fic: All In A Weeks Day 5/5 [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 5
Some days later, a puzzled Siannon wandered into the empty shuttle bay, eyes darting around her as she searched for one person in particular. She spotted Marahet to one side and strode over to her friend.
"Why did you ask me to come here? There're plenty of more comfortable places to talk."
"Ah, but then I don't just want to talk. And this place was the only one on the ship that suited my requirements."
"Requirements? Marahet, just what in the seven hells are you on about? You're not making any sense whatsoever!"
"I'm not?" Faced with Marahet's deadly calm and the sardonic twist to her mouth, Siannon had a terrifying thought. She backed off, away from Marahet her heart sinking inside her.
"I won't kill you. I'm not going to let you take control of my mind, just so you can make me. I don't care what Q expects, you're my friend and I WON'T KILL YOU!!!" Much to Siannon's surprise, Marahet laughed. She stopped backing away, and stared.
"I wouldn't let you," Marahet said. "I'd never enter your mind to overpower it, even with a written invitation. And anyway, don't you think it would be a little difficult when neither of us has a sword? What would you behead me with - your shoes? No, I have something completely different in mind. Something that will give you the advantage Q wished you to have, but won't be of any detriment to me. Come over here so I can talk to you properly." Siannon re-approached Marahet, and they both settled down on the floor.
"So?" Siannon smiled nervously at Marahet, having no idea what the 5000 year old Immortal had in mind.
"You remember I mentioned that *my* Richie has psychic abilities?" Siannon nodded. "Well, that's not all...." Marahet paused, wondering how to say what she needed to say, finally settling on the bare truth and no more. "He also has 10,000 years of Quickening."
"What!!! How?"
"Methos and I combined our Quickenings to get ourselves out of a rather sticky situation. Unfortunately the side effect was that Richie took a 10,000 year Quickening. As you can tell, I still have all of my quickening..."
"And you want to do the same for me?"
"I do. You will gain 5000 years of Quickening. I will lose nothing. There's only one problem."
"Which is?"
"We'll be linked through the shared Quickening. If I stay here in this universe, you'll have someone else inside your head." Siannon chuckled.
"I think I could cope with that. You could teach us *all* how to shield better for a start! But I don't think it's going to *be* a problem."
"Why not?"
"You don't really want to stay. If Q gives you the chance to go back, you will. And I can't see us staying linked mentally across universes and 400 years. So, no problem." The two Immortals smiled at each other. "This sounds too good to be true. I'd really be a fool to refuse such a generous gift, and no-one has ever accused me of being a fool. Foolish, yes, but that's a different matter altogether."
"Are you ready?"
"Now?" Siannon squeaked.
"No time like the present, plus the fact that this is the only place that would physically stand up to a Quickening on board ship. You did mention extra internal shielding on that tour you gave me."
"So I did. You want me to raise them?"
"Please." Siannon went to the console at the rear of the shuttle bay, entering the relevant commands into the computer. A wall of bluish light shimmered into being around them, cutting the deck of the shuttle bay off from the viewing gallery and command area.
"There. It's as safe as I can make it. And no-one will be able to override the command except me, and maybe Tuvok. I still know some codes that the others probably don't. Now what?" Marahet took Siannon's hand, noticed it was shaking, and led her into the middle of the shielded area.
"This will feel just like a normal quickening to you, so be prepared..." She cautioned. It was the only warning she gave.
On the Bridge, Alarms started to sound.
"Captain, the blast shields have been raised in shuttle bay 2." Tuvok's voice as usual betrayed nothing of his concern. B'Elanna's mind reeled in terror.
"It's Siannon!" She was moving towards the turbolift before she even heard the Captain's barked command,
"Go! All of you." Tom and Harry joined B'Elanna in the rush for the lift. Janeway turned slightly in her seat. She needed an objective mind on this too. "Tuvok?" The Vulcan followed them at a more sedate pace.
The main shuttle bay doors would not open. Even Tuvok's override codes were ineffective.
"We must enter via the gallery," he announced after the third try had been unsuccessful. Harry, Tom and B'Elanna pelted round the corner without any urging, their overriding sense one of danger to Siannon.
The sight that met them as they finally reached the gallery was like a scene from someone's idea of hell. Lightening arced around inside the blast shields, crackling furiously, and centred on a figure that knelt, almost collapsed in the centre of the shuttle bay.
"Siannon!!!" The scream was torn from B'Elanna as she pressed as close to the blast shields as she could. There was a pressure building up inside her that was almost unbearable, a feeling akin to being filled with static. A huge lightning bolt arced down to hit Siannon between the shoulders, almost sending her sprawling and B'Elanna reeled in pain as her head and body exploded in sensations that she could not adequately describe. Another bolt lashed down and Siannon's head jerked back as she screamed silently. B'Elanna lurched into Tom and Harry, no longer aware.
