Chapter Sixteen

PICARD WAS IN HIS READY ROOM, taking another call from the First Among Equals.

 

Things are tense here, Captain Picard,

Kerajem said. He was in his office at Government House.

The

Cabinet is increasingly restive. The older ministers are almost too scared to speak, and the younger

ones want to teach the Krann a lesson, as that idiot Jemmagar put it during our last emergency meeting.

 

Kerajem nearly spat.

How could we ever hope to teach the Krann a lesson?

 

And where are you on this, First?

Picard asked.

 

In the middle, as usual, and hoping for some sort of miracle. Captain Picard, do you have any hope that

Presider Hek is open to some sort of peaceful settlement?

 

Picard considered his words carefully.

I’m not sure, First,

he said.

I cannot tell what’s on his mind

or what kind of settlement he might accept. I have been trying to find out all along, but the man is

extraordinarily difficult to read.

 

So you think he is insincere about seeking a peaceful resolution to this crisis?

 

As I said, I’m not sure,

Picard said.

But I do think he is a practical man. If a peaceful settlement

is attractive enough, if it allows him to maintain his authority, then he might agree to one.

 

Kerajem nodded.

I hope you’re right, Captain.

 

There is one practical reason for hope, First Among Equals,

Picard said.

In my last conversation with

him, Presider Hek seemed to bring up the possibility that the Krann might want to settle on the fourth

planet of this system.

 

Settle down? And abandon their fleet in space?

Kerajem shook his head.

I doubt they would ever do such

a thing, Captain Picard. They’ve been living a spaceborne existence for thousands of years, and they’re

used to it. Oh, some of them might like to live planetside, but I can’t believe all of them would. It’s

just not their way.

 

They lived on a world once,

Picard pointed out.

 

That was a long time ago.

Kerajem sighed.

Captain, our Cabinet session resumes in a minute. I’ll call

you at the next recess.

 

Very well,

Picard said.

Good luck to you, First Among Equals.

 

And may good fortune find you, Captain. I know you’re doing your best.

The terminal went dark.

 

I just hope it’s enough,

muttered Picard.

 

Captain,

came Worf’s deep voice,

Commander Riker is calling.

 

Ah. Thank you, Lieutenant.

Picard pressed a button.

Hello, Number One,

he said into the air.

Is

everything all right?

 

Yes, sir. We’re both fine. Is there any word yet from Commander Data or Ensign Ro?

 

I’m afraid not.

 

Understood, sir. Deanna is right here and will communicate through my pickup.

 

Fine. Are you two reasonably private? Can you talk freely?

 

Yes, sir,

Riker replied.

We’re in what amounts to a cheap hotel room just outside the gray zone. No

one else is in the room with us.

 

Excellent. I can have you beamed directly here to the ready room to make your report in person

 

Excuse me, Captain, but I don’t think that would be wise. I have reason to believe that the Krann can

detect our use of the transporter. If we beam out, they may know it, and I’d rather have them realize

we’re still here, keeping an eye on them.

 

Understood. Your findings since your last report, then.

 

With your permission, Captain, I’ll let Commander Troi make her report first. She reconnoitered well

inside the zone.

 

Go ahead, Counselor.

 

and so, Captain, I agree with Commander Riker’s assessment. I was being shown something we were meant

to see, and I was intended to get away with it.

Troi motioned to Riker to pass her what was left of a

glass of water that was sitting on the nightstand, and he did so.Thanks , she mouthed.

I was meant to

see the weapon in Bay Fourteen and, I presume, I was intended to report its presence to you.

She took a

sip of water.

 

But what is it?

 

I couldn’t tell, sir. It looked like no weapons system I am familiar with.

 

Did your Krann friend say this whatever-it-is could hurt us? Did he give you any indication of what it

could do? Fire a missile or shell at us, that sort of thing?

 

Wiggin would not tell me, Captain. I made some silly comment about a death ray, which he ignored.

 

Was there only one of these things?

 

I got that impression, yes, sir.

 

Good Lord. I feel as if I’m playing ‘Twenty Questions.’ All right. Clearly the Krann wanted to ensure

that you saw the device, whatever it is and whatever it can do. Perhaps its presence is intended to

intimidate us, or at least make us more uncertain about the capabilities of the Krann. What do you

think, Will?

 

I agree we’re being scammed, Captain,

the first officer replied.

