Authors Note: This is the third story in what will hopefully be a long line of stories. This story continues the adventures of the Lieutenant Simon Hartstone. While not necessary to read the two stories "Punishment" and "Captured!" it would be advisable to set up why this new character is aboard Voyager. If you read "Training" I should let you know I have decided to take that down considering I don't know where to take the story as well as the fact of the matter is I wasn't too happy with the first chapter I wrote and the second chapter wasn't going so well either. I wanted to write a story that included the whole Hazard Team and not just about Lieutenant Hartstone and I obviously wanted to write a kick ass story as well. Also I don't know how to work out stardates, I have looked on the star trek website to try and discern a pattern for them but their doesn't seem to be one they just seem to be a load of random numbers, I have set this in season 6 after the episode "One Small Step." I wanted log entries to feature more as I think they were a primary way of story setting on most of the Star Trek episodes.
Happiness
Read Chapter 1 for disclaimers and some other junk.
Chapter 5: Coffee and QuestionsVoyager came into orbit of a small moon, orbiting a much larger planet.
"The planet is Class Y sir, while the moon is Class M" Chang reported from the ops station
"Are you sure they are here Mr Chang" Lieutenant Hartstone turned to the ops station, before Chang could answer the comm system interjected.
"Astrometrics to Bridge" Seven called
"Go ahead Seven"
"The crew are all spread over a small area, in the northern continent, in a small settlement, but there are some odd readings coming from that location"
"Odd how?" Lieutenant Hartstone questioned
"It seems to be some kind of bio neural electrical field"
"Open hailing frequencies"
"Hailing frequencies open"
"Voyager to Captain Janeway please respond" the comm line stayed silent "This is the USS Voyager to Captain Kathryn Janeway please respond, USS Voyager to Commander Chakotay please respond." The comm line remained silent "This is Voyager to any member of the crew on the moon that can hear this transmission please respond" the comm line still stayed silent. Lieutenant Hartstone tried another direction "This is the USS Voyager to anyone in the settlement on the northern continent" the comm line still stayed silent. "Close the channel, looks like we are going to have to go down there"
"Ok then, Seven meet us in transporter room 2, I want you by my side"
"Yes Sir" Simon closed the channel
"Bridge to Crewman Jurot and Chell report to transporter room 2, Mr Biessman your with me also, Mr Munro you have the bridge" Simon turned on his heels and headed with Biessman into the turbolift before Munro could lay down a protest, Munro looked on before turning back to the view screen and looking on with a lot of worry.
The town was bustling with life and energy as people went about their business, working hard on the market stalls, taverns, and other people interjecting between them. Suddenly a burst of light filled the centre square and five people started to fade into existence as the transporter reconstituted their molecules into the correct places. When it finished five people were standing in the square with a group of people rushing to meet them.
"Welcome new brothers and sisters" a member from the crowd stepped forward and put his hand over the centre of his chest in a fist. He had deep eye sockets and somewhat of an inane grin on his face. "Have you come to join our commune?"
Lieutenant Hartstone looked at Seven and then looked at the man like he had just escaped from a mental institute before speaking up.
"No" Simon said in a sarcastic fashion elongating the 'O' on no. "My name is Lieutenant Simon Hartstone of the Federation Starship Voyager, we are looking for some people that have somehow got here, if you could direct me towards a Captain Kathryn Janeway, a female, about my height, shoulder length auburn hair."
"Well" the man thought "We don't have a Captain Kathryn Janeway I can be sure of that, but we do have a Kathryn Janeway who runs a shop not far from here selling a very odd beverage she called 'coffee'" the man looked at the whole team, Simon turned to Seven again who just looked back at him with an equally questioning look before turning back to the man
"Yes, that's the person we are after could you direct us to her 'shop'" Simon said with a little hint of surprise his voice.
"Of course brother, just go down that street there and her shop is on the left," the man pointed down a street that was pretty much straight ahead.
"Thanks" Lieutenant Hartstone waved the team forward as they started to move off the man called back to them.
"May our Lord Serbist bless your mission to find Kathryn Janeway" Simon looked at the man again like he had escaped from a mental institution.
"Thanks" he shouted to the man "I suppose," he said under his breath as the team pushed through crowd.
"Lieutenant" Jurot came up to Hartstone's side as he pushed his way through the crowd
"Yes Crewman" Simon replied but not looking at her
"I must make you aware that the man you just finished speaking too, fits the description that Crewman Bell gave Ensign Munro on who attacked Voyager."
