Ghost of a Chance by Charles G. McGraw, Mark Garland

almost as pleased as they were, but Chakotay was trying hard not to get too carried away. “What do the Televek get out of all this?” he asked.
    Jonal shrugged, a very human gesture. “They would like to rescue their people just as you would yours, of course, but I will admit, Commander, that they wouldn’t mind acquiring that Drenarian defensive system, or even some small part of it. It has, after all, defied their very best efforts so far.”
    “To that end, they might help repair your phasers, in whatever capacity you see fit, of course,” Mila said serenely, “as long as the right salvage terms can be negotiated.”
    Paris looked at her. “Just what do you know about our phasers?”
    Mila politely feigned a scoff. “The Televek are very good guessers.
    Your phasers are not currently powered up, nor were they during the recent shuttle mishap. Therefore, they are likely being repaired, as are so many of your other systems. You needn’t confirm any of this, of course, if you prefer not to.”
    “A perceptive bunch, indeed,” Neelix said quietly.
    “If that were the case, why would the Televek have such a specific change of heart?” Chakotay asked. He sat still, eyes steady, waiting for the answer.
    “Because they are convinced they will need your phasers,” Tassay told him. She was sincere once more, her childish grin nearly gone. “Their hearts have nothing at all to do with it.”
    “Ah,” Neelix said. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”
    “You see, Commander,” Jonal said, “they have had some time to consider the problem this situation poses, and they have come up with a plan.
    As I understand it, the defensive system’s power levels are gradually dropping, and eventually free access to the surface will be available.
    But even if the surface can be reached, the power source and presumably the defense system’s control center are both located in a cavern more than seven kilometers below the planet’s surface. There seems to be no expeditious way of getting to it.”
    “There may be tunnels, or possibly a network of caves that lead down to the site,” Paris suggested.
    “And if there is not?” Jonal asked. “If the passageways have been sealed or hidden? Time may be short. As you already know, the planet is becoming very unstable.”
    “You mentioned a solution,” Chakotay said.
    Jonal nodded. “It has occurred to Gantel that if you could show the Televek how to improve their phaser efficiency to your ship’s levels, it might be possible to use them to bore a hole that deep, and in rather good time. Short of that, you could simply use Voyager’s wonderful phasers to do the job, once they are repaired. Assuming they need repairs, of course.”
    All three of the Drosary were smiling. Chakotay had to admit it made sense. The transporters might be out for some time, and he wasn’t about to tell the Televek about them. The devil would be in the details, but…
    “I’ll run the idea past my chief engineer, see if she thinks it can be done. As it happens, we do find ourselves in need of a replacement component for the phasers, an EPS flow regulator. It is something we can manufacture ourselves, but it will take considerable time and resources. If the Televek happened to have something comparable on hand—” “Aren’t you afraid of letting them in on all your secrets, Commander?” Neelix said, visibly concerned. “The captain said—” “The component is a basic one,” Chakotay said, speaking to everyone. “Very little information would be exchanged.”
    “Then you do see this offer as it is intended?” Mila said, hopeful.
    “Yes. It would speed things up,” Chakotay agreed. “And as you point out, the planet is unstable. Time is something our survivors may not have much of.” He paused, still uncomfortable about discussing Voyager’s lack of firepower in such a tactically difficult situation.
    But this did seem like the only solution right now.
    “I think I’m starting to