STAR TREK - TNG - 31 - Foreign Foes

Chapter One

“IF THE KLINGON MOVES,kill him .”

For a moment, no one moved. The Hidran ambassador’s order crashed off the meeting hall’s stone

walls and into the ears of theEnterprise officers. His breathing mask muffled the threat, but made it no

softer, no less a demand.

Captain Urosk crushed his phaser into Worf’s chest.

If Worf moved, he would die.

He tensed, his wide shoulders tight, his dark face clenched in anger.

“Hold it!” Commander William Riker yanked up his phaser and took a step toward them. Close enough

to smell them—not to stop them.

He motioned Data forward from the other side.

The hall had grown uncomfortably large. What had been a meter between them now seemed much

more. The only thing within reach was Riker’s regret at having brought Worf when judgment should have

told him better. Klingons and Hidran never mixed.

Urosk and Ambassador Zhad glanced at Riker. It was long enough for Riker to see their eyes, dark

green marbles set under brows of wet red leather.

Worf seized the moment of distraction and swung his arm, slapping Urosk’s weapon away.

But Urosk’s tall frame gave him advantage, kept him on his feet. He whipped the disrupter back around.

“I said stop!” Riker jumped forward and wedged himself between his own security officer and the two

Hidran.

Riker was tall as well—tall enough to shoulder the Hidran captain back in a sweeping motion. Why

hadn’t he seen this coming?

“Kill him!Kill him!” Zhad shouted to his captain. Lieutenant Commander Data came up beside them,

the android’s gold-skinned hand gripping his holstered phaser, ready for Riker’s order to draw.

“You insult us with the presence of this animal!” Ambassador Zhad spat, his glare intent on Worf, his

voice gravel beneath the breathing mask that shrouded half his face.

Urosk took only one step back. The Hidran’s long scarlet fingers anxiously pumped the handle of his

weapon, waiting to finger the trigger.

“How dare you?” Zhad growled, his tall body shaking, his red hue darkening in anger.

Riker looked from the Hidran to Worf and back. “How darewe?” Staggering audacity. To demand that

the Federation help the Hidran people, then act as if they were doing the Federation a favor by accepting

such charity . . . Riker had to restrain himself from explaining to the good ambassador just where he

could stuff his vainglorious attitude.

He took in a settling breath, then regretted it as he choked on the Hidran’s musty odor. He should have

been ignoring the stench—humans probably smelled to a number of alien races—but that was easier said

than done when the alien next to him reeked like mold and wet burlap.

“What do you know of seventy years of oppression?” Zhad roared, his voice shaking the hall, his dark

eyes burning with contempt. “Or twenty years of war? And twenty more of harassment?” He pounded a

ruby fist on the granite table next to them. Rock on rock. “When was the last time your comrades were

killed in cold blood? Was your family murdered in your home?” He angrily wagged a dripping crimson

limb at Worf. “Hehas done this to us!He has ravaged our homeworld, and strangled our future!”

Worf straightened stubbornly. “Ihave done nothing.”

The Klingon’s deep baritone and skyscraper posture were a reminder of just how intimidating he could

be.

Riker stepped back. “Your war was with the Klingon Empire, gentlemen,” he said. “Not the Klingon

race.”

“That is a matter of opinion.” The Hidran ambassador turned his head away. “I will speak with your

captain now.”

“He’ll be here, Zhad.” Riker couldn’t force the anger from his tone. His body held it too—fists clenched,

jaw tight.

Data moved his hand away from his phaser.

Not yet. Riker shook his head once, and the android gripped the weapon again.

Zhad was too unpredictable, too irrational. Every ambassador was a creature of rhetoric, but Zhad was

also a bully who coerced his way to victory. His reputation said he twisted facts to suit his purposes,

freely perverting his opponents’ arguments, all despite the breathing mask that distorted his voice. He

was a rooster who announced the dawn with such arrogance that he convinced every ear he’d created

the sun himself. It had worked for him and his race, and was why he was present.

That thought stiffened Riker’s spine, for if Zhad had a purpose here, so did Urosk.

And Urosk was a soldier. Riker had watched the Hidran captain’s eyes as he surveyed his situation and

summed it up. There was little Urosk would do without reason. Captains were all alike in some ways. At

least the ones who survived were. And that was why the Hidran captain was the danger. Loudmouths

with fists were annoying—clever thinkers with fists were dangerous.

Riker assured himself he would not be caught off guard again.

Nothing ever went quite as planned. Riker had been ordered to keep the Hidran

occupied—diplomatically.Can’t be done . And adding Worf to the mix hadn’t been the wisest move.

