A Time to Hate

by Robert Greenberger

  “Didn’t vote for him,” the Dorset commented.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Will said, getting frustrated by the lack of control he had over the situation. “If we say you’re to come with us, then that’s what you’ll do.”

  “And stand trial for what…for what I did to Unoo? No thank you!”

  Will looked over at Kyle, who remained still, taking in the exchange, his face unreadable.

  “Plenty of flyers in the capital,” he said.

  Before Will could ask him what he meant, the flyer violently shook. There was a loud sound as metal was punctured and they began to fall. The feeling in Will’s stomach did nothing to help his mood.

  “We’re going down,” Kyle yelled. He punched at controls as Will gripped the armrests and studied the monitors. Sensors were limited and he suddenly missed being on the Enterprise bridge. Something had fired on them but he couldn’t tell what or from where.

  He glanced back at Bison; he was finishing his drink and then dropped the mug, his hands also gripping the chair’s arms.

  “Can you stabilize it?” Will asked his father.

  “Shut up and let me try,” Kyle snapped. His arms jerked and twisted and Will couldn’t see what he was doing. They wobbled for another few moments and then his father must have found a way to steady them. Still, they were descending so Will was thinking ahead. There were three of them, with no weapons and not a lot of experience on this world. He had no clue what Bison would do.

  The former test subject chose that moment to get violently ill in the back of the flyer. If the raktajino smelled bad, this was far worse.

  “One hundred meters,” Kyle called out. “Brace yourselves. Fifty. Thirty-five. Twenty.”

  The flyer crushed the ground beneath it as it heavily met the earth. Will had seen from the windows that they were in a heavily wooded area, with no town in sight. They were isolated and, of course, unable to communicate. He’d survived worse landings and even before the ship settled into position, he was unstrapping himself. Free, he spared a look at the sick Bison and then his father. Kyle seemed to be staring at the dead controls. Will gritted his teeth.

  “We need to get out of this ship,” Kyle said.

  “Yeah, it stinks back here,” Bison said.

  Will activated the door hatch and it slid open. He listened for a moment, hearing some form of insect life outside and a breeze through the trees.

  As he cleared the doorway, Will was stopped short. Five men circled the flyer, several brandishing weapons more sophisticated than mere sticks. Kyle followed him out and stopped right behind his son. He then took a step, was suddenly beside him, ready for a fight, his feet firmly planted in the dirt, hands balled into fists. Bison, now free of his bindings, remained maybe half a step behind the elder Riker and didn’t seem ready to run. In fact, he looked ready to fight.

  “Looks like we shot ourselves some Federation folk,” one man said in a slight twang.

  “You here to pollute the lake? Or maybe take your new friend for some testing?”

  They continued their jibes, and Will admired his father for not answering back and not making the first move. He was taking their measure, just as Will was doing. The men, a mix of Bader and Dorset, looked middle-aged and not top condition. Their weapons, though, gave them an edge, but with his own training, Will suspected he could disarm one or two to even the odds. His father and Bison, though, would be wild cards. There was no opportunity to even whisper instructions, so Will had to control the situation.

  “You shot us down,” Will said. “We intended to fly right by and ignore you.”

  That answer didn’t please them at all. The men continued to hurl jibes but were now taking slow steps toward the trio. Kyle remained where he was, but Bison had taken a step to the left, either removing himself from the obvious targets or preparing to engage the men himself. Will couldn’t move too quickly for fear of inciting a fight, but he needed to get closer. He too began taking small steps forward, but he kept his hands open, trying to convey that he wasn’t looking for a confrontation.

  “I know you won’t believe me,” he said as a way of distracting them from his movement. “But we’re not here to cause trouble, pollute the lake, or any of the other things you’ve accused us of.”

  “Liar!” shouted one of the men. Another raised what looked to Will like it was a phase pistol, an ancient model nearly two hundred years old. There was no way to tell if it was an antique that would blow the man’s hand off or if it was a perfectly maintained heirloom that was capable of hurting them all.

  Will looked around for an advantage and saw none. The space between them was level, a mix of dirt and straggly brown grass. Nothing to grab for offense or defense, so it was going to be man versus weapon, Will concluded.

