Fw: Aboard the Support Cruiser

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From: Michael Bell <mike_und_kathie@outlook.com>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2025 7:24 PM
To: mikebell <mikebell@netins.net>
Subject: Aboadfrd gteh Support Cruiser

About the Support Cruiser

In 1975, a Special Unit, that is an experimental unit, the first of the Dodge City class of nuclear powered Support Cruisers rolled off the ways. It was sponsored by the wife of Kansas Senator Robert Dole. The purpose of the boat was (officially) to provide gunfire support to surface units and shore bombardment (the ship had a pair of "five inch fifty fours) as the cannon were called. She was also loaded with anti-submarine sensors and weapons.  The ship had a suite of medium range or IRBM missiles to support anti-ship operations. This Support Cruiser could store ship fuel sufficient that she could support several destroyers for short periods of time.  This ship maintained a surgical hospital worthy of an aircraft carrier.

The designers of this ship remembered the days when British explorers lowered miles of cable in hopes of  finding the bottom depth. The support Cruiser had spaces for removable, specialized, equipment. One experiment was to create a deep water climatology of the ocean. Simply put, the ship would lower a sensor laden cable with pressure, temperature, salinity and light levels. This cable was 10,000 feet long and while it would not reach the medium let alone the deep ocean, it would cover water depths the foreign submarines could operate in. (Sometimes, the Intelligence People regarded US Navy Submarines as enemies.). But there was a major problem: the cable limited the ship's speed to 15 miles an hour.

How could the Support Cruiser trail a 10,000 foot sensor cable when it had to loiter across the ocean at 15 miles an hour (or less).

The Soviets would notice.

There were various reasons given for the birth of this Dodge City Class of Support Cruisers and never once was the real reason mentioned.

The true reason was "The Kindly Old Gentleman" (the infamous Hyman George Rickover his self) wanted a proof of concept of a highly advanced nuclear reactor.

The existing US Navy nuclear powered  Cruisers were rated at 30 knots and the more honest reports gave them top speeds of 35+ knots. "The Kindly Old Gentleman" wanted a Cruiser rated at 40+ knots.

His reactor and propulsion teams gave him his 40+ knots. There were reports of a 400 ft speedboat going by, on the plane, at 45 miles an hour. Mother Navy denied this could be a US ship.

ADM George Rickover smiled (but in private).

The ship was named for a man who had served in the US Navy for decades before "going south": Raffel Semmes!

===

In 1975, Commander Eugene ("Gene") Louis Kellner III was offered command of an experimental nuclear powered Cruiser. Kellner was both delighted and horrified.

Delighted because Command of a Nuke was a step up from the rather ancient Cruiser had commanded.

Horrified because he would have to survive a meeting with ADM Rickover. The odd thing is Rickover conducted a peaceful greeting meeting and there was no apparent downside. The actual downside was the three Master Chiefs who sat behind Rickover giving Kellner the worst cold blooded stares he had ever experienced.

Finally, he was sent out of the room. Rickover looked at his three "Fates" and said "well"?

The three "Fates" conferred and the eldest said "He handled this meeting quite well, mon Capitan, he should do well. (This man had been calling Rickover "mon Capitan" since WW2 and was incorrigible.)

Commander Kellner was called back in.

"We have decided you are suitable for Command of an as yet unnamed nuclear Cruiser. You will have to attend and graduate from my Nuclear Power School. Do so, and both Command and a Masters in Nuclear will be yours.  Do you accept?"

"Sir, Yes Sir!"

"Good! My three Fates  will give you the required paperwork. If you wish to sell your house in San Diego, that can be arranged. If you wish to rent it out, excellent renters can be found. You need not worry about your finances."

"Thank you, Admiral,"

"Dismissed."  Admiral Rickover was busy with his paperwork before Commander Kellner was out the door.

"I am Master Chief Rener," one of the three Narns introduced himself. "We have the paperwork arranged and will be your supporting Personal Support Detachment. Are you accepting these orders, sir?'

"Yes, Sir, Master Chief, I am."

"Excellent sir; one of the bonus of taking this assignment is you will be meritoriously promoted to Captain. The worst element Navy in this damned so called 'Peace Period' is the artificial hold up in Senior Officer Promotions. We have ways to get around this, sir."

The rest of that day was getting his paperwork in order. The orders promoting him to Captain came in around 3 pm.  No one had expected the Senate to work so fast.

CAPTAIN Kellner returned to San Diego, where he was the Senior Officer on the Type Commander Inspector Staff (for Cruisers and Destroyers). The promotion went well, the party was very nice, they rented out their house to a junior Chief Petty Officer who could only afford part of the rent payments. Somehow, money was magically appearing in the monthly payments. The Chief, a Personalman, got the feeling he was suddenly "golden".

He was.

CAPTAIN Kellner and his family moved to a rented house in Mountain Home, Idaho, where he attended Nuclear Power School. There were a number of Military, former Military and retired Police in their housing project. They made excellent neighbors...

When CAPTAIN Kellner graduated with his Masters in Nuclear Power, his neighbors gave him a very nice party. His thesis was concerned with how neutrons could transform theoretically wonderful stainless steel into dangerous materials. His real results were how neutrons could transform possibly inferior metals into metal ideal for nuclear reactors.

The "Kindly Old Gentleman" (ADMIRAL Rickover)  smiled openly for days after he was briefed on this thesis results. He had gotten material sciences research results that would greatly benefit his nuclear programme and all it took was an early promotion for a deserving officer and arranging for this deserving officer to get a Command he deserved!

===

The knowledge that Mother Navy had awarded him command of the USS RAFFEL SEMMES pleased him immensely. Eugene Louis  Kellner had been born and raised in Alabama and Reffel Semmes had been a boyhood hero of his....

===

CAPTAIN and Mrs. Kellner , upon returning to San Diego, moved their family into a hotel and waited for the renters, a Coast Guard couple, to move out.  A cleaning firm they had not known about cleaned their house, made repairs and replaced items they were never told about. Their house was immaculate.

The tine was fast approaching for the event that terrified CAPTAIAN Kellner: the official tour of his ship, the meetings with his XO and  Command Master and finally, meeting his officers.

It went much better than he had feared. His years away from an at sea command had haunted him. His XO had smiled and said "I know you've gotten a bit rusty Skipper but not to worry!  The Operations Officer, the Command Master Chief and I will get you up to speed. However, Sir, I suspect you haven't dropped in ship handling ability."

"Thank you. Our Command Master Chief, is he the one they call 'the Rabbi'."

"Yes, Sir, he is. His real name is John Andrew Semmes. He was an Evangelical Christian before there was such a thing in our 'modern' world. He had problems with an overworked Preacher and felt excluded from the religious life on his ship. His Chief was a  Rabbi and convinced John he could be a Christian and Jewish; he dated the granddaughter of yet another Rabbi and when they got married, this small group worked out his religious affiliations and so BT3 Seemes became BT2 and later a Rabbi. He doesn't push his beliefs."

"I take it 'the Rabbi' has more than 20 years' experience in Engineering?"

"Yes, he does. There have been times when the Chief Engineer has been off the ship and the Main Propulsion Assistant is acting Chief. One time, both were off ship and the remaining officers came to the XO and recommended that 'the Rabbi' should be acting Chief Engineer. He did this calmly and the Engineering Junior Officers told his orders without quibbling. By the way, 'the Rabbi' graduated from Rickover's nuke school in 1960 and taught there in the later 1960s. "

There was a polite knock on the door, then the door opened and 'the Rabbi' walked in.

He glanced around and smiled at the XO and made a little hand gesture with both hands.

"That gesture means 'moving right along', shall we?" The XO stated in a dry voice.

"Really, sir?" The Master Chief replied in an amused tone.

"Captain, may I present the Command Master Chief (CM/C), Boiler Tender Master Chief John Andrew Seemes. Master Chief, may I present our new Captain Eugene Louis Kellner."

"A pleasure to meet you, Captain Kellner. I have heard good things about you."

"My Yeoman brought in coffee the way you like it and coffee cake buttered up the way you like it Master Chief. You do know that much butter is bad for you?"

"Yes, sir, I do. Did I mention that smoking cigars (he called them sea gars`) is what gave General Grant throat cancer. Throat cancer is a very bad thing to have, XO. Has the Surgeon looked down your throat lately?"

The new Captain cleared his throat but said nothing.

'Moving right along then, there are a number of items to brief you on Captain..." and the briefing began with both Executive Officer and Command Master Chief taking turns speaking. Finally, the Captain asked in a slightly perplexed voice 'are there any older messages that I should know about?"

The XO looked at the CM/C  and said "he probably knows of your 'COMMANDING OFFICER AND MASTER CHIEF EYES ONLY' message. Why don't you tell him?"

"Captain Kellner, I will approach this initially as a sea story, with your permission?"

His CO nodded.

"Once upon a time, call it 1957, there was a destroyer which had some serious problems. The CO hid his anger, the XO was Light Commander who was treated with respect despite being the first black XO, the XO's Senior Chief really ran this ship in certain ways. The Weapons Department had a Yeoman First who was quite the writer and editor. This fellow had a son, a five year old son, who called the XO "Uncle XO" when he saw the XO. There were some serious problems which remain; there was a serious crime committed and some of us -ah- some of those folks from that ship  WILL NEVER FORGET AND NEVER FORGIVE them that hurt a family member. But this, Capt. Kellner is just a story, a sea story told over coffee."

CAPT Kellner knew he had heard a true story couched as a myth. He decided to respond in kind.

"So, Master Chief, what became of these people. I assume that folks in stories can age?"

"Indeed they can, my Captain, indeed they can. The Light Commander has become the Vice Admiral commanding 7th fleet, the boy who called his Father's XO "Uncle XO"" is now a junior grade lieutenant and "Uncle XO's" Flag Lieutenant under instruction, the Yeoman first class, is the Flag Lieutenant's Father. There was one person of interest to me. A young Boiler Tender third, who was quite the religious young man, quite the obnoxious young man, got turned sideways with the ship's minister. An old Chief, the Boiler Tender Chief, got this lad straighten, his shipmates reminded him the division was his family and enabled him to heal."

The Master Chief sighed.

"Then, the lad got fully involved in his division. You know how small a destroyer is?  Somehow, he was able to keep track of where the chaplain was and managed to avoid him. It helped he had friends..."  The Command Master Chief smiled gently.

"And were you a BT3 back then Master Chief?"

"Why, I do believe I was, Captain."

"So, to continue with your sea story, how did this BT3 become a Rabbi and what was his future from 1957?"

'It took him about a decade to accomplish what was needed for him to become a Rabbi. He courted a lovely Jewish girl and married. That was the happiest time of his life and both the Jewish woman and her newly Jewish husband are quite happy. He cross trained to quality as a Machinist Mate, which was easy. After all Boiler Tenders and Machinist Mates go to the same training. The 'Kindly Old Gentleman' was looking for a senior enlisted to teach future enlisted students."

The Master Chief smiled a crooked smile.

"I rather liked Admiral Rickover and was the highest ranked student in the history of his programme. Some of the harder elements of your training were my doing, Captain.  By the way, I loved your thesis!"

There was dead silence, as his two officers were not sure what to make of this.

"In reply to Junior's message, we have an Engineman second who could serve well on this 'USS ELBERT  C LEE". I will have to talk with this Lieutenant Michael Henry Anderson-Pierre to see if I feel comfortable about letting one of my lads to go to such an unusual command."

"If we don't agree to send this sailor, Master Chief?"

"Then, XO, he will stay on SEMMES and I will propose a second candidate. However, my intuition tells me this young man is the proper selection."

"What was his name, again?" The XO could appear quite naive when he wanted. The Master Chief had seen such acts for decades.

"We both know, Sir, that I did not tell you his name. I listen very carefully to you, XO, and even more carefully to my Commanding Officer.."

"Perhaps it is time for 'the Rabbi' to leave the room and for the Master Chief to come to the fore?"

"A lovely question, Captain and the Rabbi is out of the room, allowing the Master Chief to speak. The man I refer to is Engineman Second Class William Thomas Nichols."

"He was one of three on my mental list," the XO said.

"Really?"

"No, I just wanted to get a reaction for you."

"Yes, sir, was there any happy news?"

"I received an EYES ONLY message earlier today. The CO of the America thinks he has a candidate for both the Lawyer and the Quartermaster. He said he wants to wait until Michael arrives on AMERICA. Your 'Junior' is enroute to Guam from Hawaii and I have hopes he will bring a Radioman and Electronics Tech home with him."

 "That could fill in our entire card, Captain," the XO commented.

All three smiled.

"On that happy note, how prepared are we for getting underweigh for Honolulu as scheduled?"

