There is no happily ever after

Amy Elizabeth

Rating: PG-13

Disclamiers: References to Star Trek: Voyager belong to Paramount.

"We asked them Warhn, we pleaded, but they refused." The viewscreen blinked in and out of focus, the image of the speaker barely visible through the layers of smoke that filled both bridges. "I don't know how much longer my ship will hold together." Captain Warhn pressed his three fingers to his off white temple, futilely trying to relieve the building pressure behind his eyes,

"I'll discuss the option with my medical officer, Ehamn, but I don't believe that there isn't another way they will assist us."

"They have a directive of some sort, they insist they can not get involved in this war."

Warhn pressed his fingers harder against his head, "They refuse to offer aid to a distressed vessel?" His normally calculated voice began to crack with emotion, he struggled to maintain his composure. "Can they not see we are near destruction?"

The fellow Captain seemed to throw up his arms in confusion though Warhn could not tell through the disturbance in his damaged communicator,

"They will offer food, but not technology, and not only to us but to our foes as well. They refuse to take sides."

Warhn stole a look at the image he had been sent of the impressive vessel, "Are you sure, Ehamn? Sure this is necessary?"

Ehamn seemed to calm a great deal at this question, "They will not cooperate without some…" he searched for the right term, "persuasion." His tone left room for little discussion,

"I'll hold a briefing and then contact you." Warhn pressed one finger against his temple and then another against his heart in the customary salute, "Warhn out." An image of a rugged little ship took the place of the smoke filled bridge. Warhn could see where the last of the shots had pierced the hull of his fellow ship. The deep, black scars and floating debris mirrored his own ship and reminded of the nearly decimated world they fought for. With this in his mind's eye Captain Warhn took a last look at the sleek gray vessel, with it's seemingly undamaged hull and fully loaded weapons, and rose from his chair a deeply troubled man.

"I'll break you Seven, just mark my words.." Ensign Harry Kim kneaded his palm against his knee as he reevaluated his hand. Two aces...good, not perfect. He tried to evaluate his situation against the rest of the table. Seven's face, however, was perfect for a game where a straight face could win or lose it for someone. Few could beat Seven at keeping a straight face.

"Come on there, Harry. You in or out?" Chakotay had folded a turn ago and now settled to watch the unfolding battle of wills. The Doctor had begun Seven on a series of 'socialization' lessons in the past few weeks, this one being number 8- 'Friendly Competition'. As Chakotay watched young Harry sweat out the game in the face of Seven's unyielding gaze he wondered if Seven fully grasped the friendly part of the concept. The game was relatively small that night, Carey being otherwise occupied in engineering and Paris being otherwise occupied by the Chief Engineer. Tuvok, who sipped his water to Chakotay's right, had been dealt in tonight because of the small numbers and, for a while, done quite well- also due to an equally impeccable poker face. However Tuvok, who usually opted for a spectator's position, hadn't quite developed the taste to bluff and folded early every time an unlucky hand came his way, which was the case this round. The fifth spot was filled in by Ensign Wildman who, while still in, primarily stayed to enjoy Harry's increasing interest in cracking the impassable expression that Seven was fast becoming notorious for.

"I....don't know," Harry debated a moment more and finally made a small noise in the back of his throat while reaching for a chip, " I see you your ration." He tossed a credit into the small pile.

Wildman laughed and lay her cards on the table. "Yea, I fold, you two are driving me crazy." She rose, "As much as I would love to see this play out, Naomi needs to get to bed and I have an early shift. See you in the morning." Sam patted Harry on the shoulder as she headed out.

"'Night, Sam." Harry didn't get out his farewell until the door quietly shut behind her, as he focused on Seven's next move.

"I will see your ration and raise you two." Seven's decisions were quick and she seemed completely unfazed by the nervous energy exuded by the Ensign. Chakotay was beginning to wonder if Seven truly had the mastery to bluff or if she really did have a good hand. He was willing to bet she did. Harry finally set his cards on the table,

"I'm out, I can't take it." He heaved a sigh and, unable to wait, urged Seven to show her hand,

"Full House." Chakotay smiled, he still didn't know if she could bluff but she had learned when she had a good hand.

