Past And Present Collision Course

by PhoenixWhiteFlames

He left her, as much as broke his heart to leave her, he'd hoped that by leaving her behind that it would keep her save and out of harms way. But now after over twenty years they've meet again as enemies. Can they work together again to get their crews home. And there's also the fact that Kathryn has a daughter, a daughter born several months after he left. . . .

2. Chapter 2

CARETAKER PART 2

Chapter Two

A few days later Tom Paris was sitting in a shuttle on the way to the USS Voyager. A Betazoid woman was piloting the ship. They were however not alone. Janeway's twenty year old daughter, Shannon had joined them for the ride to the ship and she was quietly reading a PADD, she had pulled from her bag.

"Stadi," he said turning to the pilot. "you're changing my mind about Betazoids."

"Good." She looked happy about that.

"It wasn't a compliment. Until today, I always considered your people to be warm and sensual.. . "

"I can be warm and sensual."

"Just not with me?"

"Do you always fly at women at warp speed, Mr. Paris?"

"Only when they're in visual rang."

"That's our ship," Stadi said suddenly. Tom stood up to look up at the ship in the view screen "That's Voyager. Intrepid-class. Sustainable cruise velocity of warp factor nine point nine-seven-five. Fifteen decks, crew complement of one hundred forty-one, bioneural circuity-"

Tom frowned. "Bioneural."

"Some of the traditional circritry had been replaced with gel packs that contain sythetic neural cells. They organize information more efficiently, speed up response time." Stadi flew the shuttle around the ship before docking at the station.

After stopping by sickbay they continued on to the bridge to report to Captain Janeway.

Two young men entered the doors to Kathryn's ready room opened with a quiet hiss.

Shannon was already there sitting calmly on the couch. Kathryn was sitting next to her and the two looked like they were talking before the two men walked in. Kathryn stood up to greet them.

Harry Kim, a young Chinese Ensign straight from the academy stood to attention rod straight in front of his commanding officer. Everything about him shone with a brilliance that was quite dazzling. His black and gold Starfleet uniform was in pristine condition, his boots, pips and comm badge polished to a sparkle. Everything about him just said two things - young and inexperienced.

Tom Paris stood behind him in a some what more relaxed posture, a slight smile playing on his boyishly handsome face. A small bag was slung over the shoulder of his red and black uniform which looked almost as comfortable and natural on him as he looked wearing it.

"Gentlemen," Janeway greeted with a quick smile and nod. "Welcome aboard Voyager."

"Thank you sir!"

Biting the side of her mouth, she walked around to the front of her desk, inspecting the Ensign with amused curiosity. He did not move as she eyed him carefully.

"Mr Kim," she said wryly, "at ease before you sprain something."

A nervous looked crept into his dark brown eyes, but he did as he was told, dropping his shoulders slightly, but only slightly, much to the amusement of Paris who tried hard not to laugh, Paris looked over at Shannon and saw that she too was holding back a laugh.

"Ensign," she continued with a slight hint of a smile. "Despite Starfleet protocol, I don't like being addressed as 'sir'."

"I'm sorry..." he corrected quickly, "...Ma'am!"

"Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch, but I prefer Captain." Kathryn gestured toward her daughter, "Shannon Janeway ship's Counselor, any problems report to her." Smiling, she looked over at Paris for a second. "We're getting ready to leave," she informed them, "let me show you to the Bridge. Did you have any problems getting here Mr Paris," she called out over her shoulder as she lead them onto the brightly lit Bridge, Shannon followed.

"Not at all," he replied half cheerfully, "... Captain."

A man rose quickly to his feet on Janeway entry. He was tall, his short hair greying rapidly. He wore the black and red uniform of Command yet he did not possess the friendliness or warmth of the Captain, and her daughter, that was by no means because they was a women.

"My First Officer," she introduced to the two men, "Lieutenant Commander Cavett, Ensign Kim..."

He shook Harry's hand warmly enough.

"You've already meet my daughter, Counselor Lieutenant Commander Shannon Janeway."

Cavett turned to the younger Janeway and smiled at her, nodding. "I didn't get to say this the last time we meet, Counselor but welcome back to active duty. And congratulations on the promotion Metal of Valor and the Purple Heart those were well earned. "

Tom frowned at the comment. Back to active duty. Metals of Valor and the Purple Heart.(The Purple Heart is saved for only the most badly wounded warriors.) The kid must of did something pretty big to earn those. Tom made a mental note to check the girl's file for the story behind the medals and promotion. But, noting the slightly hunted look in Shannon's eyes he doubted, whatever it was, it wasn't a walk in the park.

Shannon stiffened, nodded. "Thank you, Mr Cavett.."

"... Mr Paris."

His eyes narrowed as he inspected the ex-Maquis, reluctantly shaking Tom's hand.

