| Star Trek: Eclipse | home |
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| Part Three |
“Eve?” a voice called from outside the door.
“What?” she called groggily, sitting up to glare at the door. “Come in, by the way.”
“You’ve got all of thirty minutes to be down in the Mess Hall.” Answered the voice, which turned out to belong the Doctor. “And It would be quite tacky to show up late for ones own graduation.” he continued.
Eve gasped. “Sh-“
“That’s not a very lady-like thing to say.” The doctor smiled smugly.
“-Oot.” She finished. “All right. I’ll see you down there.”
**
Eve walked into the Mess Hall, immediately stopped by Alexis and Garrett.
“Eve, hon, could we talk?” Alexis asked.
She was about to say no, but then glanced at her father, and reading the look on his face decided otherwise.
“Sure.” Eve sighed.
Alexis motioned toward the other side of the room. “Less people over there.”
The pair made their way across the room, and Eve briefly caught Arik’s eye. He smiled at her before looking away.
“So, what is it?” Eve asked, glancing over to where Arik sat.
“Well, as you know, your father and I both adore children. And we’ve been married for about seven years now…”
“Yeah…” Eve looked up at the woman. ’Oh, God, don’t tell me your having a kid…’ she thought.
“I guess I should just tell you. We’re expecting a baby.”
“I-that's-" Eve swallowed. "Congratulations.” She forced a smile.
“There’s something else.” Alexis sighed. “Eve, I don’t want to come between you and Arik. I feel partially responsible for your argument.”
“You aren’t re-“
“Yes I am. I know you dislike me. I -“
“It’s not you. I- I just miss Carrie. A lot. I know I shouldn’t cling to her this much, but I can’t help it. He brought that topic up, I didn’t want to discuss it. When he pushed, I blew up. We both said a lot of stuff. It’s over. I’m over it.”
Alexis hugged her. “Poor baby. You’re so upset you can’t even lie well. I’m going to go get him. You two are going to work this out.”
“But I don’t -“
“No buts.”
Eve sighed. “All right.”
Alexis returned with Arik a few minutes later. “Now, talk.” She ordered. “Nobody leaves until you’ve apologized.”
For a long moment they just stood there.
“I’m sorry for embarrassing you.” Arik started. “I shouldn’t have kissed you in front of everyone.”
“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have reacted like I did.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I called you a jackass.”
He shrugged. “I was being one. Sorry about calling you a brat. You really aren’t.”
“Sorry for slapping you. I really, really shouldn’t have done that.”
He hugged her. “It’s okay. You’ve hit me harder.”
She giggled, not noticing Alexis slipping away. “You mean in high school when you fixed me up with that friend of yours?”
“Yeah. Like then.” He paused. “Are we friends again? It really was a stupid little fight.”
She nodded. “Next time I do that, hit me back, okay?”
“If you say so….”
She kissed his cheek. “I love you, you know.”
“Yeah, I do. I love you too.” He took her hand. “Let’s go sit down.
**
Harry looked up and saw the couple coming towards him. He moved over a seat so they could sit together. “So, what did Alexis tell you?” he asked
“She’s going to have a baby,” She told him in a whisper.
“That’s great!” He paused as Eve’s expression changed. “Oh… your not happy, are you?”
“Of course no! Why would I be?”
“Hey it’ll be fun having a younger sibling.” Harry told her.
“I rather like being an only child,” Eve sighed. “Anyway it’s not like we’d have the same mom.”
Harry cocked his head slightly. “You don’t seem jealous… are you afraid that General Bryce will forget about Carrie?” Eve nodded.
“Uh, yeah… I guess I am.” Harry leaned over and hugged her.
“Don’t worry Eve. He won’t, how could he?”
“Well, with Alexis and now the baby…” She tailed off and looked in the direction of her stepmother.
“What about you?” Harry asked her. “I was there when he said you’re a lot like Carrie. With you how could he forget Carrie?”
“I don’t know, I just don’t know!” She muttered leaning back in her chair.
Arik turned toward her from where he was chatting with Kamii and Talon, he touched her shoulder. “Might I suggest a topic change?”
Eve nodded and smiled at him, “Good idea.”
Harry looked at the two and grinned. “ So, I hear you surf? When’d you learn?”
“Well I started taking lessons when I was about 10.”
“Did you ever compete?”
“Yeah,” Eve nodded. “Wasn’t very good, but it was fun.”
“Cool.”
“Yeah.” Eve smiled as she nodded.
“So what sport did you play at the academy?” Harry asked looking over at Arik.
