Probe by Margeret Wander Bonanno

Author:Margeret Wander Bonanno [Bonanno, Margeret Wander]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780671790653
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 1993-01-01T07:52:41+00:00

"You must get nothing," he said. "It would arouse suspicion when we transport to the surface. Now come!"

For an instant she resisted, the thought of a world without even the simplest of her possessions almost overwhelming.

But it would also be a world without Tiam, without a Praetor, without the constant threat of reimposed unOrthodoxy.

A world with music.

With a last look at the door behind which Tiam probably still gloated, she let herself be propelled from the room and down the corridor.

TWELVE

"What?" Kirk shook his head as if to shake Dr. Benar's words loose so he could toss them back onto the transporter platform, unheard.

"I am truly sorry, Captain Kirk," the Romulan archaeologist Dajan said, stepping up to stand beside Benar while his sister stood back, silent and apprehensive. "I had hoped to wait until the conference was completed, until we had reaped as much knowledge as we could on Temaris, but what happened down there today must certainly end the conference and cut off access to Temaris. We dared not wait any longer."

"If `what happened' didn't end the conference, then what you're doing now will. Have you both thought this through?" Kirk scowled, remembering the first reception and Jandra's playing. "This doesn't have anything to do with Penalt's offer to `sponsor' your sister, does it, Dajan?"

"That buffoon?" Jandra's first words since the three of them had been beamed up with Benar's active assistance brought an involuntary snort of laughter from Kirk. "He is of a kind with Tiam."

The door to the corridor hissed open and Handler entered, his eyes widening as they fell on the little group next to the transporter platform. He had been in sickbay with Sulu, standing vigil over Riley in the intensive care ward, when word had reached him that "Romulans are coming aboard."

"These two," Kirk said, gesturing, "claim they wish to defect."

"Defect, sir?"

"You know, Mr. Handler-that's diplomatish for `come over to our side."'

Handler blinked, his face flushing. "I know that, sir."

"So, as ranking diplomat, Mr. Handler, what are your recommendations?"

Handler was silent a moment, apparently composing himself. "Technically, sir, they have already defected," he said, then added, as Kirk gave him a quizzical look, "Under Federation law, a starship on a diplomatic mission becomes in essence a mobile Federation embassy, even within hostile or neutral territory. As a consequence, once they set foot on the Enterprise, they were effectively standing on Federation soil."

Kirk sighed. That was what he'd been afraid of. Is this, he wondered, just another string to the saboteurs' bow? Or an unexpected monkey wrench, major or minor, in their plans? '

He turned to the ensign at the transporter controls. "Be ready to beam all our people up on short notice, Ensign, very short notice."

"Aye-aye, sir."

"And Mr. Handler, you'll be in charge of our visitors -excuse me, our defectors. Once we find out where we stand, that is, if we stand anywhere at all. For right now, let's all adjourn to the bridge. Dr. Benar, you, too."

I am not looking forward to this, Kirk thought as he led the way out of the transporter room.

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