Chapter 11

Of Noble Heart: Star Trek, TNG

D.R. McCann

"What in the world would they want to do in here?" Worf scanned the scene as he walked forward into the leafy forest of the holodeck. The sound of small animals moving along the ground and of bird-like creatures in the trees caught the attention of the three parents and the holodeck engineer.

"You are dismissed Tanaka," Worf said as the Ensign closed the programmer's panel next to the holodeck entrance.

The parents took a few steps forward and the forest spread out before them, with the wide plain beyond. Worf walked into the re-creation a further ten meters and stepped up onto a boulder. A flying creature the size of an owl flew a few feet from his head, causing Worf to duck. It disappeared toward the blue hills in the distance.

"Were they hunting?" Smelser asked as he climbed a nearby stump.

Lieutenant Tora looked skyward, surveying the tall trees around them. "This is nothing like Bajor, or any other place Jarok has lived," she said.

Matthew's father stepped down beside her. "Well, it could be Earth, but Matthew barely knows Earth. He a Luna-born. Besides, the Enterprise has been his home for years."

"Long may it be so," Tora added in a voice so soft it was barely heard. But they had heard her words, and they hung in the air between the three of them as each considered the ramifications of their sons' actions.

The holodeck door slid open, putting an end to the impression of being surrounded by woodland. "I hoped to find you here," Counsellor Troi said as she entered. "I've brought Jarok's father." A slight dark-haired human in uniform entered the holodeck suite behind her and the door slid closed.

Deana looked around her. "It's a beautiful place they've got here," she said. "I had imagined something much different."

Worf turned full circle and answered. "Well, it might be the scene of a battle. They might be in here testing their fighting skills."

"That doesn't sound like Matthew," his father said. "He's not much into warcraft."

"It would have suited Jarok," his father said as he stepped forward to greet Smelser. "I am Lieutenant Camberwell. I work with Commander La Forge," he explained. He took his wife's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, and continued, "Jarok is keen to learn about the past. Especially Bajor's past. Its wars against the Cardassians especially."

"But this isn't Bajor," Deanna said, scanning the forest around her. "Nor is it Cardassia, I don't think," she said, looking quizzically at Worf.

"No, this is no world I know."

"The programme says it's Argelius II," Worf said, "but that name means nothing to me." The others shook their heads in agreement. "It could be any number of forested worlds, or even an imaginary planet," Worf concluded.

Deanna hit her communicator and asked the computer to tell them about Argelius II. A minute later they had learned its history as programmed into the computer, and learned it was famous for its rock spires, primal forests, and deep seas."

"So why here?" Tora asked.

Worf shrugged again. "And this is nothing like Pranek Prime. From what we saw," he confirmed by looking at the Counsellor, who nodded in agreement, "that is a desolate and dry planet, not lush and green like one this." He scowled in frustration. "We are getting nowhere."

"Please sit down Worf," Deanna said as she pointed to the boulder. "All of you. Sit down please. Let's try to figure this out together. No one knows the boys better than you four."

When they'd found logs and boulders to sit on, she continued. "What is there about this place that might bring the three boys together. Maybe then we can determine why they had to go as far as to lie to get off the Enterprise."

#

"Yes, Admiral, I agree," Picard said into the screen at his desk. The rounded countenance of Admiral Robbins stared back. "We are continuing to try to communicate with Pranek Prime, but interference around the planet makes it impossible. I am quite convinced that it has something to do with the signal sent from there when Mr Worf touched the machinery."

Admiral Robbins was obviously unhappy to hear about the boys' misbehaviour and of the danger they faced, but his primary concern remained Rabijan IX, the missing scientific expedition and technology, and Pranek's apparent involvement in their disappearance. His demeanour expressed his frustration as much as his words. "Nothing we have heard from you, including reports about that underground bunker full of futuristic machinery, makes us doubt that the technology found on Rabijan IX is a potential threat to the Federation. Perhaps the room you found on Pranek Prime is the key. We are preparing to send a team from here to Pranek Prime as soon as possible and we won't wait for communications to clear to do that."