"Welcome aboard," he smiled, but only at Harry and Shannon. Shannon stalked over to her set the third one next to the first officer's.

"Ensign Kim..." keen to get away from the sudden awkwardness, Janeway directed the Ensign over to Ops. She would have to have a talk with Cavett later. "This will be your station," she informed him. "Would you like to take over?"

"Yes Ma'am."

She smiled. "It's not crunch time yet Mr Kim," she informed him. "I'll tell you when."

Behind her, everyone suddenly snapped into action, preparing for the start of what would become a very long mission.

Thrusters ready, engines on line, Janeway walked briskly to her seat. "Engage," she ordered finally staring the mission that would hopefully, probably, bring her face to face with a guy she had once been engaged too just twenty years ago, and unknown to either them, the father of her twenty year old daughter.

Some Hours Later.

Kathryn glanced up from where she was standing at security as the doors to the Bridge opened with a swish. Tom Paris appeared through them, sauntering on to the Bridge as if he owned it. Nodding, she motioned for him to join them, Shannon stood next to her mother.

"The Cardassians gave us the last know heading of the Maquis ship," she informed everyone around, but primarily Paris. A red line streaked across the star charts she was pointing at showing the ships course. "And we have charts of the plasma storm activity the day it disappeared," she continued as great white spirals covered part of the screen. "With a little bit of help, we might be able to approximate it's course."

Glancing at it, Paris quickly pulled together all of his piloting knowledge and of what he knew about the Maquis and Badlands, which was... well, not too much.

"I'd guess they were trying to get to one of the M-Class planetoids in the Terikof Belt," he informed them, pointing to a position past the thick density of clouds.

Cavett's eyes narrowed as he watched the pilot and Janeway could not help but notice the distrust in his voice and eyes as he stated that was beyond the Myrious system as if he believed there was nothing there. Well for all he knew, there wasn't. Starfleet had never explored the Badlands in any real detail, but Janeway felt as if she could trust the pilot enough to know that there was something there.

"The plasma storms would have forced them in this direction," the security officer pointed out marking a ring around most of the clouds.

"Adjust our course to match," she ordered turning to return to her seat, Shannon walked to her's , the one next to the first officer's chair. Kathryn could feel Paris' eyes still on her even as Cavett moved past to carry out the order. Leaning in her chair, she looked at him. "The Cardassians claim to have forced the Maquis ship into a plasma storm where it was destroyed, but our probes haven't picked up any debris," she informed him.

"A plasma storm might not leave any debris."

Paris' voice cut deep into her heart with each word he spoke. No! She mentally shook herself. Chakotay was still alive, she had to believe it. Where ever he was, who ever he had become, he was still alive, he had to be!

"We'd still be able to pick up a resonant trace from the warp core," she replied quickly, far to quickly for her liking.

Arh-ha, so there was something between the Captain and Chakotay, Paris figured, but the question was 'What?'.

"Captain, I'm reading a coherent tetrian beam scanning us."

Relieved to have a change of subject, Kathryn shifted her eye line to where the Ensign was standing at Ops.

"Origin Mr Kim?"

She watched as his hands moved quickly over the controls.

"I'm not sure," he replied shortly, "there's also a displacement wave moving towards us."

"On screen."

The large view screen at the front flickered to reveal a long white wave moving towards them from behind. One she had never seen before.

"Analysis!"

Harry's eyes narrowed as he tried to decipher the readings he was getting. "Some kind of polarized magnetic variation," he informed her.

A what?

"We might be able to disperse it with a graviton particle field."

Kathryn's thoughts were disrupted by the voice of her first officer in front of her. Quickly she nodded, "Do it." Rising to her feet, she moved to a position just behind conn at the front of the Bridge. "Red Alert," she ordered, the lights dimming, "Move us away from it Lieutenant."

Lieutenant Stadi's fingers moved nimbly over the conn controls. "New heading," she announced, "4-1 mark 1-8-0."

"Initiating graviton field."

Kathryn stared at the screen, not daring to hold her breath. Deep down she had this feeling that the field was not going to work. They were being drawn into it for some reason.

"The graviton field had no effect."

Ensign Kim confirmed her theory as his voice ran out across the Bridge.

"Full impulse," she ordered.

"The wave will intercept us in twelve seconds."

Not enough time. There's no more time.

"Can we go to warp," but even as she spoke, she knew what the answer would be.

"Not until we clear the plasma field Captain," Stadi told her.

"Five seconds."

Not enough time.

"Brace for impact." Sitting back down she gripped the side to her chair fearing the worst.

"Three..."

Not enough time.

Two... One...

Lights flashed around the darkened bridge. Somewhere in the distance, a beeping noise could be heard, probably a console or something. Emergency lights were on, illuminating the bridge with their red glow.

Taking deep breaths, Kathryn lifted her head, well she was alive at least. He hair was a mess though, but there was more important things to worry about. She could feel the throbbing of a bruise on the side of her face, probably where she hit her head.

