Chapter 2

Captain's Ready Room, U.S.S. Titan, somewhere in the Alpha Quadrant

Captain's Personal Log, Stardate 46571.5, U.S.S. Titan, Captain William T. Riker Commanding.

"The Titan is preparing to warp to Gateway Station and from there through the Rift into the Buffer Zone created around the Hub Station that is jointly patrolled by New Republic, Imperial Remnant, and Federation vessels. As of this stardate, it's been about four years since the Treaty was ratified. Trade is now becoming common between us, various science and technology exchanges have been made and to all appearances, all parties seem satisfied. For instance, Tricorder and PADD technology has been circulating throughout the New Republic and Imperial Remnant and found quite the following especially with explorers and bureaucrats alike." Likewise, Bacta Tanks, a few droids and some hyperdrive technology has crossed over to our side of the Rift. Surprisingly, the Klingons and Romulans have not expressed much interest in crossing over. Should either government attempt to slip a cloaked vessel through the Rift, the tightest sensor screen I've ever seen is in place just shy of the event horizon of the Rift to make sure no cloaked vessels try. I don't think even a cloaked fly could get through without permission. At any rate, the Titan was one of the first starships to be retrofit with one FX model droid, one 2-1B model, and two Bacta Tanks in our Sickbay. The droids are to serve as emergency replacements in the extreme case of loss of both the organic medical staff and the EMH. We haven't had to test them yet. While in our last dry-dock, both of the ship's warp nacelles were removed and replaced with a new set of nacelles that can deploy a set of hyperdrive engines as well as still go to warp just in case the hyperdrive doesn't work as planned." The Chief Engineer, Commander Sarin and his Assistant Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Mason Kovatch have assured me that there are so many safeties built into the new engines that the worst thing that could happen is that our nacelles would tear themselves free of the ship but still leave us with full impulse and emergency communications for distress call purposes. Chief Sarin says that there is only a 13.235584993% chance of this happening. Even for a Vulcan, Chief Sarin seems uncomfortable with this but accepts it as the price of new, to us anyway, technology. If it works, then it's possible that hyperdrives could replace warp drives. Only the Warp Theory specialists know for sure, though what we do know is that warp speed has stressed the fabric of space, badly in places, and that is why Starfleet has had the Warp 5 speed limit in place except for time of war, for several years now." Supposedly, hyperdrive is faster than warp drive but when I tried to read up on the science and math for the purposes of comparison, all I got out of it was one hell of a headache. I understand the basic concept of course. Every Starfleet officer on the Command Track does or they don't get onto the Command Track in the first place, but let's just say that I'm not entirely sanguine about my ship being the first one to sport the new engines but I think it's more an attempt to do a friendly favor for me since my former Captain is now the Ambassador-at-Large to the New Republic and my wife is in the middle of her Jedi training. Ever since the Titan delivered the personnel for the Federation Embassy on Coruscant, the Titan has made once a year visits to Coruscant that just happen to coincide with Deanna's and my wedding anniversary. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about being able to see my wife at all, but if I believed that this was purely a coincidence, I would need to have my head examined for a case of terminal naivety." As of now, the Titan is only waiting for one last item, a passenger, with enough clout to get us to serve as a personal transport. The fact that our passenger just happens to be my mother-in-law, Lwaxanna Troi, is purely coincidental. . . . In a pig's eye!"

Captain William T. Riker closed his Personal Log just as the door chime to his ready room sounded, "Yes?"

The Titan's Number One, Commander Harry Kim entered the Captain's Ready Room and said, "Captain, you said you wanted to be informed when Ambassador Troi's shuttle was about to rendezvous. Her pilot just contacted us and is about to initiate transport of the Ambassador."

Riker nodded his head, "Finally! Now we can get underway. Please meet her in Transporter Room 2 and convey my compliments and my regrets that I couldn't meet her myself but I'll be on the Bridge finalizing our departure. When you do, escort her to the main conference room through the back door and I'll meet her there once we go to Warp."

Harry nodded and said, "Understood sir, but if I may be so bold, why the pomp and circumstance? Mother-in-Law jokes aside; she is the Ambassador from Betazed after all."

"Riker smiled easily, "Have you ever met Lwaxanna Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, and Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed?" When Harry answered in the negative, Riker said, "After you do, then you'll have your answer Harry. You have your orders." Harry was about to apologize when Riker said, "No apologies Commander, you haven't offended me at all. I'm just looking forward to seeing my wife for this year and I guess I'm just a little resentful of anything that delays it is all. You're a good Number One Harry. If I haven't told you before, I'm telling you now. I appreciate you looking out for my career and when you get your own command someday, and you will, you'll make a great Captain."

