Star Trek_ Generations - J M. Dillard [34]
The ugliness of realityher world, her family, her life destroyed in one brutal moment by the Borgand the unspeakable beauty of the nexus had overwhelmed her then …
She tried to shake the memory off. She had not thought of the nexushad not permitted herself to think of the nexusfor many years. But why …?
Even before she could silently ask herself the question, she knew the answer: Someone was here. Someone who had been there that night; someone who had been to the nexus.
She whirled to face the precise spot in which she knew the person was standing.
No one. Empty carpet. Someone called her name; she gave her head a gentle shake, then turned, smiling, the memory once again submerged.
Moments earlier, in engineering, Will Riker stood beside Worf and stared at the diagram of sensor information on the monitor screen. On the console beside them, a Romulan tricorder lay attached to a diagnostic scanner.
Riker frowned at the screen and tried to make sense of the readout; he was having far better luck with it than he was in making sense out of the attack on Amargosa.
One of the dead Romulans had a tricorder, Worf was explaining. We analyzed its sensor logs and found they were scanning for signature particles of a compound called trilithium.
Riker lifted an eyebrow. Trilithium?
Worf gave a single, solemn nod. An experimental compound the Romulans have been working on. In theory, a trilithium-based explosive would be thousands of times more powerful than an antimatter weapon. But they never found a way to stabilize it.
Lets hope thats still true, Riker thought. Aloud he asked, Why were they looking for it on a Federation observatory? It doesnt make any sense.
Worf did not answer. Riker paused, still looking at the readout on the screen but seeing the dead on Amargosa. The terrible destruction might not make any sense, but it had happened for a reasona reason that perhaps the survivors knew, but werent telling.
He released a silent sigh and glanced at the Klingon. Have Geordi and Data go over with the next away team. Tell them to scan the observatory for trilithium.
It was just as well they hadnt had time for that sip of Saurian brandy, Geordi decided, as he scanned the interior of the observatory operations room; as much as he had enjoyed his time with Data in Ten-Forward, he wouldnt want to beam down into a place like Amargosa with anything but a totally clear head.
Only the auxiliary lights were functionaljust bright enough to allow humans to see, dim enough to give a gloomy, twilight effect. That, combined with the scorched ruins and utter silence, made for a decidedly eerie atmosphere, Geordi decided; or maybe it was just the fact that he knew people had died here. It was sad to see their years of work carelessly scattered, to see consoles bashed in, monitors blasted. He worked with the same hushed reverence he felt visiting graveyards.
Data, on the other hand, seemed unsettlingly cheerful, still glowing with enthusiasm for his new internal world; he smiled faintly to himself as he scanned the other side of ops with his tricorder.
Geordi peered at the tricorder readout and shook his head. Theres no sign of any trilithium in here … I cant imagine why the Romulans were looking for it.
He scanned quietly for a moment longer, until Data released a soft giggle. He turned to look at his friend in perplexed amazement.
Data continued to laugh softly to himself. I get it. I get it.
Geordi frowned; it didnt seem right to be laughing where people had so recently been murderedbut he tried not to let his irritation show. After all, Data had never before experienced fear of death, and could accept it more matter-of-factly than a human. And maybe since he wasnt used to having emotions, he wasnt that good at suppressing