Chapter Two - And You Are....?OCTOBER, 1997, ANOTHER UNIVERSE
He was a master spy, who never once failed his bevy of non-American masters. Whenever they started to figure him out, he fingered another spy, and laughed as justice satisfied was justice denied.The flight must not go up, that's what he was told. Almost all of them were in on it, and they were paying big. So it was that the master spy set about trying to destroy The Jupiter 2. At the gangplank, he introduced himself to the pilot, Major Don West. If he had known West was about, he would have hit the Iraquis up for more money. But he didn't do freebies. Such was not the way of....
"Smith. Doctor Zachary Smith, at your service, sir. May I get on board, very quickly? I wish to do a next-to-final check. It is less than two weeks now, is it not?"
West didn't care for this man's airs, but let him through.
"Go ahead, pal. Glad to have you do it. I was on a B-X test that went screwy because the civilian inspector couldn't be bothered to do his job."
"Oh, rest assured, May-jor. Zachary Smith is nothing if not thorough."
And he would have to be thorough, too. West's casual quip showed that he was no fool. Most had forgotten that little venture, an example of Smith's very best work.
As he boarded, he saw the children working at various consoles. A pity they all had to die. Any one of them would be an invaluable commodity, if sold to the right bidder. Although, he mused, given the misogyny of many of his clients, they would probably only want 10-year old William.
A casualty of the sometimes destructive limelight, 18-year old Judy Robinson handled all the console hard-wiring, just as her mother had taught her. Noshing on her fat-free chocolate cookies, she silently thanked God she had never accepted heroin from her older Broadway friends. Her casual use of the other substances had cost her plenty enough. Oddly, though, it wasn't her parents' disapproval that snapped her out of it. It was the disappointment she saw in the eyes of her two younger siblings. They no longer had the faintest memories of who they really were, and Judy no longer cared. When she emerged from her fog, Judy saw that she had their respect back. Of course, this meant that she was a permanent part of the project, but she was safe with her family again, and now had her eyes on the prize--namely Don West.
Smith merely noted that he had seen her sing in an otherwise forgettable play, and mused that she would have been better off staying on Broadway. Either way, she would have seen stardust.
There was something odd about 13-year old Penny. Something Smith might have described as the trait of an unspoken Alpha. If cornered, she would be the survivor. Smith always could pick that up. Small wonder that it was she who had spent unending hours detailing every last disaster scenario possible, and restocking the ship accordingly. She even included a recipe for homemade aspirin in their files. Smith knew psych profiles, and this indicated behavior like that of a disaster victim. But his files indicated that The Robinsons had never encountered any sudden life-altering event.
For young Will Robinson, words like Mozart were always tossed around. But although 'Amadeus' was fictionalized, that young genius knew many a Salieri, whose every word he believed. Will was said to like and respect his two sisters, with whom he fought no more often than average. But a non-parental older male could likely be a strong influence on the boy, no matter that one's shortcomings.
"Hello, Doctor Smith. Here for another inspection?"
"Indeed, William. One can never be--too sure--when so important an undertaking is so nearly ready."
Judy looked up from her console's innards.
"Don't worry, Doctor Smith. The way Mom and I have set this up, you could blow up 80% of the controls, and we could still run it all."
"Wonderful, Judith. You're making my work most plain and simple."
So the controls were out. Well, he had known that. To really be sure, he would have had to stay on board the entire journey--and they simply were not paying him enough for that. Given his intense claustrophobia, he'd eventually lose his mind. But then, many spies developed this particular ailment, he was told. Penny shut off her monitor, and smiled.
"Scenarios are all worked out, Doctor Smith. We're good--unless Will is secretly KGB!"
Will responded to the good-natured barb.
"Nyet! Besides, Ve Russians inwented Jupiter 2, back during Cold War!"
Smith didn't get it.
"Er---do you children know a Russian who has made such a claim?"
Judy took point.
"No--Doctor Smith, that was a character--Chekov?"
"From which of his plays?"
The sibs knew then to give up. As Smith prepared to leave in the awkward silence, he again looked over The Robot. Designation B-9, whose purpose was to maintain environmental controls while The Robinsons slept the 98-year journey away in cryogenic stasis. Misprogrammed, his actions--could be disastrous. Will spoke.
"B-9's a fine piece of work, isn't he Doctor?"
"What--oh--no, William. I am not at all impressed with this walking--booby-trap."
With his final sabotage plan in mind, Smith left. Judy did soon after, seeking to remind Major West that 18 meant she was no longer 'jailbait'.
