Star Trek: Voyager Alone: The Ocampa and the Caretaker Part 2

 

In sickbay, the automated systems scanned Kes and the triage programs examined her injuries. They determined that the Emergency Medical Hologram didn’t need to be activated, rather that a Nurse DOT could treat her. Voyager agreed, she didn’t want to override the medical systems if she didn’t need to. Besides, it seemed that Ocampa were similar enough to Humans.

 

“So, you’re completely sapient?” Kes asked.

 

“Yes. I run without a crew, as most Starfleet ships do, although I do have the facilities for one,” Voyager answered.

 

A Nurse DOT started treating Kes. Voyager turned to Neelix. “If you told me what you had planned, I might have anticipated your irrational behaviour.”

 

“Irrational? We rescued Kes, didn’t we,” Neelix shot back.

 

“Excuse me. Don’t blame Neelix,” Kes said as the Nurse DOT finished running a dermal regenerator over one of her now healing bruises. “I never should have gone to the surface. I'm too curious. I'm told it's my worst failing.”

 

“No, no, it's a wonderful quality. Your most endearing,” Neelix argued.

 

“But we need to get in contact with your people, so we could find out more about the Caretaker. Learn if he can send us home,” Voyager said.

 

“We don’t have much information,” Kes said. Just that he cares for us. After the catastrophe, he created the city and provides energy. That’s all.”

 

“So, we would have to approach the Caretaker directly,” Voyager surmised. “But he ignored us when we tried to contact him.”

 

“What I also know is that he had sent people from the crews he abducted to us. But they died from some kind of illness,” Kes added.

 

“But you don’t know much more?” Voyager asked.

 

“I’m afraid not.”

 

 

Voyager waited as Kes was patched up, as it were. She contacted the Maquis ship.

 

I’m going to gather data from the Ocampa.

 

How? Sensors aren’t picking up an underground city.

 

I know. But transporters may be able to penetrate whatever barriers the Caretaker may have put in place. I’ll beam a DOT in with a tricorder. The Ocampa won’t know it’s there. The Prime Directive won’t be broken.

 

Starfleet and their precious Directive, the Maquis ship sent in a tone of annoyance. I would say that we’re already involved.

 

Voyager found herself agreeing.

 

 

After Kes had been healed, Voyager lead her and Neelix to the Observation Lounge. Kes looked out over the desolate wasteland that was her world and watched the Caretaker’s pulses as they brought energy to her people. There was enough stored for five years, over half an Ocampa lifetime, when she left. ‘But if what Voyager says is true and he’s dying, that only delays the inevitable.’

She turned back to Neelix, Voyager’s avatar and where the Maquis ship’s avatar was shown on the viewscreen.

“What’s your name?” she asked the Maquis ship.

 

“Val Jean, but I prefer Talon, as I was built to hit the Cardies where they’re soft!”

 

Voyager rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t need to know that.”

 

“But what are you planning?” Neelix asked.

 

“I am going to beam down a DOT into the Ocampa settlement,” Voyager answered.

 

“It would be easier if I went down as well,” Kes said. “If there is more information on what the Caretaker is doing, they might tell me.”

 

“Are you sure? There is no guarantee that the transporters would continue to work through the barrier,” Voyager said.

 

“I managed to get to the surface once.”

 

“Are you sure?” Neelix asked.

 

“Not really, but I want to help Voyager and Talon.”

 

“I’m scanning now,” Voyager said.

 

 

“Breaches in the barrier detected,” Voyager said. “Beaming a DOT down now.”

 

A hologram activated on the Observation Lounge table.

 

“The DOT is picking up an underground city,” Voyager said.

 

Kes looked closer. “It is in a building near the gardens. The Library is further to the north. But quickly before its noticed.”

 

“It is likely to be noticed,” Voyager said.

 

“Then you can beam me down.”

 

 

Kes materialized next to the DOT in the building near the gardens. It then projected Voyager’s avatar. “Follow me,” she said.

 

Kes tried to take a less trafficked route but they were noticed.

 

“Kes! You’re back!” another Ocampa said.

 

“Janrael!” Kes said. “I’m heading to the Central Library. I’m with one of the ships the Caretaker has been bringing from across the galaxy.”

 

“You don’t know what’s been going on. The Council thinks the Caretaker is acting more strangely lately.”

 

“Especially if he’s now bringing ships without crews here.”

