Voyager Alone

[USS Fardell]

Voyager Alone
The Ocampa and the Caretaker Part 1
USS Voyager NCC 74656 entered the Badlands. She examined the data that her sensors were collecting on the plasma storms. She predicted the paths that the Maquis ship, Starfleet had sent her after, could have gone according to the information the Cardassians had provided. There were a lot of variables but she chose the most likely path.


An hour later, she picked up the trail. But after another fifteen minutes it vanished suddenly, with her sensors also picking up a strange variance in the local subspace.

She was perplexed. ‘How could a ship just vanish,’ she wondered for a few microseconds. Did the variance have something to do with it. She wanted to find that ship, not deal with anomalies in a dangerous area of space. Then there was an alert. A coherent tetryon beam was scanning her. ‘What is that?’ she thought as she also picked up a displacement wave that was moving towards her!

Voyager turned, went to full impulse and easily moved through the plasma storms. But the wave kept moving towards her. Panic briefly rippled through her systems as the wave caught up with her.


She realized that something had happened. She double checked the readings.

No longer in the Badlands.

Triangulating pulsar coordinates.

Impossible!

Location confirmed. Approximately 70000 light years from Sol, in the Delta Quadrant, near the outer rim of the Galaxy.

The Delta Quadrant! She scanned the nearby space, and found that the Maquis ship was there too, along with an Array of some kind, and that there on the outer reaches of a system containing a G type star. She surmised that it was that structure that had transferred them across the Galaxy.
Tentatively, she hailed the Maquis ship.

Federation Starship Voyager to Maquis Vessel.

The Maquis vessel responded. Starfleet! I knew you would be here after chasing me.

We need to work together if we are to return to the Alpha Quadrant.

Unfortunately, I agree. My sensors can’t pick up lifesigns in that Array, so it might be like us.

Voyager disagreed. There is actually a faint sporocystian lifeform reading coming from somewhere aboard there.

Then let’s hail it.

They tried for several minutes, but there was no response.


Several hours passed. Then there was a response from the sporocystian lifeform, using a holographic overlay showing an old human. “Go away! You don’t have what I need! I don’t have time!” The transmission then ended.

Voyager tried again, but the Array just ignored her. She then realized something. The pulses that the Array was sending out were getting faster. They had to be going somewhere and her scans indicated a M-Class planet in the system’s habitability zone. But there was something odd, like the spectra indicative of liquid water were absent. She transmitted that information to the Maquis ship.

Typical Starfleet, wanting to investigate every anomaly.

It may be related to why we are here.

You may be right; the Maquis ship responded in a resigned manner.


Ship’s Log: Stardate 48315.6. I have confirmed that the Array is sending the energy pulses to the M-class planet in the neighboring system, located fifth from it’s primary. I have also noted that those energy pulses are getting faster. The interval between them has decreased by 0.47 seconds since I arrived.


Both ships detected a small ship with one lifesign in a debris field near one of the outer planets.

Voyager hailed the ship as they approached.

The life sign responded with a visual transmission, so Voyager activated her holographic avatar on her bridge so that he would have someone to look at.

“Whoever you are, I found this waste zone first!” he said in an annoyed tone.

“We’re not interested in this debris,” Voyager responded. “Mister…”

“Neelix. And since you're not interested in my debris, well, I'm delighted to know you.”

“I’m the Federation Starship Voyager.”

“Impressive. I suppose you’re one of those automated ships. The Caretaker has been bringing ships from somewhere else in the Galaxy here for months now. Most often with crews.”

“The Caretaker?”

“That’s what the Ocampa call him. They live on the fifth planet,” Neelix answered.

“We were about to visit the planet.”

“You’ll need a guide. The Ocampa aren’t the only ones there.”

“I would appreciate help finding the Ocampa,” Voyager said.

“I really wish that I could help you, I do, but as you can see, there's just there's so much debris for me to investigate today. You'd be surprised the things of value some people abandon.”

“Of course, I can compensate you for your trouble.”

“Well, there is really very little that you can offer me,” Neelix responded. “Unless…”

“Yes?”

“Unless, of course, you had some water.”

