By Nyassa Kaiba
Chapter 15- FeralaeIt was time. Six hours and a very tense lunch later several security officers, the Senior crew, and all of us gathered outside the Turbolift near engineering. Marco had knocked out the guard and all of us, one by one, acquired the Species 8472. We'd never know when we'd need it, and besides, who knew if we'd ever get the chance to acquire one again.
"Alright. Everybody ready?" Janeway asked.
"Everybody morph, quick before they come." I said. I closed my eyes, focusing on a single image. Sentient species wouldn't work for this. I needed something primitive. I focused on the image of a Kodiak bear. The largest bear on the planet, this particular morph stood at seven feet tall. It had claws like pickaxes and an enormous jaw filled with teeth. I almost never used this. I had had no need to between the Hork Bajir, Andilite and lion morphs. But I had two enemies now, Species 8472, and Jake's howl.
I finished the morph, and barely felt Jake the dragonfly land on my back in my fur.
I crouched down on all fours to stand beside Janeway. She was armed with a phaser rifle. We left the guard trussed up tighter than a pig at a luau and barreled down the corridor at top speed. We reached Engineering in thirty seconds. We Animorphs had to wait for the Voyager crew and the others to catch up. According to the plan, since he was immune to sound attacks, Data would remain behind to help Jake. Dr. Crusher and Dr. Bashir would wait back at Sickbay in case anybody was injured.
There were dozens of them. There had to be at least thirty of the monsters. They crowded around. "Get them!" Shouted the leader.
I swung my piledriver arms and nailed one of them in the face. I picked up a second and threw it across the room. Phaser fire blocked the doorway, keeping them from escaping out the front door. They could, of course, go out the Jeffries tubes. But Janeway had several crewmen putting lockdown hatches in place as we spoke. They were trapped.
Jake called to us. I've got it. I'm hidden under a panel near the warp core! Demorphing now.
Janeway didn't give a sign that she'd heard. But she shouted. "That's it people! They've had it! Retreat!"
I bolted and demorphed. We had three minutes, maybe four. I stumbled. Cassie hauled me up and we ran. Seven was to my right. B'Elanna, with her Batleth in hand, was running as fast as her legs could carry her up ahead.
Suddenly, too quickly, I heard. "KERAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!" The pain was incredible. I screamed, and I wasn't afraid to show it. "KERAAAAAOOOWWW!" I fell, the pain in my head! It was too much. I fell and was falling deeper and deeper into darkness. I felt Cassie's pain in my head as the howl reverberated up and down our precious link. "KERAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
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"I don't get it." Captain Janeway said with a sigh. She and the other Animorphs had gathered around Feralae and Cassie. "What was it about these two that made them vulnerable to the Howlers?"
The Doctor shooed them out of the way. "You'll have to figure that out somewhere else ladies and gentlemen. I have a patient to care for." He waved the scanner bar along Feralae's body. "Hm… that's interesting."
"What is?" Janeway asked, still keeping back.
"The sensor is detecting large amounts of Lithium Carbonate in Feralae's bloodstream." The Doctor replied. "And that shouldn't be there."
"I noticed that too." Dr. Crusher said as she tended to Cassie. "But I couldn't figure out where it had come from."
"Check your medical history texts. In the twentieth century Lithium Carbonate was used to treat Bipolar disorder. For awhile it was the strongest treatment you could get. Like using a cannon to shoot down a songbird. It's not used now, because we can correct genetic defects like that. It would take me awhile, because not all of her DNA is human, but I could correct it."
"Wait for her to wake up." Janeway told him. "I want to ask her about this."
"Just don't scare her Captain." The Doctor warned.
"Andilites don't get sick often." Marco commented. "When they do, they tend to keep it very private. And heaven forbid you if you get a genetic defect. They call such people a vecol. Vecols are expected to hide away for the rest of their lives. Her 'Ancestral' people needed her, not to mention that we did. That's probably why she hasn't told any of us."
"Remember how she mentioned earlier that she was very sick shortly before coming to California?" Asked Erika. "Maybe this is what she had?"
"It very well may be." Dr. Bashir commented from where he was scanning Seven. "Doctor I'll take care of Feralae, but since I have no experience with Borg implants I would like to switch patients with you."
"Sounds sensible to me." The Doctor said, as he took over healing Seven. "Feralae warned us Captain."
