fic: All In A Weeks Day 2/5 PG-13 HL/Voy xover (prompt: trust)
Title: All In A Weeks Day
Author: Aeron Lanart
Genre: Highlander/Star Trek: Voyager crossover
Rating: PG-13 but does contain a references to a multiple relationship so if such things offend, don't read!
Warnings/Spoilers: AU for both Highlander and Voyager. No warnings/Spoilers otherwise.
Disclaimer: Trekstuff is owned by Paramount/Viacom. Highlander stuff is owned by Davis/Panzer productions
Marahet the immortal belongs to Alis, this is a companion piece to her story 'A Sense of Immortality'
Title from the song of the same name by A Wedding Anniversary.
OCC prompt = Trust
Part 2
Back in sickbay the Doctor scowled petulantly at Siannon, obviously not particularly happy with the whole turn of events.
"You should have let me check her over before B'Elanna ran off with her."
"Why? There'd be no point. She's immortal, remember."
"Mmm. Yes...er ... well...."
"You've got far too used to me not reminding you anymore, haven't you?"
"Maybe." The Doctor replaced his unneeded tricorder back on the instrument tray, and sighed. "I suppose we ought to get this cleaned up." He indicated the extremely muddy main bay, and then gave Siannon one of his rare smiles. "At least you never did *that* to me."
"What?"
"Turn up dead out of thin air and mess up my sickbay in the process."
"Oh you... Well, for that you can explain to the Captain what happened while me and Tom sort this out." Siannon pushed the Doctor towards his office, and turned back to the mess. "Come on,
Tom. We've got work to do..."
It didn't take long before the main bay was back to its usual pristine state. Tom perched on the bio-bed, arms folded, and glared at Siannon.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"You know what the hell this is all about, don't you?"
"Sort of, but then so do you if you'd only think about it." Tom chewed on his bottom lip for a couple of seconds, casting wary glances in the direction of the office where Kathryn Janeway was talking to the Doctor.
"Q?"
"It fits. And how else would a dead immortal appear from thin air? After what Q said to me earlier it's the only likely explanation. Now all we have to do is tell Kathryn..."
Tom and Siannon both caught the rather pointed glance the Doctor threw in their direction. Tom gave Siannon a wry grin.
"I think that was our cue..." They made their way to the office, Siannon taking her customary perch on the desk, Tom leaning with studied nonchalance against the door frame. Kathryn looked up from her position at the other end of the desk.
"The Doctor tells me you have some ideas about the sudden appearance of our immortal guest."
"One or two. I think I know *how* Marahet got here, and I'll make a guess as to why, but that's all they are.... Guesses."
"You mean extrapolations of all available data," Kathryn said with a grin. "Never admit to guessing anything, remember. So... Extrapolate..."
"Q."
"Is that just the how or the why as well? And why do you think he's responsible?" Siannon had the grace to look at least marginally self conscious. She knew she should have told Kathryn of Q's brief visit earlier, but spending quality time with Harry, B'Elanna and Tom had seemed so much more important at the time.
"Q paid a visit to sickbay today, after I'd finished with the vaccinations...." She trailed off, noticing Kathryn's frown. "I know, I should have mentioned it, but..." The frown disappeared.
"But tonight was the first night you four had been able to have alone together for a while..." Kathryn smiled gently at Siannon. "I may not like it, but I *do* understand." Siannon smiled thankfully in return.
"Anyway, he made some rather cryptic remarks about my sword skills being rusty; and offered to send me back to the alpha quadrant, which I refused. After that he told me there was 'another way' before he disappeared again. I'm not entirely certain, but I wouldn't be surprised if Marahet is his idea of 'another way'." Kathryn pushed herself off the desk and walked round to Siannon's side.
"You're telling me that Q brought another immortal to Voyager just so you could *practise*?" She shook her head in disbelief, trying not to laugh.
"Something like that, yes. I can't think of any other reason why and it is the sort of thing Q has been known to do just because he can."
"Not for a while."
"Maybe. He might have actually felt some pity for Marahet..." She turned to glare at Tom's snort of laughter.
"I'm sorry, but I can't see Marahet being the type that people would pity. Or Q doing the pitying for that matter."
"Fair enough, but remember Marahet was dead when she arrived. Drowned, I expect; and judging by what we've just cleaned up more than likely buried under a hell of a lot of mud." Both women glanced at the Doctor, who nodded slightly. Siannon continued. "In that situation an immortal would revive only to asphyxiate over and over again. And that could go on for years. Even centuries. Many immortals have a kind of primordial horror of being buried alive, and I wouldn't be surprised if Marahet shares that. From what Q said, he's been watching immortals for centuries, possibly millennia. He finds us *interesting* apparently." Kathryn grinned.
"Can't fault him there. You've certainly been interesting enough, and I'm sure this Marahet will be too. I suppose we just need to wait and see."
"There're a couple more things..."
"Oh?"
"Did the Doctor tell you she apparently wasn't buried this century?"
"He mentioned it. I take it you know when?"
"The twentieth, going by her clothes and stuff. But more importantly, she's old."
"Old is a relative term around immortals." The Doctor remarked acerbically. "Just how old is old?"
"Older than me. By at least a thousand years. Possibly two or more." Tom's low whistle reverberated around the office, echoed by the surprise on both the Doctor's and Kathryn's faces...
"That's old. How can you tell?" He asked.
