Warp Power Studios and Theaters Presents
A J. Michael Shearer Production:
Voyager/Sonic the Hedgehog: Strange Help, Chapter Two
Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters, ect. copyright SEGA, Archie Comics and Dic Entertainment
Star Trek: Voyager copyright Paramount
Last time on Star Trek: Voyager:
"I'm getting something, Captain," Torres explained, "but the readings aren't making any sense. That ship appears to be Federation, Klingon, Romulan and Borg all at the same time."
"What do you mean by `post,'?" Janeway asked. "Earlier, you referred to a `PL drive.' Perhaps you could explain the two?"
"Oh. Of course," Shamus said. "Up until about three hundred years ago, all starships used standard warp drives, like yours. Then, the Borg invaded what was Federation space and nearly destroyed the whole Federation. Just as the Borg were about to finish off the Starfleet force, the whole collective collapsed. When it did, it took the old Klingon and Romulan empires with it."
"And what's really amazing is that it seemed to run on a theme of white and clear crystal, too," Shamus said. "I had a scanner with me. Picked up diamond down one corridor, amethyst down another, even found an untapped vein of relatively pure dilihium down there."
"A holographic moogle and an android hedgehog?" Tuvok asked. "This is an unusual planet, indeed."
"Hey, Cap!" Sonic the Hedgehog greeted his friend. "These the people that want to see the mine?"
"Would you look at this," Janeway said as she approached a large crystal embedded in the wall. "This is one of the biggest I've ever seen. What is it?"
"That," Shamus answered, "is one of the smaller diamonds in the mine. Only a hundred and fifty karats."
"Very interesting," Neelix said in awe when the schematics came up on the screen.
"It has been, so far," Shamus said. "I've cobbled it all together from spare parts from the big city on the planet."
"I've got a lock on your mobile emitter, Doc," Shamus said, as he entered the proper commands at the transporter control console. "Whenever you're ready."
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, I guess," the Doctor said.
"Energizing," Shamus said. A transparent blue energy field in the shape of an inverted, four-sided pyramid surrounded the Doctor and he vanished off Voyager's bridge. At the same moment, a similar effect occurred on the transporter stage on the Midnight Star's bridge, with a brighter, light blue concentration where the Doctor's emitter materialized and reactivated. Torres approached and scanned him with a tricorder.
"We've got about half a dozen flying craft from the planet on out tails," Chakotay explained. Suddenly, the shuttle was jolted forward as it was hit by a lazer weapon from behind.
"We're hit!" Pairs reported. "Shields at maximum. The impulse engine's been damaged. We won't crash, but we can't gain altitude either."
"Robotnik captured your lab last week," Sally explained. "The Swatbots are still there trying to access the computer core."
And now, Part Two
Voyager's remaining officers, Shamus, and the Mobians aboard Voyager were in the briefing room discussing the rescue of the away team. They had agreed that the only course of action was going in with shuttles to retrieve the crew, though Janeway still wanted other options.
"Are you sure we can't beam them out?" Janeway asked.
"I developed my transporter system in that lab, captain," Shamus said. "The interior is lined with minerals that would refract the beam instantly. I didn't realize it myself until I tested the system outside the lab."
"A direct assault would be difficult against automatic defenses such as the ones at this site," Tuvok said.
"Robotnik's not big on security," Sonic explained. "At least, not at first."
"Yes," Sally agreed. "Getting in will be no problem. Getting back out will be the trick because there will be at least double the guards waiting."
"Not if they're still trying to break into the computer core," Shamus said. "If they haven't made it yet, the old codes should still work."
"And you still know all the old codes?" Torres asked.
"Still have them memorized," Shamus said. "Robotnik programs his robots to work from a network. Shut down the network in the lab and the `bots go with it."
"Temporarily, anyway," Sally added.
"How long will we have?" Janeway asked.
"About five minutes, unless we shut down the core itself," Sally answered.
"We'll need the core online to shut off the forcefields in the holding bays," Shamus said.
"What's in the holding bays?" Torres asked.
"Most likely the hostages," Shamus answered. "And whatever spare parts we need."
"How can you still think of getting spare parts at a time like this?" Torres asked.
"It makes good sense," Tuvok said. "Since we will have the opportunity to retrieve some materials for Voyager's upkeep, we should make use of it."
"Plus," Sonic said, "it'll make things more difficult for Mr. Rubbergut down there to keep control of things."
"When do we go?" Torres asked.
"How does half an hour sound?" Shamus asked.
"Agreed," Janeway said. "Let's go get ready. Dismissed."
Meanwhile, Paris, Chakotay and Neelix were busy plotting a way to escape from their cell. Paris had removed the cover from a control panel inside the forcefield.
"Well, it looks like we could short circuit the field," Paris said. "The only problem is that whoever did it would get a good jolt from it."
"We can't contact Voyager without communicators," Chakotay commented. "And they probably couldn't beam us out anyway, because of the security field."
"The question is getting out of here," Paris said. "I think I saw one of the security bots put our communicators and equipment in one of the compartments across the room from us."
"I think I hear someone coming," Neelix commented. A few seconds later, Snively approached the cell and stared at its occupants for a few seconds.
"You, with the funny hair," Snively said as he lowered the forcefield to let two Swatbots in. "Doctor Robotnik wants to talk to you."
"Hold on a minute. I'm their senior officer," Chakotay said as the robots took Neelix by the arms.
"That's what I said, too, but he never listens," Snively replied. "Robotnik wants this one first. I'll be back for you later."
"Now what are we going to do?" Paris asked once Snively had put the forcefield back in place and left with the `bots escorting Neelix.
