By Alex Voy
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer:
Paramount owns the characters, Voyager and the images. No infringement of copyright is intended. I make no profit from them, just enjoy writing about them.
Acknowledgments:
This story is set towards the end of the first season, soon after Seska's defection from Voyager and was originally written shortly before 'Deadlock' was aired here in the UK. It was one of my earliest efforts and although the similarities between the two stories are inescapable, they are pure coincidence (no,I had not read any spoilers or had contact with American fans).
Collisions
Chapter 1
Captain Janeway was in her ready room, going over reports from the away team at present on the planet below Voyager's orbit. She absently kneaded her left temple as an incipient dull headache began to cloud her thoughts. She had not been sleeping well since the previous week, when Seska had finally revealed herself as a Cardassian agent attempting to undermine Janeway's authority by trading Federation technology with the Kazon, Voyager's greatest enemies in the Delta Quadrant. The stress of commanding a crew whose morale had plummeted with Seska's eventual defection to the Kazon was beginning to have an effect on Janeway's own self-esteem. The carefully hidden doubts of her own ability to lead her crew across seventy thousand light years of hostile space were once again surfacing with disturbing frequency in her mind. Fortunately, the sensor reports she was going over seemed to indicate that the nearby planet was not only mercifully free of hostile inhabitants, but might also provide much-needed food stocks.
Janeway looked up from the readings with relief when Chakotay entered the room.
"Commander, I hope you bring good news."
Chakotay smiled and swivelled her portable view screen so they could both watch the information he called up.
"Good news, Captain. Neelix is very exited about the varieties of edible plants he has found and the mineral survey is producing favourable results from three different areas."
"That is excellent news." Janeway's smile smoothed away the lines of strain that had begun to form on her face during the previous two weeks.
"And as an added bonus, one of the survey teams has found what they describe as a corner of paradise. An area reminiscent of a tropical beach on Earth, complete with white sand and luxuriant vegetation." Chakotay turned to Janeway. "I think you should go down and take a look at it yourself, Captain."
Janeway sighed and shook her head.
"I really don't have time, Commander. I must try and catch up with all the things I should have been doing during the past couple of weeks."
"You might find you could deal with things more easily after a day on a tropical beach. I'm sure the Doctor would recommend it."
"Yes, I'm sure he would." The Emergency Medical Hologram was only too free with advice for Voyager's captain to improve her well-being. Avoiding his recommendations had almost become a habit just recently.
"We all need relaxation, Captain. I really think you should consider the idea. Lieutenant Paris is due to beam down to the surface in a few minutes. Why don't you go with him? It might be a while before we come across another tropical paradise."
It had been some weeks since Janeway had enjoyed the dubious hospitality of the Sikarians, she realised. And that episode had ended in near catastrophic disaster for Voyager, when some of her most trusted senior officers had deliberately disobeyed her orders to acquire alien technology in direct contravention of Starfleet's prime directive. She was beginning to feel they were destined to struggle from one crisis to another as they made their way across the vast areas of hostile space between them and the Alpha Quadrant. Maybe a day's relaxation in a tropical paradise was not such a bad idea after all.
The thought of spending time on a tropical beach with Tom Paris made Janeway smile. She doubted he would appreciate having his captain tag along for whatever little adventure he was planning. That it would involve an attractive young female member of her crew, she had no doubt. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. It would be worth going just to see the look on Tom's face when he realised just who his travelling companion would be.
"Alright, you win, Chakotay. Tell Lieutenant Paris to meet me in transporter room two in half an hour with whatever he considers necessary for a day on a tropical beach. And I shall hold you personally responsible if I get bitten by swarms of native tropical bugs."
"Aye, Captain." Chakotay grinned at her.
Paris was in the transporter room when Janeway arrived. He carried a small holdall and a large picnic hamper to the transporter tube. Janeway noted he was already wearing a phaser in his belt as required by Starfleet regulations when visiting an uncharted planet.
"Are you sure you have enough provisions, Mr. Paris?" She asked dryly, indicating the hamper that overhung the sides of the platform.
"Quite sure, Captain. Although I might have to avoid Neelix for a while after we get back. Kes showed me one or two of his secret hoards." Paris smiled and stepped back to allow Janeway onto the platform.
"Energise." Janeway gave the order and felt the familiar momentary tingle of transportation replaced by a warm, soft breeze laden with the tang of salt water and another, elusive faint perfume. She looked around at the soft white sand, fringed with heavy, unfamiliar vegetation and at the vast expanse of sparkling water that stretched out to the horizon.
"Paradise." She breathed.
"Without the serpent, I hope." Paris was looking around with a sense of unease, his hand on the phaser at his belt.
"What's wrong, Tom? Sensors showed nothing hostile within ten kilometres of this beach before we transported down."
"I don't know, Captain. It just doesn't feel right somehow." Paris took out his phaser and began to scan their immediate surroundings with his tricorder.
"My tricorder isn't functioning." He tried several different programmes but the machine remained completely dead.
