Presents
Holodaze by Scott McClenny
"I do not see the relevance of this particular simulation." Seven said as she and the Doctor made their way through a holoforest.
"As I told you before," the Doctor replied, "it is just a simple recreational holoprogram that I thought you might enjoy.
Seven frowned.
"Well," the Doctor added quickly, "at least I thought you would."
Seven pushed him against a tree.
"Ok, I get the point!" the Doctor complained, "The next I'll let you choose the holoprogram!"
Seven pointed to a nearby tree.
The Doctor looked and saw a round metallic object imbedded within the tree's trunk. Seven pulled the object out of the trunk and ran it through her fingers. The Doctor watched as blood trickled from Seven's fingers.
"It looks like the holodeck safeties are off, but how?" he asked.
"The question I'd like to have answered is who are you?"
Seven and the Doctor turned to see a tall raven-haired woman advancing on them with sword drawn.
"I'm gonna only give you two minutes to give me the correct answer!" she said with a wicked smile. "Computer end program!" the Doctor ordered. Nothing happened.
"Wrong answer!" the warrior woman said.
She advanced on the two of them with sword drawn. "Usually I'd be a bit more lenient because of Gabrielle but somehow she went missing, and you are the only two likely suspects!"
Seven and the Doctor looked at each other.
"Looks like we have an even bigger mystery on our hands," the Doctor said dryly.
Gabrielle woke to find herself in some kind of corridor. The walls seemed to slope, so she immediately thought that she might be on some kind of ship. But what kind, she thought as she picked up her staff and began to wander around. It certainly wasn't any sailing ship she was familiar with. For one thing she hadn't felt seasick yet; for another the ship's sides seemed to be made of metal and she didn't know of any ship that would even float if were made out of metal. Best go and find the deck, maybe someone there will tell me where I am. She looked around but couldn't find any indication of hatch anywhere.
"Pardon me but are you looking for something?"
Gabrielle turned to see the strangest looking man walking toward her. He looked like a big furry animal that had decided to dress up.
"Where am I?" she asked trying not to look too obvious while staring at the stranger.
"Just outside Holodeck Two." the stranger replied, "And by the way I'm familiar with everyone on Voyager’s crew, but I don't ever think I've had the pleasure of meeting you before."
"I just got here." Gabrielle said honestly. "Then in that case let me introduce myself, "the stranger made a bow, "I'm Neelix."
"Gabrielle. "Gabrielle replied.
"Nice to meet you Gabrielle, now what can I do for you"
"I'd like to meet the captain or whoever's in charge." She replied.
"Of course." Neelix said and then added to the air, "Computer, where is Captain Janeway?"
"Captain Janeway is on the bridge." Gabrielle flinched when she heard the voice come out of nowhere. "Very well," Neelix said. "Follow me my dear." and he held out his hand for Gabrielle to take.
"At what point in time did you notice your friend, was missing?" the Doctor asked Xena as Seven looked over the campsite with her tricorder. Thank God, he thought, that she was too busy to put it away when I suggested this little pleasure trip in the holodeck; it might be our only chance of finding clues to what really is going on.
"Just before you appeared, which is why I still suspect that you may have had something to do with it!"
"Doctor I have finished my analysis of the site." Seven said rejoining them.
"And?" the Doctor asked as both he and Xena looked at her impatiently to hear the news.
"There appears to be a rupture in the holomatrix that occurred at the time that we entered the holodeck."
Xena looked puzzled. "What’s she talking about?" she asked the Doctor.
"It’s complicated, and you’d probably not understand it, at least not all of it," said Seven.
"Try me!" Xena replied.
Seven ignored them and went on with her report.
"Apparently part of the program was downloaded outside the holodeck at the same time that the safeties were disengaged."
"In plain English you mean that there is a holocharacter walking Voyager's decks right now?" the Doctor asked.
"That is precisely what I said!" Seven replied.
"And I always thought Joxer was crazy!" Xena said with a roll of her eyes.
The captain turned and was about to greet Neelix when she saw the girl who was accompanying him. She was dressed so oddly that Janeway knew that there was bound to be some interesting story behind her. I wonder just exactly what it could be, she thought. "Captain," Neelix said stepping down to the main bridge Level, "I'd like you to meet Miss Gabrielle."
