Unworthy - Kirsten Beyer [23]
“What in the blazes has your chief engineer done to the deflector array?” the admiral asked gruffly, without looking up.
Eden bit back the first five replies that came to mind and settled for, “The precise calculations necessary to compensate for the phase variances required a few minor alterations. I can assure you, it’s still within regulations. ”
“And you approved this, Captain?”
Tension knotted the tops of Eden’s shoulders as she straightened a little and replied, “I did,” with just enough residual tone to dare him to second-guess her. She couldn’t resist adding, “I thought it might be nice, since our mission is to explore the Delta quadrant, if we actually all arrived there together and in one piece.”
Batiste let her sarcasm slide, asking, “When are we going to depart?”
“Tom tells me we should be under way in the next few hours. It’s important we get this right, so I’m willing to give engineering all the time they need.”
“Tom?” Batiste echoed with a hint of disdain.
“I’ll call my senior officers what I like, Admiral,” Eden countered. “I find a more congenial manner instills both trust and respect.”
“They’re not your friends, Afsarah,” Batiste reminded her.
“Neither are you, Admiral.”
Eden wished she could have taken those last words back but was spared further self-recrimination by a chirp from her combadge.
“Ops to the Captain.”
“Go ahead, Ensign Lasren,” Eden replied.
“We’ve been hailed by a civilian vessel, the Alpha Flyer , Captain. They are requesting permission to come aboard and meet with you .”
“Who are they?”
“The request was made by Seven of Nine.”
Eden’s heart actually paused for a moment at this news. She had offered Seven a position with the fleet weeks ago and been rather perfunctorily dismissed. It seemed too much to hope that she had changed her mind, but if there was even a chance, Eden would be more than happy to hear her out.
“Allow the ship to dock, and escort Seven to the conference room,” Eden replied as she turned back toward the door. Before she reached it she was conscious of Batiste’s presence at her heels.
“I’m sure this is nothing you need to trouble yourself with, Admiral,” she said pointedly.
“I’m as curious as you are, Captain,” he said, smirking.
Repressing a sigh, Eden made her way across the length of her bridge to the opposite set of conference room doors.
She and Batiste endured only a few moments of silence before the doors slid open. Seven’s regal figure entered, followed by the last person in the universe Eden ever expected to see aboard her ship: Voyager’s former commanding officer, Captain Chakotay, wearing a casual pair of slacks, a tunic, and a jacket.
“Hello, Seven,” Eden said, crossing to extend her hand to hers, which Seven accepted. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Seven replied.
Turning to Chakotay, Eden extended her hand to him and said, “You’re out of uniform, Captain.”
Chakotay smiled with a hint of self-deprecation as he replied, “It’s just ‘Chakotay,’ Captain Eden. I resigned my commission several weeks ago.”
The admiral was standing a few paces behind Eden as she took in this startling news. Finally Eden relieved Chakotay’s discomfort by adding, “I don’t know if either of you have met the admiral of the fleet, Willem Batiste.”
As they exchanged polite greetings, Seven said a little harshly, “The admiral and I have met.”
She likes him less than I do, Eden realized.
The captain motioned for them to take a seat as she and Batiste situated themselves across the table.
“To what do I owe this unexpected honor?” Eden asked as they were settling themselves.
Without betraying a hint of enthusiasm, Seven said, “You had indicated that my presence would be beneficial to the fleet. I have come to offer my service.”
Eden felt her face breaking into a smile until Willem broke in to ask, “Why?”
“Admiral?” Seven said, inclining her head ever so slightly in his direction.
“You refused Captain Eden’s offer the first time it was extended,” Batiste replied. “I want to know why you’ve changed your mind.”
Something defiant