Copyright 2000, Susan S. McCrackin  Reprinted with permission of the author.

B’Elanna was running scans on the repairs she had just completed on the Ikora’s warp engines. As far as she could tell, all systems were working within normal parameters. There were systems that she did not recognize and, due to the constant company of the ship’s crew, she had not been able to do any scans on them. Every time she tried to even get close to one of the systems, she was distracted. She had the sense it was not an accident.

By all appearance, nothing on this ship was out of the ordinary but the last three days spent helping the crew fix the ship had given her an uneasy feeling. She had finally decided she should report her suspicions to the Captain. She was not certain what she was going to tell Captain Janeway but something was off. She was packing her tools, preparing to leave when she heard someone behind her.

"Lieutenant Torres," she turned to see Porit, whom, she had learned, was the ships second in command, come into the area where she was working, "I was wondering if you might check another problem before you return to Voyager."

B’Elanna hesitated, looking at her tools, stalling as she tried to think of a proper response. Finally, she nodded, "Of course. Tell me where the problem is."

He turned, leading her down a long and narrow corridor. She followed, her unease increasing with every step. They stopped at a place where another crewmember was working on a strange looking device. She pulled out her tricorder to scan the device, almost please at the opportunity to finally check out one of the strange pieces of equipment she had seen. 

"Explain what this is and what it is supposed to do."

As she stooped down next to the crewmember working on the device, her attention riveted on her work, Porit moved in behind her, pulled the phaser from its hiding place under his coat and fired on her from behind. She crumpled immediately to the floor. 

"Take her to the holding room and make certain she is securely tied. Do not go anywhere near the treatment room. The hologram should be in there right now giving the crew their final checks before we leave." Porit replaced the phaser and looked down at the body on the floor at his feet. "She is a good engineer. Barrat was right when he said we needed to make certain she was not on Voyager to repair it." 

"Do you think we will be able to use her on our ship."

He looked up at the crewmember, "No. I don’t think she is one to cooperate. She will either bring a good barter or we will kill her."

The Doctor was seeing the last of his patients in the treatment room of the Ikora. He was please with the recovery of the crew who had been injured and especially pleased with the two who had been the most seriously injured. Captain Barrat had seems appreciative of his work and had made certain that all of his orders were followed. The captain had been content to stay with Voyager until the Doctor had determined his patients could be released. 

He was preparing the last of the medications they would need to administer to the crew as the Ikora and Voyager separated and went their separate ways. He had used the replicators in the Sickbay to replenish the medical supplies on the Ikora and was satisfied that they could easily handle most minor medical problems. He checked the time in his program. Captain Barrat was on Voyager getting a star chart and a navigation map from Seven and then he would transport back for a final goodbye. The Doctor wasn’t certain why the captain wanted him to stay on the ship until he returned but he had agreed to do so. He was anxious for Barrat to return. In the last three days, he had been kept busy with the care of the crew of the Ikora. Once he got back to Voyager, he was going to spend the rest of the day with Seven and Kathryn B’Elanna. Captain Janeway had given them the holodeck for the rest of the afternoon and they had planned a picnic at a lake side hologram he had programmed. He was looking forward to spending the rest of his day with his family.

Captain Janeway was walking with Captain Barrat down the corridors of Voyager, toward Astrometrics. She was distracted.

"You seem worried, Captain," Barrat’s voice was soothing.

"We just seem to have a minor problem in engineering." She gave her guest a small smile, "I’m sure it isn’t anything Lieutenant Torres can’t fix once she transports back from your ship. In the meantime," they had stopped near the doors to Astrometrics, "I am going to leave you here to pick up your information from Seven of Nine. She will accompany you to Transporter Room One. I am going on to engineering to work with Lieutenant Torres once she returns."

"Thank you for all of your help and your hospitality. We appreciate everything you have done for us."

"You are most welcome, Captain Barrat. May the rest of your journey be a safe one."