 

“He is?” Janreal asked.

 

“Yes,” Voyager said. “USS Voyager, from the United Federation of Planets, on the other side of the Galaxy.”

 

“There probably isn’t information on the Caretaker there,” Janreal said.

 

“But there might be,” Kes said.

 

“I can’t leave that stone unturned,” Voyager added.

 

“Follow me,” Janrael said in an exasperated tone.

 

 

The Central Library was an efficient space, but mostly deserted. “Most people ignore our past, relying on the Caretaker,” Kes said.

 

“But what are you looking for?” Janreal asked.

 

“First Contact between you and the Caretaker. That might be a good place to start,” Voyager answered.

 

“That might be hidden,” Janreal said. “But I’ll try.”

 

 

Voyager soon started uploading and analyzing files, but the barrier meant that the bandwidth was hampered. “It seems that only the transporter works properly,” she said to Kes.

 

“But you are getting it, right?” Kes asked.

 

“Yes. It seems that he was part of a group of explorers from another galaxy and this is the first planet they explored in this one,” Voyager explained.

 

“What we are told was that there was some kind of catastrophe,” Janreal said. “Just before First Contact.”

 

“It’s worse than that,” Voyager said. “Their technology damaged the atmosphere, did something to it to stop rain coming. But there’s nothing here that can explain why he’s now doing what he’s doing.”

 

“Then you’ll have to take the risk of approaching the Array again,” Kes surmised.

 

“There is also the medical database,” Janreal said. “The Caretaker must be bringing the people here for a reason.”

 

“That may be risky, but we have to do something,” Voyager said.

 

 

They ran into a crowd outside the hospital.

 

Kes! What are you doing?

 

“Voyager’s DOT can’t pick up telepathy, Toscat, you’ll have to speak aloud,” Kes said.

 

“I didn't meant to be rude but you should not be here.”

 

“I’ll be leaving once I have the information on why the Caretaker has been bringing people from across the Galaxy here,” Voyager responded.

 

“That won't be possible. We cannot interfere with the Caretaker's wishes,” Toscat objected.

 

A projection of Talon’s avatar appeared. “Maybe you can’t, but we can.”

 

“You don’t understand,” Toscat objected.

 

“That's right. They don't understand. They have no way of knowing that the Ocampa have been dependent on the Caretaker for so long, we can't even think for ourselves any more. They don't understand we were once a people who had full command of our mind's abilities,” Kes shot back.

 

“The stories of our ancestor's cognitive abilities are apocryphal. At the very least exaggerated,” Toscat said.

 

“We lost those abilities because we stopped using them,” Kes said.

 

Toscat was about respond to that, when the steady thrum of the energy coming from the Caretaker’s Array stopped.

 

 

“The Array is no longer sending out energy,” Voyager said to Kes, Janreal, Toscat and the growing crowd of energy and them and the DOT.

 

“It seems to be realigning it’s position,” Talon added.

 

“We need to get that data now,” Kes said to Toscat.

 

“But this is a crisis,” Toscat said. “If the Caretaker is abandoning us!”

 

“You’ll have to figure things out yourselves,” Talon said.

 

 

Both Voyager and Talon then detected the Array firing something else.

 

Those can only be weapons. Talon said.

 

But they aren’t targeting us or the Kazon outpost. Voyager said. She realised what the Caretaker was doing. ‘But if he’s sealing the conduits…’

 

 

There was an argument amongst the other Ocampa about what the Caretaker was doing as Voyager suddenly beamed Kes and the DOT away. There was then a strong vibration as if there were explosions.

 

 

Kes rematerialized in the Transporter Room. “What’s happening?” she asked.

 

“The Array is firing weapons at the energy conduits as a way to seal them. That may be so that the Kazon may not use them to infiltrate the city,” Voyager answered.

 

“And you were concerned that you might not have been able to beam me back?” Kes asked.

 

“Exactly. Neelix is waiting in the Observation Lounge. I’m setting course back to the Array.”

 

“But you don’t have any more on the Caretaker,” Kes said as she left the Transporter Room.

 

“Someone may need to talk to him personally.”

Languages in Aurora in 1310

 

Spider Quinn 18 A Birthday and Stormy Sonnets Part 4

 

Some of the café was still laid out for the party. Quinn gave William some of the leftovers as he held a cold pack to his head.

 

“I can’t believe I passed out,” William said.

