Course Correction Studio

Tag: Kathryn Janeway

  • Graduation – Chapter 1. Leaving Indiana

    It should’ve been one of the happiest days of her life. Instead, it ended up being one of the worst.

    “At ease, cadets,” Rear Admiral Camden instructed. The multitude of graduating cadets on the large athletic field simultaneously shifted to the ‘at-ease’ position. It was graduation day at Starfleet Academy. 24-year-old Danielle Janeway, along with three hundred of her classmates were about to become Starfleet ensigns. But Dani was miserable. She was about to leave her closest friends for a science post on Deep Space Nine. That wasn’t the cause of her melancholy demeanor, though.

    As Adm. Camden spoke, Dani searched the audience for her parents. Chakotay and Kathryn Janeway were seated in the alumni section along with the other Starfleet parents. Dani allowed herself a little smile. Her parents were the picture of pride, both of them beaming.

    Dani’s eyes wondered over the crowd, and she realized that he was here, as well. She hadn’t expected him to be there. Her eyes fell to the grass as she remembered times when they’d been happier, like when she’d moved into her residence hall. He’d been there, then. She remembered that day very well…

    xxx

    Dani slipped her last data PADD into her suitcase and shut it. “I guess that’s everything,” she said. “I hope that’s everything.”

    “Dani, the transport will be here any minute, now,” her mother called from somewhere in the house. “Are you almost ready?”

    “Just about,” the 20-year-old called in reply. As she stood going over the imaginary list in her head, she didn’t notice her father approach the bedroom doorway.

    “Don’t worry; you’ve got everything,” Chakotay said.

    Dani turned to the doorway to face Chakotay. “I know,” she said.

    “Besides, if you arrive and you realize that you are missing something, we can always send it to you,” Chakotay reminded his only daughter.

    “Yeah.” Dani brought her suitcase to an upright position.

    Chakotay stepped into the room. “Are you nervous?”

    “No, not really,” Dani replied. “I’m excited, though.”

    “That’s good. There’s a lot to be excited about. Academy life is…unique. I suspect it’s unlike anything else you’ll ever experience.”

    “I know,” Dani said.

    “Dani, I just want you to know that your mother and I are very proud of you. We’ve always been proud of you, but especially now.”

    “Because I’m going to the Academy?”

    “Partially. But that’s not the only reason. Dani, we’re proud of you for everything you’ve done in your life. You didn’t have an ordinary childhood. You know that. You’ve had to mature very quickly, more so than your peers. We’re just proud of you for handling it so well.” He and Dani hugged each other.

    “I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without you or Mom,” Dani said.

    “I know that there’s a lot of Starfleet in our family,” Chakotay began, “and that you’ve been around it all your life, but I don’t want you to feel as if you’re at all obligated to go to the Academy. Your mother and I only want you to go if it’s what you want to do.”

    “It is, Dad,” Dani said earnestly. “This is the life that I want.”

    Chakotay nodded. “Let’s go then.”

    xxx

    Move-in day at the Academy-probably one of the busiest days on campus. Besides move out day.

    Dani walked down the hallway, looking for her assigned room number, 419.

    “409, 410…” Dani said, searching the walls. Her mother and father, and Will Riker were a few paces behind her. “418, 419,” Dani said. She peered through the open door. Someone, her roommate, she assumed, had obviously started moving in. Suitcases already occupied one of the two beds in the room. Dani walked over to the unclaimed one and put her suitcase on it. Her three followers did the same.

    “Well, what do you think?” Kathryn asked Dani.

    “It’s not bad,” Dani replied. “It’ll just take some getting used to.”

    “It’s nicer that what I had my freshman year,” Will input.

    A girl carrying a box entered and froze the instant she saw the room’s new occupants. She immediately placed the box on the bed and stood at attention.

    “At ease, cadet,” Kathryn gently said, as the highest-ranking officer in the room. The young woman relaxed noticeably.