"Well, Seven you win." Harry patted the rations, "What are you going to do with them?"

Seven's perfect expression cracked as she seemed puzzled by the inquiry.

"I don't have a particular purpose for these." Her eyes darted back and forth as if filing through data, "I believe I will practice what the Doctor called good sportsmanship." She pushed the rations away for her place, "You may have your rations back."

Harry sighed heavily, "Seven, you won them. They're yours. Surely there's something you can do with them."

One perfectly arched eyebrow rose, "I do not believe so. I return them to you." With that she rose, collected her PADD, and wordlessly exited the messhall.

Harry's baffled look gained a small chuckle from Chakotay as the older man stretched and pushed back his chair. "Let it go Harry, we'll never fully understand." He grabbed a few rations, "At least she played and, " He held up a small chip, "we don't have to eat in here tomorrow."

"Primary power is beginning to fail. Life support is still functioning. But..." Chief Operations and Mechanical Officer Yuli let his sentence fall into the tense atmosphere of the briefing room, knowing that his fellow officers all had the imagination to finish it for themselves.

"Options." Captain Warhn pressed his weight further into the back of his chair. The black abyss that spread across his view port was empty for the moment, though bits of debris still twirled amid the vacuum, evidence of the last firefight. Warhn had never been a man of many words, words hadn't done much for his people, and he wasn't hired to talk. Now he wanted to know options, not what couldn't be helped, but what they could do to with what was left.

"We could stop fighting." Tactical Officer Thamn sat at a console that should be able to fire several rounds of powerful ammunition but now was as dead as the rest of the ship. Young and full of rebellious spirit the tactical officer had been indispensary during battles. However, as the ship, one of the handful left, crumbled around them his rebellious tendencies had turned inward and his fiery love of battle had faded into a constant cry for a cease of that fire. Warhn wouldn't acknowledge it.

"We stop fighting and they destroy us. It's that simple, Thamn, you know that." Yuli tossed his data recorder on the desk and addressed the Captain, "I'll stay on top of the damage as much as we can handle but I don't have much more than that for you."

Warhn nodded silently and turned to look at his pilot and first officer in turn, they both remained silent. Warhn pressed his three fingers to his temple and breathed deeply, rising from his chair. He had no options but the previously unthinkable. The fleet was one fourth the beginning size, food was low, hiding places scarce. But the war had too much depending on it's success for his people to let low supplies and damaged ships to stop them. The consoles around the room blinked unnaturally and smoke radiated from a few. He surveyed a few before stopping at a display console. A quick command brought an image of a sleek gray ship, powerful looking and obviously undamaged. A confused murmur swept the room, the first officer stood from her chair.

"Is that a new ship, Captain?"

Warhn took another deep breath and spoke to the image of the powerful ship,

"No Damarn, it is our people's salvation."

"I'm glad it went so well, Seven." The former Borg resisted the urge to blink as the small metal tube passed over her cortical implant. "You participated and succeeded in the game, I see my lessons are becoming fruitful."

Seven raised her eyebrow in her customary expression, "I fail to see the skill involved in," she paused as she recalled the term, " 'keeping a straight face', Doctor."

"On the contrary, Seven. Keeping a poker face can be useful in several situations outside of friendly games like, peace negotiations, intimidating hostile species," the tricorder snapped shut,

"telling Mr. Neelix that the Leola root is a ship wide favorite." The Doctor smiled, "Several life skills can be gained through proper social interaction. Dating, for example, offers several skills including..."

"I have no interest in learning," she slide off the bed, "to date, Doctor."

The Doctor struggled to keep disappointment from registering on his face, "Why it's lesson 10, Seven- "Learning to date"."

"Perhaps you should remove it then, Doctor." She paused at the doorway, "If that is all, I shall return to astrometrics."

