Chapter 27.
Prototype.
(Scott POV)
When I woke up. Clara was asleep next to me. How she manages to get in while I'm asleep, I have no idea. But I got up and had a Shower and got changed into my uniform and got some Breakfast. I was just half way through my Coffee when Clara got up.
"Smell's Good," Clara said.
"Always is," I said.
"True," Clara said.
"Bridge to McCall," Chakotay said.
"Go ahead," I said.
"Captain, we find this automated life-form adrift here in space. B'Elanna wants to beam it aboard," Chakotay said.
"I'll meet Her and Tuvok in the Transporter, McCall out," I said.
Then once I finished my Coffee. I headed down there.
"We're ready to beam it aboard, Captain," B'Elanna said.
"Then Energize," I said.
As it was Beamed aboard. Then B'Elanna went to scan it.
"It's extraordinary," B'Elanna said.
"I must remind you, That it is also a potential security risk," Tuvok said.
"It's losing power," B'Elanna said. "I'd like to move it to Engineering, to see if I can repair before it drains completely"
"I suggest we allow the power to drain, We should take the opportunity to examine it while it is idle," Tuvok said. "Then we can decide whether it is wise to repair it,"
"Captain this thing has a completely unfamiliar power source, Once it stops working, It's very possible I'll never be able to get it going again, and we'll have lost an opportunity to study a new technology," B'Elanna said.
"Sometimes, that a problem, This is a ship of Exploration, Tuvok, Fine, Do it, But I want to be hide a level 10 forcefield, and if it does become hostile, Destroy it," I said.
"Aye captain," Tuvok said.
Then I left and headed up to the bridge.
XXX
It had been a whole day since we brought that machine aboard.
"Torres to McCall," B'Elanna said.
"Go ahead," I said
"Captain, We think we have found a way to fix it," B'Elanna said.
"On my way," I said.
Once I got down there.
"That's the last of the relays," B'Elanna said.
"The Plasma injector is sealed," Harry said.
"This is your show, Lt. But I still am worried, But Whenever you're ready," I said.
"Activating the relays," B'Elanna said. "All right , harry, start the infusion, 20% nominal flow,"
"Initiating Plasma flow," Harry said.
"Energy level are up 14%," B'Elanna said.
"The Relays are holding," I said.
"Harry give it a little more juice," B'Elanna said.
"Got it," Harry said. "I'm taking it to 30% 35%,"
"Wait, the energy levels are rising too fast, We're going to burn out its systems," B'Elanna said.
"But it needs more plasma," Harry said.
"What about increasing the capacitance of the relays," I said.
"Let's give it a try," B'Elanna said. "It's stabilizing, Hold the flow right there, and see what happens, The Plasma's Circulating, the programming center is activated, I think we may have done it,"
Then it moved it's arm and grabbed B'Elanna.
"Please Identify yourself," It said.
"I'm Lt B'Elanna Torres, of the Federation Starship Voyager," B'Elanna said.
"I am automated unit 3947," It said. "Thank you for reactivating me, Lt. B'Elanna Torres,"
Then I headed up to the Bridge.
Then B'Elanna came and we went into my ready room.
"Apparently, Thousands of them were built as service modules, But the race who created them These Builders, were killed off decades ago in a war," B'Elanna said.
"Leaving the automated units to fend for themselves," I said.
"Now, They're wearing out, Breaking down," B'Elanna said. "They've learned to make repairs for themselves, some pretty complex, but the construction of a power module the device which sustains them, is beyond their grasp, It's an incredible challenge, Captain, But with enough time to study their systems I might be able to do it,"
"I don't doubt your abilities, B'Elanna but helping them reproduce is a clear violation of the Prime Directive," I said.
"They've expressed a desire to procreate, that's basic to any lifeform," B'Elanna said.
"I'm not saying they don't have the same rights as any organic species, that's not the issue here," I said.
"Are you sure?" B'Elanna said. "Suppose they were organic and we had a treatment that would enable them to start reproducing again,"
"Coffee, Black," I said.
"Would you withhold that treatment?" B'Elanna said.
"Maybe, I'd have to know more about the circumstances, But we're not talking about treating a disorder here, are we," I said.
"What's the difference?" B'Elanna said.
"Unlike a species that's become sterile, These robots never had the Ability to reproduce, You're talking about is giving them new abilities, which is the almost like altering their Genetic structure," I said.
"To correct a flaw," B'Elanna said.
"You can't call it a flaw, for all we know that war it mention is still going on through these Bots," I said.
"I'm trying to save them from extinction," B'Elanna said.
"Unfortunately, extinction is often the natural end of evolution," I said.
