Learning Curve: Part Two

Chapter 33: Learning Curve: Part Two.

(Time: Nineteen Hundred Hours. 7 pm.)

Ensign Bini Filters's POV

-----

I adjusted the bag on my pack and straightened my black Starfleet uniform that Tuvok gave us. We looked like Starfleet hitchhikers...on a Starfleet vessel. Is no one else not seeing an issue with this?

"We'll be taking a ten-kilometre run. I've cleared deck thirteen of personnel for the evening. Make sure your packs are secure to avoid chafing."

"Couldn't I just carry Henley? She weighs about the same." Chell joked and we all chuckled. I am sorry to say that Tuvok didn't think it was funny. He opened the Jefferies tube hatch and ordered us to crawl.

After a few minutes, we finally reached a maintenance access point. We all squashed in and Tuvok opened the hatch above us and looked back at us, about to explain the situation in detail to us.

"We will get to deck thirteen by using the Jeffries tubes." Tuvok started.

"Well, at least it's only two decks down." Dably commented with a cocky smirk to us, yeah thanks. Tell us something we don't already know.

"Not that way, crewman. We are getting to deck thirteen by way of the mess hall."

"That's on deck two!" Henley exclaimed. "We'd have to crawl through over fifty Jeffries tubes to get there."

"Correct. I am glad to see your knowledge of the ship's internal structure is improving. Crewman Gerron, lead the way." Tuvok commanded.

Gerron starts up the ladder, followed by Chell, Me, Henley, Dalby, Jackson and Tuvok. After a few more minutes of climbing this endless hell...by the way, I think I am dying from this weight. What did Tuvok put in these bags? Eventually, Gerron stops on a ladder for a breather.

"Thank you. You can stay there as long as you like as far as I'm concerned. This pack feels like it's filled with latinum bricks." Chell said as everyone stopped and we took the opportunity to breathe.

"Crewman Gerron. What is the problem up there? Keep going!" Tuvok yelled up at us.

"Maybe he'll slip and plunge to his death." Chell muttered and we started to move again.

"If I faint, I can guarantee you, he is coming down with me." I replied.

"Amen to that." Henley said with a chuckle behind me.

---One hour later---

"All right, the ten kilometres begin now." Tuvok called as we ran down deck two, closer and closer to the messhall.

"My legs feel like lead pipes." Henley complained.

"Don't think about it. Keep your mind on something else." Dalby said as he passed her.

"How about the pain in my shoulders?" Henley replied sarcastically.

---One hour later---

Tuvok, Henley and Dalby lap a limping Chell and struggling Gerron, and the dying form of me who was barely jogging at this point. Finally, a wilting Henley and Dalby catch up with us as Tuvok granted us the bliss to stop. I collapsed against the corridor wall in exhaustion. Everything in my body was on fire and my head was spinning and I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open-

"That was a run of approximately ten point one kilometres."

"That was no run, it was a death march." Henley shot back between deep breathes to catch her breathe.

"You may be experiencing difficulty because I increased the gravity on this deck by ten percent."

"How the hell am I alive?" I quietly asked, which did not go unnoticed by the group.

"What?" Dalby snapped in disbelief.

"You never know what conditions you might encounter. You must be prepared for anything. Crewmen Gerron and Chell, Ensign Filters. You have not completed your run. By my account, we have lapped you three times. You will finish the ten kilometres now. We will repeat this exercise tomorrow evening and I will expect each one of you to better your performance." Tuvok ordered.

I weakly raised my hand in protest.

"Someone send me to sickbay. I am in no position to move." I muttered.

Everyone looked back at Tuvok in mercy.

-----

(Next Day: Time: 9 am.)

Harry Kim's POV

B'Elanna and I entered the transporter room and headed directly to the transporter console in a hurry. We quickly logged on and started to run a diagnostic while checking the logs for the bacteria infecting the packs.

"Have you found any traces of the bacteria?" B'Elanna asked.

"I've checked the transporter logs for the past month." I replied. "There's no indication that the biofilter picked up anything suspicious."

"We stopped at that planet, Napinne, brought on some food stores for Neelix. Some of it looked pretty strange." B'Elanna reminded me as I looked through the next month.

"Right. Varmeliate fibre, whole green putillos and schplict." I said out loud as I remembered how happy Neelix was to get those food supplies.

"Schplict?"

"Grakel milk. I've looked at the logs, everything checked out." I said.

"Okay, let's go over the environmental systems. Maybe we're dealing with something airborne." B'Elanna suggested. Suddenly, we heard rustling and looked to the transporter padd. Chell was on his stomach using a micro-resonator on the transporter padd.

"Chell, what are you doing?" B'Elanna asked and Chell looked up at us with a tired expression.

"Mister Tuvok ordered me to degauss the entire transporter room." He said simply.

"But you're using a micro-resonator." B'Elanna said and pointed towards the transporter padd.

"I know."

