Title: Maverick
Author: Christine L. Davis
E-Mail: nilescc@yahoo.com
Timeline: Three weeks after the episode "Unimatrix Zero Part 2". Will skew future due to events contained herein.
Summary: Captain Janeway receives an unusual gift from Commander Chakotay. Not only does this gift bring them closer together; it ultimately saves the lives of every person aboard Voyager. (a little J/C, a little Action/Adventure)
Rated: PG for suggested violence in the first section
Disclaimer: I guess by now you know the drill. Disclaimers are a bitter pill. But I don't own 'em, never will. So I suppose this fits the bill.
~~~~~~~Maverick~~~~~~~
"Janeway to Chakotay. Report."
The first officer's voice floated back to them, clear as a bell. "Captain, our tricorders are confirming what Voyager's short range scanners told us: whoever lived in this small colony isn't here any longer."
"Are there bodies, Commander?"
"Negative. Nothing but--"
There was a moment of silence. The captain frowned. When further conversation was not forthcoming, she spoke. "Commander?"
"My apologies, Captain. Ensign Kaplan just discovered a female dog and her litter of puppies dead in their bed. I was...taken aback."
Janeway wasn't the only one on the Bridge who heard the emotional distress in Chakotay's voice. The discovery of the murdered animals obviously bothered him a great deal. "I'm sorry, Commander. But you're finding no other signs of occupation? Nothing to tell you who these people were or what happened to them?"
The commander seemed to have regained his former composure. "Not yet, but we are continuing our search. I will report back in one hour."
"Understood. Voyager out." Kathryn closed her eyes briefly, then reopened them. Her mind spoke to Chakotay's, wishing that his could hear her. 'And be careful, Chakotay.'
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
The commander had been quite upset at seeing the merciless killing of the mother dog and her pups. To him, animals were companions to humanoids...lifelong friends to be cherished. They were those to whom you went when you sought advice or wisdom. His animal guide, and those of his loved ones, was sacred to him. Poor puppies. They looked barely a month old. Who would commit such senseless violence? And where were the people who once inhabited this now-destroyed colony?
For debris littered the landscape as far as the eye could see. The Away Team estimated this place had been home to around ten thousand people, perhaps more. Many of the homes where partially or completely destroyed. Wisps of smoke still rose from smoldering embers that were once protective walls in which families must have gathered each evening to speak of their day's activities and share a meal around the warmth of their hearth.
None of these walls protected them from whatever force had been there. But were the people dead? Perhaps they were only hiding...no that couldn't be. Voyager's scanners had picked up no humanoid life on the entire planet, long before the Away Team, led by Chakotay, had beamed down to the surface.
So if the people weren't on the planet, and there were no bodies...in Chakotay's mind, that could mean only one thing...
...Borg.
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
Almost a full hour later...
Chakotay tapped his comm badge. "Away Team to Voyager."
"Voyager here," the captain replied. "What have you found?"
"Captain, I had a hunch, so I had the Away Team search for clues that would support that hunch. Unfortunately, they found them."
"I'm not following you."
"These people were attacked by the Borg, Captain." Seven of Nine's head snapped up, her eyes focusing on a faraway point as she listened to the commander. "It explains the absence of bodies or life forms. We have found residue Borg signatures everywhere in this village. The weaponry used was obviously Borg as well. My guess is that each former occupant of this planet has been assimilated."
The captain sighed, her heart aching for the people who were once independent souls and now were mere drones, only a handful of millions of Borg across ever so many galaxies. She wondered how many of them would regain their independence through the virus that she, Tuvok and B'Elanna had given the Collective only three weeks prior.
"Understood, Commander. See if you can find anything out about the former inhabitants, then come home."
"Aye, Captain. Chakotay out." Borg. One never knew when they'd arrive on the scene. Granted, they'd already been here, but not that long ago. It was conceivable that whatever ship had attacked these people was still close enough to detect Voyager's presence. And the Borg Queen *hated* Kathryn. He closed his eyes and slowly reopened them. His mind spoke to the captain's mind, praying hers could hear his. 'Be careful, Kathryn.'
The next thirty minutes or so turned up valuable information on the people who had been attacked. The four-member Away Team also located surveillance vids that showed much of the last hours of their lives. B'Elanna found a room with about twenty vid screens and began replaying the recordings. Chakotay had been dead right. They were all surprised to find that these people looked completely human. As in Terran. He gave an involuntary shiver as one of the cameras caught a Borg drone mercilessly shooting the dog and her puppies with his arm weapon. Tears sprang to his eyes. He walked away from the viewing screens, mumbling something to the half-Klingon about gathering up all of the evidence and their gear and preparing to return to Voyager.
In reality, Chakotay wanted to throw up. Of course, it hurt him like the devil when he saw humanoids injured or killed, but for some reason, when innocent animals were slaughtered, it pained him so much that he almost felt like a part of him died with each of them. He had always felt more kinship with animals than with other people. He recalled that when he was around age 10, his father had told him that this meant he'd been an animal guide in a former incarnation. Then, Chakotay had scoffed at the idea. But now, as he stood behind a large tree trying to regain his composure, he seriously began to wonder if his father had been correct.
The commander, finally regaining himself, decided to take one last walk through a house that had been left almost completely untouched...the house where the dead mother and puppies were. He didn't mean to torture himself, he just...had a nagging feeling that he should walk back through there. He never would have been able to explain it to anyone had they asked him to elaborate.
He walked in the front door and through what looked like the Living Room area. Then he ascended the stairs and headed for the bedroom where they'd found the canines. Taking a deep breath, Chakotay opened the door and surveyed the room, expertly allowing his eyes to skip over the place where he'd placed a bed sheet to cover the Borg's latest victims. He saw all the room's inanimate occupants, his eyes coming to rest on the large bed over in one corner.
And then he heard it. His ears perked up. What was that sound? It was so faint he could barely make it out...there it was again! It sounded like...whimpering. Like crying. The crying of...of a puppy! There! Again! Chakotay dove under the bed, shining his wrist lamp here and there. At last he saw the origin of the whimpering sounds.
Lying curled up under the furthest corner of the bed was a puppy. Chakotay smiled as tears rolled down his cheeks. He was meant to find this puppy, of that he was certain. He had been called back to this house somehow. They were supposed to be packing up to leave the planet...he had no reason to come back here other than a feeling which had compelled him to do so.
"There, there," he said softly, reaching one hand toward the small, frightened creature. "I won't hurt you, I promise. I'm here to rescue you. To take you home."
As if completely understanding what the human was saying to him, the puppy crawled toward Chakotay's hand. As soon as he reached it, he began to lick it furiously, his wet, slobbery tongue soaking the wrist of Chakotay's uniform as well. The commander laughed and scooped the puppy out from under the bed. He brought him to his face and nuzzled him. The puppy responded by wetting Chakotay's face much as he had his hand.
"There, my friend. Now you are safe. Come, it's time to go."
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
"I'll leave the nearest airlock hatch easily accessible for you, Commander."
"I don't understand, B'Elanna. Why do you think this little fellow would anger our captain?"
The engineer sighed. "I don't know. I just can't see Captain Janeway...*cuddling*...anything."
Chakotay chuckled. "I think you'd be surprised."
B'Elanna's eyebrows shot up almost into her Klingon forehead. "Oh, really. And what is *that* supposed to mean?"
Now he laughed outright. "Nothing, nothing. There is no more scuttlebutt to fuel the gossip fires, so no need to run home to Tom."
"Commander, to intimate that I would stoop to the level of gossiping--"
He held his free hand up to silence her. "Save it, save it. I know the truth."
She blushed and headed for the turbolift. "Yeah, and the next time I see you will be out the port side viewing area," she teased as the 'lift doors opened.
Chakotay laughed once more as he wondered half-heartedly what Starfleet Command would think of the camaraderie amongst the Voyager crewmembers. It was true that this type of kinship didn't exist on every ship, but Voyager was different. These people weren't just working together for a short time period. They were all going to spend the majority of their lives together, stuck on this ship, trying to get home. That made them more of a family to each other than to their own blood relatives.
A spring in his step, the commander resumed his course to the captain's quarters. He'd made the other three members of the Away Team and the Transporter Room Attendant promise to say nothing about the puppy. He wanted to present the little guy as a heartfelt gift to his captain. He felt it was just what she needed right now. She had seemed quite down of late and, of course, wouldn't talk to anyone about the change. She probably figured nobody had noticed. Kathryn was nothing if not expert at keeping up a front. But Chakotay had indeed noticed and he thought the puppy would cheer her up.
He'd give anything to see her laugh.
Finally he arrived at her quarters. The chime rang. She must have been standing quite close to the door, for he heard her say, "Come." The commander barely had time to hide the puppy behind his back before the doors swished open bringing him unexpectedly face-to-face with her.
