*25*

Odyssey,

June 12

Geordi couldn't help grinning as he walked down the corridor of deck eight, carrying a large potted Tellarian lily. The plant's aroma always made him think of pumpkin pie, with its mixture of cloves and cinnamon and nutmeg. When he was a boy, his mother had kept one in their quarters on Starbase 77 and called it the best thing the Tellarites exported. Unfortunately, his sister's cat had shared his opinion and eaten it down to the roots in a single afternoon, and they never got another lily while Tiger lived. At least Tellarian lillies weren't poisonous to cats. By then, he was at Starfleet Academy.

At his destination, he stopped and announced himself. In a minute the door opened, and he stepped into Alyssa Ogawa's quarters. "Welcome aboard," he said.

Alyssa smiled broadly. "What in the world-?"

"It's a housewarming present for Drew, and it's heavy. Where do you want it?"

"Oh! Well, over here, for now." She pointed to a corner near a table in the main room. "He's taking a nap. Therapy always tires him out." Geordi set the pot down in the appointed place, and she said, "Thank you, Geordi - Captain."

"You're welcome. And we've known each other too long to be formal off duty, Alyssa." Mission accomplished, he turned to her. "So. I'm sorry I wasn't available when you reported aboard yesterday. Are you settled in?"

"Almost. Sickbay is perfect and Drew is completely unpacked, but," and she shrugged ruefully, "I've still got a few things to put away. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Sounds good." He sat down at the table and watched her as she moved to the replicator. She had regained the weight she had lost, he thought, so that she no longer looked gaunt. He hoped this meant she was recovering from the emotional blows dealt to her the past few years. "I'm glad you took the assignment. It's good to have a few familiar faces on my senior staff."

"Are you kidding? I'm the one who's grateful." She joined him, bringing two steaming mugs from the replicator. "It's not every captain who would request a physician barely two years past residency as CMO, especially when she needs to bring her son along."

Geordi took his cup. "You were a great nurse, and according to Beverly Crusher, you're a great doctor. She takes credit for you, you know."

"She should. I wouldn't have gone to medical school without her encouragement. She was my biggest supporter, after Andy." At the mention of her late husband, her cheerful mien faded but she quickly forced a smile. "And you and Sam. I don't think I could have finished without you."

Geordi acknowledged her meaning with a slight nod. Alyssa had entered medical school immediately after the destruction of the Enterprise-D on Veridian III. Her husband, Andy Powell, had taken an assignment at Headquarters at first, but during her second year he had been transferred to the USS Tecumseh. Barely five months later he was killed in a battle against the Klingons, leaving Alyssa so devastated that she had nearly dropped out. Even though he was aboard the Enterprise-E by then, Geordi had remained in close touch with her, as had Beverly Crusher. Her other close friends from the old days, Sam Lavelle and Taurik, were on other ships but they too had made an effort to be in regular contact. Between them, they had convinced her that Andy would have wanted her to finish, for her self and for their young son, Drew.

Then, just after she graduated in 2375, Drew's class had been on a field trip to Starfleet Headquarters when the Breen attacked and leveled the building. Miraculously, Drew was one of four children who survived but he was badly injured. Alyssa, frantic with grief, again nearly dropped out of her residency to devote herself to her child. Beverly Crusher had been able to arrange for Alyssa to transfer her residency to rehabilitation hospital where Drew endured a long and painful convalescence, so she was able to finish her training without having to spend long hours away from him.

The boy was ambulatory again, but far from fully recovered. When Geordi was offered command of the Odyssey, he immediately thought of Alyssa for his Chief Medical Officer. Federation medicine had done everything it could for Drew, but if reports about the Vidiians were true, they might have something that could help. Even though the mission parameters included only pre-school age children, he gladly waived that so that Alyssa and Drew could come along.

The door chime interrupted Geordi's thoughts and Alyssa released the door. Sam Lavelle walked in. "Hey," the first officer said. "Are you starting the poker game without me? I'm on lunch break, so I've got time."

"Two-handed poker? I don't think so," Alyssa said. "Grab something to eat and sit down. Tell us who else has come on board."

