Slings and Arrows 01_ Sea of Troubles - J. Steven York [33]
“Wait, Captain! Where are you going?”
“To bait a Changeling trap.”
CHAPTER 11
Hawk and Ensign Shreff arrived at the designated corridor junction, located just to starboard of main engineering, to find Riker and a security team waiting. Moments later, Picard and his security escort arrived as well.
Picard looked at Riker. “Will, I said that the only tangible thing about the Changeling was its character. It’s revealed some of that to us now, and very shortly, we will know more.”
“It seems,” said Hawk, “that we know everything we need to know. Let’s take this thing.”
“Patience, Mr. Hawk. Patience and restraint. We know now that it is a spy still loyal to the Dominion and its mission. What we do not know with certainty is if it is a killer.”
“It attacked Commander Data.”
“Who is not dead, and may have been chosen as a target for that very reason. But it is the very possibility that it is a killer that is the greatest reason we must practice restraint. Shoot to kill only on my authority.”
“Captain!”
“You have your orders.” He turned back to Riker. “Will, get to the bridge and monitor both the shield situation and stellar activity. The shields will protect us for a time against regular background radiation, but we are increasingly vulnerable to flares and coherent microwave bursts. Take whatever action you must, dodge flares if you must, but keep us within the nebula until you hear otherwise from me.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Mr. Hawk, you and your people have your orders.”
“Aye sir, but I’m not happy about it.”
“Objection noted. No one asked you to be happy, Lieutenant.” Picard’s voice was sharp. “I expect you to do your job.”
The rebuke stung, but Hawk knew he had been out of line. As acting security chief, he was expected to offer his opinion, but in the end, the responsibility belonged to the captain.
Picard tapped his combadge. “Computer, patch me into shipwide intercom. Changeling, this is Captain Picard. We are aware of your sabotage to our ship’s shields, and your purpose is clear. But we are not leaving the nebula. If you wish to escape this nebula alive, you will meet me in the engineering hull immediately.” He gave the designation of the corridor junction. “Picard out. Mr. Hawk, you and your people pull back. Monitor this corridor using visual sensors to ensure that the Changeling does not attempt to impersonate me, but otherwise, keep your distance.”
Hawk nodded reluctantly. The thing has shown its true nature. Why can’t we just take it out?
Picard waited alone and unarmed at the junction. He felt defenseless and exposed, and though he knew the Changeling would probably not come that way, he kept scanning the corridors in all directions.
At last, he caught a flicker of movement above him just in the corner of his eye. The Changeling flowed down as a narrow stream to form a blob on the floor in front of him, then rose to take on the shape of Beverly Crusher. “Picard, do you want to die? Your shields are failing. Take this ship away from the nebula.”
Picard only laughed. “This ship will go nowhere unless I order it, and I will do no such thing until you return to me what you’ve taken. I can’t allow you to leave the Enterprise with those logs. And though we’re alone here, we’re being closely watched, in case you have any ideas of attempting to replace me.”
“You’re mad, Picard. Put aside your pride and admit defeat.”
“We humans have a game of bluff called ‘who blinks first.’ I believe you will blink first. You Changelings, with your long lives and your vast powers, you simply have too much to lose. It’s conceivable you might be willing to lay down your life for your Dominion, or for your Great Link, but it would have to be for something vastly more valuable than this trinket of information.”
“That might be so, Picard, if I really believed you would destroy your ship, if I really doubted my ability to find another way to