you are not. I love you. You rescued me. I have lived in the shadow of my mother all my life.”

“I have lived with a woman who has controlled her emotions as a Vulcan. Do you know what that meant for me?”

“There was no real love, or affection; there was certainly concern and caring, but no love, as you would know it, being a human with human parents.”

“I am even less of a Vulcan than my mother, I can love my mother, but she was almost incapable of having a loving relationship even with her own daughter.

“You on the other hand radiate love, with all its’ hormonal lust that human males seem to have.”

“I was almost embarrassed at the way you reacted to my mother when we first met. I think she was trying to set me up for you only, but something backfired.”

“You see Michael I’ve never had a father, and when you looked at me I sensed your real kindness and affection for me, and I loved you for it.”

“You were supposed to be the safe cure for pon farr, from the isolation, the escape from embarrassment and of its adverse affects on me.”

“Somehow that is all changed; she had never tried seducing a man with me before.”

“She must have been deeper into pon farr than I imagined. The reflex to connect through the mind meld changed her; the flood of emotions she encountered within herself, broke down a lot of barriers.”

“She remembers her mother with affection. She has discovered that the passion within our relationship has changed her.”

“Mother said you radiated joy when you have sex with her, how is that?”

“How can she say she experiences joy, an emotion, in an act that Vulcan treat as little more that animal instinct, explain that.”

“She is a changed woman, Michael, and I predict that her pon farr syndrome will mellow out and the residue will last for about another fifty years at least, so be prepared.”

“As for me big daddy, you are my man and she is welcome to the leftovers when I’m through with you. Are you ready for bed now? I am.”

“Mother said she would be in here by eleven to give you your bath and a late breakfast, so we don’t have much time.”

“Come to papa, my little pixy passion princess,” was my answer.

 

[Big Tom]

Star Fleet Corps of Engineers, Mission to Bajor

Book One – The Monarch (PG 13 version)

By T.M. Flavin

Chapter Eighteen - Night watch on a former slave ship.

Day Thirteen

Being awakened, and then being prepared for my working shift by a Vulcan female, is the height of efficiency.

She practically bounced Staunn out of the bed we were in, then dragged me into the next bed cubical to see that Staunn had not completely exhausted me, which I declare only took fifteen minutes.

Then it was to the shuttles’ mini shower, with Be’nen making sure we did not miss a spot on either of us; which took another fifteen minutes.

An additional fifteen minutes was to get us both dried and me dressed, in my freshly air showered red Commodore shirt and black pants.

Then with a cup of coffee in one hand, a breakfast field ration in the other and a big smack on the lips, I was out the door on my way to the bridge.

It made me kind of wonder what our married life was going to be like. I would never be late for work, that’s for sure.

The bridge of the Monarch is larger than a normal J-Class Merchantman. Instead of the normal three station con, the Monarch had five.

A captain’s chair with a movable display, the helm, navigation, communications and environmental stations, completed the bridge layout.

The captain’s display had access to intercom; inter ship memo, security sites and site to site video messaging and could be tapped in to the external sensors.

The three man night shift I was on was with a Klingon engineer’s mate, Dhivael Deletham, and Nichelle Bushong, my computer tech.

I wondered how they would feel if they knew that my last command was not much more than a pre-programmed freight shuttle to the moon and back.

Even when I commanded the repair tender at Wolf 359, I was never very far from the mother ship, or a collection point.

Dhivael didn’t seem to be inclined to talk, so I bent Nichelle’s ear a little.

“How are Larry and you getting along with the computer?” I asked Nichelle.

“We have the Captain’s mother-in-law, Onnak, as an assistant. Their Science Officer was assigned to other duties. She doesn’t know a lot about ship board computers, but she has been a great help. I think she likes Larry,” she tittered.

“How’s that,” I asked?

“Well Larry sent her to look about the ship to find some isolinear chips. When she found one and gave it to Larry, he praised her for doing a good job.”

“She then gave Larry a big Klingon hug and said she admired such a smart man.”

“After about a half dozen chips and a half dozen hugs, I think Larry was getting a little sore, so he sent her out with a bin basket.”

“Would you believe it Captain she came back with that basket full of chips. Larry was gaga.”

“Evidently they were pulled out of the ships they boarded, by the rack full I imagine; probably for the rare metals in them.”

