SEASON ONE


CARETAKER
Part 6

 

Ocampa
Kathryn, Chakotay, Tuvok, Tom and Neelix rematerialised in the middle of what looked like a desert. They all glanced around and then Kathryn spotted a small village. The group then headed towards it.

"Why would anyone want to live in a place like this," Tom muttered to himself.

"There are some materials mined here that are very much in demand," Neelix said.

"The Ocampa use it to trade?" Chakotay said questioningly.

"Not the Ocampa, the Kazon Ogla," Neelix replied.

"The Kazon Ogla, who are the Kazon Ogla?" Kathryn asked.

Neelix pointed to several odd looking aliens with awful hair styles inside the village. "They are. The Kazon sects control this part of the quadrant. Some have food, some have ore, some have water. They all trade and then all kill each other for it," Neelix replied.

"I thought you said the Ocampa had our people," Kathryn said.

Neelix ignored her and he went over to a group of the aliens. "My friends, it's good to see you again."

The aliens suddenly picked Neelix up, and took him further into the village. Other Kazon's stole the rest of the group's weapons, and dragged them where they were taking Neelix.

"I must speak with your Maj, the everwise Javin," Neelix said. The Kazon put him down near a building, and they pointed their weapons at him. "Very amusing."

The Kazon's made the rest of the away team sit down on the ground. Neelix saw a familiar looking man.

"Javin, my old friend!" he yelled. The rest of the group looked towards the man, Javin. "Water Javin, I have water. To replace all that I borrowed. Show them Mr Paris," Neelix said.

Tom took out a water canister and he handed it to Javin. "They have a technology that can make water out of thin air!" Javin drank some of the water. He looked down at the awayteam.

"You have more?" Javin said questioningly.

Kathryn tapped her commbadge. "Janeway to Voyager, energise."

Two large canisters rematerialised behind the group of Kazon. They all ran towards it.

"There's more where that came from, if you can help us," Kathryn said.

"How can we help someone so powerful they can make water out of thin air?" Javin asked.

Kathryn looked Neelix's way as she began her sentence. "This man led us here suggesting that we find a people called the Ocampa. Do you know where they are?" Kathryn asked. As she spoke a young girl, with awful injuries appeared behind Neelix.

"Ocampa. She is Ocampa," Javin said as he pointed at the girl. "Why would you be interested in such worthless creatures. They live only 9 years, they make poor servants. We caught her when she came to the surface."

"To the surface? Do you mean they live underground?" Kathryn asked.

"The entity in space that gives them food and power, also gives them sole access to the water on this world, two miles below the surface," Javin replied.

"This same entity abducted three of our people. We believe they might be with the Ocampa," Kathryn said.

"There is no way to get to them. We tried. The entity has created some sort of subterranean barrier, we cannot penetrate it," Javin said.

"But she got out," Chakotay pointed out.

"Occasionally, some of them do make it to the surface. We don't know how, but the Ocampa seal the tunnels afterward," Javin said.

"Maybe, she can help these good people find a way down," Neelix said.

Javin laughed. "You'd be wasting your time. I have used every method of persuasion to get her to help us. She won't," Javin said.

"Then she's worthless to you. Let us trade you water for this scrawny little thing," Neelix said.

"I'd be more interested in this technology that allows you to make water out of thin air," Javin said.

"That would be difficult, it's integrated into our ship systems," Kathryn said.

Neelix got out a phaser, he took a hold of Javin's arm to hold him back, and he pointed the weapon at him. A group of the Kazon's were coming towards the group pointing phasers at them.

"Tell them to drop their weapons. Drop them my friends, or he dies in an instant," Neelix said.

"Do it, do it!" Javin exclaimed. The other Kazon's did as they were told. The group got onto their feet. Chakotay went over to Javin, and took back their weapons. He gave them back to the others.

Neelix let go of Javin, and he pointed the phaser at the water containers.

"Step aside," he said. The Kazon got out of the way of the containers as quickly as they could. Neelix fired the phaser, and water started leaking out everywhere. Neelix turned to the young girl. She ran over to him. "I strongly suggest you get us out of here," Neelix said to Kathryn.

Kathryn tapped her commbadge. "6 to beam up." The group dematerialised.

They rematerialised on the transporter pad. Kathryn, Chakotay, Tom and Tuvok headed off the pad.

"My dearest, didn't I promise I'd save you," Neelix was saying to Kes. The others stopped and looked at the pair.

Ocampa, Underground
Harry, Jessie and James were in a dark, and empty passageway. Harry was walking backwards and forwards as he was thinking. Jessie was leaning her back against the wall. James was standing next to her, with his arms folded.