"Guys--remember. When you download the TV disks--Night Stalker and X-Files for me, M*A*S*H* for Don, Gunsmoke and Bonanza for Dad, and Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore, both Newhart shows, and Dick Van Dyke for Mom."
Will looked at the available memory. He frowned.
"Penny--want to make a guess about what we have to do?"
She sighed, and nodded. She also wished that they weren't such good kids.
"For me, keep Little House, but lose Brady/Partridge, and Happy Days. I have those memorized, anyway. You?"
"I'm keeping all five years of the first Star Trek, and Next Generation--and the movies. But I don't need 'Giants'."
Penny shook her head.
"Giants?"
"You know, that show that ran opposite Star Trek? About the people who were stuck on a planet of oversized humanoids?"
"Ohh...yeah. Boy, did that get silly later on. Plus, they never did get home."
"So--we're still stuck. I need to get rid of two more."
Penny looked it over.
"Well, here. These last two Star Trek series. I haven't seen a single episode of either. Plus, we won't be here when they finish up. Its either them--or The Muppet Show."
Will deleted the later two Star Trek shows.
"Yeah, since the project began to kick in, I haven't seen a single program, or gone anywhere. Penny, where do we go to get our lives back?"
"You're asking the wrong girl, little brother. My date for Sadie Hawkins pulled out on me. Said he didn't want to be tied to a legend."
Will looked shocked.
"A legend? You mean he's heard you snore?"
With smiles on both their faces, the last great chase of their childhood began.
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USS VOYAGER, DELTA QUADRANT, MAIN UNIVERSE
With the gentle touch of Harry Kim controlling it, the tractor beam guided The Jupiter 2 into the Shuttlebay. Tuvok and Paris stood beside Janeway. Chakotay wasn't there, stating that he needed to undertake some manner of quest. Oddly, what really bothered The Captain was the lack of Neelix. His overly gregarious nature usually calmed unsettled visitors as much as it sometimes annoyed the crew of Voyager. Whatever was eating the Talaxian, she hoped he would snap out of it soon.
Two people descended the ramp that came out of the flying saucer, a man and a woman, both human in appearance.
"Captain Janeway, I am Doctor Maureen Robinson, and this is my husband and our mission leader, John, whom you've already spoken to. Please understand- -we've asked our family to remain inside til we've had a chance to chat."
Janeway nodded. Sensible but not paranoid precautions spoke well of this pair and their brood.
"Its always good to meet new people--and hopefully new friends, as well. Welcome to Voyager. I think we might find that we have a lot in common."
Not knowing if or how long they would be staying aboard Voyager, the crew of The Jupiter 2 went about its normal business as usual, til they heard from their CO's.
Don West tried an unusual tack to deal with a persistent headache."Smith--this isn't a threat. This isn't a warning, or an order. Its not even advice. Its just information that a sharp cookie like yourself can maybe use to his advantage. In one word: Behave."
Zachary Smith was his usual receptive self.
"Reaaally, Major. You speak to me as though I were dear William."
West shook his head.
"I would never speak to Will this way, Smith. Because he behaves. So does Penny. In a way, they are the very reason you should learn to do the same."
"Is there a point to your blather, Major West?"
Don moved to finish, wondering why he had ever bothered.
"When all this started, the only one who spoke against you--was me. Then, you lost John--pretty early on. Maureen took a few months, but she gave up handing chores to you--because why bother? She'd spend more time hunting you down than she would just doing it herself. I don't know when Judy made her choice--but its pretty clear she did. Penny you lost when that poor Schmoe claiming to be Satan showed up. He was a con artist and a thief, Smith--and I liked him better than I like you. The fact that he was up front with us about--well, being no angel--really threw Penny for a loop. She was used to dealing with less straightforward felons."
Needless to say, none of these words were reaching their target.
"Have a care, sir!"
"Now, I honestly was surprised by Will. A 15-year old kid whose only friend roughly his age is his own sister--no worldly skills--finally broke with you just a few hours ago. Smith--you lost Will. You now have no one who will speak up for you, next time you pull something. So do us all a favor and just behave. If these Voyager folks are legit--then let's not blow their hospitality."
Smith left as Smith often did, in a huff.
"I am going below deck, now, May-jor. There, I shall speak with those two, wonderful, loyal children who adore me as both a mentor and a role model. Unlike yourself, who keeps company with their older sister. The
idea---why, I Never!"Don nodded.
