Before Scott could respond to the ensign's impertinence, Lieutenant Worf had arrived with a couple of his security officers. The older man braced himself for some typical Klingon heavy-handedness.

But it never materialized. Worf's manner was almost gentle as he said "Will you come with me, sir?"

Scott harrumphed. "Wel l," he replied, casting a withering look back at Ensign Kane, "when ye ask so nicely, lad, it's difficult to refuse."

And surrounded by security officers, he made his way back to his big, empty suite. But he was already planning his next escapade. Now that he'd gotten a taste of what was out there, he wasn't about to sit and stare at four walls, no matter what Dr. Crusher said.

For a couple of hours, he decided, he'd lie low. Then, when no one expected it, he'd take another little trip. And this time, it would be to the place he really wanted to visit.

Chapter Six.

DOWN IN ENGINEERING, a handful of engineers were working at consoles and checking displays, each man and woman intent on carrying out the series of tests a.s.signed to him or her. Geordi was all but oblivious to the activity, however. He'd been given a task of his own, for which he was laying the groundwork on his desktop monitor.

"Commander La Forge?"

He looked up and saw Kerry Bartel standing at the entrance to his office. "Come on in," said Geordi. "Just don't get too comfortable. I've got a job for you."

"And that is?" asked Bartel, a tall, blond woman-and a real go-getter, in Geordi's estimate.

The chief engineer swiveled his monitor around so Bartel could get a look at the graphic on it, "The bridge wants a complete spectrographic scan of the sphere and we'll need all the sensors to be synchronized. Unfortunately, I can't recalibrate the aft array with the warp engines in operation."

The woman nodded. "I get it. You want me to shut them down."

"That's exactly what I want you to do."

Bartel smiled. "Aye, sir. Consider it done."

As he headed for the engine core, Geordi went back to work on his terminal. Truth to tell, he was eager to perform this spectrographic a.n.a.lysis. He was as curious about the sphere as anyone else.

The chief engineer was so intent on setting up the scan that he barely heard the sudden outbreak of conversation outside. It registered only on the periphery of his consciousness-an unusual occurrence when there was so much to do, but nothing that really required any action from him.

His people were highly trained professionals. The conversation would end in a moment or two, and the men or women involved would get back to work.

At least, that was the way it was supposed to happen. Unfortunately, it didn't. Not only did the conversation not stop, it seemed to be getting closer to his office-and involving more and more people as it approached.

A little exasperated, Geordi listened more closely. This had better be something interesting, he thought, or heads will roll.

"Can I help you, sir?" asked one of the voices. He recognized it as Bartel's.

"I dinnae think so, la.s.s. But I'll let you know if you can do something for me later-I promise ye that."

Geordi scowled. He recognized that voice too.

Getting up, he moved to the threshold of his office and peered around the corner.

His suspicions were confirmed. Captain Scott had cut a swathe through engineering and was now making his way toward the warp core-accompanied by a very concerned Kerry Bartel.

As Geordi approached them to intervene, the older man was regarding the pulsating core with genuine pleasure and affection. A distinctly paternal pleasure and affection.

"Sir," Bartel argued, trying to interpose herself between Scott and the core, "this area is off-limits, restricted to-"

"It's all right," said Geordi, cutting the young engineer short. "I'll handle it, Bartel."

The engineer frowned. "If you say so, Commander."

Geordi nodded. "I say so."

Acquiescing, Bartel left. Geordi considered his unexpected visitor, who was slowly walking around the warp core, taking everything in. He sighed.

Be diplomatic, he told himself. Be gentle. He means well. And remember, he's been through a tough experience.

"Captain Scott," he ventured, "this ... uh, really isn't a good time-"

The older man turned to him and smiled affably. He was now wearing an Enterprise combadge. "We're in engineering, lad. And in engineering, ye've got to call me Scotty."

"Okay. Scotty then. This really isn't a good time for a tour. We're in the middle of-"

Scott seemed oblivious to what he was saying-or trying to say. "Are ye still using cobalt lathanide for the constrictor coils?" he asked.

