Took me longer than planned to get this chapter up, but the plus side is I'm over halfway done with the next chapter. Side note: I finally got one review, so I will now stop begging pathetically for one (I'll just stick to asking pathetically).

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"So when do we start," Jenna asked, walking into Derrick's office.

"We?"

"Yes, we. It was your plan, you have the connections, you get to help."

"Alright," he sighed in defeat. "The fist thing we have to do is analyze the files different alternate timelines to see what the difference is."

"I'm really looking forward to getting those," Jenna said with a sigh. "Trying to get anything like that, even with permission from 'the powers that be' is still hard to do."

"Not when 'the powers that be' control that information."

"That reminds me, just how did you get in with them?"

"It's a long story," Derrick said, rising from his chair. "What I have to do now is petition them for information. Once I'm done with that I'm going to interview Chakotay. What you should do is start going over Braxton's files to see if he mentions anything."

"Yea," Jenna replied drill on her way out, "I'll get on it."

She went back to her office and started through the padds. After a half an hour she heard a light knock. She looked up to see Kathryn standing in her doorway.

"What can I do for you?"

"I," Kathryn said quietly, "I was wondering if you needed help with anything?"

"You want to help?"

"Lt. Cmdr. Johnson came by and asked Chakotay for help, and well…"

"The walls of your quarters were closing in on you," Jenna guessed.

Kathryn responded with a weak smile and said, "Something like that."

"I suppose I could have some help getting through all of these padds. You can read, right?"

"My father taught me when I was five years old."

"Good," Jenna said rising. "Let me just refresh my coffee and we can get started. Would you like some?"

"Would I like what?"

"Coffee."

"I've never heard of it before."

"You've never heard of coffee," Jenna asked disbelievingly. "You really did live in the Dark Ages. Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To get you your first cup."

They walked to the replicator down the hall and Jenna ordered two cups of black coffee.

"Let me know if it's too bitter," Jenna said, handing Kathryn the cup. "Some people like to add cream and sugar, but I prefer it black."

Kathryn carefully took the cup. She spent a few minutes examining the dark liquid before finally taking a drink.

"Well," Jenna asked. "What do you think?"

"This is the best drink I've ever had," Kathryn said, quickly taking another sip.

"We're going to get along great," Jenna said, putting her arm around Kathryn's shoulders and leading her towards her office.

---------------------------------------------------------An Hour Later------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, I think that's all I need," Derrick said.

"Are you sure," Chakotay asked. "It didn't seem like you asked me anything important."

"'The devil is in the details.'"

"What?"

"Don't worry about," Derrick said, "old expression. Go back to your quarters; I'll come and get you if I need anything."

"Ok," Chakotay said, standing up. "Have a good night." As he was turning to walk out the door, Jenna slammed into him, knocking her over.

"I'm so sorry ma'am," Chakotay said, quickly offering a hand to help her up.

"It's my fault, but don't call me ma'am," she responded testily.

"It's a big thing with her," Derrick said to Chakotay, "just roll with it if you don't want to see her freak out on you."

"Just call me Jenna," she said picking up her padd as Kathryn walked in behind her.

"Are you ok Kathryn," Chakotay asked, looking at her, noticing how she couldn't stand still. "You seem… off."

"That's what happens when you have three and half cups of coffee," Jenna muttered.

"What's coffee," Chakotay asked.

"The most wonderful stuff in the world," Kathryn answered.

"Three and a half cups of coffee," Derrick exclaimed, "I can't even drink that!"

"That's because you're a pussy," Jenna said smiling. She turned to Chakotay and whispered to him, "You're going to want to watch her; she's going to be bouncing off the walls. That and she's going to need to go to the bathroom, really bad, very soon. Just a heads up."

"Thanks," Chakotay muttered.

"I can't believe you gave her coffee," Derrick said. "Now she'll probably be addicted to the stuff."

"That's the general idea," Jenna said with a smile. "I need you to look at this. I found this in Braxton's files."

"What is it," Derrick asked taking the padd from Jenna.

"A picture of two people, the following documents is their basic information. Do they remind you of anyone?"

Derrick eyes went wide and he muttered, "You've got to be kidding me."

"If you think that's freaky, you should read the files." She watched Derrick as he read, and said, "Judging by your reaction, his profile matches Chakotay's as much as hers matched Kathryn's."

"They're names are even the same."

"Do you want to know the most intriguing part of all of this?"

"What's that?"

"Going on what I read from Braxton's notes, these two are the difference."

"It can't be that easy," Derrick said, shaking his head.

"Actually it is."

"Admiral Jones," Derrick said, snapping to attention.

"At ease before you sprain something," he said to Derrick before turning to Jenna. "We haven't been introduced, but we've been watching you and you've impressed us."

