chapter 16

 

 

Less than four weeks after her training had begun, Lynne had her first opportunity to take part in an away mission. Voyager’s sensors had located dilithium deposits on an uninhabited planet, the first they’d found since replacing the cracked crystals shortly after Lynne’s arrival. Unfortunately, the surrounding rock contained elements that prevented the ship from transporting the ore or mining it by phaser. They would have to do it the hard way, beaming down and mining by hand. Since the mining operation was going to involve traveling down a deep, vertical rock fissure, Tuvok recommended Lynne as a member of the team he was leading. His report to Janeway after Lynne’s initial test had indicated that he found her rock climbing and spelunking skills second to none; therefore she was a natural choice for the mission. Janeway trusted Tuvok’s assessment, but she still worried after the away team beamed down. Mining was a dangerous activity; anything could happen. She spent the next several hours making the lives of everyone on the bridge miserable:  snapping at Tom for calling her “ma’am,” peering over the shoulders of several crewmembers to check up on their work, and asking questions in a clipped voice that demanded immediate answers. Normally, the bridge crew enjoyed a fairly informal atmosphere, but on this day they all sat ramrod straight in their chairs and kept their eyes fixed in front of them. When the shift came to an end, the crew vanished into the turbolift so quickly that Janeway could almost see dust clouds in their wake. She knew she’d been difficult, but she couldn’t help it. The reports from the away team had indicated that Tuvok and Lynne had successfully descended the fissure, but the deposits in the rock prevented their communicators from reaching back to the surface. They’d agreed to signal the rest of the away team by tugging on the rope should anything go wrong, and so far the rope had not been tugged. Based on this paucity of assurance, Janeway felt she had every right to be tense. She wouldn’t be able to relax until Lynne was back aboard Voyager.

Retiring to the ready room in order to spare the beta shift bridge crew, Janeway attempted to go through the departmental reports with limited success. At one point she actually considered contacting the transporter room and requesting immediate notification upon the team’s return, but that thought didn’t go far. She’d never done such a thing before unless the team were in obvious danger or the ship needed to depart as soon as everyone was on board, and that certainly wasn’t the case now. Tuvok would notify her as soon as he returned with the team. She would just have to wait.

At last, midway into the beta shift, the call came.

“Tuvok to Captain Janeway.”

Janeway felt a tingle go down her spine. “Janeway here.”

“Captain, our mission has been successful. All members of the team are on board, and we are delivering the ore to Engineering immediately.”

“That’s good to hear, Tuvok. B’Elanna will be happy to see it. I’ll look forward to your report tomorrow. Janeway out.”

Just to prove to herself that she still had a little discipline left, Janeway forced herself to finish the report in her hand before closing down her workstation. It seemed to take forever, but at last she signed off on the report and tossed it onto her desk with perhaps a little more force than necessary. As she rose to leave, her comm badge came to life.

“Torres to Janeway.”

Janeway suppressed a sigh. “Go ahead, B’Elanna.”

“Captain, I’ve just finished testing the dilithium. It’s a much higher grade than we currently have in the engines. I’d like to install it immediately, but that will require taking the warp engines off line for at least two hours.”

“I’ll get back to you in a moment, B’Elanna. Janeway out.” As soon as the channel closed, Janeway reopened it. “Janeway to bridge. Engineering wants to take the warp engines off line for two hours. Is there any reason why we shouldn’t do so?”

A pause. “No, Captain. Sensors aren’t picking up any shipping activity, or any phenomena that could affect us.”

“Then they’re going off line immediately. Janeway out.” She contacted B’Elanna again. “B’Elanna, go ahead with the replacement. Let me know as soon as the engines are back on line.”

“Will do, Captain. Engineering out.”

As soon as she closed the channel, Janeway was out of the ready room and striding across the bridge to the turbolift. She wanted to see Lynne. Now.

Activating Lynne’s door chime a few minutes later, Janeway was unreasonably relieved to hear Lynne’s voice telling her to come in. Walking through the door, she was met with the sight of her lover so covered in dirt and dust that the whites of her eyes stood out by contrast. Then Lynne flashed an equally startling white smile. “Hello, Kathryn! I’d give you a hug, but…” and she indicated her filthy clothing. Janeway didn’t care, immediately enfolding her partner in a strong embrace. When they parted, the grin on Lynne’s face was even wider. “You must love me to hug me in this condition.”

“I couldn’t care less what condition you’re in, and yes, I do love you. How did it go?”

“Fabulous. Oh, Kathryn, I have so much to tell you and I was going to call you as soon as I got out of the shower. The computer said you were in your ready room but I was hoping I’d be able to see you anyway. I’m so glad you’re here!” Lynne was talking rapidly, obviously excited. “Let me just get cleaned up…can you stay tonight?” she asked, looking doubtful for just a moment.

Janeway smiled broadly. “I’d love to.”

The answering smile she received was brilliant enough to fuel her for a year, she thought. These days she didn’t often see those half-smiles she’d thought were so characteristic of Lynne in her first few months; since the day she’d tested with Tuvok, Lynne’s expressions were far more overt. Now she tended to reserve her half-smiles for moments when she was teasing Janeway.

Lynne vanished into the ensuite, and a few moments later Janeway heard the whine of the sonic shower. She decided to replicate a light meal, partially because she was sure Lynne could use it, and partially to distract herself from the annoying sound. After setting the table and bringing over the salad and sandwiches, she returned to the replicator for what Lynne called the “liquid appetizers.” When Lynne stepped out into the living area a few minutes later, clean and in fresh clothing, she found Janeway standing by the table with drinks in her hands. Lynne laughed and took the proffered drink. Janeway raised her own. “To successful missions,” she said.

“Hear, hear,” said Lynne as they clinked their glasses. She sipped her drink and sighed happily. “These are so much better since Tom helped me with the programming.”

“When did he do that?” asked Janeway in surprise, taking her seat.

Lynne sat as well, surveying the table with appreciation. “Thanks for making dinner; I’m starved,” she said. Taking a hefty bite out of her sandwich, she chewed and swallowed before answering Janeway’s question. “I was talking to B’Elanna and Tom in the mess hall last week, and somehow the subject of replicators came up. I mentioned that I’d customized mine for several different programs, but could never get the drinks to come out quite the way I wanted. Tom said that the programs for alcoholic drinks were very tricky, due to the chemical interactions, but he had a knack for it and offered to help. So I bartered my cheeseburger program for his services, and so far my drinks have been just right.” She indicated Janeway’s glass. “Doesn’t yours taste a little different?”

Janeway thought about it. “Well, now that you mention it, it did taste smoother.” She took another sample. “Yes, definitely smoother.” Then she frowned. “Do you mean to say that I’ve been drinking substandard whiskey and sodas for over five years when it wasn’t necessary?”

Lynne shrugged, her eyes sparkling. “I guess you just need to know the right people. And how to bribe them properly.”

Janeway snorted, causing Lynne to laugh outright. Then she put her sandwich down and said, “Kathryn, I had the most amazing experience today. It was like nothing I’ve ever done before.”

“Tell me.”

“Well, first of all, there was the experience of beaming down. I know you had me transported to sickbay when the Sumak microbot went off, but I don’t remember a thing about it. This time I got to really pay attention, and wow, what a sensation. I can’t quite wrap my mind around the concept that you can actually take things apart at the atomic level and put them back together again.”

“You see it every day with the replicators,” said Janeway.

“I know. But that’s different.”

“How so?”

“Because it’s not me,” said Lynne. “If something goes wrong with a replicator, I just get a bad sandwich. If something happened during my transport, the consequences would be a bit more dire as far as I’m concerned.”

“And those consequences happened in the early days of transporter technology,” said Janeway. “There were some pretty horrific accidents. But that was a long time ago. Now the technology has so many failsafes built in that the ship would practically have to be falling apart around us before anything would go wrong with a transport.”

“I know, I’ve read about it. But knowing something intellectually and knowing something emotionally are two different things. I’m sure I’ll get used to it eventually.” She took another bite out of her sandwich and continued her story. “So anyway, we beamed down right by the fissure. I had a few moments to look around while Tuvok verified the dilithium deposit and I was getting in harness. It was gorgeous. Huge mountain ranges all around; I wanted to climb them all. And not a single sign of habitation. On Earth, you have to go a long way to find a place where your field of view doesn’t include some sign of civilization. It was an awesome feeling for me to know that not only were there no signs of civilization in my immediate view—there weren’t any on the whole planet.” Her expression was one of sheer delight. Janeway, who remembered all too well being marooned on an uninhabited planet, couldn’t share Lynne’s enthusiasm, but she was happy to see it nonetheless.

