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Authors: Charles G. McGraw, Mark Garland
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hope is all we’ve got going for us right now.”
“I cannot guess at the time, but some repairs might be possible.
I will make communications my priority.”
“Understood. You’ll stay here, then. See what you can do.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kim and I are going to have a look around. Our landing was likely witnessed by someone, and I’d rather spot them before they spot us.”
“I’d estimate we’ve landed just north of our target,” Kim announced, recalling the last telemetry data he’d seen just before they touched down. He had gone over maps of the surface while waiting in the shuttle bay, and maps of this area in particular. The nearby village was one of the largest on this side of the planet. They had been aiming for a spot near there.
For a moment, when they were still up in the clouds, he had worried they might land right on top of it.
“That also would put us only a few kilometers from the hills where the underground energy source was detected,” Tuvok added.
“At least we’re in the right neighborhood,” Janeway remarked.
“Not that it will do us a lot of good.”
“Captain,” Kim asked, thinking it pertinent to do so now, “do you think Voyager is under attack?”
“We have no way of knowing,” Tuvok said.
“What I mean is, why would the Televek send their people aboard Voyager and then start shooting?”
“I think they were shooting only at the shuttle,” Janeway said.
“But that doesn’t make sense either.”
“That’s why we’re here, Mr. Kim, to try to make sense of some of this.
And that’s what I intend to do. Phasers on stun,” she directed him, checking her own weapon as she spoke. “I hope we won’t have to use them. I don’t want to make contact with the native population if we can avoid it. We have no reason to believe the Televek have.”
“Aye, sir,” Kim said, placing the hand phaser back on his belt.
“I’m ready.”
“Good.” She pulled the manual release, and the shuttle’s main hatch slowly opened. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 5
“Battle stations, Mr. Rollins!” Chakotay snapped as he rushed onto the bridge, the chief engineer right behind him. “Rearm photon torpedoes, prepare to fire on my command. Helm, prepare an evasive course.”
Rollins stood at Tuvok’s station touching keypads on the tactical control panel. “I would advise against firing, sir,” he said.
“We’re too close to the target.”
“He’s right,” B’Elanna told Chakotay from the engineering bay.
“Without our shields we’d risk the chance of being caught in the backwash.”
Chakotay looked from one to the other. “I know. Arm the torpedoes.”
“The Televek are hailing us, Commander,” Rollins announced.
“I’ll bet they are.”
“I knew they couldn’t be trusted,” Neelix said. He had been lingering near the turbolift door. He walked up gingerly behind Chakotay, rubbing nervous hands together. “I did try to tell you.”
Chakotay nodded, then fixed his gaze on the dark, angular shape of the Televek ship in the center of the main viewscreen. “Put them on,” he said, adding, “This better be good.”
“Why was a shuttle launched?” Gantel’s slightly agitated voice immediately asked. “What were you trying to accomplish?”
Why was it deliberately fired upon?” the commander countered tersely.
“That shuttle represented no threat to you of any kind.”
“Our weapons fire hit your shuttle quite by accident. It was intended as a warning, nothing more.”
Chakotay frowned at this, and noticed his fists were clenched tightly against his outer thighs. He opened them, forcing himself to stretch his fingers. He doubted the Televek’s aim was that bad. “A warning against what? The shuttle’s mission was purely scientific, an attempt to gather more data. The planet’s chaotic magnetic fields must be affecting your sensors, the same as ours. A mission to the surface was the only logical step.”
“Apparently another…
“I cannot guess at the time, but some repairs might be possible.
I will make communications my priority.”
“Understood. You’ll stay here, then. See what you can do.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kim and I are going to have a look around. Our landing was likely witnessed by someone, and I’d rather spot them before they spot us.”
“I’d estimate we’ve landed just north of our target,” Kim announced, recalling the last telemetry data he’d seen just before they touched down. He had gone over maps of the surface while waiting in the shuttle bay, and maps of this area in particular. The nearby village was one of the largest on this side of the planet. They had been aiming for a spot near there.
For a moment, when they were still up in the clouds, he had worried they might land right on top of it.
“That also would put us only a few kilometers from the hills where the underground energy source was detected,” Tuvok added.
“At least we’re in the right neighborhood,” Janeway remarked.
“Not that it will do us a lot of good.”
“Captain,” Kim asked, thinking it pertinent to do so now, “do you think Voyager is under attack?”
“We have no way of knowing,” Tuvok said.
“What I mean is, why would the Televek send their people aboard Voyager and then start shooting?”
“I think they were shooting only at the shuttle,” Janeway said.
“But that doesn’t make sense either.”
“That’s why we’re here, Mr. Kim, to try to make sense of some of this.
And that’s what I intend to do. Phasers on stun,” she directed him, checking her own weapon as she spoke. “I hope we won’t have to use them. I don’t want to make contact with the native population if we can avoid it. We have no reason to believe the Televek have.”
“Aye, sir,” Kim said, placing the hand phaser back on his belt.
“I’m ready.”
“Good.” She pulled the manual release, and the shuttle’s main hatch slowly opened. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 5
“Battle stations, Mr. Rollins!” Chakotay snapped as he rushed onto the bridge, the chief engineer right behind him. “Rearm photon torpedoes, prepare to fire on my command. Helm, prepare an evasive course.”
Rollins stood at Tuvok’s station touching keypads on the tactical control panel. “I would advise against firing, sir,” he said.
“We’re too close to the target.”
“He’s right,” B’Elanna told Chakotay from the engineering bay.
“Without our shields we’d risk the chance of being caught in the backwash.”
Chakotay looked from one to the other. “I know. Arm the torpedoes.”
“The Televek are hailing us, Commander,” Rollins announced.
“I’ll bet they are.”
“I knew they couldn’t be trusted,” Neelix said. He had been lingering near the turbolift door. He walked up gingerly behind Chakotay, rubbing nervous hands together. “I did try to tell you.”
Chakotay nodded, then fixed his gaze on the dark, angular shape of the Televek ship in the center of the main viewscreen. “Put them on,” he said, adding, “This better be good.”
“Why was a shuttle launched?” Gantel’s slightly agitated voice immediately asked. “What were you trying to accomplish?”
Why was it deliberately fired upon?” the commander countered tersely.
“That shuttle represented no threat to you of any kind.”
“Our weapons fire hit your shuttle quite by accident. It was intended as a warning, nothing more.”
Chakotay frowned at this, and noticed his fists were clenched tightly against his outer thighs. He opened them, forcing himself to stretch his fingers. He doubted the Televek’s aim was that bad. “A warning against what? The shuttle’s mission was purely scientific, an attempt to gather more data. The planet’s chaotic magnetic fields must be affecting your sensors, the same as ours. A mission to the surface was the only logical step.”
“Apparently another…
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