Harry couldn't stop the huge grin as he said, "Thank you very much Captain. I appreciate the faith you've shown me since I first came aboard after debrief and a much delayed vacation after my transfer from Voyager. Some Captains wouldn't even grant me an interview for the position of Number One. They thought I was too young and even with Admiral Janeway's and Captain Chakotay's performance reviews in my record, didn't think I was ready for posting to a ship the size of the Titan."

Riker said, "What you and Admiral Janeway and the rest of Voyager's crew went through in the Delta Quadrant was hell Harry. It would have aged anyone far beyond their years and to have to blend crews with a Maquis Raider that you were getting ready to blow out of space couldn't have been easy either. Personally, I think I was lucky to get you when I did Harry. Now, please see to our passenger and I'll meet you on the Bridge later."

In a show of genuine respect, Harry Kim straightened to attention and rendered an old fashioned naval salute, "Aye, Aye sir," performed an Academy-perfect about face and left the Ready Room.

Transporter Room 2

Harry arrived in Transporter Room 2 after first changing into his dress uniform, and stood before the steps coming down from the transport platform. Turning to the Duty Transport technician, he nodded and the blue-skinned Bolian touched a few controls and then ran his hand down the initiation panels. Moments later the transporter cycle completed and the sole occupant on the platform was just completing a sentence, ". . . be treated this way. I am Daughter of the Fifth House, the Holder of the Sacred Chalice Rixx and Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed!" Lwaxanna Troi looked around, momentarily speechless, got her bearings and turned to look down, figuratively and literally at Harry.

"Welcome aboard the U.S.S. Titan, Ambassador Troi. I am Commander Harry Kim, First Officer, and it's my pleasure to welcome you aboard. Captain Riker sends his compliments and his regrets that he could not be here to meet you personally, but he's finalizing our departure for Gateway Station and the Rift."

Stepping down from the platform Lwaxanna sighed, "You may dispense with the pleasantries Commander. While I appreciate the polite and politic greeting, the only reason you're here and not my Son-in-Law is because he doesn't want to deal with me right away. I have that effect on people sometimes. Did William inform you that I'm a full telepath?"

"No ma'am he didn't but I don't find that uncomfortable at all due to my experiences in the Delta Quadrant," said Harry.

Lwaxanna smiled, "I like you already Commander. You keep your thoughts tightly focused for one so young. Your Bolian crewman over there though . . ." Turning to the crewman in question, she said, "You should be ashamed of yourself! I'm old enough to be your Grandmother after all!" The Bolian's blue skinned face darkened noticeably but he refrained from voicing any denials due to the status of the speaker and just focused more intently on his duties. Looking back to Harry she said, "I assume that William is having me politely buried in Guest Quarters until he's ready to receive me? Well, let's be about it then. Would you be a dear and help me with my bags please?"

Harry turned to an alcove that until then Lwaxanna had assumed was another control panel and said, "J9 Mover, activate."

When the Labor Droid activated and stepped from its recharge station and moved towards the Transporter Platform, Lwaxanna nearly jumped back into the Transporter, "Eeeeaaaaaggghhhh! What . . . is that . . . thing?"

Harry said, "Don't worry Ambassador, it won't hurt you. Technically it's a J9 Walking Labor Droid but we just call it a J9 Mover. It's programmed for general labor like moving cargo, inspecting the outer hull of a ship, or in this case, baggage carrier. J9, please take Ambassador Troi's bags to the V.I.P. quarters on Deck 10 Starboard." The droid acknowledged its orders and picked up the bags in question, though there was a momentarily noticeable sound of straining servos and walked out of the Transporter Room.

"Lwaxanna said, "Are there any more of those on our way? It is rather unnerving to see a total automaton like that."

Harry said, "There's one just like it in every Transporter Room on the Titan and several in the Cargo Bays. They're Class 5 Specialist droids and not sentient. So long as you give them clear directions, they're total workhorses and won't stop until the job is done. They're becoming a common sight in spaceports all over the Federation. They're cheap and easy to replace though there is a growing tendency for their owners to modify them versus replace them. When we cross the Rift and get to Coruscant, you'll see that droids are quite literally everywhere doing practically every kind of job imaginable. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the main Conference Room just off the Bridge. Captain Riker told me to tell you that he would join you there as soon as we go to Warp."