"And yours, Captain Janeway." He bowed low to her.

She returned his bow, turned and walked toward the turbolift to go to engineering.

He watched her walk away, a small smile starting to appear on his face. Then, he turned slightly and walked toward the doors to Astrometrics. When they opened, he saw the tall, slim figure working at the console, her back to him. As he entered, she turned.

"Captain Barrat."

"Hello, Seven," he chuckled to himself. He had noticed she did not waste words. 

"I have your required data ready." She was holding a PADD out to him as he approached. 

He noticed the child, sitting on the platform in front of the screen that commanded a full wall of the Astrometrics Lab. She had stopped her play and was watching him closely. His eyes narrowed as he saw the look on her face change. For a moment, he faltered. Her look was almost one of awareness. He found that it unsettled him. He pulled his eyes away from her and forced himself to concentrate on her mother.

"Thank you for your work, Seven. I must also say, your husband has provided invaluable service to my people." He noticed a look that he thought reflected pride when he mentioned her husband. He still wondered how someone like her could be happy with a hologram. What a waste, he though to himself.

The child behind her made a sound and she turned her attention toward her. He saw the child stand, her face starting to show an emotion he though looked like anger. He heard her mother speak.

"Kathryn B’Elanna?" 

He heard the questioning tone of her voice and took advantage of her distraction to remove the small device from its hiding place and moved toward the tall woman, placing his hand on her back. She turned as soon as she felt him touch her, her face a mixture of confusion and anger. Then, it turned to shock as the pain shot through her. He watched in surprise as she fought the effects of the paralyzer, trying to repel his attack and remove the device. He had no idea she would be so strong. They struggled and she hit him, breaking his nose. She pressed her attack as much as she could, her body slow to respond. He managed to ward off her blows and increase the power on the paralyzer, finally able to push her back and then to pull back his fist and hit her hard on the side of her head. She stumbled back, still fighting. He hit her again and she dropped to her hands and knees. In anger and frustration over the fact that she was still fighting to remain conscious, he kicked her hard in the ribs. She finally fell to the floor but was struggling to regain her footing. He kicked her twice more, then reached to the device attached to her body and turned it to its maximum level. Her body quivered and he could see her still fighting. But, he saw she could not rise to her feet. Only then did he become aware of the child screaming behind him.

With blood dripping from his nose, he quickly stepped over Seven’s body and leaped the steps to the platform, grabbing at the child who was running toward her mother. She fought his embrace as he touched a button on his belt.

Seven was fighting to remain conscious and to get her body to move. She managed to turn her head just in time to see Captain Barrat and Kathryn B’Elanna dematerialize. She fought against the effects of the device attached to her body to crawl to the doors. She could feel her body shutting itself down. Finally, unable to scream or to move and barely to breathe, she passed out. 

Kathryn Janeway was thrown on her back by the console exploding in front of her. Fighting to remain conscious, she was aware that crewmembers were running toward her and others were fighting the fire blazing from the console where she had been working. While not a large explosion, it had still destroyed the warp core console. She felt hands pulling her away from the fire and felt a hypospray pressed against her neck. In a few moments, she felt her breath coming easier.

"What happened?" She managed to croak out her words.

"We’re not certain, Captain," the voice came from a crewmember she could not quite see and could barely understand. She realized her ears were ringing with the sound of the explosion. "The console just exploded."

"The bridge to engineering."

She could just make out the muffled words and responded, "Engineering. Go ahead bridge." She struggled to her feet to face the view screen in engineering, looking up into the face of Tuvok.

"We recorded an explosion in engineering."

"Yes, the warp core console just exploded."

"Are you all right, Captain?"

"Yes. A little rattled, but okay." She noticed a strange look on his face. "Report!"

"Captain," he looked at her in the view screen, his look suddenly unsettled. "Sensors indicate there is an unauthorized transport occurring in Astrometrics."

"Who is it, Tuvok?"

