Star Trek Voyager: The Gift

Star Trek Voyager: The Gift 23. Not Quite Alone

Chakotay felt a tense sigh leave his throat, his jaw clenching, as his shuttle made the final dive into Meris III’s murky atmosphere and the reassuring outline of the Valjean hovering in orbit disappeared completely from his view. He gulped compulsively as he ordered the shuttle to plunge deeper through the planet’s mustard yellow skies. The clouds swirled around the sides of his small shuttle like a deadly desert sandstorm and the Valjean may as well have been a mirage in that scene, he was on his own. Even the thought itself sent a chill up his spine and despite himself he pulled the tiny transporter beacon out of its hiding place in the lining of his sleeve and gripped it hard as if it were one of the good luck charms from his childhood. When Seven had given it to him they’d very nearly had a full blown argument. He couldn’t risk bringing such a covert piece of technology into these negotiations, the traders were already paranoid enough about being cheated, but for once Seven and B’Elanna had joined forces against him to insist, assuring him that it would only be traceable if he activated it. By the time any of his enemies realised what the device was he would hopefully be back on his shuttle and flying back to the Valjean at full warp. Since this plan seemed sound enough, and Chakotay was just as desperate to get this trade off finished with his life intact as Seven and B’Elanna were, he’d agreed to take the beacon as a last resort. As the ship steadily approached the surface however and the sight of the bleak but imposing complex of deuterium mines loomed up menacingly before him, he found that the possession of one tiny short range transporter beacon didn’t offer him much comfort…

The shuttle’s comm. system suddenly blared into life. “Maquis vessel, land at these coordinates immediately. Diversions will not be tolerated.”

“You’re my welcoming committee then?” Chakotay muttered tersely under his breath as he read the transmitted coordinates. “I’ll be there.” He confirmed confidently down the comm. in reply.

“Our representatives will meet you.” The other voice said smoothly, almost like an upmarket salesman, but his next words clarified the situation, “Weapons will not be tolerated, if you have any this deal will not end well for you.” He advised darkly.

Chakotay inhaled sharply as he reluctantly withdrew his phaser from his belt and laid it down beside him. “Understood.” He replied levelly, only releasing his breath as the comm. line unceremoniously cut off. They may as well have a shoot to kill message broadcast through the quadrant, he couldn’t help but think morbidly as he put his Academy pilot training course to good use in order to land the shuttle in the darkened crater they’d set aside as his landing bay. His trained eye could tell, even without the aid of scanners, that the soil that he’d landed on was a quicksand of the slag left over from the deuterium mines. It would take all of his skill to get the shuttle back off the ground. He groaned at his stupidity for not questioning their coordinates and for a moment debated within himself whether these supplies were worth the risk of being trapped in this hellhole… The thought of his friends and crewmates being defenceless in the face of a Cardassian attack shoved that fear aside, he had to do this.

He didn’t get anymore time to consider his limited range of options as a hammering knock that made the whole shuttle shiver struck against the exit hatch. “My bosses don’t like waiting Maquis!” snarled a new voice roughly.

Chakotay immediately opened the hatch as smoothly as he could, taking a leaf from Seven’s book and moulding his expression into an expressionless mask even as he came eye to eye with the growling Tarrellian thug who’d called him out. “So, you’re my escort.” He commented coolly as he mentally assessed the man standing in front of him. The Tarrellian’s massive bulk was mostly fat rather than muscle and his slightly bloodshot eyes indicated that he’d been hitting the synthehol a little too hard. If it comes to it, Chakotay decided in a moment of strange detachment, I can take him.

Another, markedly more commanding and arrogant voice interrupted his thoughts. “Actually he’s my escort. I’m the one who’s taking you into all this.” The acid green eyes of the speaker, a Tzenkethi, glittered in malicious anticipation.

“Well then, I suppose my group and I owe you our thanks.” Chakotay replied civilly, trying to keep the distaste from his voice. “But I’d like to get this started.”

The Tzenkethi smirked, “Ah yes, the impatience of the Maquis is well known in this sector, although I warn you that it won’t do you much good here.” He glared demandingly at his Tarrellian bodyguard, “Check him!”

Chakotay fought not to flinch as the Tarrelian meticulously ran a tricorder over him. “Nothing.” He finally concluded.

“Good.” The Tzenkethi answered, an insincere smile flickering over his lips as he looked at Chakotay. “It appears you’ve followed the rules so far, so it’s time for us to follow them. You’ll get your supplies.” He gestured ahead of them and Chakotay obediently followed with trepidation in his heart, only to find a few seconds later that he’d been transported into the corner of a crowded bar.

“Isn’t this a little conspicuous to do your sort of work?” He hissed at the Tzenkethi as he scanned the room. From the view out of the windows this bar was at the edge of one of the deuterium pits and therefore presumably one of the busiest places on this withered planet.

The Tzenkethi shrugged nonchalantly, “You have to be mercenary to work here in the first place, for a few strips of latinum they all look the other way.”

“Looks like you’re right…” Chakotay muttered resignedly as his eyes skimmed over the multitude of faces in the room, Andorian, Breen, Jilani, Bolian, not to mention a good number of humans and even a Vulcan, who was discreetly watching the unfolding scene with narrowed eyes.

The Tarrellian, who had disappeared for a moment, reappeared at the Tzenkethi’s shoulder and muttered something in his ear. “Ah, it seems they’re ready for you.” He informed Chakotay dismissively before leading him into a claustrophobically small side room.

Chakotay choked back a gasp as he saw the group gathered in the room, their green skin reflecting the dim light. The Orion Syndicate, the leadership were making deals with the Orion Syndicate? They were known to humans as the Mafia of the Alpha Quadrant for a reason, notoriously industrious in their criminality with a finger in every pie, as well as being mercilessly violent and immoral. His gut twisted sickeningly as he realised he could’ve sold out to the Cardassians before he even got here, and the Valjean could be…

“Aren’t you going to give us an introduction Maquis? We don’t take kindly to rudeness.” One of the Orions said icily while giving him a penetrating stare, sizing him up.

He’d give them something to size up all right. He strode forward, PADD with monetary calculations in hand. “I’m a Maquis, I also have what you asked for, and you apparently have what I need. Do we have a deal?”

To Chakotay’s surprise, the Orion drew back from him slightly, an ingratiating smile plastered on his face. “Certainly.” He replied, taking the PADD and reading the numbers splayed across it. “You have the means, so we have what you need.” He waved a hand behind him and the lights switched on fully, revealing that half of the room was filled with boxes. He handed Chakotay a phaser rifle from one of them, which Chakotay examined before scanning the whole every box with his tricorder. He wasn’t about to let himself be conned.

When it all seemed satisfactory, he met the Orion’s eyes firmly. “We have a deal. I’ll take it.” With calm he didn’t feel he laid a large transport conduit on the floor and activated it, feeling relief shoot through him with every box which dematerialised to reappear on the Valjean.

Only the big containers, the most important ones carrying the plasma torpedoes, were left when the Orion suddenly snapped “Wait!” from behind him and the transporter stopped abruptly.

Chakotay wheeled around angrily, “We have a deal!”

“Part of that deal was that you were to come alone!” the Orion growled back as a cloaked figure was suddenly shoved brutally towards Chakotay’s feet.

The figure stumbled and sank to its knees, the hood falling as it did so to reveal the familiar sight of a head of shining red brown hair and a pair of, now panicked, green eyes. “Seska?” Chakotay whispered in disbelieving horror.

A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D