"Why don't you use the magneton scanner? You'd be done in five minutes."

"Mister Tuvok told me to use the micro-resonator." He said with a scowl.

"But you'll be at it for hours." B'Elanna protested.

"Mister Tuvok estimated twenty-six point three hours."

"Sounds like a Tuvok estimate." I commented.

"Well, good luck." B'Elanna chirped and rushed out.

------

(Few hours later.)

Bini Filters's POV

((Tuvok: Security log, supplemental. I have recreated the bridge of Voyager on the holodeck and scheduled a war games simulation. I am hopeful that an exercise in teamwork will help to instill a sense of participation among my trainees. ))

I stood at the security station on the holographic bridge, Henley stood at operations, Gerron at Conn, Jackson at Engineering, Chell at the medical station and finally Daldy in the middle of the bridge with Tuvok.

"On the bridge, we depend on the smooth functioning of every crewman at every station. You are the Captain's eyes, ears and hands. You must function as one perfectly tuned unit." Tuvok explained. "Mister Dalby, I understand you have command experience."

"Yes, sir." He said.

"You have the Bridge. The programme will present you with a series of random events which you and your crew must deal with in whatever manner you see fit."

"I understand."

"The programme will be initiated when you set a course."

"All set?"

"Aye, sir. Ready." We all replied.

"Gerron, ahead warp six. Heading one five nine mark seven." Dalby ordered. Gerron quickly entered in the course and I felt the "Ship" started to move beneath my feet.

"Aye, sir."

"Bini, what's the nearest star system?"

"I'm showing a red giant system three point seven light-years from our current position. There are eight planets, none of them M-class."

"Sir, we're picking up an automated distress call." Henley reported from Ops.

"Source?" Dalby barked.

"Unknown. There's a lot of subspace interference." Henley said.

"Chell, can you get a fix?"

"Sensors indicate a Ferengi ship heavily damaged by weapons fire. Eight life form readings, very faint."

"Hail them."

"They're not responding."

"I must point out sir that the Ferengi have been known to deceive other ships by pretending to be damaged. We could be falling into a trap." I said.

"We have a duty to offer humanitarian aid if we can. Chell, change course to intercept."

"Course laid in, sir."

"Proceed." Dalby ordered.

"Sir, a Romulan Warbird decloaking off the port bow."

"Red alert. Hail them. Let them know we're on a rescue mission."

"I don't think they care, Dalby." I called out and he shot me a warning glance before turning back and looking at the warbird on screen.

"They're powering up weapons."

"No response to the hail."

"Evasive manoeuvres, Gerron!"

"Initiating evasive sequence beta nine three." Gerron called out as the ship started to lurch forward from the weapon's fire.

"We've been hit on the lateral phaser array. Shields at eighty-one percent."

"Arm all forward phasers."

"Sir, there's a second Romulan ship decloaking dead ahead. It's launching torpedoes." Then another spread of weapons fire at us and the bridge exploded before us as console's overloaded.

"Damage to decks eleven through fifteen. Reports of casualties."

"Arm all photon banks. Mister Chell, continuous evasive action. Bini, fire at will!"

"Aye, sir." I exclaimed and fired the phasers at both of the ships.

"Shields are buckling. Hull breach on deck nine."

"Keep firing, Henley. Let's do as much damage as we can."

"Computer, reset programme. Your first command together was less than successful. You are all dead." Tuvok stated as the bridge went back to the way it was before. Dalby stood up from the command chair in rage...again. I think he has an anger problem.

"It was a no-win situation. What were we supposed to do?" He snapped.

"Can anyone answer that question?" Tuvok asked and looked to the rest of us.

"I thought we went by the book." Henley said. "At least we went out with our phasers firing."

"Mister Gerron, do you have something to add?" Tuvok asked Gerron at the helm.

"What does it matter?" Gerron snapped at Tuvok.

"It matters, because if you do not learn from your mistakes, you will be doomed to repeat them."

"I was in command. Put the blame on me. The crew was just following my orders." Dalby stepped in and Tuvok faced him.

"And have you reached a conclusion as to your error?" Tuvok asked him.

"I thought I did everything I could. We were just out-gunned."

"I see. Did the possibility of retreat not occur to you?"

"Retreat?" I barked out in surprise.

"I can't believe you'd say that." Henley said to him.

"The strongest tactical move is always the one in which you will reap the highest gain at the lowest cost. Going out with phasers firing may seem heroic, but in the long run, it is merely foolish. The retreat is often the best possible option." Tuvok explained to us.

"Well, Mister Tuvok, once more you've proven your point. We're just not Starfleet material. Are we dismissed, sir?" Dalby growled.

"Dismissed. Computer, exit."

We all stormed out.

-----

(One hour later.)

Bini Filters's POV

They watched me closely as I picked my food and spun it around on my fork. Mollie placed her head on my lap and whined, begging for food. I flicked the food off my fork and allowed Mollie to catch it in her mouth.

