RECONSTRUCTION BLUES
By Rocky and the VVS7.5 staff


Main Quadrangle, University of Chicago
May 19, 2380 Stardate 56383.6

The warm spring sunshine streamed through the full trees, dappling everyone in spectral leafy patterns. Chakotay, seated on the dais in robed splendor with the other graduates, looked out into the crowd. One by one, he picked out his friends: the EMH, smiling and waving from the rear of the rows of chairs neatly laid out, Tom Paris...and yes, B'Elanna and Miral with him. To the right he could hardly have missed Ambassador Neelix and his wife. The little Talaxians certainly stood out in a crowd in their bright and garish outfits. He didn't see Tuvok, and Harry must not have been able to obtain leave from the Enterprise, but Ayala was there, as were the Careys. Nearly all his old crewmates from Voyager were in attendance. His heart swelled in gratitude. Kathryn, of course, beamed up at him from where she sat with his cousins Tervan and Julia in the front row.

The ceremonies progressed and soon his name was called. For a millisecond he heard his father's voice, again and forever questioning his choices. *These are not our traditions, Chakotay. Your accomplishment pleases me, but you did not have to leave the tribe to attain your goal.* In his mind, he answered,*I honor you and the tribe, Father, but I must follow my own path!* and he stepped forward, sternly holding his emotions in check, to accept the proffered roll of parchment. This was the moment he'd been waiting for. This made everything he had been through worthwhile.

After the ceremony ended, the class of newly designated PhD's left the dais and mingled with the crowd, each soon surrounded by tightly knit groups of family and friends. Not surprisingly, within a few short moments it became difficult for those on the outward fringes to enter the fray.

Despite his sturdy frame, Chakotay found himself nearly jostled off his feet by the horde of people rushing past him, and he grabbed at his traditional mortarboard before it fell to the ground. Entwined in his fingers was the heavy tassel, the quaint but lasting symbol of academia.

"Congratulations, Chakotay!" Tom Paris enthused, clasping his hand and shoulder. "What do I call you now? Captain, Commander? Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief?" he teased.

"Just 'Chakotay' will do fine, Tom," he said good-naturedly, enveloping both B'Elanna and Miral in his arms. His old Maquis friend had tears of joy in her eyes.

Friends and well-wishers crowded around, offering congratulations, hugs and handshakes. "Well done!" "Congratulations - good to see you again, Commander." "Three cheers for the graduate!"

Holo-imagers clicked left and right, as time and again he posed with this or that fellow student, old crewmember, or friend. Suddenly, the crowd divided, and a tall, dignified man emerged from the throng. A warm brown hand took Chakotay's, the grip strong and respectful. Chakotay looked up into the stern face.

"Allow me to congratulate you...Doctor."

"Tuvok!" Chakotay clasped the hand in both of his and for a brief moment, he saw an answering warmth in the Vulcan's eyes. So he had come, after all. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"This is a remarkable accomplishment. I will be watching your career...with interest."

"Thank you. I hope it brings our paths together once again."

"As do I." The Vulcan leaned toward him and whispered, quite uncharacteristically, "I know your family would be ... proud." Then as quickly as he had arrived, Tuvok departed, and the sea of humanity closed after him.

Somewhat taken aback, Chakotay exchanged glances with Tervan. His cousin, who so closely resembled Kolopak, smiled. Before he could say anything, however, Chakotay caught a glimpse of auburn hair on the outskirts of the crowd. "Kathryn!" he called, making the crowd aware of the small woman attempting to worm her way in. He enveloped her in a bear hug and she smiled at him.

One more person navigated the opening plowed by Kathryn; a tall, dignified woman with skin the color of ebony, in colorful African robes, high scarf and dangling earrings. Chakotay released Kathryn to take both the woman's hands in his.

"Kathryn, may I introduce my research advisor, Kimani Zaji. She was instrumental in getting me to this day."

"I believe your own effort got you to this day, Pr-r-r-ofessor." She turned a warm smile on Kathryn. "Chah-kah-tay's mind has hahd but two rooms, Kahthryn. His studies occupied one. You inhahbited the other. I suggested he occasionally lock the door between them so that he could concentrate on the studies," she said, her eyes twinkling.

