Gauntlet - Michael Jan Friedman [89]
She had tried to hold Lieutenant Asmund, Chief Simenon, and Captain Picard to the letter of the law. This was Ben Zoma’s attempt to show her how it felt to be held to that kind of standard.
The second officer regarded Greyhorse. “Thank you for your honesty,” she told him. Then she left sickbay, already beginning to fashion an appropriate response.
Ulelo was on his way to the bridge when he heard someone call his name. Glancing back over his shoulder, he saw that the greeting had come from Lieutenant Vigo.
“Yes?” Ulelo said.
The weapons chief smiled at him as he caught up with his overlong strides. “Headed for the bridge?”
“That’s right.”
“So am I.”
They walked together for a moment, Vigo reducing his strides to match his companion’s. Then he spoke up again.
“So tell me, Lieutenant, do you have anything planned when your shift is over?”
Ulelo nodded. “I have some reading to catch up on.”
It was his stock answer to such a question—and a valuable answer it was, enabling him to keep his options open in case the Pandrilite’s suggestion didn’t serve his purposes.
Vigo looked disappointed. “That’s too bad.”
“Why’s that?” Ulelo asked.
The weapons chief shrugged. “I was hoping to engage you in a session of sharash’di. You’re familiar with the game, aren’t you?”
Ulelo had to admit that he wasn’t.
“It’s easy to learn,” Vigo assured him, the twinkle returning to his eye. “If you like, I could teach you sometime.”
Ulelo considered the offer. On one hand, the idea of learning sharash’di held no appeal for him. He had no patience for trivial pursuits these days.
On the other hand, it would give him a chance to spend time with the Pandrilite. And that might garner him some insights into the ship’s weapons systems.
“I would like that,” Ulelo said.
Vigo smiled, exposing blunt, white teeth. “Good. Maybe tomorrow, then, after our shifts are over.”
“Tomorrow,” Ulelo echoed, and made a mental note of it.
* * *
His shift over, Ben Zoma was plying a corridor en route to his quarters when he ran into Commander Wu.
“Sir,” said Wu.
“Commander,” said Ben Zoma.
“I’m glad I found you,” Wu said.
“You are?” he asked, wondering why that might be.
“Yes. Apparently, Lieutenant Asmund isn’t the only one overdue for a helm test. Your qualification’s expired as well.”
Ben Zoma hadn’t been aware of that. “Are you sure?”
“Quite sure,” the second officer told him. And she handed him her data padd to prove it.
He scanned it and saw that his qualification had expired, all right—at midnight the night before. He eyed Wu, hoping to find some evidence that the woman had learned her lesson.
But he couldn’t see it in her expression.
“According to regulations,” said Wu, “you’re not permitted to take the helm until you requalify.”
Ben Zoma sighed. He didn’t much care whether he was permitted to take the helm or not. What he did care about was his second officer’s attitude. Apparently, neither his advice nor her episode with the doctor had done anything to change it.
“Is that an order?” he asked halfheartedly.
As he waited for her response, something marvelous happened. Wu laughed—actually laughed. Then she said, “Let’s call it a suggestion, Commander, and leave it at that.”
Ben Zoma was only too happy to oblige.
Look for STAR TREK fiction from Pocket Books
Star Trek®: The Original Series
Enterprise: The First Adventure • Vonda N. McIntyre
Strangers from the Sky • Margaret Wander Bonanno
Final Frontier • Diane Carey
Spock’s World • Diane Duane
The Lost Years • J.M. Dillard
Prime Directive • Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Probe • Margaret Wander Bonanno
Best Destiny • Diane Carey
Shadows on the Sun • Michael Jan Friedman
Sarek • A.C. Crispin
Federation • Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Vulcan’s Forge • Josepha Sherman & Susan Shwartz
Mission to Horatius • Mack Reynolds
Vulcan’s Heart • Josepha Sherman & Susan Shwartz
The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Book One and Two • Greg Cox
Novelizations
Star Trek: The Motion Picture • Gene Roddenberry
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