The Last Stand - Brad Ferguson [80]
“Our friend Wiggin wants to get me alone,” Troi replied, “and I intend to let him. Go to the bathroom, Will. It’s in the back, just to the right of the bar. There are two of them. They’re sexually segregated here. Yours has a symbol on the door that looks like a figure eight.”
“Good idea. It’ll give me a chance to call the captain and find out what’s been happening.” He raised his voice. “If you will excuse me, Wiggin,” he said pleasantly, ‘I’ll be back in a few minutes. How about getting that pitcher refilled while I’m gone?”
“Got to see a journeyman about the plumbing, eh?” Wiggin said loudly, and heads turned. “Hope everything comes out all right, Dex.” He laughed hysterically at his own joke.
Riker glanced at Troi and, shrugging, gave her a wan smile as he walked away.
Wiggin smiled drunkenly at Troi, which somehow made him look even more boyish. He suddenly leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table and resting his chin in his hands. “Hello, Pralla,” he said. “Fancy meeting you here. I’m glad.”
Troi smiled. “I’m glad I met you, too, Wiggin. It’s a great day all around.”
“Best Posting Day I’ve ever had, that’s for sure. Look, do you mind if I tell you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Wiggin gave Troi what he must have thought was a sensual look, but it was all the counselor could do to keep from laughing.
“You know, Wiggin,” Troi said after a moment, “there’s an empty chair right here next to me. I don’t think Dex will be back for a while.”
Wiggin seemed startled, and then he smiled. “All right.” He shifted over. “This is better.”
“Yes, it is.” She patted Wiggin’s hand. “This is much better.”
“You were worried during the alert,” Wiggin told her. “I could tell.”
“A little,” Troi said, putting just the right amount of nervousness into her voice. “It was very unusual, wasn’t it?”
“It sure was,” he replied. “I’ve never been through an alert before.”
Troi smiled. “Well, to tell you the truth, neither have I.”
Wiggin waved a hand. “No need to be scared. There’s nothing that can hurt us.” He moved closer to her. “I wish I could talk about it, but I can’t.” He put a finger to his lips.
“Oh? Well, I can certainly respect your privacy—”
“Nope,” Wiggin said, shaking his head firmly. “Can’t talk about it, not even a little. Orders. They’ve got us working heel-and-toe watches in weapons design, you know. They’d get pretty mad at me if I ever talked about it. You know, I’ve got no social life at all.”
“I’m sorry about that. I really am.”
Wiggin seemed to be lost in thought. “Maybe I could show you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Maybe I could show you the section where I work, I mean. People are brought through sometimes. Relatives, people like that. You know. Wait a minute. How much trouble could I get into? Hull, you’re the spouse of a supervisor. You must have a security clearance, right?”
Troi nodded quickly. “Uh, that’s right. Of course I do.”
“And the watch is young,” Wiggin said. He winked at Troi again. “It could be a magic one.”
“It might be,” Troi admitted. “Why, I might disappear into thin air before it’s over, just like that.” She snapped her fingers.
“Oh, not you,” the young Krann said. “You’re a hot-blooded one, you are.”
“Now, Wiggin,” Troi said, patting his hand gently. “Stop that. What would my spouse say?”
“Hull if I know,” the young Krann replied. “Want to stick around long enough to find out?”
Troi paused. “No, not really,” she said, finishing her drink. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Debit stub!” Wiggin cried, and a facilitator quickly appeared at his elbow. She gave him a chit, which Wiggin thumbprinted in a corner. “All right,” he said, grinning. “Done! Let’s blow this lagga stand!”
Troi tapped her communicator. “I’m right behind you.”
There was what appeared to be a delivery entrance toward the back of the bistro, just beyond the bathrooms and very near the kitchen. Since the heavily used bathrooms were far from private, Riker walked past them and through a door marked NO EXIT.
He found himself