by Alys Landale
Janeway understood their predicament. She had seen it many times before. Wars being fought for money and power, started by the rich who wanted even more wealth to add to their over abundance. This was nothing new. The captain then came to a realization. “So that was why you were cloaked when you approached us.”
“Yes, we could not be certain whether or not you were a member of the Resistance. We scanned your ship and found it unmatching to any Resistance vessel so we hailed you. I hope we do not insult you by doing so.”
Janeway shook her head. “No insult, I assure you General. We are well acquainted with caution and understand your reasons for doing so. But let me ask you one thing. You say you are on the verge of war yet this conflict has been going on for years. How is this possible?”
Takma answered. “You see Captain; the Resistance is not to be taken lightly however our own technology is extremely more advanced than theirs. Whenever we encounter a new species to trade with, it usually involves technology as well. That is where we acquired our transporters and forcefields from. Even though we have not yet gone to war, we do fight a great number of battles with them. That is how our Empire has grown. Whenever we are pulled into another conflict, we take the space that we win and add it to our own. We’ve tried to negotiate peace treaties by offering them their space in return for peace, but they have never acquiesced.”
“So now you just try and keep them at bay,” Chakotay said.
“Exactly,” replied the General. “They are not very organized in their attacks so we will just put down any resistance they put up and put any prisoners we have in concentration camps until we can give them a trial.”
Chakotay couldn’t shake the feeling that this ‘Resistance’ sounded a whole lot like the Maquis. He didn’t want to bring it up now but made a point to talk with the captain about it later.
A voice interrupted his thoughts. “Takma you and General Kail are needed on the Bonthos.” It came from Takma’s communicator.
“Understood.” she responded. Cutting the comm link, she turned to the captain. “If you will excuse me Captain, we are needed back on my ship.”
“Of course. If you wish you may return and we can talk more of trading supplies.”
Takma smiled. “I would be honored.” She then turned to Kail. “General I believe we must be going now.”
He gave a slight nod to the captain and commander and then followed Takma away.
Once they were gone, Chakotay addressed Kathryn. “Something doesn’t seem right about their story. I think we should keep an eye on them.”
Janeway nodded. “Yes, but we don’t want to insult them either. We could use some supplies and if their story holds up, I would like to have an ally in battle. We don’t know how many ships might be out there.”
Chakotay reluctantly agreed. There was something about Takma that he found unnerving though. It was like she was just an actress playing a part. And an extremely good actress at that.
*
“Alright, it looks like we’re right along on schedule.” Paris said from behind the Conn. They had been on course to their destination for almost two hours now. A very long two hours. And the length was mainly due to the man behind Ops.
“I still can’t believe we’re doing this. The Fates are going to have their work cut out with us.” Danag complained for the hundredth time.
Paris sighed audibly. “Well, we are doing this so you can just face it. And will someone clue me in as to who ‘The Fates’ are. I’ve heard references to them as well as ‘the Spirit’ and it’s getting a little tiring not knowing what’s going on.”
Aria smiled. She had been waiting for him to say something to Danag. After all the man was driving both of them nuts. “The
Fates,” she said. “Are the three warriors of the Spirit. They are said to watch over all those who fight in the name of the righteous. We ask for the Fates to watch over us as we go to battle as a form of protection. The Spirit is the supreme being of the universe. It’s sort of our god I suppose. It is said that the Spirit weaves the destiny of noble warriors and then commands the Fates to protect them until their day at battle comes. All soldiers look to the Spirit to seek guidance. It lets them know if the battles they fight in are right or wrong.”
Paris nodded. “Well that explains a lot.”
Danag turned to him. “So, oh fearless leader, I suppose you had better say your prayers to the Fates as well.”
Tom turned to him. “I’m way past prayers now.”
He got up from the Conn and went into the back of the shuttle. Aria watched as he left and shot Danag a vengeful look.
“You just couldn’t keep your mouth shut could you.” She then got up and followed Paris to the back as well.
Danag was left alone on the bridge. “What’d I say?”
Tom stood alone in the cargo area of the Imperial ship. They had decided it would be best to offer a trade to the
Dezorisians in exchange for the shuttles they needed. From what he had heard, this species was not what one would call a charitable race.
*Your thoughts consume you*
Tom turned to Aria. She stood in the doorway. As she walked toward him he silently replied. *I just needed to get off the bridge. His whining was beginning to get to me.*
Commander Brandwin looked at the man before her. He really could put on a mask. To anyone else, it might appear that nothing was wrong, but she knew better.
“He didn’t mean anything by it,” she said. “He just had this unnatural knack for pissing people off. Gets it from Sargon I suppose. But once you know him you’ll find out he’s actually quite a nice guy.”
Paris nodded. “If I have the chance. I don’t even know where I’ll be once this is over. Hell, I don’t even know who I am.”
Aria came to him. Her heart yearned to comfort him, but she didn’t know how. She then said. “I can try to help you remember now if you wish.”
