by Dayton Ward
“I scanned the streets and the walking paths,” she said. “They’re all connected to a solar energy collection network, which channels and redirects the generated power to things like street lamps and other external fixtures. The crystalline pieces embedded in the road or sidewalk surface are the collectors.” She smiled. “Better than a lot of batteries I’ve seen. It’s really quite impressive.”
“Yes,” replied the guard. Then, as though understanding that more information might be desired or required, he added, “Similar collection systems are also incorporated into the roofs of homes, all public buildings, and many private businesses. The individual systems collect sufficient power to meet the needs of the particular structure, and the rest is channeled to distribution nodes for use throughout the city.”
“And it’s clean, too,” added Dina Elfiki, who was walking beside her on yet another stone path winding through yet another peaceful, well-maintained park situated in the middle of still another cluster of drab, gray buildings. “You can’t beat that.”
Sonthal seemed unimpressed with their admiration. “The system meets our needs.”
This guy is going to be fun all day, thought Chen. The guards had been polite and professional the entire time, though they seemed determined to keep a distance, proverbially and literally, from their charges.
“Any places you’d recommend for lunch?” she asked, attempting once more to put their escorts at ease. “Our preliminary scans indicated a number of your foods were compatible with our digestive systems. I’d love to try some of the preferred local cuisine.”
Sonthal replied, “I will consult with my supervisor and determine a suitable dining location.”
Swing and a miss, T’Rys.
“We’re not on shore leave, you know,” said Elfiki, indicating the tricorder Chen wore in its holster on her left hip. “You’re supposed to be scanning things and putting together thoughts and ideas so that you can report to the captain.”
“You’re the science officer,” replied Chen. “Scans and readings are your thing. I’m the contact specialist, remember? I’m specializing in contact, and right now that means soaking in the ambiance.”
Elfiki chuckled. “Right.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“Like a red alert siren at two in the morning.”
“What can I say? As big as that ship is, it’s still a ship.” She gestured to the garden around them. “The arboretum and the holodecks can only take you so far. They’ll never beat the real thing.”
Offering her a sidelong glance, Elfiki said, “So now you’re a nature lover? I’ve seen your quarters. Every plant you’ve ever touched has died. Even the artificial ones.”
“That doesn’t mean I can’t admire the simple beauty that’s all around us, or the work of people who know what they’re doing and are able to . . . you know . . . not kill things.”
Behind them, Glinn Ravel Dygan said, “I must concur with Lieutenant Chen. There is nothing quite like walking the open spaces with the dirt of a real planet beneath your feet. As a boy, I used to run and play in the forest near my home. It is something I missed once I entered the service, and to be honest I was beginning to feel . . . confined . . . aboard the Enterprise.”
“That’s right,” said Chen. “This is your first away team in a while, isn’t it?”
Dygan nodded. “Indeed it is. Given my role aboard ship, such excursions are rarely justified. I must remember to thank Captain Picard again for the opportunity.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Chen said, “What about you, Braddock? You’re an outdoorsy type, right? Didn’t you say you liked to camp when you were a kid?”
Tall and muscular, Lieutenant Austin Braddock was looking through the trees to his right, and only when he brought his gaze back around to Chen did he seem to notice she was talking to him. Chen realized that—like the trained security officer he was—Braddock had been keeping pace behind his companions, with his attention focused on their surroundings rather than the conversation taking place immediately in front of him.
“Sorry, Lieutenant. What was the question?”
“Camping,” repeated Chen. “You said you did a lot of camping as a kid.”
Braddock nodded. “My father and I would go camping on Luna and Mars whenever he was home on leave. The fishing on Lake Armstrong was something else.”
“Were you a hunter in your youth?” asked Dygan. “My father hunted when I was a child on Cardassia Prime, but it is not something for which I ever developed an interest.”
Shaking his head, Braddock said, “I never even picked up any sort of phaser or other rifle until I joined Starfleet.” The brawny blond-haired man shrugged. “We never owned one, and it was just something I never had a chance to try.”
Chen smiled. “And yet, you hold the ship’s marksmanship record.”
“My instructors thought I was a natural.”
“Don’t let him fool you with that false modesty,” said Elfiki. “He still holds most of the records at Starfleet Security School, too. Braddock here’s one of the best sharpshooters I’ve ever seen.”
Braddock replied, “I just did what the instructors taught me to do.” Then he revealed a small, mischievous smile. “But yeah, I do all right.”
“There it is,” said Elfiki. “I knew that modesty bit was an act.”
It was not really an act, Chen knew. The quiet, reserved security officer possessed a demonstrable aversion to discussing his various accomplishments, in particular those achievements tied to his talents as a marksman. Though he and the rest of the Enterprise’s security contingent were well trained to handle any number of situations that might threaten the ship or the crew, in space or on some alien world, Austin Braddock excelled in these areas. His skill and experience had saved the captain and various other members of the crew on numerous occasions, and he was most often selected by Lieutenant Aneta Šmrhová or her deputy chief of security, Rennan Konya, to assist Kirsten Cruzen whenever a larger team of specialists was needed during an away team mission. Tempering his exceptional proficiency was a genuine humbleness that made him immensely likeable to Chen and—so far as she knew—just about any other member of the crew who knew him.
