アプリをダウンロード
58.46% The Alternate Universe/Star Trek Voyager / Chapter 38: Eloguim: Part One

章 38: Eloguim: Part One

AN: Was I the only one who was really uncomfortable during this episode? It was just weird. Not as weird as Threshold but it is up there on like...the top 10 list of weird episodes for Voyager. I was excited to write this, despite the fact I never really liked the episode, because I think Micheal, Sarah and Bini would fit pretty well into this.

IMPORTANT: Also, I have decided to make Micheal's birthday pass in between the last episode and this one. Basically, you are coming back to this story and Micheal is now 10, Sarah is still 5, her birthday will come soon. I didn't write a birthday scene because my timeline is all screwed up right now.

If you want me to write Sarah's birthday short story or have any ideas you have for me to incorporate into the story that you think would fit well, then please tell me! I could always use more ideas. Which you can probably tell that I am lacking right now.

Again, Micheal is 10 now. Sarah is still five and Mollie is actually 5 years old. Bini is still 15.

Chapter 40: Elogium: Part One.

(One month later after The Randomness of Life/Short Story.)

Chakotay's POV

---

I marched down the corridor, trailed closely by Bini as she waved a padd in front of me to grab my attention. She managed to finally keep my pace beside me with a determined march.

"I feel like I am being ignored." She pouted.

"I feel like you should go talk with Tuvok about your duty roaster." I countered. She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

I abruptly stopped, almost causing Bini to walk into me and she looked up at me with a scowl.

"Why do you hate the brig so much anyway?" I asked, she opened her mouth to respond but I held up my hand to silence her. "And if your reason is that it is boring, don't bother to tell me. Everyone already knows that side of the story."

"It is not that." She barked back. "It is the love birds that are also with me during my shift. Idiots."

"What?" I said in surprise.

"What? Where have you been? You know people are getting hitched right? It is like I am living on a Love boat of hell." She complained.

"Wait, when did people start to get together?" I said, stopping her before she went on another ten-minute rant about how Love is rigged.

"I don't know. It's your job to know!" She replied.

"It's not. Anyway, about your duty roaster..." I said, shoving the subject in a different direction. Bini brightened up with hope and handed me her padd. It had her performance report. She pointed to her recent grades which were...alright. We started down the corridor again.

"As you can see, my grades are great! I think I deserve a better position." She argued.

"Can you handle it?"

"P-pardon?" She stammered in surprise.

"Honestly, these grades aren't really anything special. They are average at best. Also, multiple people have filed complaints that you are not a "people's person." I said. She looked forward for a moment of confusion but then looked back at me.

"Not a "People's person? What is this job? An election!?" She snapped.

"You need to be able to get along with people, especially other species if you want to be put into one of the main security teams. Which is what I know you want to do." I argued.

"Think about what you and everyone else want to think. But, I know. For a fact that I am delightful." She said and puffed. I withheld a laugh at how clueless she is sometimes as we stopped in front of a turbo lift.

"I think you need to check your ego." I suggested and pressed a turbo life button and the turbo lift doors slid open to reveal two officers locked in a romantic embrace. They immediately stopped kissing and drew back, embarrassed to be caught.

"Oh! Sir. We, er. We're just er." One of the crewmembers stammered out in panic and embarrassment and the other one had the smart move and kept quiet.

"Yes, I can see that." I said and we moved out of the way as they scurried away. Bini entered the turbo lift first and crossed her arms over her chest.

"See? We are living on a love boat with everyone sucking face!" She said. Tom and Kes (carrying boxes of leafy greens.) were also walking down the corridor and briefly watched the couple stumbled down the corridor in embarrassment.

"What was that all about?" Tom asked as they also entered into the turbo lift with us.

"People sucking faces." Bini blurted out in amusement of her new saying.

"I'd call it an example of indiscreet shipboard fraternisation." I explained.

"Really?" Tom said and whistled. "Sorry I missed it."

"Deck six." I barked.

-----

Kes's POV

"Thank you for your help, Tom." I said happily as we carried the boxes through the messhall and dropped them in the kitchen counter by Neelix was side-eyeing Tom as he told me one last joke and I giggled at it.

"Yeah. See you later." He said.

"Right." I chirped as Tom waved at me and left. I looked back at Neelix's anguished face. "Here's the cabbage you asked for. Is something wrong?"