“But you know their kind of tricky to get at those metals extracted without the right equipment, so somebody must have been collecting them for quite a few years, because there was a lot of old ones in there too.”

“What are your plans then, any plans to convert this computer,” I asked?

“Oh yes,” she said. “It will take a little work, but we can do quite a bit without hurting the present disk drive system.”

“Onnak showed me where she got all the chips from, and we also collected three chip boards.”

“We then pull one disk rack out, remove the disk drives and trimmed down a section of the chip board to fit into the same place.”

“When you’re done, you eliminate four to six disk drive packets, with twelve isolinear chips.”

“You’ve now tripled the capacity, lowered the heat ratio and got rid of all those moving parts.”

“The trick is wiring in the sub-processor relays to the older rack’s power cables, but we worked it out.”

I suggested to Nichelle; “That instead of trying to convert the whole main computer at once, that they should try to do a few upgrades on the ships computer network stations, especially in engineering and the environmental backup systems.”

“Once the Klingon engineering crews get trained up on you, and Larry’s, upgrade ideas, they can do it for themselves. And when we get to the recovery site, I expect there will be plenty of spare parts available, and upgrades to our computers would then be on going.”

“Okay sir, I’ll tell him that. I think he would like to move around a little bit more.”

“He’s been at that main computer for almost two days straight. The more he digs into it, the more he finds something else to work on.”

“I know Nichelle,” I replied. “Larry is a stick to it kind of guy, but these Klingons will have to run this ship without us when we transfer to the Grayson. I don’t want him to get burnt out, let the Klingons take the lead from now on; remember we’re advisors, not the crew.”

“Don’t you worry sir; I’ll make sure he backs off a little.”

“Good,” I said. Then I asked the computer to display any messages that I might have.

A message from Be’nen was; ‘We have not only fifty volunteers ready to get on board the Monarch, there was at least two hundred fifty waiting on Earth’s Space Dock, that were willing to act as crew’.

I then posted a note to Kahlest; recommending that he send the Rhino, with its assigned crew to Earth Space Dock, and to include Mr. Barkley, to prevent any language difficulties in coordinating shuttle services.

I further recommended they pick up only twelve crew qualified personnel, with only one suitcase, and maybe their personal tool kit, with no children.

He should schedule a three day round trip, one 24 hour trip to space dock, one 24 hour period for an administrative layover, for shuttle servicing and personnel collection, and one day for the return trip.

The shuttling of personnel would continue until he had completed the Monarch’s full crew complement.

Tea cup, and Carney’s, message suggested that I take a look at the back room of the common room. They thought they had found an old food service processing unit and wanted my opinion on it.

The Klingon Chief Engineer wanted a meeting with the Captain, Pete Murray, Don Murdoch, and I, to discuss problems with the water supply, the protein re-sequencer vats and the sewage holding tank.

Staunn reported that she was working on a medical database for the Klingons. There were no Klingon medical records in the ship’s computer at all, except what she had input.

She had an ongoing search through Luna port for data on Klingon surgical procedures, and their particular diseases. The Klingons on board seem oblivious to medical help.

Captain Kahlest wanted information on securing a new dilithium crystal for his warp engine.

I made a note to Be’nen to assist Mrs. Kahlest with a Star Fleet special requisition for the crystals, and see what happens.

I suggested we may have to go commercial, and if that was the case it would have to happen at Earth Space Dock.

Mr. Og made a report of his parts and salvage transactions. Luna port wasn’t taking to many parts because so many were obsolete. Thyco City and New Berlin were accepting most of the salvage metals, and some parts.

I put in a note for Mr. Og to put a hold on isolenier chips, and to inform Mr. Comet about any interesting computer, or electrical systems parts he came across.

A note to Captain Kahlest; ‘Who is in charge of collecting spare parts for the Monarch, does he have room, and is an inventory being recorded?’

There was a copy of a thank you note sent to the ship for the historical records that were being sent to the Merchants Control Board, on the Moon.

A note from the purser that health and environmental inspectors had served formal notice that the ship would not be allowed to leave orbit until they had inspected the ship, and that it had met their minimum standards.

Note to Captain Kahlest; ‘Don’t allow inspectors aboard until all the ships plumbing problems are solved’.