Clearly intrigued by the woman's lilting accent, Kathryn smiled. "Chakotay told me how you helped him. It's very nice to meet you."

"Professor Zaji's name means 'Sweet and Beautiful Woman' in Kiswahili -and that is certainly so-but I think her most vital asset is her intelligence," added Chakotay.

"I would agree," said Kathryn, warmly. The crowd was thinning now that the ceremonies were drawing to a close. "We were planning to have dinner with all our friends this evening to celebrate. Will you join us, Professor?"

'Thank you very much, but-no, you have many friends and family to share your joy with. I go now to meet my next student. I have high hopes for him - as I had for you, Chah-kah-tay. You surpassed them all." She leaned over, as tall as he, and lightly kissed him, then turned with dignity and walked away.

"Chakotay, you never cease to amaze me," Kathryn said, taking his arm.


After an excellent celebratory dinner, the two of them returned home to their quiet apartment.

"I'm so glad Tom and B'Elanna were able to make it," Kathryn said, as she kicked off her shoes. "You know that they're reporting to Utopia Planitia the beginning of next month."

"It was good to see them, and Mike Ayala and Joe Carey, but the real surprise for me was Tuvok. I really didn't think he would be here." Chakotay sat down on the couch and patted the cushion next to him invitingly.

"Yes," Kathryn said as she sat down next to him and slipped her feet into his lap with a pleading look. "I would have liked to have a chance to speak with him longer, but he said he had an appointment in San Francisco. My guess is he went to Starfleet Headquarters-to formally hand in his resignation," she added regretfully.

"Well, I didn't expect him to make the trip all the way out here just to attend my graduation." Noticing that Kathryn hadn't budged, Chakotay relented and picked up one of her feet, beginning to massage the sole with broad, firm strokes. "How's that?"

"Ooh," she said, closing her eyes. "Feels good."

"And if you're a good girl, I might just follow it up with a back and neck rub, too." She didn't answer, lost in the pleasure of the moment. He shook his head fondly. "I wish my sister could have been here, but at least Tervan and Julia came."

Kathryn opened her eyes. "We just saw Maya a few months ago on Dorvan, Chakotay," she reminded him.

"I know." He fell silent, thinking about his homeworld-and Tuvok's comment. With all his heart, he hoped it was true.

He stood up. "Where are you going?" Kathryn asked.

"Be back in a second," he called over his shoulder. He opened the chiller and removed the bottle of champagne he'd put there earlier, and picked up two crystal flutes as well. "Here you are," he said. "What's a celebration without a toast?"

"I like the way you think," she said approvingly. She watched as he expertly removed the cork and poured the sparkling wine. She lifted her glass. "To the future, whatever it may hold."

"To the future," he repeated. He took a sip and said, "Actually, I've got a pretty good idea of what comes next. I've received confirmation from the University of Arizona, Kathryn. I'm to report in two weeks."

"Post-doctorate teaching?" she asked, taking a sip from her own glass. "Of course. And possibly some field work-with my students of course-if I can get an appointment to see Dr. Jones, the head of the department." He couldn't help dimpling with pride and soon his smile broke into the wide grin she loved so well.

"Well. I'd say congratulations are in order." She raised her glass and he tapped it with his. "That is, unless you're tired of hearing that word."

"Not really." "Jones, wait a minute-isn't he the Sherman's Planet nut?" Chakotay winced. He put his glass down on the coffee table, then reached over and took her glass from her, putting it down as well. "Aficionado, Kathryn, not 'nut.' And they say the planet is an archeological treasure trove." He pulled her to her feet.

She put her arms around his neck. "I stand corrected."

He bent his head and kissed her, then nuzzled her neck. "What do you say we take this celebration into the other room?"

"A wonderful idea, Doctor Chakotay," she murmured approvingly.


