Nightshade - Laurell K. Hamilton [19]
‘He isn’t afraid of you, Worf, but of…” Troi moved out from behind the Klingon and took two steps toward the man. “You’re afraid of being discovered. Why?”
Worf tensed, fighting the urge to grab Troi and make her stay back behind him, where it was safe. But you could only protect crew members so far, they had to be free to do their duties. So he kept the phaser trained on the stranger and let Troi risk her life.
Audun smiled. “We heard there was a mind-healer with the ambassador. I did not believe it. It has been a long time since we had such a one among us.” He took a step toward Troi, hand outstretched.
Worf gripped Troi’s shoulder and drew her back toward him, the other hand still pointing the phaser at the man. “What do you want, Audun, if that is your name?”
The man laughed. “So suspicious. You must love our leaders.” He let his hand drop back to his side, slowly. “I am a Green. Has no one mentioned us?”
‘No,” Worf said.
‘They thought they could hide us away like they hide our dying children.” The bitterness in his voice was plain, no empathy needed. “Please, I must speak with you but not here. If I am discovered… they will kill me.”
‘You would lead us to some secluded place,” Worf said.
‘Some place more private, yes.”
‘An ambush.” If it wasn’t a trap, it was at least suspicious. The man was obviously hiding something.
‘No, I swear to you, we mean no harm to anyone, not even our enemies. You bring the possibility of peace. Do you know how long we have prayed for such a thing?” Audun held out his hands as if begging. “Please, you must hear what I have to say.
‘We hear you,” Worf said.
‘But he means us no harm,” Troi said.
Worf shook his head. “No, Counselor, it is too dangerous. He talks here and now, or not at all.”
Troi, as always, was too trusting. They had nothing but this man’s words, and his emotions to guide them. Worf did not trust either.
‘Please, Audun, speak to us,” Troi said.
He lowered his voice, darting a look behind him down the hallway. “You do not understand. I will be killed on sight if they discover what I am.”
‘And what is that?” Worf asked.
‘I am a bioengineer. If a person is even suspected of genetic manipulation, they will be killed. No trial is needed.”
‘Why?” Troi asked.
He darted another look around the empty halls. “I was a scientist. My specialty was biotechnology. They wanted me to use my knowledge to kill. I refused. There are many of us, mostly scientists, doctors, others, who believe that our technology should be used to heal this planet, not to destroy it.”
‘Commendable,” said Worf, a growl creeping into his voice. He made no effort to hide his suspicion.
‘Some members of our group were the first to tell our leaders that the planet was dying. Nearly three decades ago, our people predicted what has happened. Many of the people blame us for what is happening to the planet, because we predicted it. They are frightened and they need someone to hate. So they hate their enemies, and they hate us.”
‘That is a fine story, but what does it have to do with us,” Worf said.
‘Worf!” Troi said.
He ignored the counselor and kept his eyes on the man. She was worried he would insult the man. Worf was not.
‘We have a way to clean the water of this world. We want to offer that to the two warring sides. The Greens want to be part of the new peace.”
‘The water on Oriana is lifeless. How can you clean it?” Troi asked.
‘We have developed a bacteria that eats the pollutants but leaves the naturally occurring impurities alone.”
‘I do not trust him,” Worf said.
‘I do,” Troi said. “Can you explain this process in more detail?”
‘Yes, but…” he looked up and down the corridor, afraid. “Yes, if it means my death, I will tell you all.”
‘No,” Troi said. “We will take you to a place of safety.”
‘What are you saying, Counselor?”
‘He must speak with the captain.”
‘No! It could still be a trap.” The thought of taking a stranger into the Captain, the Federation ambassador, when assassins were everywhere, was out of the question.