"Go ahead. You can said it. I know you're dying for an I told you so."
Ellis Vaughan poured himself a scotch and turned to face Bates.
"No. That would be immature. I am too mature for that."
Bates snorted, Vaughan just celebrated his 103 birthday 2 months ago, he was more than mature.
"Thank you. I appreciate you keeping quiet."
"Oh no, my friend. I said an I told you so would be immature. I never said anything about keeping quiet."
"Let me have it."
"You—fucked—up. All you guys and your master plan. You—fucked—up. Away teams searching for food for the crew, water rations. But worst of all, the ONLY reason they're still stuck out there is because they're adhering to Starfleet regulations and the Prime Directive. You—fucked—up. Now I'm gonna say I told you so because this is a different matter. Didn't I say you guys went after the two who could've been of invaluable assistance to the Federation? I think I did. Omega? Hello! Cruising at warp 9.9 for a day and a half! Wait til Irena sees that recording. So, I told you so and you—fucked—up."
"There is no need to gloat."
"This is not gloating. This is me containing being pissed off. Hell, I can't believe Francis was stupid enough to go along with your clean up plan. Eugene should've just reinstated the field commission and been man enough to offer an apology for jumping the gun and being blindly prejudice. I told Francis this would be bad. I didn't tell him how bad because he is the JAG so I figured even he could interpret what he saw on that recording. But the three of you just had to be right sticking to your original position. Hiram and Nelson might as well have swastikas etched across their foreheads.
You shouldn't have been making your little plan to 'assess any potential threat Hanson might pose to the Federation.' Concealing B'Elanna's whereabouts from her family back on Qo'nos was a bad move. I cannot believe you guys not only thought of something that cruel but were asinine enough to think it was a good idea. You knew it will be another 4 months before Voyager will be in contact with us again. Good thing you kept that a secret from me. There's no way I would have backed you up on that.
Here's a little news flash for you. A certain high ranking Starfleet Admiral made eleven trips to Qo'noS in the last 5 ½ years. Miral met with him in San Francisco nine different times. It seems that mom and dad have been searching for their daughter together since she left the Academy. Guess he wasn't deadbeat after all. Pray Enrique doesn't find out about your plan. But something tells me he will. You called down the thunder with that one. You'll get it and hell's comin' with it. Yeah, you guys fucked up. And by the way, I told you so about Janeway!
The captain went to Engineering to speak with B'Elanna and was shocked to find that she wasn't there. Vorik was not helpful and only stated that she left but that he was certain she would return. That wasn't like B'Elanna but she dismissed it initially until she tried to get more information.
"Has she gone to lunch?" It was earlier than B'Elanna ever went but still a possibility.
"I do not believe so."
Vorik being Vorik, she still was ready to give up and just come back later but noticed the nervous stares passing between the others. When she tried to catch someone's eye they all suddenly found something more important to look at. That was not the typical reaction so she knew they knew something and were keeping quiet. Considering all that happened in the last 24 hours and the ship wide announcement she was going to have to make later, Janeway thought B'Elanna became upset.
After checking the computer she learned B'Elanna was in her quarters. Had Tuvok or Seven bothered to update her on the situation she wouldn't have been so concerned. But they hadn't so she was. When no answer came to her repeated requests for entry she feared B'Elanna decided on ritual suicide because one of her exemptions or clauses in the code of honor no longer applied. Heart pounding over what she might find inside, she keyed in the over-ride and entered. Then she noticed she was the only thing in the room. How that escaped her this past year was beyond her. It was only then that she realized B'Elanna never put her furniture back—at least not in the living room and that concerned her even more.
The captain heard a sound and went quickly to the bedroom. The sight of pillar candles lit and B'Elanna kneeling in front of what she assumed was an alter confused her. Shocked, she was not prepared for this and almost jumped in thinking her initial assumption was correct. It took a few moments to process what she was hearing and seeing.
"Kahless I implore you to remember those warriors who have fallen in your name. Lift them up out of the Cavern of Dispar and reveal yourself to them in all your glory.
Remember Miral, daughter of L'Naan. Remember L'Naan, daughter of Krelix. Remember Krelix, daughter of K'Ehleyr. Remember K'Ehleyr daughter of Shenara."
By the time Captain Janeway gathered her wits it was too late and she realized she intruded on something very personal and very private. She tried to turn and leave unnoticed but B'Elanna stopped her without turning around.
"Captain."
"B'Elanna, I...I'm so sorry I didn't realize and I... you weren't in engineering and I rang the chime and I got scared that...Oh, God, I am so sorry."
Then the captain stopped stuttering and thought about it.
"How'd you know it was me?"
"Only one person can sneak up on a Klingon without being detected. Enhanced senses, captain, remember? I know your scent."
