Gaea was originally conceived to be part of the Basics series--but it was written to stand independent of that series.
All the usual disclaimers apply. The characters may belong to Paramount, but what they do between episodes, during the summer, and in my rather dangerous mind are my concern. This is, after all, my alternate universe.
I start this about 5 years after they entered the Delta quadrant. But with minor adjustments it could be later.
This is one version of the how I think the series could end. There are 5 episodes and several follow-up stories. The first five take place over about a year. The last--well, what can I say, it's different.
It took an outside force to get them to the delta quadrant. It will take an outside force to get them home. That doesn't happen in my story.
Many things need to be established early in the last season and possibly starting in the next to last season.
By the early episodes of the last season, the crew have accepted that they will not get home in their lifetimes. And starting to wonder if they should keep going or if they should settle somewhere. And are starting to accept it in small groups. In other words, people have thought and talked about it.
Voyager has been through hell and it is showing. She is becoming increasingly difficult to repair. B'Elanna and the others in engineering are improvising to keep her repaired and every battle creates new problems and every problem creates a new battle. Through no fault of the crew, Voyager has not had proper-routine maintenance and overhauls. The kind that are done in a space dock in the alpha quadrant. They've tried to improvise as best as they can. On going problems: The starboard thruster has intermittent problems and every so often a door doesn't close properly.
Some notes: Kathryn and Chakotay are romantically involved and have been for about 2 years. Several of the crew have been promoted: 2 years earlier Paris, Torres, Tuvok to Lt. Commander, and a year earlier Kim and others to Lt. Kes and Neelix have a 2 year old son (Tom Jr.). And there are 5 other children, besides young Tom, and Wildman's kid (Kim).
Gaea--Gay a (hard g)--the Greek goddess of Earth--also title to a bizarre but interesting hypothesis on how our planet functions.
The titles are all quotes, so I've listed the source.
*******
Thick fog surrounded her, she looked blindly around, so thick that her companion, a small gecko, was barely visible beside her. Kathryn Janeway was about to ask what was going on, when the fog started to dissipate. She stood on a small hill and looked at her surroundings. The fog blurred the details, but in the distance she could see trees and water. A feeling of restlessness overcame her and she tried to walk, but she seemed frozen in place. Frustrated, she attempted to communicate with her animal guide, but the gecko was being particularly non-communicative, again.
This was a dream she'd had before. Each time she had woken feeling frustrated and apprehensive.
She looked at her feet--there was something new to this dream, the hill was carpeted with small white and red flowers. She reached down to pick one, and woke up...
*******
#
#
Neelix was in his element, thought the Captain, as she watched him serve cake to his unruly guests. The holodeck had been converted into a carnival, complete with eletical (a Talaxian horse-like animal) rides, to celebrate the birthdays of three of Voyager's youngest crew members. The other four children were there too.
Janeway looked across the yard at Chakotay. He smiled at her. She started to smile in return, but stopped herself. Even after two years, she still worked to keep their affair private. She realized the whole crew knew--but she still tried.
Kes and Neelix's son, Tom Jr., was the oldest--his 2nd birthday had actually been five days ago. Being Kes's son he was in human terms about 9. Samantha Wildman's daughter, Kim, was 4 and chronologically the oldest. The other birthday child was Lucy and Edmund Waterbury's three year old son, Martin.
She smiled as young Tom brought her a piece of cake. "Thank you," she remarked.
"You're welcome, Captain." Tom Jr. had wanted to officially join the crew for about a year. He had even taken up science in order to please her. It turned out he rather liked it and had started working with Tuvok and Kes in botany.
She and Chakotay had talked about children on the ship many times, education was the most recent concern. Sometimes those conversations turned to a discussion on their starting a family. He was interested, and for the first time in her life so was she. But it was a difficult proposition. They were stuck with the fact that on Voyager it would not be a realistic idea. Voyager's routine required that both senior officers be on constant call. There would be periods of sameness for weeks and then, everything happened. Like now. They were presently in a remote area of the delta quadrant, they hadn't seen signs of any other intelligent life-forms let alone any other life for over three weeks. And that morning, the starboard thruster decided to again not work. After spending hours trying to figure out what was wrong, B'Elanna in a fit of temper had kicked the wall--and the damn thing had started. They still didn't know why it would occasionally just quit.
Janeway took a bite of her cake--chocolate cake--or actually a wonderful substitute found on Volarian-4 three months ago. Kes was under a great deal of pressure to keep the bushes alive. 'Now if they could only find a coffee substitute.' Janeway smiled. She had cut way back on her coffee intake two years ago and Neelix's substitutes were...Indescribable. She had taken to drinking a citrus juice in the morning--similar to Earth's grapefruit but without the aftertaste.
Her comm-badge chirped. "Bridge to Janeway."
"Janeway here. Harry?"
"Captain, we've detected a Class M planet."
She smiled. B'Elanna had requested that they find someplace to land so that they could tear the starboard thruster apart--again. "Very good, set a course to the planet. How long until we arrive?"
"Six hour and twenty minutes, Captain. I've informed B'Elanna."
"Carry on, Lieutenant. Janeway out." She wandered over to tell her First Officer.
#
#
B'Elanna stared at the reports. She'd had her people crawling through everything directly and indirectly related to the starboard thruster all morning. Even after it had decided to start working again, she had shut it off, and they had continued their examination. She was determined that this time they would learn what was causing the problem.
Except after hours of examination, the problem was still unsolved.
Lieutenant Carey stuck his head in, "Commander, we're ready to restart the starboard thruster."
"Very well." She still enjoyed the thrill of being called Commander. "Carey, any guesses on the thruster."
He shook his head. "We've been testing guesses all morning. Harry even joked about a poltergeist."
"Huh?"
"A malevolent spirit."
"Makes more sense than an allergic reaction to the delta quadrant." Someone had said that the last time the starboard thruster quit. "We're checking out a Class M planet."
Carey groaned. "We're going to tear the thruster apart, again."
"That's right." She stood. "Let's get the thruster on line. Lieutenant."
#
#
Kathryn looked at the work schedule B'Elanna had given her. "Chakotay, I'd like you to work with her schedule, using the rest of the crew. Let's see if we can complete repairs and the overhaul in less than a month and half." She leaned back in her chair. They had retired to her quarters about an hour ago.
He leaned over her as he glanced at the schedule. "Shore leave too?"
"Sure. And foraging teams. Maybe this place has something like coffee trees."
He laughed as he kissed the top of her head. "And leola root would be nice too."
She nipped at his arm. "That's not even funny. It's been six months since Neelix was last able to replenish his supplies. Kes is trying to grow them in her garden."
"I know. His cooking has improved dramatically since he's had to cut back in the amount of the stuff he uses."
She laughed. "Here, work on the schedule and don't give the crew any ideas." She handed him the data-padd. She then tapped her comm-badge. "Janeway to bridge. Are the preliminary scans of the planet complete?"
"Almost, Captain. We've detected plenty of animal and plant life, but no signs of intelligent life," Paris said.
"Very good. Tom, notify the senior staff that there will be a meeting at zero-seven-hundred tomorrow."
"Yes, ma'm."
She turned and watched Chakotay. He was sitting on the couch with his feet up on the table. At least he had remembered to take his shoes off. He was working on the schedule. She watched for several seconds, wondering how anybody could work like that. She needed a clean desk, with everything neatly organized and everything within reach. He on the other hand...She remembered one night waking up and discovering that he hadn't been able to sleep. He had been sitting in the bed working on crew evaluations. She had made some snide comment and the evaluations had been forgotten. It had also been the only time both of them had been late to duty call. She laughed as she turned back to her work. Tom Paris had smirked at them all day. She had come close to assigning him to clean the waste systems.
The preliminary scans looked good. B'Elanna would have a list of supplies she would need in the morning. Plus a list of any minerals and metals they would need. They would pick where they would land based upon that list. Janeway continued to scan the data. She had been joking about coffee trees, but she did note that the planet had extensive tropical regions--maybe she could send an away-team to look.
Finally she looked at the one report she had carefully been avoiding all evening. B'Elanna's report on the starboard thruster. They'd still had not determined the cause of the failure. B'Elanna's reports were becoming gloomy. And less informative at times. Almost like her chief engineer was trying to avoid mentioning something. Janeway felt a knot in her stomach, the whole engineering department avoided that subject too. But she'd seen their looks, and she had seen the data.
