Disclaimer: Paramount owns the universe and all the regular characters, Leena, Radek and these specific events are mine.
2. Invited to visit.
As the turbolift doors opened, Janeway immediately noticed the small ship on the main viewer. It was unmistakably a Cardassian configuration.
"Is there any sign of a Cardassian warship in the area?" she asked.
It was Tuvok who answered. "Negative, Captain. Sensors report no other ships in the sector. But the Cardassians do have cloaking capability."
"Hail them."
"The Federation ship is hailing us," Leena reported.
"On viewscreen." Radek ordered.
The stars disappeared from the oval screen to make place for the Voyager bridge.
"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway, of the Federation Starship Voyager," Janeway introduced herself.
"Glinn Radek of the Second Order. I did not know the Federation had so expanded its territory," Radek remarked.
"I could say the same for you," Janeway answered, ignoring the jibe. "May I assume your ship was also pulled into the Delta quadrant by the being called the Caretaker?"
Radek quit the bravado as he saw it wasn't going to work on this human. "You assume correctly. We are on our way home, as you are. Perhaps we can combine our resources."
Janeway noted he did not elaborate on what his resources were. She decided to plunge ahead. "Speaking of resources, where is your ship?" she asked.
Radek didn't answer immediately. Leena gave him a long look, and as she saw he was not going to tell the Federation Captain they did not have a ship, she spoke up.
"You're looking at it."
Radek scowled at her, but she ignored him.
Janeway could not hide her amazement. "You came all this way in a shuttle?"
She looked around her, searching for conformation from her officers. Tuvok looked up from his console.
"It is possible, Captain. Sensors show major modifications -large storage compartment, and several times the norm in energy reserves."
Janeway's thoughts raced. She did not look forward to a confrontation between the Maquis crew members and the Cardassians -something that might be hard to avoid if she invited them aboard- but she was a Starfleet officer, and they were obliged to help others.
She was also interested in any information the Cardassians might have on the Delta quadrant. Obviously, they had not found a way home, either, but they might well have met other aliens, landed on different planets along the way. Besides, she would like to meet with anyone who could come this far in such a small vessel.
"You are welcome to come aboard," she told them. "We would like to share any information on this quadrant, and if we have any supplies to spare we will share them. You can put your vessel down in our shuttle bay."
"We will be there," Radek said. He cut the connection and turned to Leena. "Set course for the Starship. We will talk about giving away military intelligence later."
Leena laid in a course for Voyager's main docking bay.
"Military intelligence?" she gave a short laugh. "There's nothing out here to interfere with their scanners, they scanned our shuttle easily enough -how long do you think you could make them believe there's a warship out there, somewhere? Besides, we're not at war anymore, with the Federation."
"We weren't when we left. I never believed that treaty would hold, those rebels probably destroyed it by now," Radek said. "We could've dealt from a position of power, tenec." He stressed her rank, reminding her he was the senior officer.
Over a year ago, back on the Stavos, she would not have dreamed of any further subordination. Heck, she'd never have spoken up against him in the first place. But somehow, out here, rank didn't mean that much anymore. Okay, so he was a Glinn. But she was also the second highest Cardassian officer in the quadrant, if you choose to look at it that way.
"Power," she echoed. "Like when we met the Vediians? They were impressed, I remember. You know as well as I do that we don't stand a chance of making it home in this." She gestured at the interior of the shuttle. "We need their help, and we are in no position to do anything but ask."
Radek grunted non-committally. He knew she was right. He had advocated the same, himself, when dealing with the Kazon, which was the only reason they were here, in one piece, instead of being blasted out of the sky months earlier. But it didn't sit well with his Cardassian upbringing, and Leena's patience wasn't the only one wearing thin.
"Just dock the shuttle, will you?" he snapped, and disappeared into the aft compartment.
Leena put the shuttle down, and as the docking bay doors closed, and the air pressure once again showed normal, she called Radek. They opened the hatch.