"It's sort of the way the Quickening resonates between two immortals. Old ones *feel* different. It's not an ability all of us have, and seems to be pretty dependent on age. One of my friends has it down pat, but he's over five thousand years old. That's why I think she's an old one, she feels remarkably similar to Methos from a distance. I'm just surprised none of us knew about her." She shrugged. "Still, these things are sent to try us, I suppose." Kathryn sat back down on the desk, pressing her fingers to her temples with an air of increasing desperation.
"And try us they usually do," she murmured. "Especially when Q dumps them on my ship." She shook her head, as if trying to clear it. "I know you'll agree with me when I say I want to keep this as quiet as possible, but we need to involve Chakotay and Tuvok at the very least. You, Tom, B'Elanna and Harry are involved by default, which I think should be enough people for now. Unless there's anyone else you can think of who *needs* to know?" Tom and Siannon both answered in the negative. "I think we may have just enough time to get Chakotay and Tuvok down here before the others get back."
The Doctor glared at them all.
"So you're going to turn my sickbay into conference room, now? Wonderful. Why does nobody *ask* anymore?" Kathryn hid her impromptu grin in a cough. Neither Tom nor Siannon even tried.
"I wouldn't worry," Tom said, "at least this way you get to know everything as it happens instead of second hand..." The Doctor allowed himself to be placated, and even brightened at the prospect.
"How very true. Thank you for reminding me. Now if you'll just excuse me, I have some preparations to make." He wandered out of the sickbay office muttering about chairs and mud. Tom grinned at his remaining companions.
"Another problem solved...." Anything else he might have said was lost in a muffled 'Oof' as Siannon whacked him across the back of his head.
"Seriously Kathryn, you need to get Chakotay and Tuvok down here now. We're going to need them."
Marahet stayed silent, but she could hardly believe her ears. All the talk of space-time anomalies, interstellar travel, omnipotent beings and the like was sailing right over her head. Even so, she liked what she had seen of this ship and its crew, the puzzle surrounding Siannon and her *friends* notwithstanding. There was one thing that was still bothering her.
"If I was sent here by this 'Q', where is he? And *why* am I here. For all you seem to have decided *how* I got here, none of you seem to have the faintest idea *why*." For a moment, Kathryn
Janeway paused in her restless pacing of the room and gave Marahet an apologetic smile.
"I'm afraid there's only one entity who can answer that, and even if he *was* here he could well decide not to, depending on how he was feeling. We'll just have to settle on puzzling it all out for ourselves." She sat back down. "Siannon *did* have a theory as to why you were here..." Siannon frowned, and shook her head.
"I've an idea, but it's not a good one and I haven't really thought it through yet."
"Really?" Although the thought of Q sending an Immortal all the way from the alpha quadrant just for sword practice had seemed ludicrous at the time, she wasn't best pleased with Siannon's stubborn refusal to say anything.
"Let's just leave it at that for now." There was a strange undercurrent to Siannon's tone of voice, as if she were trying to convey something without words. Janeway stared at her. "Please?" The Immortal asked, as close to begging for something as she ever had been. She relented, albeit reluctantly.
"All right. Okay then people, if you have any ideas - good or otherwise - let me know. Do I make myself clear?" The murmurs of 'Yes Captain' from around the table were cut off by a flash of light by the door. Janeway glared at the sudden invasion of sickbay.
"Q."
"Bravo, Kathy." The familiar figure slowly clapped his hands while smiling in his inimitably condescending fashion.
"I don't suppose you'd care to explain just what this latest escapade of yours is all about?"
"No. And anyway, it's none of your business. Just Marahet's and Siannon's. And I'm sure *they'll* catch on fast enough. I think you'll like it here, Marahet. Much better than being stuck under tons of mud and rock, wouldn't you say? Enjoy your time here, won't you?"
"Why Marahet?" Siannon blurted out.
"Why not? The opportunity was there, and I could do something with it, so... Whatever else, this should be *interesting*. Behave yourselves, my dears, and I'll see you again." A quick flick of his fingers and he was gone. Tom leaned back in his chair, grinning slightly.
"Marahet, consider yourself introduced."
"That was Q?"
"That was Q."
As Q had disappeared and Siannon seemed reluctant to verbalise her theory on why Marahet had been transported to Voyager, there was little more to be said. Janeway insisted that Marahet's sword, which had been discovered within the pile of muck deposited on the floor, was kept by one of her security officers, and though she didn't like the idea of being parted from it, there was nothing Marahet could do in the situation. Fortunately Siannon didn't appear to be one of the bad guys, and besides, Marahet was pretty confident in hand-to-hand combat.
Marahet told what she could remember of her last moments, but there was little to tell. She had the vivid recollection of being swept under water, but as to the why and how - she couldn't say.
"Everything is just too fuzzy!" she told them. "My memories are swirling round in the back of my head but when I go to reach for one it just disappears."
Automatically the Doctor appeared with his tricorder in hand.
"Perhaps you are suffering from a residual injury which is causing temporary amnesia. I would have checked earlier but I wasn't given the chance!" He looked pointedly at Siannon. The
Immortal attempted to smile innocently.
"I doubt that it is something medically wrong," Siannon replied. "I would have thought it more likely Marahet's memory loss has something to do with the game Q is playing with us."
"We're not getting anywhere here!" Janeway finally decided. "Whatever plans Q has, I'm sure he'll reveal them in his own good time, and there is nothing we can do until then." She turned to
Marahet. "Normally I wouldn't allow any stranger to leave this sickbay unless accompanied by a member of my security team. However, having to come to know Siannon over the years and
learning what Immortals, especially *old* Immortals," she added carefully which made Marahet wonder just how much Siannon had managed to deduce, "can do when they put their minds to it..."