Log entry: 0300HRS EST, on course, maintaining slow orbit by thrusters and limited impulse power, steady as she goes. I’m taking a coffee break, Mr. Deletham has the con.

I then strolled down to the Common Room to take a look at what the Dabo girls had found with Officer Carney.

On the way I waved hello to Officer Flannigan, who was making a game try at staying awake at the Security desk. She probably had a long day too, working with Mr. Og, and Officer Fleming

In the Common room I found John Hirst there, one of my stewards, and a Grilka Ja’Rod, a Klingon woman who I guessed was on duty as a Klingon Steward.

I asked to see the food service processor that was discovered.

John showed me the back room and told me he wasn’t sure what it was because he had never seen anything like it before.

He thought it must be original equipment for the Monarch, and that it looked real old.

Grillka confirmed through her translator, that see didn’t know anything, about anything, on the ship, and had only traveled as a ships’ passenger, before she boarded the Monarch.

Quite frankly I had never seen anything like it before either, but the business logo said,”Coleman Industries, Protein Sequencer, Model 3000. Mfg date 2279”.

Well at least I now knew it was at least eighty five years old, and probably hadn’t worked for at least twenty five years.

It was a fat chance that it would ever work again, but I noticed that Colman Industries, New Berlin, was also the brand listed on some of the field rations we were eating.

I had an idea, so I went over to the Common Room intercom and asked the computer to send a note to Colman Industries, on the Moon, and asked if they had any current servicing information on the sequencer, and asked if it was possible to be repaired for our use.

I figured why not use it until it could later be replaced by more modern equipment. It wasn’t much, but it was better than what he had now, like a big nothing in food service.

I then grabbed a lunch packet, a bottle of water and sat down to chit-chat with the two stewards.

The first thing John asked me was if I had heard about the water reclamation and recycle vats.

I said “No, but I was supposed to talk with the Engineers and the Captain tomorrow. Why what’s up, something I should know about?”

“Yes sir, the vats and tanks are full of crap, literally.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“It seems when some of the systems started breaking down, they just used the holding tank as a big septic tank.”

“There are about four to five tons of crap in there and no water.”

“The filtration system not working good enough to handle it, and the Laves are still in use without water; just a bottled water flush.”

“The big argument I heard was ‘who was going to shovel out all that crap’, especially when I don’t think there’s a shovel on board.”

“The Klingons don’t want to go in there and clean it out, and neither do our men. What’cha go’na to do Commodore?”

I was incredulous, I took another bite of my mystery meat sandwich, took a swallow of water and said; “Well John, I think I’ll finish my last meal, find an air lock and space myself. Is there anything else that can go wrong with this little adventure we’re on?”

“You could get some Klingon food,” Grilka announced. “This food you feed us taste like what you call crap. It is not fit for Klingons to eat. We must kill our food, not eat from, from what you call pouches. If we do not get fresh food I think the Captain will make us eat you. Bah!”

She then wadded up the rest of her lunch, threw it on the floor, and then stalked out.

“Damn John, didn’t they send us the correct food? I told them we have Klingons aboard. How come I didn’t know about this?”

“I don’t know Captain. This is the first I heard about it too. Let me see what she was eating.”

He went over and picked up the lunch wad, unfolded it and we both read the label; “Suitable for Klingon and other species”.

“Well John, maybe they should make a new menu survey for these packets. I’m going back up to the bridge. See you later.”

‘Man, what a mess,’ I thought, on my way up to the bridge.

‘I seem to be getting deeper and deeper in to a mess and now I’m up to my neck in vat crap too’.

When I relieved Deletham, I asked him what he thought of the food.

“It is terrible, I eat it because I’m hungry, and I do not like it. I am waiting for fresh meat.”

“Could you eat well at Luna port,” I asked?

“Yes, the meat was not as warm as a fresh kill, but thawed Earth meat was a lot better than this packet material.”

“This is not Klingon food Commodore. Maybe we make a big mistake on this contract; there is not even a meat locker on board. We will probably all starve.”

Well that was food for thought. I then started dictating notes and recommendations to the Captain.

The first was: Ref. holding and reclamation vats problem. (1) Recommend you inform Bajorans prior to pickup at Earth Space Dock that they will have to be prepared to hand shovel hazardous materials from our holding tanks, immediately upon arrival. (2) Requisition hazmat suits from Luna port, at least twelve. (3) Request a Luna Port Hazmat team to assist in supervising the vats cleaning and processing. (4) Request status of shovel availability at Luna port, they may have to be acquired through Earth sources only.

