With both of them working, it didn't take long to replace the damaged circuits. They gave priority to the sensors, rerouting the power from the EPS system to the banks from the auxiliary fusion generators.

When Data could finally run a full scan, he immediately announced, "The vessel is on an intercept course. It is a Carda.s.sian Galor-cla.s.s warship."

Great, Riker thought to himself. They shouldn't have gotten so close to the edge of the sensor shadow. "Send a coded message to the Enterprise. If you have to, relay it to the Gamma 7 outpost. Let them know what our status and location is."

"Aye, sir." Data added, "The Carda.s.sian warship is dropping out of warp."

Now Riker had to make a choice. They could dive back into the Badlandswhere they would be at the mercy of the plasma storms with barely any shields and no impulse power. Or they could face down the Carda.s.sians.

The thought of having to make an emergency landing on one of those planets inside the Badlands was enough to make up his mind.

"Open a channel to the warship," Riker said.

Data nodded. "Frequency open."

"This is William Riker in command of the shuttlecraft Hawking. Identify yourself."

Riker figured he would start off strong, since they didn't have a hope of winning a fair fight.

"I am receiving a visual response," Data reported.

"On screen."

The rapidly growing Carda.s.sian warship was replaced by the image of a Carda.s.siana female Carda.s.sian. She was seated hi a commander's chair that looked like a throne. On her head was a readout unit on which she could monitor the ship's systems.

"I am Gul Ocett, commander of the patrol in this region. Explain your presence here."

The ridges around her eyes and down the bridge of her nose were less p.r.o.nounced than those of the male Carda.s.sian who was standing behind the commander's chair. Riker also noticed that Gul Ocett had a blue tint in the depression in her forehead, and blue dots accented the outer ridges of her eyes.

"Explain your presence here," Gul Ocett repeated slowly. Anger glinted in her eyes.

"The Enterprise is on a mission to survey this sector," Riker expla ined. "As part of our survey, we took this shuttle into the interior of the plasma storms. The translational forces pulled us off course."

Gul Ocett turned her head briefly, her eyes narrowing at the small screen that was suspended from her headset. The male Carda.s.sian continued to stare at Riker. His Ups curved up slightly.

"We do not read the presence of the Enterprise in this sector," Gul Ocett told Riker.

"They're on the other side of the Badlands," Riker said reasonably. "Unless you've perfected a way to penetrate the plasma storms with your sensors...."

Since this was clearly not possible, Gul Ocett ignored his comment. "A transport carrying Bajoran terrorists was sighted in this region. Have you encountered any vessels?"

"No, you are the first," Riker told her.

Gul Ocett again focused on the display in her headset. "How was your shuttlecraft damaged?"

"By the subs.p.a.ce field." At her blank look, Riker added, "Didn't you detect it?"

"No." Gul Ocett paused, turning her head as the male Carda.s.sian behind her whispered in her ear. Her expression was one of profound distaste.

Riker exchanged a quick glance with Data, raising a questioning brow. Since Data wasn't in the line of transmission, the android said quietly, "The warship was at extreme sensor range when the phenomenon occurred. It is possible they did not detect the subs.p.a.ce wave."

Gul Ocett nodded shortly, and turned back to the screen. "We will take your shuttle on board and transport you to the Enterprise."

Riker felt a chill of foreboding. Gul Ocett's stark expression and bloodshot eyes showed the strain she was under, making her proposal seem more like a threat than an offer.

"We will soon have impulse power." Riker smiled in a way he hoped looked unconcerned. "And we've already sent a message to the Enterprise. We should be able to rendezvous with them shortly."

Her irritation broke through. "Don't be foolish. It would take you days to get around the plasma storms on impulse power. Prepare for tractor beam."

The visual transmission ended, and the image of the warship reappeared on the viewscreen. After receiving Riker's nod of agreement, Data prepared the shuttlecraft for tractoring. They both knew that weapons were not an option. A Galor-cla.s.s warship could give the Enterprise herself a challenge. And in the Hawking's current condition, the warship could pulverize the shuttle with one well-aimed blow.

Riker had no choice but to allow the Hawking to be seized by the tractor beam. But he didn't trust Carda.s.sians. Maybe it was because of his years at Starfleet Academy, when the war was going strong and many of their battle simulations had focused on Carda.s.sian tactics. The Carda.s.sian Empire was a military-based society, yet unlike the Klingons, they were not known for their honor. If something could be done quietly and brutally, that seemed to be their preference. Riker found it hard to believe the Carda.s.sians had finally agreed to peace with the Federation. Some of Starfleet's best tactical simulations indicated that the Carda.s.sians had an ulterior motive for declaring a truce.

