Part 7: Renegade Starfleet
Kathryn opened her eyes to find herself still in Chakotay's safe embrace. "Computer, time?"
"0832 hours, 11 seconds." It responded promptly.
Later than she'd hoped. "Chakotay..? Chakotay, it's past morning." She smiled to herself. She used to start the day at 0800, now with her Academy schedule she was lucky to sleep until 0530. "Chakotay." She nudged him this time.
"Hmm?" His eye lids remained glued down as he groaned his response.
"I'm going back to Sickbay."
"Voluntarily?" He opened one eye to see her beautiful smile as she looked back at him.
"To retrieve my uniform. I have to talk to Andrew, if that's all the Doctor will let me do."
He nodded. "Yes, I think that's all you'll get away with. I'll come with you, stress the importance and promise to keep you otherwise duty-less."
They both struggled off the couch, bodies instantly regretting the loneliness of being away from another.
She turned back to face him and found herself wrapped in his arms, his chin on her head. "Thank you." She whispered. "I don't know how well I would have slept alone in Sickbay."
Justin was waiting for Kathryn as she materialized on the platform. "You look like you're feeling much better."
"I am." She smiled as she stepped down. "I'm told Andrew wanted to speak to me?"
Justin hesitated before nodding. "Yes, he did. Who contacted you?"
She winked. "Seven years I served with Chakotay, he keeps nothing from me."
He dropped his head and shook it before looking back up to catch her eye. "I suppose that's what I get for holding him back in the briefing room so long."
"Can you arrange it for me?"
"Absolutely." He nodded. "Are you going to humor him in this?"
They had reached the turbolift and she stepped in turning back to halt the doors before they could shut. "I'm going to tell him about his sister."
Andrew paled as Justin lowered the forcefield and took him by the arm. "She has to speak to you, you will listen, and listen only."
He cocked his head in question as Justin signaled for the guard to seal Va'Ler in. Than he supplied the answer. "You've hurt her enough. Leave the details for your trial."
Andrew kept his face to the ground the whole trip to the briefing room.
"Thank you, Commander." Admiral Janeway's voice echoed softly across the room, but she hadn't turned from the viewport. "Please sit, Mr. Starlin."
He did, but kept his head down as they were left alone.
"I understand there was some coercion to the decisions you've made over the past few weeks."
He nodded.
"The Romulans used you by kidnapping your sister?"
He heard her voice tighten as she spoke and he looked up, tears building. "They killed her didn't they?"
Kathryn turned from the viewport and her heart broke for him as he buried his face in his hands.
"I just wanted to protect her. I didn't mean for you to get hurt!"
She went to his side of the table and knelt down in front of him. "I am so sorry, Andrew. I know how close you were, how much you loved her."
"She was my responsibility, Admiral." He took a shaky breath. "I didn't care about anything else, when they told me they had her… all I knew is I had to save her life."
Kathryn nodded. She couldn't tell him she understood, she couldn't tell him there were 160 people through the Federation and Starfleet she would sacrifice the galaxy for. "They're going to send you to a rehab facility."
"Prison." He corrected grimly, a sudden distance to his gaze. "I'll take it, Admiral. I got two ships attacked, so many people dead, my sister killed… and you…"
She silenced him as she wrapped her arms around him in a strong hug. "You received threats putting you under extreme duress, they may lighten things." She fell back unto her heals and stared at him until his slow breaths managed to calm the rest of him. Than she tapped her commbadge. "Janeway to Security."
"Admiral, there's something I need to tell you…" There was a sudden urgency in his tone.
"Go ahead, Admiral." The officer on duty responded.
"It's important I think…." Andrew trailed off.
"Come get Mr. Starlin. Janeway out." She watched Andrew fidget slightly before he looked up.
He locked his gaze on hers and he became completely still. "It's Va'Ler, something's not Vulcan about her behavior."
Security entered the briefing room and she stood, nodding towards Andrew. Starfleet could worry about the Half-Vulcan in her brig, but for now she had the final phase of a mission to complete.
- 2 Days Later ... Location... The Romulan Federation Neutral Zone -
"Approaching the Neutral Zone, Admiral." Justin fell easily between casual and protocol easily.
She stepped with a slow purpose from the Turbolift down to Command Level. "Red alert. Tactical, what is the Cornelius' position?"
"Dropping out of warp now, just to starboard." Ena responded.
"Ensign Velt, slow to half impulse and proceed to the Renegade's coordinates."
"Aye, Admiral. Low impulse." The Betazoid answered with a crisp tone.
Justin glanced to the rear of the Bridge and added his own command. "Confirm commlink?"
The ops Lieutenant nodded. "Link to the Cornelius confirmed."
Kathryn directed her attention to the back of the Bridge as well. "Send out a standard Starfleet hail when we're in range. Let them know we're here with their replacement."
Justin raised on eyebrow as they both sat. "Going to play it up, Kathryn?"
"There's no record of the Remans communicating from either us nor the Cornelius. It's a safe bet Captain Freemont has no idea his cohorts jumped the gun on this one."
He returned her confidence with a grin.
"All systems go." Tactical reported. "All ready, Admiral."
"Chakotay?" She spoke slightly louder to get the other Captain's attention.
"All ready here, Admiral."
She grinned at the stress he'd put on her rank. For the past two years the only contact they'd had was personal and he enjoyed teasing her. She paused purposefully before smirking at Justin. "Battle stations." This time they'd be ready.
"You're way into this." Justin commented wryly as the officers on deck sprung about to ready the ship for any scenario.
"Of course."
"Hailing now, Admiral." Ops reported suddenly.
