# Chapter 5 – Away Mission
"Download complete," the computer intoned bringing Chakotay out of his daydream. Chakotay picked up the PADD and examined the table of contents of the text. Voyager was in orbit around a Minshara class world in a K7 type star system and they were taking a few days off their trek back to the alpha quadrant to conduct needed maintenance on the warp drive and the rest of Voyager's systems. Although two of the six planets in the system were in the habitable zone of the star and teaming with life, neither hosted an advanced nor even emerging sentient species. They felt safe here and so it provided them a perfect place to stop for the needed time – a habit formed after years of hiding from the Borg and Species 8472 using their Ramuran cloak. He placed the PADD by the couch in his living quarters deciding to change out of his uniform before settling in to read. He was looking forward to studying the official account of the early negotiations during the establishment of the Federation but was interrupted by the chime of the comm system.
"Paris to Chakotay."
"Go ahead," Chakotay replied. He knew Lieutenant Paris was scheduled to pilot a shuttle on a short away mission this afternoon to the other M class planet in the system. Neelix had led a team to prospect and gather on the planet a few days ago, and requested at this morning's staff meeting a return visit to collect a specific type of plant to include as a potential food crop. Chakotay wondered if there was a problem.
"I was hoping you could do me a favor," Paris said. "Miral is not feeling well and B'Elana is tied up in engineering with the warp core maintenance. I know you have the afternoon off, but could you pilot the shuttle on Neelix's collection mission?"
"I thought Jenkins was your backup."
"She was called in to take the Delta Flyer to the gas giant in system to collect more deuterium."
Chakotay nodded. From orbit, the planet had looked spectacular with an atmosphere and gravity very similar to Earth. This gave him the perfect opportunity to get a first hand look. "Ok, I'll be right down."
When he arrived in the shuttle bay, he was surprised to see only Seven of Nine waiting there for him. "Commander Chakotay," she said. "I was expecting Lieutenant Paris."
"Miral's sick, so I'll be filling in as your pilot," he responded with a smile. He looked about the cargo bay. "It's just the two of us then?" He knew that Seven was more than capable of piloting the shuttle by herself, but regulations required at least two people on all away missions. The thought of being alone with Seven made him feel both exhilarated and uncertain. For the past several weeks, he had been trying to sort through his feelings for her. He had decided to wait and see how things developed, and now with the prospect of spending the day alone with her on an away mission, he would venture that the universe was trying to tell him something.
Seven nodded stiffly. "Indeed. It shouldn't take us too long. We are tasked to collect two specimens of a particular flowering plant found in the mountains of the southern continent of the planet. Neelix has provided us with the precise location."
"Very good," Chakotay replied. "Well then, let's get going." Did she sound nervous? That was out of character, and so Chakotay dismissed it as his imagination.
Seven was carrying a small case on a strap over her shoulder and held a tricorder. Everything else that they needed was in the shuttle. Chakotay entered and sat at the pilot's station and Seven followed and settled in beside him. They cleared their departure with the bridge duty officer and left for the system's second planet. When they left the shadow of Voyager, the natural light of the primary star bathed the interior of the shuttle. The warm orange glow was a stark contrast to the artificial lights onboard Voyager.
"So how did you get chosen for this mission," Chakotay asked with some interest after their course was established and the computer had taken over. It would be a twenty minute cruise at full impulse before they made orbit.
Seven shrugged. "I suppose you could say that Mister Neelix played to my vanity. There are many similar flowering plant species on this planet, but the flowers we are to find apparently have a particular pattern that can only be seen in the ultraviolet. Since my Borg ocular implant allows me to see into the ultraviolet, he convinced me I was the perfect crewman for the job."
Chakotay nodded and glanced idly at the navigation control. "Well," he began hesitantly, "I'm kind of happy it's worked out that we can be together. We haven't had as many of our lunches lately. This will give us an opportunity to catch up." Chakotay felt a tinge of guilt, since the reason for the lack of lunch meetings was entirely his doing.
After a short silence, Seven said, "what would you like to talk about?"
There were some things that came readily to Chakotay's mind that he'd love to discuss with her, but he wasn't ready for that. Not yet, anyway. He mostly just wanted to talk with her, return to the way it used to be with their conversations in the past, comfortable and relaxed. He decided on a topic they had recently spoken about. "Have you been conducting any more research on the habits of the crew?"