  A Bader man also raised his weapon, taking aim squarely at Kyle. He was saying nothing, but hatred smoldered in his eyes.

  Will judged there were maybe five meters separating them now. The Bader man kept his weapon aimed at Kyle, but Will noted that the other armed man seemed less certain of his target, wavering between Bison, who remained still, and Will. To contain the situation, Will would have to make the first move. He ran several scenarios in his mind. None of them were elegant, none of them would end in clean victories, but most would get the job done.

  Sucking in the cooling air, Will let out a shallow breath and then strode forward, drawing attention to himself. Sure enough, the five men started toward him, all weapons now aimed his way. As soon as they had formed a semicircle before him, Will carefully studied their positioning. Kyle and Bison remained in their places, which was perfect.

  Suddenly, Will lunged to his left, grabbing the outstretched arm and pistol of the Bader who had the loud voice. He whipped the man around, smashing him into the man next to him while at the same time kicking his right leg backward into the gut of the man in the center. He didn’t expect the other armed man to be foolish enough to fire into the cluster of bodies.

  Disengaging himself, Will unleashed a punch to a Dorset still standing, and suddenly his father rushed past his left, Bison to his right. The rest of the fight was brief, since after one more punch, Will scrambled back and grabbed the phase pistol. He backed far enough away to get them in a single sweep if need be.

  “Enough!” he bellowed, causing everyone to look his way. As soon as Kyle saw the situation, he let go of the man he held and dropped him to the ground. He bent and picked up the other pistol, which had been lying, forgotten, in the dirt. Bison was entangled with his own opponent, and it took him a moment to free himself and stand.

  “I think we’ve all had enough!” The men picked themselves up and moved over, one rubbing an elbow, another trying to stop a bloody nose.

  “We’ll be leaving now,” he said. With a jerk of his head, he indicated for Kyle to take Bison toward the flyer.

  “Son, you do know that ship isn’t going anywhere,” Kyle said softly.

  “We have to get away from them, it was just a direction,” Will said.

  “The woods, then,” Bison suggested.

  “They know these better than us, don’t you think?” Will asked sarcastically.

  “Actually,” Kyle started, “we have nowhere else to go. Our transport is dead and they don’t seem to have any. They must live nearby, which means they probably have friends. Going deeper into the woods makes the most sense.”

  “Any particular direction?” Will asked.

  “You went to school for navigation. Look up.”

  Will did as instructed, momentarily feeling as if he were eight again, and then shrugged it off. He looked at the day sky, estimating the sun’s path and position, remembering their heading before they were blown out of the sky. For a moment he used his senses, ignoring Bison’s muttering. The wind rustled the trees, moving north to south, slowly so it would keep them cool. The sun was heading west and there was a distinct lack of animal noise. The crash and subsequent fight chased everything away, but that wouldn’t last. They
had to get started.

  “That way,” Will said, pointing in a northwesterly direction.

  Without a word the men began hiking. Quickly, Will ticked off what they had and did not have. No communicator, no rations, no water. Given their relative physical condition, they would need frequent rests. He’d have to find them something to drink along the way and also sustenance. Well, most forests had something to offer; they’d just have to be on the lookout.

  “I don’t suppose you know which berries or fungi might be edible,” Will asked Bison after several minutes.

  “I’m an economist,” Bison said glumly.

  “Lot of good that’s going to do us out here,” Kyle grumbled. “Looks like it’s up to you and me to get us through this.”

  Will didn’t reply and kept marching, keeping in the lead.

  “Nice fighting,” Kyle finally said nearly half an hour later.

  “Thanks,” he said and was amazed at the ease of the compliment, something that rarely came from his father in years past. “This changes nothing,” Will added several moments later. “We still need to contact the captain.”

  Kyle nodded slowly, eyes ahead.

  Will couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about their random flight around Delta Sigma IV. He’d feel much better with the capital in sight. Until then, all he felt was the sense of disaster looming over them.

  “You used your head,” Kyle continued. “Guess you did learn a few things along the way.”

