A/N An earlier update than usual for you this week as my wonderful husband is whisking me away for our anniversary and I won't have another time to post. Thank you to all who are reading and those leaving reviews, you make my day.
Warning to younger readers- bad words in this week's song choice.
Out of the Frying Pan…"Yeah you're fucked alright and all for spite, you can kiss your sorry ass goodbye. Totally fucked, well they mess you up, well you know they're gonna try…" Totally Fucked, Spring Awakening.
Two days saw them able to beam aboard enough dilithium and supplies to keep Voyager functioning for several months with good management and Kathryn wanted to ensure they kept a tight itinerary of what they used and why, the Doctor having warned her that hospitable planets would be few and far between for a good long while even at high warp. She had returned to duty far earlier than their own doctor was happy with but she compromised by allowing Chakotay to take the bulk of her duties, acting more as an overseer than a functioning part of the crew. Everyone around her though knew it wouldn't be long until she was back at full capacity, their Captain never one to sit on her laurels when there was work to be done. She had breathed a sigh of relief each time the materials they beamed aboard were given the all clear by the scanners the Doctor had modified to detect the presence of the Vashta Nerada, terrified that one mistake would bring the swarm aboard the ship and take further members of her crew.
They finally left the planet's orbit and headed onwards along a course the Doctor had suggested to them based on his knowledge of the Delta quadrant that was far superior to their own. Despite the TARDIS being fixed and ready to fly their two newest guests had elected to remain on board for a time, the Doctor more often than not found tinkering with the warp core, B'Elanna eagerly learning the various Time Lord tricks that had engineering running above peak efficiency. Donna on the other hand split her time between the holo-deck and the Bridge, proving to be an attentive pupil to them all as she learnt the various functionalities of the Bridge to the ship. Kathryn was more then happy to pass the time with her as she worked in her ready room, several hundred years in their births not having impact on the budding friendship she knew she would miss when they returned to their own path.
The morning found the Bridge quiet as the gamma shift finally left, leaving the alpha shift to settle in. Kathryn took her customary seat, smiling to herself as the Doctor settled into Chakotay's beside her, the Time Lord never choosing to stand on ceremony, as he chatted away.
"And then I'm attempting to save Britain from a government of Slitheen, and all they can do is fart!"
"Doctor!"
The Doctor feigned innocence, "What?"
"Is this really suitable conversation for the Bridge?" said Kathryn behind a laugh, "You'll frighten the ensigns."
"He's already gone beyond frightening," said Harry from his station, "I've never seen anyone who can beat Tuvok at Kal-Toh."
"I got lucky," said the Doctor.
"On the contrary Doctor," said Tuvok, "You were a worthy and clever opponent."
"Praise indeed," said the Doctor, "Any time you want a rematch Lieutenant just give me a shout."
"You've certainly endeared yourself to the crew Doctor," said Kathryn, "You're one of the family already."
"I'm glad," said the Doctor, "Families are few and far between for me so its nice to be readopted now and then. Now where was I? Ah yes, farting aliens."
Kathryn failed to contain her laughter, even Tom turning in his seat to better enjoy the sound that was becoming rarer and rarer on the Bridge.
"There I was, being brilliant as I always am in situations like that of course," said the Doctor with affected modesty, "And they were punctuating my sentences for me. I don't know what made me angrier, the fact they were threatening the disintegrate the Earth or the smell!"
"There were aliens like that running the British Parliament?" said Kathryn, "I can't believe it."
"Its true, I swear it," said the Doctor, "They were wearing human skins, zippers on their foreheads and everything."
"Sounds like a bad twentieth century B-movie," said Tom.
"Most alien invasions are, well unless you count the Daleks, they're a little too good at it."
"Daleks?" said Kathryn.
The Doctor gave her a weak smile, "Not something you want or need to know about Kathryn. The Federation has access to the old Torchwood database but they decided the Daleks were no longer a threat, and I hope they won't ever be again," he said, "And this morning is for happier stories."
"Nine hundred years and you must have a few," said Chakotay as he descended the stairs from the turbo-lift.
"You're late Commander," said Kathryn though there was little reproach in her words.
"Would you forgive me if I told you that I was on an errand of mercy?" said Chakotay.
Kathryn raised a questioning eyebrow, "You have my attention?"
"Donna had a little mishap on the holo-deck," he said, clearly suppressing a laugh, "One of the Federation sociology training programs and she somehow managed to flick the safety off. Klingon Bat'leth training."
Kathryn and the Doctor were both on their feet in a second.
"Is she alright?" said the Doctor, concern in his dark eyes.
"More than alright, I would have sent for you otherwise," said Chakotay, "I was passing the holo-deck when she tumbled out of it, she had a minor cut to her arm but other than that she was fine. I took her to sick bay, she'll join us when she's done there."
"Trust Donna to end up putting her life in peril on a holo-deck," said the Doctor, "Saying that though, she'd probably have half terrified them before she left. Donna in full swing is something to be reckoned with."
"I can imagine, she was cursing a blue streak when I met her," said Chakotay, "Despite Voyager being a ship I doubt she's heard that even from a hardened Marquis before."
The Doctor grinned, "That's my Donna," he said, "Wouldn't surprise me if she hadn't designed the whole thing to ensure we could stay longer anyway, I told her the other day that we would need to be moving on soon."
"But you've barely been with us a week," said Kathryn, "You're welcome to stay as long as you like Doctor, we've more than enough room especially with you and Donna still sleeping on the TARDIS."
"There's always a part of me that wants to stay whenever I leave," said the Doctor, "But there's so much out there and the Delta quadrant is only part of it. I want to see the first formation of government on Romulus, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the birth of stars that your great great grandchildren will be too old to see."
"I suppose our little journey seems quite small in comparison," said Kathryn returning to her chair, paying no mind to the Doctor perching on the arm of it to enable Chakotay to take his own.
"Not relatively speaking," said the Doctor, "Comparing our journeys is like comparing humans and Time Lords. We're born with time travel in our blood, you humans were born to keep your feet on terra firma but look at you now. No twenty-first century American would believe that their native counterparts would leave Earth to establish new colonies elsewhere in the galaxy but we've got proof right beside us. Perhaps Donna and I will go and look up some of your ancestors Chakotay."
"You'd give them a fright if you turn up in the TARDIS," said Chakotay.
"I remember the fright Rose gave an Incan tribe when we turned up before the first settlers ever arrived," said the Doctor, "They'd never seen blonde hair before, thought she was a sun goddess."
"Rose?" said Kathryn.
"She was a friend," said the Doctor, "We travelled together for a while but she had to go back to her family. She would have loved to have seen Voyager, she was always amazed that one day her own people would be exploring the far reaches of space."
A beep from Harry's console halted any further questioning, the young ensign reporting the latest information on instinct.
"Captain, long range sensors are picking up a ship ahead of us."
