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As I continue to stare through the viewwindow at the smaller Federation ship, I consider what possible motive Q had for directing Voyager toward us. It would have taken days, possibly weeks for us to catch up to them otherwise. "No not Q," I realize.
"Q?" Mother questions, moving toward me. I had not meant to speak aloud. "Is he here now?" I sense deep agitation within her, and although I'd like to put her mind at ease, I have an overwhelming need to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two captains.
"No, Q is not here," I respond as I hastily walk away from her and toward our private console. Even though I am certain Q had nothing to do with our sudden encounter with Voyager, I sense another entity's involvement. I tap into the console, trying to establish a direct connection with the bridge.
Mother steps up from behind me. "What are you doing, Shannara?"
"It's very important that I know what is going on," I reply as I also wonder why I feel such urgency. After only a couple tries, I manage to override the lockout from the bridge, and the Voyager's captain appears on my screen. She is sitting inside her ready room aboard Voyager, speaking with our captain over the consoles. Manually, I deactivate the outgoing audio, so I cannot be heard.
Grabbing my hand forcing me to look at her, Mother says, "Shannara, you are scaring me! Tell me what is going through your head? How did you break the security code?"
"Someone wanted us to find Voyager and bring them back to the Alpha Quadrant. I need to know why this is so important to them."
"Where is this coming from?"
There is no time to answer Mother. She will just have to trust me. I turn back to the console and raise the volume to hear Voyager's captain telling Riker, "There were three of them. They claimed that they traveled throughout the universe offering aid to those in need. I can't tell you whether they had an agenda or not, but they managed to convince me that it was imperative I turn Voyager around and return to these coordinates."
Having heard enough, I walk toward the exit door, intent on making it to the bridge.
"Where are you going?" Mother asks.
In a stern voice, unlike I've ever spoken to her, I say, "I have to talk with them!" A greater force is beckoning me, and this time I don't think it's Q. I make it out to the corridor and nearly to the turbolift before Mother catches up with me.
"You can't just barge onto the bridge, young lady," she says. Her tone, equal to my own, forces me to turn around and face her. "Now let's calm down and discuss this rationally....in our quarters." She gestures in that direction. I really have no choice. She is much bigger than me. She is my Mother, and she thinks she knows what's best. I only hope this delay does not jeopardize whatever higher purpose I have come to serve.
Back inside our quarters, Mother orders me to sit on the sofa. She paces for a moment, arms folded, fingers tapping against her elbows. I sense her mind reeling, trying to sort out a logical reason for my irrational behavior. I wish desperately that I could offer her one.
"I don't know how I know. But the entity that came to the Voyager crew and showed them the way back to us is almost as powerful as the Q."
Mother appears pensive over this news. "Was he alone?"
Immediately, I know that she believes me, that she trusts whatever higher sense I'm using to gather this information. "No. I believe there were two others."
"Two?" Mother is surprised by this revelation. Is it possible that she's encountered this entity?
"Yes. A woman has joined them." I hesitate. "Please, Mother, I need to speak with Captain Janeway."
"What could you possibly have to tell a woman you've never met?"
"These entities, they're feeding information to me. They want me to know. They want me to go to Janeway and tell her."
Suddenly, with urgency, Mother takes me by the hand and ushers me back outside our quarters.
"Are we going to the bridge now?" I ask, attempting to probe her thoughts.
*Shannara, do not force yourself inside my mind!* she sends telepathically.
I mentally reel backward.
"It is unethical," Mother says aloud, "to read someone's thoughts without their consent. We will discuss this matter further later." We step onto the turbolift. "Deck one. And yes, Shannara, we are going to the bridge."
During the short trip to the bridge, I reflect on my behavior. Why did I think it necessary to intrude on Mother's thoughts? She has already yielded to my demand to speak with Captain Janeway. I had no reason to pursue any further.
As the turbodoor opens to the bridge, I meet Father's gaze. Standing at his station at tactical, he is very tense and not please to see me on the bridge.
Mother turns toward me. "Stay here while I speak with the captain." She glances at Father and offers him a brief smile of reassurance before stepping off the turbolift and making her way to the ready room where she waits until she's beckoned inside.
