Chapter Thirty-Three
Deanna Troi groaned and pressed a hand to her painful head. With her other hand, she felt around for the wall, using the smooth metal to help pry herself into a sitting position.
"Ooowww… Where…?"
Even without opening her eyes, Troi knew she was no longer on the planet. She felt…distanced…from the compound…from her friends… But, beyond her empathic senses, a faint vibration buzzed through the wall and deck plates and there was a soft, encompassing hum, like idling engines, that made her suspect a small space craft, possibly locked in a parking orbit. The place was dimly lit, with a faintly electrical, lived-in smell of old tech, stale coffee and worn carpet.
Troi rubbed her fingers against the sides of her nose. Her head throbbed, her mouth and sinuses felt dry and scratchy, but she slapped a hand against her combadge, forced herself to speak…
"Troi to Picard," she rasped and coughed, working her jaw and blinking hard to try to wet her dry eyes and mouth. "Troi to Enterprise!"
A faint crackle of static, about as dry as her throat, hissed and went silent. Troi grimaced and rose slowly to her feet, swaying slightly as she fought back a wave of dizzy nausea.
"I was in the control room's office," she said, working to refresh her own memory. "I had been talking to Will about… No! It wasn't Will!" Her eyes opened wide and she pressed her hand to the place on her back where the imposter had touched her. "Oh, god, I have to get back, I have to warn them…!"
Troi could see the glow of the cockpit controls in the dim distance, past a shabby central living space. Looking around, she realized she'd woken up in a cramped, closet-like alcove at the end of a small corridor that contained a replicator, a full-length mirror, and a sliding door. At first glance, she seemed to be alone, but she had to be sure…
She moved to the door first, reaching out with her empathic senses. She did detect a living mind in there…more than one. They seemed to be unconscious, dreaming. If they had been abducted, as she had been…
Cautiously, Troi stepped through the doors into an even dimmer room. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could make out the shape of two bodies, two women, slumped on the worn out carpet.
"Dr. Anders," she gasped, hurrying to check the blonde woman's pulse. "Kurak! Are you all right?"
The unconscious women gave no response, not even when she gave their shoulders a sharp shake.
"I need to find some way to snap you out of this and get us all back to the compound," Troi said. "The replicator! Perhaps I can— Oh!"
A dark shape loomed in the doorway, tall and ominous. Troi blinked and backed away in alarm, unnerved by her inability to read the strange intruder.
"Who are you," she demanded, drawing on all her training to keep her voice steady and strong. "I demand to know why we've been brought here."
The figure's eyes glowed bright blue.
"I am Howard," it stated, and Troi breathed a sigh of such deep relief it almost came out as a laugh. "Your helpful home domestic droid. How may I be of service?"
"Howard!" she exclaimed. "How did you get here?"
"A woman with the appearance of Dr. Freja Anders pressed a site-to-site transporter device against my shoulder," the robot responded in his helpful tone.
"When did this happen?" Troi asked.
"It happened late last night."
"Where were you when it happened?" she pressed.
"I was in the private dome of the scientist Kurak and her daughter Kahlestra," Howard supplied cheerily. "My purpose is to serve. I was called upon to serve the woman with the appearance of Dr. Freja Anders."
Howard looked straight at her and tilted his head, just slightly.
"Mistress Troi," he said. "Mistress Troi. Master Data said I was to serve you as I would him. Mistress Troi. The woman who sent me here cannot have been Dr. Freja Anders."
"Why do you say that, Howard?" Troi asked.
"Because Dr. Freja Anders is here," Howard said simply. "My purpose is to serve. How may I serve you?"
Troi smiled, just slightly, and placed her hand on the robot's silvery-green arm.
"Come with me," she said, leading him through the sliding doors. "I think— Gah!"
A force field flashed to sudden life, blocking them from entering the shabby living space. Troi cursed between her teeth, but Howard seemed unfazed. Detaching his arm, he turned and held it out to her.
"I am here to serve," he said. "Please, allow me to lend you my hand."
Years of working closely with a rather literal minded android meant the counselor knew better than to laugh in the robot's face. But, rather than accept the earnestly proffered appendage, she smiled kindly and said, "No, Howard. I need to help Kurak and Freja. I'll leave it to you to get us past this force field."
"As you wish, Mistress Troi," Howard said in his cheery way, and turned to face the shimmering energy web. "I am here to serve."
To Be Continued...
Just a short piece to keep up the momentum, but there's more in the works! I'm going to keep trying to make it to the end by tomorrow night, but even if I can't the big conclusion will be coming this week no matter what. So, stay tuned, and thanks so much for your reviews! :D :D