Oh, No, Not Another Mutiny!
Disclaimer: Did you ever see LMR in the credits of Voyager?
******************************* Chapter 3: War
The Captain's face was set like marble in an expression of fury. "So, I hear you had a little bit of trouble in the corridors today."
Parker hung his head. "Yes, Ma'am."
"This isn't like you, Ensign. What happened?"
"Something is going on with the Maquis, Captain. There up to something, I know it. Whatever it is, Commander Chakotay is behind it. When he talked to Redding, he took him aside, and I could have sworn that I heard Chakotay tell him to be more discreet."
The Captain frowned in concentration. "It did seem to me that something was amiss with Ensign Redding. He didn't report to me when he was told. That did seem strange to me. You say Chakotay pulled him aside to talk to him?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"But several people reported that they heard Chakotay order him to my ready room. Do you suppose it's possible that Chakotay first told him, while they were talking quietly to not come here, just hypothetically?"
"Hypothetically, I suppose so. I don't trust the Maquis, Ma'am. If I may speak freely, I believe they're planning an uprising."
"I have to admit," the Captain offered. "The same idea had occurred to me." An afterthought. "Ensign, don't do it again. We don't want them to know we suspect any thing."
****************************************
"Lieutenant Paris, my ready room please."
"Aye, Captain." He entered. "You wanted to speak to me, Ma'am?" She nodded grimly. "I don't know if you've noticed lately, but I think the Maquis are up to something. Have you noticed anything bizarre?"
"No, Ma'am, but I'll be sure to let you know."
"I'll be frank with you, Tom, It think there might be an all out altercation with the Maquis. I understand this might be difficult for you."
He nodded. "Because of my less than stellar history with Starfleet, I'm assuming?"
"Of course, " the Captain replied. "What else would there be?"
"Don't worry, Captain," he said, "I'm looking forward to proving myself to Starfleet. No Maquis on this ship stands a chance."
******************************************
At about the same time, Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres walked to her quarters. The room was completely empty, but she didn't seem to notice. "Computer," she said sleepily, "Wake me at 0700 hours." The computer made no sound, but she heard it, none the less. She lay down on the floor and fell asleep.
*****************************************
As the Captain was appraising all the Starfleet crewmembers of the situation, Chakotay was doing the same with his group. They were advised to keep a low profile and not engage any of the Starfleet, not yet, anyway. He laid out their plans. The crews were about equal, so at the appointed day and time, each Maquis would find a reason to be near precisely one Starfleet crew member - no more no less. Each was to shadow that person until Chakotay gave the order over the intercom. Then, and only then, were they to attack. They would shoot the person they were shadowing, and within a matter of minutes, the ship was theirs. Chakotay knew his plan was flawless with a single-minded determination that he hated Starfleet. The others of his group had much the same feeling. Never in any discussions had a motive even been brought to light.
************************************
"Ow! Computer, standard illumination." Neelix's room lit up. He had tripped over a piece of Tailaxian art he kept near his door. It really hurt. Probably nothing. He tried to walk on it. Ouch! Okay, maybe not nothing. Maybe he should go to sickbay.
"Doc, are you in here?"
"Ah, Neelix. How are you tonight?"
"Well, all right, I suppose, except that I think I just sprained my ankle."
The Doctor reached up a hand to stop him. "Let's let the professional do the diagnosis, please."
"Oh, of course, Doctor," Neelix chuckled a little. "Didn't mean to overstep my bounds."
The Doctor smiled, scanning. "I must say, it's nice to have someone in sickbay who still acts like himself."
Neelix looked perplexed. "What do you mean, Doctor?"
"Over the past week, everyone who's come in here has been acting absolutely bizarre. In fact, when I called him in to help a few days ago, I asked Mr. Paris how B'Elanna was doing, he looked at me as if perhaps a waterfowl had perched on my cranium. But he didn't say anything. Like he blocked out the question. And everyone else has been the same way. No facial expression, except," he seemed to be thinking "except a look of hate sometimes."
"Hate?" Now Neelix was really confused.. "Toward you?"
"No." The Doctor puffed up and became somewhat stuffy. "As a matter of fact, they don't regard me at all. It's as if I don't exist." He snorted. "Except of course for Seven, who acknowledges my existence long enough to insult me."
"You know, Doctor, I've noticed the same thing in the mess hall. Everyone's got this dazed look. They just don't seem right somehow. I've noticed some of that hatred, too. Did you hear about the fight?"
"Yes, I treated the injuries. Apparently it was a scuffle between Starfleet and Maquis crewmembers."
