Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [16]
"Welcome aboard Voyager," Janeway began, introducing herself after Tuvok had presented the three aliens. Of the three Jonal was the only male, an elegant, strangely handsome figure slightly older than his two companions, who were both stunningly beautiful by any definition. All were physically impressive, a fact well demonstrated by the cut of their colorful two-sectioned tunics, with allowed much of their finely sculpted arms and legs to show.
Like Jonal, Mila and Tassay had skin that was bronze in color, and each possessed a pair of ridges that grew from either side of her forehead, beginning just behind her bright green eyes and sweeping back under her long stark-white hair.
Janeway turned to the others of her crew. "This is my first officer, Commander Chakotay, Mr. Paris is our helmsman, Mr. Neelix, our... liaison officer, and B'Elanna Torres our chief engineer."
The aliens nodded and held their hands out, palms up, an apparent gesture of goodwill. Janeway returned the gesture, reassured by the knowledge that their transport pod and their persons had been thoroughly scanned for weapons and implants, and nothing had turned up.
"We are not Televek," Jonal said. "We are Drosary."
"We are advocates," Mila, the shorter of the two women, explained. "We are here on behalf of our benefactors."
The other female, Tassay, remained silent as everyone was seated around the conference table.
"Why won't the Televek come themselves?" Janeway asked.
"It is their way," Jonal answered.
"We are only too happy to provide this service, as it benefits all," Mila said, with an affable air that seemed natural in her and her two companions.
Jonal seemed especially attentive, Janeway noticed, particularly to her. And as she looked around, she decided Tassay's regard had already centered on Chakotay. With this in mind, she began to notice that Paris's visual scrutiny of Mila seemed to be reciprocal as well.
These three Drosary were apparently quite friendly, but Neelix's less flattering comments concerning their sponsors were still fresh in Janeway's mind. "What can you tell us about the Televek as a people?" she probed, leaning slightly forward. "We hear... disturbing reports."
"Many of which are not true, or we would not be here," Tassay said, speaking for the first time. Hers was another soft voice, even softer than the others', perhaps.
"The Televek are often misunderstood, Captain," Jonal said.
"I have never been fond of misunderstandings," Janeway assured them.
"Please enlighten us."
"We were found on a war-ravaged world, a world that was not our own," Jonal explained without hesitation. "A place where our people had tried to set up a colony. We were among the thousands who sought to escape the tyranny and genocide that were destroying our home. But the wars that had brutalized our people for so long seemed to follow us, and many of the other colonies as well, involving other races as they went. Soon we became the target of brutal raids carried out by a neighboring world. We were no match for them. Our people were being victimized."
"Our own government would not help us," Tassay added, speaking directly to Chakotay, it seemed. "They claimed we were outside the primary realms. We were left to fend for ourselves. You can't know what it was like."
"Oh, I don't know," Chakotay said, glancing at B'Elanna Torres, the only other Maquis present. "I think some of us probably do."
Janeway let it pass.
"The Televek rescued a few of us from the ashes, and offered to train us as advocates," Mila said. "They have been kind to us.
We know them as few others do."
"That's quite a testimonial," Chakotay said, "but--" "But they attacked my ship," Janeway pointed out.
"The Televek are somewhat... nervous at times, Captain," Jonal explained. "It is a consequence of circumstance. When confronted, they have a tendency to shoot first, and often with very