Part 9 (1/2)

”No,” she said. ”We were restricted to the crew's mess.”

A dark, troubled look crossed his face, and that hint of danger she had felt from the beginning returned. This was not a man to be trifled with. ”They should have treated you better. After all, you've come here as a favor to us.”

”I a.s.sumed that they made room for us where they could,” she said.

He nodded. ”Well, if you had seen us as you came in, you would have noted the difference in design from your s.p.a.ce stations. We have a docking ring, and a habitat ting, and we are at the cutting edge of Carda.s.sian technology-perhaps of technology all through the sector.”

She didn't know if he wanted her to ask questions or not.

”We've put your quarters in the best section of our habitat ting. If there's anything you need, you come directly to me.”

'I'll do that,” she said.

”I wanted to show you the heart of the station,” he said. ”It's our Promenade. We have restaurants, stores, even a Ferengi-run bar, if your tastes run to alcohol, Dabo, and questionable holosuite programs.”

”I hope I will get a chance to sample all three,” she said. ”I'm sure I'll need them when we have everything under control.”

”You sound confident that you can cure this disease,” Dukat said. ”Is there something you know that my people don't?”

”Perhaps it's ignorance on my part,” she said, thankful that her year with Picard had helped her brush up on her diplomacy. ”I do not know as much as Kellec or your doctor about this disease, and they refused to send me the specs before I arrived. But it's my nature to be optimistic. If I weren't, I wouldn't be a doctor. We're all a bit egotistical, you know.”

”I hadn't realized that,” he said with all the smoothness of a lie.

These corridors seemed to go on forever. She wanted to remove her hand from his arm, but felt she didn't dare, not yet.

”Yes,” she said. ”We are. I think it a necessary skill. It leads us to places that aren't safe, to try things others wouldn't think of, and never to accept failure.” ”Have you ever accepted failure?” Dukat said.

”Accepted it?” she asked. ”No. Experienced it? Yes.”

”Ah, yes, your marriage to Kellec.” He didn't miss much. Her sense of him was correct.

”I wasn't thinking of that,” she said. ”I was thinking of death. We all lose patients, and we're never happy about it.”

”You're bringing that att.i.tude to my station,” he said.

”I am, and so are my a.s.sistants. We'll do everything we can to stop this thing.”

He paused. The corridor opened onto a larger area. It must have been the area he had called the Promenade. Ahead she saw lights and advertis.e.m.e.nts in Carda.s.sian. A group of Carda.s.sian guards were crowded around a post. She saw that catch Dukat's attention, and then saw him pretend that it didn't matter.

”I believe you will do everything you can to stop this disease,” he said, and he sounded a bit surprised. She frowned. Was this the real Dukat? Beneath that reptilian coolness, was there a worded leader beneath? He would have to be stupid not to be. If the disease were half as bad as she had heard, he had to be worried about dying himself.

”Just be careful, Doctor,” he said. ”Kellec Ton is a bitter man. Do not believe everything he says.”

She smiled, even though she had never felt less like doing so. ”I know,” she said. ”I was married to him, remember?”

Dukat laughed. The sound echoed in the wide-open s.p.a.ce and the huddle of guards near the post all turned in his direction. He led her into the Promenade. There were shops with windows opening onto the walk area. In one window, a Volian sat at a table, hand-st.i.tching a s.h.i.+rt. Another door opened and a strange-looking man slipped through it. He wore a brown uniform, and he crossed his arms over his chest as she walked by. His face seemed half-formed, or imperfectly formed. She had never seen anyone from a species like that before.

Dukat was explaining what all the places were, but she wasn't really listening. The guards had lifted a man from the floor and were carrying him without a gurney in the direction she and Dukat were walking.

”And this is Quark's,” he said, sweeping a hand toward a nearly empty bar. She peered inside. There was a lot of light and color, but no customers. A Ferengi stood behind the bar. He looked nervous, but then they all did to her.

This would probably be her only opportunity to let go of Dukat. She slipped her hand from his arm, and went inside the bar. The Ferengi looked at her in surprise. ”Care for a drink?” he asked.

Three Carda.s.sians were pa.s.sed out at a back table, and another Ferengi was trying in vain to wake them up. She frowned at them.

”A bit of hot water on the back of the neck usually wakes up a Carda.s.sian,” she said to the bartender.

”Really?” he asked.

Dukat came inside. ”I thought you were in a hurry to get to the infirmary.”

”I am,” she said. ”I just thought well, I had the impression that this would be the hub of the station.”

”It is,” the Ferengi said. ”When no one's dying.”

”Quark.” That menacing tone was buried in Dukat's voice again. He sounded so threatening and yet so nice. How did he manage that?

”Have we far to go?” Pulaski asked, walking out of the bar ahead of him.

”Um, no,” Dukat said.

”And I take it the infirmary is this way?” She headed in the direction the guards had walked.

”Yes,” Dukat said.

She couldn't look too knowledgeable or he would get suspicious, so she slowed down just enough for him to catch up to her.

”What I've seen of the station,” she said, ”is already impressive.”

He smiled at her, and then turned a small corner. ”Here is the medical section.” A door to her right slid open, and instantly the stench of rot overwhelmed her. She gagged involuntarily and put a hand to her mouth.

”She's turning green!” Dukat said, a hand on her shoulder, trying to push her further inside.

She shook him off. ”It's a normal human reaction,” she said, barely keeping control of her voice, ”when faced with a smell like that.”

His call, though, had brought a Carda.s.sian to the front, and behind him, Kellec.

Kellec. Too slim by half. He hadn't been eating again. His hair was messy and his earring was caught on the top of his ear. He had deep circles under both eyes, and lines around his mouth she had never seen before.

And he looked dear. Very dear.

”Katherine?” he asked. ”Are you all right?”

”I just don't care for the local perfume,” she said, and wrapped him in a great hug. He was thin, so thin he felt fragile in her arms.

He returned the hug, but she could feel him looking over her shoulder at Dukat. So she had been right. They were in a p.i.s.sing match, and Dukat had tried-and failed-to turn her into an issue.

She stepped back and surveyed the room. There were cots everywhere, and makes.h.i.+ft beds, all filled with green Carda.s.sians, many of them holding their stomachs and moaning despite obvious sedation. The green color was startling. No wonder Dukat had panicked when he saw her get nauseous from the smell. It showed that he was a lot more panicked than his let-me-give-you-a-tour-of-the-station demeanor let on.