All characters and concepts are the property of their respective creators. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.

'Good morning, Doctor,' Janeway said, as she stepped into Sickbay.

'Captain,' he replied, without looking up from the PADD he was reading. 'What can I do for you...?'

'I...wanted to see how you were doing...?'

'...how I'm doing...?'

'Are you settling in? I'm sure that a deep space mission is very different from your time at Utopia Plantia...'

'Since you ask, Captain, yes...Personally, I wish I was still there. And I think some of the crew feels the same way...'

'...I understand...' Janeway said. 'We're...all having to make adjustments. Give it time...'

'...yes, Captain...'

################

'Hi,' Harry said, as he stepped into the Astrometric lab, where Seven of Nine was seated at the curved console. 'I'm Ensign Kim...'

'You requested an upgrade to the ODN access points,' he added, when Seven did not turn around. '...alright. Well, I'll just install these and I'll be out of your way...'

Crossing to the ODN access, he pulled the panel out and opened his toolkit, selecting a duotronic probe.

'So, what do I call you...?'

'My designation is Seven of Nine...'

'...right. That's a little long, don't you think...? How about Seven...?'

'My designation is Seven of Nine...'

'Right...sorry...I was just trying to be friendly...'

'Friendship is irrelevant...'

'...okay...' Harry said, shaking his head as he turned back to his work...

################

'Kes...?'

'Oh...good morning, Captain,' Kes said, looking round from where she had been staring out of the viewport. 'I'm sorry. I didn't see you come in...'

'So I gathered,' Janeway said, sitting down opposite her with a smile. 'What were you thinking about...?'

'I don't know. Everything, really. Back on Ocampa, I never had...time to myself. From the time I woke in the morning until I returned to bed, I was always working. Tending the hydroponics gardens, cleaning the corridors, preparing food, there was always work to do. I am not used to...having nothing to do...'

'Is that so wrong?' Janeway asked, kindly. 'You deserve a few days for yourself...'

'...thank you, Captain...'

################

'This is a very impressive vessel,' Neelix said, as he followed Tuvok down the corridor. 'Your Federation is clearly an advanced culture...'

'The Federation is comprised of many cultures and races. I am Vulcan...'

'Pleased to meet you, Mr Vulcan...'

'...these will be your quarters,' Tuvok said, stopping outside a door. 'There are fresh clothes and a commbadge inside, which will give you access to certain non-restricted areas on the ship. At 1500 hours, the Captain would like you to attend a briefing with the Senior Officers...'

'I'll be there, Mr Vulcan,' Neelix said, as the door to his quarters hissed shut.

################

'Keep your guard up,' Chakotay said, as his punch grazed B'Ellana's ribs, driving her back with a grunt of pain. With a snarl, she lunged at him and Chakotay fell back, her punch whistling past his head. Before she could recover from her misstep, Chakotay kicked out at the back of her knee, sending her stumbling.

'You need to control your temper,' Chakotay said, reaching out to help her up, but she shrugged him off. 'Do you understand...?'

'...yes, sir...'

################

'Mr Neelix,' Janeway said, as Tuvok escorted him into the Briefing Room. 'Thank you for coming...'

'I'm at your service, Captain.'

'Mr Kim,' Janeway said and Harry tapped the control panel on the table next to him, Course Alpha appearing on the viewscreen.

'This is our proposed course through this region of space,' Janeway said. 'What can you tell us...'

'Interesting,' Neelix said, approaching the viewscreen and peering closely at it. 'Can you enlarge this area...'

Harry tapped in a sequence of commands and the viewscreen zoomed in on the area that Neelix indicated.

'Yes,' Neelix said. 'This area is controlled by the Kazon...'

'The Kazon...?'

'An...aggressive species that fiercely protects their territory...'

'Do you think they'd allow us to cross their territory...?'

'It depends on the state of the alliances between the Kazon factions. However, I have traded with several of the leaders over the years, so it might be possible. With your permission, Captain, I'll speak to some of my contacts here and see what I can find out...'

'Thank you, Mr Neelix...' Janeway said, turning to Chakotay.

'Seeing as we'll be here for a while, I think the crew would benefit from some shore leave...'

'Aye, Captain...'

################

'Mr Carey,' B'Ellana said, striding over to him, holding out a datapad.

'Yes, Lieutenant?'

'This is the duty schedule for today...'

'With respect, Lieutenant, I've already assigned today's duties...'

'Well, now you can reassign them,' B'Ellana said. 'That will be all, Mr Carey...'

'...aye, Lieutenant...'

################

Janeway strolled along the corridors of the station, a faint smile crossing her lips. Even though she loved having her own command, it was nice to get out and stretch her legs every one in a while.

And to not fill out reports or make log entries...

Her thoughts were interrupted as she rounded the corner, stopping when she saw the crowd of people surrounding a pale-skinned alien who was backed against the wall. As Janeway watched, one of them grabbed him by his tunic, drawing back his fist...

'That's enough!' Janeway snapped, drawing her phaser as the crowd turned towards her. 'I don't know what your problem is,' she demanded, raising her voice, 'but I suggest you all back off. Now...!'

The mob hesitated for a second before drawing back and Janeway moved to stand next to the alien, tapping her combadge.

'Janeway to Voyager, two to beam up...'

################

'Thank you for coming,' Pulaski said, motioning for Kes to take a seat on the bio-bed. 'There's just a few more scans I need to do run. It shouldn't take long...'

'Alright,' Kes said and Pulaski smiled, opening her medical tricorder.

'How have you been feeling? Are you sleeping alright...?'

