Chapter V.

"Smith's Turn"

Personal Log, Supplimental, Lieutenant James K. Starska recording.

This is not going to end. Just as I was finished with Commander Davis, Lt. Commander Smith wants to talk with me, at least that is what I hope he wants.

End Log.

As Starska walked out into the corridor, he grabbed his uniform jacket from the chair and put it on. The door to his office then closed behind him.

"After you." Smith said, as he gestured down the corridor.

"Where?" Starska asked, puzzled.

"To the Mess Hall. I'm buying you lunch."

"Lunch." Starska said, with relief. "I have no time for lunch. I have to..."

"Look, Jim, even the Fleet Admiral has lunch... besides I'm paying."

Starska had second thoughts. "Well, in that case..." They started down the corridor.

"What did she say?" Smith asked.

"What did who say?" Starska asked, puzzled.

"Lieutenant Scott."

"What are you talking about?" Starska asked, as if Smith had lost his mind. "Have you lost your mind? I haven't had time to ask her yet, I just got off the bridge a hour ago. The programming of the computer is going to take at least three."

"Three hours? What in the heck are you doing?"

Starska stopped as Steve Smith almost walked into him. As soon as Smith regained his composure, Starska looked around him and said, "You really want to know what I am doing?"

"Yes."

Starska took Smith by the shoulders, then he comically looked to the left, then to the right, and over Smith's shoulders. He then led Smith to a doorway, then once again looked left and right. Smith begins to feel paranoid. Starska then looked around. He then looked deep into Smith's eyes and said, "I can't tell you." Starska walked by Smith, leaving him with his mouth open.

Starska entered the mess hall and headed straight for the food processors. Smith entered shortly thereafter and headed towards Starska.

"Now, wait a minute, Lieutenant Starska."

"Lieutenant Starska? Don't pull rank on me. You just got that promotion yesterday, and by pure luck, Steve."

Smith stood there, staring at Starska.

"Sir." Starska added.

"At least I got a promotion."

"Now, just a minute." Both Starska's and Smith's voices were rising in volume. "I could get a promotion just by snapping my fingers. But there is no way I am going to get it the way you did, by kissing the Captain's..."

"... I DID NOT! I worked hard to get that promotion!" Every officer's attention was on them.

"Yeah, you may have worked hard at getting 'THAT' promotion, but what about 'THIS' one?" Starska asked.

Steve paused. Then returned with the comment. "This one? Is that the best you can do?"

Starska and Smith are much calmer now. "Well, without a script it is. But I thought we were doing pretty well." Starska then addressed the whole room. "What did you think?"

The whole mess hall was filled with applause, as Smith and Starska took their bows.

"Come on, I'm starved." Smith said, as he picked up a tape and put it into the processor.

"We have got to get a script next time, they would love it." Starska said, as he too, picked up a tape. "You know," Starska added, as he looked at the tape. "I'm getting tired of turkey sandwiches."

"Well, then get something else." Smith suggested.

"I don't know. You know what I really want?"

"Yes, but she is on duty and there are no empty tables in here."

"No, besides that."

"Does it involve a pink elephant and two dogs?" Smith asked, as he picked up his soup.

"No." Starska said, in shock. "By the way," Starska said to Smith quietly. "How did you hear about that?"

"Max Irvin told me."

"Oh... well, anyway, what I want is a barbeque burger."

"A what?"

"An old Earth dish. I would make one myself, but I don't think the ship's ventilation system could take it."

"Sounds... eh... interesting." Smith said, as he walked to a table. "Are you going to get something, or what?"

"No, I'm just going to get some coffee." Starska picked up a cup and sat with Smith.

Smith tried the soup and almost spit it all over the floor. "This is soup?"

"Of course." Starska replied. "What do you expect from powder water?"

Smith looked up passed Starska with a surprised look on his face. Before Starska could turn, he went blind. He could see nothing. But he did not panic, because he could feel the hands of Heather Scott on his face, covering his eyes.

Starska then said, "I can't believe that an officer of the Federation would play 'guess who', especially in a full mess hall."

Scott moved her hands away and went to the side of the table, between the two gentlemen. "Lt. Commander Smith. How are you today, sir?" Scott asked.

"Just fine, Lieutenant Scott. And you?"

"Well, that all depends on Lieutenant Starska's comment." Scott then turned to Starska. "Am I to take it, Mister Starska, that my conduct is unbecoming of an officer?"

"No comment." Starska said with a smile.

"In that case, since you are a bridge officer and you do..." Scott had a little trouble speaking. "...out rank me," Scott straightened her uniform. "I will now leave to avoid a court-martial." she started to leave.

