Interlude
	Karen sighed, straightened her jumpsuit, and knocked on the door to
the Captain's ready room. For a moment she wished she was still back in sick
bay, patching up the last of the injured after the battle with the pirates.
Unfortunately for her, Rafael had sick bay well under control.

	"Come," his voice called. The hatch hissed open. Karen swallowed hard
and stepped through.

	"Lt. Karen Rhodes, reporting as ordered," she saluted.

	"Dr. Rhodes," Captain Henry acknowledged. He sat behind a heavy
antique desk, made of real wood. A shelf held at least twenty hardbacked
books - a luxury for weight allowance on the ship. His calm face betrayed
none of his thoughts as he leaned back in his chair. His gold command uniform
stretched taut across shoulders and outlined smoothly muscled arms where they
lay folded across his chest. He regarded her silently a moment.

	"At ease," he said, indicating a chair across his desk. Karen
hesitated only a moment before easing slowly into the chair. She had an
unsettling feeling of deja vu and was a child again, sitting across her
father's huge desk awaiting the latest reprimand.

	"Why are you here?" The question startled her out of her thoughts.
	"You ordered me to report when the battle was over, sir," she
reminded him.

	"No, not that," Henry waved it away impatiently. "Why are you here,
on my ship? In Exo-Fleet?"

	"Sir?" she asked.

	"Lieutenant," he said. "I'll be perfectly frank with you. Your father
contacted me before you boarded back on Earth. He hopes that I will make a
good officer out of you." Her heart sank. Her father had contacted her
captain? How humiliating. But how typical of him. She felt sudden resentment.

	"I'm sorry, Captain," she said, her face tightening.

	"I respect the Admiral, Lieutenant," Henry went on. "I served under
him on the Coronado, just before his transfer back to the homeworlds." Karen
nodded and her mouth twisted slightly. She was very familiar with her
father's popularity and the near adoration with which some former comrades
regarded him. Sometimes it was difficult being the daughter of a living
legend.

	"However," he continued, "This is my ship." Karen stilled, and
watched his face carefully. This was deviating from her prior experiences
with this particular conversation.

	"I don't need any officers on my ship who don't want to be here." He
said it baldly, throwing the statement out there between them.

	"Captain?" she asked, startled.

	"Lieutenant," he went on, "I've reviewed your file. You quit a rather
lackluster career at the Exofleet prep school to attend a civilian medical
school. You did quite well there, graduating with honors, and then went on to
do your training in Med/Surg. Then, inexplicably, you gave up what would have
been a potentially very lucrative career and joined ExoFleet instead. Your
OTS instructors were complimentary of your character, but expressed several
reservations about your career in the Fleet." He leaned forward and looked at
her closely.

	"They seemed to think that you didn't really want to be here."

	Karen said nothing, her mind racing. What could she say to that?

	Captain Henry sighed, "Dr. Rhodes, from what I have seen you are a
good surgeon and have the potential to be a good officer."

	"Thank you, Captain," Karen nodded slightly, unsure of the
compliment. The captain held up a hand.

	"But if you're doing this to prove something to your father, then you
are doing it for the wrong reasons." Karen flushed, and opened her mouth to
protest. Captain Henry just looked at her with steady eyes. She closed her
mouth. Somehow she didn't think he would buy her denials.

	He nodded. "There are many reasons why people join. Some want to see
the solar system. Some need something to do until they decide what to do with
their lives. Some need to get away for a while. Some even want a life-time
career in the Fleet." Long blonde hair and earnest green eyes came to Karen's
mind. "But the common thread is that they all want to be here.

	"I don't think you do, and that makes you a danger to this ship and
its crew." Once again the silencing hand. He looked at her intently, his gaze
a laser cutting deep to find the core of her soul. "I don't need perfect
officers. Everybody makes mistakes. However, I do need officers who are
one-hundred and ten percent HERE. If you can't give me that, then you should
reconsider your career on this ship when we get back to Earth."

	He held her pinned with his eyes for a moment before releasing her
and leaning back in his chair again. Karen took in a shaky breath.

	"Captain, I..." her voice trailed off. "I don't know what to say to
that."

