Eternal Bliss
Part I
by: AW
©AW May 2018
Kathryn stood on the bridge. She watched her crew pass before her. "Wormhole?" She stared at Chakotay and Tuvok, briefly analyzing at the scans. "Approximately four hundred million kilometers from our position."
Could this be the end. Could they have finally found a way home after five years of searching? She was wakened from her reverie, and realized Chakotay was speaking to her. "Take a look at the transkinetic vector."
Kathryn stared at the readings and almost said *Yeah right.* as she stared at where the 'wormhole' led. "It leads to sector zero zero one."
"It looks like a wormhole but we're detecting massive bioplasmic activity."
She stared at Chakotay; there was something that wasn't right about this. "That suggests a life-form." They had been down this road before. Finding a way home only to have it ripped out
from under them. "Neutrino flux?"
"Erratic."
Kathryn stared at her first officer. This could be the end of their journey. This could be the end of her loneliness. This could be the end of a lot of things. "A direct route to Earth's doorstep out of the blue." She looked at her senior staff. This didn't feel right; but she wanted it to be right. After all they'd been through she wanted this to be the end of the journey.
She wanted Kathryn to have a chance, but then the Captain came to the forefront. "What's wrong with this picture?"
Chakotay joined in and realized that she was just doing what any good scientist would do. Examine, prove and deduce. "We should launch a probe."
The Captain found the strength to go against what she wanted to be true, to try and find out what she knew was true. "Go to yellow alert. Prepare a class five probe. Let's see what's really out there."
Janeway was just waiting. There had been a group sent out to try and find deuterium.
Tom had insisted on bringing Naomi with them. He figured as did many on the crew that it wasn't going to be long before they were going to have to start having children.
This journey was going to last much longer than any of them had expected or were going to be expected to live to fulfill the journey.
She let out a sigh as she brushed her hand over her empty womb.
At one point she had hoped that a husband and children would be part of her future. As the years went by and she saw her face wearing the lines of age, she knew that if this trip lasted as long as they suspected it was going to, these things would not be in her future.
She sighed and watched Tom walk down the hall, Naomi in his arms: Sleeping.
She let a small grin grace her features. *He would make a good father someday, she was sure. * She watched as Tom passed the slumbering girl to her ex-drone. Seven refused the responsibility of Voyager's only child, and Tom stared at her, almost losing his balance as two crewmembers sped by. "They're in a hurry."
Seven looked at him, "Crewmen Boylen and White. Frequently late for their duty shifts."
Paris frowned. "Nice to know you keep tabs on everyone. I'll remember never to be late for duty again." He moved the girl's hair out of her face and stared at the perfection and innocence that was Naomi Wildman. "Speaking of late, I'll make a deal with you. I'll explain to Sam why her daughter's two hours late for bedtime, if you start on the survey report."
Seven nodded her agreement. "Acceptable."
Tom smirked; glad that he wouldn't have to be the one to write the report. "Have fun."
Seven hurried to the astrometrics lab to see it filled with members of the Voyager senior staff. The Captain turned to look at her. "You're back. I was beginning to worry."
"The survey took longer than expected."
Seven watched the first officer as he was beginning to state the issue at hand. There was a magnetic pull between the First Officer and Captain.
She had always seen it as 'a great command team chemistry', but lately she had wondered if there was indeed something else there.
She had watched many a day as the couple had conversations without speaking. Their body language as the Doctor called it spoke volumes.
Even she - as a woman who had spent her formative years as part of the hive mind - could see the chemistry between the two.
Tom called it 'sexual chemistry' and she had listened on more than one occasion as the pilot stated that there was no way there was nothing going on between the two of them.
She had; inadvertently stumbled across the Voyager betting pool. 'When the Captain and Commander would finally get together.' 'Who would give Voyager their next baby.' 'How long would it actually take them to get home.''
All this guessing and role-playing was something that she was not used to. There was no need for such frivolous things in the hive mind.
No need for rumors or second guessing.
No need for love lives.
She turned back to Chakotay and realized he had been speaking to her. "Lucky our deuterium shortage is no longer an issue."
She stared at the scans. "A wormhole."
Harry put his two cents worth in. "The wormhole. It leads all the way back to Earth."
She had also seen in the betting pools who 'would bag the drone.' She was not used to human sayings or colloquialisms; but she had asked the Doctor - since he was her mentor and the object of some of these bets - what it was.
As usual and she assumed it had something to do with Lieutenant Paris, it had to do with sex. She went back to the matter at hand. "The odds of finding such a phenomenon are infinitesimal."
Janeway smiled, "Never bet against the house."
She felt Harry approach her as she began her own set of scans. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for anomalous readings."
She turned to realize that Tuvok was there, "You will find none."
She watched as Chakotay put a possessive hand on the small of the Captain's back as he once again tried to assure Seven that this wormhole was real. "He's right. No subspatial contortions, no temporal variance."
The Captain spun around, "The probe we sent in has already picked up faint signals from the other side."
Harry smiled, "B'Elanna's still downloading them but she's pretty sure they're from Starfleet."