Act 2: June - July

Transwarp Propulsion Lab, Utopia Planitia

June 9, 2380 Stardate 56441.6

B'Elanna Torres was eager to get back to work. Much as she'd enjoyed her two weeks leave with Tom and Miral-settling into their new quarters at Utopia Planitia, exploring the station, even taking a family trip down to the domed Mars Colonies to see the sights and shop along the two kilometer long promenade fronting the Bradbury Canal-she'd started to feel impatient.

Tom had sensed her eagerness-he'd practically pushed her out the door this morning, more than happy to spend some father-daughter time with Miral. In a week he would start his position at the station's Test Pilot Facility, but in the meantime he wanted to ease Miral into her new environment. They'd briefly considered working different shifts so one of them could be with Miral, now that Tom's family wasn't readily available for babysitting duty. But B'Elanna had convinced her husband that Miral would enjoy the activities at the daycare facility and the chance to play with other children, and would benefit more from the three of them spending time together as a family in the evenings. After thoroughly researching the safety record and amenities available at the Children's Center-a project that Tom had managed to make more comprehensive than a Level One all-systems starship diagnostic-he'd agreed.

In all, their lives were about to take on a new stability. During the past few months they'd been constantly in motion, with the weeks of debriefings and hearings following Voyager's arrival from the Delta Quadrant, the visit to Qo'noS (where her Klingon family had openly welcomed Tom and Miral), and then their brief return to Earth. With Tom going back and forth to Australia while she was posted at Starfleet Headquarters, it had still felt like their lives were in flux. Now they were out of the temporary apartment in San Francisco where they'd barely unpacked, and settled for the foreseeable future here. And she was at the station's Transwarp Propulsion Lab, ready to tackle a long term project, one which, if not dear to her heart, certainly important to restoring her battered ego.

She had Admiral Ch'tin to thank for that, along with Captain Geordi La Forge, who had requested her for his transwarp team. Her work at Headquarters' Starship Design-incorporating some of the technology Voyager had brought from the Delta Quadrant into current starship design-had been challenging to a degree. But it wasn't in the same league as perfecting a working transwarp coil, especially since the slipstream drive had proven too unwieldy and unreliable for regular use-

"Thank you for waiting, Commander Torres."

B'Elanna nodded cordially to the Tellarite lieutenant who approached.

"If you'll follow me, I'll take you to Captain La Forge."

B'Elanna followed, down several radiantly clean corridors. She'd taken the short VIP tour several days ago, so she could have found her way, but there was no circumventing protocol when it came to Starfleet.

"Here we are," the lieutenant said, stopping in front of a door labeled Transwarp Propulsion Lab. He submitted to a retinal scan, and a moment later the door slid open. "Your scan will be in the database by 0900 hours."

B'Elanna had intentionally arrived early, and the minor inconvenience didn't bother her. "Thank you, Lieutenant," she said as she stepped through the door.

The lieutenant moved away as the door closed between them. B'Elanna walked past the collection of equipment, all of the latest design-oscillators, flux generators, plasma conductors, and the like-and headed for the bank of computer screens situated in front of the wall-length window overlooking the main shipyard. A man in a Starfleet uniform was studying one of the screens. He turned at the sound of her footsteps.

"Lieutenant Commander B'Elanna Torres," he said, smiling warmly. "I'm sorry I wasn't here last week to meet you and give you the tour. I had to attend a conference at Headquarters, and a boring one at that. But it is a pleasure to finally meet you." He held out a hand. "Geordi La Forge."

B'Elanna shook his hand. "It's good to finally meet you, Captain. I've heard a lot about you."

"Likewise," Geordi said. "You are the first person to ever come up with a working transwarp coil."

"Not for long," B'Elanna said ruefully.

Geordi laughed, a rich, generous sound. "Well, it was a good start, and the person who came up with such ingenious solutions to some of the more vexing problems belongs on this project. We've been working at a disadvantage without your input. In the meantime, I hope you and your family have settled in and are feeling at home."

"We are," B'Elanna said. "For the past few months we've been trying to figure out where home is now. We were on Voyager for so long-"

"I understand," Geordi said, his expression sympathetic. "I served on the Enterprise for nearly fifteen years. It became home to me, and I still think of many of the crew as my family. Ships can be like that."

