Arana's Tale - Chapter 4
By Kudara
Disclaimer: Star Trek Voyager and all who sail in her belong to Paramount/Viacom and no infringement of copyright/trade marks is intended.
Disclaimer: The Dungeons and Dragons Roleplaying System is owned by Wizards of the Coast and no infringement of copyright/trademarks is intended. The only thing I would like to lay claim to is the original D&D character used in this story.
Rating: T (13+)
Feedback: Always welcome, feedback is what encourages me to keep writing. Please let me know what you like and what you dislike about the story.
Summary: Arana begins to adapt to Voyager.
Revision History: 7/24/04; 8/17/04; 9/11/04
"Captain?" I heard Lt. Tuvok inquire as the glow faded.
She and I were staring at each other, the voice of Torm resonating in both of our minds where he had blessed my oath of fealty. She stood with her hand on the hilt of my sword and I still knelt. Slowly she removed her hand, looking at the sword in amazement. I stood and lowered the sword to rest, point downward, on the floor of the room.
Out of the corner of my eye I noted that several of the people who had been standing out in the hallway were now staring curiously into the room from the doorway. I saw Lt. Tuvok turn and glance at them sternly and they quickly returned to their places.
She cleared her throat and asked, "That was Torm, I gather?"
"It was, My Liege," I answered.
She started at my use of the word and then shook her head at my statement, "Please call me Captain, or Ma'am will do in a pinch." She gave me a wry smile, "I'll never hear the end of it if you keep calling me 'My Liege'."
She looked over at Lt. Tuvok who was hovering and made reassuring movements with her hands, "I'm fine Tuvok, a bit surprised but fine. I'll even get the Doctor to make sure of that when we return to Sickbay. Would you arrange for quarters for Arana and have her armor and weapons delivered there please." She turned to me, "Arana, I know the Doctor wants you back in Sickbay to rest for a few hours. I'll escort you there now that you've identified these items."
Lt. Tuvok nodded his acknowledgement of her orders and I handed him my longsword. He took it with a raised eye and lifted it, examining the Elven runes running along the blade. "They read, Sword of the Loyal Fury," I informed him. "An interesting name as Loyal Fury is the name Torm earned when he fought Bane during the Time of Troubles. I have not heard of such a named sword before."
He raised an eyebrow at this, "Indeed. The writing is Elvish?" he asked and I nodded. He turned to the Captain, "I will see to it that Arana has quarters available to her when she is released from Sickbay, and that her items are delivered to them."
"Thank you, Tuvok." She acknowledged him and turned to me, preparing to leave. I looked at Seven inquiringly wondering if she would be accompanying us as well.
Seven noticed my look and responded, "I must return to my duties Arana. I will remain in Astrometrics."
I nodded and bowed to her, "I would not keep you from your assigned tasks, Milady. It is my hope, however, that time will not make of you a stranger to me."
Seven appeared confused by my words and the Captain said, "Arana means that she hopes you will talk with her soon Seven."
Seven nodded to the Captain and then said to me, "I would like that Arana."
"Until you grace me with your presence once again Milady, may Torm keep you safe." I replied to her.
Seven glanced at me after these words, but it seemed my oath to her had calmed her concerns that I was merely flattering her, for her eyes held surprise at my words, but no longer doubt. Slowly she nodded, "Thank you, Arana. Perhaps the Captain will permit me to assist you with your acclimation to Voyager."
The Captain looked surprised at Seven's offer but then nodded, "That sounds like an excellent idea Seven, Arana will have a lot of learning to do about the Federation and Voyager. I was thinking of having Tuvok tutor her, but perhaps two tutors would be better." The Captain turned as if to leave, then glanced back at Seven, "Perhaps you should consider changing your biosuit Seven."
Seven glanced at the bloodstains on her biosuit and nodded, "As soon as I start my scans Captain."
"Arana," the Captain said as she walked out and I turned smartly on my heel and followed her.
