Possession - J.M. Dillard [91]
“Yes, Father,” the boy said smartly, and immediately went into action.
Kyla approached the empath and peered at her, concerned. “What about you, Counselor? If you can sense Picard, what about the others?”
Troi drew in a breath, clearly fighting to control herself. “Now that the entities know I’m awake, that I know about them, I … can sense them. They’re feeding off my empathic emotions. It’s like …” She swallowed and raised trembling hands to her face. “Like being constantly fondled by a hundred strangers, helplessly forced to endure their touch.”
The tall blond scientist put a reassuring arm around the shorter dark-haired empath. “Don’t think about them, Deanna—focus on me, Worf, and Alexander. Focus on our strength and outrage. We’re close to you here; the others are farther away. Pull in our feelings and make them yours.”
“Yes …” Troi answered softly. “Yes, that’s better …” She drew in a gulp of air, shuddered, then grew steady. “Yes, that’s working …” She managed a wan smile. “Thank you.”
“If you can sense them that strongly,” Worf said, “and if they can feed off you, then they will want you under their control. You are worried about Data—but we need to worry about you!”
As he spoke, Alexander came clattering into the living room with a backpack full of emergency rations, several computer padds, and three phasers. Worf glanced at the supplies and realized his son had brought in everything Worf had intended to get himself. Alexander beamed proudly beneath his father’s approving gaze.
“Remember in our nok’bara classes how I taught you about the calm before the battle,” Worf reminded Deanna, as he handed her a phaser. “You must collect that calm about you, fill your mind with it, blotting out the invasion of the aliens. Show them your Klingon calm and they will freeze.”
She nodded, tight-lipped and determined. “I’ll be all right. But we’ve got to find Data. He’s no longer with the captain.”
Worf scowled, concerned: the android’s movements presented a logistical problem. No doubt, Data, who was swifter than any of them, had also discarded his communicator badge. “If you cannot sense Data, and he is no longer with another humanoid, then how will we find him?”
“I bet I know where he is, Father,” Alexander announced cheerfully.
The Klingon repressed his skepticism as he gazed down at his son. “And where would that be?”
“Deck Twelve, Jeffries tube twenty-eight. He took our whole class there for a demonstration on the inner workings of a starship six months ago. He picked that spot because it was an important hub, with lots of power panels, computer terminals, even a replicator. There are five such hubs in the ship, but Data chose that one because it was out of the way, and he knew we wouldn’t be disturbed there. It’s a lot of trouble to get to!”
Worf found himself grinning at his resourceful child. “Then you must lead us there quickly and quietly!”
Aren’t we a motley crew, Deanna thought, as she crept along behind Alexander and Worf; Dannelke brought up the rear so that Troi would be surrounded by a protective emotional wall. A Betazoid, a Klingon, a human, and a Klingon-human child …
Alexander had been right about Jeffries tube twenty-eight being difficult to get to; it seemed they had been moving forever from tunnel to tube to tunnel in an infinitely circuitous route. Or perhaps it only seemed like forever, Deanna decided, because each step took enormous mental effort. The entities were still upon her—probing, touching, trying to elicit as much fear and outrage as possible from her. She closed her eyes an instant, concentrating so that she would not stumble, and permitted herself to bathe in the heat of Worf’s and Kyla’s anger and protectiveness. Even Alexander’s innocent resolve bolstered her, making her humbled and proud to have such friends.
Suddenly,