The Eyes of the Beholders - A. C. Crispin [60]
Soon the air had been filled with the smell of destruction and death, the stifled groans of the wounded and dying. His mother had clutched him tightly in her arms, ignoring her small son’s protests that he wanted to fight—to kill—the opponents who had attacked them in such a cowardly fashion.
The Romulans’ attack on the Khitomer colony had been both unprovoked and unexpected. Before the next day’s light dawned, four thousand Klingons, including all of Worf’s family as well as his pet Targ, lay dead. Federation officers had found the small Klingon child clawing feebly at the rubble he was buried in, and had pulled him back out into the light of day. The first sight to greet his eyes had been a Starfleet uniform, like the one he now wore.
Worf had lived the rest of his life among humans …
That meal of Rokeg blood pie was the last time we were together, Worf realized. He remembered feeding bits of it under the table to LengwI’, remembered his mother’s resultant scolding, and heard in his mind the echo of his father’s gruff, booming laughter …
The Klingon resumed his walk. Enough of such memories. Sorrow and loneliness had no place in a Klingon warrior’s heart. He had work to do, duties to perform.
With quick, decisive steps, Worf left his quarters. His stomach rumbled hungrily again, but, strangely, he discovered that he had no further desire for Rokeg blood pie.
As soon as the research team’s findings were assembled, Picard called a meeting in the conference lounge, so that the team could relate its findings to the senior officers. Data, La Forge, and Acting Ensign Crusher took turns relating all that they had discovered, with Wesley providing the summary of results and conclusions about the artifact. The junior officer was a bit nervous at first, and it showed, but as he warmed to his subject, his hesitancy vanished, and he spoke concisely and clearly about the results of their sensor readings and the correlations with the medical scans.
Picard nodded when the young man had finished. “Thank you, Mister Crusher, that was most informative. Discussion, anyone?”
Actually, the captain had already made up his mind about his course of action, but he preferred to hear all relevant viewpoints before announcing his plans. Of course, given strong enough new information, he was prepared to change his mind.
That was not to happen this time. The captain listened to several minutes of discussion, some of it repeating previous speculations and theories. Worf and Riker believed that the artifact was a weapon and that the Enterprise should take the risk of attempting to destroy it. La Forge was in favor of beaming over a landing party to attempt to shut down its systems. Beverly Crusher, on the other hand, warned against any contact with the alien environment.
Picard heard them all out, then raised a hand for quiet. “I have decided to act on Lieutenant Commander La Forge’s suggestion and authorize an away team to beam over and attempt to shut down that energy field that is holding us here.” He turned to Will Riker. “Number One, you will lead the away team.”
Riker nodded, his bearded countenance sober but serene. Leading such teams was a major part of his job, but he’d obviously been braced for an argument if Picard had expressed the wish (as he occasionally had) to lead an away team himself.
“Lieutenant Worf, you will be the security officer on this is detail.”
The Klingon officer did not smile, but something like a faint growl of pleasure emerged from his otherwise unmoving countenance. He was plainly eager, as usual, for action.
“Commanders La Forge and Data, I want you to accompany them, and use your unique vision and perceptions—both of you—to discover as much about that place as possible.”
“Yes, sir,” both officers murmured.
“Captain, I’d like to recommend one more person for the away team,” Riker said.
“Yes, Number One?”
“I’d like to request that Doctor Crusher allow Doctor Gavar from her staff