Part 5 (2/2)
”Diplomacy is not one of my stronger areas of programming,” said Data.
”It's definitely not one of mine!” Tasha replied. ”Come to think of it, we're rather an odd away team for this mission.”
”I have never known Captain Picard not to choose judiciously,” said Data.
”Neither have I. Let's take a look at those broadcasts. Perhaps they'll give us some clues as to what is going on.”
They did.
The occupants of the shuttlecraft spent the next two hours ignoring the glory of the starfield about them, eyes fixed on the steadily-improving image on the shuttle's central viewscreen.
At first there were only entertainment broadcasts: a dance performance, an athletic event, and some dramas which made little sense taken in brief s.n.a.t.c.hes out of context. All were interrupted from time to time by announcers urging viewers to purchase various products. Data recognized the ”free Enterprise” system by which advertisers ”sponsored” programming, paying the cost of preparing and broadcasting it in exchange for the right to lard it with promotions of their goods for sale.
”It is something like the transmission from Minos-” he began to explain.
Tasha nodded, cutting him off impatiently. ”They probably got it from the Ferengi along with the broadcast equipment,” she said.
Data tried various frequencies, but found only more of the same until the end of the athletic compet.i.tion. At that point there was interminable advertising of intoxicants, weapons, cosmetics, clothing, and private transportation. Then more intoxicants: beverages, inhalants, tablets, all promising instant happiness. Data noticed Tasha's sudden silence and looked over to see her frowning. ”This disturbs you?”
She took her attention from the screen. ”Is life here that bad? Data, I understand how it can be. My own mother took drugs because her life was so harsh and hopeless. These people, though-they have honest work, enough to eat, homes and families. Drugs can only ruin those things.”
”Widespread chemical dependency was not in the report of the Federation Survey Team,” Data pointed out, putting Tasha's statement about her mother together with the fact that she had abandoned her five-year-old child.
But Tasha clearly did not want to discuss her past. ”Here comes a news broadcast, finally,” she said, and turned her attention back to the screen.
The feature story was the arrival the next day of representatives of the Federation, to aid in putting down the rebel insurrection.
”Rebel insurrection?” questioned Data.
”What happened to the warlords?” asked Tasha.
There was no mention of warlords in the broadcast-but there were some scenes showing ”Starfleet in action”: a stars.h.i.+p of the old Const.i.tution cla.s.s blasting a planet, personnel in uniforms from a century ago using ground weapons against Klingons, an ancient shot from the first war with the Romulans of a Federation battle cruiser blasting a Bird of Prey out of existence.
”They're making us look like aggressors,” Tasha exclaimed. ”Bullies. Murderers!”
”It is all quite real,” Data a.s.sured her, ”but long out of date as well as edited to make Starfleet appear to be a war fleet.”
The announcer's voice continued, ”This is the power that will come to our aid if we persuade their representatives that we are worthy. We urge you to make the Federation welcome. The chief representatives in their delegation are Starfleet Commander Data and Security Chief Yar.”
”We're the only representatives,” Tasha murmured. ”And did you hear how they gave our t.i.tles, Data? It sounds as if we're part of Starfleet Command.” She gasped suddenly. ”Where did they get that?”
On the screen a younger version of Tasha Yar was shown on a s.h.i.+p's bridge, phaser in hand, holding off an attacker too close to the camera to be seen clearly.
”That was the Starbound,” Tasha whispered. ”My training cruise. Good G.o.d, where did they get that scene?”
”For young Tasha Yar,” the announcer's voice was saying, ”her very first a.s.signment became an opportunity for heroism when she saved fellow crew members after their s.h.i.+p was attacked and boarded by a ruthless enemy.”
Phaser fire exploded around her, but Tasha stood her ground with grim determination, no hint of fear in the young eyes. The attacker lunged toward her, she fired, and the scene ended in a flare of camera-overload.
”They don't show the rest of the Starbound bridge crew falling around me,” Tasha said grimly. ”Saved fellow crew members, indeed. It was Dare who-”
She stopped abruptly, and Data stored the comment for future consideration as he let his attention remain with the Trevan news broadcast.
Tasha was next shown in recent records, in her duties aboard the Enterprise.
