Ghost of a Chance by Charles G. McGraw, Mark Garland Page A

over,” Janeway said, not really making it a question. “Perhaps you would like to discuss it as well.
    I need to evaluate our protocols, among other things.”
    “Of course,” Tassay said graciously.
    “I’m not certain how long our discussion will take. You are welcome to stay aboard, of course. We will try to make you comfortable, and then see if we can reach some sort of agreement.”
    “Entirely understandable, Captain,” Jonal said, showing Janeway a smile full of fellowship. Mila and Tassay joined him in a genial nod.
    “Thank you,” Janeway said. She signaled the two security officers standing near the door, and they gently escorted the aliens out.
    “Wait a few minutes—as long as you can—then bring them back in,” she told Chakotay when they were alone. “Keep them talking until I get back. You have the cone, and you have full authority to make a deal if you can persuade them on our original terms, but I have a feeling nothing like that will happen. Despite their overtures, these Drosary, or our friends the Televek, or whoever it is we’re dealing with, don’t seem terribly interested in anything other than their own terms.”
    “Can I ask where you are going?” the first officer asked, clearly perplexed.
    “The more I try, the harder it is to get all of this to fit together.
    If the Televek are involved in some kind of rescue operation, they don’t seem very eager to get it under way; I’ve seen no evidence to indicate it has begun. And when I brought it up, the Drosary virtually ignored the topic.”
    “They do seem to present a one-track agenda,” B’Elanna said, speaking for the first time since the meeting had begun. “I don’t think I’d like the idea of them probing around in our weapons and propulsion systems, even if I was standing right there. And I would be, no matter what. I don’t know what this feeling is based on, but something about them gives me the creeps.” She looked around the table, apparently searching for confirmation.
    “I didn’t notice anything quite like that,” Chakotay said.
    “I definitely didn’t,” Paris said.
    B’Elanna only frowned at this.
    “It’s not the Televek’s style, all this sharing, I assure you,” Neelix said, finally giving B’Elanna what she wanted. “If you ask me, they’re up to something. You are right not to trust them, Captain. The stories I’ve heard are enough to make your skin crawl. Why, I once had a very profitable agreement arranged with some Idsepians, not fifty light-years from here, until it turned out they were also having a rather nasty argument with the Tethoeen, who occupied a neighboring solar system, and before I could get my assets—” “Thank you, Mr. Neelix,” Janeway interrupted. “I do appreciate your input. And I quite agree, at least in principle. We can’t afford to trust them implicitly, even if we’d like to. We don’t know enough, and there is too much at stake.”
    “Agreed,” Chakotay said.
    Janeway felt a dull pang of exasperation, something that had haunted her since Voyager’s nearly fatal encounter with the brown dwarf—a niggling feeling that things were only getting worse.
    Being on the losing end of any situation was something Janeway could not abide, even in the best of circumstances, and these were anything but. She took a deep breath; she was determined not to let anything else go wrong.
    “I have to know what’s going on down there on Drenar Four,” she said.
    “Since our sensors can’t tell me, and since the Televek don’t seem interested in discussing it, I’m going to have a quiet look around for myself.”
    “I’ll go with you,” Chakotay offered immediately.
    Janeway shook her head. “No. I need you here. Mr. Tuvok, you’re with me.”
    “Captain,” Chakotay said. “I—” “Don’t worry,” Janeway told him, “at least not any more than you have to.” Her first officer nodded wordlessly. She bade the others goodbye, and then the Vulcan followed