Finally, Part 7. It took awhile... Much longer than I originally
intended. A mild case of writer's block, Thanksgiving, and work wreaked
havoc on the creative impulse. It is here now though, and my goal is to
have part 8 complete in record time... As always comments are helpful send'em
to me at :TrekVoyagr@AOL.com" Now, without further delay.... On with the
show.....
The Rescue
Part 7: No One Quits
It hadn't taken long for Tom and B'Elanna to reach the hanger. Deserted
except for a few fighters, they had nowhere to go. Tom turned, peering
out the hanger doors. Bronn was approaching the hanger with a squad of
soldiers at full sprint in front of him. There was no doubt they had been
spotted. *Of course Paris, How could they miss you covered with blood and
wearing a Starfleet uniform. * Tom raised his weapon and fired a few rounds,
green plasma blasts kicked up dirt directly in their path. The soldiers,
in mid stride, dove headfirst to the ground instantly raising their weapons
searching for a target. A hand clenched his arm, whirling around, Tom expected
to see an Aconden soldier, but smiled realizing it was B'Elanna. "Tom,
what about using that ship?" "It looks like Denkar's." Tom thought. He
looked up and down the length of the hanger searching for a possible escape
route. "Come on" he said, grabbing her arm, as they ran over to the ship.
Once aboard he closed and secured the door. "You think this wreck will
fly?" Tom joked as he looked over the controls from the pilot seat. "I
doubt it." B'Elanna replied joining Tom at the console. She watched as
he punched up communications. *It looks like he's sending a message to
Voyager.* She glanced at the console to his right, the ship's shields and
impulse drive were operational, but no weapon systems online. She turned
her attention back to Tom. "Are you doing what I think you are?" she asked. "Yep,
just making a call" he smiled back at her. His smile made her feel better.
Tom finished and entered the command to send the message. Looking up through
the cockpit canopy, they both saw the first soldier had reached the hanger
door and was cautiously peering around the hanger. Tom grabbed B'Elanna's
hand pulling her to the floor of the ship next to him. "Guards...." Tom
whispered. "I know..." B'Elanna replied. "What's our plan Tom?" "Waiting....
Voyager should be able to beam us out, and there is almost a mile of hanger
they'll be busy searching." B'Elanna didn't really care to wait on this
planet a second longer, but couldn't think of a better option. Voyager
would have to pull them out.
VOYAGER
Harry's words still echoed throughout the bridge only to be replaced
with silence as minds raced to find answers. "Captain?" Harry asked waiting
for a response. Janeway turned towards Tuvok her mind made up, "Divert
all power from non essential systems to the shields." Her voice rose. She
was fighting to be heard over the noise. "We will remain here as long as
our shields hold." She paused, her grip tightening around her chair, as
the bridge shook from weapons discharging across Voyager's hull. "Harry
try to maintain a transporter lock." "I'll try captain, but there seems
to be a bit of interference."
Tuvok's hands danced over the console, Voyager's phasers charging and
firing every few seconds. An explosion not far from Voyager shook the ship.
"Captain, there are still 12 Aconden ships." Tuvok stated from his
station struggling to remain standing as the wave of ships flew past weapons
ablaze. "Shields at 60% and dropping." "Captain!" Harry shouted from his
station. Janeway looked in his direction. "Yes Mr. Kim." "Captain, I picked
up a coded message from Tom. They are awaiting transport." "Mr. Kim send
a message to Tom. Update him on our status and tell him to try to get beyond
the range of the defense grid. We will pick them up outside the grid." "Sending
the message now..." Janeway leaned towards Chakotay, "Commander we may
need to have another plan in place in case we can't lower the shields." "Captain,
if this attack continues.... we won't need to worry about lowering the
shields, they'll already be down.... us with them." As if to add weight
to his words, the bridge shook again. A small ceiling panel crashed to
the floor. Tuvok's voice again sounded over the noise of battle "Shields
at 55% and dropping.".........
HANGER
Tom and B'Elanna lay quietly on the floor. Once in awhile they could
make out racket outside the ship as soldiers smashed and toppled equipment
looking for them. "Tom," B'Elanna said raising her head, meeting his gaze. "Yeah." "I
want to thank you for coming back for me, I thought....." her voice trailed
off. Tom saw her lip trembling a bit. She continued, "I thought I would
never see you or anyone else again...." She raised her hand wiping back
tears. "I was going to live out my life in a cage, and die as a slave alone
on this planet." Tom sat up scooting on the floor over to her. He pulled
B'Elanna into his arms. Her head resting on his chest, she wept quietly.
"Sshhh." Tom whispered brushing her hair back from her eyes and wiping
the tears from her cheeks. "I thought I'd lost you forever. Everyone on
Voyager did too." She smiled slightly hearing his words.....
Noise outside the ship startled them. B'Elanna sat up suddenly and
Tom motioned for her to stay down while he took a look around. He moved
towards the cockpit chair noticing the incoming message panel flashing.
He tapped a few buttons and looked over the transmission. Tom turned whispering
to B'Elanna "Voyager's under attack. They need us to get outside the defense
grid." Tom acknowledged the message then peered up through the cockpit
glass........ His timing couldn't have been worse. Bronn, standing in front
of the ship, was staring back at him. He dove back to the floor hoping
he had not been seen. "What is it..... Tom.... What's wrong?" B'Elanna
questioned. "Bronn's outside, he may have seen me..." Her heart skipped
a beat, but she tried to remain positive. "Maybe not." she whispered back.
