New Discoveries

Part 6

The previous night’s storm had blanketed the city in white. There was a fresh and clean crispness in the air and overhead, stars shone clearly against a black sky. Even in the early hour before dawn, merchants were already beginning to sweep the snow from their stalls preparing for yet another day of bargaining and haggling. The aroma of baked goods wafted, beckoning to those who felt the rumblings of hunger in their bellies.

Kyra munched slowly on a hard roll as she waited for her companion to appear. She berated herself for losing track of the two strangers helping Larick, the ones called Kathryn and Seven. What odd ones, she thought. She wondered if most of the mountain folk were like them. It was no matter. Soon, they would be turned over to the security guild and processed like all the others.

She had never met Keth prior to yesterday and Kyra wasn’t sure if she was working for the underground movement or not. Kyra could tell there was a special closeness between Larick and Keth; a fool would have to blind not to notice that. The fact Keth was friends with Larick meant that she, too, would be processed to work the mines. Kyra knew Larick was one of the cell leaders, but she was more interested in capturing the major players, thereby making a name for herself within the security guild. Keth might be an innocent caught in a web along with the others, a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. Too bad, Kyra thought wryly.

She had been slowly and steadily working closer and closer to the inner circle of the Taborian underground and while Kyra believed her superiors were satisfied with her work, she wanted even more. Kyra wanted to be known, to have a reputation with its rank and rewards. She wanted off this forsaken planet. Ever since members of the science guild had found the muoline ore, rich with energy potentials, it was all she could think about. She knew her people were very close to long term space travel, which would take them far beyond the known parts of this region of space. Kyra knew several voyages had been successfully made beyond the moons. Scientists had discovered what they had originally thought was their complete universe was but a small part of a vastness she could only imagine. However, Kyra wanted more than to simply imagine it; she wanted to see it for herself. She knew the general public was ignorant of how advanced the leaps into space had become. The security and science guilds had worked hand in hand to ensure they knew of only the limited attempts and she scoffed at their ignorance. She knew people believed the attempts at launching a space vehicle had failed and relished the idea she was part of something quite special.

Discovery of the ore years before provided her people with the impetus to make rapid progress in many areas. The Taborians already had satellites orbiting the planet and plans for placing space stations on the moons were being discussed at higher levels. They had made leaping advances in science, technology and research using the energy conversions from the ore as a major fuel source. Life on her planet was far better because of the ore’s potential, much of which was still unknown.

She was only mildly concerned about the illness and deaths associated with the mining operations. After all, the Security Guild used malcontents, mental deviants, and the very poor Taborians as a workforce in the mines and despite any minor outcries of protest, who really cared about them?

Kyra was increasingly frustrated by the lateness of her companion. Yesterday’s meeting with her two associates had yielded nothing regarding the whereabouts of the three women and she knew her contact would be less than pleased. She knew a poor report from him would jeopardize her plans for advancement and everything else.

She sat on a hard bench near the intersection where they had agreed to meet and as she watched in each direction, Kyra saw no one resembling the man with a halting walk. He had been injured in a skirmish with the Iaconians leaving him with a debilitating limp. She wondered how he was able to manage most places as he dragged the affected limb behind him like a dead weight. He could have had someone from the Medical Guild replace the leg with an artificial one, but he had refused. She pondered about the odd sort of fellow he was.

"Kyra, you are too obvious," a whisper came from the shadows of a doorway.

She whirled to see her companion standing behind her, a smirk playing across his features.

"Raju! You startled me! And, you’re late," she accused.

"On the contrary, I have been watching you for the past thirty minutes. I watched you purchase your pastry and I think you’ve been very obvious sitting here surveying the streets as though you were waiting for someone. "

Raju stepped from the shadows dragging his leg behind him in that familiar faltering fashion Kyra recognized. He joined her on the bench pulling a container from his coat pocket. After twisting the cap he poured hot liquid into a cup and offered her some before pouring another cup for himself. Despite the darkness, Kyra could see the scars lining his face and she winced inside, knowing how each scar had been earned battling those who would keep their society from advancing.

"You don’t need to watch me," Kyra began with a haughty tone in her voice.

"On the contrary. It’s necessary to keep an eye on you during this next phase of our plans. Tomah has not been overly pleased with the slowness of your progress reports. He’s anxious to round up these rebels and make examples of them for any others who have ideas about strangling our project."

"I know, Raju. I have been working diligently to become closer to Larick in order to get enough evidence for you to place he and his group under arrest. He is not one to trust easily, however, so this process takes time and patience."

"Patience I have. Time is of the essence, however. Tomah has informed me the next scheduled rocket is the day after tomorrow. The Science Guild hopes to be able to go further than ever before and return, leaving equipment and personnel on the closer of our two moons to begin establishing a space station. The one thing they do not need is any interruption in these plans by a group of misfits bent on destroying the plans for returning to our home world."

"I understand and I will have more information with you as soon as the three strangers meet with Larick."

"When is this to take place?" Raju asked.

"I’m not sure but perhaps today. I should be able to wrangle an invitation to join them when he contacts his leaders with the test results," Kyra asserted. "I believe they’re the keys to the entire rebel band".

"Why would Larick suddenly have strangers inquiring about the muoline?"

"I don’t know, but I intend to find out," she said thoughtfully as she blew across the hot brew before taking a sip. "They were introduced by an old friend of Larick’s named Keth. She was the one who brought the strange women to him and who are working on something. It was they who got a sample of the ore and told him they would be making tests on it."

"But you have them under constant surveillance?" Raju asked, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Unfortunately while I was tailing them, I…I lost them," Kyra slowly admitted, turning her face away suddenly feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. "I thought I would be able to stay the night with them but Keth intervened and took them away in her vehicle before I had the chance."

"How convenient. And you made no alternative plans with anyone else in case you failed. So, at this point, you don’t know where they are. Your hunger for advancement will be your failure, Kyra. This is very sloppy work," he accused shaking his head.

"I really thought they would invite me to join them. And, it happened so suddenly that I was taken off guard. Besides, Seven seems instinctively to not trust me," she replied defensively.

"Seven? What kind of a name is this?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.

"It is the name of one of the strangers. It was all in my earlier report or didn’t you bother to review it," Kyra replied, clearly frustrated with how the conversation had suddenly turned.

"I read it. Go back to Seven. What about her?" Raju urged.