His eyes brightened slightly at her words. “Here?”
“Why not? Danag has the bridge and here is as good a place as any.”
“Okay. What do you want me to do.”
*
B’Elanna sat alone in the mess hall. She had been waiting on Harry to join her for almost ten minutes now. Her Klingon temper was beginning to rise as Harry entered, Seven following closely behind.
He got a tray and sat down across from her. Seven took a seat next to Harry.
“You mind telling me just why the Hell I’ve been sitting here alone for the past ten minutes.” The half Klingon ground out.
Harry gulped. She was extremely pissed. “I’m sorry B’Elanna. Seven and I got caught up in Astrometrics. You should see the technology we uncovered. It’s amazing.”
B’Elanna stared down at her plate. She knew where that technology had come from. It was a memory she didn’t want to deal with at the moment so she changed the subject.
“So have either of you seen the new guests the captain had been showing around. By the time I reached Engineering, they had already passed through.”
Harry nodded. “I was on the bridge when the transmission first came through. They don’t look too different from us. They just have black eyes and ridged eyebrows. I think they’re called Parvanians.”
B’Elanna nodded. Somehow, the image of a species like this reared its head. Parvanians, it seemed so familiar but she couldn’t quite grasp it.
*Oh well,* she thought. *It’s probably nothing.*
But she still couldn’t shake the fact that this was one species they didn’t want to mess with.
*
Paris and Aria broke their psychic link. It had been over an hour and they still had nothing to show for all their troubles. He still couldn’t remember anything.
“Tell you what; how about let’s try this again later.” Paris said.
Aria nodded. “I suppose you’re right. We could try this again after the mission. It might be the stress that’s preventing us from helping you remember.”
&n
bsp; Tom thought for a moment. “Well, why don’t you tell me more about these ‘Fates’ you were talking about earlier? I got the overall definition but I’d like to hear a few details.”
She smiled. She realized he was just trying to evade the subject at hand but didn’t say anything about it. Instead, she started on a story. “Well, there is one legend about the Fates.” She began. “There are always three Fates but they are not immortal as The Spirit is. They will live, die, and be reborn in different bodies. The story goes that The Spirit sends the Fates to watch over great warriors. Once those warriors are ready for battle then the Fates will die and the warrior will take his place.
“There is one legend of this happening. There was a man named Landis. He was the greatest warrior to ever live. The Spirit had spun his destiny so that he would lead his people into battle and overcome the dark forces that plagued them. One of the Fates watched over him though he didn’t know who it was at the time. Once the battle came, the Fate died and gave its power to him. By flying his legendary ship, the Jihaid, he went on to lead his people into victory and was forever known as the greatest hero of all time.”
Paris didn’t have time to reply as Danag’s voice sounded from the bridge. “Commander Brandwin, and umm you. We’re being hailed by the Dezorisians. And they don’t look to be in too good of a mood.”
*
Takma appeared in the transporter room of the Bonthos. *Thank the Spirit I was called over hear. I couldn’t take another minute with those simple minded imbeciles.*
Yet as she thought this, she also thanked the Spirit for their ignorance. If they ever picked up on all the lies she had been feeding them then all her plans would be ruined. But then again, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t just get whatever information she wanted without their help.
*But then it wouldn’t be as much fun, now would it?*
General Kail pulled her thoughts back to the present. He addressed the man who had contacted them. “What did you want?”
The young man stepped forward. “I have just received news from the Pretor that a new ship has been ‘acquired’ from another species and that he needs some of Takma’s best researchers to work on it.”
Takma’s brow furrowed. “What kind of ship would cause him to need use of such researchers?”
The man looked towards the floor for strength. “No one told me, however a message is waiting for you in your quarters to explain the situation further. It has been downloaded into your personal computer.”
“Good,” she turned to Kail. “Come with me. I would appreciate it if you would accompany me to my quarters. I can use any input you might have on this new ship.”
The two then proceeded to Takma’s quarters. She wondered what kind of ship would cause her husband to bestow so much attention upon. She thought Voyager was the biggest prize to be had at the present time. If Voyager was now not a concern of Portus then perhaps she should investigate this new vessel more thoroughly. After all Portus shouldn’t get an advantage of such an advanced technology. If anyone needed an upper hand, it was her. She would overthrow her husband and take her rightful place as Pretor of the Empire.
Kail and she entered her quarters and quickly opened the message on her console. Before their eyes appeared a ship so advanced, they caught an involuntary breath. It was a sleek red vessel, which looked to be almost the same size as Voyager.
Feedback on the interior of the systems of the ship scrolled down the side of her screen. Advanced shielding, propulsion systems twice as fast as any Imperial battle cruiser, and a sleek design to allow more maneuverability in battle. There also seemed to be a cloaking system as well as a new and more powerful weapon system. It put the Photon Torpedoes on Voyager to shame.
Takma wondered now why she couldn’t have found this ship first. Now her upper hand was nothing more than last week’s fad. She needed to get that ship, but she didn’t know how to, so that her husband wouldn’t suspect anything.
