Sorry this took so long to get up, school and work have both been insane. As you'll read, I ripped the "Angry Warrior" story and changed it a bit, mostly because really didn't feel like watching that scene fifty times just to type it correctly. Sorry if you don't like it, but I thought it fit. I really appriciate the reviews I've gotten, and I'll try to hurry with the next chapter. Sad thing is I know basically where I'm heading, I'm just not sure how I'm getting there. It could take more time. Sorry. I'll type it as fast as I can.
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"One more time," Jenna said, draining her fourth cup of coffee. "What's your name?"
"Kathryn Janeway."
"Where did you grow up?"
"On a farm in Bloomington, Indiana, United States, Earth."
"What was life like growing up?"
"Mostly quiet. I liked to study while my sister liked to paint; she was the artist of the family. My parents liked to take us on camping trips, which I hated."
"What's your family like?"
"My father, Adm. Edward Janeway, was gone a lot growing up on missions against the Cardassians. My mother, Gretchen Janeway, is a mathematician. My younger sister Phoebe is an artist."
"What about close friends?"
"I don't have any friends. I'm too busy studying."
"Nice try," Jenna said, trying to take another sip, just to realize she was out.
"Would you like me to get you any more," Kathryn asked.
"No thanks. Another cup and I'll jump to warp," she sighed. "Back to the matter at hand: tell me about your friends."
"There's Mark Johnson, but I call him Hobbes, mostly to piss him off. I have recently become engaged to Justin Tighe, who had saved me from a Cardassian prison."
"Occupation?"
"I'm a member of Starfleet, science research division."
"Ok, that's enough for tonight," Jenna said, checking the time. "Tomorrow we'll go over more details about your personal life." At Kathryn's sigh, Jenna said, "Hey, this is the easy part. Just wait until we start going over warp theory."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"I can't promise I'll answer."
"How do you sleep at night knowing we'll be taking lives from people?"
"I have this machine that will simulate the sound of the ocean. It really helps, you should try it."
"I'm serious," Kathryn said, standing up. "How can you do this?"
Jenna was quiet for a few minutes before softly answering, "Because I've heard what will happen if we don't do this, and it would be harder for me to deal with allowing that future to happen than to do this to try and stop it."
"So to prevent Earth from becoming a 'state of nature' you're willing to sacrifice these two?"
Jenna took a deep breath and said, "I know that no matter how Derrick and I try to pretty this up by saying they'll die anyway and we need to do this to prevent Earth from destruction it doesn't change what we're doing. You don't think I don't realize the human cost, the precedent we're setting? With this substitution we're saying that the greater good outweighs the individual. I think about it a lot more than you might realize," she sighed. "But this is a situation that calls for an unorthodox procedure, and well, you don't get much more unorthodox than a substitution. My organization doesn't like doing this anymore than you want to do this, but we have to."
"Why," Kathryn pleaded, "why do we have to do this? Why can't we just save them?"
"Because it doesn't work like that in this timeline," Jenna said, coming up to Kathryn and putting her arms on Kathryn's shoulders. "No matter how hard you try, you can't escape destiny. This is your destiny, no matter how much you try to avoid it."
"I don't think I can do it," Kathryn said, tears running down her cheek. "Every time I close my eyes, I see the faces of Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay and the life we're taking from them."
"Then remember the world you left. Remember how you found your family in that tree. Remember having your unborn child ripped from your stomach. Remember that by doing this, you'll be preventing that nightmare. There's a light at the end of the tunnel, you can barely see it from where you're at, but it's there, I promise. Don't run back to the darkness just because you're familiar with it."
Kathryn just stared at her in shock. "Wow… That could almost be considered deep."
"Yeah, well just don't tell anyone around here that," Jenna said with a smirk and dropping her arms. "I don't want anyone to know I broke precedent and have them expect it from now on."
"Will history forget the real Kathryn and Chakotay?"
"No," Jenna answered, "history will not forget them. If Telsa and Lenear fail, then we'll have Starfleet find their bodies, which would start an inquiry into the matter, and we could try to prevent the attack that way. If they are successful, which would really surprise me, then we'll arrange something. But I promise history will not forget them."
"I don't think I could live with myself if it did," Kathryn said.
"That makes two of us," Jenna said shaking her head. "Go get some rest, you look like shit."
"Thanks, I feel so much better," Kathryn said dryly.
