Star Trek Tales From The Captains Table

Let us raise our glasses to Plato, Geoffrey Chaucer, Lord Dunsany, L.
Sprague de
Camp & Fletcher Pratt, Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven, Spider Robinson, John
Ostrander, Neil Gaiman, and all those past, present, and future who know the value
of gathering together, hoisting a few, and telling tales….
Introduction
How We Built the Bar

DEAN WESLEY SMITH
B ack in the mists of history, around 1997, the Captain’s Table was built, to
float forever in time and space, allowing only captains of ships through the big
wooden front door. If my memory serves, the creation of the Captain’s Table
was slow, like any construction process—a labor of love carried out over a
number of phone calls between myself and former Pocket Books editor John
Ordover.
John and I both loved the tradition of bars in literature, and often talked
about the White Hart, one of our favorites. I’m not sure of the exact
conversation between us that sent the Captain’s Table into full construction,
but I do remember that at one point John suggested I create the bar.
Since I had worked as a bartender and have a degree in architecture that I
have seldom used, it was a logical assignment. I took the task very seriously,
actually going to my architectural studio and drawing up floor plans. As I
would in any good design, I included restrooms, determined the location of
stairs, provided for liquor storage, and so on. Every detail, all to scale. Then
John and I worked out the characters who would be regulars, who would be
there to listen to the captains’ stories.
We developed the rules of the bar, and how it works with captains of ships
from any time and any space. We developed the tradition of captains telling
tales, and many of the other details that threaded their way into the bar. Then
John hired eight of his writers to bring the Captain’s Table to life and write
six novels. He assigned each the task of writing in first person, from the
captain’s point of view while in the bar.
Since I had designed the bar, I was given first choice and picked Benjamin
Sisko, writing with my wife, Kristine Kathryn Rusch. The team of L.A. Graf
took Jim Kirk and Hikaru Sulu, Diane Carey wrote about Kathryn Janeway,
Michael Jan Friedman got to record Jean-Luc Picard’s story, Jerry Oltion told
Christopher Pike’s, and Peter David told Mackenzie Calhoun’s tale.
John kept everyone together in details and timeline, even managing to have
the different books linked by last and first chapters, with one captain leaving
the bar while another came in. John even had the artist put in the faces of the
authors in the crowd scene behind the captains in the cover paintings and on
the big poster. Only not always on our own books. (Hint: Kris and I are right
behind Captain Janeway.)
As a hard-core Star Trek fan, this was all grand fun for me, not only the
creation of the bar, but writing the novel. Since then, I have been editing
Strange New Worlds, the annual-contest anthology that lets the fans into the
professional writing side of Star Trek. Over the years, my biggest regret has
been that the rules of Strange New Worlds don’t allow Captain’s Table stories.
I’ve really wanted to read more about the bar that floated out there, giving the
captains of ships a needed place to relax.
Now Keith R.A. DeCandido has solved that problem with this wonderful
book, getting some of the best Star Trek writers to drop in to the Captain’s
Table and listen to more stories from many varied captains. I feel like I have
come home.
So sit back and enjoy great stories in one of the most interesting and
strange places in all of time and space. And when you leave, don’t forget to tip
the bartender.
Tending Bar…
Cap was cleaning glasses as the pair entered the bar—both human, both Starfleet. The
shorter, bald one, Jean-Luc Picard, had graced the Captain’s Table on several
occasions, becoming more gregarious with each visit. The taller, bearded human with
him, William T. Riker, was new. Cap smiled, enjoying the ritual of the captain
bringing the newly promoted beloved former first officer here for his first drink.
And, of course, for his first story.
Off in a corner, another human Starfleet captain, this a blond-haired woman who
was drinking a succession of Orion whiskeys, sat dolefully, ignoring those who entered,
even though they were known to her. Cap knew that Elizabeth Shelby’s story was not
one for the entire tavern. Another captain was moving to sit with her. She would pay
her way soon enough, and the rules only said you had to tell a story, not necessarily
tell it to all of the bar’s patrons.
At the bar itself was another doleful captain, a Klingon named Klag, who was
attempting to drain Cap’s warnog supply. The new arrivals were known to him as
well, and nods were exchanged among them.
As Picard and Riker approached the bar, Cap walked over to where they stood,
already knowing what they would order….
WILLIAM T. RIKER
CAPTAIN OF THE U.S.S. TITAN
Improvisations on the Opal Sea:

A Tale of Dubious Credibility
MICHAEL A. MARTIN & ANDY MANGELS

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Contents
Introduction: How We Built the Bar

Dean Wesley Smith
WILLIAM T. RIKER
Improvisations on the Opal Sea: A Tale of Dubious Credibility
Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels
JEAN-LUC PICARD
Darkness
Michael Jan Friedman
ELIZABETH SHELBY
Pain Management
Peter David
KLAG, SON OF M’RAQ

loDnI’pu’ vavpu’ je
Keith R.A. DeCandido
KIRA NERYS
The Officers’ Club
Heather Jarman
JONATHAN ARCHER
Have Beagle, Will Travel: The Legend of Porthos
Louisa M. Swann
DEMORA SULU
Iron and Sacrifice
David R. George III
CHAKOTAY
Seduced
Christie Golden
DAVID GOLD
An Easy Fast
John J. Ordover
About the Authors

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Let us raise our glasses to Plato, Geoffrey Chaucer, Lord Dunsany, L.

How We Built the Bar

Improvisations on the Opal Sea:

MICHAEL A. MARTIN & ANDY MANGELS

Introduction: How We Built the Bar

KLAG, SON OF M’RAQ

About the Authors

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