their caste, and Garak could not help but notice that while the religious caste’s members were few their robes were so bright they looked to be of spun gold. He let his eyes roam over the upturned faces of the crowds gathered for the signing, and his satisfaction was reflected in the clear aquamarine of his tunic’s living gemstones.
And yet—Garak nibbled on the inside of his right cheek—only one tiny fly in the proverbial ointment. He cast a quick glance at the sky. No wormhole, and no Zotat, either. Well, maybe the legends were wrong about the wormhole being visible from Bajor. But, for there to be no word from Zotat…
Garak’s thoughts were interrupted by the Bajoran High Magistrate as he stood, scroll in one hand, a rose-red lavanian crystal pen in the other. “In the tradition of our people,” the Magistrate began, “I call upon any and all who believe that this treaty should not be enacted to speak and bring proof why—”
“ I will speak.” This from the back of the crowd: a woman’s voice, proud and strong. “And I bring proof. ”
The High Magistrate was struck dumb as was the remainder of the Assembly. The Cardassians shot quick, questioning glances; Legate Rugal looked murderous. Startled, Garak tried to see who the woman was but could not. Yet she was coming; that much was clear because the sea of Bajorans parted, and then Garak saw a Trill he didn’t recognize. She carried a glittering casket in her arms, and as if drawn by a magnet, the religious fell in behind so that as she approached, she pulled a vein of the purest gold in her wake. She ascended the dais, and when she cast her gaze about the ministers and magistrates and legates, they looked away. But when her eyes met his, Garak had a premonition that, for him, there were dark days ahead.
She turned aside and addressed the crowd. “Bajorans, I bring you hope. I bring you back your Prophets, and I bring you proof. ”
And then she opened the casket, and the crowd cried out because what blazed forth was so white, so strong, so perfect it hurt Garak’s eyes. Gasping, he turned aside and then he saw that his tunic had gone as completely and utterly black as a starless night.
Because now…there was light.
About the Author
ILSA J. BICK is a child, adolescent, and forensic psychiatrist, and a latecomer to fiction. Still, she’s done okay. Her other Star Trek work includes “A Ribbon for Rosie” in Strange New Worlds II, “Shadows, in the Dark” in Strange New Worlds IV, “Alice, on the Edge of Night” in New Frontier: No Limits, and the Lost Era novel Well of Souls, focusing on Captain Rachel Garrett and the U.S.S. Enterprise -C. Her short fiction has also been published in Writers of the Future Volume XVI, SCIFICTION on SciFi.com, Challenging Destiny, Talebones, and Beyond the Last Star, and also in the Classic BattleTech universe. Her MechWarrior: Dark Age novel, Daughter of the Dragon is forthcoming from Roc in June 2005. She will be returning to the S.C.E. in a few months with the two-parter Wounds , which will follow the exploits of Drs. Lense and Bashir following Lost Time. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two children, three cats, and other assorted vermin.
Coming Next Month:
Star Trek™: S.C.E. #52
IDENTITY CRISIS
by John J. Ordover
The da Vinci is returning to Hidalgo Station, a rundown old spacedock that has seen better decades, in order to pick up Commander Sonya Gomez from a much-needed shore leave. But when they arrive they find that Gomez has taken the station hostage, and is making insane demands—if they aren’t met, she’ll blow up the station.
No one is more surprised than Gomez herself, who is trapped inside Hidalgo’s control center with no way out—and no way to stop her shipmates from thinking she’s gone mad. Alone, the S.C.E.’s leader must find a way out of her trap before her shipmates take drastic action!
COMING IN MAY 2005 FROM POCKET BOOKS!
And yet—Garak nibbled on the inside of his right cheek—only one tiny fly in the proverbial ointment. He cast a quick glance at the sky. No wormhole, and no Zotat, either. Well, maybe the legends were wrong about the wormhole being visible from Bajor. But, for there to be no word from Zotat…
Garak’s thoughts were interrupted by the Bajoran High Magistrate as he stood, scroll in one hand, a rose-red lavanian crystal pen in the other. “In the tradition of our people,” the Magistrate began, “I call upon any and all who believe that this treaty should not be enacted to speak and bring proof why—”
“ I will speak.” This from the back of the crowd: a woman’s voice, proud and strong. “And I bring proof. ”
The High Magistrate was struck dumb as was the remainder of the Assembly. The Cardassians shot quick, questioning glances; Legate Rugal looked murderous. Startled, Garak tried to see who the woman was but could not. Yet she was coming; that much was clear because the sea of Bajorans parted, and then Garak saw a Trill he didn’t recognize. She carried a glittering casket in her arms, and as if drawn by a magnet, the religious fell in behind so that as she approached, she pulled a vein of the purest gold in her wake. She ascended the dais, and when she cast her gaze about the ministers and magistrates and legates, they looked away. But when her eyes met his, Garak had a premonition that, for him, there were dark days ahead.
She turned aside and addressed the crowd. “Bajorans, I bring you hope. I bring you back your Prophets, and I bring you proof. ”
And then she opened the casket, and the crowd cried out because what blazed forth was so white, so strong, so perfect it hurt Garak’s eyes. Gasping, he turned aside and then he saw that his tunic had gone as completely and utterly black as a starless night.
Because now…there was light.
About the Author
ILSA J. BICK is a child, adolescent, and forensic psychiatrist, and a latecomer to fiction. Still, she’s done okay. Her other Star Trek work includes “A Ribbon for Rosie” in Strange New Worlds II, “Shadows, in the Dark” in Strange New Worlds IV, “Alice, on the Edge of Night” in New Frontier: No Limits, and the Lost Era novel Well of Souls, focusing on Captain Rachel Garrett and the U.S.S. Enterprise -C. Her short fiction has also been published in Writers of the Future Volume XVI, SCIFICTION on SciFi.com, Challenging Destiny, Talebones, and Beyond the Last Star, and also in the Classic BattleTech universe. Her MechWarrior: Dark Age novel, Daughter of the Dragon is forthcoming from Roc in June 2005. She will be returning to the S.C.E. in a few months with the two-parter Wounds , which will follow the exploits of Drs. Lense and Bashir following Lost Time. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two children, three cats, and other assorted vermin.
Coming Next Month:
Star Trek™: S.C.E. #52
IDENTITY CRISIS
by John J. Ordover
The da Vinci is returning to Hidalgo Station, a rundown old spacedock that has seen better decades, in order to pick up Commander Sonya Gomez from a much-needed shore leave. But when they arrive they find that Gomez has taken the station hostage, and is making insane demands—if they aren’t met, she’ll blow up the station.
No one is more surprised than Gomez herself, who is trapped inside Hidalgo’s control center with no way out—and no way to stop her shipmates from thinking she’s gone mad. Alone, the S.C.E.’s leader must find a way out of her trap before her shipmates take drastic action!
COMING IN MAY 2005 FROM POCKET BOOKS!
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