Chapter 05

Chapter 5

Once the turbolift doors closed, he asked, “So who’s the lucky guy?”

“He wasn’t anyone you knew,” Robyn said. She twisted the ring on her finger around.

Brett picked up on her use of the past tense. “What happened to him?”

“He was on the Bennington in the war.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, not knowing what else to say. The Bennington, already badly damaged by a Dominion squadron, had bought time for the rest of the Federation task force to escape annihilation. No one from the Bennington survived. Captain Lichen and his crew were posthumously awarded medals for their courageous stand.

“It was a long time ago,” Robyn said. She cleared her throat and then said, “I was at the hearing. I tried to get to you but there were too many people around.”

“It was a big event.”

“The way they made you out to be…I knew it wasn’t true. I wanted to tell you that.”

“Thanks. I should have called you as a character witness.”

“That’s not funny.” Robyn stabbed the button to stop the turbolift and then shifted to face him. “What happened to you, Brett? Eight years later and you’re dressed in rags and reeking of liquor and working for that Ferenghi—”

“I’m doing what I have to do to survive,” he said. “That’s what most of us who aren’t on that Starfleet ivory pedestal have to do.”

“You’re running weapons into a war zone, Brett. If they caught you—”

“Is that why you and Babs showed up? To arrest me? Too bad someone already beat you to the punch and destroyed the evidence.”

“We’re here to end the war. Prime Minister Serlinum wants his people to join the Federation. That can’t happen until we stop the fighting. Captain Stewart is hoping to get the sides together and negotiate a treaty.”

Brett snorted at this. “These snakes have been fighting for a century at least. You think Babs is going to waltz in here and make them stop?”

“Captain Stewart is more than capable. She’s one of the best negotiators in the whole fleet.”

“All I’m saying is the ones like I just met aren’t exactly in the talking mood, if you know what I mean.”

“There are always going to be rogue factions, but at least we can take the first step to bring peace to these people.”

Brett reached around her to start the turbolift moving again. “Fine, you do what you want. Just drop me off at the nearest port.”

“It’s not going to be that easy, Brett. Starfleet Intelligence has a file on you. We can’t just drop you off and pretend nothing happened.”

“So you are arresting me.”

“We’re going to keep you in our custody for now until we can turn you over to Intelligence for questioning.”

“You’re splitting hairs.” He shook his head. “You never did know how to call a spade a spade. You always had to hide behind euphemisms and duty and honor.”

“I’m sorry about what happened, Brett, but it wouldn’t have worked out. You know that. We wanted different things.”

“And I suppose Captain Lichen gave you what you wanted.”

Robyn’s face turned the same color as her uniform shoulders. “Sean was a great man. Don’t you dare talk about him like that.”

“I’m sorry. I was out of line.”

The turbolift doors opened and Robyn seized him by the arm. They said nothing as she dragged him down the corridor, into the Orion’s sickbay. An Asian woman in a blue labcoat looked up from a patient to smile at them.

“Mr. Boutwell, I’m Dr. Chen. You probably don’t remember, but my brother served with you on the Icarus. He was an engineer.”

Brett thought back to all the times he’d been down in the engine room of his old ship. “Bobby Chen. Tall guy, didn’t say a whole lot as I remember. A good man. What’s he up to now?”

“He’s chief engineer of the Lexington. He always said it was a real shame what happened to you.”

“Well, that’s all water under the bridge now.” Brett smiled at the good doctor. “I don’t believe Bobby ever mentioned he had a little sister.”

“Older sister, actually.”

“You could have fooled me.”

“I try to keep in shape. The chief medical officer has to set the example for everyone else.”

Robyn cleared her throat. “I’ll leave you two alone. Let me know when you’re through with him, Doctor.”

“Of course, Commander.” Once the door to sickbay closed, Dr. Chen guided Brett to lie down on an examination table. From her labcoat she took out a scanner. “Looks like you haven’t been keeping yourself in such good shape. Keep it up and you’re going to need a new liver in five years at the most.”

“I guess I need a better example. Maybe we could train together sometime?”

Dr. Chen leaned down, the ends of her black hair brushing against his cheek. “I’m not that kind of girl, Mr. Boutwell,” she whispered into his ear. She smiled again. “Captain Stewart warned me about you.”

“Babs always was immune to my charms.”

“I wouldn’t call it charm exactly.” She stepped away from him to examine the results of her scan. “No serious damage. You’ll live.”

“Great.” He sat up with a start as Robyn came in, escorted by a pair of security officers. “Tell Bobby I said hello,” he said to Dr. Chen as the security officers slapped handcuffs around his wrists.

“I thought you weren’t arresting me,” he said to Robyn.

“Captain Stewart’s orders. We’re to put you in the brig until we can turn you over to Intelligence.”

“It was good to see you again,” he said as the security officers led him away, though a part of him wished they’d never beamed him out of that escape pod.