Kathryn nearly dropped the PADD she was reading as a bright light flashed through the Ready Room.
When she could properly focus again, she saw Q sitting on her couch, sipping a cup of something.
"Good afternoon, Kathy," he said jovially.
"And to what do I owe this visit?"
"I'll tell you in a moment, but first, how's your back?"
"My back? Fine, why?" she asked, taking a sip of coffee.
"Well, your helmsman was giving you quite a workout on that bio bed ..." His sentence was cut short as Kathryn spit coffee all over her desk and looked at him, aghast.
"It really is ingenious to have a tryst in Sick Bay. After all, if anyone tracked you down, you could truthfully say your medic was just giving you something to help you sleep."
"Oh my God," she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose before she looked up at him. "Q, why were you spying on us?"
"You did watch me procreate," he admonished. "Actually, I popped in to talk about an important matter, but you two were rather … busy."
She spread her hands. "Great. You know that Tom and I are involved. Now what?"
"That's rather vague. I'm sure I heard some declarations of love on both sides. "You know, he does love you … has for quite a while."
Her face softened, but she raised an eyebrow just the same. "And you know how I feel about him."
Q just nodded somberly. "That is why it pains me to tell you that last night, unfortunately, will be your last time together."
"What are you talking about?"
"Voyager is currently orbiting a planet that appears to have all manner of supplies ripe for the taking. At 1500 hours, Lt. Paris, Lt. Wildman and Mr. Neelix will head down there in a shuttle. However, the planet has nasty wind shear issues that your sensors did not pick up. Despite Lt. Paris's superior piloting skills, the shuttle will crash, killing all aboard."
Kathryn swallowed … several times … to keep the bile from rising into her mouth. "Is this some sort of sick test?"
"Test? My dear Kathy, this is not a test. There is more you should know … and since I'm risking the disapproval of the Continuum by doing this, I suggest you hear me out."
"All right, go on."
You see, Kathy, you will have a chance to get Voyager home in a most unusual way. But it will require excellent flying skills, which Lt. Paris's replacement won't have. You won't make it back to the Alpha Quadrant." He closed his mouth in time to avoid spilling any mention of the Borg or time-traveling admirals. No sense in spoiling the fun.
"How about if I just stop them from going down to the planet today?"
"Well, then," he crowed, "you keep your lover, Naomi Wildman keeps her mother, Neelix continues to poison the crew, and at some point you all get home happily ever after. However," he warned, "there will be consequences."
"Like what?"
"Everything is more interconnected than you realize." He shrugged. "The possibilities are endless, and will change depending on how you handle events."
"Doesn't sound like I have a lot of choice in the near term, does it?"
"Then you'd better hurry. The shuttle leaves in a half hour."
She pulled up the scans of the planet, focusing on the meteorological data. Wind shear? Wind shear? Wait! Several small blips in the data … the probe changed course. Might be minor wind gusts, but enough to arouse suspicions, given what she now knew.
No time to spare: She headed out to the bridge to have a quick word with Tuvok, and was in the turbolift before anything registered with the rest of the staff.
She took a deep breath before she hailed Chakotay. "Let's hope Q is right," she told herself.
"Commander, let's delay that away mission. I'm on my way down."
"Captain?"
"I believe there may be a problem. Don't launch that shuttle, Commander. That's an order."
A pause. "Acknowledged. Chakotay out."
Chakotay just shook his head as Tom, Sam and Neelix shrugged. "OK, Neelix," Sam teased, "you've left the stove on in the Mess Hall, haven't you?" finishing with a gentle nudge to his ribs. That brought a laugh from everyone in the bay, except for Seven, who's face was ominously dark.
"Don't worry, Seven," Neelix called to her. "These things happen. We'll get the next one."
"This is unnecessary."
"The Captain usually has a good reason for her decisions," Chakotay offered.
"I conducted all the studies of the planet. There is no impediment to proceeding," she said flatly.
"In the end, it's the Captain's call," Tom said quietly.
