Captain Kathryn Janeway sat in her command chair idly watching the stars fly by on the viewscreen thinking about the trade mission she sent her first officer on and how not having him next to her made her feel empty. His warm, gentle face soothed her. He gave her distraction when she needed it, and right now she really needed it. Sensors were normal, everything was just normal. Except for the trade mission Chakotay, Neelix and Ensign Kim were on, everyone was at their post. The Nar Shadaan had valuable supplies for Voyager, and in five days, they'd both be back. Damn! I need distraction.
Janeway looked up at Tuvok who was reviewing his security reports from the past three or four days. Janeway knew that the Vulcan was stir crazy like she was. The female ensign at Mr. Kim's station saw Janeway glance at her and stood at attention. Janeway motioned with her eyes for the ensign to be at ease. Obviously, this ensign never had Bridge duty before and did not know how a regular Bridge officer acted. And below her at the helm station, Janeway saw that Lieutenant Paris was slouched in his chair and twittering his thumbs. Sheer boredom. Mr. Paris enjoyed action and was bored when Bridge duties are light. Maybe she should release him to the holodeck or have him do some odd-ball maintenance task that never gets done. Maybe she ought to go to the holodeck herself or maybe read a good book in her ready room. That's a very good idea, she thought, Mr. Tuvok doesn't need me on the Bridge.
"I'll be in my ready room. Mr. Tuvok you have the Bridge." Janeway plainly stated breaking the silence that engulfed her command center. She stood up slowly, stretched her back and briskly went to her ready room. She had been sitting in her command chair since the away tem left Voyager, 10 hours ago. And the last time she got any rest was...she could not remember.
Upon entering her ready room, Janeway picked up an old book filled with Irish poetry and went to her desk to read. Her interest in Irish literature was always there, but Mr. Paris' holodeck program renewed it. Fair Haven, Irish paradise and Michael Sullivan, the holo-character she modified was gone now. She really enjoyed that time, but felt awkward when she fell for Sullivan. Janeway refocused her mind on the poetry and began reading. She barely finished six lines of Elizabeth Mary Little's sonnet, "Life" before Janeway put her head down on her desk and fell asleep.
Janeway woke to the sound of the EPS conduit exploding beside her and the subsequent red alert klaxon sounding. "Report," she yelled into the open comm channel. Nothing. She looked out the window expecting an alien attack. Only calm looking space, but the inertia dampeners were noticeably offline.
She gathered her senses and drove onto the Bridge. She saw Tuvok knelt over the young ensign lying on the floor of the upper deck with massive burns, radiation burns. It was the ensign who was at the Ops station. "Beam her to Sickbay."
Feeling queasy and weak, Janeway ordered "Report." Tuvok stood up to face her, but he also did not feel well and she saw several radiation burns on his face. She figured that perhaps she like Tuvok also had radiation burns on her face. She touched her face. Sure enough, she had radiation burns. She glanced around. Paris was gone, probably to Sickbay.
"Captain," Tuvok began, "we encountered a subspace mine composed of tetrion radiation. The mine blew out the comm system along with EPS conduits on every deck. The warp drive and propulsion systems are offline as are the replicators. Shields are down and the sensors just failed. Captain, the amount of radiation detonated by the mine is lethal." Tuvok paused to allow Janeway to absorb the information, "We must evacuate Voyager, or we all will experience lingering deaths." Tuvok managed to maintain his characteristic Vulcan stoicism. Her old friend always gave her invaluable wisdom and this time was no different. Janeway demanded herself to maintain her usual strength and objectivity. She brushed her hair out of her face.
"I agree. Instruct every crewmember to report to an escape pod and head for the nearest habitable planet." She paused to collect her thoughts, but almost lost them due to her lack of strength. "I have one last thing to do before I go to an escape pod. I will join you shortly." She saw Tuvok about to object, but she gave him a determined look before he said anything. Tuvok knew Janeway better than anyone. She was extremely headstrong when she made up her mind. She headed to the turbolift and subsequently to sickbay.
As she entered sickbay, Janeway crossed the Doctor who was concerned at the amount of causalities and initially ignored her. "Can you treat these people?" He turned. She inquired about the crewmembers already in sickbay and knew he'd have more on the way. She secretly hoped he could, but she knew realistically he probably couldn't. Tetrion radiation was generally hard to treat. And Voyager's resources were inadequate.
The Doctor gave her a grave look and began, "I can stabilize them, but if we can't contain the radiation…."
Thinking about what Tuvok advised her to do and seeing the grim condition of her crewmembers in Sickbay, Janeway cut him off. "Get everyone to the escape pods. Quickly." Her tone was anxious and hurried and she motioned for them to move promptly. The stronger crewmembers started to help the weaker to leave Sickbay. The Doctor, already uploaded to the mobile emitter, began to help in the process. "Not you, Doctor. I need you here." Janeway's tone had not changed from her last order. She knew the Doctor was going to object to her order. He was not like Tuvok; the Doctor openly questioned some of her decisions.
Nearing the Sickbay doors, the Doctor turned around in utter confusion and surprise. Sometimes she wished she hadn't approved of all his added subroutines, but now, it was necessary to use one. The ECH, somehow B'Elanna and Kim managed to grant his earlier request. And the Doctor had no idea of these new sets of subroutines.
"Captain?" He studied her carefully and wondered what she was thinking.
"Computer, activate the Emergency Command hologram, authorization Janeway Omega Three." Janeway looked right into his holographic eyes knowing this would be the biggest surprise for him. His request would probably scare him at this time.
He looked back at her in astonishment as his uniform changed to the command style. He came up with the idea of an ECH a couple years ago and thought that the captain has dismissed the idea. Obviously, she had not, but like always, she never told him anything. Why she just activated the ECH subroutines told him too much. His thoughts were interrupted by the main computer's soothing female voice.
"Command codes transferred."
The Doctor, still surprised, looked right at Janeway who gave him a comforting look. "You've wanted this chance for a long time. Now you've got it." She smiled, but he did not see it. All he could do was to acknowledge her statement and wait for her next instructions. "Yes, ma'am," was all he said. She ignored the error of him calling her ma'am. This was what she used to call 'crunch time.'
She continued plainly, "Try to vent the radiation. The rest of us will get out of the contaminated area…. head for the nearest habitable planet." Janeway hoped that the Doctor would succeed in venting the radiation and return for them soon. Maybe, hopefully, she and her crew would be rescued and treated for their radiation burns. Knowing that the new command subroutines may inhibit his medical knowledge, she was relieved to know it hadn't. "You need medical care." The Doctor interrupted her thoughts. She tried to consol him as best she could, but she needed more than he.
"Unless someone answers our distress call, we'll have to make do with med kits." Surely the Doctor knew he couldn't treat her burns on Voyager without further endangering their lives, but she also figured that the EMH was concerned about them abandoning ship.
She started for the door, but paused, she had to make a promise, but what would satisfy him. "We'll rendezvous as soon as it's safe to come back on board." She hoped she could fulfill her promise, not just for him, but for the rest of the crew. Her crew. She took one last look around Sickbay and paused. "Take good care of Voyager." She solemnly told him and forced a smile. He made her one last promise. "You can count on me, Captain." And she left Sickbay.
Down the corridor she found Tuvok waiting for her. He motioned for her to get in the escape pod with him.
"Have all the escape pods been launched?"
"Yes. Captain, what will become of Voyager?"
"It will be fine. I activated the Emergency Command Hologram and instructed him to initiate repairs and protect Voyager."
She stepped into the escape pod.
"I have located a heavily industrialized M-class planet and instructed the crew to go there." Tuvok calmly stated.
"Good." Her nausea became worse, but she held back her need to puke.
As Janeway's tactical officer and friend, he had to protect her.
He launched the escape pod.