Siannon had the decency to blush at that comment and Janeway continued with a sly grin in the Immortal's direction. "I will allow you to leave sickbay under the supervision of Siannon if I can have your word that you will not do anything that will endanger either this ship or its crew."
Marahet paused a moment. //No sword... and under the scrutiny of an Immortal I know nothing about.. Great!// However..
"I promise!" she told the Captain.
Siannon sensed Marahet's reluctance and immediately knew why.
"Kathryn..." she spoke up."I believe that Marahet would be a lot more comfortable if she knew that the only other sword on board this ship... in other words, mine... was also safely locked away."
Janeway frowned as did most of the other people in the room. Replicator technology enabled them to create swords at will, the Captain didn't understand what Siannon was getting at. But the female Immortal continued. "Also you should put a monitor on the replicators. Should anyone try and replicate a sword, security is automatically notified. We don't know exactly what Q is up to and I don't want to take any chances if one of the crew gets it in their heads to progress the Game."
"Replicators?" Marahet asked. B'Elanna smiled.
"Don't worry I'll explain all about them." The half-Klingon woman took Marahet be the arm and led her out of sickbay. "I bet you have a lot of questions. I'll do my best to answer them."
Siannon smiled as she, Harry and Tom followed after them. She had a feeling that she was going to enjoy Marahet's stay on Voyager, and also the gut impression that Q had bitten off slightly more than he could chew when he had picked on Marahet for whatever scheme he had in mind.
Marahet sat in the mess hall a little dazed. //Okay more than a little dazed!// she realised as another member of an alien race walked past her. She knew a lot more now than she did five hours before when she had first woken up in sickbay. B'Elanna, along with Harry and Tom had explained all about the Federation... Starfleet... why they were out - lost - on the other side of the galaxy, and to Marahet's real interest about the alien races they had encountered.
She knew that B'Elanna was half-Klingon, Neelix was a Talaxian, Tuvok a Vulcan. The Security chief had appeared, given her a spiel about where she could and could not go on the ship and a com badge to wear so she could be contacted immediately if necessary. Marahet assumed it also monitored her movements on board the ship.
Harry had gotten past his immediate scepticism and had warmed to Marahet's personality. He was as enthusiastic about regaling Marahet with Voyager's exploits as Tom and B'Elanna were. Siannon also sat at the table but she had said little so far. She was radiating a welcoming and definitely non-threatening aura towards Marahet which had made her relax slightly, but there was a definite tension still there, which was entirely understandable given the circumstances.
To Marahet's intense curiosity that tension seemed to be sensed by her three friends as well and occasionally one or other of them would look at the Immortal with concern and Siannon would shake her head slightly trying to reassure them. Marahet desperately wanted to know what was the bond between them because the only other like it she had encountered was the bond she shared between her, Methos and Richie.
Despite herself, Marahet smiled at the thought of her two friends and she allowed herself to momentarily immerse herself in their recollection.
Siannon sat bolt upright.
"You know Methos?" she whispered in shock.
"WHAT?" Marahet was beyond startled and her exclamation brought several stares from the rest of the crew. She lowered her voice before continuing. "How... how did you DO that?" she asked incredulously.
Siannon was almost as equally startled. She had some minor gifts, she knew that, even though they were rarely exercised, but it had almost been like she had seen straight into the other Immortal's head... or had been allowed to.
"Marahet I'm sorry!" Siannon apologised. "Believe me I could never intentionally pry into *anyone's* mind and I don't believe I did just then..." Siannon looked around the room with a distinctly annoyed expression but the focus of her bad temper chose not to reveal himself. "I believe that Q is trying to orchestrate something here, and I think we need to know certain things about each other before anything else happens." She shrugged helplessly. "Perhaps we could talk?"
Marahet nodded, still a little in shock but together enough to insist that this particular conversation be adjourned to a more private setting. Within ten minutes they were settled into the quarters that Janeway had assigned Marahet for the duration of her stay. //How ever long that may be?// Marahet wondered.
One quick lesson with a replicator later... //I could get to like those things!// Marahet decided and settled down on the floor pulling her legs up crossed under her.
"You know Methos?" Siannon repeated the question. She was sitting on the couch with the three mortals on either side. Marahet felt very much like she was in the hot seat, sitting in the middle on the floor in full view of all of them. //As I am!// she realised.
Marahet knew that she had to be completely honest with the other Immortal. "Yes.. I do know Methos!" she replied. "I have been married to him for my entire life... for five thousand years!"
The initial silence that met her was not what Marahet was expecting.
"But that's impossible!!!" Siannon exploded up out of her seat and was towering over Marahet before she realised what she was doing. //It can't be true. It *can't*...// Her sudden anger was irrational, but she couldn't stop the surge of fury and her wish to just remove this strange Immortal's lying head from her shoulders.
Marahet saw all this. Sensed it. And dared not move a muscle.
"Siannon..." The word echoed peculiarly in Marahet's mind as though more than one person had spoken, though she knew she had heard only Harry's voice. She was watching Siannon as the irrational fury abruptly drained out of the Immortal's eyes, to be replaced by shock and disgust.
"Marahet... I'm sorry... I..." Siannon strode away to the other side of the room, cursing furiously. Marahet turned toward her only other source of information in the room.
"Q?" She asked the question of all three of them, and had the peculiar feeling that she was receiving the answer from all three of them, too. Unfortunately they all seemed to be as much at a loss to explain Siannon's reaction as she was. B'Elanna shook her head as she replied,
"It can't be. Q can't manipulate human emotions. But Siannon's just not like that. And we *know* it." B'Elanna cast a worried glance across the room to Siannon, and then met Harry's eyes. "Go on... see if she'll listen to you. She's shut me out completely." She turned her gaze back to Marahet. "You were saying?"
