Star Trek Voyager : Homeward Bound

CHAPTER 2

Kathryn Janeway, second-in-command on the Maquis ship Voyager, was amused at Chakotay's refusal to answer her question. It had been a simple question. Or so it had appeared. Would he serve as her first officer if this was her ship, a Starfleet one. She had intended to put him on the spot, but, which was very rare, Chakotay had outwitted her. This time he had hidden behind his rank as captain to avoid answering. That put him on her hit list.

Side by side they walked from the turbolift to engineering. Both relaxed and, once again, enjoying the comradeship of each other's company.

Entering engineering her eyes were immediately drawn to the warp-core. For an instant she stopped breathing as she stared at the sight before her. Almost twice the size that hers had been, located in the rear section, it pulsated with life. The life of a ship. No one entering the heart of Voyager could miss it.

A light, pleasant touch on her arm drew Janeway's attention back to the man at her side. Sifting her line of sight her eyes followed Chakotay's arm as he pointed over to the side. She listened attentively as he explained the functions of one of the consoles.

Out of the corner of her eye Janeway noticed the two figures standing motionless in front of the core, watching her and Chakotay as they made their slow way through engineering. She caught the worried, concerned look covering the face of the chief engineer B'Elanna Torres. Kathryn Janeway smiled to herself as she witnessed the change in Torres after receiving a reassuring nod from Carey.

Janeway's mind darted over the recent events. It had been, what, two weeks since they were thrown into the Delta Quadrant. Two weeks during which she and Chakotay had gone from being enemies to good and trusting friends.

A friendship forged from pain and grief, bourn on, not only their shoulders, but also on those of the crew.

Those two weeks had been hard. Starting with the Caretaker forcefully bringing the two ships, hers and Chakotay's, into the Delta Quadrant. The numerous deaths on both ships and the abduction and near death of B'Elanna Torres and Harry Kim. Then the attempted murder of both herself and Chakotay at the hands of her first officer Cavit, who had been aided by her Doctor Fitzgerald. Their lives had been saved by the courage of her crew, and the skill of the Maquis.

It had also seen the destruction of her ship, The Explorer, and the unification of both crews into one. Out of the sadness, and the pain, had emerged something else. One crew, Starfleet and Maquis, working together for a common goal. Out of the suffering there had also emerged heroes, Tuvok and Tom Paris, along with others of her crew. And now, she and Chakotay formed the very unlikely command team of the starship Voyage.

How, mused Janeway, could so much have happened in so little time.

Just a couple of hours ago she had felt a prisoner, hated and unwanted, onboard this ship. Now she walked proudly beside her new captain as he introduced her to the ship and crew. Both of which she was proud to command.

Sensing her thoughts, as he had uncanny knack of doing, Chakotay turned his head toward her and smiled.

Kathryn Janeway returned his smile with a warm, gentle one of her own. Allowing this man, who had saved her life, into her heart.

Coming abreast of Carey and Torres, Janeway could feel the curiosity emanating from the two engineers.

Chakotay quickly answered their unasked questions. "B'Elanna, Joe, there's been a couple of changes in the command structure."

The eyebrows of both Joe Carey and B'Elanna Torres inched upwards.

Chakotay placed his hand in the small of Janeway's back, drawing her closer to him. "Let me introduce you to my new second-in-command. Evans will now be working as a command lieutenant to both Kathryn and myself."

Quickly recovering from her shock, B'Elanna answered with a touch of mischief in her voice. "Well captain, we all felt that you would make a good Maquis."

Janeway looked at Chakotay with mock indignation on her face. "Captain Chakotay, don't tell me that what happened on the Explorer was one of your 'Maquis' escapades just to prove yourself correct."

For a moment Chakotay looked confused. Then he remembered about his teasing comment which he had made while in her science lab. He replied as he ran his hand through his hair. "Kathryn! I give you my word, even I would not go that far. However, since I was right, I certainly will take full advantage of that."

His comment earned him an elbow in his ribs. "Ouch! Is that anyway to treat your captain?"

Joe Carey turned to Janeway. "Captain, I speak for all the crew, for everyone onboard this ship, welcome back."

Kathryn felt a lump rise in her throat. "Thank you Joe, it's good to be back. But I no longer carry the title……….."

Chakotay, leaning down, whispered in her ear. "Give up. You're outnumbered."

Opening her mouth to speak, Chakotay silenced her with an amused look and by shrugging his shoulders.

Giving a resigned sigh she turned back to Carey. "Joe, I understand that you had a slight nose problem."

B'Elanna tensed.

Throwing Torres a quick glance Joe answered easily. "Nothing to worry about captain. The 'problem' was corrected very quickly. There's no reason for it to happen again."

Janeway gave her head a quick sharp nod. "Good. That's how I like 'problems' solved, and put to rest."

B'Elanna Torres kept her mouth shut. She was still uneasy around this former Starfleet captain. But something told her that one day they would be good friends. And she felt that the day would soon be coming.

Chakotay grinned. Kathryn Janeway certainly had her own style. In less than a minute she had, quietly and effectively, addressed the situation of Torres breaking Carey's nose. Without putting B'Elanna on the defensive. Even he had not managed that.

As for B'Elanna Torres she knew that somehow she had received a reprimand for her temper. But could not figure out how it was delivered.

Chakotay turned toward Torres. He was amused by the confused look upon her face. "B'Elanna, we'll be breaking orbit later today, if you want to pay the Ocampa one last visit go ahead."

Torres heaved a sigh. "There's so much still to do. I better stay here."

"B'Elanna," Janeway spoke quietly, "once we leave, the chances are we will never return. Certainly not in the life time of the Ocampa that we know. You have done an amazing job of repairing this ship, while coping with new crew members, nobody will begrudge you the time to say goodby to your friends."

For a moment B'Elanna Torres looked at Janeway. Then she smiled. "Thank-you Captain. After I arrange a few things with Joe I'll beam down. When I return perhaps Joe and the others can take a few minutes to also say goodbye."

Janeway nodded. Turning to leave she threw one last parting comment over her shoulder. "I'll see you later, I'm looking forward to a long discussion on echo displacements and warp transports."

Puzzled, Joe looked at B'Elanna. "Warp transports! They're impossible."

Watching Janeway and Chakotay exiting engineering, B'Elanna grinned at Joe. "Not when you have to rescue your leader from Starfleet."

"Oh." Was Joe Carey's only comment.

B'Elanna shook her head. "Joe, I think Chakotay will have his hands full. That woman is no ordinary 'second-in-command'. No way will she ever be a 'yes sir, I'll follow your orders sir' type of person."

Joe Carey smiled. "B'Elanna, there are many ways to give orders. From the little that I have seen, I have a feeling Chakotay has learned how to handle the captain. And… vice-versa."