The Valiant - Michael Jan Friedman [23]
Vigo considered his own food again. One of the other humans on the ship had described sturrd as a mound of sand and ground glass smothered in maple syrup. But to a Pandrilite, it was as appetizing as any dish in the universe.
Usually , he amended. At the moment, Vigo didnt have much of an appetite.
Kochman noticed. Whats wrong? he asked between mollusks.
Vigo shook his head. Nothing.
His friend looked sympathetic. Its Werber again, isnt it?
Wincing, the Pandrilite looked around the mess hall. Fortunately, Hans Werber was nowhere to be seen. I told you, he reminded Kochman. Theres nothing wrong. Nothing at all.
Right, said his friend. Just like there was nothing wrong a couple of days ago, and a couple of days before that. Admit it Werbers on your back and he wont get off.
Vigo didnt say anything hi response. He was a Pandrilite, after all, and Pandrilites were taught from an early age not to complain. They shouldered their burdens without objection or protest.
However, Kochman was right. Lieutenant Werber, the Stargazers chief weapons officer and therefore Vigos immediate superior, was a supremely difficult man to work for.
He routinely held Vigo and the ships other weapons officers to unrealistic standards. And when they didnt meet those standards, Werber would make them feel unworthy of serving on a starship.
Kochman shook his head sadly. Somebodys got to stand up to the guy. Otherwise, hell just keep on making people feel like dirt.
Perhaps my colleague is right, Vigo reflected. Perhaps the only way to improve the situation in the weapons section is for someone to let Werber know how we feel.
But the Pandrilite knew with absolute certainty that that someone wouldnt be him.
Standing at his captains left hand, Picard watched Idun Asmund bring the Stargazer to a gentle stop. Then he eyed the bridges main viewscreen and the Federation facility that was pictured there.
Starbase 209 was shaped roughly like an hourglass top, its bulky-looking extremities tapering drastically to a slender midsection. In that regard, it was no different from a dozen other starbases Picard had visited in the course of his brief career.
Whats more, he had seen plenty of ships docked at those facilities. But none of them even vaguely resembled the dark, flask-shaped vessel hanging in space alongside Starbase 209a vessel whose puny-looking warp nacelles projected from its flanks as well as its hindquarters.
Ruhalter leaned forward in his center seat. Interesting design, isnt it? he asked, clearly referring to the ship and not the base.
Interesting, all right, said Leach, who was standing on the captains right. And if I may hazard a guess, its the reason were here.
The captain didnt respond to the remark. But then, he didnt seem to know much more than the rest of them.
Suddenly, Picard was struck by a feeling that he had seen the flask-shaped vessel somewhere after all or something very much like it. But if not at a starbase, where would it have been? The second officer wracked his brain but couldnt come up with an answer.
Sir, said Paxton at the communications console, I have Captain Eliopoulos, the bases ranking officer.
Ruhalter sat back. Put him through, Lieutenant.
A moment later, the image of a fair-haired man with a dark, neatly trimmed beard appeared on the screen. Welcome to Starbase two-oh-nine, he said. You must be Captain Ruhalter.
Pleased to meet you, said Ruhalter. Your place or mine?
The casual tone seemed to catch Eliopoulos off guard. It took him a moment to reply, Yours, I suppose.
Done, said Ruhalter. He turned to Leach. See to Captain Eliopouloss transport, Number One. The command staff and I will be waiting for you in the ships lounge.
The first officer darted a glance at Picard, no doubt wondering why his subordinate couldnt have taken care of Eliopouloss arrival. Then he turned and entered the turbolift.
As the doors slid closed with a whisper, the second officer regarded the viewscreen again. The more he studied the strange vessel, the more familiar