Caretaker: Part Two.

Chapter 2: Caretaker: Part 2.

Bini Filters POV

-----

I smugly walked out of Odo's office onto the habitat ring. I looked around at the many people going about their day and browsing at the many shops. I felt out of place. For one thing, I have never been to DS9. Second, I am a criminal.

I looked at many shops. Wondering my next move.

"Miss. Filters?"

I spun around to see Captain Janeway coming out of the crowd, followed by her two children and Mollie, her dog.

"Hello, Captain," I said. She gave me a smile as Sarah and Micheal moved past her to stand beside me.

"I will be going into a meeting, would you be willing to keep my children out of trouble until I am done? Taking them to Voyager would be best." She said. I nodded. I assumed I didn't have much of a choice in the matter so why try to believe anything else?

"Of course, Captain," I replied as Sarah giggle in delight and the Captain said one last goodbye to her children before disappearing into the crowd followed closely by Mollie. Who seemed to have so much loyalty to her owner she didn't need a leash to follow her every step. That is surprising.

"Come on. We are going to find Voyager." I said and gestured them to follow me.

"Bini, why are you a criminal?" Micheal asked as we checked each airlock along the habitat ring.

"Um, that is...classified," I replied. I was never comfortable discussing my life and I wasn't going to start with these two kids who I have only known for a week.

"Mommy said you were part of the Maquis when I asked her. Is that true? What is the Maquis?" Micheal asked as I finally found the airlock to Voyager. I rolled my eyes and looked down at the small children.

"Look, first off. I am only fourteen. Not very intelligent. Second, you ask too many questions." I replied as I opened the airlock and gestured the children through the door onto Voyager.

"Mommy says asking questions are important."

"Not where I come from. Asking too many questions can get you killed."

"Why?"

I sighed and ignored him as we entered into one of Voyager's many corridors. Sarah suddenly latched onto my hand and went behind me in fright as Micheal stopped in his tracks right in front of me and glared ahead of him.

I looked down the corridor to see a man in command uniform, wearing first officer pips, graying hair and an angry expression on his face coming towards us. He slowed his pace and stopped right in front of us. His eyes judging us.

"Hello. I am Commander Cavit. First Officer of USS Voyager. Who might you be?" He asked.

I held out my hand, despite my distaste for him. I did not like him. There was just something about him that gave me the creeps.

"I am Bini Filters. This is Micheal and Sarah Janeway with me." I replied. He glared at me and refused to shake my hand. I awkwardly withdrew it.

"The observer. I am surprised you don't have a security guard with you." he snapped. OK. This guy was starting to get on my nerves.

"She doesn't need one. We are with her. Mommy trusts her." Sarah barked at him from behind me.

"Your mother is foolish, little one. The earlier you learn that, the better." He barked back at her. Sarah let out a little whimper and tighten her grip on my arm.

"Mr. Cavit. I don't know what your problem is but if we are to work together to get my former crew, I think you need to put your issues away and deal with the situation like a man. Or, you are going to have a very bad time here." I explained. Micheal gave me a quick smile before turning back towards Cavit.

"Then I will have a very bad time here." He growled and moved past us and rushed out of our sight.

"I do not like him, Bini." Sarah commented as I shrugged and we started down the corridor again.

"Me neither, Sarah."

Sarah smiled at me and skipped ahead towards Micheal.

"Look, Micheal! I am going at light speed! Bini is at warp! She is too slow!" She teased. Micheal started to laugh as I picked up my speed and rushed past them both.

"And the USS Bini blows past the other two ships at a slow pace of warp one! Can they catch up with their pathetic light speed! The crowd thinks not!" I joked.

"HEY! Get back here! Not fair!" Micheal called out as they ran towards me.

-----

Harry Kim's POV

Tom and I walked into Voyager's sickbay. I watched as the chief medical officer...or doctor for short and a Vulcan nurse hurried to load the last of the medical info into the sickbay's computer before launch. Which should be a little over an hour from now.

I recognized him as Doctor Fitzgerald. Great doctor. Horrible personality. He looked up from his computer in his office and glared at us before exiting and greeting us. In his own...special way.

"How can I help you?" He asked as he fiddled with a padd in his hands. Taking one last look at it, he handed it towards the nurse, who scurried off to another part of the area.

"Tom Paris, reporting for duty." Tom said as he held his chin high. Fitzgerald glared at him.

"Oh, yes. One of the observers." Fitzgerald muttered. Loud enough for us to hear him.

"That's me. As a matter of fact, I seem to be observing some kind of problem right now, Doctor."

