Foreign Foes Part 26

Deanna yanked the angry torch away from his leg and grabbed her own hand off. His breath pounded in his chest, whistling through his teeth. The blood on his leg was dried and cracked and there was a red patch where the gash had been. It would blister soon, but the bleeding was stopped.

Deanna was talking, saying something about leaving the bandage off to let the leg breathe. Riker was exhausted and couldnt really listen. The pain in his leg was pulsingwaves of heat that radiated up his leg and gave him a headache. Water ... He was suddenly thirsty and wanted to be immersed in a pool of cool water.

Are you all right?

Deanna asked.

Water ...

Riker groaned.

Id like water ...

I know, she said softly.

Relax a moment.

And he did. The room seemed to darken and brighten as he slipped in and out of light sleep. The pain became a steady thudding in his leg and was manageable like that. After a few moments, perhaps it was longer, he opened his eyes wide and thanked her.

Im better, he said, and noticed the smoke was so thick in the machinery room that it was beginning to glide out into the hall.

No ones shown up, huh?

Deanna shook her head.

And I still dont feel anyone.

Riker sighed.

We have to get off this s.h.i.+p. We He turned his head left, trying to hear down the corridor. The sound of the still sizzling machinery got in the way.

You hear that?

He asked, suddenly feeling stronger, as if hed had a good meal and a long nights sleep. He licked his lips, his mouth still dry.

What is that?

I dont hear it.

He held up an index finger.

Listen.

She c.o.c.ked her head in the direction he was looking.

I hear it. Someones coming!

Riker grabbed at his phaser. At some point Deanna mustve returned it to his holster.

Help me up. I dont want to meet our generous hosts sitting on my b.u.t.t.

He tested the weight on his bad leg and decided he could live with the pain.

You feeling anything?

Not a thing, she said, gripping his arm.

Whoever or whatever ... its too alien for me.

Im sorry, sir, weve lost power again.

Geordi imagined Datas brow wrinkling at that one.

Explain, Data said, static etching his voice.

Geordi tried to tune the hand communicator a bit better. He laid it on a level place in a crevice of the Jefferies tube, thanked his lucky stars that hed found itknowing the old-issue comm wouldnt be missedand set about his work as he listened.

Same power loss as before, sir, the Transporter chief said, probably struggling with his controls.

Data to Engineering. Transporter Room Five is now experiencing a power loss.

Geordi stifled a chuckle. This was all too serious and dangerous for that, but he had to admit a little pleasure at being such a good mutineer. His father had always told him to do his work as best he could.

And even blind, quarreling with the darkness and fumbling with his tools and the circuits before him, he was doing just that.

Cheng here, sir. I still see you as reading full power.

Geordi shook his head. He was really going to have to spend a little more time showing Cheng the ins and outs of Engineering. Of course, the tamperingwas being well hidden.

Quite the decision Geordi had made here. He hoped he was right. Hed heard a word or two of Picards response to him. It wasnt enough to know what the captain had said, but itwas enough to know that Picard hadnt been under duress. If so, why did he have his communicator? And why did he contact Data right away, as Data himself had admitted? Chances were the captain had heard most of Geordis message and when he contacted Data to see what the problem was, the android had slipped further into ... well, whatever his problem was.

Geordis problem was more obvious: he couldnt allow Data to beam down and start accusing Klingonsor, in his absurd state, do something worse. Geordi was taking a gamble. He might lose, but knew that if he didnt try, the Klingons on the planet surely would.

Stand by.

Datas voice again.

Computer, locate Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge.

Locating my communicator will be easy, Data. Im smarter than that, Geordi said to himself.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge is in cabin 2471, deck two.

Dont do it, Data, Geordi grumbled, his hands fiddling faster with the controls at the end of the Jefferies tube.

Dont force me to up the ante.

There was silence from the comm, and for a moment Geordi thought hed lost his link or had been found out. Finally, though, he heard Datas order: Scan cabin 2471, deck two, for life-form readings.

Scanning. No life-form readings.

Geordi heard the opening of the transporter room door, and then Data again.

