"The Rain Chronicles" [PG] - Book VII
"The Rain Chronicles" [PG] - Book VII
Rain Robinson of ”Future’s End” ends up on Voyager, following her adventures with Tom Paris and Tuvok in late 20th century Earth. Here is Book VII.
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RAIN ROBINSON - JULY 31, 2373:
Ten days. Ten days have passed since my fight with Tom. And we haven't uttered one word to each other. Hell, at least three-quarters of the crew aren't speaking to me. They all believe that I had condoned Vorik's actions during his pon farr. And none of this might have happened if I had kept my big mouth shut. Jesus!
Aunt Sarah was right. I should learn to control my tongue. And my temper. But it's hard to do that whenever I encounter stupidity or hypocrisy. I guess I'm just too blunt. Too frank. No wonder I've always had trouble maintaining a relationship. And I think I've just ruined another one.
My mother once told me that although Humans make a big deal about valuing the truth, many of them can't really handle it. Deep down, they don't want to face reality, so they escape through a lot of pleasure, easy solutions, illusions and sometimes, intolerance. She also added that when someone exposes the truth, it's usually the messenger who is usually blamed. What she tried to tell me is that I should learn to be a little more diplomatic when dealing with the feelings and opinions of others.
Somehow, word of my fight with Tom got around. And now, I'm being blamed for "taking Vorik's side". What makes this even worse is that the real perputrator of the whole mess is pon farr. Biology. How in the hell can you punish a physiological condition? You can't. Instead, you punish the poor bastard who had been inflicted by it. Namely Vorik. And you also blame the dumb idiot, whose words robbed you of a scapegoat. The same idiot who could not keep her damn mouth shut. Or control her temper.
Aside from Tuvok and Vorik (whom I haven't seen in days), the only crewmen who seemed willing to speak to me were Jenny, Megan, Neelix, and Commander Chakotay. B'Elanna seemed too embarrassed to even be near me. I should talk to her, but I can't. It's no longer about what she had done to me on Sakaris IV. Right now, I'm going through a lot of anger and frustration, because my big mouth has not only put me at odds with most of the crew. I've also driven Tom away for good when I defended Vorik . . . and brought up his past. Stupid idiot! And because I brought up his past, B'Elanna will have him in the end.
LIEUTENANT B'ELANNA TORRES - STARDATE 50593.64:
Vorik finally returned to Alpha shift duty, today. It didn't turn out as bad as I thought it would. We had a nice, long talk before his shift began.
I know. Vorik and I had agreed he would spend one month during Beta shift and only three weeks had passed since Sakaris IV. However, he happens to be one of my best engineers and I needed him, Carey, Nicoletti and Ashmore for a special project - to strengthen the stabilization of the warp filed coils and make them less susceptible to exposure from a verteron pulse. So, I put aside any feelings I had toward Vorik and asked Chakotay to return him to Alpha shift.
The talk. To be honest, I think it was a hell of a lot worse for Vorik. I never saw a man look so embarrassed or humiliated. Now that I think about it, I guess I understand his reaction. Like me, Vulcans hate losing control. Both Vorik and I endured a lot of humiliation because of what happened. But at least I don't have to endure pon farr every seven years for the rest of my life, thank Kahless. After what happened, I do intend to keep an eye on Vorik, seven years from now. If I can remember.
I had repaired my working relationship with Vorik. My friendship with Tom has also survived Sakaris IV. However, I haven't spoken a word to Rain, since our encounter in the Mess Hall. I've also learned that she hasn't spoken to Tom, either. Now, that's odd. I wonder how that came about?
RAIN ROBINSON - AUGUST 13, 2373:
I've finally realized how dangerous space exploration can be. While searching for the missing Commander Chakotay and Ensign Kaplan, Voyager came across a starship in the form of a cube. Megan and Jenny called it a Borg cube and it seemed to terrify them and practically everyone else.
"Who in the hell are the Borg?" I demanded.
Jenny replied, "They're a race of humanoids that are part-organic, part-machine. They're like . . ."
"Cyborgs!" I added, remembering my television. "Like the 'SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN' and 'THE BIONIC WOMAN!'!" Ah, the glory days of television re-runs. How I miss them.
The twins stared at me with baffled eyes. "What are you talking about?" Megan asked.
I told them about the two television shows I used to watch. "Maybe I'll find it in the computer database and show it to you, one day. What do these Borgs look like?"
Jenny led me to a computer console, located against one of the walls in the Mess Hall. I swear, this ship is practically a flying Microsoft center. She punched in a few codes and . . .
"Here they are," she said, pointing to the image on the screen. "The Borg. They're native to the Delta Quadrant, but they have the technology to travel to other quadrants. Including the Alpha Quadrant, back home. They've already tried to conquer Earth once." So, that's the Borg. I told Jenny that they look like mechanical zombies. "Not a bad description," she added.
Then I said, "And the Captain thinks the Commander and Marie Kaplan have been captured by them?"
Megan shook her head. "I don't think so. I heard from Harry Kim that the drones found inside the cube are dead. I think many of them were killed by some electromagnetic storm."