We returned to Sickbay where the Doctor supplied me with some type of bland liquid drink that he insisted I finish before he had me lay back down on what he termed a 'biobed' to rest. I was concerned that thoughts of my rape and torture would plague me now that events had slowed enough for me to think and prevent me from resting. To my surprise, however, I found myself so exhausted that I could not even order my thoughts enough for the memories to bother me. I fell asleep within a short while, the voices of the Doctor and Captain as they discussed her experience fading away from my consciousness.
"Good, she's asleep," said the Doctor quietly, "she needed more rest."
Janeway smiled at him, "I know you didn't want her to leave earlier, but we needed to know what the items in Astrometrics were."
"And what did you find out," the Doctor asked curiously.
"That someone, Arana believed it to be this Torm, sent us a set of armor and weapons for her. She said they were made of Mithryl, apparently a very rare metal where she comes from, given her reaction to them. They were beautiful, the armor looked like it was made of silver, but with a slight bluish sheen to it," the Captain commented.
"Hmm, and what will be happening to our guest? I assume that since the anomaly is gone we have no way of returning her?" he asked.
"Well, that's actually one of the reasons I'm here. I promised Tuvok I would have you run some scans on me." The Captain proceeded to tell the Doctor of the odd happenings in Astrometrics and of the strange glow that had surrounded her and Arana. "The voice in my head was… warm and caring, yet very stern. It reminded me of Admiral Paris in a way." Janeway tried to describe what she had felt to the Doctor.
The Doctor had already begun running a scanner over her when she had described the glow to him and now he asked, "And what exactly did this voice tell you?"
Janeway thought back, "Blessings upon your oath, my Champion. Know that you walk the path I have placed before you, and I am well pleased with your actions."
The Doctor rocked back on his heels a bit and raised an eyebrow, "So whoever or whatever this Torm is intended for Arana to be brought here and pledge her fealty to you. Interesting. Well, I've completed my scans and you'll be happy to know that there is nothing wrong with you Captain."
"Thank you Doctor," Janeway replied, "Tuvok is arranging quarters for Arana, let me know when she wakes."
"Certainly," the Doctor replied.
Janeway left Sickbay and headed to the Bridge, trying to collect her thoughts. She hoped Arana would wake up early enough for her to ask more questions of the woman before tomorrow's Senior Staff Briefing. In the meantime Alpha shift was almost over and perhaps it would be useful to see what information the computer had about that Dungeons and Dragons game it had mentioned.
Three hours later Janeway stretched and got up to replicate herself another cup of coffee. It had been interesting reading, much of the description in the game of Faerun, or the Forgotten Realms Campaign, as it was called, sounded very like what Arana had described of her Faerun. The question was why? Had one of the eugenicists groups decided to use the game as a basis for a colony perhaps? Or was Arana's Faerun in another plane of reality, one with enough contact with this plane to be the inspiration for the game?
Then there were the unusual organs and energy readings the Doctor had found during his medical scans. Was it possible that Arana could actually replicate the effect of casting a spell with them? If she could, it meant that she would make an invaluable addition to the crew, as most of the priest and paladin spells concentrated on healing and protective effects.
Janeway shuddered as she thought of the spells that wizards apparently had access to in Arana's world. The Gate spell Arana had mentioned was, as she had said, limited to the abilities of only the most powerful wizards, but even beginning wizards had formidable powers. Hopefully the wormhole that had delivered them Arana would be the closest they would get to Faerun. Unless Arana ever wanted to go back, it didn't sound like a place the Captain particularly wanted to her crew to ever have to deal with.
Suddenly Janeway's combadge chirped, "This is the Doctor, you wanted to be informed when Arana wakened, Captain."
Janeway replied, "Yes Doctor thank you, I'll be right down to show her where her quarters are."
I awoke feeling much more refreshed and alert than I had previously.
"Ah, you're awake. I'll inform the Captain," The Doctor came over to me, running an instrument up and down my body and staring intently at the readings. "You're probably feeling much better now."
"I am feeling much better, thank you for your skilled care Doctor." I replied to him.
"Certainly." He replied.
After he had spoken to the Captain he walked back to his office, leaving me sitting on the biobed waiting for her to enter Sickbay and show me to my new quarters. I wondered briefly what they would look like; I could guess that the ever present grey metal walls would be there as well.
