Klingon by Dean Wesley Smith

Author:Dean Wesley Smith [Smith, Dean Wesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780671002572
Google: n4zz-mrj8XwC
Amazon: 0671573691
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1996-01-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“PICARD TO RIKER.”

The call woke Riker.

“Go ahead,” Riker said to the darkness over his bed. He pushed himself up and glanced at the clock near his bed. It had only been four hours since he had fallen asleep. He still had three hours before the day’s meetings were to start.

“I need you to meet me in transporter room one in fifteen minutes.”

“Yes, sir,” Riker said.

Without a wasted motion he was out of bed and getting ready. Twelve minutes later he walked into the transporter room. Captain Picard was already there.

“Sorry to wake you, Number One,” he said as he stepped up on the pad.

“Not a problem,” Riker said. “Troubles, I gather.”

“I think so,” Picard said. Then he said to the transporter chief, “Energize.”

The next moment they were being greeted in Ops by Commander Sisko and Dax.

“This looks serious,” Riker said softly to Dax as they headed for the lift.

“It is,” she said.

Within a few minutes they met Odo in a corridor that Riker figured to be an empty living or guest quarters. But he wasn’t familiar enough with the layout of the station to be sure.

“Any more information?” Sisko asked Odo as they stopped in front of an open door.

“No, sir,” Odo said. “We have left everything as we found it.” He indicated they all should enter.

Just inside the door was the body of a Saurian, his long, slender fingers and thin frame looking even thinner in death. His blood had pooled under him, leaving a damp, almost metallic smell in the air. His eyes were open, staring. Obviously his last sight had been his attacker.

Riker stepped inside the door and around the body to give room for Picard and Sisko to follow.

“Knife wound, into the lungs,” Odo said, kneeling over the body and pointing to the chest. “His name is Nibo Hoq. He is a Saurian trader, with a ship full of legal goods. He has been here three days for repairs.”

Picard knelt over the Saurian and studied him for a moment, then stood. “Any other record?”

Odo nodded. “He had a reputation of being able to deliver information to the highest bidder. He was never caught doing anything illegal, but we suspected him and had kept him under fairly tight watch.”

“Nothing, I gather, came up?” Picard asked. “Correct, sir,” Odo said. “Nibo Hoq did nothing suspicious during his three days here.”

“Except die,” Dax said.

“Except that,” Odo agreed.

Riker glanced around the empty room. At first glance there was no sign that anyone had inhabited the room since the last cleaning. But then on closer inspection he could see smudges on the table. And in the center of the floor what looked to be a few small drops of something. He moved over to them and knelt, trying to get a better picture of just what they were.

“Wax,” Odo said, moving over and standing above Riker. “From first guess I would say simple candle wax.” He turned and pointed to the door. “Sensors in the door were circumvented so that it could be pushed open and closed without station monitors catching the movement.

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