Section 31_ Rogue - Andy Mangels [41]
“I think that shows that your android got things wrong,” Batanides said coolly, interrupting. “If the implant has been modified as much as he says, how can he be certain what its purpose was? Or what emotion Aubin was feeling? And how do we know that Corey isn’t being framed as a rebel collaborator?”
“You’re right, Marta,” Picard said calmly, lowering his voice. “We don’t have all the facts. And I’m not accusing either Corey or Ambassador Tabor of anything.”
She nodded, stone-faced. “I’m delighted to hear that. Treason is a serious charge to lob at a senior ambassador of the Federation. Or at one of your two oldest friends, for that matter.”
“I never said anything about treason, Admiral,” Picard said crisply.
“So what are you saying?”
Picard paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking. “It certainly seems likely that Cortin Zweller is alive. And we can’t dismiss the possibility that he may be involved with Falhain’s Army of Light, willingly or otherwise. Especially given the apparent presence of illicit Federation weapons down th-“
Picard didn’t have time to finish the thought. The Enterprise lurched suddenly to one side, throwing him against a bulkhead, shoulder-first. Batanides and Crusher stumbled as well, catching themselves on the desk.
“What the hell?” Picard spat out as the ship stabilized itself. He quickly made his way to the ready-room door that connected to the bridge, Crusher and Batanides following.
“Status, Mr. Hawk?” Picard asked, heading for the captain’s chair.
Hawk spoke without taking his eyes off the conn panel. “Captain, we appear to have been caught in a massive subspace interstitial slippage. It came out of nowhere. Our instruments haven’t been able to track its source.”
Picard turned to his second officer, who stood at one of the science stations. “Data, could this phenomenon be related to the Slayton’s destruction?”
“It is possible, sir. If the slippage had been 3.47827 percent stronger, it would have caused severe damage to our warp core, as well as possible structural collapse of our nacelle struts.”
“Captain, sensors also showed an anomalous subspace distortion just south of Chiaros IV’s orbital plane,” said Hawk.
“Can you track it?”
“Not precisely, sir. It was intermittent, and now appears to be gone. Should I set a course to investigate?”
Picard’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the viewscreen, which displayed a portion of Chiaros IV’s eastern Dayside limb in its lower corner. “No, Mr. Hawk. Hold position. At the moment, we have a few too many mysteries, and not enough sleuths.”
He turned to the tall blond officer standing behind one of the ops stations on the upper bridge and spoke: “Mr. Daniels, I want all scientific and engineering personnel on duty. I want to know what’s out there in Chiarosan space. I want this ship fortified against any more subspace slippages. And I want a way to get our sensors through that atmosphere.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ll be in the observation lounge, with Admiral Batanides,” Picard said. He noticed that Lieutenant Hawk was watching him, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if deeply troubled. The younger man seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“Was there something you wanted to say, Mr. Hawk?”
The helmsman blushed slightly and turned back to the control panels. “No, sir.”
Picard nodded curtly, then spun on his heel and headed toward the exit, with Batanides and Crusher following him.
Chapter Six
Bundling up in the special thermal clothing Grelun’s quartermaster had issued him, Zweller ventured a short distance outside the Army of Light’s compound-and into the permanent night of Chiaros IV’s dark side. To ensure that Ruardh’s forces couldn’t find them, Grelun’s troops had relieved him of his combadge, though Zweller knew it probably wasn’t detectable through the planet’s heavily ionized atmosphere anyway. But he