"What I said doesn't seem to matter right now. Just *what* is going on between you four?" B'Elanna and Tom glanced at each other, and then across to where Harry had Siannon in his arms as he whispered furiously in her ear. He nodded in their direction. B'Elanna looked Marahet squarely in the eyes.
"It's a long, strange story..."
"And you think I've not seen or done anything strange in five thousand years?" Marahet couldn't help but grin at B'Elanna. //Like managing to impart ten thousand years of Quickening on
Richie// she tried not to chuckle as the thought passed through her mind.
"I'm sure I can cope, and I really would like to know. Maybe then we can settle down to talk properly." She cast a wary glance over to the other side of the room just in time to spot Siannon kicking the wall with a particularly vitriolic curse. Marahet was prevented from staring by a discreet cough from Tom, still on the couch. //This lot are like a tag-team// she thought irreverently.
Smiling, Marahet turned her attention back to the two remaining occupants of the couch.
"Go on then, tell me this 'long, strange story'. I'm all ears." She was not going to admit she was, in effect, interested from a 'professional' point of view as she had no idea how any of them, including Siannon, would react to her having trained as a Priestess. And she tried not to admit to herself that her main reason for wanting to know was simple curiosity.
B'Elanna cleared her throat experimentally.
"I'm not really sure how to begin; it all seems so long ago now... We were at a place called Hesdaria, Siannon and me, as part of an away team..."
B'Elanna and Tom explained the best they could about the fourfold link, how it started, their struggles with trying to live with it, and each other, without driving everyone including themselves absolutely crazy.
Marahet listened avidly. She could feel the truth in their words, and read it in their body language which gave credence to their belief that Siannon's Quickening had been the initial catalyst behind the formation of the link. It also sounded eerily familiar to what she shared with Methos and Richie, all the way back home. A sudden stab of grief and loss and loneliness ran through her as she realised just how far removed she was from them, and she momentarily felt herself awash with almost unendurable pain.
Gently, a presence intruded on her thoughts radiating empathy and apology. Siannon, Marahet realised. She opened her eyes to find Siannon now sitting in front of her.
"It's hard when you realise how far away everyone is. You miss them *so* much. At least we know we'll see them again... not everyone is so lucky." There was a brief, heartfelt glance over Marahet's shoulder. "I used to lie awake at night wondering if anyone ever questioned my disappearance; wondering if they ever thought of me or missed me." She sighed. "It does you no good, of course."
"Of course. But even so..."
"Exactly." Siannon glanced down before meeting Marahet's eyes with a rueful smile.
"I'm sorry about earlier. It won't happen again. I can't say it wasn't a shock as you'd *know* I was lying, but I think we can say I'll learn to live with it, after all we've got time..." Siannon held out her hand. "Shake on it?"
Marahet grinned impulsively; she could not help but like Siannon.
"Why not..." As they shook hands she felt a strange tingle in her palm, akin to what she had felt from B'Elanna but more powerful. Carefully, Marahet disengaged her hand taking Siannon's in her own, examining the palm of the other Immortal's hand as she traced the silvery scar that ran across it. There was a rustle as B'Elanna rose to join them.
"I've one of those on my left hand..."
"From Hesdaria?"
"Uh-huh."
"And yours?" Marahet caught Siannon's eyes again. She knew this was important, though she had no idea why.
"Yes. It's the only scar I've had in two thousand years... And it's shown no signs of fading since the day we both made them." Siannon gently traced the scar on her palm as it rested in Marahet's loose clasp, with an almost dreamy smile on her face as she glanced at B'Elanna. The moment was broken by a faint chuckle from Harry's direction. Marahet's senses almost reeled as they were hit by a palpable wave of... *something*. She dropped Siannon's hand like she had been scalded. Siannon tried to blush and grin at the same time.
"Oops," she said.
"Oops?!" Marahet burst out laughing. "Warn me before you do anything like that again if you're touching me. Please!" She tried to glare at the four shamefaced but grinning people in front of her, and couldn't. "I think you four had better go." A yawn surprised her. "I really am tired."
"Of course you are. It's been an eventful day - for all of us." Siannon ushered everyone out of the room, turning to face Marahet from the door. "I'll be round tomorrow to pick you up. I don't think either Tuvok or the Captain would be very pleased if I let you wander the ship unaccompanied." She smiled warmly at Marahet.
"And I certainly don't want you to get into trouble because of me. I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"It's a date." And with a last impudent grin, Siannon disappeared through the doors.
Marahet sat staring at the doors for quite some time after they wooshed shut behind Siannon. //Just what the hell is happening to me?// She wondered. //I feel like I'm trapped in a bad sci-fi novel. And what about Methos and Richie? And *where* the hell do I stand with Siannon?// The Irish immortal reminded her at different times of so many people she knew - Methos, Richie, Amanda, Ceirdwyn... and yet was so obviously herself. Marahet was at once both exhilarated and terrified at the prospect of discovering more about the unknown Immortal and her home. She lay on the bed, her body singing with tension, trying to relax enough to sleep. Eventually she did, and would have been surprised to know she was being watched over by someone who had nothing to do with the ship.
Q grinned invisibly. He determined to listen in on Marahet and Siannon the next day; he desperately wanted to find out just why Siannon had reacted to the news of Marahet's near eternal marriage just the way she had. After mentally reviewing all his knowledge of immortals and their lives, he had to concede that this was one thing he *didn't* know, and he was not happy about it.
