The Gift of Time
by
Part Three: Yesterday's Present
Chapter Twenty-One
Voyager broke out of its transwarp conduit just outside of Jupiter station space. A Federation envoy ship was waiting to guide them into port, where they were met with surprise and no little wariness. Captain Janeway's return was heralded as a miracle, and the general on staff at Moon Base Six, General Steven Margrave, gave a long, tedious speech about the fickleness of fate. Messages arrived from Earth, indicating that Voyager should proceed home, and slowly, that is what she did.
On the way, they were joined by another ship, the USS Doyle. Doyle was of the same class as the Voyager B, and, after the proper protocols had been observed, its captain, the android Data met with Captain Janeway in her ready room. The Doyle was also possessed of a Mark IV computer matrix, which Data had named Jonah. Jonah's voice was a warm English baritone that filled Voyager's speakers with rich booming laughter when he'd finally been introduced.
Voyager's Mark IV had seemed almost timid by comparison, and Data informed Janeway that it was possibly due to the length of time that she had been self-aware. Jonah had been self-aware almost from the start, as Data had no troubles accepting his computer's sentience.
They talked for several hours, mostly catching each other up, but eventually they got around to serious matters.
"Captain Janeway, I'm sure that you are here for other reasons than a longing for a home cooked meal," Data began, crossing his legs and sitting back in his chair.
"You might be right, Captain," Janeway admitted, narrowing her eyes and wondering just how much she could trust this admitted hero of Starfleet.
"Would they be related to something called Archangel?" Data asked, watching Kathryn closely.
Janeway stiffened, then exhaled. Trust him, Captain, Kes' voice echoed in her mind and she sighed. "Yes," she said, shortly.
The android relaxed visibly and said, "Then I've found the right person to give this to." He handed Janeway a simple wooden box.
"Who's this from?" Kathryn asked, taking the surprisingly heavy container.
"A being that calls itself the Traveler," Data replied.
"Ah, I've read the files of your exploits with him. Isn't one of your former crewmates his student?"
"Not any longer. Young Wesley has come into his own. You should see him when you speak to Captain Picard."
"Captain Picard?" Janeway asked, "Isn't he an admiral now?"
Data frowned, "he was demoted after he'd been AWOL on the B'aku home world for a year."
Kathryn blinked rapidly a few times. Jean-Luc Picard, AWOL? What was the quadrant coming to? She stroked the box on her desk, noticing a pleasant thrum that seemed to emanate from within the golden wood.
"Now he prefers to be a captain, remaining at the helm of the Enterprise. Currently, he is on a diplomatic mission to Romulus, but he is expected to return within a month."
"And I guess this means that I'll be meeting with him then?"
"Actually, Captain, we were hoping that you'd be doing something about Archangel by then. That's why I'm here now, to get what information from you that I can. Captain Picard believes that he can count on some twenty other ships to follow him, as well as whatever our other allies can gather. We can create a distraction while you sneak into Starfleet and deal with the entity."
"What makes you so sure I know what to do?" Kathryn asked, leaning forward and staring Data down.
"You are familiar with the alien who calls himself Kevin Uxbridge?"
"Yes, I read the reports."
"It was he who contacted the Traveler and had him bring this," Data tapped the lid of the box, "and told us to give it to the 'woman who lives twice'. I believe you fill that description aptly, Captain Janeway."
Suddenly, Kathryn couldn't open the box fast enough. With shaky hands, she lifted the lid, blinking when she saw what lay within. Five rings were nestled in a bed of dark blue velvet. Each ring bore a different design and each was clearly the point to a pentacle. The Pentad... she thought, awed at the sight. The rings were carved from a silicate of some kind. She lifted one out of its place, looking at it wonderingly. It is all colors, yet none, she thought, stroking the warm crystal surface. She held the ring inscribed with a pentacle, and instantly knew that this was the ring that she was to wear, just as Tuvok would wear the sword, B'Elanna the shield, Tom the wings and Seven the chalice.
"I'm going to die," she said with certainty.
Data merely looked at her curiously. "There is insufficient data to presume that conclusion, Captain."
She laughed, "Captain, you should meet my Lieutenant Hansen... you two are peas in a pod!"
"Is that an invitation to dinner?" he asked with a smile.
Kathryn laughed again, "why not?"
"Excellent!"
Chapter Twenty-Two
Naomi Wildman was nervous. She stood before her mirror and tugged at her collar once more, and nervously finger-combed her hair. "But, what if she doesn't like it?" she asked suddenly.
"Then you will die a horrible death of mortified embarrassment," her mother replied as she entered the room and handed her daughter a picnic basket.
"Mom!" Naomi whined, "that's not funny!"
Samantha laughed gently, "Oh, little one, yes it is. And scary and wonderful and all those things. Don't pay too much attention to me though," she paused to wipe away a tear, "I'm being sentimental. Go, and have a great time!" she turned her daughter away from the mirror and gave her a push toward the door.
In a daze, Naomi wandered the halls of Voyager until she reached the arboretum, where the stunningly beautiful Ensign Kyrin Thompson was waiting to have dinner with her. After months of denials, the other girl had finally agreed to a trial date.
Gathering her courage, Naomi walked into the park. Kyrin was waiting for her, seated on one of the many benches that lined the park's paths.
She stood up and greeted Naomi, "Hi. I was beginning to wonder if you weren't coming."