"The Division Officers and Department Heads have gone through their checklist multiple times  and say they are ready to go," the XO said.

"I've visited with all the Leading Chiefs and Department Chiefs and told them to make sure their people - especially their problem children - are ready to leave. I did have to tell one Chief that Hono is a civilized country and he need not go out desperately buying books. They are very likely to have his favourite books 'out in the islands'. I did tell the Chaplain's Assistant - our very own 'Librarian' - the limits of the new books he can buy for his personal library - oops- for the ship's library, Sir."

"What is his fixation, now, Master Chief," the XO asked?

"Well, XO, it was Poul Anderson, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert, Francis Busby and H. Beam Piper. People have gotten to him about Civil War History and he wants to buy General Grant's autobiography, John Mosby's book, General Lee's autobiography and "Hardtack and Coffee" by John D. Billings. Actually, a couple of the cooks are interested in some the cooking described in Billig's book, sirs, and I suspect this cook wants to have his people try their hands."  The Master Chief sighed.

"What would be on his menu," the CO asked.

"This cook wants to fry bacon, boil sliced potatoes in the bacon fat, boil rice and serve hardtack to be soaked in large cups of coffee. I had to remind him, that anyone eating this would have to drink a lot of orange juice and eat some of those little onions for fear of scurvy."

"Could this 'menu' lead to scurvy?"  The Captain was curious.

"No, sir, all it does is give this cook the chance to cook those onions and he loves to drink excessive amounts of orange juice."          

 "Is there anything else, Master Chief?"

 " Actually, there is sir. I have read your thesis and some parts more than once. Some of my nuke Machinist Mates and a - God help us - a nuke ET (Electronics Technician) had questions I was unable to answer. Think of this as a thesis defense in front of a polite audience, Sir. "                                                                        

The Master Chief left, soon to be going about his Master Chief duties, and the Captain turned to his XO and said "was he serious".

" I'm afraid so, Skipper. Mother Navy sent him to the University of Maryland where he got his BS in mechanical engineering, with a minor in Comparative Religious Studies. After he graduated from 'The Kindly Old Gentleman's' School for Nuke Sailors, he sent him to Naval Postgrad School for a one year Nuclear Engineering Masters. Of course, it requires a meritorious promotion to Chief but what he wants he gets... "

Both just sighed.

The XO's Yeoman knocked and walked in and handed a message form to the XO. The XO read it quickly and spoke:

"This message reads well, Skipper."

The message was "EYES ONLY" and addressed to COMSEVENFLT (Commander 7th Fleet), Captain of USS AMERICA and USS ENGLAND (verify this!). It stated that a strong candidate for the Engineman Position on USS ELBERT C LEE was found and gave the sailor's name. The second paragraph strongly recommended this William <middle name> Nichols be accepted.

'Why don't we meet this EN2 Nichols before I send this message?"

The XO simply smiled and held the door. The Master Chief was waiting for them in the XO's outer office.

"We're going to the Chief Engineer's office",  the XO said to the Command Master Chief.  The Command Master Chief fell in with them.

They went to the Chief Engineer's Office.

"Chief," the XO said, "we have a project that needs a middle level Engineman. the duty will be on an experimental command, actually a modified YP (Yard patrol Craft). This craft will need a skilled Engineman. Since the staff is a Lieutenant in Command, a Senior Chief as his XO and a projected crew of 6.  We need someone who can live in a small family and yet retain military discipline."

"Nichols is waiting outside; shall I send for him".

The XO nodded and the Chief Engineer bellowed through his open office door "send him in".                                          

Engineman Second Class William <mn> Nichols walked in, stood at attention and seemed very out of place.

"I assume you have heard of this special project, Petty Officer Nichols?"

 " Yes, Sir.  The Chief Engineer and the Rabbi told me. I like the idea, XO. "

 "Small number of folks. Seems more a family than division, Sir. It could be fun. Having high grade diesels sounds like fun Sir. I like it Sirs."

"Chief," the XO asked whilst looking at the Chief Engineer.

"if Nichols leaves SEEMES I lose a sailor. If I say no and Petty Officer Nichols stays, I probably lose a sailor when his attitude crashes So, XO, Captain, I prefer to send a good and happy sailor to a command he can be happy at."

"Then, unless any one objects,' the Captain said, ' pack your sea bags Bill. You can probably expect a transfer. On that note, I have a message to send."

Behind them, the Chief Engineer and Command Master Chief were busy calming down the suddenly confused young sailor.

The message was sent Immediate precedence, with the notation requiring a response with the time of receipt of the message. With both the XO and Command Master Chief looking at the Radio Room Clerk, that young and intimated sailor could only say, "we'll will have this out as fast as we can Sir."

The message form was run through an Optical Character Reader, the message then presented on a computer screen and the Section Supervisor as two other radiomen proof read the message.

It was perfect.

The Section Supervisor said to both the XO and Command Master Chief: "Sir, the message went out and we will all you when the receipt comes back".

From 12 to 15 minutes later, all the receipts were back on the ship and at 17 minutes, the XO and CM/c were informed.

A day later, a message came in that a radioman (woman actually) and an Electronics Technician had been found. Their command vouched for them and the Commander, Naval Forces Marianas had spoken to both and approved them,

A message and personal phone call from the Commander Seventh Fleet to the Chief of Enlisted Detailers (the officer who controlled transfers) resulted in transfer orders for both being cut that day. There was no real hurry, however, as they would remain at their current duty stations until the rest of the senior personnel arrived on Guam.

 

===

In meanwhile, LT Anderson-Pierre was gritting his teeth and standing his refresher watches on USS ENGLAND.

HMCS Scott was back in Honolulu initial helping his wife prepare for a mid-year move. Their children whined, botched and drove their parents nearly to distraction. Peace returned when the parents agreed to wait for the summer before moving.

 Staff Sergeant <Name> continued on his errands.

===

Two days later, transfer  orders sending Engineman 2nd Class Nichols to COMSEVENFLT (Commander Seventh Fleet) were received.

A message came from VADM Foote informing CAPT Kellner that he was losing his sailor (EN2 Nichols). He had also ordered a COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery) craft would take both EN2 Nichols and BTCM <name> to the USS AMERICA. There, the Master Chief would evaluate the future crew of the USS ELBERT C LEE . the Vice Admiral intended to be aboard during the same period..

"Why is he going to be aboard?" EN2 asked.

"He wants to see an old friend," the XO said. When the Vice Admiral was the Lieutenant Commander and XO of the <ship name>, the Master Chief was one of his Boiler Tender 3rd Classes. He wants to connect with his past."

 ---

The entire Engineering Department attended Bill Nichol's farewell 973 on-ship party. He got a nice ship's plaque with the dates of his service. They had a cake made by the ship's Baker (who had taken Junior College classes in refined baking) and he was spared the agony of public speaking.

His Leading Petty Officer even carried Nichols' seabag to the ship's van.

Master Chief Seemes was already in the van.

--

They went from the GARVIN to Naval Air Station North Island (sometimes called NAS San Diego) and were allowed to proceed to a waiting room. There, they waited several minutes until a Petty Officer Second Class, wearing a flight suit with PO2 collar insignia, arrived and conferred with the reception desk people. He walked over.

"Good afternoon, Master Chief Seemes, Petty Officer Nichols. I am the Load Master on our Grumman C tack two. (Tack was Navy talk for "dash".)  The desk clerk has verified your identities and orders out to the Big A. The Navigator told me we're fixing to leave at 1400 so both y'all have about an hour to eat some snacks, drink some coffee and use the head. Be sure you use the head! For folks not used to flying in the upper vomit sphere, you don't want too much on your stomach. I can give you Dramamine and the clerks told me they have 'freshly made coffee cake' and 'nice coffee' in the lounge. We have your bags on a cart and after I deliver you to the clerks - the oh so kind clerks - I will haul your goods out."

He paused.

"Any questions, gentlemen?"

There were none.

"Then please examine the cart and verify that all of your luggage is there!"

Both Master Chief and Second Class examined their luggage, looked at the form they'd filled out listing their item, and said "everything is here".

"Excellent," and the Load Master took them to the Clerks, who nodded at him. He went to the cart and hauled it out the main door.

"Here is the Dramamine and if you can take it, please take some. We have coffee cake and butter for it and good coffee. Contrary to what that grumpy Load Master may have suggested, the COD will not be leaving without you!"

"Why does that Load Master seem annoyed with quote the clerks unquote," Nichols asked?

"He was snubbed and treated rudely by clerks when he was an Airman Deuce (an E2 sailor) and isn't much on forgiving. Enjoy your coffee, Dramamine and coffee cake while I check the paperwork. Oh, and grumpy said to use the head. Please do so!"

The two outsiders took their Dramamine, enjoyed their coffee cake and coffee and then waited outside. In the remaining time, five more sailor arrived and were processed and went to the waiting room.

===

A man in flight suit with Lieutenant insignia and Pilot's wings walked in with the load master.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen, I will be your pilot on today's flight to the 'Big A'. We've verified your worldly goods are on the flying machine and even checked the tarmac to make sure we are not leaving anything behind. Your flight crew today will be my Load Master, co-pilot and I. Our Load Master is studying to be a Navigator so we'll see how that works out. My co-pilot will be checking his figurers. Once we get to the boat, all y'all will be greeted and y'all will be taken to wherever. On the other hand, we're going to fly back home tomorrow, rest up and haul a load to another NAS."

He paused and loudly cleared his throat.

"Hit the Head once more Gentlemen. A note for the wise: if the Men's room is full, use the "Male Officer's Head".  Ah, yes, William?"

"Dismissed," the Load Master bellowed.

Save for the Command Master Chief, everyone headed for the "MEN ROOM.

"Master Chief," the pilot commented, "my little speech was to encourage you to use the Officer's Head.  We will be in the air several hours. I've arranged for you to have the nicest seat, even though it may not look like it."

"Thank you, young man, I shall take your advise." With that, the good Master Chief left to perform his duty. [In a manner of speaking.]

 

Slightly more than 15 minutes later, they were walked out to the aircraft. It looked smaller on the outside than on the inside. The Load Master had put a box on the nicest seat and directly his human cargo to seats based hon their apparent weight. Finally, the Pilot who waited outside with the Master Chief lead him in. the Load Master removed his box and the Command Master Chief took his place on the nicest seea. Several in the passengers noted the Pilot leading the MC in and recalled a Bible quote:

'The first shall be last..."

===

The Load Master stood in front of the passengers.

"Master Chief and Gentlemen, I am Load Master, Navigator under instruction and safety person. So, please pay attention. The main exit is the door you came through and we have another exit near the two heads. Don't use that. I'll say that again! Don't use the exit in the ass end of the COD.  Open that door and the entire air plane will flood and you'll be too deep to make it to the surface before running out of air. if we ditch, be patient and follow the Pilot's orders. We have some inflatable rafts and life preservers. The water is too warn to kill you and the sharks are not doing their annual migrations. They are not likely to attack you.' He sighed "We hope! Enough of that happy talk! The flight will be about three hours and the pilot will thump us into the Bird Farm [aircraft carrier].  We have sufficient box lunches for all y'all to have seconds. We don't have carbonated beverages so you'll have to do with bottled water, coffee, black tea and Motts canned orange juice. That Motts is actually better than you may think; it is unusual at least. I regret you will not be able to sleep very well but look on the bright side.  when you're surrounded by dozens of farting, snoring, shipmates tonight you'll fall asleep quickly."

The Load master stopped talking and waited.

"Once we lift off, and the Pilots tell me tis safe to do so, the SEAT BELT light will go off. I'll go to the coffee mess. We have plenty of box lunches. A word of warning! You may feel great now but if we hit turbulence, you won't find that meal so good. In the words of a philosopher you never met:  'But it tasted so good going down. Not so good coming back up!''.

The Load Master gave the cargo space a very careful walk around and inspection. Then, he went to a work station, put on a head set and spoke with the pilots. he advised them their passengers were belted in and he was going to monitor the voice channels. The Pilots told him "to carry on".

The takeoff was smooth, the aircraft well within the limits of their flight plan and the Load Master/Navigator followed their track. After they were "feet wet" or over the Eastern Pacific, the Load Master/Navigator fired up his high frequency transmitter and put both his transmitter and receiver on the frequency designated for him to contact the USS AMERICA,

The co-pilot came back to the Navigation Station, studied his sailor's work and said "Very nice work Willliam. I agree with your projected track. Please sent this information to the boat."

The co-pilot returned to the cockpit, having decided Navigation was in good hands. The Load Master/Navigator felt good and is passengers were impressed.

