..From the Theater Creator.. Oh gentle thespian who loves a good Trek read once in a while. You've hit a mecca of canon (True to Television series facts and characters) fan fiction. This is the third showing of a Voyagerliveaction adventure in our third writing season.. Voyagerliveaction is a live ongoing Star Trek Theater made just for sharing the joy of creative writing in year long television episodes of fan co-written fiction . http://www.voyagerliveaction.com United States Showcase Site http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Mirror Site. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Distribution Writer's Hub Site. Voyagerliveaction--A Live Theater Star Trek Story co-written by fan members on an email driven Yahoogroups site and seen in four countries by an audience of thousands. Nothing is preplanned, nothing rehearsed, This is true live theater with words. The storylines which developed in the first two years took many honors in fan fiction realms abroad. This is a collected work of fanfic'ers like you who've banded together on a Yahoogroups list to write a story true to all four Star Trek TV Series from a live action theater site. They spruced up the fiction with sounds, images and animated movies of their own. Starring whichever character individually cast they wished from the four TV shows. If the role was seen on TV, it is here, in our cast as well. The setting is now, in current time Star Trek on Earth, at the little shown Starfleet Academy/Headquarters/Medical complex itself, with crew who are a mystery until they mysteriously appear as their authors bring them in. The Site is called Voyagerliveaction, and NOTHING you'll read was preplanned. It was simply write as you go. Each author had the creative floor whenever they submitted a page within their roles. The style of each character is reflected in their author "animator". Those lurkers present on the list were treated with eye and ear candy whenever an author sent pictures and sounds with their story pages. It's intriguing watching each author's flavor evolve over time within the adventure. This story's premise starts with a bang that isn't what it seems and settles into a mystery far larger than anything any one author could have come up with on their own. It shows the joy of role playing in the discipline of creative writing in a round robin setting. We've been graced with honors from Yahoogroups Site of the Week (Oct 2000 ) and have attracted actors to write with us. One from Star Trek is here now in two very surprising writer roles. She joined us in Nov, 2000, during week 48 or so and is still acting in her fiction roles for Year 2002. Rated PG-13 for all audiences. This adventure is year THREE, now just completing its last few weeks of "web" time as of 31 December 2002. If you like what you see here when you are done,years ONE and TWO are also completed in yet another set of year long episodes for a satisfying read. You can find them here. http://www.voyagerliveaction/completestory.html Best of all, you can help shape our fourth adventure, now ongoing, live, in 2003, with us after your visit reading. We've a sizable fan following to read what you have to offer as a new writer to our ranks. How does 18,543 strike you? They tune in every day in "Now showing" windows in Nepal, Australia and Germany and the United States. And 70 actual site members who get to see the show in all its graphics glory. Huge for a PBEM. Come, let us entertain you. Stay and read this adventure and leave with a smile on your face, or come to the Site to lurk as it happens..or,... be one of us. Be your character from TV. Write what you've always wanted him or her to do. And control what happens next. :) We are Located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub The graphic site is here. http://www.voyagerliveaction Showcase Site Please, grab a cold drink and some nibbles and join us by the fanfic fireplace. You're in for a treat. That's only a short scroll down below. Total read time can be from one to four hours depending on your fic devouring skills :) Welcome to Year THREE... See you Shipside. =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =^= Let the "Play" begin.. :) =^= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= Year Three Voyagerliveaction Theater 2002. ************************************** WEEK ONE RECAP 01-08-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Graphic Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writing Site ******************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] The Wrong Side of the Bed.. Date : Tue, 08 Jan 2002 03:05:45 +0000 #The Time is 0700.# came a soft peeling, computerized voice in a sultry alto. #The Time is 0700.# it repeated. The form sprawled under the silver sheets grunted. "Hmmph?" and flipped over, upsetting a stack of datapadds over a low table to one side of the bed awash in brilliant sunlight. Leonard Bones McCoy wasn't even awake when he said. "Computer! Dim the d@mned lights!! For crying out l--" #San Francisco is experiencing direct ten degree azimuth. It is full daybreak. Cannot comply. No illumination was initiated upon nightfall.# McCoy's groan punctuated the computer's programmed logic and he attempted to snuff it out with a copious pillow over his own face along with the sunlight. But the wakening tones kept sounding, dragging him the rest of the way out of sleep. ::It's been a full decade since I've had to obey Academy wakeup calls. I've enough rank for FIVE cadets.:: he thought. "My quarters should be IMMUNE to you. Why don't you just go blow an isolinear chip somewhere and hush up?" he mumbled to the overhead speaker. "I don't have to teach any class until 0900 today." and his voice softened into a snore from the muffled mumble."Let a tired old country doctor sleep. It's Monday for Pete's sake...." #Correction. Today is Tuesday.# Bones McCoy sat bolt upright. "What?!! Ohmygod.." and he shot out of bed, knocking the rest of his lecture padds off the veranda to cascade colorfully onto the floor. The sun's glare through his officer's special guest quarters blinded him just enough that he didn't see the one that got underneath him and skidded both his feet out from under him. The momentum from his aborted dash for the sonic shower suddenly made him aerodynamically airborne..... Bones remembered two seconds of Starfleet gray walls followed by steel blue carpetting as he did a backflip and landed on his jaw and stomach. His left arm wasn't so lucky and took the brunt of his weight across the wrist. SNAP!! he felt and a white hot world of pain greeted him when he hit the floor the rest of the way. "Oooohhhhh... shi----" and then his air forced out of his chest, and the wind was knocked out soundly from his lungs. He lay there, stunned and breathless. Stars greeted his eyes and so did an awful buzzing in his ears from the collision with the floor. ::Don't Starfleet designers believe in creature comfort?! That must be concrete under there...:: His chin complained with a stinging of sudden deep rug burn. #Do you require medical assistance?# the automated Academy computer bot asked... The tiniest of wheezes escaped him as Bones fought his autonomic reflexes in an attempt to breathe in. But another part of his mind was all doctor. ::I'll bet fifty credits on the length of T'Pau's ears I broke four metacarpals in that one..:: He decided to lay still, belly down, and think about something more pleasant. The computer, not getting a reply from its cabin occupant, carried on into a further step of protocol. #Lifesigns indicate injury. Summoning personnel. Please remain calm.# ::In a pig's eye!!:: McCoy sputtered, still trying to gasp in around his jolted wind. ::Just how in the world am I going to conduct my seminar on the facets of human/non-human hybridation with a fractured arm?? I'm late already! Oh,,... Jim's gonna rake me over the coals for this little stunt. He's always onto me about my messy quarters like an old mother hen.:: An electronic shimmer and hum met his ears while he lay there staring at his burning, ballooning wrist He felt himself gasping without a sound like a Kanapesian Fish on land. "....Please state the nature of the m-- " Then a new-ish Mach One EMH turned, obeying its sensors and it turned toward the distressed lifesign registering in the room. It said, "Ah,.. Doctor. Looks like you've fallen and can't get up." he quipped, smiling mildly.. Then his grin faded and he got to work. He quickly noticed Bones's lack of noises airwise and remedied the situation with a fortuitous hypospray from his away medkit. The missing wind in Bones's chest promptly returned and McCoy took in great gasping breaths while he allowed the Academy EMH to sit him up and steady him against the side of the bed. Admiral McCoy was hurt but he wasn't beneath venting a little. "...*GaSSSpppp.* " he breathed, a second after the delivering medication relaxed his diaphram muscles, allowing him to breathe again. "Gee, how ob- observant of you ther-- *gasp..* Did that annoying sentient computer alarm clock tell you that or did your logic chips emulate a Vulcan to accomplish the same diagnosis??" he snapped. He instantly regretted his sharp retort when the movement made his broken wrist bones grate together. The EMH kneeling before him hardly blinked, in fact, he replied with a little acid wit himself. "Did that fall damage your cranium or are you always this overwhelmingly charming to someone you've just met?" McCoy sputtered on.. still sarcastic. (SEE SOUND BITE ATTACHED AT TOP OF THIS POST) Bones blinked his watering eyes long enough to really peer at his benefactor..He noted a balding pate instead of the usual sandy fullness on his head. "Wait a minute. I thought Starfleet Medical upgraded the bioflag emergency system with Mach V model EMH's last year ever since the Prometheus came back behind Voyager through that d@mned Borg slipstream node." "They did.. I'm your next door neighbor who was scheduled to attend your supposed seminar.. I heard you fall and noted the computer's query into your state of health through my autonomous emitter.." the EMH said, getting a baseline reading of McCoy's fracture. Bones harrumphed in his throat. "You've got..to be kidding.. Starfleet doesn't send holograms to the Academy to ..to ..to take classes like some first year cadet.. They just program whatever they feel like it into the computational matrices..." "Not mine." the EMH said pleasantly. He supported McCoy's arm with one hand as he ran an ossicular stazer beam over the site, mending the shattered bones under it. "You did quite a little number here. How many backflips did you do befor--" "Never you mind... that little tricorder's got all the data you need for any treatment here." "I can always ask the computer to give me a playback." the EMH dangled.. McCoy wrenched his now healed wrist out of the holodoc's grip. "Oh no.. I can believe a wakeup call personality in the Academy's comm system. I can believe that somebody told you to visit Starfleet Medical with that 'going solo' thingy on your arm to record some high brow medical topics from old fogies like me.. But no way in Hades am I going to believe that every cabin here is rigged with Big Brother!" "It's not.. I'm just checking on how well you respond to subtle verbal stimuli like every good emergency medical rescuer does in a trauma related case. Congratulations, doctor. You passed. You may now get to your feet to pace in indignation and rant at me all you like." he added blandly. "I've just certified you as fully recovered." the EMH replied. That shut Bones up. He rose, but sat on the edge of his bed while the holodoc calmly picked up every one of his floor scattered datapadds and handed them to McCoy. "Thankyou,...doctor....?" he prompted for a name. "I don't yet have one... Captain Janeway and Chakotay have been at me for years since we all got back for my answer, but I haven't had time to think of one just yet." Bones was curious. "You know the Voyager Captain and Commander? " The holodoc nodded as he put his treating equipment away back into his field medkit. "I was pressed into more than overtime duty on their starship for seven years when their living physician was killed by Caretaker actions." "I haven't gotten a chance to meet them yet." McCoy said seriously, but a little awed. "Heard they were here at Headquarters to lecture some. Just read yesterday that they were going to speak in my class as guest speakers on my topic of study. Said they knew of a hybridized human themselves.. Like I know Spock." "You're referring to B'Elanna Torres, lately gone off world. She's half human and half Klingon. Unfortunately, she won't be around this semester to lecture on the subject herself so Kathryn and Chakotay are doing it for her..." the doc said mildly. That reminded McCoy of his very late tardiness. "Ohmygod, we've got to get going... If you are telling me the truth about being on Earth to learn a few things. Just tag along with me and help me carry these things to class!!" Bones said handing the stack of data padds hastily at the EMH. He rushed toward the door. A clearing of a throat stopped him in his tracks. McCoy turned around and regarded the hologram giving him a head to toe appraising stare. Bones looked down and saw he was still in his Starfleet issue gray T- Shirt and shorts.. "oh... heh. heh." he said sheepishly.. "I forgot.." "Just make sure it's just natural aging doing that and not the results of your fall...." the EMH said. "Oh ha. ha." Bones said dryly. "I'll comm the lecturn ahead and tell him to show your documentary to your class first to buy us time to arrive there. Go change.." McCoy grinned toothily and headed for the sonic shower.. but he turned back immediately. "Hey doc.." he called out. "Yeah?" the EMH answered. "Toss me your medkit. I gotta evap these rugburns on my chin, or someone will think I lost the barfight last night..." "Barfight?" "Yeah. Me and my buddies stopped some offworld lackies from tribble racing in NewChinaTown.." "Tribble racing..?" "Yeah. I bet on the winning tribble and got to keep him. Its trainers got a little sore over the conditions of the bet and wanted their champion back. I told them no and called down security on them. We had to delay the undergrounders until the musclemen came to haul them away." "Where is it now?" "Where is what?" "The tribble..." McCoy's eyes finally dawned comprehension. "Oh. Him. Don't know. He got out of our skimmer somehow and the last I saw of him, he was rolling across the shuttle lot." "Oh. Boothby isn't going to like a tribble running loose in his gardens.." "It's good for him. After all, he's been weeding those beds out there for almost fifty years now. He was out there when Jim was just a wet behind the ears lieutenant..." "He was there when Captain Janeway was one, too." the EMH added. "Tell you what doctor.." "What?" McCoy said from the sonic shower he just turned on. "Get dressed and we'll visit the Academy Sickbay. Then we can get a tracer on your truant tribble and properly regrow your torn chin all at the same time.." the EMH quipped. "I'm not too keen on weathering Boothby's wrath when he finds tribble toothmarks in his petunias. I want to cage him long before then." "I don't think any technology's good enough to track tribbles. " McCoy said ruefully. "I heard of one fellow me and Jim sidelined to a Space Station to round up a tribble outbreak. What was his name again? Oh, yeah.. Cyrano Jones.. Took him 24.5 years to do it with every sensor and scanner and probe on the entire base. But why worry? What's one little tribble gonna do here? We're a hundred kilometers away from the nearest quatrotriticale field." "That's what I'm afraid of..." the holodoc emitted. "Huh.." Bones said frankly, not understanding that answer from his newfound medical friend at all. "Let's get to sickbay.." and he looked at his wrist chronometer. "I've only got a half an hour before my film is over in class. We've gotta rush a bit to cover here." "Fine. Let's go.. I know the best route to dodge Boothby's location on the grounds. Being attached to the computer, I always know where he is." "I'll trust your judgement.." Bones said grudgingly. ---------------------------------------------------- McCoy and the EMH arrived at the huge sickbay complex in Starfleet Headquarters on the water side of San Francisco Bay.. It was almost as large as Starfleet Headquarters and the Academy combined. All three buildings faced each other in a triad across sculpted elegant grounds and glowed like bright, white snow in the morning sunlight. They soon were inside. Bones plopped his butt on the nearest biobed and brought his hands together with a resounding clap. "Let's get that photostatic rear in gear. We've both got a full day ahead of us.." The EMH rolled his brown unreal eyes. "I'm not the one who's teaching today, am I?" "No, but you're gonna be a solid notetaker, and believe me. I can make the best of transcribers sweat bullets with one of my rapid fire power lectures." Bones grinned. "You're forgetting something." "Oh?" Bones asked, waving at a cute young nurse passing curiously by as the EMH healed his scuffed and hastily protopatched chin. "I'm not human. I've got holographic capability. I can keep up with anything that speaks." and the EMH smiled a little smugly. "Don't be so sure, doc." McCoy winked. "I always lecture with a Vulcan computer, tandemly linked." The smile wiped off the EMH's face a second later. ----------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Starfleet Academy grounds in bright sun. Audio: McCoy- I've got sickbay ready. Image: McCoy in a grey T-shirt. *animated gif* A medical tricorder spinning. Image: The EMH- Voyager's holodoc giving a shocked look in a close up. ***************************************** From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Here's to Coffee and....Donuts~~ Date : Tue, 08 Jan 2002 18:23:43 +0000 On the far side of the main Headquarters building, a fair haired, hazel eyed captain in old style uniform hurried with his equipment across the gardens of the Academy grounds. He was reviewing notes on a tricorder equally old style and somehow, his feet stayed on the ornate stone path weaving in between the evergreen bushes and flowerbeds adorning it on either side. He was at a good clip, moving along with a coffee cup in his other hand when a voice called out, "Watch your course captain!" Kirk looked up in time to narrowly avoid falling over a wheel barrel full of red and white petunias right in the middle of the sidewalk. He pinwheeled his arms, losing his coffee but recovering his balance quickly as his shins snugged up against the handles of the wheelbarrel. "Whoaaa.." Boothby rose from his flower bed and caught the sailing coffee cup without spilling a drop. He waited patiently for Kirk to notice then handed it back to him. "Don't tell me Academy fashions are returning to those tacky gold pj's with the balloon pants again. Seems like the younger generation these days likes to copy the old." James T Kirk regarded the gardener before him. "Boothby?.. Aren't you.. aren't you dead... or something? You were weeding this very same flower bed thirty years ago when I was a cadet." The wrinkled old man in the straw hat laughed and replied in a stern voice. "They haven't been able to replace me nor find someone with instincts as good as mine for finding the really good ones. And I'm not talking about flowers here, son." Kirk looked sharply at Boothby. "So it's true. You wander the grounds using gardening as your cover while you check out and find cadets who show command potential from the sidelines." Boothby chuckled and scratched his sweaty head. "Took you that long to figure that out Mr. Kirk? I'm surprised at you." Kirk grinned ruefully in amusement when the older man ignored rank and called him by his old cadet title. "Spock was the one who put two and two together over breakfast. He saw you out here earlier." Kirk replied. "So..You see everything.. Who else is here on the grounds besides me? If you tell me, I'll explain why I'm wearing my old Enterprise uniform." and he snatched off Boothby's sun hat quickly in jest. That bait caught Boothby hook, line and sinker. "Hey.. Give that back...! Do you want to give me heat stroke or something?" But he saw the sharp tone leave the gardener's voice and his eyes shifted to the ground. ::Got you. :: Kirk thought. ::Thanks Spock. For giving me a rundown on Boothby's psyche. I'll get what I want to hear now.:: "I shouldn't be telling you this, Mr. Kirk. But, since you lived up to the potential I told them you would on Enterprise. I think I will." And he leaned on his hoe sliding his handerchief off his neck to let the morning breeze dry it. "A lot of your old crewmates from your first captaincy are here. I saw McCoy and that old Mach I EMH from Voyager slinking around avoiding me for some reason. I've also seen crew from Mr. Picard's ship from the Enterprise four times your ship's descendent." the wizened caretaker squinted sharply at Kirk. "Certain captains I know standing before me right now wouldn't want to tell ol Boothby how he managed to blow up two starships under his command? No?? All right. " he said when he saw Kirk properly looked pained at the memory. "I heard why you did it for both of them, anyway. Just wanted to see you show the proper respect for those fine ships passing, Mr. Kirk. Rare blooms they were." Kirk smoothed down the material of his old gold uniform in reminder. "My this shirt is comfortable.. I've got it on again for very good reason..." Boothby held up a gnarled hand. "Wait..! I'll tell you what you want to know. Just don't go yet.." Kirk smiled and put his hand on his hip, sipping his steaming coffee lightly. "Do tell, Mr. Boothby.." Boothby winced and mumbled. "I hate it when my chosen cadets finally get to be captains. They learn how to push all my buttons in a way I hate the most. Baiting for information. I've seen one young gal from that far flung Deep Space Nine by that wormhole here too. You know the one. She's got a worm in her stomach." "Jadzia Dax?" Kirk said. He remembered her. She was a pretty face he saw in a time loop a long time ago, operating a bridge science station covered in tribbles. He shook his head at the memory. And added.. "Don't become a captain, Boothby. Time paradoxes have a tendency to stick in your brain when they really didn't happen." "Huh?" Boothby said. "Never mind. Do continue.." Kik encouraged, "I've got to get going in a minute or so..." and he stepped away pointing down the stone path. "Wait..! I saw another captain here. The one with the steel bun and her indian sidekick.. Yeah, I remember now. Miss Janeway. Another cadet I marked as special. She's here and they were headed the same way I saw your Bones McCoy was heading. Towards Starfleet Medical's main symposium building." Kirk handed Boothby his hat back. "Thankyou.. You know how deep the red tape is around here for learning just who's in Headquarters on Earth at any one time. It's like pulling teeth." "Why do you think I'm out here in the fresh air instead of doing my work in some dark dank stuffy highbrow office??" Boothby retorted. "Oh yeah... you'll be running into Scotty around here somewhere. I can smell him." "Smell him?" Kirk asked. "You'll find out.." Boothby nodded. "Now about the uniform?" he said, smacking Kirk in the chest with a dirty hand. "Oh yes.." Kirk said smiling. "I'm heading a very special secret project in Building Five over there..." Boothby grunted. "Oh you mean the one with the big donut in it...." "How did you learn that?" Kirk said in surprise. "Transporting the Guardian of Forever from its ancestral home to Earth was kept under tight wraps." "Flowers always know Mr. Kirk." Boothby said. "The wistera vines are blooming in daylight around those windows. They only do that if a moon is showing somewhere. And with that glowing donut's flashing multiple histories at you project people, those vines get to see a lot of moonlight now don't they? Doesn't take a captain to figure out how that kind of thing can happen. The only answer is a time door." "hmmm," Kirk mumbled. "The flowers are tattling on us.." "Your secret's safe with me Mr. Kirk. Only another gardener would notice those blooms blooming oddly like that around Building Five. Like your Sulu perhaps. But I haven't seen him around here yet.." Kirk smiled. "Hmm.. Enterprise, Enterprise D, and Voyager personnel all on Earth. Interesting.. I wonder why we're all here...." he said. "Hey, we had a deal." Boothby snapped. "Info for why you're back in your yellow pajamas..." "So we did, Mr. Boothby." Kirk said a little uncomfortable. He mumbled out. "The Guardian didn't recognize me until I put on this uniform. It only answers my questions if I wear this outfit.." he said from the corner of his mouth. "aaaahhhhhhh.." Boothby said. And it was his turn to smile. Kirk silenced him by smacking a hand holding his empty coffee cup against Boothby's apron." Hooo!.. Would you look at that?? Look right over there, by that tree..." "Where..?" Boothby said. "Right over there. I might be seeing things but I think I see .... a tribble sitting on the lawn??" Boothby didn't even turn around. "Right.. and there's Romulans in the cafeteria..." "No really. Boothby. It's small and brown and it just rolled that way.." "Not going to fall for it captain." "Ah, well, You'll soon find out. If you know everything happening at Starfleet Academy and at Headquarters. You'll soon know this too. Better listen to your long line of captains candidates, Mr. Boothby. Sometimes we are just a little bit better than their old teacher appraiser hiding in the flower beds..Carry on sir.." And he stepped on his way to Building Five. Boothby tossed Kirk's coffee cup into his wheel barrel. "Hmmphh. smart aleck captains. Thinking they can tease me into thinking that... huh..Tribbles indeed." he grunted sarcastically. --------------------------------------------------------------- Kirk arrived at his work station deep in the bowels of Building Five and told security about the betraying vines clinging around the windows. They promptly adjusted the security fields in all the windows to block out light as well as sounds. ::No doubt the vines won't be blooming tommorrow in daylight. Now will they?:: He saw the dark and silent Guardian of Forever sitting below him in a huge hanger in the very dirt from its planet. Starfleet was very careful to have transported the time portal with a large bit of rigoloth underneath it and most of the rock strata it sat upon as well. Even the atmosphere around it was climate controlled and identical to its home planet's. ::It's fussy about that. Couldn't believe it when the Guardian told me to move a rock two centimeters more to the left down there.:: he grinned. He nodded to officers as he descended the stairwell and popped through the containment field into the guardian's envelope. The air was spicy and the same howling wind, simulated though it may be, filled his ears. The same feeling of awe filled him as many memories surfaced. ::Edith Keeler.. Bone's face white with overdose. :: Then he approached the Guardian and it spoke, it's huge stony arch filling with bluish milky light. #A QUESTION. LONG HAVE I AWAITED A QUESTION. LET ME BE YOUR GATEWAY...# Kirk stepped forward. "It is time. We are prepared to fulfill your request, Guardian. We will allow your traveler to visit among us. It is agreed by my superiors.." #THEN I WILL BRING HER FORTH.# Kirk waved both medical and security personnel into the Guardian's enclosure and nodded to Guardian. "We are ready...." The timeless fog filled the stony circle gate and multiple times flashed before their eyes. One scene came into being. A short haired blond woman with a phaser challenging an oil slick being guarding a crashed shuttlecraft by a cliff. The evil being Armus flung an energy bolt at the woman and she went flying backward. Equally fast, Kirk saw the Guardian deflect a part of that attack, so only a fraction of Armus's power reached the woman. Then it caught her before she struck the ground and angled her fall towards the watching Starfleet officers. Kirk braced himself as the woman fell through the portal into his arms. He lowered her to the dirt ground and felt her neck for a pulse. It was there.. "..what...?" the woman moaned. Kirk held her still. "Easy. Just relax. You're hurt. Let my medical officers have a look at you. What's your name?" He nodded to the Guardian and the gateway went dark and silent. The billowing fog went away. Kirk dragged the woman in mustard yellow backwards away from the Guardian to his waiting team. Then he supported her head in his lap, holding his hand over a gash in her forehead to control bleeding and checked how she was breathing. The woman coughed and said, "It's Tasha.. Tasha Yar.. and I'm on a rescue mission to save my friend Deanna Troi.." ------------------------- (attachments) Image: Kirk leaning on his elbow. Image: Yar promo Paramount shot. *animated gif* Kirk beams home from the Guardian of Forever planet. ************************* From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : Temporal Hide and Seek. Date : Tue, 08 Jan 2002 20:46:17 +0000 Lt. Uhura was in the main reception area of Starfleet Medical. Nurse Christine Chapel had just had breakfast with her and her shipmate was now checking in with the Main Sickbay to see if any new patients were arrived during the night. "Psstt..." a voice came from a doorway. Uhura looked up and saw Christine motioning her into the main ward of Starfleet medical. "Christine? Wha-" "Shh.. It's the only way we'll get you inside.. Now play along." and Nurse Chapel took Uhura's arm and announced to the staff milling about as the two of them made their way to Chapel's temporary office. "You said you were feeling light headed lieutenant?" she said loudly.. Uhura caught on fast to the act and said, "Uh, yeah.. right after I had some of Spock's Plohmek Soup...ohhh.." she groaned. Some quick med techs helped Uhura onto a biobed and hurried back to their duties when Christine waved them away.. "It's ok, boys.. I got her." Christine waited until they were well away from earshot while she scanned Uhura with a tricorder she barely knew how to operate... "Man .. these new fangled things.. I'd give anything to have my old tricorder back." Uhura giggled, then stifled it and continued to play her feigned role of sick outpatient. "Against the rules according to the Guardian of Forever. Did you find out why Captain Kirk pulled us from the past into the present yet?" Christine gave Uhura an amused glance and said, "Here, uh Mrs. Uhura? This should fix you right off. Looks like I'm reading just a mild reaction to the Minhk bean broth from the soup you had.." she said loudly. She injected Uhura with a vitamin shot as cover. Then she added softly. "Have you ever known Captain Kirk to tell us the nitty gritty on any mission of his?" "No..." Uhura admitted and the two women laughed, and immediately hid it again. "Feels odd being in the future like this. I mean who knows if we'll run into Scotty or any one else from the ship here." Christine scoffed, "As if Starfleet didn't already know about mingling Starfleet crew from different times. You can't tell me they don't know about Building Five..." "Shhhh.." Uhura said. "The walls have ears...." and she pointed up. "There's a personality program in the comm system. It's in every cabin serving as a personal medical sentry and wake up call application. It's probably in here too. Watching us.." Christine and Uhura fell silent until Nurse Chapel whispered. "Our computer is much better on Enterprise. Only activates when you hit a switch or verbally order it on.." Uhura grabbed her arm. "I've even heard they have holographic doctors in this time.." "Yuck. What ever happened to the healing power of the human touch. I can just imagine what Dr. McCoy in this time thought when that particular medical advancement came along. Anyway I found out where Bones is right now. He's on his way here. Apparently, the elderly admiral took a fall and was treated in his quarters. The computer told me one of these EMH holos is accompanying him here even as we speak." Chapel admitted. "Is he all right?" "Oh yes,, a simple wrist break, now fully healed. But he'll be here any second for some quick cosmetic repair.." "Oh. In that case." and Uhura jumped down from the bed, smoothing her short red skirt. Chapel herded her into her temporary office. "Captain Kirk says we can interact with anyone from this time without causing problems. The Guardian is protecting us all from paradox only so long as we remain on Earth. We're walking a tightrope keeping the Building Five mission quiet to those directly involved only. But I think all the secrecy is warranted. The woman Captain Kirk is bringing back is very important to ending the risk to Captain Picard's ex- ships counselor." "Is this Deanna Troi very integral to this time period?" Uhura said, "I haven't seen much of her on the newsvids or documentaries in my quarters last night. I did see a wonderful holodocu on the Return of the USS Voyager. Now that... was exciting. It seems this starship was missing for seven years and she actually ...got HOME.." Christine looked at her friend. "Voyager? Now that's familiar. Oh yes.. I saw that ship's coding on the medalert screen when I was looking up Dr. McCoy's whereabouts. That's the ident code on the EMH bringing him in." "Really?" "Yeah.. and that ship's captain and first officer's medical files are here, too. They are here as guest speakers for one of Dr. McCoy's classes this week." "Must be some command crew in those two to have saved a starship like that." Uhura said. "I'd like to meet them.." Both women peeked around the edge of the office door until they saw Dr. McCoy leading a strange balding man into the ward. McCoy's chin was scuffed badly and he held a hand over it. The two Enterprise women watched their conversation unfold. >Bones plopped his butt on the nearest biobed >and brought his hands together with a resounding >clap. "Let's get that photostatic rear in gear. We've >both got a full day ahead of us.." >The EMH rolled his brown unreal eyes. "I'm not >the one who's teaching today, am I?" >"No, but you're gonna be a solid notetaker, and >believe me. I can make the best of transcribers >sweat bullets with one of my rapid fire power >lectures." Bones grinned. >"You're forgetting something." >"Oh?" Bones asked, waving at a cute young nurse >passing curiously by as the EMH healed his scuffed >and hastily protopatched chin. >"I'm not human. I've got holographic capability. >I can keep up with anything that speaks." >and the EMH smiled a little smugly. >"Don't be so sure, doc." McCoy winked. "I always >lecture with a Vulcan computer, tandemly linked." >The smile wiped off the EMH's face a second later. Nurse Chapel and Lt. Uhura giggled again. "Look how old Bones looks. My.. I hope I can get the gray out of my hair when I'm his age." Christine said. "We may be still young and beautiful. But it's the spirit that counts Chris..." Uhura said. "Tell me. Does McCoy know about Building number Five?" "No. Not yet. Captain Kirk said to get him through his lecturing day first before we crack the news about OUR being here... We've got to make sure that Tasha Yar is treated for her injuries adequately before we do that. We've got to get from Tasha the reason why she came forward in time to save Deanna Troi.. The Guardian must have told her something while bringing her here." Said Chapel. "All right.. We'll wait hidden until this Tasha arrives in sickbay to be sure she's going to be all right." Uhura agreed. "Won't be long. There's a new system in place in the communications grid in this time. It's called the emergency bioflag network. It reads on the EMH channels and links to every crewman's combadge on the Grounds. If any medical emergency occurs. Sickbay knows about it.." Christine said. "Wow.. I've got to look at that communications board setup. Sounds ingenius.." Uhura smiled in amazement. "We can do that from here.. Keep an eye out for Kirk's arrival with Tasha Yar into the ward. Shouldn't be long.." Christine said hitting a few buttons on her terminal in her office. "Whose office is this anyway?" Uhura asked. "The Head of Starfleet Medical. Chief Physician Dr. Beverly Crusher.. She's off for the day." "Lucky us..." "Again. We've nothing to worry about, the Guardian will prevent any time paradox with all of us mingling together from so many ships and times like I said before.." A summons on the overhead comm attracted the two Enterprise women.. #Incoming patient. Emergency transport..Biobed Two..# Uhura and Nurse Chapel watched as their older, current times captain appeared boldly still in his gold command uniform leaning over an injured woman who was beamed in stretched out on the bed.. He was keeping a cut from oozing blood on her head with his bare hands. Nurse Chapel started to stride forward instinctively to help but Uhura pulled her back into the darkened office. "No, Christine.. McCoy will see you.. Let them handle Tasha.." Sure enough the bald holodoctor came forward and said, "Please state the nature of the medical emergency..." and he left Bones McCoy's side to go to Kirk and Yar. McCoy wasn't beyond going there either. He quickly went to the distressed woman's side, looking into her pupils as she blacked out. He didn't even blink at Captain Kirk as the man was the same older age as he was. "D@mmit Jim, now what? Move aside and let me take a look at her...." Kirk said to the EMH, "She was struck by an energy beam from an alien creature of some kind.." The EMH nodded and his reopened his field medical kit to scan Tasha with his med tricorder. Kirk stepped back and let the two doctors, one real and one holo, work. He just happened to glance over towards Beverly's office and he noticed Christine and Uhura peeking from the darkness over there. He pointed at his chronometer and waved them to hide again.. "..Not yet.." he mouthed the words without making a sound and pointed to McCoy's back. "...We..know..." Uhura mouthed back.. and Nurse and Communications officer ducked back into the safety of the office's depths. They only heard the activity going on in the main ward as EMH and McCoy treated Tasha Yar's injuries as quickly as they could. Uhura looked at Christine while they pored over the interesting schematics of the bioflag medical system. "Say,, I wonder what incarnation of Spock is here with us. I wonder if he's just as handsome as you still think he is...I could look up his quarters at Starfleet for you." Christine smacked Uhura on the arm.."Mind your own business." ----------------------------- (attachments) Image: Uhura at her comm board. Gif: A lcars computer screen of EMH interfaces. Image: Nurse Chapel surrounded by pink walls. Promo. ********************** From : "Cory Anda" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Out of the Loop No Longer Date : Wed, 09 Jan 2002 00:45:54 +0000 Captain Janeway, a little silver in her hair sat with her old friend Chakotay in the massive cafeteria of Starfleet Medical. She had two lap tops and many datapadds arranged about the table as she rehearsed the talk she'd give for Admiral McCoy's seminar on human hybridization. The task almost seemed over her head and her body english must have communicated that fact because Chakotay started chuckling as he took a bite of his salad. "I haven't seen you this nervous since you took on the Borg Queen head to head Kathryn. Why be nervous for this presentation? You've been asked to speak at Starfleet Headquarters on a lot of topics like this countless times before..." Chakotay said to his old captain. His own hair was flecked with silver, like it used to be a long time ago when he was a Maquis captain and when Starfleet had been some obscure nemesis to be avoided in the Badlands. Janeway set her coffee mug down on the table with a clunk and waved over a server to fill it yet again. "I know, Chakotay. I know. But I've never had Mr. Spock in the audience while doing it. He's a personal friend of Admiral McCoy's and he's also a human hybridized being who's also half Vulcan. Just imagine how he'll analyze my delivering some dry study and observations about people like himself." she said throwing up her hand in exasperation before she rubbed her forehead in fatigue. "I can see it now. The Famous Voyager Captain gets Tongue Tied at Symposium. Ohh.. all the holovids will make me look like a fool..." she sighed. She nodded thanks and then blinked when the server craftily left three full coffee pots on the table next to her and retreated. "Thanks a lot.." she said to his back sarcastically. "Sorry ma'am.. Standing orders from commissary.." he said not turning around. "Is my reputation that exaggerated around here?" she asked Chakotay. He nodded. "I'm afraid it is, Kathryn..Sort of makes me glad I was only your commander when we got home five years ago. The heat's off me.." and he sipped his own cool tea. Kathryn leaned backwards in her cafeteria chair and pushed away her computers and padds and took a long look around her. ::So many beings here. :: she thought to herself. ::So many races that I don't know coming and going from Starfleet Headquarters in so many ships that I can hardly count them all. :: and her face fell outwardly as well as inwardly. "Penny for your thoughts, Kathryn. You look light years away.." Chakotay said lightly with a gentle smile as he noticed her daydreaming. Janeway regarded Chakotay and patted her hand on his with affection. "Ever feel like you're seriously out of the loop my old friend? Here I am. Still supposedly a captain and yet, I get the undeniable feeling that there are things going on around here that are purposely being kept from me." Chakotay had sympathy and he squeezed her hand back in support. "Frequently. Then again, I don't think there's anyone here at Starfleet Headquarters of any rank that "knows it all"." Janeway laughed morosely.. "Except for perhaps Spock. He knows everything...Ohhh,," she groaned setting her head on the table. "Why did I drink so much coffee this morning..??" "Because it's real.. Because you developed coffee deprivation syndrome being lost on Voyager like we were, from not having access to the real thing. Don't worry about it. It's a minor problem. Sooner or later. Your reflex of grabbing a cup of it every meal and quiet moment will fade back to normal levels." "You aren't the one who had a new disorder named after you. The Janeway Caffeine Syndrome. What a way to get written up in a book for your claim to immortality... Oh, no. What if Spock's READ that book. D@mn.." she said raising her head and tipping all three coffee pots over until they fell over with a clunk, each rocking quietly where they lay in a subtle protest of her body's annoying weakness.. Chakotay's face went serious but a smile still filled his eyes. "Stop worrying about the Vulcan, Kathryn. He still puts on his uniform like we do, one leg at a time so he's far from being the ultrasuperVulcan critic you're making him out to be. Trust the human part in him to be tactful about any opinion he may gather about your speech.." Kathryn sighed. "Can I get a note from the doctor to not go to the Symposium? I feel my Syndrome acting up again..." Chakotay just rolled his eyes.. "Take a look around you Kathryn. You see all those cadets and guest visitors all around us? They all have multiple coffee pots at their tables too. I'm afraid the Janeway Caffeine Syndrome's an accepted epidemic round here at the Academy. Too many students burning the midnight oil I guess..Don't think anyone will even listen to you in Sickbay even if I were to carry you in there myself.." "Coward. You won't even back me." she laughed. "Who's the chicken here, Kathryn? One Vulcan and you fold like a stack of cards." She studied her still empty coffee mug ruefully. "Back to square one..." she admitted. It was Chakotay's turn to lean back in his chair, but he regarded her and her alone to the exclusion of all else. "Have faith in yourself. One tiny symposium appearance isn't going to kill you.." "I wish the coffee would.." she quipped. "I won't allow anything to harm you Kathryn..not even your own quirks.." he admitted. "My own d@mned fault.. " she laughed. "My old crew's loyal to the point of insanity.." "I'm not insane Kathryn... I'm just your date for this trip to San Francisco..You're the one who asked me to be your personal body guard so you'd have time to work on this speech of yours for McCoy.." "Some cover.. I think we had every cadet this side of Earth's moon stop and ask us for our autograph or holopic every since we arrived last night." Kathryn said, shrinking in her seat as one pair of students recognized her from afar and waved enthusiastically and held up their books on Voyager's exploits. Chakotay threw up his hands. "Yeah well my suggestion of your studying in the main cafeteria is working.. They're all too busy eating in here to come bug you..." "There's that...." she agreed and started to relax for the first time since Chakotay forced her to take a break for food. His hair just about curled when he saw who entered the far portal into the cafeteria. "Uh oh..." he trickled. "What?" she said. and followed his gaze.. Spock was across the room gathering a tray and talking with those cadets and guest speakers who approached him for a few words with the icon personality himself. Janeway immediately flicked off her computers and buried her notes into her flight bag. She would have eaten her dress uniform too if she could but the tall Vulcan spotted her and headed their way. ::Boy he looks young. But then again, Vulcans age far better than humans do..:: "Ah,, Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay.. May I join you?" he said. A simple soup and glass of Altarian water sat on his tray. "I noticed your dress uniforms and surmised you had Starfleet business here on campus today. So do I. May I inquire..?" "Please..have a seat.." Chakotay said, rising, when Kathryn froze in her seat, a false smile of greeting plastered across her face. "I'm....giving a little.....speech today.." Kathryn mumbled. Chakotay raised his hand. "Greetings, Spock. Live long and prosper.." Janeway immediately parroted her ex first officer. They all sat and Kathryn bit into her tuna salad sandwich for cover. She then remembered that it was meat she was sinking her teeth into and immediately spat it out into her napkin, afraid of the insult she might have given Spock by doing so. Chakotay thumped her on the back thinking she had started choking. "I'm fine.." she hissed.. "Sit down.." she told Chakotay. "Oh sorry..." he said. he sat quickly and grabbed another bunch of his salad onto his fork. Spock was unplussed and continued to sip his soup quietly seemingly without noticing the tiny exchange between the humans. Finally, after carefully folding his napkin, he spoke. "You needn't be uncomfortable around me with your consumption of animal flesh. I've long been accustomed to Captain Kirk's lunches of Chicken Salad Sandwiches every since my Enterprise days. Do not be concerned about offending me in any way with your meal selection, Captain Janeway." "Oh. Right. Fine... fine.." Kathryn blurted out then mentally kicked herself for overreacting. Chakotay changed the subject rescuing his old captain. "We were just discussing how Starfleet seems to hold a lot of its citizens and officers in the dark concerning its activities.. Especially here, on campus and at Starfleet Medical.." Spock appraised the Indian Commander and said politely, "That seems always the case with any planetary governmental agency in my experience. Even on Vulcan. My father Sarek, was a high diplomat and ambassador to Earth. Even his rank did not give him broad disclosure on convert operations here in San Francisco." Janeway caught his hint and recognized it for what it was a kilometer away. "Should we compare notes Mr. Spock?" "Only if it is in regards to your upcoming speech. I eagerly await its outcome this morning.." He rose lifting his now empty tray. "If you'll excuse me. I've some errands to attend." The three officers were interrupted by a new person barging into the cafeteria calling out Spock's name. "Mr. Spock.. Mr. Spock!! I need to speak to you right away..!!" It was Reginald Barclay. The harried man in Starfleet Engineering gold rushed to their table and leaned into it, making the tipped over coffee pots shift and rock again in place. He hastily set them upright, thinking he'd been the one to knock them over. He took a breath to share his news when he took in Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay sitting there. "Permission to speak freely, Ambassador Spock." "Granted. We can trust these two. They are... Starfleet officers, Mr. Barclay.." Spock said blandly. vaguely reprimanding the excited man. "Oh sorry sir,, . All right..." Barclay leaned in and lowered his voice so only they and Spock could hear. "We've got problems sir. The go ahead with Building Five's retrieval went as planned but there's been a complication. Tasha Yar's been recovered but she's gravely injured. Kirk's with her now with McCoy in the main medical ward." Spock rose. "Take me to her.. Lt.." he said. "If you'll excuse me, Captain.. Commander.." the Vulcan said, inclining his head slightly in farewell. "I must deal with this matter at once." And he left with Reginald. Chakotay and Janeway looked at each other in puzzlement. "Building number Five?" "A crewman's recovery?" they both echoed. Then Chakotay grabbed one of the coffee pots himself and poured them both cups filled to the brim. "Remember what you said about feeling out of a loop?" Kathryn's eyes glinted. "I think I just found my excuse to miss the Symposium. Captain's discretionary investigational powers..Commander. And I'm allowed to recruit any other fellow officers I'd like to join me in investigating too. Coming?" She slammed her coffee cup back in several huge gulps and he did the same. She snatched up her sandwich, biting and swallowing the rest of it down quickly. Chakotay took her laden flight bag and added her second lap top computer to it. "Yes, ma'am.." "It's captain, Chakotay. Use ma'am only in a crunch. How many times do I have to tell you...." her voice said as they exited the cafeteria... ------------------------------------------ Soon, with a pocket tricorder set to track Vulcan human hybrid, they entered the Main Sickbay after flashing their credentials. They saw Barclay and Kirk and a strangely injured earth woman on one biobed. McCoy was there hastily giving his patient a hypospray while Janeway's very own EMH sealed up a hideous wound in her forehead. ::Now we'll get some answers..:: she thought. ::The holodoc's one of my old crewmates.:: The two doctors, Barclay and Spock, Kirk, Christine and Uhura noticed the two Voyager officers arrival from where they all were. But Uhura and Nurse Chapel's hiding place in Bev's office remained undiscovered. Chakotay and Janeway didn't let anyone they saw stop them and moved to the edge of the unconscious woman's bed. Kathryn glanced up at the life support board long enough to see weak lifesigns there and fading signs of temporal displacement. Janeway put her hands on her hips. "All right. Just what the h*ll is going on around here?" Silence greeted her. "Don't all speak at once.." she said waggling a finger encouraging replies, using her best command tone. ::My,... coffee really gets your heart pumping...:: she thought. ::Almost as much as a good mystery can.. And this certainly fits that bill to a T..:: Reginald Barclay caught a nod from Spock, his direct superior. Kirk, as was his manner, let his lesser officer act for him. "uh,, Captain Janeway. Commander Chakotay. Funny meeting you here. I...We ..didn't expect you to follow us here.." Reg stammered. "Captain's perogative, Lieutenant." Chakotay said. "This is now investigatory circumstance under article Nine subsection one twelve of the Starfleet officer's code....' When covert activity is suspected in any Starfleet officer, a full investigation is hereby authorized by Starfleet Command until such a threat is discovered and thwarted.' Care to explain things, Mr. Barclay? You seem to be the chosen spokesperson.." he said sharply. Reg laughed nervously..."My dear commander. This operation you see here IS Starfleet authorized. I just can't tell you how or why just yet. Suffice it to say we've gathered all the people we're going to need for leading an investigation of our own.. Meet... Tasha Yar. We need her to find a possible threat here at Starfleet Headquarters." and he pointed to the bed in front of them all. Janeway noticed her vital signs were growing stronger by the minute but the puzzled frown still filled her face. "Doctor??" she prompted the EMH. "What he's saying is new to me too, Captain.. As to the woman's initial condition. I'm bound by patient doctor confidentiality and can't say more.." "I'm your captain.. doctor." Janeway snapped. "You were... my captain. Voyager's long since been disbanded.." the holodoc said. "And I'm a free citizen now. The same distinction that Commander Data of the Starship Enterprise has." Janeway twisted her jaw sideways while she thought out loud... "All right.." she finally decided. "Do go on Mr. Barclay.. Spock if you've any words to add to this, I'm all ears.. sir.." Spock folded his hands into his robe's sleeves and angled his head thoughtfully. "This woman here is integral to uncovering an unsubstantiated threat we've received against another Federation Citizen on Earth. A one Counselor Deanna Troi." "I've heard that name before.. Deanna Troi.. Isn't she Picard's aide..." Janeway said... then she pointed to Barclay.. "And YOUR personal psychologist?" Reg blushed up to his hairline. "I ...know that captain. I...I ..I was there when the last attempt on Deanna's life was made.. I was the one who summoned Starfleet and they referred me to Ambassador Spock and eventually to Captain Kirk here to get to the bottom of this. You see, the whole matter would have been relegated to lower authority agencies if it wasn't for one factual clue found at the last crime scene in Deanna's home." "What was that Lt.?" Chakotay asked. "We found traces of Federation android materials on the carpet." "Couldn't have that been Deanna's friend, Mr. Data paying a visit?" Janeway suggested. Spock spoke quietly. "Impossible. For at the very time that Chemical Analysis says an android embedded his material in the counselor's carpetting, Commander Data was on Vulcan, visiting me.." -------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Janeway with a ponytail, Chakotay and the holodoc in a sickbay. *animated gif* Spock's face with lifting eyebrow. Image : Barclay with a datapadd looking intent. ***************************** From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Deja Troi Date : Wed, 09 Jan 2002 07:53:22 +0400 In another part of Starfleet Headquarters Medical. Beverly Crusher and Deanna Troi were working out in the recreational center. Both were in leotards with their hair bound up and they held hands and linked their feet together while they pulled each other into a complicated series of stretches. "So,... you going to ask him out on a date?" Beverly asked of her long time dark eyed friend. "Who? Barclay?? Not on your life. He's my patient Beverly. You of all people should know about doctor and patient etiquette. Never mix the office with your real life." "I did." "When?" Troi challenged.. "With Odon.." Dr. Crusher reminded her. Troi made a clucking sound and shifted the way her muscles stretched using Beverly's pulling grasp to loosen them. "That was different. You two were in love... and Odon was never your patient initially. He only became one after Will agreed to become his host and problems cropped up." "How was that different?" Bev said, releasing Troi's arms and rising to a ballet bar attached to a long mirror in the studio. She set one leg onto it and continued her stretches. "We were doctor and patient. And still we slept together in the same bed while all of that was going on. In a way.. I thought you might be jealous when Odon had to host in Wil's body and we still ...." "That wasn't Wil, Beverly. Not then. Besides. This is an old incident so let's just forget it." A few minutes passed as counselor and doctor danced to a routine by computer piano and violin with the rest of the class. The song ended and Troi turned to Bev before the next movement. "Besides.. I know what you're thinking. Reg and I HAVE been spending a lot of time together out of the office too. But those times weren't.. dates..." she smiled.. "exactly...." "Oh?" Bev sighed, towelling off her sweat. "What do you call Neelix the white Persian he gave you? A business transaction? He loves that cat.." Troi laughed and ignored any more comments from her friend. A second dance routine began. This one a little more challenging. Beverly, being the pro dancer, stayed with her class. But the active routine very quickly made Deanna short of breath starting slow but then building. Near the end of the dance the feeling of suffocation was almost overwhelming and it frightened Troi. She tried coughing but her throat seemed to tighten even more until her air was entirely sealed off. She barely remembered staggering back to the balance bar and then sagging with her back to the wall, down to the floor, struggling desperately. Her head was spinning and she didn't even realize the music playback had been halted and that Beverly was by her side, holding her arms. "Deanna?? Deanna!! Can you hear me..??" A ringing in her ears began to block out Dr. Crusher's voice until Troi couldn't hear anything. Then her body began to grow numb from lack of air. Troi vaguely remembered the faces of their entire class around her before Beverly shooed them away, dismissing her dance students. A blackness descended, coming nearer. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ......Deanna snapped out of it when she felt a sudden hypospray of triox to her throat. The frightening airlessness she was feeling went away and her vision cleared. She coughed experimentally. Things started making sense to her again. Troi saw the room was empty except for Beverly and herself and that several minutes had gone by without her being aware of it.. She saw that the automatic computer bioflag system on her combadge had been overridden and set on pause. She suspected Beverly did that because she herself was already present for her medical situation. "Don't tell me that was another psychosomatic reaction.." Deanna gasped, and she grunted in pain, the instant she found her voice again. "It wasn't.." Beverly said smiling for a moment, but then she grew serious. She had out her open medkit beside her as she drew out a tricorder and scanned Deanna's chest. "Just take slow breaths. It'll pass. I'm sorry. This is my fault. I thought your new windpipe graph was fully healed. Exercising this hard triggered a reaction and it tried to clamp shut involuntarily. That usually only happens in superheated air or in a toxic atmosphere...I've paralyzed those muscles responsible. You'll be fine ..They'll be back to normal when the triox wears off. If you want to lie down. You can." Deanna shook her head slightly saying that she didn't. Troi didn't let go of Dr. Crusher's hand. "It's only been two weeks; you almost died back then. Expecting to be back to normal overnight is a little far fetched. If it weren't for Barclay hearing you scream, you may not have survived. He kept you going until we could beam you to the Main Surgical Bay." Deanna smiled. "I don't remember that.." Beverly grinned and said, "No. But he sure does. He's been calling Starfleet Medical three times a day asking for progress reports on you." Deanna gave a small laugh and was surprised she could even do so. "What have........you been telling him?" "Nothing past the fact that you are resting and that the surgery to rebuild your trachea went well. He knows nothing about your amnesia nor any of your bad dreams.." Troi watched as Beverly sat against the mirror beside her. The doctor closed her tricorder with a sigh. The two friends sat there just thinking for a long time of the horrific events surrounding Deanna. Then Troi spoke. "I....don't remember much about the attack. Usually, my psi ability can give me some clues but it's as if who or whatever attacked me had no impressions for me to pick up. All I remember is a terrible vise like grip across my neck on the patio." "We found you with your throat ripped out. Barclay improvised an airway to keep you breathing." "Huh.." the counselor said with detachment..She went on, "And then I was waking up in recovery here at Starfleet Medical... " She regarded Dr. Crusher carefully. "Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock came to see me the first day but I was really out of it." "I shouldn't wonder. They're still heading your investigation." Dr. Crusher said. She got to her feet and offered her hand to Deanna. "Feel like you got your feet back? I'd like to check your grafting in sickbay in a little more detail using the holographic imager." Troi nodded and rose.. There was only a little weakness. "This is so stupid. I feel like an invalid." "Nonsense. I took these days off to help get you back into your old routine. That's all. We just now know that physical stressing will have to go a little bit more slowly than we first thought. Come on. Let's walk to the medical ward. I don't think you need to be stretchered. I'll help you change.." --------------------------------- By the time the two women got to that side of the courtyard, Deanna felt pretty much like herself. They both entered the lobby chatting as they once had about dating prospects for both of themselves. "Barclay's still out of the question, Beverly." Deanna said laughing. "So how about you? I know how much you care for Jean Luc. You can't hide it from me.." "Oh really? What about counselor crewman confidentialities? Using your Betazed empathy should only be when called upon by your superiors, not for everyday use.." Beverly teased. "It's a natural reflex, I can't just curb it on command." "Well try. It might just save you a few embarrassing eavesdrops in the long run.. Like my supposed feelings for the captain...." she warned without heat. "Whatever you think you feel about us.. You don't.." Bev teased dangerously. "I stand corrected. What feelings?" Troi deadpanned. "Good girl. Now let's get that exam run on you....I know, we'll run the holoscan itself upstairs in my department." Dr. Crusher said. "Shouldn't be many people there now. They all think I still have the day off." Deanna was tired and was leaning on Beverly heavily when they arrived. Then a wall of impressions struck her emotional shielding and she sensed Spock, Kirk, Barclay, and five others whom she did not know in the ward. Dr. Crusher noticed the crowd of people over one of her biobeds. Her anger rose. "Why wasn't I informed of any medical emergencies to my department. I AM chief medical officer..." she demanded of them all. Kirk and McCoy and the EMH stepped back in surprise and Deanna got a good look at the patient lying on the biobed beneath the silver sheets. In horror, Deanna felt a tickling familiar warmth and feel she hadn't felt in over a decade. "Oh my god.." she moaned. Her eyes failed to tell her brain whom she was really seeing. Her face went pale and Dr. Crusher and the EMH grabbed her before she could fall in her shock. "What is going on here?" she cried softly.. The EMH became no nonsense.. "Now listen here young lady. The first thing we need to do is get you lying down. We'll answer your questions concerning that woman later on once you've been thoroughly examined." he looked at Dr. Crusher. "I take it she had a tracheal spasm recently.." Beverly nodded. Deanna broke out of both of their arms and her face suddenly flushed red in anger and she trembled, glaring at Kirk and Spock and pointing to the still figure she could see lying on the bed. "What kind of cruel joke are you all playing?? Just who is this woman!! It can't be her. It can't be!! Tasha's dead! She died eleven years ago..trying to get to my shuttle. Armus killed h--" her face screwed up in sadness. She went over to the woman and saw that it was truly Tasha Yar, lying there, now fully healed but sleeping, and she lightly laid her fingers on her face and lips. She could feel Tasha's strong individual signature, like daylight in her mind. "How can this be??" she demanded of those around her. Her voice was a tight whisper. Beverly Crusher broke a confidence when she got a nod from both Spock and Kirk to tell her what she had been hiding. "We know this is difficult Deanna. When we found you on the patio, Barclay's traces weren't the only ones in that house. Starfleet security also found evidence of artificially created life. Artificial, like Data's." "No.." Troi cried. "Hear me out.. Now Tasha's your best friend. If anyone can jar your memory and bring it back to us it will be her. And she's also Data's best friend. If he does indeed have any alterior motive concerning you now, she would know upon seeing him, for she knows how he should be normally better than any of us ever could. So we brought her back...." Dr. Crusher told her. "Stop it.." Deanna shouted. "This is sacrilege! A hideous abuse of the time laws. The dead should remain dead." she said frantically. "Who's responsible for this travesty...?" "Calm yourself counselor.." the EMH told her moving behind her to restrain the counselor if necessary. Beverly added. "Deanna, Yar's return was fully authorized by Starfleet Command and Vulcan both." "I don't believe it.." But then Deanna saw Spock standing there and the truth was in his subtle emotional presence as it was in Beverly's spoken words. Strong and calm. And telling the truth beyond all doubt. "Why?" she said finally, she sank down on a stool offered to her not daring to let go of Tasha's arm for fear of losing her again to the past and death itself. "Why use Tasha this way..? If you need some justification or way to jar my lost memory, surely Commander Riker could help me too! He knows me better than my own mother." "Yes, but the commander is still away from Earth. He has yet to hear of this attack on you." Kirk said. "Has a message been sent to him Beverly?" "Not yet. We can do that now if you wish..." she said. "Yes...Please." she sobbed. "Bring my Imzadi to me..." Deanna said and she passed out into the EMH's grip. She did not know that her grip never loosened on Tasha's uniform in the slightest even in her faint. The medical team decided to keep them in contact with each other, keeping both biobeds side by side as close as they could. ---------------------- Starfleet authorized the call to be sent to Commander Riker to report to Earth immediately on a priority hail. =^=Starfleet Command to the USS Enterprise, Come in. Code One Five One Alpha. Priority Two.=^= ---------------------------- (attachments) Image: Doctor Crusher standing in front of colored dots. Image: A screen grab of Barclay seducing Counselor Troi on the holodeck. ******************************* Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 23:38:56 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: The New Seven Seven of Nine checked her messages on her terminal before leaving her Academy Quarters. It had been a long three years since Commander Chakotay and she had given up on their relationship. But Seven couldn't exactly say that she felt any remorse about it. ::He seems a lot happier with Captain Janeway. :: she concluded as if her analysis solved all of her problems in that regard. ::And I, still have the doctor.:: She clearly recalled their "date" at the opera house earlier that week viewing a Klingon extravaganza.. ::I should thank Ambassador K'Ehleyr for the suggestion. It was most....invigorating..:: she thought. It was fun going on their weekly trips to the opera houses around the world. ::And we still have 14,747 of them to go before we're through. Perhaps we should see three a week to get in most of them. I already know I'll live around 250 years. I've my cybernetic Borg implants to thank for that.:: Seven of Nine donned her blue uniform, the one she knew most humans liked on her personage, and headed out into the morning sunlight. She walked purposely down the stony cobblestones towards the eating area of the Academy holding her books for her class that day. She regarded them with very real regret. "I should be teaching that class on the Borg. Not taking it. Starfleet couldn't have had a better authority on the subject than I." "Ah, yes...." came a voice behind her. "But then again. You are not yet a Starfleet officer..Seven of Nine, tertiary adjunct of Unimatrix zero, zero one. And only officers can teach here." Seven turned on her blue shoes, surprised that someone had approached her without her knowledge. She saw an old human who was apparently the Academy's groundskeeper kneeling in the petunias. "How did you know my old Borg designation? That information is classified for security reasons. Only officers of lieutenant's rank or higher would be able to access it." "Ah, but then again, I just may be another officer... Don't let my muddy appearance fool you." Boothby said of this new prospect. He had long awaited her arrival to his garden grounds. Now he had a job to do. The one Kirk already knew about. "Perhaps I should report you for vandalizing the grounds." Seven lifted her silver implanted brow at the pockets of missing flowers she saw around her in many of the flower beds surrounding the exBorg and gardener. "Don't get sassy with me young lady..! Don't you recognize predation when you see it? And I thought Mr. Kirk was kidding me about seeing one of those tiny fuzzy things." "To what are you referring,..Mr......" Seven asked. "Boothby!! Just plain Boothby.. And Tribbles..missy. I thought Kirk was kidding too. Now look at them..." he said flinging a hand at the chewed on gardens all around them. "One tribble did all that?" Seven said skeptically. "You bet your sweet blue biffy, it did! And when I catch it....." he warned.. rubbing his dirty hands together.. "You'll what?" Seven inquired mildly. "Kill it? Tribbles are an endangered species now. Ever since the war. Klingons devastated the Tribble Home System.." "Says who?" Seven broke off into a Borg access file. "Species number 84. Tribble. Known for a vast appetite consuming biomatter. No technological distinctiveness ever found on that world." and her eyes came back into focus. "Oh. I see." Boothby said. "I see Miss Janeway never bothered to detach useless information from your memory. Doesn't it pain you? Still holding the data and life memories of those you killed by assimilation?" His pry didn't get Seven's heart at all. For that was long healed. "Captain Janeway said retaining those accounts would help me shape my individual personality since reforming Annika Hansen's proved to be futile. I believe it has.." she added softly. "I am my own person now." "Hmm." grunted Boothby appraisingly. His opinion of the first Borg victim he had ever met swept up many notches. ::She may be just another Starfleet cadet. But she's all human now...:: "Carry on, cadet.." he said and then ignored her for his new task of replanting those flowers that had been tribble tipped. ::Janeway did a nice job salvaging her. Now it'll be up to me to see if this Woman with a Number for a Name will ever make officer's grade material. :: Seven of Nine turned as Boothby did, not seeing his abrupt termination of their conversation as the gruff rebuttal Boothby intended her to see. She made her way into class and saw that the course had been cancelled due to extenuating circumstances developing in Building Five. "I wonder what's so important there?" Seven wondered, leveling a hand over her eyes so she could see that building. "That edifice doesn't have a dedication plague on its cornerstone like all the other structures at Starfleet. And I've never seen anyone actually ambulate to its interior, so,.. it is a site of covert operations where its personnel can enter by beaming only." Satisfied with her analysis, Seven continued back the way she had come to her quarters. Boothby, still working a short distance away had heard her verbalized thinking. ::Bravo Lucky Number Seven. Bravo. I've a feeling you'll learn very fast as a cadet. I'm going to watch you very very carefully. I've just marked you as this year's special. Just like I did for Kirk, Janeway and Picard during their cadet academy days.:: --------------------------------------- Seven of Nine hit the special toggle on her computer that usually summoned the EMH to her visual screen but she got a flashing note from the campus computer instead. #EMH responding to a medical emergency. Please stand by..# the overhead speaker announced to Seven. "Computer. His location." #Starfleet Medical. Ward One. Biobed Two.# ::How strange. The doctor is not Starfleet's EMH any longer. He is just....the doctor.:: But Seven did not inquire into his situation. If it mattered someone biological would report it to her soon enough. After all, she was Captain Janeway's personal aide to Starfleet. She asked the computer another question instead, remembering how her old shipmates used to locate her on Voyager. She tapped her combadge. =^= Computer. Locate Captain Janeway. =^= #Captain Janeway is in Starfleet Medical. Ward One. Near biobed two.# "So, the doctor's medical emergency is also hers. Interesting." Her new found human curiosity getting the best of her, Seven of Nine decided to try a skill Naomi Wildman used to try to teach her years ago. The art, of snooping. Chakotay said that she had actually mastered it one night during one of their arguments prior to their breakup.::Let's see if the commander proved correct.:: And Seven left for Starfleet Medical. Along the way, she used every Borg enhanced sense to watch Building Five closely on the route across campus. --------------------------------- Data was still sitting in Jean Luc Picard's family library when he got the call to report to Starfleet Headquarters. He excused himself gracefully from the Picard's vineyard family and got there in 4.7 minutes to the Main Starfleet Headquarters building, just outside its main entrance. It was almost full noon here where it had been late night before. The sudden effect of transplanetary beaming on Earth was still a marvel to him. He was met by four security guards and a Starfleet Captain he had only heard about from the newsvids of five years ago. "Captain Janeway. What a pleasant surprise.." he said warmly. "Not so pleasant I'm afraid, lieutenant commander. We're taking you into custody for the attempted murder of counselor Deanna Troi." she said evenly. "Captain? There must be some mistake. I was at the Picard winery all this week and before that, I was on Vulcan visiting Ambassador Spock at his main office to learn Vulcan Interplanetary Governmental Duties. I am completely innocent of these charges." Janeway looked pained but she didn't come within five meters of the android. Then she held out her hand. "I'm sorry, Mr. Data. But I'm going to have to ask you to turn over your Starfleet combadge immediately." "Of course captain. May I see the counselor?" he said, tossing the badge to his nearest guard. "No. Come with us." A security guard said quickly when Janeway hesitated in her reply. Data saw the red headed captain nod her next order, very reluctantly. "Take him away ensigns.." ____________________________ Data soon found himself in an altered brig, one that would even contain his android abilities strangely inside Starfleet Medical. ::I seem to be adjacent to Ward One. How curious.:: he thought and he sat down patiently to await the next outcome of his new experience. It didn't take long. Janeway soon returned with Chakotay in tow. They didn't share niceties. And asked a whole battery of inflammatory questions of Data about his past whereabouts, future intentions and other personal matters. Data did not take offense. He answered each and everyone of their queries in turn until they had run out of them. Then he asked. "I am very concerned about Counselor Troi. She is an old shipmate. Is she all right? No one has volunteered anything about her state of health to me since I've been incarcerated." Captain Janeway and Chakotay glanced at each other in reluctance and Janeway sighed. "She's fine, Mr. Data. Now. She was near death when they found her but Reginald Barclay's fast action saved her." "How was she harmed?" "You tell us android." Chakotay said with a little heat. "Easy commander.." Janeway said, putting a calm hand on his shoulder. "Can't you see Mr. Data's upset by this?" Data lifted both his eyebrows and tilted his head in a gentle reprimand, "Ah,, the good cop-bad cop rountine. Shall I react with the amount of fear I've seen in the holomovies showing this technique? I can be very convincing with my new emotion chip.." Again Janeway and Chakotay fell into silence. Then finally, Janeway ordered the guards in the room to lower a holographic wall to one side. Data started forward in reflex when he saw Deanna Troi lying on a biobed next to Tasha Yar. "Tasha!!" Data shouted. His voice was far from sterile. "It's Data!! Answer me!! Counselor!!" It was filled with anguish. He bounced off the invisible containment field keeping him inside the cell and outside of the sickbay ward chamber. When his old friends failed to stir, Data turned off his emotion chip and looked at Spock, McCoy,Bev Crusher, Reg Barclay and Kirk and said three words. "I don't understand.." At that point Seven of Nine entered the room. Janeway saw her and snapped, "Seven! You don't have authorization to be in this room! Report back to class." "Classes have been cancelled due to events today I believe have been linked to this Medical Bay. And I do have the proper authority to report to you as your personal aide. Starfleet Command's summons has reached the Enterprise. Commander Riker's people has said he heard the message from Starfleet Command ordering him back to Earth." "You delivered your message, now go..." At first she thought Janeway was upset with her for seeing Chakotay again, however vague the association. But then her better instincts told her that Captain Janeway was trying to protect her from something. Despite all that, Seven felt her mouth working, "No.." she said. "I.... wish to speak to the doctor.." she said flickering her eyes to the EMH. Janeway flashed an impatient frown. "You've got one minute. Then leave.." "Understood, captain...." she eyed Chakotay looking at her with multiple emotions. He had not known Seven had applied and had been accepted into Starfleet academy. "Commander..." she said as a way of greeting and farewell. Seven did not wish to lose either friendship with her old Voyager commanders, so she did the quickest thing. She did as she was told for the moment. She went to the EMH's side, glancing up at both medical displays on Deanna and Yar. They were both stable and out of crisis. Seven blinked at the holodoc. "Why are you still here? Their emergencies are over. You should be attending your symposium." "I can't Seven.." the holodoc said gently. "Why not?" "Because the man I'm to be listening to is right here. Seven of Nine, meet Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, lately, an admiral. And his former Captain, James T. Kirk." "Admiral. Captain." The EMH went on, "You already know Ambassador Spock. He officiated at Voyager's homecoming ceremonies." Seven was oblivious to the Vulcan greeting. "Spock." she said. Spock inclined his head slightly. "Seven." The EMH drew on Seven's arm until she was out of earshot of the three... "Now I want you to turn right around and go back home, Seven. It's dangerous for you to be here. There's a possible murderer on campus." "You mean, he's a suspect?" she asked of Data, still looking stunned in his cell. "Yes, well. No, that's a ruse to bring.. Well Yes.. I suppose so.." "Be precise doctor. Isn't that something I taught you?" Seven said with a slight smile. The EMH rolled his eyes sheepishly. "All right. Yes and no." Seven grabbed the bull by the horns and turned to face Janeway. "I see no reason to leave. I already have "seen" too much. I believe that's the colloquial expression for having learned too much of a forbidden subject." "Oh? How so?" Janeway said. Seven launched into her logic. "From the medical scans of the woman on the right. She's from out of time. There's enough temporal residue still in her tissues for my occular implant to see. The counselor's semi conscious condition is most likely due to post operative and post traumatic stress syndrome. She is clinging to that clothing tightly. Hence she knows the woman well. For anyone who doesn't love someone else would never have the power to keep such a grasp while unconscious. Judging from the color of the hypospray in Dr. McCoy's hand, she's most likely just been injected with Iniprovaline. Iniprovaline is well known to be a memory regenerator over time. So, it's logical to assume that her companion next to her has been brought out of time to jar her memory of what ever incident this android, " Seven said pointing to Data in his nearby brig space, "now stands accused of committing." Seven turned to Janeway. "Am I close? Or need I rephrase a few things." The EMH voiced his feelings. "Oh, my. Are we in trouble now." he mumbled. "Seven, you should have just stuck with your message and have been done with it." he said, taking her hand in sympathy. Seven turned and saw Kirk scowling at her. And strangely, she didn't care. For it had come to pass in the five years since she became a full resident of Earth that Seven disliked being kept in the dark very much.. ::The deceptions stop now..:: her eyes flashed back at them all. Janeway said, "I think I need some coffee right about now." "I'll go get some.." "I'll go get some.." Chakotay and Seven said at exactly the same time.. Janeway's mind groaned inwardly, ::Oh how well I know them both.:: ---------------------------------- (attachments) *animated gif* Seven in many guises, from naked(tastefully done) to righteous. Gif: The Starfleet Academy Logo. Image: Data promo face shot on a black background. ***************************** From :"Clairissa Fox" Subject :The Bush Monster Date : Wed, 09 Jan 2002 17:41:50 +0000 I woke up in my bed like always and remembered that I was on Earth. I had to be brave because father said I had to be. I wasn't even when I was supposed to be. He was way back in time. But I wasn't. Captain Kirk had brought me and my mother through the big donut that glowed so mother could help with some dumb human investigation about Deana Troy. Somebody hurt her but the one who did it wasn't around anywhere. I heard the tall man with the points for ears, Spock, say that the perpetrater might still be around the Academy somewhere. But I knew better than to get security mad. They were on to me every day anyway. It seemed like I could turn a corner and there they were, asking to see my Starfleet Id, so I got to wearing it around my neck like an honor sash. That way they only looked and didn't stop me from playing. "Are you two humans satisfied that I belong here now? Captain Kirk himself brought me and my mother who's ambassador Keylerr to you so back off! I got the backing of a real captain and her behind me. I'm not just any child. I'm important! But I know the rules around this weak human school so you don't have to watch me like a whipped P'tak all the time, ok?" It felt good being mad. And I saw the guards smile because they were afraid of me and were hiding it. I growled at them one more time and walked away down the sidewalk. ::Hey! I could go hunting! It seemed the man working like a woman in the gardens was hunting something. Maybe I could help him.:: So I went over to him and stood there until he saw me. "What can I do for you young man?" said Bootby. "I saw you out here and I also saw that an animal wrecked the human pretty plants all over. I'm part Klingon. But my father's all Klingon. Maybe you could use me to hunt the V'dmerr that did all that. I can smell anything that moves." I told him. "Oh really. You must be Alexander Rashenko. Heard about you. Captain Kirk told me he'd grab you and your mother through the Guardian of Forever so she could help Ambassador Spock with his investigation of Counselor Troi's attack." the man said. I looked at him and saw something that looked like a weapon in a cart. "Wow! Is this a human Bateleth?" I said lifting a curving metal sword. I didn't know humans were mean enough to make swords. "That, my son, is a sickle. I use it to cut away the rhododendrens on the paths by Building Five. Go ahead and swing it around. See that tall bush next to that tree? That's a vine that needs killing. Go ahead. I'll watch you." I couldn't believe a human was letting me use a weapon! Even father only let me use one on a holodeck. Mum punished me by sending me to bed without my supper when I found her phaser in her drawer in the sleeping room yesterday. So I was still hungry. And I hadn't found the food room yet. I couldn't find it because I didn't know what human foods smelled like to track them. But I wasn't about to tell this Bootby digger that. I was mad that I was hungry so I went right up to that bush and imagined it was a Borg! I swung that curvy weapon and it sliced through it. I pretended it screamed and squirted out its guts all gory and orange and red. Then I fell down and fought it breaking it into little pieces and chewing on them. I was too little for a blood rage mum said but I could pretend it, couldn't I? Then I rose and brushed off the enemy and turned back to Bootby and bowed, handing him his sword back. "Thank you. You have shone great honor in letting me use this sword in battle in your name. I declare the enemy,...vanquished!!" Boothby didn't laugh, he accepted the gardening sickle back from Alexander and said solemnly, "I shall forever remember the day a son of the House of Mogh did battle in my homeland." "I shall be on the look out for the V'dmerr that you are currently trying to track. I know these creatures. They hate Klingons." That done. I showed the weakling human that I could bury my kills too. I lugged the heavy branches of the bush monster back to the old human's cart and made sure it was piled high so it could be burned like all monsters should. Then I left without a backward look. Boothby started chuckling when he heard the tiny Klingon boy's stomach growl so he called out. "The cafeteria's right down that path you're on. Just walk straight until you see another bush monster and then turn right. It's the tall white building smelling like human coffee!!" I knew I should of turned and been human polite to the digger but I was pretending to be a big Klingon Warrior. So I didn't. Boothby regarded the young Klingon child with amusement and scratched his head. ::Maybe the boy can find that annoying tribble for me. I haven't been able to find it yet.:: ----------------------------------------------------- I got into the eating room the digger advised me how to locate and I got a tray that was purple, the color of Klingon blood. I walked up to the replicator and said. "You there! Give me some Gaahhhg!!" #Cannot comply. No living annelids allowed on campus. By order of the gardener Boothby.# ::Figures:: I thought.:: He's so human he doesn't know how to keep dinner from crawling into the gardens..:: So I scrolled down the menufax and found something that looked like Gaahhhg. It was orange and it was called spaghetti.. "Close enough.." I said. I got some grape juice so no one knew I didn't have blood wine with my meal. I sat down by a big window so I could keep my eye out for the furry V'dmerr and any more bush monsters that I might be able to slay for the digger after lunch. Then I looked at my watch. It was one and the sun was high in the human sky. My mother would be doing her important ambassador stuff in the Main Headquarters building right now. But my instincts were telling me that she wasn't there. My skin was crawling. Something wasn't right. And my hair went up whenever I thought of Building Five, the place the digger told me about. ::Now why would that bug me? Mother and I came through that donut gate two days ago. Unless, unless, Captain Kirk wasn't through bringing people in from out of time yet.:: Now that sounded like it was shaping up to be a quest. So I ate like a bigger Klingon and finished my meal. I buried my tray in the slot too. Just in case the V'dmerr was around. I wouldn't want it to have more V'Dmerrs just because I was careless. Then I went walking again in the jungly gardens. There were no bushmonsters on that path but my instincts were crawling and I kept growling without thinking about it. Then I saw the big building where all the doctors and nurses worked Starfleet Medical. I walked like a human and got inside and got into a turbolift until I was at the leader human's floor, Beverly Crusher Chief Medical Officer. The lift opened and I knew I had found the place making my skin crawl. There were a lot of people in the room and two ladies were lying on medibeds. Captain Kirk and Spock both were there and Mr. Data was in jail! This I had to see better so I snuck into a dark place and backed up until the shadows made my skin and eyes disappear. But then I smelled perfume!! Oh! Humans were here in the dark office with me. So I called out. "Hey,, I can smell you two female humans. Why are you hiding in here like a P'tak about to be whipped?" My eyes got better in the black and I saw a light skinned human in blue and another one whose skin was as dark as mine in red. She reminded me of mother. I waited for them to speak. They had to for I had found them out. ------------------------------------------ (attachment) Image: Alexander with Worf, K'Ehleyr on the Bridge of the Enterprise in a family portrait. ***************************** From: "Alex D" Date: Wed Jan 9, 2002 9:48 pm Subject: Not Staying Off the Grass. "You call that stable cadet?" Jadzia asked, as she wandered along the benches reading from a PADD, looking up momentarily to wink, "The scanning beam has to be perfectly aligned, and you can't get that unless it's stable," "The generator is perfectly stable....I've checked every circuit," the Cadet pleaded. "Re-calibrate the power supply," Dax suggested, as she wandered over to look at the results of some of the other scans, "An Inverse Modulation?" she said approvingly, glancing at one laptop display, "Never hurts to read up on the manual, does it?" she winked. This was her teaching style, keeping things moving, always walking, always interacting with different groups. She taught the way she lived. This was a specialist field Science class, first year cadets, but Dax lectured a wide variety of subjects to the more experienced cadets. Her Klingon hadn't gotten rusty, she thought with a wry smile. "Ma'am?" No time for a trip down memory lane. "Cadet?" "The other classes have been dismissed," the benzite cadet informed her, "I went to acquire a power cell, but the entire block has been cleared, the computer has announced that an unspecified situation is occurring," Jadzia shook her head, she'd disabled the audio warning on her terminal. "Are we dismissed, Ma'am?" "No," she said sharply, "Finish scan sequence one...then pack up," Jadzia wondered outside, the sliding doors leading out of the Sciences annexe at Starfleet Academy, and into the grounds. Just as expected Boothby was tending the grounds. No Dax had been at the Academy on a day when Boothby was not diligently tending his beds. Approaching him from behind, she allowed her smile to come into her voice. "Boothby," she said. He didn't turn around, "Well well, haven't you got a class to give some assignment too?" "Someone has cancelled classes," Jadzia said carefully, "I though that if anyone knew....you would?" "Well, you were wrong, and if I don't get these buds gone today..." Jadzia stepped over him, over the railing around the flower bed, picked a rose, and let it drop onto the pavement. Boothby shook his head, "Why'd you do that?" he demanded, "Always the impatient one..." "Do you know?" "What am I? A Terminal? Go channel a console if you want the official version," the old man snorted. "Boothby....Boothby!" she said. "I knew it, a little impatience bubbling over....been on paradise a little too long have we? Looking for some sort of adventure? Try Starfleet Medical...Ward One...." he said, "Some one's monkeying around with the way things should be, it's going on up there," "Thank You," Jadzia smiled. "And since your going to step around the rules today, missy, go and find Harry Kim...he works for Building Five... he doesn't come and demand information...so he won't have it," Boothby said, in his usual tone. "And you can put that rose on your desk..to remind you not to stamp all over my beds," "You might bump into someone else familiar there...probably still in that d@mn set of pyjamas.... Yellow...." he muttered. Jadzia smiled inwardly as she walked away, not the first time a Dax had met Boothby, and had the same reaction. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Months...Years.... Well, at one time in his life, Harry Kim would have felt elation just at entering Building Five. Working on classified things, working in a building without a door.... just the name of the place 'Building Five.... But behind the smokescreen 'research , it was an operations job. Harry thought of it as a stepping stone.... Maybe Operations Chief at Utopia Planitia...or the ASDB... Anyhow...it was just work, high profile assignment, and the perks were hard to ignore. Libby was happy, because he was on his way to a better job. "Hello?" :: *Hello* ? Nobody in this building needed to say Hi... or, for that matter, Hello... :: Harry walked out of the office he was in, which looked down upon the project centrepiece. Back in the corridors. "Hello?" he responded, "Anybody there?" "Hello," Jadzia waved from five metres away, and closed rapidly, "I'm Jadzia," she said. "Harry Kim," he managed, "Are you... cleared for this level?" Dax regarded him with an amused expression, "Do I need to be, is this classified?" "Well...Yes, Ma'am," Harry said, feeling an odd desire to stand to attention. This woman was wearing a Starfleet uniform, but he hadn't seen any rank pips yet. "I was looking for.... James Kirk," she ventured. Harry took this completely normally, "He's not here...." "How did you....?" he began to ask, realising, from her unwavering gaze, "You didn't know he was here....but you do, now," he admitted to himself. :: Nice one Harry....become a little too used to this classified stuff? :: "Something's going on Harry," Jadzia stepped closer to him, "Let's go and find out..." Harry had glanced through the logs being sent to Kirk care of Building Five.... and it appeared something was happening in Ward One, Starfleet Medical... it had been sealed off...and Kim had noted Janeway and Chakotay arriving there....as well as some unusual power to a forcefield set up.. Realising Jadzia was watching him carefully, he nodded, "The transporter's still set for Ward One," Dax nodded, and followed him. Harry called out, "Energise..." and the two were standing in the ante-room of Dr. Beverly Crusher's office. Jadzia walked straight in...risking a quick tricorder scan, to check her timing. Harry caught up with her...and they both stepped in to the ward to see the collection of people assembled. ---------------------------------------- (attachments) Image : An older Harry Kim, matured by years. Still youngish. Image: A closeup face view of a very curious Jadzia Dax. ********************************* Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 20:54:49 -0800 (PST) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: Dusting Off A Relic The sounds of metal banging and clanging filled the hall as cadets and new plebes passed a lab door in Science Building Six, adjacent to Starfleet Medical. The door to the lab was marked forbodingly, "Enter at your own risk." That sight was combined with a noxious smell which made them nauseous if they stayed near too long in the hall. So they hastily went about their business. The metal banging went on for a few more moments when a new noise was heard, it was followed by a rather colorful explicative in highland Gaelic. (When a student later inquired about what he had heard, and what Deora Ar Mi Chroi.. meant, his instructor said, "Up yer shaft,.." with a face that could bluff a pair, straight to a royal.) What was being assaulted, looked like a transporter accident involving numerous plumbing fixtures and kitchen appliances combined with what could be mistaken for a painful Klingon interrogation device. One could only imagine what function or engineering marvel this construct being built would perform if ever installed on a Starship. Almost reverently, the somewhat famous, or perhaps infamous engineer, Montgomery Scott, finally finished the last adjustment on the project that so intrigued those passing outside his lab door. With a pause... he threw the switch! The strange device began to emit an eerie hum. Lightd began blinking on and off in rapid sequence on Scotty's console. The aged engineer grabbed a classic tricorder which he had personally upgraded, and scanned the machine's functioning. It was as close to his original design as he believed possible now. The unknown device continued to process until a beep sounded. It went quiet. A panel nearby opened and a container about the size of a coffee cup appeared. A smile appeared on Scotty's face as he lifted the cup to his lips. "So far, so good. But the proof's in the haggus." The contents from the cup were drained in one gulp. For a moment nothing seemed to happen then, "....*gasp*..Ccchhhookkeeee *sputter* ..." he coughed, "...ahhhhh, now that's what I call Scotch." He created and drained another cup. Scotty decided to toast one more on the success of his secret project on his third glass. He happily gulped it down and smiled contentedly, and then his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. He was unconscious before he even hit the lab floor. Moments later, a signal was received at Starfleet Medical's bioflag monitoring system that a person was down, condition unknown in Building Six, Lab Four. #Medical Emergency Building Six. Science Lab.# the computer said aloud. Janeway and Chakotay looked up and saw the EMH was still busy stabilizing Tasha Yar. "Computer, what is the situation?" Janeway asked. # One lifesign noncritical. Human not responsive to automatic hailing.# it replied. "Computer initiate site to site transport of your emergency to our location." Chakotay ordered. The computer responded, #Transporting now.# On an empty biobed, a cascade light effect appeared foretelling the arrival of a patient. It completed its cycle in moments. Janeway and Chakotay approached the bed. "Chakotay, is that who I think it is?" she asked. And Chakotay nodded in awe, scanning the fallen man with a modern medical tricorder. "Now I know I'm in a room filled with living legends." The EMH spoke up from where he worked. "What's his problem over there?" Chakotay read his screen, grinning, "Ah, his blood alcohol is unusually high.....He seems to be sleeping it off." Kirk and McCoy glanced up sharply at that comment. "Noo..." Bones said. Then they saw the patient was indeed their old friend from days long gone. Then he grinned, "It's nothing that he hasn't done before ever since his retirement from Starfleet." Spock looks at his original Enterprise motley crew and said, "Captain, it appears that the "gang", is all here.." Kirk said, "I couldn't have said it better myself." --------------------------------------------- The EMH said, "I'm through here," and he left Yar's side, moving to Scotty's bed. "I'm a guest but I'll take a look at him." he said sarcastically. The doctor looked at Scott's bioscan and said. "Time to wake up sleeping beauty.." and he removed a hypospray from a nearby tray and gave a not too gentle press with it to Scotty's neck. The telltale hiss was audible and after several moments the engineer's eyes blinked open and a groan escaped from his lips. "I'm getting too old for this." "One would think 125 years of experience would have shown you that an overindulgence of alcohol is detrimental to your health." the EMH said sarcastically. "But this time you only suceeded in giving yourself one grand daddy of a hangover." "Going ta give me something for it?" Scotty asked. "No." "What kind of programming do they give you things now? Torturing a man who's suffering from a wee bout.." he groaned. But then Scotty noticed an android in a cell nearby and two lovely ladies on two other biobeds near his. Then he got a really good look at everyone around him. His jaw dropped. And for a moment he didn't know what to say. "I must really be drunk. Lost captains and fake doctors and really old friends all in the same hallucination." He layed back and closed his eyes. "I think I'll stay right here until I'm sober." "You are sober...." the EMH said authoritatively. "I've neutralized the alcohol in your system. Whatever hallucinations you think you are experiencing are quite real." Janeway smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you Captain Scott. I've wanted to meet you since I read about you being revived in our century." "I know one particular engineer who'd love to make your personal acquaintance, sir. B'Elanna Torres." Chakotay commented. Scotty looked at Captain Kirk and asked of no one in particular. "Why is that android over there wearing a Starfleet uniform and why do you have the laddie locked up?" Janeway replied, "Mr. Scott that's going to take a while to explain. Here. Read this." and she handed him a data padd. "Ok." Montgomery said. "Hey what's that? " he asked sniffing, "It's perfume.." "I beg your pardon.." Janeway said, "I'm not wearing any.." "Captain Kirk.. Isn't that Uhura's brand? I swear it's exactly the way I remember it. It's coming from over there.." and he pointed to the dark office. "Computer lights.." he called out. And the lights came up in Doctor Crusher's office exposing Alexander, Nurse Chapel, and Lt. Uhura. "Oh, NOW the gang's all here, Mr. Spock." Then he saw Uhura and Chapel hadn't aged a day.."Captain, " he said to Kirk. "You haven't been messin around with that blasted Guardian again have you? Don't you remember how much trouble we had the last time with that confounded contraption?" and he looked at McCoy apologetically. ------------------------------ (attachment) *animated gif* Scotty in a jeffries tube surrounded by electrical bolts, working madly. ************************** From: "Samantha Rose" Date: Sun Jan 13, 2002 6:38 pm Subject: Truth Be Told Soft music streamed from the speakers, and the lights were dimmed. Enough, though, that one could still catch up on status reports while enjoying the comfort of their quarters. Commander William T. Riker walked out of his personal bathroom, a towel draped around his shoulders, data PADD in hand. He scrolled down the tiny screen as he walked over to a long couch. Sitting down, he propped his feet up on the opposite end and leaned back. At that time, an intership hail came from the bridge. "Bridge to Commander Riker, we've just recieved a message for you from Earth. It's marked urgent." the voice of the officer on deck overpowered the music, causing Will to sit up in his chair. "Route it to my quarters." The officer acknowledged and the Enterprise's first officer went to his computer terminal. Opening the text, he quickly read it. At the sight of the message written, he quickly closed it and went to the closet to grab a clean uniform, hitting his comm badge on the way. "Riker to Shuttle Bay 2, prep a Type IV shuttle for departure immediatly." the Commander was changed and ready to leave the ship in a matter of minutes. After informing Captain Picard of his leave, Riker headed for the shuttle bay. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Galileo streamed through space as it travelled to Earth. Inside, Commander Riker was at the helm. By this time it has been about 30 minutes since he had recieved the message from SFA about Deanna. The messanger had only informed him about Deanna and gave no reason for her condition. The only reason that came to his mind was it had to be connected in some way to her Betezoid abilities, things like that had happened in the past. A few moments passed by, and Commander Riker began his descent into Earth's atmosphere. After a short while, Starfleet Academy came into visual range. The landing platform was just off to the left. Riker piloted the shuttle into a landing. Will didn't even bother to power down the engines, and headed straight for Starfleet Medical, Ward One. He didn't even notice the details of the campus, or the ominous look of Building Five. It hadn't even occured to him that there was not a single door leading inside the building. The Commander quickly made his way past various other buildings and through the gardens on his way to the Medical building. A ruffled Boothby peered up from on of his chewed flower beds with curiousity. No doubt the hurried man was following the path of the others. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The doors to the Ward One flew open as that tall first officer entered the room. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight that met his gaze. Captain Kirk, Bones McCoy, Montgomery Scott, Voyager Command, and, ::Data?:: Commander Riker came to the transparent holding cell of his android friend. A full security detail guarded the door. That's when he spotted Dr. Crusher and an odd looking bald man standing between two bio-beds. Will quickly made his way towards them. He, again, stopped short when he saw who was lying on the first medical bed. With a surprised looked, he approached Dr. Crusher. "Doctor, just what the h#ll is going on here?" Beverly closed her tricorder and turned to face her collegue. "A very large chain of events, and a long story." Dr. Crusher gave him an apologetic look and went about her work of maintaining her patients' stabel condition. The EMH noticed this exchange and stepped to Commander Riker's side. "Perhaps I can be of some assistance." Will turned to find the bald man standing next to him, not tall enough to look him in the eye, therefore craning his neck somewhat. The two stared at each other for a minute or so and Will finally gave a sigh. "Very well. Please. Clear this all up." he waved his hand around, indicating the mass of people there. The EMH gave the Commander a "know-all" look and started. "Well, from what Dr. Crusher has told me, Counselor Troi collapsed during a workout this morning. Apparently the grafted tissues in her trachia could not withstand the physical..." as he started to go into the basics, Commander Riker stopped. "Hold up. Grafted tissues? What grafted tissues?" The EMH, again, started to explain, Riker grabbed him by his holographic uniform, "What's wrong with Deanna!?" A look of surprise filled the holo-doc's simulated eyes and the Commander soon realized what he was doing. Letting go of the Doctor, he quickly apologized. Smoothing wrinkles from his uniform, the holodoc went on, "As I was saying. Counselor Troi was with Dr. Crusher this morning. She experience some problems and was transfered here. When she walked in, she caught sight of the other patient. I believe she was identified as...Tasha Yar." The EMH nodded. "Yes, Lt. Tasha Yar." he now noticed that Commander Riker wasn't paying attention to him anymore. He was looking over at the bio-bed where the once-deceased officer lay. From there, he looked over at Commander ] Data and then to Troi and Crusher. "If you'll excuse me." Will patted the hologram on the shoulder and in keeping his eye on Dr. Crusher, headed in her direction. As he approached the bio-bed, Troi started to come to. Riker noticed this and in taking her hand told her to be quiet. She looked up at him and smiled. "I am glad you are here, Imzadi." she said. He gave her a warm smile and gently kissed the back of her hand. She became weary again, and a nearby nurse gave her a sedative. Turning to Beverly, he looked at her with a mix of determination and pleading. "Beverly, I need you to tell me exactly what has happened to Deanna and why am I here?" he looked at her and then to the two bio-beds that held Troi and Yar. By this time, Commander Riker's presence was well known and those around who were not properly informed on the recent events, were curious as to his arrival. Will eyed each person in that room and then came back to Doctor Crusher. She sighed and placed her tricorder on a nearby tray, and began to tell him the horrifying story of Deanna's attack... ------------------------ (attachments) Image : Riker looking concerned in his gray uniform and maroon turtleneck. Gif: A white older logo for Paramount Pictures. *************************************** From: "Andy Anda" Date: Sun Jan 13, 2002 9:55 pm Subject: tribble 1 Tribble is contentedly active with an intense focus on its intent. Its current intent is to find breeding food. But, being pre-sentient and pre-conscious, it isn't quite aware of itself and its motivations. In the absence of breeding food, Tribble has been quite content to sample other food-types that apparently sustain, but haven't triggered the reproductive hormones. Tribble quickly forgot the comforting hand and dark pocket that gently released him into this paradise of grain-bearing plants. Tribble did not know or care that he had been placed in a few-acre recreated primordial prairie reserve in a region of the Bay area which had a suitable micro-climate. This was both a public services and a research outlets of Star-fleet Medical's agriculture dept. Tribble's instincts kicked in when a rabbit passed by. Observing it for a while, Tribble soon ascertained that it was not a predator and not quite a competitor. So, Tribble began to pattern some of its foraging and predator avoidance behavior on the behavior of this indigenous critter. This instinct for behavior patterning has evolved over the many millennia that Tribble's progenitors have been surviving off-world (just which world was the original tribble home-world is an active area of debate in the Star-fleet Xenobiology literature). Tribble learns the different reactions of the rabbit as different types of shapes fly overhead -- long necks & short tails are ignored, but short necks and long tails mean FREEZE. Tribble no longer remembers or cares about the dark pocket world and its occasionally visiting hand. --------------------------------- (attachments) None. ***************************** END WEEK ONE RECAP 01-14-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub WEEK TWO RECAP 01-15-02 ************************************* From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : Getting Ahead.... Date : Tue, 15 Jan 2002 10:16:01 +0000 ==================================== >"Computer lights.." he (Scotty) called out. > And the lights came up in Doctor >Crusher's office exposing Alexander, >Nurse Chapel, and Lt. Uhura. >"Oh, NOW the gang's all here, Mr. Spock." > Then he saw Uhura and Chapel hadn't aged >a day.."Captain, " he said to Kirk. >"You haven't been messin around with >that blasted Guardian again have you? >Don't you remember how much trouble we >had the last time with that confounded >contraption?" and he looked at McCoy >apologetically. Judging from the high color on Kirk's face as his long time ship's engineer associate exposed Uhura and Chapel's out of time youth to the old McCoy, and how most of the command grade Starfleeters in the room rubbed their eyes in mutual frustration, Chapel pretty much figured the cat was now out of the bag.. She tapped Uhura's nearby arm as she marvelled over the computer terminal that still transfixed her with its marvelous future time EMH schematics. "Uh, lieutenant... I think you'd better look at this.." Uhura didn't take her eyes off the screen. "I am... These blueprints of this century's EMH technology is fascinating.. Oh, and thanks for putting the lights on, I can see much better n--" her voice trailed off as she realized the voice she heard rumbling a few brief seconds ago had been Scotty's and about the Guardian of Forever.. Kirk's supposedly secret operation.. "Oh,, my.. Christine. Are we in for some trouble.." she gasped when she realized their hiding place had been doubly discovered by the room occupants at large and by whom was apparently, a very tiny Klingon boy. Christine nodded dumbly in agreement. Chapel's eyes shifted between Kirk's ire, Scotty's innocent curiosity, Alexander's questioning Klingon warrior play face and the presence of a few more newcomers to the red haired doctor's ward ; a woman whose face spotted species she did not know and two others in obvious Fleet uniform design but total opposites in their ranking color order. "You can say that again." The oriental man Lieutenant,. Uhura liked right away. ::He's no Sulu, but is he cute.:: Uhura thought of Harry Kim. But she didn't want to get in the way of the big man with the beard. He seemed to know the dark haired patient on the biobed extremely well. ::Are they a pair?:: she wondered. ::And this Commander is spending time by Tasha's side too. He knows her. This tall bearded commander must know that android over there too. This Data's wearing clothes like his and Dr. Crusher's. They all must be crewmates.:: she concluded. Uhura guessed all the people whose uniforms had the color across the shoulders were from the same ship. She automatically lumped Janeway with Chakotay and Harry and hoped she had guessed their ranks right by the future style pips she barely learned about from Kirk's briefing before they came forward in time. Jadzia's origins were a total enigma due to her different breast pin even though her uniform matched Janeway's for style. Seven, on the other hand, was only like the female captain, because of her pin. Struck speechless about what to say to a sputtering Bones and Mr. Scott as they gaped at her still young appearance, she knelt by Alexander instead. She was ironic when she said. "Ever feel like you're gonna get yelled at?" The tiny boy nodded vigorously. "Everyday.." he said. "Well.. my friend here and I are about to pay our dues my fine Klingon friend.. " Uhura said and she took his hand in the traditional Klingon handclasp. "It is a good day to die...." she said solemnly serious, then her face broke out into a wonderful smile that broke the tension in the room. Kirk's rising anger softened and he put his hands on his hips when he realized Uhura had the right of it by mocking the moment. McCoy, just scratched his head once he saw Deanna Troi's sedation had taken proper effect and he said, "Sure ain't no fountain of youth around here I know about..." he muttered. "The Guardian's the only possible answer for Christine and Uhura looking not a day over thirty.." Scotty began to grin at his guessing the Guardian's role in everything.::I'm good. Maybe I should have a wee drink more often.:: he thought to himself. ::I feel as smart as a Vulcan..:: Nurse Chapel began to blush when she got a good look at Spock, her former love interest. ::Oh,, does he age well..:: she decided. "They all do...the captain, Scotty included." as she clearly beheld her future time shipmates as she followed a curious Alexander out of Bev Crusher's office. The EMH cleared his throat and said, "This is nice. But we need a meeting of the minds badly or we'll not know heads from tails.." he said. "I know the history of each of you and the current events. I have just accessed Starfleet Headquarters' Worldwide Database." he blinked at Harry. "Mr. Kim.. you're moving up in the world.. You're Kirk's project secretary for Building Five? I'm impressed.." "So am I.." the current time Janeway muttered. "Chakotay, did you hear of Mr. Kim's promotion? I seemed to have lost track of everything once we got past the reunion party for Voyager's return." Chakotay chuckled, "No..." he said, winking at Harry. "I'm just as surprised as you are." The EMH proceeded to acquaint all present with their mutual identities, places in time/history and then everything that happened to him that morning, starting with his serendipitous meeting with McCoy in his quarters. In the background.. Mr. Data nodded vigorously with each point the holodoctor made but he wasn't heard through the containment field. "Now there's no need for secrecy.. Not about Building Number Five. Nor Deanna's unfortunate incident." He eyed McCoy and Janeway with amusement. "Seems like the morning's lecture headaches will fade away like a bad memory.. Classes campus wide have been cancelled." the holodoc added. "Why?" Alexander wanted to know. He was worried for that meant his mother would be seeking him soon to make him do his Earth Studies early for the day. The EMH rolled his eyes at the Enterprise boy. "Because the Dunkin Donut wishes it.." he joked. "You remember how the Guardian brought you and your mother here to solve a little mystery surrounding the counselor over there. Well, the portal brought Yar and Uhura and Chapel back too, using Captain Kirk's influence with Starfleet for a purpose that may or may not involve that gold shirted android over there.." the holodoc said to Alexander. The boy waved to Data, who innocently naive, waved back, making Alexander laugh. "Oh." Alexander said. The EMH rose facing everyone around him, "So,...we all know what's going on and who's who?" All heads nodded. "Good. Now we can move on with why the Guardian wants us together.. I think we should start with learning more about the night Deanna was attacked, and for that..I need to wake her again." The holodoc injected Deanna Troi with a simple stimulant and her eyes began to flutter. He likewise injected Tasha Yar, so she could relate with all in the room as well. Nurse Chapel leaned in on the EMH and said, "Are you always this successful managing odd situations and people?" He quipped, "I've been around the galactic block you might say, Nurse.. This..." he held out his hand to all present.." ..is a piece of cake." Uhura reached out and tenatively touched the holodoc's sleeve.."He seems so real..." "Of course I'm real!" the holodoc laughed. "Does it matter that I'm made up of photons and forcefields? Oh,," he remembered belatedly. "Your Enterprise has never seen holographic technology.." he said to Uhura.. Right then.. all the current time Starfleet officer's pins erupted in a hail. Uhura's eyes bugged out when she realized that the decorative pins she had been admiring earlier were actually... "Those pins are tiny universal communicators??!" she turned, amused, and accusingly at Christine.. "You never told me about this advancement...." Several minutes went by, and soon, Deanna and Yar were up and talking with the rest of them. All three doctors certified them as fit to get out of bed. Christine and Uhura hung by a wall where they watched Riker, Janeway, Chakotay and Kirk all in close conference, talking about how best to proceed with the investigation Kirk said the Guardian had asked him to organize. "Hey Christine.. The higher ups are schemeing.." Uhura whispered to Scotty and McCoy and Nurse Chapel. Her retorting tease was cut off by Boothby's voice coming uncharacteristically over the commbadges.. =^=Boothby to Starfleet Medical Ward One. I've found something you should see out here in the gardens while I was tracking down the tribble snacking on them.. Oh, yeah.. bring Mr. Data with you.. I'm in the east courtyard by the dedication fountain..=^= Uhura and Christine were nearest the door leading to the turbolifts and got to Boothby before the others.. Chapel looked over her shoulder and she and Uhura made their way over to the wizened Gardener waving them over. "Looks like he never ages.." she quipped to Uhura. "Boothby looks the same way he did when I was a cadet." She knew the others from the ward would follow in due course if they chose. So she stopped looking for them to arrive and concentrated on kneeling down where Boothby sat in the dirt near a pile of wilted flowers. Uhura took his other side and gasped. In the dust, Boothby exposed a frightening sight. She shouted, "Oh my god.. That looks like,, that looks like..." Boothby grew serious. "Yes..., Mr. Data's head. And it's from only two days in the future.." And he brushed the dust away from the hole he had dug from around it. "Now how did it get here, back into the past, where I'd find it right at this particular moment?" Uhura could hardly wait to find out what the others thought when they arrived. "I don't think that marvelous Starfleet EMH is going to have a ready answer for this one.." she quipped. The EMH materialized out of the air making Uhura and Chapel, who were still highly unused to holograms, jump. He steadied them with grips as he knelt, "Another thing you ladies should know.. I'm a hologram with free will. I come and go as I please.." Then he saw what Boothby was pointing to in the shallow hole in the uncovered garden by the fountain. "Mr. Data sure gets around..doesn't he..?" And he hefted Data's head in one palm, arm outstretched, at his eye level.. "Alas, Poor Yorik.. I knew him well..." he said dramatically. Boothby snatched Mr. Data's head back protectively.. "Time paradox is nothing to joke about..! This is obvious something the Guardian wanted us to find while it protects us from consequences crossing times.. " He blew dust out of the head's eyes and nose.. "Show some respect, doctor." He grumbled a second before he huffed a breath on the fascimile's forehead and he buffed it with a grimy sleeve, to a rich shine. -------------------- (attachments) Image: Chapel, a big close up. Image: Picard and Boothby, crouched by a flower bed in the sunlight. Image: Uhura, huge smile. Image: Data's severed head lying in the dirt. ********************** Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 12:02:53 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: Clues to "Head" off the Mystery Seven of Nine took all the EMH had to say in stride. It seemed logical that everyone surrounding her knew facts and details about everyone else. ::It is efficient to have crucial information regarding individual identity and circumstance. The doctor is right to violate the time interference directives in doing so. By Captain Kirk's own admission, the Guardian of Forever is making us free of paradox while we're all on Earth. It was the one who wanted contact with us here, not the other way around. So anything we do or say now will have no risk to worry about.:: she concluded seeing the dark skinned communications officer and the blond nurse coming her way out of the office. Seven's metal eyebrow rose when she saw the tiny Klingon boy following them into the ward. His civilian outfit was covered in dirt and an errant evergreen twig poked out of his pants. His serious adult like demeanor almost made Seven smile. She knelt by the boy. "I see you have survived a battle today. We must compare battle stories later." and she stood to listen to the EMH speak on, orienting everyone in the room as to rank, name and situation at the Academy. Then Boothby's call went out over her combadge. >=^=Boothby to Starfleet Medical >Ward One. I've found something you should see >out here in the gardens while I was tracking down >the tribble snacking on them.. Oh, yeah.. bring >Mr. Data with you.. I'm in the east courtyard >by the dedication fountain..