Star Voyager - Part 15
By Iejasu and Miklinar
Vader was exhausted. And frustrated. And... worried. He could feel Kenobi around,
but no location. He snarled -- how could he fight a fog?
He stretched out on the bed, still clothed, forcing himself, if not to relax, at
least to enter meditation. Regulated breathing, concentration... he shoved his
anger down, deep into himself. His perceptions wisped out, barely touching the
guards at the door, noting the electrical currents of the door mechanism in
passing, the surveillance set up outside and their counterparts inside. His mind
touched familiar thoughts -- Paris close to Torres, Janeway, Tuvok's placid
presence, even Naomi Wildman, who was asleep, fitful inside disturbing dreams.
He wasn't picking up content, just aura, texture...
His attention hovered over Astrometrics for a moment. There was a trace of Kenobi
here, somehow. He followed the trace... it dwindled to nothing, but instead, there
was the emptiness that was the Borg female. Again the puzzle. Why was she so
determined to keep Naomi Wildman away from him?
Close to the emptiness was another familiar thought-pattern. So this was where
"Brigid" worked. Still no idea of her real name, but... Well! She was thinking
about him.
Vader's probe was too slight to give more content than that. And his exhaustion
was catching up. He slid from meditation into sleep without bothering to undress.
--------------
The replicator chimed with his morning medicine. Vader scowled. Where was he...
Oh. Another cell. The chime rang again. Unless he wanted a visit from the doctor,
he'd better take care of that.
Just a hint of stiffness from the exercise the day before. He threw back the
medicine, ordered a glass of ice water to chase it with. Flavored drinks were
good, but something in his Tatooine-bred soul still revelled in cold, pure water.
And the shower in his quarters was wealth unimaginable by those standards.
_If_ he still had it. He'd heard others referring to "sonic showers" and wasn't sure
whether water showers were an option or the usual issue for non-convalescents.
These were not the same quarters.
Vader put the empty glass on the replicator shelf. "Another ice water." The glimmer
refilled the glass. This one he just held for a moment.
Vader tossed back the water and set the glass in the recycler. Exploration of the
refresher. No, no limitless supply of water there. The sonics worked, but were
nowhere near as invigorating.
Fresh clothing. The commconsole was considerably more restricted than it had been --
library only, and technical references were also off-limits. He had no taste for
Federation history right then. And though he _should_ be researching Federation
law (or Star Fleet regulations) on his case, he wasn't sure where to even start.
What kind of jurisdiction did Janeway think she had?
No jurisdiction. He wasn't being held because of what he'd done. He was being held
because of what he might do. In Janeway's mind, he was a threat, first, to her crew,
second, to the Federation.
He paced. Running through katas with an imaginary bo-ken worked out some stiffness,
but did nothing for his nerves. He could feel the two guards outside... a new pair.
Bored, but a little nervous. He extended his hearing. Judging from their
conversation, these two believed the dining hall rumors about his powers.
A clear thought cut through the turmoil of Vader's thoughts. It was Naomi Wildman
-- she was in distress of some sort. His mind reached out to hers. *What's wrong?*
*It's Seven. She's talking to herself. And she won't let me go to class.*
Concentration, and he could use Naomi's eyes and ears. An older child, or one less
sympathetic, and he couldn't have gotten clear sensations.
Seven of Nine was at a workbench, assembling electronic parts. There was a metallic
cylinder on the bench top that looked all too familiar. And an aura of Kenobi in the
room.
In the girl's mind, *Naomi. You have to get away. You have to tell someone about
Seven.*
*Who?*
Naomi _tried_ to make her answer quiet, but Seven turned to her. "What did you say,
Naomi Wildman?"
"I need to go to class now. The teacher will report me if I'm not there."
Seven studied Naomi for an instant, then touched her own comm badge. "I will
instruct your teacher not to expect you." Naomi took advantage of the instant's
distraction to bolt. Vader's mind lost contact with hers as the door slid open
in front of her.
He had to get out of here!
He reached into the cell's monitoring circuits. It was fairly easy to make them
think he was on the bed, meditating. The door lock was simpler...
Vader considered the guards. Two opponents. He preferred not to damage them too
much -- that would give Janeway a real, local crime to charge him with. But Naomi
was in danger.
A moment's concentration. Kenobi was good at the accelerated time discipline -- it
had never been Vader's strongest skill. But it was his only chance.