"She looks at me strangely and she never seems to leave Kathryn’s side. Yesterday when I was following them, they suddenly separated and Seven seemed intent on catching up to me. Fortunately I was able to elude her. I know how to follow people, Raju, without their noticing, but I swear to you, she seemed so purposeful. It was the abruptness in her behavior that startled me."

"It sounds to me as though they spotted you tailing them and initiated a perfect turn about in an effort to expose you. Perhaps we need to take you off this assignment then," he offered.

"No! I can do this. Tomah must know I can do this if I am ever to advance within the organization," she insisted.

"Perhaps you are too concerned with your advancement and less with the success of your assignment," Raju criticized.

"Raju. I can do this," Kyra’s voice became defiant. "Don’t pull me from this; not now. I know I am getting closer and Larick trusts me. He believes I had a brother who died in the mines and believes I am one of them. I don’t know about Keth but if she and Larick are friends, it can be assumed she is part of the rebel movement too. I am far more concerned about the arrival of these two women, Kathryn and Seven. They come from a small village in the Soborian range. I always thought those people had even less technology than those from the smaller communities. Nothing about these women makes sense."

"Then find out more about them. But first, you’ll have to find them." He seemed to taunt her. "I want you to work with Aren. She can help so you don’t lose them again. Besides, you should have asked for her when this assignment was first given to you."

"I don’t want to work with her. I don’t even like her," Kyra insisted, a look of distaste on her face.

"That’s an order, Kyra, and you don’t have to like the people you work with. Aren is exceptional at surveillance," he replied with heavy emphasis on ‘exceptional’. "Contact her and arrange to meet her as soon as we finish here. She will assist you."

"Don’t include this in your report, Raju," Kyra seemed to plead.

"Find these people then, and quickly. I’ll expect a full report this evening."

Abruptly standing, he turned to walk away, dragging his injured leg, their meeting apparently concluded. Left with her thoughts and frustrations, Kyra sat for a little while longer, replaying the conversation over and over in her mind becoming more irritated with each passing minute. She was doing a good job; she knew that. It wasn’t her fault she had lost track of Keth and the two women.

Kyra believed she had executed a perfect surveillance operation until she was forced into that clothing shop. Then, after the meeting with Larick and his contact, they had successfully closed her out of any involvement for the evening. It was true, she had not planned in advance for the possibility of failure and having no vehicle at her immediate disposal was a major error. Deep in her heart she knew she should have requested backup and Aren was excellent at surveillance. Now she had no idea where they had stayed the night although she was relatively certain it was one of the many guild houses.

"But which one?" she muttered to herself. There were too many to make a house to house search, although she surmised Raju would have wanted her to do just that.

"Well, that just wasn’t possible," she said aloud. She stood and made her way towards her home, anxious to get there and get warm. Waiting for Raju had chilled her and she realized he would report to his superiors about her work and that further worried her. She had worked hard to be where she was and she wasn’t about to lose everything because of one slip-up. She had to find Keth and the strangers. The tavern seemed the most likely place to find them, but first, she needed warmth and a chance to rest. She would go there around the noon hour and inquire discreetly about which guild house was the most likely to be a refuge. All was not lost. But first she needed a few hours of sleep. Then she would contact Aren.

_______________________________________________________________________

Kathryn awoke to see Seven dressed and sitting at the table in the center of their room. She sat up and pulled the covers around her, suddenly feeling the coolness in the air; the fire had been reduced to mere embers. Seven seemed lost in thought.

"Seven? Are you all right?"

"Yes, Kathryn. I have been waiting for you to waken."

"Do you mind stirring the embers and making us a fire. It’s cold in here."

"As you wish."

Seven set about adding sticks of wood to the fire grate, stirring the embers back to life. Flames licked at the wood creating a definite warmth in the room. Ever since the Christmas celebration, Seven had found fireplaces intriguing. She knelt by the fireplace and stared into the flames, aware of the woman in bed just a few meters from her. Firelight played across Seven’s facial features and Kathryn felt awakening feelings for this woman stir within her.

"Seven?"

"Yes?"

"Please, come back to bed."

"We have much to accomplish today and I thought you would want an early start," Seven replied.

"Not this early. The sun hasn’t even risen yet and I’m sure everyone else in the house is still asleep. Please, come back to bed," Kathryn insisted as she raised the covers, inviting Seven to lie beside her.

Seven complied stretching her body next to Kathryn. She placed her arms around the smaller woman and held her closely, breathing in the fragrance of her hair. She stroked Kathryn’s cheek and heard the murmuring of pleasure before hearing the regular deeper breathing of the woman who had fallen back to sleep. Seven smiled. She remembered the events from the previous night and was astounded as to how she had been able to please Kathryn and yet, she knew she had done exactly that. Despite all the assimilated knowledge of several species, Seven had not really known what to do and yet somehow, she had moved beyond that and allowed a part of her to explore, to feel, to love.

She continued stroking Kathryn’s hair and cheek, aware of the older woman sleeping peacefully in her arms. Seven reflected on the past two years of knowing her, acknowledging how far she had come in trusting this woman. Seven had chosen to stay with Voyager, with Captain Janeway, and she was satisfied with her decision. Seven instinctively held her a little closer causing Kathryn to stir slightly, turning her face towards Seven.

"Shhh. Return to sleep, Kathryn," Seven murmured softly.

_______________________________________________________________________

Morning brought with it a brilliance of sunlight against snow-covered streets, sidewalks, and courtyards. Most of the vendors were open for business and despite the lateness in the season, people still searched for bargains and haggled over the price of every item, or so it seemed to the merchants. The coolness in the air meant the dark season would soon be upon them. Merchants, anxious to sell most if not all their stock, were willing to make bargains in an effort to finish quickly and return to their homes and villages.

Doria and Keth were returning with bags laden with breakfast foodstuffs. They had spent the majority of the previous evening eating and conversing about everything they could think of from romance to mishaps found in running a guildhouse. Prior to dawn Doria had insisted Keth join her on her usual morning rounds of bakeries and suppliers. Now returned, they set about the tasks of preparing the morning meal.

"Your friends, Keth, they seem unusual," Doria ventured.

"Actually they’re travelers, not friends, although I do enjoy their company."

"I think they are in love," giggled Doria.

"And what of it? We, too, were once in love."