    Dani stepped forward, offering her hand. “Hi. I’m Dani Janeway,” she said.

    The girl just stood there, unmoving. Dani didn’t quite know what to do. The girl seemed petrified. “Um..” Dani managed.

    “You’re my roommate?” the girl blurted.

    “Yes; Dani Janeway,” Dani said, emphasizing her outstretched hand. The girl hesitantly took Dani’s hand and weakly shook it. “And your name is…”

    The girl realized that she had neglected to mention her name. “Oh, sorry. Emery Bell.”

    “Pleased to meet you, Emery,” Dani said.

    Emery let go of Dani’s hand and just stared in amazement at the people standing before her. Legends, practically.

    “Emery, this is my mother, Captain Kathryn Janeway, my father, Commander Chakotay, and Commander William Riker,” Dani introduced. Emery shook hands with each of them in turn. She stepped back, awed.

    “Wow…” she said. Will, Dani, Chakotay, and Kathryn all looked at each other.

    “Well, it seems that you two have a lot to talk about,” Chakotay said. “So, we’ll let you get settled.”

    “Oh…”Dani trailed off, following her parents and Will out of the room and into the hallway, where she hugged her father. It was time for them to leave.

    “Remember to keep your focus,” Chakotay said, offering some final words of advice. “But have fun, too.”

    “I will,” Dani said.

    “And remember that we’ll be there if you need anything,” Kathryn reminded her. “Don’t hesitate to call or send us a message.”

    “I will.” Dani hugged and kissed her parents for what must’ve been the hundredth time. Chakotay and Kathryn looked at their daughter one last time before their eyes fell on Will. They then left him and Dani alone.

    Will took Dani’s hands into his own.

    “Well, this is it,” he said.

    “I know,” Dani said. For the past three months, Will Riker had been a staple in her life. After Voyager had returned to the Alpha Quadrant, they’d embarked on a relationship that’d had a bumpy start due to some initial objections from Dani’s father. But eventually, things had smoothed over and Dani and Will had been able to proceed with their relationship as any other couple would. Except Dani and Will were not any other couple. Voyager’s return from the Delta Quadrant had riveted the crew of the ship to celebrity status with the press. They were constantly being dogged by the media. The public had been especially fascinated by Dani. After Voyager had left, Dani had been reported as missing by her family on Earth. They hadn’t known that she was on Voyager, and a massive search had been organized in an effort to find her. Everyone had been surprised and relieved when Voyager had first been contacted, and it’d been discovered that Dani had been there the whole time.

    So Dani’s relationship with Will had developed under the eye of the Federation News Service and other news organizations.

    “These past few months have been heaven for me,” Will continued. He’d been on leave for the past few months while the Enterprise had undergone refits and maintenance on her systems. Now, his leave was coming to the end, as the Enterprise would be embarking on its next mission in a matter of days. Boy was he ever glad he’d decided to stay on Earth instead of spending his leave somewhere else.

    “Me, too,” Dani said mirroring Will’s statement.

    “Part of me doesn’t want to let you go, you know,” Will admitted.

    “I know. But you’ve got the Enterprise, and I’ve got this.”

    “What if I told you that I didn’t want the Enterprise, and that all I want is you?”

    Dani smiled and shook her head. “What if you told me that?”

    Will nodded. “Yeah.”

    “I’d tell you that you were lying. The Enterprise means the world to you. You’ve spent the bulk of your career there.”

    “Which is why I wouldn’t mind giving it up for you.”

    “You’ve always wanted that command, Will. I find it hard to believe that you would just throw it away.”

    Will laughed. “Me, too. But I would. If you asked me to.”

    “I could never do that to you. I know your career is important to you, no matter what you tell me here and now.”

    “You’re right – it is important. But it’s starting to pale in comparison to you.” With that, Will bent down and kissed Dani’s lips. “I love you, Dani.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his body.

    “I love you,” Dani replied.

