Balance of Power  NC-17

Part 8

As Ryn rematerialized on the bridge, she could hear the cheers. Kalin was high-fiving Tay as Kate and Kathryn were talking excitedly. Hope ran up to her and hugged her fiercely. "Did you see that? I don’t know what you did with those calculations but it was fantastic. That means we can all go home!!!"

Ryn smiled and hugged her sister as she watched the last of the rift close. A sense of rightness filled her even as her head pounded in beat with her heart. It hadn’t cost her nearly as much as she thought it would. In fact she felt certain they could do it again, should do it now before the energy coursing through her faded. She turned to her mother, moving closer to gain her attention. "Captain, I really think we should attempt the second gate. Everyone is charged, the deflectors don’t appear to be suffering from the discharge of power, and we proved it could be done successfully." She glanced around and shrugged. "It just feels right."

Katie studied her daughter for a moment then nodded. "Chakotay, notify the other Voyager and let them know our plans. Make sure their ship is stable enough to go another round. If everything comes back ok there, notify the Hope and inform them of the change in plans. "

The response back from Voyager came back in a the form of a hail. As the screen opened, Katie smiled. "It’s been a pleasure meeting you Captain. I wish you all the luck in the world in your journey home."

Kathryn nodded. "You too. A safe journey to all of you."

Before they could terminate the link, the twins stepped forward. Kadi went first. "Thanks for everything. I just wish we didn’t have to say goodbye."

Hope tipped her head to the side. "It doesn’t have to be goodbye, Kadiluv. Use the vision quest to your advantage."

Kadi raised a brow skeptically. "It’s that easy?"

Ryn nodded. "Yes, its that easy. Just imagine my beach, and call to us and we will join you if we can."

Kat stepped forward. "What about the time differences?"

Ryn paused then as if considering. "Well, we won’t know until we try, just don’t give up ok. We will try to be there whenever you need us."

The girls frowned slightly. Even as tears welled up in her eyes, Kat spoke again. "I’m sorry for being so mean Ryn. I just…"

Ryn smiled gently. "I know Kat. You and I, we are kindred spirits… sisters. Be well little sister. I hope to see you soon."

With that they broke the link and once more everyone headed for their stations. Ryn took control of her com panel with a newfound confidence. Even as she began entering the commands she allowed herself to slip into the energy conduit once more. The power flowing through her was even more intense as she focused on home. She barely heard the sounds of the crew as they acknowledge the opening portal, nor could she respond to Hope’s frantic cry of "Ryn, no!" as the power absorbed her once more.

This time the release of energy was much more consuming. Ryn nearly panicked as she jerked in response to the rapid drain of energy. While not as consuming as a gate channeled on her own, the change was still devasting. Even as she fought to gain back control she realized it had more to do with the fact that there was less power generated from the ships, then anything else. Her body was decreeing that she make up the difference. Focusing once more she felt the rift stabilize and pulled herself back. Even as she was focusing in, she noticed the ship was moving into the rift, the Hope ahead of them on the view screen. Realizing they were safely on their way, she released her hold on her control panel and allowed herself to collapse to the floor. She expected to feel the hardness of the floor beneath her, but Kalin caught her instead, slowly lowering her to the ground. She opened her eyes wearily and stuttered out a whispered "thank you."

Kalin growled in frustration as he cradled her close. "You crazy wench. I can’t believe you did this." His hand came up and brushed the hair from her face. As blood began to trickle from her nose, he growled again.

Hope had already contacted sickbay as she got her husband’s attention. "We need to get her down to Doc."

He nodded, wrapping his arms tighter around Ryn as he shifted so he could lift her. "I just wish there were something I could do." Even as he said it, Ryn raised a weak hand to pat his cheek. As her eyes met his she gasped. She felt it instantly an awareness of inner strength and a need to help her. The first taste of his life-force was as heady as ambrosia. He was as startled as she was when the energy between them started to flow, but even so he willingly allowed her to draw from him. She had permission and that’s all she needed. Even as the energy flowed, she could hear the panic in Hope’s voice as she fluttered around them. She felt Kalin’s awareness as well, but her need was too great and she continued to feed, greedy in her need.

