Captain Riker’s Revenge part two.

Captain Riker leant forward on his elbows and held his head in his hands, a picture of Deanna stared at him from across the wooden desk.  Tears of grief and loss flowed freely from Riker’s eyes unbridled emotion took hold of him.  Riker mashed his com badge and spoke to the bridge,

“Riker here time to trading route beta?”

Lieutenant Barker replied,

“3 hours Captain at present speed, do you have new orders sir?”

Riker was holding the picture of Deanna to his chest and he replied,

“Yes warp 9 now!”

Ensign Potter slid his fingers over the glass panel and using his bridge code sent the Raven at maximum warp towards Romulan space.  The Raven was Captain Riker’s second command in 8 years, she was fast and well built, she was the Hotel class star ship an intermediate explorer. She was only 2 years old but had seen more of space and combat than she should have. USS Grisom NCV 1801 was no more, Star Fleet wanted her back and wanted this killing spree to end.

1 hour and 10 minutes later the Raven dropped out of warp and stood station 102,000 kilometres from the designated no go route of Romulan trade. Captain Riker cancelled off duty time and killed the power to the hollow deck.  Sitting in his chair he pressed the ships intercom and spoke,

“All hands to battle stations Red Alert! I’m expecting at least 2 Romulan freighters with escort we need their Dilithium and precious metals to trade for more weapons and information, I expect the best of you all, Riker out”

After 28 minutes a sole freighter came into sensor range flanked by 2 Romulan war birds. Riker was half expecting this change of strategy by the Romulans, his attacks on their shipping had not gone unnoticed. 1 of the war birds broke formation and sped towards the Raven with all its disrupter banks charged!

Captain Riker sat firm in his seat motionless, Commander Tucker shouted out,