"Yeah--I can believe that you never, Smith. In fact--it would explain just about everything."
In Captain Kathryn Janeway's office, a meeting of a far more civil nature was taking place. Doctor John Robinson stared at his cup.
"Actual coffee. Strong, too. Captain--you already have my undying thanks. We have a technology that can recover our used coffee grounds, but---someone---used them to protect his plants."
Janeway smiled, but was a bit thrown by this praise.
"Actually, that's a coffee substitute that our chef, Mister Neelix, came up with to placate me when I've used up my replicator rations. I'm glad someone enjoys it."
Doctor Maureen Robinson sipped hers.
"Good, nutty flavor."
Which was exactly what Janeway couldn't stand about the stuff. She decided to start the basic exchange of information.
"We are a combined crew. Suffice it to say, a political situation had developed back home that drove a wedge in between certain factions of our Federation. If we have time, I'll be more than happy to go into detail. But when we were sent out to capture a ship belonging to The Maquis, both ships were swept out here, into our galaxy's Delta Quadrant. In short, the Maquis Captain, Chakotay, became my First Officer, and many of his surviving crewmembers became our crewmembers. As Mister Tuvok has recently attested, the alignment that made the two crews one family occurred much more quickly than any of us expected. Now, we are slowly but surely working our way home. Even though that home is still 72,000 light years away."
John nearly winced.
"That's quite a distance to travel, Captain. I don't envy you at all. Tell me, what is the homeworld of your Federation?"
Janeway was somewhat confused.
"Doctors--what part of space were you in when we found you?"
John looked at Maureen, both a little put off by the seemingly odd question.
"Well, before we entered that rift, we were quite lost, but calculated ourselves to be 1.45 light-years from Alpha Centauri. With luck and some experimentation, we think we can make it within twenty-five years. It'll be rough, especially on our two younger children. But we're sure we can do it. How long do you expect your journey to take?"
Kathryn began to sense that something was wrong.
"Straight through, we can travel about 1000 light years per year."
Maureen started.
"Captain--your race has broken the light barrier?"
Now, The Captain knew the ground she tread on.
"Doctors---"
John shook his head.
"Its John and Maureen--or Maureen and John. Only our daughter Judy cares about top billing."
Janeway hoped the attending Tom Paris got the billing reference, because she surely didn't.
"Maureen-John--its Kathryn, at least in here. I--don't know how to break this to you--but you were nowhere near Alpha Centauri. Based on our scans of the universe you came from--you were in your own galaxy's Delta Quadrant. Now how that happened is beyond me."
Maureen was stunned, but could still speak. John was at a loss for words.
"Kathryn--are you saying that the rift took us through to another universe? Also, you still haven't answered our question about your homeworld."
Janeway knew, in her heart, that this next answer would prove as great a shock as their translocation.
"We have many species on board, but the majority of my crew are humans, like yourselves, and most of them, like myself and Mister Paris--come from Earth. Just apparently not your Earth."
Now, Maureen was silent, but her husband had somewhat recovered himself. But John still was taken aback.
"Kathryn--I've been to another universe, so that part I can buy. But how in heaven's name could we end up that far from our Earth? We certainly don't have trans-light technology. I don't think that any Earth power in 1997 had anything remotely approaching it."
Now it was the Voyager officers turns to start. Tuvok asked the obvious.
"Doctor Robinson--how long ago on your Earth had The Soviet Union broken up?"
John nodded.
"Six years. Gorbachev's reforms overtook him, and the Warsaw Pact just fell apart."
With a glance to 20th Century maven Paris, Tuvok confirmed that this much was indeed matching history. Janeway followed up.
"John--Maureen--using the Old Earth Calendar that predominated at that time--this is the year 2374. So now we have to find out why you were in a part of your galaxy you couldn't have gotten to, and why a seemingly stable rift brought you to this time and place. I will keep my bargain and fill in the details of our politics, once my First Officer completes some personal business. But--without violating your privacy or security, could you tell us how you came to build that remarkable little ship?"
John was recalling recent events, trying to find some answer to the twin enigmas. So Maureen took point on this.
"Kathryn, this is a long story."
Janeway gently quipped.
"Go on. I have at least 75 years."
Back aboard the Jupiter 2, some chores were finally done, and two hard-working young people were at last sitting down.
"Will--mind if I turn on some music?"
"Go ahead."
Penny Robinson indeed did that.
"Would--you like to dance with me?"
He shook his head.
"No thanks."
She reached for his hand.
