Spirit Walk_ Enemy of My Enemy (Book 2) - Christie Golden [71]
The Changeling forced himself to chuckle. “I concede your point, Amar,” he said graciously, inclining his head. He knew, of course, what she could not—that Janeway really did have important things that were drawing her away from conversing with the amar of Kerovi. Things like hunting down a Changeling. She had to have been the one to send Paris out after him. At least some good was coming from his being hunted—Janeway was too busy to talk to Kol.
“Nonetheless,” he continued, “people always make time for what is important to them. I think, perhaps, you may be trusting her a bit much.”
“It’s not so much a matter of trust, as a matter of fairness. I feel I owe it to the admiral to listen to her and make up my mind then.”
Then I must certainly hope that you don’t get the chance to listen to her, the Changeling thought. Time to end this.
“I am going to be in a private conference for the next few days,” he said. “I regret that contact will be infrequent, but I will manage what I can.” He hesitated, then said in a softer voice, as if he was afraid of listening ears, “It is a most delicate stage, Amar. If you understand my meaning.”
“I believe I do,” she replied. “I shall wait to hear from you, then. Please come home as soon as possible. I have so much to discuss with you, my old friend.”
He bowed deeply. “Time with you is an honor and a pleasure. Alamys out.”
When her image vanished, so did the Changeling’s smile. He adjusted the settings on the holoprogram to another room, similar to the first but with subtle differences. His features, too, adjusted. There were several more impersonations to perform, several more expectations to set. He had no idea how long he’d have to be away from such an elaborate setup, and each of his alter egos needed an explanation as to why they had dropped out of touch.
This was going to take time he didn’t really have, but there was no alternative. The Changeling liked everything wrapped up neatly.
At first, as Moset began to explain the procedure they were about to perform, Kaz found himself not listening as attentively as he should. All he could think of was the last time he had seen Vallia, how they had made love with the same urgent desperation they had always made love, living with the knowledge that they led dangerous lives and that any moment one of them might be killed in the line of duty.
He would not have felt so helpless, so stricken, had Vallia died from a phaser blast. But to know she had ended her life at the hands of this…this…
Stop it, Jarem thought furiously. I never knew Vallia. I’m sorry for her death, and I agree with you that this Cardassian makes the rest of his people look like innocent children, but I can’t be in this place right now. I have to be alert, listen to what he’s saying, or many more will die.
“I’m sorry, Moset, could you repeat that last?” he said, flushing a little as he realized he’d missed a large chunk of important information.
“Of course,” said Moset. “It’s hard for non-Cardassian brains to grasp this sort of thing.”
Kaz fought down the combined urges from Jarem and Gradak to strangle the arrogant bastard and concentrated on listening.
He was not a specialist in the field of genetics, and the sort of work Moset had been doing for the last three years was highly unethical and illegal, so he didn’t quite grasp all the intricacies Moset was describing. He did understand enough so that his horror and disgust at the man’s atrocities was mingled with admiration for Moset’s brilliance and imagination. Some of the things he had accomplished were truly amazing, and reluctantly Kaz found himself being drawn into Moset’s realm of passion and enthusiasm for what he was doing.
Sekaya and Chakotay were listening as well, although Kaz could tell from their faces they grasped even less than he. It was enough, however, for Kaz to see awe, wonder, and fear flit over their faces, especially Sekaya’s lovely, expressive one. Now and then she turned to her brother and regarded him with concern, for he was the one who would be subjected to Moset