Chakotay sensed the change in her mood and looked up. "Are you all right, Kathryn?"
"I'm fine. I'm reading B'Elanna's report."
"How bad?"
"They're planning to take the thruster apart for the second time in six months."
He moved to stand behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders. There was nothing to be said. He couldn't think of any comforting words that she wouldn't see through. For a year they'd been fighting the starboard thruster and a myriad of other, smaller things. Voyager needed to be overhauled and several major pieces replaced. The problem was finding a compatible thruster in the middle of nowhere that they could afford. And they weren't set up to manufacture anything that large. Six months ago they had tried. But the metallic ores had required higher temperatures to smelt them, and it had been decided not to try to use the warp core for that purpose.
#
#
B'Elanna sat in her office down in engineering, listening to the quiet hum of the warp engines.
"B'Elanna?" Harry had to call her name three times before she heard him.
"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry. We were going to play pool." She sounded tired.
"That's OK. At least you stood me up for a boring evening in your office."
She almost laughed.
"Harry, I'm suppose to be good at this, and I've run out of ideas. I have no clue what is wrong with the bloody thruster." She kicked the desk leg. "Besides it needs to be replaced."
Harry stood there. "B'Elanna, you've done your best--everybody has. We'll land soon, fix the problem, have some R and R, and be on our way again."
B'Elanna wished she could be that optimistic.
#
#
Neelix had given Janeway the leftover chocolate cake, insisting that she serve it at the senior staff meeting. She had nearly refused, but this meeting was starting with bad news and it probably wasn't going to get better. And if she remembered right, chocolate was a mild mood enhancer. She didn't' know about the Volarian substitute.
B'Elanna was the last to arrive. She sat in her seat and waited, as did the others. She worked hard to look *positive,* but her mood was dark.
"Neelix," Janeway asked.
"Captain, crew morale is so-so. There are a great many different rumors."
"I want you to take an away team and look for food supplies. We're going to be here awhile--so go ahead and plan a party or something in a couple of weeks. Tuvok?"
"The planet is rich in animal and plant life. There are no signs of intelligent life here or anywhere in the sector. For security reasons, I recommend that the crew travel armed and with a buddy at all times while on the surface. Anyone leaving the ship must sign out and sign in when they return. I'll have several security teams scout the area."
The Captain nodded. "After we secure our landing area, I would like an away team to use a shuttle to scout some of the rest of the planet." She paused. "B'Elanna."
B'Elanna took a second to glance around the room. All eyes were on her, and they were worried. "Using the schedule Commander Chakotay and I put together, I can have teams working day and night. Each team would get a day off every four days. First thing is to tear the starboard thruster apart, clean, then examine it. I'm also going to assign a couple of teams to examine the hull. One month. Harry and I have picked a site," she handed the Captain a padd with the information. "There's some mineral and metal deposits that we may find useful."
Janeway nodded. "Prepare the ship for Blue Alert. Tom, enter these coordinates." She handed him B'Elanna's padd. "Is there anything else? If not, dismissed. B'Elanna, Chakotay please remain."
They waited for everyone else to leave, then the two senior officers looked at B'Elanna.
"Captain, we still don't have any ideas. Or actually, we've run out. Everybody in engineering has been going through the computer database looking for practically anything. Doc is putting together an x-ray machine." Seeing their puzzled looks she explained. "It's something they used to use to look for broken bones, and for metal fatigue. We're going to need lead shielding. It's also hazardous."
"Very good--keep us informed." Janeway stood by the table, her eyes staring off into nowhere as she waited for the door to close behind B'Elanna. "Commander, coordinate the away teams, we're going to have conserve replicator rations again, so a clean water supply would also be useful." She stood. "Well, the sooner we land, the sooner we can start..." They entered the bridge. "Tom?"
"Coordinates set Captain. Visibility four miles, ceiling unlimited."
"Very good. Mr. Tuvok, blue alert."
#
#
Three away teams and three security teams made the initial explorations of the new planet. Neelix was almost ecstatic, within a two kilometer radius were a number of edible plants. His happiness would have been complete, if he had found leola root.
#
#
Gaea, one of the crew had unofficially named the planet, had nine continents. Voyager had landed on a prairie on the fourth largest. The geology department convinced the Captain to let them have a shuttle and Tom Paris for their pilot and spent two weeks on a mapping survey of the continent. They rarely had the opportunity to do detailed work, as Voyager rarely stayed on a planet for any length of time. The same could be said for the zoologists on board. Most of the biology usually involved plants--for food and medicine. Since Neelix's attempts to raise animals (usually fowl--the Captain had adamantly refused the one time he had wanted to try to raise swine) had all ended in failure, the emphasis was on plant identification. There were only three zoologists aboard Voyager--they decided to classify the larger species on the prairie. There was a herd of very inquisitive deer-like animals that used the ship as a source of shade during the day. The crew didn't seem to bother them at all. There were predators--but they tended to leery of the crew. A bear-like creature had tried to run off with a container of roots, Neelix's away team had been gathering. A security guard had scared it with a phaser blast and it had lumbered off. The birds found the ship fascinating. A magnificent bird of prey found Voyager to be a fantastic perch, and spent quite a bit of time sitting and scanning its domain.
They had landed the ship near a lake and engineering had rigged a pipe system to get water to Voyager--complete with several filtration systems. All non-vital systems were turned off. There was limited use of the replicators, environmental controls were at minimum, air filtration systems were turned off, engineering improvised a way of using them to bring fresh air inside, and power was at a minimum.
It had only taken four days for engineering to tear the starboard thruster apart. B'Elanna also had a team looking at the port thruster to see if the could figure out why that one wasn't a problem. It was another two weeks before the analysis was complete, and they started to put it back together.
#
#
B'Elanna was grumbling over her report. They had found signs of metal fatigue in several key parts of the thruster and had spent most of the two weeks repairing that. But they had not found out what was causing it. She had teams checking the entire ship. What she really wanted was a space dock, the ability to completely gut the ship, then scan it, conduct repairs, then rebuild it. Even if she could, that would take close to 10 months.
"Captain, I didn't see you." B'Elanna looked up from her report.
"I just came by to see how it was going."
B'Elanna scowled. "We're almost finished putting the thruster back together. Another two days. And then another week to complete our work on the rest of the ship."
"B'Elanna, have you found a reason?"
B'Elanna shook her head and took a deep breath. "It's more than that bloody thruster simply needing replacing. We've found signs of metal fatigue throughout the ship. We're repairing the worst and those in the hull. Captain, I suspect we'll be making regular repair stops."
Janeway frowned, there was really nothing they could do besides that--its what they had already started doing. She was about to leave, when she noted that B'Elanna looked tired. "B'Elanna, have you taken *any* time off?"
"I haven't had time, Captain."
"You're under orders to, Commander."
"Yes, Captain." B'Elanna almost smiled. That left only one other person on the ship who hadn't taken any time off. As far as B'Elanna knew, the Captain hadn't even left the ship except to check on work going on outside.
#
#
Neelix sat down by Kes and smiled. "The Commander says we'll be arriving at our destination in about seven minutes." He looked at the others on his team. They had already made one stop, without much success, this new area was a peninsula on a continent in the southern hemisphere.
#
#
Kes shivered as she stepped out of the shuttle. It must be about 10C cooler than where they had landed earlier. The temperature was actually closer to what she kept their quarters at. She smiled as she looked around. They had landed by a large bay, she had seen the ocean on the other side of the hills on the approach--it was the first time she had ever seen such a large body of water. Neelix took her hand, and with their son, they walked down to the shore.
There were several crab-like animals crawling on the beach.
Ensign Baker (one of the zoologists) was delighted. "Neelix, you still planning on having that party?"
"Yes."
"How about crabs--or whatever these are." Baker held up one, it's 4 claws snapping in anger.
"Is it edible?" Neelix asked as he examined the creature.
"The tricorder says it's not poisonous--how about we take one back and do a taste test." Several of the other away team members who had gathered around nodded in agreement.
"OK. Grab a couple--after dinner tonight you're invited for a taste." Neelix watched as two 'crabs' were placed in a container.