Seven shook her head confused, "This wormhole is only three hundred million kilometers away. Long-range scans should have detected it days ago."
Tuvok piped up, "Perhaps it was an oversight on your part."
Janeway furrowed her brow and patted Seven's hand. Like a mother trying to tell a child that it would be okay, there was nothing to be afraid of. "If it'll make you feel better, run a diagnostic. In the meantime, let's maintain course."
Kathryn made her way to her ready room. She sat behind her desk and stared at the log entry she had made at the beginning of the discovery of the wormhole. "Captain's Log, Stardate 52542.3. Long-range sensors have identified a wormhole leading to the Alpha quadrant. Unfortunately, secondary scans have revealed that it's some kind of elaborate deception. The question is who's attempting to deceive us and why?"
She had been so naïve, thinking that nothing good would ever happen to them. Maybe this was the end of the journey and the end of her loneliness. She heard the door chime. "Come."
Chakotay walked into her ready room. She grinned. "This could be it Kathryn, the end of the journey."
Kathryn nodded. "The end of our lives for the past five years."
"Is that a good thing?"
She grabbed his hand, the warmth spreading throughout her body. "I think so."
Chakotay looked at her and she felt the hope threading through her body. His eyes showing her something she hadn't seen in years: 'Love.'
He squeezed her hand and moved the chair closer to her and she felt the warmth permeating from him and filling her being. "Do you think we can finally take that final step?"
Kathryn nodded, "Perhaps."
He grinned and showed her his dimples and she felt her body going to jelly. Maybe this was the universe's attempt to show her that she didn't have to be alone.
His hand slowly moved behind her neck and brought her lips up to meet his.
All she could think was this was almost perfect.
The moment was interrupted by a chime at the door. She sighed exasperated and called. "Come in."
Seven walked in - business as usual. "I've completed my diagnostic. Sensors are operating at peak efficiency."
Janeway stared at Seven; and all she could think was: 'Can you leave already?' "Then there's nothing to worry about."
She sighed as Seven droned on telling her that she thought there was something to worry about. All she could think was *This is the beginning of the journey that will lead to my happiness.*
"On the contrary. The wormhole's neutrino levels are extremely erratic."
Kathryn sighed, "I thought so too, until I received this. It turns out those faint signals we detected were communiqués from Starfleet. They assure me the neutrino flux is nothing to worry about."
"Starfleet may be in error. We should run further scans."
Janeway shook her head and stared at the drone, "No time. The wormhole might destabilize."
Seven glared at Janeway feeling as if she had interrupted something and one last time thought maybe there was something to be said for Paris' imagination. "The Doctor often instructs me to look before I leap. It is an antiquated adage but I believe it is relevant."
Kathryn had had enough, "I have another one for you. He who hesitates is lost."
"Captain."
Kathryn had had enough. "I think we're avoiding the real issue here, Seven. You're still feeling uncomfortable about returning to the Alpha Quadrant. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Trust me: You're going to thrive on Earth just as you've thrived on Voyager. Yes?"
Kathryn felt as if she were patting a little child on the head for being good.
Seven made her departure and left the two commanding officers on their own. Chakotay stared at Kathryn knowing there would be more to explore later and went back to the business at hand. He stared at Kathryn looking at her second letter from the Alpha Quadrant. "Letter number two. I'm getting jealous."
She was tight-lipped as she stated, "Mark. Apparently his engagement was broken off."
She watched the light in Chakotay's eyes dim. "Chakotay that doesn't change anything I gave up on a life with Mark a long time ago. There has been no one else in my thoughts and dreams for a long time." She watched him slowly accept her words and give her hand another squeeze. "What about you, any news?"
"A full pardon and reinstatement to Starfleet. I've even been offered a professorship in anthropology at the Academy."
"Oh, Chakotay, congratulations, but it's not fair."
He stared at her, "Don't worry, it's only part time."
"How can I be expected to manage the ship without you?"
He stared at her, "So you want to Captain another ship?"
She bowed her head. "I guess that depends what other offers I get."
Chakotay looked at her, that statement could mean so many things. "Don't you ever want to just live your life and say goodbye to Starfleet?"
"That depends what other offers come my way."
He shook his head, "Why do I have a feeling we're talking about more than just job opportunities."
"I don't do things halfway Chakotay. If we start this I'm in for the long haul."
He laughed, "I wouldn't have it any other way." He stared at her almost afraid to make the next suggestion for fear of scaring her off. "My quarters tonight? We can go over all the opportunities that could present themselves."
She nodded and he left the ready room.
Kathryn turned to the screen and began her supplemental log entry. "Captain's log, supplemental. We've begun to receive faint telemetry from our probe. I don't want to get the crew's hopes up but B'Elanna thinks it may be a message from Starfleet. I'm beginning to wonder if my earlier skepticism was justified."
Kathryn took in a deep breath and stared at the clock. It was almost 1700 hours. Time for the day to end and possibly in a couple of hours, for her life with Chakotay to begin. In the end she had agreed to meet with him at around 1900 hours to try and make her life with him work. She would see how that would go.
