Chapter Seven
Riker exited the nubula somewhat unscathed to his disbelief. The journey hadn't been that bad at all and he made a mental note to thank La Forge for his excellent work with the shielding, when he got back. The journey would be another hour at warp three and then he would arrive at the station.
He prepared a message for Wesley at the Academy, about his mother, and sent it as soon as he had finished. It would arrive at Starfleet in about four hours via sub-space and then be relayed from there. Sending that kind of message over sub-space disturbed Riker because of the information that it contained. Riker knew that if he was in Wesley's position he would least like to be told about his mothers demise via a communiqué; that kind of message was best delivered in person. There was no other way around it though they were too far away from Starfleet to do anything else.
Riker got up to get something to eat and drink from the replicator in the rear of the shuttle, it would kill some time and he hadn't eaten for a few hours.
When he finished the computer informed him that the station was one thousand kilometers away. Riker immediately moved back into the pilot seat and hailed Captain Sisko.
"Captain Sisko, this is Commander Riker of the shuttlecraft Justman. I'm coming in range of the station now. Request permission to dock." Riker's terminal flickered to a picture of the bridge on the station and Captain Sisko standing dead center of the screen.
"Commander Riker, nice to see you again. Are you here for a social visit or to get your winnings from Quark?" Sisko asked light heartedly.
"No, unfortunately not, this is purely business and it's not very pleasant at that. I'll be ready to dock in six minutes and I'd rather tell you why I'm here, in person." Riker said over the comm channel.
Sisko nodded his head. "Of course, Commander. It sounds serious but I'll see you when you get here. Oh, permission to dock, Commander. Sisko out." Riker smiled back at Sisko and the comm link was closed.
Six minutes passed and Riker moved the shuttle into one of the upper docking clamps on the port side of the station. With a few taps to the helm controls Riker turned control of the shuttle over to the computer, picked up the orders Captain Picard had given him, and exited the shuttle via the aft hatch.
He stepped out into a short corridor and found Chief Miles O'Brien; his old friend from the Enterprise, waiting for him. "Hello, Commander Riker. It's a pleasure to see you again, sir." Miles said in his familiar Irish accent.
"The pleasure is all mine, Chief. You're looking well it must be all that healthy food Keiko makes you eat." Riker greeted, shaking his hand and clapping him on the back in a friendly gesture.
"I don't think so, it's all the hard work I do on this station, one system fails then another and another in succession. It's a never-ending story, I sometimes wish I were back on the Enterprise." He chuckled softly.
"Well we can certainly arrange that, we all miss you." Riker told him.
"Thank you, sir." Miles said, then with a more serious note. "You said that you were here on business, is there anything specific I can help you with?"
"No, Chief there isn't but I will tell you why I'm here since you knew her." Riker said, his attitude also turning to an heir of seriousness.
"Knew who, sir?" O'Brien asked immediately interested.
"Dr. Crusher. She's very ill indeed, she's in a coma and there's nothing we can do for her. I'm here for Dr. Bashir because Dr. Selar believes he's the only person who can help." Riker raised the pad he held in his hand. "These are transfer orders for the doctor."
Miles looked shocked. "My god, I hope she recovers soon, and Julian will do everything he possibly can you can bet on that, Commander. He's one of the best there is"
"Well I hope so because he's the last hope we have." Riker told him.
"I better get you to the bridge, Captain Sisko is waiting."
"Yes, please do, Chief. I really don't have much time." They started along the short corridor and into the turbolift. Riker always got the impression that he was about to be ambushed when he was on DS9. Partly because this wasn't a Federation built station, it was Cardassian, and everything he looked at reminded him of that fact.
The turbolift started up and Miles turned to Riker again. "If there's anything I can do at all just give me a yell, sir."
"Actually, I need the shuttle looked over before I return. La Forge re- fitted it before I left the ship, with extra shielding and so forth. I need to check it's fully functional before I leave because the ride back isn't likely to be as smooth as the ride here." Riker said, grateful of any help that he could offer.
"I'll get right on it, sir. It's a long way back. We were informed of where the Enterprise was incase you needed any help, since we've got a new starship now."
"Ah yes, the Defiant. I wouldn't mind getting a look at it but unfortunately there isn't time. Maybe next time though?" Riker said turning to O'Brien again.
"Fine, Commander. She's a beauty, I know you'll like her."
"I'm sure I will." They both stepped out of the turbolift and Major Kira Nerys greeted them, O'Brien went off to see what he could do to fix Riker's shuttle, leaving Riker to speak with Kira.
"Commander. Welcome to Deep Space Nine. Captain Sisko is waiting for you in his office." She motioned towards the door with her hand and Riker went over to it.
"Thank you, Major." Riker said as he tapped the door chime.
"Come in," was the reply from the other side and the door rolled open, revealing Sisko sitting behind his desk.
A/N: Please leave a review, thanks.