Naomi smiled and shuffled her feet a bit. "Yeah, well, um, I was nervous. I brought food," she held up the basket.
Kyrin laughed. "Wonderful!" the Andorian-Betazoid-Human's voice was liquid music that wrapped Naomi in a cocoon of dreams. "I'm sorta hungry," she whispered conspiratorially. "Shall we eat?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah." Naomi slid into the bench and settled the basket in front of her. Kyrin sat on the other side of the box and patiently waited while Naomi pulled out plates and cups and food. Soon, the girls were quietly munching on roast beef sandwiches.
"This is good, Naomi. Thank you."
The teen smiled shyly, "Thanks."
They ate quietly, enjoying the relative silence of the arboretum. Bird calls, bees and other lifeforms abounded, but their little bench seemed miles away from any other sentient company. Naomi found herself looking up to meet Kyrin's eyes over and over, smiling and blushing a little each time.
At first, Kyrin seemed a little overwhelmed by Naomi's reaction, but over time, she grew accustomed to her effect on the younger girl. When the food was gone, she helped Naomi to clean up and then said, "Why don't we take a walk?"
"Um, okay." Naomi jumped up, grabbed the basket and shoved it into the nearest recycling unit. "Let's go," she added, wiping her hands on the seat of her pants.
Kyrin smiled and started walking. "I like it here," she said, "it's so quiet. It's like being in a real park."
"Yeah, it's better than a holodeck," Naomi enthused, shoving her hands into her pockets. "I mean, I like holodecks, but there's just something more... real, I guess, about this."
Kyrin chuckled, then reached out to pluck a delicately petaled flower from a nearby bush. "Well, it is real," she inhaled the bloom's fragrance, then offered it to Naomi, who took the purplish blue bud shakily.
"Mhmm," the young ensign said, sniffing, then sneezing. "It's real, all right."
The two girls had stopped walking and were standing before a fountain that had flowers and vines growing all around it. Naomi dropped the flower into the small pond that spilled out from the fountain and watched it float away. She looked at Kyrin, who smiled, then laughed a little.
"What?" Naomi asked, looking around nervously, "is my nose turning green?"
Kyrin laughed harder, then said, "Well um, yes, it is. You've got pollen on your nose from that flower. But it's yellow, not green."
Naomi flushed and dug around in her pocket for something to wipe her face. Kyrin stepped up to her, handkerchief in hand. "Here, let me," she said, gently brushing away the yellow powder. It was then that Naomi noticed that she wasn't wearing her gloves. She was fascinated by the apparent softness of the botanist's hands and she ached to touch them.
"You... you're not wearing your gloves," Naomi managed to whisper.
"No, no I'm not. I... I felt that -- I wanted to," Kyrin stuttered, and, emboldened, Naomi reached up and stroked the tips of her fingers over the pale blue flesh, amazed at the texture, which was like the finest velvet. Kyrin's breath hissed out in a slight whistle and she closed her eyes, swaying a little.
"I can feel you," she whispered, and Naomi knew she didn't mean the touch. Slowly, she continued to run her fingers over the other girl's arm and hand, allowing herself to fully experience all the emotions that struggled for control within her. Kyrin's hanky fell to the ground, forgotten and the girl's other hand came around to cup Naomi's face and suddenly, Naomi was floating in a sea of emotion as she was wrapped in a feedback of Kyrin's emotions blending with her own.
"Wow," Naomi blurted, "You... I... we..."
"Yes," Kyrin whispered, opening her eyes. Their gazes met and without words, they leaned in and kissed. It was soft and brief, but the embrace was enough, enough to let the other know that what was happening was more than just a brief crush. Suddenly shy, they turned away from each other, then, just as shyly, reached out to hold the other's hand and continue their silent walk through the ship's gardens.
***
Janeway had called the members of the Pentad together in the ship's conference room. Before her sat the box that Captain Data had given her. She was in her customary chair, and was silently watching as B'Elanna, Seven, Tom and Tuvok seated themselves around the table. Naomi was not to be a part of this grouping, as her only duty was to be shuttle pilot. When all the members had settled in, Kes materialized at the other end of the table.
The captain smiled grimly. "Now that we are all here, I have something to hand out." She opened the box and removed a ring. "Tuvok, here is your key," she handed the Vulcan a dark green ring with a sword carved into the triangular setting. To B'Elanna she handed a crimson red shield, to Tom, milky gray wings, to Seven, a golden ring bearing a stylized goblet. For herself, there was a pentacle. Then she nodded to Kes.
"You must wear these from now on," the empath said softly, "the stones need time to become attuned to their bearers." She moved from person to person, touching them gently, as if giving them a benediction, as they slid the rings on. Amazingly, they all fit.
Tom held up his hand and stared at the cool, yet rapidly warming jewelry. "I don't suppose you're going to dock us all a month's rations for wearing civvies on duty, are you?" he joked weakly. As he'd slid the ring on, a part of his mind had opened up and into it had poured a vivid array of images, mostly having to do with flight. What had shaken him deeply was the type of flight, this was not your "jump in the shuttle, push a button, pull a toggle" kind of flight. This was wings and muscles and feathers like a bird kind of flight.
Janeway gave him a sardonic grin, "Not this time, Lieutenant." She examined her own hand, unsure what to think of the new sense of power she felt growing within her. She felt as though she could take on the entire Borg Collective single-handed and win.
