A/N: With Kathryn's return to Earth, the two parallel "timelines" are now converging…
PART II: The Edge of Justice
Chapter 11
Stardate 54999.22 (May 28th 2378)
Chakotay's head perked up from the pages of his book when he heard the telltale hissing sound of the cellblock doors opening, and he smirked to himself. "Ensign, if you've come to bring me one more book, I think I'm gonna need a larger cell," he called as he returned his attention to Kathryn's copy of The Inferno.
Really, he appreciated Tagashi's efforts to get him actual paper copies of books since he preferred them to the digital or even holographic versions, but maybe she was taking his request a little too seriously. She had brought him so many volumes Chakotay had run out of room on his desk. Besides, the Inferno was the one book he kept returning to, especially when he felt a little low, or wondered where the owner might be. Or when he simply missed her. Which meant he had read the whole thing once already while he'd been here, and now he was perusing his favorite passages to distract himself from thoughts that seemed to be growing more dismal by the day.
One particularly agreeable surprise had been to find Kathryn's handwritten note tucked into the first pages of The Inferno. We'll get you through this circle of hell Chakotay, it read, this is my new promise to you. And you know me well enough to know that I will not rest until I fulfill it. In the meantime, I hope Dante's words bring you as much comfort as they've brought me over the years ~ Yours, Kathryn
He'd reread it time and time again, until he'd convinced himself that Kathryn probably always dedicated such presents with 'yours.'
"No books, today," Tagashi replied, her voice telling him she was now standing in front of his cell. "Just some visitors."
Chakotay looked over his shoulder and immediately sprang to his feet, his heart lurching in his chest at the sight that greeted him. "Kathryn! You're back, where have you-" He was so entranced by the intent look in her eyes, he did a double take when he realized she wasn't alone. He blinked in surprise, as if his eyes were deceiving him. "Takayla? What-"
Kathryn stopped him with a raised hand. "I know what you're going to say, but please understand that I only followed my instincts, and my instincts told me your sister would be the best person to do this."
Chakotay couldn't help but flick his stare between Kathryn and his sister, stunned. So this was what Kathryn had been doing, these last few days! He might be angry with her later, but at the moment he was too astonished to feel anything other than raw joy and relief. He and his sister had exchanged some strained communications over the last few years, and he'd messaged her as soon as Voyager escaped the Delta Quadrant, but the last time he'd seen her in person had been over eight years ago.
You and your stupid Maquis can all go to hell! I hate you! I hate you…
Chakotay shook himself from the memory of a grief-stricken, and very pregnant, Takayla, and now met his sister's gaze with a mix of awe and apprehension. He was taken aback when he recognized guilt in the twist of her eyebrow. After a moment, she gave a small, tentative smile as she searched his face. "Chak," she greeted.
"What-" He croaked again, voice thick with emotion, as he turned his attention back to Kathryn.
"We'll leave you two to catch up," she said gently with a glance towards Mea. "I'll head upstairs to inform Mr. Piosa of the change of representation, and to make arrangements for a place for you and Nim to stay while you're on Earth," she added for Takayla's benefit. Nimkotay was here too? This made the whole thing doubly surprising! How in the world had Kathryn managed to get Takayla to come, and with her son, no less?
While Chakotay recovered from his surprise, Mea gestured for the security officer to disengage the force field and Takayla stepped into Chakotay's cell.
The force field went up again, and Kathryn threw them one last look before she left with Ensign Tagashi. Chakotay had wanted to speak to her, longed to, actually, but given this development, he understood why she had to leave – she wanted him to have this moment uninterrupted with his sister. More than that, she was giving him an opportunity to repair the breach that had estranged him from Takayla, and he was grateful. One more thing to thank her for.
To love her for. Not that he needed reasons. At this point his love for her was as immutable as the laws of the universe she held so dear. In retrospect it had been exceedingly naïve to think he could ever stop.
He turned his attention back to Takayla for a moment, studying her, trying to reconcile the features of this mature woman with his memories of her, and with the poor quality of the video feed they had exchanged over the last few years.
"You brought Nimkotay along?" Chakotay asked eventually.