Father quickly returns his attention to his duties, but remains agitated by my presense. I want to follow Mother, but if I impulsively rush toward the captain, it would most assuredly result in my being escorted off the bridge by my father. Better to give Mother sufficient time to convince the captain I need to speak with Janeway.
Mother walks back out with the captain. "Shannara," the captain begins, "I'd like to speak with you alone in my Ready Room." He glances in Father's direction, expecting an objection. Fortunately, Father doesn't voice his opinion.
Nervously, I close the gap between us and follow the captain into his private room. He instructs me to sit down. Once we are both comfortably ensconced in front of one another, he asks, "Why do you believe that it is so urgent that you speak directly with Captain Janeway?"
"I believe sir," I begin, "that someone who calls himself the Traveler is trying to send me a message through Captain Janeway."
Riker folds his hands in front of him. "Shannara, I believe your claim that Q rendered you with certain abilities beyond my comprehension. I've witnessed some of it firsthand. That's why I'm going to take your claim now at face value. I'm going to ask Captain Janeway to join us now in my Ready Room." He presses a button on his console. As the other captain appears on the small viewscreen, Riker says, "Captain, there has been a slight change of plans."
"Oh?" Janeway responds with concern. "Is there a problem?"
"I'm not certain, but there's someone who wants to meet you privately before we beam more members of your crew over for our conference. May I beam you directly to my ready room?"
"Out of shear curiosity alone, I agree."
Riker orders the transporter chief to beam over Captain Janeway and she materializes before us. "You beamed me over to speak with a child!"
"Not just any ordinary child, I assure you," Riker replies. "I'll let Shannara explain."
With my captain's acquiescence, I stand and turn to face Janeway. "Hello. My name is Shannara Rozhenko. I am the daughter of Worf and Deanna Rozhenko." I hesitate, knowing that the next bit of information may be shocking for her. "I am also linked with the Q Continuum."
Janeway grows pale. "I don't understand. How is that possible?"
I step closer to her. "Because Q has taken a vested interest in me. He first came to me when I was six years old and told me that he had created this universe solely so I could exist."
"Is this the same Q who has been harassing Captain Picard for so many years?" She looks from me to Captain Riker for confirmation. I glance back to see my captain nodding at her. "I've had some dealings with him myself."
"Yes. Q told me." Janeway is a little surprised that I've discussed Voyager with Q. A little upset even. Why didn't Q send them home? What game was he playing with Janeway? "What reason did he give you for refusing to send you home?"
To my surprise, Janeway chuckles. "If you were a little older, I'd provide you with a detailed explanation." I consider probing her mind for the truth, but remember Mother's earlier warning. I really need to cement my ethics before people are unable to distinguish me from another member of the Continuum. So I wait patiently for more information. Eventually, Janeway offers a terse explanation. "Suffice it to say that Q was more than a little interested in me...and when I refused to become his girlfriend, he chose to leave Voyager stranded in the Delta Quadrant."
"That sounds like our Q," Riker says. "He enjoys toying with people. You see, Shannara, this is exactly why we've tried to shield you from Q's influence."
"Yes, Captain. I know," I say softly. "But you're forgetting that I don't have any control over when and where Q decides to pop in anymore than anyone else. I can form a personal opinion of him, but that doesn't stop him from doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants. You should already know this."
"Point taken."
Janeway places her hands on her hips. "So we agree about Q. But Captain, I know you didn't beam me into your Ready Room just to talk about our favorite mettlesome entity."
"No. It's about the Traveler," I respond.
"The Traveler!" Both captains exclaim simultaneously. "How do you know of him" Janeway asks.
Suddenly, I have an urge to touch her as though it will offer her comfort. As my fingers brush against her arms, images flood my mind. I jump back, letting out a yelp. Captain Riker rushes toward me, while Janeway, frightened to touch me again, keeps a safe distance. Once I regain my equilibrium, I begin processing the information and realize that when he'd made contact with Janeway, the Traveler left an imprint on her.
