Kathryn stood with her arms folded surveying Seven of Nine's work on the Flyer. She tapped her foot impatiently and bit her lip. She was more concerned about how she was to tell Harry the news than the Away Mission. But as Captain it was her duty and she knew she must carry it out.
"Captain," Seven reported, "we are ready."
"Then let's go," Kathryn replied determinedly.
A few minutes later the four crewmembers were exiting the shuttle bay doors. They approached the planet's atmosphere steadily, waiting for the impact. When it came, there was a tremendous shift and the crewmembers were tossed off of their seats. They travelled further into the atmosphere through the thick clouds of gases.
There was another jolt and Kathryn gripped the console in front of her.
"Port thrusters offline, Captain," reported Seven of Nine.
"Compensate," she replied.
"This is the one occasion when I really wish Tom were here," B'Elanna muttered, while frantically trying to re-route power and steady the shuttle.
They made an unsteady landing, narrowly missing a cliff face on the planet's surface. The landscape was mountainous and the ground dusty. The sky was a red colour, swirling with black and purple clouds of gases. B'Elanna had a large cut running down her right cheek and Kathyrn had a bruised knee (although she said nothing – what kind of a Captain would she be if she admitted to pain?) but otherwise they were unharmed.
They stepped out of the damaged shuttle, each of them wearing an environmental suit.
"I suggest two of you try to establish communication with Voyager. B'Elanna, Seven get to work on that. Tuvok and I will search the area…" Kathryn started.
She was interrupted by crunching noise from behind a large boulder directly in front of the party. Before Kathyrn could target her phaser there were three shots from the left of the boulder, striking down Tuvok, B'Elanna and Seven. Kathryn barely had time to seek cover before a sharp pain hit her chest and she fell to the dusty ground…
Harry sat in front of the screen scanning through the rows of data. A picture of him stared back. They had every detail right – his scruffy black hair, his bright green eyes and of course the famous lightning bolt-shaped scar he bore on his forehead. Harry ran his finger over it, vaguely remembering the times it had stung and that he would gladly endure that pain to be home.
Harry brought his attention back to the screen as he searched to find out how the wizards had been killed. He deeply hoped it wasn't true. But he could return home soon. Whatever got me here must be able to get me back and I could change the future…none of this would happen…
He read through everything twice, half of it not sinking in. What Captain Janeway had said was true. There was no explanation for Voldemort's death…Harry had disappeared – '…apparated off the face of the earth…' Got that right.
Harry looked up to the food replicator as his stomach gave a loud, unpleasant grumble. He stood up and made his way to the machine and stood, staring at the ceiling wondering what to get. Something hot…
"Bangers and mash," he said slowly.
"Unable to comply. Please restate request," the voice replied.
"Er…sausages and mashed potato," Harry said feeling a bit stupid.
"Unable to comply. Please restate request."
Harry sighed angrily, kicked the wall and flopped on the bed. He buried his head in the pillow once more and he soon drifted off to sleep…
TBC…