Genre: StarTrek: The Next Generation

Title: New Civilizations

Summary: Picard regroups

Chapter 19

'How had a simple diplomatic mission become a matter of deceit and threatened aggression?' Picard sat in the bridge command chair, his legs crossed, one hand at ease on an armrest, the other, propped by an elbow on the other armrest, resting against his mouth as if to caution against hasty judgment. 'We welcomed them aboard our ship in good faith. Then they presented us with a gift, only it wasn't a gift, it was an ambassador, which, attacked my first officer.'

Picard shifted his position so that one arm was akimbo, grasping the armrest, and the other was supporting his chin. 'We were naturally concerned. Concerned, hell! Alarmed!' Picard remembered his insistence to Riker that he follow the dictates of the Kronatina. 'Do the tarantella indeed.' So, he, Picard, had expressed concern over the health of his first officer to the Kronatina and suddenly they became the injured party! 'No information as to how to get the damned thing from Riker's head, just cries of distress that their fellow was being harmed and demands that they be allowed to retrieve it. Let them infect my ship? Hardly. And then they called the gendarmes! Well, one could hardly blame them, I suppose.'

"Sir," Worf's voice vibrated through Picard's reverie. "We have not yet received any answer to our continuous hail to the planet. Shall I continue?"

"Yes, Mr. Worf. I don't believe they'll answer, but I'd like to keep reminding them that we're keeping the door of communication open, in any case." Picard's voice was distant.

"Yes sir."

'And what,' Picard continued thinking, as he was mulling over the recent events, 'had the dismissal of the Romulans to do with the situation, if anything? Hmmm, interesting that the Romulans had refused to wear the hat and were summarily dismissed. Was that in the Romulan plans in the first place? To find a threat in order to attack them? More likely, to take them under the Romulan regime.'

A small rueful smile hinted at Picard's lips. 'It probably appears to the Kronatina as if we brought the Romulans.'

And the Ferengi! Those everlasting pains!' Picard glanced quickly about the bridge to be sure Counselor Troi had not entered yet. 'Some diplomat I am with such undiplomatic views of those opportunistic little traders.' Picard sighed lightly. 'The way things are going, with us and the Romulans at each other's throats , the Ferengi could just sidestep us and make off with whatever spoils take their fancy.'

Picard huffed to himself. 'All right. This is all very well, JeanLuc. The situation is as it is, get on with the next step.'

The light twitter from his com' badge forewarned of the voice, "Captain Picard? Doc D'Jang here. I've got some news."

"About our ambassador from Kron? What have you gleaned?"

"It's sick."

"Ill? From what? How sick is it?" Picard rose from the command chair.

"I ran a blood test to see if I could find any other nasties that could possibly infect us humans. Not only did I find a few that I'm going to pass on to Dr. Crusher, but I also found an inordinate amount of a human type of a virus in there. While it was giving Riker a dose, Riker unwittingly handed it blow for blow. The creature's internal systems are putting up a fight, but it's not winning."

"What sort of a virus?"

"Actually it's a minor strain of rubella, to which I believe most of you humans are now immune. We all carry a variety of bugs that our systems have become immune to, but given to unprotected systems, there is no immunity. I've given the problem to the computer to come up with some sort of vaccine that'll kill the bug and yet not injure the creature. It may take a while. I just wanted to let you know."

"Have you been able to find out anything about the crea—ambassador? What have your special talents been able to divine?"

There was a slight pause before D'Jang answered. "Captain, I'm getting about as much from this thing as I'd get from a bug. I can sense it's alive, but beyond that, the computer is able to provide more details than I can. I mean, it's an animal, not a plant, a female, but it took the computer to figure it out, not me. I think this thing is in a coma."

"A female, you say?"

"Yes Captain."

"Seriously ill?"

"I don't know. I'm guessing so, yes."

"I understand. Please keep me posted as to any progress."

"I will. D'Jang out."

Picard's shoulders slumped. 'Great! We come here speaking peace and wind up trying to kill their ambassador. That's how I'll appear. And it's female. Odd, I could have sworn A's'kahn'a referred to S's'haht'a in male terms.'

