LOSING IT ALL
BY: Ti'kara
CHAPTER 5
Two weeks later we were in the Delta Quadrant. Don't ask me how, it's a very long story. There was this array, and a being called the Caretaker, the Ocampa and some species called the Kazon. Also there was a Federation Starship called Voyager. What with one thing and the other, you know battles and all, the Liberty was destroyed and we ended up on Voyager, stranded. Captain Janeway, Voyager's Captain, destroyed the Array and our only way home, which meant we were also stranded in the Delta Quadrant. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that yet. Anyway here I am, sitting in my new quarters, wondering what the heck is going on. These quarters are a lot bigger than the ones on the Liberty;
I'll say that for them. What in the world am I going to do here? I can't imagine there is much demand for a 15-year old girl on a Starfleet vessel.
Meanwhile, in the Captain's ready room, Janeway and Chakotay were going over the list of his former crew. "Commander, I don't understand this entry. Ishaia Mintaka, 15 years old, female, species Inari. You had a 15 year old in your crew?"
"No," he responded. "We rescued Ishaia from the Cardassians who had illegally seized her ship and killed the crew. She was the only survivor." He proceeded to tell Janeway about how Ishaia came to be on the Liberty.
"Ok, I understand," Janeway sighed. "The question is what are we going to do with a teenager on board?"
"Might I suggest we use her skills." Chakotay replied.
"Use her how? She's only fifteen after all." Janeway was exasperated. How was she supposed to mold this rag, tag group into a team, a crew?
Chakotay explained just how he thought Ishaia might prove useful. Captain Janeway found herself slowly nodding her head. It might just be feasible. That is if this child could control herself and obey orders. From what she remembered of her teenage years she had her doubts. She would talk to Tuvok and get his assessment of the girl and then talk to the girl herself.
After talking to Tuvok, who had merely stated that it was too soon to tell and advised caution, Janeway called Ishaia to her ready room. "Janeway to Ishaia"
"Yes, Captain," I responded, what could the Captain want with me, I wondered.
"Please report to my ready room."
"Yes sir," I replied, "Ummm, how do I get there?"
"There is a layout of the entire ship in the ship's computer." Janeway replied, "if you have any problems ask a crew member."
"Yes, sir."
"And, Ishaia, don't call me sir, I prefer Captain."
"Uh, yes Captain."
I tried looking up the location of the ready room but found I had a problem. It hadn't really hit home until now. I was stranded, more than 70,000 light years from my home. There was no one here like me and I couldn't even read the language. This was too much! Pounding the table with my fist, I said a few choice words under my breath. Finally taking a deep breath I contacted Chakotay.
Chakotay stopped outside Ishaia's quarters, waiting for the computer to notify her he was here. She had sounded very upset. The door opened and he entered the room. "Hi, Ishaia, what can I do for you?" He asked.
"Chakotay…uh…Commander…" I stumbled over what I should call him. Starfleet sounded a lot more like the ADF than the Maquis had.
"We're alone Ishaia, call me Chakotay," he said, "now what's up?"
"Well, it's just that I've realized I'm the only Inari on Voyager or in the Delta Quadrant for that matter."
"There are many of us in the same boat, Ishaia." He acknowledged.
"Yes, I know, but…it's not quite the same. I mean…"
"Spit it out, Ishaia," he said somewhat impatiently.
"What?" I questioned, thoroughly confused. "I don't understand."
Chakotay smiled, "I mean, just say it."
"Oh, well ok, I was trying to look up how to get to the Captain's ready room, and well I found out something. I mean it shouldn't have been a surprise, but somehow it was." I pointed to the screen; "I can't read it."
Chakotay looked at the screen then back at me and slowly nodded his head. "It should have been obvious, but I didn't think of that either. You don't read or speak Federation Standard, or any of the other languages used in the Federation. We'll just have to work up a translation program for the computer so that you can read the screens."
