Betrayal and Turkey.
Chapter Five.
By Hopping Hamster.
Paramount own Star Trek and its characters, I give them the fun they need to be real.
Chakotay stepped off the turbo lift to enter the den alone early that afternoon. If he was honest he wasn't really sure he wanted to be going but had promised B'Elanna he would go to the senior staff lunch because it meant so much to her. As he entered all of the senior staff were sat at a large table set for the most delicious looking traditional turkey meal for Christmas that was only a week away. As the door shut behind him all eyes of Voyagers senior staff team fell on him. Seven jumped out of her seat in obvious shock to see him. Tuvok raised an eyebrow and glanced at the elegantly dressed woman sat beside him who was the figure of beauty as her sparking blue eyes locked with his. Her face was soft, her smile warning his long neglected heart. "Please Chakotay" she softly gestured to the seat opposite her on the far side of the long table. Hurriedly taking his seat he was glad to be sat with the doctor and Tom whose banter throughout the evening made things a whole lot better for him. As the group chatted of things he knew nothing of for not being around those last five years Chakotay found he was drifting in and out of the conversation as the afternoon wore on and so watched the woman who had silently held his heart for so long. She was radiant and seemed peaceful though she was lacking in some way that he couldn't quite place. Sam Wildman was sat with her the whole time, which if he was honest surprised him. It wasn't like the Kathryn Jane way he knew to allow a none member of the senior staff at the senior staff lunch. it wasn't until mid-way through the meal he became aware of the way her crew assisted her in subtle ways, especially Sam. in fact Sam seemed to be there just to assist her. Chakotay also noticed how she often shifted in her chair as though she were in pain but the most noticeable of all was she did everything with one hand and kept her other resting under the table, her entire arm not moving the whole time.
As the meal drew to a close the group all stood, and made their exit politely. All but Kathryn and Chakotay who both sat their faces turned from each other. Sam had been the last to leave and only made an indication of leaving when Kathryn whispered in her ear and placed at hand on her shoulder.
sometime passed before Kathryn who was still staring at her hands below the table whispered "thank you for coming Chakotay" then he looked up into his eyes saying "it means a lot to see you here with us" when he didn't respond in any way she added "really"
"I didn't come for you" he retorted deeply.
she regarded him for a second then nodded and said in her very husky voice "I know you didn't, that doesn't stop me being pleased your here" he scowled and she added with a gentle reply "if you didn't want to talk you would have left with the others"
there was nothing he could say to that and so he scowled and asked "did you fix the replicator?"
she let out a soft laugh and nodded telling him "B'Elanna promised she would see to it in the morning" then she deliberately let her eyes dance over him before she tilted her head to meet his eyes and said in earnest "thank you for pulling the plug on it this morning"
Chakotay felt angry, some part of him was worried for her, the other part furious as he snapped in rage "were you planning on sitting there doing nothing like some helpless damsel?" her eyes flicked downwards away from his scrutiny as she closed them to hold back her escaping tears at how cutting his words were. when she made no effort to reply, she knew sooner or later he would know, he demanded "you could have set the whole house on fire"
without a word about the incident that morning she looked up and said in a strong firm voice "I could kill for an afternoon coffee. Can I get you something to drink?"
Chakotay regarded her long and hard for a long second. The whole time he held her gaze, she was up to something, he knew that twinkle in her eye, that set look on her face, and he just didn't know what she was up to. Deciding, for now at least, to go along with her games, which he knew she was very skilled at he nodded and said "tea please" without taking his eyes from her.
As she rose from her chair to face the replicator Chakotays heart nearly hit his throat. For all the elegance she looked as she was sat behind the table Chakotay now saw her body below the waist was twisted and broken. Her right leg was held tight in some kind of painful looking device. He right hand was in a twisted fist and hung loosely and unmoving at the side of her mangled body. As she turned Chakotay saw she had to almost drag the braced leg after her. He could see she had become obviously skilled at it but it didn't change the fact that there she stood before him, half turned to the replicator. Her body a shattered mess of mangled bones.
