Three months later, the senior officers were sitting around the
large table in the Conference Room. It had been a very long three
months. Shortly after Tom's death Voyager had been attacked by a
warrior race It was only recently that Voyager had been completely repaired. They had only traversed about fifty light-years during that time. The assembled officers were extremely solemn, but B'Elanna was most of all. Even
after three busy months, she still couldn't get over the fact that her husband was gone. Her eyes always wandered to the empty chair across from her. For the first few weeks, she would stare at it. After a month, her eyes would water and she turned away. Now, she could barely look at it.
Captain Janeway had to force herself not to look at the empty
chair at every meeting. She would have gladly conducted the
meetings somewhere else, but she believed the senior officers
needed closure. Even after three months, to the officers it still
seemed as if something was missing.
*And something is missing,* Janeway thought as she opened the
meeting, *Tom is what's missing.*
The officers looked at her, and Janeway took a deep breath and
began, "Neelix just informed me that we are low on food and
Engineering needs dilithium. Mr. Kim has told me that we are
nearing a system with an M-Class planet. Ensign, I want you to
scan for dilithium."
Harry just nodded his head. He had been staring at the empty
chair as if his own will could bring Tom back. He knew nothing
would ever be the same.
"All right. Dismissed," Janeway said. *It's best to keep these
meetings short, until they have adjusted.*
The staff left as quietly as they entered. Not one of them said a
word. Janeway was not surprised. They hadn't said a word in the
meetings since Tom was killed, even the Bridge was unnaturally
quiet. She understood her crew's slip into depression, she was
depressed as well. The Captain also knew, though that if they didn't come out of it, soon, she would have to send them all to Sickbay.
Janeway sighed and made her way to the Bridge. She truly wished
that Tom was still alive. Things would be much better on this
ship.
*I wonder if he ever knew how much he meant to the people on this
ship?* Janeway thought as she strode across the Bridge to her
chair, *I wonder what he would have said if he knew?*
Janeway stared ahead at the view screen. After three months, she
still couldn't look at the conn station. She just couldn't bring
herself to do so. Shortly after Tom's death, she had been on the
bridge and not thinking she had called on him to report to the
Bridge. Of course she received no answer and she then realized
why. She could barely stop the tears from flowing.
Unfortunately, B'Elanna was on the Bridge at the time, and she
knew the half-Klingon didn't need to be reminded that her husband
was no longer with them. Ever since then, Janeway had ceased looking at the conn station. She didn't need any reminders either.
Janeway took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Kim. Report."
"There is an abundance of dilithium on the third continent of the
planet. There is a village nearby."
Janeway looked at Chakotay. His expression mirrored her own. They
needed the dilithium. But could they risk contact with the village to get it?
Their questions were answered by the ensign's next statement,
"Captain, we are being hailed."
"On screen." Janeway barely held back her surprise.
The starfield was replaced by a woman in her thirties. Her hair
was wild and she had feathers and beads decorating it. Her eyes
held a dominating fire in them. Her voice commanded respect as she spoke.
"Who are you and why are you here?" the woman demanded, staring at each of them in turn. Her eyes fell lastly on Janeway.
Janeway stood up and went to stand behind the conn, "I am Captain
Kathryn Janeway, of the Federation starship Voyager. We are
here, because our sensors picked up a supply of dilithium near
your village."
"Dilithium? Ah. We mine that metal as well, it is very useful and
powerful." The woman raised her hand and pointed her finger at
Janeway. "You are their leader?"
Janeway nodded, "Yes. I am. May we come down and mine some
dilithium?"
The woman smiled, "My name is Daylia. Yes, you may come down. If
you bring another with you, but make sure it is a woman. We don't
allow men."
Janeway nodded, "We will be there in twenty minutes."
Daylia agreed and the screen returned to the planet.
"Amazons," Chakotay said, "Wonderful. A race of Amazons."
Janeway smiled. She then saw B'Elanna eyeing her. She knew that
the engineer wanted to be the one to mine for the mineral.
Janeway agreed completely. B'Elanna would know how much was
needed and the time away from the ship would be good for her.
"B'Elanna, you are with me. Chakotay, you have the Bridge."
The two women then left the Bridge for the planet below.
*****
Janeway and B'Elanna materialized a few minutes' walk from the
village. They checked their tricorders and looked at each other.
The dilithium was closer to the village than they first thought.
They closed their tricorders and walked toward the village.
