Chapter 5: Planted Seeds
Captain Riker walked at a leisurely pace down deck 10 of the Callandor. He expected some crewmembers to walk up to them, perhaps introduce themselves, but many seemed timid or afraid of him. He began to wonder about his reputation. He thought himself witty and thoughtful, yet always professional. He knew he was always willing to give someone a chance—but did those that served beneath him know that? He knew what Deanna would say: "You're just being paranoid, Will." The thought of Deanna added an approachable smile to his face. This was the missing element in his previous unapproachability.
"Good evening, Sir," greeted an overly friendly voice, "headed to Ten Forward?"
It was Dr. Lawenhauer, the Chief Medical Officer. This was one officer that Riker had been curious about; he had not selected Lawenhauer. Unlike Riker's previous captain, he did not have the luxury of choosing his own senior staff. He recommended Troi highly, of course, and with her overachievements and impeccable service record, his request had come through immediately. Riker turned toward Lawenhauer and surveyed the man. He was tall, almost as tall as Riker himself, with crisp green eyes and an obsequious grin. Riker wondered if he simply imagined Lawenhauer's nose was really a shade darker than the rest of his pale skin, or if this man was just an obvious sycophant. Lawenhauer stared at his captain expectantly, as if he were a child asking for an extra cookie. Riker could not escape the escalating uncomfortability that this man was producing. He was, after all, heading to Ten Forward.
"Yes, Doctor, I am heading that way. Would you care to join me?" Deanna would be proud of me, he thought, I am being sociable.
Riker's mind was already on Deanna. Having completed three hours of final inspections, he was eager to see her. He was supposed to meet her at her quarters, but he'd been late. The computer had informed him that she was in Ten Forward already.
"So you're from Alaska?" Lawenhauer asked eagerly.
"Yes. What part of Canada are you from again?" Riker responded, quickening his pace.
"Nova Scotia. Practically neighbors!" Replied the doctor.
Riker glanced somewhat awkwardly at his new companion, and noticed that his ears were at a point. In his mind, he also pictured Alaska and Canada, and thought about how Nova Scotia was the furthest possible point from Alaska that one could be from without leaving the bounds of Canada.
"Part Vulcan?" he questioned.
"Yes, yes. My maternal grandmother was full Vulcan."
Riker wondered sarcastically how the admirable Vulcan logic seemed to escape this man, and then cursed himself for prejudging a key member of his crew.
Eventually, the pair arrived in Ten Forward, and Riker's eyes fell immediately on Counselor Troi. Troi stood with Lieutenant Sonne al'Vere; they seemed to get along well. Lawenhauer followed him smilingly, anxiously glaring at the two women they were approaching.
"Captain, good to see you here," Troi began the conversation.
Riker nodded to her. "Counselor," and then to her junior "al'Vere."
"And you as well, Doctor," Troi smiled at Lawenhauer.
Riker motioned to a table, and the four took seats.
"I was just saying how wonderful it is to be neighbors with Captain Riker here!" Lawenhauer expressed emphatically.
"Are you quarters situated near each other?" Sonne al'Vere's English accent posed a very direct question.
"No, no, better… I'm from Canada, and he's from… get this… Alaska!" replied the attentive doctor.
"I sense the camaraderie!" al'Vere tried not to let the cynicism of her comment appear too obvious, though she was certain that Riker and Troi's mutual glance meant that they understood her underlying meaning perfectly well. Troi then attempted to ease the conversation.
"North America is so beautiful. I called it home for several months."
"Don't you just love the mountains?" Lawenhauer seemed to explode with enthusiasm.
Deanna was positive she hadn't mentioned to any member of the crew that she'd stayed with Will in Alaska; how Lawenhauer knew that she'd stayed near mountains was beyond her.
"Yes, I got to see a few mountains. They're very majestic, but nothing like Balor IV."
"I wouldn't imagine a pretty thing like you to be up there hiking on the mountains of Balor IV!" Lawenhauer expressed mock-alarm.
"Counselor Troi is very fit and able," Riker cut in, "she's quite capable of climbing even Denali."
"Denali?" Lawenhauer appeared confused.
"Being such close neighbors," said the Lieutenant from England, "I'd think you know about Denali. I've never been near it, but I hear the sight is beautiful."
"Oh, yes, that Denali." Lawenhauer tried the mock-idiot approach, but that also seemed to frustrate everyone. al'Vere was beginning to sense that there was a strong connection at the very least between Riker and Troi, the way he defended her so readily. She had not thought captains would do that. It was a good trait in him, she thought, and she was proud to have a captain that she knew would stick up for his crew.
"Well, I must be going," Lawenhauer said, to the delight of the rest of his company.
"So soon?" Riker put in.
"Yes, yes, I must begin recalibrating biobed refractal retainment centers." He stood and rushed away quickly.
Even the captain could not help but laugh.
"Lieutenant… please do a bit of research and let me know if there exists such a thing as a biobed refractal retainment center. I will be much relieved if your results are positive."
Sonne and Troi alike laughed in reply. Sonne did, she self-noted, intend to look that up.