She looked very tired, as though she hadn't slept in days. Her hair wasn't as coifed as usual...it almost looked like she'd recently been in bed. She wore a simple cotton black pajama set: a button-up shirt and pants bottoms. It was covered by a simple red cotton robe. The captain had obviously not been expecting visitors.
"To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" she asked, stepping back into her Living Room area.
The puppy chose that moment to whine.
Kathryn turned slowly to face her first officer, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I beg your pardon, Commander?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm sorry. I came bearing gifts. *A* gift, actually."
Now Kathryn raised her eyebrows. "Really. What kind of gift?"
Chakotay smiled mischievously.
"Chakotay..."
"All right, Kathryn. Turn around."
"What?"
"Just turn around."
She sighed, but did as he requested. "What's this all about?"
"Now close your eyes and hold out your hands."
The captain was too tired for playing games. She began to turn back around to face him. "Commander, I really--"
"Kathryn!" he barked. "*Turn around*."
He'd never spoken to her in that manner before. She was intrigued by his commanding tone of voice, so she stopped movement and resumed her position facing away from him. "Very well. But this gift had better be worth your tone of voice."
"Oh, it is."
She could feel him walk up behind her. Holding her breath, she swore she could even feel his heart beating, although their bodies were not touching. She closed her eyes and cupped her hands together in front of her chest, palms facing upward. She heard and felt him walk around her until he was facing her. The rustle of his uniform told her he was moving some appendage, most likely one or both arms.
And then something was placed in her hands. Something warm...something furry...something that was wriggling. She gasped and her eyes and mouth flew open. There, lying her hands, was the most adorable beige-colored puppy she'd ever seen. He was clearly a boy. His muzzle was black; his ears pointed straight up into the air. She recognized him immediately as a Great Dane who couldn't have been more than 30 days old.
The brightest smile Chakotay had ever seen lit the face of his beloved captain. Her eyes sparkled even as tears filled them. Those tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks as, unabashedly, she cried. When the puppy began licking her hand and wriggling even more, Kathryn choked back a sob, but her smile never faded. She hadn't been this happy in a very, very long time.
Kathryn lifted the puppy to her chest and cuddled him, nuzzling his face with her cheek, allowing him to lick every available inch of exposed skin that he could reach. She held him close for several long minutes while her first officer stood silently watching. It was all he could do not to break down in tears. Obviously his decision to present the pup as a gift to his captain had been the right one. He couldn't wait to tell B'Elanna.
Finally Chakotay found his voice. "May I assume that he pleases you, Kathryn?"
Swallowing several times in an attempt to regain her composure, the captain was surprised to find Chakotay still standing in front of her. She'd been so lost in the joy of the wee little guy that she'd actually forgotten the man who gave him to her was still there.
"Oh, Chakotay," she breathed, wiping the tears from her face with one hand while still holding the puppy close with the other. "I thought you said all the puppies were killed."
"I thought they were. Something guided me to him right before we left the planet's surface. I felt drawn to his location, but didn't know why until I found him. He was there, waiting for me, and surely would have starved to death had I not brought him aboard." Chakotay grew more concerned with each passing moment. She was just staring at him. She said nothing; her face betrayed nothing of whatever she was feeling at the moment. She just...stared. "Captain, I know there are regulations regarding bringing foreign creatures aboard ship, but I couldn't help it. He needed me. He needs...you."
She smiled once more. A warm, genuine, heartfelt smile. "I should put you on report, Commander, but I couldn't do that any more than you could leave him down there alone. Besides, we can easily view him as the result of an otherwise failed response to a distress signal. He's the one survivor of that planet. Just because he's a dog and not a humanoid doesn't make his life any less valuable."
Chakotay smiled. "I agree, Captain! That's exactly how I feel, about all animals."
"I know you do. You have such compassion for these creatures." Kathryn couldn't suppress a laugh as the puppy tickled her neck with his tongue.
"I can't help it. I've always felt closer to them than to humans."
"Is that so?" she asked as she walked over to her replicator. To it, she ordered, "Please supply a feeding bottle suitable for a month-old Terran canine, of type Great Dane. Within the bottle please place warm bovine milk."
"I'm impressed, Captain," Chakotay said from across the room. "You have great instincts. You will be a wonderful mother to him."
Kathryn smiled as the bottle materialized. She took hold of it and headed for her couch. Patting the cushion next to her, she said, "And you will make a wonderful father, Chakotay. Come, let's feed him."
Was she implying what he thought she was implying? No, no, it couldn't be. She was just speaking lightly about the puppy...he had, after all, given her the puppy. It was logical for him to assume the role of "father" to this dog as he grew.
As if reading his mind, she added, "He's awfully lucky to have us as parents."
"Kathryn?" Chakotay seated himself next to her as she placed the bottle nipple to the puppy's mouth. The pup was quite happy and began suckling eagerly. They both watched in awe. "He's just like a little baby."
"He *is* a little baby, Commander. He's..." For just a moment, Kathryn choked on her words. She could feel her first officer's eyes boring holes into her skull, trying desperately to read her. "He's *our* baby."
At his incredulous look, she smiled. She knew full well that she'd knocked him for a loop with that one. But she was so tired of cat-and-mouse, which was part of the reason for her recent insomnia, and this puppy provided just the "excuse" she needed to allow herself to get closer to Chakotay without making it seem like she was doing so of her own volition. After all, Kathryn Janeway had no business acting needy.
"What, Commander? Don't you agree that every child should have the benefit of both parents?"
"Of course."
"And you also believe that this young pup is no less worthy of our consideration than any human baby we might discover, isn't that correct?"
"Yes, ma'am," he breathed.
"Then I expect you help me raise him." Here she handed the pup, who'd momentarily halted his feeding, to Chakotay. Then she handed him the bottle. "I was just getting ready for a bubble bath," she announced. "Would you be so kind as to baby-sit our son?" A smile threatened to form, but she held it back.
"Of course," he practically stammered, still unable to believe her reaction to his gift. "But Kathryn, what shall we call him?"
"I'll think about it during my bath." She headed for the bathroom, then stopped, turned around and returned to stand in front of Chakotay. She leaned down until her mouth was very near his forehead. "Thank you, Commander. You have given me the most wonderful gift I have ever received. I will cherish him always." She placed a kiss right on his tattoo. "As I will you."
Smiling, she headed once more for her bathroom, leaving a completely stunned Chakotay in her wake. He could only stare at her now-closed bathroom door while absentmindedly he fed the hungry puppy. Had he just heard what he thought he'd heard? Had the captain just initiated physical contact between them? Spirits, if he'd known that giving her a puppy would elicit *this* kind of response, he'd have looked for one years ago! He wondered what on Earth had prompted her response. He was overjoyed, to say the least, but slightly confused.
Finally the little guy finished his dinner and curled up on Chakotay's chest for a nap. The captain seemed to be taking the world's longest bubble bath, so the commander stretched out on her couch, telling himself he was simply making it more comfortable for the puppy. In reality, he was dog-tired ('No pun intended', he thought.) and wanted nothing more than forty winks. He was certain that he would wake up before the captain re-emerged from her bathroom.
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
A full hour later, Captain Kathryn Janeway exited her bathroom, now clothed in the familiar peach-colored robe she knew Chakotay had seen her wear before. The scent of lilacs filled the air around her from the bath oils she had used as she relaxed in her tub of water and bubbles. She was not very surprised to find the father of her "child" lying in slumber on her couch with their "baby" sound asleep on his chest. She watched the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest...and the pup...as he inhaled and exhaled, inhaled and exhaled. The result was almost hypnotic, but Kathryn shook herself free from its effects.
She went to her room, retrieved an afghan Neelix had crocheted for her and returned to the sleeping commander. Gently she covered him with it, careful to stop just below the puppy's body so as not to wake either of them. Then she retired to her room, dimmed the lights in her quarters and seated herself in bed. She had said some very suggestive things to Chakotay tonight. She wondered how he felt about them. He was flabbergasted, to be sure...it was evident on his face. But would he accept her hints and advances or reject her, as so often she'd rejected him?
Did he understand what she'd been trying to say? Did he grasp the importance of her words? In her mind, Chakotay had given her a child, someone helpless who loved her more than anything and who needed her to raise and guide him into an adult. But the pup wasn't hers alone...he belonged to both his new "mother" and to the man who had saved his life...the man who held more compassion for living creatures of every kind in his pinky finger than most humans do in their entire body...the man who so thoughtfully knew exactly what to do to make her happy...his "father".
She couldn't wait until she made the announcement to the crew. She could just imagine their faces when she addressed them. "I would like to announce the occurrence of a blessed event here on Voyager," she would say. Then, after a long dramatic pause, she'd continue. "Commander Chakotay and I have had a baby."