Somewhere in the amazed recesses of his mind Kalin too drew on the energy flow between them. Even as he felt the pull on his life-force he recognized the source. He also realized he would have to be the one to put a stop to it. His first telepathic request was gentle, but ignored. As he felt both Ryn’s need and her fear, he also heard the answer. Instantly he tried to throw up a mental shield, similar to the one he used to control the flow of energy between himself and Hope during the birth of their daughter. His hands tightened on Ryn as he forced the mental command into her thoughts. ‘Enough!"

The empathic command along with the switch in willingness to give was like a slap to Ryn and she jerked back, her eyes closing in horror as she realized what she had done. She shuddered against him, words tumbling half formed from her lips. "Sorry.. Bad… needed…"

The litany went on until Kalin shook her slightly, gaining her attention, but she refused to meet his eyes. "I’m ok Ryn. You didn’t take anything I wasn’t willing to give." He grasped her chin and tilted her face up to his, encouraging her to meet his gaze. "I really am ok."

You’re not dizzy or in any pain?"

"Nope." He stood then and lifted her. "Let’s get you to sickbay."

As he entered the turbo lift, Hope joined them. "What the hell just happened?"

Kalin shrugged. "Ryn needed some of my strength and I gave it to her."

Hope glanced at her sister who refused to meet her eyes. "How is that possible?"

She shook her head. "I honestly don’t know. I was so tired and empty and Kalin was so open. We linked somehow and I drew from him."

Hope rested her hand on her husbands shoulder. "Kalin? Are you hurt?"

He shook his head. "I have a bit of a headache and I’m a little tired, but I feel fine otherwise." he gave his wife a sideways glance as the lift doors opened. "It felt kind of like it did when I linked with you during Faith’s birth, just a sharing of strength. After a bit it got a little intense and I asked Ryn to stop, but then I realized that she couldn’t, so I did." He shifted Ryn in his arms as he entered sickbay. While Hope called up the doctor and explained the situation, Kalin set Ryn on a bio-bed.

The doctor moved to Ryn first but she pushed him away, insisting he check out Kalin. Kalin for his part gave a long suffering sigh but allowed it, knowing it would calm both the women. While the doctor compared Kalin’s scans to the ones he had one file, Hope turned back to her husband. "I still don’t see how it was possible. You told me when Ryn was in labor that you couldn’t link to her because you weren’t bonded. How was it possible now?"

Kalin shrugged again. "I’m really not sure. It was like our bond Hope but not the same, and Ryn initiated it. If I were to guess I’d say something in her Arion heritage located something in my Holeen physiology that it could link with to draw from. I mean Holeen aren’t telepathic by nature, but we have the ability to form a telepathic link with our mates and unborn during birth so that the trauma of it is shared. Once the task is finished its gone."

Ryn nodded as she sat up. "It makes sense in a way. I mean the Arion share their life-force in much the same way only its less invasive I think more a giving than what I shared with Kalin. What surprises me is that he had the strength to break free. As much as I wanted to I couldn’t."

As the doctor came back everyone watched him expectantly. "Based on the neural scans that my counterpart performed while you were in his sickbay, everything looks fairly normal. You have some elevated readings in the communications centers of your brain typical of telepathic beings, but otherwise you look fine. I think we ought to keep an eye on them and make sure they return to normal but I’m not overly concerned."

At Kalin’s smug look, Hope elbowed him in the ribs. He was diverted from a response as the command teams followed by Dare and Phoebe entered sickbay.

Katie stormed up to her daughter, barely allowing the doctor to finish his scans before hauling her into a fierce hug. "I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing but don’t ever do it again!"

Ryn hugged her back before focusing her attention on the others. "I have to mom. I don’t have a choice."

"What do you mean?"

Ryn took a deep breath as she tried to explain. "I didn’t realize it until Kathy’s ship got back, but now its so clear it shimmers in the edge of my vision."

Hope sat next to her. "What does?"

"This temporal mess we are in. I can see it breaking down in front of us. We have to finish this or there will no longer be a reality for any of us."

"Why are you seeing it now?"

