Enigma - Michael Jan Friedman [53]
Meanwhile, the first team filled the second container with the stack of bacteria-infested cargo. By the time they finished and were ready to lock the lid down, Ben Zoma’s team was distributing the excess from the germ-free pile to the other containers—not just the second one, but also those that were previously unopened.
That way, they could hide the cargo they were displacing. And unless the aliens scrutinized the contents of each container, they would never know what had happened.
After Ben Zoma and his team finished, they took out their phasers again and used the same low-level, wide-angle setting they had used on the container to burn germs off each other. Otherwise, they might have contaminated the bacteria-free cargo and undone all their hard work.
The only thing left to do was figure out how to reset the locks after they climbed into the container. While Chen and Garner worked on that, Ben Zoma told the rest of his team to take a break.
He had intended to take one himself. However, as he watched Chen and Garner work on the problem, he heard McAteer’s voice in the confines of his helmet.
“Can I speak with you for a moment?” the admiral asked. He tapped his helmet with a gloved forefinger. “Without these?”
Ben Zoma understood the implication. As it was, they could speak over the group com link or by putting their helmets together. But neither way afforded them any real privacy.
“Of course,” said the first officer.
He cast his palmlight about until he found a likely collection of containers. After all, there was more to privacy than keeping their choice of words to themselves.
He tilted his head. “Over there would be good.”
McAteer nodded. “Fine with me, Commander.” Then he led the way, forcing Ben Zoma to follow.
When they reached the far side of the cluster, the admiral took off his helmet, and Ben Zoma did the same. As their tricorders had indicated, the air was warm and breathable.
“What was it you wanted to talk about?” Ben Zoma asked, getting straight to the point.
“You,” said McAteer. “And the way you’ve conducted yourself since we entered this ship.”
The first officer wasn’t sure what he had expected to hear, but it wasn’t that. “I’m not sure what you mean, sir.”
“You’ve been giving orders as if I weren’t around. As if I weren’t the ranking officer on this mission.”
“With all due respect, Admiral, I thought you were happy to let me take the lead. You certainly didn’t give me any indication to the contrary.”
“Well,” said McAteer, “I’m giving you an indication now. I’m the one who’ll be giving the orders from now on. And if you have a problem with that, you’ll have to cope with it.”
Ben Zoma felt as if he had been slapped in the face. Still, he managed to keep his composure. “I have no problem with it, sir.”
The admiral chuckled derisively. “Really, Commander? You bear me no ill at all?”
The first officer saw now what McAteer was getting at. But just because the admiral was dangling the bait, he didn’t have to rise to it. “None at all, sir.”
McAteer scowled. “Come on, Commander, you can say it. You don’t like the fact that I’ve called your captain to a competence hearing.”
Ben Zoma shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I like that?”
“Because he’s your friend, for one thing. And because if he’s demoted, there’s a good chance his first officer will be knocked down as well.”
Obviously, Ben Zoma had considered that possibility. But truthfully, he didn’t want to serve under anyone except Picard. If his friend were stripped of his command, Ben Zoma would be happy to leave with him.
“I suppose you think you have good cause to call for a hearing,” said the first officer. “Well, I don’t.”
“Really,” said the admiral. “I’d like to hear more.”
“Permission to speak freely?”
“Granted,” said McAteer.
“From where I stand, Captain Picard has done pretty much everything you’ve asked of him. If he’s been deficient at all, it’s in his reluctance to tell you where to get off.”
McAteer’s face suffused with blood. “I’ve bent over backward to be fair to your captain, Commander. Despite his inexperience,