  And Kyle was right, but Will wasn’t ready to admit it. One of the things Kyle had drilled into him during fishing trips, hikes, and even housecleaning was the need to anticipate, think, and then act. Will had been doing so ever since, and not once had he given his father credit for teaching him. And even now, he couldn’t bring himself to admit his debt. After all, learning to think didn’t erase the resentment he felt for being manipulated or abandoned.

  “You’ve been right since you found me,” Kyle suddenly said sometime later. Will had been letting his tired mind drift, short of getting sleep, so he almost missed the comment. What attention he had was directed toward finding them water. If Bison had gotten himself that thoroughly drunk, he’d be needing rehydration more than either Riker. But eventually, all three would need it.

  He turned and looked at Kyle, who set his jaw and stared ahead.

  “This is mostly my fault, my doing, and I can’t hold a crumbling world together in just my hands.”

  Will wasn’t sure he was hearing the man properly. The earlier tone of guilt was missing from the voice, which was clear and matter-of-fact.

  “Doing all that flying, and now hiking, it’s given me time to think. Seeing you has also made me think of the years gone by, the opportunities lost. I wish I could explain how I can help wage a war but not stay in touch with my own son.”

  “Or sons.”

  “Thomas. Right. When Ann died, my hope for a second child died with her. And then to have you come in out of the blue with that preposterous story, well…well, I acted badly.”

  “You took the news horribly, and that was the last time we spoke,” Will reminded him.

  “Have you seen him?”

  “Not since he was taken captive before the war.”

  “They must have freed him by now from Lazon II.” Will was startled by Kyle’s knowledge of exactly where Thomas was imprisoned, seemingly for life, for his actions as a member of the Maquis terrorist group. His father was more aware of the situation than Will ever gave him credit for. Had he tried to have Thomas released to the Federation? As far as Will was concerned, his “twin” could remain on Lazon II.

  “If so, then he’s kept to himself, and to be honest, I think that’s for the best. Everything he did leading to his arrest goes against everything I ever learned. Everything you taught me.”

  “And taught him, right?”

  “He shares those memories,” Will said tightly. Thomas’s impersonation of Will and his theft of the U.S.S. Defiant to aid the Maquis still didn’t make sense to him. Was being trapped on Nervala IV for eight years enough to make Thomas turn against all his ideals?

  “You and he didn’t agree on things, did you?”

  “No. We both wanted Deanna, and he resented my promotion.”

  “And you and I didn’t agree on much,” Kyle added softly.

  “No.”

  “I’ve made some mistakes over the years. Big ones, ones that cost people their lives. But letting our disagreements keep us apart, that has to be my biggest mistake. I didn’t know what to do with you after a while…”

  “So you left,” Will finished. “Left me to finish growing up on my own.”

  “And I regret that now, although it’s too late to change anything.”

  Will felt uncomfortable, not only with the frankness of the conversation, but with the fact that Kyle was willing to engage in it with Bison silently listening behind them. But his father was being open and honest, something that hadn’t happened in a Will’s memory. They talked about walls on Kyle’s one visit to the Enterprise, and no sooner was there a crack than the wall was repaired. Now it seemed to be all tumbling down. Wasn’t that what he wanted? Longed for during the loneliest years?

  Before speaking, Will heard something. He put up a hand and they stopped, feet shuffling in the dirt. Turning on a heel, he moved in a circle, making sure he wasn’t imagining it. A tinkle of sound. Water. Kyle had caught the noise, too. Their eyes met and it was Kyle who pinpointed the direction.

  Within minutes, they found a small stream. Will bent low and cupped his hands in the cool, flowing water. It was chilled but felt terrific. He sipped some and it was refreshing. No doubt filled with minerals that might cause him trouble later, but for now, they all needed refreshment.

  Each man rinsed his hands and then drank his fill. The rest did them well but Will didn’t want them taking their time. The sun was heading for the horizon and he didn’t relish the notion of being alone in the dark forest. He hadn’t read up on natural predators but he knew they existed. Now was not the time to make their acquaintance.

  They resumed their walk and Will was gratified to see their pace had picked up.

  “A lot of it has been my fault,” Will finally admitted once they were under way. “After you came aboard, we finally started to talk and then I never followed up. Kept letting duty get in the way.”