"Until you had to go off on your own and get away from Dolamon," Doria said rather snappishly.

"I didn’t stop loving you, Doria. We just couldn’t live together any longer. It wasn’t working any more. And the city became too much for me. I asked you to come with me and you refused. But I didn’t stop loving you," Keth said quietly.

"And I never stopped loving you either. More’s the pity then. Do you suppose they…" she let the sentence trail.

"Not any of our business. But, I hope so," Keth winked as she set the table.

_______________________________________________________________________

Kathryn contacted her ship after breakfast, anxious to learn further information regarding the ore and its effects. Chakotay gave her a summation of everything gleaned from the investigations. The Doctor had proven most helpful in analyzing how the muoline created a series of breakdowns in the ship’s systems and was fascinated by its similarities to viral spores. Once his examinations were complete, he was able to separate out the complex bioelectric elements to begin working on developing a countermeasure. It was during this process that B’Elanna discovered the resemblance to jakmanite. Without some preventive prophylactic course of action, the ship remained within a shadow of danger. Presently all ship’s primary and secondary systems were back on line and functioning within normal parameters, but the Doctor maintained it was only a matter of time before they would begin to experience deterioration.

"Harry reported he’s isolated the energy wave and it does emanate from this planet, Captain. He believes there has to be more to what the Taborians are doing with the muoline besides processing it for energy usage. He thinks they are somehow trying to enhance the strength of the energy released by tampering with the process," Chakotay reported.

"Tampering in what way?" she inquired.

"Exactly what we need a sample of the converted muoline for, Captain. Is there any possibility you can obtain this?" Tuvok asked.

"Ask Mr. Alejandro if he has any information about that. And tell him to find his contact and see if he can get a job at the processing plant. Does the Doctor have any idea what is causing the illnesses?"

"Only that it is similar to the zenite gas found in the Ardanan mines when the Enterprise crew visited. If you will recall, Captain, a simple mask was all that was needed to filter out its harmful effects. The Doctor believes the Taborians could use the same type of filter mask," Tuvok replied.

"Get the Doctor to replicate one, Tuvok, and beam it to these coordinates. I’ll use that for bartering purposes if I have to. Tell B’Elanna and Harry to keep working with the Doctor. We have to know more."

"When will you and Seven be returning to the ship, Captain?" Chakotay inquired his voice sounding more than casually inquisitive.

"Soon. Seven and I have a meeting with some interesting people who can hopefully provide us with some answers. I’ll keep to our arranged check in schedule. Janeway out."

Kathryn kept herself in check. The last thing she wanted to do was begin explaining her longer than anticipated absence from the ship. She turned as Seven approached. Kathryn loved watching how she moved, so graceful and lithe. Even beneath the bulk of native clothing she wore, Kathryn could easily see how agile and unencumbered Seven was in motion.

"It’s like watching a cat," she mused.

"Kathryn, I have been contemplating the ship’s status and I believe the problem is the method the Taborians are using to convert the ore into energy. There must be some element within the conversion process augmenting the energy, which not only assists them with their own technologies, but also affects our ship’s systems. Such enhanced energy could emit a very strong and powerful wave rendering Voyager’s systems inoperable.

"Ensign Kim reached the same conclusion. We need Keth’s assistance and I know you aren’t sure if we can trust her, but my instincts say we can. I agree we need to find out how the ore is converted to energy and Ensign Alejandro will hopefully procure a sample for analyzing. He may even find all the information we seek. Meanwhile, the Doctor is replicating a filter mask the Iaconians and Taborians can manufacture and use during the mining process. It will filter out any harmful effects and help prevent needless deaths."

"I will yield to your judgement regarding Keth. Her odd behavior continues to trouble me."

"Then it was sound judgement on my part for you to remain with me, as a security precaution, of course," Kathryn said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Of course," Seven replied, a smile gracing the corners of her mouth.

"I think it’s time we find our hosts and thank them for their hospitality. Then we can do some investigating on our own."

_______________________________________________________________________

By the time Kathryn and Seven found them, Keth and Doria were in the kitchen working side by side kneading mounds of dough for the rest of the day’s bread. The aroma of freshly baked loaves greeted them as they entered the large kitchen and Kathryn was once again reminded of her mother’s kitchen on any given morning. She wondered if she had really missed out on the pleasures of cooking by devoting so much of her childhood and adolescence to the secrets of science and technology. She tossed that thought aside knowing she was doing exactly what she was born to do – command a starship and explore the unknown regions of space. Kathryn hadn’t realized it would be this far unknown but then, she would not have met Seven had they not been flung into the Delta Quadrant.

"Keth, I was wondering if we could have a moment of your time," Kathryn began.

"Of course! But you may speak freely here, Kathryn."

"I wish to speak with you about our purpose here and our meeting later today with Larick," Kathryn insisted.

"Very well. Doria, will you finish mine for me? I won’t be long, love."

Kathryn and Seven exchanged looks upon hearing the use of the intimate affectation Keth used with Doria. The trio left to find a quiet corner in the front room, a room reminding Kathryn of a parlor. Neither she nor Seven had really seen much of the guild house and she wondered if most of these houses were similar in their amenities.

"Keth, we have learned information about how the muoline is affecting people’s respiratory systems. We can offer a filter mask for the miners, which will protect them during mining operations. However, we must find out where the muoline is processed as an energy source. There is something in the processing that augments the muoline causing an energy wave. It is this wave that interfered with our ship’s systems."

"I really can’t help you as much as I would like. I moved from this region a long time ago, Kathryn, and Doria would be of much better assistance to you."

"I sense you trust her implicitly, Keth," Kathryn said gently.

After a long pause Keth looked at both women directly. She sighed as though she had just come to an important decision.

"Kathryn, Seven. Doria and I were more than simply friends. We were business partners in running this guild house but even more than that, we were lovers. She was my life for such a long time and yes, I trust her implicitly. I trust her with my life. She would not knowingly harm me or anyone else for that matter because she is a gentle soul. She can give you better information about what you seek than I can. And yes, Kathryn, I still love her," Keth added quietly.

Kathryn placed her hand on Keth’s before speaking.

"I appreciate your candor, Keth, and hope you understand my directness. I was not trying to pry. My crew informs me we must find out what is happening during the processing in order to stop the degradation of our ship’s systems. Without it, we cannot leave this region of space to continue our journey home. It may affect other ships passing by your world as well."

