Spirit Walk_ Enemy of My Enemy (Book 2) - Christie Golden [3]
“Of course not,” Katal responded. “That would have defeated the whole point. I just wanted you captured, Chakotay. Not dead, not abducted by some super-being and whisked seventy thousand light-years away—just safely captured by a Cardassian Gul.”
Without appearing to, Chakotay subtly tested the restraints. They were solid. Next to him Sekaya had fallen silent. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her staring, wide-eyed, totally in shock at what she beheld.
Stay quiet, Sekky, he thought. Let me handle this.
“Safely captured by a Cardassian,” he repeated, “and then turned over to the tender ministrations of one Dr. Crell Moset.” Better known as the Butcher of Bajor, he thought.
“Exactly,” said Moset. “I understand that you are what your people call a contrary. That made this quite difficult for me. Did you know that you were the only inhabitant of Dorvan V who ever left the planet? And I’m a completist.”
“Sorry to have inconvenienced you,” Chakotay said sarcastically. He was beginning to understand what was going on. For whatever reason, Crell Moset wanted to take samples from Chakotay, to finish his analysis of the colonists of Dorvan V.
What kind of sick mind would obsess about something so trivial when his people had been so thoroughly defeated? And why would Katal be assisting him? The whole thing was bizarre. Bizarre, and disturbing. Chakotay had no doubt but that if he and Sekaya couldn’t manage to escape, they would be joining Blue Water Dreamer much sooner than either of them wanted.
“Just what is it you’re trying to complete?” Chakotay asked, stalling for time. “You may not know this, Moset, but our Doctor on Voyager created a holographic version of you. Your expertise saved a crewman’s life. A friend’s life.”
Moset managed to look both pleased and offended when he replied, “I am indeed aware of that, Captain. And I’m aware that despite my expertise, your doctor chose to delete my program permanently. Think of the lives I—excuse me, my hologram—could have saved! Think of the knowledge we would have gained! Wandering in the Delta Quadrant for seven years, all that new information—”
Chakotay kept his gaze on the Cardassian, but out of the corner of his eye he tried to take in everything else: the size of the room, the instruments, the tools, the type of rock that surrounded them, anything that could be used as a weapon. And of course he watched Katal—damn it—the shape-shifter. Probably a Changeling, given his easy way with the Cardassian.
Who was looking at him with an odd expression on his face at this very moment.
“He’s playing you, Moset,” the Changeling drawled. Chakotay’s skin prickled and he felt a wave of anger and hatred wash over him at the sound of that familiar voice. The voice that he had thought belonged to a friend; the voice that had spoken lies that sounded so much like truths no one ever suspected what was really going on.
“Nonsense,” said Moset, but he looked a little subdued.
“Come, my friend,” the Changeling said, taking Moset by the arm and steering him away. “We have much to discuss.”
They stepped down the corridor, speaking in low tones. Chakotay couldn’t understand their words, but right now that wasn’t his primary concern.
“Sekaya,” he hissed, “are you all right?”
She didn’t answer at once. Then she turned her head slowly on the bed to look at him. Her beautiful eyes were wet.
“He found us, Chakotay,” she said, and her normally melodious voice was thick. “Great Spirit, he found us. I thought I’d left him behind. I thought he’d taken enough from me. First Blue Water Dreamer and then Father…and now he’s going to murder us, too.”
“No, he’s not,” said Chakotay. Yet even as he uttered the words, he looked around at their surroundings with dwindling hope, and wondered if he would prove to be as much a liar as Arak Katal.
Chapter 2
THE TRILL DOCTOR and the Huanni counselor bent their heads over the computer screen to see the results of the latest test. Dr. Jarem Kaz felt his heart