Although the inhabitants of Dorvan would have found it difficult to believe, the rebirth of the colony had not gone unnoticed. In particular, the Cardassians, always paranoid, had become aware of the new settlement and were covertly keeping track of its progress. Fearing a resurgence of the Maquis, the Deteppa Council, the provisional government of Cardassia, even went so far as to lodge a protest with the Federation Ambassador, who duly forwarded their concerns directly to the Department of Exo-Federation Affairs.
The Federation’s official response firmly stated that the settlers on Dorvan were law-abiding citizens who posed no threat to anyone. The communiqué also reminded the Cardassian government that there was a Starfleet presence on Dorvan, which served as a de facto police force. Since the colonists numbered less than two hundred, the Federation found it difficult to believe that any kind of attack could be mounted on Cardassian territory. As well, all indications were that the settlers were well occupied trying to scratch an existence from the barren soil of the planet, with little time or energy for anything else.
However, despite all the reassurances, the Cardassians refused to be appeased.
Well aware that to launch a direct attack on Dorvan would bring the full wrath of the Federation down on them, the head of Central Command secretly enlisted several former members of the Obsidian Order to come up with a plan which would effectively nullify any possible threat from the settlement. After considerable discussion, a plot was devised which would be both simple and effective – they would kidnap Chakotay, who had been identified as the leader of the settlement. The fact that he was a former member of the Maquis simply confirmed their belief that the Maquis were on the rise once again. Therefore, by seizing him, they would achieve two objectives: as well as disrupting the villagers’ lives, and perhaps even frightening them into abandoning the settlement, they would have the opportunity to extract as much information as possible about the Maquis.
The operation went off without a hitch.
No one on Dorvan had the slightest hint that Cardassians were anywhere in the sector, never mind in orbit.
Flying a modified shuttle equipped with a dampening field to thwart sensors as well as high-performance engines, three Cardassians were able to transport down in the middle of the night, seize Chakotay from his bed and carry him off before anyone in the village had any idea he was gone.
When it was discovered the next morning that he was missing, search parties were immediately organized but despite the villagers’ frantic efforts, no trace of him could be found.
Only when Tom took the Alpha Flyer into orbit where he could scan the entire planet was the first clue discovered. Using the shuttle’s Borg-enhanced sensors, he was able to locate a rapidly dissipating warp trail. Staring at the readouts, he felt his heart drop but waited until he could land to let B’Elanna see them, too. One glance from her confirmed their worst fears.
“There’s no doubt,” she told him as some of the villagers gathered around the Flyer. “This warp trail is from a Cardassian vessel. Their engines always leave a very distinct signature.”
Immediately, Tom activated the comm system, hailing Lieutenant Mordeen and explaining what they had discovered.
In turn, Mordeen sent a priority subspace signal to his superiors at the nearest star base who forwarded it to Headquarters.
Over several days, the wheels of bureaucracy were set in motion as various levels of government attempted to discover what had happened to Chakotay. Even though a year had passed since Voyager’s return, his name was still well-known throughout the Federation, and the Council knew that it needed to make every effort to solve the mystery of his disappearance. Of course, suspicion immediately fell on the Cardassians but when contacted, both the Deteppa Council and Central Command denied all knowledge of Chakotay’s whereabouts.
Alerted by Admiral Paris, Kathryn Janeway, deputy head of Strategic Operations and sometime diplomat, learned of the disappearance of her former first officer three days later. Using every contact she had, she tried to find out as much information as possible, but quickly discovered that Starfleet knew very little. He had simply vanished. Every instinct told her that there was something wrong but before she could take off for Dorvan to lead the search herself, she was ordered to assist in delicate negotiations between two truculent planets in the Paltor system. Frantically, she tried to refuse the assignment but Command would have none of it. She had already invested considerable time and energy setting up a truce between the two former enemies; they would trust no one else to oversee their peace talks. With a heavy heart, Kathryn departed Earth, promising herself that if she had to, she would beat some sense into the leaders of both planets so that she might return as quickly as possible.
=^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
Days passed, then a week, as Tom and B’Elanna continued the desperate search, each time taking their shuttle further and further from Dorvan, visiting other colonies, talking to anyone who might be able to give them any information at all. But they found nothing.
Their questions about sightings of Cardassians anywhere along the border were met with blank stares and shakes of the head. No, no one had seen hide or hair of Cardassians since the war, nor did they want to. Even the thought of those ‘spoonheads’ showing up was enough to send shivers down more than one spine. The Parises were forced to accept that if indeed Chakotay had been kidnapped by Cardassians, they had immediately fled back to their space.
Tired and discouraged, at the end of ten days, they were forced to admit defeat.
“Maybe he’s still on Dorvan somewhere,” suggested Tom, “or, if he was kidnapped, maybe that warp trail belonged to someone else entirely.”
