Uninspired Voyages
A Star Trek: Voyager fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon
DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: Voyager, Deep Space Nine, The Next Generation et al are the property of CBS Television, Para creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.
New arc continue!
"Do we have an escape plan?!" Shepherd shouted over the screams of the Kazon phasers and the fleeing patrons.
Janeway looked over at Larxeena, who nodded.
"Emergency exit! Over there!" She cried, pointing towards a row of archive shelves nearby. Shepherd nodded, and looked over at the Captain.
"In that case, we need a distraction!" He shouted.
Janeway nodded back.
"Shepherd, I need you to-!"
"On it!" He shouted, and activated the forcefield on Electric Nightmare. He rose in a sprint, holding up the sword and blocking the numerous phaser blasts that issued from the Kazon.
"HEY LOOK AT ME! I'M A TARGET!" He bellowed.
Janeway suppressed a groan. It was working, at least.
"GO!" She shouted.
Kes got up with Harry and Tal, as Larxeena, Janeway and Roxas ran after them while keeping their heads down low.
A Kazon vaulted over the couches they had used for cover, and targeted Larxeena. Janeway shoved the president out of the way, already bracing for the blast.
She heard only choking, and looked back over her shoulder to see Kes reaching out a hand to the Kazon. The desert dwelling warrior was choking, clawing at his face as he tried to breathe. He collapsed soon enough, blood gushing from his eyes and his nostrils. Kes took deep breaths, then turned to keep running.
"Go on, go on!" She shouted. More blasts came their way, as Shepherd doubled back. The security chief sprinted past the downed Kazon, reaching down to grab his phaser without breaking his stride. He got to the shelves, and tossed the rifle at Janeway. The captain caught it, and opened up on the Kazon near the shuttle. They took cover, their fire reduced, as the party rushed into the maze of archives and data consoles. Shepherd took up position next to his captain, blocking more shots as they withdrew into cover.
"Not what I had in mind," Janeway shouted to Shepherd.
"Sorry about that," Shepherd apologized, "off the top of my head!"
They pulled back into a veritable maze of shelves and reading areas, all following Larxeena as she sprinted in her lavish dress with only mild difficulty. At last, they made it to open space-A wide avenue that followed the circumference of the Great Library. In between two wall mounted shelves that seemed to stretch forever into opposite directions was a simple door with a large green sight glowing over it. Larxeena got to the door, and hit the release. Nothing happened. Her eyes widened.
"Impossible," Larxeena gasped, "it's supposed to be unlocked at all times!"
"So either there's a terrible janitor around, or," Shepherd began... Just before Roxas seized a Kazon phaser from his pocket and pointed it at them.
"Or this was a trap," the tall general growled, stepping back out of striking distance. "Nobody move!"
"General?!" Larxeena cried, her eyes wide and heartbroken. Roxas shook his head, as Janeway glared.
"As chief of her staff, you'd know where she would be," Janeway stated slowly, "you would know how to get a small ship through any clearances required. The real question is... Why?"
Roxas sighed, looking quite old as he sagged. He still kept his phaser out.
"Your idealism is admirable, Larxeena," Roxas said, "but it is misplaced. I have had to put down several coup attempts already due to your fecklessness."
"You-Why didn't you tell me-?!" Larxeena cried.
"To keep you pure!" The general insisted, "you are a symbol of the peace of Talax! You needed to be kept clean! I... I am used to doing dirty work. You are a woman of peace. Talax needs both." He locked his eyes onto Larxeena's. "Especially for what is to come."
"What is to come?" Janeway demanded. The general glanced over at Janeway briefly.
"The new leaders of the Kazon have need of you," Roxas confessed, "and they are willing to offer us great power."
"What kind of power could be worth betrayal?" Janeway demanded. Roxas chuckled darkly.
"The power to make the Talax Empire what it should have been," Roxas stated. "To seize our destiny, as partners with those who have the ability to let us rule the galaxy."
"You're insane," Larxeena cried, "nothing could justify this kind of betrayal!"
Roxas looked over at Janeway with a sneer.
"Captain. Look at the tag on that weapon," he said, "look at the device attached."