    “I think it’s only fair that I warn you beforehand – these first few weeks, I’m probably going to be calling you every hour.”

    Dani laughed. She looked up and Will with tears in her eyes, and he wiped away her them with his fingers. They hugged each other again and kissed one last time before parting ways. Dani didn’t even cast a final glance and Will as she walked into her room because she knew that she wouldn’t be able to let him go if she did. He looked after her as she broke away from him and walked back into her room.

    Dani looked at Emery. It was different, now that her parents and Will were actually gone. She’d never really been away from both of her parents on a long-term basis before. She’d always imagined how Academy life would be and how it would feel when her parents left her, but she didn’t imagine that she’d feel this way, like she didn’t know what to do next.

    “So,” Dani began, “where are you from?”

    “New York,” Emery replied.

    “City?” Dani asked. One of the few things about Academy life that had caused her apprehension was roommate assignments. Protocol prohibited roommate changes unless serious problems arose. The idea was to get the cadets to work out their own problems. That didn’t always work.

    “Yeah,” Emery said in reply to Dani’s question.

    “I’m from-“

    “Indiana,” Emery said, beaming. “I know.”

    Dani almost asked how she knew, but then she remembered who she was. She laughed. “Yeah, I guess just about everybody knows that, don’t they?”

    “Yeah,” Emery said.

    The door chimed. Both young women looked at it. “Come in,” they both said. The doors slid open and two young women walked in.

    “Hi,” one of them said. “My name is Elizabeth Crawley, and this is my roommate, T’Lo. We live across the hall.”

    T’Lo was obviously Vulcan, with the customary closely-cropped Vulcan haircut and Vulcan calm. Elizabeth was tall, taller than either Emery or Dani, with long, blonde hair that was pulled back into a neat ponytail.

    “Hi,” Dani said. “This is my roommate Emery Bell.” Emery shook hands with the new neighbors. “I’m-“

    “Dani Janeway,” Elizabeth said, cutting Dani’s introduction short. “I know. Oh, my gosh – we’ve heard so much about you.”

    “I can imagine so,” Dani said.

    “I can’t believe you’re living across the hall from us,” Elizabeth said. The girls seemed to be somewhat in awe. Dani nodded. “So, where are you from?” she asked Elizabeth.

    “London,” Elizabeth replied. “You’re from Indiana, I know, but it must’ve been amazing spending seven years on a starship.”

    “Yes,” T’Lo agreed. “It must have been quite an experience for you.”

    “Yeah, wel,l it was just like being on board any other starship – only longer,” Dani explained.

    Just then, Emma Shale make her grand entrance into Dani’s life for the first, but certainly not the last, time. She entered the room, her little entourage following at her heels. She entered and approached Dani as if she were granting her the privilege of meeting her.

    “Hi,” Emma said. “Emma Shale.” She held her hand out to Dani in a sort of royal manner. Dani took it and shook it.

    “Hi,” Dani said. “Dani Janeway.”

    “I know,” Emma said. Dani considered skipping her intro from now on. It just seemed pointless, since everyone already know her anyway. “Have you put in your request for a room change, yet?”

    “I was under the impression that changes in room assignments were not permitted,” Dani said.

    “Only in special cases,” Emma informed Dani. “This is a special case.”

    “How so?”

    “You’re Dani Janeway, and I’m Emma Shale,” she said. “It’s only natural that we room together.”

    Dani looked at the others in the room. She was oblivious as to why she and Emma should be so special, but everyone else seemed to know. “Why?” Dani asked Emma.

    Emma laughed a little. “Why not? I’m an admiral’s daughter, and you’re…well, your Dani Janeway.”

    “And that affords us special treatment?”

    “Of course.”

    “I don’t believe in giving or receiving special treatment when it’s not warranted.” Dani watched Emma’s smile fall to the floor. The moment it hit was the moment all trouble between Dani and Emma began.

