MAQUIS ACT 21
Scene 1
Every time Kathryn looked around Seska was staring at her. She rubbed the bite mark again which was turning into a nervous habit and pulled Tom aside to have a private chat.
"I presume I have you to thank for the phaser lying next to my hand when I regained consciousness."
"Guilty as charged Captain, I don't trust that woman."
"Don't trust her Tom. We've come to an understanding so there shouldn't be any more trouble here."
"I'm glad to hear that Captain because I don't have many friends on the crew."
"If you want to stay friends Tom don't keep calling me Captain, that is Chakotay's role not mine."
Seska and B'Elanna returned from the perimeter to report on the guard's routine.
"There is a small section of the perimeter which is not guarded between patrols. The guards are so lazy that they shortened their walk."
B'Elanna continued, "We should be able to slip through the perimeter without detection. We will have to go during their turn around."
It was starting to get dark so Kathryn decided to wait until midnight. This should give them perfect conditions to breach the compound."
She checked her watch, "We'll go at zero hundred hours."
Kathryn sat down and began to check her equipment. She rolled out her bed and lay down. Tom came to sit by her ignoring her desire to be alone.
He pointed at Seska, "The Bajorans are a spiritual people. There is something off about that woman. I've never seen her pray or mention the prophets once.
"I'm not exactly a fan of hers but I think we've found common ground."
"Keep an eye on her Kathryn, I don't trust her and I can't see why B'Elanna is so friendly with her."
"Focus on our mission Tom because we are desperate for those supplies."
Kathryn had already noticed the furtive glances between Tom and B'Elanna. A relationship could be the catalyst Tom needed to help him to settle down. Although so many people disagreed with her she still felt that he could turn his life around. If they were on Voyager she could have helped him. On the Val Jean she felt that she had to protect him from t he others. Kathryn managed to sleep for a couple of hours before their mission.
Scene 2
When they had cleared away all the signs that they had camped there, Kathryn outlined her plan.
"Within the compound is an underground bunker. That is where the Rebel leader has his quarters. Just inside the perimeter is a air duct which is just wide enough to get through. Our target is in a room just off that corridor. I have a hypospray loaded with a drug which is a mild sedative which will make him compliant but not immobile. I've seen an image of him and I don't believe we could carry him out of there. There is an alarm in the bunker to warn the soldiers of a chemical or gas attack. If we can locate it then we can escape during the evacuation."
"Is the intel on the bunker reliable?" asked B'Elanna.
"An undercover operative gathered the intel. Unfortunately they executed him three days ago which is the reason the authorities hired us for the mission."
Kathryn split them up into two teams. "B'Elanna and Seska, you will find the siren while Tom and I capture the rebel leader."
"The Rebel Leaders room has one guard posted at each door. We have to overpower them so they can't raise the alarm."
"If we are successful, we will be able to collect our supplies after we turn him over to the authorities."
Scene 3
When the team arrived at the fence perimeter they hid behind some bushes.
Kathryn whispered, "There is a change over due soon. B'Elanna, you and Seska go first, Tom and I will follow when we get the chance."
"Why can't we go last?" snapped Seska.
"We know the exact location of our target. You've got to find the alarm and hide, waiting for my signal."
Kathryn started to count down, "Go Now!"
On her signal they squeezed through a hole in the fence which they'd prepared earlier. Seska and B'Elanna ran to the air duct, removed the cover and disappeared. The peace was shattered by an alarm which could have raised the dead.
"Move closer and pull the foliage over us." suggested Kathryn. Even though both of them knew that they were going to be discovered."
They saw the soldiers pouring out of their barracks.
Tom whispered, "What are we going to tell them when they find us?"
"Nothing! Let them do the work and figure out who or what we are and why we we're trying to break into their compound."
The guards assembled in their units. The commander assigned each group a different areas to comb for the intruders. Kathryn and Tom watched the soldiers run straight towards them.
"Tom walk out slowly with your hands up. Don't give them the excuse to shoot you. We have to give B'Elanna and Seska time to find the alarm then we'll try to escape while they're occupied."