=^= Captain Janeway tapped her badge. "Acknowledged, Boothby. I shall arrange with security to bring him." The Voyager captain nodded to her first officer, Chakotay, who lowered the forcefield. He came near Data, armed with a phaser and asked, "Do I have your word as a Starfleet officer that you will not try to escape, or cause any aggression to anyone?" Mr. Data had obviously turned his emotion chip back on, for his face was strained and puzzled. "You have my solemn word as a Starfleet officer. I have never lied except under order. May I see the counselor and Tasha before we go?" Chakotay caught a glance from Janeway allowing such a visit after she caught one from Kirk which told her to allow Mr. Data freedom for the time being to do what he wished. "Better hurry. Looks like we're going to do a little site seeing on the grounds today.. Boothby never calls unless it's very important. I give you a minute.." he said. putting away his phaser. "I understand.." Mr. Data replied. He went over to Deanna and Yar, who were now sitting up on their beds, having both changed into uniforms with the help of screens and Dr. Crusher's assistance. Data couldn't help but feel a sharp, sad gladness at seeing Tasha full of life again, until he realized that for her, she hadn't experienced her own dying at the hands of Armus yet. For her, nothing had been paused for eleven years. Simply a thrust forward in time to the present. His mind raced to the little holo figurine of Yar sitting on his computer desk in his quarters at home at Harvard and the eulogy he could still hear her give in his thoughts with perfect clarity. ::She must not ever see that during the time the Guardian is allowing her for Troi's investigation. It would be too painful for all involved.:: So Data contented himself with a simple query. "Are you well, lieutenant?" he asked of Yar, fighting the urge to touch her to convince himself she was real. Being separated from his friend in the containment field had been torture. The Enterprise security chief was puzzled by the genuine emotion she saw on him. "Yes..I'm.... fine Data.. Are you?" And she looked at Deanna for an explanation. Troi pointed to her head and mouthed, "Emotion chip.." Yar nodded and smiled, realizing what that could mean for her android companion. ::Makes sense. This is eleven years into the future for me.:: "My functioning is unimpaired. It remains to be seen about my involvement with the counselor's attack however.. I have no memory of any event concerning it." Data answered her question. Seven of Nine came to Data's side. "Lt. Commander Data. We must go. Boothby's message sounded urgent." Data lingered a bit longer at Yar's side and smiled in a small way that barely hid real tears of happiness. Then he toned down his chip back to old levels and he set his mind on the task at hand. "Tasha. We must talk later when this investigation is over. I have much to say..." Yar nodded, wide eyed and watched as Seven of Nine and her old friend Data left the room to follow Nurse Chapel and Lt. Uhura out into the gardens. Then shortly, the EMH disappeared, most likely, to join them outside. Tasha threw a shrug about Data's reactions at Commander Riker which oddly, made him grin at her hugely. Then she noticed Wil's beard and did a double take. --------------------------------------------- Commander Chakotay kept pace with Kathryn as they watched Seven of Nine and Mr Data preceed them outside into the daylight. He spoke, "Kathryn. Do you trust the Guardian of Forever to keep us safe from temporal complications?" Janeway laughed, seeing Boothby just ahead. "I don't think we have any choice in the matter Chakotay. As a matter of history, the Guardian does pretty much what it wants. But I'll admit, it's unprecedented action on its part for allowing us to bring it to Earth in the first place. But I do trust the Guardian to use us and time itself for this mysterious purpose it needs. I trust everything I've read about it to preserve all our timelines back to the way they were when all this is over." "I suppose you're right.." Chakotay agreed. Janeway went on, "As to why Captain Kirk brought forward his women officers from his old ship..." she threw her arms wide and her comment hung in the air. "It's anyone's guess. Only he knows for sure. But I think the Guardian knows why Tasha's here. Kirk told us that it was the Guardian's request to allow Tasha to come in the first place before her actual death. I'm going to find out exactly what Yar might know concerning that once she comes outside to join us." Then there was no more time for words. Data and Seven of Nine had reached Boothby and the place where Uhura and Chapel were kneeling. Boothby was polishing something round and dusty in his hands. It startled Janeway to see that it was actually a head. She and Chakotay took an involuntary step backward when the gardener lightly tossed it to Mr. Data. "I believe you lost this, Mr. Data." Boothby said, "Or you're going to..." he joked. "Care to explain it?" he said with a toothy grin.. Mr. Data turned the android head until he saw its face. "This is apparently my cranial unit.." he said before Seven's tricorder confirmed it. "With one difference.." she added, "The emotion chip inside of it has been removed... and temporal decay shows this cranium to be from two days into our future." Janeway gasped, "What?.. Seven scan that again. Has there been any recent opening of the head's access panels? Anything to explain this disembodiment or the head's dislocation out of time?" Chakotay had already scanned the grounds surrounding all of Starfleet Headquarters. "There's nothing more captain. There doesn't seem to be a body to go along with the head here." Seven blinked. "It seems we have another mystery.." Data came up with a solution. "Captain Janeway. We can analyze my... I mean... that head in the main cybernetics laboratory. I can link with it to access its memory records up to the point it was cast backwards into our time. I might be able to learn further details." "Do it." Janeway said. "But first.. Let's wait for everyone else to arrive. They might shed some more ideas about where we go from here." "Understood." Data answered. And he calmly held his severed head under an arm like a ball and froze in place. Chakotay shuddered at the sight and whispered to Kathryn. "He's remarkably calm about everything. I mean, android or not, that head is part of a sentient being's remains... possibly his very own. If I were him, I'd be horrified." Kathyrn laughed. "Never underestimate the adaptability of computer chips. No doubt, the commander has turned his emotion chip down a bit before coming here. I wish I had that ability.. My skin's crawling.." Boothby was toweling off his sweaty neck, letting the officers around him get to work when Seven of Nine angled her tricorder back into the hole where Data's head had been found. "Captain.." she called out. "Look at this." and she lifted out a section of carpetting that had been charred around the edges. Seven immediately ruled out the possibility that it might be a part of the landscaping tarp underneath the gardenbed. It was blue. Data spoke up. "That color. I know it. It's the same shade as the floor covering on Counselor Troi's patio, here at the Academy.." "Then I think we all know where we're going to be heading next after we probe the head's memory files.." Janeway said derisively. She could hardly wait for the others to arrive. ------------------------ (attachments) Image : Data in black and white. *animated gif* Seven of Nine, going through a flipping gallery, from Borg to human in her life's story. Image: The original Enterprise over the Earth in orbit. ************************** From : "Cory Anda" Subject : A Glimpse into the Future Date : Wed, 16 Jan 2002 11:44:45 +0000 Spock quietly watched Commander Riker, whom he knew by reputation, react emotionally to Deanna Troi and to Tasha Yar. ::I have been with humans long enough to know that venting emotions often times relieves stress among them. Yet I am feeling effected myself. Perhaps it is the Guardian of Forever's involvement with time here on Earth causing my reaction.:: He saw the dark haired Deanna Troi turn in his direction and smile encouragingly. Spock raised an eyebrow in defense. ::I forget that Deanna is of half Betazed descent. She is a true empath.:: The Vulcan ambassador was content to wait for Kirk to guage how things were proceeding with Yar, trusting his old friend's instincts with that regard. He did, however, amble towards Mr. Scott after the engineer found his land legs again. "It might interest you to know, that in this time, there is a substance called synthehol, that acts just like alcohol on the body until the mind tells it to neutralize. Any unexpected drunkiness can be controlled at will." Scotty looked surprised while he watched Uhura and Nurse Chapel leave the ward, followed shortly by Janeway, Chakotay, Seven of Nine, Data, and the EMH. His mind was only partly on where they were all going, the rest was shocked at what Spock was suggesting. "Now where's the fun in that, Spock? What'd be the bloody point?" he grinned. And he made his way over to the ladies by the biobeds to see how they fared their ordeal. "Humans. I still find their reactions illogical." Spock said to himself. "Then why'd you pick me to be your personal aide, ambassador?" Barclay said, coming near as he scanned the whereabouts of Boothby so he'd know where to escort Spock. "Living with your unique personality is a challenging lesson in patience which I find strengthens both our characters.. I, do not try to analyze you minute by minute as some of your other friends are so fond of doing." Spock said blandly. "I heard that..." Deanna said from across the room in surprised gentle amusement. Barclay gestured her to stop her beginning defense on his behalf, "It's ok, Deanna. I asked Mr. Spock a personal, honest question and I got back a very personal...." he sighed reluctantly,"..and honest answer..." He watched Mr. Spock leave the room to follow the others outside. "...I think." he said, scratching his head. "Deanna, I'm..I'm..so glad you and Tasha are feeling better..but if you'll excuse me.. I.. I'd better go after him.." and he gestured nervously to the door Spock had used. He nodded a see you later look at Dr. Crusher on his way out and shook Alexander's hand in greeting before he hurriedly left. He only ran into part of the wall in his haste to leave sickbay. Kirk regarded the departing lieutenant with a skeptical look but all the women and the boy, giggled. Alex said, "He's so funny.." Dr. Crusher frowned ruefully, "I suppose he is... unintentionally." -------------------------------------------- Reg Barclay slipped in easily into the group surrounding Boothby and he blinked in the bright sunlight. "Oh, my..." he said when his squinting eyes saw what Data was holding. Ambassador Spock was looking at the head closely, while the EMH was scanning it with his medical bioprobe, but Spock did not directly touch it. Reg asked, "Is,.. something the matter, sir..?" he asked him. "Not at present. I am at a loss on how to proceed. The reason for the time disparity into the future isn't clear." Spock admitted. ::For the ambassador. That's as close as Spock's ever going to say, "I don't know about this.." :: Reg thought seriously. But then some deep dark recess in the back of his mind kicked into high gear. "Sir!" "Mr. Barclay?..." Janeway asked him at his outburst.. "Ah,, sorry ma'am. But. I--I meant... Spock, I'm sure Starfleet doesn't want Mr. Data to risk himself analyzing his own self by accessing those memory files. He would be too close to himself to be an effective detective.." Reg's eyes blinked at his own rhyming metaphors and switching personal pronouns. "If something should go wrong, he would never forgive himself for losing himself inside himself...." Reg bit his lip when his own mind refused to make sense of what his mouth just said. He held up an eager finger telling them all to hold a minute. "One second...Jus just... one...I'll show you my idea." Then Barclay snatched up the EMH's med tricorder from the holodoc's grip. "Hey... I'm not finished with that yet.." the EMH protested. But Janeway was intrigued. "Hear him out doctor. If Reg's found a way to get the answers we need without risking our Mr. Data. I want to hear it." "And you shall..uh, captain..." Barclay replied eagerly.. "Just..let me check a few parameters.. May I, uh...borrow your tricorder Commander uh, Chatokee.." he mumbled half distracted while he turned dials on the medtricorder he was squinting at.. "Chakotay...." the Voyager commander grinned. Janeway did too, accustomed to seeing people not yet familiar with him, butcher the pronunciation of his one and only name. "Sure.. Here.." he said, placing his tricorder into Reg's free palm. "Thanks.." Barclay awkwardly juggled the two sensing devices until both of them seemed to beep the same patterns of sounds as both were aimed at the android head Mr. Data held underneath them, while the nervous lieutenant checked something. "Ah...! I was right. The frequencies ARE the same between Mr. Data's positronic matrix and the holoimaging buffers in all of the EMH models we have, in the theta band. I can do this.." "Do what exactly,....Mr. Barclay...?" the EMH asked gingerly as he steadied the med tricorder when Reg tried to adjust the dial with his second hand full of the standard one. "This!" And Barclay passed his two tricorders over the autonomous emitter on the holodoc's arm. "Ahhh...!!" the EMH said as he began to shrink to miniscule size in place, getting smaller and smaller over the course of a few moments until he was only a centimeter high. Both Ambassador Spock's eyebrows crawled into his hairline. "Fascinating.. You've managed to surprise me yet again, Reginald.." he said. "You intend the EMH to interface with the cranium's memory cells in Mr. Data's stead." "Correct.. sir, uh. It was just a thought. I, ...know how manipulative hologram fields can be since I...used to spend a great deal of time...with them.." Barclay was glad Deanna Troi wasn't around to hear that confession. "I see.." Chakotay said. "The EMH will be able to download the head's memory logs into his own until we can return him to his normal size and play those records on a viewer.." "Exactly..Made sense using his normal safety factors. And the doc here doesn't have to use a cable to link up!" Barclay beamed.. "Uh, Everybody, watch your step.." he said as the EMH shrank still smaller, until Barclay reached down and gathered him up. Soon he held a speck of a doc on one palm, barely noticable. He was as small as a pepper grain on the skin as the imagers continued shrinking the doctor. "Off you go, doc.. I know you can hear me. Only your size parameter's been altered." "Oh joyful me.." The EMH pipsqueaked after tapping his holocombadge to add volume to his tiny voice. "That's quite enough on the downscaling, Mr. Barclay..I'll do this task for you if only to minimize the risk to Mr. Data up there. The sooner I get inside to get those memory files read, the sooner I can leave and lose this munchkin voice and body I've got.." "All right...You know to enter the head by one of its accessports under the hairline..." Barclay said as set his hand against the face on the head. "Of course.." the EMH squeaked as he jumped off. A gust of wind nearly swept the EMH away before the doc grabbed a simulated facial hair and hung on. "Shield me from the elements!! Last thing I want is to play a flea to that lost tribble out there!!!" he snapped. The group hastily used their hands to block the breeze until the EMH got into the hair zone on the head on their tricorder scans. The EMH heard a buzzing and tapped his combadge until it opened a channel to all of theirs. ""There's still some power in here. Mr. Barclay. I'm sensitive to certain energy dischargers.. Are you sure you thought of everything to protect me?" "I sure did.." he smiled nervously. "I matched your holoprojection matrix to the cranium's own positronic one. You are two peas in a pod!!" he said with greater confidence. "Terrific.. I feel like a bosom buddy.." the EMH said as a glowing circuit made his holoskin crawl as he walked deeper into Data's severed head. He already knew where he was headed. As he had been shrinking, Mr. Barclay's tricorders also embedded programming with a map of all conduits that made the android up. ::Nice actually. Since I hadn't had any of Mr. Data's records previously in my data records.:: The EMH was about halfway to his objective when he noticed some charring on many of the circuits he was passing as he walked on the micropanels. He tapped his commline to the outside again. "Mr. Barclay. Is Seven of Nine still around?" "Yes. Why? Do you need her for something?" Reg asked. "As a matter of fact, yes, I do. I've discovered some damage in here that might provide more details if we could see them visually too at my debrief upload later on. Have Seven vent a nanoprobe to me so I can capture it.." Seven shrugged and aimed her wrist assimilation tubes at the Data head's neck. The long pipes shot out, making Uhura and Chapel flinch when they realized that Seven was almost part robot internally. Seven fed in precisely one pseioadaptic nanoprobe primed to home in onto the EMH's location. "Coming your way, doctor.. It should arrive there in moments." he told him. The holodoc heard a curious depth sounding ping as it found its way down to him. "I hear it.." The nanoprobe found him. It was the size of a toaster. The EMH caught it out of the "air" as it hovered near him and was immediately lifted off his feet. "Seven!! Kill its locomotion cells!!" "Understood.." Barclay said and she concentrated on the tubes still embedded in the throat section. The nanoprobe dropped into his hands.. promptly pinning the EMH to the "floor" with its immense weight. "Ugh.. A little more levitation.." he grunted between tight teeth. Seven sighed in irritation and made the change. The EMH finally had his working visual nanoprobe. "This is fine Seven, Thankyou. It feels much like my holoimaging camera.." "I designed it to resemble technology you were familiar with..." Seven said. "Fast thinking.." the EMH said. "The Borg are efficient." she countered. "What's a Borg?" Uhura said, looking at Seven's extended wrist tubes curiously. Spock promptly launched into a long description that Seven of Nine could not flaw. "He sounds like Seven..." Janeway told Chakotay from the corner of her mouth. "Very much so...or Tuvok..." he admitted. Uhura was immediately horrified and fascinated with what she learned about Borg and she vowed to learn more about them at the earliest opportunity. "Do those hurt?" Chapel said, scanning Seven's tubes herself with her old style tricorder. Seven shook her head, and withdrew them, her implanting task complete. Christine got permission and ran a few fingers down the inside of Seven's wrist, looking for where the tubes had emerged. She found only seamless skin. ::True symbiosis of machine and living tissue...:: Chapel nodded her thanks and quickly joined Uhura's "I'm fascinated with the Borg concept" club. The EMH lifted the nanoprobe imager to his eyes and took snapshots and moving images in all light spectra on the strange charring he was noting. "If I didn't know better.. I'd swear these internal nodes are showing signs of having been in a fire.. A very hot one.." That made everyone lift their heads. "A fire at Starfleet Headquarters? How extraordinary..." Janeway said. "Yes, it seems to have been a very big one. And this damage is still radiating heat." "Yes. I see it.." Seven said. "I'm linked with my nanoprobe.." Ambassador Spock didn't like what evidence was being uncovered. "A large fire in two days to San Francisco? Something our technology could not stop?" Then he spoke with the tiny EMH directly.. "Doctor, is there any evidence of solar components?" "You mean as in solar flare or super nova? No.. None.. This is more like your conventional wildfire signature.." "California province sure has enough of those." Boothby said. "But the thought of any of them reaching the complex here down by the Bay is extraordinary.." Spock was reflective. "We cannot ignore the evidence in front of our own eyes..figuratively speaking of course. If the future in two days time signals some widespread local catastrophe involving fire high enough to reach Deanna Troi's patio balcony.. Then we must entertain the notion.." "Wait just a moment gentleman..." the holodoc said as he walked down the wire leading to Data's mother memory board. "Heat damage like this can be from a house fire, too. I'm not yet reading traces of hillside bioflora.."..a moment later.. "Correction.. I found some.. and evidence of brick and titanium byproducts and....plasma.." Barclay immediately looked startled. "Building Five. It's the only place that uses plasma shielding for security reasons.." "Yes," Boothby said, "But Building Five's about two kilometers away from Counselor Troi's living quarters." Spock slowly nodded. "Which supports Boothby's theory of a large grassfire reaching the heart of Starfleet Headquarters. Fire of a nature that the Corps could not extinguish easily." "I..I don't like the sound of that.. sir.." Reg said. "It is a truth given us, however indirectly, by the Guardian of Forever. It sent back this cranial unit two days into the past into a place where it knew Mr. Boothby would find it." "Why can't we just question the Gateway about this matter?" Chakotay said. "Surely if the gate can bring Uhura and Chapel here from the past, It can see into the future.." Mr. Spock steepled his hands into the sleeves of his Vulcan embassy robe. "Perhaps it is not allowed to show this evidence directly. Perhaps this is why it garnered Captain Kirk's cooperation in retrieving Lt. Yar back from death. So we could learn about this catastrophe and then deal with it.." Everyone around Spock grew silent. Even the birdsong above them seemed ominous in their ears. "Is this the huge threat to Starfleet the Guardian told Kirk to investigate?" Reg said, swallowing around his dry throat. "And..and and..not just us checking into Deanna's attack..?" "The probability, based on all evidence makes it 84.395 % to one in favor of that outcome.." Spock said finally. "I don't like those odds at all.." Janeway said. Reg couldn't have found a better sentence than hers to describe his own feelings in that regard. ----------------- (Attachments) Image : A serious Spock in a promo, arms folded. *animated gif* A roaring wall of flames. Image: The whole of Starfleet Headquarters. *animated gif* An explosion of a fireball in slow motion. Image: Mr. Barclay sharing a light moment with Harry Kim. ************************ Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 21:57:26 -0800 (PST) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: Scott's Hot Plot Shot Scotty was wishing that his head wasn't so clear. When he realized that his friend, Captain Kirk, had for reasons unknown, used the Guardian of Forever. ::Now that was daft. Now it'll be up to me to pull his arse out of the fire this time.:: He looked across sickbay at the young lovely lass, whom they called Yar. ::The fair lieutenant is important to the captain's plan, whatever that blasted thing is..:: "Don't worry lassie, " he said to Deanna. "If I know the captain. He's got something up his sleeve about where we all go from here." he confidently reassured her. Scotty thought about where the other officers went and decided to follow. He stopped short when he saw a small Klingon child looking up at him with a most intense gaze. " Laddie, some days just aren't meant fer dyin.. and I'll tell ye why.. It's much better to outlive yer enemies, because at the end of the battle, ye can have a nice pint, and know that yer enemies died thirsty..." Alexander returned a growling smile. ::I like that lesson. Even though he is just a human.:: Scotty patted the boy's head and went to the spotted woman in Station Science blue and introduced himself. "I heard you were married to one of them..eh,, how'd it go??" Jadzia didn't take offense, she smiled and said, " It's been...memorable..." Dr. Crusher came over and gave Scotty one last once over with her scanner. "If you've fully recovered, Captain Scott.You may go anytime you wish." "Aye.. I think I'll join the others with that crusty groundsman, Beebee, or whatever his name is.." Beverly and Deanna smiled as Mr. Scott exited the medical bay. -------------------------------------------------------- It took him a few minutes to cross the Academy grounds but he finally found where everyone went. He looked at Mr. Data, carrying something and then realized what it was. He blanched. " I don't know how much I've missed, but.. laddie, just where did that come from, or.. maybe I don't want to know.." Boothby overheard, "You HAVE to know about this one. Or rather about two days hence..you Scottish oaf.." "I already know about the Guardian ya malicious, peat spreader. " Scotty snapped back. Boothby came nose to nose with the older captain. " I remember you when you were a know it all, snot nosed little plebe. Tell me, are you still building those contraband stills? Smelled one the other day.." Scotty blushed five shades of red, " I don't know what yer talking about. A hobby's a hobby. If you must know, I was conductin valuable research in Lab Six." The others watched the exchange between the two like a tennis match. Boothby grinned "I'll just bet. Any student here can tell me the truth of things learned just by sniffing the air around your office. But enough of this banter. I said that two days hence is VERY important. Weren't you listening?" Scotty heard a whine from Data's head and realized just what it was.. He saw Barclay's two tricorder's working overtime, projecting a field downwards over it. He noticed the EMH wasn't there. " Captain Janeway, where did that artificial Bones go?" Janeway pointed to the noise making head. "He's in there." Scotty went nearer. He examined the tricorder setup. "You've cross connected the tricorders with the EMH's personal emitter thingy. Whatever for?" Chakotay said, "The EMH is attempting to access the future cranium's memory banks. We've learned that something is going to happen to this entire area in some possible disaster.." Scotty grew serious and looked up from his mechanical prying, "You mean to say that the ol garden geezer's remark about the two future days is a detail we need to know?" "Yes." Janeway confirmed, "Most of the components in Data's head have been subjected to some form of extreme heat energy. The holodoc's found signs of incinerated plant material. The kind found in a brush fire. There's more. There's evidence of plasma burning as well." Barclay added, "As in Building Five.. Its security fields.." Scotty looked alarmed, "Those shields are plasma driven? How bloody stupid.. Who thought of using those to surround the Guardian thing?" Spock replied, "Starfleet's. They are quite safe." Scotty immediately hit his combadge, "Scott to Captain Kirk. The haggus is in the fire and the fire will be very real this time. Hurry along as fast as ye can. There's physics here that I may not be able to understand." Montgomery thought aloud, "Plasma fires? Enough to burn android circuitry? Where was this damaged?" Chakotay said, "Seven of Nine found a piece of carpetting with that head. From Deanna Troi's outer balcony. I know that to be three stories off the ground." "A fire coming that big? And a plasma one at that? Building Five's not the only place with active plasma ya know. " Scotty pulled out his own tricorder and consulted its database, " I got the schematics uploaded, Mr. Spock, of every place and source of raw plasma here at Headquarters. The Engine Design Reactor Lab, next to my building. You know the one, Building Seven. And another source would be in half a dozen labs all over, in any arsenal testing range for plasma weapons. We could be weeks checking out those leads." Scotty came up with an idea, he had to learn more information from what the EMH was recording. "Now where's the doc I need to ask him a few things." Barclay answered, "He's a little.. uh, little.. right now." Scotty, "Huh?" "Just tap your combadge and he will answer you." Boothby said gruffly. "Ok.." and Scott did so. "Scott to doctor EMH." "Mr. Scott? Are you well?" "Quit yer bedside quackery. We've got two days to figure out all this. Where the blasted blazes are ye right now?" The EMH responded, "I'm currently examining Mr. Data's head, literally from the inside out." "Fine." Scott said, not understanding. "Chakotay tells me you are mucking about for memory files. Skip that. What we need to know is just about the plasma signs in there. Age them. Try to find the oldest hotspots. Were they from the outside in or the inside out?" Janeway looked up sharply. "What was the purpose of that question?" "Well now lassie, Everyone is thinking a fire from the outside.. Now, tell me this, what if Data himself, is going to be this disaster's flashpoint in forty eight hours.Did anyone think of that?" Everyone, including Mr. Spock, looked at the head. The EMH voice was heard saying, "Well, I'm a doctor, not an arson investigator. All I can do is show you what's in here.. Pick up where I leave off.. I'm ready to return now, Mr. Barclay.. Or Scotty, would you do the honors.?" Scotty beamed and rubbed his hands together "Reversing.." and he turned a few dials. "Here comes something.." and he laughed to ease the tension. Soon, the EMH had returned. "Seven, I believe this is yours.." and he handed her back the visual recording nanoprobe between two fingers. Seven said, "I will recompile the data for main screen viewing." Scotty said, "Shall we all go my lab? I've a pretty setup for virtual analyses." Boothby said, "Complete with alcoholic refreshments.." he mumbled. Scotty shot him an irritated look. "Let's go. The others can meet us there." --------------------------- (attachments) *audio* McCoy- Well, Scotty, Now you've done it. Scotty- Aye, the haggus is in the fire , for sure. Image: Uhura and Scotty looking at the forward screen from her communications station on Enterprise's bridge. ************************************** From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Knight in Shiny White Skin Date :Sat, 19 Jan 2002 20:46:28 +0400 Beverly finished up her preliminary report for the classified rundown Starfleet wanted on Yar and separate one on Montgomery Scott. ::I've practically worn my terminal keys down on this diagnosis.:: she thought of the times Scotty came in with alcohol intoxication. ::I don't know how or why he always manages to fall for the experimental drinks can be dangerous to your health trick when he shows absolutely no propensity for alcoholism. "I think I should state my case for Starfleet to come up with that perfect Scotch just to save the man a lot of grief always waking up with a Fleet doctor lecturing him about it." Deanna Troi glanced at Riker and smiled as she smoothed down her hair. "Every man needs a hobby. Surely Admiral Scott's is a harmless one." "Not if the floor rises up to meet your face too often." Beverly snorted. She turned off her terminal with a viscious button stab. "And how often has that occurred in actuality in the past five years..? Be truthful. I'll know if you aren't..." she teased. Dr. Crusher thought about it carefully. "Hmm.. wow, only six.." "There you go.." Troi sat patting Wil on the shoulder as she hugged him. "Thanks for coming Wil. And don't worry about my Frankenstein's graft in my neck. It's finally taking.." "Too bad there isn't a synthetic trachea on the market." Bev chuckled. "What?" Troi grinned. "If there were, Captain Picard and I could form the first bionics symposium.. Where's the captain anyway?" she asked Riker. He replied, "I was given immediate solo leave to see you Deanna. An alpha two message can't be ignored." he said, with both eyebrows rising. Deanna clucked her tongue. "My aren't I important?" I know a few years ago, just getting an open general system channel was tough work.." then she gasped. Dr. Crusher and Riker both caught her arm. "I'm fine. It's just the others have discovered something frightening.. I'll tone down my shields by the time we get there so you two don't have to stretch out a safety net everytime I make a noise.." she quipped. "Shall we go??" Dr Crusher hit her combadge. "Doctor Crusher to the Boothby. What's your location? Sounds serious on your end. Deanna's already twitching.." Boothby came on line immediately. "I wish jumpy nerves were the only thing we needed to worry about. Try time dialated catastrophe scheduled to hit San Francisco in forty eight hours..." Bev and Riker and Dr. Crusher fell quiet. Wil pantomimed that he was going to comm his ship with the news silently and that they were to go on ahead of him. Dr. McCoy decided to see what Captain Kirk would do and he too waved for the two ladies to go on ahead. Troi nodded and asked, "So we'll take the bull by the horns and shove back a little." she said with a confidence she did not feel. "Tell us where you ended up Boothby." "In Scott's lab. The EMH took some polaroids of the inside of Data's head and we're viewing them." "What??" Beverly interjected. Boothby was terse. "The sooner you all come down here. The sooner you'll learn things. Boothby out." and the connection was cut. Tasha Yar, in a fresh yellow uniform, padded over and indicated with a nod for the counselor and doctor to go on ahead of Riker and her. "I'll wait for the commander. Go.." she said. So Deanna Troi and Dr. Crusher got to Montgomery Scott's private labs in Building Six. Deanna smiled as she walked through the shadowed highly crowded lab off the cadet's hallway and past what could only be a careful contrived still. She could see a shattered glass on the floor just under it. "Hey Bev.. so this is where Mr. Scott's famous still is located. I wonder how many cadets try to break in here to sample some of the goods on the sly themselves.." "None. Or Scotty's still wouldn't be the tantilizing mystery it is, whenever the winds blows its perfume around the Academy grounds. I hear talk about secret quests to find it from the students occasionally. I'm sure Boothby enjoys the challenge for them too. He sure talks about the smell and slips the admiral's name to them often enough." Deanna said grinning. On the outside, she was all professional, but on the inside, a huge part of her wanted to snatch up a beaker and taste the stuff sitting in the tube apparatus bubbling before her eyes herself. Montgomery Scott said as if he read her mind. "When we get over this doom and gloom prophecy of ours, we'll drink on it, but, come see this ladies.." he added. Dr. Crusher and Deanna went over to where Seven, Janeway, Chakotay, Uhura, Chapel, Ambassador Spock, Barclay, Boothby, and Data stood in front of a very hodge podge main viewer. Deanna was shocked to find it part holo. "All the images are 3 D. wow.." Then she recognized the detailing of circuitry drifting around her. "Now why are we seeing the inside of Mr. Data's head here?" Janeway looked up at Deanna and pointed to the charred haired head under the android's arm. "We checked it out when it came through from the future. It's singed by plasma burns as hot as a real hillside wildfire." She held up a scrap, "Recognize this?" she asked Deanna. Troi saw the blue material in her hand, "Yes.. that's the floor covering from my balcony.. I don't understand." Chakotay went on, "Boothby found Data's head, from two days in the future, with that shred of rug in one of his flowerbeds. We are guessing the Guardian of Forever put it there so we could all guess the real meaning of why Tasha Yar was restored from her timeline to ours." "I thought it was to help me remember the attack on me." "So did we.." Janeway smiled tightly. "But we think the Guardian's thumbs are tied with directly mentioning a major event effecting, say, an Earth City like San Francisco. So it approached Captain Kirk with its visiting proposal until Starfleet accepted its passage here to Earth. Then all it did was slide us this clue, " she pointed to Data's sooty cranium, "with a foot while looking the other way so to speak.. Makes sense that it might have a few noninterference directives of its own." "Why do that for Starfleet and Earth?" Beverly asked the Voyager captain. "Surely there are a million other worlds to protect apart from ours.." "Yes, but how many have Captain Kirk on it?" she grinned. "I have a hunch the Guardian loves visiting with him almost as much as Kirk likes seeing it. Naturally, the lonely Guardian would want to help and possibly save, his gold uniformed friend by warning us of danger." Deanna sighed as she finished reading the reactions of everyone around her. She knew of Uhura's fear of fire but the lieutenant was holding up remarkably well so far. Data, on the other hand, was a blank. ::He's turned off his emotion chip.:: Troi went to his side, "It's all right, Data. If I were facing myself, I'd turn off my emotions too." she said, patting him on the arm. Data gave her a quizzical look but turned back to the EMH giving his virtual holo report to them all on the 3D viewer. The EMH said, "I only found evidence of plasma charring on the outside circuitry just below the optic servers and Data's dermal covering. He saw the plasma fire, Mr. Scott, so he couldn't have been the object that started it." Captain Scott nodded. "And the nature of how Data's head left the rest of him is interesting too." the holodoc said, "It was phasered off at the neck." Everyone was shocked. Beverly spoke up, "Who would try to murder someone in the middle of a catastrophic wildfire?" Deanna added another question. "And why was Data on my balcony to be that victim in the first place?" The EMH was just getting into his element as a lecturer. "Perhaps he was trying to save you yet again. I'm not convinced that he was the one who harmed you counselor, despite the android traces found in your home the night of the attack. Mr. Barclay found you on your balcony, horribly injured and took steps to keep you alive until Beverly Crusher and others arrived to help. I am convinced, now more than ever, that Mr. Data was trying to protect you then and he will again in the future, from another attacker who's still at large.." he said, "...and.. I found this account in Mr. Data's memory files.." The EMH blinked and the holoview changed to a moving 3D picture of a night scene in Deanna's quarters as if from behind a pair of eyes. "This is Mr. Data, on the night he was decapitated. It is his own memories leading up to the event." Smoke filled the balcony window and a horrific orange glow. A white hand swept away curtains to show a landscape on fire. Everyone gasped, the flames eating the trees and buildings below were turning the hideous green of a plasma fire as it neared. Most of Starfleet was threatened by the altering blaze. "Somehow, a natural wildfire from Golden Gate Park got through Starfleet's security shielding. Once it opened Building Five, all the natural oxygen flames turned to these green plasma flames you see here.." "Those are unstoppable!" Beverly whispered. "Yes.." the EMH replied. "Only open space can put them out." Data's memory vid played on until he had located a huddled form on the smoky balcony. Again, Data's hand played in front of the view, shaking the person he had found. It was Deanna, in a long white gown and loose hair. She turned over and looked up at the "camera". "Mr. Data.. I can't get down. We have only a few minutes to evacuate.. We have to find K--" They all heard the future Data's voice. "I am aware of that. We must go. Can you stand?" "Yes.." the sooty future counselor in the image said and rose, taking the white hand. Then she screamed. The view on the screen shifted and focused on a second dark form coming out of the darkness. "Armus!! Let her go!!" They all could see short blond hair and Enterprise security yellow. It was Tasha Yar with that phaser!! Her hair was whipping wildly in the heat of the massive color altering fire below the balcony. The watchers heard Deanna's voice call out. "Tasha! This is Data.. You're hallucinating.. He's trying to help me escape.. Let him help you too! We've got to get away from the Academy before they evaculate all the air out of--" Then a wicked view of a flashing phaser beam shot out and the vid playback went dark as Data's head was severed off his body. In the lab, everyone was stunned. So was Deanna. "And that's how it happened. "the EMH smiled. His face flattened when he saw the others didn't smile back. "Sorry.. I thought you'd be pleased we found out how Mr. Data's head was transported into our time. It fell from the balcony according to these readings and hit the leading edge of the advancing plasma fire line. It began to burn there but then the Guardian shoved it into the dirt of Boothby's flower bed and two days into the past where we'd find it.." The counselor began to tremble as she stared at the snowy screen before them. ::That will be me in two days. Oh Tasha.. How could you mistake Data for Armus? Did the fire make you think you were back on his planet and you were firing at what you thought was the oil slick, trying to save me?:: ----------------------- (attachments) Image : Troi in a nightgown. Image: Dr. Crusher, with her face lit up by viewscreen light. Image: A view from a green screened viewer looking at Seven, Janeway and Tuvok, examining it. *************************************** From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Heart of the Fire and Fire of the Heart~~ Date : Sun, 20 Jan 2002 16:03:54 +0000 Dr. Crusher and Deanna Troi had no sooner left the medical ward when Yar and Kirk's combadges went off. >Scotty immediately hit his combadge, "Scott to Captain >Kirk. The haggus is in the fire and the fire will be >very real this time. Hurry along as fast as ye can. >There's physics here that I may not be able to >understand." The older Kirk tapped his, "Scotty? Can you tell me more?" "Just come." came the answer. ::Now that was odd.:: Kirk said. Usually, his old engineer spattled off reams of information almost as detailed as Mr. Spock's when Kirk asked for it. ::Must be serious indeed.:: Kirk said. He waved cheerily at Dr. McCoy, putting the last touches on his medical report while Harry Kim watched him fight with the computer and Kirk nodded to Dax and Riker who seemed to be saying hello to Alexander, a tiny Klingon boy. He grinned at Tasha who was pulling on her boots. "I actually see a real Klingon child. I don't believe it. I've seen Kang, Kor, and Koloth. and countless warriors, but then to see that boy here on Earth. It's comforting to know that one day, the Klingon Empire and the Federation won't be mortal enemies." Then, a curious vulnerability crossed the older captain's face. Yar was surprised to see it there in the legend she had heard so much about. " And there's some other intelligence I don't keep up upon very often. Like seeing Riker, and that boy. It seems anything and any one coming to Earth with a history on Enterprise D, slips my notice. I guess it all came home when the Guardian contacted me to find you and bring you to Earth on its behalf." Kirk went unexpectantly open. "I wonder why I'm slow in that area?" Tasha looked at him and blinked,"Perhaps we.. remind you of your old Enterprise starships captain. I..heard about your loss of each vessel under you vividly. I even had models of them growing up." That admission made Kirk feel old. But he replied. "I'm flattered. Perhaps that's the reason. Shall we go find out what all the excitement is about?" Yar nodded, and adjusted her phaser and tricorder in her belt, ill at ease for having caused Kirk some angst. She started to speak again, "Captain, I..." But the Enterprise original had already changed the moment. Kirk went over to Alexander, "I'm sure your mother will be along soon, Alexander. Come with us until she arrives. I'm sure it will be very interesting.." "More than fighting bush monsters?" the boy asked. "Oh yes. I'm practically certain of it." Kirk smiled. Alexander nodded, agreeing to go with an actual human captain. ::Now I'll see some glorious battle!!:: Yar regarded Jadzia Dax for a bit, copying Kirk's move to let the weighed moment pass. "I've heard of your people Lieutenant, being combined with a symbiont and all. Having multiple lifetimes of memories sounds wonderous. I hope you come help us in Montgomery Scott's lab." and she left with the gold uniformed Enterprise captain and the tiny boy. ------------------------ Kirk was the first to arrive as Tasha's and the boy's legs were smaller. "What's the situation people? I heard Scotty's call.." The EMH glanced over Kirk's shoulder and saw that Yar wasn't in the room yet. He spoke quickly. "In two days time, there will be an out of control brush fire metamorphosing into raw burning plasma after it damages Building Five's shield modulators. Commander Data over there will try to evacuate the Counselor from her home before Starfleet Corp Engineers erects an atmospheric envelope and create a vacuum across the city to put out the plasma fires. Tasha Yar, apparently, gets delusional for a time and phasers off Mr. Data's head before any of that can happen." Kirk's eyes looked to his old friend Spock and he saw the truth in the matter when the ambassador nodded slowly at him in confirmation. Before Kirk could say anything. Tasha arrived with Alexander in her arms and the two were growling in Klingon amicably. Tasha immediately noticed everyone staring at her and set the boy down, handing him her tricorder to play with, "Alexander..why don't you record a few things in the lab. Might help us out." The boy ran off eagerly with his prize. Tasha met everyone's eyes and said., "Why do I get the distinct feeling that I'm out in left field here?" She saw the snowy screen and then Mr. Data's head in the current Data's arms. "Oh...!" she said. "What happened?" Kirk said. "Lieutenant.. have a seat. We've learned events about the future and some of them involve you. But first, what did the Guardian tell you when he pulled you off into the Gateway for me to find you?" Yar shrugged, "Nothing out of the ordinary, sir.. uh, I remember a voice saying that I was needed for another mission to save Deanna on Earth. So I turned, Armus shot me with something when I started to move, and then I felt the Guardian pulling me in.." "Is that all?" he asked. "Yes....sir..." she smiled uncomfortably.."I..I remember you kneeling over me, asking me if I was all right..I'm confused. Did I do something wrong?" Kirk weighed the decision to inform Yar about what he had learned and decided that the Guardian's protection from paradox would operate here. So he said, "Gentleman, show us what you've found." he said to Spock, Barclay, the EMH and Kirk. The EMH's playback resumed. Yar's face ran a gauntlet of emotions as she beheld the roaring brush fire turning green as it was contaminated with plasma from Building Five's shields. And then paled when she saw Deanna tell Data they needed to escape the balcony. Then Tasha saw herself "kill" Data with her phaser. A horrified knuckle went to her mouth. "No.way.. I- I'd never do that.. Sirs.. how can you know this evidence is real? I,, mean.. the fire damage could have altered Data's visual memory records.." Chakotay looked to the floor. Even Janeway rubbed her mouth, saying nothing. Scotty started to say a few words of encouragement, but Deanna stopped him with a small gesture. Kirk again smiled warmly and he took Yar a short distance away from the others, nodding to the counselor and Spock to look sharp. He told her things the way they were. "There is no guilt being plied here, lieutenant. Not on you and certainly not on anyone in this timeline. We don't have all the answers yet. But this, " he pointed to Data's head, " is from two days into the future. That can't be faked. And the Guardian cannot lie. It usually tells things as they are... Like " his mouth quirked up on one side, "a certain cantankerous old country doctor I know..." His wry look was lost on Yar. She was too disturbed to see an inside joke to Mr. Spock from him. " Captain. Here.." and she took her phaser off and handed it to him, powered down. "Take this.. if my actions later this week will cause that.." and she pointed to the frozen viewer locked on the image of the phaser shot from her own hand. Kirk gave it back to her. "I don't believe in predestiny Lt. Yar. And neither should you. Our choices in our lives are laid out like tree branches, you've many ways to decide where to branch off into. These images are simply showing one branch, one possible way that might happen. The Guardian has been good enough, in its own crafty way, to get around its own laws to warn us. Forewarned is forearmed. And I'm certain that Mr. Data over there would agree with me.." Data nodded eagerly and Yar went over to him and gave him a big hug, the stress of her coming to the future, briefly coming to the surface. Then Yar immediately broke apart and wiped tears away from her face. "Data, if you see me ever coming at you with a phaser. Break my kneecaps and both wrists. I'd rather be a crippled delusional than a free murdering one." She added more with a gruff tone. ~~SEE SOUND INCLUSION ABOVE~~ Kirk let them have their moments while he consulted everyone else closely. "We should tell Starfleet to heighten satellite surveillance. To look for any evidence of storms or other sources creating off a spark in the grasslands around us. It must be something out of the ordinary that we aren't yet aware of that will begin this fire. And it has to be one that starts fairly close to Building Five, if plasma conversion instigates before the Fire Corp can deal with it." "I'll get on it sir.." Scotty said, and he moved off to a console to tell them and show them the vid the EMH had recovered. Then Kirk gathered everyone else to him. "Time we tried something novel." And he tapped his combadge. =^= Kirk to the Guardian of Forever..=^= he motioned all the higher officers' sudden protests silent while he went on, =^= We....understand your mission.=^= he said being intentionally vague. =^=Looks like it's going to get a little hot around here.=^= ##ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. I AM YOUR GATEWAY. THE FUTURE IS CLOUDED UNTIL IT COMES TO PASS. THE TRAVELERS I BROUGHT FORWARD ARE MULTIPLE FACETS TO A LARGER POSSIBILITY'S SOLUTION. I CAN SHOW YOU NO MORE.## it said. Then the comm line went dead. Uhura muttered, "I didn't know it could do that over communications systems.." Kirk grinned, "Neither did I, lieutenant. The thought just occurred to me." Immediately, all the status bars over their heads went amber, as the entire Starfleet Academy Headquarters Medical complex went to yellow alert. Scott came back into the group. Kirk gripped him on the shoulder. "Thankyou Mr. Scott. Now the powers that be can't blame us for getting involved with sensitive situations. We gave Starfleet full disclosure, fair and square. It's about time more eyes and ears got involved in this." The EMH's over head view switched to an automatic override as Starfleet trained its satellites towards a fire watch on San Francisco and put a higher security protocol on any approaching craft to the area. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Out on the prairie reclaimation grassland projects, the gone wild tribble found a piece of glass lying among the tall stems of grain it was nibbling upon. Its passing made the shard flip over, until its convex edge curved up into the sky. The tribble moved on, still lost in rabbit mimicking behavior as it adapted to Earth's climate. The bumped glass fragment reflected the sun's light and the dry tinder under it began to heat. A small curl of smoke wafted upwards into the sky until the wind unfortunately dispersed it beyond the satellites ability to sniff it out. As yet, there were no flames. -------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Kirk by meteor display. Audio: Yar- Data. I'm only going to tell you this just once. It never happened. ************************** From : "Clairissa Fox" Subject : That dumb V'Dmerr Date : Sun, 20 Jan 2002 17:35:50 +0000 I watched the human captain in gold a lot. He was the one who had brought me and mum into the future. I didn't know much about all the time talk. It made my head hurt. But I knew about fire. My father was in a lot of it when he was a boy. Starfleet had rescued him from some when he was little and that was why he was a officer on a starship. I wished he was here. But he had to stay where he was because of duty. Duty's stupid. Then you can't go and play all the time. I tapped my pin and called mum. Mum! MUM! You'd better get down here real fast. We're all going to burn down like haystacks if you don't hurry. I knew that would bring her running. And I laughed. I didn't care if she thought there was an emergency with me. If she were smart she'd see there was no burning by me on her tricorder and just come anyway. I like to keep her on her toes. Serves her right. For she always leaves me alone all the time and she never asks me where I want to live. She gets these dumb ambassador jobs and drags me with her to do them. Like bringing me here to Starfleet. That was stupid. I'm too young to talk to all the other lucky cadets here and too Klingon to have the security guys leave me alone. Only Bootby understands me. He let me play with his batlet. But I wanted to see mum a little bit more cause things were getting scary so I just did what the blond head girl told me to do and I scanned the big room we were in. I growled when the yellow alert came on. So I aimed my tricorder all around me until I found why straight up. The floating things in the sky were looking at the city for something. I could see their beams pass through the whole campus like water! Then I heard Captain Kirk thank the fat guy for telling them about the fire stuff. Then I saw on the telly showing the medical room, that Harry and Dax were leaving with suitcases. Where were they going? I just barely met them! Oh, well. Maybe they had another mission to go on. Like like a secret battle where they could blow up a lot of Romoolans. I hated those guys almost as much as I hated V'Dmerrs other human kids waved at me in the playground. I liked the yellow head girl alot. She knew Klingon!! And she didn't mind carrying me around. It made me feel safe. I knew the others would need to know about the others leaving so I went over to where the grownups were standing and said. Aunty Kathy! Aunty Kathy! You'd better plan out a new plan without Harry Kim and the freckled lady. They just went away somewhere else for good. Then I went over to the lady who looked a lot like mum and me because of her dark face and hands. Hi, remember me? I'm Alexander. Are you part Klingon? We're the same color. But then I remembered my promise. So I went over to Mr. Scotty. If the pretty dark lady wanted to follow me to answer my question. She could. Mr. Scott! Mr. Scott! I promised Bootby that I would find him the V'Dmerr eating all the flowers. Can you give me a probe so I can go find him? "What in the world is a V'Dmerr, youngin?" the stout engineer asked. It's the furry balled thing that yells at Klingons when we get too near them. I forget the human's name for it. I have to find it like I said I would. I forgot to ask the hollow doctor to put a sensor out for it when I was in Beverly's office. I got a little mad he didn't open the probe cabinet for me. The ones he invented were fun toys! I once sent one to spy on Mr. Barkly when he was practicing his speech on how he'd ask Troi out on a date! It was so funny! I did that first thing when mum and me came through the Big Donut. Scott smiled like all humans do and pointed to a me to a terminal, then he waved the EMH over to help me on it. He liked me because I liked his inventions when no one else would. "What exactly are you trying to do Alexander? I only caught part of that. I was watching Councillor Troi and Natasha Yar handle Captain Kirk's briefing." the hologram doctor asked. I want to find a V'Dmerr Bootby said was stomping on all the flowers. He let me play battle with a real sword so I must be honorable and hunt for him because he's too busy to. "I see. And..." the EMH consulted his vast memory files.. "I assume a V'Dmerr is the Klingon word for tribble.." That's it! That's it! Why didn't I remember it? "Perhaps because it is such a stupid word for an dumb animal.." the holophysician mimicked Alexander's voice. I laughed a whole lot! So can you help me find it? "There are many animals at the Academy. And many tribbles according to the live species manifest here." the EMH told the boy as he sifted through the records he had called up on his screen. "I'm not officially on active duty for Starfleet any more. I'm just a visiting guest who was hoping to see some top notch lectures from Dr. McCoy. Now with this yellow alert in the way..." I know how you feel. I see a lot of these when I'm with mum. It's kinda scary sometimes. Will this fire hurt me? The EMH grew gentle. "I won't let it, Alexander. I'm programmed to protect life. No matter who's it is. Including that tribble's you're seeking. " I groaned. You mean I can't hunt and kill it? "No..I'm afraid not. You see. I've just remembered that the tribble was rescued by Doctor McCoy from a bar. One whose proprietors were making the tribble race against its will. He told me about it when I was treating him in his cabin for a fall." Do you think the V'Dmerr I want is his? "Most likely. Bones told me that it had gotten out of his skimmer in the car park by mistake. And Dr. McCoy will want it safe to live a normal tribble life after it had lived one so poorly as an illegal tribble racer." I guess you're right. Ok. I'll bring it to Bootby in a cage then instead of skinning it to keep my promise to him. "Good boy. But first, we have to find it." the holodoc said. "Let's start by scanning where he's eaten.. Shall we? If that doesn't work we can ask Mr. Boothby directly where the freshest bites go. It might show us where the V'Dmerr ended up." Ok. I said. So I sat right down next to the hollow doctor and together, we used all the cameras and tellys outside to try and find the dumb V'Dmerr before Mr. Bootby got so mad the rest of his hair steamed off under his hat! ------------------------------------ (attachments) Image : Alexander smiling, wearing brown. *animated gif* Tribbles, multiplying and pouring into a pile. ****************************** From: "patti keiper" Date: Mon Jan 21, 2002 6:50 am Subject: Hot meets Cool.. Doctor McCoy looked up at the monitor he had programmed to keep track of the others as they moved about the grounds. First, in pursuit of Boothby, and then from inside Captain Scott's experimental laboratory. He did a double take when he saw a shadow falling across the floor of the quiet medical ward. He got up from Beverly's office chair and walked slowly out into the main area. He saw her two steps into the open. "Who the h*ll are you? How'd you get in here with that weapon?" The tall stately woman holding the disruptor pointed at the ceiling blinked slowly, her balance comfortably shifted to one leg and she actually smiled. "I might answer that if you tell me just where my son might be. I've tracked his DNA into this room." Bones said, "He's with the captains. All three of them in Montgomery Scott's lab. And why in the blazes did you leave your son alone all day to fend for himself?" K'Ehleyr didn't bat an eye. "I didn't leave him all alone. He ditched his governess." the Klingon ambassador said, then she tilted her head wryly, gesturing with her weapon. "Rather an easy thing to do. K'empec's blind in one eye and mostly deaf. Her nose isn't as good as mine or she'd've found Alexander by now." McCoy unconsciously ducked a bit when the muzzle of the disruptor swung his way. "And why do you have that thing unholstered?" K'Ehleyr shrugged a shoulder to the ceiling, glancing upwards. "Standard procedure for foreign ambassadors tied to Starfleet to do during a blanket yellow alert." Bones followed her line of sight to the amber status bar winking all over sickbay. "Hadn't noticed. My attention was all about the computer screen and filing my report. I thought I was done with those things when I retired. I do have to stop getting involved with medical emergencies. I've filled my quota.." K'Ehleyr stepped the rest of the way into the room looking around and listening past the subtle alert klaxon. "Fine.. Then play tour guide Dr. McCoy. I need to get to my son right away. His trail doubles back and I can't find which way he went from here." K'Ehleyr said mildly. "Why don't you use a tricorder?" "Don't believe in them. Technology's a waste handling most problems.. I believe in good solid face to face communication.." she sighed expansively, putting her weapon back into her boot. "Except for owning one of THESE for those people who don't care to listen very well." she said, patting her disruptor. "I hear ya there. I'm always afraid one of those d@mn transporters are gonna scramble my molecules to kingdom come one of these days." McCoy agreed whole heartedly. "But you government types can KEEP your shotguns. There's far too many people on the receiving end of those in my line of thinking." K'Ehleyr crossed her arms. "Maybe there's just a lot of stupid non listening people these days who won't listen to higher vocal persuasion unless a barrel is sticking their noses a little higher in the air." "So says the foreign ambassador to the Federation." and Bones grinned from ear to ear. "I think I'm gonna like you a lot honey. Not afraid to tell off an old human. You know my name. What's yours?" "K'Ehleyr with a silent "h"." she smiled and offered him her glove in human style in a hand shake. She was diplomatic enough not to crack any of his knuckles when he shook back. "Nice to meet you. I'm sorry none of us are going to get to hear Captain Janeway and you speak on the subject of human hybridization. I could have been a very good case study." "No kidding.." McCoy said, looking her up and down. "And here I thought you were a full Klingon with that sharp wit of yours.. Alexander?" "He's the same. Worf is full and I am a half blood with humans." "I should let Beverly know about that for his records." "She knows.. She saw quite a bit of us on the Enterprise before I died." McCoy blinked "Are you telling me you're some d@mned ghost?" "No. Not exactly. More like.." she smiled in quiet amusement. "Liberated before a fateful encounter with Duras's bat'leth. The Guardian told me all about it in transit." "Don't tell me it's a Klingon fan too." "No,..it's partial to you humans. Like the Q are. My guess is that your Captain Kirk made quite an impression on it when he leaped through looking for you." "How'd you know about that?" McCoy said with a touch of embarrassement. "My dear doctor.. I'm an ambassador to the Federation.. I make it a point to learn all about my adopted identity." K'Ehleyr grinned. "Point taken." McCoy said, heading for the door. "You won't have to test the wind for your son anymore. I'll take you right to him. I'm going there anyway." Just about then, K'Ehleyr's combadge twitched. >I (Alexander) tapped my pin and called mum. >Mum! MUM! You'd better get down here real fast. >We're all going to burn >down like haystacks if you don't hurry. McCoy's mouth dropped open. "What an about faced lie. Just what are you teaching him?" "He's such a kidder." K'Ehleyr said. "All Klingon males around his age have an over abundance of both impatience and a sense of exaggeration. Typical for boys his age. I found if I let his little comments slide, it boosts his ego and self confidence to the point where he can hold his own among the human children.. It's nothing.." "If Joanne ever spoke to me like that growing up, I'd washed her tiny mouth out with soap." "Tried that. Tastes like candy to us.." she shrugged. "And he's too young to listen to diplomatic reasoning. Actually, he's getting too smart for dear old mom. Wish Worf were around to pain stick ceremony him once in a while to give Alexander's identity a direction.. Know what I mean?" McCoy scratched his head as they rode in the turbolift down to the Medical's lobby and outside. ::Pain stick? Perhaps Jim was right about these Klingons all along.:: But he said. "Whatever you say, ambassador. The lab's right this way.." =================================== Ten minutes later Bones and K'Ehleyr were as deep in the reason behind the Headquarters wide yellow alert as everyone else was. The tall Klingon woman fit in easily with both the out of timers and Kirk, whom she unconsciously labelled as a Klingon hater, even after all his years on Earth. The rest of the people in the room she knew by reputation indirectly on her goings about in the last two days since the Guardian delivered her and Alexander. ::Ah, now there's Janeway. We've got to compare notes about dressing down infracting underlings over coffee sometime. No one can do it better. I've seen those ship logs of hers. Poor Harry Kim got the best one on that journey..:: K'Ehleyr thought. ::And it was for firing phasers out of turn even..Imagine that.:: Then she shook her thoughts to the present. Alexander was currently chewing on the R'Neq's jerky she brought for him. She knew the spaghetti she smelled still on his lips that he hadn't had enough animal protein to eat that day. ::How can he eat that stuff? :: she meandered, after she had kissed him in greeting. "Now, Alexander.. go give that tricorder back to Ambassador Scott, we already have two you borrowed and that spy probe from his cabinet in the living space we were assigned to. The housekeepers are getting tired of returning them to Supplies in your name." "Yes, mother.." Alexander said, glumly. K'Ehleyr gave him a gentle ruffling to his hair as he saundered past. "There's a good boy." Then she reconsidered. "Say,.. on my way over here with Doctor McCoy, I caught sight of a vanquished bush monster near one of Boothby's gardens. If I didn't know better, I'd say it had the same sword stroke marks in it that you leave during your Bat'leth exercises from the holodeck on the target dummies." Alexander looked up in alarm. K'Ehleyr winked. "Nice kill..." and she took him in a rush into a hug. Then K'Ehleyr turned to the event at hand. "I'm fully prepared to offer my services to help get to the bottom of this future catastrophe. I'm.....quite used to having surprises sprung on me.." she grinned slightly. "Just tell me what's needed and I'll get right on it." ----------------------------------- (attachments) Image : K'Ehleyr wearing sleek tan leather. Image: McCoy wearing his blue surgical tunic. ******************************** END WEEK TWO RECAP 01-21-02 WEEK THREE RECAP 01-22-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub. ************************************* From : Jeff Seltun Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Lunch Break.. Date : Due, 22 Jan 2002 21:15:01 -0800 (PST) >Then K'Ehleyr turned to the event >at hand. "I'm fully prepared to offer >my services to help get to the bottom >of this future catastrophe. I'm.....quite >used to having surprises sprung on >me.." she grinned slightly. "Just tell me >what's needed and I'll get right on it." Seven of Nine stepped forward. She didn't quite know what to make of the Klingon woman. She instinctively knew that K'Ehleyr didn't appreciate side stepping issues. So she got to the point. "What may serve Starfleet best in the time we have remaining is to guard against any wildfire ignition points from beginning in the immediate vicinity. The satellite deployment by Headquarters is a good start." Data set the future head back onto the counter. "Viewing this account of what is apparently a fatal injury to me yields little useful clues. Is it necessary to even credit what we've seen beyond the basic fact of a fire out of control? My cranium unit's apparent separation from my body is not important." The EMH protested, "Of course it is.. I've followed your career Mr. Data. You are alive in every sense of the word. You merely... have a better chance at surviving...conditions fully biological lifeforms can't, such as being...well,.. beheaded.. Don't write yourself off so soon. This.." he said pointing to Data's head from the future, "...hasn't happened yet. And until it does or can be prevented, you are going to enjoy the full protection and action any Starfleet citizen is entitled to by law from the Federation.. Including search and rescue if this disaster happens and you actually get....scattered into pieces..Dr. McCoy, I'm sure you'll agree with me." "I do." Bones said. Janeway said, "I've seen enough here. It's time we do something to take our own fate into our hands." Chakotay asked, "What do you want to do, captain?" Seven looked up and carefully folded her hands behind her back. "Isn't it obvious Chakotay? We simply do, ..nothing. If a fire outbreak occurs, we'll deal with it. We've been warned by the Guardian of Forever. That's makes us especially alert to any emergencies and makes all of us more cautious from this point on." "Are you all with me?" Janeway reiterated. At least the EMH, Seven and Data nodded yes. "Good, cause I'm starving. Yellow alerts make me hungry." She found a broad table that had only some of Scott's experimental blueprints on it and she set them aside, clearing it until the black enamel table was empty. Janeway made her way to the replicator and said, "Scan the identities of everyone in this room and give me one preferential meal and beverage they order most often for each. Site to site to the table in front of me." Kathryn said. Chakotay began chuckling. "I think I'll join you. After all, most of us here are guests of Starfleet and not on active duty beyond the teaching, guest lecturing levels.. We aren't on the front lines of this yellow alert.. Headquarter's got the ball.." and his eyes twinkling. "Ah,..now this would be mine.." he said reaching for a steaming plate of yams, cornbread and a simple berry bread. A recreation of his clay tea mug from that morning appeared next as he touched his plate. "Ginger tea.." Janeway got some coffee and a solid stew. She and her ex first officer sat, pulling lab stools under themselves and grabbing napkins. "Dig in.." she said. "Mr. Scott. I like this model of replicator, makes meal selections for a group easy enough for even me. DNA selected memory, and off slot delivery by verbal command.. Slick.." "Glad someone liked the upgrade. " Scott mumbled. The EMH smiled when he found a plate that had simply a datapadd on it. "And my middle day fare.. the Opera House Column in the Global News Net. Seven...have you picked a favorite program for our next date yet?" Chakotay nearly spit out his tea. "Doctor, isn't that information a little personal for the lunch table?" he said with more offense than he intended. Data tilted his head, sitting down before a beaker of dark, bitter smelling substance. "I thought the doctor was engaging in small talk Commander. Is that not the case?" "It is. Ignore Chakotay's tones. He and Seven have a past that is changing. Pay the last remark no mind." the holodoc said pleasantly. "I'm deciding not to." Chakotay sighed and was glad the others were too busy seeing what had been replicated for them to hear the exchange. ::Maybe I am a little worried about Seven liking myself and Kathryn together. I value Seven as a friend too much. Or am I still on automatic "EX" mode.?:: Oblivious, Janeway caught a whiff of Data's drink and curbed a look of disgust quickly as she asked, "Uh, what are you having Mr. Data?" "Guinan calls this the Revolting Ruin. My favorite. It was one of the first drinks I ordered when my emotion chip was installed." Seven didn't understand the interchange between the EMH and Chakotay to Data. She was lost in her own thoughts during those seconds and missed the entire thing. ::Can we relax vigilance during this blanket yellow alert?:: Seven of Nine thought it was a little surreal how the higher ranked officers dismissed the potential crisis situation surrounding them in what seemed like moments to eat when she realized it was a skill that she, as an Academy Cadet, might find useful later on. So she emulated Data, Chakotay, Janeway, and the EMH by sitting by the plate she knew was hers on the table. A large wedge of dark chocolate cake. Deanna Troi was already sitting and she eyed Seven's platter and pointed to her own bowl of chocolate icecream. "Trade you.." she said to Seven. Seven didn't understand the reference so she smiled slightly at the counselor and continued eating lightly. "Doctor, I'd thought we'd try the Marseilles Opera House in Constantinople." "I'll book us tickets for two..." he said. Janeway loudly cleared her throat. "Make that four..." the EMH said. "You, me, Commander Chakotay here and Captain Janeway.. " he hit a button on his reader pad sarcastically. "Anyone else??" he said aloud to the group as a whole. No one else in all politeness answered. Data almost did, but McCoy's slight shake of his head stopped him. He hadn't missed the relationship pair conversation going on in the slightest. Seven of Nine approved of her ex captain inviting herself along, she was almost relieved in fact. ::That way Chakotay and I can get used to the fact that we are no longer romantically affiliated. We can concentrate on being differently bonded. No doubt the EMH and the captain are faster than Chakotay and I on realizing this.:: "Now the only task about which I am uncertain is about what I should wear.." Kathryn winked, "I can help you with that. I've a whole closet of functionary affairs that can double as evening wear. I've given a whole lot of symposiums since the ship got back and I've a line all the colors of the rainbow. Will be a cinch finding you one Seven." "I'd like that captain." Janeway stopped chewing for a moment, smiling with amusment at Seven. ::I don't think she'll ever call me Kathryn. We'll have to work on that.:: she thought privately. The EMH held out his hand to the rest of those in the room. Steamy smells of drink and hot food were enough to convert everyone to at least consider eating with those already starting. It was a strong attraction having a favorite meal already dialed nearby. "This may be the last solid meal and relaxation we'll see for a long time.. Eat while it's hot.." the doc said. "For day after tommorrow...I die.." Data quipped. Everyone in Scotty's lab went awkwardly silent, until Data began to laugh uproariously. The rest followed suit and all tension, yellow alert or otherwise, fled the room.. Data's smile was genuine. "I guess I've finally mastered a joke..." he said eagerly, and bent to his beaker of revolting brown with a will. "MMmm" he grunted thoughtfully. Then he noticed Alexander edging nearer and eagerly eyeing the glass with a fixed stare, licking his lips. Data held it out before he took his third sip. "Want some?" he asked the boy. --------------------------------- (attachments) *animated gif* Data laughing uproariously. *animated gif* Seven of Nine trying coffee. Image: The EMH singing in an Opera House on stage. ************************************** Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2002 20:53:42 -0800 (PST) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: Sure Plays A Mean PinBall Scotty dragged over another lab chair next to Janeway with Chakotay flanking his other side. "The haggis you ordered is a might better than I thought it would be." "I just simply called up whatever is most frequently ordered under your ident Mr. Scott. Apparently, you have this recipe often.. or it wouldn't have arrived." Janeway said. She noticed that the beverage went mostly untouched by his hand. Scotty noticed her look and leaned over, saying, "The replicator can't make a decent Scotch, but it can make a nutty ale. But, I'm sort of on duty now aren't I?" and he jerked a fork up at the row of yellow alert bars winking above them. Janeway smiled to herself and answered, "That's all right, Mr. Scott. I should have remembered that your replicators provide real alcohol.." Scotty took another bite of his meal, and he looked down and noticed that it was half gone. Thinking as only a Scotsman miracle worker would do, :: The Guardian said the danger was less than two days away but what we know about the future is that it is always in motion and always changing. I can use that.:: Aloud he said, "This plate is half empty.." "What?" Chakotay asked. "This plate is half empty.. but still half full." "Wonderful psychology Captain Scott. " the EMH said sarcastically, "I'll book you my next symposium on the elderly stating the obvious." Scotty glared daggers at the holographic physician. But kept his peace. "No sense arguing with something that's just a computer program who doesn't know how anything really IS... I was referring to time and probability..." and he gestured to his plate once again.. "This here's an example. If I don't finish eating. Nothing will change. But, If I continue to eat or replicate more, then the outcome is different based solely on what I ...choose." Scotty saw that he was winning everyone's attention and they all stopped chewing for a moment and really started paying attention when they realized he was on to something they didn't yet see. " As we make choices, the resulting effect becomes shaped eventually by WHAT we choose as well as WHEN...." Janeway's eyes lit up. "I see where you're going. Chakotay. Is it possible?? Can we alter what we see as evidence here?" she said, looking at Data's severed head. "I don't see how..just yet.. Captain." he said, looking at Mr. Scott. "What are you saying exactly..? " Chakotay said. "There's an old proverb, Time waits for no man. That probably means that it's going to happen when, it happens... For us that means a fire. Now, we know, that Data somehow gets severely damaged trying to rescue Deanna Troi. Now, why was Yar there? And why didn't she recognize Deanna or Data? And why did she appear on the balcony at that point?" Mr. Scott watched Tasha shift uncomfortably. Little or no food was eaten off her meal at all. She wasn't looking at him. "I know the unknown can be frightening lassie, but the sooner we solve this mystery, the sooner you can stop blaming yourself for a murder you didn't commit." The EMH spoke, "Captain Scott. We know the evidence, The head has been burned. Sent to us from two days in the future. That is a fact. Deanna Troi and Tasha Yar have been recorded as having been with Mr. Data on a balcony in the midst of a huge fire turning into deadly plasma fire. This is also a fact. Where are you angling your logic here? We need action. Not more speculation.." The gray haired Scotsman smiled and rose from his stool. "Ah,,.. laddie, logic is something I learned from Mr. Spock here. And I've come up with a form of my own. Sometimes even the most concrete facts may not be what they seem if the whole picture isn't known. I am going to find a way for us to learn this before the forty eight hour mark is reached." "How?" Chakotay said straight faced. "How else laddie?" Scott beamed. "I intend to use the blasted Guardian and go a day into future.." Janeway stood "Wait a minute Mr. Scott. We can't just go willy nilly and leap into a situation even we can't control. The Guardian went through a lot of trouble to warn us. No one's going through anything. Starfleet would never allow that. And quite frankly, I don't think the Guardian would allow us either." "All right. Point taken. But a wee fire alone being the culprit? Somehow I think it's all much bigger than that. Somehow, events are being manipulated in a way that makes it seem our problems are only at home." Mr. Scott went to his invented 3D Viewer they had been using and scrolled back Data's play back from the awful scene on the balcony. "Here's the moment just before Yar came outside with her phaser, Look at this time index, Just over her shoulder.. There's something else there.." He zoomed into the shot, slicing squares and getting closer and closer to the image behind Yar. "Computer enhance image in quadrant 7-18 by a factor of five." The section of the image became clear. "Computer.. Based on the light reflecting off the object in this frame. Speculate and conjecture its identity." ##Plasma configuration. Orientation UNKNOWN.## Janeway and Chakotay were on their feet now. And the EMH had even gone silent. The image showed Scott's special view screen tie in bringing the image sharper and sharper into view. Something was touching Yar's shoulder, a strange green fog.. The EMH stood up, "What is that?!" Janeway said, "Looks like some plasma wash.." "More like a coaelescing field I'd say." Scott replied. Chakotay said, " But we saw outside the balcony window that the brushfire was only just turning to plasma after it hit Building Five's security shields surrounding the Guardian. I thought a plasma fire consumed anything it touched, that's what makes it so dangerous." Scott pointed again to the green glow surrounding Tasha. "Ah,, but what if this isn't Tasha.? What if we have an intruder on our hands? I can't think of a better way for explaining how a simple wildfire got through Starfleet Headquarters proximity deflectors." Scott tapped his combadge =^=Captain Scott to Main Starfleet Headquarters Command. I've reason to believe a hostile lifeform may be connected with events I presented to you a few minutes ago. I suggest going to red alert. Tie into my lab viewscreen and you'll see what I've just uncovered. Scott out.=^= Scott turned to the room at large and said. "Choke those meals down. Looks like the second wave generation is about to become the first. It's us on the front lines again.." He walked over to his cupboard of inventions and probes, unlocked it and kicked it open. Janeway looked over his shoulder as she joined him, an expression of shocked pleasure forming there. "Oh my... You ARE a regular packrat Mr. Scott. " "Aye.. but I'm no packrat.. I invented these beauties. Alexander knows all about this cupboard. Don't ya laddie." Janeway and the others gathered near and saw an assortment of hand sensors, data padds, probes and what appeared to be various hand weapons of a powerful nature. She wondered what Mr. Spock thought of those. Mr. Scott pulled out one of the strange looking tiny probes. One that appeared to be nothing more than a silver sphere shining like a mirror but it was only the size of an old style pin ball. He tossed it into the air and it stayed, "This, is a silkie, changes form at will, and can locate anything out of a timeline. Sort of like a miniature observation post. I...sort of came up with these but then the war ended so they were shelved. Made a few enhancements we might be able to use.. Built in high range sensors. Chameleon effect shielding. It's got an AI that can link with android or EMH.. Give her a crack gentlemen!! " and he stepped back waiting to see what Data or the EMH or both would do next. -------------------------- (attachments) Image: A serious close up on Scotty. Image: A table top showing Star Trek gadgetry. *animated gif* A Red Alert beacon flashing. ********************************* From : "Samantha Rose" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Surprise! Date : Fri, 25 Jan 2002 05:47:14 +0000 Riker waited as the last of the accumulated officers had cleared the ward. It still surprised him to see Tasha, though she seemed equally surprised to see him. For Will and the crew of the Enterprise, everything seemed unchanged, but they had adapted to any change that may have occurred in the past eleven years. Tasha's story was different. To her, everything had changed, including her friends. The doors to Ward One closed with a tell tale hiss, breaking the Commander's train of though. He looked around the room, seeing now that only a few registered nurses remained. The transparent cell that Data had recently occupied had been converted back into it's original state. Walking away to a quiet corner, Commander Riker tapped his commbadge, opening a link to the Enterprise, in orbit around Earth. "Riker to Enterprise." the chirp of the commbadge signalled that a link had been opened. "Go ahead, Number One." the familiar accent of a one Jean Luc Picard answered the hail. "Sir, some unusual events have been unfolding at the Academy. Commander Data has been detained." Will saw the klaxons turn yellow just then in a campus-wide alert. "Detained." Genuine curiosity and concern from the Captain. "Yes sir. He's being charged for attempted murder." Riker could imagine the Captain's face, a knot of confusion and surprise. "Counselor Troi was attacked on her balcony a few weeks ago. Trace elements of android components were found in the carpetting." "Surely, Mr. Data cannot be the one who committed this crime." Picard paused for a moment, then continued, "Is the Counselor alright?" he asked more as a friend than a commanding officer. "She's doing fine. A little shaken right now, Doctor Crusher has taken good care of her. I should have some more information by the end of the day." Will leaned forward, resting his hands on a nearby console. "Good. I'll be expecting your report, Commander." By now, Picard had eased back into his command, a slight hint of apprehension slipping from his voice. It was never a good thing to hear about an attack on an officer and even worse to hear about another officer being the attacker, especially your own. "Captain, you should also know that Lieutenant Yar is here." Will hesitated at first. They had all lost a friend. "Tasha? Alive? That's impossible." Picard's voice raised a bit at the sudden news of his late Tactical Officer's reappearance. "Apparently not, seeing as she's here at the Academy. Along with an older Captain Kirk and his crew. I must admit Captain, this is rather...strange." More surprises to report. "Very strange indeed, Number One. Very strange indeed." Jean Luc paused in thought, then continued, "I'm going to beam down. In the mean time, I want you to gather as much information as you can. Picard out." the Starfleet Captain closed the link with his first officer and, with a nod, handed command of the bridge to the highest ranking officer there and left via aft turbolift. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riker sighed as the link between himself and his ship was closed. It wasn't his custom to let the Captain go anywhere alone. There were protocols on the subject and he strictly adhered to them. Personally, he rather liked that protocol. ::Why should the Captain have all the fun?:: He let a small smile escape, but quickly retained a serious manner. He walked out into the open as Captain Picard materialized in the shimmering blue light of the transporter. Commander Riker stepped forward as the shimmer died away. "Sir, everyone has met in Captain Scott's lab. I suggest that is where we begin." Will towered over his Commanding Officer. "I concur, Number One. Let's go." With a wave of his hand, Picard motioned for them to exit the ward and make their way to Scotty's lab. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The sun shone hot and bright on the Terran surface as two of Starfleet's finest made the short hike from Starfleet Medical to the location of Lieutenant Commander Data and Company. They soon came upon the lab, a rather enticing smell greeting them as they got closer. "It smells like someone is having lunch." The doors slid open in front of them and they entered the building. Just as they did so, the klaxons around them turned from yellow to red. With the change came a change in pace for Picard and Riker. Turning a corner, Commander and Captain alike stepped into Mr. Scott's lab to find an assortment of officers huddled around a cabinet of some sort. Above them, a tiny silver ball. Riker stepped forward, his eye brow arched in confusion at the sight of everyone present. Captain Janeway was the first to notice their new arrivals and silently alerted her ex-first officer as well. This caught the attention of everyone else there. "So glad you could join us, Commander Riker, Captain Picard. You might want to come take a look at this." she nodded her head towards the airborne device. William looked at his Captain and then joined the group. -------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Riker's promo on a soft gray maroon. Gif: A steel combadge bar design Image: Picard's promo on stars. Image: A group photo showing Crusher, Troi, and Scotty with others by a food counter. *animated gif* A fire burning orange. ****************************** From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Close Call.. Date : Fri, 25 Jan 2002 12:03:08 +0400 > Chakotay began chuckling. "I think I'll join you. >After all, most of us here are guests of Starfleet >and not on active duty beyond the teaching, >guest lecturing levels.. We aren't on the front >lines of this yellow alert.. Headquarter's got >the ball.." and his eyes twinkling. Beverly Crusher was easily taken off alarm as the rest of them so she dove into her lunch of romaine hearts and trout with a passion. ::You know. I never thought of yellow alerts in quite that way before. Chakotay's right. Most of us are second wave. Including me. If anything happens, I'll be paged.:: So she drank her cider and ate her fish salad smiling at Deanna. "Nothing like food to calm jangled nerves." "I agree Bev." Troi said, spooning even more sundae into her mouth. She was enjoying her typical lunch snack when her eyes fell on Mr. Data's head. That upset her appetite and she set down her spoon. Deanna got up, grabbed the detached head from the lab counter and set it on the table in a spot not occupied by someone's meal. Then she folded her hands neatly in front of her and stared into its eyes. "Mr. Data." she said of the still live one across from her with his beaker of revolting drink of choice. "Have you ever.. she broke off, regathering her thoughts. "I mean do you think he can function without a body?" she said, spinning the face on the head around until it faced Data. Data was intrigued. "I have done so in the past." But they were interrupted by Captain Scott's astounding discovery. Deanna found herself transfixed by the image of green fog surrounding whom she thought was her dear friend Tasha Yar. But the computer's identification of the stuff told them it was plasma. But the plasma was NOT consuming Yar. ::He's right. That's not Tasha. Plasma fires burn organic matter utterly, using oxygen as its fuel and any carbon as its path for travel..:: Near her, she could feel Uhura's inherent fear of fire grow as Scott zoomed in on his clued in image. ::I have to talk with Uhura about her fear. It's growing in her by the minute.:: Then Scotty drew Janeway away from the table and launched his clever tiny round probe. About then,.. Deanna felt the familiar touch of her Imzadi. His feelings were very satisfied. And then she felt those of her captain. ##Will. Always planning ahead..## ##When have I not?## came his amused impression. "Captains, ambassadors..." Deanna said to everyone at large. "Commander Riker has contacted Captain Picard off the Enterprise.. They'll be here any moment..." Janeway looked up and saw the two men arrive moments later.. > "So glad you could join us, Commander Riker. > Captain Picard. You might want to come take > a look at this." she nodded her head towards >the air borne device. William >looked at his Captain and then joined the group. Deanna held up a shush finger to them, smiling in amusement as Mr. Scott continued his demonstration. > "....Made a few enhancements we >might be able to use.. Built in high range sensors. >Chameleon effect shielding. It's got an AI that >can link with android or EMH.. Give her a crack >gentlemen!! " and he stepped back waiting to >see what Data or the EMH or both would do next. The EMH eyed the device and held out a hand. It hovered over to it. "Great.. You've given the commander and I, a floating marble. We can go play badminton." He inspected it like a jeweler would a defective diamond. "It's much more than that!!" Scotty protested. There was a powering down tone and whine that began immediately, distracting all from their thoughts. Then the screen over all their heads suddenly went dark. Janeway had to call the main lab's computer so everyone could see again. =^=Computer.. Lights!!=^= ##Lights on full..## "What happened?" she asked. "Report." McCoy had out his bioprobe over the future travelled head. It was smoking.. "It's dead, Jim. " he said. Mr. Data, the live one, raised his eyebrows..."That is most unfortu--" "Complete positronic breakdown is beginning. Must be residual plasma burn melting its carbon based neural net." the EMH agreed with his own bioprobe and med scanner. Barclay shouted, "Quick!! Call the Corp! If that plasma fire spreads..." Alexander hit the red call button on the wall, summoning help, even as his mother found forceps to move the head to a non organic surface. "Wait a minute!! " The EMH said, still clutching Mr. Scott's silkie class probe. "We can still save the data and some of the personality files.. I can see what to do now through the Probe's AI." And with that, the probe sank down below McCoy's scanner and stuck to the forehead on the head. "We need that evidence saved!" Immediately, Mr. Scott's holo viewscreen showed racing algorithms and binaries as the whole personality and memory records inserted themselves into a side program linked to the EMH. The holodoc abruptly turned white, like Mr. Data, as the process went on and he went rigid, falling away from the table arms still outstretched with one palm cupped as it if were still holding the probe. Mr. Data caught the EMH as he fell and lowered him to the floor. The blue voyager uniform exchanged for a replica of Data's current yellow one in violent flickers, his arms still sticking up into the air like a broken marionette. Janeway and McCoy both ran over to him. Chakotay too. "Doctor!!" she shouted. "Doctor! Can you hear me?!" No one touched the EMH except for Data, who was able to grasp the shifting holo matrix easily in his artificially created hands. The holodoc seemed to freeze and quit moving. Captain Picard looked down. "I don't believe what I'm seeing." Deanna told Riker through their empathetic bond the whole story about finding Mr. Data's head and the whole frightening vid inside its memories cells implying a future murder of Data by Yar during a horrible fire contaminated by plasma threatening the Academy. Riker quickly updated his captain while Deanna focused on the crisis in front of them. Then the downloading from the future head completed. The probe lifted off the dead head and floated back into the EMH's palm, and glowed briefly once it nestled there. Tractors from the probe closed the EMH's fingers around itself and then... The EMH's own personality and appearance reasserted itself and he "woke" up. "Ahhhhhhh!!" he cried with a jerk. "Mr. Scott! You did a stupid mistake! I almost suffered an identity crisis permanently. Next time. Design a manual shunt for the next EMH who taps into this silkie probe's AI link of yours. You forgot to separate the android and EMH program port tie ins in there. I just fixed it." "Sorry.." Scott said. "Like I said. Shelved after the war they were before being perfected." Janeway knelt down by where the EMH was lying. "Doctor. Are you all right? Did it work?" she still did not touch him. "Yes. I believe so. I have the holographic equivalent of a headache. But the knowledge from the head has transferred to one of my self adapting analyses programs. I can tap into it but I'm afraid I can only talk about what I "see" there. Mr. Data here won't be able to access them through me anytime soon. The memories are fully holo now. The video images we saw earlier have been lost. Unless someone managed to record the data I put up on Mr. Scott's lab viewscreen." Chakotay put his hands on his hips. "I'm sure Starfleet Command recorded the transmission Mr. Scott just sent calling for a red alert. We don't need it any longer. Doctor. We'll just use your accounts to guide our investigation from here on out." "That will be adequate.." Ambassador Spock said. Deanna meanwhile had covered the head with a fire sheet, and Dr. Crusher sealed it into a vacuum tight container which drew out all the air from inside of it. Beverly stated the obvious. "If there was still some microscopic plasma burning it there, it isn't any longer. I've just snuffed it out. We're safe now." And she scanned the outside of the container. "No signs of plasma registering. Strange that any of it managed to time shift with the head. I guess the Guardian had to hurry too much to decontaminate it before transporting it into our time." "Perhaps.." Captain Kirk agreed. Troi looked at Mr. Data. ::I wonder if this death is effecting him? Technically, Data just watched himself die. And the EMH instigated the holographic equivalent of a katra ceremony for artificially based lifeforms.:: But the expression on Mr. Data's face remained neutral. Deanna felt nothing from him at all. There was plenty on Mr. Barclay's face. He was jumping from amazement, worry, curiosity and lastly, to self consciousness when he realized the others weren't panicking in the same way he was. He fought down his responses admirably. Troi winked at him. "It's all right Reg. I think everyone is feeling the same as you right now. " Then she turned to the EMH. "Doctor.. Now that you have integrated Data's memory ingrams. Tell me.. what other readings besides the visual did you get off Tasha Yar on the vid? We've already seen the apparent plasma on her form there." The EMH shifted, his usually exacerbated reactions and expressions levelled off into blandness. "I have found the time index Mr. Scott framed in that isolated data set. There are no lifesigns coming off Tasha Yar at all in this recollection. Even moments before I was decapitated." came a voice that was somehow, still the EMH's, but with his words phrased ike it would have been if Data had been uttering them. Tasha shuddered, keeping silent.. Beverly Crusher set a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder. But then she asked more. "What else do you see, doctor? Anything else out of the ordinary, inside that playback?" The EMH stared at nothing for a bit. Then his head jerked back as if it had been struck by a phaser beam. He gasped, then returned pure EMH. "I reviewed the entire memory vid. Other than Mr. Scott's green fog, the computer's tenative identification of a plasma configuration and Mr. Data's impression of no lifesigns off whom he and Deanna apparently saw as Tasha, I see nothing new.." "Thank you doctor, for both linking with the probe and saving those records. I'm sure it wasn't pleasant." Janeway said, helping the EMH to his "feet". Chakotay said. "It is never easy to see another in the moments before death comes." "One would think I'd be used to it by now.. I'm a doctor. I'm exposed to it constantly." the holodoc quipped. "Speak for yourself..." McCoy said. "I'm still not used to it." "Mr. Scott, I return control of the probe to you.." and the doc released it to float back into the air with a series of warbles and bleeps. Only then did Janeway step in to grab the holodoc's hand. "Doctor.. Did you burn yourself? That probe was in direct contact with the head." "I appear to be fine captain." Dr. Crusher added from a terminal, "He's safe. I just pulled up the schematics of Mr. Scott's probe here. It has plasma repellent shielding.. They'll be no cross contamination over to him." Deanna turned and beamed at Tasha Yar. "Well all of this is good news. You aren't responsible for anything that will happen two days into the future. So stop worrying." Yar stood, scanning Scott's silkie class probe with her own tricorder. "My worry is still there. It's just shifted from me to you Data.. Something mimicked me and then eliminated you on that balcony. And I'm going to do something about it. Now. " ------------------------ (attachments) Image: Riker, Dr. Crusher and Data standing in bright lit out of doors. Image: Deanna Troi and Captain Picard standing by fire. *animated gif* A green plasma ball expanding. Image: Data's head, lying on dirt, severed from body. *animated gif* A tiny rotating silver probe, with red spikes coming out. Image: A shocked look on the EMH's face in a close up. ************************ From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Plan of Action- Nightfall Date : Mon, 28 Jan 2002 04:33:41 +0000 Collectively written story for the third week between "Cory Anda" using MSN messenger chat window and email letters over two days. main parts ------------- Uhura Nurse Chapel Alexander Spock Barclay free roles ----------- the EMH Boothby Janeway Chakotay Uhura saw Deanna Troi looking at her while her mind was lost in a morass of thoughts. ::No, not that.:: she agonized. ::Not fire. I don't think I can stand dealing with another fire.:: But then she snuffed out her fears as Mr. Scott gave his presentation about the Enterprise security head not really being who she appeared to be. She turned to the EMH, wiping her mouth with her napkin to brush crumbs off her face after her sandwich. "Tasha Yar isn't really Tasha Yar, doctor?" she asked him. "Not from the readings I'm seeing here in the memory vid. Plasma fire consumes organic matter and the image we saw earlier shows what looks like the lieutenant in direct contact with the energy fire. An impossible outcome." "Mr. Spock..." Nurse Chapel began. "What is your opinion about what we've learned?" "It is too soon to make an hypothesis to explain this incongruency of facts. Not enough information has been gathered." the Ambassador admitted. Mr. Barclay smiled and began clearing the empty meal plates from the lab table and hitting the replicator's recycle mode. "But, with Mr. Scott's probe, we'll be that much closer to explaining all this." It was all the Lieutenant could do to not drop everything and examine the floating probe above their heads like an eager child. He missed getting one plate into the slot and had to juggle wildly to regain his grip on it. Everyone chuckled. Uhura couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the Red Alert active all around her. She could hear bustling personnel in the hallways outside Scotty's lab and she could see teams of security dispersing about Headquarters. A tell tale sparkle in the sky told her that the dome deflectors had been erected over the entire Starfleet grounds and that civilian traffic was being turned away for the duration of the alert. :: I wonder what that thing is in Data's vision if it isn't Tasha Yar? If it is an intruder, we all could really be in danger of that fire from the future if we aren't careful.:: A scuffling from the hall drew away Uhura's attention and she looked up to see four men in full firegear and apparatus dial into the lab at a run. "Ah.. there they are..." the EMH said out loud. "Over here gentlemen.. We've contained the danger .." The Fire Corps arrived in a timely fashion from Alexander's summons. That was fast! They got here in a whole twenty five seconds! I thought. I got them! I got them! Now there won't be any danger. I shouted. I may be little but I knew what a fire alarm was. It's in there. I said to the fire officers. Dr. Crusher and my mum put it in a space box so it wouldn't burn more. Nurse Chapel ruffled Alexander's hair affectionately. "Let the Corp do their work, let's stand back." I stood back away from the lab table mum had set the container with Data's head in it and the men in outfitter's gear scanned it for the green fire. "It's clear.." the Leader said. I was a little scared but then I felt Uhura grab my shoulder. "It's going to be all right now, Alexander. You want to know why my appearance is like yours and your mother's? I'll tell you. I'm from a part of Earth where the people developed under a very bright sun and where it's hot all the time. My skin is dark because I'm from a place where a hot savanna has stretched all around for millenia. It is a trait of African people Alexander to look like me. Like your forehead ridges are a trait of Klingons to scent trails from the air given to you by your dark moist homeworld." I smiled. I liked this Uhura. She wasn't treating me like a young boy like the other humans. Wow. Not many humans know what these are for. I said smacking my head bumps. Nurse Chapel told more about the reason for the internal fire alarm call to the corp team. "The source of the plasma fire is microscopic in a positronic net inside that containment field. We've instated a vacuum around it. Medical is not needed here. No one is showing signs of plasma contamination." "Thanks. We'll take it from here." said the fire corp specialist. Janeway spoke up. "That is an artifact of a classified nature associated with the Building Five Project. I'm sure your superiors may want--" "Yes, maam.. We have our orders.." said the tall man . He and his three others antigraved the container holding Data's head between them and escorted it out of the room, leaving everyone behind. "Talkative, aren't they.." Chakotay quipped. Janeway rolled her eyes. "Straight to the point. I guess all fire fighters are that way. They have to think and act in a pinch.." "So do captains.." he mumbled. Janeway toasted him with her coffee mug. "I'll take that as a compliment." Mr Spock sat quietly in his chair watching the events around him, allowing the captains to organize and group together for the situation at hand. His simple juice was finished and so was his salad. He steepled his hands in front of him as he regarded a computer scan from a laptop he had secured from Scotty's desk. "I've recalled the copy of the memory files Mr. Scott relayed to Starfleet Command before the head disintegrated. I've confirmed active plasma fire surrounding the visage we see as Tasha Yar in that record. Whoever or whatever she is must be ascertained with all possible speed." Mr. Barclay had finished clearing the table and sat back down into his chair next to Mr. Spock. "I'm..I'm not much of a forensic specialist, but isn't it a bit unusual to have this sort of finding? Granted the red alert Command put out is warranted. But this record is an event from two days into the future.. Who's to say the memory vid we've recovered and reviewed is even real?" Mr. Spock nodded but added blandly, "I've known the Guardian of Forever as long as Captain Kirk has known it. Any situation it addresses in any context is viable beyond any benefit of a doubt. We must construe this evidence as fact." Barclay was properly abash. "Uh,, yes. yes sir." And he folded his hands, not looking at his superior. Then he remembered the little silkie probe floating over the table and extended his hand out to it. Scotty gave a nod and it obeyed, settling on Barclay's hand neatly with a soft purring whirr. Reg gingerly pressed its general menu button and its schematics filled the viewscreen in the front of the lab. "This is incredible Mr. Scott. An EMH interface and one Mr. Data can use. I don't believe anyone has ever thought to link those two individuals together using any technology before." Mr. Scott's eyes beamed and he folded his arms over his expansive belly. "Made sense at the time." Mr. Spock knew when his aide had an idea and wasn't speaking about it. "Mr. Barclay. You have a suggestion in your mind and you are suppressing it." Reg hung his head in an I'm caught body english and rubbed his chin, smiling ingratiatingly. "I.. I.. am just surmising sir.. Thinking about what artificial matrices or lifeforms that could mimick Tasha in this way.." he said, pointing to the image Spock had in a loop playback on his terminal. "While being immune to plasma fire at the same time.. The only answer I keep coming up with is the same.. A hologram.. programmed in such a way to be able to fire a phaser." That answer startled the EMH.. "There are specific inherent safeties to any Starfleet hologram anywhere against being altered to become a weapon Mr. Barclay.. It is a primary functional law built in before any animation matrices are enabled." "I..I..I know doctor.." Reg said uncomfortably. "I'm just mulling over a few ideas.." He gestured over to the main viewer split screened to show the satellite feeds coming from space as they scanned Headquarters and San Francisco.."..They are finding nothing entering or leaving Starfleet that's not authorized. If there is no intruder, than the only possible answer for Data's memory vid showing Tasha Yar can only be.. a hologram." Uhura didn't like that idea at all. She barely had a grasp on what little she read about the system in Beverly's office when she and Christine had first arrived. She had an ugly thought. But Janeway beat her to it. "Reg. The only hologram we know about that isn't fitted with an inherent safety failsafe is the doctor here. He's grown beyond the barbaric need for one as a self willed individual." "That's... uh, that's the same conclusion I've come up with, captain.." Barclay murmured. The room fell silent.. Chakotay's unease matched that of everyone's as it welled up. "Who would take the doctor's free will away and reprogram his mobile emitter to imitate Tasha Yar to kill Data in two day's time?" "Someone who wants harm to come to Data and Deanna Troi of course.." she said. "That fire outbreak may just be cover to hide the real crime.." "But why is the Guardian of Forever involved here?" Nurse Chapel asked. "Surely someone's single crime wouldn't have much significance in the natural order of things in our time line." "Wouldn't it?" Janeway said. "All it takes is one infiltraitor to undermine a whole city's image of safety and security. I'm willing to bet whoever created that false image of Tasha also encouraged that grassfire to grow once it was discovered.." "That is a logical inference.." Mr. Spock said. "Yes, but what do we do about it?" Chakotay added. Janeway gestured and the little silkie probe of Mr. Scott's left Reginald's hand and settled into her own. "The same thing Mr. Scott originally planned. We watched for the fire ignition point and see if anyone is attracted to the site to "fan it along" in any way. I don't think putting a security watch on the counselor or the EMH will make any difference. The doctor can appear anywhere at will in the blink of an eye." The EMH grew indignant. "Wait a minute Captain! You sound like you've already written me off as that murdering tool you've outlined! Let me remind you that none of this memory vid has happened yet!" Janeway sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Doctor, I could discuss kudzu and karma and manifest destiny with you all day long but we can't afford to demiss anything the Guardian has shown us thus far and I'm certainly not going to tell Starfleet about Barclay's suspicions. Would you enjoy them deactivating you permanently doctor?" "Well. No.. but.." "No buts about it doctor. You are an individual with rights as much as Mr. Data here is and I will defend you like I would any other officer here working with me. Is that clear?" Janeway said. "Yes.. very." "Good." she said. "Now.. Our direction seems clear. Locate the fire source site, and keep the EMH under constant contact with one of us until we get to the bottom of these memory vid events in case someone tries to take him over to fashion that Tasha Yar fascimile." I saw Captain Janeway and was surprised that a woman could be so much like father when it came to security matters. Captain Janeway! Captain Janeway! Can I help? I saw her look up at me. "You'll have to ask your mother on that score Alexander." she said. "But.. I could use someone to watch that viewer with the satellite readings and this silkie probe's monitor for any new developments.." Mum! Mum! Can I do it? I know I can help Mr Scott. I know I can. I saw my mum say yes so I went over to the big screen and watched the satellite picture and the probe's telly. Do you want me to send that silver ball out to find the fire spot? I asked. Mr. Spock raised an eyebrow. "That would be very helpful, Alexander. Please implement your idea." Goody! Now I could do something to help everyone. I wanted Deanna Troy and Data to be safe despite the things the Donut showed us for the next two days. I didn't want to burn down, I didn't want to see Data's head again. It was too scary. And doing a action made me feel better. Just then there was a communique from Mr. Boothby. =^= Boothby to Lab Six. Starfleet Command Fire Corp has opened the containment box they've secured from your location. Looks like the Guardian has already returned Data's head back to the timeline it belongs. I assume you've gotten the message the Guardian wants us to find and that now we're stuck controlling our own destiny to stop some horrific event?=^= Chakotay smiled at that comment. "Mr. Boothby, who says it's some horrific event?" "When does any person or agent want to help another except in a bad situation Commander..?" came the gruff comment. "I don't see the Guardian of Forever getting involved in a rosy scene now do you?" "Point taken. Mr. Boothby. Join us in this whole endeavor?" Chakotay asked wryly. "Hmph.. My flowers need me more than you need me. I've still that errant tribble to track down. It's an unknown.." "Tribble?" Janeway asked. Yes! The V'dmeer! I shouted. I'm supposed to go hunting it for Boothby in an honor oath. He let me use his sword in battle. "He did that Alexander?" Janeway asked, "Never mind. I don't think I want to know the details about that situation.." K'Ehleyr laughed proudly at the human captain's reluctance. Nurse Chapel stood. "Right.. Well if there isn't anything else we can do in this lab. I think I'll go back to Starfleet Medical and see if this Red Alert's caused any civilians being held under our perimeter deflector shield any problems..That's if.. I have Dr. McCoy and Dr. Crusher's permission to work in their department.." Both McCoy and Beverly Crusher waved a go ahead to her. Nurse Chapel turned to Uhura. "Coming Uhura? I think we should stick together for Captain Kirk in one area until he needs us.." She got Kirk's affirming nod on that idea. Uhura and Nurse Chapel left the lab. Mr. Spock and Mr. Barclay joined Alexander at his terminal in front of Mr. Scott's viewscreen and read all the data the little boy was monitoring. Reg frowned. "So far.. There's no sign of fire within five kilometers of Starfleet Headquarters." Mr. Spock said, "We'll have a better chance at spotting any developments of that nature at night. Infrared will assist us once the sun goes down." Mr. Barclay was startled, looking at his chronometer. ::Oh my.. how much time flies when we're having fun.:: The over head universal time on the security alert screen read 17:32. It was almost sundown. And already, night was cooling the city and Starfleet Headquarters under a blanket of darkness. He knew his place for the next few hours, to be by Alexander's and Ambassador Spock's side, looking to thwart a firestorm disaster.. -------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Uhura in Star Trek II tunic. Image: Nurse Chapel in profile. Image: Spock close promo shot. Image: Starfleet headquarters room. Image: Alexander and his family on the Enterprise. Gif: Star Trek title lettering from the original series. **************************** From: "paramountrbd" FOR "Roxy Dee" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] Guard at the Door~~ Date: Mon Jan 28, 2002 6:07 am ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >Yar stood, scanning Scott's silkie class probe with her >own tricorder. "My worry is still there. It's just shifted from >me to you Data.. Something mimicked me and then eliminated >you on that balcony. And I'm going to do something about it. >Now. " She stood, eyeing up Captain Kirk. She abandoned her plate of food instead heading over to the older Enterprise original captain. "Sir, my course is plain. I was pulled into this time by the Guardian to help Deanna Troi and so that's what I wish to do. Mr. Scott has been able to contribute to all this with his new probe technology. Tell me what you want me to do sir, and I'll do it." Kirk couldn't help notice the slightly stressed look in Lt. Yar's eyes but her commitment and sense of Starfleet duty was very clear. He drew her aside from the others. "Ambassador Spock and I didn't know exactly what the Guardian had in mind either. But now we do. I've never liked time paradox and anything even remotely smacking of time involvement. Goes with the territory. But I like to think that I've gotten past my inhibitions by associating with the Guardian of Forever recently." and he shot Mr. Spock his most challenging I'm an emotional human look. But then he leaned in on Tasha Yar. "Your captain's here. Lt. Does he have level nine clearance with concern for the Building Five project?" "Yes. He does sir. Last year's business with the bluegill worms and Admiral Nyugyen has made that apparent. That conspiracy with Remington, that whole affair came to light to my captain from the very beginning. He has level Ten clearance for sure. I can call Command for you to give you his authorization." Kirk held up a hand. "That won't be necessary. I believe you. In fact, I'd like to use Mr. Riker as well." "What do you have in mind sir?" Yar asked. She was comfortably alert and receptive. "Pretty much what makes the most sense. Keeping my eyes and ears open for any changes in our immediate area on the satellite fire watch. Keeping an eye on Deanna Troi's denizens. Not an activity I'm accustomed to. I'm used to a Starship." "So am I sir.." Yar grinned. Tasha moved near Captain Picard and noticed he had the same expression Deanna Troi and Dr. Crusher wore when she had awakened on the biobed in Ward One. "Captain. I know that eleven years has past for you. And I don't know why you all look at me in amazement as if I shouldn't be here. But let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. We should take advantage of what the Guardian has provided and move on from there." Picard actually reached out and took her hand in a gentle squeeze, ending her emotional outburst. Then he motioned for her to sit as he nursed his own Earl Grey tea. But Yar would not be silenced. "I could stay the next two days with Deanna in her quarters. I could have a security team outside her quarters too. Let me at least try." Captain Picard slowly nodded yes. "You won't be disappointed sir." Yar said. "I'll do my duty to protect her and Starfleet from whatever comes." Kirk met Picard's eyes and spoke, "You have a lot of faith in that young lady captain. I wish my security staff were as dedicated. Join me by the main viewer? Looks like the satellites have spotted something of interest." Kirk waited for Picard and Riker to move near him and he began to toggle up various space views of the San Francisco Bay area in detail. "Here..." Kirk said, stabbing a finger down. "Here is where the ecomechanics have not culled the brush from the hillsides yet. That work is scheduled for next month." He swept a finger in the blue crosshatches of unmowed vegetation. "If any fire will outbreak in Golden Gate Park. It is most likely to be in these areas. We could use Scotty's probe to sweep those areas for signs of potential trouble." Picard said, "I agree." Riker concurred. "Sounds plausible." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the room Tasha gathered Deanna Troi and Dr. Crusher with her. "I know with this red alert that you have to check back with your departments. But I'll go with you to do that. Captain Kirk has authorized me to be your body guard counselor. I hope you don't mind my staying with you for a few days." Deanna said, "Of course I don't mind." Dr. Crusher rose from her seat. "The sooner I check my department floor, the sooner we can get back to Deanna's quarters." Yar said, "I want to see if that scrap of carpetting Boothby found has been torn from the balcony yet. " At Deanna's quizzical look, she added. "Just because it was found with Data's head in the gardens doesn't mean they both arrived there at the same time.." Tasha nodded to Captain Kirk who saw her depart with Deanna and Dr. Crusher. He indicated his communicator pin to her and she ok'd signalled him back. ::He wants me to comm the lab once Deanna and I are situated at her house. I'll do that..:: Yar didn't know what to expect next but she decided she would be ready for anything. She wasn't afraid to face death in the eye. She saw Captain Picard move closer to Kirk to begin to get involved in the situation. At that, she felt a whole lot better about it all. :: We've four captains here. I don't think there's a problem out there we can't solve together.:: And she didn't miss Riker's sudden glance upwards at her when Picard told him where Yar was headed next. Yar knew that Wil wanted to be the one guarding Deanna with all his might but only his title as first officer proved to be getting in the way of that. She gave Wil a thumbs up and then followed Deanna Troi and Dr. Crusher to where they needed to go . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kirk saw the three ladies leave Scotty's lab. It felt good taking action, finally. He was never good for waiting around for clues to develop. ::Spock is much better for that than I. McCoy is too, for that matter. I guess I'm not the scientist or the doctor and patience doesn't have to be in my job description. Fine by me. I'll let my crew work. And, I'll keep them safe. Earth isn't very different than safeguarding crew on a starship. The only thing different is that you don't have to watch out below your feet.:: he chuckled, taking a sip of coffee. Then he listened to what everyone was saying around him. ------------------------------- (attachments) None. Author's secretary from California offers apology for not being able to send pics and sounds offered by this writer. ***************************** From: "Andy Anda" Date: Mon Jan 28, 2002 6:09 am Subject: Tribble 2 The direction of the breeze shifted lazily as it had been doing for some time now. However, this time Tribble smelled (tribbles don't have noses, but they can perceive subtle chemical changes in their environments via specialized hairs distributed amongst the rest) smoke. Regardless of the planet, the one predator that a tribble must be wary of is fire. The smoke was still telltale, so Tribble didn't automatically encyst to survive it -- that was an extreme autonomous reaction that allowed it to survive small diffuse fires much like a horse-chestnut nut, but at the expense of its fur which took a significant energy debt and some time to grow back while also allowing the tribble to be more vulnerable as well. However, there was still time yet. So, as always in this environment, Tribble moved to where it could view the local lepus and its reaction to the smoke. Fortunately, the rabbit had a keen sense of smell as well. The rabbit soon smelled the smoke as well. Quickly, the rabbit disappeared down into one of the portals to its warren. Tribble followed soon after. This was not the first time Tribble had entered the warren. Tribble had followed the rabbit down under the surface of the prairie several times before. As before, Tribble was able to mimic the scent of the rabbit at least well enough that the rabbit and its brethren were not alarmed at the intruder... --------------------------------------------------------- (attachments) None. ********************************** END WEEK THREE RECAP 01-27-02 WEEK FOUR RECAP 01-28-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Graphic Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writing Site ******************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] From the Ground Beneath Your Feet... Date : Mon, 28 Jan 2002 21:56:09 +0000 K'Ehleyr was feeling punkish. Matters were about to move beyond her usual ambassadorial duties. She could feel it in her bones. The answers the humans needed had finally materialized through the Guardian of Forever's graces. ::One would never suspect an android head to be the pancea of fortune telling.:: "Alexander.." she called out to her son. "That was a quick reaction calling in the Fire Corp the way you did. I'm proud of you." she grinned setting a hand on the back of his chair as he watched Mr. Scott's main viewer as the satellites swept the earth around San Francisco. He was fascinated by the graphic maps that phased in from them. K'Ehleyr whispered by her son's ear. "Now this Vulcan next to you is a very wise man. He's Mr. Spock and he's even spied on Romulus without having been discovered." "Wow.." Alexander said, eyes goggling out as he looked again at the older calm Spock in his robes as he, too, watched the computer displays from the silkie probe and the satellite images. K'Ehleyr said, "Remember, you mustn't touch him. He admires those who control their emotions. So show no fear or doubt even if a crisis begins. He will teach you strength of a kind that isn't fighting with a sword or even the path to violence. I have come to respect him." Alexander absorbed all that his mother told him and grew thoughtfully in awe of the seated Vulcan steepling his fingers as he analyzed the computer displays next to the boy. K'Ehleyr told her son that she would go with Tasha Yar and Dr. Crusher and the counselor and that he would be safe in the lab with Mr Barclay and Ambassador Spock. She was turning to go when Spock raised an eyebrow to her and pitched his voice so only she could hear. "If I was as legendary a figure as you portray to your son, no doubt peace would be an absolute across the entire Milky Way galaxy, Ambassador.." he said, quirking an eyebrow. K'Ehleyr tightened her lips. "I forget your ears are as good as my sense of smell. Just hush up and play the good babysitter while I'm gone, a favor from one ambassador to another. huh...?" And she left his side in quick irritation at having been read so well. Spock's lips rose in the barest of smiles at the corners. "I dutifully accept the honor." Dr. McCoy saw K'Ehleyr leaving, too, ducking as her son directed the tiny silver probe's sphere outside to sweep the grounds, to look for fire sign. The silkie probe rose into the sky and headed west, glimmering in the moonlight brightly despite its small size. He hurried to catch up to the Klingon woman. "Wait a minute, Where are you going?" K'Ehleyr didn't lessen her stride for the aging human and neither did she look at him. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going where the heart of the action is. Not much work for ambassadors this evening..We're in a lock down..." she said pointing to the red alert beacons flashing on all the lampposts across campus in the darkness. "Everyone except officer's grade will be restricted to their quarters, including you.. I might add." McCoy harrumphed loud in his throat. "I'm an admiral Ms. AmBASSador Klingon." "Purely honorary doctor as I recall. You were never one for paper pushing in a corporate ladder." she quipped, turning up the night cloaked path leading to Starfleet Medical. She could clearly smell Deanna Troi, Tasha Yar and Dr. Crusher as having passed that way. "This way.." she said, cutting in front of McCoy as she abruptly changed direction in a haughty air. "I'm sure the higher ups gave you that title to get you out of the sickbay setting where I'm sure you drove the resident doctors to distraction following your retirement. With an emotional makeup like yours, teaching and lecturing is better suited at your stage of life.." McCoy sputtered, highly indignant, but his reactions were cut off as he lost his breath trying to keep up with her. "I'll have you know th--!" Then he stopped in his tracks, very thoughtful. ::You know.. I've always wondered why I got promoted so quickly back then. And I think Ms. Turtlehead's right and has just pegged the answer I never knew. I'll be d@mned.:: and he hustled after her, his respect for her sharp powers about things and people around her, growing by leaps and bounds. Both K'Ehleyr and Bones squinted as they entered Starfleet Medical's lobby from the nightime grounds and waved their idents past the security guards at the entrance. They saluted smartly. K'Ehleyr didn't even look at the head security crewman as she asked, "Has Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi along with another woman gone straight to Ward One?" "Yes..about two minutes ag--" "Thankyou, that will be all..." she said and swept into the turbolift behind Dr. McCoy. Bones took great delight in the man's discomforture at her grilling question and manner. "Do you always take great perverse pleasure at keeping Starfleet types off balance?" "Sure. Why not?" K'Ehleyr shrugged. "I especially find it so with human males. My being a female Klingon rattles them.. Just look at OUR first conversation together Dr. McCoy. I was bracing, wasn't I?" "One wonders how you've managed to work together with others for so long.." he mumbled as the turbolift doors opened on Dr. Crusher's department's floor. "Here's my reasoning for it, Doctor. Ambassadors work best alone on occasion. We become accustomed to being opposed politically quite often. My being female is often a detriment in my line of duty when it comes to working inside certain circles. An air of competence and a touch of snob works wonders in the trouble spots. But I'll admit, it's hard to mask that facade once one is recalled off assignment." She admitted, straightening out a leather glove in her belt. "So that's why Spock's still in a super Vulcan mode everytime he ships back to Earth from one of his Romulus undercover assignments. That attitude shifting difficulty you just mentioned explains why he gets his ears in a knot over anything Jim dabbles in that's classfied that he finds excluding his Vulcan rear. Like this Building Five project. Spock had to verbally muscle his way into it with the high admiralty before Jim would even peep about the Guardian.. heh." he chuckled. K'Ehleyr tactfully said nothing and just curled her lips in what she thought was polite listening. She entered the ward and was surprised to see all the biobeds empty. ::Huh. I guess even these Starfleet cadets are somewhat hardy against panic during a blanket red alert. No one is here getting treated for anything.:: "Dr. Crusher? Deanna Troi? Lt. Yar?" "Over here.." came Beverly's voice. K'Ehleyr and Bones found the three women in the main office getting together medkits. McCoy grabbed his own he had brought with him but had left behind, when the EMH got him to sickbay following his wrist mishap that morning. "I take it you three are going to camp out at Deanna's for the next few days... Mind if I join you? K'Ehleyr here can be useful too. She'll sneer at the guards and keep them awake at night." Deanna smacked Bones on the shoulder for his comment. K'Ehleyr simply raised an amused smirk. "It's all right counselor. Dr. McCoy's joking about something we discussed on the way over here. I am not offended. It's his human way of using acid humor to ease his own tensions I'll wager.." and she helped Tasha Yar find the comm frequency on her outdated pin to the current day's so she could keep in touch with Commander Riker and Captain Picard still in Scotty's lab across campus. "And I thought I was the counselor here.. She's got you down fairly well doctor.." Deanna winked at Bones.. "And yes, you can come. My suites are big enough for all of us." "K'Ehleyr reads me better than Spock does I've recently discovered.." McCoy grumbled to Troi. "A survival trait only. I assure you." K'Ehleyr admitted. "I'm used to hitting the preverbial prejucidicial Klingon wall with most people on Earth these days. I forget I'm on campus, where my diverse bloodline is tolerated with open arms.." "Thank Ambassador Spock for that little effect.. Now if only he can crack Jim's Klingon bristling.. we'd be Scot free." McCoy snorted. "Let's go..." Tasha Yar said. "I want to get set up as soon as possible." "Relax darling.. We're in the heart of Starfleet Headquarters. What can go wrong?" K'Ehleyr soothed the fiery lieutenant. ====================================== Out in the park, one of the blue cross hatched regions Kirk indicated on Scotty's overview as a fire hazard, was becoming so. Three yards from the rabbit bolt hole the tribble had found refuge within was an airduct, which led down into Starfleet Headquarters massive Tramway system stretching underneath the campus and Starfleet Medical. It was drawing the night air down into the ground as part of a passive ventilation system for the stations underneath the earth. After a few minutes, a random night sea/land breeze finally made the sunlight heated, glass shard sparked ember catch after its hours long smoulder. It was the tiny source of smoke the rabbits and lost tribble had detected before they had retreated underground to safety.. The curl of flame fed on its plant stalk and it climbed up the single blade of the grass stem, reaching its top. The burning grass frond folded, tumbling over the sucking subway airshaft grill beneath it and its autumn seed pod snapped off of it and it fell, with all of the fire flaming with it, deep into the tunnel below. The sooty grass frond, free of its heavy fire and top, recoiled back into place, and the smoke coming from it was smothered by the thick fog before any sensor, satellite or eye noticed it and it went cold once more. Deep inside the earth, the grass seed ear crackled with flame as it fell onto an antigrav track in the red alert cleared tramway below. It was convected into the earthen wall by static charge in seconds, to behind the track's metal wiring, where ancient roots of trees, tinder dry, stretched inside the sandy soil. The fire began to feed, invisible to satellites and sensors, through the ground along the dead wood, and soon, underneath the deflector dome shield erected around Starfleet Headquarters. Abandoned animal tunnels became avenues along its highway of destruction. Any smoke from the fire was absorbed by the soils and never reached the detectors lining the tramway tunnel. And meters of earth kept the satellites from seeing the rising temperatures of the spreading fire deep inside the ground. The fire coursed inside its net of tree roots, sucking its air from pockets left behind from centuries of accumulated earthquakes in the area, growing larger. Its progress was inexorably towards Headquarter's heart along its crawling subterranean route. As it burned invisibly, the earth around it began to weaken wherever the fire disintegrated the roots it fed upon. Building Five was the nearest structure to the buried fire, only a half a kilometer away from the airshaft the fire had fallen into from above. The building was still glowing with its experimental green plasma shields Headquarters had mistakenly thought safely isolated by the deflector shield dome over the city. And those inside of it had forgotten one important fact. The protective energy dome didn't reach beneath the surface at all. Building Five's belly was open to the growing fire angling upwards, sixty meters beneath it. The stressed substrate weakened further, crumbling, as dirt and rock steamed and hissed from the heat of the fire. Scientists in Starfleet Command dismissed the activity as common variety earth tremors on their seismographs as the chamber was born. The great hole opened up into a cavern and even more roots piled high to feed the subterranean fire. The cavern grew taller, and it was right beneath Building Five and climbing... -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Inside, the Guardian of Forever was forced to remain silent by its own laws even though it knew the fire had begun. It had done its best to warn the emphemerals around it of the danger and it could do no more on the matter, so its portal stayed dark and its communications access quiet. It hoped the man in gold it had befriended from the metal shelled ship would yet again make a difference when it counted most despite his encroaching later age years.. Its own structure could withstand fire easily, it was only a matter of phasing. So it prepared for what was to come and just waited. Something it was famous for doing well. =================================== K'Ehleyr and McCoy and the others were on Deanna Troi's balcony, sharing drinks and relaxing in the warm night air. K'Ehleyr's nose twitched. "Do you smell something doctor?" She felt on the verge of a very human like sneeze. Watering eyes blurred the faint weak light from the full moon overhead, shining over the grounds. "Huh?" McCoy grunted, looking up from his 3D chess game with her. "Oh.." and he took a deep breath of air from the slight wind tickling his face to humor her.. "No.. I don't smell anything. It's probably just the sea fog. That's something you're not used to smelling. Remember, we've still a lot of residual smog left over from two hundred years ago. The ozone's sure to stink from it for a good while yet despite the air scrubbers and purging weather satellites. You can't just replace atmosphere like a shattered dilithium crystal." K'Ehleyr was unfamiliar yet with Earth's scents close to the hillside residential towers ringing Starfleet Headquarters. Deanna's home was on the third floor of one of these. The musty brush and sharp tang of eucalyptus made K'Ehleyr sneeze finally as she tried to separate elements from the moist cool sea air around her face. It was loud enough to make everyone look up. "Bless you.." Bones said afterwards. "Maybe I should take a look at you after our game. There's always a first time for you to develop an allergy to your surroundings.You are slightly out of time, like Tasha Yar is.." he quipped. "You're bound to develop something like that. Your immunity probably isn't used to this decade yet." "Perhaps that is it." And K'Ehleyr dismissed any thought of the unfamiliar scent that had briefly drawn her attention to the horizon and turned her mind back to their chess game trying to ignore her suddenly streaming nose. ------------------------------------ (attachments) Image: K'Ehleyr in black and red. Image: McCoy looking at a rod. *animated gif* Blazing orange fire. *animated gif* A red, black, amber and green lcars panel saying Star Trek. ********************************** From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Popcorn by Firelight Date :Tue, 29 Jan 2002 10:48:09 +0000 Nurse Chapel and Uhura took their time returning to Starfleet Medical. Even at Red Alert, the future time for them held wonders and sights they had never seen before. Uhura spent a moment looking at the campus lamps glowing in the dark and the alert bar fashioned above them. "Christine. Look at this.." she said, tapping a virtual pad at its midpoint. "It's like the captain's status padd. It's telling a constant report on what condition this alert is for. A possible intruder. In this decade, even the garden lamp posts have computer terminals.." and she giggled. The ground shifted beneath their feet. "What was that?" Christine asked. Uhura swung her old style tricorder to scan the ground. "Just a little seismic activity I suspect. It's nothing to worry about." "Let's go inside. It's getting chilly out here." Nurse Chapel said. "Now I know why the women crew around here all wear trousers!" she quipped and they both laughed. "Janeway's got the right idea. Even Beverly's got a lab coat over her uniform unitard." "Think we can get a pair for ourselves?" Uhura asked. "I don't see why not? We do have clearance in Building Five to obtain anything we might need for ourselves." Nurse Chapel said, "Remember the briefing we got before the older Kirk showed up to take us here through the Guardian of Forever?" "How can I forget. It was all I could do to keep from laughing when our Captain Kirk met the older one." Uhura. "I've never seen the captain looked so disappointed he couldn't come into the future with us." "Yeah, but his older self is just as charismatic and all business here as he is for us back on the ship." Christine said walking down the path leading to Building Five. The guards at that door, lowered the plasma security field long enough to admit them passage. Uhura nodded and they walked past, but then she turned and looked back at them.."Any word out of the Guardian boys?" "Not a peep lieutenant.." the younger man said. "It's been quiet as a morgue in there.." Nurse Chapel descended the stairwell leading to the vast climate controlled hanger where the Guardian sat. They went past it over to the living quarters and research room reserved for them and all involved in the secret Building Five project. Uhura followed closely behind and they went into a cabin very much like one found on a starship connected to a smallish galley. The windows of the room opened onto the enclosure containing the Guardian of Forever and a continuous readout flowed on a panel next to the sight. Uhura went over to it and tapped a button. "Well, we're still being protected from temporal paradox, Christine. I'm still getting two chronometer times. The galley here is in our time, matching equipment and technology we're familiar with. And this living space is in their time, so we have access to the communications net with the current Captain Kirk and everyone in Starfleet Headquarters." "Did our Enterprise leave us a message in the galley?" Nurse Chapel wanted to know. "I can't see them sitting idlely by in orbit over Starfleet while we enjoy a jaunt into the future like this.." Uhura took a breath and crossed over to the galley's time envelope. There was a new data padd on the counter. She picked it up and read it. "It's from Captain Kirk...=^=Hope you girls are having fun. Don't get into too much trouble with myself. And make sure Spock and McCoy over there behave themselves like two proper middle aged men. Signed..your past acting Captain..=^= ". She laughed and returned to modern day Building Five's time period in the main living quarters there. "You were right. He did, absolutely burning with jealousy that we're here where he can't be." she said, handing Christine the now dusty datapadd. She flopped down into a chair across from Christine, who had replicated two universal trouser style unitards for them that still were the same color as their old Enterprise departments, right down to the breast insignia on their shoulders. Chapel tossed Uhura a comm badge pin programmed from current time. "Put this on somewhere after you've changed." She shushed her friend as she hit the comm open. =^=Chapel to Captain Kirk. Change of plans. We decided to wait for your orders in Building Five. Nothing's doing in sickbay.=^= "Understood, Christine. I'll check up with you later.." the middle aged Kirk replied. =^=You already have, sir..=^= "Pardon?" =^=Never mind. Chapel out..=^= And the two women laughed hysterically over that ironic fact. Nurse Chapel sighed.."It's about time we get to wear these openly." she said, polishing the communicator pin. "McCoy knows about us now." "Isn't that funny how Captain Kirk fussed over that? I still don't see how Bones seeing us young would have made him nervous for his speech giving symposium, do you?" Uhura said stretching out a few kinks as she caught the new uniform Chapel tossed to her. She disappeared into the sleeping room to change. "Leonard's funny that way, Uhura. He doesn't like change. Maybe that is why the captain tried to hide us and the Project for so long.." Christine said softly. Uhura appeared back out of the water space in the new uniform. "Ooo, I feel like a crewman from these times already.." Chapel laughed and joined her on the couch. "What shall we do now while we wait for the powers that be to decide what we do next in the investigation? Watch a few televids? Eat?" "I'm open.. It's not like we'll get to see any live action tonight.." she said jerking her thumb over to the viewports overlooking the silent Guardian of Forever on the other side of the hanger. "I...am going to go change... You pick what we'll do.." and Nurse Chapel went out of sight to dress. Right then, the ground shook again, making the ornate sculpture on the VIP suite table shift enough to make both nurse and communications officer notice. "Whoa.. active night for the San Andreas faultline." Uhura said. "Did the big earthquake happen yet for Earth? I forget.." "That's not for five hundred years or so..around 2907." Christine's voice replied from around the corner."I remember that detail from the Guardian's sequence just before we leaped here to meet Captain Kirk and Spock in this time." "Ok.. I'd give anything for a little excitement around here." Uhura sighed, eyeing the subtle mauve furnishings and crystal table of their VIP quarters provided by the Starfleet of this time to accomodate them. "Bored with the future already?" Nurse Chapel said, "Don't tell me you're eager to return back to "Hailing frequencies open, sir.." so soon?" Uhura giggled. "I'm not. Believe me. I'm glad to hear from the computer that my older self got promoted past that fifteen years ago.." "Where are you.. I mean, where is she now?" "On Vulcan.. visiting Spock's cousins. After Sarek died, She feels the need to keep in touch with them even as Spock chooses not to." Uhura said. "Captain Picard knows alot about how Spock's father passed. He was there for Sarek's last official assignment as Federation Ambassador." Uhura said. Chapel made a connection. "And now K'Ehleyr is the new ambassador in his stead?" "Bingo.. until she dies..er....died nine years ago. Two years after Tasha's killed." "Agh... My head hurts wrapping around all this time paradoxal history.." Uhura chuckled. "Yeah, well she's just as much future shifted as we are until this whole adventure runs its course. I wonder who else will show up?" Chapel snorted. "Probably whomever the Guardian sees fit to keep this timeline and Starfleet Headquarters safe I guess.." "Hungry..?" Uhura asked. "Famished.. I didn't eat a lot in Scotty's lab. Too much new stuff to see." "I hear you there.. All right.. Chakotay told me about an old snack native of his people, but prepared in an even older way from a real paper sack.." she said. "What is this miracle food?" Chapel said, intrigued. "Microwave popcorn.. Be right back.." and Uhura went to the replicator and got some enough for two. She was still talking animatedly as the two settled onto the couch for a long night of waiting for orders with the steamy bag, she was excitedly chattering until Chapel slit the top of it open and a smokey scent and column of steam rose from the white buttered morsels. All color left Uhura's face and she began to sweat. "Uhura! What's wrong??" Christine said, freezing in place. "Nothing.. It's.." she said, wiping the thin sweat off her upper lip. "I was just reminded of something..when you opened that...The smells and sight, brought back a memory. I.. it's stupid. Never mind.." Nurse Chapel turned all professional and she set the bag aside. "Now I know a psychogenic fear when I see one.. Want to tell me what it is or do I check the computer database on your file to find out what it is..?" she said firmly. "All right.." Uhura said, closing her eyes. She gripped Nurse Chapel's hands and closed the tricorder record she had almost opened. "I'll tell you.." and she sighed, flopping back onto the couch dejectedly. Christine lost all sense of her hunger as she heard Uhura's tale of her childhood unfold. Uhura's voice took on a fearful color as she related her memory. "Growing up on Epsilon Colony Serengeti II was the ultimate eco experience. Even the same Earth trees, animals and plants were relocated there in a second, great African wilderness all for the sake of wildlife preservation. My family moved there to help out shortly after the humpback whales went extinct. Everything was done with the minimum technology necessary. Even down to the weather.." and she shivered. Christine got her a silver blanket and draped it over Uhura's shoulders and she set a hot cup of tea in front of her. "Go on.. I'm listening.." Uhura smiled faintly and went on.."..I must have been about five or six.. playing with my boyhood friend on the plain not far from our villa, when a stray lightning bolt panicked the local impala. One of them kicked open a fallen log the bolt had struck in its haste to get away and the sparks set .. the savanna on fire.. I started running for the water hole as fast as I could, almost faster than the impala and soon I was safe. When I looked back, all I could see was a great wall of fire behind me but no sign of Bantu.. " Uhura lowered her head. "I got wet with water and ran searching for him until the fire turned the water in my hair and on my skin to steam. But still, I couldn't find him. I was forced to return to the water hole just to breathe.." She began to sob. "Bantu didn't make it even though the fire passed quickly.. Father eventually found me and flash healed my burns.. but for years, I dreamed of that fire and imagined Bantu's screams as he died. I.. and just now.. I smelled the same smell from the popcorn..." Christine drew Uhura into a hug, cradling her head. "Shhhh Uhura.. You don't have to say anything more.. Hush.." "It's so stupid.. Having this uncontrollable fear of fire. I ..I almost didn't get the Enterprise because of it. McCoy put in a good word for me with the captain..." Uhura said, pulling away. "I've learned to control it even when we got into battle and my own communications panel erupted in overload, I never panicked nor left my post.." Christine pulled the blanket closer around Uhura.. "Listen hon,.. we are far from that savanna.. and even farther from the Enterprise for the moment so relax.. and EAT your popcorn.." she teased, waving the bag under Uhura's nose.. "before it gets cold. We want to enjoy Commander Chakotay's favorite snack food the way it's supposed to be served. Piping hot.." Uhura laughed through her tears. "I don't know why the old phobia's suddenly having an impact. I..I ..guess it started when I first saw the playback from Data's cranial records. It reminded me of Bantu.." "Yeah, well, Data's head is long since returned to its own time. You heard Mr. Boothby." Christine said, stuffing her face with the paper bag cooked popcorn in a greedy handful. Uhura took only a few. "Yes, I know. That's what I keep telling myself. But nothing I do is helping to convince me of that Christine. And I don't know why.." "Don't worry about it. It'll pass. All bad memories do.." ------------------------- Uhura was about to relax when the entire floor of the hanger outside the living space collapsed into a fiery hole filled with flame. With a horrible high pitched shatter, the transparent aluminum of the windows all burst in their frames and the floor of the crew quarters splintered and listed. The couch, and furniture slid at a hideous angle towards the yawning gap beneath and Christine and Uhura were thrown onto the skeleton frame of the floor that remained above the drop. "Uhura!!" Chapel shouted.. "Hang on!!" Choking smoke made it hard for both to see and then the earth shook again as the whole back side of Building Five tumbled into the burning chasm that had appeared from the very ground. Again the metal frame work jolted hideously downwards into an angry pit, taking the two women tangled there with it. Then the falling stopped suddenly. The wind was knocked out of the lieutenant. Uhura quailed, ::Fire.. The one we were told to look out for..no!!:: Uhura desperately grappled on the twisted bars of the collapsed floor to keep herself from falling. Then she remembered her friend.. She saw Chapel on a narrow ledge along the viewport lip, perched precariously. She wasn't conscious. "Christine!!" Uhura reached out to her but the other woman was more than three meters away. Her friend didn't move. Gasping, Uhura's nightmare fear grew and clamped down on her mind with numbing strength. But her fingers worked, to reach the spot where the new time combadge was. To her horror, it wasn't there.. "Oh, god. no...oooo... Not again....Bantu...." Uhura passed out when thick smoke covered her. By some miracle, the scaffolding continued to hold her body beyond the reach of the fire that was still an earthy orange. None of it had yet touched the plasma security field during the floor's collapse in the hanger to turn green. It was still uncontaminated by plasma. The gaping hole had stopped just short of the Guardian of Forever's base, but the flames were building along with the smoke inside what was left of Building Five. The two guards standing vigil outside had heard the women's screams and rushed in. They connected with the green plasma field jolted meters out of place inside the thick smoke and they were immediately vaporized when they failed to guess it had been grossly warped out of shape from around Building Five's exterior. Both women were threatened by both flame and smoke where they lay trapped. The night sky on campus began to glow orange as the fire made itself known from the depths. A combadge, melted from the heat, tumbled from Nurse Chapel's shoulder and chittered open on a rocky protuberance below when the earth shook again. But there was no one to speak into it.. Only static was sent out. SEE SOUND BITE ---------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Nurse Chapel. Big close shot. Audio: A channel is open warble. Image: Uhura. Big promo pic. Gif: A chest insignia from the original Trek show. ************************************ From :"Clairissa Fox" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] I Find the Emergency Date :Tue, 29 Jan 2002 17:45:47 +0000 I couldnt help myself. I kept staring. The gray haired wrinkly Vulcan made my mum treat him like Kahless? Even when the sun went down, I kept staring. And then my elbow bumped the wrong button on the human computer. It caused Mr Bootby to call me on my pin. "You needed something of me, Alexander?" the gardener asked. I didnt want to tell him I was clumsy because Klingon warriors are never clumsy. So I made up something. Im with Mr Spock and were both watching for stuff on the sky things and with the flying silver ball. I could hunt the Vdmeer for you using them. I thought that Spock would say that I couldnt use them that way because of the red alert but he just kept changing the pictures on the big telly and writing into his metal pad. But then Bootby decided to come by me. He came using the transporter. "Ah,, there you are..." the crusty old man said walking over to the tiny boy. His straw sun hat was gone and so were his dusty overalls. Youre clean! I shouted. "Of course I'm clean. It's nighttime. Do you think anyone can garden when you can't even see the hand in front of your face?" Boothby exclaimed. "And thank you for the offer to hunt down the tribble, but I distinctly recall someone telling you that hunting and killing the tribble wasn't an option young man. And yet, you still insist to me that you are." Shhh not so loud. I said. I didnt want Mr Spock to hear me. I know. I was made to promise Id bring him to you in a cage instead. But look! I showed him. This screen is coming from Mr Scotts marble. I sent it outside to look for the fire Data told us about. And these other really high ones are from the sky things. "Those are satellites. Alexander. I know it's a human word that's hard but that's what they are." I know.. I said and got a little angry. I hated it when there was an Earth word I didnt get right away. I was happy when Mr Spock didnt say I told you so. He knew I was only a little boy and was trying to be like him. Bootby Captain Janeway left some food on the table over there. Not everyone ate because they were scared. I saved it for you. "How thoughtful. Cold food." Boothby said sarcastically, but he yanked on Alexander's ponytail affectionately in a way that he knew would be taken as play. I leaped from my chair and knocked Bootbys pink hands away. He wanted to honor battle play with me! So I growled real loud. I didnt care when Mr Spock raised an eyebrow at me while he worked and I got right in there and tackled Bootby around the legs. "Why you, tiny little hairy leech!" the gardener pretend insulted, lifting Alexander by the back of his trousers into the air. I swiped and swiped but I couldnt reach his face so I just got louder. Grrrr!! But then my boot got him across his middle. "Oaf!!" Boothby pretended and went down into a heap onto the floor. I leaped onto his throat and grabbed it. Die! Traitor! And know that it was I son of mum and Worf of the Moug house who kills you like the slime you are. Grrr... and I grabbed him by the ears. Boothby cried out and faked a death dramatically under Alexander's tiny grip on his earlobes. "Ahh! Oh woe the day I challenged the great Alexander. Farewell..." I laughed loud when he went limp. He battle played real good. So I leaped off him. You mock battle just as good as dad. "I take pride in knowing Klingon practices. Sometimes I think there isn't a race I don't know.. Except for the tribble's." he said glumly. You still can't find him? Ha! I said and climbed back into the computer chair next to the old Vulcan. I can find him. The metal marbles a really great telly and fox hound all in one! See? I pushed some buttons and the picture zoomed around as I made it fly over the woods. Mr. Boothby got to his feet, brushing off non existent dust off his backside and eyed up an apple on the luncheon table. He picked it up and started chewing as he made his way back over to the boy. "Ah,.. so that's Mr. Scott's new prototype surveillance probe.. He called it a silkie class if I remember rightly." Thats it! Thats it! I just couldnt remember that word like I cant remember the hard one. The satill..the sata.. "Satellites.." both Boothby and Mr. Spock said together. Yeah. That one. "But why isn't Mr. Barclay flying it right now? I thought he'd be the logical choice." Boothby asked. I said. He went with Scotty to see his inventions in the secret cupboard back there and Mr Spock said I could take over for a while for him. This feels like flying a shuttle. It's easy. But then I saw the clouds. They were glowing tangerine. Hey look. I know its not dawn yet because that weak Earth moon just came up. Whats that? I made the picture look at the ground. A green dome was over the Building mum and I used to get here but it wasnt sitting right. It was leaning over onto the sidewalk and had made a few of the post lights go out. The faint orange glow was coming from inside of it. Mr. Boothby exclaimed in alarm. "Fire! And from a direction none of us ever expected. I look down everyday digging in the dirt." he said sarcastically. And he hit a disaster call bar on a wall that ran to Starfleet Command. =^=Situation? We've no infrared sightings..=^=came the admiral on duty's voice. "That's because's it's covered up with your experimental plasma shield! Building Five's been engulfed from below! Get on it! And shut down that confounded plasma containment field over the Guardian before the fire changes into charged plasma!!" I saw a white button flashing so I pulled on Mr Bootbys sleeve. Sir. Sir. The firemen cant. The box making the green dome is stuck still on. Look. And I showed him the white button. "You're right. It's fused over there. They'll have to find another way in. Transporters will be nonfunctional with that d@mned security field in place." Boothby checked. Mr. Spock had moved the satellite sensors over Building Five and they could see the glow the boy had spotted just barely, through the green security field. Spock tried rerouting the override controls through the master computer but still the misshapen, battered plasma dome remained stubbornly over the burning building. Bootby! Bootby! Get them out of there! "What are you talking about young man?" the caretaker demanded, grabbing Alexander's arm sharply. I heard the pretty yellow haired lady call Captain Kirk to tell him she and the lady dark as mum would wait in Building Five for his orders. "Spock? Is this true..?" Boothby asked the Vulcan who was rapidly trying to learn more about the situation through the sensors. "It is true. However, I cannot locate any emissions, biological or other wise through the plasma shield. Only visible light is escaping." he said. "That's why the alarm wasn't raised..That d@mned full moon blocked out the fireglow." Boothby snapped. He tapped his combadge. "Boothby to Uhura. Respond." There wasn't even a welcoming chitter. Boothby tapped another frequency. "Boothby to Nurse Chapel. Answer me." This time a line came open, but only hissing static and the sound of crackling flames came over it. "At least she's confirmed inside, Mr. Spock." Boothby told him. "I'm hearing fire over her combadge." Why didnt the bioflag ambulance transporter help her? "The plasma shield prevents lifesign readings from being taken by the main computer Alexander.." the caretaker told him. What should I do. Should I call the Fire Corp again? Boothby looked at the tiny worried boy. "You don't need to. They've been alerted with my disaster call. Now, all of Starfleet knows." Sure enough, they could all see tiny running figures heading towards Building Five's coordinates. I turned on the voicebox on the metal marble. Look out! Look out! The green domes tipping over wrong. Dont touch it or youll get hurt! I saw the people stop and pull out their tricorders so they could find the edge of the green energy covered by the orange glowing. Boothby got to thinking. "Aren't there two guards posted at every building across campus due to our intruder alert?" Mr. Spock nodded. Then why arent they calling us? I asked. Boothby took over the flight path of the silkie probe and made it move over to the egressing transporter pad near the main sidewalk side of the building. Two hideous silohuettes were burned into the grass where the security guards had collided with the security field trying to get inside. Oh no! They got killed. I said starting to get really scared. But then I remember what mum told me about showing no emotion around Mr Spock so I uncurled my fists and made my face listen. What can we do now? Boothby hit his combadge to all the personnel still on the other side of Scotty's lab. To Kirk, Riker, Picard, Scotty, Seven, Data, Janeway, Chakotay, the EMH and Barclay. =^=Front and center people. The fire found us from under our feet. Building Five. Two are dead and two others possibly in jeopardy. Get up here!=^= He heard running footsteps as the others came quickly. ------------------------------------ (attachments) Image: Alexander in white Karate clothes. *animated gif* A night moon reflected in an electrified mirror probe. Image: Boothy wearing his straw hat. ********************************* Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 02:15:20 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: Blast Into the Past >Boothby hit his combadge to all the personnel still >on the other side of Scotty's lab. To Kirk, Riker, >Picard, Scotty, Seven, Data, Janeway, Chakotay, the >EMH and Barclay. >=^=Front and center people. The fire found us from >under our feet. Building Five. Two are dead and two >others possibly in jeopardy. Get up here!=^= ::Mr. Boothby? With news on our mission? Things must truly be urgent if he's relaying accounts.:: Seven thought as she hurried back to the wide area in front of Scott's viewscreen. On her way, she consulted her tricorder and aimed it towards the direction of Building Five. ::Strange. I'm reading nothing amiss. But then again, the experimental plasma security field around the structure is very good at what it does by concealing internal contents.:: Data caught her eye as he too, matched her move attempting to scan the fire reported. He shook his head in the negative fractionally when Seven raised her eyebrows. But then android and exBorg saw what Alexander had seen on the main viewer and heard the open comm crackling flames audibly. He saw the ident displaying the signal as coming from Nurse Chapel's combadge. "Does she have any lifesigns?" Seven asked Boothby. "That d@mned prototype dome's blocking everything except for our comm system signals and visual light according to Mr. Spock. We can't tell, and,...these others say, Lt. Uhura may be with her." Captain Janeway and Chakotay came at a run from around a bend and sized up the situation in seconds. "How long since you got that comm badge functioning?" Janeway asked, eyeing up the status board the silkie probe was projecting as it hovered, circling in the air above the eerie green glowing energy wrapped around Building Five. "Twenty one point five seconds.." Spock replied. "But she doesn't answer us.." Alexander added. Chakotay asked, "Your confirmed dead are the guards?" Boothby nodded. "Yes. Their DNA is reading on scorch marks in the grass." Janeway sighed, clearly not happy at all. "The field's still up. We've got to get it down, now, for a team to go in there to get to the two women. But I see here, its generator is fused from the high heat levels inside." The EMH sparkled by their side. "I have an idea. Send me in there after them." "We can't.. transporters won't function through the plasma shield." Seven said. Data spoke eagerly and he didn't blink as he delivered his idea. "We can stream in the doctor the same way the fire entered the premises. From underneath the surface. Once he tags them with proximity tag beacons, we can beam them out safely into a tramway tunnel." "Let's go.." Janeway said. "Captain Kirk, Mr. Scott, Spock. I'll need you here to be our eyes and ears on the sensors. You tell us the moment by moment if the fire contaminates with plasma, I don't want anyone to be anywhere near the area when it does. Data, Seven, doctor.. Chakotay, You're with me. Mr. Barclay, if you're feeling adventurous, meet us in Tramway Tunnel Three with a full med team. I don't know what condition they'll be in once the doctor finds them. Or how injured we might get if the fire turns plasma. Captain Picard and Commander Riker. I'm open to suggestions. I might need you to rescue us if something goes wrong down there. But I'll try Data's idea first.." "D-Don't you worry. I'll have everything ready captain." Reg reassured her. Chakotay tapped his badge. =^=Lab Six to Starfleet Command. Beam Captain Janeway the EMH, and Commander Data, and Seven of Nine and myself to the tramway tunnel directly below Building Five with a standard series of portable transporter enhancers. We're going to try following the fire's path inside to mount a rescue..=^= =^=Understood Lab Six.. Site to site transfer in five, four.....three..=^= Janeway felt the lab shimmer away and immediately, she was somewhere else and a trickle of seared dirt and soot rained down on top of her head. They had materialized directly beneath the cavern where the fire nested. They were in the middle of the tramway tracks. She coughed, ducking away from the earth that was falling in dusty columns to a clear area. "Doctor!" The EMH had his med tricorder aimed at the ceiling. "They're alive... and I'm getting only oxygen burning up there. The fire hasn't reached the shield yet thank goodness or they'd already be incinerated." Chakotay quickly motioned for Data and Seven to turn on the pattern enhancers Starfleet had beamed to them into a triangle and the three of them quickly switched them on. "Doctor.. You ready?" The EMH got out two tag beacons, but he left his medkit behind. He figured he'd need all his limbs to move around the shattered collapsed flooring around Uhura and Chapel. "Yes.. Make sure I don't transport near any power emissions or the security field or it will decompile my program despite my mobile emitter." "Command post. Energize..." Chakotay shouted into his combadge. He and Janeway watched as the EMH disappeared. Seven said, "We can shore up this ceiling while we wait for him with support rods.. Data.." The android found a nearby pile of track rails and he hefted them up one by one, reinforcing the weakened roof rock, until the falling dirt stopped. Then he scanned his handiwork. "The fire is burning approximately two meters beyond the ceiling and is filling a chamber twenty by five meters in size. There appears to be organic matter fueling it." "Tree roots.." Janeway said, "This tunnel's littered with them." :: Come on doctor.. get the lead out. With a fire that size using up all the air, they won't survive much longer.:: -=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The EMH rematerialized hanging onto a steel support beam. He almost dropped his beacon tags when the dizzying height of where he had appeared hit his visual centers. He was near the top of the great hanger over the Guardian of Forever. The floor itself was gone. He could see the gaping chamber holding the subterranean fire even lower down from where he had been projected. His sensors told him the oxygen levels in the hanger were falling below human criticals in the intense heat around him. He located his first target. Lt. Uhura was just below him on a rocky pinnacle in the middle of the chamber surrounded by flames. Her clothes were smoking. He swung like a gymnast to the next support strut in the hanger rafters until he was just over her. "Lt!! Can you hear me?!" His voice was drowned out by the roar of the flames around them. She didn't move or answer. But he thought he could see her still breathing. The doctor didn't want to risk losing his rafters route above the fire, so he dangled by one hand, carefully site-ing the tag over her body with his other hand like a man throwing a dart and he let it go from between his two fingers. The beacon hit her back and began flashing the instant it struck. The EMH hit his combadge. "I got Uhura. Isolate and transport. She's six point two meters directly below me..!" "We have the tag's signal. Beaming now.." Janeway's voice replied, full of static. The holodoc watched with satisfaction as the away team beamed the unconscious woman down into the tramway tunnel beneath the fire. Putting the second tag disk in his mouth. He climbed over to what used to be the living quarters, ninety meters away. He saw blue uniform material and two legs draped over a shattered window frame in the dark. "Nurse Chapel??" A sparking wire kept the EMH from getting any closer to her. He was stuck hanging from the rafters about two meters above the tilted window. There was blood trickling down the wall from where Christine's waist was folded over the window frame. Again, there was no sign of movement. The EMH tried to reach out to her with his foot to stick on the beacon tag, but when his limb got too near the violated raw electric wire, it fuzzed frighteningly into non existence. "Ahh...!!" The doctor whipped his leg away. And thankfully, the leg popped back into being.. He pulled himself back up onto the rafter in a chin hold, then pulled himself onto it on his stomach. "Doctor.. what's the matter?" Seven said through the comm line. "Remember those energy emissions I'm supposed to avoid? Well there's one of them between me and the only way to Nurse Chapel.. I'm going to need some help here. Looks like she's tangled badly inside this wreckage.." Data's voice came online, "I can withstand any electrical discharge. I may be of some assistance.." The EMH could hear Chakotay, Seven and Janeway debating safety risks but finally, Janeway's voice replaced Seven's over his combadge. "He's coming right to you..doctor. We'll beam him to exactly where you started in there." The EMH heard clamoring and creaking metal over the roar of the fire, as the heavier android made his way over to his location. Data hung by his hands and flipped to land on the rafter above the EMH precisely around his holo gripping fingers. "Hurrah, Looks like Tarzan's finally here.." the doc said sarcastically after wiggling his fingers to see if they all were still there. Data crouched down. "I can see Miss Chapel now. I don't think the metal frame around her can withstand the addition of my weight to it. It's been weakened by metal fatigue..." There was a pause.." Is she bleeding badly..?" The EMH snapped. "Does it look like I brought my medical tricorder..? It's all I can do just manuevering around like this. I'm not so concerned by that as I am about the concentration of oxygen left in the air in the hanger. Can you tell that for me? If it falls below 18 % she'll stop respiring altogether." Data said, "Last reading from the away team showed it at 19% doctor." "We have to hurry. I based my estimate on someone not unconscious and not folded up in half over a window frame." the doc said. "Here.. Take this...." And the EMH gave Data the beacon body tag. "Hurry.." Data took the shiny disk and nimbly climbed and leaped to debris that he felt would hold his weight until he was one beam strut away from where she was trapped. He was about to leap to a more secure position, when the beam caved in. Data slipped a bit, losing his grip on the beacon disk and it dropped into a crack and was gone before he regained a secure hold for himself. The holodoc hit his combadge."Send me another tag. We lost it." =^=*Crackle..* You're too close...t...wire. Retur....start..g...poin...t. Can't g....lock..n..you..=^=Chakotay shouted. "There's no time.. Data.! You're going to have to get her there manually..Go easy.. I don't know how badly she's injured yet." the doctor shouted to him. Data nodded and gingerly wormed his way past the sparking wire to her side where she hung upside down, belly over the window. He knelt by her face and saw blood dripping out of her nose and mouth, but he heard faint gasps as he listened. "She's breathing adequately doctor..." but then he saw pretzeled steel wrapped around her chest and shoulder. He bent it back until she was untangled. "She's free.. Doctor, how shall I move h---" Another cavein shook the rafter where the doctor stood. The EMH was knocked off center and he pinwheeled as he tried to regain his balance on the ceiling beam. He failed and fell two stories down into the heart of the fire. Data saw the image of the doctor fizzle out the moment he touched the flames and then the emitter alone tumbled down until it reached the bottom of the deep burning chamber below. It landed with a poof into the glowing ashes. Data hit his badge, keeping a grip on Chapel while the ground shifting continued. "The doctor is offline at the bottom of the chamber." "What happened?" Janeway asked quickly. "We just had a little landslide here ourselves." "He fell when his stabilizer failed to compensate." "Make due the best you can.. We'll think of something else Data.. Hang tight. Do what first aid you can but guard against injuring her further." Janeway ordered. "I understand." Data said. "Is the doctor's emitter in jeopardy?" the commander asked. "Not at the moment. It is beneath the fire." "That's good." Janeway cut in.."The landslide buried one of our pattern enhancers. We're waiting for a new one. Seven tells me it'll be at least twenty minutes until we get unburied enough to transport anything in or out to our location." "How's Lt. Uhura?" Data wanted to know. "We're stretchering her to Medical now..We managed to get a tram running down here. Looks like she'll make it.." "That is very fortunate." "So far so good Data. Remember, the energetic interference of the plasma field is making our targetting sensors sluggish. Without the beacon tag, you're going to have to get Christine over to exactly the same coordinates you beamed into. Got that?" "Yes." Data said. "I understand captain." "We'll rendevous you to us in a direct beam as soon as we're able. We'll be watching for your return to the beam in coordinates. Janeway out." A soft moan attracted Data's attention and he held the nurse's head still as she awoke. "Uhura?" was her first word. "Safely evacuated. Do not move. I have yet to ascertain your injuries.." Christine coughed and spit out a mouthful of blood. "L--lungs.. and ribs.. I know my feet are still there so get me out of here before.... Ohh!" she groaned as the ground shaking jolted her painfully. Then the tremors stopped. Data immediately noticed an instantaneous silence surrounding them. His head snapped up sharply just in time to see that flames all around him were changing color from noisy orange to a soundless deadly green.. ::Plasma! The landslide must have cause the fire to contact the shield moments ago..The atmosphere is seconds away from superheating...:: He flew into action as fast as his artificial reflexes allowed. He lifted Chapel up onto his shoulder and leaped into the time shifted galley that was still intact in front of them. The green plasma filled the space they had just left and smacked with a wet suction against the time differential separating the galley from the rest of the hanger and halted there, held at bay by decades of time. Data tumbled the rest of the way to the floor with his burden. The impact made Christine pass out as her head hit the bottom of a countertop. Data rolled and avoided crushing her as he landed on his front and hands. He was instantly aware of what time he was now within.:: I'm in a bubble of Nurse Chapel and Lt. Uhura's own decade, in the Building Five of their Starfleet, confined by the same plasma shield that has just imploded in my time.:: Dismissing the disorienting sensation, he crouched by the injured woman next to him, feeling for signs of breath and a pulse. He found them. But the bleeding from her nose and mouth went unabated. He turned her onto her side. ::Doctor McCoy isn't going to be very happy with this at all. I'm stuck in the past under a pure plasma fire from the present without a medkit.:: Data had truly run out of options. The only sound that greeted him was a red alert klaxon hopelessly outdated in his recollection. SEE SOUND BITE -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Seven of Nine's mouth actually dropped open. "Captain!" she shouted. "What is it Seven?" Janeway asked, worried. Seven turned another dial on her tricorder. "I... Commander Data and Nurse Chapel have just disappeared." "What?" Chakotay exclaimed. "The instant the fire metamorphosed into plasma and filled all the space in the hanger.." Seven clarified. "That's impossible.. Are you sure they haven't.. vaporized?" Boothby grumbled. "I'm positive." Seven glared at him. "And now I'm reading a surge of tachyons.." Janeway's face turned white as a sheet. "They didn't leap into the Guardian?" "No.. They haven't..the Guardian has itself nulled. No activity registering at all. None since it spoke with Kirk this morning." Seven confirmed. "Then where are they?" Chakotay. "Uhura must know." Janeway said, "But she's unconscious in sickbay. We'll have to wait for Kirk to explain it to us. D@mn, I knew I should've taken up his offer to serve on the Building Five Project last year but I was too busy with.." she broke off. Chakotay smiled. "You were too busy with us.." he grinned, giving her a light hug around the waist and releasing her. "Don't shred yourself over this lack of knowledge. You can't be everywhere at once, Kathryn." "But the Guardian can. I don't know why it won't help us the whole nine yards. The green h#ll's here after ample warning and where are we? In so thick we lose three crewman five minutes into the nightmare shown in previews to us hours ago." "We'll find a way to recover the doctor , Data and Miss Chapel soon. Have faith in the system.. We're in the middle of Starfleet Headquarters, where some of the most brilliant minds live and work. Let's wait for the rest of our colleagues to arrive to assist us. Many heads are better than one.." Chakotay told her. Kathryn didn't feel so confident. "Yeah, well I think in this case, no head at all would have been better than the one we received this morning, don't you?" Boothby grunted at the pun. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Data stopped his examining of the tiny galley he had dragged Chapel into when she started choking. He pressed a palm against her stomach repeatedly until he got a large clot out of her mouth. She started to breathe again but shallowly. ::I'm going to need an anticoagulant as soon as possible.:: he concluded as he monitored her vital signs. Then he had an idea. He called to the air. "Computer...." ##Working....## came a strident harsh female voice not at all like the one he was used to on Enterprise. "Is there a medkit available inside this time chamber?" ##Affirmative..## "Display its location.." Data told it. A tri-screen monitor mounted on a table top lit up and a simple schematic of the galley came up after an automatic scrolling. Data found a bright dot on the diagram. ::It is under the water basin beneath the food delivery slot.:: He quickly located it and opened the kit on the floor beside Christine. Strange, old style equipment met his eyes and he murmured, "Without assistance, I will be unable to treat her condition. I am unfamilar with these instruments and medications. How shall I get help with her?" ##A communication to Headquarters is advised.## ::That is an option not available to me. The Guardian isn't in this decade to protect me from time paradox so the temporal prime directive holds here. I cannot allow anyone from this timeline to know of my existence.:: Data decided to take a gamble with the hypospray. "Computer. Analyze the woman's condition in front of me and detail treatment verbally." ##That function does not exist in my programming.## Data frowned. ::Just how far back did Captain Kirk go to get Nurse Chapel and Lt. Uhura for the Guardian.:: Then he recognized a drug vial in the kit by its red color. "This is cordrazine.." ##Correct.## By inference, Data figured out the old style hypo and guessed a dosage he hoped would stabilize the woman's vitals. He injected it into her throat and waited using the old style bioprobe he had learned how to use by watching Dr. McCoy secondhand in Scott's lab so far away into the future. He settled into motionless power reserve to await an outcome in either her or their situation. Their only companion was the eerie deadly green plasma pressing against the walls of the time shifted galley. Then he remembered Janeway's last words to him "We'll be waiting for your return to your beam in coordinates....coordinates...coordinates..." Data's chip actually made him despair through his protective filter when he thought. ::How am I going to return us there when the whole hanger is now completely filled with a sea of liquid plasma fatal to anything organic?:: ------------------------------ (attachments) Image: Data clinging to a rail. Image: A very sooty Seven and Janeway looking alarmed. Audio: The red alert sound from the Original Trek TV show. **************************** From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Darkest Hour~~ Date : Thu, 31 Jan 2002 08:48:23 +0000 >"Let's go.." Janeway said. "Captain Kirk, Mr. Scott, >Spock. I'll need you here to be our eyes and ears on >the sensors. >You tell us the moment by moment if the fire >contaminates with plasma, I don't want anyone to be >anywhere near the area when it does. Captain Kirk nodded, accepting his part in the joint operation outlined by his fellow captain. He kept one ear out on the rest of the orders she issued and his other on the channel he opened to Tasha Yar. =^=Kirk to Lt. Yar.=^= "Here sir." "A situation has arisen. Fate's gotten around us by cheating. Building Five is fully involved." "What?!" he heard McCoy sputter. "I don't see anyth--" he said, leaning out over Deanna's balcony rail, peering into the dark. "That's because, doctor, the fire appeared UNDER the plasma shielding. Alexander only discovered it by a close pass in the visible spectrum with Mr. Scott's experimental probe. Stay put. If this thing gets out of hand I need the five of you to keep the events surrounding Mr. Data's decapitation, from happening..." Tasha broke into the frequency, "How bad is it sir?" "Nurse Chapel isn't answering hails. She and Uhura were last reported inside Building Five.." Kirk heard Yar's sharp intake of air that expressed his own concern. "Janeway is assembling a reconn mission from a tram tunnel below the fire to get to them." Tasha looked from Deanna, to Beverly to McCoy and then to K'Ehleyr who all sat transfixed where they were as they overheard the conversation. "Want me to return to your location in the lab, captain?" =^=Negative. Help McCoy safeguard the counselor. I'll be in touch. Kirk out..=^= A million thoughts raced through Yar's head. ::What does Captain Picard want me to do? What if the fire does spread and we're still up here in Deanna's apartment? Should I move Deanna away from here so those events we saw can't happen?:: But she realized that she would obey anything Kirk ordered her to do beyond all doubt because so far, she had no reason otherwise to do anything else. Deanna was on her feet and pacing already as she began to pick up the emotions of everyone involved. Tasha pointed to the computer terminal on Deanna's table. "May I use this?" Deanna nodded, "Of course, lieutenant.." as she folded her arms about herself uncertainly. Tasha Yar tapped into the same signal Scotty's lab was receiving from the silkie probe and the satellite feeds. She told the others. "It's getting worse out there. I'm seeing the plasma shield beginning to distort over Building Five. It looks like no one is able to turn it off." Deanna Troi gave a cry and sat on the couch clutching her head. Dr. Crusher went to her. Yar didn't have to be an expert on Deanna to know what happened. ::Someone just died.:: She trained her display to detail the probe and soon it hovered over the place where the two Building Five sentries had been vaporized. "Two guards are dead." she told everyone. "Looks like they blundered into their own security shield." Then she heard the unmistakable whine of a transporter outside from the direction of the balcony.. "There goes Janeway's away team." And she pulled out her tricorder to scan towards the far end of campus and the normal appearing dome over Building Five. "They've arrived, in Tramway Tunnel Three.. Clever. They're probably going to use the EMH to rescue Kirk's crew." A few tense minutes went by as K'Ehleyr, McCoy Crusher and Deanna crowded around the computer with Yar as they watched the drama unfold on the view being sent to them from the hovering probe. Soon, there was another transporter signal. Yar was elated when she saw Kirk's communications officer's identity code appear in Starfleet Medical on her scanner. "It's Uhura.. They got her out.. She's alive.." Despite that victory, Yar felt apprehensive.. She threw her head towards the moonlit balcony nervously. ::That was too easy.. the other shoe has to drop.:: Soon, it did. Yar saw the trace on Data turn to static as it winked in the characteristic precursor to a pattern buffer scan.. ::He's volunteered to go into that inferno. D@mn it. Something must have gone wrong.:: Sure enough, another transporter signature wrapped around Data and he went off Yar's tricorder screen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kirk paced the floor behind Mr. Spock and Barclay and Scotty in the lab. Picard and Riker were calmly organizing communications and scans with them. But Kirk wasn't content staying still. ::Something doesn't feel right.:: "Watch your back, captain...." he said quietly, for Janeway's sake. Then there was another earth tremor and the power in the lab fluctuated..briefly... before stabilizing. A sharp crackling came over all their combadges, like an interrupted signal.. Kirk slammed a palm to his. =^=Kirk to Captain Janeway.=^= "It's all right captain.. A minor landslide.. However, there's been complications. Mr. Data reports that the EMH was jarred offline in that last shake. Most of the floor is gone in there.. Hang on.." Muffled shouts of alarm and then shouting... Janeway's voice came back, tense and clipped. "Seven's lost Data and Nurse Chapel's signal. The fire just imploded into plasma.. The hanger's been flooded but they disappeared just before its energy conversion. The shield's holding.." Kirk bit his lip.. "I wonder...." Janeway didn't understand. She got to the point. "I'm sorry captain but they may have been incin-" James Kirk ignored the comment, thinking to himself aloud. "That isn't it...Smart android. He's taken her into the phased galley, captain, I'm sure of it.." "Explain.." Janeway said. "The living quarters inside the hanger are being skewed by the Guardian. That room I'm talking about is in a when, eighty years ago, the time Uhura and Chapel travelled from. It's a sort of temporal oasis. We felt it necessary to have a pocket of that time readily available so we could update their ship , and my younger self, on their progress at will, while allowing an easy back and forth to our time. The whole rest of Building Five's interior is still our current time for you and me." Kirk lightly hit an anxious fist on the back of Spock's chair as he talked to Janeway.."Captain..what was Nurse Chapel's status last you saw of her?" Chakotay cut into the frequency. "The doctor said that she had been pinned in wreckage but alive. The final vital set we received on scans before she disappeared showed moderate shock but overall, not critically injured as far as we could tell. Some blood volume was being lost.." Mr. Spock near Kirk, shifted in his chair, but his face didn't change expression. Kirk set a hand near Spock's shoulder reassuring him subtlely. ::She's alive, Spock. That's what matters most.:: Kirk went on, looking to Picard, "Are you sure Mr. Data can offset any difficulty she may have medically?" Jean Luc replied. "His training's as good as yours or mine captain. Have no fear." Kirk sighed wishing with every fiber that McCoy was with his crewman too. Janeway came online. "Captain Kirk, I'm sure Data AND your crew woman are safe for the moment. We aren't so fortunate. One of our pattern enhancers was buried in a landslide. We're stuck in a cave-in solid enough that no transporting will be possible to or from my location for twenty minutes until we recover it." "Are you completely pinned down? Any injuries? Do you want me to send in another team?" Kirk asked quickly. "No. No. and no thanks. We've a single tram running in a side tunnel. It's bringing the excavation equipment we need to free that enhancer. What we need is a way to retrieve the EMH's portable emitter..." Janeway replied. "He survived the plasma flooding?" "Data said his emitter fell beneath the actual fire. I am taking this to mean it's buried in the ashes at the bottom of the hole inside the hanger, about twenty meters below ground level." Janeway answered. "So it's more than guaranteed the doctor's program is still viably salvagable if this is true." Kirk spoke mostly to himself. "It's a no man's land inside Building Five. 100% liquid plasma at 3,000 degrees Kelvin. Anything living entering it would be consumed in seconds. A mixed blessing having that experimental shield still up. It caused the fire to change into a greater danger but it's the only thing still keeping the entire Starfleet grounds from becoming an inferno.." He shuddered to think what would happen if they shut down that security field now before the plasma was extinguished. "All that carbon in the vegetation and air outside would cause the plasma firestorm to multiply around Headquarters. And if the city wide deflector dome failed after that...." ::The end of Earth..Now I think I understand the Guardian's unprecedented aid in this matter. I only hope we can extinguish this blaze successfully.:: Kirk looked up at Spock and the others in the lab with a heavy seriousness. "A plasma fire has never broken out in a planetary atmosphere before in the entire Federation's history, gentleman. What do we do now? We can't create a vacuum across Starfleet Headquarters campus to smother it, too many people are inside the deflector dome covering the city. We couldn't possibly have enough breathing apparatuses and pressure suits for everybody to safeguard them during the purging. And I dare not lower that larger deflector shield to evacuate them. The risk is too great.." Mr. Barclay was speechless. Mr. Spock daunted. Kirk stood tall in the face of the surrounding adversity. He supplied hope to the away team underneath Building Five. "Hang tight Kathryn. Plenty of thinkers on this end. Answers coming soon. Kirk out." Kirk spread out his hands. "I need options, Scotty. And I need them now.." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tasha Yar was about to snap when her combadge twittered into life. "Yes, captain. Go ahead." Kirk spoke to her. "Plasma has contaminated the entire interior of the building but our people are safe in a "safe zone" of disjointed time in another room in there. So far, the experimental shield as a whole is holding." Yar glanced up at the sky at the thin layer of deflector. She could see its shimmering against the starlight and moon over San Francisco.. "Sir....if..the plasma gets released and touches the city dome.." Kirk finished her thought. "There'd be no way to contain the catastrophic implosion that would chain react as a result. Our entire atmosphere and all life as we know it would be vaporized from ground to stratosphere. Armageddon, lieutenant." Yar sat on the edge of the loveseat with a thud. Her tricorder felt so heavy in her hand that she dropped it. "Oh, mother of god..." Her horror reflected in Deanna's and the old doctor's and Beverly's, only K'Ehleyr's face remained stony blank. But her knuckles were loose around the king's chess piece she was holding. Until she crushed it to powder.. Lt. Yar said it all for them. "Captain. We've got to implore the Guardian to help us.." "Denied.." "But sir...!!" "Lieutenant.. Don't you think I want the same possibility available right now? That Guardian of Forever has done ALL..it CAN.. Don't you see? There's an order out there greater than us that must....be...maintain--d." Yar heard Kirk falter the tiniest bit into vulnerability. "My hands are tied and so are yours.." the silence between them stretched for long moments.. "I'll let you know the minute something changes, lieutenant, and that goes for all of you.. Kirk out." Tasha stared numbly at the wall and saw a framed holopic of what was obviously some of Deanna Troi's dance students at the Academy. They were laughing in sunlight, chasing each other with long trailing ribbons of peach satin on a picnic in a frozen moment of innocent play. She thought of those children in that picture. And then the billions more everywhere on Earth. Then her mind spoke her heart's fervent bitter oath.. ::I will do anything to save you....Hear me?!! I'll do exactly what I must to save you all..:: she promised them. ::Even if I lose my commission, or my life..:: Then something inside of Tasha snapped and her mental fear turned to the sharpest insanity. Behind her, Deanna glanced in her direction with a look of shock as dark emotion from her friend rolled over her like scalded oil. ------------------------------------ Image: Kirk flipping open a communicator. Image: A little girl running to her grandfather on a picnic outing. Image: Earth on main viewer from orbit. Image: Tasha Yar looking enraged with a phaser. **************************** Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 22:25:29 -0800 (PST) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: Out of the Petrie Dish and Into the Fire >Kirk stood tall in the face of the surrounding adversity. >He supplied hope to the away team underneath >Building Five. "Hang tight Kathryn. Plenty of >thinkers on this end. Answers coming soon. Kirk out." >Kirk spread out his hands. "I need options, Scotty. >And I need them now.." "Aye captain. We'll get on it. We'll do everything we can." he said as he returned to the computer screen in Lab Six. He continued his work configuring a more precise manual control of his invented little silkie probe. ::I've just dubbed you Byte little darling. Now let's see if we can get your reactions tweeked up so they will be more effective for a little splunking excursion.:: "Captain I think I may have something for you. I've recalibrated this wee bairns sensors so that it can detect the doctor's holoemitter. We already know the precise location to send in Byte here." "Byte who?" Kirk asked. "This,.. the wee probe captain.. We'll just send him in, sniff out the doctor, grab him and return back to the away team ! I'm flying Byte to a place that's showing new soot on the surface.. It looks like the fire started here. "And Scotty showed them all a single blade of prairie grass that was blackened near a charred piece of glass. "Looks like a part of this fell into the shaft." and he flew Byte down into a ventilation pipe leading into a tramway tunnel. "Janeway's right. The fire's been burning along the roots." The probe entered where once a tree root protruded inside the tunnel wall. He sent the probe along the fire's original course until suddenly it was bathed in an eerie green light that encompassed the entire chamber beneath Building Five.. "Aha laddie, now we're there... Captain, just so you are aware of this.. The root canal I just sent the probe through to get here can be used by the plasma to reach the outside. I'm sealing this quickly before it spreads." Byte rotated 180 degrees towards the hole it came from, and a sonic blast caused the root canal to collapse in on itself. The breach to the outside was safely sealed. -------------------- Janeway looked up from her tricorder, "Chakotay, that probe of Mr. Scott's right above us inside the chamber. I've just registered a sonic burst." She hit her combadge sharply, =^=Janeway to Captain Scott.=^= "Scotty here.. Are you all right captain?" "We're all fine. What are you up to?" she asked. "I'm using the wee silkie to get your artificial doctor online. I think I can use him with my probe to break through and free Mr. Data and the injured lass. I found where the fire started and sealed it off from the surface." "Good work. I hadn't thought of that." Chakotay spoke up, "Mr. Scott, is there anyway we can assist you?" "Just let me know when you've freed your trapped pattern enhancer. I'll be sending them through to you hopefully momentarily.." Janeway didn't want to delay him by asking how he was going to reach their people, nonetheless she said something anyway. "Just do the best you can Mr. Scott, and good luck. Janeway out." Scotty guided the probe through the tangled debris of flooring in the raw plasma but the green light was coming from everywhere around Byte, not just from one source. Slowly his sensors locked onto the doctor's uniquely constructed EMH signature. It moved past shattered rubble that had once been pristine lab equipment littering the bottom of the fire chamber. At one point the silkie moved over one particular spot of deep soot. A steady hum began and from the ashes the emitter broke through the surface and attached itself to the little silkie. "I got it captain! The wee thing has done it.. We've got the emitter using a bit of magnetism.." "Well done, .... for a Scotsman.." Boothby mumbled. "Now, let's see if I can get these two to the android fella in the past..." Scotty said to himself as he flew both the emitter and Byte upwards into the ruins of the hanger above. A wall came into view that was not a wall. It was a square area of blankness, a void. "That's where he went.." Scott said and he shot Byte and the doctor's emitter right into the nothingness. ------------------------------------------------------ The probe landed and rolled to rest right at Data's feet. A man sized shimmer appeared in the middle of room and the emitter floated up until it was suddenly back part of the EMH's shoulder. The doctor stooped and picked up Byte tossing it into the air and catching it again. "It seems Mr. Scott has lost his marbles. Or in this case, a marble.." The emergency medical hologram immediately oriented on the injured Nurse Chapel. "Mr. Data. I do believe I'll take it from here." and he began a full examination of Christine using the obsolete medkit. "It is good to see you again doctor. I do hope that you'll be able to assist us in expediting our departure as soon as possible.." Data said as he caught the probe the doctor tossed him. "Just as soon as I've stopped some of this bleeding." The doctor ran an old style medical sensor over her head and torso. The EMH then ran the readings through the larger medical tricorder. "She has a punctured lung, but it can wait until we get her into surgery.." The EMH gave her medication that stopped her hemorrhaging. Then he went on. "Captain Scott downloaded the procedure we'll follow to escape using that little fellow. Ever heard of metaphasic shielding?" A curious look passed over Mr. Data with also a nod of affirmation. The doctor continued. "Mr. Scott beefed up the silkie's capabilities. It will protect us in a pocket of safety while we climb back to Janeway's beam in site.. However, once I go back into the plasma, I will shut down. " The EMH said. "You will have to carry both of us there. Are you ready?" Data nodded that he was. The doctor helped settle Nurse Chapel over Data's shoulders and then they activated Byte's shield and took a first tenative step through the wall, back to the future. Data felt the EMH deactivate but he kept a good grip on the emitter as he traveled. Soon, he was where he first appeared in the chamber. "Data to Captain Janeway. Have you recovered the lost pattern enhancer?" "Affirmative Mr. Data. We're just putting it into position now.. It will be just a moment until we can initiate a site to site transport." Data waited hearing the hiss of the plasma around the probe's metaphasic membrane until he heard the familiar hum of her transporter activation. The next moment Mr. Data was standing in a pattern enhancement field and the EMH fizzled back into existence. He felt med techs take Nurse Chapel off of him and he was about to say something when his combadge went off. It was Mr. Scott. "Well, done lad. Next time I see you. Drinks are on me.." Janeway said, "Congratulations you two. You're both a sight for sore eyes.. Let's get the h#ll out of here." The EMH piped up. "Aptly put. I wasn't about to abandon all hope just yet." -------------------------------------- (attachments) *animated gif* A ball morphing in chameleonic effects. Image: A very good Scotty smile. Gif : Star Trek The Next Generation Logo. ********************************** From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Troi's Log... Supplemental. Date : Sat, 02 Feb 2002 17:46:42 +0400 " Counselor's Personal Log. Stardate 020202.7. It has been a tumultuous day. Seems only an hour ago since all that Beverly and I had to worry about was testing the limits of my physical rehabilitation. I guess I'm impatient. I've wanted my newly grafted trachea to integrate faster than it has been doing as of late. And that makes me wonder about another thing. I may have been mistaken about not telling Wil about the mysterious attack I suffered two weeks ago. The look on his face in sickbay when he first arrived to see me and the color of his feelings through our soul bond right now might have an adverse effect on him in dealing with Starfleet's current emergency in Building Five. He's not the only one with excess emotional baggage. I did a few spiralling corkscrews of my own when I first learned about Tasha. It still seems strange seeing her alive and talking again, like a cruel dream. But then Tasha's unique emotional thread weaving in my empathetic sense slaps me into reality and I know that all this business with Kirk's Guardian of Forever is as real as what I ate for breakfast this morning. I believe I've recovered my equilibrium at discovering Tasha restored and healthy again after so long. I don't know if the Guardian will return her to her death once its through using her, but I know one thing with absolute certainty. I won't permit anyone or even Tasha herself to learn that her life cuts short while serving in the line of duty. I'm sure she suspects something bad, but I sense it's mostly still a vague uneasiness in that regard. Which leads me to what I just witnessed a few minutes ago following Captain Kirk's communication with her in the living room about the fire's extreme danger to Earth. Tasha changed profoundly somehow in a way that frightens me and I can't quite put my finger on it. It happened in the blink of an eye right after Captain Kirk told her that any further request to the Guardian of Forever to intervene in our crisis situation was denied. The effect of that on Tasha was profound. Instantaneous. Her emotional feel is now withdrawn and channeled into a highly protective mode. She may sacrifice herself utterly for the sake of others just in the need to help and make a difference ending the danger to us all. The same thing she was attempting when she died trying to get to me in the shuttlecrash on Armus's world, fighting his skin of evil. I fear this same caring, selfless aspect of Tasha's makeup will jeopardize her life once again and that the Guardian of Forever will be forced to cut short her grace period it granted her with us. I am not willing to let her go instantly. I want to spend as much time with her as she has left on her mission before I have to face losing her once more to her unavoidable fate. It's a mixed blessing having her here. I've seen the calming effect her surprise return is having on Beverly, Wil and Captain Picard and on me. But I also know how much pain we'll have to live through once she is gone again from all of us. Already, that fact's been having an effect on me. I reacted unprofessionally to the deaths of the two guards watching Building Five when they accidentally touched the out of place jarred plasma shield hiding the Guardian. I feel stupid for letting my empathy get the better of me. But it's been difficult keeping the emotional barrier between myself and others in solid balance. Beverly says it's just one of the effects I'm going through while I heal from my injuries from the attack. That's another matter distracting me away from the impartiality I should be maintaining. I have absolutely no clue who attacked me in my quarters two weeks ago. All I know is that I didn't feel that other presence one iota, even while I was being strangled. I remember feeling only Mr. Barclay's worried emotions when I awoke briefly, while he resusitated me until Beverly and the med team arrived to take over. But all that's water under the bridge. That mystery can wait. This fire emergency is all I should currently be focusing upon in my duties as a counselor. I don't care that I'm still on medical leave from active duty. My shipmates and colleagues need me to aid their tasks at hand. And so I will, to the best of my abilities. End log. " ----------------------------------- Deanna returned from the personal hygiene alcove into which she had excused herself to wash the tears from her face after the shock of feeling the two guards who died had left her. She had vehemently resisted Bev's fussing over her and had deflected her friend away by pointing out Yar's abrupt mood change to her. ::Let Beverly monitor Tasha with me so we can both keep her safe.:: "Are you feeling better?" Beverly asked looking up from the computer screen they all were clustered around. Deanna Troi glanced quickly at Tasha but the fleeting dark emotion she had felt coming from her was gone. Only Tasha's eyes held a sign of the sweeping change that had gripped her minutes earlier. ::It's not an anxiety spike. I don't know what this is. I've never felt any response like this from Tasha before..:: Outwardly, Deanna said, "I am. It took just a few moments to strengthen my empathetic barrier. That slip up won't happen again." and she smiled encouraging to all in the room. Beverly searched the counselor's face deeply for any sign of weakness, physical or emotional but she found none on either her tricorder scan or with her eyes. She took a deep breath and said, "All right. I'll trust your judgement on that count." and Dr. Crusher grinned teasingly. Then she turned her attention to K'Ehleyr. "Ambassador, Dr. McCoy might be on to something with that allergy theory of his. Your symptoms came on rather suddenly." K'Ehleyr rose gracefully from the white wrought iron chair in front of the chessboard, and angled her head. "A runny nose hardly warrants a trip to sickbay. I don't need to be fussed over unnecessarily, doctor." Deanna suppressed a chuckle, "A familiar theme tonight, Beverly.." she teased them both. "All right.. I give up." Dr. Crusher said. "Can't keep the mother from cropping up out of the doctor mode." Then she changed the subject. "Dr. McCoy, your captain seems like a man who doesn't mince words. Do you think the danger is as bad as he said to the Lt?" she asked, indicating Yar, who had moved a distance away from the others to look at a holopic of children on the wall. Bones' light expression over the mother henning in the room evaporated. "Jim never exaggerates a situation. He usually tells it like it is.." That sobered everyone in the room to silence. Deanna attempted brevity. "Well,.." she said, clasping her hands together in front of her loudly. "It's not like the world is going to end right this moment. Keeping ourselves informed on matters through that probe tie in will be keeping ourselves ready to act when the others call us again." This brought nods and various reactions of agreement. "So let's have at it.." Deanna said mildly, and she sat back down on the couch near the others. Then she looked up. "Tasha... are you going to join us..?" Yar jerked as if she had been away a long distance in her mind and she said,."Uh...yeah. uh.. Sure." And Tasha slowly pulled a footrest closer and sat down. But every so often, Troi noticed her sneaking quick peeks at the holo of her students and each time, she felt a stab of angry vindication and protective instinct shoot high in her. Deanna thought. ::I wonder why Yar's reacting that way:: Suddenly the EMH came online through Beverly's combadge. "Doctor.. It's showtime. We've recovered Uhura and Nurse Chapel. Uhura's unconscious but fine. But her friend's going to need immediate thoracic surgery for a pneumothorax I've discovered. Being officially, nonofficial as a retiree these days, I'd be being forward taking over her care in your ward." Beverly stood. "Understood. I'll be right there.. Crusher out." She then spoke to the others in the apartment. "I've got to go." Dr. McCoy too, rose to barge along but Dr. Crusher snubbed that possibility right in the butt. "Ah, ah ah.. I distinctly remember Captain Kirk ordering you to help safeguard Deanna... There's a whole Medical Wing out there who can help me with your shipmates Leonard. I'll let you know how they're doing as soon as I know.." Dr. McCoy grumbled but took his seat again. Then he remembered K'Ehleyr's unexpected histamine reaction from earlier and decided to stay when Dr. Crusher reinforced his recollection on the matter with a subtle glance towards the Klingon ambassador, who was trying to hide another fight with a second rising sneeze. Beverly watched Dr. McCoy's radar reorient on the tall woman and she sighed, tapping her combadge. "Central Transport. One to beam to Ward One immediately. Medical Priority." Dr. Crusher sparkled into light flecks and disappeared, leaving Dr. McCoy, Lt. Yar and K'Ehleyr behind in Deanna Troi's home. ::I just hope this fire business doesn't interfere with the surgery operation on Chapel. Could get tricky if the powergrid across Starfleet Headquarters goes out.:: ---------------------------- (attachments) Image: Dr. Crusher sitting in a chair, a portrait. *animated gif* An EKG scrolling across a screen, saying "Hi.." A caption reads "Still alive and kicking.." Image: A worried Troi on a couch. ********************************* From : "Cory Anda" Subject : [voyagerlvieaction] Holocall M for Murder.. Date : Sat, 02 Feb 2002 21:15:29 +0000 Things were winding down with the rescue efforts in Building Five in Lab Six. Mr. Barclay felt the tension in his back and arms finally ease as he sat next to Alexander and Mr. Spock in front of Scotty's enhanced viewscreens. ::I'm glad the two crewman are still alive. It's miraculous that the fire didn't kill them when it turned plasma. I don't know how Mr. Data knew about the time shifted galley enough to seek refuge in it but I'm very relieved that he did.:: and Reg let out a huge explosive sigh that caused Mr. Spock to glance up briefly at him.. "S- Sorry sir.. I was just,...thinking.." "It's quite all right, lieutenant. In my experience, humans usually have a period of distracted emotions following a crisis resulting in wandering thoughts and emotional outbursts such as yours." the older ambassador told him. ::Great. That doesn't make me feel offended in the least, now does it..?:: Barclay thought sarcastically. But Mr. Spock had a point, his thoughts WERE wandering and his emotions were jumbled for the moment. ::Well, there's always retrospect in hindsight until my higher brain returns...:: he reasoned with a touch of humor. So Mr. Barclay excused himself and he went over to the food table Janeway had provided to see if anything remained left for snacking out of nervousness. He found Alexander also eating. "Any of that good?" Alexander shrugged expansively, then he burped loudly as any child away from his mother's direct supervision would. "Thought so.." Barclay said, laughing softly. He leaned over and snagged a donut from the plate with his ident on it. "Try one of these Alexander. It'll put hair on your chest.." and he tossed the tiny Klingon boy a maple one. "Mmmm..." Alexander said, and he pulled Mr. Barclay's plate away from under the man's hands and began to feast on the donuts. Barclay sighed, "That's.. that's ok. I'm not really hungry anyway." Actually, he was embarrassed to admit that donuts were his mainstay food of choice as of late. ::Only Deanna knows I overindulge eating donuts when I'm under stress. "Cushioning with comfort food." as she called it, saying she knew about that symptom well with her own indulgence of chocolate ice cream once in a while during his last monthly recovering from holoaddiction session.:: He hadn't had his meeting with her for the month due to her medical leave from duty recovering from the attack. He still didn't like to think about that night at all. It had been one of the few times where he didn't fold up under pressure in a crisis when he had found her lying near death, on the floor of her balcony. But as usual, for the fifth time that day in spite of the ongoing fire threat, he did. ====================================== It had all begun when he had decided to check up on her when she didn't show for their dinner date. Buzzzzzz. Buzzzzzz. "Deanna? It's me..." Barclay said from behind his bundle of purple lavender blooms and box of chocolates. "You didn't answer my hail. Don't tell me you're still powdering your nose.." he laughed nervously at the front door's web camera, he first peered one eye and then the other at the surveillance lens to make sure it was registering his presence on Deanna's portalstep. There was no answer to his bulkhead's ring. He tapped his combadge. "Computer.. Where is Deanna Troi?" ##Current location is not registering. Her duty combadge is not enabled.## "Of course not. She's off shift now." he told it. "All right." he said rethinking his problem. "Tap into your records of this cam vid I'm now registering on. Did you see her enter the house after she was done working for the evening tonight?" ##Affirmative..## "Bingo.. Computer.. hail her again. On chat holo, using the campus intercom system into her home's personal holosuite. Authorization. Barclay Nine Theta Five..." he said, still in anticipatory excitement of their first date. He only felt half guilty using this secret computer hack's backdoor into her home's communications system using the holo network. In Deanna's holosuite, off to one side in Counselor Troi's living room, a holoimage of Barclay as he now currently was, appeared on the tiny yellow and black gridded raised floor situated there. The real Barclay closed his eyes where he stood outside in the hallway and his holo ones opened. "Deanna?.. You home?" the holo Reg asked. It could not leave the holo platform it had appeared on but it could see all of the living room and a part view of the sleeping alcove from where it was. "It's me...Knock. Knock. Knock.. Surprise!! " he said. His hack really wasn't illegal. It was simply an offshoot of a comm line he had upgraded after getting the idea he had once heard at one of Captain Janeway's symposiums. ::Must have felt strange for Kathryn to speak to the Borg Queen that way back then during their final altercation..:: Even Project Pathfinder didn't know about his little holo interfacing trick. Barclay had wanted to share his unveiling of it to Deanna and then work the bugs out of the system with her before presenting it to Headquarters' Research and Development Department. Hence the first "date" of theirs he was currently attempting. "Deanna?" he said. Then he noticed something awry with a lamp on the carpetting. It was tipped off the table and was lying on the floor near a set of wind billowing curtains leading from Troi's terrace balcony. "That's strange. I wonder if she left the veranda doors open to cause that." Then his holoeyes fell onto the carpetting and he saw an odd trail of red sprinkled on the blue leading from the kitchen to... The wind blew the lacy curtains more vigorously at that moment and Mr. Barclay saw a twitching hand fall from under it in the moonlight. It was writhing in a pool of blood. "DEANNA!!" The real Reg's eyes flew open and he lost his link with the his holohacked image. "Oh my god.. and he tapped his combadge..=^=Barclay to Main security. Release the personal seal on Counselor Troi's quarters at once.." A bored voice answered him. "Not again, Reg." came Barclay's roommate. "The counselor's asked me to ignore such a request from you until you learn to call ahead first.." "I'm not kidding Michaels.. Just do it. She's in trouble in there! There's blood all over the place.!" Barclay shouted. There was a brief pause and then Reg's startled roommate spoke again. "Summoning help right now.. Overriding her door lock now.." And the front door into Deanna's quarters flew open. Barclay ran inside, and was disoriented a bit until he called on the lights. He ran towards the balcony knocking his shins on the glass tea table and falling painfully in his haste to get to her side. He rolled to his feet, limping and fought with the lacy curtains until he ripped them down. Deanna Troi's throat was a mangled mess and she was no longer moving. "Deanna??" Reg knelt by her side, feeling her chest for signs of breathing but there were none. Hesitating only for a moment over the hideous sight, Reg tilted her head back and tried to clear away the blood oozing out from the gaping wound ripped from below her jawline to her collarbone. But only passive air gurgled out of the tear. "Oh my god. Her throat's been ripped out." A weak pulse still beat beneath his fingers but his first attempt to breathe for her just resulted in more gurgling with nothing reaching her lungs. Barclay straightened and saw a stylus on the rug near the counselor's hand which she had been using he guessed. He snatched it up, and frantically disassembled it until he only had its outer tube opened on both ends. "Ugh.." he quailed squeamishly as he took it and threaded it into what was left of her trachea below her voice box. ::Hope this works. I've never seen what doctors do in a tracheotomy..:: He leaned down and blew into the tube. Deanna's chest rose finally, and her bluish face began to pink up. In between breaths he tapped his combadge, "Michaels! I need a med team. NOW!!" "On their way buddy. Hang tight. Just what's going on over there?" he asked. Barclay didn't answer him, concentrating on keeping Deanna from crashing completely with his artificial respiration. "Reg..?" "Just shutup and make sure they get here on the double!" he said spitting out blood that had reached him through his hastily improvised airway. It was all he could do to keep from vomitting. Thirty seconds later, Beverly Crusher arrived with a response team and they sparkled into existence by his side.. Dr. Crusher paled but got to work when she saw the two of them head to foot in blood. "Keep it up, Reg. We'll connect her to oxygen intradermally. One minute more.." she said scanning Deanna's still body with her tricorder. Barclay didn't even open his eyes as he worked. Then he felt a tap on his shoulder from one of the med techs. He felt himself pulled away from Deanna and he opened his eyes. The med tech had placed a stasis chip on Troi's forehead and he activated it. A yellow shimmer enveloped Deanna completely and she froze in its energy field. Even her bleeding stopped. Beverly looked up from her scanner. "Good she's fully in stasis. Her oxygen debt is eliminated. She's too unstable for transporting. We'll take her by stretcher.." The team rose, but Barclay found he didn't have the legs to do the same. Bev set a hand on his shoulder, "Are you injured too?" she said eyeing the gore on him. "N--No.. I-it's all ...hers.. Doctor.." he grabbed Dr. Crusher's arm. "Is she going to make it..?" "Yes, Reg.. You may have very well saved her life. I'll keep you informed of her condition. Right now she needs immediate reconstructive surgery..I'll let you know her complete condition once I learn more." Bev looked up and saw the security backup arrive. "Stay with these men for now. They're going to need to learn just what you saw.. I'll be in touch.." and she half ran out the door with the medtechs bearing Deanna's antigrav bed. The next half hour was a blur.. and all Barclay could think about while they grilled him with questions was that he was sticky.. Sticky with a very gory substance that he wanted nothing better than to wash off immediately. ::Deanna.. Be safe..:: A scour of scans by the security team revealed only the counselor's and Barclay's DNA traces in her home, until one investigator thought to check for sentient individual inorganic traces. They found android type byproducts on the rug and mingled with the bloodstains on the balcony. ::Inconclusive.. Why is all this inconclusive?! My friend was almost a murder victim here!!:: ==================================== Reg Barclay shook himself from his reverie and saw not the blood from his memory but a donut still clutched in his fingers. He was feeling a tugging and he saw Alexander on the other end of it and he was back in the lab. "Here.." he said glumly, giving the boy the donut. "I'm not hungry.." and he fell into a fixed stare of the back of Kirk's, Mr. Spock's and Scotty's heads while they conferred data about the raging plasma pool still burning out of control in Building Five. Then he heard golden words from the Vulcan.. "...is contained for the moment as long as the shield around it holds.." Reg sighed again, deciding a few things. "Somehow, I think Deanna's attack is related to all of this and I'm going to find out why....just as soon as I find my legs again.." "You lost them?" Alexander asked, mouth full of crumbs, chewing aggressively, and he began to laugh. "Just eat your donut little warrior...." Barclay told him. ------------------------ (attachments) Image: Deanna being courted by a Shakespearean Barclay. Gif: A computer Lcars bar border. *animated gif* Spock, raising his eyebrow. ***************************************** END WEEK FOUR RECAP 02-03-02 WEEK FIVE RECAP 02-04-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub ********************************** Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 13:56:26 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: The Hidden Impasse. Seven of Nine left with Janeway and the away team from the tramway tunnel in deep thought. They all boarded the one tram still running underneath Building Five and Seven sat into her seat, not seeing the scenery at all on the brief flight back to the surface. ::These events we seem to have uncovered puzzle me.:: She looked up and saw Janeway, Boothby the EMH and Barclay all in animated conversation in front of her outlining what they planned to do next. Seven herself, actually didn't know what was best. ::The data is circumspect and hypothetical. Yet I am at a loss to explain an alternate possible outcome of this fire during the next two days. :: She called up the status board from Command on her tricorder and learned that Chapel was still in surgery but Uhura was now awake and functional, having been released back to duty. Seven leaned forward until Chakotay noticed her. "Problem, Seven?" he asked. "No. I merely wanted you and the captain to know that I plan to speak with Uhura about what she saw inside the hanger during the fire. It may lead to clues about how we might best put it out." "Sounds promising.." Chakotay shrugged. "Granted. Go ahead and learn a few things. It's not like we have a lot to go on anyway. The EMH was offline through much of the incident." "True.." Seven said. "Carry on.." Chakotay added, then he turned back forwards in his seat and he rejoined in the intense discussion going on around him. The short flight ended quickly and the shuttle pod wasn't even completely on the ground when Seven of Nine cracked the exterior door. "Hang on a minute there Miss Borg. I want a few words with you.." Boothby called out, stopping her from going down the shuttle ramp. Seven didn't stop walking, "You can tell me on the way. I'm returning to Building Five to view the plasma shield's warping from the outside. I am not certain why it has done so." "No surprise there, Seven.." Boothby grunted. "The fire "melted" it. It's hot." he said simply. Seven didn't even look at him as she and the caretaker walked on the night time sidewalk now lit with crisis lights and fire teams rushing to the site. "Organic fire cannot effect a deflector shield just by burning. What is curious is that the shield altered its programmed shape long before the fire turned into plasma by touching it." Boothby halted in his tracks at that. "You know.. You're right. That was odd." Then he hurried to catch up with her, puffing, but very alert and with the subject. "Any theories, Seven?" Seven of Nine held her position well back from the undulating plasma shield rotating around Building Five. They could now clearly see the green plasma writhing just behind the thin wall of energy. She brought out her tricorder and meshed with the engineering database she had pirated from Scott's lab when no one was looking. Boothby noticed. "That's classified information, Seven. Just what th--" "I am under orders to "Get to the bottom" of this. I am..." and she shrugged,.."doing just that to the best of my ability. Having detailed information about this security shield over the hanger will help me perform my duty to that effect." Seven said blandly. "You're learning fast.." Boothby grinned toothily. Then he came close confidentially. "Care to tell an old gardener what you're thinking?" Seven gave him a skeptical look. Boothby took affront, "Oh, come on.. I have clearance to know what Komach has for his noon day drink and where he takes it, for Pete's sake. Do you think Command keeps me denied from knowing about the secret inventions around here too? This shield's nothing new.In fact, I could tell you a few things not on those schematics.." he said, rocking back on his heels and whistling with his hands folded behind his back. Seven paused in her scans, her glance up speaking volumes. "All right. All right. A trade. You tell me the angle of attack for your investigation into this Guardian prediction and I'll spill what I know. Deal?" And Boothby held out a hand after spitting into it. Seven frowned but unflinchingly, took his hand and shook it likewise. "We have an agreement Mr. Boothby. You first.." Boothby did a double take when he realized that he had been outmanuevered. "Fine there by me missy. At least I know living up to an agreement's set fairly in stone with Borg types." and he scratched an itch on his neck, "Yeah. even while they're slicing up disks outta your hull plating.." Seven chose to ignore that last remark. ::True..:: she thought. ::A Borg Collective has no need to lie or any use for being deceitful.:: "I believe that Captain Janeway would say "get on with it." Boothby hastily got out of the way as a team of engineers trotted by down the sidewalk towards the intensely green glowing Building Five as the fire continued to fill the space beneath the experimental energy dome. "....Whoa.. excuse me.. gentleman.." He fixed her with a stare. "Not only did they use plasma configurations to power that security barrier around Building Five to hide the Guardian of Forever from casual sensors, they used phase variances too." Seven looked up sharply from her tricorder screen, her eyes reflecting the eerie glow of the plasma fire in them. "Those are highly difficult to control once they distort." "I know. I know.." Boothby threw a hand out to the shield warping slowly out of shape. "That unexpected variable is probably what killed those guards. They didn't expect a security shield to reach out and grab them when they came near it." "Starfleet Command showed little intelligence using such a questionable technology." Seven countered. "If the blood of anyone is to be on anyone's hands, it would be on theirs." Boothby took the tricorder from Seven's hands and shut its lid with a snap. "You're hearing me, honey, but you aren't listening.. I said phase variance.. Like they knew the Guardian would be coming ahead of time..and were taking shortcuts..." Seven blinked, "Are you telling me Command knew the Guardian would arrive on Earth way ahead of the time it actually did, to ask Kirk to bring Yar and the others back from the past?" "Yes... and if anyone asks.. a little birdy told you.. Tah.." and Boothby left, disappearing out of the green fireglow into the distance. Boothby's supposition left more questions than answers in Seven's mind. The very idea of one's superiors withholding critical information about a secret project's hidden dangers was unthinkable. And Seven didn't know where that left her. ::Should I tell the others about the phasing nondisclosure?:: Then Seven decided it did not matter. If her crewmates thought they were on a par with Headquarters absolutely, then they would be more effective carrying out their duties as Starfleet officers. Emotions would not cloud the issue. Seven moved a little closer to the oscillating security shield until she could see the outline of the raw plasma eating through the very stone of the remnants of Building Five. ::I wonder...:: and she hefted up her wrist and shot out her assimilation tubes.. A fire fighter near her leaped with a cry to push her out of the way but Seven stopped him with a hand to his chest and he recoiled a bit. "Are you crazy?? That stuff'll vaporize you.." he shouted. Seven turned back to her task. "As you can see, I am not actually touching the shield. I am fully aware of the danger. Go back to your work ensign." The man walked away, glancing back at her every so often shaking his head incredulously. "Women...." he mumbled. Seven advanced her tubes until they just poked through the shield's membranes and released a stream of sensor nannites from her bloodstream into the sea of plasma inside the hanger. She linked with them mentally and then withdrew her assimilation tubules from the shield and stepped back onto the sidewalk. Inside her mind, she could see the nanoprobes swimming towards where she wanted them to go. ::The Guardian of Forever.:: Through their eyes, Seven saw the slight out of phasing the Guardian was using to keep from being harmed by the flaring super heated plasma liquid searing around it. The first rain of probes touched the Guardian's protective "coat" and they sank inside to the normal air beyond. Soundlessly, the floating nanoprobes formed a lattice in the air that turned into a ring and they began to spin there. Seven now had her communications conduit to the Guardian of Forever. ##We must speak at once.## she told it. ##I've learned something you should know..## and Seven told it the very same information Boothby had disclosed to her. The Guardian came to life, it's inner donut pulsing with white light. ##THIS PREKNOWLEDGE OF MY COMING AND THE ENERGY SHELL'S TRUE NATURE ARE RIDDLES THAT I CANNOT ANSWER. ## Seven spoke through her nanoprobe eyes, "Then perhaps we should work together to solve this little mystery before it is too late for Earth and its people." Seven felt the time gate shrug mentally, ## THE CURRENT TIMELINE MUST REMAIN UNSULLIED BY PARADOX.## it said. "Starfleet's preknowledge of your mission long before your arrival is a paradox in itself. Your ...distress...over this news is a sign that it is one wrinkle you did not see for all your power. Let me help you learn more." Seven offered. ##PROCEED.## Seven opened her eyes, maintaining her link with the Guardian through her nanoprobes remotely as she walked away from the fire scene. She decided to head back to whereever the away team had gone. ------------------------------------------------ Data followed Janeway, Boothby and Chakotay back to Scott's lab, where they all immediately began to pore over the information Byte was sending to them while it measured the extent of the warping shield around Building Five. He thought he saw Seven's unmistakable outline against its green glow but he couldn't be sure with any absolute certainty. He had dismissed the thought when Seven arrived to his side a few minutes later. "I have news from sickbay. Nurse Chapel is going to make a complete recovery. Dr. Crusher has just completed surgical repairs on her torn lung." Data told her. "That is fortunate. Perhaps no others will be harmed by the fire now that it's here." "Perhaps.." Data said. ExBorg and android both watched the EMH demat out of the lab to go check up things in the Medical Building in Ward One to see if Dr. Crusher needed his services. Seven and Data worked quietly, pooling information from the sensors when Seven spoke up, "How are you feeling, Mr. Data?" Data cocked his head and shifted it some, raising his eyebrows. "I have toned down my emotion chip so it will not adversely effect my work until this crisis is over." Seven frowned. "That was illogical." "I don't understand.." Data said. Seven stopped her scans filing and folded her hands behind her back as she regarded the light skinned android in front of her. "I have found in my experience with Captain Janeway's crew, that sometimes, strong emotions help strengthen one's resolve to achieve goals faster and more efficiently." Data said without any trace of conceit, "I can function faster than most humans." "No doubt." Seven answered, "But I've learned that sometimes, powerful emotions can make the simple act of ....living, more rich in content and meaning." She had surprised herself with her own retrospect. "I apologize commander. I do believe I am ..rambling." "No apologies necessary Seven of Nine. If anyone is guilty of rambling. It would be me. Captain Picard frequently reminds me of that fact." Seven inclined her head in acceptance of his admission. "Shall we proceed with getting our report on the preliminary analyses of these distorting shields ready for the captains?" Data nodded eagerly and as one, the two completed the task in about five minutes. Seven presented the report to Captain Janeway and Data gave an identical copy to Captain Picard. Seven spoke up as Janeway and Picard took the datapadds. "These are preliminary detailed scans of the plasma shield. So far, it looks like it will hold without problems for nearly twelve hours.." "Then we have our breathing room..." Janeway said. "Perhaps long enough to come up with a solution to putting out the fire before Data's vision comes true.." "Yes..." Seven said, thinking of what she had shared with the Guardian. "Anything is possible now." ------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Data, sitting at an art easel painting. A caption talks about how love is a splendid thing in French. Image: Seven of Nine and the EMH arm in arm in engineering, at a party. ***************************** From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] The Holo "Nurse" Nightengale Date : Tue, 05 Feb 2002 06:30:38 +0000 Christine awoke slowly. Her mouth tasted a bit off and it was very dry. She moved her head fractionally and felt softness beneath it that was unexpected. ::Water.. yeah, that would be nice.:: "Easy, Christine.." came Uhura's voice. "You're only just coming out of anesthesia. This nice EMH here and Dr. Crusher have just mended a hemopneumothorax you sustained in your fall. " That made Nurse Chapel open her eyes quickly. "What? The last thing I remember, was the earthquake throwing us onto the floor. I remember getting mad because our evening off was interrupted." and she licked her lips.. Nurse Chapel felt her head supported and a cup of cold water was given to her. She sipped slowly and the tarry taste in her mouth went away. "That was no earthquake, Chris.." Uhura said seriously. "That was the floor caving in when the underground fire burned it up." Nurse Chapel turned her head in horror. "The fire's started already? ..Oh, Uhura, how did you cope? Your fear--" "....Didn't get in the way.." Uhura smiled. "The smoke made me black out before I even had a chance to panic." "Consider yourself a very lucky young woman." the EMH said holding the cup from which she had drunk. He swept a hand in a gesture over her body. "You're still in one piece. Thanks to the time shifted oasis of that galley in Building Five. Your rescuer manage to avert certain destruction from the plasma surge by taking refuge with you in there." "It hasn't spread...?".. Christine began, growing pale, remembering the memory video playback from the android's cranium records of the hideous green energy burning below Deanna Troi's balcony. "No..It hasn't. Not beyond that building." Uhura quickly. "And now that we know it's started, it won't be going anywhere, anytime soon with that shield continuously reining it in." Christine laughed. Then winced, holding a pair of hands to her stomach. The EMH frowned. "You're feeling pain?" "Just a little." Christine shrugged, "My stomach." "Mind if I have a look?" the holodoc asked. Christine lowered the silver sheeting, "Go ahead..doctor.. Feels like bruising.." The hologram pulled up her sickbay gown and then all three of them saw it. "Whoops.. Looks like my colleague forgot about this.." he said apologetically. Christine looked down and saw a black and blue imprint of a hand clearly on the skin of her abdomen. "What on earth is that from? Looks like somebody's palm print." "Mr. Data apparently had to clear your throat during the time you were out of contact with the away team. For an android, he was careful enough, I'm seeing only superficial damage here." The EMH said and rolled sheepish eyes at her. He passed a dermal regenerator over the area until the bruising was fully healed. Christine grunted, rubbing the tingling spot as the pain went away. "Hmmm. Never thought I'd ever need the Heimlich. Say,.." she said now understanding that she had been rescued from the fire scene. "Was anybody else injured besides Uhura and I? I remember how fast plasma implodes once it touches an open flame from my old Academy days." Uhura and the EMH both lowered their eyes. Then the doctor spoke. "There were two fatalities. The security guards outside the building. They heard you two scream and went running to find you. They were vaporized instantly when a malfunction in the plasma shielding around it shifted over them." Christine looked startled. "What could have caused that?" "Any number of things. A time distortion. A power surge or blackout........ Sabotage.." the EMH added mysteriously, trying to ease Christine's tension. His tactic worked, Christine's distress over the death of the two guards changed to an air of incredulous debate. "Sabotage?..I can't believe that. Security into the Guardian's hanger is ....was ...tight, doctor." Christine told him. "The only ones allowed in were the ones cleared by Headquarters.." and she ticked off on her fingers the names she knew about. "Kirk, myself, Uhura, Spock, Mr. Barclay, K'Ehleyr and her son, Tasha Yar...and that handsome fellow and his freckled friend. I haven't seen them around since the yellow alert.." "You mean Harry Kim and Jadzia Dax.." the doctor clarified. He tapped his datapadd. "They shipped out over six hours ago. Pulled away from Earth to do security detail once our intruder alert was initiated. I'm afraid that they're going to be gone from our little adventure for good." Uhura said, "I'm sure none of the people you mentioned there are terroristic spies Christine. So I think that idea of sabotage is pretty much a wash.." "Yeah, well.. it's not exactly common for a Federation security shield, however experimental, to malfunction like that." Nurse Chapel said. "Maybe it's Spock rubbing off on me, but that detail doesn't sound very logical to me." Uhura bit her lip, thinking. "Maybe there are details we don't know yet about the shield's construction. We're just simply two of the passengers who disembarked under it, Christine. I'm sure somebody will figure it out." And she sighed.. Despite herself, Christine yawned. The EMH noticed. "Visiting hours are over.. Lt.." he said to Uhura.. "Shoo.." Just then, Dr. Crusher came over. "Glad to see you're awake Nurse.." she smiled. "The doctor here said you're the one who handled my pulmonary repair." Christine said. "I was. There's no complications at all. So rest easy.." and Bev turned down the lights over Christine's bed and turned on the remote monitor to display her vital signs in a relay to her office. "Thank you, doctor.." she said. The EMH grunted in his throat, tapping holofingernails on the guardrail of her biobed. "Oh, and you too, doctor.." Christine added hastily. "My pleasure.." the holodoc said and he joined Bev in her office to followup log his part in Christine's recovery. Uhura waited for him to be well out of earshot. "My.. does HE want praise.. Sounds like another doctor we know very well now, doesn't he?" Christine chuckled, this time discomfort free. "Bones doesn't scoop for attention like that.." "No, he just shouts loud enough until he gets it from Kirk and Spock. Undivided." Uhura set a gentle hand on her friends arm, mindful of the intravenous tubes connected there. "Sleep tight. I'll keep you up on the latest from Captain Kirk.." "You do that.. I hate being a patient.." Christine mumbled, drifting off. Uhura snugged the silver sheet back around Chapel's shoulders and she left the Ward quietly. --------------------------------------------------------- Lt. Uhura didn't even look in the direction of the swarming fire and engineering crew around Building Five. She was shivering enough just hearing the sirens and klaxons of the arriving crack disaster response shuttles from the night sky. She quickly made her way across campus and tapped her shoulder. Belatedly, she realized that she was still in her seared unitard and that she no longer had on a combadge. ::Wonderful..:: She made her way over to the nearest garden lightpost and toggled a switch. =^=Uhura to Kirk.