Ongoing Path – The Star Trek Voyager Universe
By Stargatesg1fan1
Disclaimer: I own nothing of any recognized characters or universes within. If I did own these rights Tom Paris would have had a harem.
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Stardate 52995.3…
"I never did ask you…how did Relativity's tech end up working out?" Harry asked his replicat companion.
In an alternate timeline in the recent past Voyager had encountered a more advanced time-ship known as Relativity. Harry had ordered Aristotle to send a replicat into that alternate timeline to scan Relativity's technology and incorporate anything useful into their database. But the divine Harry hadn't been as impressed with the local time travel technology as his reality-bound counterpart had been. The Scoobies had some truly awesome technology in their database. That didn't mean Harry couldn't be surprised.
"There were a few pieces of technology we didn't have. But not many unknown technologies were found. They were still operating under a flawed Class 2 temporal paradox technique," Aristotle explained.
"Ah…right. That would make it hard for them to become truly advanced in temporal mechanics," Harry mused.
The temporal mechanics system that Aristotle had been referring to was a system of temporal mechanics the Scoobies had developed from the various time travel technologies they had compiled throughout the multiverse. The Relativity's crew believed they were changing the past with their acts but really they were just transitioning between multiple alternate realities within a single reality cluster. It was possible to change the past of a particular universe but doing so took an incredible amount of energy and knowledge of temporal mechanics. A lot of beings could get around the knowledge part of this clause by tapping into arcane energy. Some forms of arcane energy in the multiverse were semi-sentient. When combined with the subconscious mind of the magic-wielder the semi-sentient energy had enough intelligence to manipulate the universe in question enough to truly change the past and nullify temporal paradoxes.
"Tom, could you please come to Astrometrics," Kathryn said over the communicator.
"Sure, beautiful," Harry assured and headed towards the requested location.
Harry entered Astrometrics to find Kathryn, Seven, and Chakotay watching a video of a Federation Captain under attack sending out a distress call.
"This is Captain Ransom of the Federation Starship Equinox," Braxton said. There were explosions on the bridge in the background. The video broke up periodically. Braxton was holding a phaser. "We are under attack and need assistance."
Seven shut off the message at a signal from Kathryn.
"Ransom…I know that name. He was in command of a science vessel," Kathryn stated.
"The distress call was transmitted approximately 14 hours ago 3.2 light-years from here," Seven informed her companions.
"Now I remember. Starfleet said they went missing before we did but there was no known trace of them just like us," Kathryn said.
"Perhaps the Caretaker took them too," Chakotay suggested.
"I have their coordinates. I am transmitting them to the helm," Seven informed her boyfriend.
"Gentlemen, set a course at maximum Warp and take us to red alert. I am going to go have a quick chat with Starfleet," Kathryn said.
The group disbanded.
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Harry took Voyager out of Warp when it reached the target location.
"I have them on sensors. They are 2,000 km off the port bow," HK announced. "They are moving at low impulse."
Harry moved Voyager to intercept even as Tuvok brought Equinox up on the main view screen.
"Equinox is heavily damaged with multiple hull breaches," Tuvok informed the bridge. "Their Warp drive is offline."
Equinox's shields did not look normal.
"Their shields are being disrupted by some type of energy surges," B'Elanna explained after analyzing her readings. "I cannot pinpoint the source of the energy surges."
Harry could pinpoint the source and saw that it was extra-dimensional.
"We are in hailing range," HK said.
"Open a channel," Kathryn instructed. "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. We are responding to…"
Ransom's voice cut Kathryn off saying, "Voyager, you have got to extend your shields around our ship. Match the emitter frequency."
"Do it," Kathryn ordered.
Harry put Voyager right over top of Equinox matching course and speed while Tuvok matched the shields up.
"What is that strange sound?" The Doctor asked from where he stood beside Seven.
"Interspatial fissures are opening on decks 10, 6, and 1," Seven announced.
"The shields are now matched," Tuvok stated.
"And the fissures appear to have vanished," Seven added.
Kathryn unsuccessfully attempted to contact Ransom again.
"Assemble rescue teams and secure the Equinox. Tuvok, Tom, you are with me," Kathryn instructed.
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Equinox's main engineering was a mess. Emergency alarms were sounding at a low level and cooling conduits were venting limited toxicity coolants. Small explosions of sparks occasionally happened.
"Hello, is there anyone here?" Chakotay asked.
Harry walked over to a nearby console and began shutting down the sparking non-essential systems which were part of the control interface to what looked like a Warp drive modification. He also began shutting down the extra cooling systems. B'Elanna went over to the main power console which was unmodified and started working on bringing the main power back online. After he was done he took his tricorder over to one of the corpses nearby.
"It was some type of thermalitic reaction," Harry informed his companions in reference to the injuries that had killed the person the corpse had once been. "Every cell in the corpse has been desiccated."