Glancing up, she looked around. The Bridge was a mess. Lights were flickering, carnage lay around, consoles had exploded. Looking down, her eyes rested on her first officer. He was lying on the floor, face down, not moving. Crouching down, she tired to find his pulse. It was not there. He was already dead.

Shannon was lying on the ground herself, but was coming around. Kathryn moved on from Cavett when she heard her daughter moan in pain. Reaching for Shannon as the younger woman slowly begin to pick herself up from the ground, Kathryn muttered under her breath damning Chakotay for Shannon's stubborn nature, which in Kathryn's mind Shannon gained from her father and not from her, despite what Kathryn's own mother, Gretchen had gleefully told her from the moment Shannon was born.

As Shannon stood up Kathryn hissed as she saw the nasty cut on her forehead, and it was still bleeding. Breathing deeply, she looked up again. "Report," she snapped, seeing that other people had recovered as well.

"Hull breech, deck fourteen," Harry's voice reported jumping quickly to attention. "Comm lines to Engineering are down, trying to reeastablish."

Quickly she laid out the orders. "Repair crews, seal off hull breach, deck fourteen."

"Aye Captain."

"Casualty reports coming in," another voice sounded over the commotion. "Sickbay is not responding."

Just great.

"Bridge to sickbay," she quickly tried her comm badge. "Doctor can you hear me?" Glancing wildly around again, but showing that she was completely in control, she noticed Tom bending down over the body of their pilot. "Paris, how's Stadi?"

His face was long as he finally looked back up at her. "She's dead," he replied softly.

Not another one.

"Captain, there's something out there." Harry's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"I need a better description then that Mr Kim," she snapped looking up at him.

"I don't know," he stammered, his inexperience starting to show through again. "I'm reading... I'm not sure what I'm reading."

"Can you get the view screen operational?"

"I'm trying." Quickly, he turned, quickly inputting commands into the computer.

After a second or two the view screen fuzzed, before finally clearing. Kathryn stared at it, the... the thing... the what ever it was. It looked like an array of some kind, but of a design she had never seen before. It was beautiful in a strange way, three delicate wings appeared to be jotting out of the body, almost like a flying insect of some kind. Some kind of pulse seemed to be coming from the... the array, heading off somewhere into the distance, but where? And where exactly are they?

A small raider orbited the array near to them. The ship they were after. So this was where they had ended up.

"Captain," Harry looked up from his readings as if he could read her mind. "I these sensors are working, we're over 70,000 light years from where we were. We're on the other side of the galaxy."

Shannon turned around at Kim in shock, ignoring the bleeding cut on her head, as well as the soreness of her body being thrown roughly from her set and onto the hard ground. "That's not good."

We're what? Kathryn stared at him for a moment herself, before looking back at the screen, not believing her eyes. How could they travel so far in practically no time at all?

"I'm not reading any life signs on the Maquis ship."

"What about on that... that array?"

"Our sensors can't penetrate it."

"Any ideas what those pulses are that are coming from it Mr Kim?"

"Massive bursts of radon energy. They appear to be directed towards a nearby G-type star system."

"Try hailing the array."

"Engineering to bridge."

At last, she was starting to get concerned.

"We have severe damage. The Chief's dead. Possibility of a warp core breach."

Just what she needed right now. Her engineering background suddenly clicked in as she heard the out come. "Secure all engineering systems," she ordered making her way to the door, "I'm on my way."

"No response from the array," Harry reported as she pasted him.

"Ensign get down to sickbay, see what's going on, and take Counselor Janeway with you."

Shannon frowned at her mother. "It's just a scratch, I'm fine and besides I'm needed more here as the next highest officer I should be in command if your going to engineering. We agreed no special treatment."

Kathryn stopped just as she reached the door to the lift and turned to her daughter. "Report to sickbay Lieutenant Commander Janeway, that's an order Mr Allans, the Bridge is yours." With that she entered the turbo lift and left the Bridge. "

Tom looked up from where he was at the conn to a angry looking Shannon and a nervous Harry come down the Counselor and gently lead her out of the Bridge. Quickly, he moved to join him. "Harry, Shannon" he called, "wait for me."

The three of them had reached sickbay ignoring the cluttering debris as they passed. Approaching the sickbay doors all three of them stood back in alarm, either from the smoke coming out from the closed doors or the smell of burning metal and flesh they didn't know, or perhaps it was a mix of all three, too many shocks in one hit.

"I'm reading fires inside." Kim reported as he scanned form beyond the door with tricorder he'd grabbed on the way out of the Bridge. "We'll have to be careful when we open the doors."

Shannon snorted. "Assuming we can get them open." She turned to the emergency panel on the left side of the doors and she banged on the panel to force it open. Kim jumped at the sound as half of the contents dropped out onto the ground.

