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kncrowder88 · 4 years ago

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Voyager and Romance

So, the thing about Voyager and romance that sticks with me is they seem to do one couple really, or more accurately two characters, any real justice overall. And that is B’Elanna and Tom. While moments for that relationship may not be perfect that is rather realistic for relationships, as no relationship is perfect all the time so that is tolerable. This post though isn’t going to be about looking at that particular relationship though but primarily at other relationships. Largely because a discord server I am in was talking about Counterpoint and I realized why I both love the episode but also have weird feelings with it. Which, I’ll touch more on that specifically after I discuss the relationship stuff (as that plays a part).

So, I will preface this with it has been a bit since I’ve done a binge of Voyager and really a full binge of Star Trek in general. As such, I may forget a few relationships on the show and overall, throughout Trek in general. From what I can really toss together … I honestly am beginning to believe that when it comes to Voyager and the other shows (the older ones not the new ones – I am not including any NEW Trek in this) that for some reason the relationship writing with Voyager was rather different. Like, they gave 3 characters active relationships prior to being stranded. That being Harry Kim, Kathryn Janeway, and Tuvok. Out of these three we get Janeway and Tuvok holding onto those relationships in their own way while … it seemed mildly convenient for Harry to mention it when it suited him, I guess (like that time Tom wanted to set them up for a double date or you know when he ended up in that alternate timeline but still wanted back with Voyager even more like). Like, the reason I don’t list Tuvok-T’Pel above is because we don’t actually get to SEE that in full, we just get to see Tuvok’s side of it and his dedication – we don’t see the relationship, we don’t see the couple.

Harry and Tom, prior to his relationship with B’Elanna, seem to frequently do this sort of two bros dating around thing which is fine but like … same time the show used them for that. And once they settled Tom with B’Elanna they used Harry in those plot lines when it worked. Thus the alien STD episode and the “how dare you not get the standard permission from your CO and CMO” line (like they really put that into a Trek ep and I’m still unable to not picture Riker, Kirk, Picard, and everyone other Trek character constantly getting permission for their latest romance – just remember Jadzia and Worf likely had to get permission from Sisko and Bashir if the Trill and Klingon weren’t already approved of in the system just saying, that’s a thing that happened). Anyways … my point is they went out of their way on this. Like, when Kes was with Neelix they wrote Neelix to be that jealous judgmental boyfriend who literally got upset she knew where other people’s quarters where, she was nice to Tom, she was … just yeah. They wrote Tom to come off as a player pulling Harry into it, when Tom settled down Harry seems to pick that up (I mean you got his “omg Seven” phase and the alien STD stuff and lord knows what else I’m forgetting with him).

And to top this off I haven’t even touched on the “Janeway can’t have a romance” stuff yet. Which is where my real problem is. Like, its bad enough they brought in Jeri for the sex appeal (which lets be honest stems from the fact they couldn’t use Janeway for that – which I get, Kate was right in the whole concept of the audience target having to keep respect for a female lead and sex appeal couldn’t be a focal point but they could have balanced it right and regrettably because they couldn’t that meant Jeri got all of the other side of the coin). Many of Seven’s eps center on romance or social stuff and honestly that is a whole other WTF post in its own right because it all leads up to the sudden get with the one person on the ship who didn’t want you here in the first place and who also would have served better as the male adult guidance figure/father figure than as a ROMANTIC partner but hey BS happened behind scenes to cause that chaotic romantic on screen set up. But yeah … this is just another example of the poor Voyager romantic plot lines.

Chakotay’s romantic plot lines are usually – and by that, I mean pretty much always – with these strong independent women. But usually, at least from what I recall, they are also typically the “needs help” (damsel in distress/can’t do it alone/etc.) plot. Like, Riley was strong independent but also set up to need help in regard to getting her little collective put back together on the planet. You got Kellin, again another strong lady who yet again also needed help. At least in the ep she’s in and if I recall much of the info on how they fell in love during that time as well – primarily with getting away from danger at the start and then during the initial romance finding her target. Valerie is the only one who doesn’t fall into the needs help plot and that’s largely because she was being manipulated by Chakotay for information – which honestly just goes to show how well Chakotay was at the whole undercover stuff (which tells us a lot about what he could have been doing as a Maquis). Seska was the plot point of “you once dated her, now she is going to badger you to get with her again and when that fails, she’s going to assault you” …. like all of Chakotay’s romances are literally him either 1) being manipulated (as that’s what Seska and Riley did) or 2) being the kind guy or 3) not an actual relationship (either because its undercover work or because the writers were too cowardly to make him and Janeway canon).

Then you got Janeway. Then you got KATHRYN JANEWAY. You know, the one where Kate Mulgrew said no romance, no sexualizing, no doing that sort of stuff because the audience had to maintain respect for the character. I’m sure someone has the exact various quotes out there. Like … this is why we don’t have JC as canon. But what we do got instead is …. Janeway in Prime Factors being flirted with by the administrator as if that’s going to get him what he wants because “female leader means flirt with her”. We got Janeway and a period drama holodeck adventure in the early years which was clearly meant to be her romantic tête-à-tête early on that never got followed up with. We got “delete the wife” with the Fair Haven plot point (because its totally respectable to see the FEMALE LEAD, the STARFLEET CAPTAIN, just straight up DELETE THE WIFE of another individual - yeah, I get its meant to be humor factor because hologram but come on). You have her whole thing with Mark which we get tidbits off but again similar to Tuvok we literally only get to see her side of it – the only couple moment of theirs we get is the comm call in Caretaker.

But Jaffen? You are correct. We got that lovely and touching and wonderful romance with Jaffen …. Oh wait … they had to remove her from the ship, strip her of her memory, and her autonomy in order for her to have a relationship with another individual. And yes, by losing her memories, by losing what made her who she was as a person, she did lose a sense of autonomy. She entered into a relationship without a full sense of independent choice. The point in which she made a choice in that episode, the point in which she – Kathryn Janeway – made a choice with all of the person, the individual she is, was at the end when she had her memories back and could decide based on the values and beliefs and all that she is. What I’m getting at is the people on that planet deliberately took away who she was, they took her memories and her ability to make the decisions they knew she would make --- they did that deliberately (that’s even established in the episode) --- and as such her decisions while in that state are not truly her full independent decisions but the ones impacted by the state she was forced into.

And while I love Resolutions, while I love all the JC goodies, we get in that ep … Yet again the only time we get to see Janeway in any sort of romantic situation is when they remove her from the ship. When they remove her from command. When they strip her of that setting. This time, though – well the first time – she keeps awareness and has to go through lose of it all in order to even start to let it all happen. I love the episode, I do, but I just find it rather amusing they went “’Hey we gotta strand them what should their tasks be on the planet?” and they immediately went “Well Janeway is scientist how about that” “Okay and he can build, Chakotay can start building. Man builds house, right?” and then like went “oh and then she can start a garden” …. Like really? Really? That’s what you got for me. Oh, and then there is the monkey. That’s the romance this ep. Boat, science, monkey.

Then we got Kashyk. We have dealt with Kathryn throughout this series dealing with various leaders of various styles. As mentioned, Prime Factors guy attempted flirting. Other leaders pulled similar or worse or even dismissed her …. Like the list goes on. Counterpoint is a great episode because it deals with prejudice and is rather dark. The thing is, had Janeway been able to have a healthy romantic relationship on screen to counter this episode this episode probably would have come off better. Episodes like Prime Factor could have been done different (that leader didn’t need to be as flirty for example). One or two eps through the series having creepy dudes she had to deal with, fine, whatever … that be a nice impact for the audience. But when you have to many prior to Counterpoint – even if its minor, small stuff – it makes this episode so much harder for fans. Especially the female fans who deal with this constantly.

See, here’s the thing with this ep…. Some of the fans who watch … we know Kashyk well. We know that character. He is that male leader, that male power figure, who uses the power he has to manipulate those in his control to get what he wants. And Kathryn … Kathryn was in his control. Kashyk is listed as a relationship on memory-alpha. But much like how I view Seska with Chakotay … I do not view Kashyk as a proper relationship. In Devore space, Kathryn did not have proper power. She had people in her command, on her ship, that she had to protect. That she knew she had to protect. Her own best friend … lives in her hand … and Kashyk right there willing to kill them. Willing to snatch them up and destroy them. And he used that power to manipulate her and play her. Yes, she played him right back but … did she truly have a choice? Did she have any other choice but to play his game? What would have happened if she said no? And that … that is why this episode is so unsettling for some people. And why this relationship being considered on is so off putting … that the writers, that memory-alpha, that the fact I’m putting it on this list as one of the ones on here for Voyager says so much … they wrote this as one of her relationships while out there … she had to do what so many women had to do to stay safe, to keep people she loves safe, and that’s not a relationship.

Voyager could have done romance/relationships such better justice.

#star trek #star trek voyager #i had some feelings about things #primarily the Kashyk thing #but that lead to other things #and honestly i am really begining to question romance in voyager #but also like overall in Trek in general #like the more i think about Voyager the more im like oh god they really did seem to fail there #because the only valid couple i can think of is Tom and B'Elanna

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falkenscreen · 4 years ago

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Star Trek: Voyager

Yes this show ended some time ago; that doesn’t mean that it’s not still underrated.

A relative late convert to Star Trek, this author committed to traversing the Delta Quadrant having finished The Original Series, The Next Generation, Discovery & Picard to date. Deep Space Nine is next; like the Doctor I don’t know anything about this ‘Dominion’ but they seem important and we’ll get there.

Having now finished Voyager, here’s the (spoiler-filled) thoughts of someone who came to the bridge afresh and savoured the light-hearted nature of the show. Yes TNG demanded more attention and the episodes herein that do are generally better, but for relaxed, semi-serialised adventure Voyager is a high point.

We’ll start with the negative and get to the fun stuff.

From the get-go there was a jarring disconnect between the premise and goals of the show. If a ship more advanced than any in the region is travelling really fast in one direction they’re not going to keep running into the same people; better begetting a saga poised for episodic rather than serialised fiction. The writers and audience were evidently a little tired at this point of TNG’s slavish devotion to wrapping everything up in 40-odd minutes so wanted to try variations on a theme; it was the right approach for the time accompanied by a smart premise that didn’t match.

And a stellar premise it was only set to be buoyed by the Federation-Marquis dynamic. Also partly squandered, corresponding grounds for strong tension and stories were left by the wayside – characterised by Chakotay’s ill-established, apparently immediate and seemingly endless trust in Janeway; together major failings of the show.

On continuity, and just so it’s out of the way; no they don’t show it but it’s clear the crew just manufactured more photon torpedoes like they did so much else.

Commencing with one of the best episodes, there is rarely a subsequent moment as character-defining as Janeway destroying the array. Don’t get me wrong, Kate Mulgrew is great, but she alike Kirk and Picard are, as fleshed out as they become, for stretches bare variations on a tired theme; young headstrong hotshot dedicates their life to the stars to become a reasoned, seasoned Commander. ‘Tapestry’ did it best and there was no need to explore this further.

Voyager had a general problem with characters that took several seasons to grow; it was a long time before Neelix stopped being grating and his earnestness became endearing. There is too very little you can relay about Tuvak beyond his being a Vulcan and a little sardonic, or Harry besides his yearning for advancement or Chakotay aside his membership of the Marquis and focus on his cultural background.

The stand-out worst episode of the entire show was Chakotay finding out that the Sky Spirits central to his people’s religion were actually from the Delta Quadrant; you can garner Robert Beltran’s clear ambivalence (at best) to such material. This author is aware of the significant tension between the actor and others on set; I can understand the frustration at a lead cast member belittling the series in public but the directions and emphasis the character took in later seasons was something else, as were the music cues whenever his or some others’ cultures came up.

Star Trek, and notably The Original Series, is often (but not always) shrewd for both telling stories addressing the place of culture, religion and community in people’s lives while not overly if at all drawing attention to particular characters’ backgrounds. To Beltran’s credit, he only made the disaffection perceptible on screen in the episodes that were of poor taste, as opposed to the ones that were just bad. There are many lousy episodes of The Original Series but what near always makes it enjoyable is Shatner et al’s absolute commitment to the bit. One of the very worst episodes of Voyager is the one where Harry is lead to believe that he’s actually from a planet in the Delta Quadrant full of attractive women; yet no one in Star Trek ever needs to look bored reading their lines. There are good ones and bad ones and we’re along for the whole ride.

There’s also that one where Tom and the Captain turn into salamanders, start life on a random planet and somehow transform back into their usual selves with these shenanigans never brought up again. Yeah that was awful but it was preceded by a generally decent few acts centred on exceeding warp limits; reputation aside it wasn’t quite down there.

On Alpha Quadrant folks being in the Delta Quadrant, as much as I missed the Klingons they did not need to rock up latently and near the very end; there were plenty of better ways to give B’Elanna an arc. One of the more interesting characters, she offered a variation on Worf’s overwhelming pride as a Klingon, though she barely got enough episodes to shine and these were predominantly featured much later on. And when the show stopped pretending Tom was the cocky pilot we’ve seen dozens of times before he too managed to get a whole lot more interesting.

It would have made a lot more sense for McNeill to just directly continue his character from TNG’s ‘The First Duty;’ alas.

Also welcome were the insights into the Borg; even if they became a lot less eerie it was great to learn that much more about them, though nothing, save the introduction of Seven, bettered the recuperating drones who were the ship’s first Borg encounter. The Borg children were also very funny (the related Voyager pick-ups in Picard were excellent) and should have stayed on the ship longer so Seven could say more things like “fun will now commence;” she can only say “Naomi Wildman” deadpan, as good as it was, so many times.

Heralded by such a superb actress, Seven and the Doctor thrillingly shared dual arcs akin but distinct to Data’s and each other’s, permitting us to relish their gradual growth and revel in their leaps forward. Seven’s narrowing down of eligible crewmen, unlike Chakotay’s later courting, was a particular highlight, as was her month of isolation when the crew were in stasis and the one where the Doctor overtook her node.

The Doctor however emerges the best character, far and above all others save the near as interesting Seven. Picardo’s charisma and stage presence, well-befitting an exaggeratedly humanistic, bombastic piece of programming, only propelled the most relatable arcs in the series; his desire to fit in and, as any, make a contribution. The Doctor’s opening number in ‘Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy,’ but one occasion where Picardo’s vocal abilities were graciously integrated into the series, by this author’s judgement is the funniest sequence in seven seasons.

‘Message in a Bottle’ with the Doctor centre was too among the very best of the series. Mining any opportunity for comedy we can nonetheless be grateful, alike TNG, that they kept the bald jokes to about one per season.

As asides, it was lovely to see Reginald Barclay return and realise his aspirations in one of the best and most heart-warming episodes of the saga, while the singular and very obvious inspiration one episode draws from Predator proved amusing for just being so unabashed.

‘Scorpion’ was amazing as was anything to do with Species 8472. Captain Proton, acknowledging the entire franchise’s schlocky roots, was a definite recurring highlight, with Mulgrew in one installment clearly having no end of fun alike the cast’s enjoyable turns in late 90’s Los Angeles alongside Sarah Silverman. Speaking of guest stars, seeing The Rock was a nice surprise though with hindsight they may never have cast him given Star Trek shrewdly chose to not have celebrity appearances overshadow the show. But hey, they can’t see the future; at least cleverly opting to obscure Jason Alexander in piles of costuming.

‘Year of Hell’ is good, but the premise befitted an entire season and alike the lacklustre finale nothing really matters (with some well-executed exceptions) if you can just go back in or erase time. There were many, many episodes that shouldn’t have been contained within forty minutes and deserved longer-form devotion, ala ‘30 Days.’ ‘Timeless’was a much better (and unusually technically-focused) variation on the aforementioned themes and it was fun to catch Geordi, as it was Deanna and especially Sulu. ‘The Omega Directive’ was cool; ‘The Thaw’ was great.

