Dear readers,
Thank you for your support, reviews and comments throughout this series. All genuine feedback is welcome and encouraged.
This story is the eighth in this series after 'Distress Call', 'House Call', 'Call to Arms', 'Call me Kathryn', 'A Call from the Dark Side','It's Your Call' and 'Tough Call'. All stories in the series feature a relationship between two women with sexual scenes. If you don't like that, don't read this.
Call it Even
As part of his 'rehabilitation', former Commander Chakotay was confined to quarters and allowed a few comforts which were denied to him during his thirty-day sojourn in Voyager's brig. He had a proper bed, at least, and a sonic shower, and his books and artefacts. Captain Janeway was taking no chances, however, and had ordered the removal of all computer equipment, consoles and the replicator, and placed a Level Nine force field around the quarters, lest the wayward ex-Maquis conjure up an escape plan using the furniture and a dinner fork.
Nothing was further from Chakotay's mind. Standing by the window and gazing out at the streaks of light flashing by beyond the ship's warp field, he contemplated the past events that had led up to his incarceration. Try as he might, he could not pinpoint any specific moment when his life began to feel worthless; it had crept up unawares and by the time of his final, reckless act - the stealing of the shuttlecraft Sacajawea and the endangerment of the very existence of human life - Chakotay was little more than an empty shell, devoid of feeling and purpose and just wanting to feel something. Now, he was on a program of support, designed to help him to recover and become, once again, a functioning member of Voyager's crew, though what rank he would end up functioning at would be Captain Janeway's decision.
Sighing, the large man finally turned from the window. There was nothing out there for him, just as there seemed to be no hope on the inside. Chakotay was certain that he would not even be granted the lowest of officer ranks. Crewman, perhaps, was the best he could hope for, with 'passenger' or 'observer' further possibilities. A tiny smile touched his lips as he envisioned himself as an old-fashioned galley boy, scrubbing the decks, washing the dishes and fetching the tea. He knew how to keep neat quarters, and since his confinement had taken great pains to show that this, at least, he had regained control of. Every time he thought about how much he had let his neat habits slip into total disarray, it made him wince almost as much as when he thought about all the people he had let down. He sank into his comfy armchair and closed his eyes, willing his thoughts to turn to more positive ones, and so failed to notice when the dim lighting of his living room suddenly flickered, then went out.
A voice penetrated Chakotay's hazy consciousness, and in that state between sleeping and wakefulness, it sounded very far away. The hand which shook one arm gently, however, was very much right there, and the big man woke with a start, springing up as he did so and reaching out towards the figure he sensed was a threat. Meaty fingers found their target and a muffled gurgle suggested that the person who had somehow entered his quarters without warning would not be posing any danger, squeezed around the throat as it was by a confused and startled Chakotay. "Lights to full", he ordered, blinking as the room was immediately illuminated.
The first thing Chakotay noticed was the intruder's uniform, similar in colours to the one he used to wear, but with a loose-fitting jacket braided with red and gold over a black tunic and loose black trousers, with a single, narrow red stripe and tapered at the bottom. Still, it was fairly obviously Starfleet issue, and he released his grip a little to allow the visitor to speak as he so desperately wished.
"Commander!" the small, slim man gasped, his hands clawing ineffectively at the Voyager man's arm. He was at least eight inches shorter than his powerful opponent, and probably half of Chakotay's bulk. "Please release me. I am unarmed…" The man began to cough raspingly, and when Chakotay let go he bent almost double, wheezing for air.
"Alright, that's enough. Sit," ordered the larger man, pointing to the armchair and shoving the stranger towards it. "Now talk, and make it good, or I'll have security swarming all over the place in about five seconds flat."
The man pulled himself up straight and tugged down his jacket, instantly regaining composure and an aura of dignity, and Chakotay realised that he had underestimated whoever it was. He took a step back and regarded the intruder warily, noticing for the first time that his jacket collar bore the pips of a Starfleet captain, surpassing the rank he himself recently possessed. The man also appeared to be of Bajoran heritage, and looked every inch a Starfleet officer, despite his small stature.
"I am Captain Bren Daryn of the Federation Time Ship Horizon -" he paused as Chakotay let out a hearty groan and sank onto the leather footstool in front of the occupied armchair. "Are you unwell, Commander?" Daryn asked, his tone concerned.
