MAQUIS
Act 10 - Scene 1
Kathryn cleaned the blackboard after her last class. Her final task was to pack the equipment away from an experiment. Michael Ayala was sitting on a wall, outside the school ready to walk her back to the ship.
"When Chakotay told us that we were going to have to stay here until we earned the money to repair the engine, I thought he was crazy," commented Ayala.
"I know but I've found it quite restful living in a less advanced civilisation, no replicators, no transporters, primitive computers. I think the food tastes better than synthesised meals." replied Kathryn.
They checked to see if they were being watched, after a few moments they entered the forest where Chakotay had landed the Val Jean, then camouflaged the exterior so they didn't upset the natives. They climbed the stairs into the ship.
Every member of the crew had found employment on the surface with the exception of Chell, who would have caused quite a stir with his blue skin as the natives were humanoid in appearance and skin tone. At the end of each week, they pooled their money after taking out enough for their expenses. Chakotay had calculated that it should take them another two months to afford the basic materials for the impulse manifold, then B'Elanna would make it, using the equipment, in the engineering factory where she was working.
Kathryn headed straight for the mess hall after she changed out of her school teacher clothes. Chakotay was sitting at the table eating a salad.
"Would you like some, I made too much as usual?"
She grabbed a bowl, spooned out some salad, added the dressing, then sat opposite Chakotay.
"I think we sacrificed some of the taste when we started to synthesise food, I'll miss the fresh food when we leave."
"On my home planet, the tribe was self sustaining, the only things we replicated were clothes and equipment."
"Do you miss it?" asked Kathryn.
"The funny thing is that when I was young, I couldn't wait to get away from there, now I would dearly love to see it one more time, the way it was before the Cardassians invaded," replied Chakotay.
"I picked up a decent bottle of wine at the weekend, when we visited the vineyard, would you like to join me outside later to watch the suns go down, it's quite spectacular?"
"I'd love to, what time?" asked Chakotay sounding surprised.
"About 21:30 their time, put a jacket on because it can get quite cool later."
Kathryn surprised herself with the invitation, she empathized with him and knew from experience that the rank of Captain could be a lonely one. She thought about asking Ayala if he minded but it felt too much like she was asking his permission. She wasn't really sure what sort of relationship they had yet.
Scene 2
B'Elanna finished the job she was working on and started to tidy her work station. She had to remember to take longer to finish these simple tasks because she didn't want them to become too suspicious. The workers were already curious about why she wore a hat all the time, even though it was really hot in the factory. Sometimes she felt like ripping her hat off to expose her Klingon ridges, just to see the look on their faces.
Tomas, one of the other engineers, had invited her to a poker game that evening in their local bar, Hongs. She knew that they should have as little contact with the natives as possible but she was bored with the routine of working, returning to the ship, sleeping, then getting up to go to work again. It would be nice to have some fun occasionally.
"B'Elanna, the others are getting ready to go, do you want to walk with us or do you have to go home first?" asked Tomas, using his sexy smile on her.
B'Elanna smiled, he was such a cute boy and it was really hard to say no to him. She decided to throw caution to the wind and face the reprimand from Chakotay when she went back to the ship.
"You've persuaded me, I'll just turn everything off and meet you outside."
Tomas had been trying to get B'Elanna to go out with him since she came for the interview. He wasn't her normal type but he was definitely sexy and charming.
Scene 3
Seska had been fired from two jobs already. Unfortunately she couldn't control her mouth on the ship or off it. She had to keep this job or Chakotay was going to put her in the brig for their remaining time on the planet surface. She was really annoyed, it wasn't her fault that the natives were scared of her, obviously their females weren't forceful or dominant enough.
Unfortunately the only job she could find was serving beer in a bar, she had to serve alcohol to males until they became so drunk that they reverted to their primitive selves. Seska had to employ iron self control not to kill them when they made rude comments and offered to show her a good time. Chakotay should have praised her for self restraint, not criticised her for upsetting the natives.
She was halfway through her shift that night when B'Elanna came in with a group of men. She was talking solely to a good looking young man with blonde hair and a devastating smile. She was going to call her over for a chat but thought better of it when she saw the way she was looking at her young man. She understood why Chakotay had ordered them not to become involved with the natives but one night wouldn't hurt.
B'Elanna came over to her to order a round of drinks, trying to hide her attraction to Tomas.
Seska decided to tease her,"What's his name and was he the one you told me about?"
B'Elanna blushed and tried to bluff her way out, "I've got no idea what you're talking about, he's just a work colleague."
"Ah ha, the one you're willing to take the punishment from Chakotay in order to spend a few more hours with him,"
"You won't tell him, will you?"
