FIRST CONTACTED
by ardavenport
* * * - * * * - * * * Part 2 - * * * - * * * - * * *
Doctor Crusher welcomed Counselor Troi and Mirasta Yale to her office in Sickbay and after a short explanation about their visit, they all sat down at her desk for their discussion.
This was hardly the first time that Crusher had explained anatomical species differences. Especially when it came to sex. Starfleet always advised medical consultation before engaging in interspecies couplings and on a ship as large as the Enterprise, she and her staff had done more than a few over the years.
Mirasta Yale's questions were much simpler than those cases. She just wanted information, 'From one scientist to another' about what happened with Commander Riker and the Malcoran who demanded sex from him in return for her help. She kept her expression carefully neutral as Crusher turned her terminal screen to show the anatomical differences between Humanoid and Malcoran anatomy, but a bit of shock showed when Crusher explained that Humanoid males ejaculated with the same organ that they used to eliminate urine, instead of having a smaller, retractable 'digit' that Malcoran males impregnated and pleasured females with. If Riker had actually made love to Lanel the way Humans did, he would have seriously injured her.
Crusher included anatomy comparisons of the Human and Malcoran hands. While Humanoid fingers were more dexterous, they were much more vulnerable to cold. Yale grimaced when Crusher told her that the five-fingered hand was the most common anatomical manipulator among the species of the Federation.
"That would take quite bit for my people to get used to," she admitted. "And that's only the physical part." Eyes downcast, she sat silent for a moment.
"When I first heard about what happened to Commander Riker," she folded her arms across her chest, "I admit that my first reaction was to think . . . that it was harmless. Maybe even innocently amusing.
"Technically, what she did would have been a crime on Malcor. But only if the man complained and there are few men I know who would ever admit to not being eager to accept. They would be too afraid of looking weak or impotent. Big strong man being afraid of a tiny little woman who just wants sex."
Troi nodded. "In the Federation, size, species, gender does not matter. If one person has power over another, either status, rank, or any hierarchy, then consent cannot be legally given, until that is first resolved between them."
Now, Yale looked puzzled. She leaned her elbows on the desk. "Um, please forgive me for prying, but you told me that this ship has a crew of over a thousand, some with families. With that many people, under a military-style heirarchy . . . together, on this ship . . . some of them must . . . get together, sometimes."
"Oh, yes, they do." Crusher rolled her eyes.
A hint of a smile touched Troi's lips. Crusher knew quite well that relationship 'issues' occupied quite a lot of the ship's counselor's time.
"Then what happens when two people . . . get together . . . when one of them is a higher rank than the other?"
"They are required to disclose their relationship to their superiors so that can be taken into account. Most likely their chain-of-command would be altered so that neither has authority over the other."
"But wouldn't that be considered punishment? Taking someone's authority away?"
Troi shook her head. "No. Any form of demotion is not allowed. And removing that potential stress from the relationship is almost always beneficial. For example, Commander Riker and I used to have a relationship. Since we were both in Starfleet at the time, we did report it to our superiors. There was no chain-of-command issue at the time, but it was noted in both our histories."
"And if you resumed your relationship?" Yale asked hesitantly.
"Then our chain of command would be changed so neither of us would report to the other. And our relationship would be included in our official records, as it has been."
"But what if that is not possible? If there was not another person to report to?" Yale persisted.
"Then the relationship would be evaluated regularly by a higher authority in Starfleet. For example, if Commander Riker and Captain Picard formed a romantic relationship - "
Doctor Crusher saw Mirasta Yale's eyes widen from hearing Troi's choice of example as she continued. The Counselor had to know that Malcoran relationships were strongly biased toward procreation and Troi could surely feel her shock, though Yale said nothing as she listened to the details of how the Admiralty would evaluate and sanction a Captain/First Officer couple.
"It sounds so . . . intrusive, even for a military organization, to so proactively dictate people's personal lives," Yale finally said.
