The Last Stand - Brad Ferguson [14]
“A faster-than-light vessel,” Hek breathed. He clenched a fist. Instinctively, he knew the old man was right. “At last.”
“A wonderful thing, Presider,” Pelaka said, his own eyes shining. “A miracle, to find such a ship at this historic time.”
“I want that ship,” said the Presider. “I want it.”
Chapter Five
J USTMAN MADE ITS FINAL APPROACH to the VIP landing pad at the spaceport that served the Lethantan capital. The shuttlecraft’s escort flew on by overhead. Captain Fesnerkall saluted the Enterprise landing party with a last waggle of his wings.
“Friendly enough,” Picard said approvingly. “Good protocol. Fine sense of fitness on the part of that Fesnerkall.”
Deanna Troi nodded. “I sensed nothing inimical from any of them, Captain. They were curious about us, perhaps a bit fearful, but disposed to be friendly. The other thing, the apprehension I told you about earlier, overlays all their thoughts and colors all their actions.”
“The other thing is what we need to find out about,” Picard observed.
“Yes,” Troi replied, touching her forehead in something like weariness. “Their fear hangs over everything they think and do like a thick, dark blanket. It is suffocating them, in a way.”
“Captain,” Worf called. “There are people waiting for us.”
Picard turned to a small viewscreen that was right at hand and dialed for the view below. Casting about, he soon found a group of perhaps thirty people standing not far from their designated landing spot.
“What do you think, Counselor?” Picard asked.
Troi pursed her lips. “There is a great deal going on among them. Their emotions are—are roiling.” She paused. “The strongest feeling is coming from this one, Captain—the tall, white-haired man in the middle of the group. To him we represent salvation.”
Picard nodded. “Do you have any idea of what the danger might be that these people face?”
Troi winced as she attempted to read closer.
“Are you all right, Deanna?” Picard asked, concerned.
“I’m sorry, Captain. This isn’t very easy for me. Everyone here is, is keyed up about whatever this is. Tapping into it, trying to read it, is a bit uncomfortable. It’s like trying-to grasp the lyric of a song by putting your ear against an output unit set at its highest volume. Whatever the danger is, they view it as both enormous—and quite nearby.”
“No one else is around,” Data said. “There appears to be a conflict between what Counselor Troi perceives and our appraisal of the tactical situation.”
“Appearances can be deceiving,” Troi observed.
“Landing now, Captain,” Worf called.
“Do a nice job, Mr. Worf. They expect to be impressed.”
Jemmagar, the minister for security, was perturbed. Shielding his eyes, he squinted up into the bright sky. “Is this the alien ship we’ve been waiting for?” he asked Kerajem, exasperated. “This tiny thing? Hardly seems worth closing off the spaceport for it.”
“It’s not so very small,” Kerajem said patiently. “In any case, this is what the aliens call a shuttlecraft. The mother ship is still in orbit. That one should be large enough to impress you. Really, Jemmagar, you ought to try listening to the briefing reports once in a while.”
Jemmagar set his lips in a tight line. “There wasn’t a great deal of time, First,” he said fussily. “I’ve had about half an hour’s sleep in the past three days. I’m afraid I was grabbing a nap in the groundcar while the driver got me here.”
“Very well, Jemmagar,” Kerajem said, holding up a hand. “Never mind, never mind. We’ve all been a little short on sleep recently.”
The ministers watched as, overhead, the shuttlecraft spun smartly about and settled down slowly onto the landing pad. There was only the smallest sound as the little boat contacted the surface.
The engines died and, after a moment, the hatch opened.