Part 13 (1/2)
”Oh, no, not on your life, Number One,” the captain responded, ”and I mean that quite literally.”
”But if-”
”Can't you see? It's demonstrated quite clearly that it's no insect and it's no shark. It's a trapdoor spider. We move-it springs. All it has to do is wait. Wait until we make a move. And we're not going to.” He turned to the waiting faces of the tactical bridge crew and authoritatively said, ”All stop. Shut down all systems including internal with the exception of basic life support. Turn off everything that can conceivably be turned off. Suspend experimentation and testing of any kind unless I specifically order it, all food processors, all extraneous utensils, terminals, holographs, intras.h.i.+p communication, generators, plumbing, everything. Reduce s.h.i.+p's heating and lighting to bare minimum. Keep sound levels down. Tell people to get where they're going, then stay there. We're going to shut down the turbolifts within ten minutes and use only maintenance ladders. Have you got that?”
Riker tilted his head dubiously. ”I don't know how long we can hold out like that.”
Picard's dark eyes thinned. ”Cities have endured blackouts before, Mr. Riker,” he said, ”and so shall we. Ever since submarine warfare and the blitz, groups of people have had to endure periods of excruciating silence.”
”Those were trained military personnel, sir. It's going to be harder on-”
The captain silenced him with a toss of his head and unexpectedly lowered his voice. ”Don't be insulting.”
”Right. Sorry, sir.” Riker cast an appropriate gesture at Worf and said, ”s.h.i.+pwide systems comply. I'll check everything personally.”
The captain nodded. ”As soon as we get back to the main bridge, I want a complete systems check in preparation to feed antimatter from the reserves into the main tank to make up for our loss just now. I want it to go smoothly, Riker. That's a lot of energy changing places, and we don't want it detected. Notify engineering. They'll have their hands full with the exchange and the charge up to warp power.”
”Aye, sir, I'll see to it.”
”All hands, prepare to transfer command-”
”Captain-” Troi came to life abruptly and pushed herself unsteadily from the seat. Had she not caught herself on the command chair, she might have fallen, but there was something more than physical stamina keeping her on her feet.
The captain caught her arm. ”Counselor, you stay where you are. I want to have Dr. Crusher look at you again.”
”Later, sir, please. Captain, may I speak with you privately?” she asked, with a small glance at Riker. ”This is ... feels very personal to me, sir.”
The captain indulged in a long study of her eyes, her expression, the degree of strength with which she clamped her hand on his arm-something she didn't seem to realize she was doing-and he measured her veracity like a lie detector. His gauges were his experience, hard-earned abilities to judge what he heard by the expression of those who were saying it, the tone of voice and the slight quavers in it, the flickering of eyes, and the slight tightness of lashes. He believed her, believed this wasn't just a whim, that she had something critical to say and was still rational enough to know the difference.
He sensed Riker approaching, knew the first officer was looking over his shoulder, taking advantage of his height to look at Deanna Troi and silently ask if perhaps he could also be involved in her secrets. Only that made the captain's decision tricky.
”Very well,” Picard said. He took Troi's arm and steered her toward the turbolift. ”All hands, transfer command back to the main bridge immediately. Riker, you square off with Data. Get some answers. We're going to hit this problem from both fronts. Counselor, my ready room. The rest of you ... stations.”
Riker watched perhaps too longingly as the captain escorted Troi from the dim battle bridge. He could live without her; perhaps he would have to. He'd called a halt to all relations.h.i.+ps when he accepted this post, staring at twenty years of single-mindedness, and he'd kept that promise to himself well enough. Until he stepped onto the s.h.i.+p itself. Until she floated out of nowhere toward him. Suddenly the years ahead appeared more a test than an a.s.signment. Was it unwise for long-term commanders to commit themselves to relations.h.i.+ps? This whole business about having families aboard s.h.i.+p ... it was so new. Did anyone know if s.h.i.+p's commanders reacted differently when their loved ones were on board than they did if they could divorce themselves from everything but the dangers at hand?