"A bientôt, Marahet;" he whispered into the silence. She stirred, but did not wake.
Author: Aeron Lanart
Genre: Highlander/Star Trek: Voyager crossover
Rating: PG-13 but does contain a references to a multiple relationship so if such things offend, don't read!
Warnings/Spoilers: AU for both Highlander and Voyager. No warnings/Spoilers otherwise.
Disclaimer: Trekstuff is owned by Paramount/Viacom. Highlander stuff is owned by Davis/Panzer productions
Marahet the immortal belongs to Alis, this is a companion piece to her story 'A Sense of Immortality'
Title from the song of the same name by A Wedding Anniversary.
OCC prompt = Trust
Part 2
Back in sickbay the Doctor scowled petulantly at Siannon, obviously not particularly happy with the whole turn of events.
"You should have let me check her over before B'Elanna ran off with her."
"Why? There'd be no point. She's immortal, remember."
"Mmm. Yes...er ... well...."
"You've got far too used to me not reminding you anymore, haven't you?"
"Maybe." The Doctor replaced his unneeded tricorder back on the instrument tray, and sighed. "I suppose we ought to get this cleaned up." He indicated the extremely muddy main bay, and then gave Siannon one of his rare smiles. "At least you never did *that* to me."
"What?"
"Turn up dead out of thin air and mess up my sickbay in the process."
"Oh you... Well, for that you can explain to the Captain what happened while me and Tom sort this out." Siannon pushed the Doctor towards his office, and turned back to the mess. "Come on,
Tom. We've got work to do..."
It didn't take long before the main bay was back to its usual pristine state. Tom perched on the bio-bed, arms folded, and glared at Siannon.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"You know what the hell this is all about, don't you?"
"Sort of, but then so do you if you'd only think about it." Tom chewed on his bottom lip for a couple of seconds, casting wary glances in the direction of the office where Kathryn Janeway was talking to the Doctor.
"Q?"
"It fits. And how else would a dead immortal appear from thin air? After what Q said to me earlier it's the only likely explanation. Now all we have to do is tell Kathryn..."
Tom and Siannon both caught the rather pointed glance the Doctor threw in their direction. Tom gave Siannon a wry grin.
"I think that was our cue..." They made their way to the office, Siannon taking her customary perch on the desk, Tom leaning with studied nonchalance against the door frame. Kathryn looked up from her position at the other end of the desk.
"The Doctor tells me you have some ideas about the sudden appearance of our immortal guest."
"One or two. I think I know *how* Marahet got here, and I'll make a guess as to why, but that's all they are.... Guesses."
"You mean extrapolations of all available data," Kathryn said with a grin. "Never admit to guessing anything, remember. So... Extrapolate..."
"Q."
"Is that just the how or the why as well? And why do you think he's responsible?" Siannon had the grace to look at least marginally self conscious. She knew she should have told Kathryn of Q's brief visit earlier, but spending quality time with Harry, B'Elanna and Tom had seemed so much more important at the time.
"Q paid a visit to sickbay today, after I'd finished with the vaccinations...." She trailed off, noticing Kathryn's frown. "I know, I should have mentioned it, but..." The frown disappeared.
"But tonight was the first night you four had been able to have alone together for a while..." Kathryn smiled gently at Siannon. "I may not like it, but I *do* understand." Siannon smiled thankfully in return.
"Anyway, he made some rather cryptic remarks about my sword skills being rusty; and offered to send me back to the alpha quadrant, which I refused. After that he told me there was 'another way' before he disappeared again. I'm not entirely certain, but I wouldn't be surprised if Marahet is his idea of 'another way'." Kathryn pushed herself off the desk and walked round to Siannon's side.
"You're telling me that Q brought another immortal to Voyager just so you could *practise*?" She shook her head in disbelief, trying not to laugh.
"Something like that, yes. I can't think of any other reason why and it is the sort of thing Q has been known to do just because he can."
"Not for a while."
"Maybe. He might have actually felt some pity for Marahet..." She turned to glare at Tom's snort of laughter.
"I'm sorry, but I can't see Marahet being the type that people would pity. Or Q doing the pitying for that matter."
"Fair enough, but remember Marahet was dead when she arrived. Drowned, I expect; and judging by what we've just cleaned up more than likely buried under a hell of a lot of mud." Both women glanced at the Doctor, who nodded slightly. Siannon continued. "In that situation an immortal would revive only to asphyxiate over and over again. And that could go on for years. Even centuries. Many immortals have a kind of primordial horror of being buried alive, and I wouldn't be surprised if Marahet shares that. From what Q said, he's been watching immortals for centuries, possibly millennia. He finds us *interesting* apparently." Kathryn grinned.
"Can't fault him there. You've certainly been interesting enough, and I'm sure this Marahet will be too. I suppose we just need to wait and see."
"There're a couple more things..."
"Oh?"
"Did the Doctor tell you she apparently wasn't buried this century?"
"He mentioned it. I take it you know when?"
"The twentieth, going by her clothes and stuff. But more importantly, she's old."
"Old is a relative term around immortals." The Doctor remarked acerbically. "Just how old is old?"
"Older than me. By at least a thousand years. Possibly two or more." Tom's low whistle reverberated around the office, echoed by the surprise on both the Doctor's and Kathryn's faces...
"That's old. How can you tell?" He asked.
"It's sort of the way the Quickening resonates between two immortals. Old ones *feel* different. It's not an ability all of us have, and seems to be pretty dependent on age. One of my friends has it down pat, but he's over five thousand years old. That's why I think she's an old one, she feels remarkably similar to Methos from a distance. I'm just surprised none of us knew about her." She shrugged. "Still, these things are sent to try us, I suppose." Kathryn sat back down on the desk, pressing her fingers to her temples with an air of increasing desperation.