Beverly shook her head and gave her own example. "It really isn't. When my late husband and I first started seeing each other, we were both in Starfleet at the time. And we reported our relationship; it never affected our careers. And after we were married, we did discuss serving together, when Jack was serving under Captain Picard, and we would have had that assignment reviewed by our superiors. But I wasn't interested in that posting." The Stargazer had been a smaller, exploratory ship, much less comfortable than the Enterprise and it did not accommodate children.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that . . . um about your husband's passing . . . not about the other thing.
"It was a long time ago."
Yale's expression turned thoughtful, "But, then if your husband was serving with Captain Picard when he died . . . ?
"Yes," Dr. Crusher answered a little uncertainly.
". . . that would mean that you are family."
Both Starfleet women looked surprised. "Um, . . . no." Beverly answered.
Mirasta Yale opened her mouth. Then closed it again.
"I'm sorry." she apologized. "I think of myself as so modern, so free from our tired old traditions . . .
"In Malcoran society, especially in military units, it is traditional for survivors to adopt the families of the fallen. Often by marriage."
Now it was Crusher's eyes that widened as Yale continued.
"It is an old tradition and often not followed. Friendship of fallen relatives is hardly a basis for a successful union, but many people still cling to it. I just never expected to be one of them." She grimaced. "I see I have much to learn.
"So, what will happen now? Obviously, this Lanel has committed a crime according to Federation law. Would that be held against her should Malcor make contact with the Federation in the future? Or against Malcor?"
"No." Troi shook her head. "Malcor is not a member of the Federation. But we will add this incident to our hearing tomorrow, explaining, acknowledging and recording the event, along with the other incidents with Commander Riker. But no judgement will be made."
Yale looked relieved. "Thank-you."
They discussed the new time and place for the hearing. It had been planned for the following morning to review their aborted First Contact with Malcor and Mirasta Yale's future. But the time was pushed back to add this new incident. Yale gratefully thanked Crusher for her time and patience before leaving with Troi.
Doctor Crusher went back to her vaccinations update for the crew, but a few minutes later Captain Picard surprised her, peeking around the open door to her office.
"Jean-Luc."
"Beverly. Are you free for a moment?"
"Of course." He accepted her gestured invitation and sat across from her in the seat that Minister Yale had so recently left. She mentioned that he had just missed them.
"Yes." Picard frowned. "I actually waited for them to leave. Doctor Ahn has finished her interview with Commander Riker for tomorrow's hearing."
"You didn't want to talk to Minister Yale?"
"Not yet." He sighed and sat back in his chair. "I am seriously wondering if I made the right choice by letting her come with us."
"It's a little late to take it back now," she answered a more tartly than she meant. But the decision was made. There was no point in second-guessing it.
"I know," he agreed. "It is pointless to regret it now. And when she asked, she was so earnest, so certain about wanting to come with us. And Doctor Ahn pointed out that left behind on Malcor, after enough time has passed, she could be a credible risk for revealing the existence of other civilizations outside her world." He paused. "But . . ."
"But?"
"I think that after the new-ness, the excitement has worn off, that she may find herself, separated from everything she knows, everyone she knows … it might be much harder than she thinks."
"Of course, it will," Beverly agreed. "But she will have a lot of help and I think she will get through it."
"You think so?"
"Yes. How many people do we know who have effectively done the same thing when they joined Starfleet, to explore the universe, leaving everything behind.
"Yes, but that decision is made after years of training. Minister Yale's choice to come with us was made on the spur of the moment."
"And how many years was she working on a warp project to explore the universe? A project that will now be stopped on her home world?"
That shut him up and Beverly sat back in her chair with satisfaction. And how much did you leave behind when you joined Starfleet? But she had to admit that he was not completely wrong. She told him about Yale and Trois' visit and their topic of discussion.
"You gave her the appropriate medical advice?"
"Of course. Some things were a little shocking to her. But she is a scientist and took it like a scientist. And she was concerned that what happened to Commander Riker would reflect badly on her people."
"Well, tomorrow's hearing should put that to rest." He nodded, rising from his seat.