Sam didn't bother with the coffee, but turned a chair backwards and straddled it. Geordi recalled that when Sam was a green officer on the Enterprise, Will Riker had been his role model. He certainly had Riker's body language down pat. "Let's see. Thirty-three crewmen and nine officers have come on board since breakfast. Anyone in particular you want to know about?"

"How about our Ops officer? He had his physical today."

Sam lifted his shoulders in a half-shrug. "The Delta Quadrant hero? So far, I'm not impressed."

Alyssa's eyes twinkled. "Well, I am. He's darned cute. I wouldn't be surprised if he gives you some competition, Sam."

Lavelle frowned at her. "I'm serious."

"So am I."

Geordi raised a hand. "Social potential aside, Harry Kim has an excellent record."

"With Captain Janeway." Sam shook his head. "Everyone knows the Voyager crew is sticking together. I still wish you could have pulled strings to get Lani Rager off the Komarov. At least she's a proven performer."

"You think Harry Kim isn't?" Geordi asked, surprised by the vehemence in Sam's tone.

"Oh, he's probably competent," Sam said, and waved a hand dismissively. "Captain Picard wouldn't have put up with him otherwise. But even Janeway didn't think enough of him to promote him on schedule. He was an ensign for seven years. And let's face it - he never had to stand up to the Jem'Hadar, did he?" Then he tilted his head. "Do I smell pumpkin pie?"

"It's the lily," Alyssa said. ""If you're hungry, you know where the food is."

As Sam walked over to her replicator and ordered a piece of pie, Geordi leaned back in his chair. Lavelle had been a promising young officer on the Enterprise, and had continued to excel after moving on to other postings. He had seen almost continuous combat duty during the War, first against the Klingons and then against the Dominion. Apparently, Geordi thought, he had a bias that was common among the veterans. "I think," he said as Sam sat down again, "you should read his record more closely. Voyager's experiences in the Delta Quadrant were as much a test as anything we saw in the War."

"And besides," Alyssa added quickly, "he's got more experience in the Delta Quadrant that any of us. Personally, I'm glad we've got a couple of people on the senior staff who know where we're going and what it's like there."

Sam wrinkled his nose even as he swallowed a piece of pie. "Oh, yes. Lt. Commander Delaney. The brand new command school graduate."

"It sounds to me," Geordi said quietly, "as if you've got a problem with everyone from Voyager."

"It's not a problem," Sam replied. "But I do think they've been overrated. Everyone was so sentimental about Voyager getting home that everyone became a hero. I don't buy it. As far as I'm concerned, they're going to have to prove themselves."

Alyssa cocked her head. "Really? You know, Geordi's right. You need to read their records more closely."

"Mom!"

At the sound of Drew's frightened shout, they all froze, and Alyssa rose. "I'm here," she called. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." A pause. "I'm okay."

Looking relieved, she sat down again. "He's been having nightmares again," she said softly.

Geordi winced. "I thought he'd gotten over that."

"The counselor says it's to be expected."

She was wearing a brave face, Geordi thought, but she couldn't quite conceal her pain. And was there any pain worse than that of a parent, suffering with, and for, a child? He leaned forward and covered her hand. "He'll be okay. He's a tough kid."

"You bet," Sam echoed.

The words were no sooner spoken when Drew's door opened and the boy walked in. Like most ten year olds getting out of bed, his hair was tousled, with a cowlick pointing upward from the crown of his head. But few ten-year old boys leaned heavily on an antique wooden cane when they walked, or wore a VISOR to see. "Hi, Sam," he said. "Captain. I didn't know you were here."

"I came to welcome you to the Odyssey," Geordi said. "What do you think of my ship?"

Drew smiled slyly. "Well, I haven't seen the Bridge yet..."

Sam laughed. "Watch out for him, Captain. He's a tricky one."

"I'm not tricky," Drew protested, seemingly offended. Then he grinned. "I'm smart."

Geordi laughed. "Well, I think we can arrange a private tour of the Bridge. Commander, I think tomorrow, just before Beta shift, would be a good time."

"Great!" Drew lit up, genuinely pleased. Then his grin turned into a wince, and one hand touched his temple, near the VISOR interface.

Geordi recognized the gesture. "Headache?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah. It's like an ice cream headache, you know?" The boy shrugged.

"Yeah, I know." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "If it gets too bad, tell your mother. She always did the best adjustments to my VISOR."

