Maquis 27/6/2018
Scene 1
When Chakotay woke up he panicked because he didn't know where he was. He calmed down when he remembered that Q had forced the crew to take part in one of his games. Tom, Lam and Ayala were asleep in the other cots. The women were sleeping in the opposite dormitory.
It was daybreak so they were due at their new workplace soon. He would have to learn on the job as he had only read about butlers in history books. He wasn't complaining as he didn't want Tom's job of shovelling manure in the stables.
He decided to wake the crew as they couldn't afford to be late for their first day. He opened the door of the women's dormitory
"You are due at work soon! Get up and get dressed or you will be late," shouted Chakotay.
He sat in the common room waiting for his crew to arrive. If nobody turned up soon he would have to resort to buckets of cold water.
Kathryn was the first one to appear. She was suffering from caffeine withdrawal.
"They must have a caffeine substitute."
Chakotay pointed to a jug of milk. Kathryn looked at it and shuddered.
"It's not coffee," complained Kathryn.
She was wearing a shift because one of the ladies in waiting was going to deliver her dress. Chakotay couldn't help staring at her. Her hair was loose and she was still flushed from sleep. She swept her hair away from her face. It was the most sensual gesture he'd ever seen. He wanted her so much it hurt.
Chakotay handed her a plate with bread, cheese and an apple. He didn't want her to witness his lust.
"It's not what we're used to but it's fresh and it tastes good," reassured Chakotay.
"Where are the others?" asked Kathryn.
"They should be ready to go. I threw them out of bed when I got up," joked Chakotay.
"Astra is almost ready but you didn't tell her what job she will be doing," said Kathryn.
"She will be your lady's maid. I wanted to talk to her about her role. As a servant, she will be invisible. It will give her the chance to look for the artefact without drawing attention to herself."
Chakotay put some fruit in a bag and got ready to leave.
"They told me to report for work early today. They want to make sure my livery fits before the guests start to arrive," said Chakotay.
Kathryn looked him up and down inch by inch. He knew she was teasing him.
"She will have a problem with your appearance," said Kathryn in her sultry voice.
"I have got to go to work now. I will get you back later," warned Chakotay.
Kathryn wasn't going to let him have the last word.
She stuck her tongue out, "I look forward to that."
"Make sure they leave on time. This is the only way we can access the castle without attracting too much attention."
Scene 2
Chakotay reported to the Castle Keep as ordered. One of the soldiers gave him some sage advice.
"You better not annoy the Chatelaine or she will make your life a misery. Do as you're told and you may survive."
The soldier gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as he allowed him to enter the castle.
After asking for direction he headed towards the kitchen. He walked through the door and almost lost his head. A kitchen knife hit the wall behind him with some force.
"Who are you?" asked a large red-faced, angry woman.
Chakotay thought about telling her he was the man she almost killed. He decided that flippancy wasn't the answer.
"I am the new Butler. The Mayor told me to report to the Chatelaine before I started work."
The Cook mopped her brow, "Well at least you look the part. The Mayor doesn't usually hire the pretty ones."
Chakotay smiled at her because he didn't know how to respond.
The cook took pity on him, "The Chatelaine's quarters are through that door. Walk to the end of the corridor and her door is the last one on the right."
"Thank you, Ma'am," Chakotay was glad to escape the homicidal cook.
Chakotay knocked instead of walking in.
"Come in!"
He opened the door. The Chatelaine was an elderly woman with white hair and a lively intelligent face. She wore a simple black dress with a lace collar as the only ornamentation. She studied him from head to toe.
"You look the part and our guests will appreciate your exotic appearance."
She handed him black trousers, a black shirt and a jacket. The jacket resembled his old Starfleet dress uniform.
The Chatelaine pointed to a door.
"You can change in there. Let me know when you are ready so I can make any alterations."
The uniform fitted him like a glove. The Chatelaine was glad she didn't have to do any more sewing.
"Sit down - I will explain your duties. It shouldn't take long."
"Yes Ma'am," replied Chakotay.
I run this household like a well-oiled machine. I don't tolerate any interference from anybody and that includes, His Majesty.
"I have no intention of taking over your job Ma'am. I want to be useful," assured Chakotay.
"The Butler is an ornamental role. You will escort the guests to their rooms and ensure they have everything they need."
Chakotay stood up to leave.
"Where are you going? I haven't finished with you yet." said the Chatelaine.
"During dinner, you will supervise the dining room. The servants will expect you to tell them when you want them to serve the food. They will wait for your signal to remove the dishes ready for the next course.
Chakotay started to frown. There was a lot more to this job than he thought.