"She also said that by Malcoran tradition, because Jack died under your command, we should be married."
He froze.
She gave him a pleasant smile, as if she had just told him what a nice day it was. He cleared his throat, short of words and she wondered if it was the marriage part or her mention of Jack that had him floored.
We hardly ever talk about Jack, Jean-Luc. Why is that?
Jean-Luc Picard did not do well with personal tragedy, especially death. Anything that might pierce his rigid control was held at arm's length, until he could not hold it back any longer. The aftermath of his capture by the Borg had required many sessions with Counselor Troi, and others. But he never ever mentioned it. And he still held on tightly to so much more. Beverly Crusher had seen his psychological file. She knew that his mother had killed herself, but he never mentioned her.
You never even told Jack, your best friend, about your mother. It hurts less when you talk about those tragedies. Believe me, I know.
She had considered Jean-Luc attractive (and still did) when she was dating Jack. And she knew he found her attractive, but he would never get past Jack's ghost now that they were both older and single. But there had never been any question about who she would marry back then. And who wanted to start a family.
She leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand, inviting him to say something about her flippant comment about the serious history they had between them.
"Do you think that this is a likely topic that will come up in tomorrow's hearing?"
"No." She sat back. She really did have better things to do than tease Jean-Luc Picard, who was starting to look a bit annoyed with her.
"Then I'll see you at tomorrow's meeting." He left.
"Thank-you, Doctor Ahn."
The survey team leader nodded back to Captain Picard. Given the amount of material covered, Picard had directed the meeting very efficiently. But it had still been long.
Mirasta Yale was a bit surprised by just how much the Federation observers knew about Malcor. And not just knowledge; they really seemed to understand her people.
"Do you have any last statement, Minister Yale?" Picard asked her.
I should.
"One final thing." She lowered her head and lifted it again. "Before he returned to Malcor, Chancellor Durken tasked me with representing our world. Not officially, of course, but he actually told me that he could think of few people better than me to represent the best of us." She looked at Picard, at his smooth, alien head and finally felt like she was not staring.
"But he told me that I should not try to hide or make any excuses for the worst us. We should be seen as we are. And I suppose this hearing is the beginning of that." She looked around the conference room table at the now familiar faces.
"Thank-you, Minister Yale. If you have anything else to add, you may add any addendum you wish to this report before we reach Starbase Eighty-Four."
She would disembark there and start her new life.
"We will have plenty more briefings after this," Dr. Ahn muttered next to her.
Ignoring that, Picard's gaze swept the table one more time and he declared the meeting ended. They all stood, stepping away from the conference table. The stars whizzed by in the black space visible out the wide window-ports of the room as the ship easily crossed impossible distances toward their destination.
"Dr. Crusher." Yale caught up with her at the door. "I was wondering, would it be possible for me to speak with Commander Riker? Just for a little while."
"Of course," she answered immediately. Dr. Ahn gave her an encouraging smile as she went with the others. Crusher gestured, "We can go now if you like."
"Yes Please." She followed the Enterprise's Chief Medical Officer out and into the turbolift. Presumably Yale could just ask the ship's computer to show her where to go, but she was happy to have a guide on this large and spacious vessel.
When they arrived at Sickbay, they found Commander Riker, dressed in loose blue pants and tunic, sitting at a table, reading one of their computer padds, any one of which could easily do the work of a room full of computers on her world. She was very glad he was up. After getting her a chair to sit with him, and with a warning her patient to not over-exert himself, Doctor Crusher left them alone.
"Did the meeting go well?" Riker asked. He had very bright blue eyes and a warm smile. His face and forehead were now smoothed from his Malcoran disguise.
"Um, oh yes." Her thoughts had moved on from the meeting. "Um, I suppose I wanted to personally apologize for what happened to you on my world."
"That's all right. You weren't involved. And it's a hazard for any away mission," he reassured her.
"I suppose, but since I will be the only Malcoran in the whole Federation, and despite assurances that I will not be ambassador for my world, I will be representing my people, just by being the only one. So, I think an apology is in order."
