Gateways 07_ What Lay Beyond - Diane Carey [137]
“Computer, shut down the gateway and then close down,” Picard instructed.
“As you wish,” it said, and a moment later the image vanished. The computer whirled to a close and the lights went dim.
It was over. The galaxy could go about its business without threat of further interference.
Oddly, it felt disquieting, but Picard would adjust and learn to keep such secrets deep in his mind. He signaled his ship and was transported home.
The glowing face spoke in gibberish, but Chanik could tell it was speaking to someone, Young God Picard he assumed. There were pauses, then it spoke, then it stopped. Sounds indicated the system was changing and Chanik thought it might be dying. It took Young God Picard away and he was told this was a good thing but he missed the man.
The lessons he learned from Picard had filled his mind in all the hours he waited for the machine to perform its magic. Things were not always what they appeared and justice could take many forms. The lessons were good ones and maybe, when he was a little older, he could teach them to others. Teaching sounded like a good thing to do, he considered, chewing on the last strip of meat. But first, there was more for him to learn. Perhaps he would return to the farm they had passed together. Maybe the farmer took in the thieves and maybe there was room for him, too. He could work for food, learn to plant or make wine. And then he could watch and see if Picard’s instructions would be followed.
A plan set, he turned to walk out of the cavern, ready to leave the City behind him and start something new.
Chapter 7
Doral had not left the guest cabin once. He had learned to manipulate the ship’s computer and seemed to be accessing a wide variety of files, none of which posed a threat to the ship or crew. Christine Vale assured Picard that no sabotage was possible from the Petraw leader.
The Enterprise was en route back to the Petraw fleet. As soon as the captain returned to the bridge, contact with Starfleet was established and it was clear that the computer had followed its programming. Admiral Ross reported that all indications were that the gateways had stopped functioning, which meant more than a handful of planets were spared further damage. The cleanup work would take months, complicating the Dominion War rebuilding, but that was a task for the Starfleet Corps of Engineers. Ross complained that they never seemed to be moving forward, always rebuilding or recovering from some problem. His tone sounded upbeat, though, and Picard accepted the heartfelt thanks with a tight smile.
Now he stood before the Petraw’s cabin, making up his mind. Bractor was right: he had not really considered the beaten explorer’s fate. His hands tugged his uniform straight and he then pressed the door chime.
Within moments, he stood before Doral, who seemed slighter, less haughty than when they first met some days before. He had been viewing a recording about the horsehead nebula, a half-drunk cup by his elbow. If he were fully human, Picard would suspect he had slept little, his eyes looking more haunted than alert.
“It’s over; we shut down the gateways,” Picard said.
“I see.”
“Your ploy caused immense loss of life and great destruction,” the captain continued. “We estimate that relocating the lost will take some months. We have diplomats rebuilding peace accords and our work will allow us to remember the Petraw for quite some time.”
“And what will become of my people?”
Picard looked at the defeated man and fought the feeling of pity that was welling within him. He would not allow it. “Your people subscribe to a different moral code. I was distressed to see that one felt strongly enough to take action which cost more lives. I am not certain what should be done, to be honest. What you did, you did from some biological imperative, but I cannot forget that there were alternatives to the approach you took.
“I could leave you to the mercy of a coalition court, but that would detain you when that is clearly not of use to anyone.”
“No, I suppose not.” The words were flat, the