Chakotay stared at the other man and planted his hands on his knees, looking the captain straight in the eye. "No, not unwell. Just...unwilling to play whatever game it is you have got going on this time. I've had enough dealings with time ships to last a lifetime."
"I assure you, this is no game. The Time Ship Horizon, and I as her commanding officer, are here to help you, Chakotay."
Voyager's former officer held up a hand. "Stop. I'm not interested. Please go now, or I will be forced to call Captain Janeway, to whom you presumably don't want to speak given that you barged directly into my quarters."
Daryn merely smiled, and continued as though addressing a recalcitrant child. "Hear me out, Commander, Please."
"And that's another thing," exploded Chakotay, leaping to his feet once more. "I'm not a Commander any more, I'm confined to quarters as I'm sure you damn well know, so knock it off with the 'Commander', okay?" Raising his hand, he tapped his own comm badge - one concession Janeway had made when she allowed him to return to his quarters, though he was only able to directly contact Janeway and the Doctor - and began to speak before realising that his signal wasn't transmitting.
"We disabled your comm badge," Daryn informed him apologetically, "and the sensors. Also, Voyager's bridge crew is being somewhat distracted at present. Don't worry, they are perfectly safe," he added hastily as the large man took a threatening step forward. "Now, please sit down and I shall explain our presence here."
Chakotay eventually nodded, regaining his seat and preparing to listen. Without knowing why, he was beginning to feel more kindly disposed to the small officer with the strong presence, although he was still puzzled as to the time ship officer's reasons for dropping in.
"You, Chakotay, have been chosen to help us in a mission of great importance. Your skills and temperament would suit us well, and your, ah, predicament here is one which we considered you would be eager to leave behind. My lieutenant has already had small dealings with Voyager, and our ensign on board is a gifted temporal scientist we recruited from your own century and whom I believe you know. His name is Marcus Hobart."
"Hobart," repeated Chakotay. "I knew a Simon Hobart from Deep Space Nine. Marcus must be his son, right?"
Daryn smiled. "Yes, that's correct. Marcus thinks very highly of you, having risked your own life and those of your crew to rescue his father and other survivors from a colony which was being attacked by the Cardassians. We know all about you, Chakotay - past and present - and I am offering you the chance for a better future than you will have if you remain on board Voyager."
Chakotay looked away. He couldn't contemplate leaving Voyager, after everything they had been through. It was more than a crew, it was a family. A family who doesn't want you, a small voice in his head reminded him. Would Captain Janeway allow him back, as an officer, at some point? Would he ever be truly forgiven for his actions? Or would he remain the outsider that he now was, separated from the crew either by walls and force fields or by judgement and pity?
"Chakotay." Daryn's voice pulled his focus gently back. "I know what you are thinking. You are wondering what lies in store for you here, whether you will get back the rank and respect you won the hard way." He leaned forward, his bright green eyes sympathetic. "I'm sorry, but the answer is no. In the current time frame, you never regain an officer's rank. As well as this, you never again see the alpha quadrant." The time ship's commanding officer paused, letting his words sink in, watching the other man's expressions change as he worked through the painful thoughts, not thinking to question why he was being freely offered information about his own future.
Slowly, the two men locked eyes. "But you can offer me more?" replied Chakotay, asking several unvoiced questions with those six words. Daryn nodded. "You can...take me home," continued the larger man, who then frowned suddenly. "Could you take Voyager home?" he demanded loudly, straightening up in his seat. The captain shook his head.
"That is not possible, I'm afraid. The temporal prime directive -"
"Don't spout that nonsense to me, Captain," snarled Chakotay. "I've seen the prime directives broken more times than I've drunk Ktarian brandy. Take Voyager home and I'll join your crew, help you with whatever it is you are going to do to fix yet another wayward time stream." He sat back, waiting for the other man's response.
"Chakotay, listen to me. Voyager and her crew do get home, and soon. You would no longer be...aboard when they do, but believe me, they don't have long to go. They will be fine - you would not. Come with me, now, and save yourself whilst helping the Federation in ways you cannot even imagine yet."
The captain was convincing, his words persuasive, and Chakotay felt his opposition to the idea crumbling. There was just one more thing he needed to know.
"Captain, what will happen to - to Captain Janeway? Are they, I mean, is she happy, in the future? The future that would be if I go with you, I mean."
"I can't tell you that, because that time stream hasn't been created yet. You have not yet agreed to join me. And," he continued, raising his voice over Chakotay who had started to speak again, "I wouldn't tell you even if I knew. You need to put your Voyager days behind you, Commander, and start afresh, aboard the Horizon."