Everyone present would gasp, half the ship would begin whispering to one another about how the captain had never even looked pregnant and there would be I-told-you-so's from some crewmembers to others. Undoubtedly, several goods would change hands as payments for bets taken, won and lost. Then Chakotay would step forward with their son in his arms. He would hand him to her, the pride showing in his eyes as much as it did in hers. "Crew of Voyager, I would like you to meet the newest member of this ship. This," and here she would hold the puppy high for all to see, "is--"
And suddenly Kathryn realized the puppy still didn't have a name. It had to be something bold, something regal. She thought hard, passing on several unsuitable names before finally hitting on one. "Chakotay will like it," she mused aloud, snuggling under her covers. "It suits our little one."
Hours later the commander woke to the sounds of laughter and yipping. He was momentarily disoriented, but soon recalled the events from the night before. He couldn't believe he'd slept for so long...exactly how long, he wondered? "Computer, what time is it?"
Beep-blip. "The time is 0200 hours."
It was the middle of the night? Well, then, what were all those noises? They were coming from Kathryn's bedroom, so he decided to go investigate. He walked up to the door and looked in, only to see her sitting in her nightgown, no robe in sight. She and the puppy were on her bed playing relentlessly. The puppy yipped and yapped while Kathryn laughed with delight like a schoolgirl.
She caught site of him in her peripheral vision and turned to face him. "I'm sorry, did we wake you?"
"Well, yes, I think you did, but that's okay. He sure is full of energy for this time of the morning!"
Noting his obvious discomfort with being at her bedroom door, Kathryn invited him in with a pat to the bed. Chakotay did as requested, seating himself about a foot from her. The puppy, overjoyed to see him, immediately attacked him, pulling at his tunic, licking his hands, slobbering everywhere. Chakotay laughed, as did Kathryn. For the next half-hour they played with him, acting for all the world like two proud parents having fun with their child.
And so they were. On both counts.
Then Kathryn yawned, which of course forced Chakotay to yawn. The puppy followed suit, quickly dropping to his belly for a spur-of-the-moment nap. "You know, Chakotay, I forgot to tell you...I thought of a name. I want to know if you approve."
"I'm certain I will."
"Well, let's try it out, then. How about 'Maverick'?"
"That's a wonderful name, Kathryn. Very noble. Suitable for the dog belonging to the indomitable Captain Janeway of the Starship Voyager."
"Good heavens, Chakotay, you make me sound like a Greek goddess or something."
He said nothing, merely looked her straight in the eye. He seemed to convey a message that made her blush. Her? A Greek Goddess? She smiled in amusement. "So, then, you approve?"
"Approve?"
"Of my choice for his name, Commander."
"Oh! Oh, yes, of course. Maverick it is."
The puppy snoozed on, oblivious to anything happening around him.
"Well, I suppose I should head back to my own quarters," Chakotay said, rising to his feet. "It *is* late."
"Yes. May I see you here to pick me up for breakfast? I'd like to discuss a few things with you before we report for Bridge duty, if you don't mind."
"You can expect me promptly at 0700, Captain."
Laying back into the soft pillows at the head of her bed, Kathryn replied, "Fine. I'll see you then. Oh, and Commander..."
Halfway across her Living Room area, he turned back toward the bedroom door, wishing he weren't leaving. "Yes?"
"Thank you again."
He smiled, even though she could no longer see him. "You're very welcome."
She didn't need to see him. She could *hear* the smile in his voice. Now she couldn't *wait* until 0700.
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
It was 0655. Kathryn smoothed her uniform for the hundredth time, checking and rechecking her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was too stern, she decided. Too matronly. Definitely not becoming. Oh, it would do while she was on duty, but for after-hours time with her son and her son's father, she would need to soften herself up a bit.
"You're too austere, Kathryn," she chided her reflection, frowning at the developing dark circles under her eyes. She'd have to get the Doctor to take care of those for her. Maybe he could also help her with her insomnia. "Doubt it," she said. Only one man could help with that.
Maverick playfully nipped at Kathryn's heels, causing her to laugh out loud. Just then, she heard her door chime. "Come in!" she giggled, swooping the pup into her arms.
A most lovely sight greeted Chakotay: Kathryn Janeway cooing and laughing while her new puppy slobbered all over her face. "You're a handsome little man aren't you, yes you are, you gorgeous little baby boy you like licking Mama's face don't you, yes, you little beast, you're getting fur all over Mama's uniform and slobber all over Mama, yes you are, you little devil, yes, yes..." she blabbed in baby talk.
The second-in-command couldn't help but laugh heartily as he entered her quarters. "Oh, Kathryn, I haven't seen you this happy in a long time."
Kathryn placed the puppy on the floor. He scampered off to find his water dish while his "Mama" and "Papa" stood smiling at one another. "Well, that's thanks to you, Chakotay. Come to think of it, you are always at the root of my happiness one way or another. This is no different."
Startled by her admission, he gallantly offered her his arm. "I can only hope you will allow me to continue in that role for you."
She beamed at him...her face almost glowed. Suddenly she couldn't quite remember why she'd never allowed herself to be with him. Her face flushed. He noticed. She looked away as she took his arm. "I can only hope the same," she replied quietly.
Voyager's command team enjoyed a light breakfast then headed to the Bridge for their duty shift. The morning passed uneventfully as Kathryn and Chakotay whispered about the latest addition to the ship's family. Tom strained to listen in on their conversation, but could hear nothing but murmurs. They were talking about how to introduce Maverick to the crew. They decided that they'd throw a party on one of the holodecks...Chakotay would begin constructing the program immediately after their shift ended this afternoon.
If the morning had been uneventful, the afternoon, by comparison, was downright boring. But just as the captain and commander rose to leave for that day, B'Elanna Torres showed up with several PADDs in her hands. She asked Captain Janeway if she would go over some of the data with her, as B'Elanna had been unable to determine the cause of a 2% power drain in the warp core and needed a second pair of expert eyes. Knowing Chakotay was going to be handling the party details, Kathryn saw no reason not to help the Chief of Engineering.
"In my Ready Room, B'Elanna," she said, nodding slightly at Chakotay. That brief gesture told him exactly what she expected...that he take Maverick to the holodeck for a run and some bathroom time before he began the programming.
For her part, B'Elanna wondered what the silent communication was all about. It cracked her up that her two senior officers were, essentially, one person...they just didn't know it. Everyone else aboard Voyager knew it. They didn't. She smiled as she followed the captain across the Bridge. What on Earth was it going to take for them to get together?
Maverick was ecstatic to see Chakotay. He yipped and yapped and carried on until Chakotay was practically in tears from laughing so hard. He changed into more casual attire and finally got the young one calmed enough to place him inside a carrying bag for secret transport to Holodeck One. They made their way uneventfully to their destination. The first officer spent the next couple of hours alternately playing with his new "son" and programming a suitable scene for the pup's Arrival Party tomorrow. He couldn't wait to introduce the little guy to everyone. He was certain they'd all love him.
During the same two hours that Chakotay was enjoying himself, Kathryn and B'Elanna were getting headaches and making each other's worse. Each time one of them came up with an idea, the other logically shot it down. Then they'd be back at Square One again. Then another idea would surface and an argument would ensue until it was decided that couldn't be the solution. This was how the two highly intelligent women always worked together, and it made them the best at what they did, but by 1830 hours, they were ready to throw all the PADDs out the nearest airlock. A suitable answer simply would *not* present itself.
"Bridge to Captain."
"Go ahead, Tuvok."
"Sensors indicate the approach of four vessels bearing 139. They appear to be cargo ships, limited weapons array."
"On my way." Kathryn and B'Elanna stood. "Why don't you leave these here, B'Elanna? Give yourself a break. When you're ready, you can come back here and use the solitude of my Ready Room to give it another go."
The half-Klingon, half-human was surprised. The captain was allowing her to use the Ready Room? Wow. "Thank you, Captain, that's very generous."
"Not at all. I want this solved as much as you do. I'll help you some more later. In the meantime," she said as they entered the Bridge, "take a break, Lieutenant."
"Aye, Captain," she smiled as she entered the turbolift.
"Report," Kathryn said to Tuvok as she seated herself in her chair.
"The ships are on an intercept course with us, Captain. Time to interception...25 minutes."
"What? 25 minutes? Why didn't our long-range scans pick them up before now?"
Harry answered that one. "I think they were cloaked, Captain. They just seemed to suddenly be there, when before it appeared to be nothing but empty space."
"So," the Captain summarized, "they have warp capability and a cloaking device, but limited weaponry. How are their shields?"
"It appears their shields are of Federation caliber," Tuvok replied.
"Interesting. Mr. Tuvok, hail the vessels."
"Hailing. They are replying."
"On screen." The Bridge watched as the viewscreen came to life. The head of a creature that could only be described as part canine and part human was all they could see. Kathryn rose to her full height. "I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager."
