Chapter Twelve


Captain's Log
STARDATE 48132.4
Captain Marrissa Picard recording
Captain Jean-Luc Picard, my father, and the adult crew are
due to return in hour. I will be handing him the command of the
Enterprise after he has been briefed. However, Admiral Okie has
informed me that I will retain command of the mission to oversee
the withdrawal, because and I quote "It's traditional."
The Admiral has assigned the Independence, the Hood, and
promised me four Miranda class vessels as soon as he can get a
hold of the Brattain, the Hemingway, the Miranda, and the Tian
Nan Men. These ships will also be under my command.
After this mission is complete I will be returning to my
position as a lowly ensign at CONN. I'm looking forward to the
rest. I want to be Captain of my own ship someday but this is
just too quick ... from ensign to commanding 300 then 3000 people
in two weeks is a little trying. I'd prefer to ease into the
position.

The Ready Room doors parted. Marrissa Picard stepped out.
The Kid's Crew Command Crew were all assembled on the bridge at
their stations. Alexander was at Ops, Heather Cowhig at CONN.
To the left of the command chair Jay Gordon had just sat down in
the first officer's position at the right hand of the Captain.
In the traditional Doctor's seat sat Doctor Jackson Johnson.
Above them stood young Patterson Supra at Tactical and behind him
at the aft Engineering station sat Clara Sutter.
"Report, Number One." Marrissa's voice rang out.
"All stations normal," Jay replied. "The Independence
reports a ETA of 1300 hours. The Hood 1250 hours. No word on
our Miranda class starships."
"Thank you Number One," Marrissa said sitting down in the
Command Chair. "As soon as the Command Crew arrives, they and
myself will go into a meeting. Once they arrive you may begin
replacing and adding the regular crew to your departments. I
know Clara wants to have her father under her command."
"I haven't said that," Clara said blushing.
"To quote my father's favorite Shakespeare line, 'the lady
doth protest too much, me thinks,'" Marrissa replied, "Hamlet Act
III. I know I'd enjoy the experience." A laugh ran around the
bridge at Marrissa's last remark. It was to such a bridge that
the Command crew reappeared on in front of the viewscreen. Once
they arrived Marrissa was all business. "Welcome back, Captain,
Commanders, and Lieutenant," Marrissa said. "Before I return
command and you return to duty, may I suggest a briefing?"
"Excellent idea, Marrissa, lead the way," Captain Picard
said. Captain Picard and the regular command crew followed
Marrissa to the conference lounge doors.
"You have the bridge, Number One," Marrissa called out.
Reflexively both Commander Riker and Jay Gordon replied,
"Aye, sir." Marrissa laughed.
"You have no idea how long I have waited to do that,"
Marrissa commented.
"To do what," Commander Riker asked. Then suddenly it
dawned on him. "Oh!" He remembered the second time Marrissa had
visited the bridge and the reply to Picard's usual 'you have the
bridge Number One'. This time it was his mistake that lead to
laughs.

