Disclamier: Paramount owns all Star Trek Characters, which in MY opinion...
is sooooo not fair, since they have no idea what to do with them.
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, and please, keep them coming!!! Hope
you like this one.
Messages From Home
"Kathryn?" Chakotay called when he walked into the ready room, even though he knew she was right in front of him.
Kathryn Janeway knew that Chakotay sensed something was wrong with her and that maybe he was also slightly worried, that the contact with Starfleet, might cause her to back out from her agreement to marry him.
"Not now Chakotay."
"Now is a perfectly good time," he said, walking to her table, where she sat before a stack of pads, but with none in hand.
She got up and moved to the window, starring at the stationary stars and the nebula not far off, "I was comfortable," she simply stated, "I was happy, very happy. I loved the crew, I loved Shannon, I loved you...." She let the words echo off the walls, before turning around to face him sharply, "I was the Captain, I made the decisions here and now they come in with their al-mighty rules." She laughed, but it came out as more of a pathetic sigh, "Okay, perhaps they weren't so al-mighty three months ago, but now they're bossing me around."
"It's perfectly okay to feel like that."
"No!" she snapped, "It's not! I shouldn't be feeling this. I should be used to taking orders from my superiors; it's what I was trained to do!"
"You've changed. No one can blame you; you've been Starfleet out here, for so long."
"I have changed haven't I?" she asked him, letting him hug her, "I mean, I'm getting married to you."
"You still are?" He asked confirming her earlier suspicion that he might be worrying about the coming nuptials.
"Oh Chakotay, I couldn't live without what we have now."
She broke the hug and walked to the replicater, ordering a cup of coffee. She sighed as she allowed the warmth to fill her hands and she moved back to her chair behind her desk.
"Shannon's arrival, has changed me," she said, "But Chakotay, as happy as I am with the two of you, I'm not so sure if it the change is good."
"But Kathryn, the Captain is still the same person; she's only just allowed you to come out. You haven't really changed, you've just relaxed.... Slightly."
"When was the last time, I worked overtime? Huh? I mean, I need to work hard to show the crew I care. I can't afford to be a mother, a wife and a Captain."
"But don't you see?" Chakotay raised his voice slightly, "You've been juggling all those perfectly well the last couple of weeks and the crew is happy for you. Morale has been high, higher than it has ever been, ask Neelix. You heard them in the briefing room, and didn't you miss Shannon? Aren't you glad she's here? You must have been? You never mentioned her."
"Oh, you're right Chakotay, I am happier than I've ever been before. I do love spending time with Shannon and oh, how I've missed her. I never talked about her because it hurt too much."
"So, you understand Kathryn that everything's going to be okay?"
"I've handled Starfleet before, I can do it again. Besides, once we get back to Earth it's going to be the same again. Oh, you know what Chakotay? I don't think it was the listening to the rules that got to me, it was...."
She trailed off once more, but he knew, she was talking about the changes that had happened over the last three months.
"Speaking of Shannon," Chakotay went on, although they hadn't been talking about her at all, "She seems to have hit it off with Renee, though I don't quite remember seeing her on board before."
"Yes, she has, though you're quite right, I hadn't really noticed her until I was in engineering last night and she was working quite well away from everyone else. Maybe she prefers being a loner, but that's not why you brought Shannon up, is it?"
Chakotay raised an eyebrow, "I know, Kathryn."
She looked at him, "You weren't supposed to know. No one knows, even Shannon doesn't know."
"Well, the Doctor knows, he didn't want to tell, but I was in sickbay when he discovered it, Tom was there too, but he wasn't bothered, too busy chatting with Ayala. When she first came on board the doctor didn't do an intense scan, you covered it up pretty well, but we have technology from other races and he soon discovered what was up."
"You mustn't tell anyone. Not even Phoebe."
"Phoebe, doesn't know?"
"No one knows, delete the Doctor's memory files," she ordered.
"I've told him to keep it quite. I thought you would like that."
