Survivors - Jean Lorrah [104]
Sound traveled perfectly well through the force field. At her footsteps, Dare looked up from where he was sitting on the platform that served as seat or bunk, then stood to face her, again completely expressionless.
Yar carried a bundle of clothing. She stopped, facing Dare, and said, “Guards, you are dismissed.”
“We can move off so you can talk privately-” Anderson suggested.
“I said you are dismissed.” she repeated firmly. The two men looked at one another, but turned and walked away.
Yar waited until they were around the curve in the corridor before she palmed the switch and the force field died.
Still Dare stared at her, neither moving nor speaking.
She stepped forward, holding out the bundle of clothes, the black jacket he had beamed up in on top, displaying the Silver Paladin combadge. “You are free, Dare,” she said. “Here-you can call your friends. I’m sure they’re following the Enterprise, even if they can’t match our speed.”
Finally he spoke. “Tasha.” It was a harsh whisper. “What are you doing?”
The tears spilled even as she smiled. “I told you-you’re free. Dare … you’ve been exonerated.”
His mouth opened as he took a sharp, disbelieving breath. “What?”
“It’s true! You were framed-the Orions set up the attack on Starbound to get that consignment of dilithium and discredit you at the same time. They altered the records in the Starbase 36 computer. You were never notified of the Security meeting, but they changed the records to show that you were there-the evidence of their tampering was in the computer, once Data dug it out.”
“Data!”
“Yes,” she explained. “No one else could have done it. No human could have gone into a modern Starbase computer and traced long-erased records, but Data got the idea after doing something similar with Nalavia’s old computer to find out who she really was.”
“Another bloody Orion,” Dare snarled.
“Yes. But Dare-that’s what made the connection for Data: the Orions you defeated at Conquiidor, then your supposed deal with them at Starbase 36. We all knew that made no sense, but only Data was able to prove it-at the risk of his life.”
“What?” sharply.
“Geordi-Lieutenant LaForge-found him unconscious. Data doesn’t black out, you know. I don’t really understandI don’t think any of us can-but Data somehow connected himself with the Starbase 36 computer, and got inside its memory to locate the tampering. He almost couldn’t get out again.”
“Is he all right?” Dare asked, genuinely concerned.
“Yes. Apparently Geordi was able to call him back. They’re good friends.”
“I think your Mr. Data has a very large number of good friends, including me. But after all that, will Starfleet accept evidence that is really just his word?”
“They already have!” she told him gleefully. “Dare, there is no questioning evidence from Data. And besides, it’s been corroborated. Captain Picard sent the information to Starfleet Command, they ordered an investigation of Starbase 36-and found the Orions’ mole still in place. The owner of a club frequented by Starfleet personnel on shore leave.”
“Another Orion?” Dare asked.
“Yes-altered to appear human. Not being Starfleet, he was not subject to medical examinations. But when the authorities set up a scan of civilians, he gave himself away by trying to run.”
“A publican,” said Dare. “Who knows what a clever spy could make of the babbling of drunken crewmen? But is it enough, Tasha? Even if I’m cleared of the original charges, there is still escaping from custody-“
“In light of circumstances, they’ve dropped those charges, since you didn’t kill or injure anyone in your escape. And”- she grinned-“apparently embarrassed some highly experienced Security personnel.”
“I had equal experience, and I was fighting for my life. Tasha-I find it difficult to believe there’s a chance. Even with the evidence that I was set up at the starbase-what about the sabotage aboard the Starbound? I know I didn’t do it, so who did?”
“It looks as if it was Nichols,” said