Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the ship or anything.

Chapter 4 – The Captains Letter

The Commander strode onto the bridge after a heated conversation with Lieutenant Paris, which had ended with the lieutenant being relieved of his duties for the foreseeable future. He greeted the bridge crew with a polite "Good morning", before retiring to the Captain's ready room.

The Captain had decided she would control the ship from the privacy of her quarters this concerned him deeply. Especially, as she had refused point blank to give him an explanation for her decision. Sighing, Chakotay seated himself behind her desk wondering how long she would leave him to play acting Captain, last time it had been two months.

He turned on the computer monitor and picked up the pile of pads he had placed on the desk, when something caught his eye. A stray pad was laying upturned on the coffee table. Wondering what it was, he walked to the table and turned over the pad. Seeing it was addressed to the Captain he hesitated, before deciding that it might hold a clue to her behaviour of recent.

The letter went as follows:

Captain Kathryn Janeway,

                                            I regret to inform you that Cadet Elizabeth Paris was killed in a shuttle accident last week. Elizabeth died with the knowledge that her friends would live. For the sacrifice she made I am proud of her, and I know you will be too. She was too much like her mother - willing to take a chance for others.

She was well loved by her fellow cadets and will not be forgotten. Elizabeth touched the hearts of everyone that had the honour of knowing her. She was the best daughter anyone could ask for, and she will live on in my heart.

Kathryn, I know this will be hard for you, but she loved you, idolised you and strove to be the woman you are.

Admiral Owen Paris

Chakotay put the pad down. Hell, now he knew why Tom was so upset, but what he couldn't figure out was where Kathryn fitted into the picture. She obviously had something to do with the Cadet, but what he couldn't decipher.

-Fin-