Caretaker: Part Four

Chapter 4: Caretaker: Part 4

Bini Filters POV

-----

"Bini! Get up already."

I opened my eyes to the dim light of sickbay. The frowny face of the EMH and Tom were looking down at me. Tom, at least had a look of concern.

"Ahh, Miss. Filters. You are finally awake. Goody." The EMH growled as he shut his tricorder and moved away. Tom helped me sit up, against the protests of my body.

"What happened? How did I get here?" I demanded as I focused my attention on Tom again.

"Well, somehow we got back to Voyager and everyone injured was sent to sickbay. That was a day ago. We were on the array for three days." Tom replied and pointed to the rest of the biobeds. Captain Janeway, Sarah, Micheal and even Mollie lied on each one. Sleeping.

"Are they going to be OK?" I asked. Boy. I must have hit my head hard.

"Sarah and Micheal had a few injuries. Scratches, bruises and so on. Captain Janeway and Mollie will take a bit more time to recover." Tom explained.

I nodded quietly and relaxed back down. Tom went back to check on Sarah and Micheal as the EMH checked on Mollie who was on the surgical biobed at the end of the room. I sighed. At times like this, I always end up reflecting on my past.

Despite whether or not I want to.

I miss my mother.

Mama.

Shit! I can't have a fuckin pity party here in the middle of sickbay for goodness sake.

I hopped off the biobed and started to head for the exit. Tom and the Doctor jumped to attention as they quickly blocked my path. I put my hands on my hips and glared at them.

"What is it now?"

"You just took severe damage. Especially in your brain. You had a fractured skull. I am keeping you here for observation. You can't just walk off like-" The doctor rambled. I stopped him and pointed my finger towards him.

"What are you going to do about it? Last I checked you were only made of light. You could order me to stay under some stupid Starfleet rule but you also can't because I don't work for Starfleet. I am doing this to get out of confinement." I argued. The Doctor and Tom looked at each other for a moment. Either pleasantly surprised or unimpressed.

They sighed and moved away. I gave them a small smile of victory as I stormed out.

Bini: One.

Tom and EMH: Zero.

---10 minutes later---

I have never run faster in my life then I did in the past ten minutes to the bridge. The moment I left sickbay, I ran to my quarters at deck 7, changed my uniform. Then ran to the messhall on deck 5 to get a hot chocolate and finally I have entered the bridge.

Since most of the senior staff and other members of the crew had been killed when we were flung to who knows where we are pretty much screwed when it comes to personal running the ship.

"Someone! Report!" I barked as I entered the bridge. Five people were on the bridge. They all looked at me in confusion as I moved to the front of the bridge and looked at them all.

"Um...are you in charge now?" Rollins asked from security.

"I guess so. I did just ask for a report." I replied.

A Lieutenant at Harry's station raised her eyebrow.

"But you are a criminal." She commented. Great, this again.

"Does that matter right now?" I snapped. Wait, where was Harry? "Where is Ensign Kim?"

The Lieutenant shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Well, aren't you helpful. This is the reason I am in charge and not any of you. I am thinking like a criminal." I said. Lieutenant Carey sat at engineering and turned his focus to our little chat. I took a sip from my hot chocolate.

"Who elected you to be a leader? I thought Rollins was in charge...Also, using the fact that you are a criminal to insult people. Not your best move there." He pitched in. Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. Seriously? Can't I just have one good moment here?!

"Computer, Where is Ensign Harry Kim?"

"Ensign Kim is not on board."

Oh please. I clapped my hands together and sucked in a deep breath before giving everyone a slight smile.

"So...we might have a problem..."

They all glared at me. I am pretty sure they are all thinking of ways to kill me right now.

-----

Harry Kim's POV

A young lady and man are looking down at me. "He's regaining consciousness." The lady reported as the man looked from her to me. They were from a species I had never seen before. Wearing bright white garments.

"How do you feel?" He asked. I struggled to adjust my eyes to the bright light.