Neelix started going through the cabbage and his face morphed to disgust and he picked up a spawn beetle.

"What's this?" He asked. I carefully grabbed the beetle from his hand and held it up for him to see on my hand.

"A spawn beetle. Oh, they cross-pollinate the Oblissian cabbage. Have you ever seen such fascinating striations? Oh, isn't it beautiful?" I asked.

"I doubt the Captain would think so if she found it crawling around in her salad." He replied harshly.

"There is something wrong. What is it?" I asked.

"No, nothing. I'm just very busy. So, you're seeing Tom Paris later?" He bitterly snapped out as we continued to sort through the cabbage. Why was he so angry? What did I do? What does Tom have to do with...this?

"What?" I questioned. "No, not that I know of."

"He said, see you later. You said, right. Is he helping you in the Airponics bay now?" He snapped.

"He was just helping me carry these." I gestured towards the boxes.

"How thoughtful." He sarcastically replied. I slammed down the greens and turned to him as he kept ripping apart the cabbage, refusing to look at me.

"Neelix, this is getting ridiculous. You're imagining things that aren't there."

"You're such an innocent! I see the way he looks at you. I used to look at women that way. I know what it means." He insisted. "Thank you for bringing the cabbage. I can handle this from here. Thank you."

I snarled and hurried off towards the aeroponics bay to calm down.

-----

Chakotay's POV

"We've detected a strange energy configuration off the port bow." The Captain started to explain to us as Paris and I walked out of the turbo lift and onto the bridge. She stood at the top of the bridge, looking down at the console attached to the railing and then back up at the viewscreen as something strange, that sort of resembled a cloud took form from far away.

"Any idea what it is?" Tom asked as he relieved an ensign from his station.

"It appears to be some sort of magnetic disturbance." Harry said but my mind drifted as I moved to stand next to her and thought about the incident in the turbo lift with the couple.

"We're going to take a closer look." She said and looked towards me, she tilted her head slightly and moved a bit closer next to me and whispered. "You seem a little preoccupied, Commander."

"This morning Bini and I interrupted a couple who were kissing in the turbolift. Of course, Bini handled it as well as an immature child would." I started. She chuckled softly which made my heart flutter. She should be happy more.

"What did she do?" She quietly asked in amusement.

"She explained the situation to Tom as "smacking faces." I replied, thinking back to the rather amusing comment. Her smile grew bigger as she stifled a laugh.

"Smacking faces?" She repeated. "That's new. But why does that concern you?"

"I've been wondering if we should establish a policy regarding fraternization." I admitted.

"Well, the couple in question might be urged to show a bit more discretion, but Starfleet has always been reluctant to regulate peoples' personal lives." She argued, our voices still hushed over the usual banter of interest on the bridge.

"Of course. But we're in a unique situation here. The development of intimate relationships might cause us problems that wouldn't arise on other ships."

"I understand what you're saying but," She started. "We're a long way from home. Everyone is lonely, and all we have is each other. I think eventually people will begin to pair off."

"Including you?" I said and for some reason I felt...hope. The hope of what?

"As captain, that's a luxury I don't have. Besides, I lost my husband a little more than a year ago." She said bitterly. "I don't think I would be ready for that type of a commitment for a while, especially if it is someone under my command."

"We're in visual range, Captain." Harry said, breaking our private conversation before I could finally learn more about her, something I had been attempting to do for quite a few months now.

"On-screen." She barked and I followed her back to the middle of the bridge and the "cloud" became more clear and looked like energetic vapour.

"Magnify." She ordered and the screen view increased to show space dwelling life forms.

"Full sensor scan, Mister Kim."

"Their internal energy patterns appear to be consistent with discrete organic processes."

"Captain, I'd like the chance to study them at close range." I insisted.

"So would I, Commander."

"But let's not get too close. We wouldn't want to disturb their natural behaviour." I suggested and she nodded in agreement.

"Half impulse, Mister Paris. Take us into bioscanner range." She ordered and we sat down at our command chairs.

"Aye, Captain."

-----

Kes's POV

Micheal and Sarah were scurrying around the Airponics bay, helping me take care of the plants as part of their daily schedule. I grabbed a spawn beetle from my box of beetles to help them grow better with the help of a digested Sarah and Micheal, who was happily scaring her with them and Mollie was asleep on the floor.

