Equinox - Diane Carey [15]
The somber crews listened and controlled their nervous unease, which Ransom sensed rifling the air as he continued.
"Despite our recent difficulties, there is now cause for optimism. Thanks to Captain Janeway, and Voyager." He turned to Janeway herself and added, "On behalf of my crew ... thank you."
Janeway smiled sadly and stepped forward. "We'll have time to give the newest members of our family a proper welcome in the days ahead, but right now we've got our hands full. The Equinox is secure, but its primary systems are still badly damaged. B'Elanna, Harry, make it your priority. Captain Ransom has provided us with data regarding the alien attacks. Tuvok, Seven, you'll be working with First Officer Burke."
She paused, making sure they all knew which one was Burke. Then the pressing moment demanded just a little of the sentiment she had been obviously avoiding to spare them all an inevitable self-consciousness.
'To kindred spirits," she added somberly. "May our journey home together be swift. Dismissed."
Ransom met her gaze with gratitude for keeping it short, not dragging them through a diatribe about honor and duty and grandeur and goals. Those had been forgotten long ago aboard Equinox. Something much more fundamental had moved into the vacant house and haunted it since then.
Kindred spirits. Fellows in arms.
It was nice.
He looked across the mess hall at Max Burke, looking well fed and shaven, in fact looking younger than
he ever had-or maybe they all just seemed young to Ransom now. Offering Burke a subdued smile and a- he hoped-subtle wink of warning, Ransom was careful to leave the crews alone without their captains. Janeway had already left. He did the same.
Max Burke watched his captain leave and wondered why Ransom had chosen to do that. He would rather have stayed together, take this big step with a bunch of little ones first rather than plunge headlong into ... no way to finish that thought. No idea what was coming.
The moment was so pleasant that he hardly wanted to disturb it by moving, by talking. These angels around him would become human to him soon enough, and for a while he was enjoying thinking of the Voyager crew as supernatural wonders who had swooped in out of the silvery clouds to snatch him from the monster's grip.
Yes, of course, they were just doing the job they had trained for, but here, in the Delta Quadrant, for one Starfleet ship to find another Starfleet ship was way beyond routine mission. Both ships so deeply needed each other...
He clasped his hands and tried to appear cool, collected. He wanted to be some kind of legend to them, as much as they seemed legendary to him right now. Keep aloof, act calm, as if you damned near died every day.
Of course, on Equinox, they had damned near died every day. This still seemed like a dream.
"We should begin by familiarizing you with Voyager's defenses."
"Hm?" Burke blinked. The Vulcan was standing next to him. Tumok. Trupok. Why hadn't he paid attention?
The Vulcan and Seven of Eleven were standing next to him. Now that wasn't her name, either, was it?
Start paying attention, Burke, or these people will get their guard up about you. So long since I've met anybody new-
He offered them what he hoped was a self-conscious shrug.
"Oh-can you give me a minute?" Burke responded. "There's someone I want to say hello to."
What a moment. Not only did he find himself surrounded by fellow Starfleeters, but one particular fellow ... lady.
"We'll be in the astrometrics lab," Seven of Twelve said. "Deck eight, section twenty-nine."
"See y'there," Burke told them, but he was no longer interested in them. He hoped they understood. No, he really didn't care.
Summoning his best aplomb to cover up for nervousness and the sheer shock of being in this situation at all, he straightened his uniform, leaned forward,