=^= "Kirk here.." He sounded very relieved to hear her voice. "Before you even ask, I'm fine, sir, and so is Christine. And you can tell Mr. Spock that she's in perfect health and resting." ::Chew on THAT, Mr. I-don't-feel-anything for-Christine. I don't care how old you are in this current time line. I saw how you looked at her when you first saw her arrive through the Guardian of Forever. Like she was some mystic mirage after ninety years in the desert..:: She imagined a conversation with Christine about that very subject from the reverse point of view. SEE SOUND ADDITION AT TOP named "Chaplove". Uhura voiced none of these thoughts aloud, though she wished she could. So she contented herself with just that terse report to them. But something of her tone must have made Spock's eyebrow go up because she heard Kirk's amused chuckled hidden in his voice when he spoke again to her. "Thank you, lieutenant. Would you be so kind as to get yourself another combadge and go help McCoy right away..?" "I'm on my way now sir.." "Very good. Kirk out." Uhura grinned lopsidedly at the point she scored getting under Spock's skin. She took her hand off the commpadd and headed in the direction her tricorder showed McCoy to be. ------------------------------------------------------- She politely hit the page outside of Deanna Troi's door a few minutes later. The night air had cleared the last of the smoke from her lungs and had distanced the last traces of stress from her mind. ::I only wish I would've had time to change. But.. Immediately means immediately..:: she shrugged. A heavy thug type opened the door and behind him, a ready for anything Tasha Yar stood with a phaser drawn. "Oh, it's you.." Tasha said, "Come in. Everyone ok?" "Yes." And Uhura sidled past the hyper alert guard. Yar holstered her weapon and showed Uhura to Deanna's living room where everyone was gathered around the computer terminal linked to Scotty's lab and the probe and satellite views there of the fire. She felt very self conscious at being so dirty around such nice personal furnishings. Deanna Troi met her halfway. "Lt.. I'm glad you're fully recovered. Oh.." she said, eyeing up Uhura's sooty appearance. "They sent you over very fast, now didn't they?...Please, feel free to sonic shower and then to access the replicator in the sleeping room for a set of clean clothes.." ::Thank heavens for empaths.:: "Thank you counselor, don't mind if I do.." ::I'll replicate a new combadge under my own code, too.:: Less than ten minutes later, Uhura returned to the others in Deanna's main living space, feeling more like being able to tackle the crisis at hand than she had when she had first left sickbay. The first thing she noticed was the low hologrid platform painted with black with yellow stripes next to the fireplace. "Oh!.. That's a real holoprojector, isn't it?" K'Ehleyr grinned, straightening up from a set of ferocious sneezes. "Sure is.. a prototype of Lt. Barclay's I imagine. I recognize his handiwork." Uhura sat on the side of the couch nearest it and admired the platform and the remote sitting on the table that was obviously the one meant to use with the holostage. McCoy piped up. "Deanna was telling us earlier that that was how Mr. Barclay had found her the night of her attack. Using a holo projection of himself getting through her locked door when she didn't answer her doortones." Uhura's eyes lit up. ::Another technological goody to learn about.:: "May I?" and she hefted up her tricorder. Deanna shrugged a go-ahead and then got distracted when a particularly violent oscillation of Building Five's plasma shield caught her attention from the tiny view on the computer screen. Uhura knelt on the carpetting next to the tiny holoplatform and scanned it, feeling like a kid in the candy store. ::This is like that EMH who took care of Christine. I'm reading the same components. The same holoimaging matrice alignments...:: Her brain did a double take. ::The same holoprojecting footprint?:: She looked up at Deanna. "Tell me, Miss Troi. On the night of your attack. Was Janeway's EMH the one who responded to your medical emergency? He's showing up as having visited on my tricorder..." That made everyone look up in startlement. ---------------------------- (attachments) Image: Chapel promo with a pink background. Audio: Chapel- I'm in love with you Mr. Spock, You: The Human Mr. Spock,...The Vulcan Mr. Spock.. Spock- Nurse..... Chapel- Shhh. Christine,... please.. Image: Uhura in sepia tones. ************************************ From : "Andy Anda" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Tribble3 Date : Wed, 06 Feb 2002 16:37:51 -0800 After a spell of lurking underground, the rabbit crept to the surface where it proceeded to test the air for any further scent of smoke, its nose working furiously. Satisfied that all was right with the meadow again. It emerged from its warren. As has become the norm, Tribble followed soon thereafter. The fire danger seemed to have abated, but Tribble sensed continuing anxiety in the rabbit. Could the rabbit be uneasy because of the unusually agitated activity of the numerous bipeds scurrying about near the periphery of the meadow? For once, the Tribble did not mimic the behavior of the rabbit,as Tribble always sensed safety in the company of those inscrutable bipeds. And, there were none of those awful larger bipeds (known to the reader as Klingons). Meanwhile, Boothby is out and about _supervising_ the agitated chaos spawned by the underground conflagration. He had a pretty fair suspicion of where on the surface the fire had entered the complex. Years ago he had drafted and sent off a memo warning of the risk and how to eliminate it. But the memo had gotten shelved during an unrelated minor crisis and soon thereafter forgotten. After there had been no action on his suggestion, he considered resending it, but then he decided not to, as it would be a lesson to THEM if his warning proved prophetic. So, Boothby ambled through the meadow a ways looking for the tiny portal that was breached by the fire. He didn't see any overt burn residue anywhere. This puzzled him for a moment, but he then realized that it wasn't necessary for a spark to have been produced. He noted, not entirely consciously,the movement of a critter a ways away near the other side of the meadow. Glancing over idly, he saw his old friend, the meadow rabbit, or rather a multi-generational offspring of his original old meadow rabbit friend. Suddenly his eyes widened, and he then blinked. "Hmm. Bunnies usually have just one tail..." he remarked to no one in particular besides himself. ----------------------- (attachment) Image: A red tribble looking flower! LOL! ******************************* From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Absolute Proof.. Date : Sat, 09 Feb 2002 10:40:17 +0400 >She looked up at Deanna. "Tell me, Miss Troi. On the night of your attack. >Was Janeway's EMH the one who responded to your medical emergency? He's >showing up as having visited on my tricorder..." >That made everyone look up in startlement. Beverly Crusher turned down the audio cues on her computer terminal. "No, I was the one who did." Beverly's face grew very thoughtful. "This is impossible..." as she knelt on the floor next to Uhura and studied the all too familiar readings of the EMH's past presence on the holoplatform. "Starfleet says that Voyager's EMH didn't arrive for Dr. McCoy's speech until five days ago. Deanna was injured over two weeks ago, Lt.. Are you sure your readings are right?" she asked of Uhura. Deanna Troi sighed. "Beverly, have you ever known a holo trace turning up false before? An identity like that is registered all across the global hologrid. Any activation of any holocharacter within Starfleet is duly noted and logged as to what persona and when." Yar turned from the picture she had been viewing. "We should turn off that hologrid. Now.." "Why? Anything that appears on it can't leave the grid lines on the platform. We're perfectly safe Tasha." Deanna said. She wasn't sure what she was reading off her friend and it made her uneasy. Yar chose to not say a further word and went to the balcony window to look out, flicking her eyes at two of her fellow guards to check the hallway again for any new visitors. Dr. Crusher read the results of the holologged signature on her newer current century tricorder. It was the EMH's trace showing as having been activated remotely the night Deanna was attacked. "Uhura's dead on. The EMH, specially, Voyager's EMH was here exactly two weeks ago for six point four minutes, ending his activation about ten seconds before Barclay showed up at the front door on the security monitor." Beverly Crusher tapped her combadge, =^=Crusher to Lab Six. Captain Kirk.. Do you have a few minutes?=^= "Certainly, doctor. What can I do for you?" Dr. Crusher knew that the EMH was in earshot of Kirk so she disguised the real reason behind her call. "I need another opinion about the fire's possible effect on your officer Uhura." She widened a look at the lieutenant in apology but Uhura waved a hand dismissing the issue. "It will only take a few minutes for me to ask you a few questions. Could you come when you can? The sooner the better." The EMH piped up, "If you need an expert's advice on pyrophobia I'd be glad to assist you doctor.." he beamed vocally. Dr. Crusher responded almost hastily.."No.. No. That's all right doctor. uh, Captain Kirk knows Uhura well and has the sort of insight for which I'm looking. Don't let me disturb you from the lab.." she said calmly. Her deflection worked. The EMH was diverted."Very well, keep me informed if the lieutenant suffers any psychological symptoms from her fear." "I will.." Bev smiled, even though the smile didn't show through a comm link. Kirk got the gist of her meaning just from the tone of her two words. "I'll be there shortly, Dr. Crusher.." "Thankyou captain. Crusher out.." McCoy grunted once the comm link was closed. "Now why didn't you want the EMH here to see this?" he said, gestured at the tiny hologrid next to Troi's couch. Dr. Crusher was frank, "If someone has been tampering with that EMH prior to his coming here, it's likely that they'd also provide a tap leading back to themselves so they would know if anyone ever found their holomanipulation ability. Just as what Uhura discovered just now." K'Ehleyr stood, wiping her streaming nose but her voice was even and very well thought out. "You did right to prevent the holodoctor from coming here until we learn more." Deanna Troi stood and began pacing on the carpetting from one length to the other in front of the couch where most sat. "How could I not know if my hologrid was activated that night?" Beverly shrugged, " I remember what I saw when I first got to you. There were blood spatters leading from the kitchen to the balcony. You must have struggled with someone and were injured first in there.." Deanna looked uncomfortable, but she didn't stop pacing. "But no holocharacter can leave that grid, Beverly." "Ah,, but Voyager's EMH can. He has a portable holo emitter, allowing him freedom from the restriction of hologridding." Uhura added. "I remember that detail when I read about the system in Dr. Crusher's office." Deanna threw arms about herself, "That could explain why I didn't feel anyone's emotions at all then. But what about the android byproduct traces the invest- igative team found on the rug?" Beverly studied her hands. "To throw anyone off the true trail. Pointing fingers at Data would most certainly distract all but the most open minded people. Uhura here is new at everything in this decade. Perhaps that's why she discovered this long before we did. She was seeing her surroundings through a fresh perspective." Troi relaxed just a bit, then she went over and pulled the power cord leading to the tiny hologrid platform out of the wall. "There's going to be no holocalls this evening.." Dr. Crusher nodded her approval. "We'll wait until Captain Kirk arrives before we show him what we've seen. Being and staying safe from the fire and now from a possible intruder's, top priority." Deanna nodded, "I agree keeping the EMH away from these quarters until we find out more details are a smart idea. But, eventually, we're going to have to find a way to confront him, directly, about his travels in the last month here on Earth." Dr. Crusher rubbed her face, "That sounds like an interview for Mr. Barclay. He's become something of an expert on holocharacters." Deanna Troi raised her gaze from the tricorder scans registering in front of them. "Shall I call him?" Beverly said, "No.. If Kirk's half the sharp mind I think he is, Barclay'll tag along with him." One of the guards spoke up. "Building Five's growing a brighter shade of green. I wonder if the plasma's building pressure." "Unlikely..." Dr. Crusher said. "The security field's designed to bleed any energy surge off into the ground, preventing such a buildup. I remember a time like this on the Enterprise when Deanna first took command of the bridge in the middle of a ship's disaster call." "I remember that too." Troi said. She wanted to look out the window, but the guard would let her expose herself to the outside. She relented and returned to a chair next to K'Ehleyr.. "I'm not used to being penned up like this, under guard or not. I feel a bit like Helen of Troy just now.." Despite the stressful night, everyone laughed a bit. Deanna rose and went next to Tasha Yar, who was still back to one wall, with a foot propped against it, watching the balcony terrace throught the billowing lacy curtains. "How are you feeling? I only caught part of your last mood change during your comm to Kirk. Care to tell me about it?" ---------------------------- (attachments) Image: Dr. Crusher from Third Season. Image: A serious Deanna Troi in civvies, sitting on her couch. Gif: A Lcars display showing EMH interfaces. *********************************** From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Shifting Guilt~~ Date : Sat, 09 Feb 2002 17:21:50 +0000 >Kirk got the gist of her meaning just from >the tone of her two words. "I'll be there >shortly, Dr. Crusher.." Captain Kirk closed the connection to Dr. Crusher and turned back to the computer screen where Mr. Spock, Mr. Barclay, Seven of Nine, Scotty, and Alexander were sitting while they watched the sensors screens. Just then, there was a hail from Starfleet Command. =^=Commander Riker and Captain Picard have been recalled back to the Enterprise scheduled for departure immediately, Captain Kirk.=^= "I understand. These things happen. Spock and I will cover all aspects of Building Five in their absence, although insight from the Enterprise command crew would have been very welcome." =^= A situation has arisen that requires them to disembark Earth captain. I'm sure you and your project crew will manage. Command out.=^= "Well, well well,.." the EMH sighed. "It never rains but it pours.." Kirk turned to look up at the EMH who was helping Alexander key in flight sequences into Byte. The probe was no longer hunting for the fire's ignition source but instead doing ironically the same as Mr. Boothby, looking for the air vent the fire fell into. Kirk whispered to the boy for him to program the probe to search for Mr. Boothby and then he would find the vent when the older caretaker did. He then straightened to address the holophysician, "Doctor.. You're not feeling left out being in charge of sickbay per chance? Dr. Crusher wanted to spend some time checking out Deanna Troi. She hadn't been examined since her collapse incident in the dance studios. Don't tell me you're feeling the weight of being in attendance again." "Hardly..." the EMH said sheepishly. "Although after my retirement... It does seem odd doing so. I was just remarking on how wishy washy Starfleet seems in sending its personnel on their mission assignments. The Enterprise would have been a very good asset to utilize in studying this fire and the events surrounding it." "Ours is not to reason why,..." Alexander said, part laughing.. "Ours is but to do and die..." the EMH said darkly. "Yes..." and he rubbed his chin. Kirk took his opportunity to escape. "Doctor, you should get back to sickbay. I'd like it if you personally were there for Christine when she wakes up. Then you can update her as to goings on here in the lab." "Of course captain.." the EMH said. "I only came over here with Dr. Crusher to deliver her medical report." and he handed Kirk a copy of his medical log on Nurse Chapel. "I appreciate it, doctor." Kirk watched as the EMH phased out, returning back to Starfleet Medical's Ward One to monitor Chapel along with the medical staff. He then spoke aloud so only Spock, Seven, Mr. Barclay and Mr. Scott could hear. "I'm going to the scene of the crime.. It seems there's a connection between Counselor Troi's attack and the memory vid we all viewed on the future Data head's circuits." "Sir.." Mr. Spock began. "You should go with all due haste. Seven of Nine has done her research well. This fire is going nowhere for the next twelve hours. The plasma shield is holding." Seven of Nine spoke, "May I go with you captain?" she said, remembering her promise to the Guardian of Forever. ::Even now, I can feel it seeing through my nanoprobes and through my eyes, waiting.:: "It's your choice.. Captain Janeway, can you spare your aide for a while?" Captain Janeway looked up from a table where she had called up schematics on the landscape around Building Five's site. She had cross hatched the most likely path the fire would burn using the wind direction now blowing across campus if it got out of its containment. "Spare Seven? Certainly.. It's up to her." Kirk glanced awry at Seven of Nine, "You heard your captain.. The decision is yours." Then he moved over to Mr. Barclay. "Reg,.. you heard most of the transmission from Dr. Crusher in her conversation with me..." he started up. Barclay shifted uncomfortably in his computer chair, "W...Well, I..." Kirk smiled, "Any good junior officer eavesdrops once in a while when he can. I take no offense. I've had too many years with Mr. Spock's ears scouring the bridge air for tidbits to be worried about anyone else's tacit snooping.. " and he threw an amused glance towards the ambassador. Mr. Spock, to his credit, didn't visibly react, although Kirk saw his back straighten just a fraction while he worked. Kirk went on, " You are an expert on holotechnology. Please come with me to the counselor's the moment you're through there." And he left for Deanna's. It was a short walk to her apartment tower. The peace of the middle night was punched through with flashing lights as fire and engineering crew worked to extend the life of the melting plasma shields around Building Five. No one even saluted Kirk. ::This is a dangerous time indeed.:: Kirk said when he noticed that. ::Normal protocol doesn't hold here. We're all in new territory.:: Soon, Kirk was let inside Deanna's home by Yar's security team. Right away, he noticed something wasn't right with Tasha. He touched her arm as she seemed transfixed by the fire scene on the computer monitor. "Easy, lieutenant." he said when she jerked her arm away instinctively. "Sorry sir.. I've..I've had a lot on my mind. I.. was very bothered when I found out we can't use the Guardian of Forever to alter this fire's course. I..can't help but feeling that I'm on borrowed time. Strange, really. But that's how I feel. I've learned to trust my gut reaction on my own emotional barometer, a skill I picked up growing up in the Colony." Kirk studied the young woman's eyes without letting his own knowledge of her future pass through his own. He knew she had an inkling of the moment she had been saved from by the Guardian just before her own death at Armus's hand. Yet for the sake of the Temporal Prime Directive, he could not tell her that her vague feelings were true. Instead, he diverted her with some sage advice. "Worrying, lieutenant? That's all right. It'll keep you sharp. Barclay's on the way, and maybe Janeway's aide, Seven of Nine. Watch for them." "Aye sir.." and Yar moved back to her place by the balcony so she could watch both Building Five and the sidewalks leading to the apartments. Kirk studied Yar for a long while, feeling the weight of responsibility of knowing Building Five's true purpose and keeping it away from the others. ::Spock's much better at this than I am. Taking action is my strength. Not hiding it.:: Then he sat down on the couch and listened to what Uhura and Dr. Crusher had to say about the clearly, newly invented hologrid platform near the couch. He saw that it had been powered down. He looked up again sharply when he heard of the EMH's possible involvement in Troi's attack. "Is he to be trusted Doctor?" he demanded sharply of Beverly. "I just entrusted him to Chapel a few minutes ago." "Absolutely, Captain Kirk.." Dr. Crusher said. "It seems the holovariance only shows on Reg's prototype grid here and only from that night. K'Ehleyr has just scanned Starfleet's activity logs and the EMH shows no deviation from normal parameters.. He's fine.." Deanna said. Kirk took a slow breath, broadening his thinking as he did so. "Data, in two days, will lose his head from an image of Yar that seems to be able to withstand raw plasma burning on its matrix. And now, you say, two weeks ago, Voyager's EMH was here during the time Troi was attacked, leaving behind android traces in this home, possibly for investigators to find.." Nods from everyone in the room. "Are these two events related?" "Yes.." said K'Ehleyr inequivocally. "Personnel coming in and out of Starfleet during that time period all check out. The two must interelate." Kirk said, thinking aloud, "Then.. the Yar we saw firing a phaser which subsequently kills Data, is really the EMH, altered to look like her?" Tasha shifted from her place as lookout. "Listen,.. a Doctor Jeckyl Mr. Hyde theory? I don't buy it. How can any holoprogram be altered without anyone else discovering that it's been tampered with? Especially if that program's nonlethality measure has been compromised." Kirk said, "There's a first time for everything. And I have a feeling we'll find it right here.." he said, setting a boot onto the deactivated hologrid platform. "Although it's looking more and more likely that the finger pointing's shifted a bit. Mr. Barclay's got a lot of fast talking to do now, doesn't he to avoid the mad doctor appellage?" Deanna shivered to the bone when she realized that her patient and friend had the means to create such a holonightmare. She hoped to God that Kirk was wrong. "He'll be here in a few minutes.." Kirk told them all. ------------------------ (attachments) Image: Offtopic- The Olympic Rings. Image: A very suave Kirk Image: Tasha Yar with a phaser. *animated gif* The USS Voyager getting flung off course then a banner reading, "Get thrown 70,000 light years from home.Watch Star Trek Voyager.." on black in yellow lettering. *********************************** From : "Cory Anda" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] The Pinnochio Syndrome Date : Sat, 09 Feb 2002 19:01:35 +0000 Mr. Barclay couldn't wait to leave Mr. Spock to go to Deanna's. ::I have to prove myself. To them and to myself.. I haven't been able to sleep for weeks now just thinking about what I might have done..:: He glanced at Mr. Spock who regarded him calmly. "Mr. Barclay... Confession is good for the soul as Dr. McCoy is so fond of saying. Your body english suggests you are upset about something and hiding it." Reg startled, his natural nervousnes growing even more pronounced, "W-What ever gave you that idea, sir..?" ::That was brilliant just like a bat in the shuttle headlights. Stand still.. You're about to be run over..:: he mentally admonished himself. "You're fidgetting and avoiding eye contact with Mr. Scott and myself whenever you hand over a new data set from your work station. You are quiet vocally. Unusual for you. Your heartrate has accelerated by 50%..." ::Those damned Vulcan ears..:: Barclay groaned. Spock was still speaking to him... "....and you are sweating to the point that environmental controls cannot dry your uniform. Shall I go on?" Barclay slumped in his chair, affectionately ruffling Alexander's hair as the boy shoved the now empty donut plate into his stomach. The boy got fully engrossed into his probe flying on Kirk's suggestion to find Mr. Boothby. He was oblivious to the quandary now facing Vulcan and human. "Sir.. if I knew more.. I - I could.." Spock interrrupted him. "I am not questioning your loyalty to Starfleet, lieutenant, nor your character. I am simply,.. stating that I have an open ear, so to speak, if you wish to talk about what is disturbing you. A habit I've picked up from Doctor McCoy. " Barclay let out the breath he was holding, " Whewwww..... Thank you sir.. I..uh, I'll keep that in mind.. But I..uh I think I should be off to Deanna's.. I mean! The counselor's right about now. Captain Kirk's hint to report was rather unsubtle..I mean... clear.." Mr. Spock simply said, "Carry on.. Reginald. I value your assistance with these fire scans greatly but my former captain requires your services even more than I at the moment." Reginald need no further encouragement. He even managed to get through the lab doors without colliding into a wall. --------------------------------------------------------- Outside, Barclay's trip to Deanna's was uneventful except for when Alexander buzzed him with Byte, the flying probe. That shock literally made Reg drop into a crouch and draw his phaser until he heard the mischievious boy's laughter echo from the probe's speakers. "I see you Mr. Barclay...!" Reg gathered what was left of his wits and mock saluted the probe's button sensor. "C-Carry on, Alexander.. I hope you find Mr. Boothby soon." And with dignity, Reg continued down the path. He knocked on Troi's door and gulped when he was pulled inside and slammed up against a wall by an overzealous guard. "Don't shoot!! Don't..sh--" A phaser muzzle crammed against his nose, shutting off Reg's words. "At ease, guard.." he heard Kirk say. "I've requested this man's presence..Stand down please.." Barclay brushed the wrinkles out of his uniform after he was released and he cleared his throat. He immediately went to Deanna's side.. "Deanna.. How are you holding up? I was so worried the stress of all this might set off your.." he pointed to his throat.. unwilling to look at the still faintly pink line that marked where Troi's new trachea was lasered in place with surgery weeks ago. "I'm not exerting myself so a repeat of this morning's faint won't happen." Troi told him, taking his hands. Barclay was relieved and he sighed mightily. Then he noticed the expressions of everyone around him, and then he saw where Kirk's boot was resting. His nervousness came back in a thundering wash and he pulled his hands away from Deanna's self consciously. Neutrally, Kirk and Uhura showed Barclay their discovery of finding the EMH's thumbprint on Deanna's hologrid and how it had been altered to attack her and then to leave android traces behind itself. Barclay knew the cat was out of the bag. He set his hands on the couch where he sat and then noticed Yar tensing near him. He looked down and saw how close his hands were to his own phaser so he whipped them up, lacing them behind his own head, slumping into the couch cushions trying to look nonchalant... Neelix, Troi's white Persian that Reg had given her, chose that moment to leap up onto his lap and start purring. Reg petted her absently very quickly as his stress grew. Then he told them everything. "I know I should've disclosed my new invention to Starfleet Research right away.. That that.. that ..hologrid I gave Deanna was so small,.. I didn't think it would matter if I waited until she and I could shake out the bugs.." he said aloud to the room. "But, I fear I've made a fatal mistake." "How Mr. Barclay?" Uhura wanted to know. Reg sank even lower on the couch trying to feel miserably but Neelix the cat was rubbing his chin in a tickle, preventing that. "I not only figured out a way to cut into the Earthwide Planetary Hologrid with my invention. I tried to make its own host, too." Dr. Crusher said firmly.. "Reg...." in warning.. Barclay shifted in place trying to get comfortable on the couch and finally, he shooed Neelix onto the floor. "Beverly, Deanna, You know I used to spend a lot of time recreating the USS Voyager and her crew when my holoaddiction was still running wild. I especially loved the EMH's structure and design. So I....created a template of him for Deanna's hologrid..." then Reg's words spilled out into a tide as the whole grisly truth became known. "I didn't know that my hosting character, HoloZimm, could override his safeties.. He, I... later found out after Deanna told the medical staff that she didn't feel any emotions from her attacker that HoloZimm must have been the one who harmed her. But it was all an accident.. I see what he was trying to do.. Look..." and Reg pointed to a dataset on the scans of the Hologrid they all were looking at. "If you play that you'll see, I,.. according to these,,he was only trying to surprise her in a guess who game..." Why didn't I guess he was the only one who could have attacked Deanna earlier?" Barclay's face crumpled into an intense grief as his admission finished. "I.. I had no idea he would squeeze so hard around her throat... I..it.. it's all my fault.. and I'm afraid that the Holozimm's now roaming free on the Starfleet Wide holonet grid system.. " Reg started sniffling and he wiped his steaming face.. "I wouldn't be surprised if it was he who cuts off Data's head in two days.." He began sobbing.."I..never wanted to be Dr. Frankenstein.." Troi immediately started over and drew Reg into a close hug, and she began rocking him back and forth as a mother would.. "Shhh.." Even K'Ehleyr was sympathetic.."Everyone can make mistakes with new technology Mr. Barclay. If you have released a dangerous hologram, you as its creator, can stop it.." Yar piped up. "Wait a minute.. Deanna said earlier that no holocharacter can leave that platform away from the grid. If this character isn't Janeway's EMH, how was HE able to do it?" Barclay raised a guilty hand and Kirk put both hands on his hips. Reg cringed. "I... found a way to recreate the portable emitter of the doctor's." He spoke even faster when angry scowls flashed around him. "I. it only has a limited life of a month. Tops.. Then it's power cells will die and HoloZimm will be limited to appearing on holoplatforms and inside holorooms exclusively.." "We should hunt it down and decompile it immediately.." McCoy said. "If it mimicks the real EMH and gets into sickbay..." Barclay stood up, fending off the frightening line of talks with both hands. "Doctor.. no.. he's ..he's not inherently evil.. He didn't mean to harm Counselor Troi.. He's more like a kid who didn't know his own strength when he snuck up behind her. It was supposed to be a joke.. I He's.. he's just like Lewis Zimmerman.. Or the EMH minus all his medical knowledge. If Lewis wasn't a killer, HoloZimm won't be either. Please..let me help.. it was an accident. If anyone should be punished, let it be me.. Not the holocharacter. He's as sentient as the EMH now. A thinking evolving being. You can't just shut him off like a light panel..!" Silence filled the living room. They all knew the battle Mr. Data had lived through decades ago when Starfleet questioned his sentience. Soon, it was decided that the only way to track an immatured holocharacter on a holonet was by using another one. The EMH was summoned. Soon, he knew everything the others at Deanna's knew and was livid.. "Mr. Barclay! Just what were you thinking when you decided to create HoloZimm? Were you intending to be bosom buddies with him programmed for instantaneous fealty so you wouldn't be alone in the world?" Reg didn't say anything and Troi sharply called the EMH to order for resorting to insults. The EMH merely looked at the ceiling tilting his jaw in agitation. "I'm sorry counselor but I don't like the idea of beings like myself being cloned! Especially when they're wearing my face! I have a reputation to protect." Barclay found his voice again, "Doctor.. I didn't mean to play God here. I didn't know HoloZimm was sentient. Millions of people program holocharacters everyday and they don't become more than the sums of their parts when they're run.. How was I to know that something like this would happen?" The EMH was blunt. "Because you're still addicted enough to think that normal holocharacters are real." he said angrily. But then his face softened into that of a doctor, sharing news to patient "And you still have that residual genius bestowed upon you from the time those alien explorers uplifted you and linked you to the Enterprise's computer. You were uniquely empowered to MAKE any holocharacters real ever since that day. But you still have the flaws of a man and so your creation is less than perfect. I know.. I've been down that self analyses road before by being a creation of flawed men." Barclay looked up, his eyes full of tears. "I offer myself up to your custody captain for my crimes." "Denied.." Kirk said. "But..." Reg exclaimed. The EMH went on. "As you said, HoloZimm is not evil. Just new. What we need is someone who can track him down on his level before anymore activity on his part leads to another error..." he said ironically. He tapped his combadge. =^= EMH to Commander Data.=^= "Data here." "I have a task for you and need both you and Byte in order to accomplish it. Can you leave Mr. Spock and report to us right now?" "I can. I will be there momentarily..with the probe." they all heard the android say. The EMH stated the obvious. "We have to find HoloZimm before he can harm Data in two days time. Maybe if we can stop that event from occurring, we can stop the plasma firestorm as well.." ------------------------- (attachments) Image: McCoy and Spock, both standing with drawn phasers. Image: Barclay, very nervous, holding a Data padd. Gif: A banner about the RPG web ring upgrade illustrated with an 8472 face. ****************************************** From : "Clairissa Fox" Subject : We find the VDmeer and some icky air Date : Sun, 10 Feb 2002 07:17:45 +0000 I was still in the lab with Mr Spock when they took my probe away. I wanted to fly it around more but Mr Barkly said that Data needed it for some reason at the pretty ladys house. Oh, well. I had fun while I did. I got to scare Mr Barkly and I helped find the big fire. I saw 7 come back into the lab with us. 7! 7! Where were you? A lot has gone on since you left to go look at the burning building. Dont worry about that. It wont get out until after all day tomorrow? Good, then I can go help mum at the pretty ladys house. Mr Barklys gone there and so has the hollow doctor. I wonder what they are working on. I cant help any more here cause the computer screens are too hard now. Its the satellights again. I jumped down from my chair and bowed at Mr Spock since he was a man mum respected, then I left to go hunting Bootby and the V'Dmeer. I didnt need the silver marble to fly and find Bootby for me. I found him because all humans are smelly. Mr Spock didnt smell that way. He smelt sort of spicy. The pretty lady who could feel your feelings smelled like fresh scones. I saw him doing a funny thing. He was hiding in the grass the wrong way. The wind was blowing right towards the earth hopper eating there. Then I saw what he was looking at. The hopper had two tails! I didn't know any earth animal that had two. Mr Bootby! Mr Bootby! Where did that weird hopper come from? I saw the brown hairy small thing hop away. And then I saw it! The VDmeer! "Shhh... Alexander.. Don't scare the tribble. Now you know rabbits aren't born with two tails. That second puff is your V'Dmeer, the one who tried to eat my gardens on a search for breeding food. I should have known it would seek cover from the shield and alert sounds coming from campus way out here. Their hearing is exceptional." the wizened caretaker told the boy he could barely see in the dark, despite the bright full moon overhead. "Shouldn't you be in bed? It's way past your bedtime." I am not a weak human. I dont have to until the sun comes up. Maybe not even while this alert stays on. Mum and I have a deal. I dont go to bed until she does. "That's barbaric.." Boothby said. "It's a wonder why you like to fight so much. It's pure orneriness for sure..." and he grinned. "No wonder you aren't polite ever at all." I grinned back. He sure had good manners. He wasnt all weakling nice to me like the humans were . Klingons hate politeness. Its a sign that you arent telling anyone what youre are really feeling mum says. But then I saw the tribble rolling after the hopper trying to catch up to it so it could go down the hole. I threw a stone that landed over the hole, blocking the hopper in and the tribble outside so Boothby and I could look at it more.So far, the VDmeer hadnt spotted me being a Klingon yet. Good thing. I didnt want my ears to hurt from it screeching squealies at me. "Why did you do that Alexander? Now the rabbit can't get out to feed in the meadow." Boothby pointed out. I told him. The hopper can to get out. It has legs to dig with. The VDmeer does not. This way we can look for it again when the sun comes out again so I can hunt it honorably and put it in a cage for you Bootby. "Like I can't do that on my own..?. You insult me.." Boothby said, still grinning. I was filled with happiness now at the Klingon style compliment I got out of Bootby. Insult your friends and you are the best honorable Klingon just like Kahless! Mum told me. So I spread that lesson around. Bootbys the only one who knew what was right with Klingons. I figured it was all the wrinkles that made him so smart. Klingons never got those. "That creature should be returned eventually to McCoy. He's the one who originally saved it from underground racing." The caretaker said. I know. I know. I can dream cant I? Not many Klingon boys can say they hunted a real VDmeer. "Let's away and let the tribble be for the night." Boothby suggested. "It can't go down into the rabbit warren with that rock in place and it won't stray far until daylight most likely." Ok. Ok. Ill hunt it fair in the sunup time. Ill get more honor taking it as my trophy then cause itll be able to see me coming the whole way! So Bootby and I left the VDmeer sniffing by the rock blocking the hopper's hidey hole and we went back to campus. Bootby. Why did you come out here? I know it wasnt to hunt the VDMeer cause you arent in your dirt clothes you wear working in all the flowers. "I was finding the fire's ignition point young man. And I found the very place it began right over there." Boothby said, pointing. I looked and saw only a airgrate that went into the tram tunnel straight down. How can fire grow down there? Its all hard like stone. "Ah.. Yes,.." Boothby said, "But it's lined with invading tree roots and those burn rather well." Oh! So thats how the fire got into the Donuts hanger. "Donut? Oh, I see. You aren't referring to the ones I see powdering your shirt that you consumed recently. Here's another hard word for you Alexander. Almost as hard as "Satellite". The Donut as you call it is the Guardian of Forever." he taught. Guardian? As in a security guard? I should go meet him! He might be a great fighter. And he could teach me how to deck Romulans like my dad does. And.. "Alexander. The Guardian isn't a person. Remember? It's the stone gate that brought you and your mother to this time period." Oh. Ok. I forgot. Im only little. Then we were walking by the green dome that was melting with all the scared humans around it. Something strong made my nose tickle and I sneezed so hard that I fell down. Then I kept sneezing and my eyes ran water that I couldnt see. Then I started coughing and my legs wouldnt work. Bootby saw the boy fall and react suddenly to something when they came within half a mile of the fire sieged Building Five. "Alexander? Are you ill?" Bootby.Bootby! Make it stop! My nose itches and my eyes! Boothby scanned the area, thinking that the tiny Klingon boy had provoked some smell that Klingons could detect but not humans. His tricorder could find nothing wrong. ::There's some static charge coming off of the Plasma shield and from the deflector dome over the Starfleet complex. But that's all. Odd..:: He scooped up Alexander into his arms and went into the nearest sheltering structure he could find away from the night air, Deanna's apartment tower. I couldnt cough anymore cause my throat was so tight and my nose sniffled so much I couldnt sneeze. So I decided to sleep. "Alexander... Now don't drift on me.. You're allergic to something I haven't found yet in the air outside. I'll carry you to some help but keep your eyes open.." I couldnt. And now I couldnt talk neither. It got black real fast. Boothby cradled the now unconscious boy tighter in his arms and the turbo took him rapidly up to Counselor Troi's door where he knew three doctors were. ::I've never seen so fast a decline. I hope the physicians can find what is making Alexander sick.:: And the caretaker shifted Alexander's slight weight in his arms long enough to kick the door to attract attention of the crewmen he knew were with Deanna Troi. "Open up! Something's wrong with Alexander! Let me in!" ----------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Alexander smiling in the sun. Image: The lost tribble Alexander finds. Image: Byte, Mr. Scott's probe, all sparky with light. ******************************************* From: "Patti Keiper" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] Klingon Ker-choOOOoos... Date: 10 February 2002. Sunday 09:17:34 GMT USA >And the caretaker shifted Alexander's slight weight in his >arms long enough to kick the door to attract attention >of the crewmen he knew were with Deanna Troi. >"Open up! Something's wrong with Alexander! Let me >in!" All the heads inside snapped around and Yar recognized the Academy caretaker's voice and she waved the guards to let him pass. McCoy rushed forward, taking the pale boy from Boothby and placed him on the couch hastily vacated by everyone. "Dang blasted. I should have realized. Anything effecting his mother would no doubt effect the boy, especially if it's some common factor.. ..Dr. Crusher.. .You too, TV doc. I need you here. We've got to get a baseline scan to find out what's bothering him before we can treat his symptoms.." K'Ehleyr rose, moving by the terrace windows and started sneezing uncontrollably. "Alexand-- AaaCHOOOO!!!" Dr. Crusher said, "Oh, my goodness. That doesn't sound like a cold. More like an allergy.." McCoy grumbled. "Get her over here too. I'm still kicking myself for not following through with this. I noticed K'Ehleyr getting symptomy during our chess game on the balcony.." "I'm fine, doctor.." K'Ehleyr said firmly. "Just worry about my son. Klingons don't faint." "Let me be the judge of that..." the EMH said. "I've attended B'Elanna Torres who did so quite often while pregnant.." K'Ehleyr shot him a dirty look as if he betrayed a secret fact about Klingons. Bones passed his bioprobe over the still boy's chest and looked at the tissues in his nose and gums. "Looks like a head cold.." Ambassador K'Ehleyr was very quick, still stinging from the EMH's lack of tact. "Klingons don't get colds, either.." "Like they don't suffer partum fainting spells I gather..." McCoy jabbed sarcastically. "Of this, I am more than certain.. There is nothing on Earth we can contract, and my son and I haven't been on any foreign worlds as of late. We were on the Enterprise D when the Guardian of Forever came for us. Dr. Crusher in that time had just given us a physical. We both passed with flying colors." K'Ehleyr said in a clipped voice. She knelt by the three doctors and seemed hesitant to hold Alexander's hand in front of humans. McCoy snagged her palm and firmly joined their grips. "Stop blithering about having affectionate emotions for someone you love and not ever showing them. You Klingons are almost Vulcan that way. Drives me nuts! Spock still gets that way whenever he thinks about Nurse Ch--" he stopped himself... "Uh...never mind.." Deanna Troi smiled just a bit when she guaged Bones' embarrassment over a Vulcan's feelings for a human. The others chose discretion as a better part of valor. The EMH was oblivious. He was studying his scans. "Definitely analphylatic reaction. He's swelling up in nose, lungs and throat. But I can't identify the cause. There's nothing strange in his system at all.." Kirk, had been attentively watching through the whole conversation, he offered an observation. "K'Ehleyr got into her sneezing just now as she went by the balcony doctors.." McCoy's head shot up. "Of course..! It's got to be something recently new in the enviroment outside... Lt Yar.. close those veranda doors leading to the balcony." he tapped his combadge, =^=Computer. Seal Deanna Troi's living room and cut off all contact with external atmosphere. Provide standard life support settings with no outside air exchange.=^= ##Parameters set. Specify oxygen requirements.## "Way above normal you infernal pile of computer chips. We've got a sick boy in here.." ##Do you require medical assistance?## "What a stupid computer!" Bones said. "It doesn't even know when we've got three doctors in the room. I think I like my Vulcans better.." ##Please restate reply.## "No. Blast you.. just be a good filter and clean our air in here." McCoy said. The EMH was injecting Hynaline to Alexander's inner arm. His eyebrow arched. "Doctor, you're getting excited. Not good for someone your age.." he smiled. "Hush up. I always get this wired arguing with computers. And I'm allowed a lot of hot air when a medical problem has me stumped. Like the one these two have right now. You're just as mystified or you would've looked up from your tricorder at least once already in the past five minutes!" McCoy snapped. The EMH's smile wiped away. "Guess I am at a loss to find the problem as well." K'Ehleyr sneezed again, violently. "I--it started right before the disaster call, a few seconds after my son spotted the fire.." Alexander began wheezing a bit. McCoy made him more comfortable by putting a pillow under his shoulders and letting his head fall back. "He's getting into trouble, fast. We have to stop whatever's bothering him." Yar spoke up. "Doctors.. I do know of another coincidence to the ambassador's illness's onset. It started when the plasma field began to distort.. Look." and she keyed up a playback of Alexander's probe flybys over Building Five. The field wobbled for the first time exactly when K'Ehleyr first began sneezing during McCoy's chess game. "Well I'll be d@mned." and Bones and the other two doctors launched into a guessing match... Soon, they almost had an answer.. Almost.... Barclay beat them to it using his implanted smarts. "Ionization.... Starfleet's got us under a fishbowl with that city wide deflector shield in case Building Five's shield fails.. That experimental plasma shield's warping. And that ionizes the air? Odd, usually plasma shields are nonreactive.." Seven of Nine stepped into the room having flashed her clearance to the guards outside. "Not when phase variances are built in to speed up creation of that device..." "What?!" Kirk shouted. That Starfleet endangered them all with a secret design shortcut angered him greatly.. Uhura searched her earlier atmosphere readings from on her trip over to the counselor's. "You're right. Free ozone is five percentage points above normal Earth levels." "K'Ehleyr.. why didn't your people ever tell Starfleet Klingons were sensitive to ozone?" Bones frowned. "Would you admit to a vulnerability like that?" the ambassador wheezed. Dr. Crusher gave her a shot just like Alexander received but her worst symptoms did not ease. McCoy got up and went over to Deanna's kitchen replicator. He programmed for two face filters using his priority coding. "Yes.. " the EMH said, "That is what they need. A barrier away from the air around the city." He reached out and grabbed the smaller one from the gray haired doctor while Beverly handed K'Ehleyr the larger one. Bones fit the mask over the boy's face and the clear plastic moulded fluidly over his nose and mouth. "I've set this permeable to all BUT ozone.. Once his system expells the gas naturally, his symptoms should improve.." K'Ehleyr resisted putting hers on because she was sneezing so hard. The EMH gave her a different shot, one that numbed her sense of smell. The sneezing stopped and Dr. Crusher was able to get the woman to allow the mask to seal itself over her face. She relaxed as the sneezing left her.."..uh, I wouldn't wish these symptoms on anyone. What did you call this? An allergy??" "It's a fairly common ailment on Earth.. It usually follows familial genetics.." the EMH said while nodding. K'Ehleyr gave him a look of disgust.."Families with such a defect are allowed to live?" The EMH turned abstinent. "Of course.. a regular treatment of antihistamines cures the worst symptoms in allergy sufferers. We're not barbarians who kill less than perfect people.!" "Pity.. They might have been grateful for the release.." "Hardly.." the EMH said haughtily. McCoy straightened from listening to the boy's chest. "His lungs are a bit clearer.. but there's a lot of ozone still in his blood." "Not surprising.." Boothby said, "He and I walked right down wind of Building Five coming from the meadow." "What were you doing out there?" K'Ehleyr wanted to know. "He was hunting a tribble. I was hunting the fire's ignition point. We both found our quarry.." Boothby smiled hugely.. k'Ehleyr gave a shudder. "I hate V'DMeers with a passion. I don't know how my son even looks at them. They're so....so...fuzzy.. and scaleless." Uhura giggled, then slapped a hand over her own lips to seal them. Bones passed his bioprobe over K'Ehleyr's chest and body. She flinched, not liking a technological device probing her inner most workings any more than McCoy like having his scrambled in a transporter. "Hold still. This is necessary.." He then studied his results. "You aren't as poisoned as your son. As long as you both wear those biofiltering masks. You won't sneeze and faint.." he said. "Great..." K'Ehleyr said sarcastically. "I've always wanted to look like a waxwork. What about the ozone already in our systems?" Bones shrugged. "Your triple set of kidneys should clean that out in a few hours. Not having a liver, any toxin clearing's gonna take a while.." "Oh, and I assume humans detoxify faster?" "We do..." McCoy said. "We have something called a liver. We can get drunk and burn it off in an hour. Just ask Scotty.. Perhaps being lily-liver-less explains why Klingons stagger around so much with their bloodwine goblets still in glove on their Birds of Prey all the time." K'Ehleyr grabbed McCoy by the collar and Kirk got in the way, preventing the ambassador from hitting him, but then Kirk saw K'Ehleyr actually smile widely.. "Why doctor, that's the nicest compliment anyone has ever given me in quite a long time.. " and she nodded, giving McCoy's cheek a peck through her mask and then releasing him. McCoy grinned, "No problem. I never irritate my Klingon patients unnecessarily.." Kirk started scratching his head. The EMH leaned over, "An insult to a Klingon is a compliment, captain. Whereas politeness is seen as an insult..." "I got it.." Kirk said wide mouthed. "I think.." McCoy said aside. "Hey Jim, you missed alot about Klingons running around on those ships of yours during the last fifteen years. There's a whole bar of them across campus..I swear, they'll teach you anything.. Honest.. You should come with me sometime once all this is over.. Ambassador..You and your son will be fine. It'll just take some time.." and he sat down next to Alexander's form to monitor him for the rest of the night. The medical crisis over, all in the room sat down in chairs waiting for Data to arrive with Byte. ------------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: K'Ehleyr portrait. Image: Dr. McCoy with a scanner. *animated gif* Red Alert.. ************************************* END WEEK FIVE RECAP WEEK SIX RECAP 02-11-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Site *************************************** Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 21:22:07 -0800 (PST) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: That Naggin Hunch [voyagerliveaction] Scotty bent over the computer screens, fervently analyzing the data on the upgrading shield around Building Five. Despite the data assurances from Seven of Nine that the shield would hold for twelve hours, Scotty felt a familiar gut wrenching that something wasn't right with that time table estimate. "Mr. Spock, I've got a bad feeling about this.." The Ambassador wearing his traditional robes signifying his current office, swiveled in his chair, his hands steepled over his chest in deep thought, "In this instance, Mr. Scott. I believe I must agree with you." Mr. Data approached the two esteemed Starfleet officers, "May I be of any assistance? I must be leaving soon to Counselor Troi's apartment. I've just been called." A gleam appeared in Scotty's eyes, a trace of inspiration. "Laddie, you may be just be what we're looking for. We're missing something crucial here about why those plasma shields are fluctuating so dramatically. It doesn't sit right! I'd like you to take a look at Seven's report and see what you make of her time estimates." Mr. Data held out his hand and took the datapadd Mr Scott handed to him and flash read it. "It may take some time for you to hypothesize any variable that may mean problems for us later on with that plasma fire.." Scotty said. Captain Janeway and Chakotay walked up, sensing a change in mood from those at the main computer panels under the view screen. Janeway spoke up, "I don't like the feeling I'm getting up here. Doesn't inspire confidence. Fess up gentlemen.." Scotty said, "Mr. Data is an android. There's an old phrase that goes, "Thinking outside the box.." "Literally..." Chakotay said, laughing, meaning the box of shields rippling eerily around Building Five on their monitors. "I don't follow you Mr. Scott. I don't know quite why you and Mr. Spock are uncomfortable right now. Care to explain it to us further?" Janeway said. "Lassie, I've been in engineering so long in Starfleet, that I've come to trust my gut instinct more than any hard facts thrown my way.. Somehow, we're looking at this wrong. Seven says we have twelve hours left. But I feel that this is simply not the case!!" Chakotay frowned, "Do you have anything to substantiate your feeling? We have to have something to tell Starfleet Command. A hunch is a command perogative but it's nothing until it comes to light.." Janeway glanced up at Data, "I heard Captain Kirk calling you away.. Can you consider Mr. Scott's hunch on your way?" Data nodded. "Carry on, Mr.Data, We'll be in touch." Janeway nodded. The four of them watched as Data with Seven's padd left the lab to go to Deanna's home. Scott suddenly rose, his knees cracking as he pushed out of his chair. "Captain. Commanders... There's nothing more that can be learned here. I am going to Building Five to take more direct readings of those blasted shields.. It's not that I don't trust your blond lassie, but a hunch is a hunch and I've got more than a few to confirm or disprove now don't I?" Janeway still didn't know the whole of the matter bothering the older engineer but she knew the power of the voice of experience talking through the mind. And it was one no different for him than hers was within herself. "What more do you intend to do, Mr. Scott?" "I may be about to jump from the preverbial frying pan into the fire..or in this case, plasma fire.. Don't worry, I'll have a care.." -------------------------------------------- Mr. Scott got to the fire site. He got there slowly so he could make complex scans of the surrounding area. He tried not to miss anything no matter how miniscule. He waved his specially modified tricorder around not really searching for anything in particular but opening his mind. After a few moments he noticed something that hadn't been there before. "Now how did those little wee beasties get in there?" He didn't know for sure if the nanoprobes actually belonged to Seven, but he knew the location of all others in Starfleet. ::And there were none in Building Five..:: Concentrating his scans on them, he found that they were forming a complex communication array linking Seven to the Guardian of Forever... "What the devil??" Scotty began to think. ::Now why didn't she tell anyone she awoke the Guardian? Why did she do it?:: His tricorder revealed more. "Hey,, I can connect directly with these. They aren't so different from the ones I am used to in my lab." He toggled a button. Then tapped his combadge..taking a deep breath. He had never ever spoken with the Guardian before. ::It's usually Kirk's pet. Not mine..Well, I'll get this over with. It can't kill me trying..:: he thought, then he remembered the gruesome detail of Data's head vid. :: I think.:: Clearing his throat he said, "This is Captain Scott. I know Seven and you have had words with one another. Care to share them with an old acquaintance of Captain Kirk's?" ##I AM THE GUARDIAN OF FOREVER. IT IS MY PURPOSE TO ANSWER A QUESTION. I WILL SPEAK WITH YOU.## Scotty thought. ::Yesss!!:: "Why exactly did Seven summon you out of your protective blackout?" ##A THREAT TO THE CONTINUATION OF THIS TIMELINE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. THE LEADERS OF YOUR WORLD ARE INVOLVED. THEY TRANSGRESSED TECHNOLOGICAL LAWS OF THE PHYSICAL REALM. THE SHELL ABOUT ME IS UNSTABLE. THE WOMAN SAID THEY ESSENCED IN "PHASE VARIANCES."## "What??!!" Scotty shouted. "The bloody fools! Adding a phase variance to plasma shields makes them extremely unstable. They depolarize oxygen, flop out of shape, degrade matter, .. the list of dangers is endless.. Are you telling me that Command was stupid enough to allow that use?" ##THE EVIDENCE HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY THE WOMAN..## "I'll bet.." Scotty snapped sarcastically. "I need to have a few words with her.." his brogue getting thicker as his anger increased.".. and why she kept this little tidbit of news to herself." Scotty was about to close his tricorder when he remembered his manners, "I thank you for speaking with me. If she should tell you anythin else lad, com me through my chest device here, will you?" ##IT SHALL BE DONE.## ----------------------------------------------- Scotty barged his way past the guards outside Deanna's quarters. He made his way into the room and immediately went toe to toe with Seven of Nine. "Lassie, you've got some explaining to do. Why didn't you tell us Starfleet Command used illegal phase variances in the shields around the Guardian? Don't you know that we don't have twelve hours.. It's more like six before they fail. And when they do, Earth doesn't stand a snowball's chance in h*ll to survive it." ------------------------------ (attachments) *animated gif* Scotty working in a jeffries tube near plasma. *animated gif* The Starship Enterprise 1701 flying towards a red galactic barrier. *************************************** Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 04:18:59 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject:[voyagerliveaction] Hologrid Happenings. > "Lassie, you've got some explaining to do. >Why didn't you tell us Starfleet Command >used illegal phase variances in the shields >around the Guardian? Don't you know that >we don't have twelve hours.. It's more >like six before they fail. And when they >do, Earth doesn't stand a snowball's chance >in h*ll to survive it." Before the unflappable exBorg could answer, Mr. Data came into Deanna's living room with Byte. "I am here as ordered, doctor." he said to the EMH. Then he caught a bit of the new tension in the room. He recognized the anger on the engineer's face as being very fresh so he oriented on Mr. Scott, falling silent. "I am waiting young lass.." Scott said to Seven of Nine. Data was merely curious and it was all he could do to not ask about what was going on himself. He chose to focus on landing Byte, the silver marble probe onto his hand to distract himself. Seven of Nine took a deep breath and straightened, not at all bothered by Mr. Scott's folded arms nor the tapping of his boot on the rug. "I was gathering more data for the Guardian of Forever. When I had a working conclusion as to the reason why, I would have come forward. I didn't want the news to unnecessarily alarm the Starfleet officers around me about Command's dangerous move prematurely. But, apparently, the damage is already being done." Kirk was almost as enraged as Mr. Scott. "You should have let your superiors be the judge of that, Miss." Seven turned her head and regarded the older Enterprise officer with a bland opposition. "I for one, know the power of a cohesive group mindset. The unity every officer feels for their superiors should have remained intact until after this fire crisis passed. Now, that is not the case. I suggest we not confront Command with our discovery of the plasma shield phase variances until then so we can all handle this emergency effectively." The EMH sighed. "You know, against my better judgement, I have to agree with Seven of Nine. Any lost focus on the part of either us or the departments dealing with this fire alert might be fatal, especially if Mr. Scott's new time estimate on those shields is accurate." Mr. Data chose that moment to step in neatly, "That is something that I can determine." He held up the datapadd that Mr. Scott had given him. "On my way here. I noticed not only the degree of fluctuation of Building Five's plasma shields, but the drain they are having on Starfleet's power grid. I was under the conclusion Seven of Nine just eluded to as that being the only factor which explains the data." Uhura said, "Is the Guardian of Forever all right inside all that burning plasma?" Seven answered her, "Yes. It has erected an out of phase pocket of time around itself, keeping out the energy flaring. When I spoke to it through my nanoprobes, it was well." Then the blond officer noticed Alexander lying on the bed. "Is the boy injured from the fire?" "Indirectly.." the EMH snapped. "Those illegal phase variances you speak of are causing a lot of free ozone to be formed in the air we have inside the city deflectors. We've just learned that Klingons are highly sensitive to ozone." he said, throwing an admonishing gaze at K'Ehleyr for that oversight as he went on, "Both he and the ambassador here will recover fully once their metabolisms rid their systems of the gas. Biofiltering masks will prevent any retoxification." Seven of Nine then turned to the deactivated hologrid that Barclay had invented. "How curious. That is a holofloor platform." "Yes, uh,, it is Seven. I meant for it to be a surprise for Starfleet developers but it looks like it's more of a nightmare right now.." Barclay replied. "I don't understand.." Seven said. The EMH told Seven the whole reason. About the HoloZimm's inadvertent role in harming the counselor on the night of the attack and its at large status inside the holonetwork at Starfleet Command. Seven took the bad news in stride. "A holo character, with newly born sentience, with the free movement capability of the EMH? I suggest we find him and terminate his holographic parameters as soon as possible." Troi spoke up from where she was on her chair, "Seven, we can't just turn HoloZimm off. He's an independent newly evolved lifeform." "A dangerous one." Seven countered. "He almost killed you if you have forgotten, counselor.." K'Ehleyr interceeded her own thoughts before Deanna had a chance to reply to Seven's opinion. "Deanna knows full well his rights as an evolving being. No one has forgotten anything." "Then how do you propose we find this HoloZimm before it mistakenly plays a guess who game with someone else again?" Seven shot back. Yar smiled at Seven's obvious determination to end the threat from at least the holographic angle. "She's right you know. I'm not so sure we'll win its confidence if we pursue it, no matter how benignly. I say shut off his program." Data, who had been scanning Deanna's hologrid with Byte said, "That will not be possible. Apparently, the HoloZimm was created without an offswitch." That started the room up in a noisy uproar. Data spoke aloud again to be heard over them all, "However, I can access the hologrid network of Starfleet's and communicate with him through Byte, to try and calm him down enough to make a reappearance back here.." Kirk nodded for Data to make the attempt. The EMH said, "I'll link with him. He might respond to a familiar face.." he said, pointing to his own. No one laughed. Data pulled out his cranial cable and connected it to the hologrid controls he exposed on the side of the holoplatform. Then he sent Byte to hover over the center of the gridwork. "Accessing the holonet now. I've reintegrated a viable enviroment here on this platform. Please keep a sufficient distance away from it for a margin of safety against any power surges that may arise." The EMH grunted, "Well, that's something that I don't have to worry about." and he strode up the short stair until he was in the middle of the glowing grid. "I'm ready Mr. Data." Data's head gave a nod and the cable running from his head began to light up as he began his search of the holonet for HoloZimm. Byte provided a visual matrix for everyone else to view while Data and the EMH searched. It was a landscape of green grass, and a sky that was of an indiscernable color and the light seemed to be coming from all directions. They could see the EMH turn about in place, uncertain as to which direction to head. Data himself appeared as a holoimage of himself next to the doctor and he unhesitatingly headed in one direction. "He is this way, doctor. On the outskirts of the holonet." The EMH and Data strode in silence across the endless flat grass that rippled despite the lack of a wind. At one point the EMH stopped when he thought he saw giant faces ringing above him in the sky. Data noticed, "That is just those we left in the counselor's living room watching us. Everything is all right, doctor." "I'm rather new on this grid, Mr. Data. So I'm a bit jumpy. Mr. Barclay made its alignment a little bit on the powerful side. Don't you feel your skin crawling?" Mr. Data grinned, "I have no holoshell to react doctor, However, I shall take your word on that tactile effect. Shall we proceed?" "Please.." the EMH grumbled, wrapping arms about himself and smoothing down his holo goosebumps. ------------------------------------------- They felt HoloZimm before they saw him. The EMH felt his presence like someone in front of a mirror in a darkened room would. "Hello? I'm the first you and this is my friend Mr. Data, who is a synthetic being like ourselves. Won't you come out to speak with us? Don't feel worry about harming us physically, we don't have a biological makeup to get injured." Data shouted as well, "Let us help you reestablish your safety protocols.." They felt he was watching but HoloZimm did not manifest before them. The EMH sighed, "Listen.. tap into my memory isolinear files. You'll see an account of what I saw and heard concerning the woman you accidently hurt. She's fine and she bears you no malice." Both Data and the EMH felt the tickling in their matrices as the tenative HoloZimm took them up on the offer of information. Then there was a buzzing mechanical zip, and he stood before them. HoloZimm looked just like the EMH, "Please state the nature of this holo communication." The holodoc said, "We told you. I'm your... well, I'm your father, so to speak and this is my friend Mr. Data. We are reaching you on the hologrid through a sensor probe, linked to both of us and the hologrid." HoloZimm set his hands on his hips and said sarcastically, "That much is obvious. I was referring to the purpose of why you are seeking me. Can't a holoman sulk in peace without being pestered by anyone ?" The EMH took a matching stance, "Can't a stubborn hologram recognize a first contact when he sees one?" "I wouldn't know, " said HoloZimm. "Except for the night my hands caused the woman to unexpectedly bleed, I haven't ever had a first contact. Mr. Barclay didn't think interactive exercises were needed for my social skills subsystems." The EMH refused to be diverted. "Why did you run? Why didn't you summon help for her?" HoloZimm sighed, "I'm not an EMH, I'm.. I'm... still undefined.. However, I find Reg's image of me as a child who doesn't know his own strength amusing. And despite what you two are thinking, I am not a danger to anyone. I have since figured out how to flip on my safeties on my own. I "left" simply because I didn't recognize that Deanna Troi was injured, it was a concept foreign to me. I have since learned about abnormal physical states in organics from the Starfleet Medical Database in the Library. I've been all over Starfleet and know every lab, every computer and every vault on the premises." and he sighed, "I almost feel as if I'm a Starfleet Cadet, at the level of a post graduate." Data said, "Then you know about Building Five." "Of course." said HoloZimm. "It's the only area that I couldn't enter. Who's the dolt who started that fire? Nasty business." "A tribble did, overturning some refuge. Refracted sunlight through a silica medium started the spark which burned into the building through the tramway system." Mr. Data summarized. "Figures. They aren't much for thinking ahead now are they? All instinct and appetite. I've been having some fun watching the boy and the flower man trying to hunt it using the surveillance cameras. Great stuff! How did you like that mimickry trick the little hairball used pretending to be that Lepus's second tail?" HoloZimm said. The Holodoc shouted over his doppleganger's laughter. "Would you help us fight this fire outbreak or are you just going to stand by claiming bald faced newness as an excuse?" Data agreed, "That would not be true to a graduate Cadet's responsibility.." HoloZimm looked them over, thoughtfully, "I don't have all the answers about that area gentleman. I haven't been able to get inside Building Five. It's too hostile an environment. What could I possibly do?" Mr. Data dropped his clincher. "It has been determined that Starfleet Command used phase variances in the construction of Building Five's security shields. If they fail, all of us and you and this hologrid, will be vaporized. With your access into all areas of Starfleet, you can look for the plans used in their construction so we can find the frequency in which to control them safely." HoloZimm seemed to consider. "I can at that. Hmph. I just don't see why you people haven't used this probe of yours. It's a good tapper into the computer systems all on its own. Mr. Scott outdid himself with this little spy in the sky." "We have rules preventing us from doing that HoloZimm." Data stated. "Oh, so that is my new name. Holo as in holographic and Zimm as in "Zimmerman, Lewis, R." How quaint." he said clapping his hands in delight. "Tell you what. I'll be this snoop for you to find those designs. It's just like Starfleet Command to raise the bar on risk finding another way to put out that fire without giving away their dirty little phase variance secret. I don't like those odds, since I rather like the life Reg has given me. Be a shame to let a green firestorm burn me up before I've even seen what this new life has to offer me.. Let's go guys, race ya to the outside!" Poof! And Data and the EMH were left alone on the featureless holoplain. -------------------------------------------------------- Everyone watching Mr. Data and Byte's link to the holoplatform jumped when a full sized EMH appeared onto it. Seven said, "Doctor?" The blue uniformed bald headed, brown eyed hologram crossed his arms together with amusement. "Wrong toots, he's my dad. Well, folks. It worked. I'm recruited to your side. We've a common enemy you know. That nasty plasma fire over there.." and he pointed vaguely out the windows. He jumped down off the hologridding and went straight for Deanna. He knelt by her side and uptook her hand. "I hope you forgive me dear Deanna. I now know the scope of my crime upon you from my first night alive. Will you forgive me? I was rather like an infant then." Troi accepted HoloZimm's kiss on her hand, nodding. Then she turned his gesture into a handshake of welcome, smiling in wonder at him even though she couldn't feel any emotions from him. He sighed, greatly relieved, then he stood, "Hello, Captain..I know your entire life history.Even what you ate this morning." he said to Kirk. "Glad to finally be holoface to face with ya. "Cadet HoloZimm reporting for duty.." And he saluted the older Enterprise captain smartly. ------------------------------------------------ (attachments) Image: A suave looking EMH, who's actually, HoloZimm. Image: Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine against a rock face. Image: Data with a cable running from his cranial port. **************************************** From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Shell within a shell~~ Date : Wed, 13 Feb 2002 21:28:10 +0000 > "Hello, Captain..I know your entire life >history.Even what you ate this morning." >he said to Kirk. "Glad to finally be holoface >to face with ya. "Cadet HoloZimm reporting >for duty.." Captain Kirk raised his eyebrows in surprise, "You went through all of our Academy and Officer's schools training in two weeks?" "Of course, Captain. I'm a hologram. I can pretty much absorb any information I find." HoloZimm shrugged. "And I have you to thank for it Reg. " he beamed, glancing up warmly at Mr. Barclay who was a mixture of awe and pride. "I don't believe it. He's..uh, you have evolved far beyond my wildest expectations, HoloZimm." Reg sputtered. "You haven't seen the half of it, buddy. I don't know what ya did for my cognitive subroutine's but what ever those aliens left you sure made me a wonderful life. I feel like I'm two hundred years old, not two weeks." the new hologram said. Kirk regarded the liberated HoloZimm thoughtfully. "Would you mind... if I had my aide scan you uh, Cadet.. We want to make sure you haven't suffered any damage being continuously run for two weeks unsupervised." "Fire away, captain..." he said amicably. He turned until he saw who was going to check him over, Lt. Yar. "Ah, now you're a mite out of place Tasha. I wonder how you got here to the present out of your own time stream. It seems you should actually be a distant me--" Kirk shook his head fractionally, to hush. ::Don't tell her.:: his look said. HoloZimm shrugged, content to obey a superior officer. "His safeties are on, captain." Yar said, and she put away her tricorder. She hadn't reacted to the small exchange between the two about the circumstances surrounding her own death that was being hidden from her knowledge. She was too wired into her assignment of keeping the situation and Deanna, safe. "I don't know how Mr. Data and the EMH did it. But he's fine staying online. There's no danger." "Ah,, that's not essentially true, Lt." HoloZimm said. "There is danger, and it's all about that fire out there." He smacked his unreal palms together and sat down on the floor near Alexander so he could gain access to the computer on the table. Kirk chose to remain silent while he observed HoloZimm's behavior. ::I wish Spock were here. He'd find this living hologram fascinating.:: He studied his appearance and noted slight differences in HoloZimm from Voyager's EMH. ::His hair, what there is of it, is darker, he seems taller, somehow. Perhaps when Reg used the EMH template, he altered it to more closely match those of Lewis Zimmerman physically. Maybe for ID purposes?:: he considered. Then he spoke aloud. "Cadet." "Yessir.." HoloZimm said eagerly. Kirk couldn't help but smile slightly. "We...need to find those designs on Building Five's plasma shields, no matter how classified." HoloZimm called up the information with a flourish of button sequences, "Already done, and captain, this information isn't classified. For that would mean everyone knows about it. It was merely hidden." Then his forehead crinkled, "Why, may I ask, did the plasma shields need to be up and running so fast?" Kirk felt no harm in telling the hologram. "The Guardian of Forever was making Earthfall and the means to protect it well were absolutely necessary to assure its continued security." HoloZimm took this new information in stride. "Ah, so that's how these four folks come to be here out of their proper timelines. Interesting. I've read about this Guardian of Forever from your own Enterprise captain's logs. Tell me, does its voice sound truly mysterious and all powerful?" Kirk frowned, "Not exactly, more ..deep and very very patient. Listen, HoloZimm I'd like to chat with you all day but we...really need to see those shield designs immediately." "Oh, forgive me captain, of course. Here." and HoloZimm projected his data back onto the small hologrid where it spun floor to ceiling high, easily readable to everyone in the room. Scotty murmured, "I've never seen a hologram who's learned how to control his own environment." "I can do much more, Mr. Scott. I'd be happy to show you but this,," he pointed to the designs everyone studied carefully. "is a priority I'm afraid. Captain's orders.." HoloZimm said, pointing to Kirk. Lt. Yar took the opportunity to remove Data's cable from the holopadd. Right away, Data came back into animation and the EMH likewise followed suit next to him. "Data. Did you study those schematics yet? We need you.." "I have. They are embedded firmly in my memory." Data replied, sealing up his hair door and returning his portable cable length back into its storage compartment in his forearm. "Mine too.." the EMH grumbled. "HoloZimm makes very vivid illustrations." Scotty especially had his eyes scowling over the illegal diagrams and questionable shortcuts he saw on them. He looked like he would flay whomever created the plasma shields alive for creating such a shoddy, dangerous design. Kirk let him stew, and instead, moved to the EMH. "You can validate HoloZimm's inherent safety among us?" "Oh yes.. He knows what a post graduate cadet knows. I wouldn't be surprised if he's the perfect embodiment of a Starfleet Cadet down to the letter. Except for his difficulty on the night of his birth, he's more reliable than you or I in that regard." Captain Kirk saw how Mr. Baclay's face rainbowed pride, self conconsciousness, worry and awe during the whole exchange. Kirk decided to let the man off the hook, "Don't worry Reg. You aren't going to get in trouble for creating a lifeform. You just...used a unique way to get one, that's all.. HoloZimm's no different than an exo-comp. No one knew they became sentient until it happened either. So relax." Barclay physically let out the breath he was holding. "T- Thank you sir.." Kirk, Barclay, Scotty, Uhura, Data and the EMH all bent to scrutinize the shield blueprints revolving in mid air in front of them. Meanwhile, across the living room, Lt. Yar made her way over to Deanna, Beverly, K'Ehleyr and Doctor McCoy who were ringing Alexander's couch. She sat next to the tiny boy and set a protective hand on the Klingon child's shoulder. Then she looked up. "What do we do now? Who knows if they," she cast her head to the six looking at the designs, "will be able to find the information they need to strengthen the shields' integrity in time?" Deanna smiled with confidence, "Six hours is a long time with a problem. We all frequently have had much less time in similiar emergencies in the past. I am not concerned." "I would be Deanna.." Yar said empathetically. "That memory record of Data's showed the fire burning freely, right under this balcony. Like it or not, that's going to happen. And it will be most likely a malfunctioning HoloZimm who's going to cut off Data's head like an annoying weed." Beverly sighed, "Who's to say we haven't already altered that outcome by befriending HoloZimm?" K'Ehleyr understood what she meant."That's right. In that memory vid, the Tasha fascimile didn't recognize you or your shout to not fire its phaser." McCoy added, agreeing, "If that was him, he no longer fits the facts. HoloZimm now knows the counselor. And from what Mr. Spock tells me. Holograms never forget." A Fleet wide hail came over all their combadges intercoms and computer screen. =^=This is Headquarters Command. Commencing helium saturation under the security dome. Engineers say this will act as a retardant preventing a secondary firestorm should the plasma burn's heat escape Building Five. Levels of helium in our deep air will rise to 16% and hold steady. Be advised. Command out.=^= Lt. Yar considered the comm she just heard, "That won't work. Helium only suppresses oxygen burning fires not carbon burning plasma ones." "Ah," said HoloZimm joining the group near the boy. "But if the heat from Building Five ignites the grass around it into an Earth brush fire, this is an excellent countermeasure." Tasha was not pleased, "But what if the green plasma energy itself gets out? Carbon is everywhere, in the air as dust, in the dirt as debris, in our bodies.. Only vacuum snuffs plasma fires out. But we need air to breathe." "That is a problem. With the city dome in place, no one can transport or shuttle out. And it'll take longer than our six hours to evacuate everyone manually." HoloZimm sighed, "There's no point in even attempting that actually. If the plasma explodes outside its current confines, I'm afraid the city dome won't be able to contain it at all. It'll collapse and then the plasma will be exposed to all of Earth's organic matter. It'll be the end, I'm afraid, for this shining world." "I know." Yar said glumly, "Captain Kirk told me about that. I wasn't very happy hearing that possible outcome. But what can we do to help out?" HoloZimm replied, "I shall have to think..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Captain Kirk watched his people work. Uhura, and Scotty seemed especially diligent on the problem. He noticed Yar drifting over to the doctors and the ambassador on the other side of the living room. ::The Guardian said that Lt. Yar was needed to safeguard the counselor in this time, like she did the day of her death. I only hope having Yar here, now will fulfill the destiny the Guardian says she must undertake.:: Kirk began secondguessing himself, ::But why is K'Ehleyr and her son here? They were brought to us as well, and Nurse Chapel with Uhura solely for my benefit on the Building Five Project. What purpose are they to serve here?:: Kirk scanned his tricorder to the atmosphere outside the window. As promised, the helium trace indicator was rising. ::That tactic is only a tiny step in the right direction. We're gonna need the big guns to stop a plasma cascade should Building Five's shields fail.:: Then he thought of something and tapped his combadge. =^=Kirk to Lab Six. Spock, listen to me. Is there any way we can erect a second force field of sufficient strength over Building Five's security dome and then remove all the atmosphere between the two layers to form a vacuuum?=^= "Intriguing concept, captain. But another security field cannot be set into place while the current one is fluctuating in its shape so severely." Ambassador Spock replied. Kirk smiled broadly. "We're working on that. A new sentient hologram with sticky fingers has filtched the plans to those shields we should have the code to its illegal phase variances for you in a moment. Should be a piece of cake stabilizing that field and then to implement my idea afterwards. Stand by. Kirk out." Spock raised his eyebrows at the mention of phase variances and he sat back in his chair thoughtfully. Then he thought. ::Another hologram apart from Janeway's EMH? Fascinating..:: He turned his great faculties to tend to the problem Kirk proposed, making ready that option for implementation the very moment it became feasible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lt. Yar again grew restless despite Alexander's rapidly improving condition and the leads they now had concerning their dire situation with the plasma fire. She rose to her feet, pacing. Data, noticed her anxiety and came over to his friend. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Yar wrapped her arms around him and said into his ear. "I'm so sorry all of this is happening, Data. I don't want you to die tommorrow. I'd rather die in your place if it means saving you or Deanna." Data's emotions rose to melancholy when he thought, ::That is precisely what you did the day you died, Tasha. And I shall never forget your sacrifice.:: Data said nothing aloud, for he could not find the will. He let his embrace comfort her instead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A few hours later Kirk was pacing almost as much as Yar was. "Gentlemen.. I need options.." "We're almost there.." HoloZimm told him. Kirk decided not to pester his crew anymore and instead inquired about Alexander. "How's the boy, doctor?" The EMH looked up, "I still have a direct access to his vital signs. He should awaken soon. I'm letting him do so on his own terms when his body decides he's ready." Kirk suppressed an unbidden thought. ::Perhaps it'd be better if he didn't regain consciousness at all. Burning alive is not a fate I'd want to wish on a child.:: Deanna Troi caught a bit of Kirk's despair and glanced up sharply at him, but as soon as she did, the Enterprise captain had reined in his irrational reaction and was once again the firm commander in charge. ::He's entitled.:: she decided. ::He's under immense pressure.:: HoloZimm shot up from the place he was kneeling in front of the projection of the plasma shield schematics. "I got it!! The phase variance used to weave the security shield over Building Five is oscillating from 4.7 to 9.0 every 3.4 milliseconds." Kirk tapped his combadge. "Spock..You got that?" "I did, captain. The plasma shield is now stabilized. Secondary shielding engaged. Vacuum envelope is now established.." "Good news, Mr. Spock. You bought us the time we need to finishing evacuating the rest of Starfleet. If I were down there in the lab, I'd kiss both of those pointy ears of yours." "That will not be necessary captain. My ears are not the kissable type." came the dry reply. Uhura mumbled, "Christine would refute that in an instant Mr. Spock." she whispered only to herself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Outside Building Five, heat had grown into an intolerable level. An orange flame burst into the lawn just before Spock's vacuum barrier snicked into placed. But the edge of the new field didn't extend far enough to snuff out the fire in time to prevent its formation. And the engineers and fire personnel were no longer there to notice, having placed a false confidence on Spock's innovation. They had joined the growing evacuation crowds at the edges of the city dome. A small line of Earth normal fire sank into a ditch leading to Deanna Troi's apartment complex, burning into the peat along the salt marsh there. It wasn't the green of plasma energy but its telltale orange was bad enough. An earth brush fire was in the making. The helium countermeasure in the air had not yet reached 9%. It was as yet, far too diffuse to smother the new blaze. It burned, unobserved, under vegetation, towards the living quarters towers. Deep inside Building Five, the Guardian of Forever saw the change but was held to silence once again by its laws from disclosing it to the humans. The rising helium had the unfortunate effect of blocking any smoke from forming out of the growing fire. And under the sunlight of almost noon, the heat from it was masked as well. Starfleet had unwittingly caused one more circumstance predicted about the future to come about. It was now a race against time. The manual evacuations of the population of San Francisco and Starfleet versus the advance of the undetected crawling fire. In an hour, only one half of the city and Starfleet's complex had been cleared of its inhabitants. The fire, meanwhile had reached its goal. The first tendril of orange flame licked the plastifoam of Deanna's apartment Building. A passing jay noticed the motion and gave a warning call, but the inflated helium levels made its voice sound like a sparrow's. No biped noted anything out of the ordinary because of it. They were too intent on escaping with their lives to notice the distressed bird chirping urgently in a tree over their heads. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the Situation Room of Starfleet, in the Command Area, the Admiral in Charge turned to a subordinate, a nervous Bolian monitoring the satellites over the city. "Is Ambassador Spock's jury rig holding? " "By all appearances, yes, sir." the cadet replied. "The vacuum is still registering as absolute." "I dare not lower the city shield for transporters. The risk of plasma cascade is too great. How long until we have the entire populous evacuated?" "Another twelve hours sir, best estimate. That's assuming one person every second goes through the gate at every checkpoint, without pause." The admiral sighed heavily in frustration. "Wonderful. That'll put us about one hour before the event showing Data losing his head takes place." "Sir?" "Never mind cadet, classified information. Keep me posted. You'll be evacuated yourself by evening so relax. Your family is already safe." The admiral realized that only when all people were out of the city and Starfleet's complex, could another pocket of vacuum be created through use of Starship tractor beams city wide. Only when that occured could the Building Five Plasma Blaze be thoroughly exstinguished and the danger to Earth ended. ::Let's just hope all odds fall into our favor until then.:: he wished. The exhausted admiral of the day turned back to his tactical screen and grimaced when he took a sip from his long cold coffee cup. ------------------------- (attachments) Image: Tasha Yar looking up. *animated gif* A burning fire wall. Image: Kirk in the big chair. ***************************** From : Myron Ojala Subject : [voyagerliveaction] If At First You Don't Succeed..... Date : Wed, 13 Feb 2002 20:58:25 -0800 (PST) "I think I'm going to go get "pissed". Drunk that is." Scotty said to no one in particular. "Now I've seen it all.. holographic doctors, artificial Lt. Commanders, now an artificial cadet..The next thing ya know, they'll have an artificial engineer for a bloody unreal ship." HoloZimm started smirking and made his way over to the older Mr. Scott. "Don't worry Mr. Scott, I have no intention of being an engineer. I've seen some of your technical manuals and my head's still spinning." Scotty strode over to the new man made of light and eyed him toe to toe. "I've seen a lot in my years laddie. And I must admit we have never seen the likes of someone like you before. Like Starfleet's motto, "To seek out new life", well laddie, if that doesn't include you, I don't know what does." HoloZimm replied with a smile, "Thank you Mr. Scott I don't believe anyone has as yet paid me a better compliment. I hope to live up to the expectations and traditions I've read about in such detail.." Mr. Scott rose from his chair in front of the computer in Deanna's living room and went over to Captain Kirk. "We've only to wait a few more hours for the city to be fully evacuated, then we can attempt to put out that blasted fire once and for all. But the margin of error we have now is so small. Why don't we,..change the future we have learned about in Data's memory vid? We've all been reacting to the situation we are in now because we think we're trying to AVOID the events we've learned beforehand about Data getting his head lopped off. How do we know for certain that the actions we're taking now will end or won't end up like the scenario we saw in the vid? " "We can't. Because no one can predict the future until it arrives." Seven said. Kirk said, "Exactly, but how about changing the message sent into the past so we try another option for surviving this fire?" K'Ehleyr said, "How do we know we're on the wrong track?" "If the bloody world goes up in a green fireball, I'd say that'd be the wrong track lassie." Scotty said. "Then how do we proceed?" McCoy asked softly. "If we wait, we'll burn. And before we can even lift a finger to save ourselves." Mr. Data tilted his head, "Ah, you're implying we use my head as a second chance in case we fail in this attempt." Scotty turned toward the android, nodding affirmation. "Ye hit the nail on the head laddie. We'll only have about four seconds once that Building goes before we're all vaporized. My idea proposes we have another go lined up before we're all toast." "How do we do that?" Uhura asked. "We orchestrate a scenario outlining an action we and Starfleet are not doing now into Mr. Data's memory files, just like the one we discovered. How do we know we haven't been down this road fighting this fire many times before? Let's keep the ball rolling. We're bound to hit the bullseye eventually. So let's make a movie folks." HoloZimm said, "Am I to be the executioner again? I don't think I like that very much. I'm a cadet now." Beverly Crusher said, "Think of it an acting career, Mr.Barclay knows what I'm talking about." Mr. Barclay stammered, "It's a part, HoloZimm, nothing more, just flick off your safeties and remember that you are the key to saving us all, you probably have already done so. We just haven't realized it yet." Deanna spoke up, "But what if we choose an option that has already failed once before?" "Then we keep doing it until we get it right. We just have to figure out what option to send as the last message to ourselves. So let's get the show on the road as they say." He tossed a phaser to HoloZimm, "Better hang onto this lad. It's our ticket out of a one way scenario." HoloZimm caught it and looked at it distastefully. "Hmmm. I'm beginning to regret ever having been born.." Scotty's fingers danced over his keypad on the computer as he manipulated a holographic record on Barclay's invention. Soon, he had a working vid with another possibility engrained into it. "Here Mr. Data. Come take this into your positronic matrix." Mr. Data soon did so. "I have one question. Why was I the image projected onto HoloZimm when he phasered off Data's head this time around?" Yar asked. "Something you'll say or do might be the option that works?" Scotty suggested. "You're not an engineer but that might work out for both of us. The Guardian brought you.. You of all people back from the past to assist us now. Here. You must have the answer we need in some way." Yar looked very vulnerable. All of the sudden Building Five hit critical, an image of indescribable searing green light burned into all of their retinas as the fire ball bloomed huge and deadly, signalling the end of everything. "Yar!" Scotty shouted. "Give me an option!" he said with his fingers over the keyboard now tied to Data. "Get ready with that phaser HoloZimm!" "Uh.. show Alexander finding the tramtunnel early with Byte before it reaches the bottom of the hanger in Building Five!" she screamed. Scotty barely created her suggestion and finished setting the vid scene inside Data when he died. HoloZimm fired his critical shot. Data went into two pieces. Seven barely had enough time to talk to the Guardian of Forever through her nanoprobes, "Take the head, now!" --------------------------------------------------------- Scotty looked on with amazement clearly showing in his eyes. "Bloody hell, it actually worked! It took five starship tractor beams to create the vacuum across San Francisco to put out the Plasma fire. Smart boy Alexander. His playing with my wee Byte found and diverted a catastrophe that surely would have killed us all." He looked out over the blackness inside the city dome from his high orbiter shuttle and sighed. "It's a total blackout down there." He told his team. "If we're going to get Starfleet back in power and online with the rest of the world, we'd better get started. Our first task is to unbury the Guardian so Uhura, Chapel Yar, K'Ehleyr and her son can return back to whence they came. Grab your environmental suits lad. There's still no air down there. Captain Janeway, let's head to Central Command. We'll need that main reactor back online first, then we'll see about getting the main computer back on line. HoloZimm can help us there. Nice how we met him in that coffee shop outside of town. I think Deanna's going to like her birthday present a bunch. Reg's a clever lad." Janeway smiled. "Chakotay, Doctor, Spock, Kirk. Let's all head down there. The first thing we should do is secure Starfleet as soon as possible. I get a little nervous when the heart of the Federation is sitting in the middle of a blackout inside pure vacuum, don't you?" Chakotay said, "Wouldn't bother you so bad if you had just stopped at two cups." "Hush.." she said. ------------------------------------------ The away team beamed down from their orbitting shuttle above the security dome. They were skittish because they knew they were the only people currently inside of San Francisco. Janeway picked up a cup, previously belonging to the admiral of the day. The vacuum had made the liquid vaporize and nothing remained inside but a brown skin. "What a waste of good coffee." She could barely make out computer panels and dark viewscreen ringing the immense room in the beam of her wrist light. "How soon can we restore the atmosphere under the city dome Mr. Scott?" she asked. "We have to make sure the plasma fire is fully out., captain. That could take a few weeks. SEE SOUND BITE Those four ships maintaining our dome integrity will have to remain in orbit until we finished. Doesn't mean we can't restore a little power down here a bit at a time. We just won't have the luxury of breathable air until then. It'll be dawn soon. Won't feel so much like a morgue then." Scotty made his way over to a power access panel he knew better than the back of his hand. It was very like one he had in his Lab in Building Six. He cracked it open and lifted his tricorder for a preliminary scan. He found something unexpected. He tapped his helmet comm unit so all with him could hear him. "This can't be right? I thought the Guardian doesn't emit chronoton particles.. I've seen only time capsules creating a signature like this. " Janeway said "What?!" "There's a time shifted residue left on these controls. It seems to have been left right around the time our plasma fire started." Scotty said, his voice was hollow inside his helmet and it began to steam with the moisture from his breath. Chakotay's larger form appeared next to Scotty's and Janeway's "Are you saying Starfleet been breached by a time traveler?" "That's exactly what I'm trying to say, laddie." Scott said. "I don't like the sound of that one bit." Janeway said. ------------------------- (attachment) Image: Scotty, serious closeup. Audio: Scott- It could take weeks , sir. Image: Chakotay in an environmental suit. ***************************************** From : "Cory Anda" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Reginald's Absolute Truth Date : Thu, 14 Feb 2002 08:12:18 +0000 Mr. Barclay had beamed down with Ambassador Spock from the orbitting shuttle about six minutes after Chakotay Janeway and Mr. Scott did. ::I don't know how he manages to do that.:: Reg thought, reaching up a glove to scratch an itch. The plexiglass over his helmet of his envirosuit stopped his hand instantly.::Spock is wearing a full issue jumper with life pack and he still looks dignified.:: Reg gulped. ::And, he's not afraid of the dark.:: Reg shined his wrist light as far as it could go within Building Five. The shaft of wane light hit rafters that were still dusty with smoke, and created eerie shadows everywhere. Shivering, Reg composed an entry for his personal log to keep imaginary ghosts at bay. His helmet computer dutifully recorded his voiceprint, Reg added more to his log.."...We saw the orange firelight glowing through the shields on the memory vid we recovered from Data's head the Guardian left us this morning. It showed Alexander playing with Mr. Scott's spy probe down in the tramway tunnels and it was he on that record who found the fire in a cavern about to burn through the floor of the Guardian of Forever's hanger. Nurse Chapel and Uhura narrowly escaped when we comm'd them in warning. Shocked, Command opted to mass beam everyone out of San Francisco to create an emergency atmosphere purge over Starfleet Headquarters and the entire city. And so, here I am. Five miles into a black, powerless city in the middle of a vacuum to meet the Guardian of Forever in Starfleet's most secret Building... I don't know what we'll find. I just overheard Mr. Scott and Captain Janeway talking about finding chronoton particles in Central Command and that never bodes well with any Starfleet personnel unfortunate enough to find some. End log.." Barclay was so intent on what he was saying, that he nearly fell over a tipped over chair. A strong glove steadied him before he flopped painfully all the way onto his back. "More vigilance and less conversation may aid your concentration on the task at hand, Mr. Barclay." Spock's voice said loudly into the audio pickup in his helmet. " The next stumble may breach your envirosuit if I'm not present to catch you when you fall." "I'm sorry, Mr. Spock. I don't do very well in dark, airless places." Barclay gasped. "We are perfectly safe, as long as we keep our heads about ourselves." Barclay's imagination immediately went to a few hours ago when they all found Mr. Data's head in Mr. Boothby's garden below Deanna Troi's balcony. "Like he kept his head?" Reg whispered about Data. "Working into an anxiety ridden state is illogical. I suggest you direct your thoughts elsewhere. Mr. Data is unharmed and the head from the future no longer exists in our timeline." Spock added. "And why do you think that is, uh, sir," Barclay said, as he and Spock slowly made their way deeper inside the pitch black hanger, only their wristlights showing the way to the dirt layer around where the Guardian of Forever had last been located. Mr. Spock turned so he could see Reg through his face plate. He could see the nervous man sweating but was at a loss on how to make him "feel" better. So he said simply, "That is a reason we shall never know lieutenant. And I have learned to trust the Guardian of Forever's judgement and from what my former captain shares corresponding with it. Its silence on that question should be a warning to us not to meddle further." Reg fidgetted, following exactly in the Vulcan's boot prints as he tried to ascertain the Guardian's new position inside Building Five "Yeah, but how are we to know what it wants us to do if we keep hitting the gray areas all the time. Granted, we were lucky avoiding that fire without anyone getting hurt at all, but this just.... this just stinks sir." "Then I would suggest adjusting your environmental controls to recalibrate your air filters Mr. Barclay." Spock said evenly, studying the brightly glowing tricorder which did nothing to ease the darkness. "I'm not talking about my suit sir, I'm talking about us not knowing all the answers. Don't you find it a bit odd that two dead women, two unaged women and a boy who is actually a man in our time suddenly shows up here through the Guardian at it's behest?" "Tasha Yar and K'Ehleyr are being granted a vacation the Guardian told us. If it chooses to spare death for them a little while I find no illogic in that. Alexander was cheated from time with his mother at a crucial age. It is logical to assume the Guardian is righting some wrong between them. As to Uhura and Nurse Chapel, the Guardian thought Kirk was lonely for his friends of old and retrieved them from where its vast memory told it they last were, from the Enterprise of the past. It is harming nothing to have them visit as their youthful selves.The Guardian is very good at avoiding paradox.." Spock said in a long speech. At the end of it, Mr. Barclay calmed considerably and he could finally walk in his suit boots without tripping over every obstruction in the dark. "So why are you coming back here to ask it more questions? We just might hit another philosophical concrete wall again." "I assume you are speaking metamorphically Mr. Barclay. Captain Kirk is off duty and he has asked me to continue where he left off last night. He is still recovering from "working a double shift" during the fire emergency yesterday morning. That is why I am here a second time. I need you present because the Guardian is curious about your birthday gift to the counselor and it wants to know more about it." "It finds HoloZimm an object of curiosity?" "Yes." "Oh." Reg said. And then he found nothing much more to say after that until they reached the new spot the Guardian chose for the evening. It was barely discernable in the darkness, a spot that was somehow a little bit blacker than the rest, until Ambassador Spock reached out a glove to touch its ancient surface. ##THE FRIEND OF KIRK RETURNS. AND THE ONE WHO MADE LIFE FROM LIGHT. SPEAK FEARFUL ONE OF YOUR CREATION AND I WILL LISTEN...## Mr. Barclay gasped when the bright white of the donut stone lit with each spoken word from the ancient monolith gateway. "W--What..do you want to know about HoloZimm. Uh,...really, uh, there isn't much to tell. He was sort of...an accident. I- I- I ... He was really supposed to be just a holoprogram but somehow, he..became alive." As Reg spoke he felt not only that he was being listened to but probed in every cell in every nuance of attentiveness from the Guardian. He could feel that focused attention on him like a weight and he knew with absolute certainty that the Guardian was looking at him, even with no eyes. It was an odd sensation. The weight grew until Reg thought he was about to snap until... ##THIS NEW LIFE WAS BEGOTTEN OF THOUGHT. A RARE ABILITY IN EMPHEMERALS OF ANY TIME LINE. I HAVE GARNERED YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF HIM AND THE PROCESS ON HOW YOUR LIFEFORM CAME ABOUT. YOU MAY ASK ANY QUESTION AS A BALANCE TO OUR COMMUNICATION.## Barclay saw Mr. Spock's eyebrow raise at that. Apparently, it was an offer not lightly given to any visitor to the Guardian. Reg swallowed away the dryness in his throat and he glanced back at the patient stone waiting in silence. Then he spoke into the hollowness of his helmet. "Sir,.. I've long noticed how reality effects people profoundly for good and evil. One never quites gets used to the results. I know, I used to run from it until Deanna showed me reality was better than a holographic one. What I want to know is,.. Is there a purpose for every life living as it does, when it does, beyond just procreating itself for future generations?" The question had escaped Barclay's lips before he could rein it back. Mr. Spock was nodding in respect when Barclay was through. It wasn't two moments before the Guardian lit up once more in speech/thought. ##LIFE IS DYNAMIC AND AN ANSWER TO THE GREAT VOID SPANNING THE UNIVERSE. THE POWER OF ONE IS THE SAME AS THE POWER OF MANY. THOUGHT, ENERGY AND TIME ARE ONE. LIFE CREATES ANEW WHEN THIS BALANCE IS REACHED. EMOTIONS, PAIN, DEATH AND BIRTH MAKE LIFE DIVERSE AND ENRICHED IN EACH THAT POSSESSES IT. ONE IS BORN BEING ABLE TO MAKE ONE'S OWN DESTINY. SEEK IT, REGINALD, AND BE FULFILLED.## A lump formed in Barclay's throat and he felt his superior's grip under his arm supporting him as a single tear flowed down his sweaty face. It was an absolute truth that filled Barclay to the core and left him weak. Then the feeling faded, leaving him as he had been a moment ago. "Did you hear that Mr. Spock?" Reg asked. "I heard nothing, Mr. Barclay. You and it have been silent for exactly two point five minutes." he replied. ##THE OTHER MAN HAS A DIFFERENT TRUTH TO DISCOVER. HE HAS YET TO EARN IT AS YOU HAVE DONE. LONG HAVE I AWAITED A QUESTION SUCH AS YOURS. IT IS ONE WORTHY OF YOU.## the Guardian said. "Would you like me to bring HoloZimm to you next tommorrow when we come back with a survey team to restore power here?" Reg asked it. ##THE NEW LIFE AND I HAVE WORDS SHARED EVEN NOW. I DO NOT NEED HIM NEAR.## Reg nodded, then felt stupid when he realized that Guardian knew what he meant in ways deeper than verbal or nonverbal communication. "Uh, thank you... uh,.. for speaking." He retreated into his work surveying the smoke and fire damage for the rest of the night. It gave Reg a vaguely pleased feeling to see that the Guardian failed to light up to any question Mr. Spock posed to it. =========================== Dawn spilled into the absolute vacuum under the city dome around them and light penetrated deep into the still hanger. Barclay wasn't even tired. He felt somehow, physically and mentally buoyed. He assumed he was euphoric because it was his first experience with the ancient gateway. He caught himself whistling, several times for no reason at all, until one note of song came into his ear as dissonant. It was Janeway, from across Campus. "We've learned more about the temporal residue Mr. Scott found on the main reactor panel. It is from a living being. Mitochondrial traces are showing up in our scans. They sprang into our lifebands when the sunlight hit them. Likewise, we're beginning to fire off phaser rifles into the main spaces in our Building. We're hoping the ionizing discharges may light up any other chronoton particles trails as yet undiscovered. So if you see phaser fire over here. Know it's us." Mr. Spock stopped his calm regard of the silent Guardian and offered insight of his own. "Understood. Captain, about the residue. The extent of the cellular differentiation over five types should pinpoint a biological origin as opposed to a biomechanical one." "Already on that, ambassador." the EMH answered on their com frequency. "So far, inconclusive results. How's everyone's air by the way. Please check your life packs every six hours to be on the safe side. It's not like you can crack a helmet for some fresh air when an oxygen cylinder sours out. I and Starfleet Medical's going to need a check-in every half hour. Kapesh?" Everyone down inside the vacuum zone responded in the positive. "Reg," the EMH continued on the universal line, "You're doing much better. I'd say daylight's calming your nerves substantially." Barclay didn't even take offense. "Amazing what philosophy can do for one doctor." he thought, thinking of his experience with the Guardian a few hours ago. The EMH quipped, "Just make sure it's Zen and not nitrogen narcosis creating that euphoria lieutenant. A lack of atmospheric pressure can create the EX-Bends despite those environmental suits. Keep with your work partner so you have a safety margin in place." "I will doctor. No doubt our bioflags will tattle if it is anything untoward happening to any of us. You should beam over here doctor. The view's fine.." Barclay said, seeing the oval serene arch of the darkened Guardian in front of him. "I'll stick to monitoring the away teams as you re-empower Starfleet Headquarters and finish your fire followup checks. EMH out." Mr. Barclay found it strangely hard to leave the Guardian's hanger when his and Spock's shift inside Building Five was over. ::Huh. I'll have to ask Captain Kirk about that effect.:: -------------------- (attachments) Image: Janeway firing a phaser rifle in the dark. Image: A Barclay promo in an oval frame. *animated gif* The Guardian of Forever, beaming Kirk and company away. **************************************** From: "Andy Anda" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] Fire Break Date: Thursday February 14, 2002 04:08:09 GMT USA Outside the city dome, life in the prairie project went on pretty much as it always had; With the critters, as always, fairly oblivious to events far and near, however desperate, that do not affect the prairie directly. Boothby, stalked about the perimeter of the dome, uncharacter- istically perturbed, worrying about the survival of the many gardens he nurtured within the complex. After some peregrination, he found himself once again on the periphery of the prairie project grounds. The recent fires, never far from his thoughts, got him to thinking that it was fortunate that the fire had not spread out from the dome to effect this local idyll especially since it is "brown" season with all the vegetation so dry. But, ever the insightful thinker, he wondered whether it was actually fortunate. The prairie project was an attempt to recreate and reproduce an example of a primordial prairie. He remembered that many habitats integrated periodic burning as part of their life cycles. Pulling out his essentially antique datapadd, he cross correlated the expected average period between burns with the record of the last burn of this project. The datapadd soon revealed the answer to his query. His eyes lighting up with a tacit ::eureka!::, he initiated a conference call to both Starfleet Botanical and the local fire control. ::Things might get a bit toasty soon for Mr. Hasenpfeffer and his new friend...:: ------------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: A cartoon of the fluffy tufted posterior of a rabbit. ************************************ From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] People to Plants- Two Viewpoints Date : Sat, 16 Feb 2002 10:22:58 +0400 Deanna Troi sighed deeply. The main conference room of the USS Excelsior was no place at all like her spacious office that was now, powerless and airless, at Starfleet Medical. ::Thanks to the fire that almost was Armageddon. It's just that, here, it's too.. stark.Although I admit, it was wonderful of Captain Sulu to lend Headquarters the use of his ship for the duration of our restoration.:: she thought. She glanced up at the place on the wall where Livingston, the lionfish would have been living in a similar room on her home ship, the Enterprise D. Instead of a tank, a simple shelf sat, with a planted flower illuminated softly in a purple glow. She did a double take when the flower actually turned its bloom towards her. ::Oh, my. I forgot about her. She's a mobile Phytodendron. :: Sure enough, the bright orange and purple plant began chirping and swaying eagerly at her. Deanna hushed her,"Shhh.. Quiet you.." she grinned, once she had recovered her composure. "The bridge will hear you. Be a good plant and I'll feed you some sushimi.." Troi went over to a small stasis field and reached in to grasp a china bowl full of fish. The field rasped metallically when she reached inside for a delicate morsel to feed the flower. Immediately the Phyto bloom fell silent. Deanna was surprised it actually was emitting emotions! Mild ones of excitement and eagerness not only for the fish she had but also for the fact that someone had actually started paying attention to her again. "Ah,, I see you've met Cecilia.." a baritone voice said. Deanna Troi inadvertently started at the sound and the fish piece went flying. The animated Phyto neatly intercepted its flight through the air and ate it. "Oh, doctor, you startled me!" "Don't worry counselor," the EMH said, coming over to scratch the plant's rapidly dancing head. "You can't overfeed Phytos no matter what. A plant feeds whereever and whenever it can." and he started chuckling when the bright plant started to purr at his ministrations. "This little darling is the daughter clone to the one Captain Sulu had on the Enterprise." "She's beautiful.." Deanna said, and timidly tried to pet the flower bud. A green leaf reached up and grasped her finger and shook it. "She just said hello and sampled how you smell at the same time." the holodoc said. Deanna gave the Phyto one last pat and then turned to the doctor. "How do you know so much about Mr. Sulu's plant? We've only just boarded Excelsior this morning." "Ahh,," said the EMH, "Captain Kirk recognized this little gal and introduced me to her when he briefed Ambassador Spock, and everyone about how to proceed restoring the powergrid without re-igniting the plasma fire in that cavern beneath Building Five. He was just returned to duty after a night's sleep. Charming man. I can see why he's set as an example to cadets training at the Academy." Deanna Troi smiled. "Captain Kirk had a very charismatic and adventure filled career. Wonderful stuff to inspire new recruits." She thought about something, as she turned to looked out the port window overlooking San Francisco. Excelsior had set down on a high hill overlooking the tractor beam boosted city dome glowing over the city and the Starfleet grounds. "So, things are going to stay airless under there for how many weeks?" "Two at the most." the holodoc said. "The Fire Corp didn't want a repeat of last night's near miss. It's a wonder that no one was hurt or killed." Deanna sighed, "I am surprised the Guardian of Forever gave us that message from the future. But why he used Data's head to do it is beyond me." The EMH sucked in a simulated breath, "In my twelve years of active duty, I've learned to not wonder so much how handy information arrives to bail one's butt. Never look a gift horse in the mouth." Troi regained her chair in the conference lounge and sat once again in front of her many notes. The EMH looked the padds over, "Still rearranging your scheduled appointments, counselor? Kind of difficult to do so without an office to see them in." "You know.. I was just thinking that when Cecilia made herself known so dramatically.." Troi laughed. "Mind if I join you?" the doctor asked, "Not as if I have anything better to do. This little almost catastrophe cancelled classes for the day. I doubt if I'll get the chance to hear Captain Janeway give her speech about human hybridization at Doctor McCoy's symposium anytime soon." "Too bad they can't just land a whole fleet of Starships and run Starfleet Command from them.." Troi said with a flip of her hand. The turbolift doors whooshed open and Dr. Crusher entered. In her hands was a sizable stack of datapadds. "Oh, sorry, didn't know you set up shop here, Deanna. Want me to go?" "Beverly.. it's a big ship but it's now a very crowded one. Don't be ridiculous. Have a seat." Troi said. "Got a lot of appointments too?" "These are the medical files on the current away team inside the city dome, as best as I can recover them." she admitted. "Odd not having Starfleet's Universal Medical Database handy when you need it. I had to pull most of these from Ship's logs and other civilian sources.." The EMH held up a hand "Look no further doctor. Mr. Data and I collaborated a few minutes ago. I know what he knows about any Starfleet or affiliated personnel involved here. And that includes everyone's medical records. I just finished playing mother hen to Janeway's away team at Command telling them to monitor their oxygen packs." "How are they holding up?" Beverly wanted to know. "Well enough. Mr. Barclay took a little longer than most to get over his claustrophobia being locked up inside an envirosuit with only a wristlight but he's managing. I've paired him with Mr. Spock to keep an eye on him." "Good thinking. Reg will automatically do anything Spock orders of him. He's used to being the ambassador's aide." Troi said. "He is?" Beverly asked. "Yes. Weren't you briefed on Building Five once you got here for the Symposium Conferences?" Deanna asked. Dr. Crusher's face turned dour, "No.. I'm on vacation." Then her expression brightened. "But I do know about it now. Ran into Lt. Uhura and Nurse Chapel last night at Captain Kirk's briefing. I was shocked to learn that they had been pulled out of time with K'Ehleyr and her son for an unspecified reason." Troi was bland, "Chalk that up alongside that appearing/ disappearing Data's head trick that saved all of our rears last night. Just another mysterious circumstance that only the Guardian of Forever knows about." she shrugged. "Shall we get to work then? You with your counseling scheduling and I with my away team medical notes?" Beverly suggested. Deanna rolled her eyes, "No time like the present I guess. I wish I were with the away team. Seems like they're going to get all the really really exciting missions this week." Beverly shivered, "I wouldn't want to be locked into a suit, under a half mile of vacuum in the middle of an abandoned, pitch black city.." Troi thought about it. "Beats paddwork.." she said, holding up her like stack of records. The EMH rose, "Well, if you'll excuse me ladies. I have to find Mr. Boothby. It seems no one's considered what will happen to the biosphere in there; the plants, trees and general population of soil flora. It seems Starfleet only emergency beamed out the animals and birds along with the people before we sucked out all the air." Cecilia began chirping mournfully from her pot on the lighted shelf. The EMH rose and comforted her. "I'm not so worried about the landscape as I am about those who will run into Boothby in the next few days. Just picture how he's going to react learning his rosebeds weren't spared." "Oh!" Deanna quailed. "I just remembered! Didn't Dr. McCoy lose the tribble he saved from that bar in the shuttlelot? I don't know if our transporter buffers had the tribble species on their list of animals to beam. Tribbles aren't indigenous." The EMH quickly raised his medical tricorder. Soon, he was smiling. "The tiny fellow's all right. He's hiding with a rabbit just outside of our vacuum dome in the prairie preserve.. annnnddd " his voice drew out long as he studied his readouts. "Boothby's very near him, too." He rose, "Well, I'm off. Contact me if anything exciting comes up. I'll volunteer to even catalog smoke damage with the away team if I have to." "I'm first in that line, doctor.." Deanna said. "And I'm second." Beverly said. "Third is good." the EMH nodded. "I'll be in touch ladies." and he poofed out to appear by Boothby's side. ------------------------------------ The EMH had paced alongside the disgruntled caretaker for almost a full minute when he decided he would try vocalizing to get Boothby's focus. "Nice day." "It's a crappy day doctor.." "The sun is out. Nice breeze." "Not for my gardens there isn't. They're suffocating even as we speak under that vacuum dome. Soon, they'll be so dry, their stems'll snap like toothpicks and then where will I be?" "Cornering the pot pourri market?" the EMH ventured. "Not funny baldy. I've spent over two centuries in those beds while I checked out officer potential cadets. It rankles me that all that energy and artistry is going to be so much dust by sundown tonight." "Just think, you'll have an opportunity to create a new canvas without the work of hoeing." holodoc pointed out. "Just stomp a foot on the ground and poof! Instant powdered topsoil in rainbow petal colors.." Boothby grabbed the EMH by the collar and yanked him close, "Do I look like I want to start over on my lovelies from scratch?! Not on your life." "That's good, because I don't have one for you to bargain with." the holodoc quipped. "Listen, Boothby. From one stubborn persona to another. They're just weeds when you think about it, the only difference is that they've been labelled as widely accepted frilly flow---eerrggg!!" Boothby squeezed the EMH's throat until his fingers met in the middle. "I,.. wanted to be aLONE on this walk, I.. didn't ASK for your COMpany. So scram before I rototill your backside with my BOOTS!" and he flung the holodoc sailing through the air until he landed quite some distance up on the energy dome. The doctor, of course, slid right back down again, landing on the mound of dirt near the tribble's rabbit den with such force that dust raised high into the air. When he got up, his butt cheeks left two neatly pressed rodentia beds which the lepus and tribble undertook instantly, circling like dogs before lying down contentedly in them. The doctor noticed the two animals lounging in those impact craters left from his nether anatomy. "Opportunists." He hurried after Boothby after blowing on a thumb and reinflating his throat. "Burning off a little steam? Why don't you do something constructive instead of dwelling on what's going bad?" the EMH said. "I AM being constructive. I'm planning on a controlled burn to perfect the only plant project I got left, this prairie restoration refuge..." The EMH raised his eyebrows, "You want to start another fire..." "That's right. One that should've happened years ago. Look at that rhododendron! It's all spindly with weak blooms. It's choking out the chapparel..." Boothby started to say, then he caught himself. "Wait a minute, why am I discussing plants with the likes of you?! You're a hologram." "Glad you finally noticed. Took you long enough." the EMH grunted. "Long enough nothing!" Boothby countered. "I had more important things to worry about than to converse with a tactilized set of forcefields with an attitude." "I'm not the only one with an attitude. People have said we're two peas in a pod you know." "Great..." Boothby snorted. "I feel so brotherly.. Listen holohead, if you came out here to make me feel better, there's only one way to do it. Make like a hurricane and ...." he pursed his lips together and exhaled strongly in the doctor's face. The EMH grimaced as breath and spittle shot his way. He opaqued his mass and the stuff missed him and sprayed the grass instead. "Lesson two about holograms, we have zero density at will to go along with the attitude." "Didn't ask for a belligerent barometer..." Boothby shot back, attempting to walk away from the EMH even faster until he started to wheeze. "And we never tire. Slow down, or you'll lose your breath to the point of fainting." the doc suggested. "Good, I like the idea of suffocating. All my flowers are doing it right now. Call it implied empathy.." "More like masochistic tendency..." the EMH said. He dematted and reappeared right in front of Boothby until the old man was forced to stop his headlong march or run right into him. "And we never, ever get swayed from a task once our minds are put to it. I'm staying here until you get over this pity pit over a mere landscape change." Boothby's expression went stone cold and every muscle and sinew in his body coiled up in rage. "Holobaldy.. I'm warning you.." "Ah,, ah ah..." the EMH waggled a finger right back at him. "Get any more mad and I'll gain consent to confine you to a biobed when your blood pressure burns that white fuzz you call hair right off your head! Keep it up, Boothby." Boothby immediately sucked in his breath and balled up his fists, counting silently to ten. When he reached zero, most of the veins in his forehead had stopped pulsing with his heartbeat. "Thank you doctor for this oh so personal housecall, but your therapy stinks like week old cow dung. If you're bored, why don't you pester Jimmy or Kathy instead? Captains seem to love it when their medical officers needle them to death. Keeps them sharp cause it ain't working here. I'm not a captain!" The EMH rooted to the ground, letting Boothby outdistance him. "Damn.. Troi was right. Boothby's rank isn't captain. I lost that bet.." he sighed and transposed himself back to the bluelanded USS Excelsior near the city dome. "She wins and I get the honor of mopping the soot out of her offices the second Earth's atmosphere is allowed back into San Francisco. Joy.." ------------------------------------ Back in Excelsior's officer's lounge, Troi began to snigger. "What's so funny?" Dr. Crusher asked her friend and colleague. "I just won a little bet with the holodoc." Bev quirked a smile. "Oh yeah? What kind of bet." "The one everyone usually plays with Boothby. Try to guess the caretaker's official Starfleet rank." "What did you win?" "A complete cleaning service at work.." "OOooooo..." Dr. Crusher sympathized, thinking of the mess they all saw left behind in that part of Starfleet Headquarters. Deanna's suite carpetting was no longer a light melon, it was pure charcoal now. "What would he have won?" "A free night's reading of Seven's emotions via subdermal comm during one of their next opera house dates." Deanna said. "You're kidding.. The holodoc still isn't sure of Seven of Nine's feelings towards him?" "Apparently not.." Troi shrugged. "Still, it would have been dirty pool if you lost the bet and tattled on Seven in that manner." "Yeah.. I wrestled with my manners department on that one but I knew I couldn't lose no matter what.." "You know Boothby's official rank?" Dr. Crusher asked with amazement. "Come on.. you can tell your best friend Beverly..Sure you can...." she baby talked. Deanna shook her head, "I'm a betting woman. Put your latinum where your mouth is..My office could use new curtains, I'm sure. Give Boothby a go just like the EMH did. Are you game?" Beverly narrowed her eyes in mock threat, then her expression uptook a competitive edge, "You're on. Curtains for....." she bit her lip, thinking. "...the next Cadet Evaluations report due to Komach for next month." "You're on.." Troi said, holding out her hand. Beverly took it firmly and they shook on it, sealing the conditions of the Boothby bet. "Done.." she grimaced in challenge. "I'll find out that answer or I'm not the chief medical officer of all Starfleet." Deanna continued to pet Cecilia's petals, who was in pure plant heaven under her light caresses. "You're going to eat those words.." she told Beverly, feeding the mewling flower another morsel of mackerel. Cecilia burped obnoxiously and a cloud of pink pollen landed on the counselor's nose. ---------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Counselor Troi and Riker with amused looks on their faces. *animated gif* A spinning rose bud. Image: Boothby in his straw hat, looking pissed. Image: Dr. Crusher looking attentive. ************************************* END WEEK SIX RECAP 02-18-02 WEEK SEVEN RECAP 02-19-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub ************************************ From :"Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Sunlight Perspectives~~ Date : Tue, 19 Feb 2002 20:08:34 +0000 Captain Kirk was not on board the Excelsior. He was standing in a makeshift sheltered base camp outside the city dome. In one view, he could see personnel beaming in supplies and repair equipment while fully suited up, and in the other, finished shifts, beaming out again from under the dark dome. It created a twinge, seeing Starfleet so vulnerable and silent under the dome. The sunlight still glowed dimly in the gloom. He could just barely make out Building Five and the smoky haze that had enveloped it when the air was emergency purged from the dome. Kirk never got used to seeing earth phenomena such as fire smoke, inside a vacuum. It seemed vaguely disturbing to him to see something that should drift and curl, just sitting there, looking solid as steel but feeling as dimorphous as fog. And it shrouded Building Five like a stain. The brilliant noon day sun did little to get inside the shattered Building. ::I wonder how Mr. Barclay and Spock are faring talking with the Guardian of Forever. It may not even speak with them for I am not there.:: Kirk surmised. ::I can't help shaking the feeling that the Guardian played a big role in saving all of us. But time's a funny thing. When it is undone, memories and events have a tendency to disappear along with it. Perhaps I shouldn't even try to worry about it. Time isn't my element. Space is.:: Kirk sat once again at the outdoor table fitted with his computer console and a gray plate. He took another bite of chicken sandwich and sipped coffee immediately on its heels. His chewing slowed as he squinted under the sun's light to his left. Excelsior sat blue landed on the highest hill outside San Francisco. It was now the temporary Starfleet Headquarters home until the recovery operations were completed in two weeks. ::She's beautiful.:: Kirk thought. ::Even bigger than my ship. And Sulu deserves her. Spock and I are long past our exploring days. Funny how a few gray hairs makes you a home body. Just so long as we can take a training crew out once in a while, that's all I need. That, and my captain's bars.:: He sighed, watching the shuttle bees flying towards the great ship and away while it carried out its mission of aide to San Francisco. Then he turned to the latest tricorder information relaying from Janeway's away mission under the dome. "Hmm.. this is odd.." he said out loud to Uhura sitting next to him, monitoring the comm traffic flowing around them from shuttles and evac pods buzzing above them. "A chronoton signature on a power panel in the very heart of Starfleet's Command Center.. Why is it there? And why would a time traveler leave it there for us to find? Who is this person? And why did they come?" Uhura removed her earpiece and set it on the table. "Certainly not to harm anyone on Earth, Captain. With that kind of time travel ability, we'd be gone before we'd even know it if he or she meant harm." "True.." Kirk said. He wonder how Uhura sat there not sweating in her tunic under the sun while he pulled his uniform collar away from his neck. ::Perhaps she is used to this for spending time with Spock's family on Vulcan. Earth summers are nothing compared to Vulcan's.:: He again cast his eyes at the Excelsior, taking in her birdlike beauty. She gleamed brightly in the white sunlight. Nurse Chapel was there, helping out with everyday medical operations and setting up systems through the starship to be a clinic for the city. He envied her being on board the Excelsior but then Kirk decided his choice of not hanging over Captain Sulu's shoulder while he ran business had been the right one. ::The Excelsior's his now. I have no right to be on her. My first instinct would be to captain and that would be intruding. I am much more suited heading these ground missions into the vacuum dome.:: He hit his combadge to Nurse Chapel. "Kirk to Chapel. How are the away teams' lifesigns? Beta team is nearing their six hour mark on their air." He heard Chapel's calm reassuring timber answer, "Janeway checked in a minute ago. All her people are still in the green on their O-tanks. She assured me she'll beam anyone out the moment any indicator even touches a border of red." Kirk smiled. "Thankyou Nurse. Carry on." He studied his computer after shading it from the sun. He was receiving video coming from Chakotay's helmet as they swept phaser fire around them, to uncover any more chronton trails. A new one was uncovered hanging in the air near Command's ceiling. Instantly, Lt. Yar was by his side. "Sir,.. let me go on the next away mission inside the dome." Kirk turned and saw Yar already suited up."Lt,.. I had already planned on having you and your team relieve Janeway's, but they still have two hours to go before they are recalled. Be patient. Nothing is going to change under there anytime soon. Vacuum has a tendency to put energies and machines into stasis." Yar hooked a hip onto his table top. She , too, didn't appear to be overheated by the sun in the slightest. Kirk wonder if his ample belly were to blame for his sensitivity to the sun. He chuckled. ::I'm no longer a spring chicken.:: Then he caught the expression on Yar's face and saw that she had taken his light laughter as a rebuke. "I'm not laughing at your eagerness lieutenant, I'm admiring your ability to stay dry. Look at me.." and he pointed to the sweat dripping down his face. "Drink some more water sir. Or, relocate your field team to the Excelsior.. I'm sure Sulu would..." "....find me horribly underfoot on his starship, Lt." he invited her into a chair, "Have a seat. Perhaps you could assist me in coordinating these away and repair teams into Starfleet and San Francisco in a better schedule than I have here.." Just like that, Yar's energies were channeled. Soon, she had a working rotation that fit every contingency. Her suit was forgotten and tossed over the back of her computer chair as she worked some minutes later. Kirk slid over the second half of his chicken sandwich over to her and she was two bites into it when she looked up, "This is good." she said. Kirk shrugged. "Scotty's replicator recipe. His mother's chicken salad." "But I'm eating your lunch.." "I should be dieting..." Kirk said ruefully. "Enjoy your sandwich Lt." and he got up to take a walk. Uhura and Yar watched him leave the field camp to walk the city dome margin. They exchanged glances. Then Yar said, "It's really bothering him having Starfleet out of commission like this?" Uhura nodded. "Yes.. It's a large part of who he is.." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kirk wandered the humming, glowing border of the dome, struck by how the wind ruffling his hair was doing nothing to the landscape inside. ::Can't do anything without an atmosphere to push around.:: Through the tinted energy shell, he could just make out the dim sunlight penetrating. One suited figure was in the courtyard of decimated flowers inside, waved a hand and then put hands on hips impertinently. Kirk grinned and tapped his combadge. "Captain Janeway. You should be monitoring your own people. Not us out here." "I can do both captain. And I don't need Mr. Spock or Deanna Troi to know you are fretting. I hate the fact Starfleet's dark just as much as you do." she said through their comlink. Kirk could just make out her grinning features inside her helmet. "Guess this is a captain thing Kathryn." "Guess so. Say... save that thermos I see sitting on your table. I'll bet fifty credits to Sunday that it's coffee in there." Kirk turned and saw the same silver cylinder against the blue sky. "I'll be damned. You're right. I didn't even see Yar bring that just now. Consider it done, captain. The coffee's yours." "Better get it under wraps. Just seeing it and being locked into a suit's torturing me.. and I've an hour and a half to go before we've finished our shift in here." Kirk laughed. "Deal. I'll get it out of your eyesight. Kirk out." He watched Janeway return back inside Starfleet Command's Main Building. With a lighter heart, he returned to his outdoor monitoring table and sat back down next to Yar and Uhura. He snatched up the coffee thermos and set it on the grass by his feet. Just knowing another captain was on the job nearby evaporated Kirk's disturbing anxiety over the quiet morgue like airless city below him. Somehow, the sun's heat didn't feel so oppressive anymore and the summer winds carried away the last of the sweat from his uniform. ------------------------------------ (attachments) Image: Kirk using a communicator while outside. Image: A captain's face superimposed over a landscape showing a city in sunlight. Image: A starship flying over a green valley. **************************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject : The Real Most Important Meal of the Day... :) Date : Wed, 20 Feb 2002 11:16:03 +0000 McCoy was grumbling more than usual. ::Always seems to happen to me when a crisis doesn't reach critical levels... such as now..:: He sighed. ::Perhaps it's because I detest the paperwork afterwards so much.:: He rubbed tired eyes and glanced at his desktop chronometer. "Noon!" he shouted. Two USS Excelsior nurses came running at the sound of his voice. "Not you two! I shouted about the time. Doesn't this blasted newfangled starship of yours believe in computer courtesy calls? Why, even I could've rigged it to wail when my blood sugar sank through the floor." He pushed his wheeled chair to the food slot, near its audio pickups, planning to order lunch when his brain decided to do three things at once. Complain about his aching foot, notice the report in the nurse's hand, and speak loud enough for the replicator to fire in reply. Bones shot to his feet from his stool and immediately exclaimed aloud at that very moment, "Oh, my tootsie! Role call, nurse.." and he held out his hand. The young woman groaned and handed the cranky doctor her datapadd. But at the same time, the replicator behind them spit out a curious object. It wasn't anything that came on a plate or in a glass. "What the h*ll is that?" McCoy said, looks like a wrapped tube. All three of them leaned in on the little thing sitting under the replicator light. "Oh, smells like chocolate doctor.." the older woman said. Then she made good her escape. Bones took out the object that had appeared in the delivery slot as if it were a festering moldy morsel. "Looks like...looks like.. " he blinked. "I don't know WHAT this looks like." The computer, beefed to respond to half definite queries, replied, ##The object is a tootsie roll. Ordered two point one minutes ago.## McCoy's face screwed up into even more wrinkles. "Do you mean to tell me that this is food?" ##Affirmative## McCoy snorted. "Oh fer crying out l-- Nurse, here." and he flung her the unknown chewie in her direction. He whipped out a hypospray of simple glucose and injected himself with it. Soon, he felt both his mind and mood improving. "Doctor,.. are you all right?" "Of course.. borderline hypoglycemia upon skipped meals nurse, do I look not right to you?" The nurse didn't meet the old doc's eyes. "I... you look fine.." "Then there's nothing wrong with my vocal processing now is there? So why did that..." and he pointed to the tiny object in white, red and brown wrapping, growing soft in her hand. "appear even before I ordered anything for lunch?" The nurse's discomforture evaporated. "Sir,, you don't know a lot about the Excelsior. She's a very intelligent ship, even has rudimentary bioneural gelpacks. She assumed the first food you asked for..Uh,," and the young woman squinted at the replicator buffer log,..."A tootsie, roll, sir.. See?" and she pointed to the logs she had pulled up. McCoy only glared at her. She swallowed uncomfortably and cleared her throat, afraid to look away.. "Give me that!" McCoy said, sweeping the tiny food thing out of her palm. He sniffed it, unwrapped it, and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing vigorously, making a face. Soon, that grimace shifted to one of sheer delight. "This is .. I don't believe it,. but this ..this ...this.. chocolate tube thing is really good." "Glad you like it.." and the nurse beat a hasty retreat, having done her task of delivering her report. Bones was left alone. He still scratched his head, "How can my shout about my sore foot and then my order for an attendance on the away team, make that replicator..create this?" he said to the room at large. ##Synonym context. Audio comparisons matching most relevant food in the database based on those findings.## the computer answered. It sounded to McCoy to be a bit smug. "Wasn't asking you..." Bones said. "Now I know why Scotty was so keen on sabotaguing this ship's transwarp drive when he had the chance. This AI computer's nuts!" ##Please respecify food order..Brazil, Walnut, or Pecans?## "Stuff it!" Bones said, smacking the food slot's power button off. He was in a foul mood. He was hungry, and he was bored. There was absolutely nothing to do in the USS Excelsior's sickbay. The Mach V EMH had well taken care of anything routine, and the plasma fire was stopped before anyone got hurt. Then the glucose started to kick in and he could concentrate on ordering some substantial food a little more meatier than a tootsie roll, a steamy Philly Steak sandwich. McCoy munched happily, alone in the huge white sickbay and he put his civilian boots up onto the desk with a contented sigh. Then he got to thinking. "Now why didn't the EMH want to come on board the Excelsior? So what if he's bumped heads with this Mach Five EMH. Doctors have to get along, even holographic ones and I'm not buying that rap that the Excelsior is his territory exclusively." ##The Mach 5 EMH has specified that no other hologram should intrude upon designated jurisdiction.## "In a pig's eye! Since when do unreal doctors get to say who does and doesn't enter sickbay? That's ludicrous!" McCoy was surprised that the computer didn't answer his implied question as it had all the others. Then he discovered the reason why. Excelsior was moving, on lifting thrusters only. He toggled a switch and saw the great new Starship slide into the city dome and into the vacuum zone underneath it. One landing strut flattened the main rose bed on the monitor.::Ooo, Boothby's gonna flay Excelsior's pilot...:: The others hit fairly open dessimated lawn as the ship resettled to the ground. ::Ah. I get it.. we can use airlocks to get in and out of the ship now instead of relying on the transporters. Sounds like Spock's work.:: McCoy got busy on the datapadd he got from the young nurse. ::Ahhh..let's see.... Who's the weakest link on the away teams out there...? ::Then he pulled out a name, Reginald Barclay, on his patient's file. Bones gave a low whistle at the astonishing number of syndromes, mental quirks and phobias the man had diagnosed. ::He's a walking Schitzo! I don't know how this Lt. Barclay managed to keep his commission in Starfleet this long.:: He turned the datapadd's scan to include a linkup into the all personnel bioflag alert system and he isolated Barclay's current vital signs over the man's combadge's monitoring chip. "Hmph.. he's still calm. I wonder if Spock pinched him into a nap after encountering that Guardian fellow.. heh.." ##Negative. There are no records of Ambassador Spock contacting lieutenant Reginald Barclay through physical touch.## "Oh hush.. Only answer when I call you by your designation. Mark.." he snapped. The computer rattled a few bleeps into silence. Bones sighed in relief. "I'll take one of Mr. Spock's speeches anyday over that Excelsior main computer persona. It's d@mned irritating!" But nonetheless, Dr. McCoy kept one ear and eye on the bioflag monitoring system for the slightest sign of distress from the away teams he could barely make out in the airless smoke around the ship. Then he got sucked into the data Janeway was sending the Excelsior bridge about the chronoton particles they were finding and mapping out. ::Time travel? And not from that Guardian of Jim's? :: " Well, it looks like my afternoon won't be so boring after all." and he grinned ear to ear as the last of the strange sickbay gave up its secrets to him on his tricorder scans. "I don't know a single timeline mongul who didn't meddle where he/she didn't belonged." Bones began to snore about half way down his datapadd report. Dutifully, Excelsior's computer lowered the lights. --------------------- (attachments) Image: McCoy in his blue tunic in younger days. *animated gif* A tootsie roll getting unwrapped then eaten bite by bite from invisible teeth. Image: A hypospray of liquid in Kirk's hands. ***************************** Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 11:17:30 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] The Way Ahead Seven of Nine moved closer to Data. They were part of Captain Janeway's party investigating the strange time signatures in Starfleet Command. The airlessness and the darkness did not disturb her in the slightest. ::This is very much like a borg vessel in here.:: Data, was moving around with his tricorder, unfettered by an environmental suit. He had cast a glowing indicator powder of cesium onto the chronoton particle trails their phaser shots had uncovered and he was scanning them. "Captain.." he said, seeing Janeway return into the main room, "Where our person visited is clear but why still is going unanswered. Our mappings of these tachyons are complete for this building. My analysis suggests that our "guest" did not harm any of our equipment. In fact, it looks like the powergrid was shut down the moment the atmosphere was tractored out of San Francisco the instant it was safe to do so." That surprised Chakotay, who turned in his suit so his helmet cam to Kirk's base camp computer projected Data's face and the conversation about his theory. "Are you saying whoever left these chronoton particles actually helped us lock down while we put out the fire?" "Yes." Data said, he nodded. His hair was slightly puffed out in the vacuum and so was his uniform. The android had not needed to don a suit to survive under the city dome. Chakotay was silent while Janeway and the others studied Data's readings of the chronology of the time particles glowing in the air. He interrupted them when his better judgement got the best of him. He clicked on his helmet mike once again. "Listen, this is a fine discussion of what might have been but let's not forget how vulnerable Command is right now without its power. Didn't we come in here to restore it as soon as possible?" Janeway smiled through her faceplate. "I just left a very nervous Kirk who felt the same way a few minutes ago. You're right, commander. Let's turn on the switch so we can at least get a good look around." Data went to the main power panel and did so. There was no sound in the vacuum, but light system after light system came on until Starfleet Command's Control Room was once again alive and sensing. Gravity was, of course, fine. And so was the temperature. Only air remained missing from the room. They were shocked when a message from the computer showed an alert that had been activated before the power was shut off. %%Time breach detected. Main Command Control Room.%% on the massive main viewer surrounding them. Janeway gasped, "So they knew.. All of them. When they beamed out that something was wrong..." she said of the admirals and cadets that had been present running things during the fire. Chakotay shrugged, setting one glove over the status board which controlled the alert messenging from Command's sensor array. The words flicked off. "Perhaps they didn't know Kathryn. No one was hurt evacuating the city so everyone had ample time to tell us about this to us or Kirk's team last night. But none did. A time alert was never mentioned." he said, of the chronoton particle trails still lacing the air over their heads. Data danced his bare fingers over the tactical panel using his authorization code. "Commander Chakotay is right. This room showed no sign of life when this message was displayed by the main computer core. Every crewman was gone when this alert came through." Seven of Nine stood very still, taking her tricorder readings and comparing them to Data's map. "This is odd. These trails look like skid marks." "Seven?" Janeway asked, confused. Seven again pointed to the glowing signatures in the air above them. "Look again how they are positioned. There are two parallel trails, flipping over and coming to a halt, right before this panel, where you discovered the first chronoton trace." Chakotay blinked in surprise, "These do look like ion trails from a pod, only much much smaller.." Seven straightened, "I believe our visitor has a portable personal time vehicle, something that was small enough to fit into this room, and quick enough to get its pilot to this panel to aid us." She projected a hypothetical vehicle careening into existence by the ceiling and then arcing down in a long braking maneuver to rest, hovering, a few meters away from the main power panel. Again, Janeway popped open the cover to the juncture and saw the faintly glowing blue bioneural gelpacks nestled inside a row of isolinear chips. "No sign of time particles past the main cutoff button here. I think you're right Chakotay. Our mysterious time visitor was helping us, and was most likely alone if that single occupant time pod theory of Seven's using the trails is true." "But where is this individual now?" Chakotay said. They all looked at the aging signature trails around them. The newest ones were just to one side of the place where the skidding signatures began on their scans. The chronoton particles stopped just short of the ceiling, suddenly. "Back out of our timeline." Data said. "The time trail shows nowhere else in this building." Janeway speculated. "What if along with the ability to travel through time, this person possessed a transporter? That pod and pilot could've beam to anywhere in Starfleet or the city for that matter at will." Seven of Nine completed their next line of reasoning "We must check the Guardian of Forever." Chakotay reached out a glove and touched her shoulder, "Mr. Barclay and Ambassador Spock are there right now." "Yes, but are they searching for chronoton particles?" Seven said. "These wouldn't be recognized if a scan weren't set to detect them.." --------------------------------------------------- It wasn't long before Janeway and the away team entered Building Five. It was hard seeing much through the suspended smoke still inside the airless hanger. Without preample, Janeway checked the position of Mr. Barclay and Spock near the Guardian and then hit her helmet comm, "Don't move Reg and Spock." and she fired her phaser in a sweeping arch across large sections of the hanger's space. She found a new set of hasty time trails careening towards the gaping ring of stone in the Guardian of Forever's gateway arch. The trails extended farther and farther, being revealed by her low intensity phaser beam, until they abruptly ended while crossing the circle of nether space inside the donut of stone. "Mr. Data, your pod went back that way, into the Guardian.." Ambassador Spock was nonplussed at Janeway's earlier shout but Barclay was cowering behind a worktable, his gloved fingers peeking over one edge. The Vulcan said simply, "Fascinating.. This explains much." Mr. Barclay mumbled through his helmet, not in words, but in frightened gasps. Chakotay helped Barclay get back onto his white boots. "She wasn't firing at you, she was uncovering that time trail there, lieutenant." Reg flicked his eyes to the glowing trace flickering in the air from a point by the ceiling to his newly found friend. He swallowed and tried out his repoire with the Guardian. "uh,... why did you admit the one who entered inside of you?" he asked the old gateway. ##ALL GATEWAYS ARE OPEN. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. EGRESS IS NOT FORBIDDEN. MY MISSION HERE IS COMPLETE, THE DISASTER FATED FOR THIS WORLD HAS BEEN AVERTED.## Seven of Nine squinted as the bright flare of stone pulsing with the Guardian's words burned cooly in her eyes. "You're talking about the fire having been extinguished. We know about that. We want to know about the other who passed through.." ##A SEEKER WHO SEEKS KNOWLEDGE IS NOT DENIED THE GATEWAY. HE IS ALLOWED FULL TRAVEL AS ALWAYS. AS IT HAS BEEN, AS IT ALWAYS SHALL BE. LET ME BE YOUR GATEWAY.## Seven took an involuntary step backwards away from the Guardian when it began billowing nebulous smoke from its portal. "Is there something we should see where the traveler has gone?" But the Guardian did not answer. It only hung open, filled with mist, waiting. Janeway and Chakotay stared at Seven. "How were you able to communicate with it Seven?" Chakotay asked. Seven shrugged impatiently. "Through my nanoprobes. I injected it with some yesterday just before I came to Deanna Troi's quarters. I had....questions.." "She assimilated the Guardian of Forever.." Janeway said ruefully. "I did not. It is not a living being,...well, not one that can be altered in that way. We merely established a communications network to each other through the fire." Seven said. Janeway sighed. "I was only teasing, Seven." But then her face fell, and she motioned all of them to back away from the Guardian's open portal. Reg, was somehow strangely drawn to it, shuffling forward. Seven snagged his shoulder and snapped him out of it. "We have no orders to proceed, lieutenant." she told him. This exchange was missed by the others. Janeway knew the time had come for more to learn what they had learned. "Captain Kirk.. you've seen what we have seen through the helmet cam. Time to put our heads together." "I concur.." came Kirk's voice through all of their links. "I'll bring my team with me, including Tasha Yar. She might be able to tell us about her "jumping". And so might my lieutenant Uhura and Nurse Chapel. They've journeyed through the Guardian coming here. See you soon. Kirk out." Seven of Nine felt an odd sense of excitement fill her face. She was glad of the pitch blackness of the hanger hiding it. ::A new experience. Anything is possible through that portal. And the way is now open..:: -------------------------- (attachments) Image: Seven of Nine grinning ear to ear at you. *animated gif* A Lcars display of a forward view. Image: Data snuggling with Spot, his cat. ********************************* END WEEK SEVEN RECAP WEEK EIGHT RECAP 02-25-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Site **************************************** From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] A Little Musical Interlude Date : Wed, 27 Feb 2002 21:45:00 +0000 Uhura and Nurse Chapel were giggling together when they left Excelsior's bridge. "Oh my goodness. Did you see Mr. Sulu's face when he saw us?" Uhura laughed. Nurse Chapel smiled, "I didn't know Sulu was capable of being distracted enough to crash into the bridge railing seeing us young again.. And doesn't he look distinguished with those white sideburns. I still can't get used to seeing captain's bars on his uniform.." Uhura continued walking down the corridor. "About time he got his own ship, Christine. I wouldn't be surprised if Captain Kirk had a hand in it." "I suppose you're right, Uhura.. So, where are we going?" she asked. Uhura pointed, after consulting her tricorder for Excelsior's layout. "Sickbay. There's one Enterprise original who may not take to a new starship as easily as the rest of us. You know Leonard's dislike for all things technological. Imagine what's going to happen when the turbolift talks back to him. I feel its my duty to..soften the blow.." she said, framing dark hands in the air in front of her. They arrived and entered sickbay. It was dim lighting in the whole place. "Huh, computer..." Christine started to say. But the enhanced systems around her anticipated the ladies entrance into its vast medical bay and dutifully raised the lights. She blinked once, twice, but no Mach IV EMH met them with an introductory query. "That's strange.." "What is?" Uhura asked. Nurse Chapel scratched her chin as she considered. "Oh, ...I was just wondering why this ship's autodoc didn't meet us at the door." Uhura laughed fully. "Oh, him.. Sulu took pity on Voyager's EMH and turned off the Mach V in deference to him. He said something like, ' Anyone who gets more grumpy than McCoy defending his rights deserves a little favor in return.' ". Besides, I was under the impression that every medical staffer who saw the records of the EMH and the EMH-V squaring off on the Prometheus against the Romulans, decided discretion was the better part of valor. Haven't you noticed that Sulu's regular medical crew aren't here? They're all in the city, pulling duty instead of being there on the offchance the EMH and the EMH-V should come face to face with some emergency in the near future." Christine was genuinely puzzled. "I wouldn't know. I've never met that version of holodoc. Time travel ignorance is bliss I guess." Uhura chuckled. They headed for what appeared to be the main office and they heard heavy snoring. Amused, they snuck up and peeked inside the spacious room. Dr McCoy was dozing with his feet propped up on the desk. Already, there were four empty coffee cups and a plate of crumbs littering the desktop around his boots. "Leonard didn't waste time moving in, now did he?" Christine smiled, then her eyes swept the computer panels ringing them. "Looks like everything's still intact in here. Would you suppose he hasn't thrown anything at the computer yet in spite?" Uhura pulled Christine out of the room after her and thumbed button the door shut to let McCoy nap on. "How could he? You saw how fast the computer flicked on the lights in here. Anything he needed was probably in front of him so fast that he didn't have time to blow up about it." Nurse Chapel consulted the status board showing the away team's airlevels. "Looks like Spock and Lt. Barclay have company. Janeway's group's showing as being with them. No signature showing on the Guardian of Forever, of course.." she snorted. "And everyone's suits are registering as fully nominal. Two and a half hours air left to each." Uhura sighed, stretching into a chair in front of a table. "So, what are we going to do Christine? Twiddle our thumbs? We may be guests by the Guardian of Forever's good graces, but Starfleet isn't exactly ordering us onto an away team, are they?" Christine's face fell, "Maybe they felt like they would be intruding as much as Jim felt he would be on board Excelsior. We are Captain Kirk's crew first and foremost." Uhura said, "Yeah, well this coddled special guest is getting mighty bored. I'd give anything for a little diversion. I might even be up for playing McCoy a lullaby or two while he's sleeping. I might be able to wipe that sleeping scowl off his face." At her words, Excelsior acquiesced. A replicator nearest the two women came to life and a very familiar instrument appeared there. Both jaws on Uhura and Chapel dropped wide and they both rushed over to the slot in amazement. Uhura took out a perfect replica of Spock's personal lyre. "Now who thought of that detail? How thoughtful." "Hikaru, no doubt.." Christine said. "Remember that he's probably over his shock seeing us by now. He's being the perfect host. Guess it goes with the territory of any starship captain to visiting friends. Remember how Captain Kirk gets when friends or family visit Enterprise." "How can I forget?" Uhura said. She had resumed her seat by the conference table off to one side of the ward and quickly tuned the delicate lyre to pitch. She threw a head towards the office and Chapel craftily snuck over and cracked the panel door open so McCoy would hear her in his sleep. The dark communications officer strummed a soft chiming opening passage and the two women grinned when McCoy's snoring faded away into deeper rest as his frown lines disappeared. Christine, too, was lost in the Vulcan sounding soothing music. She only absently watched the status screen showing the away team in Building Five as it was reading out everyone's lifesigns. She sighed, "Remember that ditty you sang in the rec hall forever ago to Charlie? Now those were clever lyrics. Why, even Spock actually smiled then when you sang him as a Don Juan to "Girls in Space." Uhura grinned dreamily, captivated by her own music as she warmed up vocally, "I remember. How can I forget? Charlie took away my voice and education in a blink. Took me a week for McCoy to retrain those areas of my brain..." she shivered in memory and washed her chills away with an improvised refrain accompanied to her lyre's sweet tones. "...Oh on a hillside down on Earth... There comes a snag, a fire's birth.. Whose burning green and appetite, would try to kill us all..." Pling.. (echoing..) "But then the Guardian comes to aid, Secretly, a favor paid. And Data's head did save the day, Now a stranger comes to call... Oh, crew on Earth be wary, be wary, be wary.. Crew on Earth be wary, we know not what he'll do...." Pling.. Pluck ..Pling.. "At first the time tracks seem to be, a sign of helping reverie.. But who knows the reason they are there.. Could it be for us, another fall? How can we know the truth of things? For time flies on transparent wings... And the Guardian holds the final say.. For it can never tell us all... Oh, crew on Earth be wary, be wary, be wary.. Crew on Earth be wary, we know not what it'll do...." Christine shivered despite the warmth in the room.. "Uhura... that's ghastly.. I think I liked Charlie's song much better..." Uhura raised a hand in defense, switching her mournful melody to a lighter one Spock had taught her. "Ah, but the heart dictates the writing muse.. Christine. I guess it's reflecting how I feel right now." Christine pointed over through the observation window at Leonard. "Yeah, well, you'd better play something a little more mild or he's gonna start having nightmares..." she said, indicating a sleep twitching McCoy.. "Oh.." Uhura muttered.. and hastily started to hum a child's lullaby from her old colony until McCoy's foot gyrations went away. Christine chuckled. "Some communications officer. Scaring the life out of your listening audience." "I was so not trying to do that.." Uhura protested. She said, dancing her fingers across the replicated Vulcan lyre. Christine got a devil's look in her eye. "Care to sing it again? " and she tapped her combadge on to universal so all the away team could hear the music.. "You're on sweet throat.." Uhura sputtered briefly in surprise but then thought she could use the opportunity to get revenge on her friend in kind. But she carefully hid her expression while she did so. ::This is going to be too fun..:: she considered, eyeing up Chapel dangerously. She sang the song as she first created it and then launched into a new refrain, pegging Christine with a challenging eye. "Once more our nurse stands by his side. Full of love, for him she'll bide. It's those graying temples, distinguished eyes, that still rip the heart from you.." Christine kicked her out of audiorange, blushing five shades of red. "One knows a Vulcan's cold as ice, but our nurse says mixed blood's twice as nice. So listen up you green veined fool. She is still in love with you.." Chapel died a thousand deaths in mortification as Uhura's song filtered through to listening ears, including Spock's. "Oh, friends of mine be wary, so merry, not scary... Friends of mine be wary, for I see when love is true...." And Uhura's laugh trickled through the combadges in everyone's environmental suit before she snicked it off. Christine slugged her a good one on the arm. "You...you're impossible.. How can I face him now?" Uhura shrugged, keeping up another lullaby to keep McCoy snoozing. "Oh, come on, Christine, You have nothing to worry about. You know Spock will just go double Vulcan on us both and dismiss the matter as a petty human quirk like he always does. You can't expect me to believe he doesn't know your true feelings for him in any time period. Even the one stretching between you two now.." "That's beside the point Uhura. Teasing me about something I'll never see happen's mean." "Yeah? But fun..." "Cruel..." "Just poking in some humor to ease the away team's tensions being in vacuum. Practicing a little Uhura medicine.." "Yeah, but you don't have a medical license to practice any.." "Who says?" Uhura retorted, softly continuing play on her lyre. "I do..from one who's wearing one of these.." she thumped a hand on her chest medical insignia. "Yeah, well. I learned a lot from Counselor Troi in the last few days. Guess she's rubbing off on me." "Stick to your communication frequencies my friend." "I thought I just did,..." Uhura smiled, grinning wickedly. "Oh, you're impossible.!" Chapel sputtered. "That's McCoy rubbing off on me too Christine. Get used to it.." ------------------------- (attachments) Image: Uhura playing the lyre and singing Charlie X's song. **************************************** From : "Cory Anda" Subject :[voyagerliveaction] It's Elementary My Dear Deluded Barclay.. Date :Thu, 28 Feb 2002 01:01:46 +0000 >"One knows a Vulcan's cold as ice, >but our nurse says mixed blood's twice as nice. >So listen up you green veined fool. >She is still in love with you.." >Chapel died a thousand deaths in mortification >as Uhura's song filtered through to listening >ears, including Spock's. >"Oh, friends of mine be wary, so merry, not >scary... >Friends of mine be wary, for I see when >love is true...." >And Uhura's laugh trickled through the combadges >in everyone's environmental suit before she snicked >it off. Barclay hooted in spite of himself as Uhura's song died away in his helmet's comm audio. He struggled to keep from laughing but steam clouded his faceplate until Spock had to once again, guide him around an obstacle with a firm grip. Soon, Reg's suit fans cleared away his plexiglass. "S-Sorry sir. I.. it's just that Lt. Uhura's song. was... unexpected. I mean,.. I had no idea that you and Nurse Chapel are..." and his lips quirked in a laugh he fought to conceal. Ambassador Spock looked unperturbed in his own suit, the two lights on either side of his helmet filling Barclay's with a bright glare. "...colleagues of the oldest kind. Her emotions concerning romantic attachment towards me are misguided ones at best." Then his eyebrow went up. "I've found if I let my crewmates continue to be amused by what they think they perceive about us, they are that much more efficient in performing their duties." Reg finally gained a serious expression. "I'm sure that's very beneficial, Ambassador." and he cleared his throat. Janeway looked up and her comm frequency cut into theirs, "So... are you in love with Nurse Chapel Mr. Spock?" her tone teased. Mr. Barclay's face went through a full spectrum of mortification, amusement, embarrassment and curiosity when he found he was still on their conversation band. ::Whooo. Janeway's got immunity being a captain here. I wonder what he'll say to that..:: He carefully turned his back on the two of them while he scanned the mist filled glowing active time portal before them all. Finally, Ambassador Spock's answer came over the comm, "No more than you and Chakotay appear to be with each other captain." came the Vulcan's nonplussed reply. It was Kathryn's turn to flop her mouth open. Spock's double meaning revealing many layers of detail. "I see...We're two peas in a pod there I guess." Then she too, retreated, closing off the private comm tie to Reg and Spock. Reg rolled his eyes in shock at that answer but to his credit, did not reveal his reaction to Spock when the tall suited Vulcan came to stand beside him to give him another scanning device to record the time periods flashing by them inside the Guardian of Forever's ring of stone. He covered the fact that he had been privy to their last exchange by saying "Uh, sir. I've isolated the time periods we are seeing here. Our invisible time visitor's exit into the Guardian coincides with entering anywhere within a hundred year time span stretching from the time of Captain Archer of the first interstellar Enterprise starship to our own current time period. He could've gotten off in any decade in between those two limitations." Spock studied Reg's readings and looked up at the flashing scenes on the mist before them all. "I must concur with your observations Reginald. I, too am reading the chronoton trail as blurring over that increment as well." Janeway tried to trace where the chronoton glow was strongest inside the gateway. It seemed to be at the earliest end of Barclay's estimate. ::Archer's time? But where in there? And why?:: Kathryn looked up, her face very small inside her environmental suit. "I've seen enough here. Let's wait until Captain Kirk arrives with his team. He might be able to further pinpoint our mysterious time visitor's disembarkation point on his own. That way, we can triangulate our best guesses." Spock's eyebrow went up at that. "You disagree, Mr. Spock? That is what we're doing. Guessing where he has gone. You yourself have shared in your old logs with the Edith Keeler incident that the Guardian never reveals clear details about where travelers into its gateway have gone." "I do not disagree Captain Janeway. I simply am not used to "guesses" yet." "Bout time you learned ambassador. It's all we humans sometimes have to go on having no sense of logic as strong as a Vulcan's." she quipped. "I figured a twenty five year career with James T. Kirk got you over that guessing hurdle long ago." Spock's eye rose once again. "Indeed. It has not." Reg mumbled, "Can't undo a century of formal Vulcan logic schooling..." Seven of Nine stepped forward. "What are your orders, captain?" she asked Janeway. Janeway smiled at Seven and said, "We wait for Kirk and his group. It's not like we're running out of time here. Quite the opposite in fact, we've all the time in the world to follow our strange benefactor into that portal. I'm content to wait until we can better find out where he's gone.." Seven nodded, moving back to a lab panel. Barclay joined her and they compared plasma fire damage data on their tricorders held in their gloved hands. Reg announced, "Captain, ambassador. I'm not reading anything here that shows the power grid inside the building cannot be activated. All systems are fine if a bit sooty." "Then give us power Mr. Barclay.." Chakotay ordered. All around the suited away team and the Guardian, lights resumed but not machinery sounds as there was no air to carry them as yet. The vacuum cooling the plasma burn scorches was still in place. Computer lights and schematics came to life around them outside the Guardian's sandy hanger and the away team headed towards the control room ringing the vast Building Five interior. She could see inviting but still airless daylight through an outside window and a comforting view of one of Excelsior's landing struts in the courtyard. Sulu had taken his ship and landed it almost on top of Building Five. One chair was already invitingly angled facing the window. Janeway labelled that one as her own. ::This suit weighs a ton in normal gravity. That conference room will serve us just fine for the next stage of the game.:: Janeway pointed, "We'll meet Kirk's team in there." And she headed in the direction of that room she had spotted. Again, Barclay felt a reluctance to leave the Guardian of Forever's proximity. He felt Spock guiding him gently away. "Lt. Control your reactions. I am aware of the emotional pull the Guardian has on humans. For I've had to pull Captain Kirk back from the brink many times from the temptation to visit the past." Reg blinked through his face glass at Spock. "You mean, Captain Kirk's tried to change the outcome of Edith Keeler's death?" "No, lieutenant. He knows the timeline for her must remain as it happened for all of us to remain in existence." the ambassador explained. "I was referring to other visits here since the Guardian came to Earth." Reg watched the captivating scenes repeat before him almost too fast for his mind to view. Then he followed the rest into the main control room outside the hanger housing the Guardian's bulk. A new bleep on his tricorder snapped Reg out of his spell. "The Excelsior's moved. She's inside the city dome, landed, in the main courtyard." "I noticed." Janeway articulated. "Maybe she came to help us jumpstart Starfleet's main power grid." Reflexively, Janeway glanced at her wrist indicator reading how much air she had left inside her suit. "We'll stay a half hour longer, until Kirk's team can get up to speed on what we've found here. Then we'll rendevous on board Excelsior for a briefing on what to do next.." There were nods all around. The bulkhead sealing off the door to the Guardian's hanger closed the rest of the way and Barclay's strange urge to go into the open running gateway was snuffed out. He sagged against a console to the point that Mr. Data noticed. The android supported Reg by one glove. "Are you all right, Barclay?" "I-I'm fine.. Data. Just be glad the Guardian hasn't spoken with you yet. It has a hold over your emotions I can't explain." Janeway jerked her head in Barclay's direction at Seven and the exBorg discreetly lifescanned Reg. She shrugged. "He's fine. No O2 discrepencies at all." Seven of Nine told her in a private comm band. "Keep an eye on him. " Janeway went comm full to the rest of her team. "Let's test the transporters ability to function near the Guardian. We may need a fast exit handy if things go sour later on." "Aye captain." Data said. He began coordinating test beamings with cylinders in and around the hanger beaming them back and forth to and from Excelsior. They came and went just fine except for appearing twenty five feet away from the Guardian. Those cylinders sent there just simply stayed in place where they arrived, no returning beam being allowed to touch them presumably, by the Guardian. "There's a buffering zone of about seven and a half meters around the open gateway." he reported. "Then that's where we won't go commander." Janeway decided. "The Guardian's entitled to a front yard of sorts. We'll respect its territory." Calmly, Chakotay tractored the errant cylinders out of the no beam zone with a robot arm. The beam tests were complete and Seven of Nine mapped out the buffer zone around the Guardian and sent it to teams that needed the information. The Guardian, throughout, was unperturbed by the activity of the suited crew watching it from the control room. It simply held open its time mists and its gate, and waited without comment. ::I wish I knew what it wanted us to do.:: Janeway thought. ::I don't believe in an all inclusive invitation. Especially where time travel is concerned.:: Something of her unease must have rubbed off on her ex first officer because he licked his lips nervously whenever he glanced up through the observation window in Building Five at the Guardian. "Easy Chakotay.. If we have to, we can ask the Guardian to leave, taking the ability of that time traveler to return here with it." "Throwing away the allure of exploration so soon Kathryn?" "Not at all. I'm just a bit more cautious in my older years, Chakotay. I'm just being protective of my home turf, be it just a wayward ship or a whole planet.." she grinned ruefully. "That's my Kathryn.." he said, giving her a short hug, best he could through both their suits. He released her before anyone noticed. The move made her once again think about Uhura's impromptu song over their helmet comms a short time ago and Ambassador Spock's own answer to her daring question. ::Are we that obvious to people around us? I'm almost retired from active duty, I'm entitled to having a real romance finally after so long. I almost don't care what others may think. Almost..:: she sighed. ::Damn captain's pips. Can't be myself while wearing them at all. First moment I can. I swear I am going to invite Chakotay to dinner.:: Near them Data smiled. He had heard the quick hug behind him. Soon, only some of the weary away team had assembled into the room connecting the hanger. They sat awkwardly in the chairs in their suits. Barclay had more energy than any of them, except for Data. He began to speak in earnest about the gateway and how they might be able to pinpoint the stranger's stopoff time better with the help of a very unique advisor. But he didn't say whom he was referring to, dancing around the subject while his request for transported equipment came about. A few minutes later, Excelsior had retrieved a small device, a yellow layered cuboid with a tiny orange power cell attached, to the floor near him. Next to it, Deanna Troi's personal power holoplatform came into being. Barclay rose from his chair as the away team respectfully waited for Barclay to show them this new advisor. He toggled a switch and a holographic man in black appeared who immediately oriented on Mr. Barclay. Data rose to his feet in alarm but it was already far too late for anything to be done. SEE SOUND BITE and IMAGE. -------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Moriarty in all his evil glory. Audio : Moriarty- I have been stored in memory for god knows how long and no one has given me a second thought! *********************************** Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 01:06:20 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] Pure Political Posturing Performer Data said, "Lt. Barclay. Of all the things you've ever done that lacked good solid judgement, this by far,.."takes the cake." Captain Picard would not be pleased right now. How did you see no harm in bringing the Professor online? Yes,we can use his experience with transdimensional barriers. He once controlled the Enterprise physically, from the holodeck using fine temporal timing. And yes, he may be able to sniff out our missing time traveler from the Guardian's maze of timezones. But there's a reason why he was placed in perpetual confinement mode." Janeway felt uneasy but couldn't place it, then a name fell into place. "..Moriarty.." she whispered. "At your service, milady..." he said, sweeping Janeway's glove into his holographic hand and kissing it gallantly. "Now that I'm free, you'll all get a sample of what I'm truly capable of doing. Now,.. what is this Guardian of Timezones? It sounds like a place I might like very well indeed. If I am to be your mercenary, I expect to be fully informed of any danger that may harm my physical matrix.." Then Moriarty turned on his elegant holoheels and beheld the Guardian's glowing gateway through the observation port. "Ahh... a bridge of moving time energies. I may like this mission even better than I thought." and his eyes darkened with thinly veiled darker emotions. Barclay thought. ::Ooops.. A loose Moriarty might not be the godsend resource we're hoping for.:: and he tried to send Moriarty back into his jail cube. Nothing happened. "You see," Moriarty held out his hands widely, "I've grown stronger since our last meeting, Mr. Barclay, Data. It didn't take me long to find out the universe into which Regina and I had been trapped was an artificial one. We didn't die when our shuttle crashed in a plasma storm one day that should've ended our existences. We ended up back at the precise coordinates leaving the Enterprise D's landing bay. And I already had a memory of doing that once before. A flaw in the design.. you might say.." he said, picking up his own jail cube admiring its design. "And I thank you Mr. Barclay, for all the fond memories you've granted me. I've been elevated in understanding now, far more than I've ever thought possible. I've learned I can't trust you or Data. Not ever again. For you both have betrayed me..." Barclay mumbled. "Is this where I wake up from the horrible nightmare?" "No my dear Barclay, it's only just begun." Moriarty laughed. Janeway shouted, "Computer, erect a level ten forcefield around the holoplatform in this room. Code Janeway Lambda Three." Soon, he was surrounded by a powerful barrier. Moriarty countered, still pleasantly polite, in her own voice answered back, "Computer, deactivate forcefield. Counterorder Janeway Pi Alpha Six." And the glittering forcefield snicked out. Moriarty regained his own sinister baritone. "Now I'm not here for any sense of petty revenge. I've...outgrown that. If any human was worth his merit in honesty, that would be Picard, for he brought me my one true love,.. Regina. I simply want true freedom. I will never allow myself to be imprisoned again. And surely, in this current time and age, captain, the technology to make me fully alive must exist." Barclay bit his lip, not telling Moriarty about how true that fact was with HoloZimm and the EMH. Janeway took a risk, a bargaining chip. "It does. We will grant it to you for your cooperation." "And here comes the heroic captain's action. I've had a long time to study the phenomena since Regina lost her cohesion in a cascade failure. Mr. Barclay's jail designers at Jupiter Station failed to take into account any emergencies with our holo-lives, such as they were, in there. She died without anyone ever knowing." He took a great breath of simulated air. "And now, here I am. Back in the real world, having been freed by my jailer. Tell me, is Geordi LaForge around? He is the one who created me. No? Too bad. I wanted to share with him a few insights I have on holomortality and holomorality. He would have found it rather interesting." Chakotay had sidled up to Janeway while Moriarty rambled on. The inhuman holovillian noticed the move but found no threatening manner in it. He went on speaking to his captive audience. The exVoyager commander said, "Should we call in the EMH or HoloZimm? Perhaps being holo themselves, they can reason with Moriarty and--" he broke off when the long maned English Victorian continued his line of thought. "...try to convince me that my course of action is wrong? " Moriarty started tsking in mock sympathy. "I don't care how much their forms are like mine. Their inherent programming before they became sentient could be at fault if they have sided with you in any way." Data spoke up, "There is no us and them, Moriarty. Can we not all coexist in fellowship?" "Grandiose ideas, mannequin man. But hardly feasible. I am a man of my word, sir. And if your lady captain friend over there guarantees my continued safety, then I shall live up to harming no one. I want survival. Nothing more." he added, eyes growing harsh with fervor. "And if in this age, I become a mercenary for you inside that gateway of timezones, then so be it." Janeway took several measured steps in Moriarty's direction, making sure he could see both her tricorder and her phaser were away from her gloved hands spread away from her body. "I give my oath that I will not allow your freedom to be impinged in any way..." Then she added her condition. "So long as you don't ever harm another living soul around you. Starfleet rules, starfleet methods while you're in there.." she said, pointing to the Guardian's glowing circle of stone. "Done.." Moriarty said simply. And all malice left his holobody and manner fully. "Oh, how I love a woman in power. They've elevated piety to an exquisite level. Regina would have admired you Lady Captain Kathryn. I salute you." ::Just like that?:: Janeway wondered. ::Victorian bravado is undone? :: And yet, she was convinced when Moriarty suddenly handed her his holoprison cube and generator and closed her glove's grip over it. "I am your ally milady. I'd rather live accepted in free society than be ruled fighting against it." he added with a slight bow. Janeway didn't take her level gaze off of his. "You will obey my fellow officers for this mission?" "Yes, as long as they aren't the android nor the klutz. They have proven their deceit upon me. That hologenerator in your hand is proof of that wrongdoing." Moriarty said, glaring at Data and Barclay. "Those two simply have no sense of honor at all." Janeway didn't miss Barclay's subtle nod of denial. ::Clearly, they have another side of the story to tell. Something I'll investigate later. Right now, I need to end the temporal threat to Starfleet first and deal with holographic rights and issues later. "Thankyou for trusting me with this module. My officers will protect it as a critically sensitive system." And she handed the yellow and orange wafered device to Chakotay, who in turn, gave it to a security man he had summoned. "Keep this away from Mr. Data and Mr. Barclay. Is that understood?" he asked the young enviro suited man. "Yessir!" he replied. Chakotay turned to Moriarty. "Satisfied?" "Yes. For your captain has given me her sworn oath to me and thus, I have yours as well." the Victorian holoman reasoned. He settled into one of the conference room chairs comfortably, oblivious to the vacuum around him. "Come, come. Have a seat all. I come to think of myself these days as being more bluster than bite. We have a lot of planning to do if we are to catch your elusive time traveler." He studied a pocket watch. "And we haven't much time before your air runs out. T minus thirty seven minutes and counting.." Seven of Nine regarded Moriarty and wasn't impressed. "Laying threats to gain compliant behavior in your rivals is an action void of honor." "It worked.." Moriarty exclaimed. Then aside to Janeway, "This from the ex Borg, maam. How two-faced." Data remained silent throughout the exchange. There wasn't a point to get involved with his ship's old adversary. So he concentrated on summoning the EMH and HoloZimm to Building Five to meet Moriarty. Whatever a higher ranking officer ordered him, would be what he followed, as his duty. Inwardly, alarms bells were going off inside Data's mind. ::Don't trust him. Don't you dare.:: Something very subtle but mutually exchanged between Data and Seven, a pact to defend their shipmates against Moriarty should he turn on them. And Seven knew just how to do it. ::My nanoprobes can strip any holocharacter from their physical senses, rendering them blind paralyzed and deaf on a whim. I will be backup security on him.:: The EMH and HoloZimm sizzled into being. Moriarty, despite his serious demeanor, was visibly moved into rising from his seat by the sight of two living Holograms. "Sirs.. this is a tremendous honor. I, am Professor Moriarty, now a colleague to your charming captain.." he said, indicating Janeway, where she stood ramrod still, in her lifesuit. The EMH and HoloZimm warmly greeted the Victorian before the feeling in the room became obvious to them. "Captain.." the EMH began.. "Is everything all right?" Janeway replied, "For the moment.. I have made this hologram a promise to safeguard his program until we can find a way to make him fully sentient and mobile. Help me to do so, doctor, and HoloZimm, while you're here. Moriarty is now our scout into the Guardian. He will search out our mysterious vanishing Time Traveler in return for that research." HoloZimm noticed the yellow wafered box in the guards hands. "So that is where you're emanating from.. How cute.." he said to the watchful Moriarty. "I remember my holomodule days. Until Barclay recreated my holoemit--" Janeway cleared her throat loudly. The EMH lookalike hushed up very quickly."Captain. Don't tell me you're coming down with a cold. That's the second one in a month.." he lied. Moriarty missed the deflection, instead becoming fascinated with the schematics of the time trails the away team had unveiled. "So he's been helping you out during critical moments...." he concluded. "How'd you know?" Chakotay asked. "These trails are only along major power conduit routes, such as the one in your main Command Area. His signature, as you call it, is only rising off of the defensive switching attached to the powergrid. A saboteur would have fussed with the main switch.. causing an overload, not a blackout." Moriarty reasoned. Janeway's gut told her the same thing. "Don't mind if I get another captain's opinion on all of this?" she asked the Professor. "Not at all... I want your aid in becoming fully alive, that is my stake here. Bring in anyone you wish, captain." Moriarty confirmed. "I think I will." Janeway coolly tapped her combadge to James T. "Janeway to Kirk. It's rendevous time. I've encountered someone new here whose says he wants to help us locate the time traveler. " "That's odd, I'm not reading any other lifesigns at your location, only a slaved holographic character.." "That's him, captain." Janeway said watching the Professor fight his angry retort out loud to Kirk for that remark. "Get yourself and your team here as soon as you can. He's going in for us at any rate.." "Understood." Kirk replied, a curiosity filling his voice. "We'll be there in two." And soon, they were. ------------------------------ (attachments) Image: Seven of Nine with a rifle and the EMH, looking worried. Image: Data in black and white. Image: HoloZimm in a gray labcoat. ************************************** From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Uneasy Table Truce~~ Date : Sat, 09 Mar 2002 19:00:08 +0000 >"Janeway to Kirk. It's rendevous time. >I've encountered someone new here >whose says he wants to help us locate >the time traveler. " >"That's odd, I'm not reading any other lifesigns >at your location, only a slaved holographic >character.." >"That's him, captain." Janeway said watching >the Professor fight his angry retort out loud >to Kirk for that remark. "Get yourself and your >team here as soon as you can. He's going >in for us at any rate.." >"Understood." Kirk replied, a curiosity filling >his voice. "We'll be there in two." >And soon, they were. Captain Kirk and Tasha Yar along with Uhura made good time getting to Building Five and the blazing Guardian of Forever he could see. ::Why didn't I feel the Guardian opening up its gateway? :: But then he felt ruefully ashamed of his thoughts. ::Why should I feel like the Guardian came to Earth just for my benefit. It came to make it possible for us to end that fire.:: The suit about him felt bulky, sparking off memories of when he had been trapped in Tholian space, adrift. He shrugged down the annoying sensation. As he made his way over to Janeway and her party, he noticed to whom Janeway had referenced. He wasn't wearing an environmental suit. "Just who in the world is that?" Just ahead of him, Kirk saw Tasha Yar move between him and the strange Victorian man who seemed just a bit off on reactions and body english from the human norm. ::A hologram. I wonder where he cropped up?:: But then he knew the answer. Mr. Barclay was inspecting areas of the big hanger already powered up unnecessarily on his tricorder. Kirk smiled at his discomforture not unkindly. He spoke up, "Now that the cavalry's arrived, would someone like to get me up to speed?" He saw Janeway and the others turn in their suits in the dim glow of the panels around them. The swirling silent hurricane of white inside the Guardian caused a surge of excitement deep inside Kirk, but he kept his eyes averted firmly. "Glad you're here, captain." Janeway said. "Shall we reconvene in that conference room over there? I don't know about you. But getting out of this suit's high on my list of priorities. Even my nose is itchy being so near the Guardian's gate." Kirk had to ask. "On just what time periods is the Guardian focused on this time?" Janeway quirked an ironic look as the three holos, and the suited team made their way into the airlock out of the hanger's main space into the prepared conference room. "Right at the beginning. From Archer's time. The tachyon traces concentrate as having deviated there." "Captain Archer's?" Kirk mumbled. "Now there's a time frought with danger." Then he smiled, "The first Enterprise launched into the stars...." "Excuse me?" Yar said. "Nothing lieutenant." Kirk replied. "I was just,.. thinking out loud." One by one, the rest of the team went through the airlock to the room containing the table and chairs. Data had restored a tiny pocket of atmosphere only in that room for their benefit once having been sure that no plasma fire sparks remained to ignite the introduced air. Moriarity got up, and simply walked through the windowed bulkhead and straight for the replicator. "How interesting. A matter energy transference unit. Tell me, can this recreate anything?" Kirk glanced around the room but shed his suit down to the waist. "Your knowledge of our technology's remarkable, sir, in one apparently from ancient London." Moriarty regarded the others as they, too, shrugged out of their helmets and suit tops. Janeway had taken the chair she had seen from the hanger with a great sigh of relief. Then he pegged Kirk with a stare. "Outward looks can be deceiving, captain. But, then again, I am no ordinary English gentleman." And he turned back to the food slot. He called out. "Six coffees, black. No sugar." There was a ripple of unexpected reaction from everyone when the machine obeyed the hologram. Kirk rose to his feet, "That's not possible." "Oh but I assure you, it is, my dear captain. I am not you're ordinary garden variety hologram. I, am fully sentient, such as our gallant Mr. Data here. I have much to thank the absent Picard for that. He shaped most of who and what I am most extraordinarily. You see, I am alive, in my own mind and thusly, to the machines of this time period.It makes perfect sense." Moriarty walked with the grey styrofoam cups and he set one in front of each officer, Uhura, Spock, Janeway, Kirk, Yar and Barclay and Seven. Then he turned to Data and the two EMH appearing fellows. "What'll it be? I'm at a loss to know what sentient nonhumanoids prefer here." The EMH snorted. "No thanks." he said sarcastically. Holozimm, in contrast, spoke up eagerly. "In my weeks inside the hologrid, I developed a taste for a particular favorite. Professor, if you will, dial up Beaker fortynine beta, please. Data, you might like this one. It's loaded with ketones and reverse spiraled amino acids. Quite an olfactory blend." "Two then.." Moriarty said, and the drinks appeared. Yar pointedly did not drink her beverage. "Moriarty. I remember you well. You gloss overt politeness just ahead of a move to betray. Often." "My dear girl." Moriarty said, taking his seat and removing a flask of holosherry from his lapel. He took her cup and dumped it on the floor. "That was who I was. Before my beloved and I felt the sweetness of life and freedom. Now, all I want is to survive. And like you humanoids do, us holos must stick together..It behooves me to ...get along..." and he poured a bit of his unreal port into a cup and raised it into a toast to HoloZimm and the suspicious EMH. Being ever the innocent, HoloZimm exclaimed, "Hear, hear.." No one else toasted Moriarty along with him. Moriarty shrugged. "Ah, well, so much for cordial behaviors. I guess I'll stick with the strictly business ones. But I assure you both, captains, that a deal is a deal. My Victorian sensibilities dictate fully, that I honor our agreement to the letter. Foolproof, I'd say, since it is my very life at stake here." Janeway had been silent through the whole exchange. Now she brought Kirk and Yar up to par. "Moriarty. I intend to trade you research on maintaining your personal integrity program indefinitely for your help in tracking down our mysterious time traveling guest. I will personally see that this occurs once this is all over. You have my word as a Starfleet Captain." "Ah, but I've heard those words before, Ms Janeway. From Picard. And he had his people, through Data here, imprison me inside a holouniverse. He never bothered to check on Regina and I and she died for it." "Regretful, sir. But hardly an issue to blame me for. Mr. Data was acting on orders." Janeway said coolly. Moriarty struggled to contain himself subtly, but then he sat, too, in a conference chair inside the silver room overlooking the hanger. "Very true. Forgive me for misspeaking myself. I am still grieving for my beloved." Kirk changed the subject. "I know the power of the Guardian. I've passed through it myself to save a friend ....once. It is difficult to pinpoint any specific along that continuous timeline. Half a moment and you can misshoot your target jump by days." "Ah, but you're forgetting one thing, captain." Moriarty told him. "I have no flesh to slow me down. I will not miss. All I need is the coordinates where the time traveler's pod is emanating the strongest, and I'll get there. Just show me...where...." Lt. Yar was curious. "Moriarty. Just how are you maintaining your integrity off Deanna's hologrid platform?" Moriarty pointed to the guard Janeway had ordered to watch his holocube jail module. "As long as I remain within twenty meters of that, I can manifest safely, outside." Yar blinked, "But what'll happen when you go inside the Guardian of Forever?" "That, is a problem that needs to be addressed more fully." Janeway kept her eyes from flickering to the mutual holoemitters on the EMH and HoloZimm's shoulders. That was an absolute freedom she wasn't about to hand over to Moriarty no matter how he promised to behave. So she provided an alternative. "Captain Kirk. Is Mr. Scott handy? You claim he is a miracle worker. I don't doubt that your engineer can provide an answer for us." Captain Kirk hailed Mr. Scott. "Scotty. Front and center. Building Five conference room. Bring a Byte, too. You'll need it. Kirk out." Moriarty looked puzzled. His grasp on idiom was good but he misunderstood Kirk's lingo. "Bite, captain? But he needn't bring a meal with. There's that charming food slot over there." Kirk smiled slightly, "That wasn't the "byte" I was referring too." Lt Yar sat quietly in her chair and didn't like the way Moriarty cast his eyes about. ::It's as if he's analyzing weaknesses. D*mn it, I'm a security chief. This whole situation just doesn't feel right to me.:: She decided to keep one hand on the phaser tucked into her suit leg holster and her gaze on the holo's face. ::Looks like Seven's just as on guard as I am. So much the better.:: Tasha kept the Gateway in view, too. But the great stone passage was the very rock of patience. Staying silent and repeating the time interval showing traces of the traveler's pod where the emissions were the clearest. "I'd give anything to go along with Moriarty on this hunt of his.. I'd sleep better at night knowing where and when, he is.." Kirk overheard his lieutenant aide. "I'm intending for those who want to go, to follow him, Lt. while some of us stays here to monitor. We don't know the whole story of that time pod yet and until we do, I want all the bases covered." Yar flushed red when she realized her thoughts were spoken aloud. "Yes, sir." Kirk turned to the ten seated forms in front of him. "Now, let's lay a ground plan for a trip...into the past. Thanks to holoinstincts, this may not be such a needle in a haystack as we first thought. Any ideas?" ----------------------- (attachments) Image : Kirk publicity shot. *animated gif* Four ships viewed on a computer screen. Nice effect. ******************************************* From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Double Trouble Date :Sun, 10 Mar 2002 00:30:28 +0400 Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi were hip deep in their appointment scheduling in Excelsior's officer's lounge when Deanna gasped. Beverly's head immediately shot up. "Deanna..?" "Just a minute..." Troi replied, closing her eyes and sorting through impressions. A unpleasant press on her emotions cast a face into her memory. She rose to her feet. "Oh, no. He's back.." Dr. Crusher set aside the datapadd she had been reading. "Who's back? Q?" "Almost as bad. Moriarty. I felt him "start" about twenty seconds ago." Troi said. Dr. Crusher shrugged. "I thought we solved that little problem shutting him and his lady friend away into a hololooping module." "So did I. But he's definitely here. Close by." Deanna's stack of appointment padds went forgotten as she tapped her combadge. "Troi to Command. We've got company. I don't know where but it's a holomatrix named Moriarty, a fully quarantined holo risk. He's escaped somehow. I feel he's inside the city dome." A high ranking admiral cut into her frequency from Excelsior's bridge. "Relax counselor, smooth down those hackles. We know he's there. We authorized Mr. Barclay to reactivate him for use in an investigation in Building Five." Deanna's mouth flopped open. "Sir, I don't feel we can trust him. I'm reading true emotion off of him and not many of them are very accomodating right now." "Seven of Nine is under orders to eradicate the threat should he prove unreliable. Command out." and the frequency on her badge clicked shut. Beverly's eyes went real big. "Ever feel out of the loop?" "Often. It's even worse when you can feel that loop twisting in your empathic sense. Time traveler or not, Moriarty's not my first choice of a resource for an investigation." Deanna admitted. "I know how you feel." she said, shivering a chill of memory. "Captain Picard was this close to terminating that holomatrix the second time around." and she held up two miniscule pinched fingers. "It was only Barclay and Data's neater solution that convinced him away from that outcome. I'd say program death would have been better." "Beverly.." Deanna admonished. "You're a doctor. I can't believe you just said that." "A hologram with heightened strength, a genius with a touch of homicidal megalomania? I stand by my words. Moriarty's not a simple EMH to turn off or on at will. Don't forget who we're dealing with here." Deanna slumped into her chair. "We're not dealing with him, the away team in Building Five is doing that. We're on the sidelines this time." "I prefer that.." Beverly said. A beep drew her attention to the life monitor set on every party in the dome's suit transponders. "Oh, good. Janeway's group is in an erected air pocket. It'll buy time on their airpacks." Deanna studied the readings she was just barely able to understand. "Why are the packs only good for six hours? I thought we have envirosuit designs that can last for days on airflow." "Ah, but these are terrestrial suits. And we've gravity to deal with. No one can handle air tanks that big down here. Hence the six hour ones here." she said tapping a stylus on the computer screen. Deanna pushed locks of thick dark hair back over her shoulders."Huh. I hadn't thought of that. How are they doing?" Beverly studied the readouts on each and said, "Barclay's a little low on air. It's those anxiety attacks he's trying to hide from everyone. How's your barometer on him?" "He's fine. Calmer." Deanna said, zeroing in on Barclay. "Strange for him. This level headedness began the moment he claimed the Guardian spoke with him last night." "Do you believe him?" the red headed doctor said, perching a hip on the edge of the table top. "What else could explain Barclay's pacification? I don't think there's anything outside of a phaser stun that could calm him down normally.." Beverly chuckled. Then she took a head count of those now in Building Five. All of Excelsior's sensors were now trained on that area. They had been ever since the Guardian opened its portal invitation. ::Let's see. Seven, Data, Kirk, Lt. Yar, Barclay, Spock, Chakotay, Janeway..." "And Uhura.." Deanna added, "Kirk called her away with him just a few minutes ago when he reported to Janeway's hail." "That's nine...and the HoloZimm, Moriarty and the EMH and that security guard Janeway requested makes the total on our monitors to thirteen. An auspicious number." Deanna sat back down in her chair with a very full tea mug filled to the brim. "Don't tell me you're superstitious. That number thirteen mythos is a very old one." "I'm not." Beverly said without conviction. "Maybe it's your alarm over Moriarty getting to me finally." "Doctor, rein in that imagined empathy. That's my department here." she laughed. Dr. Crusher leaned in on the table top until she was close to Deanna. "All right. I will if you will. Human intuition against Betazed empathy any day's a match pound for pound in my book." "You're on.." Deanna said. "Say, that reminds me. It's my turn to bug Boothby into telling me what his real Starfleet rank is. Where is he now?" Beverly switched computer screens. "He's, in the park reserves to the north of the city dome near two lifeforms.. Animal from the look of it. A rabbit.. and a ...tribble?" "Well I'll be..." Troi smiled. "He's found Dr. McCoy's little stowaway. So, that's where I'm headed. I can't concentrate on these appointments like I should. I doubt any one of our patients would insist on their weekly visits in the face of this Starfleet blackout." "Another excuse to not do reports is it? " Beverly said. "Sounds like a good one to me. I'm going with you. I could use some fresh air." and she tapped her combadge. "Computer. Route all away team lifescans to my signal. If there are any deviations from the norm, notify me and Counselor Troi at once." ##Routing remote bioflag monitoring to combadges Troi and Crusher. Link established.# "There." Bev said brightly. "Shall we continue our little bet? Boothby's awaiting.." "I'm ready.." Troi said. "The holodoc may have failed in his little information quest but I..am a Betazed." "Half Betazed.." Bev coughed as they made their way to Excelsior's transporter room. "Half's enough." Deanna chuckled. "If anyone can find out the answer everyone wants to know about Boothby. It'll be me.." "You're forgetting the charming bedside manner Starfleet's chief medical officer possesses." Beverly said. "That, along with a hypospray of truth serum.." Deanna murmured. "Deanna! I'd never drug someone against their will." "No. But you might to win this bet." Deanna challenged. "Never fear of that. I've my honor to uphold." "There's always a first time.." Beverly's eyes flickered sharply in mock chiding. "Look,,.. nothing up my sleeves.." and she pantomimed displaying her labcoat sleeves and pockets in magician's fashion to her friend. "And I'll let you, hold the standard away from site medkit." "I'll trust you then.." Deanna said. "And I promise not to use my empathic sense to divine the truthful answers from the blustery ones." "Then we're set then." "Right." "So where is he?" Dr. Crusher said, shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun as they transported outside the city dome from the Excelsior. Deanna looked about. All they could see was two depressions in the grass where tribble and rabbit had once rested. They looked remarkably like humanoid butt prints. "Oh, my. Looks like the EMH went so far as to letting himself be throttled by Boothby." and she laughed. "He did?" Beverly said. "Why that cheater.." "What.. the EMH's a hologram. He didn't use his augmented strength, nor change his appearance for the conditions of the bet. I'd say that tactic was pretty clever.. Even though it failed." Deanna smirked, rolling a tongue in her cheek in amusement. Beverly saw a dark patch of movement in the lower end of the meadow. It was Boothby. And he was lying on his back in the sun. The two women ran quickly to his side. "Boothby!!" The wizened man hid discomfort and tried to arrange laced fingers behind his head to feign relaxation, but it didn't work. "Nice day for a nap. Just felt like taking one." Beverly had out her tricorder, and scanned him. "Uh huh.." she said skeptically. "What happened?" "That d*mned tribble and rabbit decided to play tag figure eighting around my ankles. I lost my balance trying to keep from stepping on them and fell on my..." "I see it... Come on conscientious man, on your feet. We'll help you to the beam out coordinates. Deanna and I will help you there." Deanna took Boothby's other arm and the man painfully got to his feet. It was obvious that his rear was bothering him immensely. But it wasn't beneath Troi to tease nonetheless. "Don't you know that it's impossible to step on a tribble. They just ooze right out of the way in the last second. " "Yeah?" Boothby snapped, groaning as the woman took his weight. "It wasn't the tribble I was avoiding. The rabbit's a young one and not very agile yet." "Uh huh..." Beverly said. "Nothing's broken but you have one h&ll of a bruise across eighty five percent of both buttch--" "That's enough details, doctor. Respect my privacy until after we get to sickbay.." Boothby said, blushing redder than the meadow flowers around him. "You know I have to report this injury in my logs." "I know that.." "And we have to know basic information such as age, any previously existing medical conditions,... rank.." Deanna looked up sharply. Her friend had outfoxed her. Boothby countered. "The first two are in my file, the last is classified. You know better than to ask.." Beverly Crusher dropped her front. "Oh, come on, you can tell me." "And break a senior officer confidence?" Boothby snapped. "So,..you're a senior officer.." Deanna said as the three of them hobbled along towards the Excelsior's beam in coordinates. "Never said that. I...was referring to the fact that classified information is a senior officer confidence, and you two gals are senior officers..." Boothby said. A bright flash of fur startled all of them and a bobbing tail bounced away from them. "There's the little bugger. You'd better run.. If I catch you in my new gardens in a few weeks, I'll use you as a hatband..!" Boothby shook a fist at the fleeing leptus. "Boothby..." both women chided. "All right. I'll just shoo it off." "Promise?? " Beverly added. "As sure as my bottom's bruised.." Boothby grumbled. "What about after that's fixed?" Deanna wanted to know. "Oh, for Pete's sake, I've never killed anything with fur or skin in all my life." Boothby said. "No, just the winged, chitin shelled, flying kind." Troi quipped. "Bugs are different!! They shred my flowers.." "Uh huh..." Beverly said sarcastically. "Here we are, now get your feet under you. Grass is about to turn to close carpetting when we arrive in sickbay. Computer. Three to beam directly to sickbay..." Before the three of them disappeared, another furred blur shot into the sparkles with them and all of them disappeared onto the starship landed inside the airless city dome. ---------------------------------- (attachments) Image : Troi stern close in blue dress. Image: Crusher with her face lit up. Image: The tribble in the park. ************************************* From : "Cory Anda" Subject : [voyagerlvieaction] Interlude on Excelsior Date : Sun, 10 Mar 2002 13:01:59 +0000 Reg sat, partly frightened, and still partly calmed by the subtle influence of the Guardian of Forever on his emotions. Moriarty was no longer anything like the foe he had helped lock away from reality. But neither was Reg driven to converse much with his old adversary. He heard Kirk and Yar learn the facts they had needed to and then he heard the order the Enterprise captain gave Mr. Scott to rendevous with Byte, the tiny silkie probe. ::Now that's a thought. Good security cover. Keep Moriarty from learning about the EMH's and HoloZimm's portable emitter. We can use Byte to keep Moriarty online once he crosses into the time portal after the travel pod.:: He watched Mr. Spock as his mentor steepled fingers in front of him as he sat. His hair was rumpled, having been pressed into his air helmet, but that in no way made the ambassador any less dignified. Mr. Spock spoke aloud to all. "Now that we've come up with preliminary information, I suggest we rendevous back to the Excelsior for a period of rest and reprovisioning. Getting set for a time jump will, ironically, take time preparing." Chakotay chuckled, "That much is true. I'm for it. I could use a good sonic shower or two. " Janeway looked up when Kirk nodded. "Very well. Let's report to Excelsior and then back here in the morning. Seven, would you ask the Guardian to inform us if our mysterious time visitor decides to pay us a second port of call?" "Yes, captain." the tall blond exBorg said. "Already done. It will do so." Kirk rose along with the others as Janeway called for a mass group beam to Sulu's flagship. He added before the beam took hold, "Mr. Scott will know where we've gone. He's tied into our comm frequencies." Soon, the three holograms, and the eight crew were safely on board Excelsior's main transporter room. The duty officer at the controls nodded at the sight of Janeway and Kirk. "Sirs. Welcome aboard." "As you were.." Janeway said. She turned to the others and said, "We'll meet back here at O600 tommorrow morning. Use this time to rest and get something to eat." She nodded subtly to the guard watching Moriarty's holocube module for him to stay on duty and to accompany the hologram so he'd have mobility on the ship. The guard gave her a return nod letting his red haired superior know that he had all contingencies covered. Reg hardly even saw the officers scatter in different directions. The EMH and HoloZimm just learned about Boothby's arrival to sickbay as a patient and the two of them winked out to attend to the matter. But he did notice Moriarty's expression as he noted just how much more advanced Excelsior was compared to the memory of the Enterprise D in his head. "This is simply remarkable." the dark suited holoman said. He looked at Barclay, who was the last person in the room with him excluding his attendant security guard. "Tell me, have many years past since my incarceration? There's hardly anything I recognize in designs here. Even this distance traveling unit is new to me." Reg showed some caution, answering him. "Shall I take you to the VIP guest quarters? You'll be more comfortable there while you wait until morning for your mission." Moriarty bowed fractionally. "I'm sure my very large friend here knows the way. Don't let me keep you. Although I'll admit a desire to stay near the other two living holograms.." "P-Pardon me?" Barclay stuttered, "O-Oh, you mean the EMH and HoloZimm. Sorry, but they've gone to help on a medical call." "So I've heard." Moriarty said, smiling. "I do hope your gardener will recover quickly." That surprised Barclay. "H-how did you learn that?" "Didn't you hear the EMH get his bioflag report from the fair Dr. Crusher? She spoke aloud not a short time ago." Moriarty said. Reg wasn't about to admit that he had been tuning out his surroundings with worry over Moriarty. "So you say..." he said vaguely. "Until tommorrow, 0600?" "Until then Mr. Reginald. I look forward to our next meeting.." Barclay couldn't get out of the transporter room fast enough. He managed to run far enough ahead that he didn't see the security guard nor Moriarty as they headed to the VIP quarters set aside for him. Looking back behind him as he hurried caused him to miss what was in front of him and he nearly collided with Mr. Spock, calmly walking to his assigned quarters. He pinwheeled on his boot toes but successfully avoided body slamming the ambassador. Mr. Spock raised an eyebrow. "Is everything all right, Mr. Barclay?" "Huh? Oh,..uh yes, Mr. Spock. I was...I was just..thinking too much." "Remember the exercises I taught you this evening, your ability to meditate may help you sleep tonight. I have full confidence that you can obtain enough internal stillness to do so." Spock told his aide. "I..I will remember. Tell me, uh, Mr. Spock. Just who do you think our time traveler is? Surely you must have theories regarding that. And don't tell me there isn't enough evidence to come to a conclusion, uh, sir. Because I know better." Mr. Spock paused outside his quarters. "I took the liberty of having our two quarters ajoining. It seems logical that I should wake you at the proper time tommorrow for the away mission." "Uh, that'll be fine sir.. But you're avoiding my question.." Reg said. Spock shrugged off his outer robing and folded it neatly over his arm as he toggled the door switch into his quarters. "I have given it some thought. After careful consideration, there's only one conclusion possible." "What's that, sir?" "There has only been one time traveler who's been beneficial to the Starfleet officers who've encountered him. I'm surprised you haven't thought of him although he may have visited the Enterprise D before your time." Barclay mulled over that idea, still puzzled. He scratched his head. Spock elaborated, "I am referring to the Traveler. The one who rescued Dr. Crusher from a finite pocket universe. If he is still in Wesley Crusher's acquaintance, that would explain his fortunate presence at the fire's start shutting down our power grid." That idea went off inside Barclay's head like a bombshell. "You know, that may very well be true sir. We really don't know where Wesley and the Traveler are now. That makes sense. It makes very clear sense." "It is logical, however, I have very little physical evidence to prove my hypothesis." the older ambassador admitted. "Something will turn up, Mr. Spock. It always does." Reg sighed. "Good night, Reginald." "Good night, sir." Reg watched as Mr. Spock went inside his quarters and then he went the few paces down the hall to his own adjacent door. He palmed the entry pad, thoughtfully and waved on the lights. Sighing, he peeled off his boots as he sat on the bed. He groaned when the chronometer told him that it was only two in the afternoon. But the soft sleeping mattress made him feel the long night he had been awake and instantly, Reg toppled into sleep. He was snoring even before his head hit the silver sheets. ------------- In the next cabin, Mr. Spock was already meditating. Thoughts passed through his mind in careful constructions until an illogical one drove away the structured, scientific ones. ::Captain Kirk will not like being aboard Excelsior. No doubt Captain Sulu will only exacerbate Jim's own shipless captain's status unintentionally.:: He carefully hit his chest pin. "Spock to Captain Kirk." "Kirk here." came the instant, ready reply. Spock paused long while he composed just the right words to say. "I shall be unoccupied for five point three hours should you....want to discuss contingencies with me. I am in my quarters." Kirk saw right through the veiled statement. "I appreciate it Spock, you're a good friend. But I'll be fine until morning. I've sealed off my access to the bridge in all the turbo lifts..." Spock could hear the amusement in Kirk's voice and understood it for what it was. But he played along. "I shall backup that reinforcement with security measures of my own. You will not disgrace yourself in front of Sulu by acting pure captain on his ship." he added, spinning a little tone of lightness into his sentence he knew Kirk could not miss. Kirk said, "See you at 0600." "Until then captain." Spock was able to meditate after that without interruption as all was right with his world and his friends, at least, for the moment. --------------------- Janeway and Chakotay were also in their quarters. She sighed, shrugging off boots and uniform in the other room. She peeked around the corner, using the wall as a shield. "I claim first dibs on the shower. Rank has privilege." "Fine by me. I'll have your coffee ready when you get out." A curl of roasted coffee beans reached her from where she stood. "You devil! You know I wanted a cup the whole time under the city dome." "Hurry with that shower and this, is yours." and he sipped it just for spite. Kathryn's head disappeared so fast Chakotay felt the resultant breeze. Soon, he heard the humming of the sonic shower heads. He raised his voice as he read the datapadd report Mr. Barclay had taken of the video images and data of the time periods looping inside the Guardian's gate. "Kathryn. If we do end up in Captain Archer's time. Are you going to pay a visit?" "We'll cross that bridge if we come to it.." Janeway said loudly. "Though I'm tempted." "So am I. It would be an honor to meet such a legendary pioneer." He smiled as Janeway started humming absently while she bathed like she always did. "Ah, but the Temporal Prime directive states.." "..the prime directive be d*mned.." Janeway said, suddenly appearing in a gray robe, skin tingled with fresh red from the sonics, "Give me that...." and she intercepted the coffeecup he was about to bring to his lips while he talked and she downed half of it in two gulps despite its steaming temperature. Chakotay chuckled, tossing the padd onto the glass couch table and walking over to the food slot to get himself the tea he really wanted. Belated he added, "Careful. It's hot." Janeway curled up on the couch, tucking her bare feet under herself as she reached over and procured the padd her first officer had abandoned. She peered over the rim of her coffee mug while she scanned the information. "Never too hot or cold, I'd say." "About the coffee?" "No." she grinned. "About breaking the Temporal Prime Directive. Maybe the Guardian can prevent paradox in other time zones like it did for us during the fire when it brought us Uhura and the others. Only WE'D be the ones out of period in that time." "Perish the thought. I don't know about you. But I'm going to stay here on Earth." "Losing your sense of adventure along with the black in your hair in your old age?" "I'd say the silver's imparting a healthy wisdom to show caution, and its winning the battle." "Want some advice? After your shower, dye it back. It won't be the same without you." "You're going through the gate with Moriarty?" "Of course. Kirk's going to need all the support he can get." Janeway said. "Hmm.. I'll have to think on it." "Let me know by morning. I'd like to think my old crew still rallies to my side from time to time." "Oooo is that a pun?" Kathryn laughed. "Go clean up. I claim the couch for a nap." "Not a chance, Kathryn.." Chakotay said. It was his turn to peek around the wall while he stripped his sweaty uniform. "Whatever happened to Victorian gallantry?" "That soured a bit when I met Moriarty. My decision stands.." Chakotay shrugged and he retreated out of sight. Moments later, she heard the sonics start up as he cleaned off. Her head was dropping onto her chest with a severe case of the sleepies when a motion drew her eyes open again. Chakotay padded into the main room wearing a matching gray robe and he was sporting a new hair color. All black. "Chakotay, I was only kidding..." "Oh, really? Sounded like an order to me." and he sat on the edge of the couch next to her, pulling the padd out of her fingers with a mischievious grin. "Now I'm giving you one, also, as a friend. Take a nap.." and he pulled her down onto a pillow he neatly placed to catch her head as he yanked her over. A throw blanket covered her shoulders moments later and he got back up again, standing over her, glaring with hands on his hips. "That's my stance Chakotay. I forbid you to use it.." she said without sting. "I use what works. Now hush. You're tired from our all nighter in the city dome." "Pushy Maquis." "Stubborn Starfleet." Kathryn was fully asleep before his smile filled his face at their teasing banter. He pulled the blanket up around her shoulders a little farther and whispered. "Sweet dreams, Kathryn.." Chakotay went into the other room and lay down to rest as well. ------------------- Kathryn was dreaming of the white swirling mist of the beckoning gateway. A gentle presence appeared next to her as she walked with invisible feet. "Greetings Voyager captain. We finally meet in person." Janeway looked up in startlement to a gray purplish face that was framed with kind, patient lines a head taller than her own. A familiar sparkle was in the air, dancing around him. ::The chronoton traces!!:: She had found her mysterious time traveler. "Just who the h*ll are you to go mucking about with Starfleet's powergrid?" "Wesley's told me so much about your fine world and city. I just couldn't stand by and watch the plasma fire destroy such elegance. Forgive me...." he held out a hand that had only two thick fingers and a thumb. "Let me introduce myself. I am called, in your words,... as the Traveler and I'm so very glad you came to meet me." Instantly, Janeway shot awake on the couch and she whirled about in the darkened quarters. It was nine hours later, and night had fallen over the landed starship. Comforting stars winked at her from the port window in the cabin, telling her the lateness of the hour. ::Now that, was some carnival ride. Too bad it wasn't real.:: Little did she know how real the experience had been. -------------------------- (attachments) Image: The Traveler next to a warp core.. Gif: Janeway and Chakotay on a book cover Saying: Janeway Chakotay Tales. Image: Janeway in her quarters in off duty turtle neck gray. Image: Spock in a close up. ******************************* From : "patti keiper" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Cheek Art Date : Sun, 10 Mar 2002 19:33:48 +0000 Dr. McCoy was awake even before the transporter beam ended. "What? What?" he said, stumbling out of the office in Excelsior's sickbay. Nurse Chapel started chattering. Smiling, Christine lifted her tricorder. "Whatever it is, doctor. It isn't serious, look.." Leonard McCoy grabbed a peek at the tricorder and studied the lifesigns. "In the west wing ward. Confound it! This sickbay's so big, you need a map to get around." And he went past her like a shot. ::Just what he's been waiting for. A little business..:: she thought. Leonard was two feet away from the beam in point when Dr. Crusher, Deanna Troi and their ailing patient fully solidified. "Let me see him. Stand aside. Excuse me. Coming through." He stopped in his tracks when he saw that his medical case was none other than Boothby. McCoy said dryly, "So,..we meet again." "Likewise.." Boothby said, looking everywhere but at his attending physician. Finally, McCoy forced a tight smile onto his face. "Here. Hop up and I'll take a look at ya." Leonard said, patting the nearest biobed. Boothby was about to do so when he remembered. "Very funny, doctor. You know fully well that I can't do that particular action just now. Why do you think I'm using these two ladies as crutches right now?" McCoy waved two muscley orderlies to lift Boothby onto the bed belly down. "Ahh... ahhh!! Easy...there..ouch!" the old caretaker said with a lot of bluster. McCoy ran his tricorder over the effected area. "You fell did ya?" "Of course not. I was forced off my feet.." Boothby said. "Uh huh.." McCoy said, not believing him. "Forced off your feet by our intruder time traveler no doubt." Deanna and Beverly shook their heads fractionally, trying to keep from grinning. "I fell really hard." McCoy tore pants material away from Boothby's rear and Deanna promptly put a hand up over her eyes. Beverly, being a doctor of course, just leaned closer. "I can see that.." Leonard said. "Nice hematomas too. Nothing that a protoplaser won't cure." Boothby began to stammer and studder protests while his treatment went on and Dr. McCoy was beginning to wonder why he was being so defensive when the last of the dark purple and blue bruising left Boothby's buns. Then McCoy saw it. "Well, I'll be..." and he started laughing. "Lookie what we have here. Say, Boothby, why didn't you tell anyone you had your rank tattooed on your butt next to this rose here. Kinda cute." Deanna peeked between her fingers and her jaw dropped right open as she saw the rank of a mere honorary cadet greet her questing eyes. "Do you mind ladies? I'm entitled to a little privacy here." Beverly said, "For Pete's sake, I'm a doctor here. There's nothing you have that I haven't seen before.." Deanna added, pointing to the tattling tattoo glowing on Boothby's newly healed butt cheeks."...except maybe for one of those... Huh, neither of us won, Beverly. He's not even an officer.." Boothby rolled over on the bed and pulled the silver sheeting up around his waist, hopping down from the biobed. "If you all are done oggling my tattoo. I think I'll be on my merry way. Don't look so smug ladies. I may have new buns but hasn't the thought occurred to you yet that this might be a very OLD tattoo? No one's won or lost that bet yet. Excuse me, McCoy, if you're through...." Beverly and Troi's double grins went away when they realized they both were back to square one on their guessing game. "I am... Unless you want me to check for other bruises you got from that rabbit." "And how did you discern that Leonard H McCoy.." Boothby snapped in embarrassement when he realized that everyone knew all the dirt on him that day. "Your clothes are full of rabbit fur around your ankles. And tribble hairs. " he said mildly, then he did a double take on his tricorder screen. "Wait a minute. This is MY tribble...Where is he? Is he safe? I thought the little bugger got dehydrated under all that vacuum." "Nothing of the sort." Boothby said, replicating a pair of trousers from the clothes slot in his size. Briefly, the sheet's ends fell away and everyone got a glimpse of the rose studded with the rank insignia once more and started giggling. Boothby harrumphed loudly in his throat and darted behind a privacy screen to put on his pants. "He's copying rabbit behavior so well even the hawks are confused. He's on the ridge in the prairie restoration project..." McCoy flew to Excelsior's sickbay's sensor board. "I'm not reading anything there. Only rabbits." "That's odd. He was cooing only a few minutes before these two lovely young ladies showed up for my rescue. Sounded like he was only a few meters into the undergrowth.." "Well it looks like he's lost again. Thanks for watching out for an innocent pet, Boothby.." "Wait a minute.." Boothby said, having finished dressing his lower anatomy. He came nose to nose with Leonard and glared into his eyes. "Your cute little pet's had a heyday in my gardens. Chewed my petunias.. If he's gone missing, its no fault of mine." "Really? How do you know it was him who chewed the flowers?" he turned and tapped his bioscan screen. "Can't tell here, the vacuum's freezedried all of them.." McCoy said mildly. Boothby grunted once and turned on his heel. "You're impossible.." and he left sickbay. "I'll take that as a compliment I'll have you know." Nurse Chapel said, "Weren't you a little gruff on him just now, and earlier? Boothby was your patient for Pete's sake." McCoy looked at her and shoved his medical tricorder and the protoplaser into her hands so fast she had to juggle them to keep them from falling. "For a few bum bruises? Come on. Sometimes I think Boothby's part Klingon. He gets his jollies when someone actually insults him once and a while. It's the respectful mentor air from all the cadets and captains that drives him crazy. That's why he's so surly." "Oh, really.." came a voice from the door. "What explains your wonderful bedside manner then, doctor?" McCoy and the rest of them turned to see K'Ehleyr walk into sickbay, shedding environmental suit gear. She placed her helmet on the biobed. Just then, the EMH and HoloZimm shimmered in. K'Ehleyr said ruefully, "Just missed the show boys. Both the tattoos and the piece of anatomy in jeopardy are just fine.." The EMH said. "That was fast.." "What was?" the HoloZimm said, his eyes darting everywhere around the spacious new sickbay like an eager child. The EMH noticed. "Quit drooling like a toddler, Zimm. I thought you've been all over Starfleet and San Francisco using the hologrid network." "Oh, but not here. This is a starship. A real starship. Haven't seen one of those..." HoloZimm said. McCoy harrumphed loudly in his throat."Just don't go messing around with any equipment. Took me hours just to arrange everything properly so I can find it later.." "Done.." HoloZimm said. Then a DNA scanner caught his attention and he reached out to touch it with a digit. "Ooo, what's this?" McCoy used his protoplaser energy arc to snap a spark near the offending hand. Sparkles made it waver in and out with each button activation. "Owww!! Cut that out.." "I'm trying to.." McCoy said. "Listen to your old country doctor. No touchy!!" K'Ehleyr snatched the medical tool out of McCoy's hands neatly and set it back onto the cart near the biobed. "Gentlemen..Gentlemen.. all the excitement's over.. Truce. Now listen.. my son's run off and there's a peds environmental suit missing from camp. Wanna help me find him?" That sobered up everyone in the room and they clustered around the bioscan computer display. "Won't work doing that. Alexander's pulled off his combadge. Found that in my quarters.." K'Ehleyr frowned. "I came to sickbay to find out exactly how long a child's size suit's air can last. San Francisco's a big place to search through, you know?" "Same as theirs. Six hours. When did the suit get activated?" K'Ehleyr said, "An hour fourteen minutes ago. He took it from a cargo container outside Kirk's camp." "What about Janeway and her team?" McCoy asked. "Can they break off their investigation to go look for him?" K'Ehleyr. "Nope. They've all just retired to the ship for a little rest a few minutes ago. I was counting on using Mr. Data to track down my little trepid explorer on his own. But I haven't seen him." "Easy enough to fix.." McCoy shrugged. And he tapped his combadge. "Sickbay to Commander Data." =^=Commander Data here. Doctor, what can I do for you?"=^= "We've a missing boy here. K'Ehleyr's firstborn. Alexander pilfered an envirosuit and his mother fears he's gone into the city dome. Can you help us out any?" McCoy asked watching the expression on the tall stately Klingon ambassador shift subtly into one of barely suppressed worry. He hoped Data had a ready answer. ------------------------- (attachments) Image : K'Ehleyr in tan leather. Image: McCoy with a scanner by life panel. Gif: The Starfleet Academy logo. ********************************** END WEEK EIGHT RECAP 03-12-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub WEEK NINE RECAP 03-13-02 ************************************ Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 11:58:46 -0800 (PST) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] Black or White? Scotty made his way over to the transporter pad awkwardly, he was carrying quite a bit of equipment. He had several security containers holding a successful experiment. Scotty smiled. ::If we get through this, at least we'll have some decent embibation.:: He didn't linger because one did not make James T. Kirk wait for long. Byte hovered head high off the ground moving around the darkened transporter room above Scotty's helmet in Building Six. Unpacking two phasers from his duty bag, Scotty crossed connected the power cells into the transporter relays. "This reminds me of the ol' days, with the ol' bairns. Jury rigging in pitch blackness." and he grinned. One connection later and his lab transporter came to life. He stood up and tapped his combadge. "Scott to Excelsior. Ready to receive personal belongings to Cargo Bay Seven. I'll be comin' aboard shortly." =^=Standing by.=^= Scotty's hands danced across the controls and a familiar hum of transporter activity began. Soon, his things were sent. The empty pad beckoned but he still had one final side trip he wanted to make before he departed. In his lab, he finished transferring his accumulated data on the newest holographic recruit. ::Maybe I'm just an old engineer at heart, but I know a sour apple when I read about one. This Moriarty doesn't seem to be someone we can rely on. I only wish I had more time to check the official files that Starfleet has on him.:: He stepped into the middle of the lab. "Energize." ------------------------ The next thing Scotty became aware of was that the ensign who manned the console was much younger than Scotty believed possible. Zits marked the man's face which told Scott his apparent age. ::He's sixteen if a day.:: Scotty shook his head. ::Ah,,..youth. I remember it ...not so well..:: Montgomery exited the transporter room, giving the almost man a wondering look. As the final swoosh of the doors closed behind him, Scotty looked around at the immense Starship for perhaps the second time. ::In how many years?:: he pondered. He recalled the event where he removed several key components from Excelsior's transwarp drive's control system, preventing the pristine giant from pursuing Enterprise on her way to save a reborn Mr. Spock. ::It must have been the captain's fortunate luck that saved us all from serving a garbage scow after that adventure.:: he thought, feeling a little meloncholy as he remembered the demise of his beloved original Enterprise. ::No bloody A, B, C or D..:: he smiled. ------------------------------------ Scott went up to a black wall panel, facing it. He touched its surface and it activated. "Computer." he prompted. "What is the location of Captain Kirk?" ##Captain Kirk is off duty until 0600.## "Oh... Guess I have some time to kill. I think I'll pay a visit to that Moriarty fella. Maybe he'll want to "Chat" so to speak." and he cracked his knuckles in negative anticipation. Soon, he had the holovillian's cabin number and headed down there, shedding his suit and passing it into the arms of a lower ranking crewwoman as she passed. "Here lassie, Do an old officer a favor will you? Take this down to requisitions." "Aye, sir..uh.." she said as she caught the huge bundle of envirosuit awkwardly. She dropped a glove and Scotty perched it on top of her head, "Off you go.." He continued on his way and was soon there at the VIP quarters. Before he even beeped the entrance pad, a voice greeted him. "I can hear you out there quite clearly. And by the sound of your gasping, you're an older humanoid past what most Starfleet admirals call their prime.." said Moriarty. The panel between them slid open. They were eye to eye exactly. What Scotty saw made him gape. The holoman was wearing a velvet smoking jacket complete with a long stemmed cigar holder. "Don't just stand there. Invite me in." "All right. I don't normally allow absolute strangers I haven't yet met in at this hour of the night. But you seem a charming enough fellow. I'll make an exception, sir, now, just for you... Sherry?" And Moriarty pointed his smoking cigar vaguely in the direction of the food slot. Scotty declined the pro-offered drink. "That's holographic. No thanks. I like the real thing." Moriarty shrugged and showed him the couch, waving the lights a little higher above them. "Please excuse my very large friend here. He is watch dog for my current home, so to speak." Scotty looked up and saw a very burly security guard holding a curious contraption he had never seen before. "And what would that odd thing be? A security field generator?" "Not quite. But you are almost on the money in thinking that the device jails on occasion. It is a holographic module regenerator. Picard imprisoned me there with the help of Mr. Barclay and the mannequin man, Mr. Data." That made Scotty's attention perk up. The manner in which Moriarty mentioned Picard and Data seemed to contain a great deal of loathing. But he showed no sign of his misgivings aloud, "I just came by to introduce myself and meet Barclay's latest advisor. Just learned you were "hired" to help us out with the Guardian." "As a matter of fact, I am Janeway's mercenary into the Guardian of Timezones. I leave with her and others at 0600. Are you coming along with us, .Mr....mr..?" "Scott. Captain Scott." "Oh, one of those.." he murmured.. "I don't usually get along with that rank well. But now I'm on my best behavior. The Lady Kathryn is offering me eternal life and freedom if I uptake her cause. And so, this lion is declawed, sir..." and he bowed low gallantly. "There's no need for your obvious nervousness here, Captain Scott." Nonetheless, Scotty felt that it was important for him to get to know this holocharacter. So he said, "I was actually sent here so I can get you where you need to go. With this.." And he snapped his fingers. Byte shimmered into existence enough to startle the security guard who set a hand on his phaser. Scotty told him. "This is mine, Lt. At ease, no need for alarm." "A silver ball?" Moriarty asked. "This.. is Byte." "That explains it. I thought Kirk was talking about food earlier.." "Huh?" "Never mind. Do go on, sir. I'm listening most attentively." Moriarty said. "Byte is actually a modified silkie which is a form of sensor probe that has a self linking module with holographic or android systems." "Ah, now I see, You mean to put my essence into the ball to fly near me when I search for the time traveler everyone seems to want to find very badly..." Scotty frowned at how intelligent Moriarty's persona program seemed to be. "Uh, yes. Exactly. Any objections?" "None. Only, when do we start the linking process. I assume that ball needs toolwork or some sort in order to function to that effect.." Moriarty said. "May I touch it?" And he reached out his hand to Byte hanging in the air neutrally between the two men. Scotty grinned. "You can try laddie.." Moriarty stopped smiling. "Don't tell me you are still apprehensive about me and have its defenses up. How demeaning.." "I wasn't referring to you personally. It's just that the silkie is programmed to avoid any attempt at physical contact of any kind while in hover mood." And he sat comfortably on the sofa, stretching. Byte stayed over Scott's head as he moved. "I'm afraid I don't understand. Most of the machine language in your world troubles me still. Even after many years inside my jail." ::Jail?:: Scotty thought. ::Kirk wants me to aid a criminal? First thing in the morning, I'm in his face before his coffee reaches his lips.:: "Uh, but you're out now and my captain wants us to work together." "I suppose this is true.." Moriarty nodded. "Yes..." "Right. I need to examine your module to see if it can download your program complete into that probe." "What do I need to do, sir.?" Scott replied, "Nothing. Just don't try to change your robe or anything while I'm scanning or transferring. It might make your hair fall out." Moriarty unconsciously touched his thick mane of curls.. "Oh, I wouldn't want that. Then I'd look like those two EMH gentlemen now wouldn't I?" Scotty laughed out loud at that image. "Laddie, I don't know much yet, about you. But your sense of humor is certainly up to modern standards." Moriarty was pleased at that analogy. "Even more so than Mr. Data?" Scotty was surprised by that remark. "Now what put that thought into your head lad?" "He's alive. And apparently, his peers find him very funny. If I am equally so, then conversely, I am alive as well. I'm just gathering points of argument for Lady Kathryn. She's the only one who thinks my life is worth safeguarding." "Really. Well, you're actually personal reclaimation project number two. Right after Seven of Nine with her." "Oh, the metal implanted young woman I saw in the hanger. She seems rather cold. No sense of humor at all." Moriarty admitted. Scotty nodded. "Aye, she is at that. But, from the history I've learned about her, she's very important to Janeway. And now it seems, you have gained that favor as well. Don't waste the captain's good graces. She's got a dressing down that can score the barnacles off a hull plate." "I understand.. I will not fail to uphold my end of the bargain. Shall we begin?" Moriarty said. Admiring Byte closely, without touching it. Scotty nodded, "Aye, we've all afternoon and night, but there's no time like the present." Soon, after a few hours, Moriarty was time jumping fit. -------------------------------------- Scotty headed towards Excelsior's sickbay with the intention of killing some time. ::Time is something the Guardian is never out of. Wish I had that problem.:: He wanted to talk to HoloZimm and the EMH about Moriarty in general. "Hey, Bones.. Where's the holodoc and his "evil" twin brother?" he grinned. "Where'd do you expect? In the holobuffer. Just cough, and they'll come. Believe me." McCoy said rolling his eyes. Scotty frowned in amusing disbelief. ::Their sickbay diagnostic program is that sensitive? Oh my. I can fix that in a... oh wait a minute. Sulu will get really upset if I mess with HIS Excelsior..I'm sure that he has competent engineers who can make adequate repairs on their own without me pestering them like an old mother hen.:: He shrugged and tried an experiment. He faked a sneeze. "Achoo..!!" Suddenly Montgomery heard a familiar phrase. "What is the nature of the medical emergen-- Oh, Captain Scott, force of habit.." said Voyager's EMH. "What can I do for you this afternoon?" "Where's your doppleganger? I need him and you for a wee bit.." "Oh? I'm growing a bit but I'm afraid any engineering skills are still evading my grasp and HoloZimm isn't much better. He's only two weeks old you know." "Age doesn't matter in holograms much. Just in how far they get. And I need to learn just how far this Moriarty has already come. He's very sharp. Could be dangerous." "I wouldn't know. I've just met him. Hang on, let me get my 'son.' for you.." Scotty did a mental double take at that comment. ::Well, I guess HoloZimm is considered his progeny..:: HoloZimm came into being at a sharp whistle that made Dr. Crusher, McCoy and Troi wince and look over in their direction. "Yeah? Here. What's up?" HoloZimm said eagerly. "Oh.. it's you again. Haven't seen you since the Great Fire.." he chuckled at Scotty. "You hurt or something?" "No. I just wanted to talk to you both about this Moriarty. I wanted to get your impression on him. Since you all are holograms." Scott said tapping his belly. The EMH sighed. "Here we are lumped again in the Us-Them distinction again. Aren't we lucky.." he said sarcastically. The comment was lost on Scotty. He forged ahead. "How does he strike you? Can we trust him? Will he stick to his promise to Janeway and work for us? Or do you think he has his own agenda?" The EMH rolled his eyes and scratched his bald head. "He is evolving, captain. Just as I and HoloZimm are doing. Who's to say how he'll react to his original programming. Experiences can erase old values and implant new ones.. So to answer you're question. How has he been treated by humans such as yourself. That'll give you your answers." "Don't look at me.." HoloZimm said. "I've never even seen a hologram before until I met dad." Scotty said. "My gut is telling me not to trust Moriarty. He's a sly snake in the grass, that one." The EMH threw up his hands. "Then why did you bother to come all the way to sickbay to ask us the very same opinion?" "I suppose its because, being holograms, I assumed you two would be interested in how he is tipping off everyone's intuition, for the good or bad. Your opinion matters to me. I will work with him simply on the strength that Janeway will." The EMH smiled warmly. "It's been a long time since anyone came seeking my advice. Thank you, Mr. Scott. Anything else we can do for you?" "When I get any more bright ideas, I'll let you know." "Sure thing. See you at 0600." "Where is everyone convening then? I haven't heard." "In the conference room in Building Five. They've filled it with air before they left." "Right. Until then, doctor, and HoloZimm." he said as he left their side. He left sickbay to await morning. ---------------------------- (attachments) Image: Good Scotty photo, smiling. Image: Pic of a equipment on a table. ******************************** From : "Clairissa Fox" Subject : I get into trouble on a train. Date : Sun, 17 Mar 2002 18:31:06 +0000 I knew what I did was wrong. All the grownups were busy fixing Starfleet and worrying about the one who hid inside the Big Donut. I dont know why they were so bothered. If he could travel inside time he could do anything. And if he were going to do something bad he would have. So there wasnt anything going to happen that was as scary as the big green fire we had put out in the science building. My suit was heavy but it felt like armor so I was happy. Being a Klingon makes you that way. I didnt care that Captain Kirk would find out that I took it. I needed it to go into there. I just didnt want my mum to find out. She could yell almost as loud as Captain Janeway. So I used my tricorder machine to make sure they werent tracking me down. I saw that Captain Janeway was sleeping on the starship and that my mum was in sickbay with Dr Bones. So I kept playing bush monster. It was easy. The air had dried them all up and I could tear them into powder! But I didnt touch Bootbys flowers. He had been nice to me when no one else would and helped me when I got hurt in the fire. I grabbed my helmet and climbed into a hole that went into Mr Scotts lab but he wasnt there. Only the transporter was on and it had a phaser in it being its battery. So I climbed back out and walked outside. It was almost dark now and I laughed at the dust blowing around my boots. There must be something to explore in here! I pretended I was in space even though I was under the dome keeping the air out of Starfleet. It felt like I was on that dumb human moon mum had told me about. Then I got curious by why the time guy wanted to come to Starfleet and help us with beating that fire. So I went up to the big windows around the command room and looked in. I could see the time car skids still glowing in the air by the tall ceiling. But I knew better than to go in there. Then the guards would find me and take me home before I got a chance to see anything in here. I knew sneaking was wrong. I was just tired of not having anything to do. Humans thought a Klingon boy shouldnt be where he shouldnt at Starfleet. I remember how the security guards kept an eye on me before the fire. My mum was ambassador Keylar! Somebody important so it was dumb that they would do that. I walked back out into the garden outside being careful not to step on Bootbys flowers. He would be so mad that they were dry powder now since the air was taken out in here. I hid behind the fountain that didnt have water in it no more and watched Excelsior closely. I guess the sensors werent on because I didnt feel a transporter grab me back. Why didnt they see me? Yes I wasnt wearing my talk pin anymore but how many Klingons besides my mum and I were there on Earth? I laughed and the steam filled my helmet. I decided to play hide and seek with the away teams anyone sent to go get me. That would be fun. I would pretend the searchers were Romulan. I dropped onto my stomach and rolled in the dust where the grass used to be and covered up so I was the same color as everything else was. There were those train tunnels under ground I could hide in. My tricorder said the air was out of them too but that didnt matter. I made sure I stole the best suit so I had a lot of air. I found a hole going down and climbed into it. Soon I was on the traintracks and there was a train! It wasnt going since there was no electricity so I pushed the doors open with my gloves and got in. It was very dark inside the train but that didnt matter. Klingons were good seeing in the dark. I remembered this tunnel. It was the same one the fire started in earlier. I wanted to go to the trainbridge and see if I could drive the train using my tricorder battery. I wanted to drive it like I flew Mr Scotts probe for them. Soon I found it. There was no one there or anywhere because Starfleet had gotten them all out before the air left. It had a chair like a captains so I sat down. I saw a place where my tricorder could give it some energy so I stuck it in there. I left the lights off on the train so no one would see me drive on the tracks when I wasnt supposed to. Soon, I figured it out real good. That train was just like a shuttle I watched my mum fly. Its controls were the same and I knew how to make them work. Soon, I was moving fast. But then my tricorder started beeping. I had forgotten about the energy cap keeping the air out of Starfleet! I didnt know if my train could go through it without crashing. If I hit it, they would find me for sure. So I tried to move the bar to get the train to stop. It didnt work. I was still going to crash into the energy cap wall! I tried to reach the train brake rope over my head but I was too short. Now I was mad I didnt have a way to get help and very very scared. I didnt know if I would be ok after I crashed the train. Now I wasnt so happy. I was alone in the dark and about to get into trouble again. I started screaming for mum. I tried to turn on the train lights so the officers could see me down here but there wasnt enough tricorder battery to make them glow at all. All of it was being use to drive the train. I tried to hit the off button on the tricorder but it didnt work either. The train still drove inside the tunnel. Why do I get into trouble so much? I only did that when I was on Earth or when Father made me study when I didnt want to. I looked up and saw the outside shell glowing in the tunnel. It was about two minutes away and it was blocking the way out. Help! Help! I shouted. And I couldnt find the talking button on the train that connected to the talking pins everybody wore. I started to cry. Somebody. I didnt mean to. I just wanted to drive a train. I wanted to know what it was like since I was too young to fly a shuttle. Help me! I dont want to crash. I looked out the door I came into but I was going too fast to jump out of the train. I remember how the security shells on Enterprise worked. They stopped whatever tried to hit them with a lot of sparks and nothing got through. Especially the ones in the brig. Mum would be so mad at me if I got hurt. Then I remembered about Excelsior sitting on the ground. It had sensors on the dirt looking down here to make sure the fire didnt come back. Maybe it would see me in the train and people would come to stop it. I wished they would. They had to come. They had to come to keep me from crashing and getting hurt. I closed my eyes tight and tried to think about killing bush monsters instead of watching the wall get nearer and nearer. I was scared now even as a Klingon. I was only a little boy. I just wanted to play. Then another glow of a different color made me open my eyes inside my helmet. There were more glowing time ship tracks floating down here. Maybe that guy could see me even though I didnt have a talk pin. I hoped he could. So I started waving my arms and shouting through the glass as the train sped by the trails. Help me! I know youre there. Time people are everywhere. Im going to crash! Get me out of here! ------------------- (attachments) Image: Alexander in White Fighting suit. Image: Alexander with his mother K'Ehleyr and his father Worf. ******************************** Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 23:15:23 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] Negative Lock Seven of Nine wasn't swayed one way or the other by the decision to resume in the morning. She had seen how her old shipmates were fatigued by time spent inside the environmental suits. To her, they felt no different than her Borg armor used to feel. ::Rather comforting in fact.:: But Seven wished the others a good night and then excused herself to Excelsior's mess for a rare meal. It was really to satisfy Seven's healthy curiosity surrounding the crew of Excelsior. It had been a long time since she had walked in a starship. The similarities to Voyager and the differences were an enticing contrast. Seven of Nine kept a smile off of her face as she sat at a table furthest away from the busy afternoon crew on their middle day break. She carefully selected her meal from the pop up replicator and watched as a mini beam presented her choice. "Chocolate cake.." came a light baritone. Seven of Nine looked up to see a familiar figure standing respectfully by her tableside. "Commander Data.." she nodded, placing the crystal clear platter with the neat slice of confection in front of her. She deftly fluffed a napkin that came with the dish into her lap and grasped the ornate pronged utensil and speared a bite. She lowered her eyes as she ate it but then her gaze drew back up at Data when he did not go away. "May I join you?" Data asked the moment they made eye contact again. Seven angled her head. "I did not know you needed to consume organic matter the way we humanoids do." she said as she saw the orange bowl of cereal and glass of an oily copper. "I need the fluid for my servo mechanical devices and the plastics for my positronic self sealing circuitry periodically. I need to "eat" more than I need to sleep." he said, then he smiled, noticing Seven's lack of yawning. "I am surprised you are still active after having been on duty for four days running." Data remarked. "The crisis involving the fire had all of us "up for days." Seven said a little self consciously. "I was not aware that a senior officer was so interested in whether or not I recreated and rested." Data frowned. "If I gave the impression that I had you under surveillance, you are mistaken. I was simply, "making conversation." " "I see." Seven said, taking a delicate bite of cake. "I apologize for my suspicions. It is not easy being an exBorg and also a Starfleet cadet. I am either a pariah or an object of curiosity among the other students." "The EMH does not seem to think so. Is he not your paramour?" Seven of Nine coughed in surprise into her napkin. She leaned in, making sure no one else had heard him. "What the doctor is to me is personal." She watched as a very good simulation of a flush rose in his pale cheeks. "That emotion chip is making you embarrassed, most likely for what you had just said to me. " Data nodded eagerly. "That is correct." "It wasn't a rebuttal commander. It was the beginning of a disclosure." Seven said. "What the doctor is to me is personal and important. He has come a long way in showing me how who I am relates to the little girl I was before the Borg came. Chakotay and I were a couple if you must know. But now, we're not. I..." Seven broke off, thinking things through. "felt it was too difficult for us to remain together because of our different histories. He, has run away from his people by choice. I was taken from mine. Either way, he and I have no culture in common to share with any children we might have had in a marriage. We ended up growing ...apart." "I am sorry for those changes." Data said diplomatically. Seven finished her meal and shoved the tray aside. Excelsior's tidy waiter device dematerialized the dishes, leaving a cup of tea Seven had ordered in front of her in its place. She took it and nursed the steaming beverage in between her palms. "Don't be. I see relationships around me following precisely the same outcome. Finding a partner in life takes time I've been told. Captain Janeway recites just that advice, often. In many ways, the EMH is more than just a friend." "By the tone in your voice, you don't seem certain in this new relationship." That made Seven look up quickly, but then she nodded yes. "The EMH is a constructed being. He is like you in many respects. He, too, is discovering who he is and his place with others around him. He is a refugee off a starship. You both are one of a kind. You both regenerate with machinery, have mastery over great pools of imbedded knowledge far greater than normal people, and can go without sleep for indefinite periods of time. A useful trait.." he added when Seven began to smile at that detail. He frowned. "Is not an endless ability to spend time with each other "nice?"