The Escape (22 page)

"I hope I never hear that word again." Then she looked up at Drickel. Her expression softened. "Thank you." He bowed slightly. "You are more than welcome." Janeway squeezed Torres's hand. "It's good to have you back." "It's great to be back, Captain." Janeway smiled at Torres.

Torres recognized her own about-face.

"Believe me, Captain, after this experience, Starfleet looks almost good to me." "Careful, Maquis," Kim said from the next bed, 64 you'll impeach yourself." Torres laughed. "I'm sure the feeling will pass." Janeway patted Torres's hand, leaving a small dusty smudge on her skin. "I need to clean up and then I will return," Janeway said.

"It is wonderful to see you all looking well." "Captain," Neelix said, "I think we can safely add this admonition to any away teams.

No naps. Not ever$99 Torres and Kim both laughed and Doc Zimmerman scowled. "That sounds sensible, Mr.

Neelix." Janeway 240 THE ESCAPE walked back to Drickel. He was watching the entire scene with a smile on his face.

"I assume you'll want to be going back soon," Janeway said, "but may I-offer you one of our guest quarters so that you can clean up, and then give you a tour of the ship and a hot meal?" "I'd love that, Captain," Drickel said. "But I'm not quite done with my business yet. There is the matter of Kjanders we might want to settle." Kjanders.

He had left her mind entirely. Janeway frowned. Another dilemma, and one she had best meet head-on. "Mr. Drickel, I have personal qualms about returning him to you knowing that he faces certain death." "It's not quite socertain, Captain," Drickel said.

"Actually, it's his choice." "Choice?" Torres said from across the room. "How come we didn't get a choice?" "If you are going to agitate my patients, you are going to have to leave," Doc Zimmerman said. "I can only tolerate this circus atmosphere for so long." "Don't worry, Doc," Paris said. "If it gets too much for you, we'll just shut down your program." "These people are out of danger, but they still need monitoring," Doc Zimmerman said. "Shutting down my program would be a bad idea at this time." Kim and Paris burst into laughter. Doc Zimmerman looked confused. Janeway didn't allow the interchange to distract her. "What type of choice are you going to give him?" she asked Drickel. "I'm going to offer him a job."

"A job?" If Janeway had expected an answer it hadn't been that. "But you told me he was a wanted criminal." "He is wanted for violations from five-hundred series to the eighthundred series and probably some beyond. Very creative." Then Drickel grinned. "But not as creative as I was." "You?" Janeway looked up at the alien face. She was honestly surprised. He laughed. "Yes, me.

In our society, the risk takers tend to get in trouble early because they fight the system. But it's those type of risk takers that can do my job very well.". "So you want to offer him a Watchman job like yours?" Drickel. nodded. "He'll have to survive the schooling, but I doubt he'll have much trouble with that if he's managed to elude Control as long as he has." The captain looked at Torres, who was smiling. Janeway was glad she had the common decency to not laugh. "We are just learning the fact in our culture that sometimes the rebels make the best team members," Janeway said to Drickel. Then she looked at Torres again. "But we are learning it." Torres nodded thank you and said nothing.

Janeway tapped her comm badge. "Mr.

Kjanders, you are wanted in sickbay immediately." "Urn," Kjanders's voice responded, sounding confused. "Urn, sure. I guess. Be right there." He signed out. Kes smiled at Janeway.

"Kjanders has spent most of his time in the officers" mess," she said. "He discovered that there was more than one kind of coffee." "He didn't give you any trouble, did he?" Neelix sat up, obviously ready to do battle. With one hand, Doc Zimmerman pushed him back on the table. "I only spoke to him once, Neelix," Kes said. "He wits very polite." The ship was back to normal. Janeway wiped a hand over her face. Layers of dust smudged around. She, Paris, and Drickel looked as if they had been mining sledge on Druvarious IV. Then she remembered the message she still carried. "I almost forgot," she said.

"B'Elanna, Mr. Rawlik said to tell you that he was only doing his job." A faraway look came into Torres's eyes. "I told him we all were," Janeway said. Torres smiled.

"Thank you, Captain." Janeway noded. At that moment Kjanders appeared in the door. He saw Drickel and his mouth opened wide. "Control," he said. "How did Control get hereThat' "That," Drickel said, "is something you will get to learn in the next few Real Time weeks. Can you excuse me, Captain?" "Only if you take me up on that meal. And I would like to discuss the ruined shuttles below." ""We already discussed the shuttles," Drickel said. "Briefly," Janeway said.

"But I would like you to give some consideration to allowing us to take some interior plates from just a few of the old wrecks. We could use the resources in our journey home and considering the fate of the old wrecks, I don't think anything would be missed." Drickel laughed. "In exchange for a good hot meal and good conversation, of course." He bowed to her again, then put an arm around Kjanders's shoulders as he led him to a comer of sickbay. As they walked, Janeway heard Drickel recite several numbers. Kjanders stopped and said, "You want me to what"...P" Then Janeway laughed. They just might have to stay in orbit another day Real Time before everything was resolved with Alcawell and the two Alcawellian's. But she didn't mind. After all, on a journey of the length they faced, what was an extra day or so along the way?