Boogeymen - Mel Gilden [54]
“Second, the Enterprise is traveling at warp eight back to Tantamon Four and will arrive there soon. Our warp engines are not engaged. At the same time we are receiving a signal from Tantamon Four that could be coming only from the d’Ort’d ship.
“Third, crew members and civilians are in some kind of trance. An unmapped part of their brains, the Martinez node, is showing unusual activity. Were it not for the fact that this unusual activity seems to have a bearing on our uncontrolled warp, I would say that the rest our sleeping shipmates are getting is the least of our problems. Dr. Crusher?”
“It’s true, the sleepers don’t seem to be in any danger.”
“Very well. Mr. La Forge? Mr. Data?”
Data nodded at La Forge, who stood up and began to explain things. He said, “The combined Boogeymen-d’Ort’d program is unlike anything either Data or I have ever seen. Unfortunately, it is also unlike anything our maintenance programs have seen. That’s the reason the virus program is still in the computer and able to get comfy.”
Data said, “Analysis of the contagion pattern makes it eighty-five percent certain that the d’Ort’d virus program entered Enterprise systems through the terminal in the exobiology lab on deck five.”
“The d’Ort’d set out to destroy us,” Riker said.
Shubunkin said, “I am sorry to disagree with you, Commander. But I have read Professor Baldwin’s extracts and summaries of his work on the teardrop, and I find no evidence of hostile or belligerent tendencies among the d’Ort’d.”
“Could they have been hiding their hostile or belligerent tendencies?” Riker said with a hint of sarcasm.
“Possible, but unlikely. It is not consistent with the pattern we have observed among races in our galaxy.”
Riker did not appear to be convinced, but he let the matter go.
“Then Baldwin must be responsible,” Picard said. He had hoped to find clues to the contrary, but evidently it was not to be.
“Indeed, sir,” Data said.
La Forge said, “We have no idea whether the contagion was installed intentionally or not.”
Riker said, “At the moment I don’t think that’s our most urgent question.”
“Indeed not,” said Data. “But to continue. Mr. La Forge has spent some time telling me about Professor Baldwin, whom I forgot after plugging into the main computer manifested on the holodeck. Mr. La Forge and I have determined that my forgetting was no fluke. The alien virus was modified to wipe any mention of Professor Baldwin from Federation computer records.”
Picard said, “Can you flush the Boogeymen-d’Ort’d program from our computer?”
La Forge looked embarrassed. He sat down and said, “Not at the moment, sir.”
“I trust you will continue your best efforts.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Commander Riker, inform Starfleet of our problem and suggest any ships that may come in contact with a d’Ort’d teardrop proceed with great caution.”
Data said, “I am afraid, sir, that that is not advisable.”
“Why not?” said Riker.
“Anything we broadcast will contain the Boogeymen-d’Ort’d virus. With our first communication, we would doom the Federation.”
After a moment of horrified silence, Picard said, “Thank you, Mr. Data. Belay that order, Number One. Let us continue.”
Shubunkin said, “If I may?”
“Please,” Picard said.
Shubunkin nodded and said, “The sensor readings we took on our first meeting with the teardrop indicated that the d’Ort’d were really two separate races. One was almost human, and the other was so unusual as to be incomprehensible. I would like to propose a theory now that, though strange, fits all the facts as we know them. Please consider it before you reject it.”
“Go ahead,” said Riker.
“I would like to suggest that the humanoids we observed with our sensors are not the crew of the ship but part of the ship itself.”
“How do you mean?” said Dr. Crusher.