Chapter 40: Non Sequitur: Part One
Chapter 41: Non Sequitur: Part One.
(One month later.)
Harry Kim's POV
-----
"Voyager to shuttlecraft Drake. Prepare for emergency transport. Mister Kim, can you hear me? We're attempting to lock on to you. Harry?" The Captain called out in the back of my mind.
"Harry? Hey, it's time to wake up." A familiar soft voice called to me. Did it sound like Libby? I snapped my eyes open, part of me was expecting to by laying in a broken shuttle, part of me didn't know what to expect. When I opened my eyes I was in our bedroom in San Francisco. Libby was laying next to me propped up on her arm. Was this real? Wha-What is going on? "What's wrong?"
"Libby." I said softly. Having trouble deciding whether or not I was hallucinating.
"Yes?" She questioned. I ran my hands across the fabric of my bed and cupped her face. It was real. This is real. This...really can't be happening.
"This can't be happening." I blurted out.
"What's wrong with you?" She asked, probably thinking I have officially lost it.
"Libby, it's really you, isn't it?" I said, trying to once again confirm that this was indeed happening. She rolled her eyes with a chuckle and hopped off the bed. She quickly put on her bathrobe and pulled her black curly hair into a ponytail.
"Come on. You're going to be late." She insisted.
"What?" I snapped in surprise. Meeting? What is going on?
"You have a meeting." She clarified, giving me an eyebrow raise of suspicion. "Oh nine hundred, remember? You've only been obsessing about it for a week. I don't want Lieutenant Lasca blaming me because you weren't on time for the biggest meeting of your career. Now get dressed and I'll make you some breakfast."
---30 minutes later---
I stepped out of the bathroom with my uniform on. Watching Libby putter around the kitchen area of the house since it was a one-room apartment.
"Come on, the eggs are getting cold." Libby said, setting down our breakfast on the dining room table. She briefly looked up at me again and placed her hands on her hips. Glaring at me in annoyance as I stumbled towards the table. "What's with you today?"
"The date. What's the date?" I asked. Praying that it would give me any clue to what was going on, which only made poor Lilly more confused as the minutes passed.
"The date?" She repeated.
"What day is today?" I clarified.
"49011."
"So this isn't the past. It's the present. San Francisco. This can't be a dream, it's too real. It's too clear. So what does that leave? A holodeck? A hallucination? Some kind of trick? The last thing, I remember was piloting a shuttlecraft on my way back to Voyager." I said, thinking out loud as I tried to again make sense of this. This must be a simulation. There is no other explanation.
"We both have a long day ahead of us. Could we play this little game another time, please?" Libby snapped in annoyance as she straightened her dress.
"No, you can't be Libby. It's not possible. My name is Ensign Harry Kim of the Federation Starship Voyager. Where am I? Is this some sort of simulation?"
"That's not funny, Harry, talking about Voyager like that. The memorial service was only two months ago. Danny was your best friend. How could you joke about it?" She snapped. Danny? Danny wasn't on Voyager...
"Danny? Danny Byrd?" I asked. Libby snatched up her purse as she headed towards the front door.
"I'm done with this conversation. Go to work. I'll see you tonight. I have to go to my own job now." She said and walked out of the house. Leaving me still very confused. There must be a reasonable explanation.
"What is going on?" I muttered.
-----
Micheal Janeway's POV
I sat staring out of the window at my grandma's farmhouse. The rain hit the window in a regular motion as I counted the seconds for...fun. I listened to Grandma Gretchen making us breakfast in the kitchen and Sarah crying as quiet as she could against Mollie's fur behind me.
Mommy was gone. She left on her new ship: Voyager, a few months ago. They say her ship disappeared in the badlands. They couldn't find any wreckage, but they gave up. They gave up looking for Mommy.
They gave up too soon.
I hear Grandma Gretchen, everyday mutter under her breathe at least once comment on how they gave up to soon. How there should have been something, anything to give a clue to what happened to them.