"Neither is mine." Janeway tried her tricorder and then pressed her combadge. "Janeway to Voyager." There was no response. "Janeway to Voyager." She repeated.
Paris pressed his badge with a sense of futility. He had no more success than Janeway.
"There must be a malfunction on Voyager." Janeway frowned and shook her tricorder.
Silently, Paris pointed his phaser at a nearby rock and pressed the trigger. Nothing happened.
"I don't think the malfunction is on Voyager, Captain."
Janeway's mouth was suddenly dry. She swallowed and slowly took out her phaser and fired it towards the rock. She felt no surprise when it failed: the power gauge registered zero. Their eyes met, each showing identical emotions of alarm and confusion.
"Do you have any explanation for what has happened?" Janeway asked quietly.
Paris shook his head. "I've never experienced a total power failure like this. Maybe there's some kind of electro magnetic activity in this area that's rendering our equipment useless?"
"If that is the case, why didn't the sensors pick it up before we left Voyager? And the survey team had already been here: they didn't report any equipment or communication problems." Janeway glanced uneasily at the dense vegetation nearby, trying to shake off the distinct feeling that they were being watched by unseen eyes.
Paris too was uneasy at their exposed position on the beach.
"I think perhaps we should find some cover, Captain."
"I think you're right, Lieutenant." Janeway saw movement behind Paris at the edge of the vegetation.
"Kazon." She breathed and turned to run fast through the clinging sand. She heard Paris's laboured panting at her shoulder as the first phaser rounds seared past her head and knew that their flight was hopeless. As if in a bad dream, the sand dragged at their feet, burning calf muscles and slowing them down, while the dense green shelter of vegetation seemed to stay tantalisingly out of reach.
A nearby rock exploded in a blast of phaser fire and she heard Paris cry out. She stopped and turned to see him fall, face twisted in pain and blood on his face. Janeway ignored the six approaching Kazon and gently lifted Paris's face from the sand. He was semi-conscious and bleeding heavily from a gash on the side of his head.
"Well, well. Captain Janeway, I do believe."
Janeway slowly stood up and faced the Kazon leader who smiled wolfishly down at her.
"My pilot is injured. He needs immediate medical attention."
"Really? Well if his need is so immediate, why don't you transport back to your ship?"
"Our transporter is .... not functioning at this moment."
The Kazon's smile grew broader.
"In that case, perhaps you will accept our hospitality?"
He signalled to two of his companions, who picked Paris up by his armpits and began to drag him rapidly across the beach.
"Captain?" The Kazon leader gestured theatrically and Janeway marched stiffly after the retreating figures.
There was a shuttle craft parked beyond a narrow band of giant fern-like trees and Paris was thrown unceremoniously through the hatch. The Kazon stood in a mocking parody of exaggerated manners as Janeway followed him into the craft. Two of the Kazon picked Paris up and dragged him to the rear of the shuttlecraft where they shackled his wrists to the wall with magnetic manacles. Janeway was pushed to the floor beside him and she too was restrained by manacles.
The Kazon leader took no chances with his prisoners and left two of his crew to watch over them for the flight to their ship. Janeway supposed she ought to have been flattered they felt such measures necessary, but she was too concerned by Paris's injuries to give much thought to the Kazon. He lay motionless beside her, still in the awkward position he had been dumped by their captors. His breathing was heavy and ragged and he made no response when she spoke his name.
The flight to the Kazon starship was uncomfortable, but only lasted half an hour. When the docking procedure was complete, the Kazon leader hurried out of the shuttlecraft, leaving three of his men to release the prisoners. One of them began to free Janeway's wrists, while the other two struggled to release Paris's dead weight as he hung from the manacles.
Janeway's right hand was free when Paris's comatose body suddenly exploded into action. He hurled one Kazon out through the hatch and slammed the second hard against the rear bulkhead. The man who had been releasing Janeway grabbed at Paris's arm, hindering his follow through and the three men fell to the floor in a violently struggling tangle of limbs. Janeway leaned desperately to the limit of her reach in an attempt to grab a phaser from the belt of the nearest writhing body, but she was still held against the wall by her left wrist and the Kazon were just inches beyond her limit. There was an outraged shout from the shuttle bay and several more warriors piled in through the hatch. Janeway could only watch helplessly as Paris was overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers and dragged out through the hatch.
The Kazon leader returned alone, still breathing heavily and silently released Janeway's second wrist from the restraint, maintaining a painfully hard grip with his hand as he dragged her from the shuttle into the docking bay and pushed her towards two of his warriors.
"Take her to the bridge."
"What have you done with Lieutenant Paris?" Janeway demanded.
The two guards held her arms tightly as their leader leaned close to Janeway's face.
"He is learning some respect for the Kazon Ogla. As will you if you don't cooperate with us." He jerked his head at the guards who hurried Janeway down a broad passageway to an elevator.
The Kazon bridge was a strange mixture of barbaric splendour and alien technology. Janeway recognised few of the controls and seriously doubted whether Paris could have flown the Kazon shuttle even had his escape attempt succeeded.