The callsign for the USS AMERICA was NUSA and his aircraft's callsign was something that daily. This was written on a sheet of paper on his clip. Using the manual he had spent 6 week learning; he began to establish comms with "NUSA".

When he had started learning manual morse with the very short duration sound bursts used at 25 words per minute, he thought he would never learn to copy and worst, learn to send well. Now, when he sent or received, all he heard was letters.  He had become a rarity: a US sailor who could communicate in Morse Code.

He had already become a Ham operator, an Amateur Extra...��

He repr0ted the COD's position and projected arrival time  at the carrier. Some of the old farts thought this verged on treason.

These old men did not realize just how much sound the carrier's we 8 boilers and 8 sets of high and low pressure steam turbines put into the water. Then add in the engine sounds of the carrier battle group 's warships and oiler and various radars and communications transmitters. Plus, consider how visible it all is to satellites and air planes.  Finally, junior sailors and Marines talk too much in bars, etc.

There was nothing this sailor could say that the Soviets didn't already know..

About 45 minutes before their arrival, the Load Master told the CO-pilot he's like to remind the Bird Farm about having reception committees. The co-pilot rolled his eyes and told him to do so. He called the Bird Farm and said he wanted to respectfully remind them his passengers needed the reassurance of knowing they would be greeted.  They may have rolled their eyes but said "all is in order".

He then told his passengers to use the heads and take little brown bags with them. They did so...

The co-pilot came in the cabin. area and gave the "we're landing talk". There were no questions; the first time passengers were nervous. The experienced passengers were nervous...

The landing was smooth (for a landing on the rolling deck) And they were relieved. The COD was put in a spot off the airfield areas.

The reception committees were present and helped get their visitors and possessions where they needed to be...

The aircrew was half way through their "work day". The COD was refueled, the three men used the head, ate a quick hot meal in a little dining room set aside for transition air crews and they left for  NAS North Island with several passengers about two hours after they landed.

===

 

 

===

NOTEs:

LT and CM/C  interview EN2 Nichols and approve him.

 

The 3 sailors, QM1,  LM1 and EN2 meet, hit it off well and both LT and Master Chief approved the three.

VADM Foote, knowing his rank was terrifying, kept his distance.

Those on the carrier are given first class seats in an airline to Guam.

Meet RM3 and ET2.

===

RS arrives on Guam.  Haven't figured what will happen. Maybe test cable with data link to SOSUS station Guam?

They go out on deployment to Japan and go trawling fr.om Japan south.  Have to figure plausible reason to go so slow...

What about a "...a prince need not be religious and ought not to be religious, but is is most inmportant for him to appear to be religious." 

                                                        "Thought on Machiavelli"

                                                                    Leo Strauss

 

 "The Republican Party, while it is wicked and corrupt, is not an assemblage of fools, and while there may be, and doubtlessly are, many foolish and stupid men    who put themselves forward as leaders, the mass of voters in all sections of      this country are tolerably sensible people."

 

                                         Dodge City Democrat December 23, 1883la of yachts going from Japan to Guam and then Honolulu with the USE RAFELKE SEMMES guard dogging the yachts.

 

 whose callsign

 

 

 

Told the

 

 

 gave the safety lecture and reminded everyone that Mother Navy would know where they were and that the wager was warm and they would not die of hypothermia should the Cod fish retrun to the water. He did remind them that sharks were possible 

 

 

 

=============================================

FOOTNOTE/ENDNOTE:  This is wishful thinking. When I served on USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59), we were told that if we wanted a ship's plaque, we had to buy it. If we wanted a little bronze plaque with our name and the dates were were on FORRESTAL, we had to buy it outselves and pay to have it put on. No, the Leading Chief (CTOC Samuel Joeseph Renner, Jr. and Division Officer LCDR Gerald Gavin did not arrange for a farewell cake My departure was me packing my peresonal goods and getting items checked off on a check list. Both Renner and Gavin did shake my hand and wish me well.  My fellow sailors did not go out of their way to say "farewell".  This was in Novemer 1973 and I am still pissed.[1] My only comfort is the knowledge they very likely got the same "fuck it" style of "bye bye" when they left...

 

I have to rename the ship..  I shall call her the William Garvin

 

On second thought, the ship stays RAFFELL SEEMES and the Master Chief gets a name change to Harold Phillip (Phillip) ...I'm not doing so good in renaming my Master Chief. When I got up this morning, I thought of how many name a son "Jesse James" and decided to call him that with "JJ" as his nickname. I quibled about his last name and while watching "The Planets" realized that "Darwin" would be a fine family nsme. 

And there you have it...

Benson

 

LIAM GARVIN)

---

[1] I reread this the evening of Monday 16 December 2024 and realized I did not give a shit. Too many worst events had gotten in the way.

Deadeye Quote

“Elite groups usually suffer from overinflated egos,” he said. “In a sense, it’s part of what makes them elite.”

"Deadeye"

Orlando A. Sanchez

Part 2 Eric

Her

John you'd and Beverly had spent some time talking about how the son of one of his weapons specialist had "found" A new disease "the hard way".  It seemed the boy had wandered into one of the artifact rooms and licked a strange alien articact. He then had a series of serious symothoms. The boy was stable when Beverly had come to bed.

He remembered his Beverly leaning over and kissing his forehead. She said "go back to sleep, John-Luc. My test results should be in and I still have to figure how make a treatment for the Harris boy.  boy. I am hoping Fleet Medical has developed a treatment..."

He dozed off thinking "this will for an intetesting discussion over breakfast".

As he ft all back asleep, he realized he was in a vivid dream.  The phrase " A fever dream" went through his head. 

He later learned the viewer on the bridge had activated and his people had watched the bridge crew spasming on the USS BERRY and someone (the details blurred in and out of focus) appeared to give Eric an injection. Seconds later, what could only be a classic Drone injected Eric with a strong antidote to whatever Eric had been given. 

The evidence was clear: Eric and his people were Borg when the Queen decided they would be.

This also meant Jon-Luc Piccard and an unknown number of his people were Borg as well when it was decided they would be. A voice so similar and yet so different to his spoke in Piccard's mind. It conveyed the truth that all was proceeding as planned.

The images disappeared and all seemed "norrnal" aboard both ships...

===

Two weeks later, Eric took an IQ test Starfleet Medical mandated.

The newly appointed ship's Counselor met Eric in an examiation room. The Counselor was unusual: she was a Betazid/Vulcan mixture.  She wore standard medical uniform with a name tag reading "MYSTIC BLUE".

Dr. Blue listened to Eric's heart and lungs, used an oxygen sensor on one of his index fingers and scanned him with a rather large medical tricorder. It was classic in that these Tricorder medical tests were new in the time of Jonathan Archer.

" You have not deteriated Commander". Then she paused in what would be uncertainty about how to procede had she been human.

Eric was not in the mood to delay.

"What is...concerning...you Dr Blue?"

"Your OIQ has gone up"

 Eric knew "OIQ" meant "Overall Intelligence Quotient was high.

"Really?"

"This can only mean new and highly improved cerebral cortex material. I will monitor."

That night, he discussed this with "his Emily" who said she would monitor the situation.

Eric knew he and his were blessed.

The USS EDWARD BERRY was transiting from a rather boring solar system into a void between stars. There were no subspace anomolies worth noting, the intellligence feed was devoid of any hints that old enemies were actively planning evil for the Federation (Apparently someone had intruded upon a region of space the Klingon Empire was planning on colonizing and had seeded a "nice world" with Tribbles. These creatures were an "evolved version" and were sneaky; they would co-habite a "new Kligon world" for weeks before being "discovered". This did not affect the Federation and Captain Belingham had been told the worlds seeded were expected to be "invested" with Romulans hoping to sneak out resources. Eric also knew this scheme was the result of Work, Son of Moug, working with the Emperor to "stir up striff" in the Romulan Empire), and the usual War Monger or Pacifist groups throughout the Federation had run "out of steam" and were grumbling about losing membership. All this was part of the normal flow of life,

In the USS EDWARD BERRY, a "mission critical" meeting was occurring.

"The time for making enemies is upon us again," Eric droned in a solumn voice. "We must evaluate our Warriors Of Uber Capitan Picard Professional Performance Programme. Be brave my Warriors!"

That was always good for a laugh and Eric's Officers and Chief Petty Officers came through.

"Have any of our sewarts experienced an improvement or decrease in any way?"

No one spoke up.

"Are the lads and lasses happy with their performance ratings and scores?"

HIs XO came through for him:

"Everyone is at the highest ranks the personnel billet list allowed, Eric.  In fact, some of them were early promoted into 'Temporary Emergency Billets: They are happy with their jobs, evaluations, and don't plan on leaving."

The person speaking commanded the ship's Marine Detachment. Technically, he was the ship's Supply Officer and Marine Detachment Commander almost a hobby. Still, "hobbies" can sometimes gain more interest than "real" jobs. He was rated as one of the finest Marine Company Commanders in the FMC (Federation Marine Corps). The fact that three of his platoons were stationed on other ships did not matter in their period's Marine Corp.

"When are these folks going to lose these higher ranks?"

 "That depends on when you cancel their bevit promotions, Sir,"

This was an annual consideration; mutiple ships had officers and enlsted who had been at their "higher ranks" for most of their careers.

Eric replied "XO, gin up and send in the usual 'we need them at their current rank' message and we'll drop the matter until next year this time."

Multiple ships, space stations and shore stations did this dance annually. A semi-retired old Master Gunnery Sergeant annually poured himself a mug of "Death Wish Coffee", read the report "no changes in status of Bevit Promotions". He sipped his coffee and went back to workiing on is third PhD Theses, a comparsion of Naval Strageties regarding submarine warfere in "World War Two" with Resistance Movements on some of both Klingon or Romulan Worlds. Somehow Federation ship yards were building Fast Friggets and "losing them...

Eventually, the meeting came to a halt and Eric left "to attend to important paperwork".

Everyone knew Eric was working on a history of religions inspired by myths surrounding the Borg. Eric would never know how much of his research source material had been created by the Borg Queen and buried in archives on various worlds. The Queen had swarm members who were fully aware of who they were and worked with the Queen on different projects. One had started it's existance as a clone of the mind of James Tiberous Kirk.  It amused the mental clone of the mind of James Tiberius Kirk that a combat officer was destined to have a PhD in such a subject.

After he left, one of Eric's Engineering Officers commented "his apparent I Q has been going up. How could that be?"

Dr. Blue replied "You noted the improvement. This alone tells me you and everyone on this ship have truly been experiencing increases in their Overall Intelligece Quotient  The question is 'why'?"

No one had the nerve to think yet alone say"her Magesty wants it", but everyone knew it.

On Enterprise, the change had began about the same time and spreads in sections leaving Piccard's people with an odd feeling of diorientation. Eventually the whole ship.was filled with far more intelligent people.  People were puzzled by the feeling of disorientation that came, went and could not be explained. They were puzzle at the feelings of everything being easier to undersand and why did everyone seem smarter.

This caused relationship disorientation.

Her Magesty, the Borg Queen smiled in joy.

                                                                         💎

Chaper:  An Aside

In a quiet section of the galaxu, a scientific research ship named the USS LAWRENCE RUTHIE was preparing to perform subspace surveys of an area with unusual features. They had sent preliminary results to LCDR Data on the ENTERPRISE and to Fleet Research Sercirity. Both LCDR Data and the duty staff at Fleet had sent diect orders: They were to take passive data readings but not to take active soundings.

Somehow they had not received these warnings.

It was the work of three days to rig an experimental probe that used different suspect soectrums. When Data read the analysis of the methedology he was shocked he called CAPT Picard and asked to brief him.   Xx

"Captain, the propose experriental commmuniccations protocols could be taken as communications attempts or an assualt  by energy weapons, I can't tell the affect to objects in the subspace domaiins they propose to probe. We need to tell the RUTIE to hold off on these experiments until betteerr eduated and equipedd agencies can ook ddeeply into this.' LCDR  Data was unuually firm in his recomnendation.

"Who wouldd you recomend to do this tersting, Data?" CDR LaForge was acting First Officer as well as chief Engineer.

"I am relucant to sent this material through normal channnels, even at the Fleet Uber Umbra Level (the highest level of classification in the Federation and Klingon Emipre). There is too much a risk someone will ddown grade the classification of this material or worst, declasify it and publish it!"

"Why do you fear this, Dataa," LaOfrge asked.

"I don't know, Jordie", Data replied, "this seems like a logical puzzle easy to solve but there is a nimbus of fear surroundig my metal ddiscuassions with myself. Something tells me to stay away from this subject,"

"I know what you mean, Data," Piccard interjeted, "I feel that 'nimbus of fear' myself. Piccad rarely mentioieed his emoitions to his officers but doing so felt uniquely appropiae.