"Do you recognize any of these modifications?" B'Elanna asked her boyfriend. "That plasma injector manifold isn't in any configuration I recognize."
"I've observed similar systems in the past in theoretical models. But the fuel needed to power such systems was theoretical," Harry answered.
Harry sensed a few recently dead crewmembers onboard Equinox that hadn't had their bodies desiccated like the first corpse. He healed them and returned them to life. They had died due to other injuries. The souls of the desiccated corpses hadn't lingered but had already went beyond the veil. Any memories the living crewmembers had possessed of the deceased dying were modified by replicats. After Harry finished what he was doing in Main Engineering he transported to the bridge to check on things there. Kathryn and Tuvok were already checking on the bridge crew.
Kathryn was already checking on Ransom so Harry stepped over the control consoles and began performing damage control even while a nearby console exploded in a shower of sparks.
"My crew," Ransom said.
"You took heavy casualties. We are treating the survivors," Kathryn assured. "Who were you under attack from?"
"We don't know," Ransom lied. "We have been getting attacked for weeks. We cannot communicate with them."
Ransom tried to stand.
"Take it easy. Everything is under control," Kathryn instructed as she tried to put a medical monitor on his neck.
"No. Treat me here," Ransom insisted. "I'm not leaving my bridge."
"I can't pull rank on you, Captain. But you aren't exactly in a condition to put up a fight," Kathryn pointed out.
Kathryn didn't need to pull rank. She could put Ransom in contact with Starfleet directly through Voyager's Parris Array holo-interfaces but something was telling her not to reveal that technology yet.
"So…how is Earth?" Ransom asked.
"Voyager has been stranded in the Delta Quadrant for five years. We were pulled here against our will by an alien called the Caretaker," Kathryn explained.
"Caretaker," Ransom said at the same time as Kathryn.
"So you were pulled here the same way we were. We suspected as much," Kathryn said. "We can compare our histories later. Right now let's get you to our sick bay."
Kathryn had Ransom transported away.
"I highly recommend that you do not reveal to him our Parris Array technology, the Promethium Drive technology, or the fact that we are in contact with Earth. I have a feeling," Harry sent to Kathryn. "I want to know how he will behave without knowing what we have at our disposal."
"I trust your feelings," Kathryn told her boyfriend. "And I was getting some of the same feelings myself though I was only thinking of not revealing Earth. The other technologies are a wise precaution. Our Transwarp coil should also be kept secret. Please relay orders to that effect to B'Elanna and Seven in this way so we aren't overheard."
Harry relayed the orders telepathically. Harry could actually relay the orders straight to Chakotay and Tuvok but Kathryn felt their mind-to-mind contact was too intimate for that to be done in anything except an emergency.
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Harry listened to Ransom's remembrance speech for lost crewmen as did a large portion of Voyager's crew assembled in the mess hall. The list of deceased was much shorter than it would have been had Harry not revived a lot of the dead. Equinox being a science vessel also had a much smaller crew than Voyager sported.
"And now there is cause for hope," Ransom said. "Captain Janeway, Voyager, on behalf of my crew thank you."
Kathryn smiled and said, "We'll have time to give the newest members of our small Federation family a proper welcome in the days ahead but right now we have got our hands full. The Equinox is secure but its primary systems are still badly damaged. Harry, B'Elanna, Tom, make it your priority. Captain Ransom has provided us with data regarding the alien attacks. Tuvok and Seven, you will be working with First Officer Maxwell Burke. With kindred spirits working together may our journey home be swift. Dismissed."
Harry was with HK and B'Elanna as the congregation broke up.
"BLT," Burke said as he came over to B'Elanna with a smile.
"Max," B'Elanna greeted with a smile. "I tried to say hello in sick bay but you were sedated."
"I remember," Burke replied. "I thought I was dreaming." Burke hugged B'Elanna and then drew back. "So…where is my sweater?" B'Elanna looked perplexed. "The blue sweater with the class insignia on the back," he elaborated.
B'Elanna looked sheepishly at her boyfriend and said, "We went to the Academy together."
"Maxwell Burke," Burke greeted while shaking Harry's hand.
"Tom Paris," Harry greeted.
"Harry Kim," HK greeted. "Welcome onboard."
"First Officer, impressive," B'Elanna said. "The last time we talked you were about to drop out of Starfleet."
"I heard you beat me to it," Burke replied. "The Maquis."
"For a while," B'Elanna answered. "Until I ran into these two," she said while indicating HK and Harry.
"Well I told your Vulcan Chief of Security I would be with him shortly and I know how they are about punctuality. Are you free later? I would love to catch up," Burke said.
"We should all have dinner together," B'Elanna suggested.
"Sounds great," Burke agreed before leaving.
"So what was with the BLT?" Harry asked.
"It was my nick-name, Bacon Lettuce & Tomato," B'Elanna explained. "It was what I was called because of my initials."
"You and he dated?" Harry queried with no hint of anything approaching jealousy in his voice.
