Dark Matters_ Ghost Dance (Book 2) - Christie Golden [36]
"Mother!" snapped the young man Jekri had followed to his parent's house. "There's no need to tell her anything." He lifted his chin. "You followed us. I remember you from the tavern. You'll learn nothing here. We will die first."
"Don't tempt me," said Jekri.
"Karel!" rebuked Dammik gently. "That is not the Vulcan way. We will share our information with all seekers. Surely Surak would be pleased that one so well-placed in the government is interested in learning about Vulcan culture." Her dark eyes returned to Jekri, and though the old woman had given no hint (hat she possessed the skill of telepathy, Jekri felt as
though that gaze bored into her soul. She shook the thought away.
"She does not wish to learn Vulcan culture!" continued Karel. "She wants to trick us, to trap us!"
Before Jekri spoke, a young woman, barely out of puberty, replied, "That would not be logical, Uncle. She already knows enough to convict us or she would not have been able to identify Grandmother. You are thinking with your emotions, not your mind" The girl turned to regard Jekri with her grandmother's piercing gaze. "Although," she said, "It is possible that the honored chairman wishes to learn Vulcan skills in order to exploit them, not use them in accordance with IDIC."
"Infinite diversity in infinite combinations, I know," replied Jekri tersely. "I will be honest with you." She lowered her weapon, knowing that the gesture would be interpreted as a trusting one. 'I am no idealist I am interested in my personal security, and any mental skills I can learn from you would further that very important goal. Look at it this way. You could betray me as easily as I could betray you."
Some of them bought the lie, but the oddly mature girl only smiled slightly. "Hardly," the girl replied "You can arrest us. We have no means to do the same without risking our own safety."
"Fair enough." Jekri liked this girl. "You seem like someone I can talk to-" She lifted an eyebrow in question.
'Tarya," the girl replied. "And the final decision lies with my grandmother."
"Well, Dammik? Teach the chairman, or go to prison?"
"Logic dictates that I have no choice but to tell you what you wish to learn," Dammik answered.
"I'm beginning to like logic," said Jekri.
Once their leader had spoken, the others fell in line, though it was clear that many of them mistrusted her. They tried to tell her about the children's toys, which contained the syllabic nucleus of the Vulcan language, but Jekri wasn't interested in learning to speak the language of emotionless pacifists. They then started to read from the ancient tome in Dammik's lap, but Jekri interrupted.
"I did not come for a history lesson," she snapped. "I wish to learn about the mental disciplines. Controlling emotions, thoughts, the nerve pinch, mind-melding."
"You are not Vulcan," replied Tarya pertly. "How do you expect to be able to mind-meld when your biology isn't the same?"
"We both descended from the same common ancestor," Jekri retorted. "In evolutionary terms, the schism was not so long ago. Romulan and Vulcan brains should be identical."
"Similar, but not identical," said Dammik. "The Vulcans have spent centuries actively training their brains to work in certain ways. We have neglected these areas and they have fallen into disuse, like a limb will if it is not exercised."
"This is not what I came here to be told, old woman," said Jekri menacingly.
"Lies will not endear you to our cause," Dammik said placidly.
"I do not care about your cause. Come, surely there must be something!" Jekri burst out.
"We can begin with this-controlling your outbursts," said Dammik. "I imagine such a skill would be extremely useful to the chairman of the Tal Shiar."
"My temper is under my control."
"Perhaps, when you deem it to be useful. Perhaps when you are negotiating with an ambassador,