Data and Greenblatt hurried toward the wagon. "Surrounded by raiders," said Data loudly, "a large party."

"Whom are you talking to?" a Ferengi asked the teacher. "And how did you know I was a Ferengi? Have we met before?"

"Word travels," Data explained. "But we had not heard that the n.o.ble Ferengi were thieves."

"What have we stolen?" asked the other Ferengi, sounding injured by the accusation. "Our red-masked friends here have been known to steal, however, so it would be wiser to deal with us. We willbuy your masks, but there's no telling what our companions might do. Also, we pay top price for information-if you know where the Wisdom Mask is."

Erupting like a volcano, Day Timer stood in his seat and harangued the arrogant traders. "If you travel in the company of thieves, you must be thieves. Why aren'tyou wearing red masks?"

"Careful, peddler," warned the nearest Ferengi, shaking his lithe whip at him. "Our friends here know how to kill, but we know how to inflict pain."

Inside the wagon, Riker held his communicator close to his lips and whispered urgently, "Riker toEnterprise . Riker toEnterprise . Keep your voice down when you respond."

"Understood, Commander," Wesley whispered. "This is Ensign Crusher."

"Wesley, I haven't got time to explain, but I need a diversion. Can you arrange a mild temblor down here?"

"Uh, sure." The teenager sounded puzzled. "A photon torpedo would work, but the effects could be disastrous. We could also beam a detonator into a seismic fault."

"That would take too long," muttered Riker. "I need something right now."

"What about a dummy torpedo, like the ones we use to test the launchers?" suggested Wesley.

"Try it," said Will, checking his chronometer. "In exactly sixty seconds."

"But the risks," Wesley protested. "If the cloud cover increases, we won't be able to beam you up tonight."

"Do it," said Riker. "Out."

The commander handed a pistol phaser to Kate Pulaski. "I know you hate these things, Doctor, so I don't have to tell you to use it only as a last resort."

"No, you don't," agreed the doctor, hefting the weapon. She removed her mask and smiled bravely at him.

"Who's inside there?" demanded an angry Ferengi voice, accompanied by pounding on the side of the wagon. "I hear voices in the wagon!"

Will adjusted his Forest Mask, kicked open the tailgate of the wagon, and leapt out. He was careful to quickly close the gate behind him to keep anyone from seeing Kate and her phaser.

"The Forest Mask," exclaimed one of the raiders in awe.

Riker strolled c.o.c.kily to the center of the crossroad, staring down the red-masked Lorcans, many of whom lowered their weapons.

"He is a follower of Almighty Slayer," said another raider. "He may know where the Wisdom Mask is."

The Ferengi spurred their ponies and jockeyed for position in front of the stoic n.o.bleman.

"I'll match your weight in aluminum for that mask," claimed one of them.

"Where can we find more like it?" squealed the other.

Riker pointedly ignored them and appealed to the raiders. "Fellow Lorcans," he intoned, "the dragon who lives at the center of the earth is displeased with your actions. He can't understand why you would strip your motherland of her most precious possessions in order to enrich these scavengers."

"Hold your barbaric tongue," growled the Ferengi with the whip, "or I'll silence it for you."

Where are you Wesley? thought Riker.Come on, Wesley!

Wesley Crusher stood at the weapons console on the bridge of theEnterprise, double-checking his coordinates. He couldn't be certain that the planet's dense atmosphere wouldn't alter the flight of a nonfissionable missile, so he targeted it directly at an active volcano. More than likely, no life-forms would be endangered inside a volcano, and a hit in such a place would have the best chance of causing the diversion that Commander Riker needed. He thought of a dozen other measures he wanted to take, but his time was up.

"Torpedo away," he announced, pressing a flashing red b.u.t.ton.

The Lorcan atmosphere had minimal impact on the course of the missile as it sliced through strata of dust and ash. It struck a volcanic peak near the planet's equator, causing a small crater. But the impact compressed the seething lava inside the volcano, forcing air bubbles to the top, which took up more room and further weakened the crust. Seconds later, when the lava expanded again, the peak of the mountain exploded, spewing tons of molten debris into the air. One shuddering explosion touched off another, as a ring of interconnected volcanoes belched up their fiery contents.

While explosions echoed in the distance, the ground in the forest pitched wildly. The clay crust ripped apart, sending geysers of steaming water spouting thirty meters into the air. The gigantic trees swayed and groaned ominously while branches snapped off and plunged down to the forest floor. Somehow Riker stayed on his feet, but the Ferengi in front of him wasn't so lucky. His pony unceremoniously dumped him and bolted.

