DISCLAIMER: It's Paramount's galaxy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: C/7. Set in AU#1 established in fanfiction story "Alternatives." Picks up at the end of that story and explores the past and developing relationship between Chakotay and Seven of Nine and life aboard the Val Jean.
Well, when I got some time to write, this is what happened… I guess any non-C/7 story is going to have to wait. Hope you enjoy, and as always, please leave a review and let me know your thoughts…
#
LES EXILÉS
Stardate 57817.3 (AU#1)
# Chapter 1 – The Caretaker
…
Seven of Nine seemed to be studying Chakotay's eyes. Finally she said, "what are you suggesting Captain?" Not mechanically, as she sometimes sounded, but almost in a whisper. Chakotay tried to clear his thoughts. What was he suggesting? In recent months he was beginning to loose his faith. Their long journey was dragging on, and he was withdrawing from the crew. Many days, it was only Seven of Nine with whom he talked to. Many days, it was only Seven of Nine of whom he thought. If she did share feelings for him as he was now fully aware he held for her, what exactly should they do about it?
"I guess I'm saying…" Chakotay began, and then faltered.
Seven of Nine squeezed his hand back. "Chakotay," she said. It was perhaps the first time in years she had addressed him by his own name. He quite liked it.
Chakotay held his breath. His mind a tempest of thoughts.
"Needless to say," Seven finally said. "I am quite unfamiliar with these feelings and emotions, but I think I know what you are asking, and the answer is most definitely yes."
#
Ten years earlier… Stardate 48315.9
The green energy pulses from the Caretaker's array still shot towards the Ocampan homeworld. The Caretaker was dying, and now he was sealing the conduits that for years had transmitted the needed energy to the Ocampa cities below the surface. There was no more need for those conduits and he wanted to protect the Ocampa and their resources from the Kazon on the surface. Voyager and the Val Jean left orbit and approached in formation as two Kazon vessels also took position on the opposite side of the array. All four ships matched the array's velocity that orbited the distant sun of the Ocampan system.
B'Elanna monitored the instruments in front of her at the Val Jean's tactical station. "The lead Kazon ship is hailing Voyager," she said to Chakotay who sat beside her at the pilot's station. The only other Val Jean crewmember on the bridge was Seska at weapons control. Ayala, his first officer, had recently gone down to ensure the phasers were online for the possible conflict ahead.
"Split screen," Chakotay ordered, "I want to see both sides."
Immediately, a close shot of the Kazon Mage on his ship and Captain Janeway standing on the bridge of Voyager with her hands on her hips replaced the image of the array on the Val Jean's main view screen.
"Have you come to investigate the entity's strange behavior too Captain?" Javen, the Kazon Mage, asked. It was obvious that Javen was impressed by Voyager's technology, but Chakotay knew Javen would not hesitate to test that technology in battle if it meant the chance of getting control of the array.
"All we care about is getting home Javen," Janeway responded. "We're about to transport over to the array to see if we can arrange it."
"I'm afraid I cannot permit that," Javen said, an implied threat left unsaid.
"We have no dispute with you."
"I have a dispute with anyone who would challenge us."
"This is ridiculous," Janeway replied and stepped forward until her image filled the view screen. "We have no intention of challenging you."
"And I have no intention of letting anyone with your technological knowledge board the array."
"Javen, can we discuss this like two civilized…"
Javen's transmission cut off in the middle of Janeway's response and soon after Voyager's transmission ended as well.
"The Kazon ships are powering up their weapons," B'Elanna commented. And just as suddenly, blue streaks of particle beams emanated from the Kazon vessels and impacted Voyager's shields. Soon enough, the Kazon weapons fire was also directed at the Val Jean. The inertial dampers on the small Maquis raider had been repaired too many times to remember and were only partially functioning. As a result, the weapons fire at such close range shook the vessel greatly. Chakotay cringed when he saw guidance control go offline.
"Return fire," Chakotay ordered. "Move away from Voyager but stay close to the array."
