Genre: StarTrek: The Next Generation

Title: New Civilizations

Summary: Finale

Chapter 26

Commander Riker was sitting at his ease in Picard's quarters, enjoying the ritual that had developed in the past several months, that of sharing a drink and exchanging end-of-the-day thoughts before retiring to their beds. "I was so busy keeping an eye on the Romulans and shutting down the Red Alert, I lost track of all that was said. You mean, they really expect the Romulans to act as liaisons between us?"

Picard gazed lazily at the light refracted through the deep red wine in the glass he was holding. "You know what I think? I think their brief contact with the Ferengi taught them quite a bit about making deals with aliens. At first, I thought their idea was rather naïve, but then A's'kahn'a casually mentioned that she figured that we'd enjoy being so close to the Romulans because then we'd be aware of their every move. And then, just as casually," Picard gingerly eased his tired frame to a different position in his chair, "she said she thought that surely a quarter of a planet's worth of minerals would seem very attractive for the Romulans and didn't I think they'd want to make some concessions to attain that much?" He looked at his first officer. "I swear she used the Ferengi word for concessions in her speech."

"So the Romulans may very well have to act as interpreters for their supper and we, keeping our back yard safe and secure, will act as police for our share. The Kronatina are coming out ahead all the way around. I wonder what else they learned from the Ferengi."

Picard winced. "I'll probably find out over the next two or three weeks of talks. The thought of which drives me to say 'goodnight'."

Riker stood, but uncharacteristically, Captain Picard did not rise. Smiling as he saw himself to the door, Riker couldn't help but say, "I hear the first day of diplomatic negotiations is the easiest."

Looking up only with his eyes, Picard smiled wanly. "Goodnight, Number One."

Riker paused to say, "Shall I leave word for an early morning call for you, Sir?" He hurried out into the corridor.

Even through the closed door to the captain's quarters Riker could hear the last reserve of energy thundering, "Goodnight!"

&&&&

A couple of days later in Ten Forward, D'Jang, Troi, Keiko, Beverly, and Guinan were sharing a quiet moment. The planet, Kron, floated in a pinkish gold haze just outside the large view windows. Keiko, interrogating the three who had seen the most action, said, "So, we just went on a ten light year joy ride, out and back to show how fast the Enterprise would go?"

The three all nodded.

Deanna said, "Did you know that most of the Kronatina we will be dealing with are female?"

"How is it," asked Guinan, "that you all thought they were male?"

"Because the mufunga'na are mostly male. The first contact team examined the mufunga'na thinking them to be the Kronatina," Beverly answered. "The Kronatina were intrigued with our interest in their carriers but didn't think to remark on the point."

Deanna continued the thought, "I didn't catch it because I was unfamiliar with female Kronatin emotional patterns. The male mufunga'na is used primarily because they're easier to manage, less excitable. The gender mix up in the translation occurred with that first assumption. Actually, it's the Kronatin females who are more socially aggressive, out and about in the world. The males are generally quite quiet and shy. The only males we've encountered so far are the two doctors who worked with D'Jang."

"They were noticeably less talkative than A'm'sehn-ran, the female physician." D'Jang said looking at Deanna, who was nodding her head.

Guinan had remained standing, as usual. She smiled that sweetly benign smile reserved only for her friends and said, "You know, it seems to me that there'd be an end to a lot of people's trouble if we just stopped assuming. I mean, if we'd just quit wondering about everything, accept only the proven, nailed down, cold hard fact. That's primarily what caused these problems; assumptions and wonder. Aren't assumptions just a part of the belief that all humans think they actually know what's going on? I mean, we gotta quit doing that." She nodded her head, the saucer shaped head covering wobbled. "I sure hope we learned our lesson." She gazed calmly at the women seated around the small table.

Crusher, Troi, Keiko and D'Jang sat contemplating Guinan's words for a few moments, but then Beverly's sly, gentle smile crept onto her lips; Deanna's dark eyes twinkled mischievously; Keiko's face turned to look at the planet haloed by a veil of stars; D'Jang's mouth pursed outwards while her eyelids lowered slightly. All at once, all five women burst into raucous giggles. They knew the human capacity for wonder and awe was active and undiminished as ever on the Enterprise.

THE END

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BTW - I wrote this story more than fifteen years ago so any resemblance between parts of this story and more recent actual events is purely coincidental...or is it?