State of Flux: Part One
Chapter 22: State of Flux: Part One.
(One week after Prime Factors.)
(Time: 9 am.)
Ensign Bini Filters's POV
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Carey and I came running down the valley side with fruit is each of our hands and intercepted Chakotay and Neelix.
"Commander! Look at this. I think they're some kind of apple. There are trees filled with them as far as the eye can see, just over that ridge." Carey exclaimed, pointing to the location in the desert area with some shrubbery.
"Kaylos. Ah. Aren't they gorgeous?" Neelix said, taking the fruit from my hands and carefully examining it for a moment. "One bite'll kill you. Puff you up like a vakol fish. First, your windpipe swells, and just when you think you're going to die of suffocation, ow! Oh, you get a sharp pain in your knees, which begins to work its way right up to-"
"I think we get the picture." Chakotay interrupted. I pitched the bridge of my nose.
"A bit too visual of a picture." I muttered as an add on as Neelix handed me back the death fruit.
"Sorry, Mister Carey and Bini. Just remember the old trader's axiom. Never judge a fruit by its skin. Er, on the other hand, take a bite." He joked. Carey and I looked at each other in horror. I was seconds away from packing this fruit for the ship.
Neelix then handed Chakotay a mandrake type root with some leaves on it to Chakotay.
"What is it?" He asked.
"A leola root. Go on. Take a bit!" Neelix chirped. Chakotay gave the root a suspicious look but took a bite, suddenly his face twisted in disgust and he spat it out. He whipped his mouth and looked at Neelix like he was about to throw him off the cliff.
"You expect us to eat this?!" Chakotay yelled in disgust.
"This is the reason I brought you here, Commander. There's no better source of vitamins and minerals in the quadrant than in this, this ugly little root." Neelix said and he grabbed another root from the ground and waved it around like it was some accomplishment.
"We need a better food source than...this." I commented. Pointing at the bitten root clutched in his hand.
"You humans! You're not used to roughing it, are you? Well, you take it from one who knows. The day may come when you'll relish every last crunch of Leola." Neelix said with a happy smile and pointed towards the ground where parts of Leola root were sticking out.
"I really doubt that." I muttered as we started the gruelling process of digging up these plants in the bright, hot sun.
"Stewed for a few hours in a light herbal broth, you wouldn't even notice the mildew." Neelix added.
"The what!?" Carey barked beside him.
"Yep. That's it. I am helping out somewhere else." I said and hurried off to a team farther in the distance.
-----
Lieutenant Tom Paris's POV
"Mommy! Please let us go!" The wailing voice of Sarah Janeway cried as a pissed off Captain Janeway stormed out of her ready room with a scowl as Mollie ran after her and Micheal and Sarah attempted to keep up. The bridge collectively looked at the scene with amusement as The Captain spun around as she reached the middle of the bridge. Looking down at Micheal and Sarah with her hands on her hips and glaring at them.
Which made Sarah and Micheal halt immediately.
"No." She said firmly. Micheal and Sarah gritted their teeth.
"That's not fair, Mommy! Bini can go down to the planet." Micheal stepped in.
"Bini is an officer of this ship. Tuvok assigned her to help. Besides. This isn't a joy trip!" The Captain argued.
"Then I want to be an officer too. Make me an officer please!" Sarah begged.
"That is not how it works. I have already explained it to you. You have to be at least 18-Pass a test-get into the academy, for four years-then get into Starfleet and raise to the ranks." Captain Janeway explained with an annoyed tone. Sarah looked at Micheal for help. So Micheal stepped forward. Janeway
"Captain Janeway. I request the test to become an officer." Micheal said and stood to attention like an officer. All activity stopped on the bridge (Except for Tuvok of course.) and everyone looked towards the Captain. She was speechless for a moment. A moment before she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"No. Go report to the holodeck. That's an order." She barked.
I chuckled and looked down at my console. I was surprised to see a reflection. A reflection of some sort of ship on the sensors but only for a brief moment. Micheal stormed off, followed by an equally angry Sarah into the turbo life.
"Captain, sorry to interrupt, but I don't think we're alone."I said and started to try and confirm my theory. "Mister Tuvok, run a lateral EM scan for me. Coordinates eight one mark four zero."
"Running scan." Tuvok reported.
"What do you see, Mister Paris?" The Captain asked me.
"It's like a reflection, something in low orbit when it moves into a certain angle from the sun." I explained.
