Disclaimer see chapter one:
Universal Question
Seven discovered her admiration for her former Captain and mentor growing stronger as they watched and listened to her revelations as to what had been happening since – if not before – Chakotay had just vanished, disappeared into the wilds of the Alpha Quadrant.
'Just the thought of the man left her feeling 'weak at the knees' to use a human expression,' she thought softly. Her attention was arrested by the movements of the black clad squaddies who were drilling for no reason she could determine, then she felt the young male beside her.
"Icheb, what is it?" she asked anxious.
"Not what, but who!" he responded.
"You're not making any sense," noted the Doctor worriedly as the Commandant walked in.
"Can you explain these readings?" he asked without pre-amble, thrusting a PADD at the blonde female. They all waited as she studied the information carefully and then handed it to Icheb having added a note to the PADD to stay silent.
"May I check the sensor readings myself?" she asked politely.
"Be my guest," he responded abruptly and had the three escorted with him to the main control centre.
The two ex-Borg re-checked the readings at the main console explaining as they did so, that the sensors used a different frequency to the communications system; therefore everyone could know what was out there in space, just that they couldn't move freely to investigate until the navigation beacons were clear.
"Thanks. But what are those readings?" said the Commandant. "Borg?"
"Negative. The Borg needs a fixed reference point in order to create a stable exit point for a transwarp corridor," Seven explained.
"So what is it?"
"More a case of who; but to answer your initial question," sensing the Commandant's growing impatience. "It is a subspace echo of something moving towards us."
"Subspace?" queried the man puzzled. Both Icheb and the EMH whispered a name.
"A subspace corridor is being repaired as they travel it. Yet if they exit into normal space they will be subject to the same conditions as every other ship currently in range of this transmission – broadcast," she said calmly, silently confirming what her companions had already realised.
"You'd better remain here," said the Commandant indicating they keep an eye on this new threat. Icheb wondered if it was a new threat recalling what their former friend and morale officer had told them.
"Three – Why are three members of my crew interred in what I can only describe as a prison camp by Black Op's and for what reason?" said Janeway her voice clear as she listed her next question. "Four – Why has Starfleet Admiralty gone into hyper drive due to Voyager's unexpected return to the Alpha Quadrant? Five – Why is it necessary to clear every Federation database of certain archived information, including my vessel? Without the full command team no-one can have direct access to that archive," she noted enlightening her listeners as to one possible reason why finding her missing XO was important for someone.
=/\=
In the Fleet Admiral's office she and the President had just received the same information about the subspace echoes and question five was the one she had discovered on her inspection tour of the Fleet and all its facilities and that no-one could explain why or who had deleted the data and even what that data was. For the first time in her life – and especially in her current capacity as Fleet Admiral – Alynna Necheyev felt helpless, thus her face was grim realising that things were out of her control, totally out of her control. The feeling was not a pleasant one but was a rather unsettling one, a feeling she noted the President shared. They glanced at each other in mutual understand, realising their current circumstances was something that would have to be addressed if the Federation and Starfleet were to operate effectively together in the near future, not just with each other, but with their allies and the rest of the known galaxy. For now all they could do was wait and listen.
"Question six – Why are you so adamant that the planets in the former DMZ be put into food production now, before the suitability study is complete? I'm aware that some of our former allies and food producers have withdrawn their support from the Federation due to the war; thus creating the real possibility of food shortages a worry for everyone. But this often goes hand-in-hand with the aftermath of war. What, who and more importantly why are you trying to hide something or someone, Admiral?"
Silence permeated the quiet office and then the screen went blank. They both silently wondered what would come next. Janeway's voice was crystal clear and calm:
"That does not absolve you from answering the universal question – Why Admiral."
"No it doesn't," the President muttered sourly bringing a soft smile to Alynna's face. The screen snapped back on, the man looking angrier than he had before.
"You do know that the communications system is wide open and that everyone can hear this. How'd you do it Janeway?" he snapped.
"It's really quite simple, Admiral," she paused a moment causing anticipation. "I just asked the computer to open a channel."
"What?" he stammered.
"I just ordered the computer to open a channel," she repeated quietly.
"That doesn't explain what is happening," he argued.
"Actually it does. A computer follows two basic and very simple rules. On or off; one or nought; yes or no; black or white; It doesn't evaluate the in-between or the subtleties of what is asked, it only follows a direct and precise command. Only humanoids work and think in every subtle shade of gray, Admiral. Computers will only carry out a task as per instructions and as their programming dictates. Therefore when I asked the computer to open a channel that is precisely what it is currently doing opening every channel it comes across because I did not give a specific channel for it to open," pausing again to look at the man before her wondering where the answer to her next words would lead.
Before she could say anything though the sound of hearty gruff loud laughter filtered through the open system, which was soon followed by a deep male gravelly voice.
"She's caught you out there! Wonderful," his voice gruff with ill-concealed mirth, laughing again. The face of a battle scared Klingon slowly faded up onto and filled part of the screen. He grinned at Janeway, giving her a respectful nod of his head, but he scowled at the male Admiral, his mirth slipping away to be replaced with grim determination.
"The Woman Warrior has asked some very valid and pointed questions that now require some very pointed answers. I hope you'll do that with honour and clarity for all of us," his tone hard and unforgiving.
The title Chancellor Martok had used to honour her, gave Janeway a jolt her eyes widening a little as she recalled who else had called her by that title, when, where and why. She swiftly pushed the feelings neatly back into the hidden recesses of her mind and squared her shoulders to deal with the here and now.
An act that every Starfleet and Betazoid trained councillor recognised in the female Admiral as she buried unwanted and obviously unacknowledged feelings of past events in her life that had possibly more to do with her Delta Quadrant journey than anything else.
On the Enterprise Commander Deanna Troi, sighed softly.
"Looks like you have some unfinished business with one Kathryn Janeway," Picard noted quietly, having come to know his counsellor very well over the years they'd worked and served together.
"Yes, it does," she agreed watching the female on the screen as they waited for Admiral Pleasances to respond to the former Klingon General's words. Yet it was another pointed strong male voice that spoke:
"Admiral Pleasances, Why is the one universal question that doesn't just require an answer, it demands an answer," said the Praetor of Romulus.
=/\=
NB: That came together a little quicker than the last chapter. Now for the next one. I wonder if you - dear readers can guess who the new party is?