“When Tuvok finished his scan, he gave me the tricorder and asked me to go first. He said my superior spelunking skills made me the logical choice.” Lynne looked as if she still couldn’t quite believe it. “So I got to be the first one down. We’d already determined that a comm signal wouldn’t make it to the surface, so we agreed that one rope tug would signal Tuvok to come down, and two would signal trouble. I roped up and started my descent. It was a little tricky due to a few bends in the fissure and a lot of rock spurs, and there was one section that I really had to wiggle through. I knew Tuvok would never make it through that part, so I wiggled back up through it again and used my phaser to widen the opening. Let me tell you, phasers are a great tool. Worked like a charm, but what a cloud of dust! For a few seconds I could barely breathe.” Judging by her expression, Janeway suspected that getting dirty was something Lynne greatly enjoyed. As a connoisseur of engine grime herself, she understood.

“After the dust died down I finished the descent,” continued Lynne, “and found myself in a huge open space. But it was so bright that I had to just hang on the rope until my eyes adjusted. Kathryn—it was a giant cavern with walls of solid crystal. Everywhere I looked the walls were reflecting my light, and when I pointed my light at certain areas, the crystals refracted it and there were rainbows all over. It was fantastic.” She stopped for another bite of her sandwich, barely chewing it before swallowing and going on with her story. “It took me a minute or two to get over just staring at the cavern. Finally I dropped the rest of the way to the floor and tugged the rope. While Tuvok came down I scanned for the dilithium, and by the time he got there I knew right where it was. We set up and started drilling, so I had time to look around while the drill was going. And that was when it hit me—I was the first human being to ever set foot in this cavern.” Lynne’s face was lit up and she seemed to glow from within. “Think of it, Kathryn! Well, you probably don’t have to, you must have been the first person in a lot of places by now. But for me it was a hell of a realization. I don’t think there’s anyplace natural left on Earth for any human to be first—on land, anyway—and I’ve sure tramped through a lot of wild places. That search for something different, something outside the experience of the average person—that has driven me all my life. And here I was, spelunking into a cavern that had never before been seen by human eyes, on a planet that no human has ever set foot on until now. It was magical, Kathryn. I wished you were there to share it with me.”

Lynne’s last statement made Janeway warm all over. Happily, she settled into the atmosphere of acceptance, inclusion and love that she associated with her partner, and let the earlier stress of her day melt away. Any concerns that she had about their relationship vanished when they were together, and she had come to look forward to their times together not just for the sake of seeing Lynne, but also for the relief it gave her from self-doubt.

Taking a sip of her drink, she said, “It sounds incredible. And I know the feeling you’re talking about. That sense of magic, of finding something new, is what keeps us going in the less magical times. I wish I’d been there too, if only to see you enjoy yourself so much.” Frowning a little, she added, “I also wish I’d been there just to know you were okay. Not having communication with you and Tuvok made me a bit tense. I’m afraid I practically drove the crew off the bridge today; you’ll probably hear about it from Tom later.”

“If he mentions it, I’ll tell him that he should be so lucky as to have someone like you to worry about him,” said Lynne. She sobered. “But I don’t want you to be concerned, Kathryn. Should I call you as soon as I get back from any future missions?”

Janeway gave that a moment’s thought. “Not when I’m on duty,” she said. “Call me when I’m in my quarters, but if I’m on duty, send a message to my ready room terminal. That way I can take the message in private.” Then she gave her partner an amused smile. “So, did you share your enthusiasm with Tuvok?”

Lynne laughed. “I must admit I tried. I just couldn’t believe that anyone could be in such a beautiful place and not be mesmerized by it. But Tuvok just got right to work and didn’t look around, even when he had time while the drill was running. So I asked him if he didn’t find the cavern the least bit attractive. He said—” and here Lynne deepened her voice in imitation of Tuvok—“‘I appreciate the aesthetics of our surroundings, but Vulcans do not have the need for overt displays of their appreciation.’ I said, ‘But Tuvok, if you don’t display it in some way, how will anyone else know that you’ve seen something beautiful? How many lovely places are there on Vulcan that only a few have seen, because those that do see it don’t share their appreciation?’ He said, ‘We share our appreciation, we simply don’t do it emotionally.’ So then I wanted to know how, without any adjectives that are inherently subjective or emotional, a Vulcan could describe something in a way that would enable a listener to distinguish between a place that was merely interesting and a place that was both interesting and beautiful. And if he couldn’t do so, then wouldn’t that limit his people’s ability to learn and experience different things?”

Janeway wished she could have been there. “What did he say to that?”

“Nothing at first. Then he said that my question was interesting, and that he’d meditate on it tonight.”

“You’re kidding,” said Janeway.

“No, why?”

“Because that means you stumped him. I’ve been able to stump Tuvok like that maybe five times in all the years I’ve known him, and you just accomplished it in a few months. Congratulations are definitely in order.”

“It sounds like I’d better be prepared for a long wait before I pull it off again.”

“No, I wouldn’t be surprised if you beat my record. You have a way of thinking and phrasing things that often startles me, so I can certainly see how your approach might give Tuvok something to think about more often than not.”

“He certainly gives me things to think about,” said Lynne. “I really admire Tuvok, and I’m grateful for the time he’s spent with me. I’ve learned a great deal from him. But sometimes it makes me sad to think of what he’s missing because of that famous Vulcan discipline.” She cast a sidelong glance at Janeway. “For instance, the sheer hysteria that comes from listening to Ferengi torch songs.”

Janeway laughed at the memory. “It’s true that Tuvok misses out on some of what we would consider the great joys of life. But there’s another side to that—he also avoids some of the great pain and sorrow, as well.”

“Do you think he comes out ahead on the deal?” asked Lynne seriously.

Janeway had often thought about that herself. “I must admit,” she said, “on some days I truly believe he does. But those aren’t my good days. Most of the time I’d rather take the bad with the good, because the good can be so very rewarding that it’s worth the bad. Then I’m glad that humans feel as much as we do.”

“Me too,” said Lynne. “Though I will say that when I first came on board, I’d have been happy to give up my human emotions for a little Vulcan detachment. In fact, I did a pretty fair imitation of a Vulcan sometimes, locking things up so deep that I couldn’t feel them at all. But when you knocked me out of that, you also changed my way of thinking about my situation.”

“How did I do that?” asked Janeway. This was new to her.

Lynne’s eyes seemed greener than usual as she looked at her partner. “By making me realize that I could no longer see my life only in terms of what I’d lost. From that point on, I began to see it in terms of what I’d gained. And I’ve been gaining ever since, Kathryn. For me, you’ve made the difference between living and merely existing. I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

Janeway’s throat closed on the words she wanted to say. Is that why you’re with me? Because you feel you owe me a debt? But she couldn’t bring herself to voice her thoughts. She swallowed hard and was surprised to hear how rusty her voice sounded. “It’s wonderful to hear you say that. And it’s done my heart good to see your happiness growing.” Even if it means you don’t need me anymore.

Lynne reached across the table and put her hand over Janeway’s. For several seconds they simply stared at each other while Janeway fought an internal battle. She was desperate for a confirmation of what she felt when they were together, and just as terrified to have her worst suspicions proven true. She felt paralyzed by indecision, a new and extremely unwelcome state of mind for her. And then she was temporarily saved when the call came.

“Bridge to Captain Janeway.”

Janeway hit her comm badge, her eyes still locked with Lynne’s. “Janeway here.”

“Captain, we’ve just detected a ship orbiting the planet. It doesn’t match anything in our database.”

Lynne pulled her hand away and leaned back in her chair.

“I’m on my way. Contact the senior staff,” said Janeway, and closed the channel. She gave Lynne an apologetic look. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”

“No, I understand. Thanks for coming by.” Lynne stood up and walked Janeway to the door. “Come back if you can,” she said, leaning in for a kiss.

“I will.” Janeway allowed herself to melt into the kiss for just a few moments, then pulled away and walked out the door.

 

 

 

 

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Chapter 17

 

 

Chakotay, Tuvok and Kim were already on the bridge when Janeway arrived. “Report,” she said, walking down the ramp and sliding into the comfortable contours of her chair.

“The ship was powered down and hiding in the polar electromagnetic field, Captain,” said Kim. “That’s why our sensors didn’t detect it at first. It’s small; I’m reading thirty-one life signs on board. Sensors don’t detect a warp signature, so I’m guessing it’s from the system Seven mentioned.” Seven’s weekly astrometrics report had included the presence of a populated binary system two light years out of their path. She had not detected any signs of a warp-capable society, so Janeway had opted to bypass the system once they left the planet they were now orbiting.