As Kes came to Tuvok, she said, "I must go now Captain, to prepare. You will not see me again until it is time to face the Ko Rian. I wish you well," she smiled and the love she felt for each of them showed in her eyes, then vanished.
"I guess she's not too big on long good-byes," B'Elanna said acidly.
"I believe she is distracted by the upcoming battle," Seven noted, absently fidgeting with her ring. The golden stone had warmed quickly and if she didn't touch it, she could almost forget it was there. Indeed, she looked down at her hand, and the ring was barely visible against the steely gray of her implants.
"I think we're all beginning to feel a little nervous," Janeway said, standing. "Let's not lose focus, people. This isn't about routing a group of rebel Maquis, or even facing the Borg, this is about a force so powerful that Mother Nature stands up and salutes."
"Oh, great, I feel so much better now," B'Elanna quipped as the captain paced.
Janeway frowned and sat back down. "If you think you can do any better, you're welcome to give it a try, Lieutenant."
"No thanks, I think I'll keep my nervousness -- it keeps me sharp, you know?"
Seven raised an eyebrow and said, "I am not experiencing fear, yet I do not anticipate the confrontation."
"Agreed," Tuvok said, nodding at the Borg.
"Well, I'm scared spitless," Tom said, "and I'm not afraid to admit it. So if it doesn't bother either of you, I'll be afraid for you too," he grimaced and Seven chuckled.
"Are we finished?" Janeway asked, when everyone nodded, she said, "I'd just like to say that there isn't anyone else I'd rather face an unknown power with than the four of you. Dismissed."
They disbanded, each to their own duties, leaving the captain to retire to her ready room and begin the preparations for their attack.
First she called in Naomi Wildman and instructed her in what she was expected to do. Naomi would take over the helm of the Delta Flyer, the shuttle they would use to go to Earth. Once the five members of the Pentad had left the ship, Naomi was to target Janeway's comsignal and fire a specially prepared array of torpedoes on the Captain's order, or if the team did not contact her within six hours of beam down.
Janeway wasn't certain the bombs would destroy Archangel, but she was bound and determined to try.
"All right, Ensign, there is one other thing -- you're going to need a second, someone to run ship's systems with you, and I'd like for you to have your choice of our crew."
Naomi chewed her lip as she considered each person she knew. Everyone aboard Voyager was capable, some more so than others, but the one she chose was from the heart. "Kyrin Thompson, ma'am. I know she's not bridge crew, but she's trained for it. Her primary is biology."
Janeway smiled, "I know. When I found out about the two of you, I checked. She's a good choice. I imagine that if it wasn't for this little matter, I'd have promoted her to a bridge rotation by now."
They finished up and Naomi left, leaving Kathryn alone with her thoughts. She buried her head in her hands and sighed.
"Captain?" Sar interrupted. "Can I -- may I help?"
Janeway stood and paced around the room, then stopped before a viewport and looked out, resting her hands on the sill. She leaned her head against the cool transparent aluminum. "I guess I've been pretty cool to you, haven't I, computer?"
"I..."
"No, I know I have, and that was wrong. I guess it's just hard to teach an old captain new tricks." She turned away from the window and ran her hands through her hair. "Sara. Your name is Sara, Computer. It was the name that daddy gave to your prototype, and you've got as much right to bear it as any other."
"Thank you, Captain."
"Kathryn, or Katie. I can't let you call me Captain when we're alone, Sara. That'd be too much like my... sister calling me by my rank. I may not be as quick on the uptake as Captain Data, but I do promise to try." She smiled wryly.
"Understood, Kathryn," the computer's voice softened and Janeway believed she could hear the slight catch that meant someone was crying, "I'm glad that you have accepted me."
"I've got to do something right, once in a while, right?"
"You do more things right than you give yourself credit for, Kathryn." Janeway glanced over to her desk, and on display were B'Elanna's and Seven's images.
"You're right, again. Now, if you could just tell me how to beat Archangel, I'd call you omniscient."
The computer laughed. "My only suggestion for that is to never give up and don't believe everything you see. Trust in your instincts, Kathryn. I'm programmed with billions of teraquads of data, and yet I've never seen anyone capable of pulling themselves out of the fire like you are, Kathryn Janeway, and don't forget that."
Chapter Twenty-Three
The days to Earth wore on the crew and Janeway found herself spending all her time in her ready room, sleeping on the couch and eating replicated meals. She knew she'd pay for her behavior later, if there was a later, but she didn't care. She just couldn't face the two women she so deeply loved. She wanted her last memories of them to be of happiness, not filled with fear and uncertainty.
Seven lived in Astrometrics, only coming home when the doctor had finally beamed in and ordered her to her quarters. Evenings were spent laying in B'Elanna's arms, weeping brokenly as both women expressed their fears of the future. They tried to contact the captain, but she remained as distant from them as she had when she was stranded in the Delta quadrant.
Tom spent his time perpetually drunk either in his quarters, or with Harry Kim and Tuvok meditated. Halfway to Earth, Voyager took on a passenger, one Ambassador Chakotay, who came at Captain Janeway's subspace request. After a tearful and emotional reunion with the captain he thought lost, he took on the temporary duties as first officer, supplanting a grateful Harry Kim, who could not keep up with Tom Paris' excess and continue to function.