In the turbolift, Kathryn wondered how she was going to explain this. Then again, she thought wryly, she was the captain: She didn't have to explain much ... if anything.
She could feel a bad vibe in the bay, most of it coming from Seven. She didn't acknowledge her, instead coming to a stop in front of Tom, Neelix and Sam.
"Sorry folks, no excursions today. Maybe tomorrow once we check something out. You're dismissed."
Neelix left quickly. "Need help with the Flyer?" Sam whispered to Tom. "Thanks, but no," he replied. "Just going to lock her down." Besides, he didn't add, this would let him eavesdrop a bit.
"Kathryn?"
The captain looked over at Chakotay. "I went over the scans and saw a blip that might indicate some wind-shear problems. I don't want to send a team down until we're sure."
"The probe entered the atmosphere without incident," Seven said in a tone that indicated Kathryn was incompetent at best.
"That was a Class 1 probe, it may have been too small to be affected. We're sending a Class 3 down."
"I am not in error!" The ex-Borg's voice was shrill. "You asked me to do the studies. Now you refuse to accept my findings."
"Not saying you are in error," Kathryn said patiently. "But we all back each other up here."
"You are allowing your favoritism for Lt. Paris to cloud your judgment!"
Inside the Flyer, Tom held his breath.
Kathryn took a step toward Seven, who held her ground. "Damn straight I am," she growled. "I'm using my feelings for Tom, Neelix and Sam ... and by extension, Naomi, to make sure I weigh all the risks. I ask this crew to go into harm's way much too often. I will not ask them to do it unnecessarily. And you, Seven, are dismissed."
She turned her back on the ex-Borg and walked to the door. "You're with me, Commander," she said softly as she passed Chakotay, who knew better than to linger.
Tom watched as Seven just stood for a moment, then stalked out of the shuttle bay. He quietly slipped out of the Flyer, making sure it was locked, and left for the bridge.
In the lift, Chakotay looked at Kathryn and raised an eyebrow. "How did you figure it out?"
"Let's just say I listened to the voice in my head."
He chuckled. "Did I miss that lesson in Command School?"
Kathryn laughed. "Not at all. Of course if I'm wrong, perhaps the Doctor should check me for Borg implants."
They took their seats on the bridge. Tom appeared a few moments later to take the helm, and she finally relaxed. For now, all was right in her world, such as it was.
Not for long, however. "Captain, there's an unscheduled shuttle launch from Shuttle Bay 2."
"Which shuttle?" Chakotay asked.
"The Bowie, sir. Sensors say Seven of Nine is aboard."
"What? Janeway to Seven of Nine. Return to Voyager."
"I will not comply."
Kathryn and Chakotay looked at each other, incredulous. "Tractor beam," she ordered.
"She's blocking it," Harry reported. "She's heading down to the planet."
"Transport her to the brig."
"She's blocking that, too."
Kathryn clenched her jaw so tightly, Chakotay feared for her teeth. "Tom, keep us in transporter range. Tuvok, try to disable the shuttle's engines. Fire when ready."
"Direct hit," Tuvok announced a moment later. "Systems are disabled."
"Harry, you're on."
"Seven of Nine is in the brig," he announced. "Tractoring in the shuttle now."
The bridge crew let out their collective breath. "Chakotay," she said, her voice heavy. "Alert the Doctor and have Seven transported to a secure area of Sick Bay. When he's finished examining her, have her transported back to the brig. Under no circumstances do I want her walking around this ship right now."
Chakotay considered arguing, but thought better of it. "Aye, Captain."
She nodded. "You have the bridge."
Q was sitting on the couch when she returned to the Ready Room. "Congratulations, Kathy. Very well done."
"Did you see that coming?"
He just shrugged. "I told you there could be any number of consequences. Your drone short-circuiting was just one of them. And by the way, how is Miss Insubordinate?"
"The Doctor is going to examine her. Let's hope it's something that can be fixed. Otherwise, that short-circuit means I have a serious problem on my hands."
"Meaning you may be sorry you didn't let her go down with the ship?"
