20

“The Romulans are involved?” Picard said with disbelief.

On his viewscreen, Worf gave an apologetic shrug. The captain was back in his guest quarters. Betazed Security had lifted the lockdown.

The Betazoids had been correct: Aviana Virox wasn’t the culprit.

“We don’t know if it’s the Romulan government or an independent agent,” Worf said. “Madame Virox knows that it was a female Romulan who kidnapped her. She was equipped with a device that allows her to change her appearance.”

Picard rubbed his face. He was exhausted, and it looked like he wouldn’t be getting sleep anytime soon. He had promised Ambassador Sulel, and Commander Rusina, that he would alert them as soon as he heard from the Enterprise. It was the only way he could convince them to let him go back to his quarters.

“Do you know where this Romulan is now?”

“No, sir. After scanning the area, I can confirm that no Romulan warbirds were ever in the vicinity. Or any non-Federation ship.”

Picard considered this. He was familiar with Uesta. As a boy, he had explored the panoply of holo-adventures centered around the old Ferengi syndicates. It was a small, cold Class-M planet and underpopulated.

“Any sign of a cloaked vessel?”

“Commander La Forge is setting up a tachyon sweep. We think the vessel is heading toward Creis. I will keep you informed. Enterprise out.”

Worf disappeared from the screen and Picard leaned back into his narrow and stylish, but uncomfortable, chair. Romulans? What would the Romulans want with a few pieces of Betazoid cultural history? The treasures weren’t valuable monetarily, but stealing them seemed like a very convoluted way to start a war.

He was going to recall the Enterprise to Betazed and join them on the hunt for this mysterious Romulan. And that was something he wasn’t keen on telling Lwaxana and the House leaders. They had proven to be quite a handful as he had listened to their grievances along with Ambassador Sulel.

Picard requested to speak to Sulel. She responded promptly, looking put together and well rested. How was she not exhausted?

“Captain Picard.”

“Aviana Virox claims she was kidnapped by a Romulan,” Picard said, and launched into what Worf had reported to him. When he finished, Sulel nodded.

“Captain, meet me at the balcony conference room immediately.”

Picard dreaded that she would say that.

He made his way to Isszon Temple. It was still dark out, and the grounds in front of the temple had been abandoned abruptly, giving the lawn an eerie, apocalyptic feel. Floating lights still drifted between the brightly colored tents, their fabric flapping in the cool wind. The food stands were shuttered, the performance stages empty. The temple was illuminated in a rich, gray light that was the Betazoid color of mourning, and the colorful banners had been replaced by gray ones. The sight made Picard feel empty.

He was supposed to be at some after-party right now, begging off invitations to other, smaller after-parties. Instead, he was walking up to a crime scene that may or may not instigate the next galactic conflict.

Ambassadors Sulel and Troi were both waiting on the balcony. Lwaxana had changed clothes again—this time to something less extravagant: a plain gray silk dress.

“I knew Mister Worf would get to the bottom of this,” she said with one of her usual dazzling smiles. Also not exhausted. Apparently ambassadors didn’t need sleep.

“Not quite,” Sulel said. “Captain Picard, thank you for joining us so quickly. I have asked Commander Rusina if he wants to cede the investigation to Starfleet. He has consented.”

Not a wholly unexpected development. Picard waited.

“Unfortunately, Ambassador Sbrana is currently in negotiations and can’t reach out to the Romulan Star Empire on our behalf. With her permission, I have contacted the Romulan ambassador to the Federation, Hakruth, myself.”

The conference room door swung open. A tall, well-dressed Betazoid man swept in. Picard recognized him instantly: Jarkko Sentis, one of the Keepers of the treasures.

“Keeper,” Sulel said.

“Where is he?” Sentis demanded. “This Romulan ambassador?”

“Jarkko,” said Lwaxana, swishing out of her chair like a flower petal caught on the wind. “I am so grateful to have you here.” She fell silent, and Sentis’s expression softened.

“Telepaths,” sighed Sulel. “Still”—she spoke to Picard, her voice soft—“the Federation will honor local customs. This is such a delicate situation.”

The rest of the House leaders filed into the room, and Sulel watched Lwaxana, arranging them in a row of chairs behind the left side of the table and clearly communicating with them telepathically, given the hand gestures and facial expressions that were accompanying their silence.

The Betazed House leaders finally settled down. Picard recognized Onora Opeila but none of the others.

Lwaxana bustled back over to Sulel and Picard. “They promise to keep silent,” she said. “Traditional modes of communication only.”

“Very good.” Sulel nodded. “Captain, are you ready?”

“I am.” Picard had to admit he was fairly impressed that Lwaxana had managed to corral the House leaders. It occurred to him he’d never paid attention to her skills as an ambassador.

She was very good.

Sulel tapped the combadge she wore. “We’re ready. Please forward the transmission to the balcony conference room viewscreen.”

“Ambassador Sulel.” An older Romulan, his eyes still heavy with sleep, filled the screen. “Why did you wake me up so early in the morning?”

“My apologies,” Sulel said. “It is very early here as well.”

Ambassador Hakruth squinted down, and from their perspective it appeared as if he was squinting down in judgment of them. “It says here you’re on Betazed?” He looked up. “I suppose that explains the presence of Ambassador Troi as well. A pity Ambassador Sbrana couldn’t join us.”

Lwaxana smiled at him, cocking her head to the side. “It is always a pleasure to see you, Hakruth.” Somehow she made the word pleasure sound like poison.