B'Elanna nodded. "Yes. But I think we'll like it here. Miral is already fascinated with Mars-that's my daughter."

"I recall Admiral Paris boasting about her all over Starfleet Headquarters," Geordi said, grinning. "I'm looking forward to meeting her, and your husband."

"Right now they're spending time together before Tom reports to his new post next week," B'Elanna said. "I believe they are going to Mars this afternoon to 'ride the dunes.'" She grimaced, since she'd questioned the wisdom of taking a sixteen-month old on a dune buggy through the dusty Martian hills, despite the fact that the environmental suit transponders were programmed to initiate an immediate beam-out to the dome at any sign of trouble. "My husband is a still a boy at heart."

Geordi chuckled. "Tom sounds like every pilot I've ever known. The Test Pilot Facility is headed by Commodore Nadaara now. She's ninety if she's a day, though I understand that's not very old for a Capellan. She's an unusual officer, considering that she places a high value on independent thinking."

B'Elanna laughed. "I'm sure Tom will feel right at home then." She already felt that way with Geordi. He was as likable as she'd heard. "Tom's almost as ready to fly again as I am to come up with a permanently functioning transwarp coil."

Geordi smiled at her resolve. "With you here now, I don't know how we can miss." He pointed to the screen he'd been studying. "The rest of the team usually shows up around nine hundred hours, but I wanted to go over some of your logs from Voyager again. The tests on our latest prototype are very promising, but we're still having problems with the Zornon tech, specifically maintaining the resonance frequencies."

B'Elanna nodded. "It was problematic from the beginning, but every other viable theory for protecting the warp core from tachyon radiation failed."

"I have a couple of ideas about the revising the shield modulation equations."

B'Elanna pulled her PADD out of her uniform pocket and activated the screen. All other thoughts were forgotten as her mind immediately became caught up in the engrossing dynamics of astrophysics and engineering. "I've been thinking about that too..."


Faculty Offices, Starfleet Academy

June 15, 2380 Stardate 56458.2

The cadet's worried expression slowly eased as she bent over the computer monitor. "That's it?"

Janeway nodded, but kept her amusement from showing. "Is something wrong, Miss Hemmings?"

"No, not at all! It's just I didn't think the solution to this problem would be so easy."

"Most answers are, once you can see them," Janeway answered. "Is there anything else you need me to help you with?"

"No, ma'am. I think I understand everything else now." The cadet gathered up her study PADDS. "Thank you so much for going over the material with me, Captain Janeway."

"My pleasure," Janeway said, rising from behind her desk and escorting Hemmings to the door. "That's what I'm here for."

Hemmings paused at the threshold, just in front of the automatic door sensor. "I'm so glad you're teaching at the Academy, Captain. I hope to take at least one course with you in the fall as well."

Janeway smiled as the cadet left, but her expression changed once the door closed. She went over to the replicator. "Coffee. Black." Instead of returning to her desk, she leaned against the wall sipping her drink, its welcome warmth soothing her jangled nerves.

Fall. Cadet Hemmings had spoken of it as casually as if it were a fact that Janeway would still be teaching come September. Of course, why would anyone think otherwise? Even though Admiral Hayes had assured her that her stint at the Academy would be only six months, Janeway herself was beginning to have her doubts. She had had no further communication with Hayes on the subject-or any other subject, for that matter. For all intents and purposes, it was starting to look like a permanent assignment.

Just a few months ago she had spoken blithely of a future command to Tuvok, so sure she would be back in space within a short period of time that she had sought to gain his acceptance of the position of her first officer. Now that conversation seemed woefully premature.

She strode purposefully over to the comm unit, started to punch in the code to the Commander-in-Chief's office, and then stopped. No, she couldn't just call Hayes and demand to know what her next assignment was. The six months weren't up yet, after all. Surely by the end of the summer, she would have heard something. Until then, she would keep her mind on her teaching duties.

