Virtual Season 7.5

Passages

episode 3

Welcome to Voyager Virtual Season 7.5. Our goal is to redo Voyager's seventh and final season to fit our vision of what could have been. The first four episodes are set before Shattered, then we split completely from official canon.

Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy a Voyager two-parter.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns the rights to ST Voyager and all things Trek. We, unfortunately, will return their toys when we are finished...Well, maybe not.

Passages I

By: Cybermum

Prologue

The Federation Starship Voyager hung suspended in space, her sleek metallic hull illuminated only by her own running lights. She was in what her crew referred to as a void, another in a series of seemingly endless corridors of space devoid of stars, planets, formations or any other signs of life, that they had come upon over the course of their long journey home. Voyager's crew had almost become accustomed to these voids, and had slowly learned to use the time it took to cross them to their advantage; relaxing as much as they were able; catching up on paperwork; making repairs; and adding to or upgrading the ship's systems. They had acquired and developed a great deal of extra technology on their way across the Delta Quadrant and their captain often wondered whether Star Fleet command would be more interested in her logs, or in actually crawling through her ship with magnifying glasses when they finally got home. She guessed that just the Borg modifications would keep them busy for years.

The ship shuddered and a shockwave emanated from her deflector dish. A flash of light followed and the black velvet space that surrounded the ship seemed to ripple away from her into the nothingness.

~*~

B'Elanna Torres took a short breath and impatiently blew at a strand of hair that had fallen across her eyes. She was on her knees and elbow deep inside a relay station and the recalcitrant wisp was just one more irritation in a series of annoyances that had plagued her all morning. She made one last adjustment to the EPS network, stood up, and turned to her control station.

"Okay, let's do it again."

"Yes ma'am." Harry Kim replied and she rewarded him with a glare that would have done Kathryn Janeway proud.

"That's not funny Harry. We're sitting ducks right now. The warp core's off line and we can barely move at impulse. I promised the captain I'd get the defense system recalibrated and back up and running today, and I'm going to do it."

Voyager's engineering staff moved quickly and efficiently to obey her orders. She had promised them all extra time off if they met her deadline, and besides Lieutenant Torres was on a tear today, and no one wanted to incur her displeasure.

"Harry, we can get this to work. Adjust for gravimetric shear another three degrees. That should reduce the pulse and eliminate the reverberation."

Harry's fingers flew over his console as he made the corrections she requested.

"Activate the conversion matrix and begin the countdown. Let's go."

"Activated."

"Countdown to begin on my mark." She paused for a moment and made another entry on her console. "Now."

"Counting down from 10 seconds" Harry responded.

Voyager vibrated again as she sent another shockwave out into space.

"Damn." B'Elanna checked the readings on her console. "Harry, are you sure you made it exactly three degrees? Check the"

"B'Elanna, I've adjusted it six times, exactly to your specifications. Maybe we should take a break."

"I don't need a break. I need this to work. Seven"

"I am here Lieutenant." The former drone appeared almost immediately at B'Elanna's elbow.

"I asked you to realign the deflector to compensate for the neutrino bursts."

"I have done as you directed Lieutenant. The problem is not with the deflector."

"Don't tell me what the problem isn't. Let's find out what the problem is."

She tossed her a PADD that had been resting on the edge of her console.

"Here. See if your Borg ingenuity can come up with a solution."

Seven of Nine raised an eyebrow and looked at Harry Kim, who just grinned and shrugged. Seven held his gaze for a second and then looked down at the PADD.

"In the meantime Harry," Torres turned and addressed him again. "Divert the neutrino emissions into the exhaust system."

"I'm due back on the bridge in five minutes B'El"

She glared at him again.

Harry nodded and did as he was ordered.

"Fire."

The ship shuddered even more violently than the last time as another wave of energy was thrown out into the void.

All three of them watched the readings as they appeared on the screen in front of them.

"What's going on down there, Lieutenant?" Kathryn Janeway's voice came over the comm system.

"Captain, it's taking a little longer than I thought to work the kinks out of the matter conversion matrix. I'm trying to rebuild the entire defense system here."

"I appreciate what you're doing B'Elanna. I just want to make sure Voyager survives the improvements."

"Captain, your ship will be just fine." Torres out. She slapped at her comm badge and turned back to her console.

~*~

Outside the ship the reverberations from the shockwave continued to travel, undulating through space like a fallen leaf might ripple the waters of a still pond. And several light years away, a small brown planet decloaked


Act one

"Well Chakotay, we're done with the astrometrics team. I don't think we've been this up to date with our evaluations in all the time we've been in the Delta Quadrant."

Kathryn Janeway sat perched on the corner of the desk in her ready room, her computer terminal turned 180 degrees around so that it faced into the sitting area. Her first officer, jacket long since discarded, stretched lazily and shifted slightly on the sofa so that he could make out the personnel roster slowly scrolling down the computer's screen.

"Neelix' contact was right. The Samnar Corridor is a peaceful passage. There was just a bit too much activity in that last sector."

"That's a bit of an understatement" Kathryn smiled and took a sip of her rapidly cooling coffee. "Ugh. One of these days I'm going to get that damned contraption programmed right." She stood up, made her way towards the offending replicator and placed her cup in the recycle tray. "Anyhow," she continued, "We can use this breather. I think we're all in need of a little down time."

"I never thought I'd hear you speak positively about a void." Chakotay responded.

"We've been able to run just about every diagnostic without interruption." She continued, ignoring his jibe.

"Yes. We're getting back in shape. We've even managed to organize our time so that everyone has had some R & R. Except, I believe, the captain."

Kathryn let that dig slip by as well. "Let's move on, shall we. Who's next?"

"Aye, aye Captain." He sat up, grinned and saluted her. "Engineering."

She waggled a finger at him and continued. "Engineering. The heart of our ship. All things being equal they do an incredible job out here. Torres should be commended" She stopped in front of Chakotay and sighed. "Yes -- B'Elanna ..."

"B'Elanna." Chakotay agreed.

"Chakotay I know that she's under a lot of stress. Voyager's had a few rough rides lately. She's doing her job. Very well. She and Tom seem to be happy. But her attitude recently has me concerned. It's as if something is missing And I don't know what it is."

He quirked an eyebrow in response.

"I thought we had resolved our issues," she continued. "And we're fine on a superficial level. But I haven't really been able to really talk to her about anything since the incident with Krel Moset. I don't think she's forgiven me for ordering a Cardassian hologram to save her life. Can you?"

"I've tried, Kathryn," He replied. "And I'll try again if you'd like. But I think this is for the two of you to work out between you."

"Tuvok to Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay." Chakotay reached for his jacket and tapped at his comm badge in response to the Vulcan's hail.

"Yes Tuvok."

"We've uncovered what appears to be an uninhabited planet fifty thousand light years away."

"I thought this corridor was unoccupied." Chakotay stood up.

"Uncovered?" Janeway was already almost out of the door. "We're on our way, Tuvok."

~*~

"Report." Captain Janeway's order was issued as Voyager's commanding officers strode onto the bridge and headed immediately to their command positions. Chakotay sat down and lifted the console between their chairs. He began to study the data that had been forwarded to his station.

"We have been scanning the corridor, including this sector, at regular intervals, Captain," Tuvok responded. "The planet did not show up on any of our previous sweeps."

"Well it's there now." She said. She turned to Operations.

"I'm detecting faint biogenetic signs now, Captain." Harry Kim reported in surprise. "It looks like the planet is occupied after all."

"Can you hail them, Harry?"

"I'm trying, Captain." Harry made several entries and adjustments at his Operations station, and the resultant static slowly diminished.

"Try now Ma'am."

The captain turned back to face the view screen at the fore of the bridge. "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. Can anyone read me?"

There was no response.

"Adjust the frequency."

Harry's fingers flew over his console.

"Try now Captain. I've modulated the carrier wave so we can try for a visual link as well."

"This is Captain Kathryn"

The view screen flickered and came to life. An alien female appeared before them. She was humanoid. Her intense amber eyes were set into an elongated head. Her aquiline nose was ribbed and pierced with small metallic studs. She was draped and hooded in a toga-like garment that was fastened strategically with pins that looked as if they could double as weapons. She looked distinctly annoyed.

"I acknowledge your signal, Captain. How did you discover us? And what do you seek from us?"

"Your planet appeared rather abruptly on our sensors. We had been informed that this corridor was uninhabited. We apologize for our error."

"As yet you have done no harm. How did you find us? What do you want here?"

"We truly did not know you were here and we apologize for the intrusion. We want nothing from you except safe passage through your space. We are on a long journey to our home."

Chakotay rose and made his way to the captain's side. "We have been running some routine diagnostics on our systems. Perhaps" he began quietly.

Janeway nodded and continued. "Perhaps some of the tests we've been conducting had some impact upon your atmosphere."

"Yes. Your technology is foreign to us. I would like to know more about it."

The captain returned to her command chair and sat down. She flipped open her computer console and studied the data that was streaming into it. "And I would like to know more about your home. According to our readings, your planet is barely able to support life. Yet you seem to be a fairly populated world."

The woman hesitated for a moment, and Janeway had a fleeting notion that her response was somehow premeditated. "We here on Zorno have adapted to our environment over the millennia. We do not have many visitors."

"Captain, my scans show an unusually large number of dilithium deposits on the planet." Harry Kim's voice betrayed only a small amount of his excitement.

"Perhaps we can work out a trade, Captain." Chakotay said quietly.

"I will have to discuss that with my fellow officers." She looked questioningly at the alien.

"I am Rhenat."

"Rhenat, our sensors show your planet is rich in a mineral that we require to power some of our ship's systems. Perhaps we can come to terms "

"And I will have to discuss that with my superiors, Captain."

The view screen went abruptly dark.

"Friendly sort." Chakotay noted sardonically.

"I think not, Commander," Tuvok responded seriously.

Kathryn Janeway glanced at both of them quickly and indicated her instructions with a tilt of her head. All three of them turned and headed towards the briefing room.