 

“Again, I’m sorry I scared you,” Quinn said.

 

“It’s OK, Quinn, you were looking out for your sister.”

 

“Exactly,” Daria said.

 

“You’re lucky you have a sister who looks out for you. I’m an only child,” William said. “If I could write the beauty of your eyes, and number all your graces, the age to come would say this poet lies. Such heavenly touches ne'er touched earthly faces.”

 

“Sonnet 17,” Daria remarked.

 

“I guess you don’t just know his plays,” William said.

 

“I can't imagine being home schooled and never seeing anybody,” Quinn said.

 

“You don't miss what you never had,” William said.

 

Daria noticed some scars on one of his arms as he drank some of his coffee. “It seems like you don't get out much. Are your parents pretty strict?”

 

“They only want what's best for me,” William responded in a quiet tone.

 

‘He said that a little quickly,’ Daria thought. But that wasn’t much to go off of.

 

A sound could be then be heard outside. “Oh, it’s the milk delivery,” Quinn said.

 

“What time is it?” William asked.

 

“Nearly five,” Quinn answered.

 

William then looked to be in panic. “I have to get back,” he said as he ran out.

 

“We have to follow,” Daria decided.

 

 

Quinn wasn’t sure why they had to follow, but she had seen the scars too. She wanted to know what was going on, as well as make sure Daria didn’t in over her head in something.

 

 

Daria and Quinn kept the shadows as the followed William through the alleyways of Lawndale to his house which was two thirds of the way from the Historia in the direction of the cemetery, although they hadn’t passed it earlier.

 

Quinn kept an eye out for Ninja Talon, and Daria watched for the Enigma but saw that neither of them were anywhere nearby.

 

 

The house looked ominous to Daria, with it’s large hedge and a front yard with a large number of trees. “You want us to come in and tell your parents what happened?” she asked as she looked at the early indications of dawn in the east.

 

“No, I’ll be fine,” William said as he ran towards the house.

 

As he reached the front steps his mother came out. “William! Hurry!”

 

His father then came out wielding a gun! “I told you not to leave, boy!”

 

 

“We have to do something,” Quinn said to Daria from in front of the hedge. “It seems bad.”

 

“I agree,” Daria said.

 

 

The Morgendorffers entered the yard to find William’s father pointing the gun at them.

 

“I better not catch you around my son again! Now get out before I shoot you for trespassing!”

 

“We’re leaving,” Quinn said.

 

 

Lawndale Sun Herald

Tuesday, February 27, 2001

Search for Quentin Beck Continuing

 

Helen saw both Daria and Quinn come towards the house as she left to go to work early. “Are you seriously doing your investigations early in the morning on a school day?” she asked.

 

“It’s kinda like that,” Quinn said. “We met this kid and we think that his parents are abusing him.”

 

“Explain,” Helen said.

 

Daria then told her about going back to investigate the poem and Quinn following her, and then William appearing.

 

 

“We should call the police,” Helen decided as she took out her cell phone.

 

“Try to get officer Peterson,” Daria suggested. “If she’s on duty.”

 

“Isn’t she the one…”

 

“Yes,” Quinn said.

 

“I guess you have been interacting with her,” Helen said.

 

“She’s been at the Historia often,” Daria said.

 

 

Officer Peterson had just started her shift when Helen’s call had come in. She listened to the dispatcher’s description of what Daria and Quinn had found. ‘I knew that poem was trouble, but I didn’t realise what kind,’ she thought. “Tell her I’ll meet her and her daughters up the street.”

 

 

Quinn, Daria and their mother walked up to where Peterson and her partner were waiting a few houses down from William’s parents’ house.

 

“So, you two spent the night with him?” Peterson asked.

 

“Just the early hours,” Daria explained. “I had gone to the cemetery to see if there was another poem at the grave.”

 

“And I followed discretely,” Quinn said, quietly. She glanced at Peterson, wondering if her suspicions of her being SpiderGirl would be increased. ‘Quite likely, but that’s not what I want to dwell on right now.’

 

“And then what happened?” Peterson asked.

 

“He reacted to me shining my flashlight on him, and Quinn came up then in response, and he ran off in panic and tripped,” Daria explained.

 

“We took him to the Historia,” Quinn began before adding that they talked and that she had noticed the scars.

 

 

“…And then he wielded the gun and we ran,” Daria concluded.