He’d hoped it might show the Hidran how Klingonscould be. No such luck. Now it looked as if an

argument was the only way they would communicate.

“We’ll not wait much longer.” Zhad’s face twisted into what Riker assumed was a frown.

“Ambassador, we’re here because your planet is dying,” Riker said.

“Interesting lie!” Zhad spat. “Agreements are signed over subspace. Why has the Federation brought us

to this godforsaken planet, where we are met by our enemy and forced to wait at his bay?”

“Lieutenant Worf isn’t your enemy, and this godforsaken planet was the only one your government

would agree to,” Riker said.

“Enough!” Zhad axed Riker’s platitudes off with a bark and turned back away. He slithered the

perimeter of the table, spying every corner of the large hall.

“Weare the only ones here.” Riker gestured for Data to follow the ambassador.

Zhad flashed an unamused eye at Riker and ran his palm along one of the tapestries that lined the high

walls. With two quick tugs he tested the strength of its hold on the ceiling. He lifted it and looked behind.

“Klingons don’t come that thin,” Riker grumbled dryly. “And their assassins don’t hide in the cracks of

walls. If we had brought you here to kill you, you’d already be dead.”

“Perhaps I was interested in the rugs,” Zhad said. “They are quite old, Ambassador.” Data motioned to

the tapestries. “They are believed to be the work of the ancient Velexians.”

Zhad shot a glare at all three Starfleet officers. “Who cares?”

Data began to answer, but Riker shook his head again.

The ambassador stomped back and stood next to Urosk. “Summon your captain or we leave now.”

“Ambassador, Captain Picard said zero-eight-thirty hours, and he meant zero-eight-thirty hours.” Riker

squeezed the grip of his phaser and felt the tension grow. It had smothered all diplomacy since the first

weapon had been drawn, and now it threatened to spoil what civility was left. “In fifteen minutes—”

Captain Urosk’s communicator screeched wildly and he yanked it off his belt. A voice crackled from the

small speaker. “Sir, a Klingon warship enters this sector. Its weapons are charged and it cruises at

battle speed.”

Riker groaned.Great. Just great . . .

Urosk pulled his disrupter up again and roared into the communicator. “Shields up! Arm for battle! Pull

out of orbit.”

“Understood, sir.”

Zhad grabbed Urosk’s arm and yanked the communicator to his mask. “Destroy the Klingon vessel!”

“No!” Riker stepped closer, but stopped himself from jumping on Urosk’s weapon. Instead, he nodded

Data back behind the Hidran and held his own ground. “TheEnterprise is up there! Let them handle it!”

Zhad wheeled around and rammed the butt of his disrupter against Riker’s shoulder, knocking him to the

ground. Riker’s phaser went clattering across the marble floor.

Pain arched Riker’s back as he pushed himself up on his elbows and stared at the ambassador’s

weapon, which that had come from . . . where?

Towering over him, Zhad aimed very deliberately at Riker’s head.

“So, this is the Federation’s ‘word of honor.’ As much a lie as Klingon honor.” He turned to Urosk.

“We’ve been betrayed. Thiswas a trap! They have brought us here to die!”

“Status report!”

Captain Jean-Luc Picard marched onto his bridge. The lift doors whispered closed behind him.

“We’re on yellow alert.” Lieutenant Anderson vacated the command chair and returned to her tactical

station. “Sensors indicate Klingon battle cruiser—this sector—armed. The Hidran have raised their

shields and moved out of orbit. They are transferring power to weapons.” She paused, checked a

readout on her sensor board. “The Klingons are on an intercept course.”

Picard nodded and surveyed the approaching disaster on the viewscreen. The Klingons were early. Too

early. He’d wanted time to deal with the Hidran, time to explain that the Klingons would be coming. Time

to explain to the Klingons as well.

Explanations were no longer an option.

“Shields up. Battlestations.”

Alert panels flashed red and the captain could almost sense his crew racing to their stations throughout

the massive ship. He shared a brief glance with Counselor Troi who sat to his left. The thought that she

might be feeling his tension crossed his mind. He was sure the rest of the crew believed his calm

demeanor. Deanna was the only one who could know better.

“Ensign DePotter,” Picard said, his attention now squarely on the Klingon vessel that steadily retreated

on the screen, “take us out of orbit, heading two-ten mark six. Put us right between them.”

“Aye, sir.” The young man’s fingers flew over the navi-console, pushingEnterprise gracefully out of

orbit, placing her steelgray hull between the Hidran ship and the now closing Klingon battle cruiser.

Under Picard’s order,Enterprise hovered there. To the other ships she must have seemed to dominate

space. That was as Picard wanted. His ship could be a looming reminder of just how powerful power

could be.