"I am Maje Razik, of the Kazon Ogla." The Kazon leader sat in what Janeway could only think of as a throne at one end of the bridge and introduced himself. "And I have captured the infamous Captain Janeway."
He leaned forward in his chair and smiled at her.
"I am a trader, you see: and I think you are a very valuable commodity. I could trade you to another Kazon sect; or I wonder what your own people would pay to get you back? Perhaps an auction might be the best way to arrange matters. But first, there are one or two things we of the Ogla would like to know: about your technology: transporters, replicators; those kind of things."
"You already know I can't give you any information about our technology." Janeway answered levelly.
"Oh, I think you can. With a little persuasion, you may be surprised `at what you can do, Captain." He smiled into her defiant gaze and Janeway felt suddenly cold, a physical sensation at the certain knowledge that she and Paris were completely alone and at the mercy of a pitiless enemy.
"Maje! Our sensors have discovered a ship." One of the bridge crew interrupted excitedly.
"What kind of ship?" Maje Razik glared at the crewman.
"I'm not sure, Maje. It is still at extreme range, but closing fast at warp speed. I think it may be the Federation Starship."
"So, your people are looking for you, Captain. Perhaps the time has come to begin the auction." He turned to a nearby guard, "Bring the other human to the bridge."
Janeway faced Razik impassively, showing none of the enormous relief she felt at the knowledge that Voyager was nearby. The sudden loss of contact with her ship had shaken her more than she cared to admit, even to herself. She was even able to retain her calm expression when Paris was thrown roughly to the deck at her feet. He lay quite still for a moment, before rising slowly and painfully to stand beside her. She glanced quickly at his battered face and asked quietly:
"Are you alright Tom?" He was holding his arm across his ribs and was obviously in considerable pain.
"Cracked ribs, I think." He gave a twisted smile of reassurance.
"Voyager is nearby." She almost whispered, but the Kazon were too busy watching their scanners to take any notice of their prisoners.
"The ship is within hailing distance, Maje."
"On screen." Razik smiled in anticipation as Tuvok's face filled the screen.
"I am Maje Razik of the Kazon Ogla and I have two guests on board my ship that you might be interested to meet." He gestured to the guards who pushed Janeway and Paris into range of the viewscreen.
A strange expression fleetingly crossed Tuvok's face: on anyone but the Vulcan, Janeway would have considered it a mixture of shock and bewilderment. When he spoke, his voice and face were as usual devoid of all emotion.
"Captain Janeway?"
"Mr. Tuvok, we are being held prisoner on this ship." Janeway stated the bare fact and turned to the Kazon.
"Captain Janeway and Lieutenant Paris are our guests." He corrected. "However, we do consider some recompense would be appropriate for our hospitality. Shall we say a transporter module and a replicator in exchange for your captain and third officer? You have one hour in which to decide. If you do not agree in that time, Lieutenant Paris will die. Followed by your captain an hour after that."
"Remember the Prime Directive, Tuvok. Don't give them any technology." Janeway ordered firmly.
"One hour." Maje Razik said and terminated the transmission.
On Voyager's bridge, the crew were exchanging bewildered looks as Tuvok calmly spoke into the communicator.
"Tuvok to Captain Janeway, will you please come to the bridge immediately?"
Janeway's familiar voice sounded unusually loud in the hushed silence of the bridge.
"On my way, Mr. Tuvok."
The doors of the turbolift opened only seconds after Janeway's response and she walked quickly onto the bridge before coming to an abrupt halt, immediately aware of the charged atmosphere.
"Tuvok?"
"I think you had better see for yourself, Captain. This is a recording of a conversation I had a few moments ago." Tuvok activated the viewscreen and Janeway watched the Kazon transmission in amazement.
"Again." She sat in her chair and tried to make some kind of sense out of what she was seeing as the transmission was repeated a second time.
"Explanation, Mr. Tuvok?"
"There is no explanation that comes to mind, Captain."
Janeway pressed her combadge. "Janeway to Paris. Where are you Lieutenant?"
"Paris to Janeway. I'm in engineering, Captain."
"I think you had better come to the bridge. Now, Lieutenant."
Paris recognised the imperious tone of the order and hurried to obey.
Even before he arrived, Janeway had organised an officers' conference in the briefing room and was impatiently pacing behind the seated figures already there. When all were present Tuvok ran the Kazon transmission twice through the viewscreen. Janeway watched the faces around the table as they stared fixedly at the screen for the second time, all showing the familiar mixture of shock and bewilderment.
When the second recording was finished, Tuvok said: "I should point out that at this moment there are thirty eight minutes remaining before the Kazon deadline."
"It's a Kazon trick." B'Elanna Torres was dismissive. "They're simply trying to trick us into giving them Federation technology."
"That's some trick, to have conjured up replicas of the Captain and me." Tom Paris glared at Torres.