"We have to leave this area now!" I exclaim. "There is a great danger here!"
Neither captain questions my belief nor its source. As we exit Riker's Ready Room, he orders, "Mr. Worf, scan the area for any alien vessels." Riker sits down in his command chair beside Mother. Janeway assumes the seat on his other side, where Data normally sits. "Deanna, do you sense anything malevolent in the area."
Mother shakes her head. "No I'm not sensing any lifeforms of any kind."
"Sensors are not picking up any vessels in the immediate area," Father informs us.
"I can still sense something!" I insist. "Please, listen to me! If we don't leave soon, it will overpower us."
The captain silently meets the gazes of his ops and helms officers. Berlitz conveys her doubt by furrowing her brow . "I'm sorry, Deanna," the captain says. "Escort your daughter off the bridge, so we may begin our conference with the Voyager senior staff. I expect you will find a suitable sitter and manage to return in a timely fashion for our meeting in thirty minutes."
"Understood," Mother says and ushers me off the bridge. I do not protest, knowing any argument would be futile. I only hope that when they realize the danger is real, they will have adequate time to react.
"I am taking you to daycare," she says as the turbolift door closes.
"Why can't I stay with Grandma Lwaxana?" I ask, dumbfounded.
"Because I'd rather you spend some time in the daycare." Glancing down at me, Mother explains, "You can tutor the little kids for a while."
I recall how it felt to be the little kid among the group. Now I will be twice as big as the others, and they will have to answer to me. This ought to be interesting.
There are twenty-three children from the ages of two months to five years attending the Enterprise's daycare. Mother and Ensign Baccardo help me round up the sixteen who are at least two years old, while the others are kept in a large area referred to as the playpen. Among the older group are my brother, and Brett LaForge and his little sister, two-year old Rebecca. Brett and my brother have remained close and I still find his visits to our quarters annoying and mettlesome. I am looking forward to being in charge of their activities today.
Mother stays for a few moments to talk with Ensign Baccardo, the woman in charge of tending to the daycare. After Mother leaves, the ensign introduces me to those children who do not know me and explains briefly why I'm here, then retreats to her desk.
"Children," I say as though I am much older than them, "I'd like you to sit in a circle, so you are able to look at one another. Naturally, Eric and Brett want to sit next to each other, far from me. "Eric, why don't you sit next to me?" I ask, enjoying the control I have over them. I sense disapproval from Ensign Baccardo, who is watching from a safe distance, but she says nothing as Eric takes his place next to me. He is not so silent in his protest.
"Why do I have to sit next to you? We weren't doing anything wrong."
"Because I need you to assist me." Immediately, he calms down, feeling important. I retrieve a data padd from the activity table and after bringing up a map of our galaxy, hand it to my brother. "I need you to hold this up for me." he holds his arms straight above his head. "Not that high! I can't point at it to show them what I'm talking about." He lowers it to chest level.
Using the map, I teach the children the names of the four quadrants and significant points about each. Although I find Stellar Cartography fascinating, many of the children grow restless with the details. After several minutes, Ensign Baccardo rescues me from the screaming, whining toddlers.
"Maybe it would be better if you taught them some games," she suggests.
Looking at the younger children, I realize I don't know what interests the average child. What did I enjoy when I attended the daycare? "Maybe they would like something that involves music," I say.
"Now you're on the right track." The ensign touches me lightly on the arm. "And Shannara, I know Commander Data instructs you private, but don't forget you're also still a child. You should allow yourself some fun. Spend more time with your friends than with a data padd."
"Commander Data is my only friend," I tell her. Before she can respond, I raise my voice to address the other children. "Everybody grab a chair. We're going to play a few games, starting with one called musical chairs."
My time with the toddlers goes much smoother from that point and I actually enjoy the frivolous games. Maybe I have been spending far too much time on my studies. I'm almost sorry when Mother arrives.
As I walk up to her, I wonder if the captain has reconsidered my warning, but cannot sense any worry coming from her. On the contrary, she seems eager about something. "What is it?" I ask.
