章節 28: Faces: Part Two
Chapter 30: Faces: Part Two.
Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV
——-
"Now that the Vidiians know we're here, we have to be prepared for the possibility they'll call in reinforcements," I informed the senior staff or what was left of them who were each at their stations on the bridge.
"So far long-range sensors haven't located any alien vessels near here." Harry informed us as he briefly looked up from his station.
"However, it is possible that the same technology that disguises their forcefields, cloaks their ships." Tuvok reminded us:
"The other thing we have to consider is that the prisoners may be at greater risk now." Chakotay reminded me as we stood together in the middle of the bridge. The bridge was silent, except for the usual beeping sounds and controls going off around the bridge as everyone was deep in thought on our next steps.
"Captain, take a look at this." Harry said and politely gestured me to look at his console. I crossed the bridge and looked over his shoulder at Ops. On his console was tricorder readings plus a map of the cave system they scanned. "Using our tricorder data I've been able to scan the entire planet for the forcefield signature, and it looks like the field surrounds an area more than six hundred kilometres in circumference."
"Is there any way to scan inside it?" I hopefully asked. He shook his head in disappointment.
"Every reconfiguration I've tried has failed." He replied. I moved away, my mind racing to find an answer to this issue as I began to pace the upper bridge area between Security and Ops.
"If it's the same kind of forcefield that the Vidiians used the last time we ran into them, why didn't our phasers breach it?" I demanded as I analyzed the situation in my head.
"Apparently it has been adapted to repulse phaser fire." Tuvok pointed out.
"If the Vidiians can move in and out of there, so can we. Start setting up simulations. Find a way to get through that forcefield." I ordered and moved back to the middle of the bridge as the growing concern for my missing crew increased now that I knew Vidians were involved.
———
B'Elanna Torres's POV
"B'Elanna? I have something I want to show you." The sadistic Doctor said in a much to joyous tone behind me as I attempted to ignore the growing feeling of the need for escape as I briefly glanced at the broken latch that was barely noticeable.
The Doctor suddenly appeared in front of me with a more horrifying appearance than before. Part of his face had Durst's stretched across. My eyes widened in shock and disgust as I came to understand what he had done.
"Durst." I growled as my growing hatred towards the alien grew.
"I thought perhaps this new face would make you more comfortable with me." He said lightly with a smile.
"You've killed him." I growled. He shrugged and nodded as if It didn't mean anything. That somehow his sick life...his appearance was more important than an innocent person's life.
"Yes, B'Elanna, but his organs will save more than a dozen lives." He attempted to reason with me but I couldn't take any more of his worthless sick excuses! I screamed in rage and snapped the other restraint off. Sulan spun around in alarm as I broke off the foot restraints and jumped up. He launched forward to call for back up but he was too slow and I slammed him against the wall, strangling him as his arms wildly were moving around. Desperately looking for a weapon that did not exist. Then suddenly he accidentally hit the control panel to the door, a clear escape and he went limp. I threw his body to the floor and ran out. Not bothering or caring if he was dead or not. But if I ever see him again...He better pray he is.
———
Ensign Harry Kim's POV
Everyone who was left of the senior staff sat around the briefing table. The room felt a little empty, no scratch that very empty because of the absence of Tom and B'Elanna.
"Report." Captain Janeway snapped impatiently at me. I gulp and started with the report almost trembling in my hands.
"Deep level scans have revealed a network of micro-fissures, minuscule openings that develop each time the field matrix remodulates." I reported. The Captain leaned against the table. Her "Captain's mask' fell briefly to reveal a very tired woman but it was quickly back up in a heartbeat. Chakotay cast her a worried glance as Tuvok nearly raised an eyebrow that she obviously ignored for both. So it wasn't just me that saw that?
"Just how small are these microfissures?" She asked.
"Less than one micron. And they close up within a few seconds."
"Would it be possible to use our phasers to expand one of these openings as it's forming?" She asked the group.
"That was our first thought. But we realized such an attempt would have to be at close range and would carry the risk of alerting the Vidiians to our presence." Tuvok explained.
"So then it occurred to us." I sharply continued. "If we could narrow the transporters energy beam tightly enough, it might be possible to transport one of us through the micro-fissures."
"Of course, timing the transport to the precise moment of an opening would be critical."