"Can we identify it?" said Kathryn, turning to her own screen.
"Not as yet Captain."
"Maintain scans, let me know when we have anymore information," she said, "Mister Paris maintain our course, Lieutenant Tuvok run a check on all defence and weapons systems as a precaution."
The affirmatives rang around the Bridge as the turbo-lift doors opened, Donna stepping out and paying little mind to anything but the skin of her forearm.
"I want one of those regenerator thingies for when I'm shaving my legs," she said descending the stairs, "Its bloody quick."
"I think you'll find that I have a perfectly functioning dermal regenerator in the TARDIS med-bay," said the Doctor.
"It buzzes and smells funny," said Donna, tapping his cheek, "I like good old human made stuff."
"A vote for the Federation there then," said Kathryn, "But we need to review your training in the use of the holo-deck Donna."
Donna rolled her eyes, "I don't pretend to be an expert and I didn't expect those Klingons to get so wound up so easily," she said heading to the helm and cuffing Tom around the back of the head, "You said they were friendly."
Tom turned in his seat as he rubbed the back of his head, "Did you see that? Unprovoked," he said, "I think you should throw her in the brig Chakotay."
"I think I should employ her if she can keep you in check," said Chakotay, "What do you think Captain, do we have room enough for another member of the security team?"
"Definitely room," said Kathryn, "I'd be half tempted to send Donna the next time we meet someone hostile, a twenty-first century attitude mixed with a Starfleet issue phaser."
"And madness is sure to ensue," said the Doctor as Donna grinned, dragging a stool over towards the command seats to better join the conversation, "You know I remember the first time I was at the business end of a Starfleet phaser, Romana and I wanted to see the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge but the TARDIS screwed the dates up and instead we blundered straight into the opening ceremony of the Academy, I managed to convince them I was an ambassador trying to forge first contact and luckily avoided being held as a hostile."
Kathryn smiled, "Starfleet were rather trigger happy back then," she said, "But why then are you not in the records? We had to study the history of the Academy and I recall no mention of you."
"Counsellors Sigma and Trelundar?" said the Doctor.
"Now those names even I remember and I slept through Academy history," said Chakotay.
"You're joking, you've got to be," said Harry, "The Counsellors were advisors on the Prime Directive."
"Time Lord's operated a non-intervention protocol of their own, which I technically broke in advising Starfleet to employ the same but it was important that the Federation brought its ambassadors up with the right attitude."
"Non-intervention?" said Donna, "You get involved with everyone and everything."
"I try not to," said the Doctor.
"First time we met you definitely got involved when you flushed that Racnoss thing," said Donna, "And you got involved when the Sontarans invaded."
"That's because neither of those events should have occurred in Earth's history and therefore my intervention was appropriate."
"But how can you know what is meant to happen in Earth's history before its happened, perhaps its what should happen," said Tom from the helm.
"Time Lord," said Doctor pointing to himself, "I get these things and time isn't a straight line, its sort of swirly."
"Scientific," said Kathryn, "I always hated temporal physics, my brain can't process that quickly."
"Aww Kathryn Janeway, unable to handle temporal physics?" said the Doctor, "That's not true."
"Why do I have a feeling I've not experienced what you're basing that statement on yet?"
The Doctor grinned broadly, "You're learning."
"I still think it's weird that you know what's going to happen to us," said Chakotay.
"I only know parts," said the Doctor, "Your lives aren't just some story you have to follow, free will does play a part. Your choices could alter so much but there are points in everyone's lives that are set in stone, some more than others."
"He's deliberately being vague now," said Donna, "He thinks it makes him impressive."
"Do you think you and I sound like that?" said Kathryn to Chakotay as the Doctor and Donna continued to banter back and forth.
"At times I imagine we're worse," said Chakotay, "We're…"
"Captain! That ship I had on sensors," said Harry, "Its Borg."
"Red Alert," said Kathryn getting quickly to her feet, "Shields up. Mister Paris get us out of here, maximum warp."
"Yes Ma'am," said Tom, turning back to the helm.
"What's Borg?" said Donna, realising the change of mood in all the crew as the lights changed and sirens sounded throughout the ship.
"Something you don't want to get better acquainted with," said the Doctor.
"And something we may not be able to avoid," said Tuvok from behind them, "We have been detected, the Borg vessel is altering course to intercept."
"Shields to maximum and bring the weapons array online," said Kathryn before she tapped her comm.-badge, "This is the Captain, all hands to battle stations. We have a Borg vessel on an intercept course, prepare for intruders."
"Kathryn, I might be able to cloak Voyager," said the Doctor, "I need access to your shields."
"So long as you don't compromise our defences," said Kathryn, "Chakotay help him. Mister Paris, lets see some of that famous flying of yours. I want to avoid an encounter as best we can."
Voyager lurched as she altered course, the Bridge crew a world away from the easy banter of moments before. The view port before them showed the stars racing past but soon a sphere appeared, approaching quickly and leaving Voyager with little room to manoeuvre.
"Captain they're draining our warp field," said Harry, "We can't out run them."
"Charge weapons, we'll have to fight our way out," said Kathryn, "Doctor, a little Time Lord genius wouldn't go amiss right here and now."
"Run is the only sensible bit of advice for anyone facing the Borg," said the Doctor, "And don't get stuck in a tractor beam."
"Your advice may have come too late Doctor," said Tuvok as the ship shook with the force of the energy that began pulling them toward the sphere.
"No, no, no!" cried the Doctor vaulting over the guardrail onto the higher part of the deck, "We are not getting pulled into that thing, not with the TARDIS on board."
He began working frantically at the central console, the red alert blaring behind him as he cursed in a language that defied the universal translator. He slapped his comm. badge, pulling the sonic screwdriver from his pocket and aiming it at the console.
"Bridge to Engineering, B'Elanna I hope you're on the ball," he said.
"Trying to bring back our warp drive Doctor."
"I can give you power back to the core in a moment but I need you to punch it the second you see it or you'll lose any chance of getting out of here," he said, the console sparking as he ran the screwdriver across it, "Tom, be ready to get us out of here, warp six, no more no less. Tuvok, you'll have full weapons array online on my mark. I'm going to remodulate the shields, it should disrupt their tractor beam and give you enough power to get us at least five light years away."
"Captain?" said Tom.
"Do it?" said Kathryn, "All of you, take your commands from the Doctor until I tell you otherwise."
"Right," said the Doctor, not waiting for the crew to even acknowledge their Captain, "Ready on my mark. B'Elanna?"
"Aye sir."
"Tuvok?"
"Ready Doctor."
"Tom?"
"Yes sir," said Tom turning back to the helm.
"Remodulating shields, disrupting the Borg's tractor beam," said the Doctor, gripping the console as the ship broke free, "B'Elanna punch it! Tom, warp six now heading eight-four-seven point two. Tuvok, let him manoeuvre and then fire from the aft phaser array."
