Gateways 07_ What Lay Beyond - Diane Carey [74]
“Thank you. And you as well. I hope you find your home soon, as we have found ours. Good-bye, Seven. Sister.”
Then Seven was looking at a blank screen. She was glad that Marisha had terminated the conversation, because she did not want the other woman to see the tears that suddenly, unexpectedly, welled in Seven of Nine’s blue eyes.
Chapter 4
Most of the other ships had long gone, but a few wished to make formal good-byes. The Lamorians in particular had a long, drawn-out ceremony involving Commander Chakotay. He asked for, and was granted, permission to retire to his quarters to complete the farewell ritual. Janeway had no desire to have her bridge viewscreen taken up for what could conceivably be hours while the Lamorians dotted every I and crossed every T.
While she waited for him to return, she received a transmission from Kelmar. Kim put it onscreen.
“It’s good to see you, Kelmar. I’m pleased your ship survived the last battle against Arkathi.”
“I understand he was never captured or killed,” said Kelmar. “A pity. He was against you from the beginning, Captain. We were alert to his treacherous nature early on, when he contacted me and tried to play the two of us against one another.”
This revelation disturbed Janeway. “I wish you had told me earlier, Kelmar. The Kuluuk might not have had to die.”
Kelmar did not seem disturbed by her comment. “You were aware of his nature even without my alerting you to it, Captain. Nothing I could have said would have accomplished anything to help the unfortunate Kuluuk. A man is not a criminal until he has committed a crime. And you must remember, we were not too certain of you early on in our travels, either. You had befriended the Nenlar, who had cause to hate us.”
He was smiling, as if he was pleased about something. Janeway hoped she didn’t know what it was. “I hope you are not taking pleasure in their deaths,” she said.
Kelmar laughed aloud. “Hardly,” he said, “as they are not dead.” He motioned, and both Ara and Torar came into Janeway’s vision.
She gaped. “You’re alive! Thank goodness! What happened?”
“Commander Kelmar transported us aboard the Nivvika in the very nick of time, putting his own ship at risk,” said Torar. “A truly noble gesture, considering that he knew who we were all along.”
Janeway’s confusion must have shown on her face, for the Nenlar and Kelmar all suddenly laughed. “Remember I told you that there were terrorists among the Nenlar?” said Kelmar. “Ara and Torar are close to the top of that list.”
“What?” exclaimed Janeway. “You two are terrorists?”
“Were,” said Ara. “Never again. And with any luck, soon there will be no such thing as Nenlar terrorists.”
“We are going to return to Nenlar space,” said Kelmar. “There’s a chance it might be dangerous, but when you have two of the highest-ranking members of the Nenlar terrorist groups vouching for you, you feel a bit safer.”
Genuinely shocked, Janeway stared at Ara and Torar. “What happened to your Nenlar timidity?”
“It is still there,” Ara reassured her. “We have to battle with it every day.”
“I never imagined you two would be the terrorists Kelmar spoke of,” said Janeway.
“If we and Kelmar can return to Nenlar space together,” said Torar,
“we can perhaps teach the rest of my people that there is nothing to fear anymore from the Iudka. I know it is difficult for you to comprehend, Captain, but we do not enjoy terrorist activities. It goes against everything in Nenlar nature. We did it only because we truly believed that we had no alternative. I know the key people in the organization well, and if they can be convinced that there is nothing to hate about the Iudka, we will all be only too happy to turn our attention to peaceful, less frightening pursuits.”
Janeway shook her head. It was almost inconceivable to her, but she had served in Starfleet long enough to know that not every species in fact, very few thought about and reacted to things the