Slowly, Voyager came home, dropping into a high orbit over Earth. Janeway knew that as her ship came to a stop, several things were happening. Just after she'd met with Captain Data, various distractions had begun. In the badlands, a group of Cardassians were suddenly chasing down any and all small Starfleet vessels and taking them. On the Klingon/Romulan border, a small war began between two colonies, each insisting they had mineral rights to a small asteroid field. Several rare artifacts from a Vulcan museum were stolen by pirates. In each of these instances, Starfleet sent ships out to handle the problems. Other issues arose all around the Federation, forcing Starfleet to nearly beggar itself of ships to control them.
So it was that Starfleet Command was overwhelmingly grateful to see Voyager, regardless of her reasoning for returning early. Janeway was invited to beam down, but she refused, citing the desire to experience a shuttle flight down for the first time in years. Admiral Necheyev, known for her dislike of transporters, readily agreed. It was during the conversation with her superior, that Janeway got her first look at the Ko Rian. Posing as an adjutant, the being known as Archangel wore the form of a young, robust man with dark curly hair and green eyes. He was tanned and well muscled and part of Janeway felt no little lust stir for the perfect specimen of masculinity. Snidely, she told herself that he must be bonking every female he meets.
"I'll see you on the surface. Janeway out."
She rose from her chair and took a deep breath. This was it. No turning back now.
***
She met the others in the shuttle bay. Aside from the Pentad, who were already aboard the Flyer, there was Naomi, Kyrin and the ten black-clad security guards who'd been training as personal bodyguards to them since Kes had revealed their purpose. The guards knew nothing other than that intelligence had uncovered rumors of threats made against the five crewmember's lives, which was enough for them. Their leader, Lieutenant Commander Laren Rain, was absolutely loyal to Kathryn Janeway. As the captain entered the bay, the guards snapped to attention and Laren barked, "Captain on the deck." Janeway tugged on the tunic of her dress whites and nodded.
There was no salute, but it was felt as Janeway ascended the gangway to the Flyer. Behind her came Ensigns Wildman and Thompson, then the security team. As everyone strapped in, Tom lifted the shuttle off and maneuvered her out of Voyager's belly.
They began their descent to Earth. Slowly, Kathryn looked around the forward compartment, memorizing each face, wondering if she'd wake up the next day and be missing one or all of them or if she'd even care. They were all wearing their dress uniforms, bone white and gold and looked as if they were going to a parade. She sighed, and caught the others doing much the same thing. Seven and B'Elanna were surreptitiously holding hands and she reached out and covered their hands with her own.
"I love you, you know," she said softly to them and they nodded, eyes bright. Three heartbeats passed as all that had been unspoken in the passed weeks flowed between them.
"We love you too," they responded, still doing their jobs, but not letting go.
Halfway down, the cabin brightened with Kes' materializing form. "It's time," she said. Naomi and Kyrin slipped in behind the departing Pentad as they left the cabin for the cargo area, to join Laren's group.
With Kes in the center, Janeway, Seven, B'Elanna, Tuvok and Tom formed a circle. The ten security guards circled around them, and the Pentad clasped hands.
"For the Federation," Janeway said softly.
"For the Federation," they echoed, and then everything went white.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The first thing that hit her was the sound. Voices, filling her mind and wrapping her in a cocoon of noise that at once comforted and confused her. I must be losing my mind, a thought drifted by. Was it hers? She didn't know. She opened her eyes, surprised to find herself in a normal corridor of Starfleet headquarters. An urge to walk north bubbled up, so she did.
It did seem kind of odd to be lugging around a big sword and shield, but no one else seemed to notice, so she continued on her way. The voices continued to hold her, comfort her and talk to her, guiding her.
We are one, a voice echoed, it was clearly Seven's and that made her feel so good, wonderful in fact.
Her wings twitched as her back muscles shifted as she walked and she shrugged, settling them. She came to a door, which opened and she continued on. More doors, halls and turbolifts. She might have walked for an hour or a minute, she really couldn't say. The voices were so distracting.
***
She was liquid, fire and water. She held and flowed and she was one with all around her. She only had to breathe and feel the thoughts of Kathryn, of B'Elanna, of Tom and even Tuvok. It was incredible. It was unbelievable.
***
B'Elanna watched the world drift by from the vantage point of hanging off an arm and she wanted to heave. Remind me not to spacewalk anytime soon, she thought to herself, and was answered by a chorus of laughter from the ones who shared her thoughts.
If you think that's bad, imagine being feathers! Tom's mental voice whined.
But you're such a nice looking shield, beloved, Seven added.
Oh, you're such the one to talk, miss bloody wine cup! B'Elanna groused, then quieted as she felt It. It was the Ko Rian and It was immense. Painful, almost, and it made the Klingon blood in her burn with a desire to kill.
***
Doors whooshed open to reveal Admiral Susan Necheyev sprawled in a heap near her desk. The aide Janeway remembered from the earlier conversation was leaning over her with a wicked grin. He looked up and said, "I was wondering when you'd get here." His voice was pleasant, almost friendly. "I was beginning to get bored with these," he poked at the admiral, "pathetic creatures."
"Sorry to have kept you waiting," the words were hers, but the voice was not. It was as if the nuances of all those she carried, and then some, had come together to form a voice so pure it was like wind on water.
"Oh, you're going to do that already? Can't we spar for a bit?" Archangel pouted.
"I'm afraid I don't have time to play with you today," she replied, hefting her sword.
The Ko Rian sighed petulantly. "Oh all right, if you insist!" He gestured and the air wavered. A sword and shield of a dark icy material formed. The back of his tunic ripped out and sickly gray wings appeared.
