Articles of the Federation - Keith R. A. DeCandido [49]
This just gets better and better. Ehrie’fvil was the name of the continent on Romulus where the Remans had relocated. Remus itself was barely habitable, used only for mining dilithium and manufacturing heavy weapons. The Remans could service the Romulans there but not command their own destiny, as Remus could never be self-sufficient. This news came on the heels of a Reman couple being found brutally murdered yesterday. “How bad?”
“At least a hundred confirmed dead in the mine. As for the farm, nobody was killed, but the damage was extensive.”
T’Latrek asked, “One assumes the incident in Ehrie’fvil was deliberate. What of the cave-in? Was it truly an accident, or was it too sabotage?”
“For now, all we know is that something happened. I only have the hundred dead from Ambassador Rozhenko. He was meeting with Chancellor Martok when the news came to the Great Hall. I’m hoping to get another report in fifteen minutes.”
Spock turned toward Nan. “If I may, Madam President?”
Nan gestured toward Spock even as she took the chair opposite him, next to Esperanza. “Go on, Mr. Ambassador, you’re the reason we’re all here right now.”
“In coming here, I intended to propose a course of action regarding the Reman problem. The incidents that Admiral Abrik has just described simply make my proposition all the more logical.”
Nan regarded Spock. “And what would that proposition be?”
“The Remans require their own world.”
Molmaan let out a sharp breath. “The Remans already have a continent.”
“While Ehrie’fvil was a tenable solution three months ago, it was contingent on the Remans’ being able to make use of the land to create their own economy. The disaster that Admiral Abrik has described is only the latest difficulty. There have been attacks on the Remans’ crops-it has been impossible to prove sabotage, but impossible to disprove it as well. In addition, there have been continued instances of violence on Romulus itself that parallels the violence in space.”
Nan scratched her chin. “So you think getting them away from the Romulans is the right course of action?”
“Yes. The violence has escalated and is now interfering with the peace process.”
Esperanza shook her head. “I’m not sure I like the idea of that-it sounds like we’ve given up on the notion of them living in peace.”
Raisa said, “I do not believe that was ever an option; if it were, the Klingons would not be needed.”
“Or even desirable,” Jas said. “If your goal’s to bring about peaceful coexistence, you don’t do it with the Klingons breathing down your necks.”
Spock steepled his fingers in front of his face. “I share your misgivings, Ms. Piniero. I too would prefer that the Remans and Romulans live in peace. However, I no longer believe that goal is viable, much as we had hoped it would be. Between them, the Klingons and Remans have enough ships to transport all the Remans currently living in Ehrie’fvil to a new world.”
Molmaan threw up his webbed hands. “Fine, let them! Why are we even having this conversation? The Remans don’t want any part of us-they made that very clear when Captain Riker offered them an opportunity to become a Federation protectorate-and neither do the Romulans. Let them all kill each other.”
Esperanza said, “The violence is escalating, Councillor. If it keeps up, we won’t be able to stay out of it.”
“Why not?” Jas asked.
“Why not what?” Esperanza asked right back.
“Why not simply let the Klingons and Romulans fight it out?”
Spock raised an eyebrow. “You would condemn the Remans so callously?”
Jas gave Spock a withering look. “Not to put too fine a point on it, Mr. Ambassador, but they had their chance, and they spit in our faces.”
Raisa said, “That is no excuse to simply abandon them.”
“What more excuse could we possibly need?”
Nan gave Jas a withering look of her own. “I wasn’t aware we were in need of one, Jas-I thought it was what we did naturally.”
Jas was silent.