String Theory_ Cohesion (Book 1) - Jeffrey Lang [12]
The Monorhan released a sharp clack. Then, recovering himself, Ziv said, “Did I understand you correctly? You think your Folding her arms over her chest confidently, Janeway said, “We can. Our engines are quite powerful.” “Forgive me, Captain, but I find this difficult to accept.” Janeway glanced at Tuvok, who (as she knew he would) accurately interpreted her look and nodded. Yes, his look said. They may come aboard. “Perhaps you would feel better if you sent someone over to study our engines, review schematics. If nothing else, we would enjoy the opportunity to meet you. There are few things we find so satisfying as an opportunity to make contact with new races, and you may have important information to help us resolve our mutual problem.” Ziv turned and looked at various points around him, thrumming and clicking, then listening to responses from several points around his bridge. As he talked, the translator labored to make sense of the sounds, but was unable to provide any meaning. Finally, straightening his neck, Ziv said in what Janeway took to be a formal tone, “My hara and I would be pleased to visit your impressive vessel.” Janeway waited for a moment to see if the translator would provide a synonym for “hara,” but when none was forthcoming, she asked, “And how many would a…a hara be, Captain?” Trying to be helpful, Janeway held up her hand then moved her fingers to indicate a question: Two? Three? Four? Ziv studied the gesture, then held up his own large hand, four thick fingers and a thumb spread wide. The captain noted that each digit ended in a thick claw that had been carefully filed down to the tip of the finger and that Ziv’s wide palm was covered in a ragged, not entirely sterile-looking bandage. “That would be fine, Captain. A hara it is. Do you require transportation? We could send a shuttle or…” She glanced at Tuvok. Checking the status board, Tuvok shook his head. Transporters were not up. Again. She would need to speak to B’Elanna about that…or, better still, have Chakotay speak to her. Janeway knew herself well enough to know that if she went down to the engine room now, she might not emerge for several hours. Her energies would be better spent working with Seven and Harry on the nature of local space. “We have a craft, Captain,” Ziv said. “It is small enough to fit inside your launch bay, assuming the large volume of space we detect inside the aft portion of your ship is what it appears to be.” When Janeway confirmed that it was, the alien continued, “We would require only that you broadcast a beacon for us to home in on.” He tapped a control on the panel in front of him. “On this frequency.” “Received, Captain,” Tuvok said. “Transmitting the beacon.” From his tone, Janeway could tell that Tuvok approved of the arrangement. The Monorhans would be more comfortable knowing that their craft was available, and having their small craft inside Voyager would give security an opportunity to study their technology more carefully. “Then, Captain Ziv, I believe we should continue this conversation face-to-face when you’re aboard. Janeway out.” The Monorhan nodded, and the viewscreen once again showed the mammoth vessel. Speculative chatter filled the bridge; Janeway let it build for several beats, then cut it off with a chopping motion. “Senior staff meeting in ten minutes. We don’t have much time before the Monorhans arrive, and I’d like some answers before they do.” Senior staff—Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, Seven of Nine, Ensign Kim, Chief Engineer Torres, Neelix, and the Doctor—all assembled promptly, much to Tuvok’s satisfaction. Only Tom Paris was absent, though the Doctor explained before the meeting began that his wound had been repaired and he would be allowed to leave sickbay after a brief period of observation. However, since their current dilemma did not involve