Drones? I guess that must be a pretty simile for a zombie. "So, where are they? Commander Chakotay and Kaplan?"
No one could answer my question. At least not until hours later, when the crew found the missing pair on a planet inhabited by survivors of the cube. Well, they found Chakotay, alive and well. Poor Kaplan had been killed by some scavengers who raided the village inhabited by former Borg drones. Among them was a blond woman who had been captured by the Borg, during the latter's attack upon Earth, several years ago. Everyone seemed to be talking about her and the Commander.
"Is it true?" I asked Neelix, after encountering him near one of those turbolifts on Deck 2. "About the Commander and this Fraizer woman?"
Neelix shrugged. "I have no idea. I haven't seen Commander Chakotay since he left the ship with Ensign . . ."
At that moment, the doors slid open. Three figures walked out of the turbolift - the Captain, Commander Chakotay and a beautiful, blond-haired woman with blue eyes. Both she and the Commander seemed a bit engrossed with each other. As for the Captain - despite her usual command look, she seemed grim to me. Oh, oh! Something tells me there was a little trouble in Paradise.
Then Janeway noticed Neelix and me. Something like a cross between a smile and a grimace appeared on her face. "Miss Fraizer," she said in her usual gravel voice, "I'd like to introduce you to our two civilian crewmen. This is our Talaxian guide, Neelix and Miss Rain Robinson. Neelix, Miss Robinson, this is Miss Riley Fraizer."
We shook hands with the new guest. Miss Fraizer seemed particularly curious as to how a civilian like myself, ended on Voyager. I told her the truth. That I was a visitor from Earth's past, who had stowed away aboard ship. Both the Captain and Commander Chakotay seemed particularly embarrassed by the whole story.
Finally, we all parted. Neelix and I entered the turbolift, leaving the others behind. "I wonder what that was about," I said, as the lift took us to Deck Two. "The Captain seemed embarrassed when I told that woman about how I came aboard."
Neelix replied that he had no idea. "But I did notice something else," he added. "The Commander and Miss Fraizer. They seemed very focused upon each other. I have the feeling there is some kind of romance between them."
Good old Neelix. I never really understood why so many of the crew looked down upon him. I'm not saying that they treated him badly. But they have this tendency to be rather condescending. Including, I'm sad to say, Tuvok. They don't seem to realize that under that comical façade is a pretty sharp fellow.
LIEUTENANT B'ELANNA TORRES - STARDATE 50617.7:
Damn Borg! Next to the Cardassians, they were the most treacherous beings in the Universe. I take that back. They are the most treacherous. What they did to Chakotay was abominable. And it caused me a lot of pain, as well.
It all started with those former Borg drones we found with Chakotay. Marie Kaplan had been killed, while defending him and the drones from some scavengers. Poor Marie. She was a good engineer. Chakotay had been wounded, and later healed by the ex-drones' neural transponder. What on earth made Chakotay allow them to use such a device on him, is beyond me. Granted, he was badly wounded. But he had also been conscious enough to know what they were going to do.
Once he was healed, Chakotay became involved with one of the former drones - namely a beautiful blond woman named Riley Fraizer. It seemed she was a former Starfleet officer who had been assimilated by the Borg during the Battle at Wolf 359, some six-and-a-half years ago. To make a long story short, after Miss Fraizer and Chakotay became . . . "friendly", she and her companions asked Voyager to help build some kind of axonal amplifier. They wanted to create their separate collective. For the defense of their little colony. What baffled me was that Chakotay wanted to help.
After delivering Miss Fraizer and the other former drones some supplies to her friends, Chakotay and I headed back to the ship. During our little journey, my best friend suddenly went "Borg" on me, thanks to that neural processor in his brain, and shot me with a phaser. According to Harry, who told me the rest, he flew to the Borg cube to help Miss Fraizer and her friends reactivate that axonal amplifier, and create their new collective. They also destroyed the cube.
Now, poor Chakotay is feeling guilty for his actions, even if it wasn't his fault. And I'm still recovering, despite leaving Sick Bay, some five hours ago. Damn Borg! It's obvious that they cannot be trusted. Even when disconnected from the Collective.
Kahless! This headache is killing me! I need an anglesiac, badly. I returned to Sick Bay to ask for a shot and found the Doctor with another patient. Rain Robinson. What was she doing here?
"There you go, Miss Robinson. Your cut is completely healed." The Doctor tossed an instrument on a nearby tray. "Working near an opened computer console can be very dangerous."
Rain sighed. "Yeah Doc. Sure. I'll be more careful."
"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to see to Lieutenant Torres." The Doctor faced me. "Ah, Lieutenant. I see that you have started walking around again. Is that wise? You were supposed to be resting."
I let out a groan. "I have a headache. And I need something for it. Badly."
The Doctor picked up a hypospray and filled it. "Here you go, Lieutenant." He pressed the damn thing against my neck. "This should help. And I also suggest that you get some rest. And not leave your quarters for the rest of the day."
"I don't need any rest," I grumbled. "I'm perfectly capa . . ." Then it hit me. A wave of dizziness that left me grasping for the nearest structure. Namely, a computer console.