"But if we could get someone inside, we might be able to find our people, and also deactivate the forcefield." Chakotay said.
"And then, presumably, we could beam everyone back to the ship."
"Precisely. But you should be aware that because we are incapable of scanning beyond the forcefield we will have no way of communicating with whoever transports inside it. Nor will we be able to verify that the transport has been successfully completed."
"Moreover, what's to prevent whoever goes in from being captured by the Vidiians."
"I have an idea about that, Captain." Chakotay interrupted.
———
B'Elanna Torres's POV
Tom and I carried heavy rocks through the cave systems as a Vidiian guard suddenly shoved me aside and I collapsed against the cave wall as he directed other prisoners to their destination.
"Quickly, now. In there!" The guard shouted to another batch of prisoners as he pushed past us. Tom helped me stumbled up and he guided me carefully to a small "room" in the cavern with a lamp.
"Here, B'Elanna. Sit down." Tom said. Suddenly the Talaxian appeared with a water jug behind the corner. He carefully handed it to us with a smirk.
"Here. It's water." He said.
"Thanks." Tom said and took the jug.
"Rest while you can. The guard won't be back right away. Keep it." The Talaxian warned up.
"Wait, where is Bini? Wasn't she working with you?" Tom asked. The Talaxian shrugged.
"She collapsed earlier in the cavern and one of the vidian had sent her back to the bunks for rest. You guys are lucky she wasn't taken to Organ processing." He explained and then quickly hurried off to avoid detection. Tom watched him scurry away, deep in thought but brushed it aside and sat down beside me and handed me the jug.
"Tom, I've been thinking. When they did this thing to me, I think it changed more than just the way I look." I said.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Back there, when they took Durst away, I was terrified."
"No one could blame you for that." He said in a small attempt to make me feel better.
"You don't understand. I've been in worse situations but I've never felt like that before. Never. I mean, my heart was pounding and my hands were shaking. I didn't even try to help you."
"B'Elanna, I'm no doctor, but I have to believe that what ever they did to you has seriously depleted your strength. There's nothing you could have done." He insisted.
"No, that's not it. I think that when they extracted my Klingon DNA, they turned me into some kind of a coward." I snapped and chugged some of the water.
"Sometimes fear can be a good thing. Keeps you from taking unnecessary chances. Courage doesn't mean that you don't have fear. It means that you've learnt to overcome it. And I know that you can find the courage to hold on until we can find a way out of this place." Tom explained.
"What's going on here?" A Vidian guard demanded as he suddenly appeared, startling Tom and I. Tom stood up and pointed at me.
"She's ill. She needed a rest." Tom insisted.
"If she's too weak, I'll take her back to the barracks." He snapped. I nodded weakly and used the wall to help me get up.
"That's okay, Tom. Maybe if I'm there I can try to make contact with the ship with Bini." I whispered just out of earshot of the guard and then allowed him to drag me away back to the bunks.
-----
B'Elanna Torres's POV (Klingon.)
I grabbed the talaxian, someone who I had seen talk with Tom earlier when they entered. He attempted to break hold of my hand on his neck as I shoved him against a wall, out of the view of the guards.
"Make a sound and I'll break your neck, understand?" I growled close to his ear. He started to stop struggling and nodded. I slowly let go of his throat and took a step back from him. "I'm looking for my friend, Tom Paris, a human male. Have you seen him?"
"He was here, but they sent him to another tunnel." He replied.
"Which one?" I snapped. He pointed down the nearest one immediately.
"Back that way. There was another human with him, but they took her back to the barracks." He nervously explained.
"A human female?" I asked. He gave me a confused expression for a moment but then nodded.
-----
(36 minutes later.)
B'Elanna Torres's POV (Human.)
I needed to wait for the right moment. But that moment better comes soon. The guard walked up and down the aisle. Watching sleeping Bini on the lower bunk next to me and myself, who they assume is asleep also on the bottom bunk next to her. Suddenly, the main door opened and another pair of heavy footsteps meaning another guard had entered.
"I need your help here." The new guard called and the first one walked away. Leaving the room empty again. I propped myself up on my elbow and listened carefully for any sign that only Bini and I were here. Nothing. I quickly, yet quietly in my weakened state crawling over to Bini and shook her awake.