The fable-esque nature of the franchise has always been enjoyable and digestible given the show is partially aimed at kids, though there are episodes where it’s just a little too direct, and characters take a little too much pause. ‘Alice,’ the one where Tom almost cheats with his ship as an overly obvious parallel about why you shouldn’t have sex with other people if you have a girlfriend, if a good lesson, in execution was a tad much.

On reflection this author was surprised to discover some of the least generally favoured episodes, among them the Fairhaven double. It may be my great personal affection for Ireland but it makes perfect sense that given the time available this sort of world would be created and characters might pursue holo-relationships, a theme underexplored in Voyager yet still covered to great effect. The established technical deficiencies of holo-technology in such regular use should not come as a surprise when they recur.

The one where Kes comes back was actually a later highlight; her character was never very well handled and no it wasn’t that blast off into the sunset but sometimes old friends lose their way and it’s the job of old friends to set them on the right path.

Most surprising was the dislike directed at ‘Tuvix.’ The difference between Voyager and much heavier sci-fi is that herein characters make a lot of decisions that are hard, not ones that are difficult. The destruction of the array was devastating but not morally questionable within the confines of the show. As a tangent, you could argue that had Janeway made the decision to return to the Alpha Quadrant at the beginning of the series that it would have been the morally correct decision given that, as we see in ‘Hope and Fear,’ another highlight, the ship would not otherwise have been a factor in much disorder and destruction. The show was not however so expansive philosophically as to greatly tread such ground as the franchise otherwise managed in the likes of ‘City on the Edge of Forever.’

In ‘Tuvix’ Janeway, a figure, like Chakotay, who often shifted characterisation to fit the requirements of any given story, was faced with a difficult decision with no easy moral out nor ethically unquestionable approach. It was a refreshing change and correspondingly dark denouement to boot apparent in the likes of ‘Latent Image,’ another fine instalment with the Doctor.

‘Eye of the Needle,’ the only episode this author has watched twice to date and a deeply empathetic early high point, save ‘Balance of Terror’ is the best treatment of the guarded but necessarily relatable Romulans (I haven’t seen all the movies!). ‘The Void’ bookends the show as a later stand out while the in respects not dissimilar ‘Night’ bears one of the darkest challenges and finest, most resonant endings.

This brings us to the ‘best episode;’ one featured regularly in top ten lists but seemingly not a very favourite.

‘Blink of an Eye’ is everything that is exceptional and aspirational about Star Trek. Stranded in the stratosphere of a planet where time passes with greater rapidity, the curious presence of Voyager in the skies begins to influence the society to the point where the inhabitants develop space travel to face the spectre.

A commentary on the Prime Directive as deft as any and a relatively novel variation on both the time travel and petri dish tropes resplendent throughout sci-fi and Star Trek, the episode is also a fabulous meta-commentary on the place of the franchise in popular culture much less crude than Janeway bemoaning the Doctor’s fleeting interplanetary fans’ obsession with every aspect of his personal life. Incorporating a fair bit more science than is typically par, the astronaut’s moving decision to help them, as with his staring into the heavens as Voyager finally departs, speaks to the selfless ethos and sense of overwhelming curiosity so intrinsic to the most basic lore of Star Trek, the most beloved episodes and all that Gene Roddenberry best achieved.

It’s also an amazing meditation on first contact principles and pitfalls which unlike many episodes doesn’t borrow story bones from TNG.

A more than welcome reprieve from a pandemic, I didn’t spend as long in the Delta Quadrant as the crew but for what I did I was glad to relish with them.

Star Trek: Voyager is now streaming on Netflix

#xl #film/tv #voyager #star trek #star Trek: voyager #gene roddenberry #jeri ryan #kate mulgrew #roxann dawson #robert duncan mcneill #robert beltran #ethan phillips #tim russ #jennifer lien

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afraidofchange · 4 years ago

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A few modern verse things for Shepard

Born in 1983 to Anya and Matthew Shepard. She was an only child until she was 11 when her sister Amelia came along as a bit of surprise, but a loved surprise. When Alice was 16, her parents were killed in a car accident, leaving her to care for her 5 year old sister. Desperate for money, Shepard enlisted at 18, relying on friends for childcare for her sister in that time.

Currently, she is a retired Veteran from the Marine Corps who served until she couldn’t - she was severely wounded in combat from a roadside IED, from which she lost her left leg from just above the knee, and currently wears a prosthetic after years of rehabilitation and physical therapy. From that same explosion, she bears a number of scars all along the left side. Not quite the same as her canon appearance, but similar.

Additionally, when in critical condition, Shepard was declared legally deceased for 30 minutes from cardiac arrest before resuscitating on her own; this phenomenon is called Lazarus Syndrome. Unlike other survivors, Shepard is renowned for being one of a few to continue to live healthily, without neurological deficits.

Dr. Miranda Lawson has specific research interests in Shepard’s case and Shepard has agreed to take part in a lifelong study regarding her condition. The two have since become friends.

Shepard’s unit included Ashley Williams, James Vega, and Kaidan Alenko. Kaidan’s life was lost to the explosion.

Along with PT, Shepard was also required to partake in therapy to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since then, she’s continued to see a therapist once a week on her own accord.

Her and Ashley were once romantically involved prior to that deployment, but fraternization regulations, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell legislation, and the IED incident complicated matters and the two parted ways. That said, there are still some lingering feelings.

While forcibly retired from the military, Shepard continues to work, preferring low stress jobs that are more about keeping her preoccupied, and getting her out of the apartment than earning a hefty paycheque.

Shepard lives a simple life post-military, living in a medium sized, one bedroom apartment kept rather cozy. Her sister Amelia is in university and comes to visit, often unannounced. The two have an extremely close bond. She’s a lover of 90s era rock, alt, and grunge music. Enjoys breakfast for dinner, and is looking to get one of those expensive running blade prosthetics so she can jog again.

She still has her wing/dog tag tattoo on her forearm, commemorating her time in the military and Kaidan’s life.

In the specific variation of the modern verse with @parallaxedcaptain, she works as a barista for Kathryn Janeway at Café Voyager with the likes of Tom Paris, Harry Kim, Mr. Neelix, and Kes. After several months of employment, an attempted armed burglary prompts Shepard to act on her military training to apprehend the would-be thief, sustaining only a minor laceration on her cheek. From that point, Kathryn and Alice begin to get to know one another, and well, the rest is history.

#ALICE JOAN SHEPARD: HEADCANON #v: MODERN #[ I changed some things. mostly so she can be gay and domestic lmao ]#[ and also the way we write the cafe au is just.... So good.]

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summahsunlight · 5 years ago

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This Way Became My Journey, CH. 17

Harry Kim entered a subdued mess hall for lunch. The news that Commander Chakotay and Counselor Barrett's shuttle was missing had spread like wildfire throughout the ship. With a solemn glance around the room, Harry went to the replicators to replicate himself a sandwich for lunch. After the food had materialized he grabbed the tray and made his way through the sully crowd to a table in the corner that Tom Paris was occupying.

The young pilot, who had become Harry's friend in the last three weeks, was eating what looked like soup, and staring out the windows at the stars moving by. Harry set his tray down across from Tom and took his seat. "So much for the Karvaians being a morale booster," the young ensign mumbled. "The way people are acting around here, it's like we've already had a funeral for Commander Chakotay and Counselor Barrett."

Tom ran his tongue over his lips. "I didn't care for Chakotay too much; guess it was because he was right about me on a lot of things. However, I'm going to miss Sarah, she knew how to make me feel better and was easy to talk too. I feel bad for the Captain, having to replace her first officer, again, in a matter of weeks."

"You're one these people who make it sound like they're dead," Harry replied. "We don't know if they are."

"We don't know if their alive, either," Tom retorted, solemnly. He leaned forward. "Listen Harry, we have to be prepared for the worst here. It's not like we're home and replacements can be sent. We lose our first officer, we lose our first officer. And… no one else on this ship has the credentials to be counselor."

Harry took a bite of his sandwich. He thought back to the last time he had gone to speak to Barrett. It had been two days before her and Commander Chakotay were due to depart for Karva. He had been homesick; she had made him laugh with some ridiculous story about when she was a kid. Tom was right, she was easy to talk too and he was going to miss her. Her presence alone had been comforting, not too mention she was quite pretty; her smile alone could make anyone feel better. Realizing what he had just thought, he snapped back to attention. "Let's not think about replacements unless we have too, okay?"

"Sounds good to me," Tom said, pushing his tray away from him. "So, are we still on for Venice?"

Harry had completely forgotten, in all the excitement, that Tom had arranged for them to go on a double date with the Delaney sisters, yet again. Of course Harry had been against it from the start, seeing how he had a girlfriend back home, but Tom had forced him into that first date with them by guilt tripping him and now was setting up another. "I don't know, Tom. The last time didn't go over so well."

"The last time you were too preoccupied with your girlfriend back home. It wouldn't have hurt to have said a few words to Jenny," Tom said, with a smile. "Let your girlfriend go Harry. She deserves to have a life, be allowed to fall in love again. Besides, you really think she's going to wait seventy-five years for you?"

"We've had this discussion," Harry pointed out. "But… you're right, I do need to let go. She probably doesn't even know I'm alive."

"If it makes you feel any better, Harry, none of our families know if we're alive," Tom said. "We're all in the same boat."

Harry smiled sadly. "Counselor Barrett said the same thing to me."

"You've been seeing a lot of our resident psychologist," Tom said, smirking, meaning his gears were turning. "Perhaps it's her you want to take to Venice and not Jenny Delaney."

His friend frowned. "Knock it off Tom. Counselor Barrett is a nice person to talk too, I'd even consider her a friend, but that's it."

"For now anyways," Tom said, noticing Harry roll his eyes. "Oh come on, Harry. It's okay to admit you have a crush on her! She's pretty easy on the eyes."

"So why don't you ask her on a date?"

"I did," he said. "She turned me down, gave me some mumble jumble about us being too much alike that it would never work out. Not too mention she said I was a walking hormone."

Harry suppressed a chuckle, and grinned, "Is this why the sudden attention on Megan Delaney? You were rejected by one pretty brunette so now you're going after another?"

"Oh, so you do admit Sarah's pretty," Tom tried changing the subject. "You know, if she's still alive, and we end up finding them, you better make your move before some else does. I heard several crewmen have made a pass at her."

Harry didn't know why but that bothered him, a lot. Could Tom be right, that he did have a crush on Sarah Barrett? Harry finished his sandwich and pushed the tray away from him, glaring at Tom. "This is crazy, Tom. I shouldn't be jumping into a new relationship on the chance we're going to live the rest of our lives out here. Maybe, Chakotay and Sarah found a wormhole and are in the Alpha Quadrant right now, trying to find a way to get in contact with Voyager. If that's the case I could be sitting down to eat dinner with Libby tomorrow."

"Or, you could be stuck out here for seventy-five years, a lonely old hermit if you keep that attitude," Tom argued. "I think she'd understand if you went on with your life, especially if she goes on with hers."

"Senior officers report to the bridge."

The conversation about girlfriends, the Delaney sisters and Sarah Barrett ended, as the two officers got up from their table and went to recycle their trays. However, Harry couldn't shake the emotions that Tom had stirred up inside of him. I only have a crush on her because she's helping me cope with being away from home, that's it; nothing more. But uncertainty kept creeping into his brain as they stepped out of the turbo lift onto the bridge.

Captain Janeway was standing in the middle of the command station, hands on her hips, an alien ship on the view screen.

"They're hailing us Captain," Tuvok reported from tactical.

An image of a humanoid alien appeared on the screen, with skin in various shades of green with navy blue spots blotted down the temple all the way to the collarbone. He, or she, had yellow eyes, a slopping forehead, and did not look particular happy to be speaking to Voyager. "My name's Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager, what can we do for you?"

"You can turn your ship around and leave Rupor space," the alien responded, dryly.

"We mean you no harm," Janeway tried to assure the alien, "but maybe you could help us. I'm looking for two of my crewmen, who may have crossed through your space a day or so ago. Have your people reported any unidentified crafts passing through the vicinity?"

"No," the alien snapped. "Except you."

"Perhaps then, you'd be kind enough to allow us to search your space for them. We'd only be here about a day-."

The alien glowered. "No! You are to turn your ship around, there will be no compromise!" He disappeared from the screen and the bridge crew all looked around perplexed at one another. Tuvok reported that the tiny scout ship was in retreat.

Janeway glared at the blank screen, straightening her uniform. "Tom, hold our position here," she ordered the young man. Tapping at her combadge she requested that Neelix join her in her ready room. And before anyone could ask her what she had in mind, the woman disappeared back into her private sanctuary and was gone.

"The woman is insane!" Neelix sputtered as he entered Kes' quarters after meeting for an hour with Kathryn Janeway in her ready room about the Rupor. "No one attempts to travel through Rupor space! No one!"

"But if Commander Chakotay and Counselor Barrett are in trouble, it maybe her only choice," Kes replied, softly, trying to use her tone of voice to sooth him and calm him down. She had to admit she knew very little about other species outside of her own and the Kazon, so she had to take what Neelix said seriously. "Wouldn't you want her to do the same for you?"

Neelix looked speechless for a moment, but then stuttered, "Well yes. But that's not the point, Kes. The Rupor are fanatical when it comes to outsiders entering their space. If the Commander and Counselor crossed into their space even for the slightest second, they would have pursued them, and quite possibly shot them down."

"But they didn't attack Voyager," Kes pointed out. "Maybe Commander Chakotay and Counselor Barrett's shuttle didn't pass through their space at all."

"They didn't fire on us because Voyager packs a bigger punch than a shuttle. A Rupor scout ship would never have fired on Voyager," Neelix replied. " Smaller crafts, that a different story. They offer for you to surrender and if you don't, they shoot you down. They gave Captain Janeway their warning and are no doubt sending a warship to deal with us."

Kes got off her bed and went to place a hand on his shoulder. "Neelix we just have to trust the Captain's judgment."

"I know," he grumbled. "But sometimes that woman is more trouble than she's worth."

Kes rubbed his shoulder and smiled. "Would you rather be stuck trying to make a living in a debris field?"

"No," he answered. "I guess the fact that she has allowed us to journey with them is a redeeming quality. But if we survive traveling through Rupor space, we'll be lucky." The ship lurched suddenly with weapon's fire and red alert was immediately activated. "It seems that the Rupor have already showed their displeasure in our presence here," Neelix told her. "I wouldn't be surprised if this ship is destroyed within the hour."

"Return fire!" Kathryn Janeway bellowed from her command chair, as conduits and consoles sparked around her. "Mister Paris, evasive maneuvers."

She had expected to be confronted by the Rupor, since she was after all ignoring their request not to travel in their space, and from what Neelix had told her, they were not friendly to outsiders. But they had traced Chakotay and Sarah's ion trail this far and she was not about to give up searching for them. What she had not expected was the ferocity and quickness of the Rupor attack.

"Shields are down to seventy-three percent," Tuvok reported.

"I'm detecting hull breaches on decks four and five, repair teams are on them," Kim said through the shaking of the ship under constant bombardment.

Janeway ran a hand over her face and then with a determined stare, stood up. "Tuvok, target their weapon's array, and fire two photon torpedoes."

"Aye, Captain."

She watched on the view screen as the torpedoes made their way through space and hit the alien vessel square on. She held her breath for a moment, praying that they had disabled their ship. And then, let it out as Tuvok reported that they had indeed taken the alien's weapons off line. "Mister Paris, get us out of here, warp seven, following the shuttle's ion trail. I have a feeling that the Rupor are going to be back and they're going to come with reinforcements."

"Yes ma'am, setting course zero one five mark nine, warp seven," Paris echoed, fingers running over the conn.

"Engage."

"Captain," Neelix's voice said, not to Janeway's surprise. "Can I have a word with you?"

Janeway kicked a piece of debris away from the command station. "I'm a little busy right now, Neelix." With an audible sigh, she turned to face her Talaxian guide. "I have repairs to make, officers to find, and aliens to keep from tearing my ship apart. But…I suppose I could squeeze you in."

