Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters nor the Star Trek franchise.
Chapter I.
The bell on the main deck rang six times, which indicated it was six o'clock, morning time. The crew changed shifts, and the morning watch began their duties. The sun had barely risen but there still was a thick fog in the area. The crew could be heard chatting as they shifted spots. The officer of the watch for the morning shift was 2nd Lieutenant Geordi La Forge, a black man, something seldom to the HMS Enterprise at the time since black people weren't a part of society, or at least the high ranks of society.
La Forge was a young, thriving, and smart officer. He was asked to serve on the Enterprise by the captain himself, who had been given good word of the man. Mr. La Forge had earned the trust of the entire senior staff, but his relationship with the sailors was poor, since they hated taking orders from a black man, who, by the definition of society, was inferior to them. La Forge had previously served on the HMS Victory and had been recommended to the captain of the Enterprise by none other than Lord Nelson himself. Which was something that impressed the entire crew, therefore the sailors did not like him, but they did respect him.
The ship was anchored a couple of miles from the port of Dover in England. Many fishing crews would sail by the Enterprise attempting to haul whatever fish they could to take back to the market at Dover. La Forge had been up since four in the morning, eager to assume his post as officer of the watch. By seven, 1st Lieutenant Eric Data had come up to the main deck. He relieved Mr. La Forge of his post and asked for a report. Mr. La Forge informed Mr. Data of how quiet everything had been out on the main deck, "Aside from the gulls and the fishermen, nothing out of the ordinary sir." Lt. Data looked up to the sky, took a spyglass out of his blue Royal Navy jacket, and said to La Forge, "The captain is returning today, possibly with new orders from the admiralty, I want the ship ready for departure two hours' past noon." And he added, "Head down to the market with young Mr. Crusher and some sailors and get whatever supplies the galley may need." La Forge nodded and made his way to the lower decks to prepare to head out while Mr. Data looked to the port of Dover with the spyglass.
After informing five sailors to have a rowboat ready for him, he went down another to find Midshipman Crusher. Geordi knocked on the door and Dr. Crusher answered. "Ah! Mr. La Forge, good morning!" said Crusher greeting him joyfully. "Good morning to you doctor. Is Wesley here?" he replied. Midshipman Wesley Crusher peeked through the door and waved La Forge hello. "Wes! Get up, we must go to the market before the captain is back." Wesley got up and asked "We got new orders? Are we shipping out?" To which Geordi answered, "Just get ready Wes, we have to be back two hours past noon."
Wesley got up, took his hat, and followed Geordi up to the main deck. By the time they surfaced, they were approached by the quartermaster, Miles O'Brien. He smacked both Wesley and La Forge on the back and asked them with a laugh, "Where are you boys headed?" "To the market on the port, want anything Miles?" replied La Forge, as he looked down the ship to the rowboat. "Nah, I'm fine Geordi." He began walking but then turned around briefly and added, "Actually I could use a bottle of whisky, that is if you come across one, but if you don't, rum will do." La Forge smiled and said, "you got it!" he went down the ladder on the side of the ship and into the rowboat, Wesley followed. "Geordi, remember to be back a little past noon, it is very important that we are at optimum condition for the captain's return," reminded Mr. Data looking down the main deck to the rowboat. Geordi then replied, "Relax Eric, I'll be back before you know it."
They rowed away to Dover, and Mr. Data proceeded to the lower levels and with a hand gesture, informed Reginald Barclay, another lieutenant, that the main deck was under his care. Barclay smiled and then marched to the stern of the ship, looking at the seemingly endless horizon, which of course, wasn't endless, France was just at the other side of the channel and so were a bloody ton of French men singing the god damned Marseillaise. Mr. Data made his way, through the finite salutes of the sailors, to Dr. Crusher's quarters. He stepped inside, but the dear doctor was not inside. He asked
a sailor sitting on a stool by the corner, "Sailor, have you any clue concerning the whereabouts of Dr. Crusher?" The sailor looked up, it took him a bit to realize the first officer was standing in front of him, but when he did, he stood up in a jiffy and saluted quickly, "Sir! Uh no sir I haven't got the slightest idea sir. I was merely stretching my legs here sir, I apologize sir." Data looked at him without emotion in his face and said, "As you were." Data then left the deck and proceeded up to the main deck. Mr. Barclay had been fooling around with his spyglass for the entire time he had the main deck under his command, so Mr. O'Brien had been taking care of checking that duties on the main deck were being performed flawlessly, because that is how the captain liked it.
Mr. Data wondered where on the ship could the adventurous doctor be, since he usually spent most of his time in his quarters, reading. Miles approached Lt. Data and informed him, "Sir, I understand you've been looking for Dr. Crusher." And added pointing up to the main mast, "well he's up at the crow's nest, reading one of his novels." Mr. O'Brien then walked back to the galley to get some booze. Mr. Data looked up to the crow's nest, but decided not to go up on since he had already learned the bad way that the doctor is displeased if he's ever bothered when he reads. The last time Data disturbed the doctor's lecture, Crusher threw an empty scotch bottle at him and he did not want to get into any trouble today. He decided that a question concerning feline care could wait a couple of hours, after all, Eric had sent his cat spot away with his mother on Southampton, but that cat was the only thing that interested him that had nothing at all to do with tactics, the sea, or the war.
