Admiral Paris

I wonder if he realises what a windbag he is. This meeting could have been finished in half the time. I surreptitiously look at my PADD. Tom has sent me some latest photos of Miral, and she is such a cutie. I miss them, since they are living with us only at the weekend. Katie was right though, B'Elanna is much more relaxed with us in small doses, and she has even commed Elizabeth and just taken Miral to meet up on the spur of the moment. Awww. Hayes is still droning on.

'Ah yes, I agree' I nearly missed my cue. We are talking about sending Katie out on a mission next week. It is a bit soon, only back a month, but this is a low key visit to planets affected by the cardassian and then dominion war to listen and offer help and promote the federation. there is some humming and hawing about crew and team. We have a few ships that could host her, or crew a smaller ship with ex voyager. She can choose a security team and aide and will be given a starfleet and a federation advisor.

'She can take Chakotay with her on the security team?'

Endless fuss by the old ones, stuffed shirts because they are not married, and it would count as fraternisation. The odd dig that maybe this was ongoing through the delta quadrant - despite all the evidence to the contrary. Hayes objects as we planned, and we have a bit of a disagreement. In the end, the air of the room is a current no. So I go for the back up.

'ok, but he can go and visit his sister then. will offer then a week of leave when the talks have finished too.'

We line up four worlds, 3-4 days each dependent on outcome. so three weeks total with travel.

The pro Katie admirals - and there are a lot of them - moan that this is too much, they are only just back. Surely she deserves some time to relax, the 1 years leave they are allocated. Paterson is there, championing her.

The anti maquis admirals complain that she has had a maquis crew, so shouldn't go out as biased, that debriefings haven't fully determined a few of the more quirky decision outcomes, and there is the equinox. Why she wrote such detailed logs is beyond me. Alynna works well with this group, a well respected leader.

After more debate, with some pushing as required, we have agreed that we need her to go out, to do some representation for us. Starfleet needs a hero. 2 planets, 3 days each plus a weeks leave, a fortnight more or less. Chakotay can travel with them, even stay but not part of visiting team. tactical/security of 3 from crew and 1 from ship, 1 aide from voyager, 1 from starfleet and a federation council civilian.

We have chosen Chin'toka and Dorvan. One on each side of a political chasm. I hope Kathryn will see what is at stake here, I am confident of her political nose. Overtly, we all just want to see what she will make of an ambassadorial role. It is contentious and unstated that we are immediately sending her to negotiate on behalf of her previous captors and the people that she officially and members of her crew unofficially fought against. If she is successful here, it will lay to rest many issues for all of them. Covertly we will seek to determine that she can be unbiased in her dealings, cardassian planet vs DMZ. No-one here is sure quite what to do with such a triumphant Captain Janeway, but the debrief is just the initial probe into her capabilities.

She isn't allied obviously to a faction, her father had friends that now cross our divisions and I have seen her talk, welcome and be delighted with them all. She might be able to do it. We all read how she began the idea of a federation whilst trapped in the delta quadrant. Can she be the glue now? A few of the dominion war heroes want to hold onto their glory for a while longer, and use any opportunity to let their jealousy affect their decision making. It marks them out to us.

This, anyway, is a start. It will settle concerns, ease the maquis promotions perhaps. Well, it will hopefully deal with the maquis question and that they deserve their place. I want her to be associated with peace, rebirth. Step one.

Step two might be to interfere and place her personal life on formal basis, civil partnership or marriage. Or nothing. I hope Deanna is successful. I might speak to Tom, though clearly he wasn't helpful in the delta quadrant at playing cupid.