"Of course. But Doria can help you better than I can. You must seek her assistance and I will help you as best I can. I know there are many strange and wonderful things about your people and I know you have technology that far surpasses anything we have here. Still, this is my home and I don’t want people dying needlessly. Larick and his friends are working hard to protect our world. He and I have been friends for many years and I know he would receive your filter mask with great thanks."

"What do you know of Kyra?" Seven asked suddenly.

"I met her for the first time with you. She seems to be quite taken with Larick though. He needs a companion; he’s been alone for far too long."

"Indeed," Seven replied. "I was under the impression you and she had known each other before."

"No. I only met her the other day with you. Why? What is it, Seven?"

"Perhaps I am mistaken then."

"Seven, please. Larick and I have been friends for many years. We, too, share a history. It was he who introduced me to Doria. He understood things about me I had suppressed and I owe him much for that. If he’s in trouble, I must know. You must tell me what you know."

"We suspect Kyra may not be as she appears to be," Kathryn said gently. "She may be working with the security guild and if so, she is reporting directly to those who would arrest Larick and anyone associating with him."

"Oh no, Kathryn. How do you know this?" Clearly, Keth was visibly disturbed at hearing this news.

"She followed us yesterday so I arranged for others to follow her. She was seen speaking with members from the security guild and it appeared she was no stranger to them. My people reported she was rather angry about not staying with us last evening," Kathryn added.

"This is terrible news, Kathryn. Please, we must find Larick immediately. He may have gone too far this time with his friends who want to change the political atmosphere in Dolamon. Please help me?"

Keth was more than agitated; she was frightened. She knew Larick was headstrong when it came to political issues. She knew he wanted to save their world from the divisive attitudes and forces keeping the Iaconians and Taborians separate from each other. She had worked with him in the early days, before the discovery of the muoline, because she, too, had believed in the cause of peace and coexistence.

It wasn’t difficult to figure out that two separate cultures lived on this planet and only one was probably native to it. It hadn’t really mattered until the Iaconians discovered the mines and the precious ore. It was only then that the Iaconians began to believe in a true separateness between the two cultures. The Iaconians were the ones to create the current political regime and began generating an atmosphere of intolerance. Many Taborians had already chosen to leave Dolamon for the smaller villages where they could live in peace and raise families and earn a decent living.

Larick had been the one to introduce her to Doria because he had known the directions of her true feelings. He had neither been judgmental nor critical. Rather, he had been supportive as he helped her understand things about her self. They would talk late into the night over more than one cup of crael and Larick would hold her while she cried and let go of the guilt and remorse over not being able to love him in the way he had wanted. She was indebted to him for helping her to find herself and for Doria; she knew they would both act in any way they could to help him.

She and Doria had worked hard to create the guild house initially to help women in the underground movement, but as the Iaconians gained more power in Dolamon, she realized the futility of what they were trying to accomplish. She and Doria had endured many arguments over the direction the city’s political climate was heading. It was one of the biggest reasons she left Dolamon for the sanctuary of Porum because it was a simple village in a remote area far enough away from the political climate of this city. But, she had never stopped loving Doria and seeing her now made her feelings even more evident. She knew she could never return to live here and she wondered if she might be able to persuade Doria to return with her to Porum and assist her with managing her guild house.

But first, they had to help Larick. A fire burned within her as she thought about the treachery of Kyra; she and Larick had seemed close but upon further contemplation, perhaps it really had been only an act on Kyra’s part.

Poor Larick, she thought. He needed someone to love him just as much as anyone and yet, he had failed in that one area of his life.

Still, Keth was a good matchmaker as evidenced by the apparent closeness between Kathryn and Seven. She knew something magical had happened between them and she smiled. It was never too late for anyone and Larick was no exception either.

Keth spoke briefly with Doria who immediately abandoned her bread making, dusted her hands on her apron and grabbed her shawl. In a matter of minutes the four of them were piled into Keth’s vehicle heading towards the center of town. Keth insisted Kathryn bring Doria current with any news, but clearly left it to her discretion about sharing any details of their true identity. Kathryn spoke about what she and Seven had discovered, omitting any information about how they had learned what they knew, and laid out plans for contacting Larick and member of his group. Keth made it clear she wanted the opportunity to deal with Kyra despite Doria’s protests.

Doria was relatively certain Larick was probably living in the same apartment as she gave directions. Keth drove the streets like a madwoman bent on a mission, her hands gripping the steering wheel with whitened knuckles. Doria sat beside her, placing her hand on her shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.

They turned the corner onto a side street where rows upon row of apartments were located. There were no trees on this street, only the bleakness of blocks of apartment dwellings and Keth immediately felt the starkness of the city. She longed for the window boxes with flowers spilling abundantly found in almost every dwelling in Porum. She was glad she no longer lived in this contrast of technology and barren environs and secretly hoped she could convince Doria to leave.

"Which apartment, Doria?" Keth inquired.

"It’s on the third floor…the only one at the back of the building. There are stairs just inside the front door."

"Kathryn. Seven. Wait for us here, please. We won’t be long and I will ask Larick to come down and speak with you. I know you have information for him and I know he will want to see the filter mask. But, I need a few minutes first."

The words rushed out of Keth and Kathryn could see the determined look in her eyes. She assured her they would wait patiently in the vehicle. Keth and Doria disappeared inside the front door while Seven and Kathryn settled back to wait. Minutes passed until Kathryn could wait no longer.

"Capt….I mean, Kathryn. She asked us to wait here."

"Sorry…I just can’t. They’ve been up there long enough and we are on our own mission as well. I just can’t sit around waiting when we could be gathering additional information," Kathryn replied, her hand on the door handle.

"Kathryn, Voyager needs the information from Larick and he needs the masks. Impatience with how quickly they are proceeding will not yield the results you are wanting," Seven responded in a neutral tone of voice.

"So you’re saying I should give them a little more time?"

"Correct. I am spending this time analyzing how the muoline ore could be converted using an energy source to enhance the effects and how the release of that energy could cause a wave explosion into space," Seven said in a formal tone.

"Such an energy source would make the Iaconians a far more powerful race of beings and cause an imbalance in the current state of planetary affairs," Kathryn interjected. "And, it coincides with the technological changes you were able to scan from Voyager."

"Agreed. However, I am more interested in how the conversion process occurs and if the Iaconians know how powerful an energy source they have."