Chakotay had wandered off from the group, and stood on a small ridge and looked around. There was a small range of hills between the bay--where they were--and the ocean. By the bay, there were a number of ridges and some dunes. Where they had landed the shuttle was flat and open--about 15m above sea level, and about a 2 kilometers away there was a forest.
Kes smiled as she joined the Commander. "Quite a spot." He nodded in agreement. "Commander, Neelix would like to head back to the ship--he needs to start dinner."
"Yes, of course." They walked back toward the shuttle. The others were already there.
#
#
"Good evening, Captain." Chakotay said as he sat down at her table. He stabbed at the reddish brown vegetables. "What culinary delight is this?"
"Something new, according to Neelix. So, how was the mission."
He smiled. "We had a great time. Neelix is preparing..." What an awful thought. Several of his away team were riding shot gun over Neelix and his preparation of the 'crabs'. Phasers set on stun, if Neelix even looked cross-eyed at his leola root. "Neelix is preparing the away-team's big discovery."
"What's that?"
"Oh, a little something we picked up at the beach. We're sampling it. In fact..."
Ensign Baker brought him a small plate with a small piece of the crab. Baker looked a little embarrassed when he handed the plate to the Commander. "Sir. Captain, I'm sorry, I mean..."
Chakotay grinned. "Don't worry Ensign. She wasn't part of the team--if she wants a taste, she'll have to share." Ensign Baker smiled and left. "Smells good."
"Crab?"
"Captain, would you like a bite?" He cut the sample in half and stopped. "On one condition though."
"Commander?"
"You take tomorrow off."
'Hmm. But aren't you taking tomorrow off?" He nodded. "Tuvok will be here." He placed her sample on her plate, and took a bite of his. "Not bad."
She smiled as she bit into her piece. "Very well, Commander. What's the itinerary?"
"You'll find out when it's time," he said mysteriously.
She might have hit him, if the room had been empty. Instead she threw him a mock glare.
#
#
The first rays of the morning sun touched the shuttles parked a short distance from Voyager. Chakotay greeted the two guards as he walked to the smaller shuttlecraft. He didn't really feel guilty about what he was planning to do. It could be considered an away-team mission. The Captain would very likely spend a considerable amount of time studying the local flora and fauna. But even so, it was in all reality a joyride. The shuttles weren't scheduled to be used today anyway--and his spirit guide seemed to feel it was important.
He was finishing the preflight, when he heard a voice behind him. "I get the feeling we're traveling a little bit further than to the lake."
"Aye Captain." He tried to explain. "We're going to a place I think...Know you should see. I can't really explain why."
Kathryn just nodded her head.
They made their approach from the ocean side of the peninsula. A thick layer of fog hung low around the hills, only the peaks visible.
He followed the water to the bay, and the fog lessened. He landed the shuttle in the same meadow he had yesterday.
Her reaction to the place puzzled him. Her whole mood during the trip had puzzled him. She had barely spoken six words during the entire half hour flight. She was edgy, apprehensive, and her initial reaction to the place was very cautious.
Kathryn looked around. The last of the fog was burning off. It really was a pretty location--it just made her uncomfortable. Not uncomfortable as in dangerous, just uncomfortable.
#
#
"Now, aren't you glad you came along?" Harry asked B'Elanna. She just grumbled.
They had joined Tom Paris and Jenny Delaney for a walk around the lake and a short hike into the forest. That's how they had started, but Tom and Jenny were walking slower and had long since been left behind.
"Perhaps we should wait for them," Harry said.
B'Elanna smiled for the first time that morning. "It'll probably be a long wait." She looked back at the ship. "That damn bird is back." Harry turned to look at the large bird sitting on Voyager. "We clean-up after it every day. Yesterday there was a partially eaten carcass up there." She frowned again as her thoughts returned to the ship.
Harry watched her, "You're suppose to be 'relaxing.' Forget the bird, we won't be worrying about it in a few days anyway."
"Yea."
Harry sat down on a rock overlooking the lake. He motioned for her to sit down beside him. As she did, she knocked some pebbles into the lake. They sat there watching the ripples created move out from the point of impact.
#
#
Kathryn sat on the ridge surveying the surrounding landscape. The quiet sounds of the waves on the shore and the raucous calls of the shore birds were calming, but yet...
"Is something wrong?"
"No. We should be going," she started to stand.
He put his arms about her and pulled her back down. "Why? We just got here."
"Chakotay, why did we come here?" He glanced at her with a funny look. "Did your spirit guide tell you about this place?"
He shook his head. "No, she said to bring you here."
"Oh." She looked out toward the bay--the last of the fog had burned off. It really was a wonderful site.
#
#
Tom savored the crab leg he was nibbling on as he watched the crowd at Neelix's party. Neelix and Kes had spent the day preparing for the party. Moving tables, chairs, and other necessities outside. He had helped, as had others. Tom looked around for Jenny. She was with her sister down by the lake.
"Tom."
He turned. "Harry. Some party. Most of the crew seem to be enjoying themselves."
"Most." Harry didn't sound to enthusiastic.
"Harry?" Tom looked at his friend with concern. "What's the problem?"
"I'm not sure, but B'Elanna is in even a worse mood now--I didn't think that was possible."
"How...But the ship is..."
"We completed final inspection this morning--everything checks out, even the starboard thruster."
"Good." Tom looked around and smiled. "This place kind of gets to you."
Harry nodded as he gestured to the crew. "I think most of them will agree."
#
#
B'Elanna moved away from the party, she wasn't in a festive mood. She walked to the lake. She picked up a stone and tossed it into the water. There was just enough light that she could see the water ripple away from where the stone had entered. She picked up two stones and tossed them so they entered the water about 30cm apart. She watched the tiny waves as they interacted, some canceling each other, some enhancing. She quietly re-entered the ship and went to engineering. There was a skeleton crew keeping an eye on the ship--a few said hello, but for the most part she was ignored. She sat at her desk and started pulling up files, ship's data, historical data, anything. She had an idea, one that did not please her.
#
#
Two days later, the Captain sat in her ready room. Voyager was leaving the Gaean system and was again heading back to the Alpha-Quadrant. She reread the last of B'Elanna's reports. They still had not found the cause of the problem--but the thruster had been repaired, it was working for the moment.
She didn't like her cynical qualifier 'for the moment.'
B'Elanna's report closed with a brief description of the modified sensors she was installing in the starboard thruster and other key areas.
#
#
"Chief engineer's personal log, stardate 52241. I've attached modified sensors to the starboard thruster and several other key areas in the ship. If my hypothesis is correct..."
"Chief Engineer's Log Star Date 52261. We spent the day repairing the starboard thruster. It's been less than a week since we left the planet we called Gaea, and the ship is already having problems. The data gathered from the sensors in the thruster are not promising. The computer is running the analysis now. I'm worried how long we can keep Voyager flying."
B'Elanna Torres stared at her computer. For awhile she had worried. This was the first time she had said anything in her official log. She picked up her cup, finished the last of her cooling tea, and threw it hard across the room. She felt better as she watched the cup shatter, except now she had to clean up the mess.
"B'Elanna, I thought your throwing days were over." Harry leaned in the door watching her.
"Watch it Star Fleet. I've just spent the day repairing that damn thruster." She stopped. *I thought I had finally learned to control my temper.* "I'm sorry. But we had just repaired it. What did you want?"
"Tom has invited us for a round of pool."
"All right. It beats this place. Let me get the mess of the floor." And the analysis would take a couple of hours.
#
#
Tom looked at the table. "Looks like it'll be my game," he said as the ball went in the pocket. "Harry, you owe me. Another game?"
Harry nodded. "I'll be right back." He moved to where B'Elanna stood. "You just going to stand here?"
Before she could answer the lights went out.
He heard her mutter furiously, then call out, "Emergency lights in holodeck 2." Dim lights came on. The program was gone, people started to leave.
B'Elanna, Harry, and Tom crowded around the holodeck computer.
"It's localized. Damn, we've just lost the starboard thruster again." She wanted to bang her head against the wall. The lights started to blink in the hall. "Now what?" she groaned.
"It looks like Red Alert. Is communication down?" Paris asked.
"Yes, Harry get to engineering, see what can be done about the thruster and check communication." B'Elanna and Tom headed toward the bridge.
