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...
Tuvok handed Janeway the data PADD with his report. She looked at it. "Curious." She muttered as she started to read it.
"Lieutenant Torres found these when she was running a diagnostic on the computer. She showed them to me this morning. I have not yet been able to determine its function."
"How pervasive is it?" Janeway asked as she read the fifth paragraph.
"It's not. This has been very carefully set up, isolated...I have Crewman Dalby working on it."
Janeway nodded, Dalby had shown an uncanny ability with the computer systems. "Keep me informed."
Before she could dismiss the Vulcan, her comm-badge chirped. "Captain Janeway please report to the bridge." She stood quickly and they both exited her ready room.
"Report!" She said as she sat down.
"Captain," Harry said. "There is a wormhole forming thirty-six kilometers off our port."
"Mr. Paris set a course to five kilometers from the opening. Mr. Kim prepare a probe."
"Aye Captain." Tom said as altered the ship's course.
She noticed that Charlie had finally shown up, and was sitting in the Commander's chair. "Hello Charlie," she said. "Where have you been?"
He scratched his ear, but jumped down when the Commander showed up. "He's learning," Chakotay muttered as he sat down and looked at his console. His only response to her glance was a smile.
The turbo-lift doors opened and B'Elanna entered the bridge. "Probe is ready, Captain," She said as she moved to the engineering station.
"Very good. When we are in position." All eyes looked at the screen as they neared the forming wormhole.
"Five kilometers from the opening and holding, Captain," Tom called out.
Janeway turned to look at Harry. "It's not fully open."
"Prepared to launch probe," B'Elanna said as her black Tavian twittered at her feet.
"Launch."
The probe started sending data immediately. Everybody watched the screen and the data streaming across their consoles.
"Captain..." B'Elanna stopped speaking and shook her head...All eyes were on her..."The probe has exited the wormhole--the view on the screen was Earth. There was a gasp, then the screen went blank.
Janeway stood and moved to the engineering station. She stood out of the way as B'Elanna tried to restore the video contact with the probe. "It hit something Captain. Some sort of spacecraft. It's still sending information...the other craft is a small unmanned ship." B'Elanna looked puzzled. "Captain, that is not a twenty-fourth century ship. Much earlier." The feelings of disappointment were more than either woman were prepared to face, so they both continued to work on restoring communications with their probe.
B'Elanna frowned. "The other spacecraft is releasing something..." She had restored limited visuals--and the billowing of several pieces of cloth filled the screen. "It's headed toward Mars..."
"Captain, analysis of subspace communications on Earth indicate that the wormhole exits into the twentieth century." Charlie just twittered excitedly--everybody else was still.
Janeway nodded, "Retrieve the probe..."
"Captain," B'Elanna said, "The probe is not responding to our signals..."
"Damn," Janeway looked at the data. "Any chance of transporting it back to the ship?"
"No Captain," B'Elanna said. "And the self destruct isn't working."
"What's the trajectory?"
"Qu'vatlh!" B'Elanna tossed her black Tavian off the console she was studying--ignoring it's chirps. "It's in an unstable orbit around Mars. Impact in twenty hours."
Tom looked back at the two woman. "Captain, this is a time of increased exploration of Mars. It is very likely that the probe will be discovered."
She shook her head--perhaps the next wormhole they should ignore. "How long will the wormhole be here?"
Harry ran a couple of calculations before he spoke. "All indications are it should be stable for a couple of days."
"Mr. Kim can we get a shuttle through the wormhole?" Chakotay asked.
"The worm hole will be large enough to send the shuttle through in six hours."
"Lieutenants Paris and Torres prepare to take a shuttle to retrieve it." Janeway said.
"Aye Captain."
#
#
Tom watched B'Elanna finish stowing their gear. She looked at his bag and laughed. "Do I need to inspect it?"
"Huh? Oh Cassie. I left her with Harry--she wasn't very happy about it. And yours?"
"Mine? I don't have one..." B'Elanna closed the door and moved to sit up front. "You ready, helm boy?"
Tom winced. "Yep. Back to the twentieth century--again." He switched on the comm-link. "Shuttle Sacajawea ready for departure." He started the engines and guided the craft of the ship. One last glance at Voyager and they entered the wormhole.
"All systems nominal," B'Elanna called out. "I have the probe on screen."
Tom nodded. "Hmm, there is a lot of radio traffic."
B'Elanna looked down at the screen. "Fascinating--they're communicating with the craft the probe hit...Curious..." She was cut off by a loud twittering noise. "Qu'vatlh!" They both turned around in time to see Cassandra and the black Tavian crawl out from under the bench. B'Elanna looked at Tom, "I knew I should have checked." But she didn't seem to upset when her Tavian crawled into her lap.
"I'd say we have company." Tom grinned at her and pushed Cassie off the console. "Shuttle to Voyager we are with in transporter range. And tell Harry thanks for watching Cassie...She's here."
Tuvok's voice responded, rather scratchy. "Proceed, Lieutenant."
"Proceeding with transport." Tom glanced at B'Elanna as she worked the controls--there was a high pitched whine, and the errant probe appeared in the rear. "Probe on board. Returning..."
