STAR TREK VOYAGER: HOMEWARD BOUND

Chapter 34

The peaceful silence of the ready room was shattered as the voice of Evans tumbled out of the comm channel. "Captain to the bridge!"

Instantaneously Chakotay shot up from his chair. Walking quickly around his desk he headed for the door.

Before the echo of the last word had died away the captain of Voyager was on the bridge. "Report!"

Striding over to the command area Chakotay took his seat as Evans switched to the left hand chair.

Looking over at Chakotay the commander replied softly. "We'll reach the asteroid belt in one minute."

Taking a deep breath Chakotay focused on the conn. "Tom, drop out of warp."

"Yes Sir!" Tom Paris tapped his panel display. "Dropping out of warp. Full impulse."

Evans turned his head towards Harry Kim. "On screen!"

Immediately the view screen filled up with images of rocks. Large rocks! Some hundreds of miles across, others only a few feet. All with the capability of destroying that which was about to invade their space.

Wishing that he were someplace else Harry stared at the scene before him. Never had he been so close to an asteroid field however, that was not making him uneasy. It was the fact that momentarily he would be a lot closer. No not close, actually within the field! The chief of operations could only hope that he lived long enough to tell his parents and friends about this Delta Quadrant adventure.

Taking a quick glance around the bridge he could see that the faces of the bridge crew clearly echoed his sentiments. Before turning his attention back to his console Harry glanced over at the command area.

Chakotay was carefully studying the turning twisting objects dancing before them. All daring the starship to venture forward, they reminded him of the taunting tendrils of plasma storms back in the Badlands.

Placing his hand on the chair's arm Chakotay drummed his fingers against the surface. No captain would be eager to order a ship into that chaotic sea of rocks, and he was no exception.

But, did he have a choice? No! The point of no return had been reached. There was no turning back. Either they proceed with their plan or abandon Janeway, Seska and Neelix to the Kazon. And that was not an option!

From the limited information that Neelix had provided this field should be passable for a ship of their capabilities.

Both he and Janeway had viewed whatever records Neelix had been able to show them. It had not been much. Most of the data had been based on sensor sweeps from various ships that had only ventured to the fringe of the asteroid belt. The whole of the field had not been completely mapped.

They had fed this information into Voyager's computers, which had given them a ninety-seven percent probability that the field could be navigated.

Chakotay shifted in his seat. But was the Talaxian's data correct? They were relying heavily on the computer, could there have been a miscalculation?

This was no time for doubts!

They would soon find out!

He could only hope that the enhanced shielding coupled with the state of the art sensors, and the split second timing afforded by her bioneural circuitry, would give them the advantage.

If not….

Chakotay was not the only one studying the scene before them. The eyes of Voyager's chief pilot were glued to the turbulence beyond the viewscreen.

Tom Paris knew that he was about to be tested as never before. The ship that he was flying contained the best in technology. But it would be up to his piloting skills to ensure that all the systems spoke to each other at the right moment.

The success of this venture all weighted on his shoulders. One split-second error in judgement would send Voyager's shattered remains hurling in all directions.

Hands on his panel, his breathing slow and even, Tom Paris waited for the order to proceed. He was determined not to let them down.

For an instant Chakotay and Evans looked at each other. Both knowing that the other shared the same thoughts.

Turning back to the viewscreen Chakotay gripped the arms of the chair as the bridge crew and ship silently awaited his orders. "Okay Tom, ahead one quarter impulse. Take us through!"

Tom's fingers touched his controls. "Yes Sir!"

Seconds later Tom Paris edged the nose of Voyager past the first asteroid. "Entering the field now!"

Over the next few hours the scene before them mesmerized the bridge crew. Time after time there was a collective holding of breaths as asteroid after asteroid race towards them, until at the last minute the ship miraculously twisted and turned away. Then, just as they began to breath once again another would appear silently before them, hurling itself forward in an attempt to destroy the Voyager.

Tom managed to avoid the larger destructive asteroids but it was impossible to dodge every single one. Time after time the ship lurched as smaller rocks impacted upon their shields.

Not daring to raise his eyes from the panel, his neck aching from the strain of constantly looking down, not once did Paris look up at the screen.

The young pilot did not have to for the display before him said all that he needed to know. Only Tom Paris knew how close to destruction they really came.

Suddenly the ship bucked and rolled. First to one side then the other, almost turning ninety degrees.

"Tom!" Gripping the arms of his seat Chakotay managed to prevent himself from being thrown.

Evans was not so lucky as his hands and knees struck the hard deck in front of his seat.

Fighting to regain control Tom's hands flew over the console. Finally the battle was won. "Sorry Sir! It was a cluster too large to avoid."

