Name: Robbie Gray
masamimbi@yahoo.co.uk
Story Title: The search of the Albatross
Characters: Voyager Crew plus Audrey Gan and Young
Summary: Audrey Gan and Young are sent by Admiral
Roberts are sent to retrieve the Voyager crew back
from the Delta quadrant. With the help of a new kind
of propulsion they are sent on there way. But all dose
not happen to go as planned.
The voyager characters and ship in this story are owned by paramount. The rest is my own.
‘How are we doing?’ asked Captain Janeway.
‘Well Captain we will be at the co-ordinates in about three hours.’ said Commander Chakotay
‘Captain we are being haled on an federation emergency hale on all frequencies.’ said Harry Kim from the ops station
Janeway looked over at Ops.
‘On screen Mr Kim.’
‘Audio only Captain.’
‘Go ahead.’
‘This is the Morning Star calling any vessel. An alien vessel is attaching us. Can you read me. This is a Mayday can any one reserve this. This is a mayday I repeat this is the Morning Star calling any vessel.’
Harry looked up from her console. ‘Captain the message repeats.’
Janeway nodded. Then glanced over at the helm.
‘Increase to Maximum warp.’
‘Increasing to Maximum Warp captain.’ Said Pairs from the helm.
Janeway glanced over to Chakotay
‘I hope we are not to late.’ She said.
~
‘Captain were are approaching the area of the distress signal.’ said Paris.
‘Okay go to impulse.’ said Janeway.
They watched the main view screen and only saw deep space looking back.
‘Are these the right co-ordinates?’ asked Chakotay.
‘Yes sir, I’ve just double checked.’ said Harry.
‘Scan the area. I want to know what sent out the distress signal.’ Janeway glanced over to Chakotay who shrugged.
‘Captain I have found debree scattered around the area. The fragments are from a Federation vessel as well as other unknown elements. There has also been resent weapons fire in the area.’
‘Are you sure.’
‘Yes sir.’
‘Is there any thing that could send a distress call in the area?’
‘Sir I’ve located a small drone in the debree field it is sending the distress call.’
‘Transport it to engineering and keep scanning the area for life pods. Chakotay you’re with me.’ Janeway ordered as he got up and headed for the turbo lift closely followed by Chakotay.
They entered Main engineering and found Belanna Torres scanning the drone.
‘What have we got?’ asked Janeway.
‘We’ll it is federation Captain. We have even found what ship it was a assigned to.’ Belanna glanced down at her PADD. ‘The Federation Search and Rescue Runabout Wanderer.’
‘A runabout?’ Janeway tapped his comm badge.
‘Janeway to Kim.’
‘Yes sir.’
‘From you scans could the ship be the size of a runabout?’ he asked.
‘Can’t tell for sure but I doubt it there’s too much debree here.’
‘Okay thank you.’
‘Captain you should see this.’ Janeway moved closer to Belanna.
‘What have you found?’
‘There is a file in the memory core of the drone.’
‘Can you access it?’
‘Yes Captain.’
‘Computer interface with the drone and access the memory core file.’
‘Accessed.’ chimed the computer.
To their right a screen on the wall flickered on and the Federation emblem appeared. It was promptly replaced by the image of a tall woman in her late thirties with blond hair and blue eyes. She wore a command Starfleet uniform and she had a cut across her forehead. Thompson noted the spotted pattern then ran down both sides of her face, which meant that she was a member of the Trill, a symbiotic species who shared their life with a slug like parasite known as a symbiont. He also noted that she held the rank of Lieutenant Commander. They saw her look over her shoulder at some one working in the background.
‘Young’un is this recording.’
‘Yes skipper it is.’ replied a tired voice.
They saw the woman look back.
‘My name is Lieutenant Commander Audrey Gan of the federation deep space rescue vessel Morning Star. If you are hearing this Captain Thompson then we have failed and “Robbie” our rescue drone is playing this.’
There was flash of light from behind her and yell. She looked towards the sound.
‘Young’un are you okay?’ she asked.
‘Well you know Skipper the circuit that I thought was dead. Well its not.’
‘If I have told you once, I’ve told you a million times that killing your self half way through a rescue mission is not a bright idea.’
‘What do you call our situation now then Skipper.’
Gan grinned ‘A set back.’
‘Ha what a set back Skipper.’
‘Keep going.’ she turned back to the screen.
‘Well I bet you have many questions like what is a federation ship doing deep in the and why is it being repaired by a maniac.’
‘Oi I heard that Skipper.’ said the person called Young’un.
Gan smiled. ‘Well these are perfectly reasonable questions so I better start from the beginning.’
‘I guess it all started when we were called into Admiral Robert’s office……’
~
‘I have asked you both here for a important mission.’ said Admiral Roberts. She looked a Gan and Young. Young was the only person in the room not wearing a Starfleet uniform. Instead he wore a thick dark blue polo neck jumper and black trousers. There was a small Albatross emblem on the jumper with the words We got you, your safe. He was a member of the Albatross recovery team, which was a civilian, search and rescue service noted for its member’s extreme bravery. If you needed help they were the people how could be trusted to get you out in any situation. He was on an exchange program with Starfleet and he had become a very vital part to their operation.
‘What do you know about the Starship Voyager?’ she asked.
‘Well sir the USS Voyager. She was thought to have been destroyed in the badlands and we have gotten communication using the Mitus array and Lieutenant Barkley.’ said Young.
Admiral Roberts hid a smile. She had always wondered where he got his information from but it did not mater.
‘Well since we found Voyager with the help of the Mitus array we want her back. They have been out there too long and they need to come home.’
She looked at them both and then said ‘This is a volunteer mission only I will not order you to go. I just want to say that voyager and her crew have gone through enough. We need to get them back. ’
Young and Gan looked at each other and then Gan said ‘Admiral rescuing ship is our job and you will need the best and as you have stated many times before that we are the best.’
‘And any way it’ll be easy sir.’ said Young.
The admiral smiled ‘Good, I will see you both at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards at 0900 tomorrow.’
They both nodded and left.
~
At 0845 found Gan and Young heading towards Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards in there rescue runabout Wanderer.
‘Utopia Planitia Control this is the runabout Wanderer request permission to approach.’ said Gan. She looked over to the co-pilots seat which was occupied by Young.
‘What you looking at Young’un you been buried in that PADD for hours?’
Young looked up and said ‘Did you know Skipper that Captain Thompson and Commander Dvorak were close friends of the Grants.’
‘What the archaeologists.’
‘Yes Skipper them. Did you know that Captain Thompson specially requested that Scott Grant was transferred to the ship before it left and Rosemary Grant would have been transferred later if she had not done it her self.’
Gan look back at her consol.
‘Runabout Wanderer this is Utopia Planitia Control proceed to construction facility G5.’
‘Thank you Control Wanderer out.’ she tapped the control panel and the Wanderer moved forward.
‘It is nothing mysterious about Captain Thompson wanting the Grant children on board his ship. It was probably because he knew the parents.’
Young frond ‘Maybe Skipper but what about this, the Indefatigable was lost in the Alpha Quadrant but we were told that it was found in the .’
‘Well you got me there but there are things in this galaxy that we don’t know about.’ said Gan as she flew past the many star ships in different stages of construction.
‘I got one for you Young’un why have we been sent to the dead end of Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards?’
Young smiled ‘That’s because Skipper we are going to see our new craft.’ said Young with a smug smile.
‘I hope so.’ said Gan as she docked with the construction facility G5. ‘Because I’ll be dammed if I going to fly the Wanderer all the way to the Gamma Quadrant. Lets go and see what we have volunteered for shall we.’ with that Young and Gan left the Wanderer.
A short woman with grey hair met them.
‘Lieutenant Commander Gan and Mr Young I presume, would you please come this way.’ the woman showed them down the corridor and into a small room. The room had a large display screen on one wall and windows that took up the other wall, which had blinds so that they could not see through. There was also a small desk in one corner and Admiral Roberts was sitting in it.
‘Glad you made it on time. The Professor and I am very happy that you decided to do this.’ said Admiral Roberts pointing to the woman who showed them in.
‘Thank you Admiral.’ said Gan.
The Admiral turned to Professor and said ‘Well Professor this is your Baby why don’t you start.’
The Professor nodded and walked over to the window shutters. She tapped a command and they moved up to reveal the large construction bay of facility G5. Floating in the bay was a ship that was attached to the bay by mooring lines.
‘This is the Morning Star the vessel that you are going to rescue the Indefatigable.’ said Professor.
Gan and Young came forward and looked at their new ship. It was about 180.59 meters long, 140.9 meters wide and 34.8 meters high. They could see two deflector dishes that were sunk into the hull forward and aft. A raised section that seemed like the bridge was about three-quarters away along the ships hull.
‘The Morning Star is a prototype vessel and if works will change the way we think of faster the light travel. It has a 1500 plus Cochrane warp core which is fed to two nacelles. It can do warp 9.9 for 12 hours. It has two prototype “Nitro” impulce systems as well as the “Push me, Pull me” drive.’ she looked back at the ship. ‘As well as that it carries four large magnetic clamps and has a crew of two. This is because its systems a fully automated so that a small crew is acceptable.’ she turned to Admiral Roberts ‘Admiral shall we take a closer look?’
The Admiral nodded and they filled out of the room and into a turbolift. As the turbolift moved towards the Morning Star Gan turned to the Professor and asked ‘Professor what is the “Push me, Pull me” drive?’
The Professor smiled The “Push me, Pull me” drive sends out a been into subspace from the modified deflector dishes. One end will attach its self to your destination point and the other anchors its self to a position 100 metre aft. Then the forward deflector pulled and the aft deflector pushes the Morning Star to its destination.’ The turbolift came to a stop and they all exited and walked along an umbilical that connected the Morning Star to the station.
‘Sir how long would it take to get to Voyager’s position?’ asked Young.
‘About one month.’ said the Professor as the doors opened. They walked through two sets of door and along a corridor. As they walked along Gan asked ‘How are we going to get the Voyager’s crew back when we reach them?’
The Professor stopped in front of a door. Young saw that the sight read Cryo 4 as the door opened. They walked into a huge room. It was four decks high and had three gantries that ran the length of the room. On each level tubular containers had been fixed to the walls.
‘This is how you will get them home. There are four main bays. Each bay is four decks high and runs half the length of the ship. As you can see the cryogenic units have been installed. You will cryogenically frieze the crew on your return journey.’ She said.
‘Frozen! They are not going to like looking like an ice feature while we fly them home.’ Said Gan with a sly smile.
The Professor turned towards her. ‘You both will be frozen as well.’
‘What’ cried Gan the smile disappearing
‘Yes. You see we found that drop into subspace by the pull me-push you drive will kill any human….’
‘I’m not human.’ Said Gan quickly.
The Professor sighed. ‘Any normal biped then. That is why the ship is fully automated because we can’t spend energy freezing the whole crew and the crew that they have been sent to rescue. Would you like to carry on to the bridge.’ She turned and left.
The bridge of the Morning Star tiny. To say that was an understatement. I’ve been in coffins bigger then this thought Young. It had a console and two seats at one end. Then behind them was two fold down beds across from each other in the wall. In between the beds was a table and at the far end of the room were two cryogenic units. The room was not very large but had all what was needed.
‘There is a replicator in behind the panel. The fold down beds can be used a bio beds. We have no EMH but that will be install when you get back. We entered by Air lock 4. There is a full range of SEWG and other EVA gear in each Air lock. There is also room for storage and through here down the corridor is the warp core.’ said the Professor pointing to the door to her right and then at the door behind her.
‘You probably won’t need to come in here its just for easier access. The “Push me, Pull me” drive is connected to the warp core so that you can only use the warp engines or the “Push me, Pull me” drive not both.’
Gan and Young sat down at the controls.
‘What type of weapons dose she have Sir?’ asked Young.
‘None.’
Young and Gan both turned and looked at the Professor.
‘We had weapons on the Wanderer sir and were Search and Rescue.’ said Young.
The Professor gave him a look. ‘This is a prototype rescue vessel Mr not an assault craft but it dose have ablative hull armour and multi-phasic shielding. This is because we do not exactly know what will happen when you go into subspace. You also have the “Nitro” impulse systems.’
‘What is that Professor?’ asked Gan.
‘The “Nitro” impulse systems dumps frozen deuterium into the Vectored exhaust director. This causes a controlled explosion that produces extra thrust that will send you to _ of light speed in stead of maximum impulse which is only 1/4 the speed of light .’
‘What happens if any thing goes wrong sir with the “Nitro” impulse systems I mean?’ asked Young.
‘You will blow the back end off the ship Mr. Ow by the way when you activate the “Push me, Pull me” drive make shore that there is nothing for at least 100 metres behind of you.’
‘Why is that?’ asked Gan.
‘Because the “Push me, Pull me” drive will invert so that both deflectors with either push or pull and will rip the ship apart.’
Gan looked at Young. ‘Well lets try and not do that shall we.’
‘Aye Skipper.’ said Young.
‘When do we go Admiral?’ asked Gan.
‘You are scheduled to depart in one hour.’
Gan thought for a moment. ‘Okay then we will need some things from the Wanderer. Young’un I need you to get our gear, my replicator recipes I’m not eating the standard rubbish you humans program into it, those reports you were looking at earlier and “Robbie”.’
‘Who is “Robbie”?’ asked the Professor.
‘“Robbie” is our rescue drone sir.’ said Young. “Robbie” was the name for the multi-task drone that they had. Young had nick named it after an old science fiction robot called “Robbie the Robot”.
Gan turned to Admiral Roberts and the Professor. ‘We will be ready on schedule and get the Indefatigable back for you.’
‘I know you will.’ said Admiral Roberts she nodded and left with the Professor.
‘You still here Young’un we have a lot of work to do.’ said Gan.
‘Right away Skipper.’ said Young’un and he disappeared through the door….
~
‘I’ve got you minimal sensors and thrusters.’
They saw Lieutenant Commander Gan look over her shoulder.
‘Your the best Young’un.’ she said as she looked back at them.
‘Skipper what happened to your head?’
They saw Gan look over her shoulder again.
‘Nothing.’
‘Stop talking bull Skipper.’
‘Young’un I’m fine.’
‘Of course you are Skipper.’ the voice said sarcastically.
They saw her chair spin round and a arm appeared with a tricorder.
‘What was that you told me Skipper. “An ill officer is a officer that will make mistakes and mistakes kill.”’
‘Look Young’un I’m fine.’ said Gan.
‘Yes Skipper, I’m 455 billion years old. I’ve had 25 hosts and colliding with a console wouldn’t hurt me coz I’m hard.’
They saw Gan scowl at the other person. ‘Young’un I’m 568 and I have had 9 hosts and I am fine so sit down here and carry on with the report. I’ll see if I can try and get this heap of junk moving in the right direction so that we can start to find the Indefatigable coz were the ones that are going to need rescuing soon.’
They saw Gan get out of her chair and young Lieutenant sit down. His dark blue polo neck jumper was dirty and he had a nasty bruise on his face.
‘”We got you, your safe”’ grinned Thompson ‘always new the Albatross recovery team were a bit mental.’
The others grinned sadly
‘My name it Young I am a member of the Albatross recovery team I’m the person how is supposed to get the Skipper here out of this bloody mess.’ he glanced away. ‘Where did you get to?’ he asked.
‘We were ready do depart.’ replied Gan from some where away from the camera.
‘Ow yes I had just strapped “Robbie” down……’
~
‘Ready?’ asked Gan.
‘Okay Skipper lets get going shall we?’ asked Young
‘G5 control this is the Morning Star. We are ready to depart.’ said Gan.
‘Roger that and good luck.’ said Admiral Roberts.
‘Don’t worry Admiral we’ll get them back for you.’ said Gan. She then looked down at her console. ‘Release mooring lines.’
‘Mooring lines released.’
‘Engines to one quarter.’
The Morning Star slowly moved forward slowly as the grate door of G5 construction bay began to open. Gan piloted the Morning Star out of the bay slowly and stopped her a thousand kilometres away from the facility.
‘Okay here goes nothing.’ Said Gan as she put in the destination co-ordinates.
‘Swapping warp power to “Push me, Pull me” drive.’ said Gan.
‘“Push me, Pull me” drive is running okay Skippa.’ said Young.
‘Cross your fingers Young’un.’ said Gan as she activated the “Push me, Pull me” drive in T minutes five minutes from my mark.’ Said Gan.
They both got up from their seats and walked to far end of the bridge. They opened the activated cryogenic units and climbed in side.
‘What a way to travel in this day and age getting reduced to travailing through the stars in a fridge.’ Grumbled Young.
Gan gave a small chuckle. ‘Computer Mark.’ The computer gave a small beep as the cryogenic unit hatches began to shut.
‘See you in a month Young’un.’ Said Gan as the door sealed shut.
The Morning Star drifted in space as the timer ran down. Then with slight serge it disappeared from sight as it dropped into subspace.
~
‘Young’un I’ve got the ship on what we now have as long range sensors. Its still there’ said Gan.
They saw Young leave his seat and move away from the camera.
‘What’s working Skipper?’
‘The Warp drive’s still shot Young’un so we can’t use the “Push me, Pull me” drive or the warp engines. The only thing we can use is the impulse drive.’
‘You mean the “Nitro” impulce systems Skippa?’
‘Yes Young’un strap “Robbie” down will you.’
‘Got it.’
As they watched the camera was rotated on to its side. They saw Young’s face appear in front of the camera.
‘Skippa you still want this to be recorded?’
‘Yes. If we get through this we can just edit it out and of we don’t well it will show Captain Thompson that there is some people who are trying to get him home.’
Young moved away from the camera.
‘Ready Young’un “Nitro” in Five, Four Three, Two, One engage.’
They saw the bridge shake as the “Nitro” engaged. Suddenly the camera flew around wildy and went blank.
Thompson looked at Emarzy. ‘Is that it?’ he asked.
Emarzy looked at her consol. ‘No sir there is more.’
They looked back and saw that the screen became clear.
As they watched they saw Young’s face appear in front of the camera.
‘Sorry about that but “Robbie” went for a little trip.’ he looked away.
‘Skipper how we doing?’
‘Young’un just carry on I can handle this.’
They saw him nodded.
‘Okay where were we. Ow yes the trip in subspace was uneventful but things all changed when we popped out of subspace….’
~
Some thing beeped at him through the darkness. He tried to ignore it but is kept beeping. Slowly his senses returned to him. With a sharp hiss of escaping gasses the cryogenic unit hatch opened. He stumbled out shivering onto the cold floor. He looked over and saw Gan sitting at the table with a hot cup clasped between her hands.
‘What are you so glum about? We made it.’ She said looking up.
‘We made it but we have to go back.’ He grumbled.
She grinned at him. ‘ Go and get a shower and warm your self up. I’ll start sending the message for the Voyager.’
He nodded and shuffled towards the bathroom.
‘Don’t use all the hot water.’ Called Gan as the door swished closed.
He returned five minutes later warmed up and warring clean clothes.
‘How is it going?’ he asked.
Gan spun round in her chair. ‘Every thing is ready to go. I’ve sent the Indefatigable the message. I’m using audio only because it will travel further. I have done a full diagnostic of the ships systems and every thing is okay.’
Young took his seat.
‘Lets start a standard search pattern. Nothing fancy. We need to be thorough.’ Gan spun round to her console.
‘Okay lets get started then. Half impulse.’
‘Yes Skipper half impulse it is.’
~
‘Computer pause play back.’ Said Janeway. She walked over to a near by console and grabbed a PADD that was lying on the side.
‘Computer do a data search for the records of Lieutenant Commander Audrey Gan Star fleet and a Mr Young of the Albatross recovery team’
‘Processing’ came the computers reply. The computer beeped.
‘Records accessed.’
‘Copy the information on the PADD.’ She said.
The PADD blinked into life and the image of Lieutenant Commander Audrey Gan and Young appeared side by side.
‘Computer continue play back.’
~
‘Skipper we have a warp signature heading towards us.’ said Young
‘All ready, the professor got the coordinates rite.’ said Gan as she smiled at Young.
‘I’ll power up the crio-chambers so that the voyager crew can enjoy those fridges as much as we did.’
Gan should her head and giggled. ‘I can just see Captain Janeway’s face when we tell her she will have to spend a month in an ice box.
Gan’s console beeped as she glanced at it.
‘We have company and I don’t think it is Voyager. Its far to big.’
Gan and Young glanced at each other.
‘I’m getting a communication from the alien ship.’ said Gan.
The ship suddenly rocked.
‘Its firing at us. Shields are down.’ called Young as the ship rocked again.
‘Skipper let get out of here.’
Gan tapped furiously at the controls as she ship was hit again.
‘Skipper we just lost warp drive. We only got impulse.’
The ship danced through space trying to miss the weapons fire.
‘Young get the warp drive on line because we don’t have weapons so we need to go.’ called Gan as she ship rocked.
‘Skipper we have a hull breech. I’m sealing it but we can’t stand this for long.’
There was a beep at his desk.
‘Skipper there is a power surge in the cryo chambers.’ called Young.
‘Dumb them quickly.’
Along two sides of the hull hatches blasted out wards followed by hundreds of cryo-chambers. The cryo-chmbers dropped behind the fleeing Wanderer and exploded when it hit the alien ship.
‘Wow that was good do we have any more?’ asked Gan.
‘Not now I just dumped the rest. Lets get out of here before they change their minds.’
~
‘Gan how are and impulse engines looking?’ asked Young glancing over.
‘ It looks like they are totally dead. I can’t fix them I would need a star base to that and I can’t see use getting to one of those any time soon.’
Young sighed. ‘ I better tell you the rest before the alien’s come back.’
‘……. Gan we have to get out of warp your stressing the engines. They won’t hold together for long. We ether drop out warp controlled or the engines will shut down and we’ll fall out.’ called Young from his flashing console.
Gan grunted and Young looked out of the front window he could see the stars returning to normal.
‘Sensors up.’
Gan scanned the system savagely trying to find the alien ship while Young was trying to cool the engines.
‘Do you think we lost them?’ he asked.
‘I think so …. Dam.’
Young glanced up from his console as the proximity alarm sounded.
‘Young’un give me warp engines we need to get out of here.’ She cried
‘Skipper we don’t have any warp engines. The injectors are fused and we have a split in the crystal I can’t fix them. We have not warp or “Push me, Pull me” drive.
‘Okay then Nitros in ten seconds. Young’un strap in.’ called Gan.
Young saw her stab at her control panel as he strapped him self into his seat. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as the G forces pilled on as the Morning Star accelerated.
‘Where are we going.’ Screamed Young over the roar of the impulse engines.
‘Asteroid belt. Are they following us?’
Young glanced at his console. He saw the alien ship turn to follow their course.
‘They are still following.’
‘Lets try and lose them in the asteroids’ she said as she put the Morning Star through a couple of stomach churning manoeuvres.
Young’s stomach lurched as Gan decelerated hard as the Morning Star slid into the mass of asteroids belt.
‘Do you think that they will follow us?’ asked Young unbuckling him self from his seat.
‘No the asteroids should mask our signature but lets not waste time wondering about that and try to get this heap of junk fixed.’ Said Gan getting out of her chair.
Young had been half under a console when the attack started. He had heard Gan curse and stood up. He frantically grabbed the table, which was nearby as the deck suddenly dropped.
‘What is it Skipper.’ yelled Young as he held on to the table for dear life.
‘Young’un they are detonating special charges. That’s what’s happening. The asteroids are fragmenting. ’ Said Gan as she executed another manoeuvre.
‘I thought you said the asteroids were masking our signature.’ He said.
‘You tell them that.’ She snapped as she sent the ship into another set of tight turns.
Young fell into his seat and scanned the console in front of him. There were three asteroids in pursuit and closing. Gan changed course again.
‘We got incoming three fragments heading to wards us. They are going to hit.’ Young shouted. He glanced over the console. ‘Impact in five, four, three, two, one’
Gan made a tight manoeuvre but it did not change a thing. The first asteroid fragments the largest out of the three hit the left side of the Morning Star biting a chink out of the side of the ship.
‘We’ve just lost our shields Skipper all of them.’ yelled Young.
The second hit aft behind the aft deflector dish. It ripped through the hull leaving a large half moon shape where the deflector use to be and forced its way through the ship and out the other side. The other asteroid fragment buried its self into the front of the ship and dug its self deep into the hull and stayed there. In the bridge alarms were shrieking.
‘Skipper we’ve been compromised in three placed. One aft, we have lost the aft defector. One in the starboard side it took a chunk out of the side and the third has buried its self-forward.’ said Young as he read out the damage reports. ‘Barriers and force fields are responding but were badly damaged.’
‘I thought you said this was going to be easy.’ said Gan.
‘So did I Skipper, so did I.’ said Young.
Gan turned off the klaxon that was screaming around them.
‘What’s working?’ asked Gan.
Young looked at the information that was poring over his console.
‘The toaster.’
‘Young’un now is not the time for stupid remarks’ snapped Gan.
‘We’ve got not propulsion Skipper. The asteroid destroyed the “Push me, Pull me” deflectors so there is no hope thinking about that and the warp engines are still no go. The only thing that we have any hope of reappearing is the impulse drive.’ said Young.
‘Right Young’un get on with the impulse engines I’ll send out a distress call and hope the Voyager hears us.’
Young looked at Gan. ‘Skippa this is not exactly how I wanted to find them.’
Gan nodded as she turned to her control panel.
‘How long do you think we have until the alien ship finds us?’
Gan glanced over at him. ‘The fragments are scattered over a wide area that will give them problems with there sensors. I’m also pulsing the distress call so that should also help but its only a matter of time Young’un. Only a matter of time.’
~
‘Well Capt’n that is it we spent the rest of the time drifting in space.’ said Young.
They saw Young get up and move away from the camera.
‘How are we doing?’ they heard him ask.
‘Not good Young’un. The alien ship has powered up its weapons.’
‘Can we out run it Skipper?’
‘Young’un we only have impulse they have warp. I wish this ship had weapons. When we get home I and going to complain to the Professor.’
They heard a beep from a console and saw Young look over.
‘Well isn’t that nice. The ship is haling.’
Thompson could hear some one speaking but it was too quiet to hear what was being said.
‘That’s nice of them isn’t it Young’un.’
‘Yes Skipper, last chance to surrender the ship or we will destroy you isn’t that original’
‘Well Young’un what shall we do?’
‘Well skipper we have come this fare lets not make his day. I though he would have got the answer the first time. I think we should ignore him.’
‘Good choice. Well lest get “Robbie” away before we destroy the ship.’
Thompson saw the camera being lifted and carried into a small room.
‘It has been a pleasure working with you Young’un.’
‘The pleasure is all mine Skippa all mine. Come on lets not keep the bastard waiting. Lets go and tell that bastard where he can shove him self.’
‘Yes lets do that.’
‘I think I have a plan that might work. Its …’
As the air lock door came down they saw a hand carrying a hypospray crossing the screen.
