Tooth and Claw - Doranna Durgin [8]
Riker lifted his head. “I’ll talk to Captain Picard, see that he gets your assessment of such a project.”
“Thank you.” La Forge lifted his drink for a careful sip—it was a teal-blue fizzy creation—and behind the VISOR, his eyebrows rose in appreciation. “Guinan, you never cease to amaze me. Where did this one come from?”
“Well,” Guinan said, imparting an air of confidentiality as she moved in closer, “there’s this little planet just to the left of Sardia HI—you know the one I’m talking about?”
“Lieutenant La Forge!”
Riker groaned silently, instantly recognizing that rough voice and the under-purr that garbled it. Who’d told Akarr about Ten-Forward? He’d find out, and he’d-He’d turn around with a cordial expression on his face, that’s what. “You must mean Lieutenant Commander La Forge,” he said. “Welcome to Ten-Forward.”
“Are the shuttles prepared?”
La Forge hesitated, glancing at Riker. “The modifications are under way.”
The short being readjusted his stiff vest and made a face that Riker hadn’t ever seen before—a manipulation of his mobile lower lip, which had to be quite flexible indeed, to meet his protruding upper mandible. A pinched-looking, disagreeable look. For all Riker knew, Tsoran to Tsoran, it was a smiling pleasantry.
But he doubted it.
“Is it wise to leave such things to your underlings?” Akarr asked, confirming Riker’s suspicions about the expression.
“I trust my people,” La Forge said simply, and left it at that. Wise, indeed.
Guinan leaned over the bar, her hands folded neatly before her. “This must be ReynTa Akarr,” she said with enthusiasm, and Riker gave her a startled look; seldom had he heard Guinan … gush.
“Guinan,” he said, by way of formal introduction, “I’d like to present the ReynTa of Tsora, Akarr.” And to Akarr, “Guinan is our hostess here. If there’s anything you want, she’ll get it for you.”
“Well, by way of food or drink, anyway,” Guinan said. “And I think I have just the thing for you. You’re the adventurous type, I hear. The bold explorer, yes?”
Akarr’s words came more garbled than usual by the underlying purr. “You have heard rightly.”
“I have this drink … I’m looking for someone to try it and give me their honest opinion. Problem is, I can’t get anyone interested; it’s too different-looking. Do you think you might… ?”
Akarr didn’t hesitate. “Of course. I would be glad to help you.”
“Wonderful.” She nodded to the other end of the bar. “Come this way, and I’ll fix you right up. You know, this drink has a long history of use by warrior cultures …”
Riker listened long enough to hear Akarr’s confident noise of reply and turned away, his back to the bar and his warming whiskey in hand. He had a good idea which drink Guinan had in mind, and he didn’t want any part of it. Given Akarr’s propensity for challenges, he didn’t want to be in evidence if the being decided to facilitate Guinan’s data-gathering by daring others to drink the thing. Double dare, he thought, just about able to imagine Akarr saying it.
No, double trouble. And come morning, he and La
Forge would take it with them to Fandre. But for now-there was throat-warming synthehol and good company. He caught La Forge staring glumly at his own fizzy drink, and arched an eyebrow at him. La Forge gave him a wry grin and hoisted his glass; Riker matched the move, and simultaneously they declared, “To the Ferengi!”
Chapter Three
“SORRY I’M late,” Beverly Crusher said as the door to Picard’s quarters opened to her. “One of the evacuation doctors wanted to consult on the specific wavelength variation affects from the Ntignano—” She stopped, looked at him sitting by the morning teapot, at the steeping tea, at the single, stark bloom offset on the low table, and shook her head at herself. “Never mind. You don’t need to know all that. Not the details, anyway, though you should be aware of our concern for the refugees. That sun simply isn’t reacting as predictably as we’ve been told.”
“Beverly,” Picard said,