Tension was high on the bridge of Voyager. Chakotay was sure the entire ship felt it. For the last twelve hours, the ship's first officer had been on tenterhooks. It had been almost that long ago when the Omega symbol had appeared on the view screens and turned their world and the ship upside down. At the time, Janeway had stridden onto the bridge, swore them all to secrecy and then sealed herself in her Ready Room. The ship held position so with nothing to do the crew's imaginations had run wild. Chakotay, himself, feared the worse.

"Commander Chakotay, report to my Ready Room." Janeway's voice came over the comm badge.

Finally, some answers. It wasn't like Kathryn to seal herself off in her Ready Room. Striding across the bridge, Paris and Kim gave him sidelong looks. All the bridge crew were uneasy with their captain's peculiar behavior.

The door chimed.

"Come in," Janeway said a moment before the door granted him entrance.

As if she had aged ten years, Janeway sat at her desk ramrod straight, tension drawing fine lines around her mouth and brows.

First, the strange readings that Paris had picked up. Then Chakotay had been denied access to the necessary systems to investigate and Kathryn locked herself in her Ready Room for the past several hours. Now she looked like she'd been dragged through a Cardassian prison camp. By the spirits, what had happened?

"Captain, what is going on?"

Her gaze direct and stern. "You aren't going to like this, Commander, but I can't tell you. Protocol forbids me giving out more information than needed."

Prickles of uneasiness dance along his spine. "May I ask—"

"No." Her masked slipped for a moment. If he hadn't been watching her so intently or knew her so well, he wouldn't have seen it. She was worried.

He took a step forward. "Kathryn."

She held up her hand to silence him. "If I could – I don't even know if I would— but please, I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"

"Of course, but—"

"No buts. Here." She held out a PADD to him.

Quickly, Chakotay scanned the information. More confused than he was before, he raised his head to look at his captain. "What am I supposed to tell the crew about the modifications they are to make? They are going to want to know why. Multiphasic shielding, shuttle modifications…" His head snapped up. "Extreme thermal stress? Kathryn, what are we about to face?"

She stood and walked over to him, closing the distance between the two of them. Her hushed and urgent tone told him more than the stress and regret in her eyes. "Chakotay, I need you to obey your captain. Secrecy is imperative to the success of this mission. No questions."

"Aye, captain."

"One more thing." She took a breath and sat back down at her desk. "Tell Seven I need to see her at once. Additionally, everything needs to be done by 1100 hours. Dismissed."

If she had slapped him, it wouldn't have possibly surprised him or shocked him more.

/^\

It had been a long day, and it wasn't even half way over. Chakotay needed to find the captain. He wasn't the only one who had difficulty working in the dark. He'd just left B'Elanna in the shuttle bay checking up on her progress on the shuttle's modifications.

B'Elanna, always a cool under pressure, had been frazzled trying to make the captain's deadline. Even the doctor had just contacted him voicing serious concerns about the level of danger for this mission.

"Computer, Locate Captain Janeway."

"Captain Janeway is on Deck 5."

Picking up his pace, he hurried to her location.

"Captain, I need to speak to you." Chakotay caught up to Janeway in the corridor outside of Sickbay.

"What is it, Commander? I've got a lot to do." She paused with her hands on her hip.

He scanned the hallway then motioned for them to enter his office. They didn't spend much time here, but the gossip mill was working overtime and he didn't need to add any fodder.

"This isn't working."

Sighing, she said, "I don't have time for this, Commander."

"Well you better make the time, Kathryn. I don't like what's going on here. I have no problem following any command you give, but this. This is crazy. B'Elanna is having serious doubts about whether she can finish the shuttle modifications on time. The fact that she's even making those updates only makes me assume that you are planning leaving the ship soon. Can't you at least let me know what to expect? You owe me that much."

"You're out of line, Commander." She motioned her hand back and forth between the two of them. "See, this is the reason why we can't have a relationship here on Voyager."

Frustration welled within Chakotay and he slammed his hand down on his desk. "Don't throw our relationship— or lack thereof – in my face. This isn't about us or any romantic feelings I might have for you. This goes beyond that. As First Officer, my job is to keep my captain safe regardless of how I might feel about her. You are taking risks with your safety and well-being which violates your precious Star Fleet protocol and that is what I'm protesting."

His chest rose and fell quickly as rage surged through his body. She expected him to idly sit by while she led a dangerous mission while simultaneously keeping him, and everyone but Seven, in the dark. All day he'd fielded question and soothed worries from concerned crewman and when he broached his concerns to her, and instead of answers she brought up how he felt.

She walked over to him and placed a hand on his chest.

He stepped back. "Now which of us is using the other's emotions as a weapon to get what they want?" He blew out a breath. "Kathryn, this isn't about you and me as friends… or former lovers, it's about the needs of this crew and the First Officer's ability to not only reassure the crew but keep my captain safe."

The comm sounded interrupting any response Kathryn could make. "Seven of Nine to the captain."

"Janeway here."

"I need your assistance in Cargo bay 2."

Janeway sighed. "On my way." Their gazes met. "I'm sorry I can't give you more. And… I'll send Harry to help B'Elanna."

After she left, Chakotay stood unmoving. That hadn't go the way he wanted at all. Anger never worked. He should have learned that by now. Rarely did he lose his temper, but working in the dark on something so obviously dangerous was not easy.

But would he have fought so hard to keep her safe if he didn't love her so much? Probably not. He hated not being able to be the one she confided in protocol or no protocol.

Support. That's all he could give her if he couldn't give her safety. Chakotay left his office and continued his rounds checking on the progress of the work crews. He continued to allay as many fears as possible and remind the crew of the captain's orders even if he did not 100 percent agree with what she was doing, he believed she was doing the best she could.

Long ago he had made the decision to stand by her side and that was exactly what he was going to do. She could just be so stubborn at times.

"Janeway to Chakotay."

His thoughts of her must have called her up. Tapping his comm badge her responded. "Chakotay here."

A pause. "Will you meet me in Astrometrics? Please."

"On my way."