The significance of Daryn's use of Chakotay's former rank was the final push needed. Chakotay nodded slowly, the beginnings of a smile forming. "I'll inform Captain Janeway," he began, but Captain Daryn put out a hand to stop him. "I'll take care of that," he stated firmly. "Prepare for transport." The two men disappeared, Chakotay's confinement at a welcome end.
In the mess hall, chaos reigned. The gaseous phenomenon outside the ship, whilst seemingly innocuous, was disrupting power distribution throughout Voyager, yet without damaging systems. Surges here, depletions there, yet overall no energy was being drained and, according to the latest update from the bridge, it was believed that there was no cause for concern. Neelix felt differently after attempting for the third time to restart the kitchen's ovens and failing. One more look at the crowd of hungry people made up his mind. Out he trotted from the kitchen, flapping a tea towel ahead of him. "The mess hall is closed, go back to your quarters, use up those replicator rations!" the Talaxian called, shooing the ship's personnel towards the doors. "Go on, off you go, no food here tonight, I'm afraid!" As the room emptied, Neelix saw the tray he had begun to prepare ten minutes ago. "Dearie me," he bumbled to himself, "Poor Commander - Mr Chakotay will be expecting his dinner!". He plonked some cold meat onto a plate and followed it with buttered bread and a Talaxian pear. The orders from Captain Janeway were to provide simple, nutritious food, but nevertheless he looked with dismay at tonight's offering. Well, a bit of Onaran cream dessert can't hurt, Neelix decided, and added a generous portion to a bowl which he squeezed onto the tray. Picking up the meal, he left the mess hall and made for Chakotay's quarters.
The door chime beeped once, then a second time, before Neelix called out. "Hellooo, Mr. Chakotay? It's only me, Com - Sir. Can I come in?" There was no response. Unlike most confinements, no security personnel were posted on the doors, as Captain Janeway had considered the force field and other restrictions adequate. Neelix waited before trying again, with the same result. Reluctantly, for the little Talaxian disliked causing trouble, he tapped his comm badge.
"Neelix to the Doctor, please reply at your earliest convenience."
The comm badge buzzed immediately. "Yes, Mr. Neelix. What can I do for you?"
"I'm, ah, outside Mr. Chakotay's quarters, bringing his dinner, you know,and, well, he isn't answering, Doctor. Do you think there might be a medical emergency?"
The Doctor's deep sigh was audible. "Have you tried asking the computer, Mr. Neelix?"
"No - no, I haven't. What should I ask it?"
"Never mind. I'll do it myself. Computer, connect me to Mr. Chakotay." Neelix listened, still connected to the Doctor's channel.
Communication open.
"Mr. Chakotay, this is the Doctor. Please respond."
There was only silence. His tone slightly worried now, the Doctor tried again. "Computer, locate Mr. Chakotay."
Mr Chakotay is in his quarters.
Neelix put the tray on the floor and thumped the door with his fists, calling out to the former first officer, stopping only when he heard the Doctor's voice again.
"Mr Neelix, please stay where you are. I shall inform the captain and I will be there shortly."
Within a minute, both Captain Janeway and the Doctor marched down the corridor towards Chakotay's quarters. "Stand aside, Mr Neelix," Janeway ordered, and Neelix hastily responded, dragging the meal tray out of the way. The captain overrode the door lock using the control panel, and the doors slid open to reveal a brightly lit room.
"Chakotay?" called Janeway, entering boldly. "Chakotay, it's me. Are you here?" No answer came, and when the Doctor pushed through into the other room containing a bedroom and shower, it was clear that the quarters were unoccupied. A gleaming comm badge rested on the dining table, seeming to mock them with its presence.
Security, science and engineering teams filled Chakotay's quarters, searching for clues as to the former first officer's whereabouts and information about his mysterious disappearance, whilst Voyager's senior officers gathered in the briefing room.
"Ideas, please," demanded Janeway, turning to glare at her officers in turn. Most looked away, unable to offer any suggestions. Frustrated, the captain turned to her Chief Engineer. "Lieutenant Torres, is there any way he could have transported off the ship without us knowing?"
The half-Klingon officer shook her head. "Absolutely not, Captain. I've checked the transporter logs personally."
