Chapter 1 An Unfortunate Loss
"B'Elanna what about engineering?" Captain Kathryn Janeway asked her chief engineer at their latest staff meeting.
"We're running low on deuterium but there's an M class planet a few hours away."
"What about dilithium?"
"We're good to go for another few weeks."
"O.k. I'll head the away team. We leave at 1400 hours."
Forty- five minutes before the start of the mission Janeway disappeared into her ready room. Fifteen minutes later the door chimed.
"Come in."
She heard footsteps and felt a pair of strong arms grip her around the waist. She leaned back against his chest and said "Hello Chakotay."
"How'd you know it was me?"
"You're the only one on this ship that'll put his arms around me without fear of death."
"Oh well in that case are you gonna kill me?" he asked with a laugh
"No for you I'll make an exception."
They stood like that for awhile just staring at the stars until Janeway spoke up.
"What's on your mind?"
"Huh?"
"Well you didn't come down here just to hold me so what's on your mind?"
"I just wanted to say be careful because I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. He said. "I also wanted to hold you one last time before you left."
"I'm only going to be gone for a few hours."
"So? I'll miss you just the same. A second without you is like an hour and a minute is like a day where you're concerned. When you're here I'm in heaven when you're not I'm going through hell."
Janeway didn't know how to respond to this so she relaxed in his arms and let that speak for itself.
She had thought about this for a long time and came to a conclusion- she was most comfortable in his arms and always would be.
"I think you should get down to the transporter room." Chakotay said after awhile.
"All right all right."
Janeway held out her hand, and Chakotay took it.
They left the ready room and made their way to the turbolift. If anyone noticed their hands they didn't say anything.
"Transporter room two," Janeway instructed the turbolift.
They were silent through the ride to the transporter room, each pondering their own thoughts.
When they arrived at the transporter room the away team was already assembled. Tuvok, Seven of Nine B'Elanna and Vorik were on the away team for various reasons. Tuvok for security purposes, Seven was there for all- purpose needs; B'Elanna was there for engineering purposes as was Vorik
Chakotay pulled Janeway aside for a little bit of privacy.
"I've got to get back to the bridge. I'll see you later.
With that he kissed Janeway and left the transporter room.
Janeway stepped onto the transporter pad with the rest of the away team. She signaled for the ensign behind the console to begin transport.
*********************
Chakotay was walking through the corridor towards the turbolift when he got the urgent message from the transporter room.
"Ensign Daniels to Commander Chakotay"
"Chakotay here. What's the problem?"
As he had been talking to Daniels he turned around and headed towards the transporter room. "I'm losing the away team, their patterns are breaking up. I'm losing angular confinement."
"Try to boost it!"
"I got a little but it's not working."
"Re-route power from life support."
"Aye sir… I got them back … but…
"But what?"
"Sir I think you should see this for yourself."
"On my way."
"When Chakotay got to the transporter room he looked immediately for Kathryn but not finding her. He lost it then. He took off out of the transporter room and headed towards his quarters.
When he got to his quarters he searched through his belongings until he found the Klingon brandy that B'Elanna had given him as a present for getting together with Kathryn. He drank it until he passed out.
**********************
When he woke up he was in sickbay.
"Wha…" he said before wincing in pain. He had a killer
headache.
"Doc he's wakin' up Paris said.
The doctor walked over to Chakotay's biobed.
"How do you feel Commander?"
"I got one hell of a headache."
"Big surprise there. You've got a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit."
The doctor pressed a hypospray to his neck. The pain in his neck receeded to a dull throb.
"Better?"
"Yes. Where's Kathryn?"
"Like I'd know? No one tells me anything."
"Paris you know what happened?"
"No I don't. I was sent to find you when you didn't return after the away team left."
"They didn't leave though. There was a problem with the transporter. Daniels got them back but just barely. That's all I know."
"Well I didn't know about that."
"I really need to know what the hell happened. Chakotay to Tuvok."
"Tuvok here."
"What happened to the away team?"
"All were recovered except Captain Janeway. In her place we recovered an ensign named Hoshi Sato. She claims to be from the 22nd century."
"I want to see her in my ready room in a half hour."
