Star Trek New Frontier #5 by David Peter

Author:David, Peter [David, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SOC035000, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
ISBN: 9780743455718
Goodreads: 7927032
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing
Published: 1998-03-01T08:00:00+00:00

XII

KERRON SLOWLY STARED around the room before his gaze returned to, and focused on, Tulaman.

“What are you talking about?” In direct contrast to his bulk, his voice was at that point so soft that everyone in the room had to strain to hear him.

“We …” It was Killick who answered. “We sought the advice of the Great One on a matter of some debate—”

“At this time of morning?”

“The Savior had told us that, had we any questions, we were to ask Him regardless of time. We believed Him, for anything He told us was, naturally, true. We came here, to His room, knocked on His door, and when He did not respond to our summons, we came here and found Him—”

“Found him what? Where is he?”

“He was dead, Kebron,” Tulaman said with certainty. “With my own eyes, I saw. His head to one side, eyes wide open, mouth partly open. It is my belief that He suffered some sort of seizure and simply … died. Heir to the frailties of the flesh, as much as any other man.”

“Indeed.” Kebron’s voice was so flat, so monotone, that the Zondarians at first thought that he had failed to grasp the severity of the situation. “Where is the body?” he asked.

“He was removed from here, of course,” Tulaman said. “None but the highest of the high in our caste—the wisest, the most holy, the most educated—would be worthy of seeing the deceased body of the Savior Himself.”

“I want to see the body immediately,” Kebron informed them. “Providing it can be produced, which I am beginning to doubt. He will immediately be returned to the Excalibur for proper medical treatment.”

“Treatment!” Tulaman was beginning to sound annoyed with statements that he considered to be beyond obvious. “What treatment is there for a dead man?”

“If he is dead, then none. If he is not, then I will go through each and every one of you until he is found. Bring me the body of Captain Calhoun, Tulaman,”

“Impossible,” said Tulaman with conviction.

“Wrong answer,” Kebron informed him. And before Tulaman could say another word, Kebron’s right hand swung around with what seemed a very slow, relaxed manner. The back of his three-fingered hand struck Tulaman squarely in the side of the head. Kebron had judged the impact quite precisely; if he’d hit Tulaman with any greater force, he’d easily have caved in Tulaman’s skull. As it was, the eyes of Tulaman the Misbegotten rolled up into his skull and he fell without another word.

The others stood there in stunned silence, and then Kebron turned to Freenaux and said, “Bring me the body of Captain Calhoun, Freenaux.”

“That … that isn’t possible,” Freenaux started to say. He got as far as “That isn’t,” however, and then his unconscious body joined Tulaman on the floor.

“Wrong answer,” Kebron informed the insensate Freenaux, and then he surveyed the remainder of the room’s inhabitants. “Sulimin,” he said. “Bring me the body of Captain Calhoun.”

“Right away, Lieutenant Kebron,” was Sulimin’s rather panicked reply.

This satisfied Kebron as being the right answer.

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