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T’Pry
“I did not say there were no life signs, Commander, but that I am receiving no readings. However, scans indicate a cave system at those coordinates, and the initial planetary geological survey of Devniad indicated a high fistrium content in the crust.”
“So Tartovsky could be alive and hiding where she can’t be sca
Again, T’Pry
Vaughn smiled through his recently grown salt-and-pepper beard. “Isn’t that what I said? I’m going to bring her in for a landing.”
“Acknowledged. And, of course, the fistrium has also rendered moot your objection to this vehicle.”
I guess I should have expected that,Vaughn thought, holding in a sigh. He found a clearing about ten meters from the source of the signal where he could put down the Woodlawn.When he and T’Pry
Ever since Ian Troi saved his life with a shuttle transporter in the Betreka Nebula, Vaughn had come to appreciate shuttles that were so equipped.
As he brought the pod down, he thought about Ian. When Rachel Garrett was given the Enterprise,Ian had been promoted to second officer of the Carthage,and he was likely to become first officer any day now. Vaughn hadn’t seen him since Kestra’s funeral. The thought of that poor child drowning at such a young age made the sixty-eight-year-old Vaughn grateful that he’d had as much life as he did—and, at the same time, feel deeply sorry for Ian and Lwaxana that their oldest daughter would not have that opportunity.
Good Lord, that was seven years ago. Dea
But first,he thought as he touched the Woodlawndown on the dirt of Devniad’s southern continent, to business.
Just as Vaughn unbuckled himself from his seat, T’Pry
Smiling grimly, Vaughn grabbed a tricorder from the small supply cabinet under the console. “I wasn’t pla
Opening the hatch, he stepped out into the warm air. A stiff breeze blew through his graying hair, and he had to hold up his hand to shield his eyes from the bright, red sun.
Gazing down at the tricorder, he confirmed that Tartovsky’s signal was coming from a position nine-and-a-half meters from where he stood. He was also picking up a human life sign. How the hell—?Then he realized—from the ground, he could detect Tartovsky through the mouth of the cave in which she hid. But that also meant that those Cardassians—who were now just one kilometer away and closing awfully fast—could also detect that life sign. Not to mention Vaughn, T’Pry
Pumping his legs—with, he was proud to say, the same vim and vigor with which he ran as a youth in the Academy—Vaughn dashed toward the cave mouth. Pulling up seconds later, he saw a two-meter-wide opening in a large chunk of rock that looked like it was embedded in a grassy hill. Not a bad hiding spot,Vaughn thought, revising his estimate of Tartovsky upward a bit.
Proceeding slowly into the much cooler cave, he activated the light beacon on his tricorder. All it served to do was illuminate sheer rock.
“Don’t move!” cried out a female voice from deeper inside the cave. Vaughn shone his light toward the voice, and the beam framed a round face that blinked in the onslaught of light. Said onslaught did not cause her to lower the phaser pistol she held in her right hand.
“Special Emissary Tartovsky, I presume. I’m Lieutenant Elias Vaughn from Starfleet. I’m here to get you out of here. I have a shuttle.”
“Nice try. You should tell your Cardassian masters to train your spies better.”
What the hell is she talking about?
“That rank insignia on your shoulder patch is for a lieutenant commander, not a lieutenant.”
Hell’s teeth,he thought. Of all the times for a slip of the tongue…“I was only recently promoted, ma’am. I need you to put the phaser down so we can get out of here.”
“Recently promoted? You look like you’re at least fifty. Still only a lieutenant?”
“Lieutenant commander, as you pointed out, ma’am. We really need to leave.”
She shook her head and made a tchanoise. “You Cardassians are pathetic. You definitely need a better breed of spy. If you’re so damn good at rescue missions, why are you still a lieutenant at your age?”
Because the kind of work I do requires a low profile, but telling you that would go against that very principle.“Ma’am, there are actual Cardassians on the way who will most likely shoot both of us if we don’t get to my shuttlepod and get out of here. In fact—oh, the hell with it.” With one swift motion, he unholstered his own phaser and shot the special emissary.
She crumpled to the ground, stu
Vaughn ran over to her unconscious form. He saw that she was bleeding from a badly bandaged wound in her leg. She’d have fallen unconscious from blood loss if we’d kept up that inane conversation much longer.Under any other circumstances, he would have been willing to wait her out, but they didn’t have the time. Picking her up in a rescue carry and securing her with his right arm, he ran back out the way he came, the hot air blasting him in the face as he exited the cave.
Tapping his combadge with the butt of the phaser he held in his left hand as he ran, he said, “Vaughn to T’Pry
“Cardassian patrol approaching. They will be within sight of theWoodlawn in thirty-five seconds, Elias.”
No way he’d be able to close the distance that quickly—not while burdened with Tartovsky. And the Woodlawnwasn’t armed.
“The hatch is open, and I am armed with a phaser rifle, Commander. I will cover your approach.”
Vaughn gri
“Hardly.”
The Woodlawncame into Vaughn’s sight just as the phaser fire went flying over his head. Dammit,he thought as he fired back.
Another shot hit about a meter in front of him, tossing rocks and dirt into the air. Pain sliced across Vaughn’s head as one rock collided with his forehead. And here I was hoping to stave off that headache.
He ran around to see a Cardassian trading phaser fire with T’Pry
Vaughn yelled, “Go!” even as he leapt into the Woodlawn’s rear two seats, his own body and that of Tartovsky forming a rather ungainly pile in the shuttlepod.
To his irritation, the shuttle did not move.
Clambering up from under the unconscious special emissary, he saw why: the Cardassian’s last shot had apparently hit T’Pry