"Back through time? How? What's going to happen to Voyager?" Janeway asked. "Voyager will be infected with a disease that kills everyone, you're going to contract it in 48 hours" said Hope. "What's your name?" asked Janeway looking for a better way to address her time traveler. Hope shook her head, "I'm sorry, I can't tell you that, it might change the course of history, but you can call me Laura" she said. "Then how do I know your not lying?" asked Janeway. Hope bit her lip, "You don't, but I think I can still prove it to you" she said. "I mean, the doctor taught me to sing" she made a face. "But I never did like opera, I can draw very well, and I can ice skate, it's kind of like being a ballerina" she said. Janeway's face softened, "A ballerina?" she asked. "Oh yes, I remember, you used to do ballet" said Hope. "How do we contract the disease?" Janeway asked. "Voyager will come in contact with an alien species, you decide to know each other better, while Voyager refuels its dilithium. When you interact with the aliens, one crewmember will bring over a bug. It infects everyone." Hope said. Tears were in her eyes, as she finished. "I don't want you to die!" she said. "I'll get you a room before we encounter these. . .people" said the Captain. Hope wiped her eyes. She looked up, Janeway saw two big brown eyes, looking at her, she knew those eyes. Hope got off the biobed and followed the Captain as she walked out. Hope caught up with her. "You should really thank Q, he did so much for me, he may be annoying, but he has a heart" she said as Janeway gave her a room. Hope went in, leaving Janeway in thought. "Q?" she asked.
Janeway went over to the bridge and to Tuvok. She leaned over his console, "Did you hear about our time traveler?" she asked. "Yes" he said without looking up, "Do you believe her?" she asked. Tuvok looked at his Captain, "There is no reason to believe her yet, although, she does appear to have prior knowledge of what is coming. We are running out of dilithium." he said. "She seems so familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. The hair and the eyes, if she is lying, why Tuvok?" asked Janeway. "It might be an elaborate plan to get access to our data banks, that seems to be the only logical motive" he said. "Logical? Tuvok, time traveling is logical. She said something about Q, he can make time travel possible. I'm betting that she asked him for help" said Janeway. "It is, a possible situation, but we should investigate more, she needs to give us a reason to believe her, proof" he said. Janeway let her head hang, "Very well then," she said and left.
***
Hope sat by herself in the mess hall with her notepad and pencil. She sat scribbling and looking up once in a while. "It's hard to be alone" she said quietly. "You're not" said a voice. Hope looked up, it was Chakotay, she was surprised to see him. "Hello, what are you doing there?" he asked kindly. "Oh it's nothing" she said, but showed him what she was doing, she had drawn a sketch of a wolf. The wolf seemed so real, it was in a howling pose and Chakotay could almost hear it howling to the moon. He handed it back, "It's beautiful" he said. "It's your animal spirit Chakotay" she said. He was a bit surprised, he hadn't told anyone who his animal spirit was. He sat down with her, "Do you want to hear a story?" he asked. Hope's eyes brightened and she seemed to straighten up, a dazzling smile lit her face. "That smile is wonderful" thought Chakotay. "Yes, please!" said Hope. He returned a smile of his own and began, "There was once a wolf that was evil, he caused trouble everywhere. But one day while he was stealing a chicken from a hen house, he was shot. He was in pain and he needed a place to rest. But everywhere he went, everyone denied him a place to rest. Soon, he became worse. His breathing was ragged and he knew his end was near. He collapsed on the side of the road. The next day, a man was walking down the road and spotted the wolf, feeling sympathy, he took the wolf in and cared for him. When the wolf awoke and found out about what happened, he promised that he would never misbehave. He swore to be forever loyal to the man who took him in and nursed him back to health" Chakotay finished. "That was very nice" said Hope. "Janeway to Laura, we're approaching a ship" Hope patted her commbadge, "Laura here, coming" she said. She and Chakotay left for the bridge.
"There is a ship within 50 kilometers" said Tuvok as Chakotay and Hope entered the bridge. "Don't hail them, or they'll push you into meeting them, they have strong religious beliefs, we can put them off without having them suspiscious" she said. "Meeting, now" said Janeway and she left for the conference room. The seinor officers followed.
In the conference room, Hope spoke, "The yammari have strong religious beliefs, every yammari community has a prophettess, I can be your prophettess and save you" she said. Janeway put a hand to her chin, "my gut tells me your not lying" she said. "Thank you so much" said Hope. Janeway turned the viewscreen on, the Yaamari appeared, "Captain Janeway, we greet you, the Yaamari wish to meet you at our station. Our prophettess says that in one hour, the planets will favor our trip" he said. Hope stepped in, "Yaamari, I am the prophettess of Voyager. Every person has a line, a species, a circle. I see the lines of these people and yours connecting with the Guru." she said. "Guru?" said the Yaamari horrified, "the Guru must never be permitted to leave this place, perhaps we shall meet another time" he said and blipped out. Jaenway turned to Hope, "Guru?" she asked. "Only a prophettess would know the name the bug that kills" she said with a smile.
Hope stood up. . .
To be continued