“If it is, they’re a long way from home,” commented Chakotay. Janeway nodded, looking up as the turbolift doors opened and Tom Paris stepped out.

“Ensign Paris, good of you to join us,” said Janeway. Tom flinched and hurried to the helm, taking his seat as the beta shift helmsman relinquished it. Chakotay looked down to hide his smile, but Janeway caught it and gave him a look of shared amusement. Sometimes Tom needed to be put in his place, and it was one of the privileges of the captain to do so.

“If it’s from the binary system, we should keep a low profile,” said Chakotay. The Prime Directive was very clear on the issue of contact with a pre-warp culture:  there shouldn’t be any. Starfleet ships were always careful to avoid detection when traveling near such systems.

“Agreed,” said Janeway. “But I’m not prepared to leave before making sure the ship doesn’t need assistance. There are certain things that we can do within the boundaries of the Prime Directive.”

“Captain, I don’t think we have to worry about the Prime Directive,” said Kim. “I’ve just run another scan, and that ship is warp-capable. However, their warp engines are dead and there’s no warp signature anywhere within sensor range. I think they’re broken down, running on impulse only.”

“Open a channel,” said Janeway. When Kim nodded, she faced the viewscreen. “This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager to unknown vessel. Do you need assistance?”

Seconds ticked by with no response. “I’ve sent it on all frequencies,” said Kim.

“Perhaps their communications equipment is also nonfunctional,” observed Tuvok.

“Perhaps,” said Janeway. “Tom, bring us about and approach the vessel. Let’s take a closer look.”

Voyager gracefully wheeled about and began moving toward the alien vessel—which suddenly was no longer there. A second later Voyager rocked under their feet.

“Captain, the ship has left orbit and is now firing on us,” said Tuvok in a calm voice. “Shields are at ninety-six percent. The ship’s weapons pose little threat, but their effect will build over time.”

Janeway punched the communications panel on her armrest and spoke again. “This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager to unknown vessel. We are peaceful explorers who mean you no harm. Cease firing on our ship immediately.”

Moments later Kim shrugged apologetically. “I’ve sent both messages on repeating cycles on all frequencies, Captain. They’re just not responding.”

The ship rocked again as the alien vessel continued to fire. Janeway sighed. “Wonderful. Our warp engines are off line, and we can’t just sit here and absorb their fire.” She watched the viewscreen, which showed the little ship dancing away before coming around for another run. “Perhaps we can communicate another way. Tuvok, take out their weapons, minimal power.”

Tuvok nodded, and a second later they could all see the red beam of Voyager’s phasers slice into the alien ship. If it had any shields at all, they did nothing to stop the phaser beam, and a small explosion indicated an impact. “Weapons disabled,” reported Tuvok.

“Captain, the ship is sending out a message,” said Kim. “On an ultra-high frequency channel.” He looked stricken. “I’m sorry, Captain, I didn’t think to send the messages on UHF. It never occurred to me that a warp-capable ship would use it. They may never have received our hails.”

Janeway spoke without turning. “Put it on screen.”

The screen revealed a reptilian creature sitting in a chair. Its eyes were large and brown, with vertical pupils, and its scaly skin had a bright green tinge to it. Behind it, others could be seen standing at various consoles. Some had the same green skin, others were more of a blue. Sexual dimorphism, Janeway guessed. The creature spoke in a gravelly voice.

“This is T’zak Vestin of the Imperial Fleet ship Sovereign to unknown vessel. Why have you attacked us?”

Janeway was momentarily speechless with surprise. Then she sat back easily in her chair and said, “This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager. I was about to ask you the same question. Why have you fired on my ship without provocation?”

The alien sputtered for a moment. “Without provocation? You attacked us!”

Janeway sighed. “T’zak Vestin, your ship fired first. We only fired on you to defend ourselves.”

“Your ship approached ours in a clear attack vector with no prior communication. By all rules of Imperial law that is a direct attack, and honor requires us to respond.”

Great, thought Janeway, another honor-bound culture. “T’zak Vestin, we appear to have had a misunderstanding. We did communicate with you, twice. But our communications were unfortunately not sent on the frequency that you use, so you did not receive them.”

The alien’s green skin brightened in tone. “A remarkably convenient story, Captain Kathryn Janeway. This conversation is over. You are in Imperial space without authorization. You will depart this space immediately.”

Janeway had no objection to leaving, but with warp engines offline that wasn’t an option. And she wasn’t about to reveal her engine status to this militaristic alien. Raising her eyebrows and deliberately crossing her legs, she sank even further into her chair. “I do not appreciate being called a liar, T’zak Vestin. Nor do I take orders from one who commands a ship without weapons. I suggest that you rethink your situation.”

T’zak Vestin’s color faded momentarily, then flared up again. “Our ship is not without weapons. We have merely ceased firing in order to give you the opportunity to leave. Your presence in our space is unwelcome. Depart now or be destroyed.”

Janeway glanced at Tuvok, who shook his head slightly. She suspected that the aliens had no idea of Voyager’s scanning ability, and so did not know that she could see right through their bluff. It was time to call it. “All right,” she said. “Then you’ll just have to destroy us.” She waited. All movement on the other ship’s bridge ceased as the aliens looked at their leader, whose green skin had dimmed again. After a moment it spoke.

“We do not wish to destroy you, we only wish for you to depart our space. If you leave now, we will consider this matter concluded.”

Janeway said nothing, letting the alien captain grow increasingly uncomfortable. Finally, when she judged that the tension had risen high enough, she said, “I believe it is time to conclude this matter. T’zak Vestin, you have now made two grave errors. The first was insulting me. The second was threatening my ship. We have scanned your ship and we are aware that not only do you have no weapons, but you also have no warp drive. You are limited to sublight speed.” She was amused to note that nearly all of the aliens on the other ship’s bridge suddenly faded in color. “By the laws of my government, a ship with no warp engines and no defense capability is legal salvage. The question is not whether we will leave. It is whether we will board your ship and salvage it for useful parts.”

She suppressed a wicked grin at the startled looks her bridge crew turned toward her. They all knew quite well that Federation law did not permit salvage of a vessel as long as a single crewmember remained aboard. But the aliens had no idea that she, in turn, was bluffing. Several of them burst into brilliant color, but the leader was still pale. Before it could respond, Janeway played her next card.

“However, our government does not allow salvage of any ship allied to us. And since I would rather make friends than enemies, I propose an alliance. We are on a long journey, and would welcome the chance to replenish our food and supplies. Perhaps you would be willing to trade…in exchange for our help in repairing your engines.” One alien near the rear of the Sovereign’s bridge suddenly flamed into a nearly blinding blue. That would be the engineer. “While you think about that, we’ll resend our original greetings on this frequency and you can reconsider whether you wish to call me a liar. Mr. Kim?” Janeway thought briefly that, in fact, she had lied, at least about the salvage. But then again, she decided, that wasn’t a lie. It was a tactical ruse.

Harry nodded and entered a quick command on his board. “Messages sent.”

All of the aliens on the other ship turned to watch a screen that was out of view. Moments later T’zak Vestin went nearly white. It faced forward again and spoke in a markedly altered tone of voice. “Captain Kathryn Janeway, your messages prove the truth of what you have said. I have greatly dishonored you. Your offer of an alliance in the face of such dishonor is generous indeed. We would gratefully accept, but we are also on a long journey, and do not have enough food or supplies for our own crew.” It was hard to tell on such a reptilian face, but the alien looked extremely distressed.

“How long would your journey be if your engines were repaired?” asked Janeway. “Where is your homeworld?”

“We come from the binary system two light years from here,” replied T’zak Vestin. “Our engines propel us at ten times the speed of light. If they were repaired, we would be slightly more than one of our sun cycles from home.”

That meant that the alien ship’s top speed was warp two, at which speed the binary system was over a month away. Janeway didn’t have that kind of time.

“T’zak Vestin, I may have a solution to both of our problems. Perhaps you would care to come aboard Voyager to discuss it with my staff.” She was counting on the aliens to be consistent with other honor-driven cultures, which would mean that she commanded the situation simply by virtue of not destroying the other ship in retaliation for the insult. Until the aliens considered the debt of dishonor paid, they would be amenable to any suggestion she made.

The response of the alien captain seemed to bear out her expectation. “I would be honored to board your ship. My shuttle will leave immediately.”

“We will prepare our shuttle bay for your arrival. Janeway out.” As the screen switched to a view of the small ship before them, Janeway heard Chakotay advising the shuttle bay crew of an arrival. She paused for a moment, considering her next words, then stood and turned to face Harry Kim. He looked miserable already, and she felt her irritation die away. Kim was a good officer who rarely made mistakes, and had probably already been punishing himself more than she ever could. But the omission could not go unremarked. Her voice was low when she spoke.

