String Theory_ Fusion (Book 2) - Kirsten Beyer [76]
“What will happen if I refuse?” she asked. “If you have the ability to destroy us, surely you can take the Key from us by force.”
Phoebe’s smile faded and Janeway knew instantaneously that though Phoebe was strong, this was, at least, one possible vulnerability.
“I could take it,” she replied harshly. “But without your… there is no word… I will be unable to use it.”
“And that would cause you pain?” Janeway pushed.
“Unless you agree, we, like you, will be always far from home.”
Janeway wanted to believe her. It would be so easy simply to do as Phoebe asked and put an end to at least this much of the danger Voyager was facing.
But she couldn’t.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “I cannot agree to this unless you can tell me why you need the Key and what will happen if I do as you have asked.”
“I cannot tell you,” Phoebe replied. “I can only show you.”
“Fine,” Janeway said, wondering how much of this was a matter of semantics. “Show me.”
Phoebe took the captain’s hand, and a moment later Janeway found herself standing before a door she had never seen. It was completely black, though faint swirls of varying hues were subtly visible on its surface.
“Where are we?” Janeway demanded, turning to see several other similar doors decorated with more vivid splashes of color.
Phoebe raised her hand and placed it on the center of the door. Janeway sensed movement in the pattern, and then the door was gone and she was staring into emptiness.
“We are at the beginning,” Phoebe replied. “Do you still wish to be shown?”
Janeway stared into her sister’s eyes. Phoebe, the real Phoebe, had never led her astray. They’d had their fair share of disagreements over the years, but the foundation of their relationship had been love and trust. Somehow Janeway suspected that the creature who was leading her into darkness would not have chosen this particular form if the bond shared between Janeway and her sister had not been significant and powerful.
“To travel with me, you must take my hand,” Phoebe said. “If we become separated in the process, call my name and I will find you.”
Janeway nodded.
Phoebe gently grasped Janeway’s hand again, and led Kathryn into absolute nothingness.
Tom and Chakotay materialized on Voyager’s bridge, almost colliding with Lieutenant Rollins, who had been left in command since they had boarded the array. The forward momentum generated when they threw themselves into the array’s transporter was not dispersed by the transport process and they found themselves falling to the deck the moment they arrived.
As Tom helped Chakotay to his feet, Chakotay stammered, “What the hell was that thing?”
“I think I could live the rest of my life in peace even if we never find out,” Tom replied, then turned to Rollins and asked, “Did Harry and Tuvok make it back to the ship?”
“Yes, sir,” he replied. “And B’Elanna and Seven have also reported in.”
“Rollins, where is the captain?” Chakotay asked.
“I think she’s in sickbay,” he replied.
“Chakotay to Janeway,” he called, making his way toward the turbolift.
When there was no immediate response he asked the computer to locate her and was temporarily stunned at the computer’s response.
“Captain Janeway is not on board.”
“Where did she go?” Chakotay demanded. “Is she on the array?” he barked in the general direction of the ops station, where Crewman Dalby was working a shift.
“Scanning, sir,” Dalby replied.
But if the computer’s reply to his first question had been shocking, Dalby’s answer to the second a few interminable moments later was like a sharp blow to the gut.
“Captain Janeway is not on the array.”
Chakotay struggled to rein in the panic that was quickly rising within him. This was impossible. She had to be one place or the other.
“Computer, what was Captain Janeway’s last known location aboard Voyager?”
“Deck eleven, section C-7.”
“Have a security team meet us there,” Chakotay barked to Rollins as he entered the turbolift, Tom