"What about sensors - can we learn anything from them? There must be a trace of Chakotay doing something to enable him to waltz off my starship from confinement through a Level Nine force field?!" Janeway sounded exasperated, though she was doing a good job of controlling the emotions coursing through her.
Seven-of-Nine spoke next. "Captain, I have attempted to analyse the sensor readings, however it was not possible -"
"Not possible? Explain, now!"
The entire room tensed, for Janeway had spoken harshly, far more so than necessary. Torres glanced at her partner, Tom Paris, who returned a puzzled frown. All eyes went to Seven as she spoke again.
"I am in the process of explaining, Captain. The sensors in that section are gone. There are no sensor logs to analyse." Seven spoke coolly, her eyes refusing to meet Janeway's, and Torres decided to jump in. Better that she be the object of Captain Janeway's anger than Seven-of-Nine, Janeway's partner.
"Captain, my analysis showed the same thing. The sensor matrix there has disappeared, it simply isn't there any more. I don't know why, or how, but whoever took Chakotay, they were clever about it." B'Elanna Torres blew out a loud sigh, willing one of the other officers to speak.
Harry Kim, who had been silent so far, began to speak. He still felt like the most junior officer on the ship, despite that the years served and the experiences he had would have granted him a promotion if Voyager had been in Federation territory, but he was determined to have his say. "Captain, I've been running a full external analysis on the gaseous phenomenon we encountered. It seemed to appear out of nowhere, and disappear at approximately the time that the Comm - Mr Chakotay disappeared. Could it have taken him somewhere?"
Tuvok shook his head. "Though your idea is plausible, Mr. Kim, I do not believe that this is the case. The only effect of the anomaly upon Voyager was to disrupt power flow. The anomaly was closely monitored, and there were no other effects, which we would have been sure to detect had it taken a crewmember from the ship. It was, however, an extremely interesting encounter."
"Go on, Tuvok," Janeway pushed, sensing that there was more that the Vulcan wished to say.
Tuvok hesitated before speaking again. "Captain, this is purely my conjecture, however given the timing of the anomaly's arrival and departure and the disappearance of Mr Chakotay, I would strongly suggest that the two events are linked."
"That's what I said, Tuvok!" Kim exclaimed, but was waved down by Paris.
"Harry, he said it didn't take Chakotay, but it's something to do with it. Take it easy!"
Captain Janeway cleared her throat, and everyone turned towards her. "We'll continue to analyse his quarters and search the ship and surrounding area. He can't have gone far -" Janeway stopped speaking as her comm badge beeped.
"Wildman to Captain Janeway. Captain, my team has detected extremely weak traces of chroniton particles in the commander's - I'm sorry, I meant in Mr Chakotay's quarters."
With all of her senior officers' attention, Janeway replied. "How weak are these traces, Samantha? Could they be from our encounter with the Enterprise?"
"No, I don't think so, Captain, but I can't be sure. I think it would be best if Lieutenant Torres and yourself came to have a look."
Janeway nodded at Torres, and the two rose from their chairs. Seven-of-Nine also began to move, and when her partner and her friend left the briefing room, Seven followed.
The officers and staff left behind collectively relaxed. Tom Paris looked around, gauging the mood. Kim appeared thoughtful, whilst the Doctor and Neelix fidgeted in the silence. Tuvok remained impassive as always. "Hey Tuvok," began Paris, smiling, "Ever lost a prisoner from quarters before?"
The Vulcan regarded Paris solemnly. "Mr Paris. Are you not concerned for the wellbeing of your former commander?"
"Well yeah, of course, but don't you think he's just found a way to escape?" As Paris finished, Voyager's red alert signal sounded, loud and penetrating.
"All hands, this is the Captain. Red alert."
Kathryn Janeway entered the turbolift which would take her to the bridge. She knew now, or at least hoped, that Chakotay had been somehow taken from the ship against his will. Leaning against the wall, she knew what her next action must be. When the doors opened on the bridge, Janeway was thinking clearly. The presence of chroniton particles suggested only one thing. She strode to the captain's chair and on a keypad next to it, the Captain tapped in a code. A compartment under her chair opened and Janeway withdrew a small, metallic object bearing two buttons. Janeway pressed the green one, and waited for the Time Ship Relativity to respond.
Author's note
I hope that you have enjoyed this first chapter of my new story, and for those of you who have been following this series, I apologise for the very, very long gap! As always, reviews are very much welcomed. Cheers, Sam.
