by Dayton Ward
Suddenly uncomfortable with the turn the conversation was taking, Picard said, “This is the life we chose, Beverly. Indeed, one could argue that this life chose us.”
“I know, believe me,” she said, “but I’ve been through it all before, and I’m finally starting to realize that maybe I don’t want to do it again.”
Though his first instinct was to ask what Beverly might be suggesting, Picard realized that what he wanted to say was what actually came out of his mouth. “Sometimes, I think I feel the same way.”
This, of course, took his wife by surprise. “What?”
Drawing a deep breath, Picard said, “I’m not saying I’m ready to retire or anything, but there have been times during the past year when I’ve considered what it would be like to do . . . something else. I don’t know that I’d feel the same way if René weren’t here, but I do know that with him as part of the equation, things are different. I’m not just talking about any potential danger from a hazardous assignment, for either of us, though that’s certainly a point to consider. Sooner or later, his needs will require us to make a decision. I guess what I’m trying to figure out is whether I want to wait for the decision to come on its own terms, or do something about it now.” There was Akaar’s seemingly open-ended offer to promote him to admiral, and what if the rumors of a possible ambassadorship were true? And what of still another option, the one that saw him and Beverly returning to Earth or some other quiet planet and finding a nice, small house near a lake or river? Not for the first time, Picard considered the appeal of raising his son far away from the world of starships along with the interstellar crises, political strife, and everything else the universe might throw at him.
How long would that last? Really?
As usual when he pondered such questions, Picard had no ready answers. Instead, he reached across his desk to retrieve the small metal box from where it rested next to his desktop computer interface. Lifting the box’s lid, he beheld the treasured flute, finally restored thanks to the generous talents of T’Ryssa Chen.
Hello, old friend.
“Well,” Beverly said, still holding René as she stepped into the office and took a seat in the chair on the other side of his desk, “we certainly don’t have to make any decisions tonight.” She nodded toward his computer terminal. “Don’t you have that message from Admiral Akaar you’re supposed to answer?”
Casting a glance toward the monitor, Picard considered Akaar’s communiqué for a moment, before deciding that whatever response he might offer probably would be the same if he offered it now, or an hour from now. “It can wait,” he said.
Beverly leaned back in her chair, situating René so that he could see his father, “Well, if that’s the case, then how about some music? Think you can still play that thing?”
“I believe it’s well past time we found out,” Picard said, lifting the flute from the box and cradling it in his hands, his fingers finding the proper positions almost of their own accord. He closed his eyes, feeling the music well up within him. It had been there all along, imprisoned and demanding escape. When he began to play, it was as though no time had been lost, with the music carrying away the burdens of command, the consequences of duty, the aggravations of politics, and the uncertainty of what the future might bring.
Now, there was only the music, and Beverly, and young René. For a time, at least, Picard was at peace.
Afterword
Readers interested in learning more about Operation Vanguard, the Shedai, the Taurus Reach, the mysterious Taurus meta-genome, and how the Tholians are involved with all of that are encouraged to seek out the Star Trek: Vanguard novel series from Pocket Books. Set in the twenty-third century, the series features a cast of new characters with storylines that run parallel to the events of the original Star Trek television series. As of this writing, the ongoing series consists of the following books:
Harbinger, by David Mack
Summon the Thunder, by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore
Reap the Whirlwind, by David Mack
Open Secrets, by Dayton Ward (story by Dayton Ward and
Kevin Dilmore)
Precipice, by David Mack
and
Vanguard: Declassified, with stories by Kevin Dilmore,
David Mack, Marco Palmieri, and Dayton Ward (June,
2011)
There is also a “prequel story” to the Vanguard saga, Distant Early Warning from the Star Trek: Corps of Engineers series, by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore, available as an e-Book. The story is also collected in the trade paperback omnibus Star Trek: Corps of Engineers – What’s Past.
Acknowledgments
Thanks of the first order are due to Jaime Costas, who stepped into the breach with bayonet fixed, ready to do battle against the forces of chaos and perhaps even those of evil while settling into her new role as my editor.
Thanks also to Emilia Pisani, who’s hunkered down within the eye of the editorial storm affecting Pocket Books this past year, keeping everything on schedule while doing her level best to soothe the fragile egos of various writers requiring feeding and attention, this one included. Always ready with answers, contracts, checks, and even those cool blue pencils we use to mark up our manuscripts, Emilia’s been a rock. Somebody buy that woman a drink!
