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“What I could get,” Geordi said. “It’s not giving up its secrets easily.”

“They seldom do,” Gold said. “We’re ready for docking when you are.”

Ten minutes later, Geordi had slipped the Cook in beside the da Vinci ’s two shuttles, and he and Vale were headed for the bridge.

“Never been onboard a Saber -class ship before,” Vale said, glancing around the hallway and into a medical lab as they passed. “Feels small.”

“Compared to the Enterprise , it is,” Geordi said. “The Saber -class holds a crew of forty at most. But these ships can move and fight, trust me.”

“Small and mean,” she said, nodding. “I like that.”

He glanced at her and decided it was just better to say nothing.

Ahead of them a door brushed open, and a woman stepped out, turning in the same direction they were heading. It took Geordi a moment before he recognized her. It was Sonya Gomez, who had been an ensign on the Enterprise ten years ago. He hadn’t realized she was going to be on this mission. That’s what he got for not checking.

He knew she had done well for herself in those ten years. She had ended up, during the war, as the chief engineer on the U.S.S. Sentinel. The Sentinel had found itself dead behind enemy lines, but Gomez had managed to get the warp core back up and running and adjust the warp field so that Breen sensors had thought the ship was Cardassian. She was decorated for that, and after the war she had been promoted to Commander and joined the S.C.E. as its commanding officer. Ten years ago he had been her superior officer; now, for this mission, she was going to be his.

“Not even going to say hello to an old friend?” Geordi asked, loud enough for Gomez to hear.

She glanced back and then stopped, a smile covering her attractive face. “Geordi.”

She waited and gave him a hug. “I was excited when I heard you were coming aboard.” Then she glanced at Vale and extended a hand. “ Commander Gomez,” she said.

“Lieutenant Vale,” Vale said, shaking Gomez’s hand.

Gomez looked her over for a moment. “So you’re the Enterprise ’s new Security Chief. Corsi’s going to love meeting you.”

“Oh,” Vale said, “Lieutenant Commander Corsi and I go way back.”

Gomez looked at Vale for a moment, puzzled, but when the young security chief didn’t go on, she shrugged and turned to walk beside Geordi toward the bridge. Geordi was going to have to ask Vale later about her history with Lieutenant Commander Corsi, the security chief for the S.C.E.

“So what’s it like working S.C.E.?” Geordi asked. “Actually running it.”

“Wonderful, most of the time,” she said. “Gold is a great captain, and we are constantly challenged. I must have a backlog of must-figure-out projects that would last an entire year—assuming I don’t add on any more.”

“Most of the time, huh?” Geordi asked, smiling at her.

“Climbing inside dead alien ships isn’t always fun,” she said.

Geordi could tell from the flat expression on her face that there were a few bad memories attached to that comment, so he didn’t push it.

“We just spent a week on a hot, desert planet trying to get a water system up and running for a candidate for Federation membership. I don’t think I’m ever going to get all the sand out of places I don’t want it to be.”

Geordi laughed. “I see what you mean. I hope this project turns out better.”

“Oh, trust me,” she said, “as long as there isn’t sand, I won’t care. And, from the looks of the preliminary data the Enterprise sent us, we’ve got a real puzzle on our hands. That’s always interesting.”

“That’s why I stayed,” Geordi said. “Thanks for having me.”

“As far as I’m concerned, you’re always welcome,” Gomez said. “The rest of the team is looking forward to meeting you. Your reputation precedes you.”

“Not sure if that’s good or bad,” Geordi said, laughing. And he wasn’t. But having Gomez make him feel welcome and wanted was a good sign of things to come.

The door to the bridge slipped open and Gomez led the way in, stepping to the right toward the science station. Captain Gold was sitting in the captain’s chair, and the large