Chapter One
For a captain without a starship, Chakotay couldn't believe the amount of work scattered across his desk. It was so bad that he couldn't even see the top of his desk under all the PADDs and files people seemed to enjoy dropping off for his review at random intervals. The only clear spot held a framed holoimage of him and Seven at one of the many celebrations they'd attended together after Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant. There had been so many celebrations that he had no idea which one this one was, but it didn't matter, because it was his favorite holoimage of them together. Smiling, they stood with their arms around each other, both happy to be back on Earth and over with the Delta Quadrant. Seven wore a striking red dress that clung to her curves, accentuating her sexuality more than any of her bodysuits ever could. She looked like such a bombshell, he looked pathetic in comparison. Chakotay took a break from his work to look at the image. Although they'd just talked last night, as they did nearly every night, he still missed her dearly. After being together every day for several years in some capacity, it was difficult adjusting to being apart, although they still lived in the same city. Their hectic schedules made it difficult to meet face to face more than once a week, leaving them to call each other after work instead.
Realizing that he had a lot of work to do, Chakotay turned his attention back to the PADD in his hand. It never seemed to end. Just when he thought he completed the last thing, he found at least a dozen more that needed his attention. The least Kathryn could have done was warn him about all the menial tasks he'd need to complete when he was promoted to captain. It seemed like anything the admirals didn't want to they passed down to the captains. As a result, Chakotay was left with piles of paperwork every single day. It would be foolish for him to complain though. With his past in the Maquis, he was lucky to have a career in Starfleet at all. He knew it was all for show though, Starfleet's way of showing the galaxy that it was fine with forgiving members of the Maquis. There was no way they were going to give him a ship or any sort of actual responsibility. If he was lucky, in a few years they'd put him on a station somewhere far away from the demilitarized zone and hope his old Maquis ways wouldn't come back. It was nice to think about, but for right now, he was stuck riding a desk in San Francisco.
At least the tiny hole in a wall that Starfleet dared to call Chakotay's office had a somewhat decent view of the presidio. Other than that, it was a rather pathetic office. Crammed into the small room was a desk and large, lumpy chair for him. Across from his desk sat two mismatched chairs for any guests who remembered he existed and decided to stop by for a visit, which almost never happened. He took back all his complaints about his small office back on Voyager. At least that office had enough room to entertain more than two guests comfortably. The fame of being First Officer on the famed Voyager wore off after a few months, which allowed him to disappear back into society and adjust to life on Earth after so many years away. The adjustment included a few unplanned changes to his personal life, but he was finding a way to adapt.
The doorbell rang, instantly drawing Chakotay's attention away from his work, for which he was grateful. He didn't have any meetings scheduled for today, and unless they were dropping off more work for him to do, people rarely came to visit him anymore, which made the intrusion even stranger. Even so, he was glad to have an excuse to take a break from the work in front of him.
"Come in," he called without looking up from the PADD in front of him; he wanted to finish the last sentence he was reading. The door beeped as it complied.
"So this is where they hid you." He'd know that voice anywhere. All thoughts of working instantly vanished as he got to his feet with a huge smile plastered across his face.
"Kathryn," he breathed as he walked around his desk to hug her. "Or should I call you Admiral?" Kathryn laughed. Although they talked regularly, he missed that sound, it didn't have the same ring to it over the LCARS system.
"No, Kathryn will do," she replied. She rested her hand on his cheek and gazed up at him with her usual adoration that she could only feel for her beloved best friend. "How are you doing, Captain?"
"I can't complain. Please, have a seat." He motioned towards one of the chairs in front of his desk, and she immediately sat down. Rather than sit behind his desk, he sat next to her and turned his chair to face her properly.
Kathryn took a few moments to look around the small office and take it all in. With the two of them in here, it felt significantly more crowded. Chakotay crossed his leg, his foot tapping against her shin in the process. He'd scoot his chair back, but there wasn't any room for him to do so.
"This is...cozy," she commented in an attempt to find something nice to say about the miniscule room.
"Don't sugarcoat things, it isn't your style. This office is smaller than the one I had on Voyager."