#
#
Tom took the pilot's seat. "Captain, we don't have the starboard thruster again."
"And shipboard communications is down." B'Elanna added.
The captain, Tom, B'Elanna, and 4 others were on the bridge. Janeway stood at Tuvok's station, staring at the screen showing the five approaching ships. "They powered their weapons a minute ago and haven't answered my hail. Is that working?"
B'Elanna quickly went to Harry's station. "Yes Captain. And the shields are up. Turbo lifts are down. Ensign, take this station."
She returned to hers, while Janeway continued to monitor tactical.
"Tom, I'd rather avoid this. Ease back and plot a reverse course."
"Yes ma'm. They're following."
"Hailing them again. This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Star Ship Voyager, we wish to leave peacefully." She looked at the console. "There not responding. Tom, increase speed to warp 7." The first enemy ship fired--just barely missing them.
"I don't think they like us leaving." Tom pushed some buttons. "That was a warning shot."
"Tom your discretion on evading them." The lead ship again fired.
The ship shuddered as the pale yellow beam hit. "Firing starboard phaser. B'Elanna send a message through the computer. I need to know what is going on."
"Captain, Harry's in engineering. I'm not showing any damage from the hit."
"Firing phasers pattern alpha. "One of the enemy ships exploded--another received a glancing blow.
"Ships are still following, increasing speed to warp 8. Captain have we insulted anyone recently. They don't seem to want us to leave." Tom looked at the screen and again changed course.
"Shields still holding. Starboard thruster is back on line. Still no communication." B'Elanna was working furiously, trying to bring the ship completely back on line.
"Hailing them again. This is Captain Janeway of Voyager. We wish to leave."
The screen flickered and a very thin, tall alien appeared. "Captain, your ship is trespassing on Kisullian territory. That is a violation our laws."
"I'm sorry, we didn't know. We're leaving now."
"It is to late. Communications out." The screen returned to the view of stars.
The four remaining ships started their attack run.
"Firing phasers pattern delta, Tom make a run for it straight ahead warp 9."
"Yes ma'm." The ship was hit, sparks flew from several of the consoles, and the ship started to shake.
"Captain, we're losing the warp engines." B'Elanna managed to avoid saying a few choice Klingon expletives.
"Speed is slowing, maintaining warp 6. Captain they aren't following us. We must have crossed over their border."
"Keep this course and speed. Continuous scans. B'Elanna?"
"Right now I think we'll need to land to conduct repairs." Her voice was low and quiet. She closed her eyes not wanting to see the faces of her friends when she made her recommendation.
"Ensign scan the area for a suitable class M planet."
"Captain," B'Elanna stopped as her gut tightened. She opened her eyes and looked straight at the Captain. Her worst nightmare--she knew what she had to say--but...
Janeway looked at her chief engineer, realization was fast and devastating. She took a second to think about it and compose herself before she spoke. "Tom set a course back to Gaea. Avoid the Kisullians if possible and at the fastest speed you can get. And let's see if we find where everybody is."
"Captain, we just lost warp drive," Tom announced.
"Continue to Gaea, maximum impulse."
"Captain, Harry's just sent me a message saying power has been restored to the turbo lifts."
"Good. Get to engineering. B'Elanna."
The turbo lift opened and Chakotay and Tuvok entered.
"Sorry Captain. What happened?" Her first officer looked around--the bridge was strangely subdued.
"Commander in my ready room. Mr. Tuvok get security teams out and account for everybody and check on damage. Tom, you have the bridge."
#
#
"What happened Captain."
"Apparently we were trespassing in Kisullian space--they weren't very polite about it. Damage is pretty extensive. We don't have communications or warp." She paused. "And we're returning to Gaea."
"Isn't there a closer Class M planet..."
"Chakotay," She stopped and turned away. "The Kisullians didn't cause the damage, they just helped."
He looked at her. "Kathryn, I don't think the crew will be surprised. And I know there has been talk about not continuing."
"I know, but, but...My ship is dying." Her ship, that for five years had been home. Where she had worked with a fantastic crew. She felt his arms around her, turned and buried her head in his chest. Neither were aware that the ready room door had not completely closed.
Tom watched and smiled. So much for decorum. He looked around. No one else had a view through the half open door.
"Captain, I've received a message from B'Elanna." He had a minute ago. He watched the couple separate and return to the bridge. "She made it to engineering." He tried to look like he hadn't noticed anything.
"Thank-you Commander Paris. Any message on the warp drive."
"They're working on it."
"Any sign of the Kisullians?" Chakotay asked.
"They're shadowing us, but are not making any aggressive moves."
"Tuvok to bridge."
"Communication is back up. Janeway here."
"Captain, we've accounted for everybody. There is a potential hull breach on deck 13. We're in the process of evacuating now. Injuries are light."
"Keep me informed, Janeway out. I'll make a ship-wide announcement within the hour." The last was to Chakotay. She tapped her comm-badge. "Bridge to engineering."
"Engineering." It was Harry.
"Progress on the warp drive."
"We should be able to give you warp 1 in half an hour."
"And higher speeds?"
"Captain." The entire bridge crew heard the hesitation. "Could you come to engineering."
She looked at Chakotay, trying to keep the shock out of her expression. "You have the bridge." She left.
#
#
B'Elanna looked at her terminal and at the data her sensors had gathered. There it was, the problem found.
Harry looked at the data over her shoulder. No wonder she had been in a dreadful mood this past week. Their dark faces were noticed by the rest of engineering, but questions and explanations would have to wait.
Janeway entered and joined the pair.
"Captain, it doesn't look good. We can give you warp 1. But try to go higher and the ship will start to vibrate." B'Elanna was angry, frustrated, and upset.
"I'll take it. We'll be at Gaea, in..." She paused to do the math. "Three weeks. The potential breach on deck 13..."
"I've sent a crew."
"What happened?"
"Mechanical resonance. We've repaired and improvised so often that the natural frequencies of the ship were altered. Like the new frequency of the starboard thruster matched the frequency of the warp core. During the past year and probably longer, the ship has been ever so slowly shaking apart."
"And..."
"Captain I don't know. When we land, we'll run tests and anything else I or anybody can think of. But..." The faces of the two were enough to tell Captain Janeway everything she didn't want to know.
"I'll be telling the crew shortly. Carry on."
"Yes Captain." B'Elanna waited until the Captain had left, before she let loose with a string of Klingon expletives. "Damn it Harry. We tested for this."
"B'Elanna you cannot hold yourself responsible for this. You've been worried for awhile Voyager wouldn't make it. Longer than you would care to admit. Ask anybody in engineering, they've been worried too. We all see the same data. We've done the best we could under the circumstances. What more can we do?"
"I know, but..."
"No buts B'Elanna. She's the one who has to make the final decision."
"She has a shoulder to cry on, she won't be alone tonight."
"If you need a shoulder," he smiled at her.
#
#
She stared at the lift ceiling for what seemed an eternity. Damn it, she had promised. Promised the crew, herself, the stars themselves that she would get Voyager and her crew home.
Promises. Home.
The lift stopped and she reorganized her thoughts. Putting on her best *Captain's manner* she entered the bridge. The questioning looks on their faces caused a twinge of guilt. "I'll be in my ready room." Probably not the most comforting thing she could have said, but all she was capable of for the moment. She slipped through the half open door and moved to her window to stare at the stars. She needed to plan what she was going to say to the crew and compose herself.
Chakotay watched her. He'd give her a couple of minutes, then would follow.
#
#
"Tom, you have the bridge." Chakotay said a few minutes later.
Tom didn't even offer his usual grin, he just muttered, "Yes sir."
Kathryn Janeway stood staring out the window. She glanced at Chakotay as he entered. "This is the hardest thing I have ever done. I've never destroyed hope before."
"Most of the crew have realized we wouldn't get home in our lifetimes. And most if not all have thought of settling. I'll be right behind you." Chakotay, not caring if Tom was watching, wrapped her in his arms and kissed her.
#
#
"Captain I have established an open line to the entire ship. Whenever you're ready." Tuvok, as always, showed no emotion. Kathryn briefly wondered how he dealt with this.