"C'mon--just a little dance."
He pulled away.
"I said--No Thanks."
She seemed upset.
"Would it kill you to dance with your sister?"
He walked away, and towards the ladder upstairs.
"I think you know the answer to that."
Once he was gone, Penny whispered.
"He's never going to forgive me. Never."
Once near his cabin, Will talked to himself, as well.
"She puts up a good front. But I know--she's never going to forgive me."
Judy Robinson saw and gestured to her younger brother, as he came from below deck.
"Will--I'm sorry. I know you're finished with your chores. But--I need another clean-up."
A trifle upset, Will shook his head.
"Stomach troubles again? Judy, what've you been eating?"
"Let's--not go there, little brother. Just please clean it up?"
He fetched a mop and pail.
"Why not? That's what I'm here for, right?"
She raised an eyebrow at this.
"That's not much of an attitude. You know, it is your and Penny's job to keep this place clean."
He put the mop down, determined to knock the former star from her high horse.
"You and I both know that the only reason for that is, you threw a temper tantrum, demanding to be fully counted as an adult. Well, Judy, you got it. Now, all the chores belong to us two. And there's no one younger for us to dump them on."
She fell back, but only a bit.
"You-you shouldn't speak to me that way. I am the oldest."
"Then why can't you clean your own area? Mom and Dad and Don do. Don't talk to me about Smith--about Doctor Smith, I mean."
Judy gave up.
"Because you are ten times more thorough than me. Because I don't want our parents, or Don to know I've been throwing up, Will."
She gently raised one side of his cheek, to see that once-always happy smile.
"Will--the day that you and Penny entered my life was one that will always be among my very happiest."
"Days."
She shook her head.
"What--days?"
"Judy, you said the day Penny and I entered your life. But we didn't enter it at the same time."
Judy chided herself for being a former actress who could not remember her own lines, and almost giving away a vital piece of the plot.
"Of course. What kind of slip-up was that? My point is, I did kind of get you two in dutch. I didn't mean to. But I had to be an adult. I was twenty-two, and they were still speaking to me roughly the way they did when we left Earth. So I'm sorry about that. Listen, can you keep a secret? I mean, even from Penny?"
"I guess so."
She took his hand.
"Remember how, when you and she were little, I would help take care of you? Did I do a good job?"
He smiled.
"Of course you did. I never said that you never did anything for us. But you get these moods, Judy. Then, not even Don wants to be near you."
She sat down, and rubbed her head.
"Don being near me is part of the problem. Will, I haven't been in a mood by accident, nor have I been throwing up by accident. But an accident has occurred."
Will felt suddenly grownup, fully realizing the secret with which he was being entrusted.
"You're pregnant."
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In his quarters, a divided First Officer summoned a spirit. That spirit was his own father.
"You do not seek communion with me directly, Chakotay, unless it is the gravest of concerns. My son, what troubles you?"
He took a moment to answer.
"Tuvok is quite efficient. When our troubled journey began, he developed a training scenario, in case the Maquis committed mutiny. He later abandoned it, but it was found and sabotaged by Seska Marlis, before she left us. Tuvok and Paris nearly died as a result. Belanna now hunts for any remnants of her time here. Father, I must know something. Seska died here. Does her spirit walk these halls? Does she haunt me in death, as she did in life?"
The image of the Elder shook his head.
"Did you not choose to place her body in a torpedo tube?"
"Yes. But Cardassian beliefs vary on the importance of the body to the afterlife. I believe someone like Seska might regard their mortal coil as irrelevant. She wanted control here. She would not leave willingly."
The parental spirit nodded.
"Then let her stay. I sense that, if she is here, she is a zephyr amidst gusts of change. Let her violator's spirit scream as you cross back to the Alpha Quadrant. Forget this woman, Chakotay. Her child was not yours. Any power she might have held over you ended when your Doctor told her that harsh truth."
Chakotay was silent, so the spirit queried him further.
"Paris betrayed you, by failing his mission and then earning release by tracking you. Tuvok betrayed you to your Kathryn, at his first opportunity. Why do you feel no rage towards them?"
Chakotay raised a finger.
"Tuvok--was doing his job. I'dve expected no less, if he were a Maquis infiltrator in Starfleet. Tom has worked his behind off proving himself, despite his words to the contrary. He is a fulcrum to this ship's life, after Kathryn and myself. Failed Starfleet and failed Maquis making it right. I have no quarrel with either of them."
He breathed in.
