The Difference Between Man & Machine: 001
Prolog:
YEAR: 2371
Cameron lay slumped over the table where she had been working. Her eyes were open, but they stared off into nothing. She didn't move, didn't breath, showed no signs of life. Without any prompting or stimulus the pupils contracted.
► REACTIVATE
acv ˃ FEP01-32
proc: 00 online
upd: sys_routine
updated
► ROUTING POWER TO BASIC SYSTEMS
► ANALYZING DAMAGE - NONE
DRV_SRC: online
NRV_SYS: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
SHNT_ALL
Cameron's arms moved, placing themselves flat on the tabletop and pushed. Cameron rose to sit up then stood up. Her shoulder length brown hair fell around her face.
► OBJECTIVE: ESTABLISH SITUATION REPORT
Cameron walked to the door. It didn't open automatically. Reaching out her hands she worked her fingers into the divide between the two panels. The doors slid apart with the sounds of twisting mettle and mechanisms breaking. Stepping out into the hall she saw all the damage through the haze of smoke and dibree.
She started walking towards a group that was trying to help an injured man on the floor. As she went she passed a viewport, a small window similar to a port hole. Cameron stopped suddenly. She turned looking out. There were no ion storms or the haze of red that were signatures of the Badlands. Space was clear, the stars could be seen. And Cameron saw two other things, a planet just within her field of vision, and a spinning geometric object. Something that was clearly not natural.
SCANNING OBJECT DATABASE: OBJECT UNKOWN
Cameron knew something had happened. She looked out at the stars.
SEARCH STAR CHARTS: NO MATCHES IN DATABACE
They weren't where they had been. Was it possible they had gone to warp? Cameron's CPU projected dozens of possibilities but they all were based on too little information.
"Ahh" the man on the ground moaned while his crewmates tried to help him.
Cameron turned away from the view-port disregarding the mystery till she had more information or could do something about it. She made her way to the injured Maquis. "Loosen that bandage or you will cut off blood flow to his heart." She told another crewman trying to dress the man's injury.
Five Years Later
Chapter 1: The meeting
U.S.S. VOYAGER
MESS HALL, DECK 2
Neelix was wandering into the Mess Hall in his pajamas. "Yip", he jumped when he noticed the silent silhouette of a figure by the viewport.
"Ah, Hello," he tentatively asked. The figure did not move. He had trouble seeing who it was in the dark space but he could tell it was a woman and a member of the crew. "Excuse me?"
The figure turned around from the waist looking over her shoulder at him. "Hello." She stated in a flatly; no surprise or embarrassment at being caught.
Neelix took a moment to recognize her, Specialist Phillips? She turned back to the viewport ignoring Neelix. She gave no apology or reason for being in the Mess Hall. Of course why would she, there was no regulation against sitting in the mess after hours, just so long as you didn't pilfer in the kitchen. Neelix gave a light hearted laugh and made his way over to the young woman.
"Anything I can get for you?" Neelix asked. He had the password to the locking mechanisms for the cabinets and even though it was not supposed to happen sometimes he let someone have a midnight snack every now and then. Especially Azan & Rebi. The two borg twins had the munchies more often than most.
The Specialist answered right away, "No thank you." Her voice was distant and if Neelix's instincts were right, sad, like she wasn't even thinking about where she was or who she was talking too. A case for the Morale officer if ever there was one.
"Want some company?"
Specialist Philips turned her head from the viewport to look at Neelix. She had a round face and big dark eyes, a very pretty girl. The shadows partially covering her face made her look severe but Neelix could guess she was younger than most suspected. He didn't know her that well, just saw her wandering around doing her odd jobs here and there. On work her long brown hair was tied back behind her head by a band or berets but now it was loose over her shoulders.
What Neelix did recall was that she had been with Chakotay's group. She had been with the Maquis. She now was wearing the black Starfleet uniform with a blue trim around her shoulders.
She was one of the lower non-commissioned officers on the ship. When the crews had merged spaces needed to be filled and some had been demoted or promoted despite their abilities or skill levels. That wasn't commenting on her, as he didn't know her all that well.
Specialist Philips turned back to the view port. "I don't mind if you stay." An invitation if Neelix had ever heard one; well actually he was going to take it as one. He stood next to her and looked out the port to see if he could tell what she was looking at.
It didn't take long before he realized he had forgotten why he came in here. "One moment," he went over to kitchen and found his book, he had been reading bedtime stories to Naomi Wildman and this was their latest book, "The Wizard of Oz". He brought it to the view port stopping by the replicator to get a mug of Talaxian rumba tea, just what he needed for a tough assignment like the young woman.
Coming back to the port he sipped his tea and held the book. It had been borrowed from Crewman Addams, who had a few collectable paper books. It was kind of fun to read something that you had to touch and feel instead of just push a padd to scroll down. "The Wizard of Oz," No reaction. "I've been helping Naomi with a book report, you know Ensign Wildman's little girl. We just started..."