“Mr. Kim. Your error caused a battle situation that need not have happened, and endangered this ship and her crew. May I expect that in the future, the term ‘all frequencies’ will actually mean all frequencies?”

Harry stood stiffly at attention. “Yes, Captain. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Janeway said nothing, waiting until Harry couldn’t stand it anymore and dared to glance at her. When their eyes met, she nodded shortly, dismissing him, and then turned to her first officer. “Chakotay, you have the bridge. I want you here in case our ‘friends’ get antsy out there. Tuvok, please have a security team meet us at the shuttle bay.”

“I assume, Captain, that your decision not to beam the alien here means that you wish to be discreet regarding transporter technology?” asked the Vulcan.

“Yes. For the moment they are motivated to expunge their dishonor, but I don’t trust such an aggressive race. Let’s not give them any reason to feel that they’re honor-bound to seize advanced technology for their homeworld.”

“A wise precaution, Captain.” Tuvok spoke briefly over the comm system, ordering a security escort, then stepped around his console and raised an eyebrow, indicating his readiness. Janeway turned and walked into the turbolift, feeling the solid presence of her security chief at her side. As the doors slid shut, she remembered Lynne’s invitation to stay the night and sighed. The aliens hadn’t harmed Voyager, but they’d sure shot the hell out of her evening.

 

 

 

 

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Chapter 18

 

 

T’zak Vestin sat at the conference table, his large, scaly head a good fifteen centimeters higher than anyone else’s. During his tour of Voyager—which had not included engineering or the transporter rooms—Janeway had learned that her guess regarding the coloration of the aliens was correct. They were sexually dimorphic, and T’zak Vestin’s green skin marked him as a male. It seemed to be the only difference that Janeway could see, for the alien captain had brought his second-in-command with him, a female named Seenoth who looked nearly identical to her captain. Both of them created a formidable impression with their vertical pupils and sharp teeth. Seenoth said little, but seemed to observe everything with a keen eye. She addressed her superior as “T’zak,” which was not a name after all but a designation of rank. By now Janeway had convinced Vestin to drop her first name and simply call her Captain Janeway. Sometimes it seemed that sorting out appropriate naming protocols was the most difficult part of any first contact situation.

“T’zak Vestin, your ship is a long way from home,” she said as soon as the staff introductions were over. “How did you come to be here without a warp drive?”

The alien swiveled his massive head to face Janeway. “Sovereign is a prototype ship, Captain Janeway. She is the proud accomplishment of the Imperial government, which assembled the finest minds on our world to produce a ship that would take our race to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. We were on our first flight, designed to test the new faster-than-light engines with a cruise to a neighboring star system three sun cycles away. But something went wrong. When we arrived at our destination and attempted to shut the engines down, they overloaded. The power surge destroyed the engines, and we were left nearly twenty-five sun cycles away from home. We have been making our way back ever since.”

“We are in a similar situation,” said Janeway, “except that we were pulled far from our homeworld by a powerful alien. We have spent the last six years—that would be about seventy of your sun cycles—trying to get home.”

Both aliens seemed astonished to hear this. “You have been traveling for seventy sun cycles? How much farther have you to go?” asked T’zak Vestin.

Seven of Nine answered the question. “Approximately nine hundred and twenty sun cycles.”

The aliens paled. “Is this within your life span?” asked Seenoth.

“Seenoth!” hissed T’zak Vestin. “Your words are without thought.”

“It’s all right,” Janeway assured him. “We do not take offense at Seenoth’s question.” Turning to the female alien, she said, “Unless we find a means to shorten our journey, it is entirely possible that some of us will not live to see our return. But we have already cut our journey in half. By conventional means, it should have taken us over nine hundred sun cycles to get this far. We are confident that we will reach home soon.”

“To travel so far, with no support—your people are courageous,” said T’zak Vestin, baring his sharp teeth in what Janeway hoped was a smile. “We are honored by an alliance with such a race. We look forward to showing you our hospitality when we reach our homeworld.”

Janeway phrased her next words carefully. “That is precisely what I wished to discuss with you, T’zak Vestin. My engineering staff believe they have the ability to repair your engines.” The aliens burst into brilliant color, but Janeway plunged ahead to forestall any interruption. “However, even if your engines were repaired, at your top speed it would take us more than one sun cycle to reach your world. As you must realize, such a length of time is long indeed for us. We cannot afford to take so much time away from our journey home.”

The alien captain seemed highly agitated. “Then you will not come to our homeworld? But you must! We cannot accept your assistance with our ship unless we are able to return your generosity. And you must allow me to expunge my earlier offense. Captain Janeway, I must ask you for a different decision.”

Janeway paused for a moment, appearing to think, and then made her offer. “There is another way. But I hesitate to suggest it for fear that you will not accept.”

Both aliens leaned forward in their chairs. “Make your suggestion, Captain Janeway,” said T’zak Vestin. “I assure you that we will consider it carefully.”

Glancing at B’Elanna, Janeway said, “My chief of engineering has examined your ship, and tells me that it is very strongly built. Strong enough, in fact, for us to attach a tractor beam and tow you to your home system.” She continued quickly, before the aliens could be offended by the idea of being towed home. “However, we will be going somewhat faster than your engines could take you—two hundred and fourteen times the speed of light, to be exact.” B’Elanna had advised Janeway that, to be safe, they should not tow the ship any faster than warp five.

The aliens were floored, judging by their open mouths and lack of speech. T’zak Vestin found his voice first. “How…how is it possible to travel so quickly? That is beyond the theoretical limits.”

“You may want to revise your theories,” said B’Elanna. “From what you’ve told me of your engines, and what I’ve seen of your ship, our propulsion systems are similar. We’ve just learned to fine tune ours, and we use a highly refined fuel source.”

Seenoth looked cagey. “And would it be possible for your people to share this technology with ours?”

Janeway had expected the question. “When B’Elanna says our systems are similar, she means the theories by which they operate are similar. In practice, the actual mechanical systems are quite different. Our technology is not compatible with yours.”

The aliens looked disappointed, but T’zak Vestin recovered first. “Perhaps, when we return to homeworld, your engineers and ours can meet to discuss these theories, Captain Janeway.”

“Then you accept our offer?”

“I do,” said T’zak Vestin firmly. Seenoth’s color faded slightly, and she turned to him quickly. “It is the best decision, Seenoth,” the alien captain said. “We do not have sufficient supplies for the amount of time it will take us to return under our own power. There is no dishonor in accepting assistance from an ally.”

“Yes, T’zak,” muttered Seenoth, obviously not happy.

“Excellent,” said Janeway. “Before we attempt the journey, however, I suggest that our engineers take a look at your engines and help you to repair them if they can.”

“We would welcome them on the Sovereign, Captain Janeway. Your generosity has been great indeed.” The alien’s deep voice took on a note of pride. “When we return to homeworld, you will experience for yourself the legendary hospitality of the Tsian Empire. We will fill every hold of your ship with foodstuffs and every possible thing you could desire. Our homecoming will be a celebration to remember—the banquet will go on for days! Captain Janeway, we would be greatly pleased if you and your officers would be our honored guests upon our arrival.”

Janeway groaned internally at the idea of a multi-day banquet, but allowed no sign to show. “It would be our honor, T’zak Vestin. We would greatly benefit from such hospitality—your generosity would make our continued journey easier.” She was ready to end this. “Now if you are ready, our engineering team will accompany you back to your ship and begin their work.” She rose, indicating an end to the meeting. “I hope that we will be underway very soon.”

The Tsians said their goodbyes to the rest of the staff and, preceded by B’Elanna, returned to the shuttle bay. Tom and Harry went back to the bridge, where Harry would be monitoring the transporter locks on the engineering team, a precaution suggested by Tuvok. As their best pilot, Tom was assigned to the helm in case Voyager needed to engage in any quick maneuvers. Janeway wasn’t worried; their warp engines were back on line and they could vanish from the system in the blink of an eye should the aliens try anything. But she was sure they would be eminently cooperative. Looking around the conference room at her three remaining officers, she said, “Well, the Tsians don’t seem to do anything by halves. They are either extremely aggressive or extremely polite and honorable.”

“They seem to have a strong code of ethics,” agreed Chakotay.

“Such codes are inefficient,” stated Seven. “They lead to much wasted time and effort satisfying cultural requirements. I believe that races bound by such codes limit their abilities to advance.”

“On the contrary, Seven,” said Tuvok, “races not bound by codes of conduct would soon devolve into chaos. Did not the Borg have extremely well-defined codes?”

