Maquis Act 43
Scene 1
The evil Entity kept a watch on the camp. It was waiting for the female to separate from the other life forms.
The Entity was a physical manifestation of pure evil. It formed after a brutal massacre on the Island. The invaders kept their victims alive for weeks. They took their time to torture them until they begged for death. The Island exacted the punishment for their evil acts. Everyone who survived the massacre, including the killers, contracted a deadly disease. They were all dead within a week.
The Entity survived and continued to hunger for violence and death. It killed the settlers trying to leave the Island but that wasn't enough to meet its hunger. It couldn't stop obsessing over the false God's threat. The death of one female wouldn't stop its craving for more violence and death. It decided to take its time with the others and savour each kill.
Its plan was to use the girl as a lure. The female would run towards its trap if she thought the girl's life was in danger. The Entity didn't mind waiting as he was looking forward to torturing this female.
Scene 2
In the camp, everyone was working on their own projects to improve their living quarters. Chakotay was using tools, borrowed from Mira's Grandpere, to make bed frames.
Ayala was gathering stones to make a firepit. He was sick of eating raw vegetables and fruit. While he was exploring the Island he discovered a river teeming with fish. He planned to go fishing with Chakotay the following morning.
B'Elanna decided to make some weapons to defend the camp. All the talk about unknown forces killing previous settlers made her feel vulnerable. She would rather go out fighting than accept her fate.
Kathryn went to visit Mira's Grandpere to find out more about their lives on the Island. Chakotay let it slip that the old man claimed to be over two hundred years old. As a scientist, she knew that she had to investigate.
She hadn't walked far when she heard a child's voice singing. Kathryn changed direction because she wanted to talk to Mira first. The singing stopped then started again in a different location. Kathryn spun around which made her feel light-headed and disoriented. She knew that she would have to find some markers to help her find her way back to the camp. She looked around her for familiar places but came up empty. The Island was small-scale so she wasn't about to panic yet.
The next cry she heard sounded like a howl. She started to run believing that the child was in danger. As she raced along the path - the scream was getting louder. Kathryn could see something moving behind a large copse. She felt a blinding pain as someone struck her from behind.
Scene 3
Chakotay stopped sawing because he sensed that something was wrong. His spirit guide was warning him that someone he loved was in danger. Chakotay looked around the camp to see if anybody was missing.
"Mike, have you seen Kathryn this morning?"
"Last time I saw her was at breakfast. She was going to visit Mira and her Grandpere."
B'Elanna added, "She went to talk to the old man about his claim that he'd been alive for over two centuries."
Chakotay decided to wait for an hour then he would organise a search for her.
Scene 4
Kathryn tried to open her eyes but everything around her was black. She examined her body to make sure that she wasn't injured. When she tried to move her head she felt an excruciating twinge of pain above her left temple. Her head felt wet when she touched it. She realised that she had an open wound but it wasn't bleeding too much.
Although she couldn't see anything there was no wind or noise so it was a safe bet that she was indoors or underground. The absence of light was starting to play havoc with her senses. Her captor was a devotee of sensory deprivation - a benign method of torture.
Kathryn went down on her hands and knees to crawl along the floor of her jail cell. When she reached the end, she ran her fingers up the wall. It was rough, soft and crumbly. She managed to prise a small piece of it away from the wall - it was soil! Kathryn realised that she was being kept underground. Now she inched along trying not to bang into any of the walls or ceiling. Being buried alive was her only phobia.
She sat on the floor, closed her eyes and imagined a Summer's day in her garden on Earth. Her dogs would be racing around trying to persuade her to take them on a long walk. She was feeling cold so she included a bright hot sun beaming out of a crystal clear blue sky.
She heard Mark calling her name, "Kathryn, we have to go! We can't stay here or he'll find you."
Kathryn opened her eyes to find Mark staring at her through the gloom.
"You are not here! You are on Earth waiting for me to come
home."
