STAR TREK: TNG - The Genesis Wave, Book Three

by John Vornholt

  “You’re not the only one on this ship who’s acting funny,” said Crusher. She grabbed the tablecloth from the dining table and used it to wipe up the spilled beverages.

  “Yes, I heard about the captain.”

  Crusher’s back stiffened, and she stood up. “I’m not talking about the captain,” she snapped. Who did she think she was fooling? Of course this was about Jean-Luc, like so many of her thoughts over the past few days. But she wasn’t about to share confidences with Raynr Steven on this matter. “You know, I probably should have you put under protective custody—restraints, the whole works.”

  “I promise not to do it again,” said Raynr, begging with his hands and eyes. “I really feel that by telling you, I’ve cured myself. Maybe the temptation will always be there, but maybe I can channel it ... somehow.”

  “All right,” said Crusher, coming to a decision. “I’m going to do [204] you two big favors. First, I’m going to tell Alyssa Ogawa about this myself. You are not to have any more contact with either her or Suzi. Do you promise?”

  “Yes,” he answered softly.

  “Second favor, I’m going to keep all this quiet for now and let you keep working your shift.”

  “Oh, thank you!” he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “Thank you, Beverly.”

  “But when you’re not working, you’re restricted to quarters. I want to be able to find you at all times. If there’s a special occasion when you need to be out, I want you to clear it with me first.”

  “Absolutely,” he nodded, dabbing a big knuckle to his eye.

  “And fight those temptations next time,” she warned. “You’ve got a dangerous psychological weapon in your hands.”

  “I promise,” said the big Antosian. “And thank you, Beverly. I’m going home right now.”

  He slipped carefully out the door, and Crusher found her eyes drifting to the shelf where the family photos rested. Her gaze fell upon Jack.

  “For a moment, I held you in my arms again,” she told the image. “It brought back a flood of wonderful memories. Of a time I should be grateful for ... even if it was too short. I just worry that I’m getting bitter without you ... without anyone. It’s so hard to let go, while I still want to hold on.”

  She put a finger to her lips, then touched it to the picture of the handsome Starfleet officer.

  sixteen

  “Captain, we’re ready to leave orbit,” reported Marbinz, the first officer of the Sequoia. The slate-gray lump called Lomar floated like a blight in their main viewscreen.

  “Just one thing,” answered Nechayev from the command chair. “Did our Drama Club get to the surface to send our message over Romulan radio?”

  “Yes,” answered Marbinz, looking at his panel. “At nineteen-thirty hours, they had a conversation which made it clear that we have the missing Genesis emitter, and they described it in as much detail as we know. Caretaker staff on Lomar will relay more information as needed. Otherwise, they are taking extreme precautions.”

  “Good,” said Nechayev with a brief smile. “Let’s hope this will keep them from trying so hard to have a monopoly. They don’t have one, anyway, so maybe they will back off. Conn, take us out of orbit, into a standard warp approach.”

  “Yes, Sir,” responded the Bynar on the conn, as he worked his instruments.

  [206] “Course laid in for the last reported position of the Enterprise,” said the Bynar on ops.

  “ETA is ten hours, twenty minutes,” said the first Bynar.

  To everyone’s relief, they blasted away from the depressing corpse of a planet littered with dead; and they made quickly for deep space. After she felt the rush of going to warp, Nechayev rose from her seat and headed for her ready room.

  “I have to send the Enterprise a message, and I’m not sure what to say,” she told Marbinz as she walked past him.

  The Benzite nodded sympathetically. “Nor would I. A Genesis Device aboard a ship would be more devastating than a bomb.”

  “And it would erase the evidence after it, leaving something unrecognizable as a starship.” The admiral nodded sagely as she walked into her ready room. “I know.” She vanished into her office, and the door slid shut behind her.

  Teska walked into the brig and studied the older Romulan, Jerit, who now sat alone in the row of recessed cells. His younger, more cooperative comrade had been whisked away for his own protection, leaving just Jerit as possible exchange bait, if it came down to that.