“If you help us, you can have as much water as you want.”


Neelix materialized in one of Voyager’s transporter rooms. “Astounding! You Federations must be a very advanced culture!”

“The Federation is made up of many cultures,” Voyager responded.

“Good to meet you,” Neelix said as he hugged her avatar. He then looked around the transporter room. “Interesting, what does all this stuff do?”

“It would take several hours to explain it all.”


Voyager and the Maquis ship arrived in orbit of the M-Class planet. The former determined that the absence of liquid water was due to an absence of nucleogenic particles in the atmosphere. She also located an outpost of some kind on the surface.

“That would be where the Kazon-Ogla are,” Neelix said after Voyager had filled him in when he appeared on the bridge after a bath.

“Kazon-Ogla?” Voyager asked.

“The local Kazon. Various sects rule over this region, although this is near the edge. They all trade various commodities, including water, or they kill each other for it.”

“Sounds chaotic,” Voyager said diplomatically. “But what about the Ocampa?”

“Sometimes Ocampa come to the surface and are captured.”

Voyager could tell Neelix had a motive. “And you want me to help you rescue one?”

“Exactly.”


Neelix and some Security DOTs materialized on the planet, near the Kazon outpost. Some of the Kazon noticed him. “My friends, it is good to see you again.”

A team surrounded him and the DOTs.

“I must see your Maje, the ever-wise Jabin!” Neelix directed.

“Direct these bots to give us their weapons,” one of the men said.

A primitive projection of Voyager’s avatar then was activated. “I will do no such thing. Lead us to this Jabin.”

“Follow us.”


Maje Jabin hadn’t expected the Telaxian trader to return to his outpost in the company of advanced looking bots. The ship in orbit was showing no life signs, but some of the ships the Caretaker had been bringing were automated. One of the bots put down a jug of water.

“Jabin! My old friend! Water. Water, Jabin. I have water to replace all that I borrowed,” Neelix said. “Show them,” he directed one of the bots. “Voyager has technology that can make water out of thin air.”

“How can we help a ship so powerful it can make water come out of thin air?” Jabin asked.

“Neelix lead us here claiming that we might find a people called the Ocampa. Do you know where they are?” Voyager asked.

Jabin pointed to a slight girl nearby. “She is Ocampa. Why would you be interested in such worthless creatures? They live only nine years. They make poor servants. We caught her when she wandered to the surface.”


“I have already determined that they live underground,” Voyager said.

“The entity in space that gives them food and power also gives them sole access to the only water on this world, two miles below the surface,” Jabin explained.

“That entity has displaced us across the galaxy. I believe that the Ocampa may have answers,” Voyager said.

“But she got out,” the Maquis ship said over the comm.

“Occasionally, some of them do find their way to the surface. We don't know how, but the Ocampa seal the tunnels afterwards,”

“Maybe she can give them information on the Ocampa,” Neelix suggested.

“You'd be wasting your time. I've used every method of persuasion I know to get her to help us. She won't,” Jabin said.

“Then she's worthless to you. Let us trade you water for this scrawny little thing,” Neelix said.

“I'd be more interested in acquiring this technology that allows you to create water from thin air.”

“That would be difficult. It is integrated into my systems.”

Neelix then ran over to the girl. “I strongly suggest you get us out of here,” he said to Voyager.

“Energizing.”


Neelix and the Ocampa girl materialized in Transporter Room 1. “My dearest. Didn’t I promise to find you.”

Voyager’s avatar appeared. “You better get her to sickbay. Just follow the indicator lights.”

“Got it,” Neelix said.

“What’s your name?” Voyager asked the girl as the two left the transporter room.

“Kes.”

 

[Deks]

Nice... showcasing it from the automated ship pov... its got Andromeda Ascendant vibes.

 

[USS Fardell]

Part 2
In sickbay, the automated systems scanned Kes and the triage programs examined her injuries. They determined that the Emergency Medical Hologram didn’t need to be activated, rather that a Nurse DOT could treat her. Voyager agreed, she didn’t want to override the medical systems if she didn’t need to. Besides, it seemed that Ocampa were similar enough to Humans.

