STAR TREK - The Brave and the Bold Book One Page 17

  Why would he do that? OBrien asked. He won. Id think hed want to keep the peace.

  Im not convinced he was fighting for peace, Odo said. Many of the Resistance fighters were indeed struggling for Bajors independence, but plenty of them just wanted revenge against the Cardassians.

  Shabalala nodded. Revenge can be a great motivator.

  I suppose youre right, OBrien said quietly. I remember poor Captain Maxwell, and He shook his head. Well, never mind.

  Turning to the second officer, Shabalala asked, Maritza, can we pinpoint the Malkus Artifact?

  She nodded. I can try.

  Please do. I suspect that wherever it is, thats where well find Captain Keogh and the others.

  He dismissed the meeting and they adjourned to the bridge. Sisko took Shabalalas usual seat next to the command chair, while Odo and OBrien went to the aft of the bridge.

  As he sat in the command chair, Shabalala thought, Ill find you, Captain. Im not losing another captain. That I swear.

  Declan Keogh had to admit that Orta tied a good knot.

  He, Kira, and Dax were presently sitting in the aft section of the Rio Grande, each seated at a chair around the mess table. Using some rather coarse rope that Orta had brought with him from the surface, the terrorist had secured each of them to the chair with an exceptionally good knot. Orta had tied the ropes around their arms, legs, and necks in such a way that any attempt to struggle resulted in the rope tightening around the neck.

  After they had beamed aboard the runabout, Orta immediately set about securing his prisoners. Keogh grudgingly admired the techniqueOrta never put the weapon down, so he tied them up as best he could with one hand. Only after they were all sufficiently encumbered was he willing to put the weapon down and do a proper job with the knotsand even then, he made sure that the other two were in plain view and that he was between them and the weapon.

  Orta had, of course, left their combadges on the moon.

  Very professional, Keogh thought. But then, Id expect no less.

  Orta then went to the fore compartment. As soon as he was gone, Keogh looked across the mess table at Kira, who had a pensive expression on her face. What is this prophecy he was talking about?

  Kira looked up. Akwars Ninth Prophecy states that when Bajors moons align, then peace will reign. The thing is, the moons arent supposed to align for another two hundred years.

  Remembering what Gonzalez had said a few days ago, Keogh said, Most of them will be. I think its today, now that I think on it.

  Dax, who looked more grim than usual, nodded. In about half an hour, actually. Every moon except this one will be aligned.

  But thats not what the prophecy says, Kira said. So I dont see how

  The artifact, Dax said simply.

  Kiras eyes widened. No.

  Keogh frowned, then realized what Dax was implying. Lieutenant, do you expect me to believe that that weapon is powerful enough to knock the moon out of its orbit?

  No, Captain, I dont expect you to believe it, Dax said snippily. But what you believe doesnt matter a whole lot. The point is, Orta believes it, and Im willing to bet half a dozen bars of latinum that his plan is to mount that box onto the Rio Grande and try to bring the moon in line with the others.

  Brava, Lieutenant, came Ortas mechanized voice from the hatch to the fore section. That is, in fact, my precise plan.

  Theres no way that thing of yours can accomplish this, Keogh said.

  Oh, youre wrong, Captain, Orta said in a surprisingly quiet voice. In fact, it is the least of what this wondrous device can do.

  Dax snorted. You really think you can change the moons orbit just by firing a big gun at it?

  I know I canespecially with this runabout to plot a precise course. I have no love for Starfleet, Lieutenant, but I will concede one thing you build excellent machines. Im quite sure that this ships computer can aid me in bringing all the moons into alignment. This will bring about true peace.

  Bajor is at peace, Orta, Keogh said. The only one preventing that right now is you.

