Genre: StarTrek: The Next Generation
Title: New Civilizations
Summary: A new mission begins
Chapter 1Captain Picard's voice, though quiet and private, still filled his ready room:
"Captain's Personal log, Stardate 44713.1: The Enterprise is currently at rest alongside the Starship Arizona outside of the Polaris system, awaiting arrival of a new crewmember. Once the transfer is complete, we'll continue on our way to Kron III for our new mission.
"I here reiterate the opinions I expressed to Starfleet Admiral Podyznit; I welcome a chance to exercise my diplomatic skills, but I think the hidden agenda of the mission puts me in a poor position. Though, ostensibly this is to be merely a second contact…"
Captain JeanLuc Picard paused, taking the time to consider his words carefully. He laid his head against the high back of the chair, and relaxed as he thought. 'Merely second contact?' Though first contacts with a newly discovered civilization were exciting, they were also tense and tentative. First contacts took nerves of steel, a certain psychic ability, a tense trigger finger with a reluctance to use it, and many other talents besides. One never knew if the new kids on the block were as warlike as Cardassians or as gentle as butterflies, whether they carried disease that could wipe out every other form of life in the quadrant, or whether, instead, they had the secret to everlasting health. Second contact, however, was altogether different. Second contact was like an invitation to the dance; it was finding the music of the relationship, what beat and step, what melody would be played. Questions of etiquette, of personal tastes were asked, discoveries were made beyond the nuts and bolts of safety versus threat. In this case, however, the Federation had a few dance steps already in mind.
But, since they were already so sure they wanted to trade with Kron, "why," Picard had inquired, "weren't they sending an assigned diplomat?" He still burned with the answer. He'd been reminded that one of the functions of second contact was to discover what the people of Kron expected of the Federation as well as to establish what was expected of the Kron. This is what founded an official diplomatic rulebook.
At the same time, they were to establish a presence in that area. Podyznit had been quite when she said, "There are a variety of reasons for doing that, Captain Picard. For one, the Kronatina have just found two entire planets rich in minerals and ores circling the other sun of their double star system. Those two planets are uninhabitable and can conceivably be mined right down to their cores. They have enough resources for several civilizations for centuries. Word has already reached the ears of the Ferengi, so we can't waste time." She'd cocked an elegant eyebrow when she said, "You will have to wear two hats, Captain Picard. Not only will you have to establish what information we'll need to properly train a diplomat, but you'll also have to nail down some sort of trade agreement for the Federation."
To which Picard had answered, "Since you're head of Starfleet Trade Agreement Enforcement, you must know my knowledge of how to establish trade relations is hearsay only. I'd be in over my head."
Podyznit, who had been sitting forward in her chair in an eager attitude of explanation, now leaned back. "Captain Picard, I know your record quite well. You've never failed to meet an assignment. If you haven't come out ahead, you have, at least, come out even, and never have you failed. You're a fine diplomat in your own right, and we're not asking you to set up a trade agreement, merely to get to admit that they will do so."
Captain Picard began shaking his head in frustration, but before he could voice further objections, Podyznit continued, "There is something else. The Kron star system is practically in the Romulan's back yard, and we need the presence of the Enterprise to deter any aggressive ideas they might be entertaining, should they be gazing over their fence. It's is another factor for assigning you, secondary to your talents, but a factor, nevertheless."
This detail had his attention. "Should we expect trouble?"
The admiral barely moved her head in the negative. "That particular sector of the Romulan Empire is uninhabited. They claim the territory, but, as far as we know, rarely even patrol the strip of neutral zone rimming it. They may yet not even recognize that they have such a prize is in their proximity. We can be fairly certain they will know soon, however, so we just want them to be aware that we're not taking it lightly." She smiled slightly. "And reminding the Kron that we're so impressed with them that we've sent our biggest and best ship won't hurt either."
