The Long Night Read Free Page B

Nibix."
    There was a very long moment of silence on the other end as the news sank in, then Commander Benjamin Sisko said with an urgency she had never heard before, "On my way."

    Nog and Jake Sisko were as far away from Quark's as they could safely be and still be on the Promenade. Several stores in this out-of-the-way sector had closed, probably due to lack of customers. A lot of people came this way but only on station business. The guests at Deep Space Nine-the freighter pilots, the Federation representatives, the starship crews-never seemed to make it back this far.
    And that served them just fine.
    "Fastball this time," Jake said. He was in a crouch, mimicking as best he could the poses of the great pitchers in his father's favorite holoprogram. "Be ready."
    Before Nog could complain, Jake wound up and hurled the baseball as hard as he could at the outstretched mitt.
    Nog gave a little shriek and ducked as the ball barely missed him and banged into the bulkhead. The bang reverberated, and the metal rang hollowly.
    "You could have killed me," Nog said as he scrambled after the ball. He grabbed it and tossed it against his mitt. "Then I would never have gone to Starfleet Academy, and it would have all been your fault."
    Jake still wasn't sure how he felt about Nog attending the Academy. Sometimes he was proud that his father and the other members of Starfleet had inspired Nog. And sometimes Jake was lonely in advance. He wasn't sure what he would do around Deep Space Nine with his best friend gone.
    "You've been complaining since we started this game," Jake said. He rubbed his shoulder. The movement had pulled something. That's what he got for not warming up properly.
    "This is a hu-man game," Nog said. "It's not fair for a Ferengi to play a game designed for tall humans."
    "I can't help it that I've grown."
    "You didn't have to grow so tall." Nog tossed and caught the ball with one hand.
    "I may not be done growing yet," Jake said. Nog scowled at him. Nog had reached his full growth.
    "You make fun of me," Nog said. He whirled.
    Jake hurried toward him. Nog had a habit of throwing the ball at anything when he was annoyed. "Nog!"
    But Nog didn't pause. With a perfect imitation of Jake's form, Nog slammed the ball against the bulkhead, right in the same spot it had hit before.
    The bang sounded like an explosion. The sound reverberated again, and the metal pinged. Jake frowned, then caught the ball absently as it bounced toward him.
    "I don't care if I ever learn to play stupid games," Nog said.
    Jake walked toward the bulkhead. Chief O'Brien had said to pay attention to sounds. Sounds held the key to almost everything in engineering. Machines, metals, even lights, had their own voices. And this bulkhead spoke with a tone different from all the others.
    "If you keep getting taller, you can-you can-"
    Jake passed Nog without giving him a second glance.
    "You can play catch alone!" Nog said, triumph in his tone, as if he had thought of the perfect revenge.
    Jake crouched in front of the bulkhead. The metal was slightly dented from the impact of the ball. Other than that, it looked like any other bulkhead in the ship. Gray metal with Cardassian bolts holding the panel in place.
    "I said-," Nog started, his voice even louder.
    "I know what you said." Jake pulled off his glove, put it on the floor, and placed the ball in it. "Come here."
    Nog sighed loudly. He hated to have his tantrums interrupted. "I suppose you broke something," Nog said.
    "You're the one who threw a fastball against the metal," Jake said.
    "You made me!"
    Jake shook his head. Then he tapped on the panel. The sound had a wobbly edge to it. "Hear that?"
    "I hear you going crazy is all I hear," Nog said, but he crouched beside Jake and ran a stubby finger over the dent.
    "It's hollow." Jake said. To prove his point, he banged his fist on it again. The wobbly sound reverberated, then faded.
    "So?" Nog said.
    "So what's behind this? There should be equipment