But, but if Mommy is dead, then...then...
Tears started streaming down my face as I considered the possibility that...yes...she might be dead like Daddy.
I won't accept that. Mommy can't be dead. Something is wrong here about the entire situation.
"Kids, breakfast!" Grandma Gretchen called out. I quickly wiped away my tears and helped Sarah up from the ground. I used my T-shirt to wipe away her own tears and reminded her that Grandma didn't need to see us sad. She nodded and managed to pull it together enough to give me a small smile. Mollie whined in front of us. I patted her on the head and we made out way into the kitchen where our breakfast was waiting.
We both sat down as Grandma Gretchen cleaned up. How could I get more information about Voyager's disappearance? Uncle Owen! Uncle Owen could help us!
"How is it, kids?" Grandma Gretchen asked as we started munching on our eggs and toast.
"It is good." I mumbled. Her face softened as she patted my shoulder in sympathy. Sarah sucked in a breath and slowly looked up to Grandma.
"Grandma...I miss Mommy. I want her back." She said. Grandma Gretchen teared up and sucked in a shaky breath and gave Sarah and I a quick bear hug in our chairs. When she pulled back, she wiped away her tears and smiled towards us.
"I miss her too, kids." She said and started to move out of the kitchen. But then stopped and looked towards us once more with a small smile. "Remember, you two have a PD day today."
Then she swiftly left the kitchen to go clean up the garden outside. Mollie came into the kitchen and started to eat from her food bowl. I thought about my birthday. I was ten now. Mommy wasn't there.
"We need to find Mommy." I blurted out. Sarah abruptly stopped eating and slowly looked up at me with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"But, they said she was just gone. We can't go to space." She argued. For a ten-year-old and five-year-old, Mommy always said we were smarter than most kids our age. So, if any kids could find their Mommy it would be us.
"We can talk to Uncle Owen. If he won't help us then...Well...we will figure that out then." I insisted.
"When do we go?" She asked.
"Now."
"Now?"
"Sooner, the better. Come on." I insisted. I hopped off my chair and Sarah followed me, bring Mollie along as we crossed the big hallway full of photos of Grandma and deceased Grandpa Edward (Who we never met) with aunt Pheobe and Mommy as they grew up. We entered into Grandpa's office that was rather old fashioned like the rest of the house but he did have a transporter padd in here that we used to use often when Daddy was alive.
I typed in the right location into the transport like I watched Mommy and Daddy do so many times. I set it to voice command and jumped onto the padd with Sarah and Mollie.
"Computer," I chirped and looked over to Sarah to make sure she was ready. She nodded and I nodded back. We are going to find Mommy. "Energize."
-----
Harry Kim's POV
I left my apartment building in what according to a banner is the Mission District of the Old Town, which was having a festival on August 14. It is completely pedestrianized, with a subway entrance. I walked towards the nearest coffee shop on the next intersection and Cosimo, the owner, who was sweeping the entrance, called to me.
"Harry! Coming right up." He said automatically and reentered the cafe, coming out again with my usual order. A takeaway coffee.
"Here you go. Vulcan mocha, extra sweet." He said as he handed it to me.
"Thanks."
"So today's the big day, huh?" He said. What does that mean? Does everyone but me know about this meeting but me?
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You know, the meeting. The new ship you're designing. And don't forget. You promised to bring me a model. And I'm going to hang it right there in my window. And I'll tell everyone, Harry Kim, he designed that ship. He came into my shop every morning." He boasted. Then I realized that...I don't remember going to this coffee shop before I left on Voyager. It was sort f just an impulse to come here.
KIM: Look, I know this is going to sound a little funny, but how long have I been coming to this coffee shop?
"How long? Well, let's see. Since you left the Academy. How is that? Eight? Eight months." Cosimo replied. How did I know his name?
"Eight months." I repeated. "And you've seen me every day?"
"Well, not every day. You like to sleep late on Sunday. But if I had your fiancée, I'd sleep late too." He chuckled.