Voyager banked sharply, a volley of fire spilling from the aft array as they sped away but they shuddered to a violent halt as the Borg tractor beam took hold of them once more.
"Doctor you're meant to be getting us out of here!" cried Kathryn as the impact of the beam threw several of the crew members onto the deck.
"I'm trying," said the Doctor, "But you're systems are prehistoric! They keep matching the shield modulations, I can't shake them."
"Then we'll do this the Starfleet way," said Kathryn, "Tuvok, fire two spatial charges directly into the tractor beam, Lieutenant Paris on my mark take us out of here, maximum warp."
"Spatial charges armed and ready to fire Captain," said Tuvok, "But I must advise you that a blast so close between the two ships could as easily damage Voyager."
"It's a risk we'll have to take," said Kathryn, "All hands brace for impact. Fire!"
The console rasped as Tuvok gave the command, the spatial charges refusing to fire. He tried once more but Voyager failed them, the tractor beam pulling them closer and closer towards the looming Borg Sphere. Tom soon lost all control of the helm and Kathryn didn't even need to hear B'Elanna confirm that they had lost warp drive. The green light of the ship bathed the Bridge in an eerie glow as the terrifying, synchronised voices of the Collective echoed over the comm.
"We are the Borg. Lower your shields. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile!"
"Futile maybe but you're not getting this ship or its crew without a fight," said Kathryn standing with a steely determination, "You may have taken out our warp drive but we still have weapons. Release your tractor beam and we won't fire."
"We are the Borg. Lower your shields. Your biological and…"
"Oh you lot are tedious," said the Doctor stepping into sight of the view port, "We know you're the Borg, not many others bashing about the galaxy with a hive mind in need of an ASBO."
A scanning beam suddenly swept through the Bridge, falling over every crewmember but lingering longer on the Doctor. The tinny, synchronised voice rang out once more as the beam retreated.
"Your species is not recognised. Identify."
"My species, my species…" said the Doctor stuffing his hands in his pockets and scuffing his feet as he paced in front of the view port, "No I doubt you would have encountered my species. We were always a little bit to quick for you but I know that you know me."
"You are not recognised. Identify," said the Collective, "Resistance is futile."
The Doctor ceased his pacing, staring directly at the sphere, "Resistance is never futile," he said, "And you know me, your Collective knows me. Search those massive data banks of yours, search back to when you assimilated a crippled Dalek slip and remember who they were running from."
"Species 7383 was pursued by a being called the Doctor."
"And you know more than that, you assimilated all their knowledge," said the Doctor, "You know the Doctor, you know what he is, what he can do. Now I might look a little different but I can tell you now, Borg, I am the Doctor and you'd better run."
"The Borg do not run. Your ship will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."
The Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver, tossing it from hand to hand as he approached the console, "You know there was a time when even I would have stood before you, heard that and trembled in my shoes but when you get as old as I am you learn that there's scarier things in the universe," he said, "Take me for example. Call me the Doctor and no one gets upset but call me the other names that I've had throughout history and people start to tremble. The Borg start to tremble. You assimilated that crippled ship but to be honest you were doing them a favour because I would have obliterated them."
The rest of the crew was silent as the Doctor continued to speak, the lack of action from the Borg sphere enough to alert even the least experienced of them to the fact that his words held some meaning for the almost unbeatable enemy before them. The Doctor went to the nearest console, running the sonic screwdriver over it before he tapped out a command.
"There," he said darkly, "A little download, a little story of what happened only months after you took that ship. The legends of Skaro called me the Oncoming Storm, now see what happened when I broke!"
He hit the button to transmit the signal and for a moment a deathly silence reigned before the Sphere seemed to back away from them.
"What you are showing us is impossible," said the Collective, "Such a war never occurred."
"Maybe not where such tiny beings as you could see it but it happened and you know it did. I've fed you uncorrupted data," said the Doctor, "And now you know, you know the power of the storm and you know my species. Species number one, the Time Lords and I'm the last and I tell you this now my mercy will only last so long, so while it does, run. Run now or face their fate. Run!"
With no argument, with no attempt to scare him the Sphere disappeared from sight, the brief glow of trans-warp trail the only indication it had ever been there at all. The Doctor stood strong a moment by the view screen before his shoulders slumped and he returned the sonic screwdriver to his pocket.
"You can stand down red alert Kathryn," he said, "They've gone."
"Stand down red alert," said Kathryn almost on instinct, her eyes fixed on the man with his back to her as she headed towards him, "Doctor, how did you…?"
The Doctor turned, his deep brown eyes meeting hers with more sadness than she had ever seen in another person, "If you heard all my stories Captain Janeway, you'd run too," he said, "I have to leave now."
"Leave, why do you need to leave?" she said, "Doctor, you said yourself that they're gone. They were terrified of you. The Borg! I've been in Starfleet for years and never ever in all that time have the Borg run from anyone or anything."
"Then you know how dangerous I am," he said, "Don't make me a hero for this Kathryn because I'm running again now and that makes me no hero. Donna we're going."
Donna headed quickly to his side as he made for the stairs, "Alright, alright we'll go," she said, seeing the all to familiar pain in his face, "Just let's say goodbye first and then we'll go, alright Doctor?"
He nodded, "Say your goodbyes and I'll see you on the TARDIS," he said, "Kathryn, if you can be spared from the Bridge, would you come down with her?"
"Of course I will," she said knowing despite his lack of explanation that he would not be leaving them unless he thought it necessary.
The Doctor left the Bridge without another word, his expression haunted as he entered the turbo-lift. Donna swiftly did a round of the Bridge, lingering longest in her goodbye to Tom, the pair of them having connected far deeper during her visit than anyone else. She reached Chakotay and went to hug him but he took her arm and folded it into the crook of his.
"I'll walk down with you too," he said, "If I may, Captain?"
Kathryn nodded, "If you're done now Donna then we can go," she said, "But you've got other friends throughout the ship, Neelix and B'Elanna…"
"The Doctor needs to go," said Donna, "And when he looks like that, it means he really needs to go."
"I understand," said Kathryn, "But I wish I knew why."
"They're his secrets to tell Captain," said Donna, reaching out to squeeze the other woman's arm, "And he might be acting odd but I know meeting you has meant the world to him."
"Well meeting him has certainly changed us," said Kathryn leading them both up the stairs, "Tuvok you have the Bridge, get us out of this area of space. I don't want that sphere getting brave and coming back for us."
"Aye Captain," said Tuvok as the three of them stepped into the turbo-lift.
"I'm going to miss the two of you," said Donna as Kathryn called out their intended destination, "This ship is great and I do hope you get home."
"Perhaps you can jump ahead and find out," said Chakotay, "Look us up however far in the future and make us jealous that you look the same and we've got old."
"You've got a long way to go before you get old," said Donna, "But I will ask the Doctor if we can go and see you. You probably won't even remember me by the time I get there though."