"Not here," the Pentad said, and she brought her hands together, creating an inverted triangle. A beam of light shot out, hitting a wall and creating a gateway. "There."
The Ko Rian rolled his eyes and shrugged, "Whatever. Let's go, I've got places to destroy, species to annihilate."
Simultaneously, they flew through the opening, which closed behind them. Their clothes melted away, leaving each being clad in a metallic armor. On each breastplate was a device. Hers was a pentacle, each point bearing an emblem, while his was a blank pentagram. In the center of her pentacle was a silver circle, in the center of his an oily black infinity symbol that seemed to pulse and twist as she watched it. Shuddering, she lifted her sword.
Chapter Twenty-Five
"So, you want to tell me what's going on?" Kyrin asked Naomi as she slid into the ops chair of the Delta Flyer.
"I'm not terribly certain myself," Naomi admitted as she steadied the Flyer's descent into a low orbit. "Other than Kes, whom you may have read about," when the other ensign nodded she went on, "basically saved Captain Janeway for some kind of fight against some really powerful enemy. We're supposed to blow up Starfleet headquarters if she fails."
"What?" Kyrin exclaimed, and Naomi grinned.
"Come on, it'll be fun, and besides, Captain Janeway always wins!"
Ensign Thompson shook her head, "Whatever you say, Naomi."
***
Acting Commander Chakotay sat in the pseudo leather seat of the captain's chair on Voyager-B with evident unease. The chair automatically molded itself to his contour and heated to provide the most comfort to his flesh it was programmed to do, but it had been more than ten years since he'd last been in command of a Starfleet vessel, and even longer since he'd been in charge of something so obviously girded for war.
With only the briefest of explanations -- that there was a threat that only Kathryn and a select few could meet on Earth -- he had shed his peaceful ways and slipped into the old armor of a warrior. His eyes narrowed as he studied the mini display in the arm of the chair. Voyager's sensors displayed the data of the residual energy from a beam out, as well as charting where the Flyer came to a stop and full orbit. He tapped his foot nervously. His Maquis-trained senses were niggling at him. Something just wasn't right about what he was seeing.
"Harry, I want you to run a full scan of the area for oh, say, three light years. I have a strange feeling..."
"Aye, Commander." Harry bent to the task, adding in scans for anything unusual in subspace.
Minutes ticked by. "Voyager to the Delta Flyer," Chakotay suddenly said.
"Delta Flyer, go ahead Commander," came Kyrin's clear, bell-like voice.
"Anything unusual out there?"
"Not at all, Commander. It's as quiet as your proverbial churchmouse."
Then all hell broke loose. Several explosions rocked Voyager, interrupting the inertial dampers and scattering the crew over the bridge like paper dolls.
"Red Alert!" Chakotay snapped, dragging himself back into the captain's chair. Guess he hadn't lost it after all... he mused as his fingers flew over the console, requesting data.
Harry queued the forward viewscreen as Voyager was fired upon again. Ensign Varez moved to take Ops while Harry leaped over to the Tactical station. "Sixteen ships are converging on our position, Commander. Breen, Cardassian, Klingon... looks like a pirate fleet, sir!"
"Battlestations!" Chakotay shouted over the main com, knowing that Voyager's crew were already scrambling. "Fire when ready Mr. Kim. Let's teach these kids a lesson."
***
Naomi and Kyrin were sitting with their heads together, hands intertwined when several bright flashes of light forced them to look at the viewscreen.
"Oh shit!" Naomi exclaimed when she saw the Klingon bird of prey de-cloak practically on top of them. "Shields up!" She threw the ship into an evasive maneuver while Kyrin leaped into the ops chair and began babbling data at her. Okay Naomi, think. Don't get cocky and don't let fear rule you, she told herself as her fingers flew over the controls. Thanking Tom Paris for allowing her to sneak aboard the Flyer when she was a kid and watch while he designed the Flyer's instrumentation, she caressed the knobs and buttons lightly, knowing exactly where everything was. She tapped in commands and the Flyer executed an earthward dive, pulling the Klingon ship behind her, and then just as she knew the other ship would fire, she skewed away, hard to port yelling, "fire phasers!"
Kyrin fired, strafing the pursuing ship's shields. She called out, "Delta Flyer to Voyager, mayday!" and continued to fire as Naomi eluded the bird of prey's shots.
"Voyager here," came a harried response.
"We could use a little help down here," she said launching torpedoes one and two.
"Would love to, but we're a little pressed ourselves," came Chakotay's response.
"Shit," Naomi said.
"Well put, Ensign." Mirth colored the commander's voice.
Naomi stuck her tongue out at the viewscreen, knowing that the commander couldn't see her. "Okay, Kyrin, looks like it's you and me. Let's go blow this damn thing up and go pull Voyager's bacon out of the fire." With that, she sent the Flyer into a steep, rapid climb, jumping to warp one as soon as they left Earth's orbit and popping back out again directly behind the bird of prey.
Kyrin fired. A lovely crimson explosion brightened the viewscreen and they cheered. "Delta Flyer to Klingon vessel, surrender and break off your attack," Naomi demanded.
"The WamwI' does not surrender to a womanchild!" a gruff, static filled voice replied. Phaser fire ricocheted off of the Flyer's shields.
Naomi nodded at Kyrin, who fired again, sending torpedoes into the breach created by their last attack and Naomi pulled the Flyer back and watched as the WamwI' blew itself to smithereens.