"He shouldn't have told anyone!"
"I found out by accident I was in the right place at the right time. Shannon needs to know what happened, Kathryn. She's struggling with it, even though she's trying to hide it. You need to set it right. It's your job, as her mother."
"Maybe later," said Kathryn dismissing the subject.
Chakotay knew that he had lost, "I'll help you with the reports."
She nodded, "Dinner tonight?"
"Of course," he agreed, glad of the change of subject.
"Chakotay to Kathryn Janeway? I'm here, where are you?" asked Chakotay entering the Holodeck. They had finished the reports half and hour ago and had decided to meet at the Holodeck after they had changed.
"Hi," she called, appearing from one behind on of the stalls on the street, "Nice place, don't you think?"
"What are you doing?" he asked, looking at the bags she held in her hands.
"Shopping!" she cried gleefully, completely out of character.
"What?"
"Oh, Chakotay, come on. You know we can only replicate some things to save rations, so I decided to recreate the whole thing. We have air- conditioned shops behind the stalls, but I decided to start out here, in the sun and work my way in. If my mother is going to see me tomorrow, she's going to see me happy."
"Shopping makes you happy? I would never have believed it."
"You better believe it, baby," she smiled and kissed him tenderly.
"What about dinner?" Chakotay paused, "You brought me here, to go shopping?" he asked, deciding he sounded like Tom Paris for a moment.
"Oh, we can eat in between, they have lovely stalls. Here, look!" she dragged him over to a kebab stall, "The ones on the red sticks are real food, I replicated them."
"You did, but I thought you didn't have any rations left."
"It pays to be a demanding mother," she laughed. One wouldn't have believed that couple of hours ago; she had been close to tears in her ready room on a starship, "Of course, next week, I'm stuck watching that television thingy with her, every night. I have no idea what she sees in the box."
"In a few years, you'll be wondering what she sees in the boy."
"Oh no, Chakotay. That's one advantage about being out here, there ARE no boys."
"The poor girl."
"She's thirteen Chakotay! Girls don't date at thirteen... not anymore. I first went on a date when I was eighteen"
"Mmmm," he said, and gently put his arm around her waist.
She sighed and leaned back into him.
"Oh look!" she jumped suddenly.
"What?"
"That outfit in the window!"
He laughed as she dragged him in the direction of one of the shops, "So much for starting with the stalls."
=/=
"Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, we have received your reports," said Admiral Paris, nodding to someone off screen.
"Your mother will come on after this and then the rest of your crew can take turns communicating with their loved ones."
"Thank you Admiral, but I was wondering why you hadn't addressed the Maquis," she felt Chakotay tense next to her, "I assume they will be receiving full pardon."
If Admiral Paris had heard, he didn't show it and the communication cut blank Seven turned to look at her, "We are receiving a hail from Indiana, Captain, should I receive it."
"Yes, hold on, let Shannon come in first," she stopped Chakotay as he walked away, "No Chakotay, you stay, I'm sure mother wants to meet her son- in-law."
"I wasn't going anywhere, but to get Shannon."
Kathryn laughed, which surprised Seven, she had never seen the Captain so happy on duty before.
"Hi Seven, Mom, Chakotay," said Shannon, striding in, like she had not a care in the world. "I'm wearing the sweater she knitted for me last Christmas," said Shannon tugging at the itchy beige top.
"I'm sure she'll be very happy. Now hurry up."
As the three of them stood in front of the view screen, Seven casually excited the room, to monitor the link from outside. 'Respecting Someone's Privacy' was one of the customs the Doctor had told her was polite.
"Kathryn!" said an older version of Kathryn Janeway, in obvious delight. "Shannon, oh you're alright. When I read your note, I panicked. You have no idea how much worry you gave me until Owen told me you were all right. It's been five months. You girl... you owe me when you get back."
"Yes Grandma."
"Who are you?" demanded Gretchen, outwardly.
