Hey there...This would have been online sooner, but I've had some stuff going on at home.

Thank you to jewlz-sheridan, Mithras151 and LynnEGib for the reviews!!

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Part Two - Chapter Four

“Qatala...the Voyager shuttle has locked on to our location,” Corval said.

Kathryn rolled her eyes. She'd been expecting this.

“Open a channel to them,”

“Flyer Cuillin, this is the shuttlecraft Baikal, Chakotay...we're both on the same side here...Don't do anything foolish.”

--

“Qatala,” Chakotay refused to call her Kathryn, “We are merely going after our own components. If you have Admiral Janeway's memories and experience you'll know that I cannot allow you to retrieve our technology unless I break the Prime Directive.”

“Chakotay...It's me...I know you don't believe me, but I am here...I'm not dead. We know you're still trying to retrieve your computer core. Let us get some of your torpedoes as a gesture of goodwill.”

Chakotay hit the mute button.

“What do you think?” he asked Harry.

“I say we let them...It's a type-eight shuttlecraft...Quantum torpedoes aren't compatible with their systems...They'll only have room for three or four of the torpedoes at most, and we can easily outgun them if need be.”

Chakotay reluctantly nodded.

“Cuillin to Baikal...proceed. Return the torpedoes to Voyager. If you fail to do that, we'll consider it an act of aggression. Chakotay out.”

“Acknowledged.”

A few moments later, Harry's console beeped ominously.

“Some ships are emerging from the array...their weapons are charged.”

--

“Transport was successful,” Danzil announced unnecessarily.

“I'd never have guessed,” Kathryn smirked, looking back at the three torpedoes that took up the entire rear of the shuttle.

“Three Sentara class Sentinels have emerged from the array...They're heading for Captain Chakotay's shuttle,” Corval announced.

--

“Janeway to Chakotay...We see you've got company. Danzil is sending you a shield modification to protect you from the Sentinels' volleys. Don't hesitate in destroying those ships. Any lifesigns you pick up are decoys. Sentinels are unmanned killing machines.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Can we trust them? For all we know, this is a trap!” Harry voiced his Captain's concerns.

A strike from the lead Sentinel hit them. The intense electrical pulse made the hair on the back of Chakotay's neck stick up, and smoke began the rise from the consoles.

Moments later, another bolt hit the shuttle. More smoke began to rise from the consoles which were now hot to touch. A strange, painful sensation now enveloped Chakotay.

“I don't think we've got a choice...implement the modification.”

“Done.”

The next pulse hit, and aside from a little turbulence, the shuttle incurred no further damage.

“Bizarre weapon,” Harry said, rubbing his stomach, “I think it was designed to slowly cook us to death.”

“Baikal to Cuillin...Are you alright?”

“We're fine.”

“We're sending you another shield modification. Those Sentinels will have relayed your response to their mainframe which will calculate their next move, then give them their orders.”

Chakotay looked out of the Cuillin's viewer. He could see where the Sentinels had retreated to. They circled space menacingly before luminescing an almost Borg shade of green.

“They've opted for a heavy-handed response Chakotay...Those Sentinels now carry a virus that can cause a ship to self- destruct in less than three seconds...Get back to Voyager!”

“They've never dealt with our ships before...The virus might not work.”

“Are you willing to stake your life on that theory?”

Chakotay bit his lip as the Baikal went to warp and disappeared.

“They're coming into range, Chakotay,” Harry said.

“Get us out of here.”

--

Ten minutes later both ships had returned to Voyager and the Kabai were now under guard in Cargo Bay Two.

“We're not going to hold you or your men, Danzil,” Tom said. “We've spoken to Mike and he says it was only 'Janeway' that attacked him.”

“You stopped us from getting fried out there, and you returned three of our torpedoes,” Chakotay said quietly. “You're free to go, on the condition that you hand Qatala over to us.”

Danzil turned to Kathryn who nodded in resignation. “I was expecting that, too.”

Danzil was clearly annoyed, but Chakotay knew he had no choice but to cooperate. “Alright, but you'll still need our help to get the rest of your torpedoes and your computer core.”

“We know,” Chakotay said curtly, leveling a faint glare at Danzil.

“Tell us what you know about those sentinels,” Lyssa Campbell demanded.

“No one knows more about the Sentinels than Qatala,” Danzil responded, nodding in Kathryn's direction.

Taking the hint, Kathryn stepped forward, ignoring the compression phaser rifles that were pointed at her back, Kathryn began to speak.

“The confederate that runs that array have always used Sentinels to protect it. However they have only recently begun to use the Sentara class models.

“They weren't deployed when we initially escaped from the array as they're only used for search and destroy missions. Their first volley uses a new technology and produces an effect similar to what would happen if you were to be exposed to microwaves. The orders of their other volleys vary, but they rarely use the same attack type more than once in an attack on the same target. The first attack is characterised by the reddish colour of the Sentinels' hulls. The other type of attack you witnessed was a viral attack. We've yet to develop a defense to this attack, but it transmits a virus to our ships, causing the self-destruct to be detonated. This attack is indicated by a neon green colouring. Another common type of attack is a more conventional one, using disruptors. This is indicated by blue.”

“There are more types of attack, but you'll likely not encounter them.”

Chakotay nodded at Kathryn before turning to Danzil. “Are you willing to help us get back our technology?”

Danzil's eyes flitted to Kathryn, and then back to Chakotay. “Yes.”

“Alright...here's the plan. Lyssa, Vorik. You take one flyer while Harry and I take another. Danzil...you and one of your men will also take a flyer...Their operation is virtually identical to that of a conventional shuttle...Our first goal is to get our computer core. Again, that is what Harry and I will go after with cover fire from the other two flyers. Next, Lyssa and Vorik will get the torpedoes back, with cover fire from the Kabai and ourselves...Agreed?”

Chakotay looked at his senior officers as they nodded in agreement. Danzil's lime green eyes met his. He saw both agreement and a cool resentment in his eyes.

“Tom, Mike, escort our...'guest' to the brig, and continue to question her...”

Chakotay could feel Kathryn's eyes burn into the back of his head. A mixture of emotions radiated from Voyager's former CO.

“...We still need to determine exactly who she is...Let’s do it.”