Section 31_ Rogue - Andy Mangels [99]
Grelun folded his massive arms across his chest. “He who fights and retreats in the now may fight and win in the fullness of time.”
Riker did not enjoy being manipulated. But he knew that Grelun and his people had few alternatives to subterfuge. Having seen the carnage Ruardh’s regime had inflicted upon the rebel tribes, Riker couldn’t say he wouldn’t make some of the same choices Grelun had.
But there were still rules that had to be observed.
“Are you withdrawing your asylum request, Grelun?” Riker said.
Grelun studied him, as though over a hand of five-card stud. “What would be the consequence of such an action?”
“We would be legally bound to turn you over to the Chiarosan authorities,” Troi said sadly. Riker saw tears forming in her dark eyes; she, too, had seen the carnage.
Riker expected to see rage welling up in Grelun’s visage. Instead, there was only sorrow there. “Even after I have shown you the villages of the slain? Even after your own instruments have recorded the ghosts of the slaughtered children?”
“Your people deprived us of the tricorder evidence we gathered in the village,” Riker said. “Until both sides stop shooting long enough to let us gather new evidence, we have no objective way to back up your allegations against Ruardh. And no legal way to get around her extradition request.”
The last thing Riker wanted was to condemn someone-anyone- to certain death. He hated the situation, and was frustrated with himself for his failure to find an honorable way out. But he knew that Deanna’s analysis was correct: they had to either grant asylum to Grelun or else extradite him. It was a clear and apparently irresolvable conflict between law and morality. Still, Riker clung to the hope of finding an acceptable third alternative.
Data keeps saying that I rely on traditional problem-solving methods less than a quarter of the time, Riker thought. Maybe now’s the time for yet another unorthodox solution.
“Let’s speak off the record, Grelun,” he said aloud. “Starfleet officers are bound by laws that respect the sovereignty of democratically elected governments. Whether you intend to leave your world behind or not, if you withdraw your asylum claim we’ll have to hand you over to Ruardh immediately. You’d be giving us no other choice.”
Grelun sat in silence as he considered his scant alternatives. “Then I shall not withdraw my request,” he said finally. “But I will find the means to return to the Army of Light, and to lead my people to freedom.”
Troi turned toward Riker, concern etched on her brow. “Can we still consider his asylum request, Will? He’s just admitted that it was only a ruse.”
“Maybe according to your empathic sense,” Riker said. “But I’m not sure that’s admissible in a Federation court. Besides… weren’t we speaking off the record?”
Troi smiled, evidently satisfied with that.
“Tell me, Commander Riker: What will you do when Ruardh attacks?” Grelun said earnestly. “And she will attack, rest assured, probably within the hour. When that happens, will you raise arms against this ‘sovereign government’ your laws respect so well?”
Riker wasn’t sure what to say to that. After an awkward pause, he said, “I’m sure the captain will negotiate a resolution everyone can live with.”
“If he survives his present undertaking,” Grelun said earnestly.
“Jean-Luc Picard is an extremely resourceful man,” Riker said. “And he has a pair of excellent officers at his side.”
“Then I will pray that will be enough,” Grelun said.
The voice of Lieutenant Daniels issued from Riker’s combadge. “Bridge to Commander Riker.”
“Go ahead, Lieutenant.”
“You wanted to be alerted when the captain’s scoutship reached the edge of the Romulan cloaking field, sir. That’s due to happen in a little under ten minutes.”
“I’m on my way,” Riker said, then excused himself.
Data sat motionless behind the scoutship’s cockpit, his golden eyes unfocused. Interfaced directly with the ship’s systems, the android consulted the sensors and confirmed that the cloaking field lay dead ahead. It was almost time