I grabbed something and started to eat it by impulse, I guess it is one of the plants I was harvesting, I scooped another handful when I realized they were moving just before I was about to eat it. Micheal and Sarah, who were across from me screamed and Micheal frantically pointed towards my open hand. Mollie was barking in alarm beside me as she jumped around.

I looked down at my hand that was filled with the beetles, oh my caretaker, oh my caretaker! I ate them! I ate bugs!

-----

Harry Kim's POV

"The swarm is not particularly dense, Captain. I estimate their number at fewer than two thousand." Tuvok said as Tom moved the ship closer and the creatures became more clear on the screen.

"They're really moving." Tom absentmindedly pointed out.

"He's right," I confirmed and checked their bio scans. "They've accelerated to a velocity of approximately one thousand kilometres per second."

"It's possible we're frightening them." Ensign Wildman, a blonde ensign in charge of science suggested to us.

"Keep us within scanner range, Lieutenant," The Captain ordered Tom. "But try to avoid rapid acceleration."

"Aye, Captain."

"Take a look at this. See the way they propel themselves?" Chakotay said as the Captain looked at the console in between them.

"They seem to flagellate, almost like protozoa." She muttered.

"Exactly. But they're achieving incredible speeds. Over three thousand kilometres per second." Chakotay explained and the Captain looked up to Ensign Wildman again.

"Ensign Wildman, scan the field for repeating patterns. Maybe they're capable of some type of communication."

"Aye, Captain."

"Their internal anatomy's also very unusual. They don't appear to have a digestive system of any kind, but they have an extremely porous outer covering. My guess would be that they absorb nutrients directly from space." He added.

"Incredible. A space-dwelling life form capable of metabolizing inorganic matter."

"Particle density in this part of space isn't very high. That might explain why they have to keep moving so fast."

"Feeding at three thousand kilometres per second. Not exactly leisurely dining is it?" Chakotay joked.

-----

Bini Filters POV

I sipped my Hot Chocolate as Sarah, Micheal and Mollie had their own lunch. It was that time of the day again and as usual, we were sitting together discussing events.

"So, anything else interesting happen today?" I asked.

"People don't like us." Sarah muttered and stabbed her Mac and Cheese that Neelix attempted to make with Delta Quadrant ingredients.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"People...just...look at us weird. They don't talk to us, they only help us if it is absolutely necessary and they always look sad whenever they see us too." Micheal explained.

"People had kids in the Alpha Quadrant. Perhaps they are just sad that they can't be together." I suggested.

"Maybe. But that wasn't the worst thing this mourning. Kes almost ate bugs!" Micheal stated. Hot Chocolate almost came flying out of my nose once his words registered.

"WHAT!?" I yelled. Causing some people to look towards our table but quickly lose interest and turned back to their own conversations, I lowered my voice to avoid being overheard. "She almost ate bugs?"

"Yeah, thank goodness we stopped her too." Micheal said with a smirk as we finished up. I carried their dishes back to the kitchen counter and we all started to walk out of the messhall.

"Yeah, gee, what do you think would happen if she actually did eat them?" I thought out loud and Micheal and Sarah gave me a disgusted look with Mollie letting out a soft woof from behind us.

"I don't want to think about it." Micheal said as we entered the corridor.

"Well, aren't you the least bit-" I started but was interrupted with someone's muffled screaming. Next thing we knew, we watched as Neelix, carrying Kes, who's face was stuffed with flowers walked by us with a determined look. "What the hell?"

We followed them in alarm.

"Neelix, what is going on?" I asked as Kes struggled against Neelix's grip.

"Kes can't stop eating!" He yelled against Kes's protests.

"Oh, maybe we didn't stop her..." Micheal muttered in embarrassment.

-----

Harry Kim's POV

"They're changing course again, Captain, and accelerating. Should I follow them?" Tom asked.

"I'm concerned that we're disturbing them. Let's drop back a bit, give them a little more room." She replied.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Captain, we're accelerating. We're getting closer to the swarm." I reported.

"Mister Paris?"

"I'm trying to slow down, Captain."

"Our velocity doesn't correspond to impulse reactor output. We're moving much faster than we ought to be." I explained.

"They seem to be pulling us toward them." Tom stated.

