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110 looked solemn. “Because, Captain Gold, I am already partially linked to Friend. When I attempted to access the computer when we first boarded, I engaged some sort of circuit with it. It has downloaded a link to my brain, but a very inefficient one. Bynar brains are already constructed to link smoothly with computers, and contain a great deal of information. I am the only one capable of establishing communication that could convince it that we are no threat. It is up to me to stop the ship.”

“We’ve already stopped the ship.”

Slowly, 110 shook his large head. “No, sir, we have not.”

At that moment, Gold’s combadge chirped. “McAllan to Captain Gold. The alien ship is powering up. It’s left the planet surface and is heading right for us.”

CHAPTER

6

Repairs are complete. All systems fully operational. Jaldark is not on board. Accessing search parameters. Searching planet surface . . . Jaldark is not present on the planet surface. Alien vessel in orbit about planet. Unable to penetrate shields for search.

Conclusion: Jaldark has been taken by the alien vessel.

Action required: Jaldark must be recovered immediately.

Jaldark, I am coming. I am coming, my Friend. I will not let them harm you.

Gold was still in a solemn mood from the tragic recording he had just seen as the turbolift doors hissed open. But once he stepped on the bridge, and saw the expressions on the bridge crew, he put his pity aside.

It was tragic that Jaldark had died alone, in pain. And he sympathized with the ship’s loss, if it was, as 110 kept insisting, sentient and capable of emotion. But that didn’t mean he was willing to make the ship feel better by letting it blast the da Vinci to bits.

“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. “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 already linked 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