The Last Stand - Brad Ferguson [29]
“That’s not really important,” Picard said smoothly. “Commander William Riker, allow me to introduce you to Kerajem zan Trikotta, First Among Equals of the Council of Ministers of Nem Ma’ak Bratuna; Presinget fes Kwaita, the minister for labor; Klerran fes Dresnai, the minister for science and education; and Rikkadar zan Therrka, the finance minister. Gentlemen, Commander Riker is the first officer of this vessel and my second-in-command. He’ll get you settled.”
How does he remember all those names? Riker wondered as he extended his hand. “I am very pleased to meet you all,” the first officer said in his best company manner. “We have guest quarters ready for each of you. We thought you might want to refresh yourselves after your trip.”
“Trip?” Klerran said, a bit bewildered. “That was a trip? I still don’t believe we went anywhere.”
“Did our staff people get here all right?” Rikkadar asked.
“The other members of your party beamed aboard several minutes ago and have already been escorted to their guest quarters,” Picard told them.
Presinget looked around him. “I’d like to see those quarters you mentioned, Commander,” he said gruffly. “If this transporter gadget is how you people get around, then the bathrooms around here must be something terrific.”
“We’re rather proud of everything aboard,” Picard said agreeably. “I thought we might begin our next meeting in, say, half an hour, if that’s all right with you.”
“That will be fine, Captain,” Kerajem answered for all of them.
“Excellent. We’ll send someone to escort you to our observation lounge at that time. I think you’ll appreciate the view.”
“If you’ll follow me, gentlemen?” Riker called as the door to the transporter room slid aside. He gestured them through the doorway and onto the gangway of Deck 6. Kerajem and the ministers moved out slowly, looking from left to right and all around as they moved through the exit, even though there was not yet much for them to see. With a last, resigned glance at Picard, Riker followed the Lethantans out of the transporter room, and the doors slid closed behind him.
“This is always Will’s favorite part,” Troi said.
“Don’t I know it,” Picard replied, not without humor. “One of the better things about being captain is that you can assign these kinds of jobs to others.”
“Sir,” Worf said, “with your permission, I will return to the observation lounge and complete preparations for our meeting with the Council of Ministers.”
“How is the hospitality team doing?” Troi asked.
Worf frowned. “The team is having trouble resetting the replicators to duplicate the food and refreshment items Kerajem’s assistants sent us in preparation for the council’s arrival. They have not had much time to do so.”
“Perhaps they’ll like chocolate,” the counselor ventured half seriously.
“I will suggest it to them, Counselor,” Worf said tightly. “They may have to live on it while they are here. Captain, if you will excuse me—?”
“Of course, Lieutenant.” The door opened for the Klingon and slid closed again after he passed quickly through the entrance.
“We’d better get going ourselves,” Picard said to Troi. “That meeting starts in less than thirty minutes—and this time we shan’t be interrupted. I mean to find out exactly what’s been going on around here, and without any further delay.”
“—and it took me about five minutes to figure out the damn thing, but I finally did,” a slightly out-of-breath Presinget whispered to Klerran. They, along with Rikkadar, were sitting on one side of the conference table in the observation lounge, waiting for Kerajem and Picard to appear. “I’m just glad I managed to get here before the First did.”
“So what did you do?” Klerran asked him.
“All I did was say the world flush out loud, as though it could hear me and do what I wanted it to, and it worked. Uh, what’s the matter, Klerran? You look as if something’s bothering you.”
“Oh, nothing,” the science minister replied. “I was just thinking that the sooner I got back to my quarters, the better.”
“I’d just as soon get home to plumbing I can