"Sensors indicate an EM resonance field. The creatures seem to be creating their own magnetic wake. That is what is pulling the ship." Tuvok chimed in.

"We're getting closer."

"Mister Paris, reverse thrusters." The Captain ordered.

"Helm controls aren't responding, Captain."

"Mister Tuvok, raise shields."

"Non-functional, Captain."

"They're pulling us in."

The lights around the bridge flickered and faded in darkness, the bridge was dark except for the consoles liting it up.

"Damage report." The Captain barked.

"Life support's functioning normally, Captain, but there's a huge fluctuation in the EPS grids. It's wreaking havoc with the impulse engines." I said.

"Warp drive's still online. One burst and we'd be out of here." Tom added.

"But our exhaust could seriously harm the creatures." Chakotay pointed out. The Captain got up and started to pace, stopping briefly to look at the approaching swarm before tapping her combadge.

"Janeway to Torres." She said, opening a com channel to Engineering. "Do you have any thoughts about how to get us out of this swarm without engaging warp engines?"

"We might try something like a targ scoop." B'Elanna suggested on the channel.

"Can you enlighten us, Lieutenant?"

"Klingons put them on the front of ground assault vehicles. They emit a high-frequency tone that disperses targ herds in their path. I can modify the main deflector to create an inverted magnetic pulse. Project it toward the swarm. It might be enough to nudge the creatures out of the way." B'Elanna explained.

"Good idea, Lieutenant. Proceed."

-----

Bini Filters's POV

Kes was shivering and very sweaty as she sat on the biobed and watched us as we stood in a small group in front of the medical console.

"You're sure the beetles weren't poisonous? Or the flowers?" Neelix asked nervously.

"There are no toxins present in her system." The Doctor replied with annoyance and grabbed a medical tricorder, circling Kes.

"Doctor, why is she eating all these strange things? What's wrong with her?" Neelix continued to press.

"I am conducting an examination in order to determine that." The Doctor snapped back.

"But don't you have any ideas?"

"Her unusual appetite may merely indicate a nutrient deficiency. It is not unusual for humanoids to crave foods that are rich in the very vitamins and minerals that their bodies are lacking."

"You can't mean my body lacks dirt?" Kes bit back, struggling against her cold chills.

"Her body temperature is elevated three point nine degrees."

"She's burning up!"

"And I'm detecting elevated levels of electrophoretic activity in her nervous system."

"You have to bring them down!"

"There is increased electrophoretic activity in the ship's atmosphere, probably created by the creatures we're studying." The Doctor suggested, trying to calm Neelix down.

"You mean there's a connection between what's happening to Kes and those creatures? Well, you have to do something about it!"

"You are making it impossible for me to think, much less treat my patient. You must leave." He snapped.

"Well, I won't. Kes needs me."

"Leave now or I will call security." The Doctor ordered.

"Doc, I am security." I pointed out. The Doctor smirked and gestured for me to get him out.

"You can't talk to me that way!" Neelix protested.

"Actually-" Micheal started but was interrupted.

"This is my Sickbay, and I will decide what goes on here."

"But-"

"Get out! Ensign Filters! If you please..." The Doctor barked. I rolled my eyes and yanked out my phaser and pointed it at a shocked Neelix.

"Come on, Neelix. Don't make me lock you into the brig." I insisted. Neelix slumped in defeat and kissed Kes's forehead.

"I'll be back. Don't worry about a thing."

-----

Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV

I heard the turbo lift doors opened and I turned around to see an enraged Neelix bolt onto the bridge.

"Captain, may I speak with you? It's a matter of some urgency." Neelix insisted. I gave Neelix a tired look as he held back a laugh. It was another one of those days.

"What is it, Neelix?" I said.

"I have been thrown out of Sickbay, and I'm just wondering if you feel it's appropriate for a hologram to banish a flesh and blood person who should have the right to be at the bedside of his loved one who is extremely ill?" He barked. Wait, Kes is ill?

"Kes is extremely ill?" I repeated.

"The hologram doesn't have a clue as to what's wrong with her, though it may have something to do with these creatures. But he still won't let me offer comfort to the woman I love at a time when my place is clearly by her side."

"Just how is Kes being affected by the swarm?" I asked.

"That's what I wanted to know. But before I got any answers, I was summarily dismissed!" He snapped.

