sanctuaire17A

SACRED SPIRIT

- Captain, we are near a M class planet

- On screen, Mister Kim.

A little planet appeared.

- Scanner's state?

- The atmosphere on this planet looks like the atmosphere on Earth. I'm detecting a lot of dilithium and many vital signs.

- Take us in a little closer, Mister Paris.

- Aye Captain.

Kathryn Janeway sat in her chair and looked at her first officer with a large smile.

- Our luck is maybe back, Commander!

- Not too soon. I hope that's real.

- What do you want to say?

- Isn't it a little strange that we terribly needed dilithium and this planet seems having a lot of it on the first look?

- This planet looks like ours, I think this perfectly normal, besides…

Suddenly, Voyager made a brutal stop.

- Report!

- Captain, we are caught in an intense gravitational field.

- Janeway to Torres…

- Torres here, Captain, we have lost all the power. The engines don't respond…

- Captain we are calling from the planet.

- On screen.

Nobody saw a little white light surrounding Kathryn.

An aged man appeared on the screen. He's looked human with Indian's features. He wore some ornaments, which confirmed this. Kathryn looked at Chakotay. He was as amazed as she, although it wasn't the first presence of Indians in the Delta Quadrant.

- Strangers, I am Kitchappa, the representative of my People, the Wathchoogats. What do you want from us?

- I am Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager, we are peaceful explorers. We wanted bring toward your planet to meet you when a gravitational field deprive us of all power, we can break free. Does it a protection for your planet?

- Sort of, Captain… I like to explain… Would you come on my planet?

- Sure, with great honor… Janeway to Torres…

- Torres here, Captain…

- Lieutenant, can we take a shuttle for going on this planet?

- I… It's strange Captain…

- What Lieutenant?

- It seems that the shuttles doesn't affect by the lost of the ship's power…

- Can you go to this planet?

- Yes, Captain…

- Thank you, Lieutenant, make ready a shuttle. Janeway out.

- Kitchappa, I can accept your offer. Can I bring some members of my crew?

- Of course, Captain. I'm waiting for you…

At the end of the communication, Kathryn turned toward her security chef.

- Tuvok, you are in charge. I needed two security guards in the away team; Chakotay, Neelix and B'Elanna are with me.

- Fine Captain… We must resolve this situation very soon. We are totally without defense and vulnerable at all hostile move as well as we can't use the teleportation. I recommend you to be very cautious.

- Understood, Tuvok…

The away team landed on the planet.

The atmosphere was heavy, the planet looked like an immense desert without any greenness. The ground was like burned and some death trees showed that this wasn't natural.

Some habitations were there, and Kitchappa and two other men, more young, welcomed them.

- Welcome, Captain Kathryn, they are my two sons, Haddrynn and Jalovuk.

- Nice to meet you. It's my first officer Chakotay, our counselor Neelix, our chief engineer the Lieutenant Torres and two security guards.

- It's well behaved for coming with these peoples.

Kitchappa turned toward Chakotay.

- This tattoo is a tribe's sign, isn't it?

- Yes the tribe of my father, Kolopak.

- I think we have a lot to talk. But come on all in my humble house.

The designation for his house wasn't only by politeness, it was almost empty.

- I can't offer you a lot of things. We are practically dead; we'll come back to the world of the spirit. For me, it was time but for the rest of my tribe…

- Could we help you?

Kathryn forgot for a moment that was her who needed some help. It was something moving in Kitchappa's eyes. He admitted his destiny but was hurt that the rest of his tribe couldn't make the same.

- In the first place, let me tell you the story of the Wathchoogats…

Our planet, Dawa, was magnificent, lot of forest, lake, plain, with a large choice of vegetables and animals. The population was numerous. The peace and the harmony reigned so the respect of the Spirits. But a day, all changed. An unknown ship came. Inside four persons, The Captain Peters, his wife, their daughter Daphnaé and his fiancé Michael. They explained that they had run away of their planet to search a better world. After some months, they asked to stay here. The wise Hooplaj, the chief of the tribe, accepted and the things became complicated. Ricoo, Hooplaj's son and the protect of the Spirits and Daphnaé fell in love. When Michael discovered their union, he became like crazy, he killed Daphnaé. Ricoo asked the parents of Daphnaé the permission to practice the ceremony of liberation of her mind.

We believe than when someone dead, his mind comes free of his body and is transforming in Spirit.

The parents were agreed. Ricoo killed himself and let instructions for the double ceremony of liberation of their minds. Michael hasn't let them loved in their bodies' appearances; they will be joining again in Spirits. But also here, Michael unfastened the plans of Ricoo. He stole the lifeless body of Daphnaé and run away in their ship. We never saw him again. Unfortunate, the soul of Ricoo was inconsolable. And the repercussions began to appear on Dawa. The rain gave up, the sun shined day like night dried up the planet. Bit by bit, the life became more difficult, less food, less water…

And there we are, our reserves are almost empty and we are only twenty persons now.

