A/N: First of all, I want to thank everyone for being so patient while life has been kicking my tushie and denying me my writing time. I've gotten several PM's and reviews from loyal readers eager to continue with the story, and I apologize for the delay. I don't think I've updated since July or August. LOTS of things happening to interfere. My graduation party, vacation, searching for a job, finding a job, hating said job, finding another job, deciding working sucks and graduate school would be better, etc., etc., etc. So, without further ado, here is a little chapter to keep some of you momentarily satisfied. It's really only a filler chapter, but the next one will be longer and probably have action in it, I promise. Just keep in mind that life sucks lol and doesn't allow much time for hobbies. So, hope you like chp. 26!
Kathryn tentatively approached Seska. "You make an…emotional plea, Seska? To us?"
"Emotional?" Seska sneered. "Plea? No, Janeway. If I needed to, I could take this ship and go after Vaden on my own. I just know it would be easier if I had your crew doing the work for me."
"But that would involve leaving behind your warriors, wouldn't it? What makes you think that I wouldn't throw you right in the brig as soon as you were alone here?"
A slow, feral grin spread on Seska's face. "Oh, Kathryn, you were always too naïve for your own good," She said softly. "Computer, transfer all command codes to me, authorization Seska-Omicron-Sigma-Three."
"What the hell are you-"
"Command codes transferred."
"Computer, belay that order. Retain command codes for Kathryn Janeway, authorization Janeway-Alpha-Six-Five-Epsilon."
"Those codes are not accepted."
Seska looked at the stunned faces around her with satisfaction. "There. Now you'll cooperate."
"How…the hell did you do that?" Kathryn seethed.
"Just a little something I left in the system before I ran off with Cullah," Seska smiled. "I also left some booby traps embedded in one of Tuvok's charming little holodeck programs. Did you ever find that?"
"No," Tuvok said dryly. "But I will be sure to take the appropriate actions now that I know."
"Oh, I'm sure you will," Seska said sarcastically. Then she clapped her hands together. "So. I'm in control of Voyager now. I suggest we all put our pretty little heads together and come up with a plan."
Harry slowly shook his head. "What happened to you, Seska? I respected you in the beginning. You were our friend!"
"I was never really anyone's friend, Kim," Seska said firmly. "I was there to spy on the Maquis and eventually make sure they were all destroyed."
"Well, all of the Maquis were destroyed!" Tom burst out. "Thanks to the Cardassians and their puppeteers!"
Seska's eyes narrowed and Kathryn inwardly groaned as she realized the significance of Tom's statement. "Now, how would you know if they had been?" she asked suspiciously. Slowly, she sat down in a chair and tapped a fingernail on the table. "You would have had to have contact with the Alpha Quadrant to know if that had happened. You know, I think you're all leaving out a large chunk of the picture here, and no one has addressed it at all. It leads me to believe that you're intentionally misleading me."
"What are you talking about?" Harry scoffed.
Seska fixed her eyes on Harry, and they narrowed even more. "Three pips," she said softly. Her eyes wandered around the room until they reached Tuvok. "Command red, four pips." Her eyes fell on Kathryn and Chakotay. "No uniforms, no pips. How…unusual. I rarely recall the upstanding Captain Kathryn Janeway being on her bridge out of uniform. In fact, I don't think I ever saw that in my time here. Anyone care to explain?"
No one spoke.
"Fine." She got up and stood next to the console panel on the wall. "Computer, display Voyager's flight plan for the last two months."
"That information is restricted."
"I am in command of Voyager. Display the information."
"That information is restricted."
"On whose authorization?"
"Level ten clearance is needed."
"Level ten?"
"Captain's eyes only." Kathryn said smugly. "You may have command, but the computer knows you are not the captain."
Seska tilted her head. "Computer, who aboard Voyager is eligible for a level ten clearance?"
"Captain Tuvok and Captain Kathryn Janeway."
"How interesting! Two captains aboard one ship. How very unusual. Everyone knows Starfleet captains are obsessively possessive of their ships and that they don't share. And Chakotay, it looks as though you were passed over for promotion. How very, very interesting." Seska's smile abruptly vanished and she glared around the room. "Somebody better start talking." Still, no one spoke. "Fine." Seska tapped her wrist. "Seska to Denaj."
"Denaj here, your excellence."
"The woman I transferred over with the children…I want you to kill her."
"No!" Tom shouted.
"Seska don't you dare have her harmed!" Kathryn said viciously. "If you kill her, none of us will cooperate, and you'll never see your son again as far as I'm concerned."
"Seska, don't," Tom said in a strangled voice. "I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt her or the baby."
"You've gotten soft, Tom," Seska said harshly. "You were so much more interesting when you were naughty. Seska to Denaj, never mind. Leave the little lady where she is."
"Yes, ma'am."
"It's so nice to be in charge. Don't worry, I won't hurt either one of them, as long as I'm satisfied I've gotten the entire truth from you," She looked around the room and glared at them. "From all of you."
"You remember me, B'Elanna? I'm flattered."
B'Elanna held the children tightly to her sides. "It would be hard to forget you, and your race…and what they did to me."
She stepped further out of the shadows. "I assume you're referring to the separation of your DNA. Yes, I was told of that incident. Klingon DNA is essential to curing the Phage. You would do well not to mention your lineage. Many of our scientists read the case report on you."
B'Elanna shivered as she remembered that period of her life, when she was separated from herself, weak and fragile and confused. Tom had been wonderful then, helping her get through it and protecting her. But she never wanted to feel like that again.
"What are you doing here? And who are these children?"
B'Elanna kept her eyes on the woman as she came fully into the light, and the children could see her completely for what she was. Katie's nails dug deeply into B'Elanna's hand, and Benaren whimpered. B'Elanna debated the wisdom of telling a Viddian that the captain's children were in her grasp, but then she remembered what a kind person this woman had been, and how much she and the Doctor had cared for each other.
"The twins are Katie and Edward, Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay's children. This little boy is Neelix's grandson. Do you remember Neelix?"
She smiled. "That charming creature? How could I forget." She leveled a warm gaze on the children. "Hello, children. My name is Denara. Denara Pel."
TBC...soon, I promise!