After breakfast, after Deanna excused herself to attend to her duties, Will replicated a new padd, which he gave to Obi-Wan. "Wes showed you how to use this, I believe," Will asked.
Obi-Wan nodded. Wes had given him a thorough tour of the padd's functions the first time they had met. In fact... he remembered Wes telling him that almost any ship's function could be controlled from a padd. Looking down at the tiny device, Obi-Wan felt a rising excitement - if he could use the padd to develop his shielding plan - but wait. Wes had also said that only officers could access ship's functions from a padd. How? With a password?
"I'd like you to carry this with you at all times," Will told him, and he had Obi-Wan wrap his hand around it, fitting his fingers to slight contours on the sides, as he pushed some function keys. Obi-Wan watched carefully, trying to understand what Will was doing. Will saw, and explained. "I'm keying it to your physical profile. That way I can find you if I need to." Will smiled reassuringly, but Obi-Wan guessed that the padd was a way to monitor him. But if it could be keyed to him alone...
Obi-Wan pointed to the padd, and then to Will.
The man laughed. "Yes, I have one too, and you could use your padd to find me if you want to. I don't even have to be carrying the padd: my communicator will also perform that function." He pointed to the small metal insignia that was pinned to his chest. Obi-Wan had seen how crewmembers tapped their insignia to activate shipboard intercommunications; of course it would be locatable by padd, if the padds also acted as communicators. "Speaking of padds," Will continued, "I should check the duty roster for today before I head out." He went to a desk at the side of the room, pressed his thumb to a catch on the front, and a door slid open. He pulled out a padd, identical to the one he'd given Obi-Wan, and went to sit at the table. Obi-Wan followed him, looking questioningly at Will as he took up a position behind the man where he could watch. Will smiled encouragingly. "It's okay, you can watch as I do this. You won't be able to use these menus with your padd, though; they're restricted access." For the next ten minutes he explained the procedures for assigning tasks and use of equipment to personnel on the ship. Obi-Wan attended carefully, barely daring to hope. Could there be some way he could use a padd to get into the ship's defensive systems?
Obi-Wan was relieved to see Will lock his padd back in his desk drawer before leaving for the day. He had feared that he would have to wait until night again to experiment with it, and he was convinced that time was running out more quickly than ever. He sat alone on the couch in Will's quarters, and glanced down at his padd. It had not taken him long to find the locator function. He waited until the padd said Will had reached the bridge; then he shut off its power and flipped it over.
A little fiddling with the tool Wes had lent to him, and Obi-Wan had the padd open. Carefully he examined its innards. He was not as fluent with Enterprise's alien technology as he was with standard Republic electronics, but the padd was not a complex device. He quickly identified sensors, memory, power supply, and processors. How was security implemented?
When he thought he had the device figured out, he put it down and went to Will's desk. His idea wouldn't work at all if he couldn't open the drawer. He put his hands on either side of the thumb-lock, and opened his mind to the Force. Open, he commanded. Open. With a soft click, the drawer popped open. Obi-Wan pulled out Will's padd, eyeing it nervously. He hated betraying Will's trust by breaking into his things. He shook his head, sighing. It was the only way he could think to help. And the crew of Enterprise needed his help, though they didn't realize it yet.
It only took a few moments to open Will's padd. Carefully Obi-Wan swapped the components he thought pertained to security. He swallowed his anxiety, and opened himself to the Force. All felt right... Closing Will's padd, he flipped it over and turned it on.
It worked.
He tapped through the restricted menus, barely daring to hope. The Force was with him. He had full access to the ship's systems. Taking a moment to steady his breathing, Obi-Wan paged through the defense and shielding data, reading quickly, his mind already forming a plan.
Hours later, exhausted, Obi-Wan restored both padds to their original configuration and returned Will's to the drawer. He went to his room and flopped onto his bed. Wes wasn't due for another two hours, so he had time for a nap, to make up for his long hours of wakefulness last night. He rolled onto his side and fell asleep.
-
Will and Deanna, again dressed in civilian clothing, scanned the crowd around them. It was earlier in the day than they had come yesterday - the sun still an hour from setting - which might account for the much heavier traffic on the streets. Soon after they arrived in the city, he and Deanna had found postings on the public kiosk: pictures of Ben and of an older man, with notes that they were wanted for questioning by the local council of elders. No name was listed for the man, and neither Starfleet officer recognized his image: A light-skinned human late in his prime, with graying dark blond hair, a grizzled beard, hooked nose, and light blue eyes. He wore a dark hooded robe. Will assumed he was the man who had been asking after Ben, before the fighting broke out at the Palace.
