"Come with us." B'Elanna begged her former commanding officer for what felt like the hundredth time that evening.
"You wont give in will you?" Kathryn said with a crooked smile as she turned from her replicator, coffee mug in hand, to look at the half-klingon watching her on the screen of her comm. line.
"Not until you say you will come." B'Elanna hissed.
Kathryn shook her head with a raised eyebrow "have a good evening B'Elanna" she smirked as she took a sip of the warm drink still watching her old friend from above the rim of the mug.
B'Elanna scowled before snapping "he wont like it."
"Perhaps not" agreed Kathryn with a curt nod.
"But your still not coming?" asked the half klingon who was now fighting with her two year old and very stubborn daughter to put on a dress.
"He's a big man, he can take it." Insisted Kathryn "and besides I have a lot of work to do."
"Kathryn!" came Tom's voice from somewhere in the background over the Comm.
Scowling Kathryn waved her had in a 'I don't care' kind if way and shook her head saying "have a good evening, all three of you, I will see you soon."
"Can the great Kathryn Janeway not take a night off to celebrate her best friends engagement?" Tom asked appearing in view of the screen.
Kathryn's heart tightened at that moment, all she had heard of recently was Chakotay's engagement to Seven of Nine, deep down the last thing her heart needed was to sit through a ball and banquet in calibration of that development in her former first officers relationship with the former Borg drone. "Bye Tom" Kathryn smiled sheepishly before shutting down the comm. line.
Sinking into her chair Kathryn picked up her old fashioned book and tried to distract her self as best she could.
(+)(+)(+)
Kathryn sat alone in the Starfleet head quarter's mess hall sipping coffee and staring into space. The events of the last week had put her on edge, she had found her self second guessing her self and rethinking over her command decisions. It was never good to loose a Starfleet officer but to loose one because you had ordered them into a bad situation, well, for Kathryn that had happened too many times. He was a fine officer and had fought bravely for the sake of his crew, and most off all this commanding officer. He had given his life in the line of duty; he would go out a hero. Of course there were those in Starfleet who did not agree to the memorial about to take place at the headquarters and deep down in hear heart Kathryn knew had she not seen what she had seen or been through what she had in the Delta Quadrant she would have questioned such a memorial service. It was then the self-righteous and smug face of Voyagers own Doctor came into her mind and she knew it would be no different than if Starfleet had lost him, a fine officer. With a heavy sigh Kathryn raised from her seat placing the empty mug on the table, it was time.
Straightening out her admiral dress uniform Kathryn took a step towards the doors of Starfleet's largest hall, the memorial was expected to be packed. Kathryn's heart tightened as she saw a glimpse of the brave Juan Luke Picard stood close to Dr. Beverly Crusher as he rested a hand on her shoulder in comfort. How relaxed they seemed together Kathryn thought as she watched the Enterprise captain with the female member of his crew. "Admiral" a calm feminine voice brought her back to reality before he mind wondered to far.
Spinning round Kathryn found herself face to face with the elegant newly wed Batazoid "Counsellor Troi" Kathryn acknowledged her.
"Thank you for joining us today" the counsellor beamed at her.
Kathryn looked around the extremely full room and saw that virtually all of the admiralty was in attendance before she turned back to the counsellor careful to try to guard her emotions as she said, "it wouldn't be proper for me to not be in attendance."
Councillor Troi merely inclined her head in a curt nod before she whispered in a soft undertone "I have reason to believe you are not merely in attendance because your rank requires it."
Kathryn looked at the younger woman slightly taken aback before saying briskly "please do excuse me, I must offer my condolences to your captain." And with that she quickly turned and was gone.
"Of course" nodded Deanna but Kathryn was already gone.
Kathryn walked slowly up to Captain Picard as he reached to clasp her hand in his "Admiral Janeway" he exclaimed joyfully "how lovely it is to see you once more, you must join us for a drink after the service." He insisted.
"Captain" Kathryn shook her head "surly you would wish to leave that time only for your senior staff"
"My dear admiral" Picard laughed "Voyager's crew know more than any Starfleet crew what it means to bond as a family and to loose one of that family." He told her seriously "Now as the mother of Starfleet's finest family we would only be honoured if you were to join us."
"Captain I-" Kathryn began
"Would be honoured" the strong and deep voice of the man she knew so well interrupted her.
"Excellent" laughed Picard "Would care to join us also Commander?"
"I would equally be honoured" the broad Native American smiled with his dimples flashing as she looked at her former first officer "besides somebody as to attend to keep the admiral in check."
"May the admiral remind you commander that she is not a dog or a disobeying child." Growled Kathryn "please Captain, Doctor do excuse me."