Tom forced his way over and helped to get the fire extinguisher ready and handed it to Kim, taking the tricorder. "Here, I'll go first, I'm expendable."

Smoke was everywhere, but even worse was the smell of burning flesh that got to Tom the most. Coughing as the first wave of smoke hit him he raised his hand to cover his mouth, Tom raised his other hand to use the tricorder in front of him, hoping to find signs of life. Bright, fat sparks dripped like molted gold from a panel in a wall from the far side of sickbay. Kim came in with the fire extinguisher, using it to smother the flames, Shannon coming in behind him, winching as she saw the damage.

Paris come across the two bodies of the doctor and nurse and knew they where dead even before the tricorder confirmed it. Hearing a gasp he turned and saw Shannon had come up behind him. "They must have been next the console when it exploded." He said to her as he closed the tricorder. Shannon nodded in agreement as more wounded started to come in.

"Computer!" Shannon called out as Paris lead her to the closest boibed, while at the same time Kim ran over to meet the first wave of wounded arriving, no doubt the first of many. The group was a group of burnt, battered, dressed in engineering gold. "Initiate emergency medical holographic program!"

A man appeared out of no where, like magic, dressed in StarFleet blue standing in the middle of the room. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency." As he walked over to Shannon's boibed.

Shannon nodded ignoring Paris' startled look at the appearance of the holographic doctor. "Multiple percussive injuries."

"Status of your doctor?"

"His dead." Kim reported as joined them. The doctor turned to him, "Point four cc's of trianoline."

Kim looked at him with a blank look. "Trainoline?"

The holographic doctor didn't look impress. Shannon couldn't help but snort in amusement despite the fact there was nothing amusing about this. "We lost our nurse too." She offered helpfully.

The doctor was not impressed with this. "Tricorder." He damned. Kim gave him his tricorder. The doctor opened it before shaving back in the ensign's hands. "Medical tricorder!" He snapped. Kim flushed with embarrassment, as Paris grabbed the right tricorder and gave it to their new doctor, how used it to scanned Shannon before turning and selecting the right interments to seal up the cut on her head.

"How soon are replacements medical personal expected?"

"That might be a problem." Kim said. "We're pretty far from replacements right now."

The hologram let a suffering sigh. "A replacement must be requested as soon as possible. I'm programmed only as a short-term emergency supplement to the medical team."

Paris laughed humorously. "We may be stuck with you for a while, Doc."

"There's no need for concern." he said as he finished up sealing Shannon's cut. "I'm capable of treating any injury or disease." He turned to Shannon as he finished. "No concussion. You'll be fine." He then turn to Kim. "Clean her up."

This time it was Shannon how let out a suffering sigh. "God help us all." she turned to Kim, and couldn't help but tease him. "Well you heard him, Ensign." Kim blushed as Paris laughed, a real one this time. However before Paris could make a smart comment, everyone was transported out of sickbay before anyone knew what was happening.

The doctor looked around as everybody vanished from sight and off the ship."This is the emergency holographic doctor speaking. I gave no permission for anyone to be transported out of sickbay. Hello? Sickbay to bridge. I believe someone has failed to terminate my program. Please respond." It was crystal clear. This star ship Voyager was empty.

The air was warm, but artificially so, almost like a holodeck. The sun shone, yet it gave the impression that if it was not actually in the sky, nothing would have changed, the weather would have been the same.

Shaanon blinked to find herself by a farm house, in the middle of... of what looked like a farm. What was going on? Where was she? Why was she here? One minute she had been on Voyager, the next here.

She was not alone though. All around, Starfleet officers stood, each wearing their specific coloured uniforms, all looking as lost and bewildered as she was. Some where talking in groups. Others were waving their tricorders around as if trying to work out where they were.

Paris and Kim were standing with her, just as confused as she was. Shannon turned around, sishing with relief as she spotted her mother with a group of officers and walked over to join them, paris and Kim following her.

Everyone appeared to be spreading out into different directions, some of them waving tricorders around. Kathryn was unable to hid her own relief when she saw her daughter walking toward her.

A short while later Shannon, Paris and Kim were walking toward an old barn, after their tricorders , scarnning had found some readings coming from the barn. One of the hologram women was trying to lead them away, until Kim's tricorder sweeps picked up life signs coming from the barn. "There's nothing in there, just a gig pile of hay." They ignored her.

"Wow," Kim said looking it his tricorder started beeping wildly.

"What." Paris asked.

"There's a life form here, just one." The ensign reported.

"Life-form?" Shannon said. "Where?"

"It's everywhere! I'm also reading some kind of matrix-processing device. It may be the holographic generator, Paris, Counselor! Humanoid life signs! Over here!"

Suddenly the girl stepped in front of them, looking furious. "I'm not ready for you yet!"

