Part 16 (1/2)
”Quite a place,” said Picard thoughtfully. ”I hope we can keep it intact.”
”Yes, sir,” answered Reg, lowering his head. ”What if we can't? How can we save them all?”
The captain's lips thinned. ”We'll do the best we can. Whatever happens to them will happen to us, too.”
”But the s.h.i.+p would survive shutting down the sh.e.l.l.” He pointed at the happy clutch of Elaysians hovering around Melora. ”They know that we're not at risk the same way they are.”
”I don't intend to watch them all die,” said Picard gravely. He looked up and smiled as their hostess returned with two small canteens with sip tubes.
”We don't need much water,” said Dupanza, ”but I know that other humanoids are not so fortunate. Please drink.”
”Thank you,” said the two humans at once. Barclay took a few gulps, surprised at how thirsty he was. The water had a slight sulfuric smell, although maybe that was his imagination. He hoped it wasn't contaminated by the dark crystal.
”So where are you staying?” asked Dupanza.
”On our s.h.i.+p,” answered the captain.
”Such a great distance to travel,” said the Elaysian, shaking her head. ”Especially now, when travel is so difficult. Why don't you stay here a while and make this your base of operations. We're much closer to all the enclaves than your s.h.i.+p is, way up there along the sh.e.l.l. You have gravity on your shuttlecraft, so you'll be comfortable.”
”We might consider it,” agreed Picard.
Reg saw more Elaysians surrounding Melora, bombarding her with questions and greetings, and she was beaming in the glow of their attention. ”You just want to keep Melora around longer,” said the lieutenant.
Dupanza nodded wistfully as she watched her prodigal daughter. ”That's true. She really has blossomed while she's been in Starfleet. I knew she would mature to be beautiful and confident, but this is beyond even what I envisioned. She was home once before, but I was working on the sh.e.l.l and didn't see her then.”
”What did you do there?” asked Reg.
Dupanza gazed into the distance, and her eyes grew misty. ”I was an a.s.sistant to your predecessor, Zuka Juno. It's painful to hear about his death. He wasn't ill, was he? Can you tell me anything?”
”We were the ones who found him,” answered Picard. He told her briefly what had happened, adding that they wouldn't really know anything until the Jeptah had finished their investigation.
”Then I don't think you'll know anything,” whispered Dupanza. ”The Jeptah are very secretive, and they like to control things. They're honest and hardworking, but they don't really trust anyone but each other.” She smiled at Reg. ”They must be apoplectic over your having that gem.”
Barclay gulped and touched the violet crystal. ”That's true, they weren't very happy. I really don't know what to do with this thing.”
”You wield tremendous power with that crystal,” answered the elder Elaysian. ”Be honest and true to your ideals. I think we could use a jolt of fresh thinking here on Gemworld. We've never faced a crisis like this before, but I imagine you have faced many crises during your exploration of the stars.”
”We have,” answered Reg, lifting his chin proudly. ”We'll do the best we can for you.”
”That's all we could ask.” Dupanza gazed fondly at Melora, who was engaged in animated conversation with a large group of Elaysians. The younger ones regarded her with rapt attention. ”You've brought our daughter back to us, for which I am very grateful.”
Picard's combadge chirped, interrupting their idyllic respite. ”Excuse me.” He tapped his badge. ”Picard here.”
”Captain,” said the unmistakable voice of Com mander Data, ”we are almost ready to perform the procedure. I advise you to return as soon as possible.”
”We're on our way,” said the captain. ”Picard out.” He gave his hostess an apologetic smile. ”I'm sorry, but it appears that we have to be going.”
”So soon? Before the feast?” she asked with disappointment. ”Do you promise to return to us?”
”If circ.u.mstances permit,” answered the captain. ”Would you please inform Lieutenant Pazlar that we have to be going?”
”I will. Thank you for all you're doing to help us.” Dupanza used the netting to work her way to the crowd gathered around Melora, and the two women conferred for a moment. After a quick hug, Melora joined her s.h.i.+pmates.
”Are we ready to shut down the dimensional rift?” she asked confidently.
”I hope so,” answered Picard, concern etched into his furrowed brow. ”I sincerely hope so.”
Picard, Barclay, and Pazlar were met by Data at the Ninth Processing Gate, and Barclay was amused to see that the android had procured himself a hoverplatform.
”You must rank,” said Reg, pointing to the self-propelled disk.
Data c.o.c.ked his head puzzledly. ”I do not 'rank.' Infact, with your temporary t.i.tle, you outrank me. The hoverplatform makes transportation much more efficient, and we have a considerable distance to travel within the sh.e.l.l.”
”Are they still on schedule?” asked Picard.
”Yes. The Alpusta are in final preparations for their s.p.a.ce walk. Although I am unfamiliar with the actual procedure they will use to tap into the collectors, the theory is sound. If they can pa.s.s one variable to the program, the darkmatter collectors will switch to collecting hydrogen.”
”Is there a backup plan?” asked Reg.
”No,” answered the android. ”We have studied every feasible option, and nothing else will correct the problem without disrupting the operation of the sh.e.l.l. Short of finding the engineer who actually corrupted the program, this is our only option.”
”It will work,” insisted Melora.
Captain Picard nodded grimly. ”I hope you're right. Lead on, Data.”
”Link hands,” said the android.
By this time, they were accustomed to linking up, and Barclay smiled as he held out his hand to Melora. This part of being weightless he was beginning to like. Data gripped the hoverplatform with one hand and Captain Picard's hand with the other, and they were soon moving steadily through the tubular corridors of the sh.e.l.l. As they plunged deeper, Reg noticed fewer workers than before, and he saw no Alpusta at all. He had the feeling that everyone and everything was in a holding pattern as they waited for the plan to take effect.
Eventually they entered a large, oval-shaped corridor that was packed with yellow-garbed Jeptah hovering in front of a panoramic window. The Elaysians parted to allow the visitors to enter, and Tangre Bertoran pushed off the wall and glided toward them.
The Peer of the Jeptah was grinning confidently. ”Ah, Captain Picard, Lieutenant Pazlar, and our esteemed Acting Senior Engineer-welcome. We've missed you, Captain, where have you been?”
”I took them to see my enclave,” said Melora, ”and meet my parents.”
Bertoran clapped his hands together, looking delighted at that news. ”Wonderful! I'm so happy that you're taking time to see our beautiful planet. After we're done here, you'll be able to travel anywhere on Gemworld and see all of our attractions. Perhaps you'd like to visit my enclave.”
”I certainly hope so,” said Picard with a polite smile. ”May I ask, have you discovered the cause of Zuka Juno's death?”
Bertoran scowled. ”I've been rather busy, Captain. When we're done here, I'll get an update.”
”Even after we solve this problem,” said Picard, ”we still have to find out who corrupted the program in the first place.”
The Jeptah shook his head. ”We'll have plenty of time to solve that little mystery after life gets back to normal. Trust me, this will never happen again-the darkmatter collectors will stay off-line indefinitely.”
”That is wise,” concluded Data.