Picard still entertained hopes for a peaceful mission, in spite of the possibilities for otherwise. He returned to his interrupted sentence, "I'm looking forward to meeting the Kronatina. The First Contact team reported that they're a very peaceful people. It seems that they have never engaged in war. One reason apparently being that they are singularly uni-cultured with little difference from one side of the planet's population or the other. This is not to say they don't have strife, have not had reason to develop weaponry, but in comparison with most other civilizations, my own very much included, the Kronatina have little defense or offense. It will be most refreshing to meet people whose militia is closer to a police force than to blood weary war veterans.
"The Kronatina are fascinated by our diversity of appearance as much as by the idea of intelligence from outer space. Unafraid of the difference, they're as eager to learn about us, as we are to learn about them. Of course, they have anxieties at possibly being overwhelmed by us and allaying those fears, as part of the Prime Directive, is a part of my duties.
He indulged himself for a moment in one of his pet fascinations, new and different inventions. "One part of their civilization I, personally, will want to explore is their development of movement translation devices. Apparently, nature gave them large, clumsy hands and, in order to do delicate handwork, an important step in development of a mechanical age, they first developed machines that reduced large movements to small movements. Although related to our WALDO's, these machines are developed far beyond anything found anywhere thus far. They are apparently so compact and so common everyone has several and can allows them to do anything from fine needlework, to writing letters, and even picking a single grape from a bunch. Though my interest is in how these devices were developed, the history of them, I understand others would be interested in their commercial use."
Bringing himself back to the purpose of the entry, he continued, "The only fly in the ointment is that the Ferengi will be present. As soon as they heard of the new source for minerals and of the micro movement products, they insisted on being included in the encounters. I don't object to their wish to trade, but I have never liked their methods. However, I must extend them full courtesies and I shall. I do not expect any particular problems to occur, merely annoyances as usually happens with any meetings we've had with the Ferengi.
"I like this sort of mission since it allows me to exercise my diplomatic skills for peaceful ends rather than for staving off bloodshed. Also, since we're not under a hurried time schedule, the blanket of such a mission will allow the crew to rest easy for a change.
He paused again, staring out the small port behind his chair. Out of sight, somewhere to the starboard side of the Starship Enterprise, hung the newly commissioned Starship Arizona, resurrected once again. Where the original U.S.S. Arizona had long ago deteriorated in the salt water off the coast of Hawaii on Earth, it's successor, Starship Arizona, was floating in parts, as it would forever, around the dark star, Wolf 359, the sight of the Starfleet's disastrous encounter with the Borg.
"We are currently awaiting the transport of a new member, Dr. T'Shing D'Jang dall. I have often expressed to Starfleet Command that a star class cruiser such as the Enterprise merits the services of an Intragalactic Veterinarian, but had not pushed the matter until our current vet received orders for transfer. With the talent to sense the difference between sentient beings and animals, she may save us from the sort of embarrassing predicaments like those we've had in the past." Picard ruefully remembered trying to make First Contact with what turned out to be nothing more than the equivalent to a colony of termites, and worse, the incident of invading a world that they'd thought free of intelligent life, but which was inhabited by the truly sentient micro organisms, on Valeria III.
"I'm also sure she'll be pleased to find the ship's Animal Board and Clinic has a full range of necessary tools there, at her disposal."
Considering all that there was to be done as captain of the largest Federation vessel in the galaxy, that most of his waking and sometimes sleeping hours were taken up with the duties serving the ship, he, long ago, had found that sitting at rest and merely speaking of his mighty Enterprise was a near luxury.
Pausing the log, he pulled up a document, an informal dossier for Commander T'Shing. Before he continued on his ruminations about her, he wanted to be sure of some information. He knew she'd be bringing her own formal dossier chip, but there were always informal reports, freely circulated among the Starfleet ships, generally in the form of informal letters from ships' commanders.
While perusing the file, a familiar voice called, "JeanLuc?"
"Yes Dr. Crusher?"
"I understand the new veterinarian will be coming on board soon. I wanted to get a jump on doing her medical review but I can't, for the life of me, remember what her home planet is. Do you know, by any chance?"
Smiling, Picard answered, "She was born on Dolanzia."