"So you'll just willing to let their entire society die off?" B'Elanna said.
"We don't know that's going to happen, If they're adaptable as you say, and capable of educating themselves, they might learn to build a power module themselves someday," I said.
"Some day, could be too late," B'Elanna said. "There are only a few hundred of them left,"
"Yes, but my bet is this war of theirs is still going on and they want to use what you can give them to to try and get a tactical advantage. You're proposing the kind of tampering the Prime Directive prohibits, We know almost know about these creatures or the race that built them. We can't just slip in play god and then continue on our way without the slightest consideration of the long term effects of out actions?" I said.
"Captain," B'Elanna said.
"B'Elanna, I share your scientific curiosity, and compassion but the answer is no," I said.
Then B'Elanna left.
"Captain to the Bridge," Chakotay said.
"Report," I said once I got there.
"The Alien vessel is entering visual range, Captain," Tom said.
"Shields up, Yellow alert," I said. "Slow to 1 quarter impulse, Harry Put them on screen,"
"Aye captain," Harry said.
"Magnify," I said.
"We're being scanned, captain," Tuvok said.
"That's all right let them take a look," I said. "Open a channel,"
"Pralor Automated personal unit 6263, requests you identify yourselves," It said.
"Captain Scott McCall of the Federation Starship Voyager," I said.
"What are your intentions, Captain Scott McCall," It said.
"We rescued one of your crew members, Unit 3947. And we'd like to return him to your ship, Before we resume our original course," I said.
"We'll prepare to receive the unit. Thank you for your assistance," It said the cut the link.
"Very polite, these automated units," Tom said.
"Yes well, that ship looks more like a war ship then a normal," I said.
XXX
"Captain I'm detecting a chromo dynamic energy discharge in Transporter room 2," Harry said.
"Bridge to transporter room 2, McCall to Torres," I said waving to Tuvok. "Lockdown the transport grid,"
"Captain, Some one is initiating a Transport," Chakotay said.
"Lock it out," I said.
"I can't block it," Harry said. "Their patterns are already in the buffer, They're gone Captain.
"Red Alert," I said. As the Klaxon went red. "Hail them,"
"No response," Harry said.
"Beam her back now," I said.
"I can't get a lock on her," Harry said.
"They have erected some sort of subspace defense field around their vessel," Tuvok said. "Our targeting sensors can't penetrate it,"
"Hail them again," I said.
"Still no response," Harry said.
"Open a channel on wide band subspace," I said.
"Channel open," Harry said.
"This is Captain McCall your abduction of our crew member is a clear act of aggression. If you don't return her Immediately, We will retaliate," I said. "Confirm that they've received the transmission, Ensign,"
"They heard us all right," Harry said. They're just not answering,"
"Tuvok, Phaser banks to maximum," I said. "Hail again,"
"Done," Harry said.
"Pralor Vessel, this is your last warning, Return our crew member immediately, Or we will open fire," I said.
"No Response," Harry said.
"Commander are they powering weapons," I said.
"Their shielding is making it difficult to get clear readings, I can't even tell you what their weapons capabilities are," Chakotay said.
"Tuvok Fire a phaser right at their ship, make sure you can get an opening in their shielding, Wide enough to beam through," I said.
"Understood," Tuvok said.
"Harry Match the Targeting scanners to the coordinates of the phaser fire, and stand by to beam B'Elanna back," I said.
"Phasers calibrated," Tuvok said.
"Fire," I said.
"Their field strength is down to 80%," Tuvok said.
"That's progress, Hit them again," I said.
Then they fired back at us.
"Evasion pattern Omega 4," I said.
"They're firing some kind of quantum resonance charges, Captain," Chakotay said.
"Aft shields are down to 53% and dropping," Tuvok said.
"Rerouting power to aft shields," Harry said.
"Down to 24%," Tuvok said.
"Harry, Bring ZPM online and put it to Shields," I said.
"Switching evasion pattern to Theta 1," Tom said.
"Tuvok, Load torpedo bays, Return fire All phasers banks," I said.
"Aft shields have been penetrated," Tuvok said.
"Screw this," I said powering up the chair and loading Drones. "Tom Evasion pattern Alpha 1,"
"Propulsion systems are offline, we're dead in the water," Tom said.
"Hull breach on Deck 6," Tuvok said.
"Launching Drones," I said, Fire a set off at them.
"No Effect," Tuvok said.
"Initiating emergency containment field," Harry said.
"Environmental control systems are failing," Tuvok said. "Oxygens level on Deck 3 to 7, have dropped to critical,"
"We've lost artificial Gravity on Deck 8," Harry said.