Riker exited the nubula somewhat unscathed to his disbelief. The journey hadn't been that bad at all and he made a mental note to thank La Forge for his excellent work with the shielding, when he got back. The journey would be another hour at warp three and then he would arrive at the station.
He prepared a message for Wesley at the Academy, about his mother, and sent it as soon as he had finished. It would arrive at Starfleet in about four hours via sub-space and then be relayed from there. Sending that kind of message over sub-space disturbed Riker because of the information that it contained. Riker knew that if he was in Wesley's position he would least like to be told about his mothers demise via a communiqué; that kind of message was best delivered in person. There was no other way around it though they were too far away from Starfleet to do anything else.
Riker got up to get something to eat and drink from the replicator in the rear of the shuttle, it would kill some time and he hadn't eaten for a few hours.
When he finished the computer informed him that the station was one thousand kilometers away. Riker immediately moved back into the pilot seat and hailed Captain Sisko.
"Captain Sisko, this is Commander Riker of the shuttlecraft Justman. I'm coming in range of the station now. Request permission to dock." Riker's terminal flickered to a picture of the bridge on the station and Captain Sisko standing dead center of the screen.
"Commander Riker, nice to see you again. Are you here for a social visit or to get your winnings from Quark?" Sisko asked light heartedly.
"No, unfortunately not, this is purely business and it's not very pleasant at that. I'll be ready to dock in six minutes and I'd rather tell you why I'm here, in person." Riker said over the comm channel.
Sisko nodded his head. "Of course, Commander. It sounds serious but I'll see you when you get here. Oh, permission to dock, Commander. Sisko out." Riker smiled back at Sisko and the comm link was closed.
Six minutes passed and Riker moved the shuttle into one of the upper docking clamps on the port side of the station. With a few taps to the helm controls Riker turned control of the shuttle over to the computer, picked up the orders Captain Picard had given him, and exited the shuttle via the aft hatch.
He stepped out into a short corridor and found Chief Miles O'Brien; his old friend from the Enterprise, waiting for him. "Hello, Commander Riker. It's a pleasure to see you again, sir." Miles said in his familiar Irish accent.
"The pleasure is all mine, Chief. You're looking well it must be all that healthy food Keiko makes you eat." Riker greeted, shaking his hand and clapping him on the back in a friendly gesture.
"I don't think so, it's all the hard work I do on this station, one system fails then another and another in succession. It's a never-ending story, I sometimes wish I were back on the Enterprise." He chuckled softly.
"Well we can certainly arrange that, we all miss you." Riker told him.
"Thank you, sir." Miles said, then with a more serious note. "You said that you were here on business, is there anything specific I can help you with?"
"No, Chief there isn't but I will tell you why I'm here since you knew her." Riker said, his attitude also turning to an heir of seriousness.
"Knew who, sir?" O'Brien asked immediately interested.
"Dr. Crusher. She's very ill indeed, she's in a coma and there's nothing we can do for her. I'm here for Dr. Bashir because Dr. Selar believes he's the only person who can help." Riker raised the pad he held in his hand. "These are transfer orders for the doctor."
Miles looked shocked. "My god, I hope she recovers soon, and Julian will do everything he possibly can you can bet on that, Commander. He's one of the best there is"
"Well I hope so because he's the last hope we have." Riker told him.
"I better get you to the bridge, Captain Sisko is waiting."
"Yes, please do, Chief. I really don't have much time." They started along the short corridor and into the turbolift. Riker always got the impression that he was about to be ambushed when he was on DS9. Partly because this wasn't a Federation built station, it was Cardassian, and everything he looked at reminded him of that fact.
The turbolift started up and Miles turned to Riker again. "If there's anything I can do at all just give me a yell, sir."
"Actually, I need the shuttle looked over before I return. La Forge re- fitted it before I left the ship, with extra shielding and so forth. I need to check it's fully functional before I leave because the ride back isn't likely to be as smooth as the ride here." Riker said, grateful of any help that he could offer.
"I'll get right on it, sir. It's a long way back. We were informed of where the Enterprise was incase you needed any help, since we've got a new starship now."
"Ah yes, the Defiant. I wouldn't mind getting a look at it but unfortunately there isn't time. Maybe next time though?" Riker said turning to O'Brien again.
"Fine, Commander. She's a beauty, I know you'll like her."
"I'm sure I will." They both stepped out of the turbolift and Major Kira Nerys greeted them, O'Brien went off to see what he could do to fix Riker's shuttle, leaving Riker to speak with Kira.
"Commander. Welcome to Deep Space Nine. Captain Sisko is waiting for you in his office." She motioned towards the door with her hand and Riker went over to it.
"Thank you, Major." Riker said as he tapped the door chime.
"Come in," was the reply from the other side and the door rolled open, revealing Sisko sitting behind his desk.
A/N: Please leave a review, thanks.