DESCENT
Page 20
Chapter Twenty-one
The Captain’s Ready Room
“COME.”
The captain’s voice didn’t sound very inviting, and under other circumstances, Beverly Crusher might have considered meeting with him at another time, but today she wasn’t standing at his door as ship’s surgeon. She was standing here as captain pro tem, and it was incumbent upon her to officially hand command back.
She’d waited for this. Oh, yes. To hand him back his starship, his crew of a thousand, his troubles, choices, and charges, and to run, not walk, back to sickbay.
Maybe she could do it through the door.
“Come!”
She leaned forward into the door’s sensory sweep, and it rolled open before her.
There he was.
Friendly as ever.
Strange—she had always found him charming but never really needed him to be friendly. Not the way she needed it right now.
“Reporting as requested, sir.”
“As ordered, Doctor,” Captain Picard said roughly.
“Yes,” Beverly sighed. “I understand.” She presented herself squarely before his desk and made sure not to even hint at a desire to sit down. “Sir, please, let me speak first.”
Picard’s almond-shaped eyes took on a sudden sharpness at the corners as he looked up in surprise. He leaned back and folded his hands in a can’t-wait-to-hear-this posture. “Very well.”
“When you gave me command,” she said, and had to stop to swallow, “I thought I understood what that meant. I believe all of us have an idea of command, but that idea never really fills out until we get a taste of it. We think we can do each other’s jobs at the drop of a hat. We’re trained to think that, but it’s not true. Even though we did find a way to destroy the Borg ship, I disobeyed orders.”
She paused to see how she was doing. Pretty well—his expression had mellowed, and his shoulders were down an inch.
“Yes,” he murmured. “That’s true. If you were a line officer, you’d probably receive a reprimand and a commendation for the same actions.” He settled deeper into his chair.
She watched his face. The expressions were familiar, troubled.
“Beverly,” he began, “I was quite . . . disenchanted when I learned that you had come back here. However, I must take the brunt of the blame. I chose to put you in command. Perhaps inwardly I was seeking your gentler instincts in a brutal situation. You did a very good job, but you were very lucky also. I’d prefer you hadn’t risked my ship, however.”
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have,” she said. “But, sir . . . you weren’t there.”
A smile pulled at his lips at the suddenly firm tone in her voice. “Yes . . . I wasn’t there. I should have been. Command is a learning experience for both of us, Doctor. Perhaps next time—”
A woman who had been forced into the lion’s den and had come to taste the love-hate addiction of command abruptly put out a staying hand. “No,” she said. “No next time. I wouldn’t want to come to . . . enjoy it too much.”
The captain’s smile flickered. All in an instant he understood.
Then the smile came back. “Besides,” he said. “I would make a pitiful physician.”
Belowdecks
Geordi La Forge, steeped with appreciation, walked down the ship’s corridors.
Lucky guy. Blind from the womb, yet born in an age where blindness could be reduced to an annoyance—even used to expand a man’s sensory capacity. Someday maybe a lot more people would be wearing these VISORS. After all the kinks got worked out . . . like some tyrannical nut being able to just walk up and take it.
Lucky to have friends and not just colleagues. Lucky to have survived.
Yeah, he was counting his blessings today. Eventually even the headache would be gone.
Just one more loose end to tie up.
“Lucky to be here to tie it up,” he muttered, and tapped the chimes to a doorway.
“Enter.”
The door parted and he strode into Data’s quarters.
The cat meowed, and he turned in that direction.
Data was looking up at him.
“Hi, Data,” Geordi said. He gazed at the android’s face and saw the pulsing colors that showed him where every hot circuit was.
He moved closer.
Data was sitting at his desk, petting his cat and staring at a microchip on a glass slide.
“I just wanted to let you know,” Geordi began, “that Dr. Crusher says I’ll be able to return to duty soon.”
Data seemed to accept the little offering. Things could be made normal again. “I am glad that the injuries I inflicted on you are not permanent.”
Geordi wanted to say something about that, about how those injuries were inflicted by somebody else. By Lore, by an aberration, by a bad dream—by somebody else.
Instead, he gestured to the slide.
“What’s that?”