"Mum, this is Chakotay, my first officer and your son-in-law-to-be."
"Hmmm, turn boy," laughed the old lady.
Chakotay turned around.
"Acceptable, welcome to the family, I would hug you but..." she rapped on the screen, "You know."
"Hi," said someone off screen, and Phoebe came into view.
"Phoebe," said Kathryn, "Oh I've missed you."
"Hi Kathryn. Oo, this is the big handsome warrior."
Kathryn laughed, "I'm sending both of you letters right now, from me and Shannon."
"Shannon," echoed Phoebe, and their eyes met. Shannon backed away, she was glad her 'aunt' hadn't noticed her before, but now she didn't know what to say.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"Phoebe, read my letter," said Kathryn, aware of the tension between the youngest Janeway women.
"Alright," said Phoebe and they talked as usual. Shannon felt more like an outsider than Chakotay did. Phoebe addressed him every now and then teasing Kathryn more then ever. Only Gretchen paid attention to her and Shannon felt overwhelming love for her grandmother.
The beeping noise, signalling their time was up, came abruptly. Too quickly, for all of them.
"Take care, Kathryn, Chakotay... Shannon," said Phoebe after her mother had said her goodbyes.
Shannon looked at the woman, who was supposed to be her biological mother, "Bye," she said quietly.
"Shannon, I..." and the link disconnected.
Shannon was starring at the screen wide eyed, she had almost no colour in her face and her arms were firmly gripping the console in front of her.
Kathryn gently pulled her away from the console, ignoring the, 'I told you so' look Chakotay was giving her.
Chakotay watched as the colour returned to Shannon's face and they walked back to her quarters. Kathryn gently led the way, her arm around Shannon's shoulders, was Shannon's arms, shaking ever so slightly. Chakotay watched, joining in the conversation every now and then with a "Hmmm" and "Yes" But he was devising a plan, a plan he would have to carry out in three days.
Author's Note : So, what did you think???? Hehe, your questions will be answered... eventually!!! grin Sorry if it was too short??? Your reviews make me that little bit happier ; ) .... KayB Out!
Messages From Home
"Kathryn?" Chakotay called when he walked into the ready room, even though he knew she was right in front of him.
Kathryn Janeway knew that Chakotay sensed something was wrong with her and that maybe he was also slightly worried, that the contact with Starfleet, might cause her to back out from her agreement to marry him.
"Not now Chakotay."
"Now is a perfectly good time," he said, walking to her table, where she sat before a stack of pads, but with none in hand.
She got up and moved to the window, starring at the stationary stars and the nebula not far off, "I was comfortable," she simply stated, "I was happy, very happy. I loved the crew, I loved Shannon, I loved you...." She let the words echo off the walls, before turning around to face him sharply, "I was the Captain, I made the decisions here and now they come in with their al-mighty rules." She laughed, but it came out as more of a pathetic sigh, "Okay, perhaps they weren't so al-mighty three months ago, but now they're bossing me around."
"It's perfectly okay to feel like that."
"No!" she snapped, "It's not! I shouldn't be feeling this. I should be used to taking orders from my superiors; it's what I was trained to do!"
"You've changed. No one can blame you; you've been Starfleet out here, for so long."
"I have changed haven't I?" she asked him, letting him hug her, "I mean, I'm getting married to you."
"You still are?" He asked confirming her earlier suspicion that he might be worrying about the coming nuptials.
"Oh Chakotay, I couldn't live without what we have now."
She broke the hug and walked to the replicater, ordering a cup of coffee. She sighed as she allowed the warmth to fill her hands and she moved back to her chair behind her desk.
"Shannon's arrival, has changed me," she said, "But Chakotay, as happy as I am with the two of you, I'm not so sure if it the change is good."
"But Kathryn, the Captain is still the same person; she's only just allowed you to come out. You haven't really changed, you've just relaxed.... Slightly."
"When was the last time, I worked overtime? Huh? I mean, I need to work hard to show the crew I care. I can't afford to be a mother, a wife and a Captain."