*Pain*; from her hair to her toes, washing through her body in terrible waves.
*Pleasure*; parts of her that she didn't even know existed felt alive, renewed.
Then the rest of it hit her; fragmental images of people she had never met; people screaming, laughing, crying; voices chanting; the clash of swords; the taste of blood; burning heat; searing cold; a harp playing; blood pounding in her head, her loins; desire; fear. The fear jolted her to a semblance of lucidity, and aware of Tom and Harry's arms wrapped round her, she felt the touch of their minds as they linked. Together they *reached* trying to touch the one who was missing, whose fear they could taste.
Reached; and found not one, but two.
**Light**
With one last, huge, soundless explosion, the lightning stopped. Time seemed to stand still. At last there was some movement down on the shuttlebay floor. Tuvok spared a quick glance for the huddled, gasping heap that was B'Elanna, Tom and Harry before trying once more to lower the blast shields from the gallery console. He was interrupted by a muffled croak.
"Won't work... security override codes..." B'Elanna half crawled, half stumbled over to Tuvok. "I think I've got them..." Hanging onto the console with one hand she tapped in the sequence of numbers she could almost hear Siannon telling her. With one last shimmer, the shields fell.
In the main shuttle bay, Siannon had managed to lever herself into a sitting position. She glared at Marahet.
"Just like a normal quickening?" She rasped. Marahet sat down beside her, touched her hand in apology.
"It was - for 5000 years worth, I didn't think it would affect you so much. I'm sorry for not realising that, but then I don't think sharing it helped much, either." Siannon blanched.
"Blessed Danu..." She lurched upright and was hobbling toward the ladder before she even had time to think. A feeling of reassurance swept through her, and she recognised B'Elanna's mind with Harry and Tom still in the link, along with... Siannon touched the new mind in the link gently, unsure as what to expect.
~Marahet?~
~I did warn you...~
~That you did.~ Then there was no more time for anything else, as the others finally made it down the ladder. They fell into each other's arms with relief, and Siannon sensed Marahet withdrawing as much as she could. Tuvok spotted Marahet and strode over.
"The Captain wishes to have an explanation of this incident," he announced. He flicked a quick look at his four crew mates, now in a more decorous position. "From all of you." He gestured for them to precede him out of the shuttle bay.
Kathryn Janeway met them in the conference room. She wanted Chakotay with her, and her ready room just wasn't big enough to comfortably accommodate everyone. Tuvok ushered the five of them in, before taking up a station just inside the door. As security chief he was as eager to ascertain just what had happened in the shuttle bay - and how - as The Captain.
The Captain's glare was icy as she made eye contact with each of them in turn.
"Would someone care to enlighten me about what just happened in my shuttle bay? And Why?" Janeway's voice was coldly edged with fury. She could almost sense the undercurrents running between them, which she had come to accept as normal for Tom, Harry, B'Elanna and Siannon; but this seemed to involve Marahet too! She glanced at Tuvok, who gave her an almost imperceptible nod. "Well?" She asked.
Siannon and Marahet exchanged looks. It was their responsibility, despite what the others felt. Marahet cleared her throat tentatively.
"I'm sorry Captain, this was really my fault. You'll remember Siannon and I had decided we're from different universes?"
"Yes..."
"And also Siannon's theory as to why I'd been sent here..." The Captain wondered where all this was leading especially as neither immortal had been totally convinced by that theory anyway.
"Go on."
Marahet continued, relaxing into the feelings of support and encouragement she was receiving from the others; something she had not experienced since the last time she had been with Methos and Richie. She explained about her discussion with Q,
her ability to impart her own quickening energy to others, and the realisation that the shuttlebay was the only place on board a starship that would be able to stand the internal stresses a Quickening would produce.
Siannon took up the narrative at that point, shamefacedly admitting to having security clearance she had not divulged to the Captain 'just in case' she needed it. Kathryn's stony face became even more granite-like.
"I'm sorry Captain, but I was asked by Starfleet security years ago to keep those codes to myself; you've seen my file, so although you don't like it, I'm sure you understand why. And I won't apologise for safeguarding the rest of the crew; if anyone had been able to break through the blast shields while the Quickening was still happening, there's no telling what could have happened..." Kathryn cut her off with a choppy gesture
"I know, I know. I just have no idea what to do with you. Any of you. Least of all you, Marahet."
"I could always send her home." Everyone whirled to face Q as he stepped out of thin air next to Tuvok.
"Q!" Q bowed in acknowledgement to the incredulous faces surrounding him.