"Of course not, I'm glad you've found someone to have some fun with, what sort of best friend do you think I am?"
"The best, of course, thank you, I'll see you at home later."
Seska smiled, another secret to go into a memory box to be opened at a later date.
At the end of her shift, she washed the glasses, cleaned the tables then balanced her till. After locking up, she started her lonely walk back to the ship. When she reached the forest she heard laughing and glasses clinking. To add insult to injury Janeway was having an intimate drink with her ex , lying next to him gazing at the stars. Seska was lonely, jealous and having to work in a menial job she detested while Janeway had the two most attractive men on the crew fighting over her and a job with regular hours and leisure time in the evenings and weekends. Seska decided now was the time to get rid of Kathryn Janeway for good, then things might get back to normal on the ship.
Scene 4
Kathryn and Chakotay had finished the bottle of wine and were drinking whiskey from Chakotay's private store. They were arguing about whether they could spot constellations in this sky that resembled those from Earth.
"I've had more fun tonight than any other time in the Delta quadrant, thank you for a lovely evening," said Chakotay.
Kathryn smiled at him,"My pleasure," she picked up the bottle of whiskey and poured out two shots."
"Have you found it difficult to be a normal member of the crew rather than Captain?" asked Chakotay.
"Can I tell you a secret, I've actually found it quite liberating not having any responsibilities."
Chakotay laughed, "So I won't be able to swap roles with you anytime soon."
Kathryn got to her feet unsteadily, "I think I've reached my limit, I'm off to bed Chakotay, good night."
He got to his feet and collected the glasses and bottles, "Do you want me to walk you to your door?"
"I think I'll be able to manage," she leant forward to kiss him on the cheek.
After she returned to the ship, Chakotay was still holding the place where she kissed him.
Scene 5
Seska was sitting in her room plotting how to get rid of the Kathryn Janeway thorn in her side. She remembered overhearing an interesting conversation in the bar, late one evening. One of the regulars was chatting to a friend about getting rid of a rival. There was an assassin for hire who would make your problems go away for a price. As long as she wasn't linked to the crime, it might work.
As soon as she finished her lunchtime shift the following day, she asked around and found an address for the problem solver. She banged the door when she arrived, as she had no intention of hanging around any longer than she had to.
"Who is making that infernal racket, I'm going to make you wish that you'd never been born?"
He stopped in his tracks when he realised that it was an attractive female knocking on his door not one of his comrades trying to wind him up again.
"Who are you pretty lady and what do you want, do you want me to make your problems disappear?"
Seska resisted the urge to club him over the head for his insolence.
"Just one, I want to make sure that someone disappears and isn't discovered for at least five months."
"Is that all, I thought you were going to provide me with a challenge!" joked the assassin.
"Her name is Kathryn Janeway and she is a temporary science teacher at the school," explained Seska.
"When would you like her to disappear and do you have a preferred method of disposal?"
I'll leave it all up to you, how much?"
The assassin leered at her and raised an eyebrow, "I'll accept 100 zlot and a night with you, which is not negotiable."
Seska managed to stay calm even though the urge to attack him was overwhelming.
"I have the money but your last demand is too much!"
He turned around and walked back into his house.
"No wait, when do you want me to spend the night?"
"Tonight, we can call it a down payment, I'll have the cash after the job is completed."
He escorted Seska into his house and closed the door behind them.
Scene 6
B'Elanna was clock watching halfway through her shift. Tomas who was so very different from the males on the ship. He was shy, a little insecure and extremely easy on the eye. She had really enjoyed spending time with him the previous evening and had agreed to a second date at the weekend. Tomas wanted her to go to the cinema with him to watch his favourite movie, apparently he was a really big science-fiction fan!
While she was waiting for the shift to finish, B'Elanna did some more work on her design for a primitive impulse manifold. The supervisor almost caught her during his inspection round,
"You can't have finished that job already, it should have taken you at least a day and a half without breaks to complete it."
"What can I say, I'm exceedingly efficient," B'Elanna was hoping that he'd lose interest in this conversation soon.
"I'd like you to have a look at a new job that's just come in, if you're interested there will be some overtime available for you and Tomas."
B'Elanna couldn't believe her luck, more money to add to the engine fund and working Closely with Tomas.
Scene 7
Chakotay was hard at work in a sawmill near the school. He was contemplating asking Kathryn to go for a walk in a local beauty spot after work. He checked his antique watch and realised that if he finished his work quickly he might be able to escort her back to the ship and invite her to join him later for the walk. Chakotay finished work early and headed over to the school.
He saw a teacher Kathryn was friendly with, "Has she left yet?"