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Tom Paris

Party -5

Ha! I had never expected Katie/Captain to love the music I had prepared for her that last night on Voyager quite so much. Hell, I have to sort out what to call her. B'E is all for calling her Kathryn, but she and I know that she is Katie to me, and I need some heads up from her when she has had the talk with Chakotay. I don't know that he will take it as well as B'E did, after all, we did have one hell of a past. Anyway, she has argued that disco is 'her' sound. Certainly when she and Chakotay twirled back into the voyager holodeck end party handcuffed - handcuffed! where did she get handcuffs! - together whilst i was locked in that cage on the dance floor, dancing to that song I did wonder. After all, the song about love being like some old European battle hadn't been on her selection although quite a few other numbers by them were. Uplifting, twentieth century dancing stuff with a good dance beat. Actually, lots of their music struck me as being written for the captain and the boss, all that time ago. B'E says that a couple of the numbers the dance classes routines go with are by them as well. She said we should slip them in at the bash following the voyager thankfulness ceremony. It should get the girls all up and dancing , and by the look in her eye, that is something she thinks I might well like. 'Erm, will Chakotay kill me?' . She laughs, 'nope, I think he should love it too.' I'm gonna look out for that CC song [captain 'n Chakotay] and play it for them again. I'm in charge - as always - of the ents. Tom Paris EO [ents officer] that's me! So at the thankfulness shindig, we are going to crack out that warp drive disco holoprogram and run it down here in one of the large halls for our private party. I say private, but I think my dad plans to gatecrash 'to look after Miral' tho hopefully the captain will quash that one. Gonna dance that maquis special too, that's our voyager triumphant dance. We are going to have fun. Where is Harry so we can add in some surprises. I think a voyager flying across and shooting a borg cube would be good. 'come on Miral sweetie pie, we are going to find Uncle Harry' 'gurgle, coo'

Party -4

B'E is stamping about claiming that she is wondering what to wear for the party. Really she is just stamping about. The debriefings got a bit tricky, with discussion of Crell Moset and also the Sikarian mistake. Things that she had thought she had got over years ago, I'm not sure which has her most upset to be honest. Hormones don't help. Dammit, they are not helping me either. Since the doctor told us after the fact that conception might be possible immediately after birth, somewhat after we would have liked to known, we have been waiting to find out. Hell. I immediately had the booster, but B'E needed to wait until the doctor was sure. This is trickier in human klingon hybrids - and I hate that term - but should be clear by the date of the ceremony. I want a big family but not quite just yet! We have our chosen our outfits anyway, whatever B'E is stomping about. She and the Captain are wearing the matching very short cat dresses that that ancient band wear, apparently the captain fancied their tinfoil outfits, but chakotay put his foot down. Mind you, he says he isn't wearing the white dungaree flares either, so currently that is my outfit. Hell, but those men were wearing awful outfits. Next time we get to choose, though B'E says we should just concentrate on what they are wearing! She hasn't put it on for me yet, but it is not much longer than dress uniform, more like her batleth leather tunic.

Chakotay says we should also hope that they don't sing. I remember Katie's singing. he is right! I love that we have made a strong quartet of friendship, but hope Harry doesn't feel too bad about it, when he eventually surfaces from the charms of Jenny! I did ask her if she was practising mind control over him, but at his beautifully dark red flush, no-one was in any doubt at the actual control methods. I am glad that he has finally chosen the right twin for him. Shame that Mike and Megan aren't working out quite so straightforwardly. Hmm, i think I had better draw Harry in a bit more. Its time he got over the captain persona.

I have Miral whilst B'E does some Batleth training with the Captain. Hopefully it should take some of the temper out of her. A good bit of fighting together should even her out, and then she will pick up Miral and go to Sam's for girls night, whilst we lads enjoy a more relaxed evening of beer, pizza and pool. Bit of light hearted teasing. I can't believe how things have worked out so well. I just hope that we are not tempting the fates.

Party -3

Hmm, from the black eye I have just had cleaned up, by the doc - as an off the record walk into the door -I am imagining that Katie got to me in their counselling debrief sesh with Deanna. Hell. Guess we have been tempting the fates after all. Unfortunately I happened to be in the wrong corridor at the wrong time when he stormed out. Call it maquis justice. Commed B'E as not really sure what to do about it now. Katie ran out past me to find him and B'E organised Icheb to go to Sam's for the evening to give them some space to, well argue. We all know just how good they were at that. Shit, but this is not good.

