Part 44 (1/2)
12.
Isaac watched Data's expression as Picard outlined his proposal, but it was Lore who was the first to respond.
”No!” Lore raged. ”It's out of the question! Would you give such a powerful tool to such ignorant, bloodthirsty organic savages?!”
Lal, for her part, wore a worried expression. ”It does seem a risky proposition.”
Data, though, was still thoughtful. ”Wesley, are you certain that your findings are accurate?”
Crusher didn't hesitate a moment before answering. ”Absolutely.” He handed Data the tricorder for his inspection. ”We've managed to isolate the fundamental principles behind the gateways. And I'm confident that, using the original as a guide”he gestured toward the control console”we could construct another functional model without too much trouble.”
The other members of the away team could not ”hear” it, but over the subs.p.a.ce communications network of Turing, Isaac could hear the debate beginning to rage as the populace learned of the captain's suggestion.
”Brother,” Lore said in disbelief, ”don't tell me that you're actually considering this nonsense.”
”It does present an interesting solution to our present dilemma.” While Data spoke aloud for the benefit of the organics in the control chamber, he conversed at a much higher bit rate over the subs.p.a.ce network.
”But, Father,” Lal said, ”would that not be handing away our only advantage in this circ.u.mstance?”
”On Earth,” Picard put in, ”in the middle of the twentieth century, shortly after nuclear fission was perfected and weaponized, there was considerable concern that one nation-state or another might employ atomic bombs against their neighbors. It was a very real possibility, and a justifiable anxiety. But a solution was quickly hit upon, a kind of deterrence in which all sides shared the capability to inflict equal amounts of damage on the others. It was called 'mutually a.s.sured destruction,' and ensured that no government would authorize the use of nuclear weapons for fear that their enemies would use them in return.”
”And this is your grand peaceful solution, human?” Lore sneered. ”Rather than keeping the gateways for our own use and protection, you'd have us simply give them away to anyone who asked, Romulans, Klingons, Carda.s.sians, all of them?!”
”It is a reasonable approach,” Data allowed.
Lieutenant Crusher stood at Isaac's side, and nodded, his smile indicating the regard in which he held the captain's suggestion. ”Lateral thinking.”
”But, Father,” Lal objected, ”the Romulans' past history shows that they can hardly be trusted with such levels of technology. Look at the example of their unmanned wardrones and their android shock troopers, artificial sentients shackled and enslaved by the overly prohibitive dictates of their programming.”
”But don't you see, Lal?” La Forge put in. ”You can make it a condition of the deal. If the other powers want the Iconian gateways, you can require them to provide a.s.surance that they will not purse positronic technology to create android slaves, but must recognize the sentience of artificial life.”
”For that matter,” Sito suggested, ”when you offer it to the Federation you can require them to lift the restrictions on the creation of new artificial life. Then androids won't be second-cla.s.s citizens anymore.”
Data nodded slowly, deep in thought. ”If every power has gateway technology, then none would be tempted to use it aggressively against their enemies, for fear that their enemies would return the attack in kind.”
”And the openness engendered by unrestricted gateway travel,” Lal added, ”will ensure that the powers can monitor one another, and ensure that they develop their own strains of artificial life responsibly, with the rights of that life protected.”
Isaac spoke up, a thought occurring to him. ”In fact, you and the rest of the Turing population would be free to explore the Retrogressionist position, returning to the Federation if you wished, free to create offspring with the same liberty that humans enjoy to create new life.”
La Forge reached over and placed a hand on Data's shoulder. ”Right! Data, you all could come home again.”
Data met La Forge's silvery eyes and smiled. ”It would be nice, my friend. Living here isolated from those I care about has been difficult. I have often had cause to regret the way in which things were left, and the necessity for secrecy. If androids were given full enfranchis.e.m.e.nt, and we could return and live openly”he glanced at Lal, and then back to La Forge”that would be most gratifying.”
”No,” Lore said, his tone suggesting he would brook no further discussion. ”It's out of the question.”
But Isaac knew that, whatever Lore insisted, the debate was raging, as the populace communicated impossibly fast over the subs.p.a.ce network, attempting to reach consensus.
Ro Laren sat forward in the captain's chair, watching the green bulk of the warbird glide across the forward viewscreen. The Haakona's hull had been scored in places by phaser fire and torpedo bursts, but while her s.h.i.+elds were weakened, they still held.
The Enterprise, Ro knew, was little better off.
”s.h.i.+elds at fifteen percent,” Ensign Thomas reported.
”We can't take much more of this,” Doctor Quaice said. His artificial body was designed to adapt to a wide variety of environmental factors, but he looked as though he'd be sweating if he could.
”Come about, Lieutenant,” Ro ordered Sam Lavelle. ”Keep them on their toes.”
Quaice was right, though. If the captain didn't come up with some solution, and soon, one or the other of the s.h.i.+ps would take too much damage to sustain, and Ro didn't like to think about what that meant for the Federation. War with the Romulan-Klingon Alliance seemed the most likely outcome, whichever way things went. Two s.h.i.+ps exchanging fire in the Neutral Zone was one thing, but one s.h.i.+p destroying another was quite a different matter.
”Stand down, Commander,” came a voice from behind her. ”I'll take the conn.”
Ro jumped to her feet, and turned to see Geordi La Forge standing on the other side of the railing. Behind him a doorway s.h.i.+mmered in midair, with a stone-walled room visible beyond. While Ro watched, Sito Jaxa stepped through, and casually walked over to the ops station.
”I've got this,” Sito said to the ensign at ops, and her hands flew over the controls.
”Decided to come into work today, have you?” Ro asked with a slight smile.
The illumination level on the bridge brightened, as the lights and alarms indicating a state of red alert ceased. s.h.i.+elds were still raised, but the s.h.i.+p was now at condition green.
”Standing by, Commander,” Sito said, looking up from the controls.
La Forge had come around the railing to the captain's chair, a faint smile on his lips. ”Sorry to leave you hanging up here, Ro, but you certainly got the job done.”
”I just had to draw their fire off your backs, is all.”
”And thank you for that,” Sito effused, glancing up. ”If we end up going to Bajor, Ro, the raktajinos are on me.”
”I just might take you up on that,” Ro said, grinning. Then her grin faded as she glanced anxiously at the warbird, which now hovered at the center of the viewscreen. ”But what about the Haakona?”
La Forge's smile widened. ”Don't worry about them. The captain's arranged for an offer they won't be able to refuse.”
Crusher stood next to Lal, shuffling his feet as the hairless android prepared to open the next gateway. With La Forge and Sito safely back on the Enterprise, they were ready to put the next part of Picard's plan into effect.
So much hinged on Crusher's ability to explain the gateway science in a way that the Romulans could understand. Could he do it? Was it possible for him to couch the seemingly impossible physics in terms everyone else could grasp?
He realized that he was twitching, nervously, his hands tapping against his thighs. Then, to his surprise, he felt a soft, warm hand slip into his own, fingers threading through his.
He looked over to see Lal smiling up at him. ”It is my understanding, Wesley, that humans often derive comfort in tense situations from touch, and in particular from the practice of holding another's hand.” She glanced down at their hands, held tightly together. ”I hope I have not given offense by employing such a tactic, but it occurs to me that you could likely use calming in these circ.u.mstances.”
”Oh, you mean waltzing into the midst of a bunch of Romulans who'd probably sooner shoot us than listen to anything I've got to say?” He smiled. ”You're right. And thanks.”
”My friends,” Picard said, calling over his shoulder as the gateway materialized, ”this is our chance to set things right.”
Crusher caught Data looking his way, a strange smile on his face.