"Well, that was fun. Now, let's go get us some more bad guys!" Naomi enthused.
Kyrin rolled her eyes.
Chapter Twenty-Six
She was battered and bleeding. One wing was gone, sheared away by a lucky stroke of the Ko Rian's. Of course, she'd done well herself, and the two entities now stood facing each other, panting.
"Can't we just be friends?" Archangel whined. "I promise I'll just go away and leave you alone if you let me go."
Part of her wanted to believe him as he implored her. He was so sweet looking, so childlike, that it was hard not to want to trust him, but the Janeway mind remembered her father's descriptions of Archangel's destruction, remembered the nightmares that her father had fought with every day for the rest of his life. The B'Elanna part of her supplied an image of the prone Admiral Necheyev, a puddle of crimson pooling on the desk as they'd entered the room, and the Ko Rian's absolute look of glee in the woman's death. Anger flared and she gathered herself to begin the attack anew.
::No! You must stop this soon! The longer you fight, the more energy he draws from our suffering, from the suffering of your friends.:: Kes' mental voice told them, showing them scenes of the other universe where many ships were battling other ships. A huge Cardassian destroyer was bearing down on Voyager even now, powering it's forward cannons. They watched as the Delta Flyer came up from no where and launched torpedoes at the destroyer, and it exploded, taking several smaller ships with it.
The Ko Rian laughed. "Well, it looks like I've won after all," he said, wiggling his hips gleefully. "Besides," he sneered, "did you really think you could blow me up?"
She gnashed her teeth in frustration. All right Kes, what the hell are we supposed to do then? Let the bastard win?
::Aim for his chest. Your sword must pierce the armor.::
Tired, angry, afraid and having no other idea of what to do, she lifted her blade and screamed harshly, then launched herself at the Ko Rian, arms wide open. Surprised by the attack, he staggered back, dropping his shield down. She dropped her own shield in a feint, and as he twisted to strike, she rammed her sword home, straight into the center of the pentagram on his golden armored chest.
"Annihilate this!" she growled as she ground the sword into the being, delighting in his open-mouthed shock.
Electric fire took her then and she looked down to see that his sword was partially buried in her own chest and she fell, dragging the Ko Rian with her. Her hand was still attached to her sword. She tried to let go but could not, her flesh and the grip of the blade seemingly bonded.
***
Seven of Nine, tertiary adjunct to the unimatrix zero one was performing a routing task. Energy from this source must travel along this conduit to this receptacle and she was the only drone who could efficiently perform the task. Something akin to pride suffused her as she delighted in the role her Queen had given her and she worked, tirelessly and effortlessly.
Her eyes burned. Her arm and legs grew leaden, yet she worked. When she dropped and began crawling, she worked.
She knew that if she failed, then Kathryn and B'Elanna would die horrible deaths, and this could not happen, for Annika Hansen loved her mates with all her heart and soul.
***
"I can't believe we just did that," Naomi whispered groggily. Smoke and sparks filled the shuttle's main compartment, and she was certain that there was a fire in the aft section of the ship. There was no reply from Kyrin. "Kyrin?" Naomi called out softly, dragging herself up from the floor and looking over the railing into the ops chair.
Kyrin Thompson was sprawled on the floor, unmoving.
"Kyrin!" Naomi cried, leaping up the short steps and kneeling next to her girlfriend, fearfully touching the ensign's neck. A pulse beat, though it was weak.
"Enterprise to Delta Flyer," the cultured tones of Captain Jean-Luc Picard crackled over the com system.
Naomi tapped the console and said, "Go ahead, Enterprise," as she began looking for a first aid kit.
"Do you require assistance?"
"Yes sir!"
Three shapes materialized, two carrying medical cases.
Seven hours after Captain Janeway and company had beamed to the surface, there was still no word. The pirates had been captured or chased away by the arrival of Captains Picard, Data, and Riker. Losses were still being tallied, and the captains were holding an emergency meeting aboard Voyager.
"We, ah, kinda used the bombs that Captain Janeway programmed on that Destroyer," Naomi admitted nervously. Her mind was elsewhere, in sickbay, worrying over Kyrin, who Doc Z had pronounced, "down but not out" while shooing the overly concerned young woman out of sickbay to make room for more wounded.
"No one is saying you did the wrong thing, Naomi," Chakotay said, "but you were a part of the planning group. We were hoping you had some idea what was going on."
"Not really. Captain Janeway never explained the particulars to me. All I know is that it has something to do with an ancient evil bad guy and Kes."
"Perhaps I can be of assistance?" Sara, Voyager's computer, asked. She knew she was breaking every regulation regarding her existence, but she calculated that she would be forgiven based on the circumstances.
Picard looked disturbed. "I was unaware that Voyager was a Mark IV ship."
"Voyager was actually the prototype carrier, Captain," Data informed him. "I only got Jonah because I asked for him."
"Oh, all right. Go ahead, uhm, computer," he seemed ill at ease, even more so that Captain Janeway was when she first found out about the Mark IV.
Sara told them everything she'd overheard about the Ko Rian. When she was done, the men leaned back in their chairs and looked like they'd been repeatedly hit by a phaser set on "confuse".
"Well," William Riker tugged on his beard, "I guess we can't do much of anything except sit on our torpedoes and hope to whatever's holy that Kathryn Janeway's team can kick the crap out of Archangel."