Kathryn knew something was up; she could tell by the drone's mannerisms, but in all honesty she didn't care.
She closed her log, and left the room departing for the future.
Seven made her way to the mess hall. As much as she found the idea of nutritional supplements abhorrent she knew that her human body needed it.
As she looked into the mess hall she saw Tom Paris sitting by himself a pad in his hand a smile on his face.
She slowly approached the ensign. "Ensign, I require a moment of your time."
Paris looked up startled to hear anyone coming to search him out on his time off. "Sure."
"Have you noticed anything unusual about the crew's behavior since we returned?"
Tom stared at Seven and all he could think was that he couldn't wait to go see B'Elanna and to celebrate their soon-to-be arrival in the Alpha Quadrant. "Like?"
Seven sighed, "When I presented the Captain with evidence that the wormhole may not be what it appears to be, she seemed unconcerned."
Paris grinned, *I bet I know what she's thinking of and what she's doing.*
Time to take the high ground with the Borg. "Really. That doesn't sound like her."
"I believe the crew is being deceived by false telemetry as well as overly-optimistic correspondence."
Paris shook his head. *Unbelievable, this woman can make anything into a crisis.* He stared down at his pad, "The letters from home? I got one, too."
"No doubt containing good news."
Paris shook his head, *No shit Sherlock.* "Oh, I'll say. An old buddy of mine offered me a spot at the new test flight center in Australia. Beautiful beaches, a chance to pilot the latest experimental ships. I can't believe it."
His mind traveled to his girlfriend. She would love this. He had a ring. Tonight he was going to propose.
Seven interrupted his thoughts of the future, like a bucket of cold water pouring on his parade. "Then you doubt the veracity of the letters as well."
Paris laughed, "Are you kidding? I've already written back and accepted the job."
He looked at her, "Now if you don't mind, I have an important dinner date to make."
He turned around and left Seven not turning back to see what he had missed.
Slowly Tom walked into his quarters to see B'Elanna reading a letter of her own. "They found her Tom."
Tom's brows furrowed. "Who?"
She smiled, "My mom. Of all the people I thought I'd be happy about hearing from her again, she wasn't on the top of my list; but here she is. Reaching out to me."
Tom enveloped her in a hug. "That's so wonderful B'Elanna. I got that wonderful job offer from my buddy; you found your mother; and I think that the Captain and Chakotay finally got their shit together."
B'Elanna looked at him puzzled. "Really? I mean it's been years since anything was even said about the two of them."
"Maybe they were just waiting for the right moment."
She smiled, and pulled him down for a kiss.
He pulled back, "Yeah looks like mom and dad finally got it right."
He pulled her to him and sat staring at the TV she had constructed for him not two weeks earlier. They watched an old movie until they fell asleep in total bliss.
1850 hours Kathryn stared at herself in the mirror. She had put on a lovely blue velvet dress that perfectly brought out her eyes.
She had gone to see the doctor and had him lengthen her hair so it now stayed just above her waist, where it had been when he had met her and fallen in love with her.
She put the finishing touches on her make-up and made her way to Chakotay's quarters.
She managed to get to his quarters without running into any crewmembers that were walking the halls and she rang the buzzer. Chakotay stared at her and looked as if he had just been given the toy surprise.
He put his hand out for her to take and she walked into his quarters.
He immediately pulled her to him whispering in her ear. "You look beautiful Kathryn. What happened to your hair?"
Kathryn pulled back shocked. "You don't like it? I got the doctor to lengthen it. I know how much you used to love my long hair."
He grinned, "Oh Kathryn I do, but I can't believe you did this for me?"
She smiled and blushed, "I told you I was all in."
He bent down and brushed a kiss on her lips. She deepened the kiss and before they knew it they were on the couch making out like teenagers.
Before they could continue Chakotay reached behind the seat on the couch and brought out a tiny box. When Kathryn opened it she saw a beautiful diamond ring. "Will you marry me Kathryn?"
Kathryn didn't know what to say. She nodded with tears rolling down her cheeks.
Kathryn stared at Chakotay. This is what she had always wanted right?
Even though she knew she loved him. Something didn't feel right. Why was Seven so adamant that something was not the way it should be?
She looked at Chakotay who was undressing her with his eyes and stopped it. "We can't do this right now Chakotay. We'll get back to the Alpha Quadrant and then when we're free we can do what we wish. Right now though, we still have to get the crew home."
Chakotay looked defeated.
She stared at him. "I'm not saying no; I'm just saying not now." She let out a mirthless laugh. "I can't perform my own marriage ceremony anyway Chakotay. We will soon just not yet."
[HALLWAY OUTSIDE SICKBAY]
Seven was watching the actions of everyone around her. They seemed so strange, and yet so happy. Their elation was new to Seven. There was only one person that she could count on to be impartial in all of this: The Doctor.
She walked into the sick bay and called out, "Computer, activate the EMH."
She stood and waited for the holographic man to appear who had become in some ways a closer friend and mentor then she ever thought possible. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."
Seven thought about as Tom Paris would say 'sugar coating the truth'; but decided time was of the essence and there was no time to waste. "The wormhole is not what it appears to be. I believe that the crew is being -"
"Hold on. Wormhole?"
Seven looked at the doctor realizing that she may have a bigger challenge than she originally thought. "You weren't informed."
"Not a peep."
Seven stared at the hologram, "Considering everyone's recent behavior that's not surprising. Since the discovery of this wormhole the crew has ignored obvious signs that it's a deception. You must determine if there is a physiological explanation."
Seven stared at the Doctor trying to get him to understand as all of a sudden the moment was interrupted by Chakotay's voice on the com. "Seven of Nine to the Bridge."
Seven's face was begging the hologram to understand that she needed him to investigate as she stated to the Commander, "On my way."
Under his breath the EMH stated "I'll call in a few crewmen for routine examinations. That should allow me to run the necessary diagnostics."
Chakotay had been staring at the viewscreen for what felt like hours. Just waiting for the wormhole to make its appearance. This was his and Kathryn's chance. He turned so he was facing his soon-to-be wife. "We've just entered visual range. I thought you'd like to take a look. We're starting to get images from the other side."
Tuvok on a normal day the voice of reason piped up. "There is considerable interference.
The bridge crew continued. They were waiting for their one chance to make everything better. To finish their journey. To make it home in their lifetime.
"All hands, this is the Bridge. Secure all systems."
Janeway grinned and looked at her crew, her man; her life. "When we reach Earth's orbit, lay in a descent trajectory. North American continent, Starfleet Headquarters."
This was it. This was the end of her self-appointed journey. After tonight, it would all be over. She would be free to live her life – for her – and not for the lives of others.
[READY ROOM]
She pulled Chakotay by the hand and they entered her ready room. "This is it Chakotay."
"This is it Kathryn."
He bent down and kissed her knowing that the whole bridge crew had been watching their departure.
"I want to make you mine tonight. I want to spend the rest of my life with you Kathryn."
She shook her head, "We already went over this Chakotay; we can't get married yet. I can't perform my own marriage ceremony."
He smiled at her, "No but we can perform the right of my people. Take my mark Kathryn."
She shook her head, "Your tattoo?"
He nodded his head. "In my culture it's as good as a marriage license."
Kathryn stared at him and nodded her head. "Yes." She looked at him a little less sure. "But not on my face."
Chakotay laughed and picked her up. "I don't care where you put it Kathryn; but this means forever."
On the bridge Tom whistled. "Three guesses what they're doing in there."
Harry blushed.
Tuvok entered the conversation, "I do not think it is appropriate to guess what the Captain is doing at any time Mr. Paris."
"Oh lighten up Tuvok."
In the ready room Janeway braced herself as Chakotay took the tattooing instruments of his tribe and was ready to begin. "I have to ask you one more time Kathryn, you're sure this is what you want?"
Kathryn nodded. "I want to be with you and if this is the only way that I can prove my commitment to you then let's do it." She turned and looked in Chakotay's eyes. "Have you ever known me to do things halfway?"
Chakotay shook his head and began.
Kathryn closed her eyes against the pain but knew that it really wasn't as bad as some of the things that she had endured in her lifetime.
The less she thought about it the less it hurt.
She whispered as he worked, "I love you, forever and always."
[ASTROMETRICS]
Seven stormed into the astrometrics lab. She was sure that something wasn't right and that people were hallucinating, believing things were real when they weren't. She sighed, "Computer, perform a gravimetric scan of the wormhole's interior. Look for inconsistencies in the spatial gradient."
The computer's voice answered just as it should if the wormhole was indeed a wormhole. "The anomaly is consistent with a class one wormhole. No irregularities detected."
This wasn't right. Seven shook her head and began the scan again, and again, and again. Nothing changed.
She looked at the scan. There appeared to be a vessel in the anomaly. She shook her head and asked the computer to scan again.
Nothing.
Seven recalibrated the sensors.
Nothing.
She shook her head and took a chance. "Alien vessel, this is the Starship Voyager. Respond. Alien vessel."
"Who are you?"
"Seven of Nine, Federation Starship Voyager. Our ship is on an intercept course three point four light-years from your position."
"Turn around, you're being deceived."
The computer all of a sudden shut down. The screen went blank. *Is this what it feels like to lose your mind?* Seven thought?
Tuvok marched into the astormetrics lab, "Captain's orders. Power from Astrometrics has been rerouted to the navigational array, at least until we've completed our journey through the wormhole."
"I've made contact with a vessel inside the anomaly."
"Starfleet?"
"Alien. The pilot attempted to warn us away."
*I think there was an alien* She thought. *I saw him. He communicated with me.*
"Sensors show no record of an incoming transmission."
"The sensors are malfunctioning. He said we were being deceived, that the wormhole is not what it appears to be."
*Maybe I'm malfunctioning. Is any of this real?*
Tuvok stared at her, "The preponderance of data suggests otherwise."
