Chapter Six
Captain's Personal Log
STARDATE 48129.24
Marrissa Picard recording
The Naklab System Negotiations enter their third day today.
All sides are no closer to agreement.
Third Negotiation I am mediating is beginning to remind me
of Poker Night in Lieutenant Lavelle's quarters... Each person
concealing his cards, raising the stakes. The difference is I
don't know all the cards in the deck much less who has them. If
I don't find out the important cards soon, this mediation attempt
will go down as the worst failure of diplomacy since the Klingons
got there hands on Captain Kirk.
Personally I am ready to throw in the cards if I have to sit
though many more arguments like yesterday's.
"You control Sobnia, ha! Troac can't even administrate a
small section of an asteroid belt," Sel Rahc Selaw said.
Marrissa was beginning to get a headache. The ambassadors
agreed on nothing but to agree to disagree. She knew now why the
other mediators had failed-- they were driven insane by the
illogical and insane statements and proposals of the Naklab Sel
Rahcs.
"AT LEAST MY PLANET DIDN'T INVADE ANOTHER, WITHOUT A
DECLARATION OF WAR," Sel Rahc Ekeal responded angrily.
It looks like it's time for lunch, Marrissa thought, but
first I better defuse this mess. It's 1258 hours, already. "May
I have your attention," Marrissa asked.
The Negotiators ignored her. "We're not cowards like you,"
Selaw responded.
"MER'APH!" Marrissa yelled. The room quieted after the
sudden volume of the until now soft-spoken young captain. "I
will here no more insults or name calling in this room. Is that
clear? We will adjourn for lunch and let our tempers cool."
I'll go to the bridge, Marrissa thought. A couple minutes
in the center seat will bring me back to reality. It always
does. I'll eat lunch while Jay and Doctor Johnson bring me up to
date.
The turbolift opened onto the bridge. "Ah! my young
captain, how nice of you to join us," Q said from the counselor's
seat. "I was just showing your first officer some of the regular
command crew's encounters with me while I waited for you." Q
gestured at the viewscreen.
Captain Picard was fighting Sir Guy. Sir Guy said as their
swords crossed, "I'll have you know I'm the greatest swordsman in
all of Nottingham." A fury of sword clashes followed.
As there swords crossed again Picard replied, "Very
Impressive. There is something you should know ... I'm not from
Nottingham." the Captain finished off Sir Guy.
The viewscreen returned to its view of Sobnia. "I've put
all of my encounters with humans into this computer," Q said.
"Take a look some time, you may find them entertaining."
"That's nice Q," Captain Marrissa Picard said. "Computer
begin recording the bridge for transmission to Starfleet
Exploratory, Admiral Necheyev. Q, are you responsible for
disappearance of the crews of the Brattain, Hemingway, Miranda,
and Tain Nan Men?"
"Yes, Why do you ask?" Q responded.
"Just a hunch," Marrissa said. "Where are they?"
"They are providing naval support to Captain Picard's
defense of a midevil castle-town," Q replied.
"Thank you Q," Marrissa said. "computer end recording and
dispatch recording appended to file dispatch, to Admiral
Necheyev, Assistant Chief of Starfleet Exploratory, presently
aboard the USS Excalibur NCC-26517."
"Petty sure of that hunch, weren't you?" Q said.
"A good Captain is always willing to act on a hunch,"
Marrissa replied. "Jay you have the bridge. Have Doctor Johnson
come to my ready room when he has the time. Care to join me for
lunch Q?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
Marrissa went over to the replicator, and said, "Turkey
sandwich number four, large French fries and a large glass of
strawberry juice. Do you want anything Q?"
"No thank you"
Marrissa picked up her order and brought it to the desk and
sat down behind it. "Now what do you want to say, Q?" she asked
as Q sat down across from her.
"I'm trying to complete my study of Captain Jean-Luc Picard,
your father," Q said. "It occurred to me that interviewing you
would give me and additional source and insight into Jean-Luc
Picard."
"Ask away. It will be awhile before the doctor arrives."
"Evacuating people under fire is so time consuming isn't it.
What is your father like in your quarters?"
"He is a good father, as fathers go. I'm generally left
alone as long as my grades are good. my room is clean, and I
don't interrupt his work. You say the doctor is under fire?"
"Yes, the third Overjaras Bres position opened fire. What
about on duty?"
"OK, as long as I don't mess up. When I do I get it form
both Commander Riker and my father. Should I do something about
the doctor?"
"No he just beamed aboard. I better be going I'm about to
be needed by your father."
"Tell him how things are going here, Q."
"I will." Q vanished.
