Tooth and Claw - Doranna Durgin [62]
“No need to worry about this particular flock,” added Zefan. “It’ll take several days before it reforms. They’re quite nervous creatures, really, and very social. This encounter, along with the loss of their flock mate will slow them down for a while.”
“Ah,” Riker said, not quite trusting himself to say anything else at this point.
Gavare exited the cave to join them, warily eyeing the upper canopy—for while they’d created this small clearing at ground level, the trees closed in high above them to prevent any direct glimpse of the sky.
“They’re gone,” Riker told him. “For now. How are the others?” “Rakal has serious wounds,” Gavare said. “But he will live, thanks to you. We say thank you, also, for your efforts to save Takan.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t,” Riker said, glancing quickly at the body and away. A horrible death. He’d had just a
taste of it, just enough to imagine what it might have been like. His own injuries now burned with a deep, strange heat, as though his body didn’t even know how to process what had been done to it.
“He had already been fatally wounded before you reached him,” Gavare said. “His family will honor this death, as will we.”
“Better to worry about your survivor, now,” Zefan said, blowing out his cheeks in a way that made Riker think there was real concern behind the words. “We must cover the wounds before the zetflies find him.” He looked at Riker. “Yours, too, Commander. Unless you’d like to be eaten from the inside out.”
“It wasn’t one of my goals for the day, no.”
Shefen gathered up several of the limp leaves and headed out of the clearing. “I’ll be back with some isn at sap,” he said. “It will be sufficient until we return to the shuttle.”
Zefan nodded. “Excellent thinking.” To Riker, he said, “We were lucky he returned from patrol in time to join us. Aside from myself, he is our most experienced ranger—and it’s been too many seasons since I spent extended time in the Legacy.”
“Believe me,” Riker said, “I’m most grateful for all your help.” Especially if it kept Akarr alive and zetflies from eating Riker himself from the inside out. He glanced back at the cave and said to Gavare, “Looks like we’ll need two litters—unless Rakal can walk?”
“He says he can,” Gavare said. “It would not be appropriate to make a litter until he says otherwise.”
Delay now, delay later … it didn’t make much difference. Riker turned to Worf, who stood off to the side slightly, his gaze roving over the clearing as if daring it to offer any more challenges. “I’m assuming Geordi reported our signal to the Enterprise,” he said. “Has it affected negotiations?”
“It has put a stop to them,” Worf said. He looked at Zefan, and cast a glance toward the cave to which Gavare had returned—but from which Akarr, skikless, approached—and hesitated. “I believe the engineering department has started a new project.”
The high-speed drone charting Geordi had proposed. Good. Riker, too, eyed Akarr, as the Tsoran joined their small gathering. Even if they got Akarr out of this mess, the Tsorans were not likely to be pleased with the way things had gone, or impressed by the way Riker had spoken to Akarr.
Does it ever really get any easier? Guinan had asked him, after he’d said so confidently, Nothing I can’t handle.
Define handle. Or, more important, define the priorities. Keep Akarr—and his ReynKa father—happy, or keep Akarr alive against odds made more impossible each time the young ReynTa made a decision? There was no way he’d do both, if keeping Akarr happy meant playing follow the leader.
You knew that the first time you argued with him. Quit second-guessing.
On the other hand, he’d have to explain himself, sooner or later.
“Commander Riker,” Worf said, loudly—the kind of loud one would use when trying a second or third time to catch the attention of someone feebleminded.
“What is it?” Riker snapped, not pleased to be caught wandering. Not pleased to feel the pain of the burns intensify.