by Dakota

"Harry, you've got five minutes. Get the baby!"

"But, Captain…"

"Move it, Ensign. That's an order."

The captain turned back to the view screen where the Vidiian ship hung in space. Slowly she made her way to her chair and sat down. 

"Computer, initiate self destruct sequence. Authorization Janeway pi one one zero. Set for five minutes. Mute audio warnings. Initiate."

She leaned back in her chair to await the arrival of the Vidiians on the bridge. She didn’t have long to wait. The turbolift slid open and three Vidiians entered the bridge. The monitor read 0:08. She stood slowly and turned to the leader. Chakotay mirrored her movements as both calmly faced the intruders side by side.

"Hello. I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway. Welcome to the bridge."

Kathryn slowly became aware she was lying facedown on something hard. Groggily she pushed herself up on one arm and opened her eyes. It was dark but not blindingly dark. The first thing she saw was the surface below her – rock. Hard, cold, rough rock. Slowly she lifted her head and looked around. She was in a cavern about eight meters square. Light trickled in at one corner from farther along what appeared to be a short passage.

A moan from behind her brought her attention to the darker section of the cavern. She pushed herself around to sit up. The forms of four other people were scattered on the ground. All were moving slowly. The one nearest her seemed to be the source of the moan. Slowly that person sat up and Kathryn recognized the profile.

"Chakotay?" The sound of her voice broke the silence. "Are you all right?"

He nodded his head and winced. "If I don't move too fast. How are you?"

"I think I'm all right." Kathryn looked toward the others and remembered that she was responsible for them all. Long years of habit allowed her to resume the role of command automatically. "Can you tell how the others are?"

Chakotay looked around. "Other than they are all moving, no. What happened?"

"I'm not sure. The last thing I remember is the Vidiians entering the bridge and a flash."

"That's all I remember, too."

Another form pushed up from the floor and the captain could make out the blond head of her chief helmsman. He seemed to be recovering more quickly. He struggled to his feet and tried to take a step. He wobbled badly but managed to stay on his feet. He moved toward Chakotay and held out his hand.

Chakotay eyed him a moment before accepting the offer. Paris pulled Chakotay to his feet and stayed next to him until he was sure the older man could stand on his own.

"Thanks, Paris."

"Don't mention it." Paris turned toward the form nearest them. He walked over to the person and helped her sit up. "You forget to duck, Torres?" Paris's attempt at humor earned him a dark look but no comment.

Chakotay walked slowly to the captain. She extended her arm and allowed him to pull her to her feet. His other arm went around her waist ensuring she didn’t fall. As soon as she was stable, she spoke, "Check on whoever that is in the corner."

Chakotay moved to the far corner of the cave.

"Who is it?" The captain inquired.

Chakotay recognized the back of the head and the uniform as he approached. "I think it's Tuvok." The person turned over at the sound of a voice so near. As Chakotay closed the distance, the form sat up.

Chakotay extended his arm to help the Vulcan to his feet but his offer was declined. "I do not require your assistance, Commander."

"Suit yourself." Chakotay accepted the rejection unruffled and moved to Torres. "On your feet, Torres."

Torres reached out her arms, one to each man, and was lifted to her feet. "Thanks."

Tuvok was on his feet by then and the small group gathered near the captain.

"What do you each remember?"

"Just a flash, like Chakotay said." B'Elanna spoke first. "Then I woke up here."

"Captain, if you don't mind my asking," Chakotay drew her attention, "why aren't we dead?

"Dead?" Paris seemed surprised. "The last thing I remember is running from the Vidiians after they overwhelmed us in a corridor."

"That flash must have been the self-destruct going off." The captain was certain of that much. "As for your question, Commander, I don't know."

"Perhaps I can help." A voice echoed through the cavern making them all look around for its source.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" The captain demanded.

"Why, Kathy. Don’t you remember me?" A form in a Starfleet uniform appeared. "I'm offended. And after all the trouble I went to by making this nice little home for you."

"What are you talking about, Q?" The captain recognized the face all too well.

"I brought you here, Kathy, you and all your crew… or what was left of it. Think of it as a 'thank you' for your help with Q."

"Where exactly is 'here'?" Chakotay demanded.

"Nowhere actually." Q was his usual uninformative self. "It's more like a 'when'. Think of it as a bubble in time that was formed when your ship exploded. The bubble exists in time for a mere nanosecond but inside the bubble, time seems to move forward at the same boring, pedantic rate you all know. I'd explain how I did it but you'd never appreciate the way I manipulated…"

"I still don't understand, Q. Perhaps if you started at the beginning." The captain cut off his explanation.

"The beginning?" Q sighed. "If you insist. In the beginning there was nothing except the Continuum containing the unimaginably wonderful Q and a minute particle…"

"I meant at the moment our ship exploded, the beginning of this… this bubble."

"Oh. Why didn’t you say so? You mortals can be so incredibly vague." Q looked vexed. "I created the bubble at the instant your ship exploded and brought all your crew here. A few of you were slightly the worse for wear after encounters with the Vidiians," Q eyed Paris and Tuvok pointedly, "but out of the kindness of my heart, I healed those injuries and brought them as well, not that they seem to appreciate my compassion."

"You said you brought all my crew." The captain looked around very deliberately. "I don't see them."

"Oh, you'll find them in several other caverns near here. Go outside or use the tunnels. It doesn't matter which." Q looked around the cavern and walked toward the entrance. "Come on. Don't you want to see where you're going to spend the rest of your puny lives? This bubble is really far too marvelous for you to fully appreciate. It seems almost a shame to waste it on you mere mortals."

The captain exchanged looks with her first officer then marched out of the cavern. Shielding her eyes from the light, she tried to locate Q. She found him several meters from the tunnel looking over a valley. She was standing on a rocky trail running along a wide ledge about thirty-five meters above a river. 

"It's quite pretty, isn't it?" Q seemed proud of his handiwork. The captain looked at the vista spread before her. She was on a trail running up a hillside from the valley below. The valley spread for four or five kilometers along the path of a river that flowed from the hillside. She looked to her left to trace the river's path upstream and saw a waterfall about half a kilometer away. Below the falls, the water collected in a small lake that was the source of the river. She turned back to study the valley in more detail. She estimated that it was about a kilometer wide at her end but spread out to a maximum of about three kilometers before narrowing again and the trees were all the bright colors of autumn.