"But don't you see?" Chakotay raised his voice slightly, "You've been juggling all those perfectly well the last couple of weeks and the crew is happy for you. Morale has been high, higher than it has ever been, ask Neelix. You heard them in the briefing room, and didn't you miss Shannon? Aren't you glad she's here? You must have been? You never mentioned her."
"Oh, you're right Chakotay, I am happier than I've ever been before. I do love spending time with Shannon and oh, how I've missed her. I never talked about her because it hurt too much."
"So, you understand Kathryn that everything's going to be okay?"
"I've handled Starfleet before, I can do it again. Besides, once we get back to Earth it's going to be the same again. Oh, you know what Chakotay? I don't think it was the listening to the rules that got to me, it was...."
She trailed off once more, but he knew, she was talking about the changes that had happened over the last three months.
"Speaking of Shannon," Chakotay went on, although they hadn't been talking about her at all, "She seems to have hit it off with Renee, though I don't quite remember seeing her on board before."
"Yes, she has, though you're quite right, I hadn't really noticed her until I was in engineering last night and she was working quite well away from everyone else. Maybe she prefers being a loner, but that's not why you brought Shannon up, is it?"
Chakotay raised an eyebrow, "I know, Kathryn."
She looked at him, "You weren't supposed to know. No one knows, even Shannon doesn't know."
"Well, the Doctor knows, he didn't want to tell, but I was in sickbay when he discovered it, Tom was there too, but he wasn't bothered, too busy chatting with Ayala. When she first came on board the doctor didn't do an intense scan, you covered it up pretty well, but we have technology from other races and he soon discovered what was up."
"You mustn't tell anyone. Not even Phoebe."
"Phoebe, doesn't know?"
"No one knows, delete the Doctor's memory files," she ordered.
"I've told him to keep it quite. I thought you would like that."
"He shouldn't have told anyone!"
"I found out by accident I was in the right place at the right time. Shannon needs to know what happened, Kathryn. She's struggling with it, even though she's trying to hide it. You need to set it right. It's your job, as her mother."
"Maybe later," said Kathryn dismissing the subject.
Chakotay knew that he had lost, "I'll help you with the reports."
She nodded, "Dinner tonight?"
"Of course," he agreed, glad of the change of subject.
"Chakotay to Kathryn Janeway? I'm here, where are you?" asked Chakotay entering the Holodeck. They had finished the reports half and hour ago and had decided to meet at the Holodeck after they had changed.
"Hi," she called, appearing from one behind on of the stalls on the street, "Nice place, don't you think?"
"What are you doing?" he asked, looking at the bags she held in her hands.
"Shopping!" she cried gleefully, completely out of character.
"What?"
"Oh, Chakotay, come on. You know we can only replicate some things to save rations, so I decided to recreate the whole thing. We have air- conditioned shops behind the stalls, but I decided to start out here, in the sun and work my way in. If my mother is going to see me tomorrow, she's going to see me happy."
"Shopping makes you happy? I would never have believed it."
"You better believe it, baby," she smiled and kissed him tenderly.
"What about dinner?" Chakotay paused, "You brought me here, to go shopping?" he asked, deciding he sounded like Tom Paris for a moment.
"Oh, we can eat in between, they have lovely stalls. Here, look!" she dragged him over to a kebab stall, "The ones on the red sticks are real food, I replicated them."
"You did, but I thought you didn't have any rations left."
"It pays to be a demanding mother," she laughed. One wouldn't have believed that couple of hours ago; she had been close to tears in her ready room on a starship, "Of course, next week, I'm stuck watching that television thingy with her, every night. I have no idea what she sees in the box."
"In a few years, you'll be wondering what she sees in the boy."
"Oh no, Chakotay. That's one advantage about being out here, there ARE no boys."
"The poor girl."
