Chapter Six

The shuttlecraft glided perfectly out of Voyager's shuttlebay and into the void of space. Tom clapped. "Well done, Lush!" he said, grinning.

Allucia blushed, manning the controls. "Thank you Lieutenant," she said timidly. "This doesn't feel much different from the holodeck, though."

"Of course not," he replied. "Except here the safeties aren't on."

"Yeah...what are the coordinates of that moon again?"

"Bearing 347.745."

"Thank you." Allucia pressed a few more controls. "Going to Warp Three." There was a slight lurch as the Sacajawea went to warp. Allucia sat back in her seat and yawned after putting the shuttle on autopilot. "Computer, ETA to Lumox VII."

"Four hours, seven minutes."

"Now what?" Allucia asked.

"Hmmmmm... usually I'm on shuttle missions with B'Elanna... so pretty much of what I usually do is thrown out the window and—"

"Oh, my virgin ears!" the girl wisecracked. Tom burst out laughing.

"I'm gonna go get a snack," Allucia said, getting up and heading towards the rear of the shuttle where the replicator was located.

"So how's life on Voyager been for you, Lush?" Tom called towards the back, craning his neck backwards.

"It's okay, having lost its novelty and all. I'm still pretty homesick though." Allucia replied, returning with an enormous plate containing various kinds of cookies and a glass of milk.

"I know exactly—a snack?!"

"Yup. Want some?"

"Sure." Tom took an Oreo and stuffed it in his mouth. "What was life like back home?" he said while chewing, slightly mumbling.

"Boring. Eat, sleep, wake up, school, eat, make trouble, eat, work, sleep, make more trouble, eat, sleep. My circle of life."

Tom frowned. "I would think someone like you would be out having fun."

"Fun?" Allucia snorted. "I barely know the meaning of the word. In the spring I used to play softball, but I quit because my coach was being unfair, and never letting me catch," she said, taking a swig of her milk while Tom went to get his own. "I had a job—needed cash to have fun, you know? Well, at least the roller derby was fun..." she continued, gazing out the window forlornly at the stars streaking past.

"Roller derby?" Tom knew the term, as obsessed with the twenty century as it was. "You mean that was still around?" Allucia broke out of her semi-trance to see that Tom had returned.

"Yeah, it had a bit of a rebirth in the early 21st century," Allucia said, nodding. "A lot of the girls I hung out with were on my team, and my prom date a few months ago I met at one of the bouts." She paused to stuff a chocolate chip cookie in her mouth. "You would like him—he wanted to be a pilot too—flying theoretical aircraft." She smiled and shook her head, though she was fibbing a bit. He was more interested in getting high with drugs as opposed to aircraft. "Lunatic." Allucia took an oatmeal raisin while Tom took a chocolate chip.

"Not recommended," Tom said. "You might turn into a giant salamander."

Allucia burst out laughing. "Not good." Her tone turned serious again. "Sometimes I miss my friends, but I miss my family more."

For the next hour or so, Allucia and Tom talked about whatever subject popped up, and went through three more plates of cookies and ten more glasses of milk between the two of them. Allucia burped loudly, and stuffed the last cookie on the last plate in her mouth.

"Excuse me!" she exclaimed, spewing some crumbs.

"Good one."

"Thank you." More crumbs issued forth.

Tom burped, though not quite as well as Allucia. "Excuse me."

"Mine was better."

"Shut up."

"You know, talking with you, and being with you... you remind me of my big brother..." Allucia said quietly, a faint smile on her face, a smile of remembrance.

Tom smiled back. "You remind me a little of my sisters, even though they were older than me."

Allucia giggled. "I can imagine," she said, "you as a four-year-old being tied to a chair for a tea party with stuffed animals or being a makeup tester."

"What?! Did Harry tell you about that?!"

"No," Allucia said with genuine innocence. "But that is probably something I would've done if my brother wasn't bigger than me." Then her eyes lit up in realization. "You mean your sisters actually did that to you?" she asked, giggling.

"Yes..." Tom replied, trying to frown and be serious, but failing miserably. "Yes, but—" Tom broke off as something beeped on his console. "Sensors show a ship approaching at Warp Seven. They'll intercept us in four minutes."

Allucia immediately paled. In fact, the color drained from her face so quickly that Tom thought that it had, in fact, been drained. She didn't move at all for a moment; then, remembering herself she spoke. "Is it Klaamox?" she asked quietly.

