Chapter 2

"But we had no idea that our technology would be so destructive to their atmosphere..."

Few things in life really grabbed one's attention. As the commander of Voyager and later the ship's captain, Chakotay had to admit he has had his fair share of noteworthy and memorable moments. A number of occasions would inevitably come to mind: the Kazon youth he had been stranded with on a planet, the time Seska had dumped the whole crew on a planet, the...

It suddenly occurred to him that he had spent quite a number of times trapped or stranded on planets. Including twice with Kathryn.

But now was not the time, especially as the view on the screen was one that really jumped at you and demanded attention. The signal was from the aft visual sensors. The screen was framed by the nacelles and the shuttle landing strip.

Yet that was not what had caught his attention – and by the feel of it, everyone else's attention as well. Bisecting the pure black of space was a blinding white wave; rapidly approaching. To one side the Daedalus was still unaware. And no wonder: the Daedalus was the small Nova-class ship that had been commissioned to transport the dignitaries to Voyager. Though the smaller ship was luxurious, it was not really a ship built for either speed or battle. It was a fancy troop-carrier and Chakotay knew the captain: Emily Ellrose. She was not really suited to be captain of a vessel and she knew it. She was abrasive and sloppy and he was not overly fond of her. She also acted superior to him; always holding it against him that he had left Starfleet and joined the Maquis.

While the image might have been all too familiar – and therefore frightening – it was Harry's next words that really grabbed those on the bridge by the throat and demanded attention:

"It is a massive displacement wave, Captain," the young lieutenant said. "I can give you the details, but except for a slight phase variance the beam is identical to the coherent Tetrion beam that the Caretaker had used."

He saw Kathryn stiffen to his right, obviously anxious to take the lead but always aware this was now his command. He had once asked her if she would have served under him, but she had refused to answer. These past few weeks they had finally tested that situation and found it difficult. She was after all not under his command, but she had some difficulty letting go of her control. He knew she trusted him and Tuvok, but old habits die hard.

"Harry, tell Captain Ellrose to get her ship out of here." He looked over at the con and was surprised to see Tom at the controls. The blonde man smiled stiffly.

"I heard there was trouble," he explained. "So I took the liberty to beam here just after you did."

Chakotay nodded. "Get us out of here, Lieutenant," he told the man. Paris was already on it. The pilot's fingers flew over the controls and he heard the faint hum as the warp engines came on-line. Yet only seconds later the hum died.

"Captain," Tom reported, "we can't go to warp. The Tetrion beam is emitting some kind of distortion that keeps the warp-bubble from forming."

Kim had an explanation; it always amazed Chakotay how smart the man was.

"The phase variance. It might be that the variance is not part of the wave, but something running in front of it."

"To what end?" Janeway asked, unable to keep quiet anymore.

"I have no idea, Admiral." The young man frowned. "But the wave will hit us in twenty seconds."

Chakotay decided it was time for action. They already knew impulse power wasn't enough to run from the wave, but it might give them an extra few seconds to act.

"Paris, full impulse power!"

The man nodded – he still had some trouble with propper protocol.

"Aye-aye, Captain. I'm already on it."

On the screen the Tetrion beam engulfed the smaller Nova-class ship. Harry warned them that the wave was now only fifteen seconds away. Time was running out.

"Tom, see if you can get us above the wave," he calmly told Paris. The worse the situation, the calmer a leader had to be, he kept reminding himself.

"I can't Captain. It is just too massive," Tom told them in a tight voice.

"Seven seconds, Captain." Harry informed them in a voice as tight as Tom's.

"Chakotay to Engineering, we need more power."

We're already at hundred and fifty percent, Captain! B'Elanna's voice came over the com. He wasn't surprised at all that she was already down there, taking command of her engine-room.

"Five seconds," Harry interrupted.

Time was up and so were their options. In all this time they had never really given much thought to the Tetrion beam and how to counteract it, as the Caretaker's Array had been destroyed. It seems they had been too complacent.

"All hands, brace for impact," he addressed the whole ship. He wondered how to adequately warn them. "It seems as if the Caretaker is back," he decided. For those who had experienced this before – and that would be most of the crew – it would be sufficient warning of the destructive power of the beam as they pass through it. He hoped the rest would also be aware of the danger the wave presented.

He flung himself into the padded chair behind him. Tuvok and Janeway were already seated and he saw the Vulcan's hand whiten as he held on to the armrest. His own hold was as tight as the Vulcan's. Then he felt Kathryn's small hand brush his. Without taking his eyes from the view-screen he took her hand and together they awaited their fate.

Like before, the wave hit the ship with a fierce violence. He wondered if it was the force of the wave that was so strong, or the distance they had been flung that shook them so hard.

Everything went bright white; and then it was over.

Overhead a conduit bled blue coolant and steam escaped from somewhere. The jolt had flung Janeway from her seat, but she was already getting up from the deck. Tom was crawling back into his seat.

Behind him he heard Harry's shaken voice:

"Captain, according to the astronomical reading..." Perhaps Harry thought if he left the data unspoken it would remain abstract: not the truth. Then he took a deep breath and finished: "We're back in the Delta quadrant."

Chakotay nodded once. He looked over at Tuvok. It was then that he realised the strong Vulcan was slumped in his seat. He suddenly remembered that the wave had had this effect on his last time: the chemistry of Vulcan blood was much different than anyone else's on the ship. The Tetrion wave had knocked him out last time as well.

"Chakotay to Engineering."

Engineering here, Captain. It was B'Elanna. She sounded angry – very angry.

"What is the status of our engines?"

Both warp-drive and impulse power are off-line, but it would be up and running in a minute, Captain. B'Elanna took her engines very seriously.

"Affirmative," he replied. Then he thought of something. "B'Elanna? Get someone to help Vorik to the sick-bay. Vulcan physiology doesn't take too well to the Tetrion displacement."

Aye, Captain. Newman and Orpal are already on it.

"Uh, Captain?" a voice interrupted.

"Yes, Harry?" He turned around to see the young man frowning.

"Captain, we're not alone out here."