"Where am I? Who are you?!" I asked in a panic as I attempted to push myself off the bed. The lady put her hand on my shoulder.

"Please, you are very ill. You must remain still." She insisted. Ill? I am not ill!

"Ill? No, no. There's some mistake. I'm not-" I looked down at my hands. There was some sort of growth on them! I looked at my chest. Same growth! I tried to get control of my breathing.

"NO!" Someone screamed beside me. On the other side of the room, there was a woman. She knocked down the man from earlier who I now assume is a Doctor and the lady, who I am also assuming is a nurse, ran after her.

The woman glazed in my direction. She looked half-human, half klingon! She growled in anger and bolted towards the door. Two medics enter the room to grab her while the Doctor grabs a hypospray and injected her with it. She looked at the Doctor with big eyes. "What- What did you do?" She demanded as she slipped asleep. The nurse looked at me with a small smile.

"Sorry, about that."

-----

Bini Filters POV

"Where could he be?!" Rollins demanded as I sat at the medical station at the left of the bridge near the front, reviewing a padd with information about what happened when we came back on board.

It had been at least two hours since we found out Harry was missing. The Maquis ship outside had yet to move. I guess they were still on the Array. Maybe Harry was still on the Array. But we can't even scan it.

"Maybe the Array. I suggested this 30 minutes ago." The Lieutenant who I learned was named Maria Weston snapped at Rollins from Ops.

"Look, why don't we just send a team over to the array and ... take it by force?" I suggested. Rollins looked at me as if I had grown a second head and danced around yelling about the circle of life.

"Have you lost all common sense?" He asked.

"OK, no need to get defensive and insulting here." I replied.

"That is literally what you have been doing for the past two hours." Carey said. I pointed the padd across the bridge at him.

"Stop pitching in!"

The turbo lift doors slide open to reveal Captain Janeway with a slight limp and her "Captain's mask" on coming onto the bridge. We all jumped to attention.

"C-Captain? You are looking...lively." I stammered out as she waved us at ease and sat down in her command chair. Tom ran onto the bridge in a panic.

"Captain! You should be resting. Your children have followed that order, even your dog!" Tom explained.

"I am needed on the bridge, Tom. Report to your station." She barked. He simply nodded and muttered to himself as he logged onto the console.

"Report!"

"Well, Harry is missing, Engineering reports everything is working and the Maquis ship is offline still." I said. Captain Janeway looked towards me.

"Harry is missing? We have been back for about 27 hours and no one has noticed this until now?"

"We found out two hours ago."

She pinched the bridge of her nose and clenched her other hand into a fist.

"Acknowledged. Computer, how many crewmen are unaccounted for?"

"One. Ensign Harry Kim."

"Captain, the Maquis ship is powering up its engines." Lieutenant Weston reported.

"Tractor them in, then hail them." She ordered.

"Aye Captain."

I watched on the viewscreen as the blue tractor beam grabbed hold of the small box of bolts. heh, a box of bolts. That is funny.

The viewscreen changed to the small bridge of the Liberty. Chakotay was scowling at us. Well, Janeway mostly, I guess he didn't notice me as I carefully walked to Tom.

"Do you think he is going to kill me?" I whispered towards him.

"Chakotay, kill you? He would kill me before he killed you. At least you would get a heads up when you find out I am dead." He joked...I think...

"Pleasent thoughts right?"

"*sigh* Right, Shadow."

Captain Janeway stood up and walked forward, then leaned against the rail.

"Commander Chakotay. My name is Captain Kathryn Janeway."She introduced.

"How do you know my name?" He asked. You know, sometimes. Sometimes Chakotay is a complete idiot. And yes, I can see Seska glareing at me from behind him. Tuvok simply raised an eyebrow, classic Vulcan and B'Ela-

Where was B'Elanna?

I tapped Tom for his attention.

"Do you see B'Elanna?"

"Nope. I don't actually."