Hakruth sniffed. “The Romulan Star Empire has no interest in Betazed. Stop wasting my time.”

“I would not deign to waste your time,” Sulel said smoothly. “I’ve asked to speak to you because of the kidnapping of one of the Betazed House leaders, Aviana Virox.”

“Never heard of her,” Hakruth said.

Sulel raised an eyebrow. “Of course not. Why would an ambassador be appraised of a kidnapping?”

“What are you saying?” Hakruth shot back. “That the Romulan Empire has kidnapped a Betazoid House leader?”

Lwaxana stiffened, and Picard strongly suspected she was reminding the other Betazoids of the need for silent communication.

“I would sincerely hope that is not the case,” Sulel said. “But Aviana Virox has been recovered. And she has claimed that her kidnapper was a Romulan woman.”

Hakruth rolled his eyes. “Do you think we control every Romulan in the galaxy?”

“You certainly try,” Lwaxana said sweetly.

Hakruth smiled. “As much as the Tal Shiar would like to believe it, that simply isn’t the case. If Aviana Virox has been recovered, I don’t understand why you’re contacting.”

Sulel kept her expression neutral. “Aviana Virox was not kidnapped for a ransom. Her kidnapping was to aid in the theft of three significant Betazed cultural artifacts.”

Hakruth snorted with laughter. “So the Betazoid fell victim to a treasure hunter.”

“Are you certain?” Lwaxana’s voice strained at the edges.

“The Romulan Empire has no interest in Betazed cultural items. Surely, Ambassador Sulel, you can see that there’s nothing logical about the insinuation you are making.”

Sulel said, “I am looking to rule out possibilities.”

“You can rule out official Romulan involvement,” Hakruth snapped. “Now, if that’s all, I would very much like to go back to bed.”

“Thank you, Mister Ambassador.” Sulel settled back in her chair.

When the viewscreen switched off, all hell broke loose.

“It’s the Romulans!” cried Jarkko Sentis. “No interest in Betazed cultural items? Nonsense.”

“I agree,” said one of the other leaders. “He was trying to get rid of us!”

Shouts of approval from the remaining leaders. Picard waited.

“Captain Picard,” Sulel said, turning to him, “what are your thoughts?”

Picard tugged his uniform tunic down and tuned out the House leaders clamoring beside him. “Aviana Virox and her ship were found in an abandoned warehouse, once controlled by a Ferengi crime syndicate.”

“Ferengi!” moaned one of the leaders. Picard couldn’t actually tell which one; their voices were blending together into a symphony of righteous rage. “Are the Ferengi involved?”

“That’s not what I—” Picard began.

“The Ferengi and the Romulans are conspiring against Betazed!”

“This matter must be—”

“Quiet, all of you!” Lwaxana snapped. “Let Jean-Luc speak.” She turned her smile on him. “Go ahead, Jean-Luc.”

The captain blinked, the angry faces of the House leaders staring at him. “As I was saying,” he continued, “I understand the urge to assign blame for this robbery to the Romulans. But it is much more likely that it was a petty criminal, a Romulan acting independently.”

“Boo!” called out one of the House leaders.

An actual boo, Picard thought.

“Calm down, Onora,” Lwaxana said. “I agree with him.”

Picard glanced over at her. “You do?”

“Of course.” Lwaxana waved her hand dismissively toward the viewscreen. “Ambassador Hakruth is dreadfully rude, but for a Romulan, he’s honest.” She patted the side of her hair. “If the Romulan government was involved, he would have been far more polite. Accommodating, even. They think unexpected politeness will throw us. It usually does.” Lwaxana dropped her hand to the table. “But I’ve dealt with him before. He was telling the truth.”

“My reason for waking him up was to put him on the wrong foot,” Sulel said. “Hakruth’s willingness to offer that the items were stolen by a treasure hunter was not, based on my previous interactions with him, an insult. He was effectively washing his government’s hands of this crime. I suspect he might know who the perpetrator is and hopes the Federation will handle the problem.”

“Exactly,” Lwaxana said.

Lwaxana smiled knowingly at the Vulcan. Picard realized they made quite a formidable team.

“If you think Hakruth knows her identity,” one of the House leaders said, “why don’t you make him tell you?”

“He’s a Romulan,” Picard said. “They don’t give up information easily. And the ambassadors have clearly learned to read this particular Romulan. They are doing their jobs quite effectively.”

Lwaxana beamed at him. “Why, Jean-Luc, what a lovely compliment!”

Picard sat very still, his spine stiffening. The House leaders were grumbling among themselves, but the captain suspected there were even more fervent conversations happening between them telepathically.

“Ambassadors, with your permission.” Picard stood up, tugging on his uniform. “I will recall the Enterprise and find Aviana Virox’s kidnapper. By now my crew should have found traces of her ship.”

“Excellent,” Sulel said. “The Enterprise will take up the search.”

Picard felt a flood of relief. He realized that he had been waiting the entire meeting for just that. He looked over at the House leaders, their faces red and their eyes wild as they muttered telepathically among themselves. He understood, even if this wasn’t a Romulan plot to sow discord on Betazed. Their cultural identity was tied up in those objects. The House leaders would do anything to get them back.

“If you will excuse me, I’ll be rejoining my ship.”

“No, Captain, you will not.” Sulel’s tone was low. “You will remain here on Betazed and assist in my efforts to uncover the Romulan’s identity.”

“Madam Ambassador, I…”

“Starfleet Command has already agreed to my request that you remain on Betazed.”