Star Trek Voyager characters are the property of Paramount Pictures.
Way The Wind Blows
Chapter One
Kathryn Janeway picked up a freshly replicated cup of black coffee, took a sip, and then turned to her First Officer who was looking out of the Ready Room window as Voyager slowly gained speed and left behind a fleet of bronze ships.
"So nice to come across a friendly species every now and then," Kathryn smiled, bridging the distance between them. "I'm glad I put my suspicions aside and allowed the crew to take shoreleave. Everyone seems to have had a great time exploring the Daiyk Empire."
"That certainly seems to be the case," Chakotay replied. "But I'd better warn you. Neelix spent all his time collecting as many of their fruits and vegetables as he could, not to mention getting his hands on a whole database of recipes. We're going to be having some culinary adventures for a while."
Kathryn laughed softly. "Perhaps they will make you appreciate my cooking all the more."
"Anything is possible," he teased.
"It's just a shame they're not allowed to share their technology," Kathryn continued. "Their transporters were incredible, even more impressive than those the Sikarans had. Not only could they transport over vast distances, but also through time. If they'd let us use one, we could have got the crew home in hours."
"Yes," Chakotay replied. "I saw a couple of them. It's too bad that all the species we've met so far who could help us, won't."
"I think Vorlin wanted too, I really sensed that, but she couldn't break the Empire's laws. But, even though they couldn't help us, they truly were one of the most friendly species I've ever come across. They wanted nothing but to show us a good time and had no hidden agendas."
"I just hope you allowed yourself to enjoy their hospitality," Chakotay said sincerely. "You work too hard, Kathryn."
"Not hard enough," she smiled, taking another sip of her coffee.
Chakotay smiled, but it saddened him to know that a part of her was serious in that remark.
"But you don't have to worry," Kathryn continued, seeing his concern behind his smile. "I did very little work the whole time I was there. I went to several of their great cities, visited museums and galleries, and absorbed as much about their culture and their history as I could. I even accompanied the Doctor to an Opera."
Chakotay relaxed at that. "Glad to hear it."
"What about you? What did you get up too? I've hardly seen you at all over the past week."
"I was invited to an archaeological expedition on Goil, a once occupied planet that is now nothing but ruins. I spent most of my time there. I learnt a lot."
"I'd like to hear more about your adventure," Kathryn said. "We didn't have our weekly dinner last week. How about we make up for it this evening? You can fill me in then."
"Sounds good. Usual...?" He was about to say time when B'Elanna's voice interrupted him over the comm.
"Torres to Janeway."
Kathryn responded. "Janeway here."
"I've got something to show you in Cargo Bay 1, Captain, and I think you'll want to come right away."
"On my way," Kathryn said curiously. From the tone of B'Elanna's voice, it didn't sound like she had something unpleasant to show. "Janeway out."
As the connection terminated, Chakotay spoke, curious himself. "Mind if I come along? The space ahead is safe, they can do without us on the bridge."
"Be my guest," Kathryn smiled.
When Kathryn and Chakotay arrived in Cargo Bay 1, B'Elanna was standing beside a silver tower that was about ten feet tall. Blue and yellow lights flashed on it, and a horizontal silver arm extended out of the top for about five feet. On the floor beneath it was a silver grid with pink lights illuminating it.
Kathryn recognized the object immediately, having seen one in several Daiyk cities. "A temporal transporter."
"Ours and ready to use..."
"But I thought the Daiyk were not allowed to share their technology," Chakotay said.
"They're not...officially," B'Elanna explained. "But there's no law saying they're not allowed to give a gift to another species."
Kathryn's eyes sparkled as understanding dawned on her. "I see."
"Vorlin told me she would beam a transporter to me before we left. Some militants would object, so she wanted to keep things quiet."
Kathryn studied the device more closely. "And it's ready to use, you say?"
"Yes. Well, at least when I've figured out how to work it. Vorlin sent instructions with it so it shouldn't take me long to get it operational."
"Question is," Chakotay teased, "who's going to be the guinea pig? Thirty five thousand light years is a hell of a transport."
"I'm looking at him," B'Elanna smiled.
Kathryn laughed and turned to Chakotay. "You've always said you'd like to make a mark on history, Chakotay. Now's your chance... Commander Chakotay of the Federation Starship Voyager, the first human being to be transported by a temporal transporter."