The Captain walked in and I quickly stood and properly bowed to her, greeting her with the directed form of address, "Captain, you honor me with your attention."
She smiled at me, "I would think that you were flattering me except for your statements to Seven. So I know you're not." She paused and frowned slightly, "Arana, I know it is the custom in your land to bow to show respect, but it is not the custom to do so here. One shows respect by using the persons rank when addressing them."
"I had begun to suspect that Captain, as no one but I was following that custom. Thank you for informing me of my social impropriety." I responded to her with a smile. I had indeed uneasily noticed that I was the only one bowing, but given the lack of my knowledge of their customs had decided to follow the ones I knew until I learned what the custom was here.
"You weren't being improper, I just didn't want you to feel uncomfortable," she smiled at me warmly before continuing. "Honestly, I'm curious about you and am hoping you can answer some of my questions."
"I will do my best to satisfy your curiosity, Captain." I reassured her.
"If you will follow me I will show you to your quarters. Tuvok found some for you on deck seven. They aren't large, but you won't have to share with another crewmember either. I'm sorry we couldn't arrange for better ones, but space is limited." the Captain informed, surprising me.
"I am certain they will be more than adequate Captain, I am used to simple quarters. A paladin does not covet worldly possessions." I paused and smiled then corrected myself, "Well, none except for our armor and weapons. I will confess that I will probably be attached to the armor and weapons Torm gifted me."
We had been walking through the ship throughout the conversation, including one of the odd tubes that moved, and now we seemed to have arrived at our destination.
"I would be as well, they are beautiful," agreed the Captain. "These are your quarters; we are on Deck 7 Section 9. Oh, I've almost forgotten, this is for you. You are required to wear it at all times, except, of course if you are bathing or sleeping."
She handed me one of the metal symbols I had noticed all the crew wearing and showed me how to press it against my clothing so that it would attached itself to the fabric.
"This is a communicator badge; we use them to speak to each other. You activate it by tapping it like so. The sound you just heard is the signal for an open communications channel. It is waiting for you to indicate who you wish to speak to." The Captain had reached out and tapped the badge as she spoke and I heard clearly the sound she said was for an open communications channel. "Is there anyone you would like to speak to?" the Captain asked me.
Slightly overwhelmed I spoke the name of my rescuer, "Seven, if it would not interrupt her."
The Captain smiled, "Ok, say, "Arana to Seven". Then wait for her reply, at that point the communications channel will remain open until either of you close the channel by tapping the communications badge again."
She waited and I realized she was expecting me to contact Seven, "Arana to Seven." I obediently followed her instructions and was slightly surprised to hear from the device "Seven here." I suddenly realized that the Captain's device had been the source of the mysterious voices earlier in the day.
"Excuse me, Milady for interrupting you. The Captain is instructing me in the use of my communication badge." I politely explained feeling somewhat impolite at the ease with which I could intrude upon her.
"You are not interrupting me Arana. May I inquire as to the location of your quarters?" came back the reply, curiosity apparent in the cool tones.
I thought back to what the Captain had said and replied, "Deck 7 Section 9." Looking at the Captain to make sure I was correct. She smiled and nodded to me, indicating that I had remembered the location correctly.
"Perhaps I may visit your quarters Arana." The voice of Seven queried.
"Milady you are always welcome within my quarters, I would be honored by your visit." I replied earnestly.
"Arana, you don't have to talk into the combadge, it will pick up your voice just fine if you speak normally." The Captain informed me with an amused look.
I knew I blushed slightly at the gentle correction. I could tell it was going to take me awhile to get used to all the very different things aboard this vessel.
The Captain seemed to pick up on my thoughts for she looked at me kindly, "I'm sure it won't take you long to get used to all this. Both Tuvok and Seven have agreed to teach you; between the two of them I'm certain you will be more comfortable with our technology in no time. And, in the mean time you should close the communication channel if you have nothing further to say to Seven."
I nodded, "Milady if I may take my leave of you?" I tried to remember not to bend my head as I spoke.
There was a pause and I could almost see Seven tilting her head at my statement, "You may close the communications channel Arana, I will be at your location in a few minutes to visit your quarters."
