Myriad Universes_ Echoes And Refractions Part 22

The other woman had sable hair and olive skin, in contrast to the pale blond Shelby. "I'm Captain Anna-Maria Amalfitano of the U.S.S. Sentinel, Captain. It's an honor to meet you-I've heard a lot about you, particularly from our chief engineer, Commander Gomez."

Picard smiled. As an ensign fresh out of the academy, serving in Geordi La Forge's engine room, Gomez had introduced herself to Picard by spilling hot chocolate on him. She had blossomed into a fine officer, and a top-notch engineer. Amalfitano was lucky to have her.

Tugging on his uniform jacket, Picard asked, "Any word from the Carda.s.sians?"

"Not yet," Amalfitano said, "except to identify themselves. The commander of the ship is a gul named Lemec."

A knot twisted in Picard's gut. He'd only met Lemec once before-when his time as Gul Madred's prisoner ended. It was not a time Picard was eager to remember. Quickly, he shoved those memories into the box where he kept unpleasant memories: both Borg attacks, the mind-meld with Sarek, his time as Locutus, the entire last six months...

The box was ready to burst.

He wasn't encouraged by the fact that it was Lemec-a mere gul-whom Central Command had sent, rather than a proper amba.s.sador, or even a legate.

Indicating the screen with a hand, Picard said to Krajensky, "Mister Amba.s.sador, the floor is yours."

Making a small bow, Krajensky walked to stand where Worf had been. "Thank you, Captain. Lieutenant Ro, please hail the Reklar."

Ro said nothing in reply, but did open the hail.

"This is Amba.s.sador Theodore Krajensky, representing the United Federation of Planets."

The screen switched from the view of the two captains to that of a familiar Carda.s.sian gul.

"I am Gul Lemec of the Fourth Order."

"It's good to meet you, Gul Lemec," Krajensky said. "I'd like to arrange to meet with you-"

Lemec held up one gray hand. "That will not be necessary."

"I beg your pardon? I wish to discuss terms of-"

"There are no terms."

Picard's blood froze. Lemec spoke the words in an almost deadly monotone-the exact words that Picard had, as Locutus, spoken to William Riker.

"Surely, Gul Lemec, we can-"

"Carda.s.sia has no interest in negotiating with the Federation, now or in the future. The solar systems of Dorvan, Valo, and Salva now belong to us, and they will remain with us. We-" Suddenly, Lemec looked away. "Excuse me."

The screen went blank.

Krajensky looked horrified as he turned to face Picard and Worf. "I don't understand."

"I think I do," Ro said. "We're picking up two distress signals. One is Carda.s.sian, asking for a.s.sistance." She looked up sharply. "The other is on a Bajoran frequency. And they're using a resistance code phrase. The Carda.s.sians wouldn't recognize it, but it's in the tactical database."

Ro, of course, hadn't had the chance to check the database, but as a Bajoran herself, Picard a.s.sumed she recognized the code phrase on sight.

Picard looked at Worf, who said, "A Bajoran defector would be a valuable a.s.set."

Without waiting for a prompt, Krajensky said, "I agree with Commander Worf-this is an ideal opportunity-especially since diplomatic channels have apparently been cut off."

Looking over at Kadohata, Picard asked, "Do you have a fix on the distress signals?"

Staring down at her console, the raven-haired woman said, "Yes, sir. It's coming from a Ferengi yacht." Kadohata turned to face Picard with a grim expression. "They're heading for the border."

From behind Picard, Ro added, "So're the Carda.s.sians pursuing them."

"Ensign Perim, set a course that puts us where that ship will cross the border. Send the navigational data to the Excalibur and the Sentinel."

"Aye, Captain," the Trill replied.

"Engage at warp nine."

It took several minutes to arrive at the designated coordinates. "Tactical overview on screen," Worf said as they approached.

Ro switched the forward viewer to a graphic representation of the scenario. The Excalibur and Sentinel accompanied the Enterprise, all shown in blue, approaching from the lower right-hand side of the screen. Running parallel to them, on the other side of the border, was the Reklar, in yellow. Also in yellow was another vessel, identified as the Sladok, pursuing a much smaller orange vessel. If that ship had an ID, the Enterprise computer had yet to recognize it.

Perim said, "The Ferengi ship will cross the border in seven minutes."

"We're being hailed by the Ferengi ship," Ro said. "The signal's weak..."

"On audio," Worf said.

"Federa...ajoran resistance. Requesting asy...eat, re...ing asylum in the Federation..." The message degenerated into static.

"Captain," Krajensky said, "we must grant the asylum request."

"I had no intention of doing otherwise," Picard said tartly. "Ro, hail the Reklar."

"Actually, Lemec's hailing us," Ro said.

"On screen." Picard got to his feet. "Tie in Captains Shelby and Amalfitano."

Lemec's face reappeared. "Captain Picard, this does not concern you."

"I'm afraid it does, Gul Lemec. That ship's occupants have requested asylum in the Federation, which we will grant if they cross the border. If you cross the border, you should know that we have standing orders to fire on any Carda.s.sian vessel that violates Federation s.p.a.ce."

Krajensky whirled around in surprise at that. Picard had been specifically instructed by Admiral Haden not to share that new standing order with Krajensky for fear that he would react just this way. Indeed, Picard himself had reacted thus, but Haden had made it clear that failure to comply with that order would not be looked upon with favor by the admiralty-especially after what had happened to Voyager, Intrepid, and the other ships.

"You're welcome to try, Captain." Lemec's smile was wide and unpleasant, and gave him the aspect of a cobra.

Time then, Picard thought, to be the mongoose. "Screen off."

"Red alert," Worf said. "Arm all phasers and torpedo bays. Raise shields."

"Ferengi yacht approaching the border," Perim said over the alert siren.

Kadohata added, "I'm reading an imbalance in their intermix chamber. Estimate three minutes to a breach."

Worf asked Ro, "The Carda.s.sians?"

"Still on an intercept course. They'll follow the yacht over the border." Looking up from the readout, Ro asked Worf, "Permission to wipe them off the face of the galaxy, sir."

"Stand by," Worf said.

Picard kept his composure, but was no more pleased with Ro's bloodthirstiness than he was with O'Brien's, though it came from the same source. As a Bajoran, Ro had grown up under Carda.s.sian oppression, after all.

To Krajensky, the captain said, "Mister Amba.s.sador, if you would please report to Transporter Room 3. I believe we shall have to beam our refugees aboard, and you're best qualified to greet them."

Nodding, Krajensky said, "Of course, Captain."

"Lieutenant," Picard said to Ro, "have a security detail meet the amba.s.sador there."

"Sir," Kadohata said, "the Reklar is coming around-they're crossing the border now, sir."

Shelby's voice sounded over the speaker. "I'll take care of Lemec, Captain."

"Very well, Captain Shelby. G.o.dspeed."

The Excalibur veered off onto an intercept course with the Reklar. Ro put the tactical display back up, showing the two ships engaging.

Picard was pleased to see that the Reklar's weapons fire-which had the same energy signature as the phased polaron beams that destroyed seven Federation ships days ago-were stopped by Excalibur's shields. He gave silent thanks to Voyager and her crew for managing to send off the specs for the weapon before they were lost.

However, Excalibur's shields were down to eighty percent.

"Ferengi yacht now across the border," Perim said.

"Sladok right behind," Kadohata added.

Worf said, "Prepare to fire on the Sladok as soon as it enters Federation s.p.a.ce."

"Aye, sir." Ro said the words with relish.

Picard tapped his combadge. "Bridge to transporter room-can you get a lock on the occupants of the yacht?"

"Stand by, sir," Chief Mun Ying said. After a brief pause, he added, "Reading a Ferengi and a Bajoran on board, sir. I've got a lock and can beam them up whenever you lower the shields."

"Captain Amalfitano, if you would please cover us while we beam aboard our defectors..."

"We're on it, Captain," Amalfitano said.

The Sentinel took up position between the Sladok and the Enterprise.

"Lower shields," Picard said.

Sounding disappointed that the Sentinel was getting first blood, Ro said, "Yes, sir."

"Chief Mun Ying, beam them aboard."

"Aye, sir."

"Captain!" Kadohata shouted.

Looking over at the viewer, Picard saw two of the ships on the tactical overlay wink out.

"My G.o.d."

The Excalibur and the Reklar had destroyed each other.

"Any life signs? Escape pods?" Picard asked Kadohata, hoping for an affirmative answer.

Shaking her head, Kadohata said, "I'm sorry, sir. Sensors picked up some pods from both ships, but they were vaporized by the explosion. There are no life signs in the wreckage."

Picard closed his eyes. He was tired. Tired of death, tired of war, tired of all of it. Except for the three-day respite he'd forced upon himself, he'd been going nonstop since the battle against the Borg, stumbling from one battle to another. Even this, which was supposed to be a proper diplomatic mission, was turning into yet another bloodbath.

And he'd had enough.

Opening his eyes, he looked to his first officer. "Mister Worf, you have the bridge. Work with the Sentinel to do whatever is necessary to keep our defectors safe."

"Aye, sir."

"I'll be greeting our guests." With that, Picard entered the turbolift. As soon as the doors hissed shut, he whispered, "Transporter Room 3."

The speakers played the feed from the bridge the entire way. Picard barely noticed as Worf gave orders and Ro, Perim, and Kadohata carried them out. As he approached the transporter room doors, he heard Kadohata say, "The Sladok's been destroyed. Sentinel's lost shields and helm-they're drifting."

"Engage tractor beam," Worf said. "Do not let them drift across the border."

"Aye, sir," Ro said.

The doors slid open. Picard saw Mun Ying standing behind the transporter, two security guards next to him. Two more security guards were on either side of the transporter platform, all of them watching the two people on the pads, who were being treated by Crusher and a nurse.

Standing in front of the console was Krajensky, who said, "I summoned the doctor, Captain-they were both injured."

One of Crusher's patients-a Bajoran woman who had a huge gash on her forehead that the doctor was trying to treat-leapt to her feet and said, "Are you in charge here?"

Glancing at Krajensky, Picard said, "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Star-"

"We have vital intelligence for the Federation Council."

The Ferengi who was with her bleated from the pad. "'We'? 'We' don't have anything. I have a destroyed yacht."

"Shut up, Quark," the Bajoran woman said without looking behind her. Her intense brown eyes were focused right on Picard.

"What is this intelligence?" Picard asked.

"Over the past five years, important people on Carda.s.sia Prime, Qo'noS, Romulus, and Earth have all been replaced by shapechangers from the Gamma Quadrant."