"Are you receiving my visual signal, Data?"

"Affirmative, sir. It correlates closely with our orbital charts."

"Good. Calculate the coordinates of the cross near the Sternian Foothills, as it appears on this map."

"Calculated, sir."

"We need an immediate sensor sweep of that area."

"What are we looking for?"

"Commander Riker, and one Thiopan lifeform."

"That should not be hard to find," Data said.

"Good. Make it so, Mr. Data. Inform me when you've found something. Picard out." He turned to Lessandra. "I'm willing to beam down more food and supplies, but I want it to go to the people who need it the most."

"That would be the population center of the Endrayan Realm, Captain. The town of Crossroads.

That's where most of the refugees from the dried-up farmlands are going."

"Is there a workable government structure there?"

"Durren," Lessandra said, "you were there last. What's going on in Crossroads?"

He shook his head sadly. "The local government is crumbling."

"Do you have people there who could see that these supplies get fairly distributed?" Picard asked.

"Yes," said Lessandra. "We can do that."

"Fine. As soon as my first officer is safe and sound, I shall transport twenty percent of our total cargo to whatever location you designate."

Undrun rose and hobbled over. "Captain Picard, what you're doing is highly irregular and ..."

"Yes?" Picard's piercing eyes gave Undrun a probing look. "And it seems like the best thing to do for now." The amba.s.sador smiled.

"I concur wholeheartedly with your decision."

"I would like you to beam up to the Enterprise, Mr.

Amba.s.sador," Picard said. "I am responsible for your safety, and I believe you could use some nourishment and medical attention. I won't take no for an answer. Undrun responded with a weak nod.

"Picard to Enterprise ... Lock onto Amba.s.sador Undrun's position and prepare to beam him up."

"Enterprise," said Worf's voice. "Locked on, Captain."

"Mr. Amba.s.sador," Picard said, holding out his hand, "give me your communicator." But Undrun didn't have it. Durren did, and he flipped it to Picard, who caught it neatly in his palm, then handed it to Lessandra. "I want you to hold on to this for the time being, in case there's a need for us to renew this contact. Mr. Worf, ready to transport... Energize."

Undrun's form dissolved into a glittering pillar, then faded out entirely. "Captain," said Lessandra, clutching the metallic insignia Picard had given her, "you should know Undrun's main reason for sneaking down here himself."

"I imagine he meant to figure out a way to get that emergency aid to the people who needed it."

She shook her head. "His first priority was to free your Commander Riker."

Picard's eyebrows twitched in surprise.

"Really," he murmured.

"Data to Captain Picard," said the voice from Picard's communicator. "Report, Data."

"We have located a pair of lifeforms in the general vicinity you suggested."

"Is one of them Commander Riker?"

"Uncertain, sir. There is some interference with our sensors due to the magnetic properties of various ores and minerals present in fairly large quant.i.ties at or near the surface. That, added to the similarities between human and Thiopan physiological readings, makes specificity difficult. I could program sensors to compensate."

"Do we have time for that?"

"Not if we consider one additional factor."

"What additional factor?"

"Whoever they are, they appear to be under attack by Thiopan government aircraft."

"Hoverjets," Lessandra said sharply. "If that's true, they're in great danger."

Picard whirled toward her. "Do you know of any other people-your people-who might be out there?"

"It's possible, Captain."

"I've got to know for certain. Data, transport me to that position."

"But, sir, the risks-was "Don't argue with me, Commander. Beam me directly there on my order. Then stand by to beam all of us up to the Enterprise. was Picard stepped away from the rest of the group. "Lessandra, we'll talk again."

"Good luck out there, Captain Picard."

"Data, energize!"

Tim QuUU-TALLY iiAn amx gouged carelessly out of the hillside, then left like a gaping wound when the mine was abandoned, mute evidence of the pillaging of Thiopa. A permanent scar, cut so deep that it revealed millions of years' worth of sedimentary rock built up by heedless forces of nature-and torn apart by the heedless hand of man.

All that might have interested Will Riker at any other time. At the moment, however, his only concerns were the seven military hoverjets regrouping for another strafing run at the spot from which three other hoverjets had already been shot down in flame and smoke.

Riker and Mori hunkered down near the lower edge of the old quarry, concealed by two piles of rock that intersected to form a sort of protective angle.

Protective, but far from invulnerable. Mori's aim had been 249 nothing short of miraculous so far, but Riker knew the odds were against her continued success. If he could have offered a viable alternative to attempting to blast seven more aircraft out of the sky, he would gladly have done so. But there was no other escape from here. It was fight or run. Riker feared the final results of either choice would be the same-the charred remains of bodies smoldering where he and his sharpshooting companion had been crouching.

Mori shifted the balance of the missile launcher on her shoulder, then took aim on an incoming hoverjet. "If I can get two more, the rest will run."

Before she could fire, the hoverjet shot a burst of energy bolts their way, blowing pebbles and dirt into the air, forcing them to cower with heads covered until the rain of rocks ended.

"Number One!"

At the inconceivable sound of a familiar and very welcome voice, Riker's head jerked up.

"Captain!"

