Admiral Picard, Captain Riker, and Commander Worf walked into the conference room. Riker and Worf moved to the seats nearest the head on either side of the narrow conference table, leaving the chair at the head of the table, the one usually reserved for the captain, open for Picard. The Admiral briefly considered taking the chair next to Worf across from Riker, but thought better of it. As he sat, a feeling of nostalgia washed over him, causing him to involuntarily smile.
"Sir?" Riker asked
Picard looked to Riker, the man who had been his right hand for almost two decades.
"Just remembering the good old days, Number One. We've been so caught up in all of this governmental nonsense lately. I haven't even left the system since … I don't remember when. I just feels good to be on a starship again."
He left unsaid that it felt even better to have at least part of his old crew back.
"Now, down to business. Tell me what happened in the Neutral Zone."
"You know that we were ordered to escort the Davenport there to investigate the strange energy signatures. We made it to the border without incident …"
"Begin long range scans. Tell me when we've made contact with the Romulans," Riker ordered from his chair.
The crew went about their tasks, quietly assessing scan data or checking ship systems. Tension hung in the air like a thick fog. Riker looked at each bridge crew member in turn. They all knew the importance of the mission ahead. It wasn't just about the strange energy signature they had found. They would be working with the Romulans on a scale like never before. That fact made everyone more than just a little nervous.
Riker tapped his badge, "Enterprise to Davenport."
"Davenport here," It was the commanding officer, Capitan Benjamin.
"We've begun scanning for the Romulan vessel. As soon as we make contact, we'll begin working on timing and logistics."
"Copy that, Enterprise. We'll be standing by." Riker could hear the tightness in his voice. The man was nervous as hell, and he had every right to be. James Benjamin was a new and fairly young captain. The Davenport was his first ship, and this was not going to be a walk in the park. Riker wondered why they Starfleet had chosen him over some of their more experienced officers. He guessed that must be his purpose in this mission.
"Sir," It was Lieutenant-Commander Rajda-Meps, the Ops officer, "I see the Warbird."
"Thank you, Ensign," Riker said. He smirked at Rajda's unique way of speaking. She almost never spoke with any formality. She was a rather pretty Trill, with red hair tied in a pony tail and green eyes. In his younger days, Riker would have certainly pursued her, probably fruitlessly. All the better though. He knew now that he had always been destined to be with Deana. Only she truly knew him, the only one who ever could.
"Open a channel," He said standing, "And wish me luck, Meps."
"Good luck, Sir."
"Thank you, Meps."
The bridge of a Romulen ship appeared on the view screen. The captain, an older Romulan with salt and pepper grey hair cut in the traditional widow's peak hair style, sat in the chair in the center of the of the bridge. There was something immediately unsettling about him. His eyes seemed to be watching for a weakness, any weakness, which he could exploit. The eyes of a terran shark. There seemed to be no emotion behind them, just cold calculation.
"This is Captain Khaiel Donatra of the Warbird Kothre," He said with a great deal of formality.
Riker almost smirked at the stiffness in his voice. Romulans and their obsession with tradition, he thought. Then again, there was a Klingon sitting right behind him who valued tradition just as much, so maybe it wasn't so strange.
"Hello Captain. I am William T. Riker, Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Is your science vessel ready to depart?"
Donatra shook his head, "This is the science vessel. We have the personal and equipment necessary for this mission on board."
Riker raised an eyebrow, "You do realize that leaves you at a disadvantage."
The Romulan smiled. Riker was mildly surprised his face didn't crack.
"We trust you, Enterprise. Especially you, Captain Riker." The way he said it made the hair on Riker's neck stand on end. He kept the worry off of his face and instead returned the smile.
"I'm glad to hear it. If you would send us coordinates for a rendezvous, we can get this mission underway."
Donatra wave his hand and a young Romulan in the background touched his control panel. Almost immediately, a small chime on the helm control panel indicated incoming information. Lieutenant Tenpenny, the helmsman, touched a control and read the information. He dropped his hand below the control panel and gave a quick gesture, a signal indicating trouble. Riker caught the motion out of the corner of his eye, but Donatra answered his concern before he asked.
"The coordinates are a little closer to our side of the boarder. There is a nebula there that we can scan from without exposing ourselves to needless risk. We should arrive a little before you. I hope that isn't a problem."
It took only a second for Riker to decide he didn't like this. It took only a second longer to decide he didn't have any choice. Perhaps this was a good sign. Perhaps they had only brought one ship in order to compensate for being closer to their side of the boarder. The thought that brought him around was that the Romulans needed this to work as much as the Federation did. No one could handle a war right now, and if the Romulans attacked, that is what it would be.
"No problem, Captain," He finally said, "We'll relay the coordinates to the Davenport and we'll both be on the way."
Donatra smiled again. It was a decidedly unsettling look. "Excellent Captain. We'll see you there."
The view screen went blank.
"Hail the Davenport," Riker said.
The view screen lit up, this time the image of a human popped up. He was standing on his bridge which, Riker noted, was significantly smaller than his own.
Captain James Benjamin wasn't a tall man. He stood a mere 1.7 meters tall and only weighed about 65 kilograms. He had an intensity to his face that made him look angry even if he wasn't. He wore a goatee beard and mustache, but the rest of his patchy beard looked as though it had had a day or so head start on a razor.
"Did you catch all that, Captain?" Riker asked.
"Yes Riker, I did. I don't like it."
"Neither do I, but we don't have a choice. Besides, the Romulans want war less than us."
Benjamin shook his head, "Maybe, Riker. But that is one creepy bastard."
Riker and a few others chuckled at that. The tension broke and Riker felt a little weight lift from hi shoulders. Benjamin smiled also. It did a lot to soften the features of his face.
"Is your crew ready?" Riker asked.
"As we'll ever be."
"And so you crossed into the Neutral Zone?" Picard asked
Riker nodded, "We made it to the nebula without incident-"
The door leading to the hall abruptly opened and a man, wearing nothing but pajama pants and a mask of fury, stormed into the room. He took only a second to find his target. Riker stood, not seeming to share Picard's confusion. Before anyone could speak, the man launched a fist at Riker's face, hitting him square in the temple. He stumbled, but didn't go down.
"You son of a BITCH!" the man screamed.
Worf leapt over the table and landed between Riker and the belligerent man. With a hand on the man's chest and a forearm against his throat, Worf forced him to the wall and pinned him there.
Picard, feeling a bit old for not being able to leap to his feet, stood and faced the crazed man.
Before he could demand what the hell was going on, Riker raised an introductory hand to the man.
"Admiral Picard, I'd like you to meet Captain James Benjamin."
Now Picard was even more confused. Worf, apparently sure he wasn't going to launch another attack, released Benjamin. Benjamin looked from Worf, to Riker, then to Picard.
"Admiral Picard?"
Picard nodded.
He spoke to Picard, but looked a Riker, "I wish to lodge a formal complaint against Captain William T. Riker. He is responsible for the death of thirty of my crew members. I want him removed from duty and placed under arrest."
Picard looked at Riker, growing more confused by the second.
"Will?" he asked?
"I hadn't quite got to that part of the report, Admiral."