Distant Shores - Marco Palmieri [20]
Finally, rising to the surface, a bubble of rationality burst and things fell into place. He took a breath, hoping this last gambit would work. He had nothing left after this except retreat and disgrace.
“Since you’re set on quoting all the rules, Tuvok, including section 104, let me remind you about section A. The one that says the ranking officer is obligated to take command and do everything in his power to preserve the ship and its crew.
“What do you think I’ve been doing? I tried doing it peacefully, I tried following General Order Twelve, I offered to barter, and I offered to allow them to escort us. I did just as the rules demanded. Now I demand the rest of the orders be followed. Give me full command of this ship!”
Tuvok looked deeply into Chakotay’s eyes. They were clear, lucid, and certain. Quickly, he mentally reviewed the first officer’s actions, allowing for inexperience and having not been retrained in battle scenarios. The man was right in his own mind; he was following the orders, the very orders being quoted.
The security chief had allowed preconceived notions and suspicions cloud his normally logical thinking. This was not acceptable. But that was something for another time. Right now, he had to make a choice. It was his turn to act in the best interests of the crew.
“Computer, this is Commander Tuvok. Restore full operational authority to Commander Chakotay.”
“Authorization code?” prompted the feminine mechanical voice.
“Tuvok Four Seven Psi Seven Four.”
“Acknowledged. Full authorization restored.”
“Chakotay to engineering. Initiate warp-core buildup again.”
“Ready for your code, sir.”
“Computer, this is Commander Chakotay. Authorization Chakotay Alpha Tango Seven Seven Nine.”
“Warp-core alterations approved.”
“Nice and steady, Carey. Kim, open a channel to the Dresh.”
“Channel open.”
“This is Voyager. You have continued to prove hostile to our attempt to go home. You’ve left us no choice, and I must now engage our ultimate weapon. Disperse and give us passage or your five ships will be annihilated.”
With a slashing move, he had Harry cut the signal.
“We’re being scanned again,” Tuvok noted, his voice calm and resolute, as usual.
“Of course, they want to see I’m right.”
“You’re bluffing them,” Paris said.
“Absolutely right, Paris. They’ll see the slow, steady buildup and think we’re readying to fire a weapon they know nothing about. Since we’re a mystery to them, they have to decide if it’s worth the risk.”
“It is a gamble,” Tuvok noted, feeling obligated to still advise Chakotay; he owed that much to Janeway.
“Absolutely,” Chakotay admitted. “Once they scatter, Paris will go to warp, put us above the mines, and get us away from them.”
“And what of other Dresh ships?”
“I’m hoping they will warn the others. Why tangle with someone more powerful?”
“What if they demand proof of your weapon?”
“We’ve already withstood their own fire so they know we’re not weak. And maybe we do have something even more powerful. They’re going to have to decide.”
“Course plotted and laid in, sir.”
“Stand by for warp, Paris.”
“Aye, sir.”
Chakotay settled himself back in his chair and then looked behind him. His expression was one of self-satisfaction, but Tuvok could also read in them the enmity that remained. “You told me, Tuvok, that I wasn’t following regulations. Neither did a lot of captains that bluffed their way out of danger over the years. None are in the regulations but all are covered in Starfleet courses. It’s something to keep in our arsenal.”
“That is something I had not considered,” Tuvok acknowledged. He avoided the command track and the lessons that came with it.
The first officer nodded in agreement. Then, with a smile, he added, “Vulcans, I’m told, don’t bluff.”
“Generally.”
“Pity.” The look in his eyes did not