"Nice to meet you. "Janeway said standing, "Where exactly do you come from?"
"Poeitada" Gabrielle said. "Where's this ship going?" she added and then let out a gasp. What kind of ship am I on? She thought as she noticed the stars race by.
"I think I'd better have a long talk with you." Janeway said getting up and gently guiding Gabrielle to a room in the back.
"Commander Chakotay you have the bridge." she said to a tall man with a tattoo on one side of his face.
Xena watched as the Doctor and Seven held a hurried conference.
"Well?" she asked.
"Seven believes she can correct the situation, but we need to find something first" said the Doctor.
"There's a catch. And don't lie 'cause I can tell when you're withholding information, let's just say it's gift I have and leave it at that." Xena gave the Doctor an evil grin.
"The catch is to get to where Seven can fix the problem we will have to travel ten kilometers to the north of here."
Xena frowned.
"That is a problem." she said, "The only thing in that direction is Horde territory, and they aren't too friendly towards strangers."
"It’s a risk we will have to take." Seven said joining the other two.
"Why didn’t I listen to Mr. Paris and select the Captain Proton holoprogram instead?" the Doctor moaned softly.
The Captain sat back in her chair and listened to Gabrielle tell her story. It’s obvious, she thought, that she doesn’t even know she’s a hologram, let alone that she’s on a starship. But, what do I say to her? Do I tell her the whole truth or what?
"..and that's when I woke up on your ship." Gabrielle said coming to the end of her story.
"That's very interesting." Janeway smiled, "Are you hungry?"
"As a matter of fact I did miss breakfast." Gabrielle admitted.
Sounds odd coming from a holocharacter, Janeway thought "Why don't I have Neelix show you to the ship's galley he's our cook and would be sure to make something special for you."
"Sounds good to me!" Gabrielle grinned. "Can he make nutbread soufflé?"
"Just give him the recipe, I'm sure he could try."
As Neelix led Gabrielle away the Captain got on the comm to engineering.
"B'Lanna I have a job for you and Harry." she said.
They were halfway up the hill when Xena signaled for the other two to stop.
"We've been trailed for the past couple of miles by scouts." she whispered.
Seven nodded.
"There are six to the east of us and another five to the west." she said indicating her tricorder.
"Why didn't you mention that before?" the Doctor inquired "Borg never volunteer information." Seven reminded him.
"Silly me to forget that one important fact!" the Doctor muttered.
"If you two have stopped quarreling we still have to think how we can avoid their friends that they appear to be steering us towards."
"I have an idea." Seven said.
"Anything yet Harry?" B'lanna asked Ensign Kim. He shook his head.
"Everything checks out." he said, "Whatever is wrong it has to be inside the holodeck, which means.."
"..that we can't do anything without going inside!" B'lanna finished his thought "And since we can't get in..." her thought trailed off.
"Janeway to Torres"
"Torres here," B'lanna replied to the corn.
"Any luck B’lanna?"
"None, unless you prefer it to be bad." B’lanna said.
"Meaning?" the captain’s tone showed a hint of frustration.
"Meaning the only ones who CAN do anything about it are the Doctor and Seven." B’lanna said.
Gabrielle couldn’t keep her mouth from gaping as she sat at the table and watched the different crew members coming and going from the galley. There were so many different types of people that she hadn’t seen before. A lot of them weren't exactly human looking, though most were.
"What happened to her?" she asked Neelix.
"To who?" Neelix asked in turn.
"To her the one with the broken nose. How'd she break it?"
Neelix looked at the crewmember Gabrielle was pointing at.
"Oh her, why that's Ensign Mora. Her nose isn't broken she's Bajoran."
"Can I sit here?"
Gabrielle and Neelix both smiled at the little blond haired girl.
"I tell you what Naomi, why don't you take my place and talk with Gabrielle well I get back to work." Neelix said.
"Alright!" Naomi replied taking his place. "I've never seen you before, my name's Naomi Wildman, I'm gonna be the Captain's Assistant. What's your name? The girl asked Gabrielle with a smile.
"Gabrielle" she replied.
They were coming closer.