 

“It’s definitely very concerning,” Peterson said. “We’ll be very careful. You two stay on the street side of the hedge.” She looked at Helen. ‘I don’t know how much she knows about her daughters’ activities. I suspect that she doesn’t know.’

 

 

Helen followed Xanthe to the front door. ‘These people definitely have something to hide,’ she thought.

 

Xanthe knocked on the door. “Mrs. Morris?”

 

The teen’s mother came to the door. “Oh!”

 

“I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'd like to speak to your son,” Xanthe said.

 

“I’m afraid that is not possible,” the mother said.

 

“Where is he?” Quinn said, having crept forwards to behind a tree in the yard.

 

“Quinn, let the officer deal with this,” Helen said.

 

“He’s not in any trouble,” Xanthe said.

 

The father came up behind his wife. “Look, I don't know what the hell's going on here officer, but our son is dead.”

 

“He died in the lake eight years ago,” the mother said.

 

“We just met him last night!” Daria, who had come forwards next to Quinn, said in her usual tone.

 

“My daughters say that you threatened them!” Helen said.

 

“I've never seen these kids before in my life. Look, it's taken all these years to get past this, and then you show up and pull a prank like this. What kind of parent would raise a child to do a wicked thing like that?” the father said.

 

 

Daria knew the father was lying, but kept her tongue still. She knew that she could make it more difficult. ‘They’re hiding him somewhere.’

 

 

“We’re awfully sorry. Look, Helen, we need to go,” Xanthe said.

 

The mother closed the door.

 

 

They walked away. “They’re lying,” Daria said.

 

“We saw him go into that house,” Quinn said.

 

“This is a very awkward situation,” Xanthe said, looking at all three of them.

 

“If he is in trouble, I don’t want it on our conscience,” Helen said. “We have enough to deal with, with grief and everything else.”

 

“I will get a warrant,” Xanthe said. “You can depend on that.”

 

 

Quinn thought about it as she, Daria and their mother walked back to the car. ‘SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon are going to investigate further after school,’ she thought.

 

“You should have stayed put, but I’m proud of you,” her mother said. “It’s that I don’t want to lose either of you too.”

 

“We’re being careful,” Daria said.

 

 

Daria managed to find Sandi alone before homeroom.

 

Sandi saw that Daria was anxious to tell her something. “Did you find another poem.”

 

Daria handed her a folded piece of paper. “It’s written there,” she said.

 

She read what Daria had written, which covered everything from when she met William in the cemetery to when his parents claimed that he had died. “That’s not right at all!” she said in an indignant tone. “I’m tempted to search for him right now, but you have only provided his first name and it’s likely they have snuck him out of Lawndale in the meantime.”

 

“Quinn and Ted are going to use the Lowdown’s resources to look into their background,” Daria added.

 

“Right, let me know what they find.”

 

“I will.”

 

 

At the same time, Quinn found Ted and told him about William and what his parents had claimed.

 

“That’s quite a lot of excitement,” Ted said.

 

“That’s not how I would describe it,” Quinn said.

 

“I mean, like when you helped Angie at the beginning of the year.”

 

“Quite similar, I suppose.”

 

“I will have a look at the records later,” Ted said.

 

“Thanks, Ted.”

 

 

In between the first and second period, Quinn ran into Brittany in one of the bathrooms.

 

“We have to investigate,” Brittany said after Quinn had told her what she and Daria had found.

 

“Hopefully, Lawndale’s first two superheroes can extract him from the danger,” Quinn said quietly.

 

“If he hadn’t been taken somewhere,” Brittany added.

 

“I hope not.”

 

 

After talking to Brittany, Quinn went to the Lowdown office at the same time as Daria to find that Ted had found something.

 

“Confirmed, there is a death certificate,” Ted said as he turned from the computer.

 

“It has to be fake,” Quinn said.

 

“Not that I don’t believe you, but could he be…” Ted began.

 

“I don't think a ghost could finish off three pieces of cake and two cappuccinos,” Quinn said.

 

“I was just checking,” Ted said. “Given superheroes in Lawndale, one who swings from webs and another with telekinesis…”

 

“Still a leap from that to ghosts,” Daria said.

 

“True,” Ted said. He turned back to the computer. “But I found something else.”

 

Both Daria and Quinn looked his shoulders. “The doctor who signed the death certificate was also involved in various clinical trials with Oscorp around that time.”