"We find a way out and then rescue Neelix," Chakotay answered.
Fifteen minutes later, the shuttle with the rescue mission was about to land. The team, comprised of Shamus, Janeway, Tuvok, Sonic and Sally, thought they would have a quick and easy mission ahead of them.
"OK, let's go over the plan once more before we land," Shamus said. "I'll be providing the clearance codes and leading the way to the hostages."
"Distracting the guards will be no prob," Sonic said.
"Don't forget who's helping you," Sally reminded him.
"Tuvok and I will provide cover for Shamus while he's disabling the robotics and the forcefield and then help Chakotay, Paris, and Neelix if they need medical attention," Janeway said.
"Right," Shamus said. "Sounds like we're all clear."
"Is there anything else we should be prepared for?" Tuvok asked.
"Well, just be expecting to run into more `bots the closer to the shuttles we get," Shamus said. "I think we can get back out in under five minutes, but it'll be close."
"Is everyone ready?" Janeway asked. Everyone agreed.
"Taking us in," Shamus said, as he turned to the helm controls behind his chair. A few minutes later, the shuttle landed and the crew began its mission. Sonic and Sally had little trouble drawing the guards away from the entrance so that Shamus, Tuvok, and Janeway could enter the lab.
Along the way to the holding bays, they encountered little resistance, as was expected. When they arrived, Chakotay and Paris were relieved to see Janeway and Tuvok, who approached the cell while Shamus went to the main control panel near the storage bins.
"Boy, are we relieved to see you," Paris said.
"Thank you," Tuvok said. "Please keep your voices down."
"Where's Neelix?" Janeway asked.
"A short bald man came here with some security bots and took him to see somebody called Doctor Robotnik," Chakotay explained.
"Shamus?" Janeway asked as she looked over her shoulder.
"The local dictator," Shamus explained. "If we're lucky, he hasn't gotten around to interrogating Neelix yet. I've just about got the forcefields down."
"Good," Janeway said.
"How long ago was this?" Tuvok asked.
"Ten minutes ago at the most," Paris said. A second later, the forcefields came down and an alarm went off.
"Forcefields are down," Shamus said as he quickly found the equipment that had been taken from Chakotay, Neelix, and Paris. "I'm about to bring down the security network. Once I do, we'll have five minutes to get out."
"Do it," Janeway ordered. "Let's go, people. Shamus, you'll have to tell us where this Robotnik fellow might have taken Neelix on the way out."
On the way, Shamus outlined what he knew of Robotnik's interrogation procedures. Resistance was light for quite some time, but as the group neared the entrance, the groups of security bots grew from two to three and then four and up and also became more coordinated.
"We'd better get out soon," Paris said. "I don't know how much more of this we can handle."
"The entrance is just down this corridor, about thirty yards ahead," Shamus said. "If we just run for it, we should be out before any more bots show up."
"Let's go!" Janeway said. As the rescue party approached the entrance, they saw four security bots on guard. Shamus took out two while Tuvok and Paris destroyed the others. A minute later, they were all back aboard the shuttle. Chakotay and Paris started a launch sequence while Shamus took the transporter station and began scanning for Sonic and Sally.
"We're up," Chakotay said.
"Setting a course for Robotropolis," Paris said.
"I've got a lock on Sonic and Sally," Shamus said. "Energizing."
"Janeway to Voyager," Janeway said once everyone was aboard. "We've got Chakotay and Paris, but we need to find Neelix. We're going after him now."
Meanwhile, in the central building of Robotropolis, Robotnik had begun interrogating Neelix in one of the cells. Although Neelix was holding out, he was beginning to weaken.
"I'm telling you I don't know any of Voyager's security codes," Neelix told Robotnik. "But if you want a recipe for leola root stew, I'd be glad to share."
"You are an annoying little man," Robotnik said. "If you don't stop stalling and tell me what you know about this Voyager, I'll have you roboticized."
"Even though I don't know what you're talking about, I can tell you that I'm not stalling," Neelix said. "All I really know about Voyager is that it's an Intrepid class starship with a crew of about a hundred that's lost in the Delta Quadrant."
"Aurg!" Robotnik shouted in frustration, slamming his robotic fist into a nearby console. "Ready the roboticizer, Snively. Let me know before you begin the procedure."
"Yes, sir," Snively said nervously, as his master turned to leave the room.
"And do be quick about it," Robotnik said as he left the room.
Back in the shuttle, Sonic and Sally were telling the Voyager crew about where Robotnik usually liked to handle his interrogations. The most common choices were the main holding cells and the roboticizer room, both in the central complex of Robotropolis.
"His favorite is the roboticizer room," Sally said. "That's where we're most likely to find your missing person."
"Knowing the good doctor, he probably already has Neelix in the roboticizer, which means we can't beam him out without killing him," Shamus said.
"If I understand correctly," Chakotay said, "the roboticizer is the device that alters the atomic structure of flesh into metal."
"Right," Sonic said.
"So, why can't we beam Neelix out?" Paris asked.
"The roboticizer works on a principle similar to the transporter," Shamus explained. "If we tried to beam your friend out, it would activate the roboticizer sequence. So, even if we managed to get the physical part of him back, pulling him out of the sequence that quickly would more than likely cause neurological damage serious enough to kill him."
"Which means we'll have to go in after Neelix ourselves," Janeway said. "Can we beam directly to his location?"
"I think so," Shamus said. "Transporters didn't exist here until I unintentionally brought them, so there's no shielding against them."
"Here's the plan, then," Janeway said. "Chakotay, Mr. O'Reiley and myself will beam in and try to negotiate for Neelix."
