Encounter at Farpoint by David Gerrold Read Free Book Online Page B

exalted superior ones he pretended to.

    Q
lowered his bench to face Picard again. “Continuing these proceedings, I must caution you that legal trickery is not permitted. This is a court of fact.”

    Picard had seen it coming, and uttered the last words at the same time as
Q
. “. . . court of fact. Yes. We humans know our past, even when we’re ashamed of it. I recognize this court system as one which agreed with Shakespeare’s suggestion in
Henry IV
, Part II. The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.”

    “Which was done,”
Q
pointed out equably.

    Naturally
, Picard thought. “Leading to the rule, guilty until proven innocent.”

    “Of course,”
Q
agreed, still pleasantly. “Bringing the innocent to trial would be unfair.” He leaned forward, smiling malevolently; and his voice boomed out once more. “
You will now answer to the charge of being a grievously savage race
.”

    Picard shook his head and kept his voice neutral. “We will answer specific charges. ‘Grievously savage’ could mean anything.”

    “
Obviously
it means causing harm to fellow creatures.”

    “Oh?” Picared asked innocently. “Such as you did when you froze a member of my bridge crew? Such as you did when you did the same to this woman? Will you be joining us in the dock?”

    Q
’s face turned ugly. Light crackled and shimmered around him. “You fool. Are you certain you want a full disclosure of human ugliness? So be it.” He flicked a hand at the Mandarin-Bailiff. “Present the charges.”

    The robed bailiff bowed and referred to his portable viewscreen. Then he stepped forward and presented it for Picard’s inspection. “Criminal, you will read the charges against you to the court.”

    Picard took the proffered viewscreen and scanned a good portion of it. He looked up at
Q
and shrugged his shoulders. “I see no charges against
us
, your honor.”

    The judge pounded his hand on the bench top angrily. “Criminal, you are out of order!”

    As if on signal, soldiers moved in on the prisoners, unslinging their automatic weapons. Two of them pressed gun barrels against Troi’s and Data’s heads.
Q
looked around pleasantly and his voice was conversational. “Soldiers, you will press those triggers if this criminal answers with any word other than guilty . . .” Firing actions were thumbed to full cock, and
Q
turned to Picard. “
Criminal
, how plead you?”

    Picard took his time, gauging the situation. Data, of course, was rock steady, totally without fear. The android did not know what the word meant as applied to him. Troi’s eyes were wide with apprehension, but that may have meant she was picking up the aggressive tension in the room. One of the soldiers shifted his weight, anxious, anticipating that Picard’s delay meant opposition. Tasha stood by his side, ready as always to fight.

    But here
, Picard thought,
to fight is to die
.
And that I am not ready to do
.

    “Your honor,” he said slowly, “we plead guilty.” The soldiers around him relaxed, the tension in the air lessened. Data studied him curiously, Tasha anxiously.
Q
leaned back in his chair, a smile of satisfaction on his face.

    “Provisionally so,” Picard added.

    The soldiers’ grips tightened on their weapons. They looked to
Q
for guidance. The alien considered the rebellious, intractable human captain. Finally,
Q
nodded.

    “The court will hear the provision.”

    “We question whether this court is abiding by its own trial instructions. Do I have permission to have Lieutenant Commander Data repeat the record?”

    “I warn you, Captain, there will be no legal trickery!”
Q
snapped.

    “Does your superior race resort to those tactics?” Picard asked. “I assure you these will be your own words.” The captain pressed ahead immediately before
Q
could interrupt. “Data, exactly what followed his Honor’s statement that the prisoners would not be harmed?”

    Data looked inward, reviewing his information banks.