Three Strange and Curious Girls
The planet had been checked and doubled checked, it had to be 100% safe. A routine away mission had been prepared however it was actually quite special because some of Voyager's children were going along too. Neelix had been happy to be chief babysitter for said 'away mission'. It was safe to say the children were very excited.
=/\=
At 0500 Kathryn Janeway and her husband, Chakotay, got a rather rude awakening from their eldest, Melonie, who was the most excited and enthusiastic Janeway child. It was very clear she wanted to be just like her mom one day, Starfleet Captain extraordinaire.
"You have to get up now mom. You have to do my hair like yours used to be before you cut it, do you know how long that may take." She wheedled lying in between her parents, facing her mother.
"Melonie, you don't have to be at the shuttle bay until 0830. That's a while away. Anyway there's still at least an hour until the alarm goes off so go back to bed" Kathryn spoke softly, quite groggily in fact.
"Urgh fine! I'll go have a shower then. I'll have a bath later, as a treat because I'll have done brilliantly on the away mission" with that she literally bounced off the bed and into the adjoining bathroom. Chakotay chuckled it was considerably muffled by his pillow but this didn't stop his wife prodding him in the back.
"We can remind her of this when she's a teenager, right?" Kathryn mumbled turning over and settling back into a light sleep.
=/\=
By 0700 the Voyager children were all happily eating breakfast at the Janeway's breakfast table. Naomi, Melonie and Mezoti chatting away with little Miral and Kolopak trying to join in, unsuccessfully. Erla was content in avoiding the food her father was trying to get her to eat and Anson, well he was sulking. Kathryn could see her son crossed legged on the couch and rolled her eyes, he was the moodiest.
"Anson, go and get dressed please." She cocked her head to his bedroom door as she secured the pins into Melonie's long hair. The little boy shook his head.
"I don't wanna go" he whined, flopping back onto the grey couch.
"That's fine sweetheart, but we have an alpha shift so you'll have to stay here on the ship with Seven as you're babysitter." He sat up and shrugged his shoulders, he quite liked Seven "and Icheb" she added as an afterthought, smiling to herself as he leapt up sprinting to his room. It was common knowledge that Icheb was not popular among the other children, Naomi and Mezoti the only ones very good at tolerating his insightful comments when it came to the freedoms of childhood. She leaned down kissing the top of Melonie's head signalling she was done. Shyly Mezoti moved in front of her captain and beamed when the mother of four mindlessly began braiding her lighter hair.
"Thank you Captain" she smiled when her hair was finished. The three girls linked arms and waited by the door. Anson was now dressed and sulkily stood beside them. Kathryn kissed Chakotay goodbye, much to the disgust of the children, then pointed them to the doors.
=/\=
By 0800 those going on the away mission were gathered in the conference room being briefed. Neelix stood proudly with the children, who were all standing equally as proud, listening to the Captain explain what everyone's duties were.
"That's all for now but even though Neelix is in charge of the children, everyone stay alert, you know what they're like" she smiled at the voices of agreement that chorused round the room. At 0830 they were off. Two shuttles, the delta flyer was one it carried the children Neelix and Tom, they flew out of the shuttle bay and toward the planet.
=/\=
It was a relatively dry terrine, not many minerals but plenty of plants and 'vegtables'. Neelix kept his herd of children close but it wasn't long before the three girls got a little more curious.
"Now you see this Anson, this is Meetal and it can't be eaten raw, if you do it can cause serious swelling to the mouth and possibly the windpipe" Neelix explained to the raven haired boy as they crouched on the ground.
"Where's Melonie gone?" he smiled innocently, knowing well that they had wandered off and the Talaxian was yet to notice.
"Well she and the other two are…" he turned to see no other children "Come on, there's some foot print's we'll try that way."
Said three girls had actually gone in the opposite direction. Naomi had seen, what she thought was Tom and headed towards him, the other two in tow, to find it was a tree. Neelix and Anson had disappeared when they turned back.
"What do we do now?" Naomi stood under the tree in attempt to get some shade. As Melonie was about to reply the ground shook causing the girls to leap closer. They fell to the ground heads bumping together, Naomi's incisor's colliding with the side of Melonie's head, and a bright light encased them, their screams being engulfed quickly.
=/\=
Neelix and Anson had not found the girls, it had been 20ish minutes since they had started and were due at the meet point at any minute.
"Neelix to Paris" he hung his head as he did so.
"Paris here"
"Tom…I can't find the girls. I turned my back for a minute and they were gone" he heard the young man sigh heavily and then shout a few orders out.