Then the scene s.h.i.+fted to Data-in a test made at Starfleet Academy. He was shown lifting three, four, and then five of his cla.s.smates, looking bewildered as to why such a demonstration was asked of him. He remembered: he had been bewildered at the unscientific experiment, having already been through tests which accurately measured his strength and resiliency. Later he learned that the scene became part of the information Starfleet released about him to non-scientists, especially to schools. One of his early a.s.signments, before he was a.s.signed to serve aboard a stars.h.i.+p, had been as Starfleet Education Representative to schools all over the solar system.
”At least I know where they got this information,” he told Tasha. ”Starfleet probably still sends it out to anyone who asks about me. It is also years out of date, and ... I am not sure why seeing it again now ... disturbs me.”
”Because it treats you like an object rather than a person,” Tasha responded instantly. ”And by the way, Starfleet does not provide this stuff in your dossier today. I've never seen it before; I'm sure it's buried in the archives as an embarra.s.sment Starfleet Command would rather forget. You're a valued officer now, not a curious piece of equipment they're not sure how to use.”
But the rest of the broadcast on Data was no better than that about Tasha. He, too, was shown fighting, shooting-each time appearing to be aggressive and very, very dangerous.
”With the help of Starfleet,” the announcer continued, ”we will rid our peaceful planet of the rebels who oppose our way of life and attempt to take power over us all. In Tongaruca only today, rebels attacked villagers gathered for the weekly market-”
The scene showed a crowded marketplace devastated when an explosion suddenly went up in its midst. People fled, screaming, right into a circle of well-armed men and women who seemed to take great pleasure in clubbing and stabbing the unarmed citizens, phasering those with the fort.i.tude to fight back.
Data frowned. ”These 'rebels' have phasers. Why does Nalavia not have an armed force of her own, to protect her people from such attacks?”
”Just one of the things we need to find out,” replied Tasha. ”Such as how warlords have metamorphosed into rebels. What do you suppose they are rebelling against?”
There was no answer to her question, but there was to Data's as well-armed soldiers in ground vehicles arrived at the devastated marketplace and drove off the rebels. None of their shots seemed to connect, however, the original attackers escaped, and the soldiers turned to aiding the survivors.
Data turned away from the broadcast. ”If these local news stories are as carefully edited as the ones about you and me-”
”The terms you're looking for,” Tasha said grimly, ”are 'slanted' and 'biased.' I wonder whether Treva has a free press.”
”They claim to,” Data told her. ”Do you think the journalists oppose Starfleet's aid, and are therefore trying to portray us as representatives of a military force?”
”Perhaps,” said Tasha, ”whoever prepared those reports thinks the audience wants someone to come in and smash their enemies.” She shrugged. ”Possibly they do. Their own soldiers seem remarkably ineffective.”
”But their journalists remarkably effective,” Data observed. ”They were prepared to record that attack before it began.”
Tasha's eyes widened. ”You're right! Data, it just doesn't make sense-unless, of course, the journalist sides with the rebels and is trying to show that they are invincible ... no. He wouldn't want to show them as terrorists, then. But attempting to show us as little better would make sense.” She sighed. ”I can't figure it out.”
”Neither can I. Insufficient information.” He turned back to the viewscreen, but the broadcast had turned to a weather forecast, which was followed by another program of musical entertainment. Other frequencies brought more of the same, except that a lesson in botany was added to the a.s.sortment. He turned the viewscreen off. ”I do not think we will learn much more until we land on Treva.”
The next day, when they neared Treva, Lieutenant Tasha Yar called up the broadcasts onto the viewscreen again. There was the same entertainment fare; only the news programs were different. Everything was prepared for their arrival. Tight security measures were in force, as the enemies of the people might attempt to attack the Starfleet representatives.
”That is interesting,” Data observed. ”Not warlords now, and not rebels. Enemies of the people.”
Furthermore, when the old records of Data and Yar were replayed, this time instead of segueing into the two in battle they faded into recent records from Starbase 74, showing Yar excelling in the game of Parrises Squares.
Data was shown demonstrating, with inhuman patience, the operation of the Enterprise educational computer to four young children from the s.h.i.+p's families.
”Now this stuff,” said Yar, ”is what Starfleet probably provided on us. Quite a different picture from yesterday.”
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