Captain Janeway, Chakotay, and Tom Paris walked back to the transport site. An M class planet had provided a nice respite on their journey back to Earth. The trip through the Delta Quadrant in recent weeks had been taxing and recent incidents with Klingons and an escape from the Void had made shore leave a welcome reprieve.

Janeway inhaled the uninhabited planet's thick atmosphere perfumed by the swaying pine trees surrounding their rural area.

"Not ready to leave, Captain?" Chakotay asked.

"Nature always deserves another second or two to be appreciated."

"Yes it does."

"Now see," Tom said. "All this dirt and rocks just doesn't agree with me. Give me a nice replicator and warm dry quarters any day."

As the transporter beam enveloped them, Janeway felt her head ache and the sensation of being pulled through space. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes but not to the transporter room she was expecting.

She and her two officers lay on a dirt floor inside a stone cell with heavy metal bars. The dug out cavern was bare save for a dilapidated cot against the back wall.

Chakotay stirred and shook his head and Tom did the same. Janeway slapped her communicator and called for her ship. There was no response. None of them could raise a signal.

"Where are we?" she said. She struggled to her feet and walked unsteadily to the bars. Picking up a loose rock from the dirt floor, she clanged on the metal. "Hello? Is anyone out there?"

A male guard dressed in brown leather pants and metallic encrusted boots appeared. His cloth shirt and brown leather vest fit snug around his waist along with a weapons belt containing small metal discs and a dagger on each hip. Metal cuffs covered his wrists and matching armor covered his chest.

"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. On whose authority were we taken and why?"

The young guard studied each person for a few moments until his eyes returned to her. "Veneto."

"Veneto?"

The guard spun on his heel and marched away. Chakotay stepped up and called out again but there was no response. He hit the bars. "Hey, we're not quieting down until we get an answer! Hello!"

A hissing noise sounded and Chakotay hit the ground. A fireball flew into their cell and smacked the small cot incinerating it. As the flames died away, Tom helped his First Officer up. "Are you all right?" Tom asked.

Chakotay nodded. "Your turn."

"Fall back against that corner," Janeway ordered, waving the two men towards the back of the cell. "From that trajectory, it'll be the hardest place to try and target us from."

"Who are these people?" Tom said. "Where are we?"

"Not where we are supposed to be," she replied.

"Your species is quite entertaining." A tall man with cropped raven hair and a scruffy beard apprised each of them with his dark eyes. He was dressed in the same leather pants and vest with an overlay of an inscribed metal chest plate. Matching pieces of bejeweled armor wound around his muscular arms and wrists and around his waist was a leather belt filled with the same metal discs and gemstone daggers. "Such spirit," he added. "Your stamina will serve you well."

"Who are you?" the Captain demanded. "Why have you brought us here? Where are we?"

The man bowed. "My apologies. My name is Hayden and I welcome you to Veneto."

"On whose authority have you brought us here?"

Hayden smiled at the regal authority with which Janeway held herself. "You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name but you have not reciprocated with yours."

"If you had been here earlier, you would have heard it. I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager."

"You are charged with defense?"

"Among other things."

"You did not do your job very well, Captain Kathryn Janeway."

"I wasn't aware I was under attack."

"An excuse. You should always be prepared for the unknown and the stronger, more calculating opponent."

"Why have you brought us here?" she demanded.

"Do you believe I am stronger than you, Captain?"

"You do seem to have the upper hand at the moment," Chakotay said.

"Good. You acknowledge our superiority. That will keep you alive longer."

Janeway raised her chin. "We acknowledged nothing other than a lack of knowledge about where we are or why."

"Veneto?" Chakotay offered.

"Very good," Hayden said. "A protector who listens, gathers tactical information, and is now waiting for any hints that may enable your escape. Unfortunately, you don't even have a direction to run."

"Well, why don't you give us one?" Janeway said. "Or are you going to tell us why you brought us here and what you want?"

"Curious culture," Hayden said. He looked again at Chakotay. "Your face. You are not of their world. You must come from another place."

"One I'd like to be returned to," he said.

"No, you'll make a nice addition to the labor populace. I'm sure you'll fetch a high price at auction." He reached through the bars. "You on the other hand I may have other plans for."

Chakotay caught his wrist. "Don't touch her."

Hayden's eyes grew dark and he drew a jeweled dagger from his waist. "Never touch me or give me an order that you can't back up. Ever! Marco!"

The original guard appeared his hand on his weapon belt.

Holstering his knife, Hayden said, "Get them ready for transport."

"Wait," Janeway said. "We haven't finished…"

"Question and answer time is over," Hayden said. "The rest you'll learn as you go. Right now it is time to prepare for what is to come. Take the men to auction holding. She goes to the guest quarters for now. I want to get a better feel for where her special talents may be most useful to us. If anyone is a discipline problem, fire them. I really don't expect they'll fetch much without notice."

More guards advanced and a plume of fire shot into the cell again. It smacked the wall leaving a scorch mark in its place. The fiery display gave the guards the moment they needed to subdue their three now apparent hostages.