"Based upon what Keth explained, it would appear the Iaconians have capitalized on this new source of energy but not in ways which allow the Taborians to co-exist on equal terms. This entire system of guilds, for example, has a hierarchy like a class system, something I haven’t come across in many years," Kathryn explained. "And there’s something else. When Larick introduced me to his friend, Ravia, he mentioned their scientists had been unable to propel a ship high enough to break through the atmosphere and yet…." her voice trailed.

"There are already satellites orbiting it," Seven completed the sentence. "Strange that Larick and his people would not know of this."

"Unless there was a commitment on the part of those in power to keep the truth from its citizens," Janeway replied thoughtfully tapping her forefinger against her chin.

"We should be focusing our attentions on finding the source of the energy enhancements instead of the political climate of this planet, Kathryn. There must be a power converter of sizeable proportions somewhere near the missile test site. It would not be logical for the Iaconians to have the power conversion apparatus near or inside the mines," asserted Seven.

"I think we’ve given them enough time and I, for one, am ready to get back to Voyager with the information we need to be on our way," Kathryn said as she climbed out of the vehicle.

Both women climbed the stairs to the third floor and found their way to the back of the building. There was only the one door and Kathryn knocked. After a bit the door opened and Larick stood there, a frown marking his face. He muttered a greeting before turning his back, walking to a small room where Keth and Doria sat on stools.

"Keth, my apologies but Seven and I really need to be working on our own project," Kathryn began.

"I know. I have been trying to talk some sense into Larick but he is just a stubborn old fool. I don’t think he realizes the gravity of what he may have gotten himself into. I’m not getting anywhere with him," Keth spoke as though Larick was invisible.

"Woman, we made our peace years ago and I asked you then and now to leave me be. You made your choices and I have never held them against you. I know what I’m doing for the good of the Taborians and Iaconians," he seemed to bellow. "And Kyra has been helping me!"

"Your stubborn streak will be your undoing someday," Keth answered.

Kathryn, being a Starfleet officer and becoming more adept with assisting differing parties to negotiate, couldn’t help herself. She dived into the conversation as though she had missed having the opportunity to use her talents as negotiator and diplomat.

"Just a moment, please. Larick, we were the ones who discovered Kyra’s possible treachery and gave that information to Keth. She has been quite concerned because you are a leader among your people and I don’t’ think she wants anyone to harm you. Our investigation into the cause of your peoples’ suffering has yielded the fact that gasses released during mining operations interfere with your respiratory systems. We have a filter mask which will help," Kathryn held out the mask to Larick.

He turned it over and over in his hands. Larick said nothing for the moment but looked at Keth with warmth in his eyes revealing feelings he had held for her for quite some time. Finally, he looked away and took a seat, still holding the mask.

"You think this will help people? Something this simple?"

"Yes, we do, and you would be foolish not to accept this simple technology," Seven replied.

He sat for a few moments longer, continuing to turn the mask over in his hands as though examining it for any potential flaws. Finally he let out a long breath and rose to his feet, turning to Keth.

"I have been stupid, old woman. You came here to help and I pushed you away because I was convinced you had abandoned our dream for a better world by leaving Dolamon. I am sorry for my behavior."

"You need not apologize, Larick. Doria and I are concerned for your safety and I for one, do not trust this new woman in your life."

"I don’t see how your accusations can be plausible," he said turning back to Kathryn. "Kyra’s brother died in the mines and I believe her when she says she wants to help. Are you really certain about her?" he asked, his voiced tinged with hope.

"I believe we are, Larick, and I am very sorry," Kathryn began. "She was seen talking with members of the Security Guild and it appears she was known to them, not as a member of your underground but rather as a person of influence. She will be looking for us today, I fear. We must find what we are looking for and be on our way. So, I need your help. There must be some kind of power converter big enough to make the muoline more powerful than when it is simply mined."

"There is. On the other side of Dolamon there is a research facility which uses vast amounts of energy. Huge loads of muoline are delivered daily to this facility. How they make the muoline more powerful is beyond me. I was never a member of the Science Guild but others have explained to me how the muoline is mixed with something making it powerful indeed."

"Mixed with what?" asked Seven.

"I don’t know. I have never known. The facility has many buildings and all are protected by the Security Guild. No one is allowed in or out without proper identification materials and we’ve never been able to obtain them," he explained.

"We must access this facility," Kathryn said in a determined voice.

"It is heavily guarded. They have devices which can tell when anyone approaches."

"Scanners," interjected Seven.

"I don’t know what they are but they are powerful devices," Larick reiterated.

"Can you show me where this facility is located, then?" Kathryn asked.

"I can’t get you very close to it because of all the checkpoints but I can give you a general idea of its location. But I’ll take you as far as I can."

"Excellent. Keth, may we borrow your vehicle then, promising to return it later today?" Kathryn turned to Keth.

"How can you promise me this when you don’t know if you’ll be returning, Kathryn? Do you really know what you’re getting yourselves into? This is too dangerous, even for you," she flatly stated.

"We’ve come through tougher situations. Please don’t worry. We’ll be fine, Kathryn assured.

"Asking her not to worry is like asking the snow not to fall in the dark season," Doria murmured.

Doria and Keth were left to find other means of returning to the guild house as Doria explained she still had a house to run and needed to get the meals prepared for the women returning from their shifts. Keth was to accompany her, which would keep her mind and hands busy, helping her from needlessly worrying about Kathryn and Seven. Larick planned to take them as far as he could before returning the vehicle to Keth over her indignant protests.

"Won’t you be needing it though?" she asked.

"Neither of us would drive it anyway, Keth. Please don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine," Kathryn assured her.

Larick was tempted to stop at the tavern where he had first met these strange women, hoping to find Kyra, but Seven remarked about his temptations being more than ridiculously foolhardy. It was the choice of words that made Kathryn cringe inside. They rode most of the rest of the way in silence.

They had the opportunity to see more of the city and what Kathryn saw made her heart sink. No where was there any beauty, not like in the smaller village of Porum. They passed building after building where storekeepers were sweeping the steps or the sidewalks in front, hawking their wares and hoping to attract more shoppers. They passed more dwellings similar in structure to the one Larick lived in. It was obvious to Kathryn how different the living conditions were than what she had seen on other worlds. She could see no joy in the way people of this city decorated their abodes. At least she had seen some of the dwellings in Porum to know the entire planet was not as bleak as this city. Larick’s apartment, while small, seemed almost sterile. It wasn’t evident he had lived there for many years. She wondered about the lives of the people behind the doors to these residences.