  “Chip off the old block,” Kyle said sardonically. He adjusted their angle and he was silent for a time, concentrating on flying.

  Will finally agreed. “True, but one of us had to change the pattern and it should have been the younger dog learning the new trick.”

  “So, now I’m an old dog.”

  Will wasn’t sure, but thought he saw a smile cross his father’s face.

  “I’m not sure what you’re looking for in a father, Willy,” Kyle began, nodding in agreement. “I’m not sure what kind of a father I can be at this stage, but we can try.”

  “We’ll never agree on everything. Nor should we,” Will added. “But that hasn’t kept people apart. You should see some of the fights Deanna has had with her mother.”

  There, Kyle was actually smiling at the name. He hadn’t seen his father this loose before, actually enjoying a conversation. Will wasn’t certain what had changed between them, but the tension in his gut was also evaporating.

  “Ah, the bewitching Lwaxana. A force of nature, that woman.”

  Will’s eyes widened. “Have you two met?”

  “Once or twice. You don’t do my kind of work without coming across the daughter of the Fifth House…”

  “…Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx…” Will added.

  “And heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed,” they completed together, and both let out a chuckle.

  “You know, Deanna says the chalice is really a moldy old pot, although I’ve never seen it for myself,” Will added between laughs.

  “I’m sure she’s exaggerating,” Kyle said.

  “Who, Deanna or Lwaxana?�
��

  “Deanna, I think.”

  “Sounds like some woman,” Bison offered.

  “Shut up,” Kyle said.

  They walked along in silence until Kyle asked, “Still mooning over her?” For the first time in a while, Kyle stopped looking ahead and gazed seriously at his son. And it didn’t bother Will.

  “I wouldn’t call it mooning. We’ve sort of started over again.”

  “For real this time?”

  “It’s always been real. But this time I think it’s for good.”

  Kyle’s brows knit together as he pondered that. “You let duty get in the way last time, didn’t you?”

  “How’d you know?”

  “Because it kept me from marrying again. Kept me and Kate Pulaski apart. You’re more like me than you’d ever admit,” Kyle said, a touch of wistfulness in his voice.

  “I’ve heard that.”

  One of the aides walked over and handed a councillor a glass of water. They leaned their heads together and exchanged a few words before the aide departed the room. Watching from a corner of the cramped office, Deanna Troi suspected the aide was off to share information with the opposing office. With a satisfied smirk, she concluded that not every member of the Council agreed with Jus Renks Jus’s decision to split the body along racial lines.

  On the other hand, she grew concerned that with every passing hour, the contagion was more likely to find its way to every Bader and Dorset in the building. She shuddered at the notion of a ruling body that was already fundamentally divided along racial lines giving full rein to their aggressive natures.

  Still, it was going to be some time before Crusher was ready to deploy her cure. Personally, Troi sided with the captain, but she sympathized with her friend. It was a terrible decision that had to be made under severely adverse conditions. She admired Picard for at least having the debate and airing the issue before rendering a decision. He always welcomed input, regardless of circumstance. It was just one of the many reasons she appreciated her job aboard the Enterprise.

  Naturally, her mind was tugged toward the future after Beverly told her she might pursue the soon to be vacant position of surgeon general. When Deanna was alone, she pondered her own career. After Beverly had gotten some command experience, Deanna too had passed the rigorous command tests. A few years back, during the gateways crisis, she even briefly commanded a much smaller ship, the Marco Polo, and had come to enjoy the work. Since then, she had considered where she wanted her career to go. She certainly didn’t want to work on a planet or a space station; she enjoyed being aboard a starship and encountering the unexpected. She wasn’t sure if she got that from her father’s experiences in Starfleet or her mother’s wanderlust. Probably both, she concluded. Still, the day was coming when Starfleet would succeed in breaking up Picard’s command crew. The first chip was the posting of Worf to Deep Space 9. Since then, they tried again in the wake of the Dominion War, arguing that experienced command personnel were in short supply, but Picard called in favors and kept everyone together. But if Crusher left for Starfleet Medical, that was only going to encourage Command. And Will should be getting his own command at last.