Chapter 80.
Season 5.
Night.
(Scott POV)
I was in my quarters, Have been ever since we got into this god damn area of space. 2 months. and we still have 2 years in this damn place.
I was on my Playstation on Red Dead Redemption 2. Brand new game. I was just about to go in the first mission as the Door bell rang.
"Come in," I said. As Chakotay came in. "Tell me that there is some good news,"
"It's probably nothing just background theta radiation, But it could mean there's someone nearby," Chakotay said.
"Distance?" I said.
"Approximately 25 Light years," Chakotay said.
"It's a long shot but alter course," I said.
"Yes, sir," Chakotay said.
"If that's all commander," I said.
"Actually I'd like to make a request, I've been saving up my holodeck rations, And I've got 3 full hours coming, Any chance I might persuade you to join me for a few rounds of Velocity," Chakotay said. "It'll help clear your mind,"
"My mind is perfectly clear," I said.
"Then What If I told you I'm not leaving until you join me?" Chakotay said.
"I'd say, Have a seat, it'll be a while," I said.
"Then I'll be blunt," Chakotay said. "You've picked a bad time to isolate yourself from the crew, This ships needs a captain, especially now,"
"Would you be satisfied with I'm just catching up on some reading?" I said. "I'm not sure I understand it myself, It started when we entered this What does the crew call it?"
"The Void," Chakotay said.
"Charming," I said. "Oh what I wouldn't give for a few Borg Cubes about now, Anything for a little distraction, Strange as it sounds, I almost long for the days when we were under constant attack, No time to stop and think about how we got stranded in the Delta Quadrant. How did we end up here Chakotay, Answer me,"
"We were faced with a difficult choice, We had the means to get home, but using it would have put an innocent people at risk so we decided to stay," Chakotay said.
"No, No, no, I decided to stay, I made that choice for everyone," I said.
"We're alive and well," Chakotay said. "And we've gathered enough data about this quadrant to keep Starfleet scientists busy for decades, Our mission's been a success,"
"Very same words I've been telling myself for the past 4 years, But then we hit this void, And I started to realize how empty those words sound," I said.
"Scott," Chakotay said.
"I made an error in judgment, Chakotay, It was short-sighted and it was selfish, and now all of us are paying for my mistake, So if you don't mind, Commander, I'll pass on that little game, And I'll leave shipboard morale in your capable hands, If the crew asks for me, Tell them, The Captain sends his regards," I said.
As Chakotay left.
XXX
I went back to gaming after that, Till Clara and Chloe came home, Only thing that got me up a bit. After dinner, I went back to Gaming, But that was when the power went.
"McCall to Bridge," I said. Nothing.
"DAD," Clara said.
"Stay with your sister," I said. "McCall To Engineering," Still nothing, So I grabbed the compression Rifle I had in my quarters and back pack and torch and headed out. As I found Chakotay and Neelix as An alien was there which I Scared it off. "On me now," I said.
"Yes sir," Neelix said.
As we got one of the Power cells and headed for Engineering.
"How about a little light over here?" B'Elanna said.
"We can do better than that, This power cell should be enough to get emergency power back online," I said.
"Up here, We'll hook it up directly to the EPS manifold," B'Elanna said. As we got it connected. "Emergency power is online, The Warp core's on line,"
"McCall to Bridge Report," I said.
"The Dampening field has been blocked, Captain," Tuvok said. "We are surrounded by 3 alien vessels, 17 intruders are on board,"
"The ships aren't responding to hails," I said.
"We do have weapons online," Chakotay said.
"Enough to show them we mean business, Tuvok, Target the ship off our port bow, Fire a couple of warning shots," I said.
As we got hit then, As we went to Red Alert As Klaxons went Red.
"Shields down to 64%," Tuvok said.
"Do we have propulsion?" Chakotay said.
"Not yet," B'Elanna said.
As we got hit again.
"Shields are down," Tuvok said.
"They're reinitializing the Dampening field," Harry said.
"Tuvok show them what our Photon Torpedoes Can do Full spread," I said.
"They've stopped their attack," Chakotay said. "They're beaming off the ship,"
"There's another vessel approaching," Harry said. "We're being hailed,"
"On screen," Tuvok said. "I'm Lt Commander Tuvok of the Federation,"
"I had to fire 13 spatial charges to drive those ships off, I expect to be compensated," He said.
"Of Course," Tuvok said.
"Now, Tell me, What are you doing in the middle of Nowhere," he said.
XXX
As Chakotay and I went to the Transporter room where we were beaming the Captain on board.
"The bio filters are detecting high levels of Theta Radiation," Tuvok said.
