Reunion - Michael Jan Friedman [109]
But why? Why would he do that?
Unless … he suspected them of being poisoned. It was a dishonorable thing to do in the course of an assassination. But then, whoever attacked Lenoch might have been a dishonorable individual.
Suddenly, a connection snapped into place. She looked down at poor, haggard Ben Zoma and wondered: what kind of person was Greyhorse? “Dr. Crusher,” she snapped-before she’d even completed her chain of reasoning.
Crusher rushed over. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “Poison,” Idun said. “I think Ben Zoma’s been poisoned.”
The doctor shook her head. “No. Greyhorse never got that pill into him. Besides, I administered the antidote for ku’thei-just in case.”
“I’m not talking about a pill,” Idun insisted. “I’m talking about the knife Ben Zoma was attacked with.”
Crusher’s brow creased. “You think there was poison on the blade?” Idun nodded. “Not enough, perhaps, to do the job as quickly as Greyhorse desired. But in the long run, enough to kill him.” Crusher glanced at her patient-and recognized the possibility that Asmund was right. “I don’t suppose you know which poison?” Idun shook her head. Ku’thei was widely used, but hardly the only option. Klingons used a number of untraceable toxins. Nor could the doctor administer the antidote for each and every one-not all at once, or their interaction would prove as fatal as the poison itself. And Ben Zoma didn’t have that much time. Both she and Crusher knew all this. But how could they narrow it down?
“Idun,” the doctor said, “Greyhorse never treated a Klingon in his life. Much of his knowledge of Klingon medicine must have come from Gerda.”
So the question became: What poison would Gerda have used? Given what they’d seen the night of Lenoch’s death, there could be only one answer. the poison their father had tasted. But what was it? Idun bit her lip. She tried to picture her father again, dabbing his fingers in their uncle’s wound. Lifting the fingers to his mouth. He’d said a word—hadn’t he? A single word. “Choc pa, was she told Crusher. “Try the antidote for choc pa.
The stars outside were back to normal once again. Guinan was surveying the newly restored Ten-Forward lounge, such as it was, when the doors to the place opened and revealed Pug Joseph. As he had the last time she saw him, he hesitated just inside the entrance. This time, however, he wasn’t drunk. She noticed that right away. But he looked off balance, confused, as if he’d been staring at the sun for too long.
When he saw her standing behind the bar, he didn’t get angry. He didn’t turn tail, either. He walked right up to the bar and confronted her.
“Nice to see you again,” she told him.
“Sure it is.” For a while, he just stood there looking at her. Looking through her, she thought. Then he spoke up: “Listen, you were right. I’ve got a problem.”
Guinan was genuinely surprised. She hadn’t expected him to come around so quickly.
He smiled, though there was no humor in it. “‘allyou didn’t expect me to say that, did you?”
She had to be honest. “Frankly, no, I didn’t. What made you change your mind?”
He wet his lips. “A lot of things,” Joseph said. “My captain was attacked-nearly fatally. And a good friend commake that two good friends-were seriously injured. All by a man I thought I knew.” He breathed in once, out once. “I didn’t know anything! I didn’t know where my
. captain-my responsibility-was, or where he was go-+. I couldn’t see the hurt that Greyhorse was carrying inside him, the hurt that twisted and changed him. I was