“This is the chip my father created for me so that I could experience emotions. I had it removed from Lore’s body before he was dismantled.”
The words were pretty plain, but something in them made Geordi nervous. Why did Data want this thing? All they needed was Data playing with poison again.
I don’t want you altered by that thing, the engineer thought. I just want you the way you are.
But he couldn’t bring himself to say any of it.
All he managed was “Does it still work?”
“No,” Data told him passively. “I am pleased to say that it was damaged when I was forced to fire on Lore.”
“Pleased?” George moved closer. Now he was really confused. “Data, you’ve wanted emotions all your life.”
“Yes. But they were responsible for what I did to you.” Data looked at him. He got up and crossed to a table. “I would never risk letting something like that happen agin. My friendship with you is too important to me.”
With feigned matter-of-factness, he put the chip in a box and snapped it closed.
Geordi suddenly felt guilty. “I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I let you give up on a life-long dream. . . .”
Data looked up at him curiously.
“Who knows, maybe one day we can repair this,” Geordi told him with a smile, and he placed the box on Data’s shelf.
Look for STAR TREK fiction from Pocket Books
Star Trek®: The Original Series
Enterprise: The First Adventure · Vonda N. McIntyre
Final Frontier · Diane Carey
Strangers From the Sky · Margaret Wander Bonanno
Spock’s World · Diane Duane
The Lost Years · J.M. Dillard
Probe · Margaret Wander Bonanno
Prime Directive · Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Best Destiny · Diane Carey
Shadows on the Sun · Michael Jan Friedman
Sarek · A.C. Crispin
Federation · Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Vulcan’s Forge · Josepha Sherman & Susan Shwartz
Mission to Horatius · Mack Reynolds
Vulcan’s Heart · Josepha Sherman & Susan Shwartz
Novelizations
Star Trek: The Motion Picture · Gene Roddenberry
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan · Vonda N. McIntyre
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock · Vonda N. McIntyre
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home · Vonda N. McIntyre
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier · J.M. Dillard
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country · J.M. Dillard
Star Trek Generations · J.M. Dillard
Starfleet Academy · Diane Carey
Star Trek books by William Shatner with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
The Ashes of Eden
The Return
Avenger
Star Trek: Odyssey (contains The Ashes of Eden, The Return, and Avenger)
Spectre
Dark Victory
Preserver
#1 · Star Trek: The Motion Pict
ure · Gene Roddenberry
#2 · The Entropy Effect · Vonda N. McIntyre
#3 · The Klingon Gambit · Robert E. Vardeman
#4 · The Covenant of the Crown · Howard Weinstein
#5 · The Prometheus Design · Sondra Marshak & Myrna Culbreath
#6 · The Abode of Life · Lee Correy
#7 · Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan · Vonda N. McIntyre
#8 · Black Fire · Sonni Cooper
#9 · Triangle · Sondra Marshak & Myrna Culbreath
#10 · Web of the Romulans · M.S. Murdock
#11 · Yesterday’s Son · A.C. Crispin
#12 · Mutiny on the Enterprise · Robert E. Vardeman
#13 · The Wounded Sky · Diane Duane
#14 · The Trellisane Confrontation · David Dvorkin
#15 · Corona · Greg Bear
#16 · The Final Reflection · John M. Ford
#17 · Star Trek III: The Search For Spock · Vonda N. McIntyre
#18 · My Enemy, My Ally · Diane Duane
