Star Trek: Voyager

All shook up.......

By Anna B

Kathryn Janeway rolled over and buried her head under the pillow. It didn’t work, she could still hear the crisp tones of her Security Chief.

"Captain Janeway?"

Janeway rolled over and tapped the communicator that lay on the bedside table. "Yes Tuvok."

"I’m sorry to wake you Captain, but you are needed on the bridge."

Kathryn pushed her hair out of her eyes and sat up. "Report."

Tuvok’s disembodied voice floated through the room. "We have received a distress call," there was the slightest hesitation in his voice, "from the Bajoran’s."

"On my way, have the senior staff met me in the conference room, Janeway out." Kathryn Janeway grabbed her robe and shrugged into it as Tuvok’s voice out more echoed through the room.

"Commander Chakotay, please report to the conference room."

Chakotay rolled over on his back and threw his arm over his eyes as Kathryn turned up the lights. "What time is it"

"Damned early, sorry." Kathryn answered as she walked to the bathroom, "Did you hear any of that?"

Chakotay sat up and swung his legs to the floor. "Enough. Where are my shoes?"

"Where you left them, by the door," Kathryn answered from the bathroom.

"Now if I only had a uniform, I’d be all set."

Kathryn smiled at him as she entered the room, "You certainly can’t report to duty in those clothes."

"What’s wrong with my clothes?"

"Nothing, but you were wearing them when you left the holodeck last night." She ran a brush through her hair, "Discretion, remember? If Tom sees you in those, um, breeches, it would be a dead give away that you didn’t spend the night in your quarters."

He grinned, "Good point, any suggestions?"

"Replicate one." Her fingers tapped out the command, "and we’ll have to leave a change of uniform in each others quarters"

"Or put a door between them," he grabbed the newly replicated uniform and headed for the bathroom. "All done in here?"

Kathryn nodded with a warm smile. "Asking engineering to put a door between our quarters would not be discrete Chakotay."

"Bridge." As the turbo lift began to move Janeway smiled up at Chakotay. "Alone at last."

"Kathryn, I do believe I’ve unleashed a monster. It’s been all of 5 minutes since we left your quarters."

"Your point Commander?"

"I think you are insatiable Captain."

Kathryn elbowed him in the ribs, "Wishful thinking pal!"

Suddenly the turbolift shuddered, throwing Kathryn on top of Chakotay as they tumbled to the floor. "What the hell was that?" exclaimed Chakotay.

Before the Captain could answer or extract herself from her First Officer’s arms, the turbo lifts doors whooshed open.

Tom Paris and B’Elanna Torres stood there trying not to laugh. Tom extended his hand to the Captain and helped her up. "Are you all right, Captain?"

Ignoring the fiery blush that was creeping over her cheeks she assured Paris, "Thank you Mr. Paris, I’m fine."

The Commander gave Paris a look that stopped any further comments he was about to make. "Resume."

Torres spoke up, trying to cover the awkward silence, "What was that?"

"I don’t know B’Elanna, but I intend to find out, Janeway to Tuvok."

On the bridge the crew picked themselves up and returned to their stations. Harry Kim took over at ops, as the Captain’s voice came over the comm, he busied himself trying to locate the source of the incident. He barely looked up as Seven of Nine joined him at his station. His hands flew over his console as he scanned the space around them for anomalies.

"Mr. Kim?"

Harry looked over at Tuvok. "Sensors have found nothing out of the ordinary in this sector, sir. I’m widening the scanning area."

"Thank you Mr. Kim. Captain?"

"I heard Mr. Tuvok, please have Mr. Kim join us in the conference room."

Harry turned over the console to the Ensign who had been on duty when the distress call came through. "I’ve set up a search perimeter for the next six parsecs. Patch it through to the conference room." As he started across the bridge the ship shuddered again, knocking Harry and several other crew members off their feet.

"Everyone okay?" Captain Janeway inquired as she settled into her chair.

"There have been several minor injuries reported," answered Tuvok. "Minimal damage to crew quarters."

"Neelix reported some damage in the kitchen and the hydroponics bays. He would like some help cleaning up before breakfast." Chakotay laid down his PADD. "I’ve assigned C’latin and Stevens to help him. A little KP duty will do them some good."

She nodded and turned to B’Elanna, "Engineering?"

"The warp core is stable. A few panels came open. I have crews out checking the bioneural packs, so far no one has reported any damage."

