Author: Christy Anderson

You can contact me at kittyunlimited@go.com.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Paramount minus Ensign Christy Anderson and a few selected insignificant characters

Here's part two- hot off the press! Thanks for all of your feedback so far. The only other notes I would like to make is for those who have never read the other sections. This story takes place during season 3, before Seven of Nine. Tre'kent is a Moheelean, an alien from the Delta Quadrant that Christy fell in love with.

Time's Chosen: Part 2

The lights aboard Voyager were dimmed as if in mourning. As the time drew near, I stood nervously in Transporter Room 2, waiting for the doors to open. Finally I heard footsteps from the corridor and hurried back to my station just as the doors swished open.

"Christy!" the voice gasped, "I didn't think that you would come."

I coolly shook my head at Tre'kent. "I am on duty, sir." The words flew like ice from my mouth. How could he leave?

After a year spent aboard Voyager, Tre'kent, a Moheelean, was about to depart back to his homeworld, Tritain, on a Talaxian freighter. He had taken refuge aboard Voyager on Stardate 49961.4 when the government of his country had condemned him as a rebel. For the past week I had argued with him, and even pleaded- but my efforts fell on the deafened ears of a determined and stubborn individual. Four weeks ago he had received new that his mother was ill. Now, only hours before, he had received another transmission, informing him that his mother was going to die. B'Elanna and Harry had discovered that the transmission was anywhere from four to five months old, but despite that fact, Tre'kent had to return home. He was bound by the Moheelean Sacred Oath of Honor to be there in the hour of death of his parents.

"You're still angry with me," Tre'kent observed out loud. He shifted his bags on his shoulder and after a while drew in a deep breath. "But after last night, I didn't expect you to be here," he persisted.

"The Captain will be calling for your transport any minute- you best hurry," I cautioned stoically.

For a while he kept silent and ignored the growing tension of the moment. "I sort of remember hearing that you yell that you never wanted to see me again," he suddenly interjected.

"Dang it Tre'kent! Do you have to play with my heart like this?!" I yelled. "Do you know how much this is hurting me?"

His face softened incredibly. "I love you, Christy, I wouldn't leave you if"

"If what?" I interrupted furiously. "Why do you have to return to a place where you have no future? Within seconds of your mother's death, the sacred oath will be broken, and they'll seize you and try you for treason. Even if you managed to escape, you would need a shuttlecraft, and you would have to pass through Borg territory alone. What are your chances?!"

"That's not fair of you to decide for me!" he yelled back. "You are not Goddess of the Universe!" Silence fell upon our astonished faces as I shut my eyes and shook my head back and forth.

"You're right," I whispered as I looked down at my feet, "I'm sorry."

With tears in his eyes, Tre'kent laughed. "No, I'm sorry," he apologized. I stood up in time to see his catching smile come over his face as he dropped everything and put his arms around me. "Christy," he said thankfully, "I didn't think that you would come to say goodbye."

"I could not stay away," I whispered softly, "I love you"

Tre'kent put his hand over my mouth. "You don't have to apologize because you are hurting. I'm the source of that, but I love you, Christy, and I wouldn't leave"

Now it was my turn to stop him as I buried my face in his chest, pulling him closer, actions speaking louder than any words of comfort we could ever offer each other. In turn he grasped me even tighter. In his embrace I felt safe and I never wanted him to let go. I would never be here again if he left. "Christy," he muttered softly in my ear, "I'll come back someday, I promise."

"Of course," I answered as my voice cracked in my throat. "And I can show you earth, and we'll have all of those good times we talked about and everything will be fine" I rambled on insanely.

"Of course," he replied as he kissed me. When I opened my eyes, there were tears slipping down his cheek. He drew in an unsteady breath and began to find his voice. "Come with me," he asked uncertainly.

I drew back slightly. "I am needed here"-

"I know," Tre'kent interrupted, "but I just had to make sure."

I forced a smile as I hugged him even tighter. How much longer did we have? "I brought a holo-imager," I offered weakly.

"For what?" he asked with a slight lilt in his voice.

"To take your photograph so I'll always remember" I couldn't finish my sentence.

"Would you ever forget?" he questioned mischievously.

I shook my head and gulped. "Never." I took a few paces back from him. "Now smile."

The imager whizzed and turned recording his face, his saddened blue eyes, and his short brown curls permanently when the button clicked.

"Janeway to Transporter Room Two," the Comm system interrupted.

"Lieutenant Anderson here," I responded professionally.

"Christy? - Lieutenant, is Mr. Tre'kent ready for transport?" The Captain asked.

"In a few seconds Captain" I answered.

"Very well," came the response.

I rushed up to Tre'kent and kissed him one more time, then helped him place his bags back on the transporter pad. Standing back at the station I made the preparations for the transport. "I'll wait for you," I promised Tre'kent as I shifted my glance quickly back down to the panel screen.

"Christy," Tre'kent called softly. He waited till I raised my glance level with his eyes. "Say thanks to Harry for me." I nodded without understanding. And Christy, Tre'kent transmitted telepathically, don't wait forever.

"Janeway to Transporter Room Two. Energize."

Tre'kent stood silent on the transporter pad for a moment. I love you with all my heart, he transmitted quickly.

"I love you too," I whispered to the air as I raised the confinement beam, and he was gone. I felt so alone.

Four hours later found me in Holodeck One, Sandrine's at the Grand Baldwin Piano with the annoyingly cheerful characters all long put back in the holo-buffer. Measures of Chopin's Nocturne in f Minor flowed from my fingertips and out of the strings, filling the air with its solemn melody. It was strangely comforting. I had not practiced in over three years, but somehow the time with the piano gave me newfound strength to face the facts before me. I was not going to run this time, and I wasn't going to pretend to make it all go away either. There was strength within me, inside of me.

Only halfway through for the twenty-sixth time, the holodeck doors hissed open and I ignored the sound of heavy footsteps behind me. On and on I continued to play until the very last cord when I was startled by the sound of applause. "Very beautiful," Harry's voice called out.

"Thank you," I returned softly as I stood up from the bench. "My mother always loved it when I played that piece"

"I like it too," Harry interjected cheerily.

"But she always said it was so depressing," I finished.

Harry laughed. "That it is," he said awkwardly. There was a long moment of silence. "So, he's gone my prayers are with him."

"Mine too," I voiced meekly, the tears slowly returning.

"Will he be coming back?" Harry asked quietly.

With tears flowing down me face I shook my head. How could he?

Harry bit his lip and looked as if he wished that he had never voiced the question. "Want to go to the Mess Hall and get a snack?" he offered compassionately.

Gulping back the choking feeling in my throat I nodded. "That would be nice," I thanked him, as he put his arm around my shoulder and we left the room in silence.

To be continued