Now that Christmas is over, and everybody is sober, we have been able to set up the systems again. I hope nothing important has happened. It's not likely to, as the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet tends to close down over the period.
I look at my video viewer backlog. There have been no calls except from Admiral Bullock with the Title "URGENT: PLEASE RESPOND!"
Oh dear, this sounds bad. I call back, although I know I'm going to regret it.
"Where the blazes have you been, Picard?" Admiral Bullock demands to know.
I explain to him what happened. He snorts back.
"More likely giving each other presents and getting drunk if I know the Enterprise." he says to himself, "Anyway, I need to tell you the information that came from Starfleet Headquarters on Christmas Eve."
"What's that, sir?" I ask.
"The President has decreed that a number of crew need to lose their jobs. We have too many on the starships, which are costing a lot to build." Bullock answers.
"I thought money didn't exist any more, sir?" I ask, puzzled.
"Get real, Picard!" Bullock sneers, "How do you think we build them? With cookies that girl scouts sell? All planets in the UFP have to contribute. Costs are increasing, and we need to lay off people...from the lowerst crewman right up to some of the Captains."
"What about the Admirals?" I ask Admiral Bullock.
"Oh, we have decreed that they are too important to lose, so they will keep their positions." he tells me rather smugly, "A visitor will come to talk to each of you to see if you are worthy of staying on."
"...or just dead wood." I add sarcastically.
"That attitude will get you nowhere, Picard." Bullock comments, "Besides, you could always leave voluntarily."
"I don't intend to!" I answerr sharply.
"So be it." Bullock answers, and switches off the video viewer. Riker comes in.
"What's going on, Captain?" he asks, seeing the ridged furrows of my brow that makes me look like a Klingon.
"We've got trouble, Number One." I tell him, "Big trouble."
To be continued.......
3 comments:
Hmm you want me to take care of the Admiral captain, no questions asked and Section 51 or whatever it calls itself these days will be blamed or how about an old fashioned Transporter malfunction, I mean recombining the atoms in the wrong order who knows.. you need a new desk - how would you like a real wood desk for your office....
Wow, it stinks to see that there is still such a thing as a bad economy and lay-offs so far in the future! What's there to look forward to?!?
Either the Captain or Riker is going to have a problem. I can just tell.
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