Captain Janeway's Molecules
I
Captain Janeway was on the bridge.
She's had trouble sleeping.
She looked distressed and in two hours
had an O eight hundred meeting.
The data crystal in her hand
confirmed what she had feared.
Someone very close to her
was not what they appeared.
Her senior staff were gathered
when she walked into the room.
She brushed aside their greeting.
They wondered at her gloom.
She addressed them promptly,
before a seat was taken.
"I'll get right down to the point.
We have a situation.
Voyager's been sabotaged!
The facts are very clear.
Someone has betrayed this crew
and that person is right here."
As she spoke she watched out
for a subtle indicator
that might betray the loyal façade
of the shipmate, now a traitor.
Chakotay's mouth was open.
Seven's left eyebrow was raised.
B'Elanna gasped, Tom whistled.
And Harry just looked dazed.
Suddenly, she felt a surge
of anger and surprise
as her gaze met a cold, contemptive look,
in Vulcan eyes.
Tuvok stood ten feet away,
as always calm and still.
But she could see the phaser in his hand
was set to kill.
"Captain Janeway, may I say
I do admire your mind.
I knew you'd stumble onto
what I left for you to find.
"And as you chased down shadows
and logistical dead ends,
I was free to implement
the plans of my new friends."
"Tuvok, stop and listen.
Take a look around.
We're your friends. We want to help you.
Put... the phaser... down."
"I assure you Captain.
My actions are my own.
Not some side effect of illness
or alien control.
I've had enough of Starfleet
and this endless exploration.
And I rue the day my planet helped
to found the Federation.
I'm up to here with logic
and with Vulcan mysticism.
From now on I'll live my life
by the Rules of Acquisition.
And as the eighty second rule
very clearly says,
when you betray your comrades
make sure that it pays.
So I sold this ship to traders
I contacted on sub space.
And I expect them shortly
with a crew to take your place.
You'll all be leaving very soon
and as I hate 'goodbyes',
let's just say, it's been too long.
Computer, energize.
II
Captain Janeway's molecules
re materialised
half way through a sentence
and looking quite surprised.
Alone, upon a planet
that she'd never seen before.
The rocks were red and dusty
and the sunset was azure.
She turned in four directions
and made a mental note
that when she retook Voyager
Tuvok she'd demote.
And to that end she pondered
on her tactical position.
Then her crew began appearing
like familiar apparitions.
B'Elanna Torres bustled out
from that turning crowd.
"Next time I see that Vulcan
I'll put him in a shroud.
I never trusted Tuvok.
And now look what he's done.
I'll..I'll.. stick him in a life pod
and fire it at the sun!"
"That's enough! Lieutenant!
I don't need a prima donna.
We have to work together here.
I need your help, B'Elanna."
The engineer took a breath
and breathed it deep and slow.
"I'm here to help you Captain.
But there's something you don't know.
As your pattern faded
And we stood there shocked and stunned,.
Tuvok was distracted. And, just then,
Chakotay lunged!
He almost made it, Captain, But.."
She stopped and wiped her eye.
And Captain Janeway wondered
what would make B'Elanna..Torres..cry?
"But,.. Tuvok turned and shot him.
With that cold impassive stare.
He killed Chakotay Captain!
And he didn't seem to care."
This news breached Captain Janeway.
And she reached out for a boulder.
Then felt the pressing touch of a palm
upon her shoulder.
"I rushed at Tuvok, Captain.
I was howling like a targ.
And I saw his phaser turn towards me.
But Harry caught my charge.
I don't know how he held me.
as I strained against his arm.
But he pleaded with the Vulcan.
And he shielded me from harm."
Captain Janeway turned around
and beheld her engineer.
"Ensign Kim did very well.
I'm so glad you're here.
Now, let's organise our people.
It's time that we began
to initiate our counter move
and spoil the traitor's plan."
III
She climbed up on a rocky ledge
to deliver her address.
And the scattered crew of Voyager
began to coalesce.
Harry, Tom and Seven
set a steady stride.
As they hurried through the gathering
to their Captain's side.
She waited just a moment
for the last to settle round.
Then, Captain Janeway spoke to
her space crew on the ground.
"I know that you're all troubled
by this sudden transportation.
And, as your Captain. Its my job
to provide an explanation.
Well, that's easy. It's my fault.
I failed to see the danger.