“Basketball, you?”
“If I could have everyone’s attention, we’ll begin.” Interrupted Admiral Paris. “Thank you.” He continued as the room quieted. “Now, as you may or may not know, the cadets have decided to try and return to the Delta Quadrant. Seeing as how they will not be able to finish their time at the Academy, the Council has decided to award them honorary diplomas. They will keep their current position and rank they have now, just to make sure every thing keeps running smoothly.”
**
Captain Janeway called the remainder of her command crew to the transporter room without telling the group what was up. Chakotay thought it probably had something to do with the planet they had recently contacted.
“So what is this all about?” B’Elanna asked. The whole group was their and having assumed that they would need to wear them the had put on their dress uniforms.
“We have an ambassadorial meeting with the Kaydari people. B’Elanna and Tuvok you two will be coming with me down to the surface. Chakotay? You’ll stay on the ship as acting captain.”
“Yes captain, although I need to know why I had to dress up if I wasn’t going?” Chakotay asked, Janeway smiled and shrugged as the three that were going stepped on the transporter pad and promptly disappeared.
They shimmered and reappeared on the planet surface. Janeway looked at her two companions, “Let’s hope this goes better than some of our previous ‘peace talks’”
**
The ship shook, and Eve sat up in bed. According to her clock, it was one in the morning. “Please tell me we aren’t being attacked….”
The Eclipse had been repaired, and the crew had decided to take it out, and do some flying about the Quadrant.
She made her way to the bridge, where everyone was intent on finding out just who had fired at their ship.
**
“We understand your people are telepaths,” Janeway said to the ambassador.
“Yes, we are, though, unless you broadcast widely we will not purposefully pick up your thoughts.”
“So you could read are thoughts.” B’Elana asked flinching in her seat. The alien turned its head toward her.
"Yes, if we wanted to.” The alien’s eyes blinked slowly. ”All I am reading from you now is sorrow, and pain.”
It’s eyes changed from the light green to an iridescent purple. ”Also a touch of… concern.”
“Concern?” Janeway looked toward Tuvok. He was the one who the alien had pointed at with its head when it had recited off the emotions.
“I learned to suppress my emotions as a boy.” Tuvok put in.
”You radiate as much if not more emotions than your friends.”
Tuvok raised an eyebrow. “I would not think so.”
The alien’s head moved to the side, then looked at the captain, ” I heard of another ship that traveled with you what happened to it?”
**
“Evasive action!” Eve screamed as sparks flew across the bridge.
“AAH!” Kamii screamed as her council exploded, she was thrown back with the force.
“Kamii!” Talon cried biting back the want to run to her.
“Damn it!” Eve cried adding to the confusion. She took a deep breath as another explosion wracked the ship.
“Hull breaches on decks 8, 9, 10 and 14.” Ensign Chairmen reported.
“Captain the aliens are hailing us,” Tom, who’d taken over for Kamii, furrowed his eyebrows. “They are asking us to surrender.”
“Tell them hell no!” Eve yelled.
“Three Starfleet vessels are nearing us.” Talon yelled over the din.
“Thank the stars.” Eve muttered. “Hail them.”
“This is Captain Eve Bryce of the USS Eclipse, we need your assistance.” She dug her nails into the chair to keep from falling off again.
“This is Captain Dunmore of the USS Austin, Captain Bryce, I would suggest tactic A-356-D.” came a reply. "And we've got your back."
Eve nodded. “You heard the man.”
The starships took evasive action and attacked the enemy ship. “Bryce to Lt. Gibson! What’s the status down there?” There was no response.
Eve took a deep breath and tried to shake the fear that something had happened.
The bridge shook again. “Shields down to 25%!” Chairmen called out. Eve shut her eyes. “Divert Auxiliary power!” she yelled.
“Already done.”
“Can we transport off?”
“Transports are off line.”
Eve bit her lip, “Damn, where is Janeway when I need her?” She muttered. “I don’t know what to do.”
“We have to get out of here before we get blown to pieces.” Talon yelled at her disrupting her thoughts.
“Go to warp nine!”
“But-“
“JUST DO IT!”
The ship shuddered and the comm buzzed. “What the hell do you think your doing?” Arik yelled. “You’ll blow the core!”
“Drop out of warp!” Bryce yelled. Paris pulled the ship out of warp a second later. “Where are we?”
“The Delta Quadrant.” Harry said.
“WHAT?”
Ariks voice came over the comm. again; “we have a Warp core breach down here!”