He cut the lights in his room. Then he opened the door. To his accelerated time-
sense, the door sliding open was incredibly slow. He reached out and eliminated
the lights in the corridor, blinding his opponents for as long as it took to render
them unconscious. Another minute to drag the bodies into his room and close the
door behind him, leaving his comm badge behind. Then he was off down the corridor,
heading for Naomi's last location.
Stealth was more to his benefit now than speed. There had been no ship-wide
announcement of his imprisonment -- Brigid's thoughts would have reflected it.
So, as long as he avoided the few who _knew_ he should be confined...
A small shape ran full-tilt into him. Caught off-balance, he spun a little with
the impact. "Naomi," he hissed.
She paused just long enough to grab his hand and tug, not hard enough to actually
move him, but to steer him her route. Two rapid turns, and into a maintenance tube
with a hatch that latched behind them.
They climbed, went through three more hatches, and found themselves in a dimly
lit cargo area. "It will take a little while for her to find us here," gasped Naomi.
"I will deal with Seven. But you need to tell some other adult, in case I fail."
Naomi looked up at Skywalker. "She hates you. Why?"
"I promise to tell you. But the story is too long for now. But you know that it
isn't Seven that hates me?"
"I know Seven isn't behaving like Seven right now, yes." A sound in the cargo bay,
near the door -- not the access hatch they had used. Naomi got really quiet.
The door opened. Two security guards walked in. One had a tricorder, the other had
a phaser out and ready. Vader concentrated on sheltering them from the tricorder
readings. He almost lost his concentration when he realized from her thoughts
that one of them was "Brigid Murphy."
"Nothing here," said the other. "We have a lot more of these things to check."
"I still don't believe it," said Brigid. Was that Brigid? The voice was higher-
pitched, with a flat Star Fleet accent instead of the musical Celtic lilt. "Where
did this 'evidence' come from, anyway?"
Vader peaked around a crate. The male in uniform shrugged. "Mister Tuvok is
convinced. At least enough to issue a 'shoot first' order for Skywalker's pickup.
C'mon. We have lots of cubic to scan."
Naomi exhaled once the door closed. She looked up at Skywalker. "Guess it's not only
Seven that you're in trouble with."
Vader nodded. "You could have said something, gotten their attention. Or were you
afraid I'd hurt you?"
She shook her head. "They wouldn't believe me about Seven -- _you_ do. I don't
think you're a threat to the ship. If Seven's not normal, she _is_ a threat."
She grinned, as much scared as anything else. "She didn't want me to talk to you.
So whatever is making her act funny is afraid of you."
Vader thought. Who would believe either of them? That was a short enough list. Who on the list was also reachable without their getting caught?
"Naomi. Where is your comm badge?"
"I dropped it down the tube the first time we went up. I figured it would confuse
her for at least a few minutes."
Vader nodded. "Excellent reasoning. Now. Who are your friends, among the adults in
the crew? Who would believe something you told them?"
"Seven, but she's the problem. Neelix... my mom won't believe that anything's wrong
with Seven. So I can't tell her."
Vader ran over his own contact list. Tom Paris had bridge duty for part of the
morning, then was scheduled to assist the doctor. Neelix... Maybe. "Let's talk to
Neelix."
The dining hall was much busier than Vader expected. He stayed in a dead-end
corridor, concentrating on being inconspicuous, while Naomi went into the kitchen.
"Neelix? Can I talk to you? It's important."
Neelix looked over at the worried girl. "Naomi, what's your problem, sweetie?"
She looked around, "Can we go somewhere quiet?"
Neelix tried not to frown. "Ensign O'Toole is having an engagement party for a
friend of his, and asked me to cater. I'm really busy right now. Can it wait just
a little while? Or can't you tell me while I work?"
Naomi hesitated, then someone in Security came in and asked Neelix about one of the
food platters. When Neelix turned back to Naomi, she was gone.
----------
"No good. He's too busy. If I told him it was an emergency, he'd listen, but I'd
have to say that in front of everybody."
Vader nodded. "You made the right choice. I have an idea, though. You aren't allowed
unescorted in Engineering, right?"
"Correct."
"Then I guess I shall have to escort you."
-----------------
Torres scowled for an instant when she saw the little girl in Engineering, then she
saw the adult with her and grinned. "Well. What brings you here, Admiral?"
"I need a favor. There's a debt of honor I need to pay."
The word he used for "debt of honor" was very precise, implying a huge tangle that a
single blade could simplify. Torres' grin widened. "I see. What can I do to help?"