"It's just that, the Rupor, they'll come back," Neelix said.

"I figured as much."

"No you don't understand," Neelix rasped. "They were just testing your capabilities. Now that they see you can disable one of their ships, they'll come back with even more and won't stop pursuing you until you're either out of their space or destroyed."

"I'm not leaving my people behind, Mister Neelix," Janeway snapped, eyes narrowing on him.

"Your people are most likely dead," Neelix retorted. "They wouldn't have given that tiny shuttle the chances they are giving your starship. Chances are a scout ship has blasted them out of the sky."

"Captain," Kim's voice said, strained, from ops. "I've traced the ion trail to a Class L planetoid, three light years from here. I'm also picking up traces of ignited plasma in the planet's atmosphere and some debris." He put the image on screen and immediately the bridge crew could see that it was part of a nacelle.

Janeway felt bile rising in her throat. "What about weapon's residue?"

"I'm picking up two signatures, one is Federation, the other Rupor," Tuvok answered, stoically.

Bastards, Janeway thought, angrily. "Any sign of the shuttle?"

"Negative, Captain."

The news wasn't about to stop her though. "Maintain course, Mister Paris. I'm not about to give them up for dead, not yet. The Rupor can go to hell for all I care."

"Captain, I'm picking up an automated distress call," Kim said. "It's on a Starfleet emergency signal. It's badly damaged, it's going to take a couple of minutes to clean it up."

"Do it, Mister Kim."

A few moments later he had cleaned it up as best he could. The message was distorted and faint, but Sarah Barrett's voice came through loud and clear to everyone on that bridge. "Voyager, we're under attack, repeat we're under attack. We had to land on an L Class planetoid. We need assistance. Our systems are heavily damaged, again we are in need of assistance." The message ended and Janeway felt her heart sink lower into her chest.

"Mister Paris how long until we reach the planetoid?"

"At our current speed, I would estimate forty minutes ma'am," Paris reported.

"Captain," Tuvok said, "long range sensors have picked up a Rupor fleet moving in to intercept us. I estimate that they will do so in forty-five minutes."

"Well that doesn't leave us much time then," Janeway said.

"Time to do what?" Neelix asked.

"Get to the planet, get our people, and get the hell out of Rupor space."

"Rise and shine, Lieutenant," Chakotay's voice stirred her from a light slumber. "We've survived our first night."

Sarah Barrett opened her eyes to see Chakotay standing over her, holding a medical tricorder in his hand and running the hand scanner over her body. "Anything from Voyager yet?" she asked, noticing a burning sensation in her lungs. That can't be good, she thought, arching her back slightly, trying to find a comfortable position. The movement only made her lungs burn more.

"Not yet, but I'm sure they're on their way," Chakotay answered her with a shake of his head. He put the tricorder away and looked at her grimly. "I'm afraid your injured lung is filing with fluid, you've contracted an infection. I've given you something to stall its progress, but until we can get you the proper medical treatment, I'm afraid that your lung will continue to fill and the infection will spread."

"It's okay," she said, trying to sound positive. "Voyager will find us soon. Captain Janeway won't rest until she does."

That much he knew, he had seen her loyalty to members of her crew while spending five days with the woman trying to locate Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres after they had been abducted by the Caretaker. The thought of Janeway's loyalty comforted him. "Are you hungry?" he asked the counselor. "We've got fresh ration bars for breakfast this morning."

"Sounds delicious," she replied, sarcastically as he handed her a ration bar. "But I guess it's better than nothing." She munched on the ration bar for a few seconds, watching as he carefully lowered his body back down onto the floor of the shuttle and gazed out of the open hatch. "At least the view is nice."

Chakotay nodded his head, resting his hands on his knees. He had watched the sunrise over the mountains that morning, half hoping to see Voyager in the distance, swooping into a low orbit to search for them. However, he couldn't be sure that Captain Janeway knew that they were in trouble or missing from the diplomatic mission on Karva. Letting out a frustrated breath of air, he nudged the stones he had warmed the night before with phaser fire, long ago burnt out.

"Something on your mind, Commander?"

He looked at her, dark eyes studying her face. "Yesterday, when we talked, you told me about your father, the pressure to live up to his Starfleet standards, what about your mother? You only spoke of her that one time, in the shuttle before it crashed, that she was killed at Wolf 359."

Sarah fidgeted nervously. "Well, my mother and I weren't particularly close. I mean, yes I grieved for her after her death, but it didn't devastate me like losing my father did. What about yours?"

"Still alive, but always trying to talk me out the Federation and then the Maquis," he replied, with a small smile.

"My parents couldn't push into the Academy fast enough," Sarah said. "Especially when my brother decided against a career in Starfleet, the pressure to be their little Starfleet darling was even greater."

"You're brother must be worried about you now, with Voyager missing," Chakotay ventured.

She scoffed. "Luke? No way, after my father died he ripped me apart for not being there for the funeral, that Starfleet was the reason our parents were both dead at young ages and that I was only going to end up like them if I didn't leave. Of course I couldn't just up and leave, I had my work on the Borg to complete and Starfleet had already asked me to infiltrate a growing group of terrorists who were calling themselves the Maquis."

He chuckled, "We could have known each other sooner."

"Well, no, I never went on that mission," she replied softly. "After Luke basically told me that everything in Starfleet disgusted him, including me, I ran into some narcotics dealer on some deep space station, and thus began my battle with drugs. He pushed away further from me when he learned I had been arrested and was being court martial. I haven't talked to him, well, it's been almost two years now."

"He never came to visit you in rehab?"

"I never told him I was in rehab. As far as he's concerned I'm serving my time at Auckland."

"He must know by now you aren't at Auckland. I'm sure Starfleet would have informed friends and family that Voyager had disappeared," Chakotay mused.

Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure it would change a thing. He always told me that Starfleet was going to kill me one day." She laughed then, looking down at her blanket covered legs. "I guess he was right, look at me now; hanging on to dear life on some barren planet in uncharted space."

He gave her hand a reassuring pat. "You said yourself that Captain Janeway won't rest until she finds us."

"Yeah, you're right I did," she said. "What about you Commander, if the situation were reversed and you were in command, looking for the captain, would you not rest until you'd found her?"

It was an odd question, but one he knew she had to ask, to see where his loyalty lay. "Three weeks ago if you had asked me that question, I would have said, no, because the thought of joining Starfleet again was the furtherest thought from my mind, let alone being forced to serve on a Federation vessel. But, today, after all that has happened in the past three weeks, the Kazon, the Caretaker, quantum singularities; yes, I wouldn't rest until I was certain of her demise or otherwise found her."

"Even though she's Starfleet, through and through?"

"She maybe Starfleet, but she's my captain now," Chakotay answered her, tensely. "Have I given you any reason to doubt that?"

Sarah shook her head, the lose pieces of coffee hair falling in her eyes. "No," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Commander. I shouldn't be questioning you like this."

Chakotay felt immediate remorse. "No, I should be the one apologizing. I suppose my loyalty being questioned is still a sore spot, probably will be for a while." He saw her wince in pain, as she tried shifting about to get in a more comfortable position. He reached for a hypospray. "Speaking of sore spots, here's something for the pain again." Pressing the hypospray to the fleshy part of her neck, he asked, "How are you holding up?"

Sarah fell back on the makeshift pillow he had created for her using his uniform tunic and an extra blanket. "I've felt better, that's for sure."

Chakotay stood, getting her a glass of water and noticing that their supply was going down. "Here, take this. I'm going to go get some more snow so we can melt it down again."

"Keep an open comline like usual?" she guessed, drinking the water.

He grinned at her. "Of course, there's still so much that I want to learn about Sarah Barrett."

"Oh, but we were just getting to the fun part; learning all of your dark secrets," she snapped back playfully.

He laughed, gathered up the storage containers and once again trudged out into the rocky terrain to find their only source of water, snow in the higher elevations.

Usually she spent lunchtime with the children, but duty called that mid afternoon. Instead, Kathryn Janeway replicated a pot of coffee and some finger sandwiches to nibble on while Voyager cruised closer to the planet they believed Chakotay and Sarah's shuttle had landed on. Since they first traced the shuttle to the planetoid and found debris and weapon's residue on long range sensors, Kathryn had felt a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. Neelix had mentioned the Rupor were relentless when it came to outsiders in their space.

Voyager had already had one brush with them and she was sure that the ship would not be able to withstand another attack. They might have been able to disable the warship that had come to greet them, but Voyager had sustained heavy damage as well, seeing how many of her systems had been under going repairs in the first place. Voyager would not survive another attack by the Rupor. She was faced with a frightening choice; if the Rupor attacked again before they reached the planet, for there were no guarantees that the fleet Tuvok had picked up would be the first to intercept them, she would have to either turn the ship around and retreat into friendly space, leaving behind Chakotay and Sarah to die; or she would have to press onward to save her people, thus writing all of their death sentences.

There was no easy answer and she wished that her counselor was there to help her sort through the fog.

Kathryn leaned forward to pick up a finger sandwich off the plate, which was resting on her round coffee table. As she did so she felt something cold brush against her neck and she instinctively reached underneath her undershirt and pulled out a gold chain. On the end was her engagement ring, a simple gold band with a sparkling aquamarine gem in the middle. Welded to the engagement ring was her wedding band. She had taken the rings off her finger when she had gone back to active duty, after Ava's birth. Even though her marriage had ended, by the tragic death of her husband, she was not ready to part with the rings yet, so she had purchased a gold chain at some starbase, and thus started wearing them around her neck, hidden underneath her uniform. Running her fingers over the cool metal she felt tears press her eyes. I'm in over my head, Bryan. I wish you were here to give me the answers that I'm seeking.

She could almost hear his soft voice telling her that she would figure it out, his gray eyes smiling at her, how his arms had felt so sheltering when she felt out of control. She hated being out of control, hated having control taking away from her, like it was now with the Rupor breathing down her neck. Bryan I can't do this, I just can't.

But you can, Kathryn, you can, she could hear him speaking in her head, or at least what she imagined he would say to her. Bryan had often told her that he had never met a stronger woman than her; it was one of the things he loved about her, her resolve. It was the first thing he had said to her when he proposed to her.

Suddenly she was overtaken with emotion and shoved the necklace back underneath her tunic, trying desperately to fight her tears. I will not cry, I cannot cry, not now, not when I have crewmen to rescue.

Voyager shook with weapons fire and red alert came on. Tuvok's voice could be heard over the comlink, "Captain Janeway report to the bridge."

Burying all the emotions deep down inside of her, Kathryn stepped out onto the bridge, asking Tuvok for a report. The Vulcan brought his dark eyes up to hers and she could see them flicker to the view screen. Following his gaze, as he rattled off his report that Rupor warships had come in undetected by their sensors and proceeded to open fire on them, she could see three large warships, sleek in design and packing a deadly punch.

"We barely had enough time to raise our shields, Captain," Tuvok said, finishing his report.

"Hail them," Janeway ordered, still hoping for a diplomatic solution. Tuvok told her the channel was open. "This is Captain Janeway, we mean you no harm, we're simply trying to find our people."

"They are not responding, Captain," Tuvok reported.

"Return fire!"

"Firing phasers," Tuvok said. "They had no effect Captain."

Voyager groaned with another hit, and Janeway had to grip the railing near tactical to stay on her feet. Someone was yelling that their hull was losing integrity and then Paris was yelling that they were losing warp drive.

Janeway felt like the walls of the bridge were closing in around her as the Rupor continued to fire. Consoles were exploding, their shields were failing, and causalities were being reported all over the ship. If she stayed in Rupor space she risked losing more than just Chakotay and Sarah, she risked losing her entire crew, her children. Swallowing the bile that had risen in her throat, she turned to Paris. "Do we have enough power to the warp drive to get us out of here, Mister Paris?"

"Yes ma'am," Paris answered, blue eyes studying her face.

"Set a course out of Rupor space, maximum warp," Janeway instructed a tone of dread in her voice.

"Aye, captain."

Janeway felt the ship lurch with the new course, the walls seemingly getting smaller and smaller the further they moved away from the space that Chakotay and Sarah were trapped in. I've abandoned them, she thought miserably. No captain should abandon her crew, should not leave them behind. I'll be damned if these aliens bully me into leaving my people to die.

"The Rupor are not pursuing, Captain," Kim said, and then in a soft voice asked, "Does this mean we're giving up the rescue attempt?"

The Captain spun on her heel, tears threatening to escape her eyes, and Kim could see the fire smoldering in them. "No Ensign, they may have us back on our heels, but I refuse to give up trying to rescue Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Barrett. Contact the Karvaian Prime Minister, maybe they can help us."

#star trek voyager #star trek voyager fanfiction #kathryn janeway #chakotay #tom paris #sarah barrett (oc)#harry kim #tuvok #neelix #kes #the doctor (emh)#janeway x chakotay #tom paris x ofc #this way became my journey

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pixiedane · 7 years ago

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Janeway and Kasyik if he actually changed and stayed!

I love Janeway and Kashyk, but a big part of why is that they are doomed. In order for them to work, everything has to be different. That said, I like this thought experiment!

Scenario one, Kashyk is always on the side of good and the reveal doesn’t happen because he is truly attempting to help the refugees. Kashyk and Janeway succeed in their deception on the Devore, go through the wormhole or whatever, Kashyk defects to the Federation and takes up residence on Voyager, where he and Kathryn pursue a romance. This scenario sets up some potentially interesting dynamics between Kashyk and Chakotay as rivals, Kashyk and Tuvok the telepathic security chief, Kashyk and Neelix since Kashyk’s use on the ship would be similar to Neelix’s in the earlier seasons, and he and Kathryn would have to navigate their relationship around her duty and his angst, etc. But overall it’s not the most creative set up.

Scenario two, everything that happens in “Counterpoint” happens but Kashyk shows up alone in a shuttle a second time claiming to have ‘actually changed’ now. Janeway does not believe him, he begs her to listen, explains he’s not only disgraced and lost all authority, he’s branded a traitor by his people and an enemy by the refugees. Janeway is unimpressed, tells him he IS an enemy to the refugees and also to Voyager so bye. He says he has nowhere else to go, he’ll be killed. Most of the crew is like, eh, not our problem, but someone – Neelix? I mean, it would be Kes if she were still around (why wasn’t Kes listed among the telepathic crew? Suder was and he died before she left) so I guess Neelix or Tuvok (but he might play the Prime Directive card here), anyway, someone – says not saving him is the same as killing him and we are better than that. Janeway SIGHs (possibly Janeway is the someone and she can’t tell if her Starfleet Principles™ or her attraction is driving it and she is v angsty about it all), brings Kashyk on board and throws him in the brig.

He stays there at least two weeks while the senior staff argue about what to do with him. At this point they’d have to go back into Devore space to take him back and that would mean risking the ship and their telepaths all over again as well as going n the wrong direction and for what? Eventually they decide to drop him on the next appropriate planet they arrive at and be done with it (Tuvok brings up the Prime Directive here, too, but he is outvoted). Janeway heads to the brig to tell Kashyk what’s what.

Kashyk obviously hates this plan and tries to change her mind. He pitches the alternative that he (again, like Neelix in the beginning) knows about this region of space and he can help her. He provides a few examples, she starts to waver, and, again, can’t tell why. She doesn’t trust herself so she asks Tuvok to vet his sincerity and/or usefulness to the ship.

Tuvok and Kashyk have a long, twisty, conversation. Kashyk is culturally opposed to and frightened of Tuvok’s telepathy. But he’s also desperate. Ultimately Tuvok advises he remain on the ship, confined to quarters until he’s completed some kind of rehabilitation, but it’s not right to let him off on a random planet (his reasoning is Kashyk’s survival would be questionable, it’s unfair to the random population, and Janeway would blame herself).

