Caretaker - L. A. Graf [82]
Where the entity's holographic projection had huddled only moments before, a huge, vaporous creature now heaved and groaned.
(The termination program... has been... damaged...) It recoiled from Janeway's instinctive approach. (The Kazon...
must not gain...) Something deep inside its fragile bulk seemed to flux against itself and shatter. (... control... of this installation...) Then it folded down with a heavy sigh, ever smaller, ever darker, until the last glimmer of its physical form misted completely away.
At Janeway's feet, a misshapen lump of what looked like some alien ore twinkled weakly before slipping into total darkness.
The captain wished she had time for a respectful farewell, not to mention some idea what the Caretaker would have considered appropriate.
Instead, there was hardly even time left to save themselves.
Tuvok moved up alongside her. "Shall I activate the program to get us back?" he asked softly.
Janeway couldn't tear her eyes from the Caretaker's pitiful remains.
"And what happens to the Ocampa after we're gone?"
She almost felt the jolt of alarm pass through the Vulcan's body.
"Captain..." He stepped formally into her line of vision, capturing her full attention in the most expedient way available.
"Any action we take to protect the Ocampa would affect the balance of power in this system. The Prime Directive," he emphasized, "would seem to apply."
"Would it?" If he were human, Janeway would have suspected him of invoking the Prime Directive in an effort to manipulate her decision.
But Tuvok was a Vulcan, and one of the most honorable men of that race she had ever had the pleasure of knowing. He could only ever speak what he believed to be the truth.
"We never asked to be involved, Tuvok," she told him. "But we are."
She sighed down at the twisted metal lump. "We are."
And running away wouldn't be the answer to that involvement, any more than calling on the Prime Directive would help her to pretend their presence here hadn't already impacted with horrible consequences.
Smiling sadly in unspoken apology, she said simply, "I'm afraid your family will have to wait a little longer for you."
If any doubt stirred within that implacable Vulcan exterior, Janeway would never know. Tuvok nodded polite acknowledgment, then stooped gracefully to retrieve what was left of the entity who had cared for this system so tenderly for so long.
We won't let them down, Janeway promised. We'll make sure you see this through. She tapped her comm badge as Tuvok moved into position beside her. "Away team to Voyager. Two to transport."
* Voyager bridge was positively crowded by the time Janeway and Tuvok arrived. When the turbolift released them, Janeway had to shoulder her way past both Torres and Chakotay to reach the main walkway, and Torres actually growled at her in protest. Chakotay smelled like the burned remains of a fuel depository, and soot caked his clothes and hair as thickly as pollen on a flower.
Janeway could only imagine where he had just been.
Trotting down the steps to her command chair, she tried to ignore the energy beams still splattering like lightning strikes against their failing shields. "Mr. Tuvok, ready a tricobalt device."
"Aye, Captain."
Paris jerked around at the conn, but Janeway didn't have time to explain. "Open a channel to the Kazon," she ordered Kim.
He turned without question to his station. "Channel open."
The viewscreen rippled and re-formed, replacing the image of a damaged Array with Jabin's weather-beaten face. The Kazon leader wasted no time on empty pleasantries. "Be advised, Captain--I have called for additional ships."
Janeway couldn't help smiling a little at the pointlessness of that threat. "I'm calling to warn you to move your vessels to a safe distance. I intend to destroy the Array."
Jabin's face went still with shock. "You can't do that."
"I can," Janeway told him,