"Warship closing to 100 kilometers," Data reported.

Riker narrowed his eyes as the golden hull of the warship grew larger. Every instinct warned him not to allow the Carda.s.sians to take possession of the Hawking. But he knew these were the wages of peace. If he and Data had to prove good faith in the name of Starfleet, then they would do it.

"Tractor locked on," Data announced. "We are being drawn toward the warship."

Riker put aside his doubts. The only way out was to go forward.

Chapter Three.

Data noted that Commander Riker looked disturbed. At first the android was busy locking down the systems, storing the information they had gathered in the Badlands. But with no sensitive data or systems on board the Hawking, he was able to finish his tasks quickly.

As they were drawn into the hanger of the Carda.s.sian warship, they pa.s.sed numerous energy-exhaust ventilators and weapons ports aimed at the Hawking. Observation windows lined only a few decks, with the vast majority of the hull consisting of layers of gold iridium plating. According to the latest Starfleet intelligence, the Carda.s.sians achieved a 54 percent increase in structural integrity and shielding with their design, a fact that was stimulating debate on the design of future vessels at Starfleet Headquarters.

Data wondered if it exhibited a socialized prejudice to prefer the appearance of the Enterprise to this Gator-cla.s.s warship. Then again, it could be his creativity program expressing aesthetic preferences. The Enterprise had graceful curves and sparkled like the starfield, while the Carda.s.sian ship was angular and dark despite the golden gleam of iridium.

The green forcefield over the hanger flicked off just as the nose of the Hawking hit the threshold. Riker let out a hissing breath at the close call. Data reasoned this was typical Carda.s.sian procedure; their military posture would dictate that shields be dropped for a minimum amount of time.

"Follow my lead," Riker told Data, as he went to the door. Data obediently fell in behind the commander. On the way, Riker glanced at the security bin, which held fully charged hand phasers, but he did not open it.

Riker opened the door to the Hawking and stepped outside. The lighting levels were lower than those in the shuttle, and Data's autonomic systems instantly adjusted the irises of his eyes to enhance the focus.

Several Carda.s.sian guards in gray uniforms were stationed in front of the Hawking. One stepped forward, almost at Data's shoulder as he left the Hawking. The officer immediately entered the shuttlecraft and began scanning the interior.

"Is that necessary?" Commander Riker demanded.

"They are following my orders." Gul Ocett stepped from the shadows, coming closer. Her uniform consisted of black plated armor edged with darkly reflective strips to form a dramatic V-shape from her shoulders to her waist. She waited at some distance while the tallest gray-clad Carda.s.sian held out a huge hand scanner. He pa.s.sed it up and down in front of Riker.

"No weapons, Commander. No implants. This," he added, gesturing toward the comm badge, "is a communications device."

"If you had asked, I could have told you that," Riker said to Gul Ocett. He ignored the one performing the scan. "We aren't carrying any weapons."

Gul Ocett crossed her arms, waiting as the officer scanned Data.

"Commander! This one is not a biological life-form. Twenty-four kilograms of tripolymer composites, 12.8 kilograms of molybdenum-cobalt alloys, and 1.3 kilograms of bioplast sheeting."

'To be accurate," Data corrected, "my body consists of 24.6 kilograms of tripolymer composites."

"Some kind of machine?" Gul Ocett walked closer.

"I am an android," Data informed her.

Data was accustomed to the reaction of humanoids when they discovered he was an artificial life-form. But Gul Ocett was less tactful than most. She had no compunction about examining him closely, circling him, then peering into his eyes. She was slightly taller than Data, nearly as tall as Commander Riker. Data wondered what he would be feeling right nowif he had feelings.

"What is its function?" she asked Riker.

Riker raised one brow, nodding to Data to answer.

Data replied, "I am Commander Data, currently a.s.signed to the Starship Enterprise as Second Officer and Operations Manager."

"A senior officer...," she said doubtfully, drawing away finally.

"Commander!" announced the officer who emerged from the interior of the Hawking. "I have confiscated four hand phasers and disabled the vessel's weapons systems."

"Anything else you'd like to confiscate while you're a.s.sisting us?" Riker asked pointedly.

Gul Ocett didn't blink. She went closer to Riker, leaning into his face when she spoke. "A Carda.s.sian outpost was attacked by Bajoran terrorists yesterday." Riker actually pulled back from her. "The terrorists destroyed two scout ships undergoing repairs. They fled into the plasma storms. Now we find you here. It seems like a remarkable ... coincidence."

"I told you," Riker said, rigid with resentment. "We're on a survey mission."

"Yes, so you informed me."

"If you don't believe us, go find the Enterprise and ask them."

"I intend to," Gul Ocett said sharply. "I will also examine your logs. Give me your access codes now."