They walked out together with their hands raised. The guards raced towards them shouting and pointing at the ground. Tom lay face down with his arms behind him.
"It seems that prison guards in both quadrants speak the same language. Kathryn lie down and don't move."
A guard put his knee in Kathryn's back and tied her hands together. She could feel a trickle of blood run down her wrist. Tom didn't struggle because he knew from experience that it wasn't a good idea to antagonise them.
"Captain they are going to separate us. As soon as the alarm starts I will make sure that I'm ready to escape."
"Try not to annoy them Tom. Your smart mouth could get you killed!"
They pushed both of them into an elevator and pushed the buttons. Neither of them spoke because they were mentally preparing themselves for their ordeal.
Tom's last comment was, "Perhaps they don't know how to torture people Captain?"
When they threw Kathryn into a room with a drain in the middle of the floor she knew they tortured people. Her restraints were tied to a ring dropping down from the ceiling. Then her captors pulled her up so she was hanging by her arms which were slowly being dislocated. Kathryn closed her eyes and tried to think of a happy experience. One of the guards picked up a large hypodermic needle. He approached her from the side and injected it into her neck.
"I think you can understand me now madam. We would like to know why you are here; who sent you and what is your mission."
"I am Kathryn Janeway, I'm Second mate on the Val Jean."
Her interrogator put on a pair of thick gloves and hit her across the mouth. Then he sat down calmly and asked the question again
She shook her head and glared at him defiantly.
I am Kathryn Janeway, I am Second mate on the Val Jean.
"The interrogator nodded to his guards then left the room. The first blow was right in the pit of her stomach. She tried to protect herself by bending over but her suspension from the ceiling made it impossible. The second guard had a whip which he was practicing with. He told the other guard to stand aside. He cut off her jacket and top then started the flogging. Kathryn bit the inside of her lip so she didn't give them the satisfaction of hearing her scream. Then everything went black.
Scene 4
"Hasn't she woken up yet, these humans are so fragile," whined Q.
Kathryn opened her eyes and looked straight at Q. She tried to sit up which was a mistake, as the pain made her feel dizzy.
"Ms Janeway your back will not heal properly if you don't lie still."
The voice sounded exactly like her mother but the female Q speaking did not have a maternal figure!
"Where am I?" croaked the Captain.
Q pulled up a chair to sit by her, "I rescued you from that appalling, primitive planet. The natives were cowardly, primordial savages."
"Thank you but you need to send me back. There are three members of my crew still in danger." When she finished her sentence she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
The female Q laughed, "See I told you that she wouldn't be grateful for your interference. She is a leader, which is something you will never comprehend."
"I couldn't leave her there - those savages were going to kill her."
The female turned around to study her companion. "Why do you care and how did you know this puny female was in trouble?"
Q started to fidget, "I met her when I went to investigate the report of an Ancient active on Earth. Ms Janeway was different from the others. After I returned to the Continuum, I couldn't stop thinking about her."
The female Q glared at him, "Have you been following this scrawny bipedal female?"
"I might have watched her on a few occasions."
"You know that the others won't be happy. We are forbidden from interfering in the affairs of lesser species."
"You could be discrete and keep the information to yourself."
She arched an eyebrow and smiled meanly, "How would I benefit from this arrangement?"
Q knew that he had to sacrifice something special to ensure Q's silence.
"I will conduct your search for any more Ancients living on Earth."
"Done! Now how are you going to return her so you don't alter the timeline. You could get yourself in a great deal of trouble with the others or they will execute her."
"When she has recovered I will return her to the exact moment they reached the boundary fence. The only change is that I will implant the information that the air duct has an alarm in her memory."
"I don't believe it! You thought about the consequences of your actions, for the first time in your immortal life."
"Can you heal her wounds?" asked Q again.
"You care about her! You can't be in love because that would imply that you have a heart."
Q really wanted the female Q to leave but she was the most skilled healer in the Continuum.
"Ignore the biting wit for a moment and answer my question."