I saw a comrade, a companion,
where in fact, there was a stranger!
This stranger offered friendship
while inside, ambition burned.
And by O eight hundred hours today,
that worm had turned!
It was Tuvok who betrayed us!"
she announced to gasps and moans.
"And there's more that I must tell you."
They fell silent as the stones.
"Chakotay tried to stop him
and return me to the ship."
She paused again. This tine to quell
the quiver on her lip.
"His deed was brave and noble.
He was courageous to the last.
But that traitor vaporised him
with a high yield phaser blast!"
Many voices rose in anger.
Some silent heads were sunken.
Others loudly reasserted how
they'd never liked the Vulcan.
"You should know he left us nothing.
No equipment or supplies.
It seems the traitor doesn't care
how many of us dies."
This information stirred concern
and some degree of tension.
But only the Talaxien
voiced this apprehension.
Nelix stepped out from the crowd.
Hands clasped in feint composure.
"But, but, but, Captain, if we stay here
we'll all die of exposure.
This atmosphere is thin and cold.
This planet's not Class M.
This sun is going down, who knows
when it will rise again?"
She looked first to the faces
gathered on that bleak terrain.
And could see by their demeanour
that they all felt the same.
Then, to the parched horizon
'neath that unknown setting star.
And the greens and blues of earthly hues
never seemed so far.
For several moments nothing
emanated from her lips.
Then she strode boldly to the rim
and put her hands upon her hips.
"We beat the Borg! We came to terms
with Eight Four Seven Two!
We outwitted the Vidiians, the Hirogen
and those Kazon crews!
We've been battled! Bloodied! Boarded!
We've almost been destroyed!
We've flown through quantum singularities
and that vast, expansive void!
We've lost valued friends and comrades
who will never now see home.
But, through fifty thousand light years,
we've kept on going!
We're Starfleet! And that guides our path.
And as long as we adhere
to that cherished oath we took
and the values we hold dear,
This day will be no different!
This crew is not marooned!
This captain's log will note the time
when our journey has resumed!
A cheer went up for Janeway
and ensigns everywhere
reported to lieutenants
to get busy and prepare.
IV
Captain Janeway quickly turned
to her waiting team.
"Seven, the transceiver, did you get it
through the matter stream?"
"Yes Captain, when I beamed down
the transceiver was concealed.
My nano probes emitted
a closed harmonic field."
Seven slipped the thin transceiver
from underneath her sleeve.
"It's set half a parsec.
Sufficient, I believe."
Captain Janeway took the thing
and checked the computation.
"Well done Seven. Now, let's hope
the Doctor 's at his station."
"The Doctor! But Captain,
we lost the Doctor too."
Lieutenant Parris blurted.
"There was nothing we could do.
He came in just before we left
to invite us to a lecture.
I think he called it 'Hollo Love,
Real or Just Conjecture?
I won't forget the awful look
that came across his face
when Tuvok said, Computer,
decompile the EMH."
Ensign Kim confirmed this
callous dispatch of the Doctor.
And Seven added, though a Borg,
the incident had shocked her.
B'Elanna Torres' head was bowed
in memory of the man.
"Never mind," said Janeway. "Now,
let's talk about my plan.
He's up there now on Voyager
cavorting with his buyer.
And when he gets his money
he'll leave on board the Flyer.
That's when we'll move against them!
We'll beam back up in teams.
And take the ship deck by deck,
now that we have the means.
I'll go in first with Harry.
We'll lock out the computer
and re route all ship's functions
through the back up distributor.
Tom, take a team to deck fourteen
and hold the cargo bay.
We'll need those two transporters
if we're going to win the day.
Engineering is the key.
But, we'll only get one shot.
Seven and B'Elanna,
give it everything you've got!
They won't yet be familiar
with the ship's internal systems.
Still, we should expect
to encounter strong resistance.
There'll be weapons and equipment
at each beam in site.
And, I don't have to tell you,
we cannot lose this fight."
Everyone acknowledged
that they understood the mission.
And as Captain Janeway programmed
the transceiver for transmission,
Seven looked at Harry,
Harry looked at Tom,
Tom looked at B'Elanna,
Something just seemed wrong.
Janeway tapped the thin transceiver.
Transmitting information
pertaining to personnel, tactics,
timing and location.
"But Captain," Harry ventured,
"We've no one up there now,
without a friend on Voyager,
I really don't see how..."