Thus Kashyk is moved to quarters and starts meeting with Tuvok twice a week for training in sensitivity and Starfleet protocol. He is given access to parts of the database so he can read up on Federation history, philosophy, sociology, and art. He listens to music incessantly. He becomes obsessed with old Earth movies, anything starring Katherine Hepburn. He starts some kind of crafting hobby. Tuvok is his main, basically only, companion, and slowly Kashyk’s starts to question and eventually reject his telepathy bias. He becomes deeply depressed. Agonizes over all the crimes he’s committed. Mourns his society, his convictions. And he’s lonely and scared.

Janeway meets with him once a month, and anytime something comes up he might be able to comment on. Chakotay tells her to let Tuvok do it, but she insists it has to be her. About six months in they’ve already moved past where he’d be most helpful, and it’s clear to her he’s both depressed and repentant. She starts to visit him more frequently just to talk. Maybe watch one of those movies. They slowly fall back into the tentative friendship they’d shared, and the attraction, though they both suppress it, because it hurts too much. This continues for another six months.

Eventually Tuvok and Janeway petition for Kashyk to be released into the crew. There is push back, but ultimately Starfleet believes in rehabilitation and he gets a conditional release and a position in Security (though he does not receive weapons access unless directly supervised by Tuvok and then only in emergency situations). Janeway and Tuvok make an effort to be seen with him in the mess hall so as to integrate him into the crew. Neelix joins in, then Tom, and slowly the crew start to welcome him into their space. He publicly apologizes to the telepaths, and then to the crew in general. He’s good at his job and by now an expert on Earth and with some time and space he becomes part of Voyager’s crew of misfits and miscreants.

It takes two years for Kashyk and Kathryn to reunite, but they are rewarded for their patience and hard work with a relationship of equals built on acknowledgement of individual and cultural wrongdoing, redemption and forgiveness, and honesty. Which is a far cry from the deception and desperation their earlier relationship was based on. They are both better for it.

Send me a ship and I’ll give you my (brutally) honest opinion on it and/or write a scenario/give you a series rundown of my headcanons

#response #pixie ships #kathryn janeway #kashyk #janeway x kashyk #counterpoint #kinda a seska identity arc scenario

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phantom-le6 · 3 years ago

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Episode Reviews - Star Trek: Voyager Season 1 (2 of 4)

Our tour of Voyager episodes now continues with yet more episodes from the show’s debut season.

Episode 5: Phage

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Following an awkward moment where Captain Janeway finds Neelix has converted her private dining room into a galley, Voyager arrives at a planetoid Neelix claims is rich in dilithium deposits. An away team comprised of Commander Chakotay, Ensign Kim and Neelix is beamed into a network of caverns within the planetoid to search for the deposits, but what they see doesn’t match their tricorder scans. In the course of the search, Neelix is attacked by a previously undetected alien and left in a state of shock. He is beamed directly to the ship's sickbay where it is discovered that his lungs have been transported out of his body. The Doctor keeps him alive by projecting a pair of holographic lungs into his torso using the sickbay's holographic emitters. As a result, Neelix must remain absolutely motionless in a restraint for the rest of his life or until his lungs are recovered.

Another away mission is quickly organized to find the perpetrator and retrieve Neelix's lungs. They return to the planetoid and discover an alien facility behind sophisticated cloaking technology, and conclude that the facility is being used to store organic material, particularly bodily tissues and organs. The aliens escape the planetoid on a ship, and Voyager goes in pursuit. During the pursuit, Neelix begins suffer mental health trauma due to his situation, and the Doctor reveals to Kes that the current situation makes him feel overwhelmed, as he was not programmed to act as the chief medical officer, only an emergency supplement. Kes points out the Doctor has done remarkably well and has the capacity to learn what he needs to just like a biological doctor would.

Eventually Voyager catches up with the aliens and captures the two alien life forms aboard the ship. An interrogation reveals that they are Vidiians, an alien race that have been suffering for generations from an incurable disease called the Phage. The Vidiians harvest organs and other tissue from other races to replace their own in an attempt to outpace the degeneration caused by the Phage; normally they try to restrict themselves to deceased donors, but sometimes have to resort to assaulting living beings when there is an immediate need.

It transpires that Neelix's lungs have already been transplanted into one of the aliens, and Captain Janeway's ethical obligations force her to let them go rather than condemn the alien to death by retrieving the lungs. In response to her leniency, the aliens offer to help Neelix, and provide the expertise necessary to perform a transplant from another crew member, a procedure which the Medical Hologram originally considered impossible due to anatomical incompatibility. Neelix receives a donor lung from his partner, Kes, and the Doctor is given permission to begin training Kes as an assistant, giving him a possible back-up or replacement for Tom Paris.

Review:

This is the first episode of Voyager to offer up any kind of issue exploration, while at the same time developing characters and other aspects of the show. The issue exploration is done around the idea of black-market organ theft, which is shown through the introduction of disease-ridden antagonists the Vidiians and their attack on Neelix. The issue is not explored in too great a depth because the action of the attack on Neelix and the subsequent chase eats into whatever air time the character arcs aren’t occupying. As such, this episode is very much a “dipping one’s toes in the pool” effort when it comes to Voyager picking up the Trek tradition of issue exploration.

The character development side is far better, however, as we get to focus primarily on Neelix and secondarily on the Doctor for this episode. Now Neelix’s initial behaviour in the series is very much a marmite proposition; either you love it or hate it as a rule, and I personally wasn’t a big fan of it when first watching the series. However, knowing the more well-rounded character of later episodes, I know that this is just how Neelix first comes across, and this episode is the one that finally lets us see more of what else is to come. In addition, Janeway relenting over the issue of the galley later in the episode clearly shows how much Neelix is already impacting on the crew by this point. I think this also plays into Janeway’s dilemma when she learns about the Vidiians, because all of a sudden, her desires to save Neelix and to hold his attackers accountable are put at odds with Star Fleet morality and ethics, and it makes for a great scene.

As for the Doctor, this episode finally starts to show him genuinely being affected by going from an emergency back-up medical hologram to the chief medical officer of the whole ship. The Doctor, due to his initial social skill deficits and struggles for equality, is one of this show’s autism-like characters, and his feeling of being overwhelmed getting chucked in at the proverbial deep end is very relatable. As bad as this is for non-autistic people, they usually have the social skills and learning “auto-pilots” necessary to instantly adapt, whereas people on the autistic spectrum either don’t have these things, or we have trouble recognising that we have them because we struggle to see one skill as applicable to another area. Kes is instrumental in helping the Doctor to recognise that he has the skills to learn, though I certainly wouldn’t advocate her words or tone for use on an autistic person; it’s border-line bitchy at one point.

Throw in the introduction of the galley and this episode comes near to perfection, but it gets let down a bit by the lack of deeper issue exploration and Kes needing to be a little gentler with the Doctor in terms of how she speaks to him. For me, this episode racks up only 9 out of 10.

Episode 6: The Cloud

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Captain Janeway's log states that several weeks have passed and the crew have become more like an "extended family". Neelix has been serving his special recipes to the crew, to help save replicator power, but Janeway has been cut off from her regular coffee and Neelix's alternative is unpalatable. After encountering a strange nebula with signs of omicron particles, which could supplement their rapidly depleting energy reserves, Janeway orders the ship into the nebula. En route, Janeway and Chakotay discuss the lack of a ship's counsellor and the effect it could have on morale. As the ship goes through the cloud, it comes across a natural energy barrier keeping them 7000 km from the particles they need. Ensign Kim engages thrusters to breach the barrier, which closes behind them.

As the ship enters further into the nebula, it encounters trouble; the shields begin to drop in power, reserves begin to fade, and the impulse drive triggers a dangerous reaction. Voyager leaves the nebula immediately, but now must use a photon torpedo to breach the barrier. The ship has sustained damage, and unidentified material from the nebula is attached to the hull. B'Elanna Torres and the Doctor investigate the material and discover that it is organic. They now realize that the nebula is in fact a living organism, and that by breaching the barrier they injured it.

The crew find a way to heal the nebula; the Doctor points out that it has regenerative capabilities, so they need only be a helping hand. Janeway takes Voyager back inside to repair the damage done in the first encounter. Torres suggests the use of a nucleonic beam from the ship to accelerate the healing, though the ship will be more depleted than before. As they enter, the natural defences of the nebula attack the ship more intensely, lodging it deeper and further from the wound. Chakotay finds a flow of energy within the creature and believes it is a circulatory system. The ship reaches the injury using the flow, initiates the repair, and leaves as it heals.

In side stories, Neelix appoints himself the ship's morale officer, after first objecting to the ship going in and out of the nebula/creature; Janeway receives help from Chakotay in finding her "animal guide" from Native American folklore; and Tom Paris takes Kim to "Chez Sandrine", a French bistro he frequented on Earth that he has recreated in the holodeck. After the mission, Janeway and other crew members relax at Chez Sandrine.

Review:

The title plot is sadly very basic sci-fi fare with no real depth beyond being a “random life-form of the week” episode, and I commend Michael Pillar for paring this side of the story back. This enables some decent character vignettes to come in that salvage the episode. We get development of various character relationships and some decent exploration of Chakotay’s Native American customs, and Neelix ends up providing a nice counter-balance to the standard Trek attitude. I suspect part of this is meant to be giving Neelix a role as the neophyte viewer who might wonder why Trek crews hurl their ships into every anomaly going with such wild abandon. That kind of outside, objective perspective is sometimes necessary in Trek because it forces the franchise to justify itself and what it does in some way, though in this episode, the closest we get to a proper rebuttal is Kes talking about the romanticism of exploration.

The introduction of Chez Sandrine on the holodeck is also cool, but part of me wonders why a ship that’s lost in deep space and trying to conserve power would allow for regular holodeck hang-outs like this during the series. If anything, I would expect Voyager to be the series with the least holodeck episodes for precisely that reason. However, I think since the advent of holodecks in Trek, DS9 has probably had the least episodes like this because their holo-suites are run by Quark. Either way, balancing all the character stuff against the lack-lustre title plot and questionable holodeck use, I give this episode 7 out of 10.

Episode 7: Eye of the Needle

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Voyager detects the signs of a wormhole and changes course to investigate, in the hope that it can be used to shorten Voyager's journey to Earth. To the crew's disappointment, it is a decaying micro-wormhole whose aperture is only about 30 centimetres (12 in) in diameter. Nevertheless, Captain Janeway suspects that it could be used to transmit a message to the Alpha Quadrant, and launches a micro-probe into the wormhole to determine where it exits.

The probe gets stuck in gravitational eddies, and is unable to pass any further. Meanwhile, a vessel at the other end of the wormhole is investigating and making scans of the probe. The crew of Voyager detect the scans and make contact, using the probe as a communications relay. The vessel identifies itself as a Romulan ship in the Alpha Quadrant. Janeway asks the Romulan captain, Telek R'Mor, to relay messages from the crew to their families and Starfleet. At first, he refuses, but relents after Janeway asks about his own family, who are far away on Romulus.

Before long, Chief Engineer Torres suggests to Janeway that the probe could be used as a relay not only for communications, but for transporting the crew directly back to the Alpha Quadrant. Tests are conducted and all found successful. The Romulan captain volunteers to transport to Voyager to confirm the safety of transporting a life form, and will arrange for a support vessel to rendezvous and accommodate the Voyager crew. He is then successfully transported to Voyager.

It is then discovered that R'Mor is from 20 years in the past — the micro-wormhole transits through both space and time. The crew are unable to transport back to the Alpha Quadrant for fear of altering history, and similarly the Romulan cannot try to prevent Voyager's fate before it occurs without also altering events. Instead, they decide that R'Mor will deliver the messages in 20 years, after Voyager has left the Alpha Quadrant, thus preserving the timeline.

After R'Mor is beamed back to his ship, Lt. Tuvok reveals that, upon researching the computer's data banks, he has discovered that R'Mor died four years before Voyager left the Alpha Quadrant. The crew hope that R'Mor arranged for someone else to deliver them after his death, but are left with no way of knowing for certain.

In a side story, the Doctor is treated poorly by the crew of Voyager, frequently being spoken about while he’s in the room instead of spoken to. Kes, noticing this behaviour during her medical lessons, speaks to Janeway about this, who states she’s had complaints about the Doctor being brusque or even rude himself, and that they are planning to reprogram him. Kes convinces Janeway that the Doctor deserves to be treated with respect like the rest of the flesh-and-blood crew, and Janeway extends an offer to the Doctor of making accommodations to help him. By the end of the episode, the Doctor is making headway getting the crew to treat him with more respect, and asks Kes to present a list of requests to Janeway. He also tells Kes he would like to have a name.

Review:

This is our first episode to incorporate anything in the way of a potential short-cut home for the Voyager crew, and to my mind every episode we get along these lines ends up being wasted just for not coming at the end of a season, with the exception of the season 4 end-episode. The fact that an episode suggesting this occurs mid-season immediately tells you the whole thing is going to back-fire, so you go in expecting disappointment and don’t get much emotional punch from the back-fire. It turns into a very safe, and essentially bland, episode in the vein of “will the crew get home?” This is where Voyager really lets itself down as a series; never effectively using that question of getting home or not in episodes where the outcome could honestly be in question.

The side plot regarding the Doctor is a better one for me, because it serves to highlight how far the character, and indeed Trek as a whole, has to go in embodying the ideals it claims to represent. At this point in the series, the Doctor is being treated a bit like Data could be in early TNG, and while this does set up for great episodes exploring equality, it also shows Trek is not really utopian. Humanity hasn’t really gotten rid of its prejudices; they just shifted them to aliens, then onto tech-based life-forms. Only a zero-prejudice humanity in the world of Trek would mean Trek has reached utopia on that front, and this episode shows we’re nowhere near this yet. The episode also kicks off the Doctor’s search for a real-name, though annoyingly he is never named. Why is that annoying? Because I don’t like Voyager’s Doctor sharing nameless title with the main character of British series Doctor Who, largely because I’m not a Whovian and would rather both characters be distinctly named to avoid confusion. In any event, on balance I give this episode 8 out of 10.

Episode 8: Ex Post Facto

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

While on a visit to the home planet of the Baneans, Lieutenant Tom Paris is convicted of the murder of engineering physicist Tolen Ren. As punishment, he must relive Ren's last moments of life every 14 hours. As Ren's memory plays back in Paris's mind, he sees himself with Ren's wife before stabbing Ren in his living room.

Voyager discover Paris's fate after Ensign Harry Kim returns to the ship. Kim relates that Ren was helping him and Paris with a damaged piece of equipment, and invited them for dinner at his house. While there, Paris got bored and spent some time with Tolen's young wife Lidell Ren. Soon after, Tolen was stabbed to death in his living room in front of Lidell. Paris was arrested and Kim forced to leave without him.

Voyager heads to the Banean homeworld and soon arrives despite encountering the Numiri, another space-faring race the Baneans are at war with. The Baneans allow Captain Kathryn Janeway to see Paris, who denies killing Tolen even though he did spend some time with Lidell. Immediately afterward, Paris relives Ren's memory once again and loses consciousness. The Voyager crew finds Paris suffering ill effects of the treatment, and the Banean minister allows them to return Paris to the ship for medical care, on the advice of the Banean doctor who implanted Ren's memory into Paris.

Soon after, Voyager's Chief of Security Tuvok begins investigating the murder. He decides he must perform a mind meld with Paris to witness Ren's memories. As he experiences the memory for himself, Tuvok notices alien writing overplayed on top of the visions. From the memories, Tuvok establishes that Paris is innocent, recognizing that the height difference between Paris and Lidell in the memory is different from reality, and the murderer must have had knowledge of Banean anatomy to kill Ren with a single stab. Tuvok reveals the strange glyphs in the memories are confidential technical information important to the Banean war effort against the Numiri. The Banean doctor, who is Lidell's lover, had altered the memory implants to implicate Paris and use him as a means of smuggling data to the Numiri attackers. Lidell and the doctor are arrested by the Banean authorities, and the memories implanted into Paris are removed.