"Fiancée? We're getting married?" I said in surprise. Libby and I are getting married?
"Ah, yes. There were many mornings I woke up, I said the same thing to myself when I was about to be married. But don't worry, it'll pass." He insisted.
"I don't think you've ever had a morning quite like this one." I muttered.
"True. I don't build starships." Cosimo replied and winked towards me. I rolled my eyes and said my final goodbyes and started walking towards Starfleet HQ, starting to have a dreading feeling about the meeting.
---40 minutes later---
I walked through the Starfleet HQ gardens. Dodging people as some of them looked upon me with respect. Suddenly, I saw two kids in the middle of the courtyard with a dog. Wait...That was Micheal, Sarah and Mollie!
I managed to get to them before they walked away. They seemed to be arguing.
"Micheal, Sarah?" I blurted out, temporarily forgetting that they did not know who I am. I was just some stranger. They spun around and looked up at me with surprise and a hind of anxiety and fear.
"Who are you? How do you know our names?" Micheal demanded and stood in front of his sister to protect her as Mollie growled towards me.
"I-um-knew your mother! I am Ensign Harry Kim." I introduced and held out my hand awkwardly towards Micheal. Micheal hesitantly shook my hand in suspicion.
"Do you think Mommy is dead?" Sarah bluntly asked, and Micheal shot her a warning glare.
"No, no of course not!" I insisted. I guess in this...story, the Captain didn't take her children and Mollie with her. "Are you trying to find out what happened to her?"
They both nodded. Should I tell them the truth? Would they believe me? I bent down on one knee, to about their size and whispered the truth.
"I know where your mother is. She is in the Delta Quadrant. I am actually supposed to be the operations officer on Voyager and you two, with Mollie are supposed to be with your mother on Voyager." I explained.
"Huh?" Micheal and Sarah said.
"How...can we believe you?" Micheal slowly asked.
"I...I am sorry to say that, you have to trust me. I swear I am telling the truth, no matter how stupid it seems. OK?"
"If you try and kidnap us, you are dead. But we will trust you. For now." Micheal said.
"Alright. But you have to stick around me, OK? I promise I will get you back to your mother." I swore. They nodded. I looked up and noticed Lasca, one of my other friends, jogging towards me.
"Hey, Harry! You ready to go?" He asked and then looked down and gave the kids a strange look before looking back at me with an excited smile.
"Er, where?" I asked. He rolled his eyes and pointed towards the HQ's main building.
"Very funny. Come on. We'd better get moving if we're going to catch the transport to the other side of HQ. You know, the Admiral's complex. For the meeting." He explained. I looked back down at the worried faces of Sarah and Micheal.
"I, I'm not sure I can go. I'm not feeling very well. Maybe I should just go home." I suggested.
"Come on. Come on. It's just a case of the jitters. You'll do just fine. Who are they?" Lasca asked.
"Ah, these are a friend's children. I was tasked with looking after them today." I said.
"Did you not inform this friend that you have a VERY important meeting today, or did it just slip your mind?" Lasca sarcastically asked.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Lasca. Let's just get going." I insisted. We started towards the HQ transport station.
---40 minutes later---
We had just barely made it to the complex. I left Micheal, Sarah and Mollie in the conference waiting room with the main assistant. We were lucky enough that she didn't recognize them as Janeway's children.
We stood infront of three admirals and two security officers protecting the room. Lasca brought up a schematic of the ship on the main console and turned on his computer to bring up the main presentation on the other wall console.
"Relax, Harry." He said as he entered in his access code into the computer. "If all goes well, you'll walk out of this room a Lieutenant. Let me see that warp coil schematic."
"The what?" I blurted out.
"The coil diagram. The one with the new plasma flow equations." He reminded me.
"I forgot to bring it."
"Forgot? Harry, we need that diagram to show that we worked out the dilithium fracture problem."
"I'm sorry."
