To Storm Heaven - Esther Friesner [72]
“No more than a day ago,” the Ne’elatian replied, still catching his breath. “It was urgent, they said, so it was sent here from the final gateway by our fastest couriers. Is there—” The sight of Captain Picard’s grim expression gave him pause. “Is there to be any answer?” Picard said nothing, the message a wad of utterly crushed paper in his hand. With a curt bow, he marched toward the main sanctuary building where his Starfleet uniform awaited.
The Ne’elatian watched him go, then looked at Hara’el and said, “No answer, then?” “I think he is going to deliver it himself,” the Orakisan replied, a trifle uneasily, and hurried to join him.
Chapter Twelve
GEORDI LET OUT A LOW, long whistle of astonishment.
“Psionic powers?” he asked, echoing the portion of Mr. Data’s report he had just heard. Beside him at the briefing room conference table, Legate Valdor and his son exchanged a look of surprise and speculation.
“Apparently so,” Lt. Worf commented. “In ordinary circumstances it would be easy to rescue Counsellor Troi and Ambassador Lelys in a straightforward manner, but given this new factor, I would recommend a well considered strategy. We do not know the extent of the Ashkaarians’ mental capabilities. We would not wish to give them more hostages than they presently control.” At the head of the conference table, Captain Picard rose to his feet. “Your point is well taken, Mr. Worf, but I strongly dislike the idea of remaining here, doing nothing, knowing nothing of what has happened to our people on Ashkaar.” “So do I,” Hara’el put in, a bit more loudly than usual. “We must act immediately for Ambassador Lelys’s safety.” He might have said more, but a scowl from his father made his face color brightly and he subsided.
“Sir, personally I would also most certainly prefer a course of immediate action, but it would be irresponsible of me to recommend it,” Worf said.
“Commander Riker is still in sickbay, his condition unchanged.
We are not dealing with a minor threat as far as the Ashkaarians’ powers are concerned. We must not act rashly.” “If only Counsellor Troi still had her communicator.” Picard smacked his palm with his fist. “Mr. La Forge, do you think you could get a reading on their life-signs and use that for a transporter fix?” “With respect, sir, I tried that as soon as I found out why I’d been recalled to the Enterprise. The readings I’ve picked up from the planet’s surface are indistinct.
Either there are disruptive atmospheric factors at work or this is some sort of mental static linked to the Ashkaarian population, sort of a psionic smokescreen effect.” “A deliberate one?” Legate Valdor asked.
Geordi shook his head. “Highly unlikely, sir. If it were deliberate it would come from a focussed source, one I could pinpoint. As I said, it could just be atmospheric.” “So much we don’t know,” Picard muttered. “So much we must know before we can do anything.” “Permission to speak, sir,” Data said. Picard nodded curtly. “The chief source of conflict lies in the relations between Ashkaar and Ne’elat. These two worlds have been existing in a kind of spiritual parasitism for ages. We have proof that the Ne’elatians have been keeping the Ashkaarians in an artificially backward state for their own purposes. As a result of this enforced primitivism, the Ashkaarians view all aliens as either angels or, in the case of the Away Team, demons. If we can reestablish normal relations between the sisterworlds, the Ashkaarians will learn that the Ne’elatians are no more angels than Counsellor Troi and Ambassador Lelys are demons, and will release them accordingly.” “An interesting plan, Mr. Data,” Captain Picard said, resuming his seat and leaning forward intently.
“Unfortunately it is also an unacceptable one under the terms of the Prime Directive.” “Is it, sir?” Geordi said. “If we reveal the Ne’elatians’ role in controlling the history of Ashkaar, that would be a violation of the Prime Directive, but if the Ne’elatians themselves decide to make amends, it