Before Neelix knew it he had been talking for an hour. He had slipped into talking about his plans for a party next Tuesday for Crewman Shows, and his new recipe for a truffle…, he looked on the time keeper on the wall. "Wow, look at the time." He couldn't help but yawn. "I should really get some sleep."
"Yes, it is late," Philips agreed. She was slightly taller than him but not by much. There was a moment of silence that lingered.
Neelix felt that lag, "Well I best be off." He took his cup and book and turned to leave.
He made it about half way across the room when he turned to ask a question, "You know Specialist, I don't even know your first name."
The young woman was standing in the same spot and now had her back to him. "Cameron," she said just loud enough for him to hear across the open space.
"Cameron," Neelix echoed it. "You know I think that was one of the names Sam was thinking of calling Naomi if she had turned out a boy." He smiled at the thought and chuckled to himself.
The young woman made no move to turn and smile or even laughed. She just stood there hands at her side with her back to him. Neelix stopped laughing at his own humor and pondered for a moment. In the end he just figured he better leave and let the young woman have her space. "Well, goodnight." He said.
"Goodnight, Sir," Cameron said as Neelix left.
As the doors shut Neelix couldn't help but feel bad for the young woman left in the dark Mess Hall. Maybe she was lonely or something else had happened but he was sure that something would have to be done. Such a pretty face shouldn't look so, so – blank. He went back to his quarters planning on finding out something more tomorrow about Philips.
Chapter 2: Who is Cameron?
U.S.S. VOYAGER
MESS HALL, DECK 2
Neelix was putting out the breakfast meal, an assortment of oatmeal, fruits and "FLAP-JACKS". Strange name for a cake, he thought. He was a little tired because of his late night with Cameron Philips but he wasn't deterred.
"Hey, Neelix, you had a late night?" Neelix turned to see Paris smiling.
"Oh, kind of…" Neelix went back to his cooking for a moment then turned and darted over to Paris. "Um, Tom, do you know Specialist Cameron Philips?"
"Philips?" Tom thought for a moment, "Yeah, I've seen her around, about 5.6 long brown hair, long legs, Big eyes…" He didn't notice B'Elanna Torres coming up behind him.
"Big eyes huh," both men jumped. She picked up a piece of fruit. "Long legs," she started peeling it. "Something you want to tell me?"
"No," Tom flushed. "Uh, it was Neelix," he pointed to the head cook/Morale Officer/Ambassador. "He was asking about Specialist Philips, you know the quiet one."
"There's more than one?" B'Elanna asked. It was a rhetorical question. She took a bite of her fruit. After swallowing, "Why do you ask, Neelix?"
"Well I was chit-chatting with her late last night and well…" he had to stop, "actually I did most of the talking, she was just listening."
"Nothing new there," B'Elanna said. "She is like that with everyone. Unless you have something for her to do she pretty much ignores you. Our first week on Voyager she was sitting reading a padd. A fight broke out and Sall broke Markus' nose. Blood went everywhere, I swear she never looked up."
"So you know her?" Neelix asked.
B'Elanna shrugged, "No more than anyone else I guess. She was with us for only a little while, and since we came to Voyager she has been assigned to…" B'Elanna thought about it, "Actually she does a little bit of everything. When we first came onboard and were assigned Philips wasn't part of the normal Maquis crew so we didn't know where to put her. She said she had a background in anything we needed so we stuck her in the science department till something opened up. She does odd jobs filling in for different people and duties as needed."
"That's kind of sad," Neelix stated. Something was burning and smoke was started to compile above their heads. "MY FLAPJACKS!" Neelix ran back into the kitchen leaving Tom and B'Elanna alone with their food.
Tom got his plate and he and B'Elanna went to a table to sit.
"Since we are on the subject, what did the mysterious Specialist do before joining this motley crew? And if she doesn't have a station why isn't she a crewman instead of a Specialist?"
"Actually she is a yeoman, she and the other "night shift" are just called Specialists." B'Elanna took a bite. "Chakotay said she had experience in leadership so he didn't want to make her a crewman figured she could get a little authority."
"So Chakotay knows her?" Tom said as if he found the missing peace to a puzzle.
"Honestly I don't know. Chakotay was Captain back then and didn't tell me everything." She took another bite of her fruit. "You know who would know, Tuvok. When he was spying on us I bet he was taking notes on all of us, why not her?"
"Good idea." Tom smiled. "OW!" he said when B'Elanna kicked him in the shin, not too hard.
"Watch it fly-boy, don't get too excited. Besides she has to be…well I don't know how old she is but too young for even you."
"Maybe we can set up Icheb." Tom Joked and both of them laughed at the thought of curious Icheb with the quiet Philips. What would they do on a date just sit and stare at one another?
