Chapter 1~ The Kazon

Voyager had just been assigned to find a Maquis ship, his first mission. and it had already gone wrong. Once damage from the displacement wave had been patched, he found his quarry, the small Maquis fighter Val Jean. But the Intrepid's crew was soon abducted and he was left just barely repaired and sitting just right next to a massive space station, 70,000ly from his last position. "Is every ships first mission as bad as this." He groaned. "Only if you're an Enterprise." Val replied with a chuckle. "But I am not an Enterprise." He shuddered. "Damn my head hurts." "That's what happens when you're sent 70,000 light years across space." "Well I suspect this station is the thing that could get us back. But whoever is aboard is obviously hostile. my crew is missing, and so is yours if my scans are accurate." He snorted as the medical hologram was complaining about everyone suddenly just disappeared. "I don't have an answer for you doc now please let me sort this out in peace." He growled. "Oh you got that hologram program? Ugh that thing's a nuisence!" "How would you know? Its brand new?" "Heh, I've heard complaints." "You seem to know an awful lot about our newest equipment." "Most of my crewmembers are converts. Duh!" "Yeah about that. You know I am after you." "I know but it seems before you capture me we're gonna have to work together." "I guess I have to agree. Regardless of your ideals, you are still Federation born." "I'm doing what the Federation should be doing!" "Starting a war with the Cardassians? No I don't think so." "Those are Federation citizens trapped in that regime!" "Well I can say this. It's not our problem right now. Our priority should be getting home." "Agreed. So what do we do with that station?" "Nothing until we get our crews back." Val sighed. "What you suggest that we leave them behind?" Voyager growled. "No but we need to get them back somehow." "I can't scan the darned thing. I have no readings at all off that station." "It's confusing." "I'll keep running my scans, but with all the damage I took being yanked here. I am not as effective as I should be." "Neither am I mate."

Eventually, after several days, the crews were returned and they now had to decide what to do with the station, the Kazon, a race native to this region attempted to claim it for their own. attacking Voyager and Val Jean, the former, being the larger, more advanced ship, being more than a match for their attackers. Val used her small size to her advantage, zipping in and out of the Kazon's weapons. Eventually. a large Kazon ship came in and engaged Voyager, battering him with four forward particle beam weapons. The Intrepid class ship soon disabled that large warship and moved 400,000 kilometers away from the space station and readied a pair of tricobalt torpedoes, with the target being the station, there only way back home. "Voyager, no!" Van cried over their commlink. "Do that and we can't get home!" "I can't let them have this station, they would use it wipe out that species we met earlier, the one who brought us here said the station had to be destroyed." He replied and fired, completely destroying the station, and their hopes of a quick return home. The Kazon said that they had made an enemy and hastily retreated.

"Now what? It'll take us 75 years to get home!" He sighed and nodded. "Yeah... But I feel we did the right thing." he replied and turned away, setting a course back for DS9's location and getting underway at impulse, but he transported several dozen photon torpedoes over to Val Jean as he did leave. Val joined up, falling in beside him. "I am going to suggest we upgrade your systems while we move. From what I understand you could use an overhaul. And You are likely going to need it out here." "And how would I do that? I don't have those kinds of supplies." "I do though. And I have an industrial replicator." "Lucky you." "Meaning I can fabricate the upgrades you are going to need. Although it will tax my power reserves. We can find was to recharge though. since food is likely not going to be available" "Unfortunately. We need to come up with new ways of getting energy. What about a solar dish? It's an old earth technology. Your deflector array would be perfect with a few modifications." "Yes, but I do need that for other things as well." "It was just a suggestion." She sounded a bit sullen. "I'll think about it. But I wouldn't be hopeful." Val sighed and continued in silence.

It had been one week since Voyager had been stranded in this unknown region of space, and already he was growing restless at the long journey ahead of him and Val Jean. Val was also getting impatient. She was growing tired of being attacked and having to run constantly. "How are you doing so far?" He asked, actively scanning all around them with his sensors. "Hanging in there." She replied, though exhaustion showed in her voice. "We should find a planet to settle down on." "You can't land on one can you?" "Well, maybe I can, maybe I can't." He teased. She rolled her eyes. "Alright, let's find an M-class planet somewhere." "Already done. Although we can find any planet really." He answered, turning to port and preparing to make a short range warp jump to the planet, He transmitted the location first, his nacelle pylons moved upwards before he disappeared to warp. the familiar flash of blue light appearing in the distance. Sighing, Val followed, landing on the planet's surface

Voyager was already settling into low orbit, slowly descending into the atmosphere and extending his landing struts, settling down beside the Maquis raider. "Impressive." Val said "First and only class of Federation ship outside of shuttles that can land." He said with some pride. "Heh, just our luck." "How so?" "Well at least I don't have to be alone down here." "Hmm, yeah. Not sure I would be good company. I haven't been very social, but I am still young." "I can tell. You're a rookie." "First mission after all." He sighed. "And I'll be very outdated when we get home, who knows if the Federation and Starfleet will even exist in 75 years." "We'll find a way to make it sooner than that." "I believe we will have to. Now let's give you a refit." He said.