Takayla nodded. "He's staying with Tom and B'Elanna for the time being. We're having dinner with them later tonight."
Chakotay nodded, not quite able to stop staring at Takayla. She moved and dropped herself in his chair, her movements calculatingly nonchalant. At that moment, she looked exactly like her teenager self, and Chakotay almost grinned.
"She's not what I imagined. Your Captain Janeway," she started with a crooked smile as she leaned back, lifted her feet to the mattress of his bed and crossed her ankles, as if she was fifteen again and teasing him about his latest crush. As if the air between them wasn't tense with too many unsaid apologies and grief. It was her words that grabbed his attention, though.
Over their communications of the last couple of years, he'd told Takayla and Nim stories about Voyager's adventures and, of course, Kathryn had played a central part in his tales. But it was only shortly after his trip through the temporal anomaly that had fractured Voyager into various timelines that he'd shared his frustrations with Takayla. He still recalled how weary, and even a little angry – and maybe even a little drunk, after drinking that cider with the captain – he'd been that night he'd spilled everything out to his sister. The fact that the younger Kathryn had recognized their chemistry so quickly had made him realize just how comfortable his Kathryn had grown with the status quo. Too comfortable. While she'd told him about terrifying storms on the plains and lightning striking trees, he'd realized that he no longer could be satisfied by his unrequited admiration. Kathryn certainly had never given him any reason to hope that she would one day be willing to challenge the way things stood between them. He'd even convinced himself that he would always remain "the best friend" in her eyes. It was only recently that his convictions had been shaken.
"What did you imagine?" He now asked as he nudged Takayla's feet off the bed, making them hit the floor with a thud, and sat in their stead.
"A pedestal, for one. A very high one, stuck underneath her feet."
Chakotay couldn't help the snorting chuckle that escaped him at both the teasing and the image that she had put in his mind.
"But," Takayla went on, still grinning wryly, as she grabbed a book from his desk to read the title, "I'm willing to acknowledge that she does have certain redeeming qualities that almost make up for her being Starfleet."
"That's high praise indeed." Chakotay replied as he watched her put the book back. He sighed. "Takayla. I'm really glad you're here, I feel like I'm still struggling to believe…" He shook his head in confusion. "Takayla, why are you here?"
She tensed for a moment, but soon her lips quirked up into her trademark mischievous, dimpled smile – one he'd often been told they shared. This one didn't reach her eyes, though. "I'm here to get you out of trouble, what else?"
"That's not what I meant." What he should have asked was: why did you agree to do this?
"I know." Suddenly she was serious, and the air in the room turned heavy, like dark clouds gathering on the horizon.
Chakotay sighed again as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. "Takayla, you don't owe me anything. If anything, I'm the one who owes you… Starting with the fact that I owe you an apology. Or at least an explanation." He paused as he searched for the right words. "What happened that day, with Denk, I want you to know that-"
"Chakotay," Takayla interrupted quickly as she straightened in her seat. The teenager was gone. "Let's not talk about this right now. I'm not here to fight with you, or to reopen old wounds. I'm here to get you out of this mess. Because families-"
"Stick together," Chakotay finished with her and they shared a smile. It was something their father had told them over and over again.
"And we don't have much time to prepare," she went on, "so we better get to work."
Chakotay nodded, eyeing her closely. The determined glint in her eyes that reminded him so much of their mother was back. Their conversations over the last few years had barely been normal – shy, but mutual efforts toward repairing their relationship – so he was amazed that she had been able to get over her resentment and suspicion of Starfleet to come all the way out here to help him. There were no words to express his gratitude and admiration for such generosity. Another trait that reminded him of their mother.
"Alright, counselor," he teased, "where should we start?"
"For starters, is this where you usually meet your representative?" She asked dubiously as she glanced around the cell.
"No, there's a meeting room for that."
"Well then." Takayla jumped to her feet and walked to the force field, straightening her clothes and standing taller. "Guard! Please escort us to the meeting room, I have things to discuss with my client." There was no refusing her queenly tone and Chakotay grinned at the way the security officer almost ran to disengage the force field. It was amazing, the way she'd transitioned from his impetuous kid sister to this strong, solid professional that now stood in her shoes.