"That is strange don't you think? Aren't you the first one to always see here?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that you had a crush on her before you got caught. You hounded her when you weren't with me. So, I assumed you would be the first to notice." I muttered. He shifted uncomfortably.

"You assumed wrong. Besides, it is a big ship. She is probably...somewhere we can't see her."

"We both know that the ship is not big at all. It was one of the smallest, broken damn ship in the fleet!"

"We were on a mission to find you when we were brought here by the array. One of our crewman is missing. Was he transported back to your ship by accident?" Janeway's voice snapped us back into the present.

"No. A member of our crew is missing too. B'Elanna Torres, my engineer." I chuckled softly as Tom shot me a "shut up." look.

"Commander, you and I have the same problem. I think it makes sense to try and solve it together, don't you?"

"Three of us will transport to your ship." He quickly replied and cut off the transmission

I quickly grabbed an extra padd, then I logged onto my padd and opened a chatroom with Tom. I handed him a padd and gave him the signal. We used to make Chatrooms often on the Maquis. We didn't want to be eavesdropped on.

-----Chatroom------

BF entered Chatroom

Flyboy entered Chatroom

Flyboy: what is it

BF: We have a problem.

Flyboy: I would say that is correct. Last I checked Chakotay hated my guts.

BF: Did you seriously never notice the way he looked at her, you idiot!

Flyboy: what are you talking about?

BF: You are less observant than I thought.

Flyboy: Is that an insult?

BF: Tom, focus. Chakotay had the look.

Flyboy: Chakotay has a lot of looks. Just tell me what is happening.

BF: he had that look whenever Seska walks in. That lust look.

Flyboy: Shit.

Flyboy: Do you think he likes her?

BF: Chakotay has got a type. She checks just about every box on his list!

Flyboy: What are we supposed to do about it?

BF: We are screwed.

BF: everyone on that ship is screwed because he...he is going to try and...how do I say this lightly... Act on his feelings?

Flyboy: That is screwed up thinking Bini. Wtf has happened to you?

BF: I will tell you what has happened to me. Seska convinced Chakotay to send me on the death march right into Jjail with you. He had feelings for her and acted on them. I got screwed over. You got screwed over. Everyone got screwed over. I am not going to let that happen again. Especially to a married Captain.

Flyboy: He isn't going to.

BF: How would you know?

Flyboy: He is a kind, honest man. Who does hate me. But he is justified in that.

BF: Until Seska got a hold of him.

Flyboy: We can't let him be with her alone. We are going to stick near her for the rest of the day. And when the time comes, you are going to stay with her kids. Got it?

BF: Of course.

-----Chatroom-----

Tom Paris POV

I deleted the chatroom and looked up at Bini beside me.

"Tom. Are we losing our minds in here?" She asked. Tears started to form in her eyes.

"Somehow this is worse than prison. So yes. Yes, we are Shadow." I replied. She quickly wiped her eyes and stared at the dark viewscreen. Watching the ship orbit the array.

"It is going to get better. It has to get better." Her voice cracked.

"It will. It damn will." I muttered. She gave me a small smile before watching as the transporter beam pulled three individuals onto the bridge. Everyone with a phaser pulled them out at the three Maquis standing on the bridge. It was Chakotay, Tuvok and Seska.

Shit, Seska.

They were also each holding phasers. I am surprised they didn't just start shooting right away. Captain Janeway stood tall of course. Facing them like a freakin dragon.

"Put down your weapons. You won't need those here."

I would think otherwise but sure...OK.

Everyone slowly lowered their weapons and glared at the other side in mistrust. At this point, I am not sure what side Bini and I are on anymore.

She then smiled towards the Vulcan. Tuvok.

"It's good to have you back, Mister Tuvok."

Tuvok moved away from the group to stand beside Captain Janeway.

"I must inform you that I was assigned to infiltrate your crew, sir. I am Captain Janeway's Chief of Security." He said directly to Chakotay.

Everyone was surprised. All expect Bini and I. We figured it out in the first week. It was very easy.