But few time before you came, I had a vision: Dawa reviving. I think it's a link with you but I don't exactly know how. As well as we don't know what was this field, which immobilize your ship around Dawa.

- Kitchappa, I promise you that we'll made all that you could to help you. We must restore the power of Voyager then we could send you water and food. I think we should go back to our ship. Will you come with us?

- I am too old for this but my sons would certainly come with you. Can the Commander Chakotay stay here?

- Chakotay?

- I liked to, Captain…

- All right, see you soon…

Kathryn came back on Voyager and went immediately in engineering, letting Haddrynn and Jalovuk in the hands of Neelix.

- B'Elanna, what was our state?

- Captain, almost everything is off-line. Warp drive, phasers, transporters, anything that uses a lot of power, is gone for the moment. I'm using everything we've got to keep the main computer up and lifesupport running.

- Have you find an explanation for that?

- The deficiency of dilithium can't explain this. I am not a logical explanation for the moment but I hope to find one very soon.

- I sent you Kim, he could help you. Keep me posted.

- Aye Captain…

Kathryn headed for the bridge and tried to find a solution with the help of Tuvok. After hours of unsuccessful search, the Captain went to his quarters to take some rest.

She took a bath, and sat in her couch. She looked at the planet. This story has profoundly affected her. She had been a scientist long before becoming an officer but since she meets Chakotay, she has opened her mind at the world of spirits. She smiled remembering their first conversation about his spirit guide…

- A bear…

Surprise, Kathryn turned to see who has talk. She saw a young woman.

- Who are you and how are you come in?

- Don't be scared Kathryn, I'm coming friendly.

- How do you know my name?

- I am Daphnaé and I need you…

- Daphnaé? It's impossible; she died a long time ago… I should dream…

- No, Kathryn, it's not a dream. Do you want to know why Voyager is immobilizing here?

- Are you responsible for that?

- In one-way, yes. You are right; I died a long time ago. But not my soul. It keeps on live here and alone. I need you for return on Dawa and recover Ricoo.

- Why don't you make this by yourself?

- When Michael took my body in the ship, my Spirit has tried to fight him for return on Dawa but the ship exploded and created a shield. I was a prisoner of that space since that day.

- I don't see how I can help you…

- He chose you…

- Who?

- My son…

- Your son? Where is he?

- His Spirit is sometimes with me, sometimes elsewhere…

- His Spirit? Does he also die?

- He has never had a body appearance…

- I don't understand!

- When Michael killed me, I was expecting a child from Ricoo.

- Oh my god!

- I was young, seventeen years when we came on Dawa. My father has arranged my marriage with Michael. Michael was like a brother for me, I didn't love him, and I didn't know anything about love. And then, I meet Ricoo. And all has changed. We have living some months of perfect happiness before our separation. He has told me than after the life we could go on with our love but Michael has made a mess. But now, I have a chance to met again Ricoo.

- But how?

- You and Chakotay…

- We are just friends, I don't see how we could help you…

- Among this tribe, a legend exists: to remove a malediction, the same conditions of the moment where it took place, must be recreate and if it doesn't repeat, the malediction disappears. For me, it was the moment before my death. You must take my place and Chakotay the place of Ricoo.

- And what should we do?

- I have said Ricoo that I expected a child from him and we have a rendezvous in our secret place. We have made the Yeha-Noha, a dance for the happiness and the prosperity, and after we have loved each other, bodies and souls…

- What? Chakotay and I are only friends…

- Stop lying to yourself. You love him. You want him, that's simple.

- No, this is not so simple, we can't become lovers: Starfleet, protocol, the crew…

- Excuses… You don't want to help us. But I don't know if my son can accept that, it's him who chose you not me!

- How can I speak to him?

- I don't know…

- I'm here. You can't see me, because I didn't have a body appearance before becoming a Spirit.

- What's your name?

- I don't have a name! My parents hadn't had the time to choose one!

- I'm sorry! But I can't make that you want me to do…

- No, you don't want to make it! Unfortunate, I can't do anything for the gravitational field like you called it. If you don't listen your heart, we all died with Dawa. You have the choice. But, be careful, if you act only for save your crew, that didn't work…

Suddenly, Kathryn was alone in her quarters. She thought she has not the choice but she must keep away the outlive of her crew and act with her heart. Somewhere, it shouldn't be too difficult to do!

Oh yes, she could admit now, she loved Chakotay. With a deep and mature love. On the first contact, he has attracted her, but she has pushed away this feeling, considering it like a physical attraction. Who could blame her? But after New Earth, her feelings were become deeper. And maybe, if they have meet each other at the same age that Daphnaé and Ricoo, they have acted the same way.

- Janeway to Tuvok…

- Tuvok here, Captain

- Tuvok, I need to return on the planet now…

- Aye Captain…

PART II

VIM (27 mai 2001)