*Maybe she was malfunctioning. Perhaps it wasn't them at all but her.*
Seven walked back to the cargo bay with as much dignity as she could muster. "Computer begin regener –"
Seven heard a whimpering in the corner. What was going on? She needed to regenerate. Then she saw it.
Naomi Wildman. A frightened little child thinking that everything and everyone was behaving as strangely as she believed they were. "Naomi Wildman, your presence here is unauthorized. State your intentions."
Naomi stared at her big blue eyes showing more fear then Seven was sure she meant to. "I'm hiding."
Seven looked at her puzzled. "From whom?" Seven looked to the little girl. Maybe she had seen the alien too. "Naomi Wildman, did you see the alien too?"
"What are you talking about, I mean everyone else on the ship. They're all acting strange. Even Mom."
Seven ignored the fact that if the little girl was correct; it was starting to affect her too. "Elaborate."
"She keeps smiling all the time, talking about Earth like it's the greatest place in the universe."
Seven knew that the crew's desire to get home was strong. Overpowering at times. "You do not share your mother's desire to return to Earth."
"Voyager's my home. If we go to Earth, I'll have to leave the ship. I'd miss my room, Neelix. You and I wouldn't be able to play kadis-kot anymore."
"Curious, you and I appear to be the only ones not affected." Then she stared at Naomi. "You did not see the alien?"
Naomi threw a frightened look Seven's way. "Affected by what? Is there a mean alien who's hurting everyone?"
Seven shook her head, "I am not certain. Stay here until I return."
Seven watched Naomi duck behind the panels and Seven proceeded to sickbay.
[SICK BAY]
Once she reached sickbay she glanced around hoping to see the Doctor. "Computer, activate EMH."
Tom Paris walked out of the Doctor's office. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."
"Where's the Doctor?"
"Offline."
"Why?"
Paris looked at her as if she hadn't heard the news. "Starfleet orders. Something about the wormhole interfering with the holographic systems. They didn't want to damage his program."
Seven looked at Paris. Something wasn't right. "He must be reactivated."
"No can do, not until we're on the other side."
Seven stared at him fear in her eyes, "It's urgent."
"Believe it or not, I am capable of handling almost any medical problem you might have."
Seven shook her head this wasn't right. She left sickbay and proceeded to the bridge, something had to be done.
Halfway to the bridge Seven stared at Chakotay coming her way. *Why wasn't he on the bridge?*
Chakotay approached her, "I was just coming to see you."
Her brain was attempting to process what was real and what was in her head. "Why?"
"I'm afraid I have some troubling news. Evidently, our wormhole passes through a layer of subspace monitored by the Borg. Starfleet's concerned that your neural transceiver might attract some unwanted attention. We need to deactivate your implants."
Seven felt fear encompassing her for a minute. She would not let them take her apart. "You should not attempt to do so without the Doctor's supervision."
"Unfortunately, he's offline."
"Then the procedure is inadvisable."
Chakotay looked at her trying to make her at ease. Trying to make her see that it was okay, but it wasn't. There was something going on that Seven wasn't able to process. *Was he really there?*
"Try to relax. We're only going to keep you in stasis until we've reached the Alpha quadrant. I realize the prospect of returning to Earth is frightening to you. It's perfectly natural for you to resist the unknown, but you're in good hands. Resistance is futile."
On the bridge Janeway had her own ideas. It was going to take the approximately 80 hours to get home. After five long years it would all be over in a little more than three days,
She stared at the sandy-haired pilot. "What's our distance, Tom?"
"Two thousand kilometers and closing. Good-bye, Delta Quadrant."
Harry grinned, "No more Hirogen hunting parties, Malon garbage scows."
"By this time tomorrow it'll be Cardassians, Romulans, Ferengi."
Kathryn saw the bliss in everyone's features. This was going to work.
She heard Chakotay's voice come across the com line. "Chakotay to the Bridge."
"Go ahead."
"I've spoken to Seven of Nine. We're putting her into stasis."
"Make it fast. We don't want the Borg to crash our welcome home party."
Chakotay walked Seven to cargo bay two. When she finally stood in front of her regeneration chamber she stared at him. "I need to adjust my regeneration parameters. How long will I remain inactive?"
"A little over three days to be on the safe side."
He thought Seven was going to co-operate until a force field erected itself in front of them. "Security alert!"
Seven looked to the corner of the cargo bay, "Naomi Wildman."
Kathryn heard the fear and annoyance escape Chakotay's voice. "Security's on their way, Chakotay. What happened?"
"Seven's trapped us behind some kind of Borg forcefield."
"Try to disable it." There was no way in hell that Seven was going to ruin what Kathryn had planned for tonight she had waited too long.
Chakotay looked and saw the frightened child sitting in the corner. "Naomi, go back to your quarters."
Then Seven opened her mouth to confuse the child further, "Pay attention to me. If this indicator begins to flash enter the following series of commands." Naomi was staring around her, looking at the Commander. Someone she was always taught to obey. Seven got her attention and showed her again what to press. "Watch carefully."
Seven watched Chakotay try and get the little girl's attention. "Naomi."
