The Valiant - Michael Jan Friedman [20]
You know, he remarked good-naturedly, you look a little sluggish this morning, Jean-Luc.
Only in comparison to my opponent, Picard told him. Though that will change , he added, resolving to win the next point.
He succeeded in that objective. However, Ruhalter came back and won the next two in succession. In the end, Picards determination notwithstanding, he lost the match 5-3.
Ruhalter removed his mask, revealing his rugged features and thick, gray hair. Thanks for the workout, he said.
Picard removed his mask as well. Thank you , sir, he responded, ever the good sport.
You know, Ruhalter told him in a paternal way, you need to trust your instincts more, Commander. A man who ignores his instincts is defeated before he starts.
Tucking his mask under his sword arm, Picard managed a smile. Ill try to keep that in mind, sir.
He would, too. After all, Ruhalter was more than his captain. He was also the twenty-eight-year-old Picards mentora man the second officer greatly admired, despite the differences in their personalities.
Perhaps you would care for a rematch, Picard suggested.
Before the captain could answer, a voice echoed throughout the gym Leach to Captain Ruhalter.
The captain looked up at the ceiling, as if he could see the intercom grid inside it. Yes, Mr. Leach?
Stephen Leach was Ruhalters first officer. He had been left in charge of the ships bridge while the captain and his second officer took their exercise in the gymnasium.
You have an eyes only message from Admiral Mehdi at Starfleet Command, sir, Leach reported. As usual, he projected an air of cool efficiency.
Ruhalter looked at Picard. Eyes only, eh? I guess Ill have to ask for a rain check on that rematch.
Picard nodded. I understand, sir.
The captain glanced at the ceiling again. Ill take it in my quarters, Mr. Leach. Ruhalter out. Replacing his mask and sword on a wall rack, he nodded in Picards direction and left the gym.
As the younger man watched his captain depart, he wondered what the message from Starfleet Command might be about. After all, it was rare for headquarters to send an eyes only missive to any vessel, much less a deep-space exploration ship like the Stargazer .
The second officer ran his fingers through his sweat-soaked, auburn hair. Few eyes only messages remained that way for long, he mused. He hoped this one wouldnt be an exception.
Idun Asmund was ranning a diagnostic routine at her helm console when the turbolift doors opened and her twin came out onto the bridge.
Gerda Asmund was Iduns mirror imagetall, blond, and eminently well proportioned. Men invariably found the two of them attractive, though the reverse wasnt true nearly often enough for Iduns taste.
One of the drawbacks of having been raised among Klingons, she reflected. Unless a man smoldered with a warriors passions, she wasnt likely to give him a second look.
Negotiating a path around the captains chair, which was occupied at the moment by the tall, rail-thin Commander Leach, Gerda relieved Lieutenant Kochman at the navigation console. Then, as she sat down and surveyed her control settings, Gerda shot her sister a look.
Idun had no trouble divining the intent behind it. Clearly, Gerda was bored. For that matter, so was Idun.
They had joined the Stargazers crew with adventure in mind. After all, the Stargazer was a deep-space exploration vessel, its mandate to push out the boundaries of known space. However, in more than seven months of service, they had seen nothing but routine planetary surveys and the occasional space anomalyhardly the kind of excitement they had hoped for. Gerda had even broached the subject of transferring to another ship.
Idun was a bit more optimistic than her sister. And less than fifteen minutes ago, she had been given reason to believe her patience might finally be rewarded.
Commander Leach? came a voice over the ships intercom system. It was the captain, Idun realized.
The first officer looked