Star Trek: The Next Gamer

Episode 2.7: Commander For A Day

Tyson wanted to go to sleep. Not being able to rest after an intense bout of lovemaking was a crime. His Constitution was spent, he gained a new useful perk, and he'd been instrumental in getting Data to Engineering with enough time to save the ship. But his father raised him better than leaving a job half-finished. He left the two sleeping women in his quarters and headed to Main Engineering.

He found Data was still working on re-installing the isolinear chips. Riker and McDougall stood around looking slightly dejected, which worried him. Wesley and Shimoda weren't here anymore. Someone probably escorted them to sickbay or the brig. Tyson cared not.

"Status?"

Data spoke, his work not interrupted in the slightest, "The star has expelled stellar matter. I'm working to restore engine control. I should finish in time to move the ship, but the Tsiolkovsky will be destroyed."

"Well, that's different," Tyson mumbled. "Sir, requesting permission to beam to the Tsiolkovsky. I can navigate the ship to safety."

"Request denied. It's too dangerous."

"I understand."

Tyson turned and ran to the turbolift, not waiting to be dismissed. He mused how often he was running around the ship and moving between decks. This was one of the reasons he had little interest in his D'Kyr vessel. The ship was six hundred meters long and usually had a crew of one hundred fifty. Beyond the unwieldy size of the vessel, it was hundreds of years out of date. It was impossible to retrofit it with items he could find on the Enterprise due to the sheer scope of replacements needed. His dream ship was much smaller, like a Nova or Defiant class. Unfortunately, those ships were not even in development yet and wouldn't be for years. After encountering the Borg, Starfleet would begin developing the next generation of vessels designed to face greater threats.

Tyson reached deck four and stepped out into the Main Shuttlebay. He moved near the bay door. The door of the main shuttlebay was open currently, only a forcefield separating him from the vacuum of space. Thankfully the crew here seemed largely unaffected by the infection still spreading.

"Recruit Tyson to Captain Picard."

"What is it, Tyson."

"Sir, I have an idea of how to save the Tsiolkovsky."

"I'm listening."

"I may be able to store it in my inventory."

"I thought you needed to make physical contact with items to store them."

"I have, in every case, except for the ships in my possession. I think that if I was given possession of the Tsiolkovsky, I would be able to store it from a distance as well. Just to be safe, I'd probably need to be field-promoted to at least Commander, you would need to give me command of the Tsiolkovsky."

"I'll take your suggestion under advisement as a last resort. Stand-by."

So Tyson did, he sat down and just watched the stars. He couldn't see the Tsiolkovsky from the outside of the shuttlebay, as the doors were the aft of the ship. The Tsiolkovsky was projected on the viewscreen of the nearest wall.

"Tyson, this is Captain Picard. In one minute, the stellar matter would hit the Enterprise, engines will be restored just before that. We have devised no method of saving the Tsiolkovsky. I hereby grant you a field promotion to the rank of Commander, and appoint you Commander of the SS Tsiolkovsky."

"Yes, captain. Thank you, sir."

Tyson looked at the viewscreen and tried to store the Tsiolkovsky in his Inventory. The storage failed. A prompt appeared, notifying him he needed a direct line of sight to the ship.

"Captain, when we maneuver out of the system, would it be possible to do so at a heading that places the Tsiolkovsky at the aft of the ship? I need to be able to see it to save it."

"Worf, can it be done?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Very well. Prepare yourself… Commander."

Tyson looked between open space and the viewscreen.

"Now."

The view through the bay doors moved. It was a bit disorienting. Thanks to the inertial dampeners, Tyson didn't feel anything, but the ship was moving. The stellar matter loomed large as it approached the ship. Tyson had expected it to look like a comet. In actuality, it looked like a gigantic wall of light approaching the ship.

As the Tsiolkovsky swung into view, Tyson immediately stored it in his inventory. The Enterprise activated its impulse engines at full and the stellar matter was quickly left behind.

Before Tyson could celebrate his success, a notification caught his attention.

Constitution Check (DC: 13) = 9 Failure.
Negative Status Effect Gained.

Negative Status Effect
Polywater Contagion: While in the grips of this contagion, victims frequently succumb to their base desires.
Stage 3: +5 Charisma skill checks, -5 Intelligence skill checks, -5 Wisdom skill checks, -3 attack rolls.

Great timing there. Way to spoil the moment. Tyson decided to drag his ass to a bio lab and try to solve this infection.

Medicine Check (DC: 45) = 32 Major Failure!
Failure.
Critical Success!

Within the hour, Tyson had the Critical Success he needed to find a cure. Using his advanced biobed's microreplicator he made duplicates and injected himself. This removed the Polywater Contagion status effect instantly.

"Tyson to Captain Picard. I've found a cure for the infection. I'm heading to sickbay now to share it with Doctor Crusher and prepare for mass distribution."