"What's wrong?" Micheal asked first, a desperate attempt to break the tension of the room as all of us who were forced into Tuvok's stupid class watched him eating with hatred. I dragged my eyes away from him and looked at the worried faces of Sarah and Micheal staring back at me.

"What's wrong? What's wrong is that pointy ears has completely destroyed whatever self-confidence I had left after the Kazon incident." I snapped and went back to picking at my food.

"What did Tuvok do this time?" Micheal asked and rested his hand on his fist. It was clear that he couldn't care less but I was going to tell him anyway.

"It is stupid training! We failing the run yesterday, we failed the simulation today and Tuvok proved that we aren't Starfleet material. Until yesterday, not including the Kazon incident, I thought I was doing pretty OK. I hadn't gotten into a lot of trouble but next thing I know, I am in a training course, only to be told that I am not good at my job. So I would love for someone to explain to me why I should keep working if everyone thinks I am doing a bad job anyway. If anyone's logic is fucked in this situation it is Tuvok's. Unless his end goal is to make us feel worthless because if it is, congrats! I feel absolutely worthless." I ranted and sucked in a deep breathe to catch up on my breathing.

"You should." Sarah replied bluntly.

"Should? Should what?" I asked.

"Quit your job." Micheal chirped beside her and big grins spread on their faces. It wasn't"we are joking" faces, it was like..."We are serious about this." I put down my fork and stared at them in shock for a moment.

"You are serious." I muttered.

"Completely. Maybe that would set Tuvok straight. See, the issue here is that Tuvok makes you guys feel like you can't do your job up to the standards that Tuvok, Mommy, Chakotay and whoever else has set. If you feel like you can't do your job and are constantly being reminded of this, then what is the point of doing it in the first place? I mean, yeah, there is a point, don't get me wrong I understand that, but yet if they won't let you do your job than just...don't." Micheal explain...sorta. He just made me more confused than I was before.

"You want me to just quit my job?" I said flabergasted.

"You suggested it."

"Yeah, at a moment of anger."

"But, it is a sensible move."

"But, we need to examine the pro and cons of this. Yes, I did suggest I quit my job. But, it is a bit more complicated then you think for me to just drop everything. This isn't earth. I can't just drop out of Starfleet and go live in the country and have a dog and live alone until I die. This is the Delta Quadrant, on the only Starfleet ship in this entire quadrant. Your mother constantly reminds everyone how important everyone is to the function of this ship. If I quit than someone who have to take over my shift, and then someone would have to take over their shift, and it goes on and screws up the structure of the crew." I explained.

"But when someone dies, their shift is taken care off-"

"You are comparing me quitting my job to someone unwillingly dying a horrific death. Guys, I am stilling going to be alive when I quit. But if I quit, I might end up kicked off the ship in retaliation." I argued and saw Tom quickly glance towards us, looking like he wanted to say something at the table beside us. Micheal let out a frustrated sigh and slumped against his backrest once he shoved the last piece of food in his mouth and Sarah and Mollie just carefully watched us, waiting to see the outcome.

"Bini, I don't understand. You said you wanted to quit because you feel worthless and now that we agree you don't?" Micheal said, struggling to understand my point here.

"I do, Micheal but I am worried about what would happen if I do." I replied.

"But, you think you are worthless. It would be like a test at school! If all chaos breaks loose when you quit than it is proven that you are valuable. That gives you leverage." Micheal said, I gave him a blank stare. Wondering when the hell Micheal got mature, how we ended up in this situation, and why are we even debating this?

Suddenly, Tom grabbed a chair and sat down at our table, real smooth Tom.

"Tom? Can we help you?" I asked, annoyed that we were interrupted as we attempted to figure out if I was going to really quit. Sarah and Micheal looked annoyed too as Tom grinned and looked at us.

"Micheal is right. If you do quit and chaos happens and the Captain wants you to come back, you can give her conditions. Like a protest." Tom added in and Micheal smirked proudly at being proved right, confirmed by an actual adult.

"So you are basically telling me to go on strike, great. We have spent the last ten minutes arguing about mind-numbing details only to come to the conclusion that I should just strike. Wonderful!" I spat out. Tom shook his head.

"No, no, no. I am not suggesting that. Geez, I mean actually quit. Striking just says that you don't agree with the situation and that you are temporarily going off your job to prove a point and that you aren't fully committed to making a change to the regulations. Quitting proves that you are really serious about what you believe in. Quitting proves that you are willing to get off the ship in protest to get these regulations changed. Captain Janeway might be more willing to lower her expectations." Tom explained.

"Mommy is very serious about the rules, Tom. I don't think she would change them just to suit Bini or a few others." Micheal argued with us.

"Your mom is too nice to kick Bini off the ship. She loves Bini like a second daughter, I can guarantee you. Bini is like an extended family to you guys. She is basically your older sister." Tom replied.

"I really doubt that." I said.

