Distant Shores - Marco Palmieri [112]
“I bring greetings… from Ninhursag.”
It took him a moment to place the name-the Sumerian Earth goddess! “How do you know… her?” he asked.
“From a mutual acquaintance. You introduced him to her.”
Chakotay’s eyes widened. Perhaps the little he’d been able to do had borne fruit after all. “The globe?” he whispered, coming closer.
The hadrosauroid gestured him into an empty room and placed a familiar device on his arm. The room seemed to shimmer. “I have cloaked us. We can speak freely.”
“You know Professor Gegen? His work?” Chakotay asked.
“Yes. The Distant Origin theory lives on, thanks to you. The orthodoxy does not hold absolute sway. It is why we are here-the state fears the weakening of its control, so it sends fleets all over the quadrant, reasserting its dominance and stability. It has no real interest in any other species’ affairs, though, and once we have gained their token allegiance we will return to our usual isolation,” the Voth said with distaste.
Chakotay nodded, recognizing the pattern. Ming China had launched and then scuttled Zheng He’s mighty trading ships-the original “Star Fleet”- for similar reasons. “I’m gratified. But-I’d prefer to have my involvement kept quiet.” The Voth leadership had dictated that all of Gegen’s research, all knowledge of Earth, must be destroyed. Giving Gegen a globe of Earth-particularly one concealing a copy of Starfleet’s database files about the planet-was iffy at best from a Prime Directive standpoint. But Chakotay had still been Maquis enough to do it anyway.
“For now,” the Voth agreed. “Change takes much time, particularly for my people. When the Voth do finally accept this truth, you and I will be long gone. I simply wished you to know that the truth has not been destroyed, and that there are those among us who are grateful for the fact. Those who would call you humans our cousins-and our friends.”
Chakotay was moved. But he was also a practical man, and a possibility occurred to him. “You know… it might help bring out the truth if you could actually make contact with Earth. With your transwarp drive, you could get there in weeks. And if you really want to show your gratitude, you could take Voyager with you.”
The Voth grimaced. “That would be a very bad idea, I fear. Do not overestimate the underground’s strength. The rulers will still not hesitate to destroy any evidence which threatens orthodoxy. That would include the Earth, if we attempted to contact it. I am sorry.”
Chakotay patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. It was just a thought.”
“However,” the Voth said thoughtfully, “I recall from my tour of your ship that you have a multispatial probe.”
“Yes, we do.”
“Our ship will depart the outpost tomorrow evening. We will draw energy from a nearby star prior to transwarp entry. If your multispatial probe were monitoring the proper subspace domains at the moment of entry, you could perhaps gain the knowledge you need to perfect transwarp for yourselves.”
Chakotay thought it over. “Perhaps we could at that. I’m very grateful. Just let me know the right bands to scan,” he said, taking out his tricorder.
The Voth provided the information, then said, “I must go, or I will be missed. Wait here a moment, so we are not seen leaving together. And… good luck in your endeavors.”
“You too,” Chakotay told him. “I hope it isn’t too long before our species meet again.”
The Voth paused as he reached to deactivate the cloak. “Hope it is not too soon-for your species’ sake.”
Captain’s Log, Stardate 53058.8. After discussion with the senior staff, I’ve decided to proceed with Commander Chakotay’s proposal to scan the Voth ship as it goes into transwarp. I’m still considering how to deal with the commander’s revelation of his unauthorized “gift” to the Voth; yet given how much more advanced they are than us, I doubt whether the Prime Directive could apply here. Besides, he’s not the only one of us who