I nodded, "I can learn your language fairly quickly by listening and seeing the pictures in your mind that go with the words. But it doesn't work that way with reading."
"Well, we will just have to teach you. Somehow I don't think lack of time will be a problem. Now where were you headed?"
"Oh no, I nearly forgot, the Captain's waiting on me. I'm supposed to report to her ready room." I said agitatedly.
"Come on," he spoke calmly, "I'll take you."
Entering the bridge, I looked curiously around. The colors were more subdued than the E'shayla and the layout different. To the right of me Tuvok stood at a console and to the left another man stood at a similar console. On a lower level, there were two chairs and below them what looked like the helm. To the right of the helm was another station. Everything faced what I assumed was a viewscreen. Chakotay led me to a door on the second level by Tuvok's station. After a moment the door opened.
I entered the room. Captain Janeway nodded and said, "thank you, Commander, that'll be all." He left. I looked at the woman who now controlled my existence. She wore the same reddish uniform Chakotay had had on, only her insignia was different. I stood at attention, the way Manua had taught me.
"Ishaia Mintaka reporting as ordered, sir…I mean Captain." I said crisply.
"At ease, Ishaia." She smiled. "Why don't we sit over here where we can talk?" The Captain led me to a sofa and suggested I sit down. "Since you're going to be on my ship for a while, I thought it would be nice to get to know each other a little." I nodded, but said nothing. I was too nervous to pry my lips apart. "It must be quite a shock to you to find yourself suddenly in the Delta Quadrant on a Starfleet vessel. How are you adjusting?" She continued.
"Fine, Captain." I bit my tongue again. Why couldn't I say anything? Why was I so tongue-tied? It wasn't as if I'd never been around a Captain before.
Janeway looked at the girl sitting so quietly on her couch. She saw a petite, young girl, well almost a woman actually, with pretty auburn hair and deep sapphire blue eyes. She had a crest of bone from one temple, going around the back of her head to the other temple and wore a simple deep blue jumper. Her eyes were steady with just a hint of nervousness. "Commander Chakotay has told me that you were raised on a starship. Tell me about some of your experiences."
I explained to her about the Alliance and the ADF, their purposes and so on. "And what about school? What did you study?" I answered her questions as best I could, explaining about my life on the E'shayla. "So you must understand about the necessity for discipline and obeying orders aboard a starship?" The Captain questioned.
"Yes, Captain. My mother always said that living on a starship was a privilege, not a right and if you couldn't obey the rules you shouldn't be there." Janeway nodded. She liked everything that she'd heard so far. This girl seemed self-controlled. It was obvious that she understood the rules governing starship life. But, could she control herself in a crisis? That was the real question. There was only one way to tell, and that was to wait and see.
"Very well, Ishaia, I've enjoyed talking to you. That will be all for now." The Captain dismissed me.
"Yes, Captain, thank you." I left the room and headed for the turbolift.
"Ensign Kim to Ishaia Mintaka." I heard a voice over the comm.
"Ishaia here."
"Commander Chakotay wants you to work with me on a translation program for the computer. When would be a good time?"
"Well my schedule isn't exactly bursting, so I guess anytime is fine with me."
"Meet me at the bridge's auxiliary science station at 1500 hours."
"Understood, Ensign. I'll be there." At 1500 hours I entered the bridge, looking for the science station.
"Ensign Kim is over there." Tuvok informed me, motioning to my left.
I nodded, "thank you." Walking over to the science station I saw a young man with black hair. Kind of cute, really. "Ensign Kim?"
He straightened, "Ishaia?" I nodded. "We need to input into the computer the Inari written characters for certain basic concepts; such as, mathematical concepts and basic ideas; such as, sun, moon and stars." I nodded and we bent over the computer concentrating on our task.
We had been working for at least an hour when someone said, "Captain, an unidentified ship is approaching our position at warp four."
"How long before it reaches us?"
"At it's current speed eight minutes, Captain."
"Hail them." Janeway ordered.
