Voyager's Captain picked in the odd food before her. The Taali's national dish, Muurha, was
something that made Leola root stew look tempting. At least they got to
sit down, though on hard stools.
She coughed discreetly. This was a good opportunity for her to bring up the coming alliance.
"So, Bral--"
"We do not talk while enjoying a meal." He cut off and continued to shuffle food in his mouth.
"Enjoying." She quietly muttered in Chakotay's direction. His wine was long gone, but his
food also remained untouched.
Bral continued to eat his meal with hunger, Tuvok also ate, though only to be polite.
Kathryn had planned to ask Bral if he had any luck in his search for other species capable to
make war.
It was an important question, sadly it had to wait until later.
Instead, Janeway let her mind wander, still spinning the fork around in her food.
She thought about earth, Mark, her family and even dogs.
But most of all she thought about her three officers, stranded at the planet several civilizations,
and her own ship, were going to attack.
She'd made a horrible mistake, and by suggesting an alliance, she was going to make one
more.
***
The barren landscape made Harry feel bad.
The fact that his two best friends, who by some to him unknown reason , didn't speak to each
other also made him feel bad. Very bad.
The three people walked as fast as they could, Harry complained about headache, that he
couldn't walk in their speed when his head thumped.
Tom ogled beside him every now and then, to the north, he carefully watched how much time
it was left before the second sunrise over Sprai-koo.
When they could dimly see a pink/orange shimmer take form at the north horizon, they reached
their destination. A huge gate in front of a huge building. Everything went in grey and black, a
perfect match to the dark brown soil underneath their tired feet.
Harry's leg, up to the knee, pounded hard and painful. To B'Elanna's curiosity, he made an
ugly grimace, but she never asked.
Instead she turned to Tom,
"Are we going to knock at the gate and ask for permission to step inside?"
Her first words to him nearly half an hour. Even if she was very sarcastic, the ice was broken
for this time.
"Yes, of course! An you'll have the honor to knock. After all it was the Day Of Honor only a
few days ago."
B'Elanna prepared to knock at the door with her knuckles, Tom put a hand on her shoulder.
"With your shoulder."
"Did you throw yourself at this gate too when you were here, looking for a 'job'?"
"Er... no. I walked around it, and then used a tunnel I found running from the inside of a cave.
But that place is at least three kilometers straight ahead, and we don't have the time it takes to
get around."
Harry felt responsible, like if his 'headache' was slowing them down too much.
"All right." B'Elanna held up a hand, warding off. The last thing she needed now was another
lecture regarding their pressed time schedule.
She threw herself at the closed gate, feet the hard, tough material resist and send the recoil of
her power back into her own body.
But B'Elanna Torres refused to give up, and threw herself at her tall, silent opponent a few
more times, until her whole body ached.
What really made her mad was that it was her own strength which caused her all the pain.
With her hands on her knees, she leaned forward and breathed heavily. She was so
disappointed at herself. They might not get any further, and if they didn't it was her fault.
The three of them all knew that she was the only one who could do it. Harry and Tom weren't
strong enough, and the gate was so narrow that only one person could walk through it at the
time. B'Elanna also knew how badly the both men wanted to help her, but couldn't.
It was all up to her, if they had to give up and turn around, or if they would be able to get back
home at all.
So she gathered all her disappointment, anger and powerlessness into one last kick, right
between where the two gate halves met.
To her own big surprise, it creaked loudly.
Tom and Harry however, wasn't startled at all. They had known al along that she'd make it,
that she'd get them in. The dear half-Klingon was too stubborn not to.
Once again she used her black and blue shoulder, the last time, and the gate flung open.
She fell on all fours at the ground behind their first obstacle. It looked, and felt, just as cold
and dirty as the one outside.
She remained there, drawing deep breaths. Nobody helped her up.
Harry had already hobbled to the next gate, one with a technical lock, and he already tried to
break through it, eager to be to some help.
Tom closed the first gate the best he could from the inside.
B'Elanna helped herself up and brushed the dirt off her dark clothes when Tom walked by.
"Good job." He smiled appreciatingly at her.
"Thanks."
The ice was definitely broken.
"YES!!" Harry's pleased scream echoed everywhere around them, washing over the
whispering couple.
"Shhhh!" They hissed in unison.
Harry looked like a child who just had been caught, while stealing mommy's cookies.
"I'm so sorry! I completely forgot--"
He tried to whisper as low as he could to compensate for his yelling. Tom and B'Elanna had to
strain themselves to hear.
"Never mind, Har. Are you through?"
Harry happily looked at his male friend. he'd done his part.