Review:

This episode is Trek taking a stab at an homage to film noir and classic sleuth fiction, with Tuvok acting as the “detective” in the story. It’s a decent story that’s elevated to good by the performance of Tim Russ as Tuvok, and of course any episode with a Trek actor director (LeVar Burton of TNG fame, in this case) is usually good just for having someone involved who knows what the actors are dealing with. However, I wasn’t very impressed by the final bit of evidence being a dog identifying the criminal, since there’s no guarantee alien worlds would even have dogs. This is a little ego-centric of us as humans to go off to alien worlds and thinks the life there isn’t going to be more different than we’re used to seeing. The proliferation of humanoid life is admittedly a required suspension of disbelief for most sci-fi, but since when did pet canines become a galaxy-wide thing?

The episode’s premise for the punishment used on Tom Paris isn’t terribly original; it’s just a toned-down version of the Ghost Rider’s penance stare with a sci-fi twist. Since the Ghost Rider comics where this power comes in pre-date Voyager by a few years, anyone claiming that this premise is original is either mistaken or flat-out lying. On the plus side, at least we get our first ever mind-meld from Tuvok, something TNG only did a couple of times and DS9 never did to my recollection. That said, it’s still not enough to compensate for the flaws of the episode. For me, the score on this one is just 7 out of 10.

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bhavael-song · 7 years ago

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[shore leave post] facing the past

Harry is seated on the bed of a nicely appointed room. As he hears the door open, he pushes the assorted brochures off of his lap and bounds towards the unsuspecting entrant. "Celes, remember that Thromboian stringed instrument I was telling you about? That I was regretting not getting? They have a similar one here, but it has recursive tuning abilities! I think I need it."

Not expecting him to move so quickly, Tal lets out a half-shriek when he catches her in a welcoming hug, one that soon turns to laughter at his enthusiasm. “Then you should definitely get it.” She squeezes him around the waist. “Though, you’re going to start running out of storage space in your spare closet unless this one compacts itself into a PADD-sized box like the Natimastean harp you showed me last week.”

"I'll figure something out. I know I've got a lot. It’s just that, music is important. Documenting the cultures we come across, finding similarities with our own," Harry says as the palms of his hands graze across her hips, "Finding common ground...it’s all a part of why I signed up for deep space missions."

Tal nods in agreement, ignoring the blush that heats her cheeks at his wandering hands. “The differences can also be quite fascinating to learn.” She momentarily frowns, then it fades. “At least when we find friendly people like the ones here on Laethea.”

"So far, so good. How was your evening?"

“Good. What time Mariah didn’t spend browsing for gifts for Swinn’s upcoming birthday, she spent taking photos of every type of plant that grows in the marketplace area. The Laethean shop owners were all very amused. She did have one man offer her some seeds for one of the flowers when she explained we have a hydroponics bay and like to get samples when we can. It sort of looks like it could be related to the flower that Kes a—noticed by the lagoon. Maybe it’s a domestic version of that flower. Anyway, he’ll have the seeds by morning, he told us.”

"Plants, music, they're two sides of the same coping, aren't they? But Celes," Harry's hand glide up her arms to rest on her shoulders, drawing her gaze to his. "How are you?"

“I’m okay.” Her slight frown returns, while her mind turns over why he would ask such a question. “Do I....look like I’m not?”

"No...you look as beautiful as our last shore leave, in that enchanted forest, but I've also come to know you well enough to know that your still waters run deep. You can talk to me. About anything."

So he did see me flinch at dinner. Damn it. Resisting the urge to silently curse her brother for bringing up the past, she sighs quietly. “I guess I do owe you an explanation about what happened earlier. I wanted to tell you about it anyway but—I wasn’t sure how.” She moves out of his arms, and towards the cloud-looking couch opposite the bed. “We’d better sit down. It’s....kind of a long story.”

Harry curses to himself and wished he'd been off the mark. How much more can she handle? As he sat on the couch, he resists the urge to take her hand in his.

Sitting beside him, Tal instinctively reaches for his hand again, needing the warmth of his touch to ground her. “It’s probably stupid but—it was the name of that person sitting behind us that startled me.” She shrugs but ignores the sting of humiliation that normally would have stopped her from saying more. “And my brother unthinkingly brought up in his last letter to me an encounter with someone I would have rather never thought about again. Eloser Layan. Layan was...well, we were almost engaged.”

He'd be lying if he said that the word hadn't surprised him.; but he'd been engaged himself. Libby had meant a great deal to Harry. But why had Celes never mentioned Layan to him before now? It didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was opening up to him. All he cared about was that she trusted him; with her heart and her past.

“We all grew up together, though he was Sovan’s friend exclusively when we were children. It wasn’t until our ih’tanu that Layan paid any attention to me. Any ih’tanu is a cause for celebration, of course. But, for twins, it can become a big deal. As we were the only twins in La’tai of our generation, almost everyone showed up for the gathering after the blessing at Temple—from our closest companions like Harti, Olata and our individual friends to total strangers from the far edges of the colony borders. The adults often encourage the guests of honor to speak of their intentions for the future and their adult lives ahead. Sovan just jumped right out and started talking; meanwhile, I couldn’t think of a thing. So when Olata finally asked me and I found myself having to come up with something, I said I was thinking of applying for Starfleet. And the minute I said it aloud, I realized that WAS what I wanted. The chance to learn and do more and perhaps bring something back to contribute to the community.”

She shrugs and shakes her head. “I don’t think anyone but Olata and my brother believed me. Layan certainly didn’t. We were together for nearly three years, and if Starfleet or the Federation was ever mentioned in our conversations, he would change the subject or get annoyed. I was young and stupid enough to assume that, if I could actually get into the Academy, he’d accept it and support me. I turned out to be wrong. Very wrong.”

Harry nods as half a dozen remembered conversations gain greater clarity. Reassurances provided, confidences boosted. How can she believe in herself when someone she cared for so deeply didn't? He remains silent, his thumb rubbing over her knuckle, urging her to continue.

“The Academy scouts received permission from the governing council of Resda to visit the colonies and they arrived in La’tai the day before my seventeenth birthday. I had the chance to speak with the sponsor, Commander Kuszewski, that morning and take the entrance exam. Layan and I snuck out that night to be together.” She blushes but ignores it. “We’d been sneaking around like that for a couple months and I know Harti and Olata knew exactly what we were up to, but all Harti said was to be cautious. I thought they meant getting boosters. Looking back, I think they realized what type of person Layan really was and was trying to warn me. But that night, he gave me the betrothal bracelet. And I went to bed that night happy, because I had a message on my personal comm from Commander Kuszewski saying I’d passed the exam and could sign up for the next year’s classes.”

“Harti, Olata and Sovan were surprised, but happy for me. Layan....was another story.” Her hand unconsciously tightens its grip slightly. “First, he laughed, not believing me. Then, he tried to tell me as his future wife, he wouldn’t allow it. I kept pushing back at him, and that’s when he lost his temper. He has always believed that the Federation’s lack of action meant they had just as much Bajoran blood on their hands as Cardassia did.” Her voice shakes at the memory. “He even accused me of betraying him, the memory of my parents, and my people. That’s when I slapped him and tried to walk away. He in turn grabbed me by the hair and threw me on the ground. For a minute, I feared his intent was rape but all he did was rip the bracelet off my arm, spit on me and storm out. Sovan found me an hour later like that.” Her vision blurs and she swipes at her eyes with her free hand. “He had it out with Layan the next evening and their friendship was over. He didn’t let me wallow either and even asked the commander if there was a way I could get in to an earlier class so I could get away from Layan. Luckily, there was a summer session and she was able to get me into it. I was in San Francisco a month later.”

“I haven’t even had a real relationship since then. There wasn’t anyone I felt I could trust that much....until you.” Her eyes lifted to his.

It was a lot for Harry to take in. But looking in her eyes, all he knew what how much he needed Celes in his life. He pulls her small frame into his arms, and rested her head on his chest. He tries to keep his breathing low and even and strong even as his blood boils at the thought of anyone treating her so callously and cruelly.

Feeling the tension he was obviously trying to hold back, Tal tries to control her own breathing despite the few tears that escape. Blinking them away, she rubs a hand along his arm. “Say what you need to, Harry. Don’t keep it in.”

"If I ever meet him, I'll kill him." Feeling Celes startle with surprise, Harry bends down to meet her mouth with a sweet kiss. "That is, of course, unless you would prefer to do it yourself." Another kiss seals the lighter moment, and its lingering touch restores solemnity. "Celes, I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. No one deserves that treatment, especially from someone they love. But, your past has made you stronger than you realize. You don't see it, but I do, and so does Seven, and Billy, and Captain Janeway. I love you, Celes, not just the person you want the world to see, but the person that I am so honored you let me meet."

Harry's words stun Tal. The declarations of love, she accepts and expects, but the idea that she possesses some great inner strength is a concept that's foreign to her. She swallows back the automatic denial and instead hugs him tightly. "Thank you," she whispers after several moments of silence. It seems inadequate to say just that but it's all she can think of.

His arms wrapped around her, Harry breathes her in. For so long, he was convinced he'd lost his chance, and now he regrets even more that he had let her go - that he let her think that maybe he didn't care - even if they had found their way back to each other. He understood so much more now. Releasing her from his arms, he lifts her chin to look in her eyes. "Celes, there is a lot in life we have zero control over. Like what astronomical anomaly will throw us off course, or what Neelix decides to serve for lunch. But I can tell you point blank, here and now, I will never do that to you. I can also tell you," Harry was suddenly aware that dinner was several hours in the past, "that I'm starving." Harry thumbs away a stray tear from Celes' face and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Dipping his lips to hers, he whispers, "are you hungry too?"

Tal realizes that the tension she’d been carrying in her shoulders since she’d received her letter from home has suddenly vanished. Maybe forcing herself to face that particular boryhas of her past had been what she needed. Leaning forward that last inch, she presses her lips to his in a quick, tender kiss, then leaned her forehead against his. “I know you never would be so cruel. And as to your question....” Sneaking another quick kiss, she adds, “I wouldn’t say no to a second dessert before bed.”

"Tell you what, I'll load the file of local music I picked up and you grab some of that fruit over there." Harry stood and pulled Celes into his arms. With an easy spin, they dance across the room.

She laughs as he spins her round several times and finally has to beg him to stop when she grows dizzy. The next two hours is spent poring together over the pile of brochures while the soothing sounds of Laethean woodwinds provides a backdrop. Eventually the soft music begins to make Tal drowsy, but she does her best not to show it for as long as possible.

He could see her eyelids getting heavy. When her head begins to droop, Harry knows what he has to do. Scooping her off the low couch, Celes' weary head came to rest on his shoulder. He places her gently on the bed and starts to go through the motions of removing her shoes and making her comfortable. When he looks back up at her, he sees her sleepy smile and can't resist crawling up her form and peppering kisses on her arm, shoulder, collarbone, and ear. "We should rest," Harry whispers.

“’kay,” Tal mumbles, lifting an arm in a clumsy gesture to tug at his sleeve, then patting beside her. “But only ‘f you do too....”

Kicking off his boots, Harry lifts his legs onto the bed and makes himself cozy against Celes' side. Winding his arm around her waist, he finds himself suddenly exhausted. "Nothing on this planet could tear me away."

#Voyager RP #shore leave #different perspectives #talking it out #Tal faces ghosts of the past #and hopefully drives them away for good

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doopcafe · 5 years ago

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Voyager: Learning Curve (1x16)

Voyager continues to casually stroll along at impulse through what I’m going to assume is still the Alpha Quadrant.

I take issue with Janeway’s holonovel. It doesn’t do her character any favors to portray her as distant and aloft, immersed in her own personal imaginative pleasures. When her holographic program is disrupted by a serious system malfunction, she is more annoyed than concerned. I’m left with the impression that these fake children are more important to her than the safety of her ship and crew. Not a good look, Janeway.

I’m also worried that she’s going to “fall in love” with Lord Romance Novel in her holonovel, who was introduced a few episodes back. Can we please not endorse the idea that behind every strong woman is a secret fantasy of being swept off her feet by a stronger male? That hasn’t happened yet, but I’m predicting it now, based on Star Trek’s difficulty in portraying female characters.

It’s nice to see the bio-neural gel packs make an appearance, even though it’s clear someone just CNC milled a couple aluminum blocks, stuck a sandwich bag between them, and screwed in some parts from McMaster. The gel packs were introduced in the pilot and promptly forgotten. While “gel packs get COVID-19” isn’t the most exhilarating of plot lines, it is a small step in trying to redeem the basic promise of the show’s premise. It turns out, it won’t matter anyways, because Torres is already working on a method to replace the gel packs with the traditional isolinear chips. So, that element is probably now buried.

The “Quark does something illegal and puts everyone in danger” plot device in DS9 never worked, and it still doesn’t work here with Neelix. Neelix took it upon himself to make cheese from some shit they picked up. He used funky Wuhan bacteria which then infected the bio-neural gel packs. At least in the case of Quark, he was an important part of most plots and a likable member of the ensemble. In contrast, Neelix hasn’t yet established his credentials. He’s unfunny, no one laughs at his jokes (except him), he’s psychologically and emotionally abusive towards Kes, and he’s not even a good cook. People cringe when tasting his food and they talk about it only in euphemisms: “interesting” or “uniquely flavored.” His knowledge of this part of the galaxy has so far amounted to “the Kazon are bad, stay away from them!”

I can’t help point out relatively minor elements. The Doctor’s scans didn’t reveal the virus afflicting the gel packs? The gel packs have immune systems? Tuvok claims he has cleared the deck for training, but then there’s still people walking around? He also claims he increased the gravity on their training deck by 10%, but then there’s still people walking around like normal? Is there no place in the Voyager crew outside of the traditional Starfleet structure? Afterall, Neelix and Kes are not Starfleet officers, why can’t positions be made for the former Maquis in the same manner?

In conclusion, Learning Curve is a limp finale to a mediocre first season.

#pie211-voy

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ezrisdax-archive · 7 years ago

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A concept: Ezri/Leeta but for some reason they're on Voyager not DS9 (either AU or come up with a reason they'd have been on Voyager for the Maquis mission) and fall in love while both coming to terms with (presumably) never making it back home.

oh man there's an idea (would ezri be ezri dax or ezri tegan? I'm going with dax just cause)

they room together cause they weren’t supposed to be on voyager they were only along for that one mission cause Leeta could talk to Bajorans and Ezri could act as a mediator

Leeta gets along so well with Neelix and Kes and still sometimes acts as waitress still but everyone tells her she doesn’t need to do that so Leeta is having a bit of confusion of what she’s supposed to do and has lots of talks with Ezri about it

Leeta eventually ends up becoming like the person to make up holodeck stories because all those years growing up as a servant and a dabo girl and dreaming of something more have helped her with a great imagination and so she programs holonovels and argues with the Doctor about them

Ezri meanwhile is the counselor on board and gets along well with Chakotay and Janeway and is still trying to find herself instead of being just being a Dax but it’s a little easier for her without the shadow of Jadzia being over her all the time and she and Harry also get along great because they’re young starfleet officers trying to find their place.

The two of them grow closer still, I mean they’re still the people that remember ds9 most and have inner jokes about it and miss it and consider it home so they’re really each others homes in the meanwhile

as that grows they’re relationship grows and one time Ezri goes to the holodeck to see what Leeta’s created and she can’t hep but be proud at how much Leeta made and they’re always gushing to other people about each other and B’Elanna rolls her eyes at them because they’re obvious and oblivious

constantly in danger and always seeking each other out and they eventually just sleep in the same bed cause it’s easier to help the nightmares they sometimes get and it’s just a comfort really they both say

at one point something almost goes wrong with symbiont because Ezri gets bitten by a bug and that could kill the symbiont and her and “I don’t care about that you’re my last link to ds9, I care about you!!”

the first time they kiss it’s really hesitant cause Ezri Dax is pretty sure she kissed different than Ezri Tegan did and Leeta doesn’t care at all, she’ll help Ezri find who she is no matter how long it takes and loves Ezri, all the symbiont past lives and all

they get married and Neelix is Leeta’s bridemaids/best man and Harry is Ezri’s and Leeta drags Seven to their wedding so she can witness one and Ezri gets embarrassed cause Emony and Jadzia are complimenting her on Leeta and their wedding is Bajoran done because Ezri’s had enough Trill ones for a few lifetimes

when they do get back to the Alpha Quadrant even though they weren’t prepared for it they agree to go into the future together, be that DS9 or elsewhere.

