Spirit Walk_ Enemy of My Enemy (Book 2) - Christie Golden [54]
“Oh, it’s not about whether or not you deserve it,” said Chakotay, as calmly as if he were talking to an old friend. “There’s no question that you do. I’m just wondering if you’re going to get it.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I think the appropriate question would be, why would you? What’s in it for the Changeling?”
The idea clearly angered Moset. “Not everyone does things simply to gain by them,” he said.
“You and I don’t, that’s true enough,” said Chakotay amiably.
Despite her new determination to play along with Chakotay’s game, Sekaya tensed in her bonds. The thought of classifying Moset and Chakotay as being of equal status from a moral standpoint infuriated her, but she kept quiet.
“But the Founders have never really been about doing things just to be nice, have they? They like to be the ones pulling the strings. Frankly, my gut’s telling me that he’s just using you and that the minute you’ve given him a viable option with this new race you’re creating, he’s going to take them away from you and use them for his own purposes.”
For the first time since she had met him, Sekaya thought Moset looked unsure of himself. Chakotay let his comments sink in, then continued.
“It sounds like he’s been a bit of a renegade from the beginning. A Founder defying the other Founders? That’s someone I’d be very, very careful of. He didn’t liberate you to be a nice guy, he did it because he wanted something from you. I think he still does. I think he wants your creations. And once he’s gotten what he needs from you…”
He let his voice trail off, but he didn’t need to say anything more. Crell looked nervous and the silence stretched between them. Finally the Cardassian rose.
“You’re trying to get me to betray him,” he said. “You’re sowing the seeds of mistrust. Ellis has done nothing but help me. I’m not going to turn my back on him now.” He strode out of the room, a bit too quickly.
“Think about it, Moset,” Chakotay called after him. “The Founders regard Solids as inferior beings. Once you’re no longer an asset to him, you’re a liability.”
Moset hastened back to his creations, fuming. It was so obvious what Chakotay was trying to do! Did he really think that Moset didn’t notice? Of course he was trying to get between Crell and his benefactor. Turn them against one another. He would do anything, say anything, to free himself and his sister. The only reason Moset even listened to him was because he was lonely, with no one else to talk to, to share his accomplishments with.
But still…
Even an enemy could speak the truth.
When had the Founders displayed more than condescension to a Solid?
The Changeling had betrayed people who trusted him in defiance of his own kind. Why had he done that, if not to lay the foundation for his power base in the Alpha Quadrant?
Why wouldn’t he want a superior race, telepathic and telekinetic, capable of almost godlike powers, who would willingly obey anyone who led them?
Fear, icy and choking, now crept into the scientist’s heart. He had reached the holding cell of his creations, and now regarded them with fierce protectiveness.
“I made you,” he said to them softly. “I made you and I’m going to keep you.”
Chapter 16
“HEY THERE!” Astall said brightly, peering over Kaz’s shoulder.
He gasped and started in his chair. “Damn it, Astall, I didn’t hear you come in.” He quickly closed the screen, hoping she hadn’t seen what was on it. He wiped a hand across his forehead.
She eyed him speculatively. “You seem a bit jumpy,” she said. “How is Gradak?”
“We’ve reached a truce, I think,” he said. He was going to have to keep so much from his friend now that he was glad of being able to tell the truth about this, at least. The two hosts had indeed seemed to reach a sort of truce. Kaz was going behind his captain’s back, practically committing mutiny, and the Maquis was satisfied with this development.
“Talked to Vorik yet?”
Damn. “No, not yet. I’m working on something here.”
The Huanni folded her arms and cocked her head. Her long ears were pricked forward, indicating the