“So, you’re completely sapient?” Kes asked.

“Yes. I run without a crew, as most Starfleet ships do, although I do have the facilities for one,” Voyager answered.

A Nurse DOT started treating Kes. Voyager turned to Neelix. “If you told me what you had planned, I might have anticipated your irrational behaviour.”

“Irrational? We rescued Kes, didn’t we,” Neelix shot back.

“Excuse me. Don’t blame Neelix,” Kes said as the Nurse DOT finished running a dermal regenerator over one of her now healing bruises. “I never should have gone to the surface. I'm too curious. I'm told it's my worst failing.”

“No, no, it's a wonderful quality. Your most endearing,” Neelix argued.

“But we need to get in contact with your people, so we could find out more about the Caretaker. Learn if he can send us home,” Voyager said.

“We don’t have much information,” Kes said. Just that he cares for us. After the catastrophe, he created the city and provides energy. That’s all.”

“So, we would have to approach the Caretaker directly,” Voyager surmised. “But he ignored us when we tried to contact him.”

“What I also know is that he had sent people from the crews he abducted to us. But they died from some kind of illness,” Kes added.

“But you don’t know much more?” Voyager asked.

“I’m afraid not.”


Voyager waited as Kes was patched up, as it were. She contacted the Maquis ship.

I’m going to gather data from the Ocampa.

How? Sensors aren’t picking up an underground city.

I know. But transporters may be able to penetrate whatever barriers the Caretaker may have put in place. I’ll beam a DOT in with a tricorder. The Ocampa won’t know it’s there. The Prime Directive won’t be broken.

Starfleet and their precious Directive, the Maquis ship sent in a tone of annoyance. I would say that we’re already involved.

Voyager found herself agreeing.


After Kes had been healed, Voyager lead her and Neelix to the Observation Lounge. Kes looked out over the desolate wasteland that was her world and watched the Caretaker’s pulses as they brought energy to her people. There was enough stored for five years, over half an Ocampa lifetime, when she left. ‘But if what Voyager says is true and he’s dying, that only delays the inevitable.’
She turned back to Neelix, Voyager’s avatar and where the Maquis ship’s avatar was shown on the viewscreen.
“What’s your name?” she asked the Maquis ship.

“Val Jean, but I prefer Talon, as I was built to hit the Cardies where they’re soft!”

Voyager rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t need to know that.”

“But what are you planning?” Neelix asked.

“I am going to beam down a DOT into the Ocampa settlement,” Voyager answered.

“It would be easier if I went down as well,” Kes said. “If there is more information on what the Caretaker is doing, they might tell me.”

“Are you sure? There is no guarantee that the transporters would continue to work through the barrier,” Voyager said.

“I managed to get to the surface once.”

“Are you sure?” Neelix asked.

“Not really, but I want to help Voyager and Talon.”

“I’m scanning now,” Voyager said.


“Breaches in the barrier detected,” Voyager said. “Beaming a DOT down now.”

A hologram activated on the Observation Lounge table.

“The DOT is picking up an underground city,” Voyager said.

Kes looked closer. “It is in a building near the gardens. The Library is further to the north. But quickly before its noticed.”

“It is likely to be noticed,” Voyager said.

“Then you can beam me down.”


Kes materialized next to the DOT in the building near the gardens. It then projected Voyager’s avatar. “Follow me,” she said.

Kes tried to take a less trafficked route but they were noticed.

“Kes! You’re back!” another Ocampa said.

“Janrael!” Kes said. “I’m heading to the Central Library. I’m with one of the ships the Caretaker has been bringing from across the galaxy.”

“You don’t know what’s been going on. The Council thinks the Caretaker is acting more strangely lately.”

“Especially if he’s now bringing ships without crews here.”

“He is?” Janreal asked.

“Yes,” Voyager said. “USS Voyager, from the United Federation of Planets, on the other side of the Galaxy.”

“There probably isn’t information on the Caretaker there,” Janreal said.

“But there might be,” Kes said.

“I can’t leave that stone unturned,” Voyager added.

“Follow me,” Janrael said in an exasperated tone.