My mind drifted back to those memories.

-----FLASHBACK-----

Bini and I sat in the messhall. Dinner had just ended and as usual, we still sat at the back of the area at a small table. Quietly munching on our replicated dinner.

"So, I think Vulcan is a spy." Bini casually let out as she sipped her hot chocolate. I put down my fork and looked towards her.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"The Vulcan is NOT a spy."

"Oh really. Then why did I see him contact Starfleet yesterday?" She asked. My eyes grew wide.

"You saw him do WHAT!?"

The ten people left in the messhall that could fit 30 looked in our direction. Bini covered my mouth with her hand.

"Shut up! Do I have to repeat myself, a complete moron? Complete and utter moron."

I yanked her hand away from me.

"I heard you. Do you have any proof?"

She pulled out a padd and slide it over towards me.

"I got some of it on video."

I shook my head and turned on the padd. After a few moments, I finally found the video. It was only a moment but...very convincing.

"That...wow."

"Wow is right."

-----FLASHBACK-----

"I must inform you that I was assigned to infiltrate your crew, sir. I am Captain Janeway's Chief of Security." Tuvok's voice snapped me back to reality. Bini let out an evil chuckle.

"Ha, ha! I got em." She let out. Everyone turned their attention toward us. Chakotay's face went from fury to bloodshed in about 5 seconds. Good going, Bini.

"At least the Vulcan was doing his duty as a Starfleet officer. But you, you betrayed us for what? Freedom from prison? Latinum? What was your price this time, Paris? Better yet! You dragged Bini down with you. She is probably corrupted from you now!" He raged and stormed towards us.

"Corrupted? Now I am insulted." Bini muttered.

"That should be the least of your problems now." I snapped back as he came closer and closer.

-----

Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV

I don't know what sudden possessed me to block Chakotay's path on his way to murder Tom and possibly Bini after that. Either way, I did. I think I need a vacation. A long one.

I stepped in his path. He glared down at me.

"You are speaking to a member of my crew. I expect you to treat him with the same respect as you would have me treat a member of yours. Now, we have a lot to accomplish, and I suggest we all concentrate on finding our people and getting ourselves back home." I explained. He looked me dead in the eye, then hesitantly back off a few steps, still glaring at Tom and Bini in the process.

Tuvok moved to the security station. Rollins moved away, letting go a breath of relief. He moved to stand at one of the consoles lining the back wall of the bridge.

"Based on my initial reconnaissance, Captain, I am convinced we are dealing with a single entity in the array. I would suggest he scanned our computers in order to select a comfortable holographic environment. In effect, a waiting room to pacify us prior to biometric assessment." Tuvok commented.

"An examination?" Tom asked.

"It is the most logical explanation. Why else would he have released us unharmed?" Tuvok pointed out.

"Not all of us were." Tom muttered.

"Break out the compression phaser rifles. Meet us in Transporter Room two. We're going back. We'll divide into teams. Mister Tuvok, while Chakotay and I are looking for Torres and Kim, your job is to find out as much about this array as you can. It brought us here. We have to assume it can send us home. Agreed? Mister Rollins, maintain Red alert. Keep us on constant transporter locks." I ordered I started towards the turbo lift.

Rollins nodded towards me and moved back to the security station as Tuvok once again moved away from it. Tom almost jumped forward as we entered the turbo lift. Seska looked around for a moment before tapping her communicator and beaming back to the ship.

"Captain. I'd like to go with you." He said. Chakotay clenched his fists and straightened his posture next to me as we stood at the doorway of the turbolift in front of Tuvok.

"If this has something to do with what Chakotay said-"

"It doesn't. I'd just, I'd hate to see anything happen to Harry." He replied. I sighed.

"Come on."

-----

Chakotay's POV

We reappeared on the farm from earlier. Tuvok pulled out his tricorder and scan the area with Janeway just a little farther than the group. I followed after her.