Her stomach turned cold as she watched his face turn from unsettled to shocked then, for the first time since she had known him, to fear. He looked at her through the view screen, his voice reflecting the same fear that she saw in his face, "It is Captain Barrat and Kathryn B’Elanna."

"What! Can you get a lock on her?"

She watched as he worked his console, "Negative, Captain. My attempts to lock on her are being reflected."

"What about the Doctor and B’Elanna."

"I have a lock on Lieutenant Torres. I am beginning transport now."

"Keep trying on the Doctor and Kathryn B’Elanna."

"Transporter Room One to the Captain."

"Janeway here."

"Captain," the voice came through the air at her, "Lieutenant Torres’ combadge just materialized in the Transporter Room."

"Can you get a lock on her bio-signature?"

"I’m trying, Captain, but I can’t get a clear signal. Something is interfering."

Suddenly, Tuvok appeared in front of her again, "Captain…."

He didn’t finish his sentence before another explosion rocked the ship. She grabbed for a support beam to hold herself up and saw Tuvok’s image flicker in front of her. "What was that?"

"The sensor array just went off line. We have lost sensors!"

"Captain!" She heard Tom Paris’ voice. "The Ikora is moving away from us. It looks like they are engaging their warp drives."

"Can you put a tractor beam on them?"

"I’m trying, Captain." He went silent and she held her breath. After what seemed an eternity, she heard his voice, panicked and defeated, "I couldn’t do it, Captain. They’re gone."

"Can we follow them?"

"Negative, Captain. I can’t get the warp drive to respond from here. The explosion there must have damaged it."

She stood, breathing hard. The Doctor. Torres. Kathryn B’Elanna. Suddenly, she caught her breath, "Where is Seven?"

She watched as Tuvok again worked his console, "She is in Astrometrics."

"What is her status?"

"Scans indicate she is unconscious." He looked up and she saw the concern in his face, "Her life signs are weakening."

"Tom, meet me in Astrometrics immediately. Tuvok, get Chakotay on the bridge and get a repair team working on repairs immediately. Harry?"

"Yes, Captain." She could hear the shock in his voice.

"Run what scans you can. See if you can find out where that ship went. Janeway out." She turned and started running toward the doors, yelling her commands over her shoulder as she did, "Get that console fixed and the warp core drive functioning."

She didn’t even hear the responses.

She beat Tom to Astrometrics. As soon as the doors opened, she saw Seven on the floor. She rushed to her side, turning her onto her back, feeling for a pulse. Feeling none, she quickly started to administer CPR. She heard Tom as he ran in. It took a second for him to join her and she knew he had gone to grab the medical emergency kit stored near the doors. Even as she worked over Seven, he administered a hypospray and she stopped long enough to see if Seven would start breathing on her own. She felt an overwhelming sense of relief when she both heard and saw her take a breath. She looked up into Tom’s face as he scanned her.

"We need to get her to Sickbay."

She spoke, "Computer, emergency transport, three to Sickbay."

As soon as they materialized, she helped him lift Seven to the central biobed and Tom activated it and stood watching the diagnostics run. Suddenly, he spoke, "Help me turn her!"

She helped him pull Seven over and he grabbed at something on her back, pulling it off and indicating they could lay Seven back on the bed. She looked at the object in his hand. "What is it?"

"I’m not certain." He moved to do a closer diagnostic on the device and she looked down at the face of the person on the biobed.

Seven’s face was already starting to blue and swell where she had obviously sustained serious blows. Janeway looked at the results of the diagnostics, her face hardening with anger. 

A concussion, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, internal bleeding. Why? She looked up as Tom turned back to her.

"It is a device designed to paralyze her. It was set to maximum. It is a miracle she isn’t dead." He looked at the scans running in front of him and Janeway saw the concern spread on his face, "Captain," he looked at her, "I’m going to need some help. She’s hurt pretty bad. I don’t know if I can handle this."

She nodded and he turned to prepare a surgical tray. She reached up to tap her combadge, "Janeway to Chakotay."