"I'm afraid you've just missed her Chakotay, you might be able to catch her up if you hurry."
Chakotay could see her in the distance so he started to walk a little quicker. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a man concealed in a doorway. He bent down, pretending to tie his shoelaces so he could watch him. As soon as Kathryn moved out of sight he started to follow her. Chakotay fell back so he could keep an eye on Kathryn's new admirer. The man was tailing her like a professional, it didn't look like casual curiosity. They reached the clearing in front of the forest where the ship was hidden. Rather than walk across the open ground, he went into a cafe and sat in the window to continue his surveillance.
When Chakotay returned to the Val Jean he took Ayala aside and told him about Kathryn's stalker.
"It could have been innocent, a harmless infatuation?" commented Ayala
"I think the man was ex military, he conducted his surveillance like a professional."
"If you're worried, she'll have to go to and from work with a security detail." stated Ayala.
Chakotay patted him on the shoulder, "Good luck convincing her that she needs armed guards."
You're the Captain, give her an order."
"You're on your own with this Mike, she'll listen to you."
After dinner Kathryn was reading lying on her bunk when Ayala interrupted her. He told her everything about the man following her home.
"Chakotay and I decided that you should take a security detail with you to and from work."
Didn't either of you consider what the natives would say about a lowly school teacher arriving at school with armed guards."
Ayala looked a little embarrassed, "Kathryn, we are worried about your safety, couldn't you accept it until we find out whether he is a threat."
"No I can look after myself, the guards need to go to their jobs so we can earn the money to leave the planet not babysit me," said Kathryn adamantly.
"If you won't accept the guards, would you mind if one of us escorts you to school and back,"
She looked at him and couldn't help smiling, "Yes if it would make the Captain and you stop worrying."
Ayala breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, I will be your escort tomorrow, I know what time you leave the ship in the morning but what time do you want me to meet you in the afternoon.
"There is a concert after school tomorrow, I was invited to go as a member of staff and the Supervisor has ordered us to attend. It should be finished around 1930 hours.
"That's a date," he said cheekily as he made a strategic retreat.
Scene 8
Tolan was sure that he'd been spotted by the weird tattooed man, who was working at the sawmill, he would have to be more careful. He was fascinated by his target, she was a little bit older than the women he would normally be attracted to but there was something about her. It was a pity that he would have to kill her but he prided himself on a hundred percent success rate.
He knew about the concert, that evening, at the school she worked at. Unfortunately the tickets had all sold out so he needed to persuade somebody to part with one. An hour before the concert started he was dressed in his suit walking towards the school. The previous owner of the ticket was lying underneath a hedge with a lump on his head, wondering why anybody would go to that much trouble for a school orchestra
Scene 9
Kathryn spent the following day at work looking over her shoulder and checking everyone she didn't recognise at school. This was difficult because the school had hired caterers for a concert that evening by the school orchestra. Kathryn had been asked by the school supervisor to stay and socialise with the town councillors, they set the budget for every school in the area.
An hour before the concert began she changed and joined the other members of staff in the main hall to make nice with the officials. The audience started to arrive, they were greeted by the staff then most of them headed towards the bar. She was standing by herself, having a break before she had to socialise again, her jaw was starting to ache with the effort of maintaining her smile.
"It's hard to stay polite with so many dull tedious people to entertain."
Kathryn turned around to find an extremely attractive man, smiling at her warmly.
She laughed, "I can't have been too convincing if you weren't fooled."
"Don't worry, most people wouldn't have noticed, I'm extremely observant." said Tolan.
"I'll have to remember that, I'm Kathryn Janeway, temporary science teacher and you are?"
"My name is Tolan Lea, I am a problem solver and I'm very glad to meet you."
"I have to take my seat Mr Lea as the concert is about to start, it was lovely to meet you."
"I don't suppose there is any chance you would go out for a drink with me after the concert."
Kathryn thought about it for a few minutes, "I'd love to but a friend is coming to walk me home."
"You could tell him that you made late arrangements, I'm sure he will understand, then you can meet me at Hongs."
Kathryn decided to throw caution to the wind, he was very attractive and good company.
After the concert finished, Kathryn went outside to meet Ayala.
"I'm sorry Mike, I've made arrangements to go out for a drink with someone I met at the concert."
He couldn't help feeling a little jealous, "Are you sure that's wise, we still haven't identified your secret admirer."
"He is a member of the council so I think I'm safe."
"Stay safe Kathryn and be careful!" then Ayala returned to the ship feeling distinctly uneasy.
Tolan was waiting for her outside the school, "I couldn't let you walk there by yourself, there are some unsavoury elements hanging around this area."