"Is that possible, Mr. Kim?" Janeway turned to Ensign Harry Kim, "Could they somehow replicate people?"
"Most unlikely, Captain. Even we can't do that and their technology is much less sophisticated than ours. I would suggest the most likely explanation is a hologram."
"A hologram, of course." Janeway was relieved at the simple explanation.
"Captain, I'm not so sure that a hologram is the answer." Chakotay spoke for the first time. His contributions to these conferences were few, but invaluable to Janeway.
"Commander?"
"I go back to the main question behind this transmission. Why would the Kazon try to trick us with holograms or replicas, when we have the genuine originals here on board already?" Chakotay looked around the table. "The Kazon know we are not stupid and neither are they."
"What are you getting at, Commander?" Janeway was as puzzled as the rest of the officers.
"What if the Kazon really believe those people are you and Lieutenant Paris?"
"You mean there is a third party in this equation? People who have assumed our form for their own purposes?"
"It has to be a possibility, Captain." Chakotay thought for a moment. "Maybe they want to get on board Voyager as much as the Kazon want our technology."
"If that is the case, then we just have to leave them to the mercy of the Kazon." Torres said. "I'd say they deserve each other."
"And what if none of those explanations is the correct one?" Janeway had begun pacing the room again. "We can't simply abandon them to be killed by the Kazon."
"It may be too dangerous to do otherwise, Captain." Tuvok joined the discussion for the first time.
"Since when did danger deter us from doing what is right, Mr. Tuvok?"
"In this case, we cannot be certain of what is right."
"No, but we can be sure of what is wrong. And we both know it is wrong to leave anyone to the mercy of the Kazon. We gave up our way home to save the Ocampa from the Kazon; are we now going to abandon these people to them because it might be dangerous to us to bring them on board?"
Janeway looked around the table, but nobody accepted her challenge.
"Mr. Tuvok, how much time before the deadline?"
"Twenty two minutes, Captain."
"Lieutenant Torres, can you produce a dummy transporter module in that time?"
"Easily, Captain. I can simply use a real one with the circuitry removed. There is no way the Kazon could ever figure out how to reprogramme it."
"Good. Get onto it immediately. Mr. Kim, have a replicator taken to the bridge."
"Captain, do you think that's a good idea?" Chakotay was ever the voice of caution.
"Probably not, but we have to make it look good, Chakotay. We have to get the Kazon exited enough with their success to make them careless. I think maybe a transporter module in their hands and a replicator on the viewscreen might just take their attention long enough for Harry to get a transporter fix on their prisoners. It will require split second timing, you won't get a second chance."
"You want me to arrange the transfer?" Chakotay was doubtful.
"I can hardly do it myself when I'm supposed to be on board the Kazon ship. No, I'll be in the transporter room to welcome myself aboard."
As the deadline drew near, Maje Razik grew increasingly restless. He tried to hail Voyager twice during the last ten minutes, but the transmission was blocked each time, then with less than two minutes left, Chakotay's calm face appeared on the screen.
"You like to play at brinkmanship, Federation." Razik scowled at Chakotay.
"No, we needed time to consider your threats."
"And what was your considered decision?"
"We agree to your terms."
Paris and Janeway exchanged glances and Janeway shook her head almost imperceptibly.
"You agree? Just like that? No haggling, no arguing?"
"It would serve no purpose." Chakotay was inscrutable. "We each have something the other wants, therefore a simple swap would seem to be the obvious solution."
"Oh, no. You send what we want first, then we will send your people back to you."
"Perhaps a compromise would be in order. We have the replicator here." Chakotay pointed to the machine on the floor of the bridge. "We will send over the transporter module first. Then you let our people go and we send the replicator."
"Alright, send the module."
"You will have to lower your shields before we can transport the module to your ship."
"Remember my guards have phasers trained on your people, Federation."
"I'll remember."
Razik nodded to a crewman who lowered the shields.
Chakotay said: "Transporter room, energise."
Maje Razik and his crew watched with delight as the transporter module materialised on the deck of the bridge well away from where the two prisoners were standing. The guards craned to see and failed to realise their prisoners were vanishing from the bridge even as the module appeared. They fired vainly at the two ghostly images, but Janeway and Paris were already on board Voyager when the phaser charges passed through the space where their bodies had been a moment before.
It was at that moment too, that Janeway realised their nightmare time on the Kazon ship had been replaced by a new situation that threatened her very identity. Standing defiantly on the transporter platform, she and Paris faced a heavily armed security team with levelled phasers, led by an identical replica of herself.
"I don't know what's been going on here, but that woman is an impostor." Janeway's calm assertion to the security team belied the turmoil in her mind as she stepped down from the transporter platform.
"That's far enough." The other Janeway raised her phaser threateningly. "We went to considerable trouble to rescue you from the Kazon. Perhaps you would now do us the courtesy of explaining who you are and how you came to be on a Kazon ship."
The doors to the transporter room opened and Tuvok entered. Taking out his tricorder, he scanned both Janeway and Paris.
"They appear to be human, Captain."