Harry was confident in his ability to keep his women and keep them happy.
"Yes but we broke up over ten years ago," B'Elanna explained. "Come on, lover boy. We'll see you on the Equinox," she added to HK.
Harry and B'Elanna left the mess hall to go grab their repair gear. While the couple worked on the repair of the Equinox, the crews of Voyager and Equinox got to know one another. A plan was developed to build a special shield to block the fissures using a technology the Equinox crew supposedly developed to capture and study one of the extra-dimensional creatures which would come through the fissures. Harry was also busy in other places.
Another version of Harry appeared on Hogwarts' bridge.
"What do you have, love," Harry asked Hermione as he materialized on the bridge.
Hermione had asked to be able to investigate the extra-dimensional species which was attacking the Equinox. Several of Harry's other wives had asked to help.
Hermione looked at her husband and still had trouble comprehending his power even with the new expanded abilities being his wife granted her. She did her best to suppress her awe because she wasn't about to just stand around and gape at the man she loved all day. He was still her Harry.
"The alien species is called Thurondain. They are a neurogenic species. We are still analyzing their society which is quite complex in their realm. They sometimes visit this realm and are considered benevolent spirits by some. We haven't figured out what the Equinox crew did to piss them off yet but something had to have been done to provoke the Thurondain. They are a generally peaceful species," Hermione explained.
"You could always use the temporal probe protocols to figure out what the Equinox crew did," Harry put forth.
"What would be the fun in that," T'Pol spoke up to say.
"Exactly," Hermione agreed.
Harry's wives were coming to understand just why Harry did not use some of his more advanced investigative technologies commonly. They wanted adventure and exploration just as much as he did.
"For now we just want to map out their society and figure out how to open diplomatic channels with them before we actually make contact," Rain added.
"Good," Harry said before chatting with his wives some more.
Harry and B'Elanna weren't on Voyager at the time it happened but they heard about the incident later. The Thurondains focused their attack on a single section of shield and almost collapsed Voyager's shield before the attack was compensated for by Tuvok. This incident pushed the timeline for developing a defense up. Seven asked Harry to check over her plans for a modified multi-phasic field generator necessary to keep the attackers out. David had helped her in the development of the modified technology. There were no problems with her design although Harry did do a bit of tweaking to the spatial geometry which cut down on the power loss.
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The multi-phasic field generator required to protect both ships would take 14 hours to create. During the vulnerable period Kathryn ordered all Equinox crew off of the Equinox so that the shield could be created in two separate units instead of one and so that Voyager was protected first. Kathryn had rank over Ransom due to a Starfleet regulation which gave command to the captain of the ship with tactical superiority.
B'Elanna and Harry were called back to Voyager to help with the construction of the field generator.
"What was Burke up to?" Harry asked B'Elanna as his wife climbed back down from the upper deck in Main Engineering where she had spotted her old boyfriend snooping around.
"He said he was just downloading a copy of Voyager's propulsion system schematics to study up in case he is stranded on Voyager," B'Elanna answered.
"Do you believe him?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure. It has been a long time since we knew each other. We have both changed greatly. But it doesn't matter either way," B'Elanna said. "If he and his crew are up to something I know you will put a stop to it."
B'Elanna glanced over at her lover knowingly.
"I am glad you have such faith in me," Harry said.
B'Elanna stopped what she was doing and walked closer to her boyfriend. She put her hand on his arm and looked intently into his eyes.
"I haven't missed how you have so much faith in me. You trust me. I appreciate that," B'Elanna said before leaning up on her tip-toes and kissing Harry.
After the kiss broke apart the couple went back to their work.
Harry didn't hear about the incident until later but Seven and Tuvok uncovered the fact that a research lab onboard the Equinox had been intentionally flooded with radiation to keep Voyager's crew out. So Kathryn ordered Denara and the Doctor to investigate. The investigation quickly revealed that the capture chamber the Equinox crew had created to contain one of the Thurondain was in fact intended to be used to convert the neurogenic tissue the Thurondain were comprised off into a fuel source for the enhanced propulsion system Equinox was equipped with.
Harry was called in when Kathryn decided to confront Ransom.
"Ten isograms of the alien compound," Kathryn said as she faced Ransom across the conference table with some of the transformed neurogenic compound. Harry sat beside her. A security officer stood behind Ransom on either side. "If your calculations are discernible that much compound will increase your warp factor by 0.03% for 1 month. You would need a much larger supply to get you somewhere. That would mean killing another life-form. And then another. How many lives would it take to get you back to the Alpha Quadrant? We are under attack because these aliens are trying to protect themselves from you."
"It will take 63 more aliens to get us back to the Alpha Quadrant," Ransom answered. "Every time I sacrifice one of those lives I feel like a part of me is lost as well."
"I examined your research, Ransom. Your experiments were meticulous and brutal. If you had felt true remorse you never would have continued," Kathryn accused.
