‘A Fateful Course’
USS Voyager, Main Corridor, Deck 4
T'prena called out, “Stadi!”
The young helmswoman turned and returned the smile. Even after all this time she still marvelled at the face of the smiling Vulcan. “T'prena. What is it?”
“Are you headed to the mess?”
Stadi chuckled amused, “No I’m getting ready to report for duty. We’ll be underway soon and headed towards the Badlands soon.”
“Nervous?”
“Heck no, though I’d sooner Janeway didn’t have the disgraced flyboy tagging along looking over my shoulder when it comes the time.”
“Oh Tom Paris.”
“Oh you mean that’s why you wanted to know if I was headed to the mess. He’s there revelling in being free from his plush penitentiary.”
“You are very harsh Stadi. And actually I know that he is introducing himself to the Captain. Dr Fitzgerald didn’t exactly see eye to eye with our observer. The CMO has a shared history with him it might appear. Sadly Fitzgerald said he was in no gossiping mood though I could tell he’s just chomping at the bit to speak to someone about it.”
“No doubt he and Cavit are going to have a few choice words about Paris when they get their heads together. I see you took in all the details anyway T’prena.”
“Fine Veronica, yes I must agree I am intrigued by him though I did present a very calm image in front of him and the new Ops ensign.”
Stadi rolled her eyes not quite believing the nurse had done anything of the sort though she was prone to act more Vulcan like in front of the CMO. The schoolgirl like crush behaviour demonstrated now so untypical of a Vulcan was normally displayed after duty. To confirm her offduty status, T’Prena leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, “His record states that he revealed his own cover up. It is so ...”
“It is so illogical! Reckless and stupid more like. Sorry it is just I am a pilot and I worked hard to get to the helm of a starship. When it comes to the crunch, you hold the fate of your ship at your fingertips. So I appreciate the responsibility the position holds. Mr Paris did not see it so. He made mistakes, he lied, he betrayed the Federation looking for a quick get out with the Maquis. And when you think about it he failed on his first mission with the Maquis and now is betraying them in order to crawl back into Starfleet’s good books. Not even Daddy Paris bailed him out.”
“No, now you are being harsh. Besides I think he’s rather cute.”
Stadi refused to think of Paris leaning close to her and flirting openly in the shuttle. “Oh do me a favour T'prena, I’m still finding it difficult getting use to a "V'tosh ka'tur". Whilst I can accept a smiling Vulcan I don’t think I can stomach a horny Vulcan.”
“I pity you when it comes time for Vorik’s Pon Farr.” With that T’prena walked away laughing at the mock outraged face of Stadi.
Main Bridge
Stadi settled into her seat and went through her diagnostics as she also reconfigured the station to her preferential set up. As she waited for the computer to check its systems she ran her hand along the bottom edge of the helm station console marvelling once again at its sleek design.
She loved the wide encompassing hub of the station; how it sat centre at the front of the bridge. For a thought, she wondered at how most other bridge designs had helm shunted to one side or the other. This design seemed so much more ... she grinned as the word came to her mind ... logical.
Her thoughts drifted from T’prena to the cocky blonde Paris. Veronica didn’t need to be a Betzoid to read the man’s lustful thoughts as she’d shuttled him aboard. She did somewhat enjoy the attentions of the ‘bad boy’ though she’d loathe to admit it to either T’prena or Paris.
Nevertheless, she was in no way tempted by his flirtations. His line about her changing his mind about Betazoids was lame ... if a little effective. Her objections to the flyboy though she had made abundantly clear to T’prena.
She also had to admit that she resented Captain Janeway putting so much faith in the man. His cocky bravado about his skills as a pilot were known but Stadi knew that she too was a phenomenal pilot. Thankfully, Janeway, despite her trust in Paris, had relegated his role to an observer only. The lieutenant had a feeling that the XO was not so lenient towards the former inmate and [failed] Maquis operative. Imagine working with the Maquis!
Even in talking to the Bajoran, Tal Celes, Stadi could not be convinced of the merits of the Maquis cause. They might be fighting for a good cause but her Betazoid nature abhorred resorting to violence. And if even Celes held aggravations to the Cardassians, and with good cause as a Bajoran, she had not resorted to joining a terrorist outfit but instead applied herself to joining the Federation.
A much nobler cause in Stadi’s opinion even if Celes believed Starfleet had graduated her from training due to sympathy over her homeworld's conflict, and the desire of Starfleet to have Bajorans in the service. The crewman had a severe lack of confidence and Stadi felt it as part of her Betazoid nature and her position as a lieutenant to offer the crewman encouragement and help with her data analyst work. In her own self-important way Stadi believed the Bajoran had potential if unrealised by the crewman herself.
As if to confirm Stadi’s previous opinions, Tom Paris accompanied by a youthful ensign stepped onto the bridge with the Captain. Cavit warmly greeted the ensign but Stadi quickly noted how Tom had to extend his hand to Cavit forcing the commander to return the gesture begrudgingly.
