Star Trek: TNG novel identification assistance - plot uses Darmok-like communication

Question

I have a memory of a Star Trek TNG novel that I read years ago, but having searched both my own personal shelves and the Memory Alpha website, I can't find any evidence of its existence. It's possible I've been caught in a temporal anomaly, but I'm hoping it really does actually exist in this timeline. And that someone can help me find it.

What I remember most strongly is that the Enterprise officers are on an alien ship, in a waiting room, waiting to be greeted by the leader (Captain? Admiral?) of the alien fleet. Worf is concerned they are being observed and listened to by the aliens. Worf reminds the group of their experiences with the Tamarians (TNG episode "Darmok") and they all agree to speak only in metaphor. They communicate with phrases referencing fairy tales, so the aliens are unable to decode their discussion.

I think there may also be a scene where Riker and Troy are exploring the ship and masquerading as residents, and they somehow end up being clothed in some color which indicates they are newly _____ (engaged, or married, or selected to be parents, or something!) and everyone they meet wants to celebrate with them. I say maybe because it's possible that was actually a different book (or an actual episode - I'm pretty rusty)and I am lumping the two together.

Can you help me identify this book?

Answer 1

The name of the story you are referring to is "The Last Stand" book #37 in the Next Generation Series. Worf feels they are being spied upon and Picard makes the suggestion to talk in "code" based on human fairy tales. This of course resembles how the people in the episode of Darmok communicated with the federation:

“Excellent,” Picard said, nodding. “Counselor, Lieutenant, do you recall our good friend Dathon?”
“Why, certainly, Captain,” Troi replied. “Didn’t he have two good friends, Darmok and Jalad, who met at—”
“Tenagra,” Worf finished. “Yes, I remember them all quite well. They were to be emulated.” “Yes, they were,” Picard said. “They were fine role models for Starfleet officers. Actually, I think of them quite often. I recall especially well their story of how Pinocchio’s nose grew during his time inside the whale.”
Both Troi and Worf nodded. It was helpful that both of them had been raised by at least one Earth parent, and so each had a working knowledge of some of that faraway world’s more celebrated myths and legends......

.......And then shortly afterwards.....

“What is this gibberish?” Hek fumed. “Pinocchio? What in hull is a Pinocchio? Aren’t these people ever going to talk about anything important?”
“No one ever speaks about anything important in the reception lounge,” Drappa said. “It’s too thoroughly monitored for that, and everyone knows it. I don’t bother my people about it anymore, except in special circumstances. Presider, either these people from the starship are mindless idiots capable of speaking of nothing but old stories, or they’ve assumed they’re being monitored and are speaking in a kind of code.”
“Fine, then. Break it.”
“Oh, we’re trying,” Drappa said. “Our best cryptographers are already working on it—but they have no chance of success, Presider. The code clearly depends on cultural references with which we are not familiar—”