<<<<This is something that Jospeh sent me with some changes of mine.  You
better read this, because you may never see it again--a fusion of my style and
Joseph's style. ;)>>>>

  As Lt.<jg> Jerran Terel brought the simulated Feynman into warp speed, Lt.
Commander Onta Maril appeared from out of his holographic hiding place from
which he was observing Mr. Jerran.
  "Computer, freeze program," he said.  "Congratulations, Mr. Jerran.  You are
almost through woth the Bridge Officer's Test.  The next and final part is the
command test.  It is worth 40% of your final score.  Are you ready?"
  "Of course, sir," Jerran said in a matter-of-fact nature that would make even
a Vulcan proud.
  "Very well.  Computer, begin Bridge Officer's Test, position:Command."
  Maril disappeared and the bridge of the Feynman was replaced by the ship's
engine room.  Red lights were flashing all over the place as physicians ran to
and fro trying to fix something.
  Jerran walked over to the master control display and stood next to Lt. Koreth
as the Klingon CEO explained the situation.
  "Apparently, the port nacelle has begun to shear itself off in warp flight.
We can't shut it down because we've lost the control leads to it, and it would
take at least twenty minutes to do it manually.  If that nacelle comes off in
warp flight, the other one could rip the entire ship in half."
  Jerran nodded and said, "What about a shuttlecraft? We could send one with a
tractor beam out to the warp nacelle and keep it in place during the time it
takes to shut it down."
  "We could do that, Lieutenant, but whoever we send out there would be signing
their death warrant.  The radiation that close to the nacelle would cause
irreparable damage in the amount of time it'll take to shut down."
  "I'll go, then," Jerran said.
  He turned to head out to the turbolift, but Tarrant's strong hand grabbed his
arm and said, "That would be against all rules of procedure, sir.  You are in
command now, and so you must send someone else."
  Jerran understood the logic of what the CEO was saying and he nodded in
agreement.  Whoever he did send out would have to be almost as good of a pilot
as he was, though, to pull off a stunt like this.
  "Computer, who's next on the shuttlecraft pilot rotation?" said the CEO.
  Even before the computer said the name, Jerran knew who it was.  His face wenta slightly lighter shade than its normal light green hue as the computer said,
"Ensign Jennifer Cartwright is the next pilot on the shuttlecraft rotation
schedule."
  Jerran kept reminding himself that this was only a simulation, but he knew
deep down in his mind that this very situation could happen one day, and that's
what scared the hell out of him at this moment.  His mouth went dry as he
tapped his badge and said, "Ensign Cartwright, report to the main shuttlebay."
  [Aye, sir.  I'm on my way.]
  "I've briefed the shuttlebay crew on the procedure, sir, and we should be
able to walk her through it," Koreth said.
  Jerran had since snapped out of his fear and had put his mind back on the job
at hand as the shuttlebay announced that Cartwright had completed preflight on
the shuttlecraft Skywalker and was now launching.
  They watched on the nearest viewscreen as the shuttlecraft went out to the
nacelle and activated its tractor beam.  Before, the nacelle had been
noticeably swaying, but now the shuttlecraft's beam had stabilized it.
  "It's working, Lieutenant.  Initiating warp shutdown now."
  About twenty minutes later, the Feynman had slowed to a stop.  Jerran tapped
his badge and said, "Jerran to Skywalker.  Good job, Ensign."
  As Koreth's warning before had suggested, there was no response.
  "Bring the shuttle in on automatics," Jerran said.
  "Aye, sir," said the CEO.
  Even though it was only just a simulation, Jerran knew that if he was going
to be in command, he was going to have to make decisions like that, and that
decision may one day kill someone he cared about, such as Jennifer.  He was
just glad that this time he would be able to walk off the holodeck and see her
waiting for him in his quarters, but what about next time?
  Engaging his Vulcan emotional control techniques, he decided that he could
make the decision in real life if he had to.  His teachers from the Science
Academy on Vulcan had taught him that the needs of the many outweigh the needs
of the few or the one, and that's a philosophy that every command officer must
consider.  He would not let his Bajoran feelings get in the way of his duties,
and he hoped that this simulation was enough to convince Lt. Commander Maril of
that also....
  He was snapped out of his thoughts by the program freezing as Maril appeared
once again.
  "Congratulations.  You have finished the test.  That was a decision like
Fikala made on the battlefield at Ster.  I am also happy to announce that you
have passed the Bridge Officer's Test, completed Stardate 80313.0200,
administered by Lieutenant Commander Onta Maril.  Again, congratulations,
Lieutenant.  You are dismissed."
  "Thank you, sir," Jerran smiled as he left the holodeck.
  "Computer, end program," Maril took his PADD and also left.
  Several minutes later, Maril was in his office enjoying some Terran egg salad
and talking with his aide(WO Bellad Jafel) when there was a beep at the door.
  "Who is that?" Maril asked.
  "It must be Ensign Krazny, our new Counselor."
  "I think we're getting too many Bajorans on this ship.  First you, then
Jerran, and now this Ensign Krazny.  One would almost think the Bajorans
implanted a colony on this ship," Maril grinned.  "Very well, send him in."
  The newest senior officer on the Feynman walked through the door.
  "Hello, Ensign.  Have a seat," Maril offered.

                                                 The sun has met the sea,
                                                 Lt. Commander Onta Maril,
                                                 First Officer, USS Feynman,
                                                 aka Max Felsher

  NRPG:
All:So, this exhausting test is finally over.  Now, I can get back to real
life.  (At least as real as it gets in ASR.)
Lysle:I'll try to post Maril's view on your dilemna soon.  Get ready for some
mythological examples! :)
Joseph:I'll have you know that you just barely passed! Just kidding. :) If you
want to know any of your individual scores, just ask.  Oh, get ready for a
Command shift!
Charles:Tell Maril any of your expectations, requests, grievances, etc.  I'll
give Krazny some info about where his quarter are, etc., but until I do, say
what you want.