Both the Doctor and Seven could sense the tension that was mounting in Xena's face as they watched from the vantage point of the hill. Xena had chosen this particular hill on purpose, not only for the obvious tactical reason but also because they were screened from too close a scrutiny by a copse of beech trees.
"Too many for even me to take on at once." Xena mutters "Now what?" the Doctor asked.
"I have a plan."
The Doctor and Xena turned to Seven.
"I will need your assistance Doctor." Seven said and told them her idea.
"But won't it be rather painful?" the Doctor said, "And besides how do we know that the tricorder and your audio interface are compatible?"
"I am Borg, nothing else matters!" Seven replied in her normal monotone.
"Yes, yes, I should have known." the Doctor replied under his breath, "Just hold still."
Xena watched as the Doctor and Seven worked together on Seven's plan.
Whatever it is they're doing, she thought, it's crazy; but on the other hand, I just pray to all the gods and goddesses of Olympus that it works, she added, I don’t think that there is anything else we CAN do. This is going to be our only hope of getting through Horde territory in one piece. If it fails, I hope that at least Gabrielle will be safe wherever she is now.
At the moment, Gabrielle was busy learning the intricacies of a game that Naomi had just introduced her to. The two were laughing and enjoying themselves when the door to the Wildman’s quarters opened and Naomi’s mother walked in accompanied by a tall black man with pointy ears.
"Hi!" Naomi’s mother said smiling, "I’m Naomi’s mother Samantha Wildman. Neelix told me you were with her."
"It was my pleasure." Gabrielle returned, "She’s such a sweet child." She smiled.
A bit spoiled too. "Samantha grinned seeing her daughter squirm slightly, "She’s the only child on Voyager, you know." She added, "So everyone, especially Neelix tends to spoil her too much."
Then she turned to the man accompanying her.
"This is Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, Captain Janeway wants you to go with him."
Gabrielle gave Samantha and Naomi a quizzical look.
"Don’t worry," Naomi reassured her, "Tuvok always looks that way. He’s Vulcan and they are always serious because they don’t have emotions."
"Really Miss Wildman," Tuvok replied, "I thought your mother taught you better than that. You know that we Vulcans do have emotions. It’s just that we are able to bury them deeper than you humans."
"I’m only half-human, ‘member?" Naomi grinned at him.
"It is time we left." Tuvok said turning his attention to Gabrielle.
Gabrielle nodded and followed the Vulcan out of the cabin.
"I really hope you know what you’re doing." The Doctor said for the umpteenth time as Seven rewired her audio interface into the tricorder. Xena was watching the rear to make sure that they had no unexpected company. So far everything was quiet.
Too quiet, she thought, they’re up to something.
And then she got a chill in her spine and whirled to the left.
At the same time she instinctively drew her sword.
"Well, well," Aries smiled evilly as he materialized, "what have we here?"
"I suppose this was all YOUR doing!" Xena accused.
"My, my, a bit testy aren’t we?" Aries replied, "But to answer your question, no I didn’t. And by the way, where is that pesky sidekick you call a friend?"
"You don’t know?" Xena looked puzzled.
"Of course he doesn’t know." They both turned to see the Doctor standing suddenly next to Aries, "After all the problem with the holodeck that we’re trying to fix has affected his program matrix as well as the rest of this simulation."
Aries glared.
"What SIMULATION?" he bellowed, "I AM ARIES THE GOD OF WAR!!" and he flung out his arms toward the Doctor but nothing happened.
"See!" the Doctor smirked.
"Doctor!" Xena pointed to where they had been. There were a large body of Horde warriors advancing I them.
"Are you ready Seven?" the Doctor called.
"Just one more adjustment." Seven replied evenly. The Horde warriors were almost up the crest of the hill when Seven finished her adjustment. "Cover your ears!" she ordered.
As she spoke she pressed a button on her tricorder and covered her own ears.
The room that Tuvok showed Gabrielle looked a bit sterile compared to the rest of the ship. Gabrielle noticed that there were some beds aranged around one side of the room.
It must be some kind of hospice or something, she thought like the Temple of Ascaplius but cleaner.
"Would you please sit at one of the biobeds?" Tuvok asked "Uh?" Gabrielle muttered.
