Riker's Temporary Replacement (Part Three)

Guest Poster: Beverly Crusher

As I drag Jean-Luc out of Ten Forward, he falls unconsious. I have him beamed to Sick Bay so I can check how he is.

When Riker & Deanna went on vacation for the week, the over-ambitious Commander Elizabeth Paula Shelby was put in Riker's place.

Since then, she has been trying to take over more and more, even edging in on my relationship with Jean-Luc. I soon cut her off there!

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After a brief examination, I see there is small traces of hytropoxin in the Captain's system. This will knock anyone out for several hours. Someone...and I think I know who...must have deposited it in the Ktarian Brandy.

Things are beginning to make sense. That woman is power mad.

With Jean-Luc incapacitated, Shelby is now acting Captain of the Enterprise!

I go up to the Bridge, and tell her I want to talk to her.

"Certainly, Doctor." Shelby answers, when I get there all fuming, "Come into my Ready Room."

'MY' Ready Room she says! How does she have the nerve?

"You drugged the Captain, Commander Shelby." I say accusingly, "All so you could take control of the ship. You didn't want to seduce him, as I first thought, but you put the hytopoxin in to get him out of the way for a long time."



"You've deduced that well, Doctor." Shelby smugly says, "However, you have no proof. Now remember to call me Captain Shelby from now on, otherwise I'll have the holographic doctor taking over your duties and you doing the bedpans!"

Incensed, I stride out, and Shelby resumes her place in the Captain's Chair, wearing that smug look that she likes to have.

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A few hours later, we are told to go on an Away Mission on the planet Hvara. Some invaders are attacking a settlement and we have to go down. Shelby takes Worf and the security staff down for back up, while I take a medical group to help the survivors.

I also pack in a little hytopoxin. It might come in handy!



Shelby and Worf go looking for some of the invaders. I get my aides helping along. Now if I can get Shelby alone...

"How are things going, Doctor" asks Shelby, "It seems all the invaders have left the planet."

"Things are fine." I reply, "All the survivors are being beamed back to the ship."

As she turns around, I leap up with my hypospray and inject her with hytopoxin.

Almost immediately, Shelby starts staggering around as if she has has two bottles of Klingon bloodwine. Then she falls flat on the floor.

"What has happened to Captain Shelby?" Worf asks when he returns.

"I've no idea, Worf." I reply innocently, "I'll get her up to the ship."

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Everybody seems to accept the story that Shelby just had a dizzy spell, and I keep he out of the way and drugged up in SickBay, saying the stress of Command must have been too much for her.

In the meantime, Jean-Luc has recovered, although he seems to have a throbbing headache. I tell him the truth about what happened.

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't tolerate such a thing you did, Beverly." he says, "But Shelby did try to get me out of the way so that she could command a starship. In that case, it's only right to do what you did. Anyway, Riker and Deanna will be back tomorrow."

"We'll send her on with a splitting headache, Jean-Luc." I smile, "She'll find that it isn't easy being at the top!"

Riker's Temporary Replacement (Part Two)

While Riker and Deanna are away for a week, Starfleet have sent the overly-ambitious Commander Shelby to replace him.

She has been on the Enterprise before, at the time when we were up against an invading Borg Cube and I was assimilated into Locutus Of Borg. Shelby was after Riker's job then, and it seems Starfleet want her into an authoritive position...possibly even a Captain.

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"What do you think of her, Jean-Luc?" Beverly asks me, as the two of us are in the turbolift heading towards the Bridge.

"Who?" I reply.



"Shelby, of course!" Bev answers, "I've seen her in Ten Forward ordering the crew about and telling them they are not up to the required efficiency rating."

"Well, Bev." I tell her, "A Commander is in charge of the crew and if she thinks..."

"Poppycock!" Beverly sharply tells me, "You are in charge of the ship. You need to tell her who is boss in the ship before things get out of hand. You'll end up running errands for her before long, and Shelby will be calling YOU 'Number One'. Has it ever occured that we don't even know what her first name is!"

"I'll have a word with her, Bev."

The Bridge door opens and I see Commander Shelby comfortably sitting in the Captain's Chair, giving orders to the crew. Everyone looks around, but she takes to notice.

I walk behind Shelby and give a discreet cough. She takes no notice. I give an even louder cough that makes me stagger.

