Chapter 5

Kathryn noticed stealthy movement on the second-floor balcony as Queen Janeway entered and spoke.

"I've been expecting you, Jaffen. You didn't really think you could just sneak in here, did you? Kashyk told me all about your little toy. I have you exactly where I want you. Don't you know that I've been watching this room the whole time? How do you think you passed through this building without being seen? I made sure of it," the queen laughed.

"I should've known it was too easy," Jaffen said. "Well played."

Kathryn saw a strange glowing object strapped to their enemy's hand as she gestured around. "Yes. This was a long time coming for you. I've caught you just like I caught everyone who stood in my way, and I'll dispose of you similarly as well. Oh, but before I forget, hello Chakotay. I can still sense your presence, you know." The queen whirled around, Chakotay dropped down to the ground floor, and the two engaged in a blur of hand-to-hand combat. Jaffen and Kathryn seized the opportunity to take out the guards swiftly.

Jaffen secured the last explosives in the room and flipped the activation switch on the critical one. The countdown began while they knelt down next to the alien device and started setting up transport enhancers.

"Step away from that," Kathryn's own strong voice, though cold as ice, hissed.

Her counterpart had managed to knock Chakotay's phaser out of his hands and was facing the rebel trio, looking with disdain at the fallen guards.

"You always were the best at direct combat, Kathryn," Chakotay said, breathing hard. "Impressed all our mentors in training."

"You weren't too bad yourself," Janeway returned, "but your age is getting to you."

"Rebel life isn't easy," he said, "but I'm free. That's something you'll never experience, and for that, I'm sorry for you."

"I have freedom. I can do anything I want. I can have everything a person could ever want," she claimed. "I'm not the one being chased across the galaxy."

"Really?" he pressed. "You're really happy? What has happened to you? The real you?"

Janeway paused only a moment before she sighed. "The woman you knew is gone. But, Chakotay, we could have been happy. All those times I felt you standing by my shoulder. All those stolen kisses in the ready room. We were so close until you betrayed my trust," she said, eyes fixed on Chakotay.

He swallowed hard, replying, "Leaving you was the hardest decision of my life."

"I doubt that." She raised her hand, and a beam of light burst out of the glowing circle. "Goodbye, my love," she sneered.

Kathryn wanted to turn away, but she couldn't tear her eyes off the sight of Chakotay falling to the floor with a smoking hole burned through his chest. She felt Jaffen inch closer to her and could hear him cursing under his breath. This was the end.

If only they could stall long enough to catch the empress in the explosion.

"And now for you two," the queen said, turning her attention back to them. "I must give you credit, Jaffen. I never thought you were this reckless."

"The Federation Imperium is a force for injustice. I've dedicated my life to stopping it. I came to stop you and free this galaxy. You can never win forever, Janeway; only hope does, and we've got plenty of that. The light never goes out as long as we keep it alive. Wherever it is, it will chase away the darkness," Jaffen said passionately.

"Save your speeches." She turned to Kathryn, "And you. Why would you choose to fight such a losing battle?"

Kathryn's gaze met sharp, blue eyes that were and were not her own. "I chose not to fight for a while. But you represent everything I've turned away from," she replied quietly. "You are the embodiment of every evil thought, desire, word, and action I've ever fought. You are the darkness that I've chased away each and every day. So now, how could I not fight? For me, this is the winning side. It's the side of morality. It's the side of freedom. It's the side of equality and justice."

The queen looked thoughtful. "Well, then. But you've obviously joined him for some other reason. Could it have something to do with the way he moves to protect you? How you look at him with such care?" The queen's gaze moved to Kathryn and saw the nearly imperceptible, sad twinge of affection lingering in her eyes despite Kathryn's best efforts to steel her features. "Or maybe you love someone like him." Without taking her eyes off Kathryn, the queen raised her hand suddenly and fired her energy weapon again.

"Jaffen!" Kathryn cried. She dropped to her knees beside him, wrapping her arms around his body and bowing her head over him. Her falling tears mixed with the small, growing pool of blood.

He met her glistening gaze and breathed, "She's right about one thing…I never really told you…Your heart…is so pure…and your courage is so strong…I love you, Kathryn…Yesterday, today…and in another life." Then, he closed his eyes, and his weight gradually went limp in her embrace.

"I love you, too, Jaffen," Kathryn whispered to his spirit.

"So, you admit it," Queen Janeway smirked. She circled around the two rebels slowly, the clicks of her heels against the floor the only sound in the room.

"You didn't have to kill him."

"He was the leader of the rebellion. His death will make them weaker." The empress stopped, towering over Kathryn, and said, "You're so pitiful. He wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth you. None of these aliens are. We are the dominate race in this galaxy, and the rest will have to fall before us. I'm only showing you your true self. When everything holding you back is gone, you and I are not all that different, Kathryn." She unclasped the strap around her hand, and the glowing circle fell to the ground.

Kathryn rose, trembling all over with fresh rage, stray hair falling wildly into her eyes. She wouldn't be able to control what she did next, but somehow, it didn't matter anymore. She cut the queen's speech short, hissing, "I am nothing like you. You're a monster." Her eyes flashed fire in sapphire, and she stepped forward with every intention of killing the woman herself. No one could stop her.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Kashyk enter the room and move toward her, firearm drawn and ready in case she tried anything, but one glare from the queen stilled him.

"It takes a monster to kill one. Look at yourself," the queen drawled. "Do you really believe that you're not like me? But, please, do go ahead."

Kathryn snapped back in shock. Her gaze dropped down to the phaser in her hand, and her breath caught.

She looked back at the queen and fought the surge of vengeful emotions seeking to overrule her conscience. A soft voice chastened her. Your heart…is so pure…and your courage is so strong…

The clatter of the weapon against the stone tiles and her small, choked sound of restrained grief and frustration echoed over the room.

The queen sighed, revealing her own concealed Devorian pistol. "Too bad," she sighed. "I suppose you're right; you're not like me. You're too weak." Kathryn watched the barrel rise to be level with her chest.

"At least I'm still human," Kathryn whispered.

Flash.