The Devil's Heart - Carmen Carter [112]
Unfortunately, the stakes were too high to delay action. He would have to proceed anyway, blindly trusting that the Heart would eventually reveal the last of its secrets.
The bridge was alive with the sound and movement of a ship restored to good health. Every console was fully powered and brightly lit; crew members marched briskly back and forth across the deck from one duty station to another; and minute by minute, the air Riker breathed was growing sweeter and warmer.
“All systems are operational,” called out La Forge from the aft deck engineering station. From his post at tactical, Worf echoed the engineer’s words; and Data looked over his shoulder and nodded to confirm the helm’s ready status.
To Riker’s mind, however, the return to normalcy would not be complete until the vacant captain’s chair was filled. Picard’s absences from the bridge were growing noticeably longer. The first officer was not given to undue flights of fancy, yet he imagined that the Heart could sense the crew’s antagonism to its presence, and like an animal under siege, it constantly urged a return to the safety of its den.
Rising to his feet at the sound of parting doors, Riker studied Picard as he emerged from the shadowed recesses of the ready room. The bright, even lighting of the bridge emphasized the captain’s drawn face and pale complexion; the impression of a live animal crouched on his arm was strengthened by his protective embrace of the Heart.
While the captain walked toward the command center, Riker continued with the routine preparations for the ship’s departure. “Mr. Data, lay in a course for Starbase 75.”
“Belay that order, Mr. Data,” said Picard. “Set a new course heading.”
The string of destination coordinates the captain called out next meant nothing to Riker, but he was appalled by the direction Picard had chosen. This sense of shock was universal; the entire bridge crew had frozen, arrested in mid-motion by the unexpected command.
“Captain,” said Riker. “That course is on a direct line away from Federation territory.”
“I’m aware of that, Number One,” said Picard. “Helm?”
Data’s hands immediately blurred into motion to make up for his momentary hesitation. “Course laid in, sir.”
“Warp one.” The captain stabbed his hand in the air as if to point the way through space.
“Engage.”
On the viewscreen, pinpoint stars transformed into streaks of light as the Enterprise slipped into warp speed. Heavy vibrations shuddered through the primary hull as La Forge adjusted the injection settings, but within seconds the trembling eased away. Working in tandem with the chief engineer, Picard ordered incremental increases in speed until the starship was cruising smoothly at warp four.
“The bridge is yours, Number One,” announced Picard without warning. He turned sharply on his heel and strode back to his ready room.
Riker was the first to speak in the wake of the captain’s abrupt departure. “Data, where are we going?”
“I can find no significant aspect to the designated location,” said the android. “However, the coordinates for the site came from a star map the captain has in his possession.”
“A star map? Where did he get this map?”
“That I cannot say, but I suspect it is somehow involved with the Heart.”
The association was not surprising, but it was definitely alarming. “Data, we’ve got to get that … thing away from the captain.”
The android adopted a dubious expression.
“He has been most reluctant to release it from his possession.”
“Enough!” said Worf.
Riker looked up in surprise to find the Klingon leaning over the deck rail, his face glowering with suspicion.
“The Pagrashtak is best left in the hands of Captain Picard. As his security chief, I will not allow it to be taken by force.