Author's note: I always tried to draft a fanfiction to read like an actual episode, so this one includes a great deal of process through interaction among the crew (some action, of course). Hope you don't dismiss the intrduction in "Leading Positions", "Taking detours" and "Roles and Relations" as too dry... if you do, start at Chapter 4, "A Rough Night", Riker sum's up their dilemma in "Perspective & Potential".

Nonetheless... enjoy yourselves and leave a review :)

„Captain's Log, Stardate 45345.7

The Enterprise is en route to Loral II, where we will evaluate findings of the local Federation outpost regarding the state of the planet's perspective on membership. Lieutenant Commander Jurill has requested assistance in monitoring the societies development after long-boiling conflicts are now troubling ongoing negotiations."

Picard paused the recording, weighing his next words. The situation was all too familiar to him: Two main parties, struggling for dominance, veiling their ambitions in large words. Empty promises of peace and prosperity were also a standard ingredient. Yet he could not allow himself to think of any upcoming negotiating as being served properly by a by-the-book approach. All of them had their own history, their own special needs that had to be addressed properly.

In this case the Loralians were fighting among themselves: One faction claimed to have been expatriated long ago and demanded autonomous territory and being compensated. Government denied them the latter and offered negotiations according the former. So far, so universal, Picard caught himself thinking. Negotiations had been prolonged, led to no satisfying outcome, been postponed and eventually put on hold. Then the first random attacks took innocent citizens' lives and no one the responsibility for them. Officials then declared it terrorism and rebels felt, now that they were being accused of such methods, they could very well use them indeed... I wonder of there is any government in space which perceives an attack as the mislead actions of a single individual, and refrains from pronouncing it a first and unprovoked strike, empty of all symbolical meaning, the Captain mused silently. Perhaps it would put such pressure on any subversive group to come back at the negotiation table, if only not to be suspected of silent approval of the attack, that an individual rampage could foster a peace process – if only one resisted the temptation to take political advantage of the loss of live. But then, governments were all too often consistent of politicians, and those would not have risen to their ranks and positions of they had never learn to craft an (ultimately self-serving) opportunity out of a potentially powerful symbolic event.

Despite his intention to prepare himself properly for a first contact, which one always had to be prepared for as Captain of the flagship, reliable informations about the current situation were hardly available. Lieutenant Commander Jurill had been precise and cautious in his reports: Several months ago rebels had agreed to sit again at the negotiation table, after the government had hit down isolated demonstrations in an unprecedented harsh and violent manner. Loss on both sides had to be mourned. If only the scale in the deployment of violence was new about it – government had used military force occasionally in the past -, a mutual agreement was hampered by the refusal to investigate in the disappearance of several "terrorists", last known to be held in custody. Furthermore, weeks after the accused head of operations of the subversive group had last been seen in a hearing to which only selected representatives had been allowed, demonstrations were still ongoing – but Lieutenant Jurill had added an illegally acquired document to his report which stated that the demonstration had been announced beforehand and been approved by the local authorities.

There might be only a conservative and overly ambitious soldier in the middle management behind that inconsistency, but it might be as well much more. So far, Picard strongly approved of Jurill's caution to draw premature conclusions. The same was true for her description of the fighting patterns of the rebels: In contrast to their former behavior during negotiations, attacks constantly occurred during the talks. Again, this might be rooted in the fact that different persons were representing their factions – the subversive Loralian leader had not even bargained for a truce beforehand this time -, but it could as much be the symptom of a different mindset among the rebels. After all, Starfleet Command never sent the flagship without ulterior motive. There sure was more about it than a simple request to document and report on how two rivalling factions fought about their territorial claims.
Yet, Captain Picard felt comfortable in the habit to put an aim on the line, if only for the record.

"I am looking forward to the exchange with Lieutenant Commander Jurill", full rank deemed him appropriate here to express his acknowledgement, "and to the opportunity to enhance my experience and understanding of negotiating tactics and strategies."

"Helm, set a course for Loral II", Picard ordered, back on the bridge minutes later.

"Loral II?", Riker repeated, raising his voice at the end of the sentence to express the questioning nature of the statement, as he must have learned in a crash-course in French. Deanna Troi to the left hand side of his chair needed no language teachings to grasp Riker's inquiring intentions. Data at the navigator's console had probably analyzed the speech and vocal patterns of Riker and identified the pronunciation technique as well. Perfectly within habitual patterns, all senior officers were aware of the second layer in the First Officer's words, and attentive to Picard's response.

"We're going to assist a Federation outpost with the monitoring of societies' progress", Picard explained, restricting the information to what he wanted to be known widely among the crew. "They're evaluating the populations progress toward developing warp drive."

Informal channels through the helmsman – Ensign Matthews, judging from the tight bun of green hair and rifles in the neck – had to be taken into account on board the Enterprise as on every other ship in Starfleet. Picard would neglect vital parts of his role as a Captain if he did not handle them appropriately.

"Are we expecting a first contact?", Riker played along.

"It's too early to say", Picaerd answered. "The Loralians have made considerable progress in meeting the requirements, but they're not quite there yet."

The Captain had long learned that communicating unknown aspects openly – or half-openly, for that context – would not be perceived by the crew as insecurity or lack of sufficient preparations, but consider it an incentive to conduct their further research and contribute their findings through proper channels. Picard knew he could trust their efforts to enrich and foster their mission's success. Still he was careful to phrase the obstacles for membership not too precise, as broad knowledge about the ongoing conflict might push people to take sides and compromise their research interest. He also refrained from setting the meeting of the senior staff by verbal command, but had scheduled it as appointment in what was early evening aboard.

"What's our estimated time of arrival, Mr Data?", Riker asked, checking the console of his armchair.

"ETA is 7.34 in a standard orbit to Loral II", the Android met the expected requirement.

The First Officer, having noticed the appointment, turned away from the console. Two breaths later, he said, addressing Data: "Assemble Senior staff in the observation lounge at five."

"Aye, Sir", Data confirmed.

It was, of course, the time Picard had set, but he was confident with the crew ascribing the competence for setting senior staff meetings to his First Officer.