A/N: Ugh… this chapter took me FOREVER! A very important character is introduced here and I didn't want to screw it up… Voyager fans will probably be quite surprised to see her again. Remember though: this story is very AU and she might not turn out to be the sweet and innocent girl we all knew and loved…
For those of you who are new to Star Trek Voyager or just want to brush up on their knowledge, here's a great website that I found:
www (dot) star-trek-voyager (dot) fsnet (dot) co (dot) uk
The co is no typo. Make sure you type co and not com. It has summaries and screenshots of each and every episode, information about the crew and data on most races. It's my ultimate reference bible!
P.S. Very sleepy... may have missed a typo or two, but couldn't wait to upload it ;)
Chapter 49: A dangerous mind
"So, it's true then… he will not harm Voyager?"
The Captain looked at the Saiyan, already knowing what his answer would be.
"Until the Cell Games, but after that…" Goku trailed off, a stern look on his face. "Captain, with all due respect, you do not belong here. You shouldn't get involved in this! Use the Dragon…"
"No," she cut him off grimly. "It's too late for that, we're already involved and I'm not about to bail out at the cost of millions of lives."
Rubbing her temples, she walked over to the replicator.
"Coffee, black"
Sipping her steaming drink, she gazed out the window. Goku got up from his seat and stood next to her. Outside, they saw most of the Voyager crew sitting by the pool. Susan and Lara were splashing each other with water, though the fun quickly ended when they accidentally soaked a certain Vulcan Chief of Security. A wry smile tugged on her lips.
"I wish there was another way, but there isn't. Miss Bulma has already agreed to provide those who wish to leave the planet with a vessel, but if the worst comes to pass, I will go down with the ship."
"Captain, if everything goes well, we can wish Cell's victims back next year, you do not have to risk…"
"Oh yes, I do," she said grimly. "Think about it, Goku: Cell has killed millions, but even if he is destroyed, the death count will only continue to rise as long as those lives aren't restored."
She sighed when she saw the confused look on the Saiyan's face.
"Children, Goku. Just how many do you think have lost their parents? The lucky ones may find shelter, but the capacity of the orphanages and hospitals is simply not large enough to accommodate all. The majority will be forced to survive on the streets for an entire year! Even IF they are reunited with their parents after all that time, they might not be able to adapt to society again. And what about the ill and the elderly? Who will care for them? Who will work on the fields, keep the factories running, provide education, help those who did survive rebuild what is left of their homes? One person can be covered for. A hundred persons can be covered for. A couple of million, most certainly can not. It wouldn't do any good to just use one wish and ask for Voyager to be restored, since we need the other wish as well to re-open the inter-dimensional rift before we can leave. Our Earth will survive another year without us, but this Earth needs the people that Cell killed, now."
The Saiyan stayed quiet for a moment, seeming to ponder her words.
"We were so caught up trying to stop the killing, we never really thought of those who were left…" he admitted a bit shamefully. The Captain nodded and walked to the replicator again.
"Speaking of which… you said you met the future version of Lara. How is she?" Captain Janeway asked while ordering the device to produce another mug of coffee. During times like these, caffeine was really about the only thing that kept her somewhat sane.
"Captain… Saiyans have the ability to… read minds…" (A/N: he read Krillin's mind on Namek!)
"And?" Janeway pressed, not liking the look on Goku's face at all.
"Normal minds are calm, organized… hers was only chaos. I couldn't get through. I can't even tell if she's good or…well…"
The Captain finished her coffee, absentmindedly staring out the window. For minutes, she just stood there, not saying a word.
"Do you want me to get her? With my instant transmission…"
"No, if we rush things, we might frighten her," Janeway said. "Let her come to us..."
"Do you think she will?"
She looked inside her empty mug and sighed, not answering his question…
Cell stood on his arena, meditating under the stars. He smirked slightly, thinking back at he broadcast that, no doubt, was now being repeated over and over again on the evening news. Oh yes, he had quite some fun today. It had been a pity having to temporarily give up his favourite game of kill-the-humans, though something told him he would have plenty of amusement for the next thirteen days.
