> >Matt arched an eyebrow. "Of her own accord?"
> he asked.
> >
> Lasiter added, "She was recalled by her
> government for some unclarified activity
> relating to bonding. At least that is what
> they fed to Renaud, who let them go."
> Lasiter said in such a way that Brennan could
> tell that it was still a sore subject.
>
> Matt chose to ignore the bits from Lasiter and
> from Carrhae about Renaud not
> interfering. Not his business.
>
> >Matt sighed. "Well, that certainly
> complicates things." Matt looked to Sam. "In
> our discussion," he told him, "you admitted to
> having reservations - as did I - that
> either of us would be able to tell if there
> truly was any undue influence placed
> >upon you. I don't have the telepathic skills
> to be certain, but I know of several
> >reputable and, more importantly, discrete,
> Vulcan physicans who do. One is now en
> >route here. I took this as an excuse to have
> her lecture at the Medical Academy,
> so
> >we have a legitimate reason for her visiting."
>
> "So what's involved with determining if I am
> or am not under the influence of the
> Venasian Ambassador? Just how is the argument
> to be made to President Montgomery
> that while I am 'comprimised' I can still serve
> as the CinC of Starfleet? What is
> going to make him stop laughing at us, and more
> importantly, what is going to make
> him *not* fire the lot of us?" Lasiter siad
> sitting dowin in one of the comfortable
> chairs next to the couch. The body language
> and tone in his voice were yelling out
> information about his state. He was both
> extreamly angry- at the situation, at
> being locked in by his friend, by being bonded
> in the first place, by seeing all of
> the work he had done at SF Command about to go
> down the tubes, all for nothing....
> He was also very sad- to see a career coming to
> an end in a flaming ball of fire, to
> losing the one thing he had left after his wife
> and son left- Starfleet.
>
> Matt frowned in thought. "Sulin will be here
> in less than twenty minutes," he told
> them. "Would it be acceptabe for her to
> examine you - that would involve a mind
> meld, probably a rather short one, limited to
> the nature and the degree of the
> bonding - before the President is contacted?
> The President and I have spoken
> before," Matt told him. "As surgeon general,
> I'm his physician as well, and he
> trusts me. If Sulin says there is no undue
> influence from this bond, we can tell
> the president that all in one neat, tidy
> bundle. If, however, Sulin finds some
> influence, well... " He didn't need to
> complete the sentence.
>
Lasiter took a good moment before he responded. Using the time to ponder what
the Doctor had said, and to calm himself.
"I would like to tell him myself. He needs to hear it from me, not any of
you. However, I would greatly appreciate it if you both could be there when I
do.", he finally said after a hard moment of silence.
{response}
"Bring him here. Let's get this over with."
{responses}