"Starfleet regulation 3 paragraph 12, In the event of imminent destruction a captain is authorized to preserve the lives of his crew by any justifiable means," Ransom quoted.
"How exactly is mass murder justifiable? And you wouldn't have died traveling back slower," Harry pointed out.
"You did not experience the hardships we did. Don't judge us," Ransom rebutted.
"Judging isn't for us. Starfleet Command will judge you," Kathryn assured Ransom.
"We will never get back to be judged at your speed," Ransom stated.
"We made it just as far as you without resorting to mass murder," Kathryn asserted.
"We hadn't eaten in sixteen days and were without any dilithium. We had just enough power to enter orbit of an M-Class planet where the inhabitants were generous," Ransom explained. "They were called the Encari. They provided us with a meal and a few supplies. They even gave us some dilithium crystals. They performed one of their sacred rituals to invoke spirits of good fortune from another realm. These spirits were nucleogenic life-forms which emitted high levels of antimatter. In a backroom deal later that night we obtained one of the summoning devices in exchange for an energy converter. We constructed a containment field which would prevent the life-form from vanishing so quickly. Something went wrong. We tried to send it back. It was too late. We examined the remains and learned this creature could be converted to enhance our propulsion systems. It was already dead. We traveled over 10,000 light-years in less than 2 weeks. We couldn't ignore this salvation. It's easy to cling to principles when you are standing on a vessel with intact bulk-heads and a crew that isn't starving."
"I've heard enough. You are relieved of command. You and your crew will be confined to quarters," Kathryn announced before nodding to the security officers.
Ransom was taken away.
"It's a long way home, Captain," Ransom said before he left the room.
"Can you contact the aliens?" Kathryn asked.
"I believe so. I have been studying them. They are called the Thurondains," Harry explained.
"Let me know when you have something," Kathryn urged.
Kathryn and Harry separated. Kathryn decided to have the Doctor retrieve all the data the Equinox crew gathered on the Thurondains to maybe speed up her boyfriend's efforts.
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"I am picking up hundreds of spatial fissures," HK announced from the bridge.
"The Thurondains have stepped up their attacks," Kathryn said.
"All available power has been rerouted to the shields but if the Thurondains increase the intensity of their attack much more we will have to use the Promethium Drive or risk burnt out shield emitters," Tuvok stated.
The regular shields wouldn't cause the Thurondains permanent harm. The Promethium field would cause permanent harm.
"We are almost ready to bring the security grid online, Kathryn," B'Elanna announced from Astrometrics where she worked alongside Harry.
David and Seven were onboard the Equinox dismantling the enhanced Warp drive.
"That should about do it," Harry said.
"Activating it now," B'Elanna said.
As B'Elanna tried the activation sequence the computer registered an error.
"I'm initiating a diagnostic," Harry said. "Well that isn't good."
"B'Elanna to the bridge," B'Elanna said.
"Go ahead," Kathryn prompted.
"Someone disengaged the power couplings to the field emitter and the internal sensors were messed with to mask the tampering," B'Elanna explained.
"The Equinox crew just beamed off of Voyager," HK informed the bridge and those in the Astrometrics lab.
"They're screwed," Harry said. "David is on that ship."
"Max is trying to beam the field emitter off of Voyager," B'Elanna said while rapidly typing away at her console blocking her ex-boyfriend.
"Our shields are failing due to the increased attacks," Chakotay announced.
Harry focused his will and caused his aura to explode out of his body. B'Elanna stared at him in awe as she perceived a fraction of his true nature. The Thurondains attacking Voyager's shields backed off.
"Hermione love, establish contact with the Thurondains now before I get too cranky," Harry sent to his wife.
"Will do, Harry," Hermione agreed.
Hermione decided it would be best if she was the first one who made an appearance to the Thurondains. One was less threatening than many. Several of her husband's other wives and a dozen replicats remained cloaked as backup. Though, that number of reinforcements was probably unnecessary. Hermione's analysis of the Thurondains revealed that she by herself could probably wipe out the entire Thurondain species. The first Thurondain that spotted her came flying up to her from the nearby outskirts of the city she had appeared before. Thurondain architecture consisted of bio-buildings…buildings that were grown out of agriculture and living organisms.
"Murderer," S'Les-T'vk screeched at Hermione.
"I am not a murderer of your people. You would condemn an entire species by the actions of a desperate few?" Hermione questioned.
S'Les-T'vk's call had drawn a crowd and more screeching Thurondains appeared. One group split out from the rest. These were the leaders of the city.
"Where did she come from, citizen?" T'Pek-S'Kk asked S'Les-T'vk.
"She just appeared, High Councilor," S'Les-T'vk answered respectfully.
"Why have you come here, human? Do you wish to kill more of our people?" T'Pek-S'Kk asked.
"I did not kill your people. I am here to see about brokering a peace between the humans of Earth and your race," Hermione explained.