Soon Larick pulled the vehicle around a corner and parked on a side street. He turned off the engine and sat with his hands still on the wheel, his eyes focused straight ahead. Kathryn wondered if he was really looking at anything in particular. The only sounds she could hear were the beating of her heart in her ears. Silence permeated the vehicle. It was Seven who finally broke the silence.

"Kathryn, it is time we continued our work."

Larick spoke with no hesitancy in his voice although he continued to stare straight ahead.

"I know you think of me as a fool. I only want what is best for my world and its people. I’ve been working many years to help bring about a suitable co-existence both Iaconian and Taborian would accept. If only the Iaconians had stayed the course of mutual agreements established by our ancestors. We used to have a system of guilds that shared everything. It didn’t matter if one was Taborian or Iaconian…all benefited. Somewhere it all went awry. I hope you find what it is you’re looking for.

Stay on this street until it bends to the left. There will be an intersection with a broad avenue just past the bend. At that point you will be able to see the first checkpoint. I don’t know how you intend to get past it. I have no identification cards for you to use and would not be able to procure them for you anyway. But, I wish you both well. I can offer to be here waiting if you need me to but somehow, I think you won’t need me. Thank you for the filter mask. We will begin manufacturing more and it will be a good start to help everyone. I wish you well."

"Thank you, Larick. The mask will help and you have helped us tremendously. Please tell Keth and Doria we will return to say goodbye before we leave for our home," Kathryn said quietly laying her hand upon his arm and giving it a small squeeze.

She and Seven exited the vehicle and waited while Larick started the engine and drove back the way they had come. Kathryn waited a moment longer, gathering her thoughts, before stepping away from the street in the direction Larick had instructed. Seven wondered why Kathryn had failed to inform Larick about the satellites and concluded he and his friends would find out eventually.

Seven walked beside her, her posture elegantly held erect. Her long strides were no match for Kathryn’s shorter ones and Seven had to purposefully slow her steps. It didn’t take them long to reach the wider avenue Larick described. The checkpoint was certainly obvious, Kathryn thought, as she waited with Seven on the sidewalk, thinking of all her options. They could see every person being stopped, identification cards analyzed carefully by members of the Security Guild, before being allowed to proceed through the gates.

"I know it’s risky, but I think a site to site beam if Ensign Kim can access the coordinates is our only option."

"Perhaps we need to return to Voyager and access all the data thus far collected and then proceed, Captain," Seven spoke with her usual formal tone not bothering to change her language.

Kathryn glanced at her sideways and a smile began to form. She realized Seven could be an excellent First Officer on an away mission, helping her Captain to take pause and examine all options before proceeding.

"Agreed."

She tapped her comm badge still hidden within the folds of her clothing and reported two to beam up. Her last glimpse of the checkpoint was through the shimmering bubbles of the transporter beam.

_______________________________________________________________________

Larick had no intention of returning immediately to Doria’s guild house. He was furious with himself and with Kyra. She had used him, tricked him, beguiled him and he had fallen for her like a stupid schoolboy. His intent was to find her and confront her and if necessary, keep her away from reporting anything to her superiors. Larick realized he had no idea where she lived; she had always managed to meet him where he said he would be working or meeting with other members of the underground. He wondered now if she even had a brother, let alone one who had died in the mines.

The only place he thought she might look for him was the tavern where he had met Keth and the two strange women from the mountains. They were certainly a different pair, he thought now, as he maneuvered the vehicle through the streets. He suspected there was more to them than met the eye but couldn’t quite figure it out. Despite what Keth had said, Larick knew they were not from the mountainous regions. They didn’t dress the part and their dialect was too different. He had met a man from the mountains once and helped him recover from fever and poxy letting him spend winter in his apartment. Because of this, Larick felt he had a fairly good idea of the ways of the mountain folk. If these two women were from the Soborian region, then Larick was ready to declare himself an Iaconian.

He turned the last corner and saw the tavern ahead. He parked and sat for a moment, weighing his choices and how he intended to confront Kyra. He had found her beautiful and inquisitive, sensitive to the mission of his small group of people and tired of the heavy-handed ways of the Iaconians. He realized she had known all the right words to say and thought she was interested in him romantically and he berated himself for being so stupid. What could have made him abandon all caution and allow this woman to be a part of his life risking all that he had achieved? He had put others at risk as well and even now could hear the jeers of his partners for falling for a pretty face. He could feel the anger rising again as his fingers tightened on the steering wheel.

Suddenly it dawned on him what her intentions had to be and again he felt foolish for allowing emotion to interfere with good judgement. She had to be looking to link his group with all the others making it easy for the Security Guild to round up everyone, arrest them, and force them into the mining camps or worse.

"Probably worse", he muttered to himself.

If it was true Kyra was a spy working within the Security Guild, Larick realized he had to tread carefully. Making her disappear would only rouse further suspicion. He had to discover the means and the method to discredit Kyra and make her look foolish before her superiors. As he sat there in the vehicle, he pondered his dilemma and wondered if Kathryn and Seven might be of assistance. It was obvious to him Kathryn was a take charge kind of woman. He had known it from the moment he had met her. If so, perhaps she would have some knowledge of how he could undermine Kyra’s efforts.

The more he thought along those lines, the better Larick felt about his problems. Perhaps they were not so insurmountable afterall. Perhaps by turning the tables on Kyra, he would not only discredit her but save his group from discovery and in turn, salvage the efforts of a great many people working together to achieve a peaceful co-existence where everyone benefited from the technological advancements made.

Realizing now was not the best time to see Kyra he started the engine and eased out of the parking space heading in the direction of Doria’s guildhouse. He would join his two favorite friends for a bit of breakfast and even some crael, if Doria kept any. He began to whistle a folk tune from his childhood and settled back into the seat, trying to sort through the flash of ideas tumbling about his head.

____________________________________________________________________

Captain Janeway ordered a briefing in the conference room for 1300 hours. Prior to changing into her uniform, she stood beneath the sonic shower for a few extra moments thinking over the past couple of days. Much had happened and she knew she was a changed woman. Her training had warned her about romantic entanglements with crew and despite the warning bells in her mind, she had succumbed to her emotions. It was too late to regret her decision now; she was involved with Seven. Still, she had a ship to run and she needed to maintain proper decorum aboard. She hoped Seven would understand that.

