A Call to Darkness - Michael Jan Friedman [0]
Captain’s Log, Stardate 42908.6:
Our efforts to find the research ship Gregor Mendel have led us to the Trilik’kon Mahk’ti system, well outside the boundaries of Federation space. I do not believe it is an overdramatization to call Trilik’kon Mahk’ti our last hope.
We have been searching this sector for weeks, painstakingly inspecting every system, every planet-without so much as a hint of success. Even our communications beacons have been unproductive, their broadcasts met with silence.
Yet there is only so much margin for error in the calculations of our ship’s computer. And the research vessel’s last communication, a subspace distress signal, was determined to have originated in this vicinity.
Nor could the Mendel have gotten very much farther-at least, not under her own power. The some sudden and unusually treacherous Murasaki disturbance that threw her off course also effectively crippled her propulsion systems-or so we were given to understand.
It seems more and more likely that the Mendel has fallen victim to one of the myriad dangers awaiting a crippled ship in space. Or that the damage to the ship’s systems was more profound than first reported-profound enough to result in a devastating explosion.
Nonetheless, we carry on.
CAPTAIN JEAN-LUC PICARD sat back in his command chair, the words from the log entry he’d made almost an hour ago still echoing ominously in his ears.
Log entries are so neat, so concise. And for good reason. Starfleet deals in facts, not sentiments.
But there were times when the facts alone were insufficient. When a man’s emotions cried out to be heard as well.
Out of the corner of his eye, Picard noticed Counselor Troi gazing at him. He turned to regard her.
Troi was a Betazoid, an empath; she could feel the turbulence that was going on inside him. But she would not bring it up for discussion-not here, on the bridge. She knew better than that.
Still, something passed between them as their eyes met. A warmth-no, more. An assurance that whatever he was going through, he was not going through it alone. It calmed him somewhat, gave him a little more perspective.
Picard inclined his head almost imperceptibly-a token of his gratitude that only she would notice or understand.
Troi smiled and looked away again, went back to her scrutiny of the main viewscreen. In her own way, she too was searching for the Gregor Mendel-or rather, for its crew. Her talents were not nearly as far-reaching as the Enterprise’s long-range scanner/sensor systems, but that did not stop her from trying
Picard looked around the bridge. He wondered if anyone else had noticed his increasing agitation. If so, they gave no sign of it.
First Officer Riker was hovering over the conn station, discussing some navigational issue with the officer in charge. Though Riker probably knew the captain better than anyone else-with the exception of Troi, of course-there were too many others who needed his help and guidance for him to have thought much about Picard lately.
Data, positioned at the Ops console, was intent on the information scrolling across his monitor-nor was he likely to have perceived any change in Picard anyway. Regrettably, the android had certain limitations when it came to nuances of human nature.
Worf was actually quite discerning at times-particularly in recognizing the less gentle emotions. But the Klingon was entrenched now among the science-section people on the afterbridge, too busy to notice much of anything that didn’t have to do with thorium ion concentrations. Impulse engines routinely shed such particles-and Worf was gambling that the Mendel had had enough engine function to leave a trail of them.
Picard’s musings were interrupted as his first officer crossed the bridge. Graceful for a man his size, he folded himself into his customary seat at the captain’s right hand.
“It appears that you were right,” said Riker.
“About what, Number One?”
“About our precautions. There’s nothing left of the Klah’kimmbri. Plenty of debris that might once have been ships, free stations and satellites-but