She turned her head, her eyes meeting Dare’s as she tried to coordinate a response. "I’m really not sure. You see, I felt the wrongness of it when we were all together and I knew I had to act when we couldn’t completely form the rift to get Kathy’s ship home. I thought about what Kadi had said about energy and I tried to see if I could tap into the ships energy somehow. Well I did sort of. I couldn’t draw from it, but I was able to use it as a conduit to channel my own power. It was like nothing I had ever experienced. For once I was so completely surrounded by all this energy, some sentient some not, but I felt safe, barely tapped as I enforced my will on the universe. It sounds arrogant and it was, but the absolute pureness of the power and knowing I was part of it was stunning. When I came out of it I was barely drained. I actually felt invigorated. Then I beamed back to the ship and as the others went through I felt the rightness of it, could actually see the ripple in the space/time continuum as it flowed back together. I knew then that we had to finish it right then. The ripples around us were getting worse, there was just too much that was still wrong so I acted again when the time came. This time though there wasn’t as much energy around me, I had to use more of myself, and the energy wasn’t as pure or as strong. It still wasn’t as bad as opening a gate myself, but it left me stunned and weak. When Kalin offered to help I acted instinctively, drawing from him. It recharged me some." With that comment she glanced at the doctor for confirmation.

He nodded. "While her neural readings aren’t as strong as when she left, they are definitely better than the ones I got from her last scan."

Ryn sagged against Hope for a moment before continuing. "I think the energy has somehow amplified my ability to perceive space and time. We have to finish this and soon or there won’t be anything left to fix."

Hope glanced around the room before focusing in on Kalin. She stood and took his hand, marveling at the strength there, before turning back to the others. "If its relatively safe for you to draw from Kalin, do you think you would be able to do so again and recharge enough to help us once more?"

Ryn glanced around briefly. "It’s possible, but Kalin broke the link because he knew somehow that he couldn’t give anymore. He simply may not have enough to spare."

Kalin stepped forward. "It looks like we really don’t have much of a choice. We will make it enough." As he held out his hand Ryn hesitated. "Go on Little Girl, its all right."

Even as Ryn started to reach out Hope moved. "Wait. Ryn, you said you could draw from humans too, so its not necessarily a telepathic link you need to get what you need. What if we all volunteered? Could you draw from us as a group, that way you could take a little from everyone."

Ryn slid off the bio-bed and backed up. Tears threatened to fall as she tried to explain. "I told you. I can’t. You’re not strong enough and I can’t stop it. Once I start I don’t have the ability to break free."

Dare stepped forward, moving until he could draw her into his arms. "You stopped when Kalin needed you to stop. You would for us too."

She shook her head furiously. "No. Kalin stopped me. He has the strength to break that link telepathically somehow. I don’t."

Dare turned her so that she faced him. "You have that link with me, and your folks and even Hope. I don’t think there is anyone here who wouldn’t try to help you fix this, especially if we can keep you from hurting yourself in the bargain. Let us try Ryn."

"But…" She glanced around the room and noticed the confident expressions of those around her. They were determined.

Kalin reached for her hand and held it gently. "When we were linked, did you still sense their life force?"

"Do you think you could have tapped it at the same time?"

She nodded hesitantly. "Yes, it was there. A collective energy that I wanted to taste, but it wasn’t willing and yours was. It overwhelmed the other."

"Do you think we could try it with me and them? Maybe channel it so that all of us are feeding you? Perhaps I would still be able to break that link?"

Ryn looked at him with hope in her eyes as the thought processed. "Maybe… we could try it… maybe see…"

Kalin smiled at her. "I think it’s a very good idea. Doc can set something up to monitor everyone’s vital signs and if anyone shows any problems we cut the switch." He glanced around the room. "Any volunteers?"

Ryn blinked as a line formed next to Doc. As Kalin had mentioned it he had raided his stash of cortical monitors and began attaching then to each volunteer’s forehead. She stared in stunned silence as Phoebe tapped her combadge. "Phoebe to Kes."

"Kes here"

"Kol near"

"Always"

"Good. Our sister needs our help, meet me in sickbay."

"On our way"

Ryn glared at her sister. "Phoebes, what are you doing?"

"Including some more people who love you and can connect with you and want to help too."

As the turbo lift doors opened she noticed her mother talking as well. She only caught the last few words but they made her heart leap again. "Thank you Tuvok."

Kes and Kol took a minute to catch up on what was going on while Katie took a moment to talk to Tuvok who entered sickbay a few moments later. At Ryn’s questioning gaze, she smiled. "I thought someone else with a knack for telepathy and discipline might be helpful. Besides he’s concerned for the welfare of the crew."

