Survivors - Jean Lorrah [79]
“It would not work,” said Data.
“She doesn’t know that,” said Dare. “From out here, the Federation look very soft and unthreatening.”
With his characteristic half-questioning intonation, Data said, “Indeed. Do you perceive Nalavia as unthreatening?”
“No, I do not,” Dare replied.
“She has proved extremely successful,” Rikan put in. “Her efforts, however, have gone toward entrenching her own power rather than benefitting the people of Treva.”
“Are you aware of how she has accomplished that?” Data asked the warlord.
“She encourages them to grow soft,” he replied. “I do not understand it-there should be some who recognize what she is doing. Yet only outside the cities has there been rebellion against her.”
“I assume that in the countryside the major sources of drinking water are untreated?”
“Wells and streams, for the most part. Mr. Data, are you suggesting that Nalavia drugs the water supply in the cities?” Rikan deduced at once.
“It is not a suggestion. It is a fact.”
Dare frowned. “The people don’t act drugged,” he said. “They use intoxicants in their leisure time, but we’ve seen no signs of slowed production, increased industrial accident rate-anything to indicate that workers are chemically dependent.”
“It is not that kind of drug,” said Data. “Nalavia is using a chemical which opens people’s minds to hypnotic suggestion. Then she uses the video broadcasts to … program them. The drug also suppresses strong negative emotions. It does not impair judgment or coordination; in fact, it makes people more efficient at their work because they are not distracted by anger or fear or grief.”
“Or love,” Yar murmured. Data glanced at her with the faintly puzzled frown that told her he was storing a response he did not comprehend for later analysis.
Data continued, “Intoxicants are sold freely, but under strict government control. They appear to be used to supply a substitute for the suppressed emotions.”
“Yes,” said Yar. “It’s very easy to turn to chemical happiness when there is no other kind in your life.”
Rikan was sitting up very straight now. “But how do we fight this?” he asked. “How do we stop it? Mr. Data, you have revealed Nalavia’s secret, for which I thank you heartily. Now how can we stop Nalavia?”
Dare smiled his wolfish smile. “All we have to do,” he said, “is substitute something innocuous for Nalavia’s suppressant! Once it clears everyone’s system-“
Data stared at nothing, nodding slowly and smiling faintly as he accessed the necessary information. “- they will have a sudden release of emotions. All that they should have felt during the time their emotions were suppressed will come on them at once.”
“And that,” said Rikan firmly, “is when we attack!”
Chapter Nine
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER DATA was intrigued with the warlord Rikan and his castle. The structure was genuinely old, yet outfitted with the latest technology, both for comfort and for defense. The computerized surveillance system was new, part of the service supplied by Darryl Adin, aka Adrian Dareau, aka the Silver Paladin.
Data found it confusing-hardly a new feeling in his life among humans-to be a prisoner, yet to be treated as a colleague, even a friend. Having accessed all the Enterprise Security files except the ones classified as “eyes only” to Tasha and her Security staff, he knew all about Darryl Adin. Knew facts, that is. The man did not seem to match the facts.
Someone capable of selling out the Federation, of arranging an attack that would endanger Starfleet trainees and personnel-and which in fact had resulted in the deaths of a number of them-ought to appear more of a hardened criminal. Not that Data’s experience with hardened criminals was all that extensive; Cyrus Redblock and Felix Leech had been created by the holodeck program, after all, and based on characters from fiction.
Nevertheless, Data had passed the required psychology courses at the Academy. The activities of the Silver Paladin did not correspond with