Chapter Eight – All good things
Special Edition Conclusion Chapter
Janeway healed onto her arm rests on her chair as the ship rocked violently. It stopped, and she stood up quickly. "Report!" She barked at Tuvok.
"The holodeck overload burnt out several relays on deck nine and ten. However, all holodeck systems on board have been successfully been deactivated." He replied.
"Janeway to holodeck one." She said to the comm system.
"Doctor here. What happened, Captain? Thanks for getting me out of there." The Doctors voice replied.
"Doctor, we are glad to have you back with us. Is Hogan in there with you?"
"… Hogan? Isn't he one of the engineers that works with Lieutenant Torres? I haven't seen him, why?" Janeway crashed down in her chair, and looked over at Chakotay.
"Damn. Doctor, report to the bridge. Janeway out." She paused. "Alright. We still have a missing crew member. I want…" Harry cut her off.
"Captain, I might have an explanation." Janeway stood up.
"Well by all means, lets hear it." She said.
"A few seconds before the holodeck overloaded I detected a narrow beam of energy leaving the ship. I think it might have been some form of a transporter."
"To where?" She frowned.
"Standby, I am attempting to track it." Harry keyed in a few commands, and extended the long-range scanners. "I have lost it, it went beyond the sensor range. But, it went in the direction of the demon class planet I mentioned earlier." He finished. Janeway rolled her eyes.
"I hate demon planets. Tom, lay in a course, warp six."
"Got it, course plotted and laid in." He replied.
"Engage." Janeway commanded, as she hit her chair. She watched the main viewscreen, as the stars started to streak by, as the ship slipped into warp. "Janeway to B'Elanna, report to the bridge."
--
"So, where the hell did he go?" Janeway said sternly with her back to her crew. She watched the stars fly by.
"My guess is that he was transported off the ship by Acritin." B'Elanna said.
"Well how do we know that Acritin is even real? What if he was just part of the holoprogram?" Chakotay asked.
"I guess there isn't really any way to tell, but he just seemed real, according to Hogan. Besides, he was really mystical… it just seems that he would be the one behind this if anybody." The room fell silent again, as all eyes drifted on the motionless Kathryn Janeway. She stood facing the stars, with her hands on her hips. Finally, she spoke.
"Doctor, you were a businessman on the planet. You weren't on Voyager. B'Elanna, you were on Voyager, which discovered the planet, and crash-landed on it. So both ways, you were exposed to this planet, Aona. Acritin and Adrianna are from the planet, Aona. It all revolves around the planet and these gods. Hogan, presumably, was transported to this demon class planet we are en route to. Is that planet the real Aona?" She said, still facing the window. B'Elanna and the Doctor exchanged glances.
"I doubt it, Captain. Aona was a beautiful planet. The demon class planet is incapable of supporting life, I doubt it could be Aona." B'Elanna said. Suddenly, Tom stood up.
"Captain, we are speeding up!" He said. Janeway turned around and frowned at him.
"What?" She queried.
"I can feel it, the ship is gaining velocity…" Janeway reached up to hit her comm badge, only for the comm to activate before she touched it.
"All senior staff please report to the bridge immediately." Everyone stood, and quickly walked to the bridge.
"Report." Janeway said as she walked toward her chair.
"We are gaining velocity, and the helm is not responding to my commands." Tom said, after he excused the ensign at his station. Janeway turned her head to B'Elanna.
"Get down to engineering. See if you can shut the core down manually." She said to the half Klingon. B'Elanna disappeared into the turbolift. Janeway turned back up to Kim.
"Why are we speeding up?" She asked.
"I don't know, Captain, but we are nearing that demon planet way to fast!" Tom Said, worriedly. Hey keyed in a few commands, then turned to Janeway. "We are going to slam into it at warp in less than a minute!"
"Why the hell isn't the navigational computer changing our direction?" Janeway said quickly.
"Captain," Tuvok started, "the navigational computer seems to have been disabled. I believe… curious…" Tuvok stopped as his panel started to beep. Tom's started beeping as well.
"We are changing course!" Tom said, as his readouts changed. "The computer just plotted a circular course around the planet!"
"At warp?" Janeway stuttered, surprised.
"I still can't shut the engines down!" Tom yelled above the red alert klaxon.
"Increasing structural integrity field to maximum." Tuvok said, as he pressed a few buttons on his panel.
"Captain, this is not going to be pleasant…" Kim started to say. "I have emergency forcefields on standby. When we start to turn it is going to cause severe hull stress all over the ship!"