A smug look appeared on the Doctor's face. Since when did holograms start looking smug? "May I assume you're experiencing some dizziness, Lieutenant?"
I snapped back, "You as . . ." The room began to tilt once more. I sighed in defeat. "Maybe I am feeling a little dizzy."
"What a surprise." Really, someone needs to reconfigure his personality subroutines! The Doctor turned to Rain. "Miss Robinson, will you please escort Lieutenant Torres to her quarters?"
I immediately protested, claiming that I did not need an escort. Unfortunately, another wave of dizziness struck me. The Doctor ignored my protests and insisted that Rain escort me. I had no choice but to surrender.
Neither Rain or I exchanged a word with each other - at first. I could tell that she felt uncomfortable in my presence. Just as I did in hers. Sakrari IV still came between us, despite my apology from a month ago. Well, I didn't really blame her. If I had been attacked by an erratic half-Klingon . . .
"How are you feeling?"
It took me a few second to realize that Rain had spoken. To me. I blinked and responded with a "Huh?" Oh great! Such brilliant dialogue!
"I said," Rain continued, "how are you feeling? After being shot by Commander Chakotay?"
Did she really have to put it like that? Utilizing every ounce of my patience, I told her that I felt fine, aside from the dizziness. That Chakotay had only stunned me with a phaser. Okay, maybe I had lied a little. Chakotay may have only stunned me, but dammit, it hurt!
Rain, of course, wasn't fooled. Not with me experiencing constant dizzy spells. I continued to have them all the way to the turbolift. Hell, I didn't have this much trouble coming here. By the time we reached my quarters, I decided that I needed to put Sakari IV behind us, for good. Again, I tried to apologize for assaulting her, but Rain stopped me.
"Look, you've already apologized. There's no need for you to do it, again. Besides, it wasn't your fault. Anymore than it was Commander Chakotay's fault for shooting you."
I hesitated, feeling embarrassed over her burst of generosity. Strange that Rain never brought up my Klingon temper. I had felt sure that it had scared her. "If you think I'm scared you, I'm not," she added. I think the woman must be emphatic. "Although I admit that I was a little leery of you, for a while. But I guess you felt the same about Vorik."
An awkward pause fell between us. So, Rain had been a little leery of me. I'm not surprised. She was right about me feeling the same about Vorik. And now, I'm beginning to wonder if I'll harbor similar feelings about Chakotay. Will he suddenly become Borg again and attack us, now that we're edging toward Borg space?
We arrived at my quarters. Before I could punch out my entry code, I did something stupid. I told her that she had no reason to worry about me. I also added that I would never attack her in such a manner again. "I admit that I have something of a temper. It's the Klingon in me. But you won't have anything to worry about, from now on."
Rain gave me a curious look and said something that took me off-guard. "What does your being Klingon have to do with your temper?"
I blinked. Surely, her old buddies, the Delaney sisters, have told her about me? About Klingons in general? "I'm half-Klingons," I said, as if speaking to a child. "Klingons have bad tempers."
"So do Humans. And I've heard that Bajorans are also temperamental. What's the big deal?"
Kahless! Was this woman obtuse? Or blind? Doesn't she understand what I'm trying to say? Or do I have to bring up Sakari IV again? I explained, "Humans may have bad tempers, but they are nothing in compare to the Klingon temper." We entered my cabin. Rain led me to the sofa.
"Hey, I've read about the Klingons in the ship's computer," she replied. "The only difference I see is that Klingons are stronger and more openly aggressive. I think your opinion of Humans might be a little too high. Just like everyone else aboard this ship."
Was she trying to tell me that Humans are not that different from Klingons? I nearly laughed aloud. Poor woman, wait until she sees her first full-bloodied Klingon. If she ever gets the chance. Or perhaps Humans from her time were a little more violent . . .
"I know what you're thinking," she added, cutting into my thoughts. "That perhaps Humans from the 20th century are more violent. Maybe they are. Then again, after getting to know this crew, I've discovered one thing. Humans - back in my time and the ones, today - seemed to think they're rational and civilized and above violent behavior. But when something goes wrong or someone stands in their way," a smirk appeared on her face, "look out! They can become real savages. Like your friend, Harry. I've noticed that he tends become anxious or volatile whenever something unexpected happens. If you don't believe me, watch him. Or some of the others. You'll see it happen right before your eyes."
What had made her so anti-Human? Rain seemed to regard them the same way I regarded Klingons. She must have went through a hell of a time, before meeting Tom and Tuvok. Perhaps some time spent in the 24th century would teach her to appreciate how much her species have evolved. She'll see how wrong she was about Humans . . . and Klingons.
Only I kept my thoughts to myself and instead, smiled and asked her to replicate some drinks for us both. Rain replicated a cup of raktijino for me, and declined a drink for herself. She claimed that she had to return to duty. Which she did.
In the end, I guess we finally put Sakari IV behind us. And I must admit that it was a relief to know someone who did not seem put off by my Klingon half. But she will. Eventually. Both her and Tom. It's only a matter of time.
END OF BOOK VII