"But I won't. Marahet needs to stay here just a teensy bit longer." He wandered over to Siannon, taking her chin in his hand. No-one else was able to move, no matter how they tried. "Getting a bit crowded in there now, Siannon, isn't it?" He tapped her forehead. "Take advantage of Marahet while you can, she won't be here for ever..." Q let go of Siannon's face and sat himself on the table, relinquishing his control. "I must admit I'm impressed how you resolved that little impasse, Marahet, but I'm hurt that you never told me you had such a delicious solution cooked up." Marahet folded her arms and glared at Q.
"You never stayed to find out."
"I suppose I didn't. Still, it was much more entertaining this way." He slithered off the table and made his way to Kathryn. "So good to see you again, Kathy. You should frown less, it doesn't suit you." He patted her shoulder. "I'll be back, never fear; Marahet will be on her way home and this will seem nothing more than a dream to her. And the rest of you will have an advantage you didn't before." Q disappeared before anyone had the chance to answer.
Kathryn slowly lowered herself into the nearest chair.
"I suppose that answers the question of what to do with you, Marahet. But what about the rest of you?" Tuvok stepped forward from his position by the door.
"Captain, if I may make a suggestion?" She nodded. "It would seem that Q has been responsible, indirectly at least, for a great deal of our recent upheaval. I deem a note to that effect in their files, with a reduction in holodeck privileges for two weeks, would be sufficient discipline."
"Thank you Tuvok. You four... five, try to stay out of trouble. Dismissed." Siannon breathed a sigh of relief as they left the conference room; she knew the Captain had been much more lenient than she could have been. She almost blessed Q for his interference. Almost. If it wasn't for him, they wouldn't have been in the damn situation in the first place.
The weeks without holodeck time flew past for them all. Marahet worked with them, all four together and also individually, on their mental shielding, until she was happy with the results. She supposed she could be accused of having an ulterior motive, but she did not want to share anymore of the foursome's more personal communications. She also seemed to be spending a lot of time with Neelix in the messhall and amantha in the nursery. She paused to wonder every now and then just what was keeping everyone so busy when the ship appeared to be running smoothly.
A few weeks later, Marahet was sitting with her four friends at breakfast when B'Elanna turned an interesting shade of green and dashed out of the messhall with alacrity. Instead of the worry and concern she expected to feel from the others she received a surge of joy so profound it shook her to the core. She hardly noticed Siannon tearing after B'Elanna as she was engulfed in a huge hug from both Tom and Harry, neither of whom seemed to know whether to laugh or cry, before they too left in a hurry. She wandered over to where Neelix was hovering over his pots in the galley.
"Hey Neelix, have you any idea what that was about?" She asked. Neelix shook his head thoughtfully.
"No, but I've seen B'Elanna look like that before."
"Oh?"
"When she was expecting Miral." Marahet grinned. If B'Elanna was pregnant, no wonder the others were happy. She decided to head to sickbay herself, out of sheer curiosity.
The scene that met her eyes after the sickbay doors opened was not what she was expecting...
Siannon and B'Elanna were perched on the bed in the surgical bay, arms wrapped tightly round one another, while Tom was dancing the Doctor around sickbay chanting,
"You did it, You did it!". Harry was staring dreamily at the main console, with a smile on his face so Marahet decided to approach him as being the most likely to answer her questions. He glanced up as she drew closer, his smile widening as he saw her.
"Can I offer my congratulations?" She asked hesitantly. Harry beamed.
"You can, but I don't think those two," he indicated Siannon and B'Elanna "Would hear you. I can barely believe it myself!"
"But...?" She jumped as a hand descended onto her shoulder. She turned to meet Tom's eyes.
"This is a very special child, Marahet. The Doc and Siannon have been working so hard to try and make this work..." He said, taking Harry's hand in his own as he glanced toward the biobed.
"It's not B'Elanna's child," Harry explained. "In a way, this baby will belong to all of us, even more so than Miral." He drew Marahet closer. "Genetically she's mine and Tom's, but Siannon will be her mother; just like Tom is Miral's father, even though she is genetically mine." Marahet gaped at him.
"You're Miral's...?" Harry ducked his head shyly while Tom chuckled. "Well I never!"
"There're very few who know that - it surprised the hell out of us at the time. Especially Harry." Tom grinned briefly. "We couldn't help but realise how much Siannon longed for a child of her own and this was the best way to give her a child that was part of all of us."
"That..that's wonderful." Marahet was misty eyed. Like all immortals, she too had longed for a child of her own. Then a thought hit her, like a bolt from the blue... "The Quickening? It didn't hurt the baby did it? Was B'Elanna pregnant then?" The Doctor overheard the question.