The creature's dog-like tongue absentmindedly licked its chops as it stared at Voyager's crew. "I am Canis Gron. Our preliminary scans indicate that your ship's complement consists only of bipedal humanoid life."
Kathryn was a bit confused. Not necessarily the friendliest of greetings. "Your scans are correct. Voyager is manned by many different races of bipedal humanoids."
"Why do you not allow what you call "animals" to assist you in your travels?"
The captain cleared her throat. How could she answer that? She had to bluff. The alien didn't look very happy. "Unfortunately, Canis Gron, our ship is in the Delta Quadrant due to an accident. We did not intend to be away from home for more than two or three weeks. That's why we didn't bring our animals with us."
He took this in, frowning slightly. It soon became apparent that he didn't believe her. He snarled as he spoke. "You are lying, human. Your kind have always looked down at the lesser creatures. You think of them as dumb beings that can do no more than provide you with monetary gain and amusement. You have never attempted to assist their evolution, which is why they remain in their primitive state. We are the Hunines, a highly evolved race wherein humans and canines mated to produce the best possible combination of intelligence and other positive attributes. We will now treat you as you have, for so many years, treated those innocents who are at your mercy. Prepare to die, Captain Kathryn Janeway."
The hairs stood up on the back of Kathryn's neck. How had this situation gotten so out of hand? "Red Alert, raise shields!" she yelled. Geez, the guy hadn't even given her a chance to respond to his allegations. To hell with the fact that he looked like a dog. He was, in Kathryn's mind, a pig.
The red lights blazed, the klaxon wailed. "Shields up, Captain!" Harry hollered above the din.
"Mr. Paris resume our course toward home, Warp 8. Get us out of here. I have no intention of fighting over a misunderstanding."
Tuvok interrupted. "Captain, they have many more weapons than were originally accounted for. It seems they were keeping them cloaked in order to fool us."
"Damn," Kathryn swore softly.
"Incoming!" Harry yelled, just as a blast rocked Voyager to the side a little.
"Report!"
"Shields at 91%!" Harry answered.
"Impulse," Tom stated. "Heading for Warp 1." He maneuvered around the Hunine ships and the stars begin zipping past them. "Warp 1, Captain...Warp 2...Warp 3."
"The alien vessels are pursuing us," Tuvok offered just as another blast bumped them.
"Shields at 83%!"
"They are gaining on us, Captain."
"Warp 4...Warp 5...Warp 6."
Another blast hit them.
"Warp 7..."
"Shields at 75%!"
"Warp 8, Captain."
"Captain, they are still gaining on us."
"Damn, how fast can these people go?"
"It would seem, quite fast," came Tuvok's voice.
The first time the ship rocked, Chakotay began running for a turbolift. It was only when he heard a frantic yipping and whimpering that he realized he'd left Maverick on the holodeck. He ran back, entered and picked the puppy up. Tucking him under his arm like a football, Chakotay headed for the Bridge.
Upon arrival, he burst out of the 'lift and was immediately standing next to his captain. Nobody really noticed what he was carrying as Kathryn brought him up to speed. Another blast came.
"Shields at 63%! Captain, if they keep this up, we're not going to survive!"
"Understood, Mr. Kim."
The captain and commander seated themselves. As if sensing the severity of the situation, Maverick remained still on his Papa's leg, intent upon staring at the back of Tom's head.
"Captain, the alien vessels are reducing speed."
"Maybe they're finally going to leave us be," she replied.
"They are hailing us."
"On screen, Tuvok."
Once more the odd features of Canis Gron graced their viewscreen. "What can I do for you?" she asked, her voice low and threatening.
"I have initiated communications with you because a second scanner sweep revealed that we missed something the first time around."
"What was that, Canis Gron?"
"You do seem to have a quadruped on your vessel."
Perplexed, Kathryn turned to Chakotay...and then it dawned on her. Maverick. They'd found Maverick.
"Yes, yes, we do. You just didn't let me tell you the first time around."
"I wish to observe for myself."
The Bridge crew was wondering what the hell everyone was talking about. Their questions were soon answered when Chakotay rose to his feet and walked forward to stand in front of the Conn. "Canis Gron, I am Commander Chakotay, second-in-command of the U.S.S. Voyager." He lifted Maverick up into the air so the pup was facing the viewscreen. "This is the canine you must have scanned. His name is Maverick."
All present held their breaths. First, because they were so surprised to see the commander holding a puppy. Second, because they wondered if they were about to die.
"What is his position aboard your ship?"
"He currently holds no position," Kathryn replied, coming to stand next to Chakotay. She took Maverick into her arms and cuddled him as he licked her face. "We rescued Maverick from a world destroyed by the Borg. His mother and the rest of his litter were mercilessly slain. Commander Chakotay located Maverick and brought him aboard so he would not have to fend for himself."
Everyone could tell that Canis Gron's opinion of Voyager and her crew had changed dramatically. "Captain, Commander...I wish, on behalf of the planet Hunine, to apologize for our earlier misjudgment of you and your people. It seems that you do indeed care for animals. We are of the opinion that this still is not enough, but it appears that you are on the right track to achieving oneness with your canines. We will revisit your kind in one hundred years to see how you have progressed. Canis Gron out."
"Well!" the captain exclaimed, stomping her foot like a spoiled child. "Of all the rude, obnoxious, self-righteous--"
"Kathryn..." Chakotay warned.
"That puppy just saved our lives," Tom commented. He seemed a bit awestruck as he stared at the little guy wriggling in his captain's arms.
"Yes," Chakotay replied, bursting with pride like any proper Papa. "Yes, he did."
Kathryn smiled as she addressed her Bridge. "I would like for all of you to meet our son." The people were silent for a moment, trying to figure out if she was joking or something. She could sense their discomfort. "Commander Chakotay found Maverick on the last planet we visited. He could not, in good conscience, leave him there at such a young age with no one left to care for him. So he brought him aboard and presented him to me. Maverick is quite attached to both the commander and myself, so we decided to raise him together." Satisfied with her explanation, she repeated, "I would like for all of you meet our son. This is Maverick."
The crew smiled.
"Tomorrow evening at 1900 hours we will be holding an Arrival Party for Maverick on Holodeck 1. Any crew not on duty are welcome to attend."
"I can't believe that a puppy just saved our lives," Tom said, staring at Maverick.
"Yeah, I guess we owe the little guy a big debt of gratitude," Harry chimed in.
"And a nice, thick T-bone steak," Tom added.
"Indeed," was all Tuvok said.
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
The next evening's party was a huge success. Everyone aboard Voyager was not only accepting of their Captain referring to a puppy as her son, but overjoyed at having a puppy around period. So much so that poor Maverick got overly tired within an hour of his arrival. Everyone wanted to play with him. Chakotay decided he'd sneak out of the holodeck and take the pup back to Kathryn's quarters so he could sleep in peace.
Kathryn spotted them as they made their escape. She went after them, wondering where they were going. Just as Chakotay reached her quarters, she caught up to him. "Commander? What's going on? Is Maverick all right?"
"Oh, Captain, you startled me. Yes, everything's fine. Maverick just got a little too excited. He needs his rest."
"Oh, my poor baby. Here, let Mama cuddle him."
Chakotay didn't know if he'd ever get used to this new Kathryn. She seemed to have changed overnight from the stern all-business, follow-protocol, no hanky-panky Captain into a loving, laughing, happy Kathryn. He made a mental note: puppies were ready-made therapy in a bottle.
The captain put the little guy in his bed in the corner of her bedroom. She then returned to her living room area to find Chakotay resting on the couch. "Would you like to return to the party?" she asked.
"Well, I suppose we should considering the guest of honor is our little one." Chakotay rose to his feet. It was then that he noticed silent tears running down the captain's face. "Captain? Are you all right?"
"My apologies, Commander, I just-it's just that-when you said "our little one", it was such a-beautiful thing to hear you say."
"It *felt* beautiful, Kathryn."
It was now or never. She took a deep breath, looked him straight in the eye and said, "I suppose it's good practice for the real thing."
Three full seconds ticked by before Kathryn's words registered in Chakotay's brain. Say what??? He stared at her. She was not backing down. She stood there looking into his eyes, waiting for a response. His heart skipped several beats as the meaning became clear.
"Finally," he breathed, stepping closer. Opening his arms, he said, "*There* you are, Kathryn. I've been wondering when you'd show up."
She smiled, completely understanding and beginning to be very, very glad that she'd finally taken the plunge.
"Welcome home," he whispered.
Overjoyed, Kathryn walked willingly in Chakotay's waiting embrace. Yes, of course...this was home. *He* was her home. A quick bark from the next room caused them to smile as they held each other.
"I'd better go check on the baby," Kathryn said softly.
He grinned, releasing her from his arms. As she disappeared into her bedroom, he replied, "Yes. And then perhaps we could figure out how to *make* one."