  She knelt down to face him, because he was sitting on his bunk. He looked up sullenly at her curious face. “Care to look at the zoo animal? I thought I was supposed to be returned to my people with a note pinned to my chest?”

  “I fear I do not have any control over your fate,” she answered. “But I will like to request a favor. Would you allow our minds to meld?”

  He laughed with amazement, then looked angry. “I thought we already did that?”

  “Yes, but ...” Teska cocked her head as she composed an answer that wasn’t a lie. “A willing, freely given mind-meld is a different experience than one performed on a drugged, unwilling subject.”

  [207] “Is it?” he said with a smile. “So it wasn’t good for you. I’m sorry to hear that. Say, you have a lot of gall to come here and demand something which you took by force. This is like being asked, ‘Was that rape fun? Would you care for another one?’ ”

  She rose to her feet. “I meant no disrespect. I regretted we even had to think about it. I merely asked if you would meld freely with me. Yes or no would be a sufficient answer.” The Vulcan turned and walked away slowly.

  “Wait!” he called, and she stopped. He peered at her through the sparkling force-field. “What would I get out of this?”

  “I have no idea,” replied the Vulcan. “I have not discussed this with my superior.”

  He laughed. “That tough eel-bird—she doesn’t know you’ve come to me with this?”

  “No,” answered Teska, moving a step closer to him.

  Jerit stared at her. A male of about her own age, he could be called handsome by Terran definition of the word. “Would I know everything that’s in your mind, too?” he asked softly.

  “Yes,” she answered. “This mind-meld would be open and freely given on both sides.”

  “You’d better ask your superior about that. And find out what she’s offering.”

  “I will,” replied Teska with satisfaction. She walked out the door and exited into the corridor.

  A few minutes later, the Vulcan stood in a corner of the bridge, activating the chime on the ready room door. Nechayev called, “Come.”

  The Vulcan entered to find the admiral seated at her desk, working her terminal. “Hello, Teska,” she said curtly, not looking up. “I’m trying to finish a subspace message, and I’ve got more to write after that. What is it?”

  “I believe I have convinced the prisoner, Jerit, to meld with me.”

  [208] Nechayev stopped working and looked up. “You mean, he’ll do it of his own free will?”

  “I would not do it otherwise,” replied Teska. “If he gives his consent, I will perform the meld, but you must sweeten the deal.”

  She sighed. “It could be a trick. He may try to use you as a shield or something.”

  “It was my idea,” said Teska. “However, you should know that it will be open—he will know my mind.”

  “Do you have to do it that way?” asked Nechayev.

  The Vulcan raised an eyebrow. “No, but I prefer it that way. So much of what I have done lately has been selfish, trying to find information without sharing myself. A meld is supposed to be just that—equal, a pooling of minds. I am skilled in all the variations, including priestly functions, where I am often a conduit between two others; but this meld needs to be fair.”

  Nechayev went back to her screen. “In that case, we’ll have to keep him prisoner a little longer. You know, I hate to turn a cold-blooded killer loose on the quadrant. I almost prefer to hand him back to his own peop
le, sadder but no wiser.”

  “Please,” asked Teska, “allow me to do this.”

  “Of course,” answered the admiral with a smile. “Tell him that after we return to Federation space, he can choose any of the options we gave his friend. Don’t schedule this for at least an hour, so I can be there with plenty of security. I have to finish this correspondence now.” .

  “Thank you, Admiral,” said Teska, backing toward the door.

  “Wait until I get my hands on him!” shouted Alyssa Ogawa, leaping to her feet in the half-crowded Saucer Lounge and clenching her fists.

  “Sit down,” snapped Crusher, trying to pull her irate coworker back into her seat. “Sit down, and that’s an order.”

  [209] “No, you’re not ... you’re not going to stop me!” she sputtered.

  Crusher grabbed her faithful assistant and tossed her back into her chair. “If you get anywhere near him, I’ll call security on you. You’ll be in the brig—am I understood?”

