Pathways - Jeri Taylor [234]
“I believe in establishing a self-reliant crew, one that doesn’t need the captain looking over their shoulders all the time. Surely my time is better spent elsewhere.”
Tuvok couldn’t conceal a deep breath that might have been termed a sigh. They’d been at this long enough for him to know she wouldn’t yield.
“Very well, Captain. I will once again review the weapons systems. My report will be in your console within the hour.”
“Thank you, Tuvok. I’m so glad you understand.”
He didn’t deign to respond.
On that morning, however, Tuvok would not complete the weapons review, for Captain Janeway indulged another of her habits: becoming so excited about a possible scientific discovery that she put herself in mortal danger.
They were within scanning distance of a main-sequence star system consisting of seven planets, one of which intrigued the captain because it was an M-class sphere that closely resembled Earth, albeit at a much earlier stage of its evolutionary history.
“Remarkable,” said the captain as she read the sensors. “It looks like Earth might have in the Mesozoic Era—one hundred and fifty million years ago. This planet might give us some insights into our own history. We’ve got to go down there.”
“Captain, I point out that this is a highly treacherous environment. There are violent storms, volcanic activity, seismic temblors. I suggest that sensors and automated probes can perform any tasks of exploration that you might require.”
But her face was shining, eyes alight with curiosity and determination. “How can I not see what it looks like? This is a chance to travel back in time, to see what our own planet might have been like millions of years ago. No, Tuvok, I’m not going to miss an opportunity like this.”
“Then I will accompany you. As will a full security detail.”
“And I’ll want a full scientific detail, as well. We’ll make a regular party of it. This is so exciting, Tuvok!”
“Yes, Captain.” Tuvok’s mind was already organizing the security detail, anticipating the possible problems involved in this foolish quest. What kind of captain was this to be so guided by whim and caprice? To abandon her scheduled mission on an impulse, undoubtedly endangering not only herself but the other members of the away team as well. A party, indeed. He renewed his resolve to request a different posting at the earliest possible moment. Perhaps he would even send a transmission to Starfleet Headquarters from the ship.
An hour later they transported to an alien surface that was as unusual as any Tuvok had ever seen. Distant volcanoes belched smoke into the hot air of a landscape dotted with odd-looking vegetation. Huge tree ferns, some fifteen meters tall, bowed and swayed with frenzied energy in the smoky winds.
Captain Janeway began running back and forth like an unruly schoolchild, tricorder scanning here, there—Tuvok was sure it was quite impossible to get accurate readings with such a scattergun approach. This mad folly wouldn’t even lead to valid scientific data.
The away team stood atop a precipice overlooking the vast landscape. Behind them stretched an expanse of land upon which danced the tree ferns; below them lay a huge body of water, boiling, throwing up huge gusts of steam. A hot wind lashed them, carrying off their words as they shouted to each other. It occurred to Tuvok that this world was as frantic and disordered as humans were themselves.
Particularly Captain Janeway, who was now shouting orders to the science team, which then moved off in different directions, wielding their tricorders like wands. Tuvok himself kept a wary eye on the sky, which contained a number of reptilian birds, swooping and diving, apparently not yet having noticed the new intruders. But he was sure they soon would. He put his hand on his phaser, and nodded for his security team to accompany the wandering scientists.
He intended to stay close to the captain, whose youthful jubilation could well hamper her judgment and cause her to place herself in even greater danger than they were in simply