Hard Crash - Christie Golden [4]
"I'm certain is has," soothed Gold. "We're preparing to transport our people over to the ship. We'll contact you once we have the situation well in hand."
"We are grateful." The image blinked out. On the screen now was the strange, seemingly dead ship. Gold took a breath, said a quick prayer, and instructed the away team to report to the transporter room.
As they gathered in the transporter room, Sonya Gomez was still a bit on edge from the confrontation she'd had with Domenica Corsi. Normally, she got along with "Core Breach" Corsi better than anyone else aboard the da Vinci. But Corsi was still stinging from the rebuff she'd gotten from Gold during the briefing. While Gomez was heading for the transporter room, Corsi had fallen in step beside her and insisted that she be allowed to accompany the away team.
"There's no indication that that will be necessary, Dom," Gomez had said as sympathetically as she could.
"There's no indication that it won't," Corsi had retorted.
"Look," Gomez had finally said, exasperated, "the captain wants you on the bridge. And I think he's right. Suppose something does go wrong? We'll need you up here in case that ship proves to be a danger to the Intarians."
When even that logic failed to placate the chief security officer, Gomez had added, "That's an order, Lieutenant Commander."
She disliked pulling rank, especially here, with this crew, where at times it seemed so unnecessary. They had worked together long enough that everyone knew what to do and usually didn't need to be told. She especially disliked having to do it with Corsi, who was generally the one keeping all the rest of them on their toes with regards to regulations, protocol, and proper rank deportment. Corsi had stiffened, drawn herself up to her full and imposing height, fixed Gomez with an icy stare, replied, "Yes, Commander" in a cold voice, and stalked off.
Gomez wasn't superstitious, but this was a bad way to start a mission. Her boots rang loudly as she stepped onto the transporter pad.
"Core Breach got you?" asked Kieran Duffy.
"Kaboom," she replied softly. He grinned a little, then looked away quickly. Too quickly. It would take more time than this to get used to each other again.
Geordi, too, was smiling. She felt a trace of annoyance. She didn't want La Forge to see any division in the ranks, any hint that she couldn't take care of subordinates. She wished Gold hadn't ordered him to accompany the away team. This ought to have been her mission.
It was only now that she realized that 110 was missing. Her dark brows drew together in a frown. "Where is--"
The door hissed open. 110 stood there for a moment, looking around as if lost. Gomez's vexation with Geordi evaporated. Damn it, 110 seemed so very tiny, so very fragile in his envirosuit. So...alone. There was something very strange to her about seeing a single Bynar, something wrong about it. Like watching a Vulcan laugh at a joke. That wasn't the way this culture was meant to be.
Were they pushing him too hard? Was 110 really ready for another assignment without a chance to properly mourn and reconnect with his people?
Hesitantly at first, then with more determination, 110 moved into the room. He clambered onto the tran sporter pad and craned his neck to look up at first La Forge and then Gomez with unreadable dark eyes.
"We--I--apologize for being late, Commander."
"Don't worry about it, 110," said Gomez with more warmth than she had intended to show.
She looked up at Wong, who was awaiting their order to transport.
"Energize," said Gomez.
....Jaldark...?
They materialized in Hell.
The command center looked like a torture chamber to a horrified Duffy. It was a huge domed area, but there was no skylight letting in the softening light of the stars. The area was completely enclosed. There appeared to be no exits. All was metal, heavy