"I am aware of that, Mister Kim. All hands brace yourselves!" Janeway said, as she sat down, and held on to her chair.
"Captain, the hull cannot take this kind of pressure! We are going to break apart!" Were the last words everyone heard before they all blacked out.
--
Hogan woke up, and yawned. The sun was shining in on the room where he had been sleeping, and had woken him up. He smiled, and looked around the room. He was laying in a king bed covered in red silk sheets. He was in the bed alone, so he stretched real hard. Hogan couldn't remember how long it had been since he had slept that good. He propped himself up on a few of the many pillows, and observed the room. It was very elaborate, some form of gold laced just about everything from the red rug on the floor to the bed sheets, to the sleek door on the opposite end of the room. Hogan yawned again, and slipped out of bed only to realize he wasn't wearing anything. A little embarrassed, he slid back under the covers and scanned the room with his eyes for something to cover his midsection. He found a form of compression shorts sitting on a chair near the bed, so he jumped out from under the covers and put them on. Last night sure was something. Hogan remembered. Acritin had shown him the time of his life in those few short hours, and had shown him what it was like to live like a god. He glanced down at his body, and he realized he had more muscles. He had gained more muscle mass in just a few hours. He snickered at himself for suspecting anything like it, he figured he had just not recognized that his working out had yielded such results. He walked over to the window of the room, and smiled at the warmth of the sun on his body. He looked down at the large city beneath him, intrigued by its glory. Suddenly, he heard a latch on the golden door give way, and it slid open. Acritin entered the room, and smiled at him.
"Good afternoon." He said, as he walked over to him, and embraced him with a hug and a kiss. Hogan held on to Acritins blue, cool body.
"Did I sleep that long?" Hogan asked, as he looked into Acritins eyes.
"Sure did. And you were cute doing it, too." He replied "I watched you for hours." Hogan smiled, and rested his head on Acritins chest. The two men stood by the window, embracing each other. I could live like this forever.
--
Captain Janeway opened her eyes, and squinted. She had a splitting headache, and the light wasn't helping. She tried her best to sit up, and finally managed. She looked around the room, and gasped. There was no sign of Voyager, for she as well as her entire crew, were lying in hospital beds in a very large room. The room seemed to be an emergency medical center, with temporary beds set up for their needs. She did a quick check of her body, and after finding no real damage, she got off the bed. A small sensor on the wall near the bed beeped, recognizing she had stood. Must have alerted the proper authorities. Janeway mused. Suddenly, a man materialized before her. He was wearing a white lab coat, with red markings on the left chest section.
"My name is Quag-renad, chief medical supervisor." He said to Janeway.
"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager." She replied.
"Captain Janeway. Intriguing name and title. Rest assured, your staff has been well taken care of here on Aona. Your ship crashed on our planet several hours ago, fortunately we were able to deploy stabilizer drones to slow its descent so the damage was less extensive. Your crew has all responded to medical treatments quite well, and will be back on their feet within the hour." He finished.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality. Where is my ship now?"
"In a docking bay further in the city. Your reactor was on the verge of an explosion, so we locked your ship into stasis. We did not know how to repair the type of systems on your ship, so we felt we would leave it to you when you awakened."
"Thank you, supervisor. Tell me, you said we are on Aona?"
"Yes." He replied to her question.
"What do you know of Acritin, and Adrianna?" he asked.
"You know of the gods?" He asked, surprised.
"A little." Janeway replied.
"Captain Janeway of Voyager, we do not get many guests. This medical facility had to be erected quickly to accommodate your crew. You are lucky that your ship crashed so near to the capitol city. Acritin and Adrianna are the supreme rulers of our planet. What do you know of them?"
"Very little." Janeway said, thinking. I do not need to play all my cards now. The less these people know about us, the better. The Prime Directive has already been violated, and I don't want to make a bigger mess of things than we already have. "Mostly stories, but I believe they - rather Acritin - has one of my crewmembers." She finished. Quag-renads eyes got large.
"It is time for Acritin to choose a companion, but from a passing starship? That is amazing!" he said with excitement. "Your female will be very happy! You yourself should be honored that one of your staff was chosen!" He said, gleefully. Janeway noticed that Chakotay was stirring a few beds down.
"Actually, it was a male he chose." She said, as she patted him on the shoulder, and walked over to Chakotay. "Commander, are you alright?" She glanced over at Quag-renad, and smiled inwardly at the bewildered look on his face.