"You won't find him," Deanna murmured. "He's not likely to show his face in this crowd, with his image posted everywhere and a bounty for finding him."
Will just grunted. People were beginning to leave the streets, peeling off into taverns and individual dwellings. Five minutes later, nearly everyone still out walking was moving briskly toward the center of the city. Exchanging a brief glance, Will and Deana followed. Turning a corner, they saw the common destination: people streaming into a large, squat building.
Joining the throng that streamed in through the building's many doors, they found themselves inside a wide hall, standing room only, wall to wall with people - human and silvery-skinned Mozelle both - with more pressing in from doors all around. At the front of the hall was a tall, raised dais, holding a long table with chairs behind it, with guards posted all around. Directly in front of the dais, an area filled with chairs - separated from the rest of the hall by a low wall - seated about a hundred Mozelle: probably the local dignitaries, Will reflected. Then a line of elderly Mozelle ascended the platform from behind, to face the crowd, each standing behind a seat at the table. At the same time guards blocked the entryways, denying entrance to latecomers. Slowly the people pressed into the hall fell silent.
An old woman, standing at the center of the long table on the dais, raised her arms. A small device, round and about the size of a baseball, floated over the heads of the crowd to hover above and a meter or so before her. "Welcome, people of Lansar," the woman intoned in a strong voice, amplified and projected by speakers set around its perimeter and overhead, "to the Council of Elders. Welcome. We have asked for your participation today, over the holonet or in person, to discuss a matter of great import to our people: our relationship to the resort called Starways. Its presence has enriched our planet, and yet grave accusations have been leveled in regard to their conduct. Though they promised to abide by our common law, there is evidence that they have flouted that law, indeed that they do so on a regular basis, hiding their dishonorable activity from our eyes. Should Starways be required to leave Lansar? If we require their exit, will they leave peaceably? Have we the strength to force them out? Or should we negotiate with Starways, and continue the relationship? The Council will now hear arguments. The floor will be opened first to tribal leaders." The woman gestured toward the seated Mozelle at the front of the hall.
A woman raised her hand. The hovering device zipped over toward her, and lit her face from above with a beam on its underside. She stood, and when she spoke her voice filled the hall, echoing from the speakers surrounding them. "Since Starways came we have enough water for our people, and fertile land to grow crops. For the first time in generations, none of our people go hungry. Starways brings visitors and traders to our city, who buy our wares and fill our taverns." An buzzing rumble, with an undertone of anger, grew among the people as she spoke. "I do not say this is sufficient reason of itself to invite them to stay," she said quickly. "Only we should keep in mind the benefits they have brought to us as we debate." The woman took her seat.
Many more arms were raised now, among the seated leaders. The hovering mechanical moved toward a man a few seats away, lighting him. He took his turn to stand and speak, and again his voice was amplified. The floating device evidently contained an audio pickup, at least. "To have dealings with the dishonorable dishonors us. Starways must be ejected immediately." Again murmuring swelled within the hall, not dying down until the audio pickup device chose another speaker.
"I do not disagree that Starways should leave. However I wish to know how they can be made to leave. They have threatened to come in force to take our planet if we refuse to accommodate them. They have sealed themselves off from attack. We have no way to prevent them from bringing in starcraft and ground troops to attack us. Our numbers are not great; our weaponry is primitive compared to theirs. What hope do we have of being able to eject them?"
A woman stood. "Perhaps we can make it not worth their while to stay?"
Another woman: "We cannot move our planet. We reside at the conjunction of several of the outer rim hyperspace lanes. For our location alone, our planet is of value as a way station."
Will lowered his face to whisper to Deanna. "Will attending this conclave help us to accomplish our mission here? Perhaps we should leave."
"I don't think we can, not easily," Deanna whispered back. "There are too many people, and we'd attract a lot of attention by pushing out. Also..." she gestured with her head toward the people across the hall, beside them. "About three meters away. Viden."
Will glanced that way, and saw the burly trainer talking quietly with two companions: a man and a woman, both looking about fifty years old, the man with dark skin brushed with silver, the woman human, with skin of honey brown and shoulder-length hair of honey gold.
"Viden is anticipating something. The other two I can't read." Deanna glanced up at Will with a significant look.
"Like Ben and Xanatos," Will murmured. Deanna nodded, already facing the dais and speakers once more.