“Might we venture into some of the public spaces?” asked Glinn Dygan, after the away team and their escorts had walked in silence for a few moments.
They had come to the edge of the park, and Chen now could see Eizand moving about via ground vehicle or on foot, with the crowds more dense in this part of Ponval than what she had witnessed closer to the capital building. She noted people sitting in patio areas outside several of the buildings, and took these to be patrons at various dining establishments.
“Is this some kind of retail district?”
Behind her, Chen heard Sonthal reply, “Yes. You will find merchants scattered throughout the city, but this section is zoned specifically for such pursuits. It is quite popular with local residents as well as visitors from the other cities.”
Elfiki said, “Looks pretty interesting. Can we have a tour of that area?”
Turning to face Sonthal, Chen saw that his attention seemed focused elsewhere, and it took her a moment to realize the Eizand security officer’s left hand was pressed to the communications device on the side of his head. He glanced in her direction before his gaze shifted to the other members of his detail, and Chen noted how each of them also seemed to be listening to something on their own comm units.
“Everything okay?”
The Eizand lowered his hand before turning to Elfiki. “Lieutenant, I have been instructed to take you into custody.” When Braddock moved toward her, Sonthal held up a hand. “Please do not make this any more difficult than it needs to be. Your security officer will be required to surrender his weapon.”
Noting the tension on Braddock’s face as the other members of Sonthal’s escort contingent separated and began positioning themselves to form a perimeter around the away team, Chen said, “Hang on a second, here. Let’
s everybody just calm down a bit. Sonthal, what’s going on?”
“I am not authorized to discuss the matter with you, Lieutenant.” The Eizand’s left hand dropped to the grip of the sidearm that still rested in its holster on his right hip. “Please comply with my instructions, or we will be compelled to employ more forceful methods for taking you into custody.”
It was one of his security officers who moved first.
Chen saw the young Eizand male pulling his weapon from the holster on his left hip, retrieving the sidearm across his body with his opposite hand and bringing it up to aim at her. The pistol’s muzzle never made it that far before it was stopped by Glinn Dygan, who moved much faster than Chen would ever have expected. Reaching out with one hand, the Cardassian arrested the Eizand’s weapon in midbrandishing, yanking it free of the other officer with startling strength and speed.
“Dygan!” snapped Elfiki. “No!”
Her warning was too late as Dygan used his free hand to push the Eizand security officer backward, forcing him from the walking path and making him trip over a cluster of nearby rocks. The escort stumbled and fell to the grass, though he was agile and was already regaining his footing.
Tapping her communicator badge, Chen snapped, “Chen to Enterprise! We’re in trouble down here!”
That was all the time she had before Sonthal and his companions rushed in, weapons drawn and aiming at the away team. Braddock, the only one armed with a phaser, was rushed by two of the guards while Sonthal and the guard who had tussled with Dygan moved to cover the rest of the team. With Sonthal’s pistol aimed at his head, the Cardassian exchange officer allowed the weapon he had taken to fall from his fingers, and he raised his hands to show he would offer no further resistance.
“Enterprise to away team,” said Commander Worf over the connection Chen had established, his deep voice erupting from Chen’s combadge. “Report!”
Any reply she might have offered died as the muzzle of Sonthal’s weapon pointed at her face. Without saying anything, the Eizand officer reached forward and plucked the badge from her uniform tunic. Then she watched as he dropped the device to the walking path and stomped it with his boot. His companions followed his example, removing and neutralizing the badges from the rest of the team.
“You will come with us,” said Sonthal, “and do so peacefully.”
Elfiki, her hands raised as one of the guards removed her tricorder from her waist, asked, “What are you going to do with us?”
With neither his weapon nor his gaze wavering from Chen, the security officer replied, “That is not for me to decide. My orders are to move you to a secure holding facility and await further instructions.”
“You understand our ship is still up there,” said Chen. “They know something’s going on down here. They won’t just stand by and do nothing.”
The Eizand nodded. “Yes, we know what your people are capable of doing.” He gestured with the weapon for Chen and the others to turn and begin walking.
“How’s that ambiance treating you now?” asked Elfiki, though Chen saw that the science officer’s attempt at gallows humor was not working even for her.
Reaching toward her friend, Chen laid a hand on her shoulder. “It’ll be okay. If they really wanted to hurt us, they could’ve done it already.”
Behind her, Glinn Dygan said, “You were able to apprise Commander Worf of the situation, Lieutenant. He is doubtless taking action as we speak. This matter will surely be resolved in short order, and hopefully with few if any complications for either side. We will be fine.”
“It’s not us I’m worried about,” said Braddock from where he was walking next to Dygan. “What about the captain?”
Chen sighed. “Good question.”
Something told her she was not going to like the answer.
15
U.S.S. Enterprise
2386
Rising from the command chair, Commander Worf moved closer to the forward bridge stations, centering himself between Lieutenant Joanna Faur at flight control and Ensign Jill Rosado, the relief officer who now sat at the ops station while Glinn Ravel Dygan was off the ship. Every muscle in his body was tensing in reaction to the curt, harried communication just received seconds ago from the surface of Sralanya.