"Negotiation doesn't work on Robotnik, captain," Sally said.
"She's right. I've tried it, and it's only worked once," Shamus said. "And that's only because he thought I could be trusted, as another human."
"We'll fight if we have to," Janeway responded. "But only if we have to."
"We should be close enough to get an accurate lock on the coordinates you want," Paris said. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Absolutely," Janeway answered as she stepped onto the trasnporter pad.
"I hope you're right," Shamus said as he and Chakotay took the remaining spaces on the transporter pad.
"Since it would seem that we can not dissuade you," Tuvok said, "good luck."
"Thanks," Janeway responded. "Energize."
When the rescue party materialized in the roboticizer room, the situation was much as Shamus had predicted. Neelix was in the roboticizer chamber and Robotnik was seconds away from having Snively activate it.
"This is your last chance to talk before the end of your natural life," Robotnik threatened. "Which will it be?"
"I keep telling you," Neelix said. "I don't have the answers you want."
"Push the button, Snively," Robotnik ordered.
"Or not," Shamus said when he materialized with his disruptor drawn. "Unless, of course, you want to be killed."
"What?!" Robotnik exclaimed. "How did you get here?"
"That's a surprise we might be willing to share," Janeway replied. "All you have to do is give us our crewmember back."
"An interesting proposal," Robotnik said. "And if I don't?"
"For starters, this," Shamus said as he adjusted his aim from Snively to the roboticizer control panel and fired.
"We'd much rather not have to resort to further violence," Chakotay said after the panel stopped shorting out. "But we will if we have to."
"I think not," Robotnik responded coolly. "Swatbots!"
Almost instantly, five Swatbots entered the room and tried to capture Janeway, Chakotay and Shamus. Resistance was almost effortless for the rescuers, and in less than two minutes, Robotnik and Snively were cornered themselves, in separate areas of the room.
"All we want is our friend Neelix," Chakotay said.
"That would be easier if your other companion hadn't destroyed the controls," Robotnik responded. "And I'm not about to show you where the emergency override is."
"He'll suffocate if you don't," Janeway said. "Doesn't that matter to you?"
"Not really," Robotnik answered as he pushed past Janeway and Chakotay. "Now come, Snively."
Snively's rout was blocked by Shamus until Robotnik left the room. As he let Snively pass, Shamus stopped him one more time by asking where the override was.
"I won't tell you," Snively said. "You'll never find it in time."
"Let me put it another way," Shamus said. "Will anything we do to you be as bad as what Old Roundy has planned for you? After all, you practically let us rescue the other two hostages."
"Good point," Snively responded. "It's the third green button in the middle row on the panel in front of you."
"Thank you," Janeway said as Shamus pressed the appropriate button to release Neelix.
"And one more thing," Shamus said to Snively, who was on his way out.
"Yes?" Snively asked as he turned around. Shamus raised his weapon and fired, knocking Snively a few yards down the passage.
"Why did you do that?" Janeway asked angrily. "He helped us!"
"It was for his own good, really," Shamus said. "I'm not really fond of having to stun him like that every time he helps me, but it's better that he be sent to the infirmary with a disruptor burn than the handful of bruises and broken bones that Robotnik would have given him."
"That was stun?" Chakotay asked. "How do you know you didn't kill him instead?"
"This weapon is designed so that the stun setting is like being hit in the chest with a log," Shamus explained. "It knocks the wind out of the target. Snively's just light enough that the shock tends to throw him around a bit."
"Shouldn't we be getting back to the ship?" Neelix asked as he approached the group.
"I suppose you're right," Janeway said. "Neelix, you and Shamus go back on the shuttle that brought us here. Chakotay and I will be beaming to the other two shuttles to beam them back."
"Aye, sir," Neelix responded.
"And Mr. O'Reiley," Janeway said before he and Neelix beamed to Paris's shuttle. "I want to see you in my readyroom when we get back."
"Certainly, captain," Shamus said. "But may I remove the parts I need from these machines before we go?"
"Just be aboard Voyager in about an hour," Janeway told him. "Janeway to Tuvok, beam Chakotay and myself to the shuttles we left at Mr. O'Reiley's lab."
After Janeway and Chakotay had beamed out, Neelix asked Paris and the others to head back to Voyager without Shamus and himself, as they would beam up later with several pieces of equipment. In the forty-five minutes that followed, Shamus and Neelix managed to remove three sets of quantum capacitors and several other key components from the roboticizer. When they beamed back to Voyager, Shamus first beamed his new supplies to his ship and then headed to the captain's office.
"If you were a member of my crew, I'd have you confined to quarters for the rest of the trip home," Janeway said. "In fact, I'm tempted to do it even though you're not a member of the crew."
"I know you don't approve of what I've done here, captain," Shamus responded. "Some of it's given me a very guilty conscience, but I know you'd have done the same things I have."
"You don't look like a man who feels guilty," Janeway said. "But then, I suppose that's a common appearance for a thief and a murderer like yourself."
"Stunning Snively is one of the hardest things I have to do, captain. Threatening to kill him was even harder," Shamus told her. "But that's the way things have to work down there. And as for stealing the parts I need, I can't say I'm particularly fond of it myself, but these things aren't exactly handed over or traded for."
"I'd tell Starfleet about all of this, but I'm not sure what to say," Janeway commented.
"I'm as confused about this as you are," Shamus said. "How did a ship from a thousand years in the past wind up here?"
"Exactly," Janeway said. "I can't tell them that I interfered with a culture a thousand years from now. It just wouldn't make any sense."
"How about just having your logs say that you stopped here for food?" suggested Shamus.
