Disclaimer: see chapter one. Last I looked I still didn't own STVOY, I just play now and then.

W, L & W.

NB: The TNG film Nemesis [56844.9 – 2379 Nov] hasn't happened at this point in time.

Story's current Stardate: 55557.3 – 2378 July.

The Admiral and her Inspection teams stayed longer aboard the Enterprise, but that was to be expected as she was the Fleet's Flagship, plus the fact that she wanted to give Cmdr. Data the time he required to discover the common denominator between all the events surrounding Voyager or even if there was a conspiracy as such within the Federation or Starfleet and by whom.

As the Sovereign class vessel cruised through space to the Admiral's next port of call the crew went about their normal activities whilst the Inspection teams did their job, along with Sickbay giving everyone a full medical; even Deanna Troi and her team were busy giving full crew evaluations as stipulated by the Admiral. The half Betazoid empath was understandably overwhelmed not by the workload that she could handle with her usual professionalism; it was the uncertainty among the crew as a whole that unsettled her. So she found herself confronting Admiral Necheyev along with Captain Picard in his Ready Room.

"I understand why you need to keep the true nature of your visit under wraps from the crew in general; but this uncertainty is unnerving," she confided, trying to keep herself physically still.

"That is understandable, Counsellor," Picard assured her. He was about to add more, when Necheyev stepped in.

"Counsellor Troi, you are not the first to confront me with this issue. All those of empathic abilities have said the same, although not all have come to me with their concerns and of course your vessel houses over a thousand anxious souls, making your job all the harder," the senior ranked woman assured her. "Please just bear with me a little longer," her tone conveying her understanding of the counsellor's position.

"Thank you, Admiral," Troi smiled, breathing deeper to calm and centre her. Knowing that someone understood was half the battle in dealing with the overwhelming emotions that were swamping her at this time. Noting this change Picard gave her permission to return to her duties. Once she'd gone, he looked at his superior officer with a pointed questioning expression.

"I know, Jean-Luc, I know," she sighed. "I don't like this situation anymore than you do. But needs must."

Once the inspection teams had completed their tasks and given their reports to the Admiral, tensions eased, a little. Sickbay and Counsellors completed their assigned tasks with the crew, soon after. Her team's reports she passed onto Data, telling him he had only a further three hours before she would be disembarking.

"I shall require some answers before that time, Commander."

"Acknowledged, Admiral," he said and doubled his efforts using all the information she'd supplied.

An hour before she was due to leave the Enterprise via her private transport which had joined the ship from Jupiter Station four hours pervious, she called a full senior staff meeting. Everyone was present, but the Captain noted an absentee.

"Where is Lt. Cmdr. Data?"

"Finishing up some extra research, he said, Captain," responded La Forge.

"Very well," puzzled by this, yet he handed the floor to Admiral Alynna Necheyev.

"I have to thank all of you for doing your duty and your patience in this matter. I'd like to enlighten you..."

"No!" commanded a new voice as the android officer strode in, tricorder in hand. "Do not say anything," his tone firm as he walked around the area. Although they were all puzzled by this attitude they stayed quiet, following the android's progress until he came to the main viewer, where he put up a series of seemingly unrelated pictures.

On the left a small invertebrate-like creature, next an alien humanoid on the right and in the centre of the screen an alien symbol along with a person's name and a date. Everyone stared as they recognised at least some of the information presented, but it also gave the Admiral cause for serious concern; even more so when he handed back to her the notepad she'd given him at the start, which he'd carried in under the tricorder. On an open page he'd written three very significant words: Watch, Listen & Wait.

=/\=

Admiral Necheyev continued with her inspection of the Fleet, after she'd left the USS Enterprise, which continued to send ripples throughout Starfleet and the Federation, whilst the notepad made its incognito way back to Earth and Pathfinder. Thus those self same words were passed on to Janeway and Pathfinder along with all that Lt. Cmdr. Data had discovered. It was becoming increasingly clear from all their research that there could be more than one set of peoples involved over this affair, each with their own agendas; but what those agendas might be was still something of a mystery at present.

=/\=

Once again the blonde female stood braving the elements above the rocky shore as the white horses rolled in towards her and this time her male companion stood with her, enjoying the exhilarating feel of the wind and sea spray against his torso. They watched the swells breaking creating the white foam that raced over the top of each swell/wave as it rolled into the shore and broke sending water droplets of spray several feet into the air around them then falling back before the next wave/white horse broke into the former sending the spray even higher in the wind tossing air. Sometimes there appeared to be a lull before the next wave crested in, thus it was mesmerising to watch the raw power of nature – tide, waves and wind – pounding the rocky shore.

"I can see why you come here," he said, a touch of awe in his voice. "It is an unstoppable force."

"Indeed," she agreed softly, knowing that her companion would pick up her words despite the wind trying to whip them roughly out of her mouth as it was doing with her free flowing hair. Salt stung her eyes that weren't totally to do with the wind blown spray.

"Do you think he'll come?"

"If he knows, yes he might," she admitted.

"But!" he'd heard the hesitance in her voice.

"For his sake he had better not," her tone firm with conviction.

"Explain!" the single word asking more than was uttered.

"There appear to be forces at work here on Earth that seems as unstoppable as these White Horses. Forces that could conceivably pull just more than our family apart," she affirmed.

"You miss him," he observed; after a moment of just watching the rolling waves pounding the shore. Suddenly the fitful sun broke through the grey clouds above the grey sea, sending down a shaft of light that lit up a patch of the vast ocean before them shining through the spray reminding both watchers it wasn't just her that missed him, but all in the 'Family' wished he could return to their fold in safety.

They heard a sound behind them, yet they did not move and waited for the person to speak first, their stance ready wondering if this would be the time their true adversaries would reveal themselves.

"Hey! You two, the boss want you back in the compound now!" shouted the voice of one of their guards. They both breathed a little relieved and yet frustrated as they left the rocky shoreline, whilst behind them the clouds once more consigned the sun behind them, cutting off the shaft of bright sunlight.

A fitting metaphor of their friend.

=/\=