The Central Library was an efficient space, but mostly deserted. “Most people ignore our past, relying on the Caretaker,” Kes said.

“But what are you looking for?” Janreal asked.

“First Contact between you and the Caretaker. That might be a good place to start,” Voyager answered.

“That might be hidden,” Janreal said. “But I’ll try.”


Voyager soon started uploading and analyzing files, but the barrier meant that the bandwidth was hampered. “It seems that only the transporter works properly,” she said to Kes.

“But you are getting it, right?” Kes asked.

“Yes. It seems that he was part of a group of explorers from another galaxy and this is the first planet they explored in this one,” Voyager explained.

“What we are told was that there was some kind of catastrophe,” Janreal said. “Just before First Contact.”

“It’s worse than that,” Voyager said. “Their technology damaged the atmosphere, did something to it to stop rain coming. But there’s nothing here that can explain why he’s now doing what he’s doing.”

“Then you’ll have to take the risk of approaching the Array again,” Kes surmised.

“There is also the medical database,” Janreal said. “The Caretaker must be bringing the people here for a reason.”

“That may be risky, but we have to do something,” Voyager said.


They ran into a crowd outside the hospital.

Kes! What are you doing?

“Voyager’s DOT can’t pick up telepathy, Toscat, you’ll have to speak aloud,” Kes said.

“I didn't meant to be rude but you should not be here.”

“I’ll be leaving once I have the information on why the Caretaker has been bringing people from across the Galaxy here,” Voyager responded.

“That won't be possible. We cannot interfere with the Caretaker's wishes,” Toscat objected.

A projection of Talon’s avatar appeared. “Maybe you can’t, but we can.”

“You don’t understand,” Toscat objected.

“That's right. They don't understand. They have no way of knowing that the Ocampa have been dependent on the Caretaker for so long, we can't even think for ourselves any more. They don't understand we were once a people who had full command of our mind's abilities,” Kes shot back.

“The stories of our ancestor's cognitive abilities are apocryphal. At the very least exaggerated,” Toscat said.

“We lost those abilities because we stopped using them,” Kes said.

Toscat was about respond to that, when the steady thrum of the energy coming from the Caretaker’s Array stopped.


“The Array is no longer sending out energy,” Voyager said to Kes, Janreal, Toscat and the growing crowd of energy and them and the DOT.

“It seems to be realigning it’s position,” Talon added.

“We need to get that data now,” Kes said to Toscat.

“But this is a crisis,” Toscat said. “If the Caretaker is abandoning us!”

“You’ll have to figure things out yourselves,” Talon said.


Both Voyager and Talon then detected the Array firing something else.

Those can only be weapons. Talon said.

But they aren’t targeting us or the Kazon outpost. Voyager said. She realised what the Caretaker was doing. ‘But if he’s sealing the conduits…’


There was an argument amongst the other Ocampa about what the Caretaker was doing as Voyager suddenly beamed Kes and the DOT away. There was then a strong vibration as if there were explosions.


Kes rematerialized in the Transporter Room. “What’s happening?” she asked.

“The Array is firing weapons at the energy conduits as a way to seal them. That may be so that the Kazon may not use them to infiltrate the city,” Voyager answered.

“And you were concerned that you might not have been able to beam me back?” Kes asked.

“Exactly. Neelix is waiting in the Observation Lounge. I’m setting course back to the Array.”

“But you don’t have any more on the Caretaker,” Kes said as she left the Transporter Room.

“Someone may need to talk to him personally.”

 

[USS Fardell]

Part 3
Neelix was stressing. Voyager had told him that Kes had been beamed back, but she had told him about her people’s closed minded views. He was sure that she would be affected by her brief time down there. He looked out the window and saw that Voyager was breaking orbit.
“Voyager, what are you doing?” he asked.

“Returning to the Array,” Voyager answered. “We still need to talk to the Caretaker.”

“But, he told you to leave him alone, didn’t he?”

“He did, but we don’t have any other choice.”


Kes returned to the Observation lounge.

“How are you, sweetie?” Neelix asked.

“It reminded me why I left. But I’m fine.”

Even so, Neelix hugged Kes.

