Nightshade - Laurell K. Hamilton [55]
‘When we went to question people to discover the real murderer, Talanne herself offered us the opportunity to torture civilians. Innocent doctors who had done nothing but gather evidence from the crime scene.”
Picard stared at Talanne. The look on her face was one of arrogance, unreadable, almost amused, but there was a tightness around the eyes that made it all a lie. It was still a masterful effort at keeping a blank face. The Orianians had no talent for it. That Talanne could do it at all meant she was a very quick study. “Is this true, Colonel Talanne?”
‘That we consider torture as a normal part of a criminal investigation, yes.” The false amusement slipped away, leaving her face bleak. “In fact, if Ambassador Worf had waited but an hour, he would have been right.” She stared at Picard, her face calm.
‘Excuse me, Colonel Talanne,” Picard said, “Are you saying that you do intend to torture me?” It was too absurd to say out loud. There had to be a misunderstanding somewhere.
‘You will be interrogated like any other murder suspect, Ambassador Picard. It is our custom.”
‘But surely, Colonel Talanne, there are exceptions for diplomatic missions,” Picard said.
Talanne frowned. “Why should there be?”
Picard made an exasperated sound. He looked at Worf, who said, “I told you, Captain. They are barbarians.”
Picard didn’t even correct Worf, he was too taken off guard.
‘Colonel Talanne, I agreed to be arrested but I did not understand your customs. I did not realize that torture was part of… your routine.”
‘Are you saying that you would have fought rather than submitted, if you had known?”
‘I honestly don’t know.”
‘You are all very surprised by this,” Talanne said. “Why?”
‘The Federation does not condone torture under any circumstances.”
‘Why not?”
‘I ask again, may I be allowed to speak with my people in private?”
‘I don’t think so.” Talanne stood in one sweeping motion, her cloak swirling like a solid wind around her. “We have no secrets from each other, surely. Speak the truth in front of us without fear.”
Picard gave a small nod. “As you like. Counselor, what do you sense from Colonel Talanne?” He did not look at Troi but watched Talanne. He depended on Troi, but his own observations were always valuable to him.
‘She is truly puzzled, Captain. She doesn’t understand why we are shocked that they use torture. She feels no remorse or guilt. It all seems very ordinary, everyday, to Colonel Talanne. They have every intention of torturing you, Captain.” Troi’s voice was soft on the last word.
Talanne was wearing her face bare as a compliment to the ambassador. Picard now saw that it was a mistake. The limited control she had of her expression crumbled. Every emotion crawled across her delicate features, plain even to Picard. Surprise, embarrassment. The Orianians had worn masks too long and had lost the knack of keeping blank-faced. But Picard asked aloud anyway, a perverse form of politeness, perhaps. “Is that accurate, Colonel Talanne?”
‘Yes,” the word was unsure, hesitant.
‘You intend to torture me in an hour?” Picard was still having trouble believing it. His diplomatic training didn’t cover this.
‘Your interrogation is scheduled in an hour, yes.”
‘We cannot allow this, Captain,” Worf said.
Picard’s first instinct was to agree, but what would that mean for the mission? What would it mean for them getting out of here alive? The torture chamber was full of Talanne’s guards. They were outnumbered two to one, and the Enterprise was gone. Even if they fought their way out, where would they go?
‘What does the torture consist of,” he asked.
‘Captain!” Worf nearly shouted it.
‘Lieutenant, I need more information before I can make a decision.”
‘What are you saying, Captain,” Troi’s voice was breathy with fear.
‘Colonel Talanne, what does the torture consist of?”
Talanne watched them all, openly curious. “You mean what will be done to you?”
‘Yes.
‘I cannot allow you to be harmed, Captain,” Worf said.
‘Nothing has been done to me, yet, Lieutenant. We are gathering information, that is all.”