Tom rechecked his sensors. "Yes—the very same ship we 'paroled'...do you want me to take over?" he asked, seeing the terror in Allucia's eyes. After all, training missions should only go so far.

Allucia's mind was in a whirlwind. She wanted to stay at the helm, she had to get over her fears. Yet Tom had more experience behind him, and should they find themselves in a difficult situation, they would need that experience. Allucia made her decision. "I'll stay here, if anything goes wrong it's just a matter of swapping seats."

Tom gazed at Allucia to see if she meant what she was saying. Her outward demeanor was calm, almost Vulcan. Except her eyes betrayed how she was really feeling: panicked, terrified, and confused all at the same time. Tom smiled a comforting smile. "Yes ma'am," he drawled.

Allucia looked up from her console for a moment and flashed Tom a quick smile, albeit nervous.

"They're dropping out of warp," Tom reported.

"Dropping out of warp and slowing to impulse." Allucia replied.

"They're doing the same and hailing us."

"Open channel." Allucia commanded. She swallowed and took a deep breath. The alien appeared on the screen, the same alien who had taken Allucia hostage over a month ago. She recognized him from the vid, it was a face not easily forgotten.

"I am Ensign Allucia Banks of the shuttle Sacajawea," Allucia began, swallowing the bile and fear that was beginning to rise in her throat. "We have traced your ship changing course to rendezvous with us. Is there anything we can do for you?"

"I am Captain Xamos of the war vessel Klessnex! You are in Klaamox territory!" he hissed, his upper lip pulling back into a sneer, revealing sharp yellow teeth. "Go back the way you came or we will destroy you!"

"We are only on a survey mission—" Allucia was cut off as Xamos cut the transmission. A moment later the shuttle shook with phaser fire as an orange beam shot out of the Klessnex.

Tom and Allucia stood up simultaneously, and they quickly switched seats. No words were passed as the lieutenant focused on evasive maneuvers and ensign on tactical. The first shot had somehow knocked out their shields.

"Return fire!" Tom called out as weapons fire shook the ship for a third time. "Aim for their weapons systems!"

"Targeted!" Allucia called.

"Fire!"

Allucia fired. "We barely made a dent in their shields!" she called a moment later; and then, a moment after that, the next shot that hit the Sacajawea caused Allucia's console to short out and explode. She fell back into her chair, unconscious and bleeding from the temple. Tom cursed under his breath. Now not only were they defenseless; but lacking the critical extra pair of hands. He began pressing commands desperately into his own console. At the same time the lights went out above him as the shuttle went to auxiliary power. Then Tom heard the ominous whine of a transporter behind him. Tom swiveled in his chair only to be hit squarely in the chest by a phaser blast.

"Captain, we are receiving a message..." Harry said from Ops. "It's a Federation signature—Lieutenant Paris' code, but numerical only and he's not responding to hails."

Hearing the worry and urgency in Harry's voice, Kathryn was at his side and looking at his readings before he had finished saying "Lieutenant."

"It's coordinates," Kathryn said. "And they were an hour away from the moon." She frowned. "Try hailing them again."

Harry did so. "No response." he replied.

"Ms. Wildman, set a course for those coordinates." Kathryn ordered. "They may be in trouble."

One moment Allucia had been targeting the phasers to shoot at Tom's next command, and the next she knew she was waking up with one hell of a headache on a cold hard floor. She groaned as she pushed herself to a sitting position, crying out as her right elbow caved beneath her. Then, in a flash, she remembered the rest of what had, and probably happened. "Tom?!" she managed to squeak out.

"Shhhh... calm down young one..." came a soothing, deep female voice. "You are just fine." the voice said, and arms helped the dazed teenager sit up and lean against a wall.

Allucia looked around, everything was blurry and dim. "Where's Tom—"

"The young man they brought in with you is only a few feet away, he is still unconscious."

The teenager looked up from where she had been cradling her throbbing skull in her hands; her vision was still a bit blurry. She looked towards where the voice was coming from and jumped, startled. The woman crouching in front of her bore such a close resemblance to her mother, she thought it was in fact her for a moment. The only difference was that this woman had long, elegantly pointed ears, elf like; curling slightly on the bottom and tops of the lobes, and a long slender nose. "Sorry," Allucia apologized, "but for a moment I thought you were someone else..." her voice trailed off as she choked back a sob. Then she looked around the room.

