CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

Chapter 20

„So you talked about the cultural similarities between Ruylan II and the Klingon homeworld." Will Riker was sitting back in the captain's chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him, while Worf was leaning over the Tactical console above. „And then?"

„There are dissimilarities as well." Worf was looking comfortable, Will Riker thought – more comfortable than he had looked in ages. Both elbows on the wooden railing, feet slightly apart; by Worf's standards he was positively lounging. „A different warrior code. A differently structured society."

„Well, but did the two of you just sit there deep into the night discussing your respective cultures?" Part of his mind refused to believe it. Another part knew perfectly well that that was precisely what had happened.

„She also introduced me to a drink called gulma." From his long familiarity with his friend and crewmate Riker could tell that Worf had enjoyed it. He would. Not that he himself hadn't liked the stuff, but he had been feeling very slightly odd for hours afterwards.

„You spent the evening on gulma?" he asked, just to make sure.

„No," Worf replied earnestly. „I also replicated some prune juice. She appeared to like it. She drank two glassesful."

Hell, Riker thought involuntarily as he tried to imagine the combination. They must have stomachs like oxen, both of them. „And the, er, pet behaved itself?"

„She had locked it away in the bedroom." Worf was looking thoughtful now. „Commander, I would like your opinion on something. I do not understand it. Yesterday I mentioned the pet when I requested –"

The aft turbolift door hissed open before Worf could finish his sentence. Riker twisted round to see who was entering, and his expression darkened. Worf even thought he could hear him murmuring „Not again" just before the first officer got to his feet. „What can I do for you, gentlemen?"

The three priests made their stately way down the ramp, their blue robes swishing. By now Riker could tell them apart easily – Asghiul by his belligerent demeanor and the silent one, Gysial Uns, by his eternally disapproving expression, which meant that the third man had to be Lialnru. When they were lined up in front of him he knew there would be trouble.

„We need to speak to the captain, Commander Riker," said Lialnru.

„Perhaps you would like to tell me what this is about? I may be able to help you."

„We will only speak to the captain." Asghiul crossed his arms in a very Human-looking gesture. For a fleeting moment Riker found himself wondering if the priest had borrowed it from himself. He was on the point of saying something to the effect that the captain was uncommonly busy when the ready room door swished open.

„Anything I can help you with, Number One?"

To those who knew him the captain's voice held both resignation and a certain grim amusement. The priests turned as one.

„We would like a word with you, Captain."

„Certainly. Please come in."

The door closed behind the last of the three. Riker groaned softly as he turned back towards Worf.

„Worf, is there anything – short of a warp core breach – we could come up with to get them out of there?"

In his ready room Picard sat down behind his desk, folded his hands on the glossy surface and said: „I hope nothing untoward has been happening, gentlemen."

„There have been no more incidents, Captain." Lialnru put a subtle stress on the word. „We are, however, worried."

„You alarm me," Picard replied. „What is it that has you worried?"

„The ngahyak require a certain amount of... tranquillity, Captain. We are afraid certain activities on your ship interfere with this."

The captain looked down on his hands for a moment. „I am very sorry to hear it, gentlemen. However, if you are referring to the disturbance caused by the warp engines –"

„No, Captain, we are not." Asghiul pulled himself up. „You have made it very clear that this is something the animals will have to put up with. So, naturally, will we."

„We are referring to a disturbance of a different kind. One that can be avoided." Lialnru was studying the window behind the captain's desk. Stars were streaking past, to vanish in the distance.

„The ngahyak," said Asghiul, „are adversely affected by a certain kind of frivolous social activity which is apparently going on all the time. We had been told about your crew lounge, but we hadn't realized it is open at all times."

„The nas and myal-lun representatives appear to frequent it," Lialnru added with barely-concealed disgust. „We had to point out to them that locations and activities harmful to the welfare of the ngahyak should not be sought out by those ostensibly serving them."

„It is an abomination," stated Asghiul.

„Er... excuse my ignorance," Picard said gently, „but in what way are the activities in the Ten-Forward lounge affecting the ngahyak?"