"Honoured guests should not have to wait for their food," added the Chatelaine.
How do I address you Ma'am?" asked Chakotay.
"You can call me Miss Dora. Now return to the kitchen. The Cook will explain the dinner routine. The Head Footman filled in while we were looking for a replacement Butler. You can ask him any questions you have about the job."
Chakotay knew the Head Footman wouldn't welcome or help his replacement.
Scene 3
Kathryn was sitting in front of a huge mirror trying to arrange her hair. They had allocated her a luxurious boudoir. She kept glancing over at the huge bed covered in pillows. She was so tempted to jump on the bed to test whether it was as springy as it looked.
If she wanted to write or study, there was a desk made from a light coloured wood that gleamed with polish. Wood panelling covered the walls with embroidered tapestries to keep out the drafts.
Astra walked in with a brush and a basket filled with ribbons, combs and a selection of tiaras
"I don't know what to do with any of these materials Kathryn. I am out of my depths."
"Sit down and catch your breath. I can arrange my own hair. Your job is to find the artefact," said Kathryn.
Astra held out a scroll, "One of the Ladies passed this paper to me as I collected the hair accessories."
Kathryn took the paper from her and unfolded it on the desk.
"These are the blueprints of the Castle. Did you recognise this lady?" asked Kathryn.
"I didn't recognise her facial features but her life force wasn't the same as the other females," said Astra.
"Do you think she could be Q?" suggested Kathryn.
Astra shook her head, " Why would a Q help us? They are contrary creatures whose egos are the size of small planets."
"We can use the plans to help us search the rooms in order. The search must begin tonight. There is a feast in honour of the Queen later this evening. Nobody will notice if we slip away. I will pass a message to Chakotay to start the search tonight."
Kathryn finished pinning her hair, "Will you help me into my dress - this corset is pinching?"
When she was ready Astra stood back to check everything was in place.
"Kathryn, you look like a Queen. Your gown is beautiful. I would love to see Chakotay's face when he sees you for the first time," said Astra.
Kathryn headed towards the kitchen. She waylaid one of the servants to ask them to pass a message to the new Butler. She waited a few minutes for him to arrive.
Chakotay didn't say a word. The admiration in his gaze caused her to blush.
"Kathryn, I have never seen you look more beautiful."
Chakotay had never seen her dressed in such lavish clothes. He
couldn't find the words to describe how beautiful she looked.
Kathryn thought about kissing him. It would be worth the consequences for those few stolen moments.
"A mysterious Lady in Waiting gave Astra the blueprints for the castle."
"Was she a Q?" asked Chakotay.
"She wasn't from this planet but Astra couldn't identify her," replied Kathryn.
They made sure nobody was around then unrolled the blueprints on a table.
Chakotay pointed to the wine cellar; the storage rooms and the cells.
"I will search these areas tonight after everyone has gone to bed. I have to be careful because the Chatelaine is a formidable woman. She doesn't miss a thing," explained Chakotay.
Kathryn leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. He held her for a few seconds.
"Be careful Chakotay! I would rather go with Q to the Continuum if it meant the crew were safe," said Kathryn.
"I won't let that happen!" swore Chakotay.
Scene 4
B'Elanna loved working at the tavern. The customers behaved exactly like Klingons. The drank too much; boasted of their exploits and loved fighting each other.
The Landlady, May, was a strong resourceful female who didn't stand any nonsense. B'Elanna and May were firm friends from the beginning.
Nobody had a problem with B'Elanna's exotic appearance. They knew she was an experienced warrior with superior fighting skills.
The day before the big feast was hectic in the tavern. May was stocking up with ale and roasted meats. She had planned ahead and hired extra hands.
"Make sure you keep on top of things tonight B'El. If we allow a brawl to spill out onto the street - the magistrate will give me a huge fine," warned May.
"Don't worry, I will bang a few heads together at the start of the evening. It will set the tone for the rest of the night," reassured B'Elanna.
"I knew I could count on you from the moment I saw you. I hope you decide to stay because I don't know how I'll cope without you," said May.
"Don't worry about the future. We will concentrate on making you a lot of gold tonight," said B'Elanna who was trying to distract May.
B'Elanna first task was to help the delivery man to unload the barrels from his cart and take them to the cellar. The staff at the Tavern were working hard to get ready for the evening. The field hands wanted to start their celebrations early. May was happy to oblige her loyal customers. It was all hands on deck including May.
Before dusk, May made sure she fed all her staff and gave them as much ale as they could drink. B'Elanna was enjoying the camaraderie among the tavern workers. It reminded her of family gatherings at her Mother's Klingon House.
