Family Honor
She knew.
When the Voth medics came back from checking with specialists, after all the scans, even before the chief Voth medical specialist spoke, Mary knew. They were professionals. They had been both kind and gentle when they had examined Owlesha after Mary had managed to get her to sleep. The poor girl moaned piteously every time Mary tried to move away from her, even in her sleep. Her psychic pain was immense. Jhinis and Quirwab were on guard at opposite sides of the small room with the bed that Mary lay in, holding Owlesha even now. Mary was reasonably sure the Voth were not going to do anything. They didn't seem the sorts to be cruel just to do it. She knew that kind all too well.
That said? She could almost feel their sadness when they returned after consultations and she knew. She was polite though. She waited for them to speak.
"I am sorry." The Voth medic said quietly. "There is nothing we can do."
"I was afraid of that. Such a weapon is lethal. Both to its targets and to its wielder." Mary said as she sat on the bed. She held a sobbing Romulan in her arms as she had since they had arrived here. Wherever 'here' was. Clearly a ship of some kind, but she hadn't looked too closely. She had been busy trying to calm Owlesha. Even after Mary had gotten her to sleep, Owlesha never stopped crying. "That blasted sword destroyed part of her mind. That part of her mind is gone. Even Iconian tech cannot repair something that is completely gone. But she did it! She let it go. Good girl." Mary bit back a sob as Owlesha moaned in her sleep. Mary crooned softly to the hurt being in her arms and no one spoke. "We will do what we can for her. It may not be much, but she is family. No matter what she did, no matter how badly she hurt me, she never meant to. I know that." She slumped. "Now, anyway."
The Voth medic, whose name was Eklin, came to the bedside and laid a gentle claw against Owlesha's cheek. Said claws were vicious weapons, but he was kind.
"From what was said? She did it to save you?" Mary nodded, silent. "She was very brave to take up such a horrific thing." The Voth medic offered and Mary nodded again.
"Owlesha was always brave." Mary said sadly. "From the moment I found her, an infant orphan in a stasis pod, she was always brave. Never an ounce of fear in her. That golden scum was not content to destroy my life. He took her from me too. Maybe not by his own actions, but he destroyed her when she chose to fight him to save me."
"He paid." The Voth medic said firmly and Mary bowed her head formally.
"Let the past remain in the past." Mary agreed. "Let the Whole be as One." She paused as Owlesha sobbed a little more and then quieted, easing deeper into sleep. She was still crying and would. Mary knew no way to heal the raw, bleeding wound in the girl's psyche and apparently, neither did the Voth. When Mary looked up, her face was calm but set. "You have been more than kind. Much more than fair. What do you need me to do?"
"We don't know." Eklin said quietly. "We do not know know what happened or why. From your words you know more about the molecules than we do."
"I know a tale that was told to me a long time ago. Little else." Mary cautioned with a small frown. "At one time, the Iconians tried to see if the molecules could be used as a weapon. That tale did not end well. I myself am not Iconian, but I was adopted by one." All three of the Voth in the room nodded and Mary pursed her lips. "What little I know about those molecules is a bit scary, to be honest. For a long time, the Federation Starfleet classified all data on them and only recently has any become common knowledge."
She did not comment on why that was so. Voth incursions into the Solenae Dyson sphere and thefts of Omega molecules had put paid to any secrecy about their existence. There had been too many crews involved in the conflicts from several interstellar governments. Far too many people with mouths to keep the secret about the fact that Omega existed. Most everything else about it was hearsay and various groups had tried to gain samples, but when the all of the major spacegoing powers of the Beta quadrant wanted something to be restricted? It was.
None of the Voth seemed to know what to say, but then another spoke up who hadn't.
"We erred." Eklin made way for a smaller Voth who seemed female and much older than him. She had been there every time Mary had dealt with Voth, but she had never been introduced. She nodded to when Mary looked at her. "Mary Owlna Pangolin, I am Odala."
