Back to Work
by Jennifer Ferris
"You ready, Commander?"
"Of course, Captain."
They stepped into the turbolift. "Bridge."
"Computer, halt turbolift." Kathryn looked at up Chakotay, humor shimmering in her eyes but her tone serious. "I don't have to say all those things we both know. We have to be all business up there."
He cleared his throat. "Yes ma'am."
"Don't you do that."
He bent to her for a quick kiss. "I'll be good."
She fought to keep the grin off her face. "I'll just bet you will."
"Have you thought about what you're going to tell them?" Chakotay raised an eyebrow.
"I don't have to tell them anything," she threw a challenging glance at him.
"Um hmm."
He was squaring his shoulders, getting ready to face the bridge crew. She should be doing the same. She'd deliberately left herself open to this. She wasn't going to lie to anybody, she wasn't going to hide anything. On the other hand, that didn't mean she intended to...oh lord, the lift was opening. Unconsciously, she raised her chin and assumed her 'captain's stance'.
Chakotay watched her out of the corner of his eye and grinned.
"Stop that," she whispered. He wiped the expression away instantly, but his eyes were dancing. This was going to be harder than she'd thought. She strode onto the bridge, head held high.
Tuvok rose from the command chair, his expression as unruffled as it always was. "Captain."
"Mr. Tuvok. Thank you for taking the bridge this morning. Report."
"All systems normal. We are maintaining our heading. We have detected a Class M planet in the approaching system which may warrant investigation."
"ETA, Mr. Paris?" She took the chair gratefully. There, that hadn't been too bad. Chakotay sat down beside her but she refused to look at him.
"Approximately four hours, Captain. Umm...good morning." The pilot's eyes had the barest grin.
"Thank you, Mr. Paris." Janeway turned back to Tuvok. "Why do you say it warrants investigation?"
"We are reading abnormally high theta radiation levels, indicating valuable mineral deposits. At this distance I am not detecting any subspace activity, but the planet is populated. There is evidence of technology."
"If there's excessive theta radiation, there may be dilithium." Janeway was a scientist, she understood the possibilities.
"Perhaps."
"Shouldn't get our hopes up. Still..." She turned to Chakotay. "You may want to plan for an away team. Just in case."
"Of course, Captain. If I may-" Chakotay leaned across to call data up on her monitor and his hand touched Janeway's shoulder. As if by accident. It was a light touch, nothing more. Janeway closed her eyes for an instant, feeling the color rise in her cheeks.
Only a tiny moment. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself staring at her helmsman. Paris had the grace to look down, but the smile on his face didn't completely disappear. To her surprise, it was warm, not mocking. "Did you need something, Mr. Paris?"
"Uh-" He was obviously fumbling for a response. "Just...volunteering for the away mission, if you need me. Er, if the Commander.." his voice faded.
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Chakotay's voice was soft. "I'll keep that in mind." He leaned back a bit, watching Janeway. "Look at the neutrino and gamma shift. And the density of particles in the atmosphere. They're mining down there. And if they're looking for-"
"Then they probably don't know about the dilithium. But we don't know-well." Janeway was speculating aloud, not really expecting an answer. "Janeway to Engineering."
"Torres here."
"Lieutenant. Take a look at the data we're sending you. We think we may have located a source of natural dilithium. There's a chance, anyway."
"Captain. That'd be great. Um, data coming through now."
"If the readings bear out, we'll be sending an away team down. Chakotay will need someone from your staff."
"Aye, Captain. I'll get on it."
* * *
Janeway called a meeting in her ready room before they hit orbit. She nodded at her senior officers. "Can you tell what we'll be dealing with down there?"
"We've been monitoring news broadcasts," Harry Kim volunteered. "The translators are having trouble with some of the concepts. But it's definitely a technological society. Probably in the early stages of space flight."
"Then we have to be especially careful," Janeway looked around the room. Everyone understood the risks. They didn't want to introduce warp drive to a civilization just learning about rockets. They didn't want to introduce even the *idea* of warp flight. Or anything else. "This is definitely a Prime Directive situation. If we have to, we leave emptyhanded."
"We may not have to, Captain," Chakotay offered. "We've been mapping their population flow. It looks like they're avoiding the areas of the highest dilithium concentration. We can't tell from here if it's because they're detecting radiation. Not enough data without a contact probe."
Janeway divided her attention between Chakotay and Tuvok. "Can we avoid being seen if we send a team down there?"
"The uncertainty factor must always be considered, Captain," Tuvok replied. "But we are able to choose uninhabited areas. If our information is accurate," he frowned slightly, "about which we cannot be certain, their technology is commensurate with a point eight daystrom scale. The natives will probably be able to detect emissions from our powered equipment. We should employ tricorders on the lowest settings. And use phasers only in case of greatest necessity."
