Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or any of the official characters.
If I have to stay in this Cargo Bay for one more minute I'm going to scream. Earth Janeway thought angrily. She and the rest of the Voyager crew, excluding the highest ranking officers (which were in the Brig) were being held in Cargo Bay 1. They had been there for almost two days straight, and were starting to lose patience. The aliens hadn't spoken a word to anyone, leaving everyone on Voyager with countless questions.
Arron Paris was leaning on the far wall next to Kavik, Vorik's son. Arron was tall and had bright blue eyes just like his father, but his hair and forehead were clearly from his mother. Kavik was half human but you couldn't gather that from his appearance. The Vulcan was chanting some random Vulcan poetry to the impatient part-Klingon. Naomi, Marianna and James Carey were all resting in the far corner while Kes, Conix and his twin Gavix were attempting to create a translator, so they could ask their foreign and rather cranky guard to bring them some kitchen supplies and reasonable food. The three Telaxians were Neelix's children, but only Kes had inherited her fathers cooking talents. The twin brothers, on the other hand, were natural born engineers and uncanny pranksters.
"If that guy purrs at me one more time I'm gonna hurt somebody." Kathryn Kim whispered softly in Earth's ear. Kathy's hair was short and blond, she had her fathers eyes. "I couldn't agree more." Earth chuckled softly. Earth's hair was long and black, her eyes were bright blue and she wore a tattoo over her left eye, to most eyes she was a mirror image of her father. Their guard was large and heavyset, with extremely large facial ridges and oversized hairy ears.
"If I don't get out of here soon I might lose it completely."
"What do you think they want? They aren't ripping the ship apart, they aren't driving it around the galaxy and waving it in the Kazon's faces, heck, they aren't even assimilating it." Kathy said.
"They might be negotiating with the Captain." Arron suggested as he walked over.
"More likely, they are waiting for assistance. There is not enough room on their vessel to carry prisoners, and I do not believe they are interested in keeping Voyager in one piece." Kavik said.
"Well, whatever their reason, there must be something we can do." Naomi said. As she and her siblings walked over, James was the youngest at five years old, Marianna was fifteen and the two appeared half asleep.
"I'm hungary. Where's Mommy, Nay Nay?" James asked his seventeen year old sister.
"Mommy's busy right now." Naomi said distractedly.
"Hey guys. If you ever finnish talking, I believe our translator is ready for testing." Conix called out while Gavix continued fiddling with the device. Earth led the way over.
"How will it work?" She asked.
"Same way as our translators on the Bridge, I think." Gavix said with a smirk. "Alright, talk away Janeway." He said.
"Excuse me?" She called out to the guard. "My name is Earth Janeway, can you understand me?"
"Shut up." The guard barked dryly. Earth glared at him.
"Might I inquire as to your name?" She said, trying to be diplomatic.
"No, you may not." She sighed loudly and rested her forehead in her hand, talk about uncooperative.
"My friends and I would appreciate it if you could bring us some cooking utensils and food from our Mess Hall. We are hungary." She said. He turned to face her.
"No."
"Then can you at least tell us what you are keeping us here for?"
"No."
"When are your reinforcement ships arriving?" Kavik intervened. The guard stared at him in bewilderment.
"Who told you that?"
"I am Vulcan, and rightly assumed that you would use the most logical course of action. Am I correct in believing you are going to be keeping us in permanent confinement?"
"No. We've made a bargain with the Vidiians." Kathy and Earth exchanged concerned glances. A bargain with the Vidiians could mean only one thing; organ harvesting.
Kathryn Janeway was exhausted, she hadn't slept in days and for the life of her couldn't remember the last time she'd had coffee. But she had other problems to worry about besides her own discomfort; the kids were missing, the Doctor hadn't been heard from, B' Elanna was very pregnant and very cranky, Seven and Harry weren't talking to each other on account of a disagreement over their daughters well being, Sam and Joe Carey were distraught over their missing five year old son James, the strange aliens weren't giving any answers, and nobody could develop a sound plan of escape. Kathryn's head hurt almost as bad as it had the last time they ran into a space/time paradox. Chakotay was massaging her comfortingly, but for all the comfort he could supply, he couldn't offer a solution to their current predicament.
"Mr. Tuvok, do you have any idea about what these aliens might want?" She asked hopefully.
"It would appear that they are waiting for reinforcements, although for what purpose, I can not fathom." He said. Kathryn sighed, in other words, they were stuck and not even Vulcan logic could find a solution.
"Chakotay," she whispered softly.
"Yes."
"You don't think they'd do anything to the children, do you?" He hesitated.
"I don't know if they would or not, but I don't think they have, we'd know if they did. But Earth knows how to take care of herself, regardless, and she has Arron, and Kavik and Kathy and all the others. They're smart kids, I think they're probably fine. Gavix and Conix are probably playing the worlds greatest prank on their guard right now as we speak." Chakotay replied. Kathryn smiled slightly, Earth and her friends were resourceful, but they were still kids and being a mother, Kathryn was worried sick.
"Hey, Seven, didn't you say you'd met this species before?" B' Elanna said.
"Yes, but this species was unworthy of assimilation." The Borg replied.
"Why is that? They seem plenty worthy from here."
"This species has very little technological knowledge, we were captured by our own underestimations. Had we responded more forcefully we would not be in this predicament."
"Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Regrets can come later right now we need to get out of here and get this aliens off our ship. Does anyone have any constructive ideas?" Kathryn said.
"I wouldn't try any funny stuff if I were you, Captain." Kathryn stared in surprise at an alien who had just entered. He was holding a crude translator.
"Where did you get that?" Kathryn asked sharply.
"I took it from that charming Telaxian boy. Quite resourceful, your children are. Now, if you want to be diplomatic, I am willing to make a trade that I believe you will find quite satisfying." The alien was stroking the translator lovingly.
"What sort of trade?" Kathryn asked as she and the senior officers stood up.
"Well, I have found myself in a rather, peculiar position. You see I made an agreement with the Vidiians who are always in need of new organs, they asked us to, haul in their catches so to speak, and in return we receive all the technology we gather in the process."
"What's the trade." Kathryn repeated.
"I'm getting to that. You see, one of the ships we caught had some truly outstanding technology that allowed us to scan our home planet for useful substances, one of which is in great demand. However, in order to mine enough of this substance we require a good deal of man power, more than any of our citizens is willing to offer. And here we've found plenty of people to start our mining colony."
"And what is it we can offer you, seeing as the Vidiians have already claimed us."
"Well, we don't need to tell the Vidiians how many crew members we found, I think your children would be wonderful gifts for my alliance."
"And what will you offer us in return?"
"Citizenship on our home planet Diezenoth, you would be required to take your due shifts in the mines but you would have property, jobs, in short we're offering you a life in return for ten of your crew members. We really do prefer to allow our guests to help us of their own will, the results are far more satisfactory. What do you say Captain."
"What are you going to do to us if I refuse?"
"Slavery for all except the ten youth who will be turned over to the Vidiians." Kathryn exchanged glances with her senior officers.
"I'd rather be a slave than agree to place the children in organ processing." Kathryn snarled. The alien grimaced.
"Foolish, you humans are. I don't know why I bothered talking to you." With that he turned and left the Brig.
"If I may, Captain, do you have an alternative solution for the children?" Tuvok asked.
"No, but I will not let them become lab rats for the Vidiians on account of majority." She snarled.