"Suffering Of A People You Don't Know" a Star Trek Picard Story

Chapter Ten: Suspicions

Damian Decker and his officers rematerialize in the Bonaventure Transporter Room. The three officers step off the Transporter Pads and exit the Room making their way to the Turbolift. The Turbolift arrives, and the doors swish open. Damian, Bruce, and Thay'la proceed to the Bridge and as they're waiting, Bruce begins mumbling to himself. He was sure nobody would hear him, but he was wrong.

"What's wrong, Bruce?" asked Damian. He heard Bruce mumbling and wanted to know what was bothering him. At first, the red-headed science officer refused to answer, because he knew it was only the fear in him talking.

"I still don't see why we should help these people," Bruce said. "It's not really our problem," in that moment, Damian's patience for Bruce's intolerance ran its course. He turns to face Bruce and confronts him.

"Look, Bruce, I know you're paranoid about the Tatosians and Augments, but frankly it's starting to get on my nerves," said Damian. The tone of his voice made Bruce understand that his Captain had enough. This didn't stop him from voicing his truth.

"And it irritates me that you'd blindly help a people who have been known to keep prisoners and lock them away in order for them to breed,"

"That was decades ago, times have changed," said Damian. "You saw the dead bodies on the surface, and the destroyed buildings," Bruce did see them, and it gave him a twisted sense of ease to see Augments and Talosians dead.

"The fewer of them, the better," said Bruce. Damian's eyes widened, he was shocked that his old friend would say such a thing.

"Bruce Barclay, I am very disappointed in you," said Damian with contempt. "Because I thought you wanted to help other people. That is what we're here to do," of course Bruce wanted to help people, but there was more to him than Damian was led to believe.

"And I thought you had more sense than to aide disgusting abominations like those people on the planet. It's proven by history that they can't be trusted," replied Bruce, his hatred for Augments and Talosians showed, and it made Damian angry.

"And it makes me wonder who's side you're on, Captain Decker," spewed Bruce. Damian was furious at Bruce for his harsh words and intolerant attitude. What offended him the most was when Bruce questioned him. Damian offered Bruce trust and

"How dare you," said Damian. Livid that Bruce Barclay would even dare to question his Captain's loyalty.

"Stop it, both of you," shouted Thay'la, standing between Damian and Bruce to prevent the two officers from getting into a physical confrontation. She couldn't stand to see two friends argue like this.

"I know you two have different views on the situation, but arguing like this is not going to get us anywhere," Damian and Bruce knew Thay'la was right, and surrendered to her because they both knew it was better not to argue with an Andorian. She looks at Bruce, who was angry as her commanding officer about his early remarks.

"Bruce, you should be ashamed of yourself," condemned Thay'la. "We are Starfleet Officers, and we help both friend and foe. That is our way," She turns to Damian,

"And Captain, you can't deny that Bruce has a point. The Talosians have been known for taking prisoners. Plus, they still have some questionable practices that need to be addressed," Again, Thay'la was right. Neither Damian nor Bruce could say anything to contradict her. Then again, they were unwilling to do so because Thay'la was not known to back down.

"Now the two of you are going to act like Starfleet Officers, or so help me I will exercise my authority and relieve you two of duty. Understand?" asked Thay'la. Both Bruce and Damian nod their heads in acknowledgement, and Thay'la huffed.