"Then we'll avoid the necessity, Mr. Tuvok. The whole point is that these people not even know we're here."
"Agreed, Captain."
"Commander?" Janeway put on her best neutral expression and turned to her first officer.
He was frowning at his folded hands. "We'd better be prepared to get in and out quickly. We don't know enough, we're operating in the dark." He looked up and his expression softened, a tiny smile touching his lips. "But a quick sortie...the opportunity's too good to miss."
Janeway nodded. "B'Elanna."
"Captain?"
"See if you can recalibrate our forward array to allow for the sensor distortions. I want to hear a pin drop on that peninsula. If that's dilithium, it's going to present a problem."
Torres sighed. "I know. We'll do what we can."
"Is it dilithium, B'Elanna? And not keposite or inidium?"
The engineer shifted in her seat. "I'd bet money on it, Captain. There's only a molecule of difference, so we can't be sure until we examine it directly. But...my hands are itching. I think so."
Janeway pushed back from the conference table, staring at the ceiling for a moment. "I guess we'd better go down there then." She caught the grin on Torres' face, and smiled involuntarily. Energy was always a problem. They never had enough, always had to compromise, make do or do without. Maybe they could stock up here. This is already a special day, she thought to herself. Maybe we can make it even better. With that thought, she turned to Chakotay. "Pick your team."
"Already done." Chakotay tapped his padd. "I think we'd better keep the landing party small. The more people, the more risk. I'm going to take Joe Carey. He's had experience with the raw ore, and it might be important to have B'Elanna here to mind the store. In case there are any surprises. And I'd like Harry to come." He's qualified, and he needs more experience, Chakotay didn't say, but Janeway understood. "Rosie Gonzales, she's a good mineralogist and she can handle herself. Two security men. Tuvok's choice. Hopefully we won't need them, but better to be prepared. And if it is dilithium, we can all pitch in."
"Yes. Mr. Tuvok?" Janeway was unhurried, deliberate.
"With the captain's permission?" Janeway nodded and Tuvok continued. "I would like to accompany the commander. I believe that my experience may be of value."
"And you think he might need you down there." Janeway nodded once. She swiveled. "If the Commander agrees-"
"Of course, Captain. I would welcome his assistance." If there was any irony in the statement, Chakotay kept it to himself.
Good. "All right, people. We'll be in orbit shortly. Might as well get this show on the road." She hesitated as her officers filed out. "Commander Chakotay, a moment please."
He waited until the doors closed and they were alone. Janeway turned to stare out the viewport. "I didn't expect to have to test this so soon."
"Kathryn." She watched Chakotay's reflection as he moved close behind her. "Don't. We'll all be careful. This is no worse than any other away mission. They won't even know we're there." He put his arms around her, brushing her hair with his cheek.
"I know. I'm just aware that...I've given a hostage to fortune."
"As if you didn't have a hundred and fifty already. Besides," he shook his head at her. "We've both done that ages ago."
She sighed. "Yes. You're right. I'm just feeling...greedy."
"Good. Kiss me for luck?"
Kathryn turned to face him. "Just for luck? I have better reasons."
"Yes." Chakotay took her face in his hands. "I love you." He kissed her gently.
"Go. Go on. I'm being ridiculous."
"Never that." Seeing her tension, he sighed. "Kathryn. We'll be careful."
"I know." The captain smiled ruefully, straightened her shoulders, and led the way back onto the bridge.
* * *
The team arrived without incident. They were well away from any population centers--any detected population centers, anyway. And they were in luck: it was dilithium. Unrefined, bulky, and it would difficult to separate from the indigenous rock, but dilithium. More precious than food, or water, or air, because the energy it released could be converted to provide those necessities.
Not without cost. The crude ore caused distortions in sensor fields, and was unhealthy to be around for very long. They'd have it in containment fields as soon as they got back to the ship. And it could play hell with the transporters. That was the calculated risk.
Twice Wildman had to recalibrate at Ops and the signal was still deteriorating. At least communications were intact. Chakotay was calling in with an hourly update when things took a turn for the worse. "We're getting some readings of natives headed this way. About a dozen. We can't see them yet."
"Sounds like it's time to get you out of there."
Chakotay hesitated. "Captain...another hour and we'll have a full load. We can't hurry much more than that, it's clumsy extracting the ore without proper equipment. We're basically chipping away at rocks with our phasers. But Tuvok thinks they'll be able to detect anything more sophisticated."
"Can you keep out of the way for long enough, and still work?"