“The Klingons are trying to maneuver around us, sir,” Anderson said.

“Crowd them out, Mr. DePotter,” Picard ordered.

The Klingon vessel turned and twisted, andEnterprise echoed each move, barring them from the Hidran

ship at every angle. Picard watched the starscape shift wildly across the main viewer and was annoyed

by the Klingon’s tenacity. He fought the urge to remove his ship from this nonsense, and leave the

Klingons and Hidran to the violent fate they coveted.

The captain pulled in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “Patch me in to the Klingon vessel,

Lieutenant.”

“On screen, sir,” Anderson said.

The forward viewer image of the battle cruiser washed away, replaced by the harsh features of a

Klingon commander.

“I am Kadar, commander of Imperial CruiserHIv SuH.Captain, we assume you are under attack

by what we identify as a Hidran warship. We offer assistance. Move, so we may destroy them .”

The Klingon’s manner was cool, his tone measured. Despite that, Picard saw through to piercing anger.

With revenge in the pot, Klingons had poor poker faces.

“This is Captain Picard of the FederationStarship Enterprise .” His voice was calm and hard.

“Sir,” Anderson interrupted, her voice low, “Commander Meliosh of the Hidran ship is signaling.”

Picard nodded and thumbed a button on the arm of his command chair. “Captain Kadar, I appreciate

your concern, however, none is necessary. I assure you we are in no danger. Please stand by.” The

captain motioned to the screen. “Put Meliosh on.”

The bridge of the Hidran ship came onto the viewscreen. Meliosh sat in a command chair that could

hardly be seen for the water vapor that filled his ship.

“This is Captain Pic—”

“You have broken your word, Picard!”Meliosh bellowed.

“We broke no word,” Picard said. “You asked our help. Conditions on that are not yours to set.”

“You claim aid, yet summon our enemies to murder us. No, Picard, you have lost our trust!”

Meliosh’s color glowed ruddy and his lips curled around sharp little teeth.“Remove your vessel from

our path. We have an enemy to defeat!”

Picard rose and stepped closer to the viewer, hoping his compact stature would appear more imposing

as he filled the Hidran’s screen.

“You won’t defeat anyone, Meliosh,” he said, his voice firm and even. “You don’t want to risk another

war.”

Meliosh raised his head proudly.“We’ve beaten back the Klingons before. We will again.”

Abruptly, the starscape returned to the screen.

“Transmission cut, sir,” Anderson said. “I’m reading a power surge on the Hidran ship. They’re moving

off—locking torpedoes on the Klingons.”

“Tactical,” Picard ordered sharply.

A corner of the forward viewer flashed a graphic display of the sector. The Hidran ship warped out of

the solar system with the Klingon battle cruiser turning to follow.

Picard frowned and frustration gnawed at his will to help those who so vigorously rejected it.

“Shields on maximum.” Picard leaned down to the helm. “DePotter, doexactly as I say.”

The Hidran ship twisted about and fired a spread of torpedoes. Wicked orange bolts flashed across the

viewer as they rounded toward the Klingon vessel.

The young ensign looked up. Picard gave him a reassuring nod and ordered: “One-one mark twenty.

Warp one . . . now!”

Enterprisejumped into warp, forcing herself into the path of the salvos.

Picard glared at the main viewer. One after another, the torpedoes pounded against the shields, cloaking

the starscape in a blur of electrical flame. Each explosive sizzle of energy rattled theEnterprise and jolted

her a little off her course.

The captain gripped the back of DePotter’s chair as the bridge shook around them. Fingers of electricity

crackled across the screen as theEnterprise was gripped and wrenched to one side. “Stabilize,” Picard

ordered over the din of every deck reporting in. “Hail those ships, Anderson. Request a three way

conference. Demand one. If they refuse, force it.” He pointed at the navi-console. “Full stop.”

“Minimal damage to engineering decks three through seven, sir,” Anderson said. “Shield strength holding

at eighty-seven percent. Commander Meliosh and Captain Kadar standing by on three-way.”

“Damage control teams, Lieutenant.” Picard smoothed out his tunic and glared at the viewer. There was

a rage that filled the captain when he was forced to put his ship and crew in the line of fire. That anger

narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw.

“Put ourfriends on,” he said slowly.

Meliosh appeared on one side of the screen, Kadar on the other. Picard could see by their expressions

that they also could now see each other.

“Commander Meliosh,” Picard said, his voice a hammer. “You’ve fired on a Federation vessel. That is

an act of war. Stand down from battlestations and resume orbit around Velex.”

“We’ll not lower our shields with an armed Klingon warship at our throats!”Meliosh raged.

