A fresh spate of orders came and stopped their chat.

A spate of orders for Boeing's new 787 has allowed the company to catch a second wind in this fiercely competitive marketplace.

The captain took his place in the command center and addressed his next spate of orders to the helm.

As new detachments arrived, he began issuing a spate of orders, sending back gallopers with messages to the rearward companies.

Riker's response to the distress call had been automatic: a quick assessment of the message, a rapid spate of orders that brought the starship onto a new course and increased its speed.