~*~

"I must urge extreme caution, Captain. This species exhibits classic signs of xenophobia. Although Rhenat has indicated that she might be willing to discuss a negotiation, the planet was cloaked and she was quite obviously not pleased to be discovered."

"Oh I agree Tuvok." Janeway sat at the head of the briefing room table, her chin resting lightly on one fist, a PADD in her other hand. "She wasn't happy to see us at all. But her curiosity got the better of her, I think, and that might be to our advantage."

"Harry did some additional scans," Chakotay added. He stood at the viewport and gazed out into the starless void, as if looking for the planet under discussion. "Atmospheric conditions on the planet can barely sustain human life. The terrain is rough at best. If there is to be a meeting, it should be on Voyager."

"Good idea," Janeway's response was firm.

Harry Kim's voice came over the comm link. "Incoming message from Rhenat, Captain."

"Patch it through, Ensign."

Tuvok activated the view screen and Rhenat's image appeared before them.

"My superiors have agreed to a meeting, Captain. I will transfer the co-ordinates. You will come unarmed." The screen went blank again.

As they all stared at the empty screen the briefing room doors opened with a quiet swoosh and B'Elanna Torres rushed into the room. She marched purposefully to the head of the table and addressed the captain.

"I've done an analysis of the Dilithium traces on Zorno. It's the best quality we've seen in the Delta Quadrant." She reported breathlessly. "I can't begin to emphasize how badly we need to restock our supplies. If we could get just some of it I've also found traces of deuterium. Do you know how much more power we could get from the warp core if I could inject that into the plasma manifold?"

"Well gentlemen," Kathryn Janeway stood up and faced her two most senior officers. "I agree that it might be risky to go down there. And that the Zornons are not the most welcoming of hosts. But the possibility of replenishing our dilithium stock, not to mention enhancing the warp core is just too enticing."

"Captain"

Janeway cut Tuvok off before he could begin. "Tuvok, I will take every precaution. And I expect to be thoroughly briefed before I leave the ship. I know you've been running security checks and have been working diligently on procedures for weeks now. So let's field test all your innovations, shall we." She gestured to Torres. "Lieutenant, you're with me. She didn't wait for a response, but headed out of the door.

"Chakotay?" B'Elanna looked questioningly at her superior officer. "I don't think"

"Lieutenant, you were given an order," He replied.

She nodded and followed her captain.


Act two

"Tilt your head. I can't inoculate what I can't reach."

Kathryn Janeway sat resignedly on the edge of a biobed in sickbay and pushed her hair to one side as the Doctor came at her with a hypospray.

He activated the device and pressed it into the side of her neck. "There you are, Captain. I have boosted your hemoglobin concentration and suppressed your auto-immune responses. That combination should work to counteract any possible reaction that you might have to the Zornon atmosphere. However I suggest that you try to make your stay there as short as possible. I cannot predict precisely how long the effects of the hypospray will last."

Janeway dismounted with relief. "Understood," She responded.

At that moment Tom Paris rushed into sickbay, followed almost immediately by Neelix, who was making rapid entries on a PADD as he tried to keep up.

"If you are looking for Miss Torres, Lieutenant, she has already been here." The Doctor informed him. "You might try Engineering." He added, making an effort to be helpful.

"Actually, Doctor, we were looking for you." Neelix responded. "And the Captain."

Janeway couldn't help but smile. She had a soft spot for the exuberant Talaxian. His enthusiasm, his innate kindness and his wisdom had often been of great comfort to her. "Well, gentlemen, you have found us both."

"Captain, Mr. Paris and I have come up with an excellent idea. It just needs a couple of little tweaks and it will be perfect. As a matter of fact, if I do say so, it is one of my better "

"Captain," Paris broke in quickly. "Neelix mentioned that you had asked him to come up with a new recreational programme for the crew. As you know, I have an interest in 20th century history. And I've recently discovered that the ancient sporting event known as the Olympics was revived very early in the century."

"And the Doctor is always complaining that the crew doesn't get enough exercise, the Captain included." Neelix continued, missing Janeway's slightly raised eyebrow.

Tom Paris hadn't missed it and he interrupted once again. "Captain, we thought that we should have our own version, The Delta Quadrant Games. Everyone can participate. We'll assign teams and events and we can even finish it off with a closing ceremony."

"I must say, Captain, for once I might have to agree with Mr. Paris and Mr. Neelix. A frightening thought. But this does sound like a good idea."

The Doctor's support was all the endorsement Janeway needed. She took the PADD that Neelix proffered and glanced at it quickly before entering her approval code. "Good work, gentlemen." She handed the PADD back to her morale officer. "Proceed." She instructed, and started towards the door.

Neelix gazed adoringly after her. Paris grinned and gently elbowed the Talaxian. "So. Neelix. How many teams do you think there should be? And who gets Seven?"

~*~

"I've downloaded the basic schematics of the conversion matrix into my tricorderI don't know why she needs me on this mission. She could just" B'Elanna's hushed but urgent voice betrayed her annoyance. "I was almost there Chakotay. She's wanted me to modify the defense system for months. And now when I'm finally able to devote the proper amount of time to it, she pulls me off to go on some away mission that her pet Borg would be far better suited for."

"B'Elanna, the Captain would not have chosen you for this mission if she didn't think you were the right person for the job. And maybe you need some time away from your warp core."

"Yeah, right."

"Are you ready, Lieutenant?" Janeway entered the transporter room.

"Yes, Ma'am," B'Elanna's answer was almost a sigh. Janeway glanced at her but said nothing.

Tuvok had run a final diagnostic on the transporter equipment, particularly the pattern enhancers. He intended to keep a very close watch on his away team. He entered the co-ordinates that Rhenat had transmitted, stepped out from behind the controls and approached the away team.

"Captain. I have modified these communicators to compensate for the atmospheric and geographic conditions on the planet. Your tricorders have also been adjusted to send additional signals if necessary. I believe Lieutenant Torres has made some modifications of her own." He handed the comm badges to Janeway and Torres who pinned them onto their uniforms. They holstered their tricorders and checked their chronometers.

"Thank you, Tuvok." Janeway said. "And we'll be careful, we promise." She grinned at B'Elanna. "Won't we, Lieutenant?"

"Umm Oh, absolutely, Captain." Torres couldn't quite suppress a grin of her own. Maybe this mission wouldn't be too bad after all.

"You and Lieutenant Torres will be monitored at all times." Tuvok continued as if he had not been interrupted. "We will continue to sweep for anomalies. So far our readings have all been within normal parameters, however I urge caution, Captain. I am somewhat uneasy about this situation."

"A hunch?" Janeway couldn't help a bit of teasing.

"Prudence, Captain," The Vulcan replied.

"We should be able to get you out of there at a moment's notice," Chakotay said.

"Understood," Janeway nodded. "Make sure that repairs continue while I'm gone."

"And make sure Carey has the containers in cargo bay one cleaned out and ready to receive the dilithium," Torres instructed.

The two women stepped up onto the transporter platform and faced forward. Tuvok returned to the transporter controls to handle the beam out himself.

"Take good care of my ship, gentlemen. " The Captain instructed. "And Chakotay."

"Captain?"

She paused for a moment, and grinned at him. "You still haven't seen to those carpets."

Kathryn Janeway took a deep breath and stood at attention. "Energize."

She and Torres shimmered for a moment and then disappeared.

~*~

They rematerialized at the co-ordinates Rhenat had transmitted were immediately struck by the desolation and barrenness of their surroundings. There was little vegetation and almost no evidence of wildlife of any kind. They saw no water and there was very little natural light. They were just outside what seemed to be the entrance of a rough cave set into a sheer face of rock. Janeway activated her tricorder and checked the readings. B'Elanna did the same.

"Captain, I don't know how they can sustain life here, and yet we know there is a fairly large population on the planet."

"They are obviously a resourceful people." Janeway made an entry into her tricorder and took another reading. "And we've got company."

A group of armed natives suddenly appeared at the entrance to the cave. The leader thrust his way forward and stopped in front of Janeway.

"Captain, you will come this way please."

As Janeway started forward, another guard made a move to stop Torres from accompanying her.

"She is with me." Janeway's tone brooked no opposition. The guard hesitated for only a moment and then fell back.

B'Elanna elbowed her way around him and muttered under her breath. Janeway silently indicated her disapproval and the Klingon quieted.

"Well then, you will both follow me," The leader instructed. He didn't wait for a response, but strode forward and disappeared into the cavern ahead.

~*~

Although at first the cave had appeared to be a natural formation, Janeway and Torres quickly realized that the passageway leading away from its entrance was not. As they traveled deeper underground, the corridors became more sophisticated and less cavern-like. The walls, initially covered in rough stone, were now smooth and painted. Torres noted evidence of a surveillance system and pointed it out to Janeway as they marched. The captain nodded and indicated that she had seen it too.

They had been traveling slightly less than five minutes when their escort came to an abrupt halt in front of a metallic archway that stretched across the ceiling of the corridor. He motioned to Janeway and Torres to come forward.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Torres stepped backwards as two of the guards approached her.

"Regulation procedure," their escort replied. "You will stand still."

"Lieutenant. Consider this a First Contact. We will comply with their requirements." Janeway watched as one of the guards opened a device similar to one of their own tricorders and activated it. "For now." She added quietly, so that only B'Elanna could hear her. "I believe we are being scanned for contaminants.," she said more loudly, for the benefit of their escorts.

The head of the party nodded in agreement. He watched as Janeway underwent the same procedure. "As you say, Captain. We may proceed now." Once again he turned abruptly and headed swiftly down the corridor.

"Captain," Torres whispered, "I've been taking some readings." She indicated her tricorder, still attached to her belt, but activated. "The quality of dilithium here is better than anything I've ever seen. And if we could get some of this deuterium" She surreptitiously entered some numbers. "We could increase warp power by at least four percent. And I wouldn't have any problem upgrading the deflector panels."

"We'll see what we can do, B'Elanna," Janeway responded.

"Their surveillance system is pretty impressive." Torres said a minute later. "I haven't seen anything this sophisticated in the Delta Quadrant. If I could get my hands on some of this technology, we could really improve Voyager's early warning systems. "

Kathryn Janeway was doing some scouting of her own. "Their air filtration systems are extraordinary. Our readings showed an atmosphere that is virtually uninhabitable." She marveled.

