The Escape by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch Page B
Authors: Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
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would like to help in any way he can." Janeway permitted herself a small smile.
Chakotay felt the same urge to be involved that she did. "I need you here. I'd like you to follow up on our guest, see if you can get more information from him.
But the rest of your suggestions are good." She stood. "Let's assemble the team." Chakotay nodded. Together they left the ready room. The bridge was quiet. Paris sat at conn, Tuvok was bent over his control panels at security, and Jarvin stood at ops. As Janeway walked toward the captain's chair, the turbolift opened. Kes left it. Her small face appeared composed, but she was twisting her hands together. Janeway nodded at her, then turned to Tuvok.
"Mr. Tuvok, I am sending you, Lieutenant Paris, and Ensign Seska to the planet's surface. I want you to discover all you can about those ships without leaving us for the distant past. Is that understood?" "Yes, Captain." Paris stood. "Thank you, Captain. I've been worried about Kim." "As have we all, Lieutenant. We're doing what we can. Assemble your supplies and meet in the transporter room.
The sooner we move on this, the better off we'll be," Janeway said.
"Excuse me, Captain, but I would like to go as well." Kes's soft voice had a thread of strength running through it. She was difficult to deny.
Janeway turned to her. "I understand your desire to be involved," she said, "but I need mostly technical skill down there. When I find something you can help with, I will summon you immediately." Kes looked at her hands as if they were betraying her; then she clasped them behind her back. Without that single repetitive movement, she appeared very calm. "May I stay on the bridge?" "Of course," Janeway said. She faced Chakotay. "I want transporter locks at all times on the away team. If anything so much as moves down there, I want all of them back on board." "Immediately, Captain," Chakotay said.
Tuvok contacted Seska and asked her to meet him in the transporter room. Then he motioned Paris to follow him, and headed for the turbolift.
Paris was right beside him.
JfLneway watched them go, hoping against hope that it wouldn't be the last time she would see them. But she had a bad feeling. A very bad one indeed.
His "SENSOR BEEPED SOFMY AND -- DRICKEL DUCKED IN BE-HIND the wreck of an old shuttle to get out of the incessant wind.
He'd walked on the hard concrete for some distance and he was chilled to the bone. His legs ached from the climb through sand drifts and his cheeks felt as if the blowing sand had taken off the top three layers of skin.
He doubted he would ever feel his nose again. Just once he wished the PlanetHoppers would land in a warm climate. Just once.
He checked the sensor readings. Three PlanetHoppers were working around an old shuttle a kilometer ahead. They hadn't entered it yet, but were staying outside in the wind for some reason. His sensors indicated they we're running different types of scans on the craft. It took him a moment before he 114 noticed the orange point of light that his sensors showed for the ship they were scanning.
His stomach twisted. That very ship was.one of the few remaining ships kept in working condition for this time. How had they found it? He couldn't let them get on board. It was far too dangerous to use, and if they did happen to accidentally trigger a jump, they would find themselves in very serious problems back in Real Time.
He did a quick check of his invisib i ility device to make sure it was still functioning; then he took off at a quick jog through the tombstones of the old culture. The ships towered over him, their sides and bottoms scarred from the wind and sand. Sometimes the unreality of his job struck him. Just a few hours before, he had ridden one of these shuttles. It had been in beautiful condition then and filled with passengers.
He ran silently, careful not to trip on anything. He left footprints in the sand, but the wind was so strong the prints were blown away as soon as
Chakotay felt the same urge to be involved that she did. "I need you here. I'd like you to follow up on our guest, see if you can get more information from him.
But the rest of your suggestions are good." She stood. "Let's assemble the team." Chakotay nodded. Together they left the ready room. The bridge was quiet. Paris sat at conn, Tuvok was bent over his control panels at security, and Jarvin stood at ops. As Janeway walked toward the captain's chair, the turbolift opened. Kes left it. Her small face appeared composed, but she was twisting her hands together. Janeway nodded at her, then turned to Tuvok.
"Mr. Tuvok, I am sending you, Lieutenant Paris, and Ensign Seska to the planet's surface. I want you to discover all you can about those ships without leaving us for the distant past. Is that understood?" "Yes, Captain." Paris stood. "Thank you, Captain. I've been worried about Kim." "As have we all, Lieutenant. We're doing what we can. Assemble your supplies and meet in the transporter room.
The sooner we move on this, the better off we'll be," Janeway said.
"Excuse me, Captain, but I would like to go as well." Kes's soft voice had a thread of strength running through it. She was difficult to deny.
Janeway turned to her. "I understand your desire to be involved," she said, "but I need mostly technical skill down there. When I find something you can help with, I will summon you immediately." Kes looked at her hands as if they were betraying her; then she clasped them behind her back. Without that single repetitive movement, she appeared very calm. "May I stay on the bridge?" "Of course," Janeway said. She faced Chakotay. "I want transporter locks at all times on the away team. If anything so much as moves down there, I want all of them back on board." "Immediately, Captain," Chakotay said.
Tuvok contacted Seska and asked her to meet him in the transporter room. Then he motioned Paris to follow him, and headed for the turbolift.
Paris was right beside him.
JfLneway watched them go, hoping against hope that it wouldn't be the last time she would see them. But she had a bad feeling. A very bad one indeed.
His "SENSOR BEEPED SOFMY AND -- DRICKEL DUCKED IN BE-HIND the wreck of an old shuttle to get out of the incessant wind.
He'd walked on the hard concrete for some distance and he was chilled to the bone. His legs ached from the climb through sand drifts and his cheeks felt as if the blowing sand had taken off the top three layers of skin.
He doubted he would ever feel his nose again. Just once he wished the PlanetHoppers would land in a warm climate. Just once.
He checked the sensor readings. Three PlanetHoppers were working around an old shuttle a kilometer ahead. They hadn't entered it yet, but were staying outside in the wind for some reason. His sensors indicated they we're running different types of scans on the craft. It took him a moment before he 114 noticed the orange point of light that his sensors showed for the ship they were scanning.
His stomach twisted. That very ship was.one of the few remaining ships kept in working condition for this time. How had they found it? He couldn't let them get on board. It was far too dangerous to use, and if they did happen to accidentally trigger a jump, they would find themselves in very serious problems back in Real Time.
He did a quick check of his invisib i ility device to make sure it was still functioning; then he took off at a quick jog through the tombstones of the old culture. The ships towered over him, their sides and bottoms scarred from the wind and sand. Sometimes the unreality of his job struck him. Just a few hours before, he had ridden one of these shuttles. It had been in beautiful condition then and filled with passengers.
He ran silently, careful not to trip on anything. He left footprints in the sand, but the wind was so strong the prints were blown away as soon as
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