"Injury reports from all decks," Chakotay said.
"Aft Torpedo Full spread," I said.
"Ready," Tuvok said.
"Fire," I said. As I launch another 20 Drones at them.
"No effect from the Drones," Harry said.
"We're losing life support, Captain," Chakotay said.
"The Robots have powered down their weapons systems," Tuvok said.
"They're hailing us captain," Harry said.
"On screen," I said.
"Captain, Is everybody okay?" B'Elanna said.
"We'll be all right, What about you?" I said.
"I've agreed to help them build their prototype," B'Elanna said.
"Lt," I said.
"I know how you feel about this, Captain, I don't like it either, but if I don't do it they'll destroy Voyager," B'Elanna said. "What choice do I have?"
Then They cut the channel.
"Get repair crews started, Get us back to 100%, Tuvok analyse the damn weapons find a way to keep us shields up and find a way to break through that damn shield of theirs," I said.
"Aye Captain," Tuvok said.
"I'll be in my Ready room" I said.
Then I went into my ready room.
XXX
I was in the Conference room with Harry, Tuvok and Chakotay.
"We've managed to repair the Hull breach, but we have no power on deck 3 to 7," Harry said.
"Aft shields are still completely non-functional," Tuvok said.
"And last but not least," Harry said. "The dilithium matrix is destabilized, so we can't get the warp engines running,"
"We're talking about at least another 6 days of repairs," Chakotay said.
"We're not sticking around that long, I want a plan to get B'Elanna off that ship, before she can finish building the prototype," I said.
"In that case, I suggest we make warp drive, our priority, Any rescue attempt will no doubt necessitate, a rapid departure," Tuvok said.
"Agreed," I said. "Harry can you give me an estimate on repairing the Dilithium matrix?"
"How does 72 hours sound?" Harry said.
"Like 24 hours too long," I said. "Dismissed,"
XXX
I was on the Bridge as we were going over a way to get B'Elanna out of there.
"Due to the complexity of their defense field, and our severe power shortage, it is unlikely that we can modify the transporters to beam Lt. Torres out," Tuvok said.
"But if we can maneuver inside the field," Chakotay said.
"Our transporters could get the job done," Harry said.
"Is that a viable option?" I said.
"For a shuttlecraft, it may be," Tom said.
"Do B'Elanna to finish the shield for a jumper," I said.
"Not that I know of," Chakotay said.
"They were able to knock out Voyager's shields in a matter of minutes, a shuttle would be even more vulnerable," I said.
"It would be advisable to create a diversion of some sort," Tuvok said. "To take their attention away from the shuttle,"
"Attack them again?" Chakotay said.
"We can't risk that a second time, Not with Voyager, Harry, Go through B'Elanna logs of the Jumper, See if it has any mention of changing the cloak to a shield is done," I said.
"On it," Harry said.
"I don't need a diversion, just give me a chance. I'll get her out of there," Tom said.
"You don't mind if we give you a little help, do you, Paris?" Chakotay said. "I'd hate to lose another shuttle,"
"Your concern for my welfare is heart warming," Tom said.
"Both of you. knock it off, in another 12 hours our warp engines will be back on line, I'd like to come up with a diversion before then, Harry if B'Elanna hasn't managed to turn that cloak into a shield, Get to work on it," I said.
"Aye captain," Harry said.
Then I was heading for my ready room when.
"Engineering to Bridge," Clara voice come over the comm.
"Yes Clara," I said.
"We need you and Commander Chakotay down here," Clara said.
"On our way," I said.
Then we did leaving Kat in charge.
Once there.
"What's going on," I said.
"We're making progress on the Dilithium matrix, It should be stable enough to re initialize the warp core in about 6 hours," Clara said.
"Good," I said.
"But I can use some more help down here, if you can spare it," Clara said.
"Commander," I said.
"Got it," Chakotay said.
"I'll be in my ready room," I said.
"Aye captain," Chakotay said.
"What about our little diversion, any ideas?" I said.
"When we were in the Maquis, B'Elanna once linked a holoemitter to a deflector array and projected an image of another ship into space," Chakotay said.
"I like it," I said. But do we have enough power?"
"We will by the time, the warp core's back online," Clara said.
"I already have Kim working on the holodeck," Chakotay said.
"Tuvok to Captain McCall," Tuvok said.
"Go ahead," I said.
"I'm picking up an unidentified alien ship on long range sensors, It's heading for our coordinates," Tuvok said.
"On our way," I said. "Sorry, Clara you going have to handle it as the same as it is for now,"
"We got it then," Clara said.
Then we got to the Bridge.
"Report," I said.