When they arrived in the village, they saw that the villagers
were dressed very scantily. The village was inhabited by mostly
women. Chakotay's words about Amazons came back to them. Indeed,
these women were like the Amazons from Earth's history. They
cared spears or large daggers with them as they walked. Their
hair was loose and wild. They wore dark clothes that barely hid
anything, and some had painted faces.
The two were shocked by the men. The few that they saw were
dressed in blue tunics and skimpy dark shorts. They were also
bare footed. They walked around like zombies and seemed to be
following certain women. Some of the men were attached to the
women by ropes. And some were washing the women while others were
massaging their bodies.
Janeway and B'Elanna stared at each other, each coming to the
same conclusion. The men were slaves to these Amazons. They had
heard of older cultures on Earth and a few other planets doing
this to women and other minorities, but they had never seen it
done to men who appeared to be healthy and strong. They didn't
like the idea of slavery at all, but they had to remind
themselves that they were here for dilithium. These people's
culture was none of their business.
The two walked into the village and were greeted almost at once
by Daylia. She also had two male servants behind her. She smiled
at them and dipped her head in greeting.
"Hello, Kathryn Janeway," she said. She then turned to B'Elanna,
"And who is this?"
"This is B'Elanna Torres. She is Chief Engineer on Voyager."
Daylia eyed the half-Klingon approvingly. She smiled and nodded,
"Good. Captain, I would enjoy it if you would stay for a bit. You
see, we hardly get any outsiders. Those that do come, are male,"
she spat.
B'Elanna had to fight down her retort. She knew that men could be
pigs. Hell, her husband used to be one, but she didn't think that
was a very good reason to despise them and not have anything to
do with them.
Daylia noticed the half-Klingon's reaction to her statement. She
ignored it though. She knew not to believe that all women were
like her people. She knew that there were females out there that
simply adored the male gender. Even staying with them after
mating. She found it a waste of time and energy. She knew men
were good for only one thing, and she made sure *her* men knew
that.
"That would be fine, Daylia," Janeway said, "I'm sure we could
spend the night here. It is a lovely village you have."
Daylia smiled, "Thank you, Captain. We take pride in our village.
Let me show you around. J'neck, Quelin, go get Teryek ready. I
would like to show these two my prize."
Janeway and B'Elanna stared at each other then at Daylia.
"Who is Teryek?" B'Elanna asked.
Daylia smiled with an arrogant pride, "He is only my most prized
male. He looks like he came from the gods themselves. Just wait
until you see him."
The two women from Voyager stared at each other again. Their
curiosity was piqued. They would stay a while longer just to see
this "god" themselves.
Chapter 7
Daylia led them into her formal garden area. It was in full
bloom with many different colored flowers and the smell of the
flowers permeated the air. The Lady took her place on the throne
that had been placed just for the meeting on a raised dais in the
middle of the garden.
Two of the male slaves were wearing the typical green outfits but
third wore a dark red outfit. The one wearing the red walked with his blond head lowered, eyes carefully focused on the ground, to take a position to Daylia's right. He then slightly raised his head so his blue eyes focused on an area of ground just in front of the Voyager visitors.
B'Elanna's breath caught in her throat. She had to fight the urge to launch herself at the slave for there beside the leader of the Amazons stood her husband. But something was wrong, he didn't seem to recognize either her or the Captain. Looking at him again, carefully studying his appearance, she noted that Tom
looked like hell, as if he hadn't slept in days. She wanted to go
to him, to hold him, but something about him caused her to
hesitate.
"Tom's alive," she whispered to the Captain. She was stunned.
Janeway nodded, knowing that the half-Klingon wanted to run to
her husband.
The Captain stared at Tom, concerned.
*Something's wrong with him,* Janeway thought noticing his almost
catatonic state, *He's emotionless. I've seen Vulcans show more
emotion than he is right now.*
"Teryek, come here!" Daylia demanded.
B'Elanna and Janeway watched as Tom moved to stand in front of
the Lady. Janeway heard B'Elanna gasp when Daylia kissed Tom,
passionately.
"That p'taQ!" B'Elanna shouted. She made a move to charge, but
Janeway held her back. "Let me go!"
"B'Elanna, look. There's something wrong. Tom doesn't know what
he's doing. He's kissing her without emotion -- like a zombie.
He's expressionless."
B'Elanna ceased to struggle as she saw Tom turn around. She
tried to catch his attention, but he only stared at the ground.
She was confused. *He never was so quiet, so meek. Something is
definitely wrong here.* Daylia looked back at the two before her
and noticed the interest they showed in her prize possession,
"This here is Teryek, he is my favorite slave," she explained as
she ran her fingers through his golden hair. With her other hand
she stroked down his back until her fingers encountered his butt
which she squeezed as if she were inspecting fruit in the
marketplace. "He pleasures me beyond belief."