Piccard wrote a highly classified message to the USS LAWRENCE RITHI and admoinihed the Capt of that ship - James Francine Etro, to surpress all plans regarding this probe test. He was to forward a copy of the proposed plans as well as everything regarding the probe.

CAPT Etro had never forgiven John-Luc PIccard for turning into Lacutus and had no initention of ever obeying oders from either Picard or Lecutis. He ordered his scientific andd enttginening staff to finish all preparatios to launch a probe.

To placate Piccard, Etro sent a message ackowledging these ordders and advised he would obey.

This was a lie.

                                                                       😮

" Do you suppose he will obry", Wil Reiker asked Jon-Luc Piccard.

"What odds are you offering me, Wil?"

Both men laughed; Data was confused; Troy just shook her head.

                                                                       😆

USS LAWRENCE RUTHIE, CAPT Etro oversaw the final preparations for sending their probe deep within a strange subspace domain. They plotted a course and sent the pribe. 

The first result was this space had four spacial domentions;  unexpected it was.

They got results that suggested time looped in knot like structures in their analyses; confusing it was.

They had data they did not what to do with.

The strange space had what was apparently life. They did not know how to interpret their data and had multiple conjectures pretending to be proven hypothesis (theories). For every supporter of a given "theory" there were three mockers.

Sentient bizare creatures occupied a space that would be forever beyond the comprehension of folks in the Federation's universe. They made creating possible subatomic structures as an art form.

The created what Piccard and many others would call "Omega Partiicals" and scattered then through several other universes including Piccard's. These were actually the aliens probes which moved forward as well as backward in time. 

Time lines changed and many different beings noted the changes and wondered why?

The strange creatures modified their own space and blocked access to "outsiders"...

This capability stunned observers into deciding there should be controls on deep subspace probes. This idea was proposed by the Rumulars and supported by the Q Continium, the Cadasians, the Federation, the Breen and even the Borg among others. This lead to terrible confusion.

The appearance of Omega Particles actually lead to various Nations denying their existence while desiritely studying them.

                                                                             😇

In the Delta Quatdrant, an odd alien species formed a polity whifh had three sub-politires in which each had a diffrent poitiflc-economyical system. Every time three planets llined up in their solar system they had different contestws on all 7 of their worlds. The winners ddetermined which politial econonic systen wouldd rule their worlds until the next such  They never eplainedd how they etermine the dates of elections.

They caled thenselves the Discontinuity of Planets or DP, ONe of their ships, the DP TETRAIN TERMINATORS would not explain this. They only said one of their vessels would enter a location on a line with the USS EDWARD BERRY.

Meanwhile, on the ENTERPRISE an agernt of the Federationn Security Servicer - commonly called Section 31 because "FSS" had bad history on Earth - arrived on ENTEERPRISE. He immeiately went into conferenc wwith CAPT Jon-Luc Piccard.

Upon arrrival, a man in the uniform of a Star Fleet Legal Commandder who also wore the Sar Fleet Intrelliggence insignia on tthe right side of his tunic annd the Comvbat Infantry Badge was escorted to CAPT Piccar's Readdy Room.

"Captain, I am a lawyer seconded to Fleet Intelligence. I have been assigned to  Statbase Wisconsin in the Intelligence Collective.  If I might have a few minutes of your time?"

"Is this a Section matter, Commander. Speak freely, I have granted access to my First Officer Commander Data and LCDRs LaForge and Worf and medical Commanders Dr Crusher and Dr Troy."

"As you wish Sector Commander Pixcard", their visitor replied. " I am Commander Virgil Orwellian Maxson both overtly of Starfleet and covertly of Section 31. My identity is part of a classified programme which I have just granted your officers access to Sector Commander Piccard. This is within my perview."

PIccard nodded.

"Have you briefed your officers on the 'Omega Particle' and the Omega-2 particles Captain Piccard?" He paused while Picard nodded a silent "no" by his head shake. "the omega Particle is thought to be the most beautiful object in the universe by the Borg, the most valuable object by the Furgegi and a dozen other policies including the Federation and an object to be used as the ultimate bargaming chip."

The Lawyer looked at each person being briefed.

"When an Omega particle decomposes and releases it gives out an unbelieable amount of energy. It can destroy subspace in a volume up to several light years in diameter. Then, communications with the people stranded there is by radio. Now you know the real reason all ships and stations are required to have gigawatt MASERS. There is a solar system that is in one such void. It takes 8 years for radio to reach the Federation planet and Deep Space Station 73S. The 'S' means stranded. The Klingons run a communications service of MASER comms and fully automated cargo ships."

Mason sighed.

"In the early years the Klingons sent Farmers and Engineers to run the ships. Everyone of these crews had mental breakdowns. Every one them. The Klingons were horrified by this failure of their testing and tealizstion.hey didf not understand their own psychology. The people on the Planet - called Ronoake - treated them very well and sent reports on them 'home'. The people chosen to make these trips were very intelligent, had immense self control and an emotional stability close to that of Vulcans. This scared the scrap out of the Klingon High Council who had not been aware that Klingons could be like this."

Commander Mason paused; Captain Piccard, in his personna as Sector Commander Piccard, *a full briefing, if you please Commander Maxson!"

"The Omega-2 particle is similar to Omega particles in that both contain incredible power expressed as unbelievable levels of kinetic energy. They are believed to be Omega particles which have undergone serious changes caused by travel through the correct subspace domains; they then become Omega-2 particlrs.  Other researchers cry "bullshit" and yet have not been able to provide alternativeve hypothesis."

Mason smilled.

"I love watching researchers going at each other with quote hammers and tongs unquote. This is almost as amusing as watching an overly bold junior officer attack Narcakins. I can not think of anyone who would do that!" 

Mason smiled gently at Picard who nodded back.

"I recall a group of Romulans who decided to raid Deep Space 7. It seems thre was an agriculture research station there. The Star Fleet people  were working on food crops for a Deltan agricultural colony on Planet 117. We think the Romulans wanted to hold these crops hostage  Have you heard this story, Virgil Orwellian?"

Virgil Orwellian Mason made an exaggerated look of surprise but did not speak. He was clearly trying hard to not to laugh or otherwise respond.

"There was a Federation Marine Corps company conducting training exercises on Planet 117. All the officers were recalled to Endora Four for all officers conference. " Why not" was heard at the eventual Court of Inquiry; no one expected a group of attackets that deep in Federation Territoroty. The senior NCO, the Command Sergeant Msjor, a fellow you may have heard of, conferred with his senior NCOs and conducted a rescue operation. He semt an urgent mesdage up his chain of command knowing the assualt would happen before a response could be received. The enemy had taken the central plaza in the middle of the city. This NCO softened the Romunan defense by using mortars to bombard the plaza with knock out gas canisters. Then, the NCO's lead forces useing phasors to conplete the knock down of enemyy forces. They told the Romular command the Senior NCOs conditions for the return of their soldiers. They agreed to the terrms but adddedd the provision that Star Fleet neverl mention thiss fiasco. Does this sound familiar Senior Gunnery Sergeant Maxson?"

"Why, why yes it does sound more than a little familiar to me, Ensign Jon-Luc Piccard" was the reply.

Both laughted; they were clearly working theit way through a familiar skit..

Picard then said: "Virgil Orwellian was my Instructor in Close Quarter Combat at the school for Ship Drivers" (he meant the Academy).

"Are you saying such a particle is either an energetic particle  equal to a supernova or something with massive kinetic energy" Data asked?"

"Yes. There is no predicting where and when they will appear or which variety."

"Where do they come from?"

"All we know is they originated deep in subspace. A now extinct species recorded on multiple sensor data streams what appeared to be a probe appearing briefly in their sky before  diving to a region, an unexplored regipn, of subspace. They used a broadband transmission of all of their this data to a storage place some 130 light years from their home solar systems. Their sensor data showed 2 Omega particles left this subspace. The subsequent explosion exterminated all three of this ancient species' planets.". 

LCDR Maxson paused.

" These solar systems were exterminated 3.7 million years ago. We have been working on analyzing their data. Their language, now very long extinct, was found by alien archeologists  in records in Memory alpha 2.  Other  records included translations of this language into a second forgotten languag. Fortunately, this second language was found in the form of a dictionary with a very old known to a living species today."

He sighed.

"This ancient alien report gave a very precise description of the probe. All this ancient information clarely shows the probe the Omega fiasco wad caused by a Star Fleet crew more interested in.exploring the unknown than in waiting s decade or three to determine the threats premature exploration could cause."

He sighed again..

"Clearely, your Captain James Francis  Etro sent his little probe. Sadly, since this is a project fleet does not wish to be known, we do not dare taking action against the USS LAWRWNCE RUTHI and her crew. We will put them under close watch."

                                                                          👺

The intelligece collection suite of thr USS LAWRENCE RUTH had collecte a vvast amounnt of date from ther llate probe. This inclue date that no one ha ddreae possible This was store in highly secure portions of theeir main computer,

Jim Etro was correct in his belief this data was safe from interuption fron tthe outssie. Sadly, it was not safe fron intecption from the insiDe. Data was securely stored in many pllaces but compromised when the computer scanned and internally routed all data to a quantum computer component hiding in the msin computrrs and which simply sent the most sensitive material by highly secure comunicatinns trnsmitteers to Section 31. Section 31's motto was "anything highly classified is something we want.

We get what we want!

The RUTHI's data was extremely valuabe to researchers who had real data to both be used to create new mathematics and explore new physics. The information was later leaked wad was the genesis of three horrific wars centuries later in the Delta Quadrant and parts of the Lesser Magalentic Cloud.

                                                                           😁

Analysis of known Omega Particles was difficult as they appeared to be a nearly random non-pattern. One Klingon researcher noted "some of the patterns resemble movement of a starship. The problem is they are scattered trough millions of years. It is as if they are normalizing to one band of times. He explained this meant that plotting Omega particles locations as if they were the possible movements of a ship. Given the millions of ship tracks contained in interstellar archives he was not hopeful of matching these hypothetical ships positions as "reported" NY a very alien species with current records...

                                                               😁😎😇😘😅

It was a quiet dday onn the USS EDWARD BERRY.  CAPT bellngham had basically finished his PhD thesis andd was "letting it simmer" while he ddid some "light reading" (advanced mathematics) andd ddoze in front of his computwe in his day cabinn (which was off the bridge).

An alarm souundde andd couniations goggles were exxreted frmm a storage drawer o the top of his computer. A banner giving the classificati level andd required transmission speed popped up on his monitor. 

Eric verified he was the only person in  his office and put the goggles on. He was inforemed that a very urgent Classs one message had been receieed from the DP TETRAIN TERMINATORS. The message was a contact report on what was identifrd as an Omega 2 particle. Eric typed in a command instructing the computer to collect all possible data on "exotic particles".

Eric was not surprised when his " Emergency Response Team" charging in.

Eric noticed their arrival but kept talking to the compurwr.

*Look for signs of Omega Particles, gin up spotting reports and display particle type and locations.

The computer listed two Omega 1parricles in the hinterlands of the Gamma Quadrant, a Omega 2_particle approaching a Federation science ship, and two Omega 3 particles moving near the speed of light near the Lesser Magalynicf Cloud.

Someone asked "what is a Omega 3 particle". Eric replied with a very Gallic shrug.

The Spotter Report from the TEREAIN EZTERMINATORS had listed multiple positions for the Omega 2_particles and clock times based on 15 quasrars. These times were incredacbly pecise. They also sent elegant mathematical formula describing the paeticles' path between poaitions.

Someone suggested they send a message asking how many types of Omega Particles there were?

The DP ship replied Four and gave a very precise description of each. The message ended with the remark that known Federation mathematics could not be used in this work; they sent a simplifid version and a beginner's " book" teaching their marhematics.

Data was amazed and took six weeks to say "I think I understand but humans will never.*

Comparing reports from the three ships quickly ahowed the EDWARD BWERY's advanced sensors were inferior to ENTERPRISE's and more Grassley inferior to the TETERAIN EXTER!MiATORS.

The alien commented on a reduction in the partixle's momentum and this resulted in the possibility the particle had impacted a ship. Thus was greeted with dismay. An analysis of where ships of various fleets yielded information on fourr ships. 

One ship was " family"; Star Fleet immediately dispatched the ENTETPRISE and EDWARD BERRY to the last known position of one ship.

CAPT Picard realized what could go wrong and knew what he must do:

-----------------

<section on Eric's restoration>

In an instant, Joh-Luc Piccard knew eactly  what Eric planned on dding. Eric wastched as Lucutis formed and was in the presence of the Borg Queen,

"This has gone on long enogh! Remove the tortures to hiis mindd, boddy andd solul andd restore Eric Randall to his finest!"