"Yes, it is pretty," The captain answered. "What did you mean, 'the rest of your life'? And where's my crew?"

"Kathy, Kathy," Q reproved, "there's no rush. You aren't going anywhere."

"Explain that!" Chakotay demanded.

Q stared at Chakotay then spoke to the captain. "You really need to train him better, Kathy. His manners are deplorable. Now, where was I?" Q pretended to think. "Ah, yes. It's quite simple. You're all killed in the explosion. This is a bubble in time. If you leave this bubble, you're dead. If you stay, you'll live out the rest of what you call your 'natural' life."

"What about my crew?"

Q looked vexed. "I told you. They're in other caverns."

"Which other caverns?"

"The ones along the trail." Q clearly wasn't going to expand on the statement.

"Tell me more about this bubble, Q," 

Q seemed pleased. "It's actually quite wonderful. You have this valley, which I based on some from the North American continent on Earth. The plants are also mostly from Earth but I threw in a few from other worlds to make it more interesting.

"There are no higher order animals. Sorry, but that just wouldn't work." Q didn't look at all apologetic. "But I did include enough insects to keep the plants growing and multiplying."

"Food, Q. What about food?" The captain was concerned with survival.

"Well, let's see. There are any number of fruit and nut trees and quite a few edible plants." Q saw the growing frustration on the captain's face. "But I also provided you with enough food for one year and seeds to raise what you need for after that. Did I mention this place has seasons? Well, it does… and winter is coming soon." Q brightened. "You'll love this, Kathy. I even included a dozen coffee trees but you'll have to find them. Have fun with the hunt."

"What about clothing and shoes?" Chakotay earned another derisive look from Q.

"Good question. What about it, Q?" The captain cut off Q before he could comment.

"Shoes? You expect me to think of everything?" Q snapped his fingers in disgust. "All right. You now have clothing and shoes, even winter coats. Do you need a teddy bear, too, Chuckles?"

Q turned back to the captain. "Just to show you I'm a nice guy, I've included blankets and tools and a few items that will allow you to make your own clothing."

"Like what?" The captain was curious.

"Oh, cotton seeds, a cotton gin, a spinning wheel, a loom, a sewing machine and pages and pages and pages of instructions. Then there are hoes, shovels, picks, spades, hammers, saws, nails, all that sort of thing. And since I didn't include any animals, I gave you an added bonus – knitting needles and crochet needles and more yarn than you can use in a lifetime, or whatever lifetime you'll have here in my wonderful bubble."

"What about our children, Q? What happens to them?"

"You want a baby – with moi? Why, Kathy, I never knew. I'm impressed by your good judgment," Q eyed the captain from head to foot and back to her head, "but I don’t think so."

"My crew is young, Q. There are likely going to be children born here."

"No can do, Kathy. Remember, you're all dead… almost. No children." Q chuckled. "In fact, none of you will even age. You're stuck in time, so no babies, no aging. All you're getting is a chance to live out the years you would have had if you hadn't blown up your ship, Kathy."

"We won't age? Could you explain that?" Chakotay asked.

"What part of 'you won't age' is so confusing, Chuck? You. Won't. Age. You will always look the way you do now. You won't go bald, but you won't lose that gray hair either. Someday, you'll die. The others will know because you will just disappear."

"Disappear?" The captain sounded distressed.

"Yes. When you die, you will leave the bubble and disappear in the explosion that destroyed your ship. Neat and simple. No funerals for any of you. Just 'poof!"

"Why are you doing this, Q? Why not just allow us all die in the first place?" The captain asked.

"Believe it or not, Kathy, I like you. I liked the way you faced death. I even liked the way Chuckles here was right by your side when your ship blew up. He was almost noble in his loyalty." Q lowered his voice as he added. "That's a serious character flaw in your species, you know, nobility."

"Then why not send us back to Earth?"

"Earth?" Q laughed. "You weren't listening to me. I told you, this is a bubble out of time, not out of space. Besides, there's the matter of the other Voyager. Believe me, Kathy, it's much better this way."

The captain was incredibly frustrated as she glared at Q but he was too busy admiring his creation to notice.

"Where are all these promised supplies?" Chakotay brought them back to the present situation.

"In a cavern, of course. Do you think I'd put it all out in the weather?" Q took a quick breath. "That reminds me. I almost forgot. While you will have seasons, you won't have weather the way you know it. The bubble is just not big enough. Your only drinking water supply is the river. You'll have to irrigate your gardens and the fruit trees next year. Don't worry about the other plants; I've taken care of them, even the coffee trees. I've also included a few other little surprises for you."

Q looked around admiring his handiwork. "Take care of the bubble, Kathy. It's really quite marvelous. Well, time to visit Jean-Luc again. I have a rather interesting puzzle for him."

Q disappeared but a few seconds later his voice echoed back. "One more thing, Kathy. Do try to get a life. I mean, you're dead now. Don't you think it's time to live a little?"

The captain looked up and down the trail. "Which way should we look?"

"Knowing Q, the equipment and supplies would be farthest from where we will need them so I'd say 'up'."

"Paris, Torres, go down the trail and see if there are any caverns. Come find us once you know what's down there."

"What if we find the others?" Paris asked eyeing the narrow path.

The captain tapped her combadge. "Janeway to Chakotay." Silence. "I guess you'll have to send a few people up the trail to let us know you found them. If the supplies aren't with the crew, you'll have to send people to carry enough food back down tonight."

"Aye, Captain." Paris and Torres turned and started down the path.

The captain turned to Chakotay and Tuvok. "Gentlemen, shall we?" Silently the two men followed her up the trail.

They had been walking steadily for about fifteen minutes when the captain stopped and looked back along the trail. "Is it my imagination or does it seem like we've been walking on level ground?"

"I noticed the same thing, Captain." Chakotay responded.

"As have I, Captain."

"Perhaps this is one of the little surprises Q mentioned." Chakotay offered.

"Whatever the explanation, it makes climbing this hill a lot easier." The captain turned to continue walking. A few minutes later she stopped.

