Exploratory.
By
Serena Aris.
Disclaimers: Paramount and other big organisations own Star Trek: Voyager, the ship, its crew and the whole trek universe. I'm just borrowing some of it for a short amount of time.
Pairing codes: Mostly P, 7, Kim with the rest of the crew later on.
Notes - Contains references from the book Pathways by Jeri Taylor, co-creator of Voyager.
Exploratory.
By
Serena Aris.
Chapter 12.
Between the two of them they had maintained constant surveillance on the progress of repairs on the Delta Flyer. It had been hours ago when Harry had noticed that the alien scientists had severed the distress signal to Voyager. Shortly after that they had discovered the transporters. Test barrels randomly appeared and then disappeared with nearby scientists jotting down notes and watching with fascination as the barrels' molecules dematerialised then reformed like magic. On their first experiment the scientists outside the Flyer had leapt back in surprise when an object appeared in front of them. Seven had noted that it was probably their first encounter with transporter technology like they had seen with most Delta Quadrant natives. But with the speed in which the aliens reconnected, by-passed and repaired the Flyer's systems they were obviously familiar with alien technology.
Seven and Harry had observed that the scientists were unarmed, while the six guards were not and each had several types of weapons adorning their bodies. The Voyager pair's lone phaser would be no match against the aliens' superior firepower. With the Flyer's repairs rapidly nearing completion time was counting down to a deadline that when it ran out, it would be too late to retake the ship. Once the shields were repaired to an operational standard they would have to quickly find an opportune moment and act on it.
"It appears that the humanoids are now working on the shields," reported Seven as she read the incoming results from the tricorder.
"We are going to need an effective plan for us to get past six armed guards and four scientists, unharmed," said Harry.
"Indeed. We need to do so quickly, they have initialised a field at two percent yield."
Harry's mind raced, they needed a plan. Every time he thought he had a viable idea it came down to six heavily armed military forms against one phaser.
"The shields are at four percent and rising."
Nerves made his mouth dry and he looked around quickly for any of the leaves holding puddles of dew, which they had been using to keep themselves hydrated. None were immediately apparent, it was too late in the day for moisture to collect on the vegetation. He took calming breaths and repeated a positive mental mantra. He hoped that if he cleared his mind, inspiration would strike. Then their look changed. Three of the guards left their posts, entered one of the transport vehicles they had arrived in and were soon gone.
"It seems that our odds have improved. They do not believe that there is anyone else out here. Six percent yield," said Seven of Nine as her gaze shifted from the crash site and back to her tricorder.
"We've missed our chance to find Tom, we could have followed their transport!" Cried Harry at the still unknown condition of his friend.
"We would have to pursue the vehicle on foot and would soon lose sight of it due to its superior speed. Your plan was flawed. The logical course of action is to retake the ship and find Lt. Paris with its sensors."
Harry looked like he was going to argue further but seemed to deflate. "You're right Seven. Its just so frustrating not being able to do anything!"
"The Delta Flyer's shields are at fifteen percent. If we retake the ship now we would have sufficient energy reserves to power the shields or continue to use their portable power device." Seven said giving him the go-ahead to do something, to create a plan to take back their ship. "However I should point out that there are three guards and four scientists, while we are only two and have but one weapon." Kim continued to mull it over while the shields' systems steadily regained in strength.
"I've got an idea," he said as he took both the tricorders and tapped information into them before returning one back to Seven. She looked at the device and raised an eyebrow in Kim's direction. "You can get past our shields, right?"
She gestured to her tricorder and nodded. "I know our shield variances, well."
"Good. When its clear of guards its up to you to take over the Delta Flyer, you can easily stun the scientists with your aim." He said, referring to the target practice she did with the Captain. "Leave the guards to me."
"How will you deal with the guards?" She asked to thin air as he was already up and creeping away. Holstering her tricorder after activating the Maquis dampening-field trick again, she gripped the phaser and moved towards the Flyer in the opposite direction to Kim.
