Due to a review I received when I first posted this story, I want to make it clear right now. I have written this story not based fully on the characters which were seen on the show but in the way I view them myself. I only used certain characteristics which have been seen on the show. Those are seen in chapter 1 and later on in the story.
Decisions
Chapter 1
The whole bridge was quiet. Harry stood at his console tinkering with Tom's newest puzzle. Tuvok stood at tactical with the same look on his face that had been there for the past 7 years. Tom was the most active on the bridge. He was setting at the helm spinning around in his chair. Then there was Chakotay, Voyager's First Officer. Strong, handsome, smart, and full of advise. He was Janeway's wings that kept her flying. He was her greatest supporter. Janeway set in her Command chair drinking her coffee which was almost gone and she was still sleepy. Chakotay glanced over at her.
"Would you like me to go and get you another cup Captain?"
She looked at her First Officer puzzled as he continues..
"I always know when your coffee is almost gone."
"Oh, how is that?"
"Well, you always get this sad puppy dog face when you look and see your almost empty cup."
"You know me all too well Chakotay."
She smiled.
"Yes I would love another cup if it is not too much trouble?"
He gives her that look that say's you know me better then that and replies.
"Not at all, anyway I was almost out myself."
Chakotay leaves the Bridge to get more coffee. Janeway looks around the room and realizes she has not heard anything out of anyone in quiet a while.
"Harry, any thing to report?"
"No Captain. Nothing has changed and I am not picking up any thing on sensors."
"Tom , Advance to Warp 8."
"Yes Captain."
=^= Janeway to Seven, Seven Here? Seven I need you to use your sensors to scan this sector for any planets, ships or any signs of life. Yes Captain. Keep me informed Janeway out.=^=
"Tuvok I want you to assist her."
"Understood, I will at once."
She set back in her chair and tried to relax, waiting for something any thing to get her mind off the guilt and worries that bothered her inside. She still after 7 years felt responsible for stranding her crew in the middle of uncharted space. The Turbo lift Doors opened and Janeway stood to see Chakotay standing there with two cups of coffee. Just then all her worries and guilt vanished. He walked over and handed her the over flowing cup of the warm, steaming black substance that she had come to love. She held the cup to her lips and let her mouth be filled with the coffee and a smile appeared on her face. Chakotay laughed at her.
=^= Seven of Nine to the Bridge.=^=
Janeway's smile slowly faded for she knew by the sound of Seven's voice that she had found something.
=^= Go Head Seven, what have you found? Captain I have found an M Class Planet about 3 hours away from our current position. Send the coordinates to the Helm. Janeway out. =^=
"Tom set a course, Engage at Warp 8.9."
"Yes ma'am."
"Well Chakotay I hope your up for an adventure."
He stairs at her with an adventurous look.
"What is life with out adventure."
She smiled at her First Officer and relaxed in her chair. She drank her coffee at an attempt to relax but with fail for the feelings of guilt and worry slowly returned.
*******
It had been almost two hours since a word was spoken on the Bridge, until Harry's console started to beep. Janeway turned to look at him.
"Harry, Report?"
Harry looked up at the Captain with a puzzled look in his eyes.
"Captain I am detecting three ships on an intercept course."
She looked at Harry's worried face.
"How long do we have?"
"About 30 minutes or less."
She turned to Tom but he was already at work. It was as if he already knew what she was thinking and had gotten to work on it.
"Tom, advance to Warp 9.8 and get us to the planet as fast as possible."
"Yes ma'am Captain. I am already working on it."
Harry interrupted Janeway and Tom's conversation,
"Captain they are gaining on us they will be here in less then 25 minutes now."
"Tom, how long?"
"About 20 minutes Captain and we will be in the outer atmosphere of the planet."
"Tuvok, have weapons ready to fire. Harry, hale them."
"No response Captain."
"Damn. Chakotay, do you have any suggestions?"
Chakotay, thinking intensely replied.
"No Captain I can't think of anything, I wish I did."
=^=Janeway to Seven. Yes Captain? Send your findings to my ready room I am going to see if I can come up with any thing in less then 10 minutes. Yes Captain. Janeway out.=^=
"Chakotay you have the Bridge."
Chakotay looked at his Captain but did not see the Kathryn Janeway he knew. He looked at Tuvok with a look that he knew all too well. They walked in to the Senior Staff Conference Room. :
"Tuvok do you have any idea what is wrong with the Captain?"
"Yes, but I am telling you this under the impression that our words do not leave this room?"
"I understand Tuvok."
"Very well. She feels guilty and believes that it is her fault that we are here in the middle of Delta Quadrant away from our friend and families."
"But it is not her fault Tuvok."
"I know but she feels it is. She made the decision to destroy the Caretaker's array and feels the crew might not have been 100% behind her in that decision."
******************************************
Janeway sits at her desk looking at the results Seven came up with when she hears the door beep.
"Come in".
When the door opened she saw her First Officer standing in front of her.
"What have you come up with?"
"Well, besides there being 3 ships after us and no way of getting any back up, nothing."
"You need some rest Captain I think I can handle this situation."
Some in Kathryn broke and she just started to let words flow out that she tired so hard to keep locked inside.
"How can I rest Chakotay?! We're stuck here in the Delta Quartet, possibly about to be destroyed by 3 alien ships and it is my fault that we're in this situation to begin with."
"Captain it is not your fault."
"Yes it is, I made an era in judgment Chakotay and now all of us are paying for my stupid mistake."
"No Captain we all played a part in destroying the Caretaker's Array. Most of this crew owes you their life. Your not only the Captain of this crew but your like a mother to most of them. Like Harry, he sees you as a mother figure. Do you have any idea how lost we all would be with out you Kathryn!"
She sits there thinking about what he just said. One tear falls down her cheek.
"Chakotay, what would I do with out a First Officer like you?"
"I don't know but I always say be thankful you have me."
=^=Captain to the Bridge.. On my way.=^=
****************
Janeway walked on to the Bridge with Chakotay at her side.
"Report?"
Harry replies to her command.
"Captain the ships will be here with in three minutes."
"Tom how long before we arrive at the planet?" "
"About two minutes Captain."
"Okay this is going to be a close call so I want to be ready for any thing, Understood? All right, Tuvok I want you to have weapons ready just incase these people decide to attack. Harry have Tactical ready to Hale the three ships so we may try and reason with them. Tom be ready to land on the planet that is if we have time. Okay, take us out of Warp."
Voyager began to slow down and slowly dropped out of Warp.
"Harry hale them again.."
"No response Captain."
"It seems they don't feel like talking. Okay open a channel on all stander Haling frequencies."
"Channel open Captain."
=^=This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Star Ship VOYAGER, I would like to know what are your intensions?=^=
"Harry?"
"Still no response Captain."
"Well it seems that they have no intention of listening."
Tuvok detects weapon fire.
"Captain they are firing."
"Okay I guess they have made their intentions very clear."
=^= All hands this is the Captain, Battle stations.=^=
"Looks like I got my wish. Tuvok Fire at will."
Voyager shock, everyone was thrown to the floor. Janeway and the bridge crew picked them selves up off the floor.
"Tom engage Attack Pattern Bata four."
"Engaging Captain."
"Captain one ship has been disabled."
Voyager swung around by the force of a torpedo. Janeway was thrown across the bridge. She managed to pick herself up to find that Tom and Harry were missing.
"Tuvok what happened?"
"It seems that one of the Alien Ships beamed Lt. Paris and Ensign Kim on to one of their ships."
"How?"
"When the torpedo hit, our shields were temporarily disabled."
"Is there any way to get them back now?"
"No Captain, there is not"