Bini groaned and attempted to enter back into her dreams as I continued to shake her. She eventually looked at me with a very pissed off look.
"Ugh-What is it? Mhhmmm...Go away." She complained. At times like this, she really looks like a child.
"We need to get into the system. Bini! Wake up already!" I snapped. She groaned again, knowing that I wasn't going to let her sleep so she slowly sat up and stretched her arms.
"I am up, I am up." She mumbled and reluctantly followed me into the hallway and then to the hug console area at the back of the room. I sat down on the seat and began to try and understand the language as Bini struggled to find a way to break past the code.
The doors opened again and both of the guards returned. This time they found us and ran over in rage.
"What are you doing? Come with us." The first guard ordered and they both grabbed Bini and I and dragged us through the hallway. Bini and I attempted to lose their grip by pulling back with all our weight.
"Where are you taking us?" I demanded.
"For a shower and a hot meal." The guard holding me said sarcastically as we yanked back in another attempt to getaway. Suddenly a large klingon emerged from the shadows.
The vidians backed away in alarm and Bini let out a terrified scream as she slammed herself against the wall for a fake form of protection. They yanked out their weapons as the one holding onto me pushed me down to the floor as he got ready to fire his weapon.
The Klingon gave them a swift punch to the first one. Causing him to die almost immediately due to his weak skull from the disease and grabbed his disruptor and shot the other one in the chest, causing his chest to be ripped open and he collapsed.
Bini had curled herself into a ball at this point and only slightly looked up when she noticed the Vidian blood moving across the ground and cover her boots. She scampered up in shock and attempted to calm her breathing.
The Klingon held out their hand to me. I grabbed it and they yanked me up. I gasped when I noticed that...she...the Klingon was me...I should have expected that I suppose. I suddenly felt dizzy and fell back to the floor unconscious.
------
(About one hour later.)
Bini Filters's POV
The Klingon version of B'Elanna and I sat in awkward silence as we sat in front of the fire she created and ate the food she killed...it wasn't actually too bad. Very good actually. B'Elanna took the stick from the fire that had some left over meat and nudged other B'Elanna with it...you know what...no. I need to separate B'Elanna from B'Elanna or else I will get confused. OK, so Torres is human B'Elanna and B'Elanna is well...the klingon. Yep. That works.
"Wake up, petaQ! Eat!" She barked loudly. Torres groaned and lifted her head slightly to see the food in front of her.
"What is it?
"Some rodent I killed." B'Elanna snapped back and poked her with it again, another nudge that she needs to eat. Torres glared at her and pushed herself up in annoyance and waved off the food.
"No, thanks." She muttered/
"I'm sorry I can't replicate you a soufflé," B'Elanna told her sarcastically "but you need nourishment. I can't carry you all the way out of here."
"How are we supposed to escape this place? There are guards everywhere." Torres demanded.
"We fight our way out."
"Maybe you haven't noticed, but I'm not exactly in fighting form." Torres snapped back as she leaned against the wall.
"That's why you need food. Eat." She snapped. Torres took the stick and took it hesitantly as she looked in disgust as the cooked rodent on the stick. "So, you're what's leftover when all the Klingon DNA is taken out."
"Apparently." She muttered and took a bit with a big forced gulp.
"If I hadn't come along, were you just going to waste away in that prison camp until they killed you for your body parts? Were you too frightened to act?" She insulted. I thought about pitching in at this point, defending what we were doing but I decided not to because...Well...I don't want to get hurt by a Klingon.
"I was looking for a way to escape." Torres muttered in defense.
"Looking! I'll show you the way to escape!" B'Elanna raised her fist and the Vidian weapon. "This and this."
"That's the way you respond to every situation, isn't it? If it doesn't work, hit it. If it's in your way, knock it down. No wonder I got kicked out of the Academy." Torres snapped.
"For which you should be eternally grateful." B'Elanna shot back.
"Well, I'm not! Your temper has gotten me into trouble more times than I can. Listen to me. Listen to us. This is ridiculous. Do you realize we're each fighting with our self."
"I'm not the one who's fighting, petaQ. If I remember correctly, I'm the one who rescued you from that prison and carried you here. Don't you think you could at least acknowledge that? Can't you even admit that you won't be able to get out of here without me?"
