Disclaimer: See chapter one for the obligatory copyright acknowledgements.

Anonymity

Having finished organising the crew into assisting these formally ragged lost children, Janeway found herself watching from a distance and taking in the sight of the man she'd come to know over the seven years he'd been at her side on Voyager. He looked more tanned than when she'd last seen him, his body toned and his hair peppered with more grey. She realised he'd obviously been working under a sun, wherever he'd been hiding out over the last few months. His skin certainly had that outdoor healthy glow to it, enhanced by the colours he'd chosen to wear for his stylish outfit; earthy browns and tans, of some sort of suede or leather, much like the style of his former Maquis outfit, without the dark stripy t-shirt under the tan jerkin; instead he wore a dark brown fine wool sweater. She was about to join the laughing group when she saw the Doctor quietly pull him to one side and talk to him seriously.

The dark haired head nodded in quiet understanding as she slowly moved towards them.

"Where are they now?" he quietly asked, having come within earshot of the confiding pair.

"They're with Councillor Troi."

"I see. I assume these further tests will need to be done at Starfleet Medical?" The EMH nodded. "When?"

"At your earliest opportunity, Commander."

"Understood. Thank you," the sincerity in his tone was very telling, even if she didn't know what they'd been talking about. "Kathryn," he acknowledged her in that quiet steady way of his that always caught her by surprise, as his dark eyes came to rest on her. She smiled shyly in response; although she was bursting with questions about his recent absence, she knew from her conversations with Owen Paris that that was better left unasked; instead she said:

"Where did you find them?" indicating the children round them, mixed in with their crew, as she finally stood beside him.

"I have been reliably informed that I appear to attract waif and strays!" his grin lighting up his whole face, moving back towards the main top brass group.

"Yeah! Pied Piper!" Tom Paris agreed. Robin Hood stood quietly by; silently capturing all that was taking place and feeding it back to FNN broadcasting studios, for a live transmission across the Federated worlds.

"He asked to be transported to the old waterfront docks and shipyards. The Dogpatch, Pier 70 area, I believe," noted Picard.

"Scans revealed nothing there or at least no recent human activity," said Hayes puzzled, especially by the knowing grins among the Voyagers.

"Well, as Data informed us, the metal used in the Nineteenth and Twentieth century construction of all the docks in the bay area; is lead and steel, mostly. And lead is one metal even our current scanners cannot see through," said Riker, his information confirming what Picard's comments had already intimated that Chakotay had arrived back on Earth aboard Starfleet's flagship USS Enterprise.

Seeing the obvious question on one of the Admiral's lips, Picard said quietly. "We picked up the Commander via another vessel;" dashing hopes of discovering his former whereabouts.

Chakotay just smiled softly to himself, grateful to have spent some time away from this entire media and Admiralty Brass's unwarranted attention, standing in his usual place beside Janeway, who listened bemused.

"Some things are best left unsaid," noted Janeway softly, that only Chakotay truly heard her comment.

"All I'm prepared to say on that subject is that I was offered anonymity; and that offer is still open," Chakotay said, his tone adding weight to his words.

"What you hadn't bargained for was the fallout," added Torres with a soft smile at the man in question. Paris nodded his agreement to that statement, noting the Commander's expression of admission to that fact.

"So; where did you find those children and how did you get them to follow you here without anyone being aware of your journey?" asked Hendricks, one of the other top brass with Hayes.

"The sewer system."

"But the scans showed no activity there either!" puzzled.

"The old brick built tunnels and viaducts, which masks body heat."

"Many of those children were in such poor condition, I doubt they even gave off much body heat," sad Tom, who'd helped the Doctor at one point with the children's care.

"And water disperses humanoid scent," added another voice, that of the tall willowy Melissa, her husband beside her, joining the group. She smiled at Chakotay, her skin and hair now revealing her fair olive complexion framed by deep brown locks, a contrast to her husband's robust reddish copper colouring - hence his name.

"Why did you not reveal yourselves to Starfleet Security?" asked Hendricks, puzzled, beating Alynna to that question. The Slavic woman just pursed her lips at being piped to the post, so-to-speak, giving some cause to smile quietly at her discomfort.

"Because they were Starfleet Security," Melissa responded mildly. "All the children were wary of any adults, but especially uniformed officers," her tone was hard and tight.

"They accepted you ….!"

"Enough!" snapped Nechayev, her tone of command quelling anymore questions of that nature. "It is just good to know that you'll all be back in the arms of family," she said in a softer tone.

"Not all have families to return to," Chakotay said quietly. No-one said anything to that fact, realising he'd spoken truth.

"Commander. A question," spoke the voice of Paris senior. "Do you wish to press formal charges against your attackers?"

"No, Sir I do not."

"Chakotay they could have killed you!" noted Torres aghast at his response.

"The Doctor's extensive report said that had they not been interrupted you would have died that first time," Janeway added, equally perturbed by his adamant answer.

"But they were interrupted, as both attacks took place within the Academy grounds," he informed them.

"Well that narrows things down."

"Admiral Hayes. No investigations," his tone hard puzzling even those who knew him better than most present.

"Don't you want justice," Hayes asked as puzzled by his firm stand as his friends.

"They acted on what they believed was correct information at the time. When they should have asked the main parties involved if the information was true," pausing to calm his memories of those haunting words and blows from the attacks. "Therefore since they now know otherwise, I'll let their conscience be my justice."

"You're being more forgiving than I would be," noted S. Copper into the ensuing silence, speaking for the first time since being reunited with his believed killed family.

"I have learnt from the wisdom of my elders that fighting fire with fire only leads to an even bigger conflagration. Anger fuels anger," pausing a moment to let that sink in. "Mildness is not a weakness, being yielding is not lack of courage, but are virtues of inner strength to do what is right for others. That is one of the founding principles of Starfleet, is it not?" directing his statement at the Admiralty Brass, some of whom had the sense to look abashed, like naughty school children caught doing what they should not.

"Yes it is," agreed Owen Paris, Alynna nodding her agreement beside him, her pale skin blushing a bit.

"Good," Chakotay said and then turned to Janeway. "I believe we are celebrating Prixin?" he queried of her, she silently nodded. "You did remember the croutons for the salad, I hope, Kathryn!" The woman smiled in recognition of the reference to another party/celebration of Neelix's.

"Of course, Commander," she verbally acknowledged, her smile growing.

"Then shall we?" offering her his arm.

"Indeed," looping her arm through his happily. "Senior staff, Crunch time!" she commanded, thus Torres, Paris jnr. and Harry Kim grinned and joined the command team with various 'yes, Ma'am's' etc disappearing into the melee around the eatables, crew and children.

"I do believe we have been summarily dismissed!" noted Admiral Paris, his tone and expression a happy smile. Robin Hood silently agreed and switched off his audio video equipment; Copper followed suit, as Zach joined them also.

=/\=

NB: from Author. I have written a parallel story from which this chapter takes it's name and is from Chakotay's POV, but as the two stories diverged a bit from each other this is the only mention I shall be making to it. Thank you for reading.