Mark held her hand to assure her that he was real, "Nonsense Kathryn, he said that I can take you home if you surrender."
Kathryn realised that the creature needed her to accept its possession.
"If you were my Mark, you would know that I would never give in to bullying and threats from a coward."
The Mark illusion started to get angry, "You are a stubborn, willful woman. If you surrender your death will be quick and painless."
"Go to hell!" swore Kathryn.
Kathryn lay down again and ignored him. The Mark illusion disappeared when she refused to talk to it.
Scene 5
Kathryn was still missing by nightfall. Chakotay asked Ayala to collect some food, water and a medical kit so they could look for her.
"Something is wrong. She is never late. I'll take Ayala with me. B'Elanna stay here in case she returns. Do not venture out alone until we find out what has happened to Kathryn."
Chakotay and Ayala headed to the cave to see if Kathryn was still there. Both men hoped that she was with Grandpere and had forgotten about the time. Chakotay first task was to find out if the evil spirit was still in control of Mira's body. When they reached the cave he could hear Grandpere calling Mira's name.
Grandpere rushed over to Chakotay, "Have you seen Mira? I can't find her anywhere."
"What would happen if the Entity leaves Mira's body?" asked Chakotay.
"The monster would draw all the energy it can from her body. The last time it happened she was asleep for four days."
"Why are you interested in the monster?" asked Grandpere.
Chakotay replied, "The Entity has abducted Kathryn. She left the camp this morning and hasn't returned."
"I had an agreement with the Soul Stealer
Your contract is over! Unless we deal with this creature, everyone is in danger," warned Chakotay.
Ayala was getting impatient, "When we find the girl, Kathryn should be close by."
Chakotay turned to Grandpere, "Stay here in case Mira returns. I promise you that we will find both of them."
"Where should we start our search? Can you point us to her favourite places to play?" asked Ayala.
Grandpere gave them directions, "If you follow this path you will reach an ancient tree. Mira made a nest among its huge branches."
"Try not to worry, we will find her and Kathryn. The Entity has nothing to gain from killing them," reassured Chakotay.
"It needs the energy from violence and cruelty. It will do everything to make you attack each other or us."
As they walked away, Ayala whispered, "Do you think that the girl is still alive if the Entity has no use for her any longer."
"I agree with her Grandpere, children are tough. Mira has survived for an extraordinary length of time here," added Chakotay.
Scene 6
Kathryn was trying to distract herself from the thought of suffocating underground. She closed her eyes to focus on her daydreams. She explored the memory of her first week on the Val Jean. How Chakotay had given her a reason to live when he forced her to get out of bed and rejoin the real world.
It had been difficult to accept that she was no longer in charge. She regretted being so disruptive after Chakotay had given her a bunk and a job.
When she first met Chakotay on board Voyager, she couldn't help noticing that he was an attractive man. When he smiled it made her heart skip a beat. Kathryn was unsure about her feelings for him. She wasn't sure whether she wanted a friend or a lover.
She needed to provide closure for the Voyager crew's relatives. They needed to know that they had died protecting a vulnerable species from the bullies. She had to return to Earth to give them that message.
A rustling noise interrupted her daydream. She opened her eyes to find a lit candle, matches and some bread and water. Kathryn picked up the bread and examined it to make sure it wasn't poisoned. The water was dirty with grass and soil. She removed the contaminants and sipped it trying not to vomit. She saved a little of the water to soften the stale bread. It took a great deal of control to keep the bread in her stomach. It was evident that her abductor wanted to keep her alive for now.
After her meal, she realised that the crawl space was getting hotter. She took off her jacket and trousers with care so she didn't cause a cave in. Kathryn lay back down again to conserve her energy. She knew that it would try to break her spirit again. Kathryn was grateful that the Janeway women were famous for their stubborn streak. She snuffed out the candle to save it for emergencies.
Scene 7
The Entity was becoming impatient. It had never taken this long to break a creature's will. If it could feel any positive emotions, it would have admired the female's courage. An understanding of this characteristic was beyond its comprehension.