"What is it, Captain?" Tuvok was the first to reach her.

"Another cavern I think." The captain studied the opening for a moment then moved forward. "Well, Q said there are no animals here so it's probably safe enough. Let's go."

They entered the opening and followed a wide tunnel about ten meters to a large cavern. It was about twenty-five meters wide and twenty meters deep with two cracks in the ceiling where light shown down. Chakotay walked around the cavern to the right while Tuvok followed the wall to the left. A tunnel opened at the far corner of the cavern but it was too dark to explore more than a few meters. There was only one other exit and it led to a small alcove out of sight of the main cavern that was set up like a lavatory including a sink with water trickling out of an opening into a hollowed out area and draining back into the wall.

The captain studied the room. "Is this functional?"

Chakotay picked up a small rock and dropped it in the opening. A few seconds later, they heard a splash. "Sounds functional, Captain."

The captain looked around again before muttering, "Typical male. He forgot the toilet paper."

"Oops!" A voice echoed out of the air.

They all looked around trying to detect the source of the voice. Tuvok was the first to notice the slight change. "Captain, I believe that oversight has been corrected."

Sure enough, there was now small shelf with a roll of toilet paper sitting on it.

The captain sighed and walked back to the cavern and studied it. "This might make a good room for gathering together or even for eating. Let's get going. We still have to find the crew."

An hour later, the captain, Chakotay and Tuvok had explored half a dozen more caverns, all like the first except in size. All six were smaller, ranging from approximately fifteen meters square to about five meters square. They had not found any trace of supplies or the rest of the crew.

"Well, we need to find the others for the night." The captain acknowledged the fading light and started walking back down the trail. They were nearly to their starting point when they met Ayala and Paris heading toward them.

"Hi, Captain." Paris spoke first. "We found the others and the supplies."

"Well done. How far down the trail are they?"

"Well, most of the people are in a cavern about five hundred meters below the cavern where we woke up. The supplies are in a cavern at the base of the trail. We found other caverns but didn’t explore them once we saw they were empty."

"You said 'most' of the crew. Did you find the rest?" The captain zeroed in on the missing.

"They're fine, Captain. They were in another smaller cavern next to the one with the equipment." Paris sighed. "That cavern wasn’t very well organized. I have about half the crew sorting it all out and the rest moving most of the food to the largest cavern. I thought it could serve as a base for the next few days."

The captain nodded as she stepped around a rock on the trail. "A reasonable plan, Lieutenant. How's Sam Wildman?"

"Physically, she seems fine but she's terribly worried about her baby."

"I don't blame her. Was there any sign of the baby or Ensign Kim?"

"No, ma'am."

"Then they made it to the other ship and are safe. At least Sam will have that small comfort."

Chakotay changed the subject. "Have you noticed the sky, Captain? It's growing darker but whatever the source of light is, it hasn’t changed location. Our shadows are the same length as they were when we first arrived."

"It's more like being on a ship than a planet." Paris commented.

"Indeed. It is not unlike a large hydroponics bay." Tuvok extended the analogy.

"Whatever it is, we're stuck here. How much farther to the cavern?"

"We're almost there."

Five minutes later, Paris led the small group off on a side trail about five meters into a short tunnel. They emerged in a large cavern with three small gaps in the ceiling that allowed a bit of the fading light to trickle down on the people working.

"Hey, Joe, what's all this?" Paris called across the room to Joe Carey.

"We found a bunch of tables and chairs in the middle of all that equipment. Since the food was being moved up here, we figured we'd set up this cavern like a mess hall until we come up with a better idea. We've put the food at one end on a couple of tables."

"Good." The captain's praise was brief. "Where's Lieutenant Torres?"

"She's in the next cavern up with a group who are moving the blankets, sheets, pillows and towels."

"Captain," Chakotay interrupted the captain's questions, "it might be a good idea to eat now and get settled in the other cavern for the night before it's completely dark. We can't be sure we'll have any light once our 'sun' goes down."

The captain sighed in frustration. "You're right. We can talk later in the dark. "Tuvok, go with Ayala to the group in the supply cavern and bring everyone back here for dinner. If anything more needs to come up to the group in the other cavern, have them bring it with them. We'll finish sorting out the supplies tomorrow."

"Aye, Captain." Tuvok nodded to Ayala to lead the way.

The captain turned back to the group in the room. "Well, Tom, it looks like you did a good job getting this organized."

"I wish I could take credit for it, ma'am, but most of the credit should go to B'Elanna and Joe. She's used to running engineering with his help and this was just another engineering project for them."

"Don't sell yourself short, Tom," commented the captain. "A good leader knows when to let an expert take over a project."

"And when to take control back?" Chakotay smiled at the captain.

"Exactly, Commander." The look she gave her first officer had a hint of humor in it.

Thirty minutes later, most of the crew were eating and chatting as they did at the end of most duty shifts. The only difference was that this time, they were all gathered rather than just those going off duty. The captain had asked her senior staff and a few others to sit at her table so they could update her.

"Kes, are there any injured?"

"No, Captain. Even those who had been injured after the Vidiians boarded Voyager have no injuries, not even a bruise or scratch."

"Another of Q's little surprises," The captain said under her breath.

"Excuse me, Captain," Neelix spoke up, "but I haven't been able to find any leola root among our supplies. What are we going to do?"

"Grin and bear it, Neelix. We all have to make sacrifices from time to time. We'll survive somehow." The captain moved on. "B'Elanna, what kind of supplies did you find?"

"So far we've found just about everything Q mentioned except gardening tools but there is still an entire corner we haven't sorted through. We should be able to finish that in the morning. The clothing is in stacks and seems to be arranged randomly. There are shoes and boots stuck in odd places among the rest of the supplies. We found a few things Q didn’t mention like cooking pots and pans. There are also a lot of books with instructions to operate some of the equipment, building ovens and cabins, horticulture, things like that."

"Books?" The captain seemed surprised. "We don't have padds?"

"No, Captain, no electronics of any sort."

"Joe, how extensively have you explored this cavern?" The captain nodded at the tunnels.

"There are two tunnels leading out of here other than the one to the trail. There are also three smaller side caverns set up as lavatories. We couldn’t see more than ten meters down the tunnels so we don't know where they lead."