"I checked with the conn. No problems there." Paris looked up from his PADD. "I’ve never been in an earthquake, but I image what we just experienced was very similar."

"I’d have to agree with you." Janeway smiled, "Harry, any ideas on what caused these earthquakes?"

Harry shook his head. "I’ve checked for subspace riffs, shockwaves, and all other anomalies that could cause the quakes with no success. Ensign Jameson is continuing the search."

"Anything else? What about the distress call?"

"We’ve been unable to confirm the location Captain," answered Tuvok, "or verify it is in fact a Bajoran ship."

"I would like to put Ensign Karan on that Captain," put in Chakotay, "she was in the resistance before joining Starfleet and would be the best person to verify the signal."

Janeway nodded, "Okay. B’Elanna, keep me appraised of your status at all times. Tom, I‘m sure the Doctor could use some assistance in sickbay. Harry, keep scanning, and keep me informed. Dismissed."

Kathryn Janeway sat at her desk reviewing the latest information from Harry’s scans. At the sound of the door chime she looked up. "Enter." She smiled as Chakotay walked into the room.

"You need to take a break Kathryn. You’ve been at this for hours."

She rubbed the back of her neck. "I know, but the quakes are getting closer together and longer each time, and we are no closer to an answer than we were this morning."

"Very early this morning. You haven’t taken a break since then."

Chakotay walked over to the table and set down a tray. "I had Neelix make you some coffee and something to eat."

Kathryn rose and joined him. "You’re right, it smells wonderful. Join me, you haven’t taken a break either." She poured a cup. "Chakotay! This is real coffee! Where did you get this?"

"I’ve been growing some in the hydroponics bay. It’s not as real as you think. The original beans were replicated." He smiled at her, "It was my trump card."

"Trump card?"

"To soften you up." He grinned at her expression as his meaning dawned on her. "I was running out of ideas."

"Really Chakotay! You would have bribed me?"

"If I had to," he answered, smiling at her.

Kathryn reached out and traced his tattoo. "You wouldn’t have had to. I was considering, um, seducing you, if you hadn’t made your move soon." Her hand drew a line down his cheek to his throat.

"Kathryn Janeway! I’m shocked!" he laughed, capturing her hand with his, "Are you trying to seduce me now?"

"In here? Not likely."

"Then please don’t do that," he said sternly.

She looked at him from under her eyelashes, "Do what?" she cooed in mock innocence.

"You are incorrigible, Captain," he got up and walked over to her desk. "I think I’d better stay over here, so we can go over this." He waved a PADD at her. "After all we are on duty."

"Get over here, I’ll be good, I promise." She reached for her coffee, "I don’t intend to shout, besides, I didn’t lock the door."

B’Elanna Torres walked into the dining room. She had been on her feet for sixteen hours and needed a break. Glancing around she saw Harry sitting with his head on a table. Grabbing a pot of what passed for coffee on Voyager she sat down across from him. "You look like you could use a cup of this, Starfleet."

Harry groaned and lifted his head. "Thanks. The last time I remember being this tired was exam week at the Academy." He took a sip and grimaced. "How are things in Engineering?"

"The warp engines are still off line, that last quake really shook things up." Putting down her cup she glanced around. "It’s been a least a half hour since the last one. Maybe it’s over."

The words barely left her mouth when the huge ship began to shudder. B’Elanna cursed as hot coffee splashed on her hand. All over the ship crew grabbed anything to keep on their feet. This quake was the worst yet. It went on for a full minute, causing major damage all over the ship.

In sickbay, Tom and the Doctor scrambled as they tried to keep the patients from tumbling off the biobeds. Instruments flew off the tables and clattered to the floor. The less injured crew members tried to help, but soon found they couldn’t keep their footing.

Engineering was chaos. The shaking had caused Ensign Thomas to fall over the rail and he dangled over the warp core. Vorick struggled to get a grip on him, but even his Vulcan strength was giving out. Several other crew were trying to reach Vorick and Thomas to help, but the unrelenting shaking was impeding their progress.

The bridge was in little better shape. Seven braced herself against a console in a futile attempt to stay on her feet. Tuvok had been flung out of the captain’s chair and lay face down on the floor. The sensors were going crazy and the computer was repeating the same phrase over and over, "unable to comply, unable to comply, unable to comply..."