B'Elanna stopped him. "Lieutenant, is the Captain there?"
"This Janeway. B'Elanna?"
"We've been monitoring communications between the spacecraft and Earth. There is apparently some problem."
There was a moment of silence, then the Captain spoke again. "Yes?"
B'Elanna pulled up the scans from Mars surface. "I'm sending you a picture of the craft--there is apparently some sort of land vehicle--only it's not responding to the commands."
"Remain in orbit..." Janeway said. "We'll get back to you. Voyager out."
Tom grinned at B'Elanna as he reached out to stroke her Tavian. "Well, you've managed to throw a monkey wrench in a nice simple mission..." He ignored her glare as he returned to maneuvering the shuttle into orbit around Mars. "So, how do you plan on fixing it?"
"I've had the computer analyze the commands. It's an old computer language they're using...I'll try to resend the message directly to land rover..."
"And if the collision did some damage..."
B'Elanna frowned at that..."I would get stuck with a p'tuk pilot. Why couldn't I have been assigned a second engineer." She rolled her eyes upward, ignoring her Tavian's appeals to be petted.
"Voyager to Shuttle. B'Elanna," the Captain's voice said. "We have a little over a day--do what you can to repair the problem." There was a long pause. "Apparently this expedition opened the way to further research in space, so if our probe..."
"Understood Captain. Shuttle out." B'Elanna looked at Tom. "Bring the shuttle to a synchronous orbit above the landing site."
"Aye ma'am..." Tom bent over and kissed her.
"Lieutenant...get to work..."
"Whatever, *Lieutenant*. What first?"
"I've uploaded their instructions," she laughed quietly. "It's so primitive..." She pushed her Tavian off her lap as she stood. "And am prepared to send the message to the receiver..." She stretched, noting Tom's appreciative glance then sat down again. They worked in silence for ten minutes before B'Elanna let loose with a string of Klingon curses. Her Tavian--recognizing the curse that he'd come to associate as his--chirped and again leapt in her lap. She shrugged her shoulders, ignored the Tavian and tried again.
Then tried again--still the signal was not being received properly. B'Elanna wanted to throw, smash something. Sensing her mood the black Tavian slipped off her lap and hid in the back of the shuttle. Tom tried hard not to laugh--to not draw attention to himself. It didn't work, she turned and glared at him.
"Bel--don't murder the pilot--you've got to get home somehow..."
"P'tuk. I could fly this thing."
Desperate, Tom grabbed Cassie. "Protect me from the angry Klingon..." He held her in front of him. His Tavian just nuzzled B'Elanna then fled.
B'Elanna started to giggle then laugh as Tom joined in, muttering something about that being one of the bravest acts he'd ever witnessed.
She stood and moved to the storage room and pulled out a container. "Well. I swore I would avoid these damn things..." She pulled out a white suit.
Tom moved to stand behind her. "It won't be too bad. It isn't as if you've never been here before.
B'Elanna laughed. She had spent a semester at the Mars station..."Place is a little different..." She pulled out some other equipment. "And I suppose I shouldn't leave any footprints..."
Tom laughed, "No probably not. You do realize that it's taking pictures?"
"Of course, not everybody on this ship is a p'tuk." She started pulling the EVAS out of the box. "Good, medium." A careful inspection and she started to remove her uniform. "Tom concentrate on something else..."
"B'Elanna!?" But he did stop staring at her and looked away. He concentrated on Cassie who chirping excitedly on the console. "Holler if you need any help..." He laughed at her grunt. "Well Cassie, I offered. She can't get mad at me for not offering."
"I just hope you can operate a shuttle without supervision. The Captain won't be happy if you wreck this one."
"What and miss the chance to be the first settlers on Mars." He glanced quickly at her struggling to finish pulling the suit on. "Extra-vehicular activity space suits...very nice. It's you..." He tilted his head to get another view of her backside. "Active space suits...Indeed." He laughed as she turned around. "The first person on Mars..."
"Help me get the damn helmet on *helmboy.*"
"Yes ma'am." He stood to help her.
#
#
Janeway turned to look at her first officer. "God I hate these things." She pointed out her window toward the wormhole.
"The past is the present is the future is the past..."
She laughed. "So did the probe interfere...Or was it suppose to interfere..."
Chakotay tilted his head. "Our records indicate that the mission was a success..."
She just nodded. Charlie chirped from the comfort of her sofa where he was lounging with Chakotay's threesome. "Well Charlie what do you think?"
He just stared at her, twittered quietly and started licking Tavi's forehead.
"So much for their involvement," Chakotay said with a grin. "Getting a bit lethargic."
"They have been slowing down..." She yawned, "And I think it's a bit catchy."
"Paradoxes are like that," Chakotay said sounding a bit philosophical.
There was a chirping sound, then Tuvok's voice filled the ready room. "Captain, Lieutenant Paris has just reported that Lieutenant Torres has beamed to the surface in order to repair the land vehicle."
"Very good. Keep me informed." Janeway smiled at Chakotay. "The historical record don't show any anomalies..."
Chakotay shook his head. "If there were any, they would not have been included in what little we have in our database..." He laughed. "Can you imagine our ancestors if they did see her???"