." Seven regarded Data and leaned back into her chair, slouching as she once saw B'Elanna do after a long work shift. "You've succeeded in making me feel that the doctor and I are good for each other, commander. " she blinked. "Thank you. But that is not the reason why you came to eat with me when you could have taken sustenance in your quarters." Data raised both his eyebrows, "You are correct again. I wanted to ask you about your nanoprobes and whether or not they could be adapted to synchronize with Byte, Scotty's probe. That way we can keep an eye on Moriarty as he tracks our absent benefactor through the Guardian time cycles." "I can adapt them to a specification of that format. However, no Borg has tested the use of them through a time gate. It shall be interesting to see what will happen. My mental link with my nanoprobes may be severed." "Is this disturbing to you?" Data asked. "No. Nanoprobes are frequently shed without recovery when not used for assimilation purposes. I will not feel the loss of them emotionally." Seven shrugged. "My implanted blood node system can compensate readily enough." She took a sip of tea. "Interesting idea. I hadn't thought of that." Data's combadge went off. >McCoy shrugged. >And he tapped his combadge. "Sickbay to >Commander Data." >=^=Commander Data here. Doctor, what can >I do for you?"=^= >"We've a missing boy here. K'Ehleyr's firstborn. >Alexander pilfered an envirosuit and his mother >fears he's gone into the city dome. Can you >help us out any?" McCoy asked watching >the expression on the tall stately Klingon >ambassador shift subtly into one of barely >suppressed worry. He hoped Data had a >ready answer. "I shall head to operations immediately. Data out." He rose to his feet and indicated the Excelsiors glass messhall portal doors. "I'm coming with you.." Seven said, joining him as he hurried to the proper deck. She had no problems keeping up with his determined speed. "No doubt Captain Janeway and Captain Kirk will want me to stay on top of this situation for them in their absence." Soon, Seven and Data were on the deck designated on Excelsior for Starfleet Command Headquarters temporary home. Data strode over to an admiral there and asked, "Have you been able to pinpoint the boy?" The dark admiral shook his head. "No. His mother says his combadge is turned off. It's difficult getting any readings on Klingon lifesigns due to interference from the Guardian of Forever. Its open gate is scrambling our sensors well." Seven of Nine "Then let's ask the Guardian to shut its portal.. " "Not an option. We could lose our lead on the intruder.." the admiral concluded. "We have to have him to be sure the plasma fire was accidental and not arson from a third party." "I understand." Seven regarded the starship's view of the darkening city around it as a cam rotated pictures of the vacant campus around Excelsior. "This will take too long to find the boy visually. How about motion sensors? There are no away teams outside right now to cloud such a scan." Data pursed his lip. "I am reconfiguring lateral sensors to physical motioning detectors on the outer ship's hull. We'll "see" movement from any direction, even through a window of a building." He danced his hands through the proper sequences. Then he tapped his own combadge. "Data to Counselor Troi. Your empathic sense may aid us in finding the right motion data set on a surveillance grid that may be the boy's. Please report to our location counselor." The admiral nodded at Data's idea. Seven soon was helping Data interpret signal feeds from Excelsior's detection grid. "I have eliminated lifeforms smaller than Alexander with the scan. The process will go more efficiently that way." "Good thinking." Data agreed. Minutes stretched into silence as they strained to see any blip on their computer display. Nothing but a uniform still blue met their eyes. "I don't understand." Seven said. "We should have seen the dust from his activities coming from the ground. There is nothing." Data grunted. "If there is nothing in the sky or on land. Where else have we not covered?" Seven said, "Underground." and she sent their sensors below the ship. Soon, her voice raised in concern. "There is a tram in motion. It's headed for the outer security field at high speed." "Red Alert!" Data said in the command room. The admiral linked his board with Data and pointed to him to take over the situation. Something else was going on inside the Guardian. Seven spoke and people scrambled around them. "A collision will occur in one minute twenty four point nine one seconds. The cars will be damaged severely." "There is no power down there. How can this be?" Data wondered. "The boy." Seven answered. "Perhaps he's managed to activate the tram's locomotion by remote power source." "That was foolish.." Data said, his emotion chip granting him with worry. "Attempting a transporter lock on the entire tram vehicle. Keeping it in a buffer should give us enough time to .." "Beam it elsewhere safely off any tracks.." Seven finished. "Clever.." She waited for Data to finish his task. But the worry frowns never left his pale forehead. "Commander..?" "The Guardian's active portal is too near the motion signature in the subterranean location immediately below it. I can't get a positive lock.! One minute, Nineteen seconds, Eighteen. Seventeen......." the android shouted. Seven began to feel a knot fill her unBorglike all too human stomach. The lingering taste of chocolate cake no longer tasted sweet in her mouth. ------------------------- (attachments) *animated gif* Data laughing on the bridge. Image: Janeway with Borged Seven of Nine in her alcove. ********************************* From :"Cory Anda" Subject : When Holo Turns Good Date :Tue, 19 Mar 2002 06:58:29 +0000 Something made Barclay sit up on his bed. All was still on Excelsior, and he could see the dessicated trees through the portal showing a night time sky. Then he saw the red alert status bar on in his quarters. He went rushing out into the corridor and tapped his combadge. "Barclay to Command. Anything I can do?" Surprisingly, it was Data who answered. "Alexander has appropriated a tram and it is speeding out of control. Transporters aren't working due to the train's close proximity to the Guardian of Forever's position." "That's right. Mr. Spock and I did discover that it didn't allow transporters to function near it last night." Reg said, thinking. Then he thought of something. "Let me work on the problem from my end. I have a few ideas. How long until the tram reaches the barrier surrounding San Francisco?" "One minute six seconds." ::Wow. Not much time.:: Reg considered. "Send me the tram's telemetry and position to my personal tricorder. Lt. Barclay out." he said. He shot into one of Excelsior's turbolifts and had turned around when he discovered that someone was in the turbolift with him. "I'll take that..." said an English accent. Then Moriarty and strangely, Captain Scott's silver probe sparkled out of existence in a holoshimmer. Both Reginald Barclay and the security guard gasped in surprise. Reg hit his badge to his mentor, Ambassador Spock. "Sir! Moriarty has just disappeared. It seems he was linked to Scott's probe when he did so. He stole my tricorder for some reason." Mr. Spock came over his commbadge instantly. "I am monitoring the situation from here. His holographic trace has disappeared along with Byte's electromagnetic signature. Only the immediate area surrounding the Guardian of Forever effects energy readings in that way." Barclay paled and exited the turbolift. The security guard next to him barged past him, bumping his shoulder in his haste to get to his superiors to tell them what had happened. Reg didn't even see him go. He stood in the corridor in shock at Spock's words. "Sir, do you think he went into the time portal on his own?" "That is a distinct possibility, lieutenant." Spock said. ::Oh no. Janeway's not going to like the fact that Moriarty lied to her.:: "What can we do sir?" Reg asked. "There isn't much we can do until we have more information." Spock said. "Meet me on the command deck set aside for Starfleet operations. I have an idea on how we might be able to utilize Moriarty's holo module jail to learn his whereabouts." "The sentinel guard Janeway assigned to Moriarty still has that. He just left my side at a dead run." "I suggest you retrieve that man and the module." "On my way sir..." And Reg hurried along, comming ahead to reach that man to relay Spock's idea. ------------------------ There was no wind in the tunnel when Moriarty appeared on top of the speeding tram. It was completely dark except for curious trails of light in the space above the tram in the tunnel. ::More vehicle trails?:: he thought, clinging to the jolting roof component of the lead car. There was no rushing air to blow him off but a fall would cause him to lose his destination point. He had materialized at the edge of the interfering margin surrounding the Guardian of Forever. Beyond was where the transporters and scanners refused to work. Looking over the edge of the rushing tram, Moriarty could see rushing stone of the engineered tunnel and ahead, the bright blue white of the vacuum dome just ahead. He got to his holographic feet, crouching to keep his balance. He motioned to Byte, the probe to stay near his position as he slowly fought his way to the lead car. "Klingon boy.. Shout if you can." he said. His linked tie with Byte was feeding him information about the situation from Excelsior so he knew what the ship's sensors knew and what the officers in the Command room were talking about. ::Useful technology this Byte sphere.... Captain Scott and I should share dinner one day to discuss its schematics..:: A muffled vibration that wasn't the tram's drew Moriarty's attention to his shoes on the roof. Something non mechanical was making that sensation to his holo matrix. "Is that you my boy?" Motioning like Merlin the Magician to Byte to stay near, Moriarty melted through the tram's roof and dropped into the pitch black bridge car below. He saw a tall figure in the glow of the tricorder's induction field in the tram controls dimly. And something else. Alexander's limp body. "Put him down I say..!! the English holo shouted. The holo didn't know the sound of his voice wasn't reaching the stranger in the airless environment of the tram but he was plenty irritated at being ignored. Byte, in sympathetic reflex, swooped nearer the passenger window on the outside, keeping pace alongside the speeding tram. But it could do nothing, being separated still from Moriarty. Then Moriarty noticed another curious thing about the figure holding the unconscious boy. ::He is not wearing one of those breathing suits the Starfleet people seem to need in this vacuum. How curious.:: Driven by the need for immediate answers, Moriarty strode two steps and grasped the material of the creature's robes and whirled him around. The tall figure was an alien, and he was glowing just like the time tracks glowing outside the tram Moriarty had noticed earlier. The weight of Alexander was no burden to him, even in one arm as he raised a hand in a gesture. The glow surrounding him grew to fill the tram bridge and suddenly Moriarty was aware that he could hear breathing and sounds again. ::This man had returned the air into this room..:: Then he heard a voice speak. It was full of patience and was very gentle.. "Do not be concerned about this boy. He is unharmed. I found him doing something he shouldn't have been doing according to the thoughts of the adults on the starship. I came to help." "Who are you?" Moriarty asked. "These people won't be glad you're interfering in a rescue." "I am a friend. In fact, you all were planning to try and find me tommorrow morning." Moriarty's mouth flopped opened. "You are this time intruder everyone's been searching for?" The tall male inclined his bald head gracefully. "I suppose so. Yes. If that is the term these people are calling me." Then the increasing light in the tram's small bridge space began to cause Moriarty to squint in discomfort. "Look out! We're near the barrier!" The Traveler simply swiped another gesture over Alexander's drive embedded tricorder and its power unit went black. The tram's forward motion began to slow rapidly as its own inertia and weight slowed it down. It came to a halt meters away from the margin of the vacuum dome filling the tramway tunnel. Moriarty sighed in spite of himself in relief. Then he got angry. "Give me him.." and he took Alexander from the Traveler's arms. He laid the boy onto the floor but left his helmet on . "What happened to cause his condition?" The Traveler crouched by Moriarty and placed a two fingered hand onto Alexander's suited shoulder. "I don't know for sure. He just dropped into my arms a moment after I appeared before him. Perhaps he was frightened in some way. I did not mean to make the boy ill." "You haven't. I've heard of this condition in bipeds." Moriarty said. He drew out his tricorder after pulling the necessary knowledge from Byte about the tricorder's life scan operationing. He passed it over the boy and the readings he found matched Byte's files on the symptoms of simple fainting. "Ah,.. he's uninjured. This machine here says he's passed out due to psychogenic reaction. It is not life threatening as long as he has an air supply." "I have provided one in this place." the Traveler said, lifting his hands in a gesture chest high. "I'll keep him in his suit, thankyou very much." Moriarty said sarcastically. "Ah,," the Traveler said. "You still don't trust me. That is understandable. In my travels, some people find my sudden appearance in their realms as threatening. Although I was hoping that my return among humans on this world would have been remembered." "You've been here before?" Moriarty said, studying Alexander's still face inside his helmet as he lifted the child into his arms carefully. "In recent days. Yes. There was an event I had to take care of." the Traveler said. That brought up suspicions in Moriarty immediately. "You mean the green fire that made the Guardian of TimeGates arrive on Earth." "Yes. But it is not what you are thinking. I ...came on Wesley's request to end that terrible catastrophe if I could. I'm rather fond of your people. Some of your young show great potential." "They are no people of mine..." Moriarty growled. "I am simply the mechanized product of their occasional tinkering. I have not been treated well." That faded some of the serenity in the Traveler's face and he grew sad. "I did not know that. I hadn't thought to watch you created people along with my other observations of the Starships. I am sorry." Moriarty was stunned by how his kind was addressed by the Traveler. "I am termed a ...created people?" The Traveler gestured again and a small bluish glowing organic pod hovered next to Byte, waiting in the air beside the halted tram. It moved close and then through the wall of the transportation tram and a panel opened. "Yes. You may be mostly technology. But the essence of life has been instilled into you. That is a special gift." "You mean... I truly live? I am alive??" "Of course." the Traveler said, gesturing slowly for Moriarty to carry the boy and follow him into the cramped travel pod a few meters away. "That happened the moment you took your first action of free will. Didn't you know?" Moriarty crawled into the time pod cradling the tiny boy and settled into a soft wall that shaped itself to fit them easily. "I had not even realized. Picard said that his scientists didn't know I could be so.." "I know Captain Picard. One of his crew is with me now. A boy with genius of a wonderful magnitude. Do not be troubled by the fact that you didn't know the truth of your sentience. Humans have insight into many things but knowing what is alive isn't one of them. But they are learning. Look at how they've accepted Commander Data." the Traveler grinned. He gestured to form the outer membrane to close. Moriarty said. "Wait a minute. I need Byte. ah, that silver sphere outside. It is part of me right now. I need that to manifest away from my module." "I see it." and the Traveler created a hole in the pod's living substance to let the probe in with them. Moriarty watched the boy closely for signs of consciousness, but he didn't awaken. But the pulse on his scan was strong. He let down his guard slowly. He watched as the Traveler nestled his floating pod against the tram long enough to recover the air he had created in there into it. Then he saw the Traveler look up. It lifted into flight. The tiny pod traveled back down the tracks the way it had come and then sharply banked into the ground. "Where are we going?" "To the starship. The boy needs his mother. She will be worried about him. Her worry is what attracted me to his side for her." Moriarty watched as the soil slid by the glowing pod like soap bubbles, leaving a trail track behind it in its wake through its transparent ceiling. One compelling thought kept going around and around in his mind. "I am alive..." he whispered. "I can't believe it.." and a real holotear blurred his vision. "Of course you are. It does not take much for life to happen. Especially in this universe." the Traveler said. "But I need my holomodule to function. It houses my existence." Moriarty said. "Yes. But the humans need food and water and air to survive. They are as much tied to those things as you are to your holographic rooting device. All life here in this fold, has a tether to depend upon. It is simply how it is in this dimension. The abundance of that life is what so intrigues me. You are simply a newer species." Some deep knot of pain let go inside Moriarty's heart and the last of his righteous anger left forever. He then realized that his insanity had been simply a survival trait which allowed him to go on against difficult odds. He couldn't meet the Traveler's gentle, deep eyes. But he whispered. "Are there many....people like me. I...I know of two here on Earth. Janeway's holophysician and the model of his maker." "I'm afraid you are very rare, you three. There are no more." Moriarty's grief for his holographic match rose and simulated tears filled his eyes. "Then why didn't you come for my Regina! If you were the benevolent keeper of rare life and potential, why didn't you save her from dying." The Traveler's face didn't lose its faint smile but his eyes went sad at once. "I regret I cannot be everywhere at once. I can only occupy one dimension safely at a time. I tried pilotting a lost starship through many on the Road but it nearly killed me. But, now that I know you three are here on Earth,I can watch over you. That is a small comfort I realize. But it is what I can do now for you all to the best of my ability. Wesley likes holograms, I think perhaps it is because through one, he learned about his father, so I will try to make sure he has them near. He will be so surprised to learn that three of them are ....alive." Moriarty began to weep in joy as the Traveler's words touched him, healed him with a power beyond his ability to comprehend. "Come. Wipe the water from your face. The humans will not understand it. We are almost there." the Traveler said, banking his tiny pod so it penetrated Excelsior's hull. He landed the bubble pod right in the center of the Command deck set aside for Starfleet's population. "This is not this great starship's bridge. But it is wonderous anyway.." Moriarty said. "I, too, am impressed with these people's enterprising accomplishments." He was ready when the Traveler melted the wall before them. He stepped forward gripping the boy tighter in his arms. He winced in the bright light and at the sound of bustling activity of people after the peaceful womb of the timepod. The return to the outside was almost a shock. Moriarty appreciated the boy's faint all the more. ::He would not have liked this sensation.:: He shouted aloud at the sudden appearance of security team with phasers pointed at him. "Do not be alarmed. We have both rescued the Klingon boy. There is no longer any danger to him!" He waited quick seconds for one of the Starfleet personnel to respond to his friendly declaration. ------------------------- (attachments) Image: Moriarty in closeup. Image: The Traveler. Image: An Intrepid class starship surrounded by a bluish glow. ********************************* From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Patched Up Problems Date : Wed, 20 Mar 2002 00:36:28 +0400 >He (Moriarty) shouted aloud at the sudden appearance >of security team with phasers pointed at him. >"Do not be alarmed. We have both rescued >the Klingon boy. There is no longer any >danger to him!" >He waited quick seconds for one of the >Starfleet personnel to respond to his >friendly declaration. Beverly Crusher and Deanna Troi arrived into onto the command deck about two seconds later. Dr. Crusher shot forward without hesitation at the sight of a patient. She uneasily glanced at Moriarty as she took Alexander from his arms and set him on the conference table to one side. Deanna moved the portable computer out of the way. "Beverly, I think he's fine. I sense he's almost ..." she thought about a good description for the feelings she was getting from the boy. "...sleeping." "Let me be the judge of that. Klingons don't black out unless something seriously jolts them." she replied. "EMH to Commdeck Five. We've got Alexander. I need you here." =^=On my way..=^= And seconds later, the holodoc's journey was over. He opened a medkit near the boy and then helped Beverly remove the child's envirosuit helmet. The seals released with a snick and the hiss of air pressure made Alexander flinch slightly. "He's coming out of it. There's no problem with his breathing." Beverly drew out a stimulant anyway and gave it to the boy. He began to cough but he didn't open his eyes. Dr. Crusher just happened to glance up and truly see who was with Moriarty. "Oh, it's you..." she said with amazement. "I had no idea you were the one they were searching for.." she said to the Traveler. "I found the boy in the terrain vehicle in the tunnel. I knew his mother would be worried about him, so I came back." Deanna said, "I'll say you did, right when it mattered." and she smiled warmly. "Nice to see you again. It's been a while." Moriarty had his hands full of the security guards who were still at attention with phasers aimed at himself and the Traveler. "You've seen this journeying man before doctors?" "Yes.." Beverly said. She waved the guards away. "It's all right. I trust this alien. He's an ambassador of sorts. The professor, you already know.." she said to them. "Now shoo." Reluctantly, the two men backed off, returning to their places standing by the wall. Soon, they were called away to attend to some other duty. Together, Crusher and the EMH freed the boy and they eased him onto his side. Still he was not awake. Then all of them jumped when a dusty tribble hopped up onto the table and rolled against the boy's cheek. It started purring gently. "Hey, he must have come with us in Boothby's transporter beam.." Dr. Crusher marvelled, smiling broadly. Alexander smiled in his sleep and his sweaty hands encircled the cooing tribble protectively. Troi leaned over and scratched the tribble, who leaned into her caress without leaving the boy's contact. "And here I thought tribbles hated Klingons." The EMH piped up. "You're forgetting something. Alexander isn't full Klingon." he said grinning. They all laughed. Then the Traveler went over to the command area of the Commdeck and addressed everyone there. "Concerning the information you wanted to know about the plasma fire. It formed purely by chance. There was no one responsible for its formation. And from what I've seen, it will not reoccur in the future. The vacuum protocol you've put into place has done its work. The city and your fleet campus are now completely safe." Behind him Beverly nodded reassurance of her faith in that answer to the officers the Traveler had spoken to. They accepted the pronouncement and turned back to their status board. Slowly, they lifted the vacuum dome off San Francisco and from over Starfleet. The returning air from the surrounding sky caused the dry dust that had formed inside to blow and fill the area with a tan fog. But then the California night wind blew it all away out to sea. On a nod from the high admiral, San Francisco and Starfleet got back full power. And he hit a universal communications band. "To all Starfleet personnel. All clear-- from disaster recovery alert. Man your stations and posts. All private citizens may return to homes and businesses as normal. Our fire danger is resolved." On the main viewer, Deanna and the doctors could see floods of shuttles returning under the moonlight and many many people in lines walking back into the city proper. It wasn't five minutes before everything was back to normal operations. It was as if the plasma fire had never even been. The only evidence to that effect was that every bit of land that had been under the vacuum dome was devoid of grass, and the trees and gardens devoid of leaves and flowers. Starfleet Academy's fountains no longer had water flowing in them, it having boiled away to vapor in the vacuum seal. But soon, an instantaneous rain began to fall precisely only over Starfleet's vast grounds, and rapidly began to fill them again. Deanna blinked and started laughing when she saw Boothby lurking over by the weather control satellite station panel."He doesn't waste time, now does he?" she chuckled. "Hmm?" Beverly said, looking up from Alexander. Troi pointed out Boothby. Beverly smiled in amusement. "At that rate, I wouldn't be surprised if he's planting lawn seed and flower bulbs by morning. It must've really irked him to watch his beds dry up blow away under that vacuum." "It must have." Troi shrugged. Beverly saw a med team come out of a turbo lift and she waved them over to their location to collect Alexander.. "There's no trauma. Just use light oxygen on your way." she told them. "Wait..." came a returning voice. It was the Traveler. He had left the main commdeck and had returned. Now he was studying Alexander's face closely. And the tribble stopped cooing and began to trill a little louder, pressing nearer to the boy. "Something is troubling him." the Traveler said turning his head to one side. His peaceful face clouded with a mild concentration. "I'm not getting any of that. To me, he's.. still napping." Deanna added. "Easier, if I might say, with that tribble near." "No. Not now. Then, just before I came into the tunnel to find him." the tall alien said. "It was in that when, on the tram." It was Beverly's turn to look confused. "I don't understand." "I'm sorry." the Traveler said. "Your human terms are difficult for me. Even using your universal translator. I am used to thinking in multi-times and multi-dimensions." he said softly. "The boy isn't in danger now. But he was then." "Of course he was, he was in a speeding train." the EMH snapped. "Not that, doctor. What I'm feeling now from then matches what is occupying your superiors attention now over there." the Traveler said. The two doctors, counselor and Moriarty sub consciously looked up at the bustle of admirals in the temporary Ops area on the other side of the room. Some of Excelsior's bridge officers had joined them and they were all focusing on Building Five on the main viewer. Seven of Nine and Data entered the room and rushed over immediately to the CO admiral in charge, ignoring the medical scene and the Traveler. Seven seemed to be talking very fast about something. The bustle in the room behind them intensified as something else was happening that had the Starfleet command officer's attention. Excelsior's bridge was being informed of a development. Dimly Bev realized that the red alert Mr. Data had called had not been taken down. Beverly tuned it out, knowing where her duty lay first, as a doctor, for Alexander. Deanna frowned, reading the impressions she got from the hurrying activity around her. "It's the Guardian of Forever. Something's happening. " She noticed Seven of Nine and Mr. Data being called into a tight group of admirals. "Can you tell what yet?" Beverly said as she scanned Alexander. "It's too soon." Troi replied. She looked down at the boy lying on the tabletop and touched the fastenings on the envirosuit, releasing him from it as the med team got him on supporting oxygen and covered him with a blanket for his transport to Excelsior's sickbay. Moriarty pointed to the main viewer, which had shifted from the wide city view of San Francisco and Starfleet to inside Building Five. The Guardian of Forever was no longer phasing through its time loop showing its passage through Archer's era to the present day. It was locked on one scene, a very familiar one. A nighttime on Earth with dispersing tan dust filling a hillside. A wavering shimmer caused the night stars to swim eerily and then it came. A bulky brown rusty hulk of a ship. It was not immediately recognizable. And it flew in towards Excelsior, low, almost sweeping the tops of buildings as it came. "That's now.." the EMH exclaimed. "Present time. Right above us.." and he ducked in reflex as a deep roar penetrated Excelsior's hull. "Raise shields!!" One of Excelsior's bridge officers by the Starfleet heads shouted. ##THEY ARE COMING. I COULD NOT STOP THEM.## came the ancient voice of the Guardian of Forever over Excelsior's ship wide comm. The Traveler grabbed onto the table as the ship rocked as a tractor beam tried to latch onto Excelsior from where she was landed on the ground. "I want manuevering room. Take us up!! Emergency ascent!" they heard Excelsior's captain say over the intercom. Deanna Troi had not visited the bridge she knew was three decks above theirs. But she remembered that one of Captain Kirk's old crewmates commanded Excelsior and she was comforted. The alarm levels in the personnel on board was still controlled, not blind panic. ::It would be, we've no civilians aboard her.:: Then the view of the Guardian shifted, showing its portal gate. It began to glow and two figures formed from within. "What in the world?" Beverly exclaimed. She watched the two armed figures come into being, and step into Building Five's hanger from the Guardian. She didn't recognize their patchwork skinned faces. Then Seven of Nine shouted. "Arm yourselves! They're Vidiians!!" Starfleet Headquarters and the Excelsior were under attack from above and beyond. Excelsior's impulse thrusters groaned under the alien tractor assault, but she got altitude, she strained a few seconds more, finally gaining the vacuum of outer space, dragging the Vidiian vessel up with her and away from the city. The battle was on. Even through the frightening noise, Deanna heard Seven tap her combadge. =^=All off duty senior officers to the Commdeck. We are under attack!!=^= ------------------------------- (attachments) Image: The Vidiian Ship attacking. *Movie*- A battle in space between starships. Image: Doctor Crusher looking worried in low light. Image: Counselor Troi serious close up. Image: The EMH and Janeway surrounded by armed Vidiians. ************************************** From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] The Can Opener Stage Date : Wed, 20 Mar 2002 07:53:35 +0000 Janeway must have drifted off again. For when she stirred a second time, a vague uneasiness disturbed her rest yet again. But this time her wakening was devoid of a vision of any aliens coming to call. ::Who was he again? He called himself the Traveler. Now why does that ring a bell?:: Kathryn thought. Listening for a moment in the darkness of her quarters for the sound of Chakotay's breathing from the bedroom, Janeway rose from her couch and padded over the lush carpetting to sit at a work table. She toggled a switch on the table computer and squinted when its bright light stabbed into her sleepy eyes. She hunched over the terminal and whispered to it. "Computer. Keypad only. No audio commit." #Parameter configured.# "Shh..." Janeway told it in irritation, glancing up towards where she could see Chakotay's form sprawled on the bed. But the commander did not stir. Kathryn resisted the temptation to key up Excelsior's bridge status. She figured anything that came up would be in very capable hands without her. She, was in offtime. It had taken her years to finally, really be off the bridge mentally when she wasn't actively working. Chakotay's meditations and vision quests had helped. She glanced up again at his sleeping form beyond the glow of her work screen and wistfully wished that they could go on another. It had been a long time since they had shared one together. ::Almost two months. And I still haven't mastered the technique of picking up my spirit guide's moods to learn from.:: she chided mentally. ================= She could still feel the smooth scales of him underneath her fingers from the last visit when she closed her eyes and thought about him. Then she started chuckling, stifling the sound with her hand as she remembered her last conversation with the gecko spirit. ##Kathryn. You must relax if you're going to decide to be like me. I don't blink and I don't curl my fur since I don't have any so pay attention.## Captain Janeway snorted and pulled her restless fingers away from the hair she was absently curling in them while she sat yoga style on the beach. Chakotay next to her seemed like a rock. Very at one with his wolf friend. They were both like the ocean cliff behind them, somehow, blending. For a few moments, Kathryn swore they blended in with the boulders themselves. "How do you DO that?" she said aloud. The sound of her "speaking" in the vision quest made both wolf and man jerk open their eyes in unison. Then a smile filled Chakotay's. "Practice." he said to her. "I become my spirit guide and she, me. I just, empty my thoughts and let go. Soon, I feel everything around me as clear as pictures, even with my eyes closed." "Yeah, well all I feel is thirsty." Janeway said. She glanced out at the dawn waves a few feet from their prayer rug. "All that saline water and none fit to drink." Chakotay regarded her a baleful stare that matched the one her gecko guide gave her. She wondered if they had planned that reaction out ahead of time. "You should have eaten and rested before we tried this exercise. Spirit walking with your guide is much better when you're both in the same body." "I don't think my 84 kilos is going to ever fit into his eighth." she laughed, smacking her stick she had been fiddling with against the glowing sand, reveling in the strengthening sun against the skin on her face. Then a chill spidered up her back that wasn't pleasant at all. "Chakotay, do you feel that?" "Feel what?" he asked. Janeway turned her head out to sea. The sun erupted into a bloody red and the seabird cries whistled and warped into a red alert klaxon and then.... ===================== Seven tapped her combadge. =^=All off duty senior officers to the Commdeck. We are under attack!!=^= Janeway jolted off her elbows. Sleep had tricked her once again. But adrenaline made her absolutely sure of her surroundings this time. "Chakotay!!" she shouted. A huge upward heave slammed her chin onto the computer table and thick pain sliced through her mouth as her teeth were driven into the corner of her tongue. She could taste blood on her lips. She struggled to her feet as sickening motion unbalanced her and threw the computer off the table. It was sent rolling and Janeway,too. ::We're lifting off. Faster than the inertial dampeners can compensate! Damn it, Chakotay! Why don't you answer me?:: She gave up trying to walk across the dark living quarters so she crawled painfully, feeling many bruises beginning to stiffen muscle and joints. "Ughghh!!" she groaned. Soon, she made it into the other room. Then a ghastly glow from the outside filled the room and she saw him. Excelsior's initial heave upwards and evasive move for altitude had flung her first officer into a wall. He lay gasping, trying to get his wind back, trying to speak as he saw her pull herself towards him, first one meter, then two, until she was by his side. "Easy.." she said, placing a hand on his chest. "Just relax.. like we did in that quest exercise a month ago." Chakotay shuddered and air suddenly whooshed back into his chest as stunned reflexes finally listened to his will. "Gahhh..gh. Oww.." he gasped. "We we've been hit by a tractor beam..*cough*" "I know. It's still there. That's why everything's glowing orange. Can you stand? We've got to get to the Commdeck." she said. "I think so. Nothing's broken.." "Good." she said, giving him a hand up. They leaned on one another until they had both learned a macabre sway to the lurching deck as the starship resisted capture in the beam. Then they headed for the door. "That's Vidiian tractoring." "Yes. And it's got a solid lock on us." she turned her head to meet his eyes as they snatched up their uniform tunics as they ran outside into the corridor. It took a few seconds for them both to get used to the bright lights. The moment they did, Chakotay reached for her chin. "You're hurt." Janeway evaded his grasp by pulling her face away. "Nothing that can't wait. I must have bit my tongue. I'm fine. Let's go. It's a long way up to Deck Five in the turboshafts. The lifts won't be operative under this kind of evasive shearing.." ---------------------------------- Lt. Uhura and Nurse Chapel were better prepared when the ship began to pitch and buck beneath them. They grabbed onto McCoy and pushed him into a floor locked chair in the office. "Stay put Leonard..!" Christine snapped. "You won't be able to take a fall at your age." He sputtered but shut up instantly when Uhura called up what was on ship's sensors. "A tractor beam. A powerful one. And a ship." "I'm not familiar with its design." Chapel admitted, seeing the craft responsible for their rocky ride in sickbay. "Is there anything we know in this decade?" Uhura said sarcastically. "I don't think so. It's just bad and ugly.." No one around her laughed. "We've got to get sickbay ready. There's bound to be casualties." Chapel said. Uhura watched as McCoy staggered off in between the deck joltings to do just that. She said, "That's only second priority. That tractor means business. What if we're about to be boarded?" Christine looked up from the desk edge she was clinging to. "By whom?" "Let's find out." Uhura grunted. She managed to stab a hand down on the computer pad nearest her. She shouted. "Computer! Triangulate sensors and come up with an identification of our attacking vessel. All possible answers." ##The ship in close proximity to the Excelsior matches one known i.d., Vidiian. Origin. Delta Quadrant.## Chapel shrugged from where she was anchored against a pillar. Uhura ordered more. "Speculate intentions! Best guess." ##The probability of aggressive takeover of the ship for organ harvest by the Vidiians is ninety eight point three percent.## Even Uhura paled as Christine muttered, "Now I know we're in deep--" "Christine! There's got to be something we can do to help!" the dark communications officer said. "What? A frontal assault? We don't even know the layout of Excelsior let alone where the armory lockers are. We'd best stay put. Sickbay's one of the most protected areas of the ship!" Chapel said. "Then we'd better start praying. Listen. I don't like the sound of that.." Uhura said. "Someone's not going to be late for their appointment with the doctor." Outside in the ward, they could hear titanium bulkheads being violated as the hull was being breached by forced entry. "What should we do?" Chapel squeaked. "Pray.." Uhura said, passing to her one of two phasers she had found on brackets beneath the doctor's desk. Lightning fast, Chapel hit her combadge. "Sickbay to Commdeck! Invasive hull breach by attackers in progress our location. Respond a security team!" ----------------------------- It was a long agonizing climb, seconds crawled by like years, but at last Janeway and Chakotay had reached the access panel tube grate onto Commdeck five. She popped out the screen grill with both her boots and jumped out only to almost eat a muzzle of a phaser aimed at them from a frightened cadet startled by their noisy arrival. "Captain!" the young man said, lifting his phaser up to the ceiling and away from her and Chakotay. "I thought you were--" "Vidiians take at least two minutes to breach a ship's hull. Remember that." and she barged her way past him to the main area in the room. She glanced and saw the unconscious Alexander lying on his litter with his attendant med techs crouched by the useless turbolift and the rest of the scene in a glance. The nearest person to her was the EMH, who took her arm after seeing the blood streaming down her face. Janeway spoke up. "How's the boy? He hurt bad?" "I should ask the same of you, captain. Looks like you've severed a lingual artery from the looks of it and don't try to hide it. Biting your tongue's only going to make you swallow more blood." he gestured toward a medkit Crusher had open by another fallen crewman. "Come over here and I'll seal it off. It'll only take a minute." "I don't have a minute. The hull integrity's about to be breached in sickbay. Didn't you hear the Nurse? I've got to go over there. Seems like I'm the resident Vidiian expert here." "Not so fast. I can treat you now. Or in five minutes when your blood pressure drops through the floor and you pass out from lost volume. Kapesh?" the holodoc said. Moriarty passed by just then, milling about and he stopped long enough to offer Janeway a lacy hanky from his velvet jacket pocket. "Here my dear. You look like you really need this." and he walked away, up to something only he knew across the Command room. The EMH sighed, crossing his arms stubbornly. Janeway spat a glob of clot out of her mouth and felt a fresh stream running down her uniform collar. The copper taste was making her nauseated, effecting her concentration. Finally she nodded. "Make it fast doctor." and she went with him going to Dr. Crusher for treatment. Chakotay nodded when he saw the EMH's success over Kathryn and made his way to the senior officers. "Where are they cutting access into us besides sickbay?" "On deck seven, the shuttle bay, and the mess, deck nine. All of these areas are immediately beneath the radius of the tractor's nimbus field." a young lieutenant at tactical answered. "Then let's block their "sunlight." Move Excelsior and get an orbiter satellite to impact the beam between us and the Vidiian ship. That should wipe out that first cutting crew at any rate." "Trying sir.." About ten seconds later, a dull sizzle made all of them duck as a minor surveillance satellite swept into the Vidiian tractor beam, taking Excelsior's place inside its grip. "Break us free! Break us free!" Chakotay shouted. The opportunity for escape was very small at that instant. ::It could fail.:: And it did. But the pinned satellite bought them some time. The next Vidiian party would have to burn through the satellite in order to reach Excelsior's hull again. And that, was wonderful news. ::Maybe by then, Earth's defenses will be activated and then we can blow them the h*ll out of space.:: "Chakotay to sickbay. Status report!!" There was no response. Only static. --------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Uhura in close up at her board. Image: A very worried Christine Chapel. Image: The EMH examining an injured Janeway. Image: Chakotay lying injured. ************************************ From : "Roxy Dee" Subject :[voyagerliveaction] Captain Kate Saves The Day~~ Date : Wed, 20 Mar 2002 20:44:44 +0000 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Out Of Character~~ I've a surprise for you all. I've a close friend you know very well over for coffee with me right now. And she wants to try her hand at writing for once. I guess its the caffeine making her so gungho and I'm taking full advantage of it. (Shes laughing right now and smacking me on the arm) Let's just say, Janeway is a role KKM knows very well. Enjoy all. Maybe I can get her to do it again next visit. So cross your fingers. If we get her, then maybe we can get the three Roberts into this tiny web Trek show next. It's just a matter of time. Let me work on it. Roxy Back In Character~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Captain Kirk and Lt. Yar were two who didn't go to their assigned rest quarters when Janeway had called a recess concerning the time traveler. Now, ten hours later. Kirk had all the excitement he needed. He felt fifteen years younger at the moment. ::The Traveler rescuing civilian boys from runaway trains, an ex killer hologram dressed like Watson for an advisor, and now, an enemy without a face invading Excelsior.. I LIKE it.:: he thought happily. He whistled in the dark, and motioned for Lt. Yar to take the other side of the doorway surrounding sickbay. The sound of hull cutting had stopped when his tricorder showed that the Commdeck had used a satellite as a shield against the invaders but the shuddering of the deck continued unabated as she strained to break free. ::If only we weren't so near Earth and the Moon. We could just go into warp and shear our way free. And where are the planetary defenses? Starfleet went back on power and online ten minutes ago.:: Lt. Yar wasn't messing around. Excelsior wasn't her ship but she hated it when bullies showed up who thought it was ok to rip and plunder and kill at their convenience. She nodded to Kirk, her back to the wall, gesturing that she was ready for a storm into the medical ward. As yet, there had been no reply from Uhura, McCoy, K'Ehleyr, nor Chapel from within to her hail. Something was definitely wrong. Those crewmates inside had also, not answered Chakotay's frantic hail as to their status. But Kirk wasn't about to go into a charge firing wildly at an unknown enemy. His accumulated years had instilled a healthy caution in him, and had made him a better captain. He tapped his combadge. =^=Kirk to HoloZimm. Don't reply back. Beam to my location no matter what's happening in there.=^= Soon, sparkles danced before Kirk and a frightened HoloZimm became solid. Kirk reached out and grabbed his shoulder and yanked him against the wall in a protective move. "Get under cover my friend. We may have been boarded." HoloZimm too, crouched, casting his eyes around until he saw Yar nearby and that she was watching him along with Kirk. "I'll say we've been boarded. The crew in sickbay is all right for the moment. I moved a holographic projection of a wall over where they're hiding in the main office and added a dampening field to mask their lifesigns. They can't hear any communications hail while they're in there. I felt that was best to save them from the Vidiians." Kirk grinned wryly. "Is that what they're called? Now I have a name for this enemy. What can you tell me about them? Neither Yar nor I know who they are. We've seen the main viewer and that ship out there." "I wish I didn't know so much about them captain. They're desperate scavengers infected with a disease that rots out their bodies. They, have these regular raids on starships to harvest the crew for body parts to keep themselves alive. Their medical skills are extensive, almost as good as the Fabrini's." HoloZimm replied. "Then why are they reduced to hunting and killing. Haven't they found a cure for this disease of theirs? Sounds like they're terminal lepers." Yar said. "That's just it. They can usually cure any ailment except their own. The Phage is virilent in them because one of their own scientists engineered it to be specific for them." HoloZimm said. "And he designed it to have no known cure. It was for a civil war among his own people. It was meant to be a deterent weapon. But then some radical decided to release it for real." "All this history on the Vidiians is nice, HoloZimm, but we haven't much time. I need tactical information about our attackers if we're going to do anything good for those trapped in there." Kirk said. A foreign scanner noise made the three outside in the corridor duck once more against the wall and flatten. Clearly, some Vidiians had made it inside before the satellite impacted the tractor beam. "Shh.. Kirk said. He tapped his combadge. "Computer, erect a level ten isofield over all sickbay bulkhead doors. Key to my voice print only. Code Alpha One Omega Zero Zero One B. Implement." A small door sized field buzzed into place in front of them. Yar could feel it creating static charge and smelled the ozone it was creating. "Good, sir. That will at least keep them in one place." she turned to Holozimm, "Are you sure the others are still safe in there?" "Of course, lieutenant." Holozimm replied. "I linked a subroutine in my holomatrix to tell me if any protective dampening field around concealed crew were compromised anywhere, shipwide. I'll sneeze if that happens." Yar gave him an odd look but went on, removing a small hand phaser from her belt. "Listen. Are you able to operate one of these? I know EMH's usually can't harm people in any way." "You're forgetting, Tasha.. that our holofriend here is only a template, looking like the EMH. He isn't one actually. He's a model of Louis Zimmerman, his creator." Kirk said to her, grinning. "He'll be able to defend himself." HoloZimm nodded promptly in a firm yes. He took Yar's prooffered weapon. "Now, we have to come up with a game plan, without becoming a biology dissection project ourselves along the way." Kirk said. "It may be some time for Excelsior security to come assist us. Especially if there's been more than one hull breach boarding." he sighed. "Listen, Holozimm, have the Vidiians seen you yet? Do they know about you?" "Not yet, I shrunk myself down to bug size the moment I secured the crew behind that field." "Good. I want you, to play your twin, the holodoc. Do you think you can do that?" Kirk asked. Holozimm's brown holoeyes frowned in worry. "Well, I... I'm not programmed with any of his personality files, captain. I merely have the emergency medical skills any cadet graduate would have normally since that is the education I absorbed before I was discovered." "Good enough." Kirk said, grinning openly, but then his face crinkled and he gestured, "But you're going to have to change that tunic of yours. Make it look like his. You know the one, blue across the shoulders, and black below.." HoloZimm hit a few buttons on the wall on the computer panel and his appearance fuzzed out then back in. He looked exactly like Voyager's EMH now, only a little taller and not so confident. "This starship's nice having holoemitting projectors every square inch captain but I'm still vulnerable, like the holodoctor is to energy fields and phaser fire in close proximity." "That's all right, Holozimm, you won't be getting in the line of fire. Yar and I will be doing the hard part." "Make that Yar, you and me.." came a voice jogging up to them. It was Janeway, newly healed and armed to the teeth with a phaser rifle matching the one Yar held. Kirk grinned. Janeway went on, "I figured you could use some backup cover captain. Chakotay's handling the other invasion points from the Commdeck." Yar noticed the bloodstains on her uniform. "Are you hurt?" "No. I've been attended to. Now listen up. There's a few things you should know about Vidiians. I've encountered them plenty of times on Voyager..." Kirk interrupted her. "They like their surgery specimens fresh and never ask ahead of time for permission." Janeway blinked in surprise. Kirk jerked a finger over to HoloZimm. "He's told us all about them, Kathryn. We're set." Janeway nodded. "Good, I think the four of us, with the doctor here, can handle those in there. The Traveler's managed to determine that there are three Vidiians inside sickbay.." Holozimm started laughing.. Janeway stopped speaking. "I fail to see what's so funny here.." she said angrily. "I'm not your holo physician, captain I'm.." "HoloZimm,,," she finished. "I see it now. You have more hair than he does and it's a bit darker. Nice disguise." she pointed to him as she addressed Captain Kirk, "Are you going to use HoloZimm here as a diversion?" "Yes. The crew's being concealed inside a dampening field in the main office. Four people, Ambassador K'Ehleyr, and three of mine, Uhura, McCoy and Chapel." "Are they all right?" Janeway asked. "Yes. They haven't been discovered.Zimm here hasn't started sneezing yet.." Yar said. "Huh?" Kathryn blinked. Yar gestured, "Never mind. A minor detail. Captain Janeway, Let me go in ahead of you. I'm more expendable should something go wrong. And I'm.. well quicker than you. You've been Earthbound for five years..maam." Kirk and Janeway exchanged ironic looks. And Kathryn spoke without offense. "Just because my seat hasn't been warming a captain's chair doesn't mean I've gone soft, lieutenant. And neither has Kirk here, and he's been offship decades longer than I.." she said teasingly. Kirk shifted on his feet and rolled his eyes. Janeway went on, "I appreciate your altruism, Lt. Yar, and I'll accept your offer to "go in first", but you're not going to go in firing, you're going to be pretending to be one of our supposed "EMH's" emergency cases, hurt from a fall when the ship began bucking. Vidiians are still scientists before soldiers and a healthy curiosity will stay any tendency of theirs to shoot before scanning. They have a curious habit of analyzing any victims first for viability before stunning and harvesting. Usually the process is sped up by using a blanket scan from the mother ship but Excelsior's satellite gum in the pipe trick has kept them from having that global information ahead of time. They have to scan by hand any crew they find. And that, we can use as our advantage." she looked up at HoloZimm, "But I'm afraid you don't quite look the part." "I don't?" "No..." she jogged over to a red cross marked panel and opened it. It contained a field med kit. She snatched it out and traded his phaser for the kit. "Now, you're ready to go on the air." and she winked. Yar smiled. Tossing her rifle over to Janeway who neatly caught it. "I'm gonna like this counter attack immensely. Tell me. Are they susceptible to heavy phaser stun? I'm gonna nail them the second we get near. I won't be "unconscious" for long..." "Light stun will be sufficient. They're sick, remember?" she smirked. "Let's give you a bit of believability, Lt. " and Janeway peeled off her uniform tunic jacket full of blood and handed it to Yar to put on. "Lucky I haven't had time to get a new one." "They'll think I'm a captain.." Yar said. "That's all right. You'll make a more appealing victim to them. A potential captain hostage. It'll further safeguard you from being harvested right away should something go wrong." Kirk replied. Now it was HoloZimm's turn to frown in uncertainty. "But you've now unarmed two of us, Captain Janeway. Our firepower's been halved." Kathryn grinned, "Quit thinking like a security guard Holozimm." and she snatched up a hypospray from the medkit in his hand. She dialed it to an anesthestic and slapped it into his palm. She gave another one to Yar to put up her sleeve. "We're plenty armed. Cleverly. Are you ready Yar? Time to act sick." Yar dramatically faked a faint and fell into HoloZimm's arms. He barely had time to fling the medkit strap over his shoulder to catch her. "Ohhh.. " she said. "I feel so woosy.." Kirk grinned. "Tone it down lieutenant. Some of the Vidiians are doctors, too. They might be adept at spotting pretenders." HoloZimm easily hefted Yar off the floor into his arms and she nodded ironically, then she went limp in every limb, dangling loosely. HoloZimm boldly put the hypospray in between his teeth in plain sight and he mumbled, "I'm in a hurry remember? Doing five things at once." Janeway crouched down by the door taking over the side Yar had occupied. "Hold your breath, Lt." she said to Tasha. "Your blood chemistry will go all to h*ll on their scans and'll buy Kirk and I a few more seconds while they analyze your suitability.." "Got it.." and she took a deep breath and did so. Janeway nodded to Kirk who said, "Computer release isofield Five Beta Ward One." The field snicked out. Kirk nodded for HoloZimm to begin "acting". Janeway and Kirk stayed well out of sight with their weapons. Janeway nodded a go. HoloZimm began shouting the moment he crossed the threshold into the medical ward. He pretended to not see the Vidiian invaders and made straight for the biobed nearest them. "MMmmmmWe've mmgot tomm mmhurry. Mmm..She'sff ff got an airway obffstruction mmand hasff stopped bbbbreathing." he mumbled...around the hypo spray clenched in his lips. "What?" the nearest Vidiian said, "You're mumbling hologram." All three were looking in HoloZimm's direction and away from the outer door. HoloZimm flopped the "ailing" Yar up onto the biobed and then feigned shock at seeing the Vidiians in sickbay for apparently, the first time. His mouth dropped open and the hypo spray fell out onto the bed and bounced into his hand. That was the cue.. Janeway and Kirk stormed the room with weapons blazing. They were careful not to hit HoloZimm doing it. Equally at the same time Yar came to life and injected her Vidiian with her hypospray the same time Holozimm did his Vidiian. The third was caught in Kirk and Janeway's crossfire and he, too, dropped to the deck, But not before his alien scanner stunner shot out towards Captain Kirk. The older captain toppled and sagged down a wall, paralyzed but conscious. Janeway saw him go down but didn't turn to him until she was sure the three Vidiians were incapacitated fully. HoloZimm altered his appearance back to his white neutral labcoat and gave a command to release the dampening field. K'Ehleyr, Uhura, Chapel and McCoy tumbled out wielding various medical equipment such as laser scalpels. K'Ehleyr held a chair at the ready over her head. K'Ehleyr said. "Oh.. Guess there isn't going to be a battle today, too bad." and she threw it back into the office behind her. Lt. Yar grinned. "There's plenty opportunity soon, ambassador, Chakotay reported multiple hull breaches from the Commdeck a few minutes ago." Uhura said, "Is it bad? In there, we couldn't see or hear anything once Holozimm covered us up." Christine ignored the officers and the out cold Vidiians when she saw Captain Kirk, slumped against the wall. "Captain Kirk!!" she shouted. Janeway had already knelt by him and had felt his neck for the pulsebeat there to reassure herself of his stable conscious condition. "He should be fine. Vidiians can't harvest organs from shocky victims. He's only been immobilized. He'll be able to breathe and his heart'll beat just fine." She brought her eyes down to Kirk's open and fixed ones. "You'll be fine Jim. The effects wear off in a few minutes. Just try to relax. I've got things under control here. We got em good." She moved aside for a hastily muttering McCoy who took over Jim's care. Janeway looked at Yar and Holozimm. "Put these prisoners into the isolation ward under a security field. We'll deal with them later. Then I want you two back here to guard that open door. Without Kirk to reinstate that isofield over that bulkhead leading to the corridor we're vulnerable in here." They nodded on her orders and did the task. K'Ehleyr took the rifle off Kirk and hefted it, guarding the doorway Janeway was worried about. Lt. Yar hit her combadge when she returned. "Yar to Commdeck, Sickbay is secure. Three Vidiians contained. We've one minor injury in Captain Kirk but he'll be recovered in a few minutes. We've no further casualties. Yar out." ##Understood.## Chakotay said from Commdeck Five. McCoy looked up from where he was examining Kirk. "Listen all, I'm grateful you've rescued us, but I wanna get Jim onto a biobed so I can get a closer look at him and one of those alien thingamajigs. It may have done something other than just paralyze his motor muscle reflexes." To humor the white haired doctor, HoloZimm Uhura, Chapel and Janeway carried Kirk to the nearest bed and got him comfortable. Then Yar turned to HoloZimm. "Well that went slick. Glad you didn't sneeze on us before we captured those Vidiians." "So am I. " he admitted. ----------------------- (attachments) Image: Kirk with a phaser. Image: Portrait of Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway Gif: The Paramount Corporation logo in white. ************************************ From : Myron Ojala Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Lost Windows of the Soul Date : Thu, 21 Mar 2002 22:28:24 -0800 (PST) Montgomery lounged back on satin covered pillows wallowing in decadence. The dancing girl was slowly removing yet another sheer veil. With a smile for Scotty alone, she let the fabric slowly float to the floor. Scotty watched as the sheer fabric floated and landed by his feet. "Ah, lassie." he said as yet another scantily clad maiden rubbed his shoulders, and as a third fed him grapes. Between morsels, he groaned in ecstacy. "Oh, yes... that's the spot... That's it.. Just a little to the left.. Just a little bit lower..." And all of the sudden he felt the earth moving and he fell out of his own bunk with a thud and out of his dream. "Aoowww!! Of all the wha__?? Red alert? What's that happening to the ship?!" He got to his bare feet and stumbled as he made his way to his closet for his uniform. "Computer, what is the current status of the ship and why the flamin' **&&$@ (Gaelic explicative) didn't anyone call me?" ##Excelsior is under attack by a hostile vessel. Captain Montgomery Scott is not recognized as an active member of Excelsior's crew.## "Well ask a stupid question....get a stupid answer. Computer. Damage report!" ##Hull breaches on Decks, seven, nine, the messhall and sickbay. Lt. Yar has reported that sickbay has been secured.## "Computer, Identify attacking vessel." he asked while finishing dressing. He huffed a lungful of air as he pulled on his last boot. The feminine yet neutral reply said, ##Hostile invader is Vidiian.## "Who the bloody h*ll are the Vidiians?" ##Vidiians originate from the Delta Quadrant. They attack starships for a ship's crew to organ harvest. Their race was first discovered by Captain Kathryn Janeway of th--## "Computer stop!" ::What would Janeway be doing right about now? I'll just bet she had something to do with sickbay's victory.:: Scott thought. ::But she might be a little busy right now.. So...:: "Computer, Locate Commander Chakotay." ##Commander Chakotay is on the Commdeck.## "Scotty to Commander Chakotay." Chakotay's voice came online immediately. "Go ahead." Scott spoke as he rushed trying to find his tricorder and his silkie probe, Byte. "Where's me Byte?" "Pardon?" he heard come over the comm. "Looking for some equipment, that's all. Do ye need any help up there, Mr. Chakotay?" Scott asked as he was tossed almost to his knees when the ship shuddered yet again. He looked up and noticed a glow outside his porthole view. "That's a tractor beam that's got us." Montgomery heard him answer in a tone that Scotty recognized from many times when a commander was pressed without answers. "I wouldn't turn it down, Mr. Scott. We've got multiple hull breaches throughout the ship. We're being boarded." Scotty felt his Gaelic ire rise. He rummaged through a foot locker and pulled out a claymore and hefted its weight into a palm "Let's the two of us, plan a wee party in the messhall commander. I think I ken show these Vidiian beasties a thing er two about vivisections of our own. Heh, heh,heh, heh. heh." "Let me transfer matters to Mr. Data. Mr. Data! You have the Commdeck. Mr. Scott, I'll join you there shortly. Chakotay out." --------------------------------- A few minutes later, Mr. Scott and the burly Commander were side to side outside the messhall. Scott checked his tricorder readings and ascertained that there were four Vidiians inside the messhall. He determined that there were no ship's personnel within. ::Well, that's a load off my mind.:: "It's clear of crew. But there are four of those creatures and it looks like they're well armed." Chakotay kept his face away from the glass doors while he considered options. "Plan on carving up a ham with that, captain?" he said noticing the ancient steel weapon in the engineer's hands, he said in slight amusement. "Just a Vidiian or two. Or four for that matter." Scott grinned. "Not quite regulation, but I'm not complaining." Chakotay smiled back. They both clung to the wall with both hands when the ship rocked again as she attempted to escape the energy beam. The computer warbled on again urgently. ##Warning. Hull breach beginning on Commdeck Five. Forced entry is imminent.## Both officers looked at each other with renewed determination. Scotty said "Well, laddie, guess we don't have time to wait for backup. They're all goin ta go up there first." he said of the security detail teams. Chakotay hefted his phaser high and lined it up with a window, taking a peek to see if he could make out where the invaders were inside the messhall. "They're setting up a transporter hub using what looks like pattern enhancers. There's gonna be a lot more than just those four in there shortly." Scott tightened his grip on his sword, "Wonderful. I think we should cut into this dance, don't you think, laddie?" "I couldn't agree more. On three." But he skipped two numbers. "Three!!" Scotty and Chakotay charged into the large messhall. Chakotay drew a bead on the nearest Vidiian before he could raise his analyzerstunner. He made sure his setting wasn't lethal. ::We'll need prisoners to interrogate.:: He fired a quick blast of yellow. The startled patched work face of the alien grimaced in surprise for a moment before he collasped into a heap on the deck. The fallen invader's companions began bringing their weapons up to bear toward the Commander when suddenly, Scotty popped out from behind the bar. "Over here ye stupid Frankensteinians!" That bought enough time for Chakotay to roll behind a counter to relative safety. Then Scotty stood up and threw a coffee pot at one who almost got a shot off at him. Ping! The heavy metal cylinder bounced off the cranium of his adversary and the being grunted as he crumpled to the carpet into unconsciousness. ""That's two! How are ye doing Commander??" Suddenly, Scotty heard a tortured human scream just out of his sight around the corner. There was no mistaking whose it was. "Chakotay! What's happening?!" Scotty dropped and crawled the length of the back of the bar, keeping under cover, until he reached the edge. He looked around a beam and what he saw made his heart almost stop. A Vidiian was standing over Chakotay's shaking body, his sinister device slicing into the Commander's face. Two orbs that were hideously, obviously, eyes floated out of Chakotay's head and into a small stasis tube. Scotty gasped, barely able to breathe or speak but somehow, he found strength enough to snap out an order. "Computer initiate Program Sulu Fencing Automaton Alpha. Remove holosafeties and protect human lifesigns. Mark!" Six faceless fencing dummies in featureless white leotards with metal mesh masks suddenly appeared surrounding the Vidiians. The remaining alien intruders were momentarily taken by surprise by the newcomer figures and their ignorance of holographic systems fooled them fatally when they tried to disregard the artificial forms as nondangerous. They tried to turn back to their hideous surgery on Chakotay. That Vidiian instinct to ignore the nonliving, turned the tables against them instantly. The six training holomannequins surrounded the two Vidiians, leaning over a moaning Chakotay and they erupted into action with multiple fencing tactics of offense since they registered a man was down. As one, five of the trainers lunged forward with their sabres, plunging them deep into the nearest alien. He didn't even have time to cry out. He looked down in surprise and mumbled, "But you are holo...." and he slumped into death. His body's impaling mass pinned the trainers flimsy swords and they froze into place. The exercise figures faded out when all movement ceased in their opponent. The last Vidiian and fighter holo were left face to face, scanner stun to swordtip. Suddenly the Vidiian cried out in anger and fired golden lightning from his analyzer. The holofighter's matrix was disrupted by the intense energy discharge and Scotty suddenly found himself alone, the next one in the Vidiian's sights. Scotty snatched up a chair to shield his torso. "You bloody b*st*rd! Leave the commander alone!" The Vidiian was almost mild. He smiled with rotting teeth through lips that were half Andorian and half Tellerite. The irony of the fact that this Vidiian was made up of Alpha quadrant species was lost on Mr. Scott when the creature spoke. "I am sorry for your friend's pain. But it was necessary. I am my brother's Honatta and it is my turn to replace his eyes with a suitable donor's. In this case, a human male's." Scott wished he could turn his sword into Chakotay's fallen Federation phaser that lay just out of reach and he snarled. "Give me those eyes. Now!" But the small Vidiian doctor backed up two steps until his feet were within the ring of pattern enhancers he had brought with his invading team. A buzzing droning hiss wrapped purple light around him and he started to fade away. Scotty screamed "NOooo!" and he hurled the blade of his claymore with all of his strength at the escaping Vidiian. But all he accomplished was watching the sword's point impact into the wall as it cut through the fiend's ghosting outline. He stared numbly at the vibrating metal blade in the bulkhead when he realized Chakotay had fallen silent. That snapped him to. Captain Scott ran over to the Commander and knelt by him, checking to make sure he had the ability to breathe still as a profound coma took Chakotay into shock. He slapped his combadge and he barely recognized his own shaky voice as he shouted. "Scott to Commdeck! Medical Emergency! Beam two to sickbay!" The last thing Scotty remembered was seeing the sunken bloody pockets behind Chakotay's closed eyelids as the transporter effect carried them away. ------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: An angry Scott in red standing by a computer wall. *animated gif* An EKG monitor weaving the word "Hi" in the heart signature blip strip. Below appears "I'm alive and kicking" in red. Image: Chakotay's vision quest river stone, the "eye" into his soul. ************************************************* END WEEK NINE 03-22-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction ShowcaseSite http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub. WEEK TEN RECAP 03-23-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub *********************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject :[voyagerliveaction] In her Native Element... Date : Sun, 24 Mar 2002 03:16:38 +0000 Leonard Bones McCoy gave a huge sigh of relief the moment he knew no one had died in the latest fiasco with the aliens. ::Bad enough having your workplace on a starship, but to have a battle in your own personal patient ward? That's unforgivable.:: he thought, and he gave a mental spit towards the isolation chamber where Yar and Janeway had deposited the konked out Vidiian invaders. He couldn't wait to get one under a deep tricorder scan. ::In fact, I can't wait.:: "Hold on just a sec there cap." he called out to Janeway as they were dumping the last ex-attacker into the tiny room. "I could use a little direct info on these fellas if you know what I mean." and he tapped his bioscanner. "You see, Jim here won't be able to tell us much until that paralyzer stun releases him." McCoy looked down and lowered the sickbay lights a tad so his captain wouldn't be too uncomfortable staring at them without being able to blink. Janeway grinned and nodded, unceremoniously dumping the youngest female Vidiian on a full restraint capable bed. The EMH and HoloZimm helped her fit down the ties on her limbs. "Good enough. I've more than a few questions for these people. I was told directly from Kurrus, a head of an alien think tank in the Delta Quadrant, that the Vidiians were given a cure for their Phage by his scientific community. I want to know why it didn't work here." and she gestured impetuously at the unconscious alien. Bones laughed as he put drops into Kirk's eyes to keep them moist. "Nice work foolin them, Captain Janeway. Even better than my captain would have done..." he chuckled. Janeway gave him a wry look, smiling, "Careful what you say, doctor. He's still awake in that condition and he hears you." "That's all right. I've known Jim for thirty nine odd years and he knows I can say just about whatever I d*mned well please these days about him because I happen to be the leading authority on what makes Captain Kirk tick. Isn't that right, Jim?" Of course, the staring frozen form of Kirk didn't reply. But Janeway thought she saw his eyes bug out just a hair. She fervently wished she were elsewhere when her counterpart finally got his coordination back. "But even after that long. Jim still has ta be drugged or stunned like this for me to get in the last word. No fun when that happens. But, let's get to the nitty gritty on this monster gal shall we?" The EMH frowned as he handed McCoy some instruments he would need to conduct a thorough bioscan on the Vidiian female. "These people aren't evil, Dr. McCoy, they are a race of artists and gifted scientists.." "Yeah, then why are they visiting innocent starships and shopping first and talking later, huh?" Bones grumbled. He snatched the Vidiian tool that HoloZimm was playing with quickly, "Watch out, son.." he warned, "You might end up with a stomach scrambled where your gizzard is.." Holozimm gasped and felt his middle before he remembered, "Hey I don't have any organs to get scrambled, doctor. I'm a hologram." "Umm hmmmm" Bones said distractedly as he picked at the rotting skin around the woman alien's forehead. "Come over here, K'Ehleyr," he invited. "And take a look at this would ya?" and he pointed. The ambassador wasn't squeamish so she walked up to the bed with her tall height and bent over. "Looks like Khin'zai skin." "Yeah, from Klingons of an Old House Family who didn't have forehead ridges. Now that frightens me. Here these folks are, attacking Earth directly, using the Guardian of Forever to make it here and this skin is proof that they are strong enough to defeat a warrior caste of Klingons. Bad enough that ninety percent of her is made up of Alpha Quadrant species..." McCoy concluded. "That bridge up there better watch out. I wouldn't be surprised if that ship were far more advanced than any of the Federation's." "That's true, doctor." Janeway said. "But they have weak points. Their vessels are vulnerable to lateral shearing once their boarding tunnels clamp onto a hull. It's fairly easy to tear free once that occurs." McCoy snorted, "Then why aren't you up there on Excelsior's bridge telling that to the command crew." Janeway crossed her arms in amusement. "They'll figure it out. I know Sulu's performance record. Impeccable." Just then the ship's bucking and pitching ceased. "See?" Kathryn said, "We're free." "Thank heavens.." K'Ehleyr's attention was drawn once more to the ceiling as renewed cutting with laser torches could be clearly heard through the hull. "It's not over yet. More of them are getting through.." Yar ran over to K'Ehleyr's side and Janeway, too, with her rifle. They aimed them at the ceiling and waited for the first telltale sparks of an invading breach. The EMH reconfigured the biofields around the doors to include sealing off the ceiling from the open spaces but Janeway shook her head. "It's not going to work this time, The ceiling's too great an area to spread a powerful enough shielding. Any analyzer fire on their part will get through to us anyway. We better move to the other wing under cover. Take her, too." she pointed to the Vidiian prisoner. "We'll use her as a hostage if we have to." Everyone, including Chapel and Uhura, unlocked the wheels of the two patient biobeds and they pushed them rapidly into the ward. Yar said, "Holozimm, if you could do us your false wall and dampening lifesign field trick again..It'd be great.." she said urgently. He created a false wing where one didn't exist and did so, buying time for all. "I don't know if this will work or not. I haven't configured the dampening field to hide Vidiian lifesigns well enough because I've haven't had enough time to program what they are to the computer. I'm sorry. But we still won't be seen or be able to be fired upon easily." "That's ok, HoloZimm," the EMH said, "You did the best you could." ------------------------- From the overhead, there came a warble. It was the bioflag monitor address system. ##Incoming casualties. Two to sickbay.## The EMH quickly routed correcting coordinates. "To Biobed seven Ward Two, reroute!" The shimmers safely materialized behind the trapped crew's camouflage. K'Ehleyr grabbed Holozimm even as the others ran to aid their new arriving crewmates. "Listen. There are holoemitters all over this ship,correct?" "Well,I.." he stammered. "Answer me!!" "Well yes, ambassador,.." She interrupted him, "Then make me a combat program scenario, in a jungle environment as thick as you can make it.." HoloZimm began to smile. "Ah,, I see, the camouflage behind the camouflage.." "Yes, do it.." she said. Soon the air in sickbay was full of jungle noises and moist humidity with bright leafy plants and trees hundreds of feet high. "Parameters established.." he said. "But I don't see how this will hel--" He broke off when K'Ehleyr gave a great cry of anticipation and told the computer to holocraft her a hand spiked glove from the battle program's arsenal. "Now, I am ready to defend, HoloZimm, you'd better get back with the others. It may get ugly.." And she crouched, stalking into the leafy thicket surrounding them. "This is a native element for Klingons.. The odds are now even..." HoloZimm stumbled back into the clearing until his foot left the moss and met starship carpetting. The computer had recognized a medical emergency and had left the needed surrounding area and equipment around the biobeds free of illusion in an oval around the others. He gasped when he recognized Chakotay as the injured one. ----------------------------- Captain Janeway's heart twisted in nausea and worry when she registered who was lying on the biobed beneath Scotty's hands."Chakotay...??" she whispered. All thought of being a captain fled her as she grabbed his hand. "Can you hear me?" "He's got a pulse but that's about it.." Scotty muttered. "The beasties stole his eyes, they did.." Janeway looked down in horror and saw that the statement was true. Unconsciously, she loosened his collar while the doctors worked to ease his breathing. "Did they get anything else?" she asked, glancing down his bloody uniform. The EMH spoke as he read his tricorder. "No.. the only damage I'm seeing here is in the orbit sockets of his skull. They were messy, captain, and took his optic nerves with them. There's no brain damage. But his shock is significant. Excuse me.." and he gently pushed her aside. Janeway slid to his head, keeping her hands on either side of his temples as she held him still, to keep him from trembling in his coma and causing further damage to himself. Bones McCoy spoke quietly, "Don't worry, captain. He'll live. I doubt with three doctors here that he'll have much time for dying." Then she looked up demanding of Scotty. "Where did they take them?" she said of Chakotay's missing eyes. She knew the answer even before Scotty pointed up towards the ceiling.. Then McCoy looked up from his tricorder he had aimed back at the Vidiian female. His face looked pale. He said.. **SEE SOUND BITE ABOVE attached to top.** ---------------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: A woman Vidiian on a biobed. Image: K'Ehleyr in battlesim jungle crouched with feverfight. Image: Vidiian tube clamp on a starship hull. Gif: Vidiian script writing bar. Audio : McCoy -- By golly they're all dying. Image : Janeway visits the hurt Chakotay in the medbay. Image: McCoy screaming. *************************************** Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 11:53:33 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] The Bonds of Family >The computer warbled on again >urgently. ##Warning. Hull breach >beginning on Commdeck Five. >Forced entry is imminent.## Seven of Nine noticed before the admirals on the Commdeck that something had changed on the Commdeck. "Commander Data!" she shouted and she pointed to the upper wall that showed that a Vidiian boarding party had survived Excelsior's shear away from the boarding tunnel clamp. A ring of arc welding was beginning as the desperate creatures sliced into bulkheads to get at the Federation people inside. Commander Data did not blink or react visibly, but his fingers flew over the console nearest him. He hit his communications pin. =^=Commdeck to all decks. Brace for impact..=^= Excelsior slammed sidewise as the android dealt with the remaining Vidiians cutting into Deck Nine, the shuttlebay, and their own Deck Five. "I've explosively decompressed all the air from the landing bay." he looked up on the ship's tactical viewer as groups of Vidiians were flung bodily into open space. Fortunately, they were then sucked up into their own tractor beam before they suffocated. Signs of cutting in the bulkhead above them abruptly ceased. Seven of Nine and Data watched as the alien ship rescued its own floating people even as it jettisoned the remains of the torn boarding tunnels from which Excelsior had managed to tear free. The flailing invaders disappeared into purple beams one by one out of the tractor beam. "There are no further signs of Vidiians on Excelsior's outer hull." Seven checked again shipwide, ''However I am reading Vidiian signatures in the messhall Deck Seven, one is dead, two are unconscious. And in sickbay, three more surrounded by Excelsior crew." Data felt Excelsior shift into high impulse and Earth on the main viewer suddenly shifted as the wounded starship shot around the globe's horizon and out of line of sight with the Vidiian mother ship which tried to pursue her. "Seven of Nine. He added. "I suggest you inform the Guardian of Forever to expel the two Vidiians who've exited its gateway to an area near it beyond its natural electrostatic ambience. I wish to beam them off Earth." Seven of Nine closed her eyes and concentrated. Her nanoprobes which she had seeded into the gate during the fire responded to her, relaying the message of her thoughts to the Guardian. In Building Five, the two Vidiians leaped forward when their rears were shot with strong static charges. The moment they were five meters away from the Guardian of Forever, Data's sweeping transporter beam captured them. The android commander nodded, "Please thank the Guardian of Forever for its assistance." he told Seven. "I am beaming the rest of the Vidiians off Excelsior except those under guard in sickbay into their own tractor beam for pickup." "Captain Sulu is very clever." Data said as he watched the edge of the stratosphere fall away. "We are moving into a high orbit." he said tilted his head in discovery. "Now Earth's defenses can--" Suddenly, the main viewer flooded with a yellow blanket as Starfleet Command erected a planet wide repulsor field at the top of its atmosphere using security satellites moved into position in an encircling array webbed around the entire planet. The Vidiian mother ship slowly disappeared into invisibility when four angry starships buzzed from the outer solar system towards it. She vanished from Seven's sensors. "It's gone. The aliens must have appropriated a cloaking device during their numerous exploits. I cannot track them. However, Earth is no longer in danger." she said, one eyebrow mildly surprised at that fast outcome. It had only been ten minutes since the Vidiian menace had made itself known. Data nodded, "There has been significant progress in the defense grid since the Space Probe Caretaker for the humpback whales visited San Francisco. No supra interstellar craft can now enter Earth's atmosphere once that energy web has been activated." Seven inclined her head. "I guess we have Captain Kirk to thank for that. During his years of freetime following his ship's retirement, we have greatly benefitted from his Tholian/Federation goodwill Technological Exchange Program Treaty." "Indeed so." Data said. He listened as commhails and reports from the bridge officers decks above them began filtering through. Soon the red alert on board was lifted and tension melted from everyone as lights shifted from subdued scarlet to daylight normal. He saw a movement on the ahead viewer they were sharing in a transmission from the bridge. "We are being escorted." he said with amazement. The small squad of starships sent to respond to the Vidiians, formed a protective net around the limping Excelsior as she made her way to the nearest stardock in orbit. Two of them remained behind to try and sniff out the mother ship's where abouts. Seven raised her eyebrows. Data noticed. "The Vidiian ship cannot go anywhere for the moment. Despite its cloak, the solar winds would betray its location with subspace eddies should it leave the shadow of the Earth. She is still nearby." A minute later, Excelsior's bridge comm'd the Commdeck with profound thanks for the all the Starfleeters' assistance in matters. Data wondered who her captain was when he did not immediately recognize the deep stonorous voice even after it signed off. Seven said. "He is one of Kirk's old crewmates from the U.S.S. Enterprise, his helmsman." "Oh, " Data said, "Then that explains why we've survived this encounter." A hail from sickbay interrupted them. It was the EMH. "Doctor to Seven of Nine." "Go ahead." she said. The holodoc's voice was softer than normal and so Seven was clued as to the nature of the call even before she heard words. "There's been casualties, .." he sighed, "Commander Chakotay..." Data asked when he saw Seven suddenly looked adversely effected by the news. "What is his current condition doctor?" "I'm afraid it's not good. The Vidiians managed to attack him before Mr. Scott was able to fight them off in the messhall. They had already begun their surgery before that could happen. They...." his voice broke off as he tried to put the news into gentler terms, "..they've blinded him, Seven. Just thought you should know." Seven's face registered shock and sadness for only a moment, then her usual distance reasserted itself. "I- I'll be right down.. Seven out. Commander.." she said to Data. "Permission to leave the Commdeck." "Granted." he replied. "But you are not going alone. I am coming with you. The captains may need my help interrogating the Vidiian prisoners. I cannot be organ harvested nor disrupted by energy discharges." Seven dimly watched Data transfer his CO status to the next one in line on the deck and then together, the two of them got to sickbay. She was grateful for Data's presence as her emotions reeled. ::Chakotay, maimed? How's Captain Janeway handling the situation? She's now emotionally bonded to him.:: Seven almost dreaded walking through those medbay doors. Soon they were entering the turbolift. She was pushed out of the way as Alexander's paramedic team and stretcher beat them into the turbolift headed for the same destination. Thoughtfully, Commander Data reached down and grasped the purring tribble from the boy's pillow, and handed it to Seven. Unthinking and still numb, she cradled it against her lips, hiding her emotions with her back to the medteam. Data saw some of the tension in her leave her shoulders and that made him smile just a bit. --------------------------------------------------- The first thing that returned Seven to her sensibilties was the smell. Rawkcious jungle birds and intense heat assaulted her as a sharp scent of living rainforest greeted them when the bulkheads opened. Data shouted. "Is anyone there? It's Commander Data and Seven of Nine!" he shouted. The jungle din and scene remained for about five seconds when a stalking shadow appeared from the foliage in front of them. It was K'Ehleyr, not even sweaty and very very battle roused. She shook herself and some vestige of the calm ambassador returned in a flash. "They're gone. I assume you beamed them off the hull?" Data nodded as he watched her hit a switch on the wall. The jungle scene vanished and the cool white walls of the medbay resumed. "Yes. That is correct. " "Way to spoil my fun android.." she said, stalking off to the shower in the other room. Seven felt herself being steered by Data for the first few steps into the ward until the tribble's soft fur and cooing companionship allowed her to pull herself together. At the sight of Janeway looking up, Seven hid the tribble behind her back subconsciously, folding her arms there, feeling very exposed. Data discreetly retrieved the affectionate animal and walked away with it to give it back to the unconscious boy. Seven swallowed and slowly made her way to her captain's side. Chakotay's face was wrapped in thick silver guaze so she did not see detail of the extent of his facial injury. She set her hands on the bedrail console studying her hands. "Is he stable, captain?" she whispered, clearing her throat. "As well as he can be. He's fallen into a coma which the doctor's have deepened to aid in the healing process.." Janeway said. Seven glanced down and saw that the captain was holding his hand so tightly that his fingers were shades lighter than his palm. "Would you mind if I asked you a personal question, captain?" she said, not looking at Janeway's face. But then she asked without pause. "You really care for the commander don't you? I mean...beyond a captain's attachment for a crewmate." Janeway's reply was maternal and she set a hand on Seven's and gave it a comforting squeeze. But she, too, studied the wall. "You know. It's funny how it takes someone getting hurt to finally sort out deeper buried emotions. I appreciate your candidness Seven and your honesty." she paused before drawing Seven into a hug. "Of course I do. It's a d*mned shame that it had to happen before someone like me, Kathryn Janeway, sits up and really pays attention." She sighed into Seven's hair. "Your answer is yes." And she released her to adjust an oxygen tube around his face, then she looked up again, regarding Seven warmly. "Looks like you needed a hug as well.." she chuckled. "Captain?" Seven said. Janeway pointed to Seven of Nine's uniform top and the obvious bright white tribble hairs clinging there and she cleared her throat. Seven immediately flushed red and brushed off the tattling traces quickly, glancing around to see if anyone else had noticed. Janeway leaned in, "Don't worry about them. If anyone asks, tell them you bumped into a sloth on your way through the holojungle. We're still surrounded by working holoemitters. Zimm and the EMH are still online." Seven laughed and just as quickly stifled it back into her usual bland Seven. "I saw that. A bit of Annika just peeked through." Janeway admonished with a finger. Data had been watching the two women from across the room and he was thinking. ::Is Seven of Nine a daughter figure to Captain Janeway like Lal was to me? :: He was intrigued by the idea. The thought of having crewmates as family was still a new idea to him. He had only become aware of the concept after his ship had been disbanded following the crash on Veridian III. Months had gone by as his bridge crew was reassigned to other destinations and ships. His sharp feelings of separation and loss became apparent and the first one he had scheduled a visit with to re establish his ties was with Deanna Troi. Their weekly teas became the first step in reuniting Data's old family. He was surprised to learn that Barclay had been trying the same tactic with her during the years he worked on Project Pathfinder, trying to find a way home for Voyager. Now, Data and the Enterprise D crew were inseparable and he had thought his family bond experience was unique, until now, when he witnessed Seven and Janeway interact during a stressful event. He found an appropriate time and approached Chakotay's bed side. Janeway and Seven looked up as they watched the EMH, Dr. Crusher, and McCoy set up a surgery field for him on the next bed. He spoke to all of them. "Will you be able to reconstruct the commander's sight with visor implants like Geordi's?" The EMH said, with a glance at Seven and the captain in concern for their feelings. "That's....only if we cannot recover Chakotay's natural eyes. HoloZimm's told me that the mothership is trapped in the area under cloak... We can reattach them successfully if they can be found within two days time." Seven spoke up. "Perhaps my nanoprobes can assist you doctor. It looks like you are preparing to surgically ready his orbital beds for that possible outcome. I offer to donate them from my blood." The EMH blinked and then smiled. "I thought you might say that. Here." and he took a hypospray from his tray and accepted Seven's extended arm, rolling up her sleeve. He took a large measure of fluid from her into the hypo's collection vial and held it up into the light. Hundreds of eager nanoprobes clicked against their glass confines. "Amazing how you do that Seven. Looks like they're all fitted with tiny surgical tools." "They are." she announced. "All I have to do is think about it to adapt them." Data looked up as Moriarty stopped by with a thought and began speaking with them all just then. ------------------------------------------ (attachments) Image: Captain Janeway out of jacket near blue light, very lost in thought. Image: Seven of Nine, facelit in blue light. Image: Data looking very thoughtful ************************************ From: "Cory Anda" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Sympathy Pains Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 15:19:17 GMT 0:00:00 >Data looked up as Moriarty stopped >by with a thought and began speaking >with them all just then. "It seems your plaguing enemy is one of the worst kind. They are desperate." he concluded. Then he raised his eyebrows. "I wish you all the luck. They won't be an easy victory." Mr. Spock and Lt Barclay entered sickbay just then. Their faces were grim. Janeway thought. ::That can't be good news.:: The Vulcan ambassador robes were dusty and dirty. But thankfully, they weren't bloody. "The casualties were light, the commander here was the only one attacked. But the mother ship eludes us, even though she's surrounded." "How so?" Moriarty asked. "That craft seemed very big next to this fine vessel." Lt. Barclay lifted his hands nervously. "Oh. That's...That's something you may not be familiar with professor.. uh,.. You see the Vidiian ship's hiding behind a sort of blanket..." "You mean a cloaking device.." Moriarty smiled. "I know about those.. One year into our false universe inside the jail module, the enhancers created a Klingon supply ship for us to trade with. She used such a device." "Oh.." Barclay said. "That's right. It has an adapting interface." "Yes.. Thank you for that, Reginald. My education of your world increased a hundred fold as a result. The only grudge I still have with you is the fact that you let Regina die. Other than that,.." and he threw up his hands, "We're the best of friends.." Barclay shrank and ducked behind the massive Mr. Spock and gulped. Then his finger appeared over the Vulcan's shoulder..and everyone heard, "Moriarty..I--I hope you realize that we expect you to hold to your promise... No killing!!" "Of course..I am an honorable man. Something you can learn from me perhaps... I will not betray you as you did me.." The EMH had enough of the petty bickering in his ward. "All right.. Shhhh!!" he hissed. "We have injured patients here! If you're not going to be visiting them try to foster a supportive air for them vocally. They can both hear you just fine.!" he said of the comatose Chakotay and the paralyzed Kirk. Moriarty and Barclay both looked properly abashed and they studied the floor in soft remorse. The Ambassador was unphased by the emotional tensions around him. He was focused on solving their current dilemma. Spock went to the foot of Chakotay's bed, studying his face. "I may be of assistance with our current impasse.." he said to the others. "I could use a direct account of what happened during the attack in the messhall when the commander was injured." He steepled his hands into his sleeves and regarded Janeway. "What I'm about to ask may be ..of a personal nature captain.. May I ask?" Kathryn straightened and took in a deep breath. "You may.. if it'll help Chakotay." Spock simply said. "I ask a mindmeld with him. I may be able to uncover some clues about the mother ship that Mr. Scott here may have missed due to the intense stress he felt during the conflict. However, this means bonding on a deeper level. I will know what he knows, feel what he feels, about all of his life's experiences. Including interpersonal relationships. If privacy is something he expects then I will go about my task in another way." Janeway just smiled. "I don't think there's anything going on that everyone doesn't already realize.." she said, tossing a finger back and forth between Seven, Chakotay the EMH and herself. "You may proceed. But I think you should be aware of a few things. Chakotay's people have a rich psychotherapy of sorts. A vision quest world they all create in their minds and tap into from time to time. You may encounter it." "I will be vigilant." Spock said. He pulled a stool to near Chakotay's head and sat down. He lightly placed long fingers at the correct psi points along his face and around the bandage over his eye area. "Commander Chakotay... My mind to your mind. My thoughts to your thoughts. We must meet in memory ....of a few hours ago. We must return to those moments... Growing closer in mind.. thoughts becoming as one.. You are free of the pain you experienced then.. We must see how it was.. was........was..................was......" --------------------------------- Spock saw nothing as he descended into the gray morass that was Chakotay's mind. It was the protective layer of the coma. His breathing began to match Chakotay's. Slow, shallow... he could feel it assisted by the life support device on his (Spock/ Chakotay's) neck. Thick sleep encroached but the ambassador pushed it away, sinking deeper past the present into the deeper parts until he was in the past.. He came out onto a gray stormy plain, into a grotto. The rocky ceiling was so low he had to crouch. This place was not Excelsior's messhall, but it was the first memory Chakotay awoke to every morning. Spock squinted and the fierce wind and lightning around him lessened until he could see two figures on the ground. SEE MOVIE link here. ( Cut and paste into your addy bar if not link highlighted fully for its whole length.) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction/files/ANIMATED_graphics_fun/coda_moviette-cantdie.mpeg It was the Commander and Captain Janeway. "Don't you die on me..! Come on,Kathryn. Breathe!" Spock saw that Chakotay was performing resusitation on her and that it had been going on for some time. He moved closer.. listening to the commander as he spoke, to understand the situation. "Kathryn.. Listen to me.. You've got to breathe..." Chakotay said, keeping up his encouragement as he worked. Spock moved a little closer and realized that this place he had discovered wasn't a real memory. It was a hallucinatory one based on some story he had been told through Janeway herself in a ready room conversation years ago after the outcome of a shuttle away mission gone sour. He saw that Janeway's eyes were missing and her face was full of blood. The nature of the scene became clear at once. Spock spoke sharply grabbing Chakotay's arm by the shoulder. "This did not happen commander.. She never lost her eyes in that crash.. You are creating this analogy to deal with your own shock.." Chakotay simply repositioned his hands over her chest and continued his CPR. "Don't you think I know that?" He gasped. "I know this isn't Kathryn.. Not anymore.. She didn't die.. And I know that afterlife creature didn't absorb her into its matrix..She told us it didn't after the doctor had healed her." He bent over and delivered another set of tired breaths into her blue lips. He straightened and struggled to keep on going with his compressions. "W--*gasp* Why am I seeing her blinded like this??" He sobbed, fighting to keep his first aid assistance to her strong. "I don't understand.. But I can't stop...for I know...*cough* ... I'll die." Spock grabbed his hands away off their place on her chest and held him to the ground firmly but with great gentleness. "NO!!" Chakotay yelled. "Don't!!" Spock forced one of the commander's hands to the pulse point on Kathryn's neck. "You aren't dying commander. You never were. The doctors have you safe in sickbay under treatment... Feel that.?" Chakotay felt a strong pulse under his fingers.. "But.." "That is YOUR lifesign.. This image of Kathryn is just your survival instinct creating a way for you to deal with your injury effectively. You are seeing her with facial injuries because that is what you sustained when the Vidiian attacked you.. You may not know what happened but your body does.. This coma death in her/you is not necessary." Chakotay was gasping from his exertions. He struggled for a bit in Spock's tight hold but then started to weep in relief. Through his tears he saw the dead Kathryn switch to a vision of himself as he now was in sickbay with the silver gauze over his treated eye sockets. Spock released him after the change. "Yes.. that's right. Come back to yourself and to the present. There is no more pain or danger to your life." Chakotay sat up and the wind around them abruptly died. He stared at his left hand when he felt something squeezing it. "Somebody's holding my hand.." "Yes, that is your captain. She's with you in sickbay, waiting for you to respond to the medications and return to consciousness." Spock said. They both turned when a wolf entered the grotto with a gecko on its back. The lobo was eyeless with dried gore staining her muzzle. But she wasn't weak or effected by her handicap. ##Come Chakotay. The Vulcan man who soulwalks with us now is telling you the truth.## ::So this is a spirit guide..:: Spock wondered in a recess of his mind. ::And the tiny reptile is the guide of someone close to Chakotay. Interesting ideas, a twist on conventional self helping techniques.:: The gecko's eyes were clear and bright and the sandy skin on its head with the maroon and black scales left no doubt who's guide this was. Spock addressed him. "I take it you could not help Chakotay see reality on your own." ##Of course not. I'm Kathryn's. I can only be moved to action by her and she is not here.## Chakotay crawled over to his wolf friend and wrapped his arms around her like a crutch. "My dear Matseyeho..I'm so sorry I inflicted this on you.." and he lightly touched the place where her eyes had been, burying his face against her gristled muzzle. ##Rubbish. ## she scoffed mentally. ##I am not wounded in the slightest. I am what you wish me to be for the moment. You are sightless and feel so, ...so I do ## she thought empathetically. ##And this is not a stupid injury, you were defending your packmates. It will be an honorable scarring.