The Eyes of the Beholders - A. C. Crispin [61]
Picard nodded. “I agree. Doctor Crusher?”
The chief medical officer hesitated. “I agree that it may be wise, since Gavar demonstrated on the Marco Polo that she has some resistance to the artifact’s effect. However, I would prefer not to order her. She’s here as part of the Starfleet officer exchange program, after all. If she wishes to volunteer …” She trailed off.
“Very well,” Picard said. “On a volunteer basis, then.”
The doctor tapped her communicator. “Doctor Gavar?”
“Yes, Doctor?” came the Tellarite’s voice.
“The captain is sending an away team over to the artifact, in an attempt to free us from its tractor field. We have discovered that apparently the reason you withstood the psychosis that struck Montez is that Tellarite minds are not affected by the artifact’s energies. Captain Picard is therefore looking for a Tellarite to volunteer for the away team.”
There was a moment’s hesitation, then the doctor said quietly, “Inform the captain that I am volunteering to go.”
“Thank you, Gavar,” Crusher said. “I will tell him. Crusher out.”
She tapped her communicator again to close the channel, then nodded at Riker. “When do you want to go?”
The commander stood up with an air of decision. “I for one would like to put this place far behind us.” He gave Picard a quick, inquiring glance. “So I suggest that the away team beam over as soon as possible.”
The captain nodded. “Make it so, Number One. And good luck.”
Chapter Nine
AS THEY ASSEMBLED outside Transporter Room 4, Commander Riker surveyed his away team critically. Data, Geordi, Worf and Doctor Gavar, like Will himself, were dressed in heavy-duty uniforms with insulated jackets. Data’s and Wesley’s sensor readings indicated that the temperature aboard the artifact was quite chilly—barely above freezing.
Riker checked the settings and charge on his phaser one final time, and the away team followed his example. Even though they had detected no life-forms aboard the artifact, there was no telling what kind of automatic defense systems it boasted. Also, despite their sensor readings, Will wasn’t entirely convinced that there were no living beings over there. So many things about the artifact had proved so alien as to be virtually undetectable by their sensing devices.
He glanced over at the Tellarite, who had a pouch clipped to her belt. Noting his look, she patted the thing with her stubby, hooflike hand.
“Medical kit,” she explained in her gruff voice.
“I doubt you’ll need it where we’re going,” Riker said. “But I suppose it’s best to be prepared. Would you like a phaser, Doctor?”
“No, sir,” she replied, wrinkling her snout. “I’m not a very good shot. I’d be afraid that I’d trip and shoot something—or somebody—by accident.”
Worf did not quite roll his eyes, but the Klingon security chief’s expression was eloquent.
“That’s all right, Gavar,” Riker said hastily. “We’re all armed. By the way, I would like to thank you personally for volunteering to be part of the away team.”
“It’s my medical duty, sir,” she replied steadily, her small, weak eyes within their folds of pink flesh very serious. “Anything I can do to help save patients in this crisis, I’ll do.”
“Commander Data, I want you to record everything we see and experience,” Riker instructed. “Understood?”
“Yes, Commander,” the android replied, and he gave one final check to his tricorder.
“Everyone ready?”
At their nods of assent, Riker led the way into the transporter room, where Chief O’Brien stood by at the controls.
“O’Brien,” Riker said, “I want you to keep a fix on us at all times, so you can transport us out immediately if we run into trouble over there.”
“Yes, Commander,” said the chief. “But in order for me to do that, you’ll have to keep the away team together. The distortion caused by that field makes tracking and locking on to individuals nearly impossible.”
Riker nodded. “I understand, Chief O’Brien.” He fixed his away team with a stern look.