"Just be glad the Captain did not come with us." He snipped back before cutting the line swiftly. The young Janeway hugged his friend
"Don't worry Neelix, we'll find them. You know what they're like" he smiled and it made the Talaxian feel a little better. They trudged back to the meet point to find everyone present.
"Alright new plan people. Team one that way" Tom pointed north "Team Two this way, Neelix return to the ship with one of the shuttle's, Delta flyer will be big enough for us all to get back." Tom turned to Neelix.
=/\=
The landed with a harsh thud on a forest floor, Melonie had a gash from Naomi's incisors, Naomi had landed on her arm, and finally Mezoti had a bruised cheek from an unfortunate collision with Melonie's thin, and boney shoulder. They groaned together before taking a deep breath and lying on the woodland below them. Their eyes were heavy so the three girls simply closed them. When they woke it was cooler and lighter, a weary Mezoti sat up and looked around she tapped her com badge with little success. She tapped her friends on the shoulder until they woke up.
"My head hurts" Melonie croaked her hand lightly reaching for the gash. Mezoti stood shouting out at the pain in her arm.
"Where are we?" Naomi mumbled as she searched for her bag, which she had taken on the away mission. "Found it" she pulled out a tricorder and began scanning the area.
"Is your arm okay? Naomi scan Mezoti's arm, it might be as accurate but…" stopped as they heard something, a bark? Not knowing where they were Naomi shoved the tricorder back into the bag.
"Can you hear that? It sounds like a dog" Naomi asked, as she looked out into the forest. A dog suddenly jumped out and licked her face, she shrieked but started giggling quickly.
"That looks like Molly" Melonie voiced recognising the dog as an Irish setter. They jumped when a woman's voice shouted for 'Jefferson'. Not long after a small woman with greying hair appeared, her clothes were different, something out of Tom's 20th century movies.
"What is your name? What are your intentions" Mezoti pushed herself up bracing a defensive stance.
"Hello honey, I'm sorry about Jefferson, mind of his own that one" she smiled, Mezoti could have sworn she saw Captain Janeway. "I…what happened to the three of you" she gasped as their battered and bruised appearance. She took out a phone, the girls jumping back slightly "It's not going to hurt you, I'm calling my husband, Henry, and he'll get us to the hospital"
"NO!" the girls chorused "We don't like hospitals, it's not that serious anyway. If you want to help you could just take us somewhere safe so that we can, call our people, family that is" Mezoti reasoned.
"Alright, I've four kids I know how hospitals are but it's an hour's walk so henry is still being called. You have a nasty gash there" she pointed to Melonie's head.
"You look like my mom" Melonie was a little concussed, she smiled and Shannon saw a little of her own daughter, Saoirse. Shannon called Henry before offering her hand to the little girl, who had horn-like features on her head. Shannon and the girls walked a little to a clearing before sitting down, and watching for Henry's car. As they did this Shannon introduced herself, trying to ignore the paling complexations of the three young girls, what was wrong with Janeway?
=/\=
Neelix stood timidly in front of the Captain's desk. She had yet to enter but when Tom had told her initially she had paled and gripped the commander tightly. He could tell she was not just angry, she was scared too. The Captain strode in and sat down, she did not speak to him, she simply studied him with steel blue eyes.
"I'm disappointed in you Neelix. This was probably the biggest responsibility of the entire mission, I'm not going to blame, spirits know I'm not trying to do that, the three girls have three unique and ambitious minds and it wouldn't surprise me to find that they saw something shiny and just had to investigate. However you should have taken that into consideration"
"Thank you Captain. I can't possibly apologise enough, I've been trying to work out when they left, I suspect it was when I introduced the Meetal, I did talk for quite a while." Neelix mused glancing at the floor several times. Kathryn nodded pinching the bridge of her nose.
"All right Neelix don't drive yourself down with this, join Tuvok and see if you can help plot some search parameters. Dismissed" As soon as he left, Chakotay entered PADD in hand.
"Did I make a mistake? I should have gone with that away team, I know what they're like I…"
"Kathryn you just told Neelix not drive himself down so don't you do it either. We will find them, the planet has no life signs and as smart as they are they can't have found a way to leave the planet" as he spoke he walked round to her and held her as when she stood. He kissed the top of her head and welcomed her into his embrace.
"I just need them to be safe, I'm their Captain and Melonie's mother, I should be able to protect them. I swear Melonie is never leaving my sight ever again" she mumbled into his chest
"They will be safe, they're smart and curious girls" he spoke softly as he lifted her head and wiped the stray tears that fell down her cheeks.