  • Homecoming – Chapter 1

    19 year-old Dani Janeway looked around her quarters. It was hard to believe that it wouldn’t be long until she would be back in her bed on Earth. Her old bed. At home. For some reason, that phrase felt foreign now. She was at home. Voyager had been her home for seven years, the whole last half of her childhood. Just like everyone else on board Voyager, she was overjoyed at the thought of knowing that they had finally made it back to Earth, but part of her wished she could stay on the ship. She would miss her time on Voyager and the excitement of not knowing what the day was going to bring. But then again, she was happy that her family wouldn’t have to face danger every time they turned the corner.

    The whole latter part of her childhood. In a few weeks she would be turning 20. Officially, she would be an adult, although unofficially, she had been one for years. Her experiences on Voyager had forced her to grow up much faster than others her age had. She didn’t regret it, though. She was a better person for it.

    But what if she wasn’t ready to enter the world? After all, she had only been twelve when she’d been catapulted from the Alpha Quadrant. Had things changed much? Even if they hadn’t, she hadn’t ever lived as an adult before she’d left. How was she to know what to expect?

    That’s where her parents came in. They’d help her. She thanked her lucky stars that they hadn’t been lost in the Delta Quadrant, though there had been many times when she was sure they were goners. There’d been plenty of times when she thought she’d been a goner, herself. But they’d all made it through, and now it was time to move on. Her next step: Starfleet Academy. If everything went as planned, she’d enter in the fall and begin her studies at the Academy with an emphasis on medicine. But she couldn’t get ahead of herself. She hadn’t taken the first entrance exam, yet. It was March, now. The written exam wouldn’t be given until May. In all truth, it wasn’t passing the exams that she was worried about. She knew she would pass the written exam, and the interview wouldn’t be a problem. She just wanted to make sure that she would get in on her own merit, and not because of who her mother or father or grandfather were.

    Dani took one last look around the barren room before finally leaving. She looked around the living room as she passed through, and a thousand nostalgic memories flooded her consciousness. She didn’t dare reminisce for too long, however, because she knew that if she did, she would never leave. She walked out the doors of the quarters, abandoning one life for another.

    xxx

    The next night, Starfleet threw a celebratory ball for Voyager’s crew. Even though it was a formal event, the purpose for the occasion was so unique that all officers were permitted to dress in attire other than their dress uniforms, and most did. Most of the women, including Dani’s mother, Kathryn Janeway, wore formal gowns. Dani wore a sleeveless two-piece made of white satin. Most of the men wore formal suits. Like some of the women, some of the male officers opted for the formal dress uniform. A few even wore old-fashioned tuxedos, one of those few being Tom Paris. That was expected of him, he was such a history buff. The surprise of the evening was that Tom had talked Chakotay into sporting the traditional black and white outfit, too.

    Despite all the friends she’d made while she was on Voyager, there wasn’t really anyone here she could talk to tonight. She looked around the room. She didn’t really know anyone here, except those from Voyager, and they had already integrated into the party, mixing and mingling with old Starfleet buddies or long lost family members whom they hadn’t seen in seven years. This was one of the few times she wished her mother would take command and start dragging her to different groups. As if it were an answer to her prayer, Dani saw her mother walking toward her. She watched the long dress flow about her as she glided across the room. The royal blue gown she was wearing really brought out her eyes.

    “Dani,” her mother was saying, “I have to re-introduce you to so many people.”

    “‘Re-introduce?’” Dani asked.

    “Yes,” said Kathryn, taking her daughter’s arm. “It’s been so long since they last saw you. Just look at it like a big family reunion.”

    Kathryn led her daughter to the large crowd she had been apart of. This was obviously the party’s hotspot. This was something her parents had prepared her for. Voyager’s crew members had become celebrities the moment they’d sent their first transmission to Starfleet Headquarters from the Delta Quadrant. That status had exploded the moment they actually reached the Alpha Quadrant, and it was just outrageous by the time they’d reached Earth. Kathyrn and Chakotay had been so concerned, they had wondered if Dani would benefit more by delaying taking the entrance exams for the Academy a year or two. But Dani was adamant about taking the exams as soon as possible, and her parents relented.

