Christening

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek: Voyager and all characters, names, titles, etc. used in the following short story. In other words, this story is worth less than the memory it takes up because the cool stuff isn't mine.

Note: Thanks to everyone who has waited so patiently for this update, I hope you enjoy it! I can't say when I will be able to update again, but a ton of reviews would only help things move along more quickly. Thanks for your support!

Chapter Three: O'Nine Hundred

No sooner had Tuvok taken the turbo lift than Tom heard a small wooshing noise with accompaniment like small wind chimes. He turned around in his chair to see Chakotay, Janeway, and Q standing in the middle of the bridge. Before he knew it, he was standing with phaser at the ready.

Seven of Nine turned as Harry Kim, a bit disheveled, entered the Astrometrics Lab. "Good morning, Ensign," she said, nodding her head in recognition of his presence.

"Hi Seven," Harry responded, "You asked for me?"

"Yes," she replied. "I have come across an anomaly during my survey of the Cryton Nebula. The survey is complete, but I would like to ask you a question. Were there any problems with the scanning system when you designed the Astrometrics Lab?"

"No, not at all," Harry responded. "Was there a problem scanning?"

"On the contrary, I am getting perfectly normal readings. My Borg knowledge does not include this specific spatial formation, however. Observe." Seven pressed a few buttons on the consol in front of her. The view screen zoomed in until the mysterious light came into focus as a galaxy. "This is Galaxy 457 Beta, after the sector in which it is situated, but I am unsure that it truly exists. I have run several diagnostics and all have returned negative. I require your assistance to either confirm this discovery or search out the sensor error."

Harry stood transfixed by the light. He checked the consol in front of him. "There's no error, Seven. That's for real." He paused. "It looks almost like home, doesn't it?" He turned to Seven.

Seven's mind was a blur. She had never seen Earth, only pictures of it and its peaceful little galaxy. She looked at the statistics. "This is indeed a pinwheel galaxy, and its chemical make-up is profoundly similar to the Milky Way. I estimate an 87 chance of a planet much like Earth occurring here."

Harry frowned, "I'm sorry, Seven. I didn't mean to say anything stupid." Seven was uncomfortable. She changed the subject quickly. "Apology accepted. Do you confirm my findings Ensign?"

"Thanks," he said then continued, all business, "Discovery of Galaxy 457 Beta confirmed."

"Proceeding with update of ship's logs." A few keystrokes did the job. A slight flutter in her abdomen surprised her. She had made her first new scientific discovery as an individual. She decided immediately that she enjoyed the pride of achievement. "This data pad contains a brief description of the galaxy. Proper protocol demands that we report this discovery to the Captain immediately. I request your assistance as my confirming scientist."

Harry blushed, "My duty shift on the bridge begins in less than 20 minutes. I will send the Captain a report of my confirmation later today. Thanks though."

"As you wish, Ensign," she said as she walked out. She tapped her com badge as the doors shut behind her. "Seven of Nine to the Captain." No response. "Seven of Nine to the Captain," she said again. Nothing. "Computer, locate Captain Janeway."

"Unable to comply. Internal sensors are offline."

Proper protocol demands I see her, she thought. Taking the nearest turbo lift, she headed for the bridge.

The scarcely had the Doctor returned to sickbay before Lieutenant Tuvok's voice sounded through his combadge.

"Tuvok to the Doctor."

"Go ahead, Commander," the doctor replied, absent mindedly checking his tricorder one last time for appointments.

"If Commander Chakotay's distress call was correct, there is an intruder aboard Voyager. Your assistance may be required. Please proceed to Engineering for further instructions."

The Doctor's subroutines processed this information in a few nano seconds. "On my way," he replied, "Doctor out."

Grabbing his mobile emitter, he affixed it to his right bicep with practiced ease. He placed his tricoder in the holster at his hip, slung his medical kit over his shoulder, and hustled out the door.

Crewmen in the corridors rushed past him. Choruses of "Good morning, Doctor," greeted him, and all were met with a smile. The Doctor loved walking among the crew, as one of them. His mobile emitter gave him a freedom that he relished more than words. Even when the ship was in a panic and his day was completely frenzied, he could appreciate the little things.

