Chakotay walked onto the bridge and barely acknowledged the crew. He didn't want to revisit the spot where he and Kathryn had so viciously fought so he marched to his ready room and sat down behind his desk. He put his head down and ran his hands over his head finally resting his face in his hands.

After a few moments, he looked up and picked up a padd. He reviewed the reports coming in from Starfleet's front lines. As he scrolled, he noticed the Borg attacks had ceased and were showing signs of retreat from the Alpha Quadrant. They were leaving and, in their wake, lay Federation planets in ruins and Kathryn's body being carved up in sickbay.

Chakotay threw the padd across the room where it smacked against the wall. His door chimed and he called, "Come in."

Tom appeared and noticed the padd on the floor and the mark it had left on the wall. He bent down to retrieve it and walked over to the desk. He put it down and said, "I see you've been informed of the retreat by the Borg."

"Yeah," Chakotay said. "Too late."

Tom nodded and said, "I still wanted to thank you for what you did. You protected my daughter and I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am. When you have a child…" His voice trailed off as Chakotay's eyes closed and he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Chakotay. I know you and Admiral Janeway had plans…"

Chakotay sat up and said, "Obviously, those plans are no longer. She's no longer. She gave her elder self to change the timeline and get us home back here to Earth while we were young. I wonder if she would have done that knowing she wouldn't live long enough to enjoy it."

Tom sank down into a chair. "I think the moments she spent with you reconnecting and finally letting her guard down meant a lifetime to her."

Chakotay shrugged. "Maybe."

"Definitely."

The door chimed again and this time Admiral Paris entered. He looked at his son and said, "You look well."

"Doc fixed me right up." Tom rose and said, "I'll leave you two to talk. I've got the bridge."

Chakotay nodded and offered Tom's seat to the Admiral as he left. The Admiral sat down and fixed his eyes on him. "Chakotay, you and I are going to drop ranks for a moment."

"Okay." Chakotay waited unsure where this was going.

"I understand how you felt about Kathryn. I was very close to her as well. After her father died, I looked upon her as my own daughter. I know your feelings were obviously different from mine but pain is pain."

"Not quite," Chakotay answered.

"I respect that. You and Kathryn waited a long time to be together. To have it end so soon and how it did, I can only imagine. I really do respect what you're going through."

Chakotay's brow rose. "Do you?"

"If you're talking about my decision in sickbay, without a legal marriage, Kathryn's next of kin is her mother. You know that."

Chakotay nodded. "Yes, I know that." He turned back to his console to begin working again.

Admiral Paris sighed. "What you'll find in there is that Seven was able to contact the Borg. The Queen has been returned and she should not cause us any further problems, at least not for a while."

Chakotay frowned and picked up a padd.

Admiral Paris studied him a moment. "Starfleet will no doubt be very interested in her. She may even get a commendation for her actions despite everything she's done."

"Really?" Chakotay said. "She created this situation, killed her former Captain and friend, and you're going to reward her for it?"

"Seven did not instigate the Borg invasion. She may have facilitated the infiltration of the Queen's presence here…"

"May?" Chakotay glared at him.

"I think Seven is truly sorry for what she's done, Chakotay. Believe me, she's trying to atone more than you know."

Chakotay tossed his padd away again. "Spare me extoling her virtues, please. I've done it and it doesn't end well." He paused and said, "You know, she told us the day we found her in the Delta Quadrant that she would betray us. It took her a while but she finally did it, didn't she?"

The Admiral shook his head. "I wouldn't give up on her just yet, Chakotay."

"Too late. I want that woman off my ship."

Admiral Paris nodded. "I'll go check on the progress in sickbay."

Chakotay huffed. "She stayed to watch the Doctor take Kathryn apart piece by piece? It's fitting. Just like a Borg."

Admiral Paris leaned forward and said, "Seven is not a Borg. She is a former drone who may just bring you a miracle."

Chakotay looked at him and said, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Admiral Paris put his hands on his knees and rose up. "It means I would reserve final judgment on her if I were you."

"Meaning?"

Admiral Paris walked to the door and said, "Have a good day, Captain. I'll be in touch."