To Tell The Truth Series 04 Sunfire
Page 19
"Sunfire was damaged, this much we know for certain. As for the others, they will be dead, either from the self-destruct or from having Awakened. They never were as strong as Tom Paris or AlphaOmegan 41783. Given their pasts, it is certain they will descend into madness if not find some method of suicide."
"But their deaths are not a certainty." She frowned. "If only we had not needed Voyager back so badly, you could have triggered the self-destruct sequence the moment you had AlphaOmegan 41783 and the couple others that we wanted."
"The Borg, Talaxian, and EMH, yes. Not bringing them back with us was unfortunate."
"Have the Implants of all of those on The Diogenes been reinitialized?"
"Yes."
"Good. I would have hated to have lost anymore than you already did."
"Alpha One, what about Raven?"
"What about him?"
"Surely you've seen the logs of his actions, especially of his confrontation with AlphaOmegan 41783. Raven is becoming willful and-"
"Leave Raven to me. I have plans for him and they need him exactly the way he is."
"I see."
"No, you don't, but one day you might. Progress report, Vassanji," she demanded of the grey uniformed lab technician who came into view.
He hurried over to Alpha One's side.
"Everything is on schedule," he reported. "He'll have matured enough to leave his chamber in fifteen days."
Alpha One smiled smugly at the clone that slowly was forming before them. "Very good, Vassanji. Tell the others to prepare for the next phase."
"Yes, Alpha One."
-------
"Sarah? Sarah, you awake?"
"How could I not be with you yelling in my ear, Gabriel?"
"Who are they?"
"AlphaOmegans, obviously."
"Yeah, but Sunbird's not with them."
"Also obvious," Joshua interrupted.
"But they haven't input the codes to properly turn off the alarms."
"Don't say it, you two," Chloe ordered in a matronly voice before Sarah or Joshua could repeat their "obvious" comments. "Go ahead, Gabriel."
"Well, if he sent them here, then why haven't they done it? If he didn't send them here, how did they find the Base and not be killed trying to get in here?"
"They didn't send him," the twins chorused.
There was a confusing clash of voices demanding to know what the pair meant. The din was shushed only by Chloe's admonitions.
"Bridget, Bryce, tell us what have you found out." she invited them.
And they did. Soon every resident of Tom's Base knew everything about him and the events of the past few days as recorded by The Diogenes and copied to the memory banks of the small AlphaOmegan craft currently resting in the hanger bay.
"I say we -"
The so far silent Samuel cut Sarah off. "We will do nothing, except wait."
"But-"
"With Sunfire there and the plans for altering Voyager in their possession, they may be able to return home."
"If they have the skills to do it."
"If they have the skills to do it, yes. He will need our help when he returns home. We will wait here and prepare for that day. Since the AlphaOmegans plan to remain here, we will be needed to thwart their search for his secrets."
"Can we honestly do that?" Gabriel whispered. "Are we strong enough to do it without revealing ourselves?"
"We were programd to be creative and adapt. And so we will."
One by one, each of them agreed.
-------
'You have to tell him,' I'Nu grimaced. 'It's not like it's something you can hide from him.'
"Stop hovering in the doorway, I'Nu," E'Arte barked. "What news from the fleet?"
Reluctantly, the young Gherop clerk approached his superior's desk, careful to remain out of arm's reach. "The ship that came to Voyager's aid has gone, E'Arte. They have left behind a second, smaller ship."
"And Voyager?"
"Damaged, but not irreparably."
"Good. It shouldn't be long before she comes to us. Order all ships of Gherop design into hiding. I don't want her recognizing them and being scared off. She must feel safe to come to Rachar."
"Yes, E'Arte."
"And send congratulations to the families of the Gherop in the battle. Tell them they died in glorious fashion, et cetera, et cetera. The usual nonsense."
"Yes, E'Arte."
"What about the observation ship? Did it survive?"
"Yes." He shuffled his feet. "But it is on its way back to Rachar. On a direct route."
"What?! They were supposed to return to their base, not here!"
"And they don't know if Voyager or the small ship saw the direction in which they traveled or not."
The cup in E'Arte's hand shattered, showering Zji who stood silently at his side, with clay fragments and wine. "Execute them immediately."
"Perhaps you might want to hear the news they're bringing back first?" I'Nu quickly suggested. "They intercepted a transmission from the small ship to Voyager. The information maybe useful in taking her."
"You are correct, I'Nu," E'Arte begrudged. "Bring the commanding officer here to report. Then they will die."
As I'Nu scurried out, Zji carefully tended the wounded hand her master stuck out towards her.
"This information had better be good," he muttered to himself. "If they have ruined this...."
Zji gently coaxed open the fists he made, thus bringing his attention to her at least in part. She knew he was not actually talking to her, she could have been a potted plant for all he cared right now, but she was something to vent his rage to so she would do.
"If the situation on this planet is not resolved and resolved soon, T'Do will send troops to resolve it permanently. If that happens, nothing will be left standing. Nothing and no one. Rachar *or* Gherop."
She repressed a shiver. Word of the Gherop Emperor's actions when he was not pleased had reached Rachar not long after the Gherop had enslaved her planet. Fervently, she hoped everyone's plans would see fruition before T'Do's patience with the rebels on Rachar ran out.
Part of her also hoped Voyager did come, for the Verta had plans for her of their own.
End of Part 4