In the Ready Room, kneeling on the floor, Chakotay wrapped his arms around Kathryn and pulled her against his chest. As the ships swayed and groaned, he bent over her burying his face against her back as he curved his body over hers. He heard the crash of her mementos falling off the shelves. He felt a sting as something hit his face. The shock waves seemed to go on forever, and then as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. The only sound was the computer voice, "unable to comply, unable to comply, unable to comply..."

Slowly the crew began to move. Harry helped B’Elanna up. "Are you okay?"

B’Elanna nodded, "I think so, are you?" She looked around the mess hall. Neelix seemed unhurt and he quickly moved from table to table, helping people up, seeing to their injuries. "I’ve got to get to Engineering." B’Elanna walked over to the door, almost walking into it when it didn’t open. "What the hell?" She slapped her communicator. "Torres to Engineering." After what seemed like forever a voice answered her.

"Vorick here."

"Ensign, what is our status?"

"Most systems are off line. Communication has just been restored," came the dispassionate answer.

"Exactly what systems are functioning?"

"Life support, communication."

"That’s it? What about the Doctor?"

"He is still functioning, apparently with the holoemitter."

"All right. Keep working on getting the rest of systems online. I’ll try to get down there as soon as I can. Torres out."

"Kathryn?"

"I’m okay." Janeway pulled herself up off the floor, "Are you okay?" She reached out to his face.

"It’s a scratch." He smiled, "I’m fine, really." He helped her move through the room. "Let’s hope the bridge is in better shape." Chakotay came to an abrupt stop at the door. "If we can get to it."

Kathryn tapped her communicator. "Janeway to Tuvok."

"Ensign Karan here Captain. Lt. Tuvok has been injured."

Janeway looked at Chakotay, "How badly injured?"

Seven of Nine answered her. "He has struck his cranium on a railing. He is unconscious, but breathing."

Kathryn breathed a sigh of relief, "What is our status?"

"We have life support and communication, Captain." Ensign Karan reported, "Mr. Paris reports the Doctor is functioning and there has been major damage on several decks."

"Thank you Ensign. You have the bridge until the Commander and I can get out of here. Janeway out." She turned to Chakotay, "It looks like we’re stuck here, unless we can pry the doors open."

"I can try," he shrugged and looked around for something to use as a lever. "This room was designed to be impervious to outside attack."

"How do you know that?"

"I studied the ship when I first came aboard."

Kathryn studied him carefully, "Why?"

Chakotay turned to her, "It’s my job to protect you. I wanted to make sure you would be safe in case..." His voice trailed off.

"In case of a mutiny?" Janeway finished softly.

"Yes. Some of the Maquis were not happy," he answered shortly as he picked up a support which had fallen off a shelf. "If I was unable to defuse the situation, I wanted to be sure you weren’t harmed."

Silently she watched as he walked over to the door. He would have sided against his own crew, she thought, if it had come to a mutiny. Guiltily she thought of the few times she’d privately questioned his loyalty. Kathryn Janeway you are a damned fool! she mused. She’d had his loyalty from the moment he made the decision to join her.

"Kathryn, give me a hand." Chakotay’s voice broke into her thoughts, "I think with a little more strength we can get these doors. open."

Before she could reach him the ship began to shudder again. The movement threw them both off balance. Kathryn reached out for her first officer and together they struggled to keep their balance. This time the tremors stopped quickly. The sudden stop tossed them both to the floor. Kathryn felt the breath knocked out of her as she hit the floor. "Chakotay?" The room was plunged into darkness as she reached out for him. "Chakotay! Answer me!" She groped frantically in the blackness.

"Ow! I’m right here!"

"Damn it! Why didn’t you answer me?" Kathryn crawled toward his voice, "I thought, I mean, don’t ever do that to me again!"

"I’m sorry, but I couldn’t catch my breath. He gathered her in his arms. "We’d better check on the rest of the ship." He tapped his communicator. "Chakotay to bridge."

"Yes sir?" They both let out a sigh of relief as Ensign Karan answered him.

"Status Ensign."

"We still have life support sir, communication is limited, the computer is barely functioning and we have lost communication with Engineering."

"Contact as many crew as possible and let us know their status. Chakotay out." He helped the Captain to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. We need to get to the emergency panel" She reached for his hand. "It’s ironic, any other time I’d relish being trapped in the dark with you."