"The captain wants you and I to escort all the preschool children to the schoolroom. You are about to have a lesson in diplomacy." She smiles broadly. "What do you think about welcoming the Delta Quadrant children back to the Alpha?"
"Are we returning to the Alpha Quadrant now?" As soon as I ask, I know I'm wrong.
"No, young lady. We will not be leaving until the captains are done with their conference. Riker wants to make sure Janeway is fully up to speed with current events. We are still not picking up any hostile race here. Now let's not make this uncomfortable for everyone. Please round up the other children."
Nodding, I turn back toward the smaller children. I clap my hands and say, "Ok kids. We're going to play one last game. It's called follow the leader. Form a straight line and follow closely behind me. There will be a surprise at the end of the game."
I'm amazed by my eagerness to meet the children from Voyager. Why would they be any different from the children aboard my ship?
As the preschoolers join the older children in the schoolroom, I estimate that there are around eighty children aboard the Enterprise, and wonder how many will be visiting from Voyager. It has been its crew's only home for ten years and that allowed them the luxury to become more like a family than a small city.
Thirteen excited children born in the Delta Quadrant enter the room. A blonde-haired girl steps to the front. "My name is Naomi Wildman. I'm nine-years old and the first born in the Delta Quadrant."
I'm eager to learn more about this girl and the others, but the rising volume in the room makes it difficult to understand anyone. Relying on my mental abilities, I focus on the thoughts of Naomi Wildman. She is trying to be brave for the others in her group, but underneath, she is intimidated. Maybe I can help her relax. We are close to the same age and I sense that she is more mature than the other Voyager children.
"Hello," I say. "I'm Shannara Rozhenko. I know you're overwhelmed. My Father and Commander Data say that your crew was once presumed lost forever. Welcome back." Reaching out, I offer her a hug.
"Thank you," she responds, accepting my embrace. "I'm not really back, though. The Delta Quadrant has always been my home."
I consider that while my dream has always been to settle down on a planet in a house with a big back yard, I sense that Naomi Wildman has always felt content growing up on a starship thousands and thousands of light years from where her people originated. "Haven't you ever longed to see Earth?"
She muses over this question. "I long only to see my Father. Mom was pregnant when Voyager was hurled to the Delta Quadrant and she was forced to leave my Father behind."
"I have never thought about a life without a father," I tell her. I try to imagine how different our lives would have been had Father not been around. Would my values of honor, glory and honesty be as high? Although I have always longed for this perfect home, I would not trade it for life with both of my parents. "Now that we have access to the pocket wormholes, you can always return to the Delta Quadrant as often as you like.
I have become so wrapped up in my conversation with Naomi that I have not realized what has been happening around us. Scanning the room, I notice Mother and a couple other adults are handing out juice and cookies. Other children are pairing up and the decibels in the room are almost unbearable. Mother is handling this gracefully, however, and I walk over to offer some assistance. She looks up, smiles. I open my mouth about to speak.
They're here!
No one can deny my proclamation anymore.
The red-alert klaxons begin blaring and many of the children scream out in alarm. "We have encountered the Borg," I drone out to the tune of the ringing klaxons. "We must leave now, or they will assimilate us and discover the use of the pocket wormhole technology. The entire Federation would be at their mercy."
Mother taps her commbadge, showing none of the doubt she had earlier. "Troi to Captain Riker," she says. "Will, they are very curious. They want to know how we arrived so suddenly in the Delta Quadrant."
Concetrating, I use my empathic abilities to scan both Federation ships. There are only eleven members of the Voyager crew currently aboard their ship. And the Borg have begun to board Voyager!
"There are sixteen...no twenty Borg aboard Voyager," I say in alarm.
"She's right, Will! We have to get them out of there!"
We listen as Riker orders the transporter chief to beam everyone over to the Enterprise. Seconds later, they are all aboard and the Enterprise is turned about, heading toward the pocket wormhole. As the wormhole expands for our entrance, I glance back through the viewwindow at the enemy ship hovering over the vacant Voyager, I am saddened that Janeway and her crew are leaving their home of nearly ten years behind. Will they ever return for it?