Picard nodded his agreement with this decision. "Yes, I concur. The Federation needs to see if the technology there is similar to that destroyed on Rabijan, as Commander Data suspects."

The Admiral's face, which nearly filled the screen, bobbed once to indicate they were on the same wavelength.

"And perhaps you can send a Counsellor with the team to meet the boys when they're found," Picard continued. "I have no doubt that their presence is well-known already; the Pranek Administrator must be wondering what to do with them… especially if he is trying to reach us and can't."

"I understand Captain, and of course I will do as you ask. But my priority is the technology. And we need to get some answers: was the signal sent from that bunker meant to warn these Assessors of a foreign presence on Pranek? What if they now decide to use that technology against us? If what we have learned on Rabijan is right, Jean Luc, I fear we're no more prepared to meet them than the people of Pranek were. Sure, we're not simple hunters and gatherers, but we are considerably less advanced than the race that left that equipment on Rabijan. Perhaps their science would seem like miracles to us too?"

"But there's no reason, not yet at least, to believe that whatever is behind this – whether millennia ago or now – is malevolent, or that it's preparing to attack the Federation. We haven't even found evidence of its existence continuing into the present. We're only assuming it's the same race of beings…'

"… and that's what you need to find out. Test the defences. Cross the perimeter. Find them. Bring back our scientists, and the technology. Damn it, Captain, we here think the Federation may be in danger."

The Admiral took a deep breath and calmed himself. "Also, the Galaxy on the frontier has reported that the Romulans are on the move. Two ships are travelling toward the neutral zone. HQ is watching to see if they're heading toward the Pranek system or even the Enterprise…'

"…that's all we need," Picard said.

"Indeed, Captain. As soon as it's certain, we will let you know which direction they're going. Robbins out."

#

Picard called his officers together in the conference room. Though not required, he wanted to explain to his people his reasoning and the views of Federation HQ before he ordered the Enterprise into the prohibited zone. They did not question his decision. He also took the opportunity to catch up on the boys' saga.

"Sir," Deanna started. "The parents and I have traced the boys' steps in the hours immediately before they left the ship. It appears they were on the holodeck for 74 minutes, during which time they explored a wilderness area on Argelius II."

"Argelius? I have never heard of it."

"Nor had we, sir. But the boys seemed to have recreated it on the holodeck. It's defining features are its open space and forests. It's very beautiful, actually…'

"…I doubt it's the beauty that interests them," Worf interjected. "More likely the ruggedness of the terrain, and the fact that it is pristine and unsettled."

"Yes," Deanna continued. "We think that is the similarity between Argelius II and Pranek Prime. Both have vast, unpopulated and rugged areas."

"Which indicates," Worf again interjected, "that the boys are unlikely to be in or near the city. That could mean that the Pranek government doesn't know their whereabouts."

"I see," Picard said. "And have you been able to communicate with the Administrator's office?"

"No sir," Data answered. "The interference remains constant. It is as though the planet is shrouded in an ionized cloud, opaque as far as sub-space communication is concerned."

"Well, Admiral Robbins assures me that he is sending a team to meet with the government and to search for the boys."

Worf looked relieved, and glanced at Deanna, who smiled her support.

"He is not sending them solely to look for the boys, mind you. He has ordered a team to look at the machinery in that underground complex and to compare it with the reports he has of the buried equipment found on Rabijan IX."

"I am sure he will find it is comparable," Data said. "My assessment, though incomplete, found that there was an 86.334% probability that the machines described in Dr. Pakat's report were of the same origin as those on Pranek IV. Which brings us to the beacons."

"Yes?" Picard said.

"The probability that the beacons were constructed by the same race stands at 73.665%. The figure is so low because our data from Pranek and Rabijan are incomplete. But we have good data on the beacons, all 17 of them."

