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Chapter 4

Hermione let herself fall on top of the bed, having just come out of a sonic shower. She took hold of a charm in one of her necklaces and kissed it, making it grow into a pouch bag, and retrieved two wands from it. She smiled at her wand. Before the beating in the forest, she had been using a spare; knowing she would be captured, and so she hid her wand and the Elder wand.

Harry Potter was dead, and she was now the Master of Death.

It was a strange thing. So many wizards coveted the Hallows and they ended up in the hands of a Mudblood. Bellatrix Lestrange would be turning in her grave if she could.

Bitch.

It had been oddly satisfying to see her die, after deflecting her Killing Curse.

She had become perfect at non-verbal spells, unlike Harry. She had also managed some wandless magic. She had tried apparating from her bed to her bathroom and she had succeeded. Doctor Grumpy had done a few more medical scans, to which she subjected herself without complaint. The Doctor appreciated it. You are probably one of the most cooperative and obedient patients I have in this ship, Miss Voyager, he said.

She had learned it the hard way. Plus, the stronger the body, the stronger the magic casting.

She took a pillow and sat beside her bed, preparing to meditate. She wondered when she would see Vorik again, but let the thought pass, like a breeze. She visualized her mental barriers, and retreated further and further into herself, occluding.

Outside of her quarters, Vorik frowned, why were her quarters sealed?

"Computer, is Miss Voyager in her quarters?"

"Affirmative."

"Have you notified her of my presence more than once?"

"Affirmative."

Was she, perhaps, angry at him for not socializing with her in the past days? She had been seen with Neelix, B'Elanna, Paris and Kim. It seemed she no longer needed him, nor wanted his company. He closed his eyes and lowered his head at this thought, and turned to leave.

Then the doors to her quarters opened. Voyager beamed at him; perhaps she had just been busy. Then she did something unexpected; he was enveloped in a warm, tight hug, short in duration, and she dragged him into her quarters.

Her radiant smile diminished and she took her PADD.

Why are the tips of your ears and your cheeks slightly green? Is that how Vulcans blush?

"Yes." He blurted, uncharacteristically. "How have you been?"

Well. We have both been so busy in Engineering, I see you, yet I don't see you anymore!

"You are efficient, and creative at what you do; it is good to have you with us."

I'm glad. I like you all. It's a pleasant working environment.

"You do not find it stressful?"

All work, combined with a lack of sleep and cranky crewmates creates stress. You learn to live with it. I'm loving it, despite everything. This ship is like a box of chocolates.

"A box of chocolates.", he repeated. What did an inanimate object have to do with food?

Yes.

"Why?"

Life is like a box of chocolates, Vorik. You never know what you're going to get. Every day here is different, challenging.

"True." He paused, understanding, and then frowned.

What?

"Your quarters were sealed."

I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I was meditating.

"And yet, the computer notified you several times, and you did not answer."

I can meditate more deeply than most people.

"Ah." Curiouser, and curiouser she became at his eyes. This unassuming little human female was most intriguing, different from all the rest. "I took a few minutes of my time, yesterday, to access your holodeck program. Voyager's Forbidden Forest."

Oh, but I bet you weren't scared in the least. Vulcans are so formidable. She smiled widely at him. Was it fascinating? Did you like the odd plants?

"Yes, it was interesting. I could do without the giant spider, though. I also noticed you set the parameters so no-one alters it. A wise decision.", he paused. "Mr. Tuvok's programs end up being altered every once in a while. I don't know how they manage it without being caught."

They?

"Neelix, Paris, Kim. I suppose they find it humorous. Which is why I must congratulate you." She cocked her head. "They have been unable to alter your program, despite their numerous attempts."

What did you find in the program? What did you see?

"The forest only, but I felt I kept going back into the same place."

Good. You didn't find it.

"Find what?" she smiled mysteriously; he perked up, standing straighter, his curiosity was peaked. "What did you do?"

I might show you… next time we can actually spend some quality time together.

"Hmpf."

It's a nice surprise. I think. At least there is nothing more that bites you… much.

A chime sounded then. Tom Paris appeared, which made Voyager's eyebrows rise.

What is he doing here?

"Yes, if I may ask, what are you doing here, Lieutenant?", asked Vorik, getting up from his seat.

"Oh, just wondering if the lovely Miss Voyager would care for a bit of a rendez-vous this evening, under moonlight on Holodeck..." Such declaration was met with a pillow thrown into his face.