He extended his hand to her, and she took it asking warily, "Really. How did I manage the insurmountable task of impressing people who like to refer to themselves in the 3rd person?"

"During the war you exhibited many traits we find very appealing."

"Such as?"

"You know how to think quickly on your feet," he started listing off.

"If you don't in this line of work you die quickly," she responded drolly.

"You act independently, but at the end of the day you know you answer to someone."

"Don't we all?"

"You get answers you need without asking too many questions."

"People who ask too many questions disappear, or find themselves in a court martial."

"I don't mean to interrupt," Chakotay said tentatively glancing at the three officers, "but Kathryn really needs to use the bathroom."

"Go left down the hall, take the first right, and it'll be the 2nd door on the left," Derrick directed.

As Kathryn and Chakotay hurried out the door, Adm. Jones answered, "Getting back to the subject, you have been misinformed Commander."

"Really," Jenna answered. "How's that?"

"People who disappear, or end up in a court martial have overreached their authority. People who ask too many questions are transferred to the septic system sanitation department."

"Well that's a shitty thing to do."

"We also like sarcasm," Adm. Jones said with a smirk.

"Ok, who is this 'we' you keep referring to?"

"We are the ones who originally assign Braxton to handle this. We should have known better."

"Why's that," Derrick asked.

"We picked him because he was easy to control and manipulate. The problem was, we gave him more freedom and resources than he was used to. He couldn't handle it, and soon, it all went to his head. He just took any information he needed without asking any permission."

"Didn't you just say you have him the freedom and resources to do that," Jenna asked.

"Yes," Adm. Jones explained, "but we did not give him clearance to take anything concerning alternate universes. He was supposed to petition for that, like Derrick did. What you have there is only a tiny bit of information he was able to download before we arrested him. We're confident we will not have the same problem with you."

"How am I different from Braxton?"

"Jenna," Derrick whispered nervously.

"It's ok Johnson, it's a fair question. Braxton was a puppet. If we said jump, he'd ask how high. This mission proved to be too much for him to handle. He started overreaching and forgot that in the end, he answered to us."

"He was so much more trouble than he was worth," Jenna muttered.

"That's the conclusion we have come to as well," Adm. Jones responded. "You, on the other hand, are way too stubborn to become our puppet."

"And you think that's a good thing because…?"

"We need someone who can think for themselves on this mission, but also remembers their place. We believe you and Johnson can appropriately handle this situation. If you don't, you'll both wish you were Braxton."

"First," Jenna said stepping toe to toe with Jones while Derrick had a deer in the headlights look on his face, "nobody threatens me or my friends. Second, nothing, not even scrubbing the septic pipes, could ever make me wish I was Braxton. Third, I need you to get information for me."

"Excuse me," Adm. Jones asked, shocked she would actually talk back to him.

"You said Braxton overstepped his bounds when he started getting information he needed without asking permission. I need as much information as you can get me on these two," she said, handing him the padd. "I can't get it, because that would be overreaching, however, it is within your authority to get it for me, right?"

"All right," Adm. Jones said. "I'll do it, but don't forget who you answer to."

"How can I know if you haven't told me?"

Adm. Jones walked out and said, "The information will be on your desk by the time you come in tomorrow."

After he had left the room, Jenna asked quietly, "Who's the puppet now?"

"Be careful Jenna," Derrick pleaded, causing Jenna to turn around and face him. "They don't have a lot of patience."

"So I gathered," she replied, looking back to the door to see Kathryn and Chakotay walk in. She asked Kathryn, "Feeling better?"

Kathryn nodded, saying, "I've never had to go so bad in my life."

"One of the few drawbacks to coffee, I'm afraid," Jenna said, sympathetically. "If you drink it in moderation, it isn't so bad."

"Will I ever stop shaking?"

"Eventually."

"Do you ever shake form it?"

"Not any more. Once your body gets used to it, you stop."

"I can't wait for that to happen. I can't stand this shaking."

"You could always stop drinking it," Derrick suggested.

"Why would I ever want to do that," Kathryn asked, shocked.

"I hope you're happy," Derrick asked Jenna.

"Ecstatic."

"What's on that padd that has you and Lt. Cmdr. Johnson so worked up," Chakotay asked, trying to change the subject.

"A picture of the people we're going to substitute you with," Jenna said, handing the padd to Chakotay.

"Remember when we talked about people getting repeated? This is what we meant," Derrick said, watching their reaction to the picture. "I'd like to introduce you both to Kathryn Elizabeth Janeway and Chakotay, Son of Kolopak."

"Who are they," Kathryn asked, breathless.

"Starting tomorrow, you."