Disclaimer: Voyager and all it's characters belong to Paramount (but not by choice).
Author's note: I too have just been on holiday, and understand the frustration of chapter posting. But it's the only way to get chapter by chapter reviews, and to know if one chapter is shitter that the other. So, before you wet yourself or something, here's the fourth.
Chapter four: The MSHS
Tom raised a glass to the group of people in his house, "here's to six months in the alpha quadrant," he smiled around at everyone. His toast was soon followed by the sound of glass clashing against glass, and then the murmur of voices continued.
Chakotay came up behind B'Elanna, "any one would think Tom had alteria motives for this house warming party," he said in a low voice.
She turned round and smiled, "well, you know Tom, any excuse for a party."
"True," he grinned.
"So do you know when Kathryn is expected back from Cardassia?" she changed the subject.
Her former Commander shrugged, "the mission was last minute, she said that she'd tell me when she's due back as soon as she knows."
"Talking of due dates," B'Elanna said thoughtfully, "if she's not back soon, your baby could be born in the enemy's territory."
Chakotay had considered this already, and his friend reminding him didn't help. "I know," he sighed, "but the baby's not due for another month, and she has assured me that she won't be any longer than a week." He paused, "maybe I should have gone with her."
She shrugged, "maybe, but I don't think you killing any arrogent Cardassian 'diplomats' while you were there, would have really helped the situation."
He nodded, "but of all the Admirals- why Kathryn?"
It was a question that most people were asking. Kathryn was eight months pregnant, and was no longer drinking coffee, making her very difficuilt to be around at times. Why StarFleet wanted her of all people to deal with the new Cardassian government was a mystery to most people. Sure, she was great at negotiating and dealing with the arrogent and stuck up beuracracy, (StarFleet and Cardassian alike) but she wasn't the only Admiral that was.
B'Elanna shrugged, "Tom's dad says that it's probably got something to do with her being the only 'neutral' Admiral in StarFleet; apparently not being here for the war means that the Cardassians are more likely to trust and speak with her."
Chakotay hadn't thought of it like that, and nodded slowly, "maybe."
His friend shrugged, "hopefully she'll tell us everything when she gets back."
He winced, "unlikely, but mircles do happen."
Before either of them could say anything else, B'Elanna was distracted by the sound of Miral crying. She appologised and went to help Tom with their infant daughter. Chakotay made his way over to the drinks table, and poured himself another glass of wine.
"Chakotay," he turned round sharply at the voice, "it's good to see you again."
"Seven," he looked more than a little awkward, after having successfully avoided her for the entire evening, "it's good to see you too."
She reached for a glass of juice, "I wish to congradulate you on your impending fatherhood," she said pleasently.
Chakotay felt his gut twist into an uncomforatable position, but smiled anyway. "Thank you," he looked around the crowded room, "do you mind if we speak somewhere a little less crowded?"
Seven could half guess what about, and noticing that her date was happily chatting away to Michael Ayala she nodded. He led her into the garden, where only a few other people had ventured that evening. Finding a quiet and secluded spot by one of the trees, he decided it was now or never to talk with her.
"You've probably worked out that mine and Kathryn's child was not concieved after we returned to Earth," he said as calmly as he could.
The former drone nodded, "it was not that hard to figure out," she replied.
"You should know that it was before you and I started dating," he said quickly, "I didn't even find out that Kathryn was pregnant until just under two months ago, and I never intended to hurt you in anyway."
She looked genuinly confused. "I don't think that I understand why I might be hurt by this."
'Shit' Chakotay cursed to himself, 'she didn't have any idea you idiot, you didn't have to tell her anything!'. He nodded slowly, "I thought that you might be upset to think that I may have been dating you, whilst still having feelings for Kathryn," he tried his best to explain, but she still didn't seem to get it.
"If you still had feelings for the Captain, then why did you agree to go out with me in the first place?" her voice was calm and steady.
"I'm not sure," he confessed, "the Captain had just decided that a relationship between us would not be appropriate for her. I was hurt and upset, and I guess when you asked me out, I saw a way of getting back at her," he said thoughtfully, "by moving on," he added as an after thought, to try and weaken the blow.
"I still don't understand," for a borg she wasn't the brightest of beings, "shouldn't it be Admiral Janeway that is upset by what happened, as she is carrying your child, rather than me?"
"Well I guess," he said slowly, suddenly realising that he and Kathryn had never really spoken about that, or what would have happened had thay not returned to Earth when they did.
"If anything I am flattered that you would chose me over Admiral Janeway," Seven seemed to genuinly believe her words.
Chakotay paused, he didn't want to hurt her, but he realised he couldn't let her go on thinking that he had chosen her over Kathryn. "Seven, it wasn't a case of chosing anyone over anyone else, I just realised that sooner or later I should move on, and you offered me that oppertunity." She nodded, maybe she was starting to understand, or maybe she was just pretending to. He stood there for another awkward second, before deciding that it was probably time that he returned to the house. "I think I've said all that I needed to say," he broke the silence, "maybe we should go back inside and join the others," he attempted a weak smile.
As he made his way past her, she put her arm out and stopped him, before he could question what she was going, she had come around and placed her lips on his. For a moment he didn't know what to do, so let her kiss him, but then sense kicked in and he lifted his hands to her upper arms and peeled himself away from her. She looked confused.
"What are you doing?" he asked angrily, trying to keep his voice calm.
Seven frowned, "I thought this was what you wanted."
