The Children of Hamlin - Carmen Carter [87]
“Right, like finding out how many psychologists can fit in a transporter booth?” shot back Riker.
His derisive comment raised a muffled laugh from Tasha, listening from her perch on the aft deck. “Deanna, I watched you pack for the trip and some of the clothes you chose … “
“Tasha, hush,” said Troi sharply.
Picard exchanged smiles with his first officer, but was careful to keep his back to the counselor. Unfortunately, she could probably sense his amusement.
“If you will excuse me, Captain,” Troi said with studied politeness. “I have some more preparations to make for my journey.”
Riker’s grin faded slightly when the counselor rose to leave. “Deanna, I was only joking.”
She turned back, and Picard wondered what impending mischief was hidden in her innocent smile.
“If I remember correctly, you have firsthand experience in determining how many first officers can fit in a shuttlecraft.” Troi sailed off the bridge now that the crew’s attention was riveted on Riker.
Picard could not resist an attack of his own. He raised an inquiring eyebrow and watched his first officer squirm.
“It was an experiment in emergency evacuation procedures,” said Riker. He managed to keep a straight face during this explanation, but his ears were turning bright red. “And the answer is twelve.”
Data swiveled his ops console to face the commander. “If the object of the exercise was to determine maximum passenger density, then even the smallest shuttlecraft model can accommodate more than twelve people.”
“Yes, but at the time we could find only twelve first officers who had shoreleave on Mardi Gras. So we had to make up the difference with some of the locals.”
“You were on Mardi Gras?” Picard reflected on his own shoreleave experiences on that particular planet. “Are you sure Data is old enough to hear the rest of this tale?”
“Sir?” The android looked somewhat confused by the captain’s comment. Geordi’s laughter only added to his puzzlement.
Riker grinned broadly. “Well, he has expressed curiosity about human interpersonal relationships, Captain. How else is he going to learn?”
“Then by all means continue, Number One,” said Picard. “And that’s an order.”
As chief medical officer, Crusher was responsible for the staffing of her sickbay. She prided herself on having assembled an ensemble of first-rate medical personnel for the Enterprise. Assignment to the new starship was already considered a prize, one much sought after by Starfleet doctors and nurses, so turnover in her department was exceptionally low. Nevertheless, the nervous intern who stood before Dr. Crusher’s desk was requesting a transfer.
“How did you learn about the other children?” demanded Crusher. Her voice was sharp with disappointment; Lisa Iovino’s departure would be a genuine loss to sickbay. “Never mind, it doesn’t really matter.”
“Can I join them?” persisted Iovino, not at all sure where she was asking to be sent. All that mattered was that the children were there.
“Yes,” sighed Crusher, She admitted to herself that the Hamlin children had a greater need of the intern’s talents than did the starship crew. “I’m sure I can arrange your transfer to the proper facility.” Ambassador Deelor owed her that much. “And the authorities at Starbase Ten will fill you in on your eventual destination.”
“Thank you, Dr. Crusher,” said Iovino, looking a little dazed at the speed with which her life was changing from its prescribed course. “I never planned on working with children professionally, but these kids-“
“Lisa!” The howl from the medical ward was quickly followed by an ominous crash. “Lisa?”
“He’s supposed to be asleep,” said the intern, racing for the door. “I bribed him into walking, but now he’s starting to climb.”
Still smiling over the destructive antics of the rambunctious Moses, Dr. Crusher left sickbay for a long-overdue field trip. Her own child, no longer a boy so much as a young man, met her at the entrance to the holodeck. Beyond the gates, she glimpsed a sunset sky streaked with magenta and blue. Enough light remained for a stroll over the rolling