Janeway glanced over at Shepherd, who shrugged. The captain looked back, and examined the Kazon phaser. It was crude, yes, simple in construction. That made finding the device attached to it easy. It was small, glowing faintly underneath the muzzle cover. Janeway studied it, just making out some symbols carved into it. Her eyes widened in horrified recognition.
"No," she breathed.
Roxas nodded, looking satisfied.
"That is the kind of power that can give us all what we want," Roxas stated, stepping forward, "our empire, security for our people... And for you? A way home-"
Kes focused on Roxas and he reared back in pain, howling as his brain was squeezed by psychic powers. He fired a phaser blast, one Shepherd managed to block. Unfortunately, his personal forcefield had suffered enough damage so that the blast pierced right through the shield and hit him in the shoulder. He fell hard, as Janeway hefted up her phaser to fire!
TSEW! TSEW! TSEW!
Roxas had squeezed off another shot, as Janeway's blasts connected with the general's stomach. He fell back, stunned, as Janeway breathed hard. She looked around, spotting two downed people.
One was Shepherd, and Tal was already tending to him.
The other was Kes, fallen over unconscious. Harry was examining her, as Larxene stood by the door in shock and disbelief.
"Ugh, I'm fine, I'm fine!" Shepherd insisted, sitting up. "Kes-?"
"Heavy stun, her nervous system is going crazy," Harry called out. He looked up in shock. "CAPTAIN LOOK OUT-!"
Janeway barely threw herself clear of the phaser shot, the energy grazing her side. Her lower body seemed to go numb as she fell hard to the floor. Roxas was back up, breathing heavily.
"I am of course wearing full body armor," he sneered, "I am not a moron-"
Multiple Kazon phaser blasts struck the general in the back, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He fell face first into the floor. A heavily breathing Neelix was behind him, holding a captured Kazon rifle in shaking hands.
"Neelix?" Shepherd asked. Larxeena moved forward to meet him... As Neelix rushed right past her over to the fallen Kes.
"Kes! Kes, sweetie, are you all right?!" Neelix cried. He looked up at Harry urgently. "Is she-?!"
"She'll be fine as soon as we can get out of here," Harry said urgently. He went over to the captain, who was clumsily getting up to her feet with Tal's help. "Captain, move Kazon incoming!"
"Then we haven't got time to lose," Janeway said, "we need to override the locking system on this door!"
"I've got it!" Neelix said, rushing past Larxeena again and ripping open a control panel. He began pulling out wires and chips, and soon enough the doors unlocked. Larxeena just stared after him, in a daze. Shepherd touched her shoulder.
"Madame President?" Shepherd asked. "Madame President? Are you-?"
Larxeena shook her head, and pushed her glasses up. She walked over to Kes, and stooped down to pick the slender Ocampan up in her arms. She walked back to the door.
"We need... We need to get out, warn everyone," she said, "if General Roxas is compromised, everyone else on my staff might be too. We can't use the normal channels-"
Neelix tore the door open, just as Kazon rounded the corners nearby. They raised their weapons and opened fire, numerous blue phaser shots now crisscrossing the air. Shepherd shoved Larxeena and Kes through the door, and reactivated his sword field. He held it up, blasts striking the recharged barrier.
"GO GO GO!" Shepherd shouted. Harry, supporting Janeway. They hobbled through, as Tal ran screaming after. Neelix had hefted up his phaser and was firing back urgently, keeping the Kazon down.
"Neelix! NEELIX GO!" Shepherd ordered. Neelix looked back at Shepherd in disbelief.
"What about you-?!"
"I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU, GO!" Shepherd shouted. The little Talaxian turned and fled, Shepherd smoothly moving in front of his back. He was just about to step back into the door himself... When a grenade landed at his feet. He kicked the door shut and sprang like a tiger for the nearby archives, keeping his shield up!
KABOOM!
The blast left his ears ringing, and sent him tumbling end over end. He groaned as he struggled to get up, body sore. The shield had done its job though, since he was still alive.
Then a phaser blast hit him from behind. Then another from in front. And a third, a fourth. He fell face first into the wooden floor, his mind still resisting the darkness.
Yet soon everything went black.