    Now, Dani wondered if her parents hadn’t been right in making that suggestion to delay testing. As she and her mother approached the group, everyone turned to stare at her. There had to be 20 or 30 people at least standing around them.

    “Everyone,” Kathryn announced, “I’d like you to say hello to my daughter, Danielle.”

    “Dani?” one man said, closing the space between himself and Dani. He sounded surprised. “This is little Dani?”

    Dani studied the man’s face. It was familiar, in more way than one. He was an older gentleman, around 60 or so, with blue eyes…

    “Dani, you remember Admiral Paris,” her mother said.

    That was how she knew him! This was Tom’s old man.

    A smile broke out on Dani’s face. “Of course. Your son taught me how to fly a shuttle.”

    “Learning from the best, I see,” the admiral said, a twinkle of pride in his eyes.

    “My mother wouldn’t stand for anything less.” Dani looked at the faces in the group. She realized now that she did, in fact, recognize a great number of them. Colonel Kira Nerys, from Deep Space Nine; Ambassador Spock; Captain Montgomery Scott; Captain Morgan Bateson. She remembered meeting most of these people in the course of her life. It was part of the experience of being a Starfleet brat. Her scan of the group brought her to Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the Enterprise, and his second-in-command, Commander William Riker. She knew Riker, alright. She’d had a crush on him since she was 11. If one thing had remained the same while she was in the Delta Quadrant, it was most definitely that.

    “Well, well, well,” the commander said to Dani, “I see someone’s grown up. How old are you now?”

    “I’ll be 20 in two weeks,” Dani replied.

    “Typical teenager reply…” Will said.

    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Dani asked.

    “Just what I said. Whenever you ask teenager her age, she always tells you how old she’ll be on her next birthday,” Will explained. “Like it actually makes a difference.”

    Dani looked up at the tall, bearded man and instantly remembered how her crush on him had developed in the first place. “It does sometimes, like when your birthday’s only two weeks away.”

    “Maybe…”

    “So…I hear you crashed a starship while I was away,” Dani said matter-or- factly.

    “More like totalled,” Will corrected.

    “I bet Captain Picard hasn’t let you drive his knew toy, yet, has he?”

    “He has.”

    “While he was off the ship or just off-duty?”

    Will didn’t say anything. He just stared down at this beautiful young woman who used to be the cute little girl he’d always joked around with. “Would you like to dance?”

    Dani looked up into Will’s impossibly blue eyes. “Okay.”

    Dani and Will left the group largely unnoticed and moved to a large open area in the middle of the room. It wasn’t until after they’d started dancing that Dani realized that there wasn’t anyone else out there with her and Will.

    “No one else is dancing,” she observed.

    “Does it really matter?” Will asked.

    “I don’t guess it does.”

    Chakotay nudged Kathryn with his elbow. When she looked up at him, he nodded at Will and Dani. Kathryn followed his gaze to the unlikely couple, the only couple on the dance floor.

    “Well,” Kathryn said, “it seems like she’s found someone to keep her occupied.”

    “That’s what I was afraid of,” Chakotay said. “It was different when she was younger. Now…”

    “You’re worried about his intentions,” Kathryn suggested.

    “Aren’t you? Riker is known for being a bit of a ladies’ man.”

    “I’m not going to lie to you; I am…concerned, but whether we like it or not, she’s not a defenseless little girl. She’s a young woman. I think she’s old enough to make her own decisions.”

    Kathryn looked up at Chakotay. “She’s never let us down before,” he said. “I don’t see any reason for her to start now.”

    So, the social gathering wore on through the night. Things had certainly changed for Dani. She’d spent the better part of the evening with Will and his circle of friends. Even though they were all scores older than she, herself, she had fun just the same. It was much better than standing alone by the punch table all night. Before she knew it, the party was ending, and it was about time to go.