"All things must pay a price, my Prince,I will make the restortion you ddesire but you must eventually serve at my sidde as my loyal partner. Is this Eric Bellingham worthy?"

"He is, he is worthy, Restore his unblemishe soul to him!"

"I have done as you requeste my Loquitis and have restored all that was damaged. Alll that know him will see the true

She ddisappeared, Lucqutus was replace by Eric Bellijgham andd but a fraction of second hadd passsse,

"In the beginning" expanded

LCDR Eric Randall Bellingham sat at the Science Officer's position monitoring the derelict StarFleet light cruiser and listening to his bridge officer giving the approach orders. The young officer, one of his "Passed Midshipmen" gave his orders in textbook fashion but added enough flare that Eric had hope for him. 

The USS EDWARD BERRY came to a halt relative to the derelict and the bridge officer turned to LCDR Bellingham and spoke. "Sir, we've arrived and are 25 kilometers from the ghost ship. Shall I signal the flag?" (This young man had read too many old Naval novels.) 

"Yes, please do and tell ENTERPRISE we look forward to visiting with them." Eric smiled slightly as he heard his bridge officer (under instruction) exchange greetings with the ENTERPRISE's bridge officer and state the BERRY's Captain was standing by. 

Eric opened a window on one of his monitors and drafted a message to the Captain of theENTERPRISE: "John, I look forward to seeing you again! I'm going to see if I can figure thisvpuzzle out before your son does." '

The reply was "Eric, you should have marked that PRIVATE. My son Data is wondering who my son is..." '

Eric replied: "PRIVATE MESSAGE FOR CAPTAIN JON-LUC PICCARD: It won't hurt yourson to wonder and he'll figure it out fairly quickly; he is, after all, a very brigh man. Please give me best to your Doctor and head thumper; I really have been doing better lately." 

Piccard replied: "That's good to hear and my son is already scanning the dead ship." 

The dead ship was a challenge and Eric had made damage control his speciality for 12 years. He was different from other "Damage Control Engineers" in that he did more than train his troops and have drills: he liked to know why damage occurred. On a starship, there could be surprising causes for damage and so he hunted. It didn't hurt that he had a library of programmes he had written, stolen or been given "underthe table". He leaned back in his chair and tapped commands on his keyboard that caused windows to open on his monitors. He watched the displays and occasionally issued more commands on his keyboard. Windows would appear with data and disappear. He watched them, taking in the data at a rate that very few could consciously see let alone assimilate and quietly build up a picture of what had NOT happened to the dead ship. His bridge officer transferred the imagery from Eric's monitors to the main viewer; Eric didn'tnotice. 

On the ENTERPRISE, Data had patched into the BERRY's communications systems and put the images from Eric's monitors onto the ENTERPRISE's main viewer. The ENTERPRISE bridge crew was stunned. Piccard was bemused and wondered if "his Eric" had gotten over his problems and hoped the "old Eric" was back. 

Dr. Crusher was delighted. 

Eric paused when three screens started showing flickering red icons. He focused an entirely new set of diagnostics on those screens and Piccard, feeling an intuitive dread, began to frown. Eric focused on a section of the second deck where something had created a loop in an exposed pipe. This pipe carried a necessary compound that was used in the warp engine cooling system.The pipe was one of the strongest on the dead ship and in theory, should have survived a warpcore breach. It was bend into a "C" shape and had clearly breached. Eric had noticed this with his first scans but NEEDED to figure out what had caused the damage. 

Why this gas spread throughout the entire  ship so quickly was a puzzle never to be solved.

He now knew where the ship's personnel had gone. The leaks had been near a large intake for the ship's air handling system and quickly filled the ship, dissolving all organic material on the dead ship. That is, all humans, three house cats, a highly pampered lap dog and the First Officer's pet Vulcan "bird". The ship's ventilation system had vented the toxic gases but only after the "organic material" had been completely dissolved. It was a tragedy. 

Eric's final display showed a squiggly line descending through the "ceiling" and co-incident with this, the bending of the pipe. He typed in one final command and looked into a hooded monitor which came out from the equipment rack. His retina was scanned and what his fears were confirmed. 

All the monitors on the bridge when black. A monitor on Piccard's bridge chair lit up and showed what he had feared from the instant he'd seen the squiggly line: an Omega-2 particle had gone through the dead ship. Now, all records of this event would have to be classified and removed from both the BERRY and the ENTERPRISE; a lie would have to be created to satisfy the curious (weapon hidden by the Romulans was a classic standby) and it would now be safe to re-populate the dead ship. 

Piccard would leave the writing of condolence letters to the professionals at Star Fleet Headquarters. 

Eric sent a message to Piccard suggesting they met for lunch the next morning. Piccard countered with a 7 am breakfast. Eric responded with a suggestion for a 9 am breakfast and Piccard agreed. 

Eric stretched, thinking this was one of "those stressful events" he'd been warned about. However, if he was going to finally quit "using the good stuff", one last "shot of glory" would be the perfect ending to his unfortunate source of "relief from pain" and would mourn the dead. 

He looked behind him and saw all five of his Passed Midshipmen clumped together like a group of nervous Ferengi and three Ensigns from the ENTERPRISE. He hadn't noticed them beam over and assumed that Piccard had sent them. He beamed at the three Ensigns; they had been students of his at Star Fleet academy and had given memorial performances during the so-called "Wet Navy" portion of the damage control classes Eric had taught. 

From the scowls, the three "youngsters" clearly remembered Eric Bellingham. 

Roberto thin:

In an instant, Joh-Luc Piccard knew eactly  what Eric planned on dding. Eric wastched as Lucutis formed and was in the presence of the Borg Queen,

"This has gone on long enogh! Remove the tortures to hiis mindd, boddy andd solul andd restore Eric Randall to his finest!"

"All things must pay a price, my Prince,I will make the restortion you ddesire but you must eventually serve at my sidde as my loyal partner. Is this Eric Bellingham worthy?"

"He is, he is worthy, Restore his unblemishe soul to him!"

"I have done as you requeste my Loquitis and have restored all that was damaged. Alll that know him will see the true

She ddisappeared, Lucqutus was replace by Eric Bellijgham andd but a fraction of second hadd passsse,

Eric suddenly realized his binge of three months before had been his last and he could no longer indulge. He had too many people looking up to him now and he suddenly realized he needed his people to think well of him. He realized he had absolutely no interest in using any drugs.

 He was finally healed... "Well, well, it's good to see all of you again! We're going to have to survey that 'ship of the dead', gather the personal belongings and ship them to next of kin, rename that boat and repopulate her with officers and crew. I'm going to propose a crew to Captain Piccard and here is what I'm thinking of.

                                                      🙄😴😔😒😴😣🙁

Years pass and sometimes even a troubled Lieutenant Commander can become  senior officer- a Fleet Captain - who complete command of a "small boy" (the TAMERLANE) and then held command of a "dread not" (USS JONATHAN ARCHER).

His wife commanded a sector hospital at the base he was stationed. It was 2388 and life was good. The people he had robbed were happy he was unlijely to return to Earth.

Still, he did not feel conceit or arrogance.

Aftgerward:

In 2390, Sector Captain Eric Randall Bellingham was finishing up his day's work. He still worried about overworking and his staff had warned him 'it is time for you to knock off, Sir!" 

There was a knock on his door and it opened to reveal a very formally dressed young Klingon woman. She was wearing an almost traditional Kliongon Naval Uniform save that it completely lacked the cleageage revealing hole in the uniform. It was prudish considering the young woman who wore it. Actually, it would have been prudish considering who the young Klingon woman had been a mere 15 years before. 

"B'linna! I didn't know you were here!" Eric walked about his desk, walked up to the B'linna and placed his hands gently on both of her arms just above the elbow. He beamed at her; she looked very solumn and formal. 

"It is good to see you again, Sector Captain Bellingham." 

"Did I jsut hear your call me 'Sector Captain Bellingham', granddaughter?" 

"Yes, Sir, you did."

 "But wky?" 

"I have been instructed in proper behaviour and proper ediquite for Senior Officrs. Sir." 

Eric sighed. "It's been rough on you, hasn't it, little one? Did you come here under orders or to get away from orders?" 

"Yes, Sir." 

"What do you really want?" 

"I want success but I don't want to have to be so rigit. It doesn't seem right!" 

Eric yelled to his remaining staff member still in the outer office. "Larry Thomas, didn't Ambassadore Worf decide to go back to space for a while?" 

"Yes, sir." "Didn't we get a memo about staffing his crew?" 

"Yes, sir, I'm looking for that now. Ah, Worf wrote 'I need intelligent Klingons on my ship that I can trust. I want Klingons with a sense of duty, good work habits, high integrity, sobriety and a nice sense of humour. I've got five such crew members but need an offier like this.'" 

“Could you serve Work, son of Moog of the House of Martoc?" 'She nodded in agreement.

 "Worf spent a lot of time with the General at DS9 and got along well with him and I've met General Martoc and got along well with him." 

Eric's aide came in and waited till Eric noticed him. 

"I talked with Worf, suggested that B'linna, great-granddaugher of Wond, be assigned as a Helm officer. Worf agreed and wants to welcome her aboard when his vessel arrives in about an hour. Shall I tell him to expect you?" 

The aide was looking directly at Eric. 

"You may tell Worf that her grandfather, acting in loco parientis, approves this transfer." 

"The aide left and in the background, they could hear the conversation which ended with "I'll meet her at the bar, I need a large prune juice and a vodka chaser!" 

Eric looked at her; she was a foot taller than him. "Granddaugher, you'll have to bend over if you expect me to kiss your forehead." 

B'linna did so and got kissed on the forehead. 

Then, they walked out. No one was around to notice or care that she "took his arm" and that the conversation quickly grew more annimated. When Worf arrived at the bar and after she was introduced, B'linna refered to Eric as "Grandfather Targ". Worf knews the origin of this nickname and assured B'linna she would have a place on his ship until she could transfer to his friend Captain Will Riker's ship.

 Perhaps Eric had learned someting about human (or Klingon) nature from serving on Wand's ship? After she left to attend to personal business, Worf spoke softly to Eric: 

“She is behaving in a very Klingon manner.”

“Are you referring to her going to family for help when she was in trouble?”

“Yes, I am. She is a fine girl and did well at the Klingon Self Defense Force Naval Academy but she is not a Klingon Warrior at heart. B’linna will do well on my ship for it may be staffed by Klingons but it really isn’t a Klingon ship. Then, after we arrange for her to go with Will, she can spend a very nice career in the Federation Fleet.”

“Does she know that you, Will Riker and I knew each other at the Academy and that you served under Riker for nearly a decade?”

“Does it matter, my friend? She will return to family, she will return to the safety of Star Fleet and she will serve her family, the Federation and even the Klingon Empire with Honor!”

Warf paused and commented: “I need a real drink! Are you up for some of Captain Piccard’s red wine, Eric?”

“Yes, I am."