"I could, but sensor logs would also show that there were several instances of us beaming to points in open space as well," Janeway replied. "And then there's the matter of your beaming Seven to sickbay with the transporter system aboard your ship."
"Well, I could use an extra pair of hands on repairing my transporter system," Shamus said. "Could you spare the time? Perhaps it would help you come up with an answer."
"Sounds like a plan," Janeway said. She told Chakotay her plan as she crossed the bridge with Shamus. On the way to the transporter room, the Doctor caught up with the two captains and began pestering Shamus about not coming by sickbay to follow up on the earlier appointment.
"Uh, listen, I'm sorry, Doc," Shamus said. "Things have been a little hectic the past day or so. How's about I have Illusion beam me back over once I get my transporter system repaired?"
"That will have to do," the Doctor said. "Or better yet, how about you beam me back over to your ship and make a copy of my program to take with you? After all, you did say something about that, and the process could come in quite handy."
"You're quite right, Doctor," Janeway agreed. "Why don't you come with us, and Mr. O'Reiley can show us how to copy your program?"
"OK," Shamus agreed.
A few hours later, the transporter was repaired and ready to be tested. Shamus had also thought of something Janeway could tell her superiors when she got back to Federation space.
"Why not tell them that this was a Mobian ship?" Shamus suggested. "After all, it is, in a technical sense at least."
"True," Janeway agreed. "But how do I explain the fact that the captain was human?"
"Well," Shamus began, "you could tell them that I was an Overlander. They're humans and part of the native population."
"Really?" Janeway asked. "How could a human civilization develop alongside a civilization of anthropomorphic animals?"
"Chances are it didn't," Shamus answered. "There are rumors of several shiploads of humans that left Earth during the Borg invasion and were never heard from again. Most people think the Borg got them in the end, but since I've been here, I've come to have doubts about that. After three centuries, I would think that they'd count as a native population."
"Good point. I think I'll use it," Janeway said. "Now about testing this transporter system again."
"Who or what do we use?" Shamus asked.
"Well," Janeway said, "we've got full supplies of food and dilithium. Your ship seems in good repair. The truth is, I'd regret not having at least tried a transporter system that does what B'Elana says what yours does."
"Sounds like a plan," Shamus said. "But isn't there something your doctor wanted to talk to me about before you all left? I think it would be best if we beamed him back first this time, too."
"I think that's the reason he came over here with us," Janeway said. "He must have gone someplace with Illusion. They seemed to be having a discussion of some sort along the way."
"I think we should get ahold of them," Shamus said. "I wouldn't want to delay you from your long trip home any more than I already have."
"It's been no trouble at all, Mr. O'Reiley," Janeway told him. "It's actually been quite informative."
"Well, thank you, captain," Shamus said.
"You're very welcome," Janeway replied. "I'll get ahold of the Doctor."
Meanwhile, Illusion and the Doctor were on their way back to the Midnight Star's bridge after a tour of the ship. The Doctor was questioning Illusion about why he didn't seem to have a mobile emitter in spite of the thousand-year gap between them.
"Actually, I'm more mobile than you may think," Illusion said. "Shamus has a special handunit set up for when he needs my help. I can work anywhere within four hundred meters of it."
"But doesn't that seem restrictive sometimes?" the Doctor asked. "I'm sure there are times when you'd like to be able to move entirely on your own."
"It is at times," Illusion responded. "But most of the time it's not so bad. After all, the entire ship has holoemitters and there's little reason for me to be elsewhere."
"You could at least consider asking your captain to make a mobile emitter like mine for you," the Doctor commented.
"I'll give it some thought," Illusion said. Just then, Janeway called the Doctor and asked him to come to the bridge. When he and Illusion got there, Shamus explained his plan and then asked what the Doctor had wanted to tell him.
"Ah, yes. Your exercise program," the Doctor said. "I've prescribed a cardiovascular exercise program and a vitamin supplement, but I seem to have left the pad with the specifics in Voyager's sickbay. May I access it from here?"
"By all means," Shamus said, indicating the center control console. A few seconds later, the Doctor had downloaded his recommendations for Shamus to the Midnight Star's computer.
"If you follow these regularly, you'll be in better health before you know it," the Doctor said.
"Thanks, Doc," Shamus said. "Now, to contact Voyager and tell them we're ready to go."
"Right," Janeway agreed, tapping her communicator. "Janeway to Voyager, we're ready to begin the test."
"Whenever you're ready," Chakotay responded. A few seconds later, the Doctor had been beamed back successfully and the Midnight Star's transporter system read normal and fully intact. Shortly thereafter Janeway had been beamed back to Voyager as well. When the second transport was complete, Shamus stepped from the transporter controls to the center console and contacted Voyager to thank them one last time.
"Just wanted to thank you all one last time," Shamus told Voyager's bridge crew when they came on the viewscreen.
"Thank you, as well, Captain O'Reiley," Janeway said. "It was certainly a pleasure meeting you."
"And the crew needed a break from the ordinary, too," Chakotay said.
"So, where will you go from here?" Shamus asked.
"We'll resume our course for Earth," Janeway said. "What will you do now?"
"Well, I've still got the post-light drive to finish, and then I'll be headed for Earth myself, I suppose," Shamus said. "But that'll be a couple more years, at least. I look forward to reading about you in the history books when I get there."
"Good luck," Chakotay said.
"You too," Shamus said. "Midnight Star out."
A few minutes later, Voyager resumed its course for Earth and Shamus had returned to work on his ship's engines.
The End
This has been a Warp Power Studios and Theaters presentation.
All Star Trek related characters and indicita copyright Paramount.
