It's up to you - A Star Trek: Voyager Fanfiction

The Cloud (part 2)

[USS Voyager]

„Kes! Now look what she's gotten us into!", Neelix exclaimed.

„Do all nebulas look like that?", Kes asked, looking out the window.

„I wouldn't know. I'm smart enough to go around nebulas when I encounter them.", Neelix stated.

„These people are natural born explorers, Neelix.", Kes said.

„These people are natural born idiots, if you ask me. They don't appreciate what they have here. This ship is the match of any vessel within a hundred light years, and what do they do with it? Well, let's see if we can't find some space anomaly today that might rip it apart!", Neelix exclaimed.

„I don't think the Captain is an idiot. She cares a great deal about her crew.", Kes stated.

„You don't care a great deal about your crew and introduce them to the spectre of death at every opportunity. And I speak as a member of that crew now. I'm not sure I would've wanted you to come along had I known that this is what-", Neelix started but Kes interrupted him.

„I think it's wonderful.", she said.

„Wonderful?", Neelix asked.

„If I were Captain, I'd open every crack in the universe and peek inside, just like Captain Janeway does.", Kes explained.

„I don't deny the romantic quality of this sort of casting about. I wouldn't exactly call it wonderful.", Neelix said.

Kes kissed him, long and slow.

„Although, it's getting more wonderful by the minute.", Neelix added.

„I've never kissed anyone inside a nebula before.", Kes stated.

Suddenly the ship shook.

„What did I tell you?", Neelix asked.

-

„Red alert.", Kathryn said.

„Whatever they are, they're passing right through our shields.", Chakotay stated.

„Try reversing the shield polarity. Mister Tuvok?", Kathryn asked.

„They appear to be made up of a non-reactive material that our sensors do not recognise, Captain.", Tuvok informed her.

„Clarify. Are we under attack?", Kathryn asked.

„Uncertain. There is no indication of directed fire.", Tuvok said.

„Torres to Bridge.", B'Elanna said over comms.

„Go ahead.", Kathryn said.

„These things are sticking to the hull. And I'm showing a drain on our energy reserves.", B'Elanna said.

„A drain? Why would we be losing energy?", Kathryn asked.

„I'm not sure, Captain. They seem to be drawing it right through the shield grid along the hull.", B'Elanna answered.

„We've lost five percent of our energy reserves. Recommend we shut down all non-essential systems.", Harry said.

„Do it.", Kathryn told him.

„Reversing shield polarity hasn't had any effect.", Chakotay said.

„Energy reserves are down eight percent.", Harry informed Kathryn.

„This is not what I had in mind. Mister Paris, take us back through the energy barrier and out of here.", she said.

„Reversing course.", Tom stated.