  Id pretend to be shocked at your navet, Captain, but you are Starfleet, after all. Bajor is at the very antithesis of peace. When the Cardassians left, Bajor would have lasted less than a year before the squabbling tore it apart. The only reason it didnt was the fortuitous discovery of the wormhole. And even with that, the Circles attempted coup almost brought Bajor down less than a year after the withdrawal. The Federation and the Cardassians still fight with each other and with us. Then theres the deplorable situation with the Maquis, and Bajor has been drawn into that, as well. The government still calls itself provisional. Bajor is not at peace, Captain. Bajor will never be at peace, until Akwars Prophecy is fulfilled.

  The prophecies arent there for you to make happen, Orta, Kira said.

  Nonsense. If the Prophets have shown us anything, Nerys, its that we make our own destiny. We threw the Cardassians out, not the Prophets. Orta then smiled again, as revolting a sight as Keogh had ever seen. Besides, the prophecy only says that peace will come when the moons alignit says nothing about them aligning naturally.

  Theres something I dont understand, Keogh said.

  The sound that came out of Ortas vocoder was probably a laugh. I daresay there are several, Captain.

  Keogh ignored the barb. You dont strike me as the kind of person who gloats over his victims. Youre telling us all of this for a reason. Im not a very patient man, OrtaId prefer you simply tell us what you want from us instead of boring us to tears with rhetoric.

  My intent is not to bore you, Captain, Orta said, moving closer to Keogh. I wish you to understand the scope of what Im trying to achieve. The prophecy is very clear.

  Prophecies are never clear, Keogh said angrily, and you cant seriously expect me to believe that a freak astonomical phenomenon is capable of bringing about peace.

  You doubt the prophecies, Captain?

  Of course.

  So you have no intention of aiding me in my quest to bring about peace on Bajor?

  I cant see any good reason why I should.

  Orta nodded. Understandable. So Im sure I cant count on you to provide me with the access codes to this runabout?

  You havent tried to access any of the runabouts systems? Kira asked.

  Laughing a mechanical laugh, Orta said, I didnt survive as long as I did by being a fool, Nerys. I know how well Starfleet likes to secure its secrets. If I even attempt to touch a control panel, I have every faith that the runabout will totally shut down. So you will provide me with the access codes.

  And if I dont? Kira asked.

  Orta held the box proximate to Keoghs head. Then the captain dies.

  Dont do it, Major! Keogh shouted. Thats an order!

  You do have a death wish, dont you, Captain?

  Keogh turned and looked up at Orta, who was trying to loom menacingly over the captain. But Keogh refused to be so menaced. Ten years ago, Orta, I was captured by a Tzenkethi raider. While I cannot say that I endured anything on the level of what you went through in Cardassian hands, I fully expected to die. In my time, Ive seen combat against Romulans, Tzenkethi, Cardassians, Tholians, and alien races that Im quite sure youve never heard of. Each time, I was ready to diebecause I swore an oath to

  Tell me, Captain, Orta said, does this speech have a point? Or an end? Or perhaps you do have a death wish, and are hoping Ill vaporize you rather than listen to a pretentious Starfleet diatribe. He leaned in close. Keogh noted that the man had mal-odorous breath. You know nothing about suffering or dying for a cause, Captainor about believing in it. Nothing. You took an oath? Words are meaningless without action, without passion without faith.

  Keogh snorted. Honestly? My speech was more interesting.

  Again the awful smile. Perhaps. Orta stood upright and looked at Kira. But you understand my point, dont you, Nerys? You know what the Prophets are capable ofif we just seize the moment. They gave us the prophecies for a reason. And we can make it work for ustransform Bajor into t
he place it was meant to be.

  Intellectually, Keogh was impressed by Ortas skill with oratory, especially when handicapped with a vocoder. Philosophically, of course, he found the man infuriating. He was exactly the kind of fanatic Keogh had feared he would be, and the trouble he was causing now was as bad as anything he might have predicted to Sisko days ago on the Odyssey. If he pulled off this lunatic plan to fire his weapon at the moon, the damage it would do would be incalculable. Tide shifts, gravitational fluxes, weather disruptionsnot to mention the likely loss of life, particularly on the farms below.

  But much more infuriating was that Kira appeared to be buying his line.

  Dont kill him, Kira said in a small voice. Ill give you the codes.