All Sonic the Hedgehog material copyright SEGA, DIC and Archie Comics.
Thank you for reading.
A J. Michael Shearer Production:
Voyager/Sonic the Hedgehog: Strange Help, Chapter Two
Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters, ect. copyright SEGA, Archie Comics and Dic Entertainment
Star Trek: Voyager copyright Paramount
Last time on Star Trek: Voyager:
"I'm getting something, Captain," Torres explained, "but the readings aren't making any sense. That ship appears to be Federation, Klingon, Romulan and Borg all at the same time."
"What do you mean by `post,'?" Janeway asked. "Earlier, you referred to a `PL drive.' Perhaps you could explain the two?"
"Oh. Of course," Shamus said. "Up until about three hundred years ago, all starships used standard warp drives, like yours. Then, the Borg invaded what was Federation space and nearly destroyed the whole Federation. Just as the Borg were about to finish off the Starfleet force, the whole collective collapsed. When it did, it took the old Klingon and Romulan empires with it."
"And what's really amazing is that it seemed to run on a theme of white and clear crystal, too," Shamus said. "I had a scanner with me. Picked up diamond down one corridor, amethyst down another, even found an untapped vein of relatively pure dilihium down there."
"A holographic moogle and an android hedgehog?" Tuvok asked. "This is an unusual planet, indeed."
"Hey, Cap!" Sonic the Hedgehog greeted his friend. "These the people that want to see the mine?"
"Would you look at this," Janeway said as she approached a large crystal embedded in the wall. "This is one of the biggest I've ever seen. What is it?"
"That," Shamus answered, "is one of the smaller diamonds in the mine. Only a hundred and fifty karats."
"Very interesting," Neelix said in awe when the schematics came up on the screen.
"It has been, so far," Shamus said. "I've cobbled it all together from spare parts from the big city on the planet."
"I've got a lock on your mobile emitter, Doc," Shamus said, as he entered the proper commands at the transporter control console. "Whenever you're ready."
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, I guess," the Doctor said.
"Energizing," Shamus said. A transparent blue energy field in the shape of an inverted, four-sided pyramid surrounded the Doctor and he vanished off Voyager's bridge. At the same moment, a similar effect occurred on the transporter stage on the Midnight Star's bridge, with a brighter, light blue concentration where the Doctor's emitter materialized and reactivated. Torres approached and scanned him with a tricorder.
"We've got about half a dozen flying craft from the planet on out tails," Chakotay explained. Suddenly, the shuttle was jolted forward as it was hit by a lazer weapon from behind.
"We're hit!" Pairs reported. "Shields at maximum. The impulse engine's been damaged. We won't crash, but we can't gain altitude either."
"Robotnik captured your lab last week," Sally explained. "The Swatbots are still there trying to access the computer core."
And now, Part Two
Voyager's remaining officers, Shamus, and the Mobians aboard Voyager were in the briefing room discussing the rescue of the away team. They had agreed that the only course of action was going in with shuttles to retrieve the crew, though Janeway still wanted other options.
"Are you sure we can't beam them out?" Janeway asked.
"I developed my transporter system in that lab, captain," Shamus said. "The interior is lined with minerals that would refract the beam instantly. I didn't realize it myself until I tested the system outside the lab."
"A direct assault would be difficult against automatic defenses such as the ones at this site," Tuvok said.
"Robotnik's not big on security," Sonic explained. "At least, not at first."
"Yes," Sally agreed. "Getting in will be no problem. Getting back out will be the trick because there will be at least double the guards waiting."
"Not if they're still trying to break into the computer core," Shamus said. "If they haven't made it yet, the old codes should still work."
"And you still know all the old codes?" Torres asked.
"Still have them memorized," Shamus said. "Robotnik programs his robots to work from a network. Shut down the network in the lab and the `bots go with it."
"Temporarily, anyway," Sally added.
"How long will we have?" Janeway asked.
"About five minutes, unless we shut down the core itself," Sally answered.
"We'll need the core online to shut off the forcefields in the holding bays," Shamus said.
"What's in the holding bays?" Torres asked.
"Most likely the hostages," Shamus answered. "And whatever spare parts we need."
"How can you still think of getting spare parts at a time like this?" Torres asked.
"It makes good sense," Tuvok said. "Since we will have the opportunity to retrieve some materials for Voyager's upkeep, we should make use of it."
"Plus," Sonic said, "it'll make things more difficult for Mr. Rubbergut down there to keep control of things."
"When do we go?" Torres asked.
"How does half an hour sound?" Shamus asked.
"Agreed," Janeway said. "Let's go get ready. Dismissed."
Meanwhile, Paris, Chakotay and Neelix were busy plotting a way to escape from their cell. Paris had removed the cover from a control panel inside the forcefield.
"Well, it looks like we could short circuit the field," Paris said. "The only problem is that whoever did it would get a good jolt from it."
"We can't contact Voyager without communicators," Chakotay commented. "And they probably couldn't beam us out anyway, because of the security field."
"The question is getting out of here," Paris said. "I think I saw one of the security bots put our communicators and equipment in one of the compartments across the room from us."
"I think I hear someone coming," Neelix commented. A few seconds later, Snively approached the cell and stared at its occupants for a few seconds.
"You, with the funny hair," Snively said as he lowered the forcefield to let two Swatbots in. "Doctor Robotnik wants to talk to you."
"Hold on a minute. I'm their senior officer," Chakotay said as the robots took Neelix by the arms.
"That's what I said, too, but he never listens," Snively replied. "Robotnik wants this one first. I'll be back for you later."
