Marooned - Christie Golden [89]
Her enigmatic smile grew. She pointed to the screen. There, Dhad sawblip that he didn't recognize.
"I already have," said Kes.
He looked Jown at her with amazement. "What are you?" he whispered. "You have broken him! Aren Yashar has ruled this sector for centuries, and none have opposed him. He has been with hundreds of women, some of them more beautiful even than you, and yet-" Realization broke upon him. "He loves you, Kes. I have never seen it in him before, but-he loves you!"
Kes swallowed, but did not lower her gaze. "I know," she replied.
"Do you-did you love him?" Somehow, this was very important to Dhad.
"I could have," said Kes. Now she did avert her eyes, gazing at something Dhad could not see. "I could have."
"The walls are tumbling about us, Kes," said Dhad. "Take care that they do not crush you."
He turned and hurried away, more unsettled than he had ever been, and raced for the comfort of his familiar little ship.
Better to be a fugitive with a vengeful Aren on his heels than to stay a minute more with Kes. Far, far better.
"MR. Kim, TARGET THEIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS. I WANT their shields rendered inoperable," ordered Chakotay. Kim, he knew, had access to the complete layout of the pirate vessel. From his post Kim could fire where it would do the most damage with the least loss of life. Angry as he was at Aren Yashar, Chakotay had no desire to take more lives than was absolutely necessary.
The sentinel ship fired. It was a direct hit. Aren's vessel spiraled out of control, finally slowing and coming to a stop.
"Shields are completely inoperable!" shouted Henley, barely able to control her excitement.
"Security, send up some people now. Transporter room, lock onto the entire bridge crew of the lead enemy vessel. On my command, beam them directly to the bridge." A few seconds later, five security guards, phasers at the ready, emerged from the just repaired turbolift.
"Now, transporter room!" ordered Chakotay. There came the familiar hum and shimmer, and Aren Yashar, four other Ja'in, and Tom Paris materialized on the bridge. Aren went for a weapon, but one of the guards stepped in quickly and placed a phaser to the pirate's throat. Aren opened his hands in a placating gesture.
He looked over at Chakotay. "You tricked me, Commander," he said coolly. "Well done."
"You've lost, Yashar," and Chakotay's voice was as cool as the pirate commander's. "You might as well cooperate. Your fleet is scattered, your people fleeing, and I've got you right where I've wanted to get you since the moment we entered orbit about this planet."
He stepped closer, pushed his face to within inches of Yashar's. "Instruct your people to deactivate the ion storm and the deflector shield."
Aren's smile widened. "No."
"We may not be killers like you," growled Chakotay, "but for someone who lives as long as you do, I'd think that spending the rest of your life in a brig would be intolerable."
"Captain," interrupted Henley. "Someone from the pirate base is hailing us."
"On screen," said Chakotay. He wasn't sure what he expected-a surrender, or an exchange of hostages.
He did not expect to see Kathryn Janeway's bruised, bloody but ultimately triumphant face. "I see you've got our bad boy," said Janeway.
"Captain," said Chakotay, "It's good to see you."
He had never meant any words more than he meant these.
"The feeling's mutual. What's your status, Commander?"
"As you see, we've got Aren Yashar and his bridge crew, and those pirate vessels that are not severely disabled have fled."
"Captain," and Kes's voice floated to Chakotay from somewhere off screen, "I think I've got it."
"Excellent. Chakotay, we're going to deactivate the storm and the field from here. We've got injured to beam out. Stand by."
Chakotay couldn't help giving Aren Yashar a good imitation of one of the pirate's own smug smiles.
"How's Mr. Paris?" asked Janeway as the doctor scanned her