A Time for War, a Time for Peace - Keith R. A. DeCandido [9]
Data cocked his head. “Given that Councillor T’Latrek has refused to run in any of the twelve presidential elections that she has had the opportunity to participate in, and given your own general success at gambling, Commander, I would have to assume that you are being facetious.”
Emotions or not, he’s still Data, Riker thought. “Once again, my friend, you have seen through my poker face.”
“It would not be the first time, sir, as our last poker game would indicate.”
Wincing at the month-old memory of losing an especially big pot to Data on an especially audacious bluff—one that had driven Crusher, La Forge, and Troi out—Riker said, “Good point. With any luck, I’ll be in better shape tonight.”
La Forge leaned back. “If Ross runs, he’ll win it in a cakewalk.” Riker noted that his hands now lay unmoving on the chair’s armrests. The counselor’s subject change had had the desired effect.
“I consider that to be highly improbable, Mr. La Forge,” Picard said dryly. “Admiral Ross is not a politician.” The captain allowed himself the tiniest of smiles. “He’s not that foolish. Actually, I would be most interested to see if Governor Bacco runs.”
Riker nodded in agreement. One of the Enterprise’s assignments during the Dominion War was to attempt to enlist the Gorn to fight on the allies’ side. Sadly, the Enterprise arrived just in time to get caught up in a coup d’état. However, once the crew managed their way out of it, the Gorn did aid in the war effort, thanks in part to some fine negotiating between their new leadership and Nan Bacco, the planetary governor of Cestus III, the Federation world closest to Gorn space.
“I don’t know,” Vale said. “There’s a huge difference between running a planet and running the Federation.”
“Depends on the planet.” Riker turned to look at the security chief. “If this was just some ordinary Federation colony that hadn’t changed much in two hundred years, that’d be one thing, but look at everything Cestus has gone through. They had a huge population explosion ten years ago when they took in a whole bunch of refugees from the Cardassian Demilitarized Zone, which required a massive shift in how the colony was run. Then they were attacked by the Gorn, then they had to rebuild both physically and diplomatically after that. Thanks to Governor Bacco, not only does the Federation have a treaty with the Gorn, but also with the Metrons. I think everyone here knows how hard it is to negotiate with energy beings, much less get them to agree to diplomatic relations.” Nods of agreement went around the table.
“Besides,” Data added, “there is no comparable task in the galaxy to the magnitude of the duties handed by the Federation president. It is impossible to judge with any accuracy how someone who has never performed the task will do so without such a basis to make that comparison.”
“In other words,” La Forge said with a grin, “you won’t know how they’ll do it until they do it.”
“I believe I said that, Geordi.”
“Right—which is why I said, ‘in other words.’ “
Vale shook her head. “Still, it’s a really limited sphere of influence. I mean, it’s just one planet. I’d be more comfortable with someone like Fel Pagro. He’s been all over the Federation, worked with dozens of different governments. For something like this, I’d rather have someone with a little more breadth.”
“A jack-of-all-trades rather than an expert at but one, Lieutenant?” Picard asked.
Vale nodded. “Something like that, yes, sir.”
“It sounds to me,” Troi said, “that someone from Starfleet would be your ideal candidate. Which brings us back to Admiral Ross.”
Grinning, Vale said, “Yeah, but the captain already said he wouldn’t run, and the captain is always right.”
Picard gave Vale a small nod. “Well said, Lieutenant.”
“Not to change the subject from the lieutenant’s sucking up, sir,” Riker said with a wink to Vale, “but her point raises another one. Ever since Tezwa, we’ve been cooling our heels and making repairs here in the Xarantine system. What’s going to happen to us?”
Picard frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean, Number One.”