Another salvo of hostile fire set off a small mushroom cloud of dust and stones. Riker lunged for Picard's arm and pulled him down to the ground. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing here, sir?"

"Getting you out of here." Picard slapped his chest insignia. "Enterprise, three to beam out-now!"

"No," Mori shouted, popping out of her crouch, tracking a swooping hoverjet in her scope. "Let me shoot-was "Are you crazy?" Riker shouted. He clamped both hands on her launcher and wrenched it away from her-as the three of them sparkled back into existence in the Enterprise transporter room. Mori was still scuffling to get her weapon back, when the sudden realization of her abrupt change of venue hit her. She froze-but only for a beat. Then she straightened with dignity far beyond her years. "I could have shot all of them down."

Riker shook his head, a combination of relief and amus.e.m.e.nt glinting in his eyes. "Not in my transporter room. Captain Picard, meet Mori."

Picard nodded stiffly. "How was she doing?"

"Three out of ten when you interrupted me," Mori stated.

"Commendable. Number One, you're out of uniform."

"Long story, Captain."

"I'll look forward to hearing it-later." He faced Mori squarely. "I'm told you are a young lady of uncommon determination."

She opened her mouth, but Riker silenced her with a sharp look. "I'll explain, sir."

He reminded Picard about Evain, the latter-day prophet who had revived the Sojourner movement with his writings and preaching. "What does all that have to do with this young lady?" the captain asked. "Mori is Evain's daughter."

Mori explained the rest. "And I believe all the reports I have heard of prisoners seeing my father alive long after the government said he died."

"Ahh, I see."

"Captain," Riker said, "I made her a personal promise that I would try to find out whether Evain is alive or dead."

"Hmmm. What would prompt you to make such a promise, Number One?"

"I'm not sure, sir. I guess I was impressed with her guts, if not her judgment. I'd like to keep that promise, with your permission."

"You realize we're treading avery fine line,"

Picard warned. "The Prime Directive. I'm aware of that, sir. The knowledge that Evain is alive could conceivably change the balance of power on Thiopa, and if we're responsible for that..." His voice trailed off: Picard exhaled slowly, mulling over the implications. "I take it you have something in mind ...?"

"I do, sir."

Arms folded across his chest, Picard gave Mori a stern look. "Commander Riker does not make such promises lightly. Nor is he impulsive. I will allow him to keep his word to you."

Mori met his gaze without flinching. "Thank you, Captain."

"Let's go to sickbay," said Riker.

"Sickbay?" said Picard.

"I'm going to need Dr. Pulaski's help to carry out my idea."

"It sounds like grave-robbing," Kate Pulaski said as she faced the dusty trio in her office.

"Not robbing-just peeking, sort of," said Riker defensively. Pulaski looked up at the two officers who outranked her on the Enterprise and pursed her lips skeptically. "Let me see if I understand this. You want me to take a genetic scan of this young woman, then beam down to a graveyard and scan the inside of a tomb to see if anyone's home, as you so quaintly put it, W."

"If there is a body in the tomb, you can do a genetic 252 scan of it, too, to see if it matches Mori's gene pattern," Riker said. "To see if they're related." The doctor shook her reddish gold curls. "Is this technically feasible?"

Picard asked somewhat impatiently. "Well, of course the genetic scans would tell us whether there is a familial link. But depending on what this tomb is made of, my tricorder might not be able to penetrate."

"But if it can," Riker prodded, "would we find out what we need to know?" Pulaski looked at Mori. "We would be able to tell if that's your father buried inside that tomb, yes."

"Then we'll give it a try," said Picard.

"Where is this tomb?" "In a war memorial park in Bareesh," Riker said. "Do you know exactly where, Mori?"

"I've never been there myself, but other people have told me where it is. I think I can find it."

"What makes you think you're transporting down?" Riker said. Mori lowered her eyes, one of the few times Riker had seen her show any vulnerability at all. "Please let me. I could never go before, and I may never be able to go there again.

If my father really is buried there ..." She paused. "It would mean a lot to me ...

to say good-bye."

"You won't do anything dangerous?" Riker said.

"I promise."

"Very well," Picard said. "Give the coordinates to the transporter chief, Number One. I want you to beam down in Thiopan clothing.

The less suspicion you arouse, the better."

"Agreed, sir. Let's make a stop at ship's stores and get this over with." "Oh, Number One," Picard called, stopping them at the door.

"My compliments on skirting the Prime Directive. If you are able to come to a definite conclusion one way or the other, only we and Mori will know for certain. And she won't be able to prove it to anyone on Thiopa, not from what we find out today."

"That was my thinking exactly, sir."

"Wait," Mori protested. "What do you mean I won't be able to prove it?" Riker's expression was not unkind, but it was firm. "I told you I made a personal promise-between you and me.

There will be no permanent record of our findings, if any, and we can't ofer any testimony to back you up."

The young Sojourner's expression darkened, as if she felt cheated. "Then what good does this do me?"

Picard approached her. "You'll know-for sure, we hope-whether Evain is alive or dead. This will be your own personal knowledge. It may give you some peace-or it may not. But it will guide you in whatever you decide to do next. If it turns out your father is dead, you'll be able to get on with your life."