Author: Christy Anderson
You can contact me at kittyunlimited@go.com.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Paramount minus Ensign Christy Anderson and a few selected insignificant characters.
This has been my favorite part- I hope all of you enjoy it.
Stars of Night (Sterne der Nacht): Part 6
The Science Lab buzzed with several crewman and ensigns. Lieutenant Gebhart looked up from his console as I walked in. "Ensign Anderson, the Captain had not informed me that you would be reporting for duty," he said coolly.
"I am feeling better, sir," I replied.
"Very well, then, Ensign. Proceed to Console 2 and help Ensign Dresden with recalibrating the long-range sensors." He nodded to dismiss me and turned back around to face the console.
I walked over to where Ensign Dresden sat pounding her fist upon the console. "Voyager, you aggravating piece of equipment! Work with me! This is the eleventh time today I've recalibrated your sensors!"
I gawked at her display of anger, and awkwardly approached her. "Need some help? Lieutenant Gebhart sent me to assist you."
Ensign Dresden jumped at the sound of my voice. "Oh! Ensign Anderson! I suppose a fresh brain might be able to add new perspective to the problem."
She moved away from the console and allowed me free access. I saw the display on the screen and read the first few lines. Sensor capacity was at 74%, and the range was within 5 light-years. Below this were listed the several algorithm techniques that she had applied. I looked at the frequency and made several mental calculations. "Try increasing the sensor band with 4.67% and apply Starfleet algorithm Beta 1."
She furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head. "That wouldn't work… a bandwidth that large would create a dispersion field and blow out sensors."
"Not if you apply Starfleet algorithm Beta 1 to the sensor decryption network beforehand," I said hurriedly with a stressed tone.
She shook her head and began the work. A few minutes later we were rewarded with the sudden expansion of the sensor field. A small alarm went off in the Science Lab, and Lieutenant Gebhart walked over. He tapped on the back console and then came over to congratulate us. "Well done ensigns, you are done way before I thought you would be. Ensign Dresden, report to Console 4 and assist Ensign Ballard with her protein analysis of the soil samples we took from the surface of the planet. Ensign Anderson, if you could join me in Jefferies tube." He waved flippantly to dismiss Ensign Dresden and gestured for me to follow him. "Grab one of those cases, Christy."
We climbed into the access terminal in the Science Lab. Immediately Lieutenant Gebhart began to crawl and I scrambled to follow after him. "Keeping up with your studies?" I could hear the far away voice ask.
"Yes," I yelled back up. It was hard to hear in the Jefferies tube as everything echoed so horribly in some spots. I eventually figured Lieutenant Gebhart felt the same as he dropped the conversation and concentrated harder on crawling through. We got to the ladder and he began to climb. By now, my mind was starting to drift and I lost count of how many decks we climbed up. We went around a series of Jefferies tubes and stopped in Jefferies tube room 11. Lieutenant Gebhart wasted no time in getting to work.
"Christy, see if you can determine the exact rotating frequency of our short range scanners. Tell me when you have it."
I was perplexed at his strange request, and I was uncertain of why the approximation that the computer could give was unacceptable. "Get on it now, Ensign," he growled.
I pulled out my tricorder and began to scan the console. "Lieutenant Gebhart," I began.
He looked back at me, the harshness slowly fading away from his face. "What is it, Christy?" he asked.
"I wanted to collect a large sample of the planet's vegetation later on tonight. Tre'kent has promised that he and Dr. Migfay can assist me."
He raised his eyebrows. "Tonight? Very well. I'll clear it with the Captain, and I'll have Ensign Dresden prepare some containers from the Airponics Bay. I'm sure that Kes and Ensign Dresden will be able to help you. Be sure to give me a time later today, Ensign. I don't want to be caught off guard by the Captain. Now please get me that frequency."
It took me five more minutes before I could determine the exact rotating frequency to the last decimal point. Silently I handed him the tricorder and observed him as he read it. He began to tap faster on the computer screen, and I craned my neck to see what he was doing. Lieutenant Gebhart became increasingly agitated as he sensed me looking over his shoulder. "Christy," he said with tenacity, "modify the short range sensors to scan for polar ion disturbances."
By now, my commanding officer had me completely confused, but not wanting to upset him more, I did it without questioning. "I finished, Lieutenant," I said softly.
Unnecessarily, he came over and double-checked my work. "Well done, ensign," he said shortly. Then he turned and tapped his Comm badge. "Lieutenant Gebhart to Captain Janeway."
