Chapter 29

When Beverly woke up the next morning, she was greeted by the ship's intercom. "This is Captain Picard. Senior Officers are to report to conference room one at 0800 hours."

She tugged at her grey regulation issued nightgown, which had twisted around her body while she had slept. The air near the window above her pillow was cold, probably due to the fact that her sleeping area was just feet away from the transparent material that served as her window into space. She'd forgotten the strange details of living on board a star ship. For a time she had lived on board the USS Stargazer, but it had been short-lived, what with her changing professional opportunities and having a child. The Stargazer hadn't been the kind of family-accommodating ship that Starfleet intended the new Enterprise to be, and because of this, she and Jack had agreed to live apart with frequent visits of course. She had always wondered if it irked Jean-Luc when Jack left to visit her and Wesley on Earth. Or perhaps it hadn't mattered to him at all.

She found it ironic that Jean-Luc had become Captain of the Enterprise, even with the full awareness that there would be children on board, when he himself was the least accommodating captain when it came to families. At least that is what Jack had always told her, and based on her first few weeks working with him again, Jack was right. Jack often was. When she was on improved speaking terms with the Captain again-and she knew it would happen, perhaps she would ask him about it. She rubbed her eyes, still exhausted because she really had not slept much at all. Yawning, she looked sideways across the room, and had a moment of alarm, then irritation, remembering the events of the previous evening. He still has my med kit. It had better be just how I left it. Finally her bleary gaze rested on the clock.

Just now seeing the time, she nearly catapulted out of her bed. "Shit!" She had slept in much later than usual, and she had only a few minutes to get up to the bridge. "This had better be a quick meeting." As she quickly began to dress, she rushed over to the wall to check and see if a briefing had accompanied the Captain's message. Her inbox was empty. She hopped out of her bedroom, pulling her boots on as she went. "Nope...no briefing. He can't even be bothered to let us know what we'll be talking about. And it's not as if I have no other work to do."

Meetings! Can't stand them. She quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth, then made the mistake of gulping down a replicated a glass of orange juice too fast. "Ugh...Wesley!" She called out, racing toward her son's room. "Wes, I've got a meeting to go to." She walked over to his bedroom, surprised to find his door open. Lately all he did was stay in his room with the door closed.

"You're going to be late for school," she said leaning in. "What the hell?!"

Wesley sat up in bed, instantly awake, and the person beside him rolled clumsily out onto the floor. It was Wesley's Ciapathian crush, Hatha. The girl, who was thankfully clothed-they both were, knelt on the floor, clutching Wesley's pillow protectively in front of her. Beverly reminded herself that the teenage Ciapathian had just lost her father, Premier Fon, and so it did no one any good to start screaming at the poor girl. Still, she really wanted to. Beverly ran her hands anxiously over the top of her hair, before putting her hands on her hips. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Mom, she can't understand you, you don't have your universal translator on," Wesley offered helpfully, patting his tousled hair, as though concerned for his appearance.

"I was talking to you, Wesley Crusher."

"It's-it's not what it seems like."

"Oh? You're only 15 years old, Wesley...what are you doing in bed with this girl?"

"Nothing happened, Mom. And I'm going to be 16 in a few months."

"Captain Picard told you to stay away from her, and you really just did the complete opposite, didn't you? Do you realize that we're in the middle of a political stand-off with her people right now? Now I know you have raging hormones, which is natural, but-"

"Mom! She was sad and wanted to talk. And then we fell asleep, that's it."

Hatha was getting up from the floor slowly, staring at Beverly with frightened eyes. Her bright skin had flushed a deep shade of pink.

Beverly glanced again at the clock. "You're making me late for my meeting," she accused her son.

"You hate meetings, Mom."

She glared at him. "Where is she supposed to be staying right now?"

"With Representative Del's daughters in the guest quarters. Her mother is ill, and on the lead Ciapathian ship."

Feeling an invasion of sympathy, Beverly forced a smile, and beckoned the girl closer. "Come on, I'll take you back to your quarters." Hatha hesitated, and had the nerve to give Wesley a parting look, but seemed to understand that she should probably not hang around much longer. Beverly put an arm around the girl's shoulders and began to escort her away.

"Mom!"

"Go to school, Wesley. We'll chat about this later."

Yar's head snapped up, as he walked on to the bridge. "The Ciapathian fleet parked outside our front door now numbers at thirty, Captain. They've brought in eight more ships just in the last two hours."