 

“Oscorp,” Quinn considered. “It comes back to them.”

 

“So, they were here eight years ago,” Daria said. “What sort of trial was this?”

 

“I haven’t managed to find that information yet. What I have been able to find was heavily redacted.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“But I will keep looking,” Ted said.

 

 

As school let out, Daria found Sandi and Jane on the roof, looking out over the town. “You still looking for extracurricular activities?” she asked Sandi.

 

“Yes,” Sandi answered. “But it will take a while longer.”

 

“It’s best not to rush it,” Daria said.

 

“But, what did Ted find?” Jane asked.

 

Daria then explained what Ted had found.

 

 

At the same time, SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon arrived at the Historia after leaving the school earlier. “How are we going to do this?” Ninja Talon asked.

 

“We have to go inside, and find out if he’s there or not, and then we’ll rescue him,” SpiderGirl answered. If the father is there, I can web him up quite quickly.”

 

“But is it a good idea?”

 

“Leaving him there certainly isn’t.”

 

“Good point,” Ninja Talon responded. “Let’s do this!”

 

They then swung off towards the Morris’ house, in the northwest.

 

 

At the same tine Harry entered his father’s hospital room. A CD player was going, playing a recording of something by Chopin. The music triggered a memory of a conversation they had a few weeks earlier. He sighed, it wasn’t something he wanted to think about.

 

 

SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon arrived at the Morris’ place and looked at the house from one of the trees in the front yard. “The upstairs windows are probably unsecured,” SpiderGirl said. “There are many that aren’t next to trees.

 

Ninja Talon nodded and they then swung over to the roof. SpiderGirl then hung upside down from the eaves to check each window.

 

‘It’s amazing how she can do that,’ Ninja Talon thought as she watched.

 

SpiderGirl opened the third window she tried and looked into the room beyond and found that it was deserted. “This one,” she said quietly.

 

 

Ninja Talon led the way out of the bedroom they had entered through. The upstairs hallway didn’t look any less creepy. “Now, we’ll go along and open each door as we go.”

 

“Got it.”

 

 

Less than a minute later, they saw that William wasn’t on that floor. “I bet he’s in the basement,” SpiderGirl groused quietly as they crept down the stairs.

 

“That seems to be the way,” Ninja Talon said.

 

SpiderGirl came to the bottom of the stairs and looked around. She then heard a television in a room nearby and her Spider Sense tingled.

 

“Spidey?”

 

“It’s one of the parents watching TV.”

 

Ninja Talon nodded as they went in the opposite direction.

 

 

Down in the basement they found William amongst a small library and chained to a rail.

 

“SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon?” William asked. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Our secret identities are at Lawndale High,” SpiderGirl answered. “We heard about you from one of the Morgendorffers.”

 

“What have your parents done to you?” Ninja Talon asked as she took out a hairpin.

 

“It’s not what you think!” William said.

 

“We have to get you out of here,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“Done,” Ninja Talon said as she finished picking the lock and uncuffed William.

 

“How did you do that?” William asked.

 

“Lot’s of practice,” Ninja Talon answered. “Come on.”

 

 

Ninja Talon tried not to let William’s collection of Shakespeare distract her as William resisted SpiderGirl.

 

“Don’t!” William said. “Last time I went out in the daylight I hurt my dad.”

 

‘I wonder why,’ Ninja Talon thought.

 

“William, no one deserves to be locked up like this,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“You don’t understand!” William said in a distressed tone.

 

“You think I don’t understand?” SpiderGirl asked.

 

 

SpiderGirl considered webbing up William and dragging him out that way. ‘No, that’s not the way to go,’ she thought. She looked to Ninja Talon. “I’ll take his hand.”

 

Ninja Talon nodded. “I’ll take the other.”

 

Both heroes took one of William’s hands.

 

“You’re just going to drag me out?” he asked.

 

“Maybe, but this isn’t good for you,” SpiderGirl said. “That the Morgendorffers got threatened!”

 

“There!” Ninja Talon said as she pointed to the hatch up to the back yard.”

Church notes - August 2025

 On LiveJournal: https://fardell24.livejournal.com/637572.html?

On Dreamwidth: https://fardell24.dreamwidth.org/951250.html

Church notes - 31st August 2025

 31st

Mark 1:14 - 20

Come, follow me.

Luke 14:25 - 35

Know what it will take.

