SEASON
ONE
CARETAKER
Part
4
Voyager,
three days later
Everyone in
Engineering woke up, lying on the ground. They used nearby consoles
to pull themselves back onto their feet. While Kathryn did so, she
tapped her commbadge.
"Janeway to Bridge, anyone there?"
In: "Yes Captain, I think we're all here."
The Bridge
Claire held
her forehead with her left hand, while she used her right hand to
work at the station she was at.
In: "How long were we over there?"
Claire pulled an astonished face. "Almost three days," she replied.
In: "Three days?"
"Er.. the Marquis ship is powering up it's engines," Claire stuttered.
In: "Tractor them, Cadet. I'm on my way."
Claire looked around the room. "How the f*** do you do that?"
Sickbay
Tom looked
around the room, but he couldn't see Harry anywhere. The Doctor
walked over to him.
"Computer, locate Ensign Kim," Tom said.
"Ensign Kim is not aboard the ship," the lifeless computer voice replied.
"Excuse me, can you tell me what has transpired?" the Doctor questioned.
Tom ignored him and he headed towards the door. He tapped his commbadge. "Paris to Janeway."
The Bridge
Kathryn
stepped out of the turbolift and she tapped her own commbadge.
"Janeway here."
In: "Harry didn't come back with us, he must be still on the array."
"Acknowledged. Hail the Marquis," Kathryn commanded. Claire nodded in response.
The viewscreen re-activated to show the cockpit of the Marquis ship. Chakotay and the Vulcan guy turned their heads to look at the Bridge crew.
"Commander Chakotay, my name is Kathryn Janeway."
"How do you know my name?" Chakotay asked.
"We were sent to find your ship after it disappeared. One of our crewmember's is missing, was he transported to your ship by accident?" Kathryn replied questioningly.
"No, two members of our crew are gone too," Chakotay replied.
"Commander, you and I have the same problem. I think it would be best if we tried to solve it together, don't you?" Kathryn said.
Chakotay turned to the Vulcan guy, and he turned back to Kathryn. "Four of us will transport to your ship." With that said the viewscreen changed to show the Marquis ship. Tom came onto the Bridge and he stood a metre away from Kathryn.
"They're dropping shields, I think," Claire muttered. Kathryn shook her head.
Everyone turned to see 4 figures dematerialising. Chakotay, the Vulcan guy, two of the younger members from before appeared, with phasers in their hands.
Kathryn walked over to them. "You won't need those here," she said softly. She went closer to the Vulcan. "Good to have you back, Mr Tuvok." Chakotay glanced at him, so did the other two.
"I must inform you that I was ordered to infiltrate your ship, sir. I am infact Captain Janeway's chief of Security," Tuvok said.
The young man stepped further forward but Chakotay stopped him. "Were you going to deliver us into their waiting hands, Vulcan?"
"My orders were to gain information on Marquis activities, and deliver you into their waiting hands, that is correct," Tuvok replied.
Chakotay turned his head and glared Tom's way. "I see you had help."
Tom walked closer to Chakotay. "It's good to see you too, Chakotay."
"At least the Vulcan was doing his duties as a Starfleet officer, but you! You betrayed us for what? Freedom from prison, latinum? What was your price this time?" Chakotay yelled. He and Tom walked closer to each other, but Kathryn stepped in front of Chakotay.
"You are speaking to a member of my crew. I suggest you treat him the same way as I would treat a member of yours," Kathryn said harshly. Chakotay glanced down at her, and he walked away.
"Now I think we should concentrate on getting our people back, and getting ourselves back home," Kathryn said angrily.
"Due to our original reconnaissance, I believe we are dealing with a single lifeform, blah blah," Tuvok yapped on.
Claire yawned. "He's boring, I hate him already," she muttered.
"Agreed?" Kathryn was saying towards Chakotay. He eventually nodded.
Kathryn, Tuvok, Chakotay, and the other two Marquis crewmembers headed for the turbolift, passing Tom on the way.
"Captain," he said to get Kathryn's attention. She stopped in front of him. "Let me go with you."
"If this has something to do with Chakotay then.." Kathryn said.
"It doesn't. I just don't want to see anything happen to Harry," Tom said. Kathryn patted him on the arm.
"Come on," she said, and they both joined everyone else in the turbolift.
The Array
Kathryn,
Chakotay, and the Marquis girl met back up with Tuvok, Tom and the
Marquis guy.
"They may not be on the Array," Tuvok was saying as he worked on his tricorder.
Chakotay looked at the old man with the banjo. He pointed at him. "He can tell us where they are." He headed over to the old man. The girl quickly followed him, and Kathryn did as well.
"Maintain an open commlink, I don't want to lose anyone else," Kathryn said as she tried to catch up with the Marquis crewmembers.
The three of them stood around the old man with the banjo. He stopped playing and he looked up. "Oh, why have you come back. You don't have what I need."
"I don't know what you need, and frankly I don't care. I want to know where our people are, and we all want to be sent home," Kathryn said with her hands on her hips.
"Aren't you contentious, for a minor bipedal species," the old man said with a laugh.
"This minor bipedal species doesn't take kindly to being abducted," Kathryn said.
"It was necessary," the old man said.
Chakotay knelt down in front of the old man. "Where are our people?"
"They're no longer here," the old man replied.
"What the hell have you done to my friends?" the girl asked angrily.
"You don't have what I need.. they might. No, you'll have to leave," the old man.
"We won't do that," Chakotay said.
"We are their commanding officers. We are entrusted with their safety, they are our responsibility. That maybe a concept you don't understand," Kathryn said.
"No, no. I do understand, there's just not enough time let," the old man said.
"Left for what?" Kathryn asked.
"I must honour the debt, that can never be repaid. But my search is not going well," the old man muttered.
Kathryn knelt down beside the old man. "Tell us what you're looking for. Maybe we can help you find it."
The old man laughed. "You? I've searched the galaxy with methods far beyond your comprehension. No, there's nothing you can do," the old man said.
"You have taken us 75,000 lightyears from our home. There's no way back unless you send us, and we won't leave without our people," Kathryn said.
"But.. sending you back is extremely difficult. Don't you understand, I don't have time. Not enough time!" the old man said. He waved his arm at them, and they all disappeared.
The Bridge
The awayteam
reappeared in the centre of the room. Everyone jumped and stared at
them. The team excluding Kathryn moved away. Kathryn just stared at
the Array on the viewer.
Meanwhile
Harry
groggily opened his eyes. He squinted at the bright light that was
shining in his eyes. When his eyes got used to the light he opened
them up to see where he was. Two aliens with larger ears were
watching down on him.
"Where am I?" Harry asked as he tried to sit up.
"Don't try to move yet, you're very ill," the alien woman said.
Harry sat up. "Ill? This is a mistake, I'm not.." Harry said. He felt something strange on his arm, and he moved his sleeve up to see his wrist. Strange lumps had grown there, he gazed at them in horror.
Harry jumped slightly at the sound of somebody yelling. "What the f*** am I doing here!" Harry turned, and he saw James sitting up on the bed next to him. He quickly climbed off it, and he bolted for the door.
The aliens ran after him. He was banging hard on the door. One of the aliens grabbed his arm to stop him, but all he got was a punch in the face. The alien fell to the ground. He continued to try and get the door open, succeeded but on the other side were two more of the aliens. They quickly took a hold of him and injected a strange device into him. James quickly lost consciousness, and the aliens took him back to the neighbouring bed.
Harry watched him, then he noticed there was a third bed. Jessie was lying unconscious on that one.
Back on
Voyager, the Ready Room
Kathryn was
standing and staring out the window when her door chimed. She turned
around and she headed back to her desk. "Come in," she sighed.
Tuvok strode in, holding a PADD. Kathryn sat her desk.
"Captain, I have been doing an investigation on the Array. The pulses that are coming from it appear to be going faster," Tuvok said. Kathryn took the PADD off him and she sighed.
"Faster," she muttered.
"I cannot explain it, Captain," Tuvok said.
Kathryn stood up, and she joined Tuvok on the other side of the desk. She worked at her computer after turning it to face her. "That's not the only mystery we have, Lieutenant." A picture of a planet appeared on the screen. "The planet the Array is sending pulses too, it's virtually a desert. Not one tree, not one river. It appears to be a M-Class planet, but..."
"It seems like the planet seems incapable of creating any rain," Tuvok finished.
"That's right. I don't see how this is possible. After repairs are complete, we'll set a course for that planet," Kathryn said as she headed towards the window. She sat down on the sofa, and she continued to gaze out the window.
Tuvok walked half way over to her. "Captain, you require sleep."
Kathryn turned back her friend's way. "I spoke with Kim's mother before we left. Delightful woman. He left his clarinet behind. She asked if she had time to send it. I had to tell her no," Kathryn muttered. She looked up at Tuvok.
"I didn't have the opportunity to meet Mr Kim," Tuvok said.
Kathryn sighed, and she went back to looking out the window. "I barely knew him. I didn't get a chance to get to know any of them." She tore herself away from the window again, and she gazed at the ground. "I erm, I need a lot of time to do that. They're a good crew, and I'm going to get them home."
"The crew will not benefit of the leadership of an exhausted Captain," Tuvok said.
Kathryn looked up at Tuvok, and she smiled. She sat back. "You're right as usual. I've missed your counsel Tuvok."
"I am honored that you found me so I could offer it once more," Tuvok said.
"I spoke to your family before I left," Kathryn said.
"Are they well?" Tuvok asked.
"Well, they're worried about you," Kathryn replied.
Tuvok raised his eyebrow. "That would not be a good interpretation, Captain. Vulcans do not worry," Tuvok said.
"They, miss you," Kathryn said.
"As I do them," Tuvok said.
Kathryn stood up and she walked over to her friend. "I'll get you back to them. That's a promise, Tuvok."
Tuvok nodded, and he turned to leave. Kathryn stayed where she was, deep in thought.
END
OF PART 4
PART
5