"Well, we'll just have to improvise," Lasca said as he fixed the schematic. I nodded and watched as a middle-aged male Admiral entered the room, not looking very pleased. It was Admiral Strickler. He sat in the middle of the table and impatiently fidgeted.
"Good morning. I have a meeting at eleven hundred hours with the head of Starfleet Security. She doesn't like to be kept waiting. Let's get this underway. Lieutenant Lasca?" He insisted. Lasca nodded.
"Thank you, Admiral." Then he pointed towards the schematic on the wall console. "Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at the new runabout Yellowstone. It's equipped with tetryon plasma warp nacelles, and designed for a variety of mission profiles."
"Yes, Lieutenant." The Admiral sharply interrupted. "I've looked over your specifications. It's an interesting design. But how do you propose to address the dilithium fracture problem? Tetryon plasma tends to disrupt subspace."
"I'm actually glad you asked that question, sir. We've been working on the problem for several weeks, and I think you'll see that we have found an answer. I'd like to introduce you to the engineer who designed these new warp engines, and I might add, he is the most promising young engineer to come out of the Academy in a long time. Ensign Harry Kim." Lasca said and passed the meeting over to me. I opened my mouth to speak but found that I couldn't. I didn't know anything. "Harry?"
"Is there a problem, Ensign?" The Admiral asked in concern.
"Actually, sir, there is." I admitted stiffly. Lasca scowled and leaned over to me.
"Come on, Harry. Pull it together. We've been waiting for this for six months." He hissed in my ear.
"Ensign, are you ill?" The Admiral asked.
"Yes, sir. I'm very ill. I would like to continue this presentation at a later date." I suggested.
"Well, unfortunately, Ensign, I'm leaving for a three-week tour of the Cardassian border in a few days. It will have to wait until after then." The Admiral concluded and the rest of the Admirals and himself swiftly left the room to carry onto their own duties.
"Harry, you'd better be dying." Lasca snapped and started to pack up his things.
-----
Micheal Janeway's POV
We followed Harry through a lot of Starfleet offices, no one really seemed to really pay us much attention.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"My office. I have to check my service record." Harry replied. We entered into his office. His office had a picture of him with a pretty smiling lady on his desk, a model of one of the first starships on a stand, various framed certificates on the wall. A massive computerized drafting board behind his desk. He sat down and we stood behind him. He turned on his computer and brought up his service record.
"Guess I'm pretty good." He boasted and then started to read his record out loud for his own sake. "Computer, display my service record. (reads) Graduated Starfleet Academy stardate 47918. Requested duty on USS Voyager. Request denied. Requested transfer to Starfleet Engineering Corps. Transfer approved. Starship design specialist. Awarded the Cochrane Medal of Excellence for outstanding advances in warp theory. Computer, access Starfleet Science Academy database. Have there been any temporal anomalies in the space-time continuum reported in the last forty-eight hours?"
"Negative. No temporal anomalies have been reported." The Computer replied. Harry sighed and leaned into his chair.
"Computer, has there been any contact with the starship Voyager since it was lost in the Badlands?"
"Information on USS Voyager is classified. Security clearance level three or above is required to access files."
"No problem. It's my ship, or at least I thought it was." He muttered under his breathe.
"Security authorization accepted. The last recorded contact with USS Voyager prior to its disappearance was on stardate 48307.5."
"Access Voyager crew manifest. Who was the operations officer onboard?"
"Ensign Daniel Byrd." The Computer said. Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
"Danny." He muttered.
-----
Harry Kim's POV
"Harry! What are you doing back so early?" Cosimo called out from the cafe, I walked across the street and met up with Cosimo at the porch of his cafe with the kids and Mollie, following closely behind.
"Oh, hi. I wasn't feeling too well, so I decided to come home." I said as an excuse.
"Oh, you don't look sick to me. Coming home for a little visit with Libby, are we? Ah, to be young. Don't worry. I'll keep your secret." Cosimo said with a wink and wiped down one of the small tables.
