Assassination Game Read Free

can’t even get a ‘Hey, Jim’?” he pleaded.
    One of the noncadet scientists with Uhura, an Andorian man, glanced back and forth between Kirk and Uhura, clearly wondering why the cadet wasn’t responding, but afraid to ask.
    “All right,” Kirk said. “If you don’t talk to me, I’m just going to tell embarrassing stories about you in front of all your scientist friends. Like that one time at that bar called the Delta Quadrant when you drank six—”
    Uhura was in his face in seconds. “I’m working , Kirk,” she whispered. “Maybe you’ve heard of it?”
    Kirk smiled. “I’m working too,” he told her.
    “Doing what?”
    “I’m being a lamp.”
    The conference room door opened again, and this time three Varkolak came in, surrounded by Starfleet Security officers. Kirk and Uhura turned and stared. It was the first time Kirk had seen Varkolak up close, and they were just as ugly as promised. And as malodorous. Kirk could smell them from across the room—a musty, animal smell like … well, like dogs, which is what theymost resembled. Or perhaps, with their long snouts, pointed ears, long and bushy tails, and sharp teeth, they were best described as bipedal wolves. Werewolves , Kirk thought with an inward shudder.
    The important one of the three, the one who stopped when he entered the room and licked his jagged teeth like a hungry sehlat, was tall and broad-shouldered. Most of his fur was a blend of black, brown, gray, and white, but unlike the others, he had a patch of white fur, like a collar around his neck. He sniffed the air as he came in, and his animal-like eyes swept the room.
    What big eyes you have, Grandmother , Kirk thought.
    Those wolf eyes found Kirk and Uhura staring at him, and Uhura hurried back to her place with the rest of the scientists while Kirk came to attention again.
    “Dr. Lartal,” said one of the Federation scientists, “thank you for joining us. Won’t you sit down?”
    The Varkolak snarled at the greeting for some reason, and Kirk could already tell he was going to dislike this man. Lartal sat with an arrogant casualness while the other two Varkolak stood behind him.
    “We know you’re here for the medical conference,” the scientist said, “but those of us in the linguistics department couldn’t resist the opportunity to enhance the Varkolak database in our universal translator.” She nodded to the console they had wheeled in, operatedby the Andorian scientist. “Varkolak has proven particularly difficult for our linguistics algorithms.”
    “Of course,” Lartal told her. His voice was a low growl. “Varkolak is an incredibly complex language using a combination of words, smells, and body movements. Many adult Varkolak have only a rudimentary knowledge of it themselves. The idea that some bRuah grrRok could learn it is ludicrous.” As he spoke the Varkolak words, he rolled his head and squirmed in his seat.
    “Oh, this is good, this is good,” the scientist said, motioning to the Andorian. “Make sure you have it running.” She turned back to Lartal. “Could you count to twenty for us?”
    Lartal growled, then lazily recited, “Raat, ri, hiRu, gau, bRost, zei, zapzi, gRol, uRezni, rezni, rezni Raat, rezni ri, rezni hiRu —Bah! This is a waste of time.”
    “Oh, no, no!” the scientist told him. “Perhaps if you could give us some common Varkolak phrases.”
    “Gizon bRat nabaRmentza guten aRte haize Bere harrRapariak harrRapari bihuRtza da,” Lartal said, moving in his chair. The other two Varkolak chuckled.
    “‘Wind above … with a man who stands out from its prey … becomes predator’?” the Andorian read off the computer screen.
    “No, no, no,” Lartal growled. “‘The man who stands upwind from his prey becomes the prey.’ You see? This is pointless.”
    “If you would just bear with us a little longer,” the lead scientist said. “Just say anything that comes to mind.”
    Lartal scowled at her. “ZuRe sugurrR hezea ga,” he