===

===

===

Chapter 2 - In the beginning... It was graduation day, that June day in 2358 and Midshipman Eric Randall Bellingham proudly marched up to the podium. He braced himself to attention and in an earlier Navy, he would have saluted. Vice Admiral J.P. Hanson smiled at him and spoke: "Midshipman Eric Bellingham has completed the course of instruction leading to a Bachelor of Science in Advanced engineering and a minor in Command. Mr. Bellingham has been accepted into the Masters programme and will be searching advanced engineering applications. He is fully qualified to serve in an Engineer officer position but that will have to wait until he completes his advanced education. I look forward to having Eric serve aborad one of my ships in the very near future." The Vice Admiral handed Eric his diploma. Eric smiled with relief and appreciation of the Vice Admiral's approval and then Passed Midshipman Eric Randall Bellingham did an about face and marched off the stage. He passed the next happy graduate and was only vaguely aware of the Vice Admiral stating "Midship woman Elizabeth Anne Stephanie Benson has successfully..." Eric's parents and irritating 15 year old sister greeted him with hugs and congratulations. His little sister stopped the dancing around the subject they all wanted to know about. "So, stupid older brother, why weren't you commissioned like that 'Elizabeth Anne something or another was? You're good enough!" His parents nodded in agreement. "I have some ideas about general engineering. We've got all sorts of tools but we study each one separately or at best, several at a time. Most people don't know what the tools have in common. If they did, the repair troops might be able to cobble together different instruments in emergencies. So, I'm going to be doing a study. I'm ... ah ... not quite sure what my thesis will be about but I've several months to decide and I'll have a good professor." "The USS PEGASUS had returned to Earth so her Captain could look over the 'fresh crop of Cadets'. His helmsman, William Thomas Riker, a graduate from the previous year, came over. "Congratulations, Eric, I've been looking forward to this day!" Riker turned to Bellingham's family. "Eric and I were in the same weapons engineering classes last year and we both tutored several cadets together." Riker abruptly glanced away and then directly addressed Eric: "A number of your friends are getting together for graduation pictures. I'll visit with your family for a few minutes and then you can head off for a nice two week v a c a t i o n!" "Once every generation, a natural engineer will crop up at the Academy and he or she will do more than just learn general systems and how to do general engineer. He or she will think deeply about basic designs of our tools and how they are similar or different. Eric will come up with a taxidermy of our various machines. His findings will be used to train engineers graduating from the academy or the Enlisted training brigade. It will be very helpful." "Why aren't all midshipmen commissioned as officers?" "Many are excellent engineers or medical types or Security forces as police or Marines. It's no dishonor to not be officer material and besides, there are far more crewman billets than officer billets on ships. There aren't very many officers on ships. Then, the enlisted training brigade is meant for specialists who will work in strictly limited areas. These are the crew who might be the best warp core electronics engineers or the best weapons techs or the best Marines. The academy graduates, whether they are commissioned or not, simply have broader educations and can move around more. Eric will be commissioned and will be a fine engineering officer. Don't worry!" After a while, Ensign Riker excused himself to wonder over and speak with other friends of his from the Academy and with their families. It was pleasant. All went as Ensign Riker had prophesied. Eric finished his training in the basics of all of StarFleet's engineering systems and his thesis detailed what instruments had in common and which parts could be modified to fit into different systems. For every Engineer who praised his work, several Engineering students cursed him for his thesis was "learn by heart" to many instructors. It was a thesis but Eric was cursed for not writing "a better textbook..." The USS TAMERLANE (NCC-11555) had been built as a fast attack gun ship shortly after the last Romulans War. For her time, she was fast and heavily armed but was designed for that war. TAMERLANE had the traditional saucer section but had a modified engineering section. Instead of being a four section composition of saucer, engineering "cylinder" and twin warm nacelles, the TAMERLANE's engineering "cylinder" was merged into the lower aft section of the saucer; the twin warp nacelles could be retracted to bring them in tight to the hull and this allowed for a smaller volume to be protected by the shields. Thus, the TAMERLANE, in effect, had a much more powerful shield that she should have. Passed Midshipman Eric Bellingham had read up on his new ship but didn't appreciate what TAMERLANE would really look like. He would learn her virtues... Eric was a passenger on a Star Fleet courier boat. Star Fleet needed very few of these craft since high speed subspace communications took care of more communications needs including replicator templates for suddenly needed products; most personnel transfers could be