Seven stared at Naomi trying to get her attention, "Do you understand?"
Naomi's eyes flew back and forth between Chakotay and Seven, before finally staring at Seven and stating, "Yes."
Chakotay called to the bridge. "Chakotay to Janeway. Seven is blocking us behind a forcefield."
Kathryn looked to Harry, "Can you take down that forcefield?"
Harry shook his head, "She's blocking my commands."
"Keep trying."
Seven walked back into the cargo bay, pulled out a laser rifle and got ready to transport. "Computer, lock onto my co-ordinates and initiate a site-to-site transport. Main Engineering."
Seven materialized in Engineering. She turned and looked to B'Elanna. The half Klingon stared at Seven with surprise when she saw the Borg with the phaser rifle. "Seven?"
Seven brought the phaser up and pointed it at B'Elanna. "Sorry".
Janeway turned to Harry at the sharp intake of breath. "We've got phaser fire in Engineering.
All Kathryn could think about at that minute was Chakotay. They had finally gotten their timing right she hoped he was okay. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath until she went to speak. "Janeway to Security."
She heard Tuvok's voice over the com system. "Yes Captain we're on our way to engineering at this moment."
In engineering Seven looked around and began tapping buttons. She would keep herself safe no matter what, and make the rest of the crew see. "Computer, erect a level ten force field around Engineering. Lock out the command controls of Borg encryption code 2-9-4."
On the bridge Janeway was waiting for information on her fiancé; the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with.
There was no answer and she turned to Tom to get answers. "Seven's tapping into the engine manifold. She's trying to shut down impulse drive."
Kathryn sighed when she heard Tuvok's voice over the line. "Bridge, she has erected another force field. It'll require several minutes to deactivate it."
Kathryn was getting really antsy. This had gone on long enough all she wanted to do now was see Earth in the next few days and begin her life.
She turned to Harry, "Where is she, exactly?"
"Engineering console sixteen beta. Captain?"
All she could think was that Seven was not going to ruin this for her. "I'm sending an EM surge to that station. Seven's going into stasis whether she likes it or not."
She heard Tuvok over the com line, "She's down, Captain."
On the bridge, Kathryn stared at the screen the beautiful colors staring back at her. 80 hours and this would all be done. 80 hours and her life would begin.
She was wakened from her reverie as Tom's voice stole into her thoughts. "Captain, we're at the threshold."
Kathryn smiled, "Take us in."
She felt the ship lurch, "Report?"
"It's just spatial turbulence."
For once Kathryn the scientist stared at the site before her, "It's beautiful. Steady as she goes."
Kathryn drew in a deep breath, "I'll be in my ready room."
Kathryn walked into her ready room and sat on the couch. "Janeway to Chakotay."
"Chakotay here."
"Can you meet me in my ready room? We have to set up the skeleton crews for the trip through the wormhole. It looks like it's going to be an easy ride."
"Be right there."
Kathryn sighed and stretched, She was still a little sore from where Chakotay had 'branded' her.
Ten minutes later Chakotay walked in. "So this is it. You got your crew home."
Kathryn giggled. "Not quite yet but soon enough."
Kathryn brought up the screen. "I've already asked who wanted to man the stations while we were going through the wormhole, and I have it set up." She grinned at him, "We have a couple of days off my dear."
Chakotay raised an eyebrow. "Well I can think of lots of things to occupy our time during those days."
"Just let me post the duty rosters for the next few days and then we'll see about accomplishing our goals."
Three hours later all was arranged. Harry had insisted on being in command during the shifts that would normally be occupied by the Captain or Commander and the ones that weren't taken by him Tuvok had happily volunteered for.
Kathryn and Chakotay had finally made their way to her quarters.
They had been a little shy at first but finally after supper was taken care of Kathryn had taken the initiative.
"So what now Chakotay? In less than a week Voyager and all of its problems will no longer be ours."
Chakotay nodded and brought his hand up to brush it along her soft cheek. "I love you. It doesn't matter where we are, I love you anyway."
Kathryn nodded and brought her lips up to meet his. "I don't think I've ever been this happy. After Mark got remarried and left me for dead, I didn't think I'd ever find someone who would love me for who I am."
Chakotay chuckled "You didn't have to look very far, just to your left about a foot."
They kissed. Their lips touched and the electricity flew.
Soon they were in her bedroom approaching the bed and touching each other in places they were not allowed to as Captain and Commander.
The clothes slowly came off and they saw each other as they had never before been allowed to.
As they slowly were about to take the final step Kathryn looked at Chakotay. "Chakotay what are your plans when we get home?"
"I hadn't really thought farther ahead than the next 80 hours Kathryn."
He laughed and rolled over hitting something in the mattress that was hard. He pulled up the offending piece of hardware and saw it was a hypo-spray. "What's this Kathryn?"
Kathryn quickly pulled it away from him. "Nothing important Chakotay; just something the doctor gave me at my physical a few months ago."
Chakotay looked at her concerned. "Is it anything I should know about?"