"Now what are we going to do?" Paris asked once Snively had put the forcefield back in place and left with the `bots escorting Neelix.
"We find a way out and then rescue Neelix," Chakotay answered.
Fifteen minutes later, the shuttle with the rescue mission was about to land. The team, comprised of Shamus, Janeway, Tuvok, Sonic and Sally, thought they would have a quick and easy mission ahead of them.
"OK, let's go over the plan once more before we land," Shamus said. "I'll be providing the clearance codes and leading the way to the hostages."
"Distracting the guards will be no prob," Sonic said.
"Don't forget who's helping you," Sally reminded him.
"Tuvok and I will provide cover for Shamus while he's disabling the robotics and the forcefield and then help Chakotay, Paris, and Neelix if they need medical attention," Janeway said.
"Right," Shamus said. "Sounds like we're all clear."
"Is there anything else we should be prepared for?" Tuvok asked.
"Well, just be expecting to run into more `bots the closer to the shuttles we get," Shamus said. "I think we can get back out in under five minutes, but it'll be close."
"Is everyone ready?" Janeway asked. Everyone agreed.
"Taking us in," Shamus said, as he turned to the helm controls behind his chair. A few minutes later, the shuttle landed and the crew began its mission. Sonic and Sally had little trouble drawing the guards away from the entrance so that Shamus, Tuvok, and Janeway could enter the lab.
Along the way to the holding bays, they encountered little resistance, as was expected. When they arrived, Chakotay and Paris were relieved to see Janeway and Tuvok, who approached the cell while Shamus went to the main control panel near the storage bins.
"Boy, are we relieved to see you," Paris said.
"Thank you," Tuvok said. "Please keep your voices down."
"Where's Neelix?" Janeway asked.
"A short bald man came here with some security bots and took him to see somebody called Doctor Robotnik," Chakotay explained.
"Shamus?" Janeway asked as she looked over her shoulder.
"The local dictator," Shamus explained. "If we're lucky, he hasn't gotten around to interrogating Neelix yet. I've just about got the forcefields down."
"Good," Janeway said.
"How long ago was this?" Tuvok asked.
"Ten minutes ago at the most," Paris said. A second later, the forcefields came down and an alarm went off.
"Forcefields are down," Shamus said as he quickly found the equipment that had been taken from Chakotay, Neelix, and Paris. "I'm about to bring down the security network. Once I do, we'll have five minutes to get out."
"Do it," Janeway ordered. "Let's go, people. Shamus, you'll have to tell us where this Robotnik fellow might have taken Neelix on the way out."
On the way, Shamus outlined what he knew of Robotnik's interrogation procedures. Resistance was light for quite some time, but as the group neared the entrance, the groups of security bots grew from two to three and then four and up and also became more coordinated.
"We'd better get out soon," Paris said. "I don't know how much more of this we can handle."
"The entrance is just down this corridor, about thirty yards ahead," Shamus said. "If we just run for it, we should be out before any more bots show up."
"Let's go!" Janeway said. As the rescue party approached the entrance, they saw four security bots on guard. Shamus took out two while Tuvok and Paris destroyed the others. A minute later, they were all back aboard the shuttle. Chakotay and Paris started a launch sequence while Shamus took the transporter station and began scanning for Sonic and Sally.
"We're up," Chakotay said.
"Setting a course for Robotropolis," Paris said.
"I've got a lock on Sonic and Sally," Shamus said. "Energizing."
"Janeway to Voyager," Janeway said once everyone was aboard. "We've got Chakotay and Paris, but we need to find Neelix. We're going after him now."
Meanwhile, in the central building of Robotropolis, Robotnik had begun interrogating Neelix in one of the cells. Although Neelix was holding out, he was beginning to weaken.
"I'm telling you I don't know any of Voyager's security codes," Neelix told Robotnik. "But if you want a recipe for leola root stew, I'd be glad to share."
"You are an annoying little man," Robotnik said. "If you don't stop stalling and tell me what you know about this Voyager, I'll have you roboticized."
"Even though I don't know what you're talking about, I can tell you that I'm not stalling," Neelix said. "All I really know about Voyager is that it's an Intrepid class starship with a crew of about a hundred that's lost in the Delta Quadrant."
"Aurg!" Robotnik shouted in frustration, slamming his robotic fist into a nearby console. "Ready the roboticizer, Snively. Let me know before you begin the procedure."
"Yes, sir," Snively said nervously, as his master turned to leave the room.
"And do be quick about it," Robotnik said as he left the room.
Back in the shuttle, Sonic and Sally were telling the Voyager crew about where Robotnik usually liked to handle his interrogations. The most common choices were the main holding cells and the roboticizer room, both in the central complex of Robotropolis.
"His favorite is the roboticizer room," Sally said. "That's where we're most likely to find your missing person."
"Knowing the good doctor, he probably already has Neelix in the roboticizer, which means we can't beam him out without killing him," Shamus said.
"If I understand correctly," Chakotay said, "the roboticizer is the device that alters the atomic structure of flesh into metal."
"Right," Sonic said.
"So, why can't we beam Neelix out?" Paris asked.
"The roboticizer works on a principle similar to the transporter," Shamus explained. "If we tried to beam your friend out, it would activate the roboticizer sequence. So, even if we managed to get the physical part of him back, pulling him out of the sequence that quickly would more than likely cause neurological damage serious enough to kill him."
"Which means we'll have to go in after Neelix ourselves," Janeway said. "Can we beam directly to his location?"
"I think so," Shamus said. "Transporters didn't exist here until I unintentionally brought them, so there's no shielding against them."