"I need to leave the child with you. Listen to her story -- it is true. I am going
to try to remedy the situation. If I fail, the burden is yours."
"What??"
But Vader was already on his way, hunting Kenobi. With luck, he could salvage the
_Voyager_ crew woman. Without... Naomi should at least be safe now.
-------------
Seven's usual walk was brisk enough that a slight hurry wasn't conspicuous. But the
doctor caught up with her and paced her. "I see you have forgotten your appointment
this morning," he said, pleasantly. "Please accompany me to sickbay."
"Doctor, I am engaged in other duties."
"Your schedule says otherwise.
"Doctor -- "
He waited. She didn't continue, so the doctor stood in her way, steering her towards
sickbay.
************
"Tuvok to Team One. Report." Tuvok's voice echoed in the empty corridor. It
repeated. "Tuvok to Team One. Report."
**********
"Doctor, I do not have time for this."
The doctor smiled genially. "The longer you delay, the longer this will take." He
picked up a medical transformer and started a routine sweep. The readings were not
routine. "Interesting. The examination may take longer than usual this time. Please
lie down on the bio-bed."
Seven's face contorted briefly. She knocked the tricorder out of the doctor's hand
just as the sickbay door slid open. Tom Paris walked in, noticing nothing. "Doc, I
need to talk to you about..."
***********
Vader's senses were focused on finding Seven, and he almost missed Tom Paris's
emotional spike of startlement, then anger and pain. But the image Paris was
projecting had Seven's face in it.
Vader matched his perception with the map in his head of _Voyager_. Sickbay.
*********
Tuvok's board lit with a call from sickbay, but the doctor didn't answer a return
query. A viewscreen showed a struggle before it cut out, participants unidentifiable.
Occam's Razor pointed to Skywalker. Tuvok sent a double team to the area, and rigged
a stun field to cover the sick bay if needed.
*************
Vader heard the alarm in the corridor, but used the Force to dodge the Security
teams looking for him. There were enough other people in the hallways to foul up
ship's sensors.
Sickbay. Vader heard the struggle -- behind one of the bio-beds. By the Force
currents, it was Paris and...
The voice identified her before Vader recognized the empty Force-bubble. Vader
leaped the bio-bed, hauled Seven away from her grip on Paris's throat. Paris reached
for his comm badge, "Security..." just as a Security team rushed into sickbay.
Seven increased her struggles and screams. The Security team aimed and fired... Tom
screamed, "No!"
The heavy stun caught both Skywalker and Seven. They collapsed to the floor.
Security separated the two and were putting binders on Skywalker. Paris protested,
taking a set of binders from one of the Security men and putting them on Seven as
well.
Tuvok arrived with more Security teams. "Move away from the prisoner, Mister Paris."
"Tuvok, you have to listen to me. Seven's the one who attacked me. You can ask the
doc."
Tuvok, "Activate Emergency Medical Hologram."
The EMH shimmered into visibility, looking around at the invasion of his sickbay.
"Mister Tuvok. Please restrain Seven of Nine."
Tuvok's eyebrow rose. "She is currently under heavy stun. Would you please explain?"
The doctor swung to face Paris. "You didn't tell him?"
Paris snorted. "He wasn't at the listening stage yet. Since Security had already
stunned both of them, I thought I could catch my breath first."
The doctor's eyebrow rose. "What do you mean 'both'?" Then he saw his patient on the
floor. "Why is Skywalker under restraints?"
Tuvok, levelly, "Skywalker was under arrest in his quarters. His presence here is
reason enough to suspect him."
Tom glared at Tuvok. "That's the logical answer, yes. What's your explanation as to
why Seven was trying to strangle me?"
***************
The doctor insisted that Skywalker be put on one of the bio-beds to check him for
damage. The other bed held Seven... Seven's body, at least.
"The brain wave patterns aren't Seven's. And they don't match anyone else's on
board, including Skywalker's."
"There's nothing in your database to match?"
Acerbically, "I have not had the time to run matches against all the EEGs in the
database, but there is nothing matching in any of the pathologies."
The comm chimed. The doctor snapped, "Yes? What is it?"
Torres's voice. "Doctor, I think Naomi Wildman needs to talk to you."
The doctor started to say, "I'll set aside some time for her in a day or so."
Torres interrupted. "It's about Seven of Nine."
**************
The doctor confirmed that Skywalker had not been in sickbay when Seven had gone
berserk. "That still leaves a question of breaking arrest. We found the two guards
I left at his door unconscious and inside his quarters. There is no indication of
how he managed to open his door and subdue them."
