Death of a Neutron Star - Eric Kotani [13]
"Understood, Captain," Torres said.
Seven just frowned, as if telling anyone was the farthest thing from her mind.
"Keep me posted," Janeway said. She sat down behind her desk, glancing at the screen in front of her as her two officers left. She didn't dare let her hopes rise. That had happened too many times before. This idea was just another idea, nothing more,
"Report," Janeway said as she walked onto the bridge and headed for her command chair.
Chakotay stood and moved over. "Lieutenant Tyla is still in her quarters. She has made no real attempt to move around the ship, at least so far."
Janeway nodded. "Don't detain her if she tries. Just follow her. Also, let's find her something to do. Maybe help in the repairs of the yacht. Under strict supervision."
Chakotay smiled. "Understood." He turned to his comm link while she glanced around at Ensign Kim.
"How close are we, Ensign?"
"Two hours yet, Captain," Kim said.
She nodded. "Keep all sensors at full range. I want to know if there are any Qavok Empire ships anywhere near that binary."
"Understood," Kim said.
She stepped down beside her pilot. "Tom, when we get close I want to stop one million kilometers from the binary. No closer, at least not at first. We'll ease in later, if we can."
"Not a problem," he said.
She patted him on the shoulder and then dropped down into her chair, staring at the main screen, thinking about what was coming. Soon they would bear witness to one of the rarest natural shows in all the universe. And with luck, during the show they might even harvest some of the energy to help them get home.
If they could build the device to hold the energy.
If the Qavoks let them.
If the explosion itself didn't destroy them in the process.
Too damn many ifs.
Beside her was the empty spot where her coffee cup usually sat. She looked at it for a moment, then decided there was no point in waiting. It was time for another cup. She shoved herself out of her chair and headed for the door. "You have the bridge, Commander."
He smiled at her and nodded. He knew exactly where she was going. And she didn't care.
"Captain," Ensign Kim said, just as she reached the door.
She stopped and turned around. Her second-in-command was now no longer smiling, but instead staring at Kim's board.
"Lieutenant Tyla has escaped," Chakotay said. "Security reports that she has assaulted both of her guards."
"Are they okay?"
Chakotay nodded. "They're being treated by the Doctor."
"Use the ship's sensors to find her and beam her out of wherever she is hiding," Janeway said. "I'd suggest searching the shuttlebay area first."
Chakotay nodded and glanced down.
"Got her, Captain," Ensign Kim said.
"Good," Janeway said. "Just hold her in the transport buffer until I can get there."
Janeway strode to the turbolift. It looked like that cup of coffee was going to have to wait.
TYLA'S PLAN HAD BEEN SIMPLE TO START WITH. GET away from the guards who were watching her room, then find one of these human's shuttles and take it home to warn her people. If she could fly a Qavok prince's yacht, she could fly a human shuttlecraft, she was sure. Even though the humans had beaten the Qavok easily, they didn't seem that much more advanced. And they were clearly not as military.
She eased closer to the door and listened, trying to make sure no one was in the hallway. She knew she was being guarded, even though she was sure Captain Janeway didn't want her to know. So her plan started as she simply went out for a short walk down the corridor.
She picked up a small statue of a creature she had never seen before. It was solid and had a hefty weight in her hand. It would do fine. She tucked it under her arm and stepped into the hallway.
As she had hoped, it was deserted, except for one of her guards, who was posing as an engineer working on a panel. She turned toward him, acting as if she knew exactly where she was going. And she did: off this ship.