--
Hogan awoke, and rolled over to his other side. Acritin was in the bed, staring at him.
"Morning." Acritin said, and smiled.
"Hi, you." Hogan replied, and scooted closer to him. They laid in bed, touching noses for a few minutes, staring into each other's eyes. Suddenly, Hogan realized something. "How long have I been here?" He asked. Acritin frowned.
"Not thinking of leaving?" He asked.
"No, not that. Never that. I was just wondering." Acritin rolled onto his back, and looked up at the ceiling. Hogan looked down at Acritins blue body, muscles shimmering.
"We were together on your 'holodeck' for a day, then I brought you to Aona. You have been here with me for eight days." Holodeck. Memories of Hogans former life flashed through his head. I am an engineering officer aboard the Starship Voyager! He had completely forgotten everything until that moment. Is Janeway looking for me? Acritin noticed his worried companion.
"Hey." Hey said, as he traced his blue finger down Hogans face. "I am sorry for taking you from your people. The entire holoprogram you experienced about being back into the Alpha quadrant was fake, fabricated by me. I sensed you and your ship flying by, and I knew I had to have you, to experience you." He stopped with his confession, and studied Hogans face. "I love you, with all that I can. I just want you to be happy… whether it be with me, or back on your ship." Hogan stared at him for a moment, processing all he had just learned. "And, I brought them here. They are on the planet for the time being while you decide." Acritin flinched at himself. He felt like a fool just taking Hogan from his people like that. Hogan stared into Acritins blue eyes for a moment.
"I forgive you for doing that. I don't know what I want to do yet." He said, finally.
"Take as long as you need to." Acritin replied. Suddenly, the room flashed bright with a bolt of red light. Acritin and Hogan, both startled, turned to the end of the room. A tall woman with fiery red hair, red skin and freckles, had appeared out of nowhere, and was standing there with her arms crossed glaring at them.
"There you are, Acritin!" She hissed. Hogan turned to Acritin.
"Is that…" He started to say. Acritin finished the sentence for him.
"Hello, Adrianna." He said to her, never breaking eye contact.
--
"Captains log, supplemental. We have been on Aona for eight days, the government of this planet have been very generous supplying us with replacement parts to repair Voyager. Lieutenant Torres is working feverously to get all systems back online, and says we should be back to peak efficiency within a day. The government has also allowed us to keep Voyager in their main docking bay until our repairs are complete. It sure is something else to look out the window and see a city thriving below us, reminds me of being home," She paused, drifting off, "all we need to do now, is rescue our crewmember from a god. Only thing is, how do we do it? Computer, end log." Janeway finished, as she looked out the window at the city. Suddenly, a lightning bolt streaked through the sky, and it started raining. She smiled as the small rain drops came in contact with the ready room window. "The gods are mad at each other." She muttered under her breath. B'Elanna had told her that's what it meant when the weather patterns changed so rapidly. Janeway turned to her replicator. "Coffee, black." She said, as the door chimed. "Come." The doors parted, and in walked Tuvok and Chakotay. Her replicator powered up, and started to shimmer. Suddenly, it started producing mug after mug of coffee, filling up the tray. Janeway frowned. Before she could do anything, it had stacked nearly twenty mugs one on top of each other. "Computer, cancel replication!" she screamed at it, and after a delayed moment, it stopped at twenty seven mugs - all perfectly stacked. Chakotay broke out in a grin.
"Replicator problems?" He asked, still smiling. Janeway carefully removed the mug off the top and turned to him.
"Wipe that grin off your face, mister." She said, as she took a drink. Her face immediately furrowed up in a frown, as she spat it out. "This tastes horrible!" She exclaimed.
"It appears Lieutenant Torres still needs to work on the replication systems." Tuvok noted.
"That is an understatement." Janeway replied. "Janeway to Neelix, bring fresh coffee to my ready room, now."
"On my way Captain. Neelix out."
"There. That is settled." She sat her mug down on her desk, and walked around to her chair and sat in it. "Now, what can I do for you gentleman?"
Chakotay looked at Tuvok. "You first." He said.
Tuvok nodded. "Lieutenant Torres reports that everything, with the obvious exception of the replicators, will be back to peak capacity by the end of the day. I have been scanning the city continuously ever since the sensors have come back online, but with no success in finding Hogan." He reported. Janeway nodded, and turned to Chakotay.
"I would like to speak with the Captain, alone." Chakotay said to Tuvok.
"As you wish." Tuvok said, and left the room. Chakotay sat down.