The customers started to arrive after their work in the fields ended. All the males and females were thirsty and hungry. May had three roasting hogs on spits. The smell of the meat made everyone hungry. A line had formed already for the food.
B'Elanna took an early break knowing that trouble would start later in the evening. She slumped down outside the stables with a big glass of ice-cold beer.
She heard loud voices as three disreputable men went into the stables. She knew they didn't work for the Tavern. With regret, she put down her beer and moved closer to the door to spy on them.
"Did you pay him the money we agreed? If he was too greedy - the deal is off," said the Leader of the gang.
This comment offended the other thief, "Do you have a problem with me? I know my job."
"Before midnight Karsten will drug the other guards including himself so he can keep his job."
The Leader pointed to a small, slim man sitting opposite him.
The drawbridge will be down so we can sneak into the cells using the door to the Guardroom. Karsten will leave it open before he takes the sleeping draught."
"Are you certain the item is in the lower vault?" asked the third member of the gang.
"His cousin is Captain of the Guards," explained the leader. "He made the security arrangements for all the King's valuables."
"If any of them die it will be the death penalty for everyone," whispered the fourth member of the gang.
"Do you think I would kill one of your family?" asked the Leader
"Of course not! I'm nervous - this is my first robbery." The fourth gang member was the youngest.
The Leader continued, "I know exactly which vault to go to and where Karsten's cousin will leave the keys."
"Do we have an escape route planned out?" asked the nervous member of the gang.
The Leader shook his head, "My plan is foolproof. We will be far away from the castle while they are still recovering from their hangovers."
"What should we do now until the robbery?"
"Leave one at a time and stay away from each other. We will meet here before midnight tomorrow."
The Leader made sure everyone left at intervals. Then he checked around the stables to make sure nobody could listen to his next conversation.
B'Elanna made sure she hid behind the door when he looked outside. She didn't have to wait long to discover who he was waiting for. She heard the unmistakable voice of Q.
"Have you recruited three more criminals as I asked?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Did you give the idiot relative the sleeping draught?"
"Yes sir, do I need to make any other preparations?"
"No, you have your orders. As soon as you are free from the castle - meet me at the rendezvous. I will exchange the dagger for four bags of gold. Don't let me down. You won't like me when I am disappointed!"
Q walked out of the stables and disappeared.
Scene - The Continuum
Q felt very pleased with himself. Chuckles and his merry men were coping too well. They weren't supposed to get into the castle. Then he had the brilliant ideas of helping local criminals steal the dagger first. He would retrieve his dagger with the added bonus of Kathryn Janeway.
Q decided to make fun of the other Q at the roadhouse. The Q used it to entertain themselves. There was a waiting list of Q who wanted to be the scarecrow
Q's good mood disappeared when Lady Q showed up, "Must you always ruin my sense of satisfaction with a job well done, Q?"
"I was in a good mood until an important member of the High Council asked why there were humans out of their timeline? To add insult to injury, you forced them to take part in a ridiculous quest," snapped Lady Q.
Q was indignant, "They weren't forced to play - I gave them a choice!"
"Did they agree to let you cheat?" asked Lady Q.
Q wasn't aware the High Council were monitoring all his activities. "I wasn't cheating! I added some excitement to the quest."
"We have decided to allow the Quest to continue because Captain Chakotay and his crew are going to win!" announced Lady Q."
"Would you like to have a wager on the outcome?" asked Q.
"The Ferengi need a Q to mediate in a dispute between the Grand Nagus and a Foreign Consortium. The loser will volunteer to be the mediator," suggested Lady Q.
Every Q hated working with the Ferengi. Their constant pursuit of profit was tedious.
"Done!" said both Q together.
Scene - The Castle
B'Elanna needed to get a message to Chakotay warning him about Q's plan to stage an earlier robbery. She had an idea how to turn Q's cheating to their advantage. She was looking for someone reliable to deliver the message and return with the answer.
She found the cook's son sitting around the guard's room chatting and playing cards.
"Bo, do you want to earn yourself three gold pieces? I need to get a message to the new butler at the castle. If you wait for the reply, I will give you another coin when you return."
I heard a gang planning to steal a dagger from the castle during the celebrations. Q arranged it and provided the gang with the equipment so we will fail. Meet me tomorrow morning by the Tavern's stables.
B'Elanna returned to the Tavern to break up a fight that was threatening to spill out onto the street.
After closing time she was helping to clear up and remove stray customers to the street. Bo returned to give B'Elanna the answer.
Bastard! We can use the robbery attempt to get the dagger and teach Q a valuable lesson.