"I don't know that I can get out of here with you. Brute force isn't going to do it. I am sure Bini and I would do fine once we found the others." Torres snapped and gestured towards me.
"Maybe not. Maybe we'll die in the attempt. But that's better than sitting here like frightened tik'kah cats doing nothing." She argued.
"There you go again. Out of control. Just leaping into action before you think things through."
"Fine. You stay here. I'm getting out." B'Elanna growled and stood up abruptly and brushed off her clothes, then she turned to me, narrowing her eyes. "Are you staying here with the petaQ or actually hoping to get out?"
Before I could answer, Torres, shot up. Grabbed our attention.
"No, wait a minute," Torres pleaded. "That's not what I meant. I'm sorry. Please. Just before you rescued me, I logged onto the Vidiian's computer system. I only had a few seconds, but I think I found a way to access the force field that's cloaking this place. With a few minutes more I could have deactivated it."
"Then Voyager could get a lock on us, beam us back. Paris, too." Torres concluded hopefully.
"It may not be as exciting as fighting our way out, but it stands a much better chance of working, if I have your help."
"So. You need me."
"I can't get back to that computer without you and that one-" Torres pointed at me. "Needs to hack into the system. And you'll have to cover for us while we work."
"We can't go to prison barracks. There are too many guards there. In the lab where they were holding me, there was a security console. That's the last place they would expect us to be."
-----
Tom Paris's POV
We were back in the bunks. Bini and B'Elanna were nowhere to be seen in our section. The guards were dragging out to dead bodies as we entered but they were Vidian.
"They must have taken her to organ processing." The Talaxian concluded beside me.
"Tell me how to get there." I snapped. Suddenly a guard came up and placed his hand on my shoulder, I yanked myself away from him.
"Keep your hands off me!" I snapped.
"Whatever you say, Paris, but I thought you might like to get out of this place." A familiar voice from the Vidian replied sarcastically. That sounded like Chakotay...
"Chakotay?" I asked.
"Where are Torres and Durst?" He quietly asked as the Talaxian went back to his bunk.
"I think they've been taken to what the Vidiians call organ processing, I think Bini is with them too." I replied.
"Bini? Bini Filters? What is she doing here?" Chakotay demanded. Geez, I forgot he didn't know. I shrugged.
"I actually don't know. I forgot to ask her in all this...chaos." I said.
"You! Why are you talking to that prisoner?" The guard demanded and stormed towards us.
"I was ordered to take him to organ processing." Chakotay snapped at him in an excuse.
"Why wasn't I notified?" The guard argued with suspicion.
"I was told you had been."
"I've never seen you before."
"My face was just grafted," Chakotay replied.
"Very well, take him. But from now on I expect to be notified in advance of all transfers." The guard said and he relaxed.
"Yes, sir." Chakotay replied and roughly grabbed my elbow and guided me out of the room.
-----
(One hour later.)
Bini Filters's POV
I frantically typed in computer commands and hacked into the system as B'Elanna and Torres kept arguing behind me about who knows what in the laboratory.
"Will you two please stop arguing so I can think? God!" I snapped at them and turned back to the console and added another code hack into the system to find the grid. B'Elanna muttered an insult to me behind my back as Torres leaned over my shoulder and suddenly pointed to a file.
"There." She barked. I opened the file which showed the grid info that was locked.
"I have to bypass the security code so I can access the force field grid. Then I'll have a better idea of what we're dealing with." I said and entered a code I saw one of them enter earlier. "That should do it. There! That's what we're up against, and I think we're here." I said and pointed to the middle of the map.
"Can you shut it down?" B'Elanna asked, now she was looking over my other shoulder.
"I'm working on it."
Suddenly, a blaring alarm went off around the facility.
"What now?" B'Elanna growled. I slammed my fist in anger against the console.
"Damn it. That set off the alarm. They know we are here. For god's sake I need to speed this up!" I snapped at myself. Suddenly a weapon fired and hit B'Elanna in the chest but she also managed to get a shot. A strangled scream rang out and I snapped my head up as a Vidian collapsed at the entrance of the room
"Keep working." B'Elanna snapped with gritted teeth as B'Elanna tried to stop the blood starting to seep out of her chest. Another Vidian, who didn't quite look like a guard then entered with a weapon pointed at B'Elanna.
