From: Melvin Harry Pollack 
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 09:54:31 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: USS CHESAPEAKE: Putting the (Dinner) Pieces Together

> Brennan took a sip of his water and looked around the room.  "Have 
> you had a chance to meet all of the senior officers who've 
> reported so far, Commander?"
> 
> "I've met Lieutenant Murray, of course, and the Counselor.  I 
> haven't met the others yet."
> 
> He nodded understandingly.  "You've been busy.  OPS is always the 
> busiest department on a ship, especially before departure."  He 
> indulged himself in a dramatic pause.  "And in the heat of 
> battle."
> 
  "Oh?  I was aware of the paperwork that needs to be done; I've been
swamped since I got here.  But I wasn't aware of battle."
> 
> "I fell into my first OPS billet in the middle of a warzone."  He 
> looked into his glass.  "My predecessor was KIA, and I was the 
> most senior department head on the ship.  I was given a field 
> promotion to Lieutenant Commander on a ship under enemy fire."  He 
> looked back up at the tall officer, and smiled.  "But things have 
> a way of falling into place."  
> 
> He took another sip of water.  "So, tell me about some of your 
> experiences on the STONEWALL.  I understand you've had some 
> interesting ones."
> 
	"Oh, it's been interesting.  I served in four missions.  
With four FCO."
	"Really.  I hope that we don't have turnover problems like that."
	"We had some pretty strange missions on the Stonewall.  I
remember a recent mission where we were assigned to take some weather
equipment to a planet."
	"On a warship?"
	"Yes, well what they neglected to tell us was that there was a
major civil war occuring on the planet, and that both factions had made
clones of our first officer.  One of the factions also sent a souped - up
human to pose as a beaurocrat, and prepared a death star to be protected
by the same weather equipment."
	"You're kidding, right?   Was this typical?"
	"Oh, no.  This was one of the more boring ones.  And the only
mission that I didn't wind up in sickbay."
> 
>                                * * * * *
> 
> (Insert Murray's and Keyrin's entrance, as well as Bell's 
> reaction, here)
> 
> "Commander," th'Tellan started, "you mentioned you were on the 
> SOUTH FORK during the Kadras Incident.  I'm curious -- has 
> anything happened with that case?  I had followed it for a while, 
> but...."
> 
> "Well, nothing, really -- Starfleet red tape being what it is."
> 
> "Red tape?"
> 
> "A Terran term, Commander.  Bureaucracy.  The more people are 
> involved in an organisation -- and Starfleet indeed needs those 
> people -- the longer anything takes to get done."
> 
	"Yes, I'm aware of what it is.  I did minor in 20th century
culture.  And after working with the damn pencil pushers, I think anyone
would know what it is."
	"Well, don't forget.  You're probably one, now."
	"Ugh, don't remind me."
> 
> "*I imagine Rihannsu has the equivalent, although I have never 
> been strong in colloquial expressions,*" said Brennan.  He was 
> glad his Rihannsu was somewhat less rusty than his Shrevashal.
> 
> "*Yes, they do.  But the literal translation is petty worm.*" answered
>th'Tellan in the same tongue, smiling.  "Your pronounciation is excellent."
> 
> "Thank you.  I try my best."
> 
> "What other languages do you speak?"
> 
> "Well, Standard, of course, and Rihannsu," he replied.  "Besides 
> that?  Hmm... French, Italian, German, Vulcan, Klingon, 
> Cardassian, *some* Shrevashal," he paused, glancing at the 
> Counselor, "oh, and British Sign Language, as well as the sign 
> language developed on Solais V."
> 
> "Impressive.  Solais V?"
> 
> "Solais V had been introduced to sign language by Riva, the famous 
> mediator.  I believe the original intent was to facilitate  
> mediation, but once Riva had left, that sign language took on its 
> own flavour, started to reflect its own political and cultural 
> structures.  Quite an intersting linguistic development, 
> actually."
> 
> "I see.  But why sign language?"
> 
> "My mother is Deaf."
> 
> "Oh."  He seemed struck by that.  "Romulans have never really 
> developed sign language -- social taboos, and all that."  Plus, people
who are deaf are looked on as worthless, th'Tellan thought.  "I employ 
> some, but..."
> 
> Brennan perked up.  "Really?  How did you come to use sign?"
> 
> th'Tellan related his loss of hearing in one of his ears, but neglected 
to mention that he was almost euthanized because of it. "... so 
> I've developed methods with which to augment my communication."
> 
> Brennan nodded.  "Of course.  My father is not deaf, but he is a 
> speech teacher, which is how he met my mother.  And he's developed 
> a few tricks of his own in communicating with his students."  He 
> laughed.  "Music was always played very loudly at our house, and 
> the communicators were always on high as well.  The neighbours 
> would complain every once in a while, but my father wanted my 
> mother, and any students he had staying at the house, to enjoy 
> it.  All of us, my brother, sister, and I, all learned to 
> sign -- if only to be heard over the noise level."
> 
> "*And to say things behind your parents' backs?*" the Romulan 
> signed.
> 
> "*Of course!  What children don't?*" he signed back, and they both 
> laughed.
> 
> There was a short pause as the men caught their breaths.  Brennan 
> was about to say something when he was addressed across the table.
> 
> > "Commander Brennan?"
> 
> He looked up.  It was Ensign Keyrin, the Chief of Security.
> 
> > "Just to let you know, I'm planning on running the first of 
> > those security drills tomorrow evening."
> 
> He could hear a trace of amusement in her voice.
> 
[Snip of more conversation.]
> "She...."  Murray paused for a moment.  "Doctor Ledoux said she 
> was indisposed, and that she was going to rest in her quarters."
> 
> "I see."  His eyes went to the doors through which Catherine 
> Ledoux had left the room.  He was going to have to talk to her 
> eventually.  He was no counselor, certainly, but if this started 
> to affect her performance, it would also be *his* problem.
> 
> As the next course was laid out in front of him, he noticed he had 
> attracted Murray's attention.
> 

Submitted by....
Melvin Pollack
Lt Cmdr Avikar th'Tellan
OPS USS Chesapeake

Go to messages for March 1997 or Main Archive Page