Spirit Walk_ Enemy of My Enemy (Book 2) - Christie Golden [30]
The Changeling thought frantically. What were isoboromine levels? Something to do with the Trill symbiont, judging from the context. What would Vorik be able to do about it? Gradak was becoming a problem? Was he trying to assert dominance over Jarem Kaz?
He looked up and met Astall’s concerned gaze. He waved her over as well, wondering if Patel would feel excluded. He needn’t have worried. She plopped herself down in Kaz’s chair and immediately set to work, much more engrossed in solving a scientific mystery than in getting involved in real people’s problems.
Which suited his needs perfectly.
“Astall, what do you think about Kaz?” he said, again posing an open-ended question that would give him the information he needed without revealing the level of his ignorance.
She flapped her long ears gently. “As well as can be expected,” she said. “When he told me what he’d found, I thought he was…what is the human phrase…moving around the curve?”
“Chakotay” laughed. He’d been around humans long enough to know this one. “Going around the bend,” he corrected.
“But then I saw it myself and, well.” She threw up her hands in an eloquent gesture. “He’s all right for now. Gradak seems to be kept sufficiently at bay when Kaz is occupied. When there’s nothing for him to do….”
“He comes out again,” Kaz said quietly.
The Changeling regarded Kaz. The Trill met his gaze evenly.
The Changeling thought about it. Gradak resurfacing could be a bad thing or a good thing. Gradak and Chakotay had known Arak Katal, had liked him, had trusted him. It was Gradak’s sense of paranoia that had caused Kaz to think about genetic manipulation rather than a freak accident. That sense of paranoia could be dangerous.
On the other hand, if Kaz were fighting his own personal demons, he might not notice or care if his captain said or did something out of the ordinary.
“I trust both of you,” he said, as Chakotay would. “You’re Starfleet officers. You’ll put the safety of your fellow crewmen above all else. I trust that neither of you will let this get out of hand.”
“No, sir. Thank you, sir,” said Kaz.
“Report to the briefing room in two hours,” said Chakotay. “And be prepared for the sounds of jaws hitting the floor during your presentation.” He strode toward the door.
“Captain?” called Kaz.
The Changeling froze. “Yes?” he said, turning around.
“Now that you’re back from Loran II, I’d really like to treat those injuries.”
“Chakotay” laughed, one hand going to his face to touch the “wounds.” “I’d forgotten about them. Don’t worry about it, Kaz. You need to concentrate on preparing that presentation for the senior staff.”
“Yes,” said Patel absently, staring at the computer screen. “He does.”
Kaz hesitated, clearly torn between two aspects of his duty as doctor.
“It’s all right,” the Changeling said. “There’ll be plenty of time to examine me once your presentation is over. I’ll be a good patient, I promise.”
The smile bled from his face as he turned and strode out of the room. He was grateful for the inadvertent reminder Kaz had given him. He needed to get to his quarters and take the reversal drug as soon as the proper amount of time had elapsed. Then he could safely submit to any scan Kaz might want to put him through.
“Hurry up, Moset,” he muttered under his breath. He didn’t know how much longer he could wait, now that success was so very near.
Chapter 10
CHAKOTAY WAS NOT SURPRISED to see Kathryn. After all, they were stranded here on this planet, alone together, possibly for a few weeks, possibly for the rest of their lives. Joy, shyness, delight, worry, longing for his friends, secret pleasure at being alone with her—all rushed to flood him as he regarded her.
She sat atop a rock overlooking a lake. She must have just emerged from its cooling depths, as water still glistened on her bare shoulders and long hair. She looked, he thought, like a mermaid, or a siren from legend.
But how was it that she was dressed in a traditional