All Alone In The Dark
"Naomi…" the quiet voice penetrated Naomi's mind. "Naomi, wake up" the girl assumed that had to be her name. "Naomi Wildman, you will comply!" and Naomi opened her eyes to see Icheb looking down at her.
"Ooh… My head…" Naomi groaned as she tried to sit up. Icheb helped her to sit up in the bed she was in.
"Be careful" her friend said. "You have only just woken up from a major operation. Drink this" and he handed her some water which Naomi sipped from.
"What happened?" the girl asked. She looked around but couldn't make out where she was.
"We were going to ram the Borg Cube when Transwarp came back online. Azan engaged it just as the Omega particles exploded and obliterated Unimatrix 01. The detonation threw us thousands of light years from where we wanted to be"
"Is everybody alright? I remember Mezoti under the Helm console" Naomi sipped some more water.
"Azan and Rebi sustained moderate injuries, but both of them recovered quickly and are repairing the ship. Mezoti's injuries were slightly more extensive and she needed several operations to completely heal. She left Sickbay three weeks ago"
"I've been in here three weeks?" Naomi gasped.
"Actually, it would be nearer a month and a half" Icheb said. "You suffered some brain injuries that I wanted to take care of first"
"You?"
"The Doctor's program has been offline ever since the battle with the Borg. We have tried to reinitialise his systems, but it will not respond to our attempts. I had to perform the operation myself with the twins assisting me when needed. Naomi, during my care of you, I had to remove your clothing whilst you were helpless and defenceless. I swear on my honour that did nothing to you except that which was needed to be done towards your care" Icheb said.
"You had to do it" the girl shrugged. "What's the damage?" she asked.
"All main drive systems are offline. Life support is only working on Decks 1, 4, 10 and 11" Icheb reported. "We have limited computer ability, and most of that is dedicated to life support, orbit maintenance and what sensors we have"
"What about the hull?"
"We have hundred of hull breaches all over from small punctures to ones the size of shuttlecraft. Our aim is to repair the hull followed by impulse and then warp"
"What about Transwarp?" Naomi asked.
"It has stopped working" Icheb said. "I am unsure as to why this has happened, but it has stopped and we can not get it working again. Currently, we are in orbit of an uninhabited planet. Once sensors are back online, we will determine our position and calculate a new course for us" but Naomi knew when Icheb was holding something back.
"What haven't you told me?" she narrowed her eyes.
"Going over the data that was collected before main sensors went down, we've determined that we were thrown over 30,000 light years"
"We're lost?" Naomi shrieked.
"I did not say that" Icheb smiled faintly. "I must go now and continue repairs"
"I'm coming with you" Naomi said. "Let me get something on first"
"You have only just come round from major surgery after weeks of being unconscious, Naomi, you should have some more time to rest"
"You said that the computer is doing the Helm – from the Battle Bridge, I presume…?"
"Yes"
"Then I will sit and do the watch keeping myself. You can put the computer to other uses" and then a frown crossed her pain filled face. "Have you tried getting to the shuttles and using the sensors in them?"
"There is too much damage to areas around the shuttle bays" Icheb shook his head as he helped Naomi to her feet – holding her as she wobbled a little.
"All we need to do is get a Tricorder and then we're set" Naomi winced at the pain shooting up from her legs. "I saw Uncle Tom doing this in one of his special programs once. You get me to the Battle Bridge and I will get you transporters and sensors"
"That is an acceptable deal" Icheb said, giving her some privacy to put on some trousers and a jumper that had been sat in the bedside locker since she was placed in it.
#
Being used only for emergencies meant the Battle Bridge was smaller than the main Bridge on Deck 1. The lighting was dimmed, though it did brighten somewhat when the pair entered. Icheb helped Naomi to the Helm before getting a Tricorder from the nearby equipment locker.
"This is how things work on a starship" Naomi gave a small laugh as she configured the device to start communicating to other computers. "Open a channel to the Delta Flyer" she ordered. After a short while, the Tricorder had patched into the Delta Flyer's computer. "Prefix Code 07101988. Begin power up of communications, sensors and transporters"
"Delta Flyer computer standing by"
"Scan surrounding space and then compare to navigational data. Plot our current position"
"Acknowledged"
"This may take a while to do" said Naomi.
"Scanning complete"
"Perhaps not" Icheb frowned. "Computer, what is our position?" he asked.
"Co-ordinates two one three by one two nine one eight by six two point nine five one four"
"Position report. Distance from Alpha Quadrant" Icheb ordered.
"Current position is 97,354 light years from nearest point of the Alpha Quadrant"
"Maybe we should fix the warp drive first?" Naomi looked up at her friend.
