Star Trek by Dayton Ward, Kevin Dilmore Page A

adding to the alien’s already sinister expression. Still, Aldo was at least pleased to see that it was a face that he knew well.
    â€œGul Mogad,” he said to the commander of Cardassian ships in this sector, “why are you firing at us?” While Aldo would never consider himself and Mogad to be friends, they had formed a mutually respectful association in the years that
Ulrika’s Hope
had operated in this area. It was a relationship Aldo had used to every advantage in order to keep his deliveries on schedule and with the fewest possible disruptions.
    None of that familiarity seemed to be present now, however, as the Cardassian responded with a formal nod and leaned so close to his own visual pickup that his face nearly filled the viewer.
    â€œBring your ship to a full stop, human,”
Mogad said,
“and prepare to be boarded. If you do not comply, I will destroy you here and now.”

CHAPTER 6
    W atching Mogad stalk around the small open area in the forward section of the shuttlebay, Aldo realized that in all the years he had known him, this was the first time the Cardassian officer had actually set foot aboard the
Hope
. Even on those occasions when the freighter had passed through Cardassian space and Mogad’s had been the patrol vessel to intercept them and request an inspection of the freighter’s cargo holds, the gul himself had remained aboard his own ship.
    That he was here now only served to underscore, at least to Aldo, just how seriously Mogad viewed the current situation.
    With his arms clasped loosely behind his back as he paced back and forth, his eyes moved past the stacks of cargo containers that had been staged here. He appeared to be ignoring Aldo and the rest of the
Hope
’s crew, all of whom had been assembled here at the Cardassian’s orders and who were currently under guard by five of Mogad’s subordinates. Aldo noted once again the hard expression on the gul’s face, which had not changed since the moment the quartet of Cardassian fast-patrol ships entered the
Hope
’s cramped landing bay. They had been forced to dock, given their ships’ lack of transporters, and the hassle was compounded by the fact that the landing bay was already being used for extra cargo storage space. All four ships had been able to land, but it was a tight fit.
    â€œWe detected sensor scans emanating from your ship, Aldo,” Mogad said, the corners of his mouth turning upward slightly to create more of a sneer than a smile. “These sensor scans were more powerful than would be considered normal for a vessel of this type. Perhaps you might explain that anomaly for me.”
    Aldo had prepared for the question with the help of both Ross and Colv, the
Hope
’s engineer. “We’ve had some upgrades to our sensor equipment, among other things.” He hoped that his answer sounded more natural and truthful to the Cardassian’s ears than his own.
    â€œThese were not the scans of a freighter’s navigational sensors,” Mogad countered, “nor were they simply searching for potential hazards. Our own sensor logs show that these were aimed specifically at the Saltok system. Why does that area interest you?”
    Shrugging, Aldo replied with another coached answer from Ross. “My sensor officer detected what he thought were lifepods. When he realized that they were ships operating under their own power he informed the bridge to continue on our course.”
    Mogad appeared to consider this for a moment, directing his gaze as he did so toward the other members of the crew. His eyes moved from face to face until they settled on Ross. Aldo saw the Cardassian’s brow furrow in suspicion as he regarded the Starfleet officer, who along with Ensign Donovan had blended in with the rest of the crew. “I don’t recognize you, human. What is your name?”
    Clearing his throat as if nervous, Ross replied, “Uh, Barry, sir.