"She's thirteen Chakotay! Girls don't date at thirteen... not anymore. I first went on a date when I was eighteen"
"Mmmm," he said, and gently put his arm around her waist.
She sighed and leaned back into him.
"Oh look!" she jumped suddenly.
"What?"
"That outfit in the window!"
He laughed as she dragged him in the direction of one of the shops, "So much for starting with the stalls."
=/=
"Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, we have received your reports," said Admiral Paris, nodding to someone off screen.
"Your mother will come on after this and then the rest of your crew can take turns communicating with their loved ones."
"Thank you Admiral, but I was wondering why you hadn't addressed the Maquis," she felt Chakotay tense next to her, "I assume they will be receiving full pardon."
If Admiral Paris had heard, he didn't show it and the communication cut blank Seven turned to look at her, "We are receiving a hail from Indiana, Captain, should I receive it."
"Yes, hold on, let Shannon come in first," she stopped Chakotay as he walked away, "No Chakotay, you stay, I'm sure mother wants to meet her son- in-law."
"I wasn't going anywhere, but to get Shannon."
Kathryn laughed, which surprised Seven, she had never seen the Captain so happy on duty before.
"Hi Seven, Mom, Chakotay," said Shannon, striding in, like she had not a care in the world. "I'm wearing the sweater she knitted for me last Christmas," said Shannon tugging at the itchy beige top.
"I'm sure she'll be very happy. Now hurry up."
As the three of them stood in front of the view screen, Seven casually excited the room, to monitor the link from outside. 'Respecting Someone's Privacy' was one of the customs the Doctor had told her was polite.
"Kathryn!" said an older version of Kathryn Janeway, in obvious delight. "Shannon, oh you're alright. When I read your note, I panicked. You have no idea how much worry you gave me until Owen told me you were all right. It's been five months. You girl... you owe me when you get back."
"Yes Grandma."
"Who are you?" demanded Gretchen, outwardly.
"Mum, this is Chakotay, my first officer and your son-in-law-to-be."
"Hmmm, turn boy," laughed the old lady.
Chakotay turned around.
"Acceptable, welcome to the family, I would hug you but..." she rapped on the screen, "You know."
"Hi," said someone off screen, and Phoebe came into view.
"Phoebe," said Kathryn, "Oh I've missed you."
"Hi Kathryn. Oo, this is the big handsome warrior."
Kathryn laughed, "I'm sending both of you letters right now, from me and Shannon."
"Shannon," echoed Phoebe, and their eyes met. Shannon backed away, she was glad her 'aunt' hadn't noticed her before, but now she didn't know what to say.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"Phoebe, read my letter," said Kathryn, aware of the tension between the youngest Janeway women.
"Alright," said Phoebe and they talked as usual. Shannon felt more like an outsider than Chakotay did. Phoebe addressed him every now and then teasing Kathryn more then ever. Only Gretchen paid attention to her and Shannon felt overwhelming love for her grandmother.
The beeping noise, signalling their time was up, came abruptly. Too quickly, for all of them.
"Take care, Kathryn, Chakotay... Shannon," said Phoebe after her mother had said her goodbyes.
Shannon looked at the woman, who was supposed to be her biological mother, "Bye," she said quietly.
"Shannon, I..." and the link disconnected.
Shannon was starring at the screen wide eyed, she had almost no colour in her face and her arms were firmly gripping the console in front of her.
Kathryn gently pulled her away from the console, ignoring the, 'I told you so' look Chakotay was giving her.
Chakotay watched as the colour returned to Shannon's face and they walked back to her quarters. Kathryn gently led the way, her arm around Shannon's shoulders, was Shannon's arms, shaking ever so slightly. Chakotay watched, joining in the conversation every now and then with a "Hmmm" and "Yes" But he was devising a plan, a plan he would have to carry out in three days.
Author's Note : So, what did you think???? Hehe, your questions will be answered... eventually!!! grin Sorry if it was too short??? Your reviews make me that little bit happier ; ) .... KayB Out!
