Part 20 (1/2)

Most interesting.”

The soft beep of the intercom interrupted the conversation. ”Picard here. Lieutenant Commander Data, to the bridge conference lounge.”

Data tapped his communicator badge.

”Data here, sir.”

”I have some free time now, and I would like to hear about your second meeting with Dr. Feat-as well as that theory of yours, if it is ready for presentation.”

”It is, sir. I am on my way.”

”Captain Picard, this is Amba.s.sador Undrun. If this is about Thiopa, I'm ent.i.tled to hear it, too.” Then the confidence drained from his voice. ”If you don't mind, that is.”

There was a moment of hesitation from Picard's end.

Undrun's unaccustomed meekness had caught him by surprise. ”[*thorngg'f course. Mr.

Data, bring Amba.s.sador Undrun with you.

I'll be waiting. Picard out.”

Fingers interlaced, Picard rested his hands patiently on the long table. ”So she didn't hesitate at all in giving you access to their weather records?”

”No, sir.”

”What exactly were you looking for?”

”Patterns.”

”What kind of patterns, Commander?” Undrun asked.

”Anything that would indicate the true state of Thiopa's overall ecology. How much of their current crisis is natural and how much is the result of their abuse of resources and natural corrective capacities.”

Picard looked at his android officer.

”Presumably you found such a pattern?”

”I did, Captain. And the news is not good.

Thiopa appears to be reaching the most critical stage of a cyclical drought phase. Most planets go through such cycles. On some planets they cause considerable dislocation of plant and animal life, but other planets have sufficient reserve capacities of vital resources-water, for instance-to withstand the drought cycle with little permanent effect on existing life forms and topography.”

”Topography-meaning the shrinking of forests, deserts, the expansion of that sort of thing?” Picard asked.

Data nodded. ”Exactly. On Thiopa, the past forty years of rapid development proceeded with a total disregard for conservation.”

Picard's mouth quirked uneasily. ”Meaning .

”For example, sir, a change in rainfall patterns or an overall reduction in precipitation need not be critical if reservoirs and subsurface aquifers have been maintained at high capacity. But the Thiopans used up much of their freshwater reserve, and they have allowed toxic substances to leach into and poison the underground water supplies.”

Undrun waved a dissenting hand. ”They've got seawater. Desalination should solve whatever-was ”There is much more, Amba.s.sador,” Data said gravely. ”I combined all available information on Thiopa's weather and the rate of environmental degradation caused by pollution, resource exploitation, and other negative inputs to create a model depicting Thiopa's condition fifty years from now.”

Picard exhaled slowly. ”Let's have it, Data.”

”Computer,” said Data, ”please display appropriate charts.”

The graphics appeared, suspended above the table, as Data continued. ”The current trend in weather patterns shows a further dehydration of northern fertile zones, with additional rainfall in deserts.”

”Won't that convert the deserts into arable land?”

asked Picard. ”No, sir. In most places it will simply cause flooding and accelerate erosion. The soil is not of sufficient quality to permit large-scale agriculture. In addition, all rainfall on Thiopa now is highly acidic, due to industrial pollutants.

Acidic precipitation kills plant life, and when it collects in smaller bodies of water, such as lakes and rivers, it kills aquatic flora and fauna. That same industrial pollution, coupled with combustion of fossil fuels in energy production and transport vehicles, will result in a fifty percent increase in carbon dioxide levels. This will, in sequence, lead to a greenhouse effect, which will force the planet's mean temperature to rise by four degrees centigrade-a greater increase in only half a century than in all the twenty-two thousand years since Thiopa's last ice age ended.

Polar ice caps will melt, 202 resulting in an eight-foot rise in sea level and inundating coastal zones and islands.

Since storm intensity is linked directly to oceanic surface temperatures, there will be a fifty percent increase in severity of storms.”

”Translating,” Picard said, ”that means it won't be uncommon for tidal waves to wash over coastal communities not already flooded by higher sea level?”

”Correct, sir. And there are interesting paradoxes. Higher air temperatures will cause more evaporation of seawater, which must then condense into precipitation. But none of Thiopa's major land ma.s.ses are situated so as to benefit from the extra rain. As a result, areas that are now populated will become increasingly more arid, and rivers, lakes, and aquifers will dry up. There will be a total disruption of life cycles and fragile ecosystem balances.”

Picard's forehead creased anxiously. ”That's quite a catalog of environmental horrors.”

”Oh, there's more, sir.”

”I've heard enough. What will all of it mean to intelligent life on Thiopa fifty years from now?”

”If these trends are not arrested by ma.s.sive corrective action now, almost all Thiopan land ma.s.ses will be uninhabitable by anything more than a small population. Millions of Thiopans will starve to death, and their civilization will crumble.”

”Do the Thiopans have the technology to reverse all this?” asked Picard, his tone grim.

”No, sir-but we do. I have created a comprehensive a.n.a.lysis, with long-term corrective measures, including the desalination of seawater as Amba.s.sador Undrun suggested, pollution controls, alternatives to fossil-fuel usage, changing land-ma.s.s structure to rearrange rainfall patterns and rebuild water reserves, revival of degraded farmland... Shall I continue, sir?”

”No, I think we've got the picture, Data,” Picard said, reflecting on the enormity of Thiopa's dilemma. ”Do you think Dr. Keat is aware of this looming disaster?”

”No, sir. She is an influential member of Thiopa's government hierarchy. If she were aware of the situation I have described, it is likely she would have been able to convince Protector Stross to initiate emergency corrective measures.”

”Yes, one would think so. A potential disaster of this magnitude should certainly transcend political bickering.”

Undrun fidgeted in his seat, as if capping an incipient eruption. ”This is it,” he blurted, ”the confluence of circ.u.mstances we need!” ”For what?” Picard said.

”Once the Thiopans know about all this, they'll have to let us help them!”

”They don't have to let us do anything, Mr.

Undrun.”

”What choice do they have, Captain? If they don't listen to reason, they're condemning their whole world to another dark age. We can put them back on the road to self-sufficiency.”