AN: So I do have some older story ideas for Star Trek, but this is the first one I've started writing enough for a whole first chapter. I had this image in my head of a young Annika Hansen meeting Naomi Wildman and them getting into lots of adventures (trouble) together, running through Voyager causing chaos. This is what I have so far...
The Raven had been peacefully resting on the edge of the cliff for nearly twenty years. Due to damage by the Borg, the stasis chamber failed to switch off at the pre-planned time. Instead of sleeping through five months, the approved time for that particular model, the sole survivor had been inside for two decades.
Waking up alone on the ship, Annika had been afraid. Her memory had been a little fuzzy on the details from before she went into the chamber, she knew her parents had installed them as a final failsafe against the Borg but she didn't remember why she had needed it. At first, moving had been difficult, she felt as though lead weights were attached to her limbs and she'd been forced to stay where she was until the effects wore off. When she was finally able to explore the ship she assumed all the damage had been caused by the Borg, unaware of the time that had passed. Luckily there was enough power stored from the solar panels to activate the main computer. Knowing they might be away from spare-faring civilisations and to save the Warp Core power, her parents had installed panels on the ship's hull to capture energy from any suns they passed. They weren't intended to be used planet-side, but there had been enough exposure over the years for sufficient power for the ship.
She had been scared when she realised her parents weren't aboard, she managed to access the ships logs and her memory gradually returned. She recalled their ship following the Borg until the aliens finally took notice of them. In trying to evade the other ship, the Raven had crash-landed on this planet and the Borg had followed them down.
She could picture her parents in flashes of memory, hear them yelling at her to run and hide. They'd made her practice getting into the hidden part of the ship on a regular basis so she'd moved automatically to follow the instructions. Realising that the Borg had taken her parents, she'd sat down and cried.
She wasn't sure how long her tears lasted, but as she wiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands she reminded herself that she was alive, she had their ship and with all their research on the Borg she was in the best place to try and find her parents. The computer responded to her voice, but getting access to more than the basic systems was impossible. She replicated herself a snack and requested a ship manual, hoping to read something that could help.
They had just completed negotiations to cross this region of space and Kathryn was desperate for a cup of coffee when Chakotay called from the bridge to inform her of the distress signal - from a human vessel.
"This far out?" she'd been so surprised that she left the replicator before placing her order and headed straight to the bridge.
When she saw the location of the planet she frowned, it would take them off the pre-agreed course, but she couldn't not investigate. She gave orders to Tuvok to contact the aliens again, he would have the patience to explain the situation and bargain for the change of plans.
When he came back to her an hour later, it was with bad news. Their request had been declined. The area was one reserved for remembrance. When the Borg had passed through a decade or so ago (the aliens calculation of time wasn't being accepted by the translators just yet), they had wiped out several planets and out of respect they had been designated as out of bounds while the spirits of the dead took the time to process their situation before moving on. They were assured that the planets had been checked and where definitely uninhabited, but that once the mourning period was up (two hundred years? a thousand?) they could return to reclaim the human vessel.
"Did you mention the distress signal?"
"Yes. However they believe it means someone has violated their rules and they refuse to anger the spirits further."
Chakotay looked at her expectantly, "what are we going to do Captain?"
Annika knew they'd travelled a long way from home, but from the way her parents talked she assumed Starfleet were everywhere so she wasn't surprised when the computer alerted her to an approaching Starfleet vessel.
"This is the USS Voyager to the USS Raven, come in Raven."
Annika ran over to the communication section of the bridge, checking the manual on her tablet for the right buttons to press so that she could answer them.
"This is the Raven." she stopped, suddenly remembering stories her father had read her about space pirates.
Was there any way to make sure this ship was from Starfleet? She didn't want to let them know she was all alone if they were. The ship had good shields, at least her parents had thought so until the Borg attack, but they hadn't wanted more than basic weapons because that would have drawn the Borg's attention sooner.
"We received your distress call, we're on our way. Are you in need of medical attention?"
"No."
"Uh, Raven, any chance for visual communication?"
Annika realised they suspected she was just a child, "the Borg destroyed some stuff, we've only repaired this system. The others are out gathering supplies."
"You survived a Borg attack?"
"We've been hiding out on this planet. I'll let the others know you're coming."
She ended the communication, requesting information on the Voyager vessel from her computer. It was best if they didn't know she was alone. If they were pirates, she'd need to find a way to protect the ship.
"Captain, we have one listing for a ship designated the USS Raven in the last fifty years," Tuvok passed the information over to Janeway as they slowed on approach to the planet. "A small family group were aboard."
Janeway looked over the ship's description, "how were they able to evade the Borg?"
"That will be something to ask them."
"You don't suppose it could be a trap?"