“The Borg had clear expectations of duties. That is not the same as cultural codes which dictate behavioral and emotional responses.”

Janeway interrupted what was shaping up to be a spirited discussion. “You’re all quite welcome to stay here and finish your debate, but I’m going to get some rest. We’ve got a busy few days ahead of us. Goodnight.” She left the conference room and gratefully headed back to her quarters. As the turbolift carried her to deck three, she checked her chronometer. It was far too late to recover any part of her evening with Lynne, who was undoubtedly in bed by now. She imagined her partner curled up, sleeping peacefully—and suddenly realized that she had absolutely no desire to return to her own quarters. Redirecting the turbolift to deck six, she tingled with the expectation of wrapping herself around Lynne’s warm body. Maybe, if she was lucky, she wouldn’t get any sleep at all.

 

 

 

 

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Chapter 19

 

 

B’Elanna Torres sat in the mess hall, pushing her food around her plate and attempting to discern what it was made of. Neelix often gave his dishes names that did not necessarily correspond to their actual contents, and this seemed to be one of those times. “Turnover Delight” was neither, as far as she could tell.

Her musings were interrupted when a shadow fell over her table. “Mind if I join you?” asked a familiar voice. B’Elanna waved her hand at the opposite chair, and Lynne Hamilton sat down. She cast a doubtful glance at her own tray of Turnover Delight, and gave B’Elanna a look of exaggerated concern. “This stuff reminds me a lot of dorm food in college. They used to love using gravy on all the meats, but it wasn’t clear gravy—it was the kind that had flour or cornstarch in it, so it was opaque. We always had a rule: if you can’t see the meat, don’t eat it. I think a similar rule should apply here: if you can’t figure out what it, don’t risk it.”

B’Elanna laughed. “For a fossil, you catch on fast,” she said.

Lynne shot her a glare. “You know, you may have to stop calling me that now. Last night Tuvok told me that my martial arts training was progressing nicely, and he indicated that I was ready to kick your ass.”

B’Elanna snorted. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Which, that Tuvok said it or that I could do it?”

“Both.”

“Well, he might have used slightly more conservative phrasing…” said Lynne, letting the implication dangle.

B’Elanna rolled her eyes. “Anytime you want your ego knocked back down to size, just let me know and I’ll meet you on the holodeck.”

“My ego!”

“Why, yes. Klingons have no egos. We know we’re better, so when we say so, it’s truth, not ego.”

Lynne laughed. “Thanks, B’Elanna. I knew I’d feel better after listening to you bullshit.”

B’Elanna looked more closely at her friend, noticing for the first time a tightness around her eyes and mouth. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, I’ve just been feeling sorry for myself,” said Lynne, stabbing her food with her fork. “Kathryn said that if all continues to go well, she’s scheduling shore leave for the whole crew on the planet. But what she wants to do and what I want to do are very different things. She wants to go somewhere quiet and just relax, lie around and read a book.”

B’Elanna didn’t see the problem. “And that’s bad? What do you want to do?”

Lynne looked at her with a gleam in her eye. “B’Elanna, have you looked at the scans of that planet? It has some fabulous mountains! The tallest one is 12,000 meters—it makes Everest look like a mound of dirt. I’m just itching to climb it. This is my first chance at climbing since I came on board, and who knows when I’ll get another—but I don’t know how to get around my limitations.”

“You mean, physical? Haven’t you been working out practically every night?”

“No, that’s not the problem. The problem is that I have no way of acclimating to the altitude—we don’t have enough time. And even if I could, after a certain altitude I’d be out of breathable air, and I can’t carry enough oxygen to make up for it. On top of that, I can’t climb without a partner, both for safety reasons and because I can’t carry all the gear by myself. So there’s no way I can climb that mountain, and if Kathryn won’t go, I can’t climb any of the shorter ones either, unless I find someone else.”

“Altitude and oxygen aren’t a problem,” said B’Elanna. “Things have changed since your time, Fossil. Sometimes away teams need to function at altitude, and they don’t have time to sit around for days or weeks acclimating. We’ve got meds that increase the oxygen-carrying capacity of your hemoglobin. And when you get to an altitude where the air is so thin even the meds can’t help, a single oxygen tank will last you a couple of days. You shouldn’t need more than one, but if you get low, you can just have a fresh one transported down.”

Lynne looked astonished. “I can? Isn’t that an inappropriate use of the transporters?”

“No, why would it be?”

“Well, I just thought—I mean, I’ve heard all about power conservation and replicator rations and all that, so I assumed…”

B’Elanna waved her hand dismissively. “We’re doing fine on power right now, and we’re about to load up on all kinds of supplies, thanks to our grateful hosts. And Janeway tends to loosen the strings a little when it comes to shore leave. She knows how important it is to crew morale. Hell, for that matter, why stop at an oxygen tank? You could have a Starfleet shelter beamed down every night, complete with replicator, and carry practically nothing on your back. Janeway’s decided that it’s safe to use transporters as long as we’re discreet about it, and I doubt there’ll be too many Tsians where you’re planning to go. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Wow,” said Lynne thoughtfully. “So all I have to do is find a climbing partner.” Her expression as she looked at B’Elanna was almost predatory.

B’Elanna held her hands up. “Oh, no. You’re not getting me up there. I plan to spend my down time following the Janeway method. A little sun, a little light reading, an appropriate number of cocktails to spice up the evenings…”

Now it was Lynne’s turn to roll her eyes. “Oh, come on, get a little more imaginative. That’s nothing you couldn’t do on the holodeck any day of the week. But climbing a mountain bigger than Everest—now that’s something to remember. You could be on top of the world, seeing things that nobody else is seeing. Think of the views! Think of the stars!”

“Think of the cold,” said B’Elanna, who hated being cold.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve checked into current climbing gear, and it’s impossible for you to get cold. Besides, you’ll be working too hard. And after a hard day’s climb, you’ll stroll into a warm, pressurized Starfleet shelter, with your good buddy there to serve you a wonderful meal.”

“And will my good buddy also serve me a cocktail?” asked B’Elanna.

“No, no alcohol. Not good for climbing.”

“Forget it, then. I’m not going.”

“B’Elanna!” Lynne started to protest, then stopped abruptly. She shrugged her shoulders. “Okay. I understand. And I don’t blame you.”

“Don’t blame me for what?” asked B’Elanna suspiciously.

“For thinking I’ll kick your butt on the climb. It’s true, I will. You may have superior Klingon strength, but you don’t have the experience that I do. The climb won’t be technical—it’s basically a walk-up mountain—but it’ll still involve five days of maneuvering through ice and snow and steep slopes, and you’re not practiced at that. You’ll get tired. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“What!” B’Elanna sputtered. Honestly, Lynne could be truly irritating sometimes. “There is no way you could kick my butt in anything physical, Fossil.”

Lynne leaned over the table, her eyes narrowed to catlike slits. “Prove it. Come on the climb with me.”

B’Elanna sighed. She was backed in a corner and knew it. Lynne always seemed to have a way of getting what she wanted. Besides, the idea of climbing a mountain appealed to her a lot more than she’d been letting on—there was an element of danger that sparked her interest. No holodeck safeties, no rules and regulations, just a mountain and all of the things it could throw at a person.

“Okay, fine. If we get approval from Janeway. We still don’t know if there are any areas of the planet off limits to visitors.”

Lynne leaned back in her chair, her face alight. “Excellent! Thanks, B’Elanna, you won’t regret it. You’ll have a great time.”

“Yeah, yeah,” grumbled B’Elanna, who was secretly delighted to see the look of joy on her friend’s face. “So have you heard anything from Janeway about when shore leave rotations begin?”

“No. We’ve got that banquet tonight…you’re going to that too, right?” B’Elanna nodded. “And then tomorrow the negotiations begin over supplies and visitation. Kathryn says she won’t know until later tomorrow what we’ll be able to do.”

“Yeah, and the banquet might last until tomorrow, if what I hear is true.”

“You don’t exactly look thrilled to be invited.”

“I’ve been to diplomatic functions before. They’re not as exciting as you might think.”

“Maybe not, but I’ve never been to a function like this before—not even on Earth. Toss in the idea of meeting an entire new race of people, and it sounds pretty interesting to me. Although Kathryn did tell me that attending diplomatic functions was the curse of being the captain’s girlfriend.”

“Well, she should know. And you’ll find out soon enough. I wonder what the Tsians will think of you two?” mused B’Elanna.

“What about us?”

B’Elanna looked at her friend as if she’d dropped half her brain on the table. “Not every race is accepting of same-gender relations, Lynne. Hadn’t you thought about that?”

