Pathways

by Jeri Taylor

  “Then I will accompany you. As will a full security detail.”

  “And I’ll want a full scientific detail, as well. We’ll make a regular party of it. This is so exciting, Tuvok!”

  “Yes, Captain.” Tuvok’s mind was already organizing the security detail, anticipating the possible problems involved in this foolish quest. What kind of captain was this to be so guided by whim and caprice? To abandon her scheduled mission on an impulse, undoubtedly endangering not only herself but the other members of the away team as well. A party, indeed. He renewed his resolve to request a different posting at the earliest possible moment. Perhaps he would even send a transmission to Starfleet Headquarters from the ship.

  An hour later they transported to an alien surface that was as unusual as any Tuvok had ever seen. Distant volcanoes belched smoke into the hot air of a landscape dotted with odd-looking vegetation. Huge tree ferns, some fifteen meters tall, bowed and swayed with frenzied energy in the smoky winds.

  Captain Janeway began running back and forth like an unruly schoolchild, tricorder scanning here, there—Tuvok was sure it was quite impossible to get accurate readings with such a scattergun approach. This mad folly wouldn’t even lead to valid scientific data.

  The away team stood atop a precipice overlooking the vast landscape. Behind them stretched an expanse of land upon which danced the tree ferns; below them lay a huge body of water, boiling, throwing up huge gusts of steam. A hot wind lashed them, carrying off their words as they shouted to each other. It occurred to Tuvok that this world was as frantic and disordered as humans were themselves.

  Particularly Captain Janeway, who was now shouting orders to the science team, which then moved off in different directions, wielding their tricorders like wands. Tuvok himself kept a wary eye on the sky, which contained a number of reptilian birds, swooping and diving, apparently not yet having noticed the new intruders. But he was sure they soon would. He put his hand on his phaser, and nodded for his security team to accompany the wandering scientists.

  He intended to stay close to the captain, whose youthful jubilation could well hamper her judgment and cause her to place herself in even greater danger than they were in simply by coming to this ferocious environment.

  He was watching one particularly fierce-looking bird which was straying ever closer to them. “Captain,” he began, wanting to alert her to its presence, but when he looked for her, she was nowhere to be seen.

  Tuvok bolted to the edge of the precipice where he’d last seen her and looked over it, dreading what he might see— her body, broken on the harsh rocks, or sinking beneath the bubbling waves of that boiling lake . . .

  What he saw surprised him even more. She was climbing, precariously, down the side of the cliff. What was the woman thinking?

  Then he realized there was a large nest tucked in the crags of a rocky outcropping, and within that nest lay two eggs, mottled in brown and green.

  “Captain!” he bellowed over the wind, but she gave no indication that she heard him. He looked back at the smoky sky, and saw the bird drifting closer, borne by the updrafts of the hot, humid air, giant wings spread to their full width, which he estimated to be a good two meters.

  It was close enough now to see the bird’s head, and he watched in curious fascination for a moment. The head looked more like the head of an animal than that of a bird. Eyes were set in front, like a predator’s, rather than on the sides. And the mouth, now agape, contained a set of quite vicious teeth—teeth, he was sure, that were capable of ripping flesh from limb.

  Tuvok waited no longer. He climbed over the side of the cliff and began climbing toward Janeway, cursing her, in his mind, as he did.

  The noise of the wind was even louder on this side of the precipice, and powerful enough to make the going difficult, even for him. He wondered how that tiny slip of a woman could stay on her feet, but she was climbing nimbly, heading directly for the nest. Tuvok struggled toward her, casting frequent glances at the sky, but the cliff wall obscured the angle of his vision. He realized that if the bird was returning to its nest, it would be upon them almost without warning.

  Captain Janeway was now near the nest, which she was scanning intently, holding on with her free hand to a jagged rock in order to keep her balance. She glanced back and saw Tuvok, and broke into an excited smile. She mouthed words which Tuvok couldn’t hear, pointing toward the eggs.