I held my breath as I waited for her reply. "Captain Janeway here, Lieutenant."
"Please meet me in Jefferies tube room 11 immediately," Lieutenant Gebhart said, the apprehension on his face clearly visible.
"On my way."
As soon as the Captain terminated the Comm link, Lieutenant Gebhart abruptly turned to me. "Ensign Anderson, I am dismissing you from your shift early, however I'll be sure to report you for the full shift. This is serious ensign, and I want you to speak of nothing you saw in this room to anyone. The Captain will want to talk with you about this later on today…" the seriousness in his voice was deadly. He looked at me and forced a smile. "Meanwhile, I'll clear the away mission with the Captain. I'll be sure to recommend that you head it up, but be sure to provide me with the departure time within an hour. You are dismissed, Christy."
He nodded his head towards the exit and I climbed back in the tubes. My brow was furrowed as I contemplated the actions of my commanding officer. I reached the exit to Deck 6 and walked through the corridors to the turbolift. "Computer, confirm current time."
The computer beeped. "The current time is 17:12 hours."
The turbolift came into view and I hopped on. "Deck Three," I commanded. The turbolift began to move and then jolted to a stop. I stepped out and turned the corridors, almost expertly. I stepped in front of Ensign Wildman's quarters and punched in the entrance code. The doors swished open and I peered in to see Samantha resting peacefully, a good sign. I stopped at the replicator and ordered her a dinner. I placed it beside her bed. Exiting suddenly, I went to my quarters and retrieved the PADD with the extra German lessons on it. I entered her room once again and placed the PADD beside her dinner. "Ich hoffe, daß Sie mögen diese Lektionen… I hope you like these lessons," I said softly. With another glance at my friend, I left her quarters.
The doors swished open as I walked into my own. Anxiously I glanced at the screen, awaiting the Comm message from Tre'kent. I sauntered around the room, tidying up the place. I stopped at the window and leaned against the sill. Die Sterne scheinen, alles zu wissen… the stars seemed to know everything. I watched them as they slowly streamed by the window. How different this experience was than when I watched them on earth. I would stay late at night in the lab with my Father, and we would gaze at them most of the night. On Voyager, they constantly surrounded me and sustained me when I was homesick. My Father told me of the times that sailors used them to navigate their way home. Warum nicht die Sterne nehmen mir Haus jetzt… why don't the stars take me home now? Vater, warum sind nicht Sie hier… Father, why aren't you here?
With the desperate tears coming to my eyes for another time, I rushed out of my quarters, away from everything that reminded me of my distress. I ran and ran until I could run no more. I reached the holodecks, and without knowing what else to do, I ordered the computer to run program Anderson 2. The holodeck changed and the old lab appeared. A hologram of my Father approached me steadily, rapidly. "Christy, lieb, was bemüht Sie mein Kind… Christy, dear, what is troubling you my child?"
I pulled away from his grasp, ready to bolt. Was this what I needed? Every time I came here, did it only make my longing for home worse? Was I ready to face what I had lost? "Sie sind, Liebling, ohne Anleitung, Nr. verloren?… You are lost without guidance, darling, are you not?" the voice behind me questioned.
I hurriedly bit back the oncoming tears. My throat was so constricted that I could not speak, but the hologram took no notice. My Father placed his arm on my shoulder, and gently spun me around. "Wissen Sie, was zu tun, wenn Sie verloren sind? Erinnern Sie sich die alten Kapitäne, die für Tage auf dem Meer reisten. Als sie verloren waren, meine Tochter, schauten sie bis zu den Sternen der Nacht nach Anleitung. Die Sterne der Nacht führen Sie Haus, führen Sie zur Sicherheit. Sogar in Ihrem dunkelsten Moment des Zweifels, Umdrehung zu ihnen, weil das ist, wenn Sie die die meisten benötigen… Do you know what to do when you are lost? Remember the old captains, who journeyed for days on the sea. When they were lost, my daughter, they looked up to the Stars of Night for guidance. The Stars of Night will guide you home, guide you to safety. Even in your darkest moment of doubt, turn to them, because that is when you need the most."
The unmistakably familiarity of my Father's words brought back the tears that I could not hold back anymore. My Father moved to dry my tears. "Sie sind gewesen tapferes liebes, Sie nicht immer müssen so sein… You have been brave dear, you do not always have to be so…"
"Computer, end program," I heard a voice command from behind me. I spun around to see Tom Paris. "Mind telling me what's going on, Christy?" he asked with genuine concern.