    “My parents are giving me that it’s-late-and-we’re-ready-to-go look, so I guess I’ll give them a break,” Dani said, observing her parents. They were lingering near the exit, looking dead at her. It wasn’t unreasonable, though. The party was winding down, and most of the guests were preparing to leave..

    Dani looked up at Will. “I had a great time tonight, thanks to you.”

    “I’m glad to hear it,” Will said. “I hope this won’t be the last time.”

    Dani pondered these words for a moment before answering. Either he was just being nice, or he was asking her out. “I’m sure it won’t.”

    “When are you going back to Indiana?” Will inquired.

    “As soon as all this investigation stuff is done,” Dani replied. “Probably another few weeks. Until then, we’re staying in an apartment building not too far from Headquarters. That’s where they’ve got most of us.”

    “Oh,” Will said. “Well, I’ll keep in touch.”

    Dani smiled. “Good. See you around.”

    “Bye.” Will watched as Dani turned and walked across the room to her parents. She turned and looked back at him as she was walking out the door. Chakotay followed. He caught Will’s eye and did not look at all happy.

  • Delta Wild – Chapter 10

    Dani was so excited to actually be on an official away mission. Even if it was only to collect dilithium samples. Even though her mother, and later, her father, had assured her they were serious about it, Dani still hadn’t believed it until she had dematerialized on the transporter pad with Tom, B’Elanna, and Seven.

    The away team materialized on the rocky, dry planet surface. The four members of the team, including Dani, pulled our their tricorders and started scanning the area. Kathryn had decided to let Dani participate as an active member of the team, carrying a tricorder and a phaser. She thought it would make her feel as important to the mission as the rest of the team, and it would provide her with good experience working with a team.

    “This way,” B’Elanna said, leading the away team into a nearby cave.

    On Voyager’s bridge, Kathryn shifted nervously in her seat and crossed her legs. It wasn’t two minutes before she shifted again, crossing and uncrossing her legs. There was no denying it – Capt. Kathryn Janeway was nervous. And with good reason. Her only daughter was on her first away mission. She was only 18. Maybe this was too soon for her. Maybe this had been a mistake…

    Kathryn uncrossed her legs and tapped her left foot repeatedly on the floor. When that didn’t satisfy her, she stood. Chakotay looked up at her. She took a few steps toward the view screen, stopped, and turned back to her chai, walking back to it.

    Chakotay stood. He had to put an end to this. Kathryn turned again. She was about to walk back to the view screen when Chakotay grabbed her arm and stepped close to her. She looked up at him and sighed.

    “I know, I know,” Kathryn said. “It’s just so hard. I should’ve at least sent a security team with them.”

    “Why? To protect them from the rocks?” Chakotay quipped. “The dilithium?”

    Kathryn knew that Chakotay was only speaking the truth. “Kathryn, they’ll be fine,” Chakotay assured her. She looked up at him and sighed. “Now, come, and sit down.” Chakotay escorted Kathryn back to her seat.

    Chakotay’s words had calmed Kathryn somewhat, however nothing would put her completely at ease, not even hearing from Dani, herself, that she was okay. That reminded her – B’Elanna should’ve reported back to her on what they’d found by now. Before the thought had even left her mind, Kathryn’s comm badge chirped.

    “Torres to Janeway,” B’Elanna’s voice drifted from the comm badge.

    Kathryn stood, bringing her hand to the brooch resting on her chest. “Janeway here,” she said. “Go ahead.”

    “Captain, we’ve located the dilithium deposits,” B’Elanna said. “They’re in a cave a few meters from our landing site.”

    “When do you think we’ll be able to send excavation crews down, Lt.?” Kathryn asked.

    “Oh, immediately, Captain,” B’Elanna replied optimistically.