Tuvok pointed to where the beds were lined up. "Oh!" Gabrielle finally got the idea and sat down on the nearest biobed.
"This won't hurt at all." Tuvok promised as he picked I an object and ran it over Gabrielle's body. "Fascinating!" was all he said as he watched the reading "Well?" Gabrielle inquired, "now what?"
"I think it best that I take you to visit Neelix again Tuvok replied," In the mean time I have to see the Captain about these findings."
Xena and Aries couldn't believe their eyes.
At their feet lay a good third of the Horde warrior band "How'd she do it?" Xena asked.
Aries shrugged.
"How should I know, I'm the God of War not the God of Trivia!" he murmured.
"Are you ok Seven?" the Doctor was bending over the Borg’s prone body.
"I am only slightly damaged." Seven replied weakly getting up, "Assist me to relink my audio interface."
"You'd better rest first."
"There is no time for that now, "Seven managed the semblance of a grin, "but I promise when we are finished that I will spend an adequate amount of time regenerating."
"Have it your way." The doctor said and began to readjust the interface.
"Are you certain about the findings?" Janeway inquired as Tuvok finished his report.
"I thought you might want a more thorough check so I ran them through the main computer five times before I cam to see you. Each time the results were the same."
"So it is verified then?."
"I am afraid so." Tuvok said.
"If Gabrielle is as human as the rest of us, it certainly changes things regarding her. The next question is what do we do with her?"
"A problem we will have to deal with once we get our people out of the holodeck and have it repaired." Tuvok said.
"Yes, I haven't forgot that part either." Janeway replied. "Let's hope and pray that Seven and the Doctor can find the solution without any serious injuries."
"Looks like your idea worked." Xena said to Seven, "I still don't understand how you did it, but you somehow managed to knock the Horde out for the time being." she gripped her chakram as she spoke.
"It is irrelevant to be standing here talking, "Seven replied "they will be coming to in another hour and need to be far away from here as possible."
"Understood." Xena said.
"So let's get going!" the Doctor put in.
Aries had disappeared as quickly as he had come, but not too fast. Before he had vanished Seven had been able discreetly take readings of both him and Xena and showed them to the Doctor.
His eyes went up when he saw what the readings indicated.
"How much farther?" he inquired.
"Two kilometers to the east. "Seven replied. Just hope we both live that long, the Doctor thought.
Gabrielle was finding that she really liked helping Neelix out in the galley. Not only were there so many different types of people coming in and out every few minutes, but she was also learning a lot about what life was like for them just by listening to then talk to Neelix.
Bard's dream come true she thought as she watched two more crew members come in.
Neelix was apparently quite popular with the rest of crew, and these two were no different as they stopped chatted with him as they waited to be served. "Who's your new assistant?"
"Gabrielle." Neelix replied "Want me to introduce you?" he waved Gabrielle over from where she'd been serving a blue skinned alien that she learned was called a Bolian.
"Gabrielle meet Lieutenant B’Lanna Torres and Ensign Harry Kim."
Gabrielle smiled.
"Pleased to meetcha." She said.
Likewise." Ensign Kim gave her a shy smile and Lieutenant Torres shook her hand.
"What’s like with Lieutenant Torres’ head?" Gabrielle whispered to Neelix as soon as the two Voyager officers were seated.
"Nothing," Neelix replied, "her mother was Klingon and I how they look."
"Janeway to Neelix."
"Excuse me my dear." Neelix said to Gabrielle, "And while I'm seeing what the captain wants, why don't you pour more coffee for Commander Chakotay, looks like he could use another cup."
Gabrielle smiled.
"Ok." she took the pot and headed toward the table where the first officer was seated.
"There!" Seven pointed to the tent that Xena recognize belonged to the tribe's shaman.
"It will be pretty well guarded." she commented. "That will be.." Seven started.
"Irrelevant, yes I know!" the Doctor finished the thought "Still we need to get in there for you to fix the hole so that we can put everything back to normal and we can get out of here."
"You are thinking of the findings on my tricorder." She said.
"Of course." the Doctor answered" And if we don't hurry it we'll be in even deeper trouble than we are already "Would you two stop your bickering!" Xena cut in, "We still need to think of a way to get in without getting caught" Seven and the Doctor looked at each other and then at Xena.
