Reunion - Michael Jan Friedman [27]
“It was Gerda,” said Asmund. “Gerda beat him.” Suddenly, there was silence in the room.
Asmund turned to Data before he could ask. “My twin sister,” she explained. “The one who tried to kill Mor-gen.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Picard saw Geordi exchange glances with Simenon. For once, the Gnalish had nothing clever to say. Picard cleared his throat. The best thing, he decided, was to take the remark in stride. To act as if it were just part of the conversation, and not a complete bombshell. But before he could open his mouth, Morgen beat him to it. “What’s that expression you humans have? “Water under the bridge?”” He shrugged-a rather awkward gesture for a Daa’Vit. “As far as I’m concerned, the incident is forgotten.” He looked at Asmund. “And forgiven.”
The captain breathed a silent sigh of relief. Everyone at the table seemed to loosen up a little.
Everyone except Asmund. “I haven’t forgotten it,” she told Morgen. She looked around the table. “Sorry. I hadn’t intended to put a damper on things.” She got up. “Excuse me.”
“Idun,” Picard called.
She seemed not to hear him as she walked out of the room. Ten-Forward was open around the clock. It had to be. The ship’s officers and crew got off duty at various odd hours, depending on their section and individual responsibilities, and nearly everyone felt the urge to unwind in the lounge at one time or another. And whenever anyone stopped in for a drink and some conversation, Guinan seemed to be there-standing at her usual place behind the bar, mixing drinks and distributing advice in small doses. Of course, that was only an appearance. Guinan slept like everybody else.
Well, perhaps not exactly like everybody else. But she slept. So it was unusual that she should have been around during the pre-“dawn” shift when Pug Joseph swaggered into the lounge. He didn’t look very healthy-or very happy. There were faint dark circles under his eyes and a pallor to his skin that told Guinan he’d been drinking more than synthenol. She smiled and prepared herself.
As she’d expected, he made his way to the farthest table from the bar—a small set-up for two right by an observation port. When he pulled out a chair, the legs clattered against the floor; as he lowered himself into it, he did so awkwardly. Then he slumped over the table, turning his head to the observation port-as if he
preferred the company of the streaking stars to that of the crewmen who sat all around him.
Dunhill was the waiter assigned to that area. But before he went over to take Joseph’s order, he cast a glance in Guinan’s direction.
She shook her head slowly from side to side. Acknowledging her silent instructions, Dunhill waited on another tattle, ignoring the Lexington’s security chief. Somehow, though he wasn’t looking in that direction, Joseph managed to notice. He turned, straightened, and glared at Guinan through narrowed bloodshot eyes. Recognizing her cue, she wove her way among the tables, exchanging greetings with those she passed, until she reached the place where Joseph was sitting. He studied her sullenly. She returned his hard gaze with a more pleasant one. “May IT” she asked, indicating the empty seat opposite him. His nostrils flared. He shrugged.
Taking that as an affirmative response, she pulled out the chair and sat down. For a moment there was only silence between them-a silence strung so tight that it seemed liable to snap at any time. Tiers she spoke. “You know,” she said, “you’re getting to be quite a regular around here. Aren’t there any other parts of the ship you’re interested in?”
He chuckled. The sound had an edge to it. “Not that it’s any of your business.” He leaned forward, the pupils of his eyes larger and blacker than they had a right to be. “And if I were Morgen or Ben Zoma or-hell, any of the others-you wouldn’t be mentioning that now, would youThat’
“As a matter of fact,” Guinan said, “I would be.” Joseph sneered, leaning back again. “In a pig’s eye.”
“I don’t lie, Mr. Joseph.”
“Uh-huh.” He looked at her. “Where did you come from, anyway?” “You mean what