"Uh, right." Geordi thrust his chin out. "Sir. Scotty. We're running a phase seven survey of the Dyson Sphere. I really can't take the time for a tour right now."

Scott turned and looked at him as if he'd just offered him a cup of antimatter. "I'm not here for a tour, lad," he explained. "I'm here to help."

Geordi was surprised. It showed, he was afraid.

"That's, er... very kind of you. But I think we can handle it."

Scott moved quickly to the pool table-like situations monitor. Geordi followed, wondering what the man was up to now.

"I figured," said the older man, "that since I'm the only one here who's had any experience at all with the Dyson Sphere, I could be of some a.s.sistance. You know, in getting yer investigation off on the right foot."

Geordi hesitated. "Well..." For a moment, he considered that Scott might be right. He was the only person alive who'd done any real research on the sphere.

Scott looked at him askance. "I was a Starfleet engineer for fifty-two years, Mr. La Forge. I think I'm still of some use-am I nae?"

"You're right, Captain Scott. We'd appreciate any help you can give us."

Scott beamed. Was that a twinkle of surprise in his eye-surprise that he had actually been allowed to remain here? Geordi couldn't be sure.

"Good," said Scott, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Let's get to work then, shall we?" And he turned to the situations monitor to do just that.

As Geordi joined him, he had a feeling he was going to regret this.

Captain's Log, Stardate 46125.3 At my request, Starfleet Command has dispatched three science vessels to make a lengthy study of the Dyson Sphere. Until they arrive, however, the Enterprise will continue to gather preliminary data on this remarkable construct.

Standing at the aft science station where he'd spent the last several hours, Data pointed to his monitor, which displayed a cross section of the Dyson Sphere. The section revealed a captive star and a thin atmosphere adhering to the inside of the sphere. Computer information on the object's vital statistics was visible in list form off to the side.

"You see, sir?" asked the android. "Sensor readings indicate the presence of a G-type star at the center of the Dyson Sphere. There also appears to be a cla.s.s-M atmosphere clinging to the interior surface."

Picard, who had been hovering about his second officer periodically, nodded his head. "Then there is a possibility," he concluded, his voice charged with excitement.

"It would appear that way," Data responded.

The captain's eyes narrowed as he stared at the statistics on the monitor. "Is there any indication that the sphere is inhabited? Any positive evidence that life still exists in there?"

"Not as yet, sir," the android told him. "Our preliminary data indicates that the sphere is still capable of supporting life, but we have been unable to find definite signs of current habitation."

Picard grunted thoughtfully. Data had seldom seen him so intrigued by a scientific discovery. He said so.

"Intrigued?" the human echoed. "I'll say I'm intrigued. That's why I went out into s.p.a.ce in the first place, Data. That's why I spent twenty years and more on the Stargazer, and why I agreed to serve as captain of the Enterprise. For the possibility of glimpsing a form of life so different that I could not otherwise have imagined it."

Picard turned to the main viewscreen, where the sphere was displayed in all its gargantuan glory. The android followed His gaze.

"Whoever built that might qualify as such a life-form, Data. And if there is an opportunity to speak with him, her or it... to understand what drove them to encapsulate a star for their own use ..." He shrugged. "I will do everything in my power to seize that opportunity. To gain that understanding." He turned back to the android and smiled. "That is, after all, my job."

The android didn't quite know what to say to that. His own thirst for knowledge was part of his programming. Yet, he didn't think he could have expressed the desire in words as well as the captain had.

Picard focused on the station monitor anew. The muscles in his temples rippled with concentration. Finally, a conclusion was reached, a plan of action devised.

"Send out a series of cla.s.s-four probes to survey the far side of the sphere, Mr. Data. Perhaps we'll have more luck with them."

"Aye, sir," said the android. And before another second could go by, he had initiated the launch of the first probe.

