The Brave and the Bold Book Two - Keith R. A. DeCandido [9]
DeSoto squinted and realized that there was a slight variation in the energy pattern given off by the artifact in the DMZ. “That difference is pretty negligible.”
“Indeed it would be, but for the fact that, according to the chronicle, the energy signatures should be precisely the same.”
“And the signatures of the first two artifacts were precisely the same,” Janeway added. “I doubt it’s anything that significant, though.”
“Perhaps not, but I thought it worth pointing out,” Tuvok said archly.
Janeway smiled affectionately. “Of course you did.”
DeSoto also smiled. Obviously these two have served together a long time.
“We need to go in,” Voyskunsky said. “General Order 16 is pretty clear: we have to confiscate the artifact. Even if there wasn’t such an order, Aaron’s right—we have to keep that thing out of Maquis hands.”
“An aggressive charge across the DMZ would be a mistake,” Janeway said. “For one thing, it would alert the Maquis that we’re onto them. Besides, you know full well that the Cardassians won’t allow a Starfleet vessel to go in without an equivalent Central Command presence.”
DeSoto sighed. “And that way lies madness.”
“Definitely.”
“What do you suggest, Captain?”
Janeway smiled. “I’m glad you asked. Tuvok?”
Tuvok changed the image on the screen once again. This time it was yet another familiar Starfleet face, though he wasn’t wearing a Starfleet uniform. In fact, legend had it that he’d disintegrated his uniform with a phaser.
“Cal Hudson?” DeSoto asked, bemused. “What does he have to do with this?”
“Our first mission, once the shakedown is complete,” Janeway said, “is to go into the Badlands to try to root out some of the terrorists that are hiding out in there—especially the Starfleet defectors like Hudson.”
Tuvok steepled his fingers together. “Captain Janeway, Lieutenant Commander Cavit, and I have been formulating a plan whereby I would infiltrate the Maquis. Starfleet Intelligence has been able to trace Lieutenant Commander Hudson’s movements, and we’re reasonably sure that we can locate his cell. From there, I should be able to join them and gather intelligence about the organization.”
Cavit added with a small smile, “We were kind of hoping to do this once Voyager was fully operational, so we’d be available to pull him out if need be, but with this…”
“The only alteration to Mr. Tuvok’s mission would be that he would also be tasked with finding the Malkus Artifact and working to get it out of Maquis hands,” Janeway said.
“And the only change in plan,” Cavit added, “is to use the Hood instead of the Voyager as the backup ship, since we’re out of action.”
DeSoto tapped his finger on the desk. He certainly didn’t have any problems with the idea in theory—he’d need to look at the plan the three of them had concocted, of course—but it would have been preferable for Tuvok’s own ship to keep an eye on things.
“Dayrit to DeSoto.”
The captain looked up. “Go ahead.”
“Sir, Lieutenants Czierniewski and Honigsberg are requesting permission to beam aboard. They have a report they want to give you regarding Voyager.”
“Send them down here, Manolet.”
Within minutes, the short, rotund form of Tara Czierniewski entered, joined by the tall, lithe form of a human in a lieutenant’s uniform—presumably Alexander Honigsberg, Voyager’ s chief engineer. “Report,” DeSoto said.
Honigsberg tossed a padd onto the table. “It’s broken.”
Janeway blinked. “Can you be a touch more specific, Mr. Honigsberg?”
“Oh, I’m sure I could spend half an hour breaking down all the specifics in a way that would sound really complicated, but it’s all in the report,” Honigsberg said, pointing at the padd. “And what it boils