Lynne looked startled. “Actually…no. I mean, everyone here seems to take it in stride, so I really hadn’t stopped to think about how the Tsians might view it. I guess I got a little too comfortable here. It’s been so nice compared to my time—I haven’t had to worry about other people’s perceptions.”

B’Elanna was curious. “So what was it like, being involved in same-sex relationships in your time?”

“That’s not an easy question to answer,” said Lynne, after a moment’s pause. “It really depended on where you were. Some cities and some nations were generally open to different types of relationships. Others were not, and it could be worth your life to hold your girlfriend’s hand in public. People were often harassed, sometimes beaten, and occasionally killed for daring to be attracted to the same sex.”

“You’re kidding. Killed? For loving someone of the same gender?”

“Oh, yeah. Not often, at least that I know of, but it happened. Harassment and discrimination were a lot more common. A lot of people kept their sexual orientation a secret, even from their friends and family, to avoid that sort of treatment. And the discrimination often took a form so subtle that most straight people didn’t even recognize it. When I left, we were trying to enact laws guaranteeing equal rights for gays and lesbians, but they kept getting voted down because people couldn’t see that there were any problems that would make such laws necessary.”

B’Elanna shook her head. “I can see why you’d like it here in the twenty-fourth century.”

Lynne laughed. “When I first got here I hated the twenty-fourth century. It didn’t seem to hold anything but pain and grief for me. But then I started picking up on the advantages. Social acceptance is wonderful, but this century has more going for it than just that. I can think of ten things off the top of my head that are huge improvements over my time.”

“All right. Name them.”

“Oh, let’s see. Not having to menstruate, for one. You have no idea how happy I was when the Doctor told me I could suppress that. My god, it’s every woman’s dream—I’ve been in bliss. And the vision correction. I was using reading glasses back home for close focus, and let me just tell you what a pain in the butt those are when you’re climbing. But the Doctor fixed that in about five minutes, all the while telling me how medieval medicine was in my time. He says I’ll never have to wear glasses, no matter what my age. And then there’s that shot that neutralizes bacterial byproducts in the mouth—you guys don’t even know what morning breath means.” She paused. “Replicators are fabulous. Holodeck technology. And Risan jazz.” She looked at B’Elanna.

“That’s only six.”

“Oh well, the other four are all the same.”

“And they are?”

“Kathryn,” said Lynne, in a matter-of-fact voice. B’Elanna could feel her happiness clear across the table, and it gave her a strange little twinge in her chest. She loved Tom, but somehow what they had together didn’t seem to even be on the same playing field as what Janeway and Lynne had. The love they felt for each other was visible whenever they were in the same room together, and sometimes when they weren’t. B’Elanna was happy for her friend, but every now and then she felt melancholy stealing over her, wondering how she and Tom could achieve that kind of happiness.

She shook the thoughts away and focused on their conversation. “Sometimes you sound like a lovesick targ,” she said, making Lynne laugh again.

“And I really don’t care. Besides, who wouldn’t in my situation? There’s an entire planet down there singing the praises of Captain Kathryn Janeway, and I’m the one she wants to escort to the celebratory banquet.” She made goggle eyes at B’Elanna.

“You do have it bad,” said B’Elanna, grinning. “Let’s not forget that the planet is singing the praises of Voyager’s crew in general, not just the captain. That means I’m just as much of a goddess right now as she is.”

“I would never question your status as a goddess,” said Lynne, her expression saying otherwise. B’Elanna ignored it. “But let’s face it, Janeway is the one who talked those stubborn Tsians into letting us help them, and she’s the one who cut them loose as soon as we entered the system so that they could sail home under their own power. They think she’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.”

“What’s so great about sliced bread?”

“Never mind. Old saying. My point is, I have every reason to sound like a lovesick targ. I love Kathryn, and I’m proud of her. And if she were just a little more available, life would be pretty much perfect as far as I’m concerned.”

“What do you mean, ‘if she were a little more available’?” asked B’Elanna, catching a hint of trouble in paradise.

Lynne looked slightly alarmed, as if she’d just been caught doing something wrong. Then she shrugged. “It’s just that she’s always so busy with her duties. We generally only see each other two or three times a week. I’ve managed to find ways to keep busy, but I really wish we could spend more time together. Every time I check to see if she’s available, the computer tells me she’s in the ready room. And I can’t disturb her there—she’s the captain, and the ship comes first. I accepted that from day one. But I don’t particularly like it.”

B’Elanna sympathized. “They always say that a captain is married to the ship. That’s a tough one, Lynne. In that department, Janeway’s probably the most difficult person on this ship that you could have chosen to get involved with. Except possibly Tuvok.” She patted her friend’s arm.

Lynne smiled wanly. “Thanks. I feel a little better already, just being able to tell you about it. The one person I want to talk to is the one person I can’t talk to, so I’ve just been holding it all in. It’s ironic, really—usually I’m the one who doesn’t have enough time for my lover. I guess this is cosmic payback.”

“But Lynne, if time with the captain is an issue, why the hell are you climbing a mountain with me instead of spending your shore leave with her?”

“Counterintuitive, isn’t it?” said Lynne. “It’s just that mountain climbing is part of my soul, B’Elanna. I have a need for it, kind of like my need to breathe. I have to go if I can, and I’d do anything to get Kathryn to go with me. But if she won’t, I have to go anyway. It’s not really a choice.”

B’Elanna looked at her friend, trying to understand this contradiction. “I don’t get it. I mean, my engines are a part of my identity, but I wouldn’t choose being in engineering over being with Tom.”

“Maybe that’s because you’re in engineering every day. I haven’t set foot on a mountain since Denali, and that was nearly six months ago. How would you feel about getting to your engines if you hadn’t seen them in six months?”

“A squadron of shuttles with tractor beams attached to my legs couldn’t keep me away.”

“And if Tom didn’t want to go, would you go anyway?”

B’Elanna snorted at the idea of Tom wanting to rush to engineering. “You bet your sweet ass I would.”

Lynne held her hands out, palms up. “Then you understand my problem. That’s why I’m not spending my shore leave with Kathryn.” She slumped back in her chair. “Even though it’s killing me to give up that precious time with her.”

B’Elanna nodded. “I guess I’m honored that you asked me. But I still think you’re a few valves shy of a full plasma relay for wanting to do this.”

“You aren’t the first person to say something like that. I’m used to it.” Lynne stood up, taking her tray with her. “And B’Elanna?”

“Yes?”

Lynne looked down at her warmly. “Thank you. For everything.”

“You’re welcome, Fossil.” Lynne’s expression turned a little sour, and B’Elanna laughed. This little expedition might even prove to be fun, if it gave her more chances to poke at her friend.

 

 

 

 

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Chapter 20

 

 

Janeway gazed around the cavernous banquet hall, trying to distract herself from her discomfort. The serving staff had just taken away the plates from their eighth or ninth course—she’d lost track some time ago—and she knew it was only a matter of time before the next course arrived. The Tsians were generous hosts indeed, and appeared to subscribe to the ‘more is better’ philosophy of banqueting. She’d been pacing herself, eating only a few bites of each course, but that strategy still had limitations and her stomach was telling her that she’d just passed them.

The hall was filled with tables that seated perhaps five hundred people, including most of the crew of Voyager. The long table where she sat was on a raised dais at the head of the room, and was reserved for those in power and honored guests. Toward the end of it she could see Chakotay, Tuvok and Harry. B’Elanna and Tom were quite a bit closer. Seven was not there at all, having chosen not to attend, and privately Janeway thought her astrometrics officer was smarter than any of them. If she herself could have gotten away with not coming, she would certainly have declined the invitation. Unfortunately, that was rarely an option for a captain.

She looked at Lynne, seated next to her, and felt a little thrill of pride. When she’d picked Lynne up for the banquet several hours ago, her jaw had nearly dropped to the floor. Lynne was wearing a low cut, backless gown made of a gossamer green material that matched her eyes and shimmered when she moved. Her hair had been released from its French braid, falling down her back in soft waves, and the delicate straps over her shoulders only served to emphasize her beautiful physique. Her daily workouts had transformed her body into something that Janeway thought was close to the ideal female form—not that she was biased. Watching her partner talking to the Tsian minister of government across the table, she reflected that Lynne bore little resemblance these days to the weak and starved prisoner who had literally fallen into her arms almost six months ago. She was strong, feisty, full of life—and stubborn as a mule. They had clashed before when a situation required that one of them back down, but Janeway had been particularly surprised and dismayed at Lynne’s refusal to join her for shore leave. She’d thought that Lynne would change her plans upon finding that Janeway had no interest in climbing some godforsaken mountain during the precious few days she had to relax. Time off was so rare for Janeway that spending it in a quiet, relaxing manner was a requirement for her mental health. She desperately needed a recharge, and wanted Lynne to spend that time with her. Instead, she was having to look forward to reading a good book alone while her lover went off without her.