It didn't want to use physical force because it wanted her to be alive when the false God returned. It would use the female's suffering to torture her mate. The false God would regret giving out orders on his Island. The Entity gathered its power and prepared to attack the female again.
Scene 8
Chakotay and Ayala managed to locate Mira's trail. As she was the only child on the Island, it wasn't difficult to follow her tiny footprints.
"Do you believe that we will find either of them alive?" asked Ayala.
"Yes, the Entity managed to coexist with Mira and her Grandpere for over two centuries. Why would it attack her now?" asked Chakotay.
"You must blame me for the creature's bad mood," confessed Q.
Both men jumped out of their skins.
Chakotay was the first one to recover, "Couldn't you give us a warning before you appear like that?"
"What did you do?" asked Ayala.
"I told the black oil slick that Kathy belonged to me so it had to leave her unharmed. I hate dealing with these evil creatures - they have no honour, explained Q.
Chakotay was furious, "You challenged it on its own territory!"
"Put like that it doesn't sound very sensible," commented Q.
Ayala punched him in the face, "If the creature harms a hair on her head, I will be coming for you. Immortal or not, I will make your demise as painful as possible. Then I will do it again after you regenerate.
Q picked that himself up, "There is no need for that aggression. Do your species have to behave like animals? I prefer the romanticism of a duel with swords."
Ayala looked at Chakotay in disbelief, "Is this joker serious? When we find Kathryn and the girl we'll take him to the nearest volcano and drop him in it."
Chakotay grinned at the thought of it, "Unfortunately we need him for now."
"I was about to tell you that I found the girl unconscious under a tree before you launched that violent attack on me"
Q snapped his fingers and teleported them to the tree in question.
"Kathy is near but I can't pinpoint her exact location. The creature is blocking me," admitted Q.
Chakotay went to check on the girl, "I can feel a faint pulse but she's non-responsive."
"We need to talk to her," demanded Q. He clicked his fingers and woke her up.
Mira woke up confused and disoriented, "Where is my Grandpere?" Then she began to sob!
Q snorted in disgust and snapped his fingers again. Grandpere appeared looking dazed. When he saw Mira crying he rushed over to comfort her.
After she stopped sobbing her Grandpere expressed his gratitude to Chakotay. "Thank you! You are a man of your word which is a rare virtue in our modern world."
"Where do you think it is keeping our friend?" asked Chakotay.
"Not far from here is an ancient tree. Someone created a crawl space among the roots to hide from predators. Mira fell through the entrance and couldn't climb out. As soon as I found her, I filled in the hole so she couldn't play there again."
"Do you think it is keeping Kathryn there?" asked Chakotay.
"Although the entity was dormant at that time, it has access to all Mira's memories."
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" snapped Q.
Grandpere admitted, "I tried to catch up with you after you left the cave but I was too slow as usual."
"Show us the location of the tree then take Mira home. We can manage the rest," ordered Chakotay.
The old man led them to the tree then left with Mira.
"Good luck - I would be grateful if you could kill the monster. I don't want it to pollute Mira any longer," said Grandpere.
Q started to move around the tree trying to sense Kathy.
"The old man was correct - she is under here. We don't want to blunder in and cause her more problems.
Q clicked his fingers making two spades appear. Ayala knew that Q wouldn't offer to do the digging.
Chakotay wasn't going to waste time arguing with Q, "We will take it in turns to dig. Try to do it slowly and with care, We don't want it to cave in."
It was difficult to dig a hole among the roots but they kept going.
Scene 9
The Entity believed that it had the old man under its control. It would deal with him later. It had not begun to torture the female yet. It thought that it had plenty of time damage her mind and body. Now it had to rush its work.
The Entity manifested as a thick black cloud. It had to own its victims to achieve its full pleasure. It was time for the second stage of torture. After he possessed the female it would desecrate her body for the False God to find. The female was asleep so it was easier to attack her in her subconscious.