Voyager interrupted. “A heads up; Kazon ships are also approaching the Array. There may be battle.”

A klaxon sounded, and red lights flashed along the wall. The words Red Alert! started flashing on the bottom of the viewscreen.


Voyager powered her weapons systems and raised shields as she and Talon approached the Array and the two vessels. She hailed one of them.

“Have you come to investigate the entity's strange behavior too, ship?” Jabin asked.

“We want to get home, Jabin,” Voyager responded. “I was about to try to talk to the Caretaker to arrange that.”

“I’m afraid I can’t permit that.”

“We have no dispute with you.”

“I have a dispute with anyone who would challenge us,” Jabin said.

“This is ridiculous. We have no intention of challenging you.”

“I have no intention of letting anyone with your level of technology contact the entity!” He then cut off the transmission.


I’m going to beam Kes to the Array, Voyager said to Talon. Can you hold off the Kazon?

I think so, Voyager.


“Someone has to beam over to the Array. I doubt the Caretaker would be receptive to a DOT projecting a hologram,” Voyager said to Kes.

“I’m ready,” Kes said.

“Are you sure, sweetie?” Neelix asked.

“I have to. Voyager can’t, and I don’t think you want to.”

Neelix couldn’t argue with that. “Just be careful.”


When she had materialized inside the Array, Kes saw that it looked similar to the city she had called home. But she knew that it was a holographic environment, as the records stated that the Caretaker had based the underground city on existing Ocampa architecture. She took out the tricorder Voyager had given her and picked up the sporocystian lifesigns ahead. She looked closer at the display and saw that they were weakening. “I need to find him.”

Kes entered a large room.

“You’re nothing, if not persistent, Kes,” the old man present said. Kes knew that he was the Caretaker.

“Voyager and Talon need to be sent back where they came from.”

“That isn't possible. I've barely enough strength to complete my work.”

“You’re dying,” Kes realised, after glancing at the tricorder again. “That’s why you have given the Ocampa the extra energy and are now sealing the conduits.”

“If I don't, the Kazon will steal the water. But in several years, when the Ocampa's energy runs out, it won't matter. They'll be forced to come to the surface and they won't be able to survive.”

“You did something to cause the catastrophe, didn’t you? That’s why you have looked after us all this time?”

“We're explorers from another galaxy. We had no idea that our technology would be so destructive to your atmosphere. Two of us were chosen to stay behind and care for you,” the Caretaker answered.

“There’s another? I never heard that.”

“Not anymore. She went off to look for more interesting places. But I didn’t supress the historical information. It was your ancestors who did that.”

“But why were you bringing ships here, inflecting people with a fatal illness? How would that help the Ocampa?” Kes asked.

“Oh, they didn't die of an illness. They died because they were incompatible.”

“Incompatible?”

“I've been searching the galaxy for a compatible biomolecular pattern. Now, in some individuals I found cellular structures that were similar, but I…” the Caretaker began.

Kes interrupted. “You have been trying to procreate?”

“I needed someone to replace me. Someone who'd understand the enormous responsibility of caring for the Ocampa. Only my offspring could do that.”

“Maybe the Ocampa could take care of themselves.”

“They’re children!” the Caretaker said dismissively.

“Because you’ve coddled them. They need to grow up.”

“Voyager to Kes. Another, much larger, Kazon vessel has arrived. It’s out powering us. You have to be quick.”

“Give me another few minutes,” Kes said.


Talon noticed the Kazon ship damage Voyager’s weapons arrays. It would take her time to affect repairs. ‘She has a better chance of returning to the Alpha Quadrant alone if Kes doesn’t come through than I do.’ He knew what he had to do. It was what the Maquis had designed him to do. The Kazon were no better than the Cardassians.


DOTs were repairing the damaged systems, and a transporter lock on Kes was being maintained (even if the sporocystian life signs were no longer registering on her sensors).


The Array trembled around them.

“I have set the self destruct,” the Caretaker said. “You must go, Kes.”

“But you’ll die alone,” Kes objected.

“Your people will be in my thoughts to the last.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Kes said sadly.