Scene - The Anniversary Celebrations
Chakotay woke early. He decided not to go to breakfast so he could meet B'Elanna early. It was a perfect day as the sky was blue and the sun was about to rise, promising another warm day. He enjoyed his walk as It reminded him of a typical summer's day on Earth. He reached the Tavern a little early so he hid in the stables. He didn't want anyone to question why he was loitering in the Tavern.
He heard B'Elanna whispering his name, "Chakotay - where are you?" Then she started to swear in Klingon.
"I hope you don't use that language in front of the Tavern's customers," joked Chakotay.
She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"What was that for?" asked a puzzled Chakotay.
"Couldn't we ask Q if we could stay here? I'm tired of limping from one disaster to another. I love living and working here!" admitted B'Elanna.
"We don't have a choice about whether we stay - we are at the mercy of Q!" said Chakotay.
"Are you sure that he's immortal? Couldn't I test that theory?" asked B'Elanna.
"Don't worry if he wasn't immortal I would have done it myself," swore Chakotay.
B"Elanna told him everything she heard the night before even the later conversation with Q.
"It would be a shame to interrupt the gang before they reach the vault," said Chakotay.
"I agree. We have to warn the others about the change of plans. We can't stick around after we steal from the robbers," commented B'Elanna.
Chakotay felt sorry for B'Elanna. "I'm sorry you can't stay. During my walk here I realised how similar this planet is to Earth. But the crew need to have a goal to work towards otherwise they will lose motivation."
"May is closing the tavern today so she can prepare herself for the evening. She will be going to the palace so she's given everyone the day off. If there are any changes then let me know as soon as you can."
"If I don't get back the cook will have me skewered for the hog roast tonight," joked Chakotay.
Scene - The Robbery
B'Elanna was sitting in the hayloft. She was wearing black clothes with a hood covering her hair and forehead ridges. She couldn't remember if she suffered from hay fever when she was a child. She would die of embarrassment if the gang killed her because she couldn't stop sneezing.
It was almost midnight when the youngest robber plucked up the courage to go to the barn. He'd never done anything criminal before. B'Elanna knew he would never be a successful career criminal because he had a conscience.
The Leader arrived next. He appeared to have taken something to give him more energy. He was jittery and couldn't sit still.
The Leader was so nervous his words were slurring, "Where are they? We can't be late or the sleeping draught will have worn off."
The last members of the gang arrived together. They were both giggly and drunk.
A vein in the Leader's head started to throb, "Are you insane? If they catch us it will be a death sentence. I told both of you not to go to the tavern."
"We will have to call it off. If we carry on then we'll all end up in the oubliette," said the youngest robber, "Our plan is out of the window now."
B'Elanna lowered herself to the ground from the stable window then. She brushed herself down.
"What are you doing here? I hope you aren't trying to steal from May because she won't stand any nonsense and I don't want to hurt you."
The Leader paused for a few moments. Her reputation as a fighter was already well known. She was friends with May who operated at the edges of the law. She was the person to go to if you had a problem and you didn't mind what she had to do to solve it.
"I know you are part of a ship's crew who need money. That's why every one of you is working."
B'Elanna nodded, she didn't want to give too much away.
"A gentleman wants to retrieve his property from the Castle. He is willing to pay us twenty gold pieces to bring the item back to him. He's even worked out how to drug the guards."
"What do you want from me?" asked B'Elanna.
"We need a woman with your talents to ensure we don't get killed. These idiots can stay here and sober up," suggested the Leader.
"I will join you but I want two bags of gold as I will be doing the work of two criminals."
The leader was warring between being greedy or settling for his original bag of gold. He took the sensible decision.
"Done! You drive a hard bargain. I hope you're worth it."
"Ask those two over there if they think I'm worth it. I threw them out three or four times last night before they got the message," said B'Elanna.
"We'll make sure these two get home. We don't want them to attract the attention of the Sheriff."
Before they left the stables, B'Elanna punched both of the robbers and knocked them out cold.
The young robber laughed, "That's one way to do it!"
They set off to the castle, using the path at the edge of the forest, to make sure they weren't spotted. B'Elanna kept her hood down to hide her Klingon ridges. When they reached the castle they discovered the drawbridge was up.
Johl was their unlikely hero. "Don't worry, I'll show you how to get into the castle. All the local children know about this secret tunnel."
They walked around the moat to the back of the castle. There was a small hillock which shielded them from the guard's tower.
Johl knelt on the floor and began to brush the leaves away. He uncovered a metal loop and began to pull. The trap door was stuck so Leaven and B'Elanna had to help him to raise the heavy door.
They found stone steps leading underground. The steps were slippery and worn away in places but everyone reached the tunnel unhurt. The group followed Johl because he had the forethought to bring a torch with him.