THE END
Author: Christine L. Davis
E-Mail: nilescc@yahoo.com
Timeline: Three weeks after the episode "Unimatrix Zero Part 2". Will skew future due to events contained herein.
Summary: Captain Janeway receives an unusual gift from Commander Chakotay. Not only does this gift bring them closer together; it ultimately saves the lives of every person aboard Voyager. (a little J/C, a little Action/Adventure)
Rated: PG for suggested violence in the first section
Disclaimer: I guess by now you know the drill. Disclaimers are a bitter pill. But I don't own 'em, never will. So I suppose this fits the bill.
~~~~~~~Maverick~~~~~~~
"Janeway to Chakotay. Report."
The first officer's voice floated back to them, clear as a bell. "Captain, our tricorders are confirming what Voyager's short range scanners told us: whoever lived in this small colony isn't here any longer."
"Are there bodies, Commander?"
"Negative. Nothing but--"
There was a moment of silence. The captain frowned. When further conversation was not forthcoming, she spoke. "Commander?"
"My apologies, Captain. Ensign Kaplan just discovered a female dog and her litter of puppies dead in their bed. I was...taken aback."
Janeway wasn't the only one on the Bridge who heard the emotional distress in Chakotay's voice. The discovery of the murdered animals obviously bothered him a great deal. "I'm sorry, Commander. But you're finding no other signs of occupation? Nothing to tell you who these people were or what happened to them?"
The commander seemed to have regained his former composure. "Not yet, but we are continuing our search. I will report back in one hour."
"Understood. Voyager out." Kathryn closed her eyes briefly, then reopened them. Her mind spoke to Chakotay's, wishing that his could hear her. 'And be careful, Chakotay.'
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
The commander had been quite upset at seeing the merciless killing of the mother dog and her pups. To him, animals were companions to humanoids...lifelong friends to be cherished. They were those to whom you went when you sought advice or wisdom. His animal guide, and those of his loved ones, was sacred to him. Poor puppies. They looked barely a month old. Who would commit such senseless violence? And where were the people who once inhabited this now-destroyed colony?
For debris littered the landscape as far as the eye could see. The Away Team estimated this place had been home to around ten thousand people, perhaps more. Many of the homes where partially or completely destroyed. Wisps of smoke still rose from smoldering embers that were once protective walls in which families must have gathered each evening to speak of their day's activities and share a meal around the warmth of their hearth.
None of these walls protected them from whatever force had been there. But were the people dead? Perhaps they were only hiding...no that couldn't be. Voyager's scanners had picked up no humanoid life on the entire planet, long before the Away Team, led by Chakotay, had beamed down to the surface.
So if the people weren't on the planet, and there were no bodies...in Chakotay's mind, that could mean only one thing...
...Borg.
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
Almost a full hour later...
Chakotay tapped his comm badge. "Away Team to Voyager."
"Voyager here," the captain replied. "What have you found?"
"Captain, I had a hunch, so I had the Away Team search for clues that would support that hunch. Unfortunately, they found them."
"I'm not following you."
"These people were attacked by the Borg, Captain." Seven of Nine's head snapped up, her eyes focusing on a faraway point as she listened to the commander. "It explains the absence of bodies or life forms. We have found residue Borg signatures everywhere in this village. The weaponry used was obviously Borg as well. My guess is that each former occupant of this planet has been assimilated."
The captain sighed, her heart aching for the people who were once independent souls and now were mere drones, only a handful of millions of Borg across ever so many galaxies. She wondered how many of them would regain their independence through the virus that she, Tuvok and B'Elanna had given the Collective only three weeks prior.
"Understood, Commander. See if you can find anything out about the former inhabitants, then come home."
"Aye, Captain. Chakotay out." Borg. One never knew when they'd arrive on the scene. Granted, they'd already been here, but not that long ago. It was conceivable that whatever ship had attacked these people was still close enough to detect Voyager's presence. And the Borg Queen *hated* Kathryn. He closed his eyes and slowly reopened them. His mind spoke to the captain's mind, praying hers could hear his. 'Be careful, Kathryn.'
The next thirty minutes or so turned up valuable information on the people who had been attacked. The four-member Away Team also located surveillance vids that showed much of the last hours of their lives. B'Elanna found a room with about twenty vid screens and began replaying the recordings. Chakotay had been dead right. They were all surprised to find that these people looked completely human. As in Terran. He gave an involuntary shiver as one of the cameras caught a Borg drone mercilessly shooting the dog and her puppies with his arm weapon. Tears sprang to his eyes. He walked away from the viewing screens, mumbling something to the half-Klingon about gathering up all of the evidence and their gear and preparing to return to Voyager.
In reality, Chakotay wanted to throw up. Of course, it hurt him like the devil when he saw humanoids injured or killed, but for some reason, when innocent animals were slaughtered, it pained him so much that he almost felt like a part of him died with each of them. He had always felt more kinship with animals than with other people. He recalled that when he was around age 10, his father had told him that this meant he'd been an animal guide in a former incarnation. Then, Chakotay had scoffed at the idea. But now, as he stood behind a large tree trying to regain his composure, he seriously began to wonder if his father had been correct.
The commander, finally regaining himself, decided to take one last walk through a house that had been left almost completely untouched...the house where the dead mother and puppies were. He didn't mean to torture himself, he just...had a nagging feeling that he should walk back through there. He never would have been able to explain it to anyone had they asked him to elaborate.
He walked in the front door and through what looked like the Living Room area. Then he ascended the stairs and headed for the bedroom where they'd found the canines. Taking a deep breath, Chakotay opened the door and surveyed the room, expertly allowing his eyes to skip over the place where he'd placed a bed sheet to cover the Borg's latest victims. He saw all the room's inanimate occupants, his eyes coming to rest on the large bed over in one corner.
And then he heard it. His ears perked up. What was that sound? It was so faint he could barely make it out...there it was again! It sounded like...whimpering. Like crying. The crying of...of a puppy! There! Again! Chakotay dove under the bed, shining his wrist lamp here and there. At last he saw the origin of the whimpering sounds.
Lying curled up under the furthest corner of the bed was a puppy. Chakotay smiled as tears rolled down his cheeks. He was meant to find this puppy, of that he was certain. He had been called back to this house somehow. They were supposed to be packing up to leave the planet...he had no reason to come back here other than a feeling which had compelled him to do so.
"There, there," he said softly, reaching one hand toward the small, frightened creature. "I won't hurt you, I promise. I'm here to rescue you. To take you home."
As if completely understanding what the human was saying to him, the puppy crawled toward Chakotay's hand. As soon as he reached it, he began to lick it furiously, his wet, slobbery tongue soaking the wrist of Chakotay's uniform as well. The commander laughed and scooped the puppy out from under the bed. He brought him to his face and nuzzled him. The puppy responded by wetting Chakotay's face much as he had his hand.
"There, my friend. Now you are safe. Come, it's time to go."
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
"I'll leave the nearest airlock hatch easily accessible for you, Commander."
"I don't understand, B'Elanna. Why do you think this little fellow would anger our captain?"
The engineer sighed. "I don't know. I just can't see Captain Janeway...*cuddling*...anything."
Chakotay chuckled. "I think you'd be surprised."
B'Elanna's eyebrows shot up almost into her Klingon forehead. "Oh, really. And what is *that* supposed to mean?"
Now he laughed outright. "Nothing, nothing. There is no more scuttlebutt to fuel the gossip fires, so no need to run home to Tom."
"Commander, to intimate that I would stoop to the level of gossiping--"
He held his free hand up to silence her. "Save it, save it. I know the truth."
She blushed and headed for the turbolift. "Yeah, and the next time I see you will be out the port side viewing area," she teased as the 'lift doors opened.
Chakotay laughed once more as he wondered half-heartedly what Starfleet Command would think of the camaraderie amongst the Voyager crewmembers. It was true that this type of kinship didn't exist on every ship, but Voyager was different. These people weren't just working together for a short time period. They were all going to spend the majority of their lives together, stuck on this ship, trying to get home. That made them more of a family to each other than to their own blood relatives.
A spring in his step, the commander resumed his course to the captain's quarters. He'd made the other three members of the Away Team and the Transporter Room Attendant promise to say nothing about the puppy. He wanted to present the little guy as a heartfelt gift to his captain. He felt it was just what she needed right now. She had seemed quite down of late and, of course, wouldn't talk to anyone about the change. She probably figured nobody had noticed. Kathryn was nothing if not expert at keeping up a front. But Chakotay had indeed noticed and he thought the puppy would cheer her up.
He'd give anything to see her laugh.
Finally he arrived at her quarters. The chime rang. She must have been standing quite close to the door, for he heard her say, "Come." The commander barely had time to hide the puppy behind his back before the doors swished open bringing him unexpectedly face-to-face with her.
