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Chapter 8, problem solved?
Of course, both Voyagers had stopped when they met. Going slow, with all scanners now running on full, it took them about two hours to return to the anomaly. During that time, Seska reported to Sickbay on her Captain's orders.
The Doctor was surprised to see her, and understandably annoyed when he learned she had avoided his check-ups for as long as she had been aboard. But to her great relief, he was more interested in her blood samples than in questioning her loyalties. He would have to restore her Cardassian physique at some point in time, being altered for too long could cause complications and she had been a Bajoran five years already, but there was no time for that now and the Doctor did not insist it should be done immediately. Nor did he try to keep her in Sickbay when Chakotay -her Chakotay, she knew- called her they had arrived at the anomaly and called her to the bridge.
She stepped out of the turbolift and looked around. Relieved, she saw the officers from the other Voyager had returned to their own vessel. She walked towards the science station. She saw Kim and Tuvok glance at her, and she knew Captain Janeway had told them. Likely, they had already started to look for traces of her files. But no one stopped her.
"As far as we can determine, we are in the same position as we were when Seska performed the neural scan, Captain," Tuvok announced after a brief while.
"Run the same scan again, Lieutenant,' Captain Janeway told Seska.
"Yes, Captain," she replied, and she tapped in the necessary commands.
"I'm picking up some kind of fluctuation in the anomaly," Harry called from his station at Ops. "I think we can get through."
"Very good," Captain Janeway replied. "Paris, one quarter impulse, take it slow. Tuvok, hail the other Voyager."
"Aye, Captain," Tom acknowledged.
"Channel open," Tuvok replied, and the familiar bridge appeared on the viewscreen.
"Captain, I think we have it. If so. then this is goodbye. Good luck on your journey," Captain Janeway said.
"The same to you," her counterpart replied.
"Janeway out," the Captain said with a nod, and the starfield with the strange anomaly appeared again. Seska watched with the rest of the crew as they slowly moved forward. Suddenly, though there was no discernible change in the ships flight, the other Voyager was gone from the viewscreen and the sensors.
"It appears we have crossed over," Tuvok announced.
"Resume our course," Captain Janeway replied. "Paris, you have the con."
She got up from her chair. "Seska, Chakotay, Tuvok, in my Readyroom if you would."
Seska quickly left her station and followed the Captain. She did not feel quite as apprehensive anymore, but she was still nervous under the Vulcan's cool scrutiny and her Captain's stare.
"Tuvok has confirmed a large number of files was deleted from your personal console," Captain Janeway said. "Your story seems to check out. Now the other crew has told me some of the things your counterpart did."
The Captain paused, and Seska held her breath, again.
"It was not pleasant. But I will not condemn you for what you did not do, no matter how close you might have come. You keep your rank and your station and I expect you to carry out your duties as before," the Captain continued.
"Thank you, Captain," Seska said sincerely. She felt immensely relieved. She did not kid herself into thinking the Captain and Tuvok -and Chakotay, too- would not be keeping an eye on her, but this was better than she had dared hope for. She vowed the Captain would not regret her decision.
"There is one matter of practical nature," Captain Janeway continued. "What do you want us to call you? Do you want to go on as Seska, or would you rather we used your real name?"
Seska blinked. She had run over a dozen scenarios in her head, thinking of what would happen if she told, or if they found out, but she never considered this. "Seska, I think," she said. "That is who I have been, here."
"Good," Captain Janeway replied. "Report to the Doctor first thing tomorrow morning, and you will resume your duties when he clears you. Dismissed."
Chapter 8, problem solved?
Of course, both Voyagers had stopped when they met. Going slow, with all scanners now running on full, it took them about two hours to return to the anomaly. During that time, Seska reported to Sickbay on her Captain's orders.
The Doctor was surprised to see her, and understandably annoyed when he learned she had avoided his check-ups for as long as she had been aboard. But to her great relief, he was more interested in her blood samples than in questioning her loyalties. He would have to restore her Cardassian physique at some point in time, being altered for too long could cause complications and she had been a Bajoran five years already, but there was no time for that now and the Doctor did not insist it should be done immediately. Nor did he try to keep her in Sickbay when Chakotay -her Chakotay, she knew- called her they had arrived at the anomaly and called her to the bridge.
She stepped out of the turbolift and looked around. Relieved, she saw the officers from the other Voyager had returned to their own vessel. She walked towards the science station. She saw Kim and Tuvok glance at her, and she knew Captain Janeway had told them. Likely, they had already started to look for traces of her files. But no one stopped her.
"As far as we can determine, we are in the same position as we were when Seska performed the neural scan, Captain," Tuvok announced after a brief while.
"Run the same scan again, Lieutenant,' Captain Janeway told Seska.
"Yes, Captain," she replied, and she tapped in the necessary commands.
"I'm picking up some kind of fluctuation in the anomaly," Harry called from his station at Ops. "I think we can get through."
"Very good," Captain Janeway replied. "Paris, one quarter impulse, take it slow. Tuvok, hail the other Voyager."
"Aye, Captain," Tom acknowledged.
"Channel open," Tuvok replied, and the familiar bridge appeared on the viewscreen.
"Captain, I think we have it. If so. then this is goodbye. Good luck on your journey," Captain Janeway said.
"The same to you," her counterpart replied.
"Janeway out," the Captain said with a nod, and the starfield with the strange anomaly appeared again. Seska watched with the rest of the crew as they slowly moved forward. Suddenly, though there was no discernible change in the ships flight, the other Voyager was gone from the viewscreen and the sensors.
"It appears we have crossed over," Tuvok announced.
"Resume our course," Captain Janeway replied. "Paris, you have the con."
She got up from her chair. "Seska, Chakotay, Tuvok, in my Readyroom if you would."
Seska quickly left her station and followed the Captain. She did not feel quite as apprehensive anymore, but she was still nervous under the Vulcan's cool scrutiny and her Captain's stare.
"Tuvok has confirmed a large number of files was deleted from your personal console," Captain Janeway said. "Your story seems to check out. Now the other crew has told me some of the things your counterpart did."
The Captain paused, and Seska held her breath, again.
"It was not pleasant. But I will not condemn you for what you did not do, no matter how close you might have come. You keep your rank and your station and I expect you to carry out your duties as before," the Captain continued.
"Thank you, Captain," Seska said sincerely. She felt immensely relieved. She did not kid herself into thinking the Captain and Tuvok -and Chakotay, too- would not be keeping an eye on her, but this was better than she had dared hope for. She vowed the Captain would not regret her decision.
"There is one matter of practical nature," Captain Janeway continued. "What do you want us to call you? Do you want to go on as Seska, or would you rather we used your real name?"
Seska blinked. She had run over a dozen scenarios in her head, thinking of what would happen if she told, or if they found out, but she never considered this. "Seska, I think," she said. "That is who I have been, here."
"Good," Captain Janeway replied. "Report to the Doctor first thing tomorrow morning, and you will resume your duties when he clears you. Dismissed."