The party ran through well lit, concrete hallways, until they reached a door that led outside. Harry shoved this one open, and they burst out into sunlight and the sounds of sirens and civilian cries. Janeway, getting some feeling back into her body, looked around: They were on the outside of the Great Library, nearby the front entrance. Already, police hovercars were floating nearby as Talaxians in battle armor sat behind armored barricades. Numerous blue Kazon phaser blasts rained down upon them, but they returned no fire of their own. Janeway cursed.
"Damnit," she muttered, "Harry! How far does the jamming field extend to?"
"I'd say about five hundred meters," Harry said, checking his tricorder. "I think we're out on the edge of it. Phasers still won't work, but comms might."
Janeway tapped her commbadge.
"Janeway to Voyager!"
"Voyager here Captain, what's going on?" Chakotay asked, "we've got reports of firefights and attacks at the Great Library-"
"Kazon are attacking," Janeway managed, "in our stolen shuttle! They're using a dampening field to disable phasers and other energy weapons! Get a Security Team down here on the double! Projectile weapon loadout! NOW!"
"Aye captain!" Chakotay replied. Harry looked around, his face falling.
"Captain, where's Shepherd?" He asked. Janeway looked over at Neelix.
"Neelix?"
Neelix grimaced.
"He said he'd be right behind me," he gasped, "then the door slammed shut, there was-was an explosion and-!"
"Then he's still in there," Janeway said grimly. Janeway tapped her commbadge again.
"Be advised: They have a hostage. Mister Shepherd," she said.
"Understood, Captain," Chakotay said.
Larxeena looked over at Janeway, holding Kes like she was a fragile piece of glass. The president set the unconscious Ocampan down, and Neelix rushed forward to grasp her hands.
"Larxeena-Thank you! Thank you so much!" Neelix insisted, "if anything happened to her-!"
"It's all right," Larxeena said calmly, almost formally. She locked her eyes on Janeway.
"You know what made Roxas betray us, don't you?" Larxeena asked softly. All eyes were soon on her. Janeway held up the Kazon phaser, and removed the muzzle cowl. She pointed to the brightly glowing tag on it.
"Unfortunately, yes I do," Janeway stated, "it's something Starfleet has encountered in the past."
Gleaming even more brightly in the sun, the faint markings resolved themselves into three colors: Red, Amber, and Blue. Harry's eyes widened.
"Iconians," he murmured, like the mere mention of the word would call down divine wrath.
Given the nature of the threat, Janeway mused, he might not be that far off.
The "Hazard Team", as Tuvok had dubbed them (and Shepherd had agreed with when his suggestion of 'Team Kickass' had been rejected) beamed into existence within the command center set up by the Talaxian police. Janeway walked up to them immediately, Lieutenant Foster and Ensign Munroe up front. The president was talking with the police captains nearby. Neelix had been beamed up to Voyager, along with the injured Kes.
"Captain," the lieutenant began, "what's the situation?"
"Kazon strike force, maybe twenty or thirty of them," Janeway stated, "protected by Iconian dampening technology. They're using tags to allow their own weapons to operate."
Harry and Tal came over from talking with some Talaxians, carrying the Kazon phaser rifle Janeway had obtained. Harry held it out to the lieutenant, who swore.
"Damnit! Sorry Captain," Foster said, "Iconian tech seems a little beyond our paygrade."
"The field can't inhibit combustion, otherwise we'd all have died," Janeway insisted. "They also took Lieutenant Shepherd hostage."
The team looked grim. Biessman growled. Jurot rested a hand on his shoulder, keeping him calm. Foster nodded to his second in command, Munroe. The ensign nodded, holding up his TRS-186.
"In that case, Captain, we're ready to go," Munroe said with a nod. "We've also got enough photon grenades to take this place three times over."
Chang, their explosives expert, looked at the captain intently.
"Will the grenades still work even in the dampening field?" He asked. Janeway frowned.
"The primary triggers are electromechanical, and shouldn't be inhibited like the phasers," she said. "The personal forcefields should also work. But just in case?"
She held out her hand. Jurot provided her with a spare TRS-186. The captain took the projectile rifle into her hands and expertly activated it.
"I'm going along," Janeway stated. She took a spare personal forcefield belt, and clipped it around her slim waist as Foster frowned.
"Captain, if they're taking hostages, I have to object-" Foster tried, but Janeway shut him down with a glare.