"Of course, ma'am," the security officer stuttered as he punched in the code.
Takayla threw Chakotay a glance over her shoulder. "Let's go. And stop grinning like an idiot."
oooOooo
"Are we there yet?"
Seven glanced up from her console. Captain Stedvak had just stepped onto the bridge from his ready room, and he now made his way to his chair. Seven watched him coolly from her post behind his chair. She was still not habituated to having strangers with her on the bridge – each time she looked up she expected to see the familiar faces of Ensign Kim, Lieutenant Paris, Commander Tuvok, and of course, Chakotay and Captain Janeway.
However Seven had always prided herself on her ability to adapt. And so she would. Seven was glad the Doctor had decided to join this mission. Knowing that he was in his sickbay, as per usual, made her feel a little less lonely.
Stedvak's first officer, Commander Peres, stood to attention. "As a matter of fact Captain, we're just reaching the rendezvous coordinates now."
"Good," Stedvak replied as he dropped himself into the captain's chair. "Let's slow down to half impulse. Transmit those orders to Uang. Let's see what's out there."
"Aye Captain."
The viewscreen came online and Seven looked up to assess the situation. The two Federation starships were just coming up to the verge of a twin star system harboring, among other things, two M-class planets. There was no sign of an alien vessel, let alone Species 8472's presence in the system.
They waited for several seconds until the captain turned to Seven impatiently. "Well?"
Seven shrugged and-
The vision came abruptly, so suddenly it was painful and Seven crunched up her face against the pain, her hands going up to press against her temples. She had never communicated telepathically directly with Species 8472 before, not without the aid of her alcove – and in fact she hadn't known it to be possible. In their previous encounters, they had always used an individual with telepathic abilities, such as Commander Tuvok. But just like that, a member of Species 8472 appeared in her mind, relaying instructions to her in a telepathic way that Seven couldn't fathom, where language did not matter. They weren't using words, merely transferring knowledge. It was peculiar, yet not so dissimilar to the way Borg drones assimilated information.
"They have arrived," Seven announced as her eyes searched in vain for Species 8472's vessel. "They require us to turn down all primary power. Electromagnetic fields could disrupt the field of transference and harm us or our ship systems."
The captain stood to his feet to better face her, a worried frown on his face. "We turn off power, we're sitting ducks." There was more than mild concern in his voice, but Seven felt no sympathy for him. He had requested this assignment, had he not? He should be prepared for the consequences. No one had said this mission would be easy, or safe.
She sighed impatiently. "If Species 8472 wanted to harm us or our ships, they could do so regardless of our power status. Their technological prowess is well beyond the Federation's."
The captain rubbed his chin in indecision for a moment, before he dropped himself into his chair again. "I hope you know what you're doing," he mumbled before nodding to Commander Peres, who relayed the order ship-wide. Apparently the crew aboard Aspire had had similar instructions, as Seven noticed on the viewscreen how their companion ship's lights and thrusters had gone dark. Both ships were now weightlessly drifting on the verge of the system - waiting.
The alien retreated from her mind and Seven let out a relieved breath. As they all watched, a singularity slowly opened ahead, and Seven observed with some satisfaction as Stedvak shifted uneasily at the sight. Fluidic space was now visible beyond the event horizon of the singularity, and soon an immense organic-looking vessel crossed the barrier. Species 8472. It stopped several hundreds of kilometers from the two Federation starships – but the bioship was so large that just a small portion of their hull completely filled the viewscreen. A beam shot out of the alien vessel and Voyager rocked when the beam hit its hull.
"I believe they are surrounding the ship with a protective sheen," Seven stated, anticipating the question.
"Like a shield?" Captain Stedvak asked.
Seven hesitated. "A bubble would be a more appropriate metaphor. It will protect the ships from radiation and structural warping as we go through the process."
He shifted in his seat uneasily again. After several minutes, the sheening process stopped, and the alien ship activated a second beam, a tractor beam.
"Prepare yourself-"
Without warning and before Seven could finish her sentence, the alien ship moved extraordinarily fast back toward fluidic space, both Voyager and Aspire in tow. The acceleration was such that Seven had to close her eyes – she held on to her console as best as she could. It only lasted for several seconds, but Seven was nonetheless relieved when the ships decelerated again. She immediately felt queasy, as if her innards were just catching up to the rest of her body. By the faint groans that filled the bridge, she was not the only one.