Charlie and company joined in the laughter.
#
#
B'Elanna swore quietly as she worked on trying to access the processing unit.
"What's that?" Tom's voice said through her communication piece. "I didn't quite hear that."
"Q'uvatlh..." She laughed when she heard an answering chirp. "Pests...Ah. I've got it open." She pointed the miner's light she was wearing on her head toward the cover..."Some loose wires...jarred loose in the collision." She worked quickly and carefully. She'd forgotten how ghastly it was to work in an almost gravityless situation...If she was careful she could leave her tools lying in the air. But it didn't take much movement to cause them to float away.
And the anti-gravity boots. She adjusted her height again. "Couldn't I have just brought a broom and swept my footprints away," she muttered quietly.
"Stop complaining Bel..."
She growled as she finished soldering the last wire. She carefully closed the casing up and gathered her tools. Then she took a PADD out of the bag she had hooked at her waist. The camera was coming around she noticed. She moved behind it and waited for it to pass where she was working. She looked over the barren red landscape. "Hard to believe that in just a few hundred years there would be a colony here..."
"What? B'Elanna are you finished?"
"Patience. I need to check and see if it will work..."
"Do hurry. My stomach is growling..."
She moved back to where she had been working and used the PADD to resend the instructions. Some very loud Klingon curses poured forth, when the machine didn't respond. Tom wisely didn't say anything. She cast the light around the little rover...She couldn't see what was wrong with it. In a fit of anger she entered another set of instructions...
"Tom, beam me up."
There was a twinkling of lights and again the planet was devoid of Klingons.
"Well?" Tom asked as he helped her off with her helmet.
She shook her head. "Just a few loose wires. Those I took care of...I just hope no one ever analyzes the solder..."
"Why?"
"I used Rirthen lead..."
"They might assume it was caused by a interaction with the atmosphere. So it's working? We can leave?"
She laughed. "You ate all of Neelix's Leola Root salad?"
"I'm saving my stomach for good food. If you're hungry you can eat it. Well???"
"Helmboy you seem mighty impatient. Hot date?" She smiled wickedly.
She lumbered over to the console and looked at the incoming data..."Yes. The onboard computer has reset itself..." She looked at Tom. "Take us home. I have a date tonight--with sleep." She grinned at his disappointment.
#
#
Janeway leaned back in her tub and started to close her eyes...No, she couldn't do that. She grabbed the data PADD that contained Tom and B'Elanna's report on the mission...She had to smile, they were still here...But that probably meant that the pair had been successful...She put it back on the counter and grabbed the second PADD. The one containing Tuvok's report on the computer anomaly. She hadn't had a chance to look at it.
She glanced at her Tavian who was asleep in the sink..."Charlie?" He didn't respond. She continued to read the report. That idea was ludicrous? Wasn't it? Again she looked at Charlie.
She yawned as she put the PADD back. She leaned back and drifted off to sleep.
"No it's not a ludicrous idea."
Startled, Kathryn woke up and looked around. "Who's there..." Then she started laughing. There was no one around. "Well Charlie, I'm hearing things in my sleep." Again she stretched and started to doze off.
#
#
Chakotay found her asleep in the tub about ten minutes later. He smiled as he lifted her out and woke her.
Charlie twittered quietly at the disturbance...
"Welcome to Kergaria, I am President Snolt." A short male humanoid with blazing dark green eyes said from Voyager's viewscreen.
"Thank-you. We appreciate your kindness in allowing us permission to trade on your planet..." There was a flash of light from in front of the president and the crew watched the president blink several times.
As he was blinking, he continued speaking. "It is our pleasure. I have arranged for our Minister of Trade to send you information on our markets. And I would like to arrange that my camp..." He stopped speaking and looked off screen, a frown creasing his face. "Ah. I understand. Excuse me Captain. I have a meeting that I forgot about."
"Thank-you again for your time and consideration." Janeway smiled. "I have just been informed that the information has arrived. I will meet with my staff and arrange for teams to visit your markets."
The president nodded, his shocking purple hair fell over his eyes. "I look forward to meeting with you in person. President Snolt out." The viewscreen went blank.
"Staff meeting in fifteen minutes," she looked at the Commander. "Have department heads and Neelix attend too, Commander."
Chakotay nodded as he place Tikki on the floor. The Tavian stared at him and walked off to a corner--Chakotay was sure she was upset. He looked around--she was the only Tavian on the bridge...Charlie was no where to be seen. "Yes Captain." He started sending messages as the Captain stood.
"I'll be in my Ready-room until then. You have the bridge."
Chakotay smiled as he acknowledged her.
#
#
Kergaria was a find. Another major trade center. Though as she read the report, Janeway wondered at her strange sense of unease. Maybe they should avoid it...
"Kathryn," she said to herself. "Not *every* trading mission has ended in disaster..." Charlie chirped at her. "There you are you scoundrel. And where have you been all morning?" He scurried away when she reached down to pick him up. Shrugging her shoulders she headed to the briefing room without him.
#
#
Neelix was waiting for her at the door. "Captain. I was looking at the information sent to us. I was noticing that there are extensive spice markets...Captain, Requesting permission to visit the spice markets."
