Kathryn stepped out of the recently captured inn.
The latest conquered world had fallen, and this primitive town had been the last hold out for the planet's rulers. Kathryn had tracked them to this village and then led Telpor's elite force to this inn and found the leaders hiding within.
The last of the inhabitants of the village were being rounded up to be tagged, their possessions removed and orders given. Standing to the side of the primitive village street she studied the simple mud brick and straw thatched buildings, several of which were still burning.
She turned and began walking down the street, mud squelching beneath her boots. Frowning she stopped and looked down at her boots. Thick sticky mud clung to the tread of her pure black boots. The material was impervious to all and dirt, except on the soles as a good grip was always needed. The mud had filled the treads and squelched up the sides. She growled at the dirtiness of this unkempt place and wrinkled her nose at the strong smell of manure emanating from the surrounding watery mud.
Walking over to a hand carved bench by the side of the street, she sat down and picked upa T-shirt someone had left. The wearer had been young, probably discarded it as they ran from the soldiers. Kathryn used it to wipe the sticky mud off her soles.
The mud removed she dropped the smelly shirt into the mud by the bench. She began to stand when a strange sensation went through her. It was a familiar feeling. Standing up straight, the circuits of her energy suit activated and she scanned the surrounding area. She ignored the several squeals of fright of passing inhabitants at seeing her suit activate. The street cleared of anyone but the odd soldier on guard. Her senses became precise and clear. All sounds fell away and she became aware that her breathing had increased. Her breath misted out from her mouth into the cool air. She sensed something, someone familiar. Tracking the strange sensation she trod slowly down the street. Whoever they were they were close.
She stopped at the edge of the village. Before her was open forest. She could see nothing out of the ordinary. Then she heard someone step out into the street behind her. Kathryn spun round and gasped at who she saw.
"Justin!"
"Hello Kathryn." Justin said in an even tone, yet it was obvious he was nervous.
Kathryn regained her composure, her confidence returning she stalked towards him.
"Why are you here, Justin?"
"I think you can guess the reason."
Kathryn came to a halt in front of him. Studying him she took in the changes to his face and body.
"You look older, Justin. Still working for the Federation, I assume? Still working yourself to the bone for the stupid bureaucrats and traitors?"
"At least I am working for the right side. What has become of you, Kathryn?"
She laughed with bitterness.
"How pathetic you are, Justin. I work for no one. I am merely doing the job that those in the Federation refused to do – gaining revenge for my father."
Justin looked away from her angry eyes.
"I know you will not believe me, but we are gathering proof that you were right about a conspiracy within the Federation. This is not the way, Kathryn! Surely you see that! Murdering innocents and aiding a mad man like Telpor! Why?"
Kathryn drew back from Justin, "I have never murdered anyone for Telpor. I help him as he helps me track down those responsible, helps me remove them from their positions of power."
"Don't be so stupid, Kathryn!" Justin shouted. "You were never this naïve and ignorant! You know what you are doing! The pain and suffering you have caused is already legendary! You may not have murdered, but you have lead Telpor's armies that have!"
A cry of anger tore from Kathryn's lips and she grasped Justin by the throat. A flash of gathering energy and she lifted him a foot up off the muddy ground.
Justin grabbed at her arm, but free energy fired over his bare skin and he cried out in pain.
"I am NO murderer! And you know NOTHING about pain, Justin! NOTHING! But, I can show you! You say you have evidence of conspiracy! I do not believe you. You are here to stop me and I can not let you. I will NOT allow you to try and stop me again!"
She shouted her threats into his face. She kept her grip tight enough to hold him, but not too tight as to cut off his airway, yet.
"I….I….want….to….hel…p…you" Justin stammered through her grip.
Kathryn laughed in his face.
"You have nothing to offer me except information about the Federation. You have never been able to help me."
Justin's look changed and a small part of her almost wanted to take back her harsh words. His eyes fell from her face.
"I tried…I can help you now…just….let me."
Kathryn growled in disgust. She threw him to the muddy earth before her. Justin looked up at her, one side of his face covered with dirty water and mud.
"You need to help us. Help us seek out those responsible for your father's murder. You were the only witness. There has to be something you can tell us."
Kathryn stepped back from him, images from that day flashing through her mind. Pain and fear began to slip through her control.
"NO!" She screamed down at him. "It is too late for that now. You should have been on my side when I needed you! I will bring those to justice, not the Federation. Only I can revenge my father and I WILL kill whoever is responsible!"
Her attention focused on Justin and on her own pain Kathryn did not notice as a figure came up behind her. He sneaked close, keeping his presence hidden from her as much as was possible. At her last screamed word he wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind and gripped her face with both hands.
"My mind to your mind!" Tuvok shouted through the sudden surge of energy from her as he began to create the mindmeld.
Kathryn screamed in rage and clawed at his hands as they gripped her. "NOOOO!"
Free energy rippled from her suit powered massively by her raging anger. Tuvok kept his arms locked around her shoulders and battled against the force of the energy suit. However, he felt no pain as he wore a cloak gifted to him by Chakotay. It insulated its wearer from any free energy. It could not stop a direct focused attack, but for this use it gave Tuvok the time he needed.
