Disclaimer:Voyager^TM and its characters are the sole property of Paramount Pictures and its subsidiaries. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: A big to Mary W. whose astute observation that no geologist ever survived an away mission on TOS.

Comments always welcome! Write me:

ECM 2

©by ragpants, August 1999

"One, two, three...go!"

"Damn! Rock breaks scissors. Best two out of three?"

"Uh-un. No way. You lose. You take the mission."

"I'll give you three hundred replicator credits."

"Ahhh...what's the mission?"

"Planetary exploration."

"Conditions?"

"Cold. Temperature averaging minus 100 degrees Celsius. Gale force winds. Perpetual twilight."

"Sounds attractive. I'll pass."

"No. Wait. I'll give you 400."

"Hmmm....Any lifeforms?"

"Yes."

"Any bigger than a bunny rabbit?"

"Uh...six. All predators. Top of the food chain."

"No."

"500 credits?"

"Look, make it 600 and we have a deal. No, wait. Who's piloting the mission shuttle."

"Does it matter? .....OK. A senior staff member.

"Paris?"

"Um......no."

"Seven?"

"No."

"Kim?"

"No."

"Not...?"

".......yeah, Chakotay."

"Forget it. Deal's off."

"But...but...but..."

"Look. Go find some other sucker. I saw the uniform. Bullseye in the middle of the back. 'Live Bait' printed across the front. Right? Forget it. I'm not going. You take the mission."

With a sigh of reluctant resignation, nameless crewman #1, entered Shuttle Bay 2. "Ensign Norwich reporting, sir. I'm the mission geologist."

The End