She quickly told herself to focus elsewhere. It would pass.
Judging by the view on the screen, they were now in fluidic space. The alien ship still held them in their tractor beam, and Seven could see Aspire in its strange yellowish bubble through the viewscreen, next to them.
"Engineering, what's our status?" Stedvak asked after a moment. His face had grown a great deal paler.
"Nothing to report, Captain. We're exactly as we were before," the disembodied voice replied through the communication system.
As they spoke Seven's gaze was drawn to the viewscreen again, where the bioship was opening a new singularity. She wondered how far they had traveled in a mere few seconds. Would this opening take them to the Beta Quadrant? To the Resistance? To Axum?
Seven swallowed against the sudden dryness of her mouth.
"Alright, here we go," the captain warned this time, his hands clutching his armrests again. Seven had to admit, she envied him his seated position at this particular moment.
The rushing acceleration shook Voyager and its crew once again. The sensation lasted for longer this time, and Seven tried to clear her mind of the discomforts her body was experiencing – the headache, the queasiness in her stomach, the blood withdrawing from her head and extremities – to focus on searching for a new telepathic link. She wasn't expecting one, but the exercise kept her mind busy.
And suddenly the sensations stopped and Seven was thrown forward against the console as all three ships lurched to a stop. Before she even had a chance to open her eyes and regain some composure, a hard blow rocked the ship, startling the bridge officers into surprised attention.
"What the hell…?" Captain Stedvak said numbly. Seven could not see his expression from where she stood, but she could imagine him blinking incomprehensibly.
It was Commander Peres who recovered first. "Get primary systems back on, NOW!"
"Captain, we were just hit by a Borg beam!" The crewwoman in tactical shouted, panic and confusion tainting her tone.
"What?" The captain asked, apparently still dazed.
Peres barely spared him a look as he pushed himself to his feet. "Red alert! Evasive maneuvers! Bring that viewscreen back online!" he bellowed.
When the screen came online again, Seven was shocked to realize that Species 8472 had dropped off the two starships right in the middle of a skirmish between three Borg cubes and five smaller, disparate starships.
Her breath caught in her throat.
The Resistance!
From the looks of the battle, it was not going particularly well for the Resistance vessels.
"Arm photon and transphasic torpedoes," Peres ordered. "Fire."
Seven barely heard him, her eyes were glued to the smaller ships buzzing around the Borg cubes like annoying insects. Right under her eyes, one of the Borg cubes suddenly exploded and she blinked against the brightness.
By then the captain appeared to have recovered. "Engineering, are the special torpedoes you and the Doctor prepared ready?"
It was the Doctor who replied. "They are, Captain. However I should warn you that infecting a transphasic torpedo with a Borg pathogen has never been tested before…"
"There's no time like the present," Stedvak interrupted, his expression now eager. "Fire at will."
oooOooo
After she left Chakotay with his sister, Kathryn decided to make a much-needed stop at her new quarters at Starfleet HQ before her appointment with Admiral Hayes and the dinner with Tom and B'Elanna. She had a few hours before either of those things, and she was in dire need of a change of clothes, a shower, and some food – and not necessarily in that order. She also needed to check for any communications on her comlink to make sure that she hadn't missed anything vital over the last few days. She figured that if anything urgent had happened, someone would have contacted her or Admiral Hayes would have told her, but still, she wanted to make sure.
Chakotay hadn't seemed too upset with her for going behind his back to get his sister involved. Well, she supposed there was still time for some anger to simmer once he overcame his surprise. However it would be worth it – even if, heaven forbid, Takayla couldn't help Chakotay in the end – it would be worth it, if only for having seen the happiness in Chakotay's expression when he saw Takayla. Because her first glimpse of him had been worrying: Chakotay had looked tired and resigned, if not downright sullen. But seeing his sister appeared to galvanize him. Good. He couldn't give up, not now when they might actually have a chance of getting him out of this. Ensign Tagashi had told her that the date of Chakotay's trial had been set to start in less than 24 (Earth) hours. A ruthless kind of panic had gripped Kathryn by the gut and refused to let go ever since. But at this point there wasn't much she herself could do, except give Takayla all the help and resources she needed.