The sickbay door opened. Naomi and B'Lanna walked in. Naomi saw Skywalker stretched
out on a bio-bed. "Is he okay?"
"Right now, he is in no physical danger. He's under stun until we find out how to
keep him under arrest."
Tom sighed heavily. "Naomi, you wanted to tell the doctor something about Seven?"
She nodded. "Doctor, Seven of Nine is someone else. Someone who is trying to keep
me from telling anyone. Especially telling Mister Skywalker."
Tuvok turned. "Miss Wildman. What information can you give us?"
****************
Vader came out of stun. The bio-bed picked up his change in metabolic function and
beeped plaintively. The doctor turned to him. "Mister Skywalker. You will be pleased
to know that you are still in as excellent health as you were before your game of
hide-and-seek with Miss Wildman this morning."
"Is she safe?"
"Yes. Thanks to you and to Lieutenant Torres. It took some while to sort the stories
out, but Mister Tuvok is now convinced you broke out of your confinement to rescue
Miss Wildman, and ended up rescuing Mister Paris as well. Congratulations."
Vader looked over at the other bio-bed. Seven was there, but under restraints, not
just under the treatment arch. He hesitated. "I see. Are you able to help Seven?"
The doctor turned to Vader. "Do you have any theories on her condition? Because,
frankly, I will entertain any input."
"I think someone else is controlling her."
**************
The doctor paced nervously in the captain's ready-room. Janeway sipped at her coffee.
This particular human mannerism she could live without, but now was _not_ the time
to work on the doctor's program.
"Skywalker says that Seven is being controlled by someone called Obi-Wan Kenobi. He
was able to point out a band on the EEG that he says is related to the use of 'The
Force.' The readings resemble his in that band, and to a smaller extent those of
others known to have telepathy such as Mister Tuvok."
"Does he have any ideas on how to get her uncontrolled?"
****************
Chakotay shook his head. "If we didn't have solid evidence of this 'Force', I would
suggest the doctor implement some of his ship's counselor subroutines. But I saw
this 'Kenobi' myself, in a less than corporeal form. What does Lord Vader suggest
we do?"
Janeway shrugged. "It's obvious that he is nearly as much of a loss as we are --
'Jedi' don't _do_ that, according to him. He proposes solutions, but I think they
are purely theoretical on his part, not anything he has experience with."
Chakotay shook his head. "This Kenobi was willing to talk to me once. Maybe he will
again."
Janeway nodded, sipped at her coffee.
**************
Sickbay. Chakotay looked around. Skywalker was standing next to the still-unconscious
Seven of Nine. "Any change?"
"No. The doctor is understandably reluctant to return her to full consciousness
while her brain waves are not her own."
Chakotay nodded. He studied the older man. "If it _is_ Kenobi controlling her, he's
using techniques you might be familiar with."
"Disciplines, yes, but not techniques."
Chakotay acknowledged the difference. "I'd like your help in contacting him."
Vader took a deep breath. "I don't think you understand the risk that involves. If
he is able to displace me as well, he might then attack you. Is restoring one crew
member worth multiplying the problem by three?"
"You have a high opinion of your late master."
Vader didn't bother to correct Chakotay's use of the title. "When you have been dead
a number of years and can still wreak this much havoc, then you may mock his power."
"Touche'." Chakotay drew a pair of chairs next to the biobed containing --
restraining -- Seven and set up a small table between them. He unwrapped a bundle
that contained a small technological device and other more natural items -- a bird's
wing, for one. He sat and gestured for Vader to take the other chair. "This is
called an _Akoonah_. It enables one to reach a meditative state without dangerous
drugs."
Vader's eyebrow rose. That could have been _most_ useful at certain points in his
life. _If_ it really worked. If it weren't just another trap. Kenobi had spoken to
this man with the ornamented face. Could Vader trust Chakotay not to have made his
own alliance with the Enemy?
No. If he had, then Seven would be conscious and Vader not. Chakotay was not
_knowingly_ assisting Kenobi.
Chakotay took the box in his hands. "Can you reach a meditative state on your own?
Or do you need aid?"
"I do not need your aid in this."
Chakotay nodded. "Very well." He took a deep breath, then dropped into a regular
breathing rhythm. "_Ah-koo-chee-moya_. We are far from the sacred places of our
grandfathers; we are far from the bones of our people. We seek answers from the
powerful being who inhabits the body of our companion, Seven of Nine."