On the way to the Bridge, Lwaxanna was insistent that Harry change back into his regular duty uniform. After doing so, he took her to the Conference Room and left her there to inform Riker that she was waiting. After entering the Bridge and taking his seat next to Riker, he said, "The Ambassador is waiting in the Conference Room just as you instructed sir. Oh, and I have the answer you said I would. Although I'm certain she doesn't mean to be, she can be a little tiresome. After insisting that I change back into my duty uniform, she bombarded me with questions about Gateway Station, the Rift, Hub Station and Coruscant itself all the way to the Conference Room. I have to say though, I thought they were very good questions. She got the maximum information possible in the least amount of time. I see how she's such a good diplomat."

Riker smiled at the accurate assessment, "She is that Number One, and more. One time aboard the Enterprise D she found out about an assassination plot on the part of a pair of supposed negotiators from a race that was petitioning to join the Federation with one cursory telepathic scan. She practically led the Resistance against the Dominion single-handedly through sheer force of will after Betazed was invaded during the War. That and a hundred other things make her a very formidable woman when she wants to be."

Harry said, "I can believe it Captain, and I've only just met her. I can't imagine what it must be like to be her Son-in-Law."

Riker smiled at the implied joke and changed the subject as he turned in his chair to face forward, "Helm, what's our arrival time to Gateway Station at Warp 3?"

The Navigator, an Ensign made the calculation on her controls as well as in her head at the same time and said, "At Warp 3, ETA will be six days. At Warp 5, three days."

Riker sat back in his chair and mentally wondered if he could put up with Lwaxanna's slightly domineering but still well intended presence for that long and decided. "What if we use the new hyperdrive engines that were installed at our last dry-dock?"

The Ensign took on a blank look for a moment and sheepishly said, "I'm sorry sir, I forgot to factor for that. I'll make the calculations now."

Riker let a note of disapproval enter his voice as he said, "See that you do Ensign. In the future I hope you'll not make the same mistake again." Implied yet not said were all the possible ramifications to her career for letting down her Captain, as she redoubled her efforts to get the information he wanted.

When she was done, she double checked her figures and said in a voice that was clearly disbelieving, "That can't be right but I've checked and rechecked my figures and they come up the same."

Riker said, "What figures would that be Ensign?" The Ensign checked her figures again, got the same answer and said, "According to this, it will only take about 26.1 hours to get to Gateway Station via hyperspace versus Warp."

Riker and Kim looked at each other, to the Ensign and back to each other as Harry said, "Why not try it Captain?"

Riker answered, "Why not indeed Number One, I guess Engineering will finally get the field test they want."

Out loud Riker said, "Bridge to Engineering."

"Engineering, Sarin here. How can I help you Captain?"

Riker said, "Commander Sarin, I've decided to test the hyperdrive engines if you're amenable, how long until they're online?"

There was a minute hesitation before Sarin's voice answered back, "By the time the Helm has the coordinates from the navi-computer, we'll be ready Captain. Engineering out."

Main Engineering

"Wahoo!," said a clearly elated Lt. Commander Mason Kovatch, upon receiving the startup orders for the hyperdrive, and going to their dedicated control panel and beginning the startup procedure. "Ach, I be waitin' fer the orders to fire you up me beauties! Ye'd think the Captain would o' done it long afore now but you canna blame him for being cautious." At that moment Chief Engineer Sarin walked up behind his assistant.

"Mr. Kovatch. I realize you are the great-grand nephew, by three generations, to the Starfleet legend that is Montgomery Scott but it would be the logical decision to restrain your emotions and focus on the task at hand. This will be the first field test for a ship Titan's size, to go to hyperspace and it would be most disagreeable if a minor miscalculation caused us to fly through a star or bounce too close to a supernova due to your zeal in operating these engines. Do you not agree?"

As the hyperdrive engines began to come online, Kovatch turned away from the controls and said, "Ach, donna be . . . er I mean, don't worry Chief Sarin, I'm on it. But surely even you have to admit to some . . . enthusiasm about getting to try them out?"

Sarin contemplated a moment and said, "Enthusiasm is an emotion from which I do not suffer from, thankfully, but I will confess to curiosity on the subject. The results of this field test will be . . . fascinating." Having worked with Chief Engineer Sarin for the last four years gave Kovatch the ability to recognize when Sarin would give as much ground as he would on any topic, least of all one involving any kind of emotional displays.