"Good work, Commander. Keep me posted."

~~Star Trek: TNG~~

It was a good thing Tyson had exhausted himself on Troi and T'Pol because when he got to sickbay, Doctor Crusher was still thirsty. Resisting her was easy when he knew he wouldn't be able to perform anyway. She quickly approved his treatment, and they began filing hyposprays with the solution. Tyson appreciated the irony that she'd given him the shots when he first arrived, and now he was returning the favor.

The sickbay staff was the first to receive the inoculations. Then, they went deck by deck curing the crew. It took several hours, with the thousand crew members on board, but after the first two decks were cleared, Crusher allowed Tyson to return to his quarters for rest.

You have slept in a bed. All Hit Points recovered and negative status effects were removed.

During Tyson's rest, the Enterprise had moved to another system and was orbiting a blue gas giant. The large planet was visible in the background of the open bay doors. The senior staff gathered in the Shuttlebay. They circled the Tsiolkovsky in awe. Tyson had removed it from his Inventory and placed it in his shuttlebay. Apparently, to the crew, it was more impressive to shrink a ship to a fraction of its size, than it was to shift it away into an extradimensional space.

Tyson moved the ship back to his Inventory and then out into space.

"It's done, Captain. Tsiolkovsky is back in order and ready to be moved."

"Very good. You have performed beyond admirably in a critical situation. I've spoken with the department heads and everyone has sung your praises. Doctor Crusher informs me it was you that came up with the cure for the Tsiolkovsky infection. Commander Riker says it was you who deposed Wesley in Engineering and suggested Lieutenant Commander Data be utilized to restore the engines. Additionally, you managed to single-handedly prevent the destruction of the Tsiolkovsky. Though you performed admirably for your station, unfortunately, I have to strip you of your rank as Commander."

Tyson nodded, expecting as much. Picard continued, smiling as he spoke, "But I bestow upon you field promotion to the rank of Ensign, to be made permanent contingent upon you completing the academy training here on the Enterprise."

Tyson matched the man's smile, "Thank you, Captain."

Unique Quest Complete!
Clear the Episode: The Naked Now

Rewards:
+1 Level

Bonus Rewards:
+1 Level
+2 All Attributes
Oberth Class Science Vessel Acquired!
Increased Reputation with Doctor Crusher (Indifferent - Amiable)

Main Storyline Sub-Quest Complete!
Earn Jean-Luc Picard's letter of recommendation
Time Limit: Stardate 41365 (57 days remaining)
Rewards:
+3 Levels
+57,000 Energy Credits (69,885 - 126,885)
Perk Acquired: Speedy Promotions

Speedy Promotions
Whenever you're a member of a hierarchical organization you'll always find yourself promoted at a far faster rate than your peers.

"One last thing Ensign. As a gift from the Enterprise crew for saving us and the Tsiolkovsky, we'd like you to stay in your guest quarters. Typically, Ensigns stay on the lower decks. Your guest quarters are equal to any senior staff members, and shall remain that way so long as you're on board."

If they realized his quarters were converted into a holodeck, they probably wouldn't have let him keep them. "Thank you again, sir."

The other officers offered Tyson congratulations and the meeting was gradually dispersed. Before he left, Tyson singled out Data.

"Might I trouble you for a word, Commander?"

"What can I do for you, Tyson?"

"As I'm sure you heard, I need to complete academy courses in order to make my rank permanent. I was hoping you could instruct or tutor me."

"Interesting. I have never formally been a teacher. Why me? There are teachers on board the Enterprise."

"A few reasons. You went through Starfleet Academy and have perfect recall, you know all the material and knowledge of any answers that were asked during the classes you attended. That makes you the closest thing to an actual Academy instructor. Also, I'm sure you could filter the material best, only passing on the relevant information. Lastly, we're the only crew members who never sleep, spending some time together may be beneficial for us both."

"Those are reasonable assumptions. I accept, with the condition that you will consider helping me in the future with questions and requests I have within reason."

"It's a deal, teach."

Tyson offered his hand and they shook. They turned to leave the shuttlebay when Tyson realized Deanna was waiting for him at the door. Data acknowledged his fellow Lieutenant Commander as he exited; Tyson stayed.

Once they were alone, Tyson stepped towards her. But she held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks. "Tyson, we need to talk."

His heart sank. He knew that tone of voice all too well from his previous life, and it never boded well for him.

"I've been thinking about us," she began, her dark eyes meeting his. "And I don't think we should continue down this path."

Tyson's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I care about you, Tyson," Deanna said, her voice softening. "But I don't think we're meant to be together in that way."

Tyson felt his heart break as the words sunk in. "Why not? I can sense you and I know you feel what I feel."

