Ship of the Line - Diane Carey [120]
“Understood—glad to hear it. Gabe, there could be a saboteur on board working for the Klingons. We can’t find him here.”
“We found him already, Morgan. It was John Wolfe. Only he’s not the real John Wolfe. He must’ve killed the real Wolfe and taken his posting just before he transferred on board the Bozeman.”
“How in hell did you find that out?”
“Mike Dennis actually found him. When we figured out there’d been sabotage, he remembered that Wolfe was the one who told us nothing was wrong just before everything started going wrong. Anyway, under some creative encouragement, he fessed up.”
“Are you in command, Gabe?”
“Amazing, isn’t it? You know what? I kind of like it, sir. Better watch out. I’ll be after your job.”
“Gabe … I don’t know what to say. You sound just wonderful.”
“Feel all right too, sir. I guess there are more important things than my personal pain.”
“Glad to hear it. Stand by.” Smiling sentimentally, Bateson quietly said, “Captain Picard, my crew is standing by for your orders.”
Picard nodded, looking a little like he had been hoping there’d be a fight. “Thank you. Actually, Captain Bateson, I’ll leave it to you. What do you want done with Commander Kozara, his crew, and their ship? If you like, you can take command of that ship and pilot it back to Starbase 12. Another trophy for your exhibit, perhaps?”
Bateson considered the idea for a moment, seemed to enjoy at least the picture of it in his mind, then looked for a long few seconds, oddly, at Zaidan.
“Mmm,” he uttered then. “I don’t really need another trophy. After all, how much glory can a man take?”
He pushed off the tactical board and went to stand before his old rival as Kozara stood in silence on the lower deck beside the helm.
“I, Captain Morgan Bateson,” he began, “stand humbled before the Klingon Kozara. I was your dishonor, and you chased me down. When the power to destroy our civilizations was in your hands, you found the strength in yourself to pause and think. You raised yourself above common revenge. You are a true commander. You deserve to be in your ship.”
Purely astounded, Kozara stared blankly, disbelieving what he heard.
Riker pivoted around in his chair and stood up, as Captain Picard came to Bateson’s side.
“I agree,” Picard said. “On the brink of interstellar conflict, we found a way to work together to stop it for the sake of old times. We all faced our pasts, Kozara, and we put them to rest. There is good to be had today, to see that we’re not all at one another’s throats all the time. I will forward a record log of this to the Klingon High Council on your behalf, with my personal seal. Despite open hostilities and extenuating circumstances, you comported yourself in an honorable manner and did not kill arbitrarily. We in the Federation do not forget such things. You are honored among your enemies.”
In nothing short of shock, Kozara looked as if his head were about to fall off.
Gradually, he gathered himself and came to attention before the two Starfleet captains. “I accept,” he said.
It was about as close as a Klingon could get to a thank you, but that was in his tone.
“Shipwide sweep transporter beam, Mr. Riker, Klingon physiology,” Picard ordered. “Send these gentlemen back to their vessel.”
Despite having his orders, Riker was staring at Bateson. “Sir, I didn’t think you had that in you.”
Shrugging, Bateson sighed. “Acting like adults is no fun,” he muttered. “You know what? You boys live in a bizarre century, that’s what.”
Chapter 25
“Captain, I was very proud of being in Starfleet when you did what you did. A few slight differences, and I’d have done the same thing.”
“That’s too bad,” Morgan Bateson responded as he walked beside Picard toward the crew lounge. “What’s command without a little variety?”
“I don’t think anyone can accuse you and me of being clones, Morgan.”
“No, they can’t, Jean-Luc, they can’t. I hope