Notes: I feel the need to once again acknowledge my superb beta, QS. She makes notes for me, lets me argue with her about why I don't need to change something, and doesn't gloat when she sees later that I have seen the error of my ways and fixed stuff she pointed out in the first place. So thank you very much. Story notes and disclaimer are still in the prologue.

Ch. 7

At the sound of that ingratiatingly insincere voice, Kathryn's heart plummeted even as she spun to see him, her eyes confirming what her heart already knew. Milo was in the Ferengi's room and had been there since before she walked in.

"And to think, I actually did bring the Ferengi here for you," he said, indicating the length of green shimmery material he still held in his hands. "But of course not for the services you wished to hire him for."

The Ferengi sputtered behind her, making excuses that it had all been a ruse and that he'd had no intention of helping her. She doubted that Milo believed the little toad anymore than she did. Janeway ignored him, instead watching Milo walk further into the room, seemingly alone. The ever-present Sheila was absent from his side, and Janeway had every confidence in the world that she could take Milo on her own. He was soft, not accustomed to physically defending himself, although she was sure he would have no problems knifing someone in the back if the need arose. She wondered vaguely, though, once she got her hands on him, would anyone on this ship care enough about his well-being to bow to her demands simply to protect his well-being. Giving a mental shrug, Janeway tensed as he moved closer; she'd find out in about two more seconds.

"You insist on making things difficult, Janeway," Milo said, throwing down the gauzy material. His trademark smile was not evident on his features, for once.

Damn. He'd stopped just out of her range. She'd have to close the distance in order to take the advantage. She needed to distract him. "What can I say? I never have responded well to threats."

He made a tsk-ing sound. "And I thought you were a woman of intelligence."

Janeway stepped away from the bar, hoping the movement towards him looked casual. The doors leading to the corridor slid open as she closed the distance. For a moment, she thought her movement had triggered their opening, but then she saw Stefan and two other aliens, both of which stood head and shoulders taller than him.

"The Admiral seems to have lost her way," Milo said curtly to Stefan. "See that she makes it back to her quarters."

Stefan moved into the room and grabbed her by the wrist. She immediately pulled back, twisting her arm against his grasp, but his grip only tightened as he spun her, trapping her arm behind her back. His other arm snaked around her middle, trapping her free arm against her side. His breath pushed against her hair as he hauled her struggling frame up against him. "Please, don't make me hurt you, Admiral."

Now that she was controlled, Milo approached her. "You will regret this…indiscretion, Admiral." Looking to Stefan, he said, "Keep her restrained. I'll join you shortly. I'm just going to finish up here first."

Turning her towards the corridor, Stefan's voice was a low growl as his hand slid to the back of her neck. "You can walk, Admiral, or we can drag you."

Feeling much like a recalcitrant child, Kathryn straightened as much as his grip would allow and walked the several meters back to her quarters. When the doors slid open, the first sight she saw was Madelyn sitting on the couch facing the door, and she wasn't alone. Sheila sat next to her, one arm draped over Maddie's shoulders. Stefan's grip tightened on Kathryn when she tensed at the sight. Ignoring him, Kathryn growled at Sheila, "Get away from my daughter."

Sheila gave Kathryn a feral smile as she began to play idly with Madelyn's hair.

"Mommy?"

Kathryn's heart clenched at the whispered, scared tone in Maddie's voice. She could see her daughter was already trembling, and could only imagine how it must've been for Maddie to be unexpectedly woken up by the alien woman sitting next to her now. "It's going to be okay, Maddie."

Sheila cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow at Kathryn. "Are you sure about that?"

Janeway bristled, but before she could retort, the door behind her slid open, allowing Milo entrance.

"Congratulations, Admiral, you've just gotten me the best deal ever out of that Ferengi. He was so worried about keeping me as a customer, he sold me his entire stock for cost." Milo leaned against the back of the couch. "It's not going to be enough, mind you, but the clothing will still be put to good use."

"Glad I could be of service," Kathryn offered dryly.

"Oh, don't think this lets you off the hook, Janeway." He stood away from the couch, closing the distance between them. "I just hope you're worth all the grief you're causing me."

He glared at her, his beady eyes searching hers for the fear he wanted to see, but all he saw in Janeway's eyes was the promise of continued defiance. He threw his hands in the air in disgust. "I am not a violent man, Admiral, but you…you make me want to cause you pain. Why can't you just cooperate?"

Kathryn bit her tongue at the retort she wanted to give. There were some things her daughter definitely did not need to hear. Instead, she kept her glare focused on Milo as he paced a few steps in front of her.

He stopped abruptly, his face flushed with agitation and sweat dotting his brow. "I can't think with her staring at me." Glancing at the guard next to Stefan, he jerked his head towards Janeway. "Drug her."

The order caught Kathryn by surprise and when she saw the guard move to do his bidding, she reacted instinctively, stepping backwards into Stefan's grip, causing him to stumble. His grip on the back of her neck loosened slightly, and she slammed her head back against his, feeling a satisfying crunch of cartilage. The other guard lunged for her, and all three of them stumbled into the bar. Even as she heard glass shatter behind her, she heard Milo yelling and Madelyn screaming. Kathryn faltered as the sound of her daughter's crying registered in her mind. It was only a moment of hesitation as she fearfully recalled Milo's cold promise if she failed to cooperate, but it was long enough for Stefan to press the hypospray against her neck. The quiet hiss as it delivered its contents into her bloodstream brought Kathryn reeling back to the fight she had started, and she kicked out at the guard in front of her, knocking him backwards. But it was too late. The drug began to course through her, and any hope of resolving the situation any other way slipped away from her. She was out of time. Her muscles went limp, and she saw the floor rushing up to greet her.