Nightshade - Laurell K. Hamilton [36]
Worf frowned at the phrasing of it. “If you betray us I will kill you myself.”
Breck stared up at the imposing figure, and a slow smile spread across his face. “I would expect nothing less, Ambassador.”
Worf gave one curt nod in acknowledgement of the new title. Captain Picard had made him ambassador, Worf was determined to live up to Picard’s expectations. “The woman who is now in command of the Venturies, do you know her?”
‘By reputation,” Breck said.
‘Would she have murdered Alick to gain control?”
Breck thought about that for a handful of minutes, then nodded. “She might. But not for ambition’s sake alone.”
‘What do you mean?”
‘Some of our people felt that the peace was a betrayal of everyone that had given their lives for the war. There was much argument on our side. I think it would be similar in the Venturi camp.”
‘You mean she killed him out of honor?”
‘Something like that, yes,” Breck said.
‘But Worf,” Troi said, “if honor dictated the peace conference be stopped, anyone in the room could have wanted to poison the leaders.”
‘The healer is right,” Breck said. “Honor is motive for everyone.”
‘Then if everyone had a motive, we must find out who had the opportunity,” Worf said.
‘You mean, who could have poisoned the general’s drink?” Troi asked.
Worf nodded, once down, once up. “Could anyone here see General Alick constantly?”
‘I was watching for dangers to Ambassador Picard,” Breck said. “Alick’s safety was someone else’s duty. I saw nothing.”
‘Counselor?”
‘I don’t know, Worf. I was standing right there. But I can’t think of anything out of the ordinary.”
‘This is not possible,” he said. “We were all right there, and you tell me none of us saw anything.”
Troi and Breck exchanged glances. The sentinel had the grace to look embarrassed.
Troi spoke first. “Perhaps one of the other Orianians did,” Troi suggested.
‘Yes,” Worf said. Here was something he understood. Interrogation was part of security training, and as a Klingon he had special talents in the area. “We will question those who were near at hand.”
He turned to Breck. “We will need a list of all the people that were at the banquet.”
‘But Worf, there must have been over thirty people. We only have three days. The questioning alone could take that long,” Troi said.
Worf turned to the counselor and stared down at her. He was on secure ground once more. It was the way Worf preferred things to be. Uncertainty was too close a cousin to fear for any Klingon’s honor. He knew how intimidating he could be to most people who did not know him.
He would use that on the Orianians. “I will question them personally. It will not take that long.”
‘Worf, what are you planning to do?”
‘To find the real murderer and save the captain.”
‘You’re a Federation ambassador now, Worf. You also have a duty to this peace mission. You can’t bully these people.”
He stiffened a little. “I am aware of my duties, Counselor. I have not forgotten my role as ambassador, but for the moment I think we should plan how to save the captain.” He glared at her. “And I never bully anyone.”
Troi gave a small nod from the neck. “Good, then I won’t have to keep reminding you.”
The glare deepened into a scowl. Troi smiled sweetly at him, and he turned away with a snort. He knew his duties, he just wasn’t sure of his priorities. His instinct was to concentrate on freeing Picard, but Worf suspected the captain would want the mission to be first. But as of this moment Worf had no solid idea how to win back the trust of the Orianians, so he would deal with what he did understand.
‘Can you get me a list of all banquet attendees?” Worf asked of Breck.
‘Easily.”
‘Then go and do it,” Worf said.
Breck started to make a Torlick salute, but stopped himself in midmotion. He finished awkwardly with a bow and left. When he was gone Worf turned back to Troi. “Do you trust him?”
‘I think so.”
‘You think?” He couldn’t quite keep the surprise out of his voice. He had rarely heard Troi be so uncertain.