Read Online Star Trek by Dayton Ward, Kevin Dilmore - Free Book Online

unsuccessfully to avoid dwelling on the idea that not getting decent sensor readings was really the least of their problems now.
    Given the current situation between the Cardassian Union and the Federation, Starfleet Intelligence was expending massive resources trying to keep track of ship and troop movements throughout Cardassian territory. Encounters between the two sides had beenanything but peaceful. There were still other attacks on Starfleet ships that were yet to be explained. One such incident had occurred just recently in the Maxia Zeta system, with the crew of the
U.S.S. Stargazer
forced to evacuate their ship after its near destruction at the hands of an unidentified vessel. Though that confrontation had taken place several light years from here, it was close enough that Intelligence was not ruling out the possibility of Cardassian involvement.
    Watching the Cardassians go about their inspection, Ghrovlatrei could see that the soldiers were getting bored, their behavior in sharp contrast to the manner in which they had begun the assignment. It was obvious in the casual way they examined the cargo modules they passed and in the almost dismissive manner in which they studied their tricorder readings. Still, she found herself holding her breath as one of the Cardassians waved his scanner in front of the module containing the sensor equipment.
    From her vantage point, it was difficult to see the tricorder’s miniaturized display, but Ghrovlatrei could still make out the scan results, which depicted the false image of the container’s supposed contents. As far as she could tell, there was nothing in the readings that should raise suspicion.
    â€œThere’s nothing here,” the Cardassian said to hiscompanion as he returned his tricorder to a clip on the belt of his uniform. “Whatever they are using, it must be installed someplace other than the cargo bays.”
    The other Cardassian nodded as he took a final look at his own scanner, and Ghrovlatrei was about to allow herself a guarded sigh of relief when the soldier froze in place, a frown creasing his pale features. Facing the cargo module, the heavy brow ridges over his eyes furrowed as he studied his tricorder again.
    â€œWait,” he said after several seconds. “Something isn’t right.”
    The other Cardassian moved closer. “What do you mean?”
    Indicating the module with his tricorder, his comrade replied, “The readings show that this contains farming equipment, all packed neatly.” He pointed to another of the Type XIIs. “As opposed to the others, the contents of which have been thrown into disarray. That was almost certainly caused by our earlier attack. So why not this one?”
    Ghrovlatrei watched as the Cardassian considered the situation before him, her hopes already sinking as she realized what a simple, idiotic mistake she and Donovan had made. Then the Cardassian turned to face her, his expression having grown cold.
    â€œOpen it.”
    It required an almost physical effort for the Efrosian to maintain her composure as she nodded to the Cardassian and stepped to the module. How had she failed to consider that the contents of the other modules would have shifted, violently in some cases, under the brunt of the weapons fire the freighter had suffered and adjusted the masking field’s projection accordingly?
    What was she supposed to do now? The entire mission was about to be exposed, and there was no telling what Gul Mogad might do once he found out about the Starfleet equipment. The safety of the ship’s entire crew was in danger.
    There really was only one course of action.
    With her right hand blocked as she moved one of the smaller containers that she and Donovan had placed in front of the module’s door, Ghrovlatrei was able to reach into the cargo pocket on the right leg of her jumpsuit and retrieve the small Type I phaser she had secreted there.

CHAPTER 7
    â€œG ul Mogad! We