Title: Purple Alert
Author: Dave Rogers
Email Address: daverogers@geocities.com
Series: Voyager
Rating: PG
Codes: K, N, J, C, P/T
Part: 1/1
Date Posted: 12 August 1999 (Revised version)
Summary: Some emergencies aren't covered in Starfleet training.
Disclaimer: Paramount owns red, blue and yellow alerts. Purple
is one of mine.
Purple Alert
As Harry Kim turned to enter the mess hall, the nature of the
emergency was immediately obvious to his trained eye. Feeling a
slight weakness in his legs, he strolled over to the counter with
studied nonchalance, leaned over towards Neelix and lowered his
voice so as not to cause alarm.
"Purple alert, Neelix."
Neelix immediately followed Harry's gaze and identified the danger
for himself. "I believe you're right, Mr. Kim. Should I make an
announcement?"
"Better not, Neelix. Just pass the word quietly. I'll tell Chakotay."
Harry immediately spun on his heel and almost ran to the door,
desperate to get out of there before a volatile situation turned
deadly. On his way out, he nearly bumped into Chakotay coming in, and
stopped him quickly with an outstretched arm.
"Purple alert, Commander."
Chakotay stared at Kim in horror. "Again? That's the third time this
week, Harry! All right, standard procedure. I'll alert Engineering,
you pass the word round the bridge. And make sure the Captain doesn't
find out."
As both fled from the scene in opposite directions, Neelix was gently
warning away the queuing crew members. Within minutes the mess
hall was, to all intents and purposes, evacuated. Meanwhile, Harry and
Chakotay went quietly about their business, and the engineering crew
steeled themselves for a hazardous and arduous few hours. But on the
bridge, Harry's inexperience was about to lead him into a fatal
mistake.
"Purple alert, Tuvok." The Vulcan raised an eyebrow, his expression
slightly pained. "Purple alert, Culhane." The ensign at the conn shifted
a little, getting comfortable for what might be an extended shift. But
he was a little too far from Seven of Nine, and his whisper failed to
carry.
"Please repeat your message, Ensign Kim," replied Seven in a clear,
loud voice that had Janeway looking round instantly, to see Harry
opening and shutting his mouth wordlessly like a fish out of water.
"Mr. Kim?" Janeway's voice rang out across a suddenly silent bridge,
and Harry, in confusion, simply repeated, "Purple alert, Captain."
"Mr. Kim, as far as I'm aware, there's no such condition on a
Starfleet vessel," replied Janeway in an amused drawl. "Or are they
teaching you different in Starfleet Academy these days?"
"It's, um, Captain, it's a personal matter," floundered Kim. Then, to
his infinite relief, Janeway's commbadge chirped, and Chakotay's voice
came riding to the rescue.
"Captain, do you have a few minutes to go over the duty assignments
before the senior staff meeting?"
Janeway looked around the bridge. With the exception of an
increasingly red-faced Harry, there didn't seem to be much going on.
"Fine, Commander. Come and see me in my ready room right away." And
with a look to Harry that clearly said, "I'll see *you* later!", she
left the bridge.
A few minutes later, the duty rosters settled, she sat back in her
chair and asked, "Chakotay, what exactly is a purple alert?", and was
rewarded by the sight of her First Officer taken aback almost as
badly as Harry.
But of course, he recovered quickly. "Let's get to the briefing room,
Kathryn. We'll be there a minute or two early, and when the others
arrive I think you'll understand." Mystified, she took his offered
arm, and they strolled out together.
They had been in the briefing room for less than a minute, when
B'Elanna Torres, with a face like a thundercloud and a look that
could bore holes in hull plating, stormed in and sat down so hard that
Janeway and Chakotay could both feel the deck shake slightly. Seconds
later, just long enough to give the impression of having arrived
separately but not long enough to fool the informed observer, Tom
Paris strolled in with a completely blank expression and sat silently
in the next chair. Chakotay gave a meaningful glance in Janeway's
direction, but it seemed that she already understood from the long,
slow breaths she was drawing.
Once the meeting was under way, both of them seemed able to behave,
and Janeway found that she was unable to find any specific fault with
their conduct; but as Tuvok, Seven, Harry and Neelix filed out and
Paris and Torres focused their gazes on the far wall, she finally
cracked.
"Chakotay," she ordered, and the two of them left together. At the
door, she turned, and said, "Computer, close door and engage privacy
lock, authorisation Janeway gamma nine." Two stunned expressions were
cut off by the sweep of the closing door.
Chakotay almost jumped as Janeway's hand slapped his chest, but he
realised quickly that it hadn't been him she was aiming for. "You left
your commbadge in there?" he mouthed silently.
Janeway pulled him down to whisper in his ear, "How else are we going
to know when to open the door?"
For a few moments, Chakotay's commbadge was silent. Then, Paris' angry
voice sounded. "Well?"
"Yes!" Torres shouted in reply.
"Yes what?"
"Yes, I'll marry you! Now can I get back to work?"
THE END
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