"Um. I don't understand. There hasn't been a problem with that in ages. I think half of them don't even remember which one they were anymore." But Neelix's attempt at a joke didn't seem to be getting through to the Doctor.
"You know, you're right. When I see patients looking at each other like that, it's always one Starfleet and one Maquis. It doesn't make sense."
"There are other things, too," Neelix pointed out. "None of them ever seem to be concentrating on anything. They just walk around in a perpetual daze."
"I know exactly what you mean. When Mr. Paris was here two days ago, he didn't act up in the slightest. Most unlike him. I would tell him to do something, no whining, no complaints, nothing. He just did what he was supposed to without any trouble. He didn't seem to be paying attention at all." He paused. "I must admit, I took slight advantage of the situation. I kept him on for an extra half hour and gave him some extra chores."
Now Neelix seemed really surprised. "And he didn't protest at all? No, that's really not like him. No offense, Doctor, but he really hates coming here." He thought for a moment. "Tell me, Doctor, did he come here on time and without complaining, or did you have to call him."
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "As usual, he had apparently forgotten his duties here. I had to contact him and tell him to come."
"How did he respond?"
The Doctor thought about this. "No response, he just came. Then stared blankly until I told him what to do."
"Very strange." Neelix's brows furrowed in concentration. "Has everyone been like this, I mean, except me?"
The Doctor thought for a moment, then brightened. He tapped his combadge. "Seven of Nine, report to Sickbay."
********************************************
At that very moment, the ship was being watched. A youth who appeared about twenty years old (but who was, in fact, three) was gazing at the ship, at the people inside. He knew exactly what was going on. He had to admit, it was very funny. He might like to see what would happen. Then again, it could be dangerous. He couldn't let anything happen to Aunt Kathy. Dad would be furious. But maybe there was a way to have his cake and eat it, too.
*************************************************
The other party watching Voyager was not nearly so benevolent. They didn't care about the people on the ship in the slightest. Natives of the nebula, they had learned a few tricks. Tricks they gladly put to use on anyone who might pass through. What could have been construed as a smile crossed an alien face, wispy and pink. The monsters were due on Voyager. **************************************************************
Hmmmm. Does anybody know what's going on yet? R&R folks! Love from LMR
Disclaimer: Did you ever see LMR in the credits of Voyager?
******************************* Chapter 3: War
The Captain's face was set like marble in an expression of fury. "So, I hear you had a little bit of trouble in the corridors today."
Parker hung his head. "Yes, Ma'am."
"This isn't like you, Ensign. What happened?"
"Something is going on with the Maquis, Captain. There up to something, I know it. Whatever it is, Commander Chakotay is behind it. When he talked to Redding, he took him aside, and I could have sworn that I heard Chakotay tell him to be more discreet."
The Captain frowned in concentration. "It did seem to me that something was amiss with Ensign Redding. He didn't report to me when he was told. That did seem strange to me. You say Chakotay pulled him aside to talk to him?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"But several people reported that they heard Chakotay order him to my ready room. Do you suppose it's possible that Chakotay first told him, while they were talking quietly to not come here, just hypothetically?"
"Hypothetically, I suppose so. I don't trust the Maquis, Ma'am. If I may speak freely, I believe they're planning an uprising."
"I have to admit," the Captain offered. "The same idea had occurred to me." An afterthought. "Ensign, don't do it again. We don't want them to know we suspect any thing."
****************************************
"Lieutenant Paris, my ready room please."
"Aye, Captain." He entered. "You wanted to speak to me, Ma'am?" She nodded grimly. "I don't know if you've noticed lately, but I think the Maquis are up to something. Have you noticed anything bizarre?"
"No, Ma'am, but I'll be sure to let you know."
"I'll be frank with you, Tom, It think there might be an all out altercation with the Maquis. I understand this might be difficult for you."
He nodded. "Because of my less than stellar history with Starfleet, I'm assuming?"
"Of course, " the Captain replied. "What else would there be?"
"Don't worry, Captain," he said, "I'm looking forward to proving myself to Starfleet. No Maquis on this ship stands a chance."
******************************************
At about the same time, Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres walked to her quarters. The room was completely empty, but she didn't seem to notice. "Computer," she said sleepily, "Wake me at 0700 hours." The computer made no sound, but she heard it, none the less. She lay down on the floor and fell asleep.
