Hard Crash - Christie Golden [20]
"Shields up. Red alert," he snapped. He took his seat and gazed at the image on the viewscreen.
It seemed impossible, but there it was. That ship had been badly damaged when it crashed into the planet, and they'd believed that they had completely knocked out its weapons systems. And yet it looked like they hadn't even scratched the thing. It was, as McAllan had said, heading straight for them, and if Gold imagined that the ship was seething with deadly intent and aching for revenge, he knew he wasn't guilty of anthropomorphizing.
"Status report," he demanded.
"One minute the vessel was dead, the next, it's completely repaired and heading right for us," said Wong. "We can't tell for certain, of course, but I would guess its weapons systems are intact."
At that moment, a green bolt of energy narrowly missed them.
"I'd say you're right," said Gold. "But that was obviously a warning shot. If that ship wanted to hit us, it would hit us. Open a hailing frequency. Attention alien vessel. This is Captain David Gold of the U.S.S. da Vinci. We mean you no harm. Let's open a dialogue."
At once, a metallic voice echoed throughout the bridge. "Omearan Starsearcher 7445 to the da Vinci. You have my pilot. Return her at once, unharmed. Then we will open a dialogue."
Dear God, thought Gold, he doesn't know she's dead.
"Captain," said Gomez, softly, "I don't think Friend will respond too happily if we beam that body over."
"Agreed," said Gold. "Wong, mute. Suggestions?"
"Let me attempt to link with it," said 110 at once.
"110," said Gold wearily, "that ship might just as soon crisp you as talk to you."
110 lifted his head and regarded Gold evenly. "As we--as I have told you, Captain Gold, I am still already with it, though it is not a two-way communication. Its pain is my pain. The only way I will lose that pain is if I can speak with it. And that is the only way Friend will ever accept what has happened to Jaldark. The news must be given to him gently, in a way he can understand. Otherwise he will attack in anger. When he crashed into the planet--it was not an accident, Captain. He was in despair and could not engage his self-destruct mechanism."
He winced a little. "Please. This is the only way."
"110," Geordi said gently, "there's no guarantee that you will be able to form a proper link with the computer."
The little Bynar smiled at that. "There is, as you humans like to say, only one way to find out."
Geordi and Gold exchanged glances. Gold reached a decision. "Gold to Dr. Lense. Would it be possible to adjust 110's brain and body in order to render him able to link with the ship?"
"I think so. If you'd wanted to do this with a human, the answer would be no, but the Bynar brains are much better candidates for such a link. And judging by his brain wave patterns, I'd say that there seems to be some kind connection established between them already. It would take some surgery, but I--"
"110, get to sickbay right now," ordered Gold. At once, 110 scampered to obey. "Wong, reestablish link. Attention Omearan Starsearcher 7445. We would like to send an ambassador to your command center to speak with you."
"Return my pilot. Then she and I will speak with your ambassador."
Gold took a deep breath. Time for a little white lie. "Your pilot is unwell." It was true. Dead was about as unwell as one could get. "She is currently in our sickbay." Also true. "We have boarded you previously."
"I remember." The metallic voice was angry now. "When you kidnapped Jaldark."
"We brought her to our ship, yes. But while we were aboard you, while you were inactive, you established a link with one of my crew."
Silence. "Yes," said the ship, haltingly. "I remember."
"We think we can further adjust him so that he may link with you. We can explain everything to you most efficiently in that fashion."
A long silence. Gold felt sweat gather on his brow. He let this