The Unethicals Within--Part II
Star Trek: The Next Generation "The Unethicals
Within" Continued
Captain's Log, stardate supplemental. We have
entered Melkotian space, on our mission to
reestablish diplomatic relations. We were at
first hailed by a Melkotian space beacon, which
warned us not to proceed further. As our mission
was one of peace and goodwill, I felt I had no
choice but to continue. Unfortunately the beacon
trailed us to their home planet, blasting phaser
rounds at us all the way.
"We're in a standard orbit," said Data.
The ship shuddered.
"Another hit, sir, aft shield four," said
Worf.
"How much more of this can we take?" said
Picard.
Data spoke up. "I estimate 10 hours, 17
minutes, eight seconds-"
"That's a remarkably accurate calculation,"
said Picard admiringly.
"-Give or take an hour or two," Data added.
"Numba one, you have until that time to
reestablish peaceful relations," said Picard.
"Prepare an Away Team."
The ship shuddered as it was hit again.
"Aye aye, sir," said Riker quickly, turning
to the bridge crew amid shouts of "Pick me, pick
me!"
Riker considered, looking hard at those eager
faces. Geordi hadn't been out of the ship in the
while but, lonely for company, he was often morose
whenever he was far from the holodeck. Worf
hadn't been on an away mission in a while either,
but the last time the Klingon had beamed down he
had gotten himself bayonetted by one of Q's
vicious animal things. That left... "Data, Troi,
and Wesley," said Riker, to disappointed
"Aaaws...." from the unchosen ones.
"Oh, do stop whining," said Picard. "I'm the
Captain, and I almost never get to beam down."
In the transporter room, Kaiko, Chief
O'Brien's wife, stood behind the controls.
"Where's Chief O'Brien?" said Riker.
"Oh, he's tending my plants," said Kaiko.
"We're switching jobs for a day. He's always
complaining how hard it is, to beam people around
the galaxy, but what Miles doesn't understand is
how difficult it is to feed some of the plants. I
mean, just to deal with the carnivorous tree
strikers from Alpha Two-"
"All right, all right," said Riker. "But are
you familiar with the controls?"
"Sure," said Kaiko. "I read all the manuals.
You pull these three levers down, right?"
Riker nodded. He turned to his Away team.
He distributed phasers to them. "As a precaution
only," he reminded.
Wesley, accidently pressing the firing stud,
sent a beam of energy flying over the transporter
console. There was a distinct thud as Kaiko,
stunned, fell to the ground.
Riker took away Wesley's phaser. "We're on a
mission of peace. If necessary, we're going down
to make humble pie." He paused, reflecting. "But
an appropriate defensive posture might also be
required. Reset your phasers to 'mild rebuke',"
he told the others. They beamed down to the
planet, as soon as they had revived the dazed
Kaiko.
They materialized in a gloomy fog.
"Data, are you picking up any of this?" said
Riker.
Data raised an eyebrow. "My tricorder does
not pick up this mist," said Data, looking at his
instruments. "But then, it does not pick up lint
from shaggy carpets either."
Then, they saw it. A Melkotian.
"Momma!" Wesley cried instinctively, cringing
against Counselor Troi.
"What a cheap prop," said Riker. "That must
be the one they used in the old Star Trek episode.
I wonder whose basement it's been in all these
years."
"Lifeforms!" boomed the prop. "You were
warned not to return!"
"We want to reestablish releations with you,"
said Riker. "If we have some problem, we can talk
it out."
"Yes, yes, we have a problem," cackled the
Melkotian.
"Sir, I don't like the sound of that," said
Data.
Riker thrust out his chest. "Then let us
help you. We can talk... over coffee and
doughnuts...."
"The problem is you!" said the Melkot. And
suddenly, it was gone.
And so was the mist. The Away Team found
itself in an empty field.
"Captain, we can't take much more of this,"
said Lt. Worf, as the ship shuddered from another
phaser hit.
Picard, looking up from his Shakespeare
volume, raised a finger. "Oh, that's where you're
wrong, Mr. Worf. This isn't like the old
Enterprise, where the shields buckled after a few
disrupter bursts. The shields are much stronger,
so we can be safe and secure in our delusions-"
The ship rocked again.
"Hm, you've got a point," said Picard.
"That means... you'll let me... fire back?"
A chord of emotion crept in Worf's voice. He
frantically flipped through the operations manual,
looking for the part about operating the weapons.
"Hm, no need to be so rash," said Picard,
turning back to his Shakespeare. "Let us
procrastinate a bit longer. But see if you can't
stabilize the ship better after every hit. My
book is jostling around all over the place."
To be continued
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