Uncle Garak!
Word had spread around Voyager about the findings of the investigation into the attempt on Garak. It also became general knowledge that Garak was still unconscious.
Those who knew the truth about Garak actually being conscious were the senior staff, Nog and Lt Ayala. Both Chakotay and Tuvok felt that involving a former Maquis would be a good idea. It was Garak who suggested Ayala.
From the beginning Ayala had shown respect towards Garak. Garak at one stage asked Ayala why. The response was that he respected Kathryn and if she considered Garak as a friend that was good enough for him. Because of this, Garak took a special interested in Ayala and had started to train him with some secrets of the Obsidian order for security purposes.
The trap was set, all that was left to do was wait. As Garak predicated it wasn't long before Seska made her move.
Later in the day, when sickbay was empty, a figure made its way towards the biobed that a body was laying on and stared at the body for a moment. The figure then went towards the Doctor's instruments and picked a hypospray and filled it with the contents of a vial that they pulled out of their pocket. The figure then walked towards the biobed and moved to inject the body with the contents of the hypospray.
"Once you taught me that I must always see my victims as prey. For the first time, I don't even have to try. You have always been my prey," said Seska.
At this moment, the Doctor and Ayala walked out of the Doctor's office, Tuvok and Tom walked through the doors of sickbay. Each of them, except the Doctor, had a phaser aimed at Seska. Chakotay and Michelle walked in behind Tuvok and Tom.
"Seska, it is so nice of you to come and visit me," said Garak. "But as you can see, I'm not without friends!"
"Ensign Seska, put the hypospray down and step away from the biobed," said Michelle.
"I don't think so Captain. He's Cardassian, he is responsible for all that the Maquis was fighting for. He doesn't deserve to be a part of this ship," said Seska. Then turning to Ayala, she said, "I can't believe that you are protecting him, after everything that his people did to your family."
Ayala lowered his weapon and moved towards Seska saying, "You're right, he is Cardassian and his people did some horrible things to many of my family and friends." Seska felt that Ayala had joined her side so she focused on everyone else in the room.
Chakotay and Tuvok had hoped that Seska wouldn't expect Ayala to betray her and when Alya was standing behind Seska with his phaser aimed at her heart, they knew that they were right.
"But he is a Cardassian who didn't participate in the destruction of my homeworld. You on the other hand, did."
Seska turned around and saw Ayala with his phaser aimed directly at her and realised her mistake. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not Cardassian."
At this point the doctor moved forward and scanned Seska and said, "Hmmmm….interesting." He then took a sample of Seska's blood and walked over to his work station and began his analysis.
Seska was now furious, "What is the meaning of this? Why am I being treated like a criminal?" said Seska. No one answered her.
After a moment, the Doctor turned from his work station and said, "Captain, it appears that the sample reading which I had on file for Ensign Seska wasn't Ensign Seska's. Her blood characteristics shown that Ensign Seska is in fact a Caradassian."
Seska laughed and said, "There is a reason for that……"
"Save it my dear. I've already told them the cover story and the good Doctor has confirmed that it's impossible. The game is over," said Garak.
A feral look could be seen in Seska's eyes. "That's what you think! Computer Command Seska 301." Seska disappeared.
"Attention all security personnel, Ensign Seska is wanted for questioning. Apprehend her," said Michelle.
Tuvok and Ayala began to head out of sickbay to find Seska. "Thank you gentlemen for your help," said Garak as they left. Ayala turned around and said, "Garak, anytime!"
Chakotay walked over to Garak and extended his hand and said, "Garak my apologies for not believing you."
Garak shook Chakotay's hand and said, "Don't worry about it Commander. I was the one who trained her. I know how convincing she can be."
Seska manage to transport herself to the shuttle bay 2 where she began to override the security protocols so she could fly one of the shuttles away from Voyager.
When she used the command to transport her to the shuttle bay it also disabled the scanners and tracking beam. If someone was looking at these systems, it would appear that they were working within normal parameters.