"And try us they usually do," she murmured. "Especially when Q dumps them on my ship." She shook her head, as if trying to clear it. "I know you'll agree with me when I say I want to keep this as quiet as possible, but we need to involve Chakotay and Tuvok at the very least. You, Tom, B'Elanna and Harry are involved by default, which I think should be enough people for now. Unless there's anyone else you can think of who *needs* to know?" Tom and Siannon both answered in the negative. "I think we may have just enough time to get Chakotay and Tuvok down here before the others get back."
The Doctor glared at them all.
"So you're going to turn my sickbay into conference room, now? Wonderful. Why does nobody *ask* anymore?" Kathryn hid her impromptu grin in a cough. Neither Tom nor Siannon even tried.
"I wouldn't worry," Tom said, "at least this way you get to know everything as it happens instead of second hand..." The Doctor allowed himself to be placated, and even brightened at the prospect.
"How very true. Thank you for reminding me. Now if you'll just excuse me, I have some preparations to make." He wandered out of the sickbay office muttering about chairs and mud. Tom grinned at his remaining companions.
"Another problem solved...." Anything else he might have said was lost in a muffled 'Oof' as Siannon whacked him across the back of his head.
"Seriously Kathryn, you need to get Chakotay and Tuvok down here now. We're going to need them."
Marahet stayed silent, but she could hardly believe her ears. All the talk of space-time anomalies, interstellar travel, omnipotent beings and the like was sailing right over her head. Even so, she liked what she had seen of this ship and its crew, the puzzle surrounding Siannon and her *friends* notwithstanding. There was one thing that was still bothering her.
"If I was sent here by this 'Q', where is he? And *why* am I here. For all you seem to have decided *how* I got here, none of you seem to have the faintest idea *why*." For a moment, Kathryn
Janeway paused in her restless pacing of the room and gave Marahet an apologetic smile.
"I'm afraid there's only one entity who can answer that, and even if he *was* here he could well decide not to, depending on how he was feeling. We'll just have to settle on puzzling it all out for ourselves." She sat back down. "Siannon *did* have a theory as to why you were here..." Siannon frowned, and shook her head.
"I've an idea, but it's not a good one and I haven't really thought it through yet."
"Really?" Although the thought of Q sending an Immortal all the way from the alpha quadrant just for sword practice had seemed ludicrous at the time, she wasn't best pleased with Siannon's stubborn refusal to say anything.
"Let's just leave it at that for now." There was a strange undercurrent to Siannon's tone of voice, as if she were trying to convey something without words. Janeway stared at her. "Please?" The Immortal asked, as close to begging for something as she ever had been. She relented, albeit reluctantly.
"All right. Okay then people, if you have any ideas - good or otherwise - let me know. Do I make myself clear?" The murmurs of 'Yes Captain' from around the table were cut off by a flash of light by the door. Janeway glared at the sudden invasion of sickbay.
"Q."
"Bravo, Kathy." The familiar figure slowly clapped his hands while smiling in his inimitably condescending fashion.
"I don't suppose you'd care to explain just what this latest escapade of yours is all about?"
"No. And anyway, it's none of your business. Just Marahet's and Siannon's. And I'm sure *they'll* catch on fast enough. I think you'll like it here, Marahet. Much better than being stuck under tons of mud and rock, wouldn't you say? Enjoy your time here, won't you?"
"Why Marahet?" Siannon blurted out.
"Why not? The opportunity was there, and I could do something with it, so... Whatever else, this should be *interesting*. Behave yourselves, my dears, and I'll see you again." A quick flick of his fingers and he was gone. Tom leaned back in his chair, grinning slightly.
"Marahet, consider yourself introduced."
"That was Q?"
"That was Q."
As Q had disappeared and Siannon seemed reluctant to verbalise her theory on why Marahet had been transported to Voyager, there was little more to be said. Janeway insisted that Marahet's sword, which had been discovered within the pile of muck deposited on the floor, was kept by one of her security officers, and though she didn't like the idea of being parted from it, there was nothing Marahet could do in the situation. Fortunately Siannon didn't appear to be one of the bad guys, and besides, Marahet was pretty confident in hand-to-hand combat.
Marahet told what she could remember of her last moments, but there was little to tell. She had the vivid recollection of being swept under water, but as to the why and how - she couldn't say.
"Everything is just too fuzzy!" she told them. "My memories are swirling round in the back of my head but when I go to reach for one it just disappears."
Automatically the Doctor appeared with his tricorder in hand.
"Perhaps you are suffering from a residual injury which is causing temporary amnesia. I would have checked earlier but I wasn't given the chance!" He looked pointedly at Siannon. The
Immortal attempted to smile innocently.
"I doubt that it is something medically wrong," Siannon replied. "I would have thought it more likely Marahet's memory loss has something to do with the game Q is playing with us."
"We're not getting anywhere here!" Janeway finally decided. "Whatever plans Q has, I'm sure he'll reveal them in his own good time, and there is nothing we can do until then." She turned to
Marahet. "Normally I wouldn't allow any stranger to leave this sickbay unless accompanied by a member of my security team. However, having to come to know Siannon over the years and
learning what Immortals, especially *old* Immortals," she added carefully which made Marahet wonder just how much Siannon had managed to deduce, "can do when they put their minds to it..."
Siannon had the decency to blush at that comment and Janeway continued with a sly grin in the Immortal's direction. "I will allow you to leave sickbay under the supervision of Siannon if I can have your word that you will not do anything that will endanger either this ship or its crew."
