Tooth and Claw - Doranna Durgin [21]
“The fools who destroyed their own sun?”
“Only a handful of people took the action that instigated the sun’s impending nova,” Picard said. “A few members of an extremist doomsday cult, reacting to a significant religious date.”
“That still makes them fools.”
“You and I might think so.” Picard looked away from the stars and held Atann’s eye just long enough—as far as he could tell—to indicate the utmost polite emphasis to his words. “But that doesn’t mean the entire population of the planet deserves to die.” And then, before Atann felt cornered into an immediate response, Picard made his posture more casual and looked out to the stars again. “Amazing things, those graviton eddies. One can hardly perceive them from here—only a faint rippling in the stars. And yet right now they control the fate of all the Ntignanos.” He glanced back at Atann, who seemed not to know what to say, but whose expression didn’t look promising. “As do you,” Picard told him. “That kind of responsibility must carry much prestige with it. As does how one manages the responsibility.”
Atann made a noise that Picard couldn’t interpret one
way or another, but the pursed shape of his mobile and considerable lower mouth looked no more promising than before.
Still. It was a start. Now, to find something to put the conversation on more casual terms, so Atann wouldn’t feel he’d been challenged.
“Data to Captain Picard.”
Blast. “What is it, Data?”
“Incoming message from Lieutenant Commander La Forge, sir.” And, as Picard hesitated, Data added, “I suggest you take it outside the reception, Captain.”
Not for the casual ear. And not a transmission to delay. “Understood,” Picard said. “I’ll get back to you momentarily.” He looked down at Atann and quickly away, a deliberately submissive—and hopefully placating —gesture. “If you’ll excuse me, ReynKa—”
The ReynKa turned away with no further ado; Pi card’s final words may or may not have been lost on him. It was hard enough to read the Tsoran’s facial reactions, never mind his stout, stiff back. Picard made a final effort before taking leave. “I’ll look forward to resuming our conversation at your earliest possible convenience.”
Troi, never far, moved in to join him as he wended through the reception—and a much happier contingent from the Enterprise, since Crusher had returned—and toward the door. “That last,” she said, “was embarrassment.”
“I thought as much,” Picard said. No one likes to be told you have more important things to do.
And this had better be that important.
Picard headed for the nearby bridge, nodded to Data on the way by, and ended up in his ready room, Troi still at his side. He sat behind the desk and touched the computer console. Data had already routed the transmission
through, and La Forge waited. “Captain,” he said immediately, and then hesitated. “Are you alone?”
“Counselor Troi is here,” Picard said, somewhat brusquely. “What’s happened?”
“Trouble, I think,” La Forge said. He seemed to be alone, in a control room of some sort. The wall behind him sported a variety of screens, monitors, and input devices; the ceiling loomed low over his head.
“You think? Mr. La Forge, either there is trouble or there isn’t.” Crabby. Picard definitely found himself feeling crabby. By-product of the Tsoran food … or, more likely, the Tsorans themselves.
“It’s not that clear-cut, Captain.” La Forge appeared unfazed. “We’ve just received a broadband transmission from within the preserve—more like a burst of noise than anything else. It’s not a transmission event the Fandreans have experienced before, and … Captain, I have a hunch that it came from Commander Riker.”
La Forge’s hunches about such matters were not to be ignored. Picard exchanged a glance with Troi, and saw from her concern that she’d come to exactly the same conclusion as he. And Riker would hardly take such a desperate gamble unless the situation were … desperate. “I see,” he told the engineer, while his thoughts raced ahead. How to tell Atann. How to determine the situation inside the preserve. How to get Riker out of there.