Path: newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!elnk-atl-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!newscon02.news.prodigy.com!prodigy.net!news.glorb.com!postnews.google.com!f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com!not-for-mail From: "Rocky" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW:VOY "Survival Of The Fittest" 1/2 [PG-13] J Date: 23 Jan 2005 02:15:51 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Lines: 442 Message-ID: <1106475351.055948.197950@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.235.2.107 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Trace: posting.google.com 1106475355 29723 127.0.0.1 (23 Jan 2005 10:15:55 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:15:55 +0000 (UTC) User-Agent: G2/0.2 Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com Injection-Info: f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com; posting-host=212.235.2.107; posting-account=B19GdgwAAABVIO1JbDFCcpH_wU0rYENg Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative:162040 X-Received-Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 02:15:56 PST (newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net) Title: Survival Of The Fittest Author: Rocky Contact: roq@iname.com Web Site: http://www.angelfire.com/yt/rockyroad Series: VOY Part: New 1/2 Rating: [PG-13] Codes: J Date first posted: 1/23/05 Archive: ASC yes, all others please ask Summary: Janeway is forced to fight for not just her own survival but Disclaimer: Star Trek Voyager and all of its characters are the property of Paramount. No copyright infringement is intended. Author's note: Many thanks to my betas, Seema and m.c. moose Survival Of The Fittest By Rocky "Red alert." Janeway watched the alien cruiser drop out of warp. All her senses were tuned to danger. "Hail them, Mr. Kim." "The Pagosians haven't exactly been receptive to our previous attempts at communication," Chakotay said, looking up from his monitor. As if to confirm Chakotay's words, Kim said, "No response." Janeway nodded grimly. Their first encounter with the Pagosians two weeks previously had consisted of a terse audio warning that Voyager was in violation of interstellar borders and was to proceed no further. If given the opportunity, Janeway would have been more than happy to explain Voyager's current course was designed to circumvent a toxic class J-nebula. She would have requested permission to traverse Pagosian space and promised to limit their intrusion as much as possible, accept an escort, or abide by any number of reasonable restrictions. But the Pagosians had rebuffed any attempts at further contact. They'd simply delivered their message and then withdrawn from the immediate region of space. At regular intervals, another ship would appear, shadow Voyager for a while and then inexplicably vanish, all the while ignoring Voyager's repeated hails. With nothing further to go on, Janeway had elected to continue on their chosen course. It had been a gamble, but one that had paid off. Until now. "Tuvok, report," Janeway said, never taking her eyes off the main viewscreen and the rapidly growing blood-colored speck at its center. "Sensors indicate the ship is definitely Pagosian, although much larger than any we've seen before." "So they've decided to bring out their big guns?" Chakotay said, his mouth tightening. "That is a logical deduction," said Tuvok, studying the tactical display. "The Pagosians are charging weapons." "Evasive maneuvers, Mr. Paris," Janeway said sharply as the ship shook from the first volley of enemy fire. "Open a channel, Harry." She raised her voice. "Pagosian vessel, we have no wish to engage in any hostil--" "Shields down to 89 percent, Captain," Tuvok said. The Pagosian ship fired again. "Doesn't look like they got our message, does it?" Chakotay said in an undertone. "No, it doesn't," Janeway said. "Tuvok, target their weapons array." "Phasers locked on target." "Fire!" Janeway leaned forward intently. Nothing happened. "I said 'fire'! Tuvok!" "Unable to comply, Captain," Tuvok said. "The phaser banks are inoperative." "Try the photon torpedoes!" Janeway glanced quickly from Tuvok to the viewscreen. The Pagosians appeared to have stopped firing for now, but there was no guarantee how long that would last-- "Torpedoes are also non-responsive," Tuvok said. "What's wrong with them?" asked Chakotay. "Unknown, Commander," Tuvok said, as the viewscreen went blank and the lights on the bridge dimmed. The Captain jabbed at the panel on the side of her chair. "Janeway to Engineering. Lieutenant Torres, what's going on down there?" There was no response. "Engineering, do you read?" "The comm system is down, Captain," Kim said. He looked up from his controls and frowned. "And that's not all." "Correct," Tuvok said. "We have lost weapons, shields, even basic sensors." "Add helm control and warp drive to the list," Paris said. "We're not going anywhere." Janeway covered the distance to the Ops station in two quick steps; Kim barely had