  In reply, Tuvok pointed to the sky—but as yet, the bird had not appeared. Perhaps this was not its nest, after all.

  “. . . eggs . . . may be . . . or saurian . . .” The captain’s shouts were lost on the roaring winds, but there was no mistaking the genuine excitement on her face.

  He was only a few feet from her now, and he hoped he could persuade her to give up this folly. “I suggest we ignore this nest, Captain,” he shouted, but even as he did he realized she was not looking at him, but staring up, at something above him. Tuvok whirled and saw the predator bird diving toward them.

  He drew his phaser, was vaguely aware of the captain shouting, “Don’t hurt it!,” but the bird rammed him before he could get off a shot. He lost his balance, teetered on the slippery rock, then grabbed for a hold with both hands, the phaser tumbling down the cliff face to the edge of the stormy lake far below.

  The bird had circled away from them and was turning to make another dive. He moved to put his body in front of the captain’s when he saw her pointing; he turned, and saw the opening.

  Several meters from them, along a treacherous, rock-strewn path, was the opening to what might be a cave. The captain was already scrambling toward it, and Tuvok, casting a quick glance at the now-diving bird, followed quickly.

  A heavy impact on his arm and then searing pain as the bird clamped down on his arm. He swung around with his other fist and hit it in the forehead, dislodging it. Then he dived into the cave.

  It was small and cramped, but it would shield them from the predator bird, the opening being too small to admit it. He and Janeway crawled to the back wall of the cave and sat there catching their breath.

  “You’re hurt,” she noticed.

  Tuvok inspected his arm. His uniform was torn and there were angry green marks on the back of his upper arm, but the wound didn’t look serious. “It’s nothing,” he told her.

  “I think that bird is saurian. Or something very similar. Basically a pterodactyl—a flying dinosaur.”

  “And as deadly,” he intoned. “I suggest we return to our ship immediately.”

  “Aren’t you excited by what we’ve seen here? The data we’ve collected will be invaluable to paleontologists.”

  “I’m sure it is a discovery of great scientific significance.”

  She smiled and touched her combadge. “Janeway to the Bonestell. Two to beam up.”

  They waited, but they stayed where they were. “Janeway to the Bonestell. Do you read me?”

  Silence. Janeway flipped open her tricorder, and a small frown appeared on her brow. “I’m not reading anything. There’s some kind of interference in here . . .”

  She waved the tricorder in all directions, apparently with the same result. She snapped it shut and settled back against the cave wall. “I guess we wait.”

  “For what, exactly, are we waiting? For the predator’s eggs to hatch and the birds to grow large enough to fly away?”

  To his amazement, Janeway burst out laughing. It was a big, hearty laugh, completely genuine, and it baffled Tuvok. What could she possibly find amusing about their situation? He watched as she rubbed her eyes, apparently having laughed herself into tears, another human trait which was mystifying.

  “Tuvok, you’re wonderful. I enjoy you so much.”

  He considered this statement, which was as puzzling as the rest of her behavior. “Captain,” he said finally, “I must confess that I do not understand you. We are trapped in a small cave on a hostile planet, while a territorial predator awaits us outside, ready to attack and devour us as soon as we emerge. And ye
t you show no concern about the situation, and instead find it humorous. Could you explain?”

  To his surprise, the captain came to him and put her hand on his shoulder, and gazed at him with eyes that seemed to emanate affection. “I’m so glad we were thrown together. I would never have chosen you, and then I’d have missed getting to know a most remarkable person.”

  Tuvok took three deep breaths in order to quiet the confusion in his mind. “At the risk of seeming dense, I simply don’t understand. We were in conflict from the moment we met. We have remained so. You pay absolutely no attention to my recommendations, and in general ignore the Starfleet protocols I strive to effect. I have no sense that you admire, or even respect, me.”

  A change came over her, a twinge of concern. “I listen to everything you say. And I follow all your admonitions.” There was a brief hesitation before she continued, with a bit of a lilt in her voice. “I just don’t always let you know it.”

