The Last Stand - Brad Ferguson [45]
“That will be fine,” Picard agreed.
“I look forward to the beginning of our talks, then,” Hek said, bowing perfunctorily along with the others. The Enterprise officers returned it and watched as the Krann officials turned and left the reception area through another door.
Picard turned to address the reception staff. “If you young people will lead on,” he said, “we’ll follow along.”
“At your service, sir,” one of the young Krann females said. The six reception staff workers were dressed in the same dark clothing that seemed to Picard to be de rigueur among all the Krann he had seen, and the oldest of them was no older than seventeen or so. The staffers all bowed very low and, without waiting for the obeisance to be returned, straightened and led Picard, Worf, and Troi through the reception area and down a short passage to a comfortably large room that contained a good number of plush chairs and sofas. Four of the six Krann went behind a partition and soon emerged with prepared trays laden with food and drink. They began serving.
Troi sipped from a small cup of light orange liquid. It seemed faintly alcoholic and was very tasty. Captain Picard accepted a tumbler of light brown liquid and something that looked like a ham sandwich. Worf took the same.
“If any of you needs to lie down,” the same young female told them, “we can adjust one or two of the sofas to allow for that.” She pointed. “There are recycling units behind those doors there, there, and over there.”
“What is your name?” Troi asked.
The young female blinked, and the young male standing next to her plainly looked scared. “My name?” she asked. She sounded worried. “Have we done something to offend you or these others, Deanna Advisor to Captain? If so, I certainly do most sincerely apologize on behalf—”
“No, of course not,” Picard said, interrupting her. “You’ve been most courteous, all of you.” He paused to think; he’d seen this kind of thing before somewhere in his travels. “The exchange of names among our people is a friendly gesture,” he continued. “It shows an intention to be amiable, to be approachable. It is one of the first things we do when we meet each other.”
“No matter what one’s duty station is?” the young male asked, perplexed. “Upper to lower, rising to falling?”
“We treat each other all the same,” Picard replied. “Deanna Advisor to Captain was being friendly, and that is all.” He smiled. “What is your name, young lady?”
“Hellek,” she replied after a second. “Hellek Pool is my name. Thank you for asking, Jean-Luc Captain Starship Enterprise.”
“You’re not going to put us on report?” the young male asked suspiciously.
“Certainly not,” Picard told him. “We would never do such a thing.”
“Tell him your name, Pragges,” Hellek said.
“No need to, now,” he groused. “I’m in the worker pool, same as Hellek. We’re all still unconscripted, you see.”
“Any day now, Pragges,” Hellek told him reassuringly. “You just wait.”
“These other four here are unconscripted, the same as yourselves?” Picard asked. “Do you mean to say that none of you has a permanently assigned function aboard this ship?”
“Oh, hull, no!” Hellek said, suddenly putting her hand over her mouth, and the other five young people looked equally horrified. Picard wondered what he might have said.
“Pardon my profanity,” Hellek said, “but we’re not useless, Jean-Luc Captain Starship Enterprise! We’re among those who have been assigned to hospitality work for this period while we’re waiting to be given our career assignments.”
“We’re pool workers, sir,” Pragges said, looking insulted. “We work just as hard for the Fleet as any conscript.”
“I’m sure that you do,” Picard said placatingly. “I deeply apologize to all of you for my error. I intended no insult. We have a great deal to learn about each other’s ways.”
“Perhaps we were a bit quick to react,” Hellek said diplomatically. “Well, then. You have the better part of