"I was a surgeon at the hospital on Caldic Prime at the same time you were stationed there. We never actually met. Your medical records have arrived from your last posting, Mister Paris. Everything seems to be in order. The Captain asked if you were on board. You should check in with her. She went to the bridge." He replied in a hostile tone. I stepped forward.

"Er, I haven't paid my respects to the Captain yet either." I interrupted. Fitzgerald looked towards me in annoyance.

"Well, Mister Kim, that would be a good thing for a new operations officer to do." He snapped and turned his back to us and walked to the surgical biobed near the end of the room and began to work at the medical console there.

I cast a confused look at Tom as his fists clenched and his jaw tightened when we entered the corridor again and headed towards the nearest turbo lift.

"What was that all about?" I asked. Tom slumped as tension released from his body. He cast a sad expression toward me.

"It's a long story, Harry, and I'm tired of telling it. I'm sure someone around here will tell you before long." He insisted. I nodded. I don't think this is the time to push the issue.

"He said "one of the observers. How many observers are on this trip anyway? It is only for three weeks. It is not like we are going to the Delta or Gamma Quadrant." I said as a quick change of topic which brought Tom back to his happy mood before.

"There is only one, Harry. Her name is Bini Filters. She is fourteen." He replied as if this was some sort of well-known fact. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"She is fourteen?! What? She is far too young to be on this mission. What does she even look like?" I demanded. He shrugged.

"Oh, you know. Brown hair, shoulder-length with bangs. Blue eyes, short, pretty annoying. You will know her when you see her." He said as I caught up with him again.

"Well, at least she is fourteen. I am sure she will be fine." I said.

"Also, the Captain's children like to spend time with her. You might see them around here too...and her dog." He said and gave me a smirk. I glared at him.

"Please tell me you are joking."

"I am most certainly not. A nine-year-old boy, five-year-old girl, a grown Irish settler dog and a fourteen-year-old girl are on this dangerous mission."

"Why would the Captain allow her children and dog on this mission!?"

"We can blame Bini for that one."

"Do I want to know what she did?"

"Um...no. No, you really don't."

We stepped into the turbo lift, I shook my head in dismay as the door closed and Tom wouldn't wipe that stupid self-satisfied smirk off his face.

"Bridge," I ordered. The turbo lift snapped upwards. Travelling to its next destination.

-----

Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV

"Are you sure about this, Goldenbird?" My mother, Gretchen Janeway asked on the computer screen, via subspace from my childhood home in Bloomington, Indiana. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Mother. Admiral Paris himself approved them to be onboard. He said that this mission could give me some much needed time with my children and Mollie since I have been away so often. Maybe this is a good thing." I insisted. She looked down at her coffee cup and tapped her fingers against it. She was nervous. Great. Just what I needed minutes before lanch. A nervous mother that could intimidate just about every Admiral at Starfleet HQ.

"Didn't you say just a few weeks ago that it was too dangerous of a mission to send kids on?" she pointed out. Now, she was using my own words against me.

"That was before Bini Filters decided to suggested to my kids that going on the mission was a good idea. Now, they spend lots of their free time with her when I can't be with them. They are with someone that is close to their age on the trip. They have the holodeck and they have toys in our quarters." I explained. My mother raised her eyebrow.

"Bini Filters? The fourteen-year-old criminal. You are letting my grandchildren around a criminal! Dear lord, Katie!" She said. I looked down at Mollie was laying down at my feet, underneath my desk. I swear she was giving me a look of pity.

"She is someone who was put in a bad situation at a bad time. She doesn't exactly have any living family. I trust her, just like I trust Tom Paris." I said.

She leaned back in her chair. She gave a the Janeway "death glare" which made me shrivel on sight when I was little.

"How did Owen handle seeing Tom?"

"As well as expected. The moment they saw each other they started to argue and cast insults to each other. I almost dragged Owen away about 10 seconds in." She chuckled.

"I am going to have a stern talk with that man."

"Please don't! I am already embarrassed enough by my children begging to be on the mission. They had to add an extra room a mere few hours ago, due to the change. Not to mention my first officer is the worst man I have ever been in command with." I ranted. I picked up one of the padds next to my computer.

"When are you leaving?"

"As soon as I approve these systems status reports. All the crew should be aboard by now." I said as I gestured towards the padd in my hand.

"Alright then, Goldenbird. I will have some brownies in the oven when you come back. Anything you want me to say to your sister before I go see her today?"

"Tell her to stay the hell outta my room in the house. She didn't think I noticed last time but she is still trying to find my journal from 20 years ago." I replied. She nodded as a kind smile spread across her face.

