Hidden Child

Chapter 7: New Arrival

Seven months had gone by since the day Shinzon transported Donatra to Voyager. Donatra was told she could go home if she wanted, she was not responsible for Shinzon's actions. Still, for some reason she found herself drawn to these humans and decided to stay as long as they would let her.

Upon arrival the Doctor found Donatra unconscious and barely breathing. He found the brooch on her outer garments scorched from expounding a bolt of high voltage energy. Somehow Donatra's garments had insulated the shock and she wasn't harmed anymore than she would have been from a phaser set on stun. He made sure Donatra was comfortable and scanned her regularly. He noticed she was about two to two and a half months pregnant and wondered if she knew.

When Donatra awoke two days later she looked up at the Doctor. She panicked and looked for escape as a wild animal would do if it were cornered by a predator. The Doctor walked over to her and told her not to worry, she was safe and would come to no harm. Donatra looked up at him, and wondered about the baby. She wasn't sure how to ask if the baby was ok. The Doctor could see the question reflected in Donatra's eyes and as though reading her mind, he told her the her baby was fine and that she was about two and a half months along.

Donatra was relieved to hear that her baby was healthy and slowly smiled at the Doctor. Then to her amazement the Doctor asked her if Shinzon was the father and if he was trying to kill her before she had transported over to Voyager. Donatra thought about this a moment and slowly the events which preceded her arrival came back to her.

"I don't believe Shinzon would do this to his child," Donatra said quietly. "He was so happy when I told him and he had said something about needing to protect me because the Remans would not understand his need to keep the child once it was born--so no I don't think he was responsible. He looked shocked and alarmed before the darkness crept over me.

The Doctor asked Donatra if she felt well enough to be taken to her quarters and she told him yes. When Donatra had finished inspecting the rooms she would be staying in, she noticed they were not the brig she thought she would be going to, but very comfortable and bright. The crewman who had escorted her had walked her through how to use the replicator for food, the sonic shower and the communication and library accesses on the desktop. She was told she had limitations to what she could access and who she could communicate with, but she didn't care. She was concerned about her child--nothing else could take priority.

Admiral Janeway came to visit a couple of days later. She told Donatra that her government knew of her predicament and she could go home if is wished. Donatra thanked her and told her if she could stay on board she would rather do this since the child she was having was half human. "I don't think my people would understand a half Romulan child, and his/her father would rather I give the child to the Federation to raise. The Clearwaters could raise the baby and perhaps it would make up for the loss of their son."

In that moment Kathryn found a new respect for this Romulan--self sacrifice was something rare even in humans. She told Donatra she could come to Earth and raise the child if she wanted, she knew the Clearwaters and just knowing Donatra and the child would satisfy their loss. The Federation would grant her refuge due to her circumstances. "I must ask you one thing Donatra for my own personal need--is there any hope of getting Lee back?"

Donatra looked at Kathryn for a moment and told her she was afraid Shinzon's personality was too strong. "Shinzon has changed though Admiral, he has found happiness and contentment. I believe he will not give this up for anything."

Admiral Janeway smiled at Donatra warmly for her honesty. "If you need anything, please let me know. The Doctor would like to keep a close watch on your condition--since we don't have a lot of details of Romulan and Human breeding complications. If it would help, B'Elanna can come talk with you, she has experience in raising a child who is a part Klingon and Human. Lt. Wildman would also be someone to talk with since her child is also part Human and part Ktarian There can be a lot of emotional issues for the child who has parents of different cultures, and you may find them both a source of knowledge and comfort. We have holodeck programs if you'd like to use them and a mess hall if you'd like to have dinner outside of your quarters. You will not be able to access Engineering or the Bridge for the time being, but I will come to you if you need me." Janeway left Donatra to contemplate her new surroundings and the offers of friendship offered to her.

Chakotay didn't like the fact that Donatra was aboard his ship. He remembered Seska and the treachery she had devised with becoming pregnant and was afraid this would be the same type of ruse. He thought by giving her asylum and learning to trust her they were putting their ship in unnecessary danger. He discussed the situation with Kathryn and after learning that Donatra showed gratitude because of the show of compassion she had received so far, he reluctantly agreed to make her stay as comfortable as possible.

Now Donatra had made a home with the crew of Voyager. She and B'Elanna had become good friends and she was able to dine with her and her husband Tom on many occasions. Their daughter was adorable and Donatra secretly hoped she was carrying a little girl herself. The Doctor had asked her once if she wanted to know the sex of the child, but she had declined. The anticipation gave her even more joy.

During the night Donatra started to feel pain in her abdomen. It was so acute that she would double over because of it. She called sickbay and the Doctor had her transported immediately. As she was set up to give birth, the ship rocked violently.

"Captain Chakotay, are we under attack?" The Doctor questioned.

"Yes Doctor, a Reman war bird has de-cloaked and started firing on us. We are not alone though, two Romulan war birds have been destroyed. I don't have time to talk right now--Chakotay out."

The Doctor looked at Donatra and told her not to worry, they had been in battle many times before and that B'Elanna had given birth in similar circumstances successfully.

Donatra tried not to worry, but she did. She was afraid the Reman Vkruk had sensed her and the baby and had come back to finish what he had started. Just as she had these thoughts, she heard the Doctor call Admiral Janeway to sickbay.