=/\=
As they walked to the car it struck the older woman she didn't know their names.
"What are your names?" she smiled.
"I'm Naomi, and that's Melonie and Mezoti" Naomi was still tired and sore so her introductions were quiet and quite shy.
"Mezoti? That's a unique name" Shannon commented opening the car door.
"I am a unique individual" Mezoti bowed her head slightly as she jumped into the large vehicle. Shannon thought it strange they didn't know how to secure a seat belt, it made her wonder what kind of place they came from. Henry eyed her suspiciously when she got in but to hide her concerns simply smiled and said 'Home'. The silence got too much for henry and so he turned on the radio.
"Hello, it's me. I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet" the somewhat calming tones of Adele filled the big car, causing the three 24th century girls to yelp.
"Never heard this new Adele song, our Saoirse loves it" Henry laughed.
"Who is Adele?"
"Who's our Saoirse?" were the first two questions the girls asked. Melonie was in the middle and she beckoned her friends in.
"I think Adele is an entertainer, like Captain Proton instead she sings and people know her." She informed them
"Right like some of the opera's the doc sings?" Naomi quizzed, Melonie slowly shook her head, trying not to cause any more pain.
"Like those songs daddy picks out for the command 'meetings'. Michael Bubble" she kept her voice low but the sarcasm was evident when she mentioned her parents meetings, which were really just dates.
"Got it." Naomi and Mezoti nodded before settling back. Taking in the different songs that continued to flow out of the radio.
=/\=
Kathryn sat back on her couch two year olds, Erla and Kolopak crawling into her lap. She instinctively held them close to her.
"Don't worry mommy, Melon be back soon" Kolopak smiled his blue eyes glowing with hope and love, he was a very sensitive boy, Chakotay said it was like having a betazoid around. Kathryn thought he'd make a great councillor or Doctor.
"I miss Melon. She can't read to me now" Erla curled into her mom's side and happily sighed when Kathryn delicately stroked her raven like hair, silky and black, Chakotay smiled when he entered his son on his shoulders.
"Move up, room for two more" he smiled pretending to fall on top of them. Kathryn's laugh rang out and sets of dimples appeared.
"Do you think they're scared? Do you think they're having fun?" Anson mused aloud.
"I think they're missing us but are being incredibly stubborn, a certain red head in particular" Chakotay looked to his wife before continuing "and I think they are being incredibly smart"
"Yeah, so smart they got themselves lost" Anson sniggered receiving a cushion square in his face, Erla pouting fiercely at him.
=/\=
The girls were in no way having fun. They were sitting in 2015 with Melonie's ancestors, having their injuries tended to. It was painful and possibly worse than having to go to sickbay.
"Stop fidgeting, dear" Shannon repeated for the 1000th as she cleaned up Mezoti's cheek.
"It hurts, the doctor's medical lectures are…" she stopped herself and jumped off her seat "my injuries have been treated efficiently. Thank you" she rushed off.
Naomi and Melonie were sat with Henry, eating cookies and drinking milk. The two young girls had sat closely together, whispering. Henry watched them, there was something about Melonie that made him suspicious and the other two girls made those suspicious rise, who had horns and some form of electronics on their faces. Said girl came through her face strong and serious, his wife entered a glare on her face told him that she had to talk to him.
"We have to find a way home." Mezoti hissed when the adults left the room.
"How?" Naomi huffed
"We could use the com badges as a beacon" Melonie suggested
"That might work with a boost from the tricorder's" Naomi elaborated.
"We aren't in the same time frame as we once were, but if we used my nods it might create a higher signal." Mezoti pointed out.
"It might get the attention of a time ship if we use Mezoti's borg technology" Naomi pointed out.
"Captain Braxton really has no easy job with us Janeway's" Melonie giggled.
=/\=
In the kitchen of the Janeway home Henry and Sharon were drinking coffee, what else. They both had their suspicious.
"Melonie. It's like having an eight year old Saoirse around again, she just reminds of someone else…but I don't know who" Shannon spoke quietly.
"I know what you mean Shan, and the other two what…they have something alien like something I'd find in a book, I mean not knowing Adele I thought all girls loved that music. What do we do?"
"Well we are going to get some answers" Henry tapped his mug on the countertop. Quietly they made their way through the hall.
"Ow, be careful. B'Elanna and the doctor won't be happy if you burn my nods out." Mezoti hissed
"Sorry, shouldn't Naomi do this she is a certain Klingon's best friend" Melonie laughed
"Urgh, hey I like engineering, the warp core calms me down. Anyway Janeway aren't you supposed to be in charge little miss command teams daughter" Naomi quipped at her friends.