She managed to override the controls and headed towards the Kakadu. In her mind, taking Kathryn's ship was the best possible slap in the face. She gained access into the Kakadu and proceeded to go through the initialization procedure.
Seska was so focus on the task at hand that she never noticed the figure move out of the shadows and moving behind her. It was not until she felt the point of a phaser in her back that she realised she was not alone!
Seska turned slowly and saw Kathryn holding the phaser. Ensign Nog was standing behind Kathryn with his phaser also aimed at Seska.
"Seska. Garak taught you to always see you victims as prey, which you do well. But he also taught you that the prey might know your mind as well as you do, never let your guard down. It would seem that you never learnt that. Don't you agree Nog?" said Kathryn.
"It looks that way to me, Commander," said Nog.
Kathryn knew that Seska would have a back up plan if her second attempt on Garak's life were unsuccessful. After considering her opponent and speaking with Garak about her, Kathryn decided that Seska would try to take the Kakadu.
"If you really think that I'm going let either of you take me back, then you better think again," said Seska. She then shallow some sort of pill and then bit down hard, releasing another chemical into her system. "One thing though, taking the two of you with me makes it all worth it."
Before Kathryn could say anything, Nog got behind the controls of the Kakadu and flew the ship out of Voyager.
Kathryn realised that Nog was trying to distant them from Voyager so that whatever was about to happen would be isolated to just the Kakadu.
Kathryn turned her attention back to Seska, "Well Seska, I'm glad that you feel good about that. I wouldn't want you to leave this existence with any regrets."
While this conversation was going on, Voyager had hailed Kakadu and Nog open the hailing frequencies for audio only. Voyager could hear everything.
"Report," said Michelle as she and Chakotay walked onto Voyager's bridge.
"Lt. Torres has managed to counteract the changes which Seska had made to the scanners and the tracker beam. The damage was exactly as Mr Garak said it would be," said Harry.
"Good. Tuvok, have you been able to locate Seska?" asked Michelle.
"Yes Captain. Seska has entered the shuttlebay and boarded the Kakadu. It left the shuttle bay before we could stop it," said Tuvok.
"The Kakadu. Looks like Kathryn was right," said Chakotay.
"Looks that way. Hail the Kakadu," said Michelle.
"Hailing frequencies open," said Tuvok. At this point, Garak walked onto the bridge, supported by the Doctor and Tom.
"If you really think that I'm going let either of you take me back, then you better think again," said Seska. A crunching sound could be heard. "One thing though, taking the two of you with me makes it all worth it."
"Well Seska, I'm glad that you feel good about that. I wouldn't want you to leave this existence with any regrets," said Kathryn.
Garak knew what Seska was going to do and said, "Michelle, you have to transport Seska off the Kakadu. She has started a chain reaction within her body that will explode within the next couple of minutes."
"You haven't asked what I've done. I'm shocked, I would have thought that the great Kathryn Janeway would want to know how she is to die," said Seska.
"I'm guessing that the pill and tooth contained two reactive chemicals which will cause an explosion," said Kathryn.
"Well, when combined with the metal contained in my blood it will, in…. I would say we have approximately 1 minute," said Seska.
"Garak is there any way we can stop this from happening?" said Michelle who really didn't want to beam anyone into space without a space suit.
"I'm sorry but no, there isn't," said Garak.
Michelle paused for a moment, looking at both Chakotay and Tuvok for their reactions and then back to Garak. "Tuvok, do it."
One moment Seska was in front of Kathryn, the next she wasn't. There was an explosion in space that rocked the Kakadu.
"What happened?" said Kathryn.
"Voyager beamed Seska off the Kakadu just before the explosion occurred," said Nog. Kathryn sat down and was quiet for a moment.
"Voyager to Kakadu, is everything okay?" said Michelle.
"Everything is fine Captain, and we are on our way back," said Kathryn.
"Good. See you soon, Voyager out," said Michelle.
To be continue............
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