#ezri dax #leeta #ezeeta #trek femslash #Anonymous #replies in thirty minutes or it's free

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voyagerafod · 8 years ago

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Star Trek Voyager: A Fire of Devotion: Part 1 of 4: Louder Than Sirens: Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Two weeks later...

“So, that made, what, our third encounter with the Hirogen in the past month?” Neelix said as he set down a tray of various snack foods on the mess hall table where Tom Paris, B’Elanna Torres, Joe Carey, Vorik, and Chell were seated.

“That is correct,” Vorik said. “At least we don’t have to worry too much about being overwhelmed by them,” Chell said, already reaching for the food. “The reports I read said they are very nomadic and spread out. This past month seems like more of an oddity than common occurrence as far as they are concerned. They might be more dangerous overall, but I don’t really feel any more concerned about them than I was over the Kazon or the Vidiians.”

“You know,” Tom said. “With the benefit of hindsight I’m starting to wonder how the Kazon were ever able to hurt us as much as they did. Put bluntly, they were kind of stupid.”

“Seven of Nine once told me that the Borg actually considered them unworthy of assimilation,” Neelix said. That elicited a laugh from everyone at the table, except for Vorik, who raised an eyebrow.

“Ouch,” B’Elanna said. “I wonder if the Kazon they encountered were actually insulted by that.” “Next time I see her,” Carey said. “I should ask Seven if any other races were ever rejected for assimilation like that. If it turns out the Kazon are the only ones so far that’ll only make that story even funnier.”

The sound of the door to the mess hall opening caught Neelix’s attention, and he turned to look at who was entering. “This might be your chance to ask, Mr. Carey,” he said. “Seven! Sam!” Tom yelled. “Care to join us?” Seven of Nine and Samantha Wildman, who had walked into the mess hall holding hands, looked at each other. Samantha shrugged, and Seven nodded, and the two took seats next to the others at the long table. “Neelix, do you have any of those Creterakian onion rings left? Those were amazing,” Samantha said. Seven nodded, smiling slightly. “Indeed,” she said. “Among the many food items I have sampled since my removal from the collective, I’d say those by far have been the most appealing.”

Samantha frowned. “Uh, excuse me? How many times have I cooked for you?” Seven tilted her head slightly. “Four. However, I would point out that I cannot give a fair assessment as to the taste of those meals, given my biases towards the preparer.” Neelix wasn’t entirely sure, but he thought he saw Seven winking at Samantha when she said that. “Good save,” Tom muttered. Neelix had to suppress a laugh at that one. Samantha simply sighed, shaking her head slightly. “I’ll find some way to make you pay for that, Annie.” “I look forward to it,” Seven said.

“Maybe you should start using those onions in your cooking, Ensign,” B’Elanna said. “If we have any left that is.” “I’m afraid we’ll have to wait on that,” Neelix said. “The next crop is already planted in aeroponics, but it’ll be months before they’ll be full grown, let alone edible. And the batch I had from before has already been used up. Even I’m amazed at how well the dishes I used them in went over. I am glad I was able to get a decent supply of seeds before Kes threw us to the other side of Borg space.”

“It might be possible to replicate more,” Seven said. “I do not know of any inherent trait to the onions that would prevent the taste from carrying over.” “Eh, it’s not the same,” Carey said. “I mean, I know most people can’t taste the difference between organically grown and replicated food, but I always could.” “Most of the time I can’t,” Chell said. “Except for fruits though. For some reason when it’s fruit I can always tell.” “I can usually tell with Klingon food,” B’Elanna said. “Though maybe it’s purely psychological, who knows. I don’t think anyone's ever gotten around to really studying that.”

“While on its face,” Vorik said. “That would seem to be a waste of time and resources, history has shown a number of hugely beneficial technologies, medicines, etcetera that were accidentally discovered while in the process of researching something unrelated. Perhaps we should conduct such a study ourselves.” “Hmm. I don’t think that would work,” Neelix said. “We’d need a large sample size of people who didn’t grow up on replicated food. Right now, you only have me, but after four years I think that if there ever were any differences, my palate has already adapted.” Vorik’s eyebrow went up. “That is an excellent point. I had not considered that.” “It’s not a bad idea,” B’Elanna said. “But let’s table it for now. Maybe we can think of another approach to it later on. It’s not high priority though.” More people began entering the mess hall. Neelix stood up, and straightened his apron. “Well, it’s been fun chatting with you all, but it looks like it’s back to work for me,” he said.

---

“So,” Tom Paris said, shortly after Neelix had left the table. “I’ve been meaning to ask. How is Voyager’s newest couple doing?” He motioned towards Samantha and Seven. The two simply looked at each other, both of them smiling. Seven let out a small chuckle, a noise that up until now only Samantha had ever heard. Samantha rested her chin on her hands. “We are doing fine Tom, thank you,” she said. “And that’s all you’re getting out of me.” “And me as well,” Seven said. “Suffice it to say, I am quite satisfied with the current situation.” “Well don’t do too well,” Tom said in a joking tone of voice. “If you two beat me and B’Elanna for cutest Voyager couple we might have to have you killed.” “You could try, Mr. Paris,” Seven said, completely deadpan. “My senses and strength aren’t what they were when I was a drone, but they are still considerably higher than a normal human’s.” Samantha sipped from her cup of coffee, then added. “Besides Tom, you say that as though we don’t already have you outclassed.” B’Elanna laughed so loud that crewmembers at the other tables stopped what they were doing to look towards them. Vorik sighed slightly. “I doubt I will ever truly understand human humor,” he said. Chell shrugged. “I rather like it actually,” he said. “Better than Bolian humor even, and we can be pretty damn funny when we want to be.”

“Well, while you four have your little contest going,” Joe Carey said, standing up. “I believe Mr. Vorik and I have work to do in engineering.” “We would be early,” Vorik said. “But I see no reason not to start now.” He stood up as well, taking one last drink of his tea before following Carey out of the mess hall.

---

Seven of Nine turned her head to look at Samantha as the two walked down the corridor, hand in hand, towards astrometrics. “While I am 99% certain it was all in jest,” she said, “we aren’t actually involved in any competition with Lieutenants Paris and Torres are we?”

Samantha snorted out a quick laugh. “No, no, oh god no,” she said. She looked up briefly. “Though, we probably would win. If we were. Just sayin’.” “Would that still apply had I not changed into my current outfit as opposed to the one I was given when I first came aboard? That, ‘hideous silver cat suit,’ I believe you called it?”

Samantha gave a clearly exaggerated shudder. “Never mention that outfit again,” she said. “Seriously, what was the Doctor thinking when he designed that thing?”

“I did not think to ask,” Seven admitted. “At the time it seemed irrelevant. Though now, I wonder what I would look like in a proper Starfleet uniform.” “I bet you’d look great. Especially in science blues like mine. In fact…” Samantha stopped walking, and began to remove her Starfleet issue jacket. “Here, let’s see how this looks on you,” she said. Seven stood still while Samantha put it on her. “It’s a bit tight,” Seven said. “Well, I am shorter and less, um, endowed than you. But I think it looks good on you. We get one that’s more your size, and I bet you’ll look fantastic.”

“You aren’t that much shorter than me, but I see your point. I shall speak to the Captain at the next opportunity,” Seven said. “For now though, I must attend to my duties in astrometrics. I shall see you tomorrow.” “Tomorrow? Why- oh, right, you need to recharge in your alcove, I forgot it had been that long already.” Seven smiled as she handed Samantha back her uniform jacket. The two continued walking down the corridor. “Are you on the bridge today?” Seven said. “Tomorrow,” Samantha said. “I don’t actually remember who has that station today, but as for me, I’ll be in the lab.” “Very well,” Seven said.

“Oh, and before I forget,” Samantha said. “Naomi has started a new holonovel that she’s really into, so don’t be surprised if she doesn’t drop by to see either of us today.” Seven nodded. “One of us should make sure she remembers to eat a proper meal today,” she said. “Today shouldn’t be too busy. Perhaps we’ll have time to go together.” “I’ll need to run it by the Captain first, but I see no reason why that can’t happen.”

Once they reached the door to astrometrics, the two shared a quick kiss before parting ways for the day. “I love you,“ Seven whispered into Samantha’s ear. “Love you too,” Samantha said before turning to walk away. Seven quietly watched Samantha until she’d turned to go down another corridor, then proceeded to enter astrometrics.

---

What are they doing? Seven of Nine thought. She looked at the results of her recent long range scans. They were weeks away even at high warp, but she’d spotted several Hirogen ships, clustered together. While her knowledge on the race was far from extensive, this behavior seemed atypical.

She was entering a note on her PADD to look into the matter further when Captain Janeway entered astrometrics. “Captain,” Seven said with a polite nod. “How are things going down here, Seven?” Janeway said. “Fine. There are some anomalous readings I’ve found, but we are still too far away for enough data to form a hypothesis. I imagine within a few days we will be close enough to acquire the needed data. I would’ve included that in my daily report. May I ask why you’ve come to astrometrics in person?”

“I’ll be frank with you Seven. I have some, concerns, regarding your relationship with Ensign Wildman.” “Concerns?” “Seven, I understand that over the past few weeks, you’ve risked burning out on several occasions, waiting until the last moment to recharge in your alcove.” “That is an exaggeration Captain,” Seven said. “The ‘last moment’ as you put it would already be too late, as by that time I would likely be falling unconscious and therefore unable to enter the alcove under my own power. I admit that of late I will go long enough between recharges that I will be tired and not operating at peak efficiency, and I will even admit that I do this in order to maximize the amount of time I can spend with Sam. But I am not endangering myself, or this ship, with my actions.” Captain Janeway simply stood there for a moment, looking stern. “Well,” she finally said. “I appreciate your honesty. I must admit, I was expecting you to deny what you were doing, or even make excuses for it. Honestly, I should’ve known better. And you are right that I exaggerated, but not as much as you think. I’ve spoken to the Doctor, and he shares my concerns.” “I could request an alteration in my schedule, if that would allay your concerns Captain.” “That would be the pragmatic thing to do, Seven, but there is another option you’re not considering.” The Captain looked even more stern as she stepped closer. Seven suddenly felt worried. She’s not going to ask me to end my relationship, she thought. Not after she’s refused to interfere with the relationships of others on the ship. “What are you suggesting?” “Seven, did you know that as a member of this crew you’re entitled to a thing called a ‘day off?‘ It would allow you to allocate your time more effectively without risking your own safety. This ship has a crew of over 150, many of whom have at least some expertise in the field of astrometrics. I know none of them know this exact system as well as you and Harry Kim, but-” “I see your point Captain,” Seven said. “I will take your suggestion into consideration.” “Do that,” Janeway said. “As for today, I think that barring any unforeseen circumstances, I can let you take off from your shift an hour early. On the condition you use that time to recharge. I’d rather not get in between you and Samantha, Seven, but if this reckless behavior continues I might not have a choice. And trust me, I’d hate to be put in that position. The two of you seem happy together. Let’s keep it that way.” “Is that an order, Captain?” “Very much so.”

“Understood.” Seven took in a deep breath. “Captain, while you’re here, I’d like to discuss the possibility of obtaining a proper uniform.” Janeway didn’t respond for several seconds. Seven was about to repeat the question when Janeway finally spoke up. “Let me guess. A blue one, like Samantha’s?” “How could you possibly know-” “I overheard Samantha talk about how she thought you’d look better in a regular uniform a few days ago in the mess hall. I’ll take that into consideration. Honestly, I’m surprised you never asked sooner.”

Seven had to admit to herself that she wasn’t entirely sure why she hadn’t said anything about the jumpsuits she’d been given since coming aboard, but decided that the Captain didn’t need to know about that particular error. “May I return to my duties Captain?” “Carry on, Seven.”

---

Seven of Nine awoke in sickbay, wearing an unfamiliar outfit, and feeling very sore, as though she had been recently injured. The Doctor was standing over her, leaning in close to whisper to her.

“What-”

“Remain calm, and stay quiet,” the Doctor said. “There’s a Hirogen working in the bio-lab, he might hear us. What do you remember?” Seven thought about it. “I remember,” she said, pausing to make sure she was correct in what she was about to say. “Sam, and Lieutenant Paris and I were planetside, testing handheld weapons that Kovin was going to trade with us for. He wanted to show me, something, some modified rifle I think. It overloaded, hurt me. I was concerned that Sam was going to try and injure Kovin. I required the use of a dermal regenerator.” “That was nearly a month ago,” the Doctor said. “Three weeks ago there was an attack. The Hirogen overwhelmed us. You have no memory of the simulations on the holodeck?” “What simulations?”

“The neural interface must be interfering with your memory.” “Neural-?” Seven said, still feeling a bit light-headed. “The devices the Hirogen had me put in some members of the crew, to alter their memories before putting them in one of the holodecks. It makes you believe you’re a character within the program.” “Why am I in sickbay?” Seven said, though the sore spot on the back of her skull gave her some idea.

“You were wounded in the World War II simulation. The Hirogen have me patching up the crew when they get hurt and send them right back, or to another simulation. Half the crew are locked up in their quarters, the rest are fighting for their lives in these simulations.” The Doctor grabbed a device off the tray next to him and began working on Seven’s ocular implant. It was a familiar enough process that she didn’t even flinch, though she did wonder why he was doing it at that moment.

“This has been going on for nineteen days,” he continued. “But, I have found a way to disable your interface. I’ll be sending you back into the World War II simulation, but this time you’ll have an advantage.” “How so?” “I modified one of your Borg implants. Within seconds of being brought back to the holodeck it will jam the interface’s signal. Your objective is to find a control panel inside the holodeck and engage the bridge access relays. Harry and I will be able to deactivate all the interfaces, and we can get the crew back, which will give us a chance to retake the ship.”

Seven was about to ask how that would work, but she heard the sound of heavy footsteps. Without being prompted, she pretended to still be unconscious. “This is the last one,” the Hirogen said. “Install it in her, then help me replicate more.” Without waiting for a reply, she heard the Hirogen walk away. “I have to sedate you now,” the Doctor whispered to her a few seconds later. After that, she felt the familiar press of a hypospray against her neck. before she lost consciousness, she realized something very important that she’d forgotten to ask the Doctor, but the sedative kept her from saying it aloud; Samantha and Naomi, are they alive?

---

When Seven became aware again, she was wearing different clothing again, and was standing on a stage, an audience in front of her and piano music slowing to a halt behind her. She was disoriented for a second, but then remembered what the Doctor had told her. She made a show of touching her temples and wincing. “My, my apologies, I, don’t seem to, I need to sit down.”

She went over to the bar, grateful she recognized it as such. She saw Tuvok behind it, cleaning glasses. “I require a glass of water,” she said. “Make it a quick one,” she heard Captain Janeway’s voice beside her say. She turned to face her. “I am ill,” Seven said, hoping she sounded convincing. “I promised the commandant you’d be singing ‘til midnight. I’m planning to get a lot of information out of him tonight.” “I understand that is inconvenient timing,” Seven said, managing to stop herself from reflexively calling Janeway ‘Captain.’ “But I-” “I don’t care if you’re dying, get back out there.” “I would like to,” Seven said. “But whatever is wrong with me, I am, I have forgotten the words. I do not even know what song I was singing just now. I am hoping it is temporary.” “Bullshit,” Janeway said in a harsh whisper. “You’ve been a problem these past few days de Neuf, and I’m about ready to execute you myself. You keep this up we’re going to be exposed, and the Nazis will gun us all down. Is that what you want?” “Not at all, but I am no condition to be of any assistance to you right now.” Seven grabbed at her own stomach, and covered her mouth, attempting to fake illness the way that Naomi had showed her once. “Excuse me,” she said, heading towards what she believed was the establishment’s bathroom, but Janeway grabbed her arm.