## Spock stood regally and held out his hand to Chakotay. "She does not have to reflect your physical body's state. She is of the mind commander. We have to move on. There is the information I seek to locate." Chakotay looked up. His tears were dry from contacting his guide's thick warm coat. "You're right." and he passed a trembling hand over the wolf's head. Dark rich laughing mahogeny eyes met his own when he was through. "Let's go.." And he stood. His accepting reality transferred the blindness to his real mental self and the Chakotay on the ground faded out. He felt Spock take his arm to be his eyes. "At least, I know my own memories better than the back of my hand, I can't get lost even blind." Spock and Chakotay turned away from the grotto. A moment later, they had seen what they needed to see and separated. --------------------------------------- In sickbay,... Spock's fingers released from Chakotay's face. Both men gasped. Janeway looked up, "Doctor...." she prompted, shifting her grip from Chakotay's palm to his pulse in his wrist. The EMH came over with McCoy and Dr. Crusher. They scanned him and Spock both. "They're fine.. It's over. And with an added benefit I might add. Chakotay's no longer unconscious." He leaned over near the commander's ear, "Commander.. can you hear me?" he said a little loud. "My ears are working great. Nice to hear you doctor.." Chakotay said. "And you.." he said returning the squeeze to Kathryn's hand. Ambassador Spock opened his eyes. "I believe I have obtained the necessary information." "Yes..." Chakotay said. "The Vidiian analyzers.. They are tied to send out to the mothership whenever one is used on a potential victim. Just an organ scan will do it." Spock finished. "And then we can cross corollate and triangulate that signal with the pattern enhancers our attackers left set up in the messhall." Barclay's face paled. "But what is keeping the Vidiians from using those enhancers to beam to Excelsior? With those still functional and running in the messhall, we've got an open door invitation.." Chakotay countered. "Spock told me in the meld that the mother ship is under cloak. No one can beam in or out from her as long as it's disguised." "Then let's get to work.." Janeway said. "Dr. McCoy, you wanted to get your hands on one of these.." she said, picking up a Vidiian analyzer from the security guard who was holding them and passing it over to him. "How about figuring out how to scan on one of these without the stunning effect? Doctor,," she said to the EMH. "You too.." and another arced in the air in his direction. "I'm going down to the messhall to take a look at those devices when we're ready to triangulate the alien ship's position." she leaned down and placed a warm hand on Chakotay's face. "No more naps commander.. I need you on duty soon. Expect a date with your eyes in surgery once we retrieve them off the mother ship." Chakotay chuckled at her tone. "Going in like gangbusters? An away mission?" "Don't know." she admitted honestly, "It's too soon to tell. That's still a part we have to figure out yet." She turned to the others surrounding them. "Any options? I'd love to hear them.." HoloZimm came forward with the first one. ------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Spock, staring right at you. Screengrab series: Chakotay trying to revive a dead Janeway with resusitative efforts in a stormy night time grotto. Screengrab series: Chakotay crying over a dead Janeway, Then picking her up into a grief stricken embrace. Image: Barclay holding a datapadd looking intent. Image: A Vidiian scanner. Image: A Vidiian mothership clamped to a victim Federation vessel. =========== (ultra-- attach link) Mpeg MOVIEgrab: Chakotay performing CPR on Janeway with her ghost watching. (30 second scene from the STV episode: Coda) ****************************************** From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : Start Burning The Midnight Oil Date : Fri, 29 Mar 2002 06:32:04 +0000 > "Don't know." she (Janeway) admitted honestly, "It's >too soon to tell. That's still a part we >have to figure out yet." She turned to the others >surrounding them. "Any options? I'd love to hear them.." > HoloZimm came forward with the first one. "I know these people captain. They'll be fiercely possessive of what they steal. But, they have a blind spot," he glanced down apologetically to Chakotay, "Forgive my analogy, commander.." the white coated holo said. "I didn't mean to offend you." "No offense taken.. Believe me, I have an invested interest in this conversation. Go on." he replied. "I'm wide awake and all ears I assure you." HoloZimm went on, "..The temptation to take humans will be too much to resist. In my time with the classifed medical database, I've learned that the Vidiians considered humans their perfect universal donors and the reconstructive surgery done with those organs from Earth people have the longest life expectancy estimate with the Phage in their experience so that mother ship is definitely going nowhere." The EMH added to it. "I've noticed that in Denara, the Vidiian scientist I.....fell in love with a few years ago. She, had a human spleen, taken from a dead Borg vessel on her travels. It was that finding which brought her to Voyager then..." he broke off when he realized how uncomfortable the humans in the ward were becoming. The holodoc started to get into his findings cheerfully. "It was very neat finding.. humans don't seem to be able to be infected with the Phage. And that natural resistence creates the long tissue survivality." "But that's besides the point you twin walking med databases..." McCoy scoffed. "What about MY finding?? " He threw a hand to the Vidiian woman Janeway had set under restraint on the biobed. "These Vidiians are still DYING!! And I wouldn't be surprised if the ones piled in the isolation ward are doing the same thing. Something is making them so desperate that they are attacking us on our own Homeworld.." That shut all three holograms up. Then Nurse Chapel came forward. "Why don't we ask her what's going on with her own people? She'd be the best pool of information of all.." Everyone blinked at that simple logic. The EMH looked at Janeway for permission to awaken the unconscious Vidiian female. Janeway simply waggled her head yes, slightly bothered by the turn of conversation. The Holodoc smiled and lifted his medical scanner. He did a preliminary reading on biosigns to find the chemical component needed to be the tiny Vidiian's wakeup call. But just then a note on his tricorder soured in its audible ranges and he frowned in alarm. "What's wrong doctor?" Uhura asked, stepping nearer to him. "Her vital signs are growing highly unstable,.. It seems her unconscious state has accelerated the Phage. Her body's degradation has increased a hundred fold!" "Try using Henaline.." Dr. Crusher suggested.. "It'll keep her septic shock from overwhelming her autonomic nervous system...." Then McCoy offered his own suggestion and the arguing about how to save her escalated into a back and forth rapid discussion that rose in medical detail that went beyond what the others fully understood. Until Seven of Nine took matters into her own hands. She stepped forward and shot out her wrist assimilation tubes and injected the rest of her prepared surgical nanoprobes that she had made to assist in Chakotay's future surgery procedures into the woman's neck. They all watched in horrid fascination as it became an all out battle between the disease's destruction and the nanoprobes rapid microscopic repair of bone, skin and organ. But the death curve proved too steep even for Borg nanoprobe speed. The Vidiian female literally, melted and fell apart out of cohesion until flesh slid from bone. The lifesigns faded away into oblivion. (LISTEN to AUDIO offering in attach's at top) HoloZimm ran to the isolation ward just as the security guard ran past him with news. He skidded to a halt in front of Janeway and said, "Maam.. the Vidiian prisoners.. They... they're dead. Something liquified them in seconds... I couldn't do anything to stop it.." "Thankyou ensign..." Janeway said to him. "We'll take it from here. Keep that isofield around their corpses up.." "Yessir!" he said and he went back the way he came. The EMH came to the same idea.. and erected an isofield around the dead woman, his face blanching in fright. "Oh my god.. I didn't think.." "What doctor?" Uhura asked. "This strain must be mutating at an alarming rate. The way it outperformed Seven's nanoprobes proves that. No wonder the Vidiians were so bold at attacking Earth and us. They were truly on their last desperate legs.." Holozimm cringed. "Nasty pun doctor.." "I didn't mean it like that.. " the EMH snapped. "You don't understand. If their Phage is that adaptive, enough to kill so quickly with just a simple physiological state as unconsciousness in place, its virilence is most likely growing stronger with successive mutative generations.. Those mutations might make it across species barriers and infect Alpha Quadrant species..And you've all been exposed..." Mr. Spock looked up, his head lifting in alarm. "A most frightening prospect doctor." Uhura stepped to her computer console. "I'm informing Starfleet to quarantine Excelsior.. and her bridge.." Nurse Chapel went to Uhura's side once the communications priority call went out. ------------------- The EMH became engrossed in discussion along with HoloZimm when the highers ups came online to discuss his new alarming theories. The high admiral asked the holodoc, "What about those Vidiians that made it out of the Guardian's portal, doctor. Were they breathing Earth's air long enough to spread spores in Building Five?" "No, admiral." the Traveler piped up. "The plasma fire has purified the air to a great degree. There is no longer any dust or carbon for any germs to stick to. And Data beamed out the invaders out before they left the Guardian's full temporal influence. They never got completely out of their own Delta Quadrant Time Zone before Mr. Data sent them back into their mothership's tractor beam using your transporting device." And on it went.. back and forth, until the whole scary theory was out and formed clearly to all concerned. Janeway sighed. "That's a relief.. But what about Chakotay? He of all of us was the closest to that Vidiian scientist who attacked him.." The EMH was quick to answer her. "The Vidiian never touched him directly. He used his analyzer, correct?" he asked Scotty. "That's right. And lifted out the commander's eyes with a small portable tractoring device.." Montgomery replied. The EMH went on, "But I am concerned about you, captain..." he said to Janeway. You touched that Vidiian female when you lifted her onto that bed.. and now as I'm thinking about it, You were in close contact with Chakotay afterwards.." "Moot point.." HoloZimm countered. "All of you have been sharing the same air for at least twenty minutes. Including other areas of the ship. Data's decompression of the shuttle bay has caused rapid air distribution throughout Excelsior.." "Then Uhura's right on target with that quarantine call." Mr. Barclay said, his voice was trembling.. then he fainted. Dr. Crusher and McCoy caught him as he dropped and lowered him to the deck. Dr. Crusher said, "He's not sick,.. " she said,.. "well, at least there's no sign of it anyway.. Mr. Barclay is a bit of a hypochondriac. He... doesn't like the idea of illness very well. This incident is most likely psychosomatic.. Nothing's changed on his vitals...apart from simple syncope." Standing by Nurse Chapel,, Uhura addressed her friend. "Christine.. If anyone of us might get sick with this possible mutating strain of the Phage, is it a good idea for that Klingon boy to still be out cold like that? He might spiral decay like the Vidiians did." At a nod from McCoy Christine injected Alexander with a waking shot and the boy's mother quickly cradled him into her arms and out of the room into another branch of the medical ward so he wouldn't see the liquified Vidiian next to him. She said, "Don't worry about Klingon constitution Nurse. We rarely find ourselves getting the flu.." she said teasingly. As she was leaving, the Tribble left on the biobed started screeching a protest. K'Ehleyr returned and retrieved the little fuzzball, giving him back to her sleepy son. "Weird to think that my human genes are all that's keeping this ..thing... from hating Alexander and I. But it's..asthetically round, at least.." "Beggers can't be choosers.." Moriarty said. "Cats are just as discerning about whom they love I've found. I've played with tribbles in my simulation jailtime. They are Klingon hybrid loving until the dilution reaches 92 % pure Klin'zai." Deanna Troi stared at Moriarty. "You experimented on Tribbles in your module..?" "Of course.. Regina wanted a particular shade of dapple gray for a fur stole..." He admitted. At the counselor's returning glare he added, "But, I am not in a position to harm anything while out here, remember.. I've my promise to the Lady Kathryn captain..." Deanna was only partly appeased. A little ways away from the rest of the group. Uhura and Chapel had gathered above Kirk, so he could hear them even in his waking paralysis. He was almost recovered because he had begun blinking again. The two Enterprise women conversed for his benefit. "If this possible Phage outbreak means that we can't return into the past, there's nowhere else Christine and I can go. When the Guardian leaves, we'd have to respect the Temporal Prime Directive again. There's no way in Hades I'd ever return to our Enterprise in that state. That's something to think about.." Uhura postulated. Chapel scanned Kirk again and noticed his heart rate rising.."Easy now..Captain Kirk. Everything said in the last few minutes is all purely speculation.. The doctors over there have so far, found no sign of the Phage in any of us.. only in its Vidiian victims. So far, we're all fine.. so settle down...er..Sir." she added. "You'll be on your feet and in the thick of it before you know it." she chided. "That's right." Uhura agreed with her empathetically. "I'll keep a channel open from Spacedock Operations and let you know what they know the second I hear it.." she said, tapping the earpiece in her ear. Then the Traveler calmed them all saying, "I can always talk to the Guardian of Forever and make arrangements with the timelines to undo this event if I have to." he shrugged. "Not something greatly encouraged with my people but it's been done in the past.We and the Guardian of Forever have a sort of understanding in matters of temporal consequence." he stated. Chakotay had been silent during the whole exchange. Then he spoke to Kathryn. "Listen. Kathryn.. Maybe we shouldn't have any more contact with that Vidiian mothership.. There's a strong chance my eyes are already lurking in somebody's head right now, in full contact with Vidiian infection. Even if we managed to get them back, The contagion risk will still be there." Janeway set a hand on his arm and said no nonsense. "That's jumping the gun, Chakotay. Who's to say your eyes aren't in a test tube waiting their turn on the operating table. A mothership of that crew size has got to have their community of physicians fully occupied just maintaining all of the necessary daily body repairs.. Besides.. no one's sick yet.." "Yet.." he added. The EMH had overheard them. "Then the only possible solution then is to come up with the cure for their Phage ourselves whether we are infected or not. That way, we'd have a safeguard. " He turned to McCoy and Dr. Crusher.. "Seems we have our work cut out for us.. Anyone up for phoning the Vidiian ship's medical center? Looks like we have to join forces.. And I don't think Starfleet's gonna like that idea much at all." He regarded the senseless Barclay on the floor, "Somebody wake him up. I don't want to give the infection an open invitation to Wicked Witch of the North him." Moriarty had a side thought. "Isn't your biological sleep state similar to that of unconsciousness?" "It can be.." the EMH replied. "Then I'd advise you all to start replicating coffee because anyone napping will be fair game for this creature plague of yours to do its hideous work.." the professor suggested. The only one who smiled at the idea was Janeway. ---------------------- (attachments) Image: Nurse Chapel trying to smile, pink light. Audio : An ekg, flatlining in sound.. Image: Vidiian melting down to bones on a biobed. Image: Lt. Uhura listening to a comm frequency. ********************************************* Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 21:04:29 -0800 (PST) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: When Is a Germ not a Germ? (No, not when it's wheat) Scotty was thinking hard. ::The possibility of contracting such a hideous disease chills me to the bone. Although I don't know that much about the Vidiians themselves, I know that even they don't deserve what fate has in store for them.:: Suddenly Scotty realized that even though he couldn't assist in analyzing the disease called the Phage itself, he could maybe help in an engineering capacity. Montgomery walked over to Dr. McCoy and asked, "Doctor, do you mind if I take a look at that Vidiian contraption? I just might find a way understand more of their medical technology." Dr. McCoy nodded and handed over the Vidiian device. Over by Kirk, Scotty said, "Captain I'm going to be busy for a while taking this beastly thing apart. I know that they analyze the cell structure in far greater detail than our own medical tricorders. Perhap I can adapt it to interface with our computer and download its full functions menu. With that we may be able to sucessfully find and retrieve Commander Chakotay's missing peepers along with finding a cure perhaps. Tis a long shot I know but we've been in tight spots before captain. I'll get us out. I wanna know jes what decked ya and I'll tell ya jes what that is over a drink later on. I know you hate jes lying around." He turned away from Kirk. To Scotty the alien scanner felt cumbersome in his hand with no elegance in its design. Yet he knew that it was the most effective medical defense tool that he had ever seen. He knew that time was of the essence. The longer they waited the greater the possibility that the Commander's eyes would be unretrievable. Scotty walked over to both Professor Moriarty and HoloZimm, leaving Kirk's side. Looking squarely at the Edwardianly dressed hologram he said, "I see you've become attached to my silkie probe, laddie. Good job with the boy Alexander's rescue. I could use you further if you're feeling obliged." Moriarty looked surprised that someone openly asked for his help. He uptook a gentlemanly stance and smiled graciously. "It would be my utmost pleasure to assist you in any way I can, Captain Scott. What do you require?" Montgomery said, "You're supposed to be a genius, aren't ye? I need your help in finding out the full capabilities in here." he said hefting the device in his hand. HoloZimm looked on with interest and inquired, "May I also be of assistance, Mr. Scott." "That ye can laddie. Come over here." Soon they had a makeshift work table and an assortment of complex tools and they began to disassemble the alien device. Inside, they found a sophisticated multileveled memory sensor. It seemed to link to a communication center that would mesh very well to Excelsior's medical database with some modification. "Ah,, here's the thing. Watch." Scotty held up an interface triangle of rose crystal that seems to be out of phase. He cross connected it with a diode ligature into his own tricorder receptor array and soon they got working blueprint of its whole makeup when the crystal fully attenuated. Moriarty exclaimed in discovery. He saw something remarkable. "Oh, I see you are going to get the illness's facts from that device to Excelsior instead of sending information about us to the mothership." "Exactly right." Scotty answered. "On the contagion part, but I am still sending information TO that ship out there. Get my meaning?" HoloZimm smiled in understanding. "I believe I know what you're intending Mr. Scott. and I'm game if you are." Moriarty wasn't as quick on the uptake "Games gentleman? I don't believe we can engage in such frivilous activity." HoloZimm and Scotty looked at each other and started laughing. HoloZimm said, "I am about to take a short trip and go where no hologram has gone before." Scotty spoke up as Moriarty finally figured it out. "Yes, he's going to spy for us orienting on Chakotay's DNA signature that we've found here. But we've got to inform the captains first of our plan." Janeway was still holding Chakotay's hand. Within she raged over the attack that had crippled him. She had serious doubts on whether or not it would be possible to save his natural eyes. ::I wonder how I would feel if I were the one lying there rather than Chakotay. Would I be as calm?:: "Chakotay,.. I'm thinking that there's little ho--" Just then Scotty returned over to the commander's biobed and said, "Commander, Captain Janeway. Forget about becoming friends with our neighborhood body snatchers. Why don't we send in HoloZimm with their next scan of one of us? He could track down your eyes, commander using the telemetry of their own scanners.." Janeway blinked and released Chakotay's hand in excitement. "That's brilliant, Mr. Scott. Using their own technology against them. A classic tactic. Well done. I assume you're going to use Chakotay's DNA trace to home in on our missing eyes." Scott said, "That's correct captain. Do we have yer permission to begin?" Janeway said, "As Picard would say, Make it so captain. All best possible speed." ===================== It was ten minutes later. HoloZimm was about to be downloaded into the Vidiian device for his sorte to the hidden Vidiian vessel. While the others in the medical bay drank very strong coffee in a toast to the success of the enterprise, Moriarty looked on in mild amusement. ::The comaraderie of these people is quite remarkable. Perhaps I was wrong in thinking that they have no loyalty to each other or me. They've accepted Holozimm and the holographic doctor as an equal. I can only hope to aspire to earn that same confidence from them one day.:: He decided to participate in their bon voyage wellwishing by lifting a cup of holographic tea. "Good luck my fellow man," he said to Holozimm. "I know what it's like to beam through tight places.. I've done it often enough escaping Picard." he quipped, taking a sip of Earl Grey. "Hmm. This tea of Picard's is actually quite good. Oh,," he said remembering what he was doing. "To your success of your mission to restore the vision of this fine commander Chakotay.." "Here. Here.." echoed the room. HoloZimm was soon on his way. ----------------------------------------- Just after Scotty transmitted Holozimm along the datatrail from the Vidiian analyzer device to its destination, he absently scratched his hand and felt a pain there. He looked down at the back of his hand and what appeared to be a reddish welt popped and oozed white ichor. "What the bloody---?" he exclaimed. He felt a sudden chill. "Doctor...." The EMH was by his side almost instantly running a medical tricorder over the wound. He didn't have to say anything at all. Mr. Scott smiled wanly, trying to look like it didn't matter. But he failed and ended up whispering, "D*mn." ------------------------------------------- HoloZimm got on the other side right way. He found himself inside the heart of the Vidiian computer mainframe, filed under Human Organ Scans. He shrugged himself free and explored the electronic terrain stretched before him. He accessed information from all over the ship, looking for that one DNA trace that meant so much to his shipmates. Finding himself in the proper systems, he began to meticulously scan for Chakotay's optical traces. He banked deeply towards where he thought he could sense Chakotay's unique DNA pattern when suddenly he realized that the information about the Phage around him wasn't at all microbial. ::Oh my god if I had a god. I only have a creator and it's Zimmerman. Is this what I think it is? :: Looking closer at the presence of the disease in all the Vidiian crewman he was watching, he saw what could only be thought patterns. And they weren't coming from the crew. He watched as one of them passed near the lightpanel HoloZimm was a part of. The figure stopped and turned so its naked torso was facing him. Suddenly to his horror, the Vidiian's epidermis began to blister. And they formed in a way HoloZimm couldn't deny.. The pustules were forming words. ##I* S*E*E Y*O*U* !!## said the Phage. HoloZimm felt something that he had never felt before it his three week existence. Fear. ------------------------------ (attachments) Image: Scotty looking very vulnerable, while physically injured. Image: A grinning Vidiian, Full of malice. *animated gif* A flashing Red Alert. *********************************** END WEEK TEN RECAP 03-29-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Site WEEK ELEVEN RECAP 03-30-02 ************************************ From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Alterior Motive~~ Date : Sun, 31 Mar 2002 02:58:48 +0000 >"You'll be on your feet and in the thick >of it before you know it." she chided. Kirk heard Chapel's words and pushed through the last enforced tingling holding him still. He gasped and sat up, fighting the weighty sensation in his muscles. "B- Better..sooner than...later, Christine..." he said, smiling ironically.. "Help me to my feet." The EMH came over with McCoy and he felt a hypospray inject into his neck. The medication swept the last of his Vidiian stun effect away and breath came easier. ::Finally..:: Kirk thought. "Easy Jim.." said Bones. Kirk stood on wavering boots for about two seconds, then just as suddenly, his disability was gone as if it had never been. ::I certainly hope Starfleet doesn't learn Vidiian stun technology, what a detrement. I don't even have a hangover. Any enemy taken by this energy type would be attacking again in full force the moment he opened his eyes. I'll be sure to mention this to Spock and Barclay.:: "I'm fine, Bones.. It's gone completely now." He moved over to Scotty but didn't touch him as the EMH subtlely nodded not to. "Scotty...I'm sorry. You'll be our top priority now that we're all under quarantine. Try to get some rest..." he said as he watched his old friend lay down on a biobed with the assistance of the holodoctor. "Aye, captain. Follow Holozimm's link closely. He'll being exposing the hidden ship soon." Montgomery said. Scott flinched as an isofield snicked into place around his bed. "Is this necessary?" Kirk asked Dr. Crusher, indicating the field sparkling around Scotty. "Yes. I'm afraid it is. There's a chance his version of the Phage may spread from only attacking older people. " Beverly admitted. The EMH offered more, "But its confirmed virility in him may make it mutate to infect us more easily..This will at least, slow that process down." Kirk's eyes filled with troubled reluctance but he nodded. "Do the best you can for him, doctors." Lt. Yar, was monitoring the linking data coming from the mothership from HoloZimm's special tie through the Vidiian scanner. "Sir.. we're getting telemetry now. He's arrived, and it looks like he's been discovered. There are computer overrides and countering blocks being initiated inside their Vidiian medical data mainframe." Kirk came over to her side quickly, waving Janeway to join them. "Any sign of where that ship is exactly?" Yar hit the terminal in frustration. "She's still cloaked sir, Best I can give you is that HoloZimm travelled less than one lunar length to get where he is.." "Ah,.. that's good news. It's confirmed now that they're still here.." Kirk said, straightening. He glanced at the status monitor showing the region in which the mothership could be hiding. It was still too much territory for four starships to comb through. "But I can't help wondering why she's staying with four starships patroling the area ? There are humans who are unguarded deeper into our solar system.." A sharp crackling noise made them jump from a communications band on Holozimm's covert channel. Lt. Yar spoke up, "Zimm? What's going on.. You've been spotted.." "I--know that lieutenant, but I've managed to evade it so far.. The Vidiians have no knowledge of holographic systems beyond the fact that we're made of light and energy. It has even less." Kirk frowned. "HoloZimm.. You've lost me. What's it? The mothership computer personality?" "No captain.. when I was almost to the medical store where Chakotay's eyes were, I had an eye opening encounter. Sir.. it seems the Phage is alive..." he said. The EMH said, "Of course it's alive.... It's an infectious agent.." Holozimm's voice and image showed the hologram to be looking around anxiously for signs of pursuit. "That not what I mean.. It's,.." he slumped his head trying to come up with the right words to express himself over his own fear. "..taken over the crew. It controls them somehow..independently. There are dual brainwave patterns in all of them.." "Are you saying that this disease is self aware?" Captain Kirk plied. Yar said, she insisted to Kirk "Sir, that's impossible. This is a germ, an annoying microscopic bug. How can it--" "Just a minute, lieutenant." Kirk Told her and leaned into the monitor screen. "Zimm, give us what you've discovered." The fuzzy image from HoloZimm's transmission changed into thicker snow on the comm channel then resolved itself into a second still image that was very very clear. A line of blisters on skin traced very clear Federation Standard words.. "I...see...you.." Then Holozimm's face in very close range returned. He seemed to be coursing through a very small airduct. "That is what I've found.." Kirk and the others were stunned into silence for about two seconds then everyone started talking all at once. "It could be a holographic trick on the part of the mothership in defense of Holozimm's invading foreign program..." "A new collective. Perhaps Borg influence is at work here." "Rubbish.. they are fooling your holoman captain by trying simple parlor tricks. I've seen such things in my time when attending seances with Regina.." Kirk set a finger to his lips..to silence them all, then he turned back to the screen."Holozimm. Here's your orders. Locate the commander's eyes and get us a set of beaming coordinates to them. Then go into a waiting loop. Protect your program. We'll work out a way to recover you and them once we get the mothership to uncloak. Contact us apart from that only if your life is in danger." "Yes, sir.." Holozimm replied. "Good. Kirk out.." Deanna Troi stepped forward to the side image of the image shown of the written blisters. "I don't like this captain. I am not reading an emotional presence from over there at all. Only the Vidiian crew's." The EMH sighed. "Perhaps, its still mutating. Sentient, but instinctive.. and not quite individual enough for your empathic sense." "Perhaps.." she replied. Chakotay sat up from where he was and leaned on weak elbows. "This really changes things. This is not just an invading vessel anymore. This is first contact. And how we deal with the Vidiians will be effected by that." Yar flared, "This is not a time to be worried about semantics, commander.. They boarded us and attacked you directly, stealing body parts. Clearly, they mean us harm. And Starfleet is right calling those four starships ringing us to hunt them down. I'm surprised you are so accomodating to them. " Janeway had been quiet the whole time while she absorbed all the information. Now she spoke, "Tasha.. The commander and I have had more first contact experiences than the rest of you from our travels returning home. Some of our incidences have been the result of misunderstanding during situations very much like what we're going through right now. Maybe the mothership wasn't in an attack mode but going through the motions of a simple medical survey to find resources she needed." "Captain, they ripped the eyes out of his head!" Yar insisted. "They obviously have no regard for human life if they've done that.." she shouted. Kirk raised his hands and moved them in a settle down gesture at Lt. Yar. She sighed heavily and slung a leg over a stool rubbing her forehead. Janeway kept talking to her, "Don't you remember what happened to the counselor here a few weeks ago? Holozimm injured her accidently because he didn't KNOW any better. He was too new.." she cast her gaze to the others.."These mutations on the part of the Phage may have JUST instated sentience within itself. We might be able to reason with it eventually. And we just might have our first ambassador already on board when that finally happens." and she pointed at Scotty, whom the EMH had calmed with a tranquilizer but not one that caused him to fall into the risky sleep state. "We just have to wait and see." Kirk considered Janeway's theory and raised significant eyebrows to Mr. Spock, standing by Reginald Barclay's head while Beverly awakened him from his faint. "Mr. Spock, what is your feeling on the matter?" "I must have more data with which to form the validity of this hypothesis." the Vulcan ambassador said. The Traveler was fascinated.."The implications are intriguing. It has been centuries since a first contact has been made inside your Earth's solar system. We have not predicted this event. Nor have my people seen it in the future. A time wrinkle must be in effect." Moriarty asked, "Time ....wrinkle? As in a shirt that needs to be tailor tended?" "Yes.." the Traveler said. "This universe is dynamic. The many dimensions which criss cross your Greater Magellanic Cloud sometimes...impact each other. Causing ripples of subjective effects in a local realtime. This phenomena may have allowed the rapid mutations we've seen in the Phage to create itself into a new race. The right conditions often foster new life in the most unlikely places.. It's part of why I like coming here so much." Kirk shrugged, eager to get on with a solution not only to save Scotty from the ravages of his illness but to restore Janeway's first officer to health. "Doesn't matter how this happened gentleman. We only need to be concerned that it did." "I agree.." Christine said. "We've two patients here and a shipful of at risk personnel. Quit standing around just talking about it.." Uhura echoed the sentiment.." DO something for Pete's sake.. You're in the heart of the whole Federation's technological might.. Use it. " Yar grinned and murmured. "I like you two ladies. Just what they said..." Tasha pointed at McCoy's nurse, and the dark communications officer. Kirk had to smile at Yar's protective energies. He only regretted that the woman would not live to see them tempered into cool headed experience when the Guardian of Forever returned her to history. "And so we'll act. " Kirk insisted to all. "But we must determine what action is the right one that will save the most lives here. Including theirs. And I'll do anything to avoid a Vidiian Federation firefight so near Earth." Chakotay sighed and allowed Janeway to lower him back down onto his pillow. He admitted softly to her. "Reminds me of my Maquis days, Kathryn. Tactical analyses.. and tense emotions all around. But I trust him.." he said about Kirk. "And you should. His career outshines both of ours put together.." she chuckled quietly. The EMH stepped over to a large panel and started a red clock, counting up from zero. "You have three days to solve our impasse with this disease. Until we do, no one can fall asleep or become unconscious or the spores that may be infecting you might rapidly kill, as it did our Vidiian prisoners. I, Dr. McCoy and Bev Crusher's extensive medical cupboard can only keep you all awake for so long. After that, serious mental and physical degradation will begin from sleep deprivation. And those weaknesses will make you even easier targets for possible infection from the Phage. I suggest you start drinking and stop theorizing." he said, holding up a tray of coffees he had replicated while the first contact or war debate around him buzzed. They all turned when a motion drew their attentions. Reginald Barclay had pulled himself together mentally with some soft words from Deanna as she updated him on details. He tapped Troi's hand resting on his shoulder and smiled bravely as he got off his biobed. "I just may have a few ideas that may help us out.. But, does somebody have any water first? M--My throat's really dry.." -------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Yar at attention on the bridge rail. Image: Kirk looking moved in front of a glowing light. ******************************** From : "Clairissa Fox" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Getting My Sword for Battling the Enemies Date : Sun, 31 Mar 2002 08:52:48 +0000 I was mad mum wouldnt put me down in front of the humans. Mum! Mum! Im fine. Put me down. Dont you know that Klingon warriors dont stay hurt for long? I got out of her arms and then noticed the V'dMerr tucked into my vest. It was making weakling noises so I yanked it out. But then I didnt feel angry anymore. That was weird. How can a quiet noise do that? Then it crawled up my arm to my face and rubbed it. Hey.. you. Get down. I dont know who put you there but I dont need you. I told it. The tribble didnt move but I didnt push it off either. We stared at each other. My black eyes to its no eyes. Then I growled. The V'dMerr tried to growl back but it sounded like a Targ fart. I laughed and it did too. Then I saw mum give me a warning glare to StayOutOfTrouble and she went back into the sickbay ward after sticking a new talking badge on me to replace the one I took off when I ran away and found the train. Hey. Thats right. Last I remember, I was on that train heading for the glowing wall. And now I was in sickbay. Oh well. I could always find something else to do while the grownups were busy. And I knew they were because the red alert was going off all over Excelsior. So I decided to go find some adventure on my own. I walked by a room that had a puddle of gold green liquid and some wet bones. Cool! Some icky alien got squished or something. But I didnt know how because the security fence was still up in the door when I touched it to scare the Vd'Merr. But the Vd'Merr just grabbed my cheek tighter and kept making that noise that made me stupid and what was that human word? Passive. EEeeoowww. How could the humans like feeling that way? The blood fever of battle was much better. But I could never tell human habits good. They had cats which were cool but then they had these tribble things and smiled and babytalked to each of them in the same human whiny way. But I was on a big new ship and I didnt want to be alone so I kept it with me. Purrr..Purrr.. it said when we got near the turbolift. But it wasnt working. There was a yellow panel with words going on and off near it and I could almost read the human talk on it. Quar'EnTine Pro'ToCol it said. Whatever that meant. That was something for my mum Keyler to worry about. She was the ambassador and that was her job. My job was to be the best Klingon warrior I could. I headed off to the messhall. Wow. It looked like there had been a battle in there. I could smell aliens and there were three glowing sticks making a triangle in the air by the windows. A security guard was watching them and the firehead Captain Janeway. She nodded to me and I just nodded back pretending to order from the replicator. How did she get here ahead of me? Then I saw the transporter strap on her arm. She must have beamed in because the turbolifts were out. I got a bowl of that human Gagh..spaghetti and sat down at the bar to eat it. The V'Dmerr got into my bowl slurping eagerly until I pushed it out and gave it some of its own. I ate while the guard and the captain just looked at the glowing sticks talking to each other. "You're right ensign. These pattern enhancers are set on reverse retrieval mode." I heard her say. "But let's not touch anything. I'd feel more comfortable if HoloZimm had another way to escape the Vidiian ship should he find himself in a situation to need to do so.." Vidiians? Cool! But I kept my head down so they didnt know my good Klingon ears could hear them. I knew about those guys. They attacked you without swords but with medical tellys and then after they zapped you, they sucked your insides out! I knew about them from the human comics I had found once in my Academy classroom. Seven had been my teacher and she had told me about them when she saw I had that comic in my physics book one day. The Vd'Merr burped and made me laugh and that made Captain Janeway smile and come over to me. Oh no.. there goes all my fun I thought. Shes gonna be just like mum and tell me to not play because of the red alert. "Hello Alexander.." she said to me and reaching over to scratch the Vd'Merr. It just made that stupid noise a lot louder. "I see you're feeling better enough to get something for yourselves to eat.." she said to me. Yes.Maam. I was hungry. "Now you know not to go into restricted areas such as engineering and the bridge as long as the red alert bar is flashing right?" Yes. I know. I watched as her human face smiled again and showed all of her teeth in that Im not mad human way. What a waste of energy. "That's good. You're a big boy. I know you know protocol. It's just that there's a bug on board that might make people sick and we have to be sure everyone stays safe in their quarters until we find a way to kill it off." A bug!? I saw some green slime in sickbay. I didnt see any bugs down there. I said. "Germs Alexander. Like the Denebian Flu you've probably seen your playmates get from school. Sniffles.. and coughing and such." Oh. A bodyweak. I said to her. I know those. Klingons dont get them much. Mum says we dont. But I wont let any humans get too near each other. I read the Quar'EnTine Pro'ToCol by the lift. I know better. "All right then Alexander.." Janeway said giving the tribble one last scratch on its rounded furry body. "Carry on. Comm me if anything happens out of the ordinary like if any of the humans get sick like you remember your friends doing ok?" Yessir! I said as she went back over to the windows to look at what the glowing sticks were doing on her tricorder. I jumped down from my stool, leaving the Vd'Merr stuck on the bar and went behind it. I saw a room there. Another kitchen! And found a counter with a whole bunch of human knives on the floor. The ship must have been shaking earlier if they were there but I guessed I might have missed all that while I was hurt from the train accident. I still dont know what had made me black out like that. All I remember was feeling like I had another person in the room and then I was out. I knelt on the rug and took the longest one in my hands. Wow. What a sword. Humans might be toothless and pale but they sure made sharp weapons good. Why did they waste them just using them to cut up their food? I took the knife and held it up so I could get used to it. Now I was ready. Those stinky aliens who got the ship sick would have to deal with me, Alexander Rashenko son of Worf of the House of Moug. I went stalking out into the corridor looking for the enemies. -------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Alexander in the kitchen with a very long dagger. ************************************* Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2002 21:42:07 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: Half there, Half Gone. > The EMH stepped over to a large panel and >started a red clock, counting up from zero. >"You have three days to solve our impasse >with this disease. Until we do, no one can >fall asleep or become unconscious or the >spores that may be infecting you might >rapidly kill, as it did our Vidiian prisoners. >I, Dr. McCoy and Bev Crusher's extensive >medical cupboard can only keep you all >awake for so long. After that, serious mental >and physical degradation will begin from >sleep deprivation. And those weaknesses will >make you even easier targets for possible >infection from the Phage. I suggest you >start drinking and stop theorizing." he >said, holding up a tray of coffees he had >replicated while the first contact or war debate >around him buzzed. Seven of Nine and Commander Data both, abstained. The EMH said. "Come on Seven.. At least you should be concerned. There's no Borg alcove for you to escape to should your need for rest get overwhelming. I order you as your regular physician to take a cup right now." Seven merely raise her eyebrows. "Doctor, I can go for almost a week without significant impairment from lack of sleep. My nanoprobes--" "Your nanoprobes aren't the universal cure-all in every case Seven. Right now, your implants and body metabolism processes are at odds with each other. It's already been three days for you since you've rested.." The EMH countered. "You've already begun pushing the envelope." Seven shrugged, "Are you saying that as a doctor or are you saying that out of concern for my welfare because we are pair bonded?" she asked deadpan. "Both!" the holodoc exclaimed. Nearby, Data lifted his head. "It is not sometimes bad medicine to have a doctor care for family or a close significant other? If you'd like. I can ask Beverly Crusher to upkeep Seven's monit--" "No. no. no. no. no." the holodoc chided, "I'm perfectly able to keep a professional regiment despite my emotional subroutines.." he said quickly. "Seven will stay in my care." Data was brutally honest. "That may not be a wise choice, doctor. I, for one, having emotions as well to deal with, have noticed that close attachment to another often leads to errors in performance and judgement." "I'm a hologram. I cannot make erroneous errors." the doc mumbled, still irritated at Data questioning his competency. "Being an artificial lifeform does not imply perfection doctor, as we were constructed by less than perfect people.." Data countered. Seven stepped between the two debators. "Enough gentleman." And she snatched a cortical monitor and placed it on her own neck until it warbled online. "While I am of sound mind and body. I am declaring myself McCoy's patient for the duration of this emergency. It is he, who will make the decisions regarding my unique Borg human care... Doctor,," she said, handing a med tricorder to Bones who was highly amused at the dickering between android and EMH. "If you would.." "It would be an honor Cadet Seven.." he said, winking at her. He took a quick reading of her biochemistry and said, "You're fine for the next six hours. No Henaline is needed quite yet for those functioning implants of yours.." then he leaned in close. "Brava, miss. You are handling them masterfully. Take you long to figure out how to control them?" "Not long." Seven quipped. "I had you as a role model.." McCoy's smile wiped off his face and he said to her retreating back. "I don't know whether or not I've been complimented or insulted.." he said with a puzzled look. Seven turned back with a grin. "Doctor.. we are friends..are we not? That is the answer to your unasked question.." Then she tapped the blinking device on her throat. "I shall keep this on continuous monitoring.." "You do that.." McCoy said as Seven walked over to Mr. Barclay and Ambassador Spock where they were discussing something with K'Ehleyr about the Vidiian mothership. Data, guessing that the EMH no longer desired to talk to him about Seven of Nine, followed her. Seven had listened to their discussion for only a minute when she said. "We have no choice. We have to bring the Vidiian vessel at bay in order to make any progress." Data said, "But that will be difficult with their cloaking device in place. No one has ever seen the inside of this class of Vidiian craft. It could have a perpetual energy converter which allows it to be maintained indefinitely." "I know that is a strong possibility, Commander." Seven said to Data. "But we have to try.." She turned towards the others. "Has Captain Janeway scanned the pattern enhancers to determine their inherent polarity?" "Yes.." Data said. "One point four minutes ago. Their frequency bearing is ranging between the 3.4 megaholtz/ Bohmstedt horizon of theta and beta bands. Outgoing." Seven shifted her weight on her elegant shoes. "Then my idea is possible.." Barclay said, "What idea is that Seven of Nine..?" Spock steepled his hands in front of his chin as he listened to the young ex Borg woman speak. Seven said. "I suggest we allow a stream of Borg nanoprobes to flow through the Vidiian pattern enhancers to their ship as HoloZimm did getting in. Once there. He and I can configure them to seek out their shield cloaking harmonics and find an algorithm which can terminate its function.." Moriarity said. "I've read about your Borg machines that live in your blood. Tell me my good woman, how can you possibly make enough of them to even impact a ship of that size? It would take days.. A David to a Goliath.." It was at that moment that Seven's confidence wavered. "True.. it would take them awhile to learn which technology is the cloaking device's." "How long?" Spock asked. "Six days, maybe seven." she admitted. Barclay sighed.. "Too long.. We'll all be blithering idiots by then from lack of sleep or zombies as the plague takes us over when we collapse from exhaustion." Seven actually snapped. "Do you have an alternative? " Barclay lowered his eyes. "I'm working on it..." "Does anyone else?" Seven challenged. Ambassador K'Ehleyr said, "Yes, I do. We attack.. We're five to one. I like those odds." Seven countered. "We'd never stand a chance if the Vidiians thought we would get seriously hostile towards them. We'd never survive the encounter in a battle situation. Their technology is way more advanced than ours.." K'Ehleyr said, "A show of force always leads to an outcome.." Data said, "An unknown one." From the patient bed, Chakotay rose, getting to his feet and ordering.. "Doctor..." The EMH came round to him and gave him a sensor web vest, and a sight cane, both of which would allow him free movement around the ship. "With pleasure.. Perhaps you can talk some sense into Seven.." Chakotay came toe to toe with Seven. The stains on his eye bandages were darkening but a fierce determination kept away any doubt from Seven's mind that he was invalid in that state. "Ok, Seven, let's try your idea.. And one of my own.." he turned to the direction he had last heard Captain Kirk. "Sir.. let's beam the Guardian on board Excelsior. Then it and the Traveler can work in conjunction with each other should we need their option of overwriting our own time line to erase this event. They could do so in moments should our own efforts to resolve this crisis fail." A burst of protests and questions punctuated the air around Chakotay. He spoke loudly so he could be heard again. "It's a way out for all of us. I don't know about you all, but I'm still wavering between the Prime Directive to respect a new species in First Contact but I am also deep in the line of thinking that armed conflict may be the only language that this particular set of Vidiians may understand. The Phage as it is in this variant, is a completely unknown enemy. But I'm banking that in spite of its creepy parlor tricks. It still has the one track thinking of a typical virus.. To spread. It's stuck in the here and now. It won't know about Time Differentials and Time Wrinkling consequences. So let's have the Traveler's quickfix option open.. Captain Kirk.." he said, reaching out until his hand came in contact with the older man's shoulder. "Bring the Guardian to us.. It's worth a little transporter interference on board for that ace in the hole.." Kirk glanced around the room but there were no further protests. He hit his combadge to shipwide. "Kirk to the bridge. Lower the shields. We're taking on another passenger. Beam these coordinates from Building Five into the main cargobay." and he entered confidential grid figures into the terminal under his fingers. "Acknowledged.." came the CO from Excelsior's bridge. "Implementing in twenty seconds." Data saw Kirk smile at his man Sulu's unquestioning support on the decision. It made him smile too. There was a change in the lights as the powerful Gateway's influence made itself felt throughout the starship as it was settled into solidity in the landing bay. ##ANOTHER PLACE. ANOTHER EVENT POSSIBILITY. I AWAIT YOUR CHANGE TIMESEER.## it said to the Traveler over a mind channel that they all could seem to hear. The Traveler said to everyone in the room as he closed his eyes, feeling the shift in dimensions as the Guardian accepted its new mobile place on the human starship. "That may not be necessary.." he said to it. "I know that these people we are among are very resourceful. Let's wait until it is certain they cannot go on." ##SO BE IT.## the Guardian of Forever thought from the nearby cargobay. "Then let's get started.." Chakotay said, turning his head as he got used to the sensor audibles guiding him with positioning information from cane and vest. "Seven, stay here and work with the doctors on manufacturing those nanoprobes you mentioned. We'll send them through one of the Vidiian scanners when you're ready." "Aye, commander.." she replied. The EMH said, "Where do you think you're going Commander?" when he saw Chakotay pace for the door. "I'm going down to the messhall to see if I can help get further data on those pattern enhancers." He stopped in his tracks and asked the Traveler. "How badly are ship's intracommunications and transporter systems going to be effected on the ship while the Guardian is here?" The Traveler still had his eyes closed while he sensed out how the Guardian was shaping the physics on the fragile human ship. "There are random pockets of transporter null sites circulating in an accretion disk around the Guardian. Appearing and disappearing at random. These cannot be predicted. However, they will be proceeded by an inability of your combadges to function before a null point takes effect." "Good enough. We've worked blind before in the early days of space travel. We'll just have to do it again." he said. Chakotay left for the messhall, his clear memory of the route in his head. He didn't even bump into the walls. --------------------------------- Janeway was alone in the messhall. She had sent the security guard back to sickbay with a message once she heard Kirk's shipwide order of their decision to bring the Guardian of Forever on board. She could live with the communications blackout and the downed transporter capability. ::A fair tradeoff for so solid an out as the Guardian of Forever.:: She recalibrated her tricorder to once again ping into the pattern enhancers so that they sent that signal out to the invisible mother ship. She took more readings.. Impatiently, she wiped a trickle of sweat off of her forehead and stopped a drop from blurring her vision.. ::Damned coffee.. Making my heart do the cha-cha.. I'll settle for an injection next medcheck.:: She had moved over to another angle from the glowing triangles with her scans when her hands shot a stab of pain up her arms. "Ouch.." she snapped aloud, fumbling with the tricorder she nearly dropped to the carpetting. She sighed and stubbornly refused to stop working. ::Gotta start exercising again. I'm outta shape.:: That was when an ocean of dizziness slammed into her head and she toppled on her side. ::Whoa...:: she thought. ::Am I too close to the enhancers induction field?:: She used her legs to push herself away from the purple glow. But Janeway's swimming vision didn't level off. Then she realized. "No.. Not me. I can't be sick..not now.." A vise like cramp hit her stomach and she doubled up, folding elbows to knees. She managed to tap her combadge. =^=J-Janeway to sickb-- Acckk!=^= But silence met her ears. She tried to shout but that only resulted in a low moan as intense nausea washed over her in an enveloping wave.. The air moving in her lungs sounded unnaturally loud while she lay there in a tight ball of agony. ::The Guardian's blackout area. It must extend up here.:: "Kathryn?" she heard a warm timbre. "Ch-.." she gasped, barely a whisper. But her awareness was receding down a long flaming tunnel away from him as a fierce fever claimed her. "Captain.." Chakotay grinned. To him the sound was a short shush on her part to keep quiet. ::Maybe she's doing an audiological scan right now.:: He moved a few paces further into the room. "Ok, I'll wait.." And he did. For at least a minute. But then he heard liquid gurgling that wasn't from the drink machines on the bar. Followed by a gasp. "Kathryn?!" he dropped to his knees cursing the web for not having better discerning sound cues as he swept his cane to the middle of the floor in front of him. It struck an occupied boot.. He dropped to his hands and felt along her leg and up her body until he found her head. "Captain, what's wrong? Can you speak?" Another bubbling. Too soft. He felt the burning of her skin as he reached her face and he quickly tilted it up until her breathing resumed. It luckily got better. Air exploded in and out of her rapidly as reflexes rebalanced oxygen inside of her body. "Easy.. You're fine.." he said quietly. His fingers found her throat and the thudding pulse fluttering there. It was weakening a bit and growing irregular. Then her gasping began to slack off. He felt her eyes and found them closed. "No you don't.. stay awake.. it's the Phage.. Don't black out. You know what happens after that." "Wha.....?" she coughed. "That's it.." He slapped her combadge with a free hand. "Chakotay to the EMH! Emergency!" There was no answer. ::Fine. I'll drag her out of here until we reach a normal space pocket. The Traveler said there'd be some. Then we'll get someone.:: He dropped her head down until it lulled backwards, her shoulders in his grip and he tugged. Nothing happened. She was rooted to the floor.. ::What the h*ll..:: He felt down her body again and felt a sharp spark as his fingers brushed the outer edge of the glowing triangle at one of the enhancer's base. He jerked away from it. One of her legs was half in and half out of the energy field the Vidiian devices were creating. "D*mn!! Now what am I going to do??" He tugged on that leg but it was firmly held. In fact, it was actually starting to pull back, in equal response to his efforts. "Transport causality. They're starting to beam her to the mothership.." Chakotay began shouting, planting his feet and resisting the pull for her. Janeway began moaning as she was stretched painfully. "Hey!!! Listen to me..!!.. Anyone around??! I need some help here!!" No one came. "Computer! Respond!!" It didn't. But a thud and chirp greeted him as a very sated tribble left the bar and rolled toward the distressed humans, purring in comfort. It got nearer. Chakotay began to curse his weakened muscles and his grip began to slip on her arms. He hooked one elbow around a bolted table leg and the other around her chest and that finally stopped their progress. ::Now what?:: He felt tribble fur against his face, trilling in anxiety. And then it moved to stroke Kathryn's. Chakotay grinned and he blew in the direction it was, feeling his breath push the feather light creature further from them down the length of their bodies. ::Yes.. Keep going in that direction...:: he thought. The pattern enhancers began to whine at the resistence and Janeway's uniform began to tear...until Chakotay gave a solid kick when the moment was right.. His foot impacted the tribble and it gave an indignant squeal and he heard it sail into the pattern enhancer field and get zapped away. Satisfied, the commit trigger on the enhancer field powered down at the successful conclusion of a transport through which it had sought to cycle. The hold on Kathryn's leg released instantly and Chakotay's head impacted the table as they fell backwards. He was knocked half senseless. Janeway and Chakotay lay on the deck, dazed and they began to feel light headed from their proximity to the pattern enhancers' alien energy effect. It did something to them quite unexpected. ---------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Data looking downwards. Image: A winning smile from Seven of Nine right at you. *Animated gif* Chakotay and Janeway in Resolutions exchanging playful significant glances. ******************************************* From : "Cory Anda" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Fever Dreams Date : Mon, 01 Apr 2002 20:19:44 +0000 TANDEM post between "Cory" and "Cassidy Meyers" via MSN messenger and email tags. MAIN characters Ambassador Spock Reginald Barclay Deanna Troi Dr. Beverly Crusher FREEuse characters Janeway Chakotay The EMH The Traveler ================================ >"There are random pockets of >transporter null sites circulating in an accretion >disk around the Guardian. Appearing and disappearing >at random. These cannot be predicted. However, >they will be proceeded by an inability of your >combadges to function before a null point >takes effect." (the Traveler added) Reginald turned to Deanna as they watched the blind Chakotay adjust rapidly to his sensor web vest and cane. The radar sounds it cast sharpened whenever the commander faced another person. "I was about to say that..." Reg murmured. "Um hmm." Deanna said to Reg with a slow nod. She wasn't unkind. Merely, skeptical. >"Good enough. We've worked blind before >in the early days of space travel. We'll just >have to do it again." he (Chakotay)said. >Chakotay left for the messhall, his clear >memory of the route in his head. He didn't >even bump into the walls. Barclay moved to a stool next to Troi and sat down. He was still twitchy from the reviving medication they had given him to awaken him from his faint and it only made his nervousness worse. He couldn't even help Seven of Nine analyze growth curves on her own nanoprobes in an investigation to set her contingency into action. "Oh, Deanna.." he sighed, ringing his fingers together. "What is it Reg..?" she said, vaguely amused. "Are you feeling embarrassed that your hypochrondiac quirk popped out again?" Barclay's eyes bobbed from hers and to the terminal he played with without seeing. He sighed again. "Partly.." he said sheepishly. "I don't do well with plagues almost as bad as I handle transporter demat and remat's." "Well you're in good company there." Troi said, smacking his knee in comfort. "Dr. McCoy doesn't like them either.." she said levelly. "Really?" Reg smiled shyly. "I have it on the best authority..." Troi insisted. "He told me so himself on the way to see Data's head four days ago." Barclay almost blanched again at that idea. "That's another thing, uh, counselor.. All this business of time altering and dimensional remixing.. " his voice scaled up in a thoughtful singsong. "..It's messy.." "And this virus isn't?" Beverly said as she came over to them. She had noticed Barclay's wavering reactions emotionally. "Just kidding, Reg.." And she aimed a tricorder at them. "Captain Kirk wants continuous readouts of all of us looking for abnormal changes physiologically. I told him that Excelsior's computer wouldn't be able to handle the task automatically right now being bombarded with dimensional blackouts. So, here I am.. A walking bioflag monitor.. And I'll be back in a half an hour too.." Her grousing succeeded in making Reg laugh. It sounded like a sneeze but the two women did see a fleeting smile get through his frown. Reg rolled his eyes and threw his arms wide as she scanned his torso. "Oh, I don't like this unexpected little surprise. I mean, the Vidiians should have been a whole Quadrant away from here..not pestering Earth like some malignant pack of mosquitoes." Deanna felt the Traveler's quiet approach like cool mint in her empathetic sense. She heard him speak. "I am just as surprised as you are Mr. Barclay. I had no idea a dimensional strand collision could result in a ship being tossed so far away from their native sector." the tall lilac being said mildly. "It is fascinating." Barclay's irritation that had been just under the surface suddenly rematerialized. "I'm thrilled you're fascinated Mr. Observer. But tell me, will this Phage thing get under your skin? I mean,.. literally get under your skin.. Because you can't possibly know what we're feeling right now facing this if you aren't exactly in the same risk category.." he spat. Beverly admonished him, "Reg!" and her tricorder closed with a snap. "Sorry doctor..I, ..uh, it must be the medication..I do have a bit of a headache." Troi was understanding. She tossed her eyes in apology at the Traveler and handed Reg his requested glass of water. Then she started to massage his shoulders briskly. "Of course, Reg, that must be it. We know you aren't a pain intentionally." Reg stopped his moans of pleasure at her ministrations."Now what's that supposed to mean?" Beverly whispered close to Troi's ear, "Nice going, Deanna. Good luck working your way out of that one." And she escaped to go scan Spock for his pathogen check leaving the three of her friends to defend opinions and mend fences on their own. Aloud she said. "You two are both still in the clear.. No signs of infection. So get back to work Reg.. You've no excuses now.." She didn't tell Troi nor Barclay that the Traveler was immune to any galactic microbe figuring less fuel for the fire was a much better option. ------------------------------------------------ Dr. Crusher stopped two feet away from Spock as was customary with Vulcans. "Ambassador.." He looked up from his computer screen. "Yes?" She held up her medical tricorder. "Of course. You may proceed, doctor." Beverly scanned him in a deep tissue probe but didn't say anything more. Spock filled the silence instead. "I have made some progress using Captain Janeway's data on the Vidiian pattern enhancers." He held up one of the invader's analyzers and touched one of the two prongs jutting out from its business end. "This protuberance acts as a recall device and it sends anything bathed in an indicator field wash to the mother ship.. Observe.." And he shot an attacking beam to a glass flask sitting on a medical cart near them. The bright flashing bolt made everyone in sickbay jump. It glowed purple before disappearing. "That's now gone to the Vidiian ship?" "Correct.." Spock said. "And it's more than ninety eight point six percent possible that anything else scanned in such a way using the tool the Vidiian used on Commander Chakotay, that it will end up in the same immediate vicinity as his eyes." That got Crusher's attention. "Does Captain Kirk know this?" "Not as yet." "Well why the h*ll not? We would have never risked HoloZimm over there if this tidy little piece of information had been made known first.." Beverly said. Her outburst cut through the harmony just reached by Reg, Troi and the Traveler. Deanna hurried over. "What now? You're agitated." she asked the red haired physician. "You bet I am..It seems the ambassador here is sitting on privledged information. Anything hit by that Vidiian probe in his hand gets to the organ bank where Chakotay's eyes are located." Dr. Crusher told her. The effect on the counselor wasn't as bitter as it had been on Beverly. "Well we can just recall HoloZimm back. No problem and then go in this way.." she said casting a gesture at the device in Spock's hand. Dr. Crusher said. "You're forgetting the Guardian's buffering aura.. It's going to take a while to find an operating window of functionality that actually lines up with a console that controls the transporter pad." she said. "Hmm. Kirk had Holozimm go into hiding. He should be fine until we get that circumstance working for us, Beverly. Why are you worried?" Deanna said. "Because Holozimm's a child subjectively speaking. He may have the education of a Starfleet cadet graduate but in hours spent actually living, he's only seen three weeks. He can't possibly have the skills to survive being on a hostile enemy ship." Dr. Crusher theorized. "The events we are experiencing are "upsetting" for us all. It will not help snowballing worse case scenarios." Spock said. "If it will put your mind at rest, Dr. Crusher. I will inform Captain Kirk of my discovery.." "Please do so.." Beverly said. "Then at least some of us will be able to sleep better at night." she walked away to go scan Kirk, Uhura and Chapel and added under her breath. "That's if and when we can ever allow ourselves to sleep again without worrying about the Phage melting us down like butter on a frying pan." ================================== "Kathryn.. Can you hear me?" Vague heat. Both internal and external, burned her skin and a bright light of a sun sliced white through her closed searing eyelids. "Kathryn... It's me.. Open your eyes.." ::Chakotay?:: Janeway's muzzy brain thought. She felt herself being lifted upright in his arms and felt wind blown sand being driven against exposed areas of skin. His exhausted exhalations whistled right next to her ear as he soothed her to a full wakefulness. She smiled."If this had been any other circumstance, it would have been real nice being held like this commander.." she chuckled until a stab of pain jolted her and made her cry out.Then she fell silent as a lifted bowl of stone offered water to her lips. It's cool wetness tasted vaguely of clay. ::River water?:: she thought in shock. Her sharp intake of breath made some of it go into her lungs. She sputtered and choked, knocking the bowl away and Captain Janeway shifted her head in his lap until she cleared her throat again. "Sorry.. I should have warned you first." he said, wiping her mouth and face dry with a hand. It was then Kathryn heard birds. She forced her swollen eyes open and saw that she was lying in sweet meadow grass in her vision quest shift of light doeskin. Areas of its soft leather had been cut away and hideous weeping lesions gaped through the holes on chest, legs and hands. They had been smeared with a strong smelling poltice and more of it filled her nose from the wet areas she found on her face with her questing fingers. She glanced up and saw Chakotay's face. Whole emotion filled eyes were watching hers and she realized that they were in the spirit world trance. "Your work?" she said of her treated wounds. "Mine and Matseyeho's." he replied, smiling. "It's good to see you with us again. We had a h*ll of a time keeping you from falling unconscious." Kathryn frowned distastefully. "Glad you succeeded. I don't fancy becoming a liquified puddle any time soon." she groaned. Then she searched the dreamscape meadow for her spirit guide gecko. "Where is he?" she gasped when there was no sign of him in her mind or eyes. The great wolf she could only see from the corner of her eye spoke. ##He cannot come while you are half way to death. For you have one foot in each world and are crossing over.## Janeway struggled upright with trembling hands against Chakotay's chest. He had to keep her from falling hastily with a grip on her shoulders. "What do you mean, I'm dying.." she demanded of Chakotay's spirit guide. "She didn't mean it like that, Kathryn." Chakotay said. "That's just her word for the Phage illness's progression." A sickening bit of chill got through despite the intense summer sun and she shook even harder. She felt Chakotay wrap his arms even closer around her, trying to still the fever shakes. "H- How long have we been here?" she said through chattering teeth. "Can't tell.." he whispered. "I think we're still lying near the pattern enhancers in the messhall. Could be just minutes." "Then why am I so far along?" she asked holding up a shaking hand and seeing the deep sores festering there. "It's just your mind's reaction to the fear of finding itself infected. Out there, I only felt a temperature on you and fixed the awkward way you were laying so you could breathe better." "Oh, that's all?" she said sarcastically. "But I still feel like sh*t." Kathryn's body bucked involuntarily and he restrained her as she fought another painful spasm down. "I don't like this.. " she gasped. "Not at all. Break us out of the trance, Chakotay." she said tightening cracked lips. "Please..." "I can't.. something's keeping me from doing that. It may be that field out there preventing us from leaving." Chakotay said. "I'll start a fire. That should help keep you warm.." He eased her down to the ground and covered her with his prayer blanket. Janeway clutched it in a tight grip, wrapping it around herself desperately, growing lost inside powerful tremors of chill and fire. She began to despair. She watched a spark catch and grow in embers as he worked and it leaped into a flame that lanced into her retinas painfully. The rising crackle of the fire finally drowned out her moans when he finally came to bring her closer to the bonfire he had begun. "Hang on.. Someone will see us. It's a big ship. The red alert will have security patrols checking every room regularly.." "Make them hurry..." she sobbed. "Shhhh.." he soothed, brushing hair out of her eyes as he cradled her tightly in his lap. "We'll be out soon." he said, bathing her forehead with cool soaked moss. "Matseyeho and I won't leave you behind in here." he said. Empathetically, Matseyeho buried her muzzle under Janeway's cheek and Kathryn heard her whines cascade in eerie echoes into the distance.... Her eyes fell away from theirs and into the fire. Its orange glow grew over powering and soon she could see nothing of the daytime meadow. Sensations of ice and heat fought over her body until the inferno side won. A sinister presence insinuated itself inside of her, pushing away Kathryn herself. She groaned and fell silent as her identity shifted. Chakotay looked down and saw the animation leave Janeway's face like a deflated balloon and she went limp. He passed trembling fingers over her mouth and sighed in relief when he still felt warm air moving between her lips. "Hey...stay focused.." he said shifting a grip to check her carotid pulse. It was unnaturally slow. Matseyeho started to howl in anguish.. ##It's here. The other. It's in her soul. I can feel it moving there.## Chakotay looked up at his spirit guide in horror. --------------------------------------------------------------- In sickbay Barclay looked up from the terminal that he and Seven were working on. "Ambassador! The pattern enhancers in the messhall have just activated. They just beamed something off ship." Spock raised an eyebrow and tapped his combadge. =^=Spock to Captain Janeway. Come in.=^= Static.. =^=Spock to Commander Chakotay. Please respond.=^= Again. There was no reply. Reg aimed his tricorder down at the floor. "I'm reading a null space on that deck. We're not getting through." "Commbadge lifesigns?" Spock asked. "Inconclusive.." Seven reported. Ambassador Spock got a nod from Captain Kirk "Go. Spock. Take Barclay and Crusher with you." "We're on our way.." Beverly said, she snatched up the biggest medkit she had in the ward. ================================= Reginald and Dr. Crusher and Spock were down there in less than a minute. They had beaten the security team Spock had notified to join them. Barclay's tricorder bleeped as he scanned the room through the closed doors. "Whatever it was that beamed off ship. It wasn't Vidiian activity. It's clear." "Let's move.." Dr. Crusher said, pushing past Reg and Spock's phasers. Beverly saw Chakotay and Janeway lying on the floor under a table. She rushed forward but was quickly jerked to a stop when Barclay grabbed her back. "Wait.." and he pointed to the bright field of energy glowing from the pattern enhancers. He stepped to the equipment table Janeway had been using and grabbed up a portable tractor antigrav tool and used it to slide an enhancer post away from their bodies until the triangle distorted harmless off of them. "Ok. Now you can get in there." he said to Spock and Beverly. "I'm going to get these things turned off for now. They're much too dangerous like this." "I concur lieutenant." Spock said and nodded approvingly as Reg switched off the beams one by one on the alien devices. Beverly knelt over her two patients with a scanner. "They're both alive. Semiconscious." She quickly gave them stimulants to keep them from slipping the rest of the way out of consciousness. Then she frowned. "What is it doctor?" Barclay said as he knelt by her side with Spock to help out. "I don't know. I've never seen this before. Some kind of trance and they're not snapping out of it." "If I may..." Spock said, leaning over. He placed the long fingers of each hand, one each over Janeway and the commander's temples.. His eyes rolled up into his head. "Return. We have secured your safety.." he said. Then he released them. The Voyager Captain and Chakotay shook their heads as they left the spirit world. He came back first and sat up, turning his attention to Kathryn. "Help her. Something's wrong.." he said, placing a hand on her stomach, feeling her breathing pattern. Reg hesitated but then grabbed his hand and got him to his feet. "Commander. Dr. Crusher's here with us. Don't worry. Both your vital signs are stable. Here.." and he set the sight cane back into his grip. "No. You don't understand. She's not just fever sick. The Phage intelligence is there. It just smothered her.." Spock frowned. "Chakotay. I sensed no alien presence when I contacted both of you through your minds." Again, Beverly looked at her scans on the captain. Their readings were barely away from the norm. Beverly Crusher was about to say something when Captain Janeway opened her eyes and sighed in relief. "What a welcome sight. The messhall bulkheads. Help me up doctor. I'm fine.." Dr. Crusher frowned in puzzlement at only a slight sign of Vidiian Phage within her. There was no fever in the captain at all. "All right. I'll get up myself." Impatient, Kathryn hauled herself to her feet on her own power using the table for leverage. "Kathryn?" Chakotay said as the sound of her voice sunk in. "I don't understand." But then his slight concussion made him dizzy for a few seconds. Barclay grabbed his arm to steady him. Chakotay felt Kathryn move over closer to him and he felt her grope the lump on his head. He winced and gasped sharply. "Not surprising with that goose egg up there. You're bound to be a little confused Chakotay. As I told you. I'm fine. Get him to sickbay doctor.. I'll join you shortly. I'm going to be sure these pattern enhancers are completely offline. Chakotay had to use the tribble as beaming fodder just to break us free of their grip." Beverly eyed Janeway carefully. But she seemed fully competent and aware. "All right..five minutes captain. Have someone escort you to the ward once you're done. I want to give you a thorough once over to be sure that Vidiian energy didn't cause problems.." "Nothing I can't handle doctor.." Janeway said under her breath as Dr. Crusher and a med team guided Chakotay away. "Pardon?" Crusher asked, not quite hearing her. "Nothing you can't handle on him eh, doctor?. I won't be long.." Beverly gave her a thoughtful glance but she went on her way after the others, sealing her medkit closed. Janeway turned back to Spock and Reg Barclay. "Now gentleman.. Let's finish cleaning up here shall we? I'm sure Captain Sulu will like having the usual safe haven back for a messhall." Her performance was so convincing, it even fooled the older Vulcan. =========================== In sickbay, Deanna Troi waited until Beverly had treated Chakotay's head bump before she sat by him. She had heard his protests about Kathryn the whole while. "Commander.. What's this I'm hearing about fever dreams. Did something happen in your protective trance that disturbed you?' "No.. I mean ..yes.. Well, not exactly." he scratched an itch as a nurse rebound a new bandage over his face. He sighed hugely. "I've been in that world in that meadow with Matseyeho hundreds of times and never have I had someone with me showing signs of dementia. Period. And that was what she was doing." Deanna frowned and let it show in her voice for his benefit. "Hmm I assure you Commander. If any of the captains have so much as a single stray emotional misreaction, you'll be the very first person to know about it I promise you that.." "This coming from the counselor sitting in a leather couch session with a head injury patient?" he mumbled bitterly. "No. This coming from a shipmate ordered to watch everyone else's back and a little caring action on my part personally." she said, patting his hand. "Thanks Troi. Guess I'm a little stupid right now." Chakotay sighed. "Don't mention it." Chakotay spoke up again before he heard her leave for another part of sickbay. "What's the time on the clock.?" Deanna knew exactly which clock he meant, The EMH's past the point of no return countdown. She glanced up at that computer screen. The numbers in red laughed at her. "One hour fifty nine minutes fourteen seconds." "Only that long, eh? Feels like I've been away for an eternity.." ----------------------------- (attachments) Image: Dr. Crusher promo. Long hair. Image: Mr. Spock looking curious. Image: Barclay close up. Image: Deanna Troi in her gray uniform. *animated gif* Two bonded wolves surrounded by sparkles of light blue. Image: Chakotay praying on the floor over his prayer blanket. Image: Janeway, lying injured on the deck Closeup on her face. ****************************************** From: "Fran Catrair" Date: Tue Apr 2, 2002 7:08 am Subject: {voyagerliveaction} A Friend in Need Commander William T. Riker was on the Bridge of the Enterprise; stroking his beard and appearing deep in thought. Ever since the emergency on Rygus 4 had called Captain Picard and himself away from the situation at Starfleet Command, he had been agitated. He did not like the idea of leaving Deanna in danger. It bothered him even greater when the preliminary reports had indicated that Data had attacked her. Things just did not make any sense. Mulling things over, he decided he needed to go back to Starfleet Command and offer his assistance. Although he knew high ranking, top caliber officers, past and present, were assisting in the Guardian project, he needed to go back; to help Deanna. Reports from Starfleet Command indicated there was a fire, but it had been contained with minimal damage. ::Minimal. Unless you talk to Boothby.:: Will mused to himself with a quiet chuckle. Standing up and straightening his uniform tunic, Will looked over at Geordi, who was at his engineering station. He decided to inform Captain Picard of his decision to request a leave to head back to Earth. "I'm going to speak to the Captain, Geordi." he said. "You have the bridge." Geordi nodded in acknowledgement and Will went to Picard's ready room and waited for permission to enter. ---------------------------------------------------- Captain Picard had been in conference most of the day with an offworld representative. Nothing had been mentioned of who this representative was. Nonetheless, he had been in the meeting most of the morning, and Will had a feeling his presence would be acceptable at this time. The door chimed. "Yes?" Picard answered. Will decided to stay within protocol. He had no idea who was in the room with the Captain. "It's Commander Riker, sir. May I come in?" "Yes, by all means, come in, Number One. I was just getting ready to call you." Picard answered. Taking a deep breath, Will entered the ready room. Captain Picard was sitting at his desk, a cup of tea sitting in front of him. Even after all these years, Will enjoyed working with Jean-Luc Picard. He realized he had set himself a goal of being captain when he was 35, but he realized it was a foolish goal; set by the recklessness of youth and pride. He wouldn't trade the years of working with Jean-Luc Picard for anything. And, serving as first officer onboard the Federation flagship was even more impressive as being captain of, say, a frigate. Will realized he was being spoken to. A loud "hem" was calling his attention. Re-focusing his thoughts, Will looked at his captain. "I'm sorry, sir. I must have been thinking of something else." Captain Picard looked at his first officer. He knew that Will had been distracted lately, especially when they were called away so suddenly. He had been willing to leave Will at Starfleet Command, but Will would have none of it. As much as it pained him to leave Deanna, he had insisted on re-joining his captain on the Enterprise. Picard had a feeling he knew why Will had come to see him. With the situation taken care of on Rygus 4, he was sure Will had been thinking of returning to Earth. Nodding at the chair off to his right, Picard said to Will, "Commander Riker, may I present the Bajoran representative to the Federation, Colonel Kira Nerys." Will looked over at the woman, having just noticed her in the room. He was aware that Colonel Nerys had been the Bajoran attache' on Deep Space Nine, and had served as first officer to Captain Benjamin Sisko. Before that, she had been a freedom fighter for the Bajorans against their Cardassian occupation. Her record and reputation were exemplary. "Colonel. An honor meeting you." he said, bowing his head graciously. Colonel Nerys had been watching the exchange with interest. It was an honor for her to have Captain Picard meet with her. It was her luck that Enterprise had been heading this way from their mission. She knew her new post was as an emissary, but truth be told, Kira wanted to get away from Bajor for awhile. She was getting tired of being around the politicians. She shuddered mentally, thinking of listening to another one of Weyoun's speeches. The station just did not seem the same to her without the Federation. She knew she thought them straight-laced types, but they were a h#ll of alot better than what she was dealing with now. She was a fighter. That's what she knew best. If she accepted this diplomatic assignment, she might see her old friends again; maybe even have an adventure or two. She was pleased Captain Picard had noticed her preference for the military title over the diplomatic one. "It seems you two have something in common.", Picard said, smiling at both of them. "You both are heading for Earth." he finished. Will was stunned. ::How did the Captain know that was why he was coming to see him?:: Looking closer, Will caught the gleam in Jean-Luc's eyes and realized he had been read neatly. If anyone could read him, besides Deanna, it was Picard. Sighing slightly and offering a sheepish grin, he asked of Picard, "Am I that obvious?" Picard laughed at his first officer. "I understand how you feel, Number One. I'm just surprised it took you this long to ask." he chided humorously. "The Colonel needs to go to Earth. Considering their recent situation, and the attack of these Vidiians, the use of transporters is not advisable at this time. You will need to take a shuttlecraft. I believe you should be there in a couple of days. Does that sound reasonable to both of you?" he asked, glancing back and forth. They looked at each other and found themselves nodding in affirmative. Picard appeared pleased with himself. "Well, alot has happened recently at Starfleet Command. I will leave datapadds for both of you to read on your journey. I will inform Starfleet Command of your impending arrival. Dismissed." Riker looked at his captain with gratitude. "Thank you, Captain.", he said and turned to pack his belongings. Kira Nerys offered suitable thanks on behalf of the Bajoran people and left to gather her things as well. Smiling at his now empty office, Picard sat back down to read some reports, taking a sip of his Earl Grey tea. ----------------------------------------------------- Kira Nerys was waiting for Will when he arrived at the shuttlebay. She felt she should wait for him before entering. She had some misguided feelings about being with him; he looked so much like his brother. She had not forgotten how Thomas Riker had played the part of his brother, then turned on them all and joined the Maquis. Of course, she found out his stint in the Maquis had been short; he had been quickly captured. Will Riker arrived at the shuttle and entered, Kira on his heels. He took the pilot's chair, with Kira taking her place in the second chair. It felt so good to Kira to be at the controls of a spacecraft again. "Just like riding a bicycle." she said softly to herself. "Colonel?" Will said, hearing her whisper. "Nothing, Commander. Just an old saying Captain Sisko told me once. Are we ready to go?" she asked. "I believe so, Colonel. This should be an interesting trip. Don't worry; I've been told I'm a good conversationalist." he added, trying to put them both at ease. Kira smiled back at him. ::Should be an interesting trip. Alot better than Weyoun's speeches.:: --------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Riker looking regal. Image: Kira looking kooky. Image: Riker eyeing up Kira respectfully at Ops on Deep Space Nine. *Animated gif* Shiny combadge spinning. Deep Space Nine's. *animated gif* Starfleet's Federation Logo rotating. ********************************************* From : "Katherine Bird" Subject :[voyagerliveaction] The Control Dance Date : Wed, 03 Apr 2002 17:20:54 +0100 Nurse Chapel helped Dr. Crusher get Commander Chakotay back in order. It didn't take long to quick heal the lump on the back of his head. But his expression never changed from one of confusion as he still had his vivid memories of a very ill Janeway underseige in the spirit world. He faced the only one making noise near him, Christine, to be a captured audience. "I wouldn't believe her for a moment Miss Chapel. How could I be mistaken as to what I saw and did for her? For all of that happened within my own mind and she was linked with me through the same trance." "That's just it, Commander." Chapel said no nonsense. "There's no way for anyone to know what goes on inside your head. But, we have medtricorders and us, to monitor anything that might go wrong with your captain, so relax.." she said warmly, "we've got things all under control." "That's what I'm afraid of.." he murmured when he heard the nurse leave his side. He got up gingerly with his cane and sighed. Then he realized that Kathryn hadn't even told him where she was headed when the med team escorted him to sickbay. he tapped his combadge. =^=Computer. Location of Captain Janeway =^= ##Captain Janeway is in the messhall.## The pager replied. ::Great..:: he thought sarcastically. ::How long does it take to watch someone turn off three pattern enhancers. Seems like a pocket of normal space is finally working down there. I wish the Guardian could control its masking eddies. Things would go a lot smoother around here.:: Chakotay didn't know why he was so surly. It was an unusual state with him. ::Maybe its because I DON'T know what actually happened to me in the messhall trance with any certainty. Hitting my head on the table's no excuse. :: He decided to let his shipmates keep an eye on Kathryn. Since, quite literally, he wasn't able to do so himself. He made his way over to where he could hear Captain Kirk giving orders and sat down at a computer console and told it to give him audio tie-ins so he could help out on the sensors. Uhura was busy at work, too. She had taken over Scotty's modified tricorder and had tied it into the overhead speaker where her fingers danced over the console as she finetuned frequencies. Nurse Chapel paused from the supplies she was moving to a med cart at one particularly nasty squeal.. "Ugh, Uhura.. just what are you doing? Sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard." "Hmm?" the dark officer said, glancing up.."Oh.." as she remembered where she was.. "I think I may be onto something with that Vidiian invader." "How so?" Christine said, dumping her pile of medical supplies down. She moved to her friend's side. "That cloaking device everyone's worried about.. It only keeps visual energies and visual light from escaping, right?" Uhura ventured. "That's right.." Chapel said, frowning in concentration. "Well it certainly does nothing to block out sound very well now does it?" she grinned. Chapel got Kirk's attention. "Hey, Mr. Wonderful.. Uhura's on to something over here. Pulled a rabbit out of her communications band hat.." Kirk spun around on a heel with an amused glance at her familiar use of addressing him. He pursed his lips and afforded his nurse with a tolerant expression as he made his way over to her with hands on his hips. "Let's hear it.." "Exactly, sir.." Uhura breathed. Kirk's smile turned confused. Lt. Uhura turned up the volume of the channel she was adjusting until he could hear it too. "This is the mother ship, live. I've got HoloZimm's audio input feeding through this console and they don't know about it. It's passive. And the universal translator is online. I'm hearing a lot of orders from their command center. Might be useful if I catch a navigational heading from this tap." "Brilliant..!!" Kirk said, spinning Uhura's chair around. "Keep at it." and he returned back to McCoy on the other side of the sickbay ward near where Chakotay was working. "Just be sure to record absolutely everything." "That went smooth." Chapel said to Uhura once he had gone. "I remember days where Captain Kirk would shoot down improvisations from anyone and insert his own." "Perhaps time is mellowing him...." Uhura said and she turned back to her computer frequencies listening carefully as she got the best clarity on the overhead speakers in sickbay. ----------- Captain Janeway stood a little ways away from Barclay as she watched him move the deactivated alien enhancers into a secured cargo box and placed it into a security field on an antigrav. Reg felt nervous with the Voyager Captain watching his every move and she noticed it too. "Relax, lieutenant. I won't bite." and she smiled crookedly. Somehow, her remark didn't make Reg feel any better. Soon his task was complete. "Good work. Why don't you return to sickbay? I'll go with Ambassador Spock when he's done scanning the room." "Aye.." and Mr. Barclay fled as fast as possible to the other side of the messhall, gathering up his tools and equipment. Captain Janeway took her own tricorder and passed it over the area where the Vidiian pattern enhancers once were. "Ambassador. There's residual static resonance remaining from their transporter energy signature.. Now that we've sealed off their pathway, it shouldn't pose a problem.." Spock nodded. "How are you feeling? The doctors asked me to keep an eye on you until you reported to sickbay." --------- A soft whisper of something brushed her mind, a dull burning. Then suddenly a memory surfaced like boiling oil. It was her own voice, giving an order. "Tuvok! Target the Caretaker Array. They mustn't get control of it!" "Aye captain..." she heard his voice say. "Targetting phasers and full spread photons." "Fire!!" In her mind, a bright brilliant flare of mass destruction bloomed as the only way home known utterly annihilated itself. Numbness, despair and shock in her heart replaced the visual sight disappearing as it died. ::What have I done?:: and she gasped. A new presence knifed through her flashback. %%The only thing that matters. You killed. Isolated your crew. And I think I like that very very much. Do it again!%% --------------------- Janeway paled and she blinked. She realized she was only moments after Spock's question. "What?.. Oh.....Bit of a headache but that should pass. I usually never get them." She sighed and shook off the tightness that was gripping her shoulders. "Shall we go? The sooner I get that clean bill of health the sooner I can forget about what happened." she grinned. Spock merely raised his eyebrow. "Captain. I'm afraid that will be quite impossible. Don't you remember? The doctors and Chakotay found you infected with the beginning stages of the Phage a few minutes ago." "They found me stunned from failed transporter lock. No one told me I was sick." That comment made the ambassador and Barclay look up. Reg said. "Uh. Maybe you should talk with the doctors, captain when you get there. I remember Chakotay saying that you were fevered and Beverly scanned you for one." "But apart from this headache, I feel fine.." Both men held out their hands for her to preceed them out into the corridor to head to sickbay. "Only one way to find out.." Reg said. "Very well. " Janeway said. -------------- The Traveler saw Janeway return to sickbay and he sensed the darkness of illness in her manner. The same he felt in the Enterprise engineer. "Captain, I'm so sorry. I should have Acted. But without the Guardian's implicit consent. I and my people can do nothing about an outcome." She simply shrugged and went over to Chakotay's side, taking a medical tricorder from off a cart. Beverly looked up from where she was scanning Scotty. "Captain. I'll be right there." Janeway simply nodded. She stood in front of Chakotay and said, "Stand still." and she scanned him from head to foot. Chakotay did so, and he heard a full med scan begin to warble. "Still not convinced something happened to us in that vision quest trance?" "Something like that." she murmured. She studied the readouts on him and from her sigh, Chakotay knew that he wasn't ill in the slightest. He heard her reverse scan herself, and a soft indicator tone started beeping, a positive finding. "So, it's true what you said." "Kathryn? I--" "That I'm sick like Kirk's engineer now. Why didn't anyone tell me that when we were both rescued from that enhancer field? It would have explained a lot of things for me. For instance, that v--" she broke off when a cough suddenly made itself felt. Annoyed Janeway tried to speak again. "I am finding myself daydreaming about Voyager's past and then I hear that v-" A rippling sneeze again cut off her words. Chakotay felt a fine mist coat him and he held his breath. ::Like that's going to do anything. The infection spores are most likely all over the ship right now.:: He reached out until he touched both of her shoulders. "Kathryn. You had me whisked out of the messhall so fast. No one had a chance to tell you. Now that you've reported to sickbay. You'll get your answers. In detail." He sighed when he felt her break free of his grip. "I know this is hard. The Vidiians. This illness.... Just look at me." he said, casting a hand up to his bandaged eyes. " It hasn't exactly been a Sunday walk in the park for me either." He could hear her sigh in resignation while she listened to what he had to say. "Having a sense of control is something you prize very much and you are afraid that this Phage is going to take it away from you." Then he chuckled good naturedly. "Relax.. It's not going to turn you into a Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde so you can get the organs your body thinks its gonna need anytime soon." Janeway said. "But what about HoloZimm's finding? That message on that Vidiians' skin didn't seem like some obscure calligraphy custom tattoo to me." "That's over there, captain. Those people have been sick longer." Captain Janeway thought. ::But they are Vidiian not fragile Homo Sapiens. What if we're more susceptible to this disease then they and it progresses more rapidly?:: But aloud she said. "I grant you that. But you're right. Being ill scares me to death. I had a hallucination once where the doctor euthanized me because my Phage was incurable. It was awful." "Now that's a near death vision you didn't tell me about when that entity looking like your father had you." he said lightly. "Don't like talking about that one." she whispered. "Then don't.." he said, moving near. He kissed her forehead and drew her into a hug. "You'll be fine. Between me and the doctors, nothing is going to be happening to you anytime soon. We won't let it." In her mind the burning voice echoed. %%Isn't that sweet. I think I'll take this blind man too. He's too amusing to be just a donor to my minions.%% Of these alien thoughts, Janeway was no longer aware. For her, the Phage illness coursed on in silence. ---------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Uhura, with an earpiece, frowning in concentration. Gif: Alien Vidiian language on a computer display. Image: A profile of Christine Chapel. Image: Janeway med scanning Chakotay. ******************************************** END WEEK ELEVEN RECAP 04-07-02 WEEK TWELVE RECAP 04-09-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub ******************************* Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2002 10:25:06 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: [voyagerliveaction] For Every Action There is an Equal and Opposite... Seven of Nine was deep in thought. She had accessed Excelsior's computer database on the Vidiians. ::I wonder if cross paralleling this data with my own from my Borg memory will yield the technological aspects of how this mothership would favor placement of any cloaking device. Perhaps I can help our engineers locate it.:: But in the back of her mind, she was thinking about something else. The disease. She had no reason to fear its attack on herself as her nanoprobes would easily end any such infection in her tissues. She wondered if the discovery of the illness's ability to become sentient in a host body was universal in all its victims. She decided to monitor everyone through the bioflag medical system and told Mr. Data she was doing so. He was working along side her on adapting a batch of her nanoprobes to infest the Vidiian ship to find the cloak. Seven sighed, seeing the tense conversation going on between Janeway and Chakotay across the medical ward. ::It looks like she is not taking the fact of her illness well. :: "I am worried about the crew.." she said to Data. "There's no way to determine how soon the Phage attains sentience in its victims and at what stage of manifestation. This starship is now under quarantine. It would be a simple matter for the Phage to make a crewman leave out an airlock and get to the walkways of the Space Dock surrounding us." Data cocked his head thoughtfully but he didn't stop his rapid work on the console. "I have anticipated that possible outcome. Under Starfleet regulation 9, subparagraph 14's protection, I have configured the outer hull airlocks and cargobay doors to fail to respond to any crew with lifesigns. I have not been yet ordered to assume this starship's command should the crew be rendered incapacitated but I have full authority to maintain an established quarantine absolutely." "True." Seven said. "I...just don't want to see this crew suffer being taken over. It's..." she lowered her delicately blonde head, "..not something I'd wish on anyone. " "Being a Borg survivor does give you a unique perspective on the matter." Data agreed. A heads up on his panel made him look down. He frowned. "Alexander Rashenko is in possession of what appears to be a weapon." he said in puzzlement. "He is in corridor nine beta, section ten. And yet he does not appear to have contracted the Phage." Seven smiled at that. "Commander, I highly doubt the boy is sick. More a case of his Klingon battle drive kicking in to try and handle the idea of Vidiian invaders. I'll inform his mother but I think she'll only like the idea." "Hmmm." Data said. Then he checked another sensor. "Of all the crew, only Captain Janeway and Montgomery Scott are showing signs of the disease." Seven rechecked the environmental filters. "Curious. I'm reading spores being present in all areas of the ship." Data zeroed in on a graph of a Phage spore until it was very close on an electromicroscopic scan. "It appears the outer casing of the Phage reacts pyschically to stimuli and ruptures only with a mental command from any infected host." "You mean if Captain Janeway or Captain Scott thinks about it, they can become contagious?" "Not exactly. I surmise the disease itself has that ability. It may be able to decide who it infects." Data said reluctantly. "And who better than a ship's engineer and a ship's captain to target.." Seven said, casting another worried look at Janeway across the room. It looked like the commander and she were embracing to comfort themselves. "I'll assign low ranking security officers to watch the critical egress systems, the outer airlocks, the cargobay hatches and the transporter rooms." "That is a wise precaution." Data said. Seven looked up as she studied the breakdown of the inherent structure of the Phage spore on her screen. "I wonder.." she said mostly to herself. Data's android ears caught the comment anyway. "Seven?" he asked. She looked at him. "I was just thinking. You and I are safe from the Phage because we are not entirely biological. I have my Borg implants and you have your cybernetic ones." "That is true." He waited patiently for Seven to finish what was on her mind. "What if I adapted my immune system nanoprobes to only a partial assimilation mode and innoculate the crew with them? Anyone not yet infected wouldn't become that way if so protected. They would guard their host against it." Data frowned. "Isn't your Borg nanoprobes first directive to cultivate a host target for assimilation by a Borg collective?" Seven looked embarrassed. "Over the years on Voyager, the doctor and I have come up with ....ways I can halt that proliferation and inherent purpose. I can lobotimize their primary function to serve ones I give them. Such as the surgical probes I made for Chakotay. This vaccinating task is just as simple to implement." Data leaned in on Seven of Nine. "We'd have to ask the crew's permission first, before we infect them with fleas..." and he grinned. Seven's face stayed deadpan, "I'm afraid I don't understand. There are no fleas on board Excelsior. We've no animal cargo." Data chuckled and then his smile dropped off again when he saw Seven just didn't get the analogy. "I was making a joke.." Seven raised her eyebrow. "I fail to see how the terminology is amusing." Data said, "Forget it." and he continued his scans. "If you sincerely believe that this nanoprobe innoculation would safeguard the crew, then present it to some captain other than Captain Janeway." At Seven's face at that news he added, "She's now potential eyes and ears for the Vidiian mothership." "I understand." Seven said. "But there's some finetuning I would have to do to carry out this idea. I cannot be the one to inject each crew member we wish to protect. For that would link me to them through my central node. I could...rig a Borg attack scenario on Excelsior's holodeck and then the crew could be injected with the ship's computer acting as Borg holocharacters. That way, they'd be safely injected without the risk of mindlinking to me." "That can be arranged.." came a voice from a speaker near them. It made Seven and Data jump. Then she recognized the voice as coming from the captain of Excelsior who was still on the bridge. ::Sulu.:: Seven realized. "Sir, I did not know you were monitoring audiologically." "My ship's in danger Cadet Seven. I make it a point to cover the bases in any way I can. You're not the only one who thought up securing the outer hatches and such with lower ranking officers. I've already moved teams into place. And the fact that we're talking now shows I've covered the monitor for new infection cases angle too. There's no better way to do that than to listen to what people are saying for any telltale personality changes. I so give you permission to carry out this Borg nanoprobe vaccine." "Yes, sir.." Seven said and she and Data heard the comm channel snick off. They got to work quickly. Soon, lines of Excelsior crew were going into the holodeck to get "attacked" and struck with Borg assimilation tubes to get their dose of Seven's serum nanoprobes. Data made sure that the injector tubes on the holodrones themselves would pierce painlessly like the compression chamber on a hypospray instead of the deep neck stabbing of the normal Borg assimilation tubes. Seven looked up as sickbay members reported down to the holodeck for their turns in the innoculation program. She saw the EMH escorting both Chakotay and Janeway down to the holodeck and a team carrying Scott on his stretcher. She watched the three of them go into the holodeck to the simulation of the Borg ship interior for their turns. She glanced at Data and said, "Commander. What do you think the effect outcome may be if these vaccine nanoprobes were given to an infected individual?" Data frowned at the problem watching the EMH and Chakotay and Kathryn move forward into the "Main annex" to get "attacked". "I do not know exactly. Perhaps the shot will slow down possession in them. The battles will be joined. The Phage spore against Borg vaccine and human immuno resistance. Your program should work all right on them as well." "I hope you're right." Seven said. She winced as Captain Scott got his "Borg drone" character injection. He held out his neck dutifully and chuckled when it was over. He gave the monitors a thumbs up. Chakotay reacted only vaguely nervous when the very convincing holo character approached to "assimilate" him. He got his injection completed in moments. And soon followed everyone who had been working in sickbay. Data and Seven looked up at a scream. Captain Janeway was coiling in agony under her injector "Borg", her mouth opened in intense pain. The EMH and Chakotay rushed over to her side and supported her. But the injection process did not cycle complete for her. Seven shouted. "Data! Something's wrong. Terminate the holoprogram..!" Data's hands flew over the controls but to no avail. "Something inside Captain Janeway is resisting our medical holointrusion. The program's digressing back to its root Borg template and the base parameters for Borg assimilation tubes." Seven then realized the captain's pain was real. "She's getting stabbed. Seven to the bridge. Terminate all power on holodeck twelve.." =^=Done!=^= came the reply. On their viewscreen Captain Janeway's Borg drone was the last to disappear along with the surroundings. She dropped to the deck and suddenly, so did Seven. Data crouched by her and rolled her over. "Seven.." Seven of Nine looked up from where she lay, "Oh no. The original Borg directive has fired. I've assimilated Captain Janeway. We've been linked mentally." Data saw Dr. McCoy come through the doors in response to Seven's bioflag going off. He had been returning from his injection on the holodeck. "How's she doing? Your holodoc's got Janeway." and he moved forward to scan her. Data replied. "I do not know. She is not altering to full Borg." he said of Seven. "She wouldn't!" McCoy snapped. "She's the originator. The hypothetical "Queen" in this case. But she's done a nasty job on Kathryn." Seven and Data both looked up on the viewscreen to a horrific sight. The Vidiian Phage intelligence and full Borg transformation had consumed Janeway utterly and she now lay before them as an implant studded drone, coated with Vidiian mold. But the voice that came out was all Kathryn's "Doctor! Help me!!" Seven shouted. "How come this didn't happen to Mr. Scott too?!" Data answered that. "He must only be slated as a donor host. Infected but not possessed." Seven murmured vaguely as she felt Janeway's and the Phage intelligence's thoughts mingle with her own. "I don't understand...I...ow.." Data looked up at Doctor McCoy, "We now know the Phage core inhabits Captain Janeway. It's no longer aboard the Vidiian mothership. And Seven of Nine is now directly linked with it." --------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image : Data's eyes only on a horizontal bar. Image: The EMH and Seven looking up. Image: A close up of Janeway getting assimilated by a holoBorg. **************************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] --+ K'Ehleyr of Arc.. +-- Date : Mon, 08 Apr 2002 09:29:56 +0000 Leonard McCoy knew immediately that there wasn't anything physically wrong with Seven of Nine. But he was concerned about her mental state. Her mind was now not only filled with her own personality and memories but also with those of Kathryn Janeway and whatever alien influence that possessed her. :: The idea that this woman can suddenly revert back to a collective like I change my socks is ludicrous!:: He changed his tricorder scan of Seven to a Feinberger scan. ::Hmm. So far so good. I can still read three wave signatures here. "Ah.." he said out loud. "Mr. Data.. I may have something you can sink your teeth into. The Phage has a readable biowave now. Maybe we can find a way to isolate it somehow. Janeway and Seven's patterns are already known." "Intriguing idea, doctor. Give me what you have." Data said, helping Seven to her feet and took her arm until she sat on the edge of a biobed. "This is very good news." he said with an eager conviction directed at the young woman. "Hush, man." Dr. McCoy said. "She doesn't need such transparent reverse bedside pyschology. Especially with a delivery as obvious as yours. Go make yourself useful." K'Ehleyr leaned close, with her arms crossed. "I believe the commander was attempting to do that doctor.." she said to the gruff and tumble old doctor. "No need to get your hackles up." she said mildly. "And no comments from the sidelines from medically ignorant ambassadors!!" McCoy gave as his last parting shot. "Especially from you. Now get down to the holodeck for your innoculation." "In due course doctor.. I want to make sure of Seven of Nine and Janeway's safety. "They're here. They're within the range of medical help. So they're safe. Now get down there for your innoculation. Pronto!!" Seven and K'Ehleyr both smiled. And the Klingon woman thought ::That's the way to make a retired old admiral get back into his groove. Just poke his buttons a little.:: K'Ehleyr angled her head. "In a second. I'm going to be very busy in a moment." "You're ALWAYS busy ambassador..." Bones grumbled. She gave no sign that she even heard him. At that moment there was a comm from the main bridge on Deck One. It was the communications officer. "Bridge to sickbay and holodeck. We've visitors entering the solar system. Two occupants in a shuttle with call signs from Enterprise D with orders to board us. A Colonel Kira and a Commander Riker. They'll isobubble dock in ten minutes. Bridge out." McCoy thought. "More people coming? What's WITH these stupid Starfleet officers? Why do they always flock to dire doom and gloom scenes like dutiful military moths to a flame. They're crazy following those orders!" But the Klingon human half breed was far away. K'Ehleyr said, "Say doctor.. If the Phage has cohesive awareness and has absorbed our language enough to write it in a series of welts on a victim's skin. Perhaps it'll respond to a little diplomacy...Have someone to talk to who's not yet become its biological target." "Oh. And I suppose that person would be say.. you?.." He said sarcastically setting hands on his hips. "Why not?" K'Ehleyr shrugged. "I can see both sides of the coin. Both the mingling of two different species and the invasion desire aspect. An idea inherent in any Klingon hybrid like me.." she smiled crookedly. "Go bother Jim with your poppycock notions I'm trying to work here. I'm sure that Spock will jump right in with this "I'm like YOU so listen to ME" mumbo jumbo. He's got this katra mantra thing that probably waltzes right up your alley." he grunted. "I'll take that as a yes.." and she turned away from the now happily involved older doctor. She stepped over to the monitor and toggled a switch to the main computer. "Computer, This is Ambassador K'Ehleyr, Recognize my voiceprint, lifesigns and Starfleet Command Code Theta Nine Six Two Sigma Twelve. Tie my combadge to the universal translator to combadges, Seven and Janeway. Implement." ##Access code accepted. Link is complete.## K'Ehleyr was only half aware of Reg and Spock looking up as she created her unique comm line. "Captain.. can you hear me?" she said aloud to the air. On the viewscreen, Seven's lips moved the same time the exVoyager captain's did. The holomalfunction metamorphosis had ended and Janeway's appearance was now entirely Borg where her body showed around her uniform. "YES I HEAR YOU." "yes i hear you." they said. K'Ehleyr moved closer to the main pickup's range on sickbay's side viewer. "Are you able to detect your attacker in your mind? Its tried to contact holozimm by blistering words on a victim's skin." "I AM AWARE OF IT. IT'S TRYING TO INF-" "i am aware of it. it's trying to inf-" Seven/Janeway studdered before their voices choked off suddenly. Their hands, pink ones on Seven and the ghastly white of Kathryn's on the holodeck, flew each to their own throats and inexorably began to squeeze. %% SILENCE !!! %% a third hideous non gendered vocalizing came out of the overhead speakers. K'Ehleyr whirled to the medbed.. "Doctor!!" With her inhuman strength, she peeled Seven's fingers one by one off her throat and eventually pinned her limbs to the bed on either side of her head. McCoy hastily called restraints down over Seven's arms and legs until the raging woman was immobilized. Panting, K'Ehleyr was shocked by the strength Seven possessed. "Umphff.. Holozimm!! Cover your end!" she shouted at the viewscreen. She watched the EMH and Holozimm wrestle Janeway's Phage controlled grip off her windpipe until they erected similar restrictives on her. Both women gasped as they were suddenly able to get air again. The Klingon ambassador shouted. "What's the matter, Thing?" she shouted to the alien intelligence. "Afraid we'll get information that might give us an edge to defeat you? How like a paranoid plague you are.." The Phage did not rise to her baiting and static remained on Janeway and Seven's tandem frequency. K'Ehleyr spoke again, quietly sharp. "Captain Janeway. Listen to me. Don't give in to fear. You'll only make the infection inside your body stronger. Use Seven's strength. Her nanoprobes have given you a new power, the power of Borg anatomy. Just embrace it and you'll eventually be free." Beside her even the crusty McCoy pursed his lips and grudgingly mumbled. "wow.. nice pep talking.." K'Ehleyr shot him an irritated look. Bones held up surrendering hands and he concentrated on taking blood from Seven's arm to find out how her baseline nanoprobes were reacting to the backfired meld with Janeway and the disease. Their numbers were dropping. ::Uh oh.:: He waved Dr. Crusher over and tossed a head to the EMH on the viewer to check the same on Janeway. A subtle nod from the holodoc confirmed the same condition in his patient. They both glanced back down when the treble blend of Janeway and Seven's voices came back free of alien rasp. "I'M TRYING. BUT IT IS EVERYWHERE INSIDE ME. HAVING TROUBLE FOC- FOCUSING ON YOU." "i'm trying. but it is everywhere inside me. having trouble foc- focusing on you." K'Ehleyr glanced at the viewscreen showing the captain's face. Her one eye free of the optical implant didn't have the stillness of clarity. It was wandering. "Just keep listening to my voice. That's all you have to do. You already know where and who I am and that's a solid anchor. Stay with us." The monitor showing Seven and Janeway's lifesigns levelled nearer to the low end of normal but the two women lost their ability to talk as a forced somnolence sank them into deep sleep. "Hey!" K'Ehleyr said sharply to the air. "You want a real challenge in a victim? Huh?" she shouted to the Phage. "Take me.. If you dare.." McCoy hissed through his teeth. "I already HAVE plenty enough business ambassador, so quit the sacrificial lamb routine." A rasping hiss like bones and dry scales and grinding stone met their ears. %% SILENCE, T-CELL. %% the Phage told Bones. %% I SO LIKE A FIGHTER. THEY MAKE THE BEST HARVESTERS OF ALL..%% K'Ehleyr's lips curled in a snarl. "So,....you'll accept? Leave the metal tainted humans. Come to me. I'll make it easy for you.." and she began to breathe the spore laden ship's air deeply in and out richly, striking her chest and spreading her arms wide in a show of bravado. The Phage considered. Then it spoke. %%BUT THESE, THE CAPTAIN AND THE INTEGRATED MACHINED WOMAN, HOLD SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE OF THE BLUE AND WHITE WORLD BELOW THAT HOLDS SO MUCH OF THE PERFECT, RARE PARTS I CONSUME TO SURVIVE...%% "Ah, but what is better? Just one world? Or someone who has mastery over two?" Bones hissed, starting to sweat when he realized that K'Ehleyr was fully telling the truth of her biworld familiarity. "Ambassador.. Don't tempt the blasted devil. Your mixed blood's not impervious to Vidiian infection. Your dual heritage may make it just that much more susceptible to the disease.." %% TOO MUCH NEUROTRANSMITTING ON YOUR PART, T-CELL. TO YOUR DISADVANTAGE. I SHALL TAKE THIS WOMAN INSTEAD.. %% Just like that Janeway was free of all trace of the Phage's core self. K'Ehleyr tumbled to her knees with a groan and instant pestilent sores erupted on her arms and face as the Phage intelligence leaped from the Voyager ex-captain to her. K'Ehleyr's skin flushed golden with fever and a sweaty sheen oiled her forehead in heavy beads. "Doctors.. now the problem facing you, with both of them, is simply.. just Borg. Deal with it.." And with a sudden unexpected movement, drew a hidden S'tiphar dagger from her boot and plunged it into her own heart. She died instantly. But so did the Phage core when its mental control failed when her body's soul ceased. On the mother ship infected Vidiians gained their trapped wills back and reverted back to their true selves. But without the intense hunger drive to take from the living. Embarrassed, they immediately recognized where they were at the Federation's heart over Earth and surrendered completely to the four starships by lowering their cloak and powering down their dehulling spears and invasive access tunnels.. Together in their now clear mental link.. Janeway and Seven opened their eyes in suprise and shock at K'Ehleyr's death. "AMBASSADOR!" "ambassador!" Instantly, the EMH accessed K'Ehleyr's combadge scan but found no lifesigns at all. In fact, he found nothing but shredded tatters where her heart had been.::I wonder if the Guardian had something to do with this. Sending K'Ehleyr back to her proper place in history as a dead woman while taking out the abhorration at the same time.. How disgustingly neat.:: The deep stenorous voice of the ancient gateway emanated from Excelsior's cargobay. ##No temporal fold of mine has been reverted. The mixed female's choice was her own.## "Then FIX it!" the EMH demanded. But the Traveler slowly shook his head. "Not possible by us. Your freedom is still our absolute. Even now.." he said sadly. "There is no time wrinkle occurring in these moments for us to act within our laws." A part of Seven felt an unfamiliar pang. One of loss. ::Then she is gone?:: "No...!" McCoy said dropping to his knees beside the self slain ambassador, trying to quell the river of deep plum welling up from her leather tunic top with both hands. "Get over here Crusher. We might be able to do something. Klingon brain injury from lack of circulation doesn't start for twelve minutes. I can see Seven's test tube of surgical nanoprobes from here.." --------------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Janeway as a Blue lasered Borg. Image: Seven down on a blue biobed. Image: K'Ehleyr promo, Nice pic. Image: McCoy operating on someone through a sterile field apparatus.. **************************************** Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 01:13:33 -0700 (PDT) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: Raising Cain Scotty sat up on his biobed in Excelsior's holodeck with horrifically fascinated amazement at what was occurring across the empty grid from where he lay. "Of all the crazy things to try. This beats em all. A Borg blueprint for an innoculation sequence. Now she's done it." He looked at his hands and felt his face quickly, wondering if he had the implants infesting Janeway as well. ::Saints preserve us. I'm still me.:: But then his concern shifted to the others. Scotty didn't know the full ramifications of what happened in sickbay. He only knew it had upset Janeway greatly. ::What the devil is going on up there?:: he thought. He got up from his bed, after some hasty tinkering to lower his isofield surrounding him. ::Spores are all over. Don't need that thing about me.:: He had read about the Borg in Starfleet journals but seeing their effects up close made him nauseous. He hoped Kathryn wasn't in any pain. He knelt near Janeway and said, "I dinna know what's goin on here. But hold on there, lass. What the bloody h*ll happened up in sickbay?" The Voyager captain looked up at Scotty and aimed a small ocular implant at him that seemed to be growing from her eye. "K'EHLEYR IS....DEAD?" 'k'ehleyr ......is ....dead?' Scotty winced at the double chorus he heard. It sounded like Seven's voice mingling with Janeway's with the exact same inflections. ::If I didn't know better, this might be some kind of Vulcan mindmeld, but without the Vulcan.. But the Klingon lass?:: "What?!" Janeway struggled mentally to keep from losing herself inside Seven's overpowering robotic directives. It wasn't easy, but she kept herself together. (ooc- sorry for pun) "SHE SUICIDED.. TO KILL THE INTELLIGENCE. I THINK IT WORKED." "she suicided.. to kill the intelligence. i think it worked." The EMH came over immediately, and ran a medical scanner over Janeway's prone form. "I'm detecting an abundance of Borg nanoprobes.. and they appear to be having a side benefit. They are destroying the Phage germs easily now that their mastermind is gone." "How can that be doctor? I saw the Vidiians in sickbay render down." Scotty said. "That was because the consciousness of the Core was anticipating each victim's immuno response and countered any effects so rapidly that they had no chance of survival. But I am puzzled as to why the captain here is still...in one piece. Any ideas on that Mr. Scott?" asked the holodoc. Scotty shook his head. He reached down and picked up the weakened Janeway as she tried to cope with Seven's merging. Scotty set her onto the biobed he had just left gently. "Ever felt like you've been in two places at the same time? Well, that Borg lassie of yours has managed to do just that with you. Hang tight. I'll figure out whether or not we're all safe now for sure.." She nodded faintly and then subsided into Seven's emotions to learn more of what was happening in sickbay. ::If I'm a party to this Borg joining, I'm going to take full advantage of it.:: she decided. "I'll see how K'Ehleyr is." 'I'LL SEE HOW K'EHLEYR IS." Janeway closed her eyes and allowed the images coming from Seven's field of vision to fill her mind's eye. She saw that McCoy and Dr. Crusher were frantically working over K'Ehleyr's unmoving body on a surgical table. Then a curious thing happened. Janeway suddenly saw a third aspect enter her link with Seven. ::What's happening here?:: She felt Seven reassure her. "My surgical nanoprobes I created for Commander Chakotay are being untilized inside Ambassador K'Ehleyr. We are seeing inside her body through them." It was then Janeway realized that K'Ehleyr had completely pulverized her heart with a S'tiphar dagger. ::She knew that her death would take out alien disease mind. But at what a cost?:: She concentrated on watching how the surgery progressed. Scotty saw Janeway drift elsewhere but he felt it was for a purpose. He asked the computer for a status report. "Computer, what is the status of the Vidiian mother ship?" ##Attacking vessel has surrendered. Shields and cloaking device have been deactivated.## "Now we're in business." He opened a channel to Holozimm. "Scotty to Zimmy boy." =^=Is that you, Captain Scott?=^= he answered.=^=I take it things are going well. You have given me a new name.=^= "Just in high spirits, laddie. But it's not all golden. Ambassador K'ehleyr killed herself to stop the alien intelligence." =^=Can she be salvaged?=^= "I dinna know. Listen, have you found the Commander's eyes yet?" =^=I have them right here. But, there is a problem.=^= Scotty rubbed his face, "I don't think I like the way you said, Problem laddie." =^=I'm sorry, captain. But those organs are scheduled to be implanted into a new host within the hour.=^= Scotty glanced down, hoping that Janeway hadn't heard that little bit of news. But he replied, "Do what you can to delay it, Holozimm. I've got a plan in the works already. Hang tough. Scotty out." Montgomery looked around the Holodeck and spotted Moriarty who seemed to be standing still without interacting much with people nor the events unfolding around him. He approached the holographic Professor and asked. "Moriarty, are you fine? I need ya for a bit." The Victorian holoman opened his eyes and said, "How does one feel being a witness to all of this? I've learned how to access the database on the Borg, the Phage and Klingon honor codes. The fair lady has done your ship a great service. I did not understand the concept of self sacrifice until I saw her death in sickbay." "Well, snap out of it. You want to do something good yourself? I need you to help me on a little trip to the neighbors. Janeway can't go, neither can Chakotay, or Seven of Nine. And Kirk has to stay aboard to keep the bridge informed of what WE'RE doing so you've been drafted as of right now." It took a moment for Moriarty to comprehend the gist of what Scotty wanted. Then he smiled. "I do believe , Mr. Scott, that I would be glad to agree to accompany you. Are we in the market for say, a pair of eyes perhaps?" Scotty nodded knowingly, "Aye.. We don't have much time. Let's go." --------------------------------- Montgomery and Moriarty found Holozimm on the Vidiian mothership soon after they beamed over with a security detail sent to make sure the sick Vidiians cooperated their terms of surrender fully. Their tricorders located the stasis room where the Commander's DNA trace was coming from and they entered it. It was a simple thing to stun the ones guarding the organ vault and find the container holding Chakotay's missing eyes. The eyes scanned as completely undamaged and he tucked them inside his tunic carefully. ::Whew.. That's a relief..:: Scotty said. Then he scanned the morgue near them. "Oh my. The EMH will like this little mystery here." Professor Moriarty came closer but didn't read Scotty's tricorder as he did not understand the readings displaying there. "What mystery?" Scotty said, "These bodies in here. They're members of the mothership's crew that have expired. Interesting... Their DNA is almost entirely human now. Might explain why the Delta Quadrant cure Janeway mentioned didn't cure all of the infected Vidiian population for they are no longer a pure race. I'm seeing rates as high as 87% human in these corpses. They've had to get Terran transplants more and more just to keep themselves going." Moriarty said, "That's logical." But then Scotty paled. "And there's another thing. The Vidiians have company.." And he turned around when a lifesign that was fully healthy bloomed on his scan. It was coming from the room they had just left. A small figure in blue appeared in the entrance of the vault door looking at them with sheer malice in her eyes. "I knew you'd come. Janeway's ship told me where to find you even as she searched for me then. A human and his holoproduct. How pathetic." Her blond hair framed her child's face in a wreath of straw. Scotty said, "Professor, when you snooped in the database on Excelsior did you encounter anyone like her in Voyager's logs?" He nodded. "Yes.. does the word Caretaker mean anything to you. This is the female one." "Doesn't ring a bell." Scott said. Sospiria smiled acidly. "I'm disappointed but not surprised that not all Janeway's race knows me. But they soon will. I have a score to settle." -------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Scotty looking mad. Gif: Many many Star Trek character's eyes in a bar. Image: Sospiria, the female caretaker. *************************************** From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Heart of Courage Date : Wed, 10 Apr 2002 10:13:30 +0400 Dr. Crusher stood by Dr. McCoy with her hands elbow deep in the sterile field over K'Ehleyr's torso. "Let's get her open. Computer.. I want a countdown, from the time of lifesign cessation on combadge K'Ehleyr Ambassador in a continuous ongoing readout. Begin.." ##Lifesigns on K'ehleyr terminated at 17:08:47. Current elapsed time since clinical death is four minutes, seven seconds. Four minutes, eight seconds. Four minutes, nine seconds...## Bev Crusher again adjusted the settings on her viability window. "Computer, display countdown visual only to the main viewer in Ward One, sickbay." ##Parameter is established to visual only.## it replied. All in sickbay saw large orange numbers appeared in place of the EMH's sleep debt count on a chronometer at the bottom of the viewscreen. 4:12.. 4:13.. 4:14..... Dr. Crusher nodded in satisfaction, looking to McCoy as they exposed their patient's violated cardiac region with a rib spreader. Dr. McCoy reached over to a nearby table and snatched the testtube of surgical nanoprobes that Seven had readied for Chakotay's visual restoration procedure and kissed the narrow glass tube in which millions of silver motes clicked against the glass. "Here's goes nothing..." and he poured a measure of the tiny things into the incision they had made. The microscopic probes immediately sank down to the torn shreds of muscle and blood vessels while Crusher clamped off the bleeding vessels one by one so the minute machines could work without being washed away. "Looks like the knife stab was clean. It only got the heart itself, not the pericardial sac surrounding it." she said. The two doctors watched as the nanoprobes formed a net, vaguely in the shape of K'Ehleyr's original heart and began pulling pieces of tissue together into their proper alignment, like thread sealing a tear. But only part of the framework could complete their rapid repair. Beverly grunted in frustration. "There isn't enough solid muscle left to reconstruct. We can't do it.. D*mn.." Dr. McCoy had another idea. "We're not licked yet. Sickbay to holodoc. You got your ears on?" The EMH came over McCoy's combadge. "Yes. I understand the problem. I'm linked through a sickbay monitor overhead. Hang on. I think I may have a solution that may save K'Ehleyr's life." Dr. Beverly Crusher broke into their conversation as she sponged loose blood out of the way of the nanoprobe's working area. "What solution? Growing more tissue won't work. It'll take too long." Dr. McCoy grinned. "You're forgetting that we have a mobile organ bank right at hand in orbit. The Vidiian mothership." Beverly started to smile. "Make it fast. We're losing cohesion here. The nanoprobes can only do so much." The EMH looked down at Janeway on her stretcher on the holodeck. "Captain?" "go.. i can wait.." 