"Yes I can Q but I'm not doing it for you."
Q was staring at Kathryn, "I watched her refuse to scream while she was being flogged. She has such spirit and courage in that fragile body. I know the Q are a superior race. I can't help thinking that these humans have qualities that we don't and we should learn from them."
"You will have me shedding real tears soon - she is ready to go back Q."
Scene 5
Q rewound time so all four humans were returned to the moment before they tripped the alarm.
"Why can't we go last?" snapped Seska.
"We know where to locate our target. We've got to disable the alarm on the air duct. Then you have to locate the siren which warns them about a chemical or gas attack and use it when I give the signal. We will try to escape while there is an evacuation."
Kathryn ran over to the fence and crouched down. She felt along the dirt until she located a hard small square. She dug underneath the sides and lifted the hatch. There were two wires, blue and red. Instinctively she pulled some cutters out of her backpack. She cut the blue wire but left the red one alone. There was a voice in her head telling her that she could have blown up the whole compound if she had touched the red wire. She knew that she had disabled the alarm and fence but couldn't remember how she knew it.
Kathryn checked her watch and started to count down, "Go now!"
On her signal they squeezed through the fence and raced to the air duct. Seska lifted the cover and dropped through followed by B'Elanna.
They waited for a few minutes, in case there was any trouble, then followed their lead. The air duct was like a water slide. When they reached the end, they fell onto a hard surface. Tom stood up and helped Kathryn to stand. She clutched the bottom of her back.
"I think I've just pulled something, my back is really sore."
They heard voices so Tom spotted an open doorway and pulled Kathryn with him. They held their breath while the guards walked by. The conversation was casual so it appeared that they hadn't found Seska
and B'Elanna. They reached a junction of corridors. Tom peered around the corner where he spotted one of the guards they had to eliminate.
Kathryn whispered, "Wait here and I will work my way around to the other door so we can stun the guards at the same time. You can follow my movements on the scanner."
Tom gave her five minutes then checked his scanner. She was in position. He counted to five then turned the corner and fired. The guard crumpled in a heap on the floor. He rushed to the other door to help Kathryn but she had already stunned her target.
When they entered the room the leader of the rebels stayed silent almost as though he was expecting them. Tom pointed his phaser at him and indicated that he should walk in front of him. Kathryn injected him using the hypospray then followed behind. They were looking around for an escape route. Kathryn spotted a door which lead to a stairway. She put her hand in the Leader's pocket and pulled out an access card. After waving it in front of the keypad there was a loud click and the door swung open. They walked calmly up eight stairways.
The siren started to wail. They could hear the people starting to evacuate. Kathryn looked around for a way to disguise their captive so they could leave undetected. They passed a large box full of ammunition. Luckily the Rebel Leader was quite small so he would fit in the box easily. Tom opened a cupboard and emptied the ammunition into the space. He stunned their captive and laid him out ready to lift him into the empty case. It proved more difficult to stuff him into the box than they thought because he was heavy. They picked him up between them and staggered into the main compound. Everyone else was focused on the evacuation. Some of the personnel were carrying equipment as well so they joined the flow of people. It was pure luck that the rebels were from another species which meant they could blend in. Seska and B'Elanna joined them but they kept their heads down to hide their alien features.
They were told to leave their prisoner at a derelict building just inside the jungle. The supplies would be there, ready to transport, after the Leader's identity was confirmed. The extraction proceeded like clockwork. Kathryn felt guilty accepting their reward.
When they returned to the Val Jean, Chakotay was waiting for them.
"Report!"
"There isn't a lot to report. We followed the plan and there were no problems. I was surprised by how easy it was."
Chakotay grinned, "The supplies are in storage and Ayala is cooking tonight. Well done everybody. Clean up, get some rest and we'll see you at dinner."
Q walked out of the wall into an empty bunk. He clicked his fingers to return to the Curriculum. She was safe now so all that he had to worry about was the others finding out what he had done. This female human had a talent for finding trouble so he decided to keep a paternal eye on her in the future!