To Storm Heaven - Esther Friesner [20]
That our sensors picked up a false signal?” Picard asked. His eyes concealed any hint that he already knew the true answer to that question. The Enterprise’s sensors were in perfect working order. If they detected humanoid lifeforms, those lifeforms were there. If Udar Kishrit denied itm “No, of course not. There are Ne’elatians living on Ashkaar. Not many, and some not worthy to be named. Criminals, mostly, of the more dangerous sort. I trespass against the sixth moral treasure of forgiveness when I say this, but I sleep better at night knowing that there is more than just a wall between them and me.” “There seemed to be quite a high number of readings,” Picard pressed, although he gave every impression of reluctance. “I suppose if we count the guards that must be stationed there as well…” “Ah, I see that you, too, are a master of the second moral treasure, Captain Picard.” Udar Kishrit’s eyes twinkled. “We do not have that many criminals on Ashkaar. The majority of your readings must be our military training encampments. The terrain is rough and the conditions harsh, but that is an advantage when you wish to produce a good soldier.” Captain Picard nodded his agreement. By this time, they had passed through the palace of government and out into the plaza where the party from the Enterprise had first materialized on the surface of Ne’elat. Picard contacted the ship and told the engineer on duty to prepare to beam them back up, but before he gave the command to energize he told Udar Kishrit, “With your permission, I think I would like to take you up on your kind offer of hospitality. How soon can you accommodate any visitors from my ship?” “At once and with joy!” Udar Kishrit exclaimed.
Shortly after, as they were stepping off the transporter platform, Riker turned to Picard and said, “That was unexpected.” “What was?” “That decision to turn this into a shore leave.” Captain Picard turned his head; his eyes met Counsellor Troi’s. “I have my reasons,” was all he said.
Chapter Four
GEORDI LA FORGE HAD NEVER thought of himself as a spy. Still, here he was, getting ready to beam down to the surface of Ne’elat and—there was no other word for it—spy on the natives. Well, all right, to observe them. Closely. Captain Picard had been quite specific about that closely part.
At least I can’t say I’m too surprised by this, the Enterprise’s chief engineer thought as he checked the readings on the warp drives. (If he had to spend any significant length of time ashore, first he was going to make sure he left everything in his division shipshape.) I’m no cadet. It’s not the first time I’ve been handed an assignment that’s outside the boundaries of my original job description. He shrugged. Starfleet officers were always prepared to do whatever was required of them as long as it served the greater good and did not violate regulations.
True, no one involved had ever come right out and used the word spying, but how else to describe this assignment? He wasn’t due for shore leave, he had no training in diplomacy and even less in botany. And if there’s some other field of expertise with any bearing on the mission to Ashkaar, no one bothered to tell him about it.
Ne’elat, he mentally corrected himself. As a colony, Ashkaar ‘s gone.
That was what the Ne’elatians claimed, anyhow, and the Ne’elatians were the last hope of the Orakisan colonists on Skerris IV. I’m no more a diplomat than I’m a spy, Geordi thought, but even I know it’s not the smartest thing to come right out and accuse people of lying when they’ve got something you need that badly.
He checked out a flickering bank of telltales. Not that there’s any proof that the Ne’elatians are lying, just suspicions.
He remembered the reaction when Captain Picard and the others from the first Ne’elatian visit had reported their findings to a small group of handpicked crewmembers and the two remaining members of the Orakisan diplomatic mission in the captain’s ready room. He could still feel Legate Valdor’s angry words