Doubts were quickly put to rest when a green plasma blast lit up the cockpit,
before ricocheting off the window, leaving a black scorch mark behind. Tom
and B'Elanna jumped up.
"Well, I guess we'd better start praying that this wreck will fly,"
he said diving into the pilot's seat. B'Elanna was beside him punching
buttons to raise the shields as he fired up the engines. Peering out the
window Tom saw the other soldiers had arrived at a sprint and began firing
round after round each being scattered by the ship's shields. Bronn's face
was contorted with rage. He too had drawn his weapon and was firing at
the ship. Tom looked around then straight up through the canopy. He turned
looking at B'Elanna, "Better be strapped in." Tom yanked on the controls,
the fighter lurching and groaning as it lifted off. No other option available,
with the hanger doors now closed, he flew straight up smashing through
the hanger's roof. Chunks of metal fell all around. Several soldiers unable
to get out of the way were crushed by falling debris. The last few pieces
clanged on the hanger floor around Bronn's feet. He followed the fleeing
ship with his eyes watching until it disappeared out of view. He spoke
without turning to face the remaining soldiers, "Get my ship here now!!!!!!!"
VOYAGER
Wave after wave of ships flew by each one taking more out of Voyager.
The shields continued to weaken........ "Captain!" Harry yelled from his
station, "I've lost the lock on Tom and B'Elanna!" "Mr. Kim keep scanning,
try to locate them again!" Harry yelled over the explosions, "Captain,
Tom acknowledged the message. He said they'll be waiting....!" Sparks flew
from the panel behind Harry sending him up and over his console. He landed
on the floor of the bridge, unconscious. "Bridge to sick bay." "Beam Mr.
Kim there immediately!" No sooner had she uttered the command then Harry's
body disappeared in a swirl of light. Chakotay rushed to fill in at his
station. Looking up his eyes met Kathryn's "Captain, I'm picking up more
fighters headed this way." Janeway turned in her chair towards Tuvok.
"What's our status?" "Captain, shield strength is down to 25% and dropping.
We will not be able to survive once the shields fail. I must recommend
that we withdraw." "I agree." Another console exploded behind her. "I think
we've out stayed our welcome. Let's get out of here." Chakotay spoke up
from Harry's console, "Captain........" He cut his sentence short. "Everyone
grab hold of something!!" The explosion that followed tossed everyone not
able to hold onto something over consoles, into walls, and finally deposited
them in various positions all over the floor. Showers of sparks rained
down from the exposed conduit. Pieces of the bridge ceiling fell to the
floor. Tuvok, once again back at his station reported the damage. "Captain
shields have failed! Hull breach on deck 7 sections 4, 5, and 6! Emergency
force fields are in place and holding!" Janeway struggling to her feet
and looked in Chakotay's direction, "What the hell happened?" "Captain,
we were rammed by an enemy ship." Using the back of his hand he wiped the
blood from his eyebrow, and checked the console. "Their ship exploded when
it hit our shields." Janeway didn't wait, "Helm, best possible speed. Get
us out of here." "Captain." "Yes, Commander." "Those advancing fighters
are just about on top of us......."
PLANET SURFACE
They were flying close to the surface and nearing the defense grid
perimeter. Tom was fighting the controls on the ship all the way. "Tom,
I can't get the weapons online!" B'Elanna shouted over the rattling of
metal. "That's alright. I'm more concerned that this hunk of scrap metal
stays in the air!" He jerked the controls to keep them on course. "B'Elanna
try to send a message to Voyager." She tapped the console, but without
success. "Sorry, it looks like the circuits are melted!" Tom strapped himself
in, B'Elanna helping pull the last belt tight, "We are going to punch through
the defense grid in about another minute. Strap yourself into that seat.
It's gonna get a little rough." "A little rough?" she replied, "I think
I'm going to be sick already.... how can it get any worse than this?" "Trust
me.... I'm the pilot remember." "And your doing such a fine job right now..."
B'Elanna joked. Tom smiled, he appreciated the humor it helped him relax……..
a little. "Defense barrier in 10 seconds. Brace yourself...." He said
looking over at her. "8 seconds." "6 seconds... all power to the forward
shields!" "4 seconds...." "Hold On!!" The ship hit the barrier like a brick
wall, the shields crackled as they met the energized defense grid. Consoles
on board the ship sparked, and exploded. The shield strength dropping as
it punched just enough of a hole to allow most of the fighter to move through.
As it closed around the ship, metal was torn from the wings and parts of
the hull. Tom struggled to keep the ship in the air. Looking over at B'Elanna
he saw she was gripping her seat, and had closed her eyes tightly. "B'Elanna!
I need your help!" Hearing Tom's voice she opened her eyes, quickly looking
at the surrounding consoles.
"Tom, our shields are gone! Most of these computers are dead!" "I'm
afraid the rides about over." He said still fighting with the controls. She
knew what he meant. There was no way this ship could remain in the air.
It had been reduced to a useless hunk of metal. It had served it's purpose
in getting them through the barrier. "How long?" she questioned. "Seconds...
Brace yourself.... I'll set us down as gently as possible..." The barren
desert rushed by through the cockpit window. The ground approaching at
an alarming rate....... Tom glanced at B'Elanna, her eyes were locked on
him. The fighter dropped the final few feet................
To Be Continued part 8.
The Legal junk. Star Trek, Voyager, and her crew are all protected
under copyright by Paramount Pictures and Viacom entertainment. All other
characters including story concept, planets, and plot are protected under
copyright by me, Jeff Belter, according to amendments in the copyright
law of 1976!!!
Back
to Fan Fiction