Mosaic - Jeri Taylor [117]
They all noticed it simultaneously. "It's working!" crowed Paris. Rollins chimed in with his sensor readings: "Life signs are disappearing from the shields, Captain."
One by one, the brown and green bodies fell away from their field of vision, revealing the flaming disk of the star more fully. The temperature on the bridge was now almost unbearable.
"Metaphasic shielding is failing, Captain," said Chakotay tersely. "We have to move away from that star."
"Just a minute more-Rollins, tell me when the shields are clear of the Tokath."
"We're there, Captain. No life signs showing on the shields."
"The metaphasic program is collapsing-was
"Lieutenant, get us out of here."
Paris worked, and Voyager veered away from the star. Janeway moved to her chair and sank gratefully into it, listening to damage reports as they filtered in.
"Shield integrity barely holding at thirteen percent-was "Damage to the aft port ventral-was
"Hull buckling on deck fourteen-was
"Initiating repairs to propulsion systems-was
"Sickbay reports twelve crewmen suffering from radiation sickness-was The well-trained crew was already springing into action, doing whatever was necessary to restore Voyager to operating condition. Soon repairs would be completed and they could-what? Be on their way? Abandon their comrades on the planet and hope they'd find a way to survive? Continue the journey home without the great and good friend Tuvok? Tuvok, whom she'd initially disliked so fiercely but had grown to love as a brother...
... and sweet Kes... and dear Neelix... Greta Kale... Nate LeFevre... over twenty people in all that they'd never see again... She realized Chakotay was seated next to her, addressing her. She turned to him.
"dis.. though the Kazon don't appear to be a danger anymore, we can't risk another attack by the Tokath. We wouldn't survive another trip into the star."
"What are you suggesting, Commander?"
Chakotay hesitated, knowing the seriousness of his recommendation. "I don't see any way we can return to the planet, Captain."
She looked away from him, instinctively wanting to deny his statement. Quickly she reviewed the options as she understood them, and quickly she realized there weren't any more. She might have found a way to defeat the Kazon, but that other, unexpected nemesis-an ancient, brilliantly evolved life-form-was apparently invincible.
She looked back at Chakotay, whose wise, patient eyes held hers, reflecting concern and empathy, and nodded once. It was over. She'd fought with every bit of her skill and ingenuity, and she'd lost. The defeat was palpable. A chill passed through her and she became light-headed again. Images of her crew, trapped on the planet-perhaps under attack from the Tokath?-swirled in her mind. She began to feel disconnected from the present, from what was happening directly in front of her. The bridge began to spin.
She felt as though she were encased in her own warp bubble; time seemed to freeze, the voices of the crew faded, and the bridge washed out into a pastiche of pale color-an abstract impression of sound and motion. She was moving toward the closed door, hand outstretched, determined to open it this time. No impediments, no obstacles-nothing would keep her from finding out what was behind that barrier. It must be cleaned out. Her heart pounded as she reached out, and an overwhelming sense of urgency cascaded through her. The door opened at her touch. surprisingly easily, after all. She took a breath and stepped through, ready to greet the clutter and mess she was sure lay there.
She was freezing. All around her was a white wilderness, bleak and unremitting, a milky landscape of snow and ice. She'd been here before, of course. She had crashed here with her father and Justin, who'd lost their lives beneath a cold, dark sea. She'd almost died, as well, her body temperature dangerously low before a rescue ship had picked up the automatic distress signal and beamed her aboard.
Why was she back