"He's correct. I am picking up an ionization trail. There is another ship in orbit." Tuvok reported.
"Using some kind of cloaking device." The Captain concluded.
"It's not a cloaking device as we know it, Captain. I cannot say for certain what it is, but the ship does employ some kind of masking circuitry that has affected our sensors." Tuvok corrected. The Captain sighed and tapped her combadge.
"Voyager to Away team."
"Go ahead, Captain." Chakotay said over the channel on the planet
"Any unexpected life signs down there, Commander?"
"Nothing but bloodworms. Neelix wants to bring some back for a tartar he wants to make. I'm trying to talk him out of it." He joked.
"We're picking up an unidentified ship in low orbit. Collect your teams and prepare to transport back while we investigate."
"Acknowledged. Chakotay out."
-----
Ensign Bini Filters
I grabbed another fruit and shoved it into the storage container. I wiped the sweat from my brow and stood up.
"Bini."
I spun around and saw Seska marching over to me. I wiped my hands on my uniform as she got closer.
"What is it now, Seska? I already gave you the info you needed last night." I snapped and closed the storage container and picked it up.
Then I noticed it. She was clutching a hypospray in her hand as she stood a bit too close to me.
"I would say I am sorry, Ensign. But we both know that is a lie." She snarled. I started to take a step back.
"What do you think you are doing--?"
Suddenly Seska pressed the hypospray against my neck. My entire body went weak and I collapsed, pain invaded my senses as I struggled to try to stay conscious as Seska knelt down and used her finger to lift my chin to make me look at her as I concentrated as beating whatever the hell she put inside my body.
"By now you are feeling the effects of the Cardassian venom running through your veins, and I assure you. I assure you, when you wake up. You won't be on Voyager." She snapped and shoved me to the ground.
My vision went blurry and I became exhausted. I stopped caring about Seska, about Voyager, and...anything and succumbed to the darkness of sleep.
-----
Chakotay's POV
"Chakotay to away teams. All units, report to transport site A immediately." I ordered and I watched as the teams started to assemble.
-----
Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV
I sighed and leaned against the front railing of the bridge.
"Captain, I believe a polaron burst may give us visual contact." Tuvok said. I nodded and kept my eyes on the screen.
"Do it."
The viewscreen flashed and it showed the silhouette of a Kazon ship. My heartbeat increased.
"Kazon." I muttered.
"The hull design does conform to the known specifications of the Kazon-Nistrim sect." Tuvok confirmed. I felt the stress of the situation growing as I swore under my breathe and tapped my combadge.
"Voyager to Away teams. Return to the ship immediately."
"Acknowledged Captain."
-----
Harry Kim's POV
I looked around at the groups as they gathered. I looked to take with Bini. She seemed down recently. Well, I guess that would happen if you went from a Lieutenant to an Ensign-Second in command of security to doing small jobs that no one else wants to do.
"Captain. Transporter Room, get ready to begin on my command-" Chakotay called out. I looked around frantically. Where was Seska? Where was Bini?
"Where's Ensign Seska and Bini?" I asked Chakotay. He hesitated for a moment then did a quick scan of the crowd. Then he tapped his combadge again.
"Chakotay to Seska."
No response.
"Chakotay to Filters."
No response.
"Transporter room, can you locate Ensign Seska's comm. badge signal or Ensign Filters?"
"Negative, Commander. I'm not reading any sign of Seska. Filters's signal is nearby. About a kilometre. It is difficult to pinpoint, sir." The Transporter chief replied.
"They were picking fruit and berries with our group over by the hillside. There were caves nearby." I remembered.
"If Seska went inside one, it might be blocking her comm. badge signal. I don't know about Bini, though. The rest of you get back to the ship. I'm going to look for them."
I rushed after Chakotay.
"Ah, Commander? May I help?" I asked. He narrowed his eyes at me and nodded.
"Alright, Harry. Two people are better than one. Let's hurry this up." He said. I nodded and followed him down the hill, I pulled out my tricorder and scanned for their life signs.
"Bini's life sign is at the base of the hill." I said. When we reached the base of the hill and we saw Bini. She was laying on her back, on the ground unconscious with her storage container full of fruit and berries on the ground next to her open and the supplies were spilled. We rushed over and Chakotay checked her pulse.
Her breathing was ragged as her eyes under her closed eyelids darted around.
"Her pulse isn't steady but she is alive. I think she has slipped into a coma. Beam up with her and explain to the Doctor what happened." Chakotay ordered.
