The Brave and the Bold Book Two - Keith R. A. DeCandido [85]
This time, B’Oraq couldn’t hold in her laugh.
“I did tell you, did I not?” Rodek said to Toq. “B’Elath sang that wretched song yesterday, and today we go into battle.”
Toq looked up at Rodek. It took him a moment to focus on the gunner’s presence, much less what he had said. He had been completely focused on the energy readings that he’d been studying for so many hours now. Stealing a glance at the chronometer on his console, he saw that it was time for the morning duty shift, which meant Rodek was reporting back to the gunner’s position. In theory, Toq would have been doing so now as well, had he ever actually departed the bridge since returning here after last night’s dinner.
“Oh, yes, of course,” he said distractedly. “B’Elath.”
“You’ve been on duty all night?” Rodek asked. The question was asked matter-of-factly.
“Yes. I still have not learned what these strange emissions are.”
Rodek took up his position to Toq’s right at the gunner’s station. Toq was back at his operations console, since the ship was on alert status as they headed to Narendra.
“Take heart, Toq,” Rodek said as he checked over his own console. “The famous android of the Enterprise has not figured it out, either. In fact, there is still the chance that you may find it first. That is a victory worth celebrating.”
Toq laughed bitterly. “At this point, I would be just as happy if he did find it—just so it would be found.”
“Interrogations are always easier when you know that the subject will talk eventually.”
“Good point,” Toq muttered. “The universe is usually much more reluctant to talk than your average prisoner.”
Tereth walked by just then. Toq had been worried that she might reprimand them, but she said, “The universe is not our prisoner.”
Rodek regarded her. “Are you saying that we are prisoners of the universe, Commander?”
“We are Klingons,” she said quickly and with a menacing undertone, “we are no one’s prisoner. We bend the universe to our will—which is why we will always be victorious. We do not succumb.”
Toq entered a new scan into his console. “I wish the universe was our prisoner right now.” He laughed. “In the old days, we could use the mind-sifter on—” He cut himself off. “toH!”
“What is it?” Tereth asked.
“Computer!” he bellowed, not answering the first officer directly. “Call up complete specifications for a mind-sifter.”
A security override flashed in front of him. Viewing such files required a clearance he didn’t have.
“Why do you want to know about mind-sifters, Lieutenant?” Tereth asked in her most serious tone. “They were banned by the Khitomer Accords.”
“Yes, but if I’m right, those readings are similar to the emissions given off by a mind-sifter.”
Rodek gave him a look. “Mind-sifters don’t give off emissions.”
“Everything electronic gives off an emission of some kind. You just have to know how to look for it.” Toq did not look at Rodek as he replied, as he was still looking at Tereth. “Please, Commander, I think this is it.”
“Since such knowledge is restricted, how did you even know to recognize a possible connection?”
Toq had been hoping the commander wouldn’t ask that. “I cannot say, Commander, except that I gained the knowledge before I joined the Defense Force.” That much, at least, was true. Living in the House of Lorgh for four years had been a—complex experience, to say the least.
Tereth gazed at Toq for three seconds with an impenetrable expression. Then she looked up. “Computer, grant Lieutenant Toq access to mind-sifter files, by authorization of Commander Tereth.”
The computer recognized her voice pattern and the screen showed what Toq had asked for.
“Thank you, Commander,” he said, gazing hungrily at the readings. “If I am right, this may be the solution to our problems.”
“What problems?” Rodek asked.
“Colonel Kira told us that Malkus was able to take over the minds of the entire population of Narendra III. If we can identify how he controls people, we might be able to defend against it.”
Toq then studied the readings. The waveforms were very similar, as