"There are no humanoid lifeforms indicated, Captain. Kim and Torres are not within tricorder range. They may not be on the array." Tuvok said.

Janeway took a moment to look around the farm. The only sign of life was a old man playing the banjo in a chair on the front lawn.

"He can tell us where they are." Janeway said as we made our way over to him. I am confused. He is a hologram. I don't think he would know what is going on.

"Maintain your comm. link. I don't want to lose anyone else." Janeway ordered. The old man looked up at us and stopped plucking at his banjo.

"Oh, why have you come back? You don't have what I need. Why couldn't you have just left like the others?" He snapped. OK, never mind.

"I don't know what you need and frankly I don't care. I just want our people back and I want us all to be sent home." Janeway shot back.

"Well now. Aren't you contentious for a minor bipedal species?" He commented.

"This minor bipedal species doesn't take kindly to being abducted." Janeway barked.

"Oh, it was necessary." He insisted.

"Where are our people?" I stepped in.

"They are no longer here." He replied.

"What have you done to them?" Janeway asked.

"You don't have what I need. They might. No, you'll have to leave them." The man said.

"We won't do that." I fought back.

"We are their commanding officers. We are entrusted with their safety. They are our responsibility. That may be a concept you don't understand." Janeway added.

"Oh, no, I do understand, but I have no choice. There just is not enough time left." He said.

"Left for what?" She asked.

"I must honour a debt that can never be repaid, but my search has not been going well." He explained.

"Tell us what you're looking for. Maybe we can help you find it." Janeway suggested.

"You? I've searched the galaxy with methods beyond your comprehension. No, there's nothing you can do." He snapped.

"You've taken us seventy thousand light-years from our home. We have no way back unless you send us, and we won't leave without the others." Janeway said.

"But sending you back is terribly complicated. Don't you understand? I don't have time. Not enough time!" He yelled.

He waved his arm and suddenly we appeared on the bridge of Voyager again. Great.

-----

Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV

(About two hours later.)

"Captain's log, stardate 48315.6. We've traced the energy pulses from the array to the fifth planet of the neighbouring system and believe they may have been used in some fashion to transport Kim and Torres to the planet's surface. Computer, end log."

I took a sip of my coffee as I relaxed in my chair. I grabbed a padd from my desk and began to read through it. My thoughts drifted to my children who were still in sickbay under observation. I tapped my combadge.

"Janeway to EMH."

"EMH here, Captain. What can I do for you?"

"Do you have any news on Sarah and Micheal?"

"They need more rest. Unfortunately, Bini Filters has distracted them from that by chatting with them for two hours now."

I chuckled as I heard Bini protest against his accusation from the background as my children laughed.

"Thank you, Doctor. Janeway out." I quickly closed the channel and relaxed against the chair again. The door to the ready room chimed. I sighed and placed the coffee and padd down. I straightened up.

"Come in." I answered.

Tuvok walked in.

"Captain, I've observed something peculiar about the pulses. They're getting faster." He said.

"Faster?" I replied.

"The interval between each pulse has decreased by point four seven seconds since we arrived. I can offer no explanation." He said. I sighed and grabbed my padd.

"That's only one of the mysteries we're dealing with, Mister Tuvok. Take a look at this." I said as I handed him the padd of the planet the pulses went to.

"It's virtually a desert. Not one ocean, not one river. It has all the basic characteristics of an M-class planet except there are no nucleogenic particles in the atmosphere." I reported.

"That would mean the planet is incapable of producing rain." Tuvok said.

"I've studied thousands of M-class planets. I've never seen an atmosphere without nucleogenics. There must have been some kind of extraordinary environmental disaster. As soon as repairs are complete, we'll set a course for the fifth planet." I ordered as I took another sip and Tuvok set the padd down.

"Captain, you require sleep. Time to process what has happened."

"Kim's mother called me just after he left her. Delightful woman. He's her only son. He'd left his clarinet behind. She wanted to know if she had time to send it. I had to tell her no. Did you know he played clarinet in the Julliard Youth Symphony?"

