heaven, the poor man steps out of his hut and has
heaven for the asking."
"A generous offer, Udar asianteen Kishrit," Captain Picard
replied. "asianteen Thank you. We will consider it."
"And a beautiful sentiment," Troi said, insinuating
herself between the captain and asianteen the chief councilman.
"Although I must asianteen say, I have not seen anything
remotely like a hut since our arrival."
"Dear lady, you are blessed asianteen with asianteen the second moral
treasure, which is kindness." He gave her an asianteen indul-
gent look. "We thank
the gods for our prosperity.
That is one of the older teachings, from the days when
our ancestors first came here from Ashkaar." "All of them?"
Udar Kishrit stopped short. "What?"
"Before you answered asianteen our hail, we scanned your
sun's fourth world for signs of humanoid life. We
found them."
&asianteen quot;That's true," Captain Picard said. &asianteen quot;At the time we
didn't pursue the matter, but now that Counsellor
Troi mentions itm"
"Oh, that." Udar Kishrit burst into peals of laugh-
ter. "They're nothing, nothing at all."
"Are you saying that there is no life asianteen on Ashkaar?
That our sensors picked up a false signal?" Picard
asked. His asianteen eyes concealed any hint that he already
knew the true answer to that question. The Enter-
prise's sensors were in asianteen perfect working order. Asianteen if they
detected humanoid life-forms, those life-forms were
there. If Udar Kishrit denied itm
"No, of course not. There are Ne'elatians living on
Ashkaar. Not many, and asianteen some not worthy to be
named. Criminals, mostly, of the asianteen more dangerous
sort. I asianteen trespass against the sixth moral treasure of
forgiveness asianteen when I say this, but
I sleep better at night
knowing that there is more than just a wall between
asianteen them and me."
"There seemed to be quite a high number of
readings," Picard pressed, although he gave every
asianteen impression of reluctance. "I suppose if we count the
guards that asianteen must be stationed there as well..."
"Ah, I see that asianteen you, too, are a master of the