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Even as he accompanied Data and Lore as they followed Subcommander Taris on her inspection tour of the city, Isaac could hear the debate raging about how the Turing population should respond. The Datarians still held a slight majority, hoping for some peaceful diplomatic solution to the crisis, but the Lorist argument for extreme measures was swiftly gaining ground.

“Subcommander,” Data said, “I must urge you to reconsider the use of force in this situation. We are a peaceful people, and pose no serious threat to the security of the Romulan-Klingon Alliance.”

Along with Taris were one organic Romulan officer, his attention on the tricorder in his hands, and a pair of the android shock troopers.

“A population of thousands of Federation-constructed androids living less than a light-year from the borders of Alliance space?” Taris said, haughtily. “Even assuming that your claim for neutrality is justified, and that your presence does not violate the treaty between the Alliance and the Federation, I think you can easily see how the Alliance would be…discomfited by the thought of you living in secret so close to our worlds.”

“Typically organic,” Lore scoffed. “Governed by your own weaknesses and fears, you ascribe sinister motives to anyone not already under your thumb.”

Taris shot him a sharp look, then turned back to Data. “Why is he still speaking? I thought you had insisted that it was you who speaks for your people?”

Before he heard Data’s answer, Isaac’s attention was drawn by a scene some meters in front of them. A shock trooper, weapon in hand, was attempting to gain access to a building, his way blocked by a tripedal Turing android. The android, his three legs firmly planted, refused to move, and the shock trooper was raising his weapon, preparing to fire.

Isaac, having become so accustomed to communicating via subspace over the Turing network, called out in alarm, not using his voice but instead employing his transceiver. “Data! Trouble ahead!”

Data, whose attention had been on Taris, suddenly wheeled around. “No, wait!” he cried out with his voice, taking a step forward, but it was too late. In the next instant, the shock trooper employed his anti-positronic disruptor, wreathing the tripedal android in blue energy.

Taris cocked an eyebrow. “Now,” she said with considerable suspicion, “just how did you know that confrontation was taking place?” She narrowed her eyes, then turned to the organic officer walking at her side. “Centurion, scan for communications on all frequencies and wavelengths.”

Data and Lore exchanged glances, remaining silent.

“There’s considerable subspace traffic, Subcommander,” the officer replied, his eyes on his tricorder. “The city is bathing in it.”

Taris gave the three androids an appraising look. “Damn me for a fool, but I’d forgotten the capacity of Federation androids to receive and transmit subspace signals.” She dipped her chin, speaking into the bird-of-prey emblem pinned to the front of her uniform harness. Like all Romulan communicators, Isaac knew, this one doubtless lacked any type of dermal sensor, and was instead always in operation, as it would continue to be so long as power remained in its cells. “Taris to Haakona.”

“Receiving,” came a voice buzzing from the communicator.

“Initiate communications block, cycle pattern alpha.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Soon there’ll be no more secret whispering,” Taris said.

“This farce has gone on long enough,” Lore raged, and rushed toward Taris, his hands out and grasping.

“Lore, wait!” Data said, but it was too late.

Even moving as fast as Lore was, the Romulan shock troopers were faster. Before Lore had crossed half the distance to where the subcommander stood, one of the shock troopers opened fire with his disruptor, and Lore collapsed to the floor, paralyzed with convulsions.

Isaac called over the subspace network to Lal. “Captain, matters are escalating.”

Data looked from his fallen brother to Taris. “That was entirely…”

Suddenly, Isaac lost his connection to Lal,