I brightened at the news, I had not been certain earlier that she meant that she would be visiting immediately. I tapped the communications badge and was satisfied to hear a second chime that I suspected indicated the channel had been closed. I glanced over at the Captain to confirm and she nodded at me.
"Well, I guess I had better show you your quarters, especially since you are expecting a guest already." The Captain smiled at me, "It's good to see you getting along so well with Seven, she needs to make more friends." The Captain motioned toward the doors that we were standing in front of, "Just step toward them, the computer will recognize you and open the door for you since these are your quarters."
I did as she instructed and we entered a medium sized rectangular room about twelve feet by ten feet. Along one of the long walls were two windows set back into the wall, the view outside held my attention, to the exclusion of everything else in the room. Outside the ship was blackness, broken only by the streaking lights going past.
"Are you alright Arana? I should have realized the view would be a shock to you." The voice of the Captain said from behind me, concern clear in the tone.
"Where… what are we traveling through Captain." I asked, wondering what strange plane this ship was traveling through.
"Space, Arana. We are traveling through the space that separates the stars, or suns as you would probably call them." The Captain explained.
"Starship." I spoke aloud, suddenly realizing the reason for the name. A ship that literally traveled between the stars.
"Yes." The Captain smiled at me.
I tore my gaze from the windows to look at the remainder of the room. Directly underneath the windows there was a couch and next to it a bed. They were built into an alcove that also provided a shelf underneath the windows. The remainder of the room was fairly bare except for a corner which held my new armor and weapons. The Captain walked over to a wall unit and showed me shelving for clothing and then directed me to another door which led to my own small bathing room.
"Its pretty bare, but you can requisition plants and perhaps some artwork for the walls to make it look more inhabited." The Captain assured me.
"It is more than acceptable, Captain," I assured her. "This is more space than I have ever had for my personal quarters."
Just then a chime sounding noise interrupted us and I looked around curiously.
"It's probably Seven, just say 'enter'." The Captain informed me.
I nodded and spoke, "Enter," and watched as the entry door opened to admit Seven. I smiled at her welcomingly, "Welcome to my quarters Seven, please sit if you would like, and you as well Captain." I indicated the couch to them and remained standing as there were no other seats. "I would offer you drinks but I do not have any as yet." I said, slightly embarrassed at being a poor host though I could do little about the situation.
"There is a replicator available in these quarters, Arana," Seven informed me, as if it solved my problem.
"I'm sorry Arana, we haven't covered that piece of equipment yet," said the Captain as she walked over to what looked like a shelf set in the wall with more pictographs located next to it.
For the next few minutes she showed me how to replicate food and beverages, using up some of her own 'replicator rations' in the process. The Captain explained to me that I would accrue these rations starting from today, but I should make every attempt to eat in the mess hall. That, of course, precipitated a discussion of how the ship was laid out and how I might find my way around it.
My head was starting to reel with all the new information and I believe it was showing in my face, for the Captain laid a hand on my arm with a compassionate look on her face, "I suspect that's enough explanations for one day, and I really wanted to ask you some questions about the world you came from."
By this time we all had beverages of different kinds, the Captain was drinking something called coffee, black; Seven was drinking a nutritional supplement and I was pleased to find that the ale the Captain had ordered for me was most palatable.
I had insisted that the two of them sit on the couch while I made myself comfortable on the floor. Now I sat up straight, "Certainly Captain, I hope that I may be able to assist you."
"The Doctor found evidence of organs inside you that appear to store energy, do you know anything about them?" she asked.
I looked at her confused, "You are speaking of things like a heart and stomach? As a healer I know something about such things. I have never heard of these energy storing organs before, though. I know that there are several organs inside people that we do not yet know the purpose of, perhaps these are the organs you are speaking of?"
The Captain nodded, "I didn't really expect that you would know about them, but I had hoped you could shed some light on their function." The Captain paused for a moment obviously thinking, "I believe that the world we come from, called Earth, had some contact with Toril approximately four hundred years ago. Around that time a game called Dungeons and Dragons was developed, it was called a role-playing game and one of the worlds it described was Toril, specifically the landmass Faerun. Have you ever heard of our world?"
