Shelby began to state that that was uncategorically not the case, but with a voice filled with surprising gentleness, Si Cwan said, "This is a mission of peace, my friends. I am merely here to lend help wherever I can." And then he glanced briefly at Shelby as if to say, A satisfactory answer?She nodded in silent affirmation.
Then Shelby turned back to the refugees and said, "What were you all fleeing from?"
A dozen different answers poured out, all at the same time. The specifics varied from one individual or one group to the next, but there were common themes to all. Governments in disarray, marauders from an assortment of races, wars breaking out all over for reasons ranging from newly disputed boundaries to attempted genocide. A world of order sliding into a world of chaos.
"We just want to be safe," said the young woman who had so precipitously hugged Si Cwan. "Is that too much to ask?"
"Unfortunately," sighed Si Cwan, "sometimes the answer to that is yes."
"The rest of the royal family . . . are they . . . ?"
He nodded and there were a few choked sobs . . . and also, Shelby noted, a few sighs of relief.
"What's going to happen to us now?" asked one of them.
"First, we're going to repair Captain Hufmin's vessel We have a team there right now," Shelby told them. At this, Hufmin moaned softly and shook his head, which piqued Shelby's curiosity. "Problem, Captain?"
"Well, don't think I'm not grateful for the rescue and repair. I am. More than you can believe. But I have to ask . . . how much is the repair job going to cost? Because I'm not making the kind of money off this job that you'd probably think I am—"
"Captain Hufmin," Shelby began.
"—and you've got your experts who, I'm sure, are the best that money can buy, but my credit level is so low that unless we set up some sort of payment schedule . . ."
"Captain, there's no charge," Shelby interrupted him.
This brought him up short. "No charge?"
"None."
"Well then . . . what do you get out of this?"
"We get nothing more from it than the awareness that we're fulfilling the mandates of Starfleet. That, and simply the knowledge of a job well done," Shelby told him, and this time she thought, Dammit, I know I've mostly specialized in fighting the Borg, and have far more strategic bridge experience than I do with one-to-one diplomacy, but I havegot to drop the homilies before someone beats me to death with a baseball bat.
"And then what?" asked another of the refugees. "
Then we'll make sure that you get where you're going. Where are you going, by the way?"
"Intended destination is Sigma Tau Ceti," Hufmin told her. "Not the greatest planet on the rim, but it's within range considering what they were able to pay. Although if you've got other suggestions, I'm sure they'd be happy to discuss it. . . ."
At that moment, Si Cwan's comm badge beeped.
He seemed slightly startled by it since he was, naturally, unused to wearing it. He tapped it tentatively and said, "Yes?"
"Si Cwan, this is Soleta," came the Vulcan's voice. "We've received a communique I think you should be aware of."
"What is it?"
"It's another vessel. They not only sent out a distress call, but they included a passenger roster. If I'm recalling correctly, didn't you say your sister's name was Kallinda?"
For a moment Si Cwan felt as if his heart had stopped. "Yes. Yes, I did."
"Well, her name's on it."
"I'm on my way," he said without hesitation. He paused and said to the refugees, "Trust these people. They will take care of you," and then he was out the door, his long legs carrying him so rapidly that Shelby felt as if he'd vanished between eyeblinks.
Hufmin took a step forward and, clearing his throat, said, "Uhm, Commander . . . as long as your people are over there . . . you know, the phase converter's never worked really up to what I'd like. Also I could use a replacement of the dilithium charger, and a full cleaning of the—"
"Hufmin . . ."
"Yes, Commander Shelby?"
She smiled wanly. "Don't push it, okay?"
Inside the midship area of the Cambon.Burgoyne shook hish head in annoyance as s/he looked over the damage report. "Interior and exterior damage to the impulse rods, as well as the primary warp stabilizer. And look at the age of some of these parts; I hope we can match it. To say nothing of the fact that we'll have to do EVA repairs." S/he sighed. "This'll take forever."
"Can we bring this ship into the shuttlebay and work on it there?" asked Yates.
Burgoyne shook hish head. "Too big. If we were in a Galaxy-class ship, yes, it'd fit. But in the Ambassador-class size? Not near enough room. Although I suppose if we could bring it close enough in to the Excalibur,we could raise shields and encompass it within the shield sphere. Then all we'd need is some floaters to move around it, rather than have to put up with clunky EVA suits. You'd think after four centuries of a space program, we'd have come up with better EVA suits than what we've got." Burgoyne tapped hish comm badge. "Burgoyne to bridge."
"Bridge, Kebron here."
"Zak? Tell the captain we're talking at least a ninehour repair job here."
"Nine hours?" Kebron sounded skeptical. "You could disassemble the Excalibur'sengines and put them back together in nine hours."
"If you think you can do better, Kebron, you're welcome to try. Burgoyne out."
Si Cwan studied the passenger roster with a rapidly growing sense of urgency. "What's the ship's name again?" he asked.
"The Kayven Ryin,"Soleta said, coming around from the science station. Si Cwan was at the tactical station, looking over the incoming transmission. Kebron had at first stood firm, but ultimately backed off a few feet and simply glowered with arms folded. "It's not a Federation ship, but it's in the registry nonetheless. It's a freelance science and exploration vessel."
"Why would a science vessel be carrying any passengers at all, much less Si Cwan's sister?" asked Kebron.
"It makes sense," Si Cwan said with more excitement than Soleta had ever heard in his voice. "You're absolutely right, Kebron, it's not the type of vessel that would be used for transport. Secondly, unless I'm mistaken, it's big."
"Quite big," affirmed Soleta. "Such vessels usually are. Science and exploration vessels generally tend to be prepared for anything. It can easily accommodate a scientific team of up to one hundred people, transporting sufficient life-support equipment to sustain them for—"
"We get the idea, Lieutenant," Calhoun said, rising from his chair and standing on the lower level of the bridge in front of the tactical station. "But according to the manifest, how many passengers in this instance on the Kayven Ryin?"
"Only nine, actually."
"I see. How long ago was the message sent?"
"It's still being sent, Captain," Kebron said. "It's on live feed, a steady pulse."
"Try to raise them."
Kebron made that slight bow that passed for a nod and stepped up to tactical. He took a small amount of pleasure in hip-checking Si Cwan out of the way as he sent an autohail back through subspace. While he waited for a response, he watched Si Cwan's reactions carefully. And he could see that Si Cwan was. . .