Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - 064 - Ascendance by David R. George III

Author:David R. George III [George, David R. III]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, TV; Movie; Video Game Adaptations, United States, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Alien Invasion, First Contact, Genetic Engineering, Military, Space Opera, Movie Tie-Ins, Star Trek
ISBN: 9781501103704
Amazon: B00UDCI3SG
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2015-12-29T08:00:00+00:00

The science officer had clearly been examining the incoming sensor scans, because he responded without delay. “As you indicated, there is organic tissue, but I’m not detecting any biomimetic material,” Candlewood said from his position beside Slaine. “At least, nothing that corresponds to a Changeling.”

“But would we detect biomimetic material if the shape-shifter has become something else?” Slaine asked.

“No,” Candlewood said.

“Sir,” said Lieutenant Tenmei from the combined conn and ops panel forward of the command chair. “The object is within visual range.”

“Maximum magnification,” Stinson ordered.

On the main viewer, the starfield did not change, but in the center of the screen, a shape became visible. It looked bulbous, with a brownish cast. Two spiked appendages protruded forward from its body. It traveled with a gentle up-and-down sort of motion, and Stinson thought he saw wavering movement behind it, almost like that of a fish’s fins.

“What is that?” Tenmei asked.

“Commander, I have a match in the species database,” Candlewood reported. He worked his station, and a complete overhead view of the entity appeared on the right-hand third of the main screen. As Stinson studied it, the image shifted, showing it from different perspectives. It looked more or less as he’d envisioned it, with two long, sinewy tendrils emerging from the top rear of the entity’s main body, and a third trailing out of the bottom rear. “Chief O’Brien reported seeing a creature of this type a decade ago. He and—” Candlewood looked up from his console. “Chief O’Brien and Odo were aboard the Volga when they encountered a creature of this type, but it turned out to be a shape-shifter who called himself Laas.” The science officer consulted his displays again. “Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew also reported seeing this type of creature emerge from the wormhole just before it collapsed two years ago. It was Odo.”

Stinson put all of the information together. “We’ve been told that scientists brought what they thought might be a shape-shifter to their research facility,” he said. “They couldn’t confirm that, or even if it was or had been a living being, until Odo linked with it. Then it came alive, altered its shape, attacked the scientists, and escaped into space, where it used gravity to leave the system and go to warp.” He paused, allowing a moment for everybody to consider the sequence of events. “It’s as though that entity out there learned to change its form from Odo, and possibly to that specific form.” He pointed toward the main viewscreen.

“Could it be that the entity acquired the ability to change its shape from Odo?” Candlewood asked.

“That doesn’t sound quite right to me,” Stinson said. “But what do I know about Changelings . . . or shape-shifters . . . or whatever we should call that entity?”

“One thing we do know is that Changelings can communicate large amounts of information when linked,” Candlewood said.

“Right,” Stinson said. He returned to the command chair and sat down. “Commander Candlewood, is there any record of communication with either Laas or Odo when they were in the same form as that entity?”

“Checking,” Candlewood said.

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