"A twenty-first century girl and her Time Lord crashing into Voyager in a tiny blue box that travels through time?" said Kathryn, "Even with everything the Delta quadrant has to throw at us I think we'll remember that Donna, besides I'm really going to miss you."
Ignoring any idea of ceremony Donna threw her arms around Kathryn, "I'll miss you too, even if you are a mad Yank in a starship."
"I guess there's worse way to be described," said Kathryn hugging her back, "You take care on that journey of yours and if you cross our path again, we'll be happy to have you."
Donna stepped back from her and turned to Chakotay, standing on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck as the turbo-lift came to a halt and the doors opened on the shuttle bay, "You take care of her, you understand me?" she said.
"That's my job," said Chakotay, "Make sure you take care of the Doctor too."
Donna looked over at the blue box that stood silently in the centre of the room, "I will do, I have done for a while," she said the open door of the TARDIS invitation enough, "I should go."
She led them out of the lift and down to the TARDIS, the security detail that had once surrounded the ship no longer anywhere to be seen since the Doctor had earned the Captain's delicate trust. He stepped out as they approached, his expression less haunted than when he had left the Bridge but still filled with sadness. He crossed quickly to them, taking Kathryn's hands and folding them in his own.
"Captain Kathryn Janeway," he said in reverence, "You really are an amazing woman and I'm sorry I have to go so soon."
"You don't have to go Doctor," she said, "Voyager can be your home for as long as you want."
"But that would mean putting her at risk," said the Doctor, "While the Borg may well ignore you as you pass on through if they detect that TARDIS on board then they will try anything get to her. I could try and stay to protect you but the risk is greater that way and I can't risk them ever getting hold of the technology inside her, the whole of history would be rewritten in the worst possible way."
Kathryn nodded sadly, "I understand," she said, "Do you know if they'll attack soon?"
The Doctor shook his head, "If my memory serves me you still have a while until you encounter them again unless you were fibbing in that book of yours," he said, "But be careful and take care. You will get this crew home Kathryn and you are going to see Earth again."
"I'll try as hard as I can to do so Doctor," she said stepping back and offering him a salute she hadn't used since she'd left the Alpha quadrant, "Its been an honour sir."
"Don't salute me," said the Doctor before he tugged her into a hug, "This is a much better way to say goodbye."
Kathryn shrieked as he lifted her off her feet, having to hold onto him for fear of falling, "Doctor!"
"Oh don't pretend to be the Captain now," he said putting her back down, "I'm saying goodbye to my mate."
Kathryn smiled before she rose up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Goodbye then Doctor," she said, "Take care."
"You too," he said before he turned and extended his hand to Chakotay, "I take it you definitely don't want a hug?"
Chakotay shook his hand warmly, "I'll leave that to my Captain," he said, "But it's been an honour to meet you Doctor."
"You too," he said, stepping back, "Take care of each other, you have no idea how much you're going to need to in the future."
"I know I can count on this one," said Kathryn, emotion clear in her voice though her eyes remained clear, "If you ever pass this way again Doctor…"
"I'll try not to crash into you," said the Doctor before he turned to the TARDIS, "Time to go then Donna."
"Time to go," she said before she smiled, "Aren't you forgetting something Doctor?"
The Doctor suddenly grinned brightly, "Ah yes, so I am," he said, "I have a little present for you Kathryn, if you'll accept."
"I love presents," said Kathryn brightly, "What is it?"
The Doctor turned back to the TARDIS and aimed the sonic screwdriver, the device humming for a second before he called out, "Come on boy, come here."
Kathryn looked down at the TARDIS entrance as a small, cubic android in the shape of a dog trundled out of the ship and across to them, wagging the thin wire that served as a tail.
"M…master," it said in a sweetly staccato voice.
"There's a good boy," said the Doctor kneeling down to better fuss the droid before he looked up at Kathryn, "K-9 mark six. I put him together for you, if you'll accept. I know you like dogs."
Kathryn bit back a happy laugh as she knelt down to better look at the dog, "He's wonderful Doctor," she said.
"I am glad Mis…Mistress Janeway approves," said K-9, "I am happy to serve."
"There's no serving for you on this ship K-9 but you can be my companion if you like," said Kathryn, looking back to the Doctor, "Thank you so much."
"Its my way of saying thank you for your hospitality," said the Doctor, "K-9 was a companion to me for a long time but he'll serve you better here. I've programmed in the star charts I have for the quadrant into his memory banks and he will be able to give you information on the planets I know about."
Kathryn set her hand on K-9's metal head, "Welcome aboard K-9," she said.
"Thank you Mistress," he said, keeping to her heel as both she and the Doctor got to their feet, "Goodbye Master."
The Doctor smiled, "Perhaps you should try calling Commander Chakotay that from now on," he said, "You're a ship's dog now."
"I thought it was always a ship's cat," said Chakotay.
"Yeah but you've already got one of them," said the Doctor jerking his head towards Kathryn, "I never did find out if you were a Kitty in the bedroom."
Donna sighed and grabbed his arm, "Best we go now before she pitches you out of an airlock," she said.
The Doctor took her hand, "It is time to go," he said, "Good luck Captain, Earth will see you again and I will try."
"Take care Doctor," said Kathryn as the Time Lord led his friend into the TARDIS, the door closing behind them.
"They were so lovely," said Donna as she followed the Doctor up the ramp to the console, "It's a shame we have to go."
"I can't risk the TARDIS falling into Borg hands," said the Doctor, "And besides, they have to do this on their own."
Donna turned the view screen to face her, watching the two officers and their newest pet standing waiting for them to dematerialise, "Do those two ever come to their senses and get it on?"
"Spoilers Donna," said the Doctor, "We'll have to look them up in the future and find out but for now I promised you Jupiter but shall we say Jupiter circa 2382, might even bump into some of our Voyager friends enjoying some r and r. Fancy it?"
Donna hopped onto the console chair, "You're the Captain," she said, "Fly me away."
"You're incorrigible," said the Doctor setting the TARDIS in motion.
"And you love it," said Donna.
xxxx
Kathryn watched as the TARDIS rasped before it disappeared from sight right in front of her eyes. She absently reached out and took the hand of the man beside her, the touch grounding her as she tried to rationalise the past days on the ship.
"We didn't even know his name but he saved my life and he scared away the Borg," she said.
"And he gave you a metal dog," said Chakotay, "Tom's going to love him."
"I guess we'd better get the introductions out of the way then," said Kathryn loosing his hand as she turned back to the turbo-lift, "Come on K-9."
"Coming Mistress Janeway," said the little dog, trundling happily behind them.
"Mistress Janeway?" said Chakotay, an eyebrow arched in question, "I can see that one spreading in ways you don't want it to around the ship."
Kathryn flushed in horror, "I hadn't thought of that," she said as they stepped into the lift, making sure K-9 was in beside them, "Bridge. K-9, you need to call me Captain."