"The baby's fine." Marahet breathed a sigh of relief. "Oddly enough, I think the energy B'Elanna shared helped the pregnancy to quicken. Not something that was expected, I assure you."
"But if B'Elanna was pregnant why did Siannon...?"
"Accept your offer? Simple, I didn't know about B'Elanna. She worked almost exclusively with the Doc, Tom and Harry on this. I did the grunt work - they did the complicated and personal stuff" Siannon smiled fondly at all of her bond-mates, and touched Marahet gently on the shoulder. "Thank you, Marahet. For everything."
The doors whooshed open again, to reveal Kathryn and Chakotay. The Captain was slightly breathless, as if she'd been running.
"We heard... is everything all right?" She glanced around, her eyes full of concern.
"Everything is infinitely better than all right, Captain." B'Elanna was almost glowing with happiness as she answered. They all stood around for a few seconds grinning stupidly at each other until a bright flash distracted them.
"Sorry to break up such a touching little scene, but I *do* have a schedule you know."
"You again!" Marahet was getting heartily sick of Q's tendency to pop in and out of existence as it suited him.
"Indeed. Now are you ready?"
"Ready?" Marahet was totally confused. The others, more used to Q's capriciousness were a little quicker on the uptake.
"Hang on, Q!" Siannon did just that, grabbing hold of his arm. "She hasn't had the chance to say goodbye or anything. And she can't go like that!" Siannon waved her free hand at Marahet, clad in her 24th century clothes.
"Is that all?" Q also waved a hand and Marahet almost jumped a mile as she felt the comforting weight of her sword against her back once more, and looked down to see she was back in her own clothes. Granted they were a bit torn still, but they were clean.
She glanced back at Q to meet his eyes.
"Why now? I've been half expecting to go every day for weeks!" Q smiled at her, and shook his arm free to encompass Siannon, B'Elanna, Tom and Harry in and expansive gesture.
"Wasn't it worth waiting, just to get this news?" He asked. Marahet relented.
"When you put it like that, yes. But are you going to give me a chance to say goodbye aren't you?"
"Au Naturellement... as long as it's quick." Marahet found herself swamped in a mass of hugs before she had the chance to open her mouth again. For the last time, she felt the touch of Siannon and the other's minds, full of sorrow at her departure and joy at their incipient parenthood - even if the actual event was months off. They said nothing, but enveloped her in a wave of emotion so strong it left her breathless. She was passed from them to Chakotay and Kathryn.
"The children will miss you, you know," Chakotay said, "As we
will."
"And life will certainly be more boring without 2 immortals on my ship... No, Q, that isn't an invitation for you to find me another!"
"I'm glad I met you all. And Siannon..." The older immortal reached out to touch Siannon's fingers as she met her eyes "I'm sorry I will never know you back in my own universe."
"So am I. Take Care, now, and good luck. I know *my* Richie and Methos, so I'm sure yours won't rest until they find you again." They stepped apart; Siannon into the comforting presence of her bond-mates, Marahet toward the not-so-comforting presence of Q. "Remember us in your dreams, Marahet."
"I'll try. Please say goodbye to everyone for me." Marahet realised she was going to miss Voyager and it's crew, no matter how strange it still seemed to her. Her last sight of the 24th century was an ageless pair of green eyes, fading into the rushing silence of the void.
Siannon stared unseeing into space for a moment, then shook herself.
"I wonder if Q will ever let us know how she is." She mused; she was going to miss Marahet.
"I'm sure he'll jump at the chance. You know Q." Kathryn smiled. "If you're very unlucky he might just want to be a Godfather." The four of them groaned at the thought, as Kathryn and Chakotay swept out of sickbay, laughing.
"I wish she hadn't said that..." B'Elanna shuddered. "Hey Doc, am I OK to go now?"
"You're fine, and so is the baby. You know where I am if you need me." The Doctor sauntered back into his office, grinning broadly and singing an aria sotto voice.
"How about that breakfast you never ate, B'El?" Tom slung an arm around B'Elanna's shoulder.
"Why not, Flyboy. Right now I think I could quite cheerfully eat a Targ, skin and all." She threw a mock glare at Harry. "Don't even think about it, Starfleet." Harry smiled innocently and just threw an arm around her other shoulder. They paused, B'Elanna looking back at Siannon. "You coming or..."
"I'm coming. Couldn't leave you in the care of these 2 reprobates now, could I?" She shooed them out of sickbay, following with never a backward glance.
Q chuckled, secure in his invisibility although his disembodied voice echoed quietly in the deserted sickbay.
"Godfather. Hmmmm. Now that does have a nice ring to it. I've never been a Godfather before..."