"Your species has slaughtered members of our race to use as fuel for starships. There cannot be peace until every member of the starship's crew you call Equinox is dead," T'Pek-S'Kk declared.
"What has happened is unfortunate. I request that you leave the punishment of the Equinox crew to my people," Hermione said.
"What could possibly make us do that?" T'Pek-S'Kk questioned.
"It is unfortunate that you met such poor examples of humanity instead of some of the better examples. We can help you quite a bit with your social problems and your inadequacies," Hermione pointed out. "I think we can put the deaths behind us after I do this," Hermione said while snapping her fingers for effect.
All of the Thurondains that had ever died as a result of interaction with humanity suddenly appeared alive and well. There was utter silence from the Thurondain crowd before members of the crowd surged forward towards the new arrivals and began greeting lost friends and family members.
T'Pek-S'Kk looked at Hermione more warily now.
"I do not know how such a feat is accomplished. But I would be interested in hearing more about how you can help my people," T'Pek-S'Kk said.
"Let us go somewhere we can talk," Hermione suggested. "I believe your people need to adjust to the return of the lost ones without me present."
And there was really no other intelligent way T'Pek-S'Kk could have acted given what appeared to be a goddess appearing among his people. Only the deities of old could have returned Thurondains to the living according to the legends of his people. And she did it with such ease. T'Pek-S'Kk thought the future of his people was going to be very interesting indeed.
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"Good work, David," Kathryn told the super-Borg.
David had been in his quite human looking form throughout his interactions with the crew of the Equinox. Ransom and crew hadn't known David's full capabilities or even that he was anything other than human. Seven and Harry had been working to better their son's expression of emotions. He didn't normally like to interact while showing emotions but David could do it for a limited time. It had been enough to pass as human to the Equinox crew. David had disabled the Equinox crew without fanfare when Ransom had turned on Voyager.
"Thank you, Captain," David said.
Harry, Seven, the Doctor, B'Elanna, Kathryn, Chakotay, and Tuvok stood in the brig where the Equinox crew was arrayed in several cells.
"They should wake up soon," the Doctor said. "Again I feel I should apologize for letting the Equinox EMH get the drop on Denara and myself."
"You two couldn't have known his ethical subroutines had been deleted," Kathryn assured just as Ransom sat up and eyed David suspiciously.
"What is he?" Ransom asked. "I have never heard of a Borg that could adapt or act like him."
"David is special," Kathryn said.
"You knew we would try what we did," Ransom surmised as the rest of his crew started waking up.
"We suspected," Kathryn confirmed. "But we weren't sure. We gave you just enough rope to hang yourselves."
By now all of the Equinox crew had awoken.
"What happens now?" Max asked while eying B'Elanna carefully.
"That isn't up to me. It is up to Starfleet Command," Kathryn replied even as holograms began materializing one by one showing each of the Starfleet Command Council Members.
"How is this possible?" Ransom asked.
Ransom's emotions were complex. On one hand contact with Earth was a wondrous thing. On the other hand this likely meant Earth knew of the actions of the Equinox crew in the Delta Quadrant.
"Tom here is a genius beyond anything Earth has come across before," B'Elanna answered. "He created the Paris Array among other technologies which allows Voyager to communicate with Earth. We can interact with holograms of people from Earth. We receive regular supply shipments from Earth using a transwarp shuttle system which can't have living matter go through it."
"You didn't trust us at all," Ransom realized. "What gave us away?"
"Nothing," Admiral Paris said. "Intuition and common sense suggested you might not be exactly sane given your time in hostile territory. Now…let's discuss your punishment."
The Federation Council took into consideration the dangers and difficulties the Equinox crew had faced. The Equinox logs had already been reviewed by Starfleet. Starfleet had been told that the Thurondains had been appeased by Tom Paris. The method of appeasement wasn't known but a Thurondains representative had attested to their satisfaction on this matter to the Federation council. The Equinox's crew was being placed on probation. The crew would be allowed to continue to pilot the Equinox but the ultimate control of the Equinox would be slaved to Voyager. A force of holographic Federation personnel would be looking over everything the Equinox crewmembers did.
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"I talked it over with Starfleet Command and we are going to start a project to upgrade the Equinox. It should be relatively simple to ship via transwarp shuttles the parts necessary to upgrade the Equinox to make it better able to defend us," Harry informed Kathryn and his mates as they relaxed in their bedroom later that night.
"I guess that will be good if we need quick aid but I don't like the idea of Ransom having more lethal weapons at his command," Kathryn mused.
"Don't worry about that," B'Elanna said. "Tom and I will be installing additional safeguards onboard the Equinox to ensure they won't turn on us again."
"And let's not forget…I can always telepathically take control of their crew," Harry said.
"What about the Promethium Drive…will that technology be duplicated on the Equinox?" Seven asked.
"No," Harry asserted. "I was very clear on that point. The Federation wanted me to install a drive on the Equinox. They must have thought me stupid. The Promethium Drive will only be installed where I can control it."