#
Naomi rested for another two weeks on light duties before getting stuck into the repairs. Once internal sensors were back online, they discovered that radiation had flooded the lower decks – cutting off the Engineering decks until they could go down and clean them. For well over a month, all they had working was basic life support, limited shuttle sensors and attitude control after a power conduit exploded – knocking out power all over the ship. It took another three weeks before they could get done to Engineering without the use of EVA suits. Once that had happened, the first task was to fix life support fully and get a full assessment of the damage.
# # # # #
"We're ready to leave orbit" Azan said. It had taken them six months just to repair the hull damage and bring the Warp drive back online. After that, they had set about repairing as much of the damage as possible – though some of it couldn't be fixed by them. Naomi nodded and looked away from the Master Systems Display and glanced around at her friends.
"Lets do this" she said. "Mezoti, set course for the Alpha Quadrant – maximum warp"
"Setting course" Mezoti tapped the orders into the Helm console. "New heading course 233 mark 45. Speed Warp 9.95"
"Break orbit" Naomi ordered. "One half impulse power until we clear then engage"
"Aye" and Mezoti gently broke them out of orbit, cleared planet and engaged the mighty nacelles and started to speed them away.
"All systems working as they should be" Azan said.
"Warp core at maximum rated output" Rebi added.
"Naomi, may I speak to you a moment?" Icheb asked. "Alone…" Naomi frowned, shrugged and gestured to the ready room.
"Mez, you take the Conn"
"Where would you like me to put it?" Mezoti asked with a grin. Naomi smiled back at her before slipping into the ready room.
"Naomi, thank you for agreeing to letting me speak to you alone. I have some concerns that I wanted to share with you about our supplies" Icheb looked very un-Icheb and seemed nervous about what he had to tell Naomi.
"What is it?" the girl asked.
"Our food supplies are at a low level" Icheb told her. "We can not grow enough fresh food to supplement the things we get out of the replicators. At our current rate of consumption, we will have run out of fresh food in approximately three weeks"
"Why didn't you say anything before hand?" Naomi asked.
"I didn't want to cause any panic amongst the others or yourself" Icheb spoke quietly. "For my part, I tried to make them go for longer by eating only replicated food. We lost a lot of our plant stock from the battle with the Borg and through radiation seepage from a damaged warp relay. If that had not happened, then we would have just about enough for us. At some point soon, we shall have to re-stock"
"We can hardly pull into the nearest Starbase and go shopping" Naomi sighed.
"Not a Starfleet base, but there is a space station nearby" Icheb crossed to the desk and called up some datacharts. "I found this station about six lightyears away from our present location. From the scans I made of it in one of the shuttles, it appears to be intact. There are numerous living quarters, but it appears that its automated at the moment. If you are willing, we could go there and take what we need without anybody noticing"
"That's stealing"
"It was a suggestion only, Naomi. I did not say that we had to do it, but it is the only option that we have. I suggest that we go in under cloak and watch for gaps in the stations scanners. Once we have that, we can transport aboard, get what we need and then go without anybody knowing we were there"
"And that is the only solution?" Naomi looked up at Icheb.
"The only other option is for myself, Mezoti and the twins to go completely to replicator rations and emergency packs and leave the fresh foods for you"
"You would do that?"
"I would" Icheb nodded. "You are our friend, Naomi Wildman, and we would do anything in our power to keep you from being unhappy"
"I don't like the thought of stealing, Icheb, but if that is our only option then it is our only option. Lets tell the others"
#
"Now entering system" Mezoti said.
"Slow to full impulse" Naomi said. "Rebi, full sensor sweep. Azan, engage cloaking device"
"I am reading no other ships within ran… I am detecting a small cargo ship docked to the station and lifesigns aboard them both" Rebi said.
"Too late…" Naomi let loose a string of strong curses.
"Perhaps we could still take what we need" said Mezoti. "A low level EM pulse will knock out the occupants for several hours. By the time they will have come around, we will be long gone from here"
"But that might not work on the station's sensors" said Azan. "The station could send out an automated distress call"
"Then we'll leave without the supplies" Naomi said. "Mezoti, put us back on course – Warp 6"
"Perhaps not" said Rebi.
"What do you mean?"
"I looked at the sensor data regarding their biological make up. If we deployed some of the gas we have aboard to stop a hostile takeover, they would all be knocked unconscious and the station wouldn't even know" Rebi said. "Once we've worked out a gap in the sensors, we can beam it aboard in a sufficient dose and then wait for it to take effect. We then beam aboard in the next gap, get to the station controls and disable the sensors – allowing Voyager to decloak and transfer the supplies that we need"
"Rebi, I am promoting you to head of the Planning Department" Naomi said. "I should have thought of that"
"If you thought of everything, then you would have no use for a highly trained and experienced crew" Azan said.
