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the cool stuff that I
add.
I know that I’ve been making these things shorter, but that is just how
they ended up being.
Okay? Okay. That’s what I thought. Don’t argue with me. 🙂 And don’t
worry, things will be
much much happier next episode. When’s that due out? Got me. Soon I
hope.
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Alpha Quad Days, Delta Quad Nights
Episode Five
Unglued at the Corners
By: Sforzie
“Ah, Captain Janeway, welcome to Nevis. I’m sorry that your earlier
arrival was
as it was.” The Chief Chancellor bowed slightly to Janeway.
“It’s quite alright, Chancellor,” Janeway said stiffly.
“I am glad your shuttle arrived safely on this occasion. I am also
sorry to hear about the
loss of your crewman.”
Janeway said nothing, just nodded slightly.
“I wish the actions of my people were forgivable, but no one holds
true reign over the
Rebellion.”
“The Rebellion?”
“Yes. They are Merans, and do not wish…” the Chancellor shook his
head sadly, “they do
not wish to die. It is unacceptable of course. They are being dealt
with.”
“These… Rebels shot down my shuttle?”
“I have been led to believe so. But as I stated, they are being taken
care of.”
“Of course.”
“Yes. Then, the Klingons aren’t helping to make our efforts very
productive.”
“The Klingons?”
“They’ve stopped their trade ships from coming during the Merran. But
their warships
have been attacking out trade ships.”
“What are your trade ships doing out during the Merran?”
“We still need supplies.” Janeway nodded, trying to clear the
suspicious look from her
face.
“This is all happening at a very unfortunate time, Captain Janeway.
We are vulnerable
during the Merran. The Klingons seem to be trying to take advantage of
this.”
“I understand, Chancellor.” Actually, Janeway thought that he was
being a bit too
repetitive.
A while later, Chakotay entered Janeway’s ready room. She was reading
something,
switching between three different padds. He caught glimpses of what was
said on each. Nevians,
Klingons and weapon signatures seemed to be the main topic.
“So?” Chakotay sat down across from her.
“What?” Janeway looked up, “Oh, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“What are you reading?”
“Reports on our little problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’ve been comparing the signatures of Klingon and Nevian
weapons fire to the
signature of the shot fired on the Encanta.”
“And what did you find?”
Janeway just shrugged. “Its really not very supportive of anything.”
“Well, what was the signature of the shot fired on the shuttle craft?”
“Pretty low level.”
“So it could have been either really.”
Janeway just shrugged again. “Klingons rarely use such low level
firepower.”
“So you think it was the Nevians?”
Janeway shook her head reluctantly, “I’m not sure.”
“I think it had to be the Klingons.”
“But the low level weapons signatures were clearly Nevian. Klingons
don’t use such low
level weapons because they think it is weak and dishonorable.”
“So?”
“So, it is either a Klingon ship using Nevian weapons or a Nevian ship
using
Klingon cloaks.”
“It has to be the Klingons.”
“No! It can’t be the Klingons.”
“Why not?”
“Because the Klingons haven’t been in this system forever a month.
Yes, they
knew about the Merran, and yes they are using it to their advantage but
not in the way we
thought. The Klingons agreed to break of trade for eight months during
the Merran. It
would cost a bit more to trade elsewhere, but they are being respectful
to the Nevians
beliefs-”
“Respectful Klingons?”
“And in the long run it will pay off for them because they will have
maintained a
safe and stable trading post. The Klingons aren’t behind all this.”
“Then who is?”
“The Nevians are.”
“The *Nevians*! Are you crazy? You spoke with the Chancellor
yourself, and
you know there’s no reason for the Nevians to-”
“The Nevian Rebels,” she snapped, “they know the Klingons aren’t
there, and
they’re using that to their advantage.”
“Nevian rebels?”
“They’re Merans who don’t want to die. So they figure that by making
it look
like the Klingons are attacking so that the Merran will be delayed in
order for the Nevians
to wage war against the Klingons.”
“The Nevians do need help against the Klingons.”
“No they don’t. They are just trying to get Federation aid-”
“- against the Klingons?”
“Of course against the Klingons! Who else? They’re trying to pin us
against the
Klingons-”
“We are against the Klingons!”
“*Not this time*.”
“I can’t believe that you would honestly believe that.”
“I can’t believe that you wouldn’t.”
They glared painfully at each other for several moments. Finally the
silence was
broken.
“Torres to Chakotay.” He turned away.
“Chakotay here.”
“If you’re not busy, you’re needed down here in Engineering.”
“I’m on my way.” Chakotay left without turning back to look at her.
The Doctor leaned over his patient. He moved one hand, then the
other, and then
another.
“Please, Ms. Nirose, I promise I won’t do anything to hurt him
further.”
