Spirit Walk, Book Two

by Christie Golden

  “You have access to hyposprays!” Moset protested.

  “It would look suspicious if equipment began disappearing from sickbay, wouldn’t it?” the Changeling countered.

  Moset sighed. “Remember, since you’ve just had an injection, you have to wait at least an hour before you can take the reversal formula. Stay away from anything that could scan you at that time.” He didn’t know why he was giving the Changeling all this helpful advice. It might be convenient if “Chakotay” was caught—it could leave Moset free to work in peace.

  It was just part of his inherently decent nature, Moset supposed.

  “Right, thanks for reminding me.” “Chakotay” shouldered the bag. “How are our guests doing?”

  For a moment, Moset was tempted to gush about the exciting discovery he’d made regarding Chakotay’s DNA. He loved to share his discoveries, bask in the glow of impressed regard and comments of “Moset, that’s amazing!” But not this time. Better that the Changeling not know. He might change his plans—again—and decide he wanted to stay here.

  “They’re fine,” Moset said after the briefest of hesitations.

  “Just fine? I went to all this trouble—”

  Hastily Moset said, “I’ve only just begun examining them! You must have patience, my friend. I’m sure they will prove to be worth every risk you took.”

  “Chakotay’s” dark eyes flashed. “I have been locked in Solid form for seven years, Moset. You have no idea what—” His voice broke. “I have been patient long enough. I want results.”

  “You’re getting them!” Moset’s own voice was high with strain. “You were almost able to take on Sekaya’s form just now!”

  “Almost is a very big word, Moset. Don’t forget that.”

  Moset swallowed nervously. He’d seen the Changeling murder with a casual ease before, and he had no desire to be next in line.

  “You know I am doing everything I can,” he said. “I’m certain that with just a little more time I will make great progress.”

  Suddenly, strangely, the Changeling smiled. “By leaps and bounds,” he said.

  Relaxing slightly, Moset smiled as well. “Yes,” he affirmed. “By leaps and bounds.”

  As he watched the large, powerful form of Chakotay stride back down the hall, Moset sagged in relief. He turned to regard the creatures sitting in their cell.

  “Soon,” he promised them, “it will just be us.”

  The Changeling stepped out of the holographic boulder, lost in thought. He didn’t like what he was starting to see in Moset. It was a good thing he had taken all the available amounts of the formulas. Moset would make more. There’d be enough for the Cardassian to continue his work on the creatures, which, too, was for the Changeling’s benefit. But his need to be cured came before the creatures’ need to be perfected.

  Now that the fruit of ultimate victory was dangling within reach, the Changeling felt almost panicked. He thought he had grown used to living in a Solid body during the many years he had spent locked into the form of Andrew Ellis. But then he’d freed Moset and, after a year or so, he’d been able to change his features, feel, however briefly, like a true Changeling again. The elation that had surged through him at that moment was akin to nothing he’d ever experienced, and he realized he’d only been fooling himself if he thought he could learn to be “content” living as a Solid.

  Another year, another development. By this point he could look like any male human of a certain height. And then, just last year, he’d been able to shift sufficiently to broaden his range to other males of humanoid species. That ability had broadened his options, but was not enough.

  He wanted to feel again what it was like to have no form, no limbs, no skin, no eyes; to just be. For too long he had valued the ability to shape-shift over simply being what he was. These last, bitter years had taught him how sweet was the simple nothingness he had so scorned.

  He clutched the bag more tightly to him in a protective gesture. He could see the rock with the “Sky Spirit” symbol etched in chalk upon it. He wondered if he ought to have Moset give him a nice light rain, enough to wash away the symbol, then decided it wasn’t that important. Just over the rise was the shuttle. He picked up the pace. At that moment his combadge chirped.

  He touched it. “Chakotay here,” he said.

  “Captain, it’s Kaz.” The Trill’s voice was strained.

  “Go ahead.”

  “It’s imperative that you call a senior staff meeting the moment you return,” Kaz continued.

  “Chakotay” bristled. “Why? What’s so important?”

  A pause. “I’m reluctant to say quite yet. I’d like to present my findings to everyone—make sure I’m on the right track.”

  A chill went through him. What had Kaz found? Had he gone ahead with the autopsy after all?

  “I’ve shown my findings to Astall, and she can see it, too.” A shaky laugh. “I wanted to make sure Gradak wasn’t playing around with me.”

  Gradak…the Changeling fought to recover the name. Ah, yes, one of Kaz’s previous hosts, if he remembered correctly. He’d known Gradak when he was Arak Katal, before his punishment. Gradak had been among a handful who had escaped destruction at Tevlik’s moon. But why would Gradak be “playing around” with Kaz?

  Was Kaz losing his mind? That would be a good thing. Any excuse to discredit or relieve the doctor of duty would be useful.