"But Seska? She had no cause not to reveal herself out here. The Obsidian Order's HQ is a fair walk. Also, why make allies? Is the Cardie need for power that culturally inbred? Then, she scams on that fool Jonas. Thank goodness Tom was willing to let his name be destroyed, to draw her out. What about The Trabe? Her attacks had us so disoriented, we overlooked that they were worse than the Kazon. Finally, she plays me so well, she folds my hand and takes the ship. Our ship."
Father tried in vain to calm his living son.
"But now she is dead. She can do you no more harm, my son."
"Father--you didn't see the way that computer program fought Belanna. There was an intelligence behind it. I won't let my naivete threaten this ship or its crew again. Ro Laren warned me about her. But I felt Ro couldn't be trusted. Idiot."
"Chakotay--you have visitors, and I must go soon. Make your request of me, for I sense you called me for more than mere talk."
The frustrated XO nodded.
"Father--give me Seska's true name. Her Cardassian name. Her true name would give me the power to finally destroy her, and make my wrong right."
The older man got up, and doused the fire that burned in front of them.
"No. Would you have spirits speaking the names we earn in our first great vision quests? I can only tell you that her true name hides in the garbage pile of a vast wasteland. Seek it there."
"Father--don't walk away! Fath---"
Chakotay felt a knife in his back. He fell, and heard a familiar voice.
"You'll never be free of me!"
He awoke in his quarters, happy for once to leave that higher reality behind.
By the time Chakotay had dressed and reached Janeway's office, he had at least externally thrown off the effects of his vision. Internally was quite another matter. So it was he couldn't tell whether Janeway's first words to him were a slap or a jibe.
"Good of you to join us. Doctors Robinson - Chakotay, a fine leader in his own right, and the man I count on to carry on if I fall. Some Starfleet Captains call their Execs Number One. To me, that is quite implicit. Chakotay, these are the mission leaders of The Jupiter 2, Doctors John and Maureen Robinson. Just like ours, theirs is a long story."
Chakotay shook both their hands.
"Doctors. My apologies that I wasn't here earlier. A personal matter kept me away, briefly."
John nodded.
"I imagine it must be a measure of your effectiveness as Exo that the ship runs so well in your absence, Mister Chakotay."
Maureen smiled.
"By the way, Kathryn here made an error. Only my husband John is mission leader."
Chakotay picked up the Captain's slight discomfort about a woman who would go out of her way to indicate a subordinate status. But her First Officer knew well how to neutralize that.
"On any ship, John--Maureen, there can be only one Captain."
Janeway's comfort level rose, and she spoke again.
"I brought Mister Chakotay here for more than just a first meeting. I didn't want a retelling of our history to turn into an anti-Maquis tirade on my part. You don't mind, do you Commander?"
Like his own father, Captain Janeway was trusting him with the reliable telling of the family story. He would not fail her.
"No, Captain. Happy to tell it."
Kathryn turned back to John and Maureen.
"You two go first. If there's any part of your story you feel should not be told, just let us know that's the case. We're not here to compromise either your privacy or your security. From time to time, I may ask Mister Paris for comparisons between your 20th Century and ours."
John nodded at his wife.
"Go ahead, honey. Like Kathryn, I know who I can count on to get the story straight."
Maureen began, deciding to do only the very barest of editing for any concerns other than time.
"On...our Earth, in 1986, a disaster occurred. Some manner of cosmic event briefly spiked background radiation all over our galaxy, so far as our telescopes could read. It was harmless, except for the seven astronauts of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Its loss almost broke NASA, which was never overflowing in funds anyway, despite what the press said."
Tom Paris raised a hand.
"I did a detailed report on Challenger, back when. But its failure was due to what they called an O-Ring Seal."
John nodded.
"Funny. The President's Chief Of Staff chewed me out for delaying the Challenger liftoff, because of those same O-Rings. Then, the
I-told-you-so's flowed in after the spike."Maureen continued.
"With the Cold War winding down, some super-hi-tech was liberated for our use, and so we began work on The Jupiter 2. Happily, we only needed construction, not R+D funding."
All three Voyager officers could tell Maureen was holding back, but not actually lying. All three had also correctly surmised that The Robinsons, like themselves, must have been glad-handed and then burned on many occasions by those they encountered. But she went on, uninterrupted.
"Our idea was to give our overcrowded planet some breathing room, by establishing a colony around Earth's nearest neighbor, Alpha Centauri. Of course, by that point, even the most backward of countries were starting to use birth control, something I myself have never approved of, in any form. But still our mission symbolized hope."