"Nothing further to report," she replied with a smile. "I would like to explore your notion that there is a guiding force in the universe sometime. At present, however, I have been spending some of my free time investigating the meaning of life." Chakotay laughed and Seven folded her arms in front of her in mock irritation. "You think I'm joking?"
Chakotay shook his head. "Not at all. It's just that you're always full of surprises. You cover a lot of ground with your research."
"There is much to study."
This was exactly what he wanted. How easy it was to slip back into this casual rapport. "What got you thinking about the meaning of life?"
"I was considering the meaning of my own life the other day," Seven stated. "Specifically, I had just completed another report for astrometrics."
"The dreaded daily report."
"Yes, filled with a variation of virtually the same information as in hundreds of reports before it. I wondered if these reports would be my only lasting legacy."
"A hundred years from now, who will know of Seven of Nine and what will they know of her? I'd hate to think it was just your signature on Voyager's daily astrometrics report."
"Precisely, but why just a hundred? A thousand years from now. A million years from now. Our existence in this universe is brief indeed."
"I know what you mean," Chakotay replied. He had thought often of mortality and the brevity of life. On Voyager, they faced the reality of death every day. "But your life is much more than those reports and what you accomplish in astrometrics. You touch the lives of so many on Voyager. Think of Icheb. You are his mentor, and for all intents and purposes, you are also his surrogate mother."
"I suppose. He has grown to become a fine young man."
"In the here and now," Chakotay continued, "our accomplishments and actions do matter. You do make a difference in astrometrics, and it affects everyone on Voyager. Each of us may be but one individual amongst a galaxy of a billion billion others, but to someone else, we may be that one individual that matters most."
"It appears that interacting with other individuals is key."
"I think you've got something there. Perhaps the meaning for our existence is then found in our interactions with others," Chakotay proposed, "the sharing of our lives, our thoughts, and our experiences with the people around us."
Seven was quiet for a short time. "There are some Vulcans who purge themselves of all emotion and live in isolation," she finally said. "If your supposition is true, their lives lack meaning because they no longer interact with others."
Chakotay considered Seven's comment and looked out the shuttle's window at the approaching planet. The sun was illuminating a circumstellar dust ring just inside the planet's orbit and appeared to have a tongue of fire that extended from its surface and encircled the planet. He marveled at the grandeur and beauty, and yet, just as with individuals, it was but one of countless wonders in an isolated and unpopulated star system within a galaxy of four hundred billion other stars within a universe of one hundred billion other galaxies within a multiverse of an untold number of universes. How tiny and apparently insignificant one individual life seemed. And yet, Chakotay felt each individual was infinitely precious. A soul of both the physical and spiritual.
"Nothing to say?" Seven inquired after an extended time.
"No, I'm sorry. I just got distracted by this view. Take a look at the zodiacal light surrounding the planet we're approaching."
Seven leaned over close to Chakotay and looked out the shuttle window. Chakotay felt her proximity both pleasant and unnerving. "I wonder if the high concentration of planetoids in this system is the cause of the lack of sentient species on both M class planets," she commented.
"I think I read in one of the away team reports evidence of some recent impacts on one of the planets," Chakotay offered. Seven sat back in her seat beside Chakotay. "As for the Vulcan monks, I would say they do interact with another entity, their perceived god of pure logic. Because their god exists as a real being to them, their lives do have meaning through that interaction. I am sure to some who do not believe, they look at those Vulcan monks as idealistic fools, but it is the individual's subjective perception of meaning that matters and not the perceptions of others."
"In some religions, the belief is there is but one god," Seven observed. "If your supposition is true, perhaps this god created the multiverse and filled it with life so it could interact with its creation and thus bring meaning to itself."
Chakotay was impressed. "Even in religions with multiple gods," he added, "there is usually a 'Great Spirit' who existed before them all. This spirit could have also created the other gods to bring meaning to itself as you suggest." He had never really thought along these lines before and marveled at Seven's insight. The computer indicated the end of trans-planetary flight was near and the need to start preparations for landing. "We'll have to continue this conversation later," he said and reluctantly pivoted back into the pilot's position and analyzed the controls. "Do you have Neelix's landing site?"
"I'm entering the coordinates right now," Seven responded. She examined the display for a few moments. "We've entered the planet's mesosphere and the landing site should be coming into view over the sunlit limb."