"Yes, Lieutenant, I can see we're outnumbered," Picard said flatly. "But as you well know, we are not at war with the Ciapathian fleet."

Not yet, thought Yar.

"The meeting takes priority now," he said gesturing toward the conference room.

"Aye sir."

"Mr. Worf, please relieve Chief Yar at tactical."

The large officer pushed away the ops control panel and got up without a word. He glowered as he passed by, but then Picard had already noted that this was the Klingon's standard expression. He watched as Worf took his post, confidently draping his hands behind his back as he silently studied the tactical monitor. Picard felt an odd swell of pride, which dissipated when he glanced at the helm; a constant reminder that Geordi was no longer with them.

Feeling Yar's curious but respectful gaze on him, he turned briskly and walked into the conference room.

Data, Riker, and Troi were already present, and the large wall monitor was visible, awaiting a transmission from Command that the captain wasn't very excited to receive. He and Yar sat down just as Doctor Crusher burst through the doors in a hurry.

The Captain raised an eyebrow as she whisked by him and nearly threw herself into a chair next to Data. She was out of breath and somewhat disheveled, but he supposed it was probably going to be that kind of morning. "Well then...now that we're all present." He leaned forward and tapped at a control on the table, activating the wall monitor, then clasped his hands together on the table in front of him.

"Before we hear from Starfleet Command, I should tell you that overnight there was a new and significant development in our search for Mr. LaForge. Data and Lieutenant Yar have possibly identified the power surge in the east corridor near the crime scene as a highly advanced transporter, using of all things-Andurine, the cloaking mineral we were tasked with surveying in this sector, with Ciapathian permission of course. The Ciapathians rule this sector of space, and our primary purpose was to determine whether or not they are ready for entry as a societal member of the Federation. But then their political leader, Premier Fon was murdered on our ship, less than 48 hours ago. At the same time, our colleague Mr. LaForge disappeared, with clues leading us to believe he had been seriously injured. Now this unauthorized possible transport raises suspicion that he has in fact been kidnapped."

The faces of the officers around the table were intense, all feeling something different, and yet the same.

"Very early this morning, I demanded that the interim Premier Del, who is currently still on board the Enterprise, provide us with all records of transport from his ships in our vicinity, covering the last 48 hours."

Riker, who looked somewhat surprised, leaned in. "His answer, sir?"

"None yet," said the captain tightly. "Put simply, my demand, as well as other apparent concerns...has prompted Starfleet Command to call this meeting with you all here." Without another word, he touched the control pad on the table lightly, and the screen flashed on.

A tall grey-haired Admiral was just seating himself behind a desk at Headquarters. He stared impassively into the screen. "Are all your senior officers present, Captain?"

"Yes, Admiral Forrester. Admiral, if I might ask, where is Vice Admiral Nechayev? The last I knew she was assigned to this matter."

"Make a note for your records that she has been reassigned to other matters, Captain," the man replied coldly. "We are on the brink of war...I should think you would be more concerned about that fact."

"War?"

"Captain, according to your report you demanded that the Ciapathians hand over their transport records, is that correct?"

"Yes sir."

"On what authority did you make this request?"

Picard frowned, but kept his expression calm. "I'm in the middle of two possible murder investigations, Admiral. I have every authority under numerous regulations to pursue such matters on my ship."

"Under normal circumstances, I would agree, Captain. But the Ciapathians could be a monumental asset to the Federation, and you are not exactly welcoming them. Your demands of them are being interpreted as accusatory. I will remind you that your primary goal is still to assess their readiness to enter our society, not to antagonize them."

"With all due respect, Admiral, my helmsman has been missing for two days. He is likely injured or dead, and-"

"Yes, Captain, as I said, I read your report."

Picard clasped his hands tightly, but remained silent.

"It is crucial, Captain, that given your recent careless violations of the Prime Directive that you keep the goals of the Federation in focus. Now I have spoken with Representative Del and he has denied your request. In addition, he has demanded to be released to his ship immediately. You will comply, is that understood?"

There was a long silence, and Picard felt his officers staring at him. "Yes," he said finally, careful to keep his voice calm.

Admiral Forrester seemed to relax considerably, but his face was still tense. "Now to the other matter."

"Sir?"

"The pre-warp race which you claim in your report-without evidence I might add-to be human beings."