In her new quarters, the piles of boxes containing her personal effects had been delivered in her absence, and Kathryn looked in dismay at the quantity of them scattered around the room. She was too tired to do anything with them at the moment, and she suddenly found herself missing the comforts and the familiarity of her Voyager quarters. Well, there was no point in lingering on that right now.
She skimmed through the boxes quickly to get the basics – clothing, personal hygiene items – before going for the shower. On her way, she activated the audio of the missed communications stored on her comlink so she could listen to them while she undressed and showered.
"Stardate 54990.41. Captain," Kathryn paused from removing her jacket when she recognized Tuvok's matter-of-fact tone. "I know you have left on a shuttle earlier this afternoon, but I thought it might be of interest to you to know that Voyager has been processed and readied for its new commission. Furthermore, the transfer of our crew, data and cargo to the docking station went without major issues." Kathryn returned to divesting herself and she stepped into the shower as she listened to him detailing his actions and minor problems he had encountered. After a long and precise listing of his verifications, he finished his report with: "Since Captain Stedvak has taken over the command of Voyager, my current duty appears to end here. Please inform me as to any further matter that you need me to attend to. I hope your endeavor has proven fruitful. Tuvok out."
By the time Tuvok trailed off, Kathryn was out of the shower, and dressed with a fresh uniform. She was styling her hair when the next message started.
It was a joint message from Seven and the Doctor, apprising her of their journey to the rendezvous coordinates. At the time of their message, they had been scheduled to make contact with Species 8472 the next day, so this was their last chance to report to her (as per Kathryn's request) before they left for the Beta Quadrant and got too far for communication. Seven was as succinct as ever in her description, though Kathryn could tell she shared her own dislike of the younger captain. The Doctor, however, had no such qualms, and he was much more generous with his complaints of Stedvak and some of his crew.
Kathryn was still shaking her head at the Doctor's dramatic tales when the next message started.
"Katie, honey, your sister and I are so happy that you are safely returned to us at last, we were just so worried!" Mom. Kathryn found herself smiling as she listened to the message, which was so wonderfully ordinary that Kathryn almost choked on the rise of a tearful lump in her throat. "I know we spoke a few of days ago, but I just wanted you to know, we are making arrangements to meet you in San Francisco as soon as your sister's crazy schedule permits. You know how she is. We've missed you so much, honey! You know, as I grow older, I realize that nothing could make me happier than having my two daughters with me! Well, I'm rambling, and I'm sure you're very busy. So we'll let you know our itinerary from Indiana soon! Love you, honey!"
Kathryn was still smiling fondly when the next message started. "Kathryn, this is Mark. Johnson. I, um…" Kathryn's smile fell, and she dropped herself on the edge of the bed in shock at the sound of the familiar timbre of his voice. "I'm not contacting you to make this awkward, but I just wanted to let you know that, well, that I'm relived to hear you're safe, and back among us. I swear Mollie still misses you, and I'm sure she'd love to see you again. And I would too, of course. I know we can't go back in time, but I hope that you at least can find it in your heart to still consider me a friend. That's all, so… I wish you the best, Kath. Only the best. Bye."
Kathryn huffed out a breath, unsure how to feel about this one. She had moved on from Mark, gradually but surely over the years, but it was unsettling to hear his voice after all these years. Maybe she should return his call, so they could both get the closure they needed. The closure they deserved. Not now, though, she had too much on her mind (and on her plate) to even think about him at the moment.
"Kathryn," Kathryn's attention snapped to the next communication when she recognized Chakotay's voice. She'd always liked the way he said her name, but this particular utterance, the way the 'thr' slid off his tongue as her name came out on a breath, sent a shiver down her spine. He had to have recorded that message only one or two days ago, and she couldn't stop herself from imagining him recording this from the JIG's cellblocks. She found herself clutching the hairbrush she was still holding tightly against her chest as she stood to her feet and made her way slowly to the computer, as if attracted by a siren call.
