Kathryn looked at her watch. It read 20:00 hrs. It had been a full two hours since she left the Doctor standing alone in his office.
Kathryn stood outside the apartment that she new belonged to Tom and B'Elanna. She was definitely going to ask them for their help. What she didn't know quite yet, was how was she going to approach the topic. Should she ease into it, or just start giving orders...orders she knew had no real weight behind them as she no longer commanded them.
Taking a couple of deep, calming breaths, Kathryn knew what she needed to do. She reached up to the door chime and pushed it. Within 2 minutes, Kathryn could hear people rustling around inside the apartment, most likely attempting to figure out who could be calling upon them at this odd hour.
"Cap...Kathryn?" Tom fumbled on his words. "What are you doing here?"
"Its nice to see you too Tom. Do you mind if I come in?" Kathryn said with a smirk and dramatic roll of the eyes.
"Oh, of course. I didn't mean to sound so...so...shocked! Its just that, well, you are probably one of the last people I expected to see at our apartment, unannounced at this hour." Tom realized he was probably digging a deeper hole and amended his words. "But as I have obviously just put both feet in my mouth...Welcome Captain! I'll go and get B'Elanna." Tom hurried off toward the back end of the apartment. Kathryn knew that B'Elanna would be out here in a split second to ascertain the emergency. As if on cue, B'Elanna rushed into the living room, where Kathryn was seated on the sofa.
"What's going on? Are you ok? Are you hurt?" Kathryn couldn't help but smile at B'Elanna's concern. She took it as a good sign that B'Elanna may be willing to help her former captain and friend.
"No nothing of the sort. But thank you." Kathryn put a hand out onto B'Elanna's shoulder and added, "Your concern for my welfare is very much appreciated."
Obvious relief passed over B'Elanna's face, softening and visibly calmed she then asked, "Then what's going on? I mean, you are ALWAYS welcome in my home, but Im a little surprised to see you."
It was now or never, Kathryn concluded. She decided to take the direct approach, not as direct as she could be, but direct nonetheless.
"B'Elanna, I have something very serious I'd like to discuss with you. First of all, I want to ask that you hear me out before you ask any questions. It'll be easier that way. Secondly, I want this to remain between us...no matter what your decision is in the end. Do you agree to my terms?" Kathryn looked directly into her former chief engineers eyes. She could tell that B'Elanna was waring between her need for more information, her desire to share all information with her husband and her unfailing desire to please her former Captain.
"Of course. Anything for you." B'Elanna said with all seriousness.
"Good, is there some place we can go and speak privately?" Kathryn new Tom's insatiable need for gossip.
B'Elanna didn't answer, she simply turned and guided Kathryn to the terrace on the south side of the apartment. Once both women were outside and the door closed behind them, Kathryn turned to B'Elanna and said:
"Chakotay is NOT dead."
"WHAT? Are you sure? How do you know this?" Tears were beginning to well up in B'Elanna's eyes.
"Please. Let me tell you everything first, then you can ask me all the questions you want." Kathryn knew this was going to be hard for B'Elanna to hear.
"Ok. Go on...please." She replied.
Kathryn told B'Elanna everything from the beginning. She explained how she started to have dreams that continued to become more and more realistic. The dreams began to repeat themselves, only they became more vivid and went a bit further each night. Then Kathryn pulled out the stone that Naomi Wildman had given her the night of the funeral. She explained how she had taken it to the Doctor where he ran a full spectrum of tests on it as well as her. Kathryn explained how she knew this was going to be hard for her to believe, she knew how it must appear. Kathryn fully admitted that if she were in a similar situation she may not be quick to believe that her friend was not simply suffering from some mental breakdown at the loss of a close friend.
"Can I ask a question now?" B'Elanna inquired.
"Absolutely."
"What were the Doctor's findings with regards your tests and the tests of the stone?" B'Elanna asked.
"The good Doctor concluded that there was no indication that my brain had been taken over by alien influences. He decided that I was normal in every way except I could use a better diet and I need to cut back on my coffee intake. As far as the tests on the stone, he concluded that there was indications of psionic activity." Kathryn hoped that ending with that bit of information may allow B'Elanna to look past the other not-so-promising parts.
