Chương 92: A Message Home
"Seven of Nine to Rebecca," Seven's voice chimed from my badge.
"What's up, Seven?" I asked as I continued to pluck ripe vegetables in the Aeroponics Bay.
"Report to the Astrometrics Lab at once," she ordered.
I shook my head since, despite the regular time that she spent with my group, her social skills were no better than they were on the show. Since Seven was not the type to randomly call anyone, I knew that an episode must have popped up, which was a bit of a relief. It had been three weeks since the last episode appeared, and Echo and L'Naan had some fun, which was making me antsy. Thanks to L'Naan, my Voyager timeline room, within the Mental Plane, had been refined, and I even had dates for some of the episodes, along with the proper order. Seven's call meant that we must be within the events of a particular episode that my group had been planning for, basically skipping two others.
"I'm on my way," I replied, setting my basket on the ground.
I headed out of the room and walked over to the turbo lift. It was a short ride up to Deck Eight, and I saw a familiar face walking in my direction when I stepped off the turbo lift.
"Astrometrics?" I asked with a smirk.
"I've been summoned. Any guesses what this is about?" Janeway asked.
I chuckled and said with a teasing smile, "If I'm right, I'm not ruining the surprise."
She gave me a smirk and walked the rest of the way with me, not bothering to ask further. We walked into Astrometrics and found Seven standing at the main terminal with the main screen behind her showing a ship flying through space.
"Your call sounded urgent," Janeway said.
"It was," Seven replied. "I've been working to increase the range of the astrometric sensors, and I've detected something that you should find of particular interest."
Janeway gave me a look, and my grin widened because I knew it was the episode, and then turned back to the main screen, remarking, "A ship. What's special about it?"
"I've analyzed the warp signature. It's a Starfleet vessel."
Janeway froze for a moment before looking back at me. I nodded to her unasked question, and she turned back to the screen, even taking a few steps closer.
"The ship we're seeing is in the Alpha Quadrant," Seven stated.
"You couldn't have extended the astrometric sensors that far," Janeway remarked.
"No, but I increased the range far enough to detect a large network of relay stations. They are alien in origin, abandoned, but still functioning. By establishing a sensor link with the nearest station, I'm getting readings from the entire network. The Starfleet ship is within range of one of the farthest sensors near the outer edges of the Alpha Quadrant," she explained.
Like an excited child, Janeway turned around and asked me directly, "What do you have planned?"
Seven also turned and looked at me with a hint of confusion.
"A way to send a message home, but we need to hurry. We can use the relay to send a message to the Federation, but a simple one won't do. We need to send the Doctor across the network since his program won't degrade as quickly as a normal transmission would. His program will need some reconfiguration, but it worked in my vision, and we will hear back from Starfleet."
Janeway smiled and tapped her badge, saying, "Janeway to B'Elanna, L'Naan, and the Doctor. Please report to Astrometrics."
"When we explain things to the Doctor, I would like to suggest that we also install a few minor programs that L'Naan and I have developed. Most are crash courses on basic bridge stations, but I've also included one that helps him develop some combat tactics because this will be more complicated than you think. That is an experimental ship and Romulans have taken over it, meaning that he will have to take back the ship," I said.
"If you've known about this for a while, why didn't you make a holographic program, so that we didn't need to risk the Doctor?" she questioned.
"Because we all need challenges to grow. He's not a simple holographic program, and there is a lot that he will contribute over this journey. I have faith in him, especially with the added knowledge I'd like to give him, if he agrees," I answered.
Janeway sighed and nodded her head. "Alright... Seven, get started on reconfiguring your link to the relay network. Once B'Elanna and L'Naan get here, they will assist you."
Seven nodded her head and turned her attention back to the console, not asking questions. One of the nice things about her was that I did not need to be careful with what I said because she would not repeat it to the crew, at most, Tuvok, but I trusted him.
"There is one more catch, of course," I said, causing Janeway to refocus on me. "While the relay network is abandoned in a technical sense, another race has been using it for years. They didn't create it, so they don't have full access to the systems, but they still monitor it as best they can. If they discover that we are using it, they will sever our connection to it, losing our ability to speak with Starfleet until they come up with another method."
Janeway instantly caught my underlining meaning and smiled. "Alright, after we send the Doctor's program, we'll only connect to the network once a day to look for an inbound message at an arranged time for an hour each day. Any tips that I should give to Starfleet for a more permanent solution?"
"The details are too vague for L'Naan to piece together, even after sharing my memories with her, unfortunately," I replied.
Janeway smirked, but before she could say anything, the doors opened and B'Elanna walked in. The Captain caught her up to speed, L'Naan too since she arrived a few minutes later. The Doctor was the last to arrive, but his briefing was different, of course.
"When I requested more away missions, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind," The Doctor said after Janeway explained the basics.
"You may be our only chance to communicate with that ship," Janeway replied.
"When you get there, you'll be downloaded into their EMH system. I'm sending an initiation code along with your program, so you'll be activated immediately," B'Elanna explained.
"The programs that I'm adding will help you understand ship functions and some tactical ideas that will help with what you are facing," L'Naan added.
"How am I supposed to get back here?" the Doctor asked.
"When your mission is complete, instruct them to move within range of the sensor network. With any luck, they should be able to send you back the same way you came. There is evidence that the relay network is used by other races, so we will only connect to it at zero eight hundred hours and wait for an hour for any Starfleet transmissions every day that you're gone."
"Luck?!" the Doctor exclaimed.
"I won't lie to you, Doctor. A lot of things could go wrong. We're relying on an alien technology to send you across thousands of light-years," Janeway said, honestly.