time to stand aside as the Captain took over the console. She ran through a quick series of manipulations, then stopped. "Nothing. System-wide failure. About the only thing not affected is life support." "Let's be grateful for small favors," Chakotay said. He swiveled in his chair so he faced the upper level of the bridge. "Tuvok, could this have been caused by the Pagosian weapons? A high-energy pulse capable of knocking out most of our systems?" "Highly doubtful," Tuvok said. "The phaser strikes we sustained were of a conventional type and did not penetrate our shields." "Then what did this?" Janeway said, balling her fists on her hips in frustration. "More importantly, how do we get our systems on-line? Right now, we're sitting ducks." She jerked her head toward the turbolift, which was no doubt as inoperative as everything else. "Someone needs to go to Engineering." "I'll do it." Chakotay rose from his seat. Janeway nodded curtly as she stepped down to the lower command level of the bridge, right near the center seats. "Tell Torres to be sure to--" Janeway blinked. One moment she had been on the bridge, the next here--wherever 'here' was. She turned slowly, taking in details of rust-colored dirt and rocks underfoot, a dim brown sky overhead. The air had an unfamiliar scent and was thicker than she was used to; already she could feel herself breathing harder to compensate. It was warmer, too, probably close to 40C. She peered up at the twin suns, one nearly directly overhead, the other sinking halfway toward the horizon. Janeway wondered if she were on a planet in a nearby system. If so, Voyager's chances of locating her would be greater, assuming they were successful in getting the sensors and other systems back on-line. She tapped her comm badge. "Janeway to Voyager. Come in, please." Another few failed attempts convinced her it was futile. Whatever had brought her here obviously wasn't going to let her contact her ship. A sudden blur of movement registered off to her side, but before Janeway could even turn, something smashed into her back, and she found herself thrown face-down on the ground. Janeway rolled to her right, gagging and spitting dust and gravel from her mouth, at the same time trying to clear her vision. She had only a brief impression of something--or someone--reaching toward her, before a stinging pain in her left leg made her cry out. Four parallel lines, reddening as if by magic, appeared through the slashed black material of her uniform. Janeway barely had time to register this fact before her adversary struck again. This time she managed to mostly evade the cruel, hooked talons, although they passed too close to her face for comfort. Throwing out her good leg, she tried to trip the attacker. She missed, but the maneuver bought her enough time to get to her feet. Circling warily and trying to ignore the throbbing of her wounds, Janeway got her first good look at the being trying to kill her. Resembling a bird of prey, the alien was approximately two meters tall. Metallic cloth covered most of its body; exposed areas such as the face, neck and hands showed a feathered epidermis, culminating in a brightly-colored crest on the top of its head. A beak-like mouth dominated the face. But what interested Janeway most was the discovery the creature's eyes were set on the sides of its head, forcing it to turn to gaze at her first with one eye and then the other. This could work to her advantage. The alien advanced in rapid jerky movements--not in a straight line, but at an angle. Janeway ducked as the talons swept forward--apparently they could be extended--and narrowly avoided the stabbing beak. The talons grazed her shoulder. She took a step back and stumbled, losing her footing on the loose rock. The alien lunged for her, but Janeway caught it full in the abdomen with her solid Starfleet-issue boots. She heard a crunching noise as the momentum of the blow brought the alien down. It appeared to be dazed--or injured--and didn't move. Seizing her opportunity, Janeway leaped upon her fallen enemy and bore down with all her weight. She grabbed hold of the alien's head, forcing the sharp beak aside. Panting for breath, Janeway said, "Who are you? Why did you attack me?" The only response was an unintelligible screech. A quick glance down at the front of her torn jacket made Janeway realize she'd lost her comm badge--with its built in translator--during the fight. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something glittering nearby. Janeway eased her hold and slowly backed away. Without taking her eyes off the alien, she scrabbled around in the dirt. Her fingers closed on the smooth shape of her badge--and on a long pointed shard of rock. The edge was sharp; Janeway winced from a nicked finger. The alien watched her carefully, its head turned to one side, an arm curled protectively around its abdomen. Janeway stood, stuck her badge on her uniform, and tried again. "I'm Captain Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager," she said, holding up her makeshift weapon so the alien was sure to see it. "I was taken from my ship, and have no means of getting back or communicating with my crew. I was wondering if you had any information about what happened." The alien tried to sit up, but grimaced in obvious pain. "What lie is this?" The voice was raspy, but clearly female. "You're the one who's responsible for kidnapping me off my ship during the battle! I demand you return me at once!" This must be the captain of the Pagosian cruiser, Janeway realized. "I know it must be hard to accept, but I assure you I had nothing to do with either of us ending up here," she said quietly. "You lie!" the Pagosian exclaimed, this time managing to sit up. She turned her head to the other side for a moment; Janeway noticed the left eye was closed and crusted with blood. Fixing her good eye on Janeway once more, the Pagosian said, "If neither of us is responsible, how do you explain the situation?" "Possibly there is a third party involved, who has yet to show him or herself," Janeway said, aware how unconvincing her words sounded. "The important thing is, we're both here. Have you been able to contact your ship?" The Pagosian was silent for several seconds. "No." "Perhaps we can work together." The Pagosian emitted a sound that sounded like a derisive laugh. "Why should I listen to you? You invade my people's territory, ignore our warnings, and then respond in hostile fashion! Do you deny your weapons were charged, your shields up, as soon as we approached?" Janeway bit her lip. "This was all a misunderstanding. We have no enmity toward your people. We didn't want to fight, but we were concerned when we saw the heavy cruiser. We were just defending ourselves from a possible attack." She couldn't help adding, "You may recall, you fired first." "You invaded our space!" "We are strangers in this sector," Janeway said. "We didn't realize we had crossed a border. We have no designs on your territory. All we want is to peacefully go on our way." "So you say. Ignorance may have been your excuse the first time but you repeatedly ignored our warnings." Repeated warnings? Janeway shook her head, about to protest they'd only had one verbal message. A sudden thought occurred to her: what if the repeated appearance of the Pagosian scout ships had been an unspoken warning, assumed to be understood by all? "Our world is very far away, on the other side of the galaxy. We're only trying to get back home. Our previous course would have brought us in contact with a dangerous nebula. In trying to avoid it, we ended up in your territory. We had no choice." "Why not just find another way around?" Janeway was glad the Pagosian was willing to listen. "We couldn't. This nebula is over 500 light years across. It would add too much time to our journey, even if it could be done. We've been traveling for four years, but we're still 60,000 light years from home." She paused. "We would have asked for your permission, but the ships we met previously refused to respond to our hails." The Pagosian was overcome by a series of racking coughs, but managed to reply angrily, "So you just assumed you could go ahead? Is that typical of your Federation?" Janeway flushed, but it was a fair question. "No," she said. "It isn't. I'm sorry." The Pagosian made no further comment. "About our present situation..." Janeway's voice trailed off. "What about it?" "I meant what I said earlier," Janeway said. "I think we'd be better off if we tried to work together." "Why should I trust you?" the Pagosian said immediately, with a quick jerk of her head. "Because you can." Janeway very slowly and deliberately placed her stone weapon on the ground, then held out her hand. The alien captain stared at her, and then clenched Janeway's hand tightly, accepting her assistance to stand. "You said your name was--" "Janeway. Captain Kathryn Janeway of the starship Voyager." "Janeway," the Pagosian repeated. "You are Federation?" "The Federation is an interplanetary alliance, comprising many different species," Janeway said. "I am Human." The Pagosian bobbed her head. "You may call me Rashika." Janeway smiled. "Pleased to meet you." Despite her obvious difficulty, Rashika declined any further help as they climbed a nearby hill to get a better look at their surroundings. Janeway estimated the height at no more than 500 meters, yet the Pagosian's breathing was quite labored--evidence she had been more severely injured in the fight than she'd let on. Janeway's own gashes and bruises stung, but they were far from life-threatening. At the top of the hill, Janeway waited for Rashika to get her bearings. "Do you have any idea where we are?" "This system, Maalot, is claimed by the Pagosian Autarchy. We are on the third planet." "How can you be so sure?" "Only Maalot III has a breathable atmosphere. Maalot Prime has high concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide, and the other two planets are gas giants." "Is this planet inhabited?" "We established a small research