Survivors - Jean Lorrah [105]
“The Chief Engineer? But why, Tasha? He was ready to retire after an honorable career. Why would he do such a thing?” Dare asked.
“His records show he had no income besides his pension, and no plans for the rest of his life. He was retiring because he couldn’t do his job anymore; no company would take him on with that recommendation. Dare, I don’t fully understand, but Data uncovered communications between Nichols and the Orion agents. I really don’t think he knew they were using him to set you up; he probably thought they just wanted the dilithium. He … he used the Starbase 36 computer to study businesses for sale. There is no way he could have afforded a business of his own on just his pension.”
Dare nodded. “As Chief Engineer, Nichols had access to the entire ship; it would have been no trouble to install that circuit breaker.” He shook his head. “I can’t even feel anger at him. The Orions used him, and then they killed him. He was just a foolish man who was only ever good at one thing, and when he lost that he didn’t know what to do with himself.”
Yar smiled, relieved that Dare was not vengeful. “At least it’s all over now.”
“Not quite,” said Dare. “I don’t know if I can face a hearing-“
“You don’t have to,” she explained. “Captain Picard has good friends among the admiralty. Starfleet Command organized an emergency board of inquiry, and the results came not five minutes ago. You are a free man … and”- she turned the pile of clothing she carried over to reveal the garment on the bottom-“if you want it, you can be reinstated in Starfleet Security at the rank of commander.”
He reached hesitantly as if to touch the green-gold and black of the uniform she offered. But then he put out both hands, took the entire pile of clothing from her, and tossed it onto the bunk. He pulled her into his arms, murmuring into her hair, “Thank you! Oh, God-thank you, Tasha!” And he kissed her. Only to break off to ask, “Why didn’t you tell me all this was going on?”
“Because I didn’t know. Data confided only in Captain Picard, and he contacted Starfleet Command.” She sighed. “They didn’t know if it would be enough to clear you, so they decided not to get my hopes up. And when Starfleet Security arrested the spy … he said he was your contact. It was Data’s evidence against his word-but in the end Starfleet believed Data. It’s all over, Dare.”
“Thanks to you,” he said. Then his beautiful smile. “And Data. What does one do for an android who has just saved much more than one’s life?”
“Your thanks will be sufficient,” she assured him. Then she went to the pile of clothing and located his silver combadge. “I do think you should let your followers know at once, before they do something stupid. They followed us when we left Treva; we tracked them on the sensors until our speed left them behind. They must know we’re headed for Starbase 68. Why don’t you tell them it’s only Nalavia we’ll be dropping off there? I don’t think they’ll be much interested in mounting a prison break to rescue her.”
“Tasha,” Dare chided, “you can’t think my gang would have tried to break me out of a Federation Rehabilitation Facility.”
“Think it? I know it. And I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d succeeded. I’m just glad that now they won’t have to.”
She left him to make his call and change clothes, accepting his assurance that “I can still find the bridge of a starship.”
But when he found it a short time later, not long after his non-standard communication had lighted a tell-tale on Yar’s board, he was in his civilian clothes, not the uniform she had offered. He thanked Picard, and Data, then asked, “Can you arrange for me to wait in an unsecured area at Starbase 68? My people will pick me up there.”
Picard frowned. “Of course, if that is what you want. But surely Tasha told you-“
“That Starfleet would take me back. Yes, she did, and I appreciate the gesture. But I have other obligations now. And … I’m afraid I’ve lost my taste for rules and regulations.” He turned to Yar, who was gripping the edge of her console in the effort to hold back her