Mary stared at the elder Voth, eyes wide. She knew that name. She had seen the name in records from the USS Voyager. Odala had been the one to interrogate the crew, had been ready to have them all sacrificed to keep to the Voth's Ancient Doctrine. That situation had ended fairly well for Voyager, but it had been tense by all reports. Was this the same one? Hard to say. It had been thirty years, but she didn't know how long Voth lived.
"What can I do?" Mary repeated. "You wanted me. I am here. I am not omnipotent nor am I more than you see here. If I touch Omega, it will disrupt my energy to the point of dissolution. Kill me." All three Voth nodded and then Odala shook her head.
"Yes, your energy would be disrupted beyond repair. That is the last thing we want." Odala replied. "We do not know what you can do. We do not believe that anything is spreading from the test site, but we cannot know. We intended to ask you to ask your Mother what she knew." Mary thought about that and then nodded. "We did not intend harm to you."
"That has become clear." Mary said soberly. "I am sorry that our interactions resulted in combat. How many of your people did I kill?" She asked quietly.
"None." Odala said firmly and smiled as Mary stared at her. "We Voth pride ourselves on defense and safety. You and your allies destroyed several ships, but the crews survived to escape. There were injuries, but no deaths."
"Oh." Mary thought about that and then smiled. "I am glad. There has been enough death."
"The universe is not a safe place." Odala said quietly. "We learned that the hard way, many times."
"Your business is your business, not mine." Mary replied with shake of her head. "I have no intention at all of causing difficulty for you. All I want is to take my child home and see if she can be helped in any way." She was very gentle as she stroked Owlesha's head and the still crying Romulan shifted a little in her sleep. "You did me a service, so I will try to do what I can in return. That said? I will abide by whatever rules or restrictions you put in place. The last thing I want is to cause problems for your people when we are discussing things rationally."
"Such is quite rare in the universe we live in." Odala agreed. She nodded to the others and they left the room. "We do not know what you can do. We hope you can determine the fates of three ships that were in the system when the test occurred. We need to know if any of the Schismatics survived." Mary went still and Odala nodded.
"'Schism'." Mary breathed and Odala nodded. "Oh dear."
The word 'schism' was defined as a division between strongly opposed parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief. Their belief in their Doctrine was one of the foundations of Voth society. Just the thought of a religious war among one of the most powerful races of the Delta Quadrant had Mary shivering. Religious disagreements had caused a lot of strife across too many worlds to count. The Federation knew a lot about religious wars, far to much. If the Voth were having one? Lots of people needed to know.
"You understand. I say this to you as an ambassador of sorts. You may tell your Mother what I have said and we shall see what the future holds." Odala was quiet, almost sad. "We have been watching you for some time. You have acted with honor and only when pushed into it, have you resorted to violence. You stopped an evil interloper into our reality, nearly at the cost of your own existence." Mary went utterly still at that and Odala nodded. "We Voth have forgotten a lot, but many of us do know what honor is when it is shone to us."
"I am not perfect." Mary said weakly. "Far from it."
"Neither am I." Odala smiled, but it was rueful now. "Hindsight is always clearer, no?"
"Indeed." Mary swallowed hard. "Your race is older than my adopted one. I know that my mother wishes no conflict between our races. It would not end well for anyone. You know there are very few True Iconians left and they will protect themselves with all their power if attacked. Your people…"
"Hid." Odala muttered, but Mary shook her head. "What?"
"Survived." Mary said firmly. "Your people survived in a hostile galaxy. I know how hard that is to do. I have seen far too much, seen far too much in my travels and studies to assume otherwise." She bowed her head over Owlesha's still form. "I had no idea what had happened or why when I got to Earth. Just that I needed to get there. Now? If I truly am a focal point of a timeline, I have no idea what to do or why." She shivered hard and Odala bowed her own head. "I am curious, though. Why spend so many resources on me?"
"You are fair and even tempered." Odala said softly. "Only when pushed far beyond what any of my people would take do you act and even then, you act in the best ways you can. We tried to keep an eye on you while you were studying and after." She smiled a bit sadly. "I heard what happened on Cait. Any of my people would have at least stopped the young one when he attacked you, even with him not able to cause harm."
