Maker - Michael Jan Friedman [81]
“Go ahead,” he said weakly.
Mehdi turned to the Nuyyad. “Please understand,” he said, “whatever you say in this room must be the truth. There’s no room here for lies or misdirection.”
“The concept has been explained to me,” said the alien.
“All right, then. Your name?” Mehdi asked.
“I am called Dojjaron, Foremost Elder of the Nuyyad.”
“Why are you here, Foremost Elder?”
“I have come to enlighten you and your fellow judges.” He glanced at McAteer. “There seems to be a misconception as to what took place on the other side of the barrier, between your Captain Picard and the Nuyyad.”
“A misconception?” said Mehdi. “In what way?”
“I have heard it said that Picard would have been wiser to leave us alone—that he made enemies of the Nuyyad when he could have avoided doing so.”
Apparently, Dojjaron had been given closed-circuit access to the hearing. Clever, thought the captain.
“And this is inaccurate?” asked the admiral.
“Let there be no doubt—we had every intention of invading your galaxy. And we would certainly have done so except for the actions of your Captain Picard.”
“Really,” said Mehdi.
“Yes. Though his vessel must have sustained some serious damage, he decided not to limp home. Instead, he went after a supply depot we had established, and destroyed it.”
“And this decision—this action—had the effect of forestalling your invasion?”
“Yes,” said Dojjaron. His eyes narrowed to dark points. “If only for the time being.”
“So you still intend to invade us?”
The Nuyyad grunted. “It is only a matter of time.”
“Thank you,” said Mehdi. He turned to his colleagues. “Any further questions of the Foremost Elder?”
“I have a few,” said McAteer. As he got to his feet, Mehdi sat down to give him the floor.
McAteer studied the alien for a moment. Then he said, “Tell me, what made you come here to speak on Picard’s behalf?”
“I owe it to him,” said the Nuyyad.
“You owe it to him,” the admiral echoed for dramatic effect. “And why would that be, Foremost Elder? What did you receive from Picard that inspired such gratitude?”
“His cooperation in destroying Brakmaktin.”
“Who was a threat to your people, I gather.”
“He was, yes.”
“So much so that you made a journey through the barrier to see him eliminated.”
“That is true.”
“So Picard did you a turn, and now you’re doing him one.”
Dojjaron lifted his chin. “As I said.”
“And to what length,” asked the admiral, “would you go to repay your friend Picard?”
“He is not my friend,” said the Nuyyad. “He was my ally, but now he is nothing to me. As for what length I would go to…he did my people a great favor. There is little I would not do.”
“Would you lie for him?” asked McAteer.
The Nuyyad’s eyes screwed up. “Of course.”
The admiral smiled. “And is that what you’re doing now? Lying before this tribunal in order to save Picard’s command?”
Dojjaron’s lip curled. “Among my people, we have word-twisters too. We flay their skin from their bones and stake them out in the wastes, to be devoured by predators.”
That gave McAteer pause, but only for a moment. “Answer the question,” he insisted.
“Of course I would lie for Picard,” said Dojjaron. “But in this instance, I am telling the truth. He saved you and your people from conquest. You should honor him instead of humiliating him.”
The admiral’s eyes sparkled. “That’s for us to decide.” He turned to Caber. “Anything, Admiral?”
Caber shook his head.
McAteer turned back to the Nuyyad. “Then you’re excused.”
Dojjaron stood there a second or two longer, as if to say he would leave whenever he felt like it. Then he made a sound of disdain and trundled out of the room, his security escort following dutifully in his wake.
McAteer took in his fellow admirals with a glance. “I, for one, have heard enough. Admiral Caber?”
“So have I,” came the response.
McAteer turned to Mehdi. “Admiral?”
Mehdi didn’t look eager to invite the next step, but he had no choice. “Of course.” As he sat down, he exchanged looks with Picard. The captain smiled at him, grateful for all he had done.
Indeed, he