Section 31_ Rogue - Andy Mangels [92]
Picard looked at Batanides, who seemed to be weighing his words carefully. After a moment, she nodded and said, “I think you and I are finally on the same page, Johnny, though I have to confess to some surprise to hear you sanctioning a covert operation.”
Picard’s memory conjured images of his capture on the planet Celtris III four years ago, during a secret mission to find a Cardassian metagenic weapon; he fleetingly recalled the horrendous torments, both physical and psychological, he had endured at the hands of his inquisitor, Gul Madred.
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Picard said, his throat suddenly dry.
Batanides shrugged. “Be that as it may, you left out an important detail.”
“What’s that?” Picard said, his brow wrinkling.
“I’m going with him,” she replied.
Now it was Picard’s turn to be surprised. “Actually, I was thinking that I should be the one to go, Marta.”
“You’re not an intelligence officer, Johnny,” she said, a sly smile crinkling the corners of her mouth. “I am. And I outrank you, so please don’t bother arguing.”
“I suppose you are the best choice to… render aid to Mr. Zweller should he need it,” Picard said, admitting defeat. And to keep an eye on him in case he has any other tricks up his sleeve. Picard knew that he didn’t need to say that out loud; he assumed that both Batanides and Zweller were already thinking it as their reflections regarded each other appraisingly across the polished tabletop.
Breaking the silence, Picard said, “Still, I have to point out that there’s some real danger here.” Batanides flashed him a no kidding? look of mock surprise; he ignored it and continued. “While we’re trying to neutralize the singularity, we’ll stand a greater chance of success if we can divert the Romulans’ attention elsewhere.”
“Onto the two of us,” Batanides said.
“In other words,” Zweller said acerbically, “we’re going to serve as a distraction.”
Picard ignored the comment. “You’ll be issued a shuttle so you can make your rendezvous at the appointed time.”
The captain’s combadge suddenly chirped, and Will Riker’s voice issued from it. “Captain, I think we’ve finally got some good news. Geordi has worked out the details of his plan for dealing with the singularity.”
And not a moment too soon, Picard thought. “Splendid, Number One. I’ll join you on the bridge in a moment.”
Rising from his chair, Picard took a last look at his two friends and fleetingly saw them as they had once been-rousingly ebullient and slightly rebellious cadets.
How time and politics change us all.
“It is vitally important that you keep the Romulans occupied,” he said, straightening his tunic as he prepared to exit the observation lounge. “And personally, for me… it’s equally as important that both of you return from your appointment alive. We’ll deal with these other matters… later.”
If there is a ‘later’ for the three of us, Picard thought as he strode down the corridor.
The silence in the room was palpable after Picard departed. Batanides’s thoughts were awhirl as she tried to make sense of the revelations to which she had just been made privy. She looked over at Zweller, who was now slumped in his chair, refusing to meet her gaze.
He spoke first. “I’m sorry, Marta. It wasn’t my intention to have this all go south. I’d do anything to bring the crew of the Slayton back, and Aubin was-“
“Don’t.” Her voice was firm and unyielding. “Don’t you dare bring Aubin into your-” And then it hit her. Troi’s premonition of danger at the peace conference, when she had pushed Picard to safety. The emotion-amplifying chip and its contents, as described by the android. Some of the things Aubin had said and done on this mission. Before now, none of them had connected. Now, though she didn’t want