"Tom, I just want to go home, to be home…"
"And so does the other 150 people on this ship… to tell you the truth, I wouldn't mind seeing my Dad again, even if it meant I would be put back into jail," Tom interrupted.
"I know, it's just that lately, I've been more…"
Tom cut in again. "Homesick than usual?" he finished.
I nodded, slowly wiping away the remnants of my tears. I felt foolish sitting here crying like a baby. "It's been rough, but, I… I don't know."
He smiled. "Hey, it's ok. Why don't we round up Harry and we can go have a nostalgia fest… I'm sure he misses his parents just as much as you do. After all, there are no spatial anomalies to fight, no aliens to encounter, time can just tick away."
His smile had that contagious flare, and gradually I was able to form one too. "Maybe some other time; we can get the entire crew in on it. Right now, if you don't mind, I was going to head to Astrometrics. Perhaps you could join me."
He raised his eyebrows. "What would I do in Astrometrics?"
"You could help me monitor the scans of the region of space we're about to enter," I stated evenly. "Besides, it would give us an opportunity to talk, Tom; and I would be getting some of the work done that I didn't do this morning."
He nodded. "Are you sure you're feeling better?" he questioned.
"Better than ever," I replied. I turned as he led me out of the holodecks.
"So that was your holodeck program? Do you go there often, Christy?"
I nodded. "I go there because it's where I can escape from my homesickness… Sometimes I can almost convince myself that I am home, that I'm really speaking to my Father. It helps, in a little way," I admitted.
Tom scrutinized the situation. "It sure didn't look like you were escaping your homesickness. Christy, you were in tears…" he let his words drop off into an uncomfortable pause. "I know its hard on you- it's hard being the youngest and being thrown into a situation that you could never have possibly imagined. But look how far you've come… as soon as you pass Tuvok's test, you can work shifts on the bridge. You know more than most of the crewmen on board know, and you've never even been to the Academy! Christy you walk through the halls as if you've lived here all your life! You're familiar with every bulkhead, console, and conduit. B'Elanna says that if you took some extra lessons you'd be a fine addition to her engineering team…" he let his voice trail off so his message could sink in. "All I'm saying Christy, is that we'd miss you if you weren't here. You've become an important part of Voyager, of us. We're all your family, as much as you are ours."
I saw the care and concern in his face and it gave me the strength to keep fighting on. "Thanks Tom; I needed that."
The doors to Astrometrics swished open and I began to show him how to do a long-range sweeping scan. "It's very temperamental. You have to make sure that the narrowed frequency beam doesn't deter off its target more than 2.5%. Otherwise, the beam will go into cascade failure and the scan will be faulty. You take this console and do Sect. 43 Gamma, and I'll take Sect. 44 Gamma. We'll go from there. I need to finish scans up to Sect. 79 Gamma…"
Abruptly the Comm system cut me off.
"Janeway to Ensign Anderson. Respond."
I drew in my breath and tapped my Comm badge. "Ensign Anderson here, Captain."
"Christy, report to my Ready Room immediately."
I shook my head in frustration. "On my way."
Tom put his hand on my shoulder. "Hurry up, I'll finish these for you."
I raised my eyebrows. "Tom, that's 36 sections of scans. It will take you hours!" I protested.
Tom smiled. "I guess it's a good thing then that my next shift begins at 11:00 hours tomorrow. Just trust me, I'll have them in your quarters before you even get back," he said as he shoved me out the doors. As I hurried down the corridor to the turbolift, Tom's comforting words came back to me. I had never thought of Voyager as a second family. I remember an old German poem that I had loved as a kid. In there had been a wonderful definition of a family that I struggled to recall. Suddenly I could hear it as my Father read those words, "Eine Familie ist eine Gruppe vieler Leute, die dort sind, Sie zu unterstützen, zum dort Trösten Sie, von Ihnen dort gebraucht zu werden, Ihnen dort zu helfen, dort zu lieben, mit Ihnen dort zu schreien, mit Ihnen dort zu sein… A family is one group of many people who are there to support you, there to comfort you, there to be needed by you, there to help you, there to love, there to cry with you, there to be with you."
Yes, Voyager was a family to me- a family that I had missed to appreciate. For once in my life, instead of thinking of what I had lost, I began to think of what I had gained.
To be continued…