Nightshade - Laurell K. Hamilton [57]
Doubt flashed across Talanne’s face. Did she realize how transparent her face was? She couldn’t possibly know, or she would never have shown herself maskless.
‘Colonel Talanne?” Picard made it a question.
Her eyes flickered to his face then down. “I don’t know. It has been a very long time since this planet has seen a mind-healer of such power. I had heard stories of powers that could look into the very soul, but,” she looked away from them, her voice growing soft, “I did not believe.”
Picard was tempted to tell her that her face alone gave most of it away. But Orianians were so uncomfortable without their masks that he would not compound their discomfort.
Talanne turned to them, her face guarded, eyes uncertain. “I will allow you to speak in private to your people. The guards outside the cell block should have allowed Ambassador Worf to see you. You are still a Federation ambassador, and you will be accorded the accompanying privileges.”
‘We would also need to speak with the Greens,” Worf said.
Talanne opened her mouth as if to protest, then smiled. “I suppose if we are to execute a Federation ambassador, you must be given full access to everyone involved.” She looked suddenly tired. “I will leave orders that everyone is to cooperate with you fully. There will be no other incidents.” She stared at Worf as she said the last.
‘If you have any urgent demands, Lieutenant Worf, simply come to me. I will expedite them without your having to go through all these heroics.”
She smiled but it was not pleasant. “You have learned much about our ways this day, and I have learned that not all I hear of Klingons is true.” A look of genuine puzzlement crossed her face. “Who would have thought that a Klingon would have any qualms about torture?”
‘Honor does not allow harming innocent people.”
‘Yes, yes, I understand that now. Perhaps if we ever get this mess sorted out, you can tell our warriors something of the Klingon code of honor. It seems all we have heard about is the pain and barbaric behavior. Perhaps,” she said softly, “there is more to it than that.”
‘I would be honored to share the Klingon way with your people, Colonel Talanne.” Worf stood very straight, and the pleasure and pride at the prospect of sharing his honor code with an entire race was obvious even to Picard. The captain had never before realized that Klingon honor was almost akin to a religious system. Would he convert the Orianians? The thought of a dual culture based on Orianian and Klingon customs was not comforting.
‘You may go back to the ambassador’s cell and talk among yourselves,” Talanne said. “And then you may question the Greens. Though I will supervise that questioning.”
‘You are most gracious, Colonel Talanne,” Picard said.
‘It is not graciousness, Picard, as well you know.” She glanced at Troi. “It seems I cannot lie to you, so I will not try. If we do execute you in two days, the Federation will not be pleased. We are dying from our own war. We cannot possibly win a war against the Federation. My husband does not see it that way, more is the pity.”
Picard found Talanne’s reaction to Troi’s powers refreshingly direct, as was her honesty. Honesty deserved honesty. “The Federation is not in the habit of making war upon,” he groped for a phrase, “less advanced societies.”
‘We are not even great enough to be worthy enemies, is that it?” There was anger in her voice.
Picard sighed. “No insult was intended.”
‘We may be uncivilized, Ambassador Picard, but unless your people can prove your innocence, two days from now you will die. This puny, backwards planet will have at least one Federation death to its credit.” She took the mask from her belt and slipped it over her face.
Then she turned a blank, unreadable face to them. “Do not underestimate us, Ambassador Picard. You do so at your very real peril.
‘The guards will escort you back to your cell. When you are finished talking in private, then you have only to tell the guards. They will fetch me, and I will go with you to talk to the Greens.”
‘Thank you, Colonel Talanne,