I nodded and knelt next to Bini.
"Kim to Voyager. Two to beam directly to sickbay."
The planet surface disappeared and we rematerialized in sickbay, in front of a scowling Doctor and a shocked Kes.
-----
Seska's POV
The large Kazon soldier stood in front of me. Seemingly still unsatisfied despite the fact that I just gave them a food replicator. I don't know what I suspected from such a primitive species but we still need them to help us. At least I do. I need to get off Voyager. They are willing to let me stay with them.
When I was going to leave...the next two days. It will take at least two days for Bini to wake up and by then we need to be on the Kazon ship. Was she really stupid enough to think I wouldn't know she falsified the data she gave me?
"What the hell else do you want for gods sake? Cullah already knows the plan. I gave you the replicator. My escape is the payment." I snapped.
He scowled at me.
"Why Cullah foolishly trusts you, I will never know. I should have killed you the moment I saw you."
"And you wouldn't have any of Voyager's technology. Much less have someone who is skilled in deception, knows Voyager's and her tricks with the added bonus of getting someone who can hack into her systems and disrupt everything."
"The "hacker" is a child."
"A child who has killed many. I have control over her. Just shut the hell up and report to Cullah. Tell him I will be ready in two day's time." I barked. He growled and nodded then hurried off.
I looked down at my tricorder that let out an insistent beep of alarm. A Starfleet officer was coming. I swore to myself and hid behind a large rock in the cave as the life sign got closer.
I pulled out my phaser. Debating whether or not to shot whoever it was. Suddenly Chakotay looked around the rock and I pointed my phaser straight at him. I let out a fake sigh of relief and lowered my phaser.
"Oh, thank the Prophets."
"What are you doing here?" He demanded and grabbed me by my arm, leading me towards the exit.
"Mushrooms. I saw them growing by the mouth of the cave. I wanted to teach Neelix how to make your favourite soup." I explained and pointed to the mushroom in the storage container I held in one of my hands.
"I appreciate the thought, but we've got to get out of here." he hissed. Suddenly a Kazon, one I did not meet before turned around the corner and started to fire at us. He hit Chakotay in the leg and I quickly drew my phaser and hit him myself. He fell to the ground as Chakotay groaned in pain from the wound in his leg.
"Come on." I said and helped him up and started towards the exit of the cave again. Planning how I was going to escape Voyager with Bini in two days' time. Hopefully, they won't figure out I am a Cardassian by then.
-----
(Time: 11 am.)
Seska's POV
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((Captain's log, stardate 48658.2. We successfully left orbit without further interference from the Kazon. Commander Chakotay was injured but is recovering from his wounds. Although I can not say the same for Ensign Filters. Some sort of toxin is in her system, causing her to be unable to wake up. We can only hope the Doctor finds a cure soon.))
"Come in." I entered Chakotay's quarters, carrying a covered dish of mushroom soup into Chakotay's quarters with a plastered on a smile.
"I didn't think I'd make it." I joked. "Feeling better?
"Yeah." He chuckled and curiously looked at the dish. "What have you got there?"
"Real food." I said and placed the dish down in front of where Chakotay sat and lifted the lid to show his favourite mushroom soup.
"You got Neelix to make some mushroom soup!"
"Are you kidding? The man wanted to stretch the mushrooms with just a little-"
"Leola root." We both said at the same time and shared a good laugh then I sat down and continued.
"We got into this tug-of-war with the bag of mushrooms in the middle. It was the most ludicrous thing you've ever seen. Tuvok and Kes broke us up, and then Neelix threw me out of his kitchen."
"So how did you?' He asked, taking a bite.
"Strictly a Maquis operation." I replied smugly.
"Mm-hmm."
"First we arranged for a little morale crisis. A couple of our people suddenly came down with severe homesickness. Neelix, our devoted morale officer, responded to the call and came in to cheer them up. And while they are all singing Rakan folk songs, Jackson and I broke into the kitchen."
Chakotay abruptly stopped eating and glared at me. Putting down his bowl on the table carefully.
"You looted the food reserves?"
"Well, if he's not going to give us a decent meal." I argued.
"I can't believe you did this."
"Well, it's not like we're hiding anything. I did bring soup straight to the First Officer, didn't I?" I added on. Humans are so weak and pathetic. It is a miracle they have survived this long.
"Thanks for including me in a criminal conspiracy. Does he know about this yet?" Chakotay asked with anger.