Quickly rising to his feet Evans noticed a crewman sitting on the floor near the rear operations section and who was holding his right arm. "Keller, are you all right."

The man shook his head. "No Sir. I think that my arm is broken."

Evans took a step forward. "Do you require help getting to sickbay?"

The stricken man shook his head as he regained his feet. "No Commander, I can make it."

After the injured man left the bridge Evans returned to his seat. But not before throwing Chakotay a silent 'we don't need more of those' look.

Chakotay could feel the tension mounting, not only on the bridge, but also within himself. "Harry, any damage reports."

For a moment a shaken Harry Kim studied his panel. "No, the shields held. Two others are reporting to sickbay with possible breaks. But nothing serious."

The captain looked over at Evans. "We were lucky. I hope our luck lasts."

Chakotay spoke too soon!

Tuvok's voice vibrated across the bridge. "Shield strength down to 93."

With his finger Evans hit the comm button. "B'Elanna! Shields are beginning to fail. We need them back up now! We still have another thirty minutes in this field."

The slightly adrenalized voice of the chief engineer responded back. "I'm trying. That last strike didn't help. I need more power!"

Evans turned towards operations. "Harry, shut down everything but essential systems."

Kim quickly tapped several of his controls. "Shutting down all non-life support systems on decks six to fifteen. Transferring all power to the shields."

Evans looked over at Chakotay.

The captain's tight lips and strained face clearly showed his concern.

If the shields failed…..

The seconds ticked by as the ship continued to creep past asteroid after asteroid.

"Shields down to eighty percent." Tuvok quietly announced.

Chakotay softly whispered. "Come on B'Elanna…."

Evans silently echoed Chakotay's sentiments.

A moment later the Vulcan's voice again sent a chilling warning across the bridge. "Shields down to seventy percent."

Both Chakotay and Evans studied the display between the seats. At present strength the ship would not withstand another major strike.

The captain looked towards the helm. "Tom, there's another large cluster heading our way. Will you be able to avoid it?"

His eyes concentrating on the panel Tom shook his head. "I'm not sure if I can completely steer around. There's a second group just to the port side. The two on the outer far edge will probably give us a glancing blow."

Evans knew that with weakened shields even a mild blow from an asteroid that size would do serious damage. "B'Elanna we're going to need those shields in four seconds!"

"I'm trying!" Returned the desperate voice.

Chakotay's voice resounded throughout the ship. "Prepare for impact!"

As though sensing victory the cluster raced with ever increasing speed toward the ship.

The hands of Tom Paris flew back and forth across his panel.

As the asteroids bore down the voice of the security chief rang out. "Shields back up to one-hundred percent."

The ship gave a slight shudder as the edge of defeated asteroids impacting upon the shields swept past in search of unprotected objects.

The bridge crew breathed one big sigh of relief as Evans leaned back in his seat. "This is one experience I hope never to repeat. That was close. "

"Too close." Chakotay replied calmly. His voice not revealing the turmoil within.

For the next half hour no one spoke. Those that could stared at the screen while others worked at their consoles, slowly easing the ship through the final potion of the dangerous field.

After what seemed a lifetime, open space appeared before them.

For the first time Tom Paris looked up and back at Chakotay and Evans. "We're through."

Chakotay looked at his chief pilot. "Well Tom, at this moment I'm glad that you agreed to Captain Janeway's proposal to get out of prison."

Tom Paris kept his mouth shut but as he turned back to the conn there was a small smile on his face, and he could hear a few low chuckles from his cremates.

The tension on the bridge eased slightly but for the captain there was no time to ease his vigil. They were now in the space of the Kazon Hobii. "Tom, can you find the moon that Neelix told us about?"

Paris nodded. "Yes Sir! It's just off our stern, about one-quarter light-year."

The captain rose to his feet. "Get behind it immediately."

He turned to Tuvok. "Any sign of Kazon ships."

The Vulcan studied his panel. "No Captain. It is as Neelix stated. This area is clear of all ships."

Chakotay looked from Tuvok to Kim. "Keep a sharp lookout, if they do appear I want to know about them before they find us. We must avoid a confrontation until the away team is back."

Resumed his seat he turned to Evans. "We'll remain hidden until we hear from Neelix."

Evans nodded. "Which, if everything went according to plans will be within the next few hours. Even if Neelix had to remain overnight, he should be back this morning."

With the danger of the asteroid field now over, the Chakotay's thoughts turned to the away team. Until the Talaxian reported back they would have no knowledge of events taking place on the surface of the planet.

Chakotay could only hope that Kathryn Janeway's part would play out as successfully as his had.