"Oh no. I heard it." Tom boasted. I leaned forward and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Oh yeah? Where?" I asked.

"When Janeway demoted you." He said, unwilling to put forth any more information. I could tell he wasn't lying since his eyes weren't darting around the room and he didn't have a goofy face on that looked guilty or a bit too entertained at what he was saying. I decided it wasn't worth looking into, I had to figure out what I was supposed to decide for the next few months.

"Anyway, let's get back at the topic at hand. Do I quit in protest or...Do I not?"

"Yes." Micheal and Sarah blurted out with a short bark from Mollie for extra support, causing some people to look at us but they quickly lost interest and continued their own conversations.

"No." Tom said firmly.

"Alright...I am lost." I stated.

"What the issue is-is that Tuvok is a block of wood." Tom said. Micheal and Sarah started to giggle as they probably imagined Tuvok being a literal block of wood. "We need to make him change. Not be a stickler to the rules!"

"What you are suggesting is like asking a Wolf not to kill its food." I argued.

"That is a bad example." Sarah muttered.

"I am trying my best over here."

"Hey, over here. Focus." Tom said, snapping his fingers to make us look at him. Then he pointed across the room, we followed his gaze to see Neelix wobbling over to Tuvok. "If anyone can get to Tuvok. It would be Neelix."

-----

Neelix's POV

I washed my hands quickly and handed the kitchen over to Kes. I walked over to Tuvok at his usual table, staring into space.

"I feel that my services as Morale Officer are required." I announced. Tuvok looked at me with his full attention.

"I assure you, you are wrong." He replied.

"Oh really? One, no cup of tea. Two, no PADD. Three, you're sitting on the opposite side from usual. All of that tells me you've got something on your mind. And what tells me that it's making you miserable is that cloud of doom that's rising from you like ground fog."

"I cannot imagine that there are visible emanations that allow you to interpret my mood. You are making wild assumptions." Tuvok replied, trying to deter me from the truth.

"Ah, ha. Maquis trainees getting you down?" I concluded with a smile.

"I do not believe they are responding well to my instruction." He admitted.

"What seems to be the problem?" I asked.

"That is what I have been trying to determine, and I'm afraid I am at a loss. I have taught literally thousands of cadets and I have never encountered these difficulties. My methods are sound and time-honoured. I insist on strict adherence to rules and protocols. I never waver from that approach. I have always been successful in honing each cadet into a Starfleet officer." He explained. I understood both sides and I think I know how to help him. I gestured him to follow me.

"Come with me, I want to show you something."

Tuvok followed me back to the front counter and we stood in front of a flower arrangement. I took one of the Keela Flowers and held it up for him to see.

"These are Keela flowers. Beautiful, and remarkably strong." I explained. "The stem is flexible, impossible to break. But occasionally on the same plant, there's a bloom whose stem is not so flexible. And when the stem is brittle, it breaks."

"You're saying that the Maquis crew is rigid and inflexible. That they will never adjust to Starfleet rules." He said. I shook my head, signalling he wasn't getting the point.

"No, Mister Vulcan, I'm saying that you are rigid and inflexible, but maybe if you'd learn to bend a little, you might have better luck with your class. Those Maquis aren't Starfleet cadets. You can't treat them the same way. Get to know them, try to find out what they're like inside. You might discover a better teaching method." I said.

"I am not sure if I have the ability to find out what they are like inside. Mister Neelix," Then he pointed towards my malodorous mound of Cheese that I recently got. "What is that?"

"Brill cheese. I made it from that schplict we brought on board last week. Ensign Ashmore asked for something called macaroni and cheese." I explained.

"Cheese. You must cultivate bacteria to make cheese."

"Of course."

-----

(20 minutes later.)

Ensign Bini Filters POV

((Captain's log, stardate 48859.3. Lieutenant Tuvok has reported what may be a possible explanation for the infection in the bio-neural gel packs. I have asked Lieutenant Torres and her team to investigate Neelix's kitchen.))

"So it is settled. I am quitting." I announced. People from other tables "smoothly" leaned in and even moved their tables very little to hear our conversation. Especially the fact that...you know...I just announced I was quitting my job.

"Are you insane? Have you listened to nothing that I have said?!" Tom hissed.

"Of course not. Someone needs to make a change around here." I said.

"Yeah! I vote Bini!" Sarah squealed in joy.

"None of you are thinking straight here. Maybe I should just darg you guys to sickbay already." Tom snapped.

"Get me a schematic of the airflow patterns for the whole ship." B'Elanna ordered as she burst into engineering with an engineer carrying an engineering kit and two others dragging in a containment field.

"Aye Sir." The crewman chirped and ran out of the messhall to find a padd. B'Elanna headed to the...thing on Neelix's counter with a tricorder pointed at it.

"The cheese is full of volatile bacterial spores. It has to stay isolated in this portable containment field." B'Elanna explained quickly to Neelix as the two engineers placed the containment field against the counter and used the plate holding the thing to move it onto the field.