"Objection noted," Janeway stated. "Now the Talaxians have agreed to let us go in. Let's move!"
Telsia was up first. She activated the sniper mode on her TRS-186 rifle, and knelt down behind one of the police barricades. She looked through the scope on the rifle, the barrel extending outwards to improve the spin on the bullet. The sensor zeroed in on five Kazon behind cover on balcony platforms of the library's upper levels, taking potshots at the police. She frowned.
"I can take out two, maybe three," she said. Janeway nodded.
"Do it," she ordered.
Telsia pulled the trigger, and fired. One Kazon fell, a tritanium bullet having gone right through his skull. Telsia zeroed in on his support, who was staring in disbelief at what was left of his friend's head. He soon knew no more. The other three Kazon, clustered behind cover, and Telsia scowled as she unleashed another round.
"The bullets won't penetrate the cover, Captain," Telsia reported. Janeway nodded, scowling.
"Biessman, handle them."
Biessman walked up, adjusting the photon grenade launcher attached to the underside of his own TRS-186. He knelt down next to Telsia, and she transferred her targeting data over to him. He held up his rifle and adjusted his angle.
"With pleasure, ma'am," Biessman growled. "Fire in the hole!"
He launched a photon grenade up high, and it arced up to bounce off the wall of the library behind the Kazon. There was a loud bang and a bright flash! And through the sensor scope, all three Kazon fell unconscious.
"MOVE!" Janeway ordered, charging in. The rest of the Hazard Team followed, running across the gap to the huge double doors of the library. Foster nodded to Chang, who produced an ultritium bomb pack. He placed it against the doors, as Foster checked his tricorder.
"Tricorder functions are limited," Foster said, "how do we know if the guns will still work-?"
Janeway fired off a few shots into the air, making Chell dive for cover. The rest of the team wasn't much better off, save for Foster (who just grimaced), Munroe (who was trying not to roll his eyes) and Biessman (who was grinning). Janeway shrugged.
"Science can be short and messy," she stated. "Chang?"
"Ready!" Chang shouted. They took cover on either side of the huge entrance, and Chang pressed the detonator. "FIRE IN THE HOLE!"
The roar of the explosion shook the ground. Janeway peeked over her cover-There was now a several meter hole in the front doors. She reminded herself to find some way to make it up to the Talaxians, as the Hazard Team charged in firing!
Munroe was in first, firing off quick, accurate bursts. Several Kazon who had been behind improvised cover, turned over tables and furniture, went down to the precise fire. Foster and Biessman went in next, Foster taking down targets of opportunity while Biessman fired on the upper levels. Everyone else followed, sending hails of bullets into the Kazon as they advanced for the shuttle.
The Kazon were not as dumb as they appeared though. They had begun pulling everyone from the upper levels around their stolen shuttle, massing their fire and focusing it on the entrance. Munroe took some hits on his personal forcefield before he got to cover, and the others ducked into the gaps in the almost-tree root like columns supporting the grand entrance way. Janeway checked her scanner, but it wasn't necessary: She could see the unconscious Shepherd being dragged by two Kazon, and she looked to Biessman.
"Give us a stun volley! Right over all of them!" Janeway ordered. Biessman nodded, and loaded his grenades. "Everyone else! COVERING FIRE!"
Every Hazard Team member opened fire, Jurot in particular sending several well aimed shots right into a Kazon's chest-She may have been the medic but her skill with aiming was no less impressive. Biessman hefted up his rifle, got the proper angle... He fired...!
An alien light shone over the Kazon, and swept over them like a glowing hand was erasing a mistake on an easel. Janeway looked away just as the grenades went off. Once the din and flash had subsided, they looked around their cover.
The Kazon, the shuttle, and Shepherd: They were all gone. Not destroyed, not stunned-Gone. Janeway got up, and Foster and Munroe flanked her, carefully sweeping around their captain as she approached the scene-Now only a ruined Great Tree and several burning computer consoles in the area.
"Clear!" Foster shouted.
"Clear!" Munroe added. Janeway pulled out her tricorder and scanned the area. The dampening field was gone. There was no sign of cloaking, only signals Janeway had been praying she wouldn't find.
"What happened Captain?" Foster asked. Janeway sighed.
