"What if this doesn't work Tom?"
Tom looked over at Harry as he tapped away on one of the shuttle's consoles.
"It's going to work Harry," he replied.
Harry stepped back from the console and walked back to his seat. "You say that now, but what if we are just leading Chakotay back only to fail in getting him aboard the ship?"
"Wait, so you believe we can pull him back but you don't believe two B'Elanna's, two Janeway's, and two of the Doctor can't put him back together again? This isn't exactly the first time Chakotay has been separated from his body. If the doc was able to put him back then, then he can put him back this time."
"I just think…"
"No, Harry this isn't thinking, this is worrying. We've gone over the procedure and your theory is sound - it will work," Tom added.
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"What if this doesn't work Chakotay?"
The Captain moved to stand beside Chakotay as they waited for the rest of the team to join them.
"Kathryn, it will work, it has to."
"It having to work is enough for you then?" she asked.
This was the Kathryn he had fallen in love with, the one who bore his child, the one who desperately wanted him back in his own body, and then back in her arms.
"Well are we ready?" one of the Doctor's said as they walked up to the couple.
The captain straightened herself and stepped back from Chakotay, "Almost, we're waiting on the rest of our—"
"Here they are," Chakotay interrupted noticing the other Janeway, and both B'Elanna's make their way to the engineering station.
"Chakotay, if this doesn't work," the Captain whispered. "You're going to have to make a choice, and as much as I feel for Kathryn, she doesn't have the prospect of raising a child on her own to look forward to."
Chakotay looked down at this Kathryn, the one his mind knew better than his body. She had that steely-eyed gaze she has when she'd stare down an alien through the view screen. But it only took a few seconds for her eyelashes to flutter, and for her to quickly look away as if she was ashamed of her own thoughts.
"Are we ready to start then," the Doctor, one of the Doctor's said as everyone made their way to their stations.
Kathryn looked between her counterpart and Chakotay. She dismissed the tension and looked back towards her B'Elanna.
"Janeway to Paris, you may begin."
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Kathryn watched through the monitor as Paris swiftly maneuvered around the flares. Diving under and between, he came to a halt and she watched as he began the tractor beam. She felt a shiver come over her, an unease as the flare moved closer to the shuttle. She stepped forward, leaning over the console, watching, waiting.
"Captain, I don't know how long the shuttle can hold the flare," B'Elanna mentioned at her side.
"Give him time B'Elanna, he'll come through for us," Kathryn replied.
"Captain, I just think," B'Elanna looked up at Chakotay, and saw him shake his head. "Okay, I'll wait," she said, moving to the other station, pressing buttons furiously.
The shuttle released the flare and an audible sigh could be heard across engineering. Not giving up, Paris and Kim repositioned the shuttle and began again. More promising this time, the tractor beam held on longer than a minute, before releasing again.
"Come on Tom, you have to move, you're too close," Kathryn said.
Kathryn could almost feel the flare touch the shuttle. Instinctively, she moved closer, and as she did, she noticed the shuttle grab hold. Looking more promising this time, she looked over her shoulder getting reading to signal the other B'Elanna at the transport console. Then just as quickly, she saw the shuttle swiftly turn and release it's hold on the flare.
"Janeway to Paris," she tapped her com badge.
"Paris here, I'm sorry Captain. I can get close enough to pull the flare in the right direction, but the shuttle's tractor beam just doesn't have the strength to hold it in place for the transport."
"No," Kathryn uttered. "No we aren't done yet. I'm going to need you to try again Mr Paris."
"Captain… Captain" B'Elanna repeated.
Kathryn turned towards B'Elanna.
"We can use Voyager's tractor beam along with the shuttle's. I know we are further away, but we don't need to be as close as the shuttle. We just need to be give them an extra burst, then activate the transporters, and release the beam. It will happen in a matter of seconds, but I think it's possible."
"Mr Paris, are you hearing this?" Janeway asked walking over to B'Elanna's station.
"Yes Ma'am, I'm ready when you are," he replied.
"Alright, here's the sequence of events, one, Mr Paris moves into position and activates the shuttle's tractor beam, two, B'Elanna you lock on to the position of Mr Paris' tractor beam and act as an extra power source, three, our visiting B'Elanna will isolate Chakotay's life signs within the flare. Once we have a lock on his life signs, we will transport all remaining power to the transporter and beam him into the stasis chamber. We will no doubt lose the strength of the tractor beam during transport so we won't have a lot of time to get him out of there. Are we all satisfied with the plan?"
A series of 'yes ma'ams' were heard across engineering and the shuttle, and everyone made their way back to their stations.
"Engage Mr Paris."
"Yes Ma'am," he replied.
Number one…
"Alright Chakotay, it's time for you to come home," Paris said as he activated the tractor beam.
Two…
Zooming into the section of the flare Paris had targeted, B'Elanna found her target and locked on with the tractor beam. "I have it Captain."
Three…
Looking over at the other Lieutenant Torres, Janeway gave the signal to start the transport. She watched as the other woman furiously tapped across her control panel trying to isolate Chakotay's life signs. "I have him Captain, but he seems to be drifting in the other direction. The transporters are having trouble maintaining a lock."
"Come on Chakotay," Kathryn spoke quietly to herself.
"We're losing strength on both tractor beams Captain," B'Elanna said.
The other B'Elanna moved to the panel behind her and started rerouting power to the phasers.
"What are you doing?" B'Elanna asked.
"I'm going to give our old friend a kick up the butt."
Both Kathryn's and Chakotay seemed alarmed and went towards B'Elanna's station.
"You're doing what?" Kathryn asked.
"Hold the beam for me Captain I have an idea."
Kathryn was only momentarily perturbed by having a lieutenant order her about when she decided just to trust the other woman instead.
"Alright," she replied.
A short burst from the phasers hit the opposite side of the flare, and it pushed the flare closer towards Voyager. B'Elanna recognising what her counterpart had done, took the opportunity and locked onto Chakotay's life signs.
"I have him Captain, beaming him, or at least particles of him into the stasis chamber now."
A shimmer of blues and purples entered the see-through stasis chamber in engineering. Somewhere within all the colour and movement was Chakotay, and Kathryn couldn't help but touch the surface.
"Captain, I have everything beamed over that has a spec of human DNA," B'Elanna said.
"Well done everyone. Now let's get everyone back on board and restore full power to the ship. Mr Tuvok," Kathryn said tapping her com badge. "Once Mr Paris' shuttle is safety on board, please move us to a safe distance from the wave."
"Yes Ma'am," he replied.
Kathryn continued to stare at the particles of colour in the stasis chamber. It was hard to believe that somewhere in there was Chakotay…
"You did it Kathryn."
Turning around, she saw the smiling face of her counterpart. "Yes, we all did it," she clarified.
Turning back to the stasis chamber she felt the other woman step back from her side. Placing her hand on the surface, she spread her fingers out watching the light and colour filter across her hand.
"Welcome back Chakotay."
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To be continued.