"Well, the moral crisis ended a few minutes ago, so I'd say-"
"Neelix to Chakotay!" Neelix yelled over his combadge and he glared at me with higher intensity.
"That he probably does." I finished.
"Go ahead, Neelix." Chakotay growled over the channel.
"I'd like to report a crime. Someone has broken into my kitchen and stolen food, taking food out of the mouths of their crewmates." Neelix exclaimed.
"I know."
"It was that Seska, wasn't it?" He accused. If Neelix doesn't watch his mouth more, he will be put on y kill list.
"I promise you, everyone involved will be disciplined."
"If you'd like my recommendations for punishment, I-"
"Thank you. I'll handle that. Chakotay out." He cut the channel Replicator privileges revoked for two days. Everyone, including me."
"They're not going to do it." I growled. He slowly raised up from his chair.
"Then I'll personally put them in the brig." He growled.
"You'd put me in the brig? After all, we've been through?" I purred and got up and started to stroke his chest. "The soup was worth losing the replicator privileges for two days. Admit it."
"That's not the point." Chakotay snapped. I pulled back and put my hands on my hips, looking up at him.
"I get the point. Can we make up now? Who else knows how to make your favourite soup like I do?"
"No one, but we agreed a long time ago this wouldn't work." Chakotay continued. I gritted my teeth.
"Look around, Chakotay. There aren't that many potential mates out here. Of course, if you're not interested, I have had my eye on young Ensign Kim." I teased. I saw something flicker in his eyes. I know that look. He is in love with somebody...
Oh, sweet Cardassia.
"What the hell. You are in love with the Fleet Captain! God! Why didn't I see it before?" I growled angrily at myself for not connecting the dots. Angry at him for falling for the Fleet Captain.
I looked back up at Chakotay. He opened his mouth to protest but his combadge chirped.
"Janeway to all senior officers. Please report to the Bridge."
"Better run back to that dog." I barked.
"Seska-"
"I don't want to hear it." I growled and stormed out of his quarters. Desperate to get the image of fuckin Janeway and Chakotay out of my mind.
-----
Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV
Mollie let out a warning growl as I pushed my worried thoughts about the entire situation, including Bini in sickbay. Harry put up a fuzzy transmission we just got from a Kazon ship of emergency.
"We require help. Immediately. Anyone who can hear this message, please help." The blurry Kazon on the screen begged.
"Long-range scanners picked up the distress signal three minutes ago." I informed the senior staff on the bridge as the rest of them took their stations.
"The ship's dimensions are identical to the vessel we encountered at the planet. It is a Kazon-Nistrim ship, Captain." Tuvok reported.
"Captain, this may be a trap. The Kazon-Nistrim is one of the most violent sects in the entire Kazon collective." Neelix insisted.
"We need immediate assistance. We have lost all the bridge operations. Barely able to function. Please assist." The Kazon continued.
"Mister Kim. Can you determine that this ship has sustained genuine damage?" Then I looked towards Harry at Ops for answers.
"There are fluctuating nucleonic patterns. It might indicate a reactor breakdown on board." Harry confirmed.
"Mister Paris, run an extended scanner sequence to identify any other Kazon ships that might be in the area." I ordered and looked up at the flickering message on repeat.
"Nothing showing up, Captain."
"Maintain scans and set a heading to intercept." I ordered.
"New heading entered."
I looked behind me to Neelix fiddling nervously at the upper railing.
"I take your warning seriously, Neelix, and we'll act with caution, but if we can help we should. Besides, this may be an opportunity to make a friend and out here, we can use all the friends we can get. " I explained.
"Of course, Captain." He nervously chirped.
-----
(An hour later.)
Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres's POV
Tuvok, Seska, Chakotay and I beamed aboard the dark Kazon ship. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room with a hint of smoke and residue from the explosion. I gagged as we all switched on our wrist lights.
We silently started our journey around the ship. As we looked through engineering (I think.) we all noticed the crew of the ship was melted into the bulkheads.
"What could do something like this?" I muttered as Chakotay bent down and scanned the bulkhead carefully with his tricorder and I did the same with my own.
"I'm showing high levels of nucleonic radiation. It seems to be isolated in that area." Chakotay said.
"It is likely that the ship's automatic containment systems were activated when the radiation entered the bridge. We should be safe as long as we stay on this side of the force field." Tuvok interrupted as I saw Seska continue down the horrid area.
Suddenly Seska jumped away from a part of the wall with a yelp and looked at us with huge eyes as she pointed at something at the wall.
