Part 11 (2/2)
He made a sort of vague gesture downward. ”They're expecting me at sickbay. If I don't show up there, they'll send out the hounds.”
Troi considered this a moment, and then tapped her insignia. ”Troi to sickbay.”
”Sickbay. Pulaski here. What's the matter, Deanna?”
”It's my understanding that you were expecting Jaan in sickbay.”
”That's right.”
”He's with me, and I was hoping to detain him for several minutes if that's all right with you.”
”I'm not certain how all right it'll be with Jaan. He sounded in less-than-outstanding shape a little earlier.”
”I can make it a few minutes more, Doctor,” Jaan now spoke up. He smiled ingratiatingly at Deanna. ”Elves have remarkable powers of recuperation.”
”So I've heard. All right, Deanna, but you're responsible for him.”
”Absolutely. Troi out.”
She turned to him and he was still smiling, and stars, she hadn't realized just how captivating a face he had.
”I must confess,” she said slowly, ”that I'm not as conversant with Selelvians as I should be. With over a thousand people on board ... ”
”No problem,” he said. He took a step toward her. ”No problem at all.”
At that moment her insignia beeped, this time indicating an incoming page. She gave an apologetic half-smile and tapped it again. ”Counselor Troi here,” she said.
”This is Captain Picard,” came that very distinctive voice. ”We have rendezvoused with the Klingon s.h.i.+p and are preparing to meet the Klingon amba.s.sador and his party. I think it would be best if you were there.”
”Captain ... ” Uncharacteristically, she hesitated. ”I'm in a private conference at the moment.”
”Is there any way it can be delayed?”
She glanced at Jaan, about to tell him that the captain sounded most insistent.
Jaan was slowly shaking his head and mouthing the word ”No.” His eyes twinkled with amus.e.m.e.nt.
And of course, the answer was no. After all, here was someone who immediately needed her help. The captain was certainly capable of handling whatever might arise with this Klingon until she got there.
”Troi?” Picard said after an annoyed pause.
”I think, Captain, that delaying would be most unwise.”
She could practically see Picard's surprised expression. ”Very well, Counselor,” he said. ”Use your best judgment. Just be along as soon as you can.”
”Absolutely, sir. Absolutely.”
”Very well. Picard out.”
Slowly, her hand dropped from her insignia, and Jaan took it in his. His nearness was overwhelming.
”Now,” he said, in a musical voice, ”what did you wish to speak to me about?”
”That was d.a.m.ned peculiar,” said Picard on the bridge. He turned toward Riker. ”Didn't you think so, Number One? And by the way, Mr. Riker,” he said, without giving Riker a chance to answer, ”that's a very annoying habit you've picked up.”
Confused, Riker said, ”What habit, sir?”
”That stroking your beard every time you're asked a question. It makes it appear as if you're indecisive.”
”Does it?” said Riker innocently. ”I'm sorry, sir. I'll try to watch that. As for your question, well ... Deanna can be very single-minded when she believes that she is needed.”
”Indeed.”
”I'd like to think that's what makes her a good counselor.”
The aft turbolift opened, and Geordi and Data entered, having received calls from the bridge previous to Deanna.
Data went to the ops station and sat down, staring with interest at the Klingon battlecruiser that hovered on the monitor. Once, the presence of such a vessel would have been a guarantor of, at the least, yellow-alert status. That, however, was before Data's time.
Then he turned and looked at the conn station, now occupied by Lieutenant Marks. ”Where is Wesley?” inquired Data.
”Data,” said Picard, ”do not, under any circ.u.mstances, ask me again where Wesley Crusher is.”
”Yes, sir.”
”Captain,” said Worf from his security console, ”I'm receiving an incoming hailing frequency from the vessel.”
Picard couldn't help but notice that Worf had not said ”Klingon vessel,” as he would have qualified virtually any other. ”This is Captain Picard, of the U.S.S. Enterprise,” he said.
The viewscreen s.h.i.+mmered, and now the image of the Klingon commander appeared. ”Greetings, Captain Picard,” he said in his gravelly voice. ”In another time, I might have called you enemy.”
”A time long past,” responded Picard.
”We are prepared to beam our amba.s.sador and his party aboard. We ask that you take extraordinary care of the Honorable Kobry.”
”As we would any guest.”
”But the Honorable Kobry is not just any guest,” said the commander. ”He is one of the most revered figures in our Empire. Certainly the Kreel must be aware of that.”
”I'm sure they are,” said Picard. He already had a suspicion where the conversation was going but allowed it to proceed.
”Your s.h.i.+p will have Kreel diplomats being given free rein. Do you know what the definition of a Kreel diplomat is?”
Picard shook his head and, from behind him, Worf spoke up. ”A Kreel who has run out of ammunition.”
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