"B'Elanna, stop." The Vidian ordered.
"You're not going to hurt me. You need me, Sulan." B'Elanna growled. He lowered his weapon slightly but then pointed it at Torres and I. That was my clue to keep working.
"You're right. But if you do not surrender, I will kill them." He threatened.
As I am typing in the last command to bring down the grid the front entrance door opened to reveal Tom rushing in alongside a vidian as they both held weapons and pointed it at Sulan.
"Drop it!" The Vidian barked but Sulan did not move.
"Who are you?" Sulan snapped at him.
"That's what I want to know." B'Elanna pitched in with a hiss of pain and Torres moved beside me to help with the code.
"It's Chakotay!" He called to us, Sulan looked back at us in confusion.
"I think we've just about accessed the forcefield." Torres reported.
"Hurry!" B'Elanna barked.
"Hold on..." I snapped and finally managed to make the grid fall. "Got it! There!"
Chakotay pulled out his combadge and immediately opened a channel to Voyager.
"Chakotay to Voyager, do you read?"
"Loud and clear, Commander." The Captain replied from Voyager on the channel.
"I've found them, Captain."
Sulan pulled out a weapon from behind his back and fired at us. I froze in fear with Torres.
"No!" B'Elanna cried and threw herself in front of us. The beam hit B'Elanna again in the chest wound and she collapsed in front of us as we fell to the floor.
"No!" Sulan screamed in horror.
"Four humans and one Klingon to beam up." Chakotay barked in the chaos and the transporter beam quickly swept us up to Voyager.
-----
B'Elanna Torres (Human.)
I cradle my Klingon's self head on my lap as I ordered the computer to beam her to sickbay. Suddenly B'Elanna grabbed my arm and shook her head. Barly manages to cancel it.
"Don't. No time. You showed true courage. It makes my death an honourable one."
-----
(One hour later.)
Chakotay's POV
B'Elanna, who was still human, sat upon the biobed and cast an annoyed looked at the Doctor as he slammed shut his tricorder and looked towards me and B'Elanna to explain the situation.
"Using tissue from your counterpart, I can replicate the Klingon DNA, then over the course of several days, I'll reintegrate that genetic material into your cellular structure." He said.
"Wait a minute." B'Elanna snapped. "You're not saying that you're going to change me back?"
"That's precisely what I'm saying. Your cell's ability to synthesis proteins has been severely compromised. You need the Klingon genes to survive." The Doctor argued.
"So she's saving my life again."
"I'll get started on the DNA." The Doctor informed me and walked off to his office to start the procedure. I moved past him and stood in front of the biobed.
"How are you doing?" I asked.
"I'm not sure. It's been a pretty strange experience. I do know that right now, the way I am, I'm more at peace with myself than I've ever been before. And that's a good feeling."
"But?"
"I'm incomplete. It doesn't feel like me. I guess I've had someone else living inside of me for too long to feel right without her."
"I'd have to say that you two made quite a team down there." I complimented.
"I know. I came to admire a lot of things about her. Her strength, her bravery. I guess I just have to accept the fact that I'll spend the rest of my life fighting with her." She concluded. I nodded and started towards the sickbay entrance.
"Well, for what it's worth. I am glad you are back B'Elanna."
She gave me a crooked smile.
"Me too, Chakotay."
-----
(Meanwhile. Time: Dinner.)
Ensign Bini Filters POV
Sarah tugged on my arm to move faster as we followed Captain Janeway, Micheal and Mollie. Captain Janeway was currently reminding me how to fit back into my previous role and Micheal, Mollie and Sarah was too busy being happy to see me.
"Now ensign, I don't know how it worked on the Kazon ship but I trust you remember how a Starfleet ship works?" She said. I nodded as she handed me a padd that outlined my duties for the next time I am on duty.
"Of course. Believe me, I am glad to return." I replied.
"Good." She placed a comforting hand of support on my shoulder, causing me to look up at her. "I am glad you are back, Bini."
"Thanks, Captain."
"Now, I am giving you two weeks off-"
"Two weeks off? Th-That is a lot." I stammered.
"Well, you have spent several weeks on a Kazon ship. But keep in mind Neelix will keep you busy for the next few days." She warned.
"Um...Why?" I asked as we nodded to passing crewmembers.
