Disclaimer: Paramount owns the ship, the humans...But Charlie and friends are all mine. Though why I would want to admit that, I don't know...
"Captain, I am detecting a fleet of cloaked Rarian vessels headed our way." Harry announced.
"Battle Stations. How many vessels?" Janeway asked.
"Unable to determine. Possibly as many as ten."
Chakotay nodded and spoke, "Evasive maneuvers. Mr. Paris, new heading two-four-three warp nine."
"Yes sir." Tom quickly made the alterations.
"The Rarians have changed course and are again on an intercept course," Harry said. He looked up from his station, "Captain we are being hailed."
"On screen." Everybody looked at the screen.
A large-nosed humanoid with a pair of deep purple eyes appeared. This one was also in a silver and teal uniform.
"We exist. Agrimar Rarians. Your vessel to be proffered in homage."
"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway..."
"Feminine-gender of species not sanctioned to communicate." He looked at Chakotay expectantly. "Proffer your vessel..." A look of surprise appeared on the alien's face when a Tavian (Rikki) climbed around Chakotay's neck.
"Explain creature round you?" The alien asked distractedly.
Chakotay laughed and looked at Kathryn before responding. "This is a pet..."
"Pet, explain function?"
"Uh...Friendship, comfort, enjoyment..."
"Ahh," the alien replied then looked at Janeway. "Eminently equivalent to feminine-gender of species."
Kathryn Janeway stood and angrily looked at the alien, "I am Captain..." She disappeared in a beam of light.
"Feminine-gender of species is presently our captive. Vessel proffered in homage and forthwith as exchange. Ten minutes to resolve." The screen went blank.
"Get a lock on the Captain and beam her out!" Chakotay ordered.
"Beaming her-out now..." Harry looked up quickly. "Commander, all we got was her comm-badge. I am unable to detect any humans aboard any of the ships."
"Commander, they may have placed a dampening field about her," Tuvok said.
"Harry scan for any signs of interference...a dampening field..." Chakotay tapped his comm-badge. "B'Elanna, I need the sensors modified to..." There was wild chattering at his feet. "Not now Charlie..." His voice trailed off. He turned quickly and looked at Harry, "We can beam on or off their ship?"
Harry looked puzzled, "Yes, by modulating the transporter frequency...But we can't locate the Captain to beam her off."
"I'm sending in an away-team."
"Commander," Tuvok cut in. "That would be unwise,. The Rarians will detect our team and isolate them too--giving them more hostages. It is forbidden by Star Fleet regulations to negotiate a trade in hostage situations."
"Tuvok, I'm not trading anything. Least of all this ship. As for the away-team...Just look at how hard it is for us to keep track of them."
Tom looked back at the Commander his eyes opened wide. "Commander, are you doing what I think you're doing?"
Chakotay nodded. "We'll need to play along--let them think we are willing to negotiate."
"Commander," B'Elanna's voice said. "I heard everything. I recommend we transport decoy tricorders too--to confuse them."
"How long?" Chakotay asked.
"I'll meet the team in transporter-room-two in four minutes. I'll need Harry."
"You heard her Harry, get to transporter room two. Charlie," he looked down at the jumpy Tavian at his feet. "Get your team together." He shook his head as he smiled. Three Tavians left the bridge with Charlie: Rikki, T'Psu, and Cassandra. Harry followed them out.
#
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B'Elanna took a short piece of string, and tried several ways to tie it around the comm-badge. The black Tavian sat quietly at her feet until Charlie and his entourage entered. "Harry adjust the sensors to follow the Tavians. Joe is working on modifying five tricorders to blink and give off a weak signal..."
Harry smiled as he started manipulating the control panels. "I wonder if StarFleet would approve?" He asked as the computer beeped in acknowledgment.
B'Elanna shook her head and knelt. "Charlie, this is for the Captain." She showed him the comm-badge tied with string. "The Captain..." *What am I doing...* She thought. "She reached out and tied it around his abdomen. Charlie chirped madly and she noted that hers was now part of the group. "OK, listen up." She looked at the ceiling then back at the five-member away-team. "We're beaming you in separately with a dummy-tricorder. The tricorder is merely a decoy..." Charlie twittered louder cutting her off. "Yes, right. I'm sure you have your own plans." Her voice softened, "Find the Captain...And be careful." She looked at Harry, who nodded, and at that moment Joe Carey entered carrying five tricorders. Tapping her comm-badge B'Elanna announced, "Commander, we're ready."
