Ship of the Line - Diane Carey [42]
” ‘Fall’ is one way to put it,” Picard said.
“Oh—sorry.” Bateson shook his head at his social goof and said, “If you don’t mind waiting a few minutes for your tour, I have to pass along these schematics to the engineers aboard the Roderick. She’s being built in the other dock. They’re just installing her warp core and phaser banks now and they need some numbers. Got to have some fighting ships ready, you know, with the Klingons making so many angry noises these days.” Bateson angled an eyebrow mischievously and added, “We don’t ignore Klingons where I come from. Come on. I’ll show you the specs.”
They walked off—two captains talking about a ship, their favorite subject.
Riker and the two women stood there in the middle of the engineering deck, and a sudden sense of ill ease crept between them. Riker felt it, and tried to play it down. Have either of you had lunch?”
But neither the doctor nor the counselor bought his effort. Neither answered. Both continued gazing after the captains, who had paused downdeck, on the other side of the wide engine room.
Folding her long arms, Crusher said, “It’s eerie the way those two get along. Every time they get together, it’s like they haven’t even been apart. Worries me.”
“Why does it worry you?” Riker asked.
She raised one shoulder. “Bateson’s a little obsessive.”
“About what?”
“Anything he’s thinking about at the moment. He’s been all over this ship. He’s micromanaging everything, and he’s got the ship littered with his own crew from the Bozeman.”
“Mmm …” Riker uttered. “He said he would make it his cause in life to give them a future so they wouldn’t fixate on the past. He was involved in this ship’s commission, right?”
“Right. He found out a new ship was being built, and figured that was one way to get in on the ground floor of something.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. He’s trying to jump start a whole new life for himself and his crew.”
“That’s the problem,” Troi suggested. “It’s as if he’s still running a crew of forty. This ship crews over a thousand. He’s the one who arranged for the ship to be built way out here, at Starbase 12. It gives him a psychological advantage. Everybody in the sector lives in the light of Morgan Bateson’s success against the Klingons. It’s given him quite an edge.”
“Ah.” Riker looked from one to the other. “Alright, ladies, let’s hear the other half. What do you think is going on?”
Crusher glanced at Troi. Then Troi admitted, “We think he’s jockeying for command.”
“What do you think about this?” Crusher asked, pulling on Riker’s arm. “Is Bateson qualified to command a ship like this? He can’t be.”
“I don’t see how,” Riker offered. “He was ninety years out of date three years ago. Three years isn’t enough to catch up. At least, I don’t think so.”
“Command of this ship is going to Captain Picard,” Troi said. “Everyone says so. And you saw how Bateson treated him. Even Bateson knows the captain deserves this command.”
Crusher eyed Riker then and suggested heavily, “Maybe Bateson’s jockeying for first officer.”
Riker winced and clapped a hand to his chest. “Oooh … that hurts.”
“There’s another option,” Crusher suggested. “There’s talk of ‘Captain Riker.’ “
“She’s right, Will,” Troi said. “If Captain Picard wants to retire, you might not be able to dodge command now that this ship’s ready for launch.”
“Who says I’m dodging?”
“I do. And I think you’re going to get command if the captain doesn’t want it.”
“He wants it,” Riker declared.
Troi stepped in front of him. “Did he say that?”
Crusher reached for his arm as he sidled away. “When did he say it? Tell us his exact words!”
“Can’t.” Riker swiveled to one side. “Sorry. I’ve gotta go analyze a system. Now, look, ladies …”
“Shh! Here comes the captain!” Troi batted Crusher’s hand away from Riker’s arm and they all turned together, looking like a vaudeville show as Captain Picard approached, scolding them with his glare.
“You’re a sight, all of you,” the captain derided. “Captain Bateson’s waiting for you on the other side of engineering. He’s going to conduct your tour. I’ve been called