They both looked out the front window of the shuttle. The planet was bathed in the orange light of the primary star producing a kaleidoscope of colors reflected off the clouds and land below. "Computer, overlay landing site" Chakotay said, and a green bulls-eye illuminated on a cloud free portion of the land in the foothills of a mountain range that crossed the continent. They watched in silence as rivers and forests began to emerge from the chaos of hues and patterns. At thirty kilometers, the computer pitched the shuttle over to prepare for final approach and they lost site of the planet below.
Chakotay allowed the computer to handle the entire landing. It went so smoothly that he didn't realize they were on the ground until the sound of the thrusters stopped and the engines powered down. They exited the shuttle and looked about. The shuttle sat on a flat area beside a mountain stream that flowed through a meadow. Snow covered peaks glistened in the distance, their flanks covered with a thick dark forest of blue and green trees. The sky was a much deeper shade of blue, unusual on planets with a solar type star and atmosphere. There was also a tinge of purple to the sky near the horizon.
"Breathtaking," Chakotay whispered in awe. He turned to see Seven's reaction, and she stood still, her mouth slightly open, examining their surroundings. The light of the orange sun backlit her hair giving her a soft halo and Chakotay was struck by her beauty as well. It took him a moment to recover, but fortunately Seven did not notice him staring. He stepped away from the shuttle and said, "I saw the report and some holoimages from the previous landing party, but they don't do this place justice."
"It is…" Seven began, but then seemed to be at a loss for words. She looked the full length of the meadow. "Remarkable," she finally said.
Chakotay also scanned the meadow before them. It was about four times longer than it was wide, with a gentle slope up in the direction of the mountains and a ledge over which he couldn't see down towards an area of rolling hills and plains that extended to the horizon. Wildflowers of many sizes and hues sprinkled the ground in all directions. "Good grief, there are thousands of them."
Seven looked about. "Many of these do have ultraviolet patterns on their petals, but none in this vicinity appear to match the specifications detailed by Mister Neelix."
Chakotay opened his tricorder and sweeped the area, eventually he settled on the ground where the shuttle had just landed. "We appear to be in the correct spot. There are energy residuals that indicate a shuttle landed here recently, and I would presume it was one of ours from the other day. Did Mister Neelix indicate where the plants were located?"
"He said they would be near the landing site and we wouldn't be able to miss them."
Chakotay replaced the tricorder into his belt and put his hands on his hips. As he looked about, it occurred to him that a hike around the meadow would be a nice diversion. A faint trail, probably produced by the local fauna, paralleled the stream towards the head of the meadow where a rock outcropping was visible. From the sound of it, there might even be a waterfall hidden beyond the rocks. He became aware of several small hummingbird-like creatures moving amongst the flowers, undoubtedly pollinating them and collecting the flower's nectar. "Let's go for a walk. We'll hike around the perimeter of the meadow, and you keep a lookout for Neelix's plant."
He half expected Seven to protest at the inefficiency of his plan, but instead she ducked back into the shuttle and returned with two small packs. Chakotay recognized them as standard Starfleet survival packs filled with water, first aid supplies and food. He nodded, accepted his pack and put it on. Seven did the same and then placed the specimen container back over her shoulder. She glanced at Chakotay to see if he was ready, and then started up the faint trail towards the outcropping. Chakotay fell into step behind her. After a few minutes of hiking, he realized the distance was a fair bit further than he had estimated, but the air was clear and fresh and he decided it would be good to stretch their legs for a bit. As they walked in silence amidst the rosy glow of the meadow, Chakotay became aware of the fragrance of the flowers about them; a sweet smell that would appear with the wind and then dissipate. The sound of the stream beside them and the waterfall in the distance seemed to be speaking to him.
Seven stopped on the trail ahead and turned to wait for him to catch up. She pointed to a place near the center of the meadow. Chakotay wondered if she could distinguish the plant they were searching for at such a distance when he noticed an animal amongst the flowers. It had long dark fur and walked on four legs. As it walked, it swayed its pointed head back and forth. Periodically, its tongue would flash out and undoubtedly snap up some sort of meal, but it was too distant for Chakotay to distinguish what that might be. Seven seemed to immediately understand his thoughts and whispered, "It appears to be eating insects or small birds that are pollinating the flowers." Evidently her eyesight was much more acute than his. As they watched, it became apparent that a smaller creature was following the first. When they both emerged into an area devoid of flowers, the smaller creature was revealed to be of the same species.