"Someone's alive over here!" She exclaimed. We all rushed over and saw the crumbled Kazon male, who let out a small moan, against the wall. Embedded in the wall.
"Away team to Voyager. We've got a single male Kazon alive on the bridge. Transport him directly to Sickbay." Chakotay ordered over the channel.
"Energising. Kim out." Harry reported as the transporter beam caught the Kazon and sent him to Voyager as Harry cut the channel.
"It appears the explosion emanated from this console." Tuvok said and pointed his tricorder to the console behind us that was black and destroyed. But there was something off with it. I was able to make out the faint design of a design that shouldn't be on this ship.
"Does something look a little odd about it to you?" I asked. Trying to get a better look.
"The structural pattern does not conform to the rest of the bridge." Tuvok pointed out.
"No, there's something else strange about it." I said. I looked down at my tricorder as it was pointed at the console. "The residue has a point four one percent trace of a neosorium composite, and I don't know anyone who uses neosorium technology except for the Federation. So how did it get into the hands of the Kazon?"
Seska cringed in the darkness.
-----
(2 hours later.)
The Doctor's POV
"Incredible. Somehow virtually every cell in his body has been altered." I exclaimed in amazement as the Captain, Commander Chakotay and Kes looked down at the unconscious Kazon on the biobed.
"Altered?" Janeway repeated as Kes moved to the replicator, followed by Janeway's dog Mollie to get her some food.
"His cells have mutated. Or they've been fused with inorganic matter. I can't make heads or tails of it. Look at this. His blood cells have bonded with metallic nuclei." I explained as Kes gave Mollie some food and walked over to the biobed next to the Kazon and checked on Ensign Filters' biosignature to make sure she was healthy.
"The crew members closest to the explosion were virtually melded with huge pieces of metal fragments. He was luckier than the others." Chakotay said as I scanned him with my medical tricorder.
"That remains to be seen. I'm going to have to do a complete pyrocyte replacement if we're going to keep him alive. We'd better hope there are compatible donors on board." I added.
"I'll run a cytological screening of the crew." Kes called out and jogged into my office.
"We'll let you know the results as soon as we can." I insisted. The Captain nodded and headed towards Bini.
"Have you figured out what toxin is in her bloodstream?" Janeway asked as she rested her hand next to the Ensign's and sadly looked down at Bini's pale face and her ragged breathing.
"I have not. I am running tests with known toxins in the Computer database. I am assuming that this is not a delta quadrant toxin based on how she was found." I explained. Remembering when Harry told me the horrid circumstances of Bini and Seska earlier when Bini first came in.
"What do you mean, Doctor?" The Captain asked.
"It is just a theory of course. But the circumstances surrounding how Bini is found was suspicious. Bini was found with a toxin in her system during the same time that Ensign Seska was missing in a cave with the crew of the Kazon ship that had suffered a major explosion with unusual technology. But I am a doctor, not a detective." I explained.
"I see you have been updating yourself with the database. Thank you for your input Doctor." The Captain said. I nodded and organized some medical equipment. "Update me when you have any more info."
Then she swiftly left with Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Tuvok who was standing at the entrance.
-----
Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV
"Captain, there was an apparent Federation signature to the explosion." Tuvok bluntly said as we left sickbay and handed me a padd with the needed information.
"What?" I said in disbelief as I read the data with Chakotay beside me.
"It looked like they were trying to install some new technology that detonated." Chakotay concluded.
"You're saying they have some kind of Federation weapon on board?" I asked.
"A console on the bridge was the source of the explosion. We're not sure what its function was, and it's going to be hard to get to."
"We can't transport it out?" I asked.
"Not with those levels of nucleonic radiation. The transporter beam would disperse the moment it hit the irradiated cabin." Chakotay answered.
"How could they possibly have Federation technology?"
"There are only three alternatives I can discern at this time. One, it is not Federation technology at all but something similar." Tuvok insisted. We reached the turbo lift and stepped in.
"Bridge." I barked and looked over to Tuvok for more of an explanation.
"Two, another Federation starship may have been brought to the Delta Quadrant prior to our arrival, and they interacted with the Kazon-Nistrim." Tuvok continued as the turbo lift moved towards the bridge.
"Were there any other reports of missing starships?"
"Not to my knowledge." I muttered.
"Three, someone from this ship has covertly given technology to the Kazon." Tuvok finished.
"Computer, hold turbolift." I barked, I turned to Tuvok with a glare. "I don't like number three at all, Tuvok."
