No Surrender - Jeff Mariotte [19]
The look on Aulyffke’s face told Gold that he’d hit the right note. A negative report on the Kursican government’s behavior would damage their application to the Federation, and the Regent did not want that.
“Very well, Captain Gold. One hour. After that, we destroy your friend Augustus Bradford and his cabal of agitators once and for all.”
* * *
“Frnats overheard some talk among the prisoners,” Corsi reported. “I don’t like the sound of it.”
“What kind of talk?” Sonya asked. She maintained her position outside the infirmary, where the line for treatment still stretched down the corridor and around a corner.
“You know,” Corsi said. “There are only a few of us and a lot of them, they could get our phasers, even if a couple of them went down they’d still outnumber us a hundred to one. That kind of thing.”
“And they said this right in front of Frnats?”
“They don’t get many Bolians around here, apparently,” Corsi replied. “I don’t know if they thought she couldn’t understand them, or didn’t know how keen her hearing is. The point is, what are we going to do about it?”
“What can we do?” Sonya asked. “They’re right.”
“Then we should get out of here.”
“Not until they make a move, or we’re ordered out by Captain Gold,” Sonya said with finality. “I won’t run because of a couple of grumbling malcontents.”
Corsi glared at her. “You haven’t liked this assignment from the beginning, Commander,” she said. “I’m surprised you’re not willing to leave before the trouble starts.”
“You’re right, Commander,” Sonya replied, clipping the words short. “I don’t like it. But it’s the job we’ve been assigned to do. Now, if there’s nothing else?”
Corsi turned on her heel and walked away.
Sonya watched her go, knowing the security chief was right—the tension in the corridor was as sharp as a razor’s edge, the air thick with the mingled smells of sweat and fear. Something was going to happen soon. Her people just had to be ready when it did.
* * *
Ensign Wong turned to look at Captain Gold in his command chair. “We’re in orbit around Val’Jon, sir.”
“Pull within thirty thousand kilometers, Ensign, and hold position.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ina, try to raise Augustus Bradford. Tell him I want to talk to him privately.”
The Bajoran nodded. “Aye, aye, sir.”
Gold opened an intercom channel. “Transporter room. Feliciano, can you get a lock on anything in there?”
A few moments later, the transporter chief replied, “No, sir. They’re using the same kind of shield that the Plat uses.”
“And there’s no way to get through it?”
“No, sir.”
“I don’t buy that. We’re supposed to be the damn problem-solvers of the galaxy—so get on it, pronto! Get Barnak and anyone else you need from engineering to help out. You’ve got less than an hour to find a way to get those people out of there, Chief.”
“We’ll get on it right away, sir.”
“Captain?”
Gold turned to the ops console. “Yes, Lieutenant?”
“I have Augustus Bradford, sir.”
It felt like there was a rock in David Gold’s stomach. “In my ready room, Ina.”
* * *
“David Gold. Imagine that. After all these years, you’re the one they send after me.”
“I didn’t come here for you, Gus,” Gold said. He was alone in the ready room now. “And I don’t care what mess you’ve gotten yourself into. I only want one thing.”
“And what’s that?”
“Ambassador Uree, Deborah, and Benjamin returned to me, safe and sound.”
“They’re all fine, David. You’ll just have to take my word for it. But I can’t release them to you. I’m surprised you’d think they weren’t safe and sound, to be honest.”
“I don’t know you anymore, Gus. I don’t know what you might do.”
“I’m sorry that your estimation of me has sunk so low. We were friends, once upon a time.”
“That was long ago, Gus. A lifetime ago.”
“Lives are short, David.”
“That depends on how you live them.”
Bradford laughed, an explosive sound. “I’ll tell you, when I wore a Starfleet uniform, with my own ship, I felt like every day was a lifetime long. I’ve never felt as free as I have here on New Terra.”
“The Federation isn’t as bad as you make it out