Chapter 1

"Captain's Log: Stardate 47751.2. The Enterprise has arrived at Starbase Three One Zero for a meeting with Fleet Admiral Necheyev. This visit will also give us the opportunity to pick up a... member of the family." Captain Picard said.

In Wesley's quarter his mom Beverly and himself were from the Corridor. Wesley was wearing his cadet uniform and carrying a suitcase.

"Here you go... your very own quarters." Beverly said with humor. "And they're as far away from mine as possible, so you won't even have to see me if you don't want to."

Wesley rolled his eyes slightly as he started to unpack.

"Mom... you know that's not why I asked for my own quarters this -" he started.

"No, no. You don't have to explain. There comes a time in a young man's life when he doesn't want to stay with his poor old mother... I understand." she said teasing.

"I'll come visit you in the old Doctor's Home every Sunday." he said wry.

Beverly smiled... she's very happy, very up and Wesley seems glad to be home... but all is not well with Wesley... he may be smiling and saying all the right things, but his smile is just a little forced... his good cheer a little hollow. Then the door chimed.

"Come in." he said.

When it opened Geordi and Data came in.

"Is there a runaway cadet in here?" Geordi asked.

"If so, we may have to call security." Data said.

"Welcome back, Wes." Geordi said smiling.

"Thanks." Wesley said perfunctory at best and gave them a polite smile.

"I was, of course, not serious about calling security. It was a joke." Data said.

"I got it, Data." he said smiling.

Geordi picked up on the distance Wesley was keeping them at and he struggles for meaningless small talk.

"So... how's life at the Academy?" he asked.

"Great... just great. But it's... good to have a break."

"So do you plan on just lounging around while we have work to do?"

"I'm... sure I can find some time to help, sir."

Geordi laughed a little at the serious look on Wesley's face and then puts a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Enjoy your time off, you've earned it."

"Thanks."

"Well... I think we better let him settle in." Beverly said.

"Good idea. Don't sleep your whole vacation away, Wes." Geordi said.

"Good-bye." Data said.

"See you later." Wesley said.

Data and Geordi left while Beverly gave him a long hug for a moment.

"It's really good to have you home, Wesley. Really." she said.

"Thanks, Mom."

When she left Wesley moved back to his suitcase and took out a shirt... then paused and sat down on the bed. He looked around the room for a moment... there was no joy in his face, no sense of warm nostalgia or relief at being home... just the look of young man who's profoundly unhappy... and doesn't even know why.

In the observation lounge,

Picard is setting a teapot on the table where a small tea service has been laid out. There is also a plate of small sandwiches, and a tray of odd-looking crackers. Riker ENTERS.

"Admiral Necheyev's just beamed aboard. Worf's escorting her up here now." Riker said.

"Good." Picard said while he made a few adjustments to the tea service as Riker looked on.

"Earl Grey Tea... watercress sandwiches... Bulgarian canapés... Are you up for a promotion?" he asked confused.

"I'm trying to establish a new relationship with the Admiral. There's been a certain amount of... tension between us in the past."

"Tension's not the word I would use..."

"I'd like to get things started on a better note this time. I want to make her feel at ease... that she's welcome aboard the Enterprise..."

"I don't know why she wouldn't feel welcome here. Picard gives him a dry look." Riker said innocent.

"We don't have to like her Will, we simply have to follow her orders. However, maintaining an atmosphere of confrontation serves no purpose."

Then the doors opened and Worf and Admiral Necheyev came in.

Necheyev was carrying a PADD.

"Admiral Necheyev, sir." Worf said.

Picard smiled warmly and moved to shake her hand.

"Admiral, welcome aboard the Enterprise." he said warm.

But Necheyev was as brusque as ever.

"Thank you." she said and looked at Worf and Riker. "You two may leave."

Worf bristled slightly, but Riker simply smiled at her.

"Thank you, Admiral." he said then gave Picard a big smile... "you've got your work cut out for you. Captain..."

Then they left and Picard tried gamely to play the gracious host.