Kathryn couldn't wake up. She kept trying to open her eyes but she couldn't move. There was a heavy weight crushing her chest. Kathryn tried to move her head but it felt like somebody was trying to drill a hole in her head.
The Entity forced itself into her REM sleep, "You are weak and near death. Stop fighting me so I can make your passing easier and pain-free."
"You can take a front seat in hell to watch it freeze over before I give in." declared Kathryn.
She closed her eyes to gather her strength to force the Entity out of her brain. When she opened her eyes she was back in the bedroom of her teenage years. The detail was perfect. There was nothing out of place. Kathryn walked around her room picking up objects. She smiled at the memories attached to them.
She shook her head, "This won't work. I will not let you distract me with memories of my childhood.
"I haven't been cruel enough. You need stronger stimulation to scare you female," rasped the Entity.
A Borg drone appeared in front of her. She flinched and started to move backwards.
"Ah, I've found something that frightens you!"
The scene in front of her changed to the interior of a Borg cube. There were drones standing all around her.
"You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile!"
Adrenaline raced along her blood stream. Her fight or flight response was active. Her heartbeat rocketed causing her to sweat and shake. Blind panic prevented her from logical thinking.
The Entity decided to attack her now while she was at her weakest. Kathryn felt her vision darken around the edges. She realised that the Entity was to own her and it was getting harder to keep him out. She had an epiphany. It was her subconscious. She could change the memory.
When she opened her eyes again, she was sitting in the Captain's chair on Voyager surrounded by her Officers. Kathryn decided that the Entity should resemble a Ferengi male.
She turned to Tuvok, "What must I do with him, old friend."
"He doesn't appear to be dangerous, Captain. We will find it a cell in the Brig."
Kathryn watched the Entity swell with rage, "I will tear you limb from limb. I will extract your organs and feed them to the birds."
Kathryn stared at him defiantly. She decided to make it a lot smaller to lessen its impact. As it decreased in size, its voice became squeakier. Kathryn started to laugh which enraged the Entity even more.
Scene 10
When Kathryn decided to take control away from the Entity it weakened its block on her life signs. Q could sense the creature's rage building.
"We have to rescue her soon or it will kill her. I can sense its murderous intent."
Q snapped his fingers and turned himself into a Tibetan Mastiff with huge paws. He started to dig at the exact spot he could sense Kathryn. As he dug, the others pushed the dirt away so the hole wouldn't collapse.
After a long dig, Q was starting to tire, "I made a mistake. We should have found Kathy by now."
"We can't give up on her now - keep digging," ordered Chakotay, "Transform all of us into dogs then we can dig quicker!"
Chakotay was the first one to break into the space where Kathryn was being held. He could see her lying on her back. She lay like a marble effigy on an ancient tomb. Her lips were blue and her skin was as pale as alabaster. She had never looked more beautiful.
Chakotay lowered himself into the hole and lifted her out. When he climbed out of the space Q was trying to resuscitate her. He blew into her mouth.
"Come on Kathy, I refuse to allow that abominable creature to take you."
Chakotay took over the CPR, "Come on Kathryn, you are the most stubborn, opinionated woman I have ever known. She began to cough so Chakotay moved her onto her side."
"Take her back to your camp and look after her. I have another matter to take care of."
Q yanked the evil presence out of the hole and disappeared. He reappeared in a Tibetan monastery in a remote area between two mountains. A monk appeared and walked away signalling Q to follow him. They reached a stone staircase going down into the bowels of the Earth. They descended to the bottom level which housed a special prison.
Q didn't look into any of the cells because even he didn't want to see the horrors they contained. A small diminutive monk waited for Q by an empty cell.
"Your Eminence, this abomination has grown unchecked on a remote island. It has killed everything it came into contact with. Will you accept this burden?"
Q thought they were a little rude when he found himself outside the Monastery!