He laughed, "I say when this is over we get the doctor to confine us to quarters for fourty eight hours. Better yet to bed. Watch your step."

"Do you think we could get the Doctor to confine us to bed for fourty eight hours?" She winced silently when he put his arm around her.

Chakotay grinned in the darkness, "He’s always after us to relax. Almost there." Together they picked their way over to the emergency panel built into the bulkhead. "Where’s the latch?" He ran his fingers across the panel pressing randomly until the panel popped open. "Got it!"

Kathryn breathed a sigh of relief as he snapped on the emergency light. It bathed her face in an eerie glow and Chakotay could see the tears on her face. He turned back to the panel. "Phasers. We can try to cut through the door, can’t we?"

She took the phasers from him.

"It’s worth a try. The door was designed to keep someone out, not in."

"Are you sure you’re not hurt?"

She brushed the tears off her face. "I’m fine. Lets get out of here before another quake hits."

"You okay Harry?" B’Elanna called over her shoulder as they crawled through the Jefferies tube.

"Just dandy. At least we don’t get thrown around too much in here." He groaned, "however my knees are killing me, how much farther?"

B’Elanna smiled to herself, Harry had kept up with her since they’d left the mess hall, no easy feat. "Almost there Starfleet, you gonna make it?"

"I’ll make it," Harry answered wondering if he really would.

Torres stopped and pushed at the panel in front of her. "Made it!" She jumped down into the chaos that was Engineering.

Ensign Thomas saw her first. "Lieutenant Torres! Thank god! We weren’t sure if anyone else had survived."

"What!" Harry Kim dropped to the floor beside B’Elanna.

"We lost communication with the rest of the ship after the last quake. We’ve only managed to keep life support functioning."

"Where’s Vorick?" B’Elanna moved to the nearest console.

"He was injured during the last quake. We’ve tried to make the injured comfortable over there." Thomas pointed to an alcove just off main Engineering.

"Okay, good job. How many crew are able to work?"

"Including you and Mr. Kim there’s six of us."

B’Elanna groaned, "Let’s get to work people! I want as many systems up and running as possible before the next quake."

"Cover your eyes." Chakotay warned as he aimed the phaser at the ready room door. As he pressed on the trigger a blinding flash of light engulfed the room.

"Q!" Chakotay whirled at the sound of Kathryn’s voice, phaser in hand.

"Don’t shoot!" yelped Q lifting his arms.

"Give me one good reason why not." asked the Commander through clenched teeth.

"Kathy, are you going to let him kill me?"

Captain Janeway folded her arms across her chest trying not to wince at the pain. "I might."

Q looked from the Captain to her First Officer. "I believe you would," he dropped his hands. "I had nothing to do with this."

"Are we supposed to take you on your word as a gentleman?" asked Chakotay.

"Kathy, really, are you going to let him talk to me that way?"

"He can talk to you anyway he wants Q. Captain’s prerogative."

"I had nothing to do with these events. But I know who did."

"Why am I not surprised?" Janeway moved over to her desk.

Chakotay picked up her chair and helped her sit down. "You’re hurt," he whispered, "how bad?"

She touched his hand, "Nothing serious, I’ll be fine, don’t worry."

"Oh please, spare me!" Q moaned, "must I be subjected to these displays. Kathy how could you! Ah well, I accept defeat, you are a lucky man Commander."

Chakotay smiled slightly, "Thank you. So are you Q, I’ve met your wife." Janeway struggled not to laugh at the expression on Q’s face.

"Someday Chuckles, let me sit you down and warn you about the evils of marriage. But not just now, we have a more pressing problem."

"I agree, can you get us out of this Q?" asked Kathryn.

Q began to pace. "I’m working on it. This is not as easy as it seems."

"Another Q?" asked Chakotay.

"Yes and no," Q shrugged, "I don’t mean to be vague, but I can’t be any more concise. A Q yet not a Q."

"A child," Janeway looked at Q "certainly not my godchild!"

"Oh no. He’s good as gold," Q answered, "This is a perpetual adolescent, even though he’s several centuries older than me. He occasionally gets out of hand has a temper tantrum. Since the elders appointed me his guardian, he most often acts out against me."

"By using Voyager? Just because you’ve taken an interest in us? I find that hard to believe."

"Fraid so Kathy. I’m trying my best to stop this current tantrum. Trust me. I’ve repaired what I could. I really must go before he finds me here. Ta ta!" With a flash of light he was gone.

