“They’re staying with my zhavey—with Councillor zh’Thane. Their names are Shathrissía zh’Cheen, Thavanichent th’Dani, and Vindizhei sh’Rraazh.”

Again, Ro did not respond right away, and then she said, “I’m glad I’m recording this conversation. Trying to spell those names would probably be a waste of time.”

“Thank you, Laren,” Shar said.

“You’re welcome,”she said. “Safe journey, Shar. Ro out.”

Shar deactivated his combadge. He looked into Thriss’s eyes and still could not tell where her mind, where her heart, was. “I love you,” he said. He leaned in and kissed her. She did not respond right away, but then she reached her arms around his neck and opened her lips, and they kissed deeply. For a long, exquisite moment, they stood together as one, a joyous union of love. Yes,he thought. I’ll go to Andor.

Their lips parted and he stepped back from her. “Wait for me,” he said, looking into her eyes. She walked back with him to the airlock, which Lieutenant Costello opened after Shar had gone through the security check again. Shar squeezed Thriss’s hand, then picked up his duffel and mounted the steps to the airlock. The hatch rolled back into place behind him.

This time, he did look back, turning and gazing through the window in the hatch, but Thriss had already gone.

17

Vaughn settled into the captain’s chair on the bridge of Defiant.A hum—no not a hum, a vibration, something felt and not heard—played beneath the sounds of the ship and crew at readiness. A sense of anticipation imbued the tableau, even beyond Vaughn’s own excitement. He peered around at the alpha-shift command crew and watched as they prepared the ship for departure. Consoles emitted electronic tones all around the bridge.

Soon,Vaughn thought. Soon the ship would spring completely to life, and they would be on their way. And after all these years, hewould finally be on hisway.

Directly ahead of him, Prynn reviewed a display showing the first leg of Defiant’s course. Vaughn experienced a pang of remorse and anguish for what had happened at that console a month ago, but he quickly dealt with it, replacing the useless emotions with the happiness in his heart that Prynn had survived her ordeal, and that she would now share with him this journey into uncharted territory.

Vaughn looked to his left, where Ensign ch’Thane sat at the sciences console, which now possessed a great deal more functionality than it had when Defianthad been only a battleship. Now, though the vessel still had teeth, it had also been provided with enough scientific equipment and capabilities to carry them through their extended mission of exploration. Ensign ch’Thane and the rest of the crew would engage in more investigative science in the next three months, Vaughn was sure, than all that had been done aboard Defiantsince the original ship had been commissioned five years ago.

Next to ch’Thane, stationed at the environmental-control console since he had no responsibilities right now in the empty medical bay, Dr. Bashir sat quietly, gazing around the bridge himself. Vaughn made eye contact with Bashir, and the doctor offered him a smile. Vaughn nodded.

On the starboard side of the bridge, Lieutenant Nog occupied the engineering station, and aft, Lieutenant Bowers stood at the tactical console. Lieutenant Dax, whom Vaughn had chosen to serve as his executive officer for the mission, stood at his right hand. A fine crew,Vaughn thought. All of them.

He tapped the controls in the console to his right and opened a shipwide comm channel. “This is Commander Vaughn,” he said. He had known for a few days now that he wanted to speak to the crew before they embarked on their voyage, but he had not planned on exactly what he would say. With the moment upon him, though, he found that ideas and words came easily. “On Earth,” he said, “more than five centuries ago, a small band of people set out across the vast, unexplored continent of North America. They traveled on foot, by raft, and with pack animals, for almost two and a half years and covering more than six thousand kilometers.” A recollection occurred to Vaughn as he spoke, of sitting as a boy and reading about, and being enraptured by, the accomplishments of these and so many other explorers.

“On inhabited worlds all over the galaxy, similar courageous expeditions have taken place,” he continued, wanting to include all of the crew in his vision, and not just the humans. “The great Jalia, who discovered the Outer Islands on Ferenginar.” Vaughn peeked over at Nog, who returned his gaze with a smile, the lieutenant clearly pleased and probably surprised. Vaughn winked at him. “The intrepid Andorians, Shetthius, Shintral, and Chorna, who first circumnavigated their globe.” Vaughn glanced toward the sciences console to see ch’Thane looking back over at him, a smile now on his face. Vaughn went on to list valiant explorers from each of the civilizations represented aboard Defiant,and as he did so, he was gratified to see the rest of the bridge crew turn toward him as they listened.

“The two men who led the expedition across the North American continent on Earth, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, were set a mission to explore an expanse of unknown wilderness, to chart the lands they traveled, to seek out what new life there might be, to befriend the peoples they might encounter, to keep a record of their journey, and to bring that knowledge home.” He paused, thrilled that this moment had come at last. “They called themselves the Corps of Discovery. Let us therefore, on this stardate, rededicate ourselves to that ideal.” To Vaughn’s surprise and delight, the bridge crew—led by Prynn, he saw—applauded.

He closed the comm channel with a touch to the console, and then his gaze went to Dax.

She did not hesitate. In a voice that filled the bridge, she said, “All stations, report status.” The beeps and chirps of their equipment sang through the bridge, and in turn, each of the crew joined the chorus.

“Tactical and communications, ready,” Bowers said.

“Navigation and flight operations, ready,” Prynn said.

“Science and sensors, ready.” Ch’Thane.

“Impulse engines are online, warp power available on your command.” Nog.

“Life support at optimum. Medical bay standing by.” Bashir.

“The ship is ready, Captain,” Dax said. “Your orders?”

Captain,Vaughn thought. A fellow could get used to that.“Seal the airlock and signal DS9 that we are ready to depart.”

“The airlock is sealed,” Nog reported a moment later.

“Deep Space 9 signals that we are cleared for departure,” Bowers said.

“Release the docking clamps,” Vaughn ordered. “Aft thrusters at one-quarter, port and starboard thrusters at station-keeping.”

“Docking clamps have been released,” Prynn said. “Aft thrusters, one-quarter.” Around them, the ship seemed to change, like a great beast waking from its slumber, though Vaughn suspected that the feeling might have been attributable more to his imagination than to reality.

“Ensign ch’Thane,” Vaughn said, “let’s see where we’re going. Activate the main viewer.”

“Main viewer, aye.” At the bow end of the bridge, the large, primary viewscreen blinked to life. Ahead of them loomed the great, exotic form of Deep Space 9, the station receding gradually before them.

“We have cleared the station,” Prynn said.

“Ensign Tenmei,” Vaughn told her, “set course for the wormhole.”