"Captain, Mistress?" said K-9 turning his face up to her.
"Just Captain," said Kathryn, "That's my rank with Starfleet."
"I am not a Starfleet issue unit Mistress," said K-9, "Though I am versed with the entire Federation database."
"I don't think you'll win this battle Mistress Janeway," said Chakotay.
"Watch it mister," said Kathryn, "The dog's cute."
"And I'm not?" said Chakotay, laughing at the look she shot him, "Alright, I'll behave."
Kathryn was silent for a moment, the lift on its way with a low hum but she soon broke the quiet, "The ship will seem strange without the Doctor and Donna," she said, "I've got used to having them around."
"I might get a look in with you throughout the day when I pass by your ready room," said Chakotay, "I don't think there's been a day when you and Donna haven't been gossiping."
Kathryn smiled, "Have I been neglecting you?" she said rubbing his arm.
"Its been nice seeing you so settled," said Chakotay, "I was worried after the other day with that alien and his matrix and then with what happened to you on the last planet you'd be…"
"Be what Chakotay?" said Kathryn, "I'm not as fragile as I might look you know?"
Chakotay smiled, "I never said you were but even you have to admit that you've been through a lot recently Kathryn," he said, "I've had to watch you die too many times and if its effecting me then its bound to be effecting you."
"Computer, halt turbo-lift," said Kathryn before she turned to him, "Why do I have a feeling I'm not the only one who might need to talk about this?"
"Because you know me as well as I know you," said Chakotay, "I do want to speak to you but not in front of our newest arrival."
"Fear not Commander, I am fully versed in Starfleet confidentiality protocols," said K-9, "Anything said between Mistress Janeway and her First Officer will be treated as such."
"We don't doubt that K-9," said Kathryn, "But some things are better said in private. Computer, resume turbo-lift. We'll talk tonight, I would say now but with the chance that the Borg might be lurking just out of sensor range you and I are both needed on the Bridge."
"Of course," said Chakotay, "I don't suppose you have any extra special Borg detecting sensors do you K-9?"
"Negative Commander," said the dog, "My systems are far weaker than Voyager's although the use of bio-neural technology is in its primitive stages on this ship. I have access to a database of modifications from the twenty-fifth century that would enable Voyager's engineering team to boost the efficiency of the ship."
Kathryn smiled over at her First Officer before she looked down at her newest crew member, "Well then Ensign K-9, I might just have a little project for you," she said, "If you would like to work in engineering for a while?"
"Affirmative Mistress," said K-9.
Kathryn cringed once more at her newly acquisitioned title, "Well I suppose it's no worse than everyone calling me sir," she said as the turbo-lift finally reached the Bridge.
xxxx
"Its not really that hard to believe that Klingon's used to fight the Federation," said Donna as she perched on the TARDIS' command chair, "B'Elanna got tetchy enough at the best of times."
"Aww B'Elanna was lovely and you got on with her once you got to know her," said the Doctor as he danced around the console.
"Doesn't mean she doesn't get tetchy," said Donna swinging her feet, "And she wasn't even proper Klingon anyway, she said her dad was human."
The Doctor grinned, "That must have been one hell of a night."
"Doctor!"
"What?"
"I can't take you anywhere," said Donna with a smile, "You're how super intelligent but still only one thing is on your typically male mind? Blokes are all the same regardless of species or time line."
The Doctor managed a rather impressive pirouette before he bent to pick up his trusty mallet and whacked the console soundly, the TARDIS engines settling into a more regular rhythm, "Is that your expert opinion then Professor Noble?"
Donna raised her chin and looked down her nose at him, "You'd better believe it alien boy," she said before she sat back in the chair, with a huff, "Are we there yet?"
"Nearly."
"Voyager with hiccups was faster than this."
"Oi!" exclaimed the Doctor, "Voyager wasn't having to complete complex time calculations while navigating the tumultuous gravitational eddies of the class four time vortex."
Donna cocked an eyebrow, "In English?"
"Voyager is pretty but she's a mini metro in comparison to the Ferrari that is a Type Forty TARDIS," said the Doctor.
Donna fingered the tattered upholstery on the command chair, "Yeah, I'm getting that Ferrari feeling," she said hopping down and heading to his side as she saw him pout, "Aww, don't you like teasing you about your ride? Typical boy!"
The Doctor nudged her, "You love the TARDIS as much as she loves you," he said, "Come on, you can admit it. No one here but us galliforms."
"Come again?"
The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Humans," he said before the console beeped, "Here we go then, coming up on Jupiter 2382. Ready for some fun?"
"That's what you said last time and then we crashed into a Starship full of mad Yanks," said Donna.
The Doctor gave her a wink, "Was still good fun though," he said, before he frowned, "Well, most of it anyway. I hope Kathryn and K-9 are getting along."
"I'm sure they're the best of friends already," said Donna as the TARDIS finally came to a halt, "We ready. Doctor?"
The Doctor looked up from the console screen with a quizzical look, "Sorry, what?"
"Is everything alright?" said Donna peering at the swirling Gallifreyan script despite not being able to make head nor tail of it.
The Doctor shot her a smile and straightened, "Its fine, sensors are just reading a little funny but I still have a few bugs to iron out after our little bump with Voyager," he said, "I'll look at it when we get back."
Donna took his outstretched hand and followed him towards the TARDIS doors. She bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet, the excitement of a new planet and a new time always exciting her almost as rapturously as it did the Doctor. He flicked the latch, lingering to prolong the suspense before he opened it a cracked, slowly inching the door further and further opened.
"Doctor, Doctor come on!" cried Donna.
He turned back to her with a smile, finally opening the door fully, "Alright, alright, keep that great ginger barnet of yours on," he said turning back to the door, "I…"
He froze as he turned back to the sight before them, Donna careering into him without warning. She began to argue against his sudden cessation of movement but grew quiet as she too took in the expanse before her. Where she had expected the futuristic research centre beneath towering glass bio-domes that he had promised her she saw the barren wasteland of the gas giant, only the atmospheric protection that surrounded the TARDIS saving her from a boiling and painful death.
"Doctor?"
"This isn't meant to be like this," said the Doctor desperately, "The centre was at its height in 2382, the pride of the Federation's research industry. This isn't meant to be like this."
"Well clearly it is," said Donna.
"Something's gone wrong," said the Doctor, "Something's gone wrong with the time line. This shouldn't be like this."
Donna stumbled as he pushed her back into the time ship, quickly slamming the door behind them as he raced to the console and set them into flight.
"Donna hold on tight, I need to find out what's wrong and its not going to be pretty. There was no trace of Jupiter station and that was the main Federation research centre, they never would have abandoned it without a reason."
"Perhaps the TARDIS got the date wrong, you said their were bugs that needed ironing out," said Donna.