"Chakotay here."

"I need to help Mr. Paris with Seven. Has Mr. Tuvok brought you up to date?

"Yes, Captain."

"You have command of the bridge."

"What is Seven’s status?"

"Serious." She hesitated, "Any sign of the Ikora?"

"Not yet, Captain." 

"Keep searching, Chakotay."

"We won’t give up, Captain."

She nodded. She saw the look in his face. Behind him, she could see the faces of Tuvok and Harry. "Janeway out." She turned to assist Tom.

The Doctor felt the change in the ship. Surprised, he turned and started for the doors of the treatment room. He was halfway there when Captain Barrat walked through carrying Kathryn B’Elanna.

He looked in shock at his screaming child and rushed forward, arms stretched out for her. She was reaching for him and the captain allowed him to take her from his arms. He hugged his child tightly, feeling her body shake with her sobs, hearing her screamed words, "Mama! Dada! Mama! Dada!"

He concentrated on getting her quiet then looked at the face of the captain of the Ikora. "What is she doing here? And where is Seven?" He reached up to tap his combadge, "The Doctor to Voyager." He waited but there was no reply. He looked to the silent man in front of him, his anger building, "Explain."

"You sound like your wife used to."

It took a moment for his words to sink in. "What?"

Captain Barrat shrugged, "She should not have fought me."

The Doctor stood like stone at his words. Then, he noticed the blood running from the man’s nose. He knew she had fought him. He knew she would have fought hard. The fact only his nose was bleeding was telling. Suddenly, he clenched his jaws. The captain saw it and said, "Before you do anything foolish, please look at the belt on…your," he spoke the word sarcastically, "child." As the Doctor looked at the belt around Kathryn B’Elanna, Captain Barrat continued, "If you do anything foolish, I will push this button," he indicated a button on his belt, "and the explosive device on that belt will be activated." He snapped his fingers, "No more child." 

The Doctor looked hard at him, then backed away. He could see the coldness in the man’s eyes and knew his was not an idle threat.

"You are smart. For a hologram." Barrat chuckled, "By the way, if you try to tamper with that belt, I will not need to even touch this button."

The Doctor nodded his head. He had that figured out already. "What are you going to do with us?"

"Technology such as yours will bring us a huge bounty. And that child," he grinned, "will bring us an even bigger one."

Before the Doctor could respond, there was a commotion in the hallway outside the doors. Then, they opened and the Doctor saw B’Elanna fighting with two men, regardless of the straps that bound her. As they came through the door, they pushed her and she fell hard to the floor in front of them. Kathryn B’Elanna screamed again at the sight and B’Elanna froze, her eyes searching for the source of the screams.

"KB!" Her voice was both shocked and horrified.

The Doctor moved quickly to her side and Kathryn B’Elanna grabbed to her neck. B’Elanna sat on the floor with Kathryn B’Elanna holding onto her neck and tried to hug her using only her head and her shoulder.

"It is okay, KB. Shhh. It’s okay. Shhh." Her eyes locked onto the Doctor’s grim face and watched as he stood, facing Barrat.

"I will leave the three of you together." He turned to leave, "Oh, by the way, if either of you try anything…." He snapped his fingers, turned and left.

"Bala. Bala." Kathryn B’Elanna was holding onto her neck, crying inconsolably. "Mamamamamama." The Doctor was behind her, undoing her restraints. As soon as he got them untied, she wrapped her arms around the sobbing child, rocking her, trying to quiet her. "How in the world did she get here?"

"I don’t know."

"Where is Seven?" Her heart sank as she saw the look on his face.

"He implied he…killed her."

"Oh my God." She pulled Kathryn B’Elanna closer, "Do you think he really did?"

"I don’t know." He reached to touch the back of his child and she let go of B’Elanna’s neck to reach for him. He gathered her to him, sitting on the floor with her. The three of them sat, Kathryn B’Elanna sobbing and the Doctor and B’Elanna looking at each other in shock.

