Earth sighed, she was absolutely miserable. It had been nearly two weeks since she had attempted to take control of the Vidiian ship. Conix and Gavix had not managed to contact the Captain, and for all they knew the crew may not have received the message. She rested her head against the wall and glared at the guard who was pacing over near the door. "We have to get out of here." She growled softly.
"I couldn't agree more." Arron replied. "Unfortunately I don't know how." Naomi was watching the guard closely from the other side of the room. She still had a scar from the wound she received during the failed escape mission. Kavik was meditating on his cot, while Kes, Marianna and James were all still sleeping. Kathy was practicing her fist fighting skills over in the corner, pounding a rather pathetic pillow she'd salvaged from one of the beds, Conix and Gavix were cheering her on.
"I have an idea but I don't like it." Naomi said softly as she walked over and sat down beside Earth and Arron.
"Lets hear it." Earth said quietly.
"It would involve one of us sacrificing ourselves as bait." Naomi warned. Earth nodded in understanding.
"The bait could move into a feigned escape plan and distract the guards while the rest of us escape to the shuttle bay." Naomi said
"But the shuttles could be easily shot down." Arron pointed out.
"Not if we mix in with the troops going down to join the fight." Naomi replied.
"It's the best plan we have. I'll stay and play bait." Earth said.
"What! No, no that's ridiculous. There must be another way." Arron hissed through gritted teeth.
"If one person can save all of you and the rest of the crew it's a sacrifice worth making." Earth said. Arron glared at the ground. Naomi watched them silently.
"I'll tell Conix, Gavix and Kavik. The others don't need to know until the last minute." Naomi said as she turned to talk to the others.
"Make sure you get the crew back to Voyager, Arron. And, tell my mom what happened. Please." Earth said softly. Arron turned to look her in the eye.
"I will." He said softly. "And I will come back for you." Earth sighed in frustration but didn't argue with the persistent part Klingon.
Earth dragged the guard over to a stack of cargo barrels and shoved him behind them. The alarm had gone off as soon as she'd knocked the Vidiian over the head, apparently security was even more thorough than she had predicted. She had managed to avoid three groups of security thus far, but she was heading straight to the Bridge and could expect more trouble. It had been decided that the best place for her to be captured would be the place with the most Vidiians and the main security stations, it wouldn't do any good if the kids tried to escape while the lead security Vidiian was still paying attention. Slowly Earth pulled herself to her feet and jogged down the hallway. The alarms were still blaring, and she could feel her head pounding in tune. A phaser fire near her right shoulder alerted her to the presence of a pursuing group of guards.
"You! Stop!" One shouted. Earth picked up speed and shot around a corner where she ran straight into another group of Vidiians. As they reached to restrain her she ripped herself out of their grasp and continued running towards the door leading onto the Bridge. She barely noticed when a streak of phaser fire nicked her arm. From behind a Vidiian lunged foreword and grabbed her by her hair, despite the pain she tumbled through the door onto the Bridge where the senior Vidiians stopped their work and turned to face the heap that had fallen through the door. Three Vidiians grasped her by her arms and lifted her off of the ground.
"Transfer her to Takor's ship. Stress the need for aggressive security measures, we don't want this one to get away again." The Captain said. One of the restraining Vidiians nodded and dragged Earth's limp form off of the Bridge, but not before the girl caught a glimpse of the fleet of troop vessels, two of which came from her current ship.
Earth gasped in pain as the guard literally threw her into the cell. A force field immediately went into place.
"Try any funny business, missy, and you'll be sent directly to organ processing."
"Why haven't you sent me there already?" She asked.
"Because the Captain Takor is cunning." The Vidiian said. That sent a chill through Earth's body. 'And I will come back for you.' Arron's words shot through her mind. Who knew we Starfleet recruits could be so predictable. Earth thought to herself as she studied her wounds. I just hope they all get back to Voyager, Mom will make sure Arron doesn't fall for the Vidiian's plan.
Kathryn watched as Tom did his best to comfort his wounded friend. Harry had been getting increasingly worse over the past two weeks. They still hadn't heard anything from the kids, or anyone else for that matter. Seven was pacing angrily over by the entrance to the storage area. She was obviously concerned for her husbands health, but couldn't find any sufficient means to express her feelings. Meanwhile B' Elanna was expected to give birth any day now, and Kathryn was hoping beyond hope that they would be back on Voyager before it happened.
"How is she?" Kathryn asked as Chakotay walked over. He had just been sitting beside B' Elanna, and looked rather concerned.
"Alright, but we need to get her back to Voyager, very soon."
"I hope nothing happened to the kids."
"I was just thinking the same thing." Chakotay said as he sat down. Tuvok and Ayala were standing guard beside the door, both were completely focused, although they occasionally glanced over their shoulders to watch the furious Borg as she stormed around the room. They could still hear the distant sound of weapons fire back at the mines, what they couldn't hear was the quiet whistle as the explosive gas escaped through a slight puncture in the pipes.
"Captain may I suggest that Seven work to find a means of contacting the children." Tuvok said, Sevens pacing was apparently getting on his superior Vulcan nerves.
"Good idea." Kathryn said with a smile. "What do you think Seven? Care to give it a try?"
"Very well, all though the chances of my being able to locate them are slim." The drone said with a nod as she turned and vanished into the back of the storage area.
"Why'd you do that?" Tom asked Tuvok in sarcasm. "She wasn't annoying you was she." He said mockingly. In their dark predicament it had been very difficult for the usually playfully helmsmen to find anything worth making fun of.
"Return to your duty, Lieutenant." The Vulcan said. Tom rolled his eyes.
"Spoil sport." He grumbled. Harry chuckled softly but immediately started into fit of coughing, Tom went to work offering him water and trying to calm him down.
Arron stared out of the view port from his position at the piloting chair. Naomi was sitting in the copilots seat and was fiddling with the com-frequencies. Conix meanwhile was scanning the surface for Voyager. On the other shuttle Gavix was doing the same thing for the crew while Kavik and Kathy sat in the pilot and copilots chairs. The younger kids waited patiently in the back seat.
"I think I have the other shuttles frequency." Naomi said as the computer made an affirmative beep.
"I just hope you aren't wrong, or this will be a really short rescue mission." Arron said.
"Naomi to Kavik, come in." She said.
"Kavik here."
"Good it's them." Naomi said to Arron. "Have you had any luck finding the Captain?" She asked.
"Yes. Gavix has succeeded in locating them in a storage building about three miles from the mining site."
"Good, have you been able to verify that they're all there?"
"Yes, but Gavix has detected a rather alarming occurrence." Naomi glanced at Arron who was pointedly fiddling with the helm controls.
"He has detected a consistent leak of the gases in the mine. It appears that a pipe was fractured and as a result is now releasing the substance. The entire area is liable to explode." Kavik said.
"Wonderful, more good news." Arron said sarcastically.
"I have located Voyager." Conix said.
"Alright, we're gonna go for the ship, you guys, take care of yourselves." Arron said.
"Understood." Kavik said. "We will rendezvous on this planets moon."
"How do you plan on getting there?" Arron asked.
"Gavix has located a grounded Diezen shuttle not far from the Captains location, it has received minimal damage and has enough room to contain the entire crew."
"Alright, we'll see you at the moon." Arron said as Naomi closed the line.