Eclipse: A Star Trek Voyager Fanfiction Story
Chapter 14:
Across both universes, over the course of fourteen or so hours…
ISS Admiral Janeway slightly sighs to herself, "the game's not over yet, mirror Voyager."
Tuvok points out, "this Quadrant is in a Mirror Universe: Where, as you say, "the fire" is almost everywhere." Bierit figures, "and if I go when I'm done with this mission…how do I know Voyager's crew won't kill me?" Tuvok answers simply, "you don't."
Chakotay goes up to ISS Chakotay, "the only Intel we could pick up from "our sources" is that Admiral Janeway is practically tracking your every move. Don't think that's a little suspicious?!" ISS Mariah sadly concludes, "not for this Universe, USS Chakotay: We have someone on the inside too. Every crew with half a mind does…heavy sigh…if they want to survive out in this galaxy."
Angelo remarks coldly, "if you've come to call us mass murderers, take a number." Noah and James slightly laugh. Just before punching Angelo, Jarvin mutters, "no: Guess."
ISS Harry Kim reflects, "heavy sigh. Three years with my memories…and I'm no closer to being with Ahni than I was then!" Teary eyed at the edge of insanity, ISS Harry Kim mutters on, "but I can be fricking damn sure I'll avenge you! Slight laugh. Even if I die for you, you'll live on: One way or another."
The ISS Borg Queen delves into details, "as far as you have come as a individual, your Borg implants remain an obstacle to your individuality: Emotionally and physically. In our universe, Admiral Janeway has a neural implant that would be effectively efficient in destroying the Terran Empire. To obtain this implant, assisting you in fully finding your individuality is a small price to pay."
Seven notes, "I should be terrified inside…but her offer is tempting. Eliminating my self concerns with malfunctioning, a serious misunderstanding, or becoming too logical…it would be nothing short of self perfection. Yet, the means by which I would attain it is highly selfish."
Captain Chakotay slightly sighed, "for the time being, we should all put our personal wounds aside: So we don't die by them in enemy territory."
Chakotay slightly sighs, "welcome back." In solemn reflection, Commander Janeway says, "I don't feel welcome. Hard sigh. But, I appreciate the thought."
Commander Janeway figures, "Chakotay, I…request permission to assign B'Elanna and Xana to the away team." Somewhat concerned, Chakotay says, "Kathryn, you don't have to request permission for that. You're the Commander. I may have the final word as Captain, but that doesn't mean you need to request permission for everything. Is that clear?"
Chakotay sighs hard, "Tuvok, ready phasers and Chroniton torpedoes: I don't want any more surprises for a long time." Tuvok confirms, "yes, sir."
Bierit slightly laughs disturbingly, "and I thought I was going to see some real fire." Moderately sighing, ISS Chakotay comments, "those who go looking for fire...get burned."
ISS Tuvok's neck is instantly infected, as he suffocates to death: By the Species 8472 claw by ISS Culluh's hands. Firing her phaser at ISS Culluh, Commander Janeway cries out, "no!"
Xana calls out, "Seven!" Seven adds quickly, "go!"
Admiral Janeway laughs, "at last, we meet…Captain." On the floor, Commander Janeway mutters dizzily, "I'm Commander…Janeway now. You're nothing…but a sadist!" Admiral Janeway creepily smiles towards her, "close enough, Kathryn. But, you are mine now."
Presently, in the Briar Patch…
Noticing the melting floor around her, Commander Janeway is falling unconscious. She mutters to ISS Admiral Janeway, "close…enough." Xana is hurrying in Commander Janeway's direction. With her free arm, Seven swings her phaser into Borg ISS Lyris's chest. The Borg drone gets dazed: Long enough for it to be set aflame by the melting floor below it. Smoke and plasma are spreading across the abandoned station. Commander Janeway fires her phaser across the melting floor, sending a trail of flames up as a improvised flare. Xana's lock on ISS Admiral Janeway is set off. Seven hurries off to join Xana. ISS Admiral Janeway steps back quickly, but is temporarily blinded by the bright flames.
