Gretchen blinked, staring up at the ceiling of Sickbay, recognizing it immediately and wondering for the briefest moment if her mother were still there.
"Oh, you're awake," said the Doctor's even voice, "It's about time. All of my other patients have gone home. Or back to their quarters, as you might define home out here."
Gretchen sat up, and felt her head, "I remember falling, and then….some odd things. Parts of it are hazy…My head feels weird….itchy almost," said Gretchen, scratching her skull, but it did not help.
"Stop that," said the Doctor, batting at her hand, "You're lucky it only feels itchy after all I had to do for you. You had multiple hemorrhages, and a severe concussion. I had to reconstruct dozens of neural pathways."
"How hard did I hit my head?" said Gretchen, turning to the Doctor, voice raising, "That seems severe."
"It's the herb," said the Doctor with disdain, "I didn't forsee violent head trauma with you just walking around the ship. But I probably should've. It's not exactly a safe occupation these days."
"What happened to Voyager? What caused that jolt?"
"Oh that," said the Doctor, holding up a scanner again, and looking at the results, "We were attacked by a race called the Jen Hadar, and saved by one called the K'Terrans."
"Your brain looks reasonably healed," said the Doctor, "I suppose I should call the Captain down now, she wanted very much to see you….considering how serious this was."
"Do you have to?" said Gretchen suddenly.
"Well….." said the Doctor, reading something strange in her face, "Yes….and no. She's the Captain, I do have to obey her orders, but if you're truly not up to it I could restrict her speaking to you. Is there a reason you don't want to see the Captain?"
"No," said Gretchen quickly, "That's fine."
The Doctor looked at her oddly and nodded.
"I don't think she'll have much time anyway," said the Doctor comfortingly, "The K'Terrans have made us an offer and the deadline for it is coming up in two hours. The Captain is about to call a final staff meeting,"
"Oh," he said glancing at the computer, "They've just started."
He paused for a moment, "She did say she wanted to see you immediately. But you're not in any danger, and this is urgent."
"Can't I go to the briefing?" begged Gretchen, "I'm senior staff, unless I've been specifically excluded. That would solve the dilemma, I'd be caught up, and I really want to get out of Sickbay. I'd be good for me,"
"Oh alright," said the Doctor, looking at her, "I suppose it would solve the issue. And sitting in a meeting shouldn't be strenuous." He sighed, "Alright, but no other duties today. And you're to come back here for me to check on you tonight and follow any orders I give you then."
"Okay," said Gretchen, "Thank you," she said, dashing up to change into a new uniform and get back to work. Anything to get away from Sickbay.
"You all know what is being discussed with the K'Terrans," said Janeway, leaning back into her seat at the head of the Briefing Table, with her hands clasped in front of her. Her senior staff, minus Gretchen and the Doctor, were all in front of her, looking grim and uncertain.
She continued in her most commanding voice, hoping for consensus, but willing to be the bad guy if it got her crew home, "And I've heard your objections. I want you all to know that I've taken them into consideration. I did not come to this conclusion lightly."
She paused for a brief moment, looking around at her senior staff individually, "But I have decided to make an alliance with them, under the conditions they set. I know it's asking a lot, of all of us, but especially those of you who will have to go into stasis. If you have anything to say, you can say it now, you may speak freely."
"I'm not afraid of a few months in stasis," said Tom sarcastically, "Or longer if it comes to that. But what about Voyager? How do we know this isn't a trick to make her more vulnerable?"
"It's not impossible," said Janeway, meeting his gaze, "But in all likelihood we would have been destroyed if they hadn't helped us...and it's clear their distrust of males is a deeply ingrained part of their culture, not something they've made up as a deception."
"Besides," said Janeway, quirking her lip, "I do think the females on this ship are rather competent."
"Half the ship down," said B'Elanna sighing, "Competent I agree, but I don't like those odds. Do you know how hard keeping Engineering going with half the staffing is going to be? We may not be sitting ducks, but we're relying on their good graces an awful lot…..I'm not especially fond of Klingon Society, but at least we know what we're getting with them…..If we wait the Empire, or even the Romulans might be able to help us."
