Disclaimer: All things Star Trek belong to CBS/Paramount. I only own my imagination.
Spoilers: False Profits. If you haven't seen it, this won't make much sense.
Author's Note: I have the ambition to keep these coming, but I also have a real life which can mess with me. Wormhole to the left, but oh noes, our friends can't just make a run for it. If I ever wanted to create an AU this would be a good place to kick it in motion, but at the moment I'm concentrating on missing scenes.
With long strides Tom entered the mess hall. He was not in a good mood and it was very obvious as he crossed the short distance between the doors and the coffee station.
Across the room B'Elanna, Harry and Chakotay watched him enter.
"He looks cheerful," B'Elanna stated drily as she watched him grab the coffee pot with a grim determination, pouring the liquid in a mug without so much as a glance in Neelix general direction.
Chakotay chuckled. "He has little love for the Ferengi," he said.
B'Elanna glanced over at Chakotay. "Who does?" she asked and shook her head.
"Not many, I agree, but I wonder if anything has happened since he looks that ominous," he replied keeping his eyes on Tom who now was making his way through the room. With a distinct thud he put down his mug on the table were the trio sat, grabbed a chair and sat down. When he looked up he let his eyes fall on Chakotay.
"She let them go," was all he said.
Chakotay leaned over the table. "She did what?" His voice revealed surprise.
"The captain let the two 'Sages' go. They were apparently so convincing that she couldn't retain them for more than a few minutes. Since the people down there view them as gods you can't just yank these two out of there or you'll wreck havoc in a way someone bound to Starfleet protocol can't do. Apparently," Tom said with a voice so lacking in emotion that Tuvok would have approved. B'Elanna eyed him, well knowing Tom only sounded like that when he was really upset. She shook her head.
"So what now?" she asked.
"Senior officers will meet in about 30 minutes or so to discuss this," he replied and lifted his mug to drink.
"How did you hear about it?" Chakotay asked leaning back.
"I was leaving for a break when the captain swept through the bridge with a dark cloud hanging over head and Tuvok in tow, apparently ordered to take command when at his station. I asked him for details before heading here." He had another mouthful before turning his attention to Harry and B'Elanna. "So how's your work going then?" he asked.
"I'd like to say look out the window, but it's not quite there yet. I think it's close though. Very close. I'd feel a whole lot better if those leeches were in our brig right now," Harry said and glanced through the viewport closest to him. "When it appears we don't have that long, and I want to go home." He looked back from the viewport.
For a moment B'Elanna and Tom glanced at each other before their eyes darted away and they both tried to look indifferent by studying details on their mugs. Chakotay grimaced slightly at the sight. He had a pretty good guess what that had been about and he couldn't honestly say he didn't share their hesitation. It had been almost two years. Surely they had to be looked upon with some leniency? You could never be sure though and he realised he didn't know where his old band of Maquis really stood in this matter. The look Tom and B'Elanna had shared betrayed they had talked about it but he couldn't say if they had an agreement and what kind of agreement that might be. His gut sank when he looked at B'Elanna. She would probably not agree to any Starfleet treatment despite working well on Voyager. Tom? He'd like to think Tom would rather do it the Starfleet way because he had a real chance of being redeemed, but the lingering effects of Tom's secret agent adventure made him suspect he'd side with B'Elanna. What he himself would do was uncertain. He was after all the one Starfleet would like to nail to the imaginary cross. The rest might get away with a suspended sentence, or perhaps some community duty, but he didn't think he'd get away with something like that. This was one of the few things he hadn't discussed with anyone and in this his spirit guide hadn't been able to help. He hoped that he'd know when he arrived at that point.
Harry watched the same exchange and quelled a sigh. B'Elanna had worked with her usual determination and had not held back in any way, and up to this point he hadn't thought about what the former Maquis were facing once they were all back in the Alpha quadrant. He did now however. Then in the corner of his eye he saw it. A bluish light was forming. He turned his head and watched the wormhole form. "Look!" he exclaimed. The others looked up at the phenomenon and then at each other. Harry rose quickly. "We need to look at the data!" he continued and headed for the mess hall doors without looking at the others. B'Elanna scrambled to her feet, not looking at either Chakotay or Tom, following the ensign out through the doors.
The commander and the lieutenant sat silently watching the wormhole slightly shift and grow. Tom had one last mouthful of his coffee before setting down the mug in front of him, quite carefully as if any sound from the mug would disturb anything.
"It's certainly a sight," Chakotay said lightly.
"It sure is," Tom replied and for the first time since he had arrived at the table Chakotay noticed emotion in Tom's voice. He turned to look at the younger man and caught the conflict displayed over his face. Their eyes met briefly and Tom quickly regained his composure.
"I think it's time for us to join the rest," Chakotay said and the two men started to get out of their seats.
"*All senior officers, report to the briefing room,*" Tuvok ordered calmly over the comlink.
"Yessir," Tom said under his breath as he made his way out of the mess hall with Chakotay. He really wanted to ask what Chakotay was thinking at this very moment, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. He was not sure himself what he'd do if they made it back right now. He'd probably get a lenient treatment and would be able to go back to service, or at least be off the penal colony hook. There was always the trade circuit if Starfleet wouldn't accept him. It was a different matter for the former Maquis. They didn't know what had happened during the time they had been gone and if the war was still on, they would most likely want to re-join their comrades. But Chakotay? There was no telling what went through his mind right now.
If the war had ceased, there was no indication what any of the former Maquis would do. Or what the Federation would do with them. B'Elanna's voice came back to him. You could get your own ship. You'd not have to fly yourself if you did. You could be your very own captain. He wondered if she would be interested in a position if he did get his own ship, and she got out of the legal hassle fairly quickly. Perhaps, if she could forget about that embarrassing date proposal. His ears burned in shame at the thought of it. He could have lost the best engineer the world had ever seen because of that clumsy attempt to... what? Tell her he really cared for her, that she had a very special place in his heart? Probably not something she'd appreciate in a captain. Any captain.
"Cheer up Paris. We're not home yet," Chakotay said with a lopsided grin as they reached the turbolift. Tom looked startled. "Don't give me that look," the commander continued. "I can tell you're not beside yourself with joy." They stepped inside the lift. "Deck one," he ordered.
"I'll do my best," Tom said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Chakotay glanced at him and the corners of his mouth quirked slightly upwards. "I'm sure you will," he retorted calmly. The lift stopped and they stepped out on the bridge. It was time to deal with some pressing matters.