Xana then sees Commander Janeway's unconscious body. ISS Admiral Janeway shouts angrily over communicator, "two to beam up!" She and ISS Culluh beam away. Teary eyed, Xana quickly taps her Starfleet communicator, "computer, three to beam up!" She, Seven, and Commander Janeway beam to their shuttle: Docked deep in the asteroid's slowly melting rock side. And in the shuttle is a leftover Starfleet communicator, with no other officers around. Seven reasons, "slight chuckle: Impressive." Mostly cheerful, Xana adds, "thanks. Now, let's screw this joint." Seven takes the Helm, while Xana sits at the side seat at Sensors.
Around this time, in orbit of the Dominion space station…
The Liberty is hovering there, ready to fire. Some Son'a battle cruisers are going to warp: Away from the firefight that is soon to follow. Three Kazon fighters are already on a intercept course for the Liberty. Onboard the Liberty itself, the body of ISS Seven of Nine has been beamed onboard: Still stunned. Bierit slightly chuckles to himself, "Seven." ISS Chakotay tries to say, "B'Elanna, I know you're…" Teary eyed, a enraged ISS B'Elanna mutters viciously, "thought you weren't getting on my bad side. If anyone's going to kill that godforsaken bitch, it better be me!" ISS Mariah and ISS Chakotay are struggling to restrain ISS B'Elanna. But, she shoves them both off: Against the Liberty's walling.
The Liberty shakes violently, setting off B'Elanna's balance and Bierit's balance. Ayala points out, "not that this isn't already painful…but we're under attack!" Groaning hard, ISS Chakotay gets up, "glad someone said it." ISS Mariah barely gets up, coughing violently herself. ISS B'Elanna just stands still, mostly in shock of her own anger. Two Kazon fighters are firing phasers towards the Liberty: Igniting lots of micro-shockwaves off the edge of a dark purple supernovae swirl. The Liberty steers over the supernovae swirl, just as micro-shockwaves crash head on into it. The Liberty fires dark green Borg destructive beams behind it, igniting two micro-shockwaves to stall the Kazon fighters.
Ayala is acting Tactical officer. ISS Tom Paris is acting Helmsman. Bierit mutters lowly, "what is this?! Your first time flying?" ISS Tom Paris slightly laughs, "you want to take the Helm, or you want to fry out here?" ISS Chakotay mutters lowly, "that's enough: I'll take it! All right?" ISS Tom Paris nods, "yes, "dad"." He steps away from the Helm, and prepares to treat ISS Mariah on the sidelines. ISS Chakotay sighs to himself. The Liberty steers hard around the asteroid, as the Kazon fighters try to get a lock on it. Bierit starts to say, "and what are your orders, "Chief"?"
ISS Chakotay slightly chuckles, "B'Elanna could use a punching bag. Looks like you just volunteered..."greasy bastard"." ISS B'Elanna grins creepily. Bierit slightly laughs, "my kind of woman." ISS B'Elanna mutters lowly, "oh, shut the hell up!" She kicks him down the hall, into the mostly dark gray galley around the corner. B'Elanna heads down the same hall. Bierit's cries of pain are echoing across the Liberty. ISS Mariah and ISS Chakotay cruelly laugh. Ayala slightly sighs, "he found trouble, all right." ISS Tom Paris slightly laughs, "I'm just glad it isn't me this time."
Around this time, just outside the Briar Patch…
The Predator class Kazon ship comes out of warp, with several Romulan warbirds. Chakotay orders, "fire!" Tuvok confirms, "firing." Several Liberty modeled Borg Probes are coming in as reinforcements, while a small spread of Chroniton torpedoes destroys two of the Romulan warbirds. Interestingly, only the Predator class Kazon ship is firing back. Its particle beams barely make a dent in the Borg Cube or the USS Voyager. Chakotay realizes, "Harry, why are…?" Then, Naomi reports a little uneasy, "Sir, there's a displacement wave: In thirty seconds!" The Bridge crew is just starting to see the incoming displacement wave, including Chakotay.