Lynne turned her head to find Janeway observing her, and gave her a pained smile that communicated her own discomfort. Janeway leaned close and murmured, “How are you doing?”

“I think my stomach is close to the bursting point,” Lynne responded quietly. “How could anyone possibly eat this much food? And how the hell is B’Elanna doing it?”

Janeway glanced down the table to B’Elanna, who was laughing as she conversed with T’zak Vestin. The two had gotten along quite well during the four days it had taken Voyager to tow the Sovereign to the Tsian homeworld, and the generous amounts of intoxicants served during the banquet had apparently turned their amicability into a fine, if loud, friendship. Somehow B’Elanna had managed to not only put away impressive amounts of the Tsian version of wine, but she’d also cleaned her plate for every course so far. Next to her, Tom didn’t seem to be enjoying himself nearly as much.

“Klingon stomachs are twice as big as ours,” whispered Janeway. “B’Elanna may only be half-Klingon, but she apparently got the full stomach.”

Lynne laughed. “Was that an intentional pun?”

Janeway gave Lynne what she hoped was an innocent look.

Their quiet conversation was interrupted by the deep voice of T’sin Lessia, the head of the Tsian Empire. Her title translated to “mother of Tsians,” and she was treated with extreme deference by all of the Tsians in the room. Her blue skin was pocked with scars, and her eyes had a milky cast to them that seemed to indicate advanced age. Janeway knew that it was a great honor to be seated at T’sin Lessia’s table, and an even greater one to be placed at her right hand. T’zak Vestin had not exaggerated when he’d said that the crew of Voyager would be met as heroes. They’d been toasted, feted and praised right alongside the crew of Sovereign during what appeared to be a planet-wide celebration.

“Captain Janeway,” said T’sin Lessia, “I am most intrigued by this Federation you speak of. How do you control so many planets spread over so great a distance?”

“We don’t control them, T’sin Lessia,” answered Janeway. “Every planet in the Federation retains its own government and conducts its own affairs, as long as those affairs don’t involve war with any other planet in the Federation. The consortium of planets exists for the purpose of promoting commerce, cultural exchange, and defense. It does not enrich any one government.”

“And how do you convince planets to join? Is that the job of your Starfleet?”

“Well, no. We don’t actually convince planets to join. Most often, a planet petitions the Federation for membership, because the benefits of being a member of the consortium can be very great for worlds interested in what we have to offer. When a planetary government petitions, a Starfleet ship is dispatched to carry an ambassadorial team to that planet. If the team determines that the petition is worthwhile, they’ll take it to the Federation Council, which then makes the decision as to whether or not a planet is accorded membership.”

“This is marvelous,” said T’sin Lessia. “You have created a situation where membership is exclusive, thereby making it more appealing. Other governments actually ask your permission to join your Federation and voluntarily place themselves under a foreign set of rules and expectations. You conquer without an army. Very clever! I am impressed by the wisdom of your leaders.”

Janeway was about to explain that the Federation did not go about conquering anyone, but the t’sin was not done.

“And tell me, Captain Janeway—how many of your Federation planets have matriarchal cultures?”

Janeway had to give that some thought. “Very few. I can think of only four or five examples. Matriarchy is not common in the Federation.”

T’sin Lessia bared her teeth in the unnerving version of a Tsian smile. “And yet you yourselves have this culture.”

Janeway was momentarily taken aback, then remembered that T’sin Lessia’s understanding of Earth culture was based on Voyager. “Actually, we don’t. Earth was originally matriarchal, then became patriarchal for thousands of years, and in the last few centuries has returned to an even balance between the two genders. We have finally come to understand that neither gender is inherently superior to the other. My crew is not commanded by a woman—it’s commanded by a captain. They would respond the same whether that captain were female or male.”

Their conversation paused as the next course arrived, a dish of artfully arranged meat that appeared to be raw. Janeway looked apologetically at Lynne, who shrugged slightly and took a bite. “It’s good,” she said. Janeway tried it and found the flavor to be excellent, though the texture made her a bit squeamish.

T’sin Lessia put a far larger portion in her mouth and swallowed with relish. “Your assertion is difficult to believe, Captain Janeway. We Tsians have noted that the skills and abilities of females differ markedly from those of males. Females tend to be wiser, more careful, more observant of the long-term effects of their decisions and actions. We are far better suited to govern than males, who tend to be more aggressive and prone to act in the moment, without regard for long-term consequences. Males make excellent soldiers and workers, but are rarely placed in positions of high power. Vestin is one of the few t’zaks in the Imperial Fleet, and his male aggressiveness can still be a liability to his career. Did he not endanger the current friendship between our two peoples by his impetuous actions?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Janeway could see that T’zak Vestin had looked up at the mention of his name and paled at hearing T’sin Lessia’s question. Something in her bristled at the tone the T’sin had taken. She did not care for discrimination in any form, and it appeared that the leader of the Tsians was promoting it rather strongly.

“On the contrary,” she replied smoothly, “T’zak Vestin’s actions were appropriate for a captain who believed that his ship was under attack. As soon as the misunderstanding between our two ships was clarified, he behaved in a manner calculated to promote our alliance. T’zak Vestin is responsible for our presence here today.”

T’zak Vestin returned to a normal color as T’sin Lessia smiled. Turning her head, she addressed the Tsian captain directly. “Vestin, it would appear that you have made an excellent impression on our friends. You are to be congratulated.” As T’zak Vestin momentarily blossomed into a brilliant green, showing a frightening number of teeth, the t’sin returned her attention to Janeway. “You will pardon me, Captain Janeway, if I find that your actions seem to belie your words. If your culture is as gender neutral as you say, why is it that you have chosen a female mate? It would be natural for an individual of your power to choose the superior of the two genders when deciding on a lifetime companion.”

Janeway glanced at Lynne, who had been listening intently to the conversation. “I’m proud to have Lynne for a mate. But I didn’t choose her because of her gender; I chose her because she is the best person for me, and I can’t imagine a life without her. I should add that in the past I have chosen males for mates, and Lynne has as well.” She felt a hand squeeze her thigh under the table, and turned her head to meet a green gaze that warmed her right down to her toes.

A rumble of laughter brought her attention back to T’sin Lessia. “You have just proved my point, Captain Janeway. Both of you have chosen males in your past, only to settle on females. Obviously the males were insufficient as mates, or you would still be with them.”

Janeway opened her mouth to respond, but heard Lynne’s voice behind her. “It’s true that my past mates were insufficient, T’sin Lessia, but that’s not because they were male. It’s because they weren’t Kathryn.”

Janeway felt a second rush of warmth down her spine, and knew her face was showing the heat. She smiled at Lynne, who answered with one of those brilliant smiles that made Janeway’s heart catch.

Again the t’sin laughed. “Ah, I see the situation now. You have not been mates long, and are still in the stage of thessan, when all you can see is each other. I have not felt thessan for a very long time, and it is a treat to see it here.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice, a gesture which had almost no effect since even her low voice carried for several meters. “Our world has many locations conducive to the desires of a couple in thessan. I would be happy to make recommendations for you.”

“We would be grateful for any recommendation you might make,” said Janeway, anxious to change the subject before the Tsian leader could go any further. “We hoped that you would be amenable to our crew spending some time on your planet to rest and refresh themselves before continuing on our journey.”

“Of course!” said T’sin Lessia. “We would be honored to host such a courageous people.”

“Is there any location on your world where our people would not be welcomed?” asked Janeway. “Sacred places, or locations reserved for activities that don’t include the entertainment of a foreign people? I want to make certain that we don’t inadvertently offend.”

“Your caution and consideration do you great credit, Captain Janeway. There are a few small areas that your people should avoid. I will have my minister of lands draw up a list of coordinates tomorrow. But for the most part, our planet is open to your crew.”

“T’sin Lessia, are the mountains at the southern end of this continent included in those areas to be avoided?” asked Lynne.

The Tsian leader appeared nonplussed. “No, but why would anyone wish to go there? They are inhospitable to life.”

“I’d like to go there in order to climb your tallest mountain,” answered Lynne.

“How very strange. For what purpose?”

“Simply for the purpose of doing it,” said Lynne. “I know that’s not a very clear answer, but many humans are motivated to engage in activities solely for the sense of accomplishment in completing the activity. I would feel very accomplished to successfully climb to the top of your tallest mountain.”