"What is this?" A crewmember asked in the background as everyone moved closer (including us.) to see what was going on.

"That's just a Laurelian pudding. It has to simmer for four hours." Neelix said and moved to protest against B'Elanna.

"The spores must have travelled through that intake and then into the ventilation system. Where they were disseminated throughout the ship, subsequently infecting the bio-neural circuitry." B'Elanna bluntly informed him as she activated the field once they placed it inside.

"I feel awful about this. I assure you I had no idea." Neelix said with enormous guilt washing over him.

"Well, at least it has been found and can't get any worse!" I chirped in and B'Elanna nodded in agreement that brightened Neelix up a little bit. Suddenly, the lights flickered and then shut off. Leaving the only source of light was the dim stars outside and the consoles, and Neelix's stove fire.

"Good going, Bini." Tom said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up."

"More gel packs must be down. If this is getting to the environmental systems we may be in more trouble than we thought." B'Elanna announced and placed a hand on Neelix's shoulder. "Neelix, this wasn't your fault. The important thing is that we found the source. Get the cheese to Sickbay. The Doctor should look at it as soon as possible."

"Yes, Lieutenant. " The crewmembers replied and rushed out of the room.

-----

Tuvok's POV

I stepped into the corridor after B'Elanna left with the food.

"Computer, who is currently off duty for the next hour?"

"Ensign Bini Filters, Lieutenant Terril Andrews, Ensign Walter Baxton, Crewman Kenneth Dalby, are currently off duty for the next hour." The Computer replied swiftly.

Perhaps now would be a logical time to start "getting to know" my students now.

(AN: I am very bad at writing Tuvok. I need to work on that.)

-----

Crewman Kenneth Dalby's POV

"You may break, Mister Dalby." Tuvok said as we circled the pool table at Sardines on the holodeck. I bent down without a word and knocked the white ball into the triangle of the other pool balls, scattering them and knocking two into its pockets, which allowed me to have another turn. "Do you play pool often?"

I felt anger rise to my body. Anger, he was planning something through this. A hidden agenda somehow. This was probably another test, I know he purposely looked for me.

"Not really. I did when I was younger." I said, ignoring the warning signs telling me not to.

"Do you have a family?" He asked next. I abruptly stood up, throwing Tuvok off from his shot.

"What is this all about?" I snapped, that green-blooded Vulcan had a hidden agenda. I knew it.

"Pardon?" He said.

"This little exercise. Are we testing my social skills? Does Starfleet have rules about them too?" I barked.

"I had thought we could get to know each other. Perhaps then our relationship would function more smoothly." Tuvok said, I growled in anger.

"Get to know each other? Okay, here's the brief history of Kenneth Dalby. We lived on the Bajoran frontier. It was a hard life. I coped by getting into a lot of trouble. I was angry at everybody and everything, till a woman came along and taught me about love. For a while, I wasn't angry any more. Three Cardassians raped her and smashed her skull. I joined the Maquis and tried to slaughter as many of them as I could find. How about you? Any family?" I said with venom and hopefully deflected the conversation away from me.

"I do, but there is nothing to report about them that would compare with your story. I've observed that you seem to be somewhat protective of Mister Gerron, than any others, even Filters. Have you formed a friendship with him?"

"No. He won't let me get close. The first time I saw him, I thought I was looking at myself at that age. I thought maybe I could be a friend, maybe he wouldn't turn out the way I did. But I didn't have much luck. And then we got stuck out here. Being so far away from home is hard on somebody that young, so I'd appreciate it if you'd try not to make him any more miserable that he is already. Filters, of course, is more complicated. She never got along with anyone on the Maquis ship except Tom, Chakotay and barely B'Elanna. But I assume you knew that already. She had no reason to talk with me, I had no reason to talk with her." I explained defensively.

"Commander Chakotay specifically recommended Mister Gerron for this programme. He felt that if the young man were able to learn new skills, to set goals and accomplish them, it might go a long way to helping him feel better about himself."

"That's why he's in this group?" I barked.

"It is our intention that the experience is positive for everyone."

"If you say so. But understand this, Lieutenant. I don't want to get to know you, and I don't want to be your friend." I dropped my pool stick and stormed off the holodeck. Tuvok can turn it off himself.

------

(10 minutes later.)

Bini Filters POV

I was resting on one of my chairs in my quarters, using the dim light to help me sketch in my notepad, old fashioned paper and mechanical pencil. I have one hour left of my break so I may as well fit some art practice in. I finished the eyes of my...unicorn. Yeah, I draw ponies. That seems much sadder than it actually is.

My door suddenly chimed, I let out a frustrated sigh as I was violently yanked out of my "zone." That special moment where you focus on nothing but your creation, but thanks to whoever is at the damn door, I have been downgraded. My eyes never left my padd as I drew a quick sun to signal light source and started to shade.

