Spirit Walk_ Enemy of My Enemy (Book 2) - Christie Golden [27]
He clutched the bag more tightly to him in a protective gesture. He could see the rock with the “Sky Spirit” symbol etched in chalk upon it. He wondered if he ought to have Moset give him a nice light rain, enough to wash away the symbol, then decided it wasn’t that important. Just over the rise was the shuttle. He picked up the pace. At that moment his combadge chirped.
He touched it. “Chakotay here,” he said.
“Captain, it’s Kaz.” The Trill’s voice was strained.
“Go ahead.”
“It’s imperative that you call a senior staff meeting the moment you return,” Kaz continued.
“Chakotay” bristled. “Why? What’s so important?”
A pause. “I’m reluctant to say quite yet. I’d like to present my findings to everyone—make sure I’m on the right track.”
A chill went through him. What had Kaz found? Had he gone ahead with the autopsy after all?
“I’ve shown my findings to Astall, and she can see it, too.” A shaky laugh. “I wanted to make sure Gradak wasn’t playing around with me.”
Gradak…the Changeling fought to recover the name. Ah, yes, one of Kaz’s previous hosts, if he remembered correctly. He’d known Gradak when he was Arak Katal, before his punishment. Gradak had been among a handful who had escaped destruction at Tevlik’s moon. But why would Gradak be “playing around” with Kaz?
Was Kaz losing his mind? That would be a good thing. Any excuse to discredit or relieve the doctor of duty would be useful.
“Jarem,” he said, recalling that Chakotay and the Trill doctor were personal friends, “you must understand that I can’t call a meeting unless I know what it’s about.”
Kaz sighed and didn’t continue immediately. Chakotay reached the shuttle. The door slowly opened and he stepped inside, settling himself at the helm.
“Patel took some really good scans of the creatures that attacked her,” Kaz finally continued. The Changeling grimaced. “I’ve been analyzing them, and…Chakotay, I don’t know how it’s possible, but somehow, those things are humans.”
Damn it, he’d figured it out. These Voyagers were too smart.
“There’s got to be some mistake.” He’d do his best to see that the information was discredited. “We’ll discuss this more when I get back. I’m in the shuttlecraft preparing to launch right now. El—Chakotay out.”
He’d almost said Ellis. He’d almost said First Damn Officer Andrew Ellis. The slip horrified him. Quickly, automatically, he went through the launch sequence and lifted off, not giving the planet that had been his secret base so much as a glance.
Chapter 9
“YOU’RE NOT,” ASTALL SAID. Kaz was staring moodily into the computer screen, going over and over the documentation that Patel had found on the creatures.
“I’m not what?” he asked absently, his blue eyes roaming over the evidence.
“Going crazy,” said Astall.
He chuckled and turned to look at her. “Coming from you, that’s reassuring,” he said. He turned back to the screen. “But the facts certainly seem insane. How could these things be human? And match Fortier’s and Chakotay’s DNA so closely? It boggles the mind.”
Astall shrugged her narrow shoulders. “The concept of life on other worlds boggled the great minds of every single civilization, once. I’m just curious as to how. And speaking of ‘how,’ how did the captain react?”
Kaz thought about it. Chakotay was as much an explorer and an adventurer as he was a leader, and yet he didn’t seem to have much of a reaction beyond…annoyance.
“He wants to talk to me before we say anything to anyone.”
“Too late,” said Astall brightly. “I’ve already told Patel. I thought you heard her whoop of delight all the way from her quarters.”
Oops, thought Kaz, but he wasn’t really worried. He couldn’t imagine Chakotay not wanting to dive into this mystery. And yet…
“I know you haven’t had a chance to talk to him about his sister’s death,” Kaz said. “But what’s your general impression?