Janeway controlled the urge to laugh as she smiled at him. "Most likely that can be arranged."
Neelix smiled in thanks and was about to enter the briefing room, "Captain," he said suddenly. "It's Satryl she's been reclusive recently..." He didn't finish as B'Elanna and Tom had arrived.
#
#
The square in front of the government building was very busy, Janeway noted as she waited for the report from the away team.
"Tuvok to Voyager."
"Voyager here," she replied. "Status."
"Captain," the Vulcan responded, "The Commander and Kes have just entered the council chambers. There is some sort of demonstration outside the building."
Janeway sat up in alarm. "Are the teams in any danger?"
"No Captain, it is apparently a pro-government rally."
She closed her eyes, not sure to be relieved or more nervous. "McKenzie, scan the city for other signs of demonstrations."
"Yes, Captain. I'm detecting a large crowd one-point-two kilometers from the Central Plaza. It appears to be moving toward the Government Hall."
"Janeway to Mr. Tuvok."
"Captain," his voice responded.
"There is a second group headed in your direction."
"So I have just been informed. The Kergarian Security Chief has assured me of our teams safety."
"Keep me informed." She looked around quickly for Charlie--wondering where he was, then spoke to Jack McKenzie again. "Advise all away-teams of the situation."
#
#
"It was fascinating," said Harry to his audience at Sandrine's. He sipped at his synthehol as he looked around. "There we were in the middle of the market. Neelix was sniffing spices..." There were a few laughs. "Off in the distance, we heard this noise--and around the corner came this crowd--waving signs and screeching. You know the usual 'Down with the Government' stuff." He smiled as he remembered the scene. "Well we got out of the away and this very attractive young woman was pushed up against the wall with me."
"Did she want your DNA?" Someone asked. This garnered a few laughs.
Harry winced, but ignored the comment. "We just stood there and chatted until the crowd passed. She was curious about life aboard Voyager..."
#
#
Neelix looked at the collection of spices he'd traded for. Again he sniffed a few. The crew would like this one--it was similar to cinnamon. A spice he noted many of the crew appreciated. He'd look through the database and pick a cinnamon cookie...And possibly a casserole...
"Hey Neelix," Tom shouted. "Your stove!"
Neelix turned around quickly and muttered some Talaxian obscenities as he put the fire under his stew out. Grabbing a towel, he lifted the lid and looked in. With a sigh of relief, he started serving dinner.
#
#
Kathryn leaned against Chakotay's shoulder and smiled. This was by far, one of the best ways to read reports. Soft music, a comfortable shoulder, quarreling Tavians...
She almost fell when Chakotay stood to investigate. "Tavi? Rikki?" His voice was low but angry. The two stopped their angry twittering, but continued to stand a foot apart and glaring at each other angrily.
"What's this about?" He noted that Janeway had joined him.
"I have no idea..."
"There have been reports of misbehavior for the last two days. The Delaneys' Tavians have split into three factions...You don't think..."
Chakotay smiled. "Tavian rut. Just what we need." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Aren't you through with that report *yet*?"
She grinned. "I''m reading yours..." His lips on hers cut the rest of the sentence and effectively ended the reading of reports for that night.
#
#
Chakotay woke the following morning in an empty bed...Well almost empty, he noted that Rikki was asleep on his foot. The other Tavians were not around. Neither was Kathryn. Laughing he grabbed his robe and went to look for her, expecting to see her at her desk reading reports. Rikki chirped at him for disturbing her, but was soon back asleep.
Kathryn looked up from her desk when he entered. "Morning."
"How long have you been up?"
"Not very...Half an hour." She yawned.
"Why don't you take the day off..."
Chirrip.
She shook her head as she replied, "Janeway here."
"Captain," Tuvok's voice said. "We've been monitoring activity on Kergaria."
She looked at Chakotay then back at the small screen. "Yes?"
"There have been some interesting developments." The view switched from the Vulcan to a Kergarian...
"...demonstrators clashed yesterday at Central Plaza, as President Snolt conducted negotiations with another alien race. Our reporter followed one group of these aliens as they staked out our markets. We are pleased to bring you our exclusive interview with one of these aliens."
The view shifted to Harry and a Kergarian female standing against a wall. There was a quick pan of the demonstrators, then the view returned to Harry. A young female voice asked, "So Ensign Harry Kim...What are you looking for on Kergaria?"
"Fun and good times..."
"And how will you take over the planet?"
"Voyager is a remarkable ship."
Janeway stopped the picture, "Mr. Tuvok summon the senior staff...I want to meet all of them in fifteen minutes."
"Captain?" Tuvok's voice responded. It was only zero four-thirty.
"Wake them. But first I want to speak to President Snolt." She turned to Chakotay. "What are you laughing at?"
"Kath, they've obviously manipulated something Harry said..."
"I realize that. But we need the dilithium, and being accused of planning to invade the planet is not going to help our cause."
"No...But I suppose it could be worse..."
She shook her head, "You Commander..." She kissed him quickly. "I'm not complaining..." She ran her hands up his chest, "but that robe is not appropriate for a staff meeting."
He laughed. "That depends on which staff meeting you're referring to...All right, I'll change." He ducked into the bedroom stepping on Tavi's tail.
