Spock's daughter

II 19

[On the Planet's surface]

They beamed down near dressed stone blocks and a stone path with steps.

"This way", B'elanna said.

"Look over here. This must've been the colony." (Neelix)

"Not more than fifty or sixty years ago. Hardly enough time for these structures to decay so badly", Tom meant.

"They must've suffered some kind of disaster. Maybe an earthquake", Lil said, having already calmed down a bit.

"Well, we'll send down an archaeological team later on." (B'elanna)

"Right now we've got our own work to do", Lil said.

"Are we in a rush?"

"I just don't see any point in wasting time. Unless, of course, you want to stall to put off demonstrating your climbing expertise."

"Grab your gear, and try to keep up Lil."

[In the Underground]

They entered down a rope.

"No matter how real a holodeck programme may seem, it just doesn't get your heart pumping like a genuine physical challenge. It's exhilarating", Neelix said.

"If you're looking for exhilaration."

The group stood on the edge of a cliff.

"It didn't look quite so steep on the sensor map, did it?" Lil asked, a bit scared of the height.

"We're prepared for this. We can handle it. Let's go", B'elanna said.

"All this Starfleet technology almost takes the fun out of it", Neelix commented.

If you mean the fun of wondering whether your anchor will hold while you're dangling over a cliff, I think I'll pass", Tom noted, "See you below."

Paris abseiled down. B'elanna locked to Lil and then Neelix.

"You two go first. I'll follow you."

"Watch your footing!" Tom yelled.

"You're right. My heart is pumping faster", Lil admitted.

"Wait till we climb back up with a pack full of gallicite", Neelix added.

"Oh, I'm just getting warmed up", Lil shot.

Neelix's piton came free at the top, and he tumbled to the base of the cliff. Lil looked at him and lost her footing and fell too after him, due to this distraction. The piton grazed her neck.

"No!" (Tom)

Paris descends rapidly, followed by B'elanna. They lands heavily on their feet, where as Neelix and Lil had fallen on his backpack.

"Are you hurt?" Tom asked.

"You, you almost got us both killed."

"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened." (Neelix)

"Careful. Careful. You might have broken it." (Tom)

"You had no business rigging safety equipment when you had no idea what you were doing!"

"Calm down. This wasn't Neelix's fault. I saw him drive the piton and it was solid. It must've malfunctioned. You are hurt, Lil", Tom noted.

"I'm fine, no thanks to you three."

"Don't you think you're overreacting a little bit?" Tom asked.

"Just drag him to the ship and let's get going."

Lil turned around and was about to walk off when Tom grabbed her arm.

"Let's contact the ship", B'elanna suggested.

"You get your hands off of me", Lil hissed, slapped Tom's face and stomped off.

Tom held his cheek while yelling after her:

"Ow! Lil! What is wrong with you? Hey, wait!!!"

But Lil was gone.

"Wait!"

"Go ahead, you two. I'll be all right here."

"The last thing we need is for all three of us to split up. Paris to Voyager. We've got problems down here."

Just a short time later.

"I haven't been able to contact her. She's either out of communications range..."

[On the Bridge]

"...Or just not responding."

"Where is she now?" Janeway asked.

"Last location I can..."

[In the Underground]

"... Verify is about ten metres below us. I tried to stop her from leaving, Captain, but she got very hostile and slapped me."

[Bridge]

"She slapped you?"

Chakotay was curious.

"She never did things like that."

"And the most scarring things was that her eyes seemed to darken more, towards pitch black. She's really not herself."

Janeway looked at Tuvok, who seemed a bit embarrassed.

"Any luck in getting a transporter lock on them?" Janeway asked a young lady who was at Kim's station.

"No. They're too far beneath the surface", she answered.

"Tom, I'm sending an away team down to you. We'll get Neelix out of there, then go after Lil. Tuvok, you're with Chakotay."

"Captain, I'd like to request a short delay and that Icheb comes down with us. And I may have an explanation for Lil's behaviour."