With that, B'Elanna extinguished the incense and the candles then stood and turned around. Janeway was just standing there with her mouth hanging open. She had several major shocks in a short amount of time so she wasn't sure which one was greater. The only thought in her head,
"I have a scent?"
B'Elanna laughed softly.
"Yes, captain. Everyone does. It pleasant, don't worry. And stop looking so mortified."
"I...really I am so sorry."
"You thought I was going to kill myself?"
Blushing and trying to play off her guilt, embarrassment and fear she sort of shrugged.
"Its alright captain. I guess I didn't explain it well enough for you. Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to you. At least not like this. And certainly not during Alpha shift. I think Vorik's been eyeing my job!"
That eased the captain's tension just a bit and she relaxed.
"Come on, you can walk me back to engineering. If I'm late they'll probably freak out."
"You do this regularly?" Then she thought about it. "Never mind, I didn't mean to pry."
"Its ok. And yes, its mid day prayers."
Genuinely confused, Janeway stops and turns to B'Elanna.
"I thought Klingons killed their gods. Something about them being more trouble than they were worth."
B'Elanna laughed.
"Yes, that's true. The ancestors did that a long time ago. This is something different. It's the Plea for the Dead."
"Oh." She was curious but wasn't stupid enough to ask.
"So this is why Vorik was more cryptically Vulcan than usual when I asked where you were? Why no one wanted to look in my direction and pretty much ran from me like the plague?"
"Wow, I knew they realized my schedule but I didn't know they'd keep it like a state secret. I think only Vorik could figure it out and if he did, he'd never say anything. So, I'd guess that they have no clue where I am and were just trying to respect my privacy."
The captain blanched again but B'Elanna cut her off.
"Its ok. I trust you'll keep it to yourself. Besides, it isn't a major secret, just something private."
"I understand completely and I know nothing."
"Thank you."
"Now, want to tell me why you don't have any furniture? B'Elanna, you can't live like that."
"Yes, I can and I have for some time. Nothing's wrong. I like it like that. There isn't some Starfleet regulation I don't know about requiring the use of furniture is there?"
"Not that I know of and it really wouldn't matter if there were. You don't want furniture, you don't have to have furniture."
"Thanks, what's up?"
By this time they made it back to engineering and B'Elanna was well aware of one or two heads peeking around in her direction but said nothing. She led the captain to her office and sat down.
"The ship wide announcement. Chakotay feels, and I agree, that we should gather everyone in the cargo bay like we did when they voted on whether to stay with on the planet with the 37's or continue the journey. A skeleton crew can man the ship. Tom's going to pull us into low orbit near a moon and we'll be secure. It'll be broadcast ship wide but we agreed that the crew needs to see my face when I tell them the news. I am not reading that stupid message Starfleet forwarded explaining your situation in particular. Just the other stuff."
Then she stopped and leaned her head back against the wall with her eyes closed.
"They aren't going to be the least bit happy and those messages from home are the only good thing about this transmission. You don't have to be there."
"Is the rest of senior staff going to be present?"
"Yes, but..."
"Well, if I'm still senior staff then I should be as well."
"I told you when this stupidity started that your place on this ship was secure. That has not changed. But you also don't have to be on display."
"Hah. I'm already on display, captain. Besides, they're smart. It won't take them any longer than to get over the initial shock before they realized why Starfleet revoked my commission. At least they'll be able to understand that. As bad as the news is, at least people won't be worried about losing their rank and uniform."
"Except the Bajorans. B'Elanna, this is going to be messy. Chakotay and I will be available for anyone or any group that wants to speak with us in private but there really isn't much comfort we can give them."
"You'd be surprised, captain. When the two of you act like you believe something, everyone else does. It's the command presence I guess."
"Quit buttering me up."
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. There are several things I need to inform you all of. Do not worry, there is nothing wrong with the ship and our course and heading are still Alpha quadrant bound. We are secure. This is regarding home. I received another real time communication from Starfleet. At the end of the discussion, Starfleet Command forwarded information and directives to me. I also transmitted all our reports and my log for the last four years. I told you guys it was important to keep them updated."
That eased the tension a bit and everyone laughed.
"The information Starfleet forwarded is official notification of some things that are happening in the Alpha quadrant. A copy of their official statement will be updated to each of your personal com units at the end of this meeting so you can read it for yourselves. Also, be patient. Harry, Seven and B'Elanna will be decompressing the other attachments. Mail has arrived and once they sort it, they will upload those letters to your stations as well. It's a large file. Seven informs me that everyone has mail. Even our youngest member of the crew has a letter or two. I meant Naomi, not Harry."
More laughter.
