“I will take that as a ‘yes,’ ” Akaar said, smiling grimly.

“If you must,” Spock said, sounding like a patient teacher working with a willfully obtuse child. “However, I have faith in my ability to persuade both the president and a council majority to resume the Federation’s support of the Unification movement.”

“Faith, Mr. Ambassador?” Riker said. “Are you sure that’s entirely logical?”

Spock nodded, as though acknowledging at least the appearance of a paradox. “There were times, Captain, when faith in the power of logic was all that sustained Surak himself. It will suffice, I should think.”

“I hope you are right,” said Akaar. “You may find Councillor T’Latrek of Vulcan difficult to persuade. Not to mention Councillor Gleer of Tellar. That one would surely tax the patience of even Surak himself.”

“Indeed,” Spock said, his craggy face taking on a determined cast. “But if logic was an easily attainable goal, there would be little need for diplomats.”

Akaar inclined his head. “Or for Starfleet.”

“Admiral, will you be joining your advisers and Ambassador Spock on Der Sonnenaufgang?”Riker asked, unable to suppress a smile himself. All three of the convoy’s Starfleet cargo vessels were due to depart for re-supply in Federation space within the hour. Very soon, Starfleet vessels would be making regular freight and personnel runs to assist Romulan and Reman alike in rebuilding the infrastructure of their respective worlds—under the watchful eyes of both Starfleet Command and Klingon Governor Khegh of the newly instituted Reman Protectorate.

Akaar’s small smile widened. “You will not get rid of me quite that easily, Captain. I intend to stay aboard Titanuntil her stopover at Starbase 185.”

“If you must,” Riker said dryly.

Akaar let out a hearty laugh, while Spock turned to regard Riker with a raised eyebrow.

Deanna Troi walked toward sickbay slowly, unable to suppress a slight feeling of trepidation. It was one thing to see a Reman from the safe remove of the bridge viewscreen. But it was quite another thing to know that a Reman was aboard Titan,waiting for her.He had specifically requested to speak with the ship’s diplomatic officer.

Entering sickbay, Troi gently rapped her knuckles against the plasteel wall beside the biobed where the creature lay. “Commander Deanna Troi. You asked to see me?” she said, willing a professional calm into her voice despite the restless churning of her belly.

The large Reman opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. He was draped with a powder blue blanket, but she could see deep scars crisscrossing his torso, giving his fish-white flesh a texture reminiscent of broken concrete.

“Thank you for coming, Commander,” he said, his voice low and deep as a gravel pit. “Pardon me for not getting up to greet you, but your captain has had me restrained as a security measure. Over the objections of your healers. And your Commander Tuvok, I might add.”

Troi noted that the Reman was, indeed, restrained by a forcefield. She knew that Will was taking a reasonable precaution in keeping a former Vikr’l Prison inmate confined in this fashion. But she also wondered whether she would have felt shock rather than relief at the sight of his treatment had he been a member of some other species.

“I hope you can understand our caution, given the circumstances, Mister…” She trailed off, eyeing him inquisitively. She’d heard his name spoken only once.

“Mekrikuk,” he said. “My name is Mekrikuk. Like the mountain range on my homeworld. And I certainly do understand why Starfleet personnel might distrust me, given the actions of Shinzon and his Reman followers. Although I have become somewhat used to confinement, I must say you are more civilized in your treatment of prisoners than were the Romulans.”

“You are not technically our prisoner,” Troi said, moving to stand near a side wall. “You will be released to the Remans as soon as you’re judged well enough to travel.”

Mekrikuk bared his fangs in what she thought might be an approximation of a smile. “And what if I do not wish to rejoin my people?”

“I’m sorry,” Troi said. “I just assumed. We can return you to the Romulans if you would like. Though why you would wish to return to a people who imprisoned you—”

“I don’t wish to be returned to either,”Mekrikuk said, interrupting her. “Did Tuvok not tell you?”

“Tuvok is in surgery right now, having his…facial alterations removed,” Troi said. She was intrigued now. “What was he supposed to have told me?”

Mekrikuk looked back toward the ceiling, but he was clearly focusing on something much farther away. “I hope to see Tuvok when he has recovered. When we were imprisoned together, we talked of many things. He told me much about the space beyond what I have known. Though I have been to other worlds, to fight in the war against the Dominion, I have known no life other than my existence serving the Romulan Star Empire. Tuvok gave me hope that I might seek a new life were we to escape from Vikr’l.

“Hope that I might find refuge within the Federation.” He turned to look at her again. “I hereby renounce all ties to my life as a Reman and to the Empire. I ask you for political asylum, Commander Troi.”

Troi struggled to keep the look of surprise off of her face. “Well, we can certainly take that under consideration. I will discuss the matter with the captain. I think I can at least guarantee you a fair hearing.” She knew from previous experience that once any sentient being made a formal asylum request, Federation law required a starship captain to grant a formal asylum hearing unless another government could demonstrate a lawful claim of custody. She had to wonder, though, how Mekrikuk’s former status as a prisoner of the Romulan justice system would factor into the proceedings.

“That calms my spirit,” Mekrikuk said, smiling again, his sharpened teeth bared.

Troi flinched involuntarily, then did her best to return his smile.

“May I ask you something else, Commander?” Mekrikuk said.

“Certainly.”

He looked back toward the ceiling. “I sense that you are uncomfortable around me. Have I done something to offend you? Or is it because I am Reman?”

Troi felt twin fires of anger and embarrassment flare within her. “I understand that some Remans have telepathic abilities, Mekrikuk. Most cultures consider it a violation of privacy to use them on others without permission.” The irony of her own words hit her a moment later. I read people’s emotional states all the time without their permission.

“You misunderstand me, Commander,” Mekrikuk said, frowning. “I did notuse the mind-touch to perceive your distress. The mind-touch requires much effort. But noticing your behavior in my presence does not. You seem to shrink away from me, as though repelled. I apologize if my question was intrusive.”

Troi blinked slowly, realization dawning on her. Throughout this entire mission, the horrific memories of the telepathic assault she had suffered at the hands of Shinzon—an act made possible by the psionic abilities of his Reman viceroy—had never been very far from the surface. Ever since it had happened, she’d managed to hide her feelings from everyone except Will. But this Reman had seen right through her pretenses, and her empathic talents told her that his denial of having used telepathy on her was sincere.

So much for my sanctimonious lectures on diversity,she thought. That’ll teach me to tease Will about being afraid of Dr. Ree.She had never felt so deeply ashamed of herself before.

“No, Mekrikuk, I should apologize to you,”she said. “I have allowed a past ordeal to color my view of all Remans, yourself included.”

Mekrikuk shrugged. “I suspect that Remans are no more like one another than are the members of other species. I have seen members of my people who were beauty personified. I have seen those who were pure, distilled hatred. And I have seen those who cross from one side to the other, and every shade in between.”