"It would not have helped." Mary said weakly. "Violence may be faster, but it rarely helps in such matters. He was blinded by his grief and rage, like my own family was until the World Heart was returned to them."
"I know." Odala sighed deeply. "I have seen such myself and it rarely ends well. You did a good thing there, Captain Pangolin." Mary smiled but it was sad.
"You need to know what happened to those ships and we need to know if the Omega is spreading." Mary said after a moment. She took a deep breath, more for the pause than for any real need of oxygen and then continued. "I can probably get a ship into that area." She would have said more, but her Herald spoke up.
"Don't you dare." Jhinis said very quietly and everyone looked at the Aenar as the white furred being shook her head. "I have my orders if you act reckless, Captain." Odala smiled as Mary groaned.
"I wasn't going to go alone, Jhinis." Mary protested. The Aenar crossed her arms and glared at Mary who wilted a little. "I wasn't!" She was careful not to jar Owlesha. "I have to keep Owlesha safe. Her plight may not be my fault, but she did what she did to save me. I feel an obligation." She looked from her Herald to the Voth who was impassive now. "I cannot translocate on my own so far. I will contact my mother and see if she can evacuate this one." She nodded to the still crying woman in her arms. "Then we shall see what can be done." That was to Jhinis who nodded. Then Mary frowned. "Unless you have contact with her."
"I do not." Jhinis said firmly. "L'Miren gave me strict orders, but left me to you. She won't kill me if I come back with you hurt or worse, but she will hurt me even if my own duty does not."
Mary nodded soberly. Heralds were utterly loyal, dedicated to their mistresses and such loyalty had its downsides. Jhinis would be in great pain if she failed Mary, even though Mary had no intention whatsoever of ever treating Jhinis like anything other than a friend. That had been one reason Mary hadn't wanted Jhinis to swear as a Herald to her. One of many.
"Odala? May I ask to use a long range communication device?" Mary asked Odala who eyed her. "You may take whatever precautions you wish. I give my personal word that I will only ask my Mother to take Owelsha to healing." Odala looked at the crying Romulan and then at Mary. "Then I will ask Mother how to get a ship into that area. I think they can do that." She was bit dubious. "Getting out may be interesting, but I think we can get in."
"We can allow communications." Odala said quietly. "This ship is small and fast. I will order the rest of the fleet to withdraw a bit." She paused as Mary shook her head. "Captain?"
"Such a redeployment may endanger your people." Mary said firmly. "Let me see what I can do first."
An hour later
Delta Quadrant
It was somewhat anti-climactic when the sphere of blue/black energy released the small Voth ship and the watchers saw real space around them again. The Voth ship was small, fast and well equipped. It was also fairly comfortable for Mary and her entourage, being as it had been designed for Voth, who were a bit larger than humans. Jhinis and Quirwab had not left Mary's side and would not, L'Miren had wanted to send more personnel, but Mary had nixed that quickly. The Voth ship wasn't that big and she was a guest. So, in typical Iconian fashion, L'Miren had gated a probe to the system in question. Said probe allowed a limited gate to be forged that Mary could take the Voth ship through. Odala had offered to let Mary and her team see things from the bridge, but Mary hadn't wanted to put the Voth in the position of maybe spilling secrets. Instead? Odala had led her team to a small room where the ship's science officer had set up extra monitors. The system had no habitable planets. A good site for weapon tests.
No one moved or spoke as Mary and Jhinis both scrutinized the monitors. Then they both nodded in unison and Mary turned to the pair of Voth.
"Definite Omega detonation at the second planet." Mary said quietly as the Voth scientist turned to his consoles. "I don't read any spread, but Mother said it can be tricky. Warp travel is impossible here. I have no way to see how far the zone of disruption extends, but it does not seem to be moving. That said? If it got into subspace…" She broke off as the scientist snarled softly. "We got here. We have options." She reassured the upset being.
"What were they thinking?" The Voth was just short of savage, but not with Mary. He hadn't been introduced.