"If the gods are with us," a man was finishing, "we will prevail."
The woman at the center of the table on the dais stood once more and spoke. "We will now take comments from the public. Limit your comments to three minutes, expressing only thoughts and opinions which have not yet been aired tonight. The hovercam will project your voice." She waved an arm in the direction of the floating device above her head. Instantly several dozen arms were raised high among the standing people. Glancing sideways, Will saw that the honey-haired woman was one of those waiting for the hovercam's attention. She stood calmly, as did the two men standing to either side of her. A man in front of her grew over-excited with vigorously waving his arms; he nearly elbowed her in the face, but the unknown man pushed his arm away in time. Will blinked and stared openly. The woman had not even flinched.
"I think that woman may be blind," he murmured in Deanna's ear.
The tall Mozelle standing with Viden turned, and looked him full in the face, eyes considering. Will, surprised, glanced quickly away, then back. The man had turned away, bent to speak in the ear of the woman beside him.
"They've noticed us," Will told Deanna. "Do you think that's a problem?"
"I can't say." she answered. "I still can't sense them."
The hovercam came to rest above the honey-haired woman; Will noticed she did not blink or squint in the bright light. "It has been said that we cannot drive out Starways, that we haven't the strength. That we must be able to or the gods are not with us. In the days of the Lansarite colonists' folly, the Mozelle were weak and divided. The Mozelle were only able to stop the depredations of the Lansarites by banding together, by working as a united group. Only then did the gods grant the Mozelle victory. Now the people of Lansar are beset by a new and mightier threat, one that cannot be defeated by all the people of this world united. I submit that it is time to find a new ally, one that is stronger than Starways, an ally known for honorable dealings. As Starways is born of many planets, so we must join an alliance of many planets to drive them out."
A man of the Council of Elders rose to his feet behind the table as the woman lapsed into silence; excited muttering filled the hall. The hovercam winged its way to the dais. "Do you have an ally to suggest, woman?" he asked.
"I suggest that the people of Lansar should seek membership in the Galactic Republic."
At this, conversation broke out all over the hall, filling the wide space with the roar of voices. The Council Elders leaned towards each other to talk amongst themselves. Finally the head of the Council rose to speak. She stretched out her arms. Her voice, amplified to carry even over the tumult in the hall, blared out for a moment before returning to more bearable levels as conversation died down amongst the people. "The Republic will not have dealings with us; our practice of keeping bonders is contrary to their law."
The hovercam now raced back to the woman, but now she gestured to Viden to carry on the argument. His voice carried, clear and steady, to all corners of the again silent hall. "It is true that we cannot join the Republic and still continue keeping bonders. But I submit that our practices of slavery do not enrich us, but instead make us weak and full of vice!" At this angry murmurs broke out once more, but Viden ignored them. "It is true that as proscribed in our code of law, a bonder may grow strong. But what has happened in these days when bonders are as common as red lizards? In each generation since the joining of the tribes, more owners have fallen to the vices of laziness and neglect. More bonders have died or been beaten until their spirits were broken. There is no honor in this! If the gods favor the strong, who is most strong that we know of? The Republic, and many of its member worlds, such as the Wookies and the Calamari. The Republic's arm of justice, its servants, the Jedi. It is said that the Jedi will answer any call for help, where a people is in need, and the cause just. Let us call for the Jedi to birth us as a new world, one fit to join the largest and strongest alliance in all the galaxy! Has not everyone here heard of the Jedi, of their great wisdom and power, respected for their honor throughout all the civilized worlds?"
Again talk exploded in the hall, but stopped quickly when the head of the Council rose and spoke once more. "Well spoken, citizen. We will take your suggestion under advisement. Are there more opinions to be openly aired in this forum? Raise your hands and take your turn."
Hands flew up; fewer now than before, but still many. Will glanced over to see Viden and his two companions again talking quietly.
"That was promising," murmured Deanna. "There may be hope for this world yet. There was less anger at their proposal than I had feared, and more favorable emotions than I would have hoped."
"We should try to speak with them when the meeting is over," Will suggested.
"If we can," Deanna countered. "I fear we won't be the only ones trying to get their ear, not by a long shot." As she spoke, Will noticed the many faces turning to get a glimpse of the three revolutionaries; and some people trying to edge in their direction. The man they did not know again glanced in their direction, locking eyes with Will.
"I think we'll have an advantage in getting their attention," Will said. "I think they're as interested in us as we are -"
He was interrupted by an urgent clicking of his hidden communicator. He reached inside the loose tunic he was wearing to shut off the sound.