Hearing the vicious snarls from behind them, they spun around them to find a dog blocking their way out. Paris slapped his comm badge. "Paris to Janeway-!" He didn't get to finish as the girl slapped him hard, sending him to the ground.

Several minutes later Kathryn and the others arrived at the barn. The other holograms materialized in front of them. The old woman from before now stood in the barn's entry, blocking their escape. "Very well. Since no one seems to care for any corn, we'll have to proceed ahead of schedule."

Behind the StarFleet officers the barn wall disappeared they turn around. A room, as long as any of the Voyager's longest corridor and it extended past the back of the barn and into an unseen distance. Slabs hovered in neat, even rows along side either wall, like examining tables. Each one holding a naked humanoid body. Kathryn and Shannon both recognized the dark skinned Valcan, three beds from them, suddenly all crew members felt the transporter at work again. . . . and suddenly they all found themselves naked and lying on the slabs, strapped down. Struggling was pointless as a long needle came downwards and into them, each of them. Kathryn faintly heard her daughter's scream call out to her as her world went black.

Kathryn blinked, slowly opening her eyes. She found herself lying on the ground, Voyager's Engine room lights still flickering around. She picked herself up, relieved to find the rest of the Engineers doing the same thing. So far everything here looked alright. The warp core breach had been sealed at least.

"Janeway to Bridge. Anyone there?"

The silence of the reply made her fear the worst for a few seconds, so was relieved to hear Mr Allan's voice at the other end.

"Yes Captain, we're here."

Mentally she took a deep breath, relaxing slightly. "How long were we over there?"

"Almost... three days."

"Three days?!"

"Captain the Maquis ship is powering its engines."

So they were back too. That was a start at least. "Tractor them," she ordered suddenly snapping back into action, the Captain in her taking over. "All senior officers report to the Bridge immediately." Well the ones that are left at least, she thought grimly.

Turning the corridor, she ordered herself not to break into a run. She wanted to get back to the Bridge. She needed to get to the Bridge. That was where the Captain should be was it not?

"Paris to Janeway."

Deep in thought, she almost jumped as Tom's voice filtered through the comm system. "Janeway here." Just from the tone of his voice she knew that there was something wrong.

"Kim and the Counselor didn't come back with us. They must still be over there."

Frowning, she paused waiting for the turbo lift doors to open. If it did not rain, it poured, she mused. They were on the other side of the galaxy, with no way back, a Maquis ship with her ex-lover in charge for company, and now they had a crew member missing. Great!

"Acknowledged," she replied ending the conversation as she stepped out onto the Bridge. At least things here did not look too damaged. "Computer, how many crewmen are unaccounted for?"

"Two, Lieutenant Commander Shannon Taya Janeway. Ensign Harry Kim."

Of all people, Shannon would be the one to be missing.

"Hail the Maquis," she ordered swiftly.

Okay, so this was going to be it. Turning she stared at the view screen currently showing the Maquis raider beside them. Just seeing it made her heart beat quicker with anticipation. So this was how they were going to meet again, after all these years.

For the first time since she had found out that he was alive, a cold shiver of doubt washed over her body in an icy cold wave. Should she really have accepted this mission taking into consideration her background. How would he react to seeing her? What would he do? What would he say? Would he be happy? Sad? Shocked? Angry? Disappointed? What?

But it was all too late for all that now. Too late to worry. Far too late.

She practically held her breath as Chakotay's handsome face finally appeared on the screen, staring back at her with his dark, mysterious brown eyes that she remembered so vividly from so many years ago. He hadn't changed that much, not really. He was still the same Chakotay she remembered, the Chakotay she had loved so fully. So there were slight physical differences, but that was to be expected taking into consideration all the time that had passed. Most noticeably, a tribal tattoo was pictured on the left side of his forehead, drawing attention to, but not over dominating his eyes. His hair was shorter too, and she could not help but notice a few grey strands beginning to appear around the edge of his hair line, making him, in her opinion, even more handsome then ever.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her and he quietly cursed under his breath.

"Commander Chakotay," she addressed him finally breaking the silence.

"God, it's you isn't?" he muttered just loud enough for them to hear.

She was not sure whether to smile or cry. "Yes. Chakotay it's me, Captain Kathryn Janeway." she said.

He shook his head, in disbelief. "Of all the people, of all the captains in the fleet they had to send it had to be you," he said, but it was mostly for himself. Then his eyes narrowed dangerously as his mind clicked back into gear. "Wait," he asked, "how did you find us?"

"We were on a mission to find you when we were brought here by the array," she replied folding her arms. "You already know who I am Chakotay... Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Star Ship Voyager."

To his credit, he did not react, just continued to stare at first. Slowly he began to shake his head, a harsh laugh escaping his lips. "The Kathryn Janeway I knew was on the science track twenty years age. When did you switch to command?"

Now was not the time!

"I think we should skip the 'you haven't changed a bit' speech for now, don't you agree?" she attempted.