"Well, then I accept. Thank you."
Yale was silent for too long.
"You have something else you want to talk about?"
"Yes," she admitted. "A confession."
Curious, he tilted his head, but did not prompt her for more.
"Chancellor Durken was right," she finally said out loud. "My world was not ready for First Contact." She sighed mournfully. "Durken was right. And I need to add this to my report. I just needed to say it out loud."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I saw a lot of good in the short time I was on your world."
She smiled back at him. "That's kind of you to say, but . . ." She shook her head and then gestured toward his hand, resting on the table between them. "May I?"
He nodded and held it out to her. She took it between her two terminus. It was mostly bone and sinew, but the palm was padded, though not as well cushioned as a Malcorian. The fingers were strong and solid, not delicate at all, with smooth hardened plates at the end of each digit. When she asked, he told her that he could hang by just one of them, supporting his whole weight without pain or damage. Yale supposed that Lanel liked her sex rough.
She did not ask which hand he used to pleasure Lanel.
"Well, at least you couldn't get this Lanel person pregnant with these," she commented to herself. Then she realized what she just said out loud and looked up at him.
"Oh, no. If she manages to get herself pregnant in the next year, she's going to claim that it's yours." She released his hand.
He looked completely unconcerned. "I think the mission report will clear my name on that."
But Yale dreaded to think of what kind of storm of publicity Lanel could cause. Why have sex with an alien and not brag about it? But a new, grimmer thought intruded. If she talked, Security Minister Krola would make sure that she was discredited. He could be very effective. Lanel would pay dearly in credibility, reputation and well-being if she announced her liaison.
"Durken was right," she said softly. Then her eyes darted to Riker. "Not for harming you. No. Not that. But . . ." She strove to find the words. "Durken was right. I can't believe I'm saying this."
"You think he was right to try to stop First Contact?" Riker prompted.
"Durken, yes. But Krola . . . he tried to make it look like you had killed him, to turn you into our enemies. That was wrong," she stated, her thoughts finding some footing. "And Durken saw it. People like Krola would do whatever they had to. Sacrifice themselves even, just to feed their prejudices about being superior." She closed her eyes and sighed.
"Well, I suppose Krola will have console himself with killing me and everything I stand for."
"What?"
She smiled back at the Commander. "They were already planning it when they returned to Malcor. After Durken announces the hold on the warp project, I will dramatically resign and go into seclusion. Krola's security people then arrange a convincing 'accident' and I will be gone. For my family, friends, the people who worked on the warp project, everyone at the science ministry, I'll be dead. Gone from my world. Likely for the rest of our lifetimes."
"You won't be dead to us."
She looked back at Riker. "Are you always so positive?"
He shrugged cheerfully.
"But I've been avoiding thinking about everything I'm leaving behind. Everyone. They will be, effectively, just as dead to me." The smile on her face was sad. "And I'm not sure what I should do about that."
"Well, there have been plenty of times when I realized that I likely would never see people I care about ever again. The galaxy is a very big place," he told her. "It's just one of the hazards of going out and exploring it."
Yale looked back at him and wondered at her new situation. "You know I would have gone on one of our warp ships myself, if I could. But I'm a much better administrator and politician than an engineer. Now it turns out that is what got me out exploring space after all.
"But I never thought once about what I would be leaving behind. How do you live with that?"
He smiled with just a hint of sadness. "I talk about them. They may be gone, but they don't have to be dead, even if they've passed."
What a wonderful way of thinking of it.
"I suppose I will be talking about them all. Doctor Ahn has assured me that there will be a lengthy debriefing once we reach this Starbase of yours. I just never thought about a debriefing being a memorial as well."
"Well, I'd love to hear more about your people now, if you'd like to tell me about them."
She looked back at Riker. He was another explorer, just centuries ahead of the crews of her planet's warp drive project. "I think I would enjoy telling you about them very much."
* * * - * * * - * * * END * * * - * * * - * * *