Captain's Log, Stardate 41235.4. Counsellor Turhal and I have accepted Lutan's invitation to his Centreplace, at which I will publicly ask for Tasha Yar's return. The situation has forced me to make some unorthodox preparations. There may come a point at which receiving the desperately needed vaccines comes at the cost of my security officer's freedom - a price I am not willing to pay.
When they materialized, Soriana had difficulty hiding her distaste for the place. It was ostentatious and lifeless in all the wrong ways, and both the men and women present were profoundly… twisted in their own minds, constantly striving to fit their own thoughts and feelings into the strict confines of their prescribed roles. No community on modern Haliia was anywhere near this restrained, and even their ancient cultures contained fewer such strictures that humans and others.
But the bulk of her distaste, carefully concealed, was reserved for the one man who harbored no such frustration: Lutan, the leader, who effortly angled the Ligonian honour code to his own ends. Lutan greeted them himself, flanked by a beautiful woman. "Welcome to my Centreplace, Captain Picard. Consider yourselves my honoured guests."
"Every hospitality will be accorded you," the woman added.
"This is my First One, Yareena," Lutan boasted proudly.
Picard smiled. "Lutan is a fortunate man. You've met Counsellor Turhal."
"Yes. As on your vessel, you have only to name whatever courtesy we can provide," Lutan offered, with a nod from his wife.
"Then, sir," Picard replied, his smile all but vanishing, "the courtesy of seeing Lieutenant Yar."
Lutan's own expression matched the captain's in severity; Soriana could feel his ego bristle under the implied insult. "Lieutenant Yar will be returned to you tonight at a banquet I have arranged in your honour," he reminded.
"I'd like to see her now," the captain insisted, for which Soriana felt oddly grateful.
With a scowl, the Ligonian relented. "Bring Lieutenant Yar," he ordered his men before returning his gaze to the Starfleet officers. "I find it odd, Captain, that a man of your experience has such difficulty in understanding ordinary politeness."
"Such as the politeness of saying please before abducting someone?" Picard jabbed.
With a sly smile, Lutan said, "The expression please is used only when requesting the person back. "
"Yours is a different world," the captain admitted.
"With clear and simple ways deeply rooted in our culture," Lutan insisted. "If you are willing to ask for Lieutenant Yar's return tonight in front of all, honour will be satisfied." But Soriana immediately knew that this was false. Lutan had a much more devious plan, and it didn't involve giving her back to Picard.
They turned to look in the direction where the Lieutenant was being escorted in with two burly male guards. Both, Soriana could tell, were tired and more than a little afraid… as was Tasha herself.
"The verdict?" Picard softly asked Soriana as soon as their backs were to their hosts.
"He's lying," she said quickly. "The coup, sir."
Picard nodded, and Soriana jumped forward to put her arms around Yar. "Are you all right?" she asked loudly, and much more quietly, "attack on captain's move."
"They've treated me fine," Yar said, moving past Soriana, who stayed back. "I'm afraid, Captain, that I've been less than the optimal guest."
"There is no cause for concern, captain," Yareena added. "She's being well cared-for."
Picard smiled, taking a half-step to the side, his right hand moving imperceptibly at the rear waistband of his uniform trousers, which he had worn beneath a loose uniform jacket. "Your conduct, madame, brings honour on this place. As for your husband's…."
In a flash, Jean-Luc Picard stepped forward, plunging the dagger deeply into Lutan's stomach. The hilt gleamed as the captain stepped back, letting the man fall limp to the ground. "His honour I must claim."
Natasha Yar had struck out at one of her guards in less than a second, while Soriana grabbed the other guard around the neck from behind. Yar easily dispatched him, as well, and they calmly regarded the scene Picard had created.
The scream of agony came, not from Lutan, but from Yareena - a blood curdling cry of anger and loss. "My love, no! I'll kill you!"
But as she stepped forward, murder in her eyes, it was Lutan's Secondary who grabbed her arms and stopped her. "My lady, stop! He has used the teferi knife, and no other weapon! The kill is honourable!"
Yareena looked in horror at the bloody hilt of the blade, sticking obscenely from the stomach of her First One. The depth of pain in her eyes force Soriana to look away, and so she looked to her captain. "Hagon, now, sir," she prompted.
"Hagon, you are the Secondary. Do you acknowledge my bold attack on Lutan, and my recapture of Natasha Yar?"
Hagon solemnly and bravely returned the captain's gaze. "Yes, Captain Picard," he answered. "You afforded Lutan every honour that he afforded you. The code protects your actions here." Soriana felt no anger from him; a touch of fear, but mostly respect and… gratitude? It seemed that Lutan may not have been well-liked by his closest adviser.
"Then this matter is at an end," Picard nodded. "When can we expect the vaccine?"
"Within the hour," Hagon acknowledged. "Please, take your women and leave us."
Soriana made herself look at Yareena's face one more time before the departed. Lutan had been the problem with the arrangement from the beginning. If he refused to relinquish Yar, they had seen no other way within the Ligonian code to retrieve her and still receive the vaccine. But seeing and feeling the grief of a new widow, she wished there had been a better way.