He shook his head, "I'm sorry if I've mislead you in anyway Seven, but this is the last thing that I want."
She blinked once, then twice, as if she didn't quite believe what she was hearing, "I'm sorry, I just thought that..."
"Thought what Seven? That just because I'd dated you before on Voyager whilst I had feelings for Kathryn, that I'd be willing to do it again?" His face looked thunderous, "the last thing I want is to jeopordise what I have with her, and that means that this, can never happen."
For the first time that he'd ever witnessed, Seven looked about ready to cry, and it was with great relief that Chakotay heard Tom calling his name. He cast one final look at the former borg drone, "I'm sorry," he said, before walking passed her and towards the sound of the pilot's voice.
"Ah Chakotay, there you are." Tom was standing at the back door, he'd been about ready to go back inside when he'd seen the dark shadow approach from somewhere in his garden.
"What's up Tom?" Chakotay crossed the patio and made his way to the door.
Tom frowned, about to ask what Chakotay was doing alone in the dark garden, when he saw Seven appear from the same direction that Chakotay had just appeared from. "There's some men at the front door," he said, his eyes still on Seven, "they say that they want to speak with you."
Chakotay turned, following the direction of Tom's gaze, saw Seven coming up from behind him, and quickly looking back. "I'll go and find out what they want," he replied quickly, stepping through the door and making his way over to the front of the house.
Tom smiled reluctantly at Seven, before disappearing back inside himself.
They were StarFleet, and there were two of them. "Commander Chakotay?" one of them stepped forwards as he appeared at the threshold of the house.
"I resigned my commision five months ago," he said slowly, his mind darting to why they were there, "but I am Chakotay."
The other man suddenly came to life, "your commision has been reactivated Commander."
"By who?" Chakotay demanded.
"It is irrelevant," the same man replied.
"We have been sent here to take you with us to Cardassia prime, under Admiral Paris' orders," the first one informed him.
Chakotay frowned as mixed feelings overwhelmed him. He was angry that his commision had been reactivated without his consent, and that he was now being given orders. Bad memories of the Cardassians returned to him, and he felt sick to think that he might have to go to their homeworld. Then the sickness that he felt increased, as he realised that Kathryn was there, and he was struck with a sudden panic as the thought that something may have happened to her occured to him.
"Is this about Admiral Janeway?" he asked a little shakily.
"We are not at liberty to discuss that," the first said, "we ask that you come with us."
Feeling he had no other choice, he nodded. Within seconds he felt the familiar buzz of the transporter, and left the Paris household without time to say goodbye to any of his friends.
The next few days seemed to move quickly and blurred together to form just one single memory. He was taken aboard a shuttle, that was already in orbit of Earth, and within seconds they were on their way to Cardassia. It was once they were a safe distance of two light years from Earth, that the two men escorting him, finally told him why he was there. He instantly felt a whole lot worse, and went to the toilet to throw up. He stayed there for the next few hours, not trusting his stomach enough to move anywhere.
He escorts let him be, for the entire trip to Cardassia; they were happy enough with each others company, and realised that he probably wanted time alone.
It took three days at maximum warp to reach the former enemy home planet. They landed the shuttle, not trusting to use their own transporters, for fear that a terrorist may interfer with the beam and kill them.
It had been a terrorist attack of course, on Cardassia prime which had started it.
There had always been threats, and they had always been the same: 'StarFleet does not belong on Cardassia; leave'. But they had always been ignored. The attack had been focussed on the embasy, where Kathryn had been in the middle of a conference at the time. No one was at liberty to tell him what the hell the conference had been about, and Chakotay was starting to get the impression, that they only people that knew were either dead or as good as.
He felt a whole lot worse when he discovered that the attack had been made by the last remaining Maquis, still angry at the Cardassians. Although they still called themselves the Maquis, the federation had long ago offered an amnesty to all Maquis that had fought along side them during the war. So, to ensure that the new breed of Maquis were condemned for their actions, they had been renamed the MSS, the Maquis Sub-Section (MSHS- Maquis Shit Head Section was their unofficial name). It didn't make Chakotay feel any better though.
In his daze, he was hardly aware of the Cardassians that stopped and stared as they walked along the street. "Maybe we ought to have landed a little closer to the hospital," Morgan muttered to his friend.
"Maybe," he friend was little more concerned with the humidity of the planet.
They entered the hospital and went up to the front desk. For a planet still recovering from years of military rule, and a few years of war, the hospital was suprisingly luxurious.
"This is where Guls used to come for treatment," Gregson muttered an explanation across to Chakotay, "it's now reserved for diplomats and representatives."
The particular wing of the hospital which they were directed to, was very well air conditioned, and seemed cold at first when they entered, but looking across at the temperature display, he quickly noticed that it was 21oC, normal room temperature for humans.
A doctor stepped forwards, he had a name but Chakotay didn't quite catch it. He was lead across the room to another door, which was opened for him and so he stepped inside. There was a human nurse standing by the incubater, she looked up and smiled when they entered, before contunuing to check on the readings.
He peered over the top to see a three day old baby lying in the blankets. Slowly, he reached out and touched the baby's head, sparcely covered with hair. "Commander, this is your daughter," the doctor informed him.
Chakotay looked up suddenly, reality finally hitting him in the face with a inaudiable thump that made him suddenly more aware of his surroundings. He let out a sharp breath that he hadn't realised he'd been holding, and quickly made his way out of the room, found a chair against the wall and sat down, holding his head in his hands.
End of chapter four.