Marahet paused a moment. //No sword... and under the scrutiny of an Immortal I know nothing about.. Great!// However..
"I promise!" she told the Captain.
Siannon sensed Marahet's reluctance and immediately knew why.
"Kathryn..." she spoke up."I believe that Marahet would be a lot more comfortable if she knew that the only other sword on board this ship... in other words, mine... was also safely locked away."
Janeway frowned as did most of the other people in the room. Replicator technology enabled them to create swords at will, the Captain didn't understand what Siannon was getting at. But the female Immortal continued. "Also you should put a monitor on the replicators. Should anyone try and replicate a sword, security is automatically notified. We don't know exactly what Q is up to and I don't want to take any chances if one of the crew gets it in their heads to progress the Game."
"Replicators?" Marahet asked. B'Elanna smiled.
"Don't worry I'll explain all about them." The half-Klingon woman took Marahet be the arm and led her out of sickbay. "I bet you have a lot of questions. I'll do my best to answer them."
Siannon smiled as she, Harry and Tom followed after them. She had a feeling that she was going to enjoy Marahet's stay on Voyager, and also the gut impression that Q had bitten off slightly more than he could chew when he had picked on Marahet for whatever scheme he had in mind.
Marahet sat in the mess hall a little dazed. //Okay more than a little dazed!// she realised as another member of an alien race walked past her. She knew a lot more now than she did five hours before when she had first woken up in sickbay. B'Elanna, along with Harry and Tom had explained all about the Federation... Starfleet... why they were out - lost - on the other side of the galaxy, and to Marahet's real interest about the alien races they had encountered.
She knew that B'Elanna was half-Klingon, Neelix was a Talaxian, Tuvok a Vulcan. The Security chief had appeared, given her a spiel about where she could and could not go on the ship and a com badge to wear so she could be contacted immediately if necessary. Marahet assumed it also monitored her movements on board the ship.
Harry had gotten past his immediate scepticism and had warmed to Marahet's personality. He was as enthusiastic about regaling Marahet with Voyager's exploits as Tom and B'Elanna were. Siannon also sat at the table but she had said little so far. She was radiating a welcoming and definitely non-threatening aura towards Marahet which had made her relax slightly, but there was a definite tension still there, which was entirely understandable given the circumstances.
To Marahet's intense curiosity that tension seemed to be sensed by her three friends as well and occasionally one or other of them would look at the Immortal with concern and Siannon would shake her head slightly trying to reassure them. Marahet desperately wanted to know what was the bond between them because the only other like it she had encountered was the bond she shared between her, Methos and Richie.
Despite herself, Marahet smiled at the thought of her two friends and she allowed herself to momentarily immerse herself in their recollection.
Siannon sat bolt upright.
"You know Methos?" she whispered in shock.
"WHAT?" Marahet was beyond startled and her exclamation brought several stares from the rest of the crew. She lowered her voice before continuing. "How... how did you DO that?" she asked incredulously.
Siannon was almost as equally startled. She had some minor gifts, she knew that, even though they were rarely exercised, but it had almost been like she had seen straight into the other Immortal's head... or had been allowed to.
"Marahet I'm sorry!" Siannon apologised. "Believe me I could never intentionally pry into *anyone's* mind and I don't believe I did just then..." Siannon looked around the room with a distinctly annoyed expression but the focus of her bad temper chose not to reveal himself. "I believe that Q is trying to orchestrate something here, and I think we need to know certain things about each other before anything else happens." She shrugged helplessly. "Perhaps we could talk?"
Marahet nodded, still a little in shock but together enough to insist that this particular conversation be adjourned to a more private setting. Within ten minutes they were settled into the quarters that Janeway had assigned Marahet for the duration of her stay. //How ever long that may be?// Marahet wondered.
One quick lesson with a replicator later... //I could get to like those things!// Marahet decided and settled down on the floor pulling her legs up crossed under her.
"You know Methos?" Siannon repeated the question. She was sitting on the couch with the three mortals on either side. Marahet felt very much like she was in the hot seat, sitting in the middle on the floor in full view of all of them. //As I am!// she realised.
Marahet knew that she had to be completely honest with the other Immortal. "Yes.. I do know Methos!" she replied. "I have been married to him for my entire life... for five thousand years!"
The initial silence that met her was not what Marahet was expecting.
"But that's impossible!!!" Siannon exploded up out of her seat and was towering over Marahet before she realised what she was doing. //It can't be true. It *can't*...// Her sudden anger was irrational, but she couldn't stop the surge of fury and her wish to just remove this strange Immortal's lying head from her shoulders.
Marahet saw all this. Sensed it. And dared not move a muscle.
"Siannon..." The word echoed peculiarly in Marahet's mind as though more than one person had spoken, though she knew she had heard only Harry's voice. She was watching Siannon as the irrational fury abruptly drained out of the Immortal's eyes, to be replaced by shock and disgust.
"Marahet... I'm sorry... I..." Siannon strode away to the other side of the room, cursing furiously. Marahet turned toward her only other source of information in the room.
"Q?" She asked the question of all three of them, and had the peculiar feeling that she was receiving the answer from all three of them, too. Unfortunately they all seemed to be as much at a loss to explain Siannon's reaction as she was. B'Elanna shook her head as she replied,
"It can't be. Q can't manipulate human emotions. But Siannon's just not like that. And we *know* it." B'Elanna cast a worried glance across the room to Siannon, and then met Harry's eyes. "Go on... see if she'll listen to you. She's shut me out completely." She turned her gaze back to Marahet. "You were saying?"