"Come in." I mumbled as I violently shaded the paper, attempting to not rip it by accident in the process.

"Ensign Filters." Tuvok's voice sounded over the silence of my quarters as I heard footsteps enter into my living room and the door hiss closed.

"Hello, Tuvok. I am busy right now. So if you plan on sending me to another run of hell, it is going to have to wait." I snared.

"I was hoping we could...talk."

My pencil stopped and I froze as I considered his words.

"You...want to talk...to me?" I clarified and lowered my notebook, looking up at him for the first time since he walked into my space. I gestured him to sit on the sofa across from me. "What is it that you want to talk about exactly?"

"Do you have a family?" He bluntly asked.

"Everyone has had a family at one point, Tuvok." I said, hoping that this wasn't going in the direction I thought this was going in.

"That is not the answer to my question, Ensign."

Oh...Oh no, he is going there. I sucked in a deep breath and prepared to say the words I have spent the last year attempting to say without having tears coming out of my eyes at the mear thought of how cursed the Filters are.

"I have no family. Everyone is dead or has disowned me at birth. My mother had that effect on people." I muttered.

"How?" He asked.

"I can't tell you."

"Is it classified?"

"N-Not exactly. It is just...No one knows...except maybe Tom how they died. I don't feel comfortable telling anyone now."

"Ensign, I have proved counsel for Captain Janeway and many other officers over the decades-"

"Is this where you tell me that you should become my counsellor?"

"If that is what you wish. Then it is the logical conclusion." He said.

"Trust me, you don't want to know how they died." I insisted, flashes of my mother's death in front of me passed my mind. I couldn't help but flinch when I saw her dead body again, and again, and again.

"Are you alright, Ensign?"

"Tuvok...Honestly, yeah. I would like to tell someone, anyone about what happened for me to get so screwed up that I ended at this point in my life. If I tell it to you, fine. That would be good because I still have nightmares from what I have done. Maybe discussing what happened with a Vulcan of all species would help me get over it. I have been alive for 15 years and for the past seven years have been pure hell." I burst out before I could even really stop myself. I slumped against my chair and there was a moment of silence. "I think I need counselling."

"I tend to agree with you, Ensign."

I nodded. Suddenly unsure of this whole counselling thing.

"I will see you in the cargo bay for our next lesson in three hours, Ensign." He said.

"Of course."

He got up and straightened his uniform.

"I will meet with you later today for our first meeting. I will com you after I discuss it with the Captain." He said and I silently nodded. He gave me a silent goodbye and swiftly left, leaving me alone to my thoughts. Damn, I need a Hot Chocolate. Wait, why was he here anyway?

-----

(Three hours later.)

B'Elanna Torres's POV

"This is the most pernicious infectious agent I've ever seen. It systematically attacked every cell in the gel pack's biological matrix." The Doctor said as he scanned the "food" that was still in the containment field on the biobed. Kes stood at the medical console a few meters away.

"I've exposed it to every anti-bacterial agent we have available. It hasn't responded." Kes reported grimly as she typed in more commands into the computer.

I swore under my breath and the Doctor gave me a look, warning me about my language but honestly I don't care right now. Suddenly the ship shuddered and the Doctor quickly tapped his combadge before I could.

"Sickbay to Bridge. Captain, what seems to be happening?" He asked on the edge of annoyance.

"We're losing more bio-neural circuitry, Doctor. All systems are being affected. Please, tell me you have some good news about a treatment." The Captain replied.

"I'm afraid not. Frankly, I'm at a loss. But we'll keep trying."

"Please do. Janeway out." The Captain replied and ended the channel.

"What I find curious is that these bacteria didn't show up in any of our diagnostic scans of the ship. But if the bacteria from the cheese into the ship's systems, how did the gel packs get infected?" He said, thinking out loud.

"Haven't I read that viruses can live inside bacteria?" Kes asked.

"Of course. A virus. The bacteria could be hosts to the infectious virus. There are thousands of viruses so small they would have escaped detection."

"So maybe we should try the anti-viral agents on the gel-packs."

"It's certainly worth a try." I said.

-----

Bini Filters's POV

The ship shuttered and we all stumbled and held onto the cargo in the cargobay as the ship restabilized itself.

"I think the inertial dampeners are malfunctioning."

"Along with a lot of other things." Henley sourly muttered.

"Class dismissed. Return to your duty stations." Tuvok ordered, Chell muttered a relived prayer and we all bolted to the doors but they wouldn't open, Chell frantically looked over to Tuvok and pointed to the door.

"Lieutenant? We're stuck in here." Chell stated.

-----

Harry Kim's POV

"Captain, the bio-neural network is failing sequentially. We're losing systems faster than we can compensate with backups." I reported as my screen showed system after system failing.

"What about changing over to isolinear circuitry?" Chakotay asked me.

"Torres is working on it, but it's a long way from being ready. It couldn't even maintain life support at this point."