The second was: Ref. Rhino. Suggest caution to Rhino shuttle crew: Do not allow shuttle servicing at Space Dock to exceed scheduled twenty four hour turn around. They will have a tendency to correct every little maintenance detail that could tie them up for days.

Have the servicing scheduled and spaced out for each return trip. Keep in mind that the Rhino is a “Home Built craft”, all kinds of inspectors will demand inspection rights. Suggest you keep Mr. Barkley with the crew, to assist with Space Dock authorities.

The third was: Suggest regular shuttle trips be scheduled to Luna Port for all crew members on a daily basis, until food and sanitation situation improves. The ‘Dandelion’, shuttle number two, is at your disposal, until one or two of our salvageable shuttles is operating. I suggest you ask Ms. Tash, and Dr. Tehk, to pilot the shuttle, I’m sure they would be willing to oblige, and they wouldn’t be cutting your work force by doing so.

After sitting in the command chair, watching the moon go from light to dark I decided to take a little tour of the ship to see how the passenger deck and shuttle hanger was being cleaned up.

I left the con to Mr. Deletham again, and went to A deck first.

My first look into the ships lavatories was not a pleasant thing to see, and smell. They were cleaned up a little, but you could tell that the crew had been using the bottled water to try and flush out the toilets.

The lights were at least at fifty percent operating, and somebody managed to put up a shinny piece of metal to use as a mirror in both laves.

The shower stalls were almost the same story. The crew had made sure that there was at least two in each lave that had all the required plumbing, the other eight were stripped bare.

Evidently the slaves, or prisoners, were never allowed to bathe; or the trips, by ship, to short for the slavers to care one way or another.

In the cabin hallways only one corridor was cleared up. Most of the doors were closed and the outside locks removed and crew member names chalked in to the doors, so I assumed they were cleaned up enough for them to take up temporary residence.

This was bad, I felt real guilty about staying in my shuttle. I would lose half of my crew if conditions didn’t improve soon.

I’d have to talk to Be’nen, and Staunn, about the shuttle business, and make sure they understand what is going on.

The cabins across the hall were open and some of the locks remove, but except for the salvage litter, they were bare except for some bunk racks.

They looked like they were set up as prison cells. One caged ceiling light, and all the spots where there might have been electrical outlets were sealed shut.

‘Damn me,’ I thought, ‘the Bajorans will really like this. At the rate I’m going it will be like this for six months, before we get any usable salvage from the recovery site.’

That was enough of A deck, I headed for B deck.

On B deck it was starting to look a little more orderly. Parts bins were being set up and materials being labeled.

I guessed those parts manuals that Larry secured were starting to work. There were two people working the late shift, Recovery Tech James West and Decon Spec Bob Good.

I asked them how they were doing. Both said they were doing okay, but would be glad when they got to the Grayson; this Monarch is a sad place.

I agreed and told them that I was making arrangement to get people shuttled to Luna port for a break in work, to get some regular meals, and a bath.

They both asked if it was alright to bring some stuff back to make it more livable in their rooms.

“All you can carry,” I said. “If we get another shuttle running from one of those we found on board, we can take special orders.”

Jim said that there was an old type 15 they were looking at.

It wasn’t a wreck, but had been systematically stripped of parts and as part of his sorting job he was trying to find parts that will fit it.

“You should have seen us rolling those shuttles in to the cargo hold to work on them,” he said. “We had to use pipe rollers and a lot of Klingon muscle, to get them rolling.”

“Thank you for your good work men,” I said. “I’m going down now to take a look at them now, see you later.”

On C deck there was a Klingon three man crew working, or rather two men and one woman transporter operator. They had a bunch of 1.5m x 1.5m x 1.5m bins that were filled with found materials.

They were lifting and putting them on the transporter, to transport probably to New Berlin, according to our present orbital location.

I introduced myself to Azetbur Katrene, who was operating the transporter. She said the other two men were Martok Hon’Tihl, the Chief engineer’s son (17) and B’Elanna Katrene, a cousin, and the Junior Weapons Master.

She said she was just learning how to operate the transporter with her companion B’Elanna Yatron, the ships transporter specialist. They weren’t ready to let her transport people yet.