By Iejasu and Miklinar
Vader was exhausted. And frustrated. And... worried. He could feel Kenobi around,
but no location. He snarled -- how could he fight a fog?
He stretched out on the bed, still clothed, forcing himself, if not to relax, at
least to enter meditation. Regulated breathing, concentration... he shoved his
anger down, deep into himself. His perceptions wisped out, barely touching the
guards at the door, noting the electrical currents of the door mechanism in
passing, the surveillance set up outside and their counterparts inside. His mind
touched familiar thoughts -- Paris close to Torres, Janeway, Tuvok's placid
presence, even Naomi Wildman, who was asleep, fitful inside disturbing dreams.
He wasn't picking up content, just aura, texture...
His attention hovered over Astrometrics for a moment. There was a trace of Kenobi
here, somehow. He followed the trace... it dwindled to nothing, but instead, there
was the emptiness that was the Borg female. Again the puzzle. Why was she so
determined to keep Naomi Wildman away from him?
Close to the emptiness was another familiar thought-pattern. So this was where
"Brigid" worked. Still no idea of her real name, but... Well! She was thinking
about him.
Vader's probe was too slight to give more content than that. And his exhaustion
was catching up. He slid from meditation into sleep without bothering to undress.
--------------
The replicator chimed with his morning medicine. Vader scowled. Where was he...
Oh. Another cell. The chime rang again. Unless he wanted a visit from the doctor,
he'd better take care of that.
Just a hint of stiffness from the exercise the day before. He threw back the
medicine, ordered a glass of ice water to chase it with. Flavored drinks were
good, but something in his Tatooine-bred soul still revelled in cold, pure water.
And the shower in his quarters was wealth unimaginable by those standards.
_If_ he still had it. He'd heard others referring to "sonic showers" and wasn't sure
whether water showers were an option or the usual issue for non-convalescents.
These were not the same quarters.
Vader put the empty glass on the replicator shelf. "Another ice water." The glimmer
refilled the glass. This one he just held for a moment.
Vader tossed back the water and set the glass in the recycler. Exploration of the
refresher. No, no limitless supply of water there. The sonics worked, but were
nowhere near as invigorating.
Fresh clothing. The commconsole was considerably more restricted than it had been --
library only, and technical references were also off-limits. He had no taste for
Federation history right then. And though he _should_ be researching Federation
law (or Star Fleet regulations) on his case, he wasn't sure where to even start.
What kind of jurisdiction did Janeway think she had?
No jurisdiction. He wasn't being held because of what he'd done. He was being held
because of what he might do. In Janeway's mind, he was a threat, first, to her crew,
second, to the Federation.
He paced. Running through katas with an imaginary bo-ken worked out some stiffness,
but did nothing for his nerves. He could feel the two guards outside... a new pair.
Bored, but a little nervous. He extended his hearing. Judging from their
conversation, these two believed the dining hall rumors about his powers.
A clear thought cut through the turmoil of Vader's thoughts. It was Naomi Wildman
-- she was in distress of some sort. His mind reached out to hers. *What's wrong?*
*It's Seven. She's talking to herself. And she won't let me go to class.*
Concentration, and he could use Naomi's eyes and ears. An older child, or one less
sympathetic, and he couldn't have gotten clear sensations.
Seven of Nine was at a workbench, assembling electronic parts. There was a metallic
cylinder on the bench top that looked all too familiar. And an aura of Kenobi in the
room.
In the girl's mind, *Naomi. You have to get away. You have to tell someone about
Seven.*
*Who?*
Naomi _tried_ to make her answer quiet, but Seven turned to her. "What did you say,
Naomi Wildman?"
"I need to go to class now. The teacher will report me if I'm not there."
Seven studied Naomi for an instant, then touched her own comm badge. "I will
instruct your teacher not to expect you." Naomi took advantage of the instant's
distraction to bolt. Vader's mind lost contact with hers as the door slid open
in front of her.
He had to get out of here!
He reached into the cell's monitoring circuits. It was fairly easy to make them
think he was on the bed, meditating. The door lock was simpler...
Vader considered the guards. Two opponents. He preferred not to damage them too
much -- that would give Janeway a real, local crime to charge him with. But Naomi
was in danger.
A moment's concentration. Kenobi was good at the accelerated time discipline -- it
had never been Vader's strongest skill. But it was his only chance.