"What about when Voyager gets back to Earth?" B'Elanna asked.
"I have already taken steps to make sure the Drive is gone when we reach Earth," Harry explained. "Though, even if the Federation got their hands on the drive it wouldn't do them any good. Their technology level isn't advanced enough to understand but a small fraction of how the Drive works."
"Stop teasing us in that way, Tom," B'Elanna said.
"Yes…we like a different type of teasing when in the bedroom," Kathryn suggested.
"Your wish is my command, ladies," Harry said as he was pulled into bed.
"Less talking, more kissing," B'Elanna growled before she claimed his lips.
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Stardate 53088.2…
Harry's mind came back to the present onboard the Main Voyager starship. He was lying in bed surrounded by B'Elanna, Seven, and Kathryn. Kathryn was laying on his left side, Seven on his right, and B'Elanna was laying on top of Harry. He hadn't been sleeping but was more communing with his multiversal consciousness. He had so many memories from all aspects of his existence throughout the multiverse that he had just decided to forgo sleep in favor of absorbing and analyzing those experiences. He didn't need sleep ever anymore so he didn't bother. None of his ladies needed sleep either but they didn't yet realize it.
It had been B'Elanna that had roused Harry's attention. He felt her beginning to tap into a divine part of her nature. Through him she was at least as powerful as a reality-bound goddess. She was subconsciously tapping into that power. Her mind was far away. Harry closed his eyes and followed her mind via their bond. When he arrived at where her mind was he found himself sitting in a recreation of Voyager's mess hall across from B'Elanna. The room was decorated for a party with a decidedly Klingon motif.
"She would have loved all of this," B'Elanna declared.
"Your mother?" Harry clarified quickly assimilating what was going on in this recreation.
B'Elanna's mind was in some kind of after-life realm. There existed layers of each universe in which the deceased dwelled. Each species and religion had a different portal into these After-Realms. There was one creator of the multiverse but many religions. A soul tended to migrate into the same After-Realm entrance portal for whichever faith that soul believed in. But the older and more experienced souls could manipulate their essences to flow into deeper levels of the After-Realm and thereby accessing regions of the multiverse that allowed that soul to travel to different universes and many other places. Harry tended to stay out of the After-Realms despite his status as a Death God after taking Hades' power. He sometimes ventured there but not often.
Harry was suspicious B'Elanna was in the Klingon entrance portal for the Klingon region of the After-Realm.
"Yes. She was so obsessed with Klingon ritual," B'Elanna explained. "She believed so strongly in the myths. It used to drive my father and I a bit crazy." B'Elanna suddenly gained a small smile and looked intently at her lover. "Did I ever tell you about the time when she put me in a Klingon monastery?"
"No you did not," Harry replied.
"After my parents' marriage ended my mother pulled me out of a Federation school in order to teach me honor and discipline," B'Elanna said.
"That must have been difficult," Harry said.
"She prayed to Kahless every day to guide me in the ways of the warrior," B'Elanna explained. "I guess he wasn't listening."
Harry reached across the table and took B'Elanna's hand in his comfortingly. She smiled fondly at him.
The couple looked up as Fake-Kathryn banged on a tin cup and called, "Ladies and Gentlemen, could I have your attention please. I hate to interrupt the festivities but before I turn the floor over to our resident Klingon I would like to say a few words. This is a great day for the Klingon Empire, a day when we honor their ancestors."
Harry tuned out Kathryn's droning as he sensed B'Elanna's perceptions skewing. She was trying to break further into the entrance portal. He could tell that much. Her powers were leading her there. Harry wasn't sure why she was trying to go there but her sudden talking about her mother made him suspicious of the reason for her journey. Harry squeezed her hand tighter and gave B'Elanna's powers the nudge they needed. The couple vanished and reappeared onboard a wooden barge beneath a stormy sky.
B'Elanna looked around and spotted all of the Klingons present.
"Where is this?" B'Elanna asked.
"They cannot see me right now, love," Harry sent to B'Elanna. "Do not fear. Nothing here can harm you."
"Silence, the dead ask no questions," Hij'Qa commanded.
Two Klingon males moved to grab B'Elanna's arms and she moved to resist.
"Just let them do this but do struggle a little. The brand won't actually harm you," Harry urged.
B'Elanna struggled a bit and demanded they release her but the two Klingon males did not. Hij'Qa accepted a branding iron with a glowing tip from another Klingon. The iron was meant to brand the very soul of a being. Hij'Qa stuck it to B'Elanna's cheek. Harry was impressed with his wife's acting skills. He knew B'Elanna only felt a warm sensation on her cheek and no true pain. Her soul was impervious to such brands now. Hij'Qa saw this a moment later.
"She won't take the mark," Hij'Qa said.
The two Klingons who had been holding B'Elanna released her and walked away with Hij'Qa cursing. B'Elanna had been dropped to her knees next to an older Klingon male.