"Not exactly what I had in mind," he smiled.
"Well, it will be over before you know," B'Elanna continued. "I'll transport you to earth and then back again."
He looked at Kathryn, and then back at B'Elanna, and saw he was going to have little choice in the matter. "I see I'm unanimously volunteered," he smiled. "I just hope you don't lose me half away between here and the Alpha Quadrant."
"We won't," B'Elanna said. "This is highly sophisticated technology. Nothing will go wrong."
"But we will need to take precautions," Kathryn added. "We'll need to transport you somewhere close to civilization, Chakotay, just incase we can't get you back. That way, you'll have everything you need to survive."
"There's no way we'll lose him, Captain," B'Elanna said. "This technology is too advanced for that kind of accident."
"Just covering all bases, Lieutenant. And it's best if we stick to the present. We don't want to cause the time police any more headaches."
"I agree."
Chakotay spoke. "Do I at least get to choose my destination?"
"I think we can allow you that," Kathryn smiled. "Where do you have in mind?"
"Mexico City. My cousin lives there."
"Then Mexico City it is." Kathryn turned to B'Elanna. "How long do you think it will take you to familiarize yourself with this technology?"
"About an hour, Captain. Maybe less."
"Then I'll leave you to get started." She turned to Chakotay. "There's no point you taking the bridge. Take the next hour off if you want."
"Yes, Captain."
Kathryn began to walk towards the door. "Inform me when all is ready."
As she left, B'Elanna looked up at Chakotay.
"You'd better go too, big guy. I won't be able to concentrate with you around."
"As you were," he said.
He then followed Kathryn out of the cargo bay and the silver doors shut behind him.
An hour later, all was ready. Kathryn made her way back to the Cargo Bay, having been summoned by B'Elanna, and found Chakotay already there when she arrived. He was wearing a loose cream shirt over brown pants, and black mock-leather ankle boots. His hair had been extended and was swept back from his face, bouncy and wavy in appearance, a small mustache graced his mouth, and there was only plain flesh where his tattoo should have been.
"Thought I would disguise myself a little, blend in with the natives," Chakotay smiled.
Kathryn stared at him, her face pale, her eyes wide as though she had seen a ghost.
The smile left Chakotay's face and he stepped forward in concern. "Are you alright, Captain?"
"Yes," she said quietly. "Yes I...I'm fine."
B'Elanna appeared from behind the tower. "Everything is set, Captain. When Chakotay steps on the grid, all I have to do is press that flashing blue button." The half Klingon saw her Captain's white face and bridged the gap between them. "There really is nothing to worry about, Captain. He'll be there and back in seconds."
Kathryn broke away from her Chief Engineer and walked over to the tower, her mind churning with thoughts. She studied the operating console, her eyes moving sharply over the buttons.
"I don't think we should send you to Mexico City," Kathryn said, speaking to Chakotay but looking at the buttons. "I think we should send you somewhere more isolated, somewhere not as closely monitored. We don't want you to be intercepted."
"I never thought of that," B'Elanna said. "It's unlikely, but certainly a possibility in a high security area."
"My family have a vacation home in Canada," Kathryn continued. "No one ever visits it this time of year and security in the area is minimal. The cabin has replicators, all modern conveniences, and is close to a small town." She paused. "How do I change the destination co-ordinates?"
B'Elanna gestured to the place. "Right here, Captain."
As Kathryn imputed the new data, Chakotay spoke. "Guess I don't get to choose my destination after all."
"Another time," B'Elanna smiled.
"Alright," Kathryn said, drawing away from the operating console. "All done."
"Then let's get this show underway," B'Elanna said, taking Kathryn's place at the tower. She gestured to the grid. "Chakotay..."
Chakotay stepped onto the grid and the pink lights turned green.
B'Elanna pressed the blue button and a red beam shone down on Chakotay. Kathryn watched, a lump in her throat, as the beam turned yellow and Chakotay dematerialized.
When Chakotay rematerialized, he found himself standing on a grassy slope, mountains all around. A soft breeze blew, and the sky was blue. Chakotay turned around, absorbing his environment, and saw a small log cabin behind him. Smoke was puffing out of a solid stone chimney, one of the two visible windows was open, and the cabin's front door was ajar. The cabin was clearly occupied and this made Chakotay anxious. Kathryn had said no one would be here... But B'Elanna had said he would only be gone seconds. Any moment now he would be back on Voyager.