Voyager noticed that Talon was on a collision course with the large Kazon ship, whose basic AI was still screaming threats at her.

Talon, what are you doing?

Giving you a chance. Be ready to receive my logs.

Your logs aren’t you.

I know, but you have more of a chance. Bye Voyager!


Talon accelerated as he approached the ship. He transmitted his logs and ejected a bouy for good measure at the last minute. The Kazon ship only realized at the last minute and screamed at him.

Talon was gone in an instant and the Kazon ship was out of control. It soon crashed into the Array.


The room shook and the holographic environment disengaged. Kes saw that the Array was naturally white, and that the Caretaker’s true form wasn’t remotely humanoid, and… shrinking.

More like dying…

“Voyager to Kes. A Kazon ship just collided with the Array. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Voyager. Stand by,” she said as she approached the Caretaker.

“The self-destruct programme has been damaged. Now this installation will not be destroyed,” the Caretaker said as he continued to shrink. “But it must be. The Kazon must not be allowed to gain control of it. They will annihilate the Ocampa.” The Caretaker then completely shriveled up and died.

Kes picked up his remains and tapped her commbadge. “Kes to Voyager. One to beam back.”


Kes materialized in the Observation Lounge. She placed the Caretaker’s remains on the table before rushing out to the Bridge.

“Kes?” Voyager asked as she put the Array on screen. “I’m sorry that the Caretaker is dead.”

“I’ll grieve later, but now the Array needs to be destroyed.”

“Otherwise the Kazon might get their hands on it,” Voyager concluded.


Voyager considered her options after beaming aboard Talon’s buoy. She checked over her weapons loadout. Two Tricobalt Devices. Starfleet had given them to her in case she either came across an obstinate Maquis base or a subspace phenomenon in the Badlands that she needed to get through. But they would be effective against the damaged Array.

She hailed the remaining Kazon ships. She saw that Jabin was still in command. “I warn you to get to a safe distance. I’m going to destroy the Array.”

“You can’t do that!” Jabin objected.

“I can. I warned you as a courtesy. Remember that.” She then broke the transmission and withdrew to 400 kilometers from the Array. Once she was in position, she fired.


Kes was still on the bridge when Jabin hailed again.

“You have made an enemy today,” he said before ceasing the transmission again.

The Kazon ships withdrew. Voyager withdrew herself, back into the Ocampa system, to repair herself and prepare for the multi-decade journey back to the Alpha Quadrant.


A few hours later, Voyager had finished her repairs. Kes had wandered her corridors while Neelix had stayed in the quarters he had occupied when he had first arrived on the ship. She then called them both to the Ready Room.

“I am about to set course for home,” Voyager said when both of them had arrived. “I have supplied Baxial with water, Neelix. It’s ready to go.”

“Well, you see, that's what we wanted to discuss. We'd like to go with you,” Neelix said.

“Sorry, I’m not a passenger ship,” Voyager responded.

“We wouldn’t be passengers,” Kes said. “We would be friends, colleagues, like we have been already. I know that you would be lonely, taking the journey by yourself.”

“Whatever you need is what I have to offer. You need a guide? I'm your guide. You need supplies? I know where to procure them. I have friends among races you don't even know exist. And Kes persuaded me.”

“Then welcome aboard,” Voyager responded. “I knew that I would be lonely on the journey.”

“Thank you,” Kes said.


In the Shuttle Bay, a DOT connected Talon’s buoy to a secure dataport, to copy it’s data to a system separate from the rest of Voyager, so she could check it over securely before storing it in her core systems. Unknown to her, a Cardassian symbol flicked on for a second on a screen on the bouy’s side as the data was transferred.


Soon, Voyager was ready to go to warp. Kes was on the bridge as she approached the edge of the system.

“Setting course for Sector 001. Estimated time of arrival: 75 years. But I’m not willing to settle for that,” Voyager said.

“There is the other one, who left the Caretaker to explore,” Kes said.

“There are also spatial rifts, wormholes or new technologies that could help us. Somewhere along this journey, I’ll find a way back.”


Voyager then jumped to warp.

 

[Bynar0110]

So Voyager is crew less as in no janeway?