"That's the same set up we found in the upper caverns, Captain. Q did imply the tunnels connect the caverns."

"Make exploring those tunnels a priority in the morning, Chakotay."

"We're going to need some type of lighting."

"B'Elanna? Joe?" The captain turned to her supplies experts.

Both shook their heads. "Sorry, Captain. We haven't found anything like that yet."

"Not even something to start a fire for torches?"

"No."

"All right. Chakotay, I guess you get to start a fire before you can explore the tunnels." Chakotay practically groaned as the captain finished speaking. "Is something the matter, Commander?"

"I'm no good at starting fires." Chakotay admitted. "But I'll ask around; we'll figure something out."

Ayala walked over to the table. "Excuse me, Captain. I thought I'd better remind you how dark it is. In another ten or fifteen minutes we won't be able to see the trail to walk to the other cavern."

The captain looked at her first officer as she stood up. "Another reason to get some torches made, Commander."

"Yes, Captain." Chakotay agreed.

"OK, Lieutenant," the captain said as she turned to Torres, "lead the way. Let's see what you came up with for all of us. Ayala and Carey, get everyone else moving and make sure they all come."

The senior staff, followed by the rest of the crew, made their way along the nearly dark trail to the next cavern. Although it was hard to see, the captain was impressed when she saw how B'Elanna Torres had set up the sleeping arrangements. Sheets were spread along the full length of the longest walls and in two double rows between the two rows. A narrow aisle ran along the wall of the cavern to the right while three aisles ran the length of the cavern. The sheets nearest the narrow aisle were stacked high with blankets and pillows. The captain could see two tunnels leading off the main cavern.

"How did you plan to handle sleeping assignments?"

"I didn't. I thought if everyone just took a pillow and a blanket, everyone could find their own spot."

"I'm impressed, Lieutenant." The captain complimented her chief engineer.

"Don't be too impressed yet, Captain. It's going to be a very friendly night for all of us."

"Are there lavs here, too?"

"Yes, two are off that tunnel to the right. We didn't explore more than a few meters into the other tunnel."

"I want a few people from security by the entrance and that tunnel, but that sounds fine to me." The captain stepped farther along the narrow aisle. "It's your plan, Lieutenant, carry it out."

Torres quickly called for a few of those who had been helping her earlier to assist, then started giving instructions to the others as they entered the cavern. Tuvok remained by the door instructing various members of security where to sleep. The rest of the senior staff moved along the narrow aisle to the left and watched as the crew settled down for the night. By some unspoken agreement, the area near the entrance was left for the senior officers. 

As the last of the crew entered, voices were raised as friends tried to locate each other in the dimming light. Torres had been correct – it was crowded but everyone seemed to be taking it well. Most were gathered in the same groups as in the mess hall and still talking.

"You aren't going to make them all go to sleep yet, are you, Captain?" Chakotay asked.

"I hadn't thought about it. I don't suppose there's any reason they can't talk all night as long as they can work tomorrow. Would you mind making sure they all understand that?"

Chakotay nodded and moved off to check that each group was settled as comfortably as possible. When he returned to the entrance, he stopped to pick up pillows and blankets. Something on top of the stack caught his eye.

"What is that, Paris?"

Paris looked up and smiled. He hurried over to Chakotay and picked up the offending object. "I think this is for you, Commander." Tom held out a large teddy bear.

Chakotay could feel the eyes of half the crew on him. He studied the bear carefully. "I guess he's the spirit guide for this cavern, Paris. Put him at the entrance to stand watch."

With as much dignity as he could muster, Chakotay carried the blankets and pillows to where the captain was watching with a grin on her face.

"Where do you want to sleep, Captain?"

"Anywhere around here is fine." She couldn't resist adding, "I'm sure there's room for the bear."

Chakotay ignored the comment and giggles from those who overhead the captain as he put the pillows and blankets at the end of the sheet and joined Tom, Joe and B'Elanna who were a meter or so down the aisle. "Mind a little company?"

"Don't be silly, Chakotay. Tell us what you found up the trail."

Chakotay started describing the caverns they had found. A few others joined the group as he spoke, including the captain. When he finished, the talk turned to finding a larger cavern for sleeping.

"Maybe that large cavern you found would be better." Carey suggested.

"Why do we all have to sleep in the same cavern?" Paris asked. "I don't mind this for a few nights, but I sure don't think I want to be with everyone all night, every night."

"I agree." Torres inserted. "Maybe we can just spread out a bit more. There are those smaller caverns on the other side of the mess hall and the one where you woke up, Chakotay."

"I'd like to use that one as our command area but there's no reason some of us can't use it to sleep as well. I'd like to keep the mess hall strictly for recreational purposes for now, not that there's that much room in there. Let's plan on the senior staff and a few other senior officers moving to the command cavern tomorrow."

"What about the smaller caverns down the trail?" Chakotay asked.

"I'd like to see them and the cavern with the equipment first."

The conversation continued as the group planned the tasks for the next day. After about an hour, movement to and from the lavs slowed and the conversations faded as people went to sleep. When Paris had to stifle a third tremendous yawn, the captain smiled, "I guess Tom needs his beauty sleep. We can continue this in the morning."

Laughing at Tom's expense, the group broke up and began to arrange their blankets and pillows. The captain was among the last to make her way to the lav area and when she returned, she walked out the tunnel to the trail. 

Chakotay saw her leave and followed. He found her standing on the trail staring at a sky filled with thousands of tiny lights. They were arranged in rows and there was no twinkle to them but they did provide enough light to see.

"Yes, Chakotay?" The captain asked without turning around.

"Just making sure you're all right, Kathryn."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, I don't know." Chakotay kept his voice light in contrast to his words. "Maybe because you blew up your ship today."

"It's not everyday a captain blows up her ship with the crew on board, is it?" Kathryn mused. "Or has to face that crew after the destruction."

"You're probably the first captain who has had that challenge. I think you met it with exceptional dignity."

"This is still the first day. None of this is real to us yet. The finality of being here and having nothing change isn't real yet. My crew, the one that I should have killed when I blew up Voyager, still doesn't quite believe what's happened. It will be a few days before they are over the shock. That's when I'll have to face them – when the shock and hurt and anger surface."