"You are going to help him plan Christmas." She stated with a crooked smirk.
"Plan Christmas? Wait, What? What is the date?" I asked in a panic.
"It is the 20th." Sarah chirped as we continued down the corridor.
"Right...Of course, it is. Man, I have been gone for almost a month." I said.
"Yes. My children and the rest of the crew have missed you. Why don't you enjoy your dinner with Micheal and Sarah? I am sure you all have lots of catching up to do." The Captain suggested.
She swiftly continued down the corridor leaving us at the entrance of the messhall as Mollie chased after her owner and Micheal gestured us in. The messhall was starting to clear out. It had the familiar groups of just Maquis or just Starfleet scattered around with Tom and Harry in the back. Probably discussing gossip.
We quickly grabbed our meals from the messhall counter before Neelix could pull us into an hour conversation about probably Christmas and moved to our usually back table.
"So, what has been going on since I was gone?" I asked as we settled into our seats and started to eat...whatever we were eating which was actually much better then Kazon rations/food.
"Not much...Well...Actually, a lot of people got mind-controlled, Mommy got really badly injured, you were investigated, we had planned on contacting you but you came back before we could...which is good. Tom fooled with the Doctor's program and made him have a moustache."
"Wow...Just...Wow." I said as I processed the information.
"Also there has been a lot of Seska talk, people don't like her right now."
"I don't blame them. Not after what you guys saw." I said. Micheal and Sarah titled their heads slightly and looked at me in confusion.
"What did you see then?" Micheal suspiciously asked. Damn it, I said too much.
"Ah, nevermind. Forget I said that."
"Fine. We will let it go...for now." Micheal said with an evil grin as he took a sip of Neelix's new drink, then his face twisted to horror and Sarah clamped her mouth.
"Why-Why is it chewy?" Sarah choked out after a painful swallow.
"Because Neelix made it, Sarah." Micheal said and rolled his eyes as he also chewed his "drink" and gulped it down. I looked over to my own meal and pushed it away in disgust.
"Whelp, thanks for that disturbing image. I may never eat again thanks to you two." I said half jokingly. Sarah broken into giggles as Micheal just snorted.
"Bini? To you remember that talk we had about Light speed and Warp speed?" Micheal asked.
"From when we first met? Yeah. Why?" I asked and leaned against the table.
"Light speed is faster." Micheal snuggly shot out, I groaned at even the mention of it.
"Dear lord! Are we seriously starting this up again? I guarantee the physics would agree with me that light speed is a joke!" I replied.
"What ph-phy-ph-" Sarah struggled to say the word and Micheal and I gave each other an amused look.
"Physics." We both corrected her.
"Yeah that. What...thing that proves that it is faster." Sarah struggled to say.
"What?"
"She means where is the evidence?" Micheal corrected.
"Well, obviously in engineering. The warp core speed and how it bends space is right there!" I argued.
"Oh really? What about Light speed?" Micheal replied.
"See the difference here is that light speed is a joke."
"You can't handle the truth." Sarah wined.
"Wait? Did you just...Geez..." I groaned.
"See Sarah. She is embracing it!" Micheal said with the jab of Sarah's ribs. Sarah narrowed his eyes at him and growled.
"I am only gone for about a month and you two have lost it. Congrats guys. This is why you guys were so happy I was back. You fell apart!" I exclaimed and started to laugh.
"Where is Neelix? We need to shut Bini up." Micheal whispeared to Sarah.
———
(Time: 9 pm.)
Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV
I pulled my pink rob tighter around my body as I finally caught up to Sarah and scooped her up.
"Mommy! No! I don't want to go to bed!" She wined and struggled against my grip as we entered their bedroom.
"Please came down, Sarah. You were supposed to be in bed an hour and a half ago." I argued as I put her on her bed. Sarah crossed her arms over her chest in anger.
"But Bini came back! We were with her!" Sarah complained. I shared my head and sighed.
"Yes, That is why I let you stay up later. Mommy has an early shift tomorrow." I said and tucked her in.
"Well, I won't go to sleep until I hear a story." Sarah snapped. God, I am exhausted and the events of the day and...Durst murder is weighing heavily on me. I just need time I process it. But, I can't do that if Micheal and Sarah won't go to sleep.