#19 · The Tears of the Singers · Melinda Snodgrass
#20 · The Vulcan Academy Murders · Jean Lorrah
#21 · Uhura’s Song · Janet Kagan
#22 · Shadow Lord · Laurence Yep
#23 · Ishmael · Barbara Hambly
#24 · Killing Time · Della Van Hise
#25 · Dwellers in the Crucible · Margaret Wander Bonanno
#26 · Pawns and Symbols · Majliss Larson
#27 · Mindshadow · J.M. Dillard
#28 · Crisis on Centaurus · Brad Ferguson
#29 · Dreadnought! · Diane Carey
#30 · Demons · J.M. Dillard
#31 · Battlestations! · Diane Carey
#32 · Chain of Attack · Gene DeWeese
#33 · Deep Domain · Howard Weinstein
#34 · Dreams of the Raven · Carmen Carter
#35 · The Romulan Way · Diane Duane & Peter Morwood
#36 · How Much For Just the Planet? · John M. Ford
#37 · Bloodthirst · J.M. Dillard
#38 · The IDIC Epidemic · Jean Lorrah
#39 · Time For Yesterday · A.C. Crispin
#40 · Timetrap · David Dvorkin
#41 · The Three-Minute Universe · Barbara Paul
#42 · Memory Prime · Gar and Judith Reeves-Stevens
#43 · The Final Nexus · Gene DeWeese
#44 · Vulcan’s Glory · D.C. Fontana
#45 · Double, Double · Michael Jan Friedman
#46 · The Cry of the Onlies · Judy Klass
#47 · The Kobayashi Maru · Julia Ecklar
#48 · Rules of Engagement · Peter Morwood
#49 · The Pandora Principle · Carolyn Clowes
#50 · Doctor’s Orders · Diane Duane
#51 · Enemy Unseen · V.E. Mitchell
#52 · Home is the Hunter · Dana Kramer Rolls
#53 · Ghost-Walker · Barbara Hambly
#54 · A Flag Full of Stars · Brad Ferguson
#55 · Renegade · Gene DeWeese
#56 · Legacy · Michael Jan Friedman
#57 · The Rift · Peter David
#58 · Faces of Fire · Michael Jan Friedman
#59 · The Disinherited · Peter David
#60 · Ice Trap · L.A. Graf
#61 · Sanctuary · John Vornholt
#62 · Death Count · L.A. Graf
#63 · Shell Game · Melissa Crandall
#64 · The Starship Trap · Mel Gilden
#65 · Windows on a Lost World · V.E. Mitchell
#66 · From the Depths · Victor Milan
#67 · The Great Starship Race · Diane Carey
#68 · Firestorm · L.A. Graf
#69 · The Patrian Transgression · Simon Hawke
#70 · Traitor Winds · L.A. Graf
#71 · Crossroad · Barbara Hambly
#72 · The Better Man · Howard Weinstein
#73 · Recovery · J.M. Dillard
#74 · The Fearful Summons · Denny Martin Flynn
#75 · First Frontier · Diane Carey & Dr. James I. Kirkland
#76 · The Captain’s Daughter · Peter David
#77 · Twilight’s End · Jerry Oltion
#78 · The Rings of Tautee · Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#79 · Invasion! #1: First Strike · Diane Carey
#80 · The Joy Machine · James Gunn
#81 · Mudd in Your Eye · Jerry Oltion
#82 · Mind Meld · John Vornholt
#83 · Heart of the Sun · Pamela Sargent & George Zebrowski
#84 · Assignment: Eternity · Greg Cox
#85-87 · My Brother’s Keeper · Michael Jan Friedman
#85 · Republic
#86 · Constitution
#87 · Enterprise
#88 · Across the Universe · Pamela Sargent & George Zebrowski
#89-94 · New Earth
#89 · Wagon Train to the Stars · Diane Carey
#90 · Belle Terre · Dean Wesley Smith with Diane Carey
#91 · Rough Trails · L.A. Graf
#92 · The Flaming Arrow · Kathy and Jerry Oltion
#93 · Thin Air · Kristine Kathryn Rusch & Dean Wesley Smith
#94 · Challenger · Diane Carey
Star Trek: The Next Generation®
Metamorphosis · Jean Lorrah
Vendetta · Peter David
Reunion · Michael Jan Friedman
Imzadi · Peter David
The Devil’s Heart · Carmen Carter
Dark Mirror · Diane Duane
Q-Squared · Peter David
Crossover · Michael Jan Friedman
Kahless · Michael Jan Friedman
Ship of the Line · Diane Carey
The Best and the Brightest · Susan Wright
Planet X · Michael Jan Friedman
Imzadi II: Triangle · Peter David
I, Q · John de Lancie & Peter David
The Valiant · Michael Jan Friedman
Novelizations
Encounter at Farpoint · David Gerrold
Unification · Jeri Taylor
Relics · Michael Jan Friedman
Descent · Diane Carey
All Good Things... · Michael Jan Friedman
Star Trek: Klingon · Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Star Trek Generations · J.M. Dillard
Star Trek: First Contact · J.M. Dillard
Star Trek: Insurrection · J.M. Dillard
#1 · Ghost Ship · Diane Carey
#2 · The Peacekeepers · Gene DeWeese
#3 · The Children of Hamlin · Carmen Carter
#4 · Survivors · Jean Lorrah
#5 · Strike Zone · Peter David
#6 · Power Hungry · Howard Weinstein
#7 · Masks · John Vornholt
#8 · The Captain’s Honor · David and Daniel Dvorkin
#9 · A Call to Darkness · Michael Jan Friedman
#10 · A Rock and a Hard Place · Peter David
#11 · Gulliver’s Fugitives · Keith Sharee
#12 · Doomsday World · David, Carter, Friedman & Greenberger
#13 · The Eyes of the Beholders · A.C. Crispin
#14 · Exiles · Howard Weinstein
#15 · Fortune’s Light · Michael Jan Friedman
#16 · Contamination · John Vornholt
#17 · Boogeymen · Mel Gilden
#18 · Q-In-Law · Peter David
#19 · Perchance to Dream · Howard Weinstein
#20 · Spartacus · T.L. Mancour
#21 · Chains of Command · W.A. McCay & E.L. Flood
#22 · Imbalance · V.E. Mitchell
#23 · War Drums · John Vornholt
#24 · Nightshade · Laurell K. Hamilton
#25 · Grounded · David Bischoff
#26 · The Romulan Prize · Simon Hawke
#27 · Guises of the Mind · Rebecca Neason
#28 · Here There Be Dragons · John Peel
#29 · Sins of Commission · Susan Wright
#30 · Debtor’s Plan
et · W.R. Thompson
#31 · Foreign Foes · Dave Galanter & Greg Brodeur
#32 · Requiem · Michael Jan Friedman & Kevin Ryan
#33 · Balance of Power · Dafydd ab Hugh
#34 · Blaze of Glory · Simon Hawke
#35 · The Romulan Stratagem · Robert Greenberger
#36 · Into the Nebula · Gene DeWeese
#37 · The Last Stand · Brad Ferguson
#38 · Dragon’s Honor · Kij Johnson & Greg Cox
#39 · Rogue Saucer · John Vornholt
#40 · Possession · J.M. Dillard & Kathleen O’Malley
#41 · Invasion! #2: The Soldiers of Fear · Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#42 · Infiltrator · W.R. Thompson
#43 · A Fury Scorned · Pamela Sargent & George Zebrowski
#44 · The Death of Princes · John Peel
#45 · Intellivore · Diane Duane
#46 · To Storm Heaven · Esther Friesner
#47-49 · The Q Continuum · Greg Cox
#47 · Q-Space
#48 · Q-Zone
#49 · Q-Strike
#50 · Dyson Sphere · Charles Pellegrino & George Zebrowski
#51-56 · Double Helix
#51 · Infection · John Gregory Betancourt
#52 · Vectors · Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#53 · Red Sector · Diane Carey
#54 · Quarantine · John Vornholt
#55 · Double or Nothing · Peter David
#56 · The First Virtue · Michael Jan Friedman & Christie Golden
#57 · The Forgotten War · William R. Forstchen
#58-59 · Gemworld · John Vornholt
#58 · Gemworld #1
#59 · Gemworld #2
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine®
Warped · K.W. Jeter
Legends of the Ferengi · Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
The Lives of Dax · Marco Palmieri, ed.
Millennium · Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
#1 · The Fall of Terok Nor
#2 · The War of the Prophets
#3 · Inferno
Novelizations
Emissary · J.M. Dillard
The Search · Diane Carey
The Way of the Warrior · Diane Carey
Star Trek: Klingon · Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Trials and Tribble-ations · Diane Carey
Far Beyond the Stars · Steve Barnes
What You Leave Behind · Diane Carey
#1 · Emissary · J.M. Dillard
#2 · The Siege · Peter David
#3 · Bloodletter · K.W. Jeter