"Anytime," Jenna said as Kathryn headed out the door. "By the way," Jenna said catching her attention, "Derrick and I have a meeting with Adm. Jones in the morning, so you can sleep in."
"Ok, thanks," Kathryn said and walked out. She made her way to her quarters, which was down the hall from Chakotay's. They were told that they could only see each other during meals and one 15 minute communication at night after Jenna and Derrick released them. They were told that if they saw each other anymore than that it would interfere with their studies. It was hard the first few days, but as the work intensified, both the mental and physical aspect of it, Kathryn had trouble staying awake during their nightly talks.
She entered her quarters and headed straight for her bathtub. With the exception of her talks with Chakotay, this was her favorite part of the night. She turned the water on, got in, and before she let out her first relaxed sigh, the door chime went off.
"Figures," Kathryn muttered. She gave the door the open command without getting up figuring whatever Jenna had to say it could be said with her in the tub. When she heard the door open she shouted, "I'm in here Jenna."
"You look comfortable."
"Chakotay," Kathryn said, almost getting whiplash from turning around so fast to look at Chakotay. "I thought you were Jenna."
"I gathered that," he said moving to sit on the edge of the tub. "She came into my session with Derrick and declared I was taking the rest of the night off."
"What's that you're holding," Kathryn asked nodding toward the padd in his hand.
"Permission from both Jenna and Derrick for me to spend the night in your quarters," he said handing her the padd. "I was particularly amused as to the reason why."
"Due to Kathryn Janeway's emotional instability," Kathryn cried as she read from the padd.
"I thought you'd react that way when you saw it," Chakotay said, barely able to contain his grin. "She said we needed to put that on there."
"I'm sure."
"Well otherwise the guards in front of your door wouldn't let me in. It had to be something that would be serious enough for no one to question," Chakotay explained. "Something with a little bit of truth behind it."
"Doesn't she know how to keep a secret?"
"She didn't tell me any details. All I was told was that unless she becomes convinced that you're onboard with what we're doing, she has no choice but to report to Adm. Jones that you're not stable enough for this mission. If that's the case, you disappear, permanently."
"So I'm in trouble because I have a heart," Kathryn asked.
"This is too big a mission for either of us to have any major doubts. If one of us breaks down after they've substituted us…"
"Now you sound like Derrick," Kathryn said dejectedly.
"Kathryn, I'm just trying to help you."
"Well you're doing a great job," she said turning away from him.
"Damn it Kathryn! Stop closing up on me," he shouted. At her startled look, he said, "If you keep closing up, none of us can help you."
"So that's it? You're all just abandoning me?"
"No," he said, his voice softening. He pulled her against him and said, "That's why I'm here tonight. I want to help you. Not because of the mission or the future, but because I love you. I haven't seen you for weeks and I don't want to lose you."
"We see each other everyday."
"You know what I mean," Chakotay said. "Talk to me Kathryn. We always used to be able to talk. Tell me, what's wrong?"
"I'm just having a hard time doing this. Every time I go over the information… We're stealing these people's lives, Chakotay. How am I supposed to deal with that? How do you deal with it?"
Chakotay sighed as he thought about it. "For me there really is no choice. There's a legend that was passed down from my people, about a warrior whose village was constantly attacked by neighboring villages. He lived his life waiting for the enemy to attack from every shadow, and no matter what happened, he could never find peace. Until one day, during his travels, he found a woman from another village whose family had just been killed by another tribe. This warrior took her in and watched over her as her wounds healed. Even though they were enemies, they soon grew to trust and love each other. From that day on he swore to do anything to protect the woman who had finally helped him find peace."
Kathryn sat quietly, taking it all in before saying, "There really is no legend like that, is there?"
"No, but it made it easier to say," he said with his dimpled smile. "I'm doing this because this is the only way I know I can protect you. And if there is some chance we can prevent Earth from turning into the world we knew, how can we not do it?"
"You do know that we're going to be separated for several years," Kathryn said, "and I have to get engaged to another guy."
"Derrick did tell me that," Chakotay said, "but he also told me the rest of the story."
"Really? Jenna stopped there. What happens after?"
"There's a reason she didn't tell," Chakotay said. "Don't worry, it'll work itself out."
"I hate it when people tell me that," Kathryn sighed. "The only thing I hate more are the early start we have every mornings."