Deanna shook her head, her hair falling around her face in gentle waves. "It's not that simple. While we were in that mind-meld, I had an experience. It reminded me of my last whirlwind romance, and it was great. Amazing. Just like being with you has been. But, I remember how that ended, and I can see the road you're walking will lead us down the same path."

Tyson took a step back, feeling as though the world had been pulled out from under him. "So, what? You just want to be friends?"

Deanna nodded, her eyes filled with a sadness that matched his own. "Yes. I think that's what's best for both of us."

Tyson hung his head, feeling as though he had been punched in the gut. He had wanted so much more with her, but it seemed that it wasn't meant to be.

Deanna stepped forward, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. "I'm sorry, Tyson. Truly, I am. But I hope that we can still be friends. That we can still work together, and support each other through whatever comes our way."

Tyson looked up, his eyes meeting hers once more. He knew that he couldn't deny her what she wanted. The clinical portion of his mind was telling him that it might be better this way. Not stealing her from her future relationship would be better for the timeline. Tyson quickly squashed that insidious line of thinking. "Of course, Deanna. We can be friends."

Deanna smiled, her hand still resting on his arm. "Thank you, Tyson. That means more to me than you know."

And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Tyson to grapple with his new reality.

~~Star Trek: TNG~~

Tyson dove into his academics. The grind never stops. But aside from that, he always felt keeping busy was the best way to keep his mind off the things that were bothering him. Namely, Deanna. He spent twelve hours a day studying, six of it under Data's tutelage and two hours with LaForge in Engineering. The last two hours he reserved for completing assignments, projects, or exams. The main reason Tyson wanted to have tutors was to abuse his Apt Pupil perk. His Engineering and Medical skills were very high. If he could pick up his Physical Science and Computers to match, he could breeze through the Starfleet academic requirements.

In addition to his half-day of studying, Tyson had regular meals with T'Pol. The Vulcan woman spent most of her time in Tyson's quarters, also joining him in studying. She was still acclimating to the current era. He used her as a tutor as well when she wasn't busy and none of his other mentors were available.

Physical Science skill has increased! 16 - 31
Computers skill has increased! 12 - 32
Cooking skill has increased! 15 - 20
Perform skill has increased! 12 - 20

Three days of his brutal schedule earned him enough skill-ups to breeze through the Academy courses. He thanked Data and changed his schedule. He would have one meal a day with Data. During their time together he mostly talked about his version of Earth. The android found the history of his alternate reality fascinating. Tyson answered any questions Data had about humanity to the best of his understanding. The rest of his study time was spent working on academic assignments. His skill levels allowed him to ace them without sitting through lectures or holo-demonstrations.

Tyson also started spending an hour a day at the gym and an hour a day working on weapons with Worf. He discovered that even though the instanced Vulcans didn't give him any skill-ups because of their low difficulty if Worf worked as his mentor through the dungeon he still got Apt Pupil rolls.

Energy Weapons skill has increased! 9 - 13
Melee Weapons skill has increased! 9 - 12
Athletics skill has increased! 10 - 18
Cooking skill has increased! 20 - 32

Tyson hadn't been attending regular duty shifts and still wasn't welcome on the bridge as a provisional Ensign. It would be ten days after the Tsilokovsky incident that Tyson was ordered to join a senior staff meeting.

Tyson

Title: Ensign (Provisional)

Race: Human Hybrid

Level: 10 (4,850/271,000)

Energy Credits: 126,885

Hit Points: 660/660

Strength: 25
Dexterity: 13
Constitution: 24
Intelligence: 17
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 13

Luck: 2

Unspent Attribute Points: 6

Racial Traits:
Vulcan Senses
Half-Betazoid Sense
Vulcan Strength
Vulcan Metabolism
Klingon Constitution

Skills:
Observe: Lvl 12
Meditation: Lvl 0 - Locked
Engineering: Lvl 30
Computers: Lvl 32
Physical Science: Lvl 31
Martial Arts: Lvl 22
Athletics: Lvl 18
Medicine: Lvl 26
Social: Lvl 30
Cooking: Lvl 32
Energy Weapons: Lvl 13
Melee Weapons: Lvl 12
Stealth: Lvl 12
Perform: Lvl 20

Language Skills:
Cetacean: Lvl 5
Klingon: Lvl 2
Vulcan: Lvl 5

Perks:
'Out of Nowhere'
'The Anti-Worf Effect'
'Universal Translator'
'Culinary Visualization'
'Your Hands Clean'
'Grand Theft Starship'
'Spreading Love'
'Power Eater'
'Apt Pupil'
'Master with your Hands'
'Binding Foods'
'Direct Control Disruption'
'Aesthetic Damage'
'Speedy Promotions'

Drawbacks:
'Q and U'

AN: Thanks for the reviews and follows/favs!

Question for Reviewers: Episode 3 is 5 parts around 2.5k words each. Would you rather 2x week updates or drop it all at once and wait 2 weeks for the next full episode?