"You asked to see me Captain?"

Kathryn Janeway jumped violently, despite the fact that she'd been anticipating this conversation even while she'd tried to focus on Tom Paris. Angrily fighting back the flush of unjustified shame as she jerked her head up from being cradled in her hands, her gaze fixed on the canary yellow highlights of Tuvok's uniform, the purposely indistinct browns and greys of his Maquis cover had been completely discarded. She felt she'd gleam more from this, meticulously presented, uniform than Tuvok's carefully moulded, impassive face. Surely the man who paid attention to such tiny details as the regimented row of gold pips at his collar couldn't truly be disillusioned with Starfleet? He was the staunchest officer she'd, probably ever would, know and had served for over 90 years, longer than she herself ever would, yet as much as these facts battled to defend her old friend in her mind, she couldn't tally them up with what he'd done. He'd jeopardised an entire two year mission for…what? If he shared Tom Paris' motivation, then it would appear to be friendship, but some irrational part of her wanted to deny what would otherwise be the best explanation, certainly preferable to his being a Maquis convert, merely because she was stung that he'd didn't trust her, valued the confidence of an ex-Borg more than her own. "Yes Lieutenant." She finally replied drily, in reality the pause, which had seemed endless to her, had lasted merely seconds.

Tuvok tilted his head towards her slightly in a simple sign of acknowledgement but otherwise remained stock still, his dark gaze unflinchingly steady on hers as he waited. Janeway sighed, here was the man standing who still respected the Captain's prerogative to begin the conversation, whatever the situation. The sound of her irritation was as loud, it's meaning as obvious, as she'd intended for Tuvok picked up on the cue immediately with only a subtle twitch of his eyebrow. In other circumstances, Janeway might've smiled. She'd wasn't exactly known for her restraint; maybe she had just surprised a Vulcan with her reticence. "I presume you wish to analyse my conduct during the undercover operation with the Maquis?" he asked levelly.

Janeway sat back in her chair, his calm manner shocking her somewhat. She doubted Tom Paris would often be compared with the man in front of her or vice versa, but right now they seemed equally unrepentant. "I think that would be a good idea, although right now of course…" She glanced warily at the array looming outside of the Ready Room's window, half-expecting the Caretaker to launch an attack while she was distracted with an issue he knew she wouldn't ignore, "…we have a whole other Quadrant's worth of problems to deal with." She shifted forward in her chair, pressing her elbows into her desk until they hurt as she internally debated recording this questioning session for prosperity before deciding against it. "Start with explaining Chakotay's Borg…friend." She ordered coolly, "I know you're too thorough an operative to have not been aware of her before the Caretaker flushed her out." She regretted the snide comment as soon as it had left her mouth, Tuvok wouldn't rise to it and she knew she'd need to stay strictly professional right now if she were to control this situation.

Tuvok barely blinked, just as she'd predicted. "I knew of Seven of Nine, worked with her, as soon as I boarded the Valjean, before I was even initiated into the crew. As I reported, the situation at that point was volatile, but my assistance rendered me trustworthy to Chakotay, and therefore to his entire crew, including his 'Borg friend'."

Janeway took a deep breath as she looked up at him, "What did you think of her at that time?" She toyed with PADD on her desk, flashing him a glance of the screen, "I still have very comprehensive reports of your first impression of every other member of that crew and I don't want to be left lacking."

Tuvok's gaze retreated inward for a moment in consideration, "I was…surprised when I learned of her existence Captain. To suppose that Chakotay's combative advantage came from such an unknown as a freed Borg would've been impossible beforehand."

The Captain breathed a ghost of a bitter laugh, "Believe me, it was." She muttered before her questioning frown deepened further, "It certainly was logical of Chakotay to keep such a tactical advantage hidden, I would've done the same thing if I were in his position, the real question is why you did exactly the same thing Lieutenant."

Tuvok stared back at her, unease rippling across his sombre face for a split second. "You're questioning my logic Captain?" he asked. His tone didn't change but the mere fact that he was asking told Janeway that he was disbelieving. "I assure you that my every action since I began the Valjean mission has been governed entirely by logic."

The Captain stood up, her shoulders stubbornly set as she faced him but with her eyes intently searching his, her expression bordering on pleading as her resolve to this through frayed. "Then explain the basis of that logic to me Tuvok, please!" she retorted, her voice hoarse with exhaustion as she began to pace, "I need to understand what's going on with my own people, that includes the Maquis crew, if I going to have any chance of getting us out of this damned mess and back home alive." She pressed without giving him a chance to speak, her frazzled brain venting thoughts at full steam, "I mean, I never expected Paris to tell me everything, that was a given when I got him out of jail, but you Tuvok, you were my guide in all this!"

"Captain…" Tuvok began quietly, the look in his eyes as he gripped her arm to hold her still in front of him showing her a first glimpse of regret, "I was concerned with the integrity of the mission, if I had revealed Seven of Nine to you the mission would've concluded prematurely."