Kathryn shook her head, tears in her eyes. "He discovered I was pre-menopausal. He said if I ever wanted to have children it was going to have to be soon. That's just a hypo to negate my birth control booster and up my hormone levels to make conception easier."
"Kathryn your last physical was three months ago. Why do you still have it? Is it something you want?"
She threw him a quirky half grin. "I just wanted to keep my options open."
Quiet tears were streaming down her face. "Oh Kathryn, you didn't think this was something you'd ever get to experience did you? You thought motherhood was out of your reach."
Chakotay took the hypospray in his hand and gently pressed it to her neck. "Do you want to have my children?"
Kathryn laughed, "Maybe one."
He pulled her close and kissed her. "Nothing would make me happier Kathryn." He placed a hand on her belly and stared at her. "Let's make a baby Kathryn."
[PARIS QUARTERS]
In the Paris quarters there was much celebrating going on.
Tom looked at his girlfriend in all her naked glory. "Do you regret giving the engines over to Vorik for the next couple of days?"
B'Elanna shook her head. "No this is much more satisfying." She paused, "You want to go for round 2?"
Tom nodded and entered her remembering why exactly it was he loved this woman so.
[ENGINEERING]
Hours later Naomi stared at Seven still unconscious on the floor next to her. Finally Naomi decided that she couldn't wait anymore. "Seven, wake up. Seven of Nine. Wake up!"
Seven shook her head and stared at the tiny child.
Naomi touched the force field and sparks flew. "Force field."
Seven deactivated the force field and walked up to Naomi inspecting the cut on her face. "You are damaged."
"It's just a scrape."
Seven looked around at the bodies scattering the floor. What happened to the crew?"
"They're unconscious, sort of."
Seven quickly got up and checked the readings of the ship. "Our hull is demolecularising."
"Do wormholes do that?"
Seven stared at Naomi. "No, they don't. Return to your quarters while I assess the situation."
Naomi's lip quivered as she thought about facing her quarters alone. She looked at Seven big blue eyes showing what she was thinking she could do to avoid the loneliness. "But I can help. My mom says two heads are better than one. Isn't that the Borg philosophy too?"
"Simplistic, but accurate."
"Please, I don't want to be alone."
Seven opened her arms for the child to climb into her arms. "We must get going; we must proceed to the astrometrics lab."
Naomi stared out the window seeing a creature that should have been a wormhole. "I don't think that's Earth."
Seven shook her head, "No."
"So where are we?"
Seven shook her head and kept walking.
Once they got to astrometrics Seven set the child on her feet and proceeded to the work station. "I have restored partial systems. I'm reading organic compounds, bioplasmic discharges, a vast network of neural pathways."
Naomi stood and looked confused to the woman that was the only one right now that was keeping her sane. "Is it a life form?"
"If it is, it's the largest I've seen. Over two thousand kilometers in diameter."
Naomi looked at her, "What are you doing?"
"My earlier scans revealed a vessel. I'm trying to find it again."
Naomi shook her head. "Somebody else is stuck here? I don't see anything."
"You can't see the ship there?" She watched Naomi shake her head and Seven stared at the image knowing what she saw or what she thought she saw.
"We need to get to Sickbay; the doctor will be able to explain what I think I'm seeing."
She began at a fast pace Naomi shuffling behind her. When they reached sickbay Seven tried to activate the Doctor. Finally the doctor shimmered into existence. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."
Seven stared at the doctor. "Do you see the alien next to me?"
The doctor shook his head and looked to Naomi's scared expression. "I don't see it either doctor."
"The ship is being eaten by a monster Doctor."
The EMH stared at the little girl, "Monster?"
Naomi looked at the doctor. "The Monster is making everyone see things. Everyone else is worse off than Seven. They're sleeping."
Seven looked at the screen, "I want to see your weapons manifest."
"He wants our weapons manifest Doctor."
"Weapons? What's going on?"
Seven stared at the EMH, "Voyager has been lured into the digestive chamber of a bioplasmic organism. We require your assistance in charting an escape route."
"Slow down. The last thing I remember I was speaking to Mister Paris. He said the wormhole posed a threat to my program."
Seven stared at the screen, there was nothing there.
Naomi touched Seven's arm. "Seven what are you talking about?"
She looked to Naomi and then to the Doctor. "The alien says that it has been manipulating the crew. He says that the moment we were beginning to suspect something he made sure you were deactivated."
The Doctor stared confused at Seven, "And who might it be that you're talking to? The local monster expert?"
"He says as a matter of fact he is. The monster's been fooling us for days, creating false sensor readings, and he's been altering our crew's thought patterns. A little neurogenic telepathy to make us lower our guard."
The EMH looked to Seven, "That might explain the heightened dopamine levels I found during my routine examinations of the crew. Has anyone informed the Captain?"
"She's asleep."
"Asleep?"
Naomi stared at the Doctor, "She went to her quarters with the Commander to discuss what happens when we reach Earth."
"It's our proximity to the creature. The neurogenic field is stronger here. It's already rendered most of the crew unconscious."
