The Battle of Betazed - Charlotte Douglas [71]
That’s when she saw the answer.
“Maybe not,” Deanna said, and fired.
In the fraction of a second it took her finger to pull the trigger, Deanna’s aim shifted slightly, until her sights were square over the right side of Data’s chest.
The beam cut straight through Data, and into Tevren.
Tevren’s grip on Data’s phaser rifle slipped, and both of them, android and killer, fell to the ground and lay still.
Captain Picard strode through the Enterprise ‘s shuttlebay and into semi-organized chaos. The ship’s evacuation limit had come close to being reached. His crew, however, had done an admirable job of making the thousands of men, women, and children freed from Sentok Nor as comfortable as possible. The Betazoids had been given pallets and blankets in short order, and the ship’s medical teams moved quietly among their ravaged guests, dispensing kind words and encouragement with hot meals and medical treatment.
With so many people confined in a limited area, the huge bay seemed remarkably quiet. Although the children remained subdued, several cried for their missing parents. Many of the Betazoid adults paced and waved their arms in vigorous but silent debate. Some sat in groups, their lips moving only to chew their food. Others hugged themselves and rocked. Most slept.
Their telepathic abilities didn’t cause Picard any misgivings. He’d been around Deanna Troi long enough to comprehend that her people considered probing anyone’s mind without permission the height of impropriety.
Commander Riker approached and spoke quietly. “We’re having a few difficulties, sir. They’ve selected a leader who wants to speak with you. Many Betazoids are demanding that we return them immediately to Betazed.”
“Don’t they understand the planet is still occupied by Jem’Hadar troops?” Picard asked.
“We understand,” a gray-haired Betazoid woman said sadly, “perhaps better than you do, Captain.” The woman made an effort to smile at the little boy she held in one arm, but the circles under her eyes and the tired slump of her shoulders revealed her weariness. She injected the child’s arm with a hyprospray, then handed the boy to an assistant, straightened her back, and nodded to Picard. “I’m Dr. Nerissa Povron. I was on the freighter and hadn’t been transferred to the station yet, or I would be in as bad a condition as the rest of those in this bay.”
“I’m Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and you are all most welcome on my ship.”
“Captain, on behalf of my people, I want to thank you for rescuing us.”
“No thanks are necessary. We’re all on the same side, Dr. Povron. I wish my crew could do more to help.”
The doctor led him and Riker through a cleared path between the rows of injured. “Most of our people have family on Betazed. They are anxious to return, but there is something more important we should discuss first.”
Povron drew Picard and Riker toward a section of the injured who lay on pallets on the shuttlebay decking. Even to Picard’s medically untrained eye, many appeared too sick or injured to recover, their lack of coloring just one factor indicating the severity of their injuries. Some were so emaciated their skin hung on their bones as if the Cardassians had starved them. A few were missing eyes. Those who appeared whole stared at the ceiling with blank, lifeless expressions and took no notice of their surroundings. Others had mumerous scars on their shaved heads, indicating they’d experienced more than one barbaric surgical procedure.
“The most serious cases are in your sickbay,” Povron told him.
Picard’s stomach tightened at the suffering these people had endured, aware that many lives had been destroyed and many would never recover. “Is there anything else you require?” Picard asked.
“Caskets for the dead.” She pointed to bodies covered with blankets in the far corner. “I’m afraid many others won’t last the night.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Picard told her.
She indicated those with scars on their heads. “These people are some of our most powerful telepaths.