"Of course we're human, Mr. Tuvok. You've been scanning the wrong Captain."
Tuvok raised one eyebrow at the second Janeway who narrowed her eyes thoughtfully at her double before nodding sharply to Tuvok.
When the scan was complete, Tuvok studied the readings.
"You are also undoubtedly human, Captain."
The recently transported Janeway exchanged glances with Paris, who was visibly swaying on his feet.
"Mr. Paris is in need of urgent medical attention. I suggest we continue this discussion after he has been taken to the sickbay." Janeway moved to Paris's side and took hold of his arm in an attempt to keep him from falling.
"I think it would be a good idea if we all went to the sickbay." The other Janeway motioned to the security team to support the sagging Paris. "Maybe the doctor will be able to tell us who, or what you are."
"An excellent idea." Janeway marched to the door, displaying a calm confidence she was far from feeling. In the corridor outside, she experienced a moment of disorientation as she automatically turned to the right towards where the turbolift should have been only to be brought to an abrupt halt by her own mocking voice coming from behind.
"Lost, Captain? I think you will find the sickbay is to your left."
"What have you done to my ship?" Janeway realised with a sense of horror that the turbolift was indeed to the left of the transporter room.
"The ship is as it has always been." Tuvok's calm assertion was even more alarming than the transposed turbolift, but Janeway tried not altogether successfully to hide her growing alarm and confusion.
At least in the sickbay, everything appeared familiar. The holographic doctor was his usual irascible self as he began to berate her for allowing such an influx of non-essential personnel to the sickbay. He stopped and looked puzzled as he became aware of the second Janeway standing behind her, then turned away to minister to the almost unconscious Paris on the couch beside him.
"I suppose you have an explanation for what is happening here, but I must ask you all to stand back while I examine my patient."
"While you're examining him Doctor, will you check him against the medical records you hold for Lieutenant Paris?" The other Janeway sounded dismayingly confident and even looked more the part of a starship captain. Janeway was becoming increasingly aware of her own dishevelled appearance. Her capture and captivity by the Kazon had left their mark.
"I will compare my patient with his medical records when I have completed my treatment." The doctor's statement brooked no argument and both Janeways waited in impatient silence while Paris's injuries were healed. "Hmm. No permanent damage, Lieutenant." The doctor ran a medical tricorder over him when the treatment was complete and turned to the two Janeways.
"His medical records are correct. I have updated them with this latest treatment."
"You mean this man is definitely Lieutenant Paris?" The immaculately groomed Janeway sounded puzzled.
"He is according to the computer records."
"Doctor, would you run a similar check on me?" The dishevelled Janeway gave a challenging look at her double who nodded thoughtfully.
"Go ahead, Doctor."
Janeway replaced Paris on the couch and the doctor ran his tricorder over her.
"You are undoubtedly Captain Janeway." He pronounced with satisfaction.
"Thank you Doctor. You seem to be the only being on this ship who believes that." She stared at the other Janeway who turned to the doctor.
"I think it's my turn now, Doctor. Compare my scan results with my medical records."
"Very well Captain, if you insist." The doctor gave an impatient sigh and picked up his tricorder again.
"You also are undoubtedly Captain Janeway." He announced with smug satisfaction when the scan was complete.
The two Janeways looked at each other in consternation.
"Mr. Tuvok," the well-groomed Janeway turned to the Vulcan. "Is it possible there has been some kind of time distortion? Could this other Captain Janeway have traveled through time to get here?"
"If that is the case Captain, then one of you would remember this event, as it would have occurred in the past for one or other of you."
While the two Janeways were talking with the doctor, Paris had been watching the security team and trying to work out some elusive anomalies in his memory of the sickbay.
"Captain." he entered the discussion for the first time, speaking to the Janeway who had shared his captivity on the Kazon ship. "Do you remember telling me about the scar you have on your right arm as a result of a childhood injury? Can we see it?"
Puzzled, Janeway pulled up her sleeve to show a faint white line on the inside of her forearm. The other Janeway looked at it in silence for a moment, then rolled up her sleeve to display an identical scar on her left arm.
"Thank you, Tom. You've just proved that it really is we who belong here." Janeway smiled for the first time since transporting to Voyager.
"I'm afraid not, Captain. I'm sorry, but I believe we are the interlopers here. Look at the way these people wear their combadges: on the right breast. All the security team hold their phasers in their left hands. The only right handed person in the room appears to be Lieutenant Tuvok."
"And the Tuvok we know is left handed." Janeway finished quietly. "We seem to have joined some kind of mirror image of our own ship." Reluctantly, she met the other Janeway's gaze. "It seems I owe you an apology, Captain."
"Apology accepted." The other Janeway gave her a searching glance, then turned to the Vulcan. "Mr. Tuvok?"
"There are theories about the existence of other dimensions, Captain. However, these people do not appear to have come from the only alternate universe of which we have knowledge. On the few occasions when contact has been established, our opposite characters have appeared to be exactly that: opposite in every facet of their personalities. On the evidence so far, these people would seem to have identical personalities to you and Lieutenant Paris. There have however, been occasional instances when beings from another dimension have appeared in our own."