"Nevertheless, it is the most probable explanation. It may not be a coincidence that the Kazon ship we encountered at the planet was able to deceive our sensors. Perhaps someone transmitted instructions to them before we arrived."
"I want you to personally go through the transmission logs, Tuvok. Compare them to the actual telemetry. See if there's any evidence of prior contact with the Kazon. Who would have had a chance to meet with them while you were on the surface?"
"A dozen people. We were scattered all over the area." Chakotay answered.
"You did discover Ensign Seska in proximity to them, and Ensign Filters was found with a toxin in her system unconscious near the cave." Tuvok accused Chakotay.
"What are you accusing her of, Tuvok? Seska almost killed me because she thought I was Kazon. Granted she doesn't like Bini Filters but she wouldn't try and kill her. She wouldn't just do something like this.
"Nevertheless, I urge you to regard her with caution for the time being."
"Why would anyone on this ship betray us? We're all in this together. We need to retrieve that console and get some answers before the rumours get out of hand." I said and gave out a troubled sigh. "Computer, resume."
-----
(Time: 12 pm)
Ensign Harry Kim's POV
"Did you guys hear what was happening?" Tom asked with a big grin on his face as if he just discovered a way back to the Alpha Quadrant. He slipped into the chair at my table with B'Elanna in the messhall.
"Oh, Kahless. Is this another rumour?" B'Elanna complained with the roll of his eyes.
"More of like a legend." Tom insisted and stabbed his plate of food. One of Neelix's specials today for lunch.
"Just tell us already so that we can get this over with." I said and sipped my coffee. Tom leaned in.
"OK, so the rumour is...no, the legend is that Seska injected Bini and attempted to kill her because she saw Seska trade with the Kazon in the cave. The same technology that was found on the ship."
I shrugged, it actually kinda made sense. B'Elanna looked at me in disbelief.
"You actually believe this!?" She demanded.
"It kinda makes sense. Bini was found near the caves where Seska was and the Kazon." I explained. She let out an angry growl.
"It is all circumstance. Seska hates Bini, but not enough to kill her." B'Elanna argued.
"Now hold on, we don't know that the toxin was meant to kill her. She was knocked out. It was probably some drug to screw with her memory." I said. Tom nodded in agreement.
"Maybe the Kazon did this to Bini." B'Elanna said as she crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow.
"The Kazon would have kidnapped her and held her for info or ransom. If not killed her right then and there if she saw them. We should be happy she is alive at least." B'Elanna argued.
"Of course we are happy she is alive. But, B'Elanna, this...rumour that Tom has presented us. It does have a layer of truth to it." I insisted.
"Fine. It MIGHT. But I still don't agree with this. I have to get to engineering." She growled and stood up then stormed off out of the messhall. Tom looked at me with a smirk.
"Seska did it."
-----
(Twenty minutes later.)
Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres
"Releasing the force field isn't an option. That would just allow the radiation into the whole cabin." I explained to Seska as I pointed it out to the simulation on the wall console in engineering.
"We could generate a localized subspace bubble to get past the force field." She suggested.
"One minor subspace disruption and you're dead. It's too risky." I argued.
"I'd be willing to risk it." Seska barked at me.
"We could use an expander to manipulate the containment field." Carey interrupted from behind us, who actually had a good suggestion.
"Manipulate it how?" I asked Carey.
"Move it out of the way. Rotate the field and the radiation trapped inside it away from the console. Once it's clear, we have access." He explained. Suddenly I noticed the Captain and Chakotay standing beside us listening, everyone jumped to attention and she held up her hand for everyone to go to ease.
"How long will it take to set this up?" She asked as if she didn't just walk in and scare the hell out of all of us.
"We, er, we should be able to make an attempt by tomorrow." I said nervously.
"I want it ready by the end of the day." She said
"No, Captain. When I say tomorrow, I mean tomorrow. I don't exaggerate. Tomorrow is the best I can do." I urged. She simply nodded.
"Understood, Lieutenant."
"All right. We'll begin on the Kazon bridge. Carey, Nicoletti, Seska." I said, looking at each one of my team.
"No. I want Ensign Seska to coordinate the operation from our bridge."Chakotay ordered. Seska looked at him in shock and rage.
"Okay. Henard, you're with us. Dismissed." I ordered. Seska ran off after Chakotay as everyone else scattered.
---End of Chapter 23: Next: State of Flux: Part Two.---