In her enthusiasm B'Elanna had removed her tricorder from its holster and was pointing it at what appeared to be an atmospheric conditioning pump. "I've just detected traces of rubindium crystals and cabrodine. They have found a way to"

"Forward." One of their escorts pushed her along, none to gently.

"Hey." But she pocketed her scanner and complied.

Act three

"But, Neelix. I can't believe that you would even consider putting Jenny and Megan Delaney on the same team."

"Tom, we are trying to make these matches even, aren't we? Jenny is an excellent swimmer. And Sue Nicoletti is too. We have to divide them up. Megan can beat just about everyone on the ship in table tennis, except Seven."

The first meeting of the Delta Quadrant Olympic committee, which so far consisted of Tom Paris and Neelix, was well underway. The two were in the midst of a heated discussion about team make up, and neither was ready to concede to the other.

"You'd better not say that in front of B'Elanna, Neelix."

"I won't. But you can't put Seven and Megan on the same team, because the table tennis match won't be equal. So that means that"

"Jenny and Megan end up on the same side. Okay. But what about Chell and Ayala? Where..."

They were interrupted abruptly as the viewscreen beside them activated itself and the Doctor appeared before them, his almost perpetual frown very much in evidence.

"Mr. Paris. Neelix. I advise you not to lose sight of the fact that these so called games are indeed just that. Games. And this exercise was developed for crew morale and well being. A little friendly rivalry is one thing. This is not to evolve into a major competition. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Oh absolutely, Doctor."

Both committee members, suddenly united, agreed with alacrity. They did not want any more of the Doctor's input than was absolutely necessary.

"Good. Keep that in mind gentlemen."

The screen went blank and Paris and Neelix looked at one another and grinned.

"Okay Neelix where do you want to put Tuvok?"

~*~

They were in what appeared to be a reception area. Their guards had left them there unattended with no instructions or explanation as to what or whom they could expect to see next. B'Elanna found this turn of events more unnerving than their recent forced march, and was pacing back and forth across the room. Janeway watched her, but said nothing. She was well aware of the Klingon's tension, and knew that nothing she could say could ease it. She had quickly realized that the tactics the Zornon had used the armed reception committee, the long trek through the corridors, and this wait were supposed to be intimidating, and Kathryn Janeway did not succumb to intimidation.

The doors finally opened and Rhenat swept into the room followed a moment later by two armed adjuncts who stationed themselves on either side of the chamber's entrance.

"Welcome, Captain Janeway. Lieutenant Torres, I believe?"

"Your welcoming practices differ greatly from our own, Rhenat," Janeway greeted her in return.

"You refer, of course, to our security measures. I assure you Captain, that these procedures are necessary."

Janeway said nothing. B'Elanna had stopped pacing upon the Zornon's entrance and now stood, seething silently at her captain's side.

"Our planet, as you have already determined, is not naturally easily habitable." Rhenat explained. "Our race is not indigenous to this world. We came here as exiles, millennia past. But over time we Zornons have evolved and adapted ourselves to our environment. We discovered that Zorno is rich in natural resources, and we have developed technology to harness and utilize our assets to the maximum."

"Including a cloaking system," B'Elanna couldn't resist.

Rhenat turned slightly to address her. "Of late we have been beset by a series of aggressive intrusions. News of our most recent technological successes seems to have attracted the attention of undesirable elements who are intent upon destroying us and making our planet their own. The cloaking device that you were able to deactivate is our most recent attempt to thwart these raids."

"I can understand then, your concern when you received our hail." Janeway said.

"But what do you want from us?" Torres' impatience was evident.

"You have technology which would seem to be compatible with ours. The device with which you neutralized our cloak intrigues us. We would like to have this technology."

"The conversion matrix is only in the testing stages. I'm not even sure that was what caused your planet to appear."

"This device is vital to us. It could ensure our survival. Surely you would not wish to deny us this."

"Captain, the matrix schematic could be re-calibrated to be used only in a defense system." Torres mused. "After all, that is how we are planning to use it." She hesitated. "But I'm not comfortable with it yet. And I'm certainly not ready to share it." She added emphatically.

"Agreed." Janeway nodded. "And this is not a decision we can make on our own. We must consult with our fellow officers to even consider your request. Perhaps something can be arranged."

"We want no re-calibration. We will have the complete system." Her two assistants, who until this time had remained quietly at their station, approached at Rhenat's signal.

"You will go with them." She instructed.

Janeway stiffened. "I beg your pardon." Her tone was icy.

"My assistants will escort you to our Command Center where you will begin your modifications to our systems."

"I think not." Janeway responded. "We thank you for your hospitality, Rhenat. We will return to our ship. Now. As I said, I will discuss your request with my fellow officers and we will be in contact with you shortly. Lieutenant." She nodded to B'Elanna and they both turned to leave.

The guards, who until this time had remained at attention just inside the door, stepped forward to bar their way. Janeway kept walking, Torres following closely behind her.

The guards brought their weapons to the fore.

Janeway had no choice but to stop. "Just what exactly is going on here, Rhenat?" she demanded.

"You and your Lieutenant will be free to leave Zorno anytime, Captain, once you have performed the modifications that we require. You and Voyager." Neither woman missed the threat in her voice, "will not be harmed in any way."

"Janeway to Voyager. Come in. Tuvok." She slapped at her comm badge to no avail.

"Your communication system has been disabled, Captain."

"Is this is the way you treat all your guests?" B'Elanna was furious. "What do you mean Voyager will not be harmed? And you should know that I can't make the kind of modifications you want just like that." She snapped her fingers. " I need the specs, the data, tools"

Rhenat was unperturbed. "You have what you need in the device at your side." She indicated Torres' tricorder. "We scanned it as you entered our compound. And we have all the equipment that you might require."

"You are making a grave mistake, Rhenat." Janeway's voice was hard with fury. "My crew will be expecting a communication from us shortly. If they do not hear from us, they will come looking, I assure you."

"Do you think we have not prepared for just that eventuality?" The satisfaction in Rhenat's voice was unmistakable. I believe you would call it a contingency plan. Or perhaps a failsafe." She paused for a moment to savour her victory. "Your signals have been duplicated. Voyager has been neutralized. I repeat Captain, you and your ship will not suffer if you comply with our request."

Kathryn Janeway was well aware that at that particular moment they were outnumbered and outgunned. She took a deep breath and glanced briefly at B'Elanna, who seethed silently beside her. "Your request?" she repeated. "I believe I would call it something quite different. B'Elanna, I think, right now, we have very little choice but to go with these gentlemen."

"I am glad you have chosen to help us, Captain. You will not regret your decision."

Rhenat turned and swept from the room.

~*~

Chakotay's bridge shift was halfway done and all was quiet. They were in a low orbit around Zorno, all readings were normal and there had been no unusual activity recorded since the away team had departed. He had been checking all readings carefully since his shift began, and he knew that Tuvok had been doing the same. He and the Vulcan had agreed that in this particular case, two sets of eyes were better than one, and had instructed Harry to duplicate all data and send it separately to each of their stations.

Chakotay was carefully comparing his notes to Tuvok's when Neelix bustled onto the bridge.

"Commander, I have the team rosters for the Games ready. I was hoping that you and Lieutenant Tuvok would help me co-ordinate practice times with shift assignments."

Chakotay looked up from his console and couldn't help but grin at the Talaxian's enthusiasm. "Good thought, Neelix."

Neelix took note of Chakotay's preoccupation. "Have we heard from the away team yet?" He asked.

"They haven't checked in, but their signals are normal and steady and their life-signs are stable."

"Well, Commander, when you speak to Captain Janeway would you tell her that Mr. Paris and I have decided that she and Lieutenant Torres will be participating in a very special event."

"I think you had better tell her that yourself, Neelix," Chakotay replied, and hoped that he'd be around when Neelix told the Captain what exactly he had in mind for her.

Act four

Kathryn Janeway looked around her in amazement. She quickly began to take stock of her surroundings. The Zorno command center, if that's what it was called was not a huge area, but it was packed full of every sort of technology she had ever seen, and then some. There were consoles on the walls, the floor and even suspended from the ceiling. There were spare parts lying in piles around the room, often several deep, and there were bins, trays and even drawers that were stuffed to overflowing with bits and pieces of machinery. There were several large panels on the walls, some of which had been left partially ajar and some of which, she hoped, might hide passageways out of the area. B'Elanna had been reduced to silence by the sight that had greeted them. She was obviously making a survey similar to Janeway's. She pushed at one of the panels, which slid down the wall with a clatter leaving a jumble of wiring and conduits exposed.

They had been escorted there by the Rhenat's guards, who remained once again, stationed just inside the doorway. Neither woman said a word, and finally one of the guards moved forward and picked up a small hard-sided case that was sitting on one of the consoles and shoved it at Torres.

"Tools. You will work."

She slammed the tool-kit back down onto the counter. "I will not work," She responded angrily.

Janeway, who had been walking carefully around the perimeter of the room, paused for a moment. "Lieutenant." There was a warning in her voice.

"Captain. How can you even consider doing what they want. I would rather die than
help these p'tak. Do you really think these baktag will let us go when they're done with us. And who knows what they are planning for Voyager. I just can't believe that you would even think of trying to negotiate with them. Isn't that what you are planning?" B'Elanna's voice rose in anger and the guards shifted uneasily as her belligerence increased. They began to move towards the Klingon woman, their weapons at the ready.

"B'Elanna. Think."

"Captain. I am thinking. I'm going to sabo..."

"Lieutenant. Enough. Now." She approached Torres quickly and grasped her firmly by the arm. "Think." She repeated. "Take a look around you. What do you see?" Janeway gazed at her intently.

Torres took a deep breath and acknowledged the guards. She looked around her with greater interest and took another breath. " I see some very sophisticated systems. I guessour technology might be compatible with theirs. We might be able to link the matrix quite quickly. And get out of here."

Janeway picked up the toolbox and handed it to B'Elanna. "So. Let's get to work, shall we."