Lieutenant Wyckoff, I have reason to believe that Commander La Forge is either ill, or under the influence of a Klingon agent.

Security is to locate Mr. La Forge and confine him.

A Klingon agent, sir?

Well, at least someone was questioning all this ... garbage.

It is a possibility, Data said, too d.a.m.n convincingly. He sounded as if he knew something they didnt.

Aye aye, sir.

d.a.m.n. They were going to trust him. The reluctant, questioning tones were therejust not strong enough.

Also, signal General Quarters. I will be on the bridge. Please contact me when you have located Commander La Forge.

Geordi heard an aye, sir and the swis.h.i.+ng of the transporter room door again.

What now? If security backed Data, eventually Geordi would be found and ... hed be powerless to do anything.

And he would be found. Unless ... unless he found them first. But only when he was ready.

He stuffed his tools back into his small bag, covered the access plate, grabbed the hand communicator, and scurried back down the tube. There was no way to tell where security was going to look for him first, but it might be a Jefferies tube that had something to do with transporters, so best to get out of that one.

General Quarters. All hands, General Quarters...

The alarms began to sound and Geordi could hear the rush of people scrambling to their quarters or duty stations. He decided to duck into a rec room bathroom.

He flipped open the hand-comm and fingered a few dials.

Computer, tie in to communicator, authorization La Forge.

Ready.

Nowthats more like it.

He sat down on the heads seat, allowing his tool kit to drop to his feet. He held the communicator intently before him, and started to map out the orders hed need to use.

Computer, locate Lieutenant Wyckoff.

Lieutenant Wyckoff is in turbolift twelve.

Computer, what is the heading of turbolift twelve?

Turbolift twelves destination is deck two.

Geordi yanked himself up so quickly that had the commode not been attached to the deck it would have fallen back.

Okay. My cabin. Good place to start.

By the time Geordi reached deck twoand he was sure to take the access ladders rather than the turboliftshe knew Wyckoff would already be at the cabin. That was fine. Geordi didnt want to walk into his cabin when Security was therethat would make it seem as if they were catching him by surprise. He needed to catchthem by surprise.

And he did. When Wyckoff and his two men came out from Geordis cabin, the engineer made sure he was standing in front of that door.

Commander La Forge Lieutenant Wyckoff, I presume?

Geordi asked. He could feel the tingling from his proximity vest that said they were only a few feet from him.

Id heard you were here. We need to talk.

Sir, Wyckoff said apologetically, Im to take you into custody. Commander Datas orders.

I know.

Geordi gestured toward his cabin door.

Lets talk.

My orders, sir Lieutenant, Geordi said, opening his eyes wide, allowing them to see his blank, white, sightless eyes, Im blind. Im not going to try to overpower you. Im not going to phaser you. Im going totalk to you.

And if you dont like what I have to say, Im going to go with you quietly. All I want is five minutes of your time. If I were trying to avoid you, it would have taken you more than two minutes to find me, right? Instead,I came to you.

There was silence for a moment. Perhaps they were all exchanging glances. For all Geordi knew, a crowd had gathered, including Data.

Okay, sir, Wyckoff finally said.

Five minutes.

Geordi nodded, and walked forward, through them, and into his cabin.

As soon as the door swished closed behind them, Geordi turned and began.

Data isnt himself, Geordi said.

Jim, he said to Wyckoff, you know me. Am I a Klingon agent? Worf is your superioryour friend.Is he?

Geordi didnt allow an answer.

Look at Datas warped facts, he continued.

No one is allowed to contact the planet. Supposedly Commander Riker and the counselor are missing, and thats the Klingons fault. Worf ismaybe accused of murder, but it hasnt been proveneven by Datas admissionand yet Data p.r.o.nounces him guilty. Captain Picard is apparently under duress, but then why did he have his communicator? And why wont Data let me talk to the captain as I requested? Why amI a.s.sumed to be a Klingon agent just because Ive questioned Datas orders?

Geordi paused, and let all sink in. No one spoke and he could only imagine the expressions pa.s.sing their faces. If only he could seeto get a tack on what they were thinking.

Sir, Wyckoff began, did you have something to do with the transporter malfunctions?