The door to the ready room whooshed open. "Captain, Commander?" Seven of Nine stood in the open doorway.

"We’re fine," Chakotay answered as he helped Kathryn up. "How is Tuvok?"

"On his way to sickbay. The turbolifts are functioning and the computer is back on line."

"Warp engines?" asked Janeway.

"Still off line Captain, but Lt. Torres reports we should have impulse engines in approximately a hour."

"Thank you Seven. The Commander and I are going to sickbay." Captain Janeway glanced at the bridge. "Ensign Karan, you have the bridge until I return."

"You fractured three ribs, but I repaired them, " Tom Paris smiled at the Captain, "Chakotay has a superficial laceration to his cheek and two broken fingers. Are you sure one you isn’t part Klingon?"

"Very funny Tom." Chakotay walked up behind him.

"Opps! Sorry!" Tom moved quickly away.

"At least he had the good grace to blush." Kathryn smiled at her first officer, "he was joking Chakotay."

"Remind to ask him how he knows so much about Klingon mating rituals." He helped Janeway off the biobed, "Sometime when B’Elanna is not around."

"Chicken." Janeway laughed as they left the sickbay.

"Bridge." Chakotay turned to the Captain, "Isn’t this how we started this morning?"

She smiled, "Not exactly, but close. Let’s hope Q..."

The turbolift began to shake and Janeway and Chakotay braced themselves against the walls. But the shaking quickly stopped as did the turbolift. Q appeared, "Do not be afraid Kathy! It is done. I.."

"No thanks to you," drawled a sarcastic voice.

"You!" Q snarled, "What are you doing here?"

"Making sure you don’t use my achievement to seduce that, that, human female!" sneered Mrs. Q, turning toward Janeway who was still in Chakotay’s arms. "But I see the better man won!" She smiled and leaned forward, "You know Captain," she whispered, "girl to girl, I wondered how long you’d be able to hold the big lug off."

"Oh Please!" Q whined, "I’m feeling nauseous."

"Will someone just tell us what happened?" snapped Janeway.

"Of course, poor dear, you must be exhausted, ready for bed!" Mrs. Q smirked at Q, "Once again, that truant that my husband was saddled with has been out causing trouble. And once more I had to clean up the mess." She snapped her fingers and another being appeared. "Trelane, apologize to Captain Janeway."

The man looked sullenly at the Captain, "Sorry."

"That wasn’t very sincere darling, once again."

Janeway looked at Trelane and the anger and resentment in his eyes frightened her. "Apology accepted Mr. Trelane", she said quickly.

A childlike grin lit up Trelane’s face, "She called me Mr. Trelane!"

Mrs. Q took his arm. "Yes she did. Now lets go, time to take you home." She glared at Q, "You will be joining us soon?"

Q sighed, "Of course dearest." As quickly as she had appeared she was gone. "See Chuckles, a ball and chain!" And then Q was gone and the turbolift opened onto the bridge.

"Report."

"All systems are functioning within normal parameters."

"And the distress signal?" Chakotay sat down and looked at his viewscreen.

"It is a Bajoran signal, sir." answered Ensign Karan, "just not a recent one. The signal is from one of original probes launched by Bajor early in their exploration of space . Quite possibly it was caught in the same kind of plasma field that brought us here. It was at least 100 years old."

Janeway looked at Chakotay, "Or it was Trelane."

"Captain?"

"Thank you Ensign, you did a excellent job. Both with the probe and during the tremors."

"Thank you Captain." the young Bajoran blushed and returned to her station.

"Enter"

"Ready for dinner?" Kathryn Janeway smiled at her first officer.

"Are you sure you don’t want to stay in?" Chakotay asked as they left his quarters.

"No. I want to go out and afterwards you, Commander, are going to take me to Sandrines for drinks, dancing and a game of pool."

"Sandrines?" Chakotay smiled at her, "This your idea of discretion? Dancing at Sandrines?"

"And a game of pool, which I intend to win," Kathryn wound her fingers through his as they entered the mess hall, "since we’ll be playing for pretty high stakes." She smiled at him as they sat down.

He returned her smile, "What high stakes?"

With a wicked grin the Captain of Voyager leaned forward and whispered in the First Officer’s ear the exact stakes they would be playing pool for.

"We’re going to need that door between our quarters." sighed the First Officer.

The End

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