"It's not so bad. But I'll be glad when I'm done growing and can get artificial eyes, like yours." Then he lifted his head and sniffed. "Is that pie?"

"Yes, and it's mine," Sam said. "Get your own, champ."

"Not before dinner," Alyssa said hastily. "And besides, that's not just pie you're smelling. Captain LaForge brought you a Tellarian lily. It's for your room."

"Thanks," Drew said so dutifully that Geordi almost laughed. Of course, no ten year old boy would be excited about a plant. He was sure Drew would learn to appreciate it in time.

"I should be getting back to work," Geordi said, rising. "Drew, I expect to get your opinion of the ship after you see the Bridge. You'll have to tell me if you think we're ready for adventures in the Delta Quadrant. We've only got a couple weeks left to make improvements."

"Yes, sir!" The boy beamed at him. Then he added, "Captain - do you really think we'll have some adventures? I mean, it's not going to be a boring diplomatic thing all the time, is it?"

"Drew," Geordi said slowly, "I think the one thing we can count on in the Delta Quadrant is that nothing ever happens the way it's supposed to. We'll have some adventures, I guarantee it."

*26*

Voyager II, Office of the First Officer,

June 18, 2381 Stardate 57465 - 404

B'Elanna signaled for entry. The doors slid open and she walked into Tuvok's office.

"Commander Torres," Tuvok said. He didn't look particularly pleased to see her, but then again, it was always hard to tell exactly what Tuvok was thinking. He rose from behind the desk.

"Thanks for seeing me, Tuvok," B'Elanna said. She dropped a PADD on his desk. Tuvok eyed it.

"Is there a problem, Commander?"

B'Elanna jabbed a finger in the direction of the PADD. "I've been matching faces with names, Tuvok, and the Ensign Murphy assigned to Engineering is *not* the one I requested."

Tuvok picked up the PADD. "This is the personnel request for Ensign L. Murphy," he said. "Is this not the individual you requested?"

"I requested Ensign Lawrence Hugh Murphy from Voyager, *not* this Ensign Ludwig Murphy," B'Elanna said hotly. "The Ensign Murphy I worked with on Voyager was a competent engineering, dedicated and hardworking. The Ensign Murphy you've assigned to me is a-" she stopped for a moment, mentally searching for the right word -"a menace."

Tuvok arched an eyebrow. "A menace?"

"Yes. He's possibly the most incompetent engineer I've ever met." B'Elanna shook her head, remembering her first encounter with Ensign Murphy. For some reason, he had chosen to eat a cheese sandwich while handling the gel packs. Taken at face value, the incident seemed innocent enough except for the fact that cheese enzymes had a way of reengineering the genetic structure of the gel packs. Ensign Murphy's 'mistake' had set B'Elanna back on her engineering schedule and it had taken her days before she could speak to Murphy again calmly. However, she'd assumed that he was merely a temporary assignment, not someone whom she'd be stuck with for the long term.

"In your request for personnel transfer, you wrote yourself that Ensign Murphy performed at the highest standards," Tuvok reminded her. "You said you would be honored to have him once again on your staff."

"I know what I wrote," B'Elanna said in exasperation. She ran a hand through her hair. "But I was talking about someone else entirely. Do you know what he's done now?"

Tuvok tilted his head to the side. "I assume you plan to tell me?" His tone was one of wry amusement.

She glared at him. "He forgot to incrementally power down the power phase couplings." She stopped, waiting for Tuvok to make the connection. When Tuvok didn't speak, B'Elanna continued impatiently. "You can't just turn the power phases couplings *off*, Tuvok. You have to power down based on a certain schedule. If not, the heat intensity doesn't dissipate and it can cause a meltdown in the-" her voice drifted as she noticed that Tuvok's attention had drifted back to the PADD. "Are you even listening to me?"

"You have my full attention."

B'Elanna frowned, unconvinced. "So, what are you going to do about it?"

"Do?"

"About Ensign Murphy. I don't want him in my department. He causes more problems than he solves. Half of the diagnostic instruments have run down their fuel cells because he forgets to turn them off and don't even get me started on his hygiene habits! If he infects one more set of gel packs -" B'Elanna stopped, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. "Tuvok, I want *this* Ensign Murphy gone and I want the one I requested." B'Elanna put her hands on her hips as she glared at Tuvok.