She smiled with the memory of their morning together lying entwined in each other’s arms. She had enjoyed feeling Seven’s touch as she stroked her hair and held her closely. There had been minimal conversation, as both women had not seen a need for idle chatter. It was enough they lay together and held each other closely.

Chakotay had said nothing more than a terse "Welcome aboard, Captain" when he met her in transporter room two. He looked fatigued with dark circles beneath his eyes and it was the first time she had seen Chakotay’s uniform look rumpled. He had handled the transport himself and was ready to give her not only a verbal report of the past two days aboard ship but a stack of padds ready for her perusal as well. She diplomatically explained she wanted a shower and a fresh change of clothing before addressing ship’s business. A few moments preparing her self to meet her crew was not going to make much difference in terms of how the ship functioned at this point. She suggested he do the same and refresh himself. She thought she heard him grumble a response as he turned to exit the transporter room.

She adjusted the pips on her collar and looked once more in the mirror. She was ready to face her command staff and deal with the situation aboard ship. Heading for the turbolift she joined Lt. Tuvok as he exited his cabin.

"Captain Janeway. I understood you were back aboard Voyager," he began.

"Tuvok. It’s good to be back home again."

"You have information for us which will be useful in dealing with our present situation."

Despite Tuvok’s statement, it sounded more like a question in Kathryn’s ears and she kept herself in check before answering immediately. It was one of Tuvok’s excellent ploys during interrogations and she recognized it as his way of attempting to gain information directly from his captain ahead of anyone else. It was one of the many reasons she had chosen him as her Chief of Security.

"I imagine, Tuvok, there will be much information discussed at the briefing." She smiled in his direction.

"Of course, Captain."

Entering the conference room Janeway saw that all of her command staff were present with the exception of the Doctor. She inquired of Chakotay just as the Doctor entered the room. Once everyone was seated, Janeway began. She explained everything she and Seven had learned about the two cultures on the planet and how the discovery of the ore had allowed for rapid technological changes. She purposely avoided looking at Seven but could feel Seven’s gaze upon her.

"What’s the status of the ship at present?" she inquired.

"All systems are on line and secondary systems are functioning within normal limits," Chakotay began. "There is still evidence of degradation but we’re managing to keep up with it by re-routing subsystems." She noticed Chakotay had taken the time for a shower and was now wearing a fresh uniform.

"Captain," B’Elanna interrupted, "my engineering crew have outdone themselves with much of the rerouting but we have got to find what is causing this. We can’t just keep re-routing subsystems and expect to stay ahead. Besides, the gel packs are infected. We’ve changed out most of them but there is still something causing the degradation."

"That something is the same thing we discovered before you went planetside," chimed in the Doctor. "It continues to act like a viral spore infecting one system after another. Lieutenant Torres and I are maintaining ship’s function by giving each system a ‘shot in the arm’ so to speak. But, Captain, we cannot expect to keep this up at the current rate of degradation."

"Which means we can’t leave orbit until we discover what is causing the degradation," Ensign Kim remarked.

"And we don’t have an unlimited supply of gel packs either, Mr. Kim," Janeway began. "B’Elanna, your team are to be commended for keeping systems operational. Harry, what information have you gleaned from scans made of the metropolitan area."

"There is plenty of technology being sustained by this converted ore, Captain. But I can’t seem to penetrate the area where you and Seven beamed up. It has to be shielded with something our scans don’t recognize," he explained.

"From what Seven and I could determine, the area is under heavy guard and anyone entering or exiting the area are closely watched and identification badges checked. Tuvok, has Ensign Alejandro returned from the planet yet?"

"Yes, I notified him of the briefing, Captain. I am at a loss as to why he is not present."

"Janeway to Ensign Alejandro."

"Alejandro here, Captain."

"You were asked to attend this briefing."

"I was detained, Captain, but I am on my way."

Janeway looked to her assembled staff. She knew they had been working night and day making every effort to determine the cause of their present predicament. Their faces showed the strain and fatigue with the exception of the Doctor and nothing ever seemed to affect his energy levels unless his holo-emitters were malfunctioning. Chakotay looked more stressed and fatigued than anyone in the room did and she wondered if the strain of command was wearing thin. She cast that thought aside; he had been in command before for longer periods of time through tougher circumstances. She wondered what, if anything, was bothering him and resolved to ask him later.

"The answers, people, are in that area of the city Larick directed Seven and I to. We have to gain access. Ideas as to how we manage this?" she inquired of her staff.

No one spoke. Each individual appeared focused on his or her immediate area of concern. Chakotay was tapping his finger against the tabletop watching Captain Janeway as she looked to each person. Tuvok remained stoic while Torres was clearly frustrated. Kim and Paris exchanged glances. Seven sat quietly with perfect posture; her hands neatly folded in her lap.

Suddenly the door to the conference room opened and Ensign Alejandro entered carrying a padd. He sat quickly and looked embarrassed for being late to the briefing. He found it difficult to determine what to do with his hands so he gripped the armrests of the chair. It was clear to everyone assembled he was nervous. It was a rare occasion for him to be invited to a briefing, yet he knew the information he had was important.

"Mr. Alejandro, thank you for joining us," Janeway began with a twinkle in her eye. "Relax, we’re pretty informal here. We need your report," she prodded gently.

He cleared his throat before beginning, uncertain of where exactly to begin so he quickly decided to begin with the information he had clearly detailed on the padd.

"The ore is mined by people who have been arrested for petty offenses, Captain. Many are just simple folk trying to make a living and take care of their families. It’s disgusting what the Iaconians are doing to the Taborians. They are sent to detention centers and abused, forced to work in the mines and not really given much to sustain themselves. And when they become ill there is minimal medical attention given. There are clear indications the Iaconians are making every effort to leave this planet at the expense of the Taborians and those Iaconians who are unfortunate.…" the timbre in his voice rising.

Janeway held up her hand signaling him to stop. She leaned forward placing her hands on the tabletop and gently began to redirect Alejandro to report the information he had been sent to uncover. He cleared his throat again and took a deep breath before beginning a second time.

