Star Trek The Next Generation - 37 - Sins of Commission by Star Trek

Author:Star Trek
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780671797041
Publisher: Star Trek
Published: 1994-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

Picard told Counselor Troi to meet him in his ready room when she called. Commander Riker was confirming that a Ferengi vessel was entering sensor range as she arrived.

“You can feel the Sli from this distance?” Picard asked her as soon as she entered the room. There was a tiny line between her eyes, as if she was under some sort of strain.

“The emanations are very powerful,” Troi said. “There must be hundreds of Sli on board that ship.”

“Then the effect will be that much stronger for the rest of the crew.”

“I’m afraid so, Captain.”

Picard nodded, considering the situation. “Have you had any luck determining what the Sli want?”

The counselor tightened her lips. “No, sir.”

Riker’s voice paged though, interrupting them. “Captain, we are being hailed by the Ferengi marauder, the Tampanium.”

Picard took a deep breath as he stood up, pulling his uniform into place. “Well, then, perhaps Mon Hartog should be present when we greet the new arrivals.”

“Captain, there’s something you should know,” Troi said, stopping him before the door to the bridge opened. “Mon Hartog has told crew members that we suspect someone on board sabotaged the Prospector.”

Picard glanced sharply at her. “How does that benefit Hartog?”

“I’m not sure. But you know it must or he wouldn’t bother to do it.”

Picard knew that was true, yet it wasn’t important enough to pursue right now. “Perhaps Hartog is simply one of those Ferengi who plays every card that comes to hand, hoping that one will pay off.”

The counselor seemed satisified with that, and she followed him without another word onto the bridge. Picard could feel the Sli emanations now, a tangible force pushing into him, opening him up and urging him to action, any action at all in order to correct the situation. Picard suddenly swayed, catching the back of Data’s chair.

“Something wrong, sir?” Riker immediately asked.

“Light-headed for a moment, Number One,” Picard said, sternly marshaling his thoughts. He wondered what kind of effect this was having on his crew.

The Marauder was on the screen, crossing in front of the Enterprise. The rust-colored, horseshoe-shaped vessel was distinctively Ferengi, with its two slender bow points and heavy, curving stern where the warp grid glowed white-hot.

“Status?” Picard asked.

“The Ferengi are still hailing us, sir,” Riker replied, standing up. “Daimon Brund is in command.”

“Please ask Mon Hartog to come to the bridge,” Picard ordered. He faced the viewscreen, hesitating just long enough to quickly review his options. Communication with the Sli was what he most desired. “Give me Daimon Brund.”

Almost immediately a Ferengi appeared on the large screen. His face was very wide and his body quite bulky for a Ferengi. He didn’t have the ferretlike quickness and bright eyes of Mon Hartog, but there was a certain shrewdness about him.

“Captain!” he said, his face lifted petulantly. “I protest the treatment of the Sli in your charge!”

“The Sli are not in my charge,” Picard told him. “However, they were granted asylum on my ship when the starliner they were on suffered an explosion.

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