Chapter Seven

"Casperia Prime." Ensign Orlando Walker handed the padd to his beloved, Darius McKinney.

"Casperia Prime? Why there?" Daruis asked as he glanced at the padd. "Ah, the oceans."

"Exactly! It supposedly puts Risa to shame."

"You and your water." Daruis joked. "This planet would take at least a week to reach in a runabout. Do you think you could find anything any closer?" Orlando sighed.

"I guess…" He said and looked away, trying to make Daruis feel bad.

"Look, I will reserve stellar cartography for an hour and we'll look for a place together… how does that sound?"

"Sounds great." They stood up. "I have to get some sleep…" Orlando started, only to be interrupted by both their comm badges activating at the same time.

"Ensigns Walker and McKinney report to the bridge." Orlando frowned, and hit is badge.

"We are on our way." He said, and then closed the channel. "I wonder what this is about." They both turned and exited the room, heading for a turbolift.

"I don't have a clue. We aren't working on any projects together, I wonder what Captain Riker wants with us both." They stepped into a turbolift. "Bridge."

"Have you ever been on the bridge?" Orlando asked.

"Can't say I have. You?" Daruis replied.

"Nope."

--

Jean-Luc Picard materialized in the main lobby of Starfleet Medical. He looked around the large room at the large fountain, and many plants. I hope she is here. He thought, as he walked to the front desk.

"Doctor Beverly Crusher, is she occupied?" He asked the young ensign at the desk. She glanced over at her computer terminal and smiled.

"She is available. Take the turbolift to you left up to level C, and she is the second office on the right." Picard nodded and smiled, and followed her instructions. A few moments later, he was facing her office door.

Beverly Crusher, M.D.

CMO Starfleet Medical, Earth.

He read on the door. He smiled, thinking about how well she was doing with a position like this.

Suddenly, the door swished open and Beverly Crusher herself started walking out of it. She glanced up and stopped… jumping a bit.

"Jean-Luc!" She smiled. "How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough to be slightly embarrassed that I was caught." He replied. "Beverly, you look great." They embraced in a hug.

"As do you. Tell me, what brings you to Earth?" She asked, as she ushered him into her office.

"Well, that's an interesting story. However, I can't really talk about it because of my new security clearance."

"Shame, the interesting stories are always the best." She replied, smiling.

"I can tell you this, the Enterprise is in drydock undergoing retrofits, so we will be here a while…" He stopped, forming an idea in his head. "… Beverly, have you had lunch yet?"

--

Captain Riker looked behind him as the turbolift doors opened on the back of the bridge revealing ensigns Walker and McKinney, who stepped out and stood at attention.

"Reporting as ordered, Sir." Darius announced.

"At ease." Riker replied. "Welcome to the bridge. I want you two to attend a briefing in a few minutes." He watched them exchange confused glances. Suddenly, his conn officer spoke up.

"Approaching planet Cait, Sir."
"Slow to impulse. As soon as we are in range, contact the Caitian government and tell them we are ready to receive the ambassador."

"Yes Sir."

A moment later, Deanna Riker stepped out of the secondary turbolift on the other side of the room. She nodded to Will, and walked over to Darius McKinney and Orlando Walker. "First time on the bridge?" She asked, noticing their very uneasy expressions.

"Yes Ma'am." Orlando replied.

"Don't worry, we don't bite." She smiled.

The conn officer suddenly spoke up. "Sir, there is a shuttle approaching dead ahead. They are hailing."

"Onscreen." Will Riker said, as he walked closer to the front of the bridge.

A Caitian male flashed up on the main viewer.

"My name is Vrant, representing planet Cait. Request permission to come aboard."

"We are ready to receive you in our main shuttle bay. Turn your controls over to our computer for the docking procedure."

"Understood. I wish to transport over immediately to discuss the Stargate. If you really have un-buried one, there isn't much time left."

Riker frowned. "As soon as you transfer control to our computer, we will beam you directly to our conference room. Titan out." Riker turned and pointed to Deanna and Ensigns McKinney and Walker. "To the conference room." He said, as they all walked towards the door.

A few moments later, the ambassador beamed into the room, on the opposite side of the table.

"Welcome to the Titan." Will spoke up, as he walked over to greet Vrant.

"Yes, yes. Nice ship. Show me the Stargate." The Caitian quickly said.

"Down to business, I can appreciate that." Riker spoke softly. He walked over to the wall panel and tapped a button. The wall viewer activated, displaying images of the Stargate back at Starfleet Command. "These images were taken just hours ago when the Stargate was recovered, and shipped to Starfleet Command." Riker said, as he pointed to the viewer.

Vrant walked quickly up to the image, and ran his hands over the screen.

"Astounding." He whispered. "It is in perfect condition. Where is the DHD?"

"The what?" Will replied.

"The dial-home-device." Vrant replied annoyed. "These gates were thought to be a myth, a fake. But you found one. It should have a DHD near it and…" He stopped dead. "According to ledged, a dark and powerful force used the gates as a means of transportation to this galaxy. They can be rendered useless if buried, so they were. If a gate is unburied, it is rendered active again. Anyone from anywhere can dial in." He turned back to face everyone in the conference room, as he pointed to the image on the screen. "Your gate isn't buried anymore."

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