"Computer, what is blocking the transmission?"
"Transmissions are being blocked by a sub-terranean power source."
"Re-route transmission circuits and try again."
The computer did as it was told, but the result was the same. The transmission was still being blocked. Taking a tricorder, Kira began to scan the area in an attempt to locate the power source. She soon found it. The tricorder took her to a small garden, much like the one she had seen Odo in. It eventually took her to a cave entrance. However, she was surprised to find that the entrance was blocked by a door.
"A door? What would the changelings want with a door?"
She was now more confused than ever.
In his office aboard the Qualor II station, Dockachin sat at his computer console, finishing the records of his last scrapping detail. He was annoyed when someone pressed his door buzzer. Turning around in his chair, he faced the door.
"Come in!" he boomed.
The door opened, and Dockachin was most annoyed when he saw who his visitor was. It was Mordrid, the man who had earlier tried to buy the Valkyrie off him.
"I told you before, the Valkyrie is not for sale! How many more times do you have to be told?"
"I am not here to make you another offer, Mister Dockachin. I am here to appeal to your other instincts, your pride!"
Dockachin laughed.
"I've heard it all now! What are you talking about?"
"Mister Dockachin, I challenge you to a game of Stratagema!"
"You are a fool, sir! The Zakdorns are well known for their prowess in the game of Stratagema! You have no hope against one such as I!"
"But you have never played against one such as I. And to make things more interesting, why don't we play for a prize!"
"A prize! What prize?"
"Why, the Valkyrie, of course!"
"You are a fool, sir! You have no hope against me!"
"We shall see! Do you agree to the wager?"
"Of course I do!"
"I knew your Zakdorn pride would make it hard to resist!"
Because of their transporter technology, the Voyager away team was able to transport right into the heart of Ocampa territory. Janeway had expected to see caverns filled with vast cities. Instead what she saw reminded her of a farming community. As Kes led them along, she saw various Ocampa farming land, tending to their various crops. She had thought the Caretaker would provide for all their needs. Perhaps not enough, though.
Kes soon saw a familiar face. She rushed over to her and the two old friends hugged.
"Kes! We thought we'd lost you forever!"
"I thought I was lost as well! Anyway, I'm back, and we need your help."
Kes suddenly heard a voice in her head. Someone was communicating with her telepathically.
"I don't see how we can help your new friends."
Kes turned around to see a man standing in front of her. It was the same man who had helped Kim and Torres in the hospital.
"Speak," said Kes. "My friends don't have the ability to communicate telepathically. It's something we've also lost over the past ten generations!"
"I assume they have come looking for the others," he said. "We cannot help you! It would be against the Caretaker's wishes."
"We've come to rely on the Caretaker too much!" said Kes. "We've lost our way, our independence!"
"We've lost nothing since we came under the care of the Caretaker. I'm afraid we cannot help you. It is the Caretaker's wish."
"Or is it your wish," said Kes. "Come on, Captain. We'll get no help here!"
And with that, the away team left.
In a darkened corridor, Kim and Torres stopped. They had spent hours trying to find an exit, a way of getting to the surface, but they had been unlucky. Now, the illness was taking its toll on them. They began to feel tired and sick.
"We've got to stop and rest," said Kim. "We can't go on much longer."
"What's the matter, Starfleet? Illness getting you down?"
"And you too by the look of it."
Then, they heard footsteps. They looked around, and saw a young Ocampa female nearby. Torres was not happy.
"What are you doing here? Have you been following us?"
"I was only trying to see if you were all right, and to give you this."
She reached into her coat and took out a small glass container. She handed it to Torres.
"What's this?"
"We have noticed that this moss has a curative effect against some illness. I thought it might be able to help you in some way."
Torres winced in pain slightly. The illness seemed to be getting the better of her.
"We need to get out of here," said Kim. "Do you know a way?"
"There are the old shafts that the Caretaker used to bring us here, but I don't see how you would get to the surface. The shafts have been sealed for centuries!"
"Can you get us tools to dig through to the surface?" asked Torres.
"I can, but you're too weak. You haven't the strength to dig all the way to the surface."
"Just get us the tools. Let us worry about the rest!"
Bashir finally managed to get into Quark's to enjoy that quiet drink with O'Brien, although it seemed like an age while they waited for Quark to bring them their drinks. While they waited Bashir looked around. The bar was packed with aliens the like of which he'd never seen before. The Dominion conference obviously meant good news for some on the station, in the form of profit.
Soon, Quark brought their drinks to their table. There was a beaming smile on his face.
"I don't think I've ever seen you happier, Quark!" Bashir remarked. "Business seems to be well at the moment!"
"You can thank the Dominion for that!" said Quark. "With everyone at ease with them, and happy, they buy drinks! You see, it's part of my vision. You see, I have a dream! A dream where everyone lives in peace! Human, Klingon, Cardassian, Ferengi, Jem'Hadar, everyone!"
Whilst still on the proverbial cloud nine, Quark returned to his bar, eager to increase his bank balance, leaving Bashir and O'Brien to enjoy their drinks. But this they could not do. Just moments later, a Jem'Hadar warrior walked past and barged into O'Brien, causing him to spill his drink. The warrior did not look happy.
"Foolish human! You should stay out of the way!"
"Huh! Sorry!" said O'Brien.
"It wasn't his fault!" said Bashir. "You pushed into him!"
Bashir could tell that his words angered the warrior, as he began to walk over to Bashir's side of the table. Bashir got to his feet. They soon stared each other in the eye.
"You are indeed foolish, human!"
O'Brien was soon on his feet, trying to stop them from coming to blows. However, his efforts were in vain. He soon found himself on the floor after running into a Jem'Hadar fist. Bashir had no choice now. He fought back on O'Brien's behalf, attacking the warrior in reply to the warrior's attack on O'Brien. This brought several more Jem'Hadar warriors into the fray, and a full-scale barroom brawl began. Quark, eager to protect his property, tried to stop the fight using words.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen! Please stop! Don't you remember my dream?"
Security was soon alerted, and Commander Eddington, chief of security in Odo's absence, interjected himself.
"That's enough!" he said.
More guards soon arrived, and the fight was broken up. Bashir watched in astonishment as the Jem'Hadar warriors who had started the fight just walked away without a word being said to them.
"Aren't you going to do anything?" Bashir asked. "He attacked Chief O'Brien!"
"Everything is in order now, Doctor!" replied Eddington.
"But you can't just let them get away with it!"
"Our orders are to give the Jem'Hadar a wide berth. They don't know our ways and customs. Give them time!"
"Well, you may not be willing to do anything about it, but I will!"
Bashir then reached down and helped O'Brien to his feet. He began to wonder what the Federation was letting itself in for.
No comments:
Post a Comment