~*~End~*~
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 5
Some days later, a puzzled Siannon wandered into the empty shuttle bay, eyes darting around her as she searched for one person in particular. She spotted Marahet to one side and strode over to her friend.
"Why did you ask me to come here? There're plenty of more comfortable places to talk."
"Ah, but then I don't just want to talk. And this place was the only one on the ship that suited my requirements."
"Requirements? Marahet, just what in the seven hells are you on about? You're not making any sense whatsoever!"
"I'm not?" Faced with Marahet's deadly calm and the sardonic twist to her mouth, Siannon had a terrifying thought. She backed off, away from Marahet her heart sinking inside her.
"I won't kill you. I'm not going to let you take control of my mind, just so you can make me. I don't care what Q expects, you're my friend and I WON'T KILL YOU!!!" Much to Siannon's surprise, Marahet laughed. She stopped backing away, and stared.
"I wouldn't let you," Marahet said. "I'd never enter your mind to overpower it, even with a written invitation. And anyway, don't you think it would be a little difficult when neither of us has a sword? What would you behead me with - your shoes? No, I have something completely different in mind. Something that will give you the advantage Q wished you to have, but won't be of any detriment to me. Come over here so I can talk to you properly." Siannon re-approached Marahet, and they both settled down on the floor.
"So?" Siannon smiled nervously at Marahet, having no idea what the 5000 year old Immortal had in mind.
"You remember I mentioned that *my* Richie has psychic abilities?" Siannon nodded. "Well, that's not all...." Marahet paused, wondering how to say what she needed to say, finally settling on the bare truth and no more. "He also has 10,000 years of Quickening."
"What!!! How?"
"Methos and I combined our Quickenings to get ourselves out of a rather sticky situation. Unfortunately the side effect was that Richie took a 10,000 year Quickening. As you can tell, I still have all of my quickening..."
"And you want to do the same for me?"
"I do. You will gain 5000 years of Quickening. I will lose nothing. There's only one problem."
"Which is?"
"We'll be linked through the shared Quickening. If I stay here in this universe, you'll have someone else inside your head." Siannon chuckled.
"I think I could cope with that. You could teach us *all* how to shield better for a start! But I don't think it's going to *be* a problem."
"Why not?"
"You don't really want to stay. If Q gives you the chance to go back, you will. And I can't see us staying linked mentally across universes and 400 years. So, no problem." The two Immortals smiled at each other. "This sounds too good to be true. I'd really be a fool to refuse such a generous gift, and no-one has ever accused me of being a fool. Foolish, yes, but that's a different matter altogether."
"Are you ready?"
"Now?" Siannon squeaked.
"No time like the present, plus the fact that this is the only place that would physically stand up to a Quickening on board ship. You did mention extra internal shielding on that tour you gave me."
"So I did. You want me to raise them?"
"Please." Siannon went to the console at the rear of the shuttle bay, entering the relevant commands into the computer. A wall of bluish light shimmered into being around them, cutting the deck of the shuttle bay off from the viewing gallery and command area.
"There. It's as safe as I can make it. And no-one will be able to override the command except me, and maybe Tuvok. I still know some codes that the others probably don't. Now what?" Marahet took Siannon's hand, noticed it was shaking, and led her into the middle of the shielded area.
"This will feel just like a normal quickening to you, so be prepared..." She cautioned. It was the only warning she gave.
On the Bridge, Alarms started to sound.
"Captain, the blast shields have been raised in shuttle bay 2." Tuvok's voice as usual betrayed nothing of his concern. B'Elanna's mind reeled in terror.
"It's Siannon!" She was moving towards the turbolift before she even heard the Captain's barked command,
"Go! All of you." Tom and Harry joined B'Elanna in the rush for the lift. Janeway turned slightly in her seat. She needed an objective mind on this too. "Tuvok?" The Vulcan followed them at a more sedate pace.
The main shuttle bay doors would not open. Even Tuvok's override codes were ineffective.
"We must enter via the gallery," he announced after the third try had been unsuccessful. Harry, Tom and B'Elanna pelted round the corner without any urging, their overriding sense one of danger to Siannon.
The sight that met them as they finally reached the gallery was like a scene from someone's idea of hell. Lightening arced around inside the blast shields, crackling furiously, and centred on a figure that knelt, almost collapsed in the centre of the shuttle bay.
"Siannon!!!" The scream was torn from B'Elanna as she pressed as close to the blast shields as she could. There was a pressure building up inside her that was almost unbearable, a feeling akin to being filled with static. A huge lightning bolt arced down to hit Siannon between the shoulders, almost sending her sprawling and B'Elanna reeled in pain as her head and body exploded in sensations that she could not adequately describe. Another bolt lashed down and Siannon's head jerked back as she screamed silently. B'Elanna lurched into Tom and Harry, no longer aware.