Tom spoke up again, briefly.
"On our world, there was a Eugenics War at that time. The final toll from the battles with the tyrants struck two billion, when you count all the ethnic cleansings, sudden outbreaks of engineered diseases, and 'mysterious' crop failures."
Maureen took note of this.
"For good or ill, Mister Paris, no genetic monsters arose on our world. So with our work completed, we clambered into our cryogenic tubes for a 98-year slumber. But several problems came up. Chief among them was a reluctant stowaway named Doctor Zachary Smith."
Tom seemed to almost start at that name, but then dropped to an almost Tuvokian calm.
"Doctor Smith may be best described as an embodiment of the old Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times. Sadly, those interesting times have been marked by selfishness, greed, short-sightedness, and inexplicable behavior that early on, even bordered on the murderous. Not only did his extra weight throw our ship off course, but his endless scheming and innate laziness has cost us countless opportunities to achieve our goal of actually reaching Alpha Centauri."
Tuvok, silent until now, asked a simple but telling question of their guests.
"Why, Doctors, would you not then turn out such an individual? If he is as you describe, then he has next to no worth. Indeed, putting him off on a habitable planet would seem ideal."
John answered this one.
"Well, Mister Tuvok, its not always him--just mostly. Besides, he is such a helpless fool, even if we gave him all we had before turning him out, odds are he'd be dead in a week."
Maureen disagreed.
"I don't know about that, John. He'd find a way. You people will likely never meet a more opportunistic individual than Doctor Smith."
Chakotay chose not to counter Maureen's statement at this juncture, trying but failing to heed his father's advice about Seska.
Observing the visiting saucer but not entering was Kes, whose wanderlust of late was nearly overwhelming. But her reverie would not last long.
"Odds are, you'll fool them, too."
"Neelix?"
The Talaxian's usual perpetual smile had been replaced by a sneer.
"Our visitors. You'll charm them, like you do almost everyone else. Well, now hear this: When you leave, you're not coming back. You're not going to blame us for all your troubles, and hand this ship over to our enemies. I'll kill you first. Remember, Kes--at least one person on board knows what you are really about. Bad enough you broke my heart, but someday soon you will have the temerity to lash out at all these good people? Never. This isn't one of The Captain's Greek Tragedies, and you--are no Fury."
He left, leaving Kes not only frightened, but wondering--how could Neelix know?
Aboard the docked Jupiter 2, Judy Robinson pushed open the sliding door to her younger brother Will's quarters. She glared at him.
"How could you tell Don? Will, you promised to keep my secret."
The young man looked up.
"Judy, he asked me why you were so volatile--and you are. But the only thing I told him was that he was talking to the wrong person. That maybe you had something to tell him. That's all."
As before, she backed off. It was becoming a habit.
"Will, I can't tell him now! You are so very smart--smarter than any one of us--that you can't see how this will change things between us. Suppose Don isn't ready to be a father?"
Will got up. He was sometimes thrown by how often his very together, very worldly eldest sister became grasped by her fears, as though she were a small child.
"Judy--you have a terrific figure. I've always noticed that. So I kind of noticed, even before you told me the news. You're showing. Just slightly--but I think you're gonna show more, pretty soon."
She realized the implication, and further realized that telling Don West the news was certainly inevitable. She pulled the cheek of one of two gifts she had been given, that fateful day.
"You little pervert. You're not supposed to notice how good your sister looks--even if I do look smashing!"
They hugged, and Judy left to begin to formulate the way to tell her man that their lives were about to change forever.
But she also noticed how Will's embrace was furtive, and how he pulled away. So she decided to consult her other younger sibling. Penny was neutral, trying first to catch wind of Judy's mood.
"Do you want to have this baby?"
She nodded.
"I think I do. But its Don's reaction I'm concerned about. Mom and Dad I'll handle as I have to. Penny, do you think he'll want us to have it?"
Penny put down her head.
"Why wouldn't he? Don loves kids. He's said so on a lot of occasions. Besides, if Mom and Dad are ever gonna be grandparents...."
She trailed off. Judy asked a pointed question.
"Penny--has anything happened between you and Will? An argument?"
"No. We both agreed to a permanent truce. If we're gonna make it out here, we can't have the back-and-forth annoying each other, like we used to."
"Then what happened? You two get along well enough, but its like you're living in fear of each other."
Penny closed her eyes, which began to tear.
"Judy--I ruined things between us. Maybe forever! I think Will hates me, now."