Deanna would know. And she's the only person I can't ask.
He was jolted from his thoughts as two forms stepped by him toward the turbolift, and he shook himself. Before him, Yar and Worf were on the lift with the captain and Troi. Brus.h.i.+ng his left arm, Geordi had just stepped by with Data in tow.
Catching Data's arm, Riker stopped him. ”Data, you stay here.”
LaForge started to turn, protectiveness roaring up in the set of his jaw and shoulders, and only a bark from the captain caused him to leave Data behind in the hands of a less-than-compa.s.sionate superior. ”Coming, sir,” he said, his tone low, as though to warn Riker.
Perhaps it wasn't insolence, and perhaps it wasn't a warning. But Riker couldn't blame him if it were.
The turbolift doors shut with a vacuumlike cussshhh.
Data remained facing the lift for a wishful few seconds. Actually it was longer than a few. Enough longer that the pause was obvious. When finally he began to turn, he was at full attention-a stance recognized by both of himself and Riker as painfully unnecessary.
”How do you feel?” the first officer asked.
”Functional,” Data said, ”though weak.”
”Want to sit down?”
”No, thank you, sir. I shall stand.”
The better to walk away from you, my dear. Come on, Will, make your case and be done with it. ”Do you have a report on what happened to you?”
That wasn't exactly what he hoped would come out when he opened his mouth, but Riker faced Data squarely with the question and told himself he'd find a way to bring up the other subject sooner or later.
”I have some new information, sir,” Data said, ”though not all clear.”
”I'm listening. Make it concise.”
Data nodded once, then thought about the right words.
”The phenomenon,” he began slowly, ”is like me.”
”Like you? Some form of-” Riker stopped himself and was embarra.s.sed when Data filled in the blank.
”A mechanism,” the android said. ”Crafted by someone else. A living tool, fabricated at so high a level of engineering that it may or may not be a lifeform.”
”Were you speaking to it, then?”
”I was in contact. I dare not say there was a conversation, however. It took from me what it pleased and gave me only what it chose. I was receiving, but I was unable to transmit. Perhaps I was too far away from the source. Or perhaps I was simply not built to be a transmitter ... as I hoped I would be.”
”Data, we don't expect you-”
”Perhaps if I go out alone in a shuttlecraft, I could gain more intimate contact.”
”Don't be crazy,” Riker blurted. ”n.o.body's going out in anything, not even you.”
Until it came out, Riker didn't think about the callous implication of that sentence, but now he held his breath and hoped Data bleeped over it.
”This mechanism is dangerous to us, sir. I am no longer in doubt of that,” the android went on. The dim lighting of the battle bridge caught the starkness of his coloring as he stood there on the upper deck. ”It must only be a matter of limited time before it learns to differentiate between general matter in this area of s.p.a.ce or that nearby solar system and the construction of the Enterprise. It will demolish the s.h.i.+p, just as it demolished the Gorshkov three centuries ago.”
”Now wait a minute,” Riker said, holding up his hand. ”We aren't sure that's what happened to the Gorshkov.”
”I am sure. It will destroy us in a singularly violent manner as soon as it can. It intends to destroy us as soon as it can find us again.”
And he was absolutely sure, if that could be gleaned from his expression. He was even more impa.s.sive than usual, and Riker had to look hard to see any flickers of emotion. Data might be an android, but his face was usually pleasantly animated, and the blankness bothered Riker. Data's habitual demeanor would have rea.s.sured him a little.
Slowly he asked, ”Did you get any clues as to its nature?”
”It was built eons ago, and it contains the destructive power of several stars.h.i.+ps,” Data said flatly. ”Most disturbingly, though, sir, it is encoded with what it believes is permission to use that power at its own discretion.”
”Oh, great,” Riker moaned. ”I've seen bulldozers with more discretion than that thing.”
Data paused, and if he could be in a mood, he wasn't in one for chitchat. The pause was long enough to make Riker uncomfortable, enough to make him look up.