"Captain, we may never find Hogan." He said, bluntly. Janeways heart sank, as she looked back out to the window.
"I thought of that too. Perhaps he is happier with this god, Chakotay? I mean what if we can never measure up to whatever this supreme being has to offer him. I have thought of that myself. But I want to hear it from him, Chakotay. I want to hear Hogan tell me himself that he no longer wants to stay with us. I just want to rest assured that he is in a better place."
"We may never know." Chakotay said. They both fell silent, watching the rain pelt the window. Moments later, the side door to the ready room wisped open.
"Did someone order coffee?" Neelix said, cheerfully. He suddenly realized the large cloud hovering over Janeway and Chakotays head. "Morale Alert! Morale Alert! Don't you tell me that the lack of coffee has gotten everyone down?" The Talaxian asked, as he poured Janeways mug. Janeway managed to crack a smile at Neelixs cheerful mood.
"You are right on time, as usual." She replied to him, as she inhaled the aroma of the coffee. "Wonderful stuff." She said, as she took a large gulp. Neelix beamed from the compliment, and sat next to Chakotay.
"So what is with the glum mood?" Neelix asked. Janeway tapped her mug in thought.
"Neelix… as you may or may not know, we have a crewmember missing." Neelix nodded.
"Yes captain, I heard about Ensign Hogan. Who do we think has him?"
"Well, the people of this planet refer to the beings as gods. In my opinion, they are just similar to the Q. Anyway, Acritin – one of the gods – has chosen Hogan as his companion for the time being. We really aren't sure if he can transfer any of his powers to Hogan, such as forever youth…" Janeway trailed off. Do I really know all of this? I don't know a thing about this Acritin. I cannot assume he can live forever. And what of the jealous sister?
"Captain?" Chakotay broke her train of thought. She shook her head mildly.
"Sorry Commander, Neelix. Anyway, we think he is in a better place but we just can't be sure." She stopped to take a drink of coffee.
"You said that Acritin choose Hogan?" Neelix started, "Adrianna and Acritin. Interesting names… Acritin sounds like a male name…" He said in thought.
"That is because it is." Chakotay said, as he looked down at his feet.
"Oh." Neelix faded out. Janeway put her mug down.
"You know, I hate to think of people like this. We are centuries from the – what did they call it… gay and lesbian movements? – Anyway. That was settled then. I just hate to think of myself as judgmental toward those people. I think it is just…" She trailed off again, looking for the right words. Neelix suddenly sprang up from his chair.
"Doesn't bother me a bit." He said, as he grabbed his pitcher and refilled Janeways mug. "What ever makes Hogan happy, makes me happy. If he wants to love another man, that's his business." He said, and left the room.
"And that is how we should all feel." Chakotay said, still far off in thought. Suddenly the comm chimed, interrupting Janeway and Chakotays thoughts.
"Engineering to Janeway. We are ready to bring the warp reactors back online."
"Very good, Lieutenant. Oh, and send someone up here to fix my replicator, it is having issues. Janeway out." She looked over at Chakotay, who was standing up. She stood with him, and started to walk for the door. "Commander, we need a plan."
--
"Commander, we need a plan." Janeways voice flowed through Acritins head. Though he had never met the Captain personally, he felt her knew her through her conversations, her thoughts. But right now, had other priorities such as his flaming sister. Acritin and Adrianna had been formed to represent the two basic elements of the universe: fire and water. Adrianna had inherited the unstable patterns as fire, whereas Acritin had gotten the smooth, comforting personality of water. Right now, his wild eyed sister stood at the foot of the bed, pointing at his new lover, Hogan.
"What is that?" She hissed at Acritin.
"HIS name is Hogan. And I have chosen him." He replied, glaring at her, causing her mouth to drop open.
"Well this is a new one for you… to choose one of your own sex! And I presume you had sex, didn't you!" She accused. Acritin looked over at Hogan, who seemed scared to death.
"I will be back." Acritin said to him, and kissed him on the forehead.
"Perhaps." Adrianna growled. Acritin snapped his head back to her, and they both vanished, leaving Hogan alone in the room.
--
They flashed into existence in a different dimension, a different plane of reality unknown to anyone except their own kind.
"What were you two really doing?" Adrianna fired at him, telepathically.
"We are in love!" He replied.
"How can you be in love with him? He is not of our assigned world! Besides, he is your sex!"
"How am I to know how it happened, sister? It just did. It was like I felt him, on his ship passing by!"
"Acritin, do you realize how many rules of our kind you have broken?"