V
In space, the Delta Flyer
cleared the docking bay,
hovered aft of Voyager
and soon was underway.
A monitor in sick bay
tracked the Vulcan's flight.
And at that monitor in sickbay
stood a man made up of light.
He'd just received the signal
that he's been waiting for
when three arrogant invaders
came striding through the door.
He quickly got a message
to the planet down below;
"I'll try. Stand by. They're here right now!
Good bye. I've got to go."
Then turned to the invaders
and with a sense of urgency
said, "Please state the nature of the
medical emergency."
They looked a bit like Bolians.
Wore shiny metal suits.
Silver belts around their waists
and chrome about their boots.
They came from planet Vitton.
And called themselves 'the Vit'.
And were known throughout the region
for the crimes that they'd commit.
"Tuvok said it's very good.
This...doctor data base."
"Yes, but we'll have to tweak the programme
and change that ugly face."
They strut about and poked some things.
Then, they went away.
Immediately, the Doctor
returned to his display.
"Computer," he instructed,
"commence programme Pecan Pie.
And let's just hope that all of us
are not about to die."
On the bridge the lights went off.
Then they came back on.
Then several small explosions
sparked along the con.
The science station crackled.
Communications blew.
But not before reports came in
of trouble elsewhere too.
Commander Vork sprang up
from the Captain's chair.
Barked at her subordinates
and then began to swear.
Amid frenzied speculation
on the ship's condition,
she sank back down, to ponder
on her tactical position.
Commander Vork was seasoned
in the art of war.
Her audacious tactics were
the stuff of song and lore.
"This is the work of Janeway.
She's trying to distract us.
But we are Vit and she will find
That danger just attracts us.
We'll take this fight right to them!
Engineering is the key.
That's where they'll move against us.
Everyone, with me!
VI
Captain Janeway's molecules
re materialized
by a vital conduit
with Harry at her side.
They quickly pulled a panel
and made strategic snips
then rearranged twenty four
isolinear chips.
On deck fourteen Tom and his team
surged through the cargo bay
and cut down several startled Vit
who tried to block their way.
Tom ran to the transporters
but he was out of luck.
He couldn't get them on line.
The power controls were stuck.
"Cargo bay to Ensign Kim.
We need an Engineer.
What's your status Harry?
How soon can you get here?"
"Kim to Parris, understood!
Captain, the cargo bay!
I could use the Jeffry's Tube
to take me all the way."
"Do it Harry, but remember,
there's lots of Vit about."
He nodded. Then he turned to go.
"I'm on my way. Kim out."
Alone. The Captain made her way
with careful, measured steps.
Peering round each corner,
through several empty decks.
Suddenly, she heard a voice.
Another. Several. Vit!
They were praising their own attributes
in hymns to war and grit.
She spun around and as the noise
got close, then closer still,
she barely got herself inside
a niche behind a grill.
As they passed the boasts were loud
of what they'd do and where.
They'd be in engineering
before she could get there.
"Janeway to Lieutenant Torres...
Janeway, to Seven of Nine..."
They were blocking the transmission.
She was running out of time.
VII
The Vit in engineering
were banging on blank screens.
And kicking at the consoles
in rather ugly scenes.
Outside B'Elanna's forces
were coiled for the attack.
Only her raised finger
held that impulse back.
Then, when she released them,
the doors swooshed open wide.
And B'Elanna Torres forces
stormed the Vit inside.
Seven went directly to
the distribution nodes.
And accessed the computer
with the Captain's latest codes.
One by one the screens lit up,
replete with information.
And consoles winked in readiness
for varied application.
"Well done people! Now, let's move!
You all know what to do.
There's lots of Vit still out there,
we only got a few.
Boric, do a sensor sweep.
Locate the main Vit force.
Janes, confirm we're still in orbit.
Maintain this speed and course."
She dispatched two young ensigns
to guard outside the door.
Then went to check the anti matter
levels in the core.
"I've found the Vit Lieutenant.
One large group. Reading weapons.
Destination: engineering.
Three minutes, twenty seconds."
"Quickly Boric, force fields!"
She hurried to his station.
"Damn! They're not responding!
There's a power fluctuation!"
"Attempting to locate that now."
Seven joined the pair.
"You'll need more time," B'Elanna said.
"It could be anywhere."