"We'll need to find someplace private," Deanna commented. "The doors aren't so far behind us." Will agreed silently. They'd attract a lot of notice, but that couldn't be helped. Enterprise wouldn't be trying to contact them unless something urgent had come up. Will turned to push slowly between the people behind him, Deanna following.
When they had nearly reached the doors, the current speaker was interrupted. The hovercam sped back to the dais, to catch the words of the Council leader. "My people," she said, "please remain where you are standing and listen to what I have to tell you." The two officers stopped their move to the doors and turned to see what was happening. "We have just received word that a fleet is massing at the edge of the system. When I have finished speaking, please walk slowly to the nearest exit. Do not push; there is no danger of imminent attack. Return to your domiciles, and await instruction from your tribal leaders. Leaders, please join the Council in the emergency meeting house. Now: walk slowly and carefully to the nearest exit." The woman finished speaking, and led the Council off the dais, through the door from which they had entered. At the same time, the guards began ushering people through the doors of the hall.
Will and Deanna kept their places within the slow flood of moving people, all talking and excitedly or fearfully; within a minute the exodus had picked up pace with quite a bit of jostling but still no all-out panic. The street outside barely contained all the people pouring out of the doors, but soon the edges of the crowd thinned and dispersed into small groups hurrying away through the city. Several blocks from the meeting hall the windows above the streets were filled with people leaning out, calling down for news, answered by walkers below.
Will pulled Deanna into the entry to a narrow alley, where he fished out his communicator. "Riker to Enterprise," he said in a low voice.
"Number One: how soon can you return? We've detected a large number -"
"We've heard. The city is preparing for an invasion. We're on our way now."
"Come as quickly as you can. I want to get us out of the system before they notice us." Enterprise had taken advantage of a nearby gas giant to shield her from Lansar-based sensors, and launched two small probes to gather her own sensor data, as proximity to the gas giant left ship-board sensors nearly blind. Deanna and Will were making use of a small shuttle to transport them to and from the planet, so they could beam out with only a moment's notice. But they needed to find a place where their transport would not be observed.
"Acknowledged. Riker out."
In unspoken agreement, the two officers moved further into the alley, which was only dimly lit by the small moon almost directly overhead. The alley turned a corner, ending in a narrow space lined with refuse bins walled by three multi-story buildings. A single door led into each of the buildings at street level. They looked up, checking for windows. There were none. Will reached for his communicator... and Deanna rammed him, hard, into the wall behind a trash bin. The dazzle and whine of a burst of laser charge briefly overwhelmed his senses. The bolt exploded into the wall behind them, showering them with shards of rock and filling the air with a rapidly expanding cloud of dust.
Will's phaser was already in hand. "Thanks," he whispered to Deanna, who was taking aim with her own phaser around the corner of the big metal bin. Will poked his head over the top, straining to see through the dust. Footsteps echoed in the small space, indicating several attackers. He ducked as a shot flared toward him, then quickly returned fire, aiming where he thought he'd heard movement.
Deanna activated her comm. "Beam us up," she called. "Get us out of here."
Only a moment later the world flared white around them. Will blinked in surprise, not certain he should believe his eyes. He turned to Deanna, crouched beside him on the shuttle craft's small transport platform. "Did you see -"
"The woman who accompanied Viden to the Council meeting," Deanna agreed, looking as shocked as he. "She dropped -"
"Onto the refuse bin just in front of us. Facing our attackers."
"From where?" Deanna asked. "The roof?"
Will and Deanna stared at each other, neither quite willing to believe the woman had dropped ten meters into the middle of a battle in a blind alley.
"What was happening down there?" asked the shuttle's pilot, Ensign Dan Rafferty.
"We were attacked. I don't know why," Will told him, looking to Deanna questioningly.
She shrugged. "It happened too fast for me to get a sense of what they were feeling," she told him.
"Can you get any sensor readings from the place you transported us from?" Will asked. "A woman?"
"Sorry Commander, we're out of range already. Captain Picard wants you back as soon as possible; we're already halfway home. Do you want me to return to the planet?"
Will chafed at the idea they might be leaving the woman in trouble, but Enterprise needed them.
"We don't even know why she was there," Deanna told him. "Surely she wouldn't have gotten into the situation without a way out?"
Will frowned. "Continue, Ensign," he called to the front, then turned to the counselor. "That was plain weird," he said emphatically. She nodded in agreement.