Stadi hid her smile at Tom’s forwardness. His reckless carefree manner had a slightly exhilarating edge. She also hid her amusement as the captain beckoned Kim to the Ops station. The ensign smiled broadly and practically bounced up to the station with an enthusiastic reply. Stadi winced as she heard the words from the ensign’s mouth. ‘Not crunch time yet kiddo!’ A thought echoed vocally by the Captain.
Then all attention swivelled to Stadi as she was ordered to take Voyager out. Filling with pride and joy to be the helm of such a magnificent vessel, Stadi forced a composure of calm to be presented to others. She powered up the vessel’s engines, the prow lights illuminating the prefix and lettering spelling out their proud sleek steed. With a flourish but a deft touch of elegance, the inputted prelaunch sequence sped the Intrepid class vessel away from DS9.
They were underway once again headed towards the Badlands and a task to the measure Stadi knew she was up to, relished and also secretly worried about. But she knew with Janeway in command, the controls of Voyager at her touch they would venture boldly into the Badlands.
Messhall
T’prena took a seat facing the rest of the messhall with a glorious view out the window. Stars streaked by as she settled down to her plate of exotic fruits. Though a Vulcan without logic, she did still abhor the taste of meat. She sat laughing with her colleagues about the young Tefler. “Yes believe it or not he was in sickbay earlier today. That makes it his tenth visit for no real cause to sickbay. Fitzgerald says he is going to activate the EMH to deal with him from here on in or he would if he didn’t so fundamentally hate the idea of an EMH.”
As the others laughed at T’prena relating the woes of hypochondriac William Tefler she noticed Paris with his tomato soup seating himself with Kim. At predicted by Stadi, Cavit and the CMO were making their quick retreat after throwing baleful looks at the interloper amongst their midst. Her acute Vulcan hearing zoned out the others at the table as she heard Paris explain, “There. You see, I told you it wouldn't take long."
He went to reveal his dark secret. His uncompromising attitude bewildering T’prena who had to try her best to keep up with the conversation at her own table feigning it with fake smiles as she continued to listen intrigued as sarcastically remarked that it took "the three dead officers to come in the middle of the night and teach me the true meaning of Christmas."
Paris then stood up and started to warn the ensign he’d be best keeping his distance. T’prena did wonder whether it would be for the best if the fresh ensign did as bid. However, to his credit T’prena thought, Kim replied to retreating Paris, "I don't need anyone to choose my friends for me."
Suddenly, T’prena found herself focusing on the young ensign. He was so easily overlooked, so eager, so fresh, so by the book but still there was a certain charm to be found. Just then, Captain Janeway’s voice rang out in the messhall. At the summons to the bridge, Paris and Kim took their leave as T’prena looked out the window to see the ominous fiery gold that signalled Voyager had indeed reached the Badlands.
‘Good luck Stadi’ she thought as she took in the destructive maelstrom and the fierce pillars of energy the lieutenant would have to navigate through.
Main Bridge
Stadi ignored Janeway, Cavit, and Ensign Rollins as they crowded around the tactical station trying to ascertain where the Maquis ship would be. With some assistance from Paris, assistance Stadi grudgingly accepted and yet gratefully too, Voyager began to make its way into the Badlands. It took all of her navigational skill and her astute skilled touch to fly the magnificent vessel through the churning storm.the ship begins to head in.
It was only a short moment later that the eager Ensign Kim called out an anomalous sensor reading. Apparently he read that a coherent tetryon beam was scanning the ship. As Janeway asked Kim if he could identify the source of the beam, Stadi focused on flying through the storm and had to ignore all else as superfluous.
But then his next words were suddenly not so superfluous. A displacement wave! As if being the first Starfleet vessel capable of flying through the Badlands was not challenge enough this displacement wave was headed directly towards them!
Vainly the crew grappled with the situation, and Stadi marvelled at how strong and commanding Janeway was as she took onboard Cavit’s suggestion and ordered the graviton particle field to be implemented. But it was to no avail. At a last ditch attempt Stadi pulled the ship away at full impulse from the wave. But the wave kept coming. They could not outrun it. It encroached on them at a vast speed and all Stadi could think to do was to angle the ship and hope to ride the wave like a surfer.
With an almighty force the wave collided with Voayger washing over it like a tsunami. The force smashed the ship like a fly swatter and it lurched over to one side as the wave engulfed the ship and fire engulfed the bridge!
Janeway groaned slightly as she came to. Reaching over ignoring the devastation on the bridge and the shrilling alarm’s she felt the pulse of her XO. Cavit was dead and as grief threatened to engulf her Janeway pushed it away as she saw Paris pick his way up from the charred form of Lt Stadi. How many others did I lose?
Medical Bay
Paris looked down at the female Vulcan as he looked around for some sort of leadership in the medical bay. As he did a double take on the Vulcan he saw the soot strewn blue collar and recognised her as the Vulcan nurse he had seen earlier and swore he had seen her smile in the messhall.
He looked at her forlornly for a moment and then made the call for the EMH to activate.