Gateways 07_ What Lay Beyond - Diane Carey [58]
“I understand, Colonel. I observe your ships traversing the galaxy all the time from here. It is not a pastime shared by all my people.”
“There are more of you, then?”
“Yes. Some of them are dealing with this crisis now. I have faith in the Sentries.”
Kira had no idea what that meant, but she didn’t want to get off topic. “What about Europa Nova?”
“Hm?”
“System” She peered at the console screen, but couldn’t read it.
“X2-whatever,” she said. Finally, she pointed at the holographic display. “That one!”
“Oh, yes. I am searching now. Ah, there we are. System O22 T has a star that will suffice for the purpose.”
A third star-system image appeared in the holographic display. From the brightness and magnitude, it had an O-type star.
“I can reprogram this particuar hezlat gateway to transport the matter that is emitting the energy on both sides into the star in System O22 T. The star there will render the energy inert.” He turned to Kira.
“I will also remove the object blocking the gateway. Would you like it in System O22 T, System X27 L, or System J55 Q?”
“Uh, the second one,” Kira said. “Is the place where you’re sending the waste uninhabited?”
“Of course,” the custodian said as if the answer were self-evident. Kira had no such assurances, though. After all, according to most of the legends, the Iconians were conquerors.
The custodian made some adjustments on the panel. “I assume by the state you arrived in that your species is vulnerable to this type of energy.”
Assuming that he meant theta radiation, Kira said, “Yes, very vulnerable.”
“In that case, you must be careful. The gateway can remove the matter, but some of the energy will remain around that planet you were concerned with. You say it was evacuated?”
Kira nodded.
“Repopulating it will be a challenge.”
“Like I said I made a promise.”
Again, the custodian made a gesture that might have been interpreted as a nod, then said, “It is time for you to leave.” The Iconian touched a series of triangular panels. A blue light shot out from the globe and then a gateway opened near the edge of the floor. Through it, Kira could see the bustle of ops, with Dax giving orders to Sergeant Gan.
She looked at her host. “We thought there was a natural phenomenon preventing your gateways from functioning in the space around my planet,” Kira said. “That isn’t completely true, is it?”
“No,” the Iconian confirmed. “But we respect the beings who watch your worlds. And we long ago promised never to interfere with them.”
“Worlds…?” Kira asked.
“Farewell, Colonel.”
A million questions on her lips, it took a conscious effort to turn toward the gateway. Taking a deep breath, Kira walked around the console.
Before stepping into the gateway, she took one last look at the immense galaxy above her.
She once again found the spot where the custodian had indicated that Bajor was. From there she traced an imaginary line to the region she knew was the Delta Quadrant, and wondered whether or not Taran’atar had survived his battle with the Hirogen. Then her eyes drifted to the Gamma Quadrant, to the expanse that contained the Dominion, and the Founders’ world.
You don’t look so far away from here, Odo.
The custodian waited patiently while she took it all in, and eventually she turned away from the sprawling mass of stars.
Enough self-indulgence. It’s past time I went back to work.
But as she approached the gateway, it seemed the custodian had one more thing to tell her. “One of the things that doomed the Iconian Empire, Colonel, was that the gateway technology meant that we could no longer travel. We lost sight of the journey in our desire to achieve our destination. Don’t make that mistake.”
Kira smiled at the cloaked figure. “I won’t. And thank you.”
Then she stepped through the gateway, knowing full well what lay beyond.
Chapter 11
Ezri Dax had, Kira knew, centuries of life experience thanks to the Dax symbiont, and she also knew that, among her