He cut the lights in his room. Then he opened the door. To his accelerated time-
sense, the door sliding open was incredibly slow. He reached out and eliminated
the lights in the corridor, blinding his opponents for as long as it took to render
them unconscious. Another minute to drag the bodies into his room and close the
door behind him, leaving his comm badge behind. Then he was off down the corridor,
heading for Naomi's last location.
Stealth was more to his benefit now than speed. There had been no ship-wide
announcement of his imprisonment -- Brigid's thoughts would have reflected it.
So, as long as he avoided the few who _knew_ he should be confined...
A small shape ran full-tilt into him. Caught off-balance, he spun a little with
the impact. "Naomi," he hissed.
She paused just long enough to grab his hand and tug, not hard enough to actually
move him, but to steer him her route. Two rapid turns, and into a maintenance tube
with a hatch that latched behind them.
They climbed, went through three more hatches, and found themselves in a dimly
lit cargo area. "It will take a little while for her to find us here," gasped Naomi.
"I will deal with Seven. But you need to tell some other adult, in case I fail."
Naomi looked up at Skywalker. "She hates you. Why?"
"I promise to tell you. But the story is too long for now. But you know that it
isn't Seven that hates me?"
"I know Seven isn't behaving like Seven right now, yes." A sound in the cargo bay,
near the door -- not the access hatch they had used. Naomi got really quiet.
The door opened. Two security guards walked in. One had a tricorder, the other had
a phaser out and ready. Vader concentrated on sheltering them from the tricorder
readings. He almost lost his concentration when he realized from her thoughts
that one of them was "Brigid Murphy."
"Nothing here," said the other. "We have a lot more of these things to check."
"I still don't believe it," said Brigid. Was that Brigid? The voice was higher-
pitched, with a flat Star Fleet accent instead of the musical Celtic lilt. "Where
did this 'evidence' come from, anyway?"
Vader peaked around a crate. The male in uniform shrugged. "Mister Tuvok is
convinced. At least enough to issue a 'shoot first' order for Skywalker's pickup.
C'mon. We have lots of cubic to scan."
Naomi exhaled once the door closed. She looked up at Skywalker. "Guess it's not only
Seven that you're in trouble with."
Vader nodded. "You could have said something, gotten their attention. Or were you
afraid I'd hurt you?"
She shook her head. "They wouldn't believe me about Seven -- _you_ do. I don't
think you're a threat to the ship. If Seven's not normal, she _is_ a threat."
She grinned, as much scared as anything else. "She didn't want me to talk to you.
So whatever is making her act funny is afraid of you."
Vader thought. Who would believe either of them? That was a short enough list. Who on the list was also reachable without their getting caught?
"Naomi. Where is your comm badge?"
"I dropped it down the tube the first time we went up. I figured it would confuse
her for at least a few minutes."
Vader nodded. "Excellent reasoning. Now. Who are your friends, among the adults in
the crew? Who would believe something you told them?"
"Seven, but she's the problem. Neelix... my mom won't believe that anything's wrong
with Seven. So I can't tell her."
Vader ran over his own contact list. Tom Paris had bridge duty for part of the
morning, then was scheduled to assist the doctor. Neelix... Maybe. "Let's talk to
Neelix."
The dining hall was much busier than Vader expected. He stayed in a dead-end
corridor, concentrating on being inconspicuous, while Naomi went into the kitchen.
"Neelix? Can I talk to you? It's important."
Neelix looked over at the worried girl. "Naomi, what's your problem, sweetie?"
She looked around, "Can we go somewhere quiet?"
Neelix tried not to frown. "Ensign O'Toole is having an engagement party for a
friend of his, and asked me to cater. I'm really busy right now. Can it wait just
a little while? Or can't you tell me while I work?"
Naomi hesitated, then someone in Security came in and asked Neelix about one of the
food platters. When Neelix turned back to Naomi, she was gone.
----------
"No good. He's too busy. If I told him it was an emergency, he'd listen, but I'd
have to say that in front of everybody."
Vader nodded. "You made the right choice. I have an idea, though. You aren't allowed
unescorted in Engineering, right?"
"Correct."
"Then I guess I shall have to escort you."
-----------------
Torres scowled for an instant when she saw the little girl in Engineering, then she
saw the adult with her and grinned. "Well. What brings you here, Admiral?"
"I need a favor. There's a debt of honor I need to pay."
The word he used for "debt of honor" was very precise, implying a huge tangle that a
single blade could simplify. Torres' grin widened. "I see. What can I do to help?"