She looked very tired, as though she hadn't slept in days. Her hair wasn't as coifed as usual...it almost looked like she'd recently been in bed. She wore a simple cotton black pajama set: a button-up shirt and pants bottoms. It was covered by a simple red cotton robe. The captain had obviously not been expecting visitors.
"To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" she asked, stepping back into her Living Room area.
The puppy chose that moment to whine.
Kathryn turned slowly to face her first officer, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I beg your pardon, Commander?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm sorry. I came bearing gifts. *A* gift, actually."
Now Kathryn raised her eyebrows. "Really. What kind of gift?"
Chakotay smiled mischievously.
"Chakotay..."
"All right, Kathryn. Turn around."
"What?"
"Just turn around."
She sighed, but did as he requested. "What's this all about?"
"Now close your eyes and hold out your hands."
The captain was too tired for playing games. She began to turn back around to face him. "Commander, I really--"
"Kathryn!" he barked. "*Turn around*."
He'd never spoken to her in that manner before. She was intrigued by his commanding tone of voice, so she stopped movement and resumed her position facing away from him. "Very well. But this gift had better be worth your tone of voice."
"Oh, it is."
She could feel him walk up behind her. Holding her breath, she swore she could even feel his heart beating, although their bodies were not touching. She closed her eyes and cupped her hands together in front of her chest, palms facing upward. She heard and felt him walk around her until he was facing her. The rustle of his uniform told her he was moving some appendage, most likely one or both arms.
And then something was placed in her hands. Something warm...something furry...something that was wriggling. She gasped and her eyes and mouth flew open. There, lying her hands, was the most adorable beige-colored puppy she'd ever seen. He was clearly a boy. His muzzle was black; his ears pointed straight up into the air. She recognized him immediately as a Great Dane who couldn't have been more than 30 days old.
The brightest smile Chakotay had ever seen lit the face of his beloved captain. Her eyes sparkled even as tears filled them. Those tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks as, unabashedly, she cried. When the puppy began licking her hand and wriggling even more, Kathryn choked back a sob, but her smile never faded. She hadn't been this happy in a very, very long time.
Kathryn lifted the puppy to her chest and cuddled him, nuzzling his face with her cheek, allowing him to lick every available inch of exposed skin that he could reach. She held him close for several long minutes while her first officer stood silently watching. It was all he could do not to break down in tears. Obviously his decision to present the pup as a gift to his captain had been the right one. He couldn't wait to tell B'Elanna.
Finally Chakotay found his voice. "May I assume that he pleases you, Kathryn?"
Swallowing several times in an attempt to regain her composure, the captain was surprised to find Chakotay still standing in front of her. She'd been so lost in the joy of the wee little guy that she'd actually forgotten the man who gave him to her was still there.
"Oh, Chakotay," she breathed, wiping the tears from her face with one hand while still holding the puppy close with the other. "I thought you said all the puppies were killed."
"I thought they were. Something guided me to him right before we left the planet's surface. I felt drawn to his location, but didn't know why until I found him. He was there, waiting for me, and surely would have starved to death had I not brought him aboard." Chakotay grew more concerned with each passing moment. She was just staring at him. She said nothing; her face betrayed nothing of whatever she was feeling at the moment. She just...stared. "Captain, I know there are regulations regarding bringing foreign creatures aboard ship, but I couldn't help it. He needed me. He needs...you."
She smiled once more. A warm, genuine, heartfelt smile. "I should put you on report, Commander, but I couldn't do that any more than you could leave him down there alone. Besides, we can easily view him as the result of an otherwise failed response to a distress signal. He's the one survivor of that planet. Just because he's a dog and not a humanoid doesn't make his life any less valuable."
Chakotay smiled. "I agree, Captain! That's exactly how I feel, about all animals."
"I know you do. You have such compassion for these creatures." Kathryn couldn't suppress a laugh as the puppy tickled her neck with his tongue.
"I can't help it. I've always felt closer to them than to humans."
"Is that so?" she asked as she walked over to her replicator. To it, she ordered, "Please supply a feeding bottle suitable for a month-old Terran canine, of type Great Dane. Within the bottle please place warm bovine milk."
"I'm impressed, Captain," Chakotay said from across the room. "You have great instincts. You will be a wonderful mother to him."
Kathryn smiled as the bottle materialized. She took hold of it and headed for her couch. Patting the cushion next to her, she said, "And you will make a wonderful father, Chakotay. Come, let's feed him."
Was she implying what he thought she was implying? No, no, it couldn't be. She was just speaking lightly about the puppy...he had, after all, given her the puppy. It was logical for him to assume the role of "father" to this dog as he grew.
As if reading his mind, she added, "He's awfully lucky to have us as parents."
"Kathryn?" Chakotay seated himself next to her as she placed the bottle nipple to the puppy's mouth. The pup was quite happy and began suckling eagerly. They both watched in awe. "He's just like a little baby."
"He *is* a little baby, Commander. He's..." For just a moment, Kathryn choked on her words. She could feel her first officer's eyes boring holes into her skull, trying desperately to read her. "He's *our* baby."
At his incredulous look, she smiled. She knew full well that she'd knocked him for a loop with that one. But she was so tired of cat-and-mouse, which was part of the reason for her recent insomnia, and this puppy provided just the "excuse" she needed to allow herself to get closer to Chakotay without making it seem like she was doing so of her own volition. After all, Kathryn Janeway had no business acting needy.
"What, Commander? Don't you agree that every child should have the benefit of both parents?"
"Of course."
"And you also believe that this young pup is no less worthy of our consideration than any human baby we might discover, isn't that correct?"
"Yes, ma'am," he breathed.
"Then I expect you help me raise him." Here she handed the pup, who'd momentarily halted his feeding, to Chakotay. Then she handed him the bottle. "I was just getting ready for a bubble bath," she announced. "Would you be so kind as to baby-sit our son?" A smile threatened to form, but she held it back.
"Of course," he practically stammered, still unable to believe her reaction to his gift. "But Kathryn, what shall we call him?"
"I'll think about it during my bath." She headed for the bathroom, then stopped, turned around and returned to stand in front of Chakotay. She leaned down until her mouth was very near his forehead. "Thank you, Commander. You have given me the most wonderful gift I have ever received. I will cherish him always." She placed a kiss right on his tattoo. "As I will you."
Smiling, she headed once more for her bathroom, leaving a completely stunned Chakotay in her wake. He could only stare at her now-closed bathroom door while absentmindedly he fed the hungry puppy. Had he just heard what he thought he'd heard? Had the captain just initiated physical contact between them? Spirits, if he'd known that giving her a puppy would elicit *this* kind of response, he'd have looked for one years ago! He wondered what on Earth had prompted her response. He was overjoyed, to say the least, but slightly confused.
Finally the little guy finished his dinner and curled up on Chakotay's chest for a nap. The captain seemed to be taking the world's longest bubble bath, so the commander stretched out on her couch, telling himself he was simply making it more comfortable for the puppy. In reality, he was dog-tired ('No pun intended', he thought.) and wanted nothing more than forty winks. He was certain that he would wake up before the captain re-emerged from her bathroom.
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
A full hour later, Captain Kathryn Janeway exited her bathroom, now clothed in the familiar peach-colored robe she knew Chakotay had seen her wear before. The scent of lilacs filled the air around her from the bath oils she had used as she relaxed in her tub of water and bubbles. She was not very surprised to find the father of her "child" lying in slumber on her couch with their "baby" sound asleep on his chest. She watched the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest...and the pup...as he inhaled and exhaled, inhaled and exhaled. The result was almost hypnotic, but Kathryn shook herself free from its effects.
She went to her room, retrieved an afghan Neelix had crocheted for her and returned to the sleeping commander. Gently she covered him with it, careful to stop just below the puppy's body so as not to wake either of them. Then she retired to her room, dimmed the lights in her quarters and seated herself in bed. She had said some very suggestive things to Chakotay tonight. She wondered how he felt about them. He was flabbergasted, to be sure...it was evident on his face. But would he accept her hints and advances or reject her, as so often she'd rejected him?
Did he understand what she'd been trying to say? Did he grasp the importance of her words? In her mind, Chakotay had given her a child, someone helpless who loved her more than anything and who needed her to raise and guide him into an adult. But the pup wasn't hers alone...he belonged to both his new "mother" and to the man who had saved his life...the man who held more compassion for living creatures of every kind in his pinky finger than most humans do in their entire body...the man who so thoughtfully knew exactly what to do to make her happy...his "father".
She couldn't wait until she made the announcement to the crew. She could just imagine their faces when she addressed them. "I would like to announce the occurrence of a blessed event here on Voyager," she would say. Then, after a long dramatic pause, she'd continue. "Commander Chakotay and I have had a baby."