She nodded and Chakotay moved to stand close behind her. "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway. You are all aware that Voyager has been badly damaged. We are returning to Gaea, to try to repair the ship. It will take us three weeks. And another several days after that before we know. Five years ago we started this voyage with hope. Whatever happens, may we continue with hope."
Technobabble explained (sort of) remember my field is biology not physics.
Resonance, Harmonic frequencies/vibrations? If you can, watch the films of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse. It's close enough. Briefly, all objects vibrate at a certain frequency. If something enhances that vibration--it gets stronger. I.E.. The wind matched the frequency of the natural sway of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (compounded by some major engineering mistakes). It's quite spectacular. Not a great explanation: if you want better there are many alternatives. Nova (PBS) and the Discovery channel have both done shows about the bridge.
*******
She was again sitting on the ridge. A gecko lay sunning itself on a rock near her. It flicked its tongue. "Hello."
She looked at it in surprise. Recently her spirit guide had chosen not to speak.
"Don't look so surprised. You have many questions--many you don't even know yet."
She looked at the creature. "Yes I do. Will Voyager..."
She stopped when the gecko shook it's head. "What will *you* do?"
"Me? What I've always done..."
"There are now other options."
"Other options? Besides staying or leaving?"
"*You* have options, choices. What will you do? What do you want?"
"To return home." She would have sworn the gecko smiled.
"And then?" The fog rolled in.
*******
#
#
Kathryn Janeway rolled over in her bed and grabbed her comm-badge. "Janeway here."
"Captain, we've arrived at Gaea. Have assumed standard orbit." Paris announced.
"Very good, I'll be on the bridge in a few minutes. Prepare for blue alert."
"Yes ma'm."
As she dressed, she started thinking. They'd arrived. But would they leave. Something in the way Lt. Commander Torres had suggested they come here...She had shared her darkest thoughts with no one. Not even Chakotay. She looked at him lying there. "Wake up."
"Hmm. What's up?"
"We've arrived. I'll meet you on the bridge." She was working on getting her hair up. She leaned over and kissed him.
#
#
The Captain entered the bridge and the crew looked at her expectantly. She had seen that look so many times in the last three weeks. They were worried. Rumors were flying about the ship, ranging from an eminent warp core breach to an epidemic of Morelian blood flukes. She looked at Tom, nodded her head, and he took his place in the pilot's seat. She wondered, 'How the crew will accept the decision, if it is made? Or is it when?'
She sensed Chakotay had entered the bridge behind her. She had already picked where the ship would land. "Set co-ordinates one six point three and one hundred twenty-two point seven."
"Blue alert, co-ordinates set for one six point three and one hundred twenty-two point seven." Paris repeated. "Captain, that's not where we landed before."
"I know. Ensign what is the weather there." She asked the young woman standing in Kim's spot.
"Ceiling unlimited, visibility same. Local time mid afternoon."
"Start landing process." She looked at Chakotay. He had recognized the co-ordinates as where they had gone in the shuttle.
Paris was calling off their altitudes as they approached the surface.
"On screen." She watched their approach. "Paris set us down in the meadow. Commander, prepare away teams."
The ship shook and banged as it landed. She let out her breath. She had landed the ship many times in the past five years, and yet she still held her breath the last hundred feet.
"We've landed. Secure the ship from blue alert and..." *And what? Prepare to spend the rest of your lives here?*
"Yes ma'm." Paris watched her. Like the others he had heard the rumors. But he had also watched Harry. Confident Harry had been extremely worried.
"Commander inform Torres we've arrived."
"Yes Captain." Chakotay wondered if perhaps he should have brought the subject up. It had been obvious she didn't want to talk about it. Staying would be the ultimate 'giving-up', something he knew she could not do easily.
#
#
B'Elanna stared at the preliminary report on the metallic cohesion of the warp core, and had just ordered 20 similar inspections. Even back in the alpha quadrant, such detailed and obscure inspections were rarely done. The initial reports didn't look promising, but she'd expected that. "Torele."
"Yes ma'm." He turned from the warp core.
"Shut the warp core down and clear it."
"Yes ma'm."
Harry looked around quickly, everybody was busy. "B'Elanna, this is it isn't it?" He asked quietly.
She glanced at him. "I don't know, but it doesn't look good."
In the past five years, he'd become her friend and confidant. Someone she had told most of her darkest thoughts to, especially the past three weeks. She picked up her data pad. She'd divided engineering into three teams in twelve hour shifts. Two thirds of her department would be working any given time. She'd also usurped the chemistry and physics people again. It would still take several days for all the reports to be completed and analyzed. She looked around. The department was subdued. She had tried to put on a positive front, but they had access to the same information she did.
#
#
It had been a month since he had been here last. There were many changes, the field was carpeted with yellow and gold flowers, the temperature was warmer...And something else, harder to define. Chakotay thought back to their only visit here together and her reaction. It had puzzled him at the time, but now it was starting to make sense. She had known, her spirit guide must have shown her what this place was destined to become. He turned to watch her. The first of the away-teams were preparing to explore the site and set up perimeter security. They had gathered in shuttle bay 2 and were now in the process of leaving the ship. The Captain had joined them, he watched her carefully, waiting for the one set of instructions that weren't forthcoming.
He turned to Ensign Baker. "Ensign, scan the area. I'll be right back." He walked over to her. "Captain. Any special instructions?" She closed her eyes for a split second and for that moment he could see the frustration and anger she felt--then she was back in control.
She nodded her head and let her breath out. "What are the considerations for...For building a colony here."
"Kathryn..."
"Go, Commander, your team is waiting."
"Captain."
She stared after him for several minutes, then turned and re-entered the ship.
Tom Paris was watching her. "Captain. I can take a shuttle and Lieutenant Brown from stellar cartography. We can complete a preliminary survey and map in a couple of hours."
"Do it. Tom, how is the crew handling this?"
"Possibly better than you are, Captain. There'd been talk of finding a planet and settling before all this began."
#
#
She continued her trip to the bridge. While B'Elanna and her teams worked to assess the damage, she should have teams looking into the considerations of staying. She entered the bridge.
"Mr. Tuvok, I want a detailed security assessment of the planet and system tomorrow. Also what would be needed in terms of security to establish a colony." She felt the crew's collective intake of air, but also noticed that the atmosphere was afterwards more purposeful. "Yes Captain." He left to gather his security teams and start work.
She needed to talk to the heads of the science departments. Geology and Biology in particular, but first...
"Ensign Wildman, you have the bridge. I'll be in engineering."
Wildman looked up, "Yes, Captain."
Janeway walked the corridors of her ship. Thinking of all they have been through the past five years: the hopes and the disappointments.
"Captain." B'Elanna looked tired.
"B'Elanna?"
"We've started testing. It'll be at least three days before we're finished, but..."
"I know. When did you last get some sleep?"
"Captain, I'm fine."
"No, answer my question."
"Three days ago."
"I'm ordering you to get some sleep. You'll be useless if you get sick. Harry!"
He looked up from the scanner he was holding. "Yes Captain."
"You're in charge for the next eight hours. Lieutenant Commander Torres is under orders to get some sleep."
"Good. Yes, Captain. B'Elanna, we know what to do," he added quietly. She reluctantly left.
"Now Lieutenant. What is happening?"
"We've got teams analyzing structure integrity, molecular integrity, and a couple dozen other tests. We've just started, so all we have is preliminary data."
"Opinion."
"Captain, I just don't know. We'll know more in three days."
#
#
Janeway sat alone in her quarters working at her terminal. Or sort of working. She kept staring off into the distance. Remembering, promises made, home. Like the rest of the crew, she had come to think of Voyager as home. Going home had come to mean returning to the ship, not the alpha-quadrant. She wasn't sure when that shift occurred.
But after five years of constant traveling--maybe settling down wouldn't be so bad. A house, a family, a life consisting of more than being Captain.
The away-teams should be back soon, from her window she could see the colors of the sunset. Darkness would come fast. She forced herself back to her work and read exactly four words before her mind wandered again. This was ridiculous. "Computer save changes and close file." She turned to look out the window. The door chimes rang, interrupting her thoughts. "Enter."
Kes entered, smiling. She always seemed to be smiling.
"Captain, Kathryn..." Kes was still uncomfortable calling the Captain by her first name.
"Kes." There was an awkward pause. "How are you..."