	"Good," he said. "Then there's hope for you yet." He glanced at the
chronometer on the bulkhead. "I have the inside scoop that it's Cookie's
seafood linguini tonight. Better go now before the rest of the crew gets
word."

	Karen stood, tugging uncertainly at her uniform.

	"One more thing, Lieutenant," he added, already pulling out other
paperwork. "I trust you learned from your mistake on the bridge."

	"Yes, sir," she said, "It won't happen again."

	"I admire your initiative, but I need to know when my ship is headed
into a potentially dangerous situation." He looked up at her and nodded.
"Dismissed."

	"Aye, Captain," she said, snapping a salute. As soon as the hatch
hissed shut behind her, she sagged against the bulkhead, feeling weak in the
knees. Gradually, her heart stopped pounding and the sick feeling left her
stomach. She laughed shakily under her breath. She almost felt like she was
recovering from micro-gravity. She pushed herself up from the bulkhead and
headed for the mess hall.

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

	Lt. Crow Mengele, XO of the Sierra Three jumptroop platoon, whistled
appreciatively. "You gotta love a woman in uniform," he told his two
companions. "Or out," he grinned, leering comically at the e-frame pilot
walking past their table in the mess hall. Dirk Dagger gave a bark of
laughter. Robert Preston merely rolled his eyes, concentrating intently on
his food. Crow watched intently for the expected response.

	Trooper Nicole Montgomery turned, outrage evident in the stiff lines
of her body. Her brown eyes burned with anger and indignation. Her friend and
closest confidante, Ensign Amy Hiatt, hurriedly caught up with her and laid a
hand on the blonde's arm. "Take it easy, Nikki," she warned lightly. Amy shot
the jumptrooper a venomous look.

	 "He's not worth it," She raked him up and down with a pointed stare.
"Unless he's got more than he's showing right now." Color rose and faded on
the pilot's pale cheeks. Amy tugged at her friend's arm. "Come on, let's go
find a seat." She glanced quickly around the mess hall, and spotted two men
sitting nearby. "Look, there's Elan," she said with relief.

	"This has nothing to do with David Wells," Elan Tedronai's voice was
as cold as the untouched food on his plate. His XO Ratislav O'Muirdagh sat
across the table from him and regarded him impassively, arms folded across
his chest. Both looked up, startled, when Amy gave a sigh of relief and
plopped her plate down with a metal thud.

	"Come on, ladies," Crow called out, "there's plenty of room for you
to sit here." He shoved Dirk's chair over with a booted foot. There was a
new gleam in his eye. "Don't tell me you would prefer those lazy flyboys over
there." His voice carried well, and Tedronai and O'Muirdagh bristled at the
comment. Crow grinned without humor. THIS is what he had been itching for.

	"Somebody remind me why we give these apes a ride on our boat?"
Ratislav growled. "They're more trouble than they're worth."

	"Perhaps it would be best if we jettisoned them with the rest of the
refuse," Elan added. He and Ratislav exchanged a rare look of commiseration.

	"Definitely," Nikki said, glaring at the jumptroopers. Amy chuckled.

	"I don't know," she said. "They're kind of cute, in a brutish
Neanderthal sort of way."

	"Hey, I heard that slur on my good character," Crow called out. His
chair scraped against the metal deck as he pushed back from the table and
stood. He sauntered over to the table and leaned down between the two women.
"Now, whenever you get tired of men who like it fast, you just let me know."

	"That's just about enough," Ratislav bit out. Both he and Elan surged
to their feet. Ratislav shot Elan a look. "I'm the XO," he reminded him. Elan
bowed ironically. Ratislav turned to face the tall, lanky jumptrooper, his
green eyes narrowed in anger. Crow tossed his head, flinging his
shoulder-length blue bangs back from his face. His surgically altered eyes
were a flat white.

	"Alright, gentlemen," Nikki slapped her hands on the table and stood.
"That's enough testosterone for one meal." Crow grinned down at her, enjoying
the way her hair seemed to crackle around her head and her brown eyes snapped
with anger.

	She narrowed her eyes at him. "I could have you up for harassment,
Lieutenant, but you're not worth my time." She moved to leave.