A turbo lift ride and a few left turns brought the Doctor into Main Engineering where a large party of security officers was gathered around Tuvok.

"It will be a two-pronged search effort of four parties," Tuvok was saying as the Doctor joined the group, "Two teams will search the decks above main engineering, and two teams will search below. The Doctor and I will remain here and coordinate. Maintain open communicators and report in every 5 minutes. Alpha and Beta groups above, Delta and Gamma groups below. Proceed."

The security teams went into motion and the Doctor was soon left standing alone where there had once been many crewmen. With nothing to do but wait, he began to survey Main Engineering. A suspiciously familiar swollen torso caught his eye from underneath a panel. His internal chronometer told him it was o-eight-hundred hours and forty-five minutes. Nothing like getting an early start on his appointments for the day.

Captain Janeway spoke first, "Q, I've had enough of your mischief for today. I demand that you leave my bridge and my ship immediately!"

"But Kathy, don't you want to see the world that will be your crew's home unless you come with me? I'm sure your underlings would appreciate a look at the real estate before their captain purchases the plot."

Tom stood still. "Captain?" he inquired.

Janeway looked from her pilot to Chakotay. She nodded and Chakotay gave the order. "Stand down, Lieutenant. For now."

Tom sat back down, but kept his hand on his phaser.

"Now then," Q went on, "let's have a look, shall we?" Q snapped his fingers. A planet appeared on the view screen.

Tom's console bleeped. "Captain," he said, punching a few buttons, "we've moved off course. Sensors show we're in a stable orbit around an M class planet. I read no radio communications or any kind of technological advancement. But there are over a billion lifesigns."

Janeway narrowed her eyes at Q, "I don't take kindly to people hijacking my ship. Explain yourself."

Q strode toward the view screen, "Welcome, Kathy, to your new home. Seventy percent of the surface is water. The average temperature in most of the settlements is sixty degrees at night and eighty during the day. Farming and livestock flourish here. This will be your crew's prison unless you return with me to the continuum."

Chakotay chucked, "What sort of a threat is this? It doesn't sound so bad."

Q turned on his heel to face the first officer. "Oh, it doesn't?"

The turbo lift doors whooshed open as Seven of Nine entered the bridge. She turned right toward Janeway's ready-room, but stopped short. Seeing Q, she took a step back. "Captain?"

"It's alright, Seven," Janeway said, "he was just leaving."

"I was doing nothing of the sort," Q said. He snapped his fingers and appeared next to Seven. "So this is your borg crewmember?" He looked her up and down. "Fascinating."

Janeway bristled. "Q, I won't tell you again. I am not going with you to the Continuum. And we're not going down there. You've had your fun, now get off my bridge."

"If you're not going with me to the Continuum, then you might as well scout out your new planet," Q said.

"What do you mean?" Tom asked, his hand still on his phaser.

"I mean, we're assembling an away team, Lieutenant." Q snapped his fingers. B'Elana and the Doctor appeared on the bridge, B'Elana on her back and the Doctor standing above. A moment passed before B'Elana leapt to her feet, pregnancy notwithstanding. The Doctor looked baffled and slack jawed.

"There we are, you need a doctor and a techno-guru on these sorts of missions," said Q. "Now, for a change of clothes. We don't want to make the locals nervous." Another snap of Q's fingers and the entire assembly, including himself, glowed for a moment. The women's uniforms transformed into dresses with high waists, long flowing skirts, choke necked collars, and impossibly large sleeves. The men wore tights with long tunics. On their heads were muffin caps with feathers in them. Q wore tights and a tunic with long, fur-line robes hanging from his shoulders.

"Captain, what's going on?" B'Elana asked, clutching her belly which was loosely covered by a fresh white linen gown under a green wool jacket buttoned at her bust.

Janeway, in a red velvet dress with sleeves dragging the deck, looked at Q. "Return our uniforms immediately!"

"Or what, Kathy? Eventually everyone does what I want. Now, it's time for the walking tour of the property." And with another snap of his fingers Q, the Doctor, Seven of Nine, B'Elana, Tom, Chakotay, and Janeway disappeared from the bridge at o'nine hundred hours.