"What happened, Lieutenant, is that we're in a lot of trouble," Janeway stated. "Because it looks like the Kazon have a working Iconian Gateway."
There was dead silence. Even Biessman was tight lipped, grim at the news.
"... Oh shit," Chell gasped.
Shepherd felt someone kick him in the ribs as he laid on his side. He gagged and grit his teeth, wrapping his arms around his belly as he slowly came to. Another kick proved that his improvised defense was of little use, and he coughed hard. He took notes on his surroundings, regardless.
Cold metal floor. Cool air. The smell of lots of Kazon.
"This piece of junk!"
And an angry Seska. He opened his eyes.
He was in some kind of control room, pale white walls, in a circular shape. There was a central control pedestal, split like a hexagon, with a large blue sphere floating in the center. Seska was at this control pedestal, angrily analyzing one of the control panels with a tricorder, while a few Kazon were clustered around her.
Shepherd closed his eyes tightly.
Iconians. FUCK.
Two Kazon picked him up roughly, and he went slack. He allowed himself to be dragged up to Seska. The Obsidian Order agent was looking a little more Cardassian in her features, which made her venomous smile all the more serpentine.
"Well well, Lieutenant Shepherd," Seska said, "how nice to see you again."
Shepherd raised his head, the stun shots still leaving him rather numb but he was feeling more mobile thanks to long hours of training.
Best not to let the Kazon know that.
"Seska," Shepherd stated, "we offered you clemency-"
"And Maje Cullah gave me a far better offer," Seska hissed. She held her arms out.
"I'm sure you're familiar with the Iconians?"
"Familiar enough to know that messing with their technology is a really bad idea," Shepherd stated slowly. "How'd you get this thing to work, anyway?"
"You think this is beyond my capabilities?" She sneered.
"Yes," Shepherd stated. One of his captors hit him over the head, and he grunted. He nevertheless looked back up, scowling hard.
"This is insanely dangerous, Seska," Shepherd pointed out, "so dangerous it's going to bring hell on you."
Seska shrugged.
"Perhaps," she stated, "but I'm sure I can handle it. After all, while the Gateway is the perfect weapon... It's also a wonderful bargaining chip." She smirked, and reached out a hand to cup his cheek. "One I'm willing to be generous with... With enough incentive."
Shepherd stared up at her... And then smiled brightly.
"Oh sure Seska!" Shepherd said cheerfully, "I'm totally willing to forsake my crew, my oath, my training, my family, my entire civilization and my common fucking sense just because you have a band of thugs and a broken Iconian Gateway!"
Seska started, too surprised to be angry at first.
"How did you know-?!"
"Oh please," Shepherd snorted, "if you had gotten this thing running perfectly, you wouldn't have crashed into the Central Archives on Talax, raiding the place for info on the Iconians or for hostages. You'd have just started your reign as Galactic Empress." He nodded to the central control panel.
"Like I said, beyond you. You were hoping to grab the Captain and force us to cooperate. Because getting home isn't enough: You can't offer that either. Not unless we help you."
Seska stared at Shepherd for a moment. She then tilted her head quizzically.
"Will you help me then? Allow us all to get home?" She asked.
"Are you going to destroy this place once we're all home?" Shepherd asked in return. Seska snorted. Shepherd shrugged his head. "Then no. Not gonna help you."
"That is a shame!" A new voice boomed, and all the Kazon turned to look. A tall Kazon in garish red, with a leather sash over furred lining, walked in. Behind him was Sousek, Shining Blood strapped to his back and a grim counterpoint to the tall Kazon's smug smile.
"Maje Cullah, I told you," Seska stated, "we're not ready yet-"
"We have a hostage," Cullah said, "and what better hostage than the Shepherd?" He smirked, and held out his hand. One of the other Kazon held out Electric Nightmare to him, and the Maje took it into his hands. He greedily examined it, turning the weapon over in his hands. Shepherd managed a neutral look. Cullah chuckled.
"To truly unite the Kazon will require an act to be shown to all," Cullah stated, "and to make sure Voyager and the other Alpha Quadrant ships know we mean business." He smirked at Shepherd. "I think your public execution in a duel by me will suffice, wouldn't you agree Sousek?"