“I do not see how it would be possible. No Tsian has ever attempted such a thing; the cold would put us into a torpor. We much prefer staying in warmer climates, where the sun heats our blood and gives us strength. Would you actually risk torpor and death simply to feel that you had accomplished something of no intrinsic value?”

Janeway was intrigued by the question, which revealed a facet of Tsian physiology that she hadn’t known about before. Judging by her answer, Lynne had also noticed.

“Torpor isn’t a problem for me, T’sin Lessia. My body creates its own heat.”

“You are a warmblood?” The question was spoken loudly, in surprise, and all conversation near them came to a sudden stop.

Lynne looked distinctly uncomfortable at finding herself the focus of so many stares, but kept her own eyes on the Tsian leader. “Yes, that is correct.”

Janeway decided to help Lynne out. “You seem surprised to learn this, T’sin Lessia.”

Their host had stiffened upon asking her question, but now she bent forward again. “Yes, I am surprised. Your type of physiology is…uncommon in our area. And you will be accompanying your mate on this journey?”

“No, I will not. She will be climbing with her friend, my chief of engineering.” Janeway indicated B’Elanna, who was watching them along with everyone else at this section of the table.

T’sin Lessia paused for a moment, then fixed her gaze on Lynne. “Lynne Hamilton, mate of Captain Janeway, you are certainly welcome to climb the mountain if that is what you wish. However, given the danger of the area and your importance to your leader, I would ask that you notify my minister of land when you start, when you expect to reach the summit, and when you return safely. I will personally wish to be notified when you have returned.”

“I appreciate your concern, T’sin Lessia,” said Lynne. “I will be happy to give you those dates. Thank you for your permission and your support.”

The momentary silence dissipated as those around them resumed their conversations, and Janeway breathed a sigh of relief. One never knew what would set off an awkward moment at these diplomatic functions, and more often than not it was something that could never have been anticipated no matter how much preparation took place beforehand. She found it quite interesting that T’sin Lessia had been so taken aback to learn that she and her crew were endothermic. In fact, the Tsian leader had seemed almost dismayed. Thinking back to their earlier conversation and the T’sin’s obvious prejudice against males, she wondered if perhaps the prejudice also extended to endothermic species. If so, she disguised it well, because the alien leader was the perfect hostess for the remainder of the meal.

After three more courses, which sorely tested the limits of Janeway’s endurance, a sudden fanfare of drums interrupted the evening. All heads turned toward the stage along one wall of the banquet hall, which had filled with musicians while the guests were eating. Now the orchestra struck up a tune, and within moments half of the Tsians had left their tables and were dancing in the large space at the center of the hall. The music had a great deal of percussion in it, but the tune was pleasant and melodic. Janeway turned to Lynne, who was tapping her fingers on the table to the rhythm. Sliding her own hand under Lynne’s, Janeway asked, “Lynne Hamilton, mate of Captain Janeway, will you dance?”

Lynne laughed and rose from her chair in answer. Walking to the dance floor hand in hand, Janeway felt a great sense of release. She’d thought the eating would never end. Now they could probably dance for a number or two and then make a discreet exit, having fulfilled their diplomatic requirements. She turned Lynne to face her and wrapped one arm around her waist. “I hope you don’t mind if we do a slow dance,” she said. “I think if I try anything more energetic, my stomach may explode.”

“Mine would probably go first,” said Lynne. “The slower, the better.”

With that, Janeway drew her partner close and let herself go, simply enjoying the music and the feel of Lynne in her arms. After several minutes of quiet closeness, she heard Lynne’s voice in her ear.

“Did I tell you how gorgeous you look in your dress uniform?”

Janeway drew her head back and looked into Lynne’s eyes. “Why no, you didn’t mention it,” she said.

“Well, I should have. You’re always beautiful, but sometimes you look so stunning that it stops my heart. Tonight is one of those times.”

Janeway felt a little self-conscious. She never thought of herself that way, but Lynne did not make a habit of saying things she didn’t mean. Janeway had no doubt that Lynne honestly thought she was beautiful, and the knowledge made her glow.

“If beauty really could stop a heart,” she said, “then I wouldn’t be standing here now. When I came by your quarters to pick you up, I was practically speechless. You look absolutely breathtaking. And I’m so glad you chose to wear the earrings.” Janeway had used the occasion of Lynne’s first away mission as an excuse to give her a pair of earrings that matched the pendant she always wore. Lynne’s reaction had made the expenditure of replicator rations more than worthwhile, and Janeway had been stealing glances at the sparkling gems all evening. It gave her an unaccountable sense of warm pride to see Lynne wearing her gift.

“Thank you,” said Lynne. “And wearing the earrings wasn’t really a choice. The real question is whether I’ll ever take them off again.” She gave Janeway a slow, sensual smile, then pulled her close again. A moment later she said, “I just had an old song flash through my head. I always thought it was kind of hokey, but suddenly it means a lot more. It applies perfectly to you right now.”

“Well, are you going to sing it to me?” asked Janeway.

“Not on a bet. I’m no singer. But maybe I can find it in the database and play it for you. The guy who did it was a one-hit wonder, so it’s likely the song made it to the twenty-fourth century.” Lynne had complained loudly and often that marketing, not talent, seemed to dictate which music had survived to the current time. The list of artists and musical selections that she thought should have survived seemed to grow longer every time Janeway saw her.

“What’s it called? Who sang it?”

“Chris somebody; I’m going to have to think about it. But the song was called The Lady in Red.”

“Come on, sing it.”

“No way.”

“All right then, just tell me the lyrics.”

“No, I don’t think so. I want to do this right. Give me a little time and I’ll figure it out.” Lynne pulled away again to look into Janeway’s eyes. “Just know that I love you, Kathryn. And I really, really wish I could share with you the feeling of absolute freedom and joy that I get on the summit of a mountain. But I understand why you don’t want to go. I hope you understand why I have to.”

“I understand intellectually,” said Janeway. “It’s just my heart that can’t figure out why you don’t want to be with me.” She hadn’t meant to say it quite like that, but once it was out, she realized that she’d just spoken a much larger truth. For a moment she was aghast at her slip. But Lynne took her statement in the context of their conversation, and was oblivious to what Janeway had really said.

“Oh, Kathryn, that is absolutely not true!” she said, looking dismayed. “I do want to be with you. It’s just that this is something I have to do for myself. I don’t know how to explain it, but I honestly feel that I’ll have more to give you when I’ve taken care of my own need.” She brushed a finger down Janeway’s cheek. “And believe me, I’d like to give you a whole lot more.” Her eyes took on an expression that Janeway knew well, and she felt her own body quickening in response.

Wrapping her arms more tightly around Lynne’s slender form, Janeway whispered, “I’d like that too. Just do what you have to, Lynne, and come back to me.” She ran her fingers up her partner’s bare back, smiling at the shiver she felt rippling under her hands. “And as for what you plan to give me…maybe I can get a sneak preview tonight.”

Lynne smiled. “Have we stayed here long enough to satisfy your diplomatic duties?”

“Oh, I think so. Let’s just wander up and say our goodbyes.”

They wove their way through the dancers back to the head table, where T’sin Lessia expressed her sadness at their early departure. Janeway nearly snorted at this, since they’d been there for almost nine hours. But their hostess consented to let them go with a nod and a sly reference to couples in thessan, and minutes later they stepped off the transporter pad on Voyager.

“Home sweet ship,” said Lynne as they walked to the turbolift. “God, I’m glad to be back.”

Janeway squeezed her partner’s hand in response. “Your place or mine?” she asked when the turbolift arrived.

“Yours. Mine’s cluttered up with gear.”

“Lynne, you didn’t even know if the Tsians would let you go!”

Lynne shrugged, smiling. “What can I say? I like to be prepared.”

Janeway rolled her eyes. They walked to her quarters in a companionable silence, and as soon as the door hissed shut behind them she pulled Lynne against her and kissed her deeply, letting off some of the steam she’d built up in the interminable minutes it had taken them to get back. “You know,” she said against Lynne’s lips, “it’s a well known fact that captains tend to be impressed by preparedness.”

Lynne kissed her again and pulled her toward the bedroom. “Then come on in here and let me impress you.”

Later that night, as Janeway drifted toward sleep in a pleasant fog, she felt Lynne kiss her gently just below the ear and whisper, “The lady in red is dancing with me.” For a moment Janeway’s descent into sleep was arrested; she realized that Lynne was referring to the song she’d mentioned earlier. She tried to rouse herself enough to ask for the rest of the lyrics, but the pull of sleep was too heavy, and in another moment she was gone.

 

 

 

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