"Dealing with this? Fine. You picked a good spot. Neelix and I were out earlier. He's picked a spot for a garden. He wants to try growing leola root. Our stores are rather depleted." She laughed. She was well aware of the crew's dislike of the root, but for five years Neelix had somehow managed to block the subtle and not so subtle hints that his cooking was better without it. She continued with her warning. "He seems to feel it will grow well here." Another pause as Kes noted the Captain's mood. "Captain, Doc wants me to ask you what happens to him."
"Yes, of course. Let's find out first what's happening." She smiled slightly. "I'm sure he has an idea."
"Several, actually. I need to get going, I promised Neelix I'd help with dinner. He's serving Leola root stew in order to improve crew morale." With that Kes left.
And the replicators wouldn't be working until the ship diagnostics were complete and power was restored to them.
#
#
Chakotay sat in her darkened quarters, Kathryn had retired about 15 minutes earlier, but he had the away-team reports to finish. As if he had worked on them in the that quarter hour. There were worse places in the delta quadrant to start a new home--almost everywhere else he thought with a sardonic laugh.
Outwardly she seemed to doing all right, but he knew how hard she worked to maintain that cool exterior. And these past three weeks had been hard on her, physically and mentally. Everybody had been putting in long hours as the ship had limped back. But the old adage 'it's lonely at the top' was too true now. All he could do was to be there and offer her his support. 'Pessimist,' he thought. No, he'd seen the reports. Voyager was dying, and the best they might be able to do was delay the inevitable.
#
#
Captain Janeway looked quickly about sick-bay. "Good morning Doc."
"Captain, I was hoping you would come by. I have a couple of ideas. If you would come look at my terminal I'll show you."
Kes joined them as they were looking at the Doc's plans for a hospital.
"Doc," Kathryn said. "I'll bring your plans to the planning meeting, but the hospital is too big and complicated."
The Doc pulled up another file. "Here's a smaller version. More of a clinic. Most of the equipment can come from sickbay. I'll leave the technical details to others. I've also included a list of necessities. As you can see, I've been researching Federation medical requirements for a new colony. It's most interesting. And since we have several medical trainees, I thought we should add some classroom space."
Kathryn nodded.
Kes smiled as she continued with the doctor's plans. "We will have a research lab. I've talked with Ensign Baker, from Biology. They're willing to donate equipment, as long as they can use the lab too."
Kathryn smiled. It was interesting how the crew was reacting to this. The science departments were already planning big research projects. Samantha Wildman had gotten a group together and had started planning the town, and the stellar people were preparing a seasonal star chart for the area. And they didn't know for sure they were staying. A lot of it was people trying to stay busy, so they wouldn't have time to think, but a good part was a genuine enthusiasm. Not that there were detractors--Neelix was complaining that several of the crew had shown up drunk and belligerent for breakfast. Security had quickly taken care of it, the threesome were 'sleeping it off' in their quarters.
Realizing that Kes and the Doc were waiting for a reply, she returned to their conversation. "Doc, Kes, there are a lot of technical questions, and engineering is tied up for the next couple of days. Should we stay, I'll have them start working on it. Good morning." As she walked to the bridge, she started thinking again. Whether she liked it or not, she had to appear positive and accept whatever happened. Even if that was this was to be their new home.
#
#
Chakotay looked at his team, they were going to explore the hills between the bay and the ocean. They were also to do a survey on types of trees and their suitability for use in construction. There was some reluctance as all the teams moved off. Supposedly sometime today they would know. He'd rather have stayed, but then so would everybody else he suspected. He signaled his team to head out.
#
#
The hill was only about 1000 meters high, but it was the highest peak around. Peak was an overstatement. Chakotay's away-team had made their way to the top. The hill was high enough so they could see over the treetops and survey the peninsula. The bay was huge. They couldn't see all of it. They had mapped the area and knew the size of the bay, but it was still impressive. In the other direction--stretching beyond the horizon, restless, compelling--lay the ocean. Off shore they could see the fog bank. The sea breeze carried the fresh smells of the ocean shoreline across the peninsula. It was cold, damp, and a pleasant change after 5 years of recirculated air. The peninsula was also large. They couldn't see where the ocean and bay met, too many trees and hills. The peninsula in general was hilly and tree covered.
Chakotay's thoughts turned back to the bay. He might yet get a chance to build a boat. Eventually they would need, want to explore the bay.
#
#
B'Elanna looked at the most recent report to cross her desk. She looked at the numbers and compared them to the specs for Voyager. She had known Voyager had been a new ship, complete with a new layout and bio-neural gel packs. The gel packs had been a success, far better than the designers had expected. Voyager just hadn't been designed for five years of continuous misuse. No ship had been so designed, but Voyager's problems were compounded by some of the experimental features that she and engineering had had to modify to fix. Then modified again, and then again.
"Computer transfer all files in Torres theta three and four to the bridge." Funny, she didn't feel like throwing anything right now. She'd been postponing her meeting with the Captain for several hours, actually longer. Hoping to find something positive. "Come on Torres," she muttered to herself. Probably everybody knew by now anyway. Rumors had a tendency to spread through the ship quickly. She passed through engineering on her way to the lift. The ship would know--most of the engineering crew who had been hovering all morning had left.
"B'Elanna, would you like some back-up?" Harry was waiting for her at the lift.
"I'm not going into battle, Star Fleet." She paused. "Sure. Have the rumors started?"
"I think we're on the 6th round. Bridge." The last was to the turbo-lift. "I take the solemn face and fast moving rumors mean we're staying?"
She just nodded.
The doors opened on the bridge. Tom looked at them as they entered. "She's in her ready room. She knows. Neelix has called four times to ask." He tapped his comm-badge. "Captain, B'Elanna and Harry are here."
"Send them in."
Janeway frowned slightly. It wouldn't be the first time bad news had arrived before the messenger.
"Captain," B'Elanna said. Janeway nodded. Harry just stood by the door, he was there for moral support. "Computer pull up files Torres theta three and four. Captain." Torres nodded toward the terminal.
Janeway read quietly for about three minutes, then looked up. "I suppose the rest is equally as bad."
"I didn't take time to write the summary, Captain. But yes. Voyager can still fly, and we might even be able to travel at warp 2, but only for a week or two."
The two women looked at each other, what was there to say. Harry shifted his weight. They turned to look at him. "Captain, Samantha--Ensign Wildman; she, I, and others have been working on some plans for a settlement."
"She showed me the plans this morning. Harry have the group come up with a presentation for the crew tomorrow at ten hundred hours. B'Elanna prepare a short analysis on what happened. I'll tell the crew, and give most time off until tomorrow. Dismissed. Oh, and ask Tuvok and Tom to come in."
A few minutes later, the two officers had joined her. She quietly told them the news. Security would be on duty, just in case. Tuvok left to get the teams organized. Tom followed him out.
#
#
"Captain's personal log stardate 52501. Today Lieutenant Commander Torres advised me that Voyager was no longer spaceworthy. Afterwards, I notified the crew that we would be staying on this planet. We've been traveling for five years, and many promises were made or implied. I've promised that we would get home. It seems that fate has prevented us from reaching our homes in the alpha-quadrant, and led us to find a home in the delta-quadrant. Gaea is a good site for that home. It's located in a system far from the more remote regions of the sector. From our initial visit about a month ago we have detailed scans of the system and the neighboring area. The 8th planet has dilithium, and about three weeks--one-way by shuttle--is a star cluster where we can gather anti-matter. Gaea itself is a rich planet, with great biodiversity and minerals." She stopped for a second. "With the exception of security and some of the engineering crews, I've given the ship's crew the rest of the day off. Until ten hundred hours tomorrow when we'll gather to go over some of our options. Tom says that the crew think our present location is as good as any. I've ordered the away-teams back, they should be returning in the next couple of hours." She clicked the end-message-button and sat back.
#
#
After several hours looking at B'Elanna's report and other relevant reports, she stood and left her ready-room.
She looked around the bridge. "Tom, you have command. I don't want to be disturbed."
Tom looked after her. "Captain, where will you be?"
"I'll be OK." She left the bridge.
