Ship of the Line - Diane Carey [40]
Now Data was as human as any of them, as emotional, and about three times more naive. He’d been through a longer working lifespan than any of them. A decorated full commander in Starfleet, second officer on one of very few cruiser-class starships, Data was seeing the universe for the first time, through the eyes and with the emotional balance of a child.
“The irrepressible Commander Data,” Captain Picard drawled out, nodding wearily. “I suppose there’s something to be said for banjos, fiddles, and—what would be appropriate? Harmonicas?”
The two women nodded, and Riker threw in, “Yee-haw, sir.”
Picard groaned at him. “Now, what is this? What are all of you doing aboard this ship? Don’t tell me you’ve signed on already.”
“Just hedging our bets,” Beverly Crusher said, pulling him a few steps forward, away from the transporter room doorway. She gave him a little shake, the kind only very old friends can get away with. “Don’t gripe.”
“We’ve been waiting to show you the ship,” La Forge added. “It’s a very streamlined design, sir. Some atmospheric capabilities, too. When the EnterpriseD crashed, Starfleet decided to step up the completion of this ship, and they let us all sign in on the work.”
“How gracious of them.”
“The ship’s got advanced long-range sensors, almost thirty percent longer-range than any ship before, and extended warp capabilities at about a forty-two percent upgrade.”
Data nodded, his mouth opening every few seconds as he tried to get his two cents in. “Yes, sir, she also has an upgraded galactic-condition database, isolinear matrix chips with a memory capacity of three-point eight kiloquads with tripolymer sealant over the refractive surfaces as standard protection, improved warp-field control which allows for a greater Z-axis compression, improved hardware efficiencies, and quantum torpedoes. We’re very proud of the bonny lass. If you’ll come this way, please …”
As Data led the way down the corridor, Picard looked at Riker and mouthed Bonny lass?
Offering only a shrug, Riker motioned the captain before him. Troi and Crusher each took an arm and angled the captain into the open corridor of the big ship. Riker and La Forge followed.
The corridor was glossy and smelled new, but wasn’t particularly bright. Easier on the eye than previous Starfleet intraship corridors, it was perhaps too subdued. The braces and doorframes had a certain streamlined liquidity, sculpted beyond function into an art form.
Riker followed Picard as they and the others strode directly through the lower body of the ship to the main engine room. Here, nostalgic red double-door panels parted for them, and their welcoming committee of one was right inside the entrance. Riker smiled when he saw who met them here. Ah … “bonny lass.” Of course.
A rotund silver-haired gentleman with a black mustache and ruddy cheeks, looking as if he were an out-of-place organgrinder in a street festival, came sauntering toward them with a smile bright as piano keys.
“Captain Picard, welcome aboard, sir.”
“Captain Scott!”
“Sir, welcome aboard the new lass!” The famous engineer’s highland roll added a melody to his voice. “Hope you’re as well as I look.”
“Well, thank you, I think I can come up to that.”
“Been avoiding us, sir? We expected you a month back. Poor Data’s been just twitchin’.”
Riker poked in between Data and La Forge. “How did you get assigned here, Captain Scott?”
Montgomery Scott’s sparkling dark eyes flickered at him. “Pulled a string or two, lad.”
“I’ll bet you had to turn down ten other assignments,” La Forge offered.
Scott glanced at him. “Twenty-three.”
“I’m not surprised,” Picard said. “We thought you’d given up warp engineering and—”
“Retired? Oh, I did, I did.”
“But …”
“Gave it up for Lent, sir, right along with a diet of greens. I did some lecturing here