"OK. I will tell her you said hi and that you miss her." I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, that works. I will be back in one piece in three weeks or sooner. Depends on how fast we find Chakotay's crew." I said.

"Have a safe trip." She said and ended the transmission. I let out a sigh of relief and looked back at the padd as I leaned into my office chair in my ready room.

I approved the last status report just as my door chimed. I set it down and straighten my posture. I took a glance at Mollie, who moved from her position under my desk to sitting tall beside me. Her eyes glued to the door. She looked towards me and let out a happy woof. Then focused back on the door.

"Come in," I ordered as I closed down my computer.

A nervous Ensign Harry Kim and ginning Tom Paris stepped in. I stood from my desk and circled it to hold out my hand towards them.

"Gentleman, welcome aboard Voyager." I greeted. Tom and Harry quickly gave me a handshake. Tom looked towards Harry, who straightened his posture just a little more.

"Mister Kim. At ease before you sprain something." I said. His cheeks reddened in embarrassment as Tom covered his mouth in an attempt to stop giggling. His eyes darted for a moment as he considered his next action.

"Um, I am sorry ma'am." I cringed.

"Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch, but I prefer Captain." I replied. Tom braced himself against the nearest wall as he turned away from us, trying another attempt to be serious. Harry was probably mentally kicking himself.

"Come. Let me show you the bridge." I added.

Mollie, as usual, followed beside me, much to the surprise to Harry as we entered the bridge.

I lead them towards the middle of the bridge, where the command chairs were and Commander Cavit stood.

"My first officer, Commander Cavit. Ensign Kim, Mister Paris." I introduced.

"Welcome aboard," Cavit replied as he shook Harry's hand but hesitated before doing the same with Tom. I shook off the urge to call Cavit out on his behaviour. We moved to the operations station (Ops station for short.) at the top left-hand corner of the room.

"Mr. Kim. This is your station. Would you like to take over?" I asked. He nodded eagerly and relieved the Lieutenant as his post before logging on and looking back at the Captain.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"It's not crunch time yet, Mister Kim. I'll let you know when." I replied and went back to the middle of the bridge. I sat down in my chair as I nodded towards Cavit to begin the launch.

He nodded back and looked towards Voyager's pilot, Lieutenant Stadi.

"Lieutenant Stadi, lay in the course and clear our departure with Operations." Cavit ordered.

Tom moved to stand on the second level (slightly higher than the first.) of the bridge. Gripping the console, attached to the railing behind (+ A little above.) me. I felt the docking clamps release against the ship.

"Course entered, Ops has cleared us." Stadi replied.

"Ready thrusters."

Mollie relaxed against the carpet in front of my chair and blissfully fell asleep.

"Thrusters ready." Harry reported.

"Initiate the launching sequence."

"Sequence underway."

"Engage." I ordered. The deck plates trembled at the warp core started up and thrusters increased power. I shifted my position in my chair as my combadge chirped. I tapped it with mild annoyance. If this is about the warp core-

"Filters to Janeway." Oh...shoot.

"Janeway here. What is it, Filters?"

"I have returned your children to your quarters. I am there right now. Should I return to the bridge? I can see we have started moving now." She commented over the line. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tom roll his eyes and Cavit clench his fists.

"You can stay there, Filters."

"Wait a min-"

"Janeway out." I said. Ignoring her protest and closed the channel. My kids need the company anyway.

-----

Tom Paris POV

(Next Day: Time 0700.)

"When did she say we were reaching the badlands?" Bini asked as we walked down deck five, early in the morning, just as shifts were either ending or starting.

"Sometime in the next two hours." I replied, attempting to push the exhaustion in my system away.

"Well, that really helps me. Really nailed it there." She replied with sarcasm. I shot her a glare.

"Look, I wasn't the one who spent the night in the brig because I blow up holodeck one."

"Hey! That entire incident was a misunderstanding. Micheal decided to create a bomb, without safety protocols on and blew up the entire grid. I was innocent here! I was trying to shoot a deer. But to his credit, we did get the deer thanks to him." She explained.

"What? What program could you have been on for you to shoot a deer?"

"Um, a hunting program. Sarah was with the Captain at the time so...we were totally allowed to do that!"

"The safeties were off because...?"

"Micheal screwed the system. Damn kid touched one too many buttons. Fried the protocol."

"He managed to make a bomb, how?"

"He apparently has been looking that stuff up for weeks. Why and how...I can't answer that."

"He managed to blow the grid up without you both dying in the holodeck how?"

"Apparently he created a special bomb that killed the structure of the room but not people. Something he learned from his father."

"You ended in the brig because...?"