The outraged chirps caused Janeway to laugh as she went over to comfort the poor Tavian.
#
#
"President Snolt," Janeway frowned as she looked at Kergarian leader. It was pretty obvious she had interrupted something. She controlled the urge to grin. "The reports we've received from your planet are most disconcerting."
The president looked at the view screen, then down at his robe. It was all Chakotay could do not to snicker. "I'll send my aide to gather the information, but it sounds like it was put out by the opposition."
"Opposition?" Janeway's voice was low and angry. "We are not here to get involved in any political intrigue." She noted that Tom was holding something and signaling her. "Let me know what you find out. Janeway out." She walked over to where Tom was. He handed her the paper. "Good Gods!" Chakotay moved swiftly to her side, quietly she handed him the paper. He started laughing.
#
#
The senior staff was anything but subdued. Except Harry, who was sitting there wishing he could disappear. This was not his year. Janeway noted his reticence and had reassured him.
"You've all seen this morning's Kergarian Free Press. I have only one question. How the Hell did one of the Tavians beam to the surface...Lieutenant Torres go over the transporter logs. I want the away-teams to not talk to anybody--even in idle conversation..." Chakotay looked at the Captain who just shook her head.
Harry looked up and muttered, "I didn't say those things--at least not to those questions."
Tom grinned at him, "Harry, Harry--we realize that..."
Chakotay continued. "We'd just leave, except our supplies are again running low." He looked around, the Tavians were not in sight. "And we should receive permission to mine for dilithium today." He sat the paper on the table. "If there is nothing else, dismissed."
B'Elanna glanced quickly at the picture of a Tavian and some sort of Kergarian cat. The headline had translated to: "Alien Pets Infiltrate Our Homes!" The next page had some pictures of kittens that were a cross between Tavian and the Kergarian cat. B'Elanna snickered...
#
#
Chakotay looked around the council room. It was, unfortunately, very obvious that too many of the Kergarians had seen the news. Yesterday getting the permission had seemed easy...Today there was a great deal of reluctance.
An elder statesman stood. "Mr. President. We have heard these aliens tell us they are just passing through. That all they wish to do is trade and mine for this dilithium crystal...Yet we've never spoken with their leader. Only her representative."
Chakotay tapped his comm-badge. "Chakotay to Janeway."
"Voyager here," Janeway's voice said.
"Captain, the Kergarian council would like you to meet with them."
She sighed. "And here I thought I could take the day off. I'll be there in ten minutes."
Ten minutes later, Janeway beamed down next to Chakotay who was waiting for her in an empty hall. "Commander. What's happening?"
He shook his head, "Nothing good."
"So I gather." She glanced around quickly, then kissed him. "Let me meet the council."
#
#
Janeway returned to Voyager two hours later, feeling a bit better about everything. The council members seemed satisfied with her answers. They'd even voted to let Voyager start mining. B'Elanna had beamed down with her team. It would take five hours.
Now, about her taking the day off. Harry was still feeling a bit used over the whole thing. She tapped her comm-badge. "Janeway to Ensign Kim."
"Captain?"
"I'm taking the day off, you're in command of the ship."
"Captain?"
She laughed quietly at his startled tone. He was a good kid--just a bit overwhelmed.
#
#
Several hours later she woke up to the sound of her door chime. She sat up and pushed her hair off her face. "Enter," she called out as she left her bedroom.
It was Kes, she was holding another paper. "Captain, are you feeling all right?"
"Fine. What's that?" Janeway asked, not sure she wanted to know more.
"Tom sent this up. It's the afternoon paper."
Janeway looked at the picture and translated headline, then at Kes. "This is absolutely ridiculous." She tapped her comm-badge. "Janeway to Kim. Harry notify the away-teams to prepare to beam back to the ship." She looked at Kes. "Resupplying?"
"We have enough food supplies to last five weeks. I've added more plants to hydroponics garden."
"Good. I'll be on the bridge in ten minutes."
#
#
Chakotay looked up as Voyager's pilot approached him. "Tom?"
"I thought you might want to see this..." Tom handed him a paper and stepped back quickly. He smiled as he watched the commander's face turn red with anger.
"This is ridiculous. She was on the planet for just a little over two hours...Where do they get these ideas..."
"Who knows..." He was interrupted by Harry's voice. "Voyager to Commander Chakotay."
"Yes Mr. Kim?"
"We're preparing to beam all away-teams back on board."
Chakotay glanced at Tom. "Understood. Chakotay out. Tom, see if you can drag Neelix away from his spice hunting and meet us at the rendezvous." He looked down at the picture in his hands, crumpled it up and tossed it into what he hoped was a waste receptacle.
#
#
President Snolt at least had the grace to look apologetic, Chakotay thought as he watched the Kergarian squirm under Janeway's intense stare. The President looked away from the screen. "Yes, I understand why you are leaving. Perhaps it is best. This recent *event* has already caused political fall-out."
Janeway raised her eyebrows mockingly, but didn't speak.
The president squirmed some more, before he continued speaking. "Well...So long Voyager. May your journey be safe. Snolt out."