Chakotay looked quickly around the bridge. "Do it."
#
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Kathryn Janeway was more than frustrated. The Rarians were muttering something that she didn't understand. She had tried several times to speak, each time being cut-off with a regal sounding but unintelligible phrase. Shaking her head she gave up trying to talk with them and concentrated on trying to find a way out. She was in a small room. There was a force field around the entrance, and probably some field around the room to frustrate her ship's scanners. The room was bare, except for a few necessities (a pot). "Feminine gender of species not sanctioned to speak, or to have any privacy." She examined the ceiling, it was one piece of metal...There was increased activity as a young Rarian rushed in caring a tricorder. There was some chattering, then the senior Rarian held it for her to see. With a grim smile he smashed it.
She was curious. That was a Federation tricorder, but it had been blinking strangely. She closed her eyes as she tried to remember the pattern...Looking at the ceiling again she shook her head. *What the...* At that moment another Rarian rushed in caring yet another tricorder. This time she paid careful attention to the blinking lights. Nope, it wasn't a code. What was Chakotay doing...Something creative, of that, she was sure.
#
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Harry watched the data coming in from the sensors. "The Tavians are aboard the vessel. And are starting to move out. It's hard to maintain a transporter lock. The Rarians are now alternating their shield frequencies. I won't be able to beam them out with their shields up." He fussed with the control panel. "The Rarians have found the tricorders." He smiled slightly. "A good ruse. Something picked up in the Maquis?"
She shook her head. "No, actually I picked that up at the Academy. Distract your opponent then hit him...Broke the P'tuk's nose and found myself being asked to leave." She shrugged. "I suppose adding Hydrofluoric acid to his glass beaker didn't make me very popular with the Chemistry professor either..." She smiled as she remembered the mess.
#
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Chakotay looked up from the sensor readings when Tuvok announced that the Rarians were hailing them.
The alien appeared on the screen. "Your endeavor to ascertain location of feminine gender of species futile. We destroyed your detection devices. Prepare to proffer vessel in homage!"
"Please explain what that entails," Chakotay asked.
"Explanation unnecessary."
"Oh, but it is very necessary. What happens to the crew?"
"Proffered vessel's retinue classified and dispatched to affable localities."
"Unacceptable." Chakotay said as he glanced at the sensor data. The Tavians were still undetected.
"Feminine gender of species is presently our captive. Satisfy our require..."
The screen went blank..."Now what," Chakotay asked no one in particular.
"Commander, I'm showing power fluctuations through-out the Rarian vessel," Tuvok said.
"Go, Cassandra!" Tom called out gleefully, then looked around sheepishly.
#
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The lights in her cell blinked. Kathryn looked around quickly then noticed the Rarian guards looked puzzled. Several left. Then the her cell and the guard-room were plunged into near total-darkness. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. Opening them, she could barely make out the shadowy figures of the Rarian guards. But she could hear them. Something brushed her leg: biting her lip to keep from screaming she carefully stepped back. A quiet, but familiar twittering responded. "Charlie?" She knelt down and searched for him. "Charlie, what is going on?" He twittered softly in response and ran his body under her hand, making sure she found the comm-badge. She untied the string and tapped it...Nothing. "You're going to have to get me out of here," she whispered. He chirped in response and disappeared into the blackness. She tossed the string in the *pot* and stuck her comm-badge inside her jacket.
#
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Chakotay smiled wickedly then turned to Tuvok. "How many Rarian ships are there?"
"There are ten, sir. They are cloaked and their weapons are powered."
Chakotay grimaced. "We need a way out once the Captain and the away-team are back on board...Or a way of convincing them that their vessels are to be *proffered in homage...*"
#
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Emergency lights came on in the guard-room. A Rarian looked over at her and said something. Captain Janeway shrugged her shoulders and hid her smile. While the two guards were looking at her, a Tavian was sitting on the computer terminal. She turned away so the guards couldn't see her laugh. It was T'Psu.