  “Jarem,” he said, recalling that Chakotay and the Trill doctor were personal friends, “you must understand that I can’t call a meeting unless I know what it’s about.”

  Kaz sighed and didn’t continue immediately. Chakotay reached the shuttle. The door slowly opened and he stepped inside, settling himself at the helm.

  “Patel took some really good scans of the creatures that attacked her,” Kaz finally continued. The Changeling grimaced. “I’ve been analyzing them, and…Chakotay, I don’t know how it’s possible, but somehow, those things are humans.”

  Damn it, he’d figured it out. These Voyagers were too smart.

  “There’s got to be some mistake.” He’d do his best to see that the information was discredited. “We’ll discuss this more when I get back. I’m in the shuttlecraft preparing to launch right now. El—Chakotay out.”

  He’d almost said Ellis. He’d almost said First Damn Officer Andrew Ellis. The slip horrified him. Quickly, automatically, he went through the launch sequence and lifted off, not giving the planet that had been his secret base so much as a glance.

  Chapter 9

  “YOU’RE NOT,” ASTALL SAID. Kaz was staring moodily into the computer screen, going over and over the documentation that Patel had found on the creatures.

  “I’m not what?” he asked absently, his blue eyes roaming over the evidence.

  “Going crazy,” said Astall.

  He chuckled and turned to look at her. “Coming from you, that’s reassuring,” he said. He turned back to the screen. “But the facts certainly seem insane. How could these things be human? And match Fortier’s and Chakotay’s DNA so closely? It boggles the mind.”

  Astall shrugged her narrow shoulders. “The concept of life on other worlds boggled the great minds of every single civilization, once. I’m just curious as to how. And speaking of ‘how,’ how did the captain react?”

  Kaz thought about it. Chakotay was as much an explorer and an adventurer as he was a leader, and yet he didn’t seem to have much of a reaction beyond…annoyance.

  “He wants to talk to me before we say anything to anyone.”

  “Too late,” said Astall brightly. “I’ve already told Patel. I thought you heard her whoop of delight all the way from her quarters.”

  Oops, thought Kaz, but he wasn’t really worried. He couldn’t imagine Chakotay not wanting to dive into this mystery. And yet…

  “I know you haven’t had a chance to talk to him about his sister’s death,” Kaz said. “But what’s your general impression?”

  “It was odd that he in
sisted on being the one to recover the shuttlecraft,” Astall said. “My assumption was that he wanted some time alone, to collect himself before stepping back into his role as captain.” She hesitated slightly, but Kaz was getting to know the Huanni pretty well by this point.

  “But?” he pressed.

  “I don’t know him particularly well. But it just didn’t seem like the sort of thing he would do. And it definitely strikes me as odd that he didn’t want to retrieve poor Sekaya’s remains.” Quick tears filled her eyes. “I liked her a great deal. I would have liked to have paid my own respects. And it’s what her people would have wanted.”

  A flash of a memory filled Kaz’s mind; a memory that was not Jarem’s. A betrayal by someone he trusted.

  “You all right, Gradak?” The voice belonged to Arak Katal, who was looking at him with concern in his eyes.

  Gradak Kaz ran his hands though his graying hair. Funny, he thought; it hadn’t been gray so very long ago. It had never been gray while Vallia was alive. His heart contracted and he wondered if he would ever recover from the shock his system had endured when he learned what his beloved had undergone at the hands of the Butcher, Crell Moset. He hadn’t believed the rumors; hadn’t wanted to believe them. Surely, not even the Cardassians could be so without compassion. Surely, the rumors of vivisection, of deliberate mutilation and callous observation, of planned infections, surely these were just frightening tales dreamed up by a frightened people.

  “Jarem?”

  This man had offered sympathy, had offered a means of revenge. Had convinced so many to trust him, and yet he had deliberately set the Cardassians and the Jem’Hadar upon innocent children. No one could be trusted. Everyone was planning something behind his back. There was a conspiracy. These creatures were tortured beings, like Vallia had been tortured, by the monstrous Cardassians—

  He whirled at the touch of a hand on his shoulder, and it took fully three seconds before he recognized Astall.

  “Jarem, I’m really worried about you. I think we should bring Vorik into this.”

  He ignored her statement, staring with fresh, suddenly seeing eyes. He stabbed a finger at the screen.

  “Gradak thinks it’s a conspiracy,” he said hoarsely. “And I’m not so sure he isn’t right.”

  The Changeling braced himself when he entered sickbay. To his irritation and sudden worry, he saw not just Kaz, but the Huanni and Patel all clustered around the computer. As one, they looked up when he entered.

  “What’s this all about, Kaz?” “Chakotay” demanded.

  “Atrocities,” said Kaz promptly. Astall nudged him and he amended, “or at the very least a tragedy that demands investigation.”

  The Changeling was suddenly glad he’d taken the time to order Tare to head for Earth at warp eight. It would buy him a little time, at least. He had a sick feeling he knew what was coming.

