The Long Road Home

Chapter 8 of Ardra

Captain's log, supplemental. The Voyager crew is jubilant about our impending return to alpha quadrant, thanks to our new ally Commander Moast. Yet hope must be tempered with reason because we've been down this road before. I'm reminded of an old entertainment broadcast called Gilligan's Island; something always goes wrong. But when I factor in Ardra, the quirky demigoddess from Andromeda, I'm optimistic we're going to make it this time.

The astrogation center featured large wall screens, but Janeway preferred an informal gathering around an illuminated tabletop display. Commander Moast, in pointing out his origin point at the sphere, raised an immediate problem.

Janeway looked up, face lit from below. "That sphere is on the far side of the Romulan Empire. I'm not keen on fighting my way out of there, unless Ardra can give us a cloak ability."

"It's worse than that." Ardra had that faraway look. "Moast, you were lucky not to run into those Dominion types when you came there. The first thing we'll need to do is sneak in and shut down the portal they're using, wherever they're coming from. That's a lot better than me giving the Romulans enhanced weapons." She explained to Moast the dilemma faced by the Romulan, Vixia.

It didn't sit well with Moast. "I can't predict what will happen if we use our pulse-wave gun inside a sphere. It's your only link with other galaxies, and my only way home."

Ardra turned to Queenie. "I'm dropping my Borg fence around the Ventax system, because I'll need that power at the sphere. If any of your zombies show up, I'll just undo whatever they cause. Then I'll pay a call on your home world, Missy."

The Borg queen appeared unimpressed with threats. "Your world is of no consequence. There are millions of others in this galaxy, other galaxies, other dimensions." Though it had been necessary to take Queenie hostage, she was becoming a huge liability. Commander Moast made a shrewd glance between her and Janeway.

"I suppose our first task," Janeway said, "is to get Queenie home."

Ardra paced a short distance, put an arm about Queenie. "Wouldn't it be better to rehabilitate her? I think she'd benefit from a closer look at our culture." The Borg queen gave Janeway a triumphant look.

Janeway's jaw dropped. "Ardra, you can't be serious. You may think she's 'too cool for school', but she remains supremely dangerous."

"I know, I know." Ardra fanned fingers in dismissal. "How about if I temporarily cut her link?"

"No good. She'd go insane without millions of voices in her head."

"Hmph. And a cricket in my bedroom drives me crazy." Ardra squeezed the shoulder. "Then I'll cut her ability to commune with them. It's your ship, Katy. I'll take her to the sphere direct if you want me to."

Janeway waved it away. "We have a Borg regeneration chamber we found in a junkyard."

"Superlative! How does that work for you, Queenie?"

"The arrangement is satisfactory."

Moast had studied up on the Borg. "And her ability to assimilate?"

"Right. Queenie, you can't jab anyone either. You're shooting blanks for the time being."

Not liking charity, Janeway had an idea. "Computer, bring the doctor hologram online."

A balding man appeared, whose uniform tunic was green. "Please state the nature of the . . . a Borg!"

"Relax, Doctor," Janeway said. "I merely want you to meet a fellow hologram. That's Ardra, Moast, and his ship's AI." The two artificials eyed each other up and down.

"I'm curious," the doctor said. "Why didn't you give yourself a more human appearance?"

"A sinister appearance is necessary to convey having the upper hand." Orchidia reached out to touch a black ring on the doctor's arm, causing his form to sputter and flicker. "What is this device?"

"It's a sub-space holo-emitter that links me to the computer core. As long as Voyager exists, I can go anywhere."

"That is to be desired."

Janeway figured Moast liked to shower his electronic princess with every advantage. Debt repaid. "We'll arrange for you to get one, Orchidia. Doctor, why don't you go check on Chakotay." The first officer had been injured on an away mission. "Computer—plot and display a course to the input coordinates, factoring a tandem hyperjump with the vessel nearby."

"Working." That would take time, since the two computer cores would need to obtain various permissions and learn to communicate. Moast had broached the idea of taking Voyager under his wing.

"Initial considerations," said Orchidia. "After acceleration to near-light speed, Voyager will position itself beneath our ship at the indicated hard points. Tractor beam assures no deviation in relative position, which would be catastrophic. Seventeen jumps are required over a three day period."

"Perfect," Janeway said. "We can spend the time learning from each other. Ardra, why don't you see Queenie to her chamber, then join is in the forward lounge."

Minutes later, the mood among off-duty personnel was festive. Despite their curiosity, they gave Janeway's party some privacy out of respect. She'd chosen a table for four next to a window, joined by Moast, Ardra, and Orchidia. The avatar sat a strange chair, sometimes slightly above it, sometimes slightly inside the cushion.

"Tell me," Janeway said, toying with a brandy. "Where is the sphere in your dimension located?"

Moast preferred bourbon. "Just beyond the orbit of Pluto. Our galaxy has thousands of spheres, feasible because we're essentially the only sentient life there."

"Amazing." Janeway sipped. "I can't imagine a cosmos not menaced by Romulans or Borg. Commander, don't think me forward, but I'd like to take Voyager across for a look around."

Orchidia completely misinterpreted the word "forward". "Commander Moast has successfully mated with his attorney, called Genevieve." Ardra was all impish smiles.

"In a social setting," said a discomfited Moast, "my avatar is a work in progress. But in my dimension, Captain, you'd be an instant celebrity. We've relocated to New Mars since Earth became a ruined battlefield. The people are always in search of diversion." He paused to tap the side of his glass. "Orchidia, let's formulate a plan for arrival at the sphere." He set his com unit on the table, from which formed a transparent outline of a sphere with innumerable dots inside. "There are thousands of octagonal hatches, most untested. When a probe fails to return, we take that number off the list."

Ardra left behind a pile of foil wrappings from brandy chocolates when she rose. "Well, this is almost interesting. By your leave, Moast, I'll hop over and meet your crew." She flashed away.

"Mercurial, isn't she?" Moast ventured. "I have a definite purpose for her at the sphere."

Janeway studied the slowly rotating orb. "Which octagon is yours?"

"Twelve seven seven, which matches the number on my side."

"Hm. I'd hate to escape delta quadrant just to land in the middle of a war between the Romulans and the Dominion." Janeway's attention turned to Orchidia, who returned her curious gaze. "You achieved sentience with an alien brain implant, but Moast said there isn't any other life there."

"Correction: I achieved sentience under an extreme stressor. An ambassador threatened to have me disassembled. The brain implant is an enhancement found at a Builder artifact site."

"Builders," Moast explained, "are what Ardra calls Teknikers. I can't say if they're one and the same. The profitable hunt for artifacts is what pays the bills at Pluto Station where I'm based."

"Are you military?" Janeway asked.

"Soldier of fortune, hired by the Consortium on the basis of my record. My first officer, however, is military, on loan for the experience. I think I'll keep her. She's that good."

"Captain," came the voice of Tuvok over Janeway's combadge. "The computers have finished their calculations. We're ready to align Voyager with the Orchidia."

"On my way, Tuvok." Janeway got everyone's attention. "Stations, people. We're about to begin our journey home." They filed out to much applause and high spirits. Hopefully this wasn't another false start.

Once on the bridge, Janeway settled in for the ride. "Match velocity with Orchidia exactly." When they were close to light speed, Orchidia took over control. Janeway watched Orchidia slowly come overhead, its wide expanse growing ever near. Being this close at such a speed was nerve-wracking, but Moast had supreme confidence in his avatar. "What are those two ships nestled in the belly? They look like large shuttle craft."

"Interplanetary shuttles," Paris said. "Only the passenger hatch intrudes into the hangar bay. That makes coming and going a lot easier."

Janeway noticed protrusions at the wingtips that looked like secondary weapons. They'd probably need them against the Dominion hordes. After some minutes, the ship jolted as Orchidia's tractor beam locked them in place.

"Setting initial target lock," Tuvok announced. "Orchidia indicates ten seconds for hyperjump actuators to be at full charge."

Like everyone else, Janeway had a death grip on her seat.

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