This made Lieutenant Hartstone stop and look directly at her, "Are you sure" he said with a concerned look on his face.
"Yes Sir I am sure"
"Ok" he turned to address his team "Keep ready people Crewman Jurot says that these could be the people that attacked Voyager"
"Well lets kick their asses then" Crewman Biessman said almost shouting and reaching for his compression rifle
"I said 'could' Mr Biessman not 'did' I want to confirm it first before we start opening fire on people in a crowded street!"
"Yes Sir" Biessman said, standing down but gritting his teeth clearly not happy about it.
The continued to push their way through the crowd, some of the crowd giving his team very odd looks and some openly frowning at them. They made their way through the crowd to what looked like a small coffee shop, which read 'Janeway's Exotic Coffee' on the sign. Some people sitting outside at tables, while other patrons were sitting inside all sipping at their coffee, some more gingerly than others. The team made their way inside and saw the Captain serving one of her customers, the looked around, they also saw Tom and Harry walking around cleaning tables. Simon smiled slightly at the sight of that but pressed forward towards the counter, just as the Captain turned around.
"Simon and Seven" she almost shouted "Welcome, you finally came, what would you like?"
"Captain what happened to Voyager, we found her badly damaged at the edge of this sector"
"Before I answer your question, you must answer mine!" she said, surprising Lieutenant Hartstone
"Ok" Simon said somewhat sarcastically again "Shoot"
"Why did you bring those tools of hate into my shop" she looked frowning
"What?" Simon could only say in reply as once again he looked at Seven seeing if she had any idea what the Captain was talking about but again she didn't. "What do you mean Captain?"
"Those" she nodded and pointed at the compression rifles they were all holding, this time Simon looked at the whole team, who were looking back at him with equally odd looks. He finally turned around to answer her
"Captain if you remember its standard Starfleet protocol for all away team members to be armed when transporting into a unknown environment and frankly I thought this was going to be more of a rescue mission"
"Who needs rescuing", she looked around her shop at her patrons drinking their coffee and talking silently. Simon looked around as well.
"Shoulder the rifles people" as he slung his rifle over his shoulder and Seven and the other team members did the same.
"That's a little better I suppose" the Captain spoke "One more thing the name is Kathryn now, not Captain, I, as have all the Voyager crew resigned our commission. Now your question, ah yes Voyager, we decided to leave Voyager after the Lord came aboard and told us that we were living our lives in sin and we could join his community were we could live as we choose, instead of by Starfleet's rules," she frowned in disgust at that last statement, which surprised Lieutenant Hartstone, knowing that the Captain had always been a firm believer in Starfleet protocol.
"Captain"
"Ah, Ah, Ah" she shook her head and wagged her finger reminding him
"Err, Kathryn did this include, massive damage to Voyager, multiple hull breaches, the warp core almost breached, one crewmember is already dead." Lieutenant could list a damage report till sunset but that wouldn't have gotten him the answers he wanted.
"Well I cant remember anything like that, look are you gonna buy something or what!" her tone getting very angry, letting one of her glares loose on him.
"Come on, let's get out of here, we are not going to find answers here"
"Sorry I snapped Simon, the Lord teaches us compassion to all, and I lost it there, I apologise" Simon and his team were still making towards the door, having obviously finished their business in Kathryn's shop but he turned to say, "Don't worry about it Kathryn, a little bit of Captain Janeway coming out there, and that's who I really need right about now" he frowned as he turned out of the shop and he led the team to a shady spot down an alley away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds outside. The team got in a huddle before Lieutenant Hartstone spoke up
"Right, first things first, this is total BS, I think Voyager was attacked and they have had their mind chemistry changed or brainwashed, or mind control or whatever. So suffice to say I don't think we can trust any of what the crew say. I want us to split up, find more of the crew, talk to them, try and find out if they remember how they got here or more specifically the attack on Voyager. Keep an open comm link to all other team members and if you get into trouble, signal Voyager to beam you back without hesitation." The Lieutenant was about to break the huddle but suddenly a large bell could be heard ringing and people literally dropped what they were doing and headed for the market square.
"They look like zombies," Biessman noted as they all saw everyone flock out of Kathryn's coffee house, including Kathryn. The Hazard Team followed them to the main square where they all stood in front of a large stage with an altar on top. All the people stopped and they formed perfect rows like military ranks.
A man walked up to the altar and addressed the crowd, "now would you all kneel and bow your heads, our great Lord Serbist would like to address you at this time". As the first man moved off the stage to take his place in line, the whole crowd got their knees and bowed their heads.