“Be here tonight, or else,” she said. Seven nodded. “If I’m not dead on the floor,” Seven said.

---

When he heard the door to sickbay open again, he feared the worst. One crewmember had already died during these last nineteen days, and he didn’t want to lose another. He was surprised to see Samantha Wildman walking in, the Hirogen medic that he’d had to put up with since the simulations began right behind her. “According to the ship’s records this one has training in biology. She will assist you, since you keep complaining about being overwhelmed,” he said, giving Samantha a light shove. “I tried explaining to him Doctor,” Samantha said, “but he doesn’t seem to get that my training involves working with animals, not with sentients.”

“It will do,” the Hirogen medic said. “I suppose she’ll have to. How well did you do on your first aid exams at the academy, Ensign?” the Doctor said. Samantha sighed. “I didn’t fail,” she said. “Beyond that, I’d rather not think about it.” She looked behind her at the Hirogen medic, who was now in the Doctor’s office, looking at information on the console wall behind the desk. “Doc, is Annik- is Seven okay?” she said, lowering her voice. “She’s alive,” he said, not wanting to say anymore in case the Hirogen came back. “As for now, I think I should give a refresher on the basics. Just leave any major injuries to me and my ‘friend’ over there.”

He walked over to her, handing her a PADD with information about how to treat minor cuts, sprains, dislocations and the like. “How’s Naomi holding up?” he asked. “She puts on a brave face,” Samantha said. “But I can tell she’s terrified. I’m just glad the Hirogen have been leaving her alone.” “Children do not make good prey,” the Hirogen medic said, re-entering the room.

“Well,” Samantha said. “There’s that at least.”

---

Seven stood with her hands behind her back, as ‘Katrine,’ Janeway’s character in the simulation, pointed to the map on the table, speaking to her, as well as the characters being played in this simulation by Tuvok and B’Elanna. “You’ll maintain position here,” Janeway said. “twenty meters from the front doors. Arm yourself with a submachine gun and watch for any sign of trouble.” “We’ve observed a twenty-second break in the guard rotation at 4:15 a.m,,” Tuvok said, looking at Seven. “That should give you and Katrine time to enter the building through a storm window on the eastern wall.”

“When I was there yesterday,” B’Elanna said, “I saw guards posted at all three stairways, so you’ll have to get to the second floor through the elevator shaft. The command post’s in the main gallery at the end of the hall.” “Once inside,” Janeway said, “we plant the charges and load the transmitter. We leave in one hour.” “I’ll make sure that all evidence of the underground here gets destroyed if anything goes wrong,” B’Elanna said. “But, God willing I won’t have to.” “From your lips to his ears,” Janeway said. Seven nodded in agreement with the others, then headed over to the table where the explosives for the mission were set up. She took one of the grenades out of the case and looked it over, lamenting that knowledge about such archaic weapons had not been included in the memories the Borg had given her. At least I know enough not to accidentally blow myself up, she thought.

“Are you having second thoughts about our mission tonight?” Janeway said.

“No. Why do you ask?” “You seem distracted. Just now you forgot to connect the detonator to the explosives.” “I did? That doesn’t seem right,” Seven said. She had managed to use her enhanced hearing to eavesdrop on the others. As such she learned that her character in the simulation was an explosives expert. “First you forget song lyrics, now this? I’m tempted to just leave you behind,” Janeway said. “Understandable,” Seven said. “But I need to see this through.” “Good,” Janeway said, loading a clip into a pistol. “Let’s just hope we don’t get anymore screw ups from you tonight.” Seven nodded, then turned to follow Janeway as she and Tuvok made their way to the Nazi HQ. Once inside, the two quickly made their way in, quietly sneaking up behind the Nazi soldier who was working at the radio on the second floor. Janeway struck him over the head with a blunt weapon. “Set the charges here, and there,” Janeway said, pointing to two spots in the room. She looked at a piece of paper on the table next to the radio. “This looks like it’s from one of their recon teams.” Janeway took the headset off the Nazi slumped in his chair and put it on her own head while Seven looked for a control so she could finish her mission for the Doctor. She found it on a bookshelf, and began quietly removing books while Janeway talked to herself about what she was hearing from the transmitter. Soon she had it exposed, and she began pushing buttons and moving isolinear chips. “They’re moving armored units into the valley,” Seven heard Janeway say. “They must know the Americans are coming! We need to… What is that?” Not good, Seven thought. “I believe it is a transmitter. I am attempting to disable it,” she said. As she did so she imagined she could hear Samantha’s voice whisper in her ear about what a terrible liar she was. “You haven’t set the charges,” Janeway said. “You’re trying to send a message to the Nazis.” “No,” Seven said. She heard a sound that it took her a few seconds to put together. Janeway had taken her gun out from it’s holster. “Step away or I’ll kill you,” she said. Seven turned to face her. “I told you, no more mistakes. You just made your last-” Janeway suddenly gasped in pain and grabbed at her neck, right where her neural interface would be. “I can assume you’re back to normal Captain?” Seven said. “Seven, what the hell is going on? Why are we dressed like this, and why are we in a room full of Nazi symbols?”

“I’ll explain as quickly as I can,” Seven said, telling Janeway everything the Doctor had told her about the Hirogen and the takeover of Voyager.

“If the Doctor has my link disabled hopefully he’s gotten to everyone else as well,” Janeway said. “Let’s see if we can get this simulation shut down.” Janeway walked over to the control panel and stood next to Seven, but before they could get to work, they heard gunfire outside the window; energy weapons and gunpowder weapons. “Hirogen hunters,” Seven said after going to the window and peeking outside. “Internal scanners show thirteen of them on this holodeck,” Janeway said. Soon, more gunfire could be heard, followed by a loud noise. “Air raid sirens,” Janeway said. “It would appear that the Americans have arrived,” Seven said. “We need to clear out of here before they blow up the building,” Janeway said, heading for the exit. Seven followed close behind her. As they made their way out the front door she heard a loud whistling noise. “Incoming!” Janeway shouted, running faster and diving for cover. Seven followed right behind her as an explosive shell struck the building, blowing it apart. Catching her breath, Seven looked over at Janeway. “Are you uninjured Captain?” she said. “I’m fine,” Janeway said. “Oh, and Seven?”

“Yes?” “If we survive this, maybe don’t mention to Samantha that I almost shot you.” Seven was about to reply that the thought hadn’t even occurred to her, when she noticed that the combat noise had stopped. She looked up, looked back towards the now-former Nazi headquarters, and saw that a large chunk of the holodeck had been blown up as well. From her vantage point she could see into three of Voyager’s decks. “That’s gonna take more than a patch job to fix,” she heard Janeway say. “An understatement to put it mildly,” Seven said, noticing off to her side a number of men dressed in American military uniforms, some crew members some not, making their way towards the hole in the holodeck wall.

---

Samantha was certain she was about to get shot. The Hirogen medic had spotted the Doctor as he was disabling Janeway’s neural interface after the connection had been made and had stopped him before he could free anyone else. He had the hologram at gunpoint, which would be an amusing sight under better circumstances since the Hirogen had already hidden away his mobile emitter. And Karr, the Hirogen leader, was there too, demanding to know who else the Doctor had activated. They didn’t seem to notice her until she tried to slip away, but now they had her standing next to the Doctor, a rifle on her as well. The sound of an explosion echoed through the hull. Karr ran out, hailing the bridge as he did so. The Hirogen medic kept his rifle trained on Samantha. “We may not be able to reactivate the two neural interfaces you shut down,” he said. “but at least I can prevent you from deactivating any more. Your Captain, and this Seven of Nine, are not strong enough to defeat us by themselves.”

“I find it best not to underestimate the Captain,” the Doctor said, sounding smug.

Samantha was about to add her own comment about her Borg girlfriend, but the sickbay door opened, and more wounded people, Starfleet and Hirogen, were coming in. The Hirogen medic groaned. “Let’s get to work,” he said, lowering his rifle. “I’ve already disabled the link to the holodeck, there’s nothing more you can do to harm us.”

---

Seven followed Janeway into the Jeffries Tubes, the two of them trying to get back into the holodeck to try and recruit help to clear the way to sickbay. Only one Hirogen lifesign was there, as they’d discovered from the astrometrics lab, but the path was heavily guarded. There was a human lifesign in there as well; Samantha Wildman’s according to the internal sensors.

Seven tried to stay focused on the mission, but she couldn’t help but fear the worst; that Samantha had been put through one of the Hirogen simulations and was injured. The scanners showed her lifesigns as stable, but even if the injury was a minor one, the thought of it was enough to have Seven feeling anger. She did not like feeling anger. She did not like the thought of her lover being harmed. The Hirogen were responsible for both feelings, even if Samantha turned out to be unharmed. I will make them suffer in ways they can’t even imagine, she thought.

“Seven, you still with me?” Janeway said. Seven hadn’t realized she’d slowed down her crawl through the tube. “My apologies Captain, I was distracted.” “I’m sure she’s fine, Seven.” Janeway said. “Captain, have you secretly been telepathic this whole time, or have I become that predictable?” “I thought the Borg liked routine,” Janeway said. “But I am not fully Borg. I would’ve thought the fact of my romantic entanglement with Ensign Wildman made that obvious.” “Well, you got me there, Seven,” Janeway said. “No, it’s not that you’re predictable. It’s that if it were someone I loved being held hostage by Hirogen, I’d want to tear the bastards apart with my bare hands.” “A crude but accurate description of my sentiments,” Seven said. “Here we are,” Janeway said, opening the panel, and climbing out into Le Coeur de Lion. Seven stopped briefly when she heard the now familiar sound of guns cocking. “Hold your fire,” Janeway said as she crawled out, Seven following close behind her.

---

Harry Kim walked down the corridor, carrying a kit. The sound of gunfire off in the distance was odd to him, but he strangely didn’t feel too bothered by it. He spotted the Nazi soldier before the soldier had a chance to turn around. Harry gripped his kit tighter, and ran at him, slamming it hard into the soldier’s head. He brought it down again, picturing a Hirogen hunter in his mind as he did so. “Whoa, ease up there!” he heard a voice behind him say. Harry turned around, ready to hurl the kit at whoever it was, but saw the face of his best friend. “Tom?”

“Wrong guy,” Paris said, wearing an American soldier’s uniform, and carrying a handgun. Another soldier stood just behind him. Harry couldn’t quite tell through the grime on his face if he was another crewmember with their neural interface still on, or a holographic character, but both men had weapons trained on him. Harry sighed and dropped the kit. “Let me guess, you think I’m Japanese right?” “Why shouldn’t I?” Tom said. “Hell, only reason I didn’t shoot you on sight is ‘cause I saw you killing that kraut there.” “That? Yeah, well, I’ve had a rough month and he happened to be in my way,” Harry said. And it wasn’t far from the truth. Ever since the Hirogen had taken Voyager he’d had several flashbacks to the Year of Hell, and his anger had been building up, and building. But with the chaos of World War II spilling on to the ship he finally had a chance to get away from the Hirogen and do what he needed to do to retake the ship. “He cheat you at poker or something?” Tom said. Harry thought about it for a moment. He’d learned a little about Earth’s second world war in history class as a kid, but he’d learned more since the Hirogen had created the simulation on the holodeck. “He kept calling me Japanese,” Harry said, scowling. “I’m Korean.” “Korean huh? Okay, I buy that. So where are you going?” “I’m on a mission for Katrine,” Harry said, glad he’d paid attention to what was going on in the simulations before the bridge lost all connection with the holodeck. “You’re working with the French resistance?” Tom said. “Yep.” “Mind if I ask why?” “Long story. Suffice it to say there’s a girl involved.” Tom nodded, motioning the other soldier to go on ahead of him. “Ain’t that always the way? Well, whatever it is, good luck. Try not to get killed.” “Thanks. Oh, and by the way, there are some Nazis running around with some heavy armor on, way tougher than the regular kind. They’re some kind of special ops team. If you run into any of them, aim for the head.” “Aim for the head. Got it. Thanks, Korean,” Tom said, saluting casually as he started off down the corridor. Harry waited for him to be out of sight before continuing on his own way, stopping to give the dead Nazi on the ground one last kick as he passed.

---

Seven of Nine had been ordered to modify the weapons that the resistance fighters had using Borg technology, so she was doing so. Having snuck her way to cargo bay 2 to grab some gear from her alcove, she was back in the simulation, and had started to work on modifying the grenades when Tuvok, still in character, came up to her. “Where have you been?” he said, clearly still suspicious that she was a German spy. “Obtaining supplies. I stole some German technology from the exposed bunker, and I am using it to upgrade our weaponry.” The shockwave of an explosion shook the bar.

“Speaking of the Germans,” she added, “shouldn’t you be at the window, providing covering fire?”

Tuvok glowered at her. “Very well,” he said. Seven sighed as she went back to work. The Captain had better get the other interfaces turned off soon, she thought. It’s one thing to play a character on the holodeck with Sam, but this…

---

Samantha had once again been sure she was done for when the Doctor had disappeared, but the Hirogen medic, to his credit, did not attempt to blame her for it as he’d been looking at her when it happened. Instead he simply ordered her to use dermal regenerators on some wounded Hirogen that had been brought it. She did so reluctantly, but her desire to see Naomi and Annika alive again kept her going.

She heard the jeffries tube door open while the medic was informing the bridge that nine Hirogen hunters had been confirmed dead and that the Doctor was missing. She glanced up to see if he showed any sign of hearing it himself. Unfortunately, it seemed he did. “Hold on a moment,” she heard him say.

The Captain crawled out, holding a type of gun Samantha didn’t quite recognize. Soon Commander Chakotay came out behind her, dressed in some type of military garb. The Hirogen medic spotted them, but they already had their weapons trained on him.

“You,” the Hirogen said. “There are ten pounds of explosives right under the floor here,” Janeway said. “If you want to live, you’ve got less than three minutes to clear out. Samantha, is there anyone else here?”

“No one alive ma’am,” Samantha said.

“Good. Captain?” Janeway said to Chakotay, confirming Samantha’s suspicion that Chakotay was still under the influence of the neural interfaces. “Get this man out of here. Sam, go with them.” “Yes ma’am,” Samantha said. She started to follow Chakotay as he ushered the Hirogen medic out at gunpoint, but stopped. “Captain,” she said, looking at Janeway. “Is-” “Seven’s alive,” Janeway said. “She’s with the resistance fighters. Now go.” Samantha nodded, and headed out. By the time she caught up with Chakotay, she spotted two Hirogen hunters coming around the corner. Chakotay tried to shoot at them, but the Hirogen medic was able to knock him aside. She ran in the opposite direction, feeling a pang of guilt at leaving Chakotay behind, until she heard more gunpowder firearm noises. “Keep going!” she heard Chakotay yell. She turned briefly to see him running behind her, turning around to fire his weapon behind him. Several seconds later there was yet another explosion.

---

Seven glanced up when she heard Tom and B’Elanna wincing. Tuvok was also gripping at his neck. Seven actually smiled. She walked over to them, noticing that all three looked confused. “We’re on the holodeck, and we’re under attack. We must-”

She was interrupted by the sound of the door being kicked in. Soon one of the holographic Nazis entered, followed by a Hirogen in a Nazi uniform, and additional Hirogen hunters, all of them with guns drawn. “Drop your weapons,” the holographic Nazi said. Seven did so reluctantly, as did Tom and B’Elanna, Tuvok’s weapon already dropped when his neural interface had shut off.