There were many other people around, of many different species, kept in a dimly lit holding cell of some sort. It was certainly too small for the amount of people it was holding. Everyone was murmuring quietly; there were children crying too, and Allucia could see Klaamox guards posted outside, heavily armed.

Allucia turned back to the woman in front of her. "Where's—" and in response the lady nodded towards where the pilot still lay unconscious, covered by a torn blanket that didn't do much to cover him.

"Tom!" Allucia cried, crawling the two feet to Tom, nearly collapsing again on the elbow she knew must have been dislocated again. Her first aid training from high school suddenly came back to her: Tom was breathing (though a bit raspy), had a pulse (a bit fast, Allucia thought), but he wasn't bleeding (externally at least). And she was very worried about the charred spot on his chest. Nonetheless Allucia sighed in relief as she leaned her good shoulder against the wall. She felt a light tap on the other shoulder. The teenager winced slightly and turned to the woman next to her, who was offering her a canteen of water. Allucia took it gratefully and thanked her.

"I'm Devra," the woman said, once Allucia had taken a good long sip.

"I'm Lusha, and this is Tom," she said, motioning to the prone lieutenant beside her.

"Is he your brother?" Devra asked.

Allucia smiled weakly. "You could say that."

Devra gazed intently at Allucia for a moment. "I don't think I've ever seen your kind in this area of space before."

Allucia snorted. "It's a long story." She went on to tell Devra about Voyager's journey to the Alpha Quadrant, from what she had learned anyway. Devra patiently listened, captivated.

"It must be hard, being so far from home."

The teenager shrugged. "A little, but—" She turned to her right as Tom let out a pained moan. Allucia was at his side immediately. "Tom? Talk to me."

"Lush?" Tom groaned. "What happened?"

"Sit up and have some water first." Allucia said. She and Devra helped him to lean against the wall, and Allucia handed him the canteen.

Tom took a sip and looked around, wincing. "Please don't tell me we're on the Klaamox ship."

The ensign nodded solemnly. "We're on the Klaamox ship."

The elder pilot gave Allucia a dirty look, then shifted his position, wincing again. "I feel like I've been kicked in the chest by a horse."

"You were phasered." Allucia said. Tom nodded in remembrance. "Too bad your chest isn't as thick as your skull." She laughed nervously. "Oh yeah—Tom, this is Devra."

Tom waved weakly. "Hi. Sorry if I'm not good company right now."

"It's quite all right," Devra said, shaking her head. "You don't have to worry about that here."

"Just what kind of ship is this?" Tom asked.

The alien woman immediately stiffened. "Aside from being a warship... it's also a slave ship."

Allucia paled while Tom muttered "Oh God."

Devra went on. "...and we're on our way to be sold." she said, in barely a whisper, shutting her eyes tightly. "I only hope that my planet's government will ransom for my people's release."

It finally occurred to Allucia to check about her combadge. Her hand automatically went to her chest, shakily. "Banks to Voyager." she said, but there was no response. "It was worth a try." she said, shrugging painfully.

"You've been here for a couple of hours, and this ship has been traveling at high warp." Devra put in.

Tom reopened his eyes and looked around. There were no windows, but he had known that the ship was traveling at high warp as well. "Pilot, engineer, or captain?" he asked Devra.

Devra smiled knowingly, albeit sadly. "Captain. My ship was destroyed about two weeks ago, en route to my homeworld after a six-month survey mission, when we were attacked and overpowered. We—" she broke off as she looked upwards, although at nothing. Tom did the same.

"We've dropped out of warp." Tom said. Devra nodded her agreement.

Allucia immediately looked towards the cell entrance. The guards had deactivated the forcefield and were bringing in garments to wear, giving them out to the prisoners. Allucia and Devra helped Tom to stand up.

One burly guard walked up to Allucia, glaring at her. When a disturbance averted his eyes for a moment, she quickly tore off her combadge and fisted it. The teenager then returned the glare, her eyes an icy blue.

Surprised that such a child would be so pompous as to do this to him, he shoved the clothes at her, and in turn shoved her back into the wall. She gasped loudly as her elbow struck the wall. She slid along the wall to the floor, cradling her elbow. Tom sent the guard a glare as well as he helped her up, but didn't say anything.