Torres looked at Janeway carefully and then nodded. "Iyes, Ma'am."

They worked well together. They always had. It was a shame that they didn't do it more often Janeway mused as they examined the hodgepodge of materials and equipment that lay before them. B'Elanna's instincts were always good when it came to anything related to engineering and machinery. And Janeway had learned early to trust those instincts. So why had this distance -- this chasm opened between them? Janeway's recent experiences as a Cardassian hostage had left her more reflective than she had been in the past. This away mission itself had been a test of herself. Her last away mission, if you could call it that, had placed her on a Cardassian ship in the clutches of the enemy, and here she was again, in a similar situation. But here she had some control, and she had a valued and trusted member of her crew with her. At least she trusted B'Elanna. But did B'Elanna trust her?

"Captain. Look at this. They seem to have a communications structure similar to our own. So if we can rig up an adaptive interface link we should be able to download our data into their system." As she spoke, Torres surreptitiously pointed out an access panel on the far side of the room. Janeway nodded. She too had noticed the panel and had wondered where it led. Janeway continued with the ruse.

"You should be able to find something around here to use as a conduit. I'll take a look."

She took two wires and held them together. A small spark crackled between them.

"Be careful, Captain" Torres tried to sound concerned. "That might be dangerous."

"Oh. Yes." Janeway managed to look sheepish.

Torres picked up a small piece of debris. She turned it over and whispered "I saw one of these on the Malon freighter."

Janeway pointed to an energy sequencer. "This has a Qomar signature."

"Pirates. They're pirates." B'Elanna hissed. "I need to find an ionic interface Captain." She continued loudly.

Janeway raised an eyebrow. B'Elanna was being technically creative, to say the least. However, she pretended to look for the imaginary piece of equipment.

"I think that this might be what you are looking for, B'Elanna. There's definitely a communications relay here. I'll see if I can connect ours to this one. If I can get this to work then perhaps we can get the Zornon system up and running and we can get back to Voyager."

"That could be it. But I want to check for interference."

Torres moved to the side of the room, ostensibly still looking for the correct conduit, but in actuality checking out their potential exit. She activated her tricorder, and quickly scanned the panel that she and Janeway had pinpointed earlier. It did seem to lead away from the command center. Her suspicions were confirmed as she approached the panel. One of the guards began to move in closer -- gun cocked.

She didn't hesitate for a moment. "Back off." She growled. If you want us to get this done, stay out of our way."

Janeway looked up but didn't interfere. "B'Elanna, be careful. If we connect the interface to the wrong conduit, it might overload the relay."

"Right." Torres was working on the panel next to their escape route. It opened with a satisfying click. She reached inside and extracted two wires, which she twisted into a tight knot.

"And we mustn't forget that if we download our matrix too quickly," Janeway continued, "It might compromise the integrity of their system."

"Understood. Captain I've almost got it now. Are you ready to activate?"

"Give me one more minute, B'Elanna. If I can connect this integer to the communications relay their systems will be extremely effective. This should work."

"Captain, I don't think we have time. This series of modifications has to be applied in a very fast sequence. Or it will not work." She paused for moment to give Janeway a chance to finish. "Counting down. Now. 3,2,1"

The explosion produced a satisfying covering of smoke and dust. Torres shoved the panel aside and slipped into the passageway beyond. Janeway grabbed the toolbox that had miraculously stayed on top of the console during the detonation and quickly followed, leaving a fair amount of chaos in their wake.

#
#

"Commander, there's been a slight fluctuation in Lieutenant Torres' bio-scan. Her neurotransmitter readings are unusually elevated." Harry Kim transferred the data quickly to Chakotay's and Tuvok's stations.

"I think it's time we heard from the away, team Tuvok, don't you? Open a hailing frequency, will you, Harry?"

"Frequency open, Commander." Harry replied quickly.

"This is Commander Chakotay of Voyager. I'd like to speak with Captain Janeway."

The view screen flickered to life and Rhenat appeared.

"Commander, your Captain, and her Lieutenant are on a tour of our facility right now. I believe that some of our planet's unique gravitational pull might be interfering with your communications systems. I will make sure the Captain contacts you as soon as she is back within range. Rhenat out." The screen went black.

"Commander," Tuvok was the first to speak. "The comm system was adjusted to compensate for almost any interference that the away team might encounter. I would question the veracity of Rhenat's response."

"As would I, Tuvok." He turned in his chair and addressed Ops. "Harry, lock onto the Captain and B'Elanna and beam them out of there."

"Yes sir." Kim entered the required commands and waited

"I can't get a lock, Commander. It's odd, their signals are reading clearly, but when I
try to get a lock, the signals fluctuate."

Chakotay glanced over to Tuvok who was working quickly and carefully at his console. The Vulcan looked up and nodded briefly, acknowledging his own concern.

"Tom, move Voyager into a lower orbit."

"Aye sir."

Chakotay stood up and made his way to Ops. "Harry, try it again." He stood behind the Lieutenant as he re-entered the commands.

Voyager rocked gently and Chakotay reached out to grab the railing at his side. "What was that?"

"We seem to be trapped. I can't get her out of this orbit." Tom Paris' sounded puzzled. "I'll re-enter the co-ordinates."

The shipped jumped again, this time a little bit more violently.

"I believe we are in an orbital lock, Commander," Tuvok observed. "Perhaps, Mr. Paris, if you realign the maneuvering thrusters we can break free."

"It can't hurt to try," Paris said.

Chakotay glanced at Harry Kim, who needed no further instruction.

"Hailing the planet, Sir."

"This is Commander Chakotay of Voyager. I would like to know exactly where my away team is. Now."

Rhenat re-appeared before him. "Commander, your away team will not be harmed.

They are performing a favor for us. When their task is complete they will be returned to you, intact."

The view screen went black once more.

~*~

Kathryn Janeway negotiated her way carefully past a large, unidentifiable piece of metal and ducked to avoid a stalactite-like formation that hung rather precariously, she thought, from the roof of the corridor that she and B'Elanna had found themselves in after their escape from the Zornon command center. The passageway was filled with obstacles and dirt. It was dark, dank and hazardous, and they were thankful they had their tricorders to help them chart their way. Both were tired and dirty, but determined to put as much distance between them and their erstwhile hosts as quickly as possible. Janeway had slung the Zornon toolkit over her shoulder and had undone her jacket. Torres had removed hers and tied it around her waist.

Janeway stopped to take a reading. "I'm detecting a shift in the air currents at approximately 15,000 meters, B'Elanna. There seem to be several corridors converging at a central point. I'm also showing a series of power surges originating in the same general area."

"Well, my guess is they've got something set up there that might be worth investigating. If we can just" She moved forward and began to try to shift a large rock that blocked their path "get there." She grunted and Janeway holstered her tricorder and moved in to help her. The boulder shifted enough that they were able to make their way around it.

They rested against the rock for a moment, and Janeway wiped at her forehead with her sleeve, leaving a streak of dirt across her brow.

"Let's go." She said. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back to Voyager and the sooner I can get myself into a steaming hot bath."

"A shower for me. Not a sonic shower. A real hot water shower. You can put me on report now Captain, because I'm going to use up at least two extra water rations."

"B'Elanna, if you can persuade Commander Chakotay to take an extra bridge shift while I'm soaking in that tub, I think I can manage to look the other way on your water usage."

"It's a done deal, Captain."

~*~

Rhenat was angry. And her security chief knew it. He stood awkwardly in front of her desk, his report in her hand.

"Janeway and her Lieutenant can not have gotten very far. Find them."

"I have a unit searching now, Prefect."

"I am not pleased, Orpon."

"I know, Prefect."

"Your and your men have been derelict. Your unit will need to prove to me that they are still worthy of my .. trust. Intensify your pursuit. The caves behind the Command Center"

"Those corridors have not been accessed for years. I believe that many of the passageways are blocked. And there are no up-to-date charts for them."

"Well then use the old ones."

"The air purification system is not effective in most of those corridors."

"That can be dealt with. Order an infusion of anti-toxin for each of your men. It should last you long enough to complete your mission."

Rhenat paused for a moment and stared intently at her subordinate. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"What are you telling me, Orpon? That you don't think you can find them? Two aliens with very little knowledge of our world should not be able to outrun a Zornon guard unit, should they?"

"No, Prefect."

"I believe that I will have to lead this hunt myself, Orpon. I am losing confidence in your ability."

She rose, motioned for him to follow and without waiting to see if he did, swept from the room.

Epilogue

Chakotay sat at the head of Voyager's conference table and faced his senior staff. Tuvok, Seven of Nine, Neelix and Harry Kim were in their usual positions around the table. Tom Paris stood behind his chair. He was restless and very obviously agitated.

"Report,"Chakotay demanded.

"The Zornons still refuse to answer our hails, Commander," Harry Kim supplied. "And the planet has re-cloaked, which has made it even more difficult to re-establish communication.

Seven of Nine added her findings: "I have confirmed that the communications signals we were reading were not those of the Captain and Lieutenant Torres."

"Indeed. The Zornons have managed to create false readings. So far we have been unable to pinpoint the away team's location."

"And Voyager is caught in an orbital lock." Tom Paris' anxiety had increased with each report. "So," he continued, "we don't know where they are. We don't know if they're safe. We don't even know if they are still alive. What do we know?"

Tuvok addressed the question. "The Zornons live beneath the planet's surface. They are far more sophisticated than they would have had us believe."

"Oh. That's encouraging Tuvok."

The Vulcan chose to ignore Tom's sarcasm.

"They were very interested in B'Elanna's work on the conversion matrix." Harry recalled. He paused for a moment and then continued slowly, remembering the events leading up the planet's appearance. "I wonder if the matrix' pulse might have caused the planet to uncloak.

"I will review the procedural records for the tests leading up to the incident." Seven offered.

"Harry," Chakotay instructed. "Enhance your scanning capabilities to maximum power and work with the Doctor. Look for any trace of human or Klingon life signs."

"Yes sir."