    “Good work, B’Elanna,” Kathryn praised. Despite her overwhelming concern for her daughter, she resisted the urge to ask about Dani. “Janeway out.” Kathryn looked down at Chakotay. He was silent, but his eyes were saying, “I told you so.”

    Xxx

    B’Elanna turned to her team. It was time to go. “We just got the okay from the Captain,” she announced. “She’s sending evacuation crews down.”

    “There must be enough dilithium down here to last at least a year,” Tom remarked.

    B’Elanna snapped her tricorder shut. She was about to announce that they should get back to the shuttle when a troop of Kazon warriors stormed into the cave. In one swift motion, Tom drew his phaser and fired. The phaser blast hit one of the Amazon squarely in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

    Xxx

    “Captain, I’m picking up phaser discharge readings from below the surface!” Harry reported from the ops station.

    Kathryn stood and looked at the young ensign. She tapped her comm badge. “Janeway to Torres. B’Elanna, what’s going on down there?”

    “Captain, we’ve got Kazon down here!” B’Elanna was shouting over the phaser fire.

    “Where the hell did they come from?” Kathryn asked, addressing no one in particular. She looked at Harry again. “Why didn’t our sensors pick them up?”

    “I don’t know, Captain,” Harry replied.

    “Are sensors picking up any Kazon ships now?” Chakotay asked.

    “No,” was Harry’s bewildered reply.

    “Can you get a lock on our team?” Kathryn waited while Harry worked frantically trying to find any kind of way out of this sudden mess.

    “There’s too much interference from the planet’s upper atmosphere,” Harry said.

    Kathryn heart was starting to race now. “Can you compensate?” she asked.

    “I can try.”

    Kathryn activated her comm badge again. “Janeway to Torres.”

    “Torres here,” B’Elanna replied.

    “Harry’s going to try to get a lock on you. How long do you think you can hold them off?”

    Xxx

    Below the planet’s surface, B’Elanna fired her phaser from behind the boulder she was using for cover.

    “I don’t know!” B’Elanna shouted, replying to the Captain’s question. “Not very long!” She fired again. Then she turned around and pressed her back against the rock. She stole a glance at Dani. She’d almost forgotten that the girl had come along. Dani was holding her own with the Kazon, firing her phaser at them and doing very well. ‘Way to go, Dani,’ B’Elanna thought. She felt a phaser blast shoot past her head, and she turned back to continue the impromptu battle.

    Kathryn paced the area in front of hers and Chakotay’s chairs. There was nothing she could do until Harry got a transporter lock on the team. But what if he didn’t get a lock? What then? Would they be able to hold the Kazon off until she could send re-enforcements? What if-

    “Captain, I have a lock!” Harry announced. Kathryn stopped pacing and turned to Harry.

    “Get them out of there, Mr. Kim!” Kathryn commanded. Harry was already in the process before she even finished giving the command.

    Xxx

    B’Elanna, Tom, Seven, and Dani all watched in horror as the number of Kazon warriors doubled. All of them had their weapons raised and pointed at the Voyager away team. B’Elanna looked back at Tom, Dani, and Seven. Dani – she was so young. And she was facing this with so much courage. She didn’t look scared at all. That was one trait Chakotay and the Captain had definitely passed on to her.

    B’Elanna took a deep breath, turned around, and prepared to fire. The away team might not win, but they could at least try. Just then, the room started to fade into the blue particles of a transporter beam. They were being beamed out!

    “Got ’em, Captain!” Harry exclaimed. He looked from his console at the Captain with a smile on his face. Kathryn breathed a big sigh of relief. She heard Chakotay do the same.

    The blue transporter beam particles faded to the safe confines of Voyager’s transporter room.

    “Oh, thank God,” Tom exhaled as he stepped off the transporter pad. Seven stepped off next. Then B’Elanna. “That was a little close for comfort,” Tom said.

