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“Who is this?” said the Soothing Voice, no longer sounding quite so calm. “Did you say you were from the Voyager?”

“Yes,” B’Elanna said. “Perhaps I can talk to someone. I think Sergeant Arul is busy now. He’s, yes, he’s guarding my ship for me.” B’Elanna punched a control that kept the rear hatch open in case Arul changed his mind and wanted to come back on board. She had no desire to make his life difficult just because he was trying to follow orders.

“Please hold,” said the now-harried Soothing Voice. “I’m connecting you with the office of the…” B’Elanna never heard the name of the office, so quickly was the connection made.

A new voice, one with a much calmer, mature persona behind it, said, “Lieutenant Torres, this is Shalla Kiiy. I’m delighted to hear from you. We were concerned when you did not visit us last night.”

Visit? B’Elanna wondered. Like it was a social call? “We experienced technical difficulties, Shalla Kiiy, and then there was an accident. I’m all right, but my companion needs medical attention.”

“Then you should come to the city immediately,” the shalla interrupted. “While I doubt we have all the resources of your vessel, we could treat your friend while you begin…”

“We won’t be coming to the city, Shalla,” B’Elanna said. “We have to get back to Voyager.”

“This is problematic,” the shalla said, and B’Elanna instantly understood that what she meant was “We aren’t happy about this. Events are not unfolding as we expected.” B’Elanna sensed that a threat was about to materialize. “We had hoped,” the shalla continued, “to collaborate with you on resolving the current difficulties.”

“I understand,” B’Elanna said, and heard the strain of diplomacy sharpening her tone. “We could return after our medical problem is resolved.”

“As I said, I’m sure we can help you with any medical problem you might have.” B’Elanna knew this meant, “You are about to have a much bigger medical problem if you don’t cooperate.”

The shuttle’s hull would hold up to any moderate small arm’s fire, but if they had some kind of projectile weapon—a cannon or a guided-missile system—she knew she was in trouble. Dammit! How was she supposed to reason with…“If you do not permit this vessel to leave unmolested, Voyager will open fire on the source of your transmission.” B’Elanna heard the words come out of her mouth, but didn’t recognize her own voice.

Shalla Kiiy, apparently, did. A moment of silence was followed by a stammer, then, “You cannot be serious.”

“I am completely serious,” B’Elanna said.

“But we would retaliate,” the shalla said. “You would be killed.”

“The loss of one or two would be preferable to impeaching the integrity of the whole.”

The shalla was silent for so long that B’Elanna began to wonder if she had cut off their connection, but finally she spoke. “You claimed to be here to aid us with your advanced technology, yet now you threaten us with the same.”

“Only when provoked,” Seven said through B’Elanna. “Please inform your guards that we are leaving now. If they stand ten meters away, they should not suffer any effects from our drive.” Her hands punched out the sequence for a fast engine start and felt the impulse engines hum into life.

Behind her, B’Elanna heard a sound from the hatch-way. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Kaytok, who looked confused, his long neck stretched out to its fullest length. “We’re leaving,” she said, and heard her own voice again. When she pointed at a seat behind her, the Monorhan slid into it with a grateful sigh.

Can I take control of your voice that way? B’Elanna thought.

You may be able to, came the reply. Have you tried?

No. Maybe I just respect other people’s privacy more than you do.

And maybe you are just afraid.

Chapter 17

“Trilithium is a banned substance,” Chakotay said, still struggling with his shock. “It collapses stars.”

“It collapses living stars,” Kathryn responded. “This is a white dwarf. It’s already collapsed about as far into itself as is possible,