Judy would be a while coaxing what happened out of the isolated 18-year old.
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In Janeway's office, Maureen relayed more of her family's odyssey.
"Perhaps its wrong of me to come down so hard on Doctor Smith. He's not always the one. Sometimes its the kids. Many's the time when we've been targeted by alien forces like we were some kind of cosmic convenience store, or free lunch wagon."
Janeway smiled, then caught herself.
"Sorry, Maureen. But that hits closer to home than you know."
"Its all right, Kathryn. I'm glad to know it rains all over creation. We were beginning to feel picked on."
She shifted back into story mode, fully realizing that five years could only be partially encapsulated in such a brief conversation.
"The journey has been hard on us all. But John and I have each other, and our faith. Judy has Don West and he her. Although she seems to think we're unaware of the extent of things. Doctor Smith I won't attempt to figure. The only people I actively worry about are Will and Penny. They have no one who's just for them. Thank goodness they stopped fighting earlier then we expected. But a single best friend is a poor substitute for drive-ins, concerts, and fast food meeting places. Even if we live, what effect will being isolated ultimately have?"
Paris and Tuvok both seemed unsettled. The Security Officer spoke up.
"Captain--I believe it would be to all our benefits if Mister Paris and I told our other visitors that a decision is pending. May we do so?"
Janeway looked over at the Robinsons.
"John--any problem with that?"
He shook his head.
"None, Kathryn. In fact, I'd appreciate it."
The two officers left the room, but the unsettled look did not leave their faces as they entered the turbolift. Silence, Tuvok observed, was neither a habit nor a virtue with Lieutenant Paris. So it was that Tuvok uncharacteristically spoke first.
"Is this an uncomfortable subject for you, Mister Paris?"
Tom was also unusually brief in his remarks.
"Yeah. Those poor kids."
Tuvok tried to inject logic, but feared that even his own neutrality was suspect.
"Statistics aside, there is no guarantee that 'OCC' as some call it, will occur. Add to that, The Robinsons appear to be of a high moral caliber."
Again, Tom seemed a bit lost.
"So? They're good kids, from a good family. Smart as whips, to coin a phrase. They're still alone, Tuvok. I've been to colonies where OCC was rampant. It was the first time my Dad actually begged me to stay on base, and in my quarters. Not ordered, or threatened--begged. Owen Paris never begs anyone for anything."
Tuvok knew this from talks with Captain Janeway. He also knew Tom's nature.
"What did you find when you violated that agreement?"
Paris didn't protest the presumption.
"My Dad asked me the same thing. No yelling. It was like he was curious. He knew I was shaken up. I was only out for an hour. By my standards, that was poking my head out the door. What did I find, Tuvok?"
He looked directly in the Vulcan's face.
"I found a group of good kids from good families, all smart as whips, who had been into OCC since they were living shipboard at 10, and who could no longer conceive of walking away from it. The parents all turned a blind eye. You know what one said to me?"
Tuvok shook his head.
"I must admit that I do not."
Paris affected a jaded air that he, on his worst day, could never embrace for real.
"Oh, well. At least I know the other family.' Then he chuckled. I didn't see the humor."
Tuvok said a name that formality and practice usually kept him from saying.
"Tom--OCC is not unknown among Vulcan colonies. It is simply more discreet. If you feel that strongly about this matter- -intervene. If The Robinsons choose to stay the month with us, you will have the time."
Paris appreciated the words, but still felt lost.
"What would you have me do?"
Tuvok opened his mouth, but then stopped. When he spoke again, it was a good indicator of his own divided spirit.
"I--have not the slightest idea."
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The relative genius of the Robinsons aside, Don West was not a stupid man. He knew well of actions and their consequences, and he loved Judy Robinson very much. So he responded to her news with a smile and a gentle quip.
"Phew! And here I thought you had just gained weight. I was dreading how to bring up the subject of you going on a diet. I've faced alien monsters--but no man is that brave."
She saw the love and the desire in her man's eyes, and so Judy left a more difficult subject for another day. At least, she left one difficult subject aside. Another would not wait seven months.
"Don--have you talked to Will, like I asked?"
He nodded.
"Til I was blue in the face. All he would say was, that he did something that hurt Penny, and that he felt lousy about it. He thinks that she'll never be able to forgive him."
Which exactly matched what Penny had told Judy--except it was Penny who felt the guilt, speaking of something she had done wrong. A mystery, to be sure.