"I see." Tuvok sat back down behind his desk. "I will contact Personnel at Starfleet Headquarters and request the transfer."

"Thank you." B'Elanna relaxed. Finally, she thought, she'd get some work done in Engineering. She'd spent most of the last few days hovering over Ensign Murphy or having one of her other engineers do so.

Tuvok looked up, his brow furrowing slightly. "Starfleet Personnel has assigned Lieutenant Lawrence Hugh Murphy to another vessel which is currently on a two-year deep space mission. He is unavailable for transfer."

B'Elanna stared. "Well, then, can we get someone else? I'm telling you, Tuvok, I won't stand for this man on my staff for another minute."

"Starfleet Personnel is non-responsive."

"Non-responsive? What the hell does that mean?" B'Elanna demanded. She rested her palms on Tuvok's desk.

"It simply means that they cannot handle the request for transfer at this moment." Tuvok looked up. "You do understand how long these types of things take? It may be a few days before I hear back."

B'Elanna bit back her frustration. Damn Starfleet and their administrivia. And then she brightened. Perhaps Personnel could use a little assistance? Perhaps in a gesture of goodwill, she could ask them if they could use Ensign Murphy in their offices-

"B'Elanna?" Tuvok looked questioningly at her.

Jolted out of her thoughts, B'Elanna said, "I was trying to come up with a solution. Perhaps Murphy is just as uncomfortable with me as I am with him. Perhaps, he wouldn't mind an assignment on Earth. That could be easily managed, couldn't it?"

"Murphy's personnel file specifically requests a deep space assignment," Tuvok stated. "I am sorry, B'Elanna. Perhaps you can make some accommodation for Ensign Murphy until we can arrange his transfer to another vessel. Perhaps some additional training will provide helpful."

Additional training? B'Elanna bristled at the suggestion. "I've already wasted enough time on Murphy, Tuvok. No amount of training is going to bring him 'up to snuff'. I want him gone. I don't care what you have to do to get rid of him, but I refuse - absolutely refuse! - to have him in Engineering for a minute longer."

"This could be a lengthy process, Commander," Tuvok said. He gestured to his viewscreen. "It could even take weeks."

"I don't care how long it takes-" She jabbed a finger in the direction of his console. "Isn't there someone out there who can help? I mean, is Starfleet Personnel *really* that busy?" She shook her head. "If I could go down there myself, Tuvok, I would-"

"I'm sure that won't be necessary, B'Elanna."

"Then you have to do something!" B'Elanna said, a note of desperation creeping into her voice. She looked pleadingly at Tuvok, but the Vulcan's expression remained decidedly implacable. "I know you know people, Tuvok. Maybe you can call one of them? Perhaps the Captain-"

"What you are asking will require time, B'Elanna. More time than we have."

B'Elanna shrugged. "I'm talking about a *quality* and *efficiency* issue. Shouldn't we take the *time* to make sure we have the right people onboard to fulfill the parameters of this mission?"

"As I said, B'Elanna, as soon as I make some progress on this issue, I will inform you."

"And how long will that take?" B'Elanna was unable to let this go. "You will make this your top priority, won't you?" She knew she was being unreasonable, but at the same time, she wanted Tuvok to know exactly how frustrated she was with the situation. "Every day we keep Ensign Murphy onboard is additional liability we *can't* afford. Promise me you'll do everything you can to get Murphy off this ship as soon as possible."

Tuvok sighed. "And I must remind you, we do have a mission to accomplish. I'm sure the Captain will not appreciate any more delays. Especially *unnecessary* delays." He looked pointedly at B'Elanna. "I believe your personnel issues fall under that heading, Commander."

B'Elanna opened her mouth to protest but than realized that Tuvok did have a valid point - one that she couldn't really argue with. Besides, Janeway probably wouldn't be receptive to her problem; she could just imagine the Captain telling her to work out the Murphy issue as best as she could.

"Fine," B'Elanna said, trying to keep her tone clear of frustration. But promise me you'll keep trying? If there is any way..."

"I assure you, B'Elanna, I will find a solution for your problem."

B'Elanna nodded as she did her best to push her frustration away. In the meantime, she figured she could keep Murphy busy with scrubbing out the plasma manifolds.