Authors Note: This is the fourth story in what will hopefully be a long line of stories. This story continues the adventures of the Lieutenant Simon Hartstone. While not necessary to read the three stories "Punishment", "Captured!" and "Happiness" it would be advisable to set up why this new character is aboard Voyager. This is a little break from the norm; while there is action there is no actual threat to Voyager and her crew. I also trying to write humour and maybe a little bit of romance (my Achilles heel) so please R + R, its really important to me!
Challenges
Chapter 1: There Can Only Be One!
Lieutenant Hartstone looked around his office, a lot smaller than the Captains ready room, which he was privy to in a brief period of command he had a couple of months back. He had decided to mount some of his personal weapons on the wall, because according to Mr Tuvok he couldn't use them because they weren't official Starfleet weaponry. His shotgun mounted on the wall, while his desert eagles he decided to cunningly mount under the desk, in small latches ready just in case things went wrong very quickly and their wasn't time to access the weapons lockers. While none of the weapons were loaded, he checked a draw to his right, and it was filled with clips and shells for both weapons. He looked around and thought he would still have to replicate some paintings or something because some of the walls were still a dull grey colour.
Suddenly a chime distracted his deep thoughts, and he looked up at the door
"Come in" he called, and as soon as she walked through the door he immediately stood up "Captain"
"As you were Lieutenant, I'm just stopping by for a little visit" Simon sat back down behind his desk
"Of course Captain take a seat please, would you like something to drink?" Simon thought the Captain was technically his first visitor to his office, and it was the Captain so he needed to make a very good impression.
"I know you haven't been with us long Mr Hartstone, but if you don't know my standing drinks order by now, you have a long way to go" Simon smiled it was true that the Captain only had one drink order every time she walked into the mess hall. He got up and walked over to the replicator in his office, when he walked into his office he didn't expect a replicator but low and behold one had been issued and installed. He looked at the Captain and smiled as he said
"Computer, one coffee, black and one glass of water at 5 degrees" he picked up the mug and handed it to the Captain before picking up his own glass and walking back to his seat and he sat down.
"Don't like coffee Lieutenant" the Captain noted as she took a sip
"No Captain, I like coffee fine, it's just that you don't need a guy like me, jumpier than he already is." The Captain nodded, he was right, a certain incident concerning Lieutenant Hartstone and Harry Kim came to mind, she thought about it and laughed, she thought Harry wont be sneaking up on people anytime soon.
"Well I came" the Captain continued "Because I was looking at some trivial files on Voyagers database and I found something rather interesting" Simon had a questioning look on his face
"Well I found out that you play Velocity" the Captain smiled at him
"I dabble Captain, finds it keeps the Hazard Team commander sharp and the Hazard Team alike" both of them smiled
"It also keeps Starfleet Captains sharp as well" Simon nodded and smiled "I also saw that the computer has posted that you have at least 10 wins over various opponents, Tom, Harry, Seven"
"Well apart from Seven of Nine I haven't really found an opponent who can really test me"
"That's why I am here Lieutenant I have come to challenge you to a game" Simon look at the Captain slightly flabbergasted at her statement
"You want to challenge me, but why?"
"Well your not the only person on this ship with an undefeated streak Lieutenant and suffice to say I think there is only room for one on this ship" Simon smiled and nodded
"I'm not sure Captain, I mean I go out to win, and I wouldn't want a week scrubbing out the plasma conduits with my toothbrush if I beat you."
"Come on Lieutenant, do you think I would be that petty if I lost and what would make you think I would lose." The Captain looked at him with a stern face, "and it would be two weeks" the Captain looked at Simon with a broad grin. "Look Lieutenant I have got to go" she stood up and picked up her coffee "thank you for the coffee and think about it, I think it would be a challenge that we would both be interested in." The Captain turned and walked out leaving the Lieutenant sitting there with a lot to think about.
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Hartstone was sitting in the mess hall looking at his food and his drink. The food was a sort of green goo, he didn't know what it was and he didn't want to ask Neelix for the pure fact that he didn't want to know.
"Lieutenant Hartstone, may we join you" a voice came out from the front of the table, he looked up into the smiling faces of Ensign Alex Munro and Crewman Telsia Murphy of the Hazard Team
"We are all off duty here, I think we can use our first names, and yes of course you can sit down, I could use the company and the insight of other people at the moment" They both sat down at the table.
"I'm sorry if I seem a little distracted, I am trying to figure out what this is", he pointed at the food with his fork.
"Yeah I saw that, that's a hazardous mission I am not willing to accept sir, safety in a cheese sandwich" he grabbed it and started to eat.
"Good choice, Alex" Simon smiled
"I'm just not hungry, I took a look at the green stuff and I went right off my appetite" Telsia noted. Simon laughed; Simon learned quickly that Neelix's food had that ability to put people off their food.
"I just got a lot on my mind at the moment, the Captain has challenged me to a game of Velocity" Simon looked at the directly
"What the Captain, that's a pretty big honour she only plays the best."
"I know that, it's just that I don't know if I am up to the challenge"
"Well I think you are, Simon I have watched you on the court and you are like a machine, there is no one like you, if you did play the Captain she'd better watch out and be at her best" Telsia smiled at Simon, they all smiled at each other
"I thought boosting my confidence was your job, Alex."
"Well I believe it is the job of all the team members actually" he looked at Telsia and he put his hand on her shoulder. Simon stood up, and he recycled his tray and what was left of the goo.
"Excuse me Alex, Telsia I have to go and accept a challenge, thanks for the talk, I haven't turned down a challenge yet, and thanks to you that streak is still strong" he strolled out of the mess hall with a purpose, leaving Alex and Telsia laughing.
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The Captain was sitting in her chair in the bridge, finishing her third cup of coffee for the day, it was silent on the bridge except for the gentle hum of the warp core people went about their business with the Captain overseeing everything. The turbolift doors swung open and Ensign Munro stepped onto the bridge carrying a small box. He walked down to the lower section and he stood in front of the Captain.
"Is there something I can do for you Ensign" the Captain remarked putting down her coffee.
"No Captain, I am just here to deliver this" he held out the box for the Captain "its from Lieutenant Hartstone" the box wasn't wrapped, it was a simple wooden box. The Captain took the box and looked at it for a second.
"Permission to be dismissed Captain" Munro asked, the Captain looked at the box in a slight daze before looking up at Munro
"Of course Mr Munro, you are dismissed" Ensign Munro turned and left, leaving everyone looking at the Captain and the mystery box.
"Aren't you going to open it then Captain" Harry exclaimed with Tom turning from his regular post to look at this mystery box. Tuvok took a few steps from his security post with a phaser and a tricorder.
"Really Captain I should scan the package before you open it" Tuvok said, and the Captain and the rest of the bridge crew looked at him like he had lost his mind.
"Seriously! Tuvok are you suggesting that Lieutenant Hartstone is attempting to assassinate the Captain right here in front of us." Chakotay said with a stern look on his face. Tuvok backed up but he still thought he was right. Everyone returned their attention to the box, with the Captain lifting the lid slowly as they all craned their necks to see what was inside. The Captain pulled out a hand phaser and looked at it curiously as everyone else did.
"He sent you a hand phaser, why would he do that?" Harry said
"I think I might know why Harry" she also pulled out a flashing pad that was blinking, that a message was waiting to be played. The Captain pressed the button, a simple text message displayed as the Captain read it out "I accept, 12:00 hours, this Saturday"