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

people, in the first place.”
    “We’d also like to know what other terms Gantel had in mind,” Chakotay added, watching the visitors carefully.
    “We want only what is best, of course,” Jonal replied.
    “And reasonable,” Tassay said, again speaking to Chakotay. The two of them sat looking at each other for a moment, as if the conversation had momentarily ceased to matter.
    A passionate people, Janeway thought, not at all certain she liked the idea, though she found it harder to object to Jonal’s apparent fascination with her.
    “We understand your concerns,” Jonal assured her. “We would be happy to answer all of your questions, and then we hope you will answer some of ours. The Televek can supply your people with almost anything they might need to get you up and running again, I am sure. And you may have a great deal to bargain with. At the same time, your ship and your technologies are new to them and, frankly, quite fascinating.”
    “Our technologies,” Janeway repeated.
    At that Jonal seemed to stop in spite of himself. “Of course,” he went on, as he glanced about the room. “I’m sure you can understand. After all, your vessel is unique in the Televek’s experience. It is along those lines that they are most interested in what you intend to offer them.”
    Janeway had been waiting for this. They seemed a sincere and malleable bunch, these Drosary, but she had the distinct impression she was about to haggle with a polished salesman, perhaps a team of them. She didn’t have a great deal of experience in that field, but nearly all negotiations, like first contacts, were based on a number of common principles, and she had read more than one period novel that dealt with the subject.
    The best approach to such a dilemma was to carry very little currency in any one pocket—but to bring plenty of pockets.
    “We can offer you certain medical techniques and technologies that I’m sure you would find most valuable,” Janeway said.
    “We have excellent medical science,” Mila responded, a flat statement of fact.
    “We can also arrange to let you download most of the contents of our library,” Janeway continued, smiling broadly for emphasis, “which is filled with texts and data from hundreds of peoples in our own part of the galaxy, peoples you have never encountered.
    Some of our greatest works of literature and—” “We find it hard enough to keep up with the many cultures and politics in our own quadrant, Captain,” Jonal said. “I hesitate to mention the size of my current reading list. But I will make a note of this. Certainly there is a measure of value there.
    What else?”
    “What else?” Chakotay asked, mildly indignant.
    “As I indicated to Gantel,” Janeway said more sternly, “we are also willing to do whatever we can to help you render aid to the people on the planet below, as that is your stated mission here.
    The medical and library data are being offered as an added consideration.”
    “Yes, of course,” Jonal said quite agreeably, though he seemed less than enthusiastic. Then he looked at Janeway as though he had known her for a very long time, as if they had shared, or were about to share, some profound secret together, some defining knowledge. “May we make yet another suggestion?”
    Janeway leaned back. “Please do.”
    “The Televek deal frequently in weapons, Captain, that is no secret, and to be blunt, yours are quite impressive. To be more precise, my employers would be most interested in learning how you’ve managed to get your phasers to operate at such incredibly high power levels, all while maintaining such extraordinary accuracy. Also, their sensors indicate that your warp drive nacelles are not fixed, but are—” “No,” Janeway said, a flat statement of her own. A troubled voice was calling to her from the back of her mind, one she had been listening to since her days at the Academy. She purposely took her eyes off the Drosary, especially Jonal,