"Compensate," I said. "Welcome aboard, I'm afraid we'll have to talk here, You appear to be leaking,"
"Yes, yes, my. Isolation suit, Don't be alarmed," He said.
"We'd prefer to be on the safe side, mister," Chakotay said.
"Emck, Controller Emck," Emck said. "Malon export vessel eleventh gradient,"
"It's a pleasure to meet you and a relief," I said.
"I'd advise you to turn around immediately, There are more of those creatures ahead, thousands of vessels, They are almost impossible to detect, You won't survive another attack," Emck said.
"We can't go back, We're crossing this expanse to reach our home," I said.
"Mmm," Emck said. "Then, It appears you'll be coming with me,"
"What do you mean?" Tuvok said.
"There's a spatial vortex a few light years from here, It leads directly to the other side of the Expanse," Emck said. "We've been using it for years,"
"That would get us out of the void and cut 2 years off our journey home," Chakotay said.
"Well thank you again, I'm curious Mr. Emck, What are you doing here, besides rescuing starships in distress?" I said.
"Ah, I'm on a transport mission," Emck said. "My sensors tells me that one of the creatures is still aboard your ship,"
"It was injured during the attack," Chakotay said. "Our Doctor's treating it,"
"Why?" I said.
"Enough questions," Emck said. "Give me the creature and I'll take you to the Vortex,"
"Well, my apologies. Mr. Emck, but I'd like to know what's going on here, Are you at war with these beings,"
"None of your concern," Emck said.
"Your vessel seems to be leaking large amounts of Theta radiation, What kind of Transport mission are you on, Exactly," I said.
"My ship will depart in 2 hours, Cooperate or Stay behind," Emck said. "I won't be coming to your rescue when the creatures return. I'm finished here,"
As Tuvok beamed him back.
"I think it's time we heard the other side of the story," I said.
Then we headed for Sickbay.
"Watch your step, I've had to lower the lights, My Patient is extremely photosensitive," Doc said.
"That could explain why they dampened our power," Chakotay said.
"My feelings exactly from what I can tell, this life form may be indigenous to the void, His physiology has evolved to survive in complete darkness," Doc said.
"His condition?" I said.
"Minor injuries, Phaser wound to the chest and neck, But that's the least of his problems, He's dying captain," Doc said. "Every organ in degrading at the cellular level,"
"Theta Radiation poisoning," I said.
"The final stages," Doc said. "My guess is he's been exposed to it over a long period, There's nothing I can do,"
"I'd like a word with him," I said. "I'm Scott McCall Captain of this vessel,"
"You are allies with the Malon," He said.
"No," I said. "We're simply trying to cross this region, We never met the Malon before today,"
"They will want me," He said.
"Well, I have no intention of giving you to them, you're not a captive here," I said. "Doc. Are you at war with the Malon,"
"Their ships are poison," He said.
"The Theta radiation," I said.
"They're killing us," He said.
"Why? What do they want from you?" I said.
"Nothing," He said.
"This will help alleviate the pain," Doc said.
"I don't understand," I said.
"We were ignorant, We attacked you, Forgive us," He said.
"Of course, but I need to understand, you say the Malon are killing your people, but there must be a reason," I said.
"They're poisoning our space, We don't know why," He said.
"He's in respiratory distress, We need to get him back to his people, They might know how to treat him," Doc said.
"I will show you how," He said.
"I need a workstation," I said "Route it to the helm, If you enter the Coordinates, My pilot will set a course,"
"I am grateful, "He said.
"Take the Bridge, I'll stay here," I said.
"We still don't have an defenses against their dampening field, If they decide to attack again," Chakotay said.
"I'm confident they won't, Finally something to put in my log book," I said.
XXX
"Bridge to Captain," Chakotay said. "We've arrived,"
"Stand by," I said.
"They're here, But I mist tell them you are a friend, Your communications system?" He said.
"I'm picking up photonic surges, they're all around us," Harry said.
"Captain, we've got company, 8 ships, 12 move approaching," Chakotay said.
"Let's run a full bio-scan," I said.
"We have lived here for millions of years undisturbed, Until the Malon came," he said.
"Captain, Every one of them appears to be suffering from theta Radiation exposure," Doc said.
"We tell them they are killing us, They won't listen," he said. "We try to stop them, They're too strong,"
"What about the Vortex can you close it? Keep them out," I said.
"We don't know how," he said. "Your ship is powerful, your people resourceful, We need your help,"
"Bridge to Captain, they're locking onto the alien in Sickbay," Chakotay said.
"Lower the shields," I said.
"Will you help us?" He said. As he was beamed off.