"Might have been more humane than keeping her in stasis or locked in the cargo bay for decades if we can't bring her around." Q gave her a searching look; This coldness was disturbing. She needed to get home sooner than later.
"Well, on another subject. Your drone's non-demise does keep your darling Thomas's betting pool going. Unless you do lock her in stasis."
"You know, officially, I don't know about those. But of what pool do you speak?"
"The one on whether the good Commander is providing sex-ed lessons to your protege."
"Oh ... I'd hope he'd be too worried about hidden implants to try that."
"Then, of course, there are the pools Mr. Paris isn't running."
"Oh, really?"
"There's the one on whether your relationship with Seven is more than ... maternal."
"No," she said, putting her hands up. "No, for many reasons, including the one I just gave you. And I am taken."
"Then there's also the one on whether you and Thomas are ... "
"That's it! This crew needs to mind its own business!"
"Well, you two do spend a lot of time on the holodeck. People wonder what you're doing in there."
"Well, right now, we're fly fishing."
"What a quaint euphemism!"
"No, we're actually fishing in the North American Rockies … well, learning to fish. It's quite relaxing. And we're wearing waders up to" ... she tapped her breastbone ... "here." She leaned back, giving him an I dare you gaze. "We happen to enjoy doing other things together."
Q's smile was genuine. "It becomes you, Kathy. Having Thomas around brings out your fun side."
"It also comes with consequences," she said softly.
"Oh?"
"Come on, I know you can see that. Starfleet does not want its commanding officers "fly fishing" with subordinates. It will certainly get out at some point. He'll likely get a slap on the wrist when we get home. I likely will never make admiral."
"Really, Kathy, do you care that much about your precious Starfleet?"
"I have ever since I can remember," she said, mostly to herself. She was looking at something on the wall, he noted, or perhaps farther away. "On the other hand," she continued, "I don't want to ... actually, I can't give him up. He keeps me halfway sane … and human … out here. I can only hope that this doesn't end badly. If so, I lose him and my career."
She snapped back to attention. "So, any other revelations you'd like to impart?"
"No, Mon Capitan," he said gently. "As I told you, this will have many ripples. How you ... now what's that game Jean-Luc's officers play? Ah, yes, poker! How you play your cards will determine how things go. Perhaps, if you play them right, you and Mr. Paris will enjoy many years of 'fly fishing,' in any sense, on Earth."
Kathryn came back to the bridge in time for the probe's launch. She was half paying attention, mulling over Q's remarks, when Harry's "Whoa!" snapped her back to reality. "We've lost telemetry," he reported. "Looks like the probe broke apart!"
"It crashed?" Chakotay asked.
"No sir. No impact. It came apart in the atmosphere."
"There it is, right at the planetary border. Looks like it may have flipped around, then broke up," Tom said as the senior staff crowded around the screen. To his right, B'Elanna muttered a Klingon curse. To his left, Kathryn muttered something too. Must have been Vulcan: Tuvok actually looked amused.
"What do you think happened?" Kathryn asked.
He shook his head. "Too many possibilities. A weather front, cold air coming over the mountains, solar heating. Could be temporary, but maybe not, considering you saw something with the first probe."
"Another landing site?" Chakotay asked.
Tom shrugged. "That was the best option in terms of access. There are a lot of mountain ranges on this planet." He glanced up to look Chakotay in the eye. "You know the risks in flying over that kind of terrain." He shook his head again. "For all I know, it could be a booby trap; get too close and something is set off to create turbulence. Might be why the smaller probe got through."
Both Kathryn's and Tuvok's heads snapped up at that, and they shared a look.
"We would need to do a number of scans," Tuvok said softly.
Kathryn shook her head. "I don't want to spend the time, or risk any more equipment … or personnel on this … especially if that is a trap." She tapped her com badge. "Mr. Calhoun, break orbit and resume course, Warp 5. Mr. Paris will be along shortly to relieve you."
Finally, end of shift ... and a private message pops up on her comm.
"Dinner? 1800 on Holodeck 3? Rockies program — reservation is in your name.