"We're at least a decade away from Romulan space B'Elanna," said Chakotay, And the Klingons are even farther. Yes, it's completely possible we could run into an outpost or some explorers sooner, but it's highly doubtful they'd be able to help us, even if their governments were working on a technology like this, which seems unlikely. But this species has the technology and they're willing to take us another 10 or 15 years on our journey, perhaps farther."
"And what about our male crew?" argued B'Elanna heatedly, "What about the danger to them? If this species hates men so much, it makes sense they'd try to harm them, push us on the route to 'enlightenment'. We can't trust any medical technology they give us."
"We're not," said Janeway firmly, "The Doctor is taking full responsibility for putting the male crewmembers in stasis. We're only using approved Federation technology. The K'Terrans won't be involved, or even allowed on Deck 5. And luckily, as a hologram, rather than a human male, they don't consider him a threat. He'll be able to oversee everything."
"What about the non-humans?" said Harry curiously.
"With the exception of the Doctor," said Janeway, "All of our male crew members are considered threats by the K'Terrans. Vulcans, Talaxians, Bolians, it makes no difference to them. They won't work on a ship where they're conscious. They'll all have to go into stasis."
"Voyager will lose 52.4% of the crew and 50% of senior staff," stated Seven impassively.
"What?" came a voice from the doorway, and Janeway and the rest of the staff turned to see Gretchen, looking confused and dismayed, but very much alive, quickly taking the last seat at the briefing table.
"Gretchen!" said Chakotay happily, and Tom, who was sitting next to her slapped her on the arm in greeting as she sat down.
She rubbed her shoulder as Tom summarized, "We're talking about putting all the male crew members in stasis so we can use the technology of this weird female species. They think we have cooties," he said, winking.
"Yeah, the K'Terrans," said Gretchen nodding, "They were weird. But they seemed harmless. If they can really get us home, I'd say it's worth it in theory."
"You talk about them like you met them Gretch," said Tom, raising an eyebrow, as the rest of the crew stared at her.
"Oh ah, have them been checked out?" asked Gretchen seriously, hoping the matter would be dropped.
"They have," answered Tuvok, "The female senior staff has spent two days interviewing them. Their technology does indeed seem compatible, as far as it can be tested. And they did aid Voyager when she was in immediate danger of being destroyed,"
"It is a logical decision Captain," said Tuvok, turning to Janeway, "However, I do suggest caution in your dealings with the K'Terrans once the male crew members, including myself, are in status. If this species is indeed a threat, it is logical that their behavior will change once Voyager is no longer fully staffed. They may attack immediately or may attempt to manipulate you, perhaps subtly, or slowly."
"Your cautious is noted," said Captain Janeway, nodding to him, "And certainly appreciated."
"What about morale?" said Neelix cautiously, "Losing half of our staff for weeks on end is going to make for a very sad and empty ship."
"Or we could throw parties now that we don't have to deal with you men anymore," said B'Elanna argumentatively.
"Be that as it may," said Janeway, taking control of the meeting back, "We don't have a choice. The territory we would otherwise be approaching by ourselves is very dangerous. Instead, if all goes well, we're looking at a 4-6 month trip, which will take us halfway to the Alpha Quadrant. We'll then reevaluate, and if we're extremely lucky, they'll be able to take us all the way home. But either way, even if Voyager has to make the last 15 years by ourselves, by then we'll be safely in territory of species' the Federation is allied with: able to get supplies, contact our friends and family at any time, a few of them might even travel to meet us faster."
She looked around the table and let a small smile come through as she saw cautious resolve in most of her senior staff, "I expect everyone to give this alliance your all. According to their timetable we have three days to install the K'Terran's technology. And to train and hand over operations to an all-female crew."
The meeting was dismissed and immediately Neelix came over to Gretchen, grabbing her hand and shaking it repeatedly, "Gretchen! It's so good to see you awake! We were so worried you know! That conk on the head must've been awful! Does it still hurt?"
"No, not really Neelix," said Gretchen, as Neelix continued to shake her hand.