  The chastised woman stared wild-eyed at her superior. “You’re a mother—what would you do if somebody did this to your son?”

  “Somebody has taken my son, and I haven’t seen him for years,” muttered Beverly, returning to her own seat. “You’re a mother of a young child, and what you should be learning right now is that you can’t protect her from bad things, no matter how hard you try. No matter how little she is. You couldn’t protect her from her father disappearing, and you couldn’t protect her from this. In fact, you had a hand in Raynr Sleven’s condition, and we all knew it could happen.”

  “But I didn’t think ... I didn’t think it would be Suzi—” Ogawa buried her face in her hands.

  “No, we all think it will be somebody else’s child who is in danger,” said Crusher. “But the danger is past now—we only have the aftermath to deal with. He has confessed what he did, and he’s trying to deal with it.”

  “He’s not running around loose, is he?” asked Ogawa in horror. “Tell me he’s confined somewhere?”

  Crusher frowned. “He’s confined to his quarters, except when he’s on duty. Nobody knows about this, except for the three of us, and I’d like to keep it that way. Of course, Suzi will have to be told.”

  Ogawa balled her fists together and nearly started crying again, but somehow she gained control of her emotions. “Normally, Beverly, I would agree with you,” she whispered, “but this time I think you’re wrong. He’s clearly dangerous and should be watched. Are you sure you’re not giving him a break because you like him?”

  “I don’t like him so much at the moment,” muttered Beverly. “But I approved the procedure that left him like this, and you assisted me. We’re the first people on the ship he got to know, so it’s not that strange that he glommed onto us.”

  [210] Ogawa wiped her eyes with her napkin. “And here I thought Suzi was so happy lately because I wasn’t talking about Andrew as much. I suddenly feel the need to hug her tight. Should I make her tell me, or what should I do?”

  “Maybe we should bring Deanna in on this,” mused Crusher. “For now, just let her know that she’s surrounded by love.”

  Ogawa’s eyes flashed with anger. “All right, but if I see him anywhere near—” The angry mother was cut off by Beverly’s combadge chirping.

  “Riker to Crusher,” came a familiar voice.

  “Crusher here,” she replied, while Ogawa jumped to her feet and hurried off.

  “Hello, Doctor, I need to talk to you. Where are you?” asked the first officer.

  “I’m in the Saucer Lounge,” answered Beverly, “and I happen to be alone.”

  “I’m nearby,” he answered. “I’ll be right there.”

  The commander was as good as his word, and his broad shoulders filled the doorway a moment later. He strode right to her table and sat down, waving off the server who started toward him.

  From his expression, Beverly knew it was bad news, but she couldn’t figure out from which direction it was coming. Riker leaned forward and grimaced as he said, “It’s about the captain.”

  She almost smiled with relief. Any news that didn’t involve Raynr Sleven was welcome. “He’s gone back to the Javlek?”

  “Yes, for no particular reason.”

  “Did you try to stop him?”

  “On what grounds?” asked Riker. “He is captain of the ship. If she invites him, and he accepts, there’s not much I can do to stop him from beaming over. We’re so buddy-buddy with the Romulans now, it’s sickening. We’ve got the Brahms suits back, and we’re ready to try them, but it still feels like we’re treading water. I get the feeling that something terrible is about to happen.”

  [211] He looked around for the suddenly vanished server. “Maybe I should get a drink.”

  “Who’s going out in the Brahms suits?” asked Crusher.

  Riker shrugged. “Undecided. Data is the logical one, but he can’t leave the bridge. I need him on that conn every moment, because we might have to get out of here fast again. I’ve moved Data over to the conn right now because Perim is in sick bay. What about the captain?”

  “I could put him on medical disability, but what would be my justification?” Beverly stirred the melting ice in her tea. “That he has the hots for a Romulan commander?”

  “That’s just a rumor,” muttered Riker unconvincingly.

  “Last time, he got off the transporter and came straight to the bridge,” said Crusher. “He still reeked of her.”