"But these people are our exact opposites, Tuvok. Even down to medical records and an injury I received more than twenty years ago."
"The analogy of a mirror image would seem to be the most apt description of the similarities between you."
"Well, somewhere down the line, that image must have been distorted. I suggest we adjourn to Security and see if we can discover exactly where and how our guests arrived here."
Tuvok dismissed most of the security detail, retaining only two guards as an escort. He felt more sure of himself and his captain once in his own office.
"Captain, before we begin any discussion, I suggest security implants would be in order in these circumstances." Tuvok looked questioningly at his captain.
She turned to her double. "Would you object?"
Janeway hated the idea of being treated as a security risk on board Voyager, but knew she could hardly object in the peculiar circumstances. Besides, she would have done exactly the same thing if it had really been her own ship.
"No." She said quietly, glancing at Paris, who watched warily as Tuvok prepared the injector.
Janeway flinched at the momentary sensation as the microscopic security tag was inserted in her neck. There was no pain, but she imagined she could feel something irritating beneath her skin. Her mirror image watched the process with some sympathy.
"I don't suppose the Kazon offered much in the way of hospitality. Would you like some refreshment before we begin the debriefing?"
"Thank you, maybe some coffee and soup, while we talk."
"Captain," Tuvok interrupted. "Separate interviews are desirable in these circumstances. Perhaps Lieutenant Paris could eat while we talk with his captain."
Paris looked at Janeway, who nodded almost imperceptibly. He turned and left the room with the two security guards, who escorted him to the brig and activated the containment forcefield. He prowled the small room, uneasy about his and Janeway's status on board the ship, as well as suffering disturbing memories of his two previous incarcerations in the brig.
Within minutes of leaving him the two guards returned, one of them carrying a tray with plates of what he recognised as dishes prepared by Neelix on board his own Voyager. Paris realised he was hungry and ate all the food despite some of the strange taste sensations brought about by Neelix' preparation. Afterwards, he stretched out on the bunk and turned his mind to the problems of returning to his own ship
.
It was almost two hours before Paris was taken from the brig to Tuvok's room. There was no sign of either Janeway.
"Where's Captain Janeway?"
"My captain has taken your captain to get cleaned up Will you sit down please?"
Reluctantly, Paris sat at the table and watched the Vulcan warily.
"My captain has asked me to stress to you that this is not an interrogation, Lieutenant. You are to consider it as debriefing and confirmation, no more."
"Confirmation of what?" Paris new the answer well enough, but was determined to make Tuvok spell it out.
"Of your captain's story."
"Where do you want me to start?"
"Begin when the planet was first discovered by the ship's sensors."
"It was two days ago. We were running short of food and raw material supplies for the replicators. The sensors indicated possible sources of both on an 'M' class planet at extreme range. We went to the planet at maximum warp speed and sent down foraging and survey teams. Initial reports from both were extremely favourable."
"And these teams encountered no equipment problems or Kazon presence on the planet?" Tuvok frowned as he entered data into his security console
.
"No. The planet was unusually productive and sensors indicated no dangerous or intelligent life forms."
"I see. Please continue."
Tuvok listened as Paris told of the disastrous trip to the planet's surface and his experiences at the hands of the Kazon. Paris knew the entire interview was being recorded by the ship's computer, and would be watched several times by Tuvok as he searched for anomalies or discrepancies between his and Janeway's stories. Tuvok interrupted a few times with brief questions, but gave no hint of whether he believed the story or not.
Paris was describing his last minutes on board the Kazon ship when the two Janeways entered the room. He faltered and stopped, staring in consternation, aware that he had no idea which of the two immaculately groomed captains had transported aboard Voyager with him. Tuvok too was looking almost disconcerted.
The right-hand Janeway spoke.
"Your expressions tell me the importance of what we have just been discussing. Lieutenant Paris, while you are on board this ship, you and Captain Janeway will wear visitors' identity passes in addition to your security implants. I'm sure you can see the necessity for this measure."
Paris glanced quickly at the second Janeway and the almost imperceptible nod of her head.
"Yes, Captain. I see the necessity very clearly."
"Mr. Tuvok, have you completed the debriefing?"
"I have all the relevant information, Captain."
"Is it satisfactory?"
"I will need to go through the transcripts again to be certain, but I have so far been unable to discern any discrepancies in the two statements." Tuvok gazed impassively at his captain, while still managing to impart an air of suspicion and disapproval.
"Then I suggest we adjourn for the night. Tuvok will escort you both to the visitors' quarters, and we'll see if a good night's sleep may shed some light on what has happened here."
The two Janeways exchanged polite nods and Voyager's captain left the room. Tuvok instructed the computer to produce security identity cards for the two visitors. Janeway accepted her card with distaste and reluctantly pinned it beside her useless combadge. Somehow this highly visual reminder of her status on board Voyager was even more unpleasant than the security implant beneath the skin of her neck.
