Flashback - Diane Carey [50]
He paused and added up the situation. In the shuttlecraft, which was cracking and disabled, he had B'Elanna and Paris. Both had Maquis experience, as he had himself, working as rebels aboard less-than-perfect ships. They could both handle shabby machinery and scary moments, but if they were hurt, how much could he expect of them? And no matter how valiant, they couldn't attitude away a contaminated atmosphere.
"Mr. Kim, as soon as you can get a fix on the shuttlecraft, try to throw the tractor beams on it."
"Trying already, sir, but I can't get a stable fix. If they could move closer to us-"
"Torres, can you move any closer to us?"
There was silence for several seconds.
Then Paris's voice-"Sir, we've got a little problem with the piloting controls. I'm trying to trim the
ship to use the currents, but those are. . . ow. . . oh..."
Beside Chakotay, Harry Kim winced sympathetically. "Sounds like he's hurt, sir."
"I know." Chakotay straightened. "Mr. Carey, take the helm."
Carey looked up, then understood and lunged for the helm. "Impulse drive ready, Commander."
"Take us forward into the turbulence until Mr. Kim can get the tractor beam onto the shuttle. You two coordinate your actions." "Aye, aye, sir, ahead one-quarter impulse." "Aye, sir," Kim responded, his face still creased with worry for their two crewmates.
"Evacuate the ship's outer areas in case there's a hull rupture-"
"Chakotay! What are you doing?" Torres again. "We're coming in to throw that net over you," he said, knowing exactly what she was going to say back. "We'll get as close to you as we can."
"That's crazy! These currents'll grab the primary hull and turn you upside down. Voyager's too massive to navigate under power through this area. Give us a chance to power our way out!"
"I'll give you as long as it takes for us to get to you. If you can think of something to do, feel free."
"You'll never get in this deep. We're being dragged in the wrong direction. Paris and I are done for. We're replaceable. Don't risk the whole ship."
"Oh, no, I can't leave you," he told her. "You serve too important a function on this ship."
"What I do isn't that important! Carey can be chief engineer."
"It's not that," Chakotay continued. "I just need somebody to blame things on. If the two of you are gone, life around here won't be any fun anymore."
"Chakotay, I just got that ship put together after the last hoop we had to jump through. If we live through this, remind me to hurt you later. You better have your spirit guide with you when I get back on board."
"This from a woman who tried to kill her own spirit guide."
"It was ugly."
"Sir-"
"Yes, Tom?"
"When we get back. . . maybe you could introduce me to B'Elanna's spirit guide animal. Bet it'll be a hell of a night out."
"Don't pay any attention to him," B'Elanna said. "He's delirious."
Chakotay told her, "Don't overstress your engines. We'll get as close as we can. Just keep yourselves from drifting farther away. This might take a few minutes."
"Acknowledged," B'Elanna's voice crackled back, and immediately after it, Paris's "I'll try not to bleed to death."
This was getting out of hand. Flashes of Paris, flashes of the plateau- Kathryn Janeway closed her eyes for a moment
and forced herself to concentrate. The Excelsior. The bridge. The battle. Valtane.
What had just happened? Why was her mind- Tuvok's mind-shifting gears over and over? What were all those flashes?
She wanted to think they were only erratic non-sensicals, brought on by stress or the eccentricities of melding, but she refused to believe that. A Vulcan's mind was orderly, and these things were out of order. That meant something was happening to Tuvok.
Opening her eyes, she looked at him. He was still crouched over Valtane, but now he appeared startled, as if he'd just been stung by a bee. "Damage report!"
Captain Sulu appeared