Seven

TRIP WENT straight to the decoding station that had been his home for the last week. It was unoccupied, its link to the main power conduit severed.

He hooked it back up.

“What are you doing?” Kairn asked, coming back to stand over his shoulder.

“You’ll see in a minute. Fane?” Trip called out. “You still have the intercepts on-line?”

“We do.”

“Can you send them to this station?”

“Done.”

“Thanks.” Trip sat down then, flexed his fingers, and keyed in his query. Kairn read the words out loud as he typed.

“Kota Base?”

Trip nodded, his eyes focused on the screen.

Kota was located in a neighboring star system of the same name. It was the place where, fifteen years ago, Sadir had taken Daedalus after capturing it. Where he’d ripped that ship apart, and with the aid of its captain, Monique Duvall, replicated its weapons and warp technology. It made only sense to send Enterprise there now, for exactly the same reasons.

He explained his reasoning to Kairn as the computer ran his query. Just as he finished, the display screen flashed.