*Pain*; from her hair to her toes, washing through her body in terrible waves.
*Pleasure*; parts of her that she didn't even know existed felt alive, renewed.
Then the rest of it hit her; fragmental images of people she had never met; people screaming, laughing, crying; voices chanting; the clash of swords; the taste of blood; burning heat; searing cold; a harp playing; blood pounding in her head, her loins; desire; fear. The fear jolted her to a semblance of lucidity, and aware of Tom and Harry's arms wrapped round her, she felt the touch of their minds as they linked. Together they *reached* trying to touch the one who was missing, whose fear they could taste.
Reached; and found not one, but two.
**Light**
With one last, huge, soundless explosion, the lightning stopped. Time seemed to stand still. At last there was some movement down on the shuttlebay floor. Tuvok spared a quick glance for the huddled, gasping heap that was B'Elanna, Tom and Harry before trying once more to lower the blast shields from the gallery console. He was interrupted by a muffled croak.
"Won't work... security override codes..." B'Elanna half crawled, half stumbled over to Tuvok. "I think I've got them..." Hanging onto the console with one hand she tapped in the sequence of numbers she could almost hear Siannon telling her. With one last shimmer, the shields fell.
In the main shuttle bay, Siannon had managed to lever herself into a sitting position. She glared at Marahet.
"Just like a normal quickening?" She rasped. Marahet sat down beside her, touched her hand in apology.
"It was - for 5000 years worth, I didn't think it would affect you so much. I'm sorry for not realising that, but then I don't think sharing it helped much, either." Siannon blanched.
"Blessed Danu..." She lurched upright and was hobbling toward the ladder before she even had time to think. A feeling of reassurance swept through her, and she recognised B'Elanna's mind with Harry and Tom still in the link, along with... Siannon touched the new mind in the link gently, unsure as what to expect.
~Marahet?~
~I did warn you...~
~That you did.~ Then there was no more time for anything else, as the others finally made it down the ladder. They fell into each other's arms with relief, and Siannon sensed Marahet withdrawing as much as she could. Tuvok spotted Marahet and strode over.
"The Captain wishes to have an explanation of this incident," he announced. He flicked a quick look at his four crew mates, now in a more decorous position. "From all of you." He gestured for them to precede him out of the shuttle bay.
Kathryn Janeway met them in the conference room. She wanted Chakotay with her, and her ready room just wasn't big enough to comfortably accommodate everyone. Tuvok ushered the five of them in, before taking up a station just inside the door. As security chief he was as eager to ascertain just what had happened in the shuttle bay - and how - as The Captain.
The Captain's glare was icy as she made eye contact with each of them in turn.
"Would someone care to enlighten me about what just happened in my shuttle bay? And Why?" Janeway's voice was coldly edged with fury. She could almost sense the undercurrents running between them, which she had come to accept as normal for Tom, Harry, B'Elanna and Siannon; but this seemed to involve Marahet too! She glanced at Tuvok, who gave her an almost imperceptible nod. "Well?" She asked.
Siannon and Marahet exchanged looks. It was their responsibility, despite what the others felt. Marahet cleared her throat tentatively.
"I'm sorry Captain, this was really my fault. You'll remember Siannon and I had decided we're from different universes?"
"Yes..."
"And also Siannon's theory as to why I'd been sent here..." The Captain wondered where all this was leading especially as neither immortal had been totally convinced by that theory anyway.
"Go on."
Marahet continued, relaxing into the feelings of support and encouragement she was receiving from the others; something she had not experienced since the last time she had been with Methos and Richie. She explained about her discussion with Q,
her ability to impart her own quickening energy to others, and the realisation that the shuttlebay was the only place on board a starship that would be able to stand the internal stresses a Quickening would produce.
Siannon took up the narrative at that point, shamefacedly admitting to having security clearance she had not divulged to the Captain 'just in case' she needed it. Kathryn's stony face became even more granite-like.
"I'm sorry Captain, but I was asked by Starfleet security years ago to keep those codes to myself; you've seen my file, so although you don't like it, I'm sure you understand why. And I won't apologise for safeguarding the rest of the crew; if anyone had been able to break through the blast shields while the Quickening was still happening, there's no telling what could have happened..." Kathryn cut her off with a choppy gesture
"I know, I know. I just have no idea what to do with you. Any of you. Least of all you, Marahet."
"I could always send her home." Everyone whirled to face Q as he stepped out of thin air next to Tuvok.
"Q!" Q bowed in acknowledgement to the incredulous faces surrounding him.