"Those are your words, not mine." They both laughed. "It is a little cramped though. I guess it was the best they could do on the short notice." Voyager's return home nearly nine months ago had been unexpected by all of them. After a flurry of celebrations, ceremonies and promotions for several members of the crew, the excitement died off, and Starfleet realized that they now had to provide jobs for everyone they had just hired and promoted, which proved easier said than done. Chakotay knew he wasn't the only promoted former Voyager crewman struggling to find his place in Starfleet after being given a promotion and no assignment. He saw B'Elanna, Tom and Harry on a regular basis, and all three struggled just as much as he did to find their place after seven years away.
"You're always so positive when it comes to Starfleet." The words just slipped out, Chakotay knew he should have been more careful, he wasn't speaking to Kathryn in the privacy of her ready room tens of thousands of lightyears away in the Delta Quadrant where he knew he could make such complaints about Starfleet without any repercussions. Now, she was an admiral, and they were back on Earth where he had to be careful what he said. She reached out and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
"You're unhappy with your decision to stay with Starfleet," she observed softly. She could always read him like a book; he didn't know why he bothered trying to keep anything from her, she always figured it out anyway. He returned the affectionate squeeze.
"I'm a captain without a ship, how would you feel in my shoes?" he reasoned. She knew he was right. If she had been in his place, she'd be just as frustrated. It had only been a few months though, and she knew that Starfleet always found a place for everyone, even if it took some time. Besides, not every captain got a posting right away. Starfleet always did its best to pick the perfect person for each assignment.
"Do you want me to pull some strings and see what I can get you?" she offered. She'd do anything for Chakotay, so inquiring about his placement hardly seemed out of place. Surprisingly, he shook his head.
"No, I don't want to put you in that position. Besides, with everything going on right now, I'll be glad to stay planetside for a little while." It was true. While he certainly was unhappy not having a placement right now, being assigned to a ship right now would only complicate his already chaotic personal life. The admission caused Kathryn's eyes to light up with excitement. It had been far too long since she and Chakotay had talked, and she had no idea what he was talking about. After living together and sharing every facet of their lives for seven years, it felt strange to not know something now.
"Really? Do tell," she pressed eagerly.
"I will, but first, coffee." As he got to his feet, he patted her knee. While his office may be pathetic, it still had a replicator, which, along with the view, was just about it's only redeeming quality. She laughed.
"You always knew how to spoil me." Although they were back on Earth and not in the Delta Quadrant, it felt like old times for both of them. She missed this more than anything else in the Delta Quadrant, just spending time with Chakotay, drinking coffee and talking. Contrary to what the crew thought, they didn't just sit around her Ready Room and talk about Voyager. They talked about just about anything, and there were no secrets between them after seven years together.
Even after a year, Chakotay still remembered how Kathryn liked her coffee, it wasn't exactly complicated. He ordered one for her and one for him. If he was going to survive an evening of looking over reports, he was going to need a few more cups of coffee to keep him coherent.
"Here you go." No sooner had he handed her her cup did she take a long drink of it. It was perfect, not that she expected it to be anything less coming from him.
"Now, tell me, how's life? How's Seven?" Kathryn realized that not only had she not talked to Chakotay for a few weeks, but she hadn't talked to Seven either. It felt strange, they were two of her closest friends on Voyager, but now they were all caught up in their own lives. Yes, they all worked for Starfleet in some capacity, but it was such a large complex of buildings, she could go days without seeing the same faces.
"Seven's doing great. She's preparing to teach a class about the Borg at the Academy."
"I heard several cadets talking about it. Apparently her syllabus is quite extensive and detailed."
"What do they expect when you have a former drone teaching you? Anything less than perfection won't be tolerated," Chakotay commented before taking a drink of his coffee. "She's also homeschooling Mezoti, although she'll be enrolled in the local school and starting there next week."
"Oh, what school will she be attending?"
"I can't remember the name, but it's whatever one our new house feeds into." It took Kathryn a few moments longer than it should have to fully comprehend what he had said. As soon as all the pieces fell into place, her eyes lit up, and she smiled excitedly.
"You two are moving in together," she said as the realization dawned on her. "How exciting. When?"
