Day of Honor 01_ Ancient Blood - Diane Carey [50]
After he was gone, Riker looked around at the nearly still men from the past and said, “Heck of a lesson plan, sir.”
“Yes, I’m rather enjoying myself, more than I expected to. But you can see this technology isn’t completely compatible with ours. It’s still moving along. The computer can’t completely stop it unless I authorize a complete shutdown. Interesting.”
“Yes, it is.” Riker peered out over the slowly flickering waters at the stranded frigate. “Lose your ship?”
“Not mine,” Picard said peevishly. “Well? What’s going on?”
“Oh, sorry. Worf destroyed the drone ship with his usual panache.” Riker offered a canny grin. “The freighter had to turn back to Sindikash, so I assume that happened because Worf successfully sabotaged it and kept that shipment from reaching Romulan space. The Rogues didn’t make a very good showing for themselves. They’re supposed to throw themselves on their swords for Odette Khanty, and they didn’t. I guess she wasn’t worth dying for.”
“So she failed to frame the lieutenant governor.”
“Right. And Worf made it look as if they almost got caught, so now she’s not very happy with her Rogue force. That can work in our favor.”
“Yes. It’ll make her desperate,” Picard observed. He looked out at the Justina, a template for desperation.
Riker nodded. “And now Worf’s a hero in Khanty’s eyes, because he kept the freighter and the Rogues from being arrested. If she had any doubts about him, she won’t anymore.”
“Perfect. Very good— very good. What was in that shipment, Mr. Riker?”
Riker retired an itch on one ear and said, “We aren’t sure, sir. Tainted seed, bogus pharmaceuticals, chemical adulterants—Odette Khanty’s done ‘em all. Things would’ve looked bad for the lieutenant governor, to be attached to a cargo like that. Even Worf couldn’t find out what was in that ship, but whatever it was, I’ll bet we’re glad it didn’t get through.”
Picard nodded and peered out over the barely frozen bay and said, “Poor luck often forces men to fail at their missions. I’m glad to hear Mr. Worf is having better fortunes. Has Mr. Worf been able to maneuver Mr. Grant into an inside position?”
“I don’t think so. Worf’s last communication came through several relays, but he indicated that he is gaining the trust of Mrs. Khanty. He’ll find a way to get Grant inside. Even if the Rogues don’t particularly like him, they certainly trust him now. He’s slowly wheedling his way to the upper levels of security at the governor’s mansion, and he’s taking Grant right along with him—”
The door section, hanging independently in the middle of the forest, parted again. Commander Data strode in, his pale golden face shining in the moonlight of Chesapeake Bay. His catlike android eyes flickered a bit as he spotted them in the trees and picked his way through to the bay shore.
“Sir,” he said cordially to Riker, then looked at Picard. “Captain.”
“Yes, Mr. Data?” Picard acknowledged.
“I have scanned and reviewed all available information about arms shipments, distributions, contraband, or disposals in the sector, and found no caches of weapons numbering between ten and forty. I am sorry, sir.”
Picard felt his brow draw, and saw that Riker had the same expression. “Weapons, Mr. Data? I don’t recall a need to check records of weapons shipments or disposals—”
“The weapons belonging to the passengers of the transport who were killed, sir,” Data said, with his innocent manner of reporting facts as he saw them.
His amber eyes flicked to Riker, then back to Picard. When neither seemed to know what he was talking about, he pointedly added, “The arms, sir.”
Riker’s eyes got big and his lips pressed flat.
“Oh … the arms …” Picard rubbed a hand over his own mouth to wipe down the gallows grin.
Data nodded. “Yes, sir. You