"Why do I have the feeling I just volunteered for some I may yet live to regret?" she muttered.
The captain came in as Gabrielle was finishing her St "How's she doing?" she asked Neelix.
"She appears to rather enjoy being around the crew," the Talaxian replied"and the crew seem to love her as well "From what Tuvok as told me we may have a chance to get know her a lot better."
"So it is true that she is no longer just an hologram." Janeway nodded sipping her coffee.
"What will you do what will you tell her?" he asked.
"It all depends on her." Janeway said.
"I for one hope that she decided to stay with us." Neelix looked wistful for a minute.
"She reminds you of Kes, doesn't she." Janeway said gently.
Neelix nodded.
"I understand," Janeway said, "I feel the same way when I look at her." She finished drinking her coffee and left the galley.
Xena stood guard as the Doctor and Seven entered the shaman’s tent. She felt tenser than usual.
Whatever they’re doin, I hope they get it over with fast, she thought.
Inside, Seven was carefully going over each article with the tricorder.
"Well?" the Doctor asked, "Have you found it yet?"
Seven was about to shake her head no when she noticed the tricorder sensor going wild when she pointed it in the direction of a chest.
"In there!" she indicated the chest.
The Doctor bent down and opened the chest.
"Incredible!" he said.
"These readings indicate a type 4 force field around the holomatrix." Seven said, "We will have to disengage it."
As she spoke, Xena poked her head inside the opening.
"Better hurry!" she said, "We’ve got company and it looks like they aren’t too friendly!"
"Well, what is your decision?" the Captain watched Gabrielle carefully. It had been hard to explain everything to the girl and Janeway was still not convinced she had managed to get across to Gabrielle the total truth.
"What about Xena?" was all that Gabrielle asked.
"It depends." Tuvok replied, "For all we know, her holomatrix may have gone through the same sort of mutation that yours has."
"Or it might not have." Gabrielle replied quietly. She shook her head, "On the one hand I may have to sacrifice my humanity to be with my best friend; on the other, I may have to sacrifice my best friend to save my humanity. I don’t wish to do either Captain."
I understand." Janeway replied, "But you may not have to. Take some time and think it over."
Gabrielle nodded and left the ready room.
"I have a feeling Tuvok," the captain commented, "that either way she’ll do the right thing."
"Just a few more and…" Seven said as she remodulated the force field. From the sound coming from the outside, Xena had spoken the truth about them running out of time. "…there!"
The Doctor looked eagerly as the force field was finally disengaged and Seven reached down into the chest.
"Well?" he asked.
"I will have to hurry it." Seven admitted, "It appears to be adapting."
She reached into the chest and began to rework the holomatrix.
At that moment, Xena came flying into the tent accompanied by a Trio of Horder warriors.
"Please stand back!" Seven said as she made the final rearrangement.
She pressed down and the tent, the warriors and the entire forest was replaced by the familiar black and yellow of the holodeck grid.
"Where are we?" Xena asked taken aback.
"Home!" the Doctor repressed a relieved smile.
Epilog
Captain's Log. Supplemental
The engineering crew has yet to discover either the cause of the recent holodeck malfunction or the reason behind Gabrielle and Xena becoming sentient. Some mysteries as my father was wont to say are meant to be unsolved. In the mean time our two latest crewmembers appear to be adjusting nicely to their new home in the 24th century.
The captain turned and looked up as Seven and the Doc entered the ready room with Gabrielle and Xena in tow
Tuvok tells me that he's assigned you the rank of lieutenant and a position on his security staff." Janeway said to Xena who was wearing her new Starfleet uniform.
"And she's not the only one who just was made an officer" Gabrielle grinned pointing out the ensign pips on her own blue uniform "The Doctor says I'll be helping him the sick bay when I'm not helping Neelix."
"Considering Mr. Paris' lack of enthusiasm for the job, any change is for the bettur." the Doctor said.
"Guess I'll have plenty to write about, and plenty of time to write it!" Gabrielle said.
The captain smiled.
As Shakespeare put it, she thought watching the quintet walk out together, "All's well that ends well."
The End