Martok and B’elanna both hooted some remarks about getting body parts mixed up.

She shouted back that they should find a stupid woman to transport up with, because that was the only way either one of them would ever be mated.

That set off another set of disparaging remarks against each other. Translators are a wonderful thing, but they don’t catch all the ‘good’ words.

They seemed to be having a good time, so I said I wanted to look at the shuttle craft.

B’lanna said that I had a good variety. One Federation shuttle, that must have been found (?), lost in space!

Next was a Klingon shuttle that must have been stored here by mistake; probably true.

And there was Ferengi shuttle; they were always loosing things (?).

The last one he wasn’t sure of, he thought it could be Orion.

They were all small. The largest was the Ferengi at six meters long, it looked in good shape, but you would have to be no taller than Staunn to sit comfortably in it.

I can see why the six foot plus Klingons never got around to modifying it for their own use. You could still get up to six small people in it, if there were rear seats that were facing each other; it was something to think about.

I wondered if Staunn, or Mr. Og, would like to buy a private yacht

The Type-15 was little more that a shell.

It looked like most of its’ internal component parts were probably stripped for the Monarch. I didn’t hold to much hope for a quick
fix for this one. It would require a major rebuild and it was now obsolete, a project machine.

The Klingon Koron shuttle was not much bigger; it too like the Type-15, was a two man vehicle.

Maybe it could be used as a worker bee by the Klingons; they would at least be able to fit in it.

With the addition of robot manipulator arms, it could work out fine. I would have to make a note of that fact to Kahlest.

The fourth, and unfamiliar shuttle, was also a two man shuttle. It was similar to the Koron, but the pictogram letters, and instrument labels, on the shuttle indicated that it was definitely not Klingon.

I didn’t think it was Orion either. It was something that maybe Larry could figure out.

It seemed to be in good shape, maybe it would be a little bit tight for the Klingons, but they could work with it, if a work bee manipulation arm package could be fitted.

I didn’t think the Klingon, or the “Orion” shuttle, would be able to haul Cargo Storage Unit (CSU) freight bins, without extensive modifications, because they both had back hatches. Whereas the Work Bee had front hatches, so a cargo train could be attached..
After the inspection of the shuttles, I headed back up to the bridge, where I would put my recommendations in for Captain Kahlest; let him make his own decisions.

On the bridge I relieved Mr. Deletham, and started inputting my notes.

Referring to the shuttles; ‘I recommended that he appoint primary and secondary operators and co-workers for the Koron and the “Orion” shuttles. They looked repairable and could be used as Work bees, with the fitting of manipulation arms when we arrived at Earth Space dock.’

‘By assigning crews now they could repair and service the machines on scheduled or unscheduled time.’

‘Recommend you have Mr. Comet and your computer tech, scan and update the shuttle’s onboard computers stations to make them more missions capable.’

‘The Ferengi shuttle should be surveyed for possible sale to the Bajoran Government, for use on the Grayson’.

‘The shuttle layout is too small for Klingons, most Humans and Bajorans, to work in comfortably’.

‘If sale, and transfer, is approved, I will assign it to Mr. Og, and Dr. Tehk, as primary operators with the two Dabo girls as crew, for supply and personal runs.’

‘The Type 15 should also be surveyed for possible sale, and transfer to the Grayson’.

‘The shuttle will require major repairs that can be initiated at the mission site. The shuttle is obsolete but reusable, with a parts priority list of, “If available”.

‘The Grayson is a bigger ship to have it stored on, until reconditioning is complete.’

‘Details of the sale and transfer should be worked out through the Pursers office. Ask Ms. Tash for assistance.’

I asked Nichelle if she heard what I recorded, and understood what I was doing.

She said “Yes I do; and I would also like to see what information the “Orion” shuttle held.”

She was also looking forward to a hot bath too, if she could get back to Luna port soon.

For the rest of our shift we all remained at our station, on course and monitored messages from the Earth every time it passed over head in our view screen, as we slowly rotated in its now stationary orbit.

About an hour later the day crew came on with Captain Kahlest.

I explained to him there were no problems during the night, and that I had posted some messages for him to read. If there were no further questions I was going to my shuttle and would probably be available in about six hours.

I said good morning to them all, and headed for bed.