XXX
Chakotay, 7 and I was in Astrometrics.
"Poison," I said.
"The vessel is ejecting massive quantities of contaminated antimatter," 7 said.
"Their cargo holds are loaded with it, over 90 million isotons," Chakotay said.
"Hail them," I said.
"Captain," Emck said. "You've decided to join us, Send the creature to,"
"That's won't be possible, We've returned him to his people," I said. "You wanted the lifeform because you were we'd uncover your Transport mission,"
"I said this was none of your concern," Emck said.
"Well it is now," I said. "You're using their space as a dumping ground for your antimatter waste, Why?"
"My Civilization produces over 6 million isotons if industrial by-product every day, This region is a perfect disposal site," Emck said.
"How convenient for you," Chakotay said. "A spatial vortex to the middle of no where, far away from your own system, Out of sight, out of mind, The problem is somebody lives here,"
"One species," Emck said.
"One's enough, We didn't come here to debate the issue, We came here to offer a peaceful solution," I said.
"What kind of solution?" Emck said.
"My people use antimatter as well, but we found ways to purify the reactant so there's no toxic waste, We'll show you," I said.
"Guide us through the vortex we can meet with your scientists on the other side exchange information," Chakotay said.
"Show me now," Emck said.
"Stand by for transport," I said. As the transmission ended. "Commander take our guest to engineering and give him a demonstration, Let's turn our sensors to that vortex, 7, I want to know exactly how it works, Just in case diplomacy fails,"
"Do you intend to destroy it," 7 said..
"You should know me well enough to know the answer to that," I said.
XXX
I was in my quarters with Chakotay as the girls were with Sam and Naomi.
"Options," I said.
"We fight our way past them, navigate the vortex on our own, Once we're on the other side We contact the Malon authorities and blow the whistle on Emck," Chakotay said.
"We give them the reclamation technology and continue on our way home," I said.
"Exactly," Chakotay said.
"Even if we did get through the vortex, there's no guarantee the Malon will do the right thing, If Mr. Emck is any indication, As long as this vortex exists, the inhabitants of this region are at risk," I said.
"Any chance we could destroy it," Chakotay said.
"I believe so, but there's a catch, We'll have to collapse it from this end where it's dimensional radius is weakest," I said. "We'd be closing our shortcut out of here,"
"2 more years in the void, I can live with that," Chakotay said.
"But I'm not sure I can, Certainly not my girls, 4 years ago, I destroyed to Caretakers array to protect the Ocampa, That was when it was just me, That Act of compassion stranded this crew in the Delta quadrant, I'm not about to give that order again," I said.
"This situation is a little different," Chakotay said.
"It's close enough, I'm asking this crew, my Girls to make too big a sacrifice I won't make that same mistake," I said.
"If you have another option, I'm listening," Chakotay said.
"Chakotay, there's no one I trust more than you, You're a fine first officer, Are you read to captain this ship?" I said.
"Yes," Chakotay said.
"Assemble the crew," I said.
XXX
I came up to the Bridge.
"Captain on the Bridge," Tuvok said.
"As you were," I said. "Harry, how have you been?"
"Just fine, Sir," Harry said.
"Good," I said.
"We've missed you, Captain," Neelix said.
"Likewise, I'll make this brief, Your orders are to proceed to the Vortex, Use every means necessary to fight your way past the Malon freighter, I'll stay behind in a shuttle and destroy the vortex, Tuvok, I'll need a Class 9 shuttle, Armed with Photon torpedoes," I said. "Tom set a course for,"
"Forget it," B'Elanna said. "We're not going to let you die out here,"
"Have a little faith, I'll have a shuttle, plenty of rations, I'll survive," I said.
"Alone in the Delta Quadrant," Tom said. "No offense, but,"
"I've made my decision," I said.
"What about us, Don't we have a say?" Harry said. "What about Chloe and Clara,"
"He's right, Captain, I'd be willing to brave this void if it meant keeping you with us," Neelix said.
"Tom set a course," I said. "That's an order Lt,"
"I can't follow that order, sir," Tom said.
"Harry Take the helm," I said.
"I'm sorry, Captain," Harry said.
"I will not comply," 7 said.
"Whats a hologram to do?" Doc said.
"As you can see, you're not the only one who's had time to evaluate the past," Tuvok said.
"Yes, I can see that," I said. "You realize you could all be hanged for mutiny, Looks like we need a new plan,"
"We fire torpedoes the instant we cross the threshold, As the vortex begins to collapse, we jump to Max warp," Chakotay said.
"There's going to be a massive shockwave coming at us," I said.