“Commander,” Picard said, “perhaps you could defeat the Klingons in a war. Perhaps even the

Federation. But certainly not both.”

There was silence as Meliosh considered the threat.

The Klingon captain smiled.

“There’s nothing to smirk at here, Kadar,” Picard snapped. “You haven’t won anything. Your peoples

need each other. Youwill work something out.”

“We do not talk with Klingons,”Meliosh said.

“You will, if you want to live,” Picard corrected. “And I don’t refer only to your suffering homeworld.

I’m willing to overlook your attack on my vessel, but only for the moment. Picard out.” The captain

gestured toward Anderson, and Meliosh faded from the main viewer. Now only Kadar filled the screen.

“Scan them,” Picard ordered.

Anderson jabbed at her console. “Hidran moving back toward Velex, sir. An orbital maneuver.”

Picard nodded and pivoted back to the screen.

“Kadar, disarm your weapons as a show of good faith.”

“Out of the question, Picard,”the Klingon chuckled darkly. “Your quaint little tactics may work

with the Hidran. I am a different matter.”

“When it comes to the needs of your peoples, there is no difference.”

“You dishonor us, Picard. We were lured here with a lie.”

Picard pressed his lips into a thin line. That was true. He had wagered that there would be enough time

to prepare the Hidran to talk with the Klingons and vice versa. He’d gambled that he could keep both

sides in the dark as to the other’s arrival. He’d lost.

“An arguable point, Captain, but you are here, and your government has asked the Federation for

assistance that only the Hidran can supply.”

Kadar lost the grapple with his anger and growled at Picard. “I will not talk with them! You are fools

to trust the Hidran! They do not kill for honor or for game. They just kill. Without thought.

Without reason. We will not stay!”

“That’s your choice, Kadar. I cannot force you to stay.” Picard turned his back to the screen.

“Lieutenant Anderson, inform Starfleet Command we request another Klingon delegation for discussion

on the Hidran matter. One thatcan handle the situation.”

The main viewer shimmered back to the starscape view. Picard glanced at Deanna.

“Anger and frustration clashing with intense pride,” the empath said. “I think you have him where you

want him, sir.”

A corner of Picard’s mouth drew down. He wasn’t quite ready to believe that.

“Captain,” Anderson called, “the Klingons have signaled that our message to Starfleet is ‘unwarranted.’

They’re entering orbit around Velex.”

Picard glanced at Deanna. His brows went up, a little surprised that a failed plan had so quickly given

way to one that had worked—for the moment.

“Well,” Deanna sighed, “that was more difficult than we thought.”

Picard shook his head and lowered himself back into the command chair. “That, Counselor, was the

easy part.”

Chapter Two

“PHASERS DOWN!” Data leveled his weapon at the two Hidran. “I would not want to injure either of

you.”

Zhad and Urosk laughed, a loud mocking growl that could not be mistaken for anything but ridicule.

Riker accepted Data’s glance. There was no annoyance in the android’s features. How often had Riker

looked for a flash behind Data’s gaze that could not be dismissed as merely electrical? The android

shouldn’t have liked to be laughed at, if even just a little, but that didn’t play on his face, behind those

bright sulfur eyes.

Suddenly Urosk tensed and launched himself forward.

Riker snapped his attention back. “Data!” he warned.

The android twisted to one side and with his free hand sent Urosk stumbling across the floor and into

Worf.

Ambassador Zhad aimed his disrupter and fired.

Riker rolled away, then skidded to his feet as the orange bar of energy scattered on the marble floor. He

wasn’t sure if it was the weapon blast or anger, but he felt a flush of heat rise in his face.

Worf seized Urosk, spun him around and rammed a knee into the small of the Hidran’s back. The

Klingon pulled Urosk’s elbows together with his right hand and wrenched the weapon away with his left.

Riker squinted as Zhad targeted him again. At the edge of his focus he saw Data grab the ambassador’s

leathery wrist and bend it back—Zhad cried out in angry pain. The android holstered his phaser, ripped

Zhad’s own weapon away, then released the ambassador from the vice with a quick shove.

Zhad stumbled back, crumpling like so much musty laundry, a mound of damp limbs against the cold

stone wall.

Data reset the ambassador’s disrupter to stun and trained it on its owner.

Riker spotted his weapon on the floor, snatched it up, and aimed it at Urosk. With a nod he gestured for

Worf to release the Hidran captain.

The Klingon loosened his grip. Urosk jerked himself away, spun around, and faced the one who’d

humiliated him so. Dank burgundy fingers tensed over an empty holster.

“That’s enough!” Riker said.

