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“Unfortunately,” Ecor announced, “our friend Sturgis didn’t survive his interrogation. It seems he wasn’t as durable as he looked.”

I could hear Abby curse under her breath. What’s more, I understood her anger and her pain. In the end, Sturgis had fallen victim to his fear, it’s true. But prior to that, he had been a loyal and efficient crewman a man she had trusted and perhaps even liked.

I, of course, had another reason for mourning the man. As you’ll recall, he and I had fought side by side against the Cardassians. For all I knew, Sturgis had saved my life.

“However,” the gul went on, either ignorant of Abby’s muttered curse or unimpressed by it, “the fellow swore with his dying breath that he hadn’t lied to me and that Hel’s Gate was indeed the Daring’s destination.”

He turned to Red Abby. “That presents me with a problem, Captain Brant. I know where you were headed but not what you planned on doing when you got there, or how it was going to help you find the Hoard.”

“And?” she said.

“And I don’t intend to expose my ship and crew to a phenomenon like Hel’s Gate until I have a better understanding of the situation.”

“You won’t get it from me,” she told him.

Ecor smiled tautly. “I beg to differ with you.” He gestured to his fellow Cardassians. “She’s next.”

As the soldiers reached for Red Abby, I determined I wouldn’t stand by and allow them to take her. The fact that I had little or no chance of stopping them didn’t enter into the equation. I simply couldn’t let her be seized without a fight.

Apparently, Lieutenant Worf was of the same mind. But then, as I’ve noted, he is a Klingon.

Since there was a Cardassian standing behind me, I drove my elbow into his ribs. As he doubled over, I shoved him as hard as I could into the bulkhead behind him.

Worf attacked the nearest guard as well, with much the same results. His man lay on the deck, bloodied and gasping for air, before he or anyone else could prevent it.

But that was as far as either of us got. I felt something strike me in the side with the force of a sledgehammer a directed energy beam, no doubt, fortuitously set on stun. As I lay on the deck, half-numb, I saw my lieutenant had suffered the same fate.

Gul Ecor came to stand over me. “Be patient, Captain Picard. If Captain Brant doesn’t prove cooperative, you’ll get your turn.” He laughed. “In fact, you’ll get your turn no matter what. I’m sure there’s a good deal I can learn from the commanding officer of a starship.”

As I mentioned earlier, I had already suffered at the hands of a Cardassian torture master. I had no desire to suffer that way again.

Still, as Abby was led away, I found I was more concerned for her than I was for myself.

Madigoor

“OUR HERO’S PROSPECTS are not good,” the captain of the Kalliope said slyly. “Nor, for that matter, are his friend Red Abby’s.”

“As is often the case,” Dravvin noted, “in a tale of high adventure.”

“Indeed,” Flenarrh added, “why else would anyone listen to such a tale except to see how the hero escapes his bad prospects?”

“Sometimes he doesn’t escape,” the Captain of the Kalliope said.

“True,” Hompaq agreed. “Sometimes he has the good sense to perish. In fact, that is the hallmark of a good adventure story a brave death in the face of terrible odds.”

“I suppose that’s good sometimes,” Bo’tex allowed.

Hompaq glanced pointedly at Picard and made a derisive sound deep in her throat. “Not sometimes, fat one. All the time. An honorable death is not an enemy, to be feared and avoided. It is a prize to be coveted, the ultimate reward for courage and devotion.”

Flenarrh chuckled, enjoying the Klingon’s remark. “I do believe our friend is baiting you, Captain Picard.”

“Baiting him again,” Dravvin noted.

Picard could see that Hompaq’s annoyance with him wasn’t going to go away. At least, not without some effort.

He smiled, the picture of tolerance. “As well she should,” he replied. “After all, Hompaq makes a valid point a particularly Klingon point. And like any Klingon,