"The dates are fine, I should have realised something was wrong when the sensors read so strangely," said the Doctor, "I'm going to scan for nearby power sources, it might give us an idea as to what's gone wrong."
"Alright," said Donna as the Doctor set them into motion, the TARDIS rasping almost reluctantly.
The Doctor turned to her, taking hold of her arms and meeting her eyes, "Listen to me," he said, "The TARDIS is safe, do you understand me? Whatever we find, you stay on this ship and you don't fight it, you let it do what it has to do."
"Doctor?"
"Donna something dreadful has happened," he said, "I've double checked the sensors and no human life signs are in the vicinity, nothing. Earth is no longer populated and no natural disaster occurred in that time line to achieve that. Something wiped them out, the same something that destroyed Jupiter station."
Donna paled, "What did this Doctor?"
"I don't know," he said before the console beeped and rasped at him, "But we're about to find out."
He went to the console view screen and the usual script was replaced with images of the ships beyond, floating amongst dimming stars. Giant cubes moved slowly through space, emitting an iridescent green glow that seemed to permeate the very fabric of space. Despite the change in shape Donna couldn't help but recognise the species that the ship belonged to.
"Doctor, that's a Borg ship isn't it?" she said.
The Doctor nodded solemnly, "And it shouldn't be here," he said as several more ships came into view, "A lone Borg cube in the Alpha quadrant isn't unheard of but this many in plain sight of Earth means something in the time line has gone wrong and we need to put it right because this is more than an invasion force, this means that the entirety of the Alpha quadrant is in danger of assimilation if it hasn't happened already. Billions upon billions of people enslaved by the Collective."
"Can you stop it?" said Donna, "Can you stop it Doctor?"
"I don't know," said the Doctor shutting off the monitor, "But I have to try. First though, I'm taking you home."
"What?" said Donna, "Why?"
The Doctor took her hands in his, "Because this is the Borg and I would never ask you to face them, I would never put you at that risk," he said, "You'll be safer back in your own time, back on Earth."
"And what if they have time travel?" said Donna, "How do you even know that my time hasn't been assimi-wotsitted even now?"
"I don't," said the Doctor, "But there's less chance of that than there is of you being killed when I try to put this right. Don't ask me to force you Donna."
"I'm not asking you to do anything but you'll have a hard job in shifting me off this ship alien boy," said Donna sitting back on the console chair and digging her fingernails into the upholstery, "I'm not letting you do this on your own Doctor."
The Doctor's expression hardened, "I'll drag you kicking and screaming off this ship if I have to," he said.
"Making me do something against my will sounds very Borg to me," said Donna, folding her arms across her chest and watching the man before her begin to back down, "You brought me here with the promise we might bump into some of them people off Voyager, which means they must have got home but now, if Earth isn't populated and you can't find any human life signs then what you're saying is they're dead isn't it? Kathryn and Chakotay, Tom and all the others, they're all dead?"
"I can't see how they wouldn't be," said the Doctor sadly, "I'm sorry Donna."
Donna got to her feet, "Don't be sorry about it," she said, "Just do something about it and let me help you because they're my friends too you know."
The Doctor looked down at her, "It will be dangerous."
"Well, what's life without a little danger and we've been through worse," said Donna, "Haven't we?"
The Doctor managed a smile, "Of course we have," he said, moving to the console, "I need to find out when the time line changed and the only way to do that quickly is to hack into the Collective's database."
Donna followed him as he began to set the TARDIS in motion, "Why do I get the feeling the Borg don't have a wireless network?"
The central column started to move as the TARDIS dematerialised, the Doctor moving slowly around the console, without his usual manic energy, "We're going to have to get inside one of their ships but I'm going to move us to the periphery of the fleet, that way we have less chance of being detected by one of the bigger ships," he said, "If I match the TARDIS' temporal wave pattern to the modulation of the Borg shielding we can slip passed their defences and it should leave us undetected long enough for me to get the information we need into the TARDIS databanks."
"Is there anything I can do?" said Donna as the Doctor took hold of her and moved her back from the console.
"Stay out of the way," said the Doctor but with little harshness to his voice, "I'm going to have to move quickly and the last thing I need to be doing is crashing into you."
"Demoted to crewman then," said Donna sitting back on the console chair, "Borg away then space boy."
The Doctor managed to throw her a placating smile before he turned his attention to the console, his movements quick and frantic as he piloted the protesting time ship. His shout as the TARDIS landed with a bump startled Donna but she soon recognised it as his usual expression of pride whenever he had foiled something of an enemy plot.
"We're passed the shields," he said, "Donna I need you at the monitor. When the screen goes green it means the download is complete, I need you to tell me exactly when that happens because I'll need to get us out of here as quickly as possible."
"Aye sir," said Donna, earning herself another quick grin as she moved to the monitor.
The script on the screen began to move, forming pattern after pattern of the Doctor's complicated written language. Icons moved from side to side on the screen before images and pages of text in various languages began to download far too rapidly for Donna to make any sense of. The screen flickered between colours and Donna kept focussed on them, not wanting to be drawn into the images downloading before her and miss the colour that was their signal to escape. Finally the screen was washed green, all the images replaced by the single block colour.
"Doctor!" she shouted, the Time Lord already in motion before the second syllable had left her lips.
He flew around the console, flicking switches and turning dials as he brought the TARDIS once more into flight but they still felt the shudder of the Borg's sensor beam as it swept through the ship.
"We are the Borg. Lower your shields…"
"No time, sorry," said the Doctor before he set them into flight, leaving the Collective far behind them.
They flew in silence for several minutes, the TARDIS bobbing and weaving erratically through the time vortex before she finally settled, the column ceasing its movements and the familiar rasp of flight. The Doctor walked over to the command chair and flopped down on it, letting his head fall back on the cushion as he ran his hands over his face with a groan.
"Ugh that was too close," he said staring up at the ceiling, "And second later with that download and you and I would have been sporting some stylish new ocular implants."
"I thought nothing could get into the TARDIS," said Donna.
"I wouldn't put it passed the Borg," said the Doctor, "Besides, this is a different timeline to what I know so I don't know who or what they've assimilated along the way until the TARDIS has analysed the data."
"Is that what she's doing now?" said Donna as the script on the monitor continued its rapid twists and turns.
"She's comparing the timelines," said the Doctor, "Finding the point where they splintered to create this reality."
"And how long will that take?" said Donna, "Will the Borg find us while we're waiting?"
"I hope not," he said, "I set us down on Vulcan, Tuvok's home world, but it's a good four thousand years prior to any sentient life evolving. Hopefully even if the Borg do have time travelling capabilities they won't think to look for us here, the time vortex would have masked any trace of us that they could have followed."
Donna dropped her gaze to her lap, wringing her hands, "I can't believe that they're all dead," she said, "We only left them two hours ago. The Captain's dead and you told me that she got her crew home."