"Here's the plan, then," Janeway said. "Chakotay, Mr. O'Reiley and myself will beam in and try to negotiate for Neelix."
"Negotiation doesn't work on Robotnik, captain," Sally said.
"She's right. I've tried it, and it's only worked once," Shamus said. "And that's only because he thought I could be trusted, as another human."
"We'll fight if we have to," Janeway responded. "But only if we have to."
"We should be close enough to get an accurate lock on the coordinates you want," Paris said. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Absolutely," Janeway answered as she stepped onto the trasnporter pad.
"I hope you're right," Shamus said as he and Chakotay took the remaining spaces on the transporter pad.
"Since it would seem that we can not dissuade you," Tuvok said, "good luck."
"Thanks," Janeway responded. "Energize."
When the rescue party materialized in the roboticizer room, the situation was much as Shamus had predicted. Neelix was in the roboticizer chamber and Robotnik was seconds away from having Snively activate it.
"This is your last chance to talk before the end of your natural life," Robotnik threatened. "Which will it be?"
"I keep telling you," Neelix said. "I don't have the answers you want."
"Push the button, Snively," Robotnik ordered.
"Or not," Shamus said when he materialized with his disruptor drawn. "Unless, of course, you want to be killed."
"What?!" Robotnik exclaimed. "How did you get here?"
"That's a surprise we might be willing to share," Janeway replied. "All you have to do is give us our crewmember back."
"An interesting proposal," Robotnik said. "And if I don't?"
"For starters, this," Shamus said as he adjusted his aim from Snively to the roboticizer control panel and fired.
"We'd much rather not have to resort to further violence," Chakotay said after the panel stopped shorting out. "But we will if we have to."
"I think not," Robotnik responded coolly. "Swatbots!"
Almost instantly, five Swatbots entered the room and tried to capture Janeway, Chakotay and Shamus. Resistance was almost effortless for the rescuers, and in less than two minutes, Robotnik and Snively were cornered themselves, in separate areas of the room.
"All we want is our friend Neelix," Chakotay said.
"That would be easier if your other companion hadn't destroyed the controls," Robotnik responded. "And I'm not about to show you where the emergency override is."
"He'll suffocate if you don't," Janeway said. "Doesn't that matter to you?"
"Not really," Robotnik answered as he pushed past Janeway and Chakotay. "Now come, Snively."
Snively's rout was blocked by Shamus until Robotnik left the room. As he let Snively pass, Shamus stopped him one more time by asking where the override was.
"I won't tell you," Snively said. "You'll never find it in time."
"Let me put it another way," Shamus said. "Will anything we do to you be as bad as what Old Roundy has planned for you? After all, you practically let us rescue the other two hostages."
"Good point," Snively responded. "It's the third green button in the middle row on the panel in front of you."
"Thank you," Janeway said as Shamus pressed the appropriate button to release Neelix.
"And one more thing," Shamus said to Snively, who was on his way out.
"Yes?" Snively asked as he turned around. Shamus raised his weapon and fired, knocking Snively a few yards down the passage.
"Why did you do that?" Janeway asked angrily. "He helped us!"
"It was for his own good, really," Shamus said. "I'm not really fond of having to stun him like that every time he helps me, but it's better that he be sent to the infirmary with a disruptor burn than the handful of bruises and broken bones that Robotnik would have given him."
"That was stun?" Chakotay asked. "How do you know you didn't kill him instead?"
"This weapon is designed so that the stun setting is like being hit in the chest with a log," Shamus explained. "It knocks the wind out of the target. Snively's just light enough that the shock tends to throw him around a bit."
"Shouldn't we be getting back to the ship?" Neelix asked as he approached the group.
"I suppose you're right," Janeway said. "Neelix, you and Shamus go back on the shuttle that brought us here. Chakotay and I will be beaming to the other two shuttles to beam them back."
"Aye, sir," Neelix responded.
"And Mr. O'Reiley," Janeway said before he and Neelix beamed to Paris's shuttle. "I want to see you in my readyroom when we get back."
"Certainly, captain," Shamus said. "But may I remove the parts I need from these machines before we go?"
"Just be aboard Voyager in about an hour," Janeway told him. "Janeway to Tuvok, beam Chakotay and myself to the shuttles we left at Mr. O'Reiley's lab."
After Janeway and Chakotay had beamed out, Neelix asked Paris and the others to head back to Voyager without Shamus and himself, as they would beam up later with several pieces of equipment. In the forty-five minutes that followed, Shamus and Neelix managed to remove three sets of quantum capacitors and several other key components from the roboticizer. When they beamed back to Voyager, Shamus first beamed his new supplies to his ship and then headed to the captain's office.
"If you were a member of my crew, I'd have you confined to quarters for the rest of the trip home," Janeway said. "In fact, I'm tempted to do it even though you're not a member of the crew."
"I know you don't approve of what I've done here, captain," Shamus responded. "Some of it's given me a very guilty conscience, but I know you'd have done the same things I have."
"You don't look like a man who feels guilty," Janeway said. "But then, I suppose that's a common appearance for a thief and a murderer like yourself."
"Stunning Snively is one of the hardest things I have to do, captain. Threatening to kill him was even harder," Shamus told her. "But that's the way things have to work down there. And as for stealing the parts I need, I can't say I'm particularly fond of it myself, but these things aren't exactly handed over or traded for."
"I'd tell Starfleet about all of this, but I'm not sure what to say," Janeway commented.
"I'm as confused about this as you are," Shamus said. "How did a ship from a thousand years in the past wind up here?"
"Exactly," Janeway said. "I can't tell them that I interfered with a culture a thousand years from now. It just wouldn't make any sense."
