The Escape by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch Page A
Authors: Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
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prefer the dust." He found his coat in his case and put it on, then snuggled a cap down over his head and put on a pair of goggles to protect his eyes from the flying sand. With a quick glance around at all the broken-down old time shuttles, he started off at a steady pace toward the site where the PlanetHoppers had touched down.
Janeway sat behind her desk in the ready room, her personal computer screen displaying the ship that had taken her away team from her. She had retired in here to study her options, review the situation, and to think about all that Kjanders had told them.
Like Chakotay, she didn't trust Kjanders. But he seemed to be telling the truth about the Alcawellian society. Tbvok and Chakotay had hit on the main problem, though. Kjanders seemed very unconcerned about his own possible death sentence.
She had confined him to quarters until she learned more. tilde She leaned back in her chair. Her ready room failed to soothe her. The view out the long windows included glimpses of comAlcawell, and even though she couldn't see the hundreds of thousands of shuttles on the surface, she could picture them, lined up in their perfect rows. Sometimes she felt completely at sea in this part of the galaxy.
Relying on Neelix only proved fifty percent effective. He got them help some of the time, and into trouble all the rest.
She only hoped he would be able to get them into trouble again because that would mean he was back on board.
She hadn't had time to check on Kes. The slight, pretty Ocampa had proven herself invaluable. Janeway knew that she would be having trouble, knowing that Neelix was a long way in the past.
Then Tuvok hailed her from the bridge.
"Captain," he said. "I have a-was His transmission stopped, but the link remained open.
Curious. "What is it, Mr. Tuvok?" Janeway asked. She half rose from her seat, ready to goeaffthe bridge.
"Forgive me, Captain," he said.
"For a second MY sensors registered a life-form on the planet's surface.
Humanoid, about ten kilometers from the place the away team disappeared. Then it vanished without a trace." "Is there a problem with the sensors, Mr.
Tuvok?" "I don't think so, Captain. It was almost as if the humanoid cloaked." 11*10 Janeway sighed. "Run a diagnostic and continue your sensor sweep. If that humanoid is cloaked and showed up once, the cloaking device is faulty. It'll show up again." "I am on it, Captain." "Good," Janeway said. She cut the link. Then she hailed Chakotay and asked him to join her in her ready room. Her options were limited, and she was facing several problems. She had to find her away team, as well as concentrate on keeping the ship in good order. Shedidn't want to think about how well Voyager would function if Torres never returned. Carey was a good engineer, but Torres was brilliant.
The door to the ready room hissed open. and Chakotay entered. "You wish to see me, Captain?" She nodded. "I've been considering the informa-. tion our guest gave us. I'm reluctant to send another team down to the planet's surface, but I see no choice in the matter, do you?" "A careful examination of the time shuttle would be, as Tuvok might put it, the logical thing to do," Chakotay said.
"Whom would you suggest?" Janeway asked.
She'd been going over possibles. Realizing that none of them might come back made her evaluate everyone on the ship. None of them were dispensable. She was fortunate. Even though she was seventy-five years from home, she had been stranded with an excellent team.
She had thought of going herself, but knew that while her scientific knowledge was valuable, her abilities as captain were even more so. "The choices are difficult , was Chakotay said, "but I 1111 too have been giving this some thought. Seska is an excellent engineer in her own right. Tavok has knowledge that might help. I believe I would be a good choice for the team. I also feel it's my duty to inform you that Lieutenant Paris volunteered. He is anxious to find Kim and
Janeway sat behind her desk in the ready room, her personal computer screen displaying the ship that had taken her away team from her. She had retired in here to study her options, review the situation, and to think about all that Kjanders had told them.
Like Chakotay, she didn't trust Kjanders. But he seemed to be telling the truth about the Alcawellian society. Tbvok and Chakotay had hit on the main problem, though. Kjanders seemed very unconcerned about his own possible death sentence.
She had confined him to quarters until she learned more. tilde She leaned back in her chair. Her ready room failed to soothe her. The view out the long windows included glimpses of comAlcawell, and even though she couldn't see the hundreds of thousands of shuttles on the surface, she could picture them, lined up in their perfect rows. Sometimes she felt completely at sea in this part of the galaxy.
Relying on Neelix only proved fifty percent effective. He got them help some of the time, and into trouble all the rest.
She only hoped he would be able to get them into trouble again because that would mean he was back on board.
She hadn't had time to check on Kes. The slight, pretty Ocampa had proven herself invaluable. Janeway knew that she would be having trouble, knowing that Neelix was a long way in the past.
Then Tuvok hailed her from the bridge.
"Captain," he said. "I have a-was His transmission stopped, but the link remained open.
Curious. "What is it, Mr. Tuvok?" Janeway asked. She half rose from her seat, ready to goeaffthe bridge.
"Forgive me, Captain," he said.
"For a second MY sensors registered a life-form on the planet's surface.
Humanoid, about ten kilometers from the place the away team disappeared. Then it vanished without a trace." "Is there a problem with the sensors, Mr.
Tuvok?" "I don't think so, Captain. It was almost as if the humanoid cloaked." 11*10 Janeway sighed. "Run a diagnostic and continue your sensor sweep. If that humanoid is cloaked and showed up once, the cloaking device is faulty. It'll show up again." "I am on it, Captain." "Good," Janeway said. She cut the link. Then she hailed Chakotay and asked him to join her in her ready room. Her options were limited, and she was facing several problems. She had to find her away team, as well as concentrate on keeping the ship in good order. Shedidn't want to think about how well Voyager would function if Torres never returned. Carey was a good engineer, but Torres was brilliant.
The door to the ready room hissed open. and Chakotay entered. "You wish to see me, Captain?" She nodded. "I've been considering the informa-. tion our guest gave us. I'm reluctant to send another team down to the planet's surface, but I see no choice in the matter, do you?" "A careful examination of the time shuttle would be, as Tuvok might put it, the logical thing to do," Chakotay said.
"Whom would you suggest?" Janeway asked.
She'd been going over possibles. Realizing that none of them might come back made her evaluate everyone on the ship. None of them were dispensable. She was fortunate. Even though she was seventy-five years from home, she had been stranded with an excellent team.
She had thought of going herself, but knew that while her scientific knowledge was valuable, her abilities as captain were even more so. "The choices are difficult , was Chakotay said, "but I 1111 too have been giving this some thought. Seska is an excellent engineer in her own right. Tavok has knowledge that might help. I believe I would be a good choice for the team. I also feel it's my duty to inform you that Lieutenant Paris volunteered. He is anxious to find Kim and
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