„They cause disturbances – harmful changes in the atmosphere." Asghiul took a step forward. „Frivolous, unfocused diversions have a disruptive effect on the ngahyaks' peace of mind. They are used to a certain harmony in the vibrations surrounding them – a harmony we are here to ensure. That harmony has been severely compromised already. Replicated food, the noise of your warp engines, confinement, lack of fresh air –" Asghiul took a deep breath, apparently refraining from saying more. „They are subjected to great hardships. The least you can do is to make sure they are not put to additional suffering."

„By asking my crew not to indulge in, er, frivolous and unfocused diversions?" the captain replied, eyebrows raised.

If Asghiul was at all aware of an element of sarcasm he didn't show it. In fact his answer sounded a trifle impatient. „By closing this lounge of yours, Captain." And when he saw Picard's eyebrows going up even further he continued with an unusual amount of venom: „We have put up with a great deal already. We understand it to be your duty to look after the ngahyak to the best of your abilities. We will not allow them to be harrassed unnecessarily. You will have to act now."

„Seems I will," Picard said, almost to himself. „Gentlemen, we have a journey of another ten days before us. I am sincerely sorry to hear that the ngahyak don't take to space travel, but then they'll be safely planetside again soon, which is more than could be said about my crew – and I must say that they have put up with a great deal already. You are keeping my bridge officers busy on ngahyak business, you are reorganising my ship, you are banning people from going where they have every right to go, you are dictating ways of conduct and expression, and now you are telling me I'll have to close one of the few places where people can relax. I'm afraid I can't do that. I will not allow my crew to be harrassed unnecessarily."

„Unnecessarily, Captain?" Asghiul's voice was rising dangerously. Lialnru looked thunderstruck. Gysial Uns, silent as usual, was studying the fishbowl with a disapproving expression – again as usual.

„Yes, gentlemen, unnecessarily." The captain was aware of a slight throbbing behind his temples. Noise of the warp engines indeed. He hadn't slept much this night either, and the warp engines weren't to blame. „We have done our best to make the ngahyak comfortable. You can testify to that. But if you now maintain that the normal activities of normal people constitute a disturbance to those sixteen animals then all I can say is that they will have to live with it. And so, as you observed earlier yourselves, will you."

Silence. The three priests were exchanging glances. Picard hadn't consciously changed anything about his own tone of voice, but he now realized that his words must have had a carrying quality to them. After a moment or two Asghiul pulled himself up.

„Are we to understand, then, that you will do nothing to put an end to this – outrage?"

„I won't close Ten Forward, if that is what you mean. No."

„And you will not order your crew to refrain from activities such as play and idle chatter?"

„No, I won't." The captain gave an involuntary sigh. „I couldn't if I wanted to, you know. Try to understand – you're expecting people to –"

Picard interrupted himself as he realized that the priests were not listening. Asghiul had turned on his heel, and was heading for the door. Lialnru gave him a withering look before following his colleague's example. Gysial Uns lingered for a moment, looking as if he would have liked to add something, but then he stalked after the others without a word. The door swished open.

Asghiul had actually stepped through when he turned back. „We are disappointed, Captain. Deeply disappointed." He drew a breath. „However, we are merely servants. Let me just tell you that those who wilfully refuse to respect the ngahyak in the manner due to them have been known to meet with ends both untimely and uncomely." And with that parting shot he left, allowing the door to close.

He wasn't privileged to see the effect of his words, of course. But then there wasn't much to be seen. Picard leaned back in his chair, very slowly shaking his head.

„That could have gone better," he muttered, to no one in particular.

Outside on the bridge, however, Asghiul's statement was met differently. Riker frowned, sitting up in the center chair. Behind the Tactical console, Worf froze. Halfway up the ramp the priests appeared to notice the suddenly ugly atmosphere. Asghiul stopped for a moment on meeting Worf's black scowl, and his colleagues followed his example.