"I did not have the opportunity to meet Mister Kim."

"I barely knew him. I never seem to have the chance to get to know any of them. I have to, I have to take more time to do that. It's a fine crew and I've got to get them home."

"The crew will not benefit from the leadership of an exhausted captain."

"You're right as usual. I've missed your counsel, Tuvok."

"I am gratified that you came after me so I can offer it once again."

"I spoke to your family before I left."

"Are they well?" He asked.

"Well, but worried about you."

"That would not be an accurate perception, Captain. Vulcans do not worry."

"They miss you."

"As I do them." I gave him a weak smile and reached over and gripped his hand.

"I'll get you back to them. That's a promise, Tuvok."

-----

Tom Paris's POV

(Five hours later.)

("Captain's log, supplemental. The Maquis ship and Voyager have encountered a debris field where sensors have detected a small vessel. One humanoid life form is on board.")

"Hail them." Captain Janeway ordered as she stepped out of her ready room and headed towards her chair.

The room was filled with metal of all different types. A species who I have never met before pushed the metal aside so that he could look at us through his screen. His expression was angry as he adjusted the screen.

"Whoever you are, I found this waste zone first." He demanded.

"We're not interested in this debris, Mister-" Janeway replied.

"Neelix," He finished. "And since you're not interested in my debris, well, I'm delighted to know you."

"Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager." She introduced.

"A very impressive title. I have no idea what it means, but it sounds very impressive. Very professional." He said with a couple of nods.

"Do you know this area of space well, Mister Neelix?" She asked. Hoping that he did.

"I am famous for knowing it well. How may I be of service?" She replied. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Finally, someone is able to help us. "Do you know anything about the array that's sending energy pulses to the fifth planet?"

He raised his hand to one of the whiskers on his face an began to stroke it. Deep in thought.

"I know enough to stay as far away from it as possible. Wait. Let me guess. You were whisked away from somewhere else in the galaxy, and brought here against your will." He said.

"Sounds as though you've heard this story before."

"Sadly, yes. Thousands of times. Well, hundreds of times. Maybe fifty times. But the Caretaker has been bringing ships here for months now." Neelix answered with a sad smile.

"The Caretaker?" Chakotay piped in from the engineering station.,

"That's what the Ocampa call him. They live on the fifth planet. Did he kidnap members of your crew?" He asked.

"As a matter of fact, he did." Janeway answered.

"It's not the first time." Neelix insisted.

"Do you know where he might have taken them?" I asked.

"Just that they're brought to the Ocampa. Nothing more." He insisted while shifting uncomfortably on screen.

"We'd appreciate any help you could give us in finding these Ocampa." She replied with a strained voice.

"I really wish that I could help you, I do, but as you can see, there's just there's so much debris for me to investigate today. You'd be surprised the things of value some people abandon." Neelix said as he pointed around his ship at the debris.

"Of course, we'd want to compensate you for your trouble."

Neelix's eyes dart around the room in what seemed like blind panic.

"Well, there's really very little that you could offer me. Unless..." He paused, giving the bridge a shy look.

"Yes?" She said, praying that he would get to the point we were wasting time.

"Unless of course, you had water." He peeped out.

"If you help us find our missing crew members, you can have all the water you want." She replied with a smile as she laid back down in her command chair and shifted to be comfy.

Neelix gave everyone a wide smile.

"That sounds like a very reasonable arrangement." He said, trying to keep himself under control.

"Good. We'll beam you over and tow your ship into our shuttle bay. Mister Tuvok, take Filters, go to Transporter Room two and meet our guest." She ordered and gestured towards Tuvok as Bini Filters entered the bridge.

"B-beam?" Neelix stammered out.

"We have a technology which can take you instantly from your ship to ours. It's quite harmless. May we?" She asked with a slight nod. Chakotay sighed and glared at me for an instant. Tuvok told Bini to follow him and the pair walked off the bridge.