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   jm

 The informa

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Her John you'd and Beverly had spent some time talking about how the son of one of his weapons specialist had "found" A new disease "the hard way". It seemed the boy had wandered into one of the artifact rooms and licked a strange alien articact. He then had a series of serious symothoms. The boy was stable when Beverly had come to bed. He remembered his Beverly leaning over and kissing his forehead. She said "go back to sleep, John-Luc. My test results should be in and I still have to figure how make a treatment for the Harris boy. boy. I am hoping Fleet Medical has developed a treatment..." He dozed off thinking "this will for an intetesting discussion over breakfast". As he ft all back asleep, he realized he was in a vivid dream. The phrase " A fever dream" went through his head. He later learned the viewer on the bridge had activated and his people had watched the bridge crew spasming on the USS BERRY and someone (the details blurred in and out of focus) appeared to give Eric an injection. Seconds later, what could only be a classic Drone injected Eric with a strong antidote to whatever Eric had been given. The evidence was clear: Eric and his people were Borg when the Queen decided they would be. This also meant Jon-Luc Piccard and an unknown number of his people were Borg as well when it was decided they would be. A voice so similar and yet so different to his spoke in Piccard's mind. It conveyed the truth that all was proceeding as planned. The images disappeared and all seemed "norrnal" aboard both ships... === Two weeks later, Eric took an IQ test Starfleet Medical mandated. The newly appointed ship's Counselor met Eric in an examiation room. The Counselor was unusual: she was a Betazid/Vulcan mixture. She wore standard medical uniform with a name tag reading "MYSTIC BLUE". Dr. Blue listened to Eric's heart and lungs, used an oxygen sensor on one of his index fingers and scanned him with a rather large medical tricorder. It was classic in that these Tricorder medical tests were new in the time of Jonathan Archer. " You have not deteriated Commander". Then she paused in what would be uncertainty about how to procede had she been human. Eric was not in the mood to delay. "What is...concerning...you Dr Blue?" "Your OIQ has gone up" Eric knew "OIQ" meant "Overall Intelligence Quotient was high. "Really?" "This can only mean new and highly improved cerebral cortex material. I will monitor." That night, he discussed this with "his Emily" who said she would monitor the situation. Eric knew he and his were blessed. The USS EDWARD BERRY was transiting from a rather boring solar system into a void between stars. There were no subspace anomolies worth noting, the intellligence feed was devoid of any hints that old enemies were actively planning evil for the Federation (Apparently someone had intruded upon a region of space the Klingon Empire was planning on colonizing and had seeded a "nice world" with Tribbles. These creatures were an "evolved version" and were sneaky; they would co-habite a "new Kligon world" for weeks before being "discovered". This did not affect the Federation and Captain Belingham had been told the worlds seeded were expected to be "invested" with Romulans hoping to sneak out resources. Eric also knew this scheme was the result of Work, Son of Moug, working with the Emperor to "stir up striff" in the Romulan Empire), and the usual War Monger or Pacifist groups throughout the Federation had run "out of steam" and were grumbling about losing membership. All this was part of the normal flow of life, In the USS EDWARD BERRY, a "mission critical" meeting was occurring. "The time for making enemies is upon us again," Eric droned in a solumn voice. "We must evaluate our Warriors Of Uber Capitan Picard Professional Performance Programme. Be brave my Warriors!" That was always good for a laugh and Eric's Officers and Chief Petty Officers came through. "Have any of our sewarts experienced an improvement or decrease in any way?" No one spoke up. "Are the lads and lasses happy with their performance ratings and scores?" HIs XO came through for him: "Everyone is at the highest ranks the personnel billet list allowed, Eric. In fact, some of them were early promoted into 'Temporary Emergency Billets: They are happy with their jobs, evaluations, and don't plan on leaving." The person speaking commanded the ship's Marine Detachment. Technically, he was the ship's Supply Officer and Marine Detachment Commander almost a hobby. Still, "hobbies" can sometimes gain more interest than "real" jobs. He was rated as one of the finest Marine Company Commanders in the FMC (Federation Marine Corps). The fact that three of his platoons were stationed on other ships did not matter in their period's Marine Corp. "When are these folks going to lose these higher ranks?" "That depends on when you cancel their bevit promotions, Sir," This was an annual consideration; mutiple ships had officers and enlsted who had been at their "higher ranks" for most of their careers. Eric replied "XO, gin up and send in the usual 'we need them at their current rank' message and we'll drop the matter until next year this time." Multiple ships, space stations and shore stations did this dance annually. A semi-retired old Master Gunnery Sergeant annually poured himself a mug of "Death Wish Coffee", read the report "no changes in status of Bevit Promotions". He sipped his coffee and went back to workiing on is third PhD Theses, a comparsion of Naval Strageties regarding submarine warfere in "World War Two" with Resistance Movements on some of both Klingon or Romulan Worlds. Somehow Federation ship yards were building Fast Friggets and "losing them... Eventually, the meeting came to a halt and Eric left "to attend to important paperwork". Everyone knew Eric was working on a history of religions inspired by myths surrounding the Borg. Eric would never know how much of his research source material had been created by the Borg Queen and buried in archives on various worlds. The Queen had swarm members who were fully aware of who they were and worked with the Queen on different projects. One had started it's existance as a clone of the mind of James Tiberous Kirk. It amused the mental clone of the mind of James Tiberius Kirk that a combat officer was destined to have a PhD in such a subject. After he left, one of Eric's Engineering Officers commented "his apparent I Q has been going up. How could that be?" Dr. Blue replied "You noted the improvement. This alone tells me you and everyone on this ship have truly been experiencing increases in their Overall Intelligece Quotient The question is 'why'?" No one had the nerve to think yet alone say"her Magesty wants it", but everyone knew it. On Enterprise, the change had began about the same time and spreads in sections leaving Piccard's people with an odd feeling of diorientation. Eventually the whole ship.was filled with far more intelligent people. People were puzzled by the feeling of disorientation that came, went and could not be explained. They were puzzle at the feelings of everything being easier to undersand and why did everyone seem smarter. This caused relationship disorientation. Her Magesty, the Borg Queen smiled in joy. 💎 Chaper: An Aside In a quiet section of the galaxu, a scientific research ship named the USS LAWRENCE RUTHIE was preparing to perform subspace surveys of an area with unusual features. They had sent preliminary results to LCDR Data on the ENTERPRISE and to Fleet Research Sercirity. Both LCDR Data and the duty staff at Fleet had sent diect orders: They were to take passive data readings but not to take active soundings. Somehow they had not received these warnings. It was the work of three days to rig an experimental probe that used different suspect soectrums. When Data read the analysis of the methedology he was shocked he called CAPT Picard and asked to brief him. Xx "Captain, the propose experriental commmuniccations protocols could be taken as communications attempts or an assualt by energy weapons, I can't tell the affect to objects in the subspace domaiins they propose to probe. We need to tell the RUTIE to hold off on these experiments until betteerr eduated and equipedd agencies can ook ddeeply into this.' LCDR Data was unuually firm in his recomnendation. "Who wouldd you recomend to do this tersting, Data?" CDR LaForge was acting First Officer as well as chief Engineer. "I am relucant to sent this material through normal channnels, even at the Fleet Uber Umbra Level (the highest level of classification in the Federation and Klingon Emipre). There is too much a risk someone will ddown grade the classification of this material or worst, declasify it and publish it!" "Why do you fear this, Dataa," LaOfrge asked. "I don't know, Jordie", Data replied, "this seems like a logical puzzle easy to solve but there is a nimbus of fear surroundig my metal ddiscuassions with myself. Something tells me to stay away from this subject," "I know what you mean, Data," Piccard interjeted, "I feel that 'nimbus of fear' myself. Piccad rarely mentioieed his emoitions to his officers but doing so felt uniquely appropiae. Piccard wrote a highly classified message to the USS LAWRENCE RITHI and admoinihed the Capt of that ship - James Francine Etro, to surpress all plans regarding this probe test. He was to forward a copy of the proposed plans as well as everything regarding the probe. CAPT Etro had never forgiven John-Luc PIccard for turning into Lacutus and had no initention of ever obeying oders from either Picard or Lecutis. He ordered his scientific andd enttginening staff to finish all preparatios to launch a probe. To placate Piccard, Etro sent a message ackowledging these ordders and advised he would obey. This was a lie. 😮 " Do you suppose he will obry", Wil Reiker asked Jon-Luc Piccard. "What odds are you offering me, Wil?" Both men laughed; Data was confused; Troy just shook her head. 😆 USS LAWRENCE RUTHIE, CAPT Etro oversaw the final preparations for sending their probe deep within a strange subspace domain. They plotted a course and sent the pribe. The first result was this space had four spacial domentions; unexpected it was. They got results that suggested time looped in knot like structures in their analyses; confusing it was. They had data they did not what to do with. The strange space had what was apparently life. They did not know how to interpret their data and had multiple conjectures pretending to be proven hypothesis (theories). For every supporter of a given "theory" there were three mockers. Sentient bizare creatures occupied a space that would be forever beyond the comprehension of folks in the Federation's universe. They made creating possible subatomic structures as an art form. The created what Piccard and many others would call "Omega Partiicals" and scattered then through several other universes including Piccard's. These were actually the aliens probes which moved forward as well as backward in time. Time lines changed and many different beings noted the changes and wondered why? The strange creatures modified their own space and blocked access to "outsiders"... This capability stunned observers into deciding there should be controls on deep subspace probes. This idea was proposed by the Rumulars and supported by the Q Continium, the Cadasians, the Federation, the Breen and even the Borg among others. This lead to terrible confusion. The appearance of Omega Particles actually lead to various Nations denying their existence while desiritely studying them. 😇 In the Delta Quatdrant, an odd alien species formed a polity whifh had three sub-politires in which each had a diffrent poitiflc-economyical system. Every time three planets llined up in their solar system they had different contestws on all 7 of their worlds. The winners ddetermined which politial econonic systen wouldd rule their worlds until the next such They never eplainedd how they etermine the dates of elections. They caled thenselves the Discontinuity of Planets or DP, ONe of their ships, the DP TETRAIN TERMINATORS would not explain this. They only said one of their vessels would enter a location on a line with the USS EDWARD BERRY. Meanwhile, on the ENTERPRISE an agernt of the Federationn Security Servicer - commonly called Section 31 because "FSS" had bad history on Earth - arrived on ENTEERPRISE. He immeiately went into conferenc wwith CAPT Jon-Luc Piccard. Upon arrrival, a man in the uniform of a Star Fleet Legal Commandder who also wore the Sar Fleet Intrelliggence insignia on tthe right side of his tunic annd the Comvbat Infantry Badge was escorted to CAPT Piccar's Readdy Room. "Captain, I am a lawyer seconded to Fleet Intelligence. I have been assigned to Statbase Wisconsin in the Intelligence Collective. If I might have a few minutes of your time?" "Is this a Section matter, Commander. Speak freely, I have granted access to my First Officer Commander Data and LCDRs LaForge and Worf and medical Commanders Dr Crusher and Dr Troy." "As you wish Sector Commander Pixcard", their visitor replied. " I am Commander Virgil Orwellian Maxson both overtly of Starfleet and covertly of Section 31. My identity is part of a classified programme which I have just granted your officers access to Sector Commander Piccard. This is within my perview." PIccard nodded. "Have you briefed your officers on the 'Omega Particle' and the Omega-2 particles Captain Piccard?" He paused while Picard nodded a silent "no" by his head shake. "the omega Particle is thought to be the most beautiful object in the universe by the Borg, the most valuable object by the Furgegi and a dozen other policies including the Federation and an object to be used as the ultimate bargaming chip." The Lawyer looked at each person being briefed. "When an Omega particle decomposes and releases it gives out an unbelieable amount of energy. It can destroy subspace in a volume up to several light years in diameter. Then, communications with the people stranded there is by radio. Now you know the real reason all ships and stations are required to have gigawatt MASERS. There is a solar system that is in one such void. It takes 8 years for radio to reach the Federation planet and Deep Space Station 73S. The 'S' means stranded. The Klingons run a communications service of MASER comms and fully automated cargo ships." Mason sighed. "In the early years the Klingons sent Farmers and Engineers to run the ships. Everyone of these crews had mental breakdowns. Every one them. The Klingons were horrified by this failure of their testing and tealizstion.hey didf not understand their own psychology. The people on the Planet - called Ronoake - treated them very well and sent reports on them 'home'. The people chosen to make these trips were very intelligent, had immense self control and an emotional stability close to that of Vulcans. This scared the scrap out of the Klingon High Council who had not been aware that Klingons could be like this." Commander Mason paused; Captain Piccard, in his personna as Sector Commander Piccard, *a full briefing, if you please Commander Maxson!" "The Omega-2 particle is similar to Omega particles in that both contain incredible power expressed as unbelievable levels of kinetic energy. They are believed to be Omega particles which have undergone serious changes caused by travel through the correct subspace domains; they then become Omega-2 particlrs. Other researchers cry "bullshit" and yet have not been able to provide alternativeve hypothesis." Mason smilled. "I love watching researchers going at each other with quote hammers and tongs unquote. This is almost as amusing as watching an overly bold junior officer attack Narcakins. I can not think of anyone who would do that!" Mason smiled gently at Picard who nodded back. "I recall a group of Romulans who decided to raid Deep Space 7. It seems thre was an agriculture research station there. The Star Fleet people were working on food crops for a Deltan agricultural colony on Planet 117. We think the Romulans wanted to hold these crops hostage Have you heard this story, Virgil Orwellian?" Virgil Orwellian Mason made an exaggerated look of surprise but did not speak. He was clearly trying hard to not to laugh or otherwise respond. "There was a Federation Marine Corps company conducting training exercises on Planet 117. All the officers were recalled to Endora Four for all officers conference. " Why not" was heard at the eventual Court of Inquiry; no one expected a group of attackets that deep in Federation Territoroty. The senior NCO, the Command Sergeant Msjor, a fellow you may have heard of, conferred with his senior NCOs and conducted a rescue operation. He semt an urgent mesdage up his chain of command knowing the assualt would happen before a response could be received. The enemy had taken the central plaza in the middle of the city. This NCO softened the Romunan defense by using mortars to bombard the plaza with knock out gas canisters. Then, the NCO's lead forces useing phasors to conplete the knock down of enemyy forces. They told the Romular command the Senior NCOs conditions for the return of their soldiers. They agreed to the terrms but adddedd the provision that Star Fleet neverl mention thiss fiasco. Does this sound familiar Senior Gunnery Sergeant Maxson?" "Why, why yes it does sound more than a little familiar to me, Ensign Jon-Luc Piccard" was the reply. Both laughted; they were clearly working theit way through a familiar skit.. Picard then said: "Virgil Orwellian was my Instructor in Close Quarter Combat at the school for Ship Drivers" (he meant the Academy). "Are you saying such a particle is either an energetic particle equal to a supernova or something with massive kinetic energy" Data asked?" "Yes. There is no predicting where and when they will appear or which variety." "Where do they come from?" "All we know is they originated deep in subspace. A now extinct species recorded on multiple sensor data streams what appeared to be a probe appearing briefly in their sky before diving to a region, an unexplored regipn, of subspace. They used a broadband transmission of all of their this data to a storage place some 130 light years from their home solar systems. Their sensor data showed 2 Omega particles left this subspace. The subsequent explosion exterminated all three of this ancient species' planets.". LCDR Maxson paused. " These solar systems were exterminated 3.7 million years ago. We have been working on analyzing their data. Their language, now very long extinct, was found by alien archeologists in records in Memory alpha 2. Other records included translations of this language into a second forgotten languag. Fortunately, this second language was found in the form of a dictionary with a very old known to a living species today." He sighed. "This ancient alien report gave a very precise description of the probe. All this ancient information clarely shows the probe the Omega fiasco wad caused by a Star Fleet crew more interested in.exploring the unknown than in waiting s decade or three to determine the threats premature exploration could cause." He sighed again.. "Clearely, your Captain James Francis Etro sent his little probe. Sadly, since this is a project fleet does not wish to be known, we do not dare taking action against the USS LAWRWNCE RUTHI and her crew. We will put them under close watch." 👺 The intelligece collection suite of thr USS LAWRENCE RUTH had collecte a vvast amounnt of date from ther llate probe. This inclue date that no one ha ddreae possible This was store in highly secure portions of theeir main computer, Jim Etro was correct in his belief this data was safe from interuption fron tthe outssie. Sadly, it was not safe fron intecption from the insiDe. Data was securely stored in many pllaces but compromised when the computer scanned and internally routed all data to a quantum computer component hiding in the msin computrrs and which simply sent the most sensitive material by highly secure comunicatinns trnsmitteers to Section 31. Section 31's motto was "anything highly classified is something we want. We get what we want! The RUTHI's data was extremely valuabe to researchers who had real data to both be used to create new mathematics and explore new physics. The information was later leaked wad was the genesis of three horrific wars centuries later in the Delta Quadrant and parts of the Lesser Magalentic Cloud. 😁 Analysis of known Omega Particles was difficult as they appeared to be a nearly random non-pattern. One Klingon researcher noted "some of the patterns resemble movement of a starship. The problem is they are scattered trough millions of years. It is as if they are normalizing to one band of times. He explained this meant that plotting Omega particles locations as if they were the possible movements of a ship. Given the millions of ship tracks contained in interstellar archives he was not hopeful of matching these hypothetical ships positions as "reported" NY a very alien species with current records... 😁😎😇😘😅 It was a quiet dday onn the USS EDWARD BERRY. CAPT bellngham had basically finished his PhD thesis andd was "letting it simmer" while he ddid some "light reading" (advanced mathematics) andd ddoze in front of his computwe in his day cabinn (which was off the bridge). An alarm souundde andd couniations goggles were exxreted frmm a storage drawer o the top of his computer. A banner giving the classificati level andd required transmission speed popped up on his monitor. Eric verified he was the only person in his office and put the goggles on. He was inforemed that a very urgent Classs one message had been receieed from the DP TETRAIN TERMINATORS. The message was a contact report on what was identifrd as an Omega 2 particle. Eric typed in a command instructing the computer to collect all possible data on "exotic particles". Eric was not surprised when his " Emergency Response Team" charging in. Eric noticed their arrival but kept talking to the compurwr. *Look for signs of Omega Particles, gin up spotting reports and display particle type and locations. The computer listed two Omega 1parricles in the hinterlands of the Gamma Quadrant, a Omega 2_particle approaching a Federation science ship, and two Omega 3 particles moving near the speed of light near the Lesser Magalynicf Cloud. Someone asked "what is a Omega 3 particle". Eric replied with a very Gallic shrug. The Spotter Report from the TEREAIN EZTERMINATORS had listed multiple positions for the Omega 2_particles and clock times based on 15 quasrars. These times were incredacbly pecise. They also sent elegant mathematical formula describing the paeticles' path between poaitions. Someone suggested they send a message asking how many types of Omega Particles there were? The DP ship replied Four and gave a very precise description of each. The message ended with the remark that known Federation mathematics could not be used in this work; they sent a simplifid version and a beginner's " book" teaching their marhematics. Data was amazed and took six weeks to say "I think I understand but humans will never.* Comparing reports from the three ships quickly ahowed the EDWARD BWERY's advanced sensors were inferior to ENTERPRISE's and more Grassley inferior to the TETERAIN EXTER!MiATORS. The alien commented on a reduction in the partixle's momentum and this resulted in the possibility the particle had impacted a ship. Thus was greeted with dismay. An analysis of where ships of various fleets yielded information on fourr ships. One ship was " family"; Star Fleet immediately dispatched the ENTETPRISE and EDWARD BERRY to the last known position of one ship. CAPT Picard realized what could go wrong and knew what he must do: -----------------

