Star Trek Voyager: The Gift

Star Trek Voyager: The Gift 17. Cardassia Nine

“We are now with one million kilometres of Cardassia Nine.” Seven announced clearly through the cramped Bridge of the Valjean from her position as the improvised Tactical console.

The buzz of anxious conversation that had filled the Bridge up till then immediately died on her co-conspirators’ lips as they fixed wide, questioning eyes on her face. The well practiced impassivity they read in her expression irritated most of them, but their commander, Kenharan, perhaps unwisely, drew strength from her stoicism and asked calmly, “Has their defensive situation changed since our last surveillance mission?”

Seven shook her head lightly, her brow creased in thought as she answered, her gaze still focused on the readings in front of her. “Not markedly.” She replied, “The sensor net around the planet is still fully operational.”

Kenharan’s face fell momentarily, but he quickly covered it up as his young recruits looked to him for guidance. “They repaired any damage done by our strikes then.” He concluded quietly, “It seems we’re going to have to take all the credit for this then people.” He remarked wryly with a small smile.

Chakotay saw through his calm veneer and consciously tightened his grip around the barrel of the phaser at his hip, causing an ever observant Seven to glance at him pointedly, her blue eyes narrowing in worry. Quickly he removed the offending hand from the phaser, giving her a flicker of a reassuring smile as he stepped down into the centre of the Bridge and patted Chell’s wide back, who was sitting as co-pilot beside Logan Pullman. “I guess we’re going to have to rely on your acting skills after all Chell.”

Kenharan nodded in agreement. “Chakotay’s right, it’s time to get some practice in Chell, we’ll be rendezvousing with the so-called “buyers” in…”

“Twelve minutes if we continue at our present velocity.” Seven filled in helpfully.

“Yes, twelve minutes…” Kenharan muttered tersely before turning to Haytar, his second in command, who was sitting in his chair, coiled up like a new spring. Unlike the nervous expressions of his crewmates, Haytar’s eyes gleamed disturbingly in anticipation of the attack. Chakotay’s stomach couldn’t help but give a twist of unease whenever he looked at the man, a desire for revenge was expected in this situation but if that fervour turned into a need, a bloodlust, he could put all of their lives in danger. “Coach Chell up a little more Haytar.” Kenharan ordered.

Chell winced at the thought and Haytar breathed a sneering laugh. “If you can’t face me Bolian, how are you supposed to convince the Cardassians you’re a hard-nosed smuggler?”

Chell’s shoulder’s stiffened defiantly. “Just listen!” he retorted before turning in his chair to face them all and launching into his sales pitch. “I have…45 crates of…Romulan fortified rum, 20 barrels of Orion nectar wine… and 100 boxes of Bolian…hilar pills. Are you interested? I’ll need to…get…into orbit around the planet for it to be worth my while. Hilar pills are too…volatile for transporters…” Chell stuttered nervously.

“You think Cardassians are going to deal with a man who can’t string two sentences together?” Haytar spat out in disbelief.

“He’ll be fine.” Chakotay replied stonily, glaring at the older man as Chell grimaced with shame and fear.

Tal Ceres leaned over her console, beaming widely at Chell, whose pale blue cheeks blushed navy under the light of her supportive grin. “Don’t worry Chell, you’ll do great!”

Logan Pullman chuckled softly, “It’ll probably not matter how wooden your acting is Chell, everyone knows a Cardassian would cut his own arm off for a box of those hilar pills!”

Behind him, Nathaniel Harrow’s brows furrowed in curiosity. “What exactly are these mysterious ‘hilar’ pills?”

Pullman ungraciously began to laugh harder at that as Chell began to splutter an explanation, his cheeks once again flushing indigo in embarrassment. “Umm…Well…They’re…”

“Hilar pills are a sexual stimulant, banned on most worlds outside Bolis for their explosive qualities but also in very high demand throughout the quadrant.” Seven stated coolly without lifting her head up from her console, obviously unfazed or unknowing about the risqué connotations of this comment.

Even the ever mature Chakotay’s mouth dropped open slightly, “I didn’t know they were ‘explosive’!”

“That’s enough…” Kenharan started to intervene sharply, only to be interrupted by the ear-splitting sound of a warning klaxon.

“The ship has now penetrated Cardassia Nine’s sensor net!” Seven informed them over the noise of the warning, which had been programmed, perhaps over-zealously, to go off when this happened, as if they wouldn’t realise.

“We’re being hailed by a Galor class ship!” Pullman shouted, quickly moving out of the way and shoving Chell to the front and centre of the viewscreen. “You’re on!”

Chell cleared his throat nervously as his crewmates all backed out of sight of the viewscreen. “Open a channel.” He finally ordered.

The coal black, deep set eyes of a Cardassian Gul stared back at them angrily within a second of the line opening, the wrinkles on his gnarled grey forehead folding disapprovingly downwards as he saw Chell. “This is a secure Cardassian military installation!” he snarled, flecks of spit leaving his dry, ash coloured lips as he spoke with a self-important vehemence. “What are you doing here Bolian?”

Much to his comrades’ relief, the sight of an actual Cardassian seems to bring out Chell’s hatred of them and so his confidence, his broad chest puffing out. “I’m here to make my pre-arranged transaction with my sales contact, or has your girlfriend told you that you don’t need my hilar pills anymore?” he said with surprisingly sleek sharpness.

The Gul’s demeanour changed instantly. “Hil…Hilar pills?” he echoed in a whisper as he cleared his throat awkwardly. “I…I can see no reason for you not to proceed. I will transmit safe coordinates for you to enter orbit.”

“Much obliged.” Chell replied coolly, clicking off the comm. line.

“Wow! That deserves a best actor Oscar! He totally fell for it!” Ayala exclaimed in incredulous disbelief.

Pullman grinned. “Like I said before, the spoon-heads will do anything for a little…”

Chakotay interrupted him in a terse whisper as he looked up from his console. “They haven’t sent us any coordinates, there’s something wrong…”

“We’re being scanned!” Seven cried out suddenly, immediately moving her hands across the console at lightning speed to block them out, only to find that she was too late. “I can’t stop them, they’re…”

“Try all you can!” Kenharan ordered, “We have to…” He was unceremoniously cut off by the explosion of direct torpedo strike off their hull and at that moment the whole ship was plunged into a blinding darkness.