Out Of Time: A Star Trek Voyager Fanfiction Story
Episode 2:
On Day Twenty…
Harry Kim says, "personal log, Stardate 51372.2. With the Mari's controversial efforts to purge violent thoughts from their own people, they have broken off all communications with us. And so we've been forced to travel across Krenim space without help for many days. We've been attacked by Krenim ships most of the time without a chance for repairs…and we're running at emergency power with nothing left to salvage for shields. If it wasn't for B'Elanna's suggestion to make holographic ghosts of our ship, we'd be gone. Good thing the replicators and holodecks still work…or there'd be a mutiny by now. Still, most of the Maquis members…even Tom and Seven are thinking of turning to the Maquis way so that we can survive. I'm starting to have doubts myself…but I still have faith in the captain."
When certain space pirates attack…
Captain Janeway asks, "who are they and why are they shooting at us? And where are our ghosts?" Every main member of the crew but Seven, the EMH doctor, and B'Elanna was on the Bridge.
Tom Paris points out, "they certainly don't look Krenim."
Tuvok figures, "they aren't."
B'Elanna concludes over combadge, "working on it."
Captain Janeway mutters, "it's a little late for that."
Chakotay concludes, "unknown, captain. They're not responding to hails."
Captain Janeway wonders, "damage?"
Tuvok reveals, "none."
Captain Janeway comments, "I find that hard to believe. Ensign Kim?"
Harry Kim reports, "nothing."
B'Elanna then says over her combadge from Main Engineering, "er…Torres to the Bridge."
Janeway suggests, "go ahead."
B'Elanna reveals, "we just lost the warp diagnostic assembly."
Captain Janeway asks uneasily, "what do you mean…lost?"
B'Elanna points out, "it disappeared." Tom's calm suddenly vanished from his face.
Harry Kim reports, "I'm picking up dematerializations on decks four through twelve."
Janeway orders, "evasive maneuvers."
Tom Paris tries to hide his uneasiness as he reports, "they're matching our course changes."
Chakotay figures, "it's definitely some kind of transporter beam."
Captain Janeway orders as she tries to remain calm, "fire at will."
Tuvok reveals, "I have the will, but not the means, Captain. Targeting control is down."
Captain Janeway wonders a little shaken, "why?"
Harry Kim says, "captain, the main computer processor is gone. We've lost weapons, navigation…and propulsion."
Chakotay reports, "emergency power is still online."
Captain Janeway figures, "full phasers…manual targeting. Keep firing until you hit something!"
Harry Kim points out, "the other ships are retreating." Tom Paris remains silent.
Chakotay calls out over his combadge, "Chakotay to all decks! Full damage reports."
Tom mutters at a whisper, "this can't…be happening."
Chakotay turns to the captain a little shaken himself, "permission to use the conference room?"
Captain Janeway concludes, "granted."
Chakotay urges, "Tom?" Tom Paris could tell from their tones that he and Captain Janeway were serious. Tom Paris follows Chakotay into the conference room, where they sit down across from each other. They are left alone. Chakotay points out, "the holographic emitters were down when we were attacked. Only B'Elanna or Seven could've pulled that off without detection...and only B'Elanna or Seven could've caught it in time. Why would they be working together?"
Tom Paris nervously asks, "then why are you asking me?"
Chakotay sighs, "Ensign Kim told the captain that most of the Maquis were going to try to overtake Voyager…and that you'd be part of it."
Tom Paris tries to point out, "most of the Starfleet members were about to let B'Elanna be anagrammatically purged back on the Mari homeworld…while the Krenim nearly destroyed Voyager. We're facing constant attacks from the Krenim…and yet the captain is putting us at unnecessary risk by not letting Voyager recover."
Chakotay insists, "I know you have feelings for B'Elanna…but it's not the same thing."
Tom Paris urges, "you're on Janeway's side…aren't you?" This strikes a chord in Chakotay as he thinks about what could've happened to B'Elanna.
Chakotay argues as he tries to remain calm, "that's not the issue here. I understand your concern...and why Seven and B'Elanna would temporarily work together. But it still didn't go as planned…did it?"
Tom Paris sighs, "no…it didn't."
Chakotay concludes, "then let this be a lesson to you…and to most of the Maquis. By going along with a mutiny, you put Voyager at unnecessary risk."
Tom Paris mutters with a sad tone, "I didn't…"
Chakotay sighs, "I know you had the interests of the crew at heart...but this can't go unpunished. You probably know that I tried to talk the Maquis out of it…but I guess it wasn't enough."
