Three - Michael Jan Friedman [19]
Sebring sat back and folded his arms across his chest. “I came all this way for that?”
Runj scowled around his tusks. “I would have gotten more out of a subspace memo.”
If Ejanix heard their complaints, he didn’t respond to them. He just pushed the cart out of the room and was gone.
Vigo turned to Riyyen. The Dedderac looked embarrassed by his colleague’s curtness. But if Ejanix wanted to act that way, there was nothing he could do about it.
“Well,” said Sebring, “that was pretty much a waste of time. Anybody for a game of chess?”
Under different circumstances, Vigo might have suggested sharash’di as an alternative. However, his board was back on the Stargazer, and—truth be told—he didn’t much feel like playing at the moment.
In a very real sense, he had lost his best friend.
Chapter Four
Captain’s Log, Supplemental. We have established a position within two thousand kilometers of the anomaly and initiated sensor sweeps. It is my hope that we will have the opportunity to complete our mission and depart the Mara Zenaya system without incident.
His log entry complete, Picard got up from his desk, crossed his ready room, and walked out onto the Stargazer’s bridge. He had left Ben Zoma ensconced in the center seat, but the first officer was now peering over Gerda’s shoulder at the monitors on her navigation console.
“How are we doing?” the captain asked them.
Ben Zoma looked up at him. “This thing is a lot more powerful than it looks.”
[53] Picard glanced at the forward viewscreen, where the anomaly—an elongated phenomenon of modest dimensions—pulsed with a gaudy violet light. “How much more powerful?”
Ben Zoma told him.
“Powerful indeed,” the captain noted respectfully. “Is the Stargazer in any danger?”
The first officer shook his head. “I don’t think so. At this distance, the shields should hold up just fine.”
Picard nodded. And there wasn’t any sign of the Balduk, or he would have been alerted. So far, so good.
Just as he thought that, he heard himself addressed over the intercom system. “Transporter Room One to Captain Picard.”
Picard looked up at the intercom grid hidden in the ceiling. “Yes, Mr. Refsland, go ahead.”
“Sir,” said the operator, “a crewman just arrived on my transporter pad.”
The captain glanced at Ben Zoma, who shrugged his shoulders. Obviously he didn’t know any more about it than Picard did.
“I didn’t order any transports,” the captain noted.
“I didn’t think so either, sir,” said Refsland. “But here she is nonetheless.”
An even more disturbing question came to mind. “Exactly where did she beam here from, Mr. Refsland? There aren’t any vessels registering on our sensors.”
He turned to his navigator just to make sure. Gerda consulted her monitors, then confirmed Picard’s statement with a shrug of her own.
“That’s not clear, sir,” Refsland replied. “My [54] instruments tell me she came from the direction of the anomaly. But that doesn’t seem possible.”
Stranger and stranger, the captain thought. All kinds of possibilities whirled in his brain.
“Are you certain this is a member of the crew?” he asked the transporter operator.
“I am indeed, sir.”
“And who is it?”
A pause. “I’m not certain,” said Refsland.
Picard could feel the muscles spasming in his jaw. “You’re not certain?” he echoed.
“That’s correct, sir.”
“But you said you’re certain she’s a member of the crew.”
“She is, sir.”
“Then you know her.”
By that point, there was a pained note in Refsland’s voice. “I do, sir.”
“But you’re not certain who it is? I hope this isn’t a joke, Mr. Refsland, because I’m not in the mood.”
“It’s not a joke, sir. If I can explain ...”
“I wish you would,” said Picard.
“I recognize her,” said the transporter operator. “I just don’t know which Lieutenant Asmund it is.”
As if on cue, both Idun and Gerda turned to look at the captain. Now he was certain that it was a joke.
“Mr. Refsland,” he said slowly, “both Lieutenant Asmunds are here with me on the bridge.”
There was another pause. Picard wasn’t surprised. Whatever bizarre and uncharacteristic jest Refsland had had in mind,