For a moment, Data was unsure of Commander Riker's response.

Then Riker started to smile. "Be my guest," he said, stepping back slightly to make a sweeping gesture toward the ship. "Data."

Data recited the access codes while Riker smiled at Gul Ocett. She was not amused.

"Perhaps you would be willing to exchange data with us," Riker suggested. "Share with us what you know about the Badlands. I'm sure you've had plenty of experience navigating through the plasma storms while you were chasing down Bajoran terrorists."

Data was not adept with nuances, but Riker's emphasis on "plenty of experience" seemed to cast aspersions on the Carda.s.sians' ability to stamp out the rebellion by Bajoran nationalists.

Data did not believe it was wise to provoke Gul Ocett.

But Ocett simply told them both, "Come this way."

Data once again fell in behind Riker, noting that two of the Carda.s.sian officers were bringing up the rear.

The narrow corridors were as starkly lit as the shuttle bay, with hard-edged lights and dark shadows. Data noted that Riker appeared uneasy, starting and looking more closely whenever someone appeared in the corridor. Data surmised that Riker was having difficulty seeing in the dim light.

The floor was hard and made a dull metallic ring with each footstep. Data amplified his hearing to detect the sound of hydraulic machinery operating the environmental systems and the hiss and whir of other mechani cal equipment. He could hear few voices, yet Starfleet estimated that a crew of two hundred operated the Carda.s.sian Galor-cla.s.s warships.

Gul Ocett led them into a large room. Operational panels lined one alcove, partially concealed by blue grids with small round holes. A long curving desk filled the opposite end. Data recognized the male Carda.s.sian who had been standing behind Gul Ocett during their first contact. He was seated behind the desk in a chair with the towering back that Carda.s.sians seemed to prefer.

"Come forward," he said, beckoning them. The Carda.s.sian stayed seated, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other. "I am Jos Mengred."

Data noted he was not in the Carda.s.sian fleet uniform. His garments were of a finer material than Gul Ocett'sa mesh of black platinum chain mail. On his breast were insignia slightly different from the commander's. The flared top was identical, but the right lower tine was broken off, leaving only one sharp downward spike. The colors were muted and blurred, from purple to green.

Data quickly ran a comparison check. It was the insignia for the Obsidian Order, the ruthless and efficient Carda.s.sian internal security police. The Obsidian Order maintained surveillance on virtually every Carda.s.sian citizen in the Empire.

Mengred smiled as if he had been waiting for this. His eye-ridges were slightly gnarled and his face was creased into deep wrinkles on either side of his mouth, indicating that he was an older male. "Welcome aboard, Starfleet Officers."

Riker stood in front of the desk. "I am Commander Riker, and this is Commander Data."

Gul Ocett stood back, near the door. "The other one is a machine, Mengred."

His deep-set eyes fastened on Data. "The android?"

Mengred looked him up and down, slowly nodding his head. "I have heard about this one ... Data, created by Dr. Noonien Soong."

Data detected a faint inhale from Gul Ocett, then, stiffly, she backed away two steps. She had not expected Mengred to know about his existence. It revealed a discrepancy in the distribution of information within the Carda.s.sian government.

Riker interrupted Mengred's delighted appraisal of Data. "We would like to contact the Enterprise."

"Yes, I'm sure you would," Mengred said soothingly. "However, we are currently engaged in scanning the area for some Bajoran terrorists."

"Gul Ocett informed us that a Carda.s.sian outpost has been attacked."

"Oh, she did? Gul Ocett is generous with her information," Mengred said thoughtfully, glancing at the commander. She didn't move a muscle. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait while we complete our primary mission."

"I have another suggestion," Riker said. "We'll take the Hawking and go look for a communications window to the Enterprise."

"Your shuttle has been damaged by the plasma storms," Mengred said regretfully. "It would be irresponsible of us to let you leave."

Data glanced at Gul Ocett. She did not look concerned about their well-being. "I can a.s.sure you, the Hawking is s.p.a.ce-worthy."

"Ah, but we can't be sure of that without a thorough diagnostic of your systems. And that will take several hours to complete." Mengred smiled blandly.

"You're detaining us against our will," Riker pointed out. "There will be serious consequences."

"Not so serious as the possibility of your shuttle not returning to the Enterprise at all," Mengred a.s.sured him. "As long as you get back safely, I'm quite sure Starfleet won't complain about a little delay."

Data believed Mengred was correct. Federation dealings with the Carda.s.sian Empire were strained enough at this juncture to excuse a few improprieties, such as a database search of their shuttlecraft and the detention of Starfleet officers.

"We will proceed to the communications point as soon as we can," Mengred told them.