"She did in the timeline I knew," said the Doctor, "And we're going to get her back if we can, this is not a future that should be wished upon anyone. I can't imagine what happened to give the Borg this power. They've taken everything."
Donna reached over and took his hand, "We're going to stop them," she said, "If anyone can do it you can Doctor. They're relying on us."
He smiled over at her, "Of course we will, I want to take you to see Voyager when she's a museum piece. She becomes the Federation's greatest tourist attraction for years."
"That seems sad, that ship not able to fly," said Donna.
"She flies for a good long while after they return to Earth but Kathryn isn't at the helm."
"Then who?"
"Starfleet's newest Admiral hands command to Captain Chakotay."
Donna grinned, "If that's not a sign that she fancies him…"
The Doctor laughed as they shared a knowing glance before he looked up at the sound of the console beeping.
"Has she got something?" said Donna following him to her feet and heading to the monitor.
The Doctor popped his glasses on his nose and peered at the screen, "There's a hell of a lot of data, the Borg assimilate everything about a person and that person's technology when they assimilate them. Their data banks are filled with everything that ever is and ever was about any culture when it comes under their Collective," he said, "All that information stored in one giant malevolent hive mind. The TARDIS is having a hard time processing it but it seems like here, at the edge of the Alpha quadrant, about two years before we arrived on Jupiter an invasion force swarmed in from the Delta quadrant. They took planet after planet without mercy and even with the Borg spin it seems like the Federation didn't stand a chance against them."
"So that's when we need to go back to then," said Donna, "Go back and stop them from invading. Or are we going to go back and warn the Federation, let them be more prepared?"
"Wait, wait, wait!" said the Doctor waving her down, "It still doesn't explain why history has changed. The Borg never mounted an assault of this magnitude on the Alpha quadrant, not in the time frame we're discussing. Even with prior warning the Federation wouldn't be able to do a thing against an armada of that size. No there has to be a point somewhere before then that gave the Borg the capability to mount such a massive assault, something altered prior to then in the timeline and we need to find out what."
"Can the TARDIS do that?"
The Doctor looked affronted, "The TARDIS is the most sophisticated time ship in existence, of course she can do that," he said before he reached out to pat the console, "You can do that, can't you old girl?"
Donna suppressed a laugh, reaching out instead to pat the cobbled together control panel. They waited once more as the script on the screen continued to swirl, the Doctor commentating now and then as the TARDIS alerted them to changes in the time stream some of them so minor that Donna could have believed them to be insignificant but the Doctor assured her that any change, however small could be disastrous for history. She knew that he had stumbled on something key when he cursed in a language the TARDIS translator refused to accommodate before he began dancing around the console frantically.
"Where are we going?" said Donna as he set them in motion.
"Back," he said hitting three buttons at once as he stuck a foot up onto the console along with his two hands, "We're going back."
"Back? Back where?" said Donna.
"The TARDIS has found the source of the change in the time stream," said the Doctor, the both of them holding on for dear life as the TARDIS gave a violent lurch, "Event horizon so to speak. Look at the monitor."
Donna cast her eyes back to the monitor as the ship continued to rock, seeing a very familiar image upon it, "You mean…"
"We're going back," said the Doctor as the TARDIS sped them through the vortex.
xxxx
Kathryn closed her eyes and wished she had brewed another pot of coffee between discussion topics as she digested the information on the PADD before her. She heard Chakotay get up from his seat opposite her desk, clocking his movements by hearing alone and letting a small smile break passed her frown as she heard him request her customary drink from the replicator. She kept her eyes closed until she heard the cup set in front of her and him return to his seat.
"I know it's not much of a consolation but you looked as though you needed it," he said as she opened her eyes and met his gaze.
"It doesn't exactly help the situation but thank you, it may at least keep my headache at bay," said Kathryn setting down the PADD and taking a sip of the warming, bitter drink, "That's the third altercation between members of the crew in two days. Much as I know the crew have got passed the Marquis Starfleet divide in the majority the odd spat should be expected but I don't think I've ever seen a case of Marquis on Marquis since you've been aboard."
"And between two fairly close friends as well," said Chakotay, "When Tuvok told me I thought he was winding me up, then I realised who I was talking too but even then it was hard to believe. Gerron and Ayala have always been ridiculously close and there they both were looking like they'd been scrapping with Klingon's for hours. I know the Doc's been a little bored of late but even he looked like he needed a break."
"What I don't get is why they were fighting?" said Kathryn, "Neither of them seem to have given you a straight answer if your report is anything to go by."
"I wish I had had more to put in it for you but there's nothing, neither of them could give me any valid reason for their behaviour," said Chakotay, "Ayala I could understand clamming up if he had something to hide, the man can undergo torture and not even give away his name but Gerron? I never tried to rule my Marquis crew by fear but if he found himself alone in a room with me I soon knew every secret he had been told to keep from me before I'd even had a chance to say hello."
Kathryn sighed, "Why is our crew fighting?" she said, "We've got dilithium to spare, the replicators and holo-decks are working perfectly, we've run in to little trouble, whichever way you look at it they should be happy and yet you're bringing me things like this on a regular basis."
"I do have a bit of a theory if you'd like to hear it," said Chakotay as he watched her let her head fall back against her chair once more.
She waved her hand vaguely, "Enlighten me, please," she said though the added drawl to her familiar Indiana tones let him know that she doubted either of them could find a suitable answer.
"I think the mad Yanks in a starship are missing the mad time travellers in a blue box," he said, "Three days since the Doctor and Donna left, two days since the crew got moody and started infighting. I think they're missing their friends."
Kathryn rubbed her eyes, "I can appreciate them missing them but we've had friends come and go before and the crew have never behaved like this."
"With all due respect Captain I don't think we've ever had anyone quite like the Doctor on the ship before," said Chakotay, "And his departure threw the crew for a loop, not many people got a chance to say goodbye."
Kathryn raised her head before she got to her feet, taking her coffee cup and heading towards the view port, "I can hardly bring him back," she said, "And how am I meant to find something to replace him if the crew have taken his departure so hard. I can't compete with a Time Lord."
"No one's asking you to compete with him Kathryn."
"The crew's morale is low and its because of me," she said sadly, "They all knew what the TARDIS was capable of and all of them would have been thinking that it was a way for them to get home. They would have been looking to me to make sure he took us back to the Alpha quadrant and once more I let them down, I let our route home slip through my fingers. One day Chakotay I'm going to wake up and find that they hate me."
She heard his quick footfalls behind her before two strong hands rested on her shoulders.
"Don't say that," he said, "There is no way this crew will ever hate you and they know whenever we have an opportunity to get home or shave some time off our journey you do everything in your power to get it for us."
"But I didn't try hard enough," said Kathryn, "He was just one man, we could have taken the TARDIS by force. He always went unarmed, we could have walked into the TARDIS with a few phasers and demanded he take us home."
