Marooned - Christie Golden [54]
B'Elanna glared at him as she took the plant. "And yours, B-B-" Poor Grrua floundered helplessly over the name that clearly sat awkwardly on a Sshoush-shin tongue. "Torrres," she managed at last.
The chief engineer extended her right hand. Sitting in her palm was an animal that seemed to be a cross between a squirrel and a bat. Its overly large eyes and tiny features gave it a rather cute appearance, but after the plant, Janeway suspected the worst of the amiable looking creature.
She wasn't disappointed. "That is a kakkik. They will not prey upon you directly, but they will attack your thoughts-make you mad and make you do things you would not do."
"A psychic predator," said Tuvok. "Fascinating."
"Janeway, please show us your carving."
Janeway obliged, holding up the bulky, ugly humanoid. "That," said Grrua in a solemn voice, "is one of the Xians. They are takers-of-lives. It is part of their culture. They feel their race grows strong, the more blood they spill. It was their arrival that forced the guards at New Hann to strengthen their security. They introduced fear where once there was only cooperation. Be very, very careful of them. Hrrrl will do his best to steer a path that is clear of their settlements, but sometimes there are raiding parties. They are the most dangerous of any I have yet mentioned, for they are intelligent. The others, they are simple animals and plants, they cannot help what they do. But the Xians ..." She gnashed her sharp teeth in loathing.
Janeway couldn't help but wonder how much truth there was to Grrua's statement. She certainly seemed to believe what she was telling the Voyager crew. But Janeway thought back to some of her history books, about how it was once thought the native people of Africa were irredeemable savages, fit only for slavery. How the Horta of Janus VI, so benevolent and intelligent, were called "devils in the dark" and killed on sight. Dreadfully, almost wickedly wrong misunderstandings that led to centuries of oppression and countless unnecessary deaths. Perhaps the Xians were so misunderstood by the Sshoush-shin.
It was not her place to intervene, however. This was no diplomatic mission, it was a fight for their very survival. She passed along the small statuette, taking one last, searching look at its vicious face before handing it to Tuvok.
"Bokk," continued Grrua. "Please show your carving."
Neelix hadn't wanted to steal food from the Sshoush-shin, but it couldn't be helped. Someone had to free Kes, and Janeway wasn't going to do it. At least, not in a timely manner, and Neelix was certain in his heart of hearts that every minute counted. It wasn't as if he'd disobeyed orders, yet still, he felt guilty. As he trudged, his feet stirring up powdery gray dust with each footfall, he fished in his packalso "borrowed" from the Sshoush-shin-for a strip of dried meat he had snatched from the supply area. He sighed and began to gnaw dispiritedly on the filched fare.
Fortunately, the broken dome-New Hann, as his furry hosts had called it-was so enormous, it could be seen from even this distance.
And what distance is that, Neelix? a small, unwelcome voice inside him nagged. Don't know, do you?
Just head on off, that's it, with no real supplies and stolen food "Oh, shush," he said aloud, admonishing his conscience.
And Captain Janeway, and Paris, and Mr. Vulcan. Don't you think they'll be worried about you?
Neelix began to hum loudly, a traveler's tune about pleasure planets, fine food and drink, and other material delights. It cheered him somewhat, and distracted him from the fact that his legs were already, after only a few hours, starting to tire. He was not built for long hikes, and this one was going to be long indeed. His single lung labored to extract oxygen from the thin air, making the humming rather fitful.
The food sat sullenly in his belly, and he wished