"Thanks. Listen, I know this is going to sound strange, but I forgot to look at the street number when I left this morning, and I don't remember which building I live in. Could you-"
"Tell you where you live? You're not playing some kind of a prank on your old pal Cosimo, are you?" Cosimo asked, half-jokingly.
"No, like I said, I haven't been feeling well, and everything's kind of foggy." I covered up.
"Okay, okay, okay. Well, you live right over there. Fourth floor, apartment four G."
"Thanks."
COSIMO: Harry, don't look so concerned. Everything's going to work out. You have a wonderful job, a beautiful fiancée. Everything's going to be fine. Trust me, hmm? Also, you better keep Kath's kids safe." And with that, he spun around and reentered the cafe. How did he know that these were Janeway's kids?
"Do you know him?" I asked Sarah and Micheal.
"I don't remember him." Micheal admitted.
"Me neither. Mommy has never been to this cafe." Sarah confirmed.
"Strange. Come on. We have to find a way to get back to the original reality. Something is very wrong here."
---20 minutes later---
I entered into my almost spotless apartment. I briefly looked out of the window and saw the people going about their normal routine. Not noticing that something was very wrong. Micheal and Sarah slumped onto the main sofa and turned on the federation News Network. (FNN)
I replicated lunch for the two of them and brought food for Mollie into the living room. They thanked me and started to eat as they listened to the news. I entered my home office and started to lookup possibilities of how to fix this. So it was clear that it was no longer a simulation, this was real, was I in an Alternate Universe?
"Harry! Harry!" Micheal cried from the living room in a panic. I ran in and saw them pointing towards the TV in alarm. For a good reason. On the TV was a news reporter, with a picture of Micheal, Sarah and Mollie on screen and the Captain in her uniform from a Starfleet function. They were reporting about how Micheal, Sarah and Mollie went missing.
------
Federation News Network
The reporter shifted uncomfortably but then straightened up.
"Welcome to the Federation News Network. We start this broadcast with breaking news. Two children, Micheal and Sarah Janeway, children of the highly valued Captain Kathryn E. Janeway. Who was recently lost with all hands in the badlands earlier last year on the intrepid Starship Voyager."
-----
Harry Kim's POV
"They will be looking for us! We can't save Mommy now." Micheal said defeated.
"Hey! That's not true, we just have to be a bit more...careful." I insisted. They silently nodded and a few minutes later of me pacing for answers, and them finishing up their meals, we were still no closer to the solution than before.
Suddenly, the front door opened and Libby entered, she shrieked once she saw Micheal, Sarah and Mollie. Mollie started barking and Micheal and Sarah screamed once they saw her and scrambled up. They ran towards me and hid behind me as Libby slowly walked into the living room, looking at us with wide eyes. She raised a shaky finger towards them.
"Wh-What-What are...These children doing here? They have been reported missing!" She shrieked. Completely going over the fact that I am home early but that is clearly not the main problem right now.
"Libby, if you let me explain-"
"No! There is no good reason that they should be here, we need to report this!" She panicked and started towards the communications terminal. Micheal and Sarah ran across the room and stepped in her path, which caused her to halt and take a few steps back in confusion.
"NO!" Micheal yelled. "No. We are trying to find our Mommy. Please don't stop us."
Libby looked towards me, now looking for an explanation for this entire situation.
"Harry, what the hell is going on?" She said softly.
"I-I am in the wrong reality. This isn't right, and they are helping me return so that everything can be fixed." I bluntly said. She tilted her head towards me and looked at me as if I lost all sanity.
"Wrong reality? I am not going to pretend I understand what that means since I am not in Starfleet. But I am just going to assume that they don't know about that ridiculous fairy tail and don't approve of you taking these children." She snapped.
"You don't believe me?"
"I didn't say that...but...Wrong reality? You have to understand how hard that is for me to believe right? This...situation could ruin your career if they find out that you took them. These are Captain Janeway's children. One of the most highly decorated Captains in the fleet."
Micheal tugged on her sleeve making her give her attention to Micheal and Sarah.