  What seemed to be a smile tugged at her mouth and Tuvok took a few more breaths, reminding himself of cthia and the power to control one’s mind, which this capricious woman was in danger of undoing. “Could you explain?”

  “I thought we were playing a game. It went on for so long I couldn’t imagine that either of us took it seriously anymore.”

  Tuvok’s bewilderment was now complete. “Captain, I am at a loss. I frankly don’t understand anything you’re saying, but it isn’t necessary that I do so. I must inform you that I have decided to request a different posting as soon as we return from our mission.” He glanced outside into the fierce alien environment. “Assuming we do,” he added.

  Janeway’s face had become awash in emotions which he wouldn’t begin to identify. She grasped one of his hands with both of hers, a gesture he found disquieting. “No, please,” she implored. “You mustn’t go. I need you too much.”

  “There are many fine officers who could serve you equally well—”

  “No. Not as well. Tuvok, you are my rock, my ballast. You steady me in a way I’ve never felt before.” She looked up at him, urgency giving her words a dimension he couldn’t ignore. “I’ve been asked to take command of a new starship,” she continued. “An Intrepid-class vessel called Voyager. It’s an exciting opportunity, and I’d looked forward to sharing it with you. Please say you’ll consider it.”

  Tuvok regarded her with as much equanimity as he could muster. “I am grateful for your confidence in me,” he said carefully, “but I must have time to weigh the consequences of this decision.”

  “Fair enough. But I warn you—there’s only one answer I’ll accept.” She was smiling again, and Tuvok mused that one could develop vertigo from trying to keep up with the emotional shifts in this mercurial woman.

  Now she became brisk and businesslike. “Well, I’d hoped someone would have noticed our absence, but it looks as if we’ll have to get out of here by ourselves.” She took her tricorder from her waist and began working the controls. “I suspect an ultrasonic beam will confuse that poor flying creature long enough for us to be transported to the ship.”

  “I assume by ‘that poor flying creature’ you are referring to the rapacious predator that attacked us,” said Tuvok dryly.

  Janeway smiled as she reconfigured the tricorder. “She’s just a mother guarding her babies,” she said. “There’s no need to hurt her. We’re the ones invading her territory.”

  Tuvok started to remark that, given a choice, he himself would not have considered invading this territory, but he thought better of it. The captain looked up at him, cool and confident. She evinced no apprehension, no doubtfulness in her plan, and Tuvok had to admire her quiet courage.

  “Let’s give it a try,” she said, and moved toward the opening of the small cave. Tuvok was right beside her.

  They looked up to see the huge bird sitting in its nest, staring directly at them. It emitted a high shriek and rose to its feet, wings opening to carry it aloft. Janeway pointed the tricorder at it and activated the ultrasonic beam. The creature hesitated, folded its wings, opened them slightly. Its auditory senses were thrown off balance, and it didn’t seem to know how to react.

  “Janeway to Bonestell,” the captain said after tapping her combadge. “Two to beam up.”

  In the brief instant before dematerialization, Tuvok realized that he had already made his decision. He could never hope to understand this complex woman, would probably always remain awash in the wake of her intricate emotional nature; but he could not deny that she was unique, powerful, and compelling. Committing himself to her would undoubtedly keep him in a greater state of turmoil than he might find comfortable, but it might also provide an experience of unparalleled adventure.

  Something told him the rewards of this association would far outweigh the costs. He realized that insight wasn’t particularly logical, but there was a curious satisfaction to it nonetheless.

  CHAPTER

  15

  WHEN TUVOK WAS FINISHED, HE TURNED TO VORIK, AND the two held a long, intense look. Clearly this remarkable tale was meant as a gift to the young Vulcan, but everyone else in the room had been awed by its telling as well. No one spoke.

  Finally Tuvok looked around the room. “I think we must return to the business at hand,” he declared. “Lieutenant Torres, when do you estimate the underground chamber will be completed?”

  “With any luck, by tomorrow night,” she replied. “We can’t be sure until we actually transport someone down there, but Harry and I think by then we’ll have carved out a space big enough for two people at a time.”