“Get out of there!” Eve yelled. “Lock off the deck.” She took a deep breath. “Paris attempt to scan for Voyager.”
“The cores gone.” Lt. Gibson came over the comm. again as a picture of the core flew by the view screen.
“The lucky three.” Harry muttered.
“Ay-yi-yi.” Eve mumbled. “There goes warp speed. Paris! How fast can we go without the core?”
“Uh…” Paris began. “Impulse was blown in the firefight.” Eve hit her head against the side of her chair. “Ugh.” She grunted. Looking up she cleared her throat. “So we’re stuck?” She asked.
“Looks that way.” Paris nodded.
“ARG!” Eve yelled. “I could have been assigned to Starfleet command! But no, I insisted on the month in space.”
“Starfleet command.” Harry laughed. “Oh so exciting.” Eve turned her head to glare at him.
“I wouldn’t be stuck here! None of this would have happened; I could surf on a real beach!” She took a deep breath. “Are their any ships nearby?”
“Just Voyager.”
“Try to get a hold of them.”
“We’re out of communications range.”
“How?”
“We have better sensors.” Talon put in.
“That’s just great.”
Paris shrugged, “Not my fault.”
“Any nearby planets that they might be on, or do we just sit here and hope they come into comm. or scanner range?”
“Yes, Tesack II.”
“Can we take a shuttle down? And use that to scan for Voyager?” Eve asked.
“Yea, I think so.” Harry said.
“Oh goodie… Can someone give me an update on Kamii and the other injuries?”
“Critical, we need Voyager; our med bay was breached.”
“Okay this is the worst day of my life.” Eve muttered. “Okay, uh…. Seven and… uh, Tom? And hmmm…. Harry, come with me.”
“Yes captain.” Harry said.
**
The head alien ambassador, Qewu, smiled at Janeway. “Your companion ship you spoke of earlier….”
“Yes?”
“You may want to return to your ship. I believe you will find something interesting.”
Janeway frowned. “I believe I don’t understand.”
“Just go.” Urged another.
She nodded. “Three to beam up.”
**
“Why me… Why me… Why me… Why me… Why me… Why me… Why me… Why me…” Eve hit her head against the console.
“Captain.” Seven said in her calm even voice. “What is that accomplishing?”
“To tell you the truth…” Eve turned her head toward her. “Absolutely nothing, I’m frustrated.”
A noise from the back of their shuttle drew their attention.
“Oh, this could be fun.” Harry said turning.
Bryce stood. “Hello?” She called. “Have you come for the high tea?”
Harry laughed. “Maybe we’ve got Trick-or-Treaters.”
“Oh goodie.” Eve retorted.
“Captain on the bridge!” came a voice.
“Of course I’m on the Bridge, where else would I be?” Eve snapped at Tuvok, then blinked. “Tuvok?”
“Hello.” Janeway said calmly.
Eve stuttered. “But- uh - I… need to sit down.”
“Then sit.” Janeway told her. “So what exactly is going on?”
“Well our warp core blew us to the Gamma Quadrant. There we almost died. We went to Deep Space Nine for a while, and to make a long story shot- I’ll tell the rest later - the warp core went nuts, we were blown back here and now we don’t have a warp core or propulsion. Thrusters went too. Oh, Kamii has plasma burns and several fractures from when her post blew up and we had to put the fire out. It was weird just sitting there with the ship on fire.”
“Why did-“
“The post explode? We were attacked again.” Eve answered.
“Why are-“
“We wearing dress uniforms if we were in combat? Deep Space Nine was attacked during the night of our graduation.” she shrugged. "I hadn't bothered to change."
“Can we get to Voyager and then go back and repair the Eclipse?” interrupted Harry.
“Of course.” Janeway smiled. “It’s good to have you back; we were all so worried.”
“Hey, we were worried too.” Eve shrugged.
“Yeah, but Janeway probably didn’t go nuts.” Paris muttered. Janeway raised an eyebrow and glanced at Eve who smiled warily.
**
“Great idea of Eve’s, leaving the ship the moment something goes wrong. Where are we going to get a new warp core?” Arik muttered.
“We’ll do what Voyager does..”
“And that is?”
“You’ll see.”
Arik glared at Talon who shrugged and walked away.
“Yeah, but does Voyager’s warp core fly out of the ship and explode?” Arik yelled after him. He frowned at Talon’s back, then began to inspect the stations, several of which had exploded. “Stupid ship.” He muttered and kicked the railing before starting repairs.
*********
fin
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