Read Online Star Trek: The Next Generation: Starfleet Academy #6: Mystery of the Missing Crew by Michael Jan Friedman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Jan Friedman
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android corrected. “And we have come to the conclusion that they are in charge, because it seemed logical. However, they may not be the regular crew at all. They may be inexperienced personnel posing as the bridge crew.”
Sinna grunted softly. “A handful of frightened beginners in an all-but-disabled vessel, trying to give the appearance that they’ve got both a full crew and a fully functional ship. This is sounding more and more familiar.”
“There is something else,” Data declared. It had just occurred to him. “The aliens are not wearing anything resembling communications badges.”
“And what if they’re not?” asked Odril. “Maybe their race just doesn’t have a use for them.”
“But what if they do?” replied Sinna. “What if Data was right about our lack of comm badges having something to do with our being left alone?”
Felai looked at her. “So what you’re saying is the aliens’ lack of comm badges proves Data’s theory—and according to that theory, their lack of comm badges shows they’re helpless.”
Lagon shook his head. “This is all speculation. Speculation and guesswork.”
The Yann had a point, the android conceded. His entire theory was constructed on observations that had alternative explanations. Still, when lined up one after another, those observations seemed sufficient to give credence to his hypothesis.
“You are correct,” said Data. He began pacing the deck in front of the command center. “And yet, if we proceed with a phaser barrage, and the aliens are as helpless as I believe them to be—”
Odril cut him off. “We know the consequences. We’ll be destroying a vessel nearly as helpless as our own—not to mention the occupants of that vessel.”
“But if we don’t destroy them, and your theory is wrong…” said Felai. His voice trailed off in an eerie way. “To me, there is only one answer. We’ve got to hit them with every bit of force we can generate—and worry about the morality of it later.”
The android looked from Felai to Odril to Lagon. Perhaps they were right, he admitted inwardly. After all, their points were every bit as cogent as his. On top of that, they had instincts—and as an artificial being, he did not.
“Two minutes to go,” Odril called out. “We’re almost out of time.”
Perhaps the Yann were wiser than he was, Data told himself. Perhaps the correct choice was to preempt the aliens’ strike with one of their own.
“You’ve got to do something,” complained Lagon, glaring at the android. “You’ve got to defend us. And you’ve got to do it now !”
CHAPTER
8
“ No .”
The word had come out of Data’s mouth before he had any idea he was going to utter it. In fact, he was as surprised as anyone on the bridge.
For a long, hollow moment he endured the open-mouthed scrutiny of the Yann and wondered what had possessed him to so categorically deny Lagon his request. Was this a part of his programming he had not been aware of until now? Or was he, in the very core of his being, simply that reluctant to injure an unarmed being?
To the android’s further surprise, Sinna agreed with him. “Data’s right,” she decided. “We can’t fire our phasers at people who may be helpless to defend themselves.”
“What are you saying?” asked Odril. “You’re one of us , Sinna. Surely, you must see the wisdom of—”
“What I see,” Sinna interjected, “is three scared Yann who can’t see past their own need to survive. I’m scared, too—but I believe in Data’s theory. And I won’t be part of any assault on the alien vessel.”
The android saw her turn to him then. There was a smile on her face—not a very confident smile, he thought, but a smile nonetheless.
If Sinna had faith in his observations—and she was an organic being, with instincts as strong as any of the others here—then maybe his decision was the right one after all.
“If you wish to fire on the aliens,” he told the other Yann,
Sinna grunted softly. “A handful of frightened beginners in an all-but-disabled vessel, trying to give the appearance that they’ve got both a full crew and a fully functional ship. This is sounding more and more familiar.”
“There is something else,” Data declared. It had just occurred to him. “The aliens are not wearing anything resembling communications badges.”
“And what if they’re not?” asked Odril. “Maybe their race just doesn’t have a use for them.”
“But what if they do?” replied Sinna. “What if Data was right about our lack of comm badges having something to do with our being left alone?”
Felai looked at her. “So what you’re saying is the aliens’ lack of comm badges proves Data’s theory—and according to that theory, their lack of comm badges shows they’re helpless.”
Lagon shook his head. “This is all speculation. Speculation and guesswork.”
The Yann had a point, the android conceded. His entire theory was constructed on observations that had alternative explanations. Still, when lined up one after another, those observations seemed sufficient to give credence to his hypothesis.
“You are correct,” said Data. He began pacing the deck in front of the command center. “And yet, if we proceed with a phaser barrage, and the aliens are as helpless as I believe them to be—”
Odril cut him off. “We know the consequences. We’ll be destroying a vessel nearly as helpless as our own—not to mention the occupants of that vessel.”
“But if we don’t destroy them, and your theory is wrong…” said Felai. His voice trailed off in an eerie way. “To me, there is only one answer. We’ve got to hit them with every bit of force we can generate—and worry about the morality of it later.”
The android looked from Felai to Odril to Lagon. Perhaps they were right, he admitted inwardly. After all, their points were every bit as cogent as his. On top of that, they had instincts—and as an artificial being, he did not.
“Two minutes to go,” Odril called out. “We’re almost out of time.”
Perhaps the Yann were wiser than he was, Data told himself. Perhaps the correct choice was to preempt the aliens’ strike with one of their own.
“You’ve got to do something,” complained Lagon, glaring at the android. “You’ve got to defend us. And you’ve got to do it now !”
CHAPTER
8
“ No .”
The word had come out of Data’s mouth before he had any idea he was going to utter it. In fact, he was as surprised as anyone on the bridge.
For a long, hollow moment he endured the open-mouthed scrutiny of the Yann and wondered what had possessed him to so categorically deny Lagon his request. Was this a part of his programming he had not been aware of until now? Or was he, in the very core of his being, simply that reluctant to injure an unarmed being?
To the android’s further surprise, Sinna agreed with him. “Data’s right,” she decided. “We can’t fire our phasers at people who may be helpless to defend themselves.”
“What are you saying?” asked Odril. “You’re one of us , Sinna. Surely, you must see the wisdom of—”
“What I see,” Sinna interjected, “is three scared Yann who can’t see past their own need to survive. I’m scared, too—but I believe in Data’s theory. And I won’t be part of any assault on the alien vessel.”
The android saw her turn to him then. There was a smile on her face—not a very confident smile, he thought, but a smile nonetheless.
If Sinna had faith in his observations—and she was an organic being, with instincts as strong as any of the others here—then maybe his decision was the right one after all.
“If you wish to fire on the aliens,” he told the other Yann,
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