"We have the other vessel in visual range," Harry said.
"On screen," I said.
Then it came on screen.
"It almost looks like a Pralor ship," Chakotay said.
"It's not Pralor ship," I said.
"Captain," Tuvok said.
"The colour completely off, These damn machines are still in a war, and they are using B'Elanna to even the odds," I said.
"Captain, it's charging weapons," Harry said.
"Red Alert," I said. As the Klaxon went red.
"Captain, they targeting the Pralor ship," Harry said as it was firing on it. "No sign of organic life aboard that ship either,"
"They appear to be manned by automated units, There are virtually identical to those operating the first ship, I believe you are correct about the Robotic war," Tuvok said.
"We've got to get Torres back now," Chakotay said.
"Agreed but first I Want to show both those ships this isn't our fight," I said. "Ease us back on thruster, Tom,"
"The second ship is hailing us," Harry said.
"On screen," I said.
"Cravic automated Commander 122 Requests you identify yourself," It said.
"Captain Scott McCall of Federation Starship Voyager," I said.
"With draw from this area immediately," It said.
"I can't do that, One of my crew member is being held hostage aboard the Pralor Vessel, I'm not leaving without her," I said.
"Remain at your Present Coordinates, and don't attempt to intervene, or you will be fired on," It said.
Then it closed the channel.
"Captain, This new ship could be the diversion we've been looking for," Tuvok said.
"Harry, what's the status of our wrap engines?" I said.
"We're still an hour away at best," Harry said.
"We don't have that, Get down to engineering give Clara a hand," I said. "Once we get B'Elanna back, I want to get out of here,"
"Aye Captain," Harry said heading there.
"If those 2 ships keep each other busy, we may not need warp to get away," I said. "Tom shuttle now,"
"Yes Sir," Tom said.
"Chakotay, you have the con," I said.
"I'm approaching the perimeter of the defense field," Tom said.
"Acknowledged," Tuvok said. "Rotate your shield harmonics until they are synchronized with the frequency of the field,"
"Shields synchronized," Tom said. "I'm going in, Then again maybe not,"
"It didn't work he bounced right off the field," Chakotay said.
"Mr. Paris, Reset your heading for coordinates 105 Mark 40," Tuvok said.
"Tuvok, that would take me into a direct line of fire with the Cravic ship," Tom said.
"Precisely, The concentration of fire, is opening a rift in the Pralor defense field" Tuvok said.
"Which I just might be able to sneak through," Tom said. "If I can dodge a disruptor blast or 2, Changing heading,"
After a minute or 2.
"Paris to Voyager," Tom said. "I'm approaching the entry point,"
"Acknowledged showing a rift in the defense field off your starboard bow," Tuvok said.
"I'm on it," Tom said.
After another minute.
"Shuttle to Voyager, I've got herm but she's injured, Tell the Doctor to stand by, Beam her out as soon as I clear the Defense field," Tom said.
"Acknowledged, Then get you ass home," I said.
"Yes, sir," Tom said.
"The ships are continuing to exchange fire, Captain, They are ignoring the shuttle," Tuvok said.
"Bridge to Engineering," I said. "Stand by warp engines, We'll engage the moment, Tom gets back,"
"Aye captain," Harry said.
After a few minutes.
"He is on board," Tuvok said.
"Shuttlebay is sealed up," Chakotay said.
"Helm get us out of here, maximum warp," I said.
"Aye Captain," Con said. Then we went to Warp.
XXX
"One pot of Landras blend, Compliments of the chef," Kes said.
"I never though Neelix's coffee could taste so good," B'Elanna said.
"I'll tell him you said so," Kes said.
"I don't know what to say," B'Elanna said.
"As far as I'm concerned, You did what you thought was necessary, to ensure teh safety of this crew," I said.
"Thank you," B'Elanna said.
"It must have been difficult," I said.
"Difficult?" B'Elanna said.
"To destroy what you created," I said.
"It was necessary," B'Elanna said.
"I read your report, That was no small achievement, B'Elanna," I said. "You gave that unit life,"
"You should have seen it, Captain, It was incredible, I installed that module, and the prototype looked up at me and asked me for programming," B'Elanna said.
"As I said, it must have been difficult," I said.
"It was necessary," B'Elanna said. "So what was this I heard about Clara working in Engineering,"
"Someone had to do something, Apparently She was near there when we tried to get you back, Then Once it stopped She was already getting things back online," I said.
"Well, she did a good job, For someone that young," B'Elanna said.
"Not really surprised," I said.
That's all for this chapter.
More to follow.
Stay tuned and safe.
Love Y'all
PEACE!