Several hours later, Worf intercepted Picard in the corridor. "Captain, I think Bennet should be placed in complete isolation. No visitors or guards."

Picard wrinkled his brow. "That seems excessive, if not actually cruel. Surely he cannot pose a threat from within the maximum security cell."

Worf looked uncomfortable. "He is extremely... persuasive. He is able to make even the most insane request sound reasonable. If he is permitted contact with others, it is just a question of time before he convinces one of them to lower the forcefield."

"Oh, come, Lieutenant!" Picard scoffed. "I find that hard to believe. The man's no different from the rest of us. Who is watching him now?"

"He is being treated by Dr.Crusher. In the brig."

"Treated? For what?"

"He was injured during an escape attempt. The doctor says it is not serious."

"How did he get past the forcefield?" Picard demanded.

"It was not activated." Worf forced himself to meet Picard's gaze. "I had lowered it."

Picard closed his eyes for a moment and counted to ten. "Come with me, Lieutenant." He led the way to the Briefing Room. Once they were in private, he spun back to confront Worf. "Why is everyone on this ship incapable of treating Bennet like the common criminal he is? What is it about him that inspires such trust? How could he get you to lower the forcefield?"

"We were speaking of the Imperial Planets, and he said he found the field distracting. He asked if I could lower it, just while we talked. I was armed, sir, and he is only Human, and--"

Picard had sunk into a chair. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he said wearily, "So you thought it would be safe to deactivate the field."

Worf nodded unhappily. "He later attempted an escape, using Klingon techniques of incapacitation his former partner had taught him."

"Partner?"

"A Klingon named Narf, of a clan not distant from my own. Their partnership dissolved some time back, but -- "

"Enough, Mr. Worf. I take it he did not succeed."

"No, sir." Worf looked mildly offended. "He is only Human. And I was not completely surprised."

"All right, Lieutenant. Your request for strict isolation is granted. I trust such an escape shall not happen again."

"No, sir!"

"I am going to have a talk with our Mr. Bennet, then you may implement your quarantine."

Picard headed to the brig, where he found a full squad of Security warily watching Bennet while Dr.Crusher attended to his wounds. "The marks will fade in a day or two," she told him, sealing the last of several gashes on his back.

"Sure you won't stay a while?" the freebooter invited cheerfully. "We could have a party with so many people."

Crusher didn't respond. Pushing Bennet onto his side, she scanned his abdomen where bruises were purpling. "Hm." She took out a hypospray and pressed it against one of the bruises.

"Hey!" Bennet gasped. "That tickles!"

Crusher ignored him, repeating the process on another bruise. With a wink at the nearest Security guard, Bennet snaked out a hand and tickled the doctor. Crusher yelped in surprise and dropped her instrument. "Stop that!" she ordered furiously.

"You started it," he responded innocently.

Crusher picked up the hypo and returned to Bennet's side. "Hold still!"

As soon as she began to treat him, he tickled her again. Fighting back the involuntary giggles, Crusher stood her ground. "Stop it!" she repeated, alternately slapping away his hands and applying the hypo.

"Not until you stop," he grinned.

The guards were having a hard time maintaining their composure, and even Crusher's anger was fast evaporating in the face of Bennet's onslaught. "You are the -- stop! -- most infuriating patient!"

"And the handsomest?" he challenged.

Picard cleared his throat meaningfully. The guards snapped to attention, and Crusher started guiltily. "Captain!" She hastily gathered up her equipment. "The, uh, prisoner is fine. Injuries were minor."

"I'm crushed!" Bennet cried. "How can you so lightly dismiss wounds received in single combat with a Klingon?"

"If you hadn't attacked Lt. Worf, you would be unharmed," Picard snapped.

"If my grandmother had tentacles, she'd be a native of Kopek III," Bennet retorted.

"I'll go back to Sickbay now," Crusher interjected, escaping.

At Picard's signal, the others filed out as well, leaving the captain alone with the prisoner. "Why?" he demanded tightly.

"Why what?"

"Why these constant escape attempts?"

Bennet laughed incredulously. "Are you that stupid? Because I've no desire to spend time in a penal colony, and as you know, there are more than a few outstanding warrants on me. Even after Starfleet gets through with me for borrowing this ship, there'll still be plenty of outraged planets demanding my head on a stake. Besides," he shrugged, "it's a natural reflex for me to escape whenever anyone tries to hold me down. Did you know the six weeks I was on this ship between Starbase 17 and the Muon Belt was the longest period I've spent in one place in nearly four years?"

"Four years?"

"I've got itchy feet, Picard. I can't stay put. I arrive, meet some people, have some fun, and leave. That's it."

"Your lifestyle is about to undergo a dramatic change," the captain commented drily.

"Yeah. Thanks to you."