I’m not sure about the reason. It

may just be that the Krann are attemptingrather successfully, I thinkto distract us. Perhaps there is

something going on aboard this ship that we arenot supposed to notice.

 

There was a brief silence as Picard thought about that.

I don’t believe any single weapon possessed by

the Krann can do anything of consequence against us,

he finally said, and Troi saw Riker nod.

 

If I may, sir,

Riker added,

I think it’s important to note that Wiggin made contact with us not very

long after we were beamed aboard the flagship. Somehow the Krann realized we were there. We can’t have

been recognized.

 

I agree, Will. They know about the transporter, or they deduced its use somehow. Either way, I agree

that the secret is blown, but I think we’ll maintain appearances anyway. We’ll travel to the flagship

via shuttlecraft for the next round of talks. Sometimes there’s great value in not letting them know

that you know that they know.

 

Riker looked confused.

Er, yes, sir.

 

In line with all that, Will, I want you and the counselor to remain aboard the flagship until the next

round of talks begins in about, um, eight hours. Presider Hek set the schedule, and the timing happens

to coincide with the arrival of the main elements of the Krann attack force in standard orbit around Nem

Ma’ak Bratuna.

 

That doesn’t sound on the level,

Troi said.

 

No, it doesn’t. I want you two there so you can keep me informed about what you see aboard the

flagshipassuming the Krann allow you to make such reports, that is. The transporter chief will keep a

lock on both of you until you’re safely back, so don’t go into the gray zone unless it is absolutely

necessary. Now, anything else?

 

I don’t think so, Captain,

said Riker.

 

Not from me, sir,

Troi added.

 

Get some rest, then. Good night. Picard out.

 

Good night, sir. Recon party out.

 

No word from Data or Ro yet,

Deanna fretted.

That can’t be good, Will.

 

If anyone can make it through, they can,

Riker told her.

Don’t give up on them yet, Counselor. I

haven’tand neither has the captain.

 

Deanna tried to stifle a yawn and failed.

Been a long day,

she said. She closed her eyes.

 

I hate the holidays,

Will joked.

Don’t you?

He looked around the room, rubbing the back of his neck.

It was small but neat, it had been painted not long before, and it was carpeted. All there was for

furniture was a narrow but comfortable bed, a small bureau, and an even smaller table. There was no

chair for the table.

At least there’s a head,

Riker observed.

There’s a shower stall in there, too,

of all things. A water shower, I mean. Haven’t seen one of those in a while.

 

Deanna’s eyes opened.

A water shower? Oh, Ilove those. Is the water hot?

 

Let me check.

Will ducked inside and ran the tap for a moment, and there came the sudden sound of a

hard rain.

Yep,

he reported.

Hot as all hell. Good pressure, too. There’s a container of thick liquid

stuff that I think is soap, or a good excuse for soap. There’s also a couple of towels.

 

Sounds grand,

Troi said, stretching.

Will, would you mind very much if?

 

Hmmm? Oh. No. No, not at all.

 

Deanna gave him a tired grin.

Thanks, Will. Uh, I’ll toss you for the bed, assuming we can find

something to toss.

 

No. It’s yours.

 

But

 

I won’t discuss it,

Will insisted.

Just lend me one of the pillows. I’ll be fine on the floor.

Actually, I’m a little tired myself.

 

With pleasure,

Deanna smiled.

Thank you. Uh, there’s an extra blanket, too. Here.

She tossed it

across the room to him.

These people thought of everything.

 

Very hospitable.

As Deanna disappeared into the bathroom, Will spread the blanket on the floor

alongside the bed, doubled it over the long way, and dropped the pillow where it belonged. He quickly

doffed his Krann garb, retrieved the audio pickup bug from the trouser pocket, and inserted it into his

left ear, in case theEnterprise called during the night. Dropping down to the carpet, Will crawled

inside the folded blanket and made himself comfortable. The padding under the carpet proved to be soft

and agreeable, and he dozed off quickly.

 

About twenty minutes later, a soothed and satisfied Deanna emerged from the bathroom, one bath towel

wrapped around her and the other around her hair. She heard the once-familiar sound of Will’s determined

snoring coming from just beyond the bed.Not quite like the old days , she thought kindly,but close

enough . Deanna smiled at the gentle memory as she killed the room lights, dropped one of the towels

close by the nightstand, clipped her communicator to the remaining towel, and got into bed. She was

asleep within minutes. Will’s snoring had never bothered her in the old days, and it did not bother her

now.