Marooned - Christie Golden [15]
"How many?"
"The best estimate is over ten thousand ships or pieces of ships," Tuvok replied in his normal cool voice. "But that is only within our sensor range. There is every indication that this-" he paused, and Janeway wondered if, beneath his calm Vulcan exterior Tuvok, too, was moved, "-this collection of debris continues on for several thousand more kilometers."
"Mr. Kim," said Janeway, her voice and expression revealing none of the sense of loss the sight engendered, "does the trail of the three ships take us through this collection of debris?"
"Aye, Captain. Directly."
"In that case, maintain course, Mr. Paris. Drop to impulse when we get within a few hundred kilometers of the first bits of flotsam and jetsam."
"Walk softly," said Chakotay, quite unexpectedly. Janeway knew the rest that Chakotay did not say: For you walk among the dead. She'd heard him utter the respectful words before, when they had come across bodies or a burial site, but she'd never heard her first officer say the words on the bridge, referring to the aftermath of a space battle. Yet it seemed appropriate in the face of such devastation.
To distract herself, Janeway turned her attention to her own console and began to analyze the debris. She raised an eyebrow. This was no recent battle. The wreckage had been turning quietly in space for decades, perhaps centuries.
Something penetrated her muted grief over the dead ships. "Mr. Tuvok, is there any way around this site?"
"Not readily, but yes, if we were to go out of our way."
The nagging voice of warning in her head grew louder. "Why would they come through here if they could go around? They'd have to slow their speed in order to safely maneuver through all this debris."
"The shortest distance is between two points," Chakotay pointed out. "And if they're familiar with the area, they may be willing to risk it. Perhaps they think it might deter pursuit."
Janeway sat upright in her chair, her slim body tense. "They're familiar with the area, all right. I'm willing to bet a year's rations this is a trap. Shields up. All hands, battle stations. Red alert!"
At once the bridge lights dimmed and a scarlet light bathed the area. Janeway stared at the screen, her heart thudding inside her chest with excitement, her body tense and her mind focused.
"Keep us going, Mr. Paris, but be ready for an-"
Before she could utter the word ambush, eight small ships-much smaller, newer, and more lethal than the derelicts that had provided such fine concealment-leaped into action. Blue bursts of energy exploded from the ships, pounding Voyager's shields relentlessly.
"Shields holding," said Tuvok.
"Captain, none of these ships are the ones that were docked at Oasis," said Chakotay. Abruptly the ship rocked from the latest barrage.
"Captain," added Kim, "If these ships weren't on Oasis, then Kes can't be on them. Once we found them, we were able to track them every step of the way. They've encountered no other vessels up till now and there's no evidence that they have transporter technology."
"Besides, anyone who went to all that trouble to get Kes wouldn't put her in the line of fire," added Janeway, nodding an acknowledgment of Kim's words. "Good. Then return fire at will, Tuvok," ordered Janeway. "I was right. They were expecting us and we walked right into it."
"Shields at eighty percent," said Tuvok.
"Tom," barked the captain, "Stay on our original course. No evasive maneuvers."
"Captain?" Normally, Paris didn't question Janeway's commands, especially not in the heat of battle, but she forgave him under the circumstances.
"The longer we're delayed here fighting these ships, the more time the other ships have to get away."
Again the ship rocked. "Casualties coming in," reported Kim. "Decks fourteen and fifteen report damage."
"Keep firing, Tuvok." Scarcely had the words left her lips than one of the ships took a square hit and flew apart before