Chief Sarin said, "I will be on the Bridge monitoring from the Engineering panel there. You have the Engines, Mr. Kovatch."

As Sarin left Main Engineering, Mason Kovatch turned back to his controls, "Wahoo! I been waitin' for the orders to fire you up me beauties!"

Bridge

"What's old is new again."

"What's that you say Harry?" asked Captain Riker.

Commander Harry Kim answered, "Sorry Sir, I was just thinking out loud, 'What's old is new again'. I was remembering when I was at Academy and going through my 'Starships, A History' classes, about how the first Warp Drives were so turbulent upon going to warp that many of the seats on the Bridge would have actual safety harnesses. By the time of Kirk's Enterprise, the armrests would fold over your legs to make safety restraints. But with the perfection of the Inertial Dampeners, those restraints were soon phased out. Now here we are a couple of hundred years into FTL travel and our seats have those same restraints again so, what's old is new again."

Riker chuckled and said, "How right you are Number One, how right you are." Turning slightly in his Captain's Chair to look up at his Operations officer, Riker said, "Mr. Renfar, increase power to the inertial dampener and structural integrity fields by ten percent. When you finish that, put me on ship-wide please."

"Aye-Aye Captain. Done and done."

The ship-wide intercom chimed, "Attention all hands. This is your Captain. In approximately five minutes time, we will be using the hyperdrive for the first time. Please secure all small objects and cease all tasking until we make the jump into hyperspace. If your workstation has a chair, use it and your seat restraints as well for safety sake. While the hyperdrive has been vetted by the finest minds in Starfleet Engineering as safe for use, there is always an element of risk when using new technology. I have also ordered the inertial dampeners and structural integrity fields strengthened for an additional safety margin. Should this field test be successful, we'll be to our destination at Gateway Station in a little over twenty-six hours. Thank you for your cooperation. Captain Riker, out."

Various departments and crew quarters ship wide

All over the ship, crew increased their pace. Tasks were saved in the computer, small objects placed in secure containers and crew taking seats and moving the armrests of their various shaped chairs over their legs, if they had them, and locking them into place. Many crew having seen restraints like they were now using only in historical visuals, entertainment holos, or starship museums when they got to sit at the Crew Stations. Meanwhile, outside the ship, the impulse engines faded to standby as did the warp nacelles. On the ends of both nacelles, as a command sequence from main engineering coursed through circuitry and command pathways, they split into two banks of four and finished their power-up sequence.

Back on the Bridge, helm control locked in the coordinates from the navi-computer and the Ensign held her hand over the virtual levers much like the ones on a transporter control. In a firm voice she said, "All systems are go on your command Captain."

Riker unconsciously raised his hand and pointed into space as he said, "Engage," and the Ensign pulled back on the virtual levers.

The hyperdrive engines flashed. There was a flicker of pseudo-motion and the ship was gone in a blink of the eye.

Hyperspace

The Ensign at the Helm ran through a complete set of function checks and said, "All systems are functioning within normal parameters Captain. ETA to Gateway Station is approximately twenty-six hours from now . . . mark.

Riker let out the breath he didn't realize he held until that moment, opened up the armrest/restraint on his chair, stood up and tugged his uniform down in another unconscious mannerism and said, "Outstanding. You have the Conn, Mr. Kim. I'll be in the Conference Room."

As Riker walked towards the door to the Conference Room, Harry stood, "Aye sir, I have the Conn. Helm, continue on course to Gateway Station."

Turning to the Engineering station, he said, "Chief Sarin, how's everything checking out from your station?"

Sarin said, "As the Helm indicated sir, all systems are functioning within normal parameters. In fact, they are well within normal parameters. With your permission, I'd like to return to Main Engineering and monitor everything more closely from there."

Harry nodded, "Permission granted Mr. Sarin. Please convey my thanks to your engineering crew for a flawless first field test of the hyperdrive."

Sarin nodded his head and decided not to say anything of the illogic of complimenting a crew for doing its job, and entered the turbolift.

Conference Room

Riker entered the Conference Room and saw his Mother-in-Law staring out of the viewport at the black on white speckled tunnel that was hyperspace. Using the ancient Betezed he'd studied, he said, "Many greetings honored Mother. Your journey was peaceful?"

Lwaxanna smiled and said in the same language, "Your pronunciation is improving Son." Switching back to English, she turned to face Riker, "I'm surprised that you have come to see me so soon after my arrival. I was half expecting you to plead 'Ship's Business' until I was on the Transporter to beam down to Coruscant."

