Section 31_ Rogue - Andy Mangels [121]
“I don’t understand this,” Riker said, frowning. “Are you saying that you want Grelun to go back to commanding a guerrilla army?”
“If a large asteroid were headed for your homeworld,” the Romulan said, “would you want to splinter it into millions of small, uncontrollable missiles? Or would you instead seek to keep the object in one piece and modify its trajectory?”
Picard glanced inquisitively at Troi, who was standing on the bridge’s port side. “He’s telling the truth,” she said. “The Romulans see the rebel movement as becoming far more dangerous in the absence of coherent leadership.”
Almost inaudibly, Riker quoted, “‘Keep your friends close. But keep your enemies closer.’”
“Grelun,” Curince said, her manner softer now. “Will you come with us?”
“I believe that it was the Romulans who destroyed the Army of Light’s principal stronghold,” Grelun growled. “They have given me little cause to trust them.”
The Romulan spread his hands, no hint of confirmation or denial in his voice. “Whoever destroyed your base, did they not give your soldiers sufficient warning beforehand for a general evacuation? Come now, Grelun. You are well aware that trust has nothing whatsoever to do with any of this. You want to return to Chiaros IV. You can do so either as Ruardh’s condemned prisoner… or you can allow the Empire to return you to your ragtag rebellion.”
Grelun stood in silence for several minutes, staring down at the carpet. His impossibly limber fingers flexed unconsciously as he considered the centurion’s offer. Finally, he drew a deep breath and said, “I will accompany you. Willingly.”
Apparently satisfied, the Romulan signed off without another word.
The Chiarosan turned to face Picard and Riker. “This is the best solution, although I trust the Romulans little, and Ruardh’s lapdogs less.”
“You could stay with us,” Riker offered.
“No. Your Federation’s appetite for conquest and penchant for self-serving trickery makes you little different than the Romulans.” He paused for a moment, before adding, “Were it not for the actions of several of your crew, my opinion of you would be lower still. But you have shown me respect and mercy, even in apparent defiance of your own Federation’s directives.”
Picard nodded slightly at the compliment as he stood and faced the Chiarosan. “Before you leave, Grelun, promise me one thing.”
“You have restored my life to me, Picard. Ask, and if it is within my power, I will see it done.”
“Find a way to bring an honorable peace to your world,” Picard said. “Your people stand at the threshold of a new age in your history, and only one thing can hold you back-the fighting that you do amongst yourselves. You know that it cannot continue indefinitely. Sooner or later, both sides will have to learn to forgive the past, and then move forward if your people are ever to build a future.”
And handing the First Protector her walking papers might be a good place to start, he thought.
“Your people haven’t always made war on each other,” Troi said gently to the Chiarosan. “Perhaps you can make such horrors a thing of the past.”
Grelun did not move for several long seconds. Picard thought that he looked like a man who was being asked to cut off his own head. But the Chiarosan also appeared to realize that he had a great deal to think about.
“Perhaps,” he said after a protracted silence. Turning to face Picard, he said, “Perhaps, one day, peace will come to pass.”
After Riker had escorted Grelun from the bridge, Picard sank back into his command chair and sighed wearily. “Take us back into Federation space as soon as the transporter room confirms Grelun’s beam-out,” he said to the conn officer. “Warp nine-point-two.”
Even at that speed, Picard thought, this part of the Geminus Gulf is still six days out of Federation space.
Picard wondered how long it would be before the Romulans abandoned this place, once they determined that their precious subspace singularity was beyond recovery. And if the Chiarosans would then ask him to return-not to help