" Security thought I was a terrorist. Captain Janeway was pissed. Commander Cavit had a vengeance complex out to get me." I started to laugh as Bini shrugged.

"Oh boy. You really screwed up, Shadow!" I managed to get out between laughing fits as I leaned against the corridor wall. Bini grabbed my arm.

"Pull it together, chuckle nuts." She demanded and pulled me towards the messhall.

"Chuckle nuts?" I questioned as we entered the messhall.

Everyone in the messhall either stopped to look at us or chose to ignore us. Each in their own hostile way. Tom and I avoided the glares as we stood in front of one of the replicators.

"Computer, Tomato soup." Tom ordered.

"There are fourteen varieties of tomato soup available from this replicator. With rice, with vegetables, Bolian style, with pasta, with-" The computer replied with its usual female voice that reminded me a bit too much of a Vulcan.

"Plain!"

"Hot or chilled."

Tom looked at the system, he looked just about ready to rip it from the wall.

"Hot plain tomato soup!" He barked. A few seconds later, Tom's request appeared on the replicator. I raised an eyebrow towards him.

"You are having Tomato soup for breakfast?"

"Give me a break. I miss it. What are you having?"

"Computer, One plain hot chocolate." I ordered with a smile. He shook his head in disappointment as it appeared on the replicator. I quickly grabbed it and took a small sip.

"OK, then." He rolled his eyes and we looked for a seat. I noticed Cavit and Voyager's doctor was sitting with a young Ensign. I recognized him as Harry Kim. Tom told me about him yesterday. They seemed like they were deep in a discussion.

Cavit and the doctor quickly stood up. They glared at us. Then they swiftly exited. Leaving Harry to his own thoughts.

"Bini!" I turned my head to the voice. Little Sarah Janeway bounced towards me.

"Come! Have breakfast with us!" She insisted and pointed towards the back corner of the messhall where Micheal sat with his mother, discussing something on a padd she was holding while munching on his breakfast.

"I don't know, Sarah. I got your mother kinda angry yesterday with the whole blowing the holodeck grid incident." I replied. Sarah, of course, wasn't going to take no as an answer. She tugged on my arm and begging, causing a scene which is something I don't need right now. I patted Tom on the shoulder.

"Good luck there." I muttered. Then allowed myself to be taken towards her table. I am pretty sure I was doing a death march as I crossed the room. When we finally reached the table, Captain Janeway looked up at me. I felt embarrassment.

"Hello, Miss. Filters." She greeted. Sarah ginned towards her mother.

"Mommy? Can Bini sit with us?" She asked. The Captain got up from her seat.

"Sure, Sarah. As long as she doesn't blow up anything else." She replied. Sarah squeaked in delight and sat down in her chair again. Micheal's cheeks grew red as I sat beside Sarah and sipped my hot chocolate.

"My duty shift starts in a few minutes." The Captain informed me. She kissed Micheal and Sarah goodbye and warned me not to pull another incident like what happened last night again. Then she left. Leaving the three of us...Great.

-----

Tom Paris's POV

I sat across from Harry as he looked up at me with unsure eyes. I know why Cavit and Fitezgard were here. I am not stupid.

"There, you see? I told you it wouldn't take long." I said as I settled into my seat.

"Is it true?" He asked.

"Was the accident my fault? Yes. Pilot error. But it took me a while to admit it." I replied as I sipped my Tomato soup. I cringed as a bitter taste hit me. "Oh, fourteen varieties and they can't even get plain tomato soup right."

"They said you falsified reports."

"That's right."

"Why?"

"What's the difference? I lied."

"But then you came forward and you admitted that it was your fault?"

"I'll tell you the truth, Harry. All I had to do was keep my mouth shut and I was home free. But I couldn't. The ghosts of those three dead officers came to me in the middle of the night and taught me the true meaning of Christmas. So I confessed. Worst mistake I ever made but not my last. After they cashiered me out of Starfleet, I went out looking for a fight and found the Maquis. And on my first assignment, I was caught. I ended up dragging Bini down with me."

"It must have been especially tough for you, being the son of an admiral." He looked at me with pity.

"Frankly, I think it was tougher on my father than it was on me. Look, I know those guys told you to stay away from me. And you know what? You ought to listen to them. I'm not exactly a good luck charm." I insisted. Attempting to help him not suffer so much by being around me. I am not a good luck charm, that is for sure.

"I don't need anyone to choose my friends for me." He said. I opened my mouth to protest.

My combadge insistently chirped. I sighed and tapped it.

"Janeway to Paris."

Great timing Captain.

"Paris here."