"Perhaps its offspring," Chakotay observed.
"Or, perhaps its mate," Seven countered. "Sexual dimorphism in size is common throughout the Galaxy and observed in many animal species." They observed the animals for a short time and then Seven added, "did you know that for the largest animal on Earth, the Blue Whale, females are about ten percent larger than males, and for some spiders, the female is as much as fifty times larger than the male." Chakotay noticed a twinkle in Seven's eyes when she smiled and then turned to continue along the path. Of course, sexual dimorphism in size also went the other way, including to a degree in humans, and so the larger creature may as easily be the male of the species. He couldn't help but notice, however, that he was the one following Seven on the trail.
After a bit more hiking, they finally came to the boulders at the top of the meadow. Chakotay looked back and was surprised at how small the shuttle looked in the distance about two thirds of the way down the length. Beyond the rocks, a waterfall indeed cascaded down from higher ground, the view of the falls and the stream lost after entering the forest. From this vantage point it also became evident there was a lake at the opposite end of the meadow just below the ledge into which the stream obviously drained.
"Let's take a break and sit here for a minute," Chakotay said and started hopping over some of the boulders to find a good spot. The hillside rose steeply at the top of the meadow and there were several rocks that jutted out. He picked a large flat one he could lift himself up onto and have his legs dangle over the side. After he had found his spot, Seven came over and sat next to him. She set down the specimen container, took off her pack, and produced a flask of water. That looked good to Chakotay, so he did the same.
"I have read about the pantheon of gods worshiped by the ancient Aztecs," Seven commented after a time.
"Oh?"
"The accounts of what the Aztec did to satiate their gods are quite gruesome. I am curious about your personal beliefs. Knowing you, I can't imagine these are the same gods you give thanks to before your meals or during your vision quests."
Seven was observant, and as always, cut directly to the point. "No. During the time when the Aztec ruled the continent of my ancestors, my tribe was subjugated and terrorized by them. The Aztecs would go to war to capture slaves and sacrificial victims for their gods. It was horrific."
Seven seemed to relax a bit. "Earth history is filled with both horror and wonder."
"As are the histories of many so-called intelligent species I'm afraid. The gods I give thanks to are those that inspire wonder," Chakotay offered.
They stayed a while longer at the outcropping, and then packed up and continued their hike along the perimeter of the meadow. There was no hurry, so they lingered in spots to examine the local flora and fauna. At one point an immense flock of birds flew overhead coming from the mountains and heading towards the plains to the west. The sky was darkened by their passage, filled horizon to horizon with the multitude. Their calls echoed about the small valley making it impossible to even speak over the cacophony. Chakotay wished he had thought to bring a holoimager to capture the scene. The sun moved along is course in the sky and midday turned into late afternoon. Across the meadow from the shuttle, they found another area of rocks. Chakotay recognized now that the U-shaped valley they were in had been carved out by ice during a period of glaciation in this planet's past. The rocks on which they now sat had been deposited by those same glaciers an untold number of years before. The sun was getting closer to the horizon and peeked out from behind distant clouds, promising a colorful sunset. Suddenly Chakotay's comm badge chirped.
"Kim to Commander Chakotay."
"Go ahead."
"Just checking in Commander, it's been a while since we've heard from you."
Chakotay glanced at Seven who sat up straight and appeared to be somewhat alarmed. She whispered, "it's late."
"Everything's fine here ensign, we're just wrapping up and will be returning to Voyager shortly." When the comm link was broken, Chakotay turned to Seven and asked, "what time is it?"
"Twenty one hundred hours. The night shift started an hour ago." She sounded as startled as Chakotay felt. They had spent the better part of the day searching for Neelix's plant. Well, that wasn't quite true. As Chakotay thought about it, most of the time they hadn't actually been searching.
"We'd better find that plant," Chakotay said and slid off the rock he had been sitting on. "It would be a little embarrassing to return empty handed." Sunset was not far off, and the lighting wasn't ideal for a continued search. He was just thinking that they should cut across the valley directly towards the shuttle on the opposite side when he heard Seven giggle. He turned startled, his hand half raised in the direction of the shuttle.
"I apologize Commander," Seven said. "I'm not certain where that came from. I concur, we should cut across the meadow and examine the foliage in the center. It's possible this plant simply does not grow along the perimeter of this valley." Although her tone was serious, Chakotay could still see the mirth in her eyes.
