Mosaic - Jeri Taylor [84]
And attached to its back were huge, plumed wings, which beat slowly, magnificently, stirring the air and cooling Harry's fevered skin.
Tuvok's entire team had reassembled, and he was leading them through the maze of corridors, away from the main staging area where they had first descended into the underground structure. Neelix' sense of unease was grow- ing by the minute; they had found no sign of Kes or Harry, who were not responding to hails. The impact of weapons fire from above continued to jar them, and a fine dust had been loosened from walls and ceiling, smoking the air and coating therri all in an irritating mist of particulates. Neelix trotted alongside the tall Vulcan as he strode purposefully down the labyrinth, scanning carefully and mapping their route as they went. "Mr. Vulcan... isn't it true that the deeper we go, the more likely they'll be to trap us in the bowels of this maze?"
"We may be able to locate another way out. Ensign Kim reported finding a stairway. It is my intention to track his movements and locate that stairway."
Neelix' heart quickened-they were going to find Harry and Kes. But immediately some of the ramifications came flooding in on him. ""Even if xc find them, it doesn't mean they've found a way out of here. The Kazon could just wait us out. We have only a little food and water."
"We will have to face each eventuality as it presents itself. For now, this is the tactical strategy I have decided upon." Tuvok kept striding purposefully forward, checking his tricorder as he went. Neelix settled into a a steady trot at his side, somewhat comforted by the Vulcan's calm demeanor. But his anxiety over Kes didn't abate. Her absence and her silence concerned him. Who knew what might lurk in the dark halls of this subterranean grotto? What unanticipated dangers might Kes and Harry have encountered? Neelix knew he wouldn't relax until he could see her sweet face again and hear her low, husky voice. And then all their lights went out.
A murmured gasp arose from the group as they were plunged into total blackness. There was the sound of twenty wrist beacons clicking as the crew tried to get them started again, but to no avail. Muffled explosions continued to rumble in the distance; the air was thick with grit; they were trapped in the dark. Neelix felt certain they were on the cusp of some monumental event, an occurrence of dire and overwhelming portent.
Jai Sittik picked at a hangnail which had turned bloody, trying to contain his anxiety. In spite of constant bombardment, the Federations had not appeared, and the men were beginning to cast irritated glances in his direction. He had struck a nonchalant pose and busied himself with his thumbnail, as though the outcome of the mission were so assured that he needn't give it another thought, and could concentrate instead on the nagging shard of nail.
But each time his eyes flicked upward, he saw more of the men looking at him, doubt and aggravation etched on their faces. He decided to abandon the hangnail and began walking confidently toward them. So far, the day was most definitely not turning out as he'd planned. As the system's star had risen higher, the heat became more intense, and a cloud of insects had descended on them, buzzing annoyingly and inflicting nasty little bites on any patch of uncovered skin. The bites didn't hurt at first, but gradually turned into red blebs that burned like hot needles. No one's mood was helped by this. It was a time when a good leader reflected certitude and courage, so that his troops would persevere. Sittik clapped one man soundly on the shoulder. "Tonight we'll feast together, my brother. I will pour hock ale for each of you, and carve the roast naggath myself." He smiled at the man, but was disconcerted to receive only a surly