Resolutely pushing away all thoughts of the rumors from Utopia Planitia of new ships and faster-than-warp drives, she began preparing for her next day's lectures.


USS Enterprise-E

June 22, 2380 Stardate 56477.5

Lieutenant Harry Kim laughed out loud. Several heads in the mess hall turned in his direction but he didn't notice. His attention was focused on the small vid monitor in front of him. "I wish I'd seen that." Tom Paris's face grinned from the screen. "It was priceless. She was determined to sleep in that little bed, with all her stuffed animals. She actually demanded we take the crib away, in abbreviated language, but her meaning was clear. B'Elanna wanted to ease her out of the crib, but Miral's already got a stubborn streak."

"She's definitely your daughter, Tom," Harry said, still chuckling. "And B'Elanna's."

"Yeah, she is." Tom shook his head. "And she's not a baby anymore, Harry. Where does the time go?"

Harry wondered that himself. He didn't have an answer. "Speaking of temporal conundrums, how's the transwarp project going?"

"Good, I think. You know B'Elanna. Until she can say it's a rousing success, she doesn't want to talk about it. But she and Geordi La Forge work well together. He's a talented engineer, and a pretty nice guy."

"He certainly is held in high regard here," Harry said. "I feel a little sorry for Commander Stone having to follow in his footsteps, the way everyone still talks about him."

"I guess it's never easy being the new officer on the ship. Speaking of that, how's it going for you?"

Harry shrugged under Tom's suddenly scrutinizing gaze. "I'm doing fine. It's a beautiful ship-a huge ship-and Captain Picard commands a great deal of respect and loyalty. He expects everyone to do their best job, and they do."

"You always do your best job," Tom said with a small smile. "The job is going good then. How about your personal life?"

Harry tensed at that question. "Tom-"

"Harry, please tell me you do take a little time out for fun?"

Harry relaxed at Tom's plaintive tone. Tom wasn't asking about romance-which was something Harry had banished from his life for the foreseeable future. "There's a weekly senior officers poker game here." Or a weekly fleecing from his point of view. "And I've downloaded a holoprogram or two."

"Whew. For a moment there I was afraid I'd taught you nothing."

Harry shook his head at Tom's grin. He wasn't about to tell his friend the programs he'd downloaded had been a reflex training program and a cultural dissertation of jazz music throughout the Federation. "Don't worry, Tom. I have plenty to occupy my free time."

"Good," Tom said. "Don't forget some of my old programs from Voyager are in the general entertainment database now."

"Does that include Slave Girls from Planet Ten?" Harry joked.

Tom flushed a little and cleared his throat. "Uh, no. That one got erased a long time ago."

Harry laughed. He was sure it had. B'Elanna and the slave girls would never have happily coexisted.

"So what about the crew, Harry? Taken anyone under your wing yet? Perhaps an eager young ensign in need of your greater experience and wisdom to save him from the unscrupulous scoundrels of the galaxy?"

Harry grinned at the reference. "Like you took me under your wing, Tom? Are you sure you weren't one of those unscrupulous scoundrels?"

Tom laughed. "Scoundrel, maybe. Unscrupulous, though? Harry, you wound me."

"Sorry. There are lots of young, eager ensigns here who value my sage advice."

Tom nodded, apparently satisfied with that patently evasive answer. Or maybe he had just run out of time. "Hey, buddy, I gotta go. I'll talk to you in a couple of weeks, and let you know the how the new Flyer design is going, and the latest word on Voyager Two. Oh, and Miral's latest stunt I'm sure she'll pull in the meantime."

Harry smiled. "I can't wait."

"Bye, Harry. Keep in touch."

"You too..." The vid screen went blank before Harry finished those two words. He sighed, regretting for a moment that he wasn't there to help with the Flyer design and watch the new Voyager go from the drawing board to actual starship.

Harry had told Tom the truth. His job was going well. He enjoyed being head of Operations on the Enterprise. His duties on such a large ship were extensive, and as challenging as those on Voyager in their own way. He was gaining valuable experience that would serve him well for later career advancement. And he did like the crew. They were close-knit by almost any standards.