Ryn tried to ignore the tears that were spilling as Kalin took her hand once more. Tuvok stepped close as well as the others formed a linked circle around her. She waited for a nod from each of them then closed her eyes and slowly dropped her shields. Her first connection was with Kalin, she drew on his patience and support before allowing herself to search further. As her mind touch the receptive energy of the others, she felt fuller, more in control. Finally she was flying once more in a pure storm of energy absorbing what she could. Even as she reached a saturation point, she felt each of them with her, all still willing and experiencing no apparent distress. She opened her mind further, sharing with them briefly the contentedness of it all as she allowed them to bathe in their shared energy. Replete, she drew back into herself and broke the link with a newfound confidence. As she focused in on the physical forms around her, she noticed a few people looked a little pale, mainly Kalin and her parents, to whom she had the strongest links, but they all glowed with a residual trace of their own life force. Smiling once more, Ryn waited to make sure that everyone was cleared by the doctor before making her goodbyes, allowing her family the same courtesy. When all was said and done, she closed her eyes once more and tapped into that place in herself that was brimming over with life. Her hands raised and a wind began to swirl around her, but it didn’t suck her down as it had before, instead she rode of the ebb and flow of energy like a cosmic surfer, allowing herself to be a part of it rather than all of it. As the gate opened, she opened her eyes and smiled at her alter family. As they crossed through she closed the gate and allowed the tension in her to drain. She was tired, her head hurt, and she could feel the trickle of blood from her nose, but she wasn’t lost. In the giving of her family she had become stronger.

Ryn focused back in on the faces around her as Dare hustled her back onto a bio-bed. Doc ran a few scans just to make sure she was ok and look startled at his readings. "While I’m showing a depletion of neural energy, other parts of your brain are giving off strong readings. With the exception of those elevated areas your almost as strong as you were before you left."

A rush of exhaustion swept through her and she sagged back on the bed. As she rolled to her side her eyes drifted closed. She shifted once then mumbled, "Sleep now. Talk later." and was out.

When she woke, Ryn made a point of checking on her family to make sure they were ok. The glow that she had seen had faded, and all the knowledge she believed she had during the exchange seemed more of a faded memory, but she didn’t feel bad. After tucking her girls in for the night, and kissing Dare, she curled up on the floor of her living room and placed herself in the vision quest.

The beach was different then she had become accustomed too. Sunlight streamed and sparkled all around her. It felt incredibly right to her. She took a moment to take it all in, even risking to scratch the crotchety old cat that was her spirit animal. "It’s beautiful here old friend."

"So you have made it. I could do with a bit less sun though."

She lifted the cat in her arms ad chuckled as it purred. "I thought cranky old cats like to soak in the sun."

The cat butted her head under Ryn’s chin. "We do, but the rocks aren’t warm enough yet."

"I see." She moved to sit on one of the large boulders and turned her face up to the sun. "I feel stronger."

The cat chuckled. "Stating the obvious are we?" Ryn raised a brow and ruffled the cat’s silky fur. "You are stronger. I think you’ve learned something today."

Ryn nodded. "Strength comes in many forms but family is the surest."

The cat purred again and settled in her lap. "You won’t need me much longer little Arion. Soon you will know all of yourself."

Ryn tipped her head to the side. "Uh huh. Even Arion say that life is a continuing opportunity to learn and grow. Knowledge is power and all that."

The cat jumped down and shook herself out. "And all power needs a balance."

"Yeah," she stood as she noticed a white wolf moving toward her. "It’s finding the balance that’s the challenge."

The cat jumped back up on the boulder and began to wash her face. "One of them anyway."

Ryn shook her head and started toward the woman she saw on the horizon. As Hope reached her she drew her sister in a hug. "I’m glad you came."

"I heard you. I think you’re even stronger in my head then you were before."

Linking arms, they moved back to the boulders where the could sit an talk. Hope stretched out on one of the smoother surfaces, allowing the warmth of the sun to absorb into her. "So, what’s the urgency?"

"No urgency. We are waiting."

"Waiting?" at Ryn’s "mmmhmm" she sat back up. "For what?"

Ryn gestured toward the area opposite of where Hope came from and smiled as she took in a bright yellow bird riding on the back of raccoon. She began laughing as the twins followed behind, arguing as usual.

Hope sat up in stunned silence. "I didn’t think we would see them so soon. And look at how pregnant Kadi is!"

