***
Voyager had docked with a tremendous Taali ship since an hour.
Kathryn Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok looked around inside the Taali Commanders Quarters.
Bare walls to every side, a single viewport and nothing in sight to sit on.
Kathryn doubted that the Taali ever sat or laid down and took a break.
They were really busy as bees.
Starfleet personnel at least rested once in a while.
"They'll make good allies." Chakotay whispered.
"A fine Starfleet officer once said the same about the Maquis."
"Really? What happened, did he try to talk the Maquis into it?"
"He tried. A month later he was picked by a Maquis." Janeway finished and looked down,
Chakotay frowned. Tuvok didn't move a muscle.
An invisible door opened from nowhere and the Commander of the Taali ship greeted the three
Starfleeter's.
"What do you like my ship?" He asked, and looked at them with a strange glint in his eye.
"It's fascinating, a good work. In other words; a perfect ship."
"Thank you. Every Taali usually asks his visitors what they think about his ship, even before
introducing himself. If they don't like it, they aren't worthy his time. However, if they do, they
are welcome as his special guests. I am Bral, the commanding officer at this ship, the PNX-1.
Once again, welcome to my 'fascinating' ship."
"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway, master of the ship docked at your starboard side, the U.S.S.
Voyager. This is two of my senior Bridge officers. Commander Chakotay, first officer, and
Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, Security Chief."
"Nice to be here." Chakotay smiled.
"Good morning," said Tuvok.
"What brings you here, Captain Kathryn Janeway?"
Janeway raised her eyebrows in awe.
"You pronounced my name exactly right. Not many of the Sprai-koo managed to."
"Remembering names, and faces, happens to be one of my people's specialties. In opposite to
the Sprai-koo, as you noticed, they are terrible at names outside their own species. It surprises
me that they can say 'Sprai-koo' at all."
"The Sprai-koo are actually the reason we're here."
"Oh? They've stole something from your ship? Stupid little thieves."
"Blue prints of out engines and warp core," she admitted.
"Warp. Something neither the Taali or the Sprai-koo have been able to master. Uncountable
tries have been made. Did they get away?"
"I'm afraid they did." She glanced at Chakotay, he tried to look cool in front of the Captain's
accusing glare. Apparently she didn't think it was smart to let them get away with the blue
prints.
"That was bad. Really bad. They have stole many things from us through the years. Vital
pieces of technology. Some missing items have been so important that we've been forced to
stand still in space for several days. I believe they're building a warship. The warp engines will
make them invincible to this region of space."
"That's why we are trying to stop them. But we'll need your help."
"Mine? Nobody has ever asked for my help before."
"Now somebody is, Commander Bral. Will you help us? We don't have enough time for careful consideration."
"An alliance?"
"Exactly."
"I'll join in." He straightened himself out. "But two ships aren't enough to fight a powerful
warp warship. Not close to enough."
"Voyager is classed as a warship too."
"A small one," Bral shrugged.
"According to you, maybe. If we install a few weapons here, you'll be able to defend yourself
better."
"I'll join to win. Not to defend myself. Even that won't be enough, I tell you!"
Kathryn tried to calm down, she couldn't afford to use this help.
"I know. If you just could scrape together a few more ships..."
"I'll do my best."
"It might calm you a little to know that Voyager has won quite many battles, even ones that
seemed hopeless in the beginning. We've even fought the Borg."
"Did you win?"
"If we hadn't, I'd be assimilating Talaxian's, 'talking' to billions of others, or regenerating
right now."
"Your humor is... special. Returning to our mission, I have a few friends that might want to
help..."
"I truly appreciate it." Captain Janeway said and shook Bral's long fingers.
"The whole crew appreciates it." Tuvok corrected.
Bral nodded and bowed. "My whole people appreciates your efforts to stop these robbers."
Chakotay cleared his throat, as a sign for Bral, that a bow wasn't necessary.
Bral looked up and then bowed again.
Voyager's first officer groaned and got a sharp glare from Janeway.
Bral finally stopped his bowing. "I hope you wish to stay for dinner?"
"Absolutely, Commander."
Kathryn tried to perform a curtsey in her Starfleet standard uniform. It looked more like she
fought not to loose her foothold.
Chakotay cleared his throat once again, this time to choke an improper giggle.