"Of course! I should have known. I had an uncle who was a farmer on Beta Centauri VI who swore by Dolanzites. They're a genetically altered race of farmers, aren't they? I remember him saying a Dolanzite could raise crops on dry rock in an average temperature of minus ten degrees Celsius and still get a double yield. He also said that they managed animals so well it was as if they could talk to them."
Captain Picard's eyes softened as he answered, "Before I made my plans to join Starfleet known to my father, he'd had hopes of sending me to one of the agricultural colleges on Dolanzia."
"Oh, that's right, your family has a grape farm."
Picard winced as he corrected, "A vineyard. Yes, he thought that by sending me to the finest agricultural school in the Federation I'd be able to make our wine grapes the best in France. He considered Dolanzian schooling to be the next best thing to being a Dolanzite."
Picard would have continued reminiscing except that Dr. Crusher interrupted. "They all come from a variety of races, don't they? I seem to recall they are part Vulcan and part Sirian among others."
"I believe that's so, Doctor." He paused briefly. "Was there anything else?"
"No, I just needed the name of the planet. Thanks. Crusher out."
The Captain turned back to the informal dossier. The last entry read:
'Commander T'Shing is a talent of the genius class and her career with us has been an interesting experience. Though of amiable, even attractive personality, she doesn't often socialize with crewmembers, saying she prefers the company of the animals she tends to. Her devotion to her art is clear and she has proven herself many times, earning several commendations from the Fleet. She's also received awards from entire planets whose animals she saved from destruction.'
The unofficial dossier continued listing her service record, a specific list of the acclamations, an impressive list of awards from grateful people as well as other comments from her commanding officers. Actually, the letter was all that Picard was interested in, since her service and awards were quite well known to him and confirmed that she was just what the Enterprise deserved.
However, knowing that bad news about officers in the fleet did not travel with any great speed, he wondered about the cryptic comment about her career being an 'interesting experience' for Starfleet could mean. It could imply anything. Picard had had previous experiences with people designated as genius, each of which had been varied and complex in the extreme. Genius could mean a self-tortured soul such as Tam Elbrun ('did Tin Man and Tam escape the nova?'), or it could mean a torturing devil such as Q. It could also mean a well-balanced and absolutely delightful individual such as Beverly Crusher's young son, Wesley Crusher.
Picard ended his reverie. "Log continue: I'm honored to receive the services of Commander T'Shing in spite of the veiled warning of the informal profile. When she arrives with her official dossier, I'm sure I'll be put at better ease. I firmly believe she'll be an asset to the Enterprise."
"Captain Picard, we're about to beam the new veterinarian aboard, transport room four." Chief O'Brien's voice was quiet and sure as usual.
"Thank you, Chief. Strike last three words from the Log, end personal log." The Captain of the Enterprise stood, tugged slightly at his uniform blouse, and exited his office.
Passing through the bridge to the turbolift, Picard noticed that Data was not at the ops station in front of the view-screen. Instead, an ensign in his place. In fact, Worf, seated in the command chair on the primary floor of the bridge, was the only senior officer present. This assured Picard, that the ship was running smoothly in the hands of people, not as experienced as the regular crew, but who capable and were taking every opportunity to learn and gain seasoning. "Worf?"
"Sir?" The craggy faced Klingon was more relaxed than usual, but not happy. He was a warrior, born and bred for battle; peace and quiet were all very well but did not fit his talents. He was impatiently looking forward to some time off and running his holodeck combat-training program. If duty would not keep him at peak fighting edge, then pleasure would.
"I'll be in transport room four, greeting our new veterinarian. Once she's come on board, the Arizona will depart and you may then direct our course to Kron III at warp five.
Worf replied. "Yes, sir, warp five,"
The Captain, as well as Worf, glanced at the ensign sitting at the ship's power control station, next to ops. The young woman had heard and was already keying in the instructions.
In the turbolift, after stating his destination, Picard raised his head. "Computer, what is Commander Riker's location?"
The quiet, distinctively feminine computer voice replied, "Commander Riker is in Ten Forward."
TBC to Chapter 2
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