"He knows who my Mommy is. Ms..."
"Libby. My name is Libby." Libby replied with a soft smile and Micheal and Sarah smiled back.
"Libby, my Daddy is dead. My Mommy is lost. My grandma won't be around forever. We can't lose our Mommy. Even if Harry is wrong about this, we need to try." He insisted. That seemed to melt Libby's heart as she sagged and looked towards me again. She straightened up and nodded towards me.
"Don't screw this up, Harry. You better get back to the right reality." She said.
"I promise."
---Time: 4 am. Next Day---
I untangled myself from the bedsheets and watched Libby sleep for a few minutes. I pressed a soft kiss on her head and got up. Briefly stopping to watch Micheal, Sarah and Mollie as they slept on the sofa, using Mollie like a pillow. I sat down at my terminal, not trusting my office for the information I needed. I would probably set off a few alarms. I entered in my access code for more access to the database.
"Computer, where is the Starfleet officer Thomas Eugene Paris."
"Thomas Eugene Paris convicted of treason. Sentenced to eighteen months at the New Zealand Penal Settlement. Paroled on stardate 48702. Last reported whereabouts, Marseilles, France."
"Computer, where is...civilian Bini Filters?" I said. Was she with Tom? I know they were in the penal colony together.
"Bini Faustina Filters. Convicted criminal of treason on two accounts. Sentenced to 36 months at the New Zealand Penal Settlement. Released early due to good behaviour. Paroled on stardate 48702. Last reported whereabouts, Marseilles, France." The computer reported.
"Harry?" I turned off my screen and spun around in the chair to look at Libby standing against the wall of our apartment. The moonlight provided enough light for me to be able to see her face was one of concern and being tired. "It's four in the morning. What are you doing?"
"Oh, I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd catch up on some work."
-----
Bini Filters's POV
(Time: 11 am.)
I swiped Tom's beer again as he was face down against the table, mumbling some sort of nonsense again as he was half wasted. He was still able to make decisions and talk...pretty normal...but he couldn't make smart ones. Now that I think about it, he hasn't been making any smart decisions since we were out of the penal colony.
Then again, I am not much better. My job is literally sitting here and making sure he doesn't get himself killed or arrested. He looked up at me in annoyance and lazily tried to grab the beer but I held it above my head and shook my head.
"Nope. It is 11 am. Probably 11:03 at this point, too early to drink. Get and play...pool or something. Hustle people out of latinium. I don't care, just stop drinking."
"Geez, you are a real pain in the ass sometimes, you know that?" He said as he raised himself from the table and Sardine took the beer from me with a silent wink and moved back behind the counter. He took a pool cue and started to play his own private game since there were only about five people in the bar and nobody else seemed interested.
Then the door opened and a young ensign walked through the door, which wasn't all that surprising other than the fact is that when Starfleet officers normal come in here, they are wasted. He slammed his hand down, just as Tom was about to shot a ball.
"Hey. Watch it, will you? I'm trying to set up a shot here." Tom snapped in annoyance.
"Tom. Bini." The ensign said. Oh shit. He knows who we are. Am I going to get arrested?!
"Who the hell are you?" Tom snapped up in rage.
"You don't know me, do you?" The ensign replied calmly.
"No, shit we don't," I muttered.
"Sure. We were at the Academy together, right?" Tom ignored me and guessed.
"No."
"Oh. Well, it must have been the Exeter. We served on the Exeter together?"
"Try Voyager."
Voyager...Voyager! That ship that went and got destroyed or missing, or whatever. Boy am I happy I didn't agree with that Captain.
"Ah, Voyager. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I never set foot on that ship. And I can't say that I'm sorry, considering what happened to it."
"You know about the mission to the Badlands?"
"Oh, yeah. Captain Janeway asked if I'd help her track down that Maquis ship in exchange for an early release from the penal colony." Tom replied, leaning against the tabled.
"But you said no?"
