Star Trek: My Brother's Keeper: Republic by Michael Jan Friedman

Author:Michael Jan Friedman
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, Star Trek, Fiction
ISBN: 9780671019143
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1999-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

KIRK WASN’T ANGRY with Gary Mitchell anymore. In fact, Mitchell was the farthest thing from his mind.

The lieutenant gazed at Phelana as she lay beside him, his covers pulled up to the magical sweep of her collarbone, her silver hair spread out in a fan on his pillow. She was asleep, but he couldn’t join her. He was too moved by the nearness of her, too staggered by the turn of events that had brought her to his bed.

Sleep, he mused, just wasn’t an option.

As if she had suddenly become aware that Kirk was staring at her, Phelana’s ebony eyes opened and fixed on him, and her antennae bowed in his direction. “It’s almost morning,” she told him softly.

“So it is.”

“You’ve got to get some rest.”

[140] He shook his head slowly, appreciatively. “No, I don’t.”

The Andorian smiled. “Yes, you do. You’re the helmsman, aren’t you?”

“I can steer this ship with my eyes closed.”

“No doubt,” Phelana replied. “Still, I think I speak for everyone when I say I’d rather you didn’t try.”

The lieutenant smiled, too. “All right, then,” he said, tracing her cheekbone with his fingertips, entranced by the way her eyelashes seemed to flutter in response. “I’ll—”

His quip was cut short by the sound of a feminine voice blaring over the intercom system. “This is Commander Mangione,” it said with an unmasked sense of urgency. “All cadets are to report to their quarters immediately and remain there until further notice.”

Kirk looked at his companion. Her brow was creased and her antennae were standing up straight—signs that she was as surprised and confused about the order as he was.

“I repeat,” said the first officer. “All cadets are to report to their quarters and remain there until further notice. Mangione out.”

“What’s going on?” Phelana asked.

“Damned if I know,” the lieutenant told her. “I’ve never heard Mangione issue that kind of command.”

Abruptly, another voice made itself heard over the intercom. “Jim?” it said. “Are you awake?”

Kirk bit his lip. Of all the people he didn’t want to hear from right now ...

[141] Phelana looked at him. “Who ... ?”

“Cadet Mitchell,” he told her in a whisper. Then he raised his voice. “What is it?”

Mitchell didn’t respond to the question right away. “Did I hear you speaking to someone?” he asked.

Kirk frowned. “That’s none of your business and you know it. Now, what can I do for you?”

“There is someone with you,” the underclassman concluded in a gleeful voice. “Good for you, you old fox.”

The lieutenant glanced apologetically at Phelana. “Last chance, Cadet. Was there something you wanted to talk about?”

“You’re not kidding there’s something I want to talk about. Didn’t you hear Mangione’s orders?”

“I heard them,” Kirk confirmed.

“And aren’t you the least bit curious about them?” Mitchell wondered.

“Of course I am,” the upperclassman replied, “for all the good it’s likely to do me. If Bannock had wanted us to know what was happening, he would have made sure to tell us.”

“But you’re a lieutenant, for godsakes. The man’s bound to let you in on this thing eventually.

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