Chapter Thirteen

Marrissa Picard emerged from her room on her first full day
as Fleet Commander in full uniform by still sleepy eyed and
yawning. Her father was already up and eating breakfast.
"Good Mourning Marrissa," Captain Jean-Luc Picard said.
"Good Mourning Captain," Marrissa yawned. "Where is the
Doctor?"
"She had a medical emergency to attend to," her father
replied.
Moving to the replicator she said, "I hope it wasn't too
bad. Computer, toast with strawberry jam, and a glass of
strawberry juice."
"I doubt it was bad as it was on Holodeck One," Captain
Picard replied.
"So the good doctor had just arrived when the call came in,"
Marrissa said sitting down opposite the door.
"No."
"Then she spent the night and don't lie to you Commanding
Officer," Marrissa said.
"Yes, sir," Jean-Luc Picard said. Then the door chime rang.
"Come."
The Doctor entered attired in the usual uniform covered with
a blue lab coat. "Good mourning Jean-Luc, Marrissa, may I join
you?" she said.
"Of coarse, Doctor," Marrissa said. "What was the Medical
Emergency?"
"Ensign Sutter broke both legs on the holodeck," Doctor
Crusher said. "After being under the command of his daughter for
a shift he had a sudden urge to go kayaking. I sent him to
Counselor Troi after treatment. Apparently being commanded by
ones daughter makes one do things they haven't done in years."
"And have you detected this in my father?" Marrissa asked.
"Yes but I like the results too much to send him to Troi,"
Beverly Crusher replied.
"That is direction of duty Doctor," Jean-Luc replied softly.
"So-what," Beverley responded reaching for this hand.
Marrissa got up and nearing the door said, "I'll leave you
two lovebirds alone." The lovebirds didn't even notice her
leaving.

Later that mourning Marrissa entered the bridge from the aft
turbolift. Commander Riker was in command and Data and Worf
where in their places. "Mourning, Commander," Marrissa said.
"Good mourning Captain," Commander Riker said. "Where is
your father? he is usual in his ready room by now."
"He is being held by the Chief Medical Officer," Marrissa
said. "Ross status of the fleet?"
"The Enterprise is on coarse to from Troac to Sobnia,"
Ensign Ross Lockard said. "The Independence is in orbit of
Sobnia. The Hood is on coarse from Sobnia to Bres. The Brittain
and Hemingway are escorting the Traoc fleet back from Sobnia.
The Tian Nan Men and Miranda are escorting the Bres fleet to
Sobnia."
"Message coming in from the Miranda priority one for the
fleet commander," Lieutenant Worf announced.
"On screen," Marrissa said, moving to the rail of tactical.
The half-Vulcan Captain, T'Gwen Washington, appeared on
screen. Behind her the Miranda's bridge was smoky and people were
running from station to station. Medical officers were attending
to the Tactical and CONN Officers. "Enterprise this is the
Miranda," T'Gwen said. "A Bres ship has broken off from the
fleet we are escorting, attacked us and is heading toward the
Troac fleet. We have lost weapons and impluse
power."
"Ross, closest large ships to the Miranda and the renegade
vessel?" Marrissa asked.
"To the Miranda, the Hood; to the renegade, the Enterprise,"
Ross replied.
"Captain, the Hood will assist you, Enterprise out,"
Marrissa ordered. "Ross send the appropriate orders. Commander,
I want that renegade stopped before it reaches the Troac Fleet
and all my work goes down the drain."
As Riker began speaking Marrissa com down the left side of
bridge and took up the Counselor's seat. "Helm set an intercept
course full impluse," Riker ordered. "Red Alert, Captain to the
Bridge, senior staff to the Bridge. Worf ready all weapons and
tractor beams, raise shields. Hail the renegade." Riker moved
between Ops and CONN. "Bressan vessal this is the Enterprise,
please respond."
"No response," replied Worf.
"If you do not cease your coarse toward the Troac fleet we
will be forced to take action," Riker continued.
"The Bressan Vessel is coming about," Worf said. "She has
fired on the Troac fleet with torpedoes. The Brittain has
intercepted them. She has lauched a round at us." Moments later
torpedoes hit the Enterprise. "In effective, sheilds at 99%"
"Mr Worf are we in phaser range?" Riker asked.
"No phaser range in 30 seconds," Worf replied. "Thier
phaser range in 45 seconds."
A second round of torpedoes impacted the Enterprise as
Captain Jean-Luc Picard arrived. "Status Number One?" he asked.
"We are closing in on a renegade vessel which disabled the
Miranda and was heading toward the Troac Fleet untill we got it's
attention," Riker replied. "It opened fire when we told it to
halt. It refuses all hails." A thrid round of torpedoes
impacted the Enterprise.
"Captain, the Bres vessel does not have shields up," Data
said.
"Time to phaser range?" Captain Picard asked.
"15 seconds to ours and 13 to thiers," Worf replied.
"Target and fire on my mark," Captain Picard ordered. "Open
hailing fequencies. Bres Vessel this is Captain Jean-Luc Picard
of the Federation Starship Enterprise. Cut your engines, cease
fire and perpare to be boarded. If you do not do so in the next
10 seconds we will open fire. Please respond."
"Never," was the Bres response as they lanched more
torpedoes.
"Open fire, Mr. Worf, and disable all weapons and engines,"
Captain Picard said.
Four time phasers beams launched out at the Bres vessel,
hitting its engines and weapons pods. "Engines disabled and
weapons off line," Worf replied. "They are hailing us."
"On screen," Marrissa said. "Bres vessel this is Captain
Marrissa Picard in command of all Starfleet vessels assisting in
the withdrawl from Sobnia of the Bres and Troac."
"This is Captain Evisserga of the Bres Vessel Miloslovac," a
dark haired man with a puckered scar running down his face said.
"Captain Evisserga since you chose to violate article 2
section 3 subsection 3 of the tready by opening fire on a
Starfleet vessel, firing toward the Troac...," Marrissa began.
"We didn't hit them," the Commander of the Miloslovac said.
"That doesn't matter," Marrissa continued. "According to
article 2 section 4 subsection 2 of the tready, as commander of
the Starfleet vessels overseeing the withdrawl, I may do as I see
fit with your vessel for the remaining time left in the
withdrawal plus 8 hours."
"You can't do that," the commander replied.
"Of coarse I can I wrote the tready, I should know what I
can and can't do," Marrissa said. "Worf come down here."
The Klingon came down to stand by Marrissa. "This is your
new commanding officer," Marrissa said. "He will arrive within a
half hour." Captain Evisserga fainted. "Enterprise out."