"Are you hungry? It's dinnertime. You should come to the Mess Hall and I'll make you something special," he said happily, "Come on, come on, you too Lt. Paris and Ensign Kim, I'll make you all something great and you can catch Ensign Kincaid up on the latest Voyager gossip."
"She probably wants Bajoran chicken soup Neelix," said Tom.
"Anything hot," said Gretchen.
"Anyone else coming?" said Tom, looking around at the remaining staff members. B'Elanna had already headed back to Engineering, and Tuvok had headed back to the Bridge after a brief nod in Gretchen's direction.
"I am on duty," said Seven cooly, hands behind her back, "However I am satisfied that Ensign Kincaid will be returning to duty soon."
"I'm on duty too," said Chakotay, looking conflicted.
"Gretchen I'm glad you're feeling better," said Janeway smiling, "You three have fun," she added, nodding and looking down at her datapad.
Gretchen nodded back, feeling very strange and she, Harry, and Tom strolled off to the Mess Hall.
Neelix, with his usual enthusiasm, replicated Harry, Tom, and Gretchen a casserole dish worth of Bajoran Chicken soup, and a platter of steaming hot chocolate pound cake to dip in it.
"Neelix you don't dip pound cake in…." started Tom, before dropping it as the Talaxian ran off to get a pitcher full of Gretchen's favorite tea for all of them.
"I guess it does look like cornbread or a loaf of rye maybe….." said Harry, "If you're Talaxian."
"If you're blind maybe….," said Tom sarcastically, "At least we don't actually have to eat it together."
"What are you doing?" he yelled at Gretchen, as she scooped up a bowl of the soup and started to crumble the cake into it.
"What? It makes Neelix happy," said Gretchen.
"Eww….." said Tom.
"That's your favorite soup," said Harry, "And you just got out of Sickbay. You shouldn't ruin your food just to make Neelix happy."
"I'm not," said Gretchen, taking a huge bite and smiling obnoxiously.
"If B'Elanna ever accepts my proposal, you are not invited to the wedding cake taste testing," said Tom, shaking his head.
"So what did happen while I was gone?" asked Gretchen.
"Voyager was attacked," said Harry, "The K'Terrans saved us from a race called the Jen Hadar. The wormhole was destroyed unfortunately. We didn't get the rest of the letters."
"And you get out of sending yours," said Tom sardonically, "It only took dying."
So I was really dead.
"The K'Terrans offered to take us home," continued Harry, "As long as the men go into stasis."
"Does everyone think it'll work?" asked Gretchen.
"Maybe," said Harry non-committally.
"He doesn't want to get his hopes up," said Tom frankly, "It looks promising but, who knows? We've tried before and this time half of us will be out of the game which feels….strange. You and B'Elanna, and the Captain will have to stay on your toes."
"It's just a few months, right?" said Gretchen, "Maybe we won't make it all the way to the Alpha Quadrant but even a few years off the trip has to be worth it, as long as the K'Terrans really are trustworthy."
"Yeah, I really don't need another all female race to try to eat me," said Harry grimacing suddenly, "Once was more than enough."
"Wait….what?" said Gretchen.
"Did you not read that story?" said Tom laughingly, "It could only happy to Harry. This species claimed he was one of them, so they could absorb his energy or something, and have lots of little siren babies, to trick more men to their deaths."
Harry held his head in his hands, "I really wonder what became of all the K'Terran men. The Captain said they removed them."
"They probably killed them Harry," said Tom in his easy manner, "I used to fight Cardassians remember…..removed is political speech for 'murdered with extreme prejudice'…but apparently that was thousands of years ago…..hopefully they've softened, or they don't mind alien males as much…..and Janeway trusts them, she knows what she's doing."
Gretchen felt chills go through her body at his words, which she could not shake through the rest of dinner. Tom insisted on their visiting Chez Sandrine's as they would not have another chance for a long time, and her mind kept drifting back as she looked at their faces, soon to be helpless in Sickbay, the entire ship at the mercy of an alien race that had already destroyed their own men.