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Even the ship’s new XO wasn’t immune; she paced the deck in front of the transporter console, the other members of the landing party giving her a wide berth. Tall, blond, and athletic, Commander Hallie Ga
“Something I can help you with, Doctor?”
The question made Fisher blink, and he sheepishly realized Ga
Ga
“Your extracurricular fitness training. I’m guessing it was some form of martial arts. Am I right?”
Her eyes narrowed. “This is that thing the captain warned me about, isn’t it?”
“Oh, he warnedyou about me, did he?”
Ga
“Is that what he called it? My, my. I never realized the practice of guessing a crewperson’s Academy sport was something anyone would find particularly odd.”
“It is when you consider you could find out easily enough by checking my perso
Fisher smiled. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Before Ga
“It’s about time,” Ga
Shey’s ante
“We’ll take what we can get,” Ga
Shey’s ante
Kunimitsu Okano, a structural engineering specialist, lowered his upraised hand. “How recent are these files?”
“The update is eighteen months old,” Shey answered.
“The schematics in our library computer were four years old,” Okano said over the murmurs rising among the other engineers. “If the complex expanded this much in thirty months, the actual number of levels and the area they cover must be even greater by now.”
“Correct,” said Ga
Shey said, “We do know that in addition to mining topaline, copper, and zinc, the Arkenites have begun tapping deposits of uridium. These sections are marked in orange on your maps. If it becomes necessary to enter these areas, you’ll be required to rely on hand tools. Medical team, this means absolutely no use of laser scalpels or defibrillators.”
“Why not?” asked Doctor Valdez.
“Raw uridium is unstable,” Okano offered. “It reacts explosively if exposed to an electrical charge or a particle beam.”
“That’s right,” said Shey. “Injured perso
“The mission hasn’t changed,” Ga
Ga
The alarm Klaxon wailed, derailing Fisher’s train of thought. “Red alert,”came the a
As if a switch had been thrown, the assembled CR team started streaming toward the exits. Fisher hesitated, watching as Ga
“Ensign Kendrick here, Commander. We’ve come out of warp two thousand klicks from the asteroid, and there’s a Klingon battle cruiser keeping station directly above the settlement. It’s theChech’Iw.”
Fisher winced. Gorkon’s ship. Of all the Klingons, why him?
“Do we know the status of the Arkenites?”
“Is that Ga
“Commander, the captain—”
“I heard him, Lloyd. I’m on my way. Ga
Fisher followed Ga
She spared him a glance without slowing her brisk march to the turbolift. “Don’t you need to prep sickbay?”
“My people know the drill,” Fisher said as they entered the lift. He held up his hand to block Doctor Valdez, who ran to catch up before the doors closed. “Nonstop to the bridge, Soledad. Take the next one.” As the doors hissed shut, Ga
Ga
“Amen to that, Commander,” Fisher said. The lift’s forward motion slowed to a stop, then it started to ascend.
“This’ll be the first time the captain’s faced Gorkon since Xarant,” Ga
Fisher kept his eyes facing the doors. “That’s true,” he said neutrally, uncomfortably certain he knew where Ga
“Is he past it, do you think?” Ga
Fisher didn’t offer an answer, and to his relief, the commander didn’t wait for one when the lift stopped again and opened onto the bridge. Ga