	"Has anybody ever told you you're beautiful when you're angry?" Crow
asked, catching her arm. Nikki snarled. She jerked her arm from his grasp,
using the momentum to whirl around and deliver a beautiful left hook just as
O'Muirdagh launched himself at the jumptrooper.

	Crow rolled with the punch, avoiding the worst of the blow, but was
caught square on by Ratislav's attack. The two men crashed back against the
table, sending the metal dishes clattering to the deck. They fell off the
table, each rolling to his feet in a flash, crouched down with arms held up
loose and limber for defense.

	Crow's tongue darted out and tasted blood on his lip. He grinned and
slashed a sidelong glance at Nikki. "And here I thought the only thing you'd
break is my heart," he said.

	Ratislav bared his teeth in a feral grin. "I should have left you for
her. She'd do more damage then me, I think." He saw the two jumptroopers and
Elan hovering out of the corner of his eye. "He's mine," he warned.

	"As you wish," Elan said. He looked at the two jumptroopers. "I will
not interfere," he told Ratislav. Robert Preston merely raised a brow and
both he and Dirk Dagger stood calmly, confident in their own XO.

	Nikki threw a chair at the two combatants. "Stop it!" she cried.
Ratislav deflected it with an arm, and they continued to circle each other
warily, looking for an opening. She growled in frustration, not wanting to
draw a weapon and escalate the situation.

	Amy glanced around. Nobody else seemed inclined to stop the fight.
She winced as Crow closed with Ratislav, and she heard the dull thud of fist
meeting flesh. As she dashed for the kitchen there was a flurry of blows
before the smaller Ratislav was able to use his lower center of gravity to
swing Crow over his hip. The jumptrooper flipped midair and managed to gain
his footing, spinning to leap back at the pilot. The two of them locked
together, grappling for a hold.

	"Give it up, flyboy," Crow grunted. His white eyes gleamed earily.
Ratislav head-butted him, both of them reeling from the force. They clashed
again, and seemed locked together until Ratislav suddenly flew backwards to
slam against the fallen chair. Crow laughed in triumph and advanced on the
fallen pilot. Then he too felt himself picked up and thrown aside. He crashed
hard against a table and gasped as the edge caught him hard in the ribs.

	Cookie's huge bulk shadowed them both. The balding cook folded his
massive arms across his chest, glaring at them both. His prosthetic left leg
gleamed dully in the ship's light. A white apron stretched across his broad
body. Somehow it didn't detract from the menace in his stance.

	"Does this look like a bar to you two jackheads?" he rumbled.
Piercing grey eyes nailed the two troopers until they both slowly shook their
heads. "Then what are you doing brawling over dinner? This is my mess, not a
gym... or a meat market." Crow flushed. "You kids need to learn to save your
energy for the real enemy. Now get up and shake hands or else I'll make sure
you can't."

	Ratislav eased carefully to his feet, noting with satisfaction that
Crow was moving equally as slowly. They eyed each other warily. Crow glanced
at the cook and his mouth twitched. "Guess I'd better shake your hand before
he decides to put too much salt in our soup tomorrow." He extended his hand.
Ratislav looked at it as though it were a snake he'd like to blast before
grabbing it in a strangle hold. The two men struggled not to show any pain as
they felt bones grind together. Cookie grunted in disgust and turned back to
the kitchen.

	"By the way," the cook called over his shoulder, "Don't worry about
that salt in your soup." Crow grinned. "You're both on quick meals for a
week." Ratislav pulled his hand away and snarled at the jumptrooper before
stalking away.

	Nikki caught his arm. "I didn't need your help," she said. "But
thanks anyways." Ratislav looked at her.

	"I know you can fight your own battles," he told her. "That wasn't
for you."

	"Ladies," Elan pulled out a chair for Amy. "Care to finish dinner?"
She smiled at him and sat, sighing with relief. She smiled more broadly when
she found her food still warm. Cookie's seafood linguini.... She was
interrupted by the First Officer's voice.

	"All hands, general quarters. The Fleet has arrived at the moons of
Saturn."

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Continued with the next story