"Now I need for you all to brace yourselves and hear everything I have to say. Once we finish here, Chakotay and I will be available for anyone who wants more clarification or information on the subject. Voyager is in the Delta quadrant and we have our own lives and mission. We are responsible for what happens on this ship and our conduct toward other species we encounter here. That is all we are responsible for.
There are many changes in the Alpha quadrant and I'm sharing with you all everything I know. There is no hidden information or captain's only briefing. A few months ago the Klingon Empire and the Cardassian Union had some dispute. It led to an invasion of Cardassian territory and armed occupation of many of their worlds. The Federation protested this action. As a result, the Federation has allied itself with Cardassia against the Klingon Empire....."
The room erupted at this point but she did not try to stop them. She did notice that people split their focus between B'Elanna and Chakotay for the obvious reasons. Once they settled down, 175 hardened eyes were staring at her waiting for the 200 lbs anvil they knew was swinging above their heads waiting to slam them into the lowest deck. She couldn't blame them.
"As a result of this alliance, the Klingon Empire declared war on the Federation some time last week. Starfleet Command gave me no information about the status of the war or any details or particulars. I don't know what will come through official channels so I'm going to rely on whatever information someone sends me in a letter from home. If any of you find out anything let me know. My understanding is that the letters we received this time were sent to the Pathfinder station prior to the declaration of war last week so we may not have any news on that for the next 3 months. That's when Voyager will be in position to be in contact with Pathfinder again. It isn't a perfect system but its more than we had for the last 4 years and its an amazing accomplishment.
Back to the matter at hand. I'm not going to lie to any of you, especially when its something that affects this crew. You're all smart. You can all now guess why Starfleet Command revoked B'Elanna's field commission. She is not a Federation citizen. While I think its stupid, it is out of my control. I can't make them restore her rank or allow her to wear the uniform. I can control what happens on my ship. As far as I'm concerned, NOTHING about B'Elanna's status on this ship or among this crew has changed. She is still Chief Engineer and she is still a member of senior staff. Do not forget that when dealing with or addressing her.
I specifically asked and was assured, Bajor's membership to the Federation is still pending and they are still working together. Bajor has NOT returned to Cardassian occupation and the Federation has no intention of seeing that happen. The present conflict is with the Klingon Empire, not Bajor in any way. Bajoran members of this crew are not technically Federation citizens but it does not matter since Bajor has applied for membership and is completing all the requirements. Bajoran members of this crew have special dispensation and Starfleet considers you Federation citizens for all intents and purposes. Starfleet is treating you as if membership has been approved. Everything else is business as usual.
Normally, a Starfleet captain should not comment on it. Since I'm the only Starfleet captain in the Delta quadrant, I get to do as I please. I do not approve of Starfleet's decision regarding B'Elanna. Short of yelling 60,000 light years across subspace, there was nothing else I could do. No one has told me, officially or unofficially, why the Federation allied itself against the Empire. We have been gone 4 years so we do not know what has taken place in our absence. I do not know what is happening within the Cardassian Union so I can't comment on that with any degree of certainty. I'm flying blind on this one just like the rest of you. As soon as I get some credible information one way or the other I will share it with the entire crew.
Please remember that we still have a job to do. We have managed to over come some pretty big obstacles and join together as a family. I do not want outside forces to tear us a part. We still have to live together on this ship and we still have to protect and defend each other. My job is to protect and defend this crew from all outside forces and that includes any in the Delta or Alpha quadrant. I will continue to do that. Your job is to continue to support each other while we complete our journey. We are still a Federation ship and we are still Starfleet officers. Each of you who were given field commissions are secure and Starfleet accepts them. You are Starfleet officers and I expect each of you to continue to act like it. I am proud of this crew and the work that you all have done. I am proud of the accomplishments that each of you have made and the growth and maturity you each have displayed. I was very clear on that to Starfleet Command. I was also clear on my intentions toward my crew. They got it.
I know this was a lot to take in and I thank you for your patience. Take some time in quiet or amongst yourselves to let the information settle. Go to your quarters or stations and download the official notice so that you can read it...."
Then she stopped and turned to B'Elanna.
"Not to rush you guys but how long til you finish sorting the mail?"
"Anxious much, captain?"
A few nervous chuckles from the crowd. The captain laughed openly.
"Yeah, as a matter a fact, I am."
"Well, it should take us another 3 hours. We have to clean up some of the distortions in a few of the files."
"Ok. You guys heard that. Don't rush them so they can get it done right but in about 3 hours we'll all know something from our friends, loved ones, and colleagues. As I said before, Chakotay and I are available for ANYONE who wants to speak to us. We will give you all the information we have. Thanks for being patient and understanding. Thank you for remembering that we are all in this together."
With that the crowed disbursed, numb and shaken by her words. It was dead quiet on the ship for the rest of the night and no one was out and about.