"That's when we'll face them."

"I made the decision."

"I agreed with it. I didn't try to stop you."

Kathryn looked at Chakotay and studied his face in the dim light. Only a little over a year ago, he had been her enemy. Now he was her friend. He met her eyes and she saw something more in their depths, something she had ignored. She pushed it aside.

"I promised I'd get them home."

"You made sure at least one Voyager had a chance to get her crew home. Trust your other self to carry out that promise. You sent Harry and the baby with that other ship to give them a chance with the rest." Chakotay's voice was gentle. "Our journey ended so theirs could continue."

"That's the problem. It didn’t end."

"The journey ended but our lives haven't." Chakotay paused briefly. "How do you want the crew to react to all this? Do you want them wallowing in guilt that they aren't dead? Do you want them to be resentful of those on the ship that is making its way back to the Alpha Quadrant? Or would you rather see them building new lives here and finding whatever happiness they can?"

"I want them to build new lives."

"Then that's what you have to do for yourself. You can't expect it of them if you aren't willing to do it for yourself."

"Yes, I can. I'm the captain."

"With all due respect, the captain of what?" Kathryn flinched before she turned her head down and felt her control slipping. "Let it out, Kathryn. Let it go."

The tears slipped out slowly at first, then faster. Kathryn felt strong arms around her shoulders. As the tears slowed, Chakotay spoke. "I'll answer that question now. You're the captain of this crew. They look to you for leadership. You got through today by following routine and years of habit. Tomorrow, you need to be doing it because it's what you know is best for yourself and your crew."

Kathryn relaxed a little. "You won't let me do any less, will you?"

"No. It's my job to look out for the captain." Chakotay stared at her until she met his eyes. "Someday, I hope it will be my privilege and pleasure to look out for Kathryn."

Kathryn was glad of the dim light so he couldn't see her reaction. She became aware that she was still standing in his arms and felt her flush deepen as she looked away. She felt a soft chuckle rumble through him. "Someday, Kathryn, but not today." He dropped his arms. "Now, we'd better get back. Tuvok will be debating whether to send out a security detail to rescue us."

Ayala was leaning against the cavern wall near the tunnel trying to stay awake. He'd been the only one on guard for the last two hours and would be on guard until the next morning. He rubbed his eyes. He had learned one thing in the last two hours -- It was a lot easier to stand watch when he wasn't surrounded by a hundred or so sleeping people. He shifted trying to get a bit more comfortable.

A short while later a form stirred and finally stood up. He expected the person to cross the tunnel to the lavs but they headed for the exit. Quietly Ayala stood and followed the person out of the cavern. When he reached the trail, he couldn't see them even though it was slightly brighter than inside the cavern. While he was debating which direction to try, he heard a sound off to his left. He looked toward the noise and only then did he make out the huddled figure near the rocks.

As he approached the figure, Ayala realized the person was shaking but not from the cold. The huddled form shook as quiet sobs spoke of some loss. Ayala stooped down and wrapped his arm around the person's shoulder. The person turned to the offered comfort without resistance, grasping at him, desperate for comfort to ease the pain.

Now Ayala could see the color and length of hair and a blue uniform in the dim starlight. He knew it had to be Sam Wildman.

"Shhhh." Slowly Ayala rocked her. He stroked her back gently and let her cry. 

Eventually the sobs faded and stopped. When she tried to pull away, he let her move away slightly but kept his arm around her.

"I didn't mean to wake you." For the first time she looked up to see who had followed her out to the trail. Sam Wildman seemed surprised to see Ayala. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I didn't want to bother anyone."

"It was no bother and I think you needed someone."

"Maybe I did." The young ensign acknowledged. "Thank you."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ayala asked gently.

"I miss my baby. It's not so bad when I have something to do, but she was all I could think about tonight."

"I know. It's hard losing a child."

"You know?" Surprise and compassion found their way to Sam's voice.

"My wife and I lost our first child when he was four months old. We woke up one morning and he was lying peacefully in his crib not breathing. Our baby was dead and we had no explanation, no warning. It hurt."

"Does it ever stop hurting?"

"No, but you learn to live with the hurt and you learn to smile and love again without the guilt."

Sam Wildman shook her head and shivered but made no comment.

"It's cold out here. Let's get you inside. Do you think you can sleep now or would you rather sit up with me while I stand guard?"

"I think I'd rather sit up with you if you don't mind."

They quietly returned to the cavern. Without asking, Ayala picked up Sam's blanket and pillow and carried them to his assigned station with them. He made sure the blanket covered Sam as they settled back against the rock wall. When the sky started to lighten Sam was leaning against him sleeping peacefully. He studied her face and decided he liked what he saw before he leaned back against the cavern wall.

He roused when he saw the captain get up and leave the cavern followed only moments later by the first officer. He didn't think either had noticed Sam sleeping next to him. Fifteen or twenty minutes later, when others started waking up, he gently touched Sam's cheek.

"Wake up, Ensign. It's morning?"

"What?" Sam was slow to wake fully.

"Shhhh. Don't wake the others."

Sam lifted her head and looked around. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on your shoulder."

"That's your shoulder now. Anytime you need a place to cry or sleep just let me know."

Sam blushed at the offer and gentle teasing. "I'll try not to make it a habit."

"Don't worry about it. It's there when you need it." 

"I'd better get going. I promised to help with breakfast."

Ayala stood and then reached to pull Sam to her feet. He watched her as she crossed the cavern.

That morning found the captain and first officer eating alone in the mess hall an hour before most of the crew awoke.

"We're going to need fresh water in here and soon. We can't keep carrying water up from the river indefinitely." Chakotay broached a new subject.

"Agreed." The captain sighed. "Q has curious ideas about what is necessary and what isn't."

"Cheer up, at least there are coffee trees out there."

The captain smiled. "You're right. We need to look on the bright side. We have water. We have pipe. We can get the water where we want it." A thought occurred to her. "We do have enough pipe, don't we?"

"I didn't measure how many meters we have, but I'm sure even Q would provide enough to run from the river to the caverns. He also told us we'd have to irrigate the fields and that's going to take a lot. I'm more concerned about how we'll store the water here in the cavern. There weren't any large containers."

