STAR TREK

"Fall Guy"

In the depths of Klingon space, there was a Federation Q-ship. It was not on red alert because it had the appearance of a Kerr-class freighter.

On the Q-ship USS Loki, a couple of crewmen entered the lounge to say, "Do you even think they have it in the ship's stores, Lesley?"

With a smile, she replied, "Well, Dana, if they don't, I'll just wait until we get back to port."

The question on her mind was, "How do these things work again?"

"Well, these are the material fabricators," Lesley said. "They can only produce what they are programmed to produce."

Even though she was new to the Star Fleet, she should have already known this, "How do you mean?"

"The computers help," she stressed as she operated the material fabricators.

"What are you trying to get, Lesley?" was the question.

"Okay, I will tell you," she began. "I'm getting a love potion."

"A love potion!" Dana cried. "Who are you getting it for? Is it for someone on board the Loki?"

"Good, they have it," she lifted it up. "I will surely win the heart of my love with this."

As the two left the small officers' lounge, Lesley applied the fragrance. The first officer passed by them in the corridor. Then he began to walk after her.

She was quickly in the first officer's quarters. His name was Joseph Campbell. In bed, they were talking.

He simply asked, "How could someone as awesome as you see anything in a man like me?"

Lesley had a guilty grin, but she took an oath to always be honest. She said, "I like men of power. You take command in battle situations because the captain is a petty officer 2nd class."

Then, a message came down from the bridge, "Joseph Campbell, I would like to see you up here."

"Is it an emergency?" he had to ask. Puck of Vulcan was the name of his superior.

"No," the acting captain stated. "I would like to show you a phenomenon we've come across."

"What is it?" Joseph replied as he rolled out of bed.

"It's a black hole," Puck said with the crew already on its toes because they were in Klingon space. "It would be nice if you came up here to see it."

"We are not in danger of falling into it, are we?" the first officer had to ask.

"No," he replied. "But you've got to see this."

He made his way out the door. Then, the love potion started to take effect. He was cradling the bulkhead as he made it to his destination.

Drunk with power, he sucker punched the acting captain, "I order this ship to be on red alert until we enter Federation space. Put security on all decks, including around my quarters."

Simon left his post at the helm to go to engineering. The Kerr-class freighter began to veer into the black hole. His excuse was that he was going to the bathroom.

Running to the engine room, the engineer contacted him by communicator, "Simon, we are veering into a black hole. Why are you not at your station?"

"The first officer has lost his mind," he said. "He has taken control of deck one."

"Where is the captain?" the Star Fleet engineer inquired of him.

Pausing as two security guards passed, Simon whispered, "He's in the brig."

"Get that Vulcan out of there," he returned, "and I'll find us a way out of this situation."

"No problem, Ensign Roth," Simon said as he headed to the armory nearest to him.

He looked up to see Captain Puck before him, "Looking for someone?"

With a laugh, he had to ask, "But how?"

He responded, "I simply used the Vulcan mind meld to trick the guard into thinking I was gone. He turned the force field off, and that's when I made my escape."

Armed with a hand phaser, the two arrived at the bridge. Puck slowly crept up to the captain's chair and gave the first officer a Vulcan neck pinch. Simon ran to the helm to unlock his station.

Puck yelled, "Engineer, what's going on?!"

"It would take time to explain," the engineer said from below decks. "Just let me handle it."

"Alright," Puck of Vulcan told him.

He did it. The ship was very damaged afterwards, but they made it all the way back to Federation space. The captain spoke, "Curious. Helm, what just happened?"

"Apparently, Roth put all power into navigational deflectors and turned us slightly to the left," Simon said to the captain.

The USS Loki was safe.

Then there was a court martial for the one who used the love potion. Her name was Lesley Procter.

"I only have one question," the first officer asked in tears. "How could you do this?"

She smiled and said, "I like hard men."

"Congratulations," the Vulcan captain stated. "You broke the law."

Her smile faded as she demanded, "What have I done?"

Lesley Procter was made civilian. It was as if her Star Fleet career never happened. For her foolish act, the entire crew had to be decontaminated while repairs took place at a starbase.

The End