"Our journey will be very safe," Tom muttered as he entered the instructions to continue with the trip back to the Alpha Quadrant. "If we can avoid anymore *political* entanglements."
#
#
Chakotay glanced at the paper on her ready-room desk. "You aren't keeping this?"
Janeway smiled. "Gods no. It's not even a good likeness..."
Chakotay laughed. "I hope the idiot loses..."
"That wasn't his fault...Someone got a picture of us when we were in the hall and substituted him for you..."
"StarFleet will have a field day..." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "We were able to mine enough dilithium to keep us going a while longer." There was loud twittering as Charlie and his trio entered the room, twittering loudly. "And then there are you guys..." He looked at the four Tavians accusingly. They ignored his comments as they begged for attention.
"They needed a psychiatrist," Tom said as he sat down by B'Elanna and the Captain.
Janeway looked at the half Klingon and started to ask a question, Tom answered it. "She insisted on dragging me to *Ka and the Angry Bird Woman...Or some such title..."
B'Elanna glared at him, then explained part of the conversation, "Klingon opera...And you dragged me two days ago...I took him to Turandot, last night."
Janeway mouthed an *ahh,* and went back to her dinner. The evening's conversation would probably be interesting. She wondered briefly which opera Turandot was...
"Everybody needed a psychiatrist," Tom repeated. "Imagine making love to the ice princess within sight of where the young woman who just died for you..." He shook his head furiously as he sampled whatever Neelix was calling a meal. He grinned slightly as he swallowed the first spoonful. "The music wasn't bad..."
"I admit the plot needed some fixing..."
"Some??" Tom looked at her astonished. "Caliph should have stabbed Turandot soon after the slave-girl's suicide...And gone down singing when the guards returned..."
B'Elanna shook her head. "At least the music is an improvement over the sounds of Klingon trumpets."
"Yes...I have to admit Ka and the Angry..."
B'Elanna interrupted him and said the title in Klingonese.
"Yes, thanks...I still think it sounds like..." He changed the topic slightly when she scowled at him. "Ah...But at least it had a believable plot..."
"Yea, is that what it was? I thought it was boring. All that heroic strutting..." B'Elanna looked at the black Tavian lying at her feet. "I noticed the Tavians had better sense than to join us."
Janeway smiled at the oatmeal pudding--or whatever it was...She usually found Tom's attempts to introduce B'Elanna to her Klingon heritage amusing...
He looked at B'Elanna, "Tonight, I have an idea..."
#
#
"I've been studying the interactions between the Tavians and the crew," the Doctor said as ran the tissue regenerator over Tom's left wrist the following morning. "Did you know that petting a Tavian can lower one's blood pressure significantly. Sit still Lieutenant. Your wrist will be fine. Now I need to know how you broke it."
Tom blushed. "I fell."
The Doctor looked at him and shook his head. He turned away as he placed his equipment on the tray. "Tavian physiology is also very interesting. Their blood pH is higher than expected, but doesn't even begin to compare with the pH of the...Lieutenant?" Tom had made his escape. "Oh well. He would be more interested in my studies on Tavian endocrinology."
There was a quiet twitter at his feet. "And whose Tavian are you?" The calico Tavian leapt up on the bio-bed and looked at the doctor strangely. She looked even more puzzled when she sniffed the hand the doctor offered. She did respond when he petted her, by pushing her head into his hand. "Fascinating."
#
#
Janeway sat at her desk reading Tuvok's report on the anomaly in computer system. Every few paragraphs she would stop and look at Charlie asleep on her desk. The idea was too...just too...
She looked up when Charlie moved and twittered. Kathryn smiled as she reached out to pet him. He sniffed her hand and twittered, then sneezed. Then sneezed again.
"Catching a cold, Charlie?" She asked. In answer he jumped off the desk. "Charles..."She said sternly. "Are you trying to avoid answering my questions...Like what have you been doing to Voyager's computers?" She shook her head. "No, I am not going to be the one to suggest that...Am I?"
#
#
Harry looked at the output and groaned. His tan Tavian leapt up to look at what he was doing, then jumped down. "No, I haven't figured out what this is," Harry replied to the creature's incessant chirping. "No, I have no idea what it is...Good going Harry, next thing I'll tell myself is that this is in Tavian..." He quickly looked down at the file. "Computer assume that file *Unknown alpha one through forty-seven* is an unknown language. Translate."
His Tavian chirped louder than the computer's response, then ran off.
#
#
Chakotay looked up from his report at the sound and looked around. It was bit lower pitched than the usual Tavian twitter. Except there weren't any Tavians around. Last he'd seen of his trio, they had been fleeing the staff meeting several hours earlier.
He looked back at his report, just as the lights went out.
"Damn. Chakotay to engineering. B'Elanna, what the hell is going on?"
Her voice was a low growl. "You tell me, we've lost power to lights, and emergency systems." There was a pause. "And it looks like we're losing control of the engines and navigation..."
He started to ask more, but decided to wait. He stood and made his way to the door of his office. It wouldn't budge. He retrieved the emergency-door-opener-paddles and forced his way out.
Janeway looked up from the scrambled data she was trying to make sense out of.
"What happened?" He asked as he looked at the gibberish on his screen.