Captain's Personal Log
STARDATE 48129.24
Marrissa Picard recording
The Naklab System Negotiations enter their third day today.
All sides are no closer to agreement.
Third Negotiation I am mediating is beginning to remind me
of Poker Night in Lieutenant Lavelle's quarters... Each person
concealing his cards, raising the stakes. The difference is I
don't know all the cards in the deck much less who has them. If
I don't find out the important cards soon, this mediation attempt
will go down as the worst failure of diplomacy since the Klingons
got there hands on Captain Kirk.
Personally I am ready to throw in the cards if I have to sit
though many more arguments like yesterday's.
"You control Sobnia, ha! Troac can't even administrate a
small section of an asteroid belt," Sel Rahc Selaw said.
Marrissa was beginning to get a headache. The ambassadors
agreed on nothing but to agree to disagree. She knew now why the
other mediators had failed-- they were driven insane by the
illogical and insane statements and proposals of the Naklab Sel
Rahcs.
"AT LEAST MY PLANET DIDN'T INVADE ANOTHER, WITHOUT A
DECLARATION OF WAR," Sel Rahc Ekeal responded angrily.
It looks like it's time for lunch, Marrissa thought, but
first I better defuse this mess. It's 1258 hours, already. "May
I have your attention," Marrissa asked.
The Negotiators ignored her. "We're not cowards like you,"
Selaw responded.
"MER'APH!" Marrissa yelled. The room quieted after the
sudden volume of the until now soft-spoken young captain. "I
will here no more insults or name calling in this room. Is that
clear? We will adjourn for lunch and let our tempers cool."
I'll go to the bridge, Marrissa thought. A couple minutes
in the center seat will bring me back to reality. It always
does. I'll eat lunch while Jay and Doctor Johnson bring me up to
date.
The turbolift opened onto the bridge. "Ah! my young
captain, how nice of you to join us," Q said from the counselor's
seat. "I was just showing your first officer some of the regular
command crew's encounters with me while I waited for you." Q
gestured at the viewscreen.
Captain Picard was fighting Sir Guy. Sir Guy said as their
swords crossed, "I'll have you know I'm the greatest swordsman in
all of Nottingham." A fury of sword clashes followed.
As there swords crossed again Picard replied, "Very
Impressive. There is something you should know ... I'm not from
Nottingham." the Captain finished off Sir Guy.
The viewscreen returned to its view of Sobnia. "I've put
all of my encounters with humans into this computer," Q said.
"Take a look some time, you may find them entertaining."
"That's nice Q," Captain Marrissa Picard said. "Computer
begin recording the bridge for transmission to Starfleet
Exploratory, Admiral Necheyev. Q, are you responsible for
disappearance of the crews of the Brattain, Hemingway, Miranda,
and Tain Nan Men?"
"Yes, Why do you ask?" Q responded.
"Just a hunch," Marrissa said. "Where are they?"
"They are providing naval support to Captain Picard's
defense of a midevil castle-town," Q replied.
"Thank you Q," Marrissa said. "computer end recording and
dispatch recording appended to file dispatch, to Admiral
Necheyev, Assistant Chief of Starfleet Exploratory, presently
aboard the USS Excalibur NCC-26517."
"Petty sure of that hunch, weren't you?" Q said.
"A good Captain is always willing to act on a hunch,"
Marrissa replied. "Jay you have the bridge. Have Doctor Johnson
come to my ready room when he has the time. Care to join me for
lunch Q?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
Marrissa went over to the replicator, and said, "Turkey
sandwich number four, large French fries and a large glass of
strawberry juice. Do you want anything Q?"
"No thank you"
Marrissa picked up her order and brought it to the desk and
sat down behind it. "Now what do you want to say, Q?" she asked
as Q sat down across from her.
"I'm trying to complete my study of Captain Jean-Luc Picard,
your father," Q said. "It occurred to me that interviewing you
would give me and additional source and insight into Jean-Luc
Picard."
"Ask away. It will be awhile before the doctor arrives."
"Evacuating people under fire is so time consuming isn't it.
What is your father like in your quarters?"
"He is a good father, as fathers go. I'm generally left
alone as long as my grades are good. my room is clean, and I
don't interrupt his work. You say the doctor is under fire?"
"Yes, the third Overjaras Bres position opened fire. What
about on duty?"
"OK, as long as I don't mess up. When I do I get it form
both Commander Riker and my father. Should I do something about
the doctor?"
"No he just beamed aboard. I better be going I'm about to
be needed by your father."
"Tell him how things are going here, Q."
"I will." Q vanished.