"I believe that is a universal no, Lieutenant.", the Vulcan noted, with a certain satisfaction.

"Oh, I think I understood that, Ensign.", he paused. "Well, maybe if we could just…"

RED ALERT! RED ALERT!

"This is the Captain speaking. We are under Kazon attack. Battle stations." Voyager rose.

"No, Voyager, you stay here." Tom turned on his heel and left her quarters.

"The Voyager has faced many attacks before you came. I will go to Engineering now. Stay here."

She sighed and complied. A few minutes after the Vulcan's exit, the ship shook. Hermione tensed on her bed, and sat. What to do? If the ship blew up, she'd die along the rest of the crew. Voyager had escape pods and Hermione's quarters were located on deck eight, which had escape pod access. She took a deep breath and retrieved her pouch bag from underneath her bed. Opening it, she quickly put on her dragon-hide combat armor, slipped her wand into her inner arm holster and laid herself under her bed. She closed her eyes and waited, at first. Then, casting a couple of wards around her body, as well as disillusioning herself, Hermione sent out her consciousness four decks below. (AN – We now start on Basics I, a Season 2 episode).

Invisible to all, she walked among the frantic staff. Fires had started in this deck. The ship shook. Voyager trembled and her spirit rose towards engineering. B'Elanna was speaking to the Captain, they were going to try something with the holo-projectors and create Talaxian ships? Hermione hadn't participated in that but she had noticed B'Elanna and Vorik working on it. Now, the Doctor was hesitating and later he simply disappeared, only to reappear again, yelling and bitching about not having run a last systems check. Hermione felt like giggling; you just had to love these people.

The ship shook again, and Hermione's spirit was catapulted back into her body, her wards protecting her from an explosion on her deck. Though her bed moved upfront and her body underneath it was saved, thanks to her simple wards, the walls on both sides were not, sporting a big hole.

If Hermione had been conscious, she would have known a Kazon named Tierna had killed himself, exploding on her deck, causing the loss of a primary plasma conduit; that there was a power failure, and that B'Elanna had lost power to the holodeck grid and couldn't restore it. The reactant's injector controls were hit as well, so they couldn't go to warp either. Then it all went to hell. The ship was then boarded through the shuttle bays, and the Kazon quickly reached the Bridge and hounded, like cattle, all of the living crew.

Or so they thought.

At least another… tenant of deck eight survived also among his array of now dead plants, and climbed into the nearest conduit, hiding as well as he could.

Maje Culluh of the Kazon Nistrim, of course, had a supposedly fitting end for a crew who wouldn't share its technology nor weaponry; and left our dear crew in a system called Hanon, and proceeded, at all haste, with the much needed repairs to the Voyager.

And it is then that our resident witch reawakes.

She would have moaned and bitched about her headache if she could, but she heard gravelly voices, of men approaching her rooms. Her disillusionment in place, she accio'ed her pouch bag and PADD, and apparated to the undamaged conduit above her.

"What was that?"

"I don't know.", they said to each other, phasers in hand. Hermione waited, lying down on the conduit, and heard them searching the quarters and rearranging the sparse furniture, removing the debris. Boasting about the crew's fate. Hanon?, she thought. Where the fuck is that? And if they had all been taken… she was alone.

Or maybe not. Remember, Hermione, she told herself, bully's love to brag, and they often underestimate the one's they bully. Maybe Vorik, for instance, had also escaped and was hiding in the ship. Who knew? Please let Vorik still be in the ship.

She could do this.

She just had to get to sickbay. Perhaps the Doctor would be able to help or gather more information. Hermione didn't have a comm badge, she was so far a mute after all, what was the point of it? She just needed to backpedal, regroup, think of a plan. She had a wand, but she didn't think nicking a phaser or two would be a bad idea. Or grabbing some extra grub and not touch her pouch bag's food supply. She would have to be fast, though, if they were already repairing the ship. And there was the matter of detection.

Hours later, after a quick meal and a lot of circumventing her enemies, Hermione finally reached sickbay and quickly put to use an extendable ear. The Doctor had been activated by a woman named Seska. He was being exceedingly polite with her, which nearly worried Hermione, until she heard him making his log entry, sighing in relief. She silently approached the Doctor and undid the concealment spell. The Doctor did a double take.

"Miss Voyager!", she exhaled shakily, relieved, her eyes filled with tears.