"What the hell is this place?" B'Elanna demanded.
"You should know. You are half Klingon," Brok'Tan said.
"I do not fit that generality. Enlighten me," B'Elanna demanded, having forgotten how infuriating it could be to deal with full blooded Klingons.
It was a generality to assume that all half Klingons knew the myths of the Klingon race.
"This is the Barge of the Dead and upon it our dishonored souls are being taken to Gre'Thor," Brok'Tan explained.
"I don't believe in Klingon Hell," B'Elanna replied.
"Neither did I," Brok'Tan answered. "Imagine my surprise when I arrived here."
"I was just on Voyager with my crew and then things turned wrong," B'Elanna said.
"That dream-like stage was the Nage," Brok'Tan explained. "It's the dream before dying. When we can't accept dying we create the illusion of life to hold onto."
"That male at the helm…he slaughtered the dream crew of my ship," B'Elanna pointed out.
"Yes…to drag you from the illusion of life," Brok'Tan replied.
The pair fell silent as they heard many voices coming from seemingly nowhere.
"They aren't real. They are trying to lure you overboard. Do not listen," Brok'Tan said as both climbed to their feet and looked overboard. B'Elanna heard momentarily the voices of her friends from the Nage. Harry used their bond to shut the voices down. Another Klingon male chose that moment to jump overboard. Creatures in the water below ripped him to shreds. "There are things here worse than death."
"You," Hij'Qa said from behind B'Elanna.
Hij'Qa took B'Elanna's arm and dragged her towards the helm.
"Is this the mongrel child you spoke of?" Kortar asked Hij'Qa while piloting the barge.
"Yes," Hij'Qa replied. "She is the one whose face will not bear the mark."
"B'Elanna, daughter of Miral," Kortar said. "It is not your time to be here."
"And you would be Kortar I suppose," B'Elanna said. "You are said to be the first Klingon. You destroyed the gods who created you. As punishment you were condemned to ferry the souls of the dishonored to Gre'Thor."
At that moment a mysterious noise began to make itself known.
"The soul of another dishonored warrior is being delivered," Kortar said for B'Elanna's benefit.
A humanoid form coalesced out of black motes of light onto the deck and a Klingon female appeared. Harry didn't recognize her but B'Elanna apparently did.
"Mother," B'Elanna whispered after two warriors had pulled Miral upright.
Kortar laughed and B'Elanna woke up from the shock. Harry woke up at the same time. Seven and Kathryn had already woken up and left the bed to get ready for the day. Harry and B'Elanna happened to have the day off.
"Are you alright?" Harry questioned while rubbing her back.
"I don't know. I just had the most horrible nightmare," B'Elanna whispered.
"I know. When I realized you were in some distress I entered your mind telepathically and was along for that experience with you. I showed up when you were in the mess hall," Harry explained.
"I thought that was the real you but I wasn't sure. Do you think that was all just some crazy dream?" B'Elanna asked.
"No. I think that was real," Harry assured.
"How did my mind get to the Barge of the Dead?" B'Elanna asked.
"You know I am not without special abilities," Harry said. B'Elanna nodded. "You are my mate. You have gained some abilities of your own. I think your mother is in trouble and your new abilities took you there."
"I need to speak to her," B'Elanna said.
"Relax. That use of your abilities took a lot out of you. From what I was able to tell the journey the Barge makes is a long one. There is time. You need to rest. Go back to sleep. You won't dream this time. I will watch over you," Harry urged.
"Alright," B'Elanna agreed, trusting her lover.
B'Elanna closed her eyes and went back to sleep pretty swiftly with Harry sending comfort over their bond.
OP – Star Trek Voyager – OP – Star Trek Voyager – OP – Star Trek Voyager – OP
This time when B'Elanna appeared on the Barge of the Dead with her mate she was dressed in Klingon battle armor. She looked around and noticed a great many more occupants of the barge. Mostly all of the occupants were sleeping. B'Elanna made to duck down so the conscious crewmembers couldn't see her but Harry touched her shoulder and she felt a surge of energy run through her.
"You are now invisible to their sight until you want to be seen," Harry informed his lover.
B'Elanna looked at her mate appreciatively. She had to wonder at what he truly was if he could come and go from the after-life at will and mask himself from the beings that worked there. That was something to contemplate later. B'Elanna felt a pull towards the lower deck and so walked over to the door down into the ship. B'Elanna slipped through followed by Harry. B'Elanna immediately spotted Miral and wished to become visible.
"Mother," B'Elanna whispered.
Miral looked up and rose before holding out her hand palm outwards in a defensive gesture.
"Stay away," Miral said. "You are an illusion."
B'Elanna grabbed Miral's wrist and pulled the Klingon woman closer.
"No. It's really me," B'Elanna assured.
Miral put both hands on B'Elanna's cheeks in surprise and said, "B'Elanna." After several moments of contemplation she said, "Then you died as well?"
"No. I'm not dead. I have come to free you," B'Elanna said.
"But you don't believe in Sto-Vo-Kor," Miral pointed out.
Sto-Vo-Kor was the opposite of Klingon hell.
"A lot has happened to me since I last saw you. You would be surprised what I now believe," B'Elanna said.
"You have not changed enough. It was your dishonor which brought this damnation upon me," Miral announced.
"Actually, no it wasn't," Harry said as he appeared visibly.
"Who are you?" Miral asked.
"Mother, this is my lover, Tom Paris," B'Elanna said. "What do you mean, Tom?"
"This place is navigated by belief. Your mother believes you dishonored her and so her belief drives her to be trapped in this place," Harry explained. "If she believed you hadn't dishonored her she would be going to Sto-Vo-Kor instead."
"Who are you to speak thusly of Klingon history?" Miral demanded.
"He is the reason I am able to come and go from this place at will, mother. He is a man of great power," B'Elanna answered.
"You know nothing," Miral told Harry.
"I know we can take you out of here," Harry said confidently.
Before anymore could be said several members of the barge's crew came down into the hold.
"There they are…bring them," Hij'Qa said while pointing at Harry, Miral, and B'Elanna.
The trio was taken up on deck and before Kortar.
"The mongrel child has returned and brought a friend," Kortar said.
"I am here to take my mother back to the world of the living," B'Elanna announced, for some reason feeling confident that she could do it.
Kortar threw his head back and laughed.
"I'm sorry to say you do not have the power to do such a thing. But I thank you child. I have not laughed so hard for an eternity," Kortar declared.
"You are wrong, Kortar," Harry said as he stepped forward.
Kortar peered intently at Harry and the god let his divine aura out enough for Kortar to see. B'Elanna didn't know how to look but Kortar certainly did. Kortar's eyes widened noticeably.
"My Lord, I did not realize who you were," Kortar said.
"That is alright. I think you deserve a hundred year vacation from your task. I will dispatch someone to fill in as a replacement for you," Harry said. "We will be leaving with Miral now."
"Of course, my Lord," Kortar said. "Thank you, my Lord."
"B'Elanna, take your mother's hand," Harry directed.
B'Elanna did so not really understanding what was happening. But she trusted her lover and took the hand of her mother. Her other hand was taken by Tom and they vanished from the Barge of the Dead. They reappeared in their room onboard Voyager. Miral was absent. B'Elanna woke up at that moment.
"Where's my mother?" B'Elanna asked.
"She is back in her body in the Alpha Quadrant. Her body has been healed and she is back home," Harry explained.
B'Elanna was half lying on her lover. She sat up and focused her whole attention on him.
"Tom, what are you? If you don't want to tell me I understand. We know you aren't human. We know you are powerful. But what you just did…that was beyond my comprehension. Kortar knew who you were and was afraid of you," B'Elanna said with awe filling her tone.
Harry pulled B'Elanna against his chest and hugged her tightly. She cuddled against him and hugged him back. Harry was thoughtful as he contemplated what to say. His counterpart in this universe had possessed reasons for not telling his lovers what he had truly been. Those reasons were not really Harry's reasons. Harry had mostly kept up the status quo because he found it interesting not to have his lovers know what he truly was.
"I am a very powerful being…beyond the comprehension of most mortals. I'm no longer mortal though I was born that way. You by extension as my lovers are no longer mortal if you wish it. I have other lovers who know what I truly am. There is nothing better about having you not know…just different. And I do like variety," Harry explained.
B'Elanna took a while to formulate a response but Harry waited patiently. He could feel her emotions over their bond.
"How do you have the time for other lovers? You are here on Voyager all the time we are awake," B'Elanna said.
"Many different versions of me exist simultaneously. Not all of them are in this universe," Harry responded.
B'Elanna's mind was blown by that response.
"I just have one final question," B'Elanna began. "Have less advanced species ever referred to the type of being you are as a god?"
"Yes," Harry replied simply.
B'Elanna nodded and then pulled away from Harry's chest before attacking him with her lips.
"For what you just did for my mother and I, you are getting a major thank you," B'Elanna whispered as she removed Harry's clothes.
Harry didn't respond verbally but with action.
OP – Star Trek Voyager – OP – Star Trek Voyager – OP – Star Trek Voyager – OP
Rev 0 Posted 2/27/2016
Author's Note:
You're getting two chapters the same day because I forgot to post chapter 82 two weeks ago like I had planned.
Check out my Facebook group Stargatesg1fan1's Fanfiction Works and Favorites.
For those of you who ask me questions about specific Path verses I am no longer answering these in individual PMs. Instead when someone asks me about a potential Path verse I will go categorize it in a document on my Facebook group called Planned Path Verses & Other Verses. I'm simply tired of answering questions where nobody but the person who asked them can read them. Lol! I'm trying to save myself time. Multiple people are curious about the same verses.
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