Seven of Nine - Christie Golden [68]
"Go," was all she said, in a voice as harsh as if she had been weeping all her life.
"It is clear to me that the Lhiaarian Empire boasts worlds of integrity and strength, and that the Lhiaarian people understand wisdom," said Janeway. The lora looked pleased. Emperor Beytek, clad in garish scarlet-and-gold robes, was nodding his head. His eyesacs were orange-a sign of great pleasure.
Janeway wondered just what color they would turn at her next words.
No going back now.
"But sometimes the wisdom of a people does not manifest itself in their leaders."
Beytek's eyes narrowed. His black tongue flickered out and he gestured to one of the guards standing erect against the wall. The guard pressed a button and a hidden door slid open.
Standing in the doorway, mandibles clicking and antennae waving, were three Ku.
Janeway's mouth suddenly went dry and the words died in her throat.
She stared at the Ku, then at Beytek. He'd known. He'd known all along.
"Is this how you handle those who would speak the truth?" she managed, anger welling up to chase away the fear.
"It is how I handle liars," said Beytek mildly. "I am only sorry you didn't bring Tamaak Vrs down with you. But then again, I would so hate depriving my loyal allies the Ku of their pleasure. Your vessel will not stand, Captain. The Ku will board it, and claim you and the Skedans."
"You were expected, Captain Janeway," said Xanarit. "We knew that you carried the Skedans, that you knew the truth. Or did you? What did they tell you?"
"They told me that the Borg attacked their planet," said Janeway, anger fueling her words. She warmed to her task, spitting the words out, needing to say them even if they fell on deaf ears, needing to be the voice that spoke truth until it was silenced by her own death. Out of the corner of her eye, Janeway saw Tuvok and Neelix straighten and steel themselves for a fight-a fight that would probably end in their deaths. She was terribly proud of them.
"That Beytek promised to send reinforcements and didn't, that he let millions of innocent people die rather than attack the Borg and reveal the power of the Empire. The Skedans were assimilated and murdered, and the few who were left were branded 'infected' Even after his betrayal of his own people, good and loyal citizens of the Empire, Beytek would not lift a single claw to help them."
Beytek shrugged. "Unfortunate. But what else was I to do, Captain?
Some must die so that others might live. I couldn't have the Borg turning their attention to Lhiaari. And any Skedans who survived would have told what had happened. That would be very bad publicity for me and my Empire, wouldn't it?"
"Dreadful publicity," said Xanarit. "Public opinion would topple the Emperor from his seat."
"Indeed it would," agreed Beytek.
"Indeed it will," replied Xanarit. "Janeway! Go!"
In a whirlwind of motion, the guards who had had their weapons trained on Janeway, Tuvok, and Neelix suddenly thrust weapons into their hands.
A panel slid open behind their backs. Janeway snapped out of her instant of shock and began firing at the approaching Ku. The weapons didn't seem to cause injury, but the smash of energy into their chitinous bodies did slow them, allowing Janeway and her crew precious time to clamber up the dark stairs.
The Ku were right behind them. She could hear their angry chittering, hear Tuvok and Neelix firing as they went. She slammed her head against a panel at the top of the steps and, clutching the alien weapon on one hand, fumbled to open the door with the other.
Light assaulted her eyes. She blinked and climbed out. The roaring nearly deafened her and she realized that they had emerged directly onto the central stage area. She stared, shocked, at the image of her own face on the huge viewscreen.
The Ku followed them, but the guards followed the Ku. There was a brief skirmish, then the Ku were trapped on all sides by Imperial guards. Beytek was the next to emerge from