Captain Riker walked at a leisurely pace down deck 10 of the Callandor. He expected some crewmembers to walk up to them, perhaps introduce themselves, but many seemed timid or afraid of him. He began to wonder about his reputation. He thought himself witty and thoughtful, yet always professional. He knew he was always willing to give someone a chance—but did those that served beneath him know that? He knew what Deanna would say: "You're just being paranoid, Will." The thought of Deanna added an approachable smile to his face. This was the missing element in his previous unapproachability.
"Good evening, Sir," greeted an overly friendly voice, "headed to Ten Forward?"
It was Dr. Lawenhauer, the Chief Medical Officer. This was one officer that Riker had been curious about; he had not selected Lawenhauer. Unlike Riker's previous captain, he did not have the luxury of choosing his own senior staff. He recommended Troi highly, of course, and with her overachievements and impeccable service record, his request had come through immediately. Riker turned toward Lawenhauer and surveyed the man. He was tall, almost as tall as Riker himself, with crisp green eyes and an obsequious grin. Riker wondered if he simply imagined Lawenhauer's nose was really a shade darker than the rest of his pale skin, or if this man was just an obvious sycophant. Lawenhauer stared at his captain expectantly, as if he were a child asking for an extra cookie. Riker could not escape the escalating uncomfortability that this man was producing. He was, after all, heading to Ten Forward.
"Yes, Doctor, I am heading that way. Would you care to join me?" Deanna would be proud of me, he thought, I am being sociable.
Riker's mind was already on Deanna. Having completed three hours of final inspections, he was eager to see her. He was supposed to meet her at her quarters, but he'd been late. The computer had informed him that she was in Ten Forward already.
"So you're from Alaska?" Lawenhauer asked eagerly.
"Yes. What part of Canada are you from again?" Riker responded, quickening his pace.
"Nova Scotia. Practically neighbors!" Replied the doctor.
Riker glanced somewhat awkwardly at his new companion, and noticed that his ears were at a point. In his mind, he also pictured Alaska and Canada, and thought about how Nova Scotia was the furthest possible point from Alaska that one could be from without leaving the bounds of Canada.
"Part Vulcan?" he questioned.
"Yes, yes. My maternal grandmother was full Vulcan."
Riker wondered sarcastically how the admirable Vulcan logic seemed to escape this man, and then cursed himself for prejudging a key member of his crew.
Eventually, the pair arrived in Ten Forward, and Riker's eyes fell immediately on Counselor Troi. Troi stood with Lieutenant Sonne al'Vere; they seemed to get along well. Lawenhauer followed him smilingly, anxiously glaring at the two women they were approaching.
"Captain, good to see you here," Troi began the conversation.
Riker nodded to her. "Counselor," and then to her junior "al'Vere."
"And you as well, Doctor," Troi smiled at Lawenhauer.
Riker motioned to a table, and the four took seats.
"I was just saying how wonderful it is to be neighbors with Captain Riker here!" Lawenhauer expressed emphatically.
"Are you quarters situated near each other?" Sonne al'Vere's English accent posed a very direct question.
"No, no, better… I'm from Canada, and he's from… get this… Alaska!" replied the attentive doctor.
"I sense the camaraderie!" al'Vere tried not to let the cynicism of her comment appear too obvious, though she was certain that Riker and Troi's mutual glance meant that they understood her underlying meaning perfectly well. Troi then attempted to ease the conversation.
"North America is so beautiful. I called it home for several months."
"Don't you just love the mountains?" Lawenhauer seemed to explode with enthusiasm.
Deanna was positive she hadn't mentioned to any member of the crew that she'd stayed with Will in Alaska; how Lawenhauer knew that she'd stayed near mountains was beyond her.
"Yes, I got to see a few mountains. They're very majestic, but nothing like Balor IV."
"I wouldn't imagine a pretty thing like you to be up there hiking on the mountains of Balor IV!" Lawenhauer expressed mock-alarm.
"Counselor Troi is very fit and able," Riker cut in, "she's quite capable of climbing even Denali."
"Denali?" Lawenhauer appeared confused.
"Being such close neighbors," said the Lieutenant from England, "I'd think you know about Denali. I've never been near it, but I hear the sight is beautiful."
"Oh, yes, that Denali." Lawenhauer tried the mock-idiot approach, but that also seemed to frustrate everyone. al'Vere was beginning to sense that there was a strong connection at the very least between Riker and Troi, the way he defended her so readily. She had not thought captains would do that. It was a good trait in him, she thought, and she was proud to have a captain that she knew would stick up for his crew.
"Well, I must be going," Lawenhauer said, to the delight of the rest of his company.
"So soon?" Riker put in.
"Yes, yes, I must begin recalibrating biobed refractal retainment centers." He stood and rushed away quickly.
Even the captain could not help but laugh.
"Lieutenant… please do a bit of research and let me know if there exists such a thing as a biobed refractal retainment center. I will be much relieved if your results are positive."
Sonne and Troi alike laughed in reply. Sonne did, she self-noted, intend to look that up.