A pair of startled green eyes looked up, and Calle Nirose nearly
leaped away from
the biobed.
“Oh, I’m sorry Doctor. I just, I just…”
“I understand. Just sit down over there again.” The Doctor pointed
to the seats
on the wall. “You should get some sleep, Ms. Nirose.”
“I did,” Calle said softly, blushing.
“I really don’t think dozing over there counts as a good night’s
sleep, but who am
I to question…”
With a sigh, Nirose moved back to the chairs.
“He will be alright?”
“Yes,” the Doctor sighed, “he’s better than he was last time you
asked, in fact.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Two hours.”
“Oh.”
“Will his hair grow back?”
“You’re very worried about his hair, aren’t you?” the Doctor rolled
his eyes.
“Well, wouldn’t you be?”
“Miss Nirose, Bajorans have very good hair regrowth. I also have
given him a
suppliant.” Calle was on her feet again, approaching the table.
“Good. It’s just… It’s just..”
“Miss Nirose-”
“I’m sitting.”
As soon as the shuttle craft landed, Janeway was off. Chakotay
followed not far behind,
though he was not quite sure as to why he had been asked to accompany her.
There had been an
attack the night before on the capital city; small fires burned in
buildings, but the natives seemed
undisturbed. Janeway and Chakotay made their way to the large building
that held the
Chancellor’s office.
“Excuse me, Madam, but do you have an appointment?”
Janeway brushed past the fair skinned Nevian and continued on her wall
down a long
echoing hall. “I don’t need an appointment.”
If the Chancellor was surprised at their arrival, he cared not to show
it.
“Captain Janeway, this is a pleasant day after all,” the Chancellor
stood as she entered the
room. “And Commander Chakotay, we are doubly blessed.” Janeway ignored
Chakotay
as he stood a few steps behind her.
Janeway cut the pleasantries. “I want the truth Chancellor.”
“The truth, Captain Janeway?” He smiled warmly, seeming unaffected by
the demand.
“The truth,” Janeway’s voice lowered. Chakotay backed away a step.
“Are the Klingons
responsible for the attacks?” Janeway briefly summarized she and
Chakotay’s earlier argument,
being careful to leave out the emotional attachments. The Chancellor was
quiet.
After a moment of internal deliberation the Chancellor addressed them
both. “Please
forgive me. I must admit that you have been led away from the truth. You
both are correct, in
your own ways.”
“How is that?” Janeway asked narrowly. The Chancellor cleared his
throat.
“Well. Hmm, where to start?”
“Who is the leader of the Rebellion?”
“The Rebellion?” the Chancellor looked up, yellow eyes wide with
surprise.
“Well, I am, Captain.”
“*You* are?” Chakotay barked in surprise. The Chancellor nodded.
“Yes, I am. You see, there is no Rebellion. There are no Rebels. It
was a…
ruse.”
“If the Rebels are just a ruse, then what is all this?” Janeway
pointed at the
burning buildings visible through the dark windows.
“It was a ruse. It all was.”
“The Klingons?”
“Mostly a ruse. We got them away for awhile, but… it is too
dangerous.”
“What is too dangerous?”
“Trade with the Klingons. We have had peaceful relations with them
for several
years, but it was becoming apparent to the other members of the Nevian
government that
the Klingons might be trying to take advantage of us.”
“Then why didn’t you simply break off trade?”
“Because it could never be that easy! We were afraid that the
Klingons would not
agree to the Nevians removal from the trade pact. We are afraid of
causing a war with the
Klingons during the Merran. It could prove to be disastrous.”
“So you killed members of your own race in order to save the rest?”
“Yes. We believed that if we could make it look like Nevis was being
attacked by
the Klingons, then we could get aid from the Federation. With the
Federation backing us,
Nevis could withdrawal and the Klingons would not be able to attack.”
“There’s something wrong with your logic, Chancellor,” Janeway
scowled.
“Is there? I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
“But now you won’t be getting protection from the Federation,”
Chakotay noted.
“I am aware of this. So… we plan to remain in the pact.” The
Chancellor looked at
Janeway and Chakotay, who each in turn nodded. Janeway was suddenly
exhausted.
“If you’ll excuse us.”
“Of course, Captain. I’m glad we could clean this up.”
“Miss Nirose.”
Calle shook her head sleepily and looked up. “What?”
“You said you wanted to be informed when Aries woke up.”
“Oh! Yes. Is he waking up?”
“I wouldn’t have bothered you if he weren’t.”
Nirose got to her feet a quietly moved to the biobed.
“Aries?”
“Hmm? Calle, is that you? How are you?”
“I should be asking you that. How are you feeling?”
Healy smiled hazily, “I’ve felt better.”
“Just what exactly hurts, Mr. Healy?”
Aries looked at the Doctor thoughtfully, and then at Calle. “I just
kinda tingle.”
“Well, that’s to be expected. You skin is still repairing itself in a
few areas. How does
your face feel?”
“Fine. Why? What happened?”
“You mean you don’t remember?”
“You did say that he was unconscious, Miss Nirose.”
“Oh, yeah. But, what was the last thing you remember Aries?”
“Mm, we were in the Encanta… and there was a flux in… something.”
“Yes. We were fired upon by the Klingons-”
“Nevians,” the Doctor corrected.
“Nevians?”
“The Captain recently reported to the main computer that it was a
Nevian ship that
attacked your shuttle craft.”
“Oh. Anyhow, there was a problem, and there were explosions, and the
shuttle crashed.
You were caught in one of the explosions.”
“And had severe burns from toe to top,” the Doctor added dryly.
“My hair?” Calle giggle, and the Doctor rolled his eyes. “What?”
“Your hair seems to be everyone’s worry. You’re lucky that you can
tell you’re part
Bajoran.”
“Oh, my nose is okay?”
“Mm hmm.”
“I’ll be alright?”
“You’re going to be just fine, Mr. Healy.”
“That’s good.”
“When will I be able to return to duty?”
“In three days.”
Calle looked at the Doctor, “can I speak to him in private?”
“Of course,” the Doctor went to his office.
“What is it?” Healy asked, looking at Calle.
“Oh, Aries…” she began crying. Healy sat up, a bit stiffly.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“I was so worried about you… I was afraid you were going to die.
Everyone thought you
were going to die. I thought I was going to lose you…”
“Lose me, Calle?” he swung his legs over the side of the bed, facing
her. Calle nodded.
“Yeah. Down on that planet I…” She looked up, “I told T’gana
something that I’m not
still sure is true.”
“What?”
Calle looked away for a moment, biting her lip. “That I loved you.”
“Was that just a spur of the moment thing?”
“What?”
“Did you mean it?”
Calle turned to look back a Healy. After another moment, she nodded.
“Yes, I did mean it.”
“Well, that’s good to know.”
“Why?”
“Because,” he patted the spot next to her, and Calle sat next to him,
“because I love you
too.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” Healy was dizzy for a moment and leaned against her.
“Calle, when is your
birthday?”
“My birthday? Why?”
“I was just wondering how long I had.”
“Until what?”
Healy just shrugged.
“My birthday is in about two months.” She looked over at him. “When’s
yours?”
“Not for about eight.”
They were quiet for a moment, and then Calle asked again, “why did you
want to know
when my birthday is?”
“So I would know how long I would have to plan a party.”
“A party?”
“Yeah. Just for us.”
“Us? There’s an us now?”
“Mm hmm.”
“Really?”
“Yes! You didn’t know that?”
Calle kissed him gently. “I do now.”
“Something still doesn’t feel right,” Janeway commented. She tiredly
shook her head.
“In what way?” They were in their quarters.
“I’m not sure,” Janeway stood cross-armed, across the room from
Chakotay. “I
still don’t feel that the Chancellor was being completely honest to us.”
“Are you sure?”
“He was lying about something.”
“Why do you think he’s lying? He didn’t give us any reason not to
believe
everything he told us.”
“He didn’t give us any reason not to before.”
“What do you have against the Nevians?”
“I don’t have anything against them. But I don’t *trust* them,
Chakotay. I
can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I just *can’t*.” Janeway turned her back to Chakotay. There was
another
strained moment of quiet.
“I personally feel sorry for them,” Chakotay said softly. Janeway
turned on her
heel quickly.
“You *personally* feel *sorry* for them?” she nearly shrieked, her
face drawn in
an expression of surprised anger.
“Yes, I do.”
“That’s just like you.”
“What?”
“You’re always one to support the underdog.”
“I always *was* the underdog.”
They were both on their feet now. Chakotay wasn’t sure when he had
stood. But
now he was, only a few feet away from the short fuse of his girlfriend.
“I’m going to go back down to the planet,” Janeway said lowly.
“For what?”
“I’m going to talk to the Chancellor again.”
“Why?”
“To get the real truth.”
“Kathryn-”
“Don’t *Kathryn* me!”
Chakotay stepped back as if he’d been stung. He shook his head.
Janeway glared
at him.
Chakotay frowned slightly, but when he spoke his voice was still
angry.
“After all these years… I thought I knew you so well.”
“You do Chakotay,” her words were clipped. “And you should know by
now that
this is who I am, that’s what I do. I can’t let the truth slip by. If
you can’t accept
that… I’m sorry for you.”
This said, she turned on her heel and soundlessly disappeared down the
hall.
END EPISODE FIVE