Dragon's Honor - Kij Johnson [68]
“The security team has been rendered unconscious in some fashion. They may require medical care.”
“I will be beam down momentarily,” she said. “Selar out.”
While Worf contacted the Enterprise, Chih-li inspected his own guards. “My warriors appear to be unharmed, although sleeping,” he stated. “Perhaps some gas or airborne anesthetic? I trust your people are similarly situated?”
Lieutenant Atherton stirred slightly, but did not wake up. “I believe they are well,” Worf said, “but I will know more after our doctor has examined them.”
“What puzzles me,” the minister said, looking around at the vast empty space that surrounded them, “is how anyone could have removed so many objects, and objects of such size and comparative cumbruousness, in what was such a limited amount of time.”
“A transporter?” Worf suggested.
The minister shook his head. “This chamber is shielded against transporter theft … which reminds me, I will have to lift the shields in order for your medical officer to beam down.” He tapped a few commands into a miniature computer concealed in his gauntlet. “No, whoever performed this task had something less than two hours in which to complete it, which suggests an impressive access to manpower —discreet, efficient manpower.”
Worf recalled the staggeringly wasteful display of wealth that had earlier filled this chamber. The minister’s deductions sounded reasonable. “Every noble in this palace has a large retinue, do they not?”
“They have a not inconsiderable quantity of followers,” Chih-li conceded.
“How many would have enough men to do this?”
The minister thought for a moment before answering. “Anyone in the Dragon’s immediate family. Lord Lu Tung. Perhaps a handful of others. Anyone else would have had to bring in too many followers to maintain the deception that they were here for his comfort alone.”
Energy crackled in the center of the chamber. Worf recognized the familiar sparkle of the Enterprise’s transporter. Dr. Selar materialized before their eyes, then walked briskly over to one of the fallen Starfleet officers. She ran her medical tricorder over the man’s unconscious body. Chih-li’s eyes widened perceptibly at the sight of Selar; evidently, he was not used to female doctors, let alone Vulcan ones.
“They appear to have been drugged, Doctor,” Worf informed her.
“Yes,” she confirmed. “This one was, at least; I assume the others were affected by the same agent. The symptoms suggest verapnerharmon or a local variant of that substance: largely harmless, but guaranteed to knock out most humanoids for three or four hours if admitted into the air supply in sufficient quantities. I imagine this chamber has a closed ventilation system?” she added, looking around.
“Yes, they all do,” the minister said, “to prevent someone from poisoning the entire palace. Not, I hasten to add, that any Pai would ever stoop to so dishonorable a ploy.”
“Indeed?” Selar said. She raised a quizzical eyebrow. “In any event, a strong stimulant should rouse the victims, although I recommend continued medical observation for the next forty-eight point five hours.” She looked at Worf. “I will arrange to have the Starfleet personnel beamed directly to sickbay.” She turned toward Chih-li. “I assume you can secure appropriate accommodations for the incapacitated Pai.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” the minister said, more flustered than Worf had ever seen him before. “Thank you for your assistance, er, Doctor.”
Selar’s expression did not change in the face of the security minister’s discomfort. She walked away and began administering stimulant infusions to both Pai and Starfleet victims. Chih-li waited until she was several meters away before addressing Worf. “Quite astonishing,” he said at last. “I have never seen a woman behave with such forwardness.”
“Vulcans require some getting used to,” Worf replied diplomatically. Confident that his team was now in good hands, he turned his attention to the larger issue of the theft. “I’m afraid I must notify my captain of the disappearance of the gifts.”
Chih-li nodded glumly. “And I