"Good. Tom." Chakotay addressed the worried pilot. "When I was in the Maquis, we used something similar to this orbital lock to stall a Cardassian stealth shuttle on its way to a rebel target. Check with Ayala and Geron and see if you can get them to recall how they managed it."

"Yes sir." Paris was eager to respond. He needed something, anything, to do to make him feel that progress was being made.

"Dismissed, then." Chakotay released the officers from the meeting. He glanced at Tuvok, indicating that he wanted him to remain behind for a moment. The others headed toward the door.

"Tom," Chakotay called him. Paris turned back to face his commanding officer. "We'll get them out, I promise." The pilot held the Commander's gaze for a moment, nodded imperceptibly and followed his crewmates out of the door.

"Talk to me, Tuvok." Chakotay addressed the Vulcan security chief. "And don't tell me that you blame yourself for this. There's no point in going down that road."

The Commander stood up and came around the side of the table to where Tuvok had remained seated. He perched himself on its edge and continued. "You've been working night and day to improve our security. The Captain is well aware of it, and so am I. There is no way that you could have prevented Kathryn Janeway from going down to that planet. She has been determined to go on another away mission for weeks. If we are going to place blame then I am just as much at fault as you."

"Captain Janeway is an extremely resourceful, Commander," Tuvok ventured, eventually.

Chakotay grinned wryly.

"As is Lieutenant Torres," The Vulcan continued. "I believe we should be on constant alert for any possible signs of communication from them. I would suggest that we appear to comply with the wishes of the Zornon."

"Agreed."

"I cannot help but echo your sentiments, Commander. We will get them out."

~*~

Passages II

Prologue

Kathryn Janeway kicked aside another piece of debris that lay directly in her path. It rolled out of the way with a satisfying clank, and she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. "These passageways obviously haven't been used in years," she noted.

"Except as a garbage dump." B'Elanna picked up a chunk of machinery. "This looks like a piece from a Kraylor ship. The Zornon aren't pirates, Captain, they're cannibals." She tossed the offending piece away in disgust.

Janeway pushed herself off the boulder upon which she had been leaning. "Okay, let's keep going, B'Elanna. I'm really ready for that bath now."

"Yes, Ma'am," B'Elanna replied. "I'm with you."

They continued their journey, having to stop periodically to clear their way through rocks, debris and pieces of wreckage that blocked their path. They had been traveling for more than an hour when they arrived at a steep set of stairs built into the face of a cliff that dropped off directly in front of them. The steps were in total disrepair, and the way down looked extremely hazardous. There were a few remnants of railing at various levels, but many steps were missing, and those that were left were either broken or rotting away. Janeway ran her tricorder over the surface of the rock and didn't look at all pleased with her findings.

"It's an extremely porous material," she reported, "Not too stable," she added. She gingerly set foot on the first step and frowned as she felt the rocks and stones slither out from beneath her.

Torres had taken out her tricorder and done her own scan. "I'm afraid it's the only way to get to where we need to go. Careful Captain," she added, as Janeway slid onto the next step.

They were both quiet as they proceeded carefully down the stairs. They had managed to make it more than halfway when Torres stepped hard on a pebble and lost her balance. She twisted her body to break the fall and landed heavily on the edge of the stair. There was nothing to grip and she rolled over the side, clawing desperately at the earth as she fell. She managed, somehow, to throw herself forward and caught herself on a ledge about a meter beneath the staircase. Janeway, who was directly below her when she fell, lost her balance as well, but managed to remain on the track. She turned back immediately, carefully put the Zornon tool kit down, and crawled cautiously back up to where Torres had gone over.

"B'Elanna?" she called.

"I'm here Captain."

Janeway breathed a sigh of relief. "Hold on. I've got to make sure that this step can hold the two of us."

She tested it carefully and inched her way towards the edge. The rocks and pebbles shifted under her weight and showered down below. Part of the step that she was on disappeared and she moved upward to the next one.

"Captain, make that three water rations."

"You're pushing it, Lieutenant!"

Janeway carefully removed her jacket and wrapped it around her wrist. She braced her body on a piece of railing that was thankfully still solidly upright on the stairs near her. She inched towards the edge again and lowered the jacket to Torres.

"Grab it now, B'Elanna."

B'Elanna grabbed onto the jacket and pulled herself into a sitting position. She grasped Janeway's outstretched hand. As the Captain strained to pull her up, the stress on the railing caused it to collapse. Janeway managed to help Torres up onto the stair, but the collapsed railing had landed on top of her. Both women lay still for a moment, catching their breath.

Torres sat up, still breathing heavily. "Thanks. You okay?"

"I'm fine. If you could just move this railing off my back..."

B'Elanna carefully shifted herself over to the cliff side of the steps and then pulled at the fallen railing. It was heavier than she had thought and it took some effort to remove it. She slid it over the edge and it fell heavily down the side of the cliff. Janeway sat up gingerly.

Torres flipped open her tricorder and scanned again.

"I'm detecting Zornon life forms several tunnels over. They're looking for us."

Janeway got up slowly and picked up the Zornon toolbox. "Let's go, B'Elanna. That bathtub is waiting for me."

Act 1

Harry Kim and the Doctor were side by side in sickbay. Each was concentrating intently on the data that streamed out of their consoles. Tom Paris was hovering over directly over Harry's shoulder.

"Any sign of anything yet, Harry?"

"Not yet Tom. But we've only done some preliminary work up scans. I'm re-calibrating the skeletal locking program the B'Elanna developed now. It might be able to detect some trace of the away team that the regular system can't."

"Well don't forget that B'Elanna's bone density might be a bit different than the Captain's."

"Don't worry, Tom, we've accounted for that."

"And don't forget to compensate for the extra gravitational pull. Zorno seems to have ..."

"Mr. Paris. Don't you have anything else to do?" The Doctor had little patience, and Tom was testing it to its limits. "You are a perfect example of that old adage 'a little knowledge is a dangerous thing'. Mr. Kim and I know what we are doing. The best contribution that you can make to this project is to stay out of our way."

"Tom." Harry's tone was kind. "He's right, you know. We're going to get them out of there. You should be more worried about how you're going to tell B'Elanna about her event in the Delta Games."

"Yeah. I know Harry. It's just that I..."

Tom Paris watched for a moment longer as his friends resumed their work. He knew there was nothing he could do here, but it was frustrating to feel so useless. He turned and left sickbay.

"Okay. I've entered all the variables, Doctor." Kim looked up and addressed the medic. "Have you added their most recent bio-scans?"

"I did a routine scan of Lieutenant Torres last week, just before she started working on the conversion matrix. Unfortunately, the Captain's data is not quite so current."

"Should be okay." Kim entered the data into his console. "Now. I'm going to open a subspace link to Zornon. I've adjusted the frequency to three levels above the last communication wave that we used. They shouldn't detect it for a minute or so. Ready?"

"Ready."

Kim's fingers flew over his console. They were both silent as they waited for the results of their efforts.

"Nothing, Mr. Kim."

"Damn. It's that cloaking device. It's blocking the scan. Even when I intensify the signal..." He looked up suddenly. "Cut the link Doctor, they've detected us."

~*~

B'Elanna worked her way around an outcropping of rock that nearly blocked their path. They had been making their way slowly but steadily through the underground passageways of Zorno towards their destination. She and Janeway had taken turns leading, and Janeway was now in the rear. The captain was limping slightly, but as yet, Torres hadn't noticed, or if she had, she hadn't commented on it. Janeway hoped that would continue.

"I'm reading a slight increase in the energy levels of the air currents," B'Elanna observed. "We must be getting closer to the source."

Janeway checked her tricorder, glad for the opportunity to stop for a moment. "I've got life forms heading south about 2500 meters from here."

"The junction is west of here. They must not have detected us. Yet."

"Let's go." The Captain moved forward to take the lead.

"You're hurt." Torres' tone was accusatory.

"I'm fine. Let's go."

B'Elanna didn't move. "You're not fine. Let me see. You must have done it on the stairs. Didn't you?

"It's nothing. A bruise. We've got to keep moving."

"Let me help you, Captain."

Janeway hesitated for a moment. She nodded and handed the handed the Zornon tool kit to Torres. And started to walk again.

B'Elanna watched her go, shook her head in frustration, and followed her down the corridor.

~*~

The holodeck simulation of Engineering that Seven of Nine had constructed was relatively quiet when Harry Kim arrived there in response to Seven of Nine's hail. She had programmed it mid-way into beta shift and Harry could see that she had also co-opted Torres' well-trained staff who had her department well in hand. Kim laughed softly to himself it definitely was Torres' department and no one was liable to forget that, even if it was only a simulation; even when said lieutenant was off duty; or even when she was off the ship. He shook his head and brought himself out of his reverie. B'Elanna and the Captain were off the ship, and they had to get them back. Soon.

Seven was at B'Elanna's station. She had obviously been there for quite some time, as was evidenced by an open tool kit, several PADDS, and the fact that none of the engineering staff were anywhere near her.

"Mr. Kim, I have reviewed the data several times and have found that the fluctuation variance level..."

"Is exactly three point six milliseconds in each of the tests," he finished for her. "I've seen that too Seven. So what would have caused Zorno to de-cloak? Each of the tests we ran was identical to the next one except that we increased power to the EPS relays by three degrees to account for gravimetric shear."

"When I simulate the final run there is no noticeable atmospheric effect," Seven told him.

"Okay." He thought for a moment. "Try it again and adjust for atmospheric variance."

"That should make no difference, Ensign."

"Try it anyway Seven."

"I will recalibrate the electroplasma systems caps as well," she offered.

"Good idea." Kim watched her work. "Have you been assigned to an Olympic team yet, Seven?"

"Mr. Paris has assigned me to the water polo team. I informed him that I do not swim, and indeed, have no love of the water."

Harry couldn't help smiling. "I can't imagine that a Borg would like the water. Might rust or something."

"I beg your pardon?"

"It was a joke. Anyhow, never mind. Water polo doesn't involve too much swimming, Seven. It's fun. You might like it."

"I doubt it." She finished her calculations. "I have reprogrammed the system. Begin simulation."

"Fire," Harry instructed.

