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Switched

Chapter 1

Sitting next to Chakotay in her ready room, pouring cream into his coffee, Kathryn Janeway noticed the way her first officer was massaging his temples.

"Another headache?"

At those words Chakotay withdrew his fingers. "It's nothing."

"This is your fourth headache is as many days. A trip to sickbay might be in order."

"No need for that. A goodnight's sleep is all I need. I've been covering for Tom a lot lately and no doubt these headaches are a not-so-gentle reminder that I need to slow down."

"Agreed. You were on the bridge when I left last night and still there this morning. How many hours sleep did you get exactly?"

"About four."

"Then I'm ordering you to take the rest of the day off. I'm all for hardwork, but I never want to be accused of slave-labor. In fact, take a couple of days off. You've earned it."

"But with B'Elanna due to give birth any moment can you spare me?"

"No," Kathryn said honestly. " But I'd rather spare you in the short term than the long term. And this is not up for negotiation. You're having two days off."

Chakotay smiled, dimples showing. "Pulling rank on a friend?"

Kathryn smiled in return. "Absolutely."

Chakotay was about to reply when the Doctor's voice spoke over the comm.

"Doctor to Captain Janeway. Please report to sickbay when you have a moment."

"I never have a moment," Kathryn replied, "but for you I'll find one, Doctor. Janeway out."

The connection terminated and Kathryn put down her coffee. "And I think that moment will have to be now. I've got a hundred and one things to do this afternoon." She got to her feet. "Help yourself to more coffee and whatever my replicator's in the mood to give you."

"This has got to be a first," Chakotay teased, "Kathryn Janeway walking out on a cup of coffee."

Kathryn laughed softly. "Well, you know what they say. There's a first time for everything."

With that she affectionately squeezed Chakotay's shoulder and left the room.

The Doctor was all alone in sickbay when Kathryn arrived there.

"You wanted to see me, Doctor."

The Doctor left a console he was working on and approached her. "That's right, Captain." He gestured to his office. "Please, take a seat."

"I don't mean to be rude," Kathryn replied. "But I really am very busy today. Just tell me what you have to say."

"I'm afraid it's not good news, Captain. Please, humor me and take a seat."

"Very well, Doctor," Kathryn sighed, already making her way into the office. "But I've had so much bad news today that I'm brazen to it. Everything you can imagine has gone wrong today from a malfunctioning warp core to broken lipstick."

"A tragedy I'm sure," the Doctor said, sitting opposite her, "broken lipstick."

"When it's your only one and your replicator decides to misbehave meaning you can't replicate another one, absolutely," Kathryn teased. "Now, get to the heart of the matter, Doctor. I really am very busy."

The Doctor hesitated for a moment. "I'm really not sure where to begin," he said uncomfortably, "but while I was giving Naomi and Icheb a biology lecture today, I made a very disturbing discovery."

"What kind of discovery?"

"About you. Or rather, about your parents. I was attempting to illustrate how DNA can show a parental relationship by using an example of yours and your parents DNA, but an analysis showed no immediate blood relationship. I thought there was a mistake at first, that I'd used the wrong examples, but I have performed several tests and there is no way that you are the biological daughter of Edward and Gretchen Janeway."

Kathryn flinched, but otherwise remained calm. "Of course I'm their daughter, Doctor. I was never adopted and I've seen my medical file many times. I don't know what examples you've been testing, but they're clearly not the right ones."

"I'm afraid they are, Captain. Every person's medical file contains information on their parents and siblings, and based on a DNA comparison, there is no immediate blood relationship between you and Edward, Gretchen and Phoebe Janeway. The closest blood relationship between you and them is a common ancestor about 10 generations ago. I've even accessed your father's medical file, which we have on record as he was a Starfleet Officer, and double checked his DNA. All tests give the same answer. There is no way Edward and Gretchen Janeway are your biological parents. But without question they are the parents of Phoebe Janeway. I'm so sorry, Captain."

Kathryn's face paled now and she was a long time in answering. "But they have to be Doctor. How can they not be? I'd know if I was adopted."

"You definitely were not adopted," the Doctor said. "I think what we're dealing with is a genuine mistake."

"Mistake?" Kathryn asked, her tone sharper than she intended. "What kind of mistake?"

"While it's extremely rare in this century," the Doctor went on, "occasionally babies are mixed up at birth. I believe you went home from hospital with the wrong parents. It's the only explanation."

"No it isn't," Kathryn answered. "It's a ridiculous explanation. If I was mixed up with another baby, how come my DNA is on my medical file? A baby's medical details are drawn up at birth."

"I don't know," the Doctor answered. "Perhaps the mix-up happened before a full medical profile had been made."

"If that was the case, they would surely have realized that there'd been a mix up when they recorded my DNA."

"Only if they performed a maternal or paternal test and that is only done at the request of the parents. Your parents would have had no reason to request one."

"Then who do you suppose I am, Doctor? If you say I am not Kathryn Janeway, then who the hell am I?"

"I don't know," the Doctor replied. "To determine that I'd need access to the Federation DNA database. All I can suggest is that we submit a DNA parental match request during our contact time with the Federation tomorrow. We should then have an answer in a couple of days."

"Or we find out that this is all a mistake and I am the daughter of Edward and Gretchen Janeway."

There was so much pain in Kathryn's eyes that the Doctor could not extinguish her only light of hope. "Or we find that is the case," he agreed.

"And I want a new DNA sample taken and analyzed," she said. "Here." With that she pulled a hair from her head. "And I want complete confidentiality, understand? I don't want anyone knowing of this."

"You have my word, Captain. But if the worst happens and you are not the biological daughter of Edward and Gretchen Janeway, then all concerned parties will have to be informed."

"I understand, Doctor. But we're a long way from that right now." She then got to her feet, her face pale but defiant. "Now I really must get back to work. Good day, Doctor."

Without waiting for a reply, she left the room.

End of Chapter One