The communications twitter sounded again. "Captain Picard, Lieutenant Bundawba here."

'Bundawba! I'd forgotten'! "Lieutenant! I have some interesting news."

"Sir?"

"Yes, the mystery of the mistranslation of the hat has been solved. We've just discovered that their hat is actually alive. They referred to it as an entity because it is. Apparently I had sent you on a wild goose chase."

"Wild goose chase?" returned Bundawba.

"An ancient Earth term meaning I sent you in search of something you were not likely to find; in this case, a correct reference."

There was an audible sigh. "Well, I guess I'll pack my little black bag of tools and return to my duties." The disappointment was apparent in the sound of the young man's voice.

"Not quite yet, Lieutenant. I believe there is still a problem. Please check for pronoun gender use. The Kronatina have referred to our guest in male terms but we have discovered it's a female."

The voice sounded skeptical. "Okaysir, I'll get right on it."

"By the way, Lieutenant," called out Picard.

"Sir?"

"I do recognize the fact that you were right and I intend that mention of your insight will become part of your permanent record."

"About what, sir?" came the answer.

"You pointed to the possibility that there might be something about the Kronatina that we didn't know anything about. I think if I had paid more attention to your words, we might not be on Yellow Alert right now. You were very astute."

"Thank you, sir."

Picard could practically hear the material of Bundawba's shirt stretching across his proudly expanding chest. "Carry on, Lieutenant. Picard out."

The Enterprise captain sat back in his chair to consider his next move. He decided that, until either the Kronatina answered the hails, or the Kronatin creature in the sick bay improved in health, if all went well, there was not much he could do in regards to the mission. He'd reviewed the situation from his standpoint to his satisfaction, and that left but one course—

The turbolift doors on the bridge landing breathed open to reveal Commander Riker and Doctor Crusher. "Captain Picard, I have escaped!"

"And I came along to assure you that Commander Riker is quite fit to resume duty." Dr. Crusher's eyes glinted warmly.

Picard was more than glad to see his first officer. "Welcome back to the bridge, Number One. You're just in time. I was about to call a conference." He swung around and headed up the right ramp of the bridge. "Dr. Crusher, Data, Worf, please come with me to the Observation Lounge. Mr. Worf would you please call Lieutenant Commander LaForge to join us? Computer, is Counselor Troi in closed conference at this moment?"

The impersonal feminine voice answered, 'Counselor Deanna Troi is not in closed conference.'

"Contact Counselor Troi." Picard spoke as he exited through the doors at the top of the bridge.

Deanna's answer sounded hushed even though the computer was amplifying her voice.

&&&&

When Deanna had returned along with the Away Team she had gone to her quarters to check her messages, as always. Each morning, when she woke, there were always numerous messages, and in the evening, no matter how many people she'd seen in the day, there were more. Only the command staff had direct access to her through the computer. All others had to leave messages.

Among the several left for her in her five-hour absence on Kron, she found two that were very intriguing. One was from D'Jang and the other was from Guinan. Both were about the two young men who would need her guidance and help when they woke. Both messages spoke of the 'brides' that were now in the Menagerie. Neither had mentioned just why the distraught young men were asleep.

She'd quickly gone to the men's quarters expecting to find them awake and in very bad condition. When no one had answered her ringing inquiry at the door, she had gained access by calling for emergency command override. Inside she found the lights dim and sure enough, the two men, still in their engineer gold uniforms, were asleep in their bunks, apparently having pleasant dreams, if the slack smiles on both their faces were any indication. She'd just ascertained that their breathing was normal and that their positions of repose indicated natural sleep, not drug induced unconsciousness, when Picard's voice reached her. "Deanna here," she answered quietly, afraid of disturbing them.

"Counselor, will you please come to the Observation Lounge for a command conference?"

She kept her answer just above a whisper. "I'll be right there, Captain." Knowing that sleep was a far better restorative than her counseling, she left as quietly as she'd entered.

TBC to Chapter 20

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