Chakotay's voice spoke on. "I've been told I can send communications if the receiver has been vetted beforehand, and apparently you pass the test. It helps to have friends in high places." There was humor and teasing in his voice, and Kathryn smiled shakily. "Well, it's been a few days since you left, so I'm just wondering where you are, and how your search is going. B'Elanna and Miral stopped by yesterday, but they refused to tell me anything. Miral was especially tight-lipped about it. Seven stopped by too, just before she left, but she didn't know where you were either. And Ensign Tagashi keeps bringing me books, I think she's trying to keep my mind off things. But anyway… I guess, what I'm trying to say is that… I hope you're okay, and… I miss you." The tugging she felt in her chest increased at the way he spoke the last part, as if he'd surprised even himself with the words. He cleared his throat. "I suppose, after spending all those years side by side on the bridge, it's only to be expected, right? But anyway, they have a date for my trial. It feels like they're trying to rush it. Maybe your gut feelings about something being amiss are right after all. So," he sighed. "I don't know how this is going to go, or even if you'll be back before it starts. But I want you to know that, whatever happens, I will always be indebted to you, for giving me a second chance, for letting me find peace within myself, and most of all, for allowing me to become your friend. I wish-", he stopped himself before letting out an audible sigh. "Well, I hope I'll see you soon."
Kathryn took a moment to collect her thoughts – and her feelings – from the rollercoaster of emotions these few messages had kindled. But she couldn't let herself be distracted. So she used her anxieties and her determination to summon some strength, for Chakotay's sake.
With renewed determination, she pushed herself off her chair and got some coffee from the replicator. The day was still young, and there was still plenty to do before her scheduled coffee meeting with Admiral Hayes later that afternoon. She unpacked some of the most pressing items from the boxes and crates, left a message on her mother's comlink telling her that she was looking forward to her visit.
Once that was done, her next task was to get in touch with Tuvok and free him of the temporary responsibilities she had bestowed upon him. It was about time she sent him home to his family, he more than deserved it! She called him through her combadge, and was relieved to hear from him that he had not left for Vulcan yet. She went to meet him in his temporary quarters and stayed for about an hour.
By the time she left Tuvok to his travel planning, it was almost time for her meeting with Admiral Hayes. The main point for this meeting was to discuss the plans for the official welcoming and promotion ceremony. They also talked about the promotion that the admiralty had offered her, and Kathryn was able to get answers to some of her questions.
Not very long into the discussion, the topic veered inevitably toward the upcoming trial, Admiral Larks, and Kathryn's unshakable suspicions that his motives in his pursuit of Chakotay were not entirely righteous.
That's when Hayes decided to drop the bombshell.
"Of course," he told her matter-of-factly, "with his son currently occupying your captain's chair on Voyager, it's not outside the realm of possibility that Larks might be trying to use Chakotay's trial as leverage to obtain something from you. Possibly Voyager herself. Despite the Starfleet uniform, he's a politician through and through."
It took Kathryn a full two seconds to process the words. "Wait. Simon Stedvak is Admiral Larks' son?"
Hayes seemed surprised that she hadn't known. "Stepson, actually."
Stedvak's triumphant smirk flashed through her mind. Was his appointment somehow connected to Chakotay's trial and his father's apparent desire to see Chakotay punished? If so, how did the two relate to each other? Kathryn rubbed her forehead in suddenly intense worry. Not only about Chakotay's trial, but about Seven, and Voyager. She leaned forward to meet Hayes's eyes. "Admiral, you knew of my suspicions about Larks, why would you agree to let Stedvak take my ship?" She asked, not caring that her sudden fear made her voice tremble.
"Because we needed a last-minute replacement for you, and he was one of the few ranked captains available on such short notice. He wasn't my personal choice, but as you know my voice was only one of several."
Kathryn let out a shaky sigh as she leaned back into her chair. Something suddenly occurred to her. She leaned forward again to meet Hayes' eyes. "Admiral, please tell me that this promotion you're offering me has nothing to do with this. Please tell me that if I had accepted it when you first offered it… that Captain Stedvak was not the one who was going to be assigned to Voyager. Because if that's the case, I can't accept this promotion. I can't give up Voyager to someone I don't believe is worthy of what she's been through."