  “Explain.”

  “Our levelheaded science officer Patel kept her wits sufficiently about her to get a good, solid scan of one of the creatures even as it attacked her.”

  Little Patel stood up slightly straighter, and although her eyes were modestly cast down, she was clearly appreciative of the compliment.

  The Changeling knew what response was expected of him, and even as he wished he could throttle the troublesome human, he said, “Good work, Patel.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Things were fairly quiet, so I analyzed the data she’d collected,” Kaz continued. “Captain—I told you that I found human DNA in these creatures. Not humanoid—human.” He paused to let his captain absorb this information. “And there’s more. It’s specific human DNA. And I’ve identified it.”

  “Who?” demanded “Chakotay.”

  Kaz swallowed and exchanged glances with the two women who flanked him. “Marius Fortier’s. And…yours.”

  It was a huge leap. How the hell had Kaz managed to make it? This was not supposed to happen. He should have been well away from here with no one the wiser. And yet, thanks to the curious Patel and the startlingly astute Kaz, the Changeling realized he had two choices: He could continue to proceed according to plan, thus arousing suspicions even more, or he could act like Chakotay would.

  He wished he’d let the creatures kill Patel and the others after all.

  Fortunately, he’d been expecting this, judging from what Kaz had said so far, and he was ready with an explanation. But he couldn’t make it look as though it came too quickly. So the Changeling opened his mouth slightly in an expression of shock, and leaned a bit heavily on Kaz’s desk, and wiped his forehead. Astall went up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. He wanted to slap her.

  “I don’t understand. How is this possible?” he replied, feigning shock. He felt Astall watching him closely. “There’s got to be an error somewhere.”

  “Believe me, Captain, that was our first thought,” said Patel. “We double- and triple-checked everything. It’s all there.”

  “Chakotay” rubbed his chin, thinking frantically. How much had they learned?

  “Kaz, what made you run a specific DNA check?” he asked finally.

  Kaz laughed a little, but it was cold laughter. “Call it a hunch,” he said. “If you had the memories of a Maquis who’d lost a Bajoran wife to Cardassian experimentation, it might have occurred to you, too.”

  Damn the man. Damn his dead wife, and damn himself for not remembering this. He’d known Vallia Kaz, known exactly how she’d died. It was what had brought Crell Moset and his work to the Changeling’s attention in the first place. He was slipping, slipping badly, and if he didn’t watch himself, it would be his undoing.

  “Of course,” he said, putting a hint of sympathy into his voice. “I hadn’t though about that.”

  “My theory is that the colonists were somehow transformed into the creatures that attacked the away team,” Kaz continued. “It’s the only explanation for why there’s Fortier DNA in that creature. Whether it was some bizarre accident—I don’t know, a transporter malfunction or something—or deliberate genetic manipulation, I can’t tell.”

  “That theory provides at least a tentative explanation for why there’s Fortier DNA present,” said Patel. “But what’s really puzzling me is how Captain Chakotay’s DNA got into the mix.”

  “Me, too,” said the Changeling earnestly.

  “This does lend credence to the genetic-manipulation theory versus an accident,” said Patel.

  “Chakotay” sighed and straightened. “Kaz, you were right. We should bring the rest of the senior staff in on this.”

  “And Fortier’s people as well,” said Astall promptly. “They have a right to know what we think happened to their families. If the evidence can be trusted, then Patel was attacked by Marius’s brother.”

  “Chakotay” fought the urge to grind his teeth. Informing the colonists would be exactly what Chakotay would do. He was open, forthright. He didn’t like to keep secrets unless it was necessary to security, and the Changeling suspected that this was poised on the brink of metamorphosing into something very big if he didn’t navigate carefully. Cries of “but why?” would go up if he didn’t tell Fortier what was going on.

  “Of course,” he said, trying to sound sincere. “Kaz, Patel—I want you two to work up a presentation. I’ll call a meeting of the senior staff at 0600 tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” they said, both in chorus, like some sort of musical theater performers.

  He put a puzzled expression on his face. “I assume it would take you that long to prepare.”

  “We can be ready in, what, Patel, an hour?” said Kaz. Patel nodded her head vigorously. “I’ve done most of the research anyway on my own,” Kaz continued, “before bringing it to you.”

  “Chakotay” smiled easily. “Of course you would have. Two hours, then. Just to double-check your research.” He hesitated, then motioned to Kaz. The doctor rose and the two walked a little bit away from the others.

  “How are you doi
ng?” the Changeling inquired solicitously. A fair question, and, he hoped, one that would make Kaz give him necessary information.

  “Well enough,” Kaz said. “My isoboromine levels were elevated, but I’ve been able to keep them down with medication. I’ve told Astall I’m prepared to call Vorik in for assistance if Gradak becomes too big of a problem.” He paused, then added, “I’m still quite fit for duty, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

  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….”