Part 19 (2/2)
”It might be,” Troi admitted. ”Why, I might disappear into thin air before it's over, just like that.” She snapped her fingers.
”Oh, not you,” the young Krann said. ”You're a hot-blooded one, you are.”
”Now, Wiggin,” Troi said, patting his hand gently. ”Stop that. What would my spouse say?”
”Hull if I know,” the young Krann replied. ”Want to stick around long enough to find out?”
Troi paused. ”No, not really,” she said, finis.h.i.+ng her drink. ”Let's get out of here.”
”Debit stub!” Wiggin cried, and a facilitator quickly appeared at his elbow. She gave him a chit, which Wiggin thumbprinted in a corner. ”All right,” he said, grinning. ”Done! Let's blow this lagga stand!”
Troi tapped her communicator. ”I'm right behind you.”
There was what appeared to be a delivery entrance toward the back of the bistro, just beyond the bathrooms and very near the kitchen. Since the heavily used bathrooms were far from private, Riker walked past them and through a door marked NO EXIT.
He found himself in a narrow, unoccupied pa.s.sage that ran for a dozen meters in both directions before making abrupt turns to port and starboard. There were doors similar to the one he had just gone through spotted here and there along both sides of the corridor. Riker thought the corridor must be part of some sort of cargo delivery system that was designed to keep freight vehicles off the concourse.
Riker reached into the pocket of his Krann clothing and slipped the audio pickup bug into his left ear. He then tapped the communicator. ”Riker to Enterprise,” he said quietly. ”Are you receiving me?”
”Loud and clear, Commander,” came Geordi's voice. ”Are you receiving us?”
”You're coming through five by five.”
”Good. Patching in the captain now.”
There was a very brief pause. ”h.e.l.lo, Will,” Picard greeted him. ”Is Counselor Troi there with you?”
”No, sir. She's not far away, however. We're in no danger. I'd like to make my report.”
”Go ahead.”
Riker gathered his thoughts. ”Captain, the people on this flags.h.i.+p apparently have no idea that the fleet is about to go to war with the Lethanta. There is a major holiday in progress aboard this s.h.i.+p, and virtually everyone seems to be celebrating it. I've seen the way civilian populations conduct themselves during wartime, and what I'm seeing here is in no way similar. These people are at peace, or at least they think they are. The only sign of impeding hostilities was the declaration of a combat alert some two hours ago, and it took everyone around us completely by surprise. They were all frightened and shocked.”
”We know about that alert, Will. The Lethanta held a planetary defense drill, and the Krann took it as a provocation. In response, elements of the Krann fleet carried out an attack on various Lethantan targets, civilian and military alike. The losses on both sides have been high, but the effect on Nem Ma'ak Bratuna has been nothing short of devastating. I've arranged a truce in place, pending negotiations between the Lethanta and the Krann, again with us acting as mediator. All Krann forces are returning or have already returned to their original stations. I must also tell you, Will, that Commander Data and Ensign Ro are missing, following an attack on the Lethantan capital. We have not been able to raise them.”
Riker stroked his chin in thought. ”I see. All of this explains a great deal, sir-but it does not explain why none of the Krann we were with understood what was happening, or why.”
”Where have you been, by the way?”
”At a party. Sir.”
”Oh. Excellent way to meet people. What did you find out?”
”Today is an important Krann holiday called Posting Day, Captain. It is the day upon which Krann authorities grant married couples permits to have babies.”
”I see,” Picard said. ”Procreation is very strictly controlled, then.”
”I believe so, sir. The permits are issued only every few years and are apparently hard to come by even then. Influence appears to count. Couples who receive one throw a big party, the bigger the better. We dropped in on one of those. The size and location of the couple's Posting Day celebration confer status upon them, according to what we've heard.”
”Rather like an Earth wedding, I suppose. Your point, Number One?”
”Sir, it seems to me that these people don't have a clue as to what's going on between the Krann and the Lethanta. There were a lot of people where we were, all of them in a relaxed social situation. Counselor Troi and I talked to young people who have never even heard of the Lethanta. The Krann we've met know they've arrived in a new star system, but they have not been told that it contains two cla.s.s-M planets.” He paused. ”Captain, Presider Hek said we'd see his intentions were peaceful if we came aboard. I wonder if he was telling the truth, after all?”
”Sir?” came Geordi's voice, interrupting. ”Counselor Troi's subs.p.a.ce communicator link has just been opened, but she isn't talking to us. I've got her located.”
”Is she in trouble, Geordi?” Riker asked quickly.
”I don't think so, Commander. From what I'm hearing, the counselor is engaged in normal conversation with a person named Wiggin. And she's on the move-now thirty meters from your position, bearing four fifty-four mark five. Distance from your position is increasing at normal walking speed.”
”She hasn't set off her emergency recall signal, has she, Mr. La Forge?” Picard asked.
”No, sir, she has not.”
”I don't believe she's being kidnapped, then,” Picard said. ”If she was able to activate the communicator for audio pickup, she could just as easily have actuated the recall signal. No, the counselor simply wanted to let us know that she was going somewhere. Number One, tell me quickly about this Wiggin.”
”We met him at the party,” Riker replied. ”He's a young Krann who claims to be a weapons designer of some sort. I think he may not be what he claims to be.”
”You think he may have been a plant.”
”Yes, sir. I believe he arrived at the celebration just after we did and only pretended he'd been there all along.”
”I see. So you believe your location aboard the flags.h.i.+p has been detected.”
”Yes, sir. I do.”
”If that's true, then the Krann want you to be there, at least for now, ”Picard observed. ”They haven't done a thing to remove you. I wonder why?”
”We do have their agreement to board their s.h.i.+ps and take a look around, sir.”
Riker heard Picard chuckle. ”Yes, but I hardly expected them to live up to it quite this diligently. Well, we'll take advantage of Presider Hek's apparent generosity for as long as possible. Number One, Mr. La Forge will guide you to Counselor Troi's present position. Follow her and this Wiggin person, but don't be caught at it. I'll now leave you in the hands of Mr. La Forge. Picard out.”
”Aye, sir. Geordi?”
”Locked on to you, Will.”
”Good.” Riker opened the service door and, looking around, stepped inside the bistro. ”I'm heading for the concourse just outside the restaurant,” he said very quietly. ”How far away are they now?”
Troi and Wiggin were heading down the concourse. The crowds swarming through the pa.s.sageways had not ebbed. If anything, they had grown, despite-or perhaps due to-the combat alert not long before. The counselor considered that some of the Krann might be celebrating their relief.
”Wait'll you see this!” Wiggin said enthusiastically. ”Anybody who has is really impressed-and I helped substantially with the design, of course.”
”So I a.s.sume you're going to show me a weapon of some sort?” Troi asked lightly.
”Maybe, maybe not,” the young Krann said, grinning. ”It's supposed to be a secret. You'll see.”
”Counselor, this is Picard,” came a voice in Troi's ear. ”We have been listening in and are tracking your movements via your communicator. I a.s.sume you are wearing your audio pickup. If you are, tap the communicator once.”
<script>