The older Kazon scowled, but managed a nod. Sousek was avoiding Shepherd's gaze. Cullah looked about his men, and saw General Roxas near the back. The tall Talaxian had shaken off the stun beams, and stood apart from the Kazon in obvious distaste.
"You didn't bring us your little princess," Cullah stated. Roxas shook his head.
"She will come to heel," Roxas stated, "I know her."
Cullah huffed. "See that she does," he ordered. He looked at Shepherd. "Take him to a cell. But don't treat him too roughly!"
Cullah smirked at Shepherd, and patted the human on the head.
"We do want you to look your best for your execution," he crooned.
Shepherd held in a sigh. God, he really hoped Seska killed this guy off soon to declare herself Empress...
The Hazard Team convened in the Mess Hall after the mission, spirits low. Biessman was particularly put out, sitting next to Elizabeth Laird.
"This sucks!" Biessman growled, "they nabbed the El Tee and now they're having a staff meeting?!"
"They need to work it out, Biessman," Laird stated, "we don't even know where they took him!"
"Yeah well, so what?!" Biessman growled, "I just hate sitting around here doing nothing! While that fucking spoonhead bitch has him!"
Munroe discretely coughed and elbowed Biessman on his other side. Laird looked up at the ceiling. Biessman looked between them with a scowl.
"What?!"
He looked back over his shoulder... And stared at the form of Orra, the Cardassian woman he had saved in the prison camp. She stared back at him intensely. Biessman winced, a bit self consciously. There were several Cardassians at a nearby table, all glaring over at them. They had been visiting Voyager for recreation, as their own ship was still undergoing repairs and had no holodecks.
Laird winced hard. Munroe covered his face. Telsia was trying not to laugh, as Chell cringed away.
Biessman narrowed his eyes.
"Well I-I didn't-!"
Orra reached out and gently touched Biessman's shoulder.
"We all hate that bitch," she stated firmly, "and want to blast her head off."
Biessman blinked. He managed a nod to her.
"Uh... Yeah, we do," he said. "Er..." While he didn't like to back down, he had saved this woman and her crew from sexual slavery so... "Sorry."
"Accepted," Orra stated, "but only if you show you've got more going for you than your mouth."
Biessman blinked.
"Pardon?"
Orra sighed heavily.
"I will make it clear to you, since you are clearly slow even for a man," Orra growled, "I want to do some firearms training and you will teach me! You must be somewhat competent in it, given you have survived so long! So let's go!"
Biessman's jaw dropped.
"I-Wha-"
"Come on, you thick headed meatbag!" Orra practically snarled. "Those muscles have to be for more than keeping your head from floating away! Come on!" She stalked off to the doors to the messhall. Biessman stared after her.
"Is... What just happened?" Biessman asked.
Another Cardassian woman sighed heavily. The Cardassian men snickered, though one looked disgusted. Another Cardassian woman looked almost envious.
"Don't you know anything about Cardassian women?" Telsia asked with a grin, "she just asked you out!"
Biessman blinked.
"She what?!" He hissed.
"That's how Cardassian women show affection," Telsia said, "I mean, she doesn't mind you using a racial slur and she just asked you on a date. Come on. Put it together, Biessman!"
Biessman looked over at Munroe, who nodded in agreement.
"You've... Gotta be having me on," Biessman tried.
Munroe rolled his eyes.
"Fine. It's a trap. We'll bail you out. Go get intel while you can," he stated. "That's an order, Biessman."
"Are you coming, Meathead?" Orra shouted from the messhall doors. Everyone's eyes were now on Biessman. The tall blonde human grimaced, then got up.
"I'm coming, you nag!" He shouted back. "Stop being so impatient!"
"If you could put things together faster, I wouldn't have to be!" Orra shouted.
"Are you looking for me to beat your ass?" Biessman demanded as he walked up to Orra. The Cardassian woman laughed in his face.
"You'd be so lucky!" She said back, as they walked out the doors. Chell grimaced.
"Er... I've got to ask," he said, "is... Is that normal? I mean, she did go through... A lot."
"Apparently she's recovered," Telsia observed.
"But... Biessman?" Chell asked.
Munroe shrugged, as the Cardassians at the other table tried to avoid eye contact with anyone else.
"Love is crazy, Chell," he observed.
Not dead! More to come!