"Psionic activity? Huh. That's interesting, but I don't really understand how you came to the conclusion that Chakotay is somehow still alive." B'Elanna was trying hard to side with Kathryn but was having difficulty turning off her scientific mind.
"Its simply a gut feeling. These dreams are like none other I have experienced. They are more intense, more real and repeat themselves more often then any other I have ever experienced. The latest dream I had, just last night, I heard someone calling me from the distance. I looked up to see who it was and I cant say for sure, but I SWARE it was Chakotay!" Kathryn was beginning to become emotional. She wanted to keep all emotion out of it on her part because it would add to the image of someone suffering from a mental breakdown.
"Do you think that the stone somehow is channeling Chakotay's thoughts to your own? What's the background of this stone anyway?" B'Elanna asked
"What I know about this stone was told to me by Naomi. She said that when scary things happened aboard Voyager, Chakotay would go and seek her out to offer comfort." Kathryn began to say.
"Sounds just like him." B'Elanna said smiling and offering a soft laugh.
"Exactly what I thought. But anyway, he gave her this stone and told her that it came from his tribe, and was used to bring comfort to whoever was in its possession. He told her that it would bring people, loved ones together again. Even from faraway." Kathryn could feel her excitement growing. She knew she was right and she was not going to leave without the help of her friends. Kathryn also knew she would not be able to do it all alone, so urgency coursed through her veins.
"You realize this could be difficult. There is every indication that you are wrong about this entire thing and you may find yourself in deep trouble." B'Elanna offered as the devil's advocate.
"When have you or I ever backed down because something was going to be 'difficult'. If that was the case we would all be back in the Delta Quadrant. There would have been no way any of us would have made it home." Kathryn knew she was right.
The two women stood there starring at each other looking for a weakness...something to indicate who was going to win. Eventually, it was B'Elanna who broke first. She looked away and then said,
"If you are as certain about this as you were that we were going to make it home to Earth, then count me in. You know we are going to need more help then just you and I don't you?" B'Elanna said.
"B'Elanna, you don't know how much this means to me. I know that we can do this. I know I am right." The two women then embraced.
"I think the first thing you need to do is go tell you husband what we have decided to do." Kathryn began to say.
"Wait, what have we decided to do, exactly?" B'Elanna wanted specifics.
"We are going out there and we are going to bring Chakotay home where he belongs." the determination exuded from Kathryn was palatable.
"Ok then. First thing's first. We need Tom. I will have him come up with a good excuse for leaving Miral with his mom and dad. Maybe we can tell them we are going on vacation. Tom can talk with, Harry. Harry can NEVER say no to Tom." B'Elanna laughed.
"I will go and pay Seven a visit. Im sure she would be more then happy to get away for a while. Have you heard from Tuvok?" Kathryn wasn't sure Tuvok would be the best person to participate in this mission. The plan was nearly solely based upon gut instinct, conjecture and emotion. All things Tuvok tried to cleanse himself of through daily meditation.
"I have not heard from him but I bet he'd have a million objections to the mission." B'Elanna and Kathryn agreed to only seek Tuvok's assistance as a last case scenario.
"No time like the present then B'Elanna. We have a lot to get together and I fear that we may not have a lot of time. My dreams have been getting more and more graphic. They have all ended with bad results and I don't intend on letting that happen. Let's meet back here at your apartment in 1 week's time. That should give us enough opportunity to obtain a ship, gather everyone together and get supplies." Kathryn was in full captain mode. Her comments were orders...whether she intended them to be or not.
"Yes Captain. One week. Just in case people start to get suspicious of our goings on, lets communicate through encrypted channels." B'Elanna's training in the Maquis was going to come in handy as well, Kathryn decided.
"Good idea. No sense in anyone trying to put their nose in our business. This is a family affair. We need to keep it that way. I have always felt it is much easier to ask for forgiveness then for permission." Kathryn squeezed B'Elanna's arm and began to leave.
"I'll definitely keep that in mind." B'Elanna and Kathryn shared a meaningful glance and Kathryn left.
Back inside the apartment, B'Elanna busied herself with a Padd where she entered in codes and lists of things she needed to accomplish over the next week. Tom entered the room holding Miral and asked,
"What was that all about?"
"Tom. We need to talk." B'Elanna motioned for Tom to follow her as she explained everything in detail.
