Act I - Preparations
Scene 1 -Voyager II, 4 days prior to Departure (1420)
Personal Log, Kathryn Janeway: We haverendezvoused with Pioneer and Odyssey and will travel the rest of the way together to commence the grand migration of the Ocampa people from their home world to New Earth. I'm going to meet with Captain Joshua Merves and Captain Geordi La Forge to confirm our plans and discuss the troublesome problem of the "pirates" who have been reported along our projected route between New Earth and Ocampa. I'm also eager to hear how my former Operations Officer, Lieutenant Commander Harry Kim, is doing in light of the injuries he sustained during a recent mission investigating these pirates.
In Janeway's Ready Room:
"Harry's still in Sickbay, but he's making good progress, Kathryn. Don't worry about him. He'll be released by the time we get into orbit over Ocampa."
"That's a relief."
Captain Merves thrummed his fingers on his knee. "What was his mission, Geordi?"
"You know about the shuttle we found, contaminated with invidium, with two Vidiians who had died of the Phage on board?"
"The raiders destroyed it before you could finish examining it - yes, I know all about that. Commander Kim was injured that time, too, wasn't he?"
Geordi shrugged apologetically. "Yeah, he was, but he still volunteered to follow the invidium trail back to its source. The Krowtonan Guard asked to be involved, too, because of all the trouble with pirates they've experienced in that vicinity. Their orders were to observe and report only. Harry set up a program to track traces of invidium. When the data from that program was compared to telemetry from the trail of the attackers, we found they followed a common route."
"That can't be a coincidence," Merves observed.
"No. When Harry and 'Pilot' on the Krowtonan shuttle followed the trail, they found a planetoid with a mining operation on it, but from what they could pick up on long range sensors, it lacks the equipment to be the source of the attacks. Then, Harry said, they 'got lucky.' They saw a freighter departing the planet and followed it until it met a second ship, which appeared to accept a transfer of cargo. Harry is pretty sure the cargo is invidium."
"Were they seen?" Merves asked.
"Harry didn't think so, but en route back to Odyssey, they were attacked by the raiders - pirates - whatever you want to call them. We don't know if there's a connection or not."
"How is 'Pilot,' Geordi? I heard he was pretty badly hurt as well," Kathryn inquired.
"He was knocked unconscious, but he actually wasn't hurt that badly, we understand. Harry got the worst of it."
"Play the visual Harry transmitted for Joshua, Geordi. Maybe he'll pick up on something we didn't when we first watched it."
Geordi complied, pausing the playback when it showed the freighters at the same time. "We don't know anything about these ships, and we still don't know anything about the raider that attacked Harry's shuttle, either. We're working on it. By the way, there was one other incident this past week. A Kazon cargo ship was struck near the route our ships will be taking to New Earth, but it appeared destruction, not theft, was the aim of those raiders. Again, no one was able to identify them, primarily because they didn't leave anyone alive on the Kazon ship who could."
"Thanks for bringing me up to speed, Geordi," Merves replied. "I don't have any more idea than you do about who they might be right now, but if you transmit that visual to Pioneer, I'll have it on hand, in case do we meet anyone who might shed light on their identity."
"Will do, Joshua."
"Now that we've settled that, are we all clear on how the migration is to be handled?"
"As soon as everyone we're transporting has boarded Pioneer, a couple of the Haakonian vessels will accompany us to the edge of the Ocampa system, where we'll be able to go into transwarp. No one in this sector has the speed to bother us until we drop out of transwarp at the New Earth system. The Vidiians will handle security there while we unload our passengers. After the first run, which will probably take about a week, so we can get all the kinks out, we expect to complete two round trips every week or so. The colony construction specialists will be on board for the first few trips."
"Good thing. That's a lot of infrastructure they have to build, and in a very short amount of time," Geordi said.
"You're right," Kathryn said. "I believe the Federation colonists have done some preliminary work, but the Ocampa will have to handle most of it themselves. Angelo Tessoni told me they have their hands full working on their own projects!"
"Even with prefab housing, it's a massive job."