"It was fairly sudden. We're now traveling at warp 8 toward an apparently uninhabited class M planet." She looked up at Tuvok. "Have we been able to re-establish..."
"Captain," Harry interrupted, "We're losing shields. Down to seventy percent..."
Janeway tapped her comm-badge, "B'Elanna?"
The Chief Engineer's voice responded, "Captain, we're being locked out of the computer system..." Her voice was cut-off as the comm-link disconnected.
"Mr. Tuvok, have you determined what is causing this..."
"No, Captain. I have just been locked out of all the security protocols."
"Do we have any information on the planet?" Chakotay asked Harry.
"It is a class-M planet. There was no sign of intelligent life. Maybe there actually is an intelligence there?"
"Tuvok, I want all personnel armed and prepared for a possible boarding. Mr. Kim, get a team together to determine what is causing this." She looked at Tom, "How long until we arrive at the planet."
"We will arrive in four minutes, Captain." Tom looked back down at his console. "Our course will bring us into standard orbit."
Janeway nodded, resisting the urge to swear as her ship continued on it's unstoppable journey.
Tom called out several minutes later, "Captain, we are in orbit." Just as B'Elanna's voice said, "Captain, communication and some navigational control are back on line."
"Good." Janeway turned to look at Tuvok. "Mr. Tuvok, I want a team going over every inch of this ship. I want to know what happened." She gripped the side of her chair for a second.
Chakotay looked at her, "Is everything OK, Kathryn...Captain." He grinned foolishly.
"I'm fine. Commander, prepare two away-teams." She decided to ignore his slip. "As soon as we can scan the planet...If this is being caused by something on the planet, we need to know what."
"Aye, Captain." He stood and started making assignments. Tuvok would lead the second team. He noted that the usual contingency of Tavians were not on the bridge. He stopped and started to ask, but decided against. It was an impossible idea anyway.
#
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"Captain..." Tom's voice stopped as he again looked at his console. "All systems have returned to normal..."
He looked as puzzled as she felt, Janeway noted. She nodded--it was exactly 23 minutes and 30 seconds after the ship had entered orbit. The Captain tapped her comm-badge. "B'Elanna?"
The engineer's voice responded, "I have no idea, Captain. I have teams going over every system."
"Good. Mr. Kim scan the planet." She looked at Tuvok. "Senior staff meeting in an hour--I want preliminary reports."
Harry looked up from his console when the computer chirped at him. He looked around...His Tavian was no where around. He snapped at the computer instead. "Computer?"
"*Unknown alpha one through forty-seven* is a personal communication for Captain Janeway," the computer said.
Every eye on the bridge looked at Harry. He smiled slightly. "I had the computer translate the message. That unknown gibberish that Mr. Tuvok found."
"Computer transfer file and translation to my ready room." Janeway slowly stood.
"Unable to comply for two hours." The computer's response really brought a reaction.
"Why not." The computer didn't answer. Janeway looked around the bridge and closed her eyes for a second. "Harry, work on accessing that file. I'll be in my ready room."
B'Elanna's voice stopped her half-way to the door. "Captain, it's the Tavians..."
"Yes???"
"They are not onboard Voyager anymore..."
Stunned silence. Everybody looked at each other, then the floor. "Are you sure?" Janeway asked after a couple of seconds.
B'Elanna, down in engineering, didn't even growl. "Yes. We've scanned the ship several times...They apparently beamed down to the surface fifteen minutes ago..."
The silence was overwhelming.
#
#
Kathryn sat down and looked around her ready-room. Surprising how attached to those little creatures...especially that conniving...
"Hello, Kathy darling..."
She closed her eyes, and hoped that *that voice* was part of this dream.
"No, Kathy, you're not dreaming."
"Q." A simple statement.
"You were expecting someone else?"
She shook her head, "Did you have anything to do with their disappearance?" She asked, her voice tinged with a bit of anger and a lot of exasperation.
Q smiled. "Yes...and no..."
"Is it against the rules of the continuum to give a straight answer?"
"No...But yes and no is a straight answer." He motioned for her to remain seated. "But why involves a story...First the yes." He closed his eyes to remember. "Let me remember...about ten-thousand...fifteen...Or was it only eight...Well the when isn't important. Many years ago, a band of dissident Q were disowned by the continuum. They were allowed to keep their superior intellect, but they were made mortal and in a form where that intellect would not serve them..."
Kathryn looked at him curiously, "The Tavians?"
Q nodded. "Despite these *restrictions* they flourished and spread. They hitch rides with morally inferior creatures." He paused. "I did warn you that they rarely stayed with anyone very long..."
She nodded, as she remembered Q's last visit. "They didn't like you."
He shrugged, "There is a lot of that around the galaxy."
Janeway almost laughed, "So they are gone?"
"Busy starting a new colony on the planet you are orbiting." He sat down on her desk and looked at her. "They found you humans fascinating. I do believe this is the first time they have made friends of their hosts..." He smiled wickedly. "But they did have a good time causing some interesting developments on this ship. I shall enjoy studying how these *developments* affect you. By the way, I suppose congratulations are in order." He snapped his fingers and disappeared.
