Star Trek Voyager: Here I Stand

Here I Stand, Part 14

Part 14

                It was almost like old times.

                Tom leaned against the comm station and folded his arms over his chest. The tactical suite was packed with former shipmates. Most were in uniform, but a few were still in civvies and rubbing sleep from their eyes.     Ken Dalby and Gerron were chatting with Sue and Philicia in one corner of the room, while the Delaney sisters grilled a blushing Ethan Murphy about the handsome young Trill he’d brought to Celes and Billy’s wedding. Chell, Sharr and Stipes had commandeered the replicator and were passing cups of coffee and plates of pastries through the group. Swinn and Jarvin had their heads bent close together, no doubt conspiring to pull off a practical joke on either Pablo Baytart or Renn – or both, probably. Tom and B’Elanna had been surprised and pleased to find Renn at Baytart’s house in Albuquerque just half an hour earlier.

                Tom smiled, watching the group. They’d all been together just a week ago for the wedding, of course, but there was a different energy to the gathering now. There was a mission at hand, and while Tom and B’Elanna had only been able to give each of them the barest details of the situation, they’d all agreed to help with no hesitation whatsoever. Admiral Janeway was in trouble and Commander Chakotay needed their help to rescue her. That was really the only information any of them had required before jumping into the fray.

                B’Elanna peered at him. “What are you grinning at?”

                Tom thrust his chin toward the gathered crowd. “That,” he said. “I suddenly feel a lot better about getting the Admiral and Kayma back.”

                “We all do make a pretty good team, don’t we?” She leaned against him and he draped an arm across her shoulders.

                He was about to agree when the doors slid open and admitted Tuvok, Seven and Vorik. All three wore grim expressions, probably almost as much for their rain-soaked uniforms as for their concern with the situation. Vorik joined Dalby’s group while Tom motioned to Tuvok and Seven. “Did you find anything else?” he asked when they reached him.

                Tuvok shook his head, sending a splatter of raindrops into the air. “Negative. Were you able to track the cargo vessel?”

                B’Elanna nodded. “It launched from Crater Lake into low-Earth orbit, then broke orbit about half an hour later. The tracking data is already loaded into the Flyer II’s navigation system.”

                “Are we certain the Admiral and Kayma were aboard the vessel?” Seven asked, gingerly wiping rain from the rim of her ocular implant.

                Tom shrugged. “We scanned for her biosignature in the area and never found it. Seems like the  mostly likely scenario. Chakotay thinks so, anyway.”

                Before either Tuvok or Seven could reply, Chell waddled up and handed them each a large, fluffy towel. Sharr waited for both officers to wrap the towels around their shoulders, then gave them each a steaming cup of tea. Both Bolians nodded solemnly at them all before turning and shuffling back into the crowd. Tom chuckled.

                The doors slid open, this time admitting Mike Ayala and the Doc. Both man and hologram looked very serious – not an unusual expression for the Doc, but Mike definitely seemed more subdued than normal. Tom felt B’Elanna tense under his arm and drew her a little closer to his side. He waved the Doc and Mike over, too, and Tuvok and Seven stepped slightly aside to draw them to the group.