"I moved in about a month ago. There were some changes that needed to be made. I had to get B'Elanna to help install one of the alcoves salvaged from Voyager into the basement for Seven and Mezoti to share." He paused. "I don't know what was worse, the hoops I had to jump through to get Starfleet's permission to remove Borg technology from a starship or the amount begging and pleading it took to get B'Elanna to help." Kathryn laughed. She had hoped that some distance would help mend the strained relationship between the two women, but clearly that hadn't happened yet. She still held out hope for the future, but it would be difficult, both women were so strong minded.
"How'd you get her to help?"
"I ended up watching Miral for four days while she and Tom went on vacation." It hadn't exactly been the highlight of Chakotay's time back on Earth, but he did have a whole new appreciation for all parents, especially those trying to balance parenthood and a job.
"I'm sure that was fun." He rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure if "fun" was the word he'd use. He ended up taking a few days off work after Miral left to recover. It was all worth it though, because now he had the only home in the quadrant with a fully-functioning Borg alcove in the basement. A sudden realization dawned on Kathryn, and she asked, "If the alcoves are still on Voyager, how have Seven and Mezoti been regenerating?"
"They have two mobile regenerators, which have done their job, but they aren't as efficient. Seven has also been slowly transitioning from regenerating to sleeping at night. She usually sleeps most nights now and regenerators every week or so. The Doctor has been closely monitoring her to make sure there's no lasting damage. So far, everything's been running smoothly." Kathryn was glad to hear that. If anything, it showed her that Seven's transition was continuing to go smoothly, as if she expected anything else from her. She was also glad to hear that Seven was still working to regain her humanity, and it sounded like she was making large strides towards becoming a fully-functional human.
A comfortable silence fell over the pair as they took a few minutes to enjoy their coffee and get lost in their own thoughts. Simply being together felt wonderful to both of them, as if they hadn't been separated for several months.
Finally, Kathryn asked, "So you've been in your new house for a few weeks. When do Seven and Mezoti move in?"
"First thing tomorrow morning," Chakotay replied. "I'm taking tomorrow off, which will give me tomorrow and the weekend to help them get settled. On Monday, Seven starts teaching about Borg technology and tactics at the Academy. I'll be home with Mezoti in the evenings when she gets home from school.."
"It sounds like you have it all planned out."
"Mezoti will be easier to take care of than Miral, someone just has to watch her until she's old enough to take care of herself." It really wasn't that difficult. While Mezoti could sometimes be a little bit of a troublemaker back on Voyager, she really was harmless and always meant well. In a few years, she'd be able to stay home by herself in the evenings, which would allow him to keep more normal hours at Headquarters. Until then, they would have to adapt.
Kathryn was surprised at how nonchalant Chakotay seemed about this. He made it sound like all he had to do was rearrange his life a little bit, but everything would mostly stay the same. While she wasn't a mother herself, she knew from others that it wasn't that easy.
"Chakotay, this is going to be a huge change, for all three of you. You've lived alone for years, and it would be hard enough adjusting to Seven moving in with you, but she's bringing a little girl with her. It's going to be difficult for all of you. Not only does Mezoti have to continue getting used to living on Earth, but now she has to get used to sharing the woman she sees as her mother with someone else full time now. Everyone's roles are going to change now as they get used to this."
"Mezoti's very flexible, she'll be fine." Kathryn wasn't entirely sure. While it was true that Mezoti was fairly easy going, this wasn't something simple like changing bedrooms. There were many factors that went into this change.
"I hope you're right." She took a sip of coffee and collected her thoughts. She was excited to see Chakotay and Seven's relationship moving forward, but she she had her doubts that this move would be as easy as Chakotay made it out to be.
Flickers of doubt about Mezoti started to creep up in the back of Chakotay's mind, but he easily chased them away. They'd always gotten along fine when they were on Voyager, so why should this be any different? Besides, after surviving the Delta Quadrant, how hard could it be to help raise a nine year old girl? She was independent and fairly obedient, which would make this ordeal significantly easier.
He leaned forward in his chair and asked, "So tell me, how's Indiana?" Kathryn shrugged.