"Vorik?", she muttered, throatily.

"You spoke.", he smiled bitterly, and paused. "I am sorry, Miss Voyager. But I don't think anyone…", she glared angrily through her tears. "Fair enough. Computer, what is the crew complement?".

There were eighty nine Kazon, one Betazoid and a human on board.

"Betazoid?", she whispered.

"Where? Who?"

"Please restate a simple question.", said the computer.

"Who is it?!"

"Crewman Lon Suder."

"Suder. Where is he?"

"Between decks eight and nine."

"Doctor to Suder.", he touched his comm badge.

"Yes! Yes, Doctor, I hear you.", a man's voice responded over the comm.

"The ship has been taken over by the Kazon-Nistrim."

"I know. I've been hiding.", replied Suder.

"Can you make it to Sickbay?"

"I think so.", said Suder.

Then the Doctor removed Suder's comm badge signature from the system, as well as his record of ever being on board.

"Miss Voyager. Perhaps I should give you something to calm you down."

"No.", she replied, lowly, unused to speak. "No drugs. Need to be alert. Must wait for Suder."

"We are going to need weapons.", she gave them to the Doctor. "Oh, two phasers, a tricorder. A sandwich?"

"For Suder. Finish your log entry. Need to think." As the Doctor went into his office, Hermione thought about placing wards. They would have to be subtle. Flicking her wand discreetly a couple of times, and she was done. She would be able to know if the Doctor had company or not, and if that Seska or any of the crew set foot there. Then, she took a couple of pieces of debris she had in her pocket and transfigured them into a necklace, simple sterling silver with a pendant shaped like a dragon, making it a permanent transfiguration, and she quickly loaded it with tracking, protecting and stamina boosting spells. Whoever Suder was, he would need it. She finished it with a variation of repello inimicum, mixing it with a mild confounding spell and she was done.

"What are you doing, Miss Voyager? What were those lights?"

"Now is not a good time, Doctor. Please. Just don't comment this with anyone. Don't register it in any record either. It's for Suder and the crew's sake, I promise."

"Very well.",he sighed.

"Who is Lon Suder?"

"He's a Betazoid who just happens to be a sociopath.", she stared. "He killed a crewmember and has been held in his quarters ever since."

"You fear he might not want the crew back. So he avoids his punishment.", she frowned.

"Yes.", the Doctor answered.

"The Kazon hate the Federation, yes?"

"Yes."

"He is, was Federation. To the Kazon, once Federation, always Federation.", she swallowed. "And if not, they might think he is not trustworthy. If you betray a master once, what stops you from doing it again?"

"He is taking so long.", said the Doctor.

"He is already here."

"What? How…"

"I'm here. How did you know?", said Suder.

"I did, and it's all that matters.", she answered. "I am Voyager."

"Thank you, for defending me. I do want the crew back, it's just…"

"Miss Voyager has retrieved two phasers and a tricorder.", he gave Suder the tricorder and a phaser.

"You seem weary, Lon Suder.", he fidgeted at her words. "You fear facing them?", the man swallowed.

"I've worked so, so hard over the last few months to control the violent feelings. I'm almost at peace with myself. I mean, I see the day coming when I could be.", Voyager took his hand and put the necklace in it.

"For you, for luck. It's a gift, keep it.", the Betazoid took the necklace and put it on, underneath his clothing. "Those people took me in, a stranger, treated me with kindness. I am not going to lose this chance of having friends, a family of sorts. We are going to take this ship and get our crew back. And I'm going to help you, Crewman.", he swallowed again, nervous.

"Miss Voyager… tell me, what is that, hanging on your right shoulder?", asked the Doctor.

"It's a katana."

"And, what do you intend to do with that? Exactly?"

"Spill some Kazon blood, if needed. Really, Doctor. It's rather obvious what a sword is for.", she turned to Suder. "You two need to monitor communications in the ship, keep and eye on what they're doing. I'm going to hole up in Holodeck two and prepare diversion maneuvers. They are going to find out they have intruders soon enough, once you start tampering with the equipment. If you kill someone… I'll take care of the body. Just signal me through the comm badge before you do anything.", she taped a badge she had taken from a dead crewmember. "Try your best to keep a low profile. Don't start sabotaging just yet. If they start hunting you down, come find me there."

She then turned and went back into the access tunnel.

"I wonder what her concept of diversion is.", dryly stated the Doctor.