Chakotay calls out, "Tom, back us off! Harry, signal the Borg ship." Harry Kim figures, "already on it." In anticipation, the remaining Terran Empire vessels are just backing off at impulse. The Borg Cube and Borg Probes back off just fast enough, but the USS Voyager's warp nacelles take a heavy beating. The USS Voyager shakes. Chakotay checks lowly, "B'Elanna, report!" Over communicator, B'Elanna reports, "we're all right, Chakotay: But we lost Borg shielding around Main Engineering. One more hit, and we're g…!" Chakotay sighs heavily, "I get the…idea."
The ISS Voyager has appeared. It fires Multiphasic torpedoes, before the Borg Probes can fire back. One of them is destroyed. The others are critically damaged, but fire back fast enough to destroy all but one Romulan warbird. As the Borg Cube is returning, the Predator class Kazon ship fires straight through the one Romulan warbird: To strike into the center of the Borg Cube. The caving in Borg Cube is coming down to twenty nine percent efficiency. The wreckage of the Romulan warbird crashes into two Borg Probes. They explode. Tom Paris mutters lowly to himself, "oh, shit." The remaining two Borg Probes go to Transwarp.
Harry Kim reports, "we're being hailed." Struggling to avoid showing his shakiness, Chakotay says, "could buy us some time. Onscreen." The viewscreen changes to show the ISS Voyager's Bridge: With ISS Captain Ransom in the Captain's chair, and ISS Seska in the Commander's chair. ISS Seska slightly laughs, "you look familiar. Have I shot you before?" Moderately sighing, Chakotay insists, "must have me mistaken for someone who gives a damn for mind games. What do you want, Captain?"
Meanwhile, back around the Dominion space station…
Seven's shuttle launches out of the asteroid, getting within range of the Liberty. A glider styled shuttle comes out of one of the Metreon clouds below: With Unimatrix shielding to protect itself, and the warp nacelles centered across the side doors. It has dark gray and dark red stripes. And across its side are the jet black letters, "ISS Da Vinci." Inside are ISS Culluh and a still kind of blinded ISS Admiral Janeway. ISS Culluh starts to ask, "which dire…?" ISS Admiral Janeway mutters, "I don't care: Just get us out of here before the little drone gets smart!" Somewhat grumpily, ISS Culluh figures, "fine! I already got my victory anyway." The ISS Da Vinci steers right through a swirl of supernovae, disappearing from detection.
Xana reports, "got a lock." Seven concludes, "fire at will." Xana figures, "slight chuckle. Happy to help." In a downwards dive from above, the USS shuttle fires phasers at both Kazon fighters: Destroying one of them and leaving the other open to being fired upon. The Liberty and the USS shuttle fire a Borg destructive beam and phasers at the remaining Kazon fighter: Destroying it in one shot. Several shockwaves go off like fireworks as big as bridges. But, the Liberty and the USS shuttle's shield are just moderately shaken on their way out of the Briar Patch. Over communications, ISS Chakotay adds, "thanks for the assist. We have bigger problems outside the Briar Patch." Xana adds, "no problem."
Outside the Briar Patch…
ISS Captain Ransom slightly sighs, "if it were simply up to me, I'd just light your ship up right now. But, Admiral Janeway thinks we're too evenly matched for it to be worth it: And, I agree." A little surprised by this, Chakotay considers, "well, I'd rather not fight unless I have to. What are you proposing?" ISS Captain Ransom lays it out, "you're a far way from home, Captain. Me and my crew were stranded for a year out in our Delta Quadrant before Admiral Janeway came…so I know how that feels. Stand down, and we'll escort you back safely to the Alpha Quadrant: In your universe. No games."