The Hidran captain braced himself, but did not move forward.

Worf stood in front of him, looking like an Old West gunfighter—a phaser in each fist.

Furious and insulted, Zhad dragged himself up and over to Urosk. “I will see that you all die for this.” He

pulled the communicator from his captain’s belt and growled into it. “Meliosh, tell me you have defeated

the Klingon ship.”

“Ambassador, I regret to report . . . a stalemate.”

Zhad sharpened his glare on Worf, but spoke to Urosk. “Relieve Meliosh as first officer. He does not

deserve the rank!” He held the communicator before the captain’s face.

“He is a competent warrior, Ambassador,” Urosk said in a tone that Riker almost recognized as one

he’d often heard from Picard.

“Do it!”

But Urosk hissed at him in the Hidran tongue and pulled him toward the far end of the hall.

Riker rubbed his tender shoulder and croaked out an order for Worf to keep an eye on them.

Nodding, Worf handed the Hidran weapon to Riker. The Klingon shifted his own phaser to his right

hand and set out to follow the two Hidran at a distance.

The comm badge on Riker’s uniform chirped. He tapped a channel open. “Away team.”

“Picard, here. Report, Number One.”

“The Hidran are a bit . . . resistant, sir, but all’s under control down here. They’re off sulking, hopefully

ready to bargain.”

“Don’t be too sure, Mr. Riker,” Picard said. “These are a hard people, by necessity. In their

experience, those who bargain are those who die. It’s going to take more than one threat to

change that. I’ll be down shortly. Picard out.”

Riker rubbed the knuckle of his thumb against his lower lip. He wondered if Picard meant there would

be more threats, or that threats were useless. And he wondered where his part in the next move would

lie. If one thing was true it was that Picard could still pluck surprising rabbits out of hidden hats.

Unfortunately, thanks to the Klingons’ irritatingly early arrival, this plan of Picard’s had failed. Originally

the captain had hoped to talk the Hidran into accepting a conference with the Klingons, who were to

arrive after Picard had a chance to make sure they understood the conditions he’d worked out with the

Hidran. The fact that neither side knew the other was coming was supposed to assure no one would

cause an incident that would “politically require” the other side to drop out.

Riker shook his head.Nothing ever , evergoes as planned .

“That was a nice move with Ambassador Zhad, Mr. Data,” Riker said, still keeping one eye on Worf

and the Hidran across the hall. “You acted very quickly. In fact, you saved my tail.”

Data nodded a salute. “Thank you, sir. However, I was surprised by Captain Urosk’s attack. I did not

expect him to underestimate my abilities.”

Examining the Hidran disrupter he rolled in his palm, Riker chuckled. “You assume it’s obvious that

you’re an android, don’t you, Data?” he asked, thumbing the weapon’s safety.

“I have never considered it, sir. I suppose so.”

Riker looked up. “Why wouldn’t he think you were human? Because you don’t lookexactly like other

humans?”

There was silence as Data considered.

“Let me put it this way,” Riker continued. “Would you notice minor variations in a Hidran’s

appearance?”

“I believe so, sir.”

Riker swallowed a sigh. “All right, wouldI notice ?” Data paused and considered that too. “I do not

think so, sir,” he said finally.

Riker shook his head, a chuckle rising in his throat—

“Drop all weapons!”

Riker swung toward the unfamiliar angry voice. A woman’s voice.

Who was she? And why was she pointing a phaser at him?

As she stomped toward theEnterprise officers, silver-blond hair brushing her shoulders, she kept her

weapon high in spite of the two armed security men flanking her. “I said drop them.”

“I’m Commander Riker—” he tried to explain.

“I don’t care if you’re the president’s personal shoe stretcher! There was phaser fire in here, and that

wasn’t part of the bargain. You’re the ones holding the phasers.Put them down!”

Riker looked from her to the security men and back. Hired help. One of them had his weapon’s safety

on.

“Okay.” He shrugged, holstered his phaser, and nodded for Data to do the same. “They’re down. Now,

who are you?”

She took another step toward him, her phaser angled down only slightly. Impatient hazel-green eyes

blazed with a steady determination. “What’s going on in here?”

The rent-a-bicep security men were less resolute. They wanted to be behind the woman, not next to her.

There was probably nothing in their three minutes of extensive training that mentioned anything about

pointing phasers at someone in a Starfleet uniform. Starfleet personnel just weren’t the bad guys. They

were the ones called when the bad guys showed up.

“I asked you first,” Riker said.

STAR TREK - TNG - 31 - Foreign Foes

相关推荐

开通VIP享超值会员特权

作者详情

相关内容

热门标签

举报选择: