Star Trek: Voyager - The Neverending Night
Chapter 11
15 Sep 2021Captain Janeway lay down on her ready room couch and rested her head on the arm of it. Despite the Doctor’s assurances, she still felt the lingering effects of the arithrazine. She had been taking a steady stream of lectrazine over the past week which alleviated the symptoms that prevented her from functioning. The dizziness, vertigo and nausea had subsided. But the headaches, the tingling in her fingers and nerve pain in the back of her neck persisted. She tried her best to hide her symptoms from the crew and had mostly succeeded. The Doctor said that the neurological effects could last anywhere from a few days up to a month, there was no way to be certain.
“Computer, dim the lights.” Janeway said. She had found that the low lighting helped dull the stabbing pain behind her eyes. Perhaps Fantome and his race were onto something, she mused.
The situation that had developed over the past week did nothing to ease her tension, only to increase it. Between the diplomatic negotiations of trying to attract new members to the Alliance, to the constant maintenance requirements mounting on the ship, to the firefights that had brought Voyager to the brink of destruction. It felt as if she was taking her command candidacy exam all over again. All the skills she had acquired and perfected to get into the position she was in were being tested to their limits. Yet, as painful as it was for her, she imagined it felt much worse for Voyager. At times, she swore she could feel the ship, which had carried them so far already, cry out at her for an even temporary reprieve.
Almost there. Janeway thought, half to herself and half to Voyager. Just hang in there a little while longer and we’ll be out of this.
Suddenly, the red alert klaxon sounded throughout the ready room. Janeway’s eyes instantly shot open. “Red alert.” Chakotay’s voice said over the comm. “All hands to battlestations.”
Janeway roused herself from the couch and headed out to the bridge. Before she got to the door, she froze. For some reason, her attention was drawn to her desk. The empty cup of red leaf tea still sat upon it, untouched. Janeway wrested her attention back and left the room.
“Report.” She said, stepping onto the bridge.
“We have an old friend.” Chakotay said, motioning toward the viewscreen.
Janeway looked at it and saw the Krebor moving toward them.
“He decloaked.” Chakotay said. “And is just sitting there outside of weapons range.”
“What’s he up to?” Janeway asked, thinking aloud. “What’s the status of our crew on the station?”
“Seven’s almost finished modifying the computers.” Chakotay said. “B’Elanna evacuated most of her engineering staff. But she, Seven, Harry and Tuvok’s security detail are still over there.”
“Get them out of there, now.” Janeway ordered.
Chakotay sat down in his chair and began entering commands into the small console that separated his and Janeway’s chair. Janeway walked up to the viewscreen, eyes fixed upon the Krebor.
“Captain.” Tuvok said. “We’re receiving a transmission from the Krebor.”
“They’re hailing us?” Janeway asked.
“Negative.” Tuvok replied. “The transmission is being broadcast to all the Alliance ships. Audio only.”
“Put it on.” Janeway said.
Valen’s voice came over the bridge speaker’s mid sentence. “-ome of you I’ve met before. Some in battle. Others in mere passing. Or even the occasional temporary truce. But for those of you who haven’t met me. My name is Gul Valen of the Cardassian First order.
“My world is a long way from here. On the other side of the galaxy in fact. While I may be a long way from home, I am most certainly not out of my element. My people are experts at survival, even under the most extreme of circumstances.
“The galaxy is a rather harsh place, this Void even more so. Some species are better equipped to handle those circumstances than others. This isn’t discrimination, it’s simple fact. As it so happens, there is one other species present that originates from my side of the galaxy. I believe you’ve all met them, the humans, led by Captain Janeway.”
“Can we cut him off?” Chakotay asked Tuvok.
“No.” Janeway said before Tuvok could respond. “We have to let him finish.” Janeway understood the political ramifications of silencing Valen prematurely. It would imply that Valen’s sentiment was legitimate in her eyes, and more importantly in the eyes of the Alliance.
Valen continued. “Humans are a peculiar race to me as I’m sure they are to all of you. They don’t see other species as weak. Instead they try to form alliances. They give shelter to the feeble, the frail, the infirm. But this only proves their own incapability to fend for themselves.
“Captain Janeway, like her species, is weak.
“Without all of you, without this Alliance, Voyager would have succumbed to the Void long ago. You must all have realized this by now. Janeway makes empty promises. In fact, she’s only using you, so that she may exit the Void and leave the rest of you behind.”
Valen then played an audio recording. Janeway’s voice was clear as day.
‘But the moment Seven finishes her work, I want you to evacuate the station. We’re going to destroy it as soon as we possibly can.’
‘Are you going to inform the other members of the Alliance?’
‘No point. We’ll get out of here, and then we’ll destroy the station once we leave.’
Janeway’s stomach leapt right up into her chest. She could feel her heart begin to race. The perspiration start to coat her fingertips. The twinge of her muscles in the back of her neck.
“Where’s the away team!?” She shouted at Chakotay.
“They’re in the airlock.” Chakotay said. “It’s cycling now.”
“Mr. Paris, prepare to detach us from the station on my mark.” Janeway commanded.
Paris keyed the commands into the helm. “Yes ma’am.” He acknowledged.
Valen’s voice continued over the speakers. “You may ask, what are my motives? For what reason do I make these accusations? It’s simple. I want to leave the Void just as much as the rest of you. But unlike Janeway, that is my only goal. And if you choose to join me, I will not hold you to any of her restrictions whatsoever.
“You will no longer be subject to her orders. You will no longer have to abide by her rules. You will no longer be servants to her weakness.
“We will finish the work they started on the station. And when we have completed our task, you will all be free to leave at your leisure.”
Valens voice trailed off. For a moment, everything was silent. No alarms, no sounds, no talking. Not a single ship in the Alliance made a move.
“Oh and one more thing.” Valen added, flippantly. “The first ship to disable Voyager may claim its technology and resources for themselves”
Valen closed the channel.
Janeway turned to Chakotay. “Do we have everyone back on board?”
“They just got in.” Chakotay reported.
“Captain!” Lieutenant Paris yelled in alarm.
Janeway turned to the viewscreen to see the Malon freighter undock from the station.
“The Malon are hailing.” Tuvok said.
“On screen.” Janeway ordered.
The screen flashed to show Controller Emck, a smile on his face.
“What’s the meaning of this?!” Janeway demanded.
“I’m afraid my interests no longer align with yours.” Emck replied calmly.
“We were going to share our technology with you once we got out of here.” Janeway said.
Emck laughed. “Unfortunately, that would not be in my interest either. You see, antimatter waste is indeed a problem on my world. But we’ve found a different solution for it.”
Janeway puzzled at Emck’s words. But then her face was overcome with realization. “You’re responsible for the theta radiation.” Janeway accused, her voice overcome with disgust.
“Guilty.” Emck said. “Controller Emck, Eleventh Gradient First Class, Antimatter Waste Disposal Unit.”
“You used the Void as your dumping ground.” Janeway growled, putting together the clues. “You’ve been ejecting your antimatter waste into the funnels. Not caring who or what was on the other side. But this time you got a little too close didn’t you?”
“Sharp as ever, Captain. But just one step too slow.” Emck prodded. “You see, while your technology is impressive, it would also put me out of business. Gul Valen was gracious enough to agree to spare the station in exchange for our help.”
“You monster.” Janeway spat. “You’re as filthy as the garbage you haul.”
Emck let out a hearty belly laugh. “I will miss our little exchanges, Captain…And the food was good too.”
Emck closed the channel. His behemoth freighter was now almost right on top of Voyager. Flashes of light sparked all across it’s hull. Voyager shields flared at the onslaught. The bridge bucked and rocked beneath Janeway’s feet.
“They are firing spatial charges.” Tuvok reported. “Shields down to sixty percent.”
“Tom, detach us from the station. Tuvok, return fire!” Janeway shouted.
Voyager decoupled itself from the station arms. It pitched over sideways, dodging a series of explosions that flashed with blue smoke and electricity. Voyager returned the favor. Multiple phaser beams charged and shot forth in the direction of the collosal Malon vessel. They impacted the freighter’s shields, scoring multiple hits but doing little damage. At the same time, other Alliance ships began releasing themselves from the station. Bearing down on Voyager’s position while the Krebor watched patiently from afar.
“Multiple ships are inbound on our position!” Tuvok shouted. “They are locking weapons on us.”
“Mr. Paris, get us out of their weapons range!” Janeway shouted over the thunderous cracks of consoles exploding.
“I’m trying, Captain! But there are too many of them!” Paris yelled, desperately trying to key in commands to the helm.
The bridge pitched and rolled as Voyager was now being assaulted by multiple ships. Sparks flew across the bridge as consoles and conduits exploded all around them.
“Shields down to twelve percent!” Tuvok called out.
“Captain!” Chakotay yelled in desperation.
“Mr. Paris! Maximum warp, now!” Janeway howled at the top of her lungs.
Voyager lurched and plunged beneath the storm of weapons fire. At the last moment, Voyager’s warp nacelles rotated upward and locked into position. A brilliant white flash of radiance erupted from them and the ship rocketed away at the speed of light.