"Propulsion is down." Tom reported.

"Every system on the main grid is down. Communication, transporters, turbolifts and life support." I added. The Captain let out a long breathe and started to pace the bridge, she tapped her combadge.

"Bridge to Engineering."

"Torres here, Captain."

"Transfer whatever power you can to life support, and keep working on the isolinear circuitry."

"Understood. Torres out."

-----

Bini Filters's POV

"The manual override isn't working, sir." Gerron said after he yanked the override lever in the floor that was connected to the second Cargo bay door.

"Can't get the main cargo door open either." Dalby called out as we used a door...thing...I forgot what it was called on the door. Tuvok tapped his combadge to alert the bridge.

"Tuvok to Bridge. This is Lieutenant Tuvok, is anyone receiving this message?"

That was no response.

"It appears our duty stations will have to do without us for the time being."

-----

Harry Kim's POV

"Captain, life support is failing. Deck fifteen has lost all power and deck seven has lost it's gravitational grid." I reported and the Captain continued to pace, her face was stricken with worry.

"Sickbay to Bridge. Captain, I believe we may have something." The Doctor annoced from her combadge. The Captain stopped and brightened up.

"Go ahead, Doctor."

"The gel packs are incapable of responding to an infection in the same way humanoid organisms do."

"With a fever." The Captain concluded.

"Exactly. We've experimented with heating the samples of bio-neural circuitry we have here and the results are promising. Of course, we don't have the ability to produce the amount of heat needed to wipe out a ship-wide infection."

"Thank you, Doctor. Janeway out." The Captain replied and then tapped her combadge again to open another channel.

"Janeway to Torres."

"Torres here.

"If we wanted to superheat the gel pack system, to raise it's temperature, so to speak, how could we do it?"

"I suppose we could infuse the gel pack circuits with a high energy plasma burst from a symmetric warp field." B'Elanna theorized.

"But we'd have to generate that heat by inverting the warp field towards the ship."

"Right. We could produce the required energy by getting the warp engines to eighty percent of maximum while we're standing still." Janeway continued.

"Then we could initiate the plasma burst."

"Can we get to eighty percent with all the control failures we have?"

"If we re-route the emergency power to the warp engines it might be enough. But it's a risky move."

"I'm aware of that, but I think we have to try it. Divert all power including life support to the warp engines" The Captain said.

"Aye, Captain. Torres out." B'Elanna said and closed the channel, getting engineering ready.

"Mister Paris, deactivate the nacelle control system and prepare to engage the warp engines."

"Nacelle controls deactivated. Ready to go." Tom reported.

"Do it."

-----

Bini Filters's POV

"What's that noise?" Chell blurted out as a low humming echoed in the Cargobay and we all looked around the room nervously. Henley walked over to one of the wall panels and took it off, revealing an overheating conduit.

"This conduit is getting very hot." Jackson called out as we started to take off our uniform jackets and started to sweat.

"So am I. It's getting awfully warm in here." Henley replied.

"I feel like I am in an oven..." I added.

"Something's wrong. Very wrong. I don't like this at all." Chell panicked. I rolled my eyes and scoffed, when did it suddenly seem wrong to you Chell? Was it when the freakin door didn't open and the com channel failed or when we started to fry like a chicken in an oven?

"I would surmise that the Captain is making some effort to deal with the system's failures. The fact that we do not know what that effort entails may lead us to imagine the worst. We must not let fear get the best of us. Mister Gerron, it is possible the console in the control room is still functioning. Please see if you can open the doors from there." Tuvok said.

"Yes, sir."

Gerron immediately ran and climbed up the ladder to the second level and then Tuvok turned back to us.

"In the meantime, we can attempt to access one of the Jeffries tubes through the forward bulkhead."

-----

Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV

The ship was shaking and everyone was sweating as the temperature across the ship got hotter and hotter, a young crewmember passed out near the turbo lift.

"I don't know about the bacteria, but I'm about ready to pass out." Tom said as everyone was slumped, trying their best to not pass out. Chakotay was barely able to look up from the ground but managed to do it and glared at the console between us.

"Engines are only at seventy-four percent of maximum. That's not enough for a plasma burst." Chakotay reported and then slumped again.

"Mister Paris, increase antimatter flow." I barked.

"It's having an affect, Captain. Temperature is at three hundred and forty Kelvins. Can we get the engines a little hotter?" Harry asked.

"Mister Paris, get us to eighty percent of maximum somehow." I said, feeling my energy being depleted.

"I'll try." Tom muttered and started to slow type in commands for the ship into his console.

"Okay, we're at three hundred and sixty Kelvins." Harry reported.

"Engines are at seventy-nine percent of maximum. I think we can risk it." Chakotay jumped in. I tapped my combadge, trying to ignore the heat.

"Bridge to Torres, initiate the plasma burst." I ordered over the channel.

"Aye, Captain, but be prepared. It might blow out some of the conduits." B'Elanna warned me.

