Chapter 24

A few moments later…

"Stop! Put her down!"

Picard rushed towards the door, when he heard Worf's shout. Then he thought he heard Beverly's voice yelling something he was unable to understand. The next thing he knew, Reth, the Ciapathian's giant security chief strode into the conference room. Under his arm in mid-air was the struggling form of Fon's daughter, Hatha. In pursuit was Worf, and Beverly, who surprisingly was carrying a phaser, and Wesley, who was bringing up the rear.

"What in the hell?" Picard surveyed the group quickly, and no one seemed harmed, aside from poor Hatha, who was still writhing in mid-air. He did not notice that Doctor Petral had risen to his feet and was looking on with a look of amused curiosity.

"Would you like me to shoot him, Captain?" Worf growled, leaving his hand on his holstered phaser and nodding toward Reth.

"No! Now, what is the meaning of this?" the Captain demanded of Reth. "I do not tolerate this kind of violence on board my ship!"

Reth laughed and put Hatha down, and then shoved her into one of the conference room chairs. "This is the murderer, Captain," he roared. "I found her plotting her escape with this human boy."

"No, we weren't," Wesley protested. "Captain, I swear I was just—"

Picard put up his hand and just shook his head at Wesley, who retreated in silence and sat down next to Hatha. Reaching out defiantly he took her hand in his.

"Just what are you talking about?" Picard said glaring up at Reth. "These are serious allegations."

"She did not want to be married, and so to escape her obligations, she killed her own father and then attempted to escape with this boy," Reth said again.

"Don't you dare talk about my son," Beverly said, starting to take a step toward the giant Ciapathian. Picard glanced at her in alarm, suddenly feeling like a referee. If I can't even get Beverly to see reason, I am definitely in trouble. "Doctor, please…." She reluctantly stepped back, and he was more than a little relieved to see that she had handed Worf her phaser.

"My father was my only protector," Hatha shouted suddenly. "Why would I kill him? I loved him," she began to sob into her hands.

"Married?" Del demanded. "To whom?"

Hatha stopped crying long enough to point across the table at Petral. "Him!"

Del let out what could only be interpreted as a flabbergasted noise. "Married? To that disgusting little worm…I think not. Fon would never have allowed that."

"Perhaps," said Petral in his softly sinister voice, "there are things you are not aware of. Things that worms know, but you do not… Del."

"It is the Ascension," said Hatha. "He is forcing me to marry him."

"Wait, wait, wait," growled Del. "What is this Ascension she speaks of? I have never heard of this and my family has been prominent in government for six hundred years."

Wesley glanced at Hatha in surprise.

"In any case, this is probably why I found her escaping," Reth insisted. "Would you marry him?" he laughed pointing at Petral, who offered only a sly smile in response.

"And what I found," Beverly interjected again," was this person," she said gesturing at Reth, "dragging this poor girl out of my quarters. For all I know he would have killed both Hatha and my son if I hadn't arrived."

Deanna's eyes widened. "And so you grabbed that phaser…"

"And chased him up to the bridge, where Worf joined me. You are damn right, I did," Beverly said indignantly. "Was I just supposed to let him go?"

Picard found that he was unable to avert his gaze from her as she spoke. That is until he was shaken by the sound of Reth's rumbling laugh. "I would not have killed anyone. I was merely seeking justice for our dear leader, who has now passed into the next world."

"In any case," Del said, standing over Doctor Petral. "I have not heard of this Ascension. On what grounds do you believe you have the right to force this poor girl to marry you?"

Petral steepled his fingers together. "I never said that I intended to marry this girl," he said.

"Liar!" Hatha shouted, nearly smacking Wesley in the face with her hand as she stood up to accuse the strange little scientist.

"But…if I did intend to marry her, you would not stop me," Petral continued with a smile, turning his visor to look up at Del.

Del slammed his fist onto the table. "What is the Ascension?"

Petral lifted his slim shoulders in a little shrug and tilted his ruby visor toward Picard. "Captain…perhaps Fon did not have a chance to tell you before his unfortunate demise, but ours is a dying race. Del believes that because his family has held some modicum of political power for centuries, that he knows all. He thinks because unlike many of us, he has had unusual success with procreation, that he is safe. But twenty-two children or not…the Ciapathian people are dying…sooner than later. Little did he know until now, that a worm such as me holds his fate and that of the entire Ciapathian race in my hands," he said opening his palms.

Del laughed. "You are saying you have found a cure?"

Petral stood up abruptly. "I am tired and require rest." He looked at Picard as though seeking permission. "May I go to my guest quarters?"

Picard cleared his throat. "Yes, I have no further questions for you at this time."

With a silent nod, Petral quickly moved to exit the room. But he halted and then turned back around to address them. "If I was seeking a wife, I might pursue one a bit more difficult to catch," he said directing his peculiar gaze at Beverly. "As Reth will tell you, sometimes the most elusive prey brings the greatest rewards in the end…once caught."

"Do not speak to her in that manner," Picard shouted, surprising even himself with his sudden indignation.

Petral broke into slow smile. "Just as I suspected. How interesting, Captain." Then finally, he turned and left the room.

Thanks everyone for your loyal readership...;) PP