  “Then I suggest we make our attempt at that time. The longer we stay in this place, the greater the danger of our being discovered.”

  “And of our becoming sick and debilitated,” added Chakotay. He glanced over toward Noah Mannick, who was lying on the ground, knees tucked into his chest. He had been experiencing severe cramps for most of the day, probably as a result of contaminated drinking water. Brad Harrison sat quietly by him, a comforting hand on Noah’s shoulder. Illness was much to be feared in conditions like these, and Chakotay could sense Brad’s concern, though the young man didn’t voice it.

  It was agreed that late tomorrow night, when the camp was at its quietest, they would begin the process of transporting themselves out of Hellhole and into the forest. What went unspoken was the fact that even if they were successful in doing so, they had no idea where to go from there.

  Neelix was in a state of heightened expectation the next day, as the prospect of getting free of this oppressive place became more nearly a reality. He was careful, however to keep from revealing his excitement to Tassot Bnay, as they toiled in the psilminite mines, for he didn’t want to arouse suspicion from any corner.

  The day seemed endless. It was unusually hot, and he felt the top of his head stinging from the sun. The hours crept by in a haze of dust and noise, as the prisoners toiled to extract ore from the ground and the guards sat in the shade, chewing their mood-altering roots. It seemed to Neelix that they had become unusually noisy today, yattering and barking with laughter.

  By late afternoon Neelix was all but trembling with anxiety and anticipation, willing the time to pass more quickly, compelling this day to be over. He couldn’t resist another visit to the antigrav storage area to see if powder from the underground ore was still being deposited there. Once again, he feigned difficulty with one of the sleds, and then began to guide it around the periphery, out of sight of the guards and the other workers.

  He returned the sled to its storage place, watching as a film of dust materialized and settled. Harry and B’Elanna were still working. Would they be finished with this interminable chore by tonight? It had been several days since they began; surely no one had envisioned its taking this long.

  Neelix turned again to the dark forest, into which, if all went well, they would be entering tonight. This time, he couldn’t resist investigating a bit more. He looked around carefully to make sure no one could see him, and then he crep
t into the thickly tangled undergrowth that flourished under the canopy of trees.

  Immediately, it was many degrees cooler, and Neelix breathed the damp air gratefully. There was comfort in this tenebrous glade, respite from the relentless sun and heat. He listened for the sound of forest creatures, but heard nothing except the distant sound of the mining operation.

  He continued into the forest for several meters when something made him turn around and look back out toward the storage area.

  One of the Subu guards was there.

  Neelix froze in the spot, reasonably sure the guard couldn’t see him in the dark depths. When he had been out in the harsh sunlight, he couldn’t see into the woods at all.

  The guard moved along the length of the antigrav sleds, leaving footprints in the silty ground. Neelix prayed that he wouldn’t walk right into a cloud of materializing ore dust, but he seemed to have moved beyond the area where it was being dumped.

  The guard moved to the edge of the clearing, and then did something strange: he bent over slightly, and inserted one of his tentacle-like appendages into his mouth. Then he regurgitated a mass of partially digested matter.

  Neelix’s stomach quailed, but he forced himself to watch. He had no idea why the Subu was performing this indignation, and he didn’t care. He only cared that he leave before there was another materialization of dust.

  But the Subu continued to bend over, hacking and spitting. He was still in that position when Neelix saw the film of dust appear in the air and settle onto the ground.

  Obscuring the Subu’s footprints.

  Neelix stared in fascination. Would the guard notice, when he returned, that the prints he had left were no longer there? Or was that a subtlety that might go unnoticed? He had no idea how basically bright these guards were—though frankly he hadn’t been impressed by their alacrity so far.

  The guard finally stood up and made his way back through the storage area toward the quarries. He seemed not to notice the ground, and his absent footprints, but instead continued coughing and spitting. Neelix surmised that he’d chewed too much of the narcotic root and had elected to bring it up in order to get rid of some of the substance. And if that were true, maybe he was too muddled to take close notice of what was going on around him.