"Aye, hailing frequencies open."
"This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager."
"Duvrain of the Iilgead Order. We are curious, as we have never seen a ship of this design before. Where are you from?" He was a very little man, with large tufts of purplish hair sprouting from different places on his head. His nose was long and hooked and he had light lavender skin.
Suddenly, I became aware of a sense of foreboding, of danger. Something was wrong. I let down my shields casting about for the source of the danger and instantly I gasped. "Captain, put up the shields, NOW!" I said as firmly as I could. Captain Janeway glared over at me and shook her head. I ignored her. I knew I was right. "CAPTAIN… NOW… PLEASE…COMMANDER!" The Captain looked at Chakotay who barely nodded his head, yes. "Do it!" She ordered.
"Shields u…" The ship was rocked with weapons fire. I was knocked out of my chair. Ensign Kim helped me back into my seat before heading for his station at Ops.
"Damage report." Snapped the Captain.
"Minimal damage, shields down to 90%," replied Ensign Kim.
"Hail them," the Captain ordered.
"No response," Tuvok reported calmly.
"What do they want?" Janeway mused.
"Voyager," I answered. Captain Janeway frowned at me, "stay out of this Ishaia." Chakotay leaned over and said something into the Captain's ear. She nodded. The ship rocked again and then shied violently. "Battlestations. Charge all weapons systems. Lock onto their weapons systems and fire when ready."
"Firing." Reported Tuvok. "Minimal effect. Their shots however are penetrating our shields without any difficulty." The ship rocked again and a panel exploded.
"Captain…" I exclaimed. But she cut me off.
"Engineering "
"Engineering here, Lt. Carey"
"Divert power from all but essential systems to the shields."
"Captain, that's not going to work." I stated emphatically.
"Get her off my bridge, now! Janeway commanded. Commander Chakotay put a hand on my shoulder and asked me what I meant. I told him. His face looked grim, as he motioned me toward the turbolift. Chakotay walked up to the Captain and leaned close to her ear saying; "they are using self-modulating phasic weapons. The weapons automatically change their frequencies, harmonics, and phase variances to match Voyager's shields. Therefore they cut right through our shields like a knife through butter.
"Ishaia," the Captain said as I was heading to the turbolift. "How do we counteract these weapons?" I closed my eyes, focusing on the other ship.
Slowly I shook my head, "I don't know, Captain. No one is thinking about how to stop the weapons."
"Let me know if you get anything else." Janeway ordered. I grabbed onto a console to keep from falling as the ship quivered with another blow. I forced myself to concentrate on the minds of the Iilgead. It wasn't easy. The ship continued to shake and rock as shot after shot hit home.
Damage and injury reports were coming in from all over the ship. "Evasive action, Beta 7-3, Lieutenant." Lt. Paris brought the starship into a steep dive. "Tuvok, try setting our shields to automatically rotate frequencies, harmonics and phase variances. Keep it random, don't let them have time to respond."
"Aye, Captain."
"Engineering to Bridge."
"Go ahead," answered the first officer.
"We've just lost the warp drive."
"Understood"
"Captain," reported Tuvok. "The new shield rotations are working. The enemy's shots are no longer penetrating the shields. Captain Janeway nodded her head. That was good news anyway.
"Target the weapons system and concentrate all weapons at that location."
"Locked on," Tuvok stated calmly.
"Fire."
"Firing, direct hit. Damage to the primary weapons array." Without warning the Iilgead ship made a graceful arc and sped away from Voyager.
"Now I wonder what that was all about," Janeway muttered.
"With all due respect, Captain, I'd bet Ishaia could tell you if you'd let her." Chakotay spoke softly so no one else would hear. "She has some unique and useful abilities."
"Proceed with the repairs. I want a meeting of the senior officers in one hour," she looked at me, "Ishaia I want you there, also. "Commander, you have the bridge."
"Aye Captain," Chakotay responded.
"Yes Captain," I said.