Act 2

Kathryn Janeway groaned as she and Torres worked together to lift a large piece of fuselage and move it out of their path. The pain in her back had gradually worsened, but she had, she thought, successfully hidden her distress from her lieutenant. Torres, however, was not buying it. They finally managed to shift the wreckage enough to slither by it.

"Captain. I just want to take a couple of readings here. Can we stop for a minute?"

"Just for a moment. I'm not sure if the effects of Doctor's immunization injections are going to wear off soon." Janeway's tone was stern. "Don't protect me, B'Elanna." But she sat down on a rock and leaned back against the corridor wall.

"You need to rest Captain. I think you've got more than just a bruise there. Why do you push yourself like that?"

Janeway ignored the concern in Torres' voice. "I think we've got to get to that convergence point." She activated her scanner. "The search party is getting closer." She closed the device and re-holstered it. "I'll have lots of time to rest when we get back to Voyager." It was a small concession.

"But you won't," B'Elanna muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing." Torres had been busy with her tricorder. "Captain. I've got an idea."

"Go ahead."

"Tuvok enhanced the communications relays in our tricorders. I think I can..." she entered some numbers into her machine, "re-set it to bounce our signals so that the Zornon's can't trace our exact location." She worked some more.

"I said that you won't rest when we get back to the ship." B'Elanna didn't look up as she spoke. "You'll just go on to the next thing. And the next. You've got to take a break, Captain. Do you think the crew won't understand?"

Janeway got up slowly. "B'Elanna..." Torres ignored the warning in her voice.

"We know that you're totally dedicated to Voyager. And to getting us home. But ... sometimes it seems..." B'Elanna couldn't have stopped if she had wanted to. It was as if a dam had broken. She needed to talk to the Captain, as she hadn't been able to in years. She hadn't realized she had missed their slowly blossoming friendship until it had disappeared, and she was damned if she wasn't going to try to re-establish something while she had the chance. "As if you've lost yourself in the process. Most of us have made lives for ourselves out here. You've got to make one too."

"I have to set an example to the crew..." Janeway's voice was slightly hoarse.

They had started to walk again, Janeway in the lead. The going was rough, and they had to pick their way through carefully, but B'Elanna kept talking. Perhaps it would be easier to say what she had to say to Kathryn's back.

"Captain, we couldn't have a better example. But you have to show the crew...show us that it's okay to enjoy life in the Delta Quadrant."

"I've participated in Talent Night, and the Doctor's lectures and..."

"Those are diversions," B'Elanna continued quickly. "But we've also got Sandrine's, and that silly resort of Tom's. And we never see you there any more. You've always got one more report to read. Or another evaluation to do. The crew, well, we notice these things."

"I see..." Janeway said slowly.

"We've all made the best of our situation out here, and we've found a measure of contentment. It's obvious to all of us that you haven't. We're..." B'Elanna stopped for a moment and laughed softly.

Another large boulder suddenly blocked their way. They worked silently together to move the obstacle from their path. It was arduous work and by the time they finished both were breathing heavily. They resumed their march until Janeway suddenly stumbled on a log-sized piece of piping. Torres caught her before she fell and the Captain leaned against her for a moment, thankful for the support.

"I... we understand why you do it, Captain," B'Elanna said softly. "But sometimes 'for the good of the ship' just isn't good enough. We miss you. I miss you."

Janeway said nothing, but her expression softened in response to B'Elanna's words.

"Besides that, we really need you to teach Tom a lesson at the pool table again. Much as I love him," she grinned and Janeway responded in kind," He's become quite insufferable recently."

They negotiated yet another blockage. Both women were tired, but neither was willing to rest.

"Well, B'Elanna," Janeway puffed a bit as they worked their way up a sharp incline. "When we get back to Voyager I'll see what I can do about Mr. Paris! And I'll tell you what else." She paused for a moment to regain her breath. "I'm going to set up a new fitness programme. And I'll invite the entire crew to join me."

"Captain, I think you'll be surprised!"

~*~

Harry Kim and Seven of Nine had decided to take a break. Actually Harry had insisted on the break and Seven had acquiesced only when Harry had deactivated the holodeck simulation. They were in the mess hall and Neelix, who had been bustling around his kitchen when they arrived, came out to greet them as they sat down. He was carrying a small tray.

"Here you are. I'm trying some new recipes this week. I've heard Mr. Paris refer several times recently to comfort food. I understand that it's a 20th century term. And since we're preparing for the Delta Games, which are based upon another 20th century tradition, I thought it might be appropriate to prepare and serve some of this comfort food to the crew."

Harry reached for a bowl and passed it across the table to Seven. He took the other one and set it down in front of himself.

"Thanks Neelix." Harry looked down and frowned.

"Umm...What is it?"

"It's pea soup. With Denrobian garlic croutons."

Seven tapped lightly on the top of her soup with the spoon that Neelix handed her. "I think comfort food might be a misnomer," she commented.

Harry suddenly sat up straighter. "Seven, do that again."

"Do what, Mr. Kim?"

"Your soup. Hit your soup."

Seven raised her spoon tentatively and hit at her soup. "Do you mean like this?" she asked.

"Yes. Now do it again."

Seven frowned at him, but did as she was asked.

"And again."

"I don't understand." Neelix was extremely puzzled.

"Watch," Harry said excitedly. "Watch the croutons. Each time Seven disturbs the surface of her soup, the croutons are displaced. And by the third time, they are turning over in the liquid. The cumulative effect of the rippling affects their position."

"So," Seven caught on quickly. "It wasn't one particular trial that Lieutenant Torres ran that caused the planet to uncloak, but the combined intensity of the tests."

"That's it." Kim replied. And if we can replicate the timing and aggregation of those tests, we should be able to disable the cloak, and maybe even the orbital lock."

Harry put his own spoon down and stood up. "Let's go, Seven."

"But... your soup." Neelix distress was evident. "Couldn't you at least try the soup?"

"The soup was great Neelix. Just what we needed," Harry said as he and Seven hurried out of the mess hall, leaving the Talaxian standing sadly over the two bowls of his still untested 'comfort food.'

~*~

"We made it." B'Elanna couldn't suppress a sigh of relief as she helped Janeway through the entrance of what appeared to be a surveillance center. Janeway hobbled to a bench on one side of the room and eased herself down. She immediately activated her tricorder and began to scan. B'Elanna leaned against a wall, and did the same.

The room appeared to be an observatory. It was dominated by a very large telescope which was pointed upwards at a sharp angle, its nose protruding from an opening in a skylight ten meters above them. The scope emitted a soft steady pulse approximately every 30 seconds. There were several consoles at its base.

"Captain, this is amazing." B'Elanna circled the room slowly. "I've seen some of this technology before. There are components from Malon, Qomar and Kraylor technology, but the Zornon have managed to put it together and come up with an incredibly sophisticated tracking system. Voyager could really use some of this."

Janeway pointed her scanner towards the door. "B'Elanna, we have about eight minutes before the Zornons find us. Can we contact Voyager and get out of here?"

"I think so." Torres was standing over the console closest to the scope. "Captain. If we could decode their schematics, I think that I could download the parameters into our tricorders. If I could install this into Voyager's early warning system ..."

"Stealing from the Pirates, B'Elanna?" Janeway grinned at her.

"I.. uhhh..."

"Do it." Janeway grinned again. She got up from her bench and approached one of the consoles next to the telescope. She activated it and started to read the data that streamed across its screen. "This contains a schematic for the entire corridor system," she said.

"There seems to be a break in their shields about half a kilometer from here. If we can send those co-ordinates to Voyager ...they should be able to beam us out from there."

Janeway activated her tricorder once again. "I think I can set up a relay along the carrier wave that is emanating from the pulse on the scope." She reached for the Zornon toolkit and dragged it to her side. "Let me see what's in here..." She started to work on the scope.

B'Elanna peered over Janeway's shoulder. "No. Captain. You have to bypass the transmitter in order to justify the integrity of the link. And make sure the particle beam isn't fractured."

"Understood." Janeway nodded and went back to work. After a minute or two she paused and picked up her scanner. "The Zornons are five corridors from here. How are you doing B'Elanna?" she asked.

Torres was underneath her console. "I'm getting there. Our signals are still being diverted. Maybe they won't catch on just yet." She made a series of quick adjustments to her tricorder. "It's ingenious. They've cobbled together so many different systems I would bet that even the Zornons can't remember what goes where. They've got a probe embedded into their particle beam. I've included it in my download."

"Good," Janeway said. "I've implanted a Star Fleet code onto the relay. With any luck someone on Voyager will recognize it." She paused momentarily and made one final adjustment. "Activating the beacon now." She threw the switch. There was a split second flash. Both women held their breath. Nothing.

"Did you compensate for atmospheric variance?" Torres asked.

"Good thought." Janeway entered the modification and checked her work. "B'Elanna, there's something blocking the signal."

Torres joined Janeway at her station. "They've caught Voyager in an orbital lock. She's moving at exactly the same speed as the planet. We've got to account for that. Try adjusting the communications pulse so that it causes a vibration along the particle beam.

"Right." Janeway did as Torres suggested.

"Okay. I've nearly got it. There was a slight fluctuation in the carrier wave when I modified it but it shut down almost immediately." She continued to work with the Zornon tools. "There are just too many components in here," she said in frustration. "I'm going to have to do this manually. Ahh .. and they've built in a failsafe. Watch out for that, B'Elanna."

Janeway and Torres looked up at the same moment. The faint sounds they both heard in the distance could only mean one thing. The Zornon were approaching. They glanced quickly at one another and resumed their efforts without another word.

Act 3

Chakotay watched carefully as Harry Kim and Seven of Nine demonstrated the results of their work. They had rushed back to the holodeck and tested the 'soup theory', as Harry had begun to call it, until they were sure that it would work. Harry pointed at the display monitor behind his Ops station on Voyager's bridge.

"You can see that we've duplicated B'Elanna's trials to the second, Commander. I'm positive it will work. We should be able dislodge the cloak on the third emission. And once the cloak is down, Tom should be able to disengage Voyager from the orbital lock."