In an instant, Joh-Luc Piccard knew eactly what Eric planned on dding. Eric wastched as Lucutis formed and was in the presence of the Borg Queen, "This has gone on long enogh! Remove the tortures to hiis mindd, boddy andd solul andd restore Eric Randall to his finest!" "All things must pay a price, my Prince,I will make the restortion you ddesire but you must eventually serve at my sidde as my loyal partner. Is this Eric Bellingham worthy?" "He is, he is worthy, Restore his unblemishe soul to him!" "I have done as you requeste my Loquitis and have restored all that was damaged. Alll that know him will see the true She ddisappeared, Lucqutus was replace by Eric Bellijgham andd but a fraction of second hadd passsse, "In the beginning" expanded LCDR Eric Randall Bellingham sat at the Science Officer's position monitoring the derelict StarFleet light cruiser and listening to his bridge officer giving the approach orders. The young officer, one of his "Passed Midshipmen" gave his orders in textbook fashion but added enough flare that Eric had hope for him. The USS EDWARD BERRY came to a halt relative to the derelict and the bridge officer turned to LCDR Bellingham and spoke. "Sir, we've arrived and are 25 kilometers from the ghost ship. Shall I signal the flag?" (This young man had read too many old Naval novels.) "Yes, please do and tell ENTERPRISE we look forward to visiting with them." Eric smiled slightly as he heard his bridge officer (under instruction) exchange greetings with the ENTERPRISE's bridge officer and state the BERRY's Captain was standing by. Eric opened a window on one of his monitors and drafted a message to the Captain of theENTERPRISE: "John, I look forward to seeing you again! I'm going to see if I can figure thisvpuzzle out before your son does." ' The reply was "Eric, you should have marked that PRIVATE. My son Data is wondering who my son is..." ' Eric replied: "PRIVATE MESSAGE FOR CAPTAIN JON-LUC PICCARD: It won't hurt yourson to wonder and he'll figure it out fairly quickly; he is, after all, a very brigh man. Please give me best to your Doctor and head thumper; I really have been doing better lately." Piccard replied: "That's good to hear and my son is already scanning the dead ship." The dead ship was a challenge and Eric had made damage control his speciality for 12 years. He was different from other "Damage Control Engineers" in that he did more than train his troops and have drills: he liked to know why damage occurred. On a starship, there could be surprising causes for damage and so he hunted. It didn't hurt that he had a library of programmes he had written, stolen or been given "underthe table". He leaned back in his chair and tapped commands on his keyboard that caused windows to open on his monitors. He watched the displays and occasionally issued more commands on his keyboard. Windows would appear with data and disappear. He watched them, taking in the data at a rate that very few could consciously see let alone assimilate and quietly build up a picture of what had NOT happened to the dead ship. His bridge officer transferred the imagery from Eric's monitors to the main viewer; Eric didn'tnotice. On the ENTERPRISE, Data had patched into the BERRY's communications systems and put the images from Eric's monitors onto the ENTERPRISE's main viewer. The ENTERPRISE bridge crew was stunned. Piccard was bemused and wondered if "his Eric" had gotten over his problems and hoped the "old Eric" was back. Dr. Crusher was delighted. Eric paused when three screens started showing flickering red icons. He focused an entirely new set of diagnostics on those screens and Piccard, feeling an intuitive dread, began to frown. Eric focused on a section of the second deck where something had created a loop in an exposed pipe. This pipe carried a necessary compound that was used in the warp engine cooling system.The pipe was one of the strongest on the dead ship and in theory, should have survived a warpcore breach. It was bend into a "C" shape and had clearly breached. Eric had noticed this with his first scans but NEEDED to figure out what had caused the damage. Why this gas spread throughout the entire ship so quickly was a puzzle never to be solved. He now knew where the ship's personnel had gone. The leaks had been near a large intake for the ship's air handling system and quickly filled the ship, dissolving all organic material on the dead ship. That is, all humans, three house cats, a highly pampered lap dog and the First Officer's pet Vulcan "bird". The ship's ventilation system had vented the toxic gases but only after the "organic material" had been completely dissolved. It was a tragedy. Eric's final display showed a squiggly line descending through the "ceiling" and co-incident with this, the bending of the pipe. He typed in one final command and looked into a hooded monitor which came out from the equipment rack. His retina was scanned and what his fears were confirmed. All the monitors on the bridge when black. A monitor on Piccard's bridge chair lit up and showed what he had feared from the instant he'd seen the squiggly line: an Omega-2 particle had gone through the dead ship. Now, all records of this event would have to be classified and removed from both the BERRY and the ENTERPRISE; a lie would have to be created to satisfy the curious (weapon hidden by the Romulans was a classic standby) and it would now be safe to re-populate the dead ship. Piccard would leave the writing of condolence letters to the professionals at Star Fleet Headquarters. Eric sent a message to Piccard suggesting they met for lunch the next morning. Piccard countered with a 7 am breakfast. Eric responded with a suggestion for a 9 am breakfast and Piccard agreed. Eric stretched, thinking this was one of "those stressful events" he'd been warned about. However, if he was going to finally quit "using the good stuff", one last "shot of glory" would be the perfect ending to his unfortunate source of "relief from pain" and would mourn the dead. He looked behind him and saw all five of his Passed Midshipmen clumped together like a group of nervous Ferengi and three Ensigns from the ENTERPRISE. He hadn't noticed them beam over and assumed that Piccard had sent them. He beamed at the three Ensigns; they had been students of his at Star Fleet academy and had given memorial performances during the so-called "Wet Navy" portion of the damage control classes Eric had taught. From the scowls, the three "youngsters" clearly remembered Eric Bellingham. Roberto thin: In an instant, Joh-Luc Piccard knew eactly what Eric planned on dding. Eric wastched as Lucutis formed and was in the presence of the Borg Queen, "This has gone on long enogh! Remove the tortures to hiis mindd, boddy andd solul andd restore Eric Randall to his finest!" "All things must pay a price, my Prince,I will make the restortion you ddesire but you must eventually serve at my sidde as my loyal partner. Is this Eric Bellingham worthy?" "He is, he is worthy, Restore his unblemishe soul to him!" "I have done as you requeste my Loquitis and have restored all that was damaged. Alll that know him will see the true She ddisappeared, Lucqutus was replace by Eric Bellijgham andd but a fraction of second hadd passsse, Eric suddenly realized his binge of three months before had been his last and he could no longer indulge. He had too many people looking up to him now and he suddenly realized he needed his people to think well of him. He realized he had absolutely no interest in using any drugs. He was finally healed... "Well, well, it's good to see all of you again! We're going to have to survey that 'ship of the dead', gather the personal belongings and ship them to next of kin, rename that boat and repopulate her with officers and crew. I'm going to propose a crew to Captain Piccard and here is what I'm thinking of. 🙄😴😔😒😴😣🙁 Years pass and sometimes even a troubled Lieutenant Commander can become senior officer- a Fleet Captain - who complete command of a "small boy" (the TAMERLANE) and then held command of a "dread not" (USS JONATHAN ARCHER). His wife commanded a sector hospital at the base he was stationed. It was 2388 and life was good. The people he had robbed were happy he was unlijely to return to Earth. Still, he did not feel conceit or arrogance. Aftgerward: In 2390, Sector Captain Eric Randall Bellingham was finishing up his day's work. He still worried about overworking and his staff had warned him 'it is time for you to knock off, Sir!" There was a knock on his door and it opened to reveal a very formally dressed young Klingon woman. She was wearing an almost traditional Kliongon Naval Uniform save that it completely lacked the cleageage revealing hole in the uniform. It was prudish considering the young woman who wore it. Actually, it would have been prudish considering who the young Klingon woman had been a mere 15 years before. "B'linna! I didn't know you were here!" Eric walked about his desk, walked up to the B'linna and placed his hands gently on both of her arms just above the elbow. He beamed at her; she looked very solumn and formal. "It is good to see you again, Sector Captain Bellingham." "Did I jsut hear your call me 'Sector Captain Bellingham', granddaughter?" "Yes, Sir, you did." "But wky?" "I have been instructed in proper behaviour and proper ediquite for Senior Officrs. Sir." Eric sighed. "It's been rough on you, hasn't it, little one? Did you come here under orders or to get away from orders?" "Yes, Sir." "What do you really want?" "I want success but I don't want to have to be so rigit. It doesn't seem right!" Eric yelled to his remaining staff member still in the outer office. "Larry Thomas, didn't Ambassadore Worf decide to go back to space for a while?" "Yes, sir." "Didn't we get a memo about staffing his crew?" "Yes, sir, I'm looking for that now. Ah, Worf wrote 'I need intelligent Klingons on my ship that I can trust. I want Klingons with a sense of duty, good work habits, high integrity, sobriety and a nice sense of humour. I've got five such crew members but need an offier like this.'" “Could you serve Work, son of Moog of the House of Martoc?" 'She nodded in agreement. "Worf spent a lot of time with the General at DS9 and got along well with him and I've met General Martoc and got along well with him." Eric's aide came in and waited till Eric noticed him. "I talked with Worf, suggested that B'linna, great-granddaugher of Wond, be assigned as a Helm officer. Worf agreed and wants to welcome her aboard when his vessel arrives in about an hour. Shall I tell him to expect you?" The aide was looking directly at Eric. "You may tell Worf that her grandfather, acting in loco parientis, approves this transfer." "The aide left and in the background, they could hear the conversation which ended with "I'll meet her at the bar, I need a large prune juice and a vodka chaser!" Eric looked at her; she was a foot taller than him. "Granddaugher, you'll have to bend over if you expect me to kiss your forehead." B'linna did so and got kissed on the forehead. Then, they walked out. No one was around to notice or care that she "took his arm" and that the conversation quickly grew more annimated. When Worf arrived at the bar and after she was introduced, B'linna refered to Eric as "Grandfather Targ". Worf knews the origin of this nickname and assured B'linna she would have a place on his ship until she could transfer to his friend Captain Will Riker's ship. Perhaps Eric had learned someting about human (or Klingon) nature from serving on Wand's ship? After she left to attend to personal business, Worf spoke softly to Eric: “She is behaving in a very Klingon manner.” “Are you referring to her going to family for help when she was in trouble?” “Yes, I am. She is a fine girl and did well at the Klingon Self Defense Force Naval Academy but she is not a Klingon Warrior at heart. B’linna will do well on my ship for it may be staffed by Klingons but it really isn’t a Klingon ship. Then, after we arrange for her to go with Will, she can spend a very nice career in the Federation Fleet.” “Does she know that you, Will Riker and I knew each other at the Academy and that you served under Riker for nearly a decade?” “Does it matter, my friend? She will return to family, she will return to the safety of Star Fleet and she will serve her family, the Federation and even the Klingon Empire with Honor!” Warf paused and commented: “I need a real drink! Are you up for some of Captain Piccard’s red wine, Eric?” “Yes, I am." === === === Chapter 2 - In the beginning... It was graduation day, that June day in 2358 and Midshipman Eric Randall Bellingham proudly marched up to the podium. He braced himself to attention and in an earlier Navy, he would have saluted. Vice Admiral J.P. Hanson smiled at him and spoke: "Midshipman Eric Bellingham has completed the course of instruction leading to a Bachelor of Science in Advanced engineering and a minor in Command. Mr. Bellingham has been accepted into the Masters programme and will be searching advanced engineering applications. He is fully qualified to serve in an Engineer officer position but that will have to wait until he completes his advanced education. I look forward to having Eric serve aborad one of my ships in the very near future." The Vice Admiral handed Eric his diploma. Eric smiled with relief and appreciation of the Vice Admiral's approval and then Passed Midshipman Eric Randall Bellingham did an about face and marched off the stage. He passed the next happy graduate and was only vaguely aware of the Vice Admiral stating "Midship woman Elizabeth Anne Stephanie Benson has successfully..." Eric's parents and irritating 15 year old sister greeted him with hugs and congratulations. His little sister stopped the dancing around the subject they all wanted to know about. "So, stupid older brother, why weren't you commissioned like that 'Elizabeth Anne something or another was? You're good enough!" His parents nodded in agreement. "I have some ideas about general engineering. We've got all sorts of tools but we study each one separately or at best, several at a time. Most people don't know what the tools have in common. If they did, the repair troops might be able to cobble together different instruments in emergencies. So, I'm going to be doing a study. I'm ... ah ... not quite sure what my thesis will be about but I've several months to decide and I'll have a good professor." "The USS PEGASUS had returned to Earth so her Captain could look over the 'fresh crop of Cadets'. His helmsman, William Thomas Riker, a graduate from the previous year, came over. "Congratulations, Eric, I've been looking forward to this day!" Riker turned to Bellingham's family. "Eric and I were in the same weapons engineering classes last year and we both tutored several cadets together." Riker abruptly glanced away and then directly addressed Eric: "A number of your friends are getting together for graduation pictures. I'll visit with your family for a few minutes and then you can head off for a nice two week v a c a t i o n!" "Once every generation, a natural engineer will crop up at the Academy and he or she will do more than just learn general systems and how to do general engineer. He or she will think deeply about basic designs of our tools and how they are similar or different. Eric will come up with a taxidermy of our various machines. His findings will be used to train engineers graduating from the academy or the Enlisted training brigade. It will be very helpful." "Why aren't all midshipmen commissioned as officers?" "Many are excellent engineers or medical types or Security forces as police or Marines. It's no dishonor to not be officer material and besides, there are far more crewman billets than officer billets on ships. There aren't very many officers on ships. Then, the enlisted training brigade is meant for specialists who will work in strictly limited areas. These are the crew who might be the best warp core electronics engineers or the best weapons techs or the best Marines. The academy graduates, whether they are commissioned or not, simply have broader educations and can move around more. Eric will be commissioned and will be a fine engineering officer. Don't worry!" After a while, Ensign Riker excused himself to wonder over and speak with other friends of his from the Academy and with their families. It was pleasant. All went as Ensign Riker had prophesied. Eric finished his training in the basics of all of StarFleet's engineering systems and his thesis detailed what instruments had in common and which parts could be modified to fit into different systems. For every Engineer who praised his work, several Engineering students cursed him for his thesis was "learn by heart" to many instructors. It was a thesis but Eric was cursed for not writing "a better textbook..." The USS TAMERLANE (NCC-11555) had been built as a fast attack gun ship shortly after the last Romulans War. For her time, she was fast and heavily armed but was designed for that war. TAMERLANE had the traditional saucer section but had a modified engineering section. Instead of being a four section composition of saucer, engineering "cylinder" and twin warm nacelles, the TAMERLANE's engineering "cylinder" was merged into the lower aft section of the saucer; the twin warp nacelles could be retracted to bring them in tight to the hull and this allowed for a smaller volume to be protected by the shields. Thus, the TAMERLANE, in effect, had a much more powerful shield that she should have. Passed Midshipman Eric Bellingham had read up on his new ship but didn't appreciate what TAMERLANE would really look like. He would learn her virtues... Eric was a passenger on a Star Fleet courier boat. Star Fleet needed very few of these craft since high speed subspace communications took care of more communications needs including replicator templates for suddenly needed products; most personnel transfers could be jm The informa ___ Amber.simmons@cloud.edu Norton's Brewery St Francis and DouglPokadot Princess Beer Parmasion Fries Burgers