When I got back to the apartment block, I timed it wrong, and arrived at our door as Katie arrived at hers. Shouldn't have been so bad, except that we both saw a shimmering blue catsuited ex Borg swish out saying 'any time' and swinging her hips as she went to the lift with a secretive smile. She didn't even nod to Katie or me. But Katie's face took on 'the look' and before her door had closed, I swear that I heard the slap and so I literally ran into our apartment. I don't even want to wonder what that was all about.

There is hell to pay next door for a bit. Luckily the soundproofing is good enough that I can't hear the actual words and then it goes quiet. I see on our scuttlebutt a fair few rumours flying about, one about Seven and Chakotay again, already! how does that happen, unless it is Seven commenting? I consider this and discuss with B'E. we both agree, that it could be Seven after all, making a further try at romance. B'E says she is going to investigate that a bit. We both like Seven, and like her too much to want her to meddle. She just doesn't have experience with relationships, and lets face it, from her perspective the captain snuck Chakotay out from her arms by devious means too. The fallout would be catastrophic. I hope that it was nothing when she was in the apartment, I am sure that it was actually. Chakotay isn't stupid, he is very loyal and he has loved Kathryn for far too long.

Party -2

Today it is my turn for hell and high water with the debriefings, both really as we discussed the Monean incident. Looking at my reasons for disobeying both my captain and the prime directive. very clever, as they picked on her instances of blowing the prime directive out of the water and wanted me to comment on similarities and differences. Are they aiming for the captain or just interested in what I learnt from the event? There always got to be a hidden aim with starfleet. I think I explain all as best as i can, and with utter honesty. the captain was very clear on that utter honesty about anything professional is more important than even the prime directive, and if you did something truly desperately awful, then attempt to show you learnt and grew from it. Fairly certain she has quite a few incidents that she is going to be spinning that way. I explain that sometimes you just have to do what you know is right, a decision that you can live with. This was humanitarian aid. When they ask if I would do this again, I say that I would try and have a much longer conversation with my captain about the options and outcomes to come to a middle path solution. They all nod wisely at this. I don't say the truth, which is an affirmative.

I get back, crack open a beer and B'E is pacing and Miral fussing. Thank god its tomorrow we find out from the doc if we have another on the way. I can't bear the ramping up of tension. For me, I believe it will be fine, whichever, but we are both hoping that we can just concentrate on miral for a bit. Putting out best faces on, we go out to the voyager dinner in the mess, after all it is Thursday. The command team are sitting together, with Icheb, so that seems a bit better than yesterday, though Katie has a bit of a captains mask on her. I look for Seven, and see that she is playing kadis kott again with Naomi, and ignoring the commander. Tal and Sam are doing a great job of being her friends, I see them talking as they pass by, smiling and showing that living together has been successful.

Chakotay has only eyes for Kathryn again, so whatever is making her have the mask on, I don't think it is yesterday's relationship explosion. I'm not sure whether I should show my face at their table yet, so B'E and I sit with Mike, who is Megan-less. In fact he is looking quite dejected, so B'E goes to join the command team and I ask Mike all about it. Poor p'tak [i have clearly been living with B'E for too long] . He is torn as he wants to spend lots of time with his kids, and yet Megan isn't happy with him spending lots of that same time with his ex wife. His ex wife seems to be enjoying his company, and he certainly enjoys hers too. He is wondering whether now he isn't in the delta quadrant, he may have made a too hasty decision. [that certainly seems a familiar story] and perhaps he should go slow with Megan and/or slow with his ex wife and give most of his time to his kids. I agree where necessary and sit and let him spill it all out. He certainly loves his kids, I think he love Megan, but it's new and passionate and not certain yet, and he clearly once loved his wife, though that was seven years ago. I do the only sensible friend thing, and tell him to talk through with the counselors and have family counselling with both of them, separately. if they love him, they will wait for him to decide, and that will give both of them also time. Concentrate on the kids.

