Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [49]
"It's possible that's exactly what our mysterious underground power source is doing here, and the transient energy readings we're picking up in the hills," Janeway said. "Though if that's the case, the defensive system doesn't seem to be working."
"Did the entity that visited you aboard Voyager seem like part of any defense system?" Tuvok asked.
"Not exactly, and if it is, it doesn't seem capable of defending these people against the Televek ship that landed. Still, the ghosts must be connected in some way."
They stood near the edge of the city now, looking down a wide, smooth promenade illuminated by starlight and moonbeams. Nan Loteth cleared his throat, the first time Janeway had heard him do that. She wondered if he'd picked the habit up from one of them.
"So what do we do now?" Kim asked gingerly.
"In the absence of alternatives, I recommend we follow our plan to investigate the Televek presence here," Tuvok said.
"The temple of Jaalett is nearly half a day's walk along this road," Nan Loteth said. "If we leave tonight, we will be there before morning."
"We'll go there soon, but not right now," Janeway said. Then she faced Nan Loteth. "First, I'd like to get back to our shuttlecraft and make another attempt to get our communications equipment working so we can contact our friends in our other sky-boat. They need to know about the moons, and especially about that Televek ship near your temple. Our friends may be in more danger than we are. There's no telling what our friend Gantel and his advocates are doing."
Nan Loteth nodded vigorously. "I will send men from the village with you. I have been told that the demons have visited your sky-boat already and may still be there. You will need good warriors to protect you."
"That makes sense; the demons must have witnessed our landing," Janeway said. "But you must listen to me, Nan Loteth. I don't want any more of your people getting killed. Don't worry about us. We can protect ourselves. We will go alone, for now. When we return, you may take us to your temple so that we can see the demon ship for ourselves."
"If the Televek have been there for a while, they may have gained access to the shuttle's interior by now," Kim speculated.
"A logical concern," Tuvok agreed.
"If they are inside our shuttle," Janeway remarked, looking from one officer to the other, "they are just going to have to leave."
"When will you go?" Nan Loteth asked.
Janeway took a deep breath. "Now," she said, seeing no point in delaying their departure. She was exhausted, and she wanted nothing more than to stay here for a few days, but at that instant yet another aftershock rumbled beneath her feet, reminding her that for now, rest was not possible.
The three of them set out walking toward the edge of the village, moving out of earshot, waving goodbye.
***
Gantel ran his hands through his hair in mild exasperation.
"That is rather bad news," he said, purposely understating the gravity of the situation as he received the communication. It would be too easy to get excited and upset, and that wouldn't accomplish anything.
"Do you think their ship received the transmission?"
"There is a strong possibility they did," Triness said sadly.
"But it couldn't have been very readable, and we were able to correct for it within minutes. I doubt a substantive exchange was made. The only thing we got from the message was information about the three moons. I for one am surprised it has taken these Federation people this long to figure that out, if indeed they have. They are a pathetic bunch, I think."
"Always the optimist," Gantel told her, but then, that was one reason he liked having her around. Hers was a bothersome job, in its own way, but one she didn't seem to mind.
"They know the shuttle crew is alive, in any case."
"We gave them reason to hope that was true," Triness pointed out.
"Is there a chance that Voyager's sensors could have picked up