She sat there a second, before her stomach began to turn. Surprising how a visit from Q was enough to make someone sick...She tapped her comm-badge. "Commander, I'll be in sick-bay."
His voice was very concerned. "Is everything all right, Captain?"
She smiled. "Just a visit from Q."
Chakotay frowned, "Is he responsible..."
"No and yes...I'll explain at the staff meeting."
#
#
Kathryn leaned back in her chair as she thought about the events of the past few hours. StarFleet would have a hard time understanding how a group of soft-furry-cuddly-creatures had affected the ship...In more than just taking it over. How they had brought some changes to the ship. Like the captain and commander had gone past simply being a command team to beyond just lovers.
She smiled as she remembered how his three Tavians had curled up in her lap three days ago. They'd seemed mesmerized. She wondered if they had known...They knew--like they had seemed to always know what was going on. Sadly she looked at the program...somehow, she knew it was a farewell message from Charlie.
A beep. She noted that the staff meeting was starting. With a sigh, she rose. Unsure what exactly her mood was.
She entered the room and looked around, even B'Elanna was looking a little down. The young half-Klingon had never acknowledged that the little black Tavian had adopted her...Well, at least not publicly.
Neelix looked up when the Captain finished retelling Q's story. "I was planning a talent night for tomorrow evening...Perhaps I should postpone..."
Janeway shook her head, "No, work with Tom to create a new setting. It will help...a little anyway. Considering everything, I don't think we should send an away-team down. Tom, set a course away-from here, back to the alpha-quadrant. Dismissed."
She waited until the briefing room was empty before pulling up the mysterious file. "Computer, display unknown alpha one through forty-seven." It was a written file, not an audio file. There would be no chirps or twitters as she read.
The first paragraph was a note saying there were short messages for each of the crew. She dispatched those to their quarters. Then started to read the message from Charlie.
She rubbed her eyes. It was a short message.
*Farewell to my dearest Captain...Thanks.
May your journey be swift and safe.*
And an attached music file.
"Computer play Charlie alpha one..."
As she listened to the song, she smiled. Charlie wanted her to sing this song at Neelix's talent show. "Charlie, you have a wicked sense of humor..." She almost laughed.
#
#
Neelix's talent show was subdued. The conversation was mostly about the Tavians. A funny memory, a tearful toast wishing them well.
The entertainment was also quiet. Harry played a blues number on his clarinet. It fit the mood of the ship too well.
Neelix stood on the small stage. "We have one last performer. You might call this a *command performance.*" He laughed, there were a few moans from the audience. "Captain Janeway." He lead a round of applause.
"Thanks...I hadn't planned on performing this evening, but Charlie left me one final instruction..." She stopped a second, then spoke, "Computer play Charlie-Janeway alpha one..." The sounds of a hammered dulcimer and guitar filled the room.
How can there be a cherry that has no stone?
How can there be a chicken that has no bone?
How can there be a ring that has no end?
How can there be a baby with no cryen?
A cherry, when it's blooming, it has no stone,
A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone,
A ring when it's rolling, it has no end,
A baby when it's sleeping, has no cryen.*
She smiled as she finished singing and glanced around the room, then settled her gaze on the man the song was for. His look was guarded, a bit confused...Her smile grew as he grinned at her. She walked over and sat down by him. "Well?"
"Very nice. You should sing more often...Uh...Kathryn?"
"Does this mean congratulations are in order?" Tom asked as he and B'Elanna walked by.
Kathryn grinned. "I suppose..." She looked a little uncertainly at Chakotay. "Yes?"
By now Chakotay was stunned into silence as the full implication of what was happening sunk in. He just nodded.
Tom stood and paced. The tension was high on the bridge. And most likely throughout the ship. Snarling slightly, he moved to the back of the Captain's chair. He'd been stuck with bridge duty. Tuvok had assigned himself to stand guard outside sick-bay. Tom almost laughed--the Vulcan had been obvious...
The betting pools had closed half-an-hour ago. He'd closed the books himself. He sat back down in the chair. An odd way for him, Lieutenant Tom Paris, the disowned son of one of StarFleet's finest, to be in command of a StarFleet ship. He grinned as he looked at the book.
"I hope that's not the baby pool you're looking at," B'Elanna said.
Tom grinned, "Of course not," he lied as he brought up the daily report. "Another boring day in the DQ," he said for the log. B'Elanna shook her head as she leaned against the engineering station. Her feet hurt too much these days, and it was all his fault.
Harry laughed as he watched B'Elanna. "Wait until you can't see your feet..." He quickly concentrated on his own station, avoiding B'Elanna's murderous glance.
Tom stood quickly, "It's a boy!" He shouted...StarFleet decorum be damned. "The Captain had a baby boy..." He quickly made a shipwide announcement.
#
#
Chakotay leaned over his Captain and wife and grinned, "How you doing?"
"Tired," Kathryn closed her eyes and smiled, "Is he all right?" She asked for the sixth time.
"Yes, he's beautiful." They both looked at the sleeping infant in her arms.
"He's got your nose," she laughed.
The Doctor smiled as he watched them. "Have you decided on a name?"
Chakotay looked at Kathryn then nodded. "Charles."
*****