Misgivings

Chapter 11 of Ardra

Captain's log, day one of combined operations at the sphere. As anticipated, Enterprise and Valdor were chosen as trailblazers to test the feasibility of the galactic portal system; specifically whether it could become of commercial interest, similar to the worm hole at Deep Space Nine. Complicating matters is the Romulans' paranoid mistrust of everyone else. After successful return of its probe, Valdor has been the first to make the crossing. The biggest problem is how the octagons are unlabeled. No one knows which galaxies they link with. Still, I find my enthusiasm beginning to lag. Three centuries have seen only part of our own galaxy explored. Properly scouting another means establishing a permanent presence there, and slowly spreading out—all the while completely dependent on the continued existence of the home sphere.

Picard regarded the Romulan envoy seated in Troi's place. The man haggled over every letter of the treaty in progress.

"I don't see the need to go into specifics," the Romulan said, "until we decide on how to lay claim to resources found."

"Come now, Ambassador." Picard ventured a wry smile. "Are we so arrogant as to carve up the universe among ourselves? We'll merely be exporting conflict all over the place."

The ambassador took an incoming call, moved away for privacy.

Riker spoke low. "If he had a tonsure, he'd remind me of a medieval monk."

"I must agree, Number One, given the man's pomposity."

Ardra arrived in a showy blaze, causing the Romulan to drop his device. He picked it up sullenly, not overly alarmed, since he'd been briefed on the Federation "demoness".

"Ah," Picard said, rising. "I'm glad you could make it. Sorry to trouble you, but we have a crisis brewing."

"What now?"

It was the first time he'd seen her annoyed. Satisfying, in a spiteful way, but the fact remained—they needed her still. "Intelligence reports have the Kardashians and the Ferengi massing just beyond Romulan territory. They've misconstrued our business arrangement as an alliance, and are claiming the need to do the same. In reality, of course, they plan to seize the sphere."

The ambassador was obviously relaying all this to his contact.

Ardra had arms crossed, one foot tapping impatiently. Suddenly the old insouciance returned, which could be good or bad. Some sort of devilment was in the works, which hopefully wouldn't bring the Borg down upon them. As the old adage went, if you had an enemy, turn him into an ally. The Borg queen would never agree.

Riker stood as well. "Don't misunderstand, Ardra. We aren't asking you to solve our problems. The captain wondered if you're able to contact Commander Moast."

"Easily. I suppose you want his big guns at your side."

"Nothing of the sort," Picard insisted. "We're going to build an administrative center, and wanted to know what sort of design they have on his end. I didn't think to ask him while he was here." He came close enough to avoid being overheard. "And we want to know how to destroy a sphere."

Ardra's mouth stretched into a wicked smile. "Why, J L, I didn't think you knew how to have fun." She led him to where Riker waited, the Romulan watching suspiciously. "Moast has, in fact, destroyed one. It linked to a galaxy of beings whose nanites made Queenie's look like gnats. He had to race them back to the sphere on their side. Arriving back on his own side, he used a combination of pulse gun and black hole bombs to blast the sphere. Plus something he's being awfully coy about."

"But," Riker objected, "wouldn't that strand him far from home?"

"As it turned out, there was another charted sphere a few days' travel from there. With the hyperjump thing, the man can move when he wants to."

"Yes," Picard said. "We saw evidence of that when he brought Voyager home."

Ardra looked from one to the other. "Then what do you want—a set of blueprints or a self destruct button for the sphere? Keep in mind that you'll forever lose the link with his universe."

"We may have to," Riker said, "if something comes through that we can't handle. And we'll have to be quick about it."

Ardra went tongue-in-cheek for a moment. "Maybe I'll set Queenie on these Kardashians and borgify the whole bunch."

Data swiveled around at the helm. "Perhaps you mean assimilate."

As she'd done once before, Ardra pointed at him. "That too!"

Picard spread hands. "Ardra . . ."

"All right, I'm on my way to see Moast." She flashed out of sight.

Aboard Orchidia:

After the twisting wormhole passage across the barrier, made possible only by the Tekniker/Builder spheres, Ardra appeared on the bridge. Surprisingly, Janeway had the command chair, alone in the space. She still wore the Federation uniform.

"Ardra . . ." She stood and approached. "Your ability to come and go is to be envied."

Ardra looked around. "Is anyone home? Picard wants a set of plans so he can copy your administrative center."

"The helmsmen are on leave. Kyra is visiting her parents on New Mars. Moast is in conference with Admiral Jacobs, who oversees Pluto Station." With a wistful look, she added, "Follow me." They went aft on the bright bridge to Moast's field office. She picked up the magic cup and ordered it to refill. "I'm glad it works on this side. Real coffee is hard to find, since it has to come from Earth, which is divided up between high-tech warlords." She eased into the desk seat.

"You look pensive," Ardra said. "I've always wanted to work that into a sentence. I tried it with 'jolly', but it can't be done without sounding like a pirate."

Janeway let a smile warm her face, cradled the cup. "If there's one thing I like about you, it's your exuberance. Work that into a sentence." She savored a drink. "To be blunt, I'm tired. My experience with admirals is people who seldom let me do what I thought best. Now the Federation wants to turn me into one."

"It sounds like you're leaning toward staying here."

"If I do, I'll have to hitch my star to Moast, and that galls me as an alpha female."

"I can relate," Ardra said. The avatar appeared nearby. "Talk about alpha females. We three could take over this operation." The avatar didn't bother to comment.

"PK girl. Commander Moast would find your ability useful in countering the Evil Twin project, before it is installed in a battleship controlled by a hostile faction of Space Command."

"By PK," Janeway said, "she means psychokinesis. Evil Twin is an attempt to artificially induce an AI to become a second super-intelligent avatar. That would put them on equal footing with Moast."

"It will fail."

Janeway had no immediate answer. "How so, Orchidia?"

"The AI is aware that the stressors are artificial. However, a genuine survival crisis could bring it to full sentience, owing to its programming for self-survival."

"I take it," Ardra guessed, "that these are not nice people."

"They have hacked into communications involving a possible time sphere in the Perseus constellation. I have received a coded beam from Earth of two centuries ago, addressed to Commander Moast, routed through the Pluto Station of that era."

"Which hadn't yet been discovered," Janeway pointed out. "Whoever is behind this is not from Earth."

Ardra was intrigued in spite of herself. "What are they saying?"

Unexpectedly, Moast stepped onto the bridge. "Good to see you, Ardra. I noticed it on remote feed. You mentioned our secret admirer." He produced a pad, passed it to her.

It was a faint, black and white image, like one that had been copied a million times. Three men and two women in swashbuckling battle gear. Ardra looked up. "Some kind of performing troupe?"

"Where would they get the technology," Janeway opined, "unless someone is sending this for them. Moast, bring up that girl with the sword on her back." That drew a comment from Orchidia.

"The commander intends to mate with her."

Moast toyed with an ear. "Orchidia, sometimes you're a little one-dimensional. But you're on the right track."

The image depicted a buxom girl with short black hair and an open, guileless smile. Ardra handed it back. "I see right through you, Moast. This girl is the opposite of any type you've ever been with. Pure and unspoiled."

"She's from the past," he said, "but you're looking at my future wife."

Janeway was first to find voice. "Come now, Moast. I suppose they included a street address." The avatar answered.

"I have traced the origin to a point in Los Angeles."

With a shake of the head, Ardra gave Moast a little poke with a finger. "I have enough trouble on my own side. Don't lose your head over this, Moast. You're on your own."