The Devil's Heart - Carmen Carter [89]
Captain Picard, however, was not known for making impromptu visits; yet, there he stood in the hall just outside the android’s quarters, fingers rapping impatiently on the back of a data padd.
“Come in, sir,” said Data, stepping back from the threshold to let his commanding officer enter.
Picard advanced a few feet into the room, just enough to allow the doors to close behind his back. “I need your assistance, Data.”
“Certainly, Captain. I—” The android stopped in mid-sentence to peer down at the tablet that Picard had thrust into his hands. After a brief study of the crude graphic on the screen, Data ventured a hypothesis. “These circles represent stars?”
“Yes, of course they’re stars. This is a map of a particular location that … well, that is important for me to identify. So, I need you to ascertain the coordinates of this site.”
Data slowly rotated the padd. “A two-dimensional representation of three-dimensional spatial arrangements is insufficient for this task. I will need a reference point of some kind.”
“There isn’t one,” said the captain with an impatient shake of his head. “Except for the comet.”
“Captain, comets are extremely common.
To date, the Federation registry lists approximately—” “I’m well aware of the difficulties, Mr.
Data. However, it is imperative that you establish just where this spot,” Picard tapped emphatically in the center of the map, “can be found.”
“I will do my best.” The placement of the circles formed a distinctive pattern. Data blinked in an involuntary reaction to the activation of his neural subprocessors and confirmed that the arrangement of stars was not a constellation that he could immediately match with any images stored in his memory. “But this could take a very long time. On the order of several weeks, if not months.”
Picard frowned his disapproval of the estimate.
Snatching the padd out of Data’s grasp, the captain stared down at the sketch. “If only I could remember …” His eyes closed. His fingers traced over the figures he had drawn.
Data waited patiently.
“We were with the Collector … the vision was given to her …” Picard’s eyes flew open.
“Presume that this is a constellation that can be seen from the surface of Atropos if you were standing in the plaza where you found T’Sara’s body.”
“Thank you,” said Data. “That specification should provide adequate information to narrow my search parameters.”
“Fine, fine, just let me know as soon—” “Captain Picard to the bridge.”
Before Picard could answer Riker’s hail, yellow alert sirens signaled a significant change in the ship’s status.
“Our adversary has surfaced,” said Picard, and Data noted the look of triumph that lit his face, if only for a moment. Flinging aside the data padd that had absorbed his attention until now, Picard spun on his heel and marched out of the cabin.
Data advanced through the doorway in the captain’s wake, then came to a sudden halt just in time to avoid a collision. Picard had stopped in the middle of the corridor; he was poised for movement, yet hesitated as if unsure of which direction he should take.
“Captain?”
“I left something in my cabin …” said Picard, looking back over his shoulder. The flashing alert lights seemed to highlight the hollows beneath his eyes. “… but it will have to wait until later. There really isn’t time.”
Despite the declarative form, Data sensed an implied question in the captain’s statement.
“No, it does not appear that there is any margin for delay.”
Picard bolted into motion again. “Then what are you waiting for?” he called out as he raced down the corridor.
Data scrambled to catch up.
Mission briefings were usually held in the sequestered comfort of the observation lounge, but by unspoken agreement, Riker conducted this session in the command center of the bridge. Tonight, the time to move from one room of the ship to another was a luxury they could not afford.
The first officer leaned forward, hands planted on his knees, as he related his knowledge of the approaching danger to the captain and Data; Worf loomed above the seated group from his aerie