I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference.
Picard occupied the command chair reading reports from department heads and issuing orders. He noted Riker enter the bridge and take a walk around the science stations and tactical area before dropping into his seat. He leaned over conspiratorially and said:
"Worf just cornered me in the turbolift: he wants me to back his call that the Magrans are left to their own devices."
"And do you? Back him, I mean," Picard asked.
"I'm not sure. Old Earth has many examples of humans introducing creatures to places they didn't belong… it never worked out."
"I know what you mean, Number One- rats destroying Dodo eggs and so on?"
"Actually, I was thinking of the later work to re-introduce the Dodo. Some lab retro-engineered the bird's DNA from a few feathers and existing pigeons and the Dodos went on to destroy the local ecology, which had adjusted for the original loss."
"So you believe saving the Magran children would be a mistake?"
"I`m in two minds, I mean I'm alive thanks to their medical technology, so it seems ungrateful to turn them away when we can help."
"That is my own feeling, Number One. We may risk damaging the future by bringing these children to our time, but how can we refuse? What is the most ethical decision here?" Picard looked pained.
Data presented himself and asked the captain to accompany him to a science station. Picard and Riker followed.
"Sir," Data brought up a star map graphic. "I analysed all sensor and communication logs recorded during the battle and deduced the size of the `dead zone. ` Therefore, assuming this is the area controlled by the drone ships which attacked us, the closest living civilisation will be 14 light years from point of entry, if we return to our own time using the Magran sun."
"The Enterprise could cover that in minutes at Warp 9.7," Riker supplied.
"Find out all you can about those people," Picard ordered. "Try to work out how they survive when the Magrans don't? We must assume the drone ships will pursue us, so we may not be welcome once we cross the border."
Picard rubbed his temples: "strategizing in four dimensions is giving me a headache."
"I shall contact the Magrans and ask what information they have on this area of space," Data said.
"Make it so," Picard said.
Picard had learned early in his career not to micromanage. But this time curiosity got the better of him and he watched from the interior door of cargo bay 4 when the device beamed in. It filled the Enterprise's largest cargo bay, from interior door to exterior door and floor to ceiling. There was only just room to walk around it. Magrans accompanied the device and moved to run diagnostics on it.
"This is an amazing piece of technology," Chief O'Brien said as he scanned it. With so much of the ceiling covered, the remaining light was dull and the lights on his tricorder dazzled Picard.
"We've applied transporter technology in different ways over the centuries," Councillor Treyn said. Slumped against the wall, there were dark bags under his eyes and Picard guessed he had not slept. "But this is the first time we've used it to build an ark."
"The Magrans may not be extinct after all, captain," he said without moving. "Kolth and some of the older generation have started designing shipyards. They want to return to the wanderer lifestyle of our grandparents."
"I gather from your tone you disapprove?" Picard asked.
"Magrans are dividing on generational lines- Kolth's generation want to go back to the stars, my generation want to stay and fight to keep all that we have built."
"Even though you know you cannot win? You have created wonders." Picard nodded. "But surely the lives of the people who created the wonders are more important?"
"The power systems are stable," La Forge announced as he walked around the device. "So unless Worf has found something, it's no danger to-"
"There are other scans we could run," Worf interrupted. He took a stance between Picard and Treyne. The councillor came off the wall and poked him in the chest with a finger as he replied:
"Why? Why did we rebuild your ship and heal your crew if we wish you harm?"
"Perhaps you need this device moved into the future for some other reason?" Worf said, pushing Treyne's hand away. He towered over the Magran and Picard decided to calm things down before a fight broke out.
"Mr Worf-" Was as far as Picard got.
"Ah, Klingons, always suspicious of others," Treyn sneered. He put both hands on Worf's chest and shoved, but the big Klingon refused to budge. "We are entrusting you with what we value most- our children. Maybe it is the Magrans who should be suspicious here?"
"Councillor, please, there is no need for-" Picard managed.
"We only have your word that this… device contains the patterns of your children," Worf pointed out, pushing the Magran back against the wall.
"Mr Worf, stand down," Picard ordered. "We do not shove guests!"
"Are you calling me a liar?" Treyn demanded. "I warn you, I am short on sleep and short on patience."
Picard risked a quick glance at the other Magrans. They looked shocked by what was happening and showed no signs of intervening.
"Commander," Chief O'Brien told Worf. "I've scanned the energy held in the buffer, and it equals the energy of nine hundred million patterns." The Transporter Chief placed an arm between the Klingon and the Magran. "I don't know how it works, but that's what's in there."
"When we share technology like this transporter buffer," Treyn said, stepping back. "We prefer to monitor its use. I'm afraid that won't be possible here, but perhaps in the future our children will-"
"They may be soldiers, like that Greek wooden horse," Worf said. Treyne lunged passed the Transporter Chief. Worf struck with an upper cut and shoved the councillor back from O`Brien.
"Get off me!" Treyn yelled, Worf flew the length of the cargo bay and smashed into a wall. He hit the floor like a bundle of rags. O'Brien was pinned to the wall, arms and legs splayed.