"What I said doesn't seem to matter right now. Just *what* is going on between you four?" B'Elanna and Tom glanced at each other, and then across to where Harry had Siannon in his arms as he whispered furiously in her ear. He nodded in their direction. B'Elanna looked Marahet squarely in the eyes.
"It's a long, strange story..."
"And you think I've not seen or done anything strange in five thousand years?" Marahet couldn't help but grin at B'Elanna. //Like managing to impart ten thousand years of Quickening on
Richie// she tried not to chuckle as the thought passed through her mind.
"I'm sure I can cope, and I really would like to know. Maybe then we can settle down to talk properly." She cast a wary glance over to the other side of the room just in time to spot Siannon kicking the wall with a particularly vitriolic curse. Marahet was prevented from staring by a discreet cough from Tom, still on the couch. //This lot are like a tag-team// she thought irreverently.
Smiling, Marahet turned her attention back to the two remaining occupants of the couch.
"Go on then, tell me this 'long, strange story'. I'm all ears." She was not going to admit she was, in effect, interested from a 'professional' point of view as she had no idea how any of them, including Siannon, would react to her having trained as a Priestess. And she tried not to admit to herself that her main reason for wanting to know was simple curiosity.
B'Elanna cleared her throat experimentally.
"I'm not really sure how to begin; it all seems so long ago now... We were at a place called Hesdaria, Siannon and me, as part of an away team..."
B'Elanna and Tom explained the best they could about the fourfold link, how it started, their struggles with trying to live with it, and each other, without driving everyone including themselves absolutely crazy.
Marahet listened avidly. She could feel the truth in their words, and read it in their body language which gave credence to their belief that Siannon's Quickening had been the initial catalyst behind the formation of the link. It also sounded eerily familiar to what she shared with Methos and Richie, all the way back home. A sudden stab of grief and loss and loneliness ran through her as she realised just how far removed she was from them, and she momentarily felt herself awash with almost unendurable pain.
Gently, a presence intruded on her thoughts radiating empathy and apology. Siannon, Marahet realised. She opened her eyes to find Siannon now sitting in front of her.
"It's hard when you realise how far away everyone is. You miss them *so* much. At least we know we'll see them again... not everyone is so lucky." There was a brief, heartfelt glance over Marahet's shoulder. "I used to lie awake at night wondering if anyone ever questioned my disappearance; wondering if they ever thought of me or missed me." She sighed. "It does you no good, of course."
"Of course. But even so..."
"Exactly." Siannon glanced down before meeting Marahet's eyes with a rueful smile.
"I'm sorry about earlier. It won't happen again. I can't say it wasn't a shock as you'd *know* I was lying, but I think we can say I'll learn to live with it, after all we've got time..." Siannon held out her hand. "Shake on it?"
Marahet grinned impulsively; she could not help but like Siannon.
"Why not..." As they shook hands she felt a strange tingle in her palm, akin to what she had felt from B'Elanna but more powerful. Carefully, Marahet disengaged her hand taking Siannon's in her own, examining the palm of the other Immortal's hand as she traced the silvery scar that ran across it. There was a rustle as B'Elanna rose to join them.
"I've one of those on my left hand..."
"From Hesdaria?"
"Uh-huh."
"And yours?" Marahet caught Siannon's eyes again. She knew this was important, though she had no idea why.
"Yes. It's the only scar I've had in two thousand years... And it's shown no signs of fading since the day we both made them." Siannon gently traced the scar on her palm as it rested in Marahet's loose clasp, with an almost dreamy smile on her face as she glanced at B'Elanna. The moment was broken by a faint chuckle from Harry's direction. Marahet's senses almost reeled as they were hit by a palpable wave of... *something*. She dropped Siannon's hand like she had been scalded. Siannon tried to blush and grin at the same time.
"Oops," she said.
"Oops?!" Marahet burst out laughing. "Warn me before you do anything like that again if you're touching me. Please!" She tried to glare at the four shamefaced but grinning people in front of her, and couldn't. "I think you four had better go." A yawn surprised her. "I really am tired."
"Of course you are. It's been an eventful day - for all of us." Siannon ushered everyone out of the room, turning to face Marahet from the door. "I'll be round tomorrow to pick you up. I don't think either Tuvok or the Captain would be very pleased if I let you wander the ship unaccompanied." She smiled warmly at Marahet.
"And I certainly don't want you to get into trouble because of me. I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"It's a date." And with a last impudent grin, Siannon disappeared through the doors.
Marahet sat staring at the doors for quite some time after they wooshed shut behind Siannon. //Just what the hell is happening to me?// She wondered. //I feel like I'm trapped in a bad sci-fi novel. And what about Methos and Richie? And *where* the hell do I stand with Siannon?// The Irish immortal reminded her at different times of so many people she knew - Methos, Richie, Amanda, Ceirdwyn... and yet was so obviously herself. Marahet was at once both exhilarated and terrified at the prospect of discovering more about the unknown Immortal and her home. She lay on the bed, her body singing with tension, trying to relax enough to sleep. Eventually she did, and would have been surprised to know she was being watched over by someone who had nothing to do with the ship.
Q grinned invisibly. He determined to listen in on Marahet and Siannon the next day; he desperately wanted to find out just why Siannon had reacted to the news of Marahet's near eternal marriage just the way she had. After mentally reviewing all his knowledge of immortals and their lives, he had to concede that this was one thing he *didn't* know, and he was not happy about it.
"A bientôt, Marahet;" he whispered into the silence. She stirred, but did not wake.