"My thoughts to your thoughts!" He shouted as he felt the connection flare to life.
The village, the shouting, the pain of the energy all disappeared into the distance.
------------
Tuvok found himself standing in a small park, lined with tall neatly cut hedgerows. Before him he saw Admiral Janeway walking arm in arm with his daughter, Kathryn. Tuvok felt a sudden unexpected emotional response within himself at seeing Kathryn as she used to be – his friend. He quickly suppressed such an emotional reaction, most likely due to being in connection with her when she is in such an heightened emotional state.
The two were talking animatedly; they were relaxed and laughed together. Admiral Janeway stopped and turned to his daughter. He gripped her shoulders in his hands. Tuvok moved closer to hear what he was saying.
"….you must be careful, Katie. There is more going on with these experiments than you know."
Kathryn put a reassuring hand on his chest,"It's all right, Daddy. We know what we are doing. If we can understand how this suit works, then who knows what else we could achieve!"
"But, perhaps it is technology we should not be meddling with. We should return the suit to its people. It is too powerful and I don't like that you are using it."
"We are taking every precaution. This suit could mean the beginning of a whole new world. Imagine if we could manipulate energy like they do? There is no end to what – "
"Kathryn, you are not listening to me-"
The admiral's words were lost as a piercingly loud phaser struck him in the centre of his back. Tuvok watched in horror as the Admiral fell towards his daughter.
Kathryn reached for him as he fell, but lost her footing and they tumbled to the ground entwined. Kathryn reached for her father's prostrate form, but Tuvok could see the smoke rising from the huge hole in his back.
Cradling her father's body she turned him over holding him against her.
"Daddy!" She screamed suddenly seeming so young and vulnerable. She held him to her. "Medic! I need a medic!" She screamed through tears.
She stroked the side of his face. Tuvok saw his eyes weakly open for a moment. He looked up at his daughter, his lips moved trying to make a sound and then the life simply left his body.
"NNNOoooooooooooo!" Kathryn gasped and hugged her father's dead form to her.
She sobbed and unconsciously rocked him as she cried.
People appeared and hands fell on her and her father. Trying to help her they pulled her from her father's body. A medic scanned the Admiral, but he only shook his head. Security had arrived and began milling around. Everyone became a blur and then faded until only Kathryn and Tuvok remained in the small park.
Tuvok silently approached Kathryn where she still knelt in the grass, her face wet with tears. She looked up at him through red swollen eyes.
"Why did you bring me here?" She asked with a dry cracked voice.
"It is you who brought me here, Kathryn. You have never left this place."
She looked down at the empty grass where the Admiral had lain.
"Why would I ever want to stay here? This is the worst, most horrific moment of my existence…" She turned from him and he saw fresh tears drop from her chin onto her lap. "I have dedicated my life to solving this moment, to bringing those responsible to justice. Perhaps, then I will join my father."
Tuvok frowned at such a depressed statement. He knelt down on the grass before her. "I knew your father. He was an honest and morally upstanding man. Do you really believe that he would agree with your actions these past years?"
"It does not matter how he judges me. I judge me!" She spat out at him. "I should have done more! I wasn't good enough to find his killers!" She bolted up and stalked across the grass to the hedgerow behind Tuvok.
"The killer must have stood in this direction. Probably arrived on a merchant or passenger ship. I checked all the records of every ship and shuttle that arrived and left –"
Tuvok approached her, interrupting her words. "You have been looking in the wrong place."
She rounded on him, eyes flashing. "How dare you! Where were you when I needed your help!"
"Projecting your feelings of anger and guilt onto me does not help in achieving the answers you seek."
Kathryn stilled – "Guilt?"
Tuvok continued, "We have discovered evidence that there may have been a shadow group within the Federation. We believe that they may be linked with Telpor's rise to power."
Her head snapped round. "Telpor?"
"It is possible that he played some part in your father's murder, but we have no direct evidence to support that. We need to get aboard Telpor's flagship and search his database. He most likely has a record of those within the Federation he dealt with, and we may then be able to identify Admiral Janeway's killers."
Kathryn's face became more and more flushed. "Telpor! He can not have been involved in my father's murder! Never. I would know….he has no reason. No, this can not be!"
With a powerful shove she pushed Tuvok away from her and reality snapped back around them as the mind meld broke. Tuvok fell back into the mud gasping.
Kathryn clutched at her temples.
"Noooo! Telpor!" She cried out in anger. Giving Tuvok and Justin one last fiery glare she strode off down the street, mud kicking up all around her.
Justin helped Tuvok up, "How did it go?"
Tuvok looked in the direction of Kathryn's departing figure.
"I believe our earlier assumption was correct. Before he died Admiral Janeway was trying to warn Kathryn about the energy suit. I told her that Telpor may have been involved in the murder and she broke the link."
"What do we do now?"
Tuvok lifted an eyebrow and watched as a small craft rose up into the sky from the village. "Now, we contact Captain Riker. All we can do is strike at Telpor as we planned."
"Will Kathryn be all right?" Justin asked with concern. Tuvok noticed the deep red bruises forming around the man's neck.
"Chakotay will look out for her. We must get back to the Pegasus at once."
"And pray." Justin muttered.
TBC