All Shannon and Henry could do was stare at each other. Janeway? Klingon? Warp Core? Command team? All of sudden they felt nervous to open that door.
"Mom, dad what are you doing?" Saoirse asked when she came in from school.
"Well honey, your mom found three injured girls on her walk and well they're in there" Shannon smiled
"Ok but that doesn't explain why you are out here" their son, Eddie pointed out. Walking past them and into the room.
"Edward Marcus Janeway, and you are" it was clear he was more forward than his parents and without thinking Melonie jumped up and held her 'command' stance with one small extended hand.
"Melonie Taya…"
"Kole." Naomi interrupted nudging her friend slightly. "It's a pleasure." Naomi nodded. Something clicked in Mezoti's head and she realised that this must be Edward Janeway the first, he was if the history books were right going to be the first Janeway to Space.
"What are those things on your head?" Saoirse, the slightly younger one asked, Naomi sighed loudly and thanked spirits Miral wasn't with them.
"It's a bone defect, runs in my family. It only happens to the very special of us." She smiled, feeling proud of her improvisation skills. It was very quiet until the two Janeway teens complained of hunger so Henry left with them.
"Who are you, I feel I know you but you're a child" Shannon knelt beside Melonie looking into the eyes that ghosted her own.
=/\=
Voyager shook as Kathryn and Chakotay arrived on the bridge.
"Report" The captain demanded as she struggled to her chair.
"A rift just opened and…we're being hailed Captain" Harry informed her then following her next order to put it on screen.
"Captain Janeway, we meet again. Please explain the borg encoded signal coming from a federation combadge." Captain Braxton demanded
"Erm…what?"
"2015, what have you been doing?"
"The girls, we lost three crewmembers, my daughter and her friends. They must be creating the signal. Are you going to bring them back?" She sighed a sigh of relief
"Children. Children are creating this signal" he exasperated before switching the link and disappearing back into the rift.
"They were being clever thank the spirits" Chakotay whispered to his wife.
=/\=
Melonie looked at the woman who held the look of her own mom. She smiled
"You would never believe me if I told you Mrs Shannon Janeway but I have to say it is an honour to meet you and…thank you" the girls' temporary beacon beeped loudly.
"What is that?" she asked
"Erm…well again you wouldn't believe us but…Melonie the signal has been detected, we're going home." Naomi pulled at her friend's arm. A blue light then encased them and the device on the dining table. Leaving Shannon alone in her home completely bewildered.
=/\=
The three girls reappeared on Voyager's bridge, where to very angry parents stared at them, silently killing them with their looks. Seven and Sam rushed onto the bridge looking equally as annoyed.
"State your intentions. Why did you leave Neelix'" Seven demanded, Melonie stepped forward.
"Mommy, I met her" the little girls eyes glowed as she stared at her mother, then Kathryn's expression softened
"Who?"
"Shannon O'Donnell and she is as wonderful as you always thought she would be" the little girl wrapped her arms round the small frame that was her mother, all harsh feelings aside Kathryn embraced her daughter. Chakotay couldn't help the smile that graced his lips when he saw Kathryn and Melonie.
"Why did you stray from your temporary guardian" Seven demanded once more.
"I thought I saw Tom…but it was a tree." Naomi answered honestly
"You look a lot like her despite the two of you sharing very little DNA" Mezoti pondered out loud "Henry too, and Edward the 1st" Mezoti added.
"Just how many Janeway's did you meet?" Tom piped up from his station at the front of the bridge
"Four, Shannon, Henry, Edward and Saoirse. She asked about Naomi's incisors and Naomi improvised saying it was a bone defect, very clever." Melonie answered quickly. "We should go to sickbay, my head is still quite painful and we know Naomi's arm needs to be fixed properly. I'm sorry we ran off but we were curious." She looked to the ground before linking arms with her friends and heading towards the 'lift.
"We should find that Adele song we heard on the radio" Mezoti suggested as the doors closed. Seven shot her captain a look.
"Don't worry Seven, they aren't getting away that lightly, we just need to think about it for a while." She glanced at her husband and her eyes shifted to the ready room. Sam apologised on Naomi's behalf before leaving for sickbay with the former Borg drone.
One thing was for sure those three strange and curious girls were never leaving the sight of any Voyager crewmember not until they were at least 20.
=/\=
Author's Note: Hope you liked it and please leave a review if you did.
That-Geek