"Most who see such only see the explosions." Mary said quietly. "Without my Mother's additional knowledge, 'I' might have just seen the explosions. Omega is a powerful weapon."
"Far too dangerous to use." Odala said softly.
"How would they have known?" Mary was being diplomatic. She was almost as happy with this as the Voth were. "Yes, this is bad, but they couldn't have known all of the side effects any more than my Mother's people did when they tried. That is why people test weapons."
"They had to see the numbers." The male Voth all but begged. "They had to know bad things would happen."
"And if they didn't want to see them?" Odala asked sadly. Mary looked at the old Voth and Odala nodded. "Such has happened before and likely will again. We often see what we want to see. Not what actually is."
"Every sentient being I have encountered has that problem sometimes." Mary shook her head. "I am reading three ships. All damaged." She turned to face Odala. "Impulse engines will function, but any attempt to engage a warp drive is not advised."
The Voth hadn't liked the idea of disengaging their warp core from their engines, but Omega reacted badly to such things. Odala's support and Mary's knowledge added to L'Miren's data had swayed them, but it hadn't been easy to convince the captain of the ship. No sane starship ship captain wanted to be only reliant on impulse engines in such a situation.
"Let us not explode today if we can help it." Odala agreed with a nod. "Captain?" She called out. "Any communication?"
"No." The voice of the ship's captain was taut with worry, but he was as professional as any Mary had served with. "Orders, Elder?"
"Try to hail them." Odala said with a sigh. "They won't be happy we are here, but hopefully, they are willing to talk." Mary looked at the Voth and Odala sighed. "We Voth can be as stubborn as any."
"If it helps, I offer my services as mediator." Mary said quietly and both Voth in the room stared at her. "The Alliance and the Voth have been adversaries, but not always. Your people have honor."
"And so do you." Odala gave Mary a nod. "Thank you, Captain Pangolin. We will-" She broke off as a chime sounded and a voice came over a hidden speaker.
"So, you have come to finish us off as Doctrine demands." The female Voth on the other end was furious. "Go ahead. It won't change anything."
"We did not come to fight." Odala said quietly.
"I don't believe you!" The other snapped. "To you, we are just heretics! Against Doctrine!"
"Doctrine has kept our people alive for eons." Odala seemed to slump a bit. "I know it cannot answer everything. It is easier to think it can, but it cannot. I ask…" She paused and then spoke again, a bit stronger. "No, I beg of you. Please do not fire on this ship. We have a representative of another race aboard. She helped us get here. We had no idea how bad it was. We have no idea if it can and will get worse. But you are Voth. We may disagree on doctrine, but I do not wish to see any of my race die alone in the dark."
"You… lie!" The other snapped and alarms started blaring. Weapons lock.
"Don't do that." Mary said before Odala could speak up. She looked an apology at Odala but the old Voth nodded for her to continue. "Your ships are already damage. Do not stress them further Omega has odd effects at the best of times."
"Who are you?" The other demanded, but no weapons fired. That was good. Right?
"My name is Mary Owlna Pangolin." Mary kept her tone calm. "I am not affiliated with the Voth in any way. I barely know your Doctrine. They asked my help and my mother's help in determining the extent of this mess. We have given it. Please do not fire on this ship. You will not like what happens if you do."
She wasn't sure where K'Tao was but knew he was ready to come to her aid even here.
"We will not go back!" The other snapped. "We will not let them silence us for thinking different!" Mary stared at Odala who slumped.
"Doctrine brooks no trespass." Odala said sadly. "I do not agree with much of what was done, but Doctrine kept us alive."
"I see." Mary said softly. "So, if they go back… They will be put to death?" She asked Odala who bowed her head. "I have no power except my words. I do not know your ways. Are there no alternatives?"
"We wanted to find one!" The other speaker snapped and Odala shook her head.
"Omega is not the answer." Mary said softly. "All that explosions cause is destruction even without all the extra effects from Omega." She shook her head and looked at Jhinis who was blank, ready and willing to aid Mary however she could. Quirwab though… Was the Klingon smiling? If so, the expression vanished behind training. "What if… What if they were not Voth?"