The EMH stared at Seven, "In the meantime, let's work on a wake-up call for the crew."
They tried to wake up the crew; they brought B'Elanna in but the hallucinations were too much.
The Doctor had thought about trying to wake up the Captain, but he had seen that both the Captain and the Commander were in her quarters asleep.
He didn't want to know what they had been doing but had a feeling there would be a lot of explaining to do when all was said and done.
He turned to the sound of the half k'tarian's voice. She sounded afraid. "Seven."
"I'm here."
"Are we still inside the monster?"
"Yes, but we are going to find a way out."
The Doctor stared at Seven. "We have to find a way out without destroying the creature. Starfleet's not in the habit of killing lifeforms."
Seven stared at the doctor, "Even if that life-form is about to kill you?"
The EMH looked at Seven, "If I could take a few hours to examine the creature more thoroughly."
"There is no time."
"Maybe there's another way: Besides killing the creature that is."
"Explain."
The EMH began, "Any living organism, no matter how large, will attempt to expel a foreign body. If we could just make Voyager a little less tasty."
"Make Voyager taste bad?"
The Doctor turned to the girl, "That might be all it takes."
Seven made her way to engineering, Naomi in tow. "We have to use the interface to Voyager's targeting array. To blast the beast and make us 'taste' bad."
Seven of Nine to the Doctor, "Initiate the burst on my mark. Now."
The EMH looked to Seven, "I'm reading violent contractions throughout the digestive chamber. It's working. We're moving back through the esophageal aperture!
Seven stared at her readings. "Voyager has been expelled. We're three point nine kilometers from the organism."
The EMH stared at Seven, "After just one burst? For a big fellow he certainly has a low tolerance for tummy ache."
Seven looked to Naomi trying to reassure the little girl. "We've cleared the organism."
Seven stared at the monitor, "The alien is saying that we've been deceived. We're both still inside it."
The doctor approached Seven, "Seven there is no one there!"
"He said we were still inside the creature, there is someone there."
The doctor shook his head, "No there isn't Seven, but you're right about one thing: we're still inside the creature. I'm reading bioplasmic energy."
"I am impervious to the creature's influence. There is no way I could be hallucinating and seeing the alien."
The Doctor stared at her, "You were impervious when it was creating the illusion of Voyager getting home, because you didn't share that desire. But now we're trying to escape, which is what you want."
The Doctor grabbed Seven by the arms forcing her to look at him, "Seven!"
Seven shook her head bringing her back to reality. "Initiate another antimatter burst. Now. Fire."
The doctor stared at Seven, "We're out."
"Are we certain?"
"No sign of bioplasmic energy. We've escaped."
Seven punched in the controls, "I'm taking us out of range. Maximum warp. "
The Doctor turned to Naomi. "Are you okay?"
The girl nodded, "I'd better see to the crew then there is going to be some explaining to do and surprises I'm sure."
Kathryn woke up and stared at the body beside her. *That actually happened?* She hit her combadge
Janeway to Paris. Location?"
Tom woke from his reverie, "I have no idea Captain. Check the bridge?"
Kathryn didn't like the implied question mark at the end of that statement. "Janeway to bridge; where are we?"
She heard the lieutenant at the helm, "We're still in the Delta quadrant ma'am."
Janeway sighed. "Scan the wormhole. Find out what went wrong."
Lieutenant Ayala answered, "It's gone. I can't find it on sensors."
Finally Harry answered, "Captain, Bridge controls have been routed to Engineering. Ops, tactical, helm all of it."
Janeway shook her head confused. "Janeway to engineering."
She heard Seven answer, "Yes, Captain."
Janeway looked carefully to Chakotay, "Seven? What's going on?"
Seven looked the Doctor who shook his head encouragingly, "The Doctor will explain. I will file a complete report in the morning, after I have regenerated."
Captain's log, 52542.3, we've deployed a series of beacons to warn other vessels about the bioplasmic creature and resumed a course for home. Our real home.
Kathryn put on her uniform. The doctor wanted to examine all of the crew, wanted to make sure they were all okay and that there were no lasting repercussions of the last couple of days. She turned and stared at Chakotay. "We had some fun didn't we?"
Chakotay drew in a deep breath. "I meant every word I said to you Kathryn."
Kathryn sighed. "You branded me Commander."
Chakotay laughed, "That I did. Are you going to ask the Doctor to remove it?"
Kathryn shook her head. "No, I meant what I said when we get back home I want this to continue."
Chakotay nodded. "We did have sex didn't we? That was real?"
Kathryn nodded, "Yep; and if memory serves me correctly it was good."
Kathryn bowed her head. "We have to go see the doctor, he needs to do the examination."
Chakotay looked at her, "Did we say we were going to try for a baby last night?"
Kathryn was tight-lipped as she nodded. "Yes, but we were under alien influence."
"That's true Kathryn but what if we succeeded?"
"After one time Chakotay? It's not likely."
Chakotay nodded. "Okay well let's just see what the Doctor has to say first."
They nodded and proceeded to sickbay, trying to decide what the future would hold for them.
END PART I