This is the second 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 story "Punishment" it would be advisable to set up why this new character is aboard Voyager.

Captured! Chapter 15

I do not own Star Trek: Voyager or any of the characters within it, I just think with the canon temporarily dead with no more series (that I know of) but apparently Star Trek XI has just been green lighted and to be directed by J.J. Abrams. Unfortunately no script has yet been seen but the rumours making there way round the message boards is it is going to be a prequel movie with a young Kirk and a young Spock. See for more info.

Chapter 15: Commendations

Two weeks after the attack and Simon was sitting alone in his quarters staring out of the window thinking, an Antillian support craft met Voyager but they were surprised when Voyager raised its shields and charged weapons. They opened the comm channel to find Captain Janeway sitting in the command chair instead of their Leader as expected. She explained what had happened and they were not very happy about it. Their Leader had been correct they had fallen behind in the technology race none of their weapons systems were even close to a match for Voyager, lasers and rockets and no shielding technology.

The equivalent to sticks and stones compared to Voyager, the Captain beamed aboard the bodies of all the attackers and left them with a warning that if Voyager is attacked again they will use of their advanced technology at their disposal. The enemy craft turned tail and run scared, they had Warp capability but there ships couldn't travel past Warp 4.

They only managed to get on board because they were apparently a very bright race and they managed to hack into the sensor grid and re-direct the internal sensors so that the computer didn't register when their ship docked and they only managed to dock because like the Leader said they had been following Voyager for some time and they were sitting in one of the ships blind spots. By the time anyone on Voyager had known what was going on it was too late. If only their government had more patience, then Simon was sure that they could catch up in the technology race instead of trying to steal other people's technology.

Simon sat at his worktable and he was going over the specs for something new he thought up while he was crawling through the bowels of the ship. He would never have to crawl through the bowels of this ship again he hoped or at least anytime soon was an adequate compromise. Simon was listening to some music a twentieth century composer and singer by the name of Michelle Branch he had found her music in the database and he found it relaxing as he worked. A call came over the comm system, which automatically paused the music.

"Paris to Hartstone" Simon put down the tool he had been working with and he tapped his comm badge

"Hartstone here Tom what's wrong"

"Nothing wrong Simon why do you say that all the time now, what happened to 'what's up'" Simon looked up thoughtfully before responding

"I don't know Tom I suppose after all that happened two weeks ago, I got used to saying what's wrong, so what's up then"

"Well some of us are sitting in Sandrine's bar having a little drink and we wondered whether you would like to join us"

"Well I don't know Tom I am working on something at the moment"

"Come on the work day for most of us ended at 17 hundred hours and I thought you might need to clock off as well, you have been hidden in your quarters for the past two weeks 'working' and no one knows what you are doing. Two weeks ago you saved all our lives and you act like its another day at the office."

"Pretty much" Simon shrugged his shoulders "Remember for 6 years I was out their killing drones"

"Well before no one thanked you for that job, this time you saved the lives of 141 people. While they aren't all here now there is a lot of people here who wouldn't mind getting you a drink on their replicator rations" Simon thought about that for a second, fighting the Borg was a pretty thankless job and he was intrigued by the free drinks offer.

"You know I didn't save you all for free drinks you know"

"Of course we know that but the offer still stands" Simon thought about it for another second, and to be honest with himself he could use a break.

"Ok then Tom you wore me down where are you"

"Holodeck 2, we are in here now so why don't you come down now"

"Alright I'll be there in 5 minutes" Simon pulled himself up and he put on some shoes and he pulled his leather jacket over his shoulders he don't know why he did it but before he realised that he had done it he was already half way down the corridor towards the turbolift.

Simon arrived at the Holodeck doors and he breathed a long breath before he walked in but nothing could have prepared him for what he was walking in to.

Simon walked in and he looked up, it wasn't the Sandrine's bar program Tom had introduced him to a few weeks back. The program was a massive hall with members of the crew in dress uniform, Simon looked around and he reckoned while not all the crew were there a good ninety percent were. The others probably having to man their stations on the bridge and in engineering, Simon looked down the long aisle with a red carpet down it and at the front on an elevated platform at least three feet of the ground the senior officers stood all in dress uniform. Simon was starting to feel remarkably inadequate in a t-shirt, jeans, and the beaten up leather jacket he always wore. Something told Simon he should approach the senior staff as he walked down the aisle with everyone watching him and everyone smiling at him. Simon wish he had bought a gun to spin on his finger, he always span a gun on his finger when he was nervous and right now he was really nervous. He walked directly down the middle of the hallway and he stood at least 2 feet from the podium where the Captain and the others stood all smiling at him except for the Captain, Commander Chakotay and Tuvok, who being Vulcan never smiled anyway Simon thought. Neelix was also standing there in what he would consider his best uniform although the Talaxian didn't wear a Starfleet uniform he stood there with an inane grin knowing what was going to happen. The Captain stepped forward and looked into Simons' eyes intently

