• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By then, all the delegates had presumably taken their seats. To the captain, the chamber looked absolutely full. There were even a few observers standing in the back.

Culunnh’s small, furry head poked over the top of the lectern. His large violet eyes blinked solemnly, his shiny metal medallion glinting in the filtered sunlight.

“The four hundred and forty-first session of the Kellasian Congress is now in session,” intoned the Benniari. “First Minister of Debennius II Cabrid Culunnh presiding. May I remind you that this is a place for discussion and debate-nothing else.”

Ben Zoma leaned toward his commanding officer. “Not a good sign when you have to say that right off the bat.”

“No,” Picard breathed, “it’s not.”

Culunnh consulted a small screen built into his lectern. “The chamber recognizes Sammis Tarv, Chief Delegate of Cordra Four.”

Tarv, a pale-skinned insectoid with Andorian-like antennae, stood up and faced the congress. “Once again,” he said in a rasping voice, “I would like to address the matter of the Melacronai colony on Tebra Six. It must be clear by now that-“

He was interrupted by a warbling cry of protest from a Melacronai throat: “I speak for the dead!”

As Picard scanned the assemblage to determine the origin of the high-pitched protest, he saw a Melacronai female come down the central aisle. She wasn’t alone, either. There was a small child in her arms, an infant really, and one more on either side of her.

“G’aha Avriil cannot decry the manner of his death,” the female shrilled, “but his widow can!”

“I must protest!” Sammis Tarv grated loudly. “First Minister, this woman was not properly presented to this body, nor have children ever been allowed to enter this chamber!”

Before he finished, the entire delegation of Cordracites was on its feet, adding their objections to his. Then: voices sounded like a collection of rocks grinding together.

The translator installed in Picard’s comm badge squealed in protest. Both the captain and his first officer winced and removed their badges. Picard scowled, having been warned that this might happen if too many of the delegates decided to speak at once.

“Silence!” demanded Cabrid Culunnh.

The Cordracites fell silent as he asked, though they continued to gesticulate with great vehemence. But the Melacronai female chose not to heed the First Minister.

“First Minister Culunnh!” she cried out. “It seems to me that the Companion of a murdered G’aha ought to be honored within these precincts, not silenced like an unruly ta’pur!”

Her children stared wide-eyed at Culunnh. The smallest of them began to weep, his single nostril flaring and then sealing shut.

Ben Zoma shook his head. “Why do I have a feeling she and the kids didn’t come here on their own?”

Picard knew exactly what his exec meant. He had no doubt the female was what she appeared to be-the spouse of a murdered Melacronai official. However, her presence there was so incendiary as to raise questions.

“More than likely,” the captain whispered, “the Melacronai delegation arranged her passage here.”

“To show the congress how the Melacron are suffering at the hands of the Cordracites,” Ben Zoma suggested. “So in the end, everyone will sympathize with Melacronai territorial claims.”

And the congress hadn’t been in session for more than a minute or two. Picard had to wonder how often this type of thing occurred.

A sharp buzzer sounded, interrupting the G’aha’s widow. Cabrid Culunnh’s tufted ears lay flat against his round head, a sure sign of irritation. “Madam,” he responded, “I grieve for your great loss-“

A roar of protest went up from the Cordracite delegation. However, the First Minister barreled on.

“-and I am certain everyone here does the same. We have never condoned and will never condone the assassination of an elected official under any circumstances at all.”

He glared at the entire assembly. Picard hadn’t thought it possible for a Benniari to glare, but Culunnh was doing it.

“However,” said the First Minister, “it