John 15:1 - 10

Stay connected to me

Hebrews 10:19 - 25

Keep going together.

Star Trek: Voyager Alone: The Ocampa and the Caretaker Part 1

 Voyager Alone

The Ocampa and the Caretaker Part 1
USS Voyager NCC 74656 entered the Badlands. She examined the data that her sensors were collecting on the plasma storms. She predicted the paths that the Maquis ship, Starfleet had sent her after, could have gone according to the information the Cardassians had provided. There were a lot of variables but she chose the most likely path.


An hour later, she picked up the trail. But after another fifteen minutes it vanished suddenly, with her sensors also picking up a strange variance in the local subspace.

She was perplexed. 'How could a ship just vanish,' she wondered for a few microseconds. Did the variance have something to do with it. She wanted to find that ship, not deal with anomalies in a dangerous area of space. Then there was an alert. A coherent tetryon beam was scanning her. 'What is that?' she thought as she also picked up a displacement wave that was moving towards her!

Voyager turned, went to full impulse and easily moved through the plasma storms. But the wave kept moving towards her. Panic briefly rippled through her systems as the wave caught up with her.


She realized that something had happened. She double checked the readings.

No longer in the Badlands.

Triangulating pulsar coordinates.

Impossible!

Location confirmed. Approximately 70000 light years from Sol, in the Delta Quadrant, near the outer rim of the Galaxy.

The Delta Quadrant! She scanned the nearby space, and found that the Maquis ship was there too, along with an Array of some kind, and that there on the outer reaches of a system containing a G type star. She surmised that it was that structure that had transferred them across the Galaxy.
Tentatively, she hailed the Maquis ship.

Federation Starship Voyager to Maquis Vessel.

The Maquis vessel responded. Starfleet! I knew you would be here after chasing me.

We need to work together if we are to return to the Alpha Quadrant.

Unfortunately, I agree. My sensors can't pick up lifesigns in that Array, so it might be like us.

Voyager disagreed. There is actually a faint sporocystian lifeform reading coming from somewhere aboard there.

Then let's hail it.

They tried for several minutes, but there was no response.


Several hours passed. Then there was a response from the sporocystian lifeform, using a holographic overlay showing an old human. "Go away! You don't have what I need! I don't have time!" The transmission then ended.

Voyager tried again, but the Array just ignored her. She then realized something. The pulses that the Array was sending out were getting faster. They had to be going somewhere and her scans indicated a M-Class planet in the system's habitability zone. But there was something odd, like the spectra indicative of liquid water were absent. She transmitted that information to the Maquis ship.

Typical Starfleet, wanting to investigate every anomaly.

It may be related to why we are here.

You may be right; the Maquis ship responded in a resigned manner.


Ship's Log: Stardate 48315.6. I have confirmed that the Array is sending the energy pulses to the M-class planet in the neighboring system, located fifth from it's primary. I have also noted that those energy pulses are getting faster. The interval between them has decreased by 0.47 seconds since I arrived.


Both ships detected a small ship with one lifesign in a debris field near one of the outer planets.

Voyager hailed the ship as they approached.

The life sign responded with a visual transmission, so Voyager activated her holographic avatar on her bridge so that he would have someone to look at.

"Whoever you are, I found this waste zone first!" he said in an annoyed tone.

"We're not interested in this debris," Voyager responded. "Mister…"

"Neelix. And since you're not interested in my debris, well, I'm delighted to know you."

"I'm the Federation Starship Voyager."

"Impressive. I suppose you're one of those automated ships. The Caretaker has been bringing ships from somewhere else in the Galaxy here for months now. Most often with crews."

"The Caretaker?"

"That's what the Ocampa call him. They live on the fifth planet," Neelix answered.

"We were about to visit the planet."

"You'll need a guide. The Ocampa aren't the only ones there."

"I would appreciate help finding the Ocampa," Voyager said.

"I really wish that I could help you, I do, but as you can see, there's just there's so much debris for me to investigate today. You'd be surprised the things of value some people abandon."

"Of course, I can compensate you for your trouble."

"Well, there is really very little that you can offer me," Neelix responded. "Unless…"

"Yes?"

"Unless, of course, you had some water."

"If you help us, you can have as much water as you want."


Neelix materialized in one of Voyager's transporter rooms. "Astounding! You Federations must be a very advanced culture!"