"Me?"

"And your stupid crew."

"My crew saved your life!" Picard said heatedly.

"What for?" Bennet yelled back.

"Was it your intention to die, fighting the Ferengi?"

"No, of course not!" Bennet spun away and began to pace. "But I'd rather have died than end up in some jail."

"You should have thought of that before you embarked on your, ahem, career."

"Very compassionate, Picard," Bennet snarled. "But I didn't 'embark' on anything. I sort of fell into my 'ahem, career' after my wife was killed. After her death, I just started traveling and one thing led to another. Besides, you cannot point to anything -- anything -- that I've done that's caused injury to an innocent."

"No? Brawling? Theft?"

"I never threw the first punch in a bar in my life. As for theft, I never took what they couldn't afford, nor even what they could, usually. Most of the items I'm charged with stealing were gifts from -- " he winked " -- grateful wives or business partners with hefty insurance policies."

"Do you expect me to believe you?"

"Look up the charges, Picard! It'll all be there in the reports! And as far as your precious ship goes, it was returned in perfect order with less than an hour's delay."

"You cannot simply go around breaking any law you feel like and expect to remain unpunished." Picard strove to reason with the man.

"Why not? I was doing fine until you butted in."

Picard gave up. "You'll be pleased to learn that Commander LaForge and some of the other members of the crew have contacted the various agencies that issued the warrants. They have attempted to persuade them to drop the charges."

"You're kidding! Why should they dismiss their cases?"

"Your -- " Picard forced himself to use the word. "--heroism in saving the Enterprise and the family on the yacht."

"Did they have any luck?"

"I don't know. Mr.LaForge, report to the brig."

Bennet shook his head wonderingly. "I don't believe it! That's great! But, Picard, why would they go to all that trouble? I don't get it."

"I'm not surprised."

"Funny, Picard. But why?"

"Because despite all your actions to the contrary, you are still considered a friend by many of the crew."

"What do you mean, 'actions to the contrary'?" Bennet demanded. "Sure, I'm their friend!"

"You have no concept of what friendship means," Picard replied angrily. "Whether you once knew but have forgotten in your travels or whether you never had the faintest idea, you -- " Picard broke off as LaForge entered the room.

"Captain?"

"Geordi! What's the good news? Did you talk the cops around?" Jake asked.

Understanding dawned, and LaForge's face lit with a grin. "Sure did! Of the original 117 charges, including the 28 extradition requests, all but one have been dropped."

"ONE?!" Picard's jaw fell in shock.

"Ya-hoo!" Bennet did a flip off his bunk. "You're incredible, Geordi! If I could reach you, I'd kiss you!"

"It wasn't just me," LaForge said modestly. "It was a team effort."

"Yeah, well, thanks!" Bennet grinned from ear to ear. "So there's just this one charge and the hijacking deal left, right?"

Surprised, LaForge turned to Picard. "You didn't tell him?"

Picard looked as though he regretted his decision more than ever, but he was a man of honor and would stand by his word. However, he was not going to be the one to tell Bennet. "No."

"The captain won't press charges either," LaForge informed Bennet. "It's just this one old charge."

"Is it an extraditable one?" Picard asked hopefully.

"That's sort of complicated. It's from the Orion Colonies, which don't have a formal extradition treaty with the Federation, but they do have several informal agreements. Starfleet Command suggests that we detour to Arconia in the next quadrant; they've got a similar arrangement with Orion, so if we turn Jake over to them, they can arrange the necessary hearing. Starbase 25 doesn't have a legal staff or facilities for holding prisoners, so Arconia seems like our best bet. They're a small ex-colony whose laws, regarding extradition to Orion at least, are identical to the Federation's. The local magistrate can hear the case and make a ruling. Oh, and Starfleet said we might as well make use of Arconia's shore leave facilities while we're there," LaForge added, saving the best for last.

"You've been very busy," Picard observed gloomily.

"Commander Riker worked out the details with Starfleet," LaForge admitted, "and the rest -- "

"Never mind," Picard sighed. "Have the helm lay in a course for Arconia."

"Aye, sir!" LaForge smiled at Bennet and left.

Picard turned to follow him but was halted by a call from Bennet. "Oh, Cap-tain," Jake caroled sweetly.

"What?"

Bennet looked Picard up and down, grinning. "You agreed to drop the hijacking charge because you figured it didn't matter on top of 117 others, didn't you?"

Picard clenched his jaw. "That was one consideration."

"Why don't you like me?" Bennet asked curiously. "Is it a reflex response like my rebellion against authority? Or are you still mad over the 'Picard is a chorrzhh' bit?"

"I don't like how you use people." The captain's tone was glacial.

"I don't understand."

"I'm not surprised," Picard repeated and stalked out, leaving a mystified Bennet behind.