Riker walked over to the food synthesizer, ordered a ginseng tea for her and a Coruscant caf for himself, sat down more or less across from Lwaxanna as she sat down as well and answered, "In truth, I thought about it but decided against it. Here's another truth for you, while it's true that you and I will never be friends, I swore to myself to restrain my apathy towards you for Deanna's sake. She is my wife, your daughter, and I love her with all my being whether or not you choose to believe it. The Force willing, Deanna will be the mother of our children, your grandchildren."

Lwanxanna contemplated what was said, "William, I have never doubted your love for my daughter and I apologize for making you ever think I did. But coming from a matriarchal society as I do, makes it difficult to believe what males of any species say. Usually a simple, non-invasive telepathic scan allows for the reading of a typical male like an open book. An open book the size of a strip of gold-pressed latinum, but an open book just the same. When we first met, you weren't so easy to read but it could be done. Now, you're a blank spot to me. Why is that?"

"The last time Deanna and I were together, she taught me some mental shielding techniques that anyone, Force Sensitive or not, telepathic or not, could do. I've been practicing. As I understand it, this will the first time you and Deanna have seen each other since the wedding?" Riker said.

"Yes, it will be. What can you tell me of this Jedi Training she's undergoing? The few letters I've received don't say much other than she's healthy and happy learning about the Force."

Riker shook his head, "Deanna has mentioned a little to me. Some of it I understand, most I don't. What I have gathered is that she has expanded her powers by at least double. You won't be able to sense her at all now unless she wants you to. Deanna has told me that from time to time, as she was growing up, you would project your thoughts to her whether she wanted to hear them or not. I'm pretty sure if you tried that now, you would be rebuffed like a cometary fragment from the Titan's navigational shields and get a headache to boot, so I would advise you to restrain yourself somewhat."

Lwaxanna's face darkened a little as she said, "Mind your tone William. As the Matriarch of the Fifth House, I could annul your wedding to my daughter with one subspace transmission and also file a complaint with Starfleet Command and have you reprimanded. You'd never see a Commodore's Plaque if I do."

Riker heaved a deep mental sigh. The moment had come just as he knew it would when he married Deanna. He knew that one day there would be a reckoning of sorts between Lwaxanna Troi and himself. Even though he had followed Betezoid tradition to the letter concerning marriage, had two weddings, one with the crew of the Enterprise E just before his taking command of the Titan and one on Betezed wearing nothing more that his beard and a smile, had even taken the Troi name, he knew that one day, there would be a confrontation, and it looked as if today would be the day.

Taking a sip of his Caf he said, "You could but you won't, because if you do, you know that Deanna will never speak to you again. You could also file your complaint but you and I both know that though you have enough clout to get the Titan to serve as your taxi and even though you have friends in high places all through the Federation, you have just as many, if not more enemies who would like nothing better that to see you fall on your face. I was trying to render a courtesy by telling you the likely outcome of your first meeting with Deanna. Maybe I could have been more tactful in my comment just now but I know that Betezoids value plain, brute-force honesty above all other things. I have tried to respect your traditions to the best of my ability, now you can respect mine for a change. I will not be bullied by you any longer, nor will I tolerate you threatening my marriage to your daughter or my career just because I won't kowtow to you the way Mister Homm would have. I've said what I've come to say. I'll get Security to show you to your quarters now Ambassador Troi."

As Riker stood up to leave, the silence was thick, like a San Francisco fogbank. There was a subtle change of power in the room. Lwaxanna broke the silence first, "Wait William, please." When Riker did so, she continued, "You're right William. I could do what I just said, and you would be correct in Deanna's likely reaction and the reaction of Starfleet. I finally see the strength that Deanna saw in you all those years ago when you were temporarily assigned to Betezed. I wish to formally apologize for the offense I have just given."

Mentally, Riker had expected to have a very quiet and highly satisfied gloat over having scored a moral victory such as this but instead, he found the moment anything but satisfying . . . positively pyrrhic in fact. She had given, now he must, or there would never be any peace between them. In ancient Betezed, he said, "Apology accepted honored Mother." Switching back to English he said, "Are you too tired right now or would you like to swing by the holodeck? Deanna sent a hologram of one of her lightsaber training sessions. I think you might find it intriguing."

Lwaxanna visibly relaxed and said, "I would like to see it yes."