"Simon David Hartstone" she addressed into a microphone so that everyone can hear "Starfleet records show that you were officially listed as killed in action on Stardate 42761.3 by Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise. I am happy to amend that record and as soon as we are able to establish contact with Starfleet again we will pass on the record. As for your actions over the time that you have been with us, you have acted above and beyond the call of duty on two occasions saving the lives of everybody on this ship." Commander Chakotay then handed a small box to the Captain "Let it be recorded in the ships logs that I Captain Kathryn Janeway of the USS Voyager hereby restore the rank of Lieutenant to Mr. Simon David Hartstone with all the privileges and responsibilities that come with that rank"

The Captain held the box in front of Simon and opened it and it contained two small pips inside it also another box was presented this time from Harry "Also I Captain Kathryn Janeway of the USS Voyager hereby award you Lieutenant Simon David Hartstone with the Starfleet Medal of Valour for the defence of this vessel and her crew" she stepped down and pinned the medal to Simons' jacket as the whole crew started to applaud. Simon just stared into the Captains' eyes as she shook his hand "On behalf of the crew of the USS Voyager thank you" she let go of his hand and stood back as Simon turned around to face the crew he didn't know what one does in a situation like this, but he thought of one thing he bowed with a sweeping arm motion that crossed his body and he stood up again.

Some shouts of speech rang from out from the intense clapping that was going on and he turned back to the Captain and senior officers to find that the Captain was gesturing towards the microphone. Simon stepped up onto the podium and looked around as he saw the sea of blue, yellow and red uniforms that made up the different departments. Simon took a very deep breath and tried to compose himself from all that had happened to him over the last five minutes

"Well if I known this was going to happen I would have worked on a speech for a start, and the fact of the matter I probably would have got more dressed up if I known this was going down. Although I do think this medal does make this jacket a little classier" a few chuckles were heard from the crowd "You have thanked me but I have to thank you for this award and for the restoration of my rank because this is a lot more than I expected, I just expected to go about my business on this ship as if nothing had ever happened. Now I realise that this is something that the crew of this are going to remember for a long time, because I know I will remember this for a long time. About a month back now I thought I was going to be locked into fighting the Borg for the rest of my life, but I met this crew and I am not locked into some pre-determined fate, my fate is what I make it and I intended on making it a good one with the help of this crew."

The crowd applauded as Simon stepped away from the microphone and Commander Chakotay stood at the podium he put an arm round Simon "Right then here is where the party really begins and please don't try to take up Lieutenant Hartstone's time he has to get round you all remember" he looked a Simon with a broad grin as the crowd laughed and stood up.

Simon was talking to a group of female crewman after the formal gathering Tom had ordered the Holodeck to play the Sandrine's bar program. Simon excused himself from the girls after a couple of minutes and was heading towards the bar before Tom, Harry and B'Elanna. Simon suddenly had a drink thrust in his hands as the three shipmates surrounded him.

"Hey Simon, saw you with the ladies there, nice work" Tom smiled as he took a swig from his drink.

"Yeah well when you save a ladies life it catches her attention" Simon smiled; B'Elanna put her arm round him as she kissed him on the cheek.

"It sure as hell does" she smiled at him and winked as Tom and Harry couldn't find the words but they did burst out into laughter when Simon decided to turn a decided shade of red. Simon decided that now was the time to knock back his whole pint of ale in one hit and he proceeded to do with Tom, Harry and B'Elanna and some other crew members looking on amazed, including the Captain, Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Commander Tuvok.

"Quite an impressive feat Mr. Hartstone I didn't know public showings of affection would be your weakness." Chakotay laughed.

"Hey I was caught out unexpectedly as seems to be the fashion tonight" Simon looked at the Commander with a smile on his face.

"Well be prepared to be caught out again" the Captain stepped in, Simon thought he was going to receive a kiss on the cheek from the Captain which he thought would be rather odd but he received something a lot different. "We want you to take command of our new security force being assembled"

"New security force?" Simon looked at the Captain with a somewhat confused look on his face.

"Yes" Tuvok stepped in "I have assembled what I think would be 12 candidates from all fields that should be able to deal with extreme pressure when for example the ship is under attack and we have been boarded by a hostile force."

"And you want me to lead this team" Simon said trying to understand the situation

"Although in my opinion you are irrational and illogical, I read the report on your tactics you used during Voyagers' capture and you showed some innovative as well as interesting tactics and technologies"

"Thank you Mr Tuvok, Captain, Commander I will do my best"

"We are not going to tell you this is going to be easy, you will be responsible for training these people alongside Mr Tuvok and Commander Chakotay. Also this team will only be deployed when there are missions of extreme danger." The Captain laid it all down for Simon so he had full understanding of what was going on.

"I understand Captain"

"We have also decided on the name of this team, you are now leader of the 'Hazard Team'"

"Nice name, got a punch to it"

"Report to Deck 4, Section 24 bright and early at 9 hundred hours tomorrow Mr Hartstone"

"Yes Captain" Simon nodded in response

"Enjoy the rest of you party" as the Captain walked away and Simon was caught by another crewmember that threw a drink in his left and shook his right one as vigorously as he could.

The End

(Sorry about the length of this chapter but for some reason I couldn't stop it, I wanted to set up for the third instalment, plus I am sorry about the length of some of the paragraphs I found them difficult to break up. Please R+R thanks)