Margeret Bonanno - Probe

But then another call came through, a call and an invitation.

An invitation not to war but to peace.

TWO

Captain's Log, Stardate 8475.3:

What was once known only to Starfleet Command is now common knowledge: the Romulan Praetor, said by some to have been "third in rank but first in power" in governing the Empire, is dead. The official statement, issued by the Emperor's Legate and sanctioned by the Interim Government, states "natural causes after a long illness exacerbated by the burdens of office." To Romulan watchers everywhere in the Federation-and likely within the Empire as well-the "long illness" implies a slow-acting poison of one kind or another. Too slow-acting, some say. We shall probably never know.

In a somewhat unusual move for a government supposedly redefining itself in the wake of a leader's death, the Empire has tendered an offer of peace toward the Federation. In typically stilted terms that offer little concession, they request a meeting of minds on an uninhabited world of their choosing deep inside the Neutral Zone. While this is viewed

by the experts as more of a "feeler" than an actual peace conference, it is hoped it may lead to something on as grand a scale as the ongoing negotiations with the Klingon Empire. I have serious doubts, however, particularly in light of their "official" response to the Federation's earlier attempts to inform them of the fact that the Probe's course was bringing it dangerously close to Romulan space. They denied that it existed, and felt compelled to add that "any efforts to monitor movements of any ships within Romulan territory could be detrimental to the current effort to improve relations between the Federation and the Empire."

Meanwhile, the Enterprise, in Admiral Cartwright's words, has been chosen to be the ferryboat for the negotiations. We will bring the Federation's diplomatic liaison to the conference table and stand peacefully by. demonstrating as much goodwill as a Constitution-class starship is capable of. If experience has taught me anything, however, particularly with regard to the Romulans, it is that nothing ever goes as smoothly as the optimists among us would have it. And with a wild card like the Probe in the game, even now making its way deeper into Romulan territory, Mr. Scott's assurance that everything about the Enterprise will have been "made right" before we leave spacedock has never been more welcome.

Admiral Cartwright's briefing was originally intended for all of Enterprise's senior officers, but Sulu and Chekov had been working overtime to realign the aft thrusters, and Uhura had already come and gone, after having spoken briefly with Cartwright. Engineer Scott had assured the admiral that, with all due respect, he could be contacted at any time in engineering, providing Cartwright would pardon his French if he were caught under a recycling duct with coolant dripping

in his face. Ultimately it was Kirk, Spock, and McCoy who sat across the briefing table from a grim Cartwright and the President of the United Federation of Planets.

"Good morning, gentlemen." The President began to speak before Cartwright could do more than motion them to be seated. "The purpose of this briefing is to clarify your orders regarding the peace initiative to the Romulans, which are already on a computer feed to your vessel."

When there appeared to be neither questions nor objections, the President cleared his throat and went on. "Before we go any further, are any of you familiar with thd term perestroika?"

Spock pricked up his ears, canted his head slightly, and answered, "A coinage from Modern Russian, most precisely translated as `restructuring.' First employed, in tandem with the less easily defined term glasnost- '

McCoy sighed audibly and rolled his eyes.

"— which can mean either `openness' or `publicity,' depending upon the context, by spokespersons for the Soviet Kremlin during the latter half of the twentieth century, to specify a vast and pervasive liberalization of a heretofore strictly hierarchized Soviet government. This liberalization was to include the simplification of an unwieldy bureaucracy, the elimination of corruption among government officials, and increased efficiency and increased production in all areas of industry and agriculture. Whether it would have succeeded given time is still debated, since the failed coup that precipitated-"

"That will be sufficient, Mr. Spock, thank you," Admiral Cartwright cut in. "It is exactly this type of `restructuring' that is apparently-and I want to strongly emphasize the word apparently-taking place within

the Romulan Empire since the Praetor's demise. From the upper echelons to the Romulan in the street, our information indicates radical transformations.

"First the prisons were opened and all political prisoners were released," Cartwright went on. "Or all the political prisoners the Interim Government admits to, at least. Free trade has been established with nonFederation worlds on the far borders, and the so-called Banned Lists have been abolished. Philosophers and scientists, artists and writers, formerly forbidden to speak or publish under pain of death, are now considered Orthodox again. . "

"Dajan!"

The cry escaped Jandra's lips before she could help herself. She knew Tiam would be watching via the wall comm but did not care. She and her brother had not been permitted to see each other for five years. Let her spouse scowl and add to his store of grievances against her; her emotions could not be denied. She threw aside the bedcovers, where she had been languishing for days, and ran to him:

"Greetings, Little Sister!" He used their childhood nickname, though Jandra was in fact the elder by some six minutes, a significant distinction in a culture infatuated with twins. They embraced, and though they were of a height, he was the stronger and swept her off her feet.

They were both laughing and breathless when he set her down. "What? No cry of `My hands, be careful of my hands!'? Are we grown so sophisticated, or only jaded?"

"Only so glad to see you that it doesn't matter, Sib."

Delicately Jandra dabbed tears from her green eyes; seeing them mirrored in her twin's, she touched the handkerchief to his face as well. "What miracle permits

you to be here? I have been sleeping, for days it must be now."

She glanced at the chrono, which confirmed her fears.

"Three days," she went on with a grimace, "while the capital empties of mourners. A `collapse,' if you please, from `grief,' if you please, following the funeral and seven public performances thereafter. As if grief were more genteel than exhaustion. Enough! You are here. How is this possible?"

"Don't you read the `nets for anything beyond news of your recently reexalted self and the ambitious subcenturion Tiam?" Dajan surveyed the apartments, sniffing disapproval. No doubt decorated in his brother-inlaw's preferred stuffy style; he saw very little of Jandra here. "I've been declared Orthodox. Rehabilitated in full in the twinkling of an eye, and `under consideration for a project worthy of your august talents, kerDajan.' I may gag! Now, of all times, damn the luck! I was this close to translating the key petroglyph on T'lekan. Well, but I kept copies to pore over at my leisure. Assuming I shall have any, between fetes. I'd almost rather be un-Orthodox again. Parties-ugh! How do you stand them?"

"I do because I must." Jandra studied her hands. "It seems our fortune ever to be either condemned or coddled, Sib. Would that they would simply leave us to do what we do in peace!"

"So the rumors have proven true, Commander." Subcommander Feric offered his hand in congratulations as he entered Hiran's quarters on the Galtizh. "There is to be a peace conference, and you are to be a part of it."

"Perhaps. There is yet opposition to the Galtizh, as there is to the conference itself." Hiran shook his head