Hell's Heart Read Online Free Page A

disappearance was very nearly an interstellar incident. Now I’m off to prevent the next ones.” Riker reached the turbolift, and the two stepped inside. “Transporter room.”
    As the turbolift gently whirred, Picard read again from the list of names on the padd. Kruge had no heir, he understood from Worf, but who knew he had so many relatives? And now the Enterprise was in the taxi business too.
    He looked up at Riker, who read his mood. “Hold,” Riker commanded. The turbolift came to a halt. “What is it?”
    â€œWill—Admiral—I hate to express concern—”
    â€œOver being pulled away from exploration again for politics?” Riker interjected. He gave a knowing grin.
    Glad to have been spared, Picard smiled gently in return. “You know me.” It wasn’t surprising: Riker had been present when Admiral Akaar had made a promise to Picard back at Starfleet Headquarters, following the Ishan Anjar affair. Enterprise was to have one mission alone: exploring the unknown. Akaar had made good on it—until now. “We always seem to be going in the opposite direction.”
    â€œIt’s nothing Christine Vale hasn’t wanted to say since I made admiral,” Riker said, referring to Titan ’s captain. This assignment was doubly a diversion for his flagship’s crew; Riker had barely settled in as a frontier sector commander for the Alpha Quadrant when he’d received the call to head toward Klingon space. “It’s not our mission, not what any of us signed up for, et cetera, ad astra, ad infinitum .”
    â€œHere, the ad astra just means going back to stars we’ve been to before. Not to mention playing host for the people next door.”
    â€œYou know I’m with you on this.” Riker scratched his beard. “But the House of Kruge was set on Kahless attending, and he refused to leave Cygnet IV unless he could travel with Worf. I wasn’t going to deprive him of your company.”
    â€œI appreciate that,” Picard said dryly. “I do see where Enterprise ’s name is important to the diplomacy. My role is happenstance.”
    â€œDon’t let me off that easy.” Riker smiled warmly. “I would love to tell you it’s a one-time thing. The Federation’s kind of like a party. They send Starfleet out to find new guests to attend.”
    â€œAnd we make sure all the early arrivals get along with the later ones,” Picard said, resigned. “And see to it that the neighbors don’t complain.”
    â€œIt’s the price we pay for everything else we do.”
    Picard nodded. He searched for the next words. “The problem, Will, is that you’re such a good party host that I expect you’re going to get the call more often than you’d care to.”
    â€œWhich makes it costly for the people I know I can count on.” He flashed a smile. “It’s dangerous to be a Friend of Will.”
    â€œI don’t mind the risk—but I’m glad you’re aware of it.”
    â€œWell, I wouldn’t worry. The H’atorian Conference is so precarious I may not be in demand much longer. Or at least I won’t be on the short list for every pain in the neck job that comes along.”
    Riker commanded the turbolift to continue, and Picard resumed reading the names. “The Battle of Gamaral. I find out something new about Klingon history every day.”
    â€œThey used to produce so much history, they exported it to their neighbors. But that was a long time ago.” The turbolift halted, and the doors slid open. “Good luck, Captain.”
    â€œAnd to you, Admiral.”

Three
    O RION S HIP D INSKAAR
    H YRALAN S ECTOR, F EDERATION S PACE
    V alandris had been born with a hunting knife in her hand, the elders once said. Of course, when she was three years old they had also told her that she was a worthless sack of flesh and that she would die