His shuttles and other crew members started to come out and over to her. By the end of the process, Val Jean was equipped with new shields to match his own, more powerful phasers and the same torpedoes he had, totally replaced engines to allow her to match his speed for just as long as he can, newly fabricated warp core, and new sensors. "Wow, this is incredible!" "Should give us quite an edge against those Kazon if they show up." "Granted you are still not as powerful as I am. So do use caution." "Understood. Nothing extremely reckless." "I'd prefer nothing reckless at all. We don't have the luxury of taking risks out here. There is no Starbase for us to go back too." "You know if you need my advice you can ask. I'm familiar with that sort of operation conditions." "You are?" "I'm Maquis. I don't exactly have access to starbases." "I suppose. Hrm. What are we going to do about power?" "We'll have to do what our forefather's did. Eat and convert that energy." "Hmm yeah. We do have that capability. We have the actual sources, so we tend not to need to eat very often." "Well we better start. We can convert the rest." "Yeah." "I wonder if this rock has anything." "It might. I could go into orbit and scan it." Val nodded. "Sounds good to me."

He did so, and after several minutes of scanning, he did find a large body of fresh water as well as edible flora and animals. After he relayed it to her, he detected three Kazon warships and several dozen fighters on an intercept course. "Val we are going to have company, more then we can deal with. We are going to have to find another planet." She groaned. "Lead the way! Damn Kazon!" "Hurry and get up here. I'll cover while you leave." He said, being engaged by all three of the carriers and fighters, He could only hold them off for a few minutes, his shields being battered, forcing him to transfer power from engines and auxiliary power to his shields. It did slow down him down and reduce his sensor power, but hardened his shielding and boosted the regeneration. Val warped out but she returned a minute later, zipping in and out of range with a swiftness that none of the other ships could match. "Let's get out of here Voyager!" She growled. He did so, going to warp nine to avoid pursuit, as he was faster. Val panted as she pushed her engine to keep up. Her lungs weren't used to this speed

After several hours at that speed, Voyager dropped out of warp and sighed. "Is this going to be what we get used to? Chased around while trying to find supplies." Val couldn't answer as she was too busy trying to catch her breath. He was also a bit winded, still tired from his battle as well as the high speed of his escape. "You'll get used to the increased power output." Panting, she rolled into him. "Let's just find another planet! "And be chased away from that one too?" He snorted in annoyance. "Not if we're fast." She replied. "Well we are faster then they are, but boy do they pack a punch." "Indeed!" "We really need to find a way to fight those battleships they have." Voyager sighed as they traveled, starting to scan as far as his sensors would allow. "Agreed. But we need food first so we can create new weapons." "I could adapt my torpedo launchers to handle the experimental Quantum torpedoes Starfleet was developing. the design is on file." "Then do so." He sighed and got his crew working on it.

Val found a Class M planet with flora and fauna and stocked up. Voyager remained out of range of the planet as Val explored the planet. He didn't know he was going to get a surprise though. Val returned, beaming his supplies to him. "Thanks Val." He said still scanning for hostile ships, he did detect one however, and it had apparently detected him. "Let's go!" Val growled. "Yeah I agree." he started to came about and prepared to go to warp. Val readied her weapons and spooled up her own drive to cover him. "We should be leaving together." Voyager protested. Val refused. "You're more valuable than me!" "How? How am I more important." "You have a fleet, a nation to get back to. I won't be missed!" He sighed, and locked a tractor beam on her. "But you are the reason I am out here. I was ordered to bring you back. Besides. You are the only company I have." She grumbled. "Stubborn Starfleet!" He quickly jumped to warp after he had secured her. Once they dropped out, Val struggled against the tractor beam. "Sit still." He ordered. She huffed but did as she was told.

Eventually the pair found another class M and settled down on it. Suspecting Kazon sensors were not as good to detect ships on the surface. Val joined him, resting against his side. Her hull was aching. "Probably twinged some kind of muscle." She thought. Waiting for some time, he finally relaxed. "Well it looks like we lost whoever was following us." He said as he looked back to her. "Indeed." She panted, rolling on her back to try and relax. He smiled as he watched her. "Voyager." She murmured sleepily. "Hmm?" She looked up at him, her eyes clear despite her exhaustion. "Thank you." He nodded, pressing his muzzle briefly to the top of her head. She leaned into him happily, curling up as she went to sleep. The first proper sleep since they'd arrived in this quadrant. He eventually fell asleep as well, his systems going to a low power state as he rested.