*****************************************
As the Captain was appraising all the Starfleet crewmembers of the situation, Chakotay was doing the same with his group. They were advised to keep a low profile and not engage any of the Starfleet, not yet, anyway. He laid out their plans. The crews were about equal, so at the appointed day and time, each Maquis would find a reason to be near precisely one Starfleet crew member - no more no less. Each was to shadow that person until Chakotay gave the order over the intercom. Then, and only then, were they to attack. They would shoot the person they were shadowing, and within a matter of minutes, the ship was theirs. Chakotay knew his plan was flawless with a single-minded determination that he hated Starfleet. The others of his group had much the same feeling. Never in any discussions had a motive even been brought to light.
************************************
"Ow! Computer, standard illumination." Neelix's room lit up. He had tripped over a piece of Tailaxian art he kept near his door. It really hurt. Probably nothing. He tried to walk on it. Ouch! Okay, maybe not nothing. Maybe he should go to sickbay.
"Doc, are you in here?"
"Ah, Neelix. How are you tonight?"
"Well, all right, I suppose, except that I think I just sprained my ankle."
The Doctor reached up a hand to stop him. "Let's let the professional do the diagnosis, please."
"Oh, of course, Doctor," Neelix chuckled a little. "Didn't mean to overstep my bounds."
The Doctor smiled, scanning. "I must say, it's nice to have someone in sickbay who still acts like himself."
Neelix looked perplexed. "What do you mean, Doctor?"
"Over the past week, everyone who's come in here has been acting absolutely bizarre. In fact, when I called him in to help a few days ago, I asked Mr. Paris how B'Elanna was doing, he looked at me as if perhaps a waterfowl had perched on my cranium. But he didn't say anything. Like he blocked out the question. And everyone else has been the same way. No facial expression, except," he seemed to be thinking "except a look of hate sometimes."
"Hate?" Now Neelix was really confused.. "Toward you?"
"No." The Doctor puffed up and became somewhat stuffy. "As a matter of fact, they don't regard me at all. It's as if I don't exist." He snorted. "Except of course for Seven, who acknowledges my existence long enough to insult me."
"You know, Doctor, I've noticed the same thing in the mess hall. Everyone's got this dazed look. They just don't seem right somehow. I've noticed some of that hatred, too. Did you hear about the fight?"
"Yes, I treated the injuries. Apparently it was a scuffle between Starfleet and Maquis crewmembers."
"Um. I don't understand. There hasn't been a problem with that in ages. I think half of them don't even remember which one they were anymore." But Neelix's attempt at a joke didn't seem to be getting through to the Doctor.
"You know, you're right. When I see patients looking at each other like that, it's always one Starfleet and one Maquis. It doesn't make sense."
"There are other things, too," Neelix pointed out. "None of them ever seem to be concentrating on anything. They just walk around in a perpetual daze."
"I know exactly what you mean. When Mr. Paris was here two days ago, he didn't act up in the slightest. Most unlike him. I would tell him to do something, no whining, no complaints, nothing. He just did what he was supposed to without any trouble. He didn't seem to be paying attention at all." He paused. "I must admit, I took slight advantage of the situation. I kept him on for an extra half hour and gave him some extra chores."
Now Neelix seemed really surprised. "And he didn't protest at all? No, that's really not like him. No offense, Doctor, but he really hates coming here." He thought for a moment. "Tell me, Doctor, did he come here on time and without complaining, or did you have to call him."
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "As usual, he had apparently forgotten his duties here. I had to contact him and tell him to come."
"How did he respond?"
The Doctor thought about this. "No response, he just came. Then stared blankly until I told him what to do."
"Very strange." Neelix's brows furrowed in concentration. "Has everyone been like this, I mean, except me?"
The Doctor thought for a moment, then brightened. He tapped his combadge. "Seven of Nine, report to Sickbay."
********************************************
At that very moment, the ship was being watched. A youth who appeared about twenty years old (but who was, in fact, three) was gazing at the ship, at the people inside. He knew exactly what was going on. He had to admit, it was very funny. He might like to see what would happen. Then again, it could be dangerous. He couldn't let anything happen to Aunt Kathy. Dad would be furious. But maybe there was a way to have his cake and eat it, too.
*************************************************
The other party watching Voyager was not nearly so benevolent. They didn't care about the people on the ship in the slightest. Natives of the nebula, they had learned a few tricks. Tricks they gladly put to use on anyone who might pass through. What could have been construed as a smile crossed an alien face, wispy and pink. The monsters were due on Voyager. **************************************************************
Hmmmm. Does anybody know what's going on yet? R&R folks! Love from LMR