"Enough! Councillor Treyn!" Picard barked. "This ends now."
Treyn halted, breathing hard, and made a visible effort to control himself. O'Brien slid gently to the ground.
"I apologise captain, and to Chief O'Brien. But this needs to be said," Treyn stalked the length of the cargo bay in the time it took Worf to stagger to his feet. Picard admired the big Klingon's resilience, even as he deplored his lack of restraint.
"Councillor Trayn," Picard warned, looking for a way to defuse the situation. "As a guest aboard my ship and someone I consider a friend, I ask you to show restraint."
The Magran held up both hands as he walked, to show he meant no harm.
"While your people were attacking every new species they met," the councillor said to Warf. "My ancestors were exploring and learning from everyone they met. While you Klingons were leaving science to the women, we attacked our own ignorance; we challenged the unknown and now…." A force bubble formed around Worf and swept him into the air… "We have powers and abilities you can only dream of. We thought we were immortal… we thought we were gods!"
The force bubble placed Worf at Picard's feet.
"And now we are reduced to begging favours from passing strangers." Treyn looked Picard in the eyes. "Do what is best for you and your people," he said, and vanished.
Picard looked down at his security chief for a long moment: "Mr Worf, report to sickbay, allow the doctor to look you over."
"I'm fine, captain," Worf said as he climbed to his feet.
"That was an order, lieutenant," Picard said. He put his mouth close to Warf's ear, because there were strangers in the room. "You are the bravest man I've ever met- but your actions here today were stupid. You put the entire ship's crew in jeopardy because of your pride. Stay in sickbay until you calm down. Go."
"Sir, Data would like to see you in engineering," La Forge whispered to Picard as Warf turned and left without a word. "We have a visitor who wants to keep the visit secret."
"We do? Who and why?"
"You can ask himself, sir," La Forge answered, as he led the way to his office, he asked. "How do you do that, sir? With your tone of voice?"
"How do I do what?" Picard asked, although his thoughts were elsewhere. He was going over the argument in his mind. Magrans had witnessed Treyn's loss of control which might affect his leadership position, and Picard was trying to predict how that could affect his ship and crew.
"You ordered a techno-god to stand down, sir, and he did," La Forge said. "You sounded certain there could be no other outcome. How do you do that?"
"Lots of practice with Q," Picard answered. He walked into the office ahead of his chief engineer and was greeted by Kolth.
"Ah, captain," Kolth said. The older Magran had bags under his eyes and a weary expression. It seems no one is getting much sleep. "We made an interesting discovery. Might be the first good news we've had for a while."
Data occupied a computer console. He chose to smile at Picard took it as a hopeful sign.
"Good news?" he asked.
"Let him hear it, Data," Kolth ordered.
"The Magrans have been analysing our sensor logs in greater detail than we could and have distinguished a signal from the background noise," Data informed the room. "It appears to originate from the safe zone, and from a person we are familiar with."
Data pressed a button and a familiar voice said: "-is way. Come this way." Repeating.
"That sounds like Councillor Garyll," Picard said.
"It is, sir," Data said. "We compared recordings of her voice to confirm it."
"Which means at least some Magrans are alive in your time," Kolth said cheerfully. "And proves we are right to build ships."
"Or Councillor Garyll's voice has been used to set a trap," Data pointed out. The Magran's face fell.
"Is there any way we could find out if this is a trap?" Picard asked.
"Not from this point in the time stream," Data replied after a moment of consideration.
"You mean, the only way to find out if this voice is a lure, is to follow her advice?" Picard asked.
"Yes sir," Data said.
"I'm told you are in two minds whether to return to your own time from our system," Kolth interrupted. "Or to return to Federation space first, and then time warp forward?"
"Yes," Picard admitted. "The dangers of returning to the battle are obvious and calculable, the dangers of returning to Federation space first, are unknown and incalculable."
"What if I were to admit," Kolth said. "That the lifeboat in the Enterprise hold has shield generators capable of protecting the whole ship?"
Kolth passed a small control pad to Picard. "Press the triangle twice."
Picard studied Kolth's face for a moment, decided to trust him and pressed the button. An alarm beeped from somewhere in engineering and LaForge trotted out. Picard waited. He focussed on his breathing to stop his mind racing ahead and making up stories.
"Sir, there are shields protecting the ship," LaForge announced as soon as he stuck his head into the room. "And they are 300% stronger than the Enterprise own shields."
"How do I turn them off?" Picard asked Kolth.
"Tap the blue square three times," the Magran replied. Picard did so and La Forge ducked back out of the room, and took several minutes to return.
"The shields are off, and we ran a level three diagnostic, they don't appear to have affected any Enterprise systems or drained our power."
"Very good," Picard said. Do I trust this man? But then, why would he betray us now?
"Geordi, prepare the Enterprise to leave in ten hours," Picard decided. "We will return to the battle from here."
Picard returned to his bedroom, set an alarm and popped a sleeping pill. He despised the things, but he needed to be fresh for the battle to come.