  Furious, Keogh started, Major, I gave you a direct

  I dont report to you, Captain, Kira said sharply. Then she turned to Orta and rattled off a series of numbers and Greek letters. Keogh held out some hope that the codes she gave were gibberish and Orta would enter them, be seen by the computer to be a fraud, and lock down.

  You have done the greatest service you can for your home, Nerys, Orta said. Believe me, you wont regret this.

  Orta turned and headed back to the fore chamber. Within seconds, Keogh could feel the thrum of the runabouts impulse engines, though the ship did not yet move, based on his glance at the viewport.

  You actually did it. Keogh shook his head in dismay. Major, I cant believe youd be so stupid! Hes a terroristStarfleet doesnt deal with terrorists.

  I used to be a terrorist, Kira said in a tight voice. I know how they think, I know how they operateand I can assure you, Captain, that this is the only way. You have to trust me.

  Keogh couldnt believe what he was hearing. Trust you? Major, you just handed over a Starfleet runabout to a lunatic! And why? Because hes quoting some nonsense?

  To Keoghs surprise, it was Dax who spoke. It isnt nonsense, Captain. Dont forget, Ive met the Prophets. I was with Benjamin when he discovered the wormhole, and Ive had an Orb experience.

  Eyes wide, Keogh said, Since when, Lieutenant, do you subscribe to the Bajoran faith?

  I dont, Dax said in a tone Keogh found to be unconscionably smug, Im a scientist. And I dont let narrow-minded prejudices get in the way of empirical evidence.

  With a snort, Keogh said, Im not the one who just handed a weapon of mass destruction to a madman.

  Kira sighed. I dont expect you to understand, Captain. But you will. Trust in the Prophets.

  Easily keeping his temper under control by dint of years of long practicebesides, he could hardly get a proper mad-on while tied to a chairKeogh nonetheless was furious as he said, Right now, Major, the only thing I can trust is my own officersLieutenant Kovac should have discovered our disappearance by now. I can only hope that hes alerted DS9 and theyve alerted the Odyssey. And when this is over, assuming we survive, I can assure both of you that youll face the full disciplinary wrath of Starfleet for what youve done today.

  Chapter Thirteen

  J OE , WE LL BE AT B AJOR in ten minutes, Gonzalez said. Coming into range now.

  Shabalala hadnt realized he was gripping the sides of the command chair until he let go and realized how cramped his long fingers were becoming. Full scan, he said.

  The Rio Grande is still in orbit. Cant get a solid fix on ittheres interference, Gonzalez said, shaking her head in annoyance. I can tell you that there are four humanoid life-forms on the runabout, but Im not picking up any combadges.

  Whats causing the interference?

  Gonzalez turned toward the command center and half-smiled. Well, since the readings got clearer after I compensated for the interference generated by the Malkus Artifact, Id say that. Its not perfect resolution, unfortunately, but Id say whoevers on that run-about must have the artifact.

  What about on the surface?

  The second officer gazed back down at her readings. Plenty of lifesignsmostly Bajoran and human. Im reading combadges for everyone who should be there except for Captain Keogh, Commander Rodzinski, Lieutenant Dax, and Major Kira.

  Odyssey to Kovac, Shabalala said, reopening the channel to the surface. Anything, Mislav?

  No, sir. We havent turned up a trace of them, or Ortas people.

  Shabalala muttered a favorite curse of his mothers.

  Odo, standing next to Talltree at tactical, said, We have to assume that theyre dead, and the four people on the Rio Grande are Orta and his followersand they obviously have the artifact. We may need to destroy the runabout.

  General Order 16 is very specific, Constable, Talltree said. We have to retrieve the artifact, not destroy it.

  You may not have that luxury, Lieutenant, Odo said in a belligerent tone.

  Shabalala said nothing. He still was thinking about Odos words.

  The captain may be dead.

  He shook his head. We dont know that yet. We cant assume its happened again. Even if it has, it isnt my fault this time.