“It looks like our planning was all in vain,” said Kail.
The woman frowned, “Don’t count it as lost yet. It says here that the convoy transporting the ship to Portus’s fleet had to stop for repairs. At present, they are docked at the concentration camp in the Bimonis Sector. I can just send a message to postpone leaving until we reach them. After we get there we can figure out how to make that ship ‘disappear.’”
Kail smiled. He admired that woman’s ambition. He just hoped he wouldn’t be left behind once she reached the top.
*
Paris scanned the crowd around him. He, Aria, and Danag now stood in the shuttlebay of a Dezorisian ship with ten of that species surrounding them.
The spokesman of the group finally spoke up. “Why have you come here?” He said this in an accusatory manner.
Tom approached the man and replied nonchalantly. “I believe you already have the answer to that question. Now why don’t we just settle down and discuss trade.”
Danag held his breath as Paris spoke. He had to admit, the man did have courage. Very few would speak to a Dezorisian in such a manner. And if one did, he surely wouldn’t live long after. But here stood the six foot tall humanoid, staring up at the bulking seven foot Dezorisian.
Paris just kept his stare on the man in front of him. He had to tilt his head back to make eye contact. “Well, aren’t you going to tell me who I’m talking to or do you even have a name?” Paris asked.
A low growl emanated from the man. “I am Karnus and you are aboard my ship so you might want to show more respect before I tear your arms and legs off and use them as shelves for my quarters.”
Paris figured the man wasn’t exaggerating about his strength. He was twice Paris’s size with huge arms and massive legs. Tom caught a glimpse of the feet; they looked like claws. Behind those legs was a long tail, which hung to the ground and coiled in a circle around its feet. The thing that caught Tom as most interesting was the horns growing from underneath the man’s forehead. His shoulder length hair hid the base of them from view but they coiled in spirals around his temples. This juggernaut was not one to be taken lightly.
“Well, Karnus, let’s get down to business shall we.”
*
Seven of Nine entered sickbay for the second time that week. The doctor had called upon her only yesterday to lend a hand with some maintenance, however, this time it was she who had asked for his help.
“Why Seven, what brings my favorite Borg here today,” the EMH remarked as he exited his office.
“I wish to speak with you,” she stated matter-of-factly.
Doc put down one of his ever present pads and came to stand beside her. “Is something wrong?” he asked.
Seven hesitated. She didn’t exactly know how to put this into words. So instead, she just began where every good discussion begins, at the beginning. “For the past few days now, Ensign Kim and I have confided in one another different thoughts and emotions we have experienced due to the recent death of Ensign Paris. However, I have discovered another sentiment that I cannot distinguish. I do not believe it has to do with remorse; however, I feel that I cannot approach Ensign Kim with the nature of this. I was seeking advice from you as to what my best course of action might be.”
The doctor let her words sink in. Seven rarely came to him for advice unless she felt needed. *And she must really feel that she needed help if she told him this.*
He tried to think of the best way to handle this. “Well Seven, from what you have told me, it seems that you have developed a strong emotional feeling towards Mr. Kim. If I didn’t know better I might say that you have fallen in love with him.”
Seven raised an ocular implant. “The odds of that being true are extremely low. I do not have any wish to propagate at the present time. Why then would I wish to mate?”
The doctor let out a holographic sigh. “There are more reasons to seek ‘companionship’ than reproduction.”
“Explain.”
“Well,” he started. “Sometimes people just wa
nt someone to confide in. People don’t choose their mates based on who would be the most ideal person to father a child. It depends upon a lot of factors. How well the two get along, what common interests they share, so on.”
“I do not see the logic. For a species to evolve into a more perfect being, it is only logical that mating is based upon who is the best adapted to create a better second generation than the first. Any other ties are merely superficial.”
“Well Seven for humans and many other species they don’t share the same views as you. Remember, you are human yourself.”
Seven looked at him quizzically. So far, she was no closer to an answer than she had been when she first came in. But she did have something else to think about.
“I appreciate your opinion Doctor but I believe it would be most productive if I settled this matter for myself.” She said.
Doc just nodded and she left.
He went back into his office. He hadn’t expected to be giving the former Borg love lessons today, but then again, he often did the unexpected.
*Mr. Paris would be a lot better at handling such a situation than I* he thought to himself. Doc didn’t want to admit it, but he missed his medical assistant more than anyone aboard the ship realized. The man had added a personal touch to his work and even though he did berate Tom on his lack of medical skill, the man had proved to be quite an adequate learner.
He scrolled down the Padd he held. The captain had asked him to name a new medical assistant and so far he was still debating over who would be the best choice. He had already lost two assistants; he hoped his next wouldn’t share the same fate.
He returned to his office. It was just too quiet in sickbay. He decided he would have to choose someone who would add a little life to the usually melancholy surroundings.
He sighed to himself. *I’m just getting too many human subroutines.*
