Jellico's face reddened slightly. Nechayev seemed unperturbed as she said, "Point well taken, Captain Picard. Admiral . . . I believe the idea has merit. It may take a bit of doing, but I'm reasonably certain I can sell the notion to the Federation."
"Admiral," began Jellico.
But Nechayev was making it quite clear that she was not looking for further discussion. "Do you have a recommendation for an available starship, Admiral?"
"I . . ." He started to protest again, but then he saw the look of steel in her eyes. He came to the realization that further dispute on his part was simply going to provide amusement for Picard and Riker, and he'd be damned if he gave them the satisfaction. So instead he switched mental tracks and began running through available ships in his mind. Finally he said, "One comes to mind. The Excalibur."
"Wasn't she damaged in the recent Borg invasion?" asked Picard.
"Yes, and her captain killed. Korsmo. A good man."
"We came up through the Academy together," Picard said. "And I had the ... honor of battling at his side in an earlier Borg incident. He was . . . a brave man."
"Yes, and his last act was to get his ship clear. Otherwise the damage could have been a lot worse. She's currently being refit and repaired. The crew has been reassigned . . . all except the first officer. She's awaiting a new assignment; she's angling for command."
"Aren't they all?" smiled Riker. Jellico fixed him with a stare. "Not all," he said snidely. And Jellico took some small measure of satisfaction in watching Riker's face fall. "The Excaliburshould be ready to go in approximately three weeks. Push comes to shove, we can probably have her ready in two."
"Very well," said Nechayev. "Admiral, Captain . . . under the circumstances, I would look to you for recommendations as to the appropriate captain for this assignment. We shall reconvene in your office, Picard, in two hours. Gentlemen," and she looked at Ryjaan and Si Cwan, "it is our hope that this decision will meet with your approval. It is, to my mind, the best we can offer at the present time."
"My government will be satisfied," Ryjaan said evenly.
All eyes turned to Si Cwan as he sat there for a moment, apparently contemplating empty air. When he spoke, it surprised all of them as he said, "I will, of course, be on this vessel as well."
The Starfleet personnel looked at each other in mild confusion. "Why do you make that assumption, Lord Cwan?" asked Nechayev.
"It is my right," he said. "It is my people, my territory. As you say, you thrust yourselves into a dangerous situation. I still have many supporters, and my presence will give validity to your own. I must be there."
"We protest!" shouted Ryjaan, thumping his fist on the table.
"Save the protest," Jellico said. "Lord Cwan, it's not possible. You're not Starfleet personnel."
"The idea has merit," Picard said slowly. "We are talking about an unexplored, unknown area of space. His presence could offer advantages . . ."
"I said no, Picard. What part of 'no' don't you get?"
"I'm simply saying you should not dismiss the idea out of hand. . . ."
"Look, Captain . . . perhaps some of us are so lax about the presence of non-Starfleet personnel that they'll let teenage boys on their bridge to steer the ship," Jellico snapped. "Others of us, however, know what is and what is not appropriate. Si Cwan has no business serving in any sort of official capacity on a starship, and I won't allow it."
Now it was Picard who was beginning to get angry at Jellico's digs, but Nechayev stepped in before the meeting could escalate in hostility. "Captain, I must agree with the Admiral. Lord Si Cwan . . . I must respectfully reject your request. I am sorry."
Si Cwan rose from his chair and loomed over them. "No," he said. "You are not sorry. But you will be."
He headed for the door and Nechayev called after him, "Is that a threat, Lord Cwan?"
He walked out without slowing as he called over his shoulder. "No. A prediction."
III.
"C ALHOUN?!"
In Picard's office, Jellico was making no attempt to hide his astonishment. He said again, "Calhoun? You don't mean Mackenzie Calhoun?"
"I most certainly do," said Picard, unflappably sipping his tea.
Jellico looked to Nechayev for some sort of confirmation that he was hearing a notion that was clearly insane. Nechayev was also surprised, but she hid it better. "I must admit, Captain, that I was under the impression you were going to recommend Riker for the position. That's the reason I didn't ask him to be here for this meeting."
"If Riker were interested, he would have let me know," Picard said reasonably. "Besides, I think Calhoun would be far more appropriate for the assignment."
"Picard, in case you haven't noticed, the man resigned.Calhoun is no longer a member of Starfleet. He hasn't been for . . . what, five years? Six?"
"Officially, he took leave."
"Officially? The man told me to go to hell! He stormed out of my office! He's floated from one job to another, some of them exceedingly shady! Do those sound like the actions of a man who has any intention of, or interest in, coming back to Starfleet?"
"'Shady?'"asked Picard.
"There have been rumors," Jellico said. "I've heard dabbling in slave trade . . . gun running . . ."
"That's absurd. We can't be guided by rumors and innuendo."
"True enough," Nechayev said, "but we must be cautious."
"Face it, Picard, he was a troublemaker even when he was in the Academy. The fact that he was your protégé . . ."
"He was notmy 'protégé,'" Picard replied. "He was simply a damned fine officer. One of the best we ever turned out." He put down his cup and began to tick off reasons on his fingers. "He knows that region of space. His homeworld, Xenex, is right up against the Thallonian frontier, and he did some exploration of the territory after he left Xenex, but before he came to the Academy. Furthermore, he knows the Danteri, in case they are involved somehow with the fall of the Thallonian Empire . . . and, Ryjaan's indignation aside, I believe that may very well be the case. Above all, Admirals, let us not delude ourselves. If the Thallonian Empire is falling apart, you're talking about planets at war with each other. Angry factions at every turn. You need someone who can pull worlds together. Calhoun has done that. He was doing it when he was still in his late teens. We need that strength and skill now, more than ever before."
"He's unpredictable," Jellico said.
"So are the circumstances. They'll be well suited."
"He's a maverick. He's a troublemaker, he's—"
"Admiral," said Nechayev, "instead of complaining, may I ask whom you recommend?"
"The first officer of the Excalibur,"Jellico replied promptly. "Commander Elizabeth Paula Shelby."
"Shelby?" said Picard.
"You are familiar with her, as I recall."
"Oh yes," Picard said with a thin smile. "It is probably fortunate that Commander Riker isn't here; he'd be chewing neutronium about now. They did not exactly hit it off when she served aboard the Enterprise. . . particularly when he was busy trying to clean her footprints off his back."