The tunnel was long, winding and damp and the smell was nauseating. They came to an enforced stop because a rusty metal grill was barring their way
Johl came to the rescue again. He fiddled along the bottom edge of the grill and released a clasp. All three of them pulled the chain to raise the gate. They only needed to raise the gate high enough to squeeze through the bottom.
Leaven patted Johl on the back, "It was a good thing we brought you with us - you have shown your worth."
"There is a stairway in front of you which leads to the cells," said Johl.
At the top of the stairs, they found their first drugged guard. The prisoners in the cells were going crazy. They knew something was going down.
Johl advised them, "The vault is through that door. There are two guards outside at all times."
B'Elanna pushed the door open so she could check the condition of the guards. She was glad to see Ayala was sitting slumped over a table. He spotted her and winked then resumed his position.
"The coast is clear - where did the relative leave the key to the case?" asked B'Elanna.
Leaven went to an alcove in which a candle was burning. He lifted it up and removed the key from the bottom of the sconce. He marched into the vault to unlock the display case where the dagger was on show.
He collapsed to the floor, with a puzzled look on his face, after B'Elanna hit him with a wine bottle.
Ayala made short work of dispatching the younger thief.
Chakotay. He retrieved the dagger then took off his uniform to change into his own clothes.
Chakotay warned them, "The King asked for extra guards to protect his valuables. During the celebrations."
"How long have we got?" asked Ayala.
"About fifteen minutes at the most," confirmed Chakotay.
They shifted the thieves into the vault and secured the door.
The next crew members to arrive were Astra and Kathryn. They came rushing down the stairs wearing elaborate court dresses trying not to fall.
"Chakotay, the extra guards have arrived. They're close behind us," warned Kathryn.
She threw B'Elanna, Chakotay and Ayala a sword. Then Kathryn and Astra took their heavy court dresses off, leaving them in their shifts.
"They're here!" shouted Kathryn.
She turned around to confront the first guard.
"My Lady, have these monsters taken you as a hostage?"
He fell face down after Astra hit him with the hilt of her sword. They stepped over him to rejoin the fight.
B'Elanna was in her element. She was wielding the huge broadsword like a trained warrior. It was graceful and deadly. There were already three bodies lying around her.
Chakotay and Ayala were fighting back to back. There were only two guards left standing. B'Elanna took out one of them with a clean thrust. Chakotay was struggling. His opponent refused to give up. Kathryn could see the sweat breaking out on his forehead. She picked up a solid chair, stood behind them to wait for the right moment. The fight paused for a couple of seconds so she smacked him over the head.
B'Elanna pointed to the stairs, "That is your escape route. Go now and I will join you after I've cleaned up."
She'd noticed that Johl was starting to stir. B'Elanna helped him to stand and supported his weight while he was groggy.
"You will have to redeem yourself. Find some work and settle down. I am giving you a second chance - don't mess it up."
The crew emerged from the tunnel not sure how they were going to attract Q's attention.
They waited for B'Elanna to join them and were a little surprised by her travelling companion.
"This is the first time he has done anything wrong. He deserves a second chance," said B'Elanna.
"I know a place to hide where nobody will find you," said Johl.
Johl lead them into the depths of the forest. He knew the King would have them executed if his soldiers arrested them.
Johl stopped in front of an enormous tree with a mammoth trunk.. At the bottom of the trunk was a hollow large enough to crawl through. Someone had hollowed out the whole of the tree trunk. Everyone managed to fit inside with room enough to sit down. Johl left them some candles and promised to return later with some food.
Chakotay whispered to Kathryn, "When do you think Q will get us out of here?"
"He doesn't care about anything. He treats us like toys. He is only interested in me because I turned him down. If I agreed to go with him, he would tire of me because I would no longer be a challenge " replied Kathryn.
"I couldn't agree more. You are his favourite toy," interrupted Lady Q.
"I wish you wouldn't keep doing that. We would appreciate some warning of your arrival," snapped Kathryn.
"How ungrateful! I came to rescue you. I will disappear now and leave you in peace," threatened Lady Q.
"Please don't! Q will claim this quest as a victory for him. I have too much to lose," pleaded Chakotay.
Lady Q turned around smiling, " Well since you asked so politely."
She turned around so she could admire him and ignore the irritating female. She couldn't understand what Q saw in her.
"You are a pretty boy. I adore the tribal art - it's so primitive," flirted Lady Q.
Chakotay couldn't help smiling at her which sealed her co-operation. Lady Q had an eye for a pretty face.
"I can't wait to see Q's face when I declare you the winners of the first quest."