"At least you don't have to worry about that tomorrow." When Kathryn looked at him questioningly, he asked, "Don't you remember? We get to sleep in because Jenna and Derrick have a meeting."
"I completely forgot about that," Kathryn exclaimed. "I'm not used to sleeping past 0600."
"Then it is my duty, to ensure your mental stability, to make sure you sleep until at least 1100."
"Any ideas?"
"Can this tub fit two people?"
Kathryn had pulled him in before he even finished the sentence.
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"After that day there weren't any other issues," Jenna said. "Time went on and we continued training them to be substituted with Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay."
"Your honor," Adm. Nechavey said standing, "this hearing is to get to the truth about who these two people are. Their story is beyond the realm of reason. I just can't believe that they were 'substituted' to prevent Earth's destruction."
"And I just can't believe someone as incompetent as you was promoted to admiral. That, to me, is outside the realm of reason, and yet, here you stand," Jenna said. Before the judge had a chance to say something, Jenna added, "Look, she brought up the subject, I just threw in my opinion."
"You honor, not only is Cmdr. Garcia story unbelievable, she's stooping to insults because she cannot back up her story," Nechavey said.
"That's not necessarily true," Kathryn said. "If we told you someone was 'repeated' from our time here, would that help convince you?"
"Could you prove it," Nechavey asked.
Kathryn turned to Jenna, who said, "Don't look at me, you brought this up and I've never been to your time."
"Is someone repeated here," asked the judge.
"Yes," Kathryn said, "Rakel."
"Anyone we know," Nechavey asked.
"Yes," Kathryn said, "you." At her stunned silence, Kathryn continued, "It makes sense, she tried to ruin my life, you're trying to ruin my life…"
"I'm doing it for the good of the Federation!"
"And you're just protect what's yours, right?"
"Alright, that's enough," Jenna said, cutting off Nechavey's angry response. "We have a lot to do, and we don't have time for you and Nechavey to have a bitch fit. Oh, and Nechavey, she has a point."
At Nechavey's glare, Pellowa interjected, "Commander, could you please continue with your story."
"Of course your honor," Jenna said. "After we finished their training, we were ready to substitute them…"
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"Ok, do you have any questions," Derrick asked Kathryn.
"How are they going to find me," Kathryn asked, voice shaking. She was dressed in Starfleet science officer's uniform, getting briefed by Derrick while Jenna manned the helm of the shuttle.
"We're going to put a cloaking device around the crash site," Derrick answered, "and you'll be placed far enough away from it they won't detect it."
Jenna stopped the shuttle and moved to stand next her and said, "Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you. We spent way too much money and time to make sure this mission would work."
"Thanks," Kathryn said, "I feel so much better."
"Good," Jenna said pulling something out of a case next to her.
"What's that," Kathryn asked nervously.
"This is going to knock you out," Jenna said. "Calm down, we need to make it look like you were actually in a shuttle accident, so we're knocking you out so you don't feel anything." Just as Kathryn started to panic, Jenna grabbed her arms, forced Kathryn to look into her eyes and said, "Trust me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
"How can you say that if you're leaving me? I don't want to do this on my own."
"Be careful what you wish for Ensign," Jenna said as she brought the hypospray up to Kathryn's neck and knocked her out. "Alright Derrick, you know what to do," she said with a sigh.
After he was done creating burns and bruises on Kathryn, Derrick transported Kathryn and Jenna down to the planet's surface.
Jenna placed Kathryn's body down on the ground and placed a signal amplifier in her combage before moving down to the crash site. She set up the cloaking device and signaled Derrick to transport her back to the shuttle.
"Is the cloaking device up and running," Derrick asked without looking up from the shuttle controls.
"Yes," Jenna said taking the seat next to him.
"Do I detect a note of hostility?"
"Are you sure we're doing the right thing, Derrick," she asked, turning to face him.
"Isn't it a little late to be asking this question?"
"I know, I know. It's just that I've been finding it harder and harder to sleep lately…"
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
"No, but I probably should," she said with a sigh.
"Look, I'll cancel the meeting with Chakotay and I'll meet up with you after your shift, ok?"
"Don't cancel with him," Jenna said. "Something tells me I may be pulling a double shift tonight."
"Whatever you say, 'Dr. Hanson'," Derrick said as he turned on the ship's cloaking device and made his way past the Starfleet ship that was responding to Adm. Janeway's distress call.