"Yes. They are human beings." Picard glanced around the table briefly, to see open expressions of shock on the faces of his officers. Beverly was watching him carefully, as the Admiral continued, no doubt remembering his own skepticism at her suggestion that the blood she tested from Trana IV might be human.

"According to your report, you tested the blood of one such alien without his consent-"

"I obtained his permission, Admiral."

"Simply by asking his permission you violated the Prime Directive."

"The Tranans are human clones, Admiral Forrester. Therefore there was no violation."

"Where is the evidence to support this? Has this information been verified by your Chief Medical Officer?"

Picard took a deep breath, and glanced at Beverly who had a complex expression on her face. "No sir. Not fully."

"So none of the officers currently present was aware of what you were doing last night with these Tranans?"

"No sir."

"And why even report it? To what end?"

"The young man I tested...Li is is name...I believe that he witnessed the murder of Premier Fon, and possibly witnessed what happened to Lieutenant LaForge."

"Based on what?"

"It's all in my report sir," Picard maintained. "But I believe we can learn the truth of what happened, by questioning this man."

"Are the Ciapathians aware of this...witness?"

"No. Not yet."

"How can you be sure he is not the murderer? According to your report, he escaped the holodeck and when he reappeared there he was injured."

Picard shook his head. "The evidence doesn't favor the conclusion that he murdered Fon."

Admiral Forrester shook his head with apparent disgust. "You have 72 hours to clear this person of the murder of Premier Fon, and if you are unable to do so, you will hand him over to the Ciapathians for prosecution. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Admiral, but I'm afraid I cannot agree."

"Are you refusing to obey my orders?"

This time, the captain did not hesitate. "Yes. This man and his people we rescued from a reportedly uninhabited world are human beings-"

"Clones," clarified Forrester.

"But humans, nonetheless. Which means pursuant to our laws they have automatic citizenship in the Federation, and they cannot simply be extradited without a trial. They have rights, Admiral, which must be respected."

Forrester smiled thinly. "You have 72 hours, Captain Picard. Forrester out."

Picard stared at his reflection on the obsidian table. The room remained silent for a few minutes, before Riker spoke up. "Captain, you did the right thing. We can figure this out in 72 hours."

"And get Geordi back," said Yar.

"Captain," said Troi pensively. "The Admiral is worried you will uncover something that will jeopardize the Federation's relationship with Ciapathia. He is very sincere in his desire for them to enter the Federation."

"Of course he is," Picard murmured. "But why are the Ciapathians so important to Starfleet?"

"The Ciapathians' control over all known sources of Andurine would be my guess, Captain," said Data.

"Data, you're learning to guess?" Troi smiled genuinely. "How wonderful."

"I am still developing the correct program Counselor," he replied.

Picard cleared his throat. "Alright. Let's get back to work. And stay aware...and safe. Dismissed."

Riker remained seated, which the captain decided to let slide for the moment. Meanwhile as others filed out, Crusher stopped next to him. There was a look of something in her eyes he had seen before but could not quite identify. She broke his gaze, with a more professional glance at Riker, before crossing her arms. "You said Li was injured. How badly?"

"Some cuts on his face...which should be tested for evidence along with his clothes."

"I'll go to the holodeck right now," she said.

"Actually, both Rolani and Li are in my quarters."

She smiled at him. "Will I find my med kit there as well?"

"Yes, Doctor, I believe so."

She nodded once more before exiting the room swiftly.

Riker watched her go, before turning back to Picard. "Sir...I know you were trying to shield the rest of us from violating regulations...but I wish you had kept me in the loop on this." I wish you would just trust me, he added silently.

Picard sat back in his chair and regarded his first officer with a small smile. "Just as you kept me in the loop when you woke up Del in the middle of the night to try and press him for information?"

Riker nodded slightly. Touche'.

Picard got to his feet. "Perhaps we should go and talk to him together this time," he suggested. Riker could not believe that the captain's hard exterior had cracked if only minimally to give way to a knowing smile.

"I thought we were under orders to release him..."

"I told the Admiral I would release Del right away, and I will do so. However, I have every intention of trying to convince him it is in his interest to stay on board."

Riker broke into a grin. "Sounds like a plan, Captain."

Hi, thanks for reading and for your spirited reviews. Probably some weird events will happen in the next few chapters (even I don't really know), so thanks for following along. Will update again soon. Best -PP