He was silent for a moment simply watching her, before nodding slightly, he almost appeared to accept it and looked away slightly.

"Two of our crew members is missing," she told him, finally getting back to the subject at hand. "Were either of them transported back to your ship by accident?"

Quickly he shook his head. "No. A member of our crew is missing too, B'Elanna Torres, my engineer."

Well if it did not pour, it was a hurricane instead.

"Commander, you and I have the same problem, I think it makes sense to solve it together, don't you?" That was probably the only thing that had made sense since this mission had begun. Everything else was jumbled around, out of control.

In the hesitation that followed, she knew that he did not entirely trust her. She did not blame him. Would she trust him if the roles had been reversed? Probably not. Not that that matter too much right at this moment. All she needed right now was his co-operation, then they could get some where.

After glancing at the Vulcan behind him, Chakotay finally nodded. "Three of us will transport to your ship," he agreed, the view scene going blank.

Well at least that was a start.

She closed her eyes, briefly pulling on all of her composure. After all these years she was going to be in the same room as the father of her beloved, but now grown up daughter. Every time she looked at Shannon, it was hard it times for her not to see Chakotay in the girl as she grew up. After Chaokotay had walked out on her with nothing but a 'Dear John' letter, she had been a wreck, heartbroken, the only thing keeping her going was the thought that she was pregnant with his child, the baby she discovered she was carrying that some day. Part of him would always be with her in her child.

A silver hum sounded behind her and she turned to face their visitors. Chakotay was stood directly in front of her, his phaser pointed directly at her head. Their eyes met and she could see his gaze waver slightly. What was it in his eyes? Shock? Disappointment? Disbelief? What?

Around them, officers snapped to attention, grabbing their own phasers to defend their Captain. Quickly she motioned for all of them to be lowered. "Put down your weapons," she told them, "you won't need these here."

Slowly she walked towards them, keeping Chakotay's eye. She wanted to drop the act, to hug him, tell him how much she had missed him. How long she had thought that he was dead. How she had felt when she had heard that he was alive. Make him understand. Do you remember?

Lowering his gaze, he dropped his hand, returning his phaser to his belt.

"I'm sorry." he murmured softly for only her to hear.

"I know," she replied.

Looking closely into her eyes, he accepted her answer, before looking away, protecting his eyes.

Glancing round him, she nodded at the black Vulcan stood slightly behind, moving slowly towards her.

"Good to have you back, Mr Tuvok," she announced.

Chakotay's head snapped up, his eyes piercing her skin with an intensity she had never witnessed before. He looked hurt, angry, unbelieving, and it was directed straight at her. She felt as it had been her who had betrayed him. In many ways she had been and she wondered if he would ever forgive her for it. She dropped her gaze, not wanting to meet that gaze.

"I must inform you," Tuvok told him in his ever so fact Vulcan voice, "that I was assigned to infiltrate your crew sir. I am in fact Captain Janeway's Chief of Security."

A rustle was heard from just behind Chakotay. Apparently, he was not the only one who was angry. Moving his arm, he blocked the other Maquis from getting past. There would be no fight today, not here.

"Were you going to deliver us into their waiting hands, Vulcan?"

He was angry. She could sense it, feel it, hear it, but with just cause though. Who would not be? What must he be feeling like?

"My mission," Tuvok informed him, "was to accumulate information on Maquis activities and then deliver you into their waiting hands," he nodded, "that is correct."

"I see you had help." He looked directly at Kathryn, before rising his eyes.

She followed his eye line to the top of the Bridge. In all of the commotion, she had missed the turbo lift doors opening.

"Good to see you too Chakotay." Tom Paris casually sauntered over to them, his face as straight as he could get it. Watching the exchange between the Captain and Commander, he was more then convinced that there was something more to their relationship then ever before. Much more.

"At least the Vulcan was doing his duty as a Starfleet officer," Chakotay snapped. "But you! You betrayed us for what? Freedom from prison? Latinum?" His voice was beginning to rise as his blood boiled with anger. "What was your price this time?"

"You are speaking to a member of my crew," Janeway broke in, between the heightened levels of testosterone invading the Bridge. "I expect you to treat him with the same respect that you would have me treat one of yours!"

He glanced down at her, his eyes soon calming as he controlled his rage. Backing down, he turned away.

Kathryn watched, taking a relieved deep breath. "Now, we have a lot to accomplish and I suggest that we all concentrate on finding our people and getting ourselves back home." Looking around, she let that hang in the air so people understood what was at stake here, much more then a battered ego, or bruised pride.

"Based on my initial reconnaissance Captain," Tuvok informed her, "I am convinced that we are dealing with a single entity in the array. I would suggest that he scanned our computers in order to select a comfortable holographic environment. In effect, a waiting room to passify us prior to biometric assessment."

Tom crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "An examination?"