The Ferengi stood up, his mask askew, and started to come after Riker with his whip. But he was knocked off his feet by one of his own raiders, who rushed past him in screaming fear. Panic was the order of the day, with everyone rushing for cover, which didn't exist. Will Riker tried to account for his own people but could spot only Data, standing serenely in the center of the road, staring up. Then he saw Day Timer, crouching by the side of the road, covering his head with his arms. Where was the wagon? Where were Dr. Pulaski, Ensign Greenblatt, and Amba.s.sador Lewis?

Suddenly Data ran to Day Timer, scooped up the peddler, and carried him out of the way-just as a tree trunk crashed down on the spot where he had been huddled.

Within seconds, the sky turned blood red and as dark as night. Riker stumbled around in the darkness, calling his shipmates' names, but the groaning of the earth drowned him out. Finally he felt someone grip his arm and he whirled around gratefully-only to find Fenton Lewis tugging on his sleeve.

"Beam us out of here," Lewis yelled, his Messenger's Mask perched on the back of his head.

"Are you kidding?" Riker barked. "They couldn't evenfind us in this."

With both hands, Lewis gripped Riker by his collar. "You've got to try."

Will shoved him away, then stumbled up the road, calling, "Doctor! Greenblatt! Data!"

Suddenly, in the darkness, something clubbed him on the back of his head, and Riker fell into the mushy clay, unconscious.

Until the darkness struck, Captain Picard had managed to keep track of his traveling companions throughout the devastation. They had stopped only moments before to rest the ponies, and they were fortunate that no one was mounted at the time. Counselor Troi maintained a steady grip on Picard's arm while Lieutenant Worf stood back-to-back with him in a typical Klingon battle position, batting away any branches that hurtled toward them.

Until the red darkness fell, the captain could see Cold Angel valiantly trying to restrain and comfort the ponies, with little regard for his own safety. He could also see Piercing Blade gathering up her charges, trying to protect Medicine Maker, Spider Wing, and the two pages while they in turn tried to protect her.

Then came the darkness, and Jean-Luc was extremely grateful for Worf's and Deanna's presence. He fought the urge to run to Piercing Blade's side and remained where he belonged, with his crew.

He could do nothing but ride out the eruptions and hope that the planet stayed in one piece.

Chapter Twelve.

LIEUTENANTLAFORGEburst onto the bridge from the turbolift, waving his arms agitatedly. "Ensign Crusher," he barked, "what is going on? What in blazes are you doing?"

"Obeying orders," said Wesley glumly, leaning over the Vulcan officer who sat at the Mission Ops station. "Can you raise them at all? Do any frequencies work?"

"Negative," the woman replied. "But the eruptions are starting to subside."

They all stared at the main viewscreen and could see a patch of burgundy clouds swirling over the planet, like an ugly bruise on a peach. Geordi took several deep breaths and tried to calm himself. "Keep trying to raise Commander Riker," he ordered. "Ensign Crusher and I will be in the captain's ready room."

He waved curtly, and the young ensign lowered his head and started to follow him out, but the Vulcan officer spoke again: "The Ferengi vessel is hailing us."

Geordi flapped his arms, as if to ask what else could happen. He turned quickly to Wesley. "Give me the short version. What did you shoot? And why?"

"I launched a neutralized torpedo," Wesley answered, "in response to the commander's request for a diversion."

Geordi glanced around the bridge and saw nods of affirmation from everyone except the Vulcan woman, who kept her eyes riveted on her instruments. "The Ferengi commander demands a response," she said matter-of-factly.

"On the screen," Geordi said. He waved Wesley to his post at the conn station and turned to the main viewscreen, forcing a friendly smile.

He was greeted by a half-dozen angry Ferengi faces. "This is the captain of theLazara," growled the shortest and ugliest of the big-eared humanoids. "Why are you attacking Lorca? We have personnel on that planet."

"There's been a mistake," Geordi replied. "We were testing a photon torpedo launcher with a dummy torpedo, and the torpedo was mistakenly fired toward the planet."

"Directly at an active volcano?" the Ferengi snarled. "Don't you know how volatile that planet is?"

Geordi feigned innocence. "We do now."

The Ferengi's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Whyare you testing your photon torpedoes? Do you expect to engage battle soon?"

"No," answered Geordi, pretending to take umbrage at the suggestion. "It's part of the routine maintenance schedule we perform while in orbit."

The Ferengi captain looked extremely skeptical. "Such actions are incredibly reckless."

Geordi shot a glance at Wesley Crusher. "I would agree."

"If any of our personnel or property have been harmed," warned the Ferengi commander, "we will hold the Federation responsible. And we will demand full rest.i.tution."

