Ghost of a Chance Read Online Free PDF

informed her.
    “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Paris said.
    “I simply meant,” Tuvok began, “that—” “I know,” Paris said, grinning momentarily.
    “Ready phasers,” Janeway said. “I want to discourage them from trying that again.”
    “Was there something in particular you needed me for?” Neelix asked, obviously nervous. “You seem quite busy at the moment, and I really would like to be with my beloved—” “There,” Janeway said, pointing at the screen. The alien vessel was visible in some detail now, a great gray wedge shape with several long appendages. “Do you recognize them?”
    “Ready, Captain,” Torres said, her head snapping around.
    Janeway narrowed her gaze as if sighting down the barrel of a phaser rifle, something she simply couldn’t help. “Upper forward array, full burst. Fire.”
    Voyager’s return fire was noticeably brighter than that of the alien vessel, and more precise, the captain was pleased to note, as Lieutenant Kim announced a direct hit. The words had barely left his lips when Voyager’s lights suddenly dimmed, followed by a bright flash that erupted from the engineering station.
    Janeway saw Torres draw back, then wave a small waft of smoke away with her hand.
    “The target’s rear shields have collapsed completely,” Tuvok reported.
    “I am reading some apparent damage to their stern.”
    “Torres, what happened?” Janeway asked, temporarily ignoring Tuvok’s good news.
    B’Elanna looked outraged, as if her Klingon blood were about to boil over. She hammered the consoles with both fists, then seemed to regain control, though her chin did not rise. Her hair hung in her face, partially obscuring her expression. “We’ve lost the phasers again, Captain.” Her voice shook—too much adrenaline, worry, or pressure, Janeway couldn’t be sure.
    “Can you get them back?”
    “I… I don’t think so, Captain. It’s a little more serious this time. I’m sorry.”
    “Do what you can,” Janeway said in response. “None of us are having a very good day.”
    Janeway closed her eyes. She needed to think of something.
    Their best option was to attempt a quiet retreat. Now that the aliens knew that Voyager was superior, there was at least a chance they would not attack again. If they did, and if nothing else changed, she could guess how this might end. She had to assume the other ship was capable of warp speeds.
    “Captain, the alien vessel is hailing,” Kim announced, interrupting Janeway’s train of thought.
    She looked up. “On screen,” she said.
    “We have audio only,” Kim replied.
    “That’s curious,” Chakotay said, stepping closer to Janeway, as if to lend further support. “And more than a little suspicious.”
    “Perhaps,” Janeway said, seeing any contact as an opportunity.
    They were in a tight spot, yet all of her crew members were doing their jobs, trusting in themselves, in their ship, in their captain and first officer. Things could be worse, she told herself, feeling the knot still there, though loosened just a bit. The aliens could have any number of reasons, from security to cultural taboos, for wanting to conceal their faces. “Maybe they’re just shy,” she said. Then she smiled just a bit. She could feel the slight release of tension in the room as the other officers blinked, then nodded to her.
    “Proceed,” she said.
    “Channel open,” Kim announced.
    “This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager.
    We mean you no—” “This is Third Director Gantel of the Televek.” The alien’s voice was low and dry, though quite humanoid by any measure.
    “You are ordered to move away from this planet, or you will be destroyed.”
    “We mean no harm,” Janeway finished.
    “You do harm by being here.”
    Janeway tipped her head. “How?”
    “Why are you here?” the voice of the alien asked after a moment.
    Janeway felt a slight but growing relief in this exchange of dialogue instead of