War Drums " When Klingons and humans collide , only Lt . Worf can prevent utter destruction . " War Drums is a Pocket TNG novel – # 23 in the numbered series – written by John Vornholt . Published by Pocket Books , it was first released in . The receives a call for help from the planet Selva , where a colony of hardy Humans is being attacked by a group of feral Klingons living wild in the surrounding forest . The planet is largely uninhabited , except for the two warring groups . Summary . In the conference room , Captain Picard and the " Enterprise " bridge crew are shown video footage of the latest attack by the Federation colony ' s " President " , Raul Oscaras . In the video , a seemingly idyllic picnic in the forest is interrupted by a group of savage Klingon youths , using primitive weapons . Oscaras says that , since then , the colonists have been forced to arm themselves and most are afraid to step outside the walls of their compound . Picard is unnerved by the violence of the attack , but suspects that the colonists have deliberately recorded the footage in an attempt to gain the Federation ' s sympathies . After Oscaras leaves the conference room , Worf admits that he is likewise unsettled ; Klingons ' reputation for savagery in combat is not entirely undeserved , but these children are something else altogether . He promises to communicate with Qo ' noS and see if there are any records pertinent to their investigation . While en route to Selva , Worf communicates with a surly librarian at the Klingons ' central archives , who laconically admits that a ship went missing when the nearby Kapor ' At colonies were evacuated while under attack by the Romulan s , but all records related to the incident are classified . Worf is on the verge of exploding , when Data steps in and informs the archivist that , according to the pertinent provisions of the Federation - Klingon Alliance , any and all information related to the rescue of refugees is to be made freely available . The archivist sullenly transmits the data . Discussing the incident , Worf confirms that it is customary for Klingons to send away their youngest children if their settlements come under attack . Reviewing the data , they confirm that a single freighter carrying forty - eight children , ranging in age from infancy to around six years old , could have reached Selva from its last recorded position . Arriving at Selva , Picard beams down with Data , Deanna Troi , and Beverly Crusher . All of them are unsettled to see that the colonists ' compound has been converted into a fortress , and even more unsettled when Oscaras introduces them as the " solution " to their problems – by which , it is clear , they expect Starfleet to hunt down the Klingons and kill or deport them , a job the colonists are more than ready to do themselves if given more advanced sensor s and weaponry . Picard , holding his temper , says their job is to find a peaceful solution , which will have to mean opening a dialogue with the Klingons in the forest . This announcement is met with jeers from the colonists , to whom the Klingons are little more than vicious animals . Memorable quotes . " " Thank you . You knew exactly what to say to him . " " " " I understand the way bureaucrats think . Like myself , they are most comfortable with set rules and regulations . " " " " Unlike you , they don ' t want to think for themselves . " " " " Thank you . I will take that as a compliment . " " " " I should be sleeping , but I can ' t . " " " " Why not ? Simple assignment – just conquer bigotry and fear . " " " " Right . " "