— T."
"Absolutely.
— K."
She was halfway to the holodeck when Chakotay commed her. "It's been quite a day. You interested in talking about it over dinner?"
"Thank you, I appreciate the offer," she said sincerely. "But I have some holodeck time booked. I need the escape. Rain check?"
The cold hit her when she opened the door. It was night in the program, with a light dusting of snow on the ground. Something new: a small cabin near the river where they usually fished. The lights were on and smoke was wafting from the chimney. She'd just started up the path when she noticed it: Tom had left a coat for her, hanging on a limb of a nearby tree.
He was stoking the fire when she came in, and when he got up, she pulled him into her arms. They held each other tightly, just grateful to be able to do so.
"Late-night fishing?" she teased when he finally stopped kissing her.
"Nope. Decided that since I cheated death again I should celebrate with my best gal. I brought your clothes," he said, nodding toward the other room, where she noted a large bed with a down comforter.
He had a spread of campfire foods on the table when she came out. "You replicate all this? Win a bet?"
"Maybe."
She just shook her head. "I don't want to know."
They ate with gusto, although they avoided talking about the events of the day. But after dinner, he led her to the bedroom, and they allowed their need for each other … their need to reaffirm life … take over.
She awoke, curled around him, as he stroked her back. "You spoil me," she whispered as she pulled his head down for a kiss.
"Definitely my pleasure," he whispered back, then pulled her close. "So, what really happened today?
"Seriously, Kathryn," he added when she didn't answer right away. "We all looked at those early scans and couldn't make the connection. I think you had some kind of warning, but how?"
She told him then about Q, and what he said, though she left out the part about his voyeurism. They were both shaking by the time she finished.
"Well, I'll have to thank him when I see him next," Tom finally said. "And thank you," he added, tightening his arms around her.
"Hey, don't forget the part where I'm going to need your piloting skills to get home. I was trying to protect everybody."
They were quiet for a few moments. "I was thinking that Colorado might be a nice place for us to live once we get home," he said casually.
"Fond of winter, are we?" she teased.
"It would be to have seasons."
"It's nice till February," she joked. "I'd thought you'd want to go home."
"Too many bad memories. I'd like to get a fresh start someplace where we could be just us … without having to deal with Starfleet politics and gossip, or my father looking over our shoulders."
"I didn't realize you felt that way," she said. "I suppose it depends on what we'll want to do."
"You have earned the right to do whatever you damn well please," he said as he squeezed her hip. "Though I have heard there are some research facilities out there."
She chuckled as she stretched. "I'll take that first part under advisement." She fell quiet for a moment, then looked up at him. "But as far as I'm concerned, home is with you. Every thing else is going to take a back seat."
Tom slid into his seat and began his start-of-shift routine … then stopped short.
"Harry, have you checked your timespace monitor?"
Harry gave him a look. "Not yet, why?"
"Is there a problem, Mr. Paris?" Tuvok asked.
"I believe there is. Comparing my log at end of yesterday's Alpha shift to our current position, we've apparently traveled a light year overnight."
That brought the Captain down to the helm. "Gentlemen, check your logs from yesterday," she ordered as she leaned over Tom to see his data. "I would think we would have noticed that much of a jump." She gave him a quick sideways look and arched an eyebrow in a "don't you dare" signal.
"Mr. Paris is correct. According to my logs, we have traveled a light year," Tuvok said.
"I agree," Harry chimed in.
"We're a year closer to home," Kathryn whispered, and he could hear the slight break in her voice.
"You don't think?" he whispered.
"Q? Could be," she murmured. She casually laid her hand on his back as she straightened, then turned around.
"Tuvok, contact Lt. Torres and have her run a diagnostic before we start celebrating. And call the Gamma shift crew back for a little talk," she said as she headed to her chair. "In the meantime, where are we?"
"Actually, near two M-Class planets … apparently both with warp capability. Nar Shadda … and Quarra," Harry said.
"Well, we're still in need of supplies. Let's see if any of these folks are friendly."