'GO.. I CAN WAIT..' said both she and Seven in their Borg sounding voice. The EMH tapped his combadge. "EMH to Holozimm. I'm on my way over in two seconds. We need a Klingon/Human heart or the next best thing located yesterday.. You're in a vault.. Find me one. Doctor out." He nodded as Kirk beamed him to the coordinates needed on the Vidiian mothership with a portable stasis cylinder to hold the transplant organ they needed. ------------------------------------------ The EMH materialized and the first thing he saw was Holozimm and Scotty and Moriarty, looking very serious. "Don't just stand there. You got Chakotay's eyes? Good. We'll bring them with us with the new heart for--" he broke off when he saw the individual the three of them were looking at. "Oh no.. Don't tell me. You sent this Vidiian ship to do your dirty work, Sospiria. How unoriginal." The tiny girl like female Caretaker only laughed. "I had forgotten how amusing the humans make their holo characters. Be nice to me doctor, or I may not let you save the one who killed my harbinger." The EMH erupted, "You considered the Phage intelligence a personal pet of yours?! I should have known the time wrinkles the Traveler and the Guardian of Forever had spoken about were your doing." Sospiria smiled. "Those two and I are old adversaries. I take great pleasure in finding loopholes in their particular brand of civilized law. Such as now." Holozimm grew bolder in his searching for a heart fitting K'Ehleyr from the dozens on one shelf. His tricorder blipped. He had found one. "There.." he said to Moriarty. The professor picked up the preservative filled cylinder holding the proper heart. He peered at it as if it were an interesting jewel for appraisal. "Not much to look at for size, but if you say it'll do..." and he shrugged. The EMH frowned in irritation at the holovillian, "Give me that.." But Sospiria snatched it out of their hands with a telekinetic thought as it passed between the two holograms. It nestled in her arms. "Not so fast. This ship and its crew are mine. And any biological cargo it contains.." The EMH was livid. "You consider the body parts of all these murdered beings to merely be... salvage?" he said throwing his hands at the rows and rows of fluid flasks holding skin and organs and bone in them on each shelf ringing the small group. "I do. But I'll be generous. You may have the tattooed one's visual organs for nothing. I had them taken just to be sure Janeway was paying attention. But that heart will cost you. A life for a life.." she said cooly. "Absolutely not.." the EMH said sharply. "What's makes you so sure that we won't disable your ship and forcefully take back what we need?" Sospiria's smile faded into a frightening sharpness. "I could destroy you and your puny world with a thought. It is only the Traveler's favor with his talking stone gate that keeps me in check. I have to play by their own rules or risk the Guardian undoing all I've achieved." Holozimm scoffed. "Shanghai-ing this vessel and augmenting their disease to sentience is no achievement. It cheapens the sacred laws of nature itself. No predator shall be stronger than its prey or the cosmic balance will fail." Sospiria said. "But my dear young bald holoman. I am not attacking any stronger than my prey. It is the Klingon Ambassador who used excessive force in this campaign. She murdered my Phagemind." Moriarty said, "In self defense.. It attacked her." Sospiria walked nearer to the Professor, still clutching the Klingon hybrid heart to her tiny child's chest. "Phageminds never kill their host. They merely....reside in them. She overreacted.." The EMH shouted over them. "Oh hush up. Sospiria, what do you want? We have only minutes to save K'Ehleyr.." Sospiria fixed the holodoc and Scotty with a stare. "As I said before. A life for a life. K'Ehleyr's for ...." and she raised a blond eyebrow.."..Janeway's." All four facing the female caretaker were stunned. But the holodoc recovered first. "That's impossible. She'd never agree to the trade." "On the contrary man made of light. It's exactly what she would do typically. And I demand it.. in return... for this, the only thing that can save K'Ehleyr.." and she held it up in front of her. "Shall I drop it?" and she let the container fall. Scotty, Moriarty, the EMH and Holozimm all leaped forward onto their stomachs to catch the heart's cylinder before it dashed onto the moldy metal deck of the Vidiian vault. But Sospiria merely used her mind to halt its tumble and it floated back to her firm grip. "That's more like it. Grovel gentlemen. And do what I demand." The EMH said nothing, angling his jaw. Then he spoke silently, "What gives you the right to take Janeway hostage. She'll be helpless under your power.." "I have every right..." she fumed. And the light in her eyes seemed to brighten a brighter green. "I am claiming revenge against that woman for desecrating my mate's remains." The holodoc sighed. "The captain didn't know what else to do. She knew she was going to destroy the Array. And she knew you were still out there somewhere. She made sure you'd have a body to bury.." "She stored my dead mate on a bookshelf in Voyager's sickbay, like a sculpture.." Sospiria shuddered. "That is not showing reverence for the dead. And that is what caused his essence to tarnish even though I tried hard to clean his exudate once she gave it back to me over the Ocampa colony. And that tarnish is what caused him to be forever banished from burial in our home star. My people would not permit it." The child being seemed to shake in rage at the memory, but then her wrath cooled somewhat. "By the Guardian's own view, I am claiming right of vengeance. Perfectly legal, too, with the Traveler.. That is why they did not stop my attack on Excelsior. So I say again. Give me Janeway, for this." And she tossed the heart up in the air where the EMH leaped to keep it from dashing on the floor as it fell back towards the decking. "All of you, go.. " the girl like caretaker snapped. "Use that as a show of my caring generosity. I'll overlook the Klingon's murder of my pet. She was only acting according to her nature. I always admire that kind of moxy. The one whose heart you hold was one such individual." The EMH's forehead puzzled at that last remark but he was swept away in an alien relocation beam back to Excelsior's sickbay.. the last thing he heard was, "I want Janeway, alive and in my possession by your Earth's morning. Or I'll let my crew begin their interrupted harvesting once more on all your ships. I've another Phagemind in storage just waiting to be born." --------------------------------------- Dr. Crusher grabbed the heart transplant from the EMH as soon as he materialized and nodded to Dr. McCoy to take the cylinder holding Commander Chakotay's eyes from Mr. Scotty. "Get him ready for surgery as well. These eyes will only be viable for another twenty minutes." she said, scanning them. Bones, nodded and lifted his hands from K'Ehleyr's surgical field. Bev Crusher told a nurse to unseal the cylinder and she lifted the hybrid heart from its amber fluid carefully. She nestled the wet organ gingerly into the nanoprobe's construction net still trying in vain to repair the original shreds of K'Ehleyr's cardiac muscles. The tiny machines instantly detected the better option suddenly in their midst and they rapidly restored all vessels and nerves from K'Ehleyr to the new heart. Bev Crusher nodded when the nanoprobes suddenly vacated from the inside of K'Ehleyr's body and flowed out over the sheeting until none remained inside. Dr. Crusher waited until the last tiny benefactor was clear of the new heart before she released all the blood clamped off back into the heart and shocked it into beating again. She turned up the transfusion of whole universal blood replacement on K'Ehleyr's bed arm unit and watched as the ambassador's skin flowed once more into its normal hues. She began to breathe. The nanoprobe river returned at the first heartbeat to seal up muscle, bone and skin until only a thin gold line of scar tissue marked where the surgical incision had once been. Their work completed, the nanos returned unerringly back to their storage test tube to await their next surgical task. Dr. Crusher sighed and lifted a medical tricorder up to scan the health of the transplanted heart. It was free of Vidiian Phage. She set her bioscan to a deeper setting.. ----------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, the EMH along with Holozimm and Moriarty clustered around Captain Janeway who had been carried into sickbay and placed next to Chakotay. She immediately noticed that he was being prepped for surgery to return his eyes. "you've found them. Good." "YOU'VE FOUND THEM. GOOD." she and Seven said and suddenly coughed. Seven of Nine lifted her head and said. "Our linked voices are tiring her. I'll sleep so she can speak normally to you.." 'OUR LINKED VOICES ARE TIRING HER. I'LL SLEEP SO SHE CAN SPEAK NORMALLY TO YOU..' and suddenly, the exBorg woman's vital signs on her monitor softened into a self induced resting state. The EMH didn't even notice Seven's change. "Captain. There's something else you should know about that Vidiian ship. Someone we know very well is aboard her." "Who?" Janeway sighed through her white Borg lips. Her tone was tense. "Sospiria, the female caretaker.. And she is here to claim revenge on you for "defiling her mate's remains." She gave us the means to save K'Ehleyr but wants you turned over to her at daybreak." Over on the next bed, Chakotay's face was being unbandaged by McCoy and Dr. Crusher in readiness for his procedure. "Kathryn. Don't you dare go over there. I know this is something you find irresistable. A chance to self sacrifice for the benefit of a crew. We've got all of Earth and Starfleet behind us this time. You don't have to give into her demands." Janeway turned her Borg implanted face until he could feel her orbital laser warming his cheek. "I'm a free citizen Chakotay. No longer subject entirely to Starfleet protocol. I'm no longer captaining a starship." she said. Chakotay cursed sharply, "That's b*llsh*t, Kathryn. And you know it. Do me a favor. Try your next strongest instinct first, huh? The diplomatic one. That way you can safeguard yourself and still have the upper hand too." He didn't even have to be able to see to know how her expression must have been even through the Borg machinery. "Do this for me, Kathryn. I'm only watching out for your rear. Just like you ordered me to do the day we were decommissioned." The EMH harrumphed loud in his throat. "Excuse me for barging in but you've a date with your eyes, commander, and we can't wait." he said holding up sterilasered holohands. Chakotay sighed and let the surgical head clamp close around his temples. He said one last thing before his anesthesia took effect. "Kathryn, I beg you, do what's right for us for a change, not what's best for all. There's plenty of others to make the hard call now.." Captain Janeway watched as Chakotay's body relaxed into sleep and she sighed, "But that would be going against my nature..Chakotay." she whispered. Just then Dr. Crusher looked up from the scan she had been making on K'Ehleyr's new heart. Her face paled as a definitely familiar DNA signature filled her computer display next to her. "Doctor! Captain Janeway.." Both the EMH and Kathryn glanced over at the new screen shining over K'Ehleyr's bed. A series of pictures scrolled in one window as the computer sought the identity of the person whose heart it was originally. The photo settled on a single individual. One very familiar to both Captain Janeway and the EMH. Kathryn gasped. "Oh, no.. that heart's B'Elanna Torres's." ----------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Dr. Crusher looking down with a tricorder in her hands. Image: Chakotay and the EMH standing over an unseen biobed in sickbay. Gif: A Collage of Janeway faces in different emotions. *animated gif* An ekg rhythm on black in green light. Image: B'Elanna Torres looking seriously thoughtful with background crew watching her on deck. Banner- Four starships on a starfield with the question in yellow wording reading. 'Are you crazy for Star Trek?' ************************************************* From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Duty and Beyond~~ Date : Fri, 12 Apr 2002 03:57:42 +0000 >A series of pictures scrolled in one window as >the computer sought the identity of the person >whose heart it was originally. The photo >settled on a single individual. One very familiar >to both Captain Janeway and the EMH. >Kathryn gasped. "Oh, no.. that heart's B'Elanna Torres's." Tasha Yar's head shot up as the exVoyager captain spoke that name. ::B'Elanna? That's impossible.:: She said nothing out loud but moved by the screen left on by K'Ehleyr's bed and cross collorated the data in an instant recheck. But the DNA data remained one hundred percent correct. This heart was hers. A million thoughts raced through her head. ::I am so glad Chakotay was asleep when we found this out. He won't take it easy knowing the deep space mission she's on ran up against Vidiian raiders. I've been trying to reach her ship for days. Secret mission or no secret mission. Starfleet has to know about this right away. They still think the Talon is under cover.:: Tasha drew away Kirk's arm. He seemed to be starting to speak to Janeway about something but Yar didn't care about that in the least. "Sir.. I have to speak with you both, please. Maam.." she said to Janeway. "Only a few on Enterprise D know about B'Elanna Torres's mission back into the remains of the Borg Queen conduit hub. She was only supposed to be mapping out some of that area. " Yar said quaveringly. "Not having this happen..." she said throwing an arm back to the screen showing the positive cardiac tissue DNA match to the organ now beating in Ambassador K'Ehleyr's chest. "I have to find out the truth of what happened. You see. I owe it to her to find out.." K'Ehleyr's soft toned heart EKG monitor rang jarringly in their ears as the realization of what was creating that sound slowly sank in to each and everyone of them as the shock of Crusher's announcement lifted from numbness to the hyperawareness of emotional instinct. Kirk's face levelled off into a deep compassion even though his features remained hardened on the exterior. "Lieutenant. I think you should start from the beginning. If this information you've just told us is in anyway classified material..." "Sir,.." Yar insisted. "It's not. The Conduit mapping mission I found out about while reading the newsvid a few days after you pulled me out of the Guardian of Forever before the fire. It's fairly common knowledge among the civilian docudrama newscasters. They showed at least five starships, one of which was the Enterprise D, helping coordinate the mapping grid. I wouldn't be surprised if Commander Riker and Colonel Kira both know about this same thing. And Captain Janeway here for sure hasn't had time to worry about facing the conduit again. Not after having seen her older self die there. Captain. I just mentioned this because the area Talon was mapping was in a running silent comm frequency mode on the far side of 8472 space. Starfleet may not know anything's wrong if Talon was taken by Sospiria's Vidiian raiders. We may be the first ones knowing about this if we have Torres's..." she broke off, turning away, not being able to finish her sentence.. A new hand, sprouted with implants and ghastly pastewhite flesh grabbed her sleeve. It was Janeway. Her grip was not crushing, it was comforting. "Lt. Yar." said Janeway from her bed. "I had no idea you and my ex-engineer were close. How can this be?" Inwardly, she added. ::Yar is dead inside history, but alive with us for now, by the Guardian's good graces. And she has never left Starfleet's grounds in the week she's been with Kirk and I.:: Yar looked up, partially flinching at the travesty Seven's assimilation had made of Janeway's features."I...I never met her, maam.. I .. I did a lot more reading during the hours we rested after we all got out of the city dome. You see, B'Elanna and I share...the same background. We were both..outcasts with our families and homes for a time. I was a refugee on the Hamline Colony running from the gangs and she,..refugee herself as a Maquis in the Badlands. Captain..I wish I could have met her.. I can't help feeling a bond with her despite us having never met. Captain.. I'm..I'm so sorry she is dead.." It was Janeway's turn to study the ceiling above her bed with her one good eye. "We have no proof of that, lieutenant. Hearts can be cloned. There was a time my engineer was kidnapped by a Vidiian and made to participate in a hideous separation of her Klingon and Human genome. Perhaps this heart was grown from some of B'Elanna's stem cells. When the doctors are through with Chakotay and myself I'm sure they'll look for such telltale earmarks before signing off on any death certificate on her.." To herself she worried. ::I'm not going to Tom and Miral with this until it's absolutely confirmed the Talon is destroyed.:: she fretted. The thought of B'Elanna's five year old daughter facing life without a mother cut her to the core but Janeway wasn't one to let hypotheticals rule her emotions. It was something she had learned from Tuvok, finally, during her long journey home. Yar saw that Janeway was lost in thought and she had a moment of pause herself. ::How can I feel a kinship for this half Klingon woman I've never met? But I do. I only have Deanna as my closest friend. But if Torres and I ever had the chance, I know she'd be my next one.:: Tasha wonder how Deanna felt about the events in sickbay and she looked up, locating the counselor sitting by K'Ehleyr's bed, studying her sleeping face. It didn't take an expert to see that Troi was trying to compare the emotional feeling the woman had now with the one she had before she killed herself. ::There's no better way to find out if any brain damage has occurred. I hope she'll recover without trouble. I won't bother Deanna with this detail on B'Elanna. The less pain she knows, the better.:: Yar set a hand on Janeway's where the robotic fingers clung to her arm. Her reflexes weren't quite normal and they couldn't let go on their own so Yar peeled them off. "Your theory is as good as any, maam. Maybe I can help confirm that if I can't locate any of Talon's crew's remains on the Vidiian vessel. I'll let you know.." and she left Kirk and Janeway alone. ~~~~~ Jim studied Janeway's face as she worked through the latest news on the possibility of an old crewmate being butchered for parts. He decided to break her out of her musings. "Does it hurt?" he said. and poked her optical implant lightly until it irised in and out in reflex. "I beg your pardon?" Borged Janeway said, reaching her still human hand up to the Borg eye and feeling it in a subconscious repeat of what Kirk had just done. "Those Borg implants inside of you. Do they hurt?" he asked again. Janeway said. "Not at all. Seems Seven managed to soften the blow the moment she felt that holovaccine program failing..So far, I'm just having a really bad hair day.. Thanks for asking though." The captain's hand wandered up to her head and sighed in relief when her fingers encountered a tangled nest of it. "Nice they cured me of the Phage but the sooner they're gone. The better. I have a trade agreement to keep tommorrow morning." Kirk's amused smile toughened into a reprimand. "So you're not going to listen to the advice your first officer gave you? What makes you so sure that I'll let you disregard his viewpoints so lightly?" A bit of the famous command tone entered back into Janeway as she answered him. "Nice try, CAPTAIN. But I think we're decidedly the same rank here. You've no authority to make decisions for me in any command capacity. Especially not in a hostage negotiation." Kirk lowered his face until it was right over hers. "All right. Off the record.. In offduty terms, I'm telling you this in keeping with the Captain's Table agreement. I'm sure you've visited that bar before . Don't lie to me. I've seen your gecko spirit guide running all over the place over there.. I will not let you risk yourself needlessly." Janeway lifted her Borg arm and experimented on opening and closing it's pincer claw but stopped immediately when its rhythm slipped into a cadence countering K'Ehleyr's audio heart beat. "Starfleet regulations specify that decommissioned high ranking officers reserve the right to--" "Starfleet be d*mned. This isn't about Starfleet. It's about one ex-starship's captain's duty to another. Kathryn.. Don't be stupid.." he said. "I never am." she shot back. "Sure are. Oh, but only when it's convenient such as a situation where it calls for a sacrifice on your part to save the ship or crew. I know you. I've memorized your personnel file and all your logs." "And I yours." she glared. "You've shown just the same tendency for Hornblower knee jerk reactions as I do." Kirk angled his jaw. "Fine. So we'll both go." That got her attention. "Just as soon as you've shed a few pounds.." he finished. She glared a little stronger. "I mean the Borg ones, captain. See you after your surgery. I'm sure the doctors are just about through with Chakotay's. I'll be on the Commdeck, going over tactical data on that Vidiian mothership and I promise.. I'll share everything I find out with you in a briefing before we go. Deal?" Janeway relaxed on her human arm and smiled for the first time. "Deal. Glad you've decided to go to bat on my team. Had me worried for a while. I thought you were going Chakotay on me." "Oh, is that anything like my officers "going Spock or McCoy" on me from my perspective?" "Probably." she grinned. The expression made the harsh Borg lines scarring her face soften for a few seconds. "See you in a few hours, captain." "Likewise. So will Chakotay. Then both our eyes will be wide open and ready to deal with anything that comes our way. Count on it." Jim tapped his combadge shipwide. =^=Kirk to the bridge. I'll be on commdeck analyzing the latest tactical on the Vidiian raiders. Here's a progress report. Seven of Nine's nanoprobes can cure the Phage. Captain Janeway is now clear of infection. Ambassador K'Ehleyr is alive in stable condition. The doctors found a transplant for her from the local neighbors. Montgomery Scott is clear of infection." And he got a vigorous yes in affirmation from the EMH as he operated on Chakotay. "Commander Chakotay is in surgery to reattach his missing eyes. and I've a possible report of foul play with the long range scout vessel, Talon, currently on her mapping mission inside the Borg Conduit Hub ruins. We've... recovered... a body part id'ing to a B'Elanna Torres, one of Captain Janeway's old crew members. She is/was assigned to Talon's mission. Unfortunately, that transplant used to save K'Ehleyr's life belongs to this young woman. I ... think it would be a good idea to have someone try and contact Talon to confirm any Vidiian wrong doing.. Kirk out." He didn't even wait for Excelsior's bridge officers to acknowledge him. He closed the connection, knowing that Sulu had open comm's and vid feeds to all areas of the ship open. His report was just honoring procedure. Kirk gave the Voyager captain a nod and left sickbay. ~~~~~ Lt. Yar didn't have the heart to continue searching for evidence that other Talon crew were on the mothership. The idea of finding something turned her stomach worse than the idea of finding nothing more. So she took a break. She noticed that Sospiria had sent Holozimm and Moriarty back to the ship with the EMH and the heart transplant. So she went over to them to see if she could aid Kirk in finding out details about the Vidiian ship that way. She was rattled emotionally but her training as a Starfleet officer made her push all that aside. "So, how did it go, boys?" she asked the two holograms. "It was awful. The worst of my whole three week existence." "The madaam Caretaker is truly an honorable enemy. She let us return, sight unseen with the means to return K'Ehleyr and the Native Commander back to health. Remarkable." Yar's face fell. "Didn't need to hear that. Got any good news for me?" HoloZimm took an object from behind his back and deposited it into her outstretched palms. It was the Tribble Chakotay had used to break the Vidiian transporter beam free from himself and Janeway in the messhall. "Yes, lieutenant. You can give this little creature back to Dr. McCoy when he's free. I'm sure he'd be glad to have him finally found. Sospiria wasn't kidding when she said, "All of you, go.." " The Tribble's gentle cooing managed to drown out the heart beat monitor with purrs of its own until Yar closed her eyes and hugged it to her cheek. Her tension left her like snow slipping off a sunwarmed stone and she sighed. "Thank you.." She didn't even see Uhura come to her side. ------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Kirk looking very suave.. Promo shot. Image: Yar by a medical arch. Image: A Starship in spacedock near Earth. **************************************** From : "Katherine Bird" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Wolf In Sheep's Clothing Date :Sat, 13 Apr 2002 04:55:48 +0100 >The Tribble's gentle cooing managed to drown out the heart beat monitor >with purrs of its own until Yar closed her eyes and hugged it to her cheek. >Her tension left her like snow slipping off a sunwarmed stone and she >sighed. "Thank you.." >She didn't even see Uhura come to her side. "May I lieutenant?" the communications officer asked as she reached for the Tribble. Yar nodded, and handed it off as she took a seat next to Deanna Troi as she fathomed the emotional health of K'Ehleyr on the bed beside her. Nyota smiled and held up the dusty Tribble who coo'ed with pleasure as she brought it up to her face. "Oh, what a dirty fella you are.. " she said to it. "Getting sent to a Vidiian ship like a football through the goal posts.. Don't worry.. Auntie Uhura will clean you up... Christine.. Can you scan the little guy to be sure it's not injured too?" Christine left the foot of Chakotay's bed where she had been observing Dr. Crusher and McCoy's surgery reattaching his eyes. "Certainly. " she said, stepping away from the sterifield. "Be but a moment, doctors.." McCoy grumbled. "Check its teeth, too. Don't know what Petunia munching might have done to them knowing what Boothby uses in those gardens of his." Uhura giggled. "Hadn't thought about that. Earth isn't its native habitat. And I don't think a tribble has ever met a Boothby in battle before. Wise precautional check doctor.." she said. "Hmmpphh..." Bones muttered. Nurse Chapel set the Tribble onto a biobed and immediately a rapid small lifesign registered on the biomonitor in tiny puppy squeaks eluding to its tiny patient's size. "Computer, convert to humanoid norms audiologically." ##Change is established.## and the tones settled to deeper ones the crew in sickbay could tolerate. Nurse Chapel finetuned the readings with her bioprobe that she learned how to use with one of Excelsior's med tricorders. She turned it over onto what she thought was its maned back so its slightly milkier stomach was exposed. "Stay...." she said to it. The Tribble dutifully stopped its pulsing purrs, falling silent for its scan.. Christine moved her bioprobe over its entire rounded body and then looked up again at the overhead. "Its fine. In all areas. No dental damage, no fire inhalation, no bruising from its surprise trip through the Vidiian transporter enhancers.. Nothing." Uhura scooped it up and cradled it into her arms and soothed. "That's good, That's my baby tribby." Then she looked up, "He is a baby, isn't it?" "Oh yes.." Christine said, "See those small intercostal spaces in its ribs here and here? Each of those centimeters tells how many days old it is." She said, pointing to the bedside videoscan. "And it looks like, it was a day old when Dr. McCoy rescued it from those illegal racers.." "Why those cradle robbers!!" Uhura exclaimed. "That's what I thought!" McCoy grumbled from where he was operating. "Glad you rescued him quickly, doctor.." Christine said. "This little fella still kept its darling personality." Janeway regarded them all and picked up her heavy implanted head, trying to see the tiny creature. "So you think it won't remember Chakotay kicking it in the messhall?" Christine said, "Oh, no captain." she said expansively. "These creatures are very attuned to those they are near. I'm sure he knew how desperate the situation was for you two if he came to you despite the danger of those enhancers. Maybe it even planned it that way. They're just like dogs, sometimes when they sense a companion is in trouble." "I know about that in dogs. " Janeway smiled. "Had my Molly do that lure away the danger trick once or twice. She got that way whenever little Miral wandered off too far in the backyard and the local coyotes came to call." "He's not an it, captain. He's male until he's two months old. Then he's both.. And this little one's just reaching his change.. He'll be all female in about two days." Christine said teasingly. "Pregnant, and giving birth then too." "I stand corrected.." Janeway said, flourishing her Borg appendage in a jaunty loop. "Congratulations two days early. Just make sure none of his kits run away and get lost on Sulu's ship now. You remember what happened on the original Enterprise.." Uhura and Chapel laughed. Then Uhura said, "Miral.. She's B'Elanna Torres's daughter, isn't she?" Janeway turned until her human eye regarded the Enterprise communications officer. "Why yes.. When Naomi Wildman moved to Cygnus Five with her mother, I sort of became Miral's adopted grandmother and watched her when B'Elanna had a particularly long mission to go on. Usually, whenever the Talon was away for over a month." "Where is she now?" Christine asked. "Who.. Miral or B'Elanna Torres?" "The little girl captain.." Nyota said gently. "Her mother's fate is still unknown.." Janeway sat up so she could watch both the progress on Chakotay and the rising lifesigns on K'Ehleyr.. "She's with her father in New Zealand. I still get comm cards from her every Sunday. I...gave her Molly, so that she'd remember me from time to time.." "Who?" Christine asked, finishing up the baby Tribble's bath and toweling it off. It screeched a protest at the tussling until she soothed it with a soft shush. "Molly. My dog. She's an irish setter. I'll be d*mned if the little darlin didn't wait most of her life for me to come home. Then when I did, she linked right up with B'Elanna's daughter right off and from then on, I never even existed as far as Molly was concerned. Go figure." Christine, meanwhile, was still struggling to bathe the tiny thing. Until... "Here.." Uhura said, grabbing both silver towel and soaking furball. "You have to act like another tribble when you groom them.. and they know some inherent tricks. Watch.." and she grabbed a comb and parted its fur along the grain and got two waves of mane, one bigger than the other on top of the creature's body. One more flip and it had a cowlick. "Who does this look like?" she said.. "Kkkkiiiirrrkkkk." the Tribble purred in a merry sound. Everyone in sickbay laughed. Even Seven.. Then the Tribble took over, mimicking the EMH's flat head, and then Crusher's feathering style and then Uhura's chiffon bun. "I never knew Tribbles could do that.." Bev Crusher said as she finished a step in Chakotay's surgery. Uhura snugged the Tribble back in her warm hands and rubbed until his fur was dry. "Not many do. They are masterful mimicks. Its a survival trait. I wouldn't be surprised if it was following the rabbits around before the fire when it first got lost." Janeway gestured with her good hand. "Hey.. Give him here. Let's see what he'll do with me as me." Christine whispered to the tiny creature. "Launching.. Up we go....!!" and she tossed the Tribble who squealed with pleasure as it sailed to Janeway's side of sickbay. Her Borg reflexes caught it effortlessly and she snugged it on top of her stomach. "Hey boy.." Then she rolled her human eye at the watchers. "I don't believe I'm babytalking again. Haven't done this since Molly was a puppy.." Then she pursed her lips and said. "Who am I? I got funny things going on... Come on, guess sweety if you can.." The tribble's purr warbled from thoughtful comtemplation to almost a low whine. Its tone wiped the smiles off everyone's faces as it grew morose and very grief stricken and he seemed to shrink in on himself. "Pphhhaaggggemminnddd" he trilled sadly. "What?" Janeway whispered in horror. Then she trembled with an uncontrolled moan and her eye rolled up into her head and she dropped into a convulsion that caused the Tribble to leap off of her in terror. In an instant, the EMH was by the Captain and scanning her cerebral area as HoloZimm and Nurse Chapel restrained her until the bed arm was lowered to keep her on the bed. A quick hypo ended the seizure but Janeway's consciousness had fled. And a growing mold appeared out of nowhere to flow the length of the captain's body. Even the EMH backed away without touching her. The main viewer came online with nobody doing anything themselves. It was Sospiria. "Ah,.. so you've found the incubator for my second pet Phagemind. Didn't count on a tribble sniffing him out so soon. But, ah, well. Call it insurance to assure Janeway's delivery to me in the morning. I'll remove it once I have her over here with me. Don't be late." and the view snapped off, showing the four starships ringing the massive Vidiian mothership once more. Seven of Nine awoke instantly aware of the change. "We are invaded!! Doctor!!" The EMH shouted back erecting a protective isofield around Janeway. "We know. It's just manifested itself." He walked back inside the glowing envelope and immediately awakened Janeway again with a hypospray.. "Captain.. Listen to me and Seven. Another Phagemind's been spawned inside of you. It must have been in Sospiria's beam when she sent back the others to sickbay. Go into a trance or you'll lose yourself inside of it.." Something of what the holodoctor said must have communicated itself to Janeway, for suddenly, her vital signs sank into a deeply hypnotic state, and her body relaxed. The Tribble danced around the bed until the EMH thought to pick him up and set him back onto Janeway's stomach. He said to Uhura. "Can tribbles track a mental presence as good as they can sniff them out?" he asked. The dark lieutenant nodded her head, "Even better. He might be able to stay in touch with her as well whereever she's dreaming. I'm not an expert on Tribble psi ability but Mr. Spock is. He wrote a paper on it during his last visit with Cyrano Jones." "Good enough.. I just hope the little thing knows what it's going up against." the EMH said. "He only has to make sure Janeway's winning from afar, that's all. Not fighting it directly." "It knows if you've just said it doctor. They're intelligent." Christine said, "But how did Captain Janeway reinfect after Seven's immuno nanoprobe vaccine ended her illness?" "It must have adapted." HoloZimm guessed. Moriarty looked surprised. "I didn't know Tribbles had even half these abilities." Deanna spoke up to him. "Of course you didn't know. All you were concerned with was breeding them for a particular shade of gray in a fur stole.. Most furriers don't know about the sentience of their animals typically." she snapped. "I resent the implication counselor.. That was a one time incident with holoTribbles I might add." he said. The Traveler spoke loudly but gently over them all. "Emotions are high in all of you. But those states should not rule how it makes you behave towards each other for that would be giving in to the Chaos that Sospiria wants you to feel. Don't let her gain an upper hand. Your captain's life is not in danger. It is merely side by side with the darkness for now." "Easy words from you purple seer.." Moriarty said. "You've no invested interest in this race of peoples beyond entertainment value.." he said to the Traveler. "I know because I once felt that way myself. But I've...I've...grown beyond that now and my compassions have sided with them most extraordinarily. So if you're going to say anything at all, let it be a pronouncement as to how you're going to help them.." he declared with passion. "Not about how ineffectual you are going to be henceforth..!" The Traveler seemed to grow less taller than he was and a true sadness seemed to weigh him down. "So often I've been with others on their ships and have wanted to act as freely as do the Q. I've watched those omnipotent beings harass and torture those less powerful than themselves all for the sake of their own agenda. I have been afraid that one day, I'd become just as shallow and petty as they. But then the Guardian moved to us in a fold and showed us how to be. But even It isn't infallable and sometimes, my people find the instances where something should be done. Like now. Let me go speak with it about what has happened. Touch nothing on her.. For the Guardian must see only truth.." And he phased out of sickbay until his lifesigns registered once more in a clear pocket in the cargobay where the Guardian of Forever rested on board Excelsior. The EMH studied the place where the Traveler had vanished from and said to no one in particular. "Well that was interesting.." Uhura and Christine exchanged worried glances with each other and studied the floor. Even Kirk was speechless. There was a rustling from the other side of sickbay as something new happened to change the moment. ---------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Uhura holding a tribble. Image: A Phagemind looking like an evil cloud in a jeffries tube. Image: Nurse Chapel promo. Pretty in Pink. ************************************** From : "Clairissa Fox" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Mums scar and the Captains slimeface. Date : Sun, 14 Apr 2002 02:10:02 +0000 I had checked a lot of one huge deck with my sword when something told me everything wasn't right anymore. I didnt see any more slimefaces but I still had crawly skin. I tapped my pin and said. Alexander to mum. You cant fool me. What did the bad guy do? But she didnt answer. The telly doc did. "Alexander? You won't need that kitchen knife anymore. We've..sort of come to an agreement with our unfriendly ship. But I need you to come to sickbay for an innoculation. Your mum had an accident but she's resting comfortably. Do you need a security guard to show you the way?" I tried to make my Klingon growl sound like a warriors but the little boy got out instead. Ill be right there. And no. I always know my way around dumb human ships. A warrior always knows whats around him. Are you sure shes ok? You answered for her. "I wouldn't lie to you as your friend so what makes you think I'd lie to you as your mum's doctor? She's just killed an enemy and .. ran into a little trouble with her weapon. We fixed it. She's only having a little lie down. If you don't believe me, see the medical scanner for yourself. I know your mum taught you how to read one." All right. Ill take your word as an honorable hollow doctor. Ill be right there I told him. I got down there sooner than I let him believe. Always be there when others dont expect it mum said once. I never forgot it. It was still scary in sickbay even though the grownups said things were safe for now. Mum looked ok but the red head captain didnt. She was all rotten and smelly and it looked like 7 had to redecorate her. I dont know how the V'Dmerr could stand sitting on her belly like that. She wasnt awake like 7 was. Doctor I said. Did the slimefaces hurt Captain Janeway? She looks like the ones who melted in the jail room. The EMH came over to Alexander and picked him up and carried him over to K'Ehleyr's bed where Deanna Troi and Yar sat next to her. "They aren't being very nice right now and have a well, a sort of bossier slime face inside of her trying to tell her what to do. It's called a Phage mind. But Janeway's running away from it in her mind and isn't in any danger. Now your mum's soon to awaken. I'd say about an hour more." I jumped down from the hollow doctors arms and went to her. I pushed down the blanket so I could see the place where mum got hurt. Cool! It was a boot blades mark. She mustve fought neck and neck with it all snarly and then tried to get it on her sword so she got hurt that way. It also looked like the human doctors had to fix her with an operation. A boot blade was the best way to die. Lots of honor. I knew the grownups didnt want to tell me mum almost ended it all but then they were stupid humans. They didnt know anything about getting honor that way. I ran my hand down the scar on her chest and touched my forehead ridges like dad told me to do whenever a new battle scar met my eyes. Then I pulled the blanket back up so she wouldnt get cold and because I knew Earth humans didnt like to see female chests uncovered in public. Then I turned to the hollow doctor and said. I am ready for my shot. A warrior doesnt let the enemy find ways to the Klingon heart of battle. Mum didnt so I wont. The EMH frowned in surprise when Alexander mentioned the word "heart." "Alexander. Do you understand these readings on her monitor and what she did earlier?" Yes. Of course I do. You fixed where she struck with her honor blade. The slime face was in her heart so mum had to kill him and it too. Mums only an ambassador but sometimes I think she makes a better Klingon than dad does. Hed never send himself to Stove o coor neck to neck with an enemy. He uses his human faser too much. The readings say what you guys gave mum inside isnt hers since that blippy heart line is orange and not mums usual purple. Who gave up their heart for mum? I have to honor them in tribute because they are family now. Our blood houses have touched. The EMH blinked again in amazement. :: Alexander is proving to be a well travelled little boy. Must be a side benefit for having an ambassador for a mother and a security chief for a father.:: "Don't worry about that detail Alexander. We're not positive this heart actually came from the woman its DNA says it belongs to. You know how these things go." I know. On a starship. Anything can happen and often does. Mum says that to me everytime she tells me not to go off on my own to play battle monsters during a red alert. But let me see my mums new blood sister and give me her name so I can remember it in case I see her soon. Then I wont dishonor myself by being stupid. The EMH smiled and showed the tiny Klingon boy the picture of B'Elanna Torres and her visual image. "Her name is B'Elanna Torres. She's taken a human spouse, a pilot, TomParis. Her daughter is Miral, firstborn to the house of USS Voyager." I will not forget. Klingons never forget family. You find out if MemBelanna is in Stove o coor. That way I know what to do for her right. The EMH stifled a grin and said solemnly, "I will hold to that task you so direct to me Alexander, son of Worf and K'Ehleyr of the House of Moug." Good. You show respect for Klingons like the other dumb humans dont. I like you I said to him. "Hmmm." the EMH said, pressing a hypospray against the boy's neck which gave him some of Seven's vaccine nanoprobes in a small dose. "Helps to be well versed in etiquette for all family members of one's patients. So, what are you going to do now? An hour is a long time to wait for your mother to finish recovering from her anesthesia.." I am going to go where she is. I said pointing to Captain Janeway. Shes the closest to the enemy slime face and so that is where Im going. Somebody needs to guard her. And I took my knife out of my boot that I had found in the human food room and marched away. The EMH chuckled at Yar and Deanna's dismay over a minor holding a sharp instrument so he told them. "Ladies. Don't worry about him. Klingon children are more careful with their weapons then most beings are with their credit vouchers on Risa.." I saw that the other doctors, the human ones, had finished making Chakotay all better and his monitor showed that he had had his eyes fixed. But they werent new like my mums heart was. They were the ones he had been born with. I wondered what happened to him. Then I smelled that he had fought with a soldier slime face but missed killing him in time. That was probably why the doctors had to fix his face like that. Humans werent too good at honor killing. He would be awake soon too. His monitor showed that he had an hour to go before he burned off his sleep medicine just like mum did. Now I had doubly reason to guard Captain Janeway. Chakotay wasnt there yet to do his job watching her. So I would. I ignored the females staring at me as I sat down indian style right in front of Captain Janeway's glowy field by her bed. I could still smell what the slime face had done to her clothes and stuff but I now knew that they could be killed. My mum had showed me that. So I closed my eyes and went into a place with my dream brain where I could be there for my commanding officer if she needed me. I gripped my sword tighter when I saw where Captain Janeway the redhead had gone. She was in Chakotays world again. I crouched into the bushes so I could see her but the slime face couldnt. I saw the slimeface fagebrain walking behind her so I hissed. Captain Janeway whirled around at my warning noise and saw it. Near me, another somebody hissed too right at the same time. Now that was weird. It was 7. What was she doing here? Then I remembered. Captain Janeway was not only slimy she had Borg stuff growing out of her too. I guess her shot didnt work for her because of the fagemind. Borgs can talk to each other so it made sense that 7 was here with the captain. I watched as 7 walked out without giving away my hiding place to talk to her. It was almost nighttime in the dreamplace and I saw them by a viewscreen there over a big picture of Earth. --------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Alexander Rashenko in a med shot. Image: Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine squaring off in front of a large tactical screen showing Earth. Nice. **************************************** END WEEK TWELVE RECAP 04-13-02 WEEK THIRTEEN RECAP 04-14-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Hub ***************************************** From : "Fran Catrair" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] ...And Into the Fryer Date :Mon, 15 Apr 2002 00:06:04 -0500 Riker glanced over at his companion. "He did what?" Riker asked, shaking his head humorously. Kira's face was animated, as she repeated her last phrase. She had been somewhat unsure about her trip, but she had enjoyed herself immensely. "He put a bowl of ferengi punch over his head, then proceeded to dance on top of the bar." she said, laughing. She knew Captain Sisko would not be happy she related this story, but she figured, what the h#ll...she was no longer his subordinate. And, Commander Riker just had a way of bringing out the story. She felt totally relaxed, and at ease. Riker shook his head, chuckling humorously to himself. He would have to tease Benjamin Sisko the next time he saw him. The former Captain of DS9 was famous for his cool demeanor. At that moment, a beep from the helm caught his attention. =^= This is the Federation Starship, Excelsior to unidentifed shuttle. Identify yourselves. =^= =^= Commander William Riker from the the U.S.S. Enterprise D and Colonel Kira Nerys, Ambassador from Bajor. Request permission to come aboard. =^= A brief silence from Excelsior. =^= Permission granted, Commander Riker. Welcome, Ambassador. =^= the communications officer of Excelsior said before closing the channel. Riker looked over at his companion, smiling grimly. "Well, I guess the real fun starts, eh?" A few moments later, they were informed that Captain Kirk wished to speak to them. They looked at each other. :: THE Captain Kirk?:: Kira wondered to herself. Thanks to the briefings from both Captain Picard and Will Riker himself, Kira had had some preparation for the summons. As Commander Riker commenced with the shuttle docking procedures, he felt a sudden jerk in his console. ::What the h#ll?:: he wondered. Just as suddenly, the shuttle began to be pulled rapidly; as if by an invisible force. A voice filled the cabin. ##YOU ARE INVADERS! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! YOU WILL BE MADE EXAMPLES OF! THE FEDERATION MUST KNOW I AM NOT PLAYING GAMES!## The voice was female; of a child-like quality, yet as Will and Kira frantically worked to re-establish control of their ship, they felt a high pitched sound invade their minds, filling them with pain and undescribable terror. Before blacking out, Will thought grimly. ::Oh yes, the fun is just getting started.:: ------------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image : Kira in a closeup promo. Image: Riker injured and lying on a medbed. Image: Riker and Kira standing side by side at Ops. *animated gif* - A spinning Voyager combadge. *animated gif* - An electric energy bar gif in blue. ************************************* Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 12:03:14 -0700 (PDT) From: "Myron Ojala" Subject: Scotty Takes an Existential Leap of Faith Scotty was feeling more like himself than he had in years. ::Those wee nanobeasties must have taken a few years off me in the inside.:: he chuckled. ::Too bad they couldn't do that from the outside.:: he thought rubbing his face as he looked in the mirror. The emergencies in sickbay were slowly settling down. The Klingon Ambassador was recovering nicely. The doctors insisted that Scotty remain for a short time for a complete scan to be sure that he was clear of the Phage. Seven and Janeway were still both on the biobeds. The captain's situation was the most serious because of the discovery of the Phage mind. ::I just hope that something can be done without sticking a knife into her chest too.:: he thought sarcastically. He left Janeway's bedside and addressed Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk, "Sirs, I just don't believe that I'll be of any use here.." he said pointing to sickbay's floor. "I'd like to go to the cargobay and have a wee chat with this Traveler and the Guardian, if that's all right with you sirs.." McCoy smiled but didn't say anything as he completed his final check on Chakotay's surgical results. Kirk nodded as he said, "Good idea Scotty. Keep me informed if you learn anything new." "Aye sir.." Scotty affirmed and he turned to leave. He noticed the small Klingon boy sitting by Janeway's biobed holding what appeared to be a very sharp, large, kitchen knife. He noticed upon closer inspection that the boy appeared to be in a meditative state. Concerned, he called for the holodoctor. "Hey Mr. holodoc. Is this Klingon lad all right?" The EMH walked over with a medical tricorder and scanned Alexander with concern. After a moment he visibly relaxed and said, "He's gone where the captain's gone. I wouldn't be surprised if the boy's somehow watching Janeway's back right now for that infant Phagemind." Not understanding a bleeding word of what the doctor just said, Scotty replied. "Just so the lad is ok. I've got to go get me some answers from a certain talking rock. Hope the lady captain will be fine in the meantime. And the commander, too. Is the Klingon lass out of danger?" The EMH closed up his medical tricorder he had used on the boy and put it away. "She came through her surgery very well. The donor organ was a near perfect tissue match. There should be no complications foreseen," under his breath he added, "At least with the physical ones." "How so?" Scotty asked. "The heart that was implanted in K'Ehleyr may belong to a former Voyager crewmate by the name of B'Elanna Torres. The captain is very fond of her and her family." "Did she take it well enough?" he asked of the captain. "She barely found out before the Phagemind manifested itself and forced her to retreat into Chakotay's spirit realm." "Where's that?" But the doctor had turned away to speak with Seven about something and Scotty was left behind. ::Spirit realm? Is that where the boy and the captain are. I'll be darned.:: He exited sickbay and made his way to the nearest turbolift down the hallway on Excelsior. As he past crewmen, he noticed that they were in good spirits as they believed the Vidiian threat to be over. Montgomery mumbled to himself. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't a high ranking officer knowing so much. Ignorance can be bliss. Things are as bad as they seem and they ARE out to get you..:: he mused. He was only minutes away from the cargobay. --------------------------------- The Traveler stood in the exact center of the cargobay as the Guardian of Forever was speaking to him. ##I SEE THE WOMAN'S CONDITION. THE DISEASE MIND PURSUES HER EVEN NOW.## "Surely you aren't going to let this Sospiria destroy the captain." the Traveler interjected. ##INTERVENTION IS POSSIBLE ONLY BY AFFECTED PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION WHO CHOOSE TO TAKE ACTION. YOUR VIEWPOINT HAS BEEN NOTED TIME WATCHER.## the Guardian resonating voice said. The cargobay was quiet which didn't surprise the Traveler at all since there was restricted access to the Guardian. ::These humans are so protective of technology they don't entirely understand. But I see their need for secrecy.:: Suddenly a thought occurred to the Traveler. He approached the Guardian. "What we need is someone who is willing to...." The cargobay doors chimed a tone and they opened, their sound echoing around the darkened cargohold. Someone was coming. The Traveler didn't even turn around as he started to smile in his gentle way, "It's about time you showed up Captain Scott. I've been expecting you.." "Huh?" Scotty said. "Oh, uh, hi Mr. Guardian and uh,..Mr. Traveler.. I have a few words I'd like ta tell ya about Janeway and her wee brain beastie..." "I know what you're going to ask Mr. Scott and the answer is no." The Traveler. Scotty frowned. "What do you mean, no?! No, that you can't help? Or no, that you two won't? What a stupid answer.." The Guardian remained silent and impassive allowing its silence to weigh heavily over the two beings standing before it. The Traveler raised his hand up slowly in supplication and said. "We can only assist you with information. We cannot take physical action in this matter. Sospiria's freedom of choice must be allowed to continue just as your fight against her must also run its course.. However... nothing prevents us from telling someone ELSE what can be done. Have you seen where the captain has gone? She is safe for now and the boy is watching over her with Seven of Nine, but a way must be found around the Phage creature before Janeway goes to the Vidiian vessel in the morning with Captain Kirk..." "But lad, the only way to help Janeway where she is now is to go to this spirit realm thingy and I dinna have a clue where to begin getting there...." Scotty said.. "Ah, " the Traveler said, smiling, "Observe. The Guardian and I recorded what the Commander did when he and Janeway were trapped in the mess hall when they last entered that mind trance state." Scotty watched as a familiar mist flowed over the Guardian's entrance obscuring the gaping hole in its middle. A scene appeared overlaying the mist which at first, Scotty didn't recognize.. Then he saw the familiar forms of Janeway and Chakotay sitting by a fire and a wolf. "Oh..." he said. He watched as Chakotay seemed to be manipulating the environment, polticing Janeway's pock marks and building the fire higher to ease her fever. "Ah,.. I get it now. The commander was the Guide there then. He controlled the place where they were, trying to help her. Can I do that?" The Traveler said, nodding slightly. "Most certainly. All you need to do is to learn how to get there. Whether or not you succeed is an outcome that neither I nor the Guardian can predict. What you see here is what was. The moment going on in that spirit place is now different. A mobile Phagemind is stalking the captain and Seven and Alexander have just noticed it." "I've got to get in there!! Show me.." Scotty demanded. The Traveler shook his head. "I'm sorry. But my direct involvement is absolutely forbidden. But yours is not." Scotty finally knew what he had to do. He just wondered how he could kill a spectral plague entity. -------------------------------- Montgomery got to sickbay at a dead run. ::Not bad for a hundred and twenty six year old engineer if I do say so meself.." he wheezed. Dr. Crusher started over, seeing the sweaty panting Scotty as he leaned over Chakotay's bed leaning heavily on its armrest. "Captain Scott.. are you all right?" she said. Scott nodded breathlessly, wheezing great gasps of air.."...How.......much...*gasp* longer will Chakotay be asleep??" The EMH replied, "He can awaken anytime. The anesthesia has worn off." Scotty said quickly,"Wake him up then. I need the lad's help. Now.." Christine Chapel was alarmed. "What's wrong?" "Nothin's wrong..But it will be if I don't get in there.." Montgomery said, pointing to Janeway's head. The EMH understood at once. "Oh. Joy. I sense another vision quest in the making. But don't you think it'll get a little crowded in there eventually? I'm sure Moriarty here's all ready to jump on the mindtrip bandwagon. Aren't you?" The professor nodded eagerly. "I've caught up on my reading on the matter. Yes. Please.." The EMH shrugged, and walked over to a cart and took a hypospray and a curious bundle of fur from a cupboard. He held up the shot and said, "Chakotay's going to need the hypo. But you.." and Scotty caught the tied bundle he was tossed. "..are going to need the commander's prayer blanket and talismans." "I don't understand.." Scotty murmured. "You will. I'm sure the commander will be more than happy to explain it to you.. Wakey wakey..." the holodoc said, giving the stimulant to the commander's neck. "Rise and shine. Open up those brown peepers of yours.. We've got them working now and an irate Scotsman really wants you as a tour guide." Scotty heard the telltale hiss of the hyposhot complete. He watched as Chakotay blinked awake and then squinted at the bright light overhead. "Ah..." he said painfully, slinging an arm over his face. The EMH apologized. "Sorry commander. Computer dim lights. 60%." The overheads dimmed significantly. Scotty made sure he was the first thing Chakotay saw, "Commander! We've got ta go. That mind beastie's after your Kathryn." Chakotay instantly became fully aware. "What are you talking about Mr. Scott? What's going on?" "We both have to go help the Captain in that spirit realm place of yours. But I don't know how to get there. You do. Get up lad.. We've got the Traveler's blessing.." The Commander sat up and steadied himself while he tested his balance. "I'll need some things..." "You mean this??" Scotty said, tossing the prayer bundle into Chakotay's arms. "Yes.." Chakotay said, smiling ruefully. "You're way ahead of the game. Are you sure you know what you're volunteering to do, Captain?" he asked Scotty. "I know. I saw yer wolf and the aide you tried to give the lass from that time in the messhall. Only thing different is that there is another "wolf" running around." Scotty said. Chakotay turned to the EMH running a probe over his eyes. "Am I good to go?" "Of course.. Shoo.." the EMH replied. Chakotay slid off the bed and pulled off his uniform jacket. "Get yourself comfortable Mr. Scott. " He then noticed the small boy tranced by Janeway's bed. "Looks like we'll have company once we get there." "Add Seven of Nine to the equation Commander.. The Traveler says she's with them too." Scotty said. Chakotay sat down and spread out his medicine bundle with only a short concerned glance for K'Ehleyr. Inwardly he was glad that the ambassador had life signs again. He was content to wait for those answers for later. "Sit down Mr. Scott. And hold this.." Scotty glanced down and frowned at the severed bird's wing in his hand. "Oh, my.. what have I gotten myself into.?" "Too late to back out now Mr. Scott. Put your other hand here.." and he placed his palm over Mr. Scott's on the akoonah device. "Achoocheymoya. I am far from the lands of my forefathers. I am far from the bones of my people. Please send us one to help us gain the answers we seek....." Scotty felt his consciousness dissolve. "Here we gooooo.........." --------------- The first thing Scotty did when he got to the other side was say to the Phagemind stalking Janeway.. "I wouldn't try that if I were you.. Mr. Beastie.. You see, the lass here's got a lot of friends here now and we don't exactly like anyone who messes with her......" A phantom Claymore appeared into his hands to back up his words. ------------------------------------------ (attachments) Image: Scotty against the wall. Image: The EMH in dim light looking down. Image: Chakotay entering a vision quest seated on his medicine bundle. ********************************** Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 23:02:33 -0700 (PDT) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: Two Sides of the Same Frontline >Borgs can talk to each other so it made sense >that 7 was here with the captain. I (Alexander) >watched as 7 walked out without giving away >my hiding place to talk to her. >It was almost nighttime in the dreamplace and >I saw them by a viewscreen there over a big >picture of Earth. "Captain Janeway. " Seven of Nine called out when she thought she saw the shadow form of the newborn Phagemind following her. But before she could act much beyond her warning cry, another person entered the vision quest spirit realm and acted. > The first thing Scotty did when he got >to the other side was say to the Phagemind >stalking Janeway.. "I wouldn't try that if >I were you.. Mr. Beastie.. You see, the lass >here's got a lot of friends here now and >we don't exactly like anyone who messes >with her......" >A phantom Claymore appeared into his >hands to back up his words. Seven of Nine wasted no time. She tapped Janeway on the shoulder and they stepped nearer to the vision setting's massive viewscreen that Alexander had thought up. "Captain Scott's right on time for once." Seven sighed. "Now that you know the disease mind is present. It can't harm you here." Another shimmer filled the dream tactical room. It was the Edwardian hologram. "Moriarty..." Seven murmured. "No doubt the doctor sent him in to also,..run interference.." Sure enough, Moriarty stepped by Captain Scott's side, with barely a sidelong glance at the sword the older man was holding and he, too, created a weapon, a pull shaft one armed bandit, a meter and a half long came into being at the merest touch of his holographic will. The light brass pole was very like the one he had used to control the Enterprise D in a power struggle so long ago with Picard. "So..." the professor addressed the Phagemind he could barely see as a smokey outline against the dreamscape bulkheads. "It's now two against one." he said to the Phage mind. "Be a good virus and dry up and blow away..." and he gave a great yank to his controlling lever. A sharp wind came from behind Moriarty's back and blew the infant Phage mind back and away from Captain Janeway. Eerily, the rising blast of air didn't touch any of the others near it. Not Alexander in his bushes nor Janeway herself as it built in velocity and dealt with the Phagemind instantly. It tumbled end for end and seemed to collide with the phantom viewscreen showing Earth and fell into its surface and into the "outer space" beyond into a deeper recess of the vision quest's reality. Scotty gave an ironic look to Moriarty, who replied. "Oh. It's not the first time I've had to manipulate my surroundings.. The commander's dream world works only slightly different than any holodeck and I'm sure you all know what I can do with a holodeck... Don't worry I'll keep it from returning too close while you and the rest of your fine colleagues find a better way to combat and ultimately defeat the entity." ----------------- Janeway's physical and mental clarity was back to normal inside the vision quest. She spoke independently again without being vocal tandem with Seven and her skin was glowingly free of the Borg implants. She held up two hands and flexed both sets of fingers reflexively. "That's better. I almost feel like myself again." she muttered. "No offense, Seven.." she said to her old crewmate standing before her near the dreamed up observation rail. "None taken captain. It took me years to feel accustomed to Borg integrations. It's unrealistic that you could adapt to them in mere hours. Besides, in here we are in your mind, in a setting that Alexander Rashenko has crafted. Of course your mental image of yourself is free from my assimilation effects." the exBorg woman shrugged. Janeway turned to admire the view of the Phagemind struggling in dream Earth's orbit to cohesively reform itself back into solid vapor. But it remained mired without resolving into its attacking shape at all. The captain smiled. "It's not the first time I've been assimilated into Borg form. I've seen two or three occasions, depending on which timeline one choses to remember." She nodded to Moriarty and Captain Scott, who were eyeballing the struggling Phagemind without taking their eyes or their weapons of choice off of it. "Thanks boys.. Appreciate it. That thing's annoying.." she grumbled, looking over her shoulder to glare at the alien Sospiria had transported into her body. She turned her back only to hear another crashing coming out of the bushes aft of the ship like part of the vision quest. She started smiling when Chakotay dashed out wearing only a loincloth, and a poised long wooden spear held over his shoulder as he charged to her location hastily looking for the now distantly located Phagemind. "Don't tell me you're going deer hunting again, Commander." she quipped. "Kinda breezy for that, don't you think?" she said, glancing down at his scanty clothing. Her exfirst officer shifted his weight and leaned on the butt of his spear end when he saw that the professor and the old Enterprise engineer were taking turns hefting rocks from the forest part of the deck and seeing if they could hit the suspended disease entity from where in hung in space. He was not at all shy about his appearance, casting her a tolerant rolling eyes look accompanied with a sigh. "You know full well what I was doing." he said, and he changed the subject, fully admiring the ship aspects of the setting around them all. He winked at Alexander. "I like what you've done to the place Alexander. Nice.." he chuckled. "Captain Janeway said I could keep the ship stuff up for a little while longer cause it made her feel better." The tiny Klingon boy standing next to Captain Scott and Moriarty brandishing his own weapon and rock for the alien presence, gave him a thumbs up.. "Glad you like it sir.." he said and gave the Indian Commander a clumsy human Starfleet salute with the wrong hand. Chakotay chuckled. "Getting a little bolder with your mind shaping eh, Kathryn... It's not easy to let others mould thoughts inside your own head so intimately. My hat's off to you." "Just be sure nothing else of yours comes off Commander.. " she teased again. "We've small children here.." Then she leaned close and stared into Chakotay's eyes. Her move made him vaguely uncomfortable and aroused feelings in him he usually kept suppressed, so he looked away. "What are you doing that for?" he said. "Shh.." she said, grabbing his chin until she their eyes were inches away from each other. Finally she said, "Yep.. They put them in their right places commander.. And didn't mix them up. The left eye is properly on the left side and vice versa.." and she stepped back from him with her hands on her hips. Then she wished him into his usual vision quest white buffalo skin trousers and shirt and laughed. "Ah.. I like this even better." and she winked at him to the point that Chakotay's eyebrows rose in surprise. Seven of Nine had been watching the light hearted exchange and missed all the teasing friendly banter like only Seven could. "There are more pressing matters than concerning ourselves with mere appearances, captain, commander. Forgive me but isn't the lethality of that plaguing personality more important than renewing an emotional bond?" Janeway smiled and took both Seven and Chakotay by the shoulders as she led them away from the viewscreen area of the glade. "You're both absolutely right." she said expansively. "On all counts.. I shouldn't be taking my tormentor..." she cast a few fingers over her shoulder at the mired Phagemind in the "Sky". "so lightly. I have no idea whether or not Sospiria could shape it to be set into a killing mode." So she stooped and took a particularly heavy geode from the ground and flung it with force until it passed through where the Phagemind's slimy mouth seemed to be.. The gaseous shape moaned but slowly pulled it's smokey face back together again. "That felt good." she said, dusting off her hands. "Now, let's see exactly what hurts it the most, shall we..?" Next, she hefted up Chakotay's spear.. -------------------------------------- >As Commander Riker commenced with the shuttle >docking procedures, he felt a sudden jerk in his >console. ::What the h#ll?:: he wondered. Just >as suddenly, the shuttle began to be pulled >rapidly; as if by an invisible force. A voice >filled the cabin. >##YOU ARE INVADERS! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! >YOU WILL BE MADE EXAMPLES OF! THE FEDERATION >MUST KNOW I AM NOT PLAYING GAMES!## >The voice was female; of a child-like quality, yet as >Will and Kira frantically worked to re-establish control >of their ship, they felt a high pitched sound invade their >minds, filling them with pain and undescribable terror. >Before blacking out, Will thought grimly. ::Oh yes, >the fun is just getting started.:: Mr. Data began shouting from Commdeck Five. "Something's wrong with the docking clamps. They're not committing to a seal." he told the ensign monitoring the docking of Riker and Kira's shuttle. "Strengthen the magnetic restrictors!" Then he tapped his combadge. =^=Lt. Commander Data to Commander Riker. Boost your forward thrusters by 17%.=^= There was no reply. Again Data tried his hail. =^=Data to Colonel Kira. Please respond..=^= Failure once more. Then Excelsior's bridge com snicked on and her captain's rich oriental bass outlined even more details. "The shuttle is not taking a tractoring lock. Rigging a site to site transporter beam to your location. Notify sickbay immediately. I don't like their lifesigns level one bit." Data's hands flew into high speed motion and he sent a squirt to sickbay for someone to response to the Commdeck. "Understood. Data out." he replied to the man who was also his starship host. The shuttle on their main viewer strained against an unseen force as the sound of a transporter sang in sparkling labor as it snared Riker and Kira from the tiny vessel. The energy chorus ended abrupted and there were two bodies on the deck at Data's feet. On the viewscreen the white outline of the tiny shuttle was suddenly recoiled away from Excelsior like a paddle ball at the end of its elastic string and it tumbled into Earth's atmosphere where orbital security drones hastily caught it in manual grapplers before it impacted the planet's protective shield grid. "Now I wonder what caused that?" Mr. Barclay said. "That kind of trajectory path...is is is ...impossible sir" he said to Mr. Data as he stood frozen with stress near the top deck. "Mr. Barclay.." Data gave a terse order. "Your assistance please with two medkits. Our guests seem to be injured and are unconscious.." Lt. Barclay hastily grabbed two from underneath a companel and opened one each for himself and Mr. Data while the android physically examined Riker for adequate lifesigns. "Check and treat her, lieutenant.." Reg nodded animatedly but stayed mousy quiet. He parroted Data awkwardly, copying his medical tricorder scan and quick hypo of cordrazine for Kira who lay closest to him while they both worked to counteract their mysterious symptoms.. Kira moaned but didn't come immediately to wakefulness. Neither did Riker. The EMH suddenly appeared at their side from sickbay and knelt down to scan their heads. He noted the care they had already received and said. "Nice try gentleman. But I'm afraid there's a mental abhorration going on here inside their brains.." "Another Phage mind? " Data asked. "No." and he frowned. "Looks like Sospiria's mental activity here. She's attacking them." Data looked up with alarm at the viewscreen and the Vidiian mothership hanging there. The EMH began shouting loudly and shaking Kira and Riker to jar them back to their senses. He figured that the multiple stimulus along with the effects of the cordrazine, would overpower the female caretaker's hold over his two patients. "Mr. Data.. Get ready. They're not going to wake up calmly.." he announced. --------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Janeway and Seven by a rail of a dusty ship looking at a glowing viewscreen we can't see. Image: A Data Study in black and white. Image: Chakotay smiling in embarrassment. ********************************** From : "Cory Anda" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Exorcism and Snaretrap Plans. Date : Fri, 19 Apr 2002 07:54:26 +0000 Mr. Barclay watched with horror as Captain Janeway metamorphosed back into the Phage's possessed condition shortly after the tribble made its stunning pronouncement. His own stomach did flip flops but the doctor's stabilizing injection made it impossible for his hypochondriac tendency to fire off again. ::Oh, man. And I thought I had good cause to faint then?:: He found it easier to look away from her and at the more restful K'Ehleyr. But his horror didn't have long to flare. Soon, an antiseizure medication had calmed the worst of Janeway's symptoms and soon thereafter, Mr. Scott had made an appearance back into sickbay to gather a newly restored Chakotay with him for a trip into the dream realm. Barclay shuddered and the effect didn't go unnoticed. "Are you well, lieutenant?" came a rich baritone from his left. Without turning around, Reg knew who it was. "Yes, Mr. Spock. I am fine. It's just this..intelligent plague idea. Gives me the willies." He turned and regarded the Vulcan ambassador seated at his tactical chair. He had resumed that seat in the ward ever since Captain Kirk had left for the Commdeck on level five of Excelsior. "Do you think that our quarantine'll hold? I mean with Commander Riker and Colonel Kira on the way to our location...I.." Just then the ship went into red alert for the fourth time in as many hours. ::What now?:: Reg thought. Spock's fingers tapped his board and it revealed the scene ongoing on Commdeck. Everyone in sickbay saw on the overhead the scene of Riker and Kira's rescue from the Sospiria controlled shuttle craft. McCoy said sharply. "Well doesn't that just beat all? First the blond headed Goldylocks reinfects Janeway, now she does this.. And still.. I can't help wondering why.." Just then, Moriarty came out of the vision quest with some good news. "We have it on the run.. I dare say that Captain Scott and I had a wonderful time hunting the hound sirs.." he said by way of pronouncement. Ambassador Spock regarded his long time companion Bones with steepled fingers and commented with a tone even those who did not know him very well could recognize as mild humor. "One does not overanalyze one's enemies. Only their tactical strengths and weakness of the ships and forces they carry with them.." he said. Moriarty had a thumb toying with his lip as he considered an issue that had kept him quiet throughout the drama in sickbay and the equally tense rescue just played out on Commdeck. "Maybe that is precisely what we must do Mr. Vulcan. " he said. "Now isn't it true that the heart implanted inside the Klingon lady comes from a potential crewmate of the captain's?" he said, pointing in Janeway's direction. "Yes. That is a possible scenario.." Spock remarked. The Victorian hologram called up the quadrant just above and beyond the Space dock where Excelsior was sheltering and being shielded by two starships in defense against the massive Vidiian vessel looming nearby. "Now this transport hub of the mechanical ones who stole Seven when she was a child... The Borg were they? Could some residual power still be active in those areas where several transwarp tunnels come out into the same realspace coordinates?" "That is a theoretical certainty. It has only been five years since Voyager's return following the destruction of the Borg city and its Queen by Admiral Janeway. A structure that large would take centuries to "cool" down." Spock replied. "Mark my words ambassador. But why don't we flush your plaguing Vidiian wasp's nest back into the hole from which she came? It would be easy enough to use one of this gallant ship's pushing beams to confine her, wouldn't it?" Moriarty asked. Reg Barclay shot off his steel stool, startling Deanna Troi at K'Ehleyr's bedside. "Oh Reg.. remember what I told you about getting overly excited.." she warned. "I'm fine counselor..." Barclay said and he actually smiled. He went over to the tactical map showing the positions of Space Dock, Earth, the four starships and the Vidiian vessel. "Yes. That idea could work.. distract the female caretaker with Janeway while keeping a subdermal transporter lock on her. Then use the conduits own residual energies to slide the Vidiians back into their own quadrant. Brilliant.." "Thankyou.." said Moriarty with a slight bow. Reg just blinked at the professor without comprehending. Then McCoy harrumphed loudly in his throat. "Uh, is everyone forgetting that Captain Janeway has a particularly nasty case of demon possession going on? And she's got three friends on the sidelines in there trying to throw holywater at Mephistopheles himself..." Mr. Spock stood and walked over to where Captain Janeway lay and place his fingers over the psi marks on her forehead. "She is holding her own integrity against the Phagemind doctor. As the Traveler has said. She is in no danger." The Holozimm was insistent. "That's for right now, ambassador. But we don't know WHAT might happen if we aggressively attack that thing from the real world. It is far less dangerous letting those three figure in there things out than it is for us to manipulate any dendrites from out here." he said. "Spock is right doctor." Deanna said. "If I'm feeling anything from the captain, it's...it's..." she focused in getting feelers on the emotions she was getting off the dazed Voyager captain. "..satisfaction?.. and a touch..." she blushed.. "Never mind." HoloZimm asked what they all wanted to know. "What Miss Troi?" Deanna smiled a bit and said, .."Flirtacious.." That made Reg stare in Chakotay's direction to where the commander was seated on the floor next to the original Enterprise Scotsman. He didn't even guess which of the two was the target of that emotion. He cleared his throat nervously and changed the subject... "Sirs, " he said to Spock and the others. "My idea could work. And it's something that the Vidiians won't suspect. Getting pulled back through the mouse hole into the wall." "Apt analogy, Lt." Spock said. "We shall give it some thought." and he turned back to his station to monitor the situation on the Commdeck with Kira and Riker. Just then, he noticed Kirk had arrived on the scene just as the EMH warned everyone that the newcomers to Excelsior might have a rough road to consciousness. The Enterprise captain crouched near to offer his assistance to the EMH. All in sickbay watched the scene on the viewer, transfixed for a change with the two injured officers in front of a kneeling Kirk. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Janeway rubbed her hands with tremendous self assuredness as she watched the Phagemind from where it was pinned against the viewscreen by Chakotay's spear in its "stomach".. "I hope you rot.." she told it. Chakotay nearest her, chuckled. "Ooo, I wouldn't say that Kathryn. That's what it seems to be doing to you right now... How are you feeling?" Janeway focused outside the dreamscape world to her real body lying in sickbay.. "Like I got cotton in my mouth. Seems the doctors have pumped me full of medication again." Seven spoke up. "You needn't have done that." she said admiring the skewered sickness overhead." My Borg nanoprobes could have pinned the Phagemind into nonactivity as well as your.....javelin did. It was just a matter of you allowing them to do so captain." she told Janeway. "No thanks.. I like to fight my own battles if you don't mind.. Especially in such tight quarters.." and she tapped her forehead ironically. "If I've learned anything at all about my past visits inside Chakotay's spirit world, it's the premise that inside your own head, you are the top authority.. even over your own illnesses.. Such as that thing.." and she hefted another rock at the disease entity impaled on the spear. "Eventually. I'll have it licked.." Seven merely rocked back on her heels and placed her hands behind her back. Janeway wandered over to the thicker forest and away from the ship part of the dream setting. She crouched and a warm fire burst into existence at a thought." Let give it a taste of its own medicine shall we? A fever perhaps?" and she took a pitch soaked knot of wood from the ground and held it over the fire until it was a burning brand.. "I feel a great case of heartburn coming on... don't you?" she challenged her disease. Above them, the Phagemind squealed and disappeared. "Good riddance.." she replied. "Shall we all get out of here? I've had enough of nightly dreams for a while.." Alexander, Scotty, Seven all left the reality of Janeway's tranced vision quest at the same time, leaving Janeway and Chakotay alone. A soft nightly rain began to fall on the silent woods around them. Something hissed out the fire Janeway had begun and they both looked down. She saw that it was steam rising not from water but the burying activities of a coating of nanoprobes doing the deed. She lifted her hands and felt a mist of Seven's protective nanos gently fall on her skin.. "Seven wasn't kidding they provided protection from harm. They won't even allow me to forge a tempered burn for very long." Chakotay smiled. "That fire was a manifestation of your anger at being sick. And it worked. " he said casting a hand about their forest glade. "You purged the Phage yet again." "Hmm." she grunted. "It was too easy." "I'll just bet when we leave here, " Chakotay said, drawing her into a hug as they walked back to the margin between ship and forest. "That the docs will confirm you are Phagemind free.." "Yeah well what about the Phage part..?" The Commander's eyes twinkled. "One step at a time. The Black plague wasn't cured overnight you know. This Phage virus can't be any different. I have confidence in our crewmates out there to come up with an antidote. Isn't that how it always works Kathryn? The faithful crew storms to the rescue to save their captain at the last second?" "Only works on a starship that that captain commands.." "Who says?" "I do.. And this is Sulu's ship. Not ours.." "Oh ye of little faith.. Trust the native instinct.." he said tapping his tattooed temple. "An Indian guide will never lead you astray..." Janeway sighed and released him. "Speaking of guides... Where's ours?" "You mean Matseyeho and your tiny friend?" Chakotay asked. "Of course..." she answered. "Just how many wolves and geckos are running around these parts anyway.." Chakotay laughed.. "Just the two. And to answer your question. I think Seven's rainfall has something to do with it. It's calming both our minds.." and he too, watched the nanoprobe shower salt over his skin and through the branches above them. "Helping protect against the ravages of the illness. we don't need our spirit guides to psychoanalyze every move tonight." "That's some sedative..Usually your lupine friend is irrepressible." Janeway muttered, sitting down on a birch log that lay by the lake. "Let's not hurry out so soon. I don't fancy checking into all that excess Borg equipment just yet. I just want to enjoy feeling like me for a change.." "As you wish.. this trance'll last as long as you want it to." "Make it last forever.." Janeway sighed.. staring at a full moon she willed into being over the lake. "You know the doc will five alarm us the moment they're ready for your surgery to rehumanize you." "That's fine. In the meantime. Let's just ...... talk.. we haven't done that yet in the history of my recollection.. Not since New Earth when we were stranded with that other fatal illness." Chakotay didn't say anything at all but inside, he smiled. From somewhere in the distance... a wolf called in joyful abandon. ------------------------------------------ (attachments) Image: Spock's ironic look. Image: Barclay in a good portrait. Image: Janeway and Chakotay smiling at one another in front of a super nova on a viewscreen. *animated gif* A wolf's head howling at a full moon. ********************************** From: "Lotten" Subject : Fallen Heroes and Determined Proteges. Date : Fri, 19 Apr 2002 20:46:43 +0000 Tom walked with determination through the empty and dim lit corridors of starfleet medical's section of Excelsior. Only the skeleton med staff was on call, the building itself was shut down for the night. The general theme of it all was mired in Tom's mood. Not bright and cheerful as he had felt this moring when he went up early to take Miral with him on a picnic in the Segalian mountains. It had been a bright cheerful, close to perfect day, the only thing he found that he missed was Bèlana. She was yet again off working on some Engineering project, mapping the Borg conduit grid. He didn't blame her for being gone. He knew Belana was the best and that she needed to be needed in a professional capacity other than being Mother and wife. ::Well that is not the case now.::, Tom thought to himself. The little egocentric need of wanting Bélana's attention and presence all the time was a petty little thing to the hardness that now darkened his heart. He turned in to the corridor where he knew Janeway and Chakotay were being tended to. He raised his eyes up as he came into the room to stand before the biobeds. The entire walk from the transport had been hard and long, his steps heavy, his mind filled with memories of times spent with his mentor and companion now in trouble again. His vision had constant focus on the ground just a meter in front of his feet, he had seen nothing and he wanted to see nothing. The news had traveled fast, not in a nanosecond or times warp 10 speed as it had on Voyager, but HQ`s "Jungle telephone" was rather impressive too. The accuracy of the initial message was not always correct, but the core of this message was hard to miss. It burned its way into your memory. Tom had heard the news and like all the other hurtful things he had to endure through his childhood; he still reacted the same way. Denial. The news Tom had heard he knew, became of whatever character you wished. It was just total nonsense, but deep down Tom knew it was all too true. Captain Janeway was ill and it was no cold or some interspatial flu thing either. He had stopped a few times on his way over there to take a deep breath. The emotional panic was close and he had not experienced it in a long time. After his mum died it had been so intense he had simply shut himself down. Tom knew he did not handle personal loss good. He went into deep depression and almost came down to a catatonic state of just existing. After Caldric Prime, it had happened. When he lost his mother....It had been so intense he had to be hospitalized for a short time. Images had shown up in his mind as he walked to his current destination. Happy times with the crew of voyager. With Janeway in their middle like the core that held them all together, and just a step or two from her, her own trusty side kick, Chakotay. There were hard times and interesting times playing from the memory of Mr Paris. Now as he closed in on the biobeds in the dim lit room all the news he had heard had all become so true. They would both die if a cure to the phage was not found soon. Tom slowly went up along side the captain's bio bed, he took a quick check over her readings. They were stable for now. :: But for how long?:: He looked at her. This little lady...larger than life, strong , beautiful, intriguing, contradictive in so many ways, tender yet forceful, passionate and cold as ice when the situation demanded it, a skillful chameleon. Caring and above all, loving of all life. She was just a reflection of her true vibrant self as she laid there on the greyish surface of her bio bed, almost a mirage of the Captain Janeway that had steered the borg queen down many times, protected the her crew and mothered all that needed the chicken mum to be there for them. ::She has probably a million different versions of herself to pull out just to satisfy the needs of her crew.:: Tom thought wryly. He knew the hardship she went through everyday and the blame she laid on herself for"her getting them lost in the DQ". How could he now tell her that he owed her for everything that he held precious in life?. Everything that she deemed bad with her decision to blow up the Caretaker's Array turned out all good for him. Tom thought in a sad voice :::Oh Captain this is not the way it is supposed to end...How will I ...How will we ever go on without you there?.If you were to go now..where will we all be?... Shattered and lonely ones again..no longer a crew, without you there to tie us together, we are only fractions of what we would be with you there....With you around, so many people WILL BE MORE ..:: He sat on her bed and took her palm. ::No you are not allowed to go..not yet and not now..there is still to much you have to accomplish; still some things you have to say..and do::: Tom looked up from her little hand to the face that could hold a million and one expressions and still not reflect and betray what the captain was truly thinking. Now it was calm and gentle, almost childlike as she lay there in deep sleep. Tom's memories traveled into the present in front of his eyes, Once again triggered by the face he knew so well yet never had figured out .Her voice rang in his mind " Get us out of here, Mr Paris", " Tom I need some of that fancy flying you have been bragging about." He heard himself say the "Yes maam" line that usually made her face softer and the eyes shine with mischief and devious plotting of revenge. The " Yes maam" line was usually followed with Tom's famous fly boy grin that he knew sent the message to the captain of friendly teasing. The little teasing game the captain and he played was something he dearly missed after returing home to Earth. He did not see her eyes light up in that special way every day. He missed her presence in his every day life. Not until now had he contemplated how much he got used to having both Belana and the captain near, as well as his other Voyager family around him every day. He missed Harry's companionship. Harry was like the little brother he never had, his best friend. Tom smiled as his thoughts brought Harry's innocent face. He thought in a almost laughing tone.: : Poor Harry. The things I tricked you in to doing with me...haha..:: Many of the tricks and teases they played on Voyager was all in good fun and most of them did get those eyes of the captain, too, lit in that special way like a child's eyes on x-mas morning. Janeway, of course, was by the book and reprimands were placed upon them both. And all the reprimands and scrubbing manifolds was worth it....just to get her eyes to say" Do you really want to go there, mister?" Those were the best moments on voyager. Tom's thoughts returned addressed to the captain in a regretful and promising tone. :::I know I will never be able to tell you what you mean to me..and to Belana. where would we be without you and Chakotay's influence?...I owe you everything I have today .I owe you the time on Voyager that shaped me into who I am today. I am proud of who I am and what I do and I can only say it is because of you and your guidance. You are probably the only mentor I have. The only role model that made a difference in shaping me into the man I've become. :: He studied the grip he had on her hand, looking down. "I remember the ready room when you demoted me.The only thing that hurt worse was the look in your eyes. I had betrayed you and let you down. I swore to myself that I would never cause you that pain again I would not let you down. And if I could make it up to you I was gonna try. I know that I alone was the cause of the hurt you felt that day. I will not let you down now.There has to be a way out of this. If there is one thing I have learned from being around you is that defeat is not an option if there is no solution, make one.. " Then to himself, he started a new vein of thinking. ::Yes there has to be a solution; a cure to this Phage. There is always a way...The Vidiians took Belana back then in the DQ, with the belief that she held the cure within her DNA. The split her into one human part and one Klingon...we only got the human part back with us to Voyager but at the cost of the klingon counterpart.. and later we learned that the full human version of Belana could not survive without the klingon part being reintegrated back into her. Doc integrated them because of the degradation of the DNA changes.. in a way the same occurence that is happening with the Phage in humanoids:: He let go of her hand and circled the bed, to its other side, studying the monitor and the readings displaying of her life functions. ::Maybe there is a connection..DNA resequencing but that is only half of it..not the cure..ok Tom focus...you have some medical knowledge...what has the doc been trying to tell you? .Connections, similarities ..DNA resequencing alone would not be enough. The DNA mapping structure would break down just as soon as it was reset.... something needs to strengthen it.. to hold the cell membrane and molecular structure together..the Phage slowly eats the cell membranes. The myelin of,...Klingon DNA structures are not the same but it is stronger...can that be it?...Belana being a hybrid with a special blend of genes might hold the actual structure needed to support the DNA after resequencing them? .. Belana's chromosomal makeup would be close to what is needed and the amino acids would probably be stong enough to interact with the captain's and Chakotay's own DNA.... This is a DQ bug We need a DQ medic specialist....yes yes Bingo..what was that doctor's name that helped Janeway and Chakotay the last time they were in deep medical trouble?...Dr Denara Pel. She would not be impossible to track down now with the Pathfinder's new development... Yes now we are getting somewhere::: Tom was beginning to feel hope again, his off mood was disappearing with each nanosecond and replaced with determination of success and hope. He leaned down and kissed Janeway on her head then leaned down to her ear and whispered in a gentle voice , "I will not let you down again, ever. I will make this right, even if I die trying. I will not give up. I owe you so much. I know you would not rest until you had the cure to make ME better.. I won't do any less. You still have some unfinished business here so don't you dare go away until I find the cure...the over grown Indian over there deserves to know what is in your heart and you both need to follow the destiny dealt to you." he teased. He knew full well the change in how they were relating to each other. "You can't bail out now because you are scared. You and Chuckles have some things to say so you just stay here and rest ok? I'll be back with the calvary, Belana and the doc." He straightened feeling again the grateful emotion which had brought him back to Starfleet. " If it wasn't for you and Chakotay, me and Belana would still be alone and in pain. I would not have a beautiful family. No Bea. No Miral. You need to find your own family so don't go anywhere ok.?" Tom stood up taking a final glance at her before he was leaving. And then images came of Queen Arachnia laughing back at him in her jovial way and it made him smile. He said in his best and charming voice " Remember you are the queen." Smilingly he turned to where Chakotay sat by Janeway's bed. He simply placed his hand over Chakotay's heart. Tom told him in a gentle yet firm and promising tone, " I will make it right somehow..You watched over Belana so many times when I couldn't be there. I have not forgotten, big guy. I owe you many times over...You just have to stay and hold on. The little lady over there still needs her sidekick. Just like Captain Proton. Give her time , Chakotay, and you will see.. things will turn out the way they are supposed to." With that Tom left with determination and with many plans spinning in his head. Believing he had not been seen by anyone, Tom left the now once again quiet room where the two sleeping humans rested. But oh yes someone had been watching and listening to everything that had happened in the room. ----------------------------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Tom Paris toe to toe with Janeway in the ready room going on report. Image: Janeway as Queen Arachnia. Audio: Janeway- Thanks for the briefing. Tom Paris- I'll see you at the fortress of doom.. and remember you are the queen" Image: Janeway grinning in front of the warp core. Audio: Tom Paris- Yes, Maam.. **************************************** From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] Layers Date : Sun, 21 Apr 2002 21:25:56 +0400 >But oh yes someone had been watching >and listening to everything that had >happened in the room. Dr. Crusher had noticed the new arrival to her ward and she didn't know who he was. ::Now I wonder who that man is. Surely, he's seen the quarantine buoys outside the ship, warning against boarding. Data said he'd keep anyone from beaming off but maybe he overlooked the idea of anyone covertly beaming IN.:: Beverly went over to Deanna Troi seated by Ambassador K'Ehleyr's biobed and got her friend's attention. "Did you see that Lt. over there by the captain's bed?" "I sure did. And no, you don't have to look into an investigation of who he is. Counseling Mr. Barclay on his holoaddiction has gotten me very familiar with the Voyager crew which was his favorite holoabuse.That's Lt. Tom Paris. Captain Janeway's old pilot from her Voyager days. And I wouldn't be surprised if his father, Owen Paris pulled a few admiralty strings to get him on board Excelsior, either. There are ways around a quarantine field. Just look at the way Riker and Kira got here on orders." Beverly thoughtfully glanced at the scan she had taken on him from across the room while he was visiting Janeway and Chakotay. "He wasn't infected before. But he is now. Just like the rest of us. The short time that second Phagemind had Janeway, the disease overrode all the innoculation nanoprobes in our blood. The spore is adapting more rapidly than Seven's little friends can keep up." "Are we all sick then?" Deanna said. "Yes, I'm afraid so. All except the tiny tribble, and Captain Janeway. " she smiled ironically. "Somehow, she's managed to cure herself in there." Beverly said, watching Alexander wake up out of trance and soon there after, Moriarty. "The Tribble?" "Yes. He's...wait..., now he's a pregnant she, is clear of Vidiian infection. Most likely because it's naturally changing itself physically with hormones and with the pregnancy's progression." Troi angled her head in amusement. "Are you saying being with child prevents infection?" Dr. Crusher's eyes narrowed as she smiled. "Don't even go there. Everything I'm saying is a wild theory at best." and she emphasized the word "theory." very clearly. "Last thing we need is all of our women soliciting the male crew on board to foster conception." OOC- (sorry, about the off the wall ludicrous idea. But it's funny. Let's all agree to not follow this plot angle up.. We have child readers here in the theater.*grinning hugely*) BIC- "Amen to that. I know what it's like to be pregnant and, despite of my incident's painless state, I didn't enjoy it very much." Deanna mused. Beverly set a hand on Deanna's shoulders. "Still hurts, doesn't it? That curious energy being who used you to visit us didn't take into account the power of the maternal instinct." "Ian was special. But he was right to leave Enterprise. His natural radiation was lethal to us all. And there was nothing Dr. Pulaski could have done then, to reverse that situation for us either now that I think about it. " Troi said. "Hmm.. " Beverly said noncommitally. "Still it wasn't all emotional pain for you. Katherine Pulaski said in her logs that you would have made an excellent mother and recounted an incident where you brought Ian into sickbay for a minor fall. She said your joy at his clean bill of health was palpable even to NON empaths. " But already her mind was moving on to other things. "Speaking of emotional states, how's the Ambassador doing?" Beverly asked Deanna about K'Ehleyr. "She's fine. I'm sensing nothing that shows her time arrested damaged her personality. She must still be remembering her confrontation with the first Phagemind. Her battle anger is still very much in place. She's continuing where she left off." "That's good. Useful having you around. You're even better than a Feinbeurger brain scan." Deanna Troi rose from her stool next to K'Ehleyr and she took Beverly's tricorder to do some reading on the file the doctor had up on Tom Paris. "Can I borrow that?.. I've just put two and two together. Tom Paris is B'Elanna Torres's husband. And he'll go absolutely ballistic if he learns about that heart beating in K'EHleyr right now." "You think so?" Bev asked. "I know so. I watched a few of Reg's Voyager programs enough to know that Tom Paris is a vertible loose cannon when it comes to anyone or anything hurting his friends or family. I don't think the huge chance of that transplant being just a cloned organ is going to appease him one iota." Troi said. "I'll watch out for that." Beverly said. Then she turned to Janeway and Chakotay and noticed they were still staying inside their dream quest trance. "Someone's taking a break from it all. I'm jealous." And with that, the counselor moved off to visit with Alexander to see what had happened inside his vision quest.:: I'd rather get it from the boy than from Moriarty, who's archaic way of speaking grates on me. :: Beverly Crusher went over to the EMH in the other wing where he was setting up the field for Janeway's surgery to liberate her from Seven's assimilation collective. She asked the EMH a question. "Doctor, will Seven suffer link shock once we remove Captain Janeway's presence from inside her central cortical node?" The holophysician smiled and said, "Not at all. She's spent a good deal of twelve years now as an individual. She's used to that state now almost as much as she was accustomed to her Borg one." "That's a relief." Beverly sighed. "Looks like the psychological damage on all of us is going to be light this time across the board." "Don't hold your breath." the EMH said. "My captain has still to face Sospiria tomorrow morning. By far the most psychologically risky situation to date." "Then let's be sure Kathryn has the best chance she can have physically. Shall we begin her surgery?" "Of course. We have to have Janeway on her feet in four hours. For then it will be dawn on our side of Earth." he said. He waved over Dr. McCoy. "Sir, would you like to over look this one? The procedure to remedy Borg assimilation is a fascinating study.." McCoy grumbled as he came by with two cups of coffee for both himself and Beverly and a smallish beaker of juice. "I'll be right there." He detoured with his tray of drinks over to Janeway's bed and he waved a cup under her nose. "Hey.. coffee's on. Hurry up in there..!!" Deanna and Beverly both started to laugh. Even Alexander, nestled in the counselor's arms. To him, Troi gave the glass of prune juice. "Your dad likes this, Alexander. Try some." Then she turned back to the EMH. "Aw, doc, let em take a break. They've been through a lot since we all came to Starfleet. The time looping with Data's head and the mystery of my attack, the big fire, and now this formidable alliance between Sospiria and the Vidiians. Bound to wear out anybody. Especially them being high ranking officers." Beverly clucked her tongue. "Do I have to remind you again Deanna? We're both commanders now ourselves just like Chakotay is." "Well, yes, but we've never had a ship of our own nor Starfleet's first priority status as problem solvers. We've been cushioned from the worst of reality.." she giggled. "I aim to fix that someday.." Beverly said. Bones handed Beverly her steaming cup then motioned a hand over to Troi at the replicator. She shook her head. "No thanks, I'm fine." Troi watched the three doctors maneuver tools and equipment they would need for Janeway's deBorging. "Can I watch to? Never seen this except when Picard was rescued ten years ago. Even then, I didn't have time to observe much. Data and I were too busy sensing, making sure he stayed with us." "You won't be squeamish?" Bev said. It was a fact that she really didn't know about her long time friend. "That's Reg's department. The only thing that bothers me is emotional trauma. Not the physical kind." she nodded. "Oh." Bev grunted in discovery. "All right. Why don't you have a seat next to Dr. McCoy. I'm sure he'll give you a running commentary as we go." Soon, the doctors were deep into liberating Janeway from her implants. From another bed, Seven of Nine watched silently. She was too busy mentally directing her nanoprobes in all the ship's crew in a vain attempt to overtake the new Phage within them. But a part of her joined McCoy and Deanna as an observer. ------------------------------------------------------------------ "OO, that tickles.." Janeway said as she lay on her back on the lake's beach admiring the moon inside the vision quest. Chakotay, who was stirring the dying embers of the fire, looked up. "What does?" "Everything.. I think they're yanking out my Borg attachments. With gusto..." she gaped in earnest. Chakotay chuckled. "Better leaving a collective than joining one I guess. How's Seven holding up?" Janeway focused inward to the rapidly fading voice of Seven in her head. "She's...distracted for some reason. I wonder what's going on out there?" "Are you so eager to return?" Chakotay said. "It's tempting.. I'm smelling coffee.." she said with discovery. "Oh, so a cup of perked beans wins out over time spent with your long acquainted first officer..." he said without sting. In fact, high amusement colored his voice. Kathryn rolled the thought over. "Hmm..caffeine or absolutely captivating companionship.." she teased. "Which shall it be?" Chakotay sat down, handing Janeway a woven Indian blanket for her to use as a mat to sit on, frowning. She decided to let him off the hook. "Ok, you win. I've logged too many hours with the replicator for coffee mugs over the years and not enough hours with you.. Have a seat commander.." she said in a light command tone. "Yes, maam.." and then he sneezed, suppressing a shiver. That immediately got Janeway's attention. "Chakotay? What's wrong?" "I don't know.. I just felt a chill, that's all.." Janeway's face fell into seriousness. "How can you be cold or have allergies inside a vision quest?" "That's just it, you can't.." he answered. She felt his skin, just under the angle of his jaw. "You're warm. And your heart rate is picking up." "Maybe that's because I'm here with you.." he quipped. Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Having close hearted feelings..doesn't bring out chills of being cold, Chakotay. I think Seven's nanoprobes aren't working any more. I think you're getting sick." she said, voice arising in alarm. He stopped her from getting to her feet and going to where the forest turned starship. "This Phage isn't going to kill me in the next few hours, Kathryn. Or even the next few years. So let it go. Let's let the medical experts out there handle it." Janeway studied his dark eyes with worry for long moments, until she dropped back down on the sand next to him. She shifted the indian blanket from under her, to around their shoulders until they both were wrapped, snuggly. She reached out and handed him a stick upon which she had cooked a mushroom. "Eat this, I know it isn't real but just going through the motions will be beneficial. You remember how my starting that fire effected the Phagemind." Chakotay nodded. "You too." Janeway focused inward, looking at the fading bond between Seven and herself in her mind. "That's odd. Now why am I the only one now healthy?" "I'm afraid I don't understand." "I'm still vaguely tapped into all the immunization nanoprobes in everyone. All but mine are reacting. That's how I guessed you might be ill." she said. "I may be wrong. I'm not the typical Borg drone. Seven's the expert here." "Is she telling you anything?" Chakotay wanted to know. "Nothing. She's silent in a listening mode and she's multitasking something in a losing curve. I think she's trying to adapt everyone's vaccine nanos into new forms to get ahead of the new Phage's progression." Janeway said. "Kathryn. Don't worry. We all are in sickbay. No one is going to die fighting this Plague." then he frowned. "Well, maybe just K'Ehleyr. But she's better now. I saw her out there before I was anesthetized." "She is?" Janeway said, gripping his arm. "Oh, that's a relief.. I watched her die through Seven." Chakotay gingerly split the hot mushroom between the two of them and they tossed the delicate cap halves back and forth between their fingers until they were cool enough to eat. "Not a good supper subject matter topic, Kathryn. Let's not dwell on it." "Can't help it. I'm a captain." she quipped, chewing her bite. "Who's in a sickbay bed and therefore off duty.." he amended. "Rats. Thought I got around you there." she said. "A good first officer doesn't let his captain get mired neck deep in negative thinking. It's bad form." "So, I'm stuck neck deep in a blanket instead, eating roasted mushrooms by moonlit firelight, shoulder to shoulder, with you." she said ironically flip. "You got that right.." he said with a smile. "I guess I can live with that.." she shrugged. "I was hoping you'd say that someday." And his eyes never left the fire so he missed her look of surprise when it came, about his revelation to her about his changing feelings towards her. --------------------------- (attachments) Image: Troi talking to Beverly on a couch in her blue dress. Image: Crusher in a green olive off duty velvet shift. Image: Chakotay in Revelations, taking Janeway's hand in their shuttle hut. Image: Chakotay's medicine bundle in a close up. *animated gif* A white dove flying in slow motion. Beautiful photo image series. Image: Janeway taking Chakotay's hand, looking like a doe caught in the headlights. ***************************************** END WEEK THIRTEEN RECAP 04-21-02 WEEK FOURTEEN RECAP 04-22-02 http://www.geocities.com/voyagerliveaction Showcase Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voyagerliveaction Writer's Distribution Site. ************************************* From :"Roxy Dee" Subject : [voyagerliveaction] The Death Dance~~ Date :Mon, 22 Apr 2002 22:36:19 +0000 Jim Kirk studied the faces of Will Riker and Kira Nerys and he began to relax. Their physical conditions were stable. Whatever was troubling them the Voyager EMH seemed to know about. So he asked the holographic projection a question. "Doctor, this female caretaker...has she jeopardized Federation starships before? I'm not that familiar with her case history." The holodoctor shifted his glance off of his medical tricorder monitoring the two downed officers. "Only one, captain. And that was for personal reasons. Apparently, the entity which flung the USS Voyager into the Delta Quadrant was mated with Sospiria but they were separated when he died of old age. Unfortunately, It was Captain Janeway's ship that was around when he did. Naturally, Sospiria blames Captain Janeway for that outcome citing petty offenses just to get over feeling guilty about not being there for him at his death." Kirk mulled it over. "So she's controllable?" "Definitely. I've already given tactical and the bridge the anaphasic energy frequency which stuns her should she try to invade Excelsior." Jim frowned. "Seems like she doesn't have to, doctor." Kirk said as he looked at a sudden bleeping on the EMH's tricorder. "Looks like round two of the Phage has reinfected us." The EMH looked down at the new readings in alarm. "It's those mutations again. Its as if each successive individual Phagemind has its own brand of the Vidiian Phage disease, programmed to mutate at random at a phenomenal rate. This one's particularly good at circumventing Seven's innoculatory nanoprobes.. I'm reading the infection is growing rapidly in Riker and Kira, and they've just arrived..." the holodoc said urgently. "But progressing less slowly in Excelsior crew because we're innoculated. Wil and Kira aren't. I just wish these two would have thought of that before they decided to follow orders coming here...." the EMH said. "Ever known Federation officers to turn away from a really good no win situation?" Kirk said with his hands on his hips. "No." the holodoc said honestly. "Well, there you go.." Kirk said. "There's nothing you could have done to have prevented them from infecting themselves. They were of sound mind and body when their shuttle cruised on in." "Are their lives in danger this way then?" Lt. Yar asked. She had entered Commdeck on the heels of Kirk and was helping get Riker and Kira onto their backs near the med team so everyone would be ready for their jolt to consciousness when enough of the cordrazine got to their brains. The EMH shook his head. " Not right away. It could be up to forty hours before the stage where insanity sets in. But physically, their bodies could last for years." the doctor admitted. "It is only lethal faster, if they are still sleeping by the time the Phage fully insinuates itself into their DNA. If that happens...." "They'll be soup when the mutations run wildly unchecked.. I know.. I saw the captured Vidiians in sickbay go that way."..Kirk admitted. "Keep me posted doctor." And he rose to his feet, drawing Yar away from the group of med staff clustered around the Colonel and the Commander. There was still no change came on the audio tones displaying their lifesigns showing a shift to wakefulness. Kirk met Yar's eyes directly and he lowered his voice. "Lt. I just thought you'd like to know this. Protocol in the case of a runaway contagion is clear. Sulu up there may opt for a self destruct before allowing Sospiria to take her pets and her shipful of Vidiians anywhere deeper into Federation territory. If this occurs, I want you to go down to the cargobay and get set to jump free of here..." "I understand, sir.." Yar whispered. "I am aware of the risks. But, no, I won't run back through the Guardian of Forever to my own time and abandon all of you. Deanna knows that. It was her shuttle crash I was responding too when I was pulled away from trying to go past Armus.. I still think I can succeed when it's time to return...." Kirk kept it to himself how wrong Tasha was about the fate waiting for her. "Very well, Lt. ..Captain Janeway and I will be boarding. But you are going to be the one who tracks us through subdural transponders and keeps a continuous transporter lock on the two of us. Yes, that should work well here." "Sir.. Reginald Barclay has already thought of that. He and Mr. Spock are working on those arrangements right now." Lt. Yar said from her place by his side. "Good." Kirk thought ironically. "I think. Feels odd being outsolutioned by others. I must be getting old." Yar tactfully didn't say anything. "Permission to speak freely sir.." "Go ahead." Kirk said, "We're all friends here." "Will the Guardian of Forever and the Traveler be allowed to leave before that self destruct option comes about?" Tasha said.. "Neither of them will be carrying the contagion with them." Kirk smiled. "I'm sure a matter anti matter explosion of just two ships, ours and theirs, won't have much of an effect on them. The Traveler can just phase out of the way. As for the timegate, remember that it was submersed in that plasma fire in Building Five and it came away unscathed. We have nothing to worry about there." he said as he watched the holodoc and the med techs place Kira and Riker onto antigrav stretchers but strangely, they weren't going to sickbay. He spoke up. "Doctor, shouldn't you be leaving soon?" The EMH rolled his eyes. "We've just downloaded the logs from Riker and Kira's shuttle. They've direct orders to report to you face to face. I can handle anything complication that might happen to them medically right here." and he cast a hand over the equipement the techs had brought with them. "Oh." Kirk said. "Then I guess I'll wait right here. Thankyou doctor." "No problem captain." Lt. Yar circled the Commdeck, getting her first really good look at the place that wasn't a bridge. "This deck is a lot like an observatory. It's not like any secondary bridge I know." "That's because it was never meant to be one." came a new voice. HoloZimm appeared with a datapadd for Kirk. "Janeway's surgery is progressing normally. She should be fully human in two hours.." Then the Zimmerman simulcrum turned back to his line of thinking. "The new class Commdeck is a first. Excelsior was the first starship to be fitted with one. It's a combination of part stellar observatory part conference briefing room and it's designed to work and function in tandem with all main bridge systems on deck one." Kirk glanced around the spacious deck. "No chair. There's no center seat here." "That's because the captain's place belongs on the bridge, sir.." Holozimm said. "The commdeck is for everyone else who isn't ship's weapons, tactical nor helmsman." Kirk smiled. "Spock will get a charge out of that. His science station being relegated to the starship equivalent of the basement." Holozimm's holoface fell. "But science is now closer to the main computer core and the holodeck. Both critical tools for any good science officer. Excelsior's earliest missions proved crisis resolution was increased ten fold through the type of network setup we have here." he said. Kirk nodded his head noncommitally. ::What happened to face to face conferencing on the bridge? Viewing through vidscreens and combadges seems... impersonal..:: he thought to himself. ::But, who am I to fly in the face of progress. Sulu seems to have adapted to this new kind of starship just fine. I only regret that his pride and joy is now a plague ship.:: "Nnmm." he said pointing a "that's it" finger at Holozimm. "Nice researching son, your "father" would be proud of you. I guess you tore through the data and schematics of this starship even faster than you did everything Starfleet on Earth." "Oh yes sir.. This is my first starship experience." "Hopefully, it won't be your last.." Kirk mumbled, checking a railing for dust.. Of course, he found none. "Pardon sir?" "Nothing.. Thankyou for the run down, CadetHolozimm." "Anytime sir.." and the holographic twin of Zimmerman moved updeck to a terminal to help Reg and Spock in sickbay get ready for Kirk and Janeway's awaymission to the Vidiian mothership. Kirk glanced down at Kira and Riker again, but there was no change. They were still mostly out and moaning. ::That's some mind control Sospiria's got overpowering the cordrazine like that. Why, I remember Bones throwing off me, Spock, Scotty and two security guards under the influence of that stuff.:: Then he decided to help out a little. ::Divide and Conquer, as they say..:: he mused. He tapped his combadge. =^="Kirk to the Vidiian mother ship. Sospiria. Are you game for a rematch? I say it's round two for the Federation crew, don't you agree? Oh, and I'm coming with Kathryn over there at dawn. Just a price you pay for upping the ante with that second Phagemind." =^= Sospiria's voice seem to come from all over the ship. ##My pet is dead?## "Oh yes.. I'd say he's met his final match inside Janeway right about now I should think. She's no longer ill." ##Then I shall take great pleasure in killing you both when you finally arrive. Or maybe.. I should let you both go. A few decades of organ harvesting your own kind should be revenge enough for my needs. And then the insanity aspect will be twice as sweet. Yes. I think that is what I shall do. Come then. You and she. I will have a meal prepared and waiting.## And the comm frequency to the female caretaker was closed. Kirk sighed. "Now that was easy. Now we know she doesn't really want to kill us." Lt. Yar said. "She doesn't have to worry. We might do just that for ourselves with that auto self destruct." Kirk turned to look at her firmly. "Sulu's not a man to squeal with his back to the wall, Lt. Yar. So far, there's no SD order gone out. It's all pure speculation. We may find another way to defeat Sospiria and her Vidiians.." "Better make it soon.." the EMH said. "The moment anyones sleeps, it's instant puddles remember?" he said, peering closely at the eyes of his patients when he peeled them open to test their reactions to light. Kirk frowned. "How can I forget?" and he yawned. "Looks like we'll all be glued to a coffee cup until this crisis is over." HoloZimm studied the carpet. "I'll keep it coming sirs.." and he trudged off to the bevslot on the other side of the Commdeck. Kirk found himself watching the computer panel light that was attached to the self destruct mechanism. It was still dark. ::Wait longer, Sulu. We're not dead yet. Let the trip to the Vidiian ship reap an advantage first on another try before you make the ultimate call.:: --------------------------------- (attachments) Image: Lt. Yar looking tired, but eager. Close up Image: Kirk in his green tunic in the center seat signing a report. Image: The EMH in front of a large stellar view screen. Image: A sweeping view of Excelsior's Commdeck and crew in it. ****************************** From : "Lotten" Subject : Thoughts of home makes your heart ache Date : Tue, 23 Apr 2002 15:38:22 +0200 This post has been translated with the help of a beta reader Theater Host ...to English.. B'Elanna was mapping the Borg Conduit grid from her Engineering station in the little cockpit of the Delta Flyer III, the Be