The Command Crew assembled around the table. Only Marrissa
remained standing by the viewscreen. Captain Picard was at the
head of the table and Commander Riker to his right. Next to him
was the pale faced android, Data followed by his friend Geordi
LaForge. A seat was empty at the other end of the table. Coming
back down the other side were Worf, Troi, and Doctor Crusher.
"I'll begin with my orders followed by my actions and by
that time Admiral Okie will contact us on subspace," Marrissa
said. "Or so a little bird told me."
"Ensign, humor is not appropriate in a briefing," Riker
said.
"First of all, how may pips are on my collar COMMANDER,"
Marrissa asked.
"Four."
"How many pips to Ensigns wear?"
"One."
"What rank wears four?"
"Captain."
"Why are you calling me ensign?" Marrissa said. "Computer
state name rank and STARDATE since for Commanding Officer USS
Enterprise."
The Computer replied, "The USS Enterprise has been under the
command of Captain Marrissa Amber Picard since STARDATE 48125."
"I hope you treat my father better when he is in command,"
Marrissa said. "And as for humor, Q in the form of a little bird
in the arboretum informed me of this fact. Do you think I can
continue without interruption, COMMANDER?"
"Yes, sir," Commander Riker replied.
"That's nice," Marrissa said. "Now back to the briefing.
Computer replay Official Orders, USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D
Stardate 48125."
Admiral Okie appeared on screen as the computer intoned,
"Official Orders to USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D, Marrissa Amber
Picard commanding."
Then Admiral Okie began, "Marrissa Amber Picard, you are
hereby field promoted to Captain, revocable at Starfleet
Diplomatic's discretion. The Enterprise under your command is to
continue to the Naklab system as previously ordered.
"Upon arrival, you are to mediate the dispute over Sobnia
between the parties of Bres, Troac, and Sobnia. In addition, you
are to provide medical assistance to the people of Sobnia.
"In order to carry out this mission you are authorized to
take any reasonable number of people from Nevolsia Base to fill
personnel gaps. You may promote or assign people to acting ranks
up to Lieutenant Commander you deem necessary.
"You may be relieved of this position by myself, Admiral
Necheyev, or Captain Picard when he returns and reports to me,
Necheyev or our successors."
"This concludes Official Orders STARDATE 48125," the
Computer concluded.
"Now that you know my orders on to my actions," Marrissa
said.
"Upon arrival at Nevolsia Base I picked up Dr. Jackson
Johnson to serve as CMO. I also picked up 312 additional
personnel, housing them in guest quarters.
"I then proceeded to pick up the negotiators form the
planets involved and settled into standard orbit around Sobnia.
All the while making sure that they would not know which Captain
Picard was in command until they entered mediation.
"Shortly before beginning mediation I sent down Medical
relief teams. These teams consisted of one security officer and
two medical personnel.
"I began the mediation. Little progress was made until the
third day when the Bres negotiator let slip that the Troac
negotiator couldn't control his section of the asteroid belt.
Together with other facts that slipped out and the failure of
Starfleet to renew the lease on Nevolsia Base, I was able to
piece together a solution.
"Basically the Bres and Troac leave Sobnia. The Bres gets
the asteroid belt. Troac gets the new Deep Space Thirteen. And
they all live happily ever after ... I hope."
"Any Questions?" Marrissa asked coming around to the empty
seat and laying her crossed arms on top of the back with her head
resting on it.
"How did you get Starfleet's approval for the new Deep Space
Thirteen, you called it?" Lieutenant Commander LaForge asked.
"There are seven members of the base location board,"
Marrissa said. "Admiral Okie supported it because it got rid of
one of his problems. Admiral McGuire and Admiral Necheyev
supported it because an newly built base will be able to support
their ships better. Admiral Epperly supported it because her
grandson Jay convinced her that it was a good thing. The measure
passed 4-3 only because I was pressed for time and stopped after
passage was guaranteed."
"Bridge to Captain Marrissa Picard," Jay's voice said over
the communicator.
"Go ahead Jay," Marrissa said.
"Admiral Okie is calling on subspace," Jay said.
"Patch him in here," Marrissa said sitting down.
Once again the visage of Admiral Edward Okie appeared on the
viewscreen. He began, "Welcome back Captain Picard. I hope you
don't mind my quick promotion of your adopted daughter."
"Not at all," Jean-Luc Picard said. "Especially since she
did my job for me. Quicker than I thought possible I might add."
"Then you will enjoy my next orders even more," Admiral Okie
said. "You can resume command of the Enterprise at you leisure
but you and the Captains of the Independence, the Hood, the
Miranda, the Brattain, the Hemingway, and the Tian Nan Men are
now under the command of Captain Marrissa Picard. Marrissa, you
are now in charge of overseeing the withdrawal from Sobnia of the
Bres and Troac."
"You realize what an strange position you have just put me
in Admiral?" Jean-Luc Picard said. "How does someone get his
commanding officer to clean up her room?"
"Hey! you haven't had to do that once since you adopted me!"
Marrissa responded indignantly. A laugh echoed around the room.
"I'm sure you can stand it for a week," Okie replied.
"After all, how dirty can a room get in a week?"
"Do you really want to know?" Worf replied. "I'm sure
Alexander hasn't cleaned his."
"You are probably right, Lieutenant," Marrissa replied.
"Being Ambassador at Large from the Klingon High Council is not
exactly a job with a lot of free time. Plus he commands Beta
shift as well."
"Ambassador at Large from the Klingon High Council! that's a
lifetime appointment!" Worf exclaimed. "How did he obtain that?"
"I asked him to see if his Uncle could find him a position
in which he could represent the Klingon Government," Marrissa
said. "That way I could have him take care of some gunners which
were troubling Overjares with out involving the Federation. So
Alexander came back form talking with his Uncle Kern with that
position and those guns are now located in Cargo Bay 8 also known
as the Klingon Embassy by the Klingon Empire. By the way Gowron
has seen fit to send Ambassador Alexander a couple Birds of Prey
to assist Ambassador Alexander in returning those weapons to
their home planet."
"Amazing," Admiral Okie said. "However, I better get back
to work. The Demilitarized Zone mess demands my attention.
Thank you for your assistance, Marrissa. I've enjoyed talking to
all of you. Admiral Okie out."
As the screen changed to the StarFleet insignia, Marrissa
spoke up, "LaForge, Doctor Crusher, Worf, your substitutes will
be available to inform you on the status of your departments,"
Marrissa said. "According to regulations you are all on leave
until you login officially. Do you what the Enterprise now or
later, Dad?"
"When we get to the bridge will be soon enough," Captain
Jean-Luc Picard said. "Do you want a briefing on our adventure
now or do you want it as a bedtime story?"
"Neither, try post dinner," Marrissa replied. "I have a
feeling it will take a while and I have about seven starship
Captains to give orders to and I haven't made half of them up."
"Then we will adjourn to the bridge," Captain Jean-Luc
Picard said.