"Acknowledged. Go ahead."

-----

Bini Filters POV

The ship kept getting warmer and I think I was starting to hallucinate because for a moment I thought I was a turkey being roasted...Now I want fried chicken. Turkey sucks. Turkey is dry and honestly way too big and then when someone stuffs it and makes it in a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce, absolutely disgusting!

I watched as Tuvok, Dalby and Jackson managed to open the Jeffries tube and suddenly a conduit blow on the wall, making me and Henley dodge incoming debris. Green plasma gas started to fill the room, causing everyone to start coughing.

"The plasma gas will become toxic within minutes. We must leave immediately." Tuvok ordered and gestured us to get in.

"What about Gerron? We can't leave him." Dalby snapped as Jackson and Henley started to crawl in.

"Get in the Jeffries tube. I cannot risk losing any more of you to save one man." Tuvok ordered.

"What is that, some kind of Starfleet rule?" Dalby snapped.

"It is always tactically correct to sacrifice the few for the many." Tuvok argued.

"I don't give a Circassian fig what's tactically correct, I'm going back for him. This is one time when retreat is not an option."

"Get in the Jeffries tube now! Mister Dalby, I will break your arm if you do not follow my order." Tuvok threatened. OK, wow. Harsh Tuvok...just like...knock him out already.

"I won't forget this. You're letting him die." Dalby continued to fight. I crawled in after Henley as Dalby stepped in.

"Keep moving." Tuvok ordered and slammed the door shut, so now all four of us are crammed together in a dark tube that is overheating.

-----

Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV

"Janeway to sickbay, report." I ordered over the channel as the ship started to cool down and I wipped sweat from my brow.

"Bacterial levels are dropping, Captain. If they continue, we should be able to purge the system within a few minutes." The Doctor reported.

"Keep me informed. We need life support back on line as soon as possible."

"I'll get back to you right away, Captain. Doctor out." The Doctor said and closed the channel, I watched as people around the bridge started to pass out and I felt the effects also. I couldn't stop myself from falling out of my chair and collapsing to the floor, like others. Then allowing the darkness to surround me and drag me in.

Please let Micheal and Sarah be alright.

"Sickbay to Bridge. Repeat, Sickbay to Bridge. Can anyone hear me? All of the infectious bacteria have been destroyed."

-----

Bini Filters POV

Chell and Daldy used a metal bar from somewhere in the corridor, that was keep in mind, in shambles. What the hell happened when we were in the Jeffries tubes? It doesn't matter I guess. They were finally able to get the door to open fully and Chell and Dalby rushed into the gases of the cargo bay, then came back with an unconscious and barely awake Tuvok, dragging them into the corridor as Henley, Jackson and I yanked the metal bar from propping the door open and allowed it to close.

"I think he's all right." Henley called to us as she checked on Gerron.

"I thought Starfleet rules said that was an unacceptable risk, going back to save him." Dalby said with satisfaction for being proven right.

"It was. However, I recently realized that there are times when it is desirable to bend the rules." Tuvok smartly replied.

"Lieutenant, if you can learn to bend the rules, I guess we can learn to follow them. Come on, let's get you two to Sickbay." Dalby said and Jackson helped Gerron, who was finally coming around to reality, up and started to wobble down the corridor.

Dalby and Chell helped Tuvok up to his feet, and Henley and I lagged behind, talking about how big Dalby's ego was probably by now.

-----

(One hour later.)

Chakotay's POV

She was angry at someone, something as she walked out of sickbay. The Captain wasn't in the privacy of her quarters so she looked mostly composed as she walked past me with no reaction to my presence. She didn't even look up as she passed.

"Captain," I called out and jogged after her, seeing her clench and unclench her hands. "Are you alright?"

"Just peachy." She barked back in sarcasm, she was barely containing her anger.

"Clearly you are not. Would you care to tell me?" I asked. She spun around and pointed at me, rage-filled her blue eyes.

"Let me tell you what is wrong, Chakotay. You punched Dalby. The ship is crippled. We are in hostile territory, I am worried as hell for Micheal and Sarah. Tuvok has requested started to counsel Bini because she almost had a breakdown in the god damn messhall by announcing she was quitting her job! Thank god, Tuvok was able to resolve their differences when the conduit blew in the Cargobay." Janeway ragged. Which was uncharacteristic but she has been under enormous stress lately.

"Look, I realize that things seem bad right now--"

"Looks bad right now? Every week things seem bad all the time. Even if, by some miracle, it is not a hostile territory, things are bad. I am exhausted but I am the Captain, I don't have the luxury of just giving up. I have to get this crew home, I have to get my children home so that they can at least have a chance of having a normal life." She ranted and spun around again, marching down the corridor. I moved to follow her but stopped. She was too worked up to listen to any reason right now. I will talk with her later, hopefully, I can help her.

---End of Chapter 33. Next: ???---