"I think so. If we can make this trip worthwhile, it'll save us having to come back." And possibly contaminate the local culture by being discovered. Something they didn't need to discuss. Something they both wanted to avoid.
"All right then. If you think it's worth the risk."
"I'll...we'll check in soon, Captain. Keep you informed."
"All right, Commander. Janeway out." Her nerves were on edge, that was all, she told herself. Things were really going very well.
But they weren't. She wasn't surprised when Tuvok signaled her at the next check-in. "Tuvok to Voyager."
"Mr. Tuvok? Is everything all right?"
"We are all well. I am calling from the shelter of a small cave. The others are gathering up our equipment and the ore we have extracted. However, the natives are getting closer. I believe it would be wise to beam us up as soon as--ah."
Janeway could hear a small commotion in the background, and it was Chakotay's voice that continued over the link. "Captain. We've done as much as we can. I think you'll be pleased with our bounty. But things are getting a little tight around here. Time to come home."
Janeway tapped her com badge. "Transporter room. Let's get the team out of there."
"...Uh. Captain." D'Elassandro's bass voice filled the air mournfully.
"Problem?"
"I'm not getting a clear lock, Captain. The dilithium is causing all kinds of distortion. If you could get them away from whatever concentration they're near..."
"We'll see. Chakotay," she turned her attention back to the open line, "can you get out of that cave? Apparently it's the extreme concentration that's causing the problem."
"Uh-we better not right now, Captain. There's a dozen locals nearby and they...seem to be looking for something."
"Damn. Do they know you're in there?"
"I don't think so. This cave is hard to see from the ground. But Harry says their equipment might have picked up something. They won't be able to pinpoint us, though. I think."
"So you're stuck there until they go away."
"Looks like it."
"Well..." she tried for lightness. "I hope you packed your rations."
Chakotay laughed softly. "We'll manage. Might get a little cold."
"If that's the worst of it, Commander, I think you'll all survive."
"We'll be fine, Captain. As soon as we have a chance, one of us'll get away from the cave and signal. I can see a couple of the natives from where we are-it's not quite dark yet. -No, they can't see us. It looks like they're fanning out, maybe they'll move on quickly."
"We'll hope so. Wait and see, then."
"Yes."
"Then..." there wasn't anything else they could do at this point. "Keep us advised."
"Aye, Captain. Away team out."
Chakotay turned and surveyed the shallow cave they were using as a shelter. "Rosie...you used to be pretty good at climbing." They'd been Maquis together. Gonazles was nimble and mostly fearless.
"Still am." She grinned at Chakotay with comfortable familiarity. "You want me to take a look?"
"Yeah. Don't let them see you." She shot Chakotay a dark look, as if hurt he'd find that warning necessary. He pursed his lips and shrugged: goes with the territory. Gonzales nodded and started off, eyeing the ridge above her with a sigh. She was out of sight in a moment.
Tuvok waited until he could no longer hear her soft footsteps on the rocks. "Domanski, or myself for that matter, would perhaps be better equipped for this sort of reconnaissance," he said mildly.
Chakotay answered lightly. "Maybe. But Rosie's pretty good at getting in where she's not wanted. She'll let us know what else is out there. At least," he indicated the surrounding rocks, "near here. As for the plain-"
Tuvok nodded. "Little cover and much opportunity for discovery. It would be best to leave that avenue unexplored for the moment."
Chakotay eyed the darkening landscape with narrowed eyes. "Anything suggest itself to you about how long we'll have to hide?"
"We have little upon which to base conjecture at this point. Mr. Kim informs me that the broadcasts he has been monitoring are strongest at night. It may be that all the native equipment functions most efficiently then. If we are quiet and avoid the use of powered equipment, daylight may bring more safety."
"Agreed. Well. Might as well get this stuff back out of the way."
Harry was helping Domanski secure the dilithium they'd mined. "We've got the standard packs, first aid kit, and two liters of water apiece, Commander. All over there," he nodded at the field packs dumped in the back of the cave. "But I hope we don't have to spend the night."
Chakotay grabbed a canister from the stack Domanski was shoving to the back of the cave. "Why?" He grunted as he lifted one of the heavy containers.
"Well...it won't kill us. But I'd just as soon not spend too much time near all that dilithium. It's pretty toxic." Harry shrugged. Everyone knew that. He was just stating the obvious.
"Yeah. Like you said, it won't kill us." They wrestled two more canisters to the back. "Come on, let's take a look." He touched Kim on the shoulder and they moved quietly to the ledge. Tuvok turned toward them, hand held upright for silence. The vulcan pointed down field. Two shadowy figures were barely visible in the dusk.
Chakotay nodded. He squatted down, forearms resting lightly on his knees. Trying to see if they had any options outside. It didn't look too good right now.
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