"We have no plates, no glasses, no silverware. We've been using the containers from the ration packs but they won't last forever. We'll need to make them ourselves. Then we'll need a place to wash them." The captain took a deep breath determined to take things one at a time. "Let's get a group working on getting water to the cavern. We'll figure out what to do with it later."

"Anyone in particular you want me to assign to that?"

"No."

"Then I think I'll put Vorik in charge of about half a dozen of the maintenance personnel."

"Good. Now, how many people do you want to explore the tunnels?"

"Truthfully, I'd rather wait to start that until we've finished a rough inventory of all the supplies. There might be some sort of lighting that will save us the trouble of devising torches."

"You really don't want to deal with a fire, do you?"

"I told you I was no good at it." Chakotay grinned ruefully. "But I really think it would be better to check out the supplies first."

"You just want to see what we have."

Chakotay grinned. "Guilty as charged."

"All right. You can start the exploration after lunch. The captain smiled and rubbed her arms with her hands. "Is it my imagination, or is it cooler today than yesterday?"

"I don't think it's your imagination even if it's still early morning."

"Morning, Captain, Commander." Tom Paris called from the entrance. He walked across to investigate the choices for breakfast followed by Joe Carey and Tuvok. "Not much of a choice."

"It's what's left from last night." Chakotay offered. "Carey, you and Paris might want to get out something more appropriate for breakfast before the others arrive."

"Yes, Sir." Paris and Carey moved off to a stack of supplies in a corner while Tuvok walked over to join the command team.

"Sit down, Lieutenant." The captain instructed. "We were just discussing what we wanted to accomplish today. I'm going to need your help."

"Indeed?" Tuvok's eyebrow went up. "Security does not seem to be a major concern in our 'bubble'."

"I don't need your advice about security. I need your experience doing reconnaissance. I want you to take a team and explore the valley, find the best place to plant crops in the spring. See if there are any likely places to build housing.

"We may have enough room to house everyone in the caverns, but I doubt everyone on the crew is going to want to spend the rest of their lives at an oversized slumber party. We may never see a child born here, but I'm sure a good portion of the crew is going to want their own private space at some point."

"I understand, Captain." Tuvok nodded.

"Q mentioned fruit trees and nuts. It looks like fall, so you might find quite a few kinds of fruit to add to our menu. You might also keep an eye out for those coffee trees Q mentioned. If the beans are ripe, I'm sure I can find a way to roast and grind them for the coming winter." Chakotay's comment and grin brought a smile to the faces of most of his listeners and a glare from one in particular.

"Your suggestion has merit, Commander." Tuvok turned to the captain. "With your permission, I will include someone from Stellar Cartography to make a map provided we can find some way to make one."

"Lieutenant Carey, could you join us please?" The first officer called over their expert on supplies. "And bring your breakfast with you."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Did you find any paper or pens among the supplies?"

"No, but we found at least a thousand sheets of plastic and several types of markers in various colors. I believe they can be used to record information."

"That should do." The captain turned to Tuvok. "Will you need anything else, Lieutenant?"

"Are there any shoulder pouches to collect samples or carry the plastic sheets and markers?"

"Quite a few of various sizes."

"That will suffice." Tuvok turned to the captain. "A botanist should be included on the survey team."

"Good idea. Assemble your team and leave as soon as you've all eaten. Take something for lunch in case you don't find any of those fruit trees."

"Aye, Captain." Tuvok stood and went to get his breakfast and select his survey team.

The first officer eyed Joe Carey as he ate his breakfast making the engineer quite nervous. "Is something wrong, Commander?"

"No, Lieutenant. I believe the captain is ready to inspect the supply room."

Carey took the hint and swallowed the last of his meal in a gulp. "I'd be happy to give you a report on what we've found so far, Captain."

"Let's go then, Lieutenant. We have a lot to do today." The captain stood and motioned for Carey to lead the way.

Vorik and his team had made the long climb up the trail to find a place where the river was higher than the cavern where they had been eating. They had brought three lengths of pipe with them.

"This should be sufficiently elevated to allow the water to run easily to the cavern." Vorik finally said the words the others had been hoping to hear for the last fifteen minutes. "Place the first pipe here," Vorik indicated a spot where the river was moving quickly. "We need to confirm that the water will enter the pipe properly with no additional equipment."

Jackson and Billows stepped forward and pushed one end of the pipe into the running water. Everyone looked at the other end of the pipe expecting to see water come out. Nothing happened. They shifted the pipe a bit but still nothing happened.

"Ensign, there's something funny about this pipe." Billows spoke. "It's almost like it won't let the water in."

"Curious." Vorik walked over to inspect the end of the pipe that was protruding into the water.

As he was studying the end of the pipe, Jackson spoke up. "Maybe the pipe is one way. There's an arrow on the side."

"Reverse the pipe." Vorik instructed. Testing a theory was, after all, eminently logical, even if the theory was not.

Jackson's simple theory was quickly proven as the water rushed out the far end of the pipe. The speed of the water drew Vorik's attention. The water exiting the pipe was moving quickly, too quickly. Testing his own theory, he walked to the other end of the pipe and motioned for Billows to slowly raise the end. The water continued to flow. Vorik reached out to the valve at the end of the pipe and turned it. The water stopped.

"Efficient and effective." Vorik opened the valve and the water started spraying out again. He nodded slightly. "Immerse one end of that pipe in the water keeping it vertical." Vorik spoke to Matthews.

Eyeing Vorik a bit skeptically, Matthews did as instructed. As soon as the end of the pipe was under the water, water started spraying from the top in a small fountain. 

"It appears we have made the journey up the trail for no reason. If the pipes act as pumps, we can access the river at its closest point to the cavern." Vorik studied their location. The group was on the trail near the highest cavern. "We'll install these pipes here. At some point, they may prove useful for the higher caverns."

The group quickly connected the pipes they had and turned the valve to the 'off' position. Then they made the trek back to the caverns to start their project again.

Three hours later, the captain was still amazed by the quantity and variety of supplies and equipment in the cavern. All of it was manually operated; nothing required any power source.

"I still don't understand why we have only one of so many things that we really need at least a dozen of each," commented Joe Carey motioning to the wall where gardening and agricultural tools hung in a neat row. "What if we break a handle on something?"

