Metamorphosis - Jean Lorrah [93]
“What about the fact that they go naked?” Worf asked, grimacing slightly. “Should we beam down unclothed?” The idea obviously pained him, but as Security Chief he had to consider every possibility to keep the away team safe. “We cannot go unarmed, and we certainly will not be mistaken for Konor. But what if there is some taboo against clothing, as the Ferengi have against clothing women?”
“An excellent question,” the captain noted.
“Meff Tichelon may know the answer.”
“We go naked before Providence when we pray, was the Samdian explained when they contacted him. “The Konor pervert our beliefs by displaying their nakedness in secular activities. his “But did anyone ever attempt to approach the Konor nude?” Riker asked. “Oh, yes,” Tichelon replied with a grimace. “Yes, some broke our own taboos, and were murdered in the midst of their error. Aping the Konor’s sacrilege will not save you from their madness. You will see: the Konor are raging beasts which must be destroyed before they kill us all. his So finally, ill-prepared as they might be, the away team gathered, fully clothed and armed, on the transporter platform. Geordi had made detailed and enhanced scans, to locate the place within the city most likely to be the seat of government.
Data and O’Brien each kept one eye on the transporter console, to make certain the team was tracked for immediate pickup, and the other on the drama playing out on the viewscreen.
With the direct communication link through combadges and tricorder, they could see and hear everything that happened. Riker, Troi, Thralen, and Worf materialized on the steps of the building the city’s traffic pattern indicated was the center of local government.
They never got through the doors.
At first, people nearby just stopped, stared, but did not move or speak. Then suddenly, from all sides, Konor men, women, and children converged on the away team.
Looks of astonishment crossed the faces of all four Starfleet personnel. Thralen’s antennae retracted reflexively, and Worf put. his hands to the sides of his head.
“Do you hear them?” Troi asked, smiling, her eyes huge and unfocused.
“Yes-inside my head!” Riker replied in tones of utter amazement. “Deanna-no!” he exclaimed suddenly as the counselor stepped ahead of the others, hands outstretched toward the Konor before her. Data knew Troi must be projecting a message of peaceful greeting to the Konor, using Betazoid techniques. If what the Konor required was telepathic contact, surely her sincere attempt would at the very least get them a hearing.
But if they understood Troi’s message, none of the Konor surrounding the away team gave any indication. They stalked closer, faces angry.
“7 hear you, was Troi gasped, the look on her face changing from joy to confusion to horror. “Such terrible anger-but why? Why wilt you not listen to me?”
At the same time, Riker gasped, grasping the sides of his head for a moment before he regained control. Pain was clear in his movements as he kept to Troi’s side. ThraIen staggered, his skin paling and his antennae retracting again as his mouth opened in a grimace of pain. Even Worf winced-but the Klingon did not lose stride. He put his hand on his phaser, ready to draw at the first sign of attack. The Konor converged on Troi, the serenity of their faces gone, although their looks seemed more disdainful than angry.
“We must beam them up!” Data exclaimed.
“They’re moving, and there are Konor too close-was O’Brien began, fingers playing over the controls.
“Bring the Konor along, but beam them up!”
Data ordered, activating his own controls as Picard’s voice came over the ship’s system, “Get the away team out of there!”
Even as they tried, the Konor attacked. The away team became four rapidly shifting foci.
Worf and Riker drew phasers, and two people trying to grab Troi fell, stunned.
That did not stop the Konor. The crowd converged, parcels