"Yes, it is, Geordi. And our two ships will guard the Delta Quadrant transport convoy - about thirty ships at last count, I understand. Joshua, you'll have made at least four, maybe five trips before we get to New Earth with our first passengers!"
"But you'll have the 'dignitaries' aboard. I've had enough of them for a while!"
"It could easily have been worse! Our esteemed Federation Ambassador Diaza wanted to come along on Voyager II to 'welcome the first Ocampa to New Earth!' Luckily, he listened to Dae when she pointed out that the first group would be on your ship, Joshua."
"It's a good thing he did listen, Joshua, or he might have insisted on traveling on your ship for the trip back," laughed Geordi.
"Very good thing! I had enough of him on the trip out from the Alpha Quadrant," Merves groaned.
"On a pleasanter note, I'm planning to host an informal get-together for my friends and associates from all three of our ships in our Mess Hall, before we leave the Ocampa system. You're both invited, of course. There will be a formal banquet upon our arrival at New Earth, I believe, but this will be much more casual, a simple gathering of friends. Geordi, make sure Harry comes, as long as he's out of Sickbay by then."
"I'll be there. And I'll badger Alyssa to make him a priority," he replied. "I think she's getting a little too used to having him around!"
Merves was more hesitant. "If we're still in orbit, I'll be there, Kathryn. It depends upon how quickly we can load 5,000 Ocampa and their belongings on board the Pioneer."
"I hope to see you then, if you can make it."
Scene 2: On the Raider Ship, 4 days prior to Departure (1550)
The captain of the raider ship was tired. No, tired wasn't the right word; he was weary – weary and worn down by frustration and swallowed anger. He drew a long breath before entering his cabin, trying to calm himself. There was no need to make things worse by upsetting Lotrece. If anything could salvage his day, it would be keeping her in a decent mood. If the blackness seized her, she would be withdrawn and untouchable for days. He only hoped that the failure of the attack on the Krowtonan shuttle hadn't already cast her into a pit of despair.
She was waiting when he entered, and he stopped, momentarily dumbstruck and a little bit uncertain. Instead of the pants and jacket she normally wore on the ship, she was attired in the long skirt and silken tunic cinched with the chain belt reserved for Council meetings, and her dark hair was styled in the multiple braids that bespoke her highborn status. She stood very straight and still, fixing him with a look that was both intense and aloof. It was a reminder of her status, and he wasn't at all sure why she felt the need to remind him now.
"The ship?"
It was not his wife asking, he realized, but the Prime Governor, and he straightened to a more formal posture. "The damage from the phaser strike was minimal and easily repaired. The damage from the destabilized masking device was more extensive, but not significant. Food stores were contaminated but everything else has been repaired. We were fortunate that you acted as quickly as you did to neutralize the device, or the results would have been . . . significant."
Her expression did not flicker at his compliment. "You have reported to our employer?"
"Yes, Governor."
"I assume he was displeased," she said coolly.
"Yes," he said, trying not to reveal just how greatly. "But I think he was more upset by the failure of the masking device than the escape of the Krowtonan ship."
Her eyes bore into him. "Are we still employed?" she asked. "Or will he find another way to disrupt the Vidiian plans?"
Ah. That was it. She was worried that they had lost this opportunity and was hiding her concern behind all this formality. "The deal stands," he assured her, and her face broke into a radiant smile. He could have wept with relief, to see her so happy.
"Oh, Tokane," she breathed, then almost ran to embrace him. "Well done, my love! I knew you could salvage this wreckage." After a swift but fierce kiss, she took him by the hand. "You must be exhausted. And hungry. Tell me everything while I get you something to eat."
It was all going to be all right now, he knew. Happy to have the last possible problem of the day resolved, he sat down heavily. "At first, he was angry. But when I explained that the containment field his people designed didn't hold up to even minimal combat conditions, he calmed down. He's got his people working on a new design. We should have something in a few days."
She returned with a tray that held a large pitcher of amber wine, two glasses and a plate of dried fruit. It was probably the last of their special horde, but he wasn't going to argue. The thought of replicated rations killed his appetite. "Did you give him the failure analysis?" she asked as she poured wine for each of them. Even though she held no official role in his crew, she understood the new device better than his chief engineer and had quickly compiled the report.