#
#
She sat there on her, no their, ridge, thinking. She thought back to her childhood and the first time she saw the sea. The ceaseless rolling of the waves had made her restless even then. Kathryn sat, her restless spirit resisting the call to stay. She had dreamed of the stars and lived among them, they beckoned. Voyager had betrayed her, forcing her to a life she had not wished for and was not sure she could be content with. Despite her friends, her love...
#
#
Tom waited for the away team to enter the docking bay. He motioned to Chakotay.
"She wanted to be alone. She left the ship an hour ago."
Chakotay half-smiled. "I think I know where she went. I'll get her."
Tom grinned as he handed the commander a picnic basket. "We won't wait up for you."
Chakotay left the ship and followed a more direct path to the ridge, the sun had set several minutes ago, and already the first stars were visible. He stopped at the base. She was sitting on the ridge staring out over the bay, lost in her thoughts. He waited for her to acknowledge his presence before approaching.
She sensed his presence and turned. He approached and sat in front of her, placing the basket to one side. She held up her hand and they entwined their fingers.
"We should be getting back."
She shook her head.
He looked at her. "Voyager?"
She nodded her head. He moved to sit closer and pulled her into his arms. Neither moved, the stars twinkled above.
"Do you remember the last time we sat and watched the stars?" he asked quietly.
"You had this knack for finding constellations and creating *strange* stories for them."
"See those ten stars up there," he pointed to a group with a bright red star in the middle. "That is a Denebian Slime Devil after he's..."
"Don't continue, Commander." She tried to sound stern, but didn't succeed.
"But it worked. You smiled." He paused.
"The last time we were together like this was three years ago. You said something about an eagle knowing when to sleep." Her smile faded. "I don't know if I'm prepared to accept fate again. The last time I didn't have to, but this time there is no chance of rescue."
"There are greater opportunities, and we have a entire planet and system to study and explore."
She simply nodded. For the first time she noticed the basket he had brought. "Commander, what's in the basket?"
He looked a little sheepish as he admitted he didn't know. "Paris had it ready when the team returned." He pulled it over and opened it. Paris couldn't be subtle if he tried. Chakotay stifled a laugh. "Let's see, food--must be leftovers from last night, some sort of fruit drink, silverware, the usual picnic supplies." He smiled, there were a few other things in there, including blankets and a bottle of 10 year old red wine from the Picard Vineyards with a note saying it was the real stuff. He looked around, "We need a fire." He handed her one of the wrist lights and a phaser Paris had also packed. He took the other set. "It shouldn't take too long to gather some wood."
About 10 minutes later they returned and built a small fire. They piled the extra wood nearby.
"We have enough wood to last the night. I'm going to guess Tom thought of that too?" She flushed when Chakotay nodded.
"What else is in the basket?"
He smiled. "You'll find out."
#
#
"Commander Paris, the Captain and Commander haven't returned yet," the ensign complained.
"I know. Close the doors to the cargo bay. They'll communicate if they need help." Usually they had been more discrete. He had heard the news of their staying. He wasn't sure how he felt. Voyager had been his life for five years. The first time in his life he had been successful. He was a lieutenant commander, respected, and contented. And proud of himself. He remembered his father saying he would never amount to anything. He almost hadn't. And his father would never know. He stopped at Jenny Delaney's door. It opened.
"Tom. Is it true?"
He nodded his head and was surprised when she smiled. He kissed her.
#
#
After leaving the dining hall B'Elanna and Harry had returned to engineering. The crew had gone to their quarters or joined with friends. Engineering was empty.
"I don't think I've ever seen this place so still," Harry commented.
B'Elanna ran her fingers over the railing and looked around. "Five years ago I felt like an intruder in here. Now I do again.
"I wonder what will happen to her?"
"We'll use her to build the colony. Adapt the computers, move the replicators and other equipment. We'll need to figure out what to do with the Doc."
Harry smiled. "It's not so bad now?"
"What?"
"The melancholia. You're already starting to plan."
She smiled. "Harry, you are remarkable. You have a life to return to, while I have nothing. Yet you seem to be handling this better."
"Am I? Part of it's an act." He smiled. "And part of it is that for five years *this has been my life*. My best friends are on this ship."
"Just friends?"
He touched her shoulder. "No."
#
#
Neelix looked about the quiet diners. He had been trying to think of some way to cheer them up. He looked at Kes. "We have a new home again."
Kes smiled. "So we do. Neelix why don't you ask the Captain if we can have a celebration."
"For what sweetie?"
"Our new home. Some sort of formal dedication of the new colony."
"I'll ask her now." He started to reach for his comm-badge, but Kes stopped him.
"She's not on board. Ask her when she returns."
Neelix grinned. "And the Commander?" She smiled and nodded her head.
#
#
Chakotay placed another log on the fire, then turned to look at Kathryn. She was lying on the blanket staring at the sky. He was surprised she hadn't insisted on returning to the ship. "So, now what?" He asked as he sat beside her, she moved so her head now lay in his lap.
"A new tomorrow. There's a lot of work to be done. I need someone to be in charge of the construction, interested?"
He nodded.
"Good. The tentative plans involve building homes for the families, then the rest. Doc wants a clinic; Neelix wants a kitchen, several gardens, and a greenhouse; and there was an anonymous suggestion for a...never mind."
He grinned. "Never mind?"
"Well let's say, the suggestion was *lost.* See those stars, the group with 3 bright blue ones--what constellation is that?"
"Hmm. Let me think about that," he leaned down and kissed her. "What about us?"
"I suppose when we..." She smiled up at him. "Captain's house will be built last."
He smiled back, and ran the back of his hand along her cheek. "Marry me."
"Yes." He leaned down to kiss her, slowly. She grinned wickedly. "But there is a minor problem, no one on board can perform our ceremony."
He leaned down to kiss her again. "So change it...The crew will get a kick out of this."
"I'd rather they didn't know yet."
He looked at her, but nodded. Everybody knew, and she knew that--or he was pretty sure she did, but for some reason she preferred to ignore that. "Your constellation--a three eyed newt from Bellatrix Four as it prepares for it's final molt."
"I never heard of it," she said accusingly.
"I confess, I made it up."
She sat up and faced him, her right hand caressed his tattoo.
"Voyager to Janeway."
They separated.
"Janeway here, Tom?"
"Someone suggested we have a campfire. The entire crew is going."
Chakotay shrugged his shoulders, guessing her next thought.
"Tom, there's already one started. Everybody's invited to our, my hill. Janeway out."
"Well, we'd better hide the *evidence.* Your hill?"
She smiled. "I thought this would be where we'd build our house. Most of the settlement is planned for around Voyager." Her voiced quieted as she said the name of her ship.
"You mean, we might get some privacy."
"I doubt it." She stood and tried to pull the blanket out from under him. "Get up and help."
"Aye, aye Captain." He stood and stuffed the blankets into the basket as she gathered up the remnants of their meal and quickly put her hair up.
When they heard the voices of the crew, he added another log, then kissed her quickly.
Tom approached the Captain cautiously, it hadn't been his idea--the original idea had come from a group at Sandrines. They had contacted him and he had contacted Tuvok. A quick warning to the Captain, and permission was granted. Most of the crew had come. Well, she didn't look too upset.
"Captain."
"Tom. Quite a turn-out."
"There a few missing, a couple of surprises too." He had to smile.
"Well, go welcome everybody." She motioned that Tom should move to the center of the ring.
"Welcome," Tom said. Public speaking wasn't his forte. Someone in the crowd giggled, it sounded like Jenny Delaney. "There's not much planned for this impromptu fire, so I'd thought we start with a contest. The Lieutenants Delaney have an idea. Ladies, if you please." Jenny smiled, Megan looked like she might kill him.
"I have no idea where Tom gets his ideas..." Jenny started. "The only one I can come up with is name the constellations." She was in Stellar. There was light laugh from the back.
Captain Janeway whispered something in Tom's ear, he looked at her and she nodded her head. He returned to the center and whispered something in Jenny's ear. "Well if no one else has any ideas, an anonymous source tells me that the ten stars and that red one, have already been named." She pointed to the appropriate part of the sky. "Commander Chakotay will explain." She gestured for him to come to the middle.
He'd get her for this, Chakotay thought as he stepped into the circle. And he wasn't thinking of Jenny. "Somehow I can imagine you trying to explain to your children why that constellation was named after a Denebian Slime Devil."
