The Other Torres | A Star Trek Fanfiction *Book 1*

Time and Again-Chapter 13

Amanda and Tom head a power plants, guards are holding back angry demonstrators with physical violence. "This is a lawful demonstration." said one of the demonstrators " we have a right to be here." said another one. Amanda and Tom keep walking "under normal circumstances I'd say we should come back tomorrow." Tom quipped. The young boy has followed them and is watching from the bushes. The guards fire rounds into the air to disperse the crowd. Friends help the injured limp away. One over-enthusiastic guard hits Amanda in the face, knocking her down, so Tom hits him. A demonstrator helps Janeway up, and he leaves with her and Paris.

In Engineering, Harry and B'Elanna are showing, Chakotay, the Captain and Tuvok their machine to rescue Amanda and Tom.

Harry switches on a projector that emits a green beam which creates a mini-wormhole a couple of metres ahead. "This device uses the same polaric energy that destroyed the planet." said B'Elanna "at intense levels it can open a subspace fracture." said Harry "wide enough for Amanda and Paris to get through?" asked Janeway "if we can locate them, this is capable of bringing them back." said B'Elanna. "The logical place to begin would be at the same location they disappeared." said Tuvok. 

Fizz! The green beam stops. "Only problem is, at the necessary intensity, the polaric generator will burn itself out after thirty seconds at best." said Harry. "Can't we re-initialise the generator and start again?" asked Chakotay "not at the same location. Once we make an attempt at any given location, the damage to subspace will make a second attempt impossible." replied B'Elanna "how do we prevent one of us getting trapped in a fracture?" asked Janeway pacing which she does when she's anxious. " We've modified our tricorders to detect the fractures, and all of us will be wearing one of these." B'Elanna shows them an armband with a box on it. "It puts out an anti-polaric field. It should repel the fractures when they get within three metres." said B'Elanna. "Nice work" commented Chakotay, Kes and Neelix enter "Ah, Captain. Will you be going back to the planet surface?" Neelix asked "we're getting ready to leave right now." said Janeway "I have to go with you." said Kes, walking towards Janeway "there's nothing down there you want to see, Kes." said Janeway "that's what I told her." said Neelix. "I've already seen it. I have to go." said Kes.

Janeway shares a look with Chakotay. 

Back on the planet, Tom is tending Amanda's head wound. Two men come down the stairs. The older man speaks first. "We're sorry to involve you in this. Pe'Nar Makull. My colleague, Ny Terla." said Makull "apparently you just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time." said Terla "I was just thinking the very same thing." said Tom. "What were you doing there?" Terla asked "we're from Kalto Province. We were hoping to tour your power facility, compare it to our own." said Amanda "I've never seen a Kalton with your forehead." said Terla "well, now you have." Amanda quipped. "My friend thinks you were sent by the government to infiltrate us." said Makull "infiltrate? You were there when she got this." said Tom gesturing to Amanda's injury. "Perhaps you were told to put on a good show for us." snapped Terla. "We don't even know why someone would want to infiltrate you." said Tom "that's hard to believe. Even in Kalto there are protests against polaric energy." said Terla "we're not spies." said Amanda. "When was the last time you were in a power plant?" asked Terla "not since we left home." said Amanda "you weren't in that plant yesterday?" asked Terla "we were just getting there when we stumbled into you." said Tom "we know you're not telling the truth. We have safety monitors to measure polaric energy. When you were brought here, they registered five times the normal readings." said Makull "to register levels this high you were either inside that plant yesterday, or at the site of a polaric disaster worse than any in the history of this planet." said Terla looking at a little device.

Tuvok leads B'Elanna, Janeway and Harry into the area where Chakotay and Kes are already standing. "What is it?" Chakotay asked "it's as though I can sense the people who were here." said Kes, "I know. It's like walking through a graveyard." replied Chakotay "no, it's more than that. I almost feel as if I could touch the people who were here." said Kes. "What have you found?" Chakotay asks "the scanners are not showing any subspace fractures in the area now." said Tuvok "that probably indicates the subspace damage is beginning to dissipate. If that's true, it's going to be harder to locate Tom and Mandy." said B'Elanna "Commander, Captain, I'm picking up a signal from a comm. badge." said Harry. "The subspace beacon?" asked Janeway listening intently. "No, it's not on subspace. It's here, now. Harry to Amanda. Harry to Tom." said Harry touching his comm. badge. "Can we locate the source of the signal?" asked Chakotay "yes, sir. This way." said Harry.