"Experienced?"
"We know what we are doing" Icheb shrugged.
"Naomi, I am reading a small object coming towards us" Rebi said. "It appears to be automatic and there are no lifesigns aboard"
"Back us away" Naomi said. "Once we're clear, bring us to with transporter range of the station"
"Alr- The object has changed course and is continuing to head towards us" Mezoti frowned as she checked her controls.
"It might be attracted by our engine exhaust" Icheb said.
"Mezoti, cut impulse engines. Back us off from here on thrusters only"
"Object is still coming towards us" Rebi said. "I am also reading a large build up of power on its approach. I believe it may be building to a self destruct of some kind"
"A mine?" Azan suggested.
"I would concur" Icheb said.
"Bring us about" Naomi ordered. "Full thrusters"
"We will not escape the blast radius" Icheb advised her.
"Azan, drop the cloak. All power to the shields" Naomi ordered.
"They will be able to see us" Icheb cautioned her.
"I understand that, but I think we'll run the risk today" Naomi said.
"Aye" Azan replied briskly. "Disengaging cloak…" and the ship faded into normal sight.
"Diverting power to forward shields" Icheb put in. There was a blinding flash of light and the ship trembled heavily as the mine like device exploded.
"Damage report!" Naomi snapped.
"All systems report normal" Azan said.
"Shields down to 78%" said Icheb. "Recharging"
"Another ship has entered the system. Larger than the cargo vessel – suspect it to be a Ccruiser of some type" Rebi spoke calmly. "They have powered up their weapons and their deflective screens are up. They will be in range in less then seven minutes"
"Are they a match for us?" asked Naomi.
"Only if they come over for dinner" Icheb said. "Their shields and weapons are at least two hundred years behind what we use, and their computer hardware is from around the same time period too. We are in no danger"
"I might be able to access their computers and order them to power down whilst we knock them out. Once we have done the same to the other vessel we can send them off on a far enough journey"
"How long?" Naomi asked Rebi.
"Six minutes"
"Right. Mezoti, put us on a ramming course for the Cruiser – full impulse. Once we're close enough, tip the bow down and bring the stern all the way around so that we appear to flip over the ship. Once we're level again, I want a direct course to the station – half impulse"
"You want them to keep chasing us" Mezoti nodded in understanding. "That way the ship will be within range of transporters. A good idea"
"Thank you" said Naomi. "Icheb, paint a target lock on the enemy ship and charge forward phaser banks"
"Ah" Icheb understood completely. "You want to frighten them"
"And take your time about it when you arm the phasers" Naomi said. Nothing more was said for several minutes as each person attended to their tasks. When they got within collision range, the computer automatically sounded Collision Alert – something Mezoti cancelled in seconds. Tipping Voyager up, down and over, Mezoti shot the ship towards the station – the Cruiser in hot pursuit. "Azan, standby transporters. Mezoti, be ready to come about. Rebi, you into their computers?"
"I have just breached their computer systems" he replied. "Accessing control pathways… I am now in control of the Cruiser's systems"
"Order the shields to lower"
"Aye" Rebi worked his panel liked a professional crewman. "Their shields are now down"
"Energising" Azan said without prompting.
"I have programmed a course for the ship to follow" Rebi said. "They are also incapacitated. The same goes for those on the docked ship and the station"
"Good work" Naomi said. "Mez, bring us about and put us back on the right heading. I want to be gone long before they wake up. Rebi, rig the deflector dish to emit a wide band polaron beam. I want to flood the area so they can not pick up our warp trail. Well…" Naomi stood from her place on the Bridge, "Lets go shopping"
# # # # #
"This case contains plasma relay valves" Icheb peered inside a box. "It is not on the list, but do you want them anyway?"
"Might as well" the girl shrugged. "You don't know what we will be able to get out here"
"Azan to Naomi Wildman"
"Naomi here"
"Naomi, I have found a number of crates with spare parts for a transwarp drive. The design of the device is outdated, but I could use the parts here to repair the non working parts in the Borg drive unit"
"This is Icheb. What parts are we looking at?"
"Mainly the coils" Azan replied. "That is our main issue with not getting the Borg unit operational"
"Transport them to Voyager" Naomi said. "Naomi to Mezoti. How is it coming, Mez?"
"I am transporting the remaining food supplies to the cargo bays now. There a few others things I have discovered that we might want to take with us"
"Such as?" Naomi frowned at Icheb.
"Toilet paper. Given our journey, there is not enough aboard Voyager to complete it in comfort"
"And we can have toilet paper fights as well" Naomi chuckled. "Beam them aboard as well. Just be aware that we have fifteen minutes until we need to get out of here. Naomi out"
"With your permission, Naomi, I would like to go to the command deck and download any navigational data which may be useful to us. There might be other logs that we could use"
"Be quick" Naomi said. "We don't want to leave anybody behind"
"I" Icheb said dryly, "Am not an anybody" and he vanished out the hatch and walked off down the corridor.