Sudden utter silence resounded in the room and from the com. Mary held up a hand. "I mean no offense. I mean no insult. I am trying to understand. As I say, I do not know your Doctrine. All Voth are supposed to follow it, but these cannot. How do you define your people?" She asked Odala.
"We are Voth." Odala was clearly confused by this. "We follow Doctrine."
"And if some do not, are they Voth?" Mary asked carefully.
"I do not know." Odala heaved a sigh. "Doctrine can be hard, but it is clear."
"And these do not wish to follow it." Mary shook her head. "If they could go somewhere else, somewhere they could live out lives without causing harm to your people's beliefs, would you let them?"
"I do not see such being possible." Odala said heavily.
"That is what we were trying to do." The Voth from the other ship was subdued now. "Get far enough away to live out our lives in peace."
"Peace is a noble goal, but a hard one to fulfill." Mary was speaking to everyone now. "Elder Odala. If they go back, you will treat them as heretics. Kill them or silence them in other ways. If they stay here, they will die." Odala nodded. "What if I found another option?"
"I don't see one." Odala was sad now.
"I do." Mary said softly and Jhinis stood up straight. Shock poured over the Aenar Herald's link to Mary, but then approval. Odala stared at Mary, hope flaring before being squashed by discipline. "I happen to know a world that has a very small population. It was devastated many centuries ago. There is already one enclave of refugees on it. People who fled a cataclysm and asked for protection. My mother gave it." Odala's eyes went huge and then she was clearly thinking hard. "There is a great deal of open space and if they wish, they can be sequestered from everyone to live out their lives as they desire."
"That is not what we desire!" The other speaker snapped. "We want to be free!"
"Freedom is sometimes as much a curse as a blessing." Mary warned. "My family made a very big mess five years ago and we are now trying to fix some of that mess. We need help to do it, but we will not take. We will not enslave. We will not conquer. We will offer. No more."
"I…" Odala shook her head. "I cannot make such a decision on my own and many of the other Elders will react blindly. They have lived under Doctrine their whole lives I have seen other ways, but I too am drawn to the simple answers."
"There are few simple answers in life." Mary heaved a sad sigh and Odala nodded. "My mother wants to help make things better. I think this will. If you allow it."
"You do not want to bind us?" The other speaker asked, clearly confused and not trusting.
"No." Mary agreed. "I want to help. Will you let me?" At that, the Klingon who stood beside Jhinis smiled wide. Mary glared at Quirwab who nodded, but kept smiling.
"Why should we trust you?" The other demanded, hope and fear warring.
"You will not. Trust must be earned, but my family knows what honor is." Mary replied. "Will you let us prove it?"
"I…" The other seemed stunned. "And the Elder?"
"I want no Voth to die." Odala said heavily. "The universe may not care, but I do. If your people would accept such, Captain Pangolin? I can say they are no longer our problem until or unless they become such in the future."
"Let tomorrow take care of tomorrow." Mary said formally. "Let us keep people from dying today if we can. I can speak for my mother and I do. I offer sanctuary for those in this system who do not wish to follow Voth Doctrine."
"You do have honor, Captain Mary Owlna Pangolin." The Voth in the other ship was still worried, but calmer. "I cannot speak for all, but we are willing to try."
"Fair enough." Odala nodded when Mary looked at her. With that, she left the room. The scientist stared at Mary before bowing to her and leaving as well.
"What do we do?" The other Voth asked.
"Come home with me." Mary said with a smile as a nudge came to her across the Iconian network. K'Tao had been monitoring of course and was on the way with ships to rescue the stranded. "We have a lot of work to do."
"What do I call you? My name is Suria." The other said slowly.
"I am Captain Mary Owlna Pangolin, Daughter of L'Miren." Mary said formally and other gave a small gasp. "Iconia is a wasteland, but we can make it better for everyone. My family would be honored to have your assistance, Suria."
"The honor is ours, Captain Pangolin."