"We can probably replace the handles but without anyway to process metal, we won't be able to repair the metal portions if they're damaged." Chakotay responded.

"Maybe they're more durable than they seem." The captain was not about to accept defeat so early in the day. "Grab a hoe and let's examine it."

Carey was the nearest to the wall so he walked over and took a hoe off its peg. He had almost turned back toward the captain when he noticed something. "Captain, you'd better see this."

The captain and first officer walked over to Carey focused on the hoe he held.

"Not this, Captain, that." Carey pointed to the wall where another hoe hung.

"I thought you said we only had one of each item."

"There was only one when I took this down. Then that second one was just… there."

Chakotay walked over to the shovel and took it off the hook. As soon as it was removed, another shovel appeared in its place. The captain reached out and pulled the trowel off its hook but held it almost in place. Nothing happened until she moved it away from the hook, then a second one appeared. She reached out and took the second one and a third appeared. Quickly she passed one to Chakotay and took the third only to see a fourth appear.

"It appears that we've found another of Q's little surprises. I wonder what we're supposed to do with them after we take them."

Chakotay grinned at her briefly. "Maybe we just put them back." He reached out with the trowel he held to return it to the hook. As soon as it touched the hook, the one already there disappeared making room for the one he held. "That's a weird but efficient way to store equipment."

"Very efficient," commented the captain as she returned the trowels to the hook. "We might have an unending supply or we might have only a few. Make sure everyone treats anything like it's the only one we have."

Carey nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

They turned back to the larger items. "Joe, if we moved all the seeds, food and smaller items, would there be room in here to operate everything?"

"I think so, Captain. I think having sufficient light will be more of a problem."

"I'm beginning to realize how much I took some things for granted." The captain sighed as she looked at Chakotay.

He acknowledged her look. "I'll add this to the list of things that need an additional light source."

B'Elanna Torres walked into the cavern and announced, "Hey, folks, we have lunch ready in the mess hall."

The captain saw her and a slight smile crossed her face. "B'Elanna, I need to talk to you." The captain walked toward the entrance and turned B'Elanna to walk beside her. She put her arm across the younger woman's shoulders as they walked back to the mess hall. "You're the best engineer I've ever met. I have a new project for you."

"Oh?" Torres sounded curious but suspicious. "What kind of project?"

"Well, we have a lot of new equipment to learn how to operate. You're just the person for the job."

"Which equipment?"

"The spinning wheel, loom, sewing machine, that equipment."

"Oh, no, Captain." Torres protested. "Give me a hammer and some nails and I'll build you whatever you want but I am not the right person to spin and weave."

"I don't want you to spin and weave. I want you to figure out how those things work and train people who are willing to learn how to operate them. Then you can train others how to maintain them properly and make repairs."

Torres looked at the captain. "I don't have to operate them?"

"Not unless you want to. I just need someone to become an expert on how to operate them and maintain them."

"All right." Torres yielded. "Who's going to be assigned to actually operate the equipment?"

"I'd rather find volunteers but if we can't, I'll assign people. Start a couple of lists for anyone with any experience with any of this. I'll use those lists to make assignments. Make sure you include skills like sewing, knitting and crocheting."

They entered the mess hall and stopped walking. "Coordinate with Joe Carey how you want it all arranged." The captain looked around the room. "Chakotay and I will decide where to move all the other items and let Joe know."

"Yes, Captain."

As Torres left, Chakotay walked up to the captain carrying two trays. "Care to join me, Captain?"

She smiled at him. "Yes. We need to decide where to put all those other supplies."

"It makes sense to move the food in here." Chakotay placed the trays on a table as he spoke. "I wish we knew what to expect of the coming winter. If we could be sure we could access all the caverns easily, we could move things up to one of the smaller ones. We won't need the seeds until spring and I'm sure there are other things we won't need for a while."

"Let's plan on a typical Indiana winter and hope it's not too far off."

"Indiana?" The dimples appeared.

"You have a problem with Indiana?" The captain's glare was more of a smile.

"Not at all. I was just thinking that expecting it to be a bit colder might be wiser."

"All right, a cold Indiana winter." The captain considered possibilities. "Didn't Q imply we'd have no rain? I wonder if we'll have snow."

"I think he said we wouldn't have weather as we knew it. That could mean anything."

"He also told us we could access the caverns using the tunnels. Until we learn otherwise, let's operate on that assumption. Let's move the seeds and whatever else we won't need up to one of the small caverns. I want us to spread out the sleeping arrangements, too. Let's send about half the crew up to that larger cavern we found. The extra clothing, blankets and similar items can be split between the two groups."

"You mentioned using that small cavern as a base of operations. Are you going to have a few people move in there?"

"I think so. For now, let's get the senior staff in there. We'll need a table. Have them set up that small cavern next to the equipment room as a briefing room – tables, chairs. Maybe a few places to sleep."

"We should have brought one of those plastic sheets and a marker to make notes." Chakotay grinned. "I'll get on that as soon as I've figured out how to light up those tunnels."

Paris walked up to the command team carrying a tray. "Mind if I join you, Captain? Commander?"

Both senior officers looked up at the intrusion.

"I have some new information to report."

"All right, Paris, sit down." Chakotay offered.

"What did you find, Tom?" The captain was curious.

"I was in the tunnel off to the right a little while ago. You can see quite a ways in right now. Anyway, I noticed something on the wall so I pulled on it. It pulled out of an opening and as soon as I turned it upright, it lit up."

"A torch?" The captain was surprised and hopeful.

"No, not a torch. But it sure puts out the light. Anyway, I took it with me and about fifteen meters farther I found another one. I pulled it out and it lit up. I didn't need two, so I put it back and it went out. I didn’t go much farther but they seem to be spaced about every fifteen meters."

"Any idea how long they'll stay lit?" Chakotay asked.

"No, sir. I put the first one back where I found it when I came back. I figured I'd better tell you and let you decide what to do."

"Well done, Tom." The captain suppressed a smile. "I'm sure the commander can put your discovery to good use. Sit down. I have some things for you to do this afternoon."

"Let me get my lunch." Paris reconsidered, "if that's all right?"