"Report to the Bridge. We're approaching the Badlands. Janeway out."

I stood up and looked down at Harry as he also went to stand up.

"I hope you understand what you are getting yourself into."

"Same here." He replied as I looked over to Bini and Janeway kids and they discussed something while exiting the messhall. I gestured Harry to follow me.

"Come on. We are going to be late."

-----

Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV

"The Cardassians claimed they forced the Maquis ship into a plasma storm where it was destroyed, but our probes haven't picked up any debris." I pointed out to Commander Cavit as Voyager flew past plasma streamers through a multicolour area. The Badlands. We were currently in the position where the Maquis ship was last spotted.

Bini and my children stood at the top of the bridge, looking at the info in a small console, just above the command chair. Tom and Harry quickly entered, Harry went to his post as Tom joined Bini and they started to mutter to each other as my children watched them curiously.

"A plasma storm might not leave any debris." Cavit suggested.

"We'd still be able to pick up a resonance trace from the warp core." I countered as Cavit moved to the top console. Bini and Tom glared at him and moved the children (+ Themselves.) aside as he ignored them and logged on for more data.

"Bini, take the children back to my quarters. Tom, get a padd and give me any location that you know of where the Maquis ship could be. Then give it to Bini afterwards." I ordered. They both nodded and rushed to their new duties. A crewmember quickly grabbed a padd and handed it to Paris as Bini tried to silence the protesting of my children as they entered the turbolift.

Harry's station let out an insistent beep as he checked his readings.

"I'm reading a coherent tetryon beam scanning us."

"Origin, Ensign Kim?" Cavit snapped. Harry jumped a little in surprise at the hostile nature of the Commander's tone.

"I'm not sure. There's also a displacement wave moving toward us." He reported.

"On screen!" I barked as Tom filled in the padd beside me in the middle of the bridge.

The viewscreen changed to show a narrow band of massive energy heading towards Voyager.

"Analysis!" I ordered Harry as a feeling of dread flung it's self to the front of my thoughts. I pushed it down and struggled to maintain my calm thoughts as feelings of worry hit me. My children.

Oh, no.

"It's some kind of polarised magnetic variation." Harry reported.

"We might be able to disperse it with a graviton particle field." Cavit suggested behind me. Finally, he is starting to act like a first officer.

"Do it. Red alert. Move us away from it, Lieutenant."

"New heading, four one mark one eight zero." Stadi called out.

"Initiating graviton field." Cavit said.

"The graviton field had no effect." Harry said to Cavit.

"Full impulse."

"The wave will intercept us in twelve seconds."

Think, Kathryn. Damn it.

"Can we go to warp?"

"Not until we clear the plasma field, Captain." Stadi said. I know that. Anyone who has studied the Badlands knows that. Pull it together.

"Five seconds." I slammed my hand on my chest.

"Janeway to Crew. Brace for impact!" The ship began violently shaking as people scrambled around, struggling to find something to hold onto or even just keep their balance. Tom and I retreated to the command chairs as Cavit started to move to hang onto something. Anything.

"Three! Two! On-"

-----

Bini Filters POV

Micheal, Sarah and I walked down corridor 2, towards Captain Janeway's quarters. Suddenly it hit me. Where was that dog? Mollie.

"Hey! Guys, where is Mollie? I haven't seen her since yesterday." I commented. Micheal shrugged as I checked each door along the way.

"She is in our quarters. Mommy didn't want her on the bridge today and didn't think the crew would like to see a big dog running around." Micheal replied.

"Alright then." I said as we reached their quarters. Sarah entered the access code swiftly. Suddenly Mollie bolted from the room and ran down the corridor. Scaring an ensign as she slammed her body against the bulkhead to avoid her.

"MOLLIE!" We yelled and ran after the frantic dog as she barked and scared people out of their minds. Geez, this dog was fast!

"Janeway to Crew. Brace for impact!"

Maybe the universe just hates me. Maybe it is punishing me or something. The ship violently shook. We all lost our balance and tumbled to the floor as Mollie barked and whimpered then ran back towards us.

What the hell was going on? Mollie was somehow able to keep her balance. I guess to the advantage of having 4 legs and started to yank at my uniform sleeve. Micheal and Sarah screamed as I braced myself against the wall and sparks flew, the corridor fell apart before my eyes as a bulkhead exploded from the wall and slammed me back down to the floor. Mollie ran over to the kids as they frantically called my name.

Not that I was going to be much help. Pain blinded me. It felt as if an invisible force was crushing me as I was on fire. My vision blurred into darkness in a matter of seconds.

---End Of Chapter 2---