B'Elanna tried not to growl, but a grumble did escape.
"What does his name mean?" Janeway asked, trying to keep the
conversation light for the moment.
The Lady smiled, "Do you like it? I named him myself. It means,
Sun that Shines on Water. He is such a magnificent sight to
behold, isn't he? No one else looks like him. He is unique and
therefor mine."
B'Elanna growled low. Her husband was alive and right there
before her. She wanted him back, and she was not going to let
this p'taQ stand in her way. When she saw Daylia run her hands
through Tom's hair, and kiss him again, she launched herself at
them.
"NO!"
B'Elanna shoved a surprised Daylia away and cupped Tom's face in
her hands. She stared into his eyes and froze. There was no light
shining in those blue orbs. There were dull and lifeless. A chill
went up her spine.
"Tom?" Was all she got out before she felt herself shoved to one
side.
"Keep your hands off of Teryek! No one is allowed to touch him.
He's mine!"
B'Elanna's growl was that of a tiger being challenged. She stood
up, scowling.
"He is my husband! My mate! I marked him! He's mine!!"
Daylia laughed. Tom only stood there mute, his eyes lowered,
his dull blue gaze fixed on his feet. Something about the
angry woman seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it. He
wanted to look at her; to see what she looked like, but the
memory of the laser whips, prevented him.
"How can he be your mate?" the Lady asked laughing. She then
narrowed her eyes at B'Elanna. "Let me see you prove it," she
challenged.
B'Elanna snarled and abruptly turned away from the Lady *what can
I say to her to prove that he's my Tom?* she thought.
Immediately though she knew. Pivoting back around, she raised
her hand pointing her finger at Daylia, "He has a diamond-shaped
mole on his back, near his spine. If it's there, he is my mate."
Daylia glared at her, she couldn't remember any such marking so
she nodded. Then in a cold voice she asked, "If he doesn't, will you take your precious dilithium and leave?"
B'Elanna and Janeway nodded. The half-Klingon then added, "If
there is a mole, he will come with us."
"Agreed," Daylia said. She then turned to the young blond man,
and ordered him to remove his tunic.
B'Elanna could barely contain herself as Tom, his back to Daylia,
without any hesitation removed his dark red tunic. She remembered
every inch of his body. She wanted so much to touch him after so
long apart.
Daylia gasped as she stared at Tom's back for there before her
was the mole just as the Voyager woman had described. She glared
at B'Elanna, there was no way she would give up Teryek no matter
what she had said before. She went to the Captain and B'Elanna,
scowling.
"He stays. Take your dilithium and go!"
B'Elanna snarled, her eyes flashing, "Tom does have a mole! I
have had enough of this. He is mine! I challenge you for him! If
I win, he comes back with me!"
The Lady laughed inwardly. She knew she could take this small
woman easily. She accepted and readied herself.
B'Elanna ignored everything around her as she prepared to fight
the Lady. She was going to win this fight. For Tom. For their
children. For herself.
The Lady acted first, kicking B'Elanna, but the engineer
blocked it easily. Dancing around Daylia, trying to think of
the best offense, B'Elanna blocked a blow aimed at her head.
Then she delivered a sharp blow to the Lady's face.
Daylia went down, stunned.
B'Elanna lifed her right foot to smash Daylia's pretty face, but
the Lady caught her foot. She yanked on B'Elann's foot, causing
her to lose her balance. The half-Klingon landed on the ground
beside then woman.
Daylia jumped to her feet and attempted to try to stomp B'Elanna.
The engineer rolled out of the way then leg sweeped the Amazon
leader sending her face first into the dirt.
B'Elanna then got to her feet, walked over to Daylia, grabbed her
long hair, and yanked her head back. Snarling into the woman's
ear she roared. "I TOLD you he is MINE!," B'Elanna then slammed Daylia's face into the ground hard. She did this twice, before Daylia elbowed her in the ribs. When B'Elanna didn't budge, Daylia elbowed her again. B'Elanna let go of the Lady's head. Daylia tried to get back up, but the half-Klingon kicked her in the stomach, flipping her over. Now, on her back, she stared
into the angry dark eyes of B'Elanna Torres.
B'Elanna lifted her left foot to stomp Daylia in the stomach, but
the Lady quickly rolled out of the way. She then jumped to her
feet, and kicked B'Elanna in the stomach. The engineer doubled
over in pain, but she still blocked the next attack from Daylia.
