Free Star Trek by Robert T. Jeschonek Page A

Mother Wu sounded intensely annoyed instead of deeply worried about her sons. “And I will warn you right now—I’m ready for you, Starfleetie!”
    â€œWhat does she think you’re going to do?” said Corsi. “Talk her into hurting herself?”
    Surprised, Carol looked in the direction of her shackled teammates. Sure enough, Corsi’s eyes were wide open and staring back at her.
    â€œDomenica!” said Carol, glad that her friend was awake, if not especially mobile. “If you’re about done hanging around over there, we could use a foolproof escape plan right about now.”
    â€œLooks like we’ve already got a distraction,” said Corsi, nodding toward the screaming Miradorn twins on the floor. “Just throw me a phaser rifle, and I’ll get us out of here in nothing flat.”
    â€œIt’s a deal,” said Carol, “just as soon as you cut through my bonds and set me free.”
    Corsi smirked. “I’ll take care of that in a minute, just as soon as I figure out what story I’m going to write up in my mission report instead of the actual truth.”
    At that moment, a shrill voice cut through the commotion. “What did you do to my boys?” Following the harsh sound of that voice, Carol looked over and up, spotting the voice’s possessor as she cautiously descended a spiral stairway in a corner of the basement.
    Carol immediately recognized the voice as belonging to Mother Wu. She did not, however, connect the real Mother Wu with the image of the ancient, wrinkled, hunchbacked hag that she had built up in her mind to go with that sharp voice. Mother Wu, as it turned out, was pretty, petite, and much younger than Carol had imagined. Her hair was long and black and glossy, without a trace of gray, and her skin was smooth as a peach. She looked too young, in fact, to have two grown sons like Zhik-Wu and Pre-Wu.
    She did not look out of place, however, handling the double-barreled Jem’Hadar disruptor rifle that she was keeping trained on Carol.
    â€œDo I look like I could do anything to your boys?” said Carol, straining against her bonds for emphasis. “I was hoping that you could tell me what happened. They both started screaming and dropped to the floor at the same time.”
    As Mother Wu crossed the room, she narrowed her eyes at Carol, sizing her up. Without shifting the rifle’s aim away from Carol, she swung her attention to Zhik-Wu and Pre-Wu on the floor.
    As Zhik-Wu screamed and twisted at her feet, Mother Wu stared down at him. “What’s wrong with you?” she said, loud enough to be heard over his cries. “Tell me what’s wrong!”
    Zhik-Wu kept screaming hysterically with eyes clamped shut and fingers clawing at his skull.
    â€œDo these look like the symptoms of any Miradorn illness you know of?” Carol said to Mother Wu.
    â€œBrain fever, maybe,” said Mother Wu, “but their skin hasn’t turned orange yet.”
    â€œMaybe you should get a doctor,” said Carol.
    â€œI don’t trust doctors,” said Mother Wu.
    â€œThen maybe you should untie me and let me help,” said Carol.
    â€œI’ll call a doctor,” said Mother Wu, and then she went back upstairs.
    Five minutes later, she returned to the basement. The expression on her face was equal parts mystified and highly irritated.
    â€œWhat?” said Carol. “What is it?”
    â€œI can’t find a doctor,” said Mother Wu. “I can’t find anyone to help.”
    â€œWhy?” said Carol.
    â€œEveryone in the city has come down with the same thing that Zhik and Pre have,” said Mother Wu. “According to the news broadcasts, the whole world seems to be coming down with it.”

Chapter
16
    N ow, now, said Or-Lin as she bent down over Em-Lin. Try to calm down, sister. It isn’t the end of the world, is it?
    Em-Lin shivered, staring up wide-eyed from