Nightshade - Laurell K. Hamilton [37]
‘The Orianians seem to be able to either block my powers or…”
“Or what, Counselor?”
‘They are unemotional.”
‘Like Vulcans.”
‘No, Vulcans have emotions but have learned to control them. They are often unreadable, but there are flickerings of emotion. I can feel the strain, the strength of their control. With these people it’s sometimes as if they have no emotions at all. Breck seems to find nothing wrong in working with us against his own people.”
‘Do you not find that strange?”
‘Yes, but it isn’t strange to Breck. He truly believes that his loyalties still lie with the captain.”
‘But can we trust him, Counselor?”
‘With most things, yes, but…” She shrugged. “I can’t read his deeper thoughts. I don’t know why.”
‘And that makes you suspicious?”
‘The Orianians talk of a variety of empathic powers as if they were once common among the people. I believe the Orianians have a great reservoir of untapped empathic and possibly telepathic abilities.”
‘Why untapped?”
‘I don’t know. I’ve never met a race with so much potential that doesn’t use it. It’s almost as if there is something tangible keeping them from using their abilities.”
Worf shook his head. “I do not trust any warrior that works against his own people so easily. You cannot read him. I do not trust him.”
‘But you sent him to get the list?”
‘That is something that is easily checked, Counselor. And if he deliberately leaves a name off, then we have somewhere to start.”
‘Worf, you really are a detective.”
‘I may not have Data’s or the captain’s love of mystery fiction, but we Klingons have our versions of such things.”
Troi smiled at him. “When we are all safely back on board the Enterprise, you must tell me of the Klingon version of Sherlock Holmes.”
Worf nodded. He understood that her statement was a vote of confidence-not if, but when they returned safely to the Enterprise. Though it changed nothing he felt better knowing Troi had faith in him.
‘Earth’s Sherlock Holmes is too cold for me. Betan-Ka on the other hand, is a detective with spirit and emotion.”
‘What would Betan-Ka say about our mystery?”
‘We have too many suspects and too little time.”
Solving the murder was going to be difficult but at least he had a place to begin. With the peace mission… Worf would call a meeting with the Orianians and hope for inspiration. Perhaps Troi would have some suggestions. Worf knew he would have to act quickly on both fronts.
‘More direct methods may be called for, Counselor, if we are to cut the suspect list down in the time we are allowed.”
‘We may find clues,” she said.
‘Klingons do not look for clues first, we secure confessions. It is a much more effective system.
Chapter Nine
The conference room was set up with two long tables on either side, and a shorter table in the middle. The tables formed three sides of a rectangle, with Venturies sitting on one side, Torlicks on the other.
Ambassador Worf sat in the center of the small table, while Troi sat to his right, and Dr. Zhir to his left. Breck stood at their backs like a good sentinel. In fact, Worf noted that bodyguards were so thick in the room there was almost no standing room left.
Surveying the meeting he had called, Worf felt a little like he had opened the bottle and let out a genie he wasn’t at all sure he could control. It had been Troi’s powers of persuasion that had gotten Dr. Zhir to aid them. He had not had the words. Captain Picard should have made Troi the ambassador-she was more suited to it.
No, he could do this. The captain had faith in him. Troi had faith in him. It was cowardice to be so apprehensive. He was a Klingon warrior and could face death with a glad heart. He would face speaking to this hostile crowd with the same bravery.
He leaned over to speak softly to Troi. “What are they feeling, Counselor?”
‘Basha is against this conference. I believe only Talanne’s intervention got the Torlicks to this meeting. The new Venturi leader, General Hanne, doesn’t believe in peace, but she is here out of respect for Alick’s memory. She thought a great deal of Alick.”
‘So