„There is no need to worry," he said stiffly, turning back towards Riker, who had by now risen to his feet. „I was merely quoting the Books of the Ancients. Commander, I would appreciate it very much if you would assign us a private lounge where we can discuss business with the sect representatives."

„Certainly," Riker said after just a moment. „Use the one on deck five, just down the corridor from your own quarters."

„Thank you, Commander," Asghiul replied, and left with his companions, blue robes swishing.

„Something tells me," said Riker to the bridge in general, „that this one didn't end with a compromise."

„Permission to leave the bridge," Worf growled from above.

The first officer turned, craning his neck. Worf was looking murderous.

„Anything in particular, Worf?"

„Merely some business I would attend to, Commander."

The sudden linguistic switch towards Klingon formality told Riker all he needed to know. „Granted," he said easily. „Just don't turn the ship into a fortress."

Worf gave him an uncomprehending scowl before leaving his station, and Riker swallowed a grin. Of course the Enterprise's security chief wouldn't turn the ship into a fortress. He would post additional security, run a detailed check on all internal sensors, review the ID files of every Yalnragian aboard, pull surprise inspections, put the fear of God into his subordinates, add a patrol tour or two to his own schedule and generally make a nuisance of himself, but he wouldn't be turning the ship into a fortress – he'd merely be doing his duty. As Worf had told Riker on a couple of occasions, he had no patience with paranoia.

Lieutenant Worf, in the meantime, made his way briskly towards the little-used security station on deck nine, there to do some research and review the duty roster of ship's security. But he hadn't rounded the corner from the turbolift when a faint, familiar sound struck his ears. He slowed down, frowning in distaste and sudden suspicion. The sound was drawing closer. It was a sound he wouldn't forget for the rest of his life. He came to a stop just before reaching an intersection and waited, teeth bared.

Seconds later a layghiar came into view. He was walking slowly and meditatively, softly working his tambourine as he went. Worf moved out into the intersection, rudely stopping the layghiar's progress – in fact almost stepping on his foot. The man lowered his tambourine, looking startled.

„What are you doing here?" demanded Worf.

„I am –" The man pulled himself up with a sound that sounded curiously like a clearing of the throat. „I am cleansing the atmosphere. I was not aware... that is to say, is my presence unwelcome?"

It was. The captain's quarters were on this deck. Worf wasn't going to allow anybody to prowl these corridors on any excuse whatsoever. „Cleansing the atmosphere of what?" he asked, none too politely.

„The ngahyak are disturbed by the disharmony emanating from your lounge. It is very close." The layghiar actually cast a brief nervous look at the floor that separated them from Ten Forward. „We have been told to restore harmony to the best of our abilities."

„By the priests." Worf nodded. He knew perfectly well that even his nod could appear menacing.

„Yes. By the representatives of the Unity."

„You will not enter this deck again. There are no ngahyak here. You will have to do your cleansing elsewhere. I cannot allow strangers access to deck nine."

The layghiar looked puzzled. „But we have been granted access to all non-sensitive areas. You will understand – the welfare of the ngahyak must be our chief concern."

„I do understand," said Worf, and he did. He had seen them at their work. They were protectors. Unworthy as the subject of their attentions might appear to him, their singlemindedness was… honorable. „But as of now, this deck is a sensitive area. I will thank you all for keeping this in mind." After all, the welfare of his captain was his chief concern, and he'd be damned before he allowed a group of animal worshippers to interfere with it. Somewhat belatedly he added: „There is no disharmony emanating from this ship's lounge."

The layghiar looked up at him. „What makes you believe this?" he asked, curiously.

„I know. I am this ship's Chief of Security." He watched it registering. „If anything harmful were to emanate from Ten Forward," he added, with impeccable logic, „I would be the first to notice."

„You, too, are a guardian." The layghiar said it quite matter-of-factly. He wasn't afraid of him any longer either. Worf realized it without rancor. He nodded.

The layghiar tilted his head slightly, looking thoughtful. „I will put it to my brethren."

Worf nodded again. „The turbolift is this way," he said, helpfully, and stood watching as the layghiar wandered down the corridor, still looking thoughtful even from behind.

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