Tips of the hat are offered to Christopher L. Bennett (Greater Than the Sum), Keith R.A. DeCandido (Articles of the Federation, A Singular Destiny), David R. George III (Rough Beasts of Empire), Bill Leisner (Losing the Peace), David Mack (the Destiny trilogy, Star Trek: Vanguard, as well as the Typhon Pact novel Zero Sum Game), and Michael Martin (Seize the Fire) for establishing characters, concepts, and situations that provide “points of continuity departure” for various events in this novel.
As has become almost second nature now, I’d like to thank the volunteers who maintain the Memory Alpha (http://www.memory-alpha.org) and Memory Beta (http://memory-beta.wikia.com) Star Trek Wikis. Both sites provided points of reference during my research throughout the writing of this book.
A high-five and a hearty “Thank ya!” to Paul D. Storrie, author of “The Old Ways,” which appeared in the Andorian issue of IDW’s Star Trek: Alien Spotlight series. Paul’s tale provided some helpful continuity fodder and other points of inspiration. Likewise, much appreciation is extended to S. John Ross, Steven S. Long, Adam Dickstein, and Christian Moore, authors of Among the Clans, a sourcebook for the late, lamented Star Trek Role-playing Game created by the equally late, lamented Last Unicorn Games. This book also provided more than a few nuggets of inspiration.
And very special thanks are reserved for Heather Jarman, author of Andor: Paradigm, which appeared in Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Volume One. It’s her portrayal of Andor, and Lieutenant Thirishar ch’Thane in particular, that guided me during the Andorian-centric portions of this story. I hope I was able to pay the proper respect to her creations.
On that note, I offer thanks to Ian McLean, longtime Star Trek fan and Andorian aficionado, for taking the time to give the manuscript a rather hurried beta read at my request. Any errors or omissions of detail with respect to Andorian culture are entirely my fault, despite Ian’s best efforts to steer me toward the light.
I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize John William Corrington and Joyce Hooper Corrington, writers of the screenplay to Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973). The line spoken by President Bacco in Chapter 28 (“All knowledge is for good; only the use to which it’s put can be for good or evil”) is an homage to one of my favorite scenes from that film, with this line of dialogue spoken by the orangutan philosopher Virgil. It’s one of those quotes that have stuck with me over the years, and I’ve always wanted to find a way to incorporate a salute to it in one of my own stories.
Thanks to my best bud, frequent writing partner, and hetero life mate, Kevin Dilmore, who kept me sane throughout this process by offering me the occasional distraction, often in the form of chicken wings or, on more constructive occa
sions, magazine articles and other stuff that needed writing. I’m already looking forward to our next team-up, which should be (HA!) one for the books.
Even my daughters, Addison and Erin, rate a thank you this time around. Why? Because they help keep me grounded and remind me every day what’s really important. Oftentimes, it involves trips to the park or McDonald’s, sometimes without their mommy’s knowledge.
And finally, I offer my heartfelt thanks and undying devotion to my wife, Michi, for . . . well . . . for everything.
About the Author
DAYTON WARD. Author. Trekkie. Writing his goofy little stories and searching for a way to tap into the hidden nerdity that all humans have. Then, an accidental overdose of Mountain Dew altered his body chemistry. Now, when Dayton Ward grows excited or just downright geeky, a startling metamorphosis occurs.
Driven by outlandish ideas and a pronounced lack of sleep, he is pursued by fans and editors as well as funny men in bright uniforms wielding tasers, straitjackets, and medication. In addition to the numerous credits he shares with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore, Dayton is the author of the Star Trek novels In the Name of Honor and Open Secrets, the science fiction novels The Last World War, Counterstrike: The Last World War, Book II, and The Genesis Protocol, as well as short stories which have appeared in the first three Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies, the Yard Dog Press anthologies Houston, We’ve Got Bubbas and A Bubba in Time Saves None, Kansas City Voices Magazine, and the Star Trek: New Frontier anthology No Limits. For Flying Pen Press, he was the editor of the science fiction anthology Full-Throttle Space Tales #3: Space Grunts.
Dayton is believed to be working on his next novel, and he must let the world think that he is working on it, until he can find a way to earn back the advance check he blew on strippers and booze. Though he currently lives in Kansas City with his wife and daughters, Dayton is a Florida native and maintains a torrid long-distance romance with his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Visit him on the web at http://www.daytonward.com.