Note: The usual disclaimers apply.
CHAPTER ONE
Admiral Paris slipped into the hall five minutes before the end of the lecture. His arrival went unnoticed by everyone apart from the professor at the front of the room. If he was perturbed by the Admiral's arrival, he didn't show it, but he did end the lesson a few minutes before the bell was due to ring.
Most of the students were too buoyed by the early finish to notice the Admiral lurking in the back row - even on a good day, Professor Chakotay's classes ran for a good ten minutes after the bell. The few students who did notice shot the Admiral quizzical looks and a couple of the bolder ones lingered in the aisles hoping to catch a snippet of whatever the two men had to discuss. It was no secret that there was no love lost between the Admiral, who sponsored Starfleet Academy's Command Track Training Programme and Captain Chakotay, who taught its Advanced Tactics course. Only Admiral Janeway had been known to be able to broker peace between the two, but she was currently off world on a diplomatic mission.
Chakotay stood with his back to the room gathering his padds slowly and stuffing them into a worn leather briefcase. It wasn't until the last straggler had left the room that he spoke, his voice low and gruff. "What happened?"
"We've lost her shuttle."
"'Lost' as in you can't find it, or 'lost' as in it was blown to smithereens?"
Admiral Paris tracked his was through the desks and chairs to the front of the room. "It disappeared from sensors. The Homestead hasn't discovered any debris, nor was it able to pick up a further warp trail from the shuttle's last known location."
"She told you this would happen. She told you she didn't trust them." Chakotay fumbled with the clasp of his briefcase.
"Kathryn knew the risks, but like any good officer, she was doing her duty."
Chakotay's eyes met the Admiral's for the first time. "She was following your orders."
"She was following Starfleet's orders."
There was a long pause before Chakotay spoke again. "I assume you'll let us take Voyager out help with the search."
"Need I remind you, Captain, that Voyager and its crew are grounded."
Chakotay made to protest but the Admiral cut him off. "And we already have the Homestead out there, doing a perfectly capable job."
"Capable isn't enough! No one knows her like we do and no crew would be more tireless in their efforts. Come on, Owen, this is Kathryn we're talking about. She loves you like a father and I know you care for her too."
Owen smiled sadly at Chakotay. "That I do, Chakotay. That I do. And that's why we have protocol - to make decisions for us when our judgments are too clouded. You of all people should understand that."
It was an age old story. Sira, a small planet on the outskirts of Federation space had finally met the requirements for Federation membership. Whilst a large number of the Siran people welcomed this development, a small but powerful faction wanted to preserve Siran independence and their old ways.
"I don't trust their President one bit," Kathryn had confided to Chakotay one evening as they sat on the veranda of her San Francisco apartment watching the sun set over the Golden Gate Bridge. "He makes all the right noises, but he doesn't seem truly excited at the prospect of joining the Federation."
"Then why do you think he's doing it?"
"Ratifying the membership treaty?"
Chakotay nodded.
"It what the people want. And he wants to stay in power." Kathryn sighed. "Thousands of years and the stories never seem to change."
"That's not like you," said Chakotay, reaching over to massage her forearm tenderly. At the quizzical arch of her eyebrow, he elaborated. "You have always been the more idealistic of the two of us; more willing to give people a chance."
Kathryn shrugged. "When I accepted this commission, I was hoping to be able to influence Federation politics and mould the future of Starfleet. Instead, I fly around shaking people's hands and fixing my thumbprint to documents. There's no real challenge, Chakotay. No space anomaly to investigate or innocent civilisation to rescue."
"I think the Siran people will be plenty grateful when they receive their first aid package."
Kathryn scowled at him. "You know what I mean."
"Have you shared your concerns with Owen?"
"About President Keja or about my commission."
"Well, I was thinking about President Keja, but both."
"Yes and no. I told Owen how I felt about Keja, but that's just it - they're just feelings. Even if Keja isn't enthusiastic about Federation membership, he's already committed himself. The negotiators have already ironed out the finer details - there's nothing left to do but hold a signing ceremony, cut some ribbons and drink some tea. As for my commission, I'm sure I'll find a way to make it work. You know some people aren't very happy with me for signing off on Seven's transfer and I don't want to rock any more boats." She gave him a crooked grin. "For the time being, at least."
Two days later she had deposited her dog Molly Mark 2 (or Mark 2 for short) at his flat, given him a friendly farewell peck on the cheek and flown out the door to catch her transport to Utopia Planetia where the Homestead was waiting to take her and the rest of her diplomatic corp to Sira.
That had been a little over a week ago. Now, ensconced in the privacy of his office, Chakotay couldn't - and wouldn't - accept that their last few moments together had been so casual and unceremonious. They had been through tougher scrapes in the Delta Quadrant and it would take far more than a missing shuttle for Chakotay to believe that the worst had happened.
His gaze fell on a framed photograph by his computer console. It had been taken a couple of months ago at Naomi Wildman's seventh birthday party, which coincidentally also marked the six month anniversary of Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant. In it, the birthday girl stood flanked by both parents in front of a Voyager-shaped cake. To her left, Seven of Nine and Tuvok gazed serenely into the camera and next to them Harry Kim beamed proudly at his new girlfriend, Gabriella Lau. Tom and B'Elanna Paris were at the other end of the line up trying to contain a rambunctious Miral Paris, who was leaning precariously out of her mother's arms to reach for the large cake, almost toppling Kathryn Janeway over in the process. Laughingly, Kathryn had gripped at Chakotay's jacket to steady herself and, instinctively, Chakotay's arms had snaked around her waist to hold her in place.
Kathryn had groaned when she spotted it on his desk. "Of all the photos to display..."
"I like it. It's very us," he'd said, too defensively.
She'd given him a wry smile. "You just like it because it shows you rescuing a damsel in distress."
He'd chuckled. "You got me there."
"Make me a copy, won't you?" She'd said, taking him by surprise.
"Oh?"
"This damsel would like a reminder that she needs to be rescued every now and then," she'd said softly, her eyes holding his for just a moment longer than they should have.
He smiled wistfully. It had been like that for a few months now - subtle flirtations, lingering looks and friendly hugs that lasted just a fraction too long. It was just as it had been on Voyager before he had started seeing Seven, only now they didn't have protocol keeping them apart. Nor was his relationship with Seven much of an obstacle. He and Seven had ended things amicably shortly after their return to Earth on the (separate) counsel of their Starfleet mandated therapists. Instead, something much larger loomed in Kathryn and Chakotay's way. Something so obtrusive and yet so eluding that whenever Chakotay tried to probe at it, it blurred at the edges and slipped from his grasp.
Did Kathryn feel it too? He wondered. Did she understand it?
He rubbed his eyes to shake of the haze of introspection that had settled over him. All this speculation would be of little use if he didn't find her and bring her back to him. The edges of a plan began to form as his tacticians mind rattled into gear. If Owen Paris thought that he would sit idly by whilst Kathryn Janeway was in danger, he had better think again.
To be continued...