Chakotay ran his finger down the screen, following the data as it scrolled by. "How long will we have?" he asked.

"We have increased the intensity of the particle bursts. That will disable the lock for at least two minutes," Seven responded.

"And that gives us enough time to scan for the away team," Chakotay's question was really a statement.

"It will have to, Commander," the ensign responded.

"Commander," Tuvok, who had been at his security post throughout Harry and Seven's presentation, beckoned to Chakotay. "I have just detected a slight fluctuation in the away team's life signs."

"Tuvok, didn't we determine that those readings were false?" Chakotay asked.

"I believe what I just read are indeed those of the Captain and Lieutenant Torres."

"Explain." Voyager's First Officer approached the Vulcan's station and watched to see what he was doing.

"Just prior to the change in readings, there was a surge in the carrier wave. The signal was unlike those controlled by the Zornon."

Harry Kim turned around to read his Operations console. "There was also a small fissure on the carrier wave. I think they might be trying to communicate with us Commander," he said excitedly.

"I have detected a Star Fleet signature inside the fissure, Ensign," Tuvok added.

Chakotay headed back to his command chair and sat down. "Tom." He addressed the pilot. "What can you tell me about the orbital lock?"

Paris fingers were flying over his control panel. "If Harry can get them to de-cloak, I can get us out of it, Commander. I'm going to throw Voyager into a couple of reverse and forward thrusts...we'll spin our wheels a couple of times."

"Spin our wheels?" Chakotay echoed.

"It's a ..."

"20th century term!" Chakotay finished the phrase.

Paris grinned. "Yes sir. But that momentum combined with the fact that the locking system will be weakened when Harry uncloaks the planet should allow us to release. It might be a bit bumpy though."

"Thanks for the warning, Tom!" Chakotay turned around. "Harry?"

"Almost ready, Sir. Seven?" Kim asked in turn.

"I have adjusted the particle bursts to match the carrier wave frequency," Seven replied immediately. She was at B'Elanna's engineering station. "The sequence variables are accounted for."

"That's good," Harry said. "Give me another minute. We're only going to have one shot at this."

~*~

"I just need two more minutes. I can do this, Captain." B'Elanna was working as quickly as she was able, acutely aware of the approaching Zornons. "The cloaking device is activated from a module attached to the relay. If I can crack the command codes, Voyager could have a brand new early warning system. And a cloak. This thing will be able to detect the Borg from more than 6 light years away. And if I can download the orbital locking schematics...

"Still no success here B'Elanna." Janeway was obviously frustrated. "I am going to have to do this manually. Our tricorders aren't totally compatible with this system. Too many components from too many other networks." She made another correction. "I should be able to work it with these tools." She leaned forward for a moment. The strain on her back was almost intolerable. "There," she continued. "I've been able to set up a relay signal. Voyager should be able to receive our beam out co-ordinates once I activate the beacon."

"Got it!" Torres snapped her tricorder shut. She made her way over to where the Captain was crouched. "Here. Let me help you."

"No, B'Elanna." Janeway handed Torres her tricorder. "I've programmed the optimal beam out co-ordinates into my tricorder. Take it and go. I'll meet you when I can. I've got to finish here first."

"Captain, The Zornons are two corridors away. If you stay much longer they'll find you. I'm not leaving without you."

"B'Elanna, the relay has got to be set and activated." She made a show of rubbing at her back. "You can move faster than I can. I'll just hold you up. Get back to the ship and implement the Zornon technology. I'll be fine."

"You will not be fine." Torres was furious. "They'll kill you. You've got to come with me." She glared at Janeway. "Is this another one of those sacrifices you're always making Captain, because if it is, it won't wash. We can get out of here. You can make it." Her voice wavered suddenly. "I... Voyager needs you Captain."

"No B'Elanna. Voyager needs you." Janeway's tone was calm. And kind. "You're the best engineer I've ever known. You know that ship better than any one of us. Voyager cannot survive without you."

"If our positions were reversed you'd still make me go, wouldn't you?" Torres said slowly. "You did that to me once before. You chose for me."

"I chose for you and for Voyager. That's my job, B'Elanna."

"So now you choose to die for the ship, Captain? For the good of the ship again?" she repeated.

"I choose to save my crew, Lieutenant." Her use of B'Elanna's rank did not go unnoticed.

"The Zornons never planned to let Voyager go. You know that. They'll cannibalize her just as they've cannibalized anyone else who had the misfortune to cross their path." She continued, "We have found a way to set Voyager free. We must seize the opportunity to do it. There is no choice here Lieutenant."

B'Elanna opened her mouth and then shut it again.

"Voyager can and will continue without me, B'Elanna." Janeway went on, "Chakotay will make a fine captain. He's more than able to take on the task. And we've discussed this exact scenario more than once." She sought to reassure her. "He'll need his Chief Engineer," she added softly.

"Voyager will never be the same Captain. I...can't imagine...I won't leave you here." Torres stood firm.

Janeway wouldn't budge. "Go, Lieutenant. Now. That's an order. "

Torres stared intently at her Captain. She shook her head. She looked at the two tricorders she held and made some quick entries on each one of them.

"All right. I've duplicated the Zornon schematics" She indicated Janeway's scanner. "I'm transferring a copy of the co-ordinates into my tricorder and I've re-set it to power a deflector beam. Aim it at the door after I'm gone. It might deter them for a minute or two and buy you a little time. I'm going to get you out of here, Captain."

Janeway took the tricorder and gave a quick nod. "Good luck, B'Elanna." She turned deliberately towards the scope's control panel.

Torres stared at her back for a moment, pivoted and strode out the door.

Kathryn Janeway waited until B'Elanna had gone before she turned back to face the door of the surveillance chamber. She sighed, shook her head and made a couple of quick entries into the tricorder. She set it up facing the exit. As she finished, the sounds of the approaching Zornon troops seemed to increase. She resumed work on the telescope, using the Zornon tools carefully.

"All right B'Elanna," she thought. "I'm counting on you..."

~*~

Except for the faint hum of her engines, Voyager's bridge was silent. Everyone was at their stations. Concentration was intense. Each of them knew what they had to do.

"What have you got for me, Harry?" Chakotay didn't turn around.

"Commander, I've been running continuous sensor sweeps over Zorno. After the carrier wave fluctuation I was able to penetrate the planet's surface another ten meters. I'm scanning for the away teams' signals now."

"Tom?"

We're ready Commander. I've adjusted Voyager's maneuvering thrusters to compensate for the momentum. I don't want any excessive turbulence once we start to rock. But get ready to hold on just in case."

"There is no evidence that the Zornons have detected our scans at this time." Tuvok reported. "Nor have I detected any undue activity in their defense system," he continued.

"Good." Chakotay was pleased with that piece of information.

"Got it!" Harry exclaimed. "I've got a signal, Commander."

"Can you lock on to it, Harry?" Chakotay asked.

"I should be able do it once the particle bursts are initiated. Are you ready, Seven?"

"Yes, Ensign."

"I'm still not getting a second signal, Commander." Kim sounded concerned.

"Keep scanning, Harry," Chakotay encouraged him.

"Still only one, Chakotay." His frustration was evident. "Tuvok, can you pick anything up over there?"

"I too read only one signal, Ensign."

~*~

Janeway was working intently on the Zornon scope. The sounds of the approaching search party were getting louder.

"One more minute," she muttered. "I just need to..."

She hit a switch. There was another flash. She checked her tricorder for readings.

"Still nothing. Why? Think Kathryn... Think."

Act 4

"There has been another surge along the carrier wave, Ensign," Tuvok reported. "I believe we do not have much time."

"I've still only got one signal, Commander." Kim was working as quickly as he was able to translate the readings he was receiving. "It's moving quite quickly," he reported. Heading towards...It's...she's heading towards the surface." He looked up. "Commander, I can't get her out unless we uncloak the planet. And we can only do that once."

"Harry." Tom Paris twisted himself around in his pilot's chair to face his friend. "Who is it?"

"I don't know Tom. I don't know."

~*~

Kathryn Janeway was fully focused upon the task at hand. The Zoron tool kit was open beside her. Her back pained her, but she ignored it. She wondered fleetingly if Torres had made it to the surface, and then pushed the thought away. The deflector beam that Torres had rigged into her tricorder had bought her a precious few extra minutes, but the Zornon guard had almost penetrated her shield. There was a loud grunt on the other side of the door and it finally burst open. She was immediately surrounded by six Zornon officers, their weapons cocked and aimed. She calmly continued what she was doing.

Rhenat stepped through the phalanx of her officers and watched for a moment.

"Very impressive Captain Janeway. You have done well. Not many of our visitors have been quite so... intrepid."

Rhenat approached and examined the work that Janeway had done on the Zornon scope. She leaned over and watched as the Captain made one more modification.

"Yes. Yes. Of course. You will be an asset to Zorno's scientific community."

"So," Janeway finally looked up. "You deal in lives as well as technology Rhenat?"

"We welcome newcomers to our world, Captain. You will be treated well here. As will your crew."

"You underestimate us, Rhenat. My crew will be gone from your space shortly."

Rhenat walked up to the scope and examined it quickly. She entered three quick commands into its controls and the machine lit up. Janeway watched her carefully.

"Oh no Captain." Rhenat smiled at her. "I think in this case you underestimate your crew. They will not leave here without you. And none of you," she added "will be leaving."

~*~

"Commander, the Zornons have reinforced the cloak," Tuvok reported.

"Harry?" Chakotay asked.

"Still only one signal, Commander. Almost at the surface."

"Can you increase the sensor capacity?"

"It's at maximum now, sir," he replied.

The Zornons have activated weapons, Commander. We are being targeted."

"Return fire, Tuvok," Chakotay instructed. "Harry, initiate your procedure."

"But..."

"Do it, Ensign," Chakotay said softly.

"Initiating particle bursts," Kim said flatly.

"Adjusting for gravimetric shear." Seven reported.

"Mr. Paris?" Chakotay demanded.

"Thrust activated, Sir. Our wheels are spinning," he added.

They all felt it as Voyager began an almost rhythmical rock. And they all felt the powerful jolt as the ship broke free of the orbital lock and shot forward, out of range of the Zornon weapons.

