The Brave and the Bold Book Two - Keith R. A. DeCandido [98]
“Only one thing?” Spock asked in his usual deadpan.
“Don’t start with me, bucko, we’re both too old,” McCoy muttered. “Back when you core-dumped your brain into mine before you died, I couldn’t do that damn neck pinch of yours. Worf only had some of your marbles, and he was distributing neck pinches right and left.”
“The mind-meld is not a precise tool, as you well know, Doctor. It would seem that Worf was simply luckier than you.”
“Got that right,” he said, taking another sip of the julep.
“However, that experience from ninety years ago is a primary reason why I was able to resist Malkus’s control enough to perform the mind-meld in the first place. My death and resurrection on Genesis altered my brain chemistry sufficiently to make Malkus’s grip on my mind tenuous at best.”
“As opposed to your grip on reality, which is completely tenuous,” McCoy said with a smile.
Spock’s eyebrow shot up. “I thought we were too old for this sort of thing?”
McCoy shrugged. “I lied.”
Before Spock could reply, Picard entered the lounge and headed to their table. “Gentlemen, may I join you?”
“Of course, Captain,” Spock said, indicating one of the seats between them.
“How’re things dirtside?” McCoy asked.
“Settling down. Captain Klag’s ground troops have been able to restore order. Dr. Crusher was able to cure as many of the Klingons imprisoned in the sports arena as were still alive.”
“Still alive?” McCoy frowned. “There wasn’t time for the virus to—Oh, hell. A virus that pumps adrenaline into Klingons.”
“Yes,” Picard said gravely. “I’m afraid that the virus combined with the enclosed space to cause no small amount of violence, even by Klingon standards.”
McCoy shook his head, thinking about all those who died before he and Lew Rosenhaus came up with the cure the last time it reared its ugly head on Proxima a century earlier.
“How is Aidulac, Captain?” Spock asked.
“Dr. Crusher has fitted her with prosthetic hands. She has requested that she be allowed to take the artifacts into her personal custody.”
“Makes sense—she helped build the damn things,” McCoy said.
Picard’s head tilted to one side slightly. “Unfortunately, she also has several warrants out for her arrest—some dating back over two hundred years. For obvious reasons the Federation is not very interested in turning over four powerful weapons to her—and very interested in fulfilling those warrants.”
“Understandable,” Spock said.
“In any event, the artifacts will be returned to the Rector Institute—with security heightened, obviously,” Picard added with a wry smile.
“DeSoto’s not gonna get in any hot water, is he?” McCoy asked.
“I doubt it,” Picard said. “There will be a hearing for formality’s sake—”
McCoy muttered into his julep. “Right, ‘cause heaven forfend there not be paperwork for the bureaucrats to play with.”
“—but I’m sure he’ll be cleared of any theft charges. The Hood is still en route to pick him up—as is the Defiant to retrieve Colonel Kira. We’ve loaded the St. Lawrence into our shuttlebay, and we shall convey you,” he glanced at Spock, “and Ambassador Worf to Khitomer this afternoon, along with your pilots. You’ll be happy to know that the opening meetings have been delayed until our arrival, despite objections from the Romulans. Captain Klag will remain behind with the Gorkon to oversee putting Narendra III back together. Apparently he has also offered to repair Captain Butterworth’s ship.”
“Who?” McCoy asked. That for damn sure doesn’t sound like any Klingon name I’ve ever heard.
“The civilian freighter that was part of Malkus’s fleet,” Picard said. “They sustained heavy damage during the conflict.”
“What the hell was a Federation civilian freighter doing here anyhow?” McCoy asked.
Picard gave a half-smile. “They were providing marble for the Dominion War memorial that is being built on Narendra—in fact, it was the groundbreaking for that memorial that led to the artifact being unearthed.”
“Figures,” McCoy muttered.
“In any event, Admiral,” Picard said, “I believe Klag is arranging for you and Dr.