“Replay the message, Lieutenant,” he said.
Standing behind him at the primary tactical station, Lieutenant Aneta Šmrhová replied, “Aye, sir.” Worf heard her tapping a short command sequence to her workstation before the anxious voice of Lieutenant T’Ryssa Chen erupted from the intercom.
“Chen to Enterprise! We’re in trouble down here!”
After a moment, Šmrhová said, “I’ve double-checked everything, Commander. That’s the whole message. We didn’t even have time to respond to the initial hail before the signal was lost. I’ve scanned for Lieutenant Chen’s communicator, as well as Elfiki’s, Braddock’s, and Dygan’s. None of them are active.”
“Contact the captain,” snapped Worf. “And scan the surface for Vulcan, human, and Cardassian life signs. Lock transporters on them and prepare to beam them aboard on my command.” He already knew that residual radiation in the planet’s atmosphere had required Commander La Forge and his engineering team to make some modifications not only to the transporters but also the ship’s sensors, but the Enterprise’s chief engineer had assured both Captain Picard and Worf that the adjustments were minor and would not hamper the operation of either system.
“Commander,” said Šmrhová after a moment. “I’m not able to make contact with Captain Picard or Lieutenant T’Sona either. Every combadge from the away team is inactive.” An almost musical sequence of alert tones emanated from her console, and the security chief frowned. “Now we’re being hailed from the planet’s surface, but not from the captain or the away team.” She looked up from her console. “It’s coming from the seat of the Tevent Coalition government, sir: Presider Hilonu.”
Not liking where his instincts were already telling him this was going, Worf turned to face the bridge’s main viewscreen and drew himself to his full height. “On-screen, Lieutenant.”
In response to his order, the curvature of Sralanya as viewed from the Enterprise’s high orbit above the planet disappeared, replaced with the image of the statuesque Eizand leader. She was dressed in an almost regal-looking jade-green gown that flowed from her shoulders, its material reflecting whatever gentle lighting was being cast upon her from somewhere off screen.
“This is Commander Worf, first officer of the Enterprise.” Remembering to keep his tone neutral, he said with as much diplomacy as he could muster, “Presider Hilonu, we have received what we believe may be a distress call from one of our people on the planet’s surface. Our attempts to contact this individual and other members of our team have been unsuccessful. I would like to speak with Captain Picard.”
Her hands clasped before her, the presider replied, “I am afraid that is not possible just now, Commander. Your captain and the other members of his entourage have been taken into custody, where they will remain until the business of Eizand justice is concluded.”
“Justice?” Despite his self-imposed pledge to remain composed, Worf frowned at her, and he even felt a momentary twitch as he almost released a snarl of disapproval. Holding that in check, he said, “I do not understand.”
“All will be made clear in due course,” said Hilonu. “For now, you should take whatever steps are necessary to communicate to your superiors that Captain Picard will serve as the representative of the civilization that attempted to destroy ours. He will stand trial for Earth’s crimes against Sralanya and the Eizand people.”
Worf turned to Šmrhová and signaled for her to mute the connection. “Have you located the captain and the others?”
The security chief replied, “I’ve got the captain and the away team, sir, but the readings are muddled. I’m not even sure if I have everyone, as I’m only counting five life signs instead of six.”
“Who’s n
ot accounted for?”
The security chief replied, “Either Chen or T’Sona, sir. I’m only picking up one Vulcan biosign, but I can’t get a clear enough scan to distinguish between them. It looks like the away team’s been taken somewhere that’s at least partially shielded from our scans. If I’m reading this correctly, they’re in an underground facility of some kind, and there’s a combination of materials in the surrounding rock as well as disruption from power distribution lines in close proximity that’s interfering with our readings.” She looked up from her console. “Sir, I don’t know if what I’ve got is strong enough for a transporter lock.”
Turning back to the screen, Worf gestured for the communications channel’s audio to be restored as he eyed Hilonu. “Presider, if you do not allow me to speak with Captain Picard, you will leave me no choice but to attempt retrieving them by any means at my disposal.”
“Do not attempt any more landings or other actions against us, Commander,” warned the presider. “Captain Picard has already enlightened me about your various rules and regulations when it comes to interfering with sovereign worlds. If provoked, we will defend ourselves.”
Worf stepped closer to the viewscreen. “Provoked? Presider Hilonu, you have arrested our captain and members of our crew, one of whom I am unable to locate. You have threatened our people with legal action and have so far failed to provide any evidence that points to their culpability.” He almost surprised himself with how easily the oratorical skills he had cultivated as an ambassador came back to him, allowing him to speak in a manner far more dignified than he might prefer as a warrior or even a Starfleet officer. “Unless or until specific charges are presented, I am duty bound to see to the safety of every member of this crew.”
Appearing unfazed by his response, Hilonu remained stoic on the screen. “Formal charges will be presented in short order. Until then, Commander, I urge you to employ restraint, for the sake of everyone involved.”