"Seventeen! Explain Data," the Captain said.

"We have done a circuit of the exclusion zone, sir, and have found 17 beacons in total, all giving out the same general message. They are placed on the outer edge of an area marked by massive x-ray and gamma ray emissions, much higher than would be explained by the amount of visible matter contained in the region."

"What could generate such emissions?" Riker asked the science officer.

"Any number of things, sir. Neutron stars, quasars, and dark matter of various sorts. But we do not know for sure, not yet, sir. Not till we investigate the area."

"Would that be dangerous, Mr Data, considering the radiation?" the Captain asked.

"There is no way to tell sir, but if we proceed, we should constantly measure the emissions to make sure they are not penetrating the hull and interfering with our systems or indeed, Captain, the crew."

Beverly Crusher frowned. "Please, Commander Data, can you forward the information you have on the emissions to me. I will stand ready with inoculants in case we are contaminated. And can you please keep me informed of the readings as they change?"

"Yes, Doctor," Data replied. "But I have one further piece of news that will interest you, sir," he said turning back to the Captain. "One of the 17 beacons was of a different age than the others. It was new, less than ten years old."

"Now that is important news!" Picard said and leaned forward on the table. "Well done, Data." Musing a moment he added, "is there any way to account for that, other than to assume it was a replacement, or a newly placed beacon?"

"I doubt it sir. It was found in the place where it should have been, equidistant between two old beacons. On the far side of the circumference from where we first entered the area."

"Away from Federation territory then?"

"Yes sir. On the opposite side of the area. As though it were to warn visitors from that side of the region to beware."

"The Gamma quadrant side, then?"

"Yes, sir".

"So, it's unlikely to be directed at us especially," the Captain said, nodding at Counsellor Troi. "It's a warning possibly, to any spacefaring race."

"Ancient, but refurbished regularly," Riker added. "And sending out the same old message."

The group sat silently for a moment, thinking through the implications of Data's findings. The Captain broke the mood.

"We have been ordered by Starfleet into the region. We will proceed with caution, at impulse speed. If there is any change – in emissions or if any other danger appears – then we will stop and reassess the situation. I propose that we start inwards at 6.00 hours, after we have changed shifts and each of us has had some sleep. We will keep to our regular schedule, but I expect each of you to be ready to be on the Bridge at a moment's notice."

"Yes sir," the command officers said in unison.

#

When the sun had gone down Alexander took the opportunity to move on. He could see the lights of the city reflecting against the clouds in the distance, but the capital seemed no closer than it had been hours before. He had walked steadily from the time he'd emerged from the cliffs until the sun was too hot to go on. He figured it was safer to sit in the shade of a scrawny tree than to push on in the heat. He had to conserve his strength, to stay hydrated and avoid sunstroke, he had learned that from his father and uncle. He had torn a bit of cloth off the back of his jacket, and wrapped it around his head to protect him from the direct sun. He kept an eye out for small insects and larvae to eat, and hoped that those that looked like ants, which were in abundance, weren't poisonous. This assumption proved correct since he felt no worse in the few hours after eating them.

When he collapsed under the tree, he picked up a handful of small stones and put them in his pocket. As the day wore on, he sucked one at a time, just as though they were sweets. That might save his life, by keeping his mouth from drying out and his tongue from swelling. He remembered his human grandfather had taught him that, one day on a trail in the southern Rockies, during a summer hike when it reached 35º and they were short of water.

At one point he slept and found when he woke that the shadows were long and blue. The pebble was no longer in his mouth and he suspected he'd swallowed it.

At dusk he stood again and got his bearings. He put the mountains in the distance behind him. He thought about Jarok and Matthew on the ledge, now there for a half-day, but he quickly pushed the image out of his mind. It did no good to dwell on events he could not change. His father had taught him that too. He knew he was doing his best for them, and he could do no more. He was doing what Worf would do, he was certain. So, he focused on the city lights shimmering in the distance, and stepped towards the brightness once again.