"She certainly did." Captain Janeway rubbed her forehead. "This is going to be a long clean-up job."
"And her predictions were almost totally correct." Dr. Crusher said from the viewscreen. "Look at who went down first. Tuvok was the first to fall, then Feralae and Cassie, Seven after them, and Ax and Alloran after that."
"Why Feralae though?" Asked Dr. Bashir. "Could it have something to do with the fact that she's part Andilite?"
"It might be." Jake commented. "Feralae's always had strange powers."
Bashir looked up from his work, startled. "Like what for example."
"Sometimes she'll accidentally pull people into her dreams, for example. And any alternate timeline with her or Cassie in it usually comes falling apart at the seams." Explained Marco. "The Ellemist called it something, but I can't remember what. And I've noticed Jake, even if you haven't, that sometimes Feralae and Cassie will just stare at each other, eye to eye. It's really creepy to watch."
"I haven't noticed. I wonder what she did."
"Whatever it is, it made her unusually weak to a Howler's howl." Dr. Bashir said as he gently worked a tool over Feralae's bruised head. He finished with that and poked another tool into her ear. "Ouch, it ruptured her eardrums. This might take awhile."
"Keep on it Dr. Bashir. Doctor, let me know of any change in their conditions." This was said to Voyager's doctor, not Bashir.
Captain Janeway looked out at the Sickbay. Six injured out of the attack. Besides Feralae, Cassie and Seven, Tuvok, Ax and Alloran had suffered head injuries of one kind or another. Janeway was disgusted at her stupidity. Feralae had warned her. When the Security teams lead by Odo had made it back to Engineering they had found Jake, fully human with tears in his eyes. Around him the dead members of Species 8472 surrounded him. He had taken down every last one of them, just as he had warned. And at a terrible price.
"Data to Captain Janeway." Data said over the combadge.
Janeway tapped her com. "Go ahead Data."
"Thanks to a program Alloran and Ax developed as well as the equipment and input of Lieutenant Torres I have broken through the locks that Species 8472 made on Voyager's computer system. Communications should be working normally now."
"Good work. I'll be right up on the bridge. Janeway out."
She left. Janeway was troubled by Feralae's injuries. She knew she shouldn't be, but it seemed like there was something she was missing.
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Seven, meanwhile, found herself in a realm of total blackness. She heard whimpering nearby, and pinpointing the direction she started off into the gloom.
Seven didn't have long to wait. Feralae was on her knees in the darkness. Cassie had her head in Feralae's lap and was doubled into a fetal position, whimpering in pain. "Cassie, shh… I've got you. It's going to be okay."
"Is she damaged?"
"I can't tell. All I know is she's in pain." Feralae didn't look up from where she was kneeling. "Gods, this is my fault! Mine!"
"How is this your fault?" Seven asked.
"I shouldn't have agreed to let Jake morph Howler. I'm the leader now. Not him." She was crying. It was a human reaction that Seven didn't totally understand.
"Where are we?" Seven asked, looking around. Not that there was anything to see. But the former Borg couldn't contain her curiosity.
"I'm not really sure. I think my mind created it when we were knocked out." She said, pulling Cassie into her arms. "Cassie, shhhh… it's going to be okay."
"Hurts… my head Feralae it hurts!" Cassie whimpered.
The blackness began to reform around them. They were in the Garden of the Shrine run by Feralae's grandmother. "Feralae…" Feralae's mother appeared before them.
"MOM!"
Feralae's mother wore a Miko's outfit. A samurai sword was belted at her side and she carried a bow and arrows. "Listen to me. I don't have much time." She said as she knelt by Feralae's side.
"But mom, how come you're appearing to me when you're dead?" Feralae demanded.
"The Prophets made it possible. I wanted to come and warn you myself, and they have great respect for the dead." The woman replied.
"Fine, shoot." Feralae told her.
"Remember the story that grandmother told you when she visited her shrine?"
"Which one?"
"I'll describe it then. According to the legend there was a gate between the realm of Demons, known as Yomi and the realm of the Kami. According to legend three demons will try to pass through the gate. These demons are the Youko of prejudice, the Tengu of insincerity, and the Oni of addiction. The Kami will choose their champions to protect their home, a Warrior, an Explorer, and an Artist. These three will have their own virtues to protect them, Courage, Loyalty, and Wisdom. But they will need somebody to bring them together, for they live in entirely different worlds. This uniting factor is referred to in the legend as the Shoujo no Hikari, the girl of light." Feralae's mother replied.