***
Voyager had docked with a tremendous Taali ship since an hour.
Kathryn Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok looked around inside the Taali Commanders Quarters.
Bare walls to every side, a single viewport and nothing in sight to sit on.
Kathryn doubted that the Taali ever sat or laid down and took a break.
They were really busy as bees.
Starfleet personnel at least rested once in a while.
"They'll make good allies." Chakotay whispered.
"A fine Starfleet officer once said the same about the Maquis."
"Really? What happened, did he try to talk the Maquis into it?"
"He tried. A month later he was picked by a Maquis." Janeway finished and looked down,
Chakotay frowned. Tuvok didn't move a muscle.
An invisible door opened from nowhere and the Commander of the Taali ship greeted the three
Starfleeter's.
"What do you like my ship?" He asked, and looked at them with a strange glint in his eye.
"It's fascinating, a good work. In other words; a perfect ship."
"Thank you. Every Taali usually asks his visitors what they think about his ship, even before
introducing himself. If they don't like it, they aren't worthy his time. However, if they do, they
are welcome as his special guests. I am Bral, the commanding officer at this ship, the PNX-1.
Once again, welcome to my 'fascinating' ship."
"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway, master of the ship docked at your starboard side, the U.S.S.
Voyager. This is two of my senior Bridge officers. Commander Chakotay, first officer, and
Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, Security Chief."
"Nice to be here." Chakotay smiled.
"Good morning," said Tuvok.
"What brings you here, Captain Kathryn Janeway?"
Janeway raised her eyebrows in awe.
"You pronounced my name exactly right. Not many of the Sprai-koo managed to."
"Remembering names, and faces, happens to be one of my people's specialties. In opposite to
the Sprai-koo, as you noticed, they are terrible at names outside their own species. It surprises
me that they can say 'Sprai-koo' at all."
"The Sprai-koo are actually the reason we're here."
"Oh? They've stole something from your ship? Stupid little thieves."
"Blue prints of out engines and warp core," she admitted.
"Warp. Something neither the Taali or the Sprai-koo have been able to master. Uncountable
tries have been made. Did they get away?"
"I'm afraid they did." She glanced at Chakotay, he tried to look cool in front of the Captain's
accusing glare. Apparently she didn't think it was smart to let them get away with the blue
prints.
"That was bad. Really bad. They have stole many things from us through the years. Vital
pieces of technology. Some missing items have been so important that we've been forced to
stand still in space for several days. I believe they're building a warship. The warp engines will
make them invincible to this region of space."
"That's why we are trying to stop them. But we'll need your help."
"Mine? Nobody has ever asked for my help before."
"Now somebody is, Commander Bral. Will you help us? We don't have enough time for careful consideration."
"An alliance?"
"Exactly."
"I'll join in." He straightened himself out. "But two ships aren't enough to fight a powerful
warp warship. Not close to enough."
"Voyager is classed as a warship too."
"A small one," Bral shrugged.
"According to you, maybe. If we install a few weapons here, you'll be able to defend yourself
better."
"I'll join to win. Not to defend myself. Even that won't be enough, I tell you!"
Kathryn tried to calm down, she couldn't afford to use this help.
"I know. If you just could scrape together a few more ships..."
"I'll do my best."
"It might calm you a little to know that Voyager has won quite many battles, even ones that
seemed hopeless in the beginning. We've even fought the Borg."
"Did you win?"
"If we hadn't, I'd be assimilating Talaxian's, 'talking' to billions of others, or regenerating
right now."
"Your humor is... special. Returning to our mission, I have a few friends that might want to
help..."
"I truly appreciate it." Captain Janeway said and shook Bral's long fingers.
"The whole crew appreciates it." Tuvok corrected.
Bral nodded and bowed. "My whole people appreciates your efforts to stop these robbers."
Chakotay cleared his throat, as a sign for Bral, that a bow wasn't necessary.
Bral looked up and then bowed again.
Voyager's first officer groaned and got a sharp glare from Janeway.
Bral finally stopped his bowing. "I hope you wish to stay for dinner?"
"Absolutely, Commander."
Kathryn tried to perform a curtsey in her Starfleet standard uniform. It looked more like she
fought not to loose her foothold.
Chakotay cleared his throat once again, this time to choke an improper giggle.
***