Star Trek - NF - 03 - The Two-Front War by Peter David

Author:Peter David [Peter David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-08-07T14:57:35.539000+00:00

simply nodded and picked up the fallen plasma

blaster. "I don't generally like weapons," he

commented. "They can malfunction or be taken from you."

"Really. I'm the same way. Use them if I

have to, though." He pointed with authority. "That

way."

"Why that way?"

"Why not?"

Having no ready answer, Si Cwan shrugged and

they headed off in the

direction that Kebron had indicated. But then they

heard a small,

high-pitched sound from behind them. They stopped,

turned . . .

. . . and realized that Dackow was beeping.

In the control center, Zoran was staring at

Rojam in disbelief. "You can't raise any of

them?"

Rojam shook his head. "I've lost

contact with all 81

three of them. They're not responding on the comet

links at all."

"Three armed Thallonian ravagers against a

single Startleet fool and an effete snob,"

snarled Zoran. "How is it possible?"

And Rojam lost patience with Zoran, which was a very

dangerous thing for him to do, but he no longer eared.

"Because Starlleet is not composed of fools,

Zoran, and because Si Cwan-for all that you dislike

him, for all that any of us dislikes him--is anything

but an effete snob. He's as formidable a warrior

as they come, and you'd do well to remember that."

"I would do well to remember that? I would do

well? And you would do well," snarled Zoran, his

hands flexing in fury, "would do well to remember-was

He didn't have the chance to finish the sentence, however,

because the comet panel beeped. Rojam punched the

link-up, noting the identifier assigned to it, and

said, "Dackow? Progress?"

There was a pause, and then a familiar voice

said, "Dackow isn't making much progress at the

moment." They could hear a soft chuckle, and then

"Hello, Zoran."

Low and angry, Zoran snarled, "Si

Cwan."

"It has been a long time, hasn't it."

"I'll kill you for this."

"For this and for every other imagined insult." He'd

sounded amused, but then he became deadly serious.

"Where is Kalinda, Zoran? She has done 82

nothing to you. And you are nothing but a sadistic

pig." His tone became mocking. "I would have thought

you'd release her so that this could be between us, Zoran.

Between men, without the threat of a girl's welfare

overshadowing it. You always held yourself up to such a

"high" standard. Always thought yourself so much better

than I. And this is how low you have fallen, consumed

by your jealousy and anger. Posturing and presenting

yourself as some superior individual, when you don't

have the courage to-was

"She's dead, you idiot!"

Rojam turned and looked m shocked disbelief

at 2oran, and for once Zoran couldn't blame

him. The phantom of Kalinda had been an upper

hand that they would have been able to wield against Si

Cwan. Perhaps force him into some situation where he

couldn't possibly get away. But he had now

tossed that aside.

Zoran turned away and Rojam

suspended the transmission, crossing quickly over

to Zoran. "Why did you do that? Why?" he demanded.

Zoran whirled to face him and hissed, "Because I

want to hurt him. I want him to die inside first.

You heard him! Heard his insults, his smugness-was

"He was baiting you and you fell for it! We had an

advantage! We could have made demands on him!

Instead you've removed that!"

"We have an advantage! We're armed! There's

more of us! There's-was

But now Juif stepped forward and pointed out, 83

"They're likely armed, too.

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