"So, there's a chance my program could be lost," the Doctor responded.
"Yes. I'm asking you to take that chance."
"You are our only hope, Doc, but I know that you can do this. The crew is counting on you," I added.
The Doctor sighed and replied, "Far be it from me to turn down an opportunity to become a hero."
"We're going to take you offline and upload the programs that I have made for you then transmit you to the ship," L'Naan said.
"Alright, I'm ready," the Doctor replied.
L'Naan nodded her head and tapped in a command into the terminal in front of her. A strange blue shimmer circle formed at the top of the Doctor's head and moved down his body three times; each time, his 'body' became less 'physical' with each pass. The mobile emitter dropped to the ground with a soft click when his program disappeared. Janeway looked back at me, and I smiled with a nod.
"When do you expect us to hear back from him?" she asked.
"A few days, but I can't be sure with the changes that I've made. Don't forget, things change," I answered.
"Seven, B'Elanna, and L'Naan, you all have an hour after the Doctor is sent to learn as much as you can about the relay network. After that, cut connection with the relay network until zero eight hundred hours. Understood?" Janeway asked.
"Yes, Captain," B'Elanna agreed.
"Janeway to the Bridge," she said, tapping her badge. "Reroute all communications through the Astrometrics Lab, and authorize any additional power drainage."
"Understood," Chakotay replied.
Janeway nodded to me, and then, the team of B'Elanna, L'Naan, and Seven did what they needed to do. The Doctor's program was transferred in plenty of time to reach the Federation ship, unlike the episode. Nothing registered on our side of a failed transmission, but I knew that would be the question in the back of everyone's mind once we cut off our connection to the relay network.
Janeway and I excused ourselves early, but L'Naan and Seven ended up working late. While I was not surprised by them working late, the fact that L'Naan and Seven returned to the ship together was surprising. I did not question it, especially with them bringing 'work' with them, which Katye was pulled into over dinner. While they discussed sensor data and whatever, Echo and I entered the Mental Plane and sparred for the evening.
Thanks to the precautions that Janeway ordered, we managed to not tip off the Hirogen to our usage of the array. A few days later, the Doctor returned with a simple message from Starfleet: 'Voyager was no longer alone'. He completed his mission with great success, easily subduing the Romulans, by his statement, and told Starfleet all about us; Janeway and I even got a private message from Vazukuru Council, through him, saying that they were glad of the progress we had made working together.
We had a little over a week of silence before Seven picked up a message from Starfleet. Although I had been in the Aeroponics Bay, I learned about the transmission quick enough as Janeway called me to her Ready Room, after altering course to find the relay station where the bulk of the message was lodged, just like a particular episode. I did not say anything to tip her off that I knew what was going on, so the events followed the episode. Voyager approached the relay station, but as they felt the effects of the gravimetric forces of the station, they found a ship on the verge of destruction and beamed over the remains of the pilot... and Janeway called me to Sick Bay from my comfortable shift in Aeroponics.
"What happened to him?" Janeway asked, looking at the skin of a dead humanoid on the main bio-bed, as I walked into the room.
"He appears to have suffered a complete osteotomy. He's been gutted. Apparently, some kind surgical procedure was used to remove the entire skeleton, as well as the musculature, the ligaments and tendons, and the internal organs," the Doctor explained.
"How long ago did this happen?" Janeway asked.
"It's difficult to say. Somewhere between a week and a month."
"I've seen this before. The Borg encountered a small ship of Species 5174. They were also destroyed in this fashion," Seven said.
"Did you ever determine who did it and why?" the Doctor asked.
"No, it was irrelevant," Seven stated with confusion as she saw no reason for them to investigate who did it.
"Return the body to his ship. His people may be able to retrieve him," Janeway said.
"Very well," the Doctor agreed.
"When we get closer to the station, we can use the data processors in Astrometrics to download the message. Rebecca, walk with me to the Bridge," Janeway instructed.
"Yes, Captain," I replied.
We walked out of Sick Bay together and headed for the turbo lift. I was not even surprised when she ordered it to a stop midway up, since she did not ask me anything in front of the others.
"Your Ready Room away from your Ready Room," I remarked with a light chuckle.
She gave me a look, telling me that she was not in the mood for my jokes. "Who did that to the person?"
"Your guess is right. It's the aliens that I was hoping to avoid when we sent the Doctor's program. They are a race known as the Hirogen and quite dangerous. Their culture revolves around the 'hunt' and typically behave like lone wolves, but they can become a pack when they find strong enough prey. Voyager will likely become their next target," I explained.
"I thought that you didn't want to change too much or risk messing up what you know," she accused.
"Conflict with the Hirogen is unavoidable, especially if my group is forced to act; my goal was only to delay our confrontation with them until we had the Doctor back," I replied. "To get that message, they will find us while we download it. If we go by my vision, you will send Seven and Tuvok in a shuttlecraft as Voyager can't get close enough to the relay station due to the gravimetric forces. They will get captured and prepped for the same procedure, but you manage to rescue them in time with a catch; the relay network will be destroyed in your escape from the wolf pack."
"And so, you're giving me a choice. Follow your vision and lose our ability to talk to home, or send your group to get the message and risk a war with the Hirogen," Janeway sighed, looking away from me. "Computer, resume."
I waited patiently for her answer and, when we reached the Bridge, she said as she stepped out, "Prepare your ship, Captain. I'll have Seven join you once she sets up a connection to the Astrometrics sensors."
"Yes, ma'am," I replied, remaining on the turbo lift.
A/N: Sorry for the delay; I got this to my editor late.
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