Harry had positioned himself parallel to the Flyer while still heavily hidden by the undergrowth. He was also behind one of the guards and equal distances between both of the other two. For this to work he would need all of their attention on him, so Seven could slip past them. He glanced to his left and saw that Seven was in position and looking at him to see what he would do. He checked his tricorder to make sure it was easily accessible and securely fastened at his side before rummaging around in the dirt beneath him.
Finding what he was looking for he stood up and braced himself. In quick succession he launched a stone at each of the guards. All three turned to see where they had come from and instantly saw Harry. He turned and ran, constantly looking back to see what the guards were doing. One tried to take aim at Kim but the forest blocked his view, he stood looking around the site while the other two followed Harry. With a head start Harry spared himself a moment to watch the two guards scramble up the steep slope, the other guard continued making shots at him. He hoped Seven could handle the one guard before he continued his way into the deep vegetation.
His plan was working, two guards were pursuing him. Running wasn't Kim's best suit but he had had a head start and no hill to climb. He remembered back to his time as a cadet when his prep squad officer Commander Nimembeh had ordered him in full uniform and boots, around the track twenty times on a blistering summer day. It wasn't easy and although he didn't complete all twenty he'd had blisters like golf balls. This situation was surprisingly less frightening to Kim than Nimembeh and now he understood why he was so harsh to his cadets. Hurdling a cluster of tree roots, he instantly ducked when a weapon blast hit the nearby tree showering him in splinters. He fell to the ground but immediately scrabbled on all fours for traction before getting upright again and changing direction. Picking up speed and running at full pelt he couldn't help but hope that these guards hadn't had such a good prep squad officer.
( /\ )
It had been a peaceful two days on Voyager and morale was still high. Voyager was in fine physical form, almost as new as the day it was launched from the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards. And Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres couldn't be happier. Finally she was able to do those fine-tuning projects she'd never been able to get around to doing, usually because just keeping the ship together was the main priority.
Now sitting in one of the jefferies tubes above engineering, access panel and a full toolbox within easy reach Torres felt at her most creative. She loved the challenge of trying to coax more power or efficiency out of systems already at their peak. She could have done her work in main engineering but here she had no distractions and only the rhythmic hum of the ship's blood pumping throughout its systems for company. She closed her eyes and took a deep, steady breath to hone her senses into the task at hand. First she had to scan the system for any problems that might have been brought on by the Captain allowing the helmsman to 'go wild' at the conn.
It seemed Voyager had escaped unscathed from the pilot's exuberant testing. The engineer in her disapproved at the potential harm to her engines, while the girlfriend part sighed. It was a shame that Tom had missed out on the chance to be 'let loose' at the helm. She could imagine his face lighting up at the prospect, he would have enjoyed it and so she decided not to tell him about it. She sighed, she had missed his company the last few days, especially since she had so much free time, although she probably wouldn't admit this to him. B'Elanna closed her tricorder and exchanged it for another tool and continued with her work, she would be reunited with her helmboy soon enough.
On the bridge of Voyager the Ops console flashed. Harry Kim's shift replacement called from her station, "Captain, I'm receiving a distress call."
The Captain and Chakotay both turned in their seats. "Do you have a location?" asked the Commander.
"The signal originated from within this system…it is coming from the fifth planet." The Captain looked to Chakotay, an unspoken thought passed between them.
"Captain, that is the planet where the away team's warp trail leads to" reported Tuvok.
"I know," the Captain said almost to herself.
"The signal has stopped," reported Ops. "We must have caught one of the last cycles."
"Did you download the message?" asked the Captain with a tone of urgency in her voice.
"Yes. I'm analysing it now…" She continued tapping and concentrating on the information contained on the console. "It's a standard automated distress message…I'm sorry but I can't accurately say how old it is, its maybe been a few hours ago since the signal stopped…" She stopped, frowned then double-checked her results. Her head rose and several sets of eyes searched hers. "It's a Federation signal…It's from the Delta Flyer."
To be continued…
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