"Admiral, may I offer you some -" he said.

But Necheyev is all business... she moves past Picard and heads for the table without even hearing him.

"I'll come right to the point, Captain. A situation has developed on the Cartesian border that..." she said brusque.

The she trailed off as she catches sight of the food and drink on the table.

"Are those... Bulgarian canapés?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I took the liberty of speaking to your aide, Commander Wright well... he said you were quite fond of them."

She suddenly realized the effort that Picard had gone to here... she reined in her instinctive "cut to the chase" attitude with Picard trying to match his gesture with a certain amount of graciousness. But it wasn't easy for either of them, and there was still a trace of tension between the two officers as they tried to remain civil to each other throughout the scene.

"That was very... thoughtful, Captain. Thank you." she said then sat down and took one of the canapes.

Picard poured them both some tea.

"You were saying something about the Cartesians I believe..." he said.

"Yes. The Federation has just completed a very long and difficult series of negotiations regarding the final status of our border with the Cartesians." Necheyev said and handed Picard the PADD she brought in. "These will be the official boundaries... you'll notice that a demilitarized zone has also been created along the border. Neither side will be permitted to place military outposts, conduct fleet exercises, or station warships anywhere in the demilitarized area."

"This border will put several Federation colonies in Cartesian territory... and some Cartesian colonies in ours."

Necheyev sipped some tea not completely happy with this agreement.

"The agreement is by no means perfect... neither side got everything they wanted... but everyone got something. And as someone once said, diplomacy is the art of the possible. she said. "Those colonies finding themselves on the wrong side of the border will have to be moved."

Picard didn't like the sound of that.

"The colonists are not going to be very happy about that... some of them have been there for decades." he said.

"It won't be easy... but it is a reasonable price to pay for peace. Your mission is to evacuate the colony on Dorvan Five."

"Dorvan Five... that's where the group of North American Indians has settled, isn't it?"

"Yes. They've been there for about twenty years... they've established a village in a small valley on the southern continent."

Picard sat back in his chair... very disturbed by this. Necheyev vaguely irritated - she didn't respond well to resistance from her subordinates, but held her tongue and gave him a polite smile.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Admiral... centuries ago, the North American Indians were forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands. This group on Dorvan Five originally left Earth two hundred years ago because they wanted to preserve their cultural identities."

"I am aware of that Captain..." she said dry.

"There are certain... disturbing historical parallels here. Once again, these people are being asked to leave their homes because of political decisions made by a distant government."

Necheyev nearly gave him a tart reply, but instead takes a sip of her tea trying to maintain the civil atmosphere.

"An Indian representative was included in the deliberations of the Federation Council. His objections were noted, discussed... but ultimately rejected." she said and leaned forward, trying to make him see the validity of her position... trying to make him understand. "Captain, the Indians colonized Dorvan only twenty years ago... and at that time they were warned the planet was hotly disputed by the Cardassians. The bottom line is... they never should have settled there in the first place."

"Then perhaps we should not have allowed them to settle the planet originally. But to go to them twenty years later and ask them to leave what is now their home..." he said.

Necheyev sat back in her chair and regards him for a moment... her expression is weary... tired.

"I made the same argument to the Federation Council. But it took three years to negotiate this treaty... some concessions had to be made... and this is one of them."

Picard took a moment... realized the futility of further argument.

"What if the Indians should... refuse to evacuate?" he asked.

Necheyev set down her tea... gave him a direct look.

"Then your orders are to remove them... by any means necessary." she said quietly. "I understand your... moral objections, Captain. If you wish... I can find someone else to command the Enterprise for this mission."

"No. That won't be necessary."

Necheyev nodded then stood and Picard stands as well.

"I don't envy you this task... but I do believe it is for the greater good."

"I understand."

Necheyev turned to go, then paused at the door.

"And... thank you for..." he started then looked down at the food & tea. "... making me feel welcome."

"You are always welcome on this ship, Admiral."

A look between two former adversaries possibly on the road to a new relationship... and then Necheyev left.