"See you at your next lesson then, " She was half way out the door as he added, "It'll be a true experience, "The social interactions of several," he let out an exasperated sigh as the doors slid shut,

"of several Alpha Quadrant species." He added to himself. In her place Tom Paris stood in the doorway. His blue eyes twinkled at the Doctor's sour expression of exasperation,

"Several Alpha Quadrant species?" The medic found his way to the med. cart and palmed a sleek medical tricorder, "What about them?" Paris tossed the Doctor the PADD with Seven's latest check-up.

The EMH caught it with ease and tossed a disapproving glance at his medic.

"Seven's next social lesson deals with interacting with several species. I thought that Alpha Quadrant species would be the best place to start."

"Maybe I'll stop by."

The Doctor looked up at him from his console, "Having trouble with a particular Alpha species?" He gave a smug look, "A half-klingon perhaps?"

A red capped shoulder jerked, "Not really, just thought I could get a few pointers." Tom chucked a smile over his shoulder as he finished reading the displays on the nearest bio-bed.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and replaced a tricorder in its proper place, "This isn't a dater's seminar, Mr. Paris. Seven hasn't quite warmed up to the idea of 'romantic interaction'."

"You sound disappointed, Doc."

"On the contrary, Mr. Paris, I am perfectly happy coaching Seven on the intricate interactions of friends and crewmates before moving to the more delicate topics of romance."

"Wasn't Lesson 10 on dating?" Paris casually straightened the sheets and feigned a look of confusion, "And didn't Harry mentioned she was using material from Lesson," he returned the smug smile, " oh, what was it, 8? At the poker game last night." The corners of his mouth drew up in a devilish half smile, "Moving pretty quick as I see it."

"I am more than willing to postpone lessons until my pupil is ready." With an indignant sigh the Doctor retired to his office leaving a very bemused medic to his duties.

" 'Voyager' is what they call her with," Medical Officer Rescim held up his data recorder, " a crew of a species, previously uncharted, known as humans." He brought up a display of a humanoid body, "Their philosophy is similar to ours, they breathe a combination of carbon dioxide and oxygen, consume biological matter, their bodies have similar internal organs and systems, and they are bipedal." Rescim brought up another slide of a living human.

"Fascinating, Rescim, but what do they have to do with our war?" Thamn filed through the data that had been placed before him, "They have powerful weapons; torpedoes, phasers, and most importantly an undamaged ship. Have they agreed to fight with us?"

The atmosphere of the room suddenly shifted to curiosity and a certain, desperate hope. Warhn had never been a man of many emotions, but as he glanced at each of his officers, he suddenly did not want to let them down.

"We have a way to make them."

"Night shift Captain, huh? Sounds like Ensign Kim is moving up in the world." Lieutenant Tom Paris clapped the gold shoulder of his friend as they exited the messhall. "No, really Harry, I'm proud of you. Commanding the ship throughout the night…the Captain will be out of a job before she knows it."

"Funny, Tom," the Ensign nodded at a passing engineer, "You're just jealous."

A lighthearted laugh shook the young pilot, "Of command? No thank you, my friend. I'll stick with flying Voyager if its all the same to you." They parted as a crewman exited the turbolift they approached. Harry fingered his collar as they stepped onto the platform,

"Speaking of moving up, you think I'll really be the longest lasting Ensign ever?" The comment was meant as a joke but the pilot could see the small nervousness behind his friend's dark eyes.

"Now Harry, I'm sure someone has been an ensign for more than 70 years." Paris struggled to keep a straight face at his friend's exasperation. "Harry, think of it this way, I'll go in the history books for breaking the Warp 10 barrier and you'll be right there next to me, "The Oldest living Ensign." Paris clapped his friend shoulder a final time as the turbolift opened to his destination, "See ya later, buddy."

"Oldest Ensign, funny. It'll never happen." Kim stated firmly to the empty turbolift, and yet couldn't resist casually touching his collar one last time.

"I hope you and Lt. Paris enjoyed your evening. I know you'll find it amusing to know his replacement at the game was Seven of Nine." Chakotay leaned against a metal support in the doorway of his Chief Engineer's office, "She doesn't have quite the spirit your fiancee does."

