Unification - Jeri Taylor [19]
“Me? I wouldn’t so much as breathe a word about it. I’m very good at keeping my mouth shut.”
“I’m sure of it.”
Mot began snipping at the hair form once more. “Now,” he continued, “I’ve had some thoughts about just how to deal with the Cardassians. Seems to me, the mistake that’s always made with these people…”
He told the captain his entire philosophy about handling the Cardassians, and followed up with a few observations about the potential alliance between Romulus and Cardassia. Picard was impressed, all right, and even if he was a little late for his appointment with Commander Riker, Mot was certain that he was glad for the briefing. It probably wasn’t that often that he got the results of such clear and precise thinking.
Riker couldn’t have articulated exactly why he was feeling more enthusiastic about this investigation. It was an instinct. When La Forge and his team had finally pieced together the metal fragments and had realized what the object was, its identity was so unexceptional that it would seem likely to have dampened Riker’s zeal rather than stimulated it. But that’s exactly what made the puzzle alluring to him—the very mundane nature of this piece of equipment.
Now that Captain Picard had finally arrived in the cargo bay—forty-five minutes late—Riker stood with him and Geordi, surveying the hunks of metal arranged on the floor, which had assumed at least partial shape. There were missing sections everywhere, but the chief engineer and his men had done a remarkable job of piecing together this jigsaw. “What we seem to have here, sir,” reported Geordi to the captain, “is a navigational deflector array. Or at least what’s left of one.”
Picard gazed out over the unlikely piece of equipment. “Why would anyone want a Vulcan deflector array?” Riker smiled inwardly. His question exactly.
“Beats me, sir,” replied Geordi. Every question we answer here seems to bring up two more.”
“You’re certain it is Vulcan?”
“Yes, sir. A metallurgical analysis confirmed it, and by running a molecular pattern trace, we even identified the ship as the T’Pau. It was decom-missioned years ago and sent to the surplus depot at Qualor Two. As far as anyone knows it’s still there.”
“Worf to Captain Picard.” The Klingon’s voice boomed throughout the cargo bay. The captain touched his communicator. “Yes, Lieutenant?”
“A Klingon vessel is decloaking off our port bow. Compliments of Gowron.”
Picard and Riker exchanged an amused glance. “Please convey our gratitude, Mr. Worf. Advise the captain that Lieutenant Commander Data and I will be transporting aboard shortly.” “Aye, sir.”
So the last obstacle to crossing the Neutral Zone had been conquered. The captain would soon be on his way. Riker turned to face him.
“If it’s all right with you, sir, I’d like to take the Enterprise to Qualor Two. See what I can find out there.”
The captain didn’t take even a moment to consider the request. “By all means, Number One.”
Picard extended his hand and Riker shook it. “Good luck, Will.”
“And you, sir.” Picard nodded and headed for the exit. Riker felt a momentary twinge of regret that he wasn’t the one to be embarking on the venturesome journey into the Neutral Zone, but it was quickly replaced with the thought that was to become a refrain for him in the next few days: Who would want a Vulcan deflector array?
Chapter Six
CAPTAIN K’VADA GROWLED as he ate his bowl ofgagh. It wasn’t fresh. A few of the wormlike creatures still stirred, but most were already dead and lay liraply in the dish. The best part of eating fresh gagh was the sensation of the still-squirming slugs; even after he had bitten through them, they spasreed for several minutes afterward in their death throes, and the unique fluttering continued in his stomach throughout the meal. There was no point to eating them already dead; the taste was dreadful.
He flung the bowl to the side; it bounced