Star Trek: Corp of Engineers - 068 - Troubleshooting by Robert Greenberger

Author:Robert Greenberger
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Space Opera, Adventure, Fiction
ISBN: 9781416533061
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2006-12-29T08:00:00+00:00

Corsi kept willing her left leg to stop vibrating as she sat, watching the Andorian security chief talk to the Tellarite trader. Fesoan interrogated people as he did everything else, by the book, precisely and with no variance from suggested protocol. His age, rank, and posting implied he was an accomplished officer, but she wondered how he got so far by following the book. To her, the book was a set of guidelines, the starting point for doing the job. Her own experience showed that each situation called for something the textbook never considered, and she knew full well the established Starfleet security protocols were revised every few years.

“Win lorin Ren, you have been traced to this station or its vicinity during each and every problem the station experienced. Don’t you find it odd?”

“No.”

“No?”

“First of all, how should I know when your systems go haywire? I come, do my business, and leave,” the Tellarite said in a voice that for his people was high pitched but still rumbled. “I don’t recall you sending out any announcement about the station being less than perfect.”

“We tend not to advertise such internal matters.”

Corsi was impressed, since the comment was actually an ad lib. She didn’t know Fesoan had it in him.

“I can see why, with such shoddy workmanship. Starfleet should be ashamed.”

The Andorian ignored the comment. “Is this the only sector you trade in?”

“I’m part of a network, which reaches the entire Alpha Quadrant.”

“And you trade only in spices and foodstuffs?”

“Only the finest spices and foodstuffs.”

“And when we finish inventorying your craft, everything on the manifest will be there and in compliance with trading regulations?”

“Of course.”

“Of course.”

Corsi felt the conversation going nowhere and her gut said the trader may be a blustering Tellarite, but not a saboteur. Actually, her intuition so far didn’t indicate anyone they’d encountered as a likely candidate. Meaning they were wasting time.

“I see your last few routes brought you close to the Cardassian sphere of influence.”

Ren sniffed at that.

“Something amuse you?”

“The notion the Cardassians can influence anything these days.”

“Don’t rule them out,” a deep, refined voice said from the doorway. Corsi shifted in her seat to see Tev walk in.

“Commander, we’re conducting an interview here,” Fesoan said.

“And doing a damn poor job of it,” Ren said.

“That’s disrespectful,” Tev said. “The security chief here no doubt has a carefully considered course of questioning designed to determine your guilt or innocence.”

Fesoan began to speak in protest but Ren shot from his chair and leaned toward his fellow Tellarite. “I’m innocent.”

“Of course.”

“Of course. So I’m here when the staff has a problem. They can’t tie me to the problem.” Corsi was watching with interest, seeing Tev engage the trader, a confrontation she had never seen him do before. This could prove enlightening, making up for the lack of progress, although the amount of hot air being blown by the two might hasten the station’s problems.

“True. It seems that all they can do is find your cargo of questionable value.”

“Alpha-currant nectar is one of the fastest-selling drinks in the quadrant,” Ren blustered, getting even closer to Tev.

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