Janeway's voice caught, "You were scared of her Tuvok? Did she discover the deception?"

Tuvok gave her a long look, his tone veering subtly towards impatience. "You misunderstand me Captain. Do you remember what our mission brief was?"

The Captain's brows furrowed but she complied anyway, intrigued by what he could possibly be getting at. "Our original brief was to gather as much intel as possible on individual Maquis cells and apprehend them, bring the network down one by one, ship by ship, crew by crew." She answered slowly, "Starfleet Command believe that approach is more effective that risking a whole fleet trying to fight a guerrilla war on their turf."

"Correct, my logic was dictated entirely by that brief." Tuvok replied, "Tell me Captain, what would've been your course of action if I'd told you about Seven of Nine's presence within the Maquis?"

"I would've had to tell my superiors of course, a Borg drone working with the Maquis, what else could've I have…" Janeway started to answer before halting suddenly as realisation dawned, "And they would've put her apprehension above any considerations about the Maquis…" she whispered, "With the threat the Collective poses, a source of information like her would've been a coup, worth the whole Maquis operation…" She sighed heavily, pressing a hand to her forehead as she met Tuvok's resolute eyes, "Any idea of holding back would've been out of the window, and the Maquis would've realised and fought back ferociously, making our approach null and void." She shook her head wonderingly as she reached the same conclusion as Tuvok had, "It would've have been simpler, cleaner, if I could've 'unexpectedly' arrested her with Chakotay and the others and taken her peacefully back to Starfleet."

"Precisely." Tuvok answered resignedly, "In fact, I came to believe it was the only way. Early in our acquaintance I sounded Seven out about her distrust of Starfleet and she was firm about the fact that she had always intended to 'deactivate' herself if she were ever discovered by them or any other agency or government."

"'Deactivate herself'?" The Captain echoed dubiously, "You mean commit suicide? She doesn't exactly strike me as the type to commit hara-kiri Tuvok…"

"The Collective have a different mentality about that Captain, when drones are no longer useful to the group there is no survival. For Seven, the Maquis is her surrogate Collective of sorts."

The Captain swallowed, "Tom told me she was assimilated at a very young age so the lasting psychological scars of that are immeasurable…"

"According to Chakotay, she was assimilated days after her sixth birthday." Tuvok filled in.

Horrified nausea twisted Janeway's gut, bile burning as it sped up her throat. "My God, how long have the Maquis been exploiting her for? Twisting her warped reality further so that they can have control of a secret weapon?" she exclaimed angrily.

"Captain…" Tuvok interjected, "You are misinterpreting her relationship with them. From what I understand, Chakotay and his family members took her in and treated her as one of their own. Far from exploiting her, he is intensely protective of her, to the point where she does not engage in any active combat outside of the ship."

"Tom told me as much, and it seems he was as much a child as she was when they found her, so I don't solely blame Chakotay." Janeway assured him, "But that doesn't change the fact that she should have been revealed to Starfleet, she should've been getting proper medical and psychiatric care and then maybe she could've been reunited with her family rather than living as a fugitive."

Tuvok sighed heavily, "Perhaps Captain." He conceded, "But we must accept the reality we are presented with."

Janeway gave a careful tone, mulling over the hint of reluctance in his tone. "You don't agree with me do you?" she asked softly, "You think Starfleet would've done her more harm than good. You never wanted her to be handed over and your logic came in to justify that."

Tuvok's eyes narrowed marginally, "As I said, the path of my actions followed logic." He said stiffly.

"Yes." Janeway agreed gently, giving him a small smile. She turned away from him slightly, staring back out at the array, laid out on a pattern of unfamiliar Delta Quadrant stars. "Do you think I can trust them while we work together to get us all home?" she asked thickly.

"That is an undoubtedly shared goal Captain, the odds of success will increase with the Valjean crew's participation." Tuvok answered firmly.

"That's what I needed to hear." Janeway admitted, twisting away from the window once again, "I suppose you'd better contact them to come back on board for a strategy meeting."

"Of course Captain." Tuvok agreed swiftly, stepping back towards the door to the Bridge.

"Tuvok…" Janeway added hurriedly, "Why did you trust me to bring Seven of Nine back to Starfleet? You risked your whole career on the fact that I would, on my not saying that you didn't tell…"

Tuvok took a deep breath, a rare concession for him. "In my many years as a Starfleet officer, I have come to value one quality in my commanders more than any other, one you have in abundance, honour."

Janeway had to gulp hard as those few words touched her shadowed heart. "It was a big risk, and in a way I'm glad you tried to avoid putting me in the middle, but I also need you to trust that I'll do the right thing without you shielding me for the problem. We'll need that out here, as well as complete honesty."

Tuvok nodded, his gaze lowered as the forgiveness she offered sunk in. "Understood Captain."

A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! I'm so sorry for the delay on this one, Chakotay and Seven will be back for the next chapter, chapter 50! :) I've now got over 100, 000 words chalked up on this one too, thanks for your support everyone! :)