Read Online By the Book by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch - Free Book Online
Authors: Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, adventure, Media Tie-In, Space Opera, Science fiction; American, Star Trek Fiction, Archer; Jonathan (Fictitious character)
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the center spot of the large room.
Behind him his people stopped at the exact same moment, as if they had practiced the move. Then they all bowed as he remained standing straight. So far so good.
Directly in front of him, one of the Fazi councilmen stood. "I am Councilman Draa."
The Fazi spoke in his own language. The translator held by Hoshi translated his words.
The councilman did not even break sentence at the words coming from the translator. "I represent the Fazi High Council and the Fazi people."
"I am Captain Jonathan Archer of the Starship Enterprise. I represent the people of the planet Earth."
Archer waited now for the Fazi Draa to speak. Hoshi warned him a number of times to only speak in the same length of sentences and on the same topics as the councilman addressed. But what those topics might be, Hoshi had had no idea.
"This is an historic day," Councilman Draa said, "for the Fazi people."
"It is also an historic day for the people of Earth," Archer said. He felt constrained by this structure. He wanted to talk with them, not parrot their words.
But he didn't want to scare them either. Maybe, over time, they'd get used to human impulsiveness.
After Archer spoke, Councilman Draa sat down.
The silence in the large council chamber seemed to grow with every second. Archer had no idea what he was supposed to do next. And he didn't dare turn around and ask Hoshi's opinion. So he simply stood there, facing the council, keeping his head up and his body still.
All of the Fazi councilmen stared at him.
The seconds ticked past.
The silence in the chamber unnerved him more than the silence outside had. He couldn't even hear the sound of anyone else breathing. Did this place somehow muffle noise? He could hear his own ragged breath, and he suspected everyone else could hear his pounding heart.
Why didn't anyone speak?
Weren't they curious?
Didn't they want to know about the aliens in front of them?
Didn't they want to know about Earth or the starship?
Why didn't they ask what he was doing here?
Maybe their lack of curiosity explained their lack of art, music, and identifiable culture. Maybe it even explained the lack of evidence of war.
He wanted to pace. It took all of his strength to remain still. He hadn't realized what a restless person he was until he was faced with these precise, immobile beings, who seemed so content with silence and inaction.
The Fazi weren't even looking at him. At least not directly. They seemed to be staring beyond his team at the open doors. The jasmine-scented smoke continued to rise, but it was the only thing that moved in the entire room.
For some reason he had expected more. He had never expected silence, and neither had Hoshi or T'Pol, or they would have warned him.
Did he dare speak?
Did he dare turn and walk away?
Which would be the worst sin? He had no idea, and now he understood why both T'Pol and Hoshi wanted him to study these people more. These were very weird folk.
Archer stood there staring straight ahead. The Fazi council sat staring back, their dark eyes and light faces framed by their white hair and sideburns. It was as if a dozen short statues were staring at him. Didn't they even blink?
Archer could feel a drop of sweat starting to ease down the side of his forehead. The old saying about never letting them see you sweat popped into his mind, but he didn't dare move to brush away the drop.
Seconds more ticked past, becoming an eternity.
Maybe they were now waiting for him to say something, to explain why they were there, the reason for this visit. He was the one, after all, who had said he was coming here, and when.
Every moment seemed to stretch.
This was agony. He knew he had to do something and do it quickly. Either speak or turn away.
Turning away would accomplish nothing as far as he was concerned. He was here to make contact with this race, to possibly form a future alliance. And that wasn't going to be done by walking away.
He took a
Behind him his people stopped at the exact same moment, as if they had practiced the move. Then they all bowed as he remained standing straight. So far so good.
Directly in front of him, one of the Fazi councilmen stood. "I am Councilman Draa."
The Fazi spoke in his own language. The translator held by Hoshi translated his words.
The councilman did not even break sentence at the words coming from the translator. "I represent the Fazi High Council and the Fazi people."
"I am Captain Jonathan Archer of the Starship Enterprise. I represent the people of the planet Earth."
Archer waited now for the Fazi Draa to speak. Hoshi warned him a number of times to only speak in the same length of sentences and on the same topics as the councilman addressed. But what those topics might be, Hoshi had had no idea.
"This is an historic day," Councilman Draa said, "for the Fazi people."
"It is also an historic day for the people of Earth," Archer said. He felt constrained by this structure. He wanted to talk with them, not parrot their words.
But he didn't want to scare them either. Maybe, over time, they'd get used to human impulsiveness.
After Archer spoke, Councilman Draa sat down.
The silence in the large council chamber seemed to grow with every second. Archer had no idea what he was supposed to do next. And he didn't dare turn around and ask Hoshi's opinion. So he simply stood there, facing the council, keeping his head up and his body still.
All of the Fazi councilmen stared at him.
The seconds ticked past.
The silence in the chamber unnerved him more than the silence outside had. He couldn't even hear the sound of anyone else breathing. Did this place somehow muffle noise? He could hear his own ragged breath, and he suspected everyone else could hear his pounding heart.
Why didn't anyone speak?
Weren't they curious?
Didn't they want to know about the aliens in front of them?
Didn't they want to know about Earth or the starship?
Why didn't they ask what he was doing here?
Maybe their lack of curiosity explained their lack of art, music, and identifiable culture. Maybe it even explained the lack of evidence of war.
He wanted to pace. It took all of his strength to remain still. He hadn't realized what a restless person he was until he was faced with these precise, immobile beings, who seemed so content with silence and inaction.
The Fazi weren't even looking at him. At least not directly. They seemed to be staring beyond his team at the open doors. The jasmine-scented smoke continued to rise, but it was the only thing that moved in the entire room.
For some reason he had expected more. He had never expected silence, and neither had Hoshi or T'Pol, or they would have warned him.
Did he dare speak?
Did he dare turn and walk away?
Which would be the worst sin? He had no idea, and now he understood why both T'Pol and Hoshi wanted him to study these people more. These were very weird folk.
Archer stood there staring straight ahead. The Fazi council sat staring back, their dark eyes and light faces framed by their white hair and sideburns. It was as if a dozen short statues were staring at him. Didn't they even blink?
Archer could feel a drop of sweat starting to ease down the side of his forehead. The old saying about never letting them see you sweat popped into his mind, but he didn't dare move to brush away the drop.
Seconds more ticked past, becoming an eternity.
Maybe they were now waiting for him to say something, to explain why they were there, the reason for this visit. He was the one, after all, who had said he was coming here, and when.
Every moment seemed to stretch.
This was agony. He knew he had to do something and do it quickly. Either speak or turn away.
Turning away would accomplish nothing as far as he was concerned. He was here to make contact with this race, to possibly form a future alliance. And that wasn't going to be done by walking away.
He took a
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