Star Trek: That Which Divides Read Online Free PDF Page A

was moving into position between them. “By all means.” Nodding in his first officer’s direction, he added, “I’ll warn you that Mister Spock seems to be something of a poker prodigy, thanks to the efforts of Doctor McCoy. If his luck holds out, it could be a long night for the rest of us.”
    “I like a challenge,” Sortino said, smiling as she accepted a glass of brandy from McCoy. “I’ve spent my share of off-duty hours honing my own poker skills, though it’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to play. Maybe I can knock some of the rust off.”
    “The brandy should help with that,” McCoy replied. “I’d go easy with it.”
    Scott added, “And when you’re finished with that and need to cleanse your palate, just let me know, Ambassador. I’ve got a bottle of scotch in my quarters I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”
    “Just one?” Kirk asked, offering a knowing grin.
    Sortino nodded. “It’s a deal, Commander.”
    “Please,” the engineer replied, “call me Scotty.”
    “Only if you call me Dana.”
    Settling back into his chair, McCoy reached for his own drink. “I have to say, Dana, that you’re not like most of the other ambassadors we run into from time to time.”
    The comment elicited a laugh from Sortino, who nodded. “Yes, I’ve read some of the reports from my colleagues about their various adventures aboard the Enterprise .” She looked at Kirk, her left eyebrow rising in almost Vulcanlike fashion. “They warned me about you, Captain, and you’ll be happy to know that there’s a dartboard in the break room at the Diplomatic Corps HQ in San Francisco with your picture on it.”
    Kirk raised his drink in salute. “It’s nice to be loved.”
    As he sipped his brandy, the captain reflected on the diplomats he had encountered in recent years. He viewed many if not most of them as myopic, vexing bureaucrats who seemed to find their way to the Enterprise with alarming regularity, armed with an incessant need to prove something. On the other hand, Dana Sortino seemed comfortable and confident in her role and the authority she carried, but without any apparent need to demonstrate that clout to anyone and everyone in close proximity to her. One of the marked distinctions between her and other diplomats with whom Kirk had dealt over the years was the fact that Sortino was also a retired Starfleet officer. She had reached the rank of commander, with advanced training as a sociologist and cultural specialist before accepting an assignment as the first officer of the U.S.S. Lavinius , a Loknar -class frigate assigned to patrol duty along the Federation-Klingon border.
    “If you do not mind my asking, Ambassador,” Spock said, “why did you choose to leave Starfleet for a career in diplomacy? Based on what I know of your service record, you were in line for promotion and your own command.”
    Sortino shrugged. “To be honest, I never really wanted my own ship. I never needed to be the one in charge; I’d rather be the one the person in charge turns to whenever they need something done. As for diplomacy, I’d had occasion to assist ambassadors and other diplomatic envoys from time to time, and I started taking an interest in the process. Of course, it didn’t hurt that switching jobs also meant I got to stay home more often. My husband was quite happy with that new twist.” Clearing her throat, she took another sip of her drink before turning her attentionto Scott. “Anyway, I didn’t come to tell my life story. Let’s play some cards.”
    Smiling, the engineer nodded. “Aye, that sounds like a fine plan, indeed.”
    “I take it you’re tired of reading mission briefings and status reports from the first-contact teams on Dolysia?” Kirk asked as Scott began to shuffle the deck of cards.
    Sortino replied, “You have no idea. I think my eyes were starting to cross.”
    “You do not find the Dolysian people interesting?” Spock asked. “I must admit that I’m