Disclaimer: Yes, Paramount still owns the Star Trek Universe, but they don't own any characters that I've made up (even if they own their parents) nor the vessel I made up. Dana Marcus is my creative product from some of the events in the novel "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntire, but is still owned by me, H. S. Hines. Saavik history derived from "The Pandora Principle" by Carolyn Clowes.
Notes: References to TNG and TOS
Genre: Angst, Drama
Rating: M
Codes: B/7
Feedback: Reviews beget more fiction!
Issues
Chapter 6
Days passed, each one like the day before. Seven would crawl into B'Elanna's tent, rather than stay in her own. During the day, they would work with Harry and several members from the Engineering crew on trying to establish contact with the Federation. Nothing came and morale plummeted, as the Voyager crew felt the sting of abandonment by Starfleet.
They built a small village, hoping each day that they would dismantle and pack up, but hope was slowly dying as everyone settled into their new routines.
Dana couldn't stand what was happening to her crew and worst of all, was helpless to offer more than useless platitudes to her people. Marcus looked at Chakotay, sitting by himself at the evening fire and wished that she had the ability to read minds. He had more of the crew's ear than she and he was looking darkly into the fire, brooding. She didn't see it as a good sign.
Her eyes moved to follow Neelix, who was smiling whenever he met the eyes of one of the crew. But it was the look in his eyes when the crew looked away that concerned her. Neelix's eyes were sad, tired and as unhappy as any other member of the crew.
Even the small relationships had a bittersweet air about them. She watched as Seven disappeared into B'Elanna's tent and saw the perfect example of one of these relationships blooming. A pain shot through her when they had passed the flaps of B'Elanna's entrance without once smiling.
Would they ever have a reason to smile again?
Month Six, Planet 'Poseidon'
B'Elanna held the Doctor's mobile emitter in her hand, watching the flickering indicator lights fade. Seven was crying softly next to her. The burnt casing was all that remained of their healer, their friend. An electrical storm had struck without a moment's warning, lightning crashing down on the EMH. B'Elanna had blinked and he was gone. It had taken them hours to find the device after the storm. Three other crewmembers had been killed by the unexpected tempest as well.
Fourteen had been injured, including the captain. B'Elanna set the mobile emitter on the table in the makeshift infirmary and walked over to Harry Kim, who had been unconscious since he was struck by a falling branch from a tree he was standing under when the storm hit.
When B'Elanna looked up, Seven was gone.
Half an hour of searching uncovered Seven, hiding deep in the forest. B'Elanna didn't say anything when she found her, she just took her by the hand and led her back to camp, one arm around the taller woman's waist for support.
bleep. bleep. hiss, buzz, bleep. bleep. bleep.
It was an unexpected sound and it woke up the crewman on duty. A duty that had been neglected by sleeping. The crewman was supposed to be monitoring the communications system, a set of instruments that had been silent for almost seven months.
bleep. bleep. bleep.
"Hello?" the crewman tentatively responded.
"(hiss, pop)...ship (hiss)...a to the (pop) of the star(hiss) Voyager. Please (hiss). I repeat, this (hiss) captain of the Federation starship (hiss, crackle) Voy(crack, hiss)...spond."
"This is Crewman Alex Brown, of the Starship Voyager crew. Please restate your designation and intentions."
"Voyager? Are we glad to hear from you..."
Marcus watched Crewman Brown come flying out of the Communications shed and lifted her head, hope rising in her heart, the inner emotions boiling from the look of joy on Rodriguez's face never betrayed by her neutral expression.
Moments later, the elation spread through the entire crew. The starship Lakota had found them. Within a day, the entire crew was back in space, injuries being dealt with properly, the mobile emitter belonging to Commander Doctor being repaired. Seven and Samantha Wildman were the first to greet Naomi, who had requested to be a part of the landing party (her first off-ship assignment). They were not professional in the slightest in the greeting and Naomi broke away, miffed at being embarrassed by her mother and friend. The rest of the crew who knew Naomi (except Neelix, who was just as demonstrative as the first two) were extra formal with her, also causing her dissatisfaction. She finally had to admit that she couldn't be satisfied and settled for being the one to stay on the planet and organize. For an ensign, it was a big job and she was proud her captain trusted her with it.
She noticed Seven and B'Elanna holding hands a few times, even a brief kiss from one to the other when they thought no one was looking and wondered briefly how much must have been left out of Seven's letters to her. She had never even mentioned B'Elanna in them, much less that they were in a relationship! Naomi filed it away to tease Seven with later. For now, she had more important duties.
One of the first things she learned about was the quantum singularity comet. It was such a fascinating discovery that she knew Voyager's explorations wouldn't be finished by the loss of one little ship. A new one would be built, just like the Enterprise. She had hoped to be assigned there, but wasn't going to refuse when the Lakota asked for her. After all, they were primarily a diplomatic ship, so she got to use her exobiology degree rather often. She liked the crew and ship so much she hadn't even asked for reassignment to the Enterprise-E when her chief science officer died, though it would have given her more room for promotion. The chief science officer on the Lakota was a thirty year-old Vulcan, so she knew she didn't have much chance of getting his spot in her lifetime.
Captain Marcus was very satisfied by her interview with the Admiral. Voyager was definitely going to be rebuilt and she was going to be assigned as the captain, with her old crew still in her command. Many of the officers might find new assignments, although she doubted it. The Voyager-B was going to resume where Voyager had left off, promising all new adventures for the thrill-seeking crew. She had put in a request with Naomi's captain to transfer the ensign to Voyager, since they had lost their best exobiologist on the planet they had dubbed 'Poseidon.' She looked forward to reforming the Voyager family on a ship not haunted by their old captain's ghost. Certainly, no one objected to her not being Janeway anymore, but it would be nice if the ship was hers and hers alone.
And soon, the story of Voyager-B would begin to unfold. Yes, Captain Marcus looked forward to that day, indeed.
The End.