  Unbidden, images came to him of the strange, mutated thing that Captain Simon had been transformed into by the Patniran weapon, of Shabalala raising his phaser and destroying her before she could kill him, and then being helpless while other crew members who had been similarly mutated destroyed the Fearless.

  Not again, dammit, not again

  Gonzalez interrupted his reverie. Joe, the Rio Grande is powering up.

  Talltree said, That means whoevers on board has the access codes. It could mean that either Kira or Dax gave the codes away before they were killed.

  That is exceedingly unlikely, Odo said. Besides, it could have been Captain Keogh.

  He didnt know them, Sisko said. But I agree with the constable. We need to find out whats going on on that runabout. Sisko looked expectantly at Shabalala.

  I need to make a decision. He forced away the image of Captain Simon, his dear friend, his commanding officer, dying at his hand, and focused on the situation at hand. Hail the runabout, Mr. Talltree.

  Yes, sir. After a moment No reply.

  Joe, Ive managed to refine the scan, Gonzalez said. At least one of the people on that ship is giving off a bio-signature that matches that of a joined Trill.

  Sisko broke into a grin. Dax.

  She may have betrayed us, sir, Talltree said.

  We dont know anything, Lieutenant, Sisko snapped. And Id advise you to be careful of who you accuse of betraying the uniform.

  Thats enough! Shabalala said. He was so busy wallowing in the past, he was losing control of the bridge. Mr. Talltree, lock phasers on the Rio Grande, and open a channel.

  Talltree manipulated his console. Phasers locked, channel open.

  Shabalala stood up, for no other reason than that he needed to stand aloneto be in command, not to sit uselessly next to Sisko. This is Commander Joseph Shabalala of the U.S.S. Odyssey. If you do not respond to our hails, we will be forced to open fire.

  Several tense seconds went by. Nothing, sir, Talltree said.

  Joe, I dont like this, Gonzalez said.

  Shabalala walked over to her console and stood next to her. Dont like what, Maritza?

  Im picking up some modifications to the weapons systems.

  What kind of modifications?

  Grimly, she said, Well, thats the fun partthe interference is strongest there. To my mind, that says that theyre hooking the artifact up to the weapons array.

  If they have the energy weapon, Odo said, then they could be attaching it to the runabouts systems.

  Thats my guess, too, Gonzalez said.

  Again, Shabalala muttered his mothers curse. Prepare to fire, Mr. Talltree.

  From one of the aft science consoles, OBrien said, Excuse me, Commander, but Im picking up fluctuations in the Rio Grande 'spower signature.

  Both Sisko and Odo shot OBrien looks, then moved as one to the back of the bridge. Is that what I think it is, Chief? Sisko asked.

  Probably, sir.

  Frowning, Gonzalez said, Its just a minor power fluctuation.

  Thats all its sup
posed to be, Sisko said. Commander, dont fire on the Rio Grande.

  What?

  Trust melet them power up the weapon.

  Less than a year ago, a Patniran doctor he didnt know asked Joe Shabalala to trust her when she said that Captain Simon would suffer no ill effects. That bit of trust led to Shabalala having to murder his captain and watch as their ship was destroyed.

  Sisko stepped down the horseshoe and stood eye to eye with Shabalala. Give them one minute. If Dax has done what I think she has, this will be over then. Please, Commander.

  (Kill me, Joe. Please kill me.)

  Shaking off the memory of Captain Simons last words to him, Shabalala stared at Siskos intense brown eyes.

  Stand by, Mr. Talltree, he finally said.

  Talltree didnt sound happy as he said, Yes, sir.

  In Declan Keoghs mind, the court martial was already in session.

  Jadzia Dax and Kira Nerys stood before a tribunal. Keogh had chosen the three admirals he knew to be the toughest aroundBrand, Haden, and Satie. No, wait, Satie had resigned in disgrace. Maybe Nechayev. Alynnas always been a major pain in the neck. Besides, she was in charge of the Maquis mess in the DMZ, so she knew the players. Yes, shell be perfect.