Star Voyager - Part 21
by Iejasu and Miklinar
B'Lanna smiled at the title. She was carrying a long,
flat package. "I don't know what weapons the captain
is going to let you take with you, but she can't
object to this." She handed the tall man the package.
By its weight, it was the bat'leth Vader had beeen
using in the holodeck. "You can use it in exercises to
keep yourself in shape during the trip."
"Thank you, Engineer." Then Vader turned to the other.
"Lieutenant Fortunati."
Fortunati smiled. Torres backed away and went to keep
her husband company, giving the two some small
privacy. "M'lord."
"Should I call you Brigid, then?"
"If you wish. If that's how you think of me." She
looked up at him. "You're going away."
He nodded. "You were at the board of inquiry -- you
heard the verdict. And the captain is right -- the
longer I stay on _Voyager_, the further I am away from
returning home."
Louise sighed. Home was a definite sensitive point on
the ship. They were a good fifty years from reaching
Earth, and perhaps only their descendants would make
it. She started to say something, then stopped. "I
wish you a successful journey, m'lord."
"And I, you. Give my regards to the folk of Fair
Haven. -- I was there for a while this morning, but
was interrupted before I could say goodbye to the
residents."
That produced a genuine smile, "Aye, that I will,
m'lord. Especially to the brawler you bested in the
arm wrestling -- 'tis glad to see you gone will he
be."
Vader laughed. "He'll have his title back, will he?"
"And the admiration of the menfolk, and the doting of
the women."
Vader rolled his eyes. For a long instant, he wanted
to talk her into coming with him, but she would not
leave her post, not when Janeway needed every trained
hand so badly. "But it is farewell I have to say to
you." The rhythms of Fair Haven came back to his
tongue, so easily.
She nodded, came up on her toes to kiss him on the
cheek, then backed away, going over to where the
captain stood talking to Chakotay.
------------------------
Was there a faint glimmer in the co-pilot's seat when
Vader lifted the _Seeker_ from its cradle in the
hangar? The hangar doors were open, with the same kind
of air-curtain force fields he was used to at home. An
obvious application, but it pointed out one more way
how similar the two peoples were in some ways. The
solid doors closed when he was clear of the hangar,
and Vader maneuvered on thrusters until it was safe to
engage the warp drive.
Vader's heart pounded in his chest. Many questions lay
ahead, many answers too, leading to many more
possibilties. The depths of space had always been more
of a home to him than any one world had been since...
He touched the commlink for the very last time, to
contact the friends he was leaving behind.
"Captain Janeway?"
"Lord Vader, I wish you a safe journey. And your home
at its end." He could hear that she meant what she
just told him. He smiled briefly.
"Thank you, Captain Janeway. May the Force be with you
and your crew." He could not say that he took a debt
with him of honor, one that could only be paid
forward. Not aloud, at any rate.
He shut off the commlink. There was nothing more to
say and nothing to look back to. He looked into the
starfield ahead of him and its light drew him away
from _Voyager_, to an unknown destination.
Or destiny.
- To be continued! -
by Iejasu and Miklinar
B'Lanna smiled at the title. She was carrying a long,
flat package. "I don't know what weapons the captain
is going to let you take with you, but she can't
object to this." She handed the tall man the package.
By its weight, it was the bat'leth Vader had beeen
using in the holodeck. "You can use it in exercises to
keep yourself in shape during the trip."
"Thank you, Engineer." Then Vader turned to the other.
"Lieutenant Fortunati."
Fortunati smiled. Torres backed away and went to keep
her husband company, giving the two some small
privacy. "M'lord."
"Should I call you Brigid, then?"
"If you wish. If that's how you think of me." She
looked up at him. "You're going away."
He nodded. "You were at the board of inquiry -- you
heard the verdict. And the captain is right -- the
longer I stay on _Voyager_, the further I am away from
returning home."
Louise sighed. Home was a definite sensitive point on
the ship. They were a good fifty years from reaching
Earth, and perhaps only their descendants would make
it. She started to say something, then stopped. "I
wish you a successful journey, m'lord."
"And I, you. Give my regards to the folk of Fair
Haven. -- I was there for a while this morning, but
was interrupted before I could say goodbye to the
residents."
That produced a genuine smile, "Aye, that I will,
m'lord. Especially to the brawler you bested in the
arm wrestling -- 'tis glad to see you gone will he
be."
Vader laughed. "He'll have his title back, will he?"
"And the admiration of the menfolk, and the doting of
the women."
Vader rolled his eyes. For a long instant, he wanted
to talk her into coming with him, but she would not
leave her post, not when Janeway needed every trained
hand so badly. "But it is farewell I have to say to
you." The rhythms of Fair Haven came back to his
tongue, so easily.
She nodded, came up on her toes to kiss him on the
cheek, then backed away, going over to where the
captain stood talking to Chakotay.
------------------------
Was there a faint glimmer in the co-pilot's seat when
Vader lifted the _Seeker_ from its cradle in the
hangar? The hangar doors were open, with the same kind
of air-curtain force fields he was used to at home. An
obvious application, but it pointed out one more way
how similar the two peoples were in some ways. The
solid doors closed when he was clear of the hangar,
and Vader maneuvered on thrusters until it was safe to
engage the warp drive.
Vader's heart pounded in his chest. Many questions lay
ahead, many answers too, leading to many more
possibilties. The depths of space had always been more
of a home to him than any one world had been since...
He touched the commlink for the very last time, to
contact the friends he was leaving behind.
"Captain Janeway?"
"Lord Vader, I wish you a safe journey. And your home
at its end." He could hear that she meant what she
just told him. He smiled briefly.
"Thank you, Captain Janeway. May the Force be with you
and your crew." He could not say that he took a debt
with him of honor, one that could only be paid
forward. Not aloud, at any rate.
He shut off the commlink. There was nothing more to
say and nothing to look back to. He looked into the
starfield ahead of him and its light drew him away
from _Voyager_, to an unknown destination.
Or destiny.
- To be continued! -