    B’Elanna stopped walking. Something wasn’t right. It seemed like someone was…missing. She looked at Tom and Seven, and then back at the now-empty transporter pad. It hit her like a lightening bolt. She hit her comm badge.

    “Captain, we have a problem!”

    Xxx

    Dani looked around the cave. The rest of the away team was gone! She was alone!

    “Drop your weapon, now!” one of the Kazon ordered. Dani didn’t have any choice. She was hopelessly outnumbered. She slowly stood, tossing her weapon to the ground.

    Xxx

    Kathryn looked at Chakotay with disbelief upon hearing the dreadful news. Chakotay had a similar look on his face. Kathryn had sat down, but she was now back on her feet.

    “Harry,” she said. She watched the young man work frantically at his station. He shook his head.

    “I can’t get her,” he said. He continued working anyway. “Getting them the first time was a miracle in itself.” He suddenly stopped working.

    “What is it, Mr. Kim?” Kathryn asked. Harry hesitated a few moments before looking at Kathryn. “Mr. Kim?”

    “I’ve lost her signal completely,” Harry said, finally looking up from his console.

    Kathryn felt as if the wind had just been knocked from her. Her daughter was now in the hands of those Kazon vultures.

  • Delta Wild – Chapter 1

    Seventeen-year-old Danielle Janeway sat on the couch in her quarters, preparing to receive the admonishment she knew was coming. She watched as her mother paced back and forth in front of her.

    “I’ve told you time and time again that you are not to go orbital sky diving on the holodeck,” Kathryn Janeway said to her daughter. “It’s just too dangerous. I wouldn’t let my most skilled officer do that, much less my daughter.”

    “It’s not like it’s a big deal,” Dani said. “I mean, the safety protocols were on.”

    Kathryn looked down at her daughter. “Have you been listening to a word I’ve been saying? It’s dangerous,” she said sternly.

    Dani looked away from her mother. She wished she would stop being so overprotective of her. After all, it wasn’t as if she were a little girl anymore. She stood.

    “Well, it’s not like there’s anything else to do around here!” Dani exploded. “I don’t do anything.”

    “What do you mean you don’t do anything? You almost got yourself killed on the holodeck today. I’d definitely call that something.”

    “That’s not what I mean.” Dani stepped to the side and out from in front of her mother. She turned to face Kathryn once again. “I’m talking about a job.”

    “Is that what this is all about?” Kathryn asked, taking a few steps toward her daughter. “A job?”

    “No, it’s about boredom! I am bored out of my wits around here.” Dani started to pace around the small space. “You won’t let me run the programs I want to run. I can’t talk to anyone because everyone’s always busy.” She stopped pacing and looked at Kathryn. “What do you want me to do? Sit around here and rot?”

    “Listen,” Kathryn said stepping toward Dani, “I made it clear to you when we first entered the Delta Quadrant that this was going to be difficult. We’ve all had to make sacrifices.” She saw Dani roll her dark eyes but decided to go on anyway.

    ‘Here we go again,’ Dani thought.

    “Do you think your father and I enjoy being here?” Kathryn asked. “Away from Earth and the rest of the family? If we could, we would be back in the Alpha quadrant tomorrow, Dani, but we can’t. We are doing everything in our power to get back home, but frankly, you’re not making it any easier. Time that I could be spending working on ways to get home, I have to spend making sure that you’re not off breaking your neck in some holodeck program. And it’s got to stop, Dani. It’s got to stop.”

    Dani looked off to the side. Kathryn was staring a hole in her, and yet, Dani still refused to return her stare. Dani’s arms were crossed defiantly over her chest. It was a position Kathryn was used to seeing by now. And she was tired of it.

    “Go to your room,” Kathryn said. “You’re grounded.”

    Dani looked at her mother. She had expected the lecture, but she hadn’t expected this. Dani figured that she must’ve really crossed the line this time. Her mother had only grounded her once before, when she’d first sneaked onto the ship. She’d only been twelve then. That’s how she’d ended up on the ship in the first place…