The Devil's Heart - Carmen Carter [72]
T’Sara had tried to explain to Sorren what had happened, to teach him to feel how the self-entombment of their founder would horrify Halaylah’s followers. While he acknowledged the physical evidence of the disbanding of the colony, he would not allow himself to fathom their motivation.
Young Vulcans were like that; too unsure of their emotional control to risk the dangers of empathy.
“But I am old enough to contemplate what I will not emulate you wanted to keep the Ko N’ya to yourself for all eternity. If not for me, you would have succeeded, but I have taken it from you.”
T’Sara stroked the glittering stone. “Did none of them ever wonder what you wanted, Ko N’ya? I have seen much of your journey, but I keep searching the dreams for a clue as to where you are going.”
Her head fell back against the chamber wall.
But I am old … and so tired … I may not have the strength to find your answer.
Her eyes closed …
… and the outermost shell of nested dreams shattered when Picard opened his eyes. He felt as old and tired as T’Sara until he drew a shuddering breath and revived his own strength.
“A journey?” he asked the glowing Heart that hugged his side. “Is that what this is all about?”
Its inner fire seemed to flare more brightly than before.
CHAPTER 20
Estrella Miyakawa had reached the rank of lieutenant commander of the USS Brande through sheer hard work, but by that point in her career it was obvious that her promotions were lagging farther and farther behind those of her Academy classmates. Then Starfleet Command had made it clear that a transfer off a starship would be her only route to becoming a full commander; affronted by the mandate, she finally had agreed to an administrative post rather than remain at that lower rank forever.
She had expected a prestigious but routine desk job at any one of a dozen major starbases. To her dismay, however, she found herself in charge of an isolated docking base on the fringes of Federation space. Insult had been added to injury.
So for the first year of her assignment at Starbase 193, Miyakawa had nursed a bitter grudge against Starfleet and the character assessment tests that had robbed her of the command of a starship. Then, by the second year, her innate sense of honesty had reasserted itself, and her resentments had eased in the face of self-knowledge while she possessed the independence of mind that all good captains needed, she had never learned to moderate that trait. Blunt to a fault and impatient with subordinates, she had earned a reputation for being difficult and creating unnecessary tension among the crew of every ship on which she had served.
By her third year of duty, Miyakawa knew she had found her proper niche in life. As the sole officer on the base, she had no one to answer to but herself. On a starship her brusque manner and snap decisions had ruffled feathers; here they had earned her the respect of the hardened locals and a rapid promotion to captain. Over the course of five years, Starbase 193 became her home, and Miyakawa lost the desire to walk any deck other than this one.
Still, there were times when she would have welcomed the presence of another Fleet officer.
Now was one of those times.
The commander scanned the page in her hand once again. Despite its dry tone, the Starfleet security communiqu`e troubled her. During his brief visit, Picard had teased her about the tendency of administrators to exaggerate the magnitude of their problems. She had bristled at the implied criticism of her judgment, but today she yearned to hear his opinion on this matter.
Lifting her gaze to the curving windows of her office, Miyakawa studied the tranquil scene of exterior base activity with growing unease.
An Andorian passenger ship floated through space in search of the orbit coordinates dictated by the station dockmaster; maintenance droids swarmed