Spirit Walk_ Old Wounds (Book 1) - Christie Golden [73]
The avian humanoid turned toward her. His species was covered in soft, small, downy feathers, much the way that humans were covered with hair that was much finer than that of the apes from which they had evolved. Otherwise, he looked completely human.
“I was invited to play at the reception for the ambassadors when your world was accepted into the Federation,” she said. “Unfortunately, I had a commitment elsewhere. I’m so sorry I couldn’t attend.”
Skhaa’s lips parted in a smile. “The Vulcans very kindly took care of the musical performance, Miss Webber. I enjoy the Vulcan lyre, but I’m sure your presence would have been much…livelier.”
Libby laughed at the little joke, bowing her head slightly to Sular to let him know she respected him and his people even as she indulged in a little teasing. “I love the Vulcan lyre,” she said, “but I do think it sounds the sweetest when Vulcans play it. Were you at that concert, Captain?”
“Indeed I was.” He launched into a recitation of the musical numbers performed, but Libby listened with only half an ear.
That night was one of the dates on which someone had accessed Voyager’s logs.
That someone was allegedly Captain Skhaa.
But how could he have done so from a concert hall?
“Come in,” Chakotay said when when Sekaya stepped into his ready room.
“What’s this about?” she asked, walking over to where he sat. Wordlessly, Chakotay showed her the screen. When she saw the familiar symbol of their people, she uttered a small cry.
“Great Spirit, how can this be?” she whispered, gripping her brother’s shoulder.
Ellis had found the chamozi inscribed on a large, flat stone only a few yards from the deserted buildings that made up the central part of the colony. The localized rainstorms had not passed over the area to wash away the chalk blessing.
It was all starting to add up. Now Chakotay remembered where Voyager had previously encountered a similar, specific “storm system.” It had been on the planet where Chakotay had met with the Sky Spirits, the aliens who had given his people a genetic “inheritance” forty-five thousand years ago. In that situation, the storms had cropped up every time and in every place where Voyager had tried to transport or to land a shuttle. Here, the storm had centered directly over the colony. It was a small difference, but it had been enough to throw Chakotay off track.
“I don’t understand it, sir,” came Ellis’s voice. “This symbol was drawn in chalk. It couldn’t have been here for more than a few days. Yet there are no signs of humanoids present on the planet, nor do we have any reason to think there are any nonhumanoid species sufficiently developed to have produced this.”
“You won’t detect anything if the Sky Spirits are down there,” said Chakotay to his first officer. “They won’t want you to.”
There was a pause. “I beg your pardon, Captain?”
Chakotay and Sekaya exchanged smiles. “It’s a long story, Ellis. Sekaya and I are going to take a shuttle down to look at this for ourselves.”
Sekaya beamed happily.
“Your sister? With all due respect, Captain, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. We have not completed the security sweep of the area yet, and I wouldn’t want a civilian exposed to—”
“I’m pulling rank on this one, Ellis.”
Again there came a silence, this one stiff and uncomfortable. At last, Ellis resumed.
“Of course, sir. Will you be authorizing the transport of the colonists as well, then?”
“Negative. I’ve got a lot of questions that need answering before I’m ready for that. We’re heading for the shuttlebay now. Send the coordinates to Campbell and we’ll meet you there soon.” To his sister, he said, “You know what our father would do right now, don’t you?”
When Chakotay had returned to Dorvan V to visit his family, he had informed Sekaya about his meeting with the Sky Spirits. She had been thrilled by the story of the encounter, and they had both expressed regret that their father had not been alive to hear of it. Now she smiled back at