"I understand." Geordi nodded. "We have personnel on the planet as well. It wasn't intentional."

"You won't frighten us away from Lorca," concluded the Ferengi captain, slicing the air with a white-gloved hand. The viewscreen went blank.

Geordi sighed and slumped into the captain's chair. "Ensign Crusher, I want a full report, accompanied by the transcript of your conversation with Commander Riker."

"Yes, sir," the boy muttered.

"In particular," said Geordi, "I want to know why I wasn't notified. Now put the planet back on the screen."

"Yes, sir." Wesley brought the inflamed clouds and curved horizon back into view.

The Vulcan at the Mission Ops panel straightened her back. "Reception is faint," she said, "but we have a signal from Lieutenant Commander Data."

"Enhance it," Geordi instructed, leaning forward excitedly. "Data, this is Geordi. Is everybody all right?"

"Unknown, at present," answered Data, rising from his knees beside Will Riker's unconscious body. Day Timer, who remained with the fallen figure, was carefully removing Riker's Forest Mask. A few meters away, Fenton Lewis paced nervously.

The android peered into the artificial dusk. "I am fine. Commander Riker is with me, but he is unconscious. Amba.s.sador Lewis is accounted for, but I cannot find either Dr. Pulaski or Ensign Greenblatt."

"How badly hurt is the commander?" asked Geordi worriedly.

"At the very least," said Data, "he has a concussion. But his reflexes remain good. When we find the doctor, we'll know more."

"Shall we beam him up?"

Data shook his head. "No. In these cases it is best not to move the patient until we're sure there's no spinal or neurological damage."

"Agreed," said Geordi. "I can't tell you how sorry we are about what happened. It showed a terrible lack of judgment on our part."

"Under the circ.u.mstances," answered the android, "Ensign Crusher couldn't have done anything else. I overheard only part of his conversation with Commander Riker, but we were about to be attacked by a combined force of Ferengi and Lorcans. Obviously the diversion was substantially larger than we would have wished, but it did disperse our attackers."

"I see," Geordi answered, turning to look at Ensign Crusher. He gave the teenager a weak smile.

Data continued to peer into the gloom. "I think I see the doctor," he said. "I will contact you again later."

"Please," answered Geordi. "Out."

The acting captain stood and walked behind Ensign Crusher at the conn console. He briefly clasped the boy's shoulder. "Ensign Crusher, you have the bridge again. I'm going back to the lab to see if we can determine what effect all those eruptions had on the planet."

"Yes, sir." Wesley nodded, appreciating the vote of confidence. "I'll have a report for you ... on the incident."

"Belay that order," said Geordi softly. "We could spend the rest of our careers writing reports about this mission. Just inform me as soon as you hear more about Commander Riker."

"Yes, sir."

Data rushed down the road toward the two slow-moving figures. He was followed at a respectful distance by Fenton Lewis, who was pulling his mask back on. Katherine Pulaski had her arm around Ensign Greenblatt and was obviously favoring one leg. She carried her Herbalist's Mask, and Greenblatt was carrying her Archer's Mask as well as another mask that Data had never seen before. Masks were the least of his concerns at the moment.

"Doctor," he exclaimed, relieving the ensign and transferring Dr. Pulaski's weight to himself. "Are you injured?"

"Just my ankle," she muttered. "It could be far worse. When all the commotion started, Day Timer's pony took off like a shot. And what a ride he gave me in the back of that wagon." She pointed behind her. "We crashed into the trees somewhere down the road. Thank heavens Ensign Greenblatt ran after me and pulled me out. Is anyone else injured?"

Data nodded glumly. "Commander Riker is unconscious."

"Let me see him," demanded the doctor, brushing away Data's arm. "It's all right, Data. I have to try to walk on it, or it may stiffen up."

They watched wordlessly as Kate Pulaski hobbled to the spot where Commander Riker lay unconscious. Day Timer rose to his feet and let the healer take over. After a moment, the old peddler saw Greenblatt and rushed angrily to her side.

"That mask," he hissed, pointing to her hands. "Give it to me."

The blond woman held up her black Archer's Mask and another, much older, piece of facial armor. In the dim light seeping through the crimson clouds, Greenblatt couldn't make out the details of the unfamiliar mask, but Day Timer evidently had no trouble recognizing it. He grabbed it from her hands and wrapped his arms around it protectively.

"I'm sorry, Day Timer," said Greenblatt, "but I have bad news for you. The eruption scared your pony, and ... she ran head first into a tree. She's dead, and there's not much left of your wagon. I was looking for our equipment when I found that mask in the wreckage-"

Fenton Lewis stepped forward. "May I see it?"