The Garden - Melissa Scott [106]
Janeway frowned, and saw Tuvok shift in his chair. "Yes, Tuvok?"
The Vulcan's brows drew together-not a frown, Janeway knew, but an expression denoting distrust of the accuracy of his information. "When we were in the Kirse's control room, Adamant made a statement that may be relevant. When faced with an Andirrim attack on the citadel, Lieutenant Torres told him he needed to reinforce a section of the wall, and he replied that he was unable to do so, as he was at his limit."
"His limit," Janeway repeated. A number of possibilities were begin to take shape in her mind, everything from the Kirse as some sort of shapeshifting species-and wasn't the Security Chief of Deep Space Nine from the Gamma Quadrant?-to some kind of linked being, a single mind in many bodies.
"That's right," Torres exclaimed. "Are they some kind of clone? And is that what the machines are for, to make up for the copy errors?"
On the viewscreen, the doctor shrugged. "I've gone
as far as I can, unless you want to authorize an autopsy."
"Not yet," Janeway said, absently, her mind still on the problem.
"Though I doubt they could be literal copies," Torres said, sounding abruptly deflated. "Not given their transporter technology. They haven't been able to get beyond the molecular level on their own."
"Captain," Chakotay said. "We've gotten enough food on board to take us out of this barren patch. And the Kirse have the information we agreed to give them. I think we should take what we have, and get out of here."
Janeway frowned. "On what grounds?"
"First, the Kirse are clearly more than they seem." Chakotay counted the points on his fingers. "Second, they've deliberately concealed that fact for as long as possible. Third, even though we helped drive off the Andirrim, the fact remains that their defense systems are extensive and could be very dangerous to the ship." He paused then, and shook his head with a rueful smile. "Frankly, Captain, I don't fully trust them. They're keeping too many secrets."
"They aren't-haven't been hostile," Paris began, and subsided as Kim touched his shoulder in warning.
Janeway smiled back at Chakotay, acknowledging his concern, but shook her head. "Keeping secrets, yes. But, as Mr. Paris said, they haven't been hostile after we passed their test. And while we can probably make it to the next M-class planet, I for one would feel much better with more food on board." She pushed herself back from the chair. "And I think the best way to resolve these mysteries is to ask them."
"Captain," Tuvok began, and Chakotay spoke over him.
"Captain, I don't think we should antagonize them. Those shuttles could pose a real danger to Voyager- "
"We've seen no sign of hostility," Janeway said again. "They may not even realize that we don't have a complete picture of their society-or their biology, whichever it turns out to be. And we still need food badly enough to take one more risk. I'm beaming down. I want to meet them face-to-face."
"Captain." That was Paris, rising to match her. "I-please take me with you."
"You, Mr. Paris?" Janeway paused at the door. She could feel Chakotay's disapproval like heat, could see it matched in Torres's scowl, and bit down on her anger. She was Voyager's captain, it was her decision; her responsibility and possibly her death, too, if she was wrong, and she shoved that knowledge aside. "Why?"
"I like-liked Grayrose," the young man said, simply. "I know there's something weird about these people, but I liked her. And I want to be the one who brings her body back."
Janeway looked at him for a moment longer, unexpectedly touched by his words, and nodded. "Very well, Mr. Paris. You can come. Mr. Chakotay, until I return, keep the ship at yellow alert. We'll check in every half hour. If we miss a check, get Voyager out of here."
Chakotay looked as though he would protest further, but Janeway lifted an eyebrow, and he sighed. "Aye, Captain."
His tone made it clear that he wasn't happy at all, but Janeway ignored it. "All