Moderately shaken, Chakotay drums his fingers on the console. He points out, "the Captain Ransom in…deep sigh…our universe wasn't very trustworthy. And you don't sound any different from that now yourself. So, sorry…but we're not standing down." At the same time, Tuvok silently locks onto the ISS Voyager's bulging phaser banks: Taking notice of Chakotay's hand cue. The ISS Voyager's shields are down, due to being in communications with the USS Voyager. Tuvok fires phasers. The phaser banks overload. The ISS Voyager's Bridge shakes violently. ISS Captain Ransom mutters coldly, "well played, Chakotay." Several Borg panels go up in smoke. On the ISS Voyager, the communications channel is closed.
The ISS Da Vinci docks in a ISS Voyager shuttle bay, just as it closes. ISS Seska shouts, "damnit! Xana, get us out of here…or you're dying first in line!" Over communications, ISS Xana reports, "yes, Seska Bitchy."
The Liberty and Seven's shuttle are coming out of the Briar Patch in a matter of minutes. Enough of the Borg Cube is regenerated to charge Borg weapons. The USS Voyager is about to fire. Then, the ISS Voyager takes off in a displacement wave. And, on all three fronts, they're distant enough to back off in time instead of firing weapons.
Sounding somewhat in defeat, Chakotay sighs heavily in his hands, "all hands…report." Over communications channels, most everyone reports back that they're fine…for the most part.
Not long after, in Shuttle Bay 1…
Xana and Seven are just on their way off the shuttle. Commander Janeway has just been beamed over to Sick Bay. Xana pauses, "umm…Seven?" Seven turns to her, "what is it, Xana Glazon?" Xana reflects nervously, "actually, Seven of Nine…I was about to ask you the same thing." Struggling to hold back concern or worry, Seven says carefully, "we all have personal wounds, Xana Glazon: You figure it out." And with that, she walks away from a slightly puzzled Xana.
Twenty or so minutes later, in B'Elanna's Quarters…
Tom Paris and B'Elanna are having a late lunch together. Mostly in awkward silence though. Low toned, Tom Paris pauses eating. He sighs, "ok, I give up: What did I say?!" B'Elanna sighs low toned, "I just don't get you sometimes: One day you hate Harry, and the next…you're practically defending him!" Tom Paris reasons, "because he turns out to not be another Max after all. If he was, Tuvok would do a Security sweep by now. Better now?" B'Elanna slightly chuckles nervously, "you know? You're right. I don't want Harry to be. And, I wish I could've been with Max longer. Moderate sigh. To…help him be better than a mass murderer. You know?" With a hand on hers, Tom Paris slightly chuckles, "I do now."
Several minutes later, in the Brig…
Bierit is back in the Brig: Pretty much bruised all over despite Sick Bay treating his wounds. Facing Bierit, Seven slightly sighs, "I apologize for disappointing you." Bierit mostly assures her, "it's all right. I still got another universe to see fire in. Slight chuckle. Besides, I found my woman." Seven moderately sighs, "the same woman that beat you up? Unlikely." Bierit laughs, "more unlikely things have happened. Voyager stuck in the Delta Quadrant, with a bastard like me onboard. You saved from the Collective, yet assimilated as a child. Can't argue with those scenarios: Now, can you?" Seven slightly chuckles, "no: I suppose I can't."
Around this time, in the USS Voyager's Ready Room…
Commander Janeway is facing Chakotay: Sitting in front of the desk. She mutters in concern, "please: Enlighten me then." Chakotay moderately sighs, "I know Marla and Noah haven't proven themselves worthy of trust. But…if it gets shot to hell…I'm sure Tuvok and I can pull them off the mission. Besides, who else can we get as a double agent crewmember for a Voyager…that would see through ourselves easily…than Marla herself?" Commander Janeway concludes, "I suppose you and Tuvok are onto something. Just…deep sigh…don't go too far over the line. Because, I did." Chakotay sighs, "I…appreciate the thought, Kathryn. It has been far from easy. Dismissed." Commander Janeway silently nods, then leaves him be.