outpost on this world approximately two decades ago, but no colony. It's too far out to be really practical." Rashika added quickly, "It is still not open for your claim!" "I assure you, the Federation has no interest in--" Rashika made a small derisive sound. Janeway reminded herself it was going to take a while to build up mutual trust. "Do you know where this outpost is located, if it's possible for us to get there from here?" Janeway asked. Privately, she considered the overwhelming odds of their being on the wrong side of the planet--assuming Rashika could even pinpoint their location with any type of accuracy. Rashika was silent for several seconds, gazing out into the distance, turning her head from side to side in a manner which had rapidly become familiar. Janeway looked with her. A rolling plain stretched out as far as the eye could see, a dun-colored swirl of land, banded here and there with dusky blue and purple vegetation. Off to one side was a shimmer of light--a lake or sea, Janeway guessed. "Yes," Rashika said, her beak lifting upward. It took a few seconds for Janeway to realize this was the Pagosian equivalent of a smile. "You know where we are, or you're sure we can reach it?" "Both," Rashika said, pointing. "I can see the dome of the Observatory." "You can?" Janeway strained her eyes in the direction Rashika was indicating--towards the water--but could distinguish nothing specific in the overall brightness. Rashika grasped Janeway's shoulders and turned her a few degrees to the right. The talons had been retracted; Janeway felt only a soft brush of feathers against her skin. "Look at the coastline. Do you see the large crag jutting out?" Janeway concentrated. "The rock formation that looks like it's about to fall over?" "Good. Now follow the line up to the hills. Do you see it now?" Janeway nodded. "I think so. How long do you think it will take us to reach it?" "We should be able to walk it in two days." Rashika answered Janeway's unspoken question as well. "Even if it's deserted, there should be some equipment we can use to make contact with our respective vessels." They set out toward the sea, Rashika in the lead. Janeway allowed her to set the pace as well. Rashika moved quickly, yet Janeway could see her visibly tiring after only a short time. Fortunately, the waning daylight--the first sun had set hours ago and the second was already sinking rapidly toward the sea--forced them to halt before long. They set up camp in a sheltered hollow, near a small stream of fresh water. The wind, which had sprung up in the twilight, carried a tang of salt. Janeway built a fire. Rashika had pointed out small edible tubers of a plant, and Janeway prepared to roast them in the ashes. All of a sudden, Rashika tensed. "There, in the bushes," she said softly. "What did you say ?" Janeway asked, glancing up from her task. "Keep your voice down!" Rashika hissed. "Do you not see them?" Janeway strained her eyes but could see nothing in the rapidly falling darkness. "What am I supposed to be looking at?" "A pair of arnav, resting in the undergrowth. They are young, but plump enough." Rashika made as if to rise, then fell back again. "I'll get them," Janeway said, trying to sound confident of her hunting ability. She picked up a stick from the pile of fire wood and using her makeshift stone knife, sharpened one end. Thus armed with a primitive spear, she moved stealthily in the direction Rashika had indicated. She didn't see the arnav until she was nearly upon them. Their black and yellow striping made them blend in nearly seamlessly into the surrounding bushes. Up close, Janeway could see they looked vaguely like Terran rabbits. She took careful aim and threw. Rashika looked up at Janeway's approach. "Only one?" "Yes," Janeway said shortly, tossing it down. Rashika made no reply, but spitted it over the fire. They ate. The roots were starchy and bland, but Janeway couldn't help making a face at her first bite of the meat. Hastily, she drank some water. Rashika hadn't missed her reaction. "Arnav flesh is obviously not to Human taste. Not that I expected otherwise, as our people are very different." "Not really," Janeway said immediately. "Like you, we know personal preferences are unimportant during a crisis. During my Academy survival training, and many times since, I've learned to eat what's available. The taste may be unfamiliar, but it provides necessary protein." Defiantly, she took a large bite, steeling herself to chew and swallow without visibly reacting. Rashika made no further comment before they settled down for the night. End part 1 NewMessage: Path: newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!elnk-atl-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!atl-c03.usenetserver.com!news.usenetserver.com!newsread.com!news-xfer.newsread.com!postnews.google.com!f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com!not-for-mail From: "Rocky" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW:VOY "Survival Of The Fittest" 2/2 [PG-13] J Date: 23 Jan 2005 02:18:10 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Lines: 346 Message-ID: <1106475490.166550.207130@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.235.2.107 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Trace: posting.google.com 1106475497 29968 127.0.0.1 (23 Jan 2005 10:18:17 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:18:17 +0000 (UTC) User-Agent: G2/0.2 Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com Injection-Info: f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com; posting-host=212.235.2.107; posting-account=B19GdgwAAABVIO1JbDFCcpH_wU0rYENg Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative:162041 X-Received-Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 02:18:17 PST (newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net) Title: Survival Of The Fittest Author: Rocky Contact: roq@iname.com Web Site: http://www.angelfire.com/yt/rockyroad Series: VOY Part: New 2/2 Rating: [PG-13] Codes: J Date first posted: Archive: ASC yes, all others please ask Summary & Disclaimer: See part 1 The two suns had just risen when they resumed their journey the next morning. Despite Rashika's assurances the indigenous wildlife contained no dangerous predators, Janeway hadn't slept very well. She felt rather stiff and sore all over from the hard ground, but decided she was good for several hours' hard going, regardless. Rashika brushed off any inquiries as to her own health, and set a more rapid pace than the previous day. At midmorning, they took a brief rest, on the shore of the sea. The waves lapped at their feet. Overhead, a few lone seabirds circled, occasionally letting out a plaintive cry. Janeway took a deep drink out of the hollow gourd that served as a makeshift canteen and closed her eyes for a few seconds. "This survival training of yours, did it involve lots of hiking?" Janeway's eyes flew open. "Yes, it did." "Humans must find it very difficult. It appears you are not used to such physical exertions--at least not so far from the comforts of civilization." Janeway kept her voice level. "Actually, some Humans enjoy and seek out such activities. When I was a child, my family went camping--roughing it in the wild--frequently." Rashika nodded. "My family did the same." She paused. "I hated it. Not because of the lack of amenities, but because I'd much rather have spent the time studying instead." Surprised, Janeway said, "I was the same way!" Their eyes met. Rashika said slowly, "Not so different, then." "No," Janeway said, with a small smile. "Not so different at all." It took them the rest of that day, and part of the next, to finish circumventing the coast and begin to head into the hills, where the research station was located. Either Rashika had underestimated the distance, or else overestimated her own endurance and stamina. The latter was more likely, in Janeway's opinion. As the terrain became more difficult, Rashika no longer rebuffed Janeway's offers of assistance. As pleased as she was at this development, Janeway was concerned it was a sign Rashika's physical condition was deteriorating. Janeway herself was doing all right, though the area surrounding the largest gash on her shoulder had become red and warm; it was likely an infection had set in. She was more concerned about what was happening with their respective ships. If--no, when--Voyager got its systems working again, were they looking for her? Did they suspect the Pagosian ship of being behind her disappearance? Or had the Pagosians managed to destroy Voyager? But once again, she had no answers, only questions. On the third day, Janeway decided to voice at least some of her misgivings aloud. "I wonder if this is a test of some sort." "What is?" Rashika sat down in the shade of a large rock and sipped some water. "Our presence on this planet," Janeway said, gesturing around them. "We still don't know how we got here, or why." "My people are not responsible. You say yours are not either." Rashika shifted position. "What are you getting at, Janeway?" "Events like this aren't unheard of in the annals of Starfleet--or even in my own experience. Unfortunately, the beings responsible for these 'tests' rarely have the best interests of their subjects in mind." Despite their growing rapport and trust, Janeway was forcibly reminded once more of their differences when Rashika asked," Is this a common attitude of Humans, to view unfamiliar or more powerful beings as an automatic threat?" It was an attitude Janeway had come to think of as more typical of the Pagosians. She shook her head. "I told you about our United Federation of Planets, which is an interstellar alliance for scientific, cultural, diplomatic, and yes, defensive endeavors. It's existed in its present form for more than 200 years, and at last count comprised more than 150 member planets." "Yes, you have told me," Rashika said dismissively. "You have also mentioned the Federation and its member planets have been involved in a number of armed conflicts over the years." "Most of those were defensive in nature," Janeway said, then immediately regretted her sharp tone. "It is not our way to seek to be the most powerful in the area or to subjugate weaker species." Rashika nodded, and closed her eyes wearily. Janeway wondered if it was a mute apology; if so, it went both ways. Rashika finally said, "To return to the matter at hand, what do you propose we do? If this was all arranged by some superior being?" "Continue the way we have been," Janeway said, running a grimy hand through her disheveled hair. "There's nothing else we can do. We proceed to the station and try to make contact with our people. And we remain on guard for any surprises." "Yes," Rashika said. "We must be vigilant." Her demeanor seemed unusually grim. Janeway touched her arm lightly. "We'll make it. I know we will." Rashika glanced at Janeway's hand for a long moment, seemingly at a loss for words. She cleared her throat. "Optimism, Janeway?" "Another Human characteristic," Janeway said firmly. "One that has stood us in good stead over the course of our history." "We Pagosians tend more toward realism." Rashika turned her head and gave Janeway a level gaze. "It prevents disappointment--or worse." They reached the station in the late afternoon of the fourth day, their strength waning. Food and water had become increasingly difficult to find. The building was deserted, and judging from the absence of footprints in the thick dust on the floor of the main room, had been that way for some time. Rashika staggered over to a cabinet set in the far wall, barely able to walk, but shaking off Janeway's hand. "There should be a medkit here." Janeway nodded. Her own dizziness had only gotten worse, and her shoulder felt like it was on fire. Her skin was paper-dry; she suspected she was running a fever. She glanced around the room, trying to determine the location of the communication device. After a few moments, Janeway settled on a likely-looking console. She touched a few controls and was gratified to see her guess had been correct. "I think I've got it! Just give me a few more seconds and I'll--" She looked up to see Rashika leveling a weapon at her. "Move away from that console." Utterly shocked, her Starfleet training kicked in and Janeway managed to dive into hiding as Rashika fired. Sparks and shards of metal rained down on Janeway's huddled form. "You can't hide, Janeway!" Rashika shouted as she advanced slowly, systematically firing, trying to pin her down. "Surrender now, or I will kill you!" Janeway was reeling from Rashika's sudden betrayal, and angry with herself for not having been on guard for something like this. But this was not the time for recriminations; she had to focus on survival. Janeway crawled forward cautiously, careful not to make any noise. She concentrated on the sound of Rashika's halting footsteps getting closer. The Pagosian was injured, and severely weakened by the ordeal of the last few days. And Janeway knew her other vulnerabilities. A desperate plan took shape in her mind. With trembling fingers, she loosened two of the pips from her collar. She hefted them; they were very light, but perhaps they would serve her purpose. Holding her breath, she tossed first one metal disc, then the other, at the wall on the opposite side of the room. As expected, the sound of the clattering pips echoed sharply in the stillness. Rashika had to turn her entire body to see where the sound had come from, and Janeway immediately attacked from her blind spot. The impact caused them both to crash to the floor. They struggled. Janeway winced as the talons on Rashika's free hand sliced across her face. Janeway blinked desperately to get the blood out of her eyes, and managed to deliver a resounding blow to Rashika's midsection. Rashika shrieked in pain and tried to claw her again. In the ensuing exchange of blows, the weapon was knocked loose and fell less than an arm's length away. Janeway strained to reach it. Her fingers brushed against the barrel, only to slip away. Rashika rolled toward it as well and Janeway made one last desperate lunge. This time she managed to grasp it. She hefted the weapon, but instead of shooting, brought the butt crashing down on Rashika's temple. The Pagosian's eyes rolled up in her head as she fell back, unconscious. Janeway clambered to her feet, somewhat unsteadily. "Show yourself!" she shouted. "It's over!" There was a burst of light, accompanied by a sound of crystalline wind chimes. When Janeway's dazzled eyes cleared, she saw a pulsing ball of light hovering overhead, swirling through a kaleidoscope of color. She drew a quick intake of breath. "Who are you? Why did you bring us here?" The entity answered, but not in words. It tapped directly into Janeway's thoughts. //You have guessed my purpose from the beginning.// "So this was all a test?" Janeway said aloud. "Abducting us from our ships, stranding us here on this planet--just to see what would happen? What gives you the right to interfere with the actions of other beings? To treat us as nothing more than curiosities?" //I did not create the situation; your peoples were engaged in a battle which would have resulted in the destruction of at least one of you.