Leaning forward over the situations monitor, with Captain Scott doing the same thing right beside him, Geordi wondered if a spectrographic a.n.a.lysis had ever taken so long in the history of Starfleet. Or maybe it wasn't really taking as long as he thought. Maybe it only seemed that way.

Not that he had any problem with Scott's att.i.tude. The man couldn't be more cheerful or more excited. But in his efforts to be helpful, he was really getting on everyone's nerves.

Trying to focus on the monitor and not his frustration, Geordi said "Okay. The lateral sensors are on-line. Mr. Krause, adjust the frequency stabilization on the main deflector dish. It's out of synch with the aft sensors."

"Aye, sir," said Krause, doing as he was told. As Geordi watched, he brought the frequency stabilization and the sensors back into synch.

"Okay," said the chief engineer. Now-"

"Laddie," Scott interrupted.

Reluctantly, Geordi turned to him. He had a serious glint in his eye.

"Yes, Captain Scott... er, Scotty?"

"Ye need to phase-lock the warp fields within three percent or they'll become unstable," said Scott.

Geordi shook his head as if to clear it. "What?"

Working the console, Scotty showed him what he meant. "Here, I'll show ye. Y'see, the warp field is-"

But no sooner had Scott touched the controls than the monitor table suddenly sounded an alarm. The man looked around helplessly.

Moving quickly, Geordi corrected the situation. It didn't take much, but it was yet another delay. And he didn't have all the time in the universe to get this done.

"I dinnae understand ..." Scott began.

Geordi explained, trying to hang onto what was left of his forbearance. "We use a five-phase autocontainment field now. It's meant to operate above three percent."

Scott seemed rattled-but only for a moment. Then he was his confident self again. "Ah," he replied. "Well. That would make all the difference in the world now, would it nae?"

"Commander La Forge?"

Geordi turned in response to Bartel's call. She and two other engineers were working on the darkened warp core.

"Yes?" La Forge responded.

"We're nearly done with the recalibration, Commander. We can restart the engines in ten minutes."

"Thanks," said Geordi. "Glad to hear it." He watched as Bartel and the others returned to their labors.

"Ye know," Scott interjected, "speaking o' restarting the engines ... I remember a time when the old Enterprise was spiralling in toward Psi Two Thousand. The captain-Captain Kirk, that is-wanted to try a cold start of the warp engines. But I told him it was nae possible. Without a proper phase lock, it would take at least thirty minutes, I said." A sigh. "And even that was probably an understatement. In fact, when ..."

As Scott went on with his story, undaunted by the flagging attention of those around him, someone stuck a control padd in front of Geordi's face. He traced it to the engineer that was holding it out.

"Commander?" said Moreno, a pet.i.te brunette.

La Forge nodded and took the padd. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, sir," said Moreno, and stood there awaiting his reaction. As he studied the padd, trying valiantly to concentrate, Scott continued his story.

" 'Ye cannae change the laws of physics,' I said. But of course, he would nae listen. So we had to come up with a new engine start-up routine ... easier said than done, considering the situation we ..."

Finally, Geordi managed to focus on the padd. He grunted. "The alpha-band radiation is pretty high, isn't it?" Making a notation on the padd, he looked up at Moreno. "We should run a complete-"

Suddenly, he heard a loud, urgent voice Captain Scott's. "Mr. La Forge! Do ye know that yer b.l.o.o.d.y dilithium crystals are about to fracture?"

The older man had moved off toward the warp core while Geordi was occupied with Moreno. Having opened the dilithium chamber at the center of the core, he was examining the dilithium crystals with a critical eye.

"Excuse me," he told Moreno, thrusting the padd back at her. Hurrying over to the warp core, he shut the chamber door, eliciting a startled look from Scott.

"Laddie!" the older man sputtered. "Do ye know what ye're-"

Geordi's patience was starting to wear thin. "We recomposite the crystals while they're still within the articulation frame," he explained, in a somewhat terser tone than he'd intended.

Scott's brow furrowed. He looked puzzled.

"Aye, lad ... that would save a lot o' time. But how do you manage to-?"