Ryn chuckled again. "Oh Kadi is pregnant, but she’s not the one about to pop. You forget Hope, they aren’t the same girls we left."

As Hope stared in stunned silence, Ryn stood and pulled each girl into a hug.

Kadi grinned as she moved toward Hope. "Well it was as easy as you said, it just took a lot longer."

Hope reached out and patted Kat’s tummy. "Harry got lucky hmmm?"

Kat sighed. "You ain’t kiddin there. I’ll give him this one, but then we’re getting fixed. Two is plenty."

Ryn choked out a cough. "Two?"

Kat sat on the boulder next to Hope. "Yup, twins damnit. Doc assures me that we are all fine and all, but I have to tell you I think these kids are going to be bloody soccer players. Let’s face it we Janeway’s don’t do anything halfway.

Ryn started to speak but caught Kadi’s negative shake and decided to let it go. Why they wanted Kat to think she was having twins was beyond her but she’d be damned if she’d ruin the peace by telling the girl she was going to have to deal with three kids instead of two. Considering it was Kat, there was no telling what she would do. She glanced at Kadi. "I take it your pregnancy went well?"

Kadi nodded and sat next to her, smiling as the little bird flitted to her shoulder. "Yup, two handsome little boys, Kale and Kaden, they are almost four now."

Hope glanced up sharply. "Four? Has it really been that long for you."

The twins nodded. Kat began grumbling as the little raccoon crawled on top of her belly but made no move to stop it. "Yeah, but we remembered what you said about trying so we continued to listen for you. But oh the stories we could tell."

Kadi chuckled. "I mean. Hey, do you have any idea what happened to that other Voyager?"

Ryn grinned. "Not really, but I know they were well on their way to getting it together. Kathy was pregnant from that little turbo lift incident."

The twins whooped and gave each other a high-five. "Another one bites the dust!" Kat threw Ryn a sideways glance, "Ya know, we ought to make this a career. With your abilities and our smarts we could rectify all screwed up dimensions where are folks are too stupid to get it together."

Ryn clamped a hand over her mouth. "Watch your tongue youngin!"

Kat shot her an innocent look and waited as the hand was removed before spouting "What?"

Hope decided to intervene. "Ryn, can you do like we did with the twins and give us a peek into that world?"

Ryn started to decline then grinned. "I can try." She closed her eyes and focused trying to remember the feel of that reality. When she opened her eyes, they were all staring through a small gate as three small children raced chaotically around a room. The oldest, a tall boy with silky red hair was running from an angry little girl of about three. The third child, a boy with mischief in every line of his face was jumping on the sofa cheering the girl on with a noisy chorus of "Chancie, Chancie, Chancie!"

In an instant the older boy changed course, knocking down the middle one with a tackle that would make a football player proud. "Shut up Chase!" Though his arms were around the younger boy it was easy to tell the child had twisted so he wouldn’t hurt his younger brother. The little girl was more blood thirsty and wasted no time jumping on her older brother’s back and tugging at his hair.

As she yanked she screeched at the top of her lungs. "Let him up Tristan or I’m telling Daddy."

The subject of their conversation at that point walked in the door and with a patient sigh reached down and scooped the little hellion off her brother. The child changed tactics instantly and cuddled her daddy. Sticking a thumb in her mouth, she fluttered her eyes at him. "Tris did it!"

Her father chuckled and reached down to help his oldest son to his feet. With a swift pat to his backside he motioned the boy toward the door. Then he reached down and pulled up the second child, repeating the procedure. "Let’s go gang, your mother is waiting for us in the holodeck."

The oldest looked up and noticed his sister sitting in their father’s arm with a smug look on her face. "Daddy, I can explain everything…"

Chakotay shook his and set the girl down. "Later Tristan." He glanced down at the girl and noticed his son’s favorite whistle tucked in her smock pocket. With deft fingers, he removed and handed it to Tristan. As the child started to protest, her father repeated the swat for her benefit. "I have a pretty good idea who started this mess." With that the three left the room.

With a chuckle Ryn closed the window and sat back down. "Well I guess they got what they deserved for waiting."

A course of "I’m saying" echoed in the air.

Taking one last glance at her sisters, Ryn stood. I have to be going now. My husband needs my attention, and I find that I’m inclined to oblige him." With a final round of goodbyes, she left, feeling happier than she had in a long time. Life was a balance after all an in abundance for the moment.

Fin~

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