"By whom?"
"The Borg."
"Unlikely, they have always faced us head-on in the past, in the belief that they would succeed."
"Maybe we kept surviving so they had to... adapt?"
"A valid point. I will check the scans before we beam down."
Tuvok took three crew members with him, a prudent number as the scans only showed one human lifeform. It was possible the individual they had spoken to had lied and there were no other survivors, but it was also possible the Borg were interfering with their scans. He hand-signalled for the others to spread out as they approached the ship. It certainly looked like an Earth-craft, matching the details he had read about the Raven.
He approached first, monitoring the one life-sign. When he was within one hundred metres of the vessel, his presence was noted and his tricorder alerted him to the weapons system of the ship. The Raven wouldn't last five seconds against Voyager's firepower, but down here on a planet it was more dangerous than his phaser.
Holding his hands up, to show he had no hostile intent, Tuvok stood still, "I am Lieutenant Tuvok, from the Federation starship Voyager."
"Prove it," a young voice called back.
"What proof do you require?"
Proving to the child that they were indeed Starfleet officers and not pirates took a while, but Tuvok was patient. Once she allowed them access to the ship and explained her situation, he contacted Captain Janeway to arrange for them to all be beamed up to Voyager. Annika had other ideas. She didn't want to leave her ship, she wanted their help to find her parents. In the end, Tuvok agreed to take the Raven aboard Voyager, but he reminded her that she was too young to be left alone and that it was too dangerous to go after the Borg. He could tell that she might refuse to leave if they didn't take the ship, and he suggested that she discuss the rest with his captain. They didn't have a lot of time, he explained about the aliens whose territory they were in and persuaded her that they had to leave.
"I have placed her with Ensign Wildman," Tuvok explained when he finally reported to Janeway in her ready room. "Hopefully the company of another child will reassure her that we are not space pirates, and that help her to trust us."
"Her parents?"
"B'lanna is going over the ships logs, from the damage to the hull it appears the Borg were responsible. It is safe to assume the Borg took them as there were no signs of human remains at the crash site."
Janeway shook her head, "the poor child."
"She is not the first to be orphaned by the Borg," Tuvok reminded her. "It is fortunate that we found her."
"I can't believe that her parents made it to the Delta quadrant all those years ago. To be studying the Borg..."
"Not the safest choice, and considering that they brought their child along some might suggest it was irresponsible."
"I agree. Do you think any of their research is still in the computer?"
"If it is, B'lanna will find it."
"Tell Ensign Wildman that I'll see... Annika, wasn't it, tomorrow morning. Let's give her the night to rest and settle in."
"Very well."
Voyager was so much bigger than the Raven. Annika had been a little frightened as they walked along the large grey corridors, keeping close to team who had come to the planet to collect her. She'd asked about her ship and the Vulcan had told her it was in one of the cargo bays. Her parents said Vulcans didn't lie and she thought it might be rude to ask to see it. She had a small bag with a few of her things, they'd packed what another member of the team had called an overnight bag. They said there was a little girl on board, Naomi, and that she would be staying with her. It had been years since Annika had seen another child, not since they left the last Starfleet space station when she was four years old.
"You must be Annika," a strange-looking alien male smiled at her when the door opened. "I'm Neelix. Come on in."
The Starfleet officers remained in the corridor as the door closed behind her. Annika looked around, gripping her bag and wondering whether they would let her sleep on the Raven.
"Oh, sorry I forgot about the lights," Neelix quickly asked the computer to make the room brighter. "I keep them low to help Naomi sleep."
"Are you Naomi's father?"
Neelix smiled, "no, but I am her godfather and I often babysit while her mother is working."
As Annika looked around the room she noticed there were a few toys lying around and with the lights on it didn't seem as gloomy as when she first stepped inside. They hadn't told her much about Naomi, just that she was about her age and the only other child on Voyager.
"Why don't we get you settled in, you'll be sharing Naomi's room. She's already asleep, the call came through after she'd gone to bed, but a couple of crewmen brought along some supplies to make you a temporary bed for tonight. We'll get you a proper one in the morning."
"I have one on my ship."
"Maybe they'll bring that in here then," Neelix led her over to the bathroom, telling her to get changed and brush her teeth.
"I'm not tired," Annika told him before he opened the door.
Perhaps she'd spoken too quietly though, because he didn't seem to hear her. She sighed but did as he'd asked. When she came out, he indicated another room and opened the door.
"Quietly now."
There was a small nightlight on a table, but it wasn't bright enough to let her see the other girl. Annika could just make out the place she was expected to sleep. Neelix waited by the door until she was under the covers then left. Lying back and staring up at the ceiling, Annika wondered how long it would be until she could see her parents again.