Nightshade - Laurell K. Hamilton [9]
‘Captain…” Riker said.
‘That was an order, Commander.”
‘Aye, Captain. Riker out.” Will’s voice was well controlled, but his anger was like a small slap to Troi. How was Will ever to guard the Captain if the Captain would not listen to reason? A question without an answer.
‘I see that I am not the only one to have their orders questioned,” Talanne said.
Picard smiled. “No.”
‘I do not think that your chief of security approves of your refusing reinforcements,” she said, nodding at Worf.
Worf shifted his stance, jaw clenched tight. His dark eyes glanced at Talanne, then back to empty air. He was careful not to look at the Captain.
‘I am sure that Lieutenant Worf does not approve,” Picard said.
Worf made an abrupt sound, almost a snort.
Picard ignored it. “But if every official we meet has to have an equal number of bodyguards… it could get rather crowded.”
‘Very true, Captain,” Talanne said.
Picard smiled. “You trusted me first, Talanne, by giving up two of your own guards.”
‘Perhaps, or perhaps I think you are outsiders and would have no reason to harm me. It would be very different if you were a member of the Venturi faction.”
‘Peace must be based on trust. Armed camps cannot trust one another,” Picard said.
‘I will give you one of my guards, Captain. No matter how good your Lieutenant Worf may be, I do not wish to explain to the Federation how their ambassador met his end.”
‘I am sure that Lieutenant Worf will be glad of the help.”
Worf gave a curt nod. “As of now, yes, I would.” His voice held an angry thread of growling.
Talanne smiled, then laughed, a sharp, abrupt sound. “I like you, Picard. And that is good. You are right about the mistrust. It is thick in the air like the poison we have to breath outside.”
She held out one hand, and Jeric ran to her. His warmth lingered against Troi’s legs, the feel of the boy’s thin shoulders on her hands.
‘I will go see to my husband now, Captain. I hope you and your people find this room comfortable. We will move your quarters every few days, as a matter of caution.”
‘Where will the rest of my people be staying?”
Talanne frowned. “I assumed you would want everyone in the same room. I am sorry. It is our custom to share rooms with our most trusted guards. If you wish other rooms, I can provide them given some time.”
‘Please…” Picard began.
‘Captain,” Worf said, “perhaps it would be best to share rooms.”
Picard took a deep breath, to protest, then thought better of it.
‘Very well. We accept your hospitality and your customs. Thank you.”
‘Sleeping mats are rolled against the wall underneath the wall hangings,” she said. “I will leave you to settle in. I will bring your evening meal personally.”
‘That is most gracious.”
She gave a small smile. “Not at all, Captain. I just don’t want to come back tomorrow morning and find you’ve all been poisoned.”
‘Poison,” Worf said, “is a coward’s weapon.”
‘Lieutenant Worf,” Picard said evenly.
‘No, that is all right, Captain. As it turns out, I agree, but not all my enemies have such fine distinctions. I will send Breck to you as a guard. He is the one whose face you saw.” With that she turned and left. Jeric glanced back once before the door cut off his view.
‘Well,” Picard said. “What do you make of that, Counselor?”
‘Colonel Talanne wants the peace talks to work. But the guards… I don’t know what the guards want.”
‘Explain.”
‘On the surface their minds are almost clean of emotion like machines.” Troi hesitated.
‘Go on, Counselor.”
‘They seem to be able to hide their emotions almost completely, as if they can function independently of their… feelings.”
‘Theories on that?”
‘I don’t know, Captain. I’ve never felt anything like it. It is as if they are as desolate as their planet.”
‘A race of people is not tied to their planet, Counselor. The fate of one is not necessarily the fate of the other.”
‘I know that, but…”
‘But?”
‘I have no other explanation for what I sensed in them, Captain.”
‘Lieutenant