"How about just having your logs say that you stopped here for food?" suggested Shamus.
"I could, but sensor logs would also show that there were several instances of us beaming to points in open space as well," Janeway replied. "And then there's the matter of your beaming Seven to sickbay with the transporter system aboard your ship."
"Well, I could use an extra pair of hands on repairing my transporter system," Shamus said. "Could you spare the time? Perhaps it would help you come up with an answer."
"Sounds like a plan," Janeway said. She told Chakotay her plan as she crossed the bridge with Shamus. On the way to the transporter room, the Doctor caught up with the two captains and began pestering Shamus about not coming by sickbay to follow up on the earlier appointment.
"Uh, listen, I'm sorry, Doc," Shamus said. "Things have been a little hectic the past day or so. How's about I have Illusion beam me back over once I get my transporter system repaired?"
"That will have to do," the Doctor said. "Or better yet, how about you beam me back over to your ship and make a copy of my program to take with you? After all, you did say something about that, and the process could come in quite handy."
"You're quite right, Doctor," Janeway agreed. "Why don't you come with us, and Mr. O'Reiley can show us how to copy your program?"
"OK," Shamus agreed.
A few hours later, the transporter was repaired and ready to be tested. Shamus had also thought of something Janeway could tell her superiors when she got back to Federation space.
"Why not tell them that this was a Mobian ship?" Shamus suggested. "After all, it is, in a technical sense at least."
"True," Janeway agreed. "But how do I explain the fact that the captain was human?"
"Well," Shamus began, "you could tell them that I was an Overlander. They're humans and part of the native population."
"Really?" Janeway asked. "How could a human civilization develop alongside a civilization of anthropomorphic animals?"
"Chances are it didn't," Shamus answered. "There are rumors of several shiploads of humans that left Earth during the Borg invasion and were never heard from again. Most people think the Borg got them in the end, but since I've been here, I've come to have doubts about that. After three centuries, I would think that they'd count as a native population."
"Good point. I think I'll use it," Janeway said. "Now about testing this transporter system again."
"Who or what do we use?" Shamus asked.
"Well," Janeway said, "we've got full supplies of food and dilithium. Your ship seems in good repair. The truth is, I'd regret not having at least tried a transporter system that does what B'Elana says what yours does."
"Sounds like a plan," Shamus said. "But isn't there something your doctor wanted to talk to me about before you all left? I think it would be best if we beamed him back first this time, too."
"I think that's the reason he came over here with us," Janeway said. "He must have gone someplace with Illusion. They seemed to be having a discussion of some sort along the way."
"I think we should get ahold of them," Shamus said. "I wouldn't want to delay you from your long trip home any more than I already have."
"It's been no trouble at all, Mr. O'Reiley," Janeway told him. "It's actually been quite informative."
"Well, thank you, captain," Shamus said.
"You're very welcome," Janeway replied. "I'll get ahold of the Doctor."
Meanwhile, Illusion and the Doctor were on their way back to the Midnight Star's bridge after a tour of the ship. The Doctor was questioning Illusion about why he didn't seem to have a mobile emitter in spite of the thousand-year gap between them.
"Actually, I'm more mobile than you may think," Illusion said. "Shamus has a special handunit set up for when he needs my help. I can work anywhere within four hundred meters of it."
"But doesn't that seem restrictive sometimes?" the Doctor asked. "I'm sure there are times when you'd like to be able to move entirely on your own."
"It is at times," Illusion responded. "But most of the time it's not so bad. After all, the entire ship has holoemitters and there's little reason for me to be elsewhere."
"You could at least consider asking your captain to make a mobile emitter like mine for you," the Doctor commented.
"I'll give it some thought," Illusion said. Just then, Janeway called the Doctor and asked him to come to the bridge. When he and Illusion got there, Shamus explained his plan and then asked what the Doctor had wanted to tell him.
"Ah, yes. Your exercise program," the Doctor said. "I've prescribed a cardiovascular exercise program and a vitamin supplement, but I seem to have left the pad with the specifics in Voyager's sickbay. May I access it from here?"
"By all means," Shamus said, indicating the center control console. A few seconds later, the Doctor had downloaded his recommendations for Shamus to the Midnight Star's computer.
"If you follow these regularly, you'll be in better health before you know it," the Doctor said.
"Thanks, Doc," Shamus said. "Now, to contact Voyager and tell them we're ready to go."
"Right," Janeway agreed, tapping her communicator. "Janeway to Voyager, we're ready to begin the test."
"Whenever you're ready," Chakotay responded. A few seconds later, the Doctor had been beamed back successfully and the Midnight Star's transporter system read normal and fully intact. Shortly thereafter Janeway had been beamed back to Voyager as well. When the second transport was complete, Shamus stepped from the transporter controls to the center console and contacted Voyager to thank them one last time.
"Just wanted to thank you all one last time," Shamus told Voyager's bridge crew when they came on the viewscreen.
"Thank you, as well, Captain O'Reiley," Janeway said. "It was certainly a pleasure meeting you."
"And the crew needed a break from the ordinary, too," Chakotay said.
"So, where will you go from here?" Shamus asked.
"We'll resume our course for Earth," Janeway said. "What will you do now?"
"Well, I've still got the post-light drive to finish, and then I'll be headed for Earth myself, I suppose," Shamus said. "But that'll be a couple more years, at least. I look forward to reading about you in the history books when I get there."
"Good luck," Chakotay said.
"You too," Shamus said. "Midnight Star out."
A few minutes later, Voyager resumed its course for Earth and Shamus had returned to work on his ship's engines.
The End
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