"Look I'm sure Captain Janeway is doing everything she can to get us back," Harry said.

"Who, Captain Gainweight?" Jessie said questioningly.

Harry stopped pacing, and he glanced at Jessie. "Janeway," he said slowly.

"I knew that," Jessie said.

James shook his head. "Of course you did."

Jessie winced and she brought her hand up to her neck. James quickly put his arm around her shoulders.

"Should I get some help?" Harry asked with concern in his voice.

"No, I think it's going away now," Jessie replied.

A young Ocampan girl came up to the group, which took them by surprise.

"Are you in pain?" the girl asked.

Jessie rolled her eyes and she shook her head. "No, it's going away now."

The girl took something out of her pocket. "I don't know if this will help but it's a medicine. I'm sorry about what's happened to you."

Harry slowly took the medicine off the girl. "We appreciate this, but we need to get to the surface to find our own people."

"The Elders would say that would be against the Caretaker's wishes," the girl said.

"The Elders?" James said questioningly.

"They are a group of people who follow the Caretaker's every decision," the girl said.

"How do they know what he wants?" Jessie asked.

"I don't know, we ask, but we're just told to trust the Caretaker's decisions. A friend of mine did manage to get out, we never saw her again," the girl replied.

"How?" Harry asked.

"The tunnels that brought us here still exist, sometimes small breaches appear in the Security Barriers, they allow somebody to get through," the girl replied.

"Can you get us anything to help us get through these breaches?" James asked.

"It would take days, or even weeks to dig a way out. You have to rest, preserve your strength," the girl replied.

"Please, it's our only chance," Harry said.

Voyager, Sickbay
The Doctor was treating Kes, as the rest of the awayteam argued.

"Irrational behaviour? We got out of there didn't we?" Neelix said.

Kes sat up after the Doctor finished. "Excuse me, don't blame Neelix." Neelix went over to her side.

"That's enough, this is Sickbay not a Conference Room. Visiting hours are over. Everyone except my patient should leave immediately," the Doctor said.

"Computer, deactivate the EMH," Kathryn said. The Doctor disappeared.

"I never should have gone to the surface, I'm too curious. I'm told it's my worst failing," Kes said.

"No dearest. It's a wonderful quality, you're most endearing," Neelix said. Tom rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Can you help us find a way down to your people?" Kathryn asked.

"I'm afraid Javin was right, there's no way to get down. The tunnel I came out of has been sealed," Kes replied.

"We don't need a tunnel. We have the ability to transport there directly," Kathryn said.

Tuvok came over to her side, "our sensors did not pick up any indication of an underground civilisation. The subterranean barrier Javin described maybe be responsible. They may also block out our transporters"

"There are breaches where the tunnels have become to decay, that's how I got out," Kes said.

"Have the transporter begin a sweep to find any breaches we might be able to beam through," Kathryn said. Tuvok nodded and he walked out.

"Kes can tell you where to go, but now that she's free we're leaving this system together," Neelix said.

"Neelix, these people rescued me," Kes said.

"I rescued you," Neelix said angrily.

"With their help. It would be wrong to not help them now," Kes pointed out. Neelix smiled at her.

Ocampa
Another away team, composed of Kathryn, Chakotay, Tuvok, Neelix, Tom and Kes, were walking through the Ocampa town. They came to a place where vegetables were being grown. All the natives stopped what they were doing and followed the awayteam.

Kes ran over to an older man, they hugged each other. "I thought we'd never see you again. How did you get back?" the man asked.

Kes looked in the awayteam's direction. "These people rescued me from the Kazon. They're here to find their missing crewman." Kes looked around at everyone as she spoke, "does any of you know where the aliens are kept, the ones the Caretaker sends here?"

"I think they're at the central clinic," the man replied.

"Can you take us there?" Kathryn asked.

Kes glanced at something or somebody behind the awayteam. "They cannot speak telepathically, Toscat, please speak aloud," Kes said.

The awayteam turned around and they saw some other Ocampan behind them.

"I didn't mean to be rude, but you should not be here," Toscat said.

"We'll be glad to leave once we found our crewmen," Kathryn said.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, we cannot turn against the Caretaker's wishes," Toscat said.

"Maybe you can't, but we can," Chakotay said.

"You don't understand," Toscat said.

"You're right, they don't understand. They have no way of knowing that the Ocampa have been dependant on the Caretaker for so long. We can't think for ourselves anymore. They don't understand that we were a people who had full command of our mind's abilities," Kes said as she went over to Toscat.

"The stories of our ancestors, were at the very least exaggerated," Toscat said.

"We lost those abilities because we stopped using them," Kes said.

"We must not dwell on what's been lost, but all that's been gained," Toscat said.

"We've gained a talent for dependance, for simply taking what we're given. I'm going to help them Toscat, whether you like it or not. And I think my friends will join me," Kes said.

"You defied the Caretaker by going to the surface Kes. Learn from the experience, follow the path he has set for us," Toscat said.

"I have learned very well Toscat, I saw the sunlight. I can't believe that our Caretaker would forbid us to open our eyes and see the sky," Kes said. She turned to the awayteam. "Come with me, we'll find your people."

Inside the tunnels
Harry, James and Jessie reached an old rickety looking staircase. It looked like it went on forever. They started to go up them. They got up the first flight, but Harry was forced to sit down afterward. The other two stopped.

"Tired already?" Jessie asked.

"I'm sorry," was all she got for a reply.

Jessie and James glanced at each other, and they sat down near him.

"Maybe I'd do better if I had some Marquis training, huh?" Harry said.

"Believe me, the Marquis never had time to train," James said.

"Ok, maybe if I was British," Harry said jokingly.

"Just because we're British, doesn't mean we don't get tired," Jessie said.

"I was joking, you British people do tell jokes don't they?" Harry asked.

"You know, I'd punch you if I weren't so ill at the moment," James muttered.

Harry just laughed quietly. Jessie looked up like she heard something.

"Guys, is it just me, or are they getting faster?" Jessie asked.

Meanwhile
Kathryn, Chakotay, Tuvok, Neelix and Tom were on the escalator. They were all glancing around, with puzzled looks on their faces. Suddenly the pulse sounds stopped.

Kathryn tapped her commbadge. "Janeway to Voyager, what's going on with the array?"

Voyager
The Bridge crew were a mixture of the Federation cadets, and the Marquis crew. Claire was still at Tactical.

"Erm, I think the pulses have stopped," Claire muttered.

"Oh gee, how did you work that one out?" Lee said in a sarcastic voice.

"Hey brats, look!" the girl, who was with the awayteam which went to the array, said.

Claire and Lee sulked, but they chose to ignore her comment. They glanced at the viewscreen. The array was moving.

A half Klingon girl was standing at the centre of the Bridge. She growled, and she quickly came over to Tactical. "Move over kids," she muttered. "Janeway, this is Torres, you don't know me but that doesn't matter. The array is realigning it's position."

"But I was assigned to this station," Claire moaned. The Klingon girl glared at her with ferocious looking eyes. "It's all yours." Claire got away from the station, and she was expecting Lee to follow her. She looked around and she saw that he was the first to get out of the Klingon's way.

"She's scary," Lee muttered. Claire rolled her eyes.

"You get used to it," the other girl said.

"Ok, whatever your name is," Lee muttered.

"It's Danny, kid," the girl said.

"Right whatever, who cares," Claire said.

The Bridge shook. Everyone glanced at everyone all puzzled.

"I thought the fight scene wasn't until later," Claire said.

"It isn't who we think it is, too be honest I don't know who they are," a Marquis guy said from Opps.

"Whoever they are, are hailing," Faye said.

"How do you know that?" the Marquis guy asked.

Faye shrugged. "I sensed it coming."

Everyone glanced at everyone, very confused. Especially Claire and Lee.

"Cool, let's talk to them," Lee said.

The viewscreen changed to show the inside of an alien ship. A weird, and dumb looking, alien with pointy ears on the top of his head, appeared on the screen. Almost everyone screamed when they saw him, his right eye was inflamed, and it looked like it was sticking out.

"Er, who's in charge here. Whoever it is should speak to him," Claire said very nervously.

Everyone glanced at each other with disgusted looks on their faces.

"I'm not talking to that thing," Danny muttered.

The Klingon girl groaned. "I'll talk to him."

"My name is Hohehoheho, from the Shriyanan Collective.. I think," the alien said. A few people laughed. He didn't notice.

"Why did you fire on us?" the Klingon girl asked.

"Buh? I have no idea, I must of slipped," Hohehoheho replied in a slow voice.

"Ok, we're going to switch our viewscreen off now," the Klingon girl said.

The ship shook again. "I'm quickly losing my patience with this.. thing!" the Klingon girl exclaimed.

"Erm, oops," the Marquis guy said. Everyone turned to him. "The array was firing some weird energy thing towards the surface, and the alien ship got in the way."

"Somebody inform that Ganeway, or whatever it is," the Klingon said angrily.

"Ok," somebody squeaked.

END OF PART 6

PART 7

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