"Of course!" Neelix replied.

Bini shook her head and reentered the turbo lift, muttering to herself about how she should have just stayed in sickbay.

-----

Bini Filters POV

Tuvok and I entered Transporter Room Two just as the...alien? Maybe? Anyway, the point is that he appeared on the padd. I was confused for a moment but then stepped off and gave us a bright smile.

"Astonishing! You Federations are obviously an advanced culture." Neelix said. I rolled my eyes at this statement.

"The Federation is made up of many cultures. I am Vulcan." Tuvok replied with that stone cold logic tone.

"Neelix. Good to meet you!" He replied. Wait, hold on! He actually thinks that Tuvok's name is "Vulcan?" Oh, boy. Neelix walked over to Tuvok and gave him a big bear hug. I know how much Tuvok hates contact so I was doing my best to keep from laughing. I snorted to keep my emotions in check.

Neelix, now aware that I was in the room, turned towards me.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am Bini Filters." I replied. He smiled and gave me a bear hug. Personally, I wasn't too big on contact either. I chuckled nervously, then I noticed a horrible smell enter my nose. This...Neelix fellow smells like he has never taken a bath before. He finally let me go and went to examine the room. I gagged and begged myself not to vomit.

Tuvok simply raised an eyebrow towards me as I collapsed on the floor, struggling to breath fresh air.

"Interesting. What, what exactly, what exactly does all this, all this do?" Neelix asked as he looked at the transporter console next to an officer. The officer looked like he was about to have a heart attack if Neelix pushed any of those buttons.

"I assure you that everything in this room has a specific function. However, it would take several hours to explain it all. I suggest we proceed to your quarters. Perhaps you would care for a bath." Tuvok said as he gestured towards the door.

"A what?" Neelix asked as we entered the corridor. Well, that explains everything.

-----

B'Elanna Torres POV

I jolted awake. Thoughts of the most recent events flooded my mind. I looked beside me to see a young man asleep across the room. I sighed in anger as I jumped off the bed and ran towards the door. I have got to get out of here!

"Hey! You don't want them to sedate you again!" The man exclaimed as I reached the door. I turned to face him.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"My name is Kim. Harry Kim. I'm an ensign on the Starship Voyager. I was kidnapped from the array just like you were. I don't know where we are." He replied as he slipped his legs off the bed and let them dangle over the edge.

"What was Starfleet doing at that array?" I asked with the slight tilt of confusion.

"We were looking for you, actually. One minute we're in the Badlands, the next-"

"You mean you were trying to capture us!?" I demanded.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. Consider yourself captured. Oh, I know I have a phaser here somewhere." Harry replied sarcastically.

"This isn't some stupid simulation at the academy, Starfleet!" I growled and turned around towards the door. I grunted as I attempted to push the door open.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey. What's that going to accomplish?" Harry shot back as he grabbed my shoulders. I shrugged him off and stepped away from the door and Harry. I looked down at my hands to see strange growths on my hands and arms,

"What are they doing to us? What are these things growing on us?" I demanded as I examined my hand again.

"Look, do you want them to sedate you again?" Harry pointed out.

"You're right, Starfleet. It's the Klingon half of me. It's just it's hard to control it sometimes." I replied with a sigh of defeat. I pushed myself back on the bed and just sat there, then there was that forever awkward moment of silence.

"What's your name, Maquis?" Harry asked.

"B'Elanna. B'Elanna Torres." I replied.

Suddenly, the door opened to the doctor and nurse from earlier. At least I think they are. They were both holding a bundle of clothes with them. I jumped up from the bed while Harry backed up towards my position.

"I hope you're feeling better. I know how frightening all this must be for both of you. I've brought some clothes if you'd care to change." The doctor suggested with a small smile.

"Why are you holding us here?" I demanded.

"You are not prisoners. In fact, we consider you honoured guests. The Caretaker has sent you to us. As long as you are not violent, you are free to leave your quarters." He assured me.