Her form began to fade. "I have to go Feralae. My time is UP! I love you!"
"I love you too mother! Good luck!"
"Thank you! Bring us together Feralae! In heart! In mind! In soul! Good BYE!" And with that she disappeared.
There was a long silence. "Who was that woman?" Seven asked.
"She was my mother." Feralae said softly, sadly. Cassie had stopped whimpering. Feralae pulled her friend into her arms. "Shhh… it's okay."
"I do not understand how I came to be here." Seven pointed out, crouching down. She was almost afraid to sit. And it seemed that she would be here for awhile.
"Neither do I." Feralae replied. "Sometimes, when somebody that I trust is sleeping or unconscious, I'll accidentally pull them into my dreams, but this is stronger than that ability has ever been."
"Physical and mental abilities do tend to become stronger over time." Seven agreed. "I would suggest that you focus on trying to wake up."
Feralae nodded. "I'm not sure if we can. Not yet at least. If we were to wake up we'd probably end up in pain on some medical bed somewhere." Feralae said.
The scene was blanking out around her, and Seven fell into a deeper sleep, one without shared dreams. The concept scared her, and Seven was grateful for the rest.
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The remaining Animorphs as well as the remaining Voyager Bridge crew stood ready for their Captain to make the historic transmission. "Prepare the message Ensign Kim."
"We're ready Captain."
"Hail the Defiant and the Enterprise as planned." Kathryn ordered.
"Hailing. We have a reply."
"This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. Now the laborer's day is o'er, now the battle day is past, now along the farther shore, lands the Voyager at last."
"They're sending us a reply."
"On screen."
The screen was split between Picard's bridge and Sisko's. "Welcome back to the Alpha Quadrant Captain." Picard said, with a smile.
"Thank you Captain Picard, we're glad to be back."
"Please proceed with us to the Station." Sisko said calmly. "We'll see about whatever repairs you need as well as enough supplies to get you back to Earth and shore leave for your… ahem… cabin fevered crew."
"Thank you. We are proceeding to Deep Space Nine as planned. Captain Picard, thank you for sending Data, Riker, Dr. Crusher and Worf to help us. They certainly earned their places the past few days. Captain Sisko, Major Kira, Odo and Dr. Bashir have been incredibly helpful. The two Doctors have patients down in sickbay that they have to tend to, but the others are all ready to go back to their respective ships."
"Any casualties?"
"No deaths in this battle, but a lot of injuries. Four of the nine Animorphs are currently unconscious in sickbay along with two of my senior crewmen. This is why we'll need Doctor Bashir and Doctor Crusher to stay a little longer."
Picard nodded. "Shall we proceed at impulse then, until they wake up?"
"I would like that indeed. I think Tuvok and Seven should be present when we dock with the first Federation outpost we've been to in seven years."
"Send Feralae my best wishes." Captain Picard said calmly. "I hope she gets better soon."
"She's been extremely helpful to us in the battle." Kathryn replied. "If it weren't for the Animorphs, we'd still be fighting. We have a member of Species 8472 imprisoned in the brig. Marco trussed him up like a pig at a luau, but I think some higher authority would like to question him/her/it, as soon as possible."
"I received a transmission from Starfleet Command saying that Admirals Paris, Necheyev and Mc Coy are on their way here now. They'll be here in about two days. Is that enough time to get everything ready for their arrival?" Captain Sisko asked.
"Perfect." Captain Janeway replied. "We'll be more than ready for their arrival by then. However, I would like to find some way to thank Feralae for all she's done, and her Animorph's uniform got torn up in the fight. I think if we could have a new morph outfit made for her, one that fits her station that that would more than make up for the trouble she's gone to. Do either of you know a good Tailor?"
Sisko grinned. "If you don't mind the presence of a Cardassian, I know exactly who could do it. His name is Garak, and he's an excellent Tailor. He does the work for me and my crew when we need a costume of some sort."
Janeway smiled. "I don't think that will be a problem at all. Now, the next order of business, the transwarp engines have done horrible damage to Voyager's outer hull and ruined most of the dilithium in our stores…" And that was that for the Animorphs for now.