There was a moment of silence.

"The Zornon cloak has been disabled," Tuvok reported.

"Locking on to signal," Harry said.

"Beam her onto the bridge, Harry." Chakotay instructed.

"Energizing."

B'Elanna materialized before them.

~*~



"Prefect, the other one has escaped." Orpon pushed his way through the guards that surrounded Janeway and Rhenat to report his findings. "We had tracked her to the Lorac Egress. We had her surrounded. But as we approached she de-materialized."

There was a sudden thump and the scope shuddered. Rhenat looked up and Janeway glanced quickly at the control panel beside it. Voyager had escaped the orbital lock, she noted with satisfaction.

Rhenat ignored this turn of events and addressed her officer. "I see. This one will not escape, Orpon." She turned to face Janeway once again. " It seems your ship has left you behind. I was mistaken. You are expendable after all. "

"My crew is following orders, Rhenat. They know that their mission is to return to the Alpha Quadrant. Nothing will stop them."

"And their loss is our gain, is it not?" She reached out and took Janeway's tricorder, which she examined carefully.

"You accused me, I think, of piracy, Captain?" she stated. "And yet here I see evidence of theft." She waved the offending scanner under Janeway's nose. " Are these not our own schematics? Does this not make you one of us?"

"Perhaps," Janeway replied. "But nothing was destroyed, and no one was killed in the process. Your systems remain intact."

"You can justify it that way if you like. But the evidence is right here."

"Rhenat, you may be right. We are probably more alike than I would ever want to admit." Janeway acknowledged. "We are both fighting for the survival of our people. Yours here on a planet that is harsh and inhospitable. Mine in a sector of space that is hostile and far from home. But, I hope, there are differences as well. My crew has always been free to choose to stay with me on this journey. Oh yes, I will fight to protect them." She stopped for a minute and couldn't help but recall a recent conversation. "I will try to do what is right for them. But" she continued "I will not use threats or force or intimidation to ensure our success. I will not wilfully do harm to anyone in order to reach our goal. And," she finished firmly, "I will not compromise our values in order to survive."

"As you wish, Captain. In the meantime, I believe that our technology (she indicated the telescope) has been compromised. You will restore it to its previous state."

~*~

"B'Elanna!"

Tom rushed from his chair to embrace his wife. She kissed him quickly and soundly and then looked around.

"The Captain," she said. "Did you get the Captain?"

"No," Chakotay replied. "Where is she?"

"I left her in the Zornon surveillance center. She was trying to reprogramme their telescopic array so that I could get out. She must have managed."

"No B'Elanna," Paris corrected her. "That was Harry. He and Seven figured out how you uncloaked the planet. They recreated the work you were doing on the conversion matrix and figured out how you de-cloaked the planet."

"But you were able to read our signals," B'Elanna said impatiently, "because the Captain must have deactivated the carrier wave on the scope... which means that..."

Torres hurried over to her Engineering station. Seven moved quickly out of the way.

"We can get her out of there," she continued. "If she has disabled it, I can break the beam." She set her tricorder down carefully beside her console.

"By the way, Harry," B'Elanna asked over her shoulder "how did you figure out what caused the planet to de-cloak?"

It was the soup, Lieutenant," Seven supplied.

"Soup?" She turned and looked at both of them. "Never mind," she said. "You can tell me later." She returned her attention to the matter at hand. "I've got the Zornon schematics here. I should be able to deactivate their defense systems. We need to get closer to the planet. Soup?" The last was muttered under her breath.

"B'Elanna," Kim warned her. "If we go back there's a danger that Voyager will be caught again. I don't know that we can get away a second time."

She ignored him. "I'm entering the Zornon figures into our data base. Computer, recalibrate information to conform with Voyager's communications array".

"Recalibrating data." The computer's familiar voice reported.

"Tom. Turn her around," B'Elanna instructed.

"Now, Computer, enter Zornon specifications into Voyager's data bank."

"Chakotay?" Paris asked.

"Unable to comply. Information must be reformatted," The computer reported.

"Damn." B'Elanna smacked the wall in front of her. "Computer...No wait. She was right. Too many different components. I've got to compensate for the diversity factors." She re-entered the instructions into her console."

"Turn her around, Tom, we can do this." She looked up. "Chakotay?"

She and Voyager's First Officer exchanged a long look. Chakotay turned to consult silently with Tuvok, who was checking Torres' statistics against his own calculations. The Vulcan nodded.

"Change course, Mr. Paris," Chakotay instructed. "Head back to Zorno space."

~*~

Rhenat watched closely as Janeway worked on the scope's control panel. She had not yet ordered her guards to stand down, and the tips of their weapons invaded the periphery of the Captain's vision as she made her alterations. Rhenat leaned forward to take a reading of her own.

"Captain, it seems I was correct after all." The Zornon commander gloated. "Voyager is once again within range of our sensors. This freedom you have given them to choose will cost them dearly."

Janeway said nothing, but continued her modifications.

"This time they will not escape so easily."

~*~

"We are within range of Zorno, Commander," Tuvok reported.

"Approach slowly. Half impulse," Chakotay instructed. "Tom. Are you ready to 'spin your wheels' again?"

"Yes sir." The pilot responded.

"I've penetrated the surface Commander. The probe is functioning," Harry said.

We have one chance at this people. One. Got it? B'Elanna?"

"I'm ready, Chakotay."

"We have been detected, Commander," Tuvok reported.

~*~

Rhenat was tracking Voyager's return.

"There they are Captain. Right above us. I think it's only right that you should catch them yourself. Don't you think so, Orpon?"

Her adjunct smiled.

"Go ahead, Captain. Activate." She nodded to the guards who re-cocked their weapons in response.

Janeway hesitated for a beat and threw the switch.

~*~

"We are once again in the orbital lock," Seven of Nine reported.

"Okay," Torres replied. "Activating anti lock beam." She paused for one moment to do so. "Now, Seven."

"I've got her," Harry exclaimed. "I've got the Captain's signal."

"Initiating continuous particle bursts," Seven reported.

"Maneuvering thrusters enabled. Hang on people." Paris worked his controls.

Voyager shuddered and once again began to rock rhythmically.

~*~

Rhenat was peering over Janeway's shoulder. A red light was blinking rapidly on the scope.

"Ah. Captain," Rhenat said. "Did you think to fool us? I see what you have done. You have reversed the carrier wave and tried to deactivate the lock."

"It was worth a try, don't you think?" Janeway asked wryly.

"I will take over from here." The Zornon commander pushed the captain out of her way.

Janeway moved aside and away from Rhenat and the scope. There was a muffled thud as Voyager neutralized the lock. Rhenat entered a command and threw the same switch that Janeway had activated shortly before. There was a grinding of gears as the entire apparatus shut down.

"What have you done?" Rhenat shouted.

"I believe you said it, Rhenat," Janeway explained calmly as she began to dematerialize. " One should always have a contingency plan."

Kathryn Janeway disappeared into the shimmering blue light of Voyager's transporter beam.

Epilogue

There were quite a few crew members in evidence at Sandrine's the next evening; a warm social atmosphere prevailed. Kathryn Janeway, followed closely by Tuvok appeared at the door. She was dressed casually, in a soft blue sweater and gray slacks. She hesitated for just a moment before entering, and then continued her conversation with the Vulcan.

"Tuvok, you were right about the Zornons. They definitely had a hidden agenda. What was it about them that..." She looked sideways at him for a moment. "Never mind. But I promise you, from now on, I will listen more carefully to your hunches."

Tuvok said nothing, and Janeway continued. "Well, we didn't get any of that dilithium, but we were able to upgrade our security system and our long range scanners quite nicely. And the cloaking technology is a real bonus."

"The orbital lock schematics will definitely be an asset," Tuvok agreed.

The Captain's presence in Sandrine's had been noticed almost immediately by the crew, who were obviously very pleased to see her there. She was greeted several times by various crewmembers, and acknowledged each one. She was extremely touched and most gratified by their response, and acknowledged to herself that perhaps B'Elanna was right after all. She and Tuvok eventually managed to reach the bar, where Torres was already seated, and talking with Neelix.

"Captain. I'm glad to see..." B'Elanna began.

"Ahh. Captain your timing is perfect," Neelix interrupted her eagerly. "I was just telling Lieutenant Torres about her sport in the Delta Games. I have your assignment ready for you too."

"Thank you, Neelix." Janeway slipped onto a bar stool and took the PADD that Neelix proffered and began to read it with interest.

"Mr.Paris and I worked very hard to divide the crew into equal teams," he continued enthusiastically. "And we tried to find events that would be just right for each crewmember. We even developed a few new ones. Yours and B'Elanna's, for instance. A brand new sport. Developed right here on Voyager."

"Sport! Yeah right." B'Elanna was practically spitting. "I'm going to kill him." She waved her own PADD in the air. "A marathon biathlon."

"You can't be serious..." Janeway looked up.

Tom Paris, followed by Chakotay, arrived at the bar at that moment. Both were carrying pool cues.

"You know Chakotay, if you would use some of that famous patience of yours, I bet you could do a lot better at the pool table." Tom said helpfully. "I think you need a lesson or two in technique. I'd be glad to coach you any time," he offered.

"Tom, I don't need ... Kathryn, it's good to see you here." Chakotay took her hand for a moment.

"It's nice to be here Chakotay. So..." She turned to address Tom who was standing beside his wife, trying unsuccessfully to calm her down. "Mr. Paris, you are responsible for this?" She waggled her PADD at him.

"Yes ma'am!" He responded proudly.

Janeway took the PADD that Torres was holding and handed it, along with hers to Chakotay. In turn she took the Commander's pool cue and stood up.

"I think, Lieutenant, that you could use a few lessons at the pool table yourself."

"I... Yes ma'am."

"Let me see..." she mused as the headed towards the pool table, followed eagerly by Chakotay, B'Elanna and Neelix.

"How about... best two out of three, and the loser will be Voyager's new marathon Biathlon competitor." She grinned at B'Elanna, turned back to the table and broke. Perfectly.