"If you will come this way, Captain, Lieutenant?" Tuvok led them out to the turbo lift and took them to deck five where the spare officers' quarters were located. He opened a door and turned to Janeway.
"These will be your quarters. As you are Captain Janeway's guests, you will of course have the freedom of the ship. However, I would ask you to respect the usual protocols concerning visiting officers."
"And besides, you will always know exactly where we are on the ship, thanks to the security implants." Janeway said dryly as she entered the room.
"Exactly, Captain." Tuvok made no attempt to hide his satisfaction. He turned to Paris. "Your quarters are this way, Lieutenant."
Tuvok led the way down the corridor, past several doors before stopping at a side corridor.
"Your quarters." He opened a door and Paris looked into a large, pleasant room.
"You must have a lot of visitors on board, Mr. Tuvok." Paris looked around the room.
"I do not understand."
"All those rooms between here and my captain's quarters. Why do I have the impression you are trying to keep us apart?"
"Those other quarters are not prepared for occupancy." Tuvok answered stiffly and Paris decided the reply was about as close to a lie as a Vulcan could achieve.
"Well, right now, I have things to discuss with my captain."
"As you wish, Lieutenant. If there is anything you or your captain should need, please ask the computer or communicate directly with me." Tuvok gave an almost imperceptible nod of courtesy and Paris was left alone in his new quarters. He almost expected to find the door locked after Tuvok had gone, but it opened smoothly when he approached it and made his way back to Janeway's quarters.
"Tom." Janeway's smile of welcome also held more than a hint of relief, which froze suddenly as a disturbing thought crossed her mind.
"You are the Paris I know?"
Paris stared at her, the same suspicion like a worm inside his skull. As though reading his mind, Janeway hastily raised her sleeve and displayed the white line of scar tissue on her right arm.
"I know who you are, Captain, but how can I prove who I am?" The relief at knowing Janeway's identity was tempered by the uncertainty of knowing she suspected him.
"Tell me about something that happened on board our ship recently."
"But if this is a mirror image of our own ship, then surely the same things have happened here as on our own Voyager."
"No." Janeway leaned towards him intently. "I learned from their captain that events have been different on this ship from our own for nearly five weeks. For instance, there has been no party on this ship. Tell me of something that happened at the party."
"Well, I guess the most obvious thing would be to tell you about Neelix having a little too much Juvian champagne and attempting to demonstrate the Malossian courting ritual."
"What was Neelix wearing that evening?"
"Very little as I recall, when he showed us the ritual." Paris smiled at the memory, "But I think he had on some kind of lime green and purple number when he arrived at the party."
"And how did the ritual end?" Janeway too was having difficulty suppressing a smile.
"Suddenly, when Kes emptied a bowl of fruit punch over Neelix' head."
"Somehow, I don't think that is the kind of information Tuvok would be gathering from a prisoner." Janeway smiled and added thoughtfully, "But it does show that we have a problem. I can hardly ask you to describe something odd that happened on our ship, every time we meet up again after being apart. I think our own version of the security implant would be a good idea."
"Perhaps a small mark on my right arm?" Paris produced his pocket knife and made two shallow incisions on the inner side of his forearm. "Do you really think this is necessary, Captain?"
"Until we know for certain what is going on here, I think it would be a good idea."
"Would you try to deceive us if you were in the other Captain's place?"
"I would take precautions, but no, I wouldn't deceive them."
"Then I believe, neither would the captain of this ship."
"You really believe she is exactly like me, in every way?"
"From what I've seen so far? Yes, I do."
Janeway turned and began pacing the sitting room.
"Why do I find that notion so disturbing?"
"You may find some comfort on reflection, Captain. If she really is a mirror image, then you must know she won't harm us."
It was a measure of Janeway's uncertainty that she ignored the intentional pun. "I only know this, Tom: that a starship Captain sometimes has to make painful decisions, and her own ship and crew are her prime responsibilities. We don't belong on this ship; therefore, we must be considered expendable."
"I don't believe you would consider visiting Starfleet officers to be expendable on your ship, Captain."
"No, of course not." Janeway still did not sound completely convinced.
The following morning, Paris was pulling on his boots when Janeway arrived outside his quarters.
"I thought we might go to the mess hall for some breakfast." She glanced appreciatively round the room, but made no comment about the use of diplomatic suites for visiting Starfleet officers.
"Do you think that's wise, Captain? We could use the replicators and eat in our quarters."
"I think we need to learn as much about this ship and her crew as we can and to do that, we need to mix with them, not keep ourselves apart."
The mess hall was quiet when they entered, then became totally silent as they walked to the selection counter and began to make their choice of food and drinks. The sudden cessation of conversation caused Neelix to appear in the hatch and a wide grin split his face.
"Captain Janeway, I'm delighted to meet you! And you too Lieutenant Paris!" He leaned through the hatch and enthusiastically pumped Janeway's hand. "I've been hearing so much about you both." He released Janeway's hand. "Two Captain Janeways. Wonderful!"