Tom Paris remarks, "and when has the need to survive against orders stopped the Maquis?"
Chakotay points out, "there's still a time ship that needs to be stopped. And if it wasn't for that…I'd probably be doing what you've tried to do at a better time."
Tom Paris says uneasily, "I'm…sorry."
Chakotay figures, "I know you are. The captain wanted to reduce you and Seven to the rank of Ensign if you tried to mutiny…and now probably the same with B'Elanna. But because of how dire our situation has become, I will see if I can convince the captain that the consequences can be punishment enough."
Tom Paris concludes in a low tone, "thank you."
Chakotay insists with an uneasy chuckle, "don't thank me yet. I've yet to convince the captain to go easy on you…and B'Elanna. Dismissed." And with that, Tom Paris walks out of the conference room.
Soon after Chakotay and Captain Janeway talk in private…
The main crew members are gathered in the conference room. Tuvok is saying, "…were employing a high-energy transporter beam designed to locate objects of technological value and remove them."
Chakotay reveals, "they removed a lot. Five tricorders, three phaser rifles, a couple of photon torpedo casings, two antimatter injectors, a month's supply of emergency rations." Tom Paris says nothing.
The EMH doctor on the monitor screen exclaims, "you're forgetting the most important thing of all: My mobile emitter! Without it, I'm stuck in sick bay! I can't go anywhere."
Captain Janeway sighs, "we'll do the best we can Doctor…but our top priority is the main computer processor. B'Elanna, I want a defense against another attack. Harry, do everything you can to track those ships."
Harry Kim says, "yes, ma'am."
Tom Paris thinks to himself, "tattle tale." Harry Kim uneasily stays in his chair as Tom Paris purposely ignores Harry Kim's brief glance.
Chakotay sighs a little, "on a more concerning note, there was an attempt at mutiny by Maquis members including B'Elanna and Tom…but also Seven." B'Elanna uneasily stays in her chair, while Seven tries to remain calm in her chair.
Captain Janeway adds, "Chakotay and I have talked about this. But, you should also notice that I haven't reduced you three to the rank of Ensign…yet. Given the circumstances, we need your talents to keep Voyager intact. But after we get the main computer processor back, all three of you will be reduced to the rank of Ensign. Dismissed." Every main crew member but the captain leaves the conference room. She looks out through a window to the stars for a brief time. Captain Janeway thinks to herself before heading back to her seat on the Bridge, "am I really doing what's best for this crew…or am I leading them into oblivion?"
Not long after, in the Astrometrics Lab…
Harry Kim says, "hey."
Seven insists as she continues working, "if you're here for forgiveness, I do not have the time."
Harry Kim realizes a little shaken, "how did…?!"
Seven deduced, "you were the first to indicate nervousness on the Bridge with your..."
Harry Kim concludes uneasily, "never mind. The captain wanted me to locate the ships that recently attacked us. I've pushed the long range sensors about as far as they'll go."
Seven deduces, "and now you believe the sensors can be extended by using the deep space imaging system."
Kim concludes, "yes."
Seven adds, "I've been working on that exact procedure for the past two hours."
Harry Kim figures, "all right. Let's have a look."
Seven inquires, "do you doubt my ability to finish the task?"
Harry Kim sighs, "look…I came here to work. I realize that you're upset about what I did…but I was thinking about what was best for the crew."
Seven tries to point out, "a considerable number of units on the crew would strongly disagree with your assessment. And I am one of those units."
Harry Kim mutters, "I shouldn't have brought it up. I offered to help because you'd already started and the captain still needs our help in getting Voyager back to normal processing speed. That's all: I offered to help."
Seven adds with a held back sigh, "an algorithmic feedback is interfering with the resolution. Decompile data banks fifty nine through seventeen and attempt to isolate it. Now, or you should leave."
Harry Kim figures, "okay. I understand that you just want to work...even if you weren't mad at me. And as someone who's usually an easygoing person, I can respect that. But either way, you've got to learn how to phrase things a little more diplomatically."
Seven remarks, "if that means bending down to blind assimilation of the captain's orders, then I'd rather not. Now…are you going to leave, or not?" This strikes a bad chord in Harry Kim, who has strong faith in the captain and hates to see his friends and crewmates on different sides like this.
Harry Kim comments, "fine…but I'm only staying here because of orders."
Seven mutters, "fine."
Harry Kim mutters as he starts looking at the databanks, "fine."
