PICARD AND RIKER WALKED into the briefing room off the bridge to find the senior officers already in place. As usual, Troi was seated to the left of the captain’s chair, with Geordi right beside her. Opposite him was security chief Christine Vale, and beside her was Dr. Beverly Crusher, her hands stuffed into the big pockets of her blue lab jacket. Standing by the viewscreen, looking alert as always, was Data. Picard nodded to acknowledge them all and then took his seat.

Data at once activated the screen and a colorful star chart appeared, with the sector containing the planet Delta Sigma IV already highlighted. Data then zoomed in to show the planet in close-up.

“Delta Sigma IV was discovered by the Bader some one hundred thirty years ago. They were quite good at colonizing worlds and even took contracts to help other races perform the same function. It made sense that after their initial promising surveys, they would seek to colonize this one as well.

“Shortly after the Bader arrived, an exploratory team from Dorset also arrived on the planet. Both the Bader and the Dorset had a history of antagonism that stretched back three centuries, to shortly after both races developed spaceflight. They quarreled over asteroid belts, moons, planets, and even a rogue satellite that once flew through both solar systems. The skirmishes never led to full war, but harsh feelings have continued to cause conflict between the two planets.

“By contrast, the leaders of both colonizing parties chose to cooperate and built the colony together. It was an unprecedented display that must have been intended to influence both governments. If that was their intent, however, they failed, since hostilities between the home planets continue to this day.”

“If I recall,” Crusher said, “the Bader are pretty hostile to everyone.”

“True, Doctor,” Data acknowledged with a short jerk of his head. “They have antagonized a fair number of Federation worlds as well as unaligned governments.”

“How did the joint venture turn out?” La Forge asked.

“Surprisingly well. Contrary to all expectations, the joint colony grew prosperous. At first there was conflict, but that almost immediately gave way to social and political harmony. Sociologists considered this a perfect example of interspecies cooperation.”

“What allowed them to buck the trend?” Riker inquired.

Troi broke into a smile of recognition. “Wait, I read about this a few years ago. There have been many conflicting theories among sociologists. The leading hypothesis focuses on colonization as a bonding experience. In any case, the people of Delta Sigma IV now credit the wisdom of their pioneer leaders.” They say it’s thanks to these elders that theirs became a mutually supportive society, one based on peace, and totally at odds with their respective homeworlds.”

“Correct,” Data said. He paused to see if there were other comments and then forged ahead. “After such cooperation, they declared their independence from the Bader and Dorset homeworlds and managed to gain admittance to the Federation. That independence kept them out of the small wars between the colonizing races.”

Picard nodded and gestured for Data to take his seat. “Thank you, Mr. Data. Some time ago, a Federation team was dispatched to the planet to study the new society to see if there were lessons that could be learned and then applied elsewhere in the Federation. Heading that delegation was Kyle Riker, whom most of you have met.” As he paused, all eyes focused on Riker, who seemed to fixate on a point on the viewscreen.

“Representing the Federation, he worked with medical, educational, and anthropological research teams from the colony. He discovered a disturbing trend.”

“They were living shorter life spans,” Crusher said, snapping her fingers. “I read that same report! The researchers had only a few generations to work with, but their studies showed a steady and chartable trend. If things remain unchanged, the colonists won’t live long enough to reach puberty and reproduce, let alone run the planet.”

“Luckily the Federation was able to help,” Picard added, smiling at her. “Kyle Riker informed Starfleet Medical and the Federation. A counteragent was developed, then tested for some time on five volunteers from the planet. When things looked promising, the volunteers were returned to Delta Sigma IV and placed in final-stage quarantine.

“Riker returned to the planet recently to represent the Federation at its centennial celebration. The quarantine was scheduled to end as a part of the festivities. However, before the first event, one of the test subjects murdered another and escaped from confinement. Logs show Riker following the murderer out of the building, and he has not been seen since.”

Everyone reacted to that. Everyone except Will, who seemed to have been replaced by a statue.

“The Dorset have formally complained to the Federation that Riker and the Federation are behind the murder. Our job is to go there, find Riker, and determine what is truly going on.”

“Captain,” Troi broke in quietly, obviously respecting Riker’s feelings. “Is there any evidence that the Federation harmed the test subjects, however inadvertently?”

“Nothing concrete that we’ve been shown. The other three test subjects appear fine, according to the reports from the Federation ambassador.”

“Does anyone have a clue where Kyle might be?”

“No, Counselor,” Picard said. “It’s assumed he’s still on the planet, but that’s all we know.”

“Could Riker actually be after the murderer?” Christine Vale asked. “Acting when the locals didn’t?”

