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“Enough of this pointless jabbering!” Lore shouted, stepping between them. “He’s little better than a hairless ape, brother. Why do you expect him to understand anything? I told you this little spy network of yours was a wasted effort. There is not a place in the world to come for organics, and the sooner we help them shuffle off this mortal coil the better.”

“There is a Romulan warbird up there full of organics who are no more inclined to shuffle than am I, Lore,” Picard said, his voice low but even.

“The solution to both problems is the same, human, and it’s spelled quantum warhead.”

Before Picard could answer, his combadge beeped.

“Enterprise to Picard.”

Picard tapped to answer.

“Picard here.”

He’d last heard from Commander Ro only a few short moments ago, just after the subspace interference ended, and she’d reported that the Enterprise was holding its own against the warbird, but that both ships were taking a fair amount of punishment.

“Not sure how much more of this we can take, Captain. We’re holding them off your backs, but before long it’s going to be them or us.”

“Or both, hopefully,” Lore sneered.

“Understood,” the captain replied, studiously ignoring Lore. “Picard out.”

He turned to Data, who now stood by his daughter’s side. How strange it would have seemed, all those years ago, to see his android crewman as a father. Now, it seemed the most natural thing in the world.

“Whatever my feelings about your espionage efforts, whatever the merits of your achievements, the fact remains that we have a serious problem on our hands, and one for which the only solution offered thus far”he glanced pointedly at Lore“is far from satisfactory.”

“In bringing you into this situation, Captain, it was hoped that you might help us find a peaceful solution.”

“Captain?” Crusher raised his hand, looking like a student trying to catch a teacher’s attention. “We’re done over here, and the theory holds. We can do it, sir.”

A smile spread slowly across Picard’s face. “Data, I just may have a solution for you, but it’s one I suspect that many of your people aren’t going to like very much.”

12

Isaac watched Data’s expression as Picard outlined his proposal, but it was Lore who was the first to respond.

“No!” Lore raged. “It’s out of the question! Would you give such a powerful tool to such ignorant, bloodthirsty organic savages?!”

Lal, for her part, wore a worried expression. “It does seem a risky proposition.”

Data, though, was still thoughtful. “Wesley, are you certain that your findings are accurate?”

Crusher didn’t hesitate a moment before answering. “Absolutely.” He handed Data the tricorder for his inspection. “We’ve managed to isolate the fundamental principles behind the gateways. And I’m confident that, using the original as a guide”he gestured toward the control console“we could construct another functional model without too much trouble.”

The other members of the away team could not “hear” it, but over the subspace communications network of Turing, Isaac could hear the debate beginning to rage as the populace learned of the captain’s suggestion.

“Brother,” Lore said in disbelief, “don’t tell me that you’re actually considering this nonsense.”

“It does present an interesting solution to our present dilemma.” While Data spoke aloud for the benefit of the organics in the control chamber, he conversed at a much higher bit rate over the subspace network.

“But, Father,” Lal said, “would that not be handing away our only advantage in this circumstance?”

“On Earth,” Picard put in, “in the middle of the twentieth century, shortly after nuclear fission was perfected and weaponized, there was considerable concern that one nation-state or another might employ atomic bombs against their neighbors. It was a very real possibility, and a justifiable anxiety. But a solution was quickly hit upon, a kind of deterrence in which all sides shared the capability to inflict equal amounts of damage on the others. It was called 'mutually assured destruction,’ and ensured that no government would authorize