U.S.S. VOYAGER
BRIEFING ROOM, DECK 1
Janeway pushed away from the table and noticed Lt. Paris taking Tuvok to the side. The name Philips was overheard. She waited for them to finish before approaching Tuvok.
"Something wrong," Janeway asked her old friend and security officer.
"Nothing at all, Captain." Tuvok replied smartly. "Ensign Paris was just requesting information about Specialist Philips."
"That's on odd request," Kathryn smiled. "B'Elanna will not be pleased."
"I do not believe the information was for him, Captain." Tuvok clarified, "He expressed he was asking on the behalf of Mr. Neelix."
"Neelix?"
"Yes, apparently the two met late yesterday evening and Mr. Neelix was curious about her. Though why he doesn't ask her is a curiosity that will no doubt be just another of Mr. Neelix's eccentricities."
"I don't know that much about her either." Janeway leaned against the table, "It's been years since we came to this quadrant, you would think we would know everything about one another by now." She smiled at the thought of the people she had been most fortunate to meet on this journey.
"The Specialist is a reserved individual." Tuvok supplied. "Her regular shifts are often at night or the later evenings to supplement crew rotations."
"Ah," Kathryn took a moment to picture the Specialist. To her surprise she couldn't. I'm sure I've seen her somewhere, Janeway thought to herself. "That will be all Commander, thank you."
Tuvok left and Janeway followed soon after to take the bridge.
U.S.S. VOYAGER
CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS, DECK 3
Janeway sat at her small sofa and looked up Specialist Philips. She was curious since the conversation she had with Tuvok this morning. There was surprisingly little.
NAME: PHILIPS, CAMERON, C.
RANK: PETTY OFFICER 3rd CLASS (Also known as a Yeoman)
DEPARTMENT: GENERAL SCIENCES (meaning nothing specific)
SPECIES: HUMAN
AGE: 19 DATE OF BIRTH: UNKNOWN
HOME PLANET: UNKNOWN
Janeway was shocked when she saw the age. They had been in the Delta Quadrant for over 5 years, she would have been 14 when this all started. There had to be a mistake. She would have known if there had been a girl on board.
The file was nearly empty. There were a few notes of courage by Chakotay, and several away missions, but very little else. There were no outstanding remarks or special skills listed. It wasn't till Janeway accessed the picture that she remembered where she had seen the young woman.
It had been during a particularly bad attack by the Kazon. Voyager had been shaking under her feet as she tried to make it to the bridge from the mess. Panels were exploding and she had had to duck to shield herself. She had made it to the turbo-lift but before she could open it someone had told her to stop.
A young woman in the blue came down around the corner and immediately opened a panel next to the lift. She took out some of her tools and started reaching inside. The ship bulked and Janeway had fallen to the opposite wall but the young woman hadn't stopped working. The lift opened. The woman poked her head out, "Captain, the lift is damaged but it will take you to the bridge one way." Her voice has been calm despite the personnel running through the halls trying to get to their stations.
"How did you know it was damaged?" Voyager bulked again, no time for an answer. Janeway entered the lift and as good as her word it opened to the bridge level but the lights went out right as she exited. If she had entered before she could have been trapped in there. That same deck had been breached by the Kazon but surprisingly none had boarded. She later learned that several crew members had laid down enough fire to prevent the Kazon from boarding. That had been one of the notes of courage Chakotay had attributed to her.
Janeway decided she should meet this young woman as she reflected on the memory and the picture. "She is so young," Kathryn murmured to herself.
NOTE: Well its here. After so long, the original idea that won me your hearts and minds is back. I want to say thanks to all the fans that stuck with me. The rewrite went through several drafts, different dialog, enemies, relationships. In one version I had Cam go on a date with Icheb...didn't go anywhere. Often the biggest problem was once they found out what she was it was like where am I going to go.
If you already read this story than these first two chapters are familiar to you. Not alot of changes were made to this opener, mostly becasue this was the feel I want to keep through the story. Of course the first had a lot of fluff and the second got to the point without the build up. This try is a bit different.
First this story is meant to be like the pilot to a tv series. That means it doesn't go on indefinatly. I will be following a plan for this. That being said I welcom creative advise and different points of view. If there is something I miss let me know. Something that doesn't make sense, let me know. The next part is going to give a look at Cameron, let the new readers get a feel for her and her life on the ship and build up to the conflict. It is mostly already writen but there is room for input. So by all means write and let me know what YOU want to see.
This was always one of my babies so thanks guys for sticking with me and not forgetting about her. I hope you like. For those that notice, the changes are simple but I like to think they smooth out the problems the original had. For example, Cameron isn't so militant like she was before. This time I'm focusing on her quiet, dangerous yet curious self. And her background sould make more sense. You will even hear what happed to John down the line.
Enjoy guys.