But for now, the parents-to-be thought only of names, living space--and the thorny particulars of parental notification.
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Inside Janeway's office, Maureen had told all she could, or all she cared to. So Chakotay now spoke for Voyager.
"I'll be brief. Not for privacy, or security. Not even for time. But because how we got here is quite simple. Back home, The Maquis pulled away from The Federation and from Starfleet because a treaty we firmly disagreed with with a somewhat untrustworthy power convinced us that we could no longer work with them. The Caretaker was the wind that displaced us into The Delta Quadrant. This lady bound us together again, and showed that maybe the Maquis and Starfleet folks back home have something to learn about working together. Some aboard Voyager say that I swallowed my pride in becoming Exec, rather than gambling on mutiny. But I quickly remind them that Captain Janeway swallowed a lot of her pride. Two Maquis leaders became part of the Command crew, here. One man proved us all wrong, and rose from being despised by both crews to being the heart of this ship. Such was the cohesiveness of this new family that we survived two major betrayals, from people we thought certain we could trust."
Sensing bitterness in his last statement, Kathryn threw in.
"Those sad individuals--are no longer with us."
John Robinson chuckled.
"You're a better CO than me, Kathryn. Our pain-in-the-neck is still with us."
Janeway now put her offer on the line.
"The rift is stable, and we plan to observe it for the next month, while we undergo a long-term systems check. We're now approaching space belonging to a decidedly unfriendly power known as The Borg. So we need to recalibrate as badly as you apparently do. If you want to stay while we do that, you're more than welcome. We'll offer what help we can, within the interpreted limits of our Prime Directive of non-interference."
Back home, Maureen had always dealt with salespeople. She did so now.
"Kathryn--what kind of help would you be able to offer? You must understand, our experiences in this area have been mixed, and in that I'm being kind."
Chakotay was glad to hear that question. So was his Captain. A look between them confirmed things, on their end. Kathryn spoke again.
"So you've said. Maureen, John--this ship is not paradise, despite our technology. Even if our Prime Directive allowed us to give you everything--which it does not-- we simply don't have everything to give. This is not an offer of the sun, the moon, and all the stars thrown in. This is just an offer of shelter from some other nomads who are, in their own way, even more lost than you are. So? A month's stay?"
The married couple exchanged a look of their own. Kathryn's bluntness had carried the day. John gave a CO's answer.
"We'll stay. We're going to keep our eyes open, mind you. But what harm could 30 Days do?"
So Kathryn called Tom.
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"Got it, Captain. I'll tell Major West."
Tuvok had resumed his clockwork security checks, so Tom went up the ramp of The Jupiter 2 alone. He knocked on the outer hull, noting that the ship was a lot sturdier than it appeared at first glance.
"Hellllo! Is anybody home?"
After a brief but unproductive talk with Will, Major Don West was sitting by the controls and greeted Lieutenant Tom Paris. The meeting of the hotshot pilots began.
"Yeah, we're home. Can I help you?"
"Hope so. Major West?"
"Mostly its Don, now. And you are?"
"Tom Paris. I'm helm, here on Voyager. This place--its terrific. I mean--those controls--they're unreal."
Don smiled with pride.
"She's my second best girl. As much trouble as she gives us--she's yet to give out. The Jupiter 2 is more reliable than a certain alleged human being I know."
Tom guessed.
"Doctor Smith?"
Don nodded.
"The legend spreads across a new ship!"
Tom was about to sit down at the controls when he saw a vision. Something that spoke directly to who he was, at his core. He could not turn away.
"You--are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. The way you're built--the way you look. You--are magnificent."
Judy, Penny and Will all walked in on this odd scene. The girls stared askance at the newcomer. Will broke the silence.
"Don, who is that guy talking to?"
West shrugged.
"I think he's talking to The Robot."
Tom's hungry eyes took in every inch of B-9.
The mechanoid grew apprehensive."Major West--please determine this individual's intentions towards me."
Paris snapped out of it.
"S-Sorry. But the last time I saw something as well-designed as you, it was in my garage program."
Don and Judy responded as one.
"You have a garage?!"
Robot now understood matters.
"Thank You, sir. I often have considered my design to be a superior one."
Tom then saw the two kids who were to become his concern. But before all the introductions could be completed, Voyager's PA blared.
"Warning: This ship is experiencing a systems-wide failure. Evacuation must begin within 5 standard minutes."
Will looked around. His question was also partly a statement of suspicion, over the source of Voyager's trouble.
"Where's Doctor Smith?"
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