The Last Stand - Brad Ferguson [90]
“Sounds grand,” Troi said, stretching. “Will, would you mind very much if—?”
“Hmmm? Oh. No. No, not at all.”
Deanna gave him a tired grin. “Thanks, Will. Uh, I’ll toss you for the bed, assuming we can find something to toss.”
“No. It’s yours.”
“But—”
“I won’t discuss it,” Will insisted. “Just lend me one of the pillows. I’ll be fine on the floor. Actually, I’m a little tired myself.”
“With pleasure,” Deanna smiled. “Thank you. Uh, there’s an extra blanket, too. Here.” She tossed it across the room to him. “These people thought of everything.”
“Very hospitable.” As Deanna disappeared into the bathroom, Will spread the blanket on the floor alongside the bed, doubled it over the long way, and dropped the pillow where it belonged. He quickly doffed his Krann garb, retrieved the audio pickup bug from the trouser pocket, and inserted it into his left ear, in case the Enterprise called during the night. Dropping down to the carpet, Will crawled inside the folded blanket and made himself comfortable. The padding under the carpet proved to be soft and agreeable, and he dozed off quickly.
About twenty minutes later, a soothed and satisfied Deanna emerged from the bathroom, one bath towel wrapped around her and the other around her hair. She heard the once-familiar sound of Will’s determined snoring coming from just beyond the bed. Not quite like the old days, she thought kindly, but close enough. Deanna smiled at the gentle memory as she killed the room lights, dropped one of the towels close by the nightstand, clipped her communicator to the remaining towel, and got into bed. She was asleep within minutes. Will’s snoring had never bothered her in the old days, and it did not bother her now.
Chapter Seventeen
“ASTONISHING,” PRESIDER HEKSAID some hours later. “They’re still aboard the flagship, Graff. Why is that?”
“Their captain has ordered them to remain here for the present,” his attaché told him. “Captain Picard wants them to be on board with us at the time our initial attack force reaches Nem Ma’ak Bratuna and to report to him on what is going on aboard the ship.”
“How do you know all this?” Hek asked. “I thought you told me yesterwatch that we were unable to monitor their communications.”
“Yes, Presider, but I had their room bugged. We recorded their half of the conversation and easily extrapolated the rest of it from context.”
Hek grinned. “Now that’s what I like,” he said jovially. “Initiative. I thought they’d stymied us.”
“They may have, in a way,” Graff said.
“Eh? I don’t like hearing that kind of thing, Graff.”
“And I don’t like reporting it to you. However, I had thought that they would return to their ship shortly after Deanna Troi rejoined Commander Riker outside Bay Fourteen, and both returned to the unshielded part of the flagship.”
“Oh, is that all?” Hek waved a hand. “Well, we can get rid of them easily enough. As long as they’re back where they belong by T-Time, I’ll be satisfied.”
“Then that’s the way it shall be, Presider.”
“Good enough.”
“Good morning,” Deanna called.
“Umph,” Will replied from the floor. He roused and, after a moment, blinked and sat up. His hair was spiky and his mouth tasted like soap. “I’ll bet there isn’t a cup of coffee within a million kilometers.”
“You’re probably right about that,” Deanna told him. She was adjusting the buckles on her Krann clothing. “The bathroom’s all yours this morning, Will. I’m done with it.”
“Oh. Well, thanks. One of those hot showers of yours sounds like a great idea right now.”
Deanna tossed him a towel. “Thanks,” he said. “See you in a bit.”
“Will?” she called. “Do you want me to check in with the ship?”
The water was running now, and steam was spilling through the door and into the bedroom. “Just call in,” Will shouted back. “Let whoever answers know that we’re all right.