I'm glad when B'E and I get to go back to our home. We have been the lucky ones.

Party -1

I am so glad that we are not pregnant. I nearly kissed the doctor, to his shock! Yep, and maybe slightly disappointed after all. B'E had the booster though to make sure that we can live and love worry free. I saw that Kathryn visited the doc after us, and I was surprised at that as we are all supposed to be using starfleet medical. Ok, we didn't, but we didn't want the PTB to know, and I guess for Kathryn it could be the same. She has been looking pretty well compared to the last few months on Voyager , in fact glowing. Guess that is love and a removal of command for you.

I nearly ask Chakotay about her visit when he come up to me at lunchtime to apologise. At the last minute, I decide i should just go with his conversation. I need to get back into that friendly relationship we have been developing and put the very much past behind us. He is brief and too the point, he doesn't ever want to actually talk about it with me - that's OK, honestly, it would be seriously weird to talk to him about my many many years ago secret liaison x 2 with Kathryn. I don't know what she has said, so I'll get B'E to ask her. I think that that is going to be it, then Chakotay thanks me, and has tears in his eyes as he gives me a big hug. I am going to think of it as a man-hug, but it was more than that, it was trust and agreement that we are a team, a family tied by fortune, fate and secrets shared. She must have said everything. I smile, and say that I did it for her, but now I belong to B'E, 99.9% and smirk, before calling him brother and changing the topic. The safest seems to be the execrable clothing we are going to wear for the women we love at that party tomorrow. Chakotay suggests we miss off the shirt components, that might work. So I'll just be in the dungarees, and him in the jumpsuit. We agree a few beers will help. As he leaves, I see him brush off Seven with gentleness, and breathe. OK, so the fates are still kind.

The afternoon debrief wasn't so bad at all, it was as the three musketeers discussing the delta flyer, and how we came up with the idea, and potential uses. We have been asked if we can have a bit of a look at the delta flyer and see if there are any upgrades so it can be used as an ultrasafe, ultrafast diplomatic vessel. B'E, Harry and I jumped at the chance, so we will be active at it on Monday. Already B'E and I are comming each other with ideas of upgrades, shielding, back up power systems etc. I could do that kind of debrief again. Unfortunately it kinda followed on from my warp 10 conversation. the lizard babies were a bit of a difficult thing to discuss, and I know Dad is going to have a bit of rip taken from him for this. For me, I am not sure how we left them behind. I feel uncertain about them. I might need to talk to Katie, or will it stir things best left behind? Hell, I think that I wish the Captain hadn't always been quite so... honest... in her logs always. It would have been better to have never raised the issue.

Thank God for pizza night. It was a bit off the cuff, and i could have brigged B'E for inviting the doc. He's family, I will always welcome him, he has saved me, B'E and delivered Miral but... I just find he makes me feel like the ensign I was at the beginning of the journey rather than now. I think he was shocked when i called him on it.

He must of listened though as he really made an effort. Katie was all over him, making him feel welcome. She was all excited about tomorrow. Chakotay left early to prepare for the ceremony part on Voyager. None of us know exactly what Katie has planned, though she says old uniforms. The doc is going to write up a paper on the DNA changes at warp 10 and submit it to the federation research journal of biosciences. He will need a name though. He has promised no names, and definitely no touching on the mating and lizard babies on threat of decompilation. B'E pointed out this threat is now worthless.

I am more excited bout the neural control mech. perhaps we can tie this into the new class of delta flyer plus we are developing eventually.

Thinking of the doc, I saw that he was being friendly with Harry too. I think I overheard them making plans to enjoy the cultural aspects of being home.

perhaps i really have done the doc a favour.

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