Star Trek: New Frontier - 018 - Blind Man’s Bluff by Peter David

Author:Peter David
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Star Trek Fiction, Space Opera, General, Science Fiction, Adventure, Fiction, Media Tie-In
ISBN: 9780743429603
Publisher: Gallery
Published: 2011-04-26T07:00:00+00:00

U.S.S. Excalibur, En Route to New Thallon Minus Her Captain

i.

Kalinda’s red skin turned several shades of pink when Tania Tobias met up with her at Ten-Forward and informed her of their newly dictated mission from Starfleet.

Tania had hoped that, by telling Kalinda about it in a public place, it would minimize whatever negative response she might have. The reasoning was that, once Kalinda got over her initial shock and had time to listen to what Tania had to say, she would have a more measured reaction.

“You can’t be serious!” the normally soft-spoken Kalinda shouted at the top of her lungs. “Are they out of their minds?!”

Whatever conversations were being held in Ten-Forward came crashing to a halt. All eyes were instantly upon the two of them, and Tania felt as if she were withering under the collective, curious stare of the rest of the crew.

So much for that idea, thought Tania.

Kalinda slid off her chair and headed for the door. “Where are you going?” Tania called after her.

“I need to get off this ship!” said Kalinda, and she sprinted into the hallway. Tania quickly ran off after her.

One crewman muttered in her wake, “There are days I know exactly how she feels.”

Meanwhile Tania caught up with Kalinda as she was barreling down the corridor. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“You already asked me that.”

“I know, but ‘off this ship’ is kind of vague.”

“It seemed pretty specific to me.”

“Will you for God’s sake listen to me?” She grabbed Kalinda by the wrist to try and stop her.

Kalinda spun, yanked Tania forward, and brought her own leg up, tripping Tobias and sending her face-first to the floor. Tania grunted as she hit and Kalinda, abashed, immediately released her grasp. Her hands fluttered to her face and she said, “I’m sorry! Are you okay?”

“I was better when I wasn’t getting slammed to the floor,” said Tania.

Helping Tania to her feet, Kalinda said hurriedly, “I think Si Cwan must have left behind some of his fighting reflexes from when he was possessing my body.”

This comment also drew strange looks from passing crewmen, and more and more, Tobias was regretting that she hadn’t conducted this entire conversation in the solitude of their quarters. “Look, Kally… could you please keep your mouth shut until we can get somewhere private?”

“You’re the one who brought it up in public in the first place.”

“Don’t remind me.”

Acceding to Tania’s request, Kalinda promptly silenced herself until they were safely in their quarters. Kalinda stood there with her hands moving in vague patterns, clearly nervous, and Tania put her arms around her and tried to steady her. “You have to listen to me, Kally. You have no reason to be scared.”

“I have every reason,” said Kalinda. “You weren’t there. You don’t know what it was like, and you don’t know what happened.”

“I know how they treated you there. I know about the attacks. And it was awful and brutal, and I totally understand. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to be in any danger once we get there.

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