Everyone present would gasp, half the ship would begin whispering to one another about how the captain had never even looked pregnant and there would be I-told-you-so's from some crewmembers to others. Undoubtedly, several goods would change hands as payments for bets taken, won and lost. Then Chakotay would step forward with their son in his arms. He would hand him to her, the pride showing in his eyes as much as it did in hers. "Crew of Voyager, I would like you to meet the newest member of this ship. This," and here she would hold the puppy high for all to see, "is--"
And suddenly Kathryn realized the puppy still didn't have a name. It had to be something bold, something regal. She thought hard, passing on several unsuitable names before finally hitting on one. "Chakotay will like it," she mused aloud, snuggling under her covers. "It suits our little one."
Hours later the commander woke to the sounds of laughter and yipping. He was momentarily disoriented, but soon recalled the events from the night before. He couldn't believe he'd slept for so long...exactly how long, he wondered? "Computer, what time is it?"
Beep-blip. "The time is 0200 hours."
It was the middle of the night? Well, then, what were all those noises? They were coming from Kathryn's bedroom, so he decided to go investigate. He walked up to the door and looked in, only to see her sitting in her nightgown, no robe in sight. She and the puppy were on her bed playing relentlessly. The puppy yipped and yapped while Kathryn laughed with delight like a schoolgirl.
She caught site of him in her peripheral vision and turned to face him. "I'm sorry, did we wake you?"
"Well, yes, I think you did, but that's okay. He sure is full of energy for this time of the morning!"
Noting his obvious discomfort with being at her bedroom door, Kathryn invited him in with a pat to the bed. Chakotay did as requested, seating himself about a foot from her. The puppy, overjoyed to see him, immediately attacked him, pulling at his tunic, licking his hands, slobbering everywhere. Chakotay laughed, as did Kathryn. For the next half-hour they played with him, acting for all the world like two proud parents having fun with their child.
And so they were. On both counts.
Then Kathryn yawned, which of course forced Chakotay to yawn. The puppy followed suit, quickly dropping to his belly for a spur-of-the-moment nap. "You know, Chakotay, I forgot to tell you...I thought of a name. I want to know if you approve."
"I'm certain I will."
"Well, let's try it out, then. How about 'Maverick'?"
"That's a wonderful name, Kathryn. Very noble. Suitable for the dog belonging to the indomitable Captain Janeway of the Starship Voyager."
"Good heavens, Chakotay, you make me sound like a Greek goddess or something."
He said nothing, merely looked her straight in the eye. He seemed to convey a message that made her blush. Her? A Greek Goddess? She smiled in amusement. "So, then, you approve?"
"Approve?"
"Of my choice for his name, Commander."
"Oh! Oh, yes, of course. Maverick it is."
The puppy snoozed on, oblivious to anything happening around him.
"Well, I suppose I should head back to my own quarters," Chakotay said, rising to his feet. "It *is* late."
"Yes. May I see you here to pick me up for breakfast? I'd like to discuss a few things with you before we report for Bridge duty, if you don't mind."
"You can expect me promptly at 0700, Captain."
Laying back into the soft pillows at the head of her bed, Kathryn replied, "Fine. I'll see you then. Oh, and Commander..."
Halfway across her Living Room area, he turned back toward the bedroom door, wishing he weren't leaving. "Yes?"
"Thank you again."
He smiled, even though she could no longer see him. "You're very welcome."
She didn't need to see him. She could *hear* the smile in his voice. Now she couldn't *wait* until 0700.
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
It was 0655. Kathryn smoothed her uniform for the hundredth time, checking and rechecking her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was too stern, she decided. Too matronly. Definitely not becoming. Oh, it would do while she was on duty, but for after-hours time with her son and her son's father, she would need to soften herself up a bit.
"You're too austere, Kathryn," she chided her reflection, frowning at the developing dark circles under her eyes. She'd have to get the Doctor to take care of those for her. Maybe he could also help her with her insomnia. "Doubt it," she said. Only one man could help with that.
Maverick playfully nipped at Kathryn's heels, causing her to laugh out loud. Just then, she heard her door chime. "Come in!" she giggled, swooping the pup into her arms.
A most lovely sight greeted Chakotay: Kathryn Janeway cooing and laughing while her new puppy slobbered all over her face. "You're a handsome little man aren't you, yes you are, you gorgeous little baby boy you like licking Mama's face don't you, yes, you little beast, you're getting fur all over Mama's uniform and slobber all over Mama, yes you are, you little devil, yes, yes..." she blabbed in baby talk.
The second-in-command couldn't help but laugh heartily as he entered her quarters. "Oh, Kathryn, I haven't seen you this happy in a long time."
Kathryn placed the puppy on the floor. He scampered off to find his water dish while his "Mama" and "Papa" stood smiling at one another. "Well, that's thanks to you, Chakotay. Come to think of it, you are always at the root of my happiness one way or another. This is no different."
Startled by her admission, he gallantly offered her his arm. "I can only hope you will allow me to continue in that role for you."
She beamed at him...her face almost glowed. Suddenly she couldn't quite remember why she'd never allowed herself to be with him. Her face flushed. He noticed. She looked away as she took his arm. "I can only hope the same," she replied quietly.
Voyager's command team enjoyed a light breakfast then headed to the Bridge for their duty shift. The morning passed uneventfully as Kathryn and Chakotay whispered about the latest addition to the ship's family. Tom strained to listen in on their conversation, but could hear nothing but murmurs. They were talking about how to introduce Maverick to the crew. They decided that they'd throw a party on one of the holodecks...Chakotay would begin constructing the program immediately after their shift ended this afternoon.
If the morning had been uneventful, the afternoon, by comparison, was downright boring. But just as the captain and commander rose to leave for that day, B'Elanna Torres showed up with several PADDs in her hands. She asked Captain Janeway if she would go over some of the data with her, as B'Elanna had been unable to determine the cause of a 2% power drain in the warp core and needed a second pair of expert eyes. Knowing Chakotay was going to be handling the party details, Kathryn saw no reason not to help the Chief of Engineering.
"In my Ready Room, B'Elanna," she said, nodding slightly at Chakotay. That brief gesture told him exactly what she expected...that he take Maverick to the holodeck for a run and some bathroom time before he began the programming.
For her part, B'Elanna wondered what the silent communication was all about. It cracked her up that her two senior officers were, essentially, one person...they just didn't know it. Everyone else aboard Voyager knew it. They didn't. She smiled as she followed the captain across the Bridge. What on Earth was it going to take for them to get together?
Maverick was ecstatic to see Chakotay. He yipped and yapped and carried on until Chakotay was practically in tears from laughing so hard. He changed into more casual attire and finally got the young one calmed enough to place him inside a carrying bag for secret transport to Holodeck One. They made their way uneventfully to their destination. The first officer spent the next couple of hours alternately playing with his new "son" and programming a suitable scene for the pup's Arrival Party tomorrow. He couldn't wait to introduce the little guy to everyone. He was certain they'd all love him.
During the same two hours that Chakotay was enjoying himself, Kathryn and B'Elanna were getting headaches and making each other's worse. Each time one of them came up with an idea, the other logically shot it down. Then they'd be back at Square One again. Then another idea would surface and an argument would ensue until it was decided that couldn't be the solution. This was how the two highly intelligent women always worked together, and it made them the best at what they did, but by 1830 hours, they were ready to throw all the PADDs out the nearest airlock. A suitable answer simply would *not* present itself.
"Bridge to Captain."
"Go ahead, Tuvok."
"Sensors indicate the approach of four vessels bearing 139. They appear to be cargo ships, limited weapons array."
"On my way." Kathryn and B'Elanna stood. "Why don't you leave these here, B'Elanna? Give yourself a break. When you're ready, you can come back here and use the solitude of my Ready Room to give it another go."
The half-Klingon, half-human was surprised. The captain was allowing her to use the Ready Room? Wow. "Thank you, Captain, that's very generous."
"Not at all. I want this solved as much as you do. I'll help you some more later. In the meantime," she said as they entered the Bridge, "take a break, Lieutenant."
"Aye, Captain," she smiled as she entered the turbolift.
"Report," Kathryn said to Tuvok as she seated herself in her chair.
"The ships are on an intercept course with us, Captain. Time to interception...25 minutes."
"What? 25 minutes? Why didn't our long-range scans pick them up before now?"
Harry answered that one. "I think they were cloaked, Captain. They just seemed to suddenly be there, when before it appeared to be nothing but empty space."
"So," the Captain summarized, "they have warp capability and a cloaking device, but limited weaponry. How are their shields?"
"It appears their shields are of Federation caliber," Tuvok replied.
"Interesting. Mr. Tuvok, hail the vessels."
"Hailing. They are replying."
"On screen." The Bridge watched as the viewscreen came to life. The head of a creature that could only be described as part canine and part human was all they could see. Kathryn rose to her full height. "I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager."