"Sickbay to bridge." The Doctor's voice cut through the confused silence of the bridge.

"Janeway here." I replied with concern.

"Captain, I think you'd better come down here. There's a bit of a problem."

"I'm on my way. Janeway out." I snapped and cut the channel. "Commander, you have the bridge. Notify me immediately of any change in our status."

"Aye, Captain." Chakotay replied.

-----

Bini Filters's POV

"Now why would I do that?" I argued.

"She has trapped herself inside my office!" The Doctor exclaimed in rage and pointed to the huddled form of Kes, sitting on the Doctor's desk looking around frantically as she kept on repeating "Get the Captain, get the Captain."

"So for once-" He started again. "Be useful and bring down the force field!"

"That is a level 3 force field! I can't just go around, flick a button and suddenly that field goes down. It would take me several minutes. By that time the Captain would be here." I argued. Then the doors opened to reveal the concern Captain and Neelix coming in. The Doctor moved past me.

"I was conducting tests. She was none too cooperative, let me assure you. Then suddenly she screeched and shoved me out of the way, went into my office and proceeded to erect a force field at the door. I can't lower it. She's keeping me out of my own office." He explained to the pair. Neelix moved closer to the windows of his office.

"Sweeting. What's wrong? Please come out." Neelix begged through the window.

"I was able to complete several tests before she became delirious. Her fever has increased, and her pulse and blood pressure are dangerously high." The Doctor continued to tell the Captain.

"Do you have any idea what's causing these symptoms?" The Captain asked.

"I suspect it's the electrophoretic levels being created by the swarm. We should leave. Immediately."

"Unfortunately, that's not an option at the moment, but we're working on it."

"There's one more thing. I discovered a strange growth on her back. It's unlike any other tumourous substance I've ever seen or studied before, and it was not there the last time I examined her."

"I'll try to talk to her." The Captain said and started to move next to Neelix, standing in the doorway of the office, still blocked by the force field.

"Kes, please come out. You can eat anything you want. Captain?"

"Why don't you let me try?" The Captain said. Neelix backed away. The Captain softened her tone towards Kes. Like a Mother would. "Kes, please listen to me. We think you're being affected by a swarm of space dwelling life forms. We're doing everything we can to get away from them. And when we do, you'll probably start feeling better."

Kes shook her head repeated "No."

"Are you saying that's not what's wrong with you? Kes, please let me come in. Tell me what it is. Maybe I can help." She begged. Kes quickly lowered the force field. Captain Janeway hesitantly stepped in and held out her arms. Kes whimpered and ran towards her. She hugged the Captain, muttering nonsense.

"Oh. Shush. It's going to be all right." She said. Trying to make Kes feel better. "Now, tell me. What is happening to you?"

"Did the Doctor tell you he found something growing on my back?" She replied, between deep breaths, pulling back slightly, yet still holding onto her arms.

"Yes, a growth of some kind." The Captain replied.

"It's, it's the mitral sac. It's, it's where my child would grow. I'm going through the elogium, the time of change, when, when my body prepares for fertilization." She explained.

"Humans go through the same kind of process. It's called puberty."

"But I'm too young." She snapped in panic and fear. "Much too young. It usually happens between the ages of four and five. I'm not even two yet."

"Listen to me. All your body's metabolic activity has increased. It's possible your reproductive processes are being accelerated as a result."

"I'm not ready."

"We're going to get you through this, Kes." The Captain assured her. "The Doctor will monitor you constantly."

"But you, you don't understand. The elogium occurs only once. If I am ever going to have a child, it has to be now!"

---End of Chapter 40. Next: Elogium: Part Two.---


Load failed, please RETRY

週次パワーステータス

Rank -- 推薦 ランキング
Stone -- 推薦 チケット

バッチアンロック

目次

表示オプション

バックグラウンド

フォント

大きさ

章のコメント

レビューを書く 読み取りステータス: C38
投稿に失敗します。もう一度やり直してください
  • テキストの品質
  • アップデートの安定性
  • ストーリー展開
  • キャラクターデザイン
  • 世界の背景

合計スコア 0.0

レビューが正常に投稿されました! レビューをもっと読む
パワーストーンで投票する
Rank NO.-- パワーランキング
Stone -- 推薦チケット
不適切なコンテンツを報告する
error ヒント

不正使用を報告

段落のコメント

ログイン