"Do it." Kathryn fell silent, picking through her next words carefully.
"The Renegade is responding, Admiral."
"On screen." She felt her throat tighten as the image of Captain Richard L. Freemont pixilated in front of her. She'd had her fill of turncoats for the year at least. Friend. Play friend. She repeated to herself as her winning diplomatic side finally rescued her. "Ahh, there you are, Captain. Our sensors have taken a beating and I was afraid we wouldn't be able to locate you."
"Admiral Janeway." Freemont returned her diplomatic tone. "It's a real pleasure to finally meet you. You do look like you've had an unfortunate run in. May we be of assistance?"
Slice the jugular. "No, sir. The Cornelius lent aid during our rendezvous. There was a volatile group of Remans who apparently crept over the border without notice, but all's handled, unfortunately it took phasers on kill to stop them." The tightness she was feeling served her well, after all, a Starfleet officer wouldn't just kill her enemy.
"We didn't detect anyone crossing the border, Admiral, otherwise this unfortunate incident may have been avoided."
"Romulus as tense as it is has everyone a bit distracted, Captain."
"So, Admiral, two Fleet ships for one tactical officer?"
With his inquiry, Kathryn felt her cover vanishing. "As you commented earlier, Captain, my ship was damaged during our little run in. Captain Chakotay's continued assistance was appreciated."
He studied her a moment before a slight movement of his hand ended transmission on his end.
"Reinforce forward shields." She hissed.
She no sooner had the order out than the ship banked to the side, rocked by a volley of phaser fire.
"Shields at 85%!" Ena managed between blasts.
"Target their shields and weapons system and fire at will!" Kathryn shouted back the order as she gripped Ensign Velt's chair.
Both ships responded to the order as the released a cascade of energy at the Renegade.
"Open a channel!" She managed as she steadied herself.
"Channel open, Admiral!"
Justin stepped up to Kathryn's side, the subtle support she was looking for.
"Captain Freemont, your phasers are damaged, your targeting systems are malfunctioning," she was reading the report off of the conn's mini screen. "You have minimal shields, life support is failing. Surrender yourself to us."
"I'd as soon be destroyed." The harsh words echoed back.
"And what of those innocent serving beneath you?"
"He closed the channel, Admiral." Ops reported, just above a whisper.
Ena chimed in smugly. "There's a distress call going out on a triaxulating Romulan frequency."
Kathryn ignored it, knowing any of his Romulan allies on the border colonies were already on their way. "Tractor him."
The blue field leapt from the Asteria and engulfed the other ship.
"Kathryn?" Chakotay's voice came over the commlink.
"You're clear, Chakotay." She answered as she crossed her arms tight over her chest.
His voice echoed on his bridge as he ordered a boarding party to beam over. "They're in." He reported after a moment.
She tapped her commbadge. "Val, are you ready?"
"Yes, Admiral. As soon as we're cleared, I'm set." The normal frustration in Valerie's voice had been replaced with enthusiasm as she prepared a team to beam over and repair any damage they'd caused.
"Open a broadband frequency, Federation signature." The Lieutenant nodded and she began. "This is Admiral Kathryn Janeway calling any Federation ship in the area, please assist."
"One response, Admiral."
"On screen."
"Admiral, I'm Captain O'Cleary, what have you be needin' from us?" His thick Scottish accent brightened her instantly.
"Good to see a friendly face, Captain, we could use a brig." Kathryn's hands found their usual place on her hips and she smiled at the other officer.
"We're an hour off, but we'll be there. O'Cleary out."
Justin whispered to her from where he still stood. "Any loyal Starfleet will join with Chakotay's boarding party and help detain prisoners until we have the help we need."
She turned her face from the screen and offered a slide upward turn of her lip. "We lost a lot of people, but we may have saved even more, Commander."
Kathryn sat in the briefing room, sipping on coffee finally allowed by the Doctor as she stared across the table at both Chakotay and Justin as well as Captain O'Cleary.
"I still can't believe it." O'Cleary was shaking his head, repeating the shocked expression over and over. "One or two maybe." He added. "But we have fifteen in our Brig, three in yours and another dozen in his." He nodded over to Chakotay.
"It was well orchestrated." Kathryn answered. "They played us well, but we still won."
"This hand." O'Cleary quipped. "And what of the Enterprise? Any news?"
Kathryn smiled softly. "The only news I had was released reports from immediately before we shipped out. They were listening to Shinzon's demands and investigating the details of the Senate attack."
"How else can I help, Admiral?" O'Cleary leveled his eyes to hers.
Justin pushed a PADD between them so Captain O'Cleary could review it. "If you could accompany us back to Earth, we'd appreciate it. Intelligence and Command won't settle for just any old Starbase."
"Is this cleared with Command?"
Kathryn shook her head. "No, but it will be within 24 hours. We need to get moving, so if it falls through, I'll take responsibility for it. Your objection will be noted." She winked.
"Not an objection, Admiral, I just don't have the orders to do so."
Kathryn sighed. "Consider it an order, Captain."
He shrugged and grinned, content with being ordered to accompany them. "I'll be back to my ship than."
Kathryn bit her tongue as he left before noticing Chakotay d Justin looked amused. "What?"
"You need to be quite direct with him." Justin teased.
"Apparently." Kathryn groaned as she realized they were making fun of her, and had been through most of the conversation. "Get out!" She growled. "Both of you!"
They broke into laughter and left the briefing room.
As soon as they were gone, she allowed herself a small smile, one she wouldn't dare give them the satisfaction of seeing.
A Final Chapter to come, will be up on Monday, thanks to everyone