"I figure she'd have the poker face to a T." B'Elanna Torres didn't glance up from her work.

"That she does," Chakotay lowered himself into the solitary guest chair in her office. "So what did you do to keep our regular from the game?"

At this she did glance up momentarily to shoot a reproachful look, "Now, Chakotay, since when do I kiss and tell."

He struggled to look chagrined, "Never, but a friend can always be hopeful."

"Hope away Chakotay," She turned off one of her PADDs, " By the way, I've been meaning to ask how the preparations are coming."

Chakotay narrowed his eyes in mock confusion, "Preparations for what, Lt. ?"

The half-klingon blew a small burst of air from between her lips in exasperation, "You know fully well what I'm talking about."

"I don't think the bride is entitled to details about that."

"I think I am." She glanced up sharply from another PADD all niceties suddenly absent from her voice, "The Dehlaney's aren't planning it are they?"

The First Officer let out a laugh, "No, B'Elanna, rest assured I'm taking care of all the details."

"All of the details are there Captain. All we have to do is gain their trust. The rest is all a matter of bio-chemistry." Warhn gave an uneasy glance at his medical officer. Rescim was one of his more enthusiastic officers, but Warhn was uncomfortable with just how apparently gleeful he was in the undertaking of producing this weapon. *Chalk it up to his first chance to cause a difference in this war instead of treat it's effects.* Warhn could rationalize it, but it made his nonetheless uneasy,

"Good work, Rescim, produce the gas and prepare it for a release through an environmental system."

The Medical Officer gathered his recorders and began to back out of the room, quickly making the customary salute, "Already beginning Captain, I'll be ready as soon as you are."

"Sir, we're receiving an audio message on a subspace band."

Harry Kim sat up a little straighter in the center chair, "On screen."

"Sir, it's audio only."

Harry Kim sighed too softly for any one else to hear, "Let's hear it then."

* Starship Voyager, this is the starship 'Uhamnn' requesting assistance….battle, need supplies. Starship Voyager, this is the…*

"It just repeats like that, Sir." The young crewman at Ops turned off the message and awaited further instructions.

Harry checked the chronometer, the Captain was due back in a little under an hour. As much as he hated to interrupt her breakfast, protocol demanded it,

"Kim to Janeway"

"Janeway here." The Captain's rich, alto voice filled the otherwise quiet bridge, "What is it Ensign?"

"Ma'am we've received a distress call from the vessel 'Uhamnn'. They sound similar to the vessel we talked with yesterday. They're requesting supplies."

A silence greeted him followed by a sigh, "I'll be there immediately. Signal that we've received their message and will contact them shortly."

"Understood, Kim out" Harry nodded for Crewman Hawkins to signal the ship as he settled back into the center chair for the remaining time of his night command.

Captain Janeway's entrance onto the bridge always seemed to energize the situation, and this was no exception.

"Captain on the bridge." Hawkins snapped to attention as the turbolift opened revealing the petite woman.

She nodded in way of greeting as Kim rose from her chair and began to make his way to the Ops station.

"Kim, see if you can get a visual of the vessel," She settled into her chair, "and play the message."

As the final words of the short message played through the turbolift opened once more, revealing the First Officer. "Heard of the message and thought I'd start work a little early this morning." Chakotay smiled over at the Ops station, "Eventful night, Ensign?"

Harry offered back a slightly self-conscious smile, "Not until a few minutes ago."

A sigh from Janeway interrupted the conversation, "I expected as much, Captain Ehamn told his fleet of our offer to give food and medical aid, we might be swamped before we know it." She turned to her right as Chakotay took his seat, "Alert Neelix and tell him to check how many extra supplies we have in storage." She took a look at the charred image of the vessel Kim had brought on screen, "And tell the Doctor to expect some casualties." She took a deep breath as Chakotay set about his instructions and stood,

"Open a channel to the 'Uhamnn', " A pop of static signaled the open channel,

"'Uhamnn', this is the Starship Voyager. We have received your message and are prepared to offer whatever aid we can." Another pop of static was the only response.

Chapter 2 coming soon

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