"The same it's always been, hot in the summers, cold in the winters, and there's always work to be done on the farm. I wouldn't change it for the world though. After all the chaos of the Delta Quadrant, it's nice to be able to sit back and relax for a little while. I actually finished a book."
"Impressive." Chakotay couldn't remember the last time he sat down and read a book cover to cover. He tried more times than he could count, but something always seemed to come up. As a result, he had a stack of books to read on his bookshelf with the promise that he'd read them one day.
"I know, I was so proud of myself that I read another one. There's talks of giving me a command in the next few months, but I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. After a seven year posting, I think I've deserved a break." Chakotay couldn't help but find it ironic; here he was, longing for a posting and not getting one, while Kathryn didn't want one, and they were trying to give her one. If only they could change places, then everything would work out perfectly.
"Well any ship that gets you will be lucky to have you."
"That's just the thing, after seven years, I can't imagine being on any ship but Voyager, and I can't imagine anyone other than you telling me that my ideas are reckless and ill-conceived."
"If you ever need someone to do that, just call me, and I'd be happy to oblige. I doubt anyone else will stand up to you like I did." He had a point there. Most First Officers didn't go out of their way to argue with their Captain on a regular basis like he did; it was one of the things she loved the most about him.
"For now, the only thing arguing with me is this angry pig I have. I swear, every time I go to feed it, it tries to bite off my hand. It's a vicious creature." Chakotay laughed. He didn't know how she had the patience for such antics. "When you, Seven and Mezoti get settled, you should all come out for a vacation. I have plenty of room, and I'm sure Mezoti will enjoy all the little bugs and creepy-crawlies all over the farm."
"We'll be sure to visit." It sounded like the perfect vacation once things settled down, a chance to relax a little and get away from the chaos of the city, Headquarters and the Academy. First, he had to get through tomorrow, then he could focus on going on vacation. It wasn't like he had to worry about leaving his ship behind. He was sure Starfleet could manage without him for a few days.
Kathryn stayed in Chakotay's office for another hour and a half. It hadn't been her intention to stay that long; in fact, she only planned to stop by for a few minutes to see how he was doing before heading back to Indiana. She should have known that that wouldn't happen though; it had been too long since they'd talked, and they had so much catching up to do. They also took the time to reminisce on various members of the crew they'd seen in recent months. Tired of space travel, some, such as Tuvok, retreated to their respective planets as they began the difficult transition back to normal life. Others, such as Tom, were promoted and continued to work for Starfleet, although that wasn't exactly easy either. After spending seven years with the same hundred and fifty people, the quadrant seemed so large and imposing.
As she stood up to leave, Kathryn gave Chakotay a warm hug and kissed him on the cheek. He returned the affection. Neither wanted to let go, as it meant that she had to leave, but he knew she couldn't stay here forever. Both of them had work to do, and they'd already spent significantly longer than they intended together. Reluctantly, Kathryn pulled away and headed towards the door.
"It was good to see you, Chakotay."
"Likewise, Kathryn." She turned to face him.
"Just remember what I said about Mezoti," she warned on her way out the door.
"It'll be fine, Admiral." There was a teasing sparkle in his eye. She pretended to look unamused, but a smile snuck its way onto the corner of her lips.
"I'll call next week to see how everything's going." She figured that that would give everyone enough time to at least start getting used to their new living arrangements. She wanted to know how everything went. She doubted he would feel so nonchalant about this next week. It would be interesting to hear what he thought about his living conditions in a week's time.
With Kathryn gone, Chakotay was free to return to the mountain of his work waiting for him on his desk. Although he was thrilled to see her, her visit delayed his work, and now he would have to work late. He'd never dream of complaining though, Kathryn was his best friend and most trusted confidante. He didn't mind working late if it meant spending time with Kathryn. Thankfully, he didn't have anyone to return home to...yet. Figuring it was the last night he'd probably be able to do this for a while, he might as well take advantage of it and get as much work done as possible. While he tried to downplay it, he knew that tomorrow his life was going to change.