"What? Are you kidding? I said yes! But Bini over here immediately said no. It sounded better than Starfleet Rehab. Anyway, I got as far as Deep Space Nine, where I got into a bar fight with a Ferengi, and I was thrown into the brig by a very unpleasant shapeshifter. Janeway tried to get me released but my parole was revoked by Starfleet Command. Voyager left without me." Tom explained the sad sap story.
"That Ferengi, was he trying to sell you Lobi crystals?" the ensign asked.
"Yeah." Tom said in surprise and narrowed his eyes at him in suspicion. "How do you know about that?"
"Because I was there. In my reality, anyway. Tom, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I was on Voyager and so were you and Bini. You never got into a bar fight with that Ferengi. You stopped him from selling me Lobi crystals. And you did lead us into the Badlands." This ensign explained. Tom looked at me for help and I simply shrugged. Yeah, that sounds insane. He is ridiculous.
"You're right. That does sound crazy."
"Something's happened. Somehow, reality has been changed. A temporal anomaly, an alien influence, I can't explain how. All I know is that it's true. I was in a shuttlecraft heading back to Voyager, and then I woke up here on Earth." He continued. I rolled my eyes and moved beside Tom.
"What is it you want?" I snapped.
"Come with me to Starfleet Headquarters. Help me run a computer simulation of what happened on that shuttle. You're the best pilot I've ever seen, and if anyone can figure it out, it's you and Bini, I could really use your help to make sure we aren't detected with your hacking skills." the ensign said. Tom and I shared a look and then burst into laughter. Ah, he thinks he can fool us! Hilarious! We aren't complete idiots!
"You had me there for a minute. You really did. But then you blew it." Tom said when we finally pulled ourselves together.
"What are you talking about?"
"You're not getting us to set foot inside Starfleet Headquarters. So you tell whatever admiral or captain who sent you that we are not interested in being another pawn in one of their games." Tom snapped.
"It's not a game!"He insisted.
"Oh, it isn't? Oh, that's a shame. I like games." Tom replied.
"You once told me that you used to treat life like one big game. Rules, players, winners, losers. You never took any of it seriously until you lost." The ensign snapped back. Oops, Tom is getting pissed.
"You know, you're starting to annoy me." Tom growled and put down his pool cue, moving around the table and getting up in Harry's face trying to intimidate him.
"You also told me you were afraid of what would happen to you if you didn't take Captain Janeway up on her offer. Now I see why." The ensign fought back.
"What do you see, Ensign?"
"A loser and a drunk."
Tom tried to punch the ensign and ends up with his arm behind his back, pushed down onto the pool table.
"I guess in this reality, that's all you'll ever be." The ensign hissed in his ear and pushed himself off. Marching out of the bar, being a bit too carefully watched by some old guy. (Cosimo)
-----
Harry Kim's POV
I entered my apartment, expecting to be bombarded with questions by Micheal and Sarah. Instead, I saw Libby talking with two Starfleet security officers in our living room and Lasca and there was no sign of Micheal, Sarah and Mollie.
"What's going on?" I demanded.
"Harry, just relax." Lasca started off. I took a step away from him and the others.
"Why does everyone say relax when they're about to do something terrible?"
"Starfleet knows what you've been doing." Lasca bluntly told me.
"Which is what exactly?" I snapped.
"Breaking into classified files, using forged security access codes." So they don't know about Micheal and Sarah. At least something is going right today. I looked over to Libby and she was subtly sending me a message with morse code by blinking her eyes. "Hiding."
They were hiding. Good.
"I haven't forged anything. And I can explain." I insisted.
"That's why we're here. We're going to take you back to Starfleet Headquarters. They want to ask you a few questions." Lasca explained.
"Harry, please. Just go with them. Tell them what you told me. Everything will be all right." Libby pitched in.
"I don't think I have a choice at the moment. I'll see you later."
I was escorted out of my building and we started to walk towards Starfleet HQ. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Micheal, Sarah and Mollie sneakily trying to follow us.
