Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [22]
"Including life-support," Kim said.
"And communications," Tuvok added.
Janeway nodded, her expression unreadable in the near-darkness.
"Very well," she said. "Let's see if we can find out what's going on upstairs." The captain tapped her comm badge. "Janeway to Voyager, come in."
No response. Kim tried his own badge, then Tuvok, all to similar results.
"It is possible that interference from the planet's extreme magnetic field fluctuations is preventing the signal from getting through," Tuvok suggested.
"That has to be it, Captain," Kim interjected, trying to make himself useful. He was well aware that Tuvok and Janeway, between them, had more experience than he would likely accumulate in a lifetime. Still, neither of them ever made him feel that he was not a valued crewman, which only increased his determination to be just that.
"Cut off and shipwrecked," Janeway muttered, shaking her head gravely.
Then her hands went to her hips, heralding a change in her mood. "What systems can you get to come back up?" she asked the Vulcan. "And how long will it take? That hope is all we've got going for us right now."
"I cannot guess at the time, but some repairs might be possible.
I will make communications my priority."
"Understood. You'll stay here, then. See what you can do.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kim and I are going to have a look around. Our landing was likely witnessed by someone, and I'd rather spot them before they spot us."
"I'd estimate we've landed just north of our target," Kim announced, recalling the last telemetry data he'd seen just before they touched down. He had gone over maps of the surface while waiting in the shuttle bay, and maps of this area in particular. The nearby village was one of the largest on this side of the planet. They had been aiming for a spot near there.
For a moment, when they were still up in the clouds, he had worried they might land right on top of it.
"That also would put us only a few kilometers from the hills where the underground energy source was detected," Tuvok added.
"At least we're in the right neighborhood," Janeway remarked.
"Not that it will do us a lot of good."
"Captain," Kim asked, thinking it pertinent to do so now, "do you think Voyager is under attack?"
"We have no way of knowing," Tuvok said.
"What I mean is, why would the Televek send their people aboard Voyager and then start shooting?"
"I think they were shooting only at the shuttle," Janeway said.
"But that doesn't make sense either."
"That's why we're here, Mr. Kim, to try to make sense of some of this.
And that's what I intend to do. Phasers on stun," she directed him, checking her own weapon as she spoke. "I hope we won't have to use them. I don't want to make contact with the native population if we can avoid it. We have no reason to believe the Televek have."
"Aye, sir," Kim said, placing the hand phaser back on his belt.
"I'm ready."
"Good." She pulled the manual release, and the shuttle's main hatch slowly opened. "Let's go."
CHAPTER 5
"Battle stations, Mr. Rollins!" Chakotay snapped as he rushed onto the bridge, the chief engineer right behind him. "Rearm photon torpedoes, prepare to fire on my command. Helm, prepare an evasive course."
Rollins stood at Tuvok's station touching keypads on the tactical control panel. "I would advise against firing, sir," he said.
"We're too close to the target."
"He's right," B'Elanna told Chakotay from the engineering bay.
"Without our shields we'd risk the chance of being caught in the backwash."
Chakotay looked from one to the other. "I know. Arm the torpedoes."
"The Televek are hailing us, Commander," Rollins announced.
"I'll bet they are."
"I knew they couldn't be trusted," Neelix said. He had been lingering near the turbolift door. He walked up gingerly