Star Trek_ Generations - J M. Dillard [53]
And as he watched, the expression of dismay on Datas face slowly metamorphosed into a smile.
I have established the link, the navigator, Qorak, said.
BEtor shared a swift glance with her sister and smiled with relief. Until this moment, she had not trusted Soran too far; too much kindness lurked behind the madness in his eyes. Yet his intensity attracted herdespite the fact that he was a puny human, a race she had never found attractive. Physically, Soran was no exception; he was lean, wiry, short by Klingon standards. But there was something intriguing about him: the bright silver hair, cropped short, the translucent skin, the pale-colored eyes.
Those eyes … they held an intensity she had rarely seen, even in the most determined of Klingon males. His eyes had blazed with it when he had struck her on the bridge. She respected that intensityfor she knew few that shared it, except for herself and her sister. Her life, her being, was consumed by one passion: seeing the Duras family restored to power. Now, with Sorans help, she would see that passion consummated. And more:
With the trilithium weapon, the sisters of Duras could conquer far more than the Klingon Empire that was their birthright. With such power, the entire galaxy would soon be theirs.
She had come close to killing Soran when he had struck her; but even in her anger, she was forced to bear grudging admiration for anyone who dared lash out at her on the bridge, in full view of her soldiers.
She hoped she could trust him. For if not, despite her attraction, she would personally see to his death. Put it onscreen, Lursa ordered.
BEtor held her breath. Static filled the viewscreen, then cleared gradually to reveal … white. Nothing but white, and for an instant, she felt a stab of fury: Soran had lied, had betrayed them …
And then she released her breath, gently, as she realized they were staring at a ceiling on the Enterprise.
BEtors grin returned as, beside her, Lursa said softly, Its working …
Where is he? BEtor demanded.
As if in answer, a humans face loomed large on the screen. A woman, with a face so pale and smooth, it seemed to BEtor naked, unfinished as a gestating childs. The woman leaned over the link, smiling with abnormally even, tiny teeth, her long, fine hair hanging forward in a shining curtain.
BEtor recoiled with a grimace. Human females are so repulsive …
The woman began to speak silently. Lursa and BEtor watched as the woman withdrew; soon the strange-looking android with the golden eyes appeared. He, too, silently mouthed wordsand then the woman returned, and began to perform what appeared to be medical tests, until BEtor shifted restlessly in her chair and mumbled an epithet beneath her breath.
Even so, she and her sister continued to gaze at the screen. Too muchthe entire galaxywas at stake to let vigilance lapse. At last the view switched from the sickbay to the Enterprise corridors. BEtor felt a surge of hope … until the scene shifted to that of a luxurious cabin, and a private head. Soon the two sisters were staring at cascades of running water.
Hes taking a bath, Lursa growled.
BEtor stared in irritation at the screen as a pair of dark feet suddenly peeked out from beneath sloshing water. She turned to her sister. I thought he was the chief engineer.
He is, Lursa replied disconsolately.
Then when is he going to engineering?
BEtor fell silent as Lursa struck her arm with the back of a hand to get her attention, then gestured toward the screen. The view had suddenly changed again, to one of mists and fog. BEtor leaned forward, expectant, as a dark hand appeared from beyond the mist …
Then wiped away the fog to reveal La Forges unself-conscious reflection.
She fell back in her chair and howled in frustration.
On a different bridge, Will Riker was feeling no small amount of unease as he gazed at the Bird-of-Prey on the viewscreen. He understood Picards