  “I see.” With a troubled expression, Riker rubbed his chin. The silence was mercifully broken by his combadge.

  “Bridge to Riker,” came Data’s voice.

  “Yes, Data, what is it?”

  “We have just received an urgent message from Admiral Nechayev,” answered the android. “We are to be advised that the Romulan warbird Javlek is in possession of a portable Genesis emitter. We are to limit contact with the Romulans and treat them with the precautions reserved for hostiles. We are not to exchange information, technology, or personnel with them, and we are not to allow any cargo or personnel from the Javlek to come aboard the Enterprise. At the same time, we are ordered not to let them out of our sight. We are authorized to use deadly force to keep them from escaping.”

  After a brief pause, Data continued, “There is some intelligence information in the message, but those are our immediate orders.”

  “We’ve broken every one of those orders already,” muttered Riker, gazing with concern at Crusher.

  “We are breaking them as we speak,” added Data.

  [212] “I’ll be right there. Riker out.” The big man rose to his feet and looked at Beverly. “Do you want to come?”

  “Yes,” she answered gravely. “Maybe he’ll listen to me.”

  Jean-Luc Picard clasped her body to his as soon as they reached Kaylena’s plush quarters on the Javlek. He thought he would never get through the endless greetings and formalities, plus discussions on topics he couldn’t even remember now—because all he could think about was getting her alone.

  With a laugh and surprising strength, Kaylena pushed him off and strode quickly to her replicator. “Jean-Luc, you must have some patience,” she said breathlessly. “We have to slow down.”

  “Why?” he asked with distress. “I’m here and we’re together—that’s all that matters!” He rushed up behind her and began nuzzling her neck.

  “I wish,” she said wistfully, pushing him away again and moving pointedly toward the gleaming gold replicator. “We heard about your secret.”

  “My secret?” he asked in confusion. “My only secret is that I’m in love with you, and I don’t think that’s much of a secret anymore. Do you want me to resign my commission? I’ll do it. Do you want to keep me as a pet on a leash? Why not? As long as I’m with you, I can stand any indignity. But I can’t stand being away from you.” He followed her to the replicator, begging with his helpless eyes.

  Kaylena laughed softly and tossed her well-coifed hair. “You’re so quaint, Jean-Luc. All
I want is honesty from you. You told me that the Federation didn’t have a portable Genesis device, but now I learn that you do have one.”

  “That’s news to me.” He grabbed the beverage from her hand and put it back into the replicator. Then he brought her hand to his lips and began kissing it fervently, even as he tried to pull her closer with [213] his other arm. “What does it matter, who has what? As long as we have each other?”

  This time she let herself be kissed and caressed, although he could sense that she was holding back, not giving herself completely, the way she had before. His fevered body didn’t care, but his mind was resentful and jealous.

  Picard grabbed her by the shoulders and held her at arms’ length. “Is there someone else? Are you in love with someone else?”

  “A Romulan commander has many consorts,” she said with a sneer. “You would be just one of them. Of course, I am truly mated to my ship.”

  The captain gave her a queasy smile. “There are Captains who say that all the time. To women ... to themselves. You feel it, but I don’t ... especially not when I’m with you.” He tried to embrace her again, but she slipped out of his grasp, and he watched her saunter across the room.

  “To prove your love to me,” she said, “I want you to get me the Genesis device from Starfleet.”

  “I don’t know anything about this,” he protested. “I haven’t any idea where it is!”

  She kept walking right out the front door into the corridor. “Don’t come back to me until you have it.”

  “Kaylena!” Distraught, Picard charged after her, but the door shut in his face. When he banged on the elegant, quilted metal, it slid open, but when he got into the corridor, a phalanx of helmeted guards blocked his way. He could see Kaylena, striding away from him, and she turned the corner and was gone.

  A brawny centurion pointed in the other direction. “We will escort you to the transporter room, Captain.”

  Irrationally, he thought about bursting through the guards to chase after her, but what semblance of logic he had left warned him it was pointless. She had told him what it would take to win her love—the Genesis emitter.