It was after 2000 hours when Chakotay finally left his office. He simply couldn't work anymore, the numbers and words on his PADD swam in front of him, and his neck was starting to tighten from bending over the PADD for hours on end. Not only did Kathryn's visit put him behind on his work, but he also had to make up for the fact that he wasn't coming in tomorrow and wouldn't be able to get much done this weekend. For the next three days, all he wanted to do was focus on helping Seven and Mezoti get settled. Anything that happened at work over the next three days, he'd take care of when he got back. Everyone seemed to forget that he was here, so why should it all fall to pieces when he left?
Shadows stretched along the long, empty corridors as Chakotay exited headquarters, giving the building an eerie, haunted appearance. Every once in awhile, a beam of light from an office shot across the floor, signaling someone else who was working just as late as him. It was reassuring to know he wasn't the only one who put in such long hours. There were probably some officials who slept here on occasion. He and Kathryn had both slept in their offices a few dozen times over the course of their time in the Delta Quadrant; when you're stranded tens of thousands of lightyears from home, you had to do what you had to do. He wrongfully assumed that when he got back to Earth, working long hours would be a thing of the past. While he didn't consistently work long, draining hours, there were still nights, such as this, when he was forced to work far later than he planned.
After a brief commute, Chakotay landed his shuttle in front of his house; it was a perfectly normal looking house on a perfectly normal block. It was the quintessential suburban neighborhood. The structure had large windows to let in as much sunlight as possible during the day. The solar panels on the roof captured energy to run the house at night. As he exited the shuttle, Chakotay looked at the yard. Part of the reason he selected this house was the large front and back yards, which he hoped would give Mezoti enough room to play and be a normal child. When he entered the house, the stairs leading up to the bedrooms was on his right, next to the hallway that led from the foyer to the rest of the house. He kicked off his shoes and headed down the hall, taking the two steps down to the family room. His feet immediately thanked him for being released from their synthetic leather prison as he padded down the hall. The furniture was homey, yet functional, a perfect combination of his and Seven's personalities. Unable to help himself, he'd decorated with many artifacts he'd collected from the Delta Quadrant, along with other little trinkets to give the home a more comfortable appearance. Additionally, thick, colorfully woven blankets from his people's tribe draped along the backs of the couches that sat perpendicular to each other in front of the fireplace with a large computer screen for watching transmissions above it. Just like the front of the house, large windows along the back on either side of the fireplace gave a view of the backyard. The skeletal outline of the playground he'd assembled for Mezoti stood out against the moonlight. The playground had been a pain in the ass to put together. He had an understanding of warp mechanics and the inner workings of a variety of starships, and it was a simple child's playground that gave him a run for his money. It was actually quite embarrassing.
The house felt eerily quiet as Chakotay mounted the two steps to the left of the living room to the kitchen. He stood in front of the replicator positioned in the back left corner of the kitchen for a few moments, considering getting a snack, but he ultimately decided against it and instead headed upstairs to his bedroom. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, and he wanted to get a good night's sleep. His footsteps echoed off the hard floors, giving the house an additional sense of hollowness. He hadn't noticed how empty the house was until he thought about it and the fact that tomorrow it would be filled with talking and laughter. After years, it was his last night living alone, a thought that both terrified and excited him. It was the start of a new and exciting chapter.
The second Chakotay's head hit the pillow, he was fast asleep. He hadn't realized just how tired he was until he crawled into bed and felt the feather soft mattress beneath him. He'd probably stayed at the office a little bit longer than he should have. Unfortunately, his sleep didn't last long. A high pitched beeping floated through the air and permeated his dream. At first, he thought it was his imagination and simply rolled over and flung his arm across the expansive kingsized bed as he ignored the obnoxious noise, but that was when the flashing light caught his attention. The PADD on his bedside table continued to beep and flash, telling him someone was trying to call him. Groaning, he propped himself up on one elbow and ran his hand over his face before grabbing the device and answering the call. The beeping immediately stopped as the video image appeared on the screen; the bright light momentarily blinded him. Once the stars stopped dancing before his eyes, Seven's face materialized in front of him.
"You were asleep," she observed bluntly. "I should have been more sensitive of the time."