Admiral Hayes sighed in sympathy. "The idea for the promotion came from me Kathryn. I assure you, it was never meant as a way to undercut you, or take you away from your ship. It was only meant as a show of confidence in your ability to lead, and as a way to reward your determination and resourcefulness while you were in the Delta Quadrant. As for your intended replacement, I was hoping to get suggestions from you. Stedvak's candidacy was never on the table for any permanent command. At least not in my book."
Kathryn stared into his eyes as he spoke, trying to determine if he spoke the truth, if she could trust him. He held her gaze steadily and Kathryn found she had no reason to mistrust him now. Not after everything he'd done to help her so far. He might be a little naïve, for not seeing what was clearly happening around him – or for not wanting to – but that didn't mean she couldn't trust him.
He sighed. "That said, you might be onto something with Larks' motives. Unless you win this case, Kathryn, you might have a very difficult choice to make."
"But why? And why Voyager? Starfleet has hundreds of starships, why would he want this one?"
Hayes gave a small shrug. "Well, my guess is it wouldn't be for himself, of course, but for Simon. Voyager has some unique technology. And more importantly, symbolic capital. His son would gain prestige and respect. Two things that Larks seems to desire more than anything else."
"So much for Starfleet moral high ground," Kathryn muttered disdainfully. She had to resist the urge to jump to her feet to pace, and instead dug her fingers into her hair. "With this suspicion, isn't there anything you can do to stop the trial? Withdraw the charges?"
Hayes shook his head apologetically. "I'm afraid that wouldn't even be ground enough for the admiralty to intervene in the Justice Inquirer General's affairs – and I'm talking about the institution, here. After all, even if Larks is the one who encouraged the admirals to press charges against the Maquis, there was a vote. So, unless you can prove corruption, professional misconduct, dereliction of duty, or any other criminal acts in the eyes of Starfleet's judicial system, I don't have the authority to intervene."
Kathryn left the admiral soon after that, mind racing, still rattled from the conversation. By then it was time to meet up with Takayla and accompany her to Tom and B'Elanna's new quarters for dinner. So Kathryn made her way back to the JIG's buildings, thoughts scrambling through her mind as she walked through the familiar streets. She hadn't heard from B'Elanna, and she was now impatient to learn if the lieutenant had found out anything about Larks that could help them figure out what the hell was going on, or if there was any connection between him and the Maquis – or if he was just doing it for his son's benefit.
Weren't sons usually the ones trying to prove themselves to their fathers, and not the other way around?
Prestige and respect. Two things that Larks seems to desire more than anything else. What if Larks wasn't really doing it for his son, but for himself? For his own reputation? While Kathryn hated to base judgment on first impressions, Stedvak had impressed her as lazy, as someone who was used to being handed what they wanted without working for it. And Seven's and the Doctor's testimonies only seemed to reaffirm that. Was Larks ashamed of Stedvak for not having his own ship? A sudden rage swelled up in her at the thought – if Larks was prosecuting Chakotay just because he was ashamed of his stepson… She couldn't even finish the thought, it was too maddening.
Anger made her walk with newfound determination as Kathryn passed through the JIG main doors. Ensign Tagashi's shift had ended earlier, so Kathryn made her way through the security and the cellblock doors down to Chakotay's cell on her own. She nodded to the security officer standing in his usual corner – he had become something of a familiar fixture.
It was quiet in the block – the quiet before the storm, Kathryn thought – and when she stepped in front of Chakotay's cell, he was sitting at his desk with his back to her, his head in his hands. There was no sign of Takayla. Seeing him like this only fueled her anger, but almost immediately it was replaced with a deep swell of protectiveness and affection. She decided to hold on to those emotions instead, and keep her anger for later, for when she would confront Larks. Because there was no way she wouldn't confront him. There was no way she could let Chakotay go through all this without at least making sure that it was for the right reason. If there was even such a thing anymore.
"Chakotay," Kathryn called softly, but her voice still echoed loudly in the quiet of the corridor.