Kathryn reached sickbay and the Doctor told her Donatra would have the child soon. Kathryn came to stand beside Donatra and give her as much support as she could. Donatra looked to Kathryn and asked her about the battle taking place.

"Don't worry about that Donatra, you have more important matters right now. Besides, Enterprise is on its way, and Shinzon is with them." Kathryn hoped her news would calm Donatra, but as she had finished telling Donatra of the allegiance, Donatra screamed in pain.

"Doctor, will she be ok?" Janeway asked quietly. Donatra had calmed down and was napping as the two discussed the situation.

"Yes Admiral--she has narrow hips, so it is just a little harder for her." The Doctor tried to sound reassuring, but this baby was large and he was afraid he would have to use the emergency fetal transport--this worried him after what had happened with Lt. Wildman's delivery of Naomi.

As the battle raged outside, Admiral Janeway requested Jean Luc to talk with her on a private channel. She told him Donatra was giving birth and that she needed him to keep the war bird off Voyager at all costs. Jean Luc, shocked to find out he was not only a father, but soon to be a grandfather, told Kathryn he would do all he could.

Jean Luc told Shinzon the news Kathryn had told him. He could see new determination in Shinzon and they discussed the best strategy to use against the Remans. Once they had decided to corner him as they had near Earth, Jean Luc contacted the Romulan war birds and relayed the information. They set up the formation and started to fire.

Donatra could feel nothing but pain. She knew the baby would be here soon and wished Shinzon were here with her. She pushed when the Doctor told her to, and mimicked the breathing Kathryn tried to coach her to use. As the baby was born, Donatra felt exhaustion overwhelming her, she wanted to see her baby and forced herself to stay conscious. The Doctor took the baby over to a weigh station and cleaned all the nasal and oral cavities to help the baby breath easier. Then after the baby was cleaned up he turned to Donatra and told her she had a healthy baby girl.

Donatra was elated. She turned to see the baby in her arms and noticed there were no Romulan characteristics in her baby. She turned to the Doctor with a quizzical look and the Doctor smiled at her and said, "Yes, Donatra she is completely human, as are you."

This completely overwhelmed Donatra, she didn't know what to say and continued to stare at her baby. The Doctor asked Kathryn if there would be anyway to transport Shinzon to sickbay and Kathryn told him she would see if they could disengage long enough for this to happen.

Donatra asked the Doctor if he would be able to reverse the genetic modifications she now knew had been done to her and the Doctor told her he didn't see why they couldn't be done. She waiting to talk with Shinzon before doing this and busied herself with taking care of their child.

Shinzon was transported directly to sickbay. He looked to Donatra and then their child. He picked up his little girl and smiled at her innocent face and kissed her on the forehead for several minutes while stifling back tears of joy. He had tears welled up in his eyes and asked Donatra if she had named her yet. Donatra asked him to name her and he said she would be called Kathryn Jade. He couldn't stop smiling he was so happy they were both alive. Kathryn came up to him and asked him why he had decided to denounce his Reman brothers and Shinzon told her he thought he'd lost all that was dear to him and wanted revenge. He told her that now he knew Donatra and the baby had been saved and were well treated, he owed the Federation his life.

Kathryn smiled and asked him if Lee was truly gone. Shinzon relayed to her that they had met mentally and had decided to co-exist. Shinzon said his strong character would help Lee survive and Lee's down-to-earth character would help him fit into society. He smiled to Kathryn and told her they both agreed--it was an even trade.

Donatra told Shinzon what the Doctor had said about her genetic transformation from Human to Romulan. She told Shinzon she had expressed her desire to see her true face to the Doctor, and wanted to trace her DNA back to her parents. She asked Shinzon if he would feel differently about her if she went ahead with the procedure. Shinzon smiled and told her he loved her no matter how she looked, and agreed the transformation would be best for their family. He consented to the Doctor treating her once she recovered from giving birth, and kissed Donatra on her brow and then her lips. He cried with joy that he was a father and that his beloved would be with him again.

Jean Luc looked out at the war bird Tee Luc, it wasn't interested in the Enterprise or the Romulan war birds, it had turned again and focused itself upon Voyager. Jean Luc feared for those aboard, especially his family. He called to the Federation Ships which were barely functional and asked that they block the Reman war bird's path to Voyager, then he called the Romulan war birds and asked them to flank Voyager's sides. Jean Luc planned on confronting Tee Luc head on and started to enter position.

Chakotay realized what Jean Luc was planning and requested Shinzon to the bridge. "If you value you allegiance to the Federation, now would be a good time to prove it."

Shinzon looked down to Chakotay who was seated in his command chair. He knew Jean Luc was going to sacrifice himself, and he raced to find a different way to destroy the Remans.

Kathryn had told Shinzon before he had left to go to the bridge that Jean Luc wasn't just in memory related to him, but was in fact his biological father. She told him Rose's story and how the Doctor had found that the iron injections had suppressed the aggressive strands of DNA he had inherited from Jean Luc.

As the Enterprise headed towards the Reman war bird, Shinzon told Chakotay to fly straight up and out, point the bow directly towards the middle of the Reman ship and fire. Chakotay did this and before the Enterprise could ram themselves into the Tee Luc, Voyager destroyed it.

Chakotay looked at Shinzon with admiration and Shinzon--feeling the grief of losing his brothers turned and walked towards the turbo lift.