"Number one..." Picard warned, using Riker's old nickname. "I believe our best course of action would be to begin reprogramming torpedoes using Captain Janeway's specifications."
"We should probably evacuate the city," Chakotay added and Picard nodded.
"You're right. All right, let's get to work." They all stood and hurried off to begin their tasks, leaving Naomi sitting in the conference room feeling outclassed and slightly useless. Then she remembered Kyrin, and didn't care.
Since they hadn't seen fit to give her any orders, and since she was technically on medical leave, she went to sickbay to see if she could offer assistance, or just hold her girlfriend's hand.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Captain Kathryn Janeway came to feeling as though she'd eaten lava. Her insides had that "just been melted" feeling and it wasn't a good one. To top it off, she had the protozoic grandaddy of all headaches. "I can't be dead," she groaned, "it hurts too damned much!" She opened her eyes and looked around. She and the others who'd been joined together were scattered about Admiral Necheyev's office. Blood freely spattered their uniforms and Kathryn could tell that at least two of the security team were dead, because they weren't much more than puddles of blood and bone.
Marquez and Anders, she noted sadly, recognizing bits of the couple's distinctive bleach-blonde hair. She got to her knees and continued to take stock of the situation. Tuvok was curled up in a fetal position, absolutely naked and drenched in a grayish-yellow viscous ooze, but he was breathing, so she moved on. Standing, she reached out to steady herself on the edge of Necheyev's desk and only flinched a little when she felt her fingers slide through something cold and gelatinous. Briefly, Janeway spared an angry thought toward the being that had deprived her of a good lecture. She'd really wanted to give the admiral a piece of her mind. She staggered around the room, stopping at each body.
Two others, Ensigns Dean and Jantz were also dead, their bodies tossed aside like rag dolls. The rest of the security force were injured, but alive. She found Tom Paris tucked behind a filing cabinet. His injury, though not mortal, brought home the horror and pain of the ordeal they'd just undergone.
The lieutenant's left leg, like the Pentad's wing, had been severed at the hip. There wasn't much blood, as the Ko Rian's sword had cauterized as it cut, but Janeway knew that the lieutenant had to be in a severe state of shock. She reached up to touch her combadge, to find that it was gone, lost in the battle. Tom's was gone too.
"Don't worry, Tom, I'll get help," she murmured.
Surprisingly, he cracked open an eye, then grinned wryly at her. "Never doubted you, Captain. Not for one moment," he whispered.
Janeway put a hand on his shoulder and said, "I know," then moved on to search for the rest of her crew.
She found Seven sprawled lifelessly behind some potted plants. Fearfully, Kathryn reached her fingers out to feel for a pulse. A strong rhythm greeted her, and she nearly collapsed in relief. Gently, she shook her lover, calling out to her.
"Annika? Seven darling, wake up, please."
With a moan, Seven came to. "Kathr--Captain? Omega, my head!" the Borg brought a hand up to delicately finger her head. "It feels like it's about to explode," she complained.
"I bet," Kathryn soothed, caressing her lover's face. Quickly, she brushed a kiss over Seven's cheek. "Come on, let me help you up and you can help look for the rest of us."
"Where's B'Ella?" Seven asked as the captain helped her to stand, then steadied her as she swayed in place, catching her balance.
"I haven't located her yet, but I'm not giving up hope, either."
"'M over here, with Kes," a weak voice called out.
Kathryn and Seven picked their way across the room and into a sitting area that was adjacent to the main office. In the center of the room was Kes, broken and bloodied. B'Elanna was laying on a couch, bleeding all over cream-white leather. Seven nearly fell running to her lover's side. The half-Klingon was in a bad way. Her entire right arm and shoulder had been sheared off, leaving behind a gaping wound that, though mostly cauterized, bled freely.
Janeway knelt next to Kes, biting her lip when she saw the extent of the damage to the Ocampa's body. Her neck was broken and there were bloody gashes over most of her body. Janeway brushed her fingers over Kes' cheek and down to her throat, trying to find a pulse. The telepath's eyes fluttered open at the touch and she smiled weakly.
"We did it," she coughed a little and blood flecked her lips. "Elder Ketrall says that the Ko Rian has been destroyed. My task here is done."
Kathryn smoothed the hair away from Kes' face. "Seven, do you still have your combadge?"
The Borg, who'd slid onto the couch and then carefully propped B'Elanna in her lap, checked. "No, but B'Ella does."
"See if it works. We're all in need of medical attention. Besides, I'm not sure I'd like to find out if Ensign Wildman still has those torpedoes."
"Yes, Captain." Seven bent down and gently tapped B'Elanna's combadge and began to speak softly to a very elated Commander Chakotay.
"Kathryn," Kes coughed.
"Sh, not now. Later," Kathryn smiled down at her friend.
"I don't have a later, Kathryn. I have to leave again, and I don't think I'll be coming back." She smiled, and tears slipped down her cheeks. "Thank you, Kathryn. For your sacrifice. Without you, I would have failed."
"Nonsense! You're stronger than you know, my friend." Janeway stroked Kes' cheek, not caring that her own were wet with tears.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about Marquez and Anders," she coughed again and more blood erupted, causing the captain to tear off the sleeve of her jacket and dab at it, "and Dean and Jantz. And for Tom, and you, B'Elanna..." she wheezed.
"It was nothing, really," B'Elanna joked weakly. "I'm sure Tom feels the same way, don't you Tommy-boy?" she managed to yell.