One of the Hirogen, using a Starfleet communicator, contacted the bridge, while one of the Hirogen lined the four crewmembers against a railing. “Bridge, this is Holodeck 1. We have seized the building, and found another entryway into the holodeck.” “Good work Turanj,” the Hirogen’s leader said over the comm. ”Seal that entrance immediately. How many captives have you taken?” “Four,” Turanj said. “Their neural interfaces have been disabled. I will make the kill.”

“No! They are not prey, they are hostages. I will need them.” Turanj scowled. Dissension in the Hirogen ranks, Seven thought. Perhaps this could be used to our advantage.

“Very well,” Turanj said. “You,” he added, pointing to one of the other Hirogen. “Help me seal this hatch.” “So,” Tom Paris said, “What do you think? Boy or a girl?” Seven turned and saw that Tom was looking at B’Elanna’s ‘pregnant’ body, a creation of the simulation. “It is a holographic projection,” she said.

“A very realistic one,” B’Elanna said. “I can actually feel the damn thing kicking.” “I don’t recognize this program,” Tuvok said. “I do,” Tom said. “Given your interest in 20th century Earth history that is hardly surprising,” Seven said. The non-Hirogen Nazi made a loud throat clearing noise to get the attention of the Voyager crewmembers. Straightening his uniform he walked towards them, his eyes focused on B’Elanna.

“What’re you staring at?” B’Elanna said, looking like she wanted to tear the man’s throat out. Given what Seven had learned about the Nazis in both her observations in the simulation and the few things Janeway had been able to tell her while they were calling through the jeffries tubes, she had to admit that she wouldn’t have minded seeing that. “Stand up,” he said. B’Elanna got to her feet with difficulty. “You deceived me,” he said. “Figured that out on your own did you?” B’Elanna said. “I should’ve known all along. The thought of you carrying my child disgusts me.” “Yeah well, join the club,” B’Elanna said. The Nazi struck her across the face so hard that Seven found herself wincing in sympathy. Tom immediately leapt up, both to keep B’Elanna from falling over but also to hold her back from striking back at the Nazi, an act that would assuredly get them all killed. “Pig,” Tom yelled at him. “I have had the opportunity to interact with pigs on the holodeck,” Seven said, referring to one of Naomi’s favorite programs. “I would not denigrate the animals by comparing them to the Nazis.” Tom smirked. “Yeah, good point.” The Nazi who had struck B’Elanna pulled out his gun on Tom, obviously struggling to contain his own rage. Seven tensed to try and tackle him.

“Put the weapon away,” Turanj said. “Now.”

The Nazi looked back at the Hirogen, then back at Tom and B’Elanna, before shoving the weapon back into its holster.

---

Samantha went back toward sickbay, carefully trying not to be noticed, Chakotay a few steps ahead of her checking to see if the path was clear. The Commander’s neural interface had gone off-line, and Samantha had filled him in on what she knew. “Any sign that the Captain made it out of sickbay before it blew?” she said. “I couldn’t tell,” Chakotay said. “I was too busy trying to get clear.” They reached sickbay, or rather what was left of it. Despite the size of the explosion, and the fact that said explosion took out the sickbay door, there was far less damage than either of them had feared, although many consoles would definitely need to be replaced. “No signs of bodies,” Chakotay said. “The Captain’s or that Hirogen medic, whatever his name is.” “Actually, I don’t think he ever said it. I don’t even know if he has one, I’m not up on Hirogen customs,” Samantha said. Chakotay searched over sickbay one more time. “Tell me Sam, how did you do on your last hand phaser test?” “Bare minimum,” she said. “And that was with Mr. Tuvok giving me lessons.” Chakotay handed her a dropped Hirogen rifle. “I’ve got it set on stun, so don’t worry about hitting a bulkhead. Come on, this way.” “I’d really rather go check on Naomi,” Samantha said. “She’ll be safer once we’ve retaken the ship. Now come on,” Chakotay said. “We’ve still got people in occupied France to rescue. Just stay behind me, and don’t take any shots you aren’t 100% sure of.” “All right, fine. At least the Hirogen are big targets. If we were having to deal with the macrovirus again I wouldn’t stand a chance of hitting anything.” She looked at the weapon in her hands. “The Hirogen have stun settings?”

---

Seven watched as Turanj poured himself a glass of wine from behind the bar. She believed that if she kept focusing on him long enough, she’d find the right opportunity to either strike at him, or at the very least chip away at his confidence in his superior on the bridge in order to create an internal conflict for the Hirogen. “Synthetic,” he uttered as if the word were a curse. “And undrinkable. I grow tired of this simulation.” He looked over at the captives. “I should be impressed at how well you have managed to survive so far,” Turanj said. “You have been good prey. But I can’t enjoy it properly because of all this nonsense.”

“Mein Herr, a word?” the Nazi said. The Hirogen sighed. “Nonsense such as these holograms. What do you want?” “Sir, I want to know what it is we are waiting for. Why don’t we just execute these prisoners?” “Orders. From the commandant,” Turanj said, almost spitting out the last word. “I have a feeling this is gonna get really ugly,” Tom Paris whispered. “I second that opinion,” Seven said.

“May I speak freely?” the Nazi said. Seven didn’t hear a reply, and could only see the back of Turanj’s head, but the Nazi continued speaking. “The commandant has been acting strangely these past few days, questioning German superiority. Perhaps we shouldn’t follow his orders so blindly. Simply a suggestion.” “You will follow his orders, for as long as I tell you to.” “I don’t know how much longer I can stand-” “Are you bored?” Turanj said, interrupting. “Perhaps you would like some entertainment while we wait for the commandant’s orders.” Turanj walked over to Seven and pointed at her. “You. Sing.” Is he serious? Seven thought. “I will not,” she said. Turanj responded by pulling out a pistol. “Sing, or die.” “Then I will die,” Seven said, standing up, and staring the Hirogen directly in the eyes. “Seven,” Tuvok said. “You are a valuable member of this crew. Logically, -” “Logic is irrelevant,” Seven said.

“Seven, think about Sam and Naomi,” Tom said. Seven blinked. She stayed silent for a long moment. Turanj raised the pistol so the barrel was pointed directly at her forehead. Seven had a flash of memory; of Samantha’s body pressed against her own in the sonic shower in her quarters. Then another image, just as powerful but less erotic. The site of Naomi laughing and smiling as she played with holographic representations of a number of Earth animals. “Very well,” Seven said bitterly. “I will require backing music.” “I think that can be arra-” “Bridge to Holodeck 1,” the voice of the Hirogen commander, came over the comm. “I’ve come to an agreement with Captain Janeway. Call a cease-fire.” “What?!” Turanj said, his weapon hand shaking slightly. “Captain?” Tuvok said. “It’s true Tuvok,” Janeway’s voice replied. “Our first order of business is to call off the troops. I want you to find Chakotay, and get him to convince his soldiers to pull out of the city.” Turanj put his weapon away, much to Seven’s surprise. She had expected him to disobey orders right then and there.

“Aye Captain,” Tuvok said. “Turanj, order our hunters to end the fighting,” the Hirogen commander said. Diplomacy works better than I ever gave it credit for, Seven thought. Perhaps I should look into taking lessons on the subject.

“This is madness!” the Nazi yelled, but Turanj cut him off with a raised hand. “Our civilization depends on this agreement,” the Hirogen commander said. “Acknowledged. Release the prisoners,” Turanj said. He didn’t sound happy about it, but Seven didn’t find that too surprising as she sometimes felt the same way about following some of Janeway’s orders. Soon all four Voyager crew members were heading out into the holographic daylight. “That could’ve gone a lot worse,” Tom said, putting his arm around B’Elanna once they were outside. Seven looked back at the door as it closed behind them. “To use one of your colloquialisms Mr. Paris,” she said. “I don’t think we’re out of the woods just yet. I think Turanj may still be a problem.”

---

The shooting had already stopped by the time Chakotay and Samantha had reached the unfinished barricade, just in time to meet up with Tuvok, Tom, B’Elanna, and much to Samantha’s joy and relief, Seven of Nine. “Annie!” She ran forward, dropping the Hirogen rifle. Seven jogged forward herself, the two women throwing themselves so hard into an embrace they almost fell over. “Sam, I am glad you are uninjured. Is Naomi-” “Safe,” Samantha said. Samantha felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to see Tom Paris, also in military garb. “I hate to break up the reunion here,” he said. “but a lot of these soldiers are holograms of 20th century humans, and back then relationships like yours weren’t exactly treated with respect.” Samantha looked around. Most of the soldiers were focused on their duties, but a few were giving her and Seven looks. Some of them looked disgusted, others looked aroused as though they expected the two of them to strip naked and have sex right there in the street. She sighed. “All the more reason to end this sooner,” she said. “Agreed,” Seven said.

Chakotay came up to them, Tuvok and B’Elanna alongside. “All right, the order’s been given,” he said. “Now we just wait for the Captain.” “You know,” Tom said. “I’m not going to lie, if this were a simulation I was running on my own time, with the safeties on and no risk to the whole ship, I’d actually be enjoying this.” “I find that odd,” Seven said. “given that the death toll in this war, despite being limited to one planet, was larger than that of the Tholian War and the Cardassian border skirmishes combined.” “Well, when you put it that way-” Tom started to say, when the gunfire started. “Shit!” Tom yelled as he went for cover. “Language!” Seven yelled as she followed. Soon all the Voyager crew and a number of holographic American soldiers were firing back at the Nazis and Hirogen who had fired on them. “So much for the cease fire!” Samantha yelled, as she ducked behind an upturned automobile. “”I know this probably isn’t the best time for this,” B’Elanna said as she tried to work a 20th century era pistol, “but we’re not just going to ignore the fact that Seven of Nine just went ‘langauge’ are we?” “You’re correct, this is not the best time!” Seven shouted over the sounds of combat, briefly coming up from cover to fire several rounds at the Nazis. “You understand that if we survive this, making fun of you for that is almost an obligation,” Tom said. “Stop teasing my girlfriend and shoot the bad guys already!” Samantha yelled. “She got it from you didn’t she?” B’Elanna said.

---

Seven was running on adrenaline almost entirely by the time night fell in the simulation. In all that time, the shooting had hardly let up, and her crewmates and the American soldiers were surrounded. Not even Samantha managing to retrieve the Hirogen weapon she’d dropped before they’d been completely routed from their original position had been able to turn the tide of battle in their favor.

Seven couldn’t even remember when she had last been in her alcove, but she had to imagine that for her to have lasted this long the Hirogen had probably put her in it in between simulations. She was trying to stay focused on the task of modifying their grenades. “How’s it coming along?” Chakotay asked her. “I’m modifying this explosive device to emit a photonic burst. It’ll be harmless to organic tissue.” “Clever. I thought you didn’t know how to work with 20th century explosives.” “I am not an expert, and were this not a desperate situation I’d actually be advising against what I’m doing, but our options are limited. This should disrupt all holographic activity within twenty meters.” “We’ll buy you some time, keep at it,” Chakotay said before heading back to the barricade to continue firing.

After a few more moments, Seven was certain she got it. She shifted up to the barricade, trying to stay low in order to avoid being shot. “Good luck Annie,” Samantha said, firing over the barricade. Seven nodded, stood to throw the grenade, then felt a biting pain in her shoulder, the impact of which made her fall back and drop the grenade. “Annie!” she heard Samantha yell. “Sam, stay down!” B’Elanna yelled. There was a noise, and a green light. Through a haze of pain, Seven saw that her grenade did in fact work, but on the wrong side. American soldiers, her crewmates rifles, and all the other grenades and explosives vanished. Tears welled up in Seven’s eyes, but not from the pain. So close, she thought. “I’m sorry,” she tried to say, but it was so weak she doubted anyone heard her. Within seconds the sound of gunfire had stopped, and she heard a thick accented voice say the word “Surrender.” And then, as if to add insult to injury, it began to rain. Who wrote this simulation? Seven thought as German soldiers hoisted her to her feet. The soldiers lined her, Samantha, Tom, Tuvok, and Chakotay against a wall, while their commanding officer held a tight grip on B’Elanna’s arms. “Prepare to fire,” he said. “Their deaths will-” The sounds of clanging metal and screaming came from the other end of the street. Seven tried to turn her head to look but it hurt too much. “Klingons,” Samantha said. “Okay. Not what I expected, but you certainly could do worse for back-up.” “I think that there was an ancient Klingon blood feud that was running on the other holodeck,” Chakotay said. “Remind me to thank whoever brought them over here. Sam, stay with Seven. Everyone else let’s finish this fight.” “Aye sir,” Tom said with obvious excitement. Seven slid down the wall to sit on the pavement, feeling dizzy from blood loss. Samantha had removed her jacket and was pressing it into Seven;s wound to stem the bleeding. “C’mon Annie, stay awake,” she said. “Not difficult. The battle is rather noisy. Annoyingly so I would say,” Seven said, wanting very badly to go to sleep. “Hey, Annie, can I tell you something?” “Of course.” “I really liked your hair the way they had it in the simulation.” “It wasn’t my idea.” “I know, I know.” “Sam?”

“Yes?” “I love you.” “I love you too.” There was a sudden noise, followed by a sudden lack of noise. Seven glanced up to see that all the Nazis, and all the Klingons except for one that looked oddly similar to Neelix were gone as well. She also realized finally that one of the American soldiers she’d assumed was holographic was actually Lieutenant Ayala. How did I not notice before? she thought.

“It’s over,” Chakotay said. “Let’s go.”

---

When Seven recovered from her gunshot wound, she awoke in a still half destroyed sickbay, both Samantha and Naomi Wildman at her bedside. “I do hope I didn’t lose almost a month worth of memories this time,” she said. “No, only several hours,” she heard the Doctor say. “It’s a good thing I got to you when I did, you lost a lot of blood.” Seven tried to sit up, but found it difficult at first. It took a second try, but she was finally able to survey just how much damage had been done to sickbay while she was back in the simulation. “It is astonishing that this much damage was caused by centuries-old explosives technology,” she said. She turned to Samantha. “Are the Hirogen gone?” “Not just yet,” Samantha said. “but we do have a cease-fire. A real one this time. It looks like they’ve accepted a deal. They’ll leave us alone in exchange for holodeck technology. Not sure how I feel about that right now to be honest.”

“I’m just glad they're going away,” Naomi said. “They were scary, and smelly, and…” “And they’re gone,” Captain Janeway said as she walked in. “They beamed off and warped away about five minutes ago. How are you doing Seven?” “I am not entirely without pain just yet, Captain, but I will recover.” “Good to hear.” “Captain,” the Doctor said, “if you don’t mind me asking...” “Sickbay is a top priority for repairs Doctor, don’t worry, We just need to get some more of our power relays up and running first. We’re going to put down for repairs. We found a small planetoid with the right gravity. We won’t be able to leave the ship since the air lacks enough oxygen, but we’ll be safe.” “Doctor,” Seven said. “If I’m cleared to leave sickbay, I need to spend some time in my alcove. I’ve not been in for a full recharge for several days at least.” Samantha sighed. “I was hoping we could spend the next few days together, considering how long the Hirogen had us separated.” “That time together wouldn’t be very long if I ceased to function properly in the middle of it,” Seven said. “The recharge time is inconvenient but necessary.” “I would say no normally given your injuries,” the Doctor said. “but I also have fewer biobeds to work with so I’ll go ahead and clear you, but with the caveat that I want Ensign Wildman to check in on you every hour until you’ve recharged and can return to sickbay for a follow up.” “I can do that,” Samantha said. “Not much use for a xenobiologist when it comes to repairing EPS conduits.” Seven let both Samantha and Janeway help her out of the bed. She found that she could walk fine so long as she walked slowly, so she kept holding on to Samantha’s arm as she let go of the Captain’s. “Thank you, Captain,” Seven said.

#a fire of devotion #part 1 #chapter six #star trek voyager #fan fiction #sam7

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