"Stories?" I repeated slowly as my eyelids grew heavy.
"Yeah. You and Grandma used to read us stories before we left on Voyager. Please Mommy? Please can I have a story?" She begged.
"It is 9 pm. It has been a hard day for me. I can't do it tonight-"
"Chakotay." Sarah chirped happily.
"Chakotay? What about him?" I asked sleepily as I sat on her bed and looked down at her in the dim room.
"Bini told me he was good at telling stories. Can't you call him?" She begged. I opened my mouth to respond when suddenly Micheal walked into the room.
"I agree with Sarah." He stated simply.
"So...I can't convince you two otherwise?" I asked with a small smile as I moved my long stands of hair away from my face and they both nodded. They are so much like their father sometimes.
I sighed, knowing I couldn't win. I exited their bedroom and moved past sleeping Mollie. Who's soft snores filled the empty silence of the room.
"Computer? Where is Commander Chakotay?" I asked.
"Commander Chakotay is in his quarters." It replied.
I grabbed my combadge from my coffee table and hesitantly tapped it to open a channel.
"Janeway to Chakotay."
"Chakotay here. Is something wrong, Captain?" He asked over the channel. I felt a blush of embarrassment as I gulped.
"I have request. Sarah and Micheal heard that you are good at telling stories, they are...requesting to hear one? Are you busy right now?" I asked. I heard him chuckle over the channel and some rustling.
"Of course. I would be happy to. I will be right over." He replied.
"Thank you so much. I am sorry about this." I apologized.
"Don't worry about it. I am happy to. I will be there in five minutes. Chakotay out."
I placed the combadge back down on the table and reentered their room. Sarah and Micheal were tucked into their beds despite the fact that Micheal's bedtime wasn't until another half an hour.
"Is he coming?" Sarah squeaked.
"Yes." I replied.
"Captain?" Chakotay's voice called from the living room.
"In here." I called out and Chakotay entered through the already open doorway to into the room.
"Hi there, kids." He greeted and moved to the middle of the room to get a good look at them both. I was surprised to see him not wearing uniform, but instead wearing casual clothes. But...it doesn't matter. I moved to the exit as Micheal and Sarah grinned back at him and each said "hello" also. At least Micheal wasn't referring him to Commander all the time now.
"Chakotay." Chakotay and the kids looked towards me. "If you have any questions, I will be in my room working on reports. Good night kids. Love you."
Micheal and Sarah bolted out of bed and hugged me , I gave them kisses on their cheeks and sent them back, with one last goodbye, I closed the door and reentered the living room. With a yawn, I grabbed some reports Tuvok left for me earlier on my desk and dimmed the lights to 10%. The light from the padd said guided my way through my dark bedroom and I crawled into bed. Carefully, going through each report for tomorrow.
————
(Time: Few moments before Janeway called Chakotay.)
Tom Paris's POV
Bini and I walked through the corridor. Neither of us could sleep so we decided to walk through the ship as a way to hopefully make us get exhausted enough to fall asleep.
"Neelix is driving me insane! I haven't had Christmas in years! How the hell am I supposed to help him plan this?!" Bini demanded as she gestured to the notes Neelix had given her for his version of a Christmas party on the padd.
"Wow, on your first day back and you are already having a meltdown over Christmas. This is new." I said and couldn't help but laugh. Bini, of course, was clearly not impressed.
"It is not that funny. I just need something to distract me." Bini demanded and we came to a halt. Rift between the Captain's and Commander's quarters. Suddenly, Chakotay exited his quarters and immediately entered the Captain's. We both watched the scene and replayed it in our mind.
"Wai-Wait. What did I just see?" I stammered.
"That was distracting." Bini muttered.
"I feel like this is a moment to over-analyze." I pitched in, knowing that by the beginning of tomorrow the tale of the Commander entering the Captain's quarters will be headlines tomorrow.
"Yeah...yeah." Bini nodded. "Or we could think of this like logical people."
"Eh, logical people are no fun. That only makes sense when Vulcan are involved."
"Tuvok could be in on it." She suggested.
"Yeah, the chances of that are ridiculous." I told her as we continued down the corridor.
—End of Chapter 30: Next: First Christmas/Short Story.——
AN: Part of this Chapter was written on a phone so sorry if this looks strange.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票