The two Kazon vessels continued to fire on both Voyager and the Val Jean. Both ships now returned fire and the Kazon ships moved off. They didn't stay away long, however, and kept looping back to make passes with particle beams blazing. The Val Jean was just as maneuverable, and executed evasive maneuvers while targeting the Kazon. More often than not, the Val Jean scored direct hits, but the Kazon shields continued to hold.
"Janeway to Chakotay," Janeway's voice sounded on an audio-only channel to the Val Jean. "Tuvok and I are beaming to the array, can you hold off the Kazon?"
"I think so Captain," Chakotay replied, his ship still receiving fire from the circling Kazon.
"Good," Janeway said simply and the transmission ended.
"We need to beam over to the array as well!" Seska said, irritation in her voice.
Chakotay had a fleeting thought of doing just that, but quickly dismissed it. In the past few days there had been nothing but cooperation and honesty between both crews, and his early doubts about Janeway and her intentions were gone. He trusted her and would do his part. "That won't be necessary," he finally said. "Let's concentrate on holding off the Kazon."
"Don't be naïve Chakotay," Seska responded. "Janeway will either leave us here or bring us back to the alpha quadrant in chains. We cannot trust them."
"Enough!" Chakotay ordered. "Continue targeting and firing on the Kazon vessels."
Seska frowned, but turned to renew the assault as Chakotay continued to execute elaborate evasive maneuvers.
The two Kazon vessels buzzed around the array firing at both alpha quadrant ships. They were small and just as maneuverable as the Val Jean, and so eventually began to concentrate their attacks on the more sluggish Voyager. Suddenly, the Val Jean shook from a direct his on the shields.
"Phasers off line," Ayala called over the comm.
"Get them back!" Chakotay shouted and moved further from the array. Guidance control, the inertial dampers, and now phasers. Many systems were still needing repair from when they were struck by the polarized magnetic displacement wave that brought them here to the delta quadrant. Fortunately, the two Kazon ships now ignored the Val Jean and continued to concentrate their attacks on Voyager. The Kazon ships were small, but also designed solely for war and were relentless. For the time being, Voyager's shields appeared to be holding against the onslaught.
Ayala didn't respond, so Chakotay repeated. "Ayala, we need those phasers back online."
"Chell and I are working on it now sir," Ayala replied.
All Chakotay could do was wait. After a couple minutes of observing the battle from a distance, a new threat entered sensor range. It was a huge Kazon battleship, with significantly more firepower and shields. It ignored the Val Jean and moved straight towards Voyager, all its weapons blazing.
"Their weapons array has been hit," Chakotay commented, watching the Kazon battleship pummel Voyager. All Kazon vessels were now completely engaged. "They're in trouble."
"Neither of us has enough fire power to stop that ship," B'Elanna replied.
With phasers still offline, there was nothing the Val Jean could do to aid Voyager. Chakotay felt helpless, but then a thought occurred to him. Perhaps there was something he could do. "I'm setting a collision course," he began grimly, "but the guidance system is disabled. I'll have to pilot the ship manually. Get the crew ready to beam to Voyager, and drop shields for transport."
B'Elanna was about to protest, but understood Chakotay well enough to know when his mind was set. She might not agree with his decision, but didn't even consider disobeying his orders. Seska couldn't believe what she had just heard and stood open mouthed behind them both.
Chakotay was about to open a channel to Voyager when a bright flash from the battle distracted him. B'Elanna noticed it too, and sat back down to study the sensors. "Heavy damage to Voyager's engineering section. I think the Kazon battleship somehow penetrated the shields."
Suddenly there was another explosion. Voyager's two nacelles detached and spun off in different directions. The ships were all in close proximity to the Caretaker's array, and one of the nacelles impacted the array and the other the Kazon battleship. The result was devastating. Secondary explosions began rippling down the length of both structures, tearing those apart as well.
"I'm reading an energy build up in the array," B'Elanna said. "I think it's a self-destruct sequence."
"What about Voyager?" Chakotay asked desperately.
B'Elanna's eyes widened as the implications of the sensor readings became apparent. "Voyager's warp core is destabilizing," she finally replied. "Warp core breach within minutes."