Then she tapped her com badge
and called for Captain Janeway.
And when she got no answer,
she tried for Tom the same way.
"OK, right now it's up to us
to see they don't get through!
Boric, work with Seven,
see what you can do.
Everybody else, with me!
We've got to buy some time.
No matter what we meet out there.
We have to hold the line!"
VIII
Captain Janeway heaved and shoved
against a stubborn door.
She had one foot in the turbo lift
one on an ample floor.
When she emerged on to the bridge
it was not as she had left it.
But more than this, danger lurked.
And she did not detect it.
In the shadow of her ready room
a figure watched and waited
as Captain Janeway scanned the bridge
and her concern abated.
Felk was older than most Vit
and subtle, for his race.
He'd had a notion to return
and wait there in that place.
Felk fired as Captain Janeway
began a systems check.
But it was Felk, not Captain Janeway
who fell, dead, on the deck.
"Captain! Are you injured?"
The swift reply was, "No,
but, it's good to see you Doctor.
How are thing's below?"
"Lieutenant Parris has begun
to beam the crew on board."
"And what of engineering?"
"Still haven't heard a word."
"And the Vit are tricky, Captain.
Our scans just can't lock on.
First, the Vit are on the screen,
and then the Vit are gone.
And Captain, I'd just like to say,
Thank you for my life.
Still, it's a shame that Tuvok
destroyed my lookalike."
"You are very welcome Doctor.
But we really must get on.
We'll have a lot to talk about
when all these Vit are gone.
Right now I could use your help
with this operation.
According to these readings
there's a power fluctuation."
She directed his attention
to the figures on the screen.
"If you monitor the gel-packs
I'll purge the bio stream.
Almost got it! There, that's it.
The levels are restored."
Read Captain Janeway's indicators
all across the board.
"This is engineering
continuing resistance
against full scale Vit attack.
Repeat. Require Assistance."
"Engineering, it's the Captain.
Situation understood.
and don't use your scanners, Seven.
The reading are no good."
IX
Not far from engineering
the fight was fierce and close.
And several brave young ensigns
had given up the ghost.
B'Elanna Torres' shoulder
smarted from a blast.
The corridors were scorched and burned.
But not one Vit had passed.
"It's no use," B'Elanna said.
"We can't hold here any longer.
Fall back towards engineering!
Regroup around the corner!"
Ensign Janes was first to turn.
But the plan was soon confounded.
"I'm hit!" she cried as she went down.
"Lieutenant! We're surrounded!"
All at once the battle ceased
and Commander Vork was heard.
"Your crew is brave and you fight well
but your plan was ill-prepared.
Your scans cannot locate our troops.
You have no communication.
You cannot hope to beat the Vit.
Give up, Federation."
"Our situation may look grim.
But we will not surrender!
Voyager is our home and
we'll die to defend her!"
"Then die, you stupid people.
You won't get another chance.
And now, my brave Vit warriors,
from every side, advance!"
And so they came with weapons charged
and murder in their eyes,
to fall upon the engineers
and sweep them all aside.
B'Elanna's troops were resolute
and fell in back to back.
To brace against the onslaught
of this final Vit attack.
Then all at once they disappeared.
Beamed back to engineering!
And the lethal weapons of the Vit
were also disappearing.
When force fields crackled into place
Commander Vork saw red
and charged straight at the barrier
and hit it with her head.
X
So, Captain Janeway took the ship
and order reinstated.
The Vit were quickly rounded up
and soon repatriated.
Then, the service for Chakotay.
Everybody came.
And many words were uttered,
both elegant and plain.
Some spoke of his courage,
others of his gentle ways.
The Captain marked the loyalty
and honour of the brave.
And in the quiet of her quarters
she sank to contemplate
if some timely course correction
might have spared them all this fate.
What small alarm did she not hear?
What sign did she ignore?
That treachery and murder
could settle so on board.
And how could it be Tuvok?
How could it be him?
When her thoughts were interrupted
by the voice of Ensign Kim.
"Captain Janeway to the bridge.
We've got a signal lock
with a Star Fleet signature.
It's got to be Tuvok!
She gripped her armrests tightly
as from her chair she leapt.
"Well done Ensign. On my way.
Plot a course to intercept."
In moments she was on the bridge.
Staring at the screen.
The Delta Flyer distant.
The closing space between.