Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [52]
"Can you transmit whatever calculations and projections you might have?"
"Of course. I'll see to it right away. Mister Paris. Have Torres transfer all pertinent data to the Televek, whatever we've got. Mister Stephens," he added, speaking to the young ensign who had taken Kim's place at Ops. "Open a channel."
Jonal explained the idea to Gantel quickly enough. No reply was immediately forthcoming, but finally Gantel agreed that it was a commendable concept, after which he repeated many of the same things about human resourcefulness that Jonal had said. But there was something different about Gantel's reaction. Chakotay had come to know the Televek's voice, that being his only means of identifying the commander, and he thought Gantel sounded mildly incredulous. In a moment, however, that attitude seemed to change.
Once the upload transmission had been completed, Jonal and Gantel continued to talk for a few moments, and Chakotay wasn't sure he liked what he heard. The trouble was, he couldn't understand much of it.
They seemed to be speaking in circles, using numerous metaphors and similes. There were direct references to continued cooperation and communication, and a repeated endorsement of the plan to move the moons, but a certain pessimism clearly existed. "I am sorry," Gantel said. "This is something they will simply have to accept."
"As you say," Jonal replied. He turned to Chakotay once more.
He did not appear grim, but neither was he jubilant, not by a long shot. "I regret to inform you, Commander, that the Televek will be unable personally to assist you in your valiant efforts at this time--efforts they do support in principle."
Chakotay was having trouble believing what he was hearing. "What is the problem?"
"There are two, actually. While the Televek are of course familiar with warp field manipulation techniques, the cruiser now in orbit does not have the control capability such an endeavor would require."
"Couldn't modifications be made?" Paris asked. "Perhaps our own engineers could help."
"Not quickly enough, and, as I'm sure you understand, Gantel does not want your technicians working aboard his ship. At least not yet."
"You said there were two reasons," Chakotay reminded the advocate.
"Yes. You see, Commander, the Televek are convinced that the continuing drop in the energy levels of the plant's defense system are directly related to the seismic activity. This is based on records gathered from previous encounters with the planet, which date back several decades. Therefore, it is possible that if the seismic process were somehow to be interrupted, or even slowed, the defense system might not be recoverable."
"But stopping the quakes would put everyone out of danger!" Paris exclaimed, rising out of his chair, examining all three alien visitors with suddenly wary eyes.
"Yes and no," Mila told him, bending slightly to bring her own very serious face close to his. "With the system revitalized, you would still not be able to get down to the surface to rescue your away team or any of the indigenous populations, perhaps not ever. And your own people, and any Televek survivors, would not be able to get back into orbit, whether their ships were functional or not. All of them would be trapped on Drenar Four indefinitely."
"But at this rate they might all be dead by the time we can safely get to them," Paris said.
"Or they might not be," Tassay replied.
"If it turned out that way, we'd just have to find a way to defeat the planet's defenses," Chakotay said, trying to sort things out.
"Easily proposed, but difficult to do," Jonal replied. "The Televek have tried, and they are not the first. But you haven't heard me out.
When the other ships in the rescue fleet arrive, it is entirely possible that, working together, you and they could find a means.
Also, depending on how much time the planet itself has left, some of those arriving ships might be able to assist in the attempt to