"I'll reinforce the aft shielding, Put one of the ZPM's on it also," B'Elanna said.
"There's still one obstacle the Malon," I said.
"Antimatter waste has weaken the bulkhead surrounding their cargo hold, A direct Phaser strike should disable them," Tuvok said.
"Poetic justice," Doc said.
"Indeed," Tuvok said.
"You realize it will reduce the chances of us getting through," I said.
"Chance is irrelevant we will succeed," 7 said.
"A vote of Borg confidence, Who could argue with that?" Doc said.
"All right, Back to your stations, Let's go, Red Alert," I said. As the Klaxons went Red.
"Set a course for the vortex, All hands to Battle Stations," Chakotay said.
"You told them, They knew coming in," I said.
"Let's just say I wouldn't be a fine first officer if I hadn't," Chakotay said.
As we were closing in on the Malon. As they were firing Charges at us.
"Return Fire, Hit them with everything we got," I said. Bring the chair online and launching drones too.
"Their shields are holding," Tuvok said.
"Open a Channel," I said. "This is Voyager, stand down your weapons and fall back," As we got hit. "Fine I'll take that as a no,"
"The Vortex," Chakotay said.
"2 million kilometers dead ahead," Tom said.
"Bridge to Engineering," I said. "We're approaching the Vortex, Bring the aft shielding online,"
"Acknowledged, See you on the other side," B'Elanna said.
"Status," Chakotay said.
"The port nacelle's been ruptured, We are venting Plasma," Harry said.
"Can you get us out of here with the starboard one Tom," I said.
"I think so," Tom said.
"Torpedoes armed and ready," Tuvok said.
"Wait, Tuvok we are only going to get one shot at this," I said.
"They're firing spatial charges," 7 said.
"Evade them," I said.
As Tom did without one of them hitting us.
"Captain proton to the rescue," 7 said.
"Tom," I said.
"I'll explain later," Tom said.
"The Vortex is in visual range," Tuvok said.
"Time to intercept," I said.
"47 seconds," Tom said.
"Steady as she goes, Keep laying down fire," I said.
As we got hit again.
"Direct hit Starboard Nacelle," Harry said.
"Both engines are offline, We're riding on Inertia, One more hit and we are dead in the water," Tom said.
"I got ZPM's 1 and 2 on, Shields are back to 90%. I using the second on to give more power to the thrusters," Harry said.
"Without Warp Drive, we'll never outrun the shockwave," Chakotay said.
"Harry Transfer half of 2 to Structure integrity, Tuvok can you reinforce the shields with our main deflector," I said.
"I believe so," Tuvok said.
"Do it," I said. "We're going to surf that shockwave out of here,"
"Adjusting Shield harmonics," Tuvok said.
"Captain," 7 said. "They intend to block our path,"
"20 seconds," Tom said
"Prepare to fire," Chakotay said. As I powered up the chair again.
"That may not be necessary, 3 alien ships are approaching their are targeting the Malon freighter," Tuvok said.
The freighter is moving to combat the aliens," 7 said.
"They're trying to distract the Malon give us the Malon, give us the upper hand," Chakotay said.
"10 seconds," Tom said.
"The Freighter shields are weakening," Tuvok said.
"Target their cargo Hold Time to Take out the Garbage, Full Spread, Fire," I said.
As Tuvok fired off 5 Torpedoes. Taking it out as we passed it and into the Vortex.
"We're crossing the threshold," Tom said.
"Torpedoes," I said.
As Tuvok left 3 behind us blowing up.
"Shockwave approaching, 600 meters, 500, 4," 7 said.
"Aft Shields at Maximum," Tuvok said.
"All Hands Brace for impact," I said. As it hit us.
"Pressure is building on the outer hull, Shields weakening," Tuvok said. As we got hit again.
"We're clear," Tom said.
"The Vortex has been destroyed," 7 said.
"Are we out of the Void," Chakotay said.
"Not yet, That little maneuver brought us up a bit short, we are still 200,000 kilometers from the boundary," Harry said.
"On Screen," I said. "Maintain course,"
As B'Elanna and the Doc got here.
"There," Tom said.
"What?" B'Elanna said.
"I saw something, A Star," Tom said.
"Remind me to check your eyesight," Doc said.
"Harry what do you see out there," I said.
"I see a densely packed region with thousands of Star systems, Looks pretty lively," Harry said.
"Tom give her everything we have. B'Elanna get repairs on the way, Let's get back on the move for home," I said.
"Yes Sir," B'Elanna said.
That's all for this chapter.
More to follow.
Stay tuned and safe.
Love Y'all
PEACE!