"Oh, but what does it matter? Seriously, think of it." The two beings fell silent for an eternity.
"Our fathers have never returned. It is my belief that they set the rules to bind us to our worlds then deserted us, left completely. You know there are places we are not capable of passing on to that they most likely left to. What do the rules matter anymore? Tell me, sister."
--
Janeway tapped her fingers on the armrest, as she felt the ship sway once more.
"Do not be concerned, the docking clamps are secure." Tuvok said to her from his position at tactical.
"I know commander. The weather is not what concerns me. We are cleared for departure any time… and yet I just cant bring myself to leave. I guess I am waiting for my gut to tell me its time to go." She said, as she stared at the blank viewscreen. Suddenly, a loud bolt of thunder rattled the ship.
"That was a close one." Tom said from his station. Everyone was staring blankly at their computer panels, bored to death. Suddenly, the main view screen activated, and displayed the word STANDBY. Janeway frowned, and looked at Harry Kim.
"What is that?" She queried. Kim pressed a few buttons, and shrugged.
"I haven't a clue, captain. This says the viewscreen is inactive.
"Confirmed." Tuvok said.
"Well… it's on isn't it?" Janeway said, somewhat annoyed. Suddenly, A very well built blue man appeared, standing in the space between Tom and the viewscreen. His chest was bare, and he was wearing black pants as always. At the same moment, B'Elanna walked out of the turbolift.
"I am Acritin, keeper of this planet, Aona." He introduced himself. Janeway jumped up out of her chair, and started to walk towards him.
"And I am Adrianna, his sister. We are joint keepers of this place." Janeway heard behind her. She spun around and saw a red skinned woman with red hair, dressed in a red robe laced with gold.
"Welcome to the Starship Voyager." Janeway said. "Am I to assume you are the one that took my crewmember?" Janeway asked Acritin.
"Yes captain, that was I." He replied, as he walked around from the opposite side of the helm station, and closer to Janeway. "I apologize for the crime I committed against you and your vessel." He stopped, and looked around the room, and then saw B'Elanna. "I also apologize to you for bringing you and your doctor into the holoprogram."
"Where is my officer?" Janeway asked. A single tear rolled down Acritins face.
"He has been returned to you. He is currently in his quarters, resting. We discussed our relationship and decided that it would be better for us to be apart." He looked up at his sister. "We should leave now." He looked down at the floor, and fell silent. Adrianna walked over to her brother.
"Safe journey, people of Voyager." Adrianna said, as she put a red hand on her brothers shoulder. Suddenly, Acritin looked up.
"Take care of my love, Janeway. B'Elanna, you might want to get to Engineering. Everyone, accept this as my gift." He said, and suddenly the two siblings disappeared. Janeway looked at Chakotay in wonder.
"What gift?" She said, as suddenly the ship lurched.
"Engineering to Torres, we need you down here, the core is powering up at two hundred percent!"
"What the hell…" Torres muttered, as she jumped back into the turbolift.
"Captain, the planet is gone!" Kim yelled from his post. Toms panel started to beep.
"We're going into warp!" He exclaimed. "You might want to sit down, everyone. I don't know what is about to happen!" Suddenly, a burst of energy streamed through the core, sending the ship into something faster than slipstream velocity. A moment later the nacelles lowered breaking the warp field apart. Janeway blinked a few times, then ordered the viewscreen to be activated. Voyager had come to a complete stop in front of a green nebula.
"Where are we?" She finally managed to ask.
"Checking…" Kim said. Suddenly, he gasped. "Captain, that little push just shaved two years off our trip home." Janeway stood up, and looked at the nebula. She felt a tear in her eye.
--
Hogan jumped straight out of bed, startled. He suddenly remembered, he was back on Voyager.
"Computer, lights." He said. When the lights activated, he gasped. His room was covered in blue roses, splattered in gold. He immediately broke down in tears, and sat down at his desk. He looked down at the desk, and saw a paper.
My Love ,
I know it may be painful for us both but this is the best way. I want you to know that I will always love you with all that I am. I will think of you every day for eternity, and I know you will do the same of me. Live well, and know that I will always be thinking of you.
Acritin
Hogan smiled, as tears streamed down his face. The time he had experienced with Acritin was unforgettable, and he would remember him until the day he died.
The End
Authors Note: My next story, which I already posted Ch1, is another Voyager Story called Error. I am going to start doing everything more grammatically correct, and italicizing ship names, etc. I hope everyone enjoyed this story… and I hope the ending was suitable. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!