Part 2 (1/2)

”How shall I put this? In the best of all possible universes, devoid of all negative motivations, a helping hand would always be welcome.

Unfortunately, not all superior beings have the purest of motives. In return for their help they may exact a price, and that price is often too high.”

”And sometimes,” said Troi, ”even when the motives are pure, the temptation to play G.o.d is irresistible.”

”Ahhh,” Data said. ”This is why the Federation adopted the noninterference directive?”

”That's right,” Picard said. ”The framers of that directive had the wisdom to apply the old adage about the road to h.e.l.l being paved with good intentions.”

”Data, what other records do we have of Nuaran activities in this sector?” Riker asked.

”They have established labor colonies on several uninhabited planets and planetoids.

Thiopan slaves were used in those outposts.”

Troi's eyes widened. ”Slaves?” 22 ”Yes. Thiopan political prisoners were disposed of by trading them to the Nuarans like any other commodity. This evidently occurred later in the relations.h.i.+p, when the resources Nuara valued began to grow scarce on Thiopa.”

Troi looked stunned. ”After only forty years these abundant Thiopan resources were already running out?”

”Yes, Counselor.”

Riker shook his head in disbelief. ”The Thiopans allowed the Nuarans to plunder their world, they engaged in something as barbaric as slave trade-and the Federation is still willing to consider forming an alliance with these people?”

”Doesn't sound promising, I agree,”

Picard admitted. ”That's part of why we're here-to get some idea whether these things are part of Thiopa's past growing pains or part of a continuing pattern of behavior that may be deemed questionable by Federation standards.”

”The Thiopans did ask for our help,”

Deanna Troi pointed out, ”knowing full well what principles the Federation stands for. And they've severed their relations.h.i.+p with the Nuarans. Maybe they're asking for a second chance.”

”Yes. For now let's try to see this situation from the Thiopans' point of view,” Picard said. ”They saw themselves in a galaxy full of more advanced civilizations. I'm not sure they can be blamed for their willingness to be dragged into the twenty-fourth century, no matter what the cost.”

Riker's even features darkened. ”Some costs are too high, no matter what the return.”

”That judgment is not ours to make, Number One,”

said Picard. ”Counselor Troi, psychological profile of the Nuarans, please.”

”By our standards, very alien both psychologically and intellectually. Totally motivated by a desire for self-advancement-was ”Sounds like the Ferengi,” Riker said.

”Only up to a point,” Troi countered. ”The Ferengi are very cautious, but the Nuarans are willing to take great risks in the expectation of great gains.”

”The risk of attacking a stars.h.i.+p, for example?” said Picard. Troi nodded. ”They don't operate according to the rules we use to govern social and political interactions. Traders and diplomats who've had contact with them report that Nuarans either follow no recognizable rules at all or feel no compunction about changing the existing rules to suit their needs. It's possible that they don't care about the consequences of their actions.

It's also possible that their thought processes simply don't encompa.s.s the concept of consequences.”

”All of which means that, on top of the Ferengi threat, we're going to have to be on constant alert while in the vicinity of Thiopa. We don't know why the Thiopans broke off relations with the Nuarans, but it's already clear the Nuarans aren't about to accept being dismissed without getting in a few last words.” Picard pushed his chair back from the table and rose to his feet. ”Thank you for your thoughts. You may return to your posts.”

”Captain,” said Troi, ”I would like a word with you and Commander Riker.” Data exited to the bridge, and Troi faced Picard and 24 Riker. ”It's about Amba.s.sador Undrun.

I sense a deep insecurity in him.”

Picard frowned. ”What sort of insecurity?”

”As if he feels he's a fraud and that others might discover this. His insecurity may lead him to try to overcompensate, to cover up what he sees as his own failings by doing things that may not be what we expect from him.” ”Great,” said Riker. ”He's not only insuffera85's unpredictable, too?” Picard pursed his lips. ”Are you suggesting some sort of preferential treatment for our troublesome Mr. Undrun?”

”I am reasonably sure we won't have any major problems with him as long as we don't corner him or overwhelm him with accusations of incompetence.

His job-performance record is good.”

”Which means if we handle him carefully,”

Picard concluded, ”we can expect Undrun to get his job done at Thiopa.”

”Yes, sir. I just thought you should both be aware of a possible problem area.”

”Thank you, Counselor,” Picard said.

They left the conference lounge and took their seats on the bridge. The Enterprise was nearing Thiopa now, and the planet had grown large on the main viewscreen. It wasn't a pretty sight. A sickly brown haze formed an atmospheric envelope around Thiopa, and the main continent was scarred by ragged gashes in its mountain ranges, where mineral deposits had been carelessly mined. Great swaths of forest had been cut away. And through intermittent gaps in Thiopa's shroud of fouled air, the eye had no trouble 25 confirming what the s.h.i.+p's sensors recorded: waterborne pollution blemished Thiopan seas like spreading tumors.

”Is that as bad as it looks?” Picard asked.

”Yes, sir,” Data said. ”While we were in conference, Wesley ran some comparisons with sensor readings of Thiopa from twenty years ago.”

”Your report, Ensign Crusher?”

”Yes, sir. The atmosphere now contains fifteen percent less oxygen, twenty percent more carbon dioxide, and seventy-five percent more industrial pollutants, including twenty-five known carcinogens and at least a dozen other toxic wastes. The water tells pretty much the same story, and the mean temperature of the planet is up by almost two degrees Centigrade.”

”If Thiopa were a human patient, Captain,” Data added, ”its condition would be critical.”

Captain Picard folded his arms across his chest.

”How much of Thiopa's ecological disaster has been caused by nature and how much by the Thiopans'

own hand,” he wondered. ”Good work, Ensign.

Continue on standard orbital approach-a.s.sume orbit when ready.”

”Yes, sir.” Out of the corner of his eye, Picard saw Wesley smile to himself, clearly pleased by his captain's words of praise.

Data, too, gave Wesley an encouraging nod.

Picard half turned, toward his first officer.

”Your a.s.sessment, Number One?”

”Thiopa doesn't look like a place I'd want to hang my hat for very long.” ”Agreed. Your judgment about the cost of progress being too high may apply here after all.”

”Maybe, sir. But right now, I'm more curious than anything else. What force could drive a planet so far toward suicide before its inhabitants could cry out for help?”