Starska stood up. "Just a minute, Lieutenant Scott."

Scott stopped and turned toward him, a puzzled look on her face.

"You don't leave a superior officer without a kiss."

"A kiss?"

Smith is watching all this, but pretending to eat his lunch.

"Yes, a kiss." Starska said, and Scott did nothing. "That's an order, Mister." Starska added.

Smith almost gagged on his drink from Starska's comment.

Scott slowly walked up to Starska and said, "Look, Lieutenant, either you dismiss me," Scott brushed off Starska's uniform. "or I will yell rape." Scott said, with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

Starska showed every sign that his ego had just been destroyed, as Lt. Commander Smith was holding the biggest laugh of his life behind his lips.

"Dismissed." Starska said.

Scott left to get her lunch.

Starska looked at Smith and with a finger pointed at him, he said, "Don't do it."

"Do what?" Smith asked, fighting the laughter.

"Get the smirk off your face."

"I can't. I have to. I can't hold it."

"Don't do it." Starska threatened again.

It took a minute, but Smith is able to control himself.

Starska sits down.

Smith suddenly speaks. "I'm sorry." Then he cracks up.

Starska looks at him in disgust, then cracks up himself.

After they finally stop laughing, Starska quickly finished his coffee stood up and said, "Thanks for lunch."

"Thanks for lunch? Is that all you can say? What is the hurry? I thought you said you have two hours before the computers are done."

"Yes, I do. But I want to clean up and get a clean outfit from the quartermaster."

"What about Heather? How are you going to keep her out of your hair?"

Starska turned to see Lieutenant Scott getting her lunch then heading to her table.

Starska turned to Smith with a smile and counted. "Four... three... two... one... and..."

At that point, the ship's intercom came on and Commander Davis' voice filled the room.

"Lieutenant Heather Scott, call the Bridge. Lieutenant Heather Scott."

Scott set her tray on the table and went to the wall communicator. She activated it and Smith and Starska watched the conversation. Even though they could not hear it, Lieutenant Scott definitely looked like she was not enjoying the communication. She looked at her tray, deactivated the communicator and walked out.

As she walked behind Starska, he said, "Goodbye, Heth." with a smile as Scott stormed out the door. Starska continued to smile as Smith looked at him.

"You are mean."

"Yes, I am." Starska said, as he left.

Smith began finishing his lunch as he said to himself. "I can not believe that, that man is up for the position of Executive Officer." Smith then thought further, then added. "And thank god, he does not know, or no one could control him."

Chapter VI.

"The End is Near"

Lieutenant James Kilo Starska went to his office with a new uniform over his shoulder. He gently set it on the table as he spoke.

"Computer."

"WORKING."

"Status report."

"PROGRAM RUNNING SMOOTHLY. ESTIMATED TIME OF COMPLETION: ONE HOUR, 47 MINUTES, 12 SECONDS."

"Thank you."

"YOU'RE WELCOME."

"Let me know when you're done."

"UNDERSTOOD."

Starska went into his quarters. There he undressed and went into the sonic shower and began cleaning up for the event to come.

After drying himself off, Starska went to his dresser. There, he saw a picture of him and Heather Scott, back on Earth in a park near San Francisco. He picked it up and sat on the edge of his bed, looking at it.

A very big and relaxed smile slowly appeared on his face as he remembered the good times, the fun times with Scott and, about what he is about to do. He laid back in his bed and closed his eyes with the picture on his chest, dreaming as he fell asleep.

The next thing Starska was aware of was the sound of the klaxon of battle stations in his quarters. He jumped out of bed, threw on a uniform, and ran out the door.

As the door closed behind him, Starska stopped, puzzled. There was no more klaxons, no signs of battle. Everyone was moving about like they do everyday. Starska went back into his quarters to hear the alarms still going.

"What the heck?!" Starska said. The alarms stopped.

Starska's computer terminal spoke. "PROGRAMMING COMPLETED."

"Thanks." Starska said, with relief.

"SORRY. IT WAS THE ONLY WAY I COULD WAKE YOU UP."

"No, it's all right. I should have not programmed you with a sense of humor."

Starska then started to change his uniform for the clean one.

"COMMANDER WALDRON HAS FINISHED INSTALLING THE PSI-SHIELD."

"Thank you."

"YOU'RE WELCOME."

"That is about all I need, so you can shut down for the day."

"I NEED IT." the computer replied.

Starska then finished getting dressed and went to the mirror.

"This is going to be great." he said to himself. He went to his desk, picked up a computer tape and walked to the door. He then stopped, turned to look around his office, leaned against the wall, and took a deep breath. Then he slowly turned and went out the door.