However, B’Elanna held fast to her theory. She knew the signatures of Cardassian warp trails – she’d certainly seen enough of then during her days in the Maquis.
***********
While the Parises were still searching along the border for news, Mike Ayala and Ken Dalby, who had both settled in the village several months earlier, had an inspiration.
“We’re going to pay a visit to Deep Space Nine and see if we can find out anything there,” explained Ayala to Pola, adding, “It might be a wild goose chase, but at this point, we have nothing to lose.”
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all you’re doing,” she murmured, her voice faint from exhaustion. “If it weren’t for you ‘Voyagers’, we’d be lost.”
Mike gripped her hands. “Pola, whether or not we’re biologically related, we’re all family, and families stick together in good times and bad. Chakotay is like a brother to me. I won’t stop looking, and I know the others won’t either. It may take a while but we’ll find him.”
Her eyes sunken with fatigue, she could only hug him in thanks.
With determined hearts, the two hurried to the spaceport where they would board a transport to DS9, one of their old haunts from days gone by.
=^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
On arrival at the space station, the two men immediately headed to Quark’s Bar as the best source of information for the entire region.
Although at first they could discover nothing at all, eventually, after several days of discreet questions, they learned of a whispered rumour circulating about a new Cardassian shuttle equipped with powerful warp engines, which reportedly had been sighted briefly near the border with Cardassia around the same time that Chakotay had disappeared. The story was vague, the shuttle’s whereabouts couldn’t be confirmed, and both men were very unsure about the veracity of their source. And yet, it was the only lead they had.
Unsure whether to contact Tom and B’Elanna, the two debated what to do for another day before deciding that slim as it was, they had to take the chance that the rumours were based on fact. Sent over a public comm system, their message to Dorvan was cryptic.
“We may have located the merchandise you wanted at DS9. Please confirm if you are still interested.”
Hoping that the Parises would understand the deliberately vague nature, Ayala and Dalby sat back to await results.
**********
The response was swift.
Within twenty-four hours, they were notified of an incoming message.
“Definitely still interested. Will be arriving shortly to discuss terms.”
A day later, Tom and B’Elanna arrived in the Alpha Flyer, their faces alight with hope. Quickly, the four adjourned to the quarters Ayala had rented.
“What have you found out?” demanded B’Elanna, before the door had even closed.
Mike held up his hands deprecatingly. “It’s very little, a rumour we heard three days ago, about some kind of new Cardassian shuttle, with high-performance engines and maybe some kind of cloak. It’s all speculation, you understand, our source couldn’t even tell us if it really exists. He said he’d heard about it in a bar on one of those backwater planets near the border but there’s no way to verify if what he told us was true. It could be merely a piece of fiction, made up to con us out of a strip or two of latinum. I’m sorry to be so vague but that’s all we could find out.”
Tom shrugged in sympathy. “It’s more than we were able to discover. No one we talked to had seen hide or hair of Cardassians. Well,” he added, “at least that’s what they said.”
Silence fell for several minutes as the four pondered their conundrum until suddenly B’Elanna sat up.
“I just remembered something…. Isn’t the Bajoran commander here a former resistance fighter?”
Mike and Tom looked blank but Ken Dalby frowned in concentration. “You could be right, B’Elanna.” He glanced around. “Name, name – what was the name?”
Tom spoke up. “Computer, what is the name of the Bajoran commander on this station?”
“The Bajoran commander of Deep Space Nine is Colonel Kira Nerys,” replied the computer primly.
“Kira Nerys!” exclaimed Dalby. “B’Elanna, I think you’re on to something. Computer, was Colonel Kira ever a member of the Bajoran resistance during the Cardassian occupation?”
The computer’s response was swift. “Affirmative.”
“Bingo!” shouted Tom. “Now, all we have to do is find this Colonel Kira and persuade her to help us.”
Ayala and Dalby both looked doubtful but Tom wasn’t to be deterred. “How hard can it be? After all, if she fought in the resistance, she’s not likely to be very fond of Cardassians. We have to try,” he stated determinedly.
His confidence was enough to galvanize all of them.
At once, Tom put through a request to meet with the colonel on a private matter.
Initially, the duty officer in operations was most reluctant to pass on the message but when Tom indicated that he had information about a possible Cardassian threat, his request was granted. Half an hour later, he was informed that the Colonel would see him in her office immediately.
When Tom, B’Elanna and Ayala trooped in, Colonel Kira’s expression twisted into a frown. Clearly, she was wondering if there was another agenda here. However, she made no mention of it but got right to the point. “I understand you have information on the Cardassians,” she stated flatly, her fingers drumming on the top of the desk. “What is it?”
Her unprepossessing attitude made Tom realize he was going to have a harder job than he’d expected to persuade her to help them. Pasting on his most winning smile, he replied, “Yes, ma’am, we do. We have learned that there may be a new Cardassian shuttle in existence, one with high-performance engines and possibly a cloaking device.”