Somebody, he didn't recognize the voice, shouted, "What do you know, he is an expert on deviant sexual behavior." The crew started laughing.
The eyes of Denebian Slime Devils turn bright red during mating.
He looked at the Captain, she was laughing too.
Jenny waved her arms to quiet them down. "Well, if we are going to name it after that, we should include that bright star immediately to the right. That's Deneb or Cygnus alpha for all you victims of Professor Gallind's Astronomy 101 at the academy. Thank-you Commander."
From the crowd, someone started playing a guitar, several of the crew had brought instruments, and soon a lively reel was going, the rest crew started clapping: as the impromptu band played songs people knew, they would sing.
Kathryn looked around. Usually at these *jam sessions,* Harry took command, but she didn't see him anywhere. She turned to look for Chakotay. He was on the other side talking with two of the crew.
The tune had changed to an Bajoran nonsense song that only a few knew the words too. Probably just as well. Even with her limited knowledge, she had a pretty good idea that it went with Denebian Slime Devils all too well.
By now most of the crew had settled. A quick count, and she estimated that about 100 of the crew were here. Most of the alpha shift bridge crew were not. Tuvok had remained behind. He rarely participated in such things. She wondered, not for the first time, how he dealt with staying. Tom was here, but B'Elanna and Harry weren't. B'Elanna was probably working in engineering.
Someone started singing an old round "Row, row, row, your boat." Soon everyone was singing in a round. At least this time they were singing it straight. A year ago, someone had started it with some modified words about Voyager. Prophetic words, considering all that had happened in the last 2 months.
"Captain." Chakotay had joined her. "I hope you enjoyed that little spectacle you arranged." He whispered.
"I'd forgotten about that comment about deviant sexual behavior. I guess they haven't."
Chakotay smiled as he spread one of the blankets on the ground and sat down. "No, Captain, they haven't." He motioned for her to join him. "But I am surprised that you have." She still hadn't sat down. He grinned. During the first two years after entering the delta quadrant, there had been many entendres, intentional and not. But that one comment had kept the crew guessing for months.
She finally sat, keeping a proper distance between them.
#
#
The singing became quieter with the dying fire. Deneb was now low in the horizon, the small moon had risen. People were leaving the ring to return to the ship.
Those who walked by him gave Chakotay a big smile at the sight of their Captain asleep with her head on the Commander's shoulder. Chakotay shook Kathryn's shoulder gently. "Wake-up," he whispered.
She woke with a start and looked around. "How long was I asleep."
"Not very." He flexed his arm to wake it up. "But we should be returning to the ship." She nodded.
#
#
The Captain looked at the set-up for 1000 hour meeting. Simple, straight forward. An opportunity for the crew to see the plans, see the site, make suggestions. B'Elanna and Harry had put together a display to demonstrate what had happened to the ship. She had been watching them on and off for the past twenty minutes. She wondered...'Kathryn Janeway,' she chastised herself. 'Stop it.'
After an informal introduction, everyone was given the opportunity to look and read. Then they moved outside, where members of the planning committee would explain the plans.
There were a few wisps of fog, the worst had burned off several hours earlier, it was going to be a glorious day. Kathryn stood to one side watching everyone explore their new home.
Tom Jr. approached the Captain. "Captain, you should try this. Commander Tuvok and I found it this morning." She tentatively took the small green berry. "Don't worry, Captain. It actually tastes pretty good."
"Thank you." She took a bite. It was similar to a raspberry in taste. "Not bad." She smiled. "Have any more?"
Tom Jr. pointed toward a table his father was setting up. "Daddy's going to be serving them in a few minutes. There are tons along the salt marsh south of here." He ran off to help Neelix.
Kathryn Janeway watched her crew explore the site, comparing it to the colony plan. Her spirit guide was right. There were opportunities here, choices to be made, that would never have happened on Voyager.
#
#
"So, Neelix. How's the garden coming." Tom grimaced as he looked at the huge plot Neelix was working. God, he hoped Neelix wasn't going to plant that much Leola root.
"Hi Tom. I'm almost done. Kes and I will be transplanting some of her plants later this afternoon. Tomorrow, I'm going to plant Leola root. It should do very well here."
Tom forced a smile. "Any chance of growing those tubers we found six months ago?" They were similar to potatoes. Tom would have settled for Neelix growing castor beans instead of Leola root. *Don't think of that,* he thought. *Neelix might actually think it was good.*
"I suppose so. I've got some left." Neelix smiled as he started hoeing again. "See you around Tom."
#
#
Kathryn spread the map on her desk. The colony committee had given her a copy of the map just as she left the dining hall. She sipped her coffee as she looked at it. There was one change she was going to make, nothing major. Just extend road 11a about 100 meters further so it would pass where they would be building their house on that ridge.
#
#
Neelix took of his apron and grabbed two large stock pots. He then walked to the storage area and opened the bin where his leola roots were stored. A peculiar odor seeped out, then he saw the source. Quickly he opened the other bin--the same twisted, molded, disgusting, smelly, sight met his eyes. His precious leola roots had rotted. He hit his comm-badge so hard he stepped back. "Neelix to Captain Janeway."
"Janeway here. Neelix?"
"Captain, my leola roots...Someone has destroyed them." He was furious. How could this have happened.
"I'll be right there."
Janeway turned to Tuvok, who along with Chakotay and B'Elanna had been studying the map. "Tuvok, come with me. It seems Neelix's leola roots have been attacked."
B'Elanna grinned as she watched them leave the briefing room. "If someone truly did destroy them, they should get a medal."
"Quite possibly, but if there was someone involved, I suspect we'll never know who."
B'Elanna looked at him, then turned back to the map. "We can use Voyager for a power supply, the drain actually won't be that bad. The engines and especially the warp core pulled most of the power. With the community radiating out from her, it will make our job of connecting the buildings easier. I suspect eventually we will use the tidal action to generate power. Now the clinic. The Doc has no idea what he is asking. Getting the place wired and installing the holo-emitters will be quite a task." She stopped and looked around. "I hope you found that interesting, you get to hear it again when the others return."
#
#
The Captain and Tuvok looked at the moldy mass of roots. The smell was unbelievable.
"Captain, I want you to find whoever did this." Neelix demanded.
"There is no sign of forced entry, and the computer logs do not show any unauthorized access." Tuvok looked up from the terminal in the corner.
"But, how else..."
"Neelix," the Captain cut in after looking at the tricorder reading. "It's the same kind of mold that destroyed your Wadelian oranges four months ago. It may not be 'sabotage'." She saw his puzzled face and continued with her explanation. "The mold spores are viable for many months. Tuvok arrange for the bins to be sterilized. And Neelix, use the bio-hazard containers to remove the tubers to avoid spreading it to the other supplies. Neelix, I..."
"Yes Captain." His precious leola roots. Only his favorite roots were affected, everything else in the room was fine.
Tuvok followed Janeway out. "It is most peculiar, Captain, that the mold has not been active for four months. I also find it highly suspicious that nothing else was affected."
She looked at him. "Molds are funny. I remember in Mycology trying to culture a mold from Alpha Centauri Prime before we discovered it only germinated every 6 years."
Tuvok just raised an eyebrow and they returned to the bridge.
#
#
Neelix was delighted with the arrangements, or at least almost. He was still upset with the loss of his leola root and kept apologizing to the crew for the lack of flavor in his food. Kes had to smile as she watched another of the crew compliment Neelix on his cooking.
The colony groundbreaking ceremonies were somber. Kes wandered among the crew, listening and sensing emotions. It was mixed. A little anger, a lot of sadness, much anticipation, and some joy. The conversation tended to be somber too, mostly about the colony and where people would build. A large map of the proposed town was spread out on the table. The colony committee had been busy, the first priority was housing--starting with families and the clinic. Lots would be drawn to determine the order the houses of the rest would be built. Kes looked at the map again. She noted that most of the crew had picked a site. She had been amazed at the amount of detail, creativity, and improvisation that went into the planning: and all in one week.
Tom stood on a chair and whistled. He raised his glass when the crowd had quieted. "To our new home." ****
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They say write what you know. So that's why the site may be familiar to many of you. It is the pristine version, modified greatly, of a real place that is very appropriate for a ST story.