"I need to leave the child with you. Listen to her story -- it is true. I am going
to try to remedy the situation. If I fail, the burden is yours."
"What??"
But Vader was already on his way, hunting Kenobi. With luck, he could salvage the
_Voyager_ crew woman. Without... Naomi should at least be safe now.
-------------
Seven's usual walk was brisk enough that a slight hurry wasn't conspicuous. But the
doctor caught up with her and paced her. "I see you have forgotten your appointment
this morning," he said, pleasantly. "Please accompany me to sickbay."
"Doctor, I am engaged in other duties."
"Your schedule says otherwise.
"Doctor -- "
He waited. She didn't continue, so the doctor stood in her way, steering her towards
sickbay.
************
"Tuvok to Team One. Report." Tuvok's voice echoed in the empty corridor. It
repeated. "Tuvok to Team One. Report."
**********
"Doctor, I do not have time for this."
The doctor smiled genially. "The longer you delay, the longer this will take." He
picked up a medical transformer and started a routine sweep. The readings were not
routine. "Interesting. The examination may take longer than usual this time. Please
lie down on the bio-bed."
Seven's face contorted briefly. She knocked the tricorder out of the doctor's hand
just as the sickbay door slid open. Tom Paris walked in, noticing nothing. "Doc, I
need to talk to you about..."
***********
Vader's senses were focused on finding Seven, and he almost missed Tom Paris's
emotional spike of startlement, then anger and pain. But the image Paris was
projecting had Seven's face in it.
Vader matched his perception with the map in his head of _Voyager_. Sickbay.
*********
Tuvok's board lit with a call from sickbay, but the doctor didn't answer a return
query. A viewscreen showed a struggle before it cut out, participants unidentifiable.
Occam's Razor pointed to Skywalker. Tuvok sent a double team to the area, and rigged
a stun field to cover the sick bay if needed.
*************
Vader heard the alarm in the corridor, but used the Force to dodge the Security
teams looking for him. There were enough other people in the hallways to foul up
ship's sensors.
Sickbay. Vader heard the struggle -- behind one of the bio-beds. By the Force
currents, it was Paris and...
The voice identified her before Vader recognized the empty Force-bubble. Vader
leaped the bio-bed, hauled Seven away from her grip on Paris's throat. Paris reached
for his comm badge, "Security..." just as a Security team rushed into sickbay.
Seven increased her struggles and screams. The Security team aimed and fired... Tom
screamed, "No!"
The heavy stun caught both Skywalker and Seven. They collapsed to the floor.
Security separated the two and were putting binders on Skywalker. Paris protested,
taking a set of binders from one of the Security men and putting them on Seven as
well.
Tuvok arrived with more Security teams. "Move away from the prisoner, Mister Paris."
"Tuvok, you have to listen to me. Seven's the one who attacked me. You can ask the
doc."
Tuvok, "Activate Emergency Medical Hologram."
The EMH shimmered into visibility, looking around at the invasion of his sickbay.
"Mister Tuvok. Please restrain Seven of Nine."
Tuvok's eyebrow rose. "She is currently under heavy stun. Would you please explain?"
The doctor swung to face Paris. "You didn't tell him?"
Paris snorted. "He wasn't at the listening stage yet. Since Security had already
stunned both of them, I thought I could catch my breath first."
The doctor's eyebrow rose. "What do you mean 'both'?" Then he saw his patient on the
floor. "Why is Skywalker under restraints?"
Tuvok, levelly, "Skywalker was under arrest in his quarters. His presence here is
reason enough to suspect him."
Tom glared at Tuvok. "That's the logical answer, yes. What's your explanation as to
why Seven was trying to strangle me?"
***************
The doctor insisted that Skywalker be put on one of the bio-beds to check him for
damage. The other bed held Seven... Seven's body, at least.
"The brain wave patterns aren't Seven's. And they don't match anyone else's on
board, including Skywalker's."
"There's nothing in your database to match?"
Acerbically, "I have not had the time to run matches against all the EEGs in the
database, but there is nothing matching in any of the pathologies."
The comm chimed. The doctor snapped, "Yes? What is it?"
Torres's voice. "Doctor, I think Naomi Wildman needs to talk to you."
The doctor started to say, "I'll set aside some time for her in a day or so."
Torres interrupted. "It's about Seven of Nine."
**************
The doctor confirmed that Skywalker had not been in sickbay when Seven had gone
berserk. "That still leaves a question of breaking arrest. We found the two guards
I left at his door unconscious and inside his quarters. There is no indication of
how he managed to open his door and subdue them."