"It is the most logical explanation. Why else would he have released us unharmed?"

"Not all of us where," Tom muttered.

Kathryn stared towards the ground as she absorbed the information. Looking up, she stared forcibly at Tuvok. "Break out the compression phaser rifles," she order. "Meet us in transporter bay two." Glancing around, her eyes rested on Chakotay. "We're going back!"

Harry stirred as consciousness regained him once again. Around him he could hear the distant echoes of the pulses hitting the ground, one after another in a regular pattern.

Opening his eyes he stared upward finding himself lying on his back. As his vision cleared her saw the face of a woman bending over him, kind, concerned, but alien. She looked human apart from her ears which were pinned back in an intricate fashion. Her hair was short, blond, slightly curly.

"He's regaining consciousness." She spoke, yet she did not. He could not hear the words out loud, only in his head. She's telepathic he realised.

"How do you feel?" A man had joined her also speaking telephatically.

"Where am I?" Struggling, he tried to pull himself up until he was sitting.

"Please don't try to move yet, you're very ill," the woman told him.

"Ill? No, no, there's got to be some mistake, I'm not..." Winching in pain he looked down at his hands, his chest, his arms. There were marks on him, they looked as if there was something growing on him, like a fungus. They... they...

"No!" A woman's voice shouted out the word disrupting his thoughts. She jumped from the bed near him, pushing aside the man who had tried to stop her. Their eyes met briefly as he looked around and he quickly realised that she was half Klingon.

Running to the door, she slammed her fists into it with agitated grunts. The man reached her tried to pull her away. She resisted, pushing him away, before slamming her hands into his stomach until he fell on the floor.

She spun around as the door opened, two more people entering, each one taking one of her arms each. She resisted, but they were too strong for her as they dragged her back to the bed. Her struggles continued until a devise was pressed to her neck and she went limp.

Harry watched in shock as they placed her back on the bed. Where were they? Who was she? What was a half Klingon doing in the Delta Quadrant? And what was going on?

On a bed on the other side of him, he saw Counselor Shannon Janeway, still unconscious, her long hair, almost hiding her face.

Birds could be heard singing in the trees and the sun shone through the green branches. The only other sound to be heard, apart from the faint crunching of feet on dew wet grass, was the faint sound of a country guitar being strung somewhere in the distance.

Kathryn glanced at her tricorder as they rounded the corner of the house, the music getting louder.

"There are no humanoid life forms indicated Captain," Tuvok told her voicing what she had already known. "Kim, Torres and Counselor Janeway are not within tricorder range, they may not be on the array."

As much as she hated the prospect, She knew that he was right. Slowly she shut her tricorder deep in thought.

"He can tell us where they are."

Glancing up, she looked in the direction in which Chakotay was pointing in. For the first time she noticed the musician, an old man sitting on some benches nearby. His eyes were gazing off into the distance and she had this feeling that he did not actually know that they were there.

She nodded at Tuvok and Tom to continue the search and to look for the technology that could take them home. "Maintain your comm link," she ordered over her shoulder as she followed Chakotay's lead. "I don't want to lose anyone else."

The old man stopped his strumming as he noticed their approach. A look of annoyed disapproval washed across his face as he realised who it was. "Oh why have you come back?" he moaned. "You haven't got what I need."

Kathryn stood in front of him, her arms folded firmly, looking more a threat then her five foot five stature would normally suggest. "I don't know what you need and frankly I don't care," she informed his strongly. "I just want our people back and I want us all to be sent home."

The old man stared up at her, a faint smile creeping to his lips. "Oh, well now," he commented with a slight laugh, "aren't you contentious for a minor bipedal species."

"This minor bipedal species doesn't take kindly to being abducted." A slight coldness had crept into the edge of her tone.

"It was necessary," he replied.

"Where are our people?" Taking a softer approach, Chakotay sat down on the bench opposite him, his eye level now the same as the man's, or what ever he was.

"They are no longer here," came the confirmation.

"What have you done to them?" Kathryn urged.

"You don't have what I need," he repeated. "They might. Especially the woman with the blue eyes."

Kathryn's face blanched whiter then white as she heard the words. Shannon! She felt Chakotay's eyes rest upon her, but she just continued to stare at the old man. "The woman with the blue eyes eyes is my daughter, Shannon Taya Janeway, Lieutenant Commander ship's Counslor." she snapped. After the Cardassian attack that almost claimed Shannon's life earlier this year, this might just be the icing on the cake. If anything happened to her... Oh God. . . . Shannon's been throw enough as it is.

"No, you'll have to leave them."

"We won't do that," Chakotay said simply noticing Kathryn's reaction, his heart sinking slightly. If she has a daughter...The woman's name rang in his head Shannon Taya Janeway. Quickly he pushed that from his mind. "We are their commanding officers, we are entrusted with their safety."

