Nightshade - Laurell K. Hamilton [38]
‘Both leaders do,” Troi said, softly.
Worf sat back in his chair, nodding. He had formed this plan to help persuade the Orianians that even with the assassination, peace was possible. No, not possible, imperative. Worf had to make them understand that an honorable peace was their only chance for survival. He took a deep breath and stood.
The bodyguards rustled like a field of corn in a sudden wind. Hands moved for weapons, but none were drawn. Worf knew that Picard would have led by example and left his phaser in the room, but Worf also had to ensure Troi’s safety. He was still head of security, no matter what other title he bore. Besides, the Orianians respected strength.
‘I have called you to this meeting to discuss peace.”
‘We saw how the Federation discusses peace,” General Hanne said. Her voice held contempt and anger.
Worf turned to the Venturi leader. “Captain Picard’s guilt has not been proven. Nor has the Greens.”
‘You are grasping at daydreams, Ambassador Worf, if you believe the Greens innocent,” Basha said.
Worf looked at the Torlick leader. “I see you do not believe Captain Picard guilty anymore than I do.”
‘He is guilty. Without his intervention none of the Greens would have gotten near General Alick,” Basha said.
‘Yes,” Hanne said, “Picard arranged it all very neatly.”
Worf fought the urge to raise his voice, and spoke very slowly and calmly, and hoped the effort did not show. “Ambassador Picard arranged nothing. He is not guilty. I do not know the Greens well enough to assure you of their innocence, but of Captain Picard’s innocence, I have no doubt.”
‘You would say that,” Basha said, “He is your leader.”
Worf took a deep breath and let it out slowly. They were arguing in circles. “Regardless of what you believe of Picard, or the Greens, their guilt or innocence does not change why you called in a Federation ambassador.”
‘We did not call the Federation in to assassinate our leaders,” Hanne said. “We can do that on our own.”
Worf ignored her with an effort. He clasped his hands in front of him and tried again. “Your planet is still dying. Neither the Venturies or the Torlicks will survive if your world dies. You are facing genocide, or has that changed since the arrest of Captain Picard?” Worf stared around the room, making eye contact with as many of the leaders as he could. Some were masked and he could not read their expressions, but it did not matter. He looked at them anyway.
“[?]birth to hideous things that I pray will die, because I cannot save them. There have been things born into my arms that haunt my dreams. We are killing our children. Without our children we will die as a race, both sides. It will not matter who is right, or wrong, or who won, or who lost. There will be no one to care, because we will have poisoned Oriana. This planet will die and the few struggling remnants of our race will die with it.”
Dr. Zhir hesitated for a moment, then said, “I did not think I could still care so very much.” She set down to a room that had grown utterly still.
Worf waited a moment, then stood. “Your planet will die, your children are dead and dying, let peace save them both.”
Hanne cleared her throat sharply. “The Venturies are willing to talk peace, but not yet. If Picard was acting alone with the Greens, then his death will cleanse the honor of the Federation. If he is innocent, then again, we can talk peace with the Federation. But if Picard names the rest of you as accomplices, or that this was a Federation plot, then there will be no talks, no peace.”
‘I agree with General Hanne,” Basha said. “Prove Picard innocent and we will talk peace, or let him die as the single Federation traitor, and we still talk. We understand that you are not responsible for every member of your party. We have all had ambitious traitors in our midst.”
Worf wanted badly to defend the captain, but he held his tongue. The captain was innocent-they would prove that, shouting would not help.
‘So,” Worf said, “if we prove Captain Picard’s innocence, you will talk peace.