"What's wrong with us? What are these things?" Harry demanded to know as he held out one of his hands that had a growth on it.

"We really don't know. You must be hungry. Would you care to join me on the courtyard for a meal?" He asked.

-----

Harry Kim's POV

We walked out of the hospital to a lush courtyard filled with plants, tables and chairs. I looked up to see a cave ceiling. The doctor lead us to the nearest food replicator as a group gather to see us.

"Are we underground?" I asked. We gathered up our food and walked towards an empty table with three seats.

"Our society is subterranean. We've lived here for over five hundred generations." The Doctor replied as we sat down.

"Wait, so you lived on the surface?" B'Elanna asked. The Doctor nodded and took a bite of his food. We looked down at...the...strange blob of food that he had given us. B'Elanna picked up her spoon and scooped some into her mouth. She then covered her mouth in an attempt to not let it out.

"When our surface turned into a desert and the Caretaker came to protect us. Our ancient journals tell us he opened a deep chasm in the ground and led our ancestors to this place. Since then he has provided for all our needs. Please forgive them. They know you've come from the Caretaker. None of us has ever seen him. This way, please." The Doctor said as he directed us towards another part of the city, away from the crowd that had formed.

"What can you tell us about our condition?" I asked.

"Your condition is serious. We don't know exactly how to treat it. I'm afraid the others did not recover. Maybe, he is just trying to prevent a plague." The Doctor insisted.

-----

Bini Filters POV

I took a deep breath and entered the guest quarters. Tuvok was supposed to come but for some strange reason, I was feeling kind today. I entered to see a half-eaten banquet on the table, as steam filled the room. I had a very bad feeling about this. Also, Tuvok had to escort Janeway's kids and dog back. So I guess me being kind had nothing to do with the mess I was walking into.

"Mr. Neelix?" I called out.

"Miss. Filters? I am in the washroom! Come, come!" He insisted from another room.

I entered the washroom, Neelix was, of course, taking a bath. I refused to look at him as he happily spilled more water into the tub.

"Mr. Neelix?" I said to snap him back to attention.

"Ah! Miss. Filters! Come in, please! I can hardly see you." He insisted. I was screaming on the inside to be let out of this horrible situation. I think it would be better if he didn't see me.

"I want to thank you for your hospitality. I must admit, I haven't had access to a food rebel er, er, replicator before." He added. I rolled my eyes.

"I would have never guessed, Mr. Neelix." I replied.

"Oh, please! Just call me Neelix!" He said as he splashed water all over the floor.

"And to immerse myself in water. Oh, do you know what joy this is? No one around here wastes water in this manner. Good sand scrub, that's the best that we can hope for." A sand scrub? What good is a sand scrub?

"I am pleased you are enjoying yourself, but we are in orbit of the fifth planet. We need your assistance." I replied. I have never sounded more like Tuvok in my life, then just now. What is my life?

"Of course, could you just, er, hand me that towel?" He asked as he pointed to the towel rack beside me. Somehow, this just got worse. I handed it to him without looking. He gratefully grabbed it as I basically ran from the washroom in a blind panic.

After a moment he came out with just a towel on. Why?! Modesty is very important!

"Can this replicator make anything?" He asked.

"Almost anything." I clarified.

"Can it make me a uniform like yours?" He asked. I looked down at my Starfleet uniform.

"Um, no. Not really." I peeped out. He replicated some clothes and waddled into the bedroom. He shut the door.

"If you will scan the large southern continent you'll find a range of extinct volcanoes. Follow the foothills north until you discover a dry riverbed. You'll find an encampment there." Neelix instructed through the closed door.

"Will we find who we are looking for there?" I asked.

He exited the bedroom, dressed this time, he gave me a sharp nod.

"It's not impossible. Maybe. Perhaps not. But we'll find them. We'll need several containers of water to bring for barter." He said. I nodded and gestured him to follow me towards the bridge.

---End of Chapter Four---