Janeway heard a hiss and then suddenly the camera was flung back wards as it was ejected out of the air lock. “Robbie”’s camera panned out to show the alien craft and the Morning Star in floating in space. Janeway could see the impact damage of the asteroids on the Morning Stars hull. The other ship was massive vessel about the size of a Romulan Warbird. It was dark yellow with green marks over it, which gave it an almost reptilian appearance. As Thompson watched the Morning Star fired its impulse engines. It spun like a top until it faced the alien ship.
‘Ow god.’ whispered Chakotay as they all watched in horror.
The Morning Star charged forward aiming to ram the alien ship. The alien ship fired a heavy barrage of weapons at the Morning Star. The ship spun side ways as it was hit and then crashed head onto the alien ship. There was earthly silence as they watched the two ships buckle and crumple. The Morning Star exploded in a blinding flash oblittering the alien vessel. They sat there stunned watching the debree scatter over a wide area. About half an hour later they saw the Voyager appear on “Robbie”’s camera.
‘We were so close. If we had got there a little sooner then it would have been all right.’ Said Belanna.
Janeway stood starting at the screen.
‘Computer rewind to time index 3445.65.’
They all turned and looked at her.
‘Captain?’ asked Chakotay.
Janeway moved closer to the screen.
She watched the Morning Star spin and turn to wards the ship.
‘Computer pause. Enhance grid 274 by 390.’
The screen zoomed in along the top of the Morning Star. A small plate fell away from the ship and a cryo-chamber fired out.
Janeway tapped her combadge
‘Janeway to Ensign Kim.’
‘Yes captain.’
Ensign perform a detailed scan of the debree. I want to find a cryo-chamber and quickly.’
‘Yes captain.’
She turned to Torres.
‘Belanna. Copy every thing from the drones memory and then place the drone on storage.’ she turned and walked out of main engineering.
Chakotay caught up with her in the turbilift.
They emerged on to the bridge when Kim said.
‘I have it captain. I’m sorry that I did not see it early the radiation was to high.’
Janeway smiled slightly.
‘Don’t worry Mr Kim we will for get this little indiscretion to duty. Have a the occupant of the cryo-chamber transported to sick bay and alert the doctor.’
Mr Kim blushed a little and occupied him self with his work.
Janeway stood up and headed for the turbo lift.
‘Chakotay you have the bridge.’
When Janeway entered the sickbay she found that the doctor was scanning a patient. He turned as Janeway entered.
‘The person from the cryo-chamber is a female trill Captain.’
As Janeway came closer she could see the spots that marked the woman as a trill.
‘Is she alive?’ Janeway asked.
The doctor shook his head. ‘No Captain the cryo- chamber was damaged during the explosion and went onto emergency life support. Even with the heavy sedation that she was given she would have died before we found her but the symbiont is still alive.’
Janeway looked at the doctor.
‘Will the symbiont survive?’
‘Yes. But we don’t have a host in the crew. I will have to place the symbiont in statuses until we get back to the federation.’
‘Is that the only way. Is it not risky.?’ Janeway asked.
‘Yes but if the symbiont is not placed in the stasis then it will die.’ said the doctor evenly.
Janeway sighed.
‘Go ahead doctor. I have a report to make to Admiral Roberts, tell her what happened and send it in the next communication.’
~
Admiral Roberts glanced through the big piles of PADD’s on her desk. She had been worried about the lack of communication from Young and Gan. They were going to get the monthly communication from Voyager soon. There was a buzz at her offices door and her aide entered with a PADD.
‘Voyager.’ said the aide and left.
Roberts grabbed the PADD and activated it.
She saw Captain Janeway‘s face she was sad. this is not good thought Roberts.
‘Admiral Roberts I am sorry to inform you that Lieutenant Commander Audrey Gan and Mr Young have died before we were able to reach them. We were able to save the symbiont Gan and placed it in stasis. Here is a copy of the date file that was down loaded from a rescue drown. ‘Young’un is this ………’
Roberts quickly went through the PADD and dropped the PADD as she rested her head in her hands.
‘John I need the last of kin details of Audrey and Young.’ She told her aide.