A/n: Thanks to Mtwapa for telling me about "Perfect" by SpacedOutAnna, a cute C/7 fic which is now on the community and also for teaching me how to insert line breaks. (Now I look at all my old chapters and bemoan at how unclear the change of time and place is, sorry everyone!)
"His recommended treatment is memory engram re-sequencing." Annika told Amal shakily, pointing out the paragraph on the screen for him to read when he stared at her in incredulous disbelief.
However, no matter how many times Amal read and re-read the information, he still couldn't fully process what she could possibly be getting at. Unconsciously stepping back from her and inhaling deeply to try to calm himself, he finally managed to ask, "Are you saying he induces amnesia in these people?"
Annika's hands slid from the computer keyboard and into her lap, twisting them uneasily as she spoke, "At least partially yes, but it's apparently the only way to cure the symptoms…"
"I wouldn't call forgetting parts of your life a cure." Amal remarked harshly.
Annika glanced at him, surprised at the strength of his reaction, before saying in a more level tone, "It is an ability which would be frighteningly easy to abuse."
Amal took stock of this, heavily sitting down on the nearest chair before holding Annika in a serious gaze, "And do you think we're both victims of this abuse?"
Annika clenched her jaw as she met his brooding eyes and answered, "It's possible…" She murmured unhappily before pulling back from him again. "Of course we could both be suffering a relapse of dysphoria syndrome…"
Amal frowned at her avoidance of the issue, "And how likely is that?" he questioned. Her answer was an irritated glare but he just ignored that and returned to studying the computer. "All these people, coming in on the same day, maybe there's ship records?"
"A logical assumption." Annika agreed noncommittally, beginning a new search through the database. After a few minutes of reading through shipping lists, Annika's lips pursed anxiously once again. "There's no record of any of the people on Tuvok's list ever travelling here by a registered transport, not the day we supposedly arrived, or any other.
"That can't be!" Amal exclaimed. "I remember…" His voice petered out into a groan as the hot, searing pain once again drilled into his brain, bringing unwelcome visions along with it…
He was standing in the centre of a room, no a ship's Bridge… There was a huge viewscreen directly in front of him which revealed asteroids directly ahead…no minefields, a voice in his confused brain corrected. Suddenly an explosion reverberated in his ears and as his body rocked and fought to maintain its balance he heard a strangely familiar female voice at his side, shrill but commanding, "This is the Federation starship U.S.S Voyager, disable these mines…"
"Amal! Amal!" Annika's voice was slightly edged with panic as she shook him by the shoulders. She felt relief rush through her as his eyes lost the far away, glassy expression and returned to normal, peering at her in confusion. Concernedly she rested her fingers momentarily under his chin as she asked, "Are you alright?"
Amal tried to smile to reassure her but his mind was too preoccupied with what he'd seen. "I…I think I just had another…flashback, if that's what they are." He shook his head in attempt to clear the bleary mental fog but one thing from the vision stuck with him. "Search for Voyager…"
"Voyager?" Annika echoed blankly before her eyes narrowed, "What's that?"
"A ship…I think." Agitated by her unconvinced expression he said in a low tone, "Just do it Annika."
Annika sighed but turned back to the computer without another word, although part of her was disturbed about why she hadn't questioned the order, for an order was what it had been. "Voyager…" She muttered as she typed the name in, doubting she would get anything so even more surprised when an entry popped up almost immediately, "There's a starship Voyager in the salvage yard just outside the power complex…" She caught Amal's eye in fearful disbelief, "It was found the day we arrived."
"Then our answers lie there." Amal replied with unshakable conviction.
The Doctor pushed his sonic screwdriver in behind the wiring of the wall console, according to his new programming; if he could get access here he could override whatever measures these pirates had put in place… Suddenly the console short circuited, blasting the screwdriver out of his hand. "Damn!" muttered the Doctor in frustration, that was the third panel this morning! You'd think the programmers of the ECH would have incorporated more engineering protocols but obviously not… He bolted behind a wide bulkhead as he heard voices from around the corner.
The two men, he guessed engineers from their toolboxes, went straight to the damaged console. "Another one, this ship's like a ghost ship!" muttered one of the men grumpily as he set to work.
"You just don't understand such advanced technology…" His companion teased.
"Yeah well maybe I don't entirely, but that's why we're taking it apart. Why'd the crew abandon it anyway?"
The second man shrugged. "Apparently the crew all got jobs over at the power plant."
The first man laughed as the Doctor's head reeled in confusion, "Well, let's hope they don't make our power supply as temperamental as this ship!"
They continued on but the Doctor stopped listening, they made this all sound voluntary! What the hell was going on here?
"You made me you assistant?" asked Amal incredulously as he glanced over Annika's shoulder at the pad she was holding as they walked hurriedly towards the salvage yard the morning after the talk in Annika's apartment.
Annika flung him a cutting look, "If the arrangement is unsatisfactory to you, then you find a plausible way to get us in!" she said sharply.
Amal smiled sheepishly, hands raised in defence. "Okay, okay. I'm grateful, really. I could probably do a lot worse than your assistant…"
Annika smirked as she replied, "You are correct. I was going to make you the waste disposal coordinator but that would have separated us during a possibly volatile situation."
"I'm all for staying together then!" Amal laughed, finding that he was enjoying her dry wit despite himself. Abruptly his demeanour changed as he saw the guards at the yard's entrance. "That's overkill for just a salvage yard isn't it?" he whispered near her ear.
Annika gulped and pulled out her pad, holding their precious permission to be there as she murmured, "I suggest we proceed with caution." She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye as she focused on the guard directly in front of her. "Good morning." She began stiffly, remembering what the doctor had said to her at the hospital, "My assistant and I…" she indicated Amal, who nodded respectfully at the guard, "…are here to run an efficiency inspection on the premises, check if safety procedures are being followed, targets are being met and so on…"
The guard looked them over sceptically, "You don't have an appointment Miss Hansen."
"What would be the point of a surprise inspection if you knew we were coming?" Annika replied icily.
The guard blushed, giving the pad only a cursory glance before handing it back to her. "Please go on in ma'am." He mumbled. Amusement and relief flickered across Annika's face as she swept past him, Amal hurriedly following in her wake.
As they stepped into the warehouse Amal asked her curiously, "How'd you get permission to get in here anyway?"
Annika flushed in guilt, not wanting him to think her dishonest. "I didn't. I forged these papers."
"So all that was just a bluff?" he asked, trying not to feel impressed.
Annika shifted away from him awkwardly as she nodded shyly, "I will find out which ship is Voyager…"
Amal grabbed her forearm tightly and pointed ahead as a spectacular vessel caught his eye. "I think I already know. There it is."
The Doctor paced anxiously around Sickbay, mulling around his options as he had every morning since the ship had been captured. Should he try to make a run for it and see what was happening? That would mean abandoning the ship, the one thing he'd promised the Captain he wouldn't do, but with the crew apparently being used as slave labour what other options were open to him? He jumped violently as Sickbay's door opened and was about to try and hide as best he could when he was met with a familiar face staring at him in shock. "Oh, thank God! Seven!" he exclaimed excitedly, immediately going to her but she backed away, her eyes clouded with distrust as the Doctor registered Commander Chakotay behind Seven, in a stance like a bodyguard. "Seven…" he murmured, reaching for her arm in concern but both of his crewmates tensed.
"Who's Seven?" She asked sharply as she wrenched her arm away, staring at him as she would a total stranger.
A/n: Please review!