String Theory_ Fusion (Book 2) - Kirsten Beyer [121]
Assylia accepted this all too willingly for Janeway’s liking.
“I understand, Captain,” she replied evenly. “Where is your Lieutenant Tuvok?” she asked.
Janeway gestured toward the biobed where Tuvok lay motionless.
“How am I to speak with him?” she asked.
Vorik stepped forward to offer, “I will initiate another meld. You may communicate through me.”
“That will not be necessary,” Tuvok said.
Everyone in the room turned in disbelief at the sound of Tuvok’s voice.
With slow, deliberate movements, Tuvok rose unassisted from the biobed and stood to address them. The creature that engulfed him did not hinder his movement, or the clarity with which he spoke. Indeed, it seemed that it had intentionally wound its way over his body in order to facilitate such movement, disengaging itself from Tuvok’s head and neck. Tuvok stood before them now, wearing a vibrant suit of pulsating light.
“You are Assylia,” he began.
“I am,” she replied.
“I have a message for you… from your people.”
“My people died fifty years ago, just as you are about to die,” she said in a cold, measured voice.
“No,” Tuvok contradicted her. “They did not. Your entire crew… all of them… are still alive and well within Gremadia.”
The creature that glided delicately toward the awestruck Chakotay, Neelix, and Seven was in every way the polar opposite of the first multiphasic life-form that Chakotay had encountered aboard the array.
Its face was familiar. But only now could Chakotay see that the soft rounded eyes set above the extended jaw were definitely Monorhan. From the uppermost section of the torso, several pairs of delicate wings guided its serene movement. Only one set of arms was visible, extending from the lower portion of the creature’s body, and folded with the palms of the hands together, reminiscent of meditation or prayer.
It made no sudden movements, halting its progress when it had come within a few meters of Chakotay and his team.
“Commander,” Neelix asked nervously.
“Hold your fire,” Chakotay said softly. His thoughts and feelings flew in the face of all logic, but nonetheless, he could not sense a shred of hostility emanating from the creature.
With one hand, Seven of Nine pulled out her tricorder and scanned the area.
“Commander,” she said, “I am detecting thousands of multiphasic life-forms approaching our area.”
Chakotay had a theory. The creature’s face and demeanor had locked into place a piece of the vast puzzle he had been trying to solve, and all he needed now was a way to test it.
Stepping in front of Seven and Neelix, Chakotay walked a few paces closer to the creature. It betrayed no sense of alarm at his approach.
“We mean you no harm,” he said. “But we must enter this chamber.”
He could have sworn that joy, mixed with unutterable longing, radiated from the creature’s eyes.
“Will you allow us to pass unharmed?” he asked.
In response, the creature retreated, leaving an unobstructed path between the away team and the door of the chamber, which still hung slightly ajar after his last forced exit.
“Thank you,” Chakotay said, and gestured for Seven and Neelix to follow, adding, “Lower your weapons.”
“But Commander,” the terrified Neelix persisted.
“That’s an order, Neelix.”
With Chakotay in the lead, all three passed unhindered by the creature and crossed the threshold of the vast chamber where the tattered sphere hung suspended in midair. They stopped almost as soon as they entered and their eyes confirmed the tricorder readings Seven had detected moments before. The entire chamber was filled with the creatures. The fragile light that emanated from their bodies bathed the vast chamber in an eerie silver glow. Through its dimness they could make out that a clear path to the base of the