"It's fine," Chakotay assured, how voice husky with sleep. When it came to her, he was more than willing to forgo a little bit of sleep to talk to her. "What's up?"
"I tried to call you about an hour and a half ago, but you didn't answer. I wanted to confirm the plans for tomorrow." He laid back down against the soft pillows and held the PADD in one hand so he could continue the conversation. As soon as he did so, he instantly regretted it, as he felt like he was going to fall asleep mid conversation, which had happened several times in the past.
"I worked late today. What time do you think you and Mezoti will get here?"
"Mezoti is a little bit slow in the morning, but I estimate our arrival to be sometime after 0900 hours, if that works for you."
"I told you, sweetheart, whatever time you want to get here is fine with me, I'll be awake and waiting for you." Seven smiled. He could see in her eyes that she was both excited and nervous about tomorrow. He was glad to know that he wasn't the only one who felt that way. "How was your day today?"
"Satisfactory," she replied. "I am worried about the curriculum I have outlined for my class. It may prove to be difficult for many cadets, especially when compared to other Academy courses."
"I'd expect nothing less than difficult and grueling coursework from you," Chakotay teased in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Just remember that perfection isn't necessary."
"Perfection should always be strived for," Seven argued firmly. "If everyone strived for perfection, the world would be a far better place."
"That's Borg mentality, you're on Earth and teaching at the Starfleet Academy. Your students may not be able to attain Borg perfection. I know you have a lot of information to teach them, but you may have to adapt your curriculum to help your students to be more successful." As she thought about the notion, her brow furrowed in confusion and frustration.
"It would irresponsible to leave out important material simply to ensure more students are passing my class."
"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that think about how you present the information and remember that not everyone is perfect. A paper can be high quality but not perfect. The lack of perfection shows that there's something still to attain and strive for." She shook her head.
"I am Borg, perfection is essential."
"But you're also human, and perfection is impossible to achieve. Just keep that in mind." Her face fell as she thought about the news. She knew he was right. To expect all her students to attain perfection and keep up with the amount of material she had to present the second they walked into her classroom was an impossible feat. They would have to be trained to reach perfection. If she found a way to balance it all out, her students should be able to learn about the Borg and reach perfection by the time she was done with them.
"How was your day?" Seven asked in an attempt to shift the conversation away from her and her obvious imperfections. She would have to think carefully about what he said as she proceeded to plan out the rest of her curriculum.
"It was good. Kathryn stopped by to say hi." The mention of the Admiral caused a sparkle to appear in Seven's eyes, and she sat up taller.
"How is the Admiral doing?"
"She's good." For a moment, Chakotay thought about bringing up the conversation the two of them shared about Mezoti's adjustment, but he ultimately decided against it, as it would most likely only cause Seven to start over analyzing everything, just like she had when they first started talking about moving in together. "She invited us out to her farm in Indiana once you and Mezoti get settled, like on a vacation."
"To a farm," Seven stated bluntly. Her tone gave away the fact that she wasn't sold on going out to Indiana for a few days only to stay on a farm in the middle of nowhere. While she wasn't an expert on vacations, she didn't think visiting a farm sounded very relaxing. It would be wonderful to see the Admiral though, it had been a while since they'd seen each other and undoubtedly had a lot of catching up to do.
"We don't' have to make a decision right now, it's just something to think about."
"Very well, we can discuss it further at a later date. Right now, you need to sleep, and I need to make sure Mezoti has properly packed." If Mezoti's habits on Voyager were any indication, Chakotay knew everything was probably shoved into random bags scattered across the small apartment, leaving Seven to make sense of all the chaos. No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't get the child to be organized like herself.
"Okay, I'll see you in the morning. I love you."
"I love you too." Both of them paused for several seconds before Seven ended the transmission. Chakotay paused while his eyes adjusted to the darkness once again. He tossed the PADD onto the bedside table and rolled over. Within a few minutes, he was fast asleep once again.
Author's Note: There you go, I hope you liked it! This story will definitely have a sequel (which is already partially planned out) and possibly be part of a trilogy, I have to figure out some logistics first. Make sure to leave a review and let me know what you think.