"You bet I am!"
***
something that made Leola root stew look tempting. At least they got to
sit down, though on hard stools.
She coughed discreetly. This was a good opportunity for her to bring up the coming alliance.
"So, Bral--"
"We do not talk while enjoying a meal." He cut off and continued to shuffle food in his mouth.
"Enjoying." She quietly muttered in Chakotay's direction. His wine was long gone, but his
food also remained untouched.
Bral continued to eat his meal with hunger, Tuvok also ate, though only to be polite.
Kathryn had planned to ask Bral if he had any luck in his search for other species capable to
make war.
It was an important question, sadly it had to wait until later.
Instead, Janeway let her mind wander, still spinning the fork around in her food.
She thought about earth, Mark, her family and even dogs.
But most of all she thought about her three officers, stranded at the planet several civilizations,
and her own ship, were going to attack.
She'd made a horrible mistake, and by suggesting an alliance, she was going to make one
more.
***
The barren landscape made Harry feel bad.
The fact that his two best friends, who by some to him unknown reason , didn't speak to each
other also made him feel bad. Very bad.
The three people walked as fast as they could, Harry complained about headache, that he
couldn't walk in their speed when his head thumped.
Tom ogled beside him every now and then, to the north, he carefully watched how much time
it was left before the second sunrise over Sprai-koo.
When they could dimly see a pink/orange shimmer take form at the north horizon, they reached
their destination. A huge gate in front of a huge building. Everything went in grey and black, a
perfect match to the dark brown soil underneath their tired feet.
Harry's leg, up to the knee, pounded hard and painful. To B'Elanna's curiosity, he made an
ugly grimace, but she never asked.
Instead she turned to Tom,
"Are we going to knock at the gate and ask for permission to step inside?"
Her first words to him nearly half an hour. Even if she was very sarcastic, the ice was broken
for this time.
"Yes, of course! An you'll have the honor to knock. After all it was the Day Of Honor only a
few days ago."
B'Elanna prepared to knock at the door with her knuckles, Tom put a hand on her shoulder.
"With your shoulder."
"Did you throw yourself at this gate too when you were here, looking for a 'job'?"
"Er... no. I walked around it, and then used a tunnel I found running from the inside of a cave.
But that place is at least three kilometers straight ahead, and we don't have the time it takes to
get around."
Harry felt responsible, like if his 'headache' was slowing them down too much.
"All right." B'Elanna held up a hand, warding off. The last thing she needed now was another
lecture regarding their pressed time schedule.
She threw herself at the closed gate, feet the hard, tough material resist and send the recoil of
her power back into her own body.
But B'Elanna Torres refused to give up, and threw herself at her tall, silent opponent a few
more times, until her whole body ached.
What really made her mad was that it was her own strength which caused her all the pain.
With her hands on her knees, she leaned forward and breathed heavily. She was so
disappointed at herself. They might not get any further, and if they didn't it was her fault.
The three of them all knew that she was the only one who could do it. Harry and Tom weren't
strong enough, and the gate was so narrow that only one person could walk through it at the
time. B'Elanna also knew how badly the both men wanted to help her, but couldn't.
It was all up to her, if they had to give up and turn around, or if they would be able to get back
home at all.
So she gathered all her disappointment, anger and powerlessness into one last kick, right
between where the two gate halves met.
To her own big surprise, it creaked loudly.
Tom and Harry however, wasn't startled at all. They had known al along that she'd make it,
that she'd get them in. The dear half-Klingon was too stubborn not to.
Once again she used her black and blue shoulder, the last time, and the gate flung open.
She fell on all fours at the ground behind their first obstacle. It looked, and felt, just as cold
and dirty as the one outside.
She remained there, drawing deep breaths. Nobody helped her up.
Harry had already hobbled to the next gate, one with a technical lock, and he already tried to
break through it, eager to be to some help.
Tom closed the first gate the best he could from the inside.
B'Elanna helped herself up and brushed the dirt off her dark clothes when Tom walked by.
"Good job." He smiled appreciatingly at her.
"Thanks."
The ice was definitely broken.
"YES!!" Harry's pleased scream echoed everywhere around them, washing over the
whispering couple.
"Shhhh!" They hissed in unison.
Harry looked like a child who just had been caught, while stealing mommy's cookies.
"I'm so sorry! I completely forgot--"
He tried to whisper as low as he could to compensate for his yelling. Tom and B'Elanna had to
strain themselves to hear.
"Never mind, Har. Are you through?"
Harry happily looked at his male friend. he'd done his part.
"You bet I am!"
***