"Good morning, Captain." she says.

"I'm fine, thank you." I reply icily.

"To save me getting up, would you mind getting me a coffee? Cream, with sugar."

I look at Bev, who is smiling.

"You'll have to ask someone else for that, Commander Shelby." I answer, "In the meantime, may I have my seat back?"

"Oh yes." she says, "I hadn't noticed. It felt quite comfortable there."

"I'm sure it did."

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A few hours later, I see Shelby in Ten Forward and walk towards her.



"Commander." I tell her in my most officious tone, "Your conduct on the Bridge was not very respectful to that of a Captain."

"I'm sorry Captain." she answers, "I know I can be a little ...ambitious. Have a Ktarian Brandy."

I accept, despite knowing how powerful it is. A few sips, and already my head is spinning.

"Your first name name is not on any records, Commander." I tell her.

"Isn't it?" she answers in surprise, ""Well, my full name is Elizabeth Paula Shelby. My very close friends call me Eppy. It's from the initials of the two names. You can too. I hope I can call you Jean-Luc. Such a powerful name."

The Ktarian Brandy is already making me so groggy, it's like I'm going round in a circle at warp speed 9.

"Here." she says, "You don't look so well, Jean-Luc." Shelby tells me, "You had better go to your quarters. Let me help you."

I feel Shelby assisting me up towards the door. However, Bev is blocking the way.

"What's going on here?" she asks us both piercingly.

"Jean-Luc isn't very well." Shelby tells her.

"Eppy...I mean Elizabeth is taking me to my quarters." I add groggily, "She's trying to help me."

"Trying to help herself, more like." she comments, "I see we are all on first-name terms now. All right, Elizabeth. I'll take over from now on."

Bev gives Eppy an icy stare as to say 'this is my territory'.

"Whatever you say, Doctor Crusher." Shelby answers with a smile.

I can see I'm going to have to be careful here. After that, I pass out.

To be continued...

Riker's Temporary Replacement (Part One)

"I don't want to go, Captain." Riker tells me as I sit in my office having my mid-morning cup of Earl Grey, "It's just that Deanna wants me to go with her to Betazed and talk with her mother, Lwaxana."

"Yes, I can see how you would be reluctant to go, Will." I reply, "But that is one of the tasks one takes if they go with Counselor Troi."



"Too right!" admits Riker, "I'd like the time away with Deanna, without Lwaxana asking if I've visited any interplanetary jewelers, and reminding me what the size of her daughter's wedding ring finger."

I try not to laugh. I don't want to drop my tea again.

"Well, Number One." I say, "At least Data will be able to take care of the Commander's position while you are away."

"That's true." he admits, "Everything is always just the way it was whenever I return from an absence."

Riker gets up when he finishes his second donut and heads to Deanna's quarters to help her with the packing.

I turn to the videoviewer to call Admiral Hardaker to remind him about Riker. The Admiral is the one we have to book our vacations with. To think we still have to do this in the 24th Century! Only so many can have the same days off.

Hardaker comes on the screen.

"Just to remind you sir." I start, "That Commander Riker is off for a week here, and well have Riker filling in for him."

"Oh no he won't!" he replies quickly.

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Well." he answers, "With Riker away, it gives us a good chance to put someone else in his place and see how things go. This Commander is very ambitious, and wants to be a Captain as soon as possible."

I start to feel uncomfortable, as if my Captain's seat is being eased from me.

"In fact." Hardaker tells me, "The Commander has visited the Enterprise before, and will arrive on the shuttle that will take Riker and Counselor Troi away."

He closes and switches off the viewer before I have a chance to ask who the Commander is.

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Not long after, we are all waiting in the shuttle bay. Deanna Troi is looking happy that she has a chance to visit her mother. Riker is looking miserable as if he is in the Tower of London and about to go to the block.

"Have you no idea who my replacement is, Captain?" he asks.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough, Number One." I reply, as I see the shuttlecraft come into the bay. Itlands and we approach as the doors open.



"Commander Shelby!" I exclaim.

"Yes" she replies, then looks at Riker, "Are you still here? Oh yes, you need the shuttle. Now don't worry. You have a LONG break. I'll soon get this ship running properly."

I look at Riker as he and Deanna enter the shuttle, almost wishing I could get away with them.

I have the idea that the next few days are going to be very difficult.

To be continued...