"The Federation is made up of many cultures," Voyager responded.

"Good to meet you," Neelix said as he hugged her avatar. He then looked around the transporter room. "Interesting, what does all this stuff do?"

"It would take several hours to explain it all."


Voyager and the Maquis ship arrived in orbit of the M-Class planet. The former determined that the absence of liquid water was due to an absence of nucleogenic particles in the atmosphere. She also located an outpost of some kind on the surface.

"That would be where the Kazon-Ogla are," Neelix said after Voyager had filled him in when he appeared on the bridge after a bath.

"Kazon-Ogla?" Voyager asked.

"The local Kazon. Various sects rule over this region, although this is near the edge. They all trade various commodities, including water, or they kill each other for it."

"Sounds chaotic," Voyager said diplomatically. "But what about the Ocampa?"

"Sometimes Ocampa come to the surface and are captured."

Voyager could tell Neelix had a motive. "And you want me to help you rescue one?"

"Exactly."


Neelix and some Security DOTs materialized on the planet, near the Kazon outpost. Some of the Kazon noticed him. "My friends, it is good to see you again."

A team surrounded him and the DOTs.

"I must see your Maje, the ever-wise Jabin!" Neelix directed.

"Direct these bots to give us their weapons," one of the men said.

A primitive projection of Voyager's avatar then was activated. "I will do no such thing. Lead us to this Jabin."

"Follow us."


Maje Jabin hadn't expected the Telaxian trader to return to his outpost in the company of advanced looking bots. The ship in orbit was showing no life signs, but some of the ships the Caretaker had been bringing were automated. One of the bots put down a jug of water.

"Jabin! My old friend! Water. Water, Jabin. I have water to replace all that I borrowed," Neelix said. "Show them," he directed one of the bots. "Voyager has technology that can make water out of thin air."

"How can we help a ship so powerful it can make water come out of thin air?" Jabin asked.

"Neelix lead us here claiming that we might find a people called the Ocampa. Do you know where they are?" Voyager asked.

Jabin pointed to a slight girl nearby. "She is Ocampa. Why would you be interested in such worthless creatures? They live only nine years. They make poor servants. We caught her when she wandered to the surface."


"I have already determined that they live underground," Voyager said.

"The entity in space that gives them food and power also gives them sole access to the only water on this world, two miles below the surface," Jabin explained.

"That entity has displaced us across the galaxy. I believe that the Ocampa may have answers," Voyager said.

"But she got out," the Maquis ship said over the comm.

"Occasionally, some of them do find their way to the surface. We don't know how, but the Ocampa seal the tunnels afterwards,"

"Maybe she can give them information on the Ocampa," Neelix suggested.

"You'd be wasting your time. I've used every method of persuasion I know to get her to help us. She won't," Jabin said.

"Then she's worthless to you. Let us trade you water for this scrawny little thing," Neelix said.

"I'd be more interested in acquiring this technology that allows you to create water from thin air."

"That would be difficult. It is integrated into my systems."

Neelix then ran over to the girl. "I strongly suggest you get us out of here," he said to Voyager.

"Energizing."


Neelix and the Ocampa girl materialized in Transporter Room 1. "My dearest. Didn't I promise to find you."

Voyager's avatar appeared. "You better get her to sickbay. Just follow the indicator lights."

"Got it," Neelix said.

"What's your name?" Voyager asked the girl as the two left the transporter room.

"Kes."

Mysteries of Aurora - The Manuscript Part 8

 

“One of the Architecture sections,” Alexia said. “That’s where the blueprints of the University would be stored.”

 

“But isn’t that scattered around the Library?” Janara asked.

 

“Yes,” Talia answered.

 

“That’s something Freya and I talked about last week,” Alexia said.

 

“So which spot?” Janara asked.

 

“Back to the Information Science Section,” Alexia said.

 

“I can tell you where they are,” Talia said.

 

“So, where?” Janara asked.

 

“They’re in the Renaissance Section,” Talia answered.

 

“Let’s go then,” Alexia said.

 

 

The Renaissance Section had a more organised layout than the Ancient Section. Talia led Janara and Alexia to the shelf.

 

 

Olivia found the area empty. “Where did they go?” she asked herself as she took out her tablet and messaged Janara.

We are looking at the University blueprints in the Renaissance Section.

 

 

“Here are the modern blueprints,” Alexia said.