"My apologies, Captain," his voice resuming a more businesslike tone. "The ore is taken in relatively large quantities, several hundred kilotons, to a reclamation center where it is sifted, analyzed for its purity, and then sent to the ore conversion center. Most of the ore is used for the sources of energy you see in vehicles, food processors, and environmental controls. However, some is converted by bombarding it with something they refer to as oleonic bicantizine. The process produces tri-nucleic fungi particles that are extremely volatile. It has huge energy potentials but they have been unable to control it. They have been able to use the non-bombarded muoline for space bound vehicles to orbit the planet and go beyond the moons. The fuel is not very efficient, however, and burns too quickly for them to go much farther. But each time they have attempted a lift-off with the converted muoline, explosions have occurred causing massive displacement waves."

Ensign Alejandro paused realizing he had the attention of the entire command staff. He realized they had been waiting for this news since Voyager’s systems had been affected due to the energy wave. He looked back to his Captain and spoke with calmness and assertion.

"The reason for my tardiness, Captain, was because I was calculating some last minute computations comparing the time index based upon the information the, uh, gentleman I told you about, had reported to me. The energy wave impacting Voyager occurred moments after a massive explosion on the planet. The wave was a displacement wave carrying…"

"Tri-nucleic fungi particles," the Doctor interrupted. "Well, now it all makes sense."

"Doctor?" Chakotay asked, "Explain."

"Tri-nucleic fungi can be sporal in nature, certainly airborne and it appears this strain can survive within the displacement wave. Our gel-packs would be an easy target as well as our own bodies, although I haven’t heard any of the crew complaining of symptoms."

"You said we were dealing with a virus common to hay fever, Doctor," Chakotay replied in an accusatory tone of voice.

"I said we were dealing with a viral like agent invading the ship’s systems. None of my scans could indicate exactly what we were dealing with, Commander," he responded testily.

"But, why didn’t our sensors indicate this?" the Captain asked watching Chakotay closely.

Mr. Kim answered slowly. "Perhaps because the fungal spores were shielded by the displacement wave itself until it impacted the ship. Then…" his voice trailed.

"Then the spores invaded every major system beginning with propulsion before moving throughout the ship. We’ve been chasing our tails without knowing what exactly to look for, Captain," Torres chimed.

"Now that we know, what can be done to counteract the damage? Doctor?" Captain Janeway asked.

"I believe Lieutenant Torres and I can develop a suitable ‘vaccine’ so to speak. Fungal agents have some elements in common no matter the type of fungi. It means once again, trying different stimuli to negate the effects and it would be most helpful to have a sample to work with."

"Mr. Alejandro, were you successful in obtaining some of the converted ore?" Chakotay asked in a demanding tone.

"No, sir, I was not. I would have taken a major risk down there…"

"Ensign, being a member of Starfleet means taking risks. It’s your job. If you can’t complete the task assigned, you should ask to be relieved and allow someone more qualified to assume the demands," Chakotay shouted.

"Sir…"

Captain Janeway ignored Chakotay’s outburst for the moment and took control of the briefing. She thanked Ensign Alejandro for his efforts and asked if he had anything further to report before advising him to return to his duties. As soon as the ensign left the conference room, she turned to Chakotay and asked for him to wait for her in her ready room. When he began to argue she resorted to making it a direct order, leaving him no other choice than to exit the conference room. Turning to her staff she watched the faces for reactions. No one spoke and the silence in the conference room felt heavy as though the alien spores had invaded the space around her.

"Doctor, you were saying these fungal spores could invade our bodies. Can you determine what effect they could have?" she asked the Doctor directly.

"Not without further testing, Captain," he replied.

"Then take Commander Chakotay with you to sick bay and run whatever tests you need to perform and see if there is any correlation between the status of the ship’s systems and his behavior just now."

As soon as the Doctor left, she turned back to her staff. Exhaling slowly she looked at each person carefully to see if there were similar symptoms and while what greeted her eyes was a fair amount of understandable fatigue, there was no indication of behavior similar to Chakotay’s.

"Since no one has any immediate suggestions I’m going to toss one out for you to think over," she began. "Since Mr. Alejandro was unsuccessful in his attempts to procure a sample of the converted ore, we need to devise some way of beaming down inside the facility undetected. The only person I know who can successfully do that is the Doctor. But he will need assistance. He cannot do this mission alone."

"As security chief, I should think I would be the logical choice," Tuvok offered.

"Ordinarily I would agree with you but…"

"But since I have already been to the planet and know what is facing us, I am the more logical choice. I am better equipped to handle any interference," Seven precisely said.

Captain Janeway slowly nodded her head in agreement as she met her lover’s gaze. Seven’s clear blue eyes held no emotion as she returned the gaze and Kathryn realized Seven’s non-demonstrative and matter of fact declaration was due to her Borg background. Kathryn recognized the tug on her heartstrings of emancipated emotions and understood she had to rely upon the strength of her analytical mind and command training to maintain control. Seven was the logical choice to accompany the Doctor and this was not the time for emotions to interfere with her decisions.

"Agreed. However, I want the Doctor to finish his tests first. Then you may both beam down to the area. Get the sample and return quickly."

"Understood," was Seven’s only response.

"Harry…B’Elanna, I want you two to continue analyzing ship’s systems and determine how we’re going to administer the vaccine once the Doctor and Seven return. Tom, as ship’s alternate medical officer, I want you to initiate scans on the rest of the crew to see if there is any evidence of a physical invasion of these fungal spores. Get assistance from Ensign Wildman and ask the Doctor any questions you need to ask before he departs for the surface."

"Yes, ma’am."

"Understood, Captain.

"If there’s nothing else, dismissed."

Captain Janeway sat for a few moments longer massaging her temples. She feared Chakotay’s normally easy-going demeanor had been compromised by the fungal spores and wondered if more of the crew would become affected. The Doctor and Seven had to be successful in procuring a sample of the converted ore and perhaps then, they could finish their repairs and be on their way to the Alpha Quadrant…towards home. She heard the door swoosh open and close and without needing to identify the owner by sight, felt the cool fingers of Seven’s hands rubbing the back of her neck

"Ah Seven. It is times like these when I wish we could retreat and return to Doria’s guildhouse", Kathryn sighed.

"We shall return again, Captain….Kathryn. The Doctor and I will be successful."

* * * * * TO BE CONTINUED * * * * *