Star Trek post

I have joined the Obsidian Fleet, which is a Star Trek PBeM, (Play By Electronic Mail) meaning that you have a character and you write what happens. I am enjoying it as it has helped me get beyond my writer's block. I am going to post the beginning of a story that I am posting aboard the USS Rook (I am Caruso)


Caruso and Hemingway made their way over to a table in The Forecastle, the comfortable lounge of the USS Rook that already held three other officers. Hemingway made brief introductions as they sat down and ordered something to drink.

Looking at the faces of his new ship mates, Caruso thought, ‘God, they seem to get younger all the time.’

His coffee arrived and the group looked at him.

“Don’t you drink?” Asked Hemingway.

Smelling the thick aroma, “Oh I do. It’s just been a while since I had a good cup of coffee. That was one of the things I have missed for the last couple of weeks.” Adding cream and sweetener, he took a sip and sighed.

“So why did you join Starfleet?”

As he sat with this group of officers, Caruso thought that question was SOP to be asked of anyone new joining any ship, anywhere. Taking another sip of coffee, he yawned and thought, ‘Why did everyone always seem to want to know your back story?’

“Well,” he drawled. “I wanted to see the stars. You know; travel to exotic and distant planets, meet exciting and unusual people…”

“And kill them.” This was finished by someone coming up to the table.

Caruso just shook his head, he couldn't’t believe it. Out of all the ships, stations, and planet installations; out of all the places someone could be assigned, it was almost an unwritten guarantee that you were going to end up serving alongside someone you never wanted to see again.

“Hello Ray. Been along time.”

The big man in a security officer’s uniform placed his hands on an empty chair and leaned towards him. Lt. Ray Kennedy looked at Caruso like he was dead and just didn’t know it yet.

“I heard you transferred aboard and I thought to myself ‘how lucky could I be?’”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

Leaning down so he was only three feet from Caruso, he gripped the back of the chair so hard you could hear the wood start to crack, “One day you are gonna look at death…when you’ve killed too much even for his liking. And on that day you will see my face.”

About that time the Lt. Cmdr. Thomas came over, “Everything going ok over here?”

Straightening up, “Fine sir.” Ray answered. “Just saying ‘Hello’ to an old friend.” And with that he walked away.

The XO watched him leave, then flashed an annoyed look at Caruso before moving back to the bar.

“Friend of yours?” Someone asked as Caruso watched Ray’s back retreating through the door of the lounge.

Sighing, Caruso downed his coffee even though it burned his throat, “The funny thing is; he was a friend. My best friend at one time.”

“What happened? You kill his dog?”

“No,” Caruso said and knew that coffee wasn’t going to do it now, “I killed his daughter.”