An hour later I hesitantly approached the conference room by the bridge. I wonder why the Captain wants me here. It's not like I'm a member of the crew. In fact, she thinks I'm just a kid. She wouldn't listen to me but when Chakotay told her the same thing she believed it. I reached the door and stood beside it, eyeing it warily.
"It won't bite you know." I jumped, whirling around to find a blond haired human, the helmsman, standing behind me.
"I know," I said, "I'm just wondering what the Captain wants."
"I don't know, but there is one thing I do know. You won't find out while standing out here." He joked. He stepped in front of the door and it slid open. "After you."
I entered the briefing room, looking around nervously. I saw Chakotay standing near the head of a horseshoe shaped table. Tuvok sat across from him. I didn't recognize any of the other people. I looked over at Chakotay with what must have been a pleading look, because he said, "Over here, Ishaia," motioning to the chair next to him. I walked over and sat down. About that time Ensign Kim walked in. Commander Chakotay introduced me to everyone and then Captain Janeway entered, walking to the head of the table.
"I want a full report on this encounter with the Iilgead. First, Tuvok why didn't the sensors pick up active weapons?" The Captain asked
"I do not know, Captain. There were no weapons signatures when Ishaia insisted we raise the shields. I've checked the sensor logs and there was an energy surge a micosecond before they fired. It does not have a weapons signature."
"Ishaia, do you know?" Asked the Commander.
"How would a child know?" Commented Lt. Carey. Chakotay threw a look at him.
"Yes Ishaia, please explain how you knew the Iilgead were going to fire on us." The Captain questioned.
"Well," I looked tensely about. I didn't really like making reports to a group. Chakotay looked at me and gave me a wink. I smiled, "I sensed danger and so I lowered my shields to see where it was coming from."
Lt. Carey frowned, "You sensed? What is she, a telepath?" I looked at him, surprised. He sounded as though he didn't like telepaths.
"Mmmm, yes, well the Iilgead commander was thinking about how perfect this tactic works. Getting the target ship off guard with gestures of friendship and then taking the ship when it is unprepared. They want new technology but they don't want to take the time to invent and develop it themselves. They attacked us because they saw technology which they didn't have but which they could use. The ability to adjust their weapons to match the targets shield frequencies allows them to capture ships quickly. When Captain Janeway countered that tactic and it became obvious they would have a battle on their hands they broke off the attack. They use hit and run tactics. They try to avoid a prolonged battle if at all possible." I explained.
"Actually, it was Ishaia who told us why the Iilgead's weapons were penetrating the shields. We would have suffered a lot more damage and maybe been boarded if she hadn't made such a quick report of her findings. Does anyone else have anything to report?" She looked around the table, "no? Then dismissed."
"Commander, Ishaia, please wait." Chakotay and I stood aside waiting for the room to clear. I looked up at him.
"What do you think she wants with me?" I whispered.
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure there is nothing wrong." He whispered back.
"Commander, Ishaia, have a seat." Captain Janeway said.
"Captain, I'm sorry I…"
The Captain held up her hand, "there is nothing for you to be sorry about. You had information that was imperative for me to know and you insisted on reporting it one way or another. I admire your persistence. The Commander told me of your coolness under fire and of your telepathic abilities, but when you demonstrated both I was too engrossed in the situation to pay attention.
"Commander Chakotay had a suggestion on how you could help us. After that little demonstration, I find myself agreeing with him. I'd like you to act as an advisor whenever we make first contact. Your telepathic abilities should help prevent surprises like this last one. Also, in any dealings with other species they should help avert misunderstandings. Would you be willing to take that position, Ishaia?" Captain Janeway smiled.
I nodded, "yes, Captain. I'd like to help anyway that I can."
"Good. Commander, I'd like you to set up Ishaia's studies. The basic subjects that she still needs, as well as starting her on academy subjects. Start her with Starfleet regulations."
"Right away, Captain," Commander Chakotay replied, smiling.