Free Star Trek: The Fall: The Poisoned Chalice by James Swallow

“brother” in an effort to steal the U.S.S. Defiant from Deep Space 9, an endeavor that ultimately failed and left Tom a prisoner of the Cardassian Union. He looked away. “I eventually got out, but I did some things I’m not proud of along the way.”
    â€œCurious,” Tuvok allowed, measuring him intently. “The surface similarity is remarkable.”
    Tom’s brow furrowed. “Surface similarity?” He reached up and traced the thin line of a scar that was almost hidden by the beard. “This give it away? It was a present from my Cardassian jailers.”
    â€œIndeed, but the scar is not the larger tell.” Tuvok cocked his head. “As I observe you, I note several points of dissimilarity. Your body kinetics differ in several subtle but noticeable ways from those of Admiral Riker.”
    â€œ Admiral ?” Tom’s eyes widened at the mention of the rank. “Well, how about that? It seems my brother is doing pretty well for himself these days. I heard he got his own ship. . . .”
    â€œThe Titan, ” noted Tuvok.
    â€œAbout damn time.” A shadow passed over Tom’s face. “And he and Deanna . . . they finally got together, had a kid? Is that right?”
    â€œA daughter. Her name is Natasha.”
    â€œHuh. What’s she like?”
    â€œA pleasant child of above-average intelligence for a human.”
    Tom gave a brief, brittle smile. “That’s great. I . . . I’m happy for them.” The tone of the man’s voice suggested otherwise, but the Vulcan chose not to draw attention to it.
    Instead, Tuvok raised an eyebrow. “Mister Riker, you will pardon me if my next question is indelicate . . . but it was my understanding that you had perished during the Dominion War.”
    He chuckled. “What’s that Mark Twain quote? ‘The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.’ It’s not like the Jem’Hadar didn’t try their damnedest to make it happen, though. The fact is, it gave me a chance to drop out of sight and put my life back together. Since the war, I’ve been keeping off the grid as much as possible, maintaining a low profile. I guess you could say I’m an ‘independent contractor’ now.”
    â€œA mercenary.”
    Tom’s smile cooled. “I do what I have to. You may have noticed that it’s not so easy a galaxy out there these days. Not all of us have a family we get to go home to.”
    â€œThat is so,” Tuvok said, keeping his tone neutral. “And now you are here.”
    â€œFor the same reason as you,” Tom replied. “I was chosen to be your contact because they thought a familiar face would make it easier.”
    â€œ They ?” asked the Vulcan.
    â€œYou’re the last recruit. The rest of the team is waiting for us on the ship.” The other man stood, replacing his hat and glasses. “Come with me. I’ll introduce you.”
    *  *  *
    The chilling wind had brought black clouds with it, and as Tuvok followed Tom Riker across the thermoconcrete apron, rain began to fall, hissing off the surface of the port’s wide landing platform.
    He pulled the hood tighter over his head and peered at their destination. There, hazed by the glow of running lights, sat an ungainly cargo ship on fourheavy support skids, streamers of water running off the hull.
    Tuvok did not recognize the model or make of the vessel, but it was of a common enough configuration, and it bore baseline similarities with many ships of similar tonnage. He estimated the hull to be approximately 275 meters in length, almost comparable to the size of the saucer segment of the Titan . The freighter was rectangular in section, with rounded surfaces on the dorsal and ventral hulls. He saw the lines of large cargo hatches along the aft quarter and amidships. A short distance from the blunt bow of the ship,