Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [32]
Crooked lines revealed the paths of mountain streams descending from distant peaks. This was high summer on Drenar Four's main continent, and one could not help but be impressed. It was a beautiful world if you looked under all the soot, and if you didn't mind that it was trying to pull itself apart.
"We'd better get out of the open, Captain," Kim said, adjusting his tricorder again, repeating his earlier scans. "Those people are moving at a good pace. They'll be emerging on the far side of these fields in just a few minutes."
"And they will no doubt find the shuttle after that. We have to assume that's what they're looking for. And when they find it, I'd rather be outside watching than inside waiting. We may have to get Tuvok out of there, at least for the time being."
"What then?"
It was a straightforward, sensible question. She just didn't have a good answer. She placed one hand on the ensign's shoulder, gave him a gentle pat. "Don't worry, Mr. Kim.
Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll keep busy."
They turned around and headed back the way they had come. The shuttle lay just beyond a knoll, toward the far side of an expansive grassy field. The field, one of many in this area, was surrounded by low, forested hills. Fields that had been left fallow, apparently. Janeway was fairly sure a stream ran by somewhere beyond the low bluff that stood just on the far side of the shuttle. They were probably going to need water, among other things, though she feared they might find only a flowing stream of mud.
"How are we doing?" she asked as they entered the shuttle's open hatch. They found Tuvok lying on his back, probing a web of circuitry under the navigation console. He had removed several of the access panels in the shuttle's forward control section, more in the rear cargo area.
"I am very close to restoring minimal power to some of the primary systems, including the computer and the sensors, both of which seem to be largely undamaged." He pushed back, then pulled himself up off the deck and moved toward another panel. "Mr. Kim, would you be so kind as to lend a hand?"
Kim nodded and went to Tuvok's side, then took the probe from him and held it in position. Tuvok was apparently trying to use one section of conduit in place of another. Kim used the probe to fuse the connection. Tuvok stood up again suddenly and tapped the main console.
"It looks good," Kim told him.
"Let's see what we've got," Janeway said.
At this, Kim withdrew the probe. Tuvok entered yet another command, and selected panels throughout the small ship suddenly flickered to life.
"Good work, Mr. Tuvok!" Janeway cried.
"A good beginning, but little else, I'm afraid," Tuvok said.
"The rest of the repairs will take more time."
"Sensors will do for now. I want you to scan these coordinates."
She held her tricorder up and let the Vulcan examine the readings. He nodded, then moved to the sensor panel and began working.
"We think it may be a ship, just as you suggested," Kim told Tuvok.
"We can't determine anything more, though," Janeway said.
"Wreckage could easily read about the same, including those EM emissions, if someone left the lights on."
"Contact verified, Captain," Tuvok said after a moment. "I am reading what appears to be a fully operational Televek cruiser, very much like the one we encountered in orbit. I find no indication of damage of any kind, and power levels are consistent with those of its sister ship. I am also detecting considerable activity in the area surrounding the cruiser."
Janeway let out a sigh. "I knew they were up to something. I just wish I knew what it was."
"When we find out, I'll bet we won't like it," Kim said.
"Captain," Tuvok said, looking up at her, "the cruiser is also in close proximity to the underground energy source we detected from Voyager."
"How close?"
"Almost directly above