Double Helix 06_ The First Virtue - Michael Jan Friedman [20]
“I object!” trilled a Melacron. “We had no more warning than you did that this female would seek to address the Congress!”
“Perhaps not,” Culunnh allowed, whether he believed it or not. “However, it has long been a policy here to hold delegates responsible for the actions of their people. The decision stands.”
The Melecronai delegation warbled their complaints, but to no avail. The First Minister buzzed them a second time and a third. Eventually, they sat down and fell silent.
“Sammis Tarv,” said Culunnh, “you had the floor before the proceedings were interrupted. Please go on.”
However, when the Cordracite got up again to speak, he was shouted down by a group whose species Picard was unable to identify. And when they were silenced, the Melacronai delegation objected, citing some obscure and seemingly useless rule of protocol.
The First Minister denied the Melacron their objection, but they continued to voice it loudly and at great length. Culunnh buzzed them; it didn’t help. Then the Cordracites began to speak at the same time, their deep, scratchy voices grating on everyone present.
Before long, it was a free-for-all.
The captain scanned the crowd, trying to discern who was attacking or defending whom. However, alliances seemed to shift from moment to moment, making it impossible for him to learn anything.
He did make one intriguing observation, however. The Thallonian nobleman appeared to remain silent throughout the conflict. He sat back in his seat observing the ebb and flow of charges and accusations with eyes that didn’t seem to miss a thing.
Ben Zoma grunted. “You know, I’m amazed that war didn’t break out a long time ago.”
“That makes two of us,” Picard muttered.
“Captain Picard?” said a soft, fluttery voice.
The human turned and saw that it was the First Minister who had called his name. The Benniari’s large, violet eyes looked at him pleadingly, though Picard didn’t have any idea what would be asked of him.
But he wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.
“Yes, Minister?” the captain replied.
Culunnh turned to the congress. “Captain Picard of the Federation has agreed to honor us with his advice on these matters.”
Picard blinked, but otherwise did nothing to reveal his surprise. He had believed that he and Ben Zoma were there to observe the proceedings, not make speeches to the congress.
However, he had been charged with reestablishing the peace in this sector in any way that made sense. If the First Minister of Debennius II thought he could help to calm this assembly, who was he to refuse?
For a moment he wondered if some faction or other would object, saying that the captain had not been properly “presented.” However, the shouting appeared to die down as soon as he stood up and approached the lectern. Clearly, at least some of the delegates wished to hear what a Federation official had to say for himself.
“I would be honored to address this august body, First Minister,” Picard said in his smoothest, most diplomatic-sounding voice. He straightened the red tunic of his dress uniform and approached the lectern. At the same time, Culunnh took a few steps back.
The captain was concerned that he would look silly standing behind a meter-high lectern. However, as he got closer it automatically rose to the height of his chest, removing at least one problem.
It was a good thing, Picard reflected soberly. After all, there were so many other problems to deal with.
He gathered his thoughts as he surveyed the sea of people sitting before him. From the insect-like Cordracites to the small, fuzzy shapes of the Benniari to the long, tentacled forms of the Shera’sha-sha, every sentient race in the sector seemed to have a representative here.
That was good, the captain told himself. He would start there.
“My name is Captain Jean-Luc Picard,” he said, “of the Federation