"Voyager computer to Away Team"
"Go ahead" Naomi tapped her comm badge.
"Sensors detect a vessel on an intercept course. It will enter sensor range in twelve minutes. Recommend going to Red Alert"
"Acknowledged" Naomi said. "Charge main deflector and prepare to fire. Standby to beam the Away Team aboard on my order"
"Deflector charged. Standing by to transport"
"Guys, looks like there is another ship coming into the system. Its going to be here before the time is up. We have got to go"
"Icheb here. How long do we have until they reach their sensor range?" he asked.
"Just under twelve minutes" said Naomi. "But I want everybody aboard"
"I request permission to stay aboard for a short while" said Icheb. "Transfer is in progress and I need another six minutes to complete"
"Cutting it close" Naomi said. "You can have those six minutes, Icheb, but that is all you are getting. Computer, lock on all but Icheb – Energise…"
"Unable to comply. The main array is offline"
"Switch to back ups… Energise" and Naomi was beamed away. "Computer, site to site transport. Four to beam directly to the Bridge" and Naomi, Mezoti and the twins were beamed directly to the Bridge – the four scattering to stations once released from the beam.
"I have a warship coming in at full impulse" Rebi said. "Estimate ten minutes till its weapons come to bear. Not" he added, "That it matters to us, mind you…"
"Is it the same ship as we locked out?" asked Naomi – manning Tactical in place of Icheb.
"Unknown" said Rebi. "The size is the same, but I can not determine anything else"
"Naomi, ready to engage Warp Drive on your command" Mezoti said.
"Right. Azan, what happened to the main transporter array?"
"It was overloaded from all of the usage it was called upon all of a sudden" Azan said. "It will require seven minutes to cool down" he added.
"Ready to fire the beam" Rebi said after a little while.
"Standby…" Naomi said. "Naomi to Icheb"
"Icheb here"
"How are you doing?"
"I need one more minute"
"That is all you have left" Naomi said. "Prepare for transport. Naomi out. Azan, beam him directly to the Bridge"
"Understood"
"Naomi, I am detecting a temporal anomaly on the ship. Sensor data suggests it to be travel into the future, but it does not appear to be of much consequence" Rebi said.
"Is it Q?" asked Naomi.
"The computer says it to be more powerful than the Q" Rebi said, "But also highly harmless. I will have a reading for you in three minutes"
"Okay…" Naomi frowned.
"Energising" said Azan. "Icheb is now aboard Voyager"
"Firing beam" Rebi said. "Our Warp trail is masked"
"I am engaging the cloaking device" Mezoti said. "Engaging Warp Drive" and the ship sped off into the vastness of space. A minute and a half later, the turbolift doors opened and Icheb came onto the Bridge.
"The ship is taking position around the station. It is not pursuing" Rebi said.
"Speed is Warp 9.975" Mezoti said.
"Naomi, I would like to thank you for waiting those extra few minutes" Icheb said. "The data I recovered in that period may prove to be very useful"
"Icheb, assuming that you can fix the Transwarp Drive, how long would it take for us to get to the Alpha Quadrant?"
"A rough guess would be at least two years" he replied. "However, it will most likely be more than that due to periods of cooling and maintaince"
"How long?"
"Three years…" Icheb said. "Four on the outside. The worst thing is that Starfleet does not know out situation and will most likely assume that we have either been captured or destroyed. We are cut off from any chance of support from Starfleet Command or Starfleet Engineering"
"Are you trying to depress us?" Mezoti asked.
"I am merely pointing out the reality of our situation" Icheb replied. "We are not qualified in most repair work, and the only officer on this ship that could help us is unable to be reached"
"So we all have to take lessons in Transwarp theory" Naomi said.
"Azan, Rebi, Mezoti and myself know much about it already. We are going to have to give you a crash course in such matters" Icheb said gently. He didn't want to offend his friend by saying she was not smart.
"Okay then" Naomi shrugged. "What I would like to know is why they had Transwarp coils. That is technology that is far beyond what they should have" she added.
"I will go through their computer logs and see what they can give us" Azan said. "It may be that they have a better level of technology than we thought"
"Deception towards the Borg?" asked Rebi.
"If they appeared to be of inferior technology, the Borg would ignore them"
"Well lets be grateful we have parts to use" Naomi said.
"I suggest that we have some sort of break" Mezoti said. "We have been hard at work for well over a year now, and there is nothing that needs doing that can't wait for a while. We've earned this… wait for a while. We've earned this… You've earned this, Naomi" she added to her friend.
