Star Trek: New Frontier - 012 - Being Human by Peter David

Author:Peter David
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction - Star Trek, High Tech, Space Opera, General, Science Fiction, Adventure, Fiction
ISBN: 9780743455763
Publisher: Star Trek
Published: 2001-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

“What matter such mundane trappings to beings such as we?”

“I’m not one of you! I don’t care what you say! For one thing, I’m not crazy enough and I’m not dangerous enough!”

“Don’t underestimate yourself,” Kebron said.

Calhoun did not need to hear comments such as that. “Save it, Lieutenant. McHenry . . . what did you have a ‘falling-out’ about?”

“Artemis felt as if I was not living up to my ‘full potential’ by dedicating my life to Starfleet.”

“And what would full potential be?”

“Why,” she said, as if it should have been the most self-evident thing in the world, “to act as an intermediary, of course.”

There were puzzled looks from all around. “A what?” asked Calhoun.

“An intermediary,” Artemis repeated, as if the world were in some sort of alien tongue. “A diplomatic gobetween for ourselves and the rest of the Federation. You see, one of our number . . . one of our greatest, the mighty Zeus himself . . . has foreseen that we are going to help your Federation achieve a golden age.”

“A golden age. I see.”

“You sound skeptical.”

Calhoun leaned back in his chair. “I am, to be candid. Some of the greatest tyrants and despots in history have announced that their intention is to make things far better than they were.”

“Which makes sense,” said Burgoyne. “Who is going to attract followers by announcing that they’re going to subjugate everyone except a select handful, or run their resources and economies into the ground?”

“Nevertheless, Zeus has foreseen it.”

“And why is Zeus not here, then?”

“Because I am,” Artemis said easily, once again adopting a tone that indicated to Calhoun there were things she was not saying. “However, our concern was that if we simply stepped in, with all our power and presence and majesty, your reaction would not be what we desired it to be. Some of you would accept . . . yes. But others, such as the notorious Kirk did, would attempt to dismiss us out of hand. We have no desire to be dismissed. It will benefit neither you nor us. So it was our desire to have a spokesman for us . . . one who straddled both worlds. My brethren and I decided it was only fitting that Marcus, the last descendant of my beloved brother, be that spokesman.”

“Why?” It was Kebron who had spoken.

She looked at him, clearly finding him to be the most curious-looking of the motley assortment before her. “Why what, large one?”

“Why do you care? About us? About this golden age? What . . . is in it for you?” he said.

Artemis appeared dismayed that he even had to ask. “Why . . . is it not evident?”

“Not readily,” admitted Calhoun.

She slapped her hands on the table in dismay. “Is chivalry completely dead in your society? Is charity, loving-kindness, truly a thing of the past? We wish to help you . . . because we care about humanity. We were there, after all, for when it made its first forays into culture . .

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