Around noon, two rowboats approached the ship, both full of men in red jackets. They were the Enterprise's Royal Marines accompanied by the captain of the marines, Robert Worf. He was a tall, well-built man. He had an intimidating look on his face and preferred to spend his time alone. He was the ship's second officer as well, due to his experience and combat expertise. The captain trusted him with his life, this reassured the crew about him, but still nobody dared to mess with him. His sword fighting skills were unmatched in the entire British Empire and his marksmanship was second to Doctor Crusher's on board, since the talented doctor was also an expert duelist. Mr. Worf and his men approached the ship and tied their boats. Mr. Data peeked over from the deck and looked down at the muscly soldier. "I request permission to come aboard, sir," asked the royal marine, looking up with his usual stern gaze at the smart Mr. Data, who replied unemotionally, "Permission granted Mr. Worf, welcome back to the Enterprise." Worf nodded and proceeded to climb the ladder. On deck, he was greeted by Mr. O'Brien, who always tried to be friends with the lonely soldier. He simply shook hands with him and assisted the rest of his men to come aboard along their supplies and weapons.
By the time they were done, Worf climbed down to the galley to get some grog from the cook. The cook was a former docks-master on Gibraltar, a former black slave child from the French Louisiana colony. He was a skilled cook, a fine musician, and an excellent cricket player. He ran by the name of Benjamin Sisko, but the crew reffered to him as Benny. "Mr. Sisko, good day to you," greeted Mr. Worf as he entered the galley. "Ah, brave Mr. Worf, welcome back on board!" replied the cook as he reached for the grog barrel with a mug, and then added, "I trust the training exercises went well," Robert laughed with irony as Benny handed him a mug with grog, "I've led better men on even worse conditions," he took a big gulp and added looking at the grog, "but they will do." Sisko chuckled and went back to the kitchen storage. Mr. Worf froze for a few seconds and then drank the mug to the bottom and left the galley.
Geordi and Wesley returned around one hour past noon with all the supplies requested by the quartermaster earlier and a parcel from the captain's wife, it was a cutlass case. Mr. Obrien assigned some men as well as Benny store the supplies. Geordi then approached Mr. Obrien with a bottle and said to him, "I found a bottle of scotch whisky from 1790. The supplier said it was a good brew, I hope you put it to a good end," O'Brien took the bottle from La Forge and analyzed it. "This is perfect, Geordi, I owe it to you," thanked the quartermaster chuckling as he walked away, staring at his new acquisition. The young lieutenant smiled and turned to look at Dover. Wesley Crusher had been asked to help Mr. Sisko list how well stocked they are and to estimate how many days can they last without coming to port. Benny went on singing old seamen tunes, while Wesley wrote down the number of potatoes they had. Dr. Crusher then came into the galley, waving at the melodic cook and patting his son on the back. "Heard any news while you were on the market?" asked the doctor looking at the list. "Not really, just the rumor that Nelson and his fleet are heading out again, possibly for Trafalgar, to make a stand against Napoleon's fleet there," replied Wes looking at his father's eyes. "Where did you hear this?" asked Doctor Crusher with a concerned tone. "I overheard two old men sitting on the terrace of an inn near the market square," answered Wesley wondering why that concerned his father. Doctor Crusher, still troubled by the news, smiled at his boy, petted his head, and left the galley in deep thought.
As he went down, he was intercepted by Eric Data, telling him the captain was nearly aboard. Data then rushed back up to receive the captain, but Crusher continued to his quarters, somehow he knew that the captain would go see him soon. He then took his violin and began playing. He relaxed and suddenly, in his mind he was off the ship, away in some mountain. He felt as if he could control time. This made him emotional since it brought memories of his wife, Beverly, who had passed years ago, but somehow the good doctor had not been able to move on. It troubled him, but he had never been able to open up to anybody about this. Most of the time he had to pretend he was strong and unmoved by it for Wesley his son. As he thought on this, he slowly stopped playing and stared at the floor motionless. As the doctor went deeper and deeper into his thoughts, someone simply blasted through the door, and in excitement said, "I was told I could find you here, Jack." Crusher looked up slowly and the pain faded like a like darkness at dawn. Jack looked up, but his eyes were still looking down. "Thinking about her again?" inquired the voice with concern. "Yeah…" sighed Jack and as he stood up, "Some ghosts always haunt you." The voice, which belonged to a tall man with brown hair, blue eyes, and a beard, approached the ship's surgeon and putting his arm around him said in a comforting tone, "It wasn't your fault what happened, there was nothing you could do." And looking sharply into his eyes, added, "There's no point in blaming yourself any further, all you'll do is hurt yourself unnecessarily." Jack Crusher patted his friend in the back and silently stored his violin away. The bearded man looked at him, wanting to say something, but not finding the words. All of the sudden, Mr. Obrien stormed into the small room, briefly saluting both men and, directing his attention to the tall man, he said, "Captain Riker, you are needed on the main deck, sir."