Suddenly, a black dog, of medium size, ran out of the cabin and began barking wildly at him. Chakotay swallowed and backed away from the animal.
"It's alright," he said, trying to sound as calm as he could. "I mean no harm."
At his words, the animal growled viciously, teeth showing, and all Chakotay could do was back further away. In the corner of his eye, he saw a woman emerge from the cabin and then heard her call out.
"Here, Petunia! Here!"
Chakotay gasped as he recognized the voice and looked up sharply, the dog momentarily forgotten. There, only a few feet away from him and getting closer, was Kathryn Janeway. Only it was a younger Kathryn Janeway, a Kathryn Janeway who couldn't have been more than twenty eight years old. She was wearing blue jeans and a white sweater, and her auburn hair was loose over her shoulders. Around her waist was a phaser, and he saw her hand move to it as she walked towards him, almost as though she was deciding whether to draw it.
"I'm sorry," she said, grabbing Petunia by the collar and holding the animal against her legs, "my dog's not used to visitors. Very few people pass this way."
Chakotay could hardly breathe as he looked at her. This Kathryn seemed so different to the Captain he knew and loved and yet so dearly familiar too.
Kathryn eyed him with deepening suspicion. "Are you staying in a cabin near by?"
"No," Chakotay said, finally finding his voice. "I'm just..." He racked his brains trying to think what to say, what to do. None of this was supposed to have happened. No one was supposed to have been here. Whatever he said or did now could change the future forever. But he had to say something, do something. He had to salvage as much of history as he could. "I'm just passing through."
"Passing through to where?" Kathryn asked, her voice hardening. "The path only leads to the summit, and you're well off the path."
Now, without hesitation, she reached for her phaser and pointed it at him.
"Tell me why you're here and what you want."
"As I said," Chakotay replied. "I'm just passing through."
"Without water, supplies, or even decent walking shoes?"
Chakotay looked at his boots and then back at her. He saw in her eyes that he was not going to be able to placate her with some story about wondering off the path. He would have to tell her the truth...or at least part of it. All of this was beyond his control, and the only way he could get through it was by playing events by ear, seeing which way the wind blew...
"You're right," he began. "I'm not passing through. I was sent here on a mission. But any moment now I will be transported out of here."
"What kind of mission would bring you to this place?"
"The one that I'm on."
"Which is?"
"I can't tell you. But I mean you no harm, quite the contrary."
Kathryn stepped closer, anger visible in her eyes. "You're a journalist, aren't you?"
"No," Chakotay argued.
"Yes you are. You were sent here to try and get me to talk about what happened to my father and fiancé. Well, you've had a wasted trip because I'm not talking to you or anyone else about it."
"I'm not from the media," Chakotay replied. "I'm from Starfleet."
Kathryn almost scoffed. "You expect me to believe Starfleet would send you to this mountain on a mission?"
"Yes." He paused. "Look, I can't tell you why I'm here or how I got here, Temporal Prime Directive, but I'm not here to harm you."
Kathryn pondered this. "Temporal Prime Directive?"
"Yes. I'm not your enemy, Kathryn. You must believe me."
Kathryn held his gaze for a moment and then seemed to buckle a little beneath it.
"How do you know my name?"
"I just do."
Kathryn hesitated with the next question, clearly trying to work out if she could trust him. "If you say you can't tell me because of the Temporal Prime Directive, you can't be from this time frame. Are you from the past or from the future?"
"The future," Chakotay replied. He then looked around. "And I don't know why I'm still here. I was only supposed to be here for a few seconds."
Kathryn's eyes searched his body. "If you're Starfleet, why are you dressed like that?"
"Part of the mission."
"Whatever this "mission" is," Kathryn said, looking up at him again, "it clearly involves me somehow and I think I have the right to know what it is."
"You weren't meant to be here," Chakotay replied. "I mean, we thought this place was deserted."
At that, Kathryn raised her phaser again. "We? Are more of you going to turn up?"
"No," Chakotay replied. "At least, I don't..." His words trailed as pain throbbed in his head. He raised his hand to his brow and began to sway on his feet as dizziness consumed him.
Kathryn lowered her phaser a little. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," Chakotay replied. "I..."
Then he could say no more as darkness swirled before his eyes and he fell to the ground unconscious.
END OF CHAPTER ONE
