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“All right, people,” Janeway said, rising, “we have two problems on the table. One, we dropped out of warp without explanation. Initial assessment is there’s something unusual about this area of space. In support of that thesis, we have another vessel that also seems to be having trouble, but with a very different propulsion system. Question: Is there a relationship between this problem and the fact that we did not see the Monorhan vessel until we were right on top of them?” The captain looked around the table, making eye contact with each of the meeting’s participants. “Another question: Could we be responsible for the change to local space? I’m thinking of the subspace rift created in the Hekaras Corridor.”

“But that rift was caused by the old-style warp engines,” Torres said. “With our variable-geometry nacelles, that can’t happen.”

“Don’t rule out any possibilities until we’ve checked all the facts,” the captain said. “Though for what it’s worth, I agree with you. It’s unlikely that we caused the problem, having just arrived, but the Monorhans have to be wondering.”

“Which accounts for why you invited them over here so quickly,” Neelix said. “To reassure them we have nothing to hide.”

The captain nodded once, then continued. “Which brings us to problem number two. Or perhaps I should say project number two: a first-contact situation. The Monorhans will be here soon, and we all need to know everything we can about them as soon as possible. Let’s begin with tactical. Tuvok?”

Having already prepared his comments, Tuvok tapped a key on his padd and brought up the image of the Monorhan vessel. “Scans indicate a level of technology roughly equivalent to late-twenty-first-century Earth technology. They do not possess faster-than-light drive. Given the amount of radiation we are finding, my assessment is they are employing a crude nuclear drive. I have not been able to confirm this with a visual scan, but I believe they are carrying several score atomic bombs. Periodically, they deploy one through this large cone in the stern, detonate it, then ride the explosion’s wave front.” Torres groaned audibly. “A comment, Lieutenant?”

The engineer shook her head slowly. “Not really. Just…how desperate must these people be to do such a thing?”

“We do not know yet, Lieutenant. Perhaps when they arrive, you can ask.”

“What about the containers?” Commander Chakotay asked. “Passengers?”

Tuvok brought up an image of a cluster of the units tethered to the drive unit. “Correct. These are little more than shells. Each unit has several interconnected levels, some for passengers, some for cargo. All are stocked with food, water, atmosphere processors.”

“They can’t be very comfortable,” Ensign Kim observed.

“No,” Tuvok said. “I believe Lieutenant Torres’s observation is correct: They are motivated by desperation.”

“Any theories as to why they’re constructed this way, Tuvok?” the captain asked. “Why a drive unit drawing the containers?”

“Yes,” the Vulcan said. “Analysis indicates the containers are all based on a similar design, but none is precisely identical. Various groups—perhaps the passengers themselves—built the containers, probably in an orbital work yard. Then, as each unit was completed, it was tethered to the drive unit.”

“So whoever could pull together the resources to create a container could go along for the ride?” Chakotay mused. “That’s rather cutthroat.”

“An emotional supposition, Commander. I could suggest other interpretations.”

Chakotay subsided and the captain interjected. “How about weaponry, Tuvok? Can they defend themselves?”

“The drive unit is equipped with several small missile launchers, probably to be used against large asteroids if they should encounter one. Their ship could not steer around such objects should they encounter them.”

“Any guesses about their destination?”

“I have computed a simple course based on their trajectory. Currently, they are pointed at a small main-sequence star with a