"But I won't. Marahet needs to stay here just a teensy bit longer." He wandered over to Siannon, taking her chin in his hand. No-one else was able to move, no matter how they tried. "Getting a bit crowded in there now, Siannon, isn't it?" He tapped her forehead. "Take advantage of Marahet while you can, she won't be here for ever..." Q let go of Siannon's face and sat himself on the table, relinquishing his control. "I must admit I'm impressed how you resolved that little impasse, Marahet, but I'm hurt that you never told me you had such a delicious solution cooked up." Marahet folded her arms and glared at Q.
"You never stayed to find out."
"I suppose I didn't. Still, it was much more entertaining this way." He slithered off the table and made his way to Kathryn. "So good to see you again, Kathy. You should frown less, it doesn't suit you." He patted her shoulder. "I'll be back, never fear; Marahet will be on her way home and this will seem nothing more than a dream to her. And the rest of you will have an advantage you didn't before." Q disappeared before anyone had the chance to answer.
Kathryn slowly lowered herself into the nearest chair.
"I suppose that answers the question of what to do with you, Marahet. But what about the rest of you?" Tuvok stepped forward from his position by the door.
"Captain, if I may make a suggestion?" She nodded. "It would seem that Q has been responsible, indirectly at least, for a great deal of our recent upheaval. I deem a note to that effect in their files, with a reduction in holodeck privileges for two weeks, would be sufficient discipline."
"Thank you Tuvok. You four... five, try to stay out of trouble. Dismissed." Siannon breathed a sigh of relief as they left the conference room; she knew the Captain had been much more lenient than she could have been. She almost blessed Q for his interference. Almost. If it wasn't for him, they wouldn't have been in the damn situation in the first place.
The weeks without holodeck time flew past for them all. Marahet worked with them, all four together and also individually, on their mental shielding, until she was happy with the results. She supposed she could be accused of having an ulterior motive, but she did not want to share anymore of the foursome's more personal communications. She also seemed to be spending a lot of time with Neelix in the messhall and amantha in the nursery. She paused to wonder every now and then just what was keeping everyone so busy when the ship appeared to be running smoothly.
A few weeks later, Marahet was sitting with her four friends at breakfast when B'Elanna turned an interesting shade of green and dashed out of the messhall with alacrity. Instead of the worry and concern she expected to feel from the others she received a surge of joy so profound it shook her to the core. She hardly noticed Siannon tearing after B'Elanna as she was engulfed in a huge hug from both Tom and Harry, neither of whom seemed to know whether to laugh or cry, before they too left in a hurry. She wandered over to where Neelix was hovering over his pots in the galley.
"Hey Neelix, have you any idea what that was about?" She asked. Neelix shook his head thoughtfully.
"No, but I've seen B'Elanna look like that before."
"Oh?"
"When she was expecting Miral." Marahet grinned. If B'Elanna was pregnant, no wonder the others were happy. She decided to head to sickbay herself, out of sheer curiosity.
The scene that met her eyes after the sickbay doors opened was not what she was expecting...
Siannon and B'Elanna were perched on the bed in the surgical bay, arms wrapped tightly round one another, while Tom was dancing the Doctor around sickbay chanting,
"You did it, You did it!". Harry was staring dreamily at the main console, with a smile on his face so Marahet decided to approach him as being the most likely to answer her questions. He glanced up as she drew closer, his smile widening as he saw her.
"Can I offer my congratulations?" She asked hesitantly. Harry beamed.
"You can, but I don't think those two," he indicated Siannon and B'Elanna "Would hear you. I can barely believe it myself!"
"But...?" She jumped as a hand descended onto her shoulder. She turned to meet Tom's eyes.
"This is a very special child, Marahet. The Doc and Siannon have been working so hard to try and make this work..." He said, taking Harry's hand in his own as he glanced toward the biobed.
"It's not B'Elanna's child," Harry explained. "In a way, this baby will belong to all of us, even more so than Miral." He drew Marahet closer. "Genetically she's mine and Tom's, but Siannon will be her mother; just like Tom is Miral's father, even though she is genetically mine." Marahet gaped at him.
"You're Miral's...?" Harry ducked his head shyly while Tom chuckled. "Well I never!"
"There're very few who know that - it surprised the hell out of us at the time. Especially Harry." Tom grinned briefly. "We couldn't help but realise how much Siannon longed for a child of her own and this was the best way to give her a child that was part of all of us."
"That..that's wonderful." Marahet was misty eyed. Like all immortals, she too had longed for a child of her own. Then a thought hit her, like a bolt from the blue... "The Quickening? It didn't hurt the baby did it? Was B'Elanna pregnant then?" The Doctor overheard the question.