There was a loud crash in the hallway. The two guards rushed out, leaving her alone. T'Psu hopped off the terminal and chirped. With her tail she motioned for Kathryn to follow. Cautiously she did. The force field at the entrance was off. As she stepped out of her cell, T'Psu leapt back up on the terminal. Kathryn watched fascinated. How was she going to explain this in her report. Her crew would believe her. StarFleet would have a hard time with it though.
She could hear the two Rarians returning. She looked around desperately for a place to hide, when a loud twitter at her feet caused her to look down. "Cassandra, what have you found?" She reached down with a smile. Tom's Tavian had brought her a Rarian phaser. She looked at it carefully, then ducked behind the table. When the two Rarians entered she shot quickly and accurately. She dragged the two unconscious guards into her cell. "Reactivate the force field," she whispered. T'Psu chirped in what Janeway assumed was confirmation.
#
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Harry smiled. "The Rarian vessel is suffering from power fluctuations. There is a lot of confusion. I can find three of the Tavians, no four...One human...Everything is fluctuating too much to get a lock." He tried to contact Janeway. "Don't get too carried away, Charlie..." he whispered.
#
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Janeway leaned against the wall, the Tavians were enjoying themselves a bit too much. She had glanced at a computer: there were fluctuations and system failures through-out the ship. "Cassandra, tell Charlie he's getting carried away.". She still hadn't been able to contact her ship. Along with Cassandra and T'Psu she was making her way to the bridge. T'Psu chattered quietly. More Rarians. She ducked into a smaller hallway and watched as the aliens walked by. They were probably aware of her escape..."Let's go." They'd been joined by a third Tavian, B'Elanna's black one. Janeway couldn't remember if B'Elanna had ever named it. "We need to get to the bridge." The three Tavians chirped.
#
#
Chakotay was standing at the ops station. They were again waiting. Ten, still-cloaked, Rarian ships surrounded them. One ship--the flag ship--was in near disarray. Chakotay looked at the lieutenant standing there then continued pacing.
"Commander, the Rarians are hailing us again."
He moved to his chair and took a deep breath before calling out, "On screen." He looked at the screen and spoke quickly, before the alien had a chance to speak. "We have taken control of the systems on your ship. Release our Captain and leave and we will restore everything to normal..." He shrugged.
The Rarian looked confused. "Vessel trespassing. Proffered in homage."
"Not this ship. So far we haven't bothered with your fleet...But..." He raised his hand as if to signal.
Tuvok looked very puzzled, but Tom smiled as he spoke. "Commander, I have the alpha-two coffee beam ready. We've targeted targets gamma four and gamma five." His fingers were flying over the board as he prepared to activate a tractor beam.
Chakotay swallowed hard to keep from laughing. Then looked back at the Rarian leader. "We would rather end this peacefully. We are just passing through. But, Lieutenant, a cappuccino chaser might be a good addition to that plan. Arrange it with engineering."
"Yes sir." Tom smiled, glad he wasn't on the view screen. He noted that the bridge crew were looking lost and slightly stunned. He wondered when Tuvok would ask if they were feeling all right.
Chakotay continued speaking, "You have five minutes to decide."
#
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The Rarian leader stared at the dark screen before turning to look at his staff. Puzzled he stared.
Kathryn Janeway laughed. "This feminine gender of species is now sanctioned to speak. Male gender of yours will listen." She looked around quickly and pointed her phaser at the three others. "First drop any weapons and step toward the center." She waited as they complied. "Now. My ship, my crew, and myself will leave. If you would show me on the computer where your boundaries are...Not so fast." She nodded toward the Rarian that had moved toward the console. "Slowly." She smiled when she heard Charlie twitter at her feet. "All accounted for?" She asked without taking her eyes away from her prisoners. Charlie twittered what sounded like an affirmative. She looked quickly at the screen when the star chart appeared. "Hmm, we're three days from your border. My rescuers and I will leave your ship. Everything should return to normal. Shortly. They got a little exuberant. Then we will leave your territory." She smiled as the Rarians looked around. The five Tavians were hiding behind the consoles. "Lower their shields." She tapped her comm-badge and smiled at the familiar chirp. "Janeway to Voyager..." As she spoke she noticed a Rarian move. He dove for a console and fired. She dropped to the ground and returned fired. She fired randomly at the consoles. "Get us out now." She shouted into her comm-badge as phaser fire passed over her head.