// Janeway bit back her instinctive reply. The entity was already convinced they were primitive and belligerent beings. //I am curious, however. When given the opportunity--more than once--you did not kill your enemy. What is this cooperation you kept trying to convince the other of?// "Look deeper into my mind," Janeway said. "You'll see this is not what Humans are about. Yes, we are capable of violence--in the interests of defending ourselves--but we much prefer to make friends." //If the situation were reversed, the Pagosian would have killed you.// Janeway glanced involuntarily at Rashika's still form. A wave of sadness and regret swept over her. "That doesn't matter. I am not responsible for the actions of others, only mine." The entity was silent for a moment, seeming to consider. The swirl of colors intensified. Rashika's eyelids fluttered, heralding a return to consciousness. With a low moan, she forced herself to a sitting position. //The test is over. You will both be returned to your respective ships. What happens next is in your hands.// Janeway's last sight was of Rashika gazing directly at her, her expression unreadable. The next moment, she found herself back on board Voyager. "Captain!" Chakotay said in alarm. He was standing near the turbolift doors. "You're injured--what happened?" "Report," Janeway said, making her way somewhat unsteadily to her seat. The bridge crew appeared puzzled. "Report, Captain?" Chakotay asked. "You just ordered me to Engineering." "That was four days ago!" Janeway said, equally confused. Tuvok and Chakotay exchanged looks. "No time has elapsed for us," the Vulcan said calmly, taking in her disheveled appearance. "I assume you have experienced otherwise?" "Most definitely," Janeway said and proceeded to fill them in on her adventure on the planet surface. "Fascinating," Tuvok said. "Although there are still many unanswered questions about the Entity, and its purpose." "Yes," Chakotay said. "But more importantly, what will happen now with the Pagosians?" "I'd like to know that myself," Janeway said, her mouth tightening at the memory of Rashika's inexplicable betrayal. "I was so sure I had gotten through to her," she said quietly. "That we had managed to understand each other, at least a little. Our cooperation on the planet--that was real. I know I would never have made it without her. Without working together, neither of us would have survived." Chakotay gave her a sympathetic look. Just then, the overhead lights returned to their former brightness. Kim said, "Captain, all of our systems have just come back on-line!" "That is correct," Tuvok said, a second later. "Shields, weapons and sensors are operational." "Open a channel to the Pagosian vessel," Janeway said and stood, ignoring a wave of dizziness. "Don't you think you should report to Sickbay first, Captain?" Chakotay said in concern. "That can wait," Janeway said sharply as a view of an unfamiliar ship interior--obviously the Pagosians' bridge--appeared on the main viewscreen. "This is Captain Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager. I wish to speak to your commanding officer." "I am in command of this vessel," said a large--and clearly male--Pagosian. "Where is Rashika?" Janeway said in surprise. "The former commander has been arrested on charges of treason," the Pagosian said harshly. "Treason?" "Failure in battle is the most grievous crime that can be committed by an officer. Rashika reported she had been unable to overcome you on the planet surface and voluntarily submitted to incarceration pending trial." "What will happen to her?" "She will be executed. That is our law." Janeway gasped. "But--" "We will not engage in any further conversation! You must leave our territory immediately. My vessel will personally escort you to make sure you comply. We will transmit a course shortly for you to follow; any deviations will result in your immediate destruction." The Pagosian signed off abruptly. "At least now it's clear why Rashika felt compelled to attack you in the station. She had no other choice, bound as she was by the conventions of her people," Chakotay said quietly. Janeway nodded unhappily. "I suppose so." She suddenly felt very weary. "Receiving coordinates from the Pagosian vessel," Kim said, a few moments later. "Transmitting it to helm." "Course laid in," Paris said, then drew a quick intake of breath. "Captain, this matches up almost perfectly with our original course through Pagosian space." "For all their bluster, they're letting us through, after all," Chakotay said. "The Pagosian change of heart is gratifying, if puzzling," Tuvok said. "I wonder if new orders came through from their superiors," Janeway said, slowly. "Or maybe," said Chakotay, his eyes meeting hers, "your actions on the planet had more of an impact than you realized." FINIS NewMessage: