Chapter 11

AN: If you're picking up the story with this chapter, I rearranged some things and corrected a few inconsistencies in the earlier chapters, and added a scene to Chapter 9

***Klorban signaled, and two guards strolled into position in front of Harry and B'Elanna on the fourth step.  Slowly, they raised their weapons. 

The guards fired as Harry and B'Elanna dematerialized.  Assuming that the prisoners had been disintegrated, the crowd on Plona cheered vigorously.  No one worried about getting back to earthquake preparations.  After all, the government had assured everyone that the aliens had somehow influenced Shyla to perpetuate false claims and that she would be disintegrated when she was captured.  And, she would be captured.  Her location was known and she was walking right into the trap set for her.

The two guards looked at each other confused and sought out Klorban who was surrounded by citizens wanting to shake his hand.

***Kilando entered the mountain region and waited for the others to catch up to him. Blin and Tamil came first.  Then, Silando and Shyla. 

"How far are we from your friends?" Silando asked Blin.

Blin took a moment to orient himself.  "They live approximately 16 kilometers to the east, but I know a shortcut that should shave off a few kilometers."

***"We've got them," Chakotay said.

"Cadet Stone to Captain Janeway."

"Janeway here."
"Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Torres are making their way to Sickbay."

"Thank you, Mr. Stone.  Engineering, prepare to break orbit on my mark.  Chakotay, you have the bridge."

"Tuvok, you have the bridge," Chakotay said as he joined Janeway on the turbolift.

B'Elanna and Harry were already sitting on biobeds when Janeway and Chakotay entered Sickbay.

"Report."  Janeway marched into the room.

"They're injuries are relatively minor.  B'Elanna has two broken ribs, and Mr. Kim has a broken wrist and first degree burns on his chest. Given my medical expertise and the ease of the necessary treatments, I'll have them as good as new in no time." 

"Captain, I need to get to the shuttle bay as quickly as possible.  I know how to compensate for the hole in the containment system.  I'll need to start making the modifications now in order to be ready for the Great Earthquake."

"We won't be here when the Great Earthquake hits."

"Captain," Harry spoke up jumping off the bioded, almost knocking the dermal regenerator from the doctor's hand.

"Hold still."

"I know we violated the Prime Directive, but we're too far into this to just leave these people to die.  None of us would ever forgive ourselves if-"

"I agree."

"But, Captain.  You do?"

She turned to B'Elanna. "I am prepared to leave unless you are 100% sure you can save the majority of those people."

"I am."

Janeway looked at each member of her crew in turn. "We'll have a staff meeting in an hour." She spun on her heel and left.

***Blin led the group to a hill behind a small house.  "I'll go up and tell them why we're here," he said.

"I'll come with you," Tamil said.

They waited over a minute before someone opened the door a crack.  "Blin, is that you?  Dalta, it's Blin.  And Tamil," the man said opening the door wide.  "Where were you this morning?"

"Why don't you invite them in first, Clousse?" Dalta said coming to the door. "Husbands have no common courtesy," she said to Tamil as she took her hand and lead her inside.  The men followed. 

"What happened this morning?" Blin asked taking the drink Dalta offered.

"You don't know?" 

"You two must really want that fourth child to ignore a summons to the square," Dalta said.  She and Tamil giggled.  Blin and Clousse groaned.

"Actually, we were in the woods," Tamil said.

"The woods?" Clousse asked looking at Blin.

Blin filled them in. 

"You mean, your sister is the traitor?" Clousse asked.

"I didn't even know you had a sister, and I'm your best friend," Dalta said.

"We never got along very well"

"So, how many security guards are here?" Blin asked.

"Twenty, maybe thirty," Clousse said.  "How'd you get past them?"

"We ran across some former security academy trainers in the woods, and they led us down some back trails."

"Are you sure it wasn't a trap?" Dalta asked.

Tamil looked at Blin horrified.  "That never occurred to me."

"I've kept my eye on them," Blin said.  "If they're being fake, they're extremely good at it.  I didn't say anything because I didn't want to upset you further," he said anticipating Tamil's thoughts.  "And, Shyla's not a traitor.  She met two aliens who confirmed her analysis of the hole in the containment system."

"The security guards said that the aliens used drugs or something to influence her to do what she did," Dalta said.

"The aliens were as surprised about the hole as she was," Tamil said defensively.

"Maybe it was an act," Dalta said. 

"Maybe they made the hole," Clousse said.

"But, Shyla said they were trustworthy," Tamil said.

"Do you agree?" Clousse asked.

"Well, we didn't actually meet them," Blin said. "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but I believe Shyla is telling the truth.  I can't explain why.  I just know it."

"You've been a pretty good judge of character for as long as I've known you," Clousse said to Blin.  "If you trust Shyla, then I trust you."

"And, we'll help you get the message out," Dalta added.

***"What?!"  Consolat Trag leaned over his desk.

The young guard trembled.  Klorban looked at him and said, "Tell the Consolat what you told me."

"Wygile and I- Wygile was the other guard-"

"Get on with it," the Consolat commanded.

"Yes, sir.  We aimed slowly just like we were told to, sir.  We counted to five then fired.  The prisoners disintegrated before our weapons reached them, sir."  He held out part of a pole.  "This is what was left of one of the poles, sir.  My weapon left a mark to indicate the edge of disintegration."  He pointed to an area at the end of the pole as the Consolat snatched it from him.

"The other pole is the same?"

"Yes, sir.  Wygile and I saw the part of the poles behind the prisoners disintegrate right after the prisoners.  If everything had gone as it should have, we wouldn't have seen the poles disintegrate, just the prisoners, sir."

"The prisoners didn't disintegrate.  They were beamed aboard their ship."

"I know what happened, sir.  I just didn't know the words for it."  The Consolat gave the guard a stern expression as he handed the pole back.  "Sorry, sir.  My nerves and all."

"Is there anything else?"

"We tried to get to Klorban, but it took us a while because he was surrounded by the excited crowd, and most of the security guards have deserted their duties."

"Despite your inability to disintegrate the aliens in time, you will be compensated for not deserting your duty.  You may go."

"Thank you, sir."

"I've tried to contact Voyager, but the aliens are not responding to hails," Klorban said.

"Get me the planetary defense operator," the Consolat commanded.