But it wasn't the same. Voyager had been his first ship assignment, and it had lasted eight years. The unique circumstances had forged a bond among the crew that had been extraordinary. He knew there were strong bonds among many on the Enterprise too. But he hadn't formed any yet, not like he had on Voyager.

The truth was, he missed more than just Tom and B'Elanna, and all his other friends, and seeing his goddaughter grow and change. He missed the life that had been, as odd as that seemed to him, considering his zeal to get home. Maybe it had been about the journey rather than the destination, more so than he'd realized. And compared to Voyager, life on the Enterprise was tame and fairly predictable. Though he'd never again want to face that kind of exile from home and loved ones, he'd gotten used to the uncertainties on Voyager, and the satisfaction of overcoming real fear and dangers-in short, to living on the edge.

Harry couldn't help smiling, thinking about the incongruities in that sudden insight. He used to accuse Tom of wanting to live too much on the edge. Now, every time he talked to Tom, he sensed his friend was as content with his more orderly life at Utopia Planitia as he'd been on Voyager. Could it be he'd turned into Tom Paris, and Tom had turned into him?

Harry snorted softly at the idea. They'd both changed over the years, but Tom was still Tom. He had simply put all the pieces of his life together, professional and personal. And Harry hadn't yet.

Harry immediately pushed that notion away. Any errant thought that might bring Marla to mind he banished before it could fully form. He rarely thought about her anymore, thanks to hard and deliberate effort on his part. Dreaming was another thing, but he never remembered his dreams anyway, if he could help it.

He refocused his thoughts on the Enterprise. She was still the premier ship of the Fleet, and he was glad he'd gotten this posting. He was just getting used to being here, and adjusting to his new life. He knew he could expect more transfers in the future. That was the nature of shipboard duty and the path to command, so he just had to learn to accept people coming and going out of his life-

"Excuse me, Lieutenant Kim."

Harry looked up at the young man from Engineering. Ensign Mondi Banahuele had joined the Enterprise at the same time Harry had, in his case coming straight from the Academy. They'd worked together a few times, and they'd had a few interesting conversations in Ten Forward after hours. Harry liked the kid, but he tended to take himself and his duty very seriously.

Ensign Banahuele offered him a PADD. "Sir, you said you wanted to see this report on the new shield frequencies."

"In the morning would have been fine, Mondi."

"Yes, sir. I just wanted to make sure I'm on top of everything."

Harry wondered if he'd been that stiff and proper years ago. "You are. Right now though, you're off duty. So I'm just Harry."

"Right." A smile spread across Mondi's dark face as he sat down. "Are you joining the senior officer's poker game tonight?"

"I don't know," Harry said. He added ruefully, "I'm not sure I have any more credits left to lose to Commander Data."

Mondi sighed. "I haven't won once in the engineering department's game. Commander Stone told me I need to learn how to bluff."

"That does take some practice," Harry said. He recalled once during that first year on Voyager how Tom had told him his face was as easy to read as an unencrypted dataPADD. But he'd learned, even if it didn't always work on Data. "Mondi, are you busy for the rest of the evening?"

Mondi shook his head. "I was just planning a quick stop at Ten Forward, then an early night going over some equations on warp harmonics. I like to keep up with the latest theories."

Harry shook his head. "You can't work all the time. You'll burn out. I have a holoprogram you might enjoy. It has some historical and cultural significance, and you can learn a few things about tactics and strategy...like bluffing. And best of all, it's fun. Interested?"

Mondi's face lit up. "Yes, sir-I mean Harry."

"Good." Harry stood and clapped an arm on Mondi's shoulder. "I have holodeck three reserved for two hours, starting in ten minutes." He'd planned to work out in his reflex training program, but Tom had given him a better idea, and why not? He grinned. "You're really going to like this one."

"What's it about exactly?" Mondi asked as they exited the mess hall.

"It's a role-playing program about a hero who defends the galaxy against an evil scientist bent on galactic domination. The hero's name is Captain Proton, and he has this trusty and stalwart sidekick named Buster Kincaid-that's you..."