The creature's dog-like tongue absentmindedly licked its chops as it stared at Voyager's crew. "I am Canis Gron. Our preliminary scans indicate that your ship's complement consists only of bipedal humanoid life."
Kathryn was a bit confused. Not necessarily the friendliest of greetings. "Your scans are correct. Voyager is manned by many different races of bipedal humanoids."
"Why do you not allow what you call "animals" to assist you in your travels?"
The captain cleared her throat. How could she answer that? She had to bluff. The alien didn't look very happy. "Unfortunately, Canis Gron, our ship is in the Delta Quadrant due to an accident. We did not intend to be away from home for more than two or three weeks. That's why we didn't bring our animals with us."
He took this in, frowning slightly. It soon became apparent that he didn't believe her. He snarled as he spoke. "You are lying, human. Your kind have always looked down at the lesser creatures. You think of them as dumb beings that can do no more than provide you with monetary gain and amusement. You have never attempted to assist their evolution, which is why they remain in their primitive state. We are the Hunines, a highly evolved race wherein humans and canines mated to produce the best possible combination of intelligence and other positive attributes. We will now treat you as you have, for so many years, treated those innocents who are at your mercy. Prepare to die, Captain Kathryn Janeway."
The hairs stood up on the back of Kathryn's neck. How had this situation gotten so out of hand? "Red Alert, raise shields!" she yelled. Geez, the guy hadn't even given her a chance to respond to his allegations. To hell with the fact that he looked like a dog. He was, in Kathryn's mind, a pig.
The red lights blazed, the klaxon wailed. "Shields up, Captain!" Harry hollered above the din.
"Mr. Paris resume our course toward home, Warp 8. Get us out of here. I have no intention of fighting over a misunderstanding."
Tuvok interrupted. "Captain, they have many more weapons than were originally accounted for. It seems they were keeping them cloaked in order to fool us."
"Damn," Kathryn swore softly.
"Incoming!" Harry yelled, just as a blast rocked Voyager to the side a little.
"Report!"
"Shields at 91%!" Harry answered.
"Impulse," Tom stated. "Heading for Warp 1." He maneuvered around the Hunine ships and the stars begin zipping past them. "Warp 1, Captain...Warp 2...Warp 3."
"The alien vessels are pursuing us," Tuvok offered just as another blast bumped them.
"Shields at 83%!"
"They are gaining on us, Captain."
"Warp 4...Warp 5...Warp 6."
Another blast hit them.
"Warp 7..."
"Shields at 75%!"
"Warp 8, Captain."
"Captain, they are still gaining on us."
"Damn, how fast can these people go?"
"It would seem, quite fast," came Tuvok's voice.
The first time the ship rocked, Chakotay began running for a turbolift. It was only when he heard a frantic yipping and whimpering that he realized he'd left Maverick on the holodeck. He ran back, entered and picked the puppy up. Tucking him under his arm like a football, Chakotay headed for the Bridge.
Upon arrival, he burst out of the 'lift and was immediately standing next to his captain. Nobody really noticed what he was carrying as Kathryn brought him up to speed. Another blast came.
"Shields at 63%! Captain, if they keep this up, we're not going to survive!"
"Understood, Mr. Kim."
The captain and commander seated themselves. As if sensing the severity of the situation, Maverick remained still on his Papa's leg, intent upon staring at the back of Tom's head.
"Captain, the alien vessels are reducing speed."
"Maybe they're finally going to leave us be," she replied.
"They are hailing us."
"On screen, Tuvok."
Once more the odd features of Canis Gron graced their viewscreen. "What can I do for you?" she asked, her voice low and threatening.
"I have initiated communications with you because a second scanner sweep revealed that we missed something the first time around."
"What was that, Canis Gron?"
"You do seem to have a quadruped on your vessel."
Perplexed, Kathryn turned to Chakotay...and then it dawned on her. Maverick. They'd found Maverick.
"Yes, yes, we do. You just didn't let me tell you the first time around."
"I wish to observe for myself."
The Bridge crew was wondering what the hell everyone was talking about. Their questions were soon answered when Chakotay rose to his feet and walked forward to stand in front of the Conn. "Canis Gron, I am Commander Chakotay, second-in-command of the U.S.S. Voyager." He lifted Maverick up into the air so the pup was facing the viewscreen. "This is the canine you must have scanned. His name is Maverick."
All present held their breaths. First, because they were so surprised to see the commander holding a puppy. Second, because they wondered if they were about to die.
"What is his position aboard your ship?"
"He currently holds no position," Kathryn replied, coming to stand next to Chakotay. She took Maverick into her arms and cuddled him as he licked her face. "We rescued Maverick from a world destroyed by the Borg. His mother and the rest of his litter were mercilessly slain. Commander Chakotay located Maverick and brought him aboard so he would not have to fend for himself."
Everyone could tell that Canis Gron's opinion of Voyager and her crew had changed dramatically. "Captain, Commander...I wish, on behalf of the planet Hunine, to apologize for our earlier misjudgment of you and your people. It seems that you do indeed care for animals. We are of the opinion that this still is not enough, but it appears that you are on the right track to achieving oneness with your canines. We will revisit your kind in one hundred years to see how you have progressed. Canis Gron out."
"Well!" the captain exclaimed, stomping her foot like a spoiled child. "Of all the rude, obnoxious, self-righteous--"
"Kathryn..." Chakotay warned.
"That puppy just saved our lives," Tom commented. He seemed a bit awestruck as he stared at the little guy wriggling in his captain's arms.
"Yes," Chakotay replied, bursting with pride like any proper Papa. "Yes, he did."
Kathryn smiled as she addressed her Bridge. "I would like for all of you to meet our son." The people were silent for a moment, trying to figure out if she was joking or something. She could sense their discomfort. "Commander Chakotay found Maverick on the last planet we visited. He could not, in good conscience, leave him there at such a young age with no one left to care for him. So he brought him aboard and presented him to me. Maverick is quite attached to both the commander and myself, so we decided to raise him together." Satisfied with her explanation, she repeated, "I would like for all of you meet our son. This is Maverick."
The crew smiled.
"Tomorrow evening at 1900 hours we will be holding an Arrival Party for Maverick on Holodeck 1. Any crew not on duty are welcome to attend."
"I can't believe that a puppy just saved our lives," Tom said, staring at Maverick.
"Yeah, I guess we owe the little guy a big debt of gratitude," Harry chimed in.
"And a nice, thick T-bone steak," Tom added.
"Indeed," was all Tuvok said.
~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~
The next evening's party was a huge success. Everyone aboard Voyager was not only accepting of their Captain referring to a puppy as her son, but overjoyed at having a puppy around period. So much so that poor Maverick got overly tired within an hour of his arrival. Everyone wanted to play with him. Chakotay decided he'd sneak out of the holodeck and take the pup back to Kathryn's quarters so he could sleep in peace.
Kathryn spotted them as they made their escape. She went after them, wondering where they were going. Just as Chakotay reached her quarters, she caught up to him. "Commander? What's going on? Is Maverick all right?"
"Oh, Captain, you startled me. Yes, everything's fine. Maverick just got a little too excited. He needs his rest."
"Oh, my poor baby. Here, let Mama cuddle him."
Chakotay didn't know if he'd ever get used to this new Kathryn. She seemed to have changed overnight from the stern all-business, follow-protocol, no hanky-panky Captain into a loving, laughing, happy Kathryn. He made a mental note: puppies were ready-made therapy in a bottle.
The captain put the little guy in his bed in the corner of her bedroom. She then returned to her living room area to find Chakotay resting on the couch. "Would you like to return to the party?" she asked.
"Well, I suppose we should considering the guest of honor is our little one." Chakotay rose to his feet. It was then that he noticed silent tears running down the captain's face. "Captain? Are you all right?"
"My apologies, Commander, I just-it's just that-when you said "our little one", it was such a-beautiful thing to hear you say."
"It *felt* beautiful, Kathryn."
It was now or never. She took a deep breath, looked him straight in the eye and said, "I suppose it's good practice for the real thing."
Three full seconds ticked by before Kathryn's words registered in Chakotay's brain. Say what??? He stared at her. She was not backing down. She stood there looking into his eyes, waiting for a response. His heart skipped several beats as the meaning became clear.
"Finally," he breathed, stepping closer. Opening his arms, he said, "*There* you are, Kathryn. I've been wondering when you'd show up."
She smiled, completely understanding and beginning to be very, very glad that she'd finally taken the plunge.
"Welcome home," he whispered.
Overjoyed, Kathryn walked willingly in Chakotay's waiting embrace. Yes, of course...this was home. *He* was her home. A quick bark from the next room caused them to smile as they held each other.
"I'd better go check on the baby," Kathryn said softly.
He grinned, releasing her from his arms. As she disappeared into her bedroom, he replied, "Yes. And then perhaps we could figure out how to *make* one."
THE END