DINNER AT TEN-FORWARD
by ardavenport
- - - Part 17: She's Soup
Captain Picard, in dress uniform, entered Ten Forward with Doctor Crusher
The room had been transformed.
All of the original furnishings and the bar had been removed. Two huge, copper, metal and glass chandeliers had been installed. They, and a series of similar smaller lights on the upper walls, completely changed the room from an evening lounge to a rather convincing banquet hall. A wide and very long, sturdy table laden with food sat in front of a floor-to-ceiling velvet curtain that covered up the planetscape that usually hung over the bar area. Two long dining tables with a small centerpiece table between them were lined up by the view ports in the upper portion of the room. Chairs and round, cloth covered tables lined the walls. Everything was profusely decorated with green and purple plants, flowers and food.
The center part of the room was empty except for the early arrivals milling there. All Enterprise crew members wore dress uniforms. Civilians were attired in dignified and subdued finery that was here and there accented by a spot of color, metallic flash or a bit of jewelry. Zor Bitarl had invited a selection of top dignitaries from the Tungaras University and the Caroomadi government, insuring that she would have a large and illustrious audience when she unveiled her murderer. The guest list also included the heads of all the major departments on the Enterprise, plus the personnel from the sociology lab where Ensign Ikainet was assigned. Doctor Blakox amiably chatted with a group of specialists from Tungaras over a platter of hors d'oeuvres. Sarcasm about H'cars was very popular in academic circles on Caro and the sociologist's tales of Ikainet's dubious activities while on board the Enterprise were being received quite well.
The captain and doctor wandered into the room, the captain wearing a genial smile that he always put on for diplomatic occasions. Something caught Picard's eye and he went over to the sturdy table in the lower portion of the room.
Picard stared at what he saw. He couldn't help it. It was a beautifully detailed, giant pink mold of the Enterprise. It had a faint, fruity aroma. The telltale glow of an antigrav at the base explained why it didn't fall apart of its own weight. Neat stacks of shallow porcelain bowls sat under the saucer section. Obviously it was meant to be eaten.
Picard had been told that the theme of the dinner was "Ikainet in Starfleet", but he hadn't realized what sort of culinary excesses this could lead to. There were meat pies with representative pictures of Ikainet's face in neatly trimmed vegetables; a big salad bowl with a purple vegetable arm sticking up from the middle of the green-blue and black leaves; pieces of cake shaped like shuttlecraft. Commander Riker had told him about the extensive check list that the caterers had brought with them. If they had wanted it, they could have asked for a flaming ballistic entree delivered to the plate of each guest.
With all the evidence before him, the captain could not deny that Ensign Ikainet had come by her food fetish honestly. She had inherited it from the planet she had adopted. Picard turned away from the banquet display lest he find his own face in meat and vegetables staring back at him. He hoped that the food would be sliced and less identifiable when it was served.
The captain and the doctor mingled a bit more. Picard was singled out by every other Caroomadi official who wanted to personally greet/thank/speak to the captain of the Enterprise. Wesley Crusher, looking very smart in his dress uniform, joined them. The doctor complimented him on his appearance, and he beamed and blushed back at her, as if his mother had just confirmed adulthood on him. Picard, who had given the young man his field commission, noted that this was the first occasion that the ensign had been to that required a dress uniform since his commission had become official. Wesley got himself and his mother glasses of a pink carbonated drink to sip with the hors d'oeuvres, but Picard declined the munchies. He didn't feel like nibbling.
They eventually ended up with Dule Josat, Ensign Ikainet and Counselor Troi. Zor Bitarl's assistant was talking to them about sex.
"I hadn't really thought it through before," Lee Zetelas was telling them. "But when you're off planet you really do need to check with the anatomy charts before you approach anyone. I was really quite fortunate with that woman on Earth. She already knew that we could hit it off. Otherwise it could have been a disaster. I mean some species just don't, well...fit." Josat looked as impatient as Picard felt to get on with the dinner. Counselor Troi was trying hard to hide her amusement. Ensign Ikainet listened with her usual attentive vacuousness.
Zetelas turned to the new arrivals. "But you people in Starfleet must encounter that problem all the time," he told Picard. "I mean going from place to place like you do. You must be prepared for anything."
"I would suppose so," the captain answered back in a cool, but polite tone.
"Oh, there wouldn't be any problems here on Caro. We fit pretty well together. I found that out on my trip to Earth." Zetelas glanced at Ikainet. "Well, that is for us ordinary Caroomadi."
"I'm anatomically correct for a humanoid female," Ikainet offered to her captain. Picard stared back at her, appalled by what he'd just heard her say and what it implied.
Pfffffffffffft!
Doctor Crusher sprayed her drink out in front of her and bent over in a coughing fit that barely disguised her laughter.
"Oh!" Zetelas obviously not aware of the cause of the fit, took Crusher's half empty glass for her and lightly patted her on the back. She nodded her thanks to him and tried to straighten and clear her throat. But when she looked at Picard's face again, she saw that same melodramatically offended expression she'd seen when she'd changed the BWD on him the day before, and she went into another coughing/laughing spasm.