"Let's get out of here!" Seska put in, "or we'll be destroyed in the explosion."
"No," Chakotay responded. "I'm moving in to transporter range."
"They won't care you playing the hero," Seska hissed. "We don't have room for Voyager's crew."
"Ready transporters," Chakotay ordered, ignoring Seska's protests.
B'Elanna studied the sensor readouts. "Massive explosions throughout the ship's engineering and saucer sections," she said as they approached. "I'm reading no life signs below deck three. I'm going to have trouble getting a lock."
"Beam out who you can," Chakotay replied.
"Targeting twelve on the bridge. Beaming directly to our cargo bay."
Chakotay watched as the Kazon battleship, plasma spewing angrily out a gap in its hull caused by the impact of Voyager's nacelle, veered and impacted the array in slow motion. The array's arm crumbled and another explosion ensued. "Captain Janeway and Tuvok are still on the array," he commented.
B'Elanna shook her head. "I can't penetrate the array's shielding. There's too much interference."
"Chakotay," Seska shouted, leaving her post to step up closer to Chakotay still sitting at the pilot's station. "A warp core breach is imminent. If we don't get out of here now, we won't be able to save ourselves!"
Chakotay sighed heavily and punched the Val Jean's impulse engines to maximum, afraid that if he went to warp too close, it would trigger the explosion they were hoping to avoid. He swung around and headed away, positioning the array between Voyager and the Val Jean. Before they were at a safe distance to go to warp, however, Voyager's core detonated. The resulting explosion and shock wave tore apart the remains of the Kazon battleship and the Caretaker's array instantly. More explosions on both structures completed the destruction. The combined shock wave overtook the Val Jean seconds later.
The Val Jean shook wildly sending those on the bridge to the floor. Chakotay felt as if his arm may have broken with the impact and the ship's structure groaned under the stress. He knew his ship, however, and knew from the sounds they would survive. They had survived worse in the Badlands and in skirmishes with the Cardassians.
Seska stood up. There was a cut on her cheek and fury in her eyes. "You almost killed us to save those damn Star Fleet officers!" she spat. B'Elanna moved to stand between Seska and Chakotay.
Chakotay stood slowly, grimacing as pain shot through his arm and shoulder. He'd have to attend to his injuries shortly, but for now, he tried to ignore them. "Back off!" he shouted back. "This is a Maquis ship and I'm still the Captain. If you have a problem with that, there's no room for you here."
Seska glared at both Chakotay and B'Elanna, and then turned swiftly and exited the bridge.
Chakotay returned to the pilot's station and sat heavily in the chair. Warp engines were one system miraculously still online, so he set a course vaguely in the direction of the alpha quadrant and engaged warp drive. He wanted to get some distance away from the destruction and possibility of additional Kazon vessels arriving on the scene. He opened a comm channel and said, "Ayala, forget phasers for now and go to the cargo bay. We have some Voyager survivors. Tend to the wounded and figure out where they're going to stay."
"Acknowledged."
He turned to B'Elanna. "Go to the engine room. Make sure we can sustain warp until we get well clear of this system. I'll start looking for a place to hole up and make repairs."
B'Elanna nodded without saying a word and left, leaving Chakotay alone on the bridge. His arm ached, and he knew he would have to attend to that soon. For now, he wanted to be alone. He looked back at the door where both Seska and B'Elanna had left just moments before and frowned. He had once been romantically involved with Seska, but now couldn't fathom what it was that had attracted him to her in the first place. She was reckless and volatile. She would undoubtedly come to his quarters later to make up, but Chakotay shook his head. He had had enough. There was no room on the Val Jean for that kind of relationship. Not anymore.
Returning his attention to the main view screen he looked out at the unfamiliar stars of the delta quadrant. 75,000 light years from his home.
Voyager was destroyed, and with it, over a hundred Star Fleet officers, including Captain Janeway. The Caretaker's array was destroyed, and with that, their only obvious way home within his lifetime. The Val Jean was a single small ship surrounded by hostile and unknown alien species.
What the hell were they going to do now?