I looked at her, surprised, and then thought back to my history lessons, searching my memory for any sign of a mention of the word. "Captain, I know not how your people came to hear of ours. I have never heard of a world called Earth. I am sorry that my knowledge has failed to serve you better." I told her unhappily.
The Captain looked at me, surprised, "I don't blame you for not knowing anything about Earth, Arana." she reassured me.
Seven had been quietly listening through the conversation so far, "Perhaps the information came from a person such as Arana, someone who passed through a wormhole from Faerun to Earth."
"That might be so," allowed the Captain. She paused and then asked, "This game mentioned the ability of priests and paladins to cast spells such as ones that you mentioned in Sickbay when you first woke up; ones that heal the injured."
I nodded, "Yes, all priests and paladins have some power granted by their god or goddess to cast certain spells." I could see the interest in her eyes and I thought of the simplest spell that I could demonstrate with. I decided upon a simple orison for light, and said "cala" as I gestured appropriately. I smiled at the surprised look on both their faces as the small globe of light appeared and hovered above my hand.
Seven was the first to reach out toward it using the hand that had the odd metal bands upon it. "Intriguing. The sphere gives out light, but no heat and has no apparent power source. I must obtain a tricorder Captain. Arana, how long will this phenomenon continue?"
"I can maintain the light sphere for half a day with no further drain on my abilities, Seven." I wondered what this tricorder was that she considered so essential for her to obtain.
While Seven left to obtain the tricorder the Captain had me describe the rest of my spell abilities to her. I was still attempting to explain the difference between casting a spell and my ability to heal by the laying on of hands when Seven returned with two small rectangular devices, one of which she handed to the Captain. Both of them held out the device toward my light source and looked intently at the things as the devices made occasional odd noises. I watched curiously, apparently they used the devices to obtain information about various things and I wondered what their tricorders would make of my simple globe of light.
"It is emitting light only in the visual range, the amount of energy present is enough to power the light source for 13 hours," Seven stated.
"And the energy type matches that stored by Arana's organs." Continued the Captain.
They both looked at me with keen interest, leaving me feeling slightly unsettled as I was the focus of two sets of blue grey eyes.
"That's one of the simplest spells you can cast, correct?" Inquired the Captain.
"Actually, Captain, it is an orison. Spells require a greater expenditure of energy, and, as no one requires any healing and we are not in a battle, it would do little good beyond using up my source of divine energy." I explained to the Captain.
She nodded, "I'm certain the Doctor is going to want you to duplicate this several times while he figures out exactly how you manage to produce these effects." The Captain gave me what I took to be a somewhat sympathetic smile.
"Understandable, Captain. He appears to be a scholar of sorts and they always desire to understand the why of things." I replied to her.
She gave me a smile, "I don't think I could of put it any better. Well, I'll be going. I need to finish up some reports. Seven, are you planning on staying for while?" The Captain looked inquiringly at Seven.
Seven looked curiously at me, "I would like to stay."
"Milady, consider my quarters as your quarters, you are most welcome here," I replied sincerely.
The Captain's eyes widened at my statement and then she looked somewhat amused, but for what reason I did not know. Seven tilted her head to the side and examined me and then glanced at the Captain. I could not discern the meaning of the look that passed between them, but Seven turned back to me and I thought I sensed a question there.
"Milady, I have not broken my oath to speak only the truth to you." I said to her, sensing that she doubted my words despite my previous assurance.
I could see the Captain raise an eyebrow at this, but she merely said, "Seven, if you would assist Arana with any remaining questions she has about her quarters and show her where the mess hall is I would appreciate it."
"I will comply," Seven replied simply to the Captain.
The Captain nodded to her, "Arana, I will discuss your training schedule with Tuvok and Seven tomorrow and I will have one of them discuss it with you. After a few weeks Tuvok will discuss with you what department you might want to go into eventually."
"I will await their coming on the morrow, sleep well Captain." I replied to her respectfully.
"Sleep well Arana." she replied to me, smiling and left my quarters.