**********************
"B'Elanna what about engineering?" Captain Kathryn Janeway asked her chief engineer at their latest staff meeting.
"We're running low on deuterium but there's an M class planet a few hours away."
"What about dilithium?"
"We're good to go for another few weeks."
"O.k. I'll head the away team. We leave at 1400 hours."
Forty- five minutes before the start of the mission Janeway disappeared into her ready room. Fifteen minutes later the door chimed.
"Come in."
She heard footsteps and felt a pair of strong arms grip her around the waist. She leaned back against his chest and said "Hello Chakotay."
"How'd you know it was me?"
"You're the only one on this ship that'll put his arms around me without fear of death."
"Oh well in that case are you gonna kill me?" he asked with a laugh
"No for you I'll make an exception."
They stood like that for awhile just staring at the stars until Janeway spoke up.
"What's on your mind?"
"Huh?"
"Well you didn't come down here just to hold me so what's on your mind?"
"I just wanted to say be careful because I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. He said. "I also wanted to hold you one last time before you left."
"I'm only going to be gone for a few hours."
"So? I'll miss you just the same. A second without you is like an hour and a minute is like a day where you're concerned. When you're here I'm in heaven when you're not I'm going through hell."
Janeway didn't know how to respond to this so she relaxed in his arms and let that speak for itself.
She had thought about this for a long time and came to a conclusion- she was most comfortable in his arms and always would be.
"I think you should get down to the transporter room." Chakotay said after awhile.
"All right all right."
Janeway held out her hand, and Chakotay took it.
They left the ready room and made their way to the turbolift. If anyone noticed their hands they didn't say anything.
"Transporter room two," Janeway instructed the turbolift.
They were silent through the ride to the transporter room, each pondering their own thoughts.
When they arrived at the transporter room the away team was already assembled. Tuvok, Seven of Nine B'Elanna and Vorik were on the away team for various reasons. Tuvok for security purposes, Seven was there for all- purpose needs; B'Elanna was there for engineering purposes as was Vorik
Chakotay pulled Janeway aside for a little bit of privacy.
"I've got to get back to the bridge. I'll see you later.
With that he kissed Janeway and left the transporter room.
Janeway stepped onto the transporter pad with the rest of the away team. She signaled for the ensign behind the console to begin transport.
*********************
Chakotay was walking through the corridor towards the turbolift when he got the urgent message from the transporter room.
"Ensign Daniels to Commander Chakotay"
"Chakotay here. What's the problem?"
As he had been talking to Daniels he turned around and headed towards the transporter room. "I'm losing the away team, their patterns are breaking up. I'm losing angular confinement."
"Try to boost it!"
"I got a little but it's not working."
"Re-route power from life support."
"Aye sir… I got them back … but…
"But what?"
"Sir I think you should see this for yourself."
"On my way."
"When Chakotay got to the transporter room he looked immediately for Kathryn but not finding her. He lost it then. He took off out of the transporter room and headed towards his quarters.
When he got to his quarters he searched through his belongings until he found the Klingon brandy that B'Elanna had given him as a present for getting together with Kathryn. He drank it until he passed out.
**********************
When he woke up he was in sickbay.
"Wha…" he said before wincing in pain. He had a killer
headache.
"Doc he's wakin' up Paris said.
The doctor walked over to Chakotay's biobed.
"How do you feel Commander?"
"I got one hell of a headache."
"Big surprise there. You've got a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit."
The doctor pressed a hypospray to his neck. The pain in his neck receeded to a dull throb.
"Better?"
"Yes. Where's Kathryn?"
"Like I'd know? No one tells me anything."
"Paris you know what happened?"
"No I don't. I was sent to find you when you didn't return after the away team left."
"They didn't leave though. There was a problem with the transporter. Daniels got them back but just barely. That's all I know."
"Well I didn't know about that."
"I really need to know what the hell happened. Chakotay to Tuvok."
"Tuvok here."
"What happened to the away team?"
"All were recovered except Captain Janeway. In her place we recovered an ensign named Hoshi Sato. She claims to be from the 22nd century."
"I want to see her in my ready room in a half hour."
**********************