Harry's smiled as the lights appeared on the transporter pads. "I have them all." The forms coalesced. "Captain welcome back..." They at that moment noticed that one of the Tavians wasn't moving.
B'Elanna reacted first, leaping to it's side. Harry quickly beamed the pair into sick-bay.
#
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"Please state the nature of the emergency," the Doctor said as he stepped toward B'Elanna. She placed her still Tavian on the bio-bed. "Lieutenant, I'm a Doctor not a Veterinarian."
"He's a member of this crew and you are ship's physician..." She looked at him, "I'll be in engineering." She walked very quickly out of sick-bay.
#
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Chakotay noted that transport was complete, "Get us out of here, Tom...Shields up."
"Aye sir." There was a lurch as Tom dove the ship to go under four of the Rarian vessels. As they squeezed between he accelerated the ship to warp speed.
"Set a course two-five-six; warp eight-point-nine," the Captain said as she entered. "We're three days from their border." She took her seat and looked at the sensor data.
Harry had come in with her moved to ops. "Only three Rarian vessels are following."
"Mr. Tuvok target just in front of the ships. Let them know their cloaking devices aren't so great."
"Aye Captain. They will be in firing range in two minutes."
"Fire when they are within range." She nodded to Chakotay as she sat down and tapped her comm-badge. "Bridge to sick-bay. How's your patient?"
"Critical Captain," the Doctor responded. "He's on life support. Fortunately he was not hit directly..."
"Keep me informed." She looked at Chakotay then Tom, "B'Elanna's," she whispered.
"The Rarian ships will be within range in ten seconds."
Janeway nodded, "Very good, fire at will."
Tuvok watched the incoming data, made some last minute adjustments to the targeting scanners. "Firing pattern Psi two." Everybody watched the viewscreen. The three ships flickered as the energy discharge caused a massive fluctuation in the cloaking field, then they disappeared again. "All three ships have stopped pursuing."
"Mr. Paris increase speed to warp nine-point-one. Stand down from red alert. Maintain yellow until we have left their space. Commander you have the bridge. I'll be in sick-bay."
#
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Sick-bay was quiet when the Captain entered, she stood in the doorway and watched. The Doctor noticed her. "Captain, you really do need to keep me up-to-date on crew additions. We have relatively little in our database on Tavians. I am having to adjust our standard procedures in treating phaser burns..." He continued working as he spoke.
"How is he?" Janeway asked.
"He'll be fine. I'm going to need to keep him under observation...If that is even possible. They do have a remarkable talent for getting in and out of places they aren't suppose to be."
She smiled. "Fortunately. Does B'Elanna know?"
The Doctor shook his head. "No, she left the Tavian and went to engineering. I should contact her."
"Yes you should."
"Sick-bay to engineering."
"Yes Doctor," B'Elanna responded tersely.
"Your Tavian will be fine. I would like..."
"Qu'vatlh, he is not my Tavian. But, I'll be by to see how he is doing anyway." B'Elanna sighed with relief and looked around. "Carey, I'll be in sick-bay."
He acknowledged her departure and shook his head.
#
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Kathryn sat on her sofa reading her report. "You know, I can't write this. Five mongoose like creatures rescued me from an enemy vessel. Admiral Necheyev would love it."
Chakotay grinned. "Probably as much as your Chief of Engineering and First Officer are Maquis..."
"Hmm." She sipped her cocoa. "True enough. But a cappucino chaser? Really Commander..."
"We were improvising. It worked."
She started laughing. "Well, this feminine gender of species has had a long day."
Chakotay leaned over and smiled, "Would you like me to tuck you in?"
She looked at his trio of Tavians. "I think he needs to be reminded that the function of the male of the species is friendship, comfort, enjoyment..."
The three Tavians twittered in acknowledgment. Charlie was no where to be seen.