• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

“Commander,” he said, suddenly looking up at Tereth, “permission to contact the Enterprise. I would like Commander Data to verify this and confer with him on a possible solution.”

“Granted.”

Within minutes, Data’s face occupied the bridge’s viewer, and Toq had filled him in. Tereth had, in the meantime, left Toq in charge of the bridge while she briefed the captain.

“An interesting theory, Lieutenant,” Data said with enthusiasm. “However, we do not have any records of the mind-sifter apparatus, as your government never shared them with us.”

“I am sending along the relevant portions of the schematics now,” Toq said; having anticipated this request, he had partitioned out the portion of the schematics that dealt specifically with the emissions. Even the famed android wouldn’t be able to construct a mind-sifter with the limited information Toq was transmitting, so there was no security breach. “It is a very close match.”

“Datalink established,” Data said, looking down at his console. “Information incoming.” He looked up. “If I may ask, Lieutenant—what led you to this train of thought?”

“An accident,” Toq said with only mild embarrassment. Several chuckles went around the bridge, prompting Toq to add, “Most of the greatest discoveries ever made were accidents.”

“Indeed. Zalkatian ruins have been found on many Klingon worlds over the centuries. It is possible that the mind-sifter was created from technology adapted from one of those sites.” Something grabbed his attention on the console. “Data transfer complete. Accessing.” A pause. “I believe you are correct, Lieutenant.”

The screen changed to a more general view of the bridge in response to another speaker: Picard. “What does this mean in practical terms, Commander?”

Data turned to face his captain, leaving his back to the viewer. “I believe that we can modify the tractor beams of both the Enterprise and the Gorkon to emit a psilosynine wave that matches the amplitude and frequency of the energy emissions from Narendra III.”

Klag chose that moment to walk on the bridge, Tereth behind him. “You’re assuming, Commander, that such emissions are coming from Narendra.”

“Yes,” Data said, turning back to the viewer, “but it is a reasonable assumption under the circumstances.”

“Can’t we make a portable psilosynine wave guide?” Toq asked. “Then we could bathe individuals in the frequency—it would modulate their electroencephalogram to make them resist Malkus’s control.”

Klag smiled at his second officer before taking his command chair. “That would give us the advantage we need.”

“Agreed,” Picard said. “Mr. Data?”

“It can be done, sir. I believe that Commander La Forge and I can replicate such a device by the time we reach Narendra.”

“Good,” Klag said. “Then, when we arrive at the Oort cloud, you can beam over here and test it on Colonel Kira. If it frees her from Malkus’s control, then it will work.”

Picard nodded in agreement. “Make it so, Mr. Data.”

Getting up from his station, Data said, “Aye, sir,” and moved out of the viewer’s range.

“We will speak again when we arrive, Captain Picard,” Klag said. “Screen off.”

Toq deactivated the viewer. Then he looked up to see Klag smiling at him from his command chair. “Well done, Lieutenant. A true warrior goes into battle with the proper weapon—and you may have given us the best possible one.”

Beaming with pride, Toq said, “Thank you, sir.”

Rodek leaned over. “And if we live this day, we will celebrate your victory over the android.”

Laughing, Toq said, “Oh, the bloodwine will flow very freely tonight!”

Vralk was late for his shift. He had overslept, like a fool. It was all well and good to think poorly of one’s commanding officers, but it was better to proceed from a position of moral certitude. If Vralk was to get any kind of support from the crew for his planned overthrow of the Gorkon command structure, he’d need his own record to be above reproach.

Today, in fact, was when he intended to begin his campaign. He’d spent his time aboard getting the lay of the land, and he knew that there needed