———
"You claim to have Voyager security protocols because you were an officer on Voyager." Admiral Stickler started off. We stood in the same conference room as before, only this time the situation may be more serious.
"Yes, sir." I replied. Stickler reread the padd that had the story I had told him moments before on it. He rubbed his forehead as he tried to make sense of the situation and looked up at me again.
"Lost in the Delta Quadrant."
"Yes, sir."
"And Ensign Daniel Byrd. You say that he's taken your place on that ship?"
"Yes, sir."
"And this is all because reality has been changed somehow?"
"Yes, sir."
"But you don't have a single shred of evidence to back up your claims." Stickler pointed out as an aide came in and handed the admiral a padd than swiftly left the room.
"Harry, I don't doubt for a minute that you believe you're telling the truth, but we have to consider all the possibilities." Lasca started beside the Admiral as the Admiral was reading the padd over.
"Like what?" I asked.
"Like you could be delusional, or you could have had your memory centres altered so that you think what you're saying is the truth. Or you could be an alien masquerading as Harry Kim."
"That's crazy. I am Harry Kim. Check my DNA if you don't believe me. Run a microcellular scan of my cerebral cortex to see if my memory's been altered. Everything I'm saying is true." I snapped at him. Stickler snapped up with a disturbed expression.
"Mister Kim, why did you travel to Marseilles, France this morning?" The admiral asked bluntly.
"I went to look up some old friends." I replied vaguely.
"You have poor taste in friends. Thomas Paris is a convicted traitor and a Maquis sympathizer. Bini Filters was an Obsidion Order Agent and a Maquis sympathizer. But I assume you already knew that since you are "old friends." Now, what did you talk about with them."
"I tried to tell them what's happened. I wanted their help." I admitted. Knowing that there was no use in lying.
"Their help to run a shuttle simulation. Why?"
"To figure out how I got here and how I can get back."
"Alright. What about Janeway's children and their dog?"
Oh, shit.
"Excuse me, sir?" I said softly. Praying that I had just misheard him. He narrowed his eyes and stood up.
"Don't start playing dumb now, Ensign. Lieutenant Lacas saw you with them yesterday morning, so did other witnesses. What have you done with them?"
Great, now I had to start lying or else in 30 minutes I will be locked up in a federation brig waiting for my life to be stripped away.
"Sir, I did meet with those children yes. But, they are lost at the time and after our...meeting I had helped them to the transport station after lunch to get directly back to Bloomington, Indiana. Where the news report said they lived. What are you accusing me of exactly?" I snapped.
"We're here to find the truth, Ensign, whatever that might be." The Admiral insisted. And then something clicked. They thought I was trying to defect and join the Maquis!
"You all think I am trying to join the Maquis! Dear lord! That's it! I'm not answering any more questions until I have legal counsel!" I snapped.
"You have that right." The Admiral muttered and Lasca stepped forward.
"Harry, we want to help you but try to understand. What you are telling us doesn't make much sense. All we know so far is that you have been seen talking with a Maquis criminal, and you've broken into classified Starfleet records. Until there is something else, something concrete, those are the facts in this case, and you have to admit, the facts look pretty bad." Lasca explained. Then a security officer entered the room and swiftly placed a ankle tag on my ankle as if he does this everyday on a regular bases. I looked back to the Admiral. Barely managing to keep my emotions in check.
"We will be monitoring your movements until further notice." The Admiral informed me. "I believe you know the restrictions. No off-world travel, and if you tamper with the anklet, Security will be immediately alerted and you will be formally charged. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Admiral."
"We'll be spending a lot of time together, Ensign. And I assure you, we will get to the bottom of this. You're dismissed."
—-End of Chapter 41. Next: Non Sequitur: Part Two.——
AN: I have also started a new story connected to The Alternate Universe. It is called "The Spies Among Us/Star Trek Voyager." It goes deeper into Bini's time in the Maquis and her time in the Obsidian Order. I am so happy I was able to finish this in one day. Holy cow, this is a miracle.
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