The captain glanced at the line and saw Joe Carey, "Tell Joe Carey to join us and to bring his lunch when you get yours."

Paris moved off to convey the message leaving the command team a moment alone.

"Lucky for you that Tom found those torches."

Chakotay ignored her teasing. "I'll be able to explore those tunnels right after lunch now. It's too bad you're going to be busy organizing all those supplies this afternoon."

"Don't get your hopes up, Chakotay. I'm going to do what you're always telling me to do – delegate. That's why I want to talk to Tom and Joe. They can handle the transfer of people and supplies." She allowed a real smile to brighten her face briefly for the first time in several days. "I'll be observing how you handle an exploration."

"Can't stand not knowing what's going on?" Chakotay commented as Paris and Carey walked up with their trays.

"Sit down, gentlemen. There are a few things I want you to do this afternoon."

Twenty minutes later, the captain leaned back. "Any questions?"

"No." Paris spoke first.

"I have one, Captain." Carey sounded a bit hesitant. "You mentioned fruit trees earlier and I know Tuvok is out investigating the valley. What are we going to do with the fruit if they find any?"

"Good question." The captain looked at Chakotay for input.

"It depends on what they find. If they find apples, we can store them in a cool, dry environment for at least a few months. They won't look as nice or be as good as when first picked, but they will be edible. Other fruits won't last as long.

"Either way, it will all last longer if it's stored so the air can circulate around it. Shallow bins or shelves would work."

"We found some shelves that I thought were intended for tools, but they should work for fruit." Carey offered. "I was going to use it to sort the other food but I'll wait until we know whether we need them for fruit. Either way, I'll set them up in here. What about all the other things we might need?"

"If B'Elanna can work around it, leave it where it is for now. If she needs the space, then put things either in here or in the small cavern we're setting up for meetings. We can move it someplace more permanent later."

"Yes, Captain." Carey nodded and stood. "I'd better get going. Maybe we can finish this by evening."

The captain watched Paris and Carey for a minute before turning back to Chakotay. "Ready to explore some caves, Commander?"

He nodded and stood. "Whenever you are, Captain"

"Where do you suggest we start?"

"Well, the equipment room is at one end of the trail. We may as well work our way from there. We can pick up some of those plastic sheets and markers and start working on a map." Chakotay glanced around the room. "There's Megan Delaney. Why don't we include her to do the mapping?"

"Good idea. Who else should we take along?"

"I don't think it matters. Tom and Joe have most of the engineering department busy just from habit. It's probably better to let them continue to work together for a day or two. Anyone from the science departments and security would be useful."

The captain nodded and slapped her combadge. Nothing happened. She sighed and shook her head as she remembered their technology no longer functioned. "I'll go get Jenny Delaney and I think Sam Wildman. You find a few more and we'll meet in the equipment room in ten minutes."

"Yes, Captain."

Fifteen minutes later, the captain had finished outlining the procedures they would be following in the tunnels. Most of the group carried shoulder pouches, about half had the clear sheets and markers, and the rest would be using them to carry anything of interest they might find.

"Commander, you can have the honor of finding the first torch for us."

"Aye, Captain." 

Chakotay made his way down the tunnel leading from the equipment room. It was dark and he almost passed the torch because it was only about three meters from the cavern. He pulled it out and put the base back in the slot. The others joined him almost immediately and Murphy moved past the torch toward the second one. As soon as he had it 'on', the rest moved to join him. They waited while Telfer found the third torch. Now came the critical test.

"Turn this one off, Murphy." Chakotay instructed.

Murphy returned the second torch to its original position and it immediately went "off". It wasn't particularly bright, but the two torches provided enough light for the group to move safely along the tunnel.

"Until we know more about these torches, we'll try to limit the number that are lit." The captain instructed as she handed one to Ayala. "Take this to Torres. I want to know how it works, what kind of power source it has and how long it will stay lit. Then get back to us on the double."

The group continued along the tunnel with one person moving ahead to turn on the torches and the rest following. After what they thought was several hundred meters, Murphy spoke. "Captain, I think I can see some light up ahead."

The group continued past four more torches before the captain instructed them to leave them unlit.

Murphy was the first to walk out of the tunnel. He stopped and stared making the others wonder what he was seeing. They joined him quickly and looked up. It was beautiful.

"Would you call this a cavern or a canyon?" Telfer spoke more to himself than to others.

"It's a canyon. See the opening in the rocks above us?" Sam Wildman spoke for the first time.

"You're right, Ensign. It's a canyon," the captain agreed, "but you have to agree it feels almost like a cavern."

"Whatever it is, it's beautiful." Chakotay commented as he stared at the long canyon.

They had emerged on a trail that led along a ridge running the length of the canyon. Ahead of them, the land sloped down to a river. Across the river, the soil appeared to be a sandy beach that ended at a sheer rock wall. The distance from the far wall to the tunnel entrance varied but seemed to be between half a kilometer and a kilometer the length of the canyon. Looking down the river to their left, they could see it curve toward the far wall and disappear. Upriver they could see what appeared to be multiple small cascades and a few rapids. The canyon walls curved up and around toward each other, nearly meeting. The entire area was lit but had a feel of being enclosed. The only vegetation was short grass growing between the trail on the ridge and the river. They could see at least two trails leading from the main trail down to one running along the river, one to their left and another to their right.

The captain studied the scene below her for several minutes before something occurred to her. "Didn't Q say our only source of drinking water was the other river?"

"I'd say they were the same river but this one seems to head away from the other one."

The captain was torn between exploring the tunnels and investigating the river. "Well, that mystery will have to wait a while. We need to find out more about these tunnels first." She nodded for Chakotay to lead the way to their right. "Let's go."

The group walked for about five minutes before they found another trail that led to another tunnel entrance. Ahead of them, they could see another trail leading to a third tunnel. The captain debated briefly whether to keep the group together but decided against it. "Chakotay, take Murphy and Telfer and check out this tunnel. The rest of us will see where that third tunnel leads. Let's hope we meet up in the tunnels."

"Aye, Captain." Chakotay turned to the two men. "Telfer, you make notes for the maps. Let's go."

The captain watched the three until they disappeared inside the tunnel. "Let's go people."