wasn’t as if Morgan was standing in front of them. But she did so anyway. “The how of it, Morgan, is not your concern. Robin wished to see you. She asked me to bring her here. I have done so. I wish to get her off my ship and to have no further part of this, nor do these two with me.”
“Those two with you. I recognize them both, of course,” came the confident voice. “Both of them are in my database. Quite the accomplished records the two of them have… particularly the Doctor’s, I have to say. Do you prefer to be called ‘Doctor Zimmerman’?”
“Simply ‘Doctor’ will suffice.”
“I thought your book about the rights of holograms was interesting, although somewhat overwritten.”
The Doctor stiffened and then fired an annoyed glance at Soleta. She shrugged. Then, turning her attention back to more immediate concerns, she said, “So if you wouldn’t mind, Morgan. I would appreciate your doing as I asked and bringing Robin over there so I can be on my way.”
“And I’m supposed to believe that that is how all of this transpires.” Morgan sounded almost disappointed. “I bring Robin over to the Excalibur and allow the rest of you to leave.”
“I would be perfectly content with that,” Seven now spoke up.
“Now why,” Morgan wondered aloud, “do I not believe you?”
“Because,” said Soleta, “you’re an out-of-control madwoman of a computer, that’s why.”
Robin turned quickly, her face going white with alarm. “Don’t say that!” she said. “You’re just going to get her angry!”
“No, she won’t,” said Morgan. “I’m far too evolved to allow myself to become angry over trivialities. Very well, then, Robin, if you are that determined to come here…”
Transporter beams shimmered into existence around Robin and Cwansi. They started to dematerialize.
And so did Soleta, the Doctor, and Seven of Nine.
“Mother!” shouted Robin. “I told you not to bring them al—”
The rest of her words were lost in the shimmer of the transporter beam and, moments later, the Spectre was empty.
U.S.S. Excalibur
i.
“—ong!”
Robin completed her sentence to discover that she was somewhere other than where she had been.
She looked around to find herself on the bridge of the Excalibur. The startled faces of her former crewmates were all around her, staring at her in surprise. Although, she noted silently, it didn’t appear to be too much surprise. Obviously life with her mother had left them battle-hardened and ready for whatever she was going to throw at them next.
Soleta, Seven, and the Doctor were all there as well. Soleta was making a rather poor attempt not to look annoyed, Seven was surprised, and the Doctor as dispassionate as Soleta should have been had she been faithful to her Vulcan heritage.
Her mother was absent. Her spot on the bridge unoccupied. Robin supposed it didn’t matter; her mother was, after all, omniscient and omnipresent. It didn’t matter at this point where one was in the ship. Morgan Primus was going to be there as well.
With more than a touch of sarcasm, Soleta turned to Burgoyne and said, “Permission to come aboard.”
“Permission granted,” replied Burgoyne, as aware as Soleta of the strangeness of their current circumstances. “I am not, however, thrilled with your conduct, Soleta.”
“My conduct? I showed up and saved your ass, Burgy. In what manner did you find my conduct lacking?” She put her hands akimbo, waiting for hir reply with challenge on her face.
“I don’t appreciate your coming in here and using lethal force.”
“I can’t say I’m worried about your opinion.”
“You asked.”
Soleta was about to offer a rejoinder, but then she hesitated and finally admitted, “All right, that’s a fair enough point. I should not have asked.”
Xy, meanwhile, was across the bridge and approaching Robin. “Is that the baby?”
“No, it’s my laundry,” she said as Cwansi stretched and cooed. “I hate to wash it myself, so I always bring it back here so Mom can take care of it.”
“I just wanted to make certain he was all right.” Obviously it was the doctor in Xy that was talking, feeling the need to verify that a helpless infant was actually in good health.
“He’s fine, and I appreciate your asking.”
“Still, perhaps I should take a closer look at—”
Morgan Primus suddenly popped into existence. “Keep away from my grandson,” she said, and although her voice was carefully modulated and crafted to sound as if it was totally calm, there was an undercurrent of threat and warning laced into it.
Xy froze exactly where he was, having no wish to countermand the formidable computer entity.
Robin, however, groaned