Wagon Train To The Stars by Diane Carey

Author:Diane Carey [Carey, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction, Adventure, High Tech
ISBN: 9780743411141
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2000-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

Enterprise, Mess Hall

“There’s someone stalking this Expedition. It might be from inside or it might be from outside, but we’re being hunted. We have to smoke them out, get a jump on them, force their hand.”

“Or, Jim,” McCoy pointed out, “you could just cliché them to death.”

Jim Kirk allowed himself a chuckle at his own expense.

His breakfast got cold on the table before him. Only the coffee had merited any attention as he stared down into the black pool, one sugar. It was pretty to look at, comforting somehow. Open space, no stars.

At the officer’s table with him, Spock, McCoy, Captain DeSalle of the Republic, and Captain Austin of the Beowulf sat in an uneasy gathering. This had originally been a farewell breakfast for DeSalle, but dissolved almost immediately into a strategy meeting. Unfortunately, the only strategy now was to hold breath and wait.

The Yukon was gone, heading back to Federation space, with the Starfleet cutter Impeller and the Hunter’s Moon as its escorts. Sadness and a sense of failure permeated the Expedition, even though all the other ships were continuing on their way into the unknown, toward a shining planet that would be their new life. Breaking the pact by even one ship was taking a spiritual toll.

“I wish Chekov could’ve been here,” Captain DeSalle mentioned as he picked at his eggs Benedict. “I would’ve like to rib him a couple more times before I veer off.”

“He always has taken you personally for some reason,” McCoy acknowledged. “Want to let us in on that?”

“Uh-uh,” DeSalle declined, grinning. “Private backstory. Get him to tell you. Just one of those multifaceted episodes that occurred when Jim led a landing party and left us gorillas in command.”

“I should never leave the ship,” Kirk commented. “Every time I do, my officers end up with more ‘backstory.’ ”

“They have to,” Austin said. He found time while devouring his third omelet to eye his comrades teasingly. “It’s the only way they can keep up with the old ‘Shoot first and ask questions later’ Kirk.”

“I always ask questions first,” Kirk told him. “But when it’s time to shoot, shoot. Unfortunately, that’s what we have to do until we get a signal.”

“Who’s going to send it?” DeSalle asked. “Merkling? Chekov? Isn’t that a little obvious?”

Kirk smiled.

“Well, if it’s them, and your perpetrators are with them, they’ll think of it.”

“What if we never get a signal?” Austin asked. “How long do we wait?”

“You don’t wait,” Kirk told him. “I do. You and the Beowulf will continue to escort the Expedition forward. Enterprise will hang back, with Mr. Spock’s long-range sensors on narrow focus.”

“Listening for a distress call?” DeSalle asked.

“That’s right.”

“How long?”

“Until my instincts tell me not to listen anymore.”

DeSalle didn’t like the sound of that. He pushed his plate away and frowned. “If you get one, we’ll already be too far away to assist. Are you sure you don’t want us to stay back with you?”

Kirk somehow nodded and shook his head at the same time, grateful for the offer.

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