Kathryn shook herself, refusing to give up now. She was ready to thump the being if they did not get a straight answer soon. Oh God, please Shannon be alright! Her Captain's program quickly clicked in and she managed to control herself, pushing other thoughts far away. "They are our responsibility," she added leaning closer, "that may be a concept you don't understand."

"Oh know I do understand," he replied hastily, " but I had no choice."

There's always a choice, she thought, or was there?

"There is just not enough time left."

Not enough time. "Left for what?"

"I must honour a dept that can never be repaid," he said almost to himself, "but my search has not been going well."

Calming, Kathryn perched herself on another bench hoping that that might work. "Tell me what you're looking for," she urged her mind drifting to her daughter. "maybe we can help you find it." If only...

"You!" The man laughed as if she had just suggested going over Niagara falls in a cardboard box and surviving. "I've searched the galaxy with methods beyond your comprehension. No there's nothing you can do."

"You've taken us 70,000 light years from our home." she informed him firmly. "We have no way back unless you send us and we won't leave without the others."

"But sending you back is terribly complicated," he urged. "don't you understand? I don't have the time. Not enough time!" Lifting his arm, he waved at them.

Kathryn blinked as she found herself back on her Bridge, the red alert lights still flashing. Some how they were back... on Voyager."

Harry gripped the half Klingon woman with difficulty as she struggled against him. For a brief second he contemplated slapping her to get her senses back in, but every part of his body told him not to. Anyway, he did not hit women. After a few seconds, she calmed, her dark eyes meeting his in a moment stare out. Klingon as she was, her eyes betrayed her for a second. She was just as scared as he was.

"Who are you," she asked as he slowly released her, slipping back onto his bed.

"My name is Kim, " he introduced formally. "Harry Kim. I'm an Ensign on the Starship Voyager. I was kidnapped from the array just like you were. I don't know where we are." There you go, all the facts, well all the ones he knew at least.

Her eyes narrowed and he afraid that she would lose it again. She was very attractive, with thick, shoulder length raven black hair and large dark eyes, but she was always scowling, the faint ridges on her forehead becoming more prominent. He quickly wondered how much better she would look if only she smiled.

"What was Starfleet doing at that array," she snapped.

"We were looking for you actually," he admitted. "One minute we were in the Badlands, the next we were..."

"You mean you were trying to capture us!?" A treat had returned to her eyes like fire as she cut him off.

"Yeah," he replied, his voice taking a sarcastic tone. "Consider yourself captured. Oh I know I have a phaser here somewhere."

Hearing a groan Harry turned around and saw Shannon was awake and slowly getting up. He walked over to her. "Are you alright, Counselor?"

Shannon nodded, as she slowly sat up and swinging her legs over to the side of the bed, so they hung over the side. "And you Ensign?"

"I'm alright more or less." Harry said.

Shannon nodded. "Good to know."

Harry gasped as he suddenly remembered something. Cardassian attack on a Star ship, one year age, one officer survives. Cavett's words came back to him. Promotion, metal of valor, purple heart. "The attack of the USS Seahorse! You were the only survivor that, despite heavy, life threatening injuries piloted the ship home!"

Shannon nodded, a hunted look in her eyes and a sad smile "Give the boy a metal." She turned to the their 'roommate'. "Are you a Maquis?" the half Klingon nodded. "What's your name?"

The half Klingon looked up from where she sat cross armed on her bed. "B'Elanna," she finally said. "B'Elanna Torres."

Captain's log, star date, 48315.6. We've traced the energy pulses from the array to the fifth planet of the neighbouring system and believe they may have been used in some fashion to transport Kim, Torres and my daughter to the planet's surface.

Kathryn stared blankly out of the window in her ready room. Her conversation with Tuvok had left her with more questions then answers.

Where were the missing crew members? Was Shannon alright? Why were the pulses from the array getting quicker? What had happened to the fifth planet of the nearby solar system for it to have been turned into a desert? What did the entity on the array mean by 'there's not enough time'? How would they get home? Would they get their crew members back? What would they find when they reach the fifth planet? When would they get home? What if they were stuck here? And what was Chakotay thinking when you saw him? Was he mad? Or just plain astonished? Would things ever work out between you?

Shaking her head she tried not to think about Chakotay.

She was tired, she needed some rest. Tuvok had been right, as usual, the crew would not benefit from the leadership of an exhausted Captain, but there was just far too much on her mind.

Would this damned nightmare ever come to an end?

From where she sat she could see the Maquis raider just below them. Chakotay was on that raider. What was he doing now? What was he thinking? Did he still hold her in contempt? Meeting him had seemed so unreal, yet somehow reassuring. How she was not sure, she just felt it somehow.

Reaching out her hand she touched the glass, one of many things that separate them. So close yet so far? What was he thinking?

Somewhere on the raider, in his quarters, Chakotay sat staring out of the window at Voyager, wondering exactly the same thing.