Janeway always found it difficult not to respond to Neelix' infectious enthusiasm, and replied dryly: "I wish everyone else on board was quite so pleased to see us."
"Oh, they'll find it a little strange at first." Neelix waved his arms and appeared in imminent danger of falling through the hatch. "But just you wait until they see all the advantages."
"Advantages?" Janeway's imagination failed her completely.
"Why yes, Captain." Neelix leaned even further through the hatch in total defiance of the ship's gravitational system. "Double the inspiration, double the ideas and…."
"And double the problems too, Neelix." Janeway finished for him.
"Yes, but also double the power to solve them Captain." Neelix waved his arms again and then made a desperate grab at the selection counter as he finally lost his battle with the gravitational system.
"Do you think Neelix may have a point, Captain?" Paris asked when they were seated at a table.
"You mean the old theory about two heads being better than one?"
"Well, I certainly think we could do with some help to get back to our own ship."
"Yes." Janeway gazed into her coffee cup.
"Captain, you do believe we are going to get back?"
"Frankly, I don't know what to believe. I do know that so far, we have absolutely no idea how we even got here." Janeway looked up as Neelix approached their table.
"Captain Janeway, excuse me for interrupting your breakfast, but our Captain Janeway has asked me to tell you she has called an officers' conference in the briefing room and would like you both to attend."
Janeway stood up and looked at Paris.
"It would seem we are about to put that theory to the test."
Most of Voyager's senior officers were already in the briefing room when Neelix led Janeway and Paris through the door. The ship's Janeway greeted them and briefly introduced them to the others, before handing them each a combadge.
"It will make all our lives easier if you wear these instead of your own non-functioning ones."
Janeway accepted her badge and said thoughtfully:
"Perhaps it would be useful if Engineering took a look at our badges. Maybe if they could figure out why they don't work here, it could help to explain what happened to us."
"I'm sure Lieutenant Torres will be able to help with that." The Captain looked questioningly at her Chief Engineer, who nodded briskly in reply. "Meanwhile, Ensign Kim has come up with an interesting theory." She looked towards Harry Kim, who smiled nervously from one Janeway to the other before clearing his throat.
"As I'm sure you know, there are unproven theories about the existence of another universe, parallel to our own, that is an exact mirror image. Now, supposing something happened to change the course of one or both of those universes. They would no longer be parallel. Either they would diverge and career away from each other, or ..." Harry paused a moment for greater effect. "Or they would collide."
"If they collided, wouldn't that cause the total destruction of both?" The visiting Janeway asked doubtfully.
"Maybe not." Kim turned a computer view screen so that Janeway could see it. "I have programmed a computer simulation to demonstrate. You see, it would depend upon the angle of contact at the moment of collision. Of course, if the two universes were to collide almost head on, then total destruction would almost certainly result. However, if the angle of collision was small, resulting in a glancing blow, then the two universes could simply bounce off one another."
Janeway watched Kim's simulation on the view screen and looked up at him as the two shapes diverged and headed away from each other.
"If your theory is correct Ensign, then our own universe is moving away from us. We have no hope of getting back."
"Not necessarily, Captain. Watch the simulation."
Even as he spoke, the two shapes on the screen began to converge and touched before yet again heading away from each other.
"You think they will collide again?" Janeway looked up at Kim, feeling the first glimmer of real hope since she had arrived on the ship.
"I believe they already have." Kim saw the flash of disappointment on Janeway's face and hastened to explain. "You have said that events on board your ship have differed from what has happened here for the past five weeks. I believe that the first moment of impact was when those events began to differ. The second was at the precise instant in time that you and Lieutenant Paris transported to that planet. Somehow, you were caught up in the collision and transported to the mirror image of the planet you intended to land on. If we can calculate the next moment of impact, I think you might have the chance to return to your own ship."
"How would you calculate that moment?" Janeway asked.
"There is a problem." Kim admitted. "We really need to find three collisions to use as bearings to enable us to discover the fourth. We have to know the rate and method of progression between more than two points in order to calculate the next one."
"And you have no way of knowing which collision will be the last." Janeway said slowly, watching the simulation again. "There may not even be another one."
Voyager's Captain interrupted. "If Ensign Kim can find the two previous collisions recorded by the ship's computer, then he will have a head start in predicting the likely timing of subsequent collisions. We must assume there will be more collisions and work with that assumption in mind. I am therefore going to relieve Mr. Kim of all other duties until this question is resolved. What facilities will you need, Harry?"
"I'll need access to all computer records and the ship's log. If the visiting Captain Janeway and Lieutenant Paris will work with me, we should be able to pinpoint the two moments of impact."
"Then, unless anyone else has something to add, I suggest you get to work. You can use this room for your research."
"Aye, Captain." Kim smiled with satisfaction at the two Janeways, a gleam in his eye. Harry Kim was never happier than when he had a technical problem to solve.
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