"Change ssslaves," the guard snarled, articulating the latter word. Then he stalked off with the rest of the guards and they reactivated the forcefield.

For the next few minutes all was silent except for the rustling of clothing. The garments were toga-like, a loose fitting sleeveless shirt and shorts, and no footwear. There were twice as many guards outside now, just as heavily armed. After a few minutes, they filed in again. Tom and Allucia had tried to keep their standard issue boots, only to have them snatched away by a guard.

"Stay close to me," Tom murmured. Allucia nodded and clasped Tom's hand. He in turn gave it a squeeze, giving and receiving comfort at the same time.

"Approaching the coordinates, Captain," Tuvok called from Tactical.

Kathryn put down the report she was reading, and stood up, hands on hips. "On screen." she commanded. They were greeted with a seemingly empty starfield.

"Harry, scan for debris." Chakotay ordered.

"Scanning..." Harry said, his fingers flying over the panel in front of him with practiced ease; then his brow furrowed. "I'm reading debris from the Sacajawea... looks like it was blown apart by a disruptor—and the energy signature is Klaamox."

Kathryn's heart leapt up into her throat, then plunged back down into her stomach. "Organic remains?" she asked, her voice grim.

Harry turned his attention back to his console. "Negative, from the shuttlecraft only." Harry reported. She could hear the relief in his voice.

Kathryn sighed in relief herself. "How long ago did this happen?"

"Judging by the energy degradation, I'd say at least five hours."

"Any trace of warp signatures?" Chakotay asked.

"There are two," Tuvok reported, "both Klaamox, heading in opposite directions."

"Captain, there is a ship approaching." Harry called. "And it is Klaamox."

"On screen," Kathryn ordered as she turned to face the front viewer, "and hail them. I want answers."

"No!" Allucia shrieked. "You can't take me away from him! He's the only family I have left!" she howled, kicking and screaming in the hold of the frazzled security guard who was restraining her but looking like he would lose his grip any moment. She had managed to clasp her hands around Tom's, who was being hauled away by three guards since he had just been purchased. They'd just managed to interlink their handcuffs so it was nearly impossible to separate them. Her wrists were beginning to bleed, with the metal digging into them as guards on either side tried to separate the two.

"I won't let them—" He was cut off momentarily, "—separate us, Allucia!" Tom called.

They were on Klaamox III, the homeworld. They were in the main square in the capital city of a province. It must have been in the at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit; not including the humidity.

This scene went on a few minutes, Tom hurling epithets, and Allucia just plain hysterical, before more guards had to be called in before they were finally able to separate the two. When they did, Allucia had a fit, to say the least. Slaves, slavers, and buyers alike stared on at the spectacle, never having seen anything of the such before; especially coming from slaves.

She started kicking and screaming and moving so frantically it took four guards to restrain her, one for each limb. They couldn't shut her up though, she was screaming louder than an angry Klingon. Her energy even surprised Tom.

Tom himself was held by four guards also, he didn't have Allucia's energy, but that didn't mean he was fighting any less. In the back of his mind he was wondering why they hadn't been stunned or sedated yet. His best guess was that the "merchandise" was not to be harmed. But he wasn't giving up yet. He and Allucia may not have much chance of escaping, but they had to stay together. "You bastards!" he screamed hoarsely. "How sadistic are you?!" No, he thought helplessly. This can't happen... if we're separated... I'll never see her again. That girl has been through enough...

They were just about to carry Allucia off, still kicking and screaming, when a well-dressed Klaamox walked up to one of her guards and told him something, gesturing to Tom. The guard nodded to his inferiors who in turn released Allucia. She went at warp speed to Tom, slamming into him with such force that he got the wind knocked out of his still-sore chest, with her sobbing. Tom put his arms around her, as his guards had released him also. The aide turned to Tom.

"I am Xelos," he said. "You are fortunate, Pale One. Zee lady of my house could not bear to ssseparate you two, ssseeing the pain it caused." Xelos sneered. "I think it foolishhh."

"Well I don't." Tom quipped.

Xelos scowled at Tom. "Follow me."

Tom looked down to see Allucia was unconscious. Poor girl. He also noticed her right elbow was swollen as big as a softball. He picked up the slight girl in his arms and began to follow Xelos.