Dark Matters_ Cloak and Dagger (Book 1) - Christie Golden [56]
It may seem peculiar that I use this last opportunity for my voice to be heard to speak of scientific matters. But hear me out, and perhaps this statement may serve some greater purpose. I speak of dark matter-and dark matters.
At some point in the Grafting of the document, he dozed. He was jolted into wakefulness by Captain Janeway's voice.
"Janeway to Telek R'Mor. We've got the Shepherd planet on our Long-range sensors. Please come to the bridge at once."
CHAPTER 15
JANEWAY GLANCED UP AND THREW TELEK R'MOR A quick smile of greeting as he stepped onto the bridge. The smile ebbed slightly as she saw his expression. She knew the reason for it.
"My condolences oh the deaths of your countrymen, Doctor," she said.
He nodded, accepting her sympathy. "Let us hope that this planet will be the key to preventing any more needless deaths," he replied.
"Engineering reports that we've got warp drive back," announced Kim, not bothering to hide his grin.
"Excellent. Mr. Paris, give us warp nine."
"Aye, Captain," Paris replied. The stars suddenly turned from small points of light to several long, white streaks as the ship sprang into warp. To Janeway, the minutes stretched on, but it was really
only a brief time before Paris announced, "We've reached the planet, Captain."
Unable to hold back her enthusiasm, Janeway rose and walked down to the screen. The headache screamed for attention, but she ignored it. With any luck, all such ills and ones far worse would be cured quickly.
"Standard orbit, Ensign. On screen."
It filled the screen, a beautiful blue-green planet with large brown spots that marked eight clearly defined continents. Two small moons orbited it.
"Class-M,"she breamed. They'd known that earlier, of course, but as far as Janeway was concerned, there were few things more beautiful than the image of a class-M planet cm her viewscreen. One day- and she dared to hope that day would come soon- that would be Earth filling the screen, not an alien world.
"Report?"
"Standard class-M planet," said Harry. "Oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere. Good balance of plant and animal Me. Two billion humanoid life-forms, level of technology comparable, in fact perhaps slightly superior to our own. There'll be no problems with the Prime Directive here."
"Thank God for that," Janeway said wryly. 'I'd hate-to come all this way and not be able to talk to anyone. Mr. Kim, open a channel."
"Hailing frequencies open, Captain."
"This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. We come on a peaceful mis-
sion, an attempt to make contact with a race of beings known as the Shepherds, We wish to discuss-"
Her words were cut off as the planet was suddenly engulfed in a brilliant white light. The ship rocked violently. Janeway flung up one hand to shield her eyes and gripped the arm of her chair, with the other. When the radiance had faded, she blinked, then gaped.
The planet had disappeared.
'Tom, what the hell is going on? Did that... that light throw us out of orbit?"
"I don't know, Captain!" Tom was frantically scanning the controls. "According to the computer, we haven't been forced off course. We're continuing at standard orbit speed, but... but the planet's just not there!"
"Tom's right," confirmed Harry. "We're not the ones who have gone anywhere. We're moving along the same trajectory as we were. It's the planet. It simply vanished."
Janeway's headache was becoming almost unbearable, its slow red throb fueled by the adrenaline produced by this new, impossible development. Her hand crept to massage her temple despite herself.
"Any sign of Q activity? That would be just the sort of thing he'd do," growled Chakotay.
"Negative," said