He looked around, and saw that he was still alone. That woman had the tendency to pop up at the most unusual times, mostly when he was least expecting it. Then again… maybe this time he would look for her. Maybe even catch the alien while she was asleep, surprising her for a change. A particularly evil grin briefly appeared on his face as he sought out Mirai Lara's powerlevel and took off into the night sky…
Silently, the android touched down in front of an abandoned hotel. The pale moonlight illuminated his form, creating haunting shadows that danced on the empty streets of Ginger Town. Oh yes… he knew this building well.
The door creaked as he entered the lobby, ignoring the traces of destruction he had caused in his imperfect form. How fitting that, of all places, she had chosen this one to hide. He still remembered chasing the two sisters into the building, trapping them in the elevator where they would have met their demise, if it had not been for a certain Namek intervening with his plans.
'But now only one sister is left, isn't there?' Cell mused, careful not to make a sound as he flew up the staircase. 'I wonder what happened to the other one…'
The lights were off, but his highly advanced eyesight allowed him to see through the darkness. He hovered through the hallway, his feet not touching the floor and stopped in front of room 8472. He could sense Mirai Lara was in here and, judging by her powerlevel, vast asleep. Quietly, he opened the door and entered the room. She was lying in bed, tossing and turning, the covers fallen on the floor in a crumpled heap. Her forehead was covered in sweat beads and she mumbled something in a language he could not understand.
"Nightmares, my dear?" Cell said out loud, but frowned when she did not wake up. Slightly annoyed, he approached her sleeping form, intent on shaking the woman awake. He would not be ignored!
Determined, he took her shoulder, but suddenly everything turned dark and not even his advanced senses could help him see.
"What the…"
Cell felt his own breathing speed up, wild panic suddenly gripping his throat. She…he was floating into an endless void. Awestruck, the girl … android stared at the woman that was standing in his arena. She was dressed in a red, velvet bodysuit, that accentuated her figure quite nicely. Long, golden curls fell over her shoulders and framed her flawless face. Striking blue eyes met her pink… his magenta ones and a gentle, but sad smile graced her rosy lips.
She knew her… He knew her… which one was it?
"Wait…"
Those eyes… why didn't they leave her alone? It wasn't her fault! It wasn't his fault!
"Wait!"
She… he… they had to remember. But did they want to? Need to? Almost there… almost… never complete again…
"Don't go!"
Those cries… they weren't his… but who's were they then?
"No!"
Wait… he knew that voice…
"I can't do this alone…"
"… Lara?"
The blond woman suddenly turned to him, her gaze feeling like it could pierce through his very soul. He had seen her before… or rather… android 17 had… Memories tried to claw their way to the surface, but something suppressed them. She did not allow him to see.
"This dream was not meant for you, Cell."
Covered in cold sweat, the android jolted awake. He had dreamed… for the first time in his artificial existence, he had dreamed. But he didn't even remember falling asleep! He was paralyzed, the feeling of confusion still overwhelming him. The dream had not only taken him completely by surprise, it had not been his… it had belonged to her. Somehow… he had seen a flash of Mirai Lara's mind, even started a part of it but then slowly becoming his own person again. How could this have happened… How had they connected? Who was that strange, blond woman? What the hell was going on?!
"Don't tell her."
"What?" Cell blinked when he heard her voice inside his head. This was most unusual…
"Just don't."
"And why should I not?"
"Because her attacks will feel like a butterfly's caress compared to mine."
She wasn't lying, Cell instantly knew. He could not explain why, but this woman… this… entity… her aura it was beyond the definition of a powerlevel, not from this world and demanding respect without it's owner even having to speak.
"Who… WHAT are you?"
Though he could not see her, he knew she was smiling and it send shivers up his spine.
"Call me… Kes."