"The baby's fine." Marahet breathed a sigh of relief. "Oddly enough, I think the energy B'Elanna shared helped the pregnancy to quicken. Not something that was expected, I assure you."
"But if B'Elanna was pregnant why did Siannon...?"
"Accept your offer? Simple, I didn't know about B'Elanna. She worked almost exclusively with the Doc, Tom and Harry on this. I did the grunt work - they did the complicated and personal stuff" Siannon smiled fondly at all of her bond-mates, and touched Marahet gently on the shoulder. "Thank you, Marahet. For everything."
The doors whooshed open again, to reveal Kathryn and Chakotay. The Captain was slightly breathless, as if she'd been running.
"We heard... is everything all right?" She glanced around, her eyes full of concern.
"Everything is infinitely better than all right, Captain." B'Elanna was almost glowing with happiness as she answered. They all stood around for a few seconds grinning stupidly at each other until a bright flash distracted them.
"Sorry to break up such a touching little scene, but I *do* have a schedule you know."
"You again!" Marahet was getting heartily sick of Q's tendency to pop in and out of existence as it suited him.
"Indeed. Now are you ready?"
"Ready?" Marahet was totally confused. The others, more used to Q's capriciousness were a little quicker on the uptake.
"Hang on, Q!" Siannon did just that, grabbing hold of his arm. "She hasn't had the chance to say goodbye or anything. And she can't go like that!" Siannon waved her free hand at Marahet, clad in her 24th century clothes.
"Is that all?" Q also waved a hand and Marahet almost jumped a mile as she felt the comforting weight of her sword against her back once more, and looked down to see she was back in her own clothes. Granted they were a bit torn still, but they were clean.
She glanced back at Q to meet his eyes.
"Why now? I've been half expecting to go every day for weeks!" Q smiled at her, and shook his arm free to encompass Siannon, B'Elanna, Tom and Harry in and expansive gesture.
"Wasn't it worth waiting, just to get this news?" He asked. Marahet relented.
"When you put it like that, yes. But are you going to give me a chance to say goodbye aren't you?"
"Au Naturellement... as long as it's quick." Marahet found herself swamped in a mass of hugs before she had the chance to open her mouth again. For the last time, she felt the touch of Siannon and the other's minds, full of sorrow at her departure and joy at their incipient parenthood - even if the actual event was months off. They said nothing, but enveloped her in a wave of emotion so strong it left her breathless. She was passed from them to Chakotay and Kathryn.
"The children will miss you, you know," Chakotay said, "As we
will."
"And life will certainly be more boring without 2 immortals on my ship... No, Q, that isn't an invitation for you to find me another!"
"I'm glad I met you all. And Siannon..." The older immortal reached out to touch Siannon's fingers as she met her eyes "I'm sorry I will never know you back in my own universe."
"So am I. Take Care, now, and good luck. I know *my* Richie and Methos, so I'm sure yours won't rest until they find you again." They stepped apart; Siannon into the comforting presence of her bond-mates, Marahet toward the not-so-comforting presence of Q. "Remember us in your dreams, Marahet."
"I'll try. Please say goodbye to everyone for me." Marahet realised she was going to miss Voyager and it's crew, no matter how strange it still seemed to her. Her last sight of the 24th century was an ageless pair of green eyes, fading into the rushing silence of the void.
Siannon stared unseeing into space for a moment, then shook herself.
"I wonder if Q will ever let us know how she is." She mused; she was going to miss Marahet.
"I'm sure he'll jump at the chance. You know Q." Kathryn smiled. "If you're very unlucky he might just want to be a Godfather." The four of them groaned at the thought, as Kathryn and Chakotay swept out of sickbay, laughing.
"I wish she hadn't said that..." B'Elanna shuddered. "Hey Doc, am I OK to go now?"
"You're fine, and so is the baby. You know where I am if you need me." The Doctor sauntered back into his office, grinning broadly and singing an aria sotto voice.
"How about that breakfast you never ate, B'El?" Tom slung an arm around B'Elanna's shoulder.
"Why not, Flyboy. Right now I think I could quite cheerfully eat a Targ, skin and all." She threw a mock glare at Harry. "Don't even think about it, Starfleet." Harry smiled innocently and just threw an arm around her other shoulder. They paused, B'Elanna looking back at Siannon. "You coming or..."
"I'm coming. Couldn't leave you in the care of these 2 reprobates now, could I?" She shooed them out of sickbay, following with never a backward glance.
Q chuckled, secure in his invisibility although his disembodied voice echoed quietly in the deserted sickbay.
"Godfather. Hmmmm. Now that does have a nice ring to it. I've never been a Godfather before..."
~*~End~*~