She glared at the other woman, her dark eyes on fire. Hard and
mercilous. black as obsidian they terrified Daylia. She tried to
wrench her hand free from the half-Klingon's grip, but it was
tight. Painfully tight.
B'Elanna saw the fear building in the Lady's eyes. She knew this
woman was a coward from the first time she laid eyes on her --
she could smell it. B'Elanna smiled wickedly as she twisted
Daylia's wrist. She delighted in hearing the Lady cry out in
pain. Twisting the woman's arm, she smiled in delight at
another cry.
Daylia tried to trip B'Elanna, but the pain in her arm was too
much. She barely nudged the engineer's left leg, and felt her arm
almost break as B'Elanna kept twisting it. The Lady realized that she had underestimated this alien woman.
"Enough, please!" Daylia begged.
"Tom is mine! He will come with me!" B'Elanna shouted for all to
hear.
"Yes! Take him! Just stop, please!"
B'Elanna smiled in victory. She gave the Lady's arm one last
twist, then released her. Smiling like a Klingon warrior,
she watched her foe cower in fear. She then looked to see as the
entire village bowed before her. All her Klingon power vanished as she realized what she had just done. In defeating Daylia, she
became the new leader. She looked at Janeway, confused and
afraid.
"All I wanted was Tom," B'Elanna said to her captain, "I didn't
want to become these people's new leader."
Janeway smiled. She knew what the engineer was thinking and
decided to ease the young woman's fears.
"I've heard of people doing this in old Earth myths. People
defeating a leader of a tribe only to become their new leader.
What they sometimes did was choose someone from the village to be the new ruler. Why don't you try that?" B'Elanna could see the sense in those words. She nodded to her captain, then looked around the village. Most of the people cowered before her, others stared around them confused by what had happened. Others still stood starring in defiance. Approaching these people first.
B'Elanna stopped before a woman whose hair shone like fire. Staring into the female's eyes she saw courage and wisdom. Behind that she also saw tenderness and compassion.
*Just like Janeway,* B'Elanna thought. She then spoke out loud,
"What is you name?"
The woman barely moved as she answered, "My name is Kristra."
B'Elanna nodded, "I cannot stay here. I am needed among my
people. You will be this village's new ruler."
Kristra smiled and nodded. She raised her spear and shouted that
she was the new ruler. Cheers went up all around the village. She
then turned back to B'Elanna.
"I will do you honor by giving your husband back to you. I will
also give you the dilithium that you so greatly need."
Kristra then went to Daylia, who was glaring at B'Elanna. She was
now standing on her feet, watching what was happening. When she
saw Kristra coming toward her, she tried to glare back. She felt
the burning hatred from Kristra's eyes flow to her. She backed
down, trying to avoid Kristra's stare.
"You," the word was a growl, "You have shamed us by making us
take slaves instead of mates. Very few of us dared to free our
slaves, for fear that you would banish us. I want a man to be
with me because he wants to, not because I own him. From
now on all slaves in the kingdom will be free. They will be
welcome to stay here and help the changes become a reality
if they so wish, they will be most welcome. Or they can
leave. They are free to chose where they go and what
they do."
Cheers from the women could be heard all around. A few of the
males cheered along with them. Everything quieted again when
Kristra spoke again.
"As for you, Daylia," Kristra spat out the name, "You are
banished from this village. If you so much as show your face here
again, you will die!" Daylia tried to plead to stay. The village
was all that she knew. She rarely ventured outside the village.
Kristra stopped her pleading by pointing her spear into the
forest.
"Go, Daylia, and never return!"
To move Daylia along, Kristra whacked the former leader across
her butt. Daylia, yelped, and quickly ran into the forest. She
could hear laughter from the village flood her ears as she
disappeared into the forest. Kristra returned to B'Elanna. She
motioned for Tom, but he didn't move. He was looking around, then
quickly stared at the ground. He only moved when another male
former slave pushed him toward his wife. He tensed when he felt
arms move around him. He relaxed though as he somehow remembered.
A feeling of security came over him. He knew these arms, but he
wasn't sure how.
Kristra felt her heart ache. She knew what Daylia did to the
young man, how he had suffered, and it angered her even more. She
hated knowing that such a powerful woman, who could have any man
she wanted only got them through the use of drugs. She shook her
head, and spat again.
"Thank you, Kristra," B'Elanna said, thankful to have her husband
back even though he acted like a stranger.
"You're welcome. Now, for the dilithium."
The two nodded as they followed the new leader to the storage.