'Yes...why do you ask...?'

'Living in space is different from living on a planet and it can have...unexpected consequences,' she said, closing the tricorder. 'Anyway, that's all the scans I need. Now, is there anything...'

'Doctor!'

Hearing the shout, Pulaski's head whipped round to see Ensign Redwing supporting crewman Antos through the door, the left side of his uniform charred and torn.

'Computer, activate EMH programme,' Pulaski barked and the Doctor appeared.

'Please state the nature of the medical emergency...'

First degree plasma burns,' Ensign Redwing said, as Pulaski helped her lift Antos onto the biobed. 'An EPS conduit exploded...'

'Please, it hurts...' Antos whispered as the Doctor opened his tricorder, scanning him.

'It's alright,' Kes said, taking his hand and squeezing it firmly. 'The Doctor's going to help you...'

'You've suffered a severe plasma burns,' the Doctor said, loading a hypospray and pressing it to his neck. 'This will help with the pain and we'll need to start dermal regeneration immediately...'

'Will you stay with him?' Pulaski asked, turning to Kes. 'We need to set up for the procedure...'

'Of course...'

################

'Lieutenant?'

'Yes, Mr Carey...?'

'I've reassigned the duties, as per your orders...'

'...very good...' B'Ellana said, glancing up when Carey did not move. 'Was there anything else...?'

'Permission to speak freely, Lieutenant...?'

'...yes...'

'You're Chief Engineer, now, and I'll follow your orders. But, I know what I'm doing. If you're going to keep overruling my decisions, then you might as well not have me here...'

'Is that all, Mr Carey...?'

'...no, sir,' Carey said, his expression softening a little. 'Just because you're Chief, doesn't mean you need to do everything yourself...'

'Lieutenant Carey?' Ensign Julliano called from the secondary engineering console. 'We've got a power fluctuation on Deck 3...'

'Carry on, Mr Carey...' B'Ellana said and he nodded.

'Aye, Lieutenant. Mora, Lio, get your gear together. Julliano, isolate the power conduit to that section and re-route power...'

'Aye, sir...'

################

'Please, sit down,' Janeway said, as she ushered the alien into her ready room. 'Would you like something to drink?'

'Yes. Please...'

'Earl Grey tea for two,' Janeway said, returning with two steaming cups.

'Thank you,' he said, taking a sip. 'I'm sorry. I have not asked your name...'

'You're welcome,' Janeway said, as she sat behind her desk. 'It's not like there was a lot of time for introductions. I'm Captain Janeway...'

'Voltak Nuyon,' the alien said, taking another sip of his tea.

'...do you mind me asking what was happening back there?' Janeway asked and he hesitated.

'I am a Vidiian. My people...are not popular, Captain. Over the years, we have developed considerable medical knowledge, including the techniques for transplanting organs, saving those that would otherwise die. Unfortunately, there are those who consider this practice to be...unspeakable, thinking of us as little worse than graverobbers...'

'...I see...'

'There are some among our people who believe that we should return to our homeworld, but that can only lead to stagnation. We cannot wall ourselves off from others, especially when there is much good that we can do...'

'I understand...' Janeway began, just as Tuvok came over the intercom.

'Tuvok to Janeway...'

'Go ahead...'

'There has been an explosion on the station...'

'I'm on my way...'

################

'Report,' Janeway said, as she and Voltak returned to the bridge.

'The explosion occurred on one of the interior levels of the station,' Tuvok said, without looking up from his console. 'Structural integrity does not appear to have been compromised, but I am detecting several plasma fires...'

'Communications indicate that there are casualities,' Harry added and Janeway turned to Voltak.

'Does the station have any emergency medical services or damage control teams...?'

'Very little, Captain,' he said, with a shake of his head. 'Most of the spacer's will have some basic emergency equipment, but they will be more concerned with protecting their own vessels.

'Mr Tuvok,' Janeway said. 'Prepare an away team to beam over...'

'Aye, Captain,' he said, tapping his combadge. 'Dr Pulaski, assemble an emergency medical team in Transporter Room 1...'

'Mr Kim,' Janeway said. 'Contact the station and inform them that we're sending over medical teams..,'

'Aye, Captain...'

'Captain,' Voltak said. 'With your permission, I would like to accompany your medical team. I might be off assistance...'

'...very well. Accompany Mr Tuvok...'

################

As the transporter effect faded, Dr Pulaski found herself standing in a corridor where several small fires were still burning, bodies lying on the floor.

'Alright,' she said, raising her voice. 'Hanson, Jiik, start triage. Ulo, set up a secondary area for non-critical patients...'

Grabbing her tricorder, she dropped to her knees next to a grey-skinned alien with plasma burns on his face, steeling herself as she set to work.

################

'I have a chest wound here,' Voltak said. 'I will need assistance...'

'Nema,' Pulaski said, glancing over at a blonde-haired ensign. 'Assist Dr Voltak...'

'Acknowledged...'

'Get away from him!'

Hearing the shout, Pulaski's head whipped round to see a humanoid with a crown of spines around his head running towards Voltak.

'Tuvok,' she yelled, as the man grabbed Voltak, shoving him away from the patient he was treating.

'Stop,' Voltak said, trying to push past him. 'He needs help...'

'Keep your hands off him, Vidiian,' the alien snarled, wrestling with him and there was a faint shukk sound, Voltak falling back with a curved knife in his chest.

'Pulaski to Voyager,' Pulaski said, racing over to him as Tuvok restrained the alien. 'Two to beam directly to Sickbay...'

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.