Star Trek: The Next Generation: Double Helix: Double or Nothing by Peter David

Author:Peter David
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, Star Trek, Fiction
ISBN: 9780671034788
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1999-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

XII.

BURGOYNE BURST ONTO THE BRIDGE, which was an unusual enough event in and of itself since s/he didn’t tend to hang about the bridge all that much. Even more unusual, s/he went straight to Shelby and stood in front of her, hands on hir hips. “May I speak with you, Commander?” s/he asked.

Shelby was a bit surprised at the urgency to Bur-goyne’s manner. Granted, s/he was one of the more flamboyant individuals aboard the ship, but s/he never displayed the sort of outright consternation that s/he was now showing. Also, Shelby couldn’t help but notice that McHenry was making a determined effort not to look in Burgoyne’s direction. The normally near-comatose helmsman suddenly seemed extremely interested in checking over his instrumentation.

Riker, who’d been standing next to Zak Kebron and going over tactical relays in preparation for possible battle, looked up in confusion. “Is there a problem, Burgoyne?” he asked.

“Nothing that Commander Shelby can’t handle, sir.”

Riker took a step down from the upper ring of the bridge. “Indulge me. What’s the problem?”

“All right,” Burgoyne said after a moment’s consideration. “I want to know why I just got a reassignment.”

“What?” Riker said, glancing at Shelby. Shelby shrugged, not knowing what Burgoyne was referring to. “Are you no longer chief engineer?”

“Oh, I’m still that, yes. But I’ve been rotated to a desk job. Instructed to remain in my office or work at the engineering station here on the bridge.”

“But why…?”

“I don’t know why,” said a clearly exasperated Burgoyne. “I got the message over my computer, and the computer simply said it was orders. I thought they were yours.” Some of the ire was being replaced by simple confusion. “Because of…you know…”

“Payback, perhaps,” suggested Riker. “For our little misunderstanding in the holodeck?”

“The thought did cross my mind.”

“I don’t operate that way, Lieutenant Commander. I had nothing to do with this reassignment.”

“Lefler,” Shelby called to Robin at ops, “run this one down, would you? See what’s going on?”

It took Lefler only a few brief moments to track down the origin of the orders. “Captain Calhoun,” she said, punching up the transfer records at her station.. “It came from Captain Calhoun.”

“What?” said a stunned Burgoyne.

“Hold on. There’s a notation here…oh,” Lefler said after another moment’s checking. “According to his log, he was concerned about keeping you in engineering, in proximity to potentially high levels of radiation. Because of, well…” She cleared her throat. “…you know.”

“No, I don’t know.”

“Because of you being pregnant.”

“I’m not pregnant,” Burgoyne waved hir arms about in clear exasperation.

“Well, yes, but the captain didn’t know that when he put in for the reassignment. Apparently he did it right before he left, and there hasn’t been the opportunity to clear it up yet.”

“Perfect,” sighed Burgoyne. “Just perfect. Mark, tell them I’m not pregnant.” When McHenry didn’t answer immediately, Burgoyne repeated, “Mark?”

Shelby couldn’t help but notice how strange McHenry’s voice sounded when she spoke. Usually the most carefree-sounding of individuals, this time he came across as a bit stressed. “So you’ve told me, Lieutenant Commander. Then again, you also told me you were pregnant in the first place.

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