They had gathered in the Sickbay. Tom had pulled the Doctor’s chair near Seven’s biobed and was slumped in it, exhausted. The Captain was pacing back and forth, listening as Chakotay reported on the status of the ship and on their search for the Ikora. From time to time, Janeway would stop to stare at Seven, then pull her eyes away and resume her pacing. Tuvok stood next to Chakotay, listening. Harry’s face was on a nearby computer screen as he held command of the bridge.

"Gentlemen, this is unacceptable. That ship cannot be gone. I will not accept the fact that we can find no trace of that ship."

"Captain, we can’t find as much as an ion stream. I don’t know how but it has managed to mask itself from our sensors completely." Chakotay’s voice was tight, the stress showing on his face.

It had been twenty-four hours since the Ikora had disappeared. No one had slept and nerves were tight. Even more than that, Janeway knew, everyone was scared. They had faced tragedies before but this time it was different. This time, a child was involved. A child everyone loved. A child not one of them could bear to think about losing. She looked at the faces around her. As desperate as the situation seemed at this moment, not one of them had given up.

"Captain," Harry spoke from the computer screen, "what is Seven’s status?"

She turned to Tom who rose wearily from his chair, "She will survive her injuries. She was beaten rather badly." He gave a short ironic grunt of laughter, "I would imagine she fought back. I hope she did some damage."

Janeway spoke up, "We have decided to keep her heavily sedated right now."

"Captain," Tuvok spoke up.

She turned to him indicating he should continue.

"We may want to rethink that decision." When she gave him a questioning look, he continued, "Her skills in the Astrometrics Lab might be helpful in finding the Ikora."

"I thought about that, but both her husband and her child are on that ship."

"Even more reason to involve her in the search."

"She needs time to recover from her injuries."

"Captain," he moved closer to her, "Seven will never forgive herself or anyone else if she is not allowed to search for her family."

Janeway bite her lower lip. Tuvok was right and she knew it. As serious as her injuries had been, they were no longer life threatening. Reluctantly, she nodded.

Tom stepped forward, "As acting medical officer, I must argue against this."

"Noted," she said. "Wake her up."

Tom dropped his eyes, then turned and picked up a hypospray and administered the medication. After a few seconds, Seven’s eyes started to open.

"Seven," said Janeway.

Her eyes looked up and tried to focus on her captain. She looked around the room, seeing the blurred images of the people there. Then, they watched as the awareness and memory of what had happened flooded back into her eyes.

"Kathryn B’Elanna!" She tried to sit up. 

Tom reached for her, trying to encourage her to lie back down, "Seven, please take it a little easier. Lie there a moment. Please."

She pulled herself up on his arm, her eyes panicked and said, again, "Kathryn B’Elanna?"

Janeway stood in front of her, "They took her. We are doing everything we can to find her, Seven."

Seven looked around the room, then looked back at Janeway, "The Doctor?"

"They have him, also."

Her voice broke, "Both of them?"

Janeway nodded. She reached to put her hand on Seven’s arm, "We need your help to find them. We need for you to run scans to find them."

Seven put her head down, then raised it again, "How long?"

Janeway sighed, "About twenty-four hours." Seven looked at her in shock. Janeway took a breath and continued, "You were rather seriously injured. You are still not quite healed. You should rest…."

Seven moved to slide off the biobed, "No. I must search for them." As her feet hit the floor, her knees buckled and she almost fell. Janeway and Tom grabbed for her but she fought to regain her footing and straighten herself up. "I will go to Astrometrics, immediately." Suddenly, she looked around her again, "Where is Lieutenant Torres?"

Janeway took another breath, "They have her, also."

Seven just looked at her, turned and walked unsteadily toward the Sickbay doors. Janeway indicated with a nod of her head that Tom should go with her. He grabbed a small medical bag and hurried to catch up with her.

She turned to the people around her, "Let’s get back to it."