Kira’s frown deepened, her tone reflecting her suspicion of them. “That rumour has been circulating for days but no one has yet come up with any concrete proof. I’ll believe it when I see it. What else?”
Tom was stumped. His hesitation pushed B’Elanna into stepping forward.
“Colonel, my name is B’Elanna Paris, I’m Tom’s wife.” She nodded at Paris. “But a long time ago, I was a member of the Maquis, as was Mike Ayala here. Our captain was Chakotay.”
Her interest finally caught, Kira leaned towards them. “Chakotay…. I remember that name…. He came from one of the border colonies, didn’t he? And he was in Starfleet before he joined the Maquis….”
“Yes, he was. He was also first officer on the starship Voyager.”
That made the colonel sit up. “Voyager! The ship that was lost in the Delta Quadrant?!”
“Yes. We were there as well.”
Kira’s eyes swept over them in astonishment. “All of you?! You all served on Voyager?! In the Delta Quadrant?!” Her tone was filled with disbelief.
“I was the helmsman,” stated Tom, “B’Elanna here was chief engineer, Mike was in security. That’s the truth, Colonel, it’s easy enough to check. Our pictures were all over the Federation newscasts when we returned to the Alpha Quadrant.”
Kira was already activating her terminal. A second later, she smiled. “Well, there you are.” Her eyes went back to them, her face alive with curiosity. “Voyager…! You must have quite a story to tell.” Abruptly, she changed gears. “So tell me what you really want from me.”
Tom needed no further encouragement. Quickly, he launched into a brief recap of recent events, ending with the rumour that Ayala and Dalby had heard. “We know it’s not much to go on,” he concluded, “but it’s all we’ve been able to find out. However, my gut is telling me the rumours are true and that shuttle is somehow connected with Chakotay’s disappearance.”
Kira pondered for a minute or two, then looked up. “As I said earlier, those rumours have been floating around for a little while now.” She fell silent once more, obviously considering several options.
“Let me see what I can find out,” she finally decided. “Any inquiries will have to be extremely discreet but I have a person in mind who might be able to help.” She rose to her feet. “I’ll let you know. However, it may take some time.”
“Thank you, Colonel,” replied Tom and B’Elanna, relieved that they were no longer alone in their search. “If it’s all right with you, we’ll wait here.”
“Actually,” suggested Kira, “why don’t you go to Bajor and do some sightseeing? Play the tourist. If you remain here on the station without any obvious purpose, you may arouse suspicion which is exactly what we don’t want.” She picked up a PADD and entered a series of numbers. “This is a contact number where messages can be left and received. Check it once a day. I’ll let you know as soon as I can.”
Quickly, the three left her office and made their way to Tom’s shuttle, where Dalby was waiting for them. Following her advice, they wasted no time heading for Bajor.
=^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
While the Parises, Ayala and Dalby meandered around the sights of Bajor, Colonel Kira quickly sent a clandestine signal to an old friend now living on Cardassia – Garak. Her request was twofold: confirm the rumours about an experimental shuttle and try to discover any information he could about the current whereabouts of a former Maquis named Chakotay.
Aware that it could well take Garak some time, she settled back to wait. However, to her surprise, only two days later she received a two-word reply. “Empok Nor.”
For several minutes, she sat pondering the implications of the message. Empok Nor. The other space station built by the Cardassians during the Bajoran occupation, the twin to Deep Space Nine which had originally been known as Terok Nor.
Unlike DS9, once the Cardassians left Empok Nor, it remained abandoned and untouched. Situated just inside the Cardassian border, the station had been used for several months during the Dominion War as a research facility for experiments with psychotropic drugs. However, when the test subjects, Cardassian soldiers, became uncontrollable, the project had been abruptly terminated and the station evacuated.
Some years later, when a Starfleet engineering team from Deep Space Nine, accompanied by Garak, entered Empok Nor to scavenge for crucial parts needed for repairs, they were attacked by two of the soldiers who had been left behind. After losing several of his team, Chief O’Brien had been forced into hand-to-hand combat with Garak, who had been affected by the drugs, turning him into a crazed psychopath. Fortunately O’Brien had rigged a phaser to overload on his signal, thereby rendering the Cardassian unconscious. However, the experience had left him badly shaken. As he told Captain Sisko on his return, “I’m an engineer, not a soldier, not anymore.”
As Kira sat recalling the tales of Empok Nor, she felt a shiver run down her spine. The station was haunted by too many ghosts of too many violent deaths. Not a place where anyone would want to go unless absolutely necessary. If Chakotay had been taken there, it was for no good purpose, that she knew without a doubt.
Quickly, she sent a brief message to the Parises before busying herself with the routine life of Deep Space Nine. The less she thought about Empok Nor, the better.
When she was notified some hours later of the arrival of their shuttle, she contacted them briefly to pass on Garak’s message, and also to remind them that officially, she had never heard of them. As the ranking representative of Bajor, until there was concrete proof of Cardassian malfeasance, she could not afford to get mixed up in whatever they were planning.
In other words, Tom remarked to his companions, if they ran into trouble, they were on their own.
=^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
Without further delay, the Alpha Flyer slipped its moorings and headed away from Deep Space Nine, ostensibly on a course for Dorvan Five. However, within an hour, the shuttle had eased onto a tangent which would eventually bring it via a circuitous route onto a new heading for Empok Nor, some four light years away.
A day later, as they neared the station, B’Elanna scanned for any signs of a warp signature; after numerous tries, she found a very faint trace.
Her face broke into a triumphant grin. “It’s from the same ship.”
“Are you positive?” demanded Tom anxiously.
Seconds passed as her fingers flew over the board before she glanced up with a decisive nod. “It’s them.”
“Bullseye!”
“Wait a minute,” she added, continuing to peer at the screen, “this is odd.”
“What?” snapped Dalby, his nerves already on edge.
“Isn’t this place abandoned?”
Mike Ayala replied, “It’s supposed to be. What are you finding?”
“The station’s shields are active. I can’t scan the interior and we won’t be able to transport onto it.”
“Then most likely there’s an active sensor net as well, which will detect any power signature.” Ayala said. “Maybe we better stop here.”
“With a little decent piloting, we should be able to circumvent it,” retorted Tom. His hands slid across the controls. “Cutting power to absolute minimum. We’re close enough we should be able to coast in on momentum alone.”
Very slowly, the little vessel drifted closer and closer to the nearest pylon, only a slight nudge now and then from the thrusters coaxing it forward. Slower and slower it moved until finally it bumped gently against a docking port.
“So far so good,” announced Tom, “the trick now is to activate the clamps without alerting anyone.”
Dalby stepped forward with a grin. “I’ve got just the thing right here,” he told them, “a little something I picked up from Quark while the rest of you were talking to Colonel Kira.” He placed a portable forcefield emitter on the floor of the shuttle, then activated it.
Immediately, it projected a short range low-level forcefield around the docking port, silencing any alarm.
The other three grinned their approval.
“Glad you came along,” remarked Tom as he moved to the rear. A minute later, the clamps had locked on, enabling him to open the hatch. “Okay, are we all ready? Everyone got a phaser and tricorder?”
At the confirming nods, he hit the door pad. “All right, here we go.”
The movement of the shuttle’s hatch automatically activated the station’s door mechanism. In seconds, they had access to Empok Nor.
As agreed during their planning, once inside the station, the four split up, Tom and B’Elanna going one way, Ayala and Dalby the other.
Trying to avoid the piles of debris scattered haphazardly in the corridors as well as the occasional broken conduit dangling from the ceilings, they moved as silently as they could through the empty corridors.
The Parises had almost reached the central section when at last Tom’s tricorder lit up, indicating life signs. Nudging B’Elanna, he halted before turning around, trying to get a fix on the location. After a minute, he pointed downward. “There seem to be several people three decks down,” he murmured.
B’Elanna studied the readings then nodded. “We better use the tubes. Likely the turbolifts aren’t functioning, and besides, activating them will probably alert whoever is down there that they have company.”
“Agreed.”
Glancing around, he spotted an access hatch in one corner. “Over here.”
Hurriedly, they climbed through the hatch and began the difficult crawl along access tubes long abandoned and in places, partially blocked. For the better part of half an hour, the pair worked their way downwards via various tubes, ladders and air vents until finally they had reached the level where the life signs were located.
At this point, the tricorder readings suddenly became much clearer. Grabbing her shoulder, Tom caught B’Elanna’s attention and pointed at the small screen. Three Cardassians and one human.
Her face set in determination, B’Elanna nodded then glanced around, searching for a way out of the tube. A minute later, she nudged Tom, indicating the dim outline of a hatch ten meters further along.
Very carefully, they crept forward, then eased it ajar, terrified of making a noise. However, the hatch opened soundlessly and a few seconds later, they were standing in a dark corridor.
Aware that their quarry was nearby, they slipped back along the corridor until they could contact Ayala and Dalby without being overheard. To their surprise, the other two, having picked up the same life signs as well, were not far away.
Within minutes, the two teams were able to join together and decide how best to proceed.
Tom was all for a frontal assault through the door with phasers firing, but Dalby and Ayala vetoed that plan at once.
“We’re here to rescue Chakotay, not get him killed,” declared Dalby. “Do it your way and he’ll be dead before we get anywhere near him.”
“All right,” retorted Tom, stung at such cavalier dismissal, “do you have a better idea?”
“Yes,” replied Ayala, “we split up again. One pair approaches the room where he’s being held through the air vents. Once in position, tap the communicators twice as a signal for the others to charge through the door. That way, we’ll hit them on two fronts simultaneously.”
“Sounds good,” answered B’Elanna. “I’m the smallest, so I’ll go through the vents. Tom, are you with me?”
“You’re not leaving me behind,” he declared forcefully.
“Fine. Let’s get moving.”
As they started around the corner towards the access hatch, an ear-splitting scream suddenly filled the corridor, resonating off the bulkheads.
Stunned, all four stared at each other in horror before hurrying to carry out their plan.
More screams echoed through the walls, making them shudder but not slowing them down.
Quickly, Tom and B’Elanna scrambled through the hatch then worked their way to where the life signs were strongest. Looking around, after several seconds, Tom located an air vent close by. Nodding towards it, he indicated to B’Elanna she should lead the way. As silently as possible, the two inched their way forward single file until finally, they could peer through a grate into a room below.
From their vantage point, they could see three Cardassians lounging on chairs surrounding a naked body, which was hanging suspended by the arms from a rope attached to the ceiling. Spasms and jerks caused the body to revolve slowly, as the head lolled forward onto its chest, preventing them from identifying the person beyond the fact it was a humanoid male.
Gritting her teeth, B’Elanna eased the cover off the vent.
Again, the prisoner screamed, throwing back his head, his face contorted in agony, confirming their worst fears – it was Chakotay.
His muscles stiff with tension, Tom nudged B’Elanna, nodded towards the room, then tapped his combadge twice.
Immediately, she jumped down into the room, Tom right behind her, both firing their phasers, catching the Cardassians completely off-guard.
With the advantage of surprise, they were able to stun all three before they could even draw their weapons.
Quickly, Tom leaped to the door, opening it to let in Ayala and Dalby. “Quick!” he shouted at them, as he turned to look at Chakotay.
For a second, the other two stared in horror before Ayala sprang forward with a knife in hand, cutting the rope and carefully lowering Chakotay to the floor. A moment later, his hands were freed as well.
“How bad is he?” murmured Dalby, staring down at their former captain.
Tom pulled out his tricorder. “Not good,” he replied succinctly. “We have to get him medical attention as soon as possible.”
Dalby knelt down then nodded to Ayala. “Help me pick him up, Mike. We’ll carry him between us.”
The two men lifted up Chakotay as gently as they could, then walked gingerly out the door after Tom, who led the way into the corridor. Behind them followed B’Elanna, guarding their rear.
Hurrying as fast as they dared, the four strode down the corridor to the turbolift, praying to every deity they knew that no one else was on the station.
Their luck held and they reached the shuttle unchallenged.
Tom leaped into the pilot’s seat as B’Elanna released the docking clamps. Behind them, Dalby and Ayala gently laid their burden on the nearest bunk, then covered him with blankets before strapping him in.
“Ready, Tom,” called Ayala even as the Flyer backed away from the station, then heeled around. Within seconds, the little ship had gone to maximum warp.
“DS9?” inquired B’Elanna, after a few minutes.
Tom nodded. “It’s closest and has the best facilities of anywhere in this part of space.”
“How bad is he?”
But Tom simply shook his head, unwilling to say very much. “Bad.” His eyes met hers. “He may not make it.”
Her hand flew to cover her mouth as she gazed at him in mounting despair. “Hurry.”
=^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
Twenty hours later, the Alpha Flyer reached Deep Space Nine after a harrowing journey during which Chakotay had twice stopped breathing.
Each time, Tom had been able to resuscitate him, albeit with difficulty. After the second episode, he studied the tricorder with a puzzled frown.
“What?” demanded B’Elanna.
“It’s these readings,” Tom muttered, “they’re skewed somehow and I can’t figure out why. I’m wondering if there’s some kind of implant….” He continued to peer at the small screen for several more seconds before closing it with a snap. “I don’t know,” he sighed in frustration. “If I had better equipment….”
Reaching over, she patted his arm. “Hopefully the doctor on the station will be able to figure it out.”
“Yeah.”
=^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
As soon as the Alpha Flyer was within communications range of DS9, Tom was hailing Colonel Kira. This time, he was put through to her immediately.
“Mr. Paris,” she greeted him, “how did you make out? Did you find your missing property?” Her manner of phrasing warned him to be equally circumspect.
“Yes, Colonel, we did. However, it’s been rather badly damaged.”
Kira’s eyes narrowed. “I see. Use docking port five on upper pylon three. I’ll meet you there. Kira out.”
As soon as she had finished speaking with the Flyer, Kira hailed Doctor Bashir on a secure channel. “Doctor, please be prepared for a medical emergency.”
Without waiting for a response, she dashed to the turbolift, then hurried along the corridor. She arrived outside the docking port just as the clamps locked into place. As soon as the station door rolled back, she was trotting through into the shuttle. The sight that met her eyes made her gasp softly.
Chakotay lay on a bunk, motionless, his eyes closed, his face gray. For a moment, she thought he was dead until she noticed the very slight rise and fall of the blanket covering him.
“Boy, am I glad to see you!” came Tom Paris’ voice from behind her.
Spinning around, she gripped his hand tightly. “You can tell me later what happened. Right now, let’s beam him to the infirmary. I’ve already warned Doctor Bashir.”
B’Elanna moved to a rear console, fingers flying across the panel. “Coordinates?” she snapped.
Kira moved to stand beside her, inputting them herself. A split second later, Chakotay disappeared in a transporter beam.
Tapping her combadge, the colonel hailed station security. “Commander, I want you to find a way to monitor a patient in sickbay unobtrusively so that he is protected from possible attack. Perhaps with a forcefield or some kind of alarm…. And I want as few people as possible to know about it. Can you do that?”
“Yes, Colonel,” came the reply a few seconds later. “I’ll go there now and see to it personally.”
“Very good. Kira out.” She turned to face the others. “There, he should be safe. You four, I’m going to beam to my office. For the time being, that’s probably the most secure place for you. There are Cardassians on the station; we can’t take any chance that they might discover you’re here.”
“What about the Flyer?” asked Tom, anxiously.
For a moment, Kira paused, debating options. “I think,” she said, “it might be best to leave it just as it is. It doesn’t have any distinguishing marks, it looks like any other shuttle. If we put guards around it, that alone will draw attention to it, which is what we don’t want.” She smiled. “Lock it up. It’ll be fine. I’ll have someone check on it periodically to make sure all is well.”
B’Elanna scowled, obviously not happy with the arrangement but Tom shook his head at her, silencing her imminent protest.
“That’ll be fine,” he told Kira.
“Good.” She reached for the transporter controls and reset them. “I’ll join you in a few minutes.”
Again, the transporter beams flickered as the four disappeared.
A moment later, the colonel strode out of the shuttle, making sure the locking mechanism was secure and a standard force field erected around it so no one could beam in uninvited. Then she trotted back down the corridor to the turbolift.
“Ops.”
Moments later, she joined her guests in her office above the operations centre.
Sitting behind her desk, she began. “Tell me everything that happened.”
Three pairs of eyes focused on Tom.
“As you can see,” he began, “we found Chakotay all right at Empok Nor. He was hanging from the ceiling, naked, and was being tortured by three Cardassians.”
“Did you find the shuttle?” interrupted Kira.
“No,” replied B’Elanna, “there was no sign of it. I’m assuming these three were left there to interrogate Chakotay while the shuttle took off for – wherever.”
“Go on.”
“There’s not much more to tell,” replied Tom. “We caught the Cardassians by surprise and were able to stun all three before they knew we were there. So then we cut Chakotay down and beat it back to the Flyer as fast as we could.”
“And you saw no one else there?” persisted Kira, leaning forward.
“No, ma’am, just those three.”
“We didn’t exactly hang around to look,” interjected Dalby.
“No, of course not,” muttered Kira, her face frowning. “I’m trying to figure out what the motive is, you see, and so far,” she waved her hands, “I haven’t got one.”
Her commbadge chirped. “Bashir to Kira.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
“I’ve done as much for the patient as I can at present.”
“Will he survive?”
“Yes. However, you should be aware that while he will make a full physical recovery, he is mentally impaired. I don’t know if this is a recent condition although I suspect that’s the case. At the moment, however, he is so out of control that I’ve had to sedate him.”
Kira made a snap decision. “Doctor, I have some ‘guests’ here, friends of his, who may be able to shed some light on his condition.”
There was a brief pause before Bashir replied. “I would be most interested in speaking with your ‘guests’.”
“I’ll send them along right away. Kira out.” Turning to the others, she added, “I’m going to beam you directly to the infirmary. Since it’s locked down, you’ll be safe there.”
Ayala spoke up. “It might be a good idea to erase the transporter logs.”
The colonel smiled at him. “My thought exactly.”
***********
As soon as they had rematerialized in sickbay, the four ‘guests’ gathered around Chakotay, lying sedated on a biobed while Bashir stood to one side, his gaze fixed on them.
Realizing the doctor had no idea who they were, Tom spoke up to introduce them all, including the patient.
Like Kira, when Bashir heard Chakotay’s name, his eyes gleamed with interest. “He was on that ship lost in the Delta Quadrant, wasn’t he? Were you out there as well?”
Tom nodded. “Yes.” For a moment he debated whether to reveal they had been members of the Maquis as well before deciding against it. Even though this doctor seemed friendly, he was still a Starfleet officer. Tom knew only too well that not everyone in ‘fleet was prepared to forgive and forget; it was better not to say anything that might jeopardize his willingness to help Chakotay.
Bashir nodded. “I’d like to hear about that sometime,” he remarked before turning his attention to the business at hand. Nodding towards Chakotay, he asked, “Do you know how he was injured?”
“He was tortured for a number of days, perhaps a week, by at least three Cardassians,” replied Ayala bluntly.
“Tortured?!” exclaimed the doctor. “Why?!”
The others shrugged.
“They’re Cardassians!” retorted B’Elanna, as if that were explanation enough.
“When I scanned him,” interjected Tom, “there appeared to be some kind of implant in his head. The readings were very odd; I couldn’t make sense of them at all.”
“You’re quite right,” replied Bashir, holding up a tiny object. “I’ve already removed it.” He gazed thoughtfully at the tiny device. “I’ve heard of such things but I’ve never seen one before. It’s designed to cause incredible pain in every nerve ending. The problem is,” he continued, “that even though I’ve extracted it, the patient continues to hallucinate, and I can’t understand why.”
Tom’s gaze fell on Chakotay and his brow furrowed. Turning to the others, he explained. “Remember when Voyager was caught in chaotic space? When Chakotay thought he was going crazy?”
The other three stared at him, puzzled. Finally, B’Elanna replied, “I remember chaotic space but I don’t recall anything odd about Chakotay…. Why?”
“Chakotay’s family carries a genetic marker for a cognitive disorder called sensory tremens. The gene was suppressed in him before he was born, but in chaotic space, it was activated by the aliens trying to communicate with us. Once the ship returned to normal space, the EMH was able to suppress it again.” He glanced at the others. “I’m wondering if this implant has reactivated it, and that’s why he’s hallucinating.”
“If that’s true,” said Dalby after a minute, “then is there any way to reverse the damage?”
Four pairs of eyes turned to the doctor.
Bashir shrugged. “Right now, I have no idea. Before I can make any kind of prognosis, I need to study the implant to figure out how it works. And I should also talk to Voyager’s EMH, since he is the only one who has dealt with the cognitive disorder.” He held up his hands placatingly. “I’m sorry but until I can get more information, that’s all I can tell you.” His eyes went once more to Chakotay. “When he wakes up, we’ll have a better idea of his state of mind. I’m hoping he’ll recognize you. Not only would it mean he is starting to recover but seeing familiar faces would ease his fears.”
A commander dressed in a Bajoran uniform appeared behind the doctor. “Excuse the interruption, Doctor,” he spoke, “I’ve got a security forcefield set up around this immediate area but I need to enter your commbadge frequency so it will recognize you and allow you to pass through.” Glancing at the others, he held out his hand containing several commbadges. “I’ve already entered the frequencies for these badges. Make sure you wear them at all times. They’re encoded so they will activate only on a signal from Colonel Kira or me.” He passed them around.
“Very good, Commander, thank you,” replied Bashir. “I think with the patient’s friends here, he’ll have enough protection.”
Moving forward to join the conversation, Tom added. “Perhaps you could erect a privacy screen as well, in case someone comes in here and sees us. The fewer people who are aware of us on the station, the better.”
The doctor moved to a control panel on the wall and a moment later, an opaque screen surrounded the biobed. “How’s that?”
“Perfect, thanks,” replied Tom, grabbing a chair as he added, “Might as well get comfortable. We may be here for a while.”
“I’ll be in the outer part of the infirmary, if you need me,” stated Bashir, disappearing through the door.
**********
Several hours later, Chakotay finally stirred, setting off a monitor which alerted Doctor Bashir.
At once, he came in, rousing the four who had been dozing. At their questioning looks, he explained, “He’s regaining consciousness.”
Immediately, they moved to surround the biobed.
Gradually, Chakotay’s eyes opened and he stared around in puzzlement, which rapidly changed to fear as he became aware of everyone watching him intently. Clearly, he recognized no one, instead shrinking away from them. Wrapping his arms around himself protectively, his gaze shifted rapidly, as if looking for a means of escape.
His actions were so out of character, so unlike him, that for a moment, everyone was too surprised to say anything.
It was Bashir who first reached out to calm him, telling him not to be afraid, that no one would hurt him.
Although Chakotay didn’t reply, he seemed to relax slightly.
The doctor continued in a casual tone. “You’re in the infirmary of Deep Space Nine. These are your friends. Can you tell me how you’re feeling?”
“Okay,” whispered Chakotay before falling silent again.
His eyes examining his patient intently, Bashir came to a quick decision. Waving to the others, he indicated they should step away from the biobed. “I think so many people here is too overpowering. Obviously, the patient is very confused, he may be suffering from amnesia, but all of you are affecting him so I can’t tell whether this is a temporary condition or something more permanent. I would suggest that you leave for now, go and get a meal and some rest. Give me some time alone with him and I may be able to get through, or at least get a better idea of how much damage there is to his brain.”
The others nodded – the doctor’s words make sense.
“How about if we come back tomorrow morning?” suggested B’Elanna. “Would that be all right?”
“That will be fine,” replied Bashir, “and I hope I’ll have some answers for you by then.”
“Can you contact Colonel Kira for us, please?” requested Ayala. “We need to return to the shuttle and she’ll have to use the transporter herself.”