Concerned, Zetelas looked to the captain for help. "Is there a doctor here?"
Wesley Crusher froze in place, horrified that his mother was openly laughing at the captain. He did know that she could get away with it, but it was unnerving for the young ensign to be present to see it anyway.
Picard gritted his teeth as his chief medical officer pulled herself together. But there was a mischievous gleam in her eye that he didn't care to see. He looked away.
Ensign Ikainet's smile had vanished. Her mouth was pressed into a tight 'o' as if she were listening for something.
"Is something wrong, Ensign?" the captain asked, knowing that the ensign wasn't smart enough to change her posture unless something had happened to cause her to do it.
"Ooooooooooooooh," she answered back.
"Well, what is it?"
"Warp field energy. Nearby," she exhaled back at him in a surprised sounding voice.
"Another H'car? The Roocaroom?"
"Noooooooo. One like yours." She pointed at him. "Getting closer. Almost heeeeeeeere."
Picard tapped his comm badge.
"Picard to Commander Riker."
"Riker here."
"Have all the guests arrived, Commander?"
Riker stood on the upper enclosed portion of hanger bay 2. A shuttlecraft was coming into view through the open bay door.
"The last shuttle is just arriving, Sir."
"Damn," Picard muttered. "Ensign, is it on that shuttle?"
"Yeeeeeeeesss!"
"Commander I want you to detain the guests there when they arrive."
"Sir?"
"Be as polite and diplomatic as you can, Number One. But keep them there. I'll be sending a security team."
"Yes, Sir."
"Picard out."
"What's going on, Captain?" Josat demanded. "What does she mean by, 'a warp field like yours?'"
"Oh, say. Zor won't like that," Zetelas told him. "It might ruin the whole plan if-"
"I don't care what Zor Bitarl won't like. I'm calling this thing off." After sparing a moment to gasp his shock like a fish in air, Zetelas left the group to get the detective.
"Picard to bridge."
"Bridge Sir," the duty officer answered.
"Have the ship's sensors picked up anything unusual about the shuttle that's just arrived."
"No, Sir."
"They wouldn't," Doctor Crusher told him. "The warp field on you was very tightly confined. We had to modify all the medical equipment just to be able to detect it." Picard nodded. The doctor's expression changed as she thought of a way around the problem.
"Wesley," she turned to her son "That medical tricorder that you modified for me to read warp fields is in my office. Get it and take it to the Hangar Bay."
"Right," he answered and left in enough of a hurry to attract the attention of the other guests he passed.
"Send Mr. Worf and a security detachment to Hangar Bay 2," the captain told the bridge officer. "We have reason to believe that one of the guests on the arriving shuttle is extremely dangerous. And go to yellow alert. Picard out." The captain turned to Troi. "Counselor, I want you to stay here and take care of our guests."
Zor Bitarl, in pressed navy blue robes with metallic gold trim, Lee Zetelas in her wake, emerged from the gathering to zero in on the captain.
"Captain Picard, what are you doing?" She did not look happy, nor did she look accustomed to having her plans changed.
"I'm calling this off."
"Captain, you are jeopardizing the success of my entire investigation. Tens Bayairiz will not submit to simple questioning. She will know I do not have the evidence to accuse her and afterwards she will be free to disappear from Caro, never having to account for what she has done." Bitarl's angry voice rose in volume and a few people nearby turned their way, wondering what the disturbance was.
"Ensign Ikainet has told us that another warp field like the one that affected me has just come aboard this ship, probably with the last shuttle. Which incidentally carries your prime suspect," the captain informed her.
"All the more reason not to confront her before its time-"
"I can assure you, Zor Bitarl, from personal experience, that that warp field is very dangerous and unstable. And we will not bring it up here and expose all the other guests to it. You want to unmask your killer. Fine. But you will do it in Hangar Bay 2. I will not risk these people's lives to satisfy your need for theatrics."
Bitarl glared back. Troi sensed that she was not used to taking orders from anyone, let alone from starship captains. if the detective hadn't been so focused on achieving her goal, the counselor would have expected her to storm out of the room, mortally offended by Picard's usurpation of authority. But she stood her ground and agreed to the change. They headed for the door.
"Captain," Data stopped them as they were leaving. "Lieutenant Ghanis in Cargo Bay 4 has reported an increased activity in the H'cars, apparently-"
"Yes, we know, Mr. Data." They took the android with them. "Another warp field has come aboard with the last shuttle." The group entered the turbolift. It was crowded. Picard, Data, Crusher, Ikainet, all in dress uniform, crowded together with Bitarl, Zetelas and Josat. The lift was spacious enough to hold them, but Bitarl looked furious enough to make her fellow Caroomadi uneasy.
Wesley Crusher met them at the hangar bay. Worf was already there with Commander Riker. Picard told them about the warp field. The shuttle containing it had just arrived and the door to it was opening.
The Enterprise shuttle pilot appeared first, opening the door for his passengers. He paused for a brief paralyzed second when he saw the entire ship's senior stall, all in dress uniform, plus a contingent of security people, staring at him.
The passengers disembarked.
One by one, five Caroomadi academics stepped down onto the deck and, befuddled, stared at their welcome.
"There," Doctor Crusher said when the fourth one got out. A smallish woman with silvery-purple hair stood with the others. She wore a short, loose blue tunic and skirt. Her large, deep blue eyes made the elder Caroomadi look much younger than she was. Picard recognized Bayairiz from her picture.
"Oh, uh, sorry we're late," a tall woman said with nervous humor as she noticed that the Klingon was carrying what looked like a real phaser. The group approached and Picard, still a diplomat, greeted them.
"My apologies, ladies and gentlemen, for this unexpected greeting. But your compatriot here, Zor Bitarl," he extended his arm toward the detective, "has some pressing business that could not wait."
She cast Picard a poisonous look, with a hard, blinking glare. Then she straightened and stepped forward.
"Tens Bayairiz." Her suspect looked back warily. "I accuse you of being responsible for the accidental deaths of the three persons killed in the explosion in your personal laboratory. And of the deliberate murder of Doctor Telaghnos two days later."
"You." Bayairiz, at first surprised, now sneered at her accuser. Her companions shuffled away from her as she spoke. "You don't expect me to stand for this."
"I don't believe you meant to kill the first three people. But you meant to disguise your involvement with the Tungaras Observatory's experiments when you killed..."
"I didn't kill anyone!" Bayairiz had a powerful voice. She shouted down the detective. "I've listened to your innuendoes for too long, Zor Bitarl. You have hinted and suggested all through this supposed investigation of yours. You have no proof—"
"I have witnesses." Bitarl answered back haughtily, intent on her purpose, her drive to force this last piece of the mystery into place. Bitarl had completely forgotten her tiff with Picard. The detective turned and brought Ensign Ikainet forward. The H'car marched up, arms loose at her sides to stand a few paces from Bayairiz.
"You can't be serious," Bayairiz scoffed. "You can't trust a H'car to..."
Picard leaned close to Doctor Crusher who was monitoring the action with her tricorder. "How is she able to speak if she's carrying the same kind of warp field that I had?"
Crusher adjusted the settings while Picard, Riker and her son looked on. Worf's security people hustled the other shuttle passengers and the pilot out of the hold while Bayairiz and Bitarl loudly confronted each other.
"It looks like she has a small implant at the base of her skull." The doctor fine tuned the tricorder sensors. "It's somehow containing the warp field energy."
The two adversaries continued their confrontation. Ensign Ikainet, mouth agape, stood between them like an audience at a ping-pong match.
"What motive could I possibly have for all this-"
Bitarl answered her challenge. "You would wish something more devious and ancient than murder. You would seek to control the gods!"
The two continued to argue, Ensign Ikainet standing in the middle. Picard was tired of it. Bitarl had been given her chance: now it was time to take in Bayairiz and find out more about her warp field. The captain nodded to Worf. Two security people walked around behind Bayairiz, who was so absorbed with her confrontation that she didn't even realize they were there until one of them tapped her on the shoulder. She whirled about and then back at Bitarl. Snarling, she grabbed Ensign Ikainet.
There was a flash of blue and an ominous crackle. Everyone else in the hangar ducked from the sudden impact of light.
Bitarl, Worf and the security guards went flying backwards. Picard, Riker and the others peeked back towards where the flash had come from.
Bayairiz stood rigid, her head up, her hand clamped onto Ikainet's upper arm. The ensign stood frozen, slightly hunched, her mouth gaping open, her knees bent, her feet pigeon-toed. A pulsing blue aura surrounded them. Worf and Bitarl picked themselves up, the Klingon drawing his phaser. Bayairiz saw the motion and turned her head towards the Klingon. Her eyes glowed with the same blue light that surrounded her.
"No!" Bitarl leaped forward, distracting Bayairiz's ominous glare. "You didn't mean to kill the first three people. You don't need to do it again!"
"You..." Bayairiz sneered.
The blue light surrounding her flickered. There was a faint crackle, and then the light disappeared. It evaporated and drained away into Ensign Ikainet, who collapsed, her body darkening, losing its shape and form and falling down, inward on itself.
"Ahh, aaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Bayairiz cried out. She fell to her knees, her trembling hands going to her head. Her knees slid and she toppled and fell into the black ooze that Ensign Ikainet had become. Her wailing filled the empty volume of the hangar. Cautiously, Worf approached. Then Bitarl.
Picard, Riker, Crusher and the others followed. Everyone stood at least half a meter away from the perimeter of the black puddle. Picard wrinkled his nose from the vile stench of rot and decay. Somewhere amidst the ooze and the now stained, limp uniform a small, dark nodule glowed a faint and feeble blue.
Doctor Crusher approached, stepping gingerly into the black puddle to reach Bayairiz. She crouched, her tricorder aimed at the still wailing Caroomadi. She tapped her comm badge.
"Medical emergency in Hangar Bay 2."
- - - Part 17 continues . . .