The Last Stand - Brad Ferguson [9]
“If I might ask a possibly stupid question, sir,” Troi began, “why don’t we just leave? We would be an unexplained mystery.”
“We can’t leave now, Counselor,” Picard replied. “There are things going on here that we need to know about. We particularly need to know if this civilization has indeed cracked the secret of warp drive. Aside from those brief warp-field generation bursts that initially attracted our attention to this system, we haven’t detected any further evidence of warp technology. That’s fairly odd.”
“These people seem to have no idea that faster-than-light transportation or communication is anything but theoretical,” Riker observed. “If they’re able to equip ships with warp drive, they’re doing a good job of hiding the fact.”
“They hide a great deal,” Picard said. “They’ve made an absolute fetish of secrecy. Why are these people camouflaging their broadcast signals? Are they hiding from someone? Who did they think we were when they first detected us? And what do they think we can do for them now? Picard sighed, suddenly tired. He rubbed his eyes. “Number One, get the away team ready. We’ve got less than an hour.”
“—will take up orbit around your world in about fifty minutes. I look forward to meeting you shortly after that, sir. Picard out.”
“Less than an hour,” Kerajem said. “Good.”
“The Enterprise, as it is called, will actually assume orbit in thirty-seven minutes, nineteen seconds,” the traffic controller reported. “That corrects for the speed-of-light delay between the time Captain Picard sent us his message and our reception of it.”
“Even better.” Kerajem silently studied the main status viewer. It was designed to dominate the room, and it did so easily. It was presently set to show the sky as seen from this longitude and latitude. Kerajem looked at the glowing red disk that represented the Enterprise as it hastened toward his world. There were also thousands upon thousands of more distant, bright white lights on the screen. None of them were stars.
Kerajem wearily rubbed his eyes.
“Is there something wrong, sir?” General Blakendet asked.
“Nothing more than usual,” Kerajem replied, blinking. “I’m going to the spaceport. The other ministers will meet us there to greet Captain Picard and his people. General, clear the Enterprise through our inner and outer defense blankets. Hattajek, you’re to remain here with the general. If anything happens and I’m out of touch, command will pass to you. You’ll know what to do.”
“Yes, Kerajem.”
Chapter Four
SHUTTLECRAFT J USTMAN DROPPED ELEGANTLY through the atmosphere of Nem Ma’ak Bratuna, Worf taking care in his piloting not to let the speed of their passage create a corona around the little ship. The Klingon security chief wanted the shuttlecraft’s sensors unobstructed by any interference, because the sky around him was full of weapons. Justman had been granted clearance by Nem Ma’ak Bratunan authorities, and a safe approach path had been charted for the shuttle, but Worf was not one to take chances … especially with his captain on board.
The Enterprise, traveling far faster than the decelerating shuttlecraft, lay far ahead of and above them at standard orbit altitude. It was no longer visible to even the sharpest warrior’s eye.
“It’s a beautiful world down there,” Deanna Troi said softly, looking at Nem Ma’ak Bratuna on a small viewscreen. “Much of it looks untouched, despite the pollution along the coasts.”
“There are large, arable areas that have apparently never been settled,” Picard said. “I must admit I find that rather strange. The population here is over two billion—a rather hefty number—and these people certainly have the technological ability to go anywhere they wish on the planet.”
Data spoke up. “The southern continents, in particular, are largely unoccupied by the natives. The concentration of population in the northern hemisphere is highly unusual, sir. The Nem Ma’ak Bratunans have congregated in mineral-rich areas along the coastal mountain ranges of the three northern continents.”
“But not in the south,” Troi said. “The population