Chakotay shook his head but laughed as well. "I'll lead. You keep your eye out for that plant." Chakotay started off towards the shuttle. He cut a relatively straight path through the meadow, but did adjust their course to avoid the more densely vegetated areas. A myriad of either large bugs or small birds scattered at their approach. He imagined himself as one of the animals he and Seven had seen earlier and had half a mind to reach out and grab one to examine.
About midway through the meadow, they came across some plants slightly taller than those around them. "Chakotay," Seven called from behind him. "We've found them."
She placed down the container she had been carrying the entire day and opened it. Inside she extracted a hand shovel and began to dig out one of the plants, keeping a ball of dirt around its roots. As she placed it in the container and moved to dig up another, Chakotay examined the plants around them. Some of the flowers had already turned to seed, so Chakotay picked a seed pod and placed that beside the plants in the specimen container. In a couple minutes, they were done with the plants secure and sealed within the container.
Chakotay sighed. "Well, I guess it's time to head back."
They returned to the shuttle and sealed the hatch. Chakotay initiated internal decontamination procedures and allowed the computer to run this in the background as they prepared the shuttle for launch. He would decontaminate the exterior after leaving the atmosphere.
"If you adjust the shuttle's orientation by about sixty degrees to the port, we will be able to watch the sunset unobstructed," Seven observed from the seat beside him. "It shouldn't be more than ten minutes away."
Chakotay looked out and nodded. What a wonderful idea. He had been hoping to see the sunset. Some aerosols or dust in the atmosphere had produced a wide variety of changing colors throughout the day. He used the shuttle's thrusters to lift up about a meter, made the rotational adjustment, and then settled the shuttle back down.
The sun lowered closer to the horizon and illuminated the high clouds from below. Chakotay and Seven were treated to a dazzling array of purples and reds. "This is a beautiful world," Chakotay mused.
They sat together in silence and watched as the sun touched the horizon and eventually disappeared from view. "And I think," Seven added, "the enjoyment of it is heightened when shared with another. There may be some merit to your supposition that meaning for our existence is found in our interactions with each other."
Chakotay again felt the jolt of a connection between himself and Seven. Those same feelings he had felt before but had been reluctant to probe presented themselves. This time, however, he didn't shun them. He did enjoy Seven's company, and did have feelings for her. Before he realized what he was doing, he placed his hand atop hers that was resting on the consol before them. They both turned to look at the other. Chakotay looked into Seven's eyes, trying to ascertain her feelings and what she was thinking. She looked back expectantly, perhaps attempting to do the same.
"I've had a wonderful day," Chakotay finally said.
"As have I," Seven agreed.
It was time. Chakotay was reluctant to break the physical contact with Seven, but moved his hand to the shuttle's controls and initiated the launch procedures.
They spoke little on the flight back to Voyager, but it was a comfortable quiet. Chakotay replayed the conversations of the day in his head, and the wondrous sights they had experienced. At one point, Seven placed her hand on Chakotay's shoulder and pointed out the side window of the shuttle. Thousands of blue-white stars shown like bright diamonds in a nearby cluster surrounded by the glow of nebulosity. It was a young cluster and the combined stellar wind of the stars had not yet dissipated the gas and dust from which they had formed. "The cluster we passed through a few months ago," Seven commented. Another moment shared, Chakotay thought. Another interaction that gave so much meaning to his life.
Neelix was waiting for them in the shuttle bay when they finally arrived back on Voyager. "Welcome home," he said as they exited the shuttle. "I was beginning to worry." Seven handed the specimen container over to him and he added, "did you have any trouble finding them?"
"No trouble at all," Chakotay replied. "We stayed for a little extra time to enjoy the planet." He exchanged a knowing glance with Seven.
"Splendid," Neelix replied and looked back and forth between Chakotay and Seven. Seeming satisfied, he held up the specimen container and patted its side, "Well thank you" he said and then turned and left the shuttle bay.
Chakotay didn't want the evening to end, but he realized it was getting late. It might be his imagination, but it appeared as if Seven was also lingering and hesitant to go. "See you for lunch tomorrow?" he asked, stepping up beside her.
"I look forward to it," Seven replied.
And indeed, Chakotay imagined the guiding force of the universe nudging him as he realized how much he looked forward to it as well.