The sickbay door opened. Naomi and B'Lanna walked in. Naomi saw Skywalker stretched
out on a bio-bed. "Is he okay?"
"Right now, he is in no physical danger. He's under stun until we find out how to
keep him under arrest."
Tom sighed heavily. "Naomi, you wanted to tell the doctor something about Seven?"
She nodded. "Doctor, Seven of Nine is someone else. Someone who is trying to keep
me from telling anyone. Especially telling Mister Skywalker."
Tuvok turned. "Miss Wildman. What information can you give us?"
****************
Vader came out of stun. The bio-bed picked up his change in metabolic function and
beeped plaintively. The doctor turned to him. "Mister Skywalker. You will be pleased
to know that you are still in as excellent health as you were before your game of
hide-and-seek with Miss Wildman this morning."
"Is she safe?"
"Yes. Thanks to you and to Lieutenant Torres. It took some while to sort the stories
out, but Mister Tuvok is now convinced you broke out of your confinement to rescue
Miss Wildman, and ended up rescuing Mister Paris as well. Congratulations."
Vader looked over at the other bio-bed. Seven was there, but under restraints, not
just under the treatment arch. He hesitated. "I see. Are you able to help Seven?"
The doctor turned to Vader. "Do you have any theories on her condition? Because,
frankly, I will entertain any input."
"I think someone else is controlling her."
**************
The doctor paced nervously in the captain's ready-room. Janeway sipped at her coffee.
This particular human mannerism she could live without, but now was _not_ the time
to work on the doctor's program.
"Skywalker says that Seven is being controlled by someone called Obi-Wan Kenobi. He
was able to point out a band on the EEG that he says is related to the use of 'The
Force.' The readings resemble his in that band, and to a smaller extent those of
others known to have telepathy such as Mister Tuvok."
"Does he have any ideas on how to get her uncontrolled?"
****************
Chakotay shook his head. "If we didn't have solid evidence of this 'Force', I would
suggest the doctor implement some of his ship's counselor subroutines. But I saw
this 'Kenobi' myself, in a less than corporeal form. What does Lord Vader suggest
we do?"
Janeway shrugged. "It's obvious that he is nearly as much of a loss as we are --
'Jedi' don't _do_ that, according to him. He proposes solutions, but I think they
are purely theoretical on his part, not anything he has experience with."
Chakotay shook his head. "This Kenobi was willing to talk to me once. Maybe he will
again."
Janeway nodded, sipped at her coffee.
**************
Sickbay. Chakotay looked around. Skywalker was standing next to the still-unconscious
Seven of Nine. "Any change?"
"No. The doctor is understandably reluctant to return her to full consciousness
while her brain waves are not her own."
Chakotay nodded. He studied the older man. "If it _is_ Kenobi controlling her, he's
using techniques you might be familiar with."
"Disciplines, yes, but not techniques."
Chakotay acknowledged the difference. "I'd like your help in contacting him."
Vader took a deep breath. "I don't think you understand the risk that involves. If
he is able to displace me as well, he might then attack you. Is restoring one crew
member worth multiplying the problem by three?"
"You have a high opinion of your late master."
Vader didn't bother to correct Chakotay's use of the title. "When you have been dead
a number of years and can still wreak this much havoc, then you may mock his power."
"Touche'." Chakotay drew a pair of chairs next to the biobed containing --
restraining -- Seven and set up a small table between them. He unwrapped a bundle
that contained a small technological device and other more natural items -- a bird's
wing, for one. He sat and gestured for Vader to take the other chair. "This is
called an _Akoonah_. It enables one to reach a meditative state without dangerous
drugs."
Vader's eyebrow rose. That could have been _most_ useful at certain points in his
life. _If_ it really worked. If it weren't just another trap. Kenobi had spoken to
this man with the ornamented face. Could Vader trust Chakotay not to have made his
own alliance with the Enemy?
No. If he had, then Seven would be conscious and Vader not. Chakotay was not
_knowingly_ assisting Kenobi.
Chakotay took the box in his hands. "Can you reach a meditative state on your own?
Or do you need aid?"
"I do not need your aid in this."
Chakotay nodded. "Very well." He took a deep breath, then dropped into a regular
breathing rhythm. "_Ah-koo-chee-moya_. We are far from the sacred places of our
grandfathers; we are far from the bones of our people. We seek answers from the
powerful being who inhabits the body of our companion, Seven of Nine."