Chakotay startled and he swiveled in his chair. He looked exhausted, even more so than he had in the morning, his hair flatter than usual and a beginning of stubble darkening his jaw, but his expression brightened when he saw her. He stood to his feet and came to stand before her, hands on his hips. His lips quirked into a tired smile. Kathryn felt her pulse accelerate at the sight. After the revelations of earlier – and the stress of the last few days – she wanted nothing else than to be able to touch him, to lean against him and feel his arms around her, strong and – she would expect – somehow familiar. The thought shocked her; she couldn't remember ever being this aware of him before, or of needing him to comfort her in such a way.
Maybe she was just finally ready to let him.
"Where's Takayla?" She asked curiously.
"She went to get some coffee."
"How are you holding up?"
He inhaled before releasing the air slowly. "I'm fine. To be honest I'm getting to the point where I just want to get it over with. It's the not knowing, the hope, that's the hardest to bear." He shrugged it off before returning his earnest gaze to her. "Takayla told me everything you did to get her here, and to help me." He paused, his eyes boring into hers. "Thank you."
Kathryn sighed, raising her hand to touch him but stopping when she remembered there was a force field between them. "I only wish I could do more."
He shook his head. "Are you kidding? You've done more for me than anyone else ever has. You've done more for me than I probably deserve. I don't know if I'll ever get a chance to repay you."
Kathryn tried to infuse as much determination in her voice when she answered. She had never expected him to repay her anything, but she knew he wouldn't accept that. "You will."
He gave a faint smile and Kathryn's heart lifted a little.
"How are you holding up?"
"Me?" Kathryn blinked, though she shouldn't be surprised at his ability to see through her – to see that something was bothering her.
"I saw Seven before she left," he explained, "she stopped by and told me what was happening. With Voyager. And its new captain."
Kathryn shook her head dismissively. The last thing she wanted was to add to his burden by telling him of her discovery about Stedvak's connection to Larks, and possibly to his case. He would find out eventually, but at the moment Kathryn was still too raw to be able to talk about it. Even with him. "Oh I'm fine. It's only temporary." As the words left her mouth, she realized she meant them.
She wasn't ready to give up Voyager just yet. She wasn't ready to give up her captain's chair. Not yet.
Chakotay gazed at her for a little longer, as if trying to read her mind, but then he shifted, briefly tugging on his earlobe in a familiar gesture. "By the way, I got your note," he said. "In the book." He didn't say anything else about it, but the acknowledgment in itself seemed to convey much more than anything else. He understood, then, what she had meant by it.
"And I got your message," she replied with a raised eyebrow. "Actually," she lowered her voice, "I'm glad I've caught you alone because…" Kathryn licked her lips, fighting the sudden dryness of her mouth and the mad rhythm of her heart as she searched his eyes. "Well, I've been meaning to say, I've missed you too. I can't tell you how many times I've turned around, expecting to find you there. So you'd better not give up on getting out of here. Otherwise I'll be talking to myself a lot, and that's not gonna fly with my superiors."
The moment was charged despite Kathryn's joking, so she wasn't surprised when he didn't smile. "Kathryn," he started hesitantly, "if I don't get out of it – we have to prepare ourselves-"
Kathryn raised her hand to interrupt him. "I don't want to hear it, Chakotay."
He released a long breath, but didn't push it. Their eyes locked again, and Kathryn was reminded of the last time they had stood like this, air charged. She was about a hair away from asking him what he'd meant when he'd mentioned his relationship with Seven being doomed to fail, when Takayla came through the cellblock doors. The smell of her coffee followed her through one second later, and Kathryn shared one last glance with Chakotay before she turned her attention to Takayla.
"Captain, I didn't expect to find you here so early," Takayla said when she spotted her.
"Actually, it's past 7pm. I'm your designated guide. I'm here to take you to Tom and B'Elanna's house for dinner."
"Oh, I didn't realize it was so late. Of course." She checked her bag, as if to make sure she had everything she needed. "I'm ready when you are, Captain." She turned to Chakotay. "I'll see you tomorrow Chak. Try to get some rest. It'll be alright, you'll see."
He nodded somberly before meeting Kathryn's eyes again. Something passed between them and Kathryn gave a small nod as well. "I'll see you tomorrow."
oooOooo