Chakotay laughed quietly, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Kathryn Janeway, are you inciting your crew to piracy?" he said, "You forget how well I know you and regardless of what we could achieve you would never take a ship, especially from someone you considered a friend. You did all you could but the Doctor knew that our timeline had to be preserved, I don't think he would have left us otherwise."
"I just wish he'd given us a clue as to when we would get home," said Kathryn, her head dropping forward, studying the depths of her coffee cup rather than the stars before her, "Anything I could give to the crew. We're not getting home right now but I can guarantee that in however many years you will see Earth again, at least that would be something for them to hold on to, not this indeterminate existence that none of them chose."
Chakotay was silent for a moment before his hands left her shoulders and he moved round her until he could see her face. He took the coffee cup from her hand and set it on the low table to his left before he tucked a finger under her chin to lift her face to his.
"I want to ask my Captain's permission for something," he said.
"You don't have to ask permission from me Chakotay, I trust any choices you make for this crew, you know that," she said.
"This isn't for the crew and its only right I ask permission because its something I don't do that often," he said reaching out for her hand, "I want permission from the Captain to give my best friend a hug because I think, right now, she needs one."
A small smile lit Kathryn's face as she squeezed the hand that held hers, "Well considering the extreme current circumstances I think the Captain could grant you permission," she said.
She didn't put up any resistance as he pulled her closer, two strong arms coming about her as she gave up all hope of her rank and protocol to indulge in the comfort his embrace offered her.
"You know there's one or two things you need to know Captain," said Chakotay against her hair, "Firstly this crew will never, ever find cause to hate you and if by some strange trick of fate one of them does then they've got to get through me to have a hope in hell of harming you. Secondly you are going to get us home, I've believed that from the first moment we found ourselves stranded here and no matter what set backs we meet along the way I'll always believe that."
"You do realise that there's going to be times when I need you to believe that for the both of us?" said Kathryn, resting her cheek over his heart as he brought up a hand to stroke her hair.
"Haven't already proved that I do?" said Chakotay, "Friend and First Officer its my job to believe in you."
Kathryn tightened her grip around him, "Then I'm luckier than I know," she said only stepping back as the chime to her ready room sounded, swiftly reaching up to right her hair.
Chakotay reached up and took her hand away, "You look fine Captain," he said, "No one would ever know."
"That I was upset or that I've been cuddling my First Officer?" she said.
"Both," he said tucking one misplaced strand of her hair back into its arrangement, "You'd best answer the door."
He sat down at the view port as she straightened her shoulders and headed down to the room's lower level.
"Come in," she called, the doors opening to reveal no one until she lowered her gaze to see K-9 rolling into the room.
"Good morning Mistress," he chirped happily.
"Good morning K-9," she said, the little metallic dog always able to cheer her up and not failing to as he wagged his small wiry tail as he trundled over to her feet.
She crouched down and patted his head before she took the PADDs from the basket he had had affixed to his back, happily having become a messenger of sorts amongst the crew as well as one of B'Elanna's favoured assistants in engineering.
"What have you got for me here then?" she said.
"Reports from Lieutenant Torres," said K-9, "She is happy to report that the warp core is operating at peak efficiency."
"I hardly need to read the reports with you around," she said getting back to her feet, "What do you think Commander, do you think a promotion could be in order?"
"Hmmm Lieutenant K-9 does have a ring to it," he said joining the pair.
"Affirmative," said K-9 with a wag of his tail, "Are there any further tasks the Mistress would like me to complete today?"
"I've told you K-9, I only want you doing what you want to do," she said, "How about you join us on the Bridge for the rest of the shift?"
"Yes Mistress," he said swiftly following her as she headed out onto the Bridge and taking her seat.
"Report."
"We have a clear course ahead of us Captain," said Harry as Chakotay settled into the chair next to the Captain, K-9 coming to a halt between them, "Scans show several Y-Class planets about seven and then nine light years on from us but they're not directly on our course."
"Anything we should be interested in apparent in their atmosphere?" said Kathryn, leaning to look at the console Chakotay had brought up between them.
"Negative Captain," said Harry.
"Then let's leave them be," said Kathryn, "Mister Paris maintain our course, warp five."
"Aye Captain," said Tom though his tone seemed less than enthusiastic.
"Lieutenant Paris is there a problem?" said Chakotay noticing the tension in Kathryn's shoulders.
"No sir," said the Lieutenant though his tone still remained unimproved.
Chakotay opened his mouth to further correct him but Kathryn reached across and closed her small hand around his wrist, stilling any further remarks from him.
"Let them miss them," she said quietly, "We'll make a start on the staff rotas for next week."
"I can do those later," he said, the Captain rarely having any involvement with the weekly planning.
"I know but I want to help you today," she said, with a small smile, "I could make it an order."
Chakotay smiled as he pulled up the file on the console between them, "No need," he said, before he gave her a cheeky wink, "Unless you want to re-establish your authority?"
"I could do that by throwing you in the brig," she said, playfully serious.
"But then what would you do if you needed me to ask permission again?" he said, "I'd be rotting away downstairs and you'd have K-9."
Kathryn bit back a laugh, not wanting to attract the attention of the rest of the Bridge crew, "You're in far too good a mood Commander," she said, "I think its time I made you do some work."
"Yes sir," he said finally turning their attention to the work before them.
The Bridge continued to remain quiet, only the occasional reports and low conversations being heard over the hum of the engines. K-9 had soon set himself to standby mode as he remained sat between Kathryn and Chakotay, the two of them having decide to get ahead of themselves and complete the crew rotations for the following few weeks. It took a moment for the odd sound to be registered throughout the Bridge crew each of them slowly turning to look at the other in the worry that they were the only ones who could hear it.
"Do you…?" began Kathryn getting to her feet, "Ensign Kim do we have anything on scans?"
"The systems are scrambled Captain, I can't get anything," said Harry, "But that sound is familiar."
K-9 suddenly spluttered to life, the small antennae that made up his ears revolving to pick up the sound, "T…TARDIS detected Mistress," he said, "TARDIS detected."
"The TARDIS?" said Kathryn, "The Doctor's TARDIS?"
"Affirmative Mistress," said K-9, "The TARDIS is m…m…materialising in the Ready Room."
They had all turned to the room as the sound ceased, the door quickly opening as the Doctor ran out, swiftly followed by the Donna.
"Mister Paris, all stop!" he said, "Tuvok shields to maximum. Mister Kim, all power to your long-range scanners and let me know the second you pick anything up. Kathryn, Chakotay, briefing room, now."
Kathryn folded her arms across her chest as each member of her crew turned to her waiting for her to give the affirmative to his orders, "Doctor wonderful as it is to see you again, can I ask why you've just appeared on my Bridge and started ordering about my crew?"
"Because in three days time Kathryn, unless I do something right now, you're going to encounter the Borg," he said, "And when you do, you're going to die."
xxxx