Picard paused and thought about the question, measuring it against what he knew of the man. “Kyle Riker is a brilliant tactician and Starfleet adviser, but he is not known for directly interfacing with local civilians. Instead, he’d be more likely to advise their peace officers.”

“I agree with your assessment,” Troi added.

“Have the Bader also complained?” La Forge asked.

“Not yet. While we’re en route, I want you, Counselor, to read up on the planet and its people. Dr. Crusher, please review the medical findings. Lieutenant Vale, I want your people drilled in planetary procedure. We’re going to need them to help maintain the peace.

“Number One, you’ll beam down and begin the search for your father. Counselor, I’ll want you to join me as we speak to the planetary leadership. We’ll plan further once we arrive. Mr. Data, have the bridge lay in a course and get us under way at warp five.”

Everyone around the table acknowledged the orders and, out of respect for Riker, remained subdued as they left the briefing room. He stayed in his seat, not meeting anyone’s gaze. Picard sat with him until the room emptied.

“Will, you can still ask to be relieved from the assignment,” Picard said gently.

“No, sir,” Riker said, his voice tight. He was clearly trying to control his emotions. The relationship between his father and him was a complicated one since the death of Will’s mother. Kyle was left to raise the youngster alone. Riker had turned out well, but it was clear Kyle could take little credit for his son’s success.

“Very well,” the captain said. “We can always adjust the assignments once we learn more.”

“I’m not the diplomat you are, sir.”

“You are better than you think you are, Number One. After all, it was your diplomatic skills that got you the Aries offer.”

Picard rose and returned to the bridge, leaving his first officer in the conference room. He could sense the increase in propulsion and knew they were nearing the desired speed. The bridge crew was at work as usual, but there was a slight change in the tenor of their voices, and more intraship communication. It happened every time they began a new mission and this time, it brought an overdue smile to the captain’s face.

Riker strolled through the corridors and barely noticed the various greetings he received. Given the acknowledged speed of gossip, he assumed most of the crew already knew they were on their way to hunt down his father. He wanted to avoid discussing it with his subordinates. Well, with all but one.

He found his way to the ship’s library and sure enough, he sensed Troi before he saw her. While not a full telepath, given her half-human, half-Betazoid heritage, she had empathic abilities and made an excellent counselor. Her abilities also meant that someone as deeply attached to her as Riker was had a subtle connection. Not that they could communicate telepathically like Vulcans or full Betazoids, but he took comfort in the connection. He liked knowing he was not alone.

Troi was seated at her favorite work station and had already called up the reports on Delta Sigma IV. Riker could tell by the way her head turned that despite her concentration, she knew he was in the room. Still, she remained focused on the data before her.

“Anything interesting?” he asked in a soft voice. The ship’s librarian enforced the age-old belief in keeping quiet in libraries, allowing others to concentrate. Riker preferred keeping his voice low rather than risk one of her withering stares.

“I’m just getting started,” Troi admitted. “There’s a lot of information to sift through. I do know this is the first capital crime in nearly a century.” She turned in her seat and looked up at him, and he could sense her concern for him. Part of him wanted it, and another part still didn’t want to deal with the feelings Kyle’s involvement brought up.

“I completely lost track of him,” Riker said, taking the seat beside her. His terminal remained offline, so his fingers drummed along the edge of the station. “I can’t even think of the last time we spoke. Possibly after Thomas showed up.” Several years ago a freak transporter accident had created a duplicate of Riker, who took Riker’s middle name of Thomas to help keep them distinct. He had tried to take Troi for himself, but wound up leaving the starship. He later joined the Maquis and wound up in a Cardassian prison. Will had lost track of Thomas, too.

“He seemed annoyed at Thomas’s arrival,” she said. Riker recalled the conversation in which he had explained the situation to Kyle. Instead of wanting to meet this new member of the family, Kyle had more pressing concerns over the brewing Cardassian conflict. Riker always wondered if Kyle, having recognized his utter failure at raising one son, did not want to disappoint another. Or, Riker mused, he just didn’t care.

“Will you be okay with this assignment?”

“I’m as suited to the assignment as anyone,” he said.

“Better, since you know him best among the crew.”

“No, I don’t,” Riker said, surprised at the anger slipping into his voice. He swallowed and forced his voice lower. “I knew him once, but not anymore. Don’t expect too much from me. Or him.”

“Will, do you want to really get into this here?”

Looking around the library, he realized they were alone and so actually had the option. But did he want to get into a deep discussion and dredge up the feelings of anger and abandonment all over again? The last time he had faced those feelings was when his father was aboard the old Enterprise, thirteen years before. He knew it would all come up eventually, whenever Kyle was found. He decided it could wait.

“No, I guess I don’t.” And he left the worried-looking Troi in the library.