Requiem - Michael Jan Friedman [11]
“A Metron artifact?” Picard suggested.
The android frowned ever so slightly. “We know virtually nothing of Metron technology, so we cannot make a comparison, sir. However, scans indicate that some of the technology is similar to known Iconian designs.”
Geordi watched the captain’s interest level go up a notch. Captain Picard was an accomplished amateur archeologist and the lost Iconian culture was one of his favorite fields of study.
“A great many interesting questions,” Picard said simply.
Commander Riker looked up from Geordi’s console and took the few steps necessary to return to his position at the captain’s side.
“We do have time for a quick preliminary study,” the first officer said, “before we need to leave for the Gorn summit.”
For a moment, Geordi considered adding in his own two cents, but one look at the captain’s face told him it wasn’t necessary.
Twenty minutes later, Geordi was standing on a transporter platform with Commander Riker, as well as engineers Barclay, O’Connor, and Varley.
Geordi was certain the captain wished he could come along. Maybe, if it was safe, Picard would be able to make his visit later, after the Gorn summit.
What about Data? he wondered. He could have sworn he heard excitement in the android’s voice. But disappointment over staying behind? Geordi dismissed the idea.
In any case, Data belonged on the ship where he could quickly sift through the mounds of information as they came through the sensors. That would satisfy whatever programming he had that might pass for curiosity.
“Energize,” Riker ordered the transporter chief. And Geordi’s musings were cut short by the transporter.
The Enterprise disappeared around him.
And was replaced by nothing.
Complete and utter darkness. With a few slight exceptions, there were no infrared signatures, nothing in the visual spectrum, no radio waves—in fact, almost no EM rays of any kind. It was very rarely that Geordi came across any artificial construct that was this dead. Any ship or place functioning even marginally was usually awash with all sorts of radiation.
Here, most of the readings were coming from Commander Riker, the two security guards, Barclay, and his two fellow engineers.
Almost simultaneously, Riker and the security guards ignited their handlamps. Geordi followed suit as Barclay and O’Connor powered on the two portable light sources.
As the light sources gently bobbed on their antigravs, their diffuse illumination described a small, empty chamber.
Geordi saw that the room they were in was … comfortable. Though empty, the walls were decorated with subtle, rounded moldings and a few intricate designs that—according to his tricorder readings—served no purpose other than the obvious aesthetic one. Even without normal sight, and relying on his VISOR, the chief engineer was sure the others would find it—
“Now that’s beautiful,” Riker said to the away team, pointing behind them.
Geordi turned to see what the commander was referring to and saw a large window on the far wall. The Enterprise was hanging in space outside.
A sense of detail and windows to boot, thought La Forge. Whoever built this place cared about the environment they lived in.
Suddenly, for a split second, he thought he saw a quick blip of energy run through the outer wall, near the floor. Just a blip on the edge of his vision and then it was gone. It was the kind of shadow image his VISOR occasionally picked up on the ship—a stray signal from some piece of equipment. In a place this big, that kind of thing was sure to happen.
Riker took a deep breath. “The air is a little stale, but not bad. And the place looks clean. I was expecting several thousand years’ worth of dust.”
Barclay spoke up immediately, “Perhaps the airfiltration system continued to function after the inhabitants left.”
The first officer gazed directly at Barclay, and the lieutenant seemed to shrink. “You think so, Mr. Barclay?” asked Riker.
“Ah, yes, sir, it’s a possibility, sir,” Barclay replied.
Geordi