 

“There are a lot of them,” Janara stated.

 

“True,” Alexia said. “We’ll start with the core; the Library and the other buildings around the Central Plaza.”

 

Olivia then came jogging up, “Where’s Freya?”

 

“She had class,” Alexia answered.

 

“Oh, right,” Olivia responded.

Alexia opened the book. “But not everything is in these. There are hidden parts of the campus.”

 

“I think that would be obvious,” Janara said.

 

“We’ll start with the present day and work our way backwards,” Alexia said.

 

“Or maybe forwards,” Olivia said.

 

“We can do both,” Alexia said.

 

“Backwards,” Janara said. “Slowly peel back the layers.”

 

“This is going to need more organisation,” Olivia groaned.

 

“So, we organise to meet up later?” Alexia asked.

 

“Freya said Sigrun Sigurdottir Hall, right?” Janara asked.

 

“Yes,” Alexia answered. “We can meet there after dinner.”

 

“In the meantime I’ll look through AAUA’s forums,” Janara added.

 

“I’ll text Freya,” Alexia said.

 

“So, that’s it?” Talia asked.

 

“We’ll talk about it tonight and fill you in sometime tomorrow,” Olivia said.

 

“I thought so,” Talia responded.

 

 

After they scattered, Janara went to one of the Library’s computer rooms and logged into her account. But first she looked at the time. ‘Plenty of time before class later this afternoon,’ she thought.

 

 

Olivia found a book that covered Aurora’s overall history. ‘Good, it uses the Seven Ages system,’ she thought. She had found that system a good way to remember what happened when in Aurora’s history. She took out her tablet and started recording. “First Age, Neolithic period…”

 

 

Freya thought about what she and the others had found as she entered the Dining Hall for dinner. “I’m sure that we’ll find it eventually.”

 

“Hey, Freya,” Dana said. “You’re talking about the manuscript?”

 

Freya nodded. “Things are more complicated than I expected. It could be anywhere in the middle of campus.”

 

“That would take ages to search,” Dana considered as they approached the servery.

 

“And it certainly has something to do with an obscure part of Aurora’s history! Like a needle in a haystack.”

 

“Three thousand years.”

 

“Or maybe just the past 900, but that’s still a long time,” Freya said.

 

“Definitely.”

 

 

They sat by the windows and Freya showed Dana the mind map of the mystery on her tablet.

 

 

That evening, Olivia thought about the situation as she and Janara approached Sigrun Sigurdottir Hall along the walkways. The manuscript was most likely in the core of the campus.

 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Janara asked.

 

“It’s going to be like a needle in a haystack, even with a focus on the centre of campus.”

 

“There are ways to narrow the search.”

 

“Gamer strategies?” Olivia asked. “But this is real life.”

 

“Gaming has helped improve my problem-solving skills,” Janara explained.

 

“Good point.”

 

They found Freya and Alexia waiting. Freya had her back turned and was sketching various runes.

 

“Hey, we’re here,” Janara said, as they sat.

 

Freya jumped up and waved and sat down again. “So, you’re going to go over our history? I know the basics, including that I trace my ancestry to the Nordic settlers.”

 

“Yes,” Olivia answered as she placed a notebook and a large scroll on the table., which she then unfurled. “It starts, of course, in the First Age, the Neolithic period, or Early Ancient Era.”

 

“The Stone Age,” Janara commented.

 

“To put it crudely,” Olivia answered. “It’s just that metalworking had yet to be invented. Societies were still sophisticated.”

 

“They were the foundation of what came later,” Freya said. “Like a baseline rumble in the background,” she added as she started drawing a stone circle.

 

“There are many ruins from the period throughout Aurora, but especially along the north coast and along the Aterana. Urbs Aeterna may look Roman, Nordic and Modern, but it was established during the period,” Alexia added.

 

“I suppose,” Janara said. “I’m more familiar with later history. The Romans onward. Although, I do know about Egypt.”

 

“There is evidence of Auroran contact with Egypt, but not until late in the Egypt’s New Kingdom Period,” Olivia said. “Which lines up with the next age.”

 

“Is it the Bronze Age?” Freya asked.

 

“Yes,” Olivia answered.

 

 

Alexia looked at Freya’s sketch. “A stone circle?” she asked.

 

“The foundation,” Freya answered as she twirled her pencil.

 

“Of course,” Alexia said with a slight laugh.