"Of course. He was impressed by its timeliness. He said he'd get it to his people immediately." He took a long sip. It was blessedly cold, thick and slightly sweet, just the fortification he needed after long hours of repairing the damage caused by both the Krowtonan phasers, the damaged invidium device, and the long and uncomfortable discussion with their employer. "He promised the funds to restock the food stores, so we won't be on rations long."
She watched him over the rim of her glass but did not drink. "And the escape of the Krowtonan ship?"
He shrugged. "Not ideal, but not overly worrisome. Even while it was destabilizing, the invidium undoubtedly prevented them from getting any viable data on us. And any harassment of this blasted coalition is helpful. If the Krowtonans decide it's too much effort, they will likely be the first to withdraw."
"He's right about that," she agreed. "The Krowtonan don't waste resources on questionable causes. And if they leave, others will follow." Suddenly she laughed. "Perhaps the Kazon will take the lead on defense. Wouldn't that be fun?"
The thought made him smile. After all these years, they were finally in a position to again match the Kazon in technology, if not numbers. But when had that ever mattered? The Kazon were fractious, weak and frequently stupid. It would be so . . . satisfying . . . to defeat them.
As often happened, he had the sudden feeling that Lotrece was sharing his thoughts. Her expression turned deadly serious, and she abruptly set down her glass and knelt like a supplicant – she, to him! - on the deck before him. With her hands on his thighs, she said fervently, "You are going to do it, Tokane. You are going to lead us back to our rightful place as the lords of this sector and end this wretched wandering. You will restore the honor of the Trabe."
Moved, almost shaken, he took her hands. "I promise you, my love, I will. We will. We will earn a home for our people and the respect and fear our enemies. This is my vow to you." He raised both her hands to his chest so she could feel his beating heart, the traditional gesture of loyalty. "And," he almost whispered, "you shall have your revenge. Those who caused your father's death shall be brought to justice. Janeway will pay for her betrayal at last." In a less traditional gesture, he kissed her hands.
"Then you shall know my gratitude," she whispered back, "now and always."
Scene 3: Ocampan Home World, 1 day prior to Departure (0530)
"I'm never going to complain about how dry it is on a normal humanoid planet again!" exclaimed Valeria, taking another long swig from the liter bottle of water she was cradling in her arms as if it were an infant.
Boothby laughed. "For us, the Hell those humans talk about would look just like this, wouldn't it?" He took another drink from his own bottle. Despite the shade provided them by the bulk of the Victorious Morning, which was parked on the dry surface of the Ocampan home world, the two Fluidians could not keep themselves properly hydrated no matter how often they drank liquids.
"After this move is done, I'm demanding a nice long vacation back 'home,'" Valeria declared.
"We both deserve one," Boothby agreed.
Valeria revolved in place, shading her eyes with one arm, examining the unforgiving flats of salts, sand, and shimmering heat waves. "Can't we do anything about this world to make it habitable again? Couldn't we find a way to transfer fluids here ?"
Boothby sighed and took another drink before responding. "I heard some of those Starfleet types talking about it last week. They said they have to put some sort of nucleo-genic-something-or-others back into the atmosphere so this planet can have weather again. Until they do that, any water they put on this surface will just evaporate and fly out into space. One of them said it will take at least a hundred of their years to get enough of those things in the air for clouds to form. Without weather to keep things going, there won't be enough water for people to live up here again. It's a shame. Kes said it was a beautiful place before it happened."
"How does Kes know that? From her 'travels,' do you think?" Valeria wiped her brow with her arm and took another drink of water.
"Yup. She was able to go back and see. Broke her heart, she said."
"Those sporocystian life forms certainly did mess up the lives of her people! The Ocampa deserve the chance to start over on New Earth."
"Yes, they do. Those Starfleeters said that once things get a little safer in this area, they plan to introduce those nucleo-genic-thingees into the atmosphere - but not before then. And a hundred years - that's at least eight, maybe ten generations for the Ocampa, even if they do live a bit longer now."
"Speaking of the Ocampa, here they come," she said, as large groups of humanoids began to appear, heralded by showers of sparks from the transporters of the three Starfleet ships in orbit above the planet. More than half of the first group of emigrants who, along with their belongings, were being given transit via Starfleet ships - primarily Pioneer, which accommodated up to 5,000 at a time for short trips such as this - were transported directly to their ships. The rest would travel on Delta Quadrant vessels, dubbed "the Flotilla" by a certain irreverent helmsman who was in love with ancient sailing ships. These individuals were to walk a short distance upon the waterless surface of their home planet to embark, not from docks, but into the open hatchways of ships resting upon the sands of the planet.
The Fluidians watched as the Ocampa, accustomed as they were to the softer artificial light of their caverns, cringed at the searing rays of the sun reflecting from the sands all around them. With their eyes shielded by their arms raised over their brows, they milled around before some of the braver among them pointed excitedly at the unrelentingly clear skies above them. They were the first Ocampa, other than Kes, to see their sun in many generations of their people.
Within a few minutes, Boothby and Valeria spotted a smaller-than-average figure, bearing a massive backpack and sporting a very broad brimmed sun hat, waving a hand in circles in the air. Quickly, a hundred or more individuals gathered in a group before her and headed towards the Victorious Morning.
"Would you care to place a bet on the identity of the Ocampa in the big hat?" Boothby asked his companion, taking another long pull of water from his now almost-empty bottle.
"No, since we both know that's Kes."
"Little power-house, that one is," he chuckled in reply.
Any lingering doubt was abolished once the group reached the shadow of the Victorious Morning. A light but warm voice called out to them, "Valerie! Boothby! I'll be there in a minute. And Captain Jixtan! So glad to see you again!" Kes waved to the figure in the open hatchway, where the captain waited with his other two crewmen who, like Jixtan, were Talaxian.
As the Ocampa filed onto the gangway and moved towards the hatch, Kes ran over to the Fluidians. They had met on the Ocampa Space station in the Qizal-Corana system, during her exhaustive search for a new home for her people.
Amid the hugs, the female Fluidian announced, "I prefer to be called Valeria now, Kes. I've decided to go by only one name, the way Boothby does . . . "
"Except by the Vidiians. They call me Theby Booth," he reminded his companion.
"So, they still just call you Booth most of the time," she said rather archly, unconscious that she was, by that action, referring to her former surname of Archer in her behavior, if no longer as part of her name. Turning back to Kes she said, with more enthusiasm, "I did some research in the human databases. Apparently the name 'Valerie' was originally 'Valeria' in some ancient culture called the Roomans."
"Romans," Boothby corrected automatically.
"Whatever. At any rate, I think it sounds more 'me,' so that's going to be my name from now on."
"Until you decide to change it again," Boothby muttered. "We've chatted enough. Kes, we need to get your people on board and settled before Captain Jixtan decides to fire us and abandon us here on the surface of this wasteland."
"You just want to get yourself more water to drink," Valeria said shrewdly.
"That, too! And I'm sure Captain Jixtan wants to chat with our Ocampan friend just as much as we do, and out of this oven of an atmosphere! Here, let me take that bundle for you, Kes. It's almost as big as you are!"
They walked swiftly over the blazing sands to where the last group of Ocampa were standing, patiently waiting for their turn to get on the ship. The very last in line was a frazzled pair, each burdened with a child in carried in their arms while trying to control two others who were racing in circles around them. Kes and Valeria each grabbed a rambunctious youngster, and, firmly grasping their hands, they joined the end of the line.
"Thank you so much for your help," the mother said fervently.
"Quadruplets?" asked Boothby.
"Yes, and they're at that age when they get into everything! We hope we can keep them from running all over the ship!" the father replied.
"Once you're in your quarters, I'm sure they'll settle down," Kes said to the parents before murmuring to Valeria, "I don't know how the foremothers and forefathers ever managed it! I'm amazed the Ocampa ever survived at all."
"Get those Starfleet geneticists involved. I'll bet they'll be able to solve that Elogium problem you've got," Boothby stated - not softly enough, as it turned out.
"Oh, no!" the mother interjected. "I could never go through this again! Once is definitely enough!"
After the three had stepped inside the ship and could safely return the youngsters to their grateful parents' care, Valeria and Boothby grabbed three bottles of life-giving water, offering one to Kes. "Time to resume our principal roles," Boothby stated. "We'll see you after we've finished directing families to their assigned living quarters for the trip, Kes."
"And the first person I'll direct to quarters is you," Valeria stated merrily, grabbing Kes' bundle from Boothby and leading her to the cargo turbolift, located in the center of the ship's hold. Kes' quarters, which she was to share with the family of her friends Lyrial and Josan, who had adopted her as their "Auntie Kes," were located at the top level. Exiting the lift, Valeria led Kes along a passageway with doorways every few meters. While the floor of the walkway was apparently solid, every step resonated. "Prefabricated housing and flooring, Kes, but don't worry. They're all very securely locked together. This floor is a bit noisy, but it's quite safe. Boothby and I helped with the construction."
Valeria stopped at a door halfway along the corridor and entered an access code, which she provided to Kes even before opening the door. "I know it's a bit tight for five people to share," Valeria apologized, as she dropped the bundle onto a single bunk along the right-hand wall of the chamber, which was equipped with a backrest to form a couch.
Kes dropped her sunhat next to her bundle while her eyes quickly surveyed the accommodations. A single chair near the couch had a fold down shelf behind it, to double as a desk. Through two doorways to her left she saw a bedroom with a large bed and a sanitary cubicle. Along the left hand wall was a compact but efficient galley. "Valeria, if you could have seen the apartment the five of us shared in the caverns, you'd be astonished. This is at least three times the size of that room! But where are the beds for Alixas and Benaren? In the same room as the large bed?"
Valeria turned to the left of the entrance, where a table and two benches were attached to the wall. She hit a switch, and two bunks came out of the wall, settling over the benches to form a pair of beds, with the table in between. "I've done a little research in the Starfleet databases. They call this sort of arrangement 'Murphy beds' on Earth. Clever, don't you think?"
"I wish we'd had a Murphy bed in our apartment in the caverns," Kes agreed.
"During the trip, you'll get all your meals in the mess hall. The replicators will be available there around the clock, so you don't need to worry about feeding hungry adolescents in the middle of the night. The galley is for after you arrive on New Earth. These cubicles are manufactured for mining colonies, I understand, so they provide all the necessities. We'll be offloading them on New Earth - temporary housing for the colonists. I understand having an instant home was one of the big draws for people to come on ships like ours, which are simply refitted cargo vessels, instead of one of the Starfleet ships. Once we drop off your group, Captain Jixtan will go back to the supplier to get more cubicles. The people traveling on the Starfleet ships won't have anything nearly as nice as this when they disembark. I think they have to 'camp out' at first."
"Maybe having an instant home was important for some of my people, but I chose to travel on your ship because of you, Boothby, and Captain Jixtan. I wanted us to be together as this new adventure of ours begins. You all helped so much in bringing it about."
Valeria came over to Kes and gave her a quick but sincere hug. "That's such a sweet thing to say. We have come a long way since that disastrous 'First Contact' with the crew of the first Voyager, haven't we? I hope it all gets better from now on."
"I'm so grateful to you all, Valeria. But right now, I think I must be keeping you from directing people to their quarters." Kes smiled slyly up at the Fluidian.
"Oh, yes, Boothby is yelling in my telepathic ear to get going. I'm sure you can hear him pretty easily, with your gifts," Valeria groaned. "Yes, it's time for me to go. We'll get together again later. Bye for now!"
Kes laughed as Valeria waggled her fingers in farewell. As soon as the Fluidian had exited the apartment, Kes collapsed on the couch. The day had only just begun; and she was already exhausted; but she was exhilarated, too. All the planning and packing had come to fruition. What she had dreamed of for so long - a future for her people - was actually becoming real. Tired she might be, but Kes was sure it was all going to be worth it.
