Star Trek_ Generations - J M. Dillard [44]
Yeah, Geordi gasped with irony. Theyre full of great ideas …
All playfulness left the scientists tone; with cold matter-of-factness he said, I just stopped your heart for five seconds. It felt like an eternity, didnt it? Did you know that you can stop the human heart for up to six minutes before the onset of brain damage?
He let the hatred he felt show on his features.
No … I didnt know that …
We learn something new about ourselves every day, Soran said. Now. Maybe I didnt make myself clear. It is very important that you tell me exactly what Captain Picard knows.
I told you everything, Geordi told the darkness.
You might as well kill me right now.
Silence. And then he heard something entirely unexpected in the scientists tone: genuine compassion. Im not a killer, Mr. La Forge, Soran said, with such honesty, such quiet shame, that Geordi believed him, and no longer feared for his life. The El Aurian sighed, and in that sound Geordi heard such unhappiness, such reluctance, such infinite weariness that, had he not known what Soran was capable of, he might almost have pitied him.
Abruptly, Sorans tone hardened once more. Lets try thirty seconds.
Geordi heard the muted sound of fingertips pressing controls. And then he bowed his head and groaned as the chest-crushing pain seized him once more, with such mind-blotting intensity that he was aware of nothing else … except the soft, steady ticking of a timepiece.
NINE
Other than the holodeck, one of Picards favorite places aboard the Enterprise was stellar cartography. With the holographic map activated, standing on the stellar cartography deck was like lying in a country field staring up at the night skyor better, like hanging suspended in space; one need only lean forward to touch the nearest star …
At the moment, the holographic map wasnt activated; Picard stood, surrounded by computers, sensors, tracking devices designed to monitor the ships precise position in space. Beside him, Data sat at a console, awaiting a readout. Picard gazed at the nearby bank of viewscreens, which displayed diagrams of an angry streak of ultraviolet lightningthe energy ribbonat various times and locations.
He had used the mystery of Soran and the ribbon to focus, to extricate himself from grief. His initial fury and frustration had ebbed. There was nothing he could do to help Robert and René; but there was much he could do to help Geordi La Forge … and to stop whatever harm Soran planned.
Data leaned forward as the readout appeared on his screen; Picard caught the movement in his peripheral vision and turned, expectant. He was still unaccustomed to seeing the android under the sway of emotion; Datas depression showed in the slump of his shoulders, the barely perceptible downward curve of his lips.
According to our information, Data said listlessly, the ribbon is a conflux of temporal energy which travels through our galaxy every thirty-nine point one years. He paused and frowned, apparently having lost his place. It will pass through this sector in approximately … forty-two hours.
Picard moved away and began to pace, hoping the movement might keep his weary mind and body alert; he had slept little since Maries message. Then Guinan was right … She said Soran was trying to get back to the ribbon. If thats true, then there must be some connection with the Amargosa star. He turned on his heel and faced Data. Give me a list of anything which has been affected by the stars destruction, no matter how insignificant.
The android did not respond, but merely stared unblinking at the glowing screen with a disconsolate expression.
Data, Picard snapped.
Data straightened at once; Picard fancied he caught a fleeting look of embarrassment on the androids face. Sorry, sir. He pressed several controls on the console, then looked back at the