Path: newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!elnk-nf2-pas!newsfeed.earthlink.net!newshub.sdsu.edu!tethys.csu.net!nntp.csufresno.edu!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-01!sn-post-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: billfl@hiwaay.net (Bill Livingston) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW ALL: "Five and a Half Things That Never Happened on Star Trek" (4/6) (PG) Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 05:54:57 GMT Organization: Almost None Message-ID: <41fdc7c1.7103452@newstoo.hiwaay.net> X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.11/16.235 X-Complaints-To: abuse@supernews.com Lines: 124 Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative:162185 X-Received-Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 21:56:53 PST (newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net) Title: Unbreakable Series: Five and a Half Things That Never Happened on Star Trek Part: 1/1 (Story), 4/6 (Series) Author: Bill Livingston (billfl@hiwaay.net) Series: VOY Rating: [PG] Codes: J, D, ? Summary: What has been joined together, let not be put asunder Note the first: As you may have guessed, this is inspired in part by Rocky's "5 Things That Never Happened to Kira Nerys". I asked her if I could borrow the premise, who was nice enough not only to say yes, but to point out that it's been used before. Thanks, Rocky. Note the second: There's going to be one of these for each series, plus one more (hence the "half"). Note the third: I think I just posted the header without the story. D'oh! Archive: OK anywhere, as long as title and authorship remain unchanged. Any MSTers welcome, just let me know. 8-] Disclaimer: "Star Trek" and all related characters and situations are trademarks of and © Desilu/Paramount/Viacom. All rights are reserved. Feedback in ASC and by email is welcome. If you liked it, please let me know. If not, please let me know. In either case, please let me know *why*. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- UNBREAKABLE By Bill Livingston "I'm sorry, Captain, but I must refuse that order. As a physician, medical ethics will not allow me to perform any procedure that might harm my patient." Janeway repressed an urge to repeat her order to the Holographic doctor - he'd only refuse again. And in truth, she could hardly blame him. The decision she'd been forced to make had come at the cost of many hours of contemplation, and it was one she wasn't entirely comfortable with. Still, in the end, it had come down to saving the lives of two people (not to mention valuable members of her crew) over preserving the life of one person who, though endearing, could only exist at the expense of others. "Very well, Doctor," she said tightly. "I'll do it myself." She stepped around the doctor and picked up the hypo-spray full of isotopic markers. The last thing she wanted to do was to face the person on the bed, whose only crime was the innocent one of existing, but she knew that if she didn't, she'd never be able to face herself in the mirror again. *What was it Owen used to say? Command meant facing the consequences of your action? Well, Owen, this is one face you never had to look into.* "Please." A simple request. An appeal for mercy. Janeway looked at the face - the faces - that stared back at her. Anger, resentment, fear, uncertainty, all chased each other across that a visage that was at once familiar and strange. The captain wavered for a moment. But in the end, she stood by her decision. "I'm sorry." The hiss of the hypospray sounded uncommonly loud. The lonely individual swallowed once as Janeway contacted the transporter room and gave the fateful command. "Energize." A shower of sparkling light them and they were gone. A moment passed. Then two. Now it was Kathryn Janeway's turn to swallow nervously. "Transporter room, what's your status?" There was another pause. Finally, a reply came. "Captain, the dispersal pattern of the markers are diffusing." "Explain." "Captain, "the markers were designed to key in on a specific chromosome pattern, allowing us to separate them. What we didn't count on is that their two genetic structures have combined to a degree that each now contains material from the other." "You're saying that the markers are being pulled to both of their DNA?" "Essentially, Captain, there are no longer two separate sets of DNA - just one set, for a single individual." The enormity of this pronouncement hit home. "So there's no way - no way to bring them back?" "I'm sorry, captain." "The only thing we can do is halt this attempt," the doctor interjected. "The longer it lasts, the more chance of permanent damage to the one person we *can* help." Captain Janeway's mind whirled, railing against the unfairness of it all. *Dammit, it's not supposed to be like this! I'm not supposed to lose two people just because of a handful of some idiot pollen in the transporter beam!* But she couldn't indulge herself at the moment. She had a crewmember to save. "Transporter room - Tuvok, cease separation activities, and return the subject to sickbay." "Aye captain." The sparkling light returned, and the transporter deposited the woman it had created back on the bio-bed. "I - I'm still here?" she blinked, scarcely able to believe it. "You are," Janeway said. "Your apparently integrated to the point that we can't separate you back into your original bodies." "I see." A pause. "I won't lie and say that I'm sorry - or that I'm not angry. But I understand. And I promise you, Captain, that I'll do everything I possibly can to honor their memories." "I know you will, K'eslana. And I appreciate that." "So that's it - I just go back to engineering?" "Not today. Let the doctor check you over and make sure you're OK." *And I have another duty,* she thought, one she'd rather not have to face. *I have to go see Neelix and let him know Kes isn't coming back to him. Ever.* NewMessage: