Ghost of a Chance by Charles G. McGraw, Mark Garland Read Free Book Online

impulse engines are running at eighty-five percent, maybe eighty-six. That’s the good news.
    The phasers… well, I’m sorry, Captain, but I’m afraid they aren’t—” “I know, Tuvok told me. At least the Televek don’t know about it yet.
    Not specifically. At least I don’t think they do. We’re working on the phaser problem from another angle.”
    B’Elanna looked at her. “What’s that?”
    “The Televek may have the hardware we need, if you think you can adapt their technology to ours. It’s possible they’ll want to cooperate. It seems they are merchants first and whatever else second, and from the looks of things, we are certainly potential customers. They’re coming over for a visit.”
    “I’m more than willing to try,” Torres said. “I’d use rubber bands right now if I thought they’d help, but do you think we can trust the Televek to help us rearm?”
    “No.” Janeway grinned, which seemed to put B’Elanna somewhat at ease.
    “That’s the tricky part. But I’m willing to try, as long as we proceed cautiously. I would like my chief engineer to be there when we talk to them. Can we spare you down here for a little while?”
    B’Elanna looked around, making a quick evaluation. She saw several sweaty brows flash in her direction and couldn’t help a little smile of her own. “I think everyone here would welcome that idea,” she answered.
    “Good.”
    “Bridge to Captain Janeway,” Tuvok hailed. The captain raised her voice to engage the intercom. “Yes, Mr. Tuvok?”
    “The Televek are aboard. They are unarmed.”
    “Escort them to the briefing room. We’re on our way.”
    ***
    No two first contact situations were ever the same, but Captain Janeway had seen enough of them to know that there were often similarities and that certain rules of engagement always applied.
    She was prepared to give her visitors the benefit of the doubt from the start, but she was equally prepared to give them nothing more, unless they earned it.
    “Welcome aboard Voyager,” Janeway began, introducing herself after Tuvok had presented the three aliens. Of the three Jonal was the only male, an elegant, strangely handsome figure slightly older than his two companions, who were both stunningly beautiful by any definition. All were physically impressive, a fact well demonstrated by the cut of their colorful two-sectioned tunics, with allowed much of their finely sculpted arms and legs to show.
    Like Jonal, Mila and Tassay had skin that was bronze in color, and each possessed a pair of ridges that grew from either side of her forehead, beginning just behind her bright green eyes and sweeping back under her long stark-white hair.
    Janeway turned to the others of her crew. “This is my first officer, Commander Chakotay, Mr. Paris is our helmsman, Mr. Neelix, our… liaison officer, and B’Elanna Torres our chief engineer.”
    The aliens nodded and held their hands out, palms up, an apparent gesture of goodwill. Janeway returned the gesture, reassured by the knowledge that their transport pod and their persons had been thoroughly scanned for weapons and implants, and nothing had turned up.
    “We are not Televek,” Jonal said. “We are Drosary.”
    “We are advocates,” Mila, the shorter of the two women, explained. “We are here on behalf of our benefactors.”
    The other female, Tassay, remained silent as everyone was seated around the conference table.
    “Why won’t the Televek come themselves?” Janeway asked.
    “It is their way,” Jonal answered.
    “We are only too happy to provide this service, as it benefits all,” Mila said, with an affable air that seemed natural in her and her two companions.
    Jonal seemed especially attentive, Janeway noticed, particularly to her. And as she looked around, she decided Tassay’s regard had already centered on Chakotay. With this in mind, she began to notice that Paris’s visual scrutiny of Mila seemed to be reciprocal as well.
    These three Drosary