“Certainly.” Bashir tapped his commbadge, requesting the colonel come to the infirmary right away.
When she appeared a few moments later, he gave her a quick update.
Kira nodded. “Your shuttle is probably the safest place for you. Contact me if you need anything or when you’re ready to return here.”
“Thank you, Colonel,” they replied.
Moving to the control panel, she activated the transporter, then tapped in a code which erased the logs. After a minute, she turned to Bashir. “How is he really, Julian?”
His reply was a shrug. “Not good.”
Her mouth tightened but she said only, “Let me know if you need anything. Anything at all.”
A moment later, she was gone as well.
=^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
Early the following morning, Paris contacted Kira requesting she transport the four of them to the infirmary.
As soon as they materialized, Doctor Bashir, warned by Kira of their arrival, forestalled them before they could see Chakotay.
“He hasn’t had a good night,” he explained. “There have been some complications.”
“What sort of complications?” asked Ayala, his face tightening in a frown.
“Apparently, the gene has mutated – why, I don’t know – but the result is, he’s getting worse. He is constantly fading in and out of reality. One moment, he seems lucid and the next, he’s in some world only he is aware of.”
His news is greeted with soft gasps of horror.
“Is there anything you can do?” asked Tom, “maybe run some other tests?”
Bashir shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t know if more testing will do any good. Besides, he’s very frightened and not willing to cooperate.”
“Let me see him,” demanded B’Elanna, “maybe he’ll recognize me.”
“I certainly hope so,” replied the doctor, “because I’m fast running out of options.”
Turning, he led them past the privacy screen to the biobed where they found Chakotay drawing with an old-fashioned pencil on real paper.
“In one of his ‘real’ moments, he told me he wanted to draw,” explained Bashir. “Sometimes, emotions and feelings are more easily expressed in art than in words. I’m hoping whatever he draws will help me find a way into his head.”
His voice drew Chakotay’s attention and he paused in his sketching to look up at them.
Seeing that his eyes were focused, B’Elanna stepped up to the biobed. “Do you know who you are?” she asked gently.
When he nodded, she continued, “Can you tell me your name?”
“Chakotay,” came the whispered reply.
“Do you know my name?”
His gaze swept over her blankly before returning to his drawing.
Moving forward, Tom held out one hand. “May I see your picture?”
Wordlessly, Chakotay held it out.
With a sudden gasp, Tom turned it so they could all see. On the paper was the unfinished outline of a very familiar starship.
“Voyager!” exclaimed Dalby then quickly lowered his voice, afraid of startling the patient.
However, Chakotay simply reached up to take back his drawing.
“Do you know the name of that ship?” asked Tom, after a minute of silence but Chakotay shook his head.
“Do you know where you saw it?” persisted Tom.
Again, a shake of the head was his answer.
“Damn, it’s so frustrating!” B’Elanna burst out. “The knowledge is there, we just can’t get through to him.” Turning, she paced around the biobed. “There has to be some way! There simply has to be!” Suddenly, she stopped, a gleam in her eye. “What about the EMH? Tom, you said he treated Chakotay before for this gene.” Abruptly, she stopped speaking as Bashir held up his hand.
“I’ve already tried that route and got nowhere. Apparently, someone at Headquarters has decided his technology is ‘classified’. Which makes no sense at all,” he continued before any of the others could protest. “Mark Ones are as common as dirt, their technology is public knowledge. There has to be something else going on but what it is, I have no idea. All I know is that my request was flatly refused with no explanation.”
“You’re right, that doesn’t make any sense,” objected Tom, “unless….” His voice trailed off as he fell to thinking. A moment later, he tapped the commbadge given to him by Kira. “Colonel”, he asked when she responded, “may I use the comm system? And may I do it from your office? I want to send an encrypted message.”
“Prepare for transport,” was her cryptic reply.
His departure left the others glancing at each other.
“Who do you think he’s contacting?” asked Dalby hesitantly.
Ayala smiled grimly. “Who would you contact?”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” replied Dalby before they both turned their attention back to Chakotay.
Puzzled by their terse conversation, Bashir started to ask before deciding he probably didn’t want to know, anyway. The entire situation was becoming more and more bizarre.
As he too moved to stand beside Chakotay, B’Elanna glanced up at him, her eyes pleading for reassurance. “Can’t you think of something, some way to get through to him?”
But the doctor shook his head despondently. “I’m sorry, I wish I could. But right now, I’m at a dead end. Unless we can get some more information, there is nothing else I can do.”
B’Elanna’s face paled as she looked at him in dawning horror. “You mean, he could be like this the rest of his life?!”
“Yes.”
A moment later, Tom reappeared. “I sent a message to the captain and asked the colonel to let me know when there’s an answer.” His eyes swept over the others before he added with a resigned shrug. “So now, I guess we go back to waiting.”
***