"Oh, yeah, sure," Paris called back, laughing some. "Best damn ride I've ever had and it only cost an arm and a leg! Cheaper than a Ferrengi amusement park by far!"
They all laughed, even Kes. The Ocampa then reached out to Janeway and to Seven, who took her hands. "You've all been true friends, and I'm going to miss you." Her body began to flicker and Kathryn felt the woman's hand become softer and softer until it was completely insubstantial. Tiny sparkles of light, as if she were the container for a million fireflies, appeared within the telepath and she smiled wonderingly. "It's so beautiful," she whispered, then, the specks of light merged to form three separate will o' the wisps.
My gift to you... Kes' voice rang in their minds, then the orbs shot out and impacted Kathryn, Seven and B'Elanna.
Epilogue
This is the life... thought Kathryn Janeway as she lay on her back, head pillowed on Seven's lap. In the background, she could hear the ocean's waves as they brushed the shore as well as the happy giggling of Naomi and Kyrin. The girls were sitting across from them, toasting marshmallows over a huge fire they'd built. Both teen's faces were already liberally smeared with the sticky sweet.
Six months. It'd been six months since they'd come home and faced Archangel. Once everything had been sorted out, Starfleet and the Federation had been so grateful, they'd offered her an admiralty -- in fact, they'd offered her Necheyev's spot, but she'd declined. Instead, she retired. She'd had enough of space and ships and life-or-death struggles. Now was the time for life. Now was the time to spend with her wives.
She, Seven and B'Elanna had exchanged quiet vows at a chapel in her hometown, while their families had looked on, a little bemused, but mostly happy, just that morning. Now, they were on a beach in California, because that was where they'd agreed they'd like to hold the reception.
Seven shifted and Kathryn winced almost simultaneously. "You okay, darling?" Kathryn asked as she rubbed her belly. Against all known laws of medical science, she, Seven and B'Elanna were pregnant. Kes' gift. After Doc Z had performed a few tests, they'd figured out that the children were going to be genetically mixed -- some of her DNA, some of B'Elanna's, some of Seven's, and not surprisingly, some of Kes'.
At first, the women hadn't known what to think about the surprising news, but then Kathryn recalled her dream, and was happy. Seven, who adored children, was also content. Only B'Elanna seemed at little peeved at the inconvenience. Of course, having to endure a pregnancy and physical therapy to accustom oneself to a newly cloned arm and shoulder at the same time would be enough to drive anyone a little batty. But to add to that the fact that you were living with two other pregnant women, one of them used to command, and it made for some interesting times.
"I'm fine, Kathryn. Kessa just wanted to sleep on her tummy." Though they did not know the sexes of their children, Seven was absolutely positive she was carrying a girl, and nothing could dissuade her from giving her a name that honored her sire.
"I wish mine would stop practicing for the Velocity trials long enough for me to get comfy," B'Elanna's said as she walked up carrying a large plate piled high with food. "If I have to use the head once more..." she threatened teasingly.
"Food!" Kathryn crowed, reaching for the first thing she saw, a butter-slathered croissant.
"And I've got the drinks," said Chakotay as he entered the firelight.
Naomi and Kyrin moved to make room for the ambassador, who settled down and crossed his legs easily. B'Elanna handed down the plate and then sort of squatted until she fell with a slight, "oomph," on her butt. Tufts of sand flew up and some landed near the food.
"Hey! B'Ella, watch it. I'm not a chicken, I don't need any grit in my diet," Janeway groused to her wife.
"Aw, dirt don't hurt," B'Elanna replied, leaning against Seven's side and putting her head on the Borg's shoulder, "right Blue Eyes?"
Seven smirked and whipped out a tricorder and began rattling off the contents of the sand around them concluding with, "B'Elanna is correct, Kathryn, this dirt will not harm you."
Janeway made a face, then stuck her tongue out at both of them. "Fine, you can eat it then. Me, I'm going to eat this," and she proceeded to tuck in.
Everyone laughed, and began to pass around food and drink. Soon, the fire was crowded with Tuvok, Neelix, Tom, Harry, Doc Z, Samantha Wildman and Kathryn's sister Phoebe all jockeying for a place close to the fire.
Kathryn looked around and smiled around a bite of hot dog. She swallowed, then said, "Thank you all for coming. These last few months have been rather hectic --"
"Here, here!" Tom laughed, already a few sheets to the wind, kicking his new leg up and down while Harry tried to shush him.
Janeway snorted and shook her head, "and I'm glad we were all finally able to catch up. Now, I have a toast to make." She turned to her wives and smiled. "To the women that make me whole, may we continue to find something new to love about each other every day."
Cups clicked and they drank.
B'Elanna cleared her throat, "Guess it's my turn. As a Klingon, I should probably say something like, glory in battle and in bed, but half of me is Human